Skip Happens Podcast - Every Boot Has a Story!

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Coyle Girelli joins Skip Clark on Skip Happens to share the story behind Out of This Town, his songwriting partnership with Mac Davis, and the friendship that changed his music.

From their first writing session to preserving Mac’s voice from a phone recording, Coyle explains what it meant to finish the project after losing his friend—and why releasing it through Sun Records brought the journey full circle.

We also talk about touring with Duran Duran, the Letterman performance that caught Mac’s attention, writing songs recorded by BTS and Macklemore, and recording at Memphis’s legendary Sun Studio.

Plus, Coyle shares the story behind “Out of This Town,” the worst music industry advice he ever received, and his personal connection to the healing power of music.

Out of This Town (Deluxe Edition) arrives October 30, 2026, via Sun Records.

Subscribe to Skip Happens for more conversations with country stars, independent artists, and people making a difference.

https://www.youtube.com/@skiphappenspodcast

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Nashville band Absolute Silence joins Skip Clark to discuss recording a live album at Ocean Way Nashville and supporting Isaiah 117 House through “Begin Again: An Evening at Ocean Way” on October 23.

From busking on the Santa Monica Pier for gas money to touring Europe and South Africa, the independent trio shares funny road stories, hard-earned lessons, and the friendships keeping their music moving forward.

We also explore their Navy-to-Nashville beginnings, Upstate New York roots, songwriting influences, and plans to bring strings, horns, and a choir into their live recording.

It’s a conversation about taking chances, building something on your own terms, and using music to make a difference.

Explore Absolute Silence’s music on Spotify and Apple Music, and follow the band for event information and updates on their debut album.

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Onondaga County Court Judge Matt Doran joins Skip Clark on the Skip Happens Podcast for a candid conversation about justice, 30 years of Navy service, family, and life beyond the courtroom.

From his Central New York upbringing to the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps and the judge’s bench, Doran shares the experiences that shaped him. He discusses balancing compassion with accountability, treating people with respect, and the daily work behind serious criminal cases.

There’s also room for laughs, baseball stories, favorite Syracuse restaurants, and a few unexpected answers—including whether a judge ever gets a speeding ticket.

Get to know the person behind the title in this Syracuse conversation about service, community, and the lessons we carry through life.

Subscribe for more conversations with country artists, community voices, and people with a story to tell:
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#MattDoran #Syracuse #OnondagaCounty #CentralNewYork #JudgeMattDoran #BeyondTheBench #NavyVeteran #JAGCorps

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Deputy sheriff by day. Country singer and songwriter by night.

Chris Darlington joins Skip Clark on the Skip Happens Podcast to share how he balances more than 20 years in law enforcement with a growing country music career.

Chris opens up about serving as a school resource officer, growing up near Winchester, Virginia—the hometown of Patsy Cline—and nearly moving to Nashville before choosing a career behind the badge. He also tells the incredible story of landing a Broadway gig during his very first trip to Music City.

You’ll hear the funny, unexpected story behind his country radio single “What Do You Want,” what it felt like to hear his own song on the radio, and why faith, family and service remain at the center of everything he does.

Chris also discusses working with Saddle Up Records, opening for artists including Drew Baldridge, Frank Ray, Terri Clark, Collin Raye, Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Warren Zeiders, and the challenges independent artists face while trying to break through at country radio.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Meet Chris Darlington
01:19 Growing up near Patsy Cline’s hometown
03:25 Discovering music and songwriting
04:14 Choosing law enforcement over Nashville
07:02 His first public performance
08:26 The deputy and the country singer
10:13 Music as therapy
14:32 Becoming a school resource officer
15:37 How Chris writes songs
23:31 The story behind “What Do You Want”
27:05 Hearing his song on the radio
29:05 Recording with Nashville session musicians
31:31 His first Nashville gig
34:32 Handling criticism
35:48 What it takes to reach country radio
37:19 The toughest part of promoting a record
37:40 Joining Saddle Up Records
40:51 Sharing the stage with country artists
42:24 Faith, family and service
46:12 Badge or backstage
54:35 Final thoughts and where to follow Chris

Learn more about Chris Darlington:
https://chrisdarlington.com

Watch more artist conversations and subscribe to Skip Happens:
https://youtube.com/@skiphappenspodcast

Stream “What Do You Want,” follow Chris on social media and request the song from your favorite country radio station.

#ChrisDarlington #CountryMusic #SkipHappensPodcast #IndependentCountryArtist #WhatDoYouWant

Support the show

Thanks for listening!  Follow us at youtube.com/@skiphappenspodcast

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening!  Follow us at youtube.com/@skiphappenspodcast

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thanks for listening!  Follow us at youtube.com/@skiphappenspodcast

Send us Fan Mail

From an ABC daytime soap opera and Hollywood auditions to Nashville songwriting and a powerful personal comeback, Woody Bradshaw’s journey has taken some remarkable turns.

Woody joins Skip Clark on the Skip Happens Podcast to share how he landed a role on ABC’s “Loving,” moved to Los Angeles, and experienced the Jimmy Webb performance that helped redirect his life toward songwriting. He also opens up about the heartbreak of a record deal falling apart, the ten years he feels he lost, his decision to stop drinking, and why regret now scares him more than failure.

We also talk about Woody’s breakout song “The Last Thing You Do,” his interpretation of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” his Blue Angels tribute “The Blues Are Back in Town,” and his new America 250 anthem, “Who’s Proud They’re From the USA.”

In this conversation:

00:00 Meet Woody Bradshaw
01:05 Growing up and discovering performance
08:44 Leaving college for New York City
10:45 Auditioning for ABC’s “Loving”
14:02 The reality of making a living as an actor
16:12 Moving from New York to Hollywood
18:48 The Jimmy Webb moment that changed everything
24:52 Writing his first song
27:05 Starting over in Nashville
32:40 Recording “The Last Thing You Do”
34:49 Success, radio and a heartbreaking setback
37:00 “Who’s Proud They’re From the USA”
42:10 Writing a tribute to the Blue Angels
45:05 The emotional story behind “Hallelujah”
49:04 How the music business has changed
53:44 Sobriety, clarity and reclaiming his life
56:32 What scares him more: failure or regret?
01:03:46 Rapid-fire questions

Discover Woody Bradshaw’s music at https://woodybradshaw.com

Subscribe to the Skip Happens Podcast for conversations with country stars, independent artists and people making a difference:
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If Woody’s story connected with you, leave a comment, share the episode and tell us which part of his journey inspired you most.

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Meet rising country artist Bella Lam as she joins Skip Clark on the Skip Happens Podcast for a fun, honest and revealing conversation about her new single “Boot First,” her journey into country music, songwriting, performing and the determination it takes to chase a dream.

Bella opens up about overcoming challenges early in life, finding confidence through music and turning her own experiences into songs. She shares the story behind “Boot First,” what she learned from her very first co-write, performing at Nashville's legendary Bluebird Cafe, and why songwriting can sometimes be easier than saying exactly how she feels.

Bella also reflects on the influence of Dolly Parton, calling Dolly a blueprint for the way she approaches her music and career. She talks about her experience as an Asian American artist in country music, her rock influences, her love of artists ranging from Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert to Taylor Swift, and the country career she's building one show at a time.

Plus — approximately 30 pairs of boots, a “Hannah Montana closet,” horror video games, the “Bella Fellas,” an upcoming driving test and plenty of moments that prove you never quite know what's going to happen on Skip Happens.

🎵 Check out Bella Lam – “Boot First” wherever you stream music and follow Bella for new music, shows and what's coming next.

🎙️ Skip Happens Podcast
Hosted by Skip Clark
On air. Online. Every boot tells a story.

#BellaLam #BootFirst #CountryMusic #NewCountryMusic #RisingCountryArtist #SkipHappensPodcast #CountryArtist #Nashville #Songwriter #DollyParton

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Jaclyn Kenyon and Justin Love join Skip Clark on the Skip Happens Podcast for a revealing conversation about Nashville, SCARS, second chances and their new country-rock duet, “I Wanna (The Duet).”

Jaclyn opens up about starting music at a young age, performing alongside major names including Nickelback, winning the TV competition Banded, and then facing a devastating period when her music career suddenly went silent and she couldn't release new music.

She also shares how that experience helped lead to SCARS — music with a deeper purpose — and the unforgettable moment when a grieving fan told Jaclyn she needed one of her songs after losing her husband.

Justin Love joins the conversation to talk about songwriting, Nashville's highly competitive music scene, faith, perseverance, the realities of being an independent artist and the story behind “I Wanna (The Duet).”

It's a conversation about finding your sound, refusing to fit into somebody else's box, believing in what you're creating and turning the scars along the way into something meaningful.

🎙️ Hosted by Skip Clark
🎧 Skip Happens Podcast

Listen for conversations with country artists, independent musicians, Nashville songwriters and people with stories worth hearing.

Subscribe and follow Skip Happens for more.

#JaclynKenyon #JustinLove #IWanna #Scars #CountryMusic #Nashville #CountryRock #IndependentArtist #Songwriter #SkipHappensPodcast

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