Steve Bardwil : From Disney’s Chief Counsel to Chasing Musical Dreams with 11-Time Grammy Winner Joe Chiccarelli- Inspiring Music Stories

What does it cost to walk away from one of Hollywood’s most powerful legal positions to pursue your true passion? Steve Bardwil spent years as Chief Counsel for Walt Disney Studios, overseeing legal affairs for Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and more—negotiating billion-dollar deals and working alongside industry titans like Steve Jobs, Alan Bergman, and Kevin Feige. But behind the prestigious business cards and high-stakes meetings, he was writing songs, leading a band, and wrestling with a question that wouldn’t let go: What if there’s more?

Welcome to the Takin A Walk podcast and join Buzz Knight on this inspiring music story with singer-songwriter Steve Bardwil.

In 2024, Steve Bardwil made the decision that seemed crazy to everyone around him—he left Disney to pursue music full-time. One year later, he released his critically acclaimed debut album “Nothing But Time,” produced by 11-time Grammy winner Joe Chiccarelli (Elton John, U2, Beck, The Killers). Now he’s heading back into East West Studios to record his sophomore effort.

In this inspiring music interview , Steve shares the emotional journey of redefining his identity beyond the Disney empire, the moment he cold-called Joe Chiccarelli (and actually got a callback), and what happened when one of music’s most legendary producers transformed his songs in ways he never imagined. From opening for Donovan Frankenreiter and Lyle Lovett while still at Disney, to learning the recording process from scratch, to writing “Send Them Love”—a song resonating with anyone who’s faced online negativity—Steve Bardwil and his story is about courage, reinvention, and refusing to live with “what if.”

He also reveals his Beatles origin story (Dodger Stadium, 1966), the bittersweet reality of walking away from a career that defined him, and his advice for anyone contemplating their own leap: “At the end of your life, you can say ‘I tried’ or ‘I wish I would have.’ Don’t be the person who says ‘I wish I would have.’”

Featured Topics: Career reinvention, music production with Joe Chiccarelli, working at Walt Disney Studios, songwriting process, recording at East West Studios, overcoming self-doubt, “Send Them Love,” Beatles at Dodger Stadium, following your passion later in life

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