Interview with Podcaster Phil Yale on ‘Phil’s Track’s All Things Music’ Podcast

MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us.

Phil Yale: Thank you for this opportunity.

You’re a podcaster, tell us about your podcasts and how it got started.

Phil Yale: Phil’s Tracks podcast made its debut in December 2021. I wanted to create virtual conversations about music because I couldn’t do them in person.

Let me explain.

For about 3 years, multiple times a week, I had conversations with a music loving friend of mine. Sure, we talked about other things, but the one constant was always music. He was a rocker; I am more pop. He was a musician; I am not. He mostly talked; I mostly listened. We were not friends when we started, but we were best friends when he died at the start of Covid. And I missed him, our discussions, especially those about music.

I could not find anything to fill that void.

Establishments were shut down and even after things opened up: many people did not.

I started Phil’s Tracks to continue those music related conversations.

You mainly work with contemporary artists right now, ever interested in branching out to other genres?

Phil Yale: I have increased the number of episodes dedicated to contemporary artists. Phil’s Tracks started off as a classic rock album history podcast. Over time I diversified and after over 120 episodes it has morphed into a multi genre format for all things music; from Vivaldi to Elvis to fresh takes from contemporary singer/songwriters.

What are your goals with this podcast? What would you like to achieve?

Phil Yale: As a baby boomer, I saw communities defined by location and proximity. Today’s communities are defined by affinity. So my goal is to build a community of music listeners, insighters, and artists.

Insighters are genre specific guests sharing their insight. Many are experienced radio personalities and program directors.

The artists are predominantly independent singer/songwriters whose livelihood is 100% dependent on their craft. Phil’s Tracks offers them a platform to share their story – at no expense to them.

In an interview with one of those artists, Marc Lee Shannon, he queried, ‘if we are not doing something to lift people up…what are we doing?” His challenge motivated me to add more contemporary artist supportive Phil’s Tracks episodes.

Most of the artists you talk with, have new albums out, what’s the best new album so far this year in your opinion?

Phil Yale: You know I am going to select a Phil’s Track artist, right?

My selection is Ben Gage’s Two Singing Songs. The opening track “Company” speaks to maintaining family ties during Covid. “Blue Bird” was a finalist in the IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) competition.

My favorite track is “Wish” that Gage labels as “a song for fellow musicians. No matter how successful, or seemingly successful we are, it comes down to doing the thing for yourself and for the couple of people that believe in you. That’s all that really matters.”

What has been your biggest surprise since you began your podcast?

Phil Yale: My view on music. As a baby boomer, I believed the best music was from the 60’s and 70’s. Well, four decades of adulting later – my world has changed – and I am seeking music reflecting those changes. Meaning, I am more open to fresh lyrics, stories, insights and voices. And the diversity of Phil’s Tracks topics reflects that change.

How do you produce your show?

Phil Yale: It is a three-step process. Interviews are recorded on Zoom, then downloaded into the Spotify for Podcasters editing platform, and music tracks are inserted from the Spotify library. Using their platform allowed me to include full length song tracks in the episode – but it did limit my distribution to Spotify only.

Spotify is sunsetting that platform. My replacement process allows me to distribute my podcast across multiple podcast platforms – yielding greater exposure for my podcast and guests.

When listening, you can tell how prepared you are for your guests. What kind of prep work goes in to each show?

Phil Yale: Thanks for noticing about the prep work. Podcast guests repeatedly say I am the most prepared interviewer they experienced. Prep work includes: 1). Asking for the message or topic they want to share. 2). Listening to tracks multiple times – with a focus on the lyrics. 3). Researching previous interviews or social media posts. 4). Creating an in-depth episode outline including the main episode topics, proposed track listing, and other topics I want to discuss. I share this outline with my guest in advance and ask for their comments and recommendations.

What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?

Phil Yale: As I mentioned earlier, I am greatly expanding the platforms where Phil’s Tracks is distributed.

And I am exploring ways artists can best utilize my podcast as part of their press kit and overall promotional efforts. Just last week I saw Brent Kirby perform. Out of over 120 Phil’s Tracks episodes – his is the 5th most streamed to date. Partly because he shared the podcast link on his social media and on his website.

This is a big deal – because the podcast promotes Brent and his music way beyond written testimonials. HIS story. HIS catalog. At no cost to him.

I will continue to build my network of genre specific guest insighters.

Finally, more collaborations. Just as independent artists benefit from collaborations with their peers – so do podcasters. For example, I collaborate with Jeremy Van Sluytman from Our Mind on Music. We share our recorded discussions – he posts a version on YouTube; I post another version on Spotify. We have done three to date and a fourth is in the works.

Anything else you wish to say about yourself or your music? Any message for your fans?

Phil Yale: In addition to the podcast episode, I also compile a companion playlist, available on Spotify, that includes tracks discussed in the episode.
I encourage singer/songwriters to make podcast appearances as part of their promotional strategy – and consider Phil’s Tracks as an option.

And, finally, to singer/songwriters – keep crafting, writing and sharing. We live in an age filled with misinformation – your messages represent the closest thing to the truth we will hear.

Links to Phil’s Tracks Episodes Referenced:
Brent Kirby Episode #69
Marc Lee Shannon Episode #73
Ben Gage Episode #101

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