Some artists build a lane and stay in it. Aaron Lee Tasjan isn’t one of those artists. He’s made a career out of subverting expectations—his own included—and in this week’s episode of The Morse Code Podcast, we talk about what it really means to keep growing when everyone else wants you to stay the same.
Aaron shares candid stories about his time in Brooklyn, his move to East Nashville, and the pivot points that helped him shift from being a top-tier sideman (we’re talking Letterman, Bonnaroo, New York Dolls-level stuff) to becoming a fully-fledged, genre-defying songwriter with something to say.
We talk about the fear that comes with making deeply personal art, what it means to “be helpful” as a creative person, and the choice to lean into vulnerability—even when it’s misunderstood. There’s a lot of wisdom here, the kind you earn the hard way. It’s also funny, because Aaron’s funny. That helps.
This conversation touched a nerve for me—especially when he said, “Just seeing someone do what they love, joyfully and without shame, is helpful to the world.” I think that’s true. I think that’s what this show is trying to do, too.
At the end of the episode, Aaron plays a stripped-down acoustic version of “E.N.S.A.A.T.” (“East Nashville Song About a Train”)—a tune that’s equal parts biting and sincere. It’s a love song for this strange little part of the world we both live in, full of grit and contradiction. You can watch the full performance as a standalone clip here or catch it at the tail end of the main episode.
As always, thank you for listening, reading, sharing. The Morse Code Podcast is a labor of love, and every play, comment, or kind word helps this catamaran keep sailing.
Speaking of sailing, my Morse Code Pilot — the film loosed based on my life that launched this whole uncertain enterprise — just tipped over 10k views in a week. To me, that is FANTASTIC.
