{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Sum of All Wisdom: Conversations on Music, Makers, Meaning & More","title":"The Cheese Line: Tom Catmull on Songwriting & Staying Human","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4094,"description":"Over a career spanning—at this point—more than three decades, Tom Catmull has become one of the remarkable songwriters Montana is known for, not by chasing trends or fame, but by trusting his craft, his songs, and his audience.\nIn this conversation, Tom reflects on recording his latest album Last Resort, building a musical life, and the lessons that come from decades on stages large and small. Along the way he shares why great performances require musicians to \"show their guts,\" how he avoids crossing what he calls the \"cheese line,\" why words behave like colors, and how his songwriting has changed as he's grown older.\nIt's a thoughtful conversation about music, storytelling, authenticity, and what success looks like when connection matters more than celebrity.\nHighlights\n·      Recording a band honestly\n·      The evolution of a songwriter\n·      Missoula's changing music scene\n·      House concerts and human connection\n·      The \"cheese line\"\n·      Words as musical material\n·      Performance as intimacy\n·      Why simplicity is difficult\n·      Success beyond fame\n\nMusic Featured in this Episode:\nL.O.L.A. Hello\nNarrow\nPuff of Smoke\nAll music is from the album Tom Catmull's Last Resort, released in December of 2025. All music is used with permission\nMemorable Moments\n·      \"I hadn't put the sound of this band in a bottle.\"\n·      \"Open your trench coat and show your guts.\"\n·      That's probably the headline quote.\n·      \"People long for connection.\"\n·      \"I always stay behind the cheese line.\"\n·      \"Words are colors.\"\n·      \"I listen as much to the way words sound as what they mean.\"\n·      \"The more money you make, the less fun you're going to have.\"\n·      \"I just want to play good shows.\"\n\nAbout the Artist\nTom Catmull is an acclaimed Americana songwriter, originally from Texas, and now based in Missoula, Montana. His music blends infectious melodies, vivid storytelling, and a deep love of language. Across seven albums and long experience touring...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/WxYkrFS9xG0iifivgXJ8ULNXdp4ij1PBeHoIXb0qWXE/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wYjZh/Zjk1NjhmNzU4ZmJi/ZWJmMjI0YWViNmU3/YjEwOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}