A podcast about the songs and stories behind Mobile music. From the back room at Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, Eric Erdman talks with local musicians about where the music comes from — and what keeps it alive.
Chris Spies: Mobile's Improvising Musical Innovator
For Chris Spies, making music has always meant figuring it out as he goes.
From his first gig on the back of a trailer at a high school keg party to twenty years on the road with the Honey Island Swamp Band, Spies has built a career around improvisation, experimentation, and the search for new sounds.
He looks back on playing in Mobile bands and the local clubs that gave musicians room to take chances. He shares tricks learned from years of touring—including the fake fingernails that saved his fingers—and stories from the Honey Island Swamp Band’s infamous tour bus, the Death Star.
Spies also talks about circuit bending, co-writing “Sugar for Sugar,” and Chaosmosis, his new album. He also explains why Mobile audiences are his “weighted bat”–if he can make a song work here, he knows it’ll work anywhere.
Plus, Chris shares the story behind Wynterfest, which honors his late brother, Wynter Baynes, and a lesson he learned along the way: don’t wait to meet your heroes.
Listen now to Dealing the Mobile Sound.
14 Sept 2026
Rick Hirsch Belongs on Mobile Music's Mount Rushmore
Mobile has always had great music, but few bands are bigger in the city’s musical history than Wet Willie.
In this episode, Eric Erdman sits down with one of the band’s founding members to hear how an unexpected phone call helped launch a remarkable career. What was supposed to be a two-week gig in Panama City brought together five musicians who barely knew one another—including a young blues guitarist who showed up to rehearsal with no amp, no guitar case, and a piece of rope for a guitar strap.
This new, young band went from playing covers to suddenly needing original songs of their own, writing for the powerhouse lead singer and finding the sound that would become Wet Willie. Before long, they moved to Macon, Georgia, became the second band signed to Capricorn Records, and took their place in Southern rock history
But this is also a story about coming home. After a long and successful career, Rick returned to Mobile and started Studio H2O, creating a place where local musicians can make records without leaving town. With the help of Catt Sirten, he also reconnected with Mobile’s live music scene and discovered a new generation of artists carrying the tradition forward.
As Rick puts it, Mobile musicians are always coming up with music that is “just astoundingly great.”
31 Aug 2026
Jenna McClelland: Juggling Music and Babies
In this episode, Eric sits down with Jenna McClelland, a singer-songwriter who grew up with music in her family—her dad was a songwriter and session guitar player. Jenna’s childhood dream was to be a pop star, but she didn’t fully pursue performing until after college, where she earned a BFA in acting. What started as a brother-sister duo eventually became years on the road, a hard-earned education in Nashville, and finding the band that finally made everything click.
Jenna talks about losing her father, working restaurant jobs just to make rent in Nashville, and eventually touring as a backing vocalist with Elvie Shane. She also shares how the Gulf Coast gave her a place to build a loyal following, why chemistry with the right musicians can completely change a record, and why sometimes “Happy Birthday” can be the hardest song to play.
Then babies came along, and the dream shifted. Music was still there, but it had to make room for a growing family—and a different idea of what the dream could look like.
Jenna plays "Can't Shake It" live around the poker table.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
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