[Sean Ashcraft] Support for Pop of Culture comes from Stallings Wealth Management. Daniel Stallings, Financial Advisor. Securities and Advisory Services offered through Cetera Advisors, LLC. Member FINRA/SIPC, a broker/dealer and registered investment advisor. Cetera’s under separate ownership from any other named entity. [Jen Blackmer] This week on Pop of Culture, it’s a pop playlist. [Stephanie Weichmann] We’ll feature some of our most memorable music moments and interviews with local musicians who made them happen. [Dave Carter] It’s also, like, doubt creeps in and it’s like, Oh, that’s not realistic, you know, but I would love to, like, play music for a living. [Jen] So grab your favorite accompanying instruments [Stephanie] Or maybe just a good pair of headphones. [Jen] And jam out to this encore edition of Pop of Culture. That’s coming up. [Luke Jones] Support for Pop of Culture comes from Stallings Wealth Management and from you. You may have heard about large gifts to NPR. Those donations are important, but they don’t bring back the funding to IPR. Your support pays for the programs you rely on, especially local programs like this one, and the people like me who create them. Pop of culture exists for you and because of you. Give today at Indiana public radio.org. [Stephanie] From Indiana Public Radio, this is Pop of Culture. I’m guest host Stephanie Weichmann. [Jen] And I’m Jen Blackmer. The pop team is lucky to take a little vacation every July. And, Stephanie, you know you cannot leave for vacation without- [Stephanie] Snacks? [Jen] Yes, but not for this show. [Stephanie] Sunscreen? [Jen] Also important, but not arts and culture-related. [Stephanie] A good book? [Jen] Okay, I’m just going to go to a playlist. You need a road trip playlist. Yeah. So this week, we’re listening back to some of our favorite musical guests, starting with local musician Dave Carter. He sat down with Michelle Kinsey. [Michelle] We’re gonna talk about all things, Dave, and that includes his new album. “There Is Only One of Us.” But before we get to that, let’s talk about your history in music. Dave, when did all of this start for you? The songwriting, the playing? [Dave] I started playing guitar when I was 12. Mm hmm. So what, like 31 years ago or something? Um, then I kind of started writing songs when I was like, 15 or so. Yeah. I would play, like, a talent show and stuff. But my friend pretty much told me that I wasn’t good at writing lyrics, so. So it kind of traumatized me for a few years. So I stopped writing songs. And then, uh, then whenever I got to Ball State in, like, early 2000s, I started writing songs again. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] So yeah. [Michelle] And so did you play out at Ball State? Did you play in bands? Did you just do the solo thing? [Dave] Oh, I didn’t play a lot out whenever I was in college. There was a I don’t know if you’re aware, but there was a really cool music scene going on at Ball State in the early 2000s. And I was kind of intimidated by it, ’cause, like, there was a lot of good bands. And I was just, like, didn’t feel like I was good enough or whatever. But I actually became friends with all the band not all the bands, but a lot of the bands that I admired, you know? And, [Michelle] Like? Name names. [Dave] Everything Now. [Michelle] I knew you were gonna say that. [Dave] Yeah, I actually used to be in Everything Now. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] I joined that band in 2008 to 2012. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] But yeah, they were really big, like in the early 2000. [Michelle] Mmm. [Dave] Yeah, and then there’s this other band called Everested Deadbeats. He’s actually the lead singer of that band is actually the one that produced my last two albums. [Michelle] Oh, nice. [Dave] Yeah. So, like, my last two albums were pretty much just like me playing acoustic guitar. And then he added, like, all the keyboards and the bass and the background vocals, percussion and all that kind of stuff. So, yeah. So, yeah. [Michelle] So, when did your first album come out? And was there kind of like a pause? Was there a hiatus? [Dave] There was a hiatus yeah. Yeah, I actually made, like, an EP with him in like 2008, 2009. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] It was more like a folk thing. But, uh, yeah, there was, like, there’s long hiatuses in my musical background. It happens, I guess. [Michelle] Were you are these hiatuses where you did not write? You did not- [Dave] Oh, I always write. Yeah, I was always writing. And I would play, like, random shows. Seems like within the last few years, I’ve been, like, playing music a lot more. [Michelle] Mm hmm. [Dave] Which I like, you know? Yeah. Yeah, hopefully I can play, like, as much as possible, you know? [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] ♪♪ Tell all those people that you see, you’re in love with Mother Nature Tell all those people that you see that you don’t want to trust the government. You don’t spend all your money on medicine, ’cause you got yourself some vitamins. Tell all those people that you see that you love to meet their stepmom. Tell all those people that you see that you love your grandma and grandpa. You don’t spend all your money on gasoline, ’cause you got yourself a bicycle. Tell all those people that you see that you’ve been drunk on other planets. Tell all those people that you see that you’re hooked up to a circuit. You know, you don’t have to be sad no more. No, you don’t have to be sad no more. No, you don’t have to be sad no more. That’s so 1990s. ♪♪ [Michelle] I got to tell you this story because the first time I saw you, this is before I started seeing you at other open mics around town. But it was at The Old Washington Street Festival last summer. And there was kind of an open mic tent or an area where people were just playing, and I was walking by, and I heard some awesomeness happening. And it was you playing, you know, by yourself, playing some songs. And then when you were done, you just got up and just walked away. I was just almost like this riding off into the sunset thing. It was just like, I did this great thing. You’re welcome. I’m out. And just walked away. And then I remember asking people, Who was that? And it was you. [Dave] Yeah, I-. [Michelle] And now you’re here. [Dave] Yeah, I should have explained that. Yeah, I think I might have told you before, but I had to go to work. I was late for work. So I didn’t know what to do. Like, I didn’t know, like, if I should sit and mingle for a little bit. Or if I just walk away. It’s like. [Dave] He’s gone. Yeah. [Michelle] Yeah, there we go with guitar in hand. [Dave] Yeah, right. [Michelle] Well, let’s talk about the album. How What was the process like putting “There’s Only One of Us” together? When did you start work on that? Are these relatively new songs? [Dave] Yeah. There’s quite a few older songs on there, but this is the longest we’ve ever spent on an album, like, especially me and John, the producer. I actually I’ll try to make it short, but it’s kind of a long story just because Okay, we started in February of 2024. [Michelle] Okay. [Dave] So at the start of the year. [Michelle] Mm hm. [Dave] We got basic tracks down for like four or five songs, me and a drummer, acoustic guitar. He adds stuff to it. It’s sounding good. I don’t know if you were aware of this, but I got hit by a car last March. [Michelle] What? No, I wasn’t aware of that. [Dave] Yeah, it sucked. Uh so that postponed it for a long time ’cause his studio was on the second floor of his house, so, like, I couldn’t climb stairs, you know? And then all this other stuff happened, like [Michelle] Were you still writing while you were recovering? [Dave] Uh, yeah. I mean, I wasn’t playing a lot whenever I was like, in a wheelchair, but I had ideas for this because, like, we hadn’t recorded, like, the second half of the songs at all, you know. Finally, we got together and we just recorded me with, like, a drum machine ’cause the drummer couldn’t make it. Yeah. So then we added everything on top of that. And then we added drums on top of that. So half of the drums are from the first session and then half of them from the second session. So it took over a year to complete. But I think it was worth it, ’cause I think it’s the best thing we’ve ever done together. [Michelle] Yeah. Yeah. It sounds really great. [Dave] Oh, thank you. [Michelle] What inspires you when you sit down to write? What is the creative process like for you? Do you just have to Do you get something in your head, no matter where you are? You got to write it down. Are you pretty diligent about how much time you spend writing or what’s that process like? [Dave] Usually, it’s just, like, a melody pops in my head, and, like, I use a voice memo, like, on my iPhone. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] To record it. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] Or I’m playing guitar and I just, like, improvise lyrics and, like, melodies and stuff. And, um if they’re good enough, I keep them. You know, like. [Michelle] How would you describe the album to someone who has not heard it yet? If they’re saying, Oh, you’ve got an album. What’s it like? What’s the vibe? [Michelle] Half 90s alternative-influenced music and half, like, folky-influenced music, probably. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] Yeah, ’cause I like both. Like, I used to have, like, identity crisis, like, Am I like a rock ’n roll dude or, like, a folk singer? You know? Like, after a while, I was like-. [Michelle] You can do both. [Dave] Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Who cares? [Michelle] Yeah. Why do you do it? Why do you play? What does music do for you? Why do you feel you need to do it? [Dave] Uh, I mean, I don’t feel like I need to do it. Like, it’s not like. [Michelle] Why do you want to do it? [Dave] It’s fun to play. Like, I don’t know. Like, it’s always kind of been my dream job. Like in the spring, like I got asked to play at this thing called the Mushroom Festival in Martinsville. [Michelle] Mm hmm. [Dave] I get paid like $100 for a half hour. And I was like, ’cause I like deliver food, and I was like, Man, that’s a good night, you know, for, you know, delivering, you know? [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] So if I could do that, like, a few nights a week doing that, you know, like, with original music, that would be my dream job. But, like, it’s also, like, doubt creeps in and it’s like, “Oh, that’s not realistic,” you know, but I would love to, like, play music for a living. [Michelle] Yeah. And there are a lot of people. Like, you could play covers. You could go to open mics and play covers or go out and get gigs at a lot of places and play covers. It’s another thing to put yourself out there with original music. [Dave] Yeah, that’s the other thing. Yeah, like, most of my friends that do make a living off music, they play at bars and play cover songs for like 3 hours, you know? The way I sing, I can’t sing for 3 hours because I like, blow my voice out, you know. Um, so I don’t have the option, and I really want to I like playing covers, you know, I don’t want to I’d like to play originals mostly. [Michelle] But it’s got to be a different feeling to put something that you created out there for everyone to not just listen to but kind of judge, right? [Dave] Yeah. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] It’s a little scary. I used to have the insecurity a lot more, like, ’cause there for a while, one of those hiatuses we were talking about, like, I didn’t release music for, like, it seemed like ten years or something. And I was like, “Oh, man, what if people don’t like it? What if people think it sucks?” You know, like, same thing. But, like, I definitely had that fear. And then I got good reception from it, so I guess my fears went away more. [Michelle] And I think it also comes with age, right? As you get older, you’re just like, “Pfft, I’m just gonna do it because I want to.” Yeah, true. Yeah. [Michelle] I’m just gonna do it for myself and hopefully, people will like it. [Dave] For sure. [Michelle] Yeah. [Dave] ♪♪ I was a window, I was a hallyway. You told her it all under and gave it a name. You told me to hold this. You said you could handle this. You told half the story to the whole human race. I got nothing to talk about. I got nothing to say. I was a tourist. I was a scapegoat. You hid it back under, and gave it a face. I tested your vision, I checked out your philosophies. You broke it up somewhere and made it a wave. I got nothing to talk about. I got nothing to say. I got nothing to talk about. I got nothing to say. I got nothing to talk about. I got nothing to say. ♪♪ Stuff like that? [Michelle] I like the laugh at the end. [Jen] We had Dave Carter on the show in Season 2, Episode 29. We’re listening back to some of our favorite musical moments on the show in celebration of summer road trip season. [Stephanie] Sometimes traveling can be a little stressful, so we thought we’d center ourselves with Native American flute music from Larry Gindhart. Here’s part of his conversation with Kara DuQuette from 2025. [Kara DuQuette] I was wondering if you could share a little bit about your process with us, like, how you create these. [Larry Gindhart] How I create. [Kara] Songs. [Larry] The the songs come from a really deep internal place. They’re they’re they’re not since I’m right here, I’m doing all strictly improvisational music. And so that comes through me, rather than something that I think through carefully. I mean, there’s I have certain structures, but the the all the songs are unique and don’t often play the same one over and over again. So that was an improvised tune for this moment. And it’s like it’s like the spirit of music that I am to express is there and it comes through me. So I just, you know, it just guides me and guides how I think about the music and how it comes out. [Kara] Well, when you talk about that, it makes me want to ask you about music sound therapy. I know you. [Larry] Mm hmm. Yeah. [Kara Do that. [Larry] Yeah, I have lots of Himalayan and crystal singing bowls and tuning forks and native flutes, like if I’m doing a sound immersion, all of those instruments are involved, as well as some East Indian drone sounds and you know, just different things that I decide to play as it’s going along. And for those for sound immersions it’s usually in a darkened room and people are lying on yoga mats, and they’re in they go into pretty deep states of comfort and relaxation. If it’s somebody that’s got, you know, some kind of muscle pain problem, you know, that’s just tuning forks, and it takes about 15 minutes to remedy the stress. [Kara] So the tuning forks, how does that work? [Larry] Well, in physics, everything is vibration. [Kara] Mm hm. [Larry] So we can only see things that are physical form because the vibration has slowed down enough that we can see it. But many many physicists have said that the medicine of future will be vibratory. And, you know, the concept behind there’s just I don’t know, I’m overwhelmed by so many things that I could potentially talk about. So I’ll just say this. [Kara] That’s okay. [Larry] If someone’s having some kind of distress, and I’m not talking about cancer or any kind of thing. However, if somebody, you know, when one is in distress, usually there’s something that’s out of balance. It’s it’s not in accordance with one’s resonant state. And so certain vibrations and certain frequencies will help restore that. And everybody’s had the experience of being around some kind of music or sound that is disturbing and upsetting. It could be somebody being stuck with a jackhammer on a street in a construction project. Or someone with their car windows down and big, big amplification system that’s making your car vibrate, and you’re not really wanting to hear that music right now. That is an example. So once the music starts, there’s just a return to one’s resonant state as a result of hearing the sound. That’s the best way I can say it for the moment. [Kara] Well, no, that’s great. I want to ask you more. Are you always guided by your internal vibe? [Larry] Yeah. Yeah, intuition or there’s an old there’s an old there’s an old let’s see, Frank Fools Crow, Lakota medicine person, um talked about becoming a hollow bone so that the spirit can move through you so that you don’t have entanglements, ego or things like that on the inside that taint or twist or distort what’s coming through. So it’s not to say that everybody can be a hollow bone and certainly is I’m not saying that I am a hollow bone, but that’s a strive for to make what comes through me as clean as possible. You know, I’m not a big deal. It comes through me, and I respect it, and I try to bring it forward. And so it’s, you know, it’s the same with medicine. It’s not you so much doing it. It’s coming through you. Um [Kara] An instrument of healing. [Larry] Yeah, yeah, like that. [Kara] Well, that’s very beautiful. We’ve gotten really lucky. Larry’s gonna play another one. [Larry] This is made from giant Sequoia. [Stephanie] Ooh. [Larry] And it was which is an endangered protected wood. It came from a It’s over 100-years-old, and it came from a mansion that was being demolished east of Cincinnati, and some friends of mine went over and harvested wood. ♪♪ [Kara] Is there some other things you’d like to talk to us about in terms of your path? [Larry] Well, it’s really an honor to be able to play these instruments. They’re exquisitely beautiful. And, you know, I’ve had the opportunity to play for all kinds, from kindergarteners to, you know, people in their 90s and beyond. And to have that music be so well received and so appreciated, and for them to talk about the way that it benefits them, that’s satisfying. And it lets me know that when I’m playing that way, I’m being a hollow bone best I’m able to. The Native American flute almost disappeared back in the day. Only old men with the Indian wars and genocide and everything else going on, a lot of the old men got old and died, and only men played the Siyotanka. So the flute almost went into extinction. And in the early 1900s, there was a beginning of a resurgence. And Dr. Richard Payne, he became fascinated with a native flute. He was a physician. And so he started collecting flutes and talking to old men that knew how to make flutes and taught him how to make them, and he started teaching other people how to make them. And so, by 1960, there was a resurgence of the Native American flute. So they came back, but they were almost gone. And I did want to say that, you know, when the old men died that had flutes, the flutes were buried with them and their possessions were burned or burned, and then, you know, whatever was left was buried with them. So I’m happy to say that some of the best flute players in the world now, Native American flute players are women. And when we were in Europe last summer, I had the great privilege to play with Lisa Bette Leroy, who’s a prominent native flute player living in the Netherlands. And so we got to spend the day with she and her husband at their home and play music and eat good food. [Kara] Now, how did women how do you feel like women got into the flute [Larry] Well. [Kara] Arena? [Larry] They they had to, like everything else women have to do, you know? They got to stand up and be strong, you know, and push back push past all the pushback that they get for just being normal and creative and beautiful. [Kara] Okay. Well, would you can I be so bold as to ask you to play something else? [Larry] Sure Sure. Which one would you like? [Kara] Oh. [Larry] So we’ve got I’ve got one in African mahogany, one in Spanish cedar. [Kara] Very difficult choice. [Larry] Got the. the giant Sequoia. [Kara] Um, how about the Spanish one? [Larry] Sure. This is this is this is a B minor flute. It’s made by high spirits. They’re based in Patagonia, Arizona. And it’s a deep instrument, so it’s it’s really mellow. ♪♪ Spanish Cedar. [Kara] Thank you so much. [Larry] You’re welcome. [Kara] So, Larry, where can people find you and your music? [Larry] Well, I have a small collection of music on my website, larrygindhartmusic.com. I have a large collection on YouTube, YouTube and search Larry Gindhart and my channel will come up. I have a nice collection of music on bandcamp.com, and all of those all of that music is in high-quality WAV files. I’ve got some music videos at vimeo.com, as well. [Kara] Wonderful. Well, thank you so much. It has been quite a pleasure to spend time with you and talk. [Larry] Back at ya. Thank you. [Kara] Thanks. [Larry] It’s a pleasure to be here. [Stephanie] We heard from Larry Ginthart in Season 1, Episode18. [Jen] The local band, White Lies & The Half Truth are working on their sophomore album. The band leaders spoke to our co-host, Michelle Kinsey, just after they released their first album in 2025. [White Lies & The Half Truth] ♪♪ Wait ’till midnight. Almost every night to take a scroll down my memories page. It don’t sit right. ’Cause it ain’t alright. Pre-packaged read at me. Hey. Digitize my life. Synthesize my mind. Monetize my rights. I leave it all. I leave it all online. ♪♪ [Michelle] White Lies and the Half Truth is a new band in the Muncie area. And here to tell us all about it is Jason Cooper and Jarrod Case. Thank you so much for joining us in the Papa Culture studios. [Jason Cooper] Thanks for having us. [Jarrod Case] Yeah, thanks for having us. Happy to be here. [Michelle] Well, Jared, let’s start with you. Tell us a little bit about the band. How did it get started? [Jarrod Case] Sure. [Michelle] That kind of thing. [Jarrod] Sure. So Jason and I have been music collaborators since we were like 13- or 14-years-old. And, you know, as we’ve gotten older and families and life. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] And so, about a year or so ago, we got to kicking around the idea of doing a project together. So he and I started writing this album, really recording all the instrumentation ourselves, too, just the two of us. [Michelle] Really? [Jarrod] Yeah. As we kind of delve into that, it became more of a daunting task with just two people and all the musicians that we know and I have had the experience of playing with over the years. I was like, “Why are we doing this?” We have horn players. We know people that’ll come in and do this. And then, you know, that spawned into more and more and more people. I said, we’re a ten-piece group now. [Michelle] Wow. [Jarrod] And so we’re one album in now with maybe at least two more. [Michelle] Oh, my goodness. [Jarrod] That it’s already written. [Michelle] Oh wow. [Jarrod] And partially recorded. So we have some more stuff coming out, as well. So that’s kind of the genesis of it. It was really just two longtime music collaborator friends. We have the time to do it now. [Jason] Jarrod just kind of poking me, “Hey, why don’t we, why don’t we get going on something?” And it just started out from just texting some stuff back and forth to. Then it just kind of exploded into what it’s been now, and I’ve not been able to stop working on it since. [Michelle] That’s amazing. And life happens, right? So what was it about now that Jarrod, you thought, I really need to do this. I need to get back into this. [Jarrod] It’s a couple of different things. I never quit playing music. It wasn’t a finite, like, I’m done today. [Michelle] Mm hmm. [Jarrod] But, you said, life, having kids, family, career. I always still wrote, still played at home. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] My kids are over it. They’ve heard me play at home forever. Like, they’re completely over it. But the’re at an age now, both of my kids are teenagers. My daughter’s go to graduate from high school and go to college. So the time, uh, is the big factor there. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] And then kind of just reconnecting with some of the guys that I still, you know, except with text and stuff, but making time for one another and they’re having the time to hang out, and you get that many creative people together. You know, it’s bound to spark something. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] And so I mean, really the only genesis from it was was just time. As far as the album itself, I’m an avid vinyl collector. [Michelle] Mm hmm. [Jarrod] And I’ve never put anything out on vinyl. And I said, we talked a little bit off mic here, put out CDs over the years in different bands, but never had done vinyl. So that’s kind of where this even started for us. Like, wouldn’t it be cool just to have a record with us on it? Like, just to have for my collection. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] And so that really was the. [Jason] Yeah, that was the genesis. [Michelle] Oh, wow. [Jason] We just wanted We wanted to create a good album. That’s really all we were concerned with when we started. And it’s kind of turned from that into just, you know, in my opinion, the best band I’ve ever been in. [Jarrod] Same, I agree with you. [Michelle] It does sound amazing. [White Lies & The Half Truth] ♪♪ I wasn’t leaving the party. Man, it was long overdue. Feels like life is just starting. Now that I have found you. and with your love you got to me. I long to be holding you so tight. Yeah. ♪♪ [Michelle] Did you know going into this project when you started collaborating and writing again and thinking, “Yeah, let’s do this project,” did you have that sound in mind? I mean, it is a big, full, very soulful rock sound. [Jarrod] Yes and-. [Michelle] Did you know that? [Jarrod] Yes and no. Yeah. I mean, I won’t go like, super into influence stuff, but I’m a huge Steely Dan fan. Jason is, as well. Not just the music, the production side of it. So we definitely approached it. Like, it’s silly to say, like, “Hey, we want to make our Asia.” Like, we would make the production quality. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] And we recorded all of ourselves, as well, which I think is worth mentioning. So it’s 100% produced by us. So that was kind of the other side of it. Hey, you want to make a really good quality sounding album. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] Um and then, like I said, he and I are the primary songwriters. But we definitely have a collaborative spirit with our bandmates, as well. “Hey, why don’t we try this?” And so, you know, you have ten people. And so there’s a lot of eclectic stuff moving through about it. I would say we set out to make a soul R&B record originally. It’s kind of transformed into maybe a little bit something more than that. Maybe more Chicago, the band in Chicago. Kind of Blood, Sweat, & Tears. [Michelle] Absolutely. [Jarrod] Rock-based with the soul and blues. [Michelle] Mm hmm. [Jarrod] That was the intention. [Jason] Yeah, it’s kind of the songs just kind of decided for themselves. And that’s I think having ten people also kind of speaks to how important this is to us, ’cause, I mean, keeping a band with four guys together for even a year, playing once a week is next to impossible. And then you know, the fact that we’ve pulled this off just even as far as we’ve gotten now is amazing. And I think we still have a lot of potential to go further with it. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jason] I think this next record, you know, we get everything done with it. I think I might even be more happy with it than the first one. [Michelle] Wow. Yeah. Speaking of the sound, let’s talk a little bit about the album, “The Ghosts We Carry,” uh Talk about “The Ghosts We Carry.” Why the title of why that title? And what does it mean to you as you were putting it together? Did that come first? Did it come? [Jarrod] No. [Michelle] After you laid it all out? [Jarrod] The title came afterwards. Um, again, like I kind of mentioned before, as we started recording, we’ve already recorded several songs in what will possibly be the second and third album. These are the songs that we thought best fit together for this one and kind of listening to it and, you know, going through the lyrics of it. It’s multifaceted, as far as “The Ghosts We Carry,” where it came from. I’m 44-year-old man. I haven’t played live, I haven’t done all this stuff for years. The version of me that people know that played music 20 years ago. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] The physical version of that’s gone. But I still carry it. I still carry that. [Michelle] Yeah, yeah, yeah. [Jarrod] And whether that be, you know, love lost. [Michelle] Yes. [Jarrod] In some of the songs. [Michelle] I felt that. I felt that in listening to the album, yeah. [Jarrod] Or mourning of death, whatever. You know, you’re talking about more serious subject matter. Those are pieces that you carry with you forever. So, I mean, I hate to I hate describing art or explaining art. So take the title what you will. But that’s where it came with for me. [Michelle] Yeah. [Jarrod] As the versions of yourself and the ghosts that you carry throughout your entire life. [Michelle] Absolutely. Absolutely. What What about White Lies & The Half Truth? How did that name come about? [Jason] Oh, that was just I think that was mostly Jarrod, I believe. [Jarrod] And I don’t know. I wish I wish I had I wish I had a good answer for you. We didn’t want to be Jarrod Case & The Something. [Michelle] Somethings, yeah. [Jarrod] Yeah, we didn’t want to be that. I’ve always wanted to be in a band with a color in the name because I just think it’s cool. [Michelle] Mmm. [Jarrod] Like, your Pink Floyd’s. You know, whatever. So I always thought that was cool. And so I was kicking around ideas. And actually came up with The Half Truth first. And I was kind of maybe calling that the horn section. I was calling them The Half Truth. An. And then I don’t know where White Lies came from. It just It’s one of those things you just came. I don’t have a real good explanation for it. [Michelle] Yeah. Well, I know you now have a full album and you’re playing out. Where can people get more information and kind of follow you and figure out where you’re playing and what you’re doing next? [Jason] You can find us on Spotify, Apple Music. Our Facebook page is just White Lies & The Half Truth. If you just Google, that, that should bring up most things. [Jarrod] Same thing for Instagram. All of our social media is White & The Half Truth, on all streaming platforms. Not a huge digital presence online, but our albums are available on there, on YouTube, all that stuff. We post pretty regularly on social media as far as pictures and video and little stuff like that. Live wise, we’re kind of keeping it to a minimum as far as what we’re going to play live. So there may be two to three shows for the rest of this calendar year. [Michelle] Yeah, so make sure you’re paying attention. Yeah exactly. Yeah, yeah. I’m a big proponent and not overwhelming a market with playing too much. [Michelle] Mm hmm. [Jason] Or overwhelming a stage because there’s not a whole lot of venues in Muncie that can actually hold ten people. [Michelle] There are ten. Did we mentioned there are ten members of this band? [Jarrod] A little bit more moving parts, as far as that goes. So we do have a couple shows coming up here throughout the year and maybe one more to come before the end of the year. So yeah, our social media has all that information. [Michelle] Awesome. Look forward to seeing you out live. Thank you so much, Jarrod and Jason, for coming into the Pop of Culture studios. Looking forward to seeing what’s next. [Jarrod] Thank you. Happy to be here. Appreciate it. [Jason] Yeah. Thanks very much. [White Lies & The Half Truth] ♪♪ You know they all seem the same. I could be miles away, and you will always be home. You will always be home. ♪♪ [Jen] We heard from local band White Lies & The Half Truth in Season 2, Episode 26. [Stephanie] The lead single from their new album is called “Lord Have Mercy,” and It’s out now. [Jen] They’ll also be performing at Fire Up DWNTWN in Muncie on August 1. This is Pop of Culture. I’m Jen Blackmer, and I’m starstruck. [Stephanie] Well, that’s because I’m Stephanie Weichmann, longtime listener, first time host of this show. This is the part of the show where we ask an artist, “What Are You Working On?” For this music focused episode, we’re listening back to lifelong musician Cara Jean Wahlers. [Kara] Uh, Cara Jean is a multi talented artist, visual artist, a songwriter, and singer, and also makes amazing vintage guitar straps. Thank you so much for being here today. [Cara] Thanks for having me. [Kara] Of course. Can you talk a little bit about how your artist journey began? [Cara] Um, my parents really made me be a musician because we’ve had just people have played piano and organ in the church and, you know, my dad played piano. So my grandparents got a piano, and I had to play it, and I started playing like youth symphonies and, like, school orchestras. And during this time, my mom always took me to art classes. So to be well rounded and that just really stuck. So I’ve always been really the only thing I’ve ever done is art and music. So It’s been a long time. [Kara] Well, what inspires you now to you began because it was, like, expected with music and visual arts. And then what kept you going with it? [Cara] Oh, it’s just a lifelong love affair. You know. It’s the only thing that it’s the only thing I can do. Like, I don’t even I don’t know who I would be without that. It’s just it’s what I do. It’s like breathing, you know. So. [Kara] Well, so what’s some of the things that inspire your artwork, your songs or visual work. [Cara] Nature a lot, my environment. My studio right now is on a small farm, and so a lot of times I have my door open, and there’s, like, a breeze that comes through. I have a garden, you know, just kind of things like that. Really what a lot of my work is about is stillness. And so I think being in that environment where I can be still and I can empty my mind, and there’s just sort of this I mean, the idea of, like, the muse is really just longer than time. So, I feel like the muse comes with the wind and sort of, you know, inspires me to find these, like, slivers of moments and these still frames that kind of makes up what I do both for my songwriting and visual art. [Kara] Well, can you talk a little bit about maybe one of your pieces? Cara Jean’s brought in some beautiful work that she’s done. Oh, you’re welcome. Some lovely inking. And you talk about stillness and slivers of moments, and I don’t know. There’s a movement that I feel within this as I look at them. [Cara] Well, I brought a couple of examples of my work. This is really where my heart is lately. I’ve been doing these really quiet black and white ink drawings. They’re three by three. So they’re kind of inspired by, you know, if your grandparents have a photo album or your great grandparents, like those family photos, and they’re three by three, black and white, and they’re just sort of these still moments. Like, it was before digital stuff. So a lot of times it was something that they didn’t intend to capture, but there’s a real beauty to it. So that’s kind of inspired this. And a friend um, in January, this past January, he said, “If you could be doing any work that you want, what would you do?” And I said, “Well, I think I would do this.” And then I just started doing it, like, “Oh, I’m able to do that.” So one of the things I brought is it’s about memory, and, like, you wouldn’t say, “remember we had the party?” You would say, “Oh, yeah, I remember we had the party. No, you would say. Remember when she came to the party, and she brought her dog, and it was so good to see her.” And her dog was so funny. It was so spirited. And my dog’s really spirited, too. So I was really glad to see that, someone else had a spirited dog. And remember, the dog is really pulling. So I made these there’re four drawings altogether, and the first one is my friend is drinking a beer, and the second one is she’s standing there with a beer in her hand, and the dog is just starting to walk. And the third one is she’s trying to balance the beer while the dog is pulling and she’s pulling back on and then the fourth one is when she’s smiling and she has her eyes closed, like, “Oh, he’s such a funny dog.” So each one of those is just, like, a sliver in time, and it’s like, each memory that we have, it isn’t just, like, one thing, but it’s made up of, like, just still images. Like, Like life is like a film. It’s like, all still images, so. [Kara] I love the way they’re connected, too. [Cara] Yeah. [Kara] So how does these concepts you’re talking about? How does it translate in what you songwrite songwriting? [Cara] There’s a lot of I’m a storyteller. I mean, I think I’m more of a storyteller than a visual artist or a musician, and there’s just so much intersectionality between my visual art and music. And a lot of my music is about the one moment that something happens. Like, there’s a story for sure, but there’s the moment that, you know, there’s, like, a moment of heartbreak or there’s a moment of realization or something. Like, I have a song called “Black Dog,” which is a song about this boy in music school who introduced me to Led Zeppelin. And so part of the song is we go up on the roof to listen to Led Zeppelin. And there was, like, this moment. I’m trying to think about it without singing it, but there’s a moment. I’m trying to think of it. It goes, um, ♪♪ I remember being young and foolish like this summer used to fall. ♪♪ So that’s, like, one memory. ♪♪ And I climbed up on the roof right next to Steven, ♪♪ climbed up on the roof. ♪♪ And that black black dog, we laughed our bellies full of wine all night. And he said my name out loud, eight or nine times. ♪ He had a really thick accent. ♪♪ And I fell in love with Steven and that black, black dog. ♪♪ So that was the moment I realized I loved him, you know, so that’s very much like these visual drawings that they’re just, like, a still snapshot. So [Kara] Wow. And what was his accent? Just I’m curious. [Cara] Oh, East Coast. [Kara] East Coast. [Cara] Yeah. It was sweet ’cause my name’s Cara, so I can’t do it, but it was it was a good it was a good way to say. [Kara] Nice. Now, is there anything else you’d like to talk about in terms of your art? [Cara] I guess one thing is this last year, I guess it was a year and a half ago. I was really, really fortunate to be invited into this it’s called the Red Barn Arts Collective. It’s a studio that these women, these realtors, Deb Kent and Jamie Willis, bought this piece of land, this hobby farm that used to be a livestock barn, and they turned it into artist studios. So there’s seven of us in there. And we work independently. But there’s, like, there’s a real community that’s happened. And I just, you know, I was talking before about, like, this breeze going through my door. I feel like it goes through the barn, and we just kind of, like, play off of each other. So maybe that’s, like, a little bit of the muse, too. But anyway, that’s a big inspiration for me, but. [Kara] I like that idea that you brought up the muse as a breeze. [Cara] Yeah, that’s kind of what it feels like. [Kara] Great. Well, is there any place we can see your artwork, your visual artwork as well? [Cara] Yeah, if you go to Instagram, it’s Cara Jean Wahlers Art, and then Cara Jean Wahlers Music. It’s pretty easy to find. [Kara] That’s pretty straightforward. [Cara] Yeah. [Kara] Well, Cara Jean it has been a delight to speak with you today. [Cara] Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. [Jen] Our Arts calendar will return in our next episode. Although we should mention that you can check out IPR’s calendar collaboration with multiple local organizations at indianapublicradio.org. [Stephanie] Right now, we’re going to hear a bonus song from last week’s Behind the Song artist, Spencer. [Spencer] Hello. My name is Spencer. Um, this first song that I was just doing a couple seconds ago but just singing, da da da to, this is a song I wrote about five years ago, called “The Real World’s Game” about not knowing what I want to do with my life. And I still don’t know what I want to do with my life, but I’m here singing, so that’s at least something. So yeah, this is called “The Real World’s Game.” ♪♪ I don’t know who I am or who I’m gonna be. I am just a kid with a lotta pressure from society. Got a storm spin around in my head. It’s my turn, oh. It’s my future in ten for me now. But I need to find it real fast before the time starts to pass. Pass on. What you want to do, girl, you want to go? What you want to be, girl, what’s your future hold? Time is slipping away, got to pick a path, girl. Got to pick a bride. It and loose, go you pick your own fight? It’s the real world’s game. It’s the real world’s game. If I don’t choose the papers, we’ll say blame it on a mother. So I just guess I’ll have to roll the dice. But the numbers are never in my favor. What you want to do, girl, where you want to go? What you want to be, girl. What you feature hold? Time is slipping away. Gotta pick a path girl. Gotta pcik a bride it’s win loose go pick your fight. It’s the real world’s game. It’s the real world’s game. Got a song spin around in my head. What does my future entail? But I need to find it fast before the time starts to pass. Pass on. What you want to do, girl, you want to go? What you want to be girl? What’s you future hold? Time is slipping away. Hey. Got to pick it fast, girl. Got to pick a ride. It’s a win-loose gotta pick your own fight. It’s the real world’s game. He Hey. What you want to do, girl. Where you want to go, what you want to be. Girl what’s your future hold? Time is slipping away. Hey. Got to make a path girl. Gotta pick a bride. It’s a win or lose. Gotta you pick your fight? It’s the real world’s game. It’s the real world’s game. [Stephanie] That was Spencer recorded live at the songwriters sessions in February. Jen, want to do the honors? [Jen] Roll the credits! [Luke] Support for Pop of Culture comes from Stallings Wealth Management. [Stephanie] And that’s our show. Our art director is Tracy Louck. [Jen] This week was produced by Luke Jones, who is doing the show in snorkel gear for some reason today. [Stephanie] We had production assistance from Andrew Montavon. [Jen] Our show was hosted by me, Jen Blackmer. [Stephanie] And me, Stephanie Wekman. Pop of Culture is a production from IPR on the campus of Ball State University. [Luke] Hi there. I’m Luke Jones. I think by now, you know, I’m the producer of Pop of Culture, which really means I just organized this team of wonderfully talented people. It’s kind of the perfect job. Anyway, it has been almost exactly a year since IPR lost all state and federal funding. And the only reason that this show is still here is thanks to you. You stepped up in the past year. You told us that local programming, local arts and culture programming was essential to you. And I cannot say thank you enough. Our team loves doing this show. We get to talk to the artists creating here, the arts organizers trying to make things happen here, and the small businesses that choose to put down roots in East Central Indiana. And if you are a regular listener and you are not yet a sustaining member of IPR, this is the future. This is our path forward is you. Please consider becoming a monthly sustaining member right now at indianapublicradio.org, and thank you. Also, this is our last episode for a little while. Totally planned. Don’t worry. We do this every summer. We take the month of July off. That talented team that I mentioned needs a little bit of a break. We will be back with new episodes on Friday, August 7. Until then, be well, and thanks for listening.