Fuegostine's Music Club

Ruston Kelly — Self-Rediscovery & the Stories Behind the Songs | Fuegostine's Music Club

• Matt Firestine • Season 2 • Episode 18

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In this episode of Fuegostine’s Music Club, I sit down with singer-songwriter Ruston Kelly to discuss one of the most intense and honest journeys in modern Americana / alt-country music. We cover his early years, battles with addiction, heartbreak, and the long road to healing — but also how through all of that he discovered his voice, harnessed pain into purpose, and found a new sense of self.

What You’ll Hear

  • His musical roots and evolution: debut EP, breakthrough albums, and how personal trauma influenced his writing. 
  • The making of his recent work: confronting demons, embracing sobriety, and channeling grief, loss, and self-reflection into songs that resonate. 
  • What’s next: how healing continues, how creativity evolves, and what listeners can expect in Ruston’s upcoming projects.

Why This Episode Matters:
Ruston Kelly isn’t just a musician — he’s a story of resilience, redemption, and the power of vulnerability. If you’ve ever struggled, doubted yourself, or wondered whether music can heal, this conversation hits differently.


About Ruston Kelly:
Ruston Kelly is an American singer-songwriter known for his blend of Americana, alt-country, and rock music, often exploring themes of addiction, recovery, and personal transformation in his lyrics. He emerged from a musical family in South Carolina, struggled with drug addiction which he documented in his debut album Dying Star, and later went through a public divorce from Kacey Musgraves. His subsequent albums, including Shape & Destroy, The Weakness, and Pale, Through the Window, have explored self-reflection, healing, and finding strength through life's challenges

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