In this episode, The Dads speak with Jeremy Pinnell, a country music dad from Elsmere, Kentucky.  Jeremy released his first full-length album in 2014 on SofaBurn Records, featuring a collection of songs that draw from his life to tell a truly country story. Jeremy recently released brand new singles “Save You” and “Come Home to Me.” He joined the Dads to talk about family, finding balance and all sorts of other topics on this episode. 

2:00 - Jeremy’s music seems highly biographical, but he gets into his roots and family background that shaped his musical approach and personal experience.

5:15 - The stories in Jeremy’s music feel true. And that is something that resonates with him. Story songs have always resonated with Jeremy, and he believes other folks like them too because they want to experience others and “feel uncomfortable.” In the discussion of “Feel This Right,” Jeremy notes that the story is true -- perhaps. 

8:38 - Jeremy discusses how his experiences and drug use influenced his earlier writing. He goes on to say that he doesn’t discuss these songs with his son as he wants to allow him to just be a kid, something that he didn’t have the opportunity to do in many cases. 

11:02 - A discussion of the push and pull of home and the road -- Jeremy started touring about the same time his son was born. It’s getting harder as he grows up, but he still needs to balance the pull of the road. 

12:40 - Donnie brings up the ideas of “I Don’t Believe” about religion, being a good person and other issues. Jeremy explains that he was looking for something when he wrote that song, and he’s still not sure why, but it has become a study of being content where you are in life. 

15:05 - Jeremy talks Jiu-Jitsu, getting his ass kicked and finding balance in being uncomfortable. 

18:31 - Work makes Jeremy happy. He shares that enjoyment on socials, but it’s more about sharing what he enjoys, not some desire to prove his country credentials. For the Dads and Jeremy, work provides a counterbalance to chaos that is always rewarding. 

21:09 - When talking about balancing inspirations, Jeremy told the Dads about the rules about not talking about the venue until you are three miles down the road with the windows up. And that gave birth to a great idea -- and that is sort of how that happens. 

24:00 - The story of the “Save You” music video. 

26:38 - The new singles from Jeremy were produced by Shooter Jennings. The studio process was about highlighting the song and making it as strong as it could be, Jeremy explains. 

28:45 - The Dad Life Sound Check is coming in hard with Jeremy leaning into silence. A nice shift. Donnie and Dave have songs. 

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [email protected].

• Western AF 
• Cincinnati Airport
• Jiu-Jitsu  
• The Five-Day Work Week 
• LFDW Podcast 
• ZZ Top
• Jonathan Tyler 
• Nikki Lane’s advice: make the music you want to make 
• Rod Gator and the “Save You” music video
• Sagebrush, Austin 
• Zach Bryan 

• Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
• “The Way Country Sounds” by Jeremy Pinnell 
• “Ballad of 1982” by Jeremy Pinnell 
• “Night Time Eagle” by Jeremy Pinnell 
• “Save You” by Jeremy Pinnell 
• “Teddy Bear” by Red Sovin 
• “Feel this Right” by Jeremy Pinnell 
• “Satisfied Mind” by Porter Wagner 
• “I Don’t Believe” by Jeremy Pinnell
• “Goodbye, L.A.” by Jeremy Pinnell. 
• “Legs” by ZZ Top 
• “Never Thought of No One” by Jeremy Pinnell
• “Come Home to Me” by Jeremy Pinnell 
• “Sunshine” by Ryan Bingham
• “Honey Do” by Steve Denmark

Dave goes solo for this episode with a brief update on Country Music Dads' plans in the coming months and with a brief rant about parental leave for dads.

00:34: The Update Dave's having a baby! He shares how that news will affect the timing of the podcast in the coming months as he takes Podcaster Parental Leave. The Country Cutler Takeover of Country Music Dads is underway....

03:53: A Brief Rant on Parental Leave for Dads: Dave encourages dads to take EVERY MINUTE of their paternity leave (especially if they get paid for it). It's good for you, it's good for the baby and it's good for the women in your lives.

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [email protected].

• Article about paternity leave by Tulane University Law School

• Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode

This week, the Dads sit down with Manitoba's own Sean Burns. He’s a sideman, a frontman and a radio man -- and he’s your new best friend. Sean has been playing bass and touring with one of Canada’s best underground country stars, Corb Lund, for years. He makes time for his own solo career as a songwriter and purveyor of classic country sounds as the frontman of Sean Burns and The Lost Country.  And he’s also the evangelical lover of traditional real country music and as the host of the Boots & Saddle Show, your humble home of honky-tonk and beautiful country music by beautiful country music singers, he shares his takes on what make great country music every Tuesday on CKUW 95.9 FM in Winnipeg, and then on podcast services around the globe. 

Throughout the show, they discuss the balancing act of being a touring musician with a deep passion for the music and being an engaged father to a young daughter. For Sean, it’s all about how the two worlds influence one another and finding the right balance as he navigates his life with his wife and kiddo. 

2:01 -- Sean Burn’s country music origin story. 

6:14 -- Dave asks Sean a very easy question: What is the best country music album of all time? He has his opinions, and then he gets into how to define country music -- what is and what isn’t country. It’s not as divisive as you might think. 

9:24 -- The planning process for the Boots and Saddle Show. 

13:30 -- The Canadian Music Rules and how Sean breaks the laws -- because he’s an outlaw! But he has great reasons for it. And then Sean goes deep into the history and Canadian infrastructure of country music through the 20th Century. 

21:07 -- Balancing the road and the home life: Sean loves being a road warrior and “dadding up,” but it’s a hard balance. 

25:33 -- How all the different creative pursuits provide different fulfillment to Sean that makes him a better and more complete person, which in the end makes him a better dad too. 

30:00 -- Sean is a true critic and delivers truth without being a jackass. It’s not an easy process but the key is to be honest and keep it about the music, not the people. In the end, it is about what he wants. He also has some strong words about 90s country and the people making it.

36:01 -- The clear divide between the road and the home comes down to the responsibilities we all have. But the road and the music influence the home life, which exposes the little one to a bit of the road. And that brings the kiddo into the music life -- and gets to meet some weirdos. Driven and independent folks, but weirdos all the same!

41:24 -- The Dad Life Sound Check -- Sean and the Dads share their songs of the moment. 

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [email protected].

• The Boots and Saddle Show 
• Don Stickle aka DJ Salty Cracker of Both Kinds of Music
• Bryan Saunderson of Hurting For Real 
• Skinny Dyck of Lethbridge, Alberta 
• Discogs.com 
• Duley Record in Winnipeg 
• Several legacy Canadian country music labels, including Arch Records, Marathon Records, Paragon Records, Boot Records, Quality Records, Banff Records and Rodeo Records 
• Tommy Detamore
• Andrina Turenne 

• Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
• “Nightlife” by Ray Price 
• “Roll Truck Roll” by Red Simpson 
• “Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane 
• “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts
• “Before She Made Me Crawl” by Sean Burns 
• “Crazy Arms”
• “Pick Me Up On Your Way Down” 
• “Invitation to the Blues” 
• “Swinging Doors”
• “Old Men” by Corb Lund 
• “Tomorrow’s Good Ol’ Days” by Jesse Daniel
• “Diamonds and Divorce Decrees” by Sunny Sweeney 
• “For You & I” by Garrett T Capps
• “SIGNED, SOBER YOU” by HARDY 
• “Cows Around” by Corb Lund

... or how I traveled with kids on summer break, and all I got was this grape snow cone. This week, the Dads talk about the season of family vacations. While these trips are a tremendous amount of work, all the research and our lasting memories suggest that, although these journeys aren’t exactly vacations, the family trip is incredibly valuable to the family unit. 

This episode explores some of the research — both academic and anecdotal — that supports our theory that these trips are great for families (if only in the long term), as well as some of the great country songs that can help us through the grind of the summer family vacation or family trip.

01:08: How do we define the family trip vs. a vacation? Well, Google and the all-powerful AI summary help us out by delivering a clear and concise explanation. 

02:08: Benefits of a Family Trip: While it’s exhausting, research seems to back the idea of taking a family trip. It keeps our family talking, helps our kids learn and enhances the bond between partners, no matter what was said when the directions were not followed exactly. 

03:58: The Brutality of Traveling With Children: As a Stay-at-Home-Dad and “Default Parent,” Dave feels that family trips are often like business trips. So it’s just parenting on the road as you deal with the “brutality of traveling with children.”

06:28: Content Warning: The first mention of vomit. 

08:33: Content Warning: The second mention of vomit.

9:39: Content Warning: The third mention of vomit.

11:35: Family Team-Building on the Family Trip: The idea of working together as a family during these trips helps the family grow together -- working as a team makes you a better family.  

12:46: Dave’s Notorious Family Trip to Sequoia National Park and the Fisher Price Toy Lantern.

14:50: What is the best place to stay during a family trip? The rental house vs the hotel seems to be the debate. While the space and privacy seem to win out, the breakfast buffet is a huge plus.

20:40: Do Family Trips Need to Be Educational? Research suggests that educational trips make kids smarter, but do trips need to be explicitly educational for kids to extract value from the trip? The Dads touch on how just changing it up a bit, doing things you want to do and working through the difficulties on the road provides the real educational value — and how Dad Stories (read: lies about things on the side of the road) are critical. 

27:32: Content Warning: The fourth mention of vomit. 

29:50: Conquering the Family Trip: The Dads discuss packing, planning spreadsheets, and other key tactics. 

32:19: Content Warning: The fifth mention of vomit, and this one is intense. 

33:14: Giving our Kids a 90s Summer: Is this possible? Should it be? 

40:27: The Songs of the Summer: The Dads debate the greatest country music for the summer. As well as a few songs for cleaning up vomit. 

51:17: Change My Mind: Donnie attempts to change Dave’s mind about using profanity in front of the kids. It’s a great f**ing conversation. 

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [email protected].

• Good Time - Alan Jackson
• Chattahoochee - Alan Jackson 
• Hot Summer Day - Turnpike Troubadors/John Hartford 
• Things Have Gone to Pieces - George Jones 
• Honky Tonkin’ for Life - Hannah Juanita 
• Cold Beer & Country Music - Zach Top
• Good Times & Tan Lines - Zach Top 
• Denim & Diamonds - Nikki Lane 
• It’s a Great Day to Be Alive - Travis Tritt

• Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
• Vacation or Trip? A Helpful Guide for Parents - M. Blazoned, Huffington Post
• NuclearMeltdown - Jim Dalrymple
• Why You Should Travel With Your Kids - Jim Dalrymple, Institute of Family Studies  
• The Billy Bob’s Texas Step and Repeat Story
• The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad - Shannon Carpenter
• Family Leisure Satisfaction and Satisfaction with Family - Journal of Leisure Research  Life
• Profanity Can Sometimes Be the Best Medicine, Increasing Pain Tolerance by ~33% - Katie Brown, Psychiatrist.com
• On Bullshit - Harry G. Frankfurt

Our guests this episode are The Doohickeys, a comedic country music duo who are on the rise in the Americana and country music worlds. Haley and Jack join The Dads to talk about their journey from house parties and open mic nights in LA to playing the Ryman Auditorium and releasing their debut album, All Hat No Cattle. We talk about their creative process, the current state of independent country music, and about how Jack was once starstruck by Jon Pardi.

We also talk about Dad Jokes: the definition, their proper use, and their pun-filled overlap with country music. This pair is hilarious and we hope you enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at their unique brand of comedy and music.

03:31: Creative Process for a Comedic Country Duo: Haley and Jack like to start with a clever premise. And even if they don't think Too Ugly to Hitchhike is the smartest song they've written, plenty of fans thinks so.

05:29: The Doohickeys Origin Story: The Doohickeys were born at an LA Halloween party and raised on a shared love of "good" country music and an original plan to make sketch comedy YouTube videos.

10:13: More Background on Creating Comedy Songs and Their Comedy Influences: Haley and Jack share the story behind Rein it in Cowboy. And they cover their main influences like Minnie Pearl, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, and their very funny parents and grandparents.

14:54: The Doohickeys Play The Ryman: The duo share their thoughts on playing The Mother Church of Country Music and pooping in the same toilet as Hank Williams.

16:58: Making a Point vs Making It Funny: Jack shares some wisdom from Phil Rosenthal (showrunner for Everybody Loves Raymond) about the power of clarity in comedy to get laughs and to get your point across. They also comment on the balance that serious artists walk when trying to be funny, and that funny artists walk when trying to be serious.

21:33: The Doohickeys Get Serious: Jack and Haley give their commentary on the state of popular country music and the entertainment industry at-large, the uphill battle independent artists face, and their love/hate relationship with Spotify.

27:54: Please Tell Me You're Sleepin' is Not Safe for the Family: Dave shares how he accidentally played one of The Doohickeys' more risque songs on a family road trip, and Haley shares how they were banned from a radio station for that same song.

30:38: The Definition of a Dad Joke: The Doohickeys weigh in on Dave and Donnie's favorite comedy genre. Jack uses the poor pun in Tequila Little Time to share his true feelings about Jon Pardi.

38:20: The Dad Joke Laugh Off: The Dads and The Doohickeys go head to head with their best dad jokes in an effort to get a laugh (or at least a cringe).

• Saving Country Music review
• American Songwriter interview
• The Tiny Desk contest
• Minnie Pearl
• Ray Stevens
• Phil Rosenthal's book
• Cocaine and Rhinestones
• The Big Book of Insults
• Jeff Foxworthy's Complete Redneck Dictionary
• Freakonomics podcast about AI and Dad Jokes

• Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
• "This Town Sucks" by The Doohickeys
• "Too Ugly to Hitchhike" by The Doohickeys
• "I Wish My Truck Was Bigger" by The Doohickeys
• "All Hat No Cattle" by The Doohickeys
• "Rein It In Cowboy" by The Doohickeys
• "Please Tell Me You're Sleepin'" by The Doohickeys
• "Tequila Little Time" by Jon Pardi

Tony Kamel, a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, clawhammer banjo and guitar player, and father to a four-year-old girl, joins the show to talk about his latest album, We’re All Gonna Live, and to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the stories and real people that inspired many of his songs. Tony shares how his new-ish role as a father and his relationship with his own late father influences his music in an honest, vulnerable and inspiring interview. Listen along as the Dads commiserate with this stalwart of the bluegrass world about shared family calendars, the challenges of being a working parent, and finding hope in the stories of real people in roots and folk music.  

02:05: The Story Behind We’re All Gonna Live: Tony describes the creation of his latest album, how fatherhood affected the creative process, and where the theme of death and loss on the album came from.

07:18: “Fight With a Smile:” Tony tells the story of how his grandmother helped him find strength and hope during difficult times and how her wisdom influenced the album’s theme (and cover art).

10:52: Authenticity and Tradition in Storytelling and Fatherhood: Tony shares that many of the stories in his songs are about real people and real experiences. He comments on the importance of telling authentic stories in roots and folk music and of bringing authenticity to your parenting.

15:28: 90’s Alt-Rock Cover Songs: Tony talks about his viral banjo cover of “Santa Monica” by Everclear and the songwriting quality of many alt-rock songs we remember from our childhoods.

18:49: "We’re All Gonna Live:" Tony tells the true story that inspired the title track of We’re All Gonna Live.

22:24: "A Father and a Daughter:" Tony shares the inspiration behind his song "A Father and a Daughter" and how he considers it to be a gift to his daughter as she grows up.

26:08: The Dad Life Sound Check: Tony shares one of his dad’s favorite songs, George Strait’s "Love Without End, Amen." Dave talks about how Summer Dean’s “Lonely Girl’s Lament” reminds him to consider the single people in the “village” helping to raise his kids. And Donnie can’t help but choose Tony Kamel’s “The Surfer” (and he swears he’s not just sucking up to the songwriter in the room).

• Tony Kamel
• Wood and Wire
• "We're All Gonna Live" album cover art
• Country Cutler’s article in Saddle Mountain Post about 90's country
• Dr. Becky

• Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
• "We're All Gonna Live" by Tony Kamel
• "Makin' It Work" by Tony Kamel
• "Sue" by Tony Kamel
• "The Surfer" by Tony Kamel
• "Santa Monica" by Tony Kamel
• "Santa Monica" by Everclear
• "No Rain" by Tony Kamel
• "A Father and a Daughter" by Tony Kamel
• "Love Without End, Amen" by George Strait
• "Lonely Girl's Lament" by Summer Dean

Blue jeans are ubiquitous in country music. Yet dads (and kids) often choose the comfort and flexibility of "soft pants" over the rich history and unforgiving fit of denim. In this episode, the dads explore how blue jeans fit in our kids' active lives, on dads' expanding waistlines and in country music tropes. They're joined by author James Sullivan (who literally wrote the book on blue jeans) to dive deep into the history of blue jeans in America, culture and music. If you've ever wondered where our blue jeans obsession comes from, or whether you'll ever fit into your suddenly "tight-fitting jeans" again, this is the episode for you.

To wrap things up, Dave spends the "Change My Mind" segment trying to convince Donnie that even aging dads should embrace the discomfort (read: suffering) of country music festivals in pursuit of growth and, perhaps, the fountain of youth.

3:32: Should Our Kids Wear Jeans? In a Scary Mommy article, a pediatric occupational therapist suggested that kids should not wear jeans. The dads discuss the merits of blue jeans in the lives of active, knee-skinning children.

7:17: Should Dads Wear Jeans? When the size of your pants is a moving target, pants selection gets tricky. The dads weigh the requirements for “dad pants” from ruggedness and cool-factor to flexibility and comfort.

9:44: The History Of Blue Jeans: Donnie kicks off an initial history lesson by reading the Levi’s website with the voice of an old-timey movie narrator.

13:46: Blue Jeans in Western Wear: A western wear aficionado, Donnie, weighs in on denim’s role in “the scene” and encourages Dave to check out the rancher pant (or maybe a nudie suit).

16:37: Do Stretchy Jeans Still Count? The dads discuss the current trend toward stretchy (but less rugged) jeans-like materials and whether that matters in the world of blue jeans.

20:05: Blue Jeans in Country Music: Of the many mentions of blue jeans in country music, the dads hone in on two common tropes: the funny yet often cringey sexual innuendo of “tight fittin’ jeans” and the more family-friendly images of nostalgic Americana and simpler times.

28:02: Author James Sullivan on Blue Jeans and American Culture: James Sullivan joins the podcast to share a more in-depth look at the history of blue jeans, based on his work writing Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon.

38:41: How the Hatred of Laundry Led to a Resurgence in Blue Jeans’ Popularity: James Sullivan tells the story of how the Denim Council reversed blue jeans’ “juvenile delinquent” reputation with a clever marketing campaign.

46:25: The Dad Life Sound Check: Donnie discovers a sad country song about laundry: Rebecca Porter’s “The Laundry Pile.” Dave looks forward to finding his “Chattahoochee” this summer, though he’d prefer not to wear jeans in the lake like Alan Jackson does in the music video.

49:06: Change My Mind: Dave changes gears and encourages Donnie to “choose discomfort” in an effort to change his mind about whether aging dads still belong at multi-day country music festivals.

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [email protected].

• Ameripolitan Awards
• Scary Mommy post about jeans on kids
• Levi's history page
• Brett Favre Wrangler commercial playing backyard football
• Jukebox Mama
• COUNTRY-Country Music podcast
• Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon by James Sullivan
• Chattahoochee Music Video

• Theme Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
• "Tight Fittin' Jeans" by Conway Twitty
• "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" by Mel McDaniel
• "Those Jeans" by Ray Scott
• "Girl in a Country Song" by Maddie and Tae
• "Dance a Little Closer" by Emily Love
• "You Look Good in Neon" by Silverada
• "Bury Me in Blue Jeans" by Midland
• "Bury Me in Blue Jeans"  by Granger Smith
• "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" by Jake Owen
• "You Never Even Called Me By My Name" by David Allan Coe (written by Steve Goodman)
• "Blue Jean Bop" by Gene Vincent
• "Cadillac Ranch" by Bruce Springsteen
• "Blue Jean Baby" by Zach Bryan
• "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots" by The Cheers
• "L'Homme a la moto" by Edith Piaf
• "The Laundry Pile" by Rebecca Porter
• "Chattahoochee" by Alan Jackson

Ted Russell Kamp, a Los Angeles-based musician, songwriter, producer and country music dad, joins Dave and Donnie to talk about the evolution of modern country music from his perspective as one of the forefathers of the modern alt-country movement. Ted's balance between touring, producing, songwriting, and building a family is unique and inspiring.

We also explore his time with Shooter Jennings, his recent solo work and drop a boatload of stories from his time on the road and in the studio.

2:23: Ted tells us a bit about his background and entry into the country music space and how he grew up not liking pedal steel. But once discovering The Band and Whiskeytown, things really changed.

5:27: Ted’s move to LA introduced him to many of the great California country legends, like Merle, Buck and Dwight -- and having the opportunity to play with those who played with them -- pushed him further into this space. 

6:01: The Shooter Jennings Relationship starts like most great music relationships -- a Hollywood jam session in a dingy practice space.

10:28: Slappin’ the Bass -- Ted has always loved the bass and that is how he can build trust with bands, musicians and production partners. 

11:32: Six Degrees of Ted Russell Kamp gets us to Diplo and how his bass line got onto “Use Me (Brutal Hearts).” To quote Ted, this is a totally weird and wonderful LA rock star story. 

18:09: The guys talk about Ted’s semi-autobiographical album and the push and pull of the road and family life. Luckily, Ted and his wife worked together to create a balance that worked for them, but it wasn’t easy and it took work to figure it out.

27:20: The Dads talk about the resurgence of roots music and freedom the LA Music Scene allows for exploration and creativity in this space. Ted finds the genre orthodoxy from some in the scene to be an interesting aspect of this renaissance and provides a few examples for those looking to dip their toe in the alt-country Americana space. 

31:30: A quick discussion of the nostalgia loop and how what was on the radio when your parents were driving you around as a kid influences you as an adult. But as the world gets more complex, people long for things like music that they can understand, Ted explains. 

36:12: The Dad Life Sound Check provides a chance for Ted to tell stories about Waylon Jennings being a mensch, Dave shares some great news and Donnie talks about the passage of time while using the word “vibe” too many times. Ted also provides more insight into  his song writing process.

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [email protected].

• Shooter Jennings  
• James Taylor 
• Ted touches on how discovering The Band, Old 97s, Whiskeytown, Sun Volt, Uncle Tupelo and several others, paved the path to his chosen career in the alt-country and Americana space. 
• Diplo and Sturgill Simpson partnership
• The Godfather’s final scene’s explanation of a man’s job
• Alan Jackson 
• Tyler Childers 
• Chris Stapleton 
• West of Texas 
• That 70s Show, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Emmylou Harris 
• Waylon Jennings stories from the road

• Theme Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
• “Put the O Back in Country” - Shooter Jennings  
• “16 Days” - Whiskeytown 
• “The Weight” - The Band 
• “Use Me (Brutal Hearts)” -  Diplo, Dove Cameron, and Sturgill Simpson
• “The Ballad of the Troubadour” - Ted Russell Kamp 
• “July 4th/He Stopped Loving Her Today” - Shooter Jennings/George Jones
• “Lonesome, On'ry and Mean” - Waylon Jennings 
• “Another Leaf” - Charles Wesley Godwin 
• “Daddy’s Mugshot” - Laci Kaye Booth

A few months ago, mega-star and Czar of the Americana Empire Jason Isbell announced on social media that he was sorry to push back a few dates at large venues across the country to attend his daughter’s school play. In this episode, we discuss whether modern families — especially fathers navigating shifting expectations across their various responsibilities — achieve balance or if we should even try to achieve it.

In honor of this topic, we discuss work-life balance, the low bar dads have to live up to as parents and some Donnie and Dave's favorite Isbell songs.

Donnie also tries to convince Dave it’s time to get a cowboy hat. 

02:26: Work-Life Balance: Before discussing Isbell’s decision, the guys talk about the term “work-life balance” and whether it has a place in modern family life. They touch on how this may apply to primary, stay-at-home parents and those who work completely remotely. Dave also sneaks in that he is a rocket scientist. 

08:47: What does balance look like now? Dave and Donnie touch on what kind of balance is prevalent today in a post-pandemic work, school and family environment.

11:58: Initial reactions to the Isbell news: Dave admits he was very uncomfortable about the news from Isbell -- well more about the news about the news of Isbell’s announcement. 

17:36: Responsibilities of a Public Figure and the Low Bar for Dads: The guys touch on the similarities to the Eric Church Final Four show cancellations and how the “family first” argument is sort of a copout which leaves the bar incredibly low for dads. This gives Dave a little bit of the ick.  

31:02: There's No Easy Right or Wrong Answer for Dads: Is Isbell’s situation so much different than the guys that they can’t understand his decision? Or is it that there is no easy, straightforward answer when dealing with these issues? It’s getting Meta on this podcast. 

33:12: The Dad Life Sound Check: In honor of talking all about him for more than a half an hour, the guys talk about their favorite Isbell songs for the Dad Life Sound Check.

40:41: Change My Mind-- Dave Can't Pull Off a Cowboy Hat: Dave asks Donnie to change his mind about why he, too, can wear a cowboy hat. 

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [email protected].

• Jeff Bezos Article
• Southeastern records social media post and Isbell response
• "Severance" on Apple TV
• Eric Church Final Four controversy
• Whiskey Riff article about Eric Church v. Kobe
• Scary Mommy post about Isbell
• Vanessa Bryant clip about Kobe playing hurt
• PBS documentary Nashville 2.0
• Drive by Truckers
• Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2014

• Intro Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
• "Cover Me Up" by Jason Isbell
• "Cover Me Up" by Morgan Wallen 
• "Speed Trap Town" by Jason Isbell
• "Live Oak" by Jason Isbell

If you're a dad in need of a good cry, consider this your warning: Luke Combs’ album Fathers & Sons hits hard. In this episode, the Country Music Dads give a full, unfiltered review of Fathers & Sons because, honestly, it was inevitable.  The Dads weigh in on the best and worst songs and the overall impact of this album on country music, modern fatherhood and their emotional state of mind. 

Plus: Dave goes full throttle in an impassioned “Minivan Rant” and tries to change Donnie’s mind once and for all.

03:11: First Reactions to the Album as a Whole: After Donnie recovers from "snot-bubble crying" during his passive listen, we discuss the songwriting quality, sincerity of the lyrics in a "songwriting-by-committee" approach and how "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" doesn't seem to fit (even though it is very sad).

14:01: The Dad Life Sound Check: Donnie is a better parent thanks to "Huntin' By Yourself" (even though he doesn't hunt), and Dave finds a pillar of his parenting philosophy in "Whoever You Turn Out to Be."

25:06: The Best Tracks from the Album: The Dads share more of their favorites, including "Front Door Famous" and "The Man He Sees in Me," and how those songs inspire us to live up to the higher expectations that modern dads rightfully (and finally) are measured against.

32:36: The Worst Tracks from the Album: The Dads discuss the songs, like "All I Ever Do is Leave" and "Little Country Boys," that seem more like filler material to get an LP out of this concept album.

36:00: "Fathers and Sons" Album Rating: The Dads wrap up the album review by rating "Fathers and Sons" on a scale of 1-5.

37:50: Change My Mind About Minivans: Dave launches into an impassioned and memorable "Minivan Rant" to change Donnie's mind about the classic and highly versatile “FUV,” the family utility vehicle.

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email [email protected].

• Intro Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
• "Hurricane" by Luke Combs
• "When It Rains It Pours" by Luke Combs
• "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" by Luke Combs
• "The Grand Tour" by George Jones
• "Huntin' By Yourself" by Luke Combs
• "Whoever You Turn Out to Be" by Luke Combs
• "In Case I Ain't Around" by Luke Combs
• "Front Door Famous" by Luke Combs
• "Remember Him That Way" by Luke Combs
• "The Man He Sees in Me" by Luke Combs
• "All I Ever Do Is Leave" by Luke Combs
• "Long White Line" by Sturgill Simpson
• "Little Country Boys" by Luke Combs
• "Beer Never Broke My Heart" by Luke Combs