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

Allen Thompson joins Korby Lenker on The Morse Code Podcast for a conversation about the winding road of making music on your own terms. The two talk about Allen’s early years in East Nashville, the late great Todd Snider’s lasting influence, and what it takes to stay true to yourself as an artist—even when it doesn’t pay. The episode closes with a soulful live performance of “Foolish and Blue,” recorded in-studio with trumpeter Ben Klassen.

On this week’s episode of The Morse Code Podcast, host Korby Lenker sits down with genre-bending songwriter Aaron Lee Tasjan for a wide-ranging conversation about art, identity, and staying weird in a world that wants to put you in a box.

They talk about the challenges of navigating the music industry without losing your creative center, the unexpected gift of not fitting in, and how authenticity — even when it’s messy — can be a source of power. Aaron opens up about his journey from sideman to solo artist, how he’s learned to protect his inner world, and what it means to build a career on your own terms.

Stick around to the end for a stripped-down performance of Aaron’s song “E.N.S.A.A.T.” — a reminder that the real stuff is often what we try hardest to hide.

I didn’t know much about Jessica Willis Fisher before she came over to the studio. I knew she was part of the family band The Willis Clan, and I knew something bad had happened — but I didn’t know the shape of it. Or what she’d done with the pieces.

Turns out, she’s one of the most quietly courageous people I’ve ever sat across from.

In this episode of The Morse Code Podcast, Jessica and I talk about the long road from silence to self-expression — how writing became a lifeline, and how songwriting helped her reclaim her identity on her own terms. We talk about trauma, yes, but more importantly, we talk about what comes after: the craft, the healing, the stubborn hope of making something meaningful out of the mess.

It’s a conversation about boundaries and bravery — about telling the truth even when it’s costly. I think anyone who’s ever started over (creatively, emotionally, spiritually) will find something to hold onto here.

Stick around till the end of the episode for a live in-studio performance of her song “Seeds.” It’s spare and luminous and all the more powerful for what it doesn’t say. You can also watch the performance as a standalone video if you want to send it to someone who needs it.

~Korby

MORSE CODE (our award-winning 30 minute pilot) is now live! thanks for 8k views in 3 days, and many glowing comments, and a few hateful ones! This is the project that launched all the stuff I’ve been doing for the last several years.

One thing I’ve noticed about lifers — artists who stay in the game past the shiny early years — is that they tend to carry this quiet steadiness. Northeat based singer-songwriter and band leader Ryan Montbleau is one of those people. He’s been making music professionally for over two decades, without a label, without a gimmick, and without (as he puts it) a real “backup plan.” Just the work, the gig, the voice.

We taped this conversation in the back studio at Ranch Vovo, and to be honest it felt less like an interview and more like a hang between two people who’ve made a lot of questionable decisions in service of something that still feels worth it. We talked about what it means to be an artist when your twenties are far behind you, when you’re still chasing something real but with less ego and more gratitude. Ryan talked about teaching at his old high school by day and playing bar gigs at night — how even though the money was trash and the schedule was brutal, something was happening. He was getting better.

Spotify and streaming has been overwhelmingly positive for me and my career and my life — game-changing level of like I don’t have to tour my face off forever. Part of it is I own my records. Part of it is I’ve built up a grassroots following of listeners over 25 years of doing it. And also, yeah, some luck — I got on some playlists. But Spotify was pretty good at giving people what they want to hear.— Ryan Montbleau

There’s a line in the episode where he says, “The gig is the goal.” That stuck with me. Not the press, not the playlist, not the viral moment. The gig. The thing itself. That’s the part I always come back to — the reason we make this podcast, and the reason I think you listen: to stay connected to the part of you that creates, that supports, that believes in art as an ordinary act of faith.

Stick around till the end of the episode, because Ryan plays a gorgeous acoustic version of his song “Bright Side.” It’s tender and grounded and exactly the kind of reminder I needed this week. You can also watch the performance as a standalone video if you want to share it with someone who needs it.

P.S. we’re finally making MORSE CODE — the short film that started all of this — available to the public! Join us for the official premiere this Sunday at 4pm central. Click the embed below 👇 and watch the 1 minute trailer. and while you’re there click the the bell and you’ll get a reminder when it drops. I’ll be in the chat. You can of course, watch it whenever you want after Sunday, I just won’t be there.

Still so proud of this film we all made and — now that I’m a dad in real life — the story feels more relevant than ever. See you Sunday.

~ Korby

There’s a kind of artist who gets better the more they get broken open. Who wears the hard stuff — the heartbreak, the hangups, the spiritual confusion — like a second layer of skin. Liam St. John is one of those artists.

You may have come across him recently via his viral single Dipped in Bleach, or maybe from his powerhouse audition on The Voice a few years back. But if you’re just tuning in now, you’re catching Liam right as things are starting to click. His sound has always been somewhere between blues and gospel and folk — but in the last year, it feels like he’s finally tapped the root system. There’s clarity now. Depth.

In one of the most candid conversations we’ve ever had on the pod, Liam and I talk about the long road to that kind of creative honesty — how he clawed his way through church trauma and a brutal divorce, how he almost walked away from music entirely, and how it wasn’t until he let go of “trying” that things actually started to move. It’s a story about surrender, but also about staying in the game long enough to make something real. And for anyone who’s in that weird in-between space — unsure of the path, but unwilling to settle — I think this one will resonate.

Near the end of the episode, Liam plays a stripped-down version of his song “Stick to Your Guns” — and I promise, it’s worth sticking around for. No frills, no edits — just a man, a voice, and a crazy story behind it.

~Korby

Big announcement coming Sunday. 👤

🎵 Watch Liam’s live performance of “Stick to Your Guns” 👇