Circling The Drain

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]

Californians, Old Nashville, and the Death of Class :: Ep 38 Circling The Drain Podcast

Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy dive into how Nashville and Middle Tennessee have changed under the wave of California and out-of-state transplants. From McMansions and roaming dogs to the death of “old” Music Row, they unpack what’s been gained, what’s been lost, and why some newcomers bring their problems with them.   They also hit on the impact of the Telecommunications Act on radio, the shift in the music and movie industries, old money vs new money, the immigrant work ethic, and how social media turned everyone into a political pundit.   If you love Nashville, radio, music history, and a good rant about culture, money, and manners, this one’s for you.   Timed Highlights:     01:17 California and LA “refugees” landing in Tennessee   03:20 From farmland to McMansions: Johnny’s neighborhood transforms   05:13 “The Duttons” move in: roaming dogs, dune buggies, and entitlement   08:05 No-income-tax migration: Texas, Florida, Tennessee and beyond   10:11 Wichita, Montana, Idaho and the new playgrounds for the wealthy   13:13 Voiceover, LA unions, and movie work leaving California   15:27 How unions strangled opportunity in Hollywood   15:53 Remembering “old Nashville” and Music Row’s golden era   17:32 Urban Cowboy, arenas, Predators, Titans and a new city identity   19:02 When Elvis played Murfreesboro and Nashville had no big venue   19:36 The 2010 flood and Nashville’s turning point   21:00 Insurance, healthcare and the real business of Nashville   23:02 “Bringing California food” to Tennessee and why it failed   24:39 Sticker shock: $26 California pizza in Vegas   25:22 Tiny portions, big prices and Southern “meat and three” culture   27:18 Sylvan Park, Monell’s and eating with total strangers   28:55 Nashville gets cosmopolitan – real restaurants arrive   29:18 Bell Meade money, radio paychecks and brutal honesty   32:22 Old money snobbery in New Orleans and Charleston   33:29 Generational wealth: who earns it, who blows it   34:39 Trust fund kids, cash flashes and zero self-awareness   36:58 The Murdoch saga and destroying a family legacy   38:17 Strong men, weak men, good times, bad times   39:19 Immigrant grit, building empires from nothing   40:55 Vietnamese and Cambodian communities thriving in New Orleans   42:02 Cultural distrust and the Vietnamese grocery experience   42:55 California fear in Tennessee vs New York’s evolution   43:33 Johnny’s “John Dutton” neighbor and hoping he’s just unaware   44:05 Dog safety, coyotes and suburban “protection money” jokes   45:00 Southern accents and being stereotyped as dumb   46:25 Facebook community pages, bad spelling and zero punctuation   46:49 Texting culture and the death of proper sentences   47:35 Everyone’s a pundit now: social media, politics and Artemis skeptics   48:04 Wrap-up: Real talk, real idiots, and where to find Circling 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]

Is AI Killing Real Music? Jared Rogers & John Berry on Faith, Vinyl, Streaming and the New Nashville :: Ep 37 Circling the Drain Podcast

Circling The Drain welcomes artist and storyteller Jared Rogers, with a special guest drop‑in from country legend John Berry. They dive deep into what’s happened to the magic of music: from growing up around Kenny Rogers and Opryland to the harsh reality of streaming payouts, AI “artists,” and the corporatization of radio and Nashville.   Jared shares the story behind his powerful duet with John Berry, “Bridge We All Must Cross,” how faith and real-life struggle shape his writing, and why he’s pushing back against the way DSPs and AI are devaluing human creativity.   If you care about real songs, real musicians, vinyl, radio, and the future of music in an AI world, this one hits home.   2:42 Growing up around the business: Kenny Rogers, Tanya Tucker, Lorrie Morgan, Joe Diffie   3:35 Falling in love with storytelling, songwriting and the stage   3:56 John Berry joins the show from the yard in his work shirt   4:32 How the Jared Rogers & John Berry duet came together   5:41 John on choosing “Bridge We All Must Cross” and first hearing Jared’s songs   7:01 John’s Christmas legacy, “O Holy Night,” and being known for faith-based music   8:18 Jared on running sound for John and why he looks up to him as an artist and believer   9:06 Johnny B’s ’80s Athens, GA story and early John Berry interview   10:13 Life in Athens, UGA fans everywhere, and 38 years of marriage   10:51 Kenny Rogers’ classic weekend: music, sports and a young Jared meeting Michael Jordan   12:56 Studio lessons from John Berry – how legends record vocals   15:08 Kenny Rogers’ “first or second take” magic vs. working the song   16:12 Autism benefit show, calling out a reluctant donor from the stage   17:19 Why charity matters after John’s cancer battle and benefit experience   19:39 Music Health Alliance and the power of community in Nashville   20:31 Robin Berry’s role – harmony, touring and doing life together   22:52 Back to Jared – growing up as Kenny Rogers’ nephew and his dad’s voice   25:27 Inside Jim’s studio: Marvel, Jesus, and the “chop shop” joke   27:04 Jared’s musical influences: BB King, David Gilmour, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Beck, Van Halen   28:47 Meeting Meat Loaf in Vegas and the best advice he gave Jared   30:17 Radio nostalgia: when DJs, records and MTV made music feel magical   31:23 Jared’s favorite part of the business: building songs in the studio   31:57 The spiritual message behind his album “Sinner Man”   33:00 Writing “Bridge We All Must Cross” at 150 mph and finishing in 20 minutes   34:30 Co-writing with Jerry “Papa Bear” Williams and crafting the track   35:00 Why John Berry was the only choice for the duet   37:05 The reality check: streaming platforms are killing songwriters   39:03 Why Jared loves radio and hates what deregulation did to it   40:42 Vinyl vs downloads – what we lost when music left the jacket and liner notes   44:10 The math of streaming: rich platforms, broke creators   45:14 Why Jared wants off DSPs and back to tangible music   46:32 Remembering the needle on vinyl and the drama of dropping the record   47:09 How Broadway and Nashville lost their soul to high-rises and bars   48:31 AmericanaVille in Livingston – intimate listening rooms vs no traffic   50:00 Today’s country: trucks, whiskey, heartbreak and a few standouts   51:18 Social media grind: crowded, loud and hard to convert to real fans   51:49 A better model: direct-to-artist digital sales that actually pay   53:38 The economics of being a working musician in 2020s America   55:00 Life in the shadow of a famous family name and refusing to be a copy   57:46 Hank Jr. as the example of what happens when you finally become yourself   58:19 Why many new artists are still chasing music radio that’s almost out of gas   59:44 Podcasting as the new radio and a path for artists to own their stories   1:03:36 How AI and synthetic “artists” are flooding the market   1:07:15 Entire AI albums, fake singers and charting “artists” that don’t exist   1:09:44 Faith, revelation and what AI disruption might really mean   1:10:14 Terminator, I Robot and why AI isn’t just sci‑fi anymore   1:13:19 Vinyl outsells CDs again and Gen Z brings records back   1:14:26 Why human imperfection and “off” notes are what make records exciting   1:15:00 Old records with energy: Dave Clark Five, Rare Earth and beyond   1:16:47 World premiere spin: “Bridge We All Must Cross” – Jared Rogers & John Berry   1:17:03 First verse – a troubled mind and the path back to the light   1:17:44 Chorus – the bridge we all must cross and the cross we all must bear   1:18:14 John Berry’s vocal enters – voices blend and lift the hook   1:19:39 Jared on watching legends and staying a student in the studio   Follow Jared and John: https://www.instagram.com/jaredrogersofficial/ https://www.johnberry.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]

Dan Mandis: From Dr. Laura To Marconi Winner & The Future Of Talk Radio :: Ep 36 Circling The Drain Podcast

On this episode of Circling The Drain, the three J’s sit down with Marconi Award–winning talk host and former WTN program director Dan Mandis for a deep dive into his 30+ years in radio.   From cutting his teeth at legendary KFI in Los Angeles with Dr. Laura, to building syndication the hard way, to steering SuperTalk 99.7 WTN through the loss of Phil Valentine, Dan opens up about the highs, lows, and realities of a life behind the mic.   You’ll hear how he:   - Went from board-op and traffic guy in LA to hosting major-market and national shows   - Helped grow Dr. Laura’s show station by station before syndication was “plug-and-play”   - Transitioned from producer to host and program director across LA, New York, Dallas, Fort Wayne, Colorado Springs, Denver, and Nashville   - Dealt with overnights, early mornings, burnout, and moving his family all over the country   - Survived industry cutbacks, never technically got “fired,” and kept landing on his feet   - Navigated the aftermath of Phil Valentine’s passing and kept WTN strong   - Embraced video, editing, and streaming as an “old radio guy” and why he thinks you must if you’re on air today   - Sees podcasting and radio converging and where the next generation of talent will come from   Plus:   - War stories about unscreened open lines on “America at Night”   - A hilariously off-the-rails interview with Van Halen’s former manager Noel Monk   - Dr. Laura’s tough-love style, how she sounds exactly the same today, and what Dan learned from her as a broadcaster and as a human   - A candid look at conservative talk, Rush, Glenn Beck, and how digging into issues changed Dan’s politics   - The power of theater of the mind, why storytelling still wins, and how Morgan Wallen and Ella Langley are doing it in country music today   If you love radio, podcasting, broadcasting history, or just great stories from people who’ve “been there and done that,” this episode is loaded.   Timed highlights (chapter markers):   3:00 Dan’s favorite market: why a smaller station in Fort Wayne was the most fun   4:05 How Dan actually got his start in radio in Los Angeles   4:55 Early days at KFI: producer, board-op, traffic, and the Dr. Laura connection   6:40 Building Dr. Laura’s syndication station by station, the “old-school” way   7:35 Moving from behind the scenes to PD and host in Colorado Springs, Fort Wayne, Denver, and beyond   9:11 Starting in 1987 and what fascinated Dan about “behind the glass” radio   7:55–9:30 Classic “old days of radio” stories: smoking in studios and nude ballet in the control room   9:44 Why Dan left music radio and embraced talk: “I was a terrible disc jockey”   9:53 Growing up on LA talk radio in the back seat of a smoke-filled car   10:40 Learning production, call screening, and board-op skills at powerhouse KFI   11:59 The rush of live talk, callers, and flying without a net   12:17 Working mornings, spontaneity, and regretting what you said on-air   14:15 Discovering open lines on “America at Night” and the terror of unscreened calls   15:37 Yelling on-air after 30 years of being the “non-yeller” host   15:55 Has Dan ever been fired? Downsizing vs. “real” firing debate   16:43 Radio careers, layoffs, and never being unemployed more than 3 weeks   17:06 Moving markets with a family and the toll it takes at home   18:39 How constant moves impacted Dan’s kids and what they gained from it   19:13 Paying dues and why young would-be hosts need patience   19:41 From radio to podcasting: Dan’s show “Mostly Peaceful with Dan and Chris and Matt”   20:01 Why Dan still believes in radio even while podcasting   20:18 Missing radio so much it hurts: Johnny’s story of stepping away   20:47 Dan on being 58, counting down to retirement, and whether he’d really quit   22:03 Waking up at midnight, prepping for a 5 a.m. show, and the grind behind “just talking”   23:54 Being dragged into video kicking and screaming, then learning to love it   24:55 Teaching himself Premiere Pro and using ChatGPT for vertical content   25:53 Not wanting to be “the old guy who can’t change” and embracing video editing   26:32 Is video hurting radio? Serving stream viewers without abandoning listeners in cars   27:53 Theater of the mind vs. cameras in the studio   28:25 How streaming exposed radio’s wardrobe, and Dan’s wife fixing his on-camera look   29:41 Discovering audiences actually watch radio shows and their passion for live streams   30:44 Why listeners now complain when the video stream goes down   30:44–32:25 How many actual radios do they own now and reception issues even near big signals   33:06 First impressions of WTN, hearing Johnny and Phil and feeling intimidated   34:33 PD stories: “Who are you again?” and live-mic warnings in the hallway   35:30 Intimidation, team-building, and managing big talent without being an a-hole   36:26 Relief at stepping down as PD and focusing on mornings   37:54 Ten years as PD: ratings, revenue wins, and pride in WTN’s performance   38:22 Johnny calls Dan the best PD they had and why: he understood and loved talk radio   40:29 Navigating Phil Valentine’s death: grief, attacks on talk radio, and rebuilding afternoons   41:55 Processing grief late, after job changes and format shifts   44:40 Dan’s pride in the morning show era with Ken and Johnny: top-3 ratings run   45:51 Losing colleagues, changing lineups, and the necessity of adjusting in radio   47:01 How management trusted Johnny with a farewell show and why that never happens   47:44 Letting a beloved host say goodbye and why it worked   48:41 Love of working together, teasing, hugging, and Dan’s “stiff hugger” reputation   49:45 Dan’s wife Amy, support at home, and volunteering for too many fill-ins   51:04 Why Dan keeps saying yes: honor of being asked and knowing it won’t last forever   52:45 Conservative talk: from young liberal know-it-all to Reagan-style conservative   53:54 Rush, Glenn, Larry King, and the influences that sharpened Dan’s politics   55:54 Interviewing well: asking shorter questions and then getting out of the way   57:32 Worst interview: exhausted Kurt Cobain investigator who would not stop talking   59:00 The infamous Noel Monk (Van Halen) interview meltdown   1:01:00 Van Halen talk: Eddie vs. Dave, drugs, and missing entire eras in the history books   1:02:42 Wolfgang Van Halen and the new generation of that legacy   1:04:13 Rush reunion with Annika Niles on drums, and a drummer’s perspective on replacing Neil Peart   1:06:16 Different “feels” on drums and how two players can change the same song   1:07:22 Geddy Lee’s voice today, aging singers, and still going to see your heroes   1:09:00 Dr. Laura on SiriusXM, sounding exactly the same, and Dan’s memories of working w...

Dez Dickerson on Prince, Hendrix, Faith, Talk Radio and Modern Rock :: Ep 35 Circling the Drain Podcast

On this episode of Circling The Drain, Johnny B, Jay Harper and James Patrick McCarthy sit down with guitarist and broadcaster Dez Dickerson – best known as Prince’s original guitarist from the 1999 and Little Red Corvette era. Dez takes us from his early days in Midwestern cover bands to his legendary audition with Prince, life on the road, opening for the Rolling Stones, his faith journey, leaving the band just as they were about to headline stadiums, and his unexpected path into conservative talk radio. Along the way, the guys dive deep into Jimi Hendrix’s legacy, the darker side of the music business, the opioid epidemic and fentanyl, and why modern rock rarely hits as hard as it used to. What you’ll hear in this episode: - Dez’s wild origin story, starting professional gigs at 14 without even a driver’s license   - The real story behind his Prince audition and how “having the vibe” got him the gig   - Inside the infamous Rolling Stones opening shows and how Hells Angels changed the narrative   - Why he walked away from Prince’s band at the brink of stadium-headliner status   - Dez’s conversion to Christianity on the Dirty Mind tour and how it reshaped his choices   - Moving to Nashville, discovering the Christian music business and landing an A&R role   - How Phil Valentine pushed him toward talk radio – and why the mic felt like home   - His unapologetically conservative views, pushback he’s gotten, and “clear thinker” philosophy   - Guitar talk: Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, Santana, bikers, death metal, and why no one is truly “original”   - Dez’s thoughts on today’s rock, podcasts vs radio, and what he wants to do next Hit play for a fast, funny, honest conversation about music, faith, politics and life from someone who’s actually been there, on stage and on the air. Listen, subscribe, and join the Drain Gang at: circlingthedrain.net   2:47 Dez’s first days with Prince and the audition at an empty tire shop   3:36 Growing up in Midwest cover bands and touring before he could drive   4:47 Inside the Prince audition: playing with the band vs trying to “blow them away”   6:38 Seeing Prince’s real personality after joining the band   8:04 Opening for the Rolling Stones, Hells Angels and getting “booed off stage” in the media   10:49 Dez’s conversion to Christianity on the Dirty Mind tour   11:17 Moral discomfort on stage and the moment he knew he had to leave   12:38 Intense years in the band and the image from the 1999 video   13:07 Little Red Corvette solo and Dez’s guitar legacy   13:19 Why and how Dez moved to Nashville and into A&R   15:11 Early days in Nashville and culture shock over a little snow   16:00 How Phil Valentine pushed Dez toward talk radio   18:01 Discovering talk radio feels like “home” and plans to blend radio and podcasting   19:41 The story behind the iconic kamikaze headband   21:27 Fan art, the faceless cartoon band, and Dez as a visual icon   22:03 Prince’s pain, opioids, fentanyl and the tragedy of his death   24:49 The opioid epidemic, fake fentanyl and near-misses with pain meds   26:17 Personal stories of back surgeries, painkillers and dependency   27:08 Dez’s first guitar, outgrowing lessons and early school gigs   29:25 Early career breaks, agents, and being “the kid who plays like Hendrix”   29:53 Guitar heroes: Clapton, Zeppelin, Grand Funk and growing into Hendrix influence   30:54 Winning over biker crowds and the Stones show irony   31:30 How Prince fused Sly Stone, Hendrix and the Stones’ Glimmer Twins   32:17 Hendrix’s unrealized future and his deep influence on guitar players   34:05 Being the only one at school mourning Hendrix and the “players’ player”   35:04 Eddie Van Halen, borrowing from Hendrix and other influences   37:04 Why “best guitarist” debates miss the point   37:31 Practice, grind and scaring your parents with your obsession   38:02 Reading music vs playing by ear and learning the Nashville number system   39:09 Reconnecting with Prince in Nashville and the “show after the show”   40:49 Sharing the stage with Larry Graham and surreal “Forrest Gump” moments   41:54 First Avenue stories, U2 and Minneapolis memories   42:26 Moving from cold Minnesota to too-hot Nashville   43:03 Dez’s conservatism, being “just to the right of Attila the Hun” and industry blowback   45:41 Leaving the Democratic Party and becoming a “clear thinker”   47:16 The problem with political echo chambers, even in conservative talk radio   48:12 Label me an American: political parties vs founding ideals   49:31 Why you cannot recreate Phil Valentine and why listeners still compare   50:09 Radio vs record labels and the business side of both worlds   51:00 Why copying Phil can never work and why he was a true radio rock star   52:32 Inside label culture in Nashville and signing left-of-center artists   53:47 How a meeting with Jimmy Bowen helped shape modern Christian music   55:01 How Prince’s band wrote and arranged: endless rehearsals and recorded jams   56:47 Creating The Time, Vanity 6 and how Morris Day got his band and career   58:32 Writing “He’s So Dull” and Prince “Prince-ing up” Dez’s ideas   59:17 Classic MTV videos, shooting 1999 and Little Red Corvette   1:00:19 Spot the reshot close-up in the 1999 video   1:01:23 Dez’s take on today’s rock and the bands that still move him   1:02:29 Guilty pleasures: death metal, screamo and Seven Dust   1:03:16 Darkness in lyrics, the state of the world and wanting more light   1:03:47 Wrapping up, future plans, Dez’s socials and the “Dez Dickerson Is Based” brand   1:05:05 Talk of Dez’s book, possible audiobook and closing thanks 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]