Steve Earle is rock and roll, he is country, and Earle has deep roots in early Americana all the way back to Guy Clarke, Townes Van Zandt, and Rodney Crowell, among many. A songwriter first, I found him with his “Guitar Town” release back in 1986.  Listened to the second album, the Springsteen-esque “Exit 0”, a lot, and when 1988’s “Copperhead Road” album came out, we turned it up loud. With this episode, I wanted to listen to his older music and talk about artistry, rebellion, and political themes that the three-time Grammy winner has embraced through 20 albums with … Read more

Classic rock and roll bands and artists releasing new music?  What’s the point?  Is it worth a listen?  Do we discount some excellent rock from these bands just because it’s not 1987? Or is it a shell of their sound and original fire? Def Leppard has a new song, in conjunction with a run at the Sphere in Las Vegas.  We take a first listen. Then we look at the past 12 months of rock and roll releases from bands like Alice Cooper, Styx, and others who are still making and releasing new music—an objective ear on the sound of … Read more

The thumping, pumping, Telecaster-driven, snare-smashing roots rock and roll of the 80’s (and into the 90’s) shaped my world.  Drove my inspiration for finding more of “that”. Looking back, some of “that” lasted. And some of the bands and their songs went into the vault of lost rockers, and some even made it out to rock some more.   This podcast jumps back about 10 years to when I was digging into the roots of my rock and roll, which would later be labeled alt-country and Americana. But to me, it was jangly, garage-y, sloppy-but-not-too-sloppy rock and freakin’ roll. Who were … Read more

As we enter 2026, we dedicate a podcast episode to remembering the rock and roll artists (and some pop music icons, too) who passed away in 2025. We remember some of the greats and the overlooked individuals who made an impact on music – and RockPopandRoll, particularly in rock music. From Ozzy to Sly to the architect of bubble gum music, we remember and listen to some of the great music they created that lives on.

Can anyone put together a Santatacular set of rock and roll/Americana/roots-rock Christmas/Holiday songs?  Hell, yeah, someone can.  I’m your guy. We’re gonna take a look and listen to the best, oddest, dustiest, loudest, semi-legendary holiday rock music.  My top 20, countdown style. Songs you can sing along to every time you hear the damn thing, or tunes that should have been more than a holiday lost classic.

As time passed since Todd Snider passed away on November 14, I’ve been crawling around, hearing some music that I’d put aside. Some of it is Todd’s music, especially his post-Nervous Wrecks output. Along the way, I found the purported Todd Snider Playlist of 2018, listing the top songs that he’d listened to that year.  I took it as real.  Don’t know if it is. Still, I recorded this podcast episode by taking it at face value. If it is not created by Todd or his time, that’s cool.  It remains a freakin’ great group of rock and roll, folk, … Read more

Americana rocker. Songwriter and troubadour, proudly following the Prine/Kristofferson/Jerry Jeff lineage. Amazingly great, connective live performer. Loved the band he had as Todd Snider and the Nervous Wrecks. His solo writing and singing are from the soul. He died the weekend this was recorded. Just 59 years old. Sad. And I’m grateful to have heard him. Take a ride with us through some of my favorite moments and songs by Todd.

Jefferson Starship is an oddly overlooked band on classic rock radio. In the annals of late 70s-into-the-80s corporate AOR radio rock and roll, they sat firmly and fittingly with Boston, The Cars, REO, Styx, Foreigner, and the rest of that gang.  While those bands still get their four cuts played repeatedly on the classic rocker stations (and burn those few cuts out), Jefferson Starship was quietly placed to the side.  Hmm.  Let’s revisit the rock of their catalog and see what we think.

So many great cover songs.  My list is really long.  That’s why we have part two. Find Waylon Jennings, Todd Snider, Tom Petty, Pat Green, Cheap Trick, and a bunch more.  Pretty simple, really.  Dive into the magic on Rock Pop and Roll. 

John Fogerty’s influence in rock music is somehow underrated – he’s a quiet titan of rock and roll. The rocket blast that was CCR was short (around 1968-72), and he took long breaks from his music. He was burned by a contract held by a man, according to Fogerty, who stole royalties and made bad investments with their money, and held all the rights to those CCR songs – rights taken when the band broke up and Fogerty needed to get out of the contract.  And because of him stepping away from music on two different occasions, John Fogerty might … Read more