Ray Prim joins us to unpack “Since 88,” tracing a journey from leaving his childhood faith to finding healing in melody and simple, soulful songwriting. We get honest about politics, algorithms, panic attacks, therapy, and why a song that sings first can teach later.
• origin of “Since 88” in religious break and political shift
• belief now centered on goodness, empathy, and action
• writing process where melody guides the lyric
• Bill Withers influence and love of simplicity
• “ear candy for the soul” as rhythm plus depth
• critique of social media and algorithmic bubbles
• AI as a session player for strings and riffs
• pandemic panic, therapy, and writing “Mr. Midlife”
• legacy grounded in connection over perfection
Please check out the links to Ray’s music underneath this video. Make sure you check him out, follow his social media, and come back for our next episode when we talk about more songs, more stories, and more soul