Susan Orlean + Ben Arthur

There’s a certain magic in hearing a story and then, moments later, hearing that same story transformed into a completely new song. That’s the experience at the heart of SongWriter turns stories into songs, hosted by Ben Arthur. Each episode begins with a celebrated author-voices like Joyce Carol Oates, George Saunders, or David Sedaris-sharing a personal narrative, a fragment of memory, or a crafted tale. Then, a musician-from legends like Steve Earle to innovators like Questlove-takes that raw material and, often in real time, shapes it into an original piece of music. What unfolds is a rare, intimate look at the creative alchemy between two art forms. You’re not just getting a story and a song; you’re sitting in on the fascinating conversation in between, where Ben Arthur guides you through the decisions, the surprises, and the emotions that guide a narrative into melody and lyric. This podcast is a celebration of collaboration, revealing how the same idea can resonate so differently through words alone and then through chords and a chorus. It’s for anyone curious about where songs come from and how a great story can echo in entirely new ways.