Ep. 214: Ian Fitchuk | How Sobriety, Struggle & Soul Led Him to a Grammy

And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan

And The Writer Is

Unknown, Music Interviews, Songwriting, Music, Songwriters, Education, Interviews, Music Creation, Artists

4.9 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 16 June 2025

⏱️ 80 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today’s guest is a musical architect whose fingerprints are on some of the most emotionally resonant and sonically rich records of the last decade. He’s not the loudest in the room—but when he’s in the studio, every note, every tone, every beat matters. A multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer with an unmatched intuition, he brings out the soul in every song, guiding artists to their most authentic performances. From Grammy-winning collaborations with Kacey Musgraves to shaping records across indie, country, rock, and beyond, he’s the quiet force behind the soundtracks to our lives. All the way from Nashville, Tennessee, this master of nuance proves that subtlety can be a superpower. And the writer is… Ian Fitchuk!

0:00 – Intro: Sobriety, Fear & Creativity

0:55 – NMPA Sponsor Message

3:25 – Growing Up in the Chicago Suburbs

6:15 – Musical Upbringing: Classical Roots & Church Influence

9:05 – Early Influences: CDs, Cassettes & Graceland

12:05 – Bear Killer, Drums & Songwriting Beginnings

17:30 – From Church Bands to Writing Real Songs

20:50 – Leaving Home & Moving to Nashville

27:30 – First Touring Gig & Life Lessons

30:50 – Discovering Production via the Christian Music Scene

35:50 – A Decade of Struggle Before the Breakthrough

40:50 – Why Ian Never Quit (Even With Kids)

45:00 – Golden Hour Era: Writing With Kacey

50:50 – Making Golden Hour Using Logic Stock Sounds

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Transcript

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0:00.0	How does sobriety help or hurt creativity?
0:04.0	I thought I was having a lot of fun beforehand, but I really wasn't.
0:08.0	I was disassociating.
0:09.0	Now that I'm actually just here, I actually feel like I'm doing this better, I think.
0:15.0	Trying to succeed, fear can be a really healthy emotion when it's trying to protect you,
0:20.0	but it's also super destructive.
0:23.2	Is fear a useful tool in making music?
0:27.2	If the fear is like, what are people going to think of me, then that's no good.
0:31.7	How do you meet Casey Mosquerade?
0:35.2	I really respect you for putting that out there.
0:39.7	NMPA is the premier organization for music publishers and their songwriter partners.
0:46.0	It's their mission to increase the value of music, and that's exactly what they do.
0:50.8	NMPA is working right now to raise royalty rates for songwriters from streaming services, radio, social media, and everywhere, music is essential.
1:01.5	From the courts to Congress, NMPA works to get songwriters what they deserve.
1:07.0	I know because I've served on the board before, and I'm the current co-chair, along with Ryan
1:12.4	Teter and Liz Rose, for the Golden Platinum Club. So again, thank you NMPA for supporting
1:17.7	End the Writer is and songwriters everywhere. Welcome to And The Writer is. I am your host, Ross
1:24.4	Golan. There are millions of singers and thousands of artists, but only 40 songs per
1:31.2	genre at a time. This podcast aims to shed a light on those creators who make those songs.
1:38.1	I produced this with my friend Joe London, in association with Megahouse Music Group. Special shout
1:43.5	out, Charlotte Isidore, Jad sad and michael white and you can
1:48.3	follow us at and the writer is on all your socials we'll see you there now this week's episode welcome to
	...

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