Trace Adkins: Near-Death Stories, Oil Rigs, And 30 Years In Country Music :: Ep 43 Circling the Drain Podcast

Trace Adkins: Near-Death Stories, Oil Rigs, And 30 Years In Country Music :: Ep 43 Circling the Drain Podcast

Country legend Trace Adkins joins Circling the Drain for a raw, funny, and unfiltered conversation about survival, success, and the scars he picked up along the way. Trace opens up about growing up in small-town Louisiana, singing bass in church, working dangerous oil rigs in the Gulf, getting shot by an ex-wife, flipping a tractor, multiple open-heart surgeries, and why he still prefers hard work on the farm to life on the tour bus. He also talks about his breakout in Nashville, label politics, 30 years in country music, and how acting and voiceover work have kept him relevant. Along the way you’ll hear wild stories featuring Gene Simmons, Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Donald Trump, Blake Shelton, and more – plus why the national anthem still makes him nervous every single time. This is Part 1 of our Trace Adkins series on Circling the Drain. 1:56 – Trace walks in like a superstar and why everyone respects him  2:26 – The only “tangible result” of being on stage: applause and then back to the bus  3:03 – Farm life, physical work, and needing something real to show for the day  3:50 – Taking down massive ash trees and chasing a chainsaw voiceover gig  4:30 – Losing a Steel commercial because he didn’t wear gloves  6:09 – 12+ years as the voice of Firestone and other national campaigns  6:42 – KFC, Farmer Boys, and ongoing work with Wounded Warrior Project  7:30 – Five daughters, Lululemon bills, and the idea of Trace voicing an athleisure brand  8:01 – Intimidating the boyfriends: hunting on his land and the “I could bury you here” moment  9:47 – Telling a boyfriend he “wasn’t going to make it” and helping him cut his losses  10:25 – Five daughters, three ex-wives, and being “five times more confused about women”  11:10 – Growing up in church: singing beside his granddad with that rich bass voice  11:40 – Discovering that “chicks dig the bass” in a gospel quartet at 17  12:43 – Hayrides, jamborees, and covering Haggard and Buck Owens  13:20 – Working offshore on a drilling rig and singing in the wheelhouse after 12-hour shifts  14:08 – Winning the Wild Turkey Battle of the Bands and coming to Nashville  15:00 – Club circuits, drugs, booze, and learning “everything you’re not supposed to do”  16:08 – Getting his first guitar at 10 and taking lessons in Spring Hill, Louisiana  16:42 – Why he calls himself a “lazy guitar player” and just plays enough to accompany himself  17:11 – Cutting off a finger and the chords he can’t play anymore  17:40 – The shooting: getting shot by an ex-wife and why he didn’t press charges  18:52 – Bullet through the heart and both lungs, Life Flight, and Vanderbilt saving his life  19:45 – Bleeding on the floor, protecting the new carpet, and passing out in the atrium  21:04 – Being 32, strong, and why that’s the only reason he survived  21:39 – Scars from construction work, broken arms and legs, ribs, and flipped tractors  23:15 – Tractor roll-over, crushed sternum, and calling a neighbor with a backhoe to save him  24:16 – Trauma surgery vs. scheduled open-heart surgery and the pain difference  25:14 – Why he doesn’t write songs about his craziest life events  26:00 – Capitol Records, meeting Scott Hendricks at baggage claim, and getting offered a deal on stage  27:06 – Being a big, striking presence and coming from a tall family  28:21 – Shrinking from 6'6" to 6'5" and feeling it in the joints  28:52 – Label politics after Scott leaves Capitol and refusing to go back into the building  29:29 – Almost throwing an executive out the window and the Patsy Cline “she’s dead” story  31:02 – New leadership, Mike Dungan, and how Tim DuBois helped push Trace’s career forward  32:17 – The Chrome era, bikes, and typecast biker roles in movies  33:00 – Deepwater Horizon, playing a furious parent, and Peter Berg demanding more intensity  35:30 – Manhandling Mark Wahlberg on set and the behind-the-scenes story  35:59 – Meeting Kurt Russell and seeing oilfield authenticity on screen  36:38 – Why that movie got the oilfield details right  37:01 – Taylor Sheridan, Land Man delays, and writers chasing the next “shiny toy”  38:53 – Yellowstone, spinoffs, and the risk of losing momentum between seasons  40:04 – Getting tricked into a faith-based movie (Mom’s Night Out) and only reading his sides  41:23 – Peeing fire as a demon in a field and calling it his greatest scene ever  49:00 – Gene Simmons on Celebrity Apprentice and how he changed the rules of the game  52:01 – Turning hot dogs into $5,000 donations and reshaping the show around charity money  53:07 – The mysterious “go to my room” invitation and the producer’s warning  53:52 – What Trace really thinks of Gene Simmons and his magnetism  54:08 – His take on Donald Trump and how “what you see is what you get”  54:34 – Why the national anthem still makes him nervous, from car lots to the World Series  55:52 – Respecting the anthem, the range of the song, and starting in the basement  56:47 – Land of the Free as the vocal high point and the challenge of the melody  57:16 – Reading music, Nashville number system, and forgetting trombone days  57:58 – Losing music programs in public schools and why that bothers him  58:17 – Country heroes: George Jones, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and more  58:48 – Hillbilly Bone with Blake Shelton and why Blake is always chasing the laugh  59:31 – Wrapping Part 1 and teasing more Trace Adkins stories to come  Follow Johnny B: https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman [https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman] Follow Jay Harper: https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff [https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff] Follow Jim: www.jmvos.com [http://www.jmvos.com] Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co www.itsyourshow.co [http://www.itsyourshow.co]

Life on the Road with David Allan Coe: Outlaws, Wigs, Boats and Blues :: Ep 42 Circling the Drain Podcast

Veteran bassist and author Mickey Hayes joins Circling the Drain to pull back the curtain on the wild, brilliant and chaotic world of country legend David Allan Coe. From blacked‑out tour buses and outlaw bikers to wigs, panthers, boats and hit songs, Mickey shares what it was really like to live on the edge with one of country music’s most controversial figures.   Mickey talks about joining Coe’s band in 1979, surviving the Outlaws MC, refitting buses and boats in the Florida Keys, the truth behind the “death row” myth, and why Coe was the PT Barnum of country music. He also dives into Coe’s overlooked Columbia catalog, the making of “The Ride,” working with Warren Haynes, and how those years inspired his book “My Life on the Road with David Allen Coe” and a late‑career songwriting burst.   If you love outlaw country, road stories, and unfiltered music history, this episode is packed with stories you won’t hear anywhere else.   Timed highlights   02:56 Miami club gig and the four‑barrel derringer on the monitor board   04:55 Flying into David Allan Coe’s world and first impressions at the compound   07:04 The purple house, refitting buses and boats, and riding in like a circus   10:16 Swamp-ass on black buses with no A/C and building the outlaw image   13:17 Ad break: Milltown Bikes in Columbia, Tennessee   16:01 Coe’s later years, health, and the line “I just don’t want to die alone”   20:02 Leaving the spotlight, finishing the book, and writing 35–40 new songs   21:38 Playing Coe’s deep cuts, Columbia catalog, and early classic albums   22:18 Rewriting “Stand By Your Man” as “Stand By Your Band”   23:32 The birth of the wigs and why David named one after Mickey   24:57 TV appearances, Farrah Fawcett hair and multiple wigs on Ralph Emery   26:24 Rusty Spur stories, lost wigs and using heartbreak as stage patter   26:55 Earning Coe’s respect by standing up to him over an out‑of‑tune guitar   29:32 Outlaw caravans, smoking and drinking on the road in a fake Packard   33:21 The real story behind Coe’s “death row” legend   34:55 Controversy, X‑rated albums and why Coe welcomed being talked about   41:04 Kris Kristofferson’s advice on songwriting and “Sunday Morning Coming Down”   45:19 Dealing with labels and the infamous record‑exec table story   47:20 Pink Nudie suit, “family” crowd shock and Coe’s onstage antics   50:00 Ruskin Cave, Loretta Lynn tours and getting kicked off the bus route   51:39 Why David Allan Coe belongs in the Country Music Hall of Fame   54:00 Sinking the 50‑foot “pirate” boat and losing everything with no insurance   55:00 Outlaws MC, being hung over a balcony and “you can’t testify if you don’t know”   58:31 Calling Coe a legend and the unmatched volume of songs he wrote   59:54 How Nashville remembers Coe and what happens after you die in this business   1:02:08 Billy Joe Shaver standing up to Waylon and how an album got made   1:07:00 Touring with a black panther, monkeys and other road “pets”   1:11:18 Quitting Coe five times and sending him the tire bill   1:18:00 Austin City Limits, “My Girl,” and how Coe gamed the taping   1:19:49 Mickey on Coe’s legacy, the kids, the widow and posthumous releases   1:20:31 Outro: Where to find Mickey’s book and how to follow the show   Follow Johnny B: https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman [https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman] Follow Jay Harper: https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff [https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff] Follow Jim: www.jmvos.com [http://www.jmvos.com] Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co www.itsyourshow.co [http://www.itsyourshow.co]

From Receptionist to Record Exec: The Sheila Shipley Biddy Story :: Ep 41 Circling the Drain Podcast

Sheila Shipley Biddy went from small‑town radio and seven failed interviews to running one of Nashville’s most powerful record labels. In this episode, the first woman to head a major label on Music Row sits down with us to talk about discovering artists, fighting industry sexism, and the stories behind some of country music’s biggest careers. Sheila shares intimate memories of working with legends like Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Alabama, Roger Miller, Don Williams, Patty Loveless, Gary Allan, and LeAnn Womack. She opens up about fighting for “difficult” artists, taking career gambles, launching Decca Records, and what really changed when Napster, streaming, and 360 deals hit the business. In the most personal part of the conversation, Sheila reflects on her faith, her work with Music Health Alliance, and surviving the devastating loss of her husband and son within months of each other. If you care about country music history, radio, or how the record business really works behind the scenes, this is a masterclass in both the business and the humanity of Music Row. 02:21 – Moving to Nashville, small‑town radio roots, and seven Monument Records interviews 05:40 – Turning down TV news and working for less than $100 a month 07:21 – Early days at Monument: Roy Orbison, Larry Gatlin, Ray Stevens, Kris Kristofferson 08:06 – Waylon Jennings, intimidation, and becoming the only rep he’d work with 09:49 – Reading Waylon’s energy and protecting him in public 09:58 – Jumping to RCA and “failing downward” to bet on herself 12:20 – Telling radio the truth about a bad record and earning lifelong trust 14:23 – When that honesty paid off years later at Decca 15:10 – Sexism on Music Row and being mistaken for “the secretary” 17:55 – Mentors, office politics, and being the only woman in the room 20:02 – How Sheila helped bring Alabama to RCA (and why they were first passed on) 22:02 – The phone call that changed Alabama’s life forever 23:47 – Inside Alabama’s rise and balancing Southern imagery and the Confederate flag 26:12 – 50 years in music and how the industry has changed 27:23 – Taking artist failures personally and why she “couldn’t leave it at the office” 28:13 – Fighting three times for Waylon’s “Rose In Paradise” to go No. 1 29:22 – Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith and the risk of “left‑of‑center” country 33:25 – Roger Miller’s “Big River” and selling Broadway to Country radio 36:47 – Working with Glen Campbell and hearing him sing Amazing Grace on an airplane 39:59 – Remembering promotion brothers, early MCA days, and lost friends 41:27 – Becoming the first woman to run a major label in Nashville (Decca) 42:27 – Building Decca from scratch: logo, staff, budget, and vision 45:38 – Dawn Sears, incredible talent, and when an artist doesn’t want it badly enough 48:10 – Discovering Gary Allan in California and why she refused to change his image 49:50 – The album cover where you can’t see Gary Allan’s face (and why that mattered) 49:50 – LeAnn Womack’s showcase strategy and choosing MCA/Decca over “everyone” 51:46 – Why “Never Again, Again” had to be the first single 53:58 – When radio programmers and Alan Jackson fell in love with LeAnn’s album 54:44 – Old‑school radio: when DJs really chose the music and broke artists 55:51 – How small‑market radio and relationships built careers 58:15 – Chasing trends vs. creating trends in country music 59:27 – Roster strategy: male/female, tempo, traditional vs. modern 1:02:09 – From singles deals to full albums and the cost of breaking an artist 1:05:14 – SoundScan, Napster, and watching country sales spike – then slide 1:06:20 – 360 deals, touring, and why tickets are so expensive 1:08:39 – Live Nation, fees, and the squeeze on mid‑level touring acts 1:09:24 – AI, fully AI movies, and the fear inside the creative community 1:09:59 – Life after labels: Music Health Alliance and helping artists get healthcare 1:11:14 – Losing her husband after a long illness and the strength of faith 1:11:44 – Her son’s sudden death at 52 and holding him as he passed 1:13:25 – The Reba McEntire birthday lunch her son never forgot 1:15:01 – Being more than “the label”: real friendships with artists 1:15:24 – Legacy, loss, and why these stories need to be told before they “circle the drain” Follow Johnny B: https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman [https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman] Follow Jay Harper: https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff [https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff] Follow Jim: www.jmvos.com [http://www.jmvos.com] Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co www.itsyourshow.co [http://www.itsyourshow.co]

Chris Golden on Oak Ridge Boys Legacy, Presidents, Elvis, and 478,000 Miles :: Ep 40 Circling the Drain Podcast

Award-winning artist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Golden joins Johnny B and Jay Harper to swap stories from a lifetime in music. From growing up in the Golden family dynasty (son of Oak Ridge Boys’ William Lee Golden), to playing for every living U.S. president, to singing with his kids and racking up 478,000 miles on the road, this episode is loaded with behind-the-scenes tales, faith, family, and a lot of laughs.   Chris talks about:   – Growing up on the Alabama–Florida line in a deep musical family   – The Oaks’ gospel-to-country transition and backlash from the “church crowd”   – Forming The Goldens and Golden Spear, Muscle Shoals sessions, and label drama   – Playing the White House, One America Appeal, and hanging with multiple presidents   – Touring life, that red sparkle Ludwig snare, and his monster hybrid drum kit   – Voiceover work (Heinz 57, ad auditions, and chasing the “Sam Elliott” spec)   – Recording 34 songs with his dad and brother, and now sharing the stage with his kids   – His upcoming album “A Better Man” and the song “Where My People Are”   03:18 Growing up on the Alabama–Florida state line   07:58 Golden family music roots and Inspirational Country Music Awards   09:56 Rusty Golden, Beatles, Elton John, and brotherly rivalry   10:47 Dad hands Chris a guitar: three chords and “Home on the Range”   13:42 Early bands: Boys Band, Cedar Creek, and Golden Spear   17:19 Muscle Shoals sessions and CBS developmental deal   22:14 The Goldens, label cuts, and touring with William Lee Golden   27:49 Pandemic records: 34 songs with Dad and Rusty, three albums of covers   29:29 Chris’s kids join the show: the next Golden generation   30:48 Opening for Ricky Skaggs with daughter Elizabeth on fiddle   37:14 Glen Campbell, hairspray, and backstage heroes   38:50 Roy Clark, Jim Halsey, and the Oaks’ trip to Russia   41:59 Realizing the family was “extraordinary” and the grind of early Oaks days   47:17 All-night gospel sings: sundown to sunup   53:39 Playing for every living U.S. president at One America Appeal   56:36 The first red sparkle Ludwig snare and why it still matters   1:02:00 Shaking hands with the President at the White House   1:02:38 Drum nerd talk: Chris’s hybrid Pearl/DW/Ludwig/Meinl/Zildjian/Sabian kit   1:06:04 Palace Theatre “family and friends” shows in Gallatin   1:08:21 478,000 miles on the van and the song “Grateful”   1:10:11 Voiceover stories: Heinz 57 campaign and hillbilly reads   1:16:31 New album “A Better Man” and “Where My People Are”   1:17:27 How Chris’s song “Home” helped Johnny B through a rough patch   1:18:26 Where to find Chris Golden and Circling the Drain online   Follow Chris:  https://chrisgolden.net/ Follow CTD:  www.circlingthedrain.net Follow Johnny B: https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman [https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman] Follow Jay Harper: https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff [https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff] Follow Jim: www.jmvos.com [http://www.jmvos.com] Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co www.itsyourshow.co [http://www.itsyourshow.co]

Larry Stewart of Restless Heart: The Frontmen, 80s/90s Country, AI & The Future Of Music :: Ep 39 Circling the Drain Podcast

Larry Stewart, the voice of Restless Heart and member of The Frontmen, joins Circling The Drain to talk about breaking through in 80s and 90s country, early resistance from Music Row, touring with Alabama, and how one phone call changed his life. Larry shares the origin stories of Restless Heart and The Frontmen, the realities of road life, raising a family while constantly touring, and why today’s country boom feels bigger than ever.   The crew also digs into modern country (Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Ella Langley), how AI is already reshaping the music business, why live shows are more important than ever, and what it really takes to stay married 40+ years in this industry. If you love 90s country, harmony-driven bands, and real behind-the-scenes stories, this one’s loaded.   02:24 Six straight number ones, becoming “road dogs,” and the Wheels era   03:36 Why radio embraced Restless Heart before the industry did   04:37 How a Belmont kid working at the Country Music Hall of Fame became the lead singer   05:45 Recording the first album, getting married, signing to RCA, and “the rest is history”   08:06 Harmony magic: how five voices created the Restless Heart sound   11:20 Where the songs came from and the role of Tim DuBois and Alabama   12:24 First big tour with Alabama, stage fright, and playing for 15–18,000 a night   14:13 Band chemistry, breakups, reunions, and outlasting most marriages   16:39 Growing up in Kentucky, gospel roots, piano, and choosing music over baseball   20:44 From JUCO ball to Belmont: the crazy path that led Larry to Nashville   25:20 Naming Restless Heart and the terrible band names that didn’t make the cut   25:27 How The Frontmen started with a lobby conversation and a wild idea   26:54 Randy Owen, early Frontmen shows, and taking the act to the troops   28:20 Performing in Iraq, Afghanistan, and on aircraft carriers – bonding through USO-style tours   29:39 COVID shutdowns, livestreaming Fridays at Five, and doubling down on The Frontmen   32:27 Building The Frontmen as a business: LLC, trademark, and brand strategy   33:31 Putting the band together in Nashville and finding the right players   35:46 Modern country: Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Ella Langley and the 90s influence   37:40 Why country that “hits a nerve” is connecting with massive audiences   38:36 How Restless Heart finally landed on their name (and why “Lazy River Boys” didn’t happen)   41:54 Guilty pleasures, Broadway tunes, Taylor Swift, and not listening to much music anymore   43:01 42 years of marriage, missing family time, and coaching his kids to make up for the road   45:21 Kids, grandkids, and why none of them went into music   48:16 AI, demo singers, and why live music is becoming even more valuable   49:12 Can AI build an artist’s entire image and album from scratch?   51:45 Tracks vs live: how The Frontmen actually run their show   55:13 Where to see The Frontmen live and how Larry stays out of trouble on social media   Follow Larry and The Frontmen:  https://www.larrystewartmusic.com/ https://www.thefrontmenlive.com/ Follow Johnny B: https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman [https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman] Follow Jay Harper: https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff [https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff] Follow Jim: www.jmvos.com [http://www.jmvos.com] Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co www.itsyourshow.co [http://www.itsyourshow.co]