Shownotes
Bio
Chad Cochran
Ohio based music and potrait photographer.
Summary
Chad Cochran, better known as CowtownChad, takes us on a laid-back journey through the vibrant world of independent music in this episode of Dive Bar Music Club. We dive into his experiences as a live music and portrait photographer, where he seamlessly transitions between capturing electrifying live performances and intimate backstage moments. Chad's love for Americana music runs deep, and he shares tales from his time at iconic venues like the Ryman Auditorium and the Beachland Ballroom, where the magic of music truly comes alive. Throughout our chat, we explore the evolution of his artistic journey, from a punk rock kid to a sought-after photographer, and how those gritty dive bars laid the foundation for honing his craft. So, grab your favorite drink and join us for a candid conversation that’s sure to resonate with music lovers and aspiring artists alike!
Show Notes
Welcome back to another laid-back session of Dive Bar Music Club, the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds. This week, we’re pulling up a stool with someone who's seen it all from behind the lens: music photographer and filmmaker Chad Cochran, aka CowtownChad.
Here’s what went down:
- Meet Chad Cochran: portrait photographer, music video filmmaker, and the guy behind the camera at some of your favorite Americana shows.
- Chad’s journey from punk metal kid to the Americana scene (thanks to a cowboy hat and a certain host).
- He’s worked with big names and captured quiet moments, both live on stage and backstage at festivals.
This summer’s lineup included:
- Nelsonville Music Festival
- Pickin’ in the Backwoods
- Healing Appalachia
- Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, where Chad was also a guest speaker on mental health in music.
Trivia Night:
- Fun fact: Chad didn’t pick up a camera until he was 40. Now at 53, he's built a career shooting festivals, portraits, and raw emotional moments in music.
- His first band? A “horrible” high school group called Stonehenge. But it laid the foundation for a creative path back to music decades later.
- Favorite venues? The iconic Ryman Auditorium tops the list, but the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland is where he honed his chops in tricky, low-light dives.
- Why small venues matter for music photographers: they’re gritty, they’re real, and they’re the perfect training ground before the big stages.
Where to find him online:
- Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and TikTok
- Username: @CowtownChad
- Yes, he's talking about music on TikTok (because his kids made him download it and a PR friend told him to find a niche).
Thanks again to Chad for joining our crew of rotating regulars, and yes, you’re definitely going to want to hear more from him in future episodes.
Last Call Reminder
Like the vibe? Follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend who stays till the very last note. See you next time at Dive Bar Music Club, where the love of music always takes center stage.
Links
- Chad Cochran
- Get to know the rest of the Regulars on Dive Bar Music Club
- You might also like Sloane Spencer's Gen X sleep podcast, Sleep with Rock Stars
Chapters
- 00:19 - Introducing Cowtown Chad
- 00:45 - Exploring the World of Music Photography
- 03:35 - Exploring Musical Venues
- 05:19 - The Journey of Cowtown Chad
- 06:14 - Introduction to Dive Bar Music Club
Takeaways
- Chad Cochran, aka Cowtown Chad, shares his journey from a rural landscape photographer to a sought-after music photographer, highlighting his passion for Americana music.
- The significance of small venues like Beachland Ballroom in honing photography skills is emphasized, showcasing their unique charm in the music scene.
- Our podcast revolves around true music fans and their stories, creating an intimate space for sharing the magic of live music experiences.
- Chad's eclectic background in various music genres, from punk to Americana, adds depth to his photography and feeds his creative spirit.
- The discussion touches on mental health in the music industry, showcasing a thoughtful approach to the challenges artists face in this field.
- Listeners are encouraged to engage with the show, emphasizing the community aspect of music appreciation and sharing favorite episodes with friends.
indie music podcast, music nerd podcast, underground music podcast, music roundtable podcast, best new indie bands, independent music podcast, music discovery podcast, alternative music podcast, podcast for music lovers, dive bar music podcast, low key music podcast, deep cut music discussion, music tastemakers podcast, music festival discoveries, music zine culture, DIY music scene, touring musician stories, hidden gem bands, vinyl collector podcast, music conversations podcast,
dive bar music club, independent music podcast, music photography, Chad Cochran, Cowtown Chad, live concert photography, music festivals, backstage portraits, Americana music, portrait photographer, music venues, Ryman auditorium, Beachland Ballroom, concert photography tips, music industry insights, mental health and music, music nerds, local music scenes, music podcast recommendations, low key happy hour
Mentioned in this Episode
- Dive Bar Music Club
- Uncle Tupelo
- Wilco
- Bottle Rockets
- Sun Volt
- Nelsonville Music Festival
- Picking in the Backwoods
- Healing Appalachia
- Woody Guthrie Folk Festival
- Ryman Auditorium
- Beachland Ballroom
Transcript
Speaker A
00:00:01.040 - 00:00:06.960
Hello, this is Chad Cochran, also known as Cowtown Chad. And this is Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B
00:00:08.000 - 00:00:49.930
Welcome to Dive Bar Music Club, the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds. Each week we're joined by a rotating cast of true music fans, people who live and breathe independent music.
I'll introduce you to one of our rotating cast of characters, portrait photographer and music video filmmaker Chad Cochran, who you probably know as Cowtown Chad. So grab a drink, pull up a stool, and join Chad Cochran on this week's session of Dive Bar Music Club.
We've been really grateful to get to chat with all the folks who are going to be part of our regulars here on Dive Bar Music Club, helping y' all get to know who they are. So, Chad Cochran, what exactly do you do in the world of music these days?
Speaker A
00:00:50.490 - 00:01:50.800
So I am a live music and portrait photographer. I do. I partner with a lot of music festivals where I do backstage portraits for them, but I also shoot live concerts.
So I will kind of like pop back and forth between doing backstage portraits and then go and do live music. But I'm also, over the last several years, have been known for doing a lot of portraits with musicians that many of us know.
I kind of grew up a, like, metalhead. I mean, really like a punk kid.
And I ended up, you know, actually, thanks to you, Sloan, working I took photos of somebody in a cowboy hat, and I suddenly became the person that takes pictures of people with cowboy hats. I have a long love of Americana music all the way back to, like, Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Bottle Rockets, Sunbolt.
And now it is primarily where you see my photos. I have been very busy this summer doing music festival, both portraits and live music photography.
Speaker B
00:01:51.310 - 00:01:57.270
Very cool. Can you give us any little hints or tidbits of what you've been working on this summer?
Speaker A
00:01:57.270 - 00:02:17.790
I did backstage portraits at the Nelsonville Music Festival. I also did backstage portraits at Picking in the Backwoods.
And then I also attended Healing Appalachia that I've worked with the last couple years, as well as I was a guest speaker because I also have a mental health series at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah, Oklahoma.
Speaker B
00:02:18.260 - 00:02:35.220
I cannot wait till we all get a chance to talk a little bit more about some of your past projects and what you have coming up. This is going to be a real treat for our listeners here at Dive Bar Music Club.
Thanks so much for deciding to join us here with Dive Bar Music Club as one of our rotating cast characters. I'm jokingly calling the regulars. How did you end up in music.
Speaker A
00:02:36.020 - 00:03:21.440
You know, in high school, we had a really horrible band called Stonehenge. But that gave me the foundation to go to college. And when I was in college, I played in some, like, grungy pop punk bands and.
And then raised a family. And then as the kids became less dependent on me, I kind of, like, slid in the back door.
When at the time, I was a rural landscape photographer, and I had a musician reach out to me about doing some portraits. Not something I ever did, but the way that. That ended up working is it kind of got me back into the music industry.
You know, I'm one of those weird people that didn't. Didn't own a camera until I was 40. I'm 53 right now. And the last 10 years has been a wild ride.
Speaker B
00:03:22.720 - 00:03:49.530
Absolutely.
These are all the sort of teases of stories that I cannot wait for everybody to hear more about, because some of the real truth of what y' all have been doing is just head scratching. Fabulous. So fun, fun, fun. Thank you.
One of the things we've loved getting to chat about here on Dive Bar Music club is the places where we go to hear music that really have stuck out to us over the years. What are some kind of venues or spaces that have really helped make the music more magical for you?
Speaker A
00:03:49.770 - 00:05:01.670
I've been incredibly fortunate to shoot at some pretty cool places.
I think kind of the pinnacle for me, or like, the place I enjoy the most is the Ryman auditorium in Nashville, which is just a beautiful experience to see a place to see music. But I think the place that really, I kind of honed my skills living in the Cleveland area right now.
The Beechland Ballroom and Tavern has a, you know, a very long history of having some really cool shows there and breaking a lot of bands, you know, when they were small.
And as a music photographer, I think working in those low light, small venues and really kind of honing your skills there, once you get to a different level of concert photography and there is magical light as opposed to, you know, those. Those dark. Those dark, shady bars that we've all spent time in. I think that's. That's. It's your practice. Right?
Like, that's the place that you can kind of get started, start to develop those skills, and it really makes things considerably easier once you start to propel yourself further.
Speaker B
00:05:02.150 - 00:05:08.470
Absolutely. I. I love a magical little space like that. It's just. Will always be deeply in my heart.
Speaker A
00:05:10.040 - 00:05:10.440
Me too.
Speaker B
00:05:11.080 - 00:05:18.680
Fun times. Fun times. Beachland Ballroom. Fantastic place.
Y' all should definitely check it out if you're ever up in the Cleveland, Ohio area, where would you like people to find you?
Speaker A
00:05:19.080 - 00:05:44.740
I have taken this moniker online and I jokingly always say that it's like having a band that picks a really bad band name and then has a hit. That's essentially what I'm living with. So I online use the name Cowtown Chad, like the farm animal cow town and then my name Chad.
So Cowtown Chad, you can find me on Instagram, threads, Facebook and you also can find me on TikTok talking about music.
Speaker B
00:05:45.700 - 00:05:49.700
Ah, I am not a tiktoker. I will have to check that out. Fun to know.
Speaker A
00:05:50.020 - 00:06:07.780
Yeah, it's been, it's been a cool experience.
I downloaded it because my kids used it and then somebody that I worked with previously who did see some PR for me strongly suggested that I find a niche and dive into it. So talking about music is what I've chosen to do there.
Speaker B
00:06:08.620 - 00:06:22.060
This is a whole new world. I didn't even know. Fun. I will have to check this out a little more.
Well, Chad Cochran, AKA Cowtown Chad, we're so glad that you're going to be part of the regulars here on Dive Bar Music Club. Thank you.
Speaker A
00:06:22.380 - 00:06:24.299
Of course I'm excited and can't wait for more.
Speaker B
00:06:25.100 - 00:06:42.560
That's last call at Dive Bar Music Club. If you like the hang, follow the show, leave a review and tell your algorithm. Gosh darn it, we're worth it.
Better yet, share your favorite episode with a friend who actually stayed for the whole set. See y' all next time for the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds.
Transcripts
Hello, this is Chad Cochran, also known as Cowtown Chad.
Speaker A:And this is Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:Welcome to Dive Bar Music Club, the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds.
Speaker B:Each week we're joined by a rotating cast of true music fans, people who live and breathe independent music.
Speaker B:I'll introduce you to one of our rotating cast of characters, portrait photographer and music video filmmaker Chad Cochran, who you probably know as Cowtown Chad.
Speaker B:So grab a drink, pull up a stool, and join Chad Cochran on this week's session of Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:We've been really grateful to get to chat with all the folks who are going to be part of our regulars here on Dive Bar Music Club, helping y' all get to know who they are.
Speaker B:So, Chad Cochran, what exactly do you do in the world of music these days?
Speaker A:So I am a live music and portrait photographer.
Speaker A:I do.
Speaker A:I partner with a lot of music festivals where I do backstage portraits for them, but I also shoot live concerts.
Speaker A:So I will kind of like pop back and forth between doing backstage portraits and then go and do live music.
Speaker A:But I'm also, over the last several years, have been known for doing a lot of portraits with musicians that many of us know.
Speaker A:I kind of grew up a, like, metalhead.
Speaker A:I mean, really like a punk kid.
Speaker A:And I ended up, you know, actually, thanks to you, Sloan, working I took photos of somebody in a cowboy hat, and I suddenly became the person that takes pictures of people with cowboy hats.
Speaker A:I have a long love of Americana music all the way back to, like, Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Bottle Rockets, Sunbolt.
Speaker A:And now it is primarily where you see my photos.
Speaker A:I have been very busy this summer doing music festival, both portraits and live music photography.
Speaker B:Very cool.
Speaker B:Can you give us any little hints or tidbits of what you've been working on this summer?
Speaker A:I did backstage portraits at the Nelsonville Music Festival.
Speaker A:I also did backstage portraits at Picking in the Backwoods.
Speaker A:And then I also attended Healing Appalachia that I've worked with the last couple years, as well as I was a guest speaker because I also have a mental health series at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah, Oklahoma.
Speaker B:I cannot wait till we all get a chance to talk a little bit more about some of your past projects and what you have coming up.
Speaker B:This is going to be a real treat for our listeners here at Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:Thanks so much for deciding to join us here with Dive Bar Music Club as one of our rotating cast characters.
Speaker B:I'm jokingly calling the regulars.
Speaker B:How did you end up in music.
Speaker A:You know, in high school, we had a really horrible band called Stonehenge.
Speaker A:But that gave me the foundation to go to college.
Speaker A:And when I was in college, I played in some, like, grungy pop punk bands and.
Speaker A:And then raised a family.
Speaker A:And then as the kids became less dependent on me, I kind of, like, slid in the back door.
Speaker A:When at the time, I was a rural landscape photographer, and I had a musician reach out to me about doing some portraits.
Speaker A:Not something I ever did, but the way that.
Speaker A:That ended up working is it kind of got me back into the music industry.
Speaker A:You know, I'm one of those weird people that didn't.
Speaker A:Didn't own a camera until I was 40.
Speaker A:I'm 53 right now.
Speaker A:And the last 10 years has been a wild ride.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:These are all the sort of teases of stories that I cannot wait for everybody to hear more about, because some of the real truth of what y' all have been doing is just head scratching.
Speaker B:Fabulous.
Speaker B:So fun, fun, fun.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:One of the things we've loved getting to chat about here on Dive Bar Music club is the places where we go to hear music that really have stuck out to us over the years.
Speaker B:What are some kind of venues or spaces that have really helped make the music more magical for you?
Speaker A:I've been incredibly fortunate to shoot at some pretty cool places.
Speaker A:I think kind of the pinnacle for me, or like, the place I enjoy the most is the Ryman auditorium in Nashville, which is just a beautiful experience to see a place to see music.
Speaker A:But I think the place that really, I kind of honed my skills living in the Cleveland area right now.
Speaker A:The Beechland Ballroom and Tavern has a, you know, a very long history of having some really cool shows there and breaking a lot of bands, you know, when they were small.
Speaker A:And as a music photographer, I think working in those low light, small venues and really kind of honing your skills there, once you get to a different level of concert photography and there is magical light as opposed to, you know, those.
Speaker A:Those dark.
Speaker A:Those dark, shady bars that we've all spent time in.
Speaker A:I think that's.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:It's your practice.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Like, that's the place that you can kind of get started, start to develop those skills, and it really makes things considerably easier once you start to propel yourself further.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:I. I love a magical little space like that.
Speaker B:It's just.
Speaker B:Will always be deeply in my heart.
Speaker A:Me too.
Speaker B:Fun times.
Speaker B:Fun times.
Speaker B:Beachland Ballroom.
Speaker B:Fantastic place.
Speaker B:Y' all should definitely check it out if you're ever up in the Cleveland, Ohio area, where would you like people to find you?
Speaker A:I have taken this moniker online and I jokingly always say that it's like having a band that picks a really bad band name and then has a hit.
Speaker A:That's essentially what I'm living with.
Speaker A:So I online use the name Cowtown Chad, like the farm animal cow town and then my name Chad.
Speaker A:So Cowtown Chad, you can find me on Instagram, threads, Facebook and you also can find me on TikTok talking about music.
Speaker B:Ah, I am not a tiktoker.
Speaker B:I will have to check that out.
Speaker B:Fun to know.
Speaker A:Yeah, it's been, it's been a cool experience.
Speaker A:I downloaded it because my kids used it and then somebody that I worked with previously who did see some PR for me strongly suggested that I find a niche and dive into it.
Speaker A:So talking about music is what I've chosen to do there.
Speaker B:This is a whole new world.
Speaker B:I didn't even know.
Speaker B:Fun.
Speaker B:I will have to check this out a little more.
Speaker B:Well, Chad Cochran, AKA Cowtown Chad, we're so glad that you're going to be part of the regulars here on Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Of course I'm excited and can't wait for more.
Speaker B:That's last call at Dive Bar Music Club.
Speaker B:If you like the hang, follow the show, leave a review and tell your algorithm.
Speaker B:Gosh darn it, we're worth it.
Speaker B:Better yet, share your favorite episode with a friend who actually stayed for the whole set.
Speaker B:See y' all next time for the low key, high taste happy hour for music nerds.
