Music & Meaning

In the final episode of our first season of Music & Meaning, host Charlie Peacock reflects on his unexpected journey into podcasting despite facing a head-banger of a neurological disorder called central sensitization. He discusses the podcast's origins and objectives, emphasizing that our aim is to offer a backstage pass to the musical and spiritual aspects of his multifaceted artistic life. We gratefully revisit highlights from the flagship season, underscoring our commitment to the seamless integration of musical artistry and meaning. The podcast tackles diverse subjects with equally diverse special guests, including music industry insiders, academics, and award-winning musicians, producers, and artists. This episode also features a medley of Charlie's music and productions, showcasing the depth and width of his artistic work. We hope you'll hear it as an analog and inspiration for the podcast's present and future goals.  As one season ends and we prepare for the next, we encourage our listeners to catch up on all 14 episodes. Please share your support for Music & Meaning with others and help spread the word. We've created social media graphics so you can easily proclaim your affinity for and connection to Music & Meaning. Download and start posting your enthusiasm today. Finally, stay tuned for Charlie's upcoming projects, including a new memoir (Roots & Rhythm, 02.04.25) and a full-length album. We are honored to premiere a song from the upcoming recording, which Charlie wants you to know "is not quite finished." That's okay. Neither are we. Charlie Peacock is a Grammy Award–winning, Billboard chart–topping music producer, composer, and recording artist. Named by Billboard’s The Encyclopedia of Record Producers as one of the 500 most important producers in music history, Charlie is a cofounder of the Art House, Wedgwood Circle, and founder/director emeritus of the commercial music program at Lipscomb University. Charlie has produced music for film and television, including A Walk to Remember, Chris Cornell’s “Misery Chain” from the soundtrack of 12 Years a Slave, and “Hush,” the title theme to the AMC drama Turn: Washington’s Spies. His books include the recent collaboration with his wife, writer Andi Ashworth, Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much. Charlie is the senior music editor for Christianity Today and creator/host of the CT podcast Music and Meaning. Charlie and Andi have been married for nearly 50 years and have two grown, married children and four grandchildren. Music and Meaning is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Matt Stevens Produced and Written by Charlie Peacock and Mike Cosper Associate Produced by Leslie Thompson & McKenzie Hill Original Music by Charlie Peacock Mixed by Mark Owens Show theme, “Sound of the Room,” composed by Charlie Peacock, featuring bassist John Patitucci Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With music a proven border-crossing phenomenon, musicians are the world's ambassadors, setting the stage for sonic and social mutual respect, collaborations, and partnerships. One such story is that of the song "Way Maker" and the artist who created it, Nigerian vocalist and songwriter Sinach. The song, originally made popular in the United States by Leeland, has crisscrossed the globe repeatedly, becoming a Christian worship music standard for many cultures. Our guests discuss how a song reaches such ubiquity and what it takes to steward a song that loves to wander into hearts and voices anywhere and everywhere. The conversation (recorded at Nashville's Sound Emporium Studios) begins with a song by Nigerian musician King Sunny Ade, one of Charlie's West African musical influences. In turn, Sinach reveals some of her American music influences. Throughout the episode, Charlie weaves the story of border-crossing and neighbor-love as a way of being, revealing the musical and spiritual interplay between people, the places they call home, and Jesus—the Way Maker of the Christian faith. Integrity Music executives, Vice President Mark Nicholas and Director of A&R Gilbert Nanlohy figure in prominently, including a discussion of Gilbert's Indonesian musical heritage, and Mark's perspective on the community-partnership focus of Integrity Music's global mission. The episode wraps with Charlie checking off an item on his bucket list—sitting down to his Fender Rhodes electric piano for an impromptu jam on one of Sinach's new songs, "Victory Is My Name." Nashville meets Nigeria, indeed! In closing, a reminder that our show theme, "Sound of the Room," performed by Charlie and bassist John Patitucci, is now available in its full-length version, everywhere music is streamed. Here are two options for you: Apple+ Spotify. Presave Sinach's new music Follow Sinach on Instagram to learn more about her new music "Music and Meaning" is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Matt Stevens Produced and Written by Charlie Peacock and Mike Cosper Associate Produced by McKenzie Hill Edited by Leslie Thompson Original Music by Charlie Peacock Mixed by Mark Owens Show theme, "Sound of the Room," composed by Charlie Peacock, featuring bassist John Patitucci Sinach's music used by permission, courtesy of Integrity Music Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charlie Peacock interviews iconoclastic recording artist, filmmaker, and educator Steve Taylor to discover how artists sustain a life of invention and reinvention. He wonders, is this path of discovery and creativity only for entrepreneurs and artists? Or, is something going on with this way of being that's applicable to all of life, from music to marriage? “Music and Meaning” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Matt Stevens Produced and Written by Charlie Peacock and Mike Cosper Associate Produced by McKenzie Hill Edited by Leslie Thompson Original Music by Charlie Peacock Mixed by TJ Hester Show theme, “Sound of the Room,” composed by Charlie Peacock, featuring bassist John Patitucci Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Uh oh. AI is giving music consumers the apps to make their own tunes—or at least make ABBA sing like chipmunks. In today's show, Charlie rides a rollercoaster of emotions. He loves to play with the new tech but has the blues over the effortless nature of modern music-making tools. With a few text prompts, anyone can create a hooky pop song in 60 seconds—easy as ordering a latte—you don't even have to spell Tayler Swift right, let alone know music theory. Contributing to today's episode are music educators Dr. Matthew White, Associate Professor and Chair of Jazz Studies at the University of South Carolina, and Thavius Beck, Assistant Professor in Electronic Production and Design at Berklee College of Music. They reveal how musical academia has evolved to encompass classical/jazz proficiency and digital innovation. However, what constitutes essential music literacy is still being debated. Susan Stewart from the Recording Academy also tells us if AI-composed music gets to sit with the cool kids at the Grammys. Spoiler alert: there's a human dress code. Special musical guest, bassist, and singer/songwriter Scott Mulvahill exemplifies the merger of old and new schools, blending his mastery of upright bass and songwriting with cutting-edge technology. In summary, this episode challenges listeners to consider the implications of some mind-blowing technological advancements for both current and future musicians and music consumers who increasingly engage in creating music themselves. Charlie weaves engaging discussions with poignant "in-the-studio" examples and invites us to reassess the essence of musical talent, imagination, and creativity in the digital age. The big, meaningful question? Does easy access to making music enhance or undermine the true art of music and the culture that loves and supports it? Get comfortable, adjust your headphones, and let's decode whether music's new production tech leads to a satisfying crescendo or a cacophonous catastrophe. “Music and Meaning” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Produced by Erik Petrik and Matt Stevens Produced and Written by Charlie Peacock and Mike Cosper Associate Produced by Raed Gilliam Mixed by TJ Hester Original Music by Charlie Peacock  Additional studio and remote engineering by Bridget Ashworth Show theme, “Sound of the Room,” composed by Charlie Peacock, featuring bassist John Patitucci Information on Charlie's latest books and music, including his own "drag and drop" producer sample pack, is available at charliepeacock.com Special guests on this episode: Dr. Matthew White, Associate Professor and Chair of Jazz Studies, the University of South Carolina; Thavius Beck, Assistant Professor in Electronic Production and Design at Berklee College of Music; Susan Stewart, Sr. Managing Director of the Songwriters & Composers Wing for the Recording Academy; and musical guest, bassist and singer/songwriter, Scott Mulvahill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices