Notably Disney

"Making Mary Poppins" with Author Todd James Pierce

Sixty years later it remains one of the most enduring and beloved Disney movies of all time. Mary Poppins, based on the PL Travers stories, has even inspired a making of film through 2013’s Saving Mr. Banks. In tandem, the late songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman, responsible for the classic tunes, have received their fair share of coverage through projects like The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story from 2009. Thankfully, now we have a written compendium that illustrates how integral the Sherman Brothers were to the development of the 1964 Walt Disney feature. Making Mary Poppins, written by professor and author Todd James Pierce, is a deep dive into the production, along with giving further backstory to the famed songwriters. Todd previously joined host Brett Nachman back in 2020 as he discussed writing Three Years in Wonderland about the development of Disneyland through CV Wood’s influence. Now he returns to share details about Making Mary Poppins: The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney, and the Creation of the Classic Film. 

Learn more about Todd's career and book by visiting his website. Pick up a copy of Making Mary Poppins and listen to the Disney History Institute podcast.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Diving into Piano Playing for Disney Cruise Line with Clay Barnard (Part 2)

Pianist, composer, and vocalist Clay Barnard of Disney Cruise Line continues his discussion with host Brett Nachman about what it's like to play for DCL. On the last episode he shared his career origins, whereas on this episode Clay details the process of creating piano sets on the Disney ships, his interactions with guests, and more. This is the second episode of a two-part conversation with Clay.

Follow Clay on Instagram (@composerclay). Hear his music on SoundCloud.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Diving into Piano Playing for Disney Cruise Line with Clay Barnard (Part 1)

It’s not every day that you can call a cruise ship as your home, but in the case of Clay Barnard, that’s a reality. Clay is a pianist, composer, and vocalist who has entertained numerous guests on Disney Cruise Line. Recently host Brett Nachman had the opportunity to listen to Clay in action when sailing on the Disney Treasure in the Aristocats-themed Scat Cat Lounge, and now Clay joins Brett on Notably Disney to lead us on his incredible path to performing on a Disney vessel. This is the first of a two-part conversation with Clay.

Follow Clay on Instagram (@composerclay).

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Analyzing "Beauty and the Beast" Stage Adaptations

Beauty and the Beast remains not only one of the most beloved and enduring animated classics out of the Disney library, but also one of its most popular to feature across various stage adaptations. On this episode of Notably Disney, author, musician, and professor Matthew Hodge joins host Brett Nachman to analyze three current stage adaptations of the 1991 film: at Disney's Hollywood Studios, on Disney Cruise Line, and via a national tour. 

Check out Matt's music work on his YouTube channel and website.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Content Creator Isaac Carlson Digs Into Disney 90s Music

With nearly 900,000 YouTube subscribers and 400 million views as of late August 2025, Isaac Carlson is a prominent content creator whose Disney material has covered the gamut of profiles of characters from Cars to deconstructing popular theories. Isaac’s videos have allowed us to process Disney movies and projects with additional curiosity and thoughtfulness. On this episode of Notably Disney, Isaac joins host Brett Nachman to share more about his YouTube channel and talk through a fun topic: Disney 90s music! They relay their thoughts of what characterized music of the era across film, television, stage, and more!

You can find Isaac's videos on his YouTube channel and TikTok.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Composer Geoff Zanelli Dives into "Pirates of the Caribbean" Music

Geoff Zanelli started his career as a collaborator of legends like Hans Zimmer and John Powell, and he has since established himself as an acclaimed composer in his own right. For The Walt Disney Company, Geoff has scored films like Christopher Robin, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and The Odd Life of Timothy Green. Perhaps his most notable contribution has been in scoring Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the fifth and most recent entry in the popular franchise, having previously worked with Zimmer on handling additional music for the prior three installments, as well as also Klaus Badelt on The Curse of the Black Pearl. Today on Notably Disney, Geoff joins host Brett Nachman to uncover the majesty of writing Pirates tunes in concert with laying out his professional journey and career highlights. 

Learn more about Geoff Zanelli's work by visiting his website, and be sure to follow his Facebook and instagram (@geoffzanellimusic).

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Discussing "Disney Adults" with Author AJ Wolfe of Disney Food Blog

You know her voice and content if you’re a Disney Adult. But what makes a Disney Adult? And why is this culture so enveloping and fascinating, too? AJ Wolfe of the uber popular and stellar Disney Food Blog (DFB) has deconstructed this phenomena in a new book entitled Disney Adults: Exploring (And Also Falling in Love with) A Magical Subculture. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman brings on AJ to discuss Disney Adults, just released by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. 

Purchase a copy of Disney Adults, just released, through visiting AJWolfe.com. Also be sure to check out all of the DFBGuide goodness via its website, YouTube channel, Instagram (@disneyfoodblog), and Facebook.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Celebrating 30 Years of Toy Story with Jonathan Goodman of "Music Behind the Magic"

This fall marks the 30^th anniversary of one of the most groundbreaking films ever. Toy Story debuted in 1995 to critical success and public adoration. Pixar’s first film, and also the first fully computer animated production, is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It also boasts the first time we saw the collaboration between Randy Newman and Pixar, who would later compose the scores for and write songs for many subsequent movies, including A Bug’s Life and Monsters Inc. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman welcomes on podcaster Jonathan Goodman, host of the Music Behind the Magic podcast. It’s a great podcast with conversations featuring composers, musicians, and those who study music, among other individuals. Today Jonathan and Brett deconstruct what makes Toy Story's music so special, in addition to where the film lands in their hearts.

Check out the Music Behind the Magic podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about the podcast on its website. Follow Jonathan on Instagram (@musicbehindthemagic) and join the Music Behind the Magic community on Facebook.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Worst Disney Villain Songs with Matthew Hodge

The previous episode of Notably Disney featured a conversation on the best Disney villain songs, but as much as we may love some of these tunes, there are also some atrocious ones in the mix and across a variety of platforms, including film, television, and stage. 

Over two episodes on Notably Disney, author, professor, and musician Matt Hodge joins host Brett Nachman to examine the songs associated with Disney villains. On this episode they highlight their selections for the worst tunes, including those written by talented musicians like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. 

Learn more about Matt's work by visiting his website. And be sure to purchase a copy of Cool Cats and a Hot Mouse: A History of Jazz and Disney, his award-winning book about Disney and jazz, by visiting Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can also subscribe to Matt Hodge Music on YouTube.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Best Disney Villain Songs with Matthew Hodge

We hate to love them, as well as love to hate them. The Disney villains compromise an electric crew of sinfully satisfying baddies. Some appear in animated movies, others live-action films. Others are on television, in the theme parks, or even on Broadway. Disney villains are sometimes misunderstood, funny, and charming, and often cruel and truly wicked. And of course there are those villains who are antiheroes or even fuzzy in having the villain status. Over two episodes on Notably Disney, author, professor, and musician Matt Hodge joins host Brett Nachman to examine the songs associated with Disney villains. On this episode they highlight their selections for the best tunes, noting their appreciation of the lyrics, composition, singers, and the song's role in the specific project. The next edition will focus on the worst songs

Learn more about Matt's work by visiting his website. And be sure to purchase a copy of Cool Cats and a Hot Mouse: A History of Jazz and Disney, his award-winning book about Disney and jazz, by visiting Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You can also subscribe to Matt Hodge Music on YouTube.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.