
Hosted by Robert Miller · EN

Steven Pressfield is the author of over twenty books of fiction and nonfiction. Two themes emerge from his writings: self-help and creativity, and historical fiction and war. He wrote “The Legend of Bagger Vance”, which in 2000 was made into a major motion picture directed by Robert Redford and starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. He also wrote “Gates of Fire”, and “The Virtues of War” among others. “The War Of Art” focuses on procrastination. His works are widely read in military, creative, and leadership communities for their insights into discipline, resistance, and courage. He’s a former Marine and a longtime student of classical history. He’s known for blending historical accuracy with storytelling and philosophy. His newest book is “The Arcadian”. It’s set in Spain and deals with the moral and spiritual costs of war. Which is particularly relevant today. My featured song is “Rough Rider”, one of my recent singles. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH STEVEN:www.stevenpressfield.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Hi everybody. Robert Miller here with another Follow Your Dream Reflection — observations drawn from my many conversations with remarkable creative artists. One of the hallmarks of my podcast interviews is that they are completely free-form. While I study each guest, read their bio, and do my due diligence on their art, I don’t script the interview. I don’t write down questions in advance. At most, I may jot down a few topics I’d like to discuss. And I usually avoid speaking with my guests before the interview, because I want the conversation to feel fresh and spontaneous. In many ways, I approach my interviews the same way I approach my music. Jazz is improvised — and so are my interviews. We talk, and I let the conversation flow. I make decisions in real time about whether to follow up on something the guest has just said, or to take the discussion in a different direction. The same is true for the “fest” portion of each interview. I decide on the spot when to segue into it and how I want that part of the conversation to unfold. Doing the podcast this way borders on the dangerous. There’s always the chance that I won’t immediately think of the right question, or that the conversation might slow down. But to me, that’s exactly what makes the interviews exciting. It’s the same feeling as being on stage and improvising a solo or a jam in real time. There’s no safety net. My interview style is also influenced by something I did in college. I was a DJ on my school’s radio station, and my shows were completely free-form. I played the music that moved me without planning the set list in advance, reacting in real time to each selection as I chose the next one. It was my first lesson in improvisation. Approaching podcast interviews as jazz improvisations allows me to draw on that musical training and keeps the conversations spontaneous and alive. And I think the audience enjoys it that way too. Just an observation from my many conversations. This is Robert Miller with Follow Your Dream.

Allison Charney is a Grammy® nominated soprano opera singer. She has performed dozens of leading roles with opera companies across the United States. she’s been a soloist with major orchestras, and she has recorded worldwide. She made her debut at the New York City Opera in La Bohème. She also sung Puccini’s Madam Butterfly and Tosca. She has sung Mozart’s Figaro and Don Giovanni. Other performances include Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann, Die Fledermaus, Carmen, La Traviata and The Merry Widow. She has performed with the Atlanta Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Utah Opera, Nashville Opera, and Opera Memphis among many others. My featured song is “March Of The Diplomats”, from the album Trippin’ by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ALLISON:www.preformances.org —------------------------------------ ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Jeremy Ledbetter is a JUNO Award-winning Canadian pianist, composer, and producer known for his fusion of jazz and world music. He was trained as a classical pianist, but he switched to jazz and spent over a decade travelling to Trinidad, Cuba, Brazil, and Venezuela to study local musical cultures. He’s released two albums with his trio. He’s also the leader and composer for the Caribbean Jazz ensemble CaneFire. And he works with OKAN, the terrific duo who has been on this podcast My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, my recent single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JEREMY:www.jeremyledbetter.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Ludovica Burtone is a violinist and composer. Her music spans an eclectic range of styles and genres including classical, jazz, Brazilian, and contemporary. She has performed worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborator in numerous ensembles. And at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Radio City, Boston Symphony Hall, and Boston Opera House among others. Her latest project, “Migration Tales”, explores the stories of immigrant women in New York City through original compositions. Recent highlights include performing at the Notorious B.I.G. Tribute at Lincoln Center. My featured song is “The Gift”, my recent single that transformed my jazz ballad into a big band Samba. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH LUDOVICA:www.ludovicaburtone.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Today is a very special day on the podcast. It’s Satchmo day! Or as you may know him - Louis Armstrong day! For anyone who doesn’t know him, Louis Armstrong was simply one of the greatest American artists ever. And my guest to celebrate this occasion is Ricky Riccardi. He is the Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Ricky has written three critically-acclaimed biographies of Louis Armstrong and is a two-time Grammy winner in the "Best Album Notes" category. He’s produced numerous Louis Armstrong reissues, served as a Consulting Producer on the documentary "Louis Armstrong's Black and Blues", and he’s given Louis Armstrong lectures at venues around the world. He is also a pianist. My featured song is “Mi Cachimber All Stars”, my recent single. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH RICKY:www.louisarmstronghouse.org —------------------------------------ ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

In Robert Frost’s famous poem, called “The Road Not Taken”, a traveler comes to a fork in the road and must choose between two paths. The poem is really about life’s crossroads—those moments when we must choose between the expected path and one that is uncertain, unconventional, and uniquely our own. My life has been about pursuing that second path. Like most people, I spent much of my adult life raising a family, building a career, and meeting the responsibilities that come with adulthood. My youthful dream of becoming a rock star musician remained just that—a dream. But as I approached age 60, when most of my contemporaries were approaching retirement, a light went off in my head. I realized that if I did not pursue that dream now, I would never do it. And I didn’t want to look back later in life and regret that I had not even given my dream a chance. So figuratively, I jumped into the deep end of the pool. I gave up my other pursuits and committed myself fully to music. And you know what? It turned out to be the best decision I ever made. As of today I’ve released 15 albums (including a Billboard #1), numerous singles, written an Amazon #1 bestselling book, and created Follow Your Dream, a global arts platform featuring more than 750 conversations and more with world-class artists from around the globe. In this Essay I delve into the pros and cons of finding your path when you reach that crossroads. Like my other essays, this essay has been published on the Medium app. And it’s available on the Essays page of Follow Your Dream. I hope you will take a look. And stay tuned for future essays periodically. CLICK HERE —----------------------------------------------------------- The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a theater historian, author and producer. She conceived of The Jonathan Larson Project. He’s the guy who wrote Rent. She’s been the longtime Creative and Programming Director at 54 Below, the iconic New York City cabaret club. She’s curated or produced over 8,000 shows. As an author her latest book is “Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy that the History Books Left Out”, about female musical theatre writers. She’s also the author of "The Untold Stories of Broadway", and the creator of the "If It Only Even Runs A Minute" concert series. She produced the musical “Be More Chill” and was the historian consultant on the film, “tick, tick… BOOM!” about Jonathan Larson. My featured song is my reimagined cover of Double’s hit “The Captain Of Her Heart”, from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH JENNIFER:www.jenniferashleytepper.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Gentiane MG is a fabulous Montreal-based pianist and composer who combines jazz and classical. Her music explores human connection, emotional depth, and the quiet relationship between inner life and the natural world. She’s toured with her trio extensively across Canada and Europe and she’s earned major honours including OPUS Awards, Radio Canada recognition, and JUNO nominations. Her latest album is called “Can You Hear the Birds?” My featured song is my reimagined cover of Chick Corea’s “Sea Journey”, from the album Play by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH GENTIANE:www.gentianemg.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com

Kevin Kiner is an Annie Award and BMI award winning, and Emmy nominated, TV and film composer. He’s one of the entertainment industry's most versatile and in-demand composers. He scored several Star Wars movies. He’s work on shows like CSI: Miami, Narcos and Walker, Texas Ranger. He’s recognized for his ability to craft intimate, soulful guitar melodies as well as epic and grand orchestral compositions. My featured song is “Rough Rider”, from the album What’s Up by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link. —------------------------------------ The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries! Click here for Start Here Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Testimonials Click here for Pillars Click here for Robert’s Project Grand Slam Click here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email Updates Click here to Rate and Review the podcast —---------------------------------------- CONNECT WITH KEVIN:www.kevinkiner.com —------------------------------------ ROBERT’S NEWEST RELEASE:“THE BUZZ” - Ft. Darius de Haas (vocals) and Dave Eggar (Celo). Short, Sweet and Totally Different CLICK HERE FOR OFFICIAL VIDEO CLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS —-------------------------------------- Audio production: Jimmy RavenscroftKymera FilmsConnect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comFollow Robert’s band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.com