E077: Ben Krahne, Madonna Nash, Skyler 4/29/11 | archived

Guests: Country Music Writer Ben Krahne, Country Recording Artist Madonna Nash, and country recording artist Skyler.

Ben Krahne started writing music later in life around 26, he was living in Lake Tahoe at the time and met a guy named Tim Tierney. He seemed to capture a audience with just a guitar and vocals. they became friends and Ben started playing guitar, Ben has been hooked ever since.
After a few years up there, Ben returned back to the bay area and continued playing music, but really dove into music after moving again to Marin County where he lived in small place and studied music, pretty much lived and breathed it. After putting out a couple cds, Ben decided just to concentrate on writing and pitch to publishers.

Madonna Nash, winner of the 2010 Female Country Artist of the Year at the Carolina Music Awards, has been singing for as long as she can remember.
Nash comes from a very musical family. Her father toured the country playing guitar, and her mother was an honors graduate in music from East Carolina University. Nash’s great great uncle was Connie B. Gay, founding president of the Country Music Association (CMA).

Third grade. Recess. As most kids wait anxiously for their turn on the slide, ride on the zip line, or shot at the four square court, another group forms around a solitary raised platform. At any other time of day, this spot would be unremarkable. But after lunch, at this elementary school, it is transformed into a stage… where Skyler would perform. And from nearby this makeshift venue, educators can witness a mini “Hard Day’s Night” moment. From these unusual beginnings, it should be no surprise that by 6th grade, Skyler was a multi-instrumentalist; by 7th grade, he was sleeping on the couch, so as not disturb the sanctity of the recording studio that his bedroom had become; or that by 9th grade, he had released his first full-length, all original CD