Welcome to the Naddold Better Show, I'm Paul Volkelsing, and this is episode number 409.

As part of our Smithsonian Associates Year of Music series, this will be a very special show.

In a minute or two, I'll be speaking with Ben Folds, and I'll tell you right out of the gate I'm a huge fan. My exercise playlist repeats

Zach and Sarah and that opening piano in Zach and Sarah is just Ben Folds at his best.

As a matter of fact, it's hard to think about Ben Folds without the characters in his songs.

And now Ben Folds in his first book, memoir titled A Dream About Lightning Bugs a life of music and cheap lessons

Ben Folds opens up about those characters what he he knows, what he thinks he knows, and what it took to move

from a working class childhood in North Carolina to stardom.

Join me and Ben Folds for a conversation during which Ben Folds talks about his creative process,

how his personal life intersects with his songwriting,

why he insists that the ups and downs are essential for any artist and how paying his dues his polka career never quite took off

and never losing sight of his dream of a creative life helped shape him into the musician he wanted to be.

Please join me in welcoming to the not old better show Ben Folds.

Ben Folds, welcome to the program.

Good to be here.

Good to be talking to you to, let's talk a little bit about your upcoming Smithsonian Associates

presentation.

What do you have in store for us? Well, you know, I might sit in the chair.

It could be microphones.

We don't know if they'll be lavoliers or handheld mics.

And anyone listening will learn quite a bit.

Yeah, I guess we're gonna talk, yeah.

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