Takin’ A Walk – Music History with Buzz Knight

Episode: Jon Lampley – Inspiring Stories Behind Music, Growth, and Legendary Collaborations
Date: March 20, 2026 | Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: Jon Lampley (trumpeter, vocalist, bandleader – Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Huntertones, O.A.R.)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Buzz Knight sits down with Jon Lampley, a dynamic trumpeter and vocalist known for his effervescent spirit and genre-blending artistry. Lampley delves into the influences that shaped his musical identity—growing up as a gospel kid in Akron, Ohio, his decade-long role in the Late Show House Band, founding the jazz-funk collective Huntertones, and collaborating with legends like Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon. The conversation explores creativity amid transition, the discipline of live TV, and the power of authenticity in music.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Formative Years: Faith, Family, and Music

[05:21 – 08:18]

• Childhood split between church and school: Jon describes growing up as “the only black kid at school during the week and Sundays in church surrounded by a musical family.”

• The robust Akron, Ohio, gospel community was more influential than mainstream artists in Jon’s early years.

• Quote:

  “Before I go to list the names that everybody knows…my earliest, you know, biggest influences were Eugene Wilson…or James Thomas, who was…on the praise team. These were the voices I was hearing from an early age.”
  — Jon Lampley [07:20]

• Exposure to new genres came later via friends’ houses—alternative rock, hip-hop; these mixed with gospel foundation to forge his sound.

• The ability to move between cultural worlds—outsider and anointed—would define his outlook as both person and musician.

Discovering the Trumpet: Self-Taught Instincts

[08:18 – 11:55]

• First engaged with trumpet as a family-church instrument, not from jazz tradition.
• “As soon as my mom could hear that, like, I could make my way through a couple scales…she was like, all right, you’re taking your trumpet to church.” [08:51]
• Learned by ear, improvising with church musicians before formal jazz discovery.
• Didn’t encounter the jazz pantheon (Louis Armstrong, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Hargrove) until college at Ohio State.
• Kenyatta Beasley (trumpet teacher from New Orleans) introduced Jon to jazz lineage.
• Quote:

  “Eventually I was led to…Roy Hargrove…I could tell immediately that he was also coming from this gospel tradition, but he was so rooted in the lineage of jazz. And…I wanted to be like that guy when I grow up.”
  — Jon Lampley [10:30]

• Briefly discusses insecurity about learning jazz ‘late,’ but ultimately it provided confidence and a unique perspective.

Life Lessons from Live TV: The Late Show Band

[11:55 – 14:48]

• Jon has anchored the Late Show House Band since its Stephen Colbert era launch in 2015, working first with Jon Batiste, then Louis Cato.
• The ultimate crash course in quick musical internalization:

  “Notice that I’m not saying memorize…memorizing music and internalizing music are two very different things.”
  — Jon Lampley [12:52]

• The pressure of live television—learning and performing music with little prep—sharpened his adaptability and listening, not just with music, but also interpersonal communication.
• Observing Colbert’s listening skills as an interviewer informed Jon’s own approach to collaboration and conversation.

Transition and New Horizons: “Notes to Self”

[14:48 – 17:11]

• As the Late Show enters its twilight, Jon reflects on the bittersweet nature of change but sees it as a catalyst for his solo voice.
• Proudly introduces his new record, “Notes to Self”—a blend of singing, trumpet, and introspective songwriting.
• Quote:

  “I’m really, really, really proud of this album…my first stab at really putting myself out there as a songwriter. It’s a very honest reflection of where I’m at and in the next phase of my career.”
  — Jon Lampley [16:14]

• The vulnerability of stepping outside the role of “sideman” and embracing songwriting.

Magical Musical Moments: Sharing Stages with Icons

[21:41 – 24:55]

• Jon recounts sharing stages with legends: Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Thundercat, James Taylor.

• The Stevie Wonder moment stands out—playing “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” while Wonder sits at the piano with him.

  “To be somebody that has revered Stevie my whole life…and to have him just sitting there…while we’re playing one of his songs…it’s just like, oh my god, I’m so grateful, and I can’t believe this is my life.”
  — Jon Lampley [23:14]

• He practices gratitude for these surreal opportunities, recalling specific sessions that took days to process.

The Legacy of the Ed Sullivan Theater

[24:57 – 27:37]

• The Ed Sullivan Theater, with its storied entertainment history, is a recurring character in Jon’s journey.
• He’s mindful of creating music on hallowed ground, “feeling the ghosts…of that history” (25:25).
• Mixed emotions about the Late Show ending: sadness for the end of an era and gratitude for being “part of the lineage of entertainment in American history” [25:50].
• Jon comments on the deep and sometimes under-appreciated legacy of Ed Sullivan as a champion for diverse artists and true variety—including Black artists at the height of segregation.

If I Could Take a Walk…

[29:03 – 30:42]

• Asked whom he’d “take a walk” with, living or dead, Jon chooses Louis Armstrong, calling him “the greatest entertainer of all time.”
• Imagines walking with Armstrong in Prospect Park, Brooklyn:

  “I’d love to walk with Pops around that park and…ask him for advice, not just on trumpet, but on being an artist, and hear him tell stories…in that voice that we have all come to love.”
  — Jon Lampley [29:49]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On early influences:
  “My earliest, you know, biggest influences were Eugene Wilson…or James Thomas…These were the voices that I was hearing from an early age.” [07:20]

• On discovering his trumpet lineage late:
  “There were people that were…transcribing solos when they were 14 or 15…I just found out who Lee Morgan was…and I’m like 19, 20 years old.” [11:15]

• On performance discipline:
  “Memorizing music and internalizing music are two very different things.” [12:52]

• On witnessing music legends:
  “I can’t believe that this is my life…just every day, I try to take a second and practice gratitude, because I feel like I’ve had a lot of moments like that at various junctures.” [23:18]

• On Ed Sullivan Theater:
  “You can feel the ghosts, for lack of a better word, of that history in there when we’re making music and when we’re creating.” [25:25]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:21] Jon’s dual upbringing: school/cultural outsider and church/gospel roots
• [08:39] Picking up trumpet, learning through church, not jazz tradition
• [11:55] Life-changing lessons from the Late Show Band
• [14:48] The crossroads of career: show ending, new original music
• [16:14] Vulnerability and pride in “Notes to Self”
• [21:41] Collaborating with legends—Stevie Wonder anecdote
• [24:57] The Ed Sullivan Theater’s legacy and meaning
• [29:03] “Who would you take a walk with?”—Louis Armstrong answer

Conclusion

This episode is a warm, candid journey through Jon Lampley’s dynamic musical world—a world shaped by gospel roots, a willingness to be vulnerable, and the joy of both giving and receiving musical inspiration. Lampley’s stories offer insight into balancing discipline and gratitude, the evolving role of an artist, and cherishing every surreal, stage-shared moment. For anyone passionate about music’s living history—or seeking inspiration to carve their own unique path—this episode is a must-listen.

Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: Jon Lampley
For more: Check out Jon Lampley’s “Notes to Self” and visit the Louis Armstrong Museum in Queens, NY.

Ad sections, show plugs, and outro omitted as per request.