Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 9: Daphne Jane builds worlds around her music. Using her own home, friends, partner, and iconic sense of style, Daphne has a vision of where her music lives. For a podcast that explores how environments influence art, Daphne Jane exemplifies that theme expertly. Listen now!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 8: Tom Smouse met up with Colin Bracewell in Stillwater MN to talk about songwriting and his next project. Listen now!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 7: Join Tom Smouse and Anna Devine for a chat about the release her debut EP in 2025 and what lies ahead in 2026, and listen to a couple of her songs!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 6: The Tennessee Stiffs are creating their own scene down in Red Wing, Minnesota. When Cara and Lee moved back to Minnesota, they left their full band and went through a transformation. In this episode, the three of us chat about that huge shift and how it has impacted their music and songwriting. We also discuss how that shift became a checkpoint on what’s to come and how the Tennessee Stiffs are growing as artists and how important it is to them to nurture and invest in their community and music scene in Red Wing by hosting shows in their home.

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 5: Clayton Ryan is that guy we all want to know. He stands out, in height and in personality. Sitting down to chat with him, it felt like a casual buddy-buddy conversation about life. Clayton doesn’t disguise his words, or feed you something flashy just because. He wants to build a fanbase by meeting people, having those chats, and finding moments to connect. He made a fan of me that day and I’ll vouch for him anytime. Listen to our conversation now!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 4: In this week’s episode, Tom Smouse was delighted to visit Indigenous singer-songwriter Laura Hugo at her home in Minneapolis! Originally from Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, which is located in the Navajo Nation, Tom and Laura talk about how her music has grown and shifted with her experiences moving around the country and eventually settling here in Minnesota. Listen to their conversation and a couple of her songs now!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 3: This week, Tom Smouse had the pleasure of meeting with local singer-songwriter Jack Klatt at his home in South Minneapolis to talk about his writing process and how not just location but the journey in between the landing and the setting out strongly influences his work. Listen now!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 2: We have a very special treat for you this week! Recently, Tom Smouse sat down with Midwestern singer-songwriter Lissie to chat about how her upbringing and travels around the country and Europe have shaped her as a musician and songwriter. Have a listen!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 7, Episode 1: Welcome back! For our inaugural episode of our new season, Tom Smouse met with the Mankato native, who has a special way of connecting with her muse and the listener. They met in a beautiful church and spoke about her journey to Mankato and her impending move to Nashville. Get comfy and join the conversation!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 6, Episode 8: In our final episode of season 6, Tom Smouse visits with Laura Sellner, aka Superior Siren, near her home in Duluth. Sellner is a master in infusing mood and character into her music, and Lake Superior looms large as a core influence and inspiration. So hop in the car and ride along with us “up north” to explore the magic of Lake Superior and the ethereal folk music of Superior Siren!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 6, Episode 7: Join Tom Smouse as he chats with the incredibly promising young Minnesota-based singer-songwriter Josie Langhorst in an empty church outside of Mahtowa!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 6, Episode 6: In this episode, Tom Smouse hung out with local singer-songwriter Clare Doyle, who has garnered a lot of buzz and praise for her music. Tom and Clare discuss how songs tend to come together and how one long road ended up becoming a theme in her album. If you haven’t already discovered Clare Doyle, this is the perfect time to get aboard!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 6, Episode 5: In this episode, Tom Smouse meets up with Kevin Kniebel and Justin Bruhn, two members of storied Midwest stringband Pert Near Sandstone. Justin and Kevin talk about the richness of the local music scene, what it’s like to collaborate as a band of songwriters, and how they’ve kept their music fresh and fun over the past 20-plus years. Get ready to listen to a lovely chat with these down-to-earth music veterans and two killer songs from their most recent album, right here on Smouse in the House!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 6, Episode 4: Join Tom Smouse as he hangs out with local singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, teacher, and luthier McKain Lakey to discuss their most recent album Somewhere and how their lived experiences far and wide across the country and a deep appreciation of a variety of genres that influence their songwriting. Kick back and join us for another installment of Smouse in the House!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 6, Episode 3: Join Tom Smouse as he hangs out with local indie-folk duo The Twins of Franklin — best friends Laura Lou and Becky Shaheen — where they share the inspiration for writing songs and music. In this episode, The Twins of Franklin gift us listeners with a completely new, never performed song that we’re so honored to premiere. Grab your beverage of choice, get cozy, light a crackling scented candle, and join us for another installment of Smouse in the House!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 6, Episode 2: Join Tom Smouse as he sits down with local singer-songwriter Matthew French in his home to talk about the importance of supporting and celebrating local musicians and where he finds creative inspiration. Grab a cup of coffee, get cozy, and join us for another round of Smouse in the House!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 6, Episode 1: First up for Season 6 — Tom Smouse sits down with Minneapolis-based harpist and songwriter Nikki Lemire, in her home where she not only creates and practices, but where she is actively passing down the artistry of the harp to her children, just as it was passed down to her. Grab a cup of coffee, get cozy, and join us for another round of Smouse in the House!

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 5, Episode 9:

Brainerd, MN-based singer-songwriter Kelley Smith’s debut album Moon Child found an immediate audience and plenty of exposure, and now she’s processing that experience and planning the next chapters of her life and music career. Experiences like sitting in Kelley's kitchen and hearing how her surrounding environment has influenced her songwriting are the exact reason this podcast was created.

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 5, Episode 8:

Minneapolis country-folk band The Gated Community’s bandleader Sumanth Gopinath lives just blocks away from the 3rd Police Precinct that burned down during the 2020 protests. He was compelled to write about that tumultuous era in new songs, which fit perfectly with their existing songs and socially conscious perspective as a band. Tom got to hear about the evolution of a band without egos, part of what makes The Gated Community so special.

Smouse in the House Podcast Season 5, Episode 7:

“Bit of a recluse, a naturalist, and about to release something, or so I hear." That's how another artist described Whit Page to our host Tom Smouse. Having heard her perform before, he was immediately piqued to understand her more non-traditional approach as an artist. We had the special opportunity to record her performing two unreleased songs inside her home. You’re about to discover a new artist that you’ll surely want to see live.