SongWriter turns stories into songs
Ben ArthurSongWriter is a storytelling and songwriting podcast where stories become brand new songs. In each episode, a celebrated writer shares a story, and a musician writes and performs a song inspired by it — revealing how narratives turn into music, lyrics, and emotion.
Hosted by Ben Arthur, SongWriter features conversations and performances from artists including Questlove, Joyce Carol Oates, George Saunders, Steve Earle, David Sedaris, and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. The show blends the craft of writing, the creative processes of art, and intimate connections between authors and musicians.
If you love great stories and great songs — and want a behind-the-scenes look at creativity from some of today’s most influential artists — this is your next listen.
SongWriter is a storytelling and songwriting podcast where stories become brand new songs. In each episode, a celebrated writer shares a story, and a musician writes and performs a song inspired by it — revealing how narratives turn into music, lyrics, and emotion.
Hosted by Ben Arthur, SongWriter features conversations and performances from artists including Questlove, Joyce Carol Oates, George Saunders, Steve Earle, David Sedaris, and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. The show blends the craft of writing, the creative processes of art, and intimate connections between authors and musicians.
If you love great stories and great songs — and want a behind-the-scenes look at creativity from some of today’s most influential artists — this is your next listen.
Fear, Parenting, and Finding Light in Darkness: Maggie Smith + Kat Edmonson
Poet Maggie Smith reads her viral poem Good Bones and reflects on what it means to raise children in a world that is both beautiful and frightening. She also shares What I Carried, a poem about fear and love, and how both shape the lives of parents and kids. Psychologist Dr. Chrissy Salley from the Courageous Parents Network joins to talk about caregiving, resilience, and how families can have honest conversations with children. Jazz chanteuse Kat Edmonson closes the episode with Fear, Fear, a haunting new song inspired by Smith’s work.
Chapters
4:00 Good Bones: How a viral poem became a “disaster barometer” for dark times
13:00 What I Carried: Fear, love, and the truths parents share with their children
27:00 Caregiving Research: Building resilience and honesty in families with Dr. Chrissy Salley
52:00 Fear, Fear: Kat Edmonson’s haunting new song inspired by Maggie Smith
A broadside of "Good Bones" is available, as is the pre-order for Maggie's upcoming book, "Dear Writer"
SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and many more. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears as a segment on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com.
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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation