Episode Details

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 vulnerability, despair, and healing turn into powerful lyrics that connect deeply with listeners.
• 🤝 Collaborating with heroes like Sarah Jarosz, Ronnie McCoury, and Peter Rowan, and how the Nashville community helps dreams become reality.

Brenna also shares her excitement for what’s next—touring her new album, songwriting inspired by both waking life and dreams, and balancing her solo career with tour-managing East Nash Grass.

🔗 Find her music, tour dates, and official links at BrennaMcMillan.com