#71: Clay Hunnicutt | Hall of Fame Music Executive

#71: Clay Hunnicutt | Hall of Fame Music Executive

Comedy has Kill Tony. Music has Playlisted. Welcome to Playlisted, the live music show where rising artists perform one original song in front of a live audience and receive real, unfiltered feedback from music industry guest hosts. In Episode #71, Clay Hunnicutt returns to Playlisted for a real look inside what it takes to break artists, build careers, and spot talent before the rest of the world catches on. Clay is a 2025 Country Radio Hall of Fame inductee, Co-Founder of Honey Music, former EVP of Label Operations at Big Machine Label Group, former GM of Big Machine Records, and former President and Partner of Big Loud Records. Throughout his career, Clay has helped shape the paths of artists including Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Jake Owen, Chris Lane, and more. Before the label world, Clay built a powerhouse career in country radio, rising from an unpaid intern at US-101 in Chattanooga to major programming roles with Clear Channel and iHeartMedia, including national leadership over country programming. In this episode, he brings decades of experience from both radio and records to talk about artist development, what labels are really looking for, how to stand out in Nashville, and what separates a good artist from an artist people want to bet on. This is not a writers round. This is not a normal podcast. This is where tomorrow’s artists get heard by the people who can change their careers. Performers include: Jessee Lee Duncan Brothers Band Luke Williams Brother Joe John D Nea Recorded live at Green Light Bar in Nashville, Tennessee. Subscribe for more episodes of Playlisted, where rising artists, hit songwriters, producers, publishers, managers, label executives, and country music stars come together for real songs, real feedback, and real music industry conversations. Follow Playlisted: Instagram: @playlistedpod TikTok: @playlistedpodclips YouTube: @playlistedpod Hosted by Austin Burke. #Playlisted #ClayHunnicutt #Nashville #CountryMusic #MusicIndustry #Songwriters #WritersRound #MorganWallen #HARDY #BigLoud #BigMachine #NewArtists

#70: Rob Beckham | Former Head of WME Nashville

Comedy has Kill Tony.  Music has Playlisted. Artists perform one song in front of a live audience and receive real, unfiltered feedback from industry guest hosts. Rob Beckham is one of Nashville’s biggest power players, with more than three decades of experience helping shape the careers of some of country music’s biggest artists. Before co-founding The Artist Management Group, where he served as President and CEO, Beckham was a partner and co-head of WME’s Nashville office, representing and guiding major names like Garth Brooks, Brad Paisley, Chris Young, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire and Rascal Flatts across touring, endorsements, sponsorships, television and film opportunities. His work has earned him major industry recognition, including CMA Touring Agent of the Year, TJ Martell Ambassador of the Year and honors from the Nashville Association of Talent Directors, making him not just an executive, but one of the architects of modern country music careers. He is now Chairman of The Undeniable Music Company. Performers Include: Anna Wescoat Madeline O'Dell Max Beal Jake Morgan Madelyn Blum Cash Cortes Chris Arcana

#69: Cole Swindell & Jeffrey Steele | CMA Fest Special Edition

Over 50 artists put their names in the bucket for a chance to play one original song in front of the room, but nobody knew what was coming. Hit songwriter Jeffrey Steele kicked off the night with a 15 minute run of his number one songs, sharing the stories and songs that helped define country music. Then Cole Swindell surprised the crowd for a once in a lifetime Playlisted moment. This episode is everything Playlisted is about. Rising artists, real feedback, Nashville history, and legendary guests giving the next generation a shot. Comedy has Kill Tony. Music has Playlisted. Hosted by Austin Burke CMA Fest Special Episode #69 Featuring Cole Swindell and Jeffrey Steele

#68: Rufio | The Hit Songwriter Behind BTS’s “Butter”

Comedy has Kill Tony.  Music has Playlisted. Artists perform one song in front of a live audience and receive real, unfiltered feedback from industry guest hosts. Rufio Hooks is a Nashville based artist, songwriter, and producer best known as one of the writers behind BTS’s global hit “Butter.” Originally from New Jersey, Rufio has built a reputation for blending pop, country, and global sounds with a sharp ear for melody and commercial songwriting. After “Butter” became a record breaking No. 1 hit, he signed a worldwide publishing deal with Reservoir, further establishing himself as one of the rising creative voices in modern music. His work represents exactly what Playlisted is about, bringing world class songwriters into the room with the next generation of artists trying to figure it out. Performers Include: Evan Williams Kile Antone Traci Vandee Brock Thompson Sam Fink Bubba Erwin Loren & Guthrie

#67: Ava Suppelsa | Writing her first hit song for Max McNown

Comedy has Kill Tony.  Music has Playlisted. Artists perform one song in front of a live audience and receive real, unfiltered feedback from industry guest hosts. Ava Suppelsa is a rising hit songwriter in Nashville with cuts by Carly Pearce, Keith Urban, Max McNown, Randall King, Avery Anna, Donovan Woods, Flatland Cavalry and more. Her catalog has earned over 200 million streams, with songs charting on U.S. and Canadian country radio, including Max McNown’s viral hit “Better Me For You (Brown Eyes).” On this episode, Ava brings real Music Row insight to the next wave of artists chasing their shot. Performers Include: Alex Allegra Chase Holton Talk To Me Goose Embina Jenny Grace Dom Ellis