Derringer Discoveries - A Music Adventure Podcast

Our Special Guests often surprise us. We ask them to reveal their Top Five songs by a major artist—in this case, Bruce Springsteen—and we quickly discover that their choices are anything but predictable.

In this episode, Team Derringer—Laura, Alton, Paul, and Rob—welcome Swedish recording artist and performer Max Bäck (pronounced "Beck") as our Special Guest to count down his Top Fiv...

In 1975, the musical landscape changed forever when four Swedes released an eponymous album that would ignite a global phenomenon. In this episode of Derringer Discoveries, Paul, Alton, and Rob welcome a very special guest from Australia: accomplished musician, journalist, and author Joe Matera. While Laura is away for this episode, Joe stops by to discuss his 2026 book, The Making of ABBA: The Story Behind The Band's Breakthrough ...

Can you pick your Top Five favorite songs by Queen? It might be harder than it sounds. After all, we’re talking about a legendary rock band that, during their heyday from 1970 to 1991, produced dozens of worldwide hits—many of which have become timeless classics.

A testament to their stature as champions of the world, Queen still attracts more than 50 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with eight songs each surpassin...

This is Derringer Discoveries - A Music Adventure Podcast.

Join Team Derringer - Laura, Paul, Alton, and Rob - as they introduce themselves and explain what they each "bring to the table."

ONE MINUTE PROMO

This promo is slightly longer than one minute. If you listen from start to finish, you will help Derringer Discoveries.

OUR PLAYLISTS

Check out our playlists on Spotify under Derringer Discoveries. If you see a playlist where you...

Goose vs. Geese | The Battle of the Waterfowl!

In this episode of Derringer Discoveries, we are officially “winging it” as we dive into the avian-obsessed world of rock and roll. Join Paul, Laura, Alton, and our newly minted co-host, Rob Derringer, as we settle a debate over two of the most talked-about bands in the current scene: Connecticut’s jam-band kings, Goose, and Brooklyn’s post-punk provoc...

WHY STEVIE?

Recently, Stevie Wonder announced his 2026 World Tour — A triumphant return to the global stage, during which the iconic legend will headline 40 major shows across North America, Europe, and Asia.

So far, South America is not mentioned in the itinerary. Even so, Team Derringer heard from a listener in Caracas, Venezuela who is a dedicated fan of the consummate "Superstition" hitmaker whose amazing career has spann...

Yes, January 1, 2026, marks the official start of Derringer Discoveries' 6th year as a music adventure podcast!

In the music world, the name Dylan usually points to the legendary Bob Dylan. For others, it might evoke Bob’s son Jakob, the successful leader of The Wallflowers, which is essentially Jakob's alter ego. However, there is a third artist in the family c...

From Baltimore, Maryland to Holzminden, Germany, two independent artists have bridged five time zones to create a new transatlantic sound. In this episode of Derringer Discoveries, Paul and Alton sit down with Katie Tich and UAP (Rainer Aschemeier) -- the duo behind ROSEBUDTHORN -- to explore how their collaboration grew from remote songwriting into a full-fledged band.

Katie, a returning Honorary Derringer, shares her journey as a...

In this episode, Team Derringer catches up with Hayley Reardon, a critically acclaimed folk-pop singer-songwriter whose soul-stirring lyrics and globe-trotting performances have captivated listeners worldwide. Known for her warm, storytelling voice and her extensive tours across Europe, Hayley joins us fresh off a string of U.S. shows in New York and Massachusetts before heading back overseas - especially to Germany, where she&rsqu...

ANNE LEIGHTON RETURNS (WITH MORE ROCK LEGENDS)

She's back! After an incredible conversation in Episode 90, newly minted "Honorary Derringer" Anne Leighton rejoins Team Derringer at the table for Part 2. As a veteran music publicist, artist representative, poet, and public speaker, Anne (of Leighton Media, Music Services, Motivation) has championed some of the most respected names in music.

In this epis...

Ever wonder who helps legendary musicians share their stories with the world? In this episode, Team Derringer (Laura, Alton, and Paul) chats with the incredible Anne Leighton, a top-tier music publicist, artist representative, poet, and public speaker from NYC. Anne pulls back the curtain on her fascinating career and gives us the inside scoop on what it’s like to work with some of the biggest names in music. She also shares ...

Dive into a legendary episode of Derringer Discoveries as Paul Derringer, Alton Derringer, and Dan Friedman (a.k.a. Dan Derringer) welcome the iconic Jim McCarty -- founding member and drummer of The Yardbirds and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee -- to the show. This episode unearths gripping stories behind the band's evolution and their pivotal role in shaping rock history, with Jim sharing insider tales and reflecting on 62 ...

Not a fork. Not a knife. Not a spork (though underrated). We’re talking Spoon -- the legendary indie rock band from Austin, Texas, that’s been stirring up perfect soundscapes since the early ’90s. With more than 1.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Spoon has slipped their sharp, stylish tracks onto the charts and ...

ALICE COOPER, the Godfather of Shock Rock returns! In this riff-soaked episode, Team Derringer welcomes lifelong Alice Cooper fangirl Kathy Derringer to trace the Godfather of Shock Rock from his Phoenix-area origins through his chart-smashing heyday.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The Band’s Wild Origin Story: From Phoenix high school act to the Earwigs, then Spiders, Nazz, and finally Alice Cooper. It’s a name this is as d...

IN THIS EPISODE

Get ready to celebrate the Piano Man’s incredible legacy! As Billy Joel faces treatment for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), Team Derringer jumps in with heart and humor. We’re thrilled to welcome 22-year-old singer-songwriter and pianist Max Weinman from Phoenix, Arizona, who not only looks like a young Billy but brings fresh insights into Joel’s music. Max reveals how he fell for Joel’s...

IN THIS EPISODE

What connects a 1969 cartoon band, a Grammy-winning lip-sync scandal, a Disney star's evolution, and Spotify's latest million-streaming mystery? Join Team Derringer (Paul, Laura, and Alton) as they unravel the fascinating thread linking The Archies' bubblegum pop deception, Milli Vanilli's manufactured vocals, Sabrina Carpenter's carefully crafted career transformation, and The Velvet Sundown—the AI-generated ...

EPISODE OVERVIEW

If you don't immediately recognize the name Damiano David, you need to stick around, because he is clearly on the rise. In 2015, he was playing the streets of Rome, Italy before his band Måneskin became an international sensation. With three major albums selling millions of downloads since 2017, Måneskin now has over 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, ranking among the Top 500 recording artists in the wo...

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Join Derringer Discoveries hosts Paul, Laura, and Alton in this exciting episode where they are joined by the talented Canadian musician Kevin Franco, who records under the name of The Muster Point Project. In this episode, we shine a spotlight on Kevin’s song “I’ve Heard It All,” a musical treasure trove filled with dozens of references to Canadian artists and their iconic songs who have s...

What is a troubadour? In its simplest definition, it's a poet who puts verse to music. The focus is on the lyrical content and the music is there to serve the storyline.

In present day vernacular, the term "troubadour" is usually replaced by the catch-all category "singer-songwriter."

Some troubadours are simply singers, perhaps accompanied by a guitar, interpreting another poet's songs. While other troubadours are also poets, writ...