Record Store Day Riffs: Vince Guaraldi and the Music That Stays Podcast Episode · Vinyl Riffs with Sean Gaillard · April 19 · 20m

This week’s Vinyl Riffs is personal.

Record Store Day. Vince Guaraldi. Music that stays with you.

I believe this one carries something deeper. Give it a listen.

🎧 bit.ly/48J02FD

🎧 bit.ly/4mELUDe

🎧 youtu.be/STFuBW6Cq_4

#VinylRiffs @recordstoreday.bsky.social #rsd2026 #VinceGuaraldi #Peanuts

The Revolver Effect: April 6, 1966 and The Courage to Begin Again On April 6, 1966, The Beatles walked into EMI Recording Studios in London and quietly began changing everything. There was no announcement. There were no crowds gathered outside signaling what was …

"Revolver" by #TheBeatles turns 60 this year and it still feels like a beginning.

I am exploring what this album teaches us about starting again, creating without approval, and trusting the work.

Read. Reflect. Then tell me what "Revolver" means to you.

seangaillard.com/2026/04/07/t...

The Revolver Effect: The Day Everything Changed Spotify video

April 6, 1966. The Beatles begin "Revolver."

No roadmap. Just evolution.

New Vinyl Riffs episode:
The Revolver Effect: The Day Everything Changed

Four riffs: experiment, craft, expand, let go.

🎧 open.spotify.com/episode/1sPr...

📺 youtu.be/D8vjcWG70n8

🍎 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Episode 1 of “Real Riffs” is done.

Dr. Donya Ball is a true bandmate and thought partner. The synergy in this collaboration is real.

Grateful for this moment and what is ahead. Stay tuned for the first episode and a live event.

#LeadershipRiffs #RealRiffs

Finding My Sound Amidst the Silence and the Noise We all want to be a part of something that is meaningful and that gives a sense of belonging. That truth has never felt more real to me than it does right now. It is not just a passing thought. It …

seangaillard.com/2026/03/29/f...

I am excited to collaborate with Dr. Donya Ball on "Real Riffs," a new podcast coming in April.

What are the leadership topics you want us to discuss? Share them in the comments or send a message. Your voice will help shape each episode.

We plan to get real in this space.

Stay tuned.

Finding My Sound Amidst the Silence and the Noise We all want to be a part of something that is meaningful and that gives a sense of belonging. That truth has never felt more real to me than it does right now. It is not just a passing thought. It …

There are seasons where your voice feels unheard, even close to home.

This is a reflection on belonging, failure, and creating your own space when no one calls your name.

seangaillard.com/2026/03/29/f...

#LeadingWhileHuman #RealRiffs #StillLearning

Failure has been hitting different in this season.

When the work does not land.
When no one notices.
When it feels like you are doing it alone.

This one is real and it is personal.

If you have been there, this is for you.

Read it here:
seangaillard.com/2026/03/24/f...

Failure and Identity This is for the leader who feels like they have lost their place. In 2007, Robert Plant, lead singer of the most iconic bands in music history, stood on stage with Led Zeppelin at the O2 Arena for …

seangaillard.com/2026/03/21/f...

Failure and Identity In 2007, Robert Plant, lead singer of the most iconic bands in music history, stood on stage with Led Zeppelin at the O2 Arena for what would become one of the most celebrated reunions in rock hist…

Walking away can feel like failure.

I am learning that it is clarity. It is growth. It is choosing to protect your humanity.

Wrote about this in my latest blog. This one is real.

Read here: seangaillard.com/2026/03/21/f...

#LeadershipRiffs #LeadingWhileHuman #StillLearning

“Real Riffs”: Finding the Signal in the Noise There comes a point where you get tired of the noise, the performance, and leadership being reduced to slogans, gimmicks, and quick fixes. Over the past couple of years, I have been on a journey of…

I have been reflecting on leadership and the gap between what is presented and what is real. That led to a new podcast with Dr. Donya Ball called "Real Riffs."

This is a space for honest conversations shaped by your questions.

Read more and join us:
seangaillard.com/2026/03/21/r...

#RealRiffs

Failure Sucks: Learning to Lead While Human in the Moments That Hurt Us the Most Lately I have been reflecting on past failures as a leader. In many leadership circles across social media, conferences, and professional spaces, failure is often mentioned briefly and then quickly…

Failure hurts and it does suck.

Here's a blog I wrote on failure for any one going through the struggle: seangaillard.com/2026/03/07/f...

#LeadershipRiffs #Failure #RealRiffs

No school today due to severe weather. The building may be closed, but the day still counts.

I still got the workout in down in the garage gym. Consistency matters.

Showing up for the small routines keeps me grounded and ready for the week ahead.

Stay safe out there, friends.

Something new is coming.

Just recorded a teaser for a new podcast with Donya Ball called Real Riffs. Two leaders talking about the real stuff behind leadership.

What should we talk about?

Drop a topic below, DM me, or email sgaillard84@gmail.com.

🎙 Podcast launching in April.

#RealRiffs

New episode of #VinylRiffs is live.

"Failing Forward with Band on the Run"

Listen here:

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5Shr...

Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f...

YouTube: youtu.be/N70OTA2LIvI

#VinylCommunity
#PaulMcCartney
#LeadershipRiffs

Failure Sucks: Learning to Lead While Human in the Moments That Hurt Us the Most Lately I have been reflecting on past failures as a leader. In many leadership circles across social media, conferences, and professional spaces, failure is often mentioned briefly and then quickly…

“Failure Sucks”

New blog post:

seangaillard.com/2026/03/07/f...

Not Everyone Who Starts With You Finishes With You Some connections are for a season.They help us grow, reflect, and find our footing.Then, sometimes, the paths quietly diverge. I am learning that clarity around values can be both grounding and lon…

New blog post: seangaillard.com/2026/02/06/n...

I am starting something new.

Vinyl Riffs with Sean Gaillard.

This is a weekly space where I connect music, grooves, and stories.

I am not waiting anymore. I am building the space I wish existed.

Season One begins this week.

If you love music that means something, you belong here.

More soon.

Grateful and looking forward to it!

Billy Preston: The "Other" Fifth Beatle The debate over "who was the 5th Beatle?" is always lively. Here's a case for Billy Preston earning that distinction.

Today marks the anniversary of the Beatles’ Rooftop Concert in 1969. Billy Preston’s presence and playing with the band once gave a younger version of me hope and a sense of belonging.

I am resharing this article in gratitude.
www.culturesonar.com/billy-presto... #TheBeatles #BeatlesSky

The Member Learning Network is back! 📢

Join us on February 12th at 2pm ET for an online workshop-style session on Leadership Coaching and Curriculum & Content.

#ISTE + #ASCD members stay tuned—registration opens shortly!

@isteofficial.bsky.social @ascdofficial.bsky.social @smgaillard.bsky.social

The In-Between: Lessons from Neil Diamond’s “Gold” There are albums that arrive in your life right on time. There are also albums that feel as if they have been waiting for you all along. Neil Diamond’s Gold is that kind of record for me. It was re…

Grateful for Neil Diamond and the music that continues to meet me in the in-between seasons.

I shared a short reflection on Gold, transition, and becoming. A companion #LeadershipLinerNotes podcast is linked inside.

seangaillard.com/2026/01/11/t...

The ONE & ONLY #Productivity Rule that Matters fouroclockfaculty.com/2026/01/one-... #AutopilotEDU #4OCF

@glenngrobbins.bsky.social @taramartinedu.bsky.social @burgessdave.bsky.social @ajbianco.bsky.social @thezenteacher.bsky.social @tamaraletter.bsky.social @smgaillard.bsky.social

Today’s Vinyl Haul.

Leadership, like great music, starts w/listening.

Spinning “Time Out” this evening reminds me that it only worked because Brubeck trusted a different rhythm. Vinyl slows me down. It asks for presence. It teaches me to hear every voice & make space for different tempos. The best leaders do the same.

Season Finale:Leadership Liner Notes
Let the Long Version Play

A reflection on leadership, The Odyssey, & Grand Funk Railroad’s "Closer to Home." Some journeys can't be edited down. Neither can leadership.

Tune in:
pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffi...

youtu.be/acVqhA_3t_c

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...

New Year, New Glue fouroclockfaculty.com/2025/12/new-... #4OCF #AutopilotEDU

@taramartinedu.bsky.social @burgessdave.bsky.social @ajbianco.bsky.social @thezenteacher.bsky.social @tamaraletter.bsky.social @smgaillard.bsky.social

Belonging is not optional.
Curiosity does not thrive without it.

If we want inspired learners and engaged educators, we must design schools where people know they matter. I explore this connection and practical next steps in my latest post.

seangaillard.com/2025/12/29/t...

If School Leadership Had a Wrapped List As the year winds down, our inboxes begin to tell a familiar story. Year-end notices arrive in waves. Deadlines stack up. Checklists multiply. There is an understandable push toward closure, accoun…

What if school leadership had a Wrapped list?

My latest blog shares a reflective activity inspired by Spotify Wrapped that can engage any faculty, team, or PLC in celebrating growth and accomplishments.

Two more posts are coming before 2025 closes out.

seangaillard.com/2025/12/18/i...