Episode notes
This week, Kodi and Shay welcome banjo powerhouse and IBMA Songwriter of the Year nominee, Brenna MacMillan. From her Kentucky roots to her Nashville grind, Brenna’s journey blends tradition, resilience, and artistry in unexpected ways.
She opens up about:
- ✈️ Touring the world (including an international festival in Tunisia) and why musicians really get a “bathroom tour” more than sightseeing.
- 🎶 Picking up the banjo at age nine thanks to her “Pappy,” growing up in a harmony-filled family of singers, and rediscovering music in college after pursuing dentistry and chemistry.
- 🌿 Working as a chemist in a cannabis lab while secretly writing songs that would later fuel her acclaimed debut album.
- 💡 Her creative process—why 60% of her songs come from vivid dreams—and how vulner ...