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On Friday (November 10), when the recent Grammy nominees were announced, Americana star Allison Russell was out for a jog. And that was a good thing, she says, because if she had been hyper-aware of the nominations, she may have driven herself mad with anticipation.

Of course, Russell, whose debut solo album, Outside Child, was also nominated for multiple Grammy awards two years ago, and who has garnered other nominations since then, is no stranger to accolades these days. Even if there was a time earlier in her life when she never thought she’d see it.

For Eric Burton, the lead singer of the Austin, Texas-born soul rock band the Black Pumas, writing songs is like praying. This idea makes sense given that Burton first fell in love with music in church as a young person. But in another way, for the celestially talented singer, making music is as personal as it can get. While that can mean his life can be fodder for content, more accurately for Burton, it’s about connecting to that granular thing called self.

In today’s era of constant stimuli, digitally or otherwise, there can be an immense push for individuals to be followers, whether on social media, as sports fans, or as consumers of celebrity culture. But the real job—and this is something Burton knows keenly—is to connect with yourself in a clear and specific, even laser-like manner. How do you feel about a given subject? And then, how do you feel about how you feel about it? For Burton, being closely and deeply connected to himself is the impetus for his songs. And all of this can be felt and heard on his band’s new LP, Chronicles of a Diamond, out Friday (October 27).

Les Claypool remembers being 14 years old and in algebra class. Behind him was another guy, a friend who often had guitar magazines. Claypool’s compatriot would thumb through the pages and show him pictures. That same classmate used to sell Claypool weed, too, as a matter of fact. For Claypool, who was first exposed to music by his mother’s records (including Abbey Road) and the AM radio, the rock rags were an early source of contemporary music exposure. “Claypool, check it out,” his friend would say. “This is the guitar I’m going to get, man!”

The guy also wanted Claypool to sing in his band since he was known to hum Led Zeppelin and other rock tunes under his breath. But Claypool didn’t join the guy’s band. Instead, he found another band that needed a bass player, not a singer. It wasn’t the last time Claypool would miss out on being in a project that included his classmate—Kirk Hammett. Later, Claypool would try out for Metallica, but it wasn’t a musical fit. Nevertheless, Claypool has enjoyed an acclaimed career in the art form. It’s one that’s celebrated in a new box set of solo music, Adverse Yaw: The Prawn Song Years Box Set, out February 9.

To many, songwriter and performer Valerie June is a source of light. But the job, even for June, is not easy. She says she tends to wake up in the morning feeling grumpy. Then there is the possibility for sadness or depression when considering the wars abroad, hate at home, and the crumbling stability of the environment. But that’s why June loves the word “practice.” In order to stay light in times of darkness or up when the heaviness wants to get her down, June keeps to her practice of mindfulness— whether it’s writing music or poetry, collaborating with others, or reminding herself that she is enough. Heck, even Bob Dylan is a fan of June. So, she must be doing something right! All of this is woven into her new book, Light Beams: A Workbook for Being Your Badass Self, a mindfulness tome that is out now on the heels of June’s latest musical releases.

Growing up, Jenny Lewis wanted to be a rapper. Born into a musical family, with parents who were musicians and vaudeville performers, Lewis found music early on. “[It] was the family hustle,” she tells American Songwriter.

Lewis was discovered at three years old by a talent agent who saw her in a restaurant. Then, it was Lewis’ charisma and acting ability that became the family hustle. But at ten years old, she began writing raps and then poetry. She liked words and lyrics. She got a Casio keyboard next and started plunking away on that. As a teenager, she got an acoustic guitar and learned a few chords from a Beatles songbook.

Today, Lewis is a beloved indie rocker and she’s currently on tour with her group The Postal Service, which is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their iconic LP, Give Up. For Lewis, who recently played Madison Square Garden as part of the trek, the tour is the culmination of a life of work.