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When Grammy-nominated artist John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting tweeted about raising awareness for girls in Afghanistan, American Songwriter knew something important was afoot.

“In 2016 Lanny Cordola moved to Kabul to teach young Afghan girls guitar,” Ondrasik wrote on social media. “I am honored to join @tmorello@BethHart@nilslofgren Victoria Williams & other artists to raise awareness for his girls and all still abandoned in Afghanistan in singing Tom’s beautiful ‘God Help Us All.'”

When Grammy-nominated artist John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting tweeted about raising awareness for girls in Afghanistan, American Songwriter knew something important was afoot.

“In 2016 Lanny Cordola moved to Kabul to teach young Afghan girls guitar,” Ondrasik wrote on social media. “I am honored to join @tmorello@BethHart@nilslofgren Victoria Williams & other artists to raise awareness for his girls and all still abandoned in Afghanistan in singing Tom’s beautiful ‘God Help Us All.'”

So, we reached out to Ondrasik and to Cordola to see if they wanted to talk about what’s happening abroad in the Middle East. Thankfully, they obliged.

Below, the two artists talk about their work in Afghanistan and elsewhere, how Cordola is helping a group of young girls stay alive and flourish with music and what artists like Tom Morello and Nandi Bushell are doing to help the efforts.

February is Black History Month and American Songwriter wanted to reach out to some of our favorite Black songwriters and musicians to ask them about their career influences when it comes to Black artists who have helped them along the way or even inspired them from afar.

Below you will see stories and responses from acclaimed musicians like Leon Bridges, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Malina Moye, Big Freedia, and many more. So, without further ado, let’s dive into some living breathing musical history and see who these artists look to for musical, spiritual, and communal guidance.

Mary Lambert is a force. The exquisite singer has earned millions of streams, a Grammy nomination, a performance with Madonna at that same award show, and many more fans than any one person can reasonably count. Yet, the artist also experiences writer’s block.

Indeed, no one is immune.

In fact, we sat down to ask Lambert a few questions about this very subject for our running series here at American Songwriter, “The Writer’s Block.” She shares some thoughts on the matter, talking about her craft and letting songs go.

But before you read further, check out one of her biggest singles to date, “Secrets,” and add to the already 24-million-plus YouTube views!

Few writers in the past fifty years have made as much of a mark on the landscape of popular music as the non-fiction author Chuck Klosterman.

In his career, Klosterman has worked for outlets such as Spin, Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, and The Ringer (as well as ESPN). But he is perhaps more widely known for his books of essays, like his seminal Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs. In 2002, Klosterman was also awarded the ASCAP Deems Taylor award for his music criticism.

Klosterman, who has authored more than a dozen books and is a New York Times Best Selling writer, is releasing his latest tome tomorrow (February 8): The Nineties. As such, what better way to celebrate that achievement than to ask the man, the myth, the legend about his favorite albums from that memorable musical decade.

So, that’s exactly what we did. And without further ado, here are Chuck Klosterman’s Favorite Albums From The 90s.

Most of the time when a “supergroup” comes together comprised of accomplished members from other already accomplished bands, the result is underwhelming. Maybe there’s a fun single or two, an album or two, and poof, that’s it. Rarely does the sum of its parts exceed the parts themselves.

But that isn’t the case with the newest supergroup on the proverbial block: NHC. The name itself is democratic, taking the first initial of each of the three members’ last names: [Dave] Navarro, [Taylor] Hawkins, and [Chris] Chaney, each of whom plays guitar, drums, and bass, respectively.

Navarro, of course, is in Jane’s Addiction. As is Chaney. Taylor famously drums in Foo Fighters. And when the group first released a few of its singles last year, fans could tell they were solid. But now with the band’s new EP, Intakes & Outtakes, set to drop on Friday (February 4), it’s clear the band is onto something unique that has both legs and staying power.

British-born rock band The Wombats have released their latest LP, Fix Yourself, Not The World. The album (the band’s fifth studio full-length) is rife with energy and is diverse in genre. But most importantly, the record makes you think, from its very title and throughout its eclectic songs.

American Songwriter caught up with The Wombats’ frontman, Matthew Murphy, to ask him about the album’s origins, how he found and fell in love with music and what’s next for his popular at times, raucous group.

What if I told you the world’s favorite 1:58 AM song—“Don’t Stop Believin’”—came from a conversation between a dejected musician and his supportive parent?

Well, that’s exactly what happened with the tune and the writer of its famous chorus, Jonathan Cain, the now-71-year-old musician and longtime keyboard player and writer of the American rock band Journey.

Sing it with us now:

Don’t Stop! Believin’!
Hold on to that feelin’
Streetlight, people
Don’t stop, believin’
Hold on
Streetlights, people

The song, which was released on the band’s sophomore album, Escape, in 1981, later hit the Billboard and the U.K. charts at various points in its long lifespan. Later, Rolling Stone named it No. 133 of its best 500 songs.

We caught up with Cain to talk about the origins of the lyrics, which includes a phone call with his father. As Cain says, he remembers writing it like it was yesterday.

There aren’t many names as sizzling in country music these days as the one-word moniker: Hardy. Whether he’s country-crooning his heart out about what “one beer” can do to the rest of a life, or how he will out “redneck” you any day of the week, Hardy is a catchy, memorable, and prolific songwriter.

He’s also the musical papa to the Hixtape series, which is now amidst celebrating its second installment. The first volume featured a number of standout artists (hello: Keith Urban) and volume 2, which is out today (Dec. 10) in full, after Hardy began releasing it track-by-track in September, has even more big names and even more tracks than the first.

American Songwriter caught up with the songwriter, performer, and now A&R man for the Hixtape series to ask Hardy about his origins in music, what he loves most about the craft of songwriting, and how Hixtape will continue to grow in the future.

Jose Feliciano is one of the most famous songwriters in the world, even if you can’t recall his name immediately off the top of your head. His words, his spirit, his sunglasses are all cultural touchstones that are worthy of consideration year-round and, of course, especially during the holidays with Feliciano’s legendary hit “Feliz Navidad.“

Recently, Feliciano released a version of the track that features 30 artists from around the world, from Lin-Manuel Miranda to the Jonas Brothers. The song came as part of the deluxe reissue of his 2020 album, Behind This Guitar. The reissue also features a duet with the great and powerful Dolly Parton.

American Songwriter caught up with Feliciano to talk about his origins in music, what it was like singing with Parton, how it feels to celebrate “Feliz Navidad” and much more.