Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar

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Hey friends! Starting Rumours is going to be taking a short hiatus while my guests tour, spend time with their families, and even have a baby! Lots of fun happening in the music industry these days! While I give my guests time to do their thing, I wanted to introduce you to my two new podcasts. 

Verses+Victims is a true crime/music mashup podcast where we take a deep dive into sometimes creepy songs and the true crime stories that either inspired them or remind the listener of the song and vice versa. I'll be joined by my husband Tom on this one and we are super excited for you to hear it! Make sure you go follow us on instagram @versesandvictims

Soundtracked: Press Play on the Past is a music nostalgia podcast where I take an album or song and breakdown the lyrics, music, and the memories behind it. We all have one song or album that reminds us of a certain place in time and I want to take all of you back there. Join me as I crack open the world behind the music and give perspectives from fans and friends alike about the albums that shaped who they became. 

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Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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Some musicians inherit a legacy. Others build one. Vaylor Trucks has done both. 

Rock and roll has always been been part of his story-- but he's never been interested in simply living in someone else's shadow. 

As the son of Butch Trucks and cousin of Derek Trucks, Vaylor grew up in one of the most influential families in Southern rock. But rather than relying on the family name, he's spent years forging his own path as a guitarist, mentor, and all around good-guy. 

In this episode, we talk about growing up surrounded by music, the realities of carrying a legendary last name, life on the road, and why it means to create something that is authentically your own. We also reminisce about playing together in Slightly Famous Somebodies, the friendships that music creates, and the moments behind the scenes that audiences never get to see. 

Whether you're a fan of Southern rock, great songwriting, or honest conversations about legacy and identity, you'll find something to love in this episode. 

Find Vaylor at www.vaylortrucks.com

Listen and subscribe to his YouTube podcast The Albums I Have Missed https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIUzugcwZc5yTZojbAy2WnWxAyjOfFEQw&si=SJCCONsJ9cRGdSoe

Listen to The Yeti Trio, Slightly Famous Somebodies, and Bonobos Convergence on Spotify, Apple Music, or anywhere you stream. 

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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Alex Lifeson has spent decades shaping the soundtrack of millions of lives, but this conversation isn't about reliving the glory days. 

We talk about creativity, staying curious, the evolution of being an artist, and how life changes when the spotlight fades but the passion never does. Alex shares stories from a career unlike any other, reflects on the friendships that have carried him through it all, and reminds us why making music is about so much more than fame. 

Whether you've been listening since the early days of RUSH or you're simply fascinated by the people behind the music, this is an honest, thoughtful conversation with one of rock's most influential guitarists-- and one of its most grounded human beings. 

Pull up a chair. You're about to spend some time with Alex Lifeson. 

www.rush.com

www.envyofnone.com

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-great-lakes-suite/1847501706

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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Some people interview musicians. 

Garret Woodward becomes friends with them. 

This week, I sit down with acclaimed music journalist Garret Woodward to talk about the stories that happen long after the notebook closes. From writing for Rolling Stone and his beloved This Must Be the Place column to camping in Appalachia, finding community through music, and earning the trust of artists, Garret shares what it really takes to tell someone else's story with honesty and heart. 

We also dive into the changing landscape of music journalism, the importance of curiosity, and why the best conversations rarely go where you expect them to. 

Whether you're a music lover, an aspiring writer, or someone who simply appreciates a great story, this episode is packed with humor, insight, and plenty of unforgettable moments.

Follow Garret's work and check out the links below to learn more. 

Instagram @garretkwoodward

www.smokymountainnews.com

www.rollingstone.com

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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Mark Cobb has spent decades helping artists build careers, bands, and legacies -- but behind every great story is a balancing act between music, family, and figuring out what really matters. 

In this episode of Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar, Mark and I talk about creating something that lasts, the sometimes complicated relationship between music and politics, and what it takes to stay grounded while juggling life on and off the road. We also dive into the importance of community, finding your voice, and why success means different things at different stages of life. 

Plus, Mark has put together a special playlist featuring songs he's played on over the years, and you'll find a link to it in the show notes. 

So grab your headphones and join us for a thoughtful, funny, and honest conversations with one of music's true road warriors. 

FOLLOW MARK COBB: 

www.markcobb.com 

@questionmarkcobb on Instagram

LISTEN TO MARK'S PLAYLIST: 

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/m-discography/pl.u-MDAWq23sWyVakj

FOLLOW STARTING RUMOURS:

www.rumoursatl.com

@startingrumourspod on Instagram

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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Here's an update on the trademark filing. 

Stay tuned for Season 2...coming JUNE 26TH!

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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Welcome to the bonus video episode / Season 1 recap of Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar.

When I started this podcast, I thought I was just telling a story about the past.

But this season became something bigger.

This episode is a look back at the full journey — from the basement beginnings, to the chaos, the heartbreak, the fallout, and everything that came after. I’m revisiting the biggest moments from every episode, sharing where things stand now, and reflecting on what it means to finally tell this story in my own voice.

This season has been about reclamation, clarity, and truth.
And honestly? Healing.

To everyone who listened, downloaded, followed, reviewed, shared, and reached out: thank you for helping bring this story to life.
Your support has meant more than I can put into words.

This bonus episode also gives a little glimpse into what’s ahead, including updates on the trademark journey, where the story goes from here, and what Season 2 may hold.

If you’ve been here since the basement, thank you for riding this out with me.
And if you’re just finding the story now — welcome to the aftermath.

✨ Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.

#StartingRumours #PodcastRecap #MusicStorytelling #BehindTheMusic #SeasonFinale #BonusEpisode

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Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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When I started Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar, I thought I was telling a story about the past.

About the basement.
The stages.
The fame.
The fallout.

But somewhere along the way, this season became something else.

It became reclamation.
It became clarity.
It became the first time I got to tell the story in my own voice — without interruption, without distortion, without glitter blinding the truth.

In this season finale, I reflect on what happens after the lights go down. After the applause fades. After the headlines stop.

What remains when the identity you built your life around no longer exists?

This episode explores ambition, loyalty, loss, reinvention, and the quiet rebuilding that happens when no one is watching. It’s about motherhood, healing, and the unexpected peace that comes when you finally stop chasing the spotlight and start choosing yourself.

Because sometimes the real story doesn’t begin onstage.

It begins when you walk away.

—

✨ Season One may be ending… but this isn’t goodbye.

Season Two of Starting Rumours is coming soon — and we’re shifting from memoir to conversation.

This next chapter will feature intimate, unfiltered interviews with artists, creators, and cultural voices about ambition, identity, reinvention, and what it really costs to chase a dream.

If Season One was the story behind the curtain…
Season Two pulls it all the way back.

Stay subscribed. Stay curious. And stay a little bit legendary.

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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In this episode, I walk through what actually happened after I quit: the harassment, the legal pressure, the WIPO filing-- and why I ultimately chose to protect my work, my name, and my peace. I talk about what it's like to stand your ground while pregnant, uprooting your life, become a parent again, and rebuilding from the inside out. 

This isn't a revenge story. It's a clarity story. 

Episode 9 is about choosing yourself when walking away would be easier-- and learning that time doesn't just heal wounds. Sometimes, it sharpens your resolve. 

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved. 

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This episode was hard to make.

Not because I didn’t know what to say —
but because I’ve spent a lifetime learning how not to say it.

In Episode 8 of Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar, I stop performing strength and start telling the truth. About growing up in chaos. About abuse. About the ways trauma shapes your voice, your body, your anger, and your need to survive at any cost.

I talk about what it means to be labeled “too much” when you were never protected enough. About learning to sharpen words into weapons because silence was never safe. About how survival can look like confidence — until one day it doesn’t anymore.

This episode isn’t about revenge.
It isn’t about naming villains.
And it isn’t about rewriting anyone else’s story.

It’s about finally telling mine.

Some people will hear this and feel uncomfortable.
Some will feel exposed.
Others may recognize themselves for the first time.

If this episode makes you cry, pause, breathe, or need to step away — that’s okay. You’re not weak. You’re human.

I have always been a storm.
But storms don’t exist to destroy.
They exist to change the landscape.

⚠️ Trigger Warning (Please Read Before Listening)

This episode contains discussion of:

• Childhood abuse
• Emotional and physical abuse
• Sexual abuse (including references involving minors)
• Trauma responses
• Suicidal ideation
• Family dysfunction

Listener discretion is advised. Please prioritize your emotional safety while listening.

💛 Support & Crisis Resources

If this episode brings up difficult feelings or memories, you are not alone — and help is available.

If you are in immediate danger, call 911 (U.S.) or your local emergency number.

Suicide & Crisis Support

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.)
  Call or text 988 | Chat at 988lifeline.org
  Available 24/7
• International Suicide Hotlines
  Find local resources at: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
  
  

Child Abuse & Neglect

• Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (U.S.)
  1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
  Call, text, or chat — available 24/7

Sexual Abuse & Assault (Teens & Adults)

• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline (U.S.)
  800-656-HOPE (4673) | Chat at rainn.org
  Confidential, 24/7

Domestic Violence

• National Domestic Violence Hotline (U.S.)
  1-800-799-SAFE (7233) | TTY 1-800-787-3224
  Or chat at thehotline.org

If you’re outside the U.S., many of these organizations can help direct you to local resources.

You deserve safety. You deserve support. You deserve to be heard.

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Starting Rumours: My Life as a Mockstar. Follow, share, and leave a review to help the show reach more listeners. 

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

© 2025 Mekenzie Zimmerman. All rights reserved.