'The Musical Chairs of Massachusetts' podcast connects with local musicians: who's up next?

A local podcaster is inviting listeners to play a game of musical chairs.

Chris Guerra, who opened his own audio-video studio, CG Broadcasting, inside the former Simplex building on School Street in November, is the host of "The Musical Chairs of Massachusetts," a podcast dedicated to shining a spotlight on New England musicians and their stories.

“One of things that I always enjoyed watching growing up was the ‘Unplugged’ series that they had on MTV, back when they played music,” said Guerra. “I just thought it was a great opportunity to really get to know the musicians behind the music, and you don’t really find that anymore. So, I wanted a show that would really connect listeners with the musicians on the local circuit.”

Currently in the middle of recording his 10th 'teaser' episode before the podcast's official first episode premieres on May 3, Guerra’s show has featured local musical acts including Rt. 2 Revolution, Morgan Alyse, Fern Parker, and Jukebox Jake. He said the response to the podcast, from both listeners and guests, had been overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

“I’ve had big musicians with record labels reach out to me to find out about getting on the show, and we have booked a few of them,” Guerra said. “We had to kind of navigate the legal waters as far as getting releases from the labels and looking into licensing in case they want to play cover songs.

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Guerra said his cohost on the podcast, Nikki Cross, was a key factor in the show’s success.

“She’s the backbone of the whole production – she really adds to the dynamic of the interviewing process,” he said. “She’s a huge fan of musicians and music, and she’s been helping me scope out future guests by going to events. She’s the booking agent, she helps produce the show and she’s helped out with a lot of the marketing and branding.”

Podcast aimed at showcasing local musical talent

Guerra said he was grateful for the opportunity to share some behind-the-scenes stories about the local music scene while giving listeners the chance to experience their talent.

“Watching and listening to these musicians perform live is just amazing, and I’m really hoping that that translates to the audience,” he said. “I don’t know if everyone realizes just how many talented musicians there are in this area.”

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Guerra said he cut his teeth interviewing musicians during the “Coffeehouse Sessions,” a music program livestreamed from the Gardner Area League of Artists’ gallery space as a way to support local musicians and provide a venue for live performances during the days of the pandemic shutdown.

“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “We started off using cellphones, but then we upgraded to using streaming cameras. It was a great experience and (the podcast) is a way to recreate that.”

Podcast's name is a nod to Gardner's manufacturing legacy

The name of the podcast was a nod to the city’s manufacturing history, and the color palette for the show’s logo was based on the Massachusetts state flag, Guerra said.

Episodes of the podcast drop each Monday and can be heard on several platforms, including Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, and Apple Podcasts. The show is also available on YouTube and Facebook.

The Greater Gardner Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony for the studio on Friday, May 3. Guerra said the event will resemble a Hollywood-style movie premiere, complete with bright lights and a red carpet rolled out at the studio’s entrance at 205 School St. Click here to register to attend the event.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Musical Chairs Podcast and Chris Guerra connect with local musicians