The Golden Standard is officially back—and there is a LOT to catch up on.

Megan shares what she’s ready to reveal about her Europe trip, including losing her passport after taking the Eurostar from London to Paris, tracking it with an AirTag, an unexpected ambulance ride, and a frightening experience inside a Paris emergency room. She also explains why London was the highlight of the trip and what she would do differently when planning another European vacation.

On a much happier note, Megan saw Leslie Odom Jr. return as Aaron Burr in Hamilton—and yes, it was every bit as magical as she hoped. She reviews his performance, shares her thoughts on the London cast, and explains why facial expressions and emotional connection can completely change a live performance.

Plus, Megan dives into The Band Perry’s apparent family drama unfolding on TikTok, Carrie Underwood’s possible move into rock music, the upcoming Patrick Clancy 60 Minutes interview, Nugget’s Gotcha Day, her potential future as a foster-cat mom, pet communicators, Patreon plans, and why her blue hair is not a political statement.

It’s a slightly chaotic, very honest catch-up episode filled with travel disasters, Broadway opinions, country-music drama, cats, pop culture, and—as always—a good rant.

Follow The Golden Standard on social media, check out the Patreon, and let Megan know: Would you support Carrie Underwood making rock music? What do you think is happening with The Band Perry? And what bonus content would make the Patreon worth joining?

The Golden Standard officially has its first guest! Nashville singer-songwriter Jenae Cherry joins Megan to share the beautifully chaotic story of leaving college, moving to Nashville at 19, breaking into the Broadway music scene, and meeting her future husband—Major League Baseball pitcher Brad Brach—just days before his first call-up.

Jenae opens up about auditioning for The Voice, balancing two people’s big dreams, traveling through 11 MLB seasons, becoming a mom, and finding her way back to music in a new season of life. She also shares the stories behind “Honky Tonkin’ Children” and “Me, Her and You,” including the adorable moment her daughter Briley stepped into the recording booth.

It’s an honest, funny conversation about friendship, family, songwriting, perfect timing, and realizing that letting a dream change doesn’t mean giving up on it—it just means the dream pivots.

Follow Jenae Cherry and listen to her music wherever you stream!

Millennials, we are SO back! ✨ In this hot-topics episode of The Golden Standard, Megan celebrates the wave of millennial nostalgia taking over pop culture—from Camp Rock 3 and the return of our favorite childhood franchises to the new America’s Next Top Model documentary and Tyra Banks’ lawsuit against Netflix.

She also dives into why Hoku walked away from the music industry after giving us the iconic Legally Blonde anthem “Perfect Day”—and officially begins her campaign for the comeback Hoku deserves. Plus, Megan briefly discusses the latest surrounding the Lindsay Clancy case.

Why are so many millennial favorites returning right now—and why does it feel so good to revisit them? Grab your emotional-support nostalgia and join the conversation!

Follow The Golden Standard and share this episode with the millennial friend who still knows every word to the Camp Rock soundtrack. 🎙️

Every gig, someone asks me why I haven’t auditioned for The Voice—but here’s the plot twist: I already did.

In this episode, I’m telling the full story of my high-school audition, including the massive contract, the audition process, and the very important babysitter I needed for my flour baby. That somehow leads us into my tiny Christian school’s version of the baby project, complete with proposals, sister wives, and one particularly memorable fake marriage.

Then we get into the part people don’t talk about: why so many talented singers choose not to audition for shows like The Voice, what can happen after the show ends, and the mental-health struggles some contestants have faced when the experience didn’t change their careers the way they expected.

Welcome to the very first episode of The Golden Standard! 🎙️✨

In this episode, I’m sharing a little about who I am, how I became a full-time musician on Nashville’s Lower Broadway, and the experiences that led me to start this podcast. I’ll also give you a glimpse into what you can expect from the show—including honest conversations, behind-the-scenes stories, creative life in Nashville, solo episodes, special guests, and plenty of moments that may not be quite so “golden.”

Whether you’ve followed my journey for years or you’re meeting me for the first time, I’m so happy you’re here. Welcome to The Golden Standard—let’s get started!

Follow along and connect with me on social media: @MeganAGolden & @thegoldenstandardpod

Welcome to The Golden Standard!

Hosted by full-time Nashville musician and creative Megan Golden, The Golden Standard is a lighthearted, unfiltered look at life behind the scenes in Nashville and beyond. Expect honest stories, creative-life chaos, solo conversations, special guests and plenty of unexpected tangents along the way.

Listen to the official trailer now, then follow the show so Episode 1 is waiting for you when it drops August 11!