In this episode of The Morse Code Podcast, Korby Lenker sits down with Ron Pope for a wide-ranging conversation about longevity, independence, and what it actually takes to build a sustainable creative life.

Ron reflects on his early success releasing music online, the lessons learned from major-label detours, and how he and his wife Blair ultimately rebuilt their career on their own terms. The conversation explores the less glamorous but essential parts of being an artist: discipline, embarrassment, learning the business, and staying in the work long after the spotlight shifts.

They also talk about writing through grief, how parenthood has reshaped Ron’s relationship to touring and ambition, and why showing up consistently matters more than chasing moments. Toward the end of the episode, Ron performs a live acoustic version of “The Life in Your Years,” accompanied by Korby on baritone ukulele.

Topics include:

Building a long-term career outside the traditional music industry

The role of embarrassment, discipline, and resilience in creative work

Writing honestly through grief and loss

Balancing art, family, and sustainability

A live performance of “The Life in Your Years”

I think one of the reasons I started this podcast was to talk to people like Stacie Huckeba.

If you’ve been around the East Nashville creative scene for any length of time, you’ve seen her work — photos of Dolly Parton, Todd Snider, Elizabeth Cook, Jason Isbell, and countless others. What you may not know is that Stacie came into this line of work late, without a road map, and made a career out of instinct, trust, and relentless follow-through. And maybe the bigger surprise? Her photographs were just the start. She’s a storyteller, full stop — and in this episode, she shares some absolute gems.

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We talked about the psychology of Todd — how he saw the world, how he needed to be seen, and how that understanding shaped their friendship. There’s a story about a backyard full of geese that’s as funny as it is heartbreaking, and there’s a moment toward the end — when she describes him waving at no one in particular — that might be the most tender thing I’ve heard anyone say about him.

If you can, watch this one on YouTube. Stacie brought a collection of never-before-seen photos from her archive, and the conversation hits different when you can see the moments she captured. That said, the stories are the real point — and if you’re just listening, you’re still in for something special. Toward the end, we shift gears and talk about what it’s like to build a creative life from scratch — without a pedigree or a plan. If you’ve ever felt like it was too late to start, or like you didn’t quite have the right credentials, Stacie’s story might change your mind. It definitely made me feel braver.

~ Korby