Dadville with Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin

Drew Baldridge grew up on a small family farm in Illinois, where your value was measured in how much work you got done. In this conversation with Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin, he explains how that mindset carried him through more than a decade in Nashville and a viral wedding video that still didn’t land him a record deal.

You’ll hear how Drew pulled together his own radio team from out-of-work industry pros, hand-wrote more than 200 notes to stations, and took “She’s Somebody’s Daughter” to No. 1 five years after it came out. He also talks about what farm life taught him about risk, why he calls hard work both his superpower and a cost, and how honest feedback from his own dad shapes the way he thinks about raising kids.

Along the way: a round of Farm or Fake, a field fire fought with buckets from a cousin’s pool, his three-year-old son Lyric’s stage presence, and the night a label put Brantley Gilbert’s songs on his new CDs.

If you’re a parent trying to work out what success is actually worth, press play. Subscribe, and find more at http://dadville.substack.com.

Thanks to our sponsors!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp: Our listeners get 10% off their first month at http://betterhelp.com/dadville

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at http://bollandbranch.com/dadville Exclusions apply.

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SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

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Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin team up with Joey and Chris from the Brave and Big podcast for a special crossover episode! The guys kick off with a hilarious round of "Dadville or Slipknot" before tackling the viral golf post that had offended golfers flooding their comments.

Together, they dive deep into the real question: How do dads balance personal hobbies without escaping family responsibilities? From navigating "wartime" parenting with young kids to processing the sobering stat that 90% of time with kids happens before age 18, the hosts discuss building healthy family rhythms, "rupture and repair" in parenting, and why you should always assume the best in your relationship with your children. Plus, actionable 7-day takeaways to connect with your kids this week.

Hosted by Joey and Chris, Brave and Big focuses on taking daily steps to live a brave, big, and intentional life.

🌐 Website: ⁠braveandbig.com⁠ 📸 Instagram: ⁠@braveandbigpod⁠

Thanks to our sponsors!

Compassion - There’s a child waiting for a sponsor today. Don’t wait for the “right time.” Go to ⁠⁠http://compassion.com/dadville⁠⁠ and be the one who says yes.

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at ⁠⁠http://bollandbranch.com/dadville⁠⁠ Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to ⁠⁠http://quince.com/dadville⁠⁠ 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

SEEDS: ⁠⁠Download the free SEEDS app⁠⁠ and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

The Subtext Podcast: Search for ⁠⁠The Subtext⁠⁠ wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey Polo: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to ⁠⁠https://heypolo.com/dadville⁠⁠ or use code DADVILLE and get 70% off your first year!

The Bible Project - Shop 35% off through November with code DADVILLE at⁠⁠http://bakerbookhouse.com⁠

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In this episode of Dadville, Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin welcome back close friend and musical powerhouse Justin Rosolino. The guys kick off with behind-the-scenes audio chaos and memories of meeting in Muncie, Indiana—where Justin initially mistook Jon McLaughlin for a jazz-fusion guitar icon.

Justin opens up about his journey from performing R&B at the Apollo Theater as a kid and touring with artists like Vince Gill and Amy Grant, to stepping away from full-time music to teach high school history. He shares how late-night conversations with Joanna Gaines led to his role leading community engagement at Magnolia, where he helps drive initiatives like the Magnolia Scholars program at McLennan Community College.

All Things Dave: https://www.davebarnes.com/

All Things Jon: http://jonmcl.com

Thanks to our sponsors!

Compassion - There’s a child waiting for a sponsor today. Don’t wait for the “right time.” Go to http://compassion.com/dadville and be the one who says yes.

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at http://bollandbranch.com/dadville Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to http://quince.com/dadville 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

The Subtext Podcast: Search for The Subtext wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey Polo: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/dadville or use code DADVILLE and get 70% off your first year!

The Bible Project - Shop 35% off through November with code DADVILLE at
http://bakerbookhouse.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Wuerffel's résumé reads like a movie that would be too perfect to believe. He won four straight SEC titles at Florida, a national championship, and the 1996 Heisman Trophy. He's in the College Football Hall of Fame, and there's a road named after him. In this episode of Dadville, Dave and Jon ask what it's like to live that and then decide what comes next.

Join us: http://dadville.substack.com

Thanks to our sponsors!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp: Our listeners get 10% off their first month at http://betterhelp.com/dadville

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at http://bollandbranch.com/dadville Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to http://quince.com/dadville 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

The Subtext Podcast: Search for The Subtext wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey Polo: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/dadville or use code DADVILLE and get 70% off your first year!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Dadville! In this episode, we’re balancing a little benevolent self-promotion with essential dad business. First up, we share our upcoming Christmas tour dates—from Jon’s live debut in Hoover, Alabama to Dave’s return to the Schermerhorn in Nashville.

Next, 44-year-old Jon details wielding a new $10 drywall saw to carve out a 6-foot hole in his wall, fix a leaking PVC pipe with IKEA kids' table scraps, and disassemble his dryer using neighbor Andrew’s borrowed multimeter. Then, we officially convene "Etiquette Court" to rule on life's burning social dilemmas.

We debate whether it's okay to ghost a party, why swiping phone photos leads to unwanted rash pictures, the glory of 2x-speed voice memos, splitting checks when you only drink "horse tea", and why touching another man’s thermostat is an absolute crime. Grab your tools, check your manners, and enjoy the show!

All Things Dave: https://www.davebarnes.com

All Things Jon: http://jonmcl.com

Thanks to our sponsors!

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at http://bollandbranch.com/dadville Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to http://quince.com/dadville 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

The Subtext Podcast: Search for The Subtext wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey Polo: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/dadville or use code DADVILLE and get 70% off your first year!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Dadville, we sat down with counselor and family friend Will Mooney to talk about what it actually takes to show up well for our kids. We dive deep into the core truth that "more is caught than taught"—our children mirror our emotional health far more than our verbal lectures. Will opens up about his journey into counseling, helping us unpack shadow selves, old personal baggage, and inevitable parenting ruptures (including an infamous milk-throwing incident!). 

From overanalyzing innocent spouse questions about water bottles to surviving school drop-off lines, we discuss why doing internal self-work is the ultimate parenting strategy. We explore how vulnerability and honest repair model resilience, why we don't need to act like unfazed cowboys, and why no parent should navigate this journey alone. Join us for a funny, deeply honest, and practical conversation about turning daily chaos into meaningful growth and fatherhood connection.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bollandbranch.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://quince.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

SEEDS: ⁠⁠⁠Download the free SEEDS app⁠⁠⁠ and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

The Subtext Podcast: Search for The Subtext wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey Polo: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/dadville or use code DADVILLE and get 70% off your first year!

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This week, we sit down with our good friend Robert Cunningham—pastor, writer, speaker, and founder of Christ for Kentucky. We kick things off with a crucial parenting debate: can YouTube piano tutorials replace traditional music lessons? Then, Robert gets honest about making a massive career pivot away from a comfortable pastorship with four kids and zero financial safety net to launch his own ministry. We also dig into his incredible work erasing $250 million in medical debt for Kentucky families, why future generations might judge our smartphone habits like lead paint, and how we can approach complex cultural debates around faith and identity with disarming humility. It’s a funny, honest, and thought-provoking conversation on raising boys, trusting God, and navigating major life transitions. Grab your favorite cup of coffee and join us in Dadville!

Visit Christ for Kentucky: https://www.christforky.org/

All Things Dave: https://www.davebarnes.com/

All Things Jon: http://jonmcl.com

Topics

00:00 – Welcome to Dadville & The Great Piano Lesson Debate

03:45 – Introducing Robert Cunningham

07:30 – Navigating the Career Pivot Without a Safety Net

18:15 – Reimagining Wealth Stewardship & Kingdom Investment

26:00 – Erasing \$250 Million in Medical Debt for Kentucky Families

36:30 – Public Strategy, Age Verification, and Protecting Kids from Tech Addiction

46:15 – Moving Beyond Online Echo Chambers

53:00 – The Beauty of Christian Ethics & Theology of the Body

1:01:30 – Deconstructing the Modern Identity Fallacy

1:18:00 – Grace, Complexity, and Wholehearted Discipleship

1:30:00 – Wrapping Up in Dadville

Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bollandbranch.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://quince.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

SEEDS: ⁠⁠Download the free SEEDS app⁠⁠ and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

HeyPolo: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to ⁠https://heypolo.com/dadville⁠ or use code DADVILLE and get 70% off your first year!

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We’re catching up on the back-to-school flow and having some honest, vulnerable talks about our 40s. We laugh about the exact ways we are becoming our dads, from driving like grandmas to stockpiling ten of everything in the garage. We also reflect on what we’d tell our younger 25-year-old selves (hint: relax!) and why we need to stop focusing so much on the worries "just out of frame".

Finally, we draft our ultimate Dadville Hall of Fame, sharing our favorite dad gear like sleep machines, Nike Cortez shoes, and our family-favorite card game, Play Nine. Grab a spoonful of peanut butter and join us!

Since we spent so much time laughing about our inherited traits, would you like to create a personalized "Are You Becoming Your Dad?" quiz to see how your own habits stack up against our slow driving, lawn maintenance standards, and medicine cabinet stockpiles?

Thanks to our sponsors!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp: Our listeners get 10% off their first month at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://betterhelp.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Shopify - Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://shopify.com/dadville⁠⁠

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bollandbranch.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://quince.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

SEEDS: ⁠Download the free SEEDS app⁠ and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

HeyPolo: Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to https://heypolo.com/dadville or use code DADVILLE and get 70% off your first year!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we sat down with entrepreneur and author Jordan Raynor, and honestly, we had so much fun reminiscing about Jordan's freshman year at Florida State that we practically skipped our own intro. Once we got past the twenty years of nostalgia, Jordan totally reframed how we look at our daily grind.

We talked about why our Monday-through-Friday work has intrinsic value to God—meaning Dave's songwriting and Jon's upcoming Christmas shows are deeply sacred, not just secular. Jordan shared incredible, practical advice for staying present with our kids, like holding "stop-doing" meetings and converting our smartphones into temporary landlines. Our absolute favorite takeaway? The liberating truth that we can peacefully leave "unfinished symphonies" behind in this life because eternity is filled with purposeful, joyful work.

So grab a seat in Dadville—you won't want to miss this episode!

Visit Jordan Raynor: https://www.jordanraynor.com

All Things Dave: https://www.davebarnes.com

All Things Jon: https://www.jonmcl.com

Thanks to our sponsors!

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bollandbranch.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://quince.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

SEEDS: Download the free SEEDS app and take one small step today: plant your first seed and see what God can grow.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to Dadville! Today, we’re sitting down with our incredibly learned friend, Ian Morgan Cron. We usually try to keep things light and funny, but Ian brought some serious "strings on the bridge" energy to this one. As an author, psychotherapist, former priest, and Dove Award-winning songwriter, he’s basically a vocational tossed salad.

We dive deep into his complicated childhood with an alcoholic father, how we all inevitably screw up our kids, and why we need to let everyone—and ourselves—out of the penalty box. Jon got to geek out over being a fellow Enneagram Four, and Dave sat up a little straighter to show off his youthful "vigor". Truly, Ian reminded us that we’re just growing up alongside our kids, and that at the end of the day, we're in good hands. Enjoy this episode with the lovely man of permission himself!

Visit Ian Morgan Cron: https://ianmorgancron.com

Join us: http://dadville.substack.com

All Things Dave: https://www.davebarnes.com

All Things Jon: https://www.jonmcl.com

Thanks to our sponsors!

Boll & Branch - Get 15% off plus free shipping on your first set of sheets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bollandbranch.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Exclusions apply.

Quince - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://quince.com/dadville⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!

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