About Jay Franze

Vice President at G4S – Author | Speaker | Coach, with a passion for leadership development. Leading people and teams to maximum potential through service innovation.

Most Important Women In Country Music, Underrated Female Vocalists, and More – Country Music News

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What makes a country music legend truly important? Is it chart success, cultural impact, or lasting influence? Jay Franze and Tiffany Mason tackle these questions head-on while reviewing a controversial list of “The 25 Most Important Women in Country Music” that has them both fired up from the start.

The hosts share their predictions before diving into the rankings, confidently naming Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire as the obvious choices for the top spots. What follows is a passionate dissection of the list that places newer artists higher than established legends, sparking genuine outrage when they discover Dolly Parton ranks only seventh while Carrie Underwood claims the number one position.

“Where’s her amusement park? Where’s her giving back kids books that can’t afford books? Where’s her charity programs?” Tiffany questions, highlighting how the list seems to prioritize recent commercial success over decades of cultural impact and philanthropy. The conversation reveals a deeper issue about how female artists are evaluated in country music and the often arbitrary nature of industry rankings.

Between their good-natured banter, the hosts also cover breaking news from Nashville, including Morgan Wallen’s youth charity work, an exciting potential Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton collaboration, and Australia’s growing country music scene. They wrap up with listener submissions about the most underrated female vocalists, creating a show that celebrates women in country music while questioning who gets to determine their “importance.”

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Behind the Gradients: A Rock Band’s Journey

From a dorm room talent show to packing venues across Minnesota, the rock band Gradients has been steadily carving their unique musical identity since 2019. In a recent interview on The Jay Franze Show, this group of passionate musicians shared their journey from college roommates to a unified musical force that defies clear genre boundaries.

The band’s origin story begins in the most quintessential way – a college talent show at MSUM College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Original members Ford and John, along with their first drummer, seized an opportunity to perform and quickly realized they had stumbled upon something special. Darian soon joined as bassist and vocalist, and by February 2020, they were performing their first show together. This formation would later welcome Trevor on drums, completing today’s lineup of the band that describes their sound as existing in the gradient between hard rock, alternative, and metal.

What makes Gradients particularly fascinating is how their diverse musical influences converge into their signature sound. While many bands claim varied inspirations, Gradients’ members genuinely come from different musical backgrounds. Ford draws from 70s hard rock like UFO and Randy Rhoads-era Ozzy, later expanding into thrash metal. Darian brings a strong Beatles foundation, citing the Fab Four as his primary influence, along with Queens of the Stone Age. John’s tastes run from modern rock acts like Royal Blood and Arctic Monkeys to Chevelle, while Trevor brings punk energy from Green Day and The Offspring, with a side of Tom Petty appreciation that even surprised his bandmates.

The band’s collaborative creative process mirrors their musical diversity. Sometimes a member disappears and returns with a fully formed song idea, while other tracks emerge organically from jam sessions. “We were jamming on something for about a minute,” Darian explained about one of their songs, “and I edited it down, restructured it to have a full song structure, put vocals over it, and said ‘okay, this is the idea.'” This fluid approach to songwriting has served them well, allowing them to build and refine songs collaboratively while remaining open to scrapping elements that don’t work.

What sets Gradients apart from many emerging bands is their professional approach to recording and production. All three original members hold Bachelor of Science degrees in audio production, which explains their self-sufficient approach. Darian handles the recording with Logic Pro and Universal Audio interfaces, even going “a bit overboard” with drum miking techniques to capture the perfect sound. This technical expertise allows them complete creative control over their music from conception to final product.

Living together (except for drummer Trevor) creates an environment of constant creativity and musical growth. “It helps living together because we can just grab each other and be like ‘hey, let’s record something,'” Darian notes. This shared living situation has also fostered a playful dynamic that includes elaborate pranks – from fully carpeting a bathroom to hiding items in guitar pedals and equipment for months at a time.

For Gradients, performance energy is non-negotiable. The band emphasizes how important stage presence is to their identity. As John explained, “I’m very much a believer that when I go to shows, it could be the best sounding show, but if every band member is just standing there looking at their fretboards, it kills the mood for me.” The band works hard to ensure their playing becomes second nature, allowing them to focus on engaging with the audience during performances.

Behind every successful band is often an unsung hero, and for Gradients, that person is Emma Christensen. Their photographer and videographer has been documenting shows while helping create music videos, including their ambitious recent production for “On A Roll” that involved renting a boxing ring and Darian taking boxing lessons for a month to prepare.

As Gradients continues to build momentum with upcoming shows and their latest album “Come What May,” they represent a refreshing example of musical authenticity – friends who genuinely enjoy creating together, respecting their diverse influences while crafting something uniquely their own.

Gradience

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Uncovering the musical evolution of Gradients, this episode takes listeners behind the curtain with a Minnesota rock band crafting their sound somewhere in the gradient between hard rock, alternative, and metal. The conversation reveals how a college talent show in 2019 sparked what would become a serious musical endeavor, bringing together musicians with surprisingly diverse influences.

What makes Gradients fascinating is their authentic approach to creating music. Three of the members hold audio production degrees and live together, allowing for a constant creative environment where songs emerge organically—sometimes from structured writing sessions, other times from spontaneous late-night jams. The band discusses how their influences range from the Beatles and 70s hard rock to more modern acts like Royal Blood and Arctic Monkeys, creating a unique sonic fingerprint that defies easy categorization.

The episode dives deep into their recording process, with the band handling all aspects of production themselves using Logic Pro and carefully planned microphone techniques. We learn how they’ve evolved from quick demo recordings to more sophisticated production approaches, while maintaining the raw energy that defines their sound. Drummer Trevor, who joined more recently, shares his perspective on learning songs that were already recorded and how his punk-influenced style complements the band’s sound.

Throughout the conversation runs a thread of friendship and camaraderie—from elaborate pranks (including fully carpeting a bandmate’s bathroom) to their shared commitment to high-energy live performances. The band emphasizes how showmanship matters as much as technical skill, with the goal of creating memorable experiences for audiences. With upcoming performances at the Red Carpet in St. Cloud and a new album “Come What May,” Gradients represents what happens when musical passion meets technical skill and genuine friendship.

Want to experience Gradients for yourself? Follow them on social media to catch their upcoming shows and hear their latest releases. Your next favorite rock band might be just a concert away!

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