Today, I’m joined by the former NFL player and philanthropist Cory Redding.  

Cory is a giving guy with a big heart, and we have a great conversation about American football, the art of coaching, and the future of renewable energy.  

Cory also tells me all about his need to give back to the community and why he started his own foundation. 

A genuinely nice guy with a great attitude towards life, Cory has me laughing throughout as he shares great stories from his career and life.     

“The moment you stop asking why, that’s when you start to really age, and life begins to come short because you don’t want to learn anymore.” - Cory Redding

I'm delighted to welcome Bob Schneider back on the show for the second time. Bob is a singer, songwriter, podcaster, visual artist and all-round legend from Texas.  

We catch up on current events, Bob's upcoming album, the TV shows we've seen, and of course food. Bob has me cracking up all the way through, and he answers some questions that fans have sent in. It’s fair to say you guys sent a few really funny ones!

The truth is Bob is one of my favourite guests to have on the podcast. Talking to him feels like talking to an old friend, so I think you’re all going to enjoy this episode! 

“I like not traveling, I like not being on the road. I love my life, I love being here writing songs and hanging out with my family. I love playing in front of people but that’s 90 minutes of the day. So except for Covid, I’ve loved staying at home.” - Bob Schneider   

In this episode, I’m joined by Jesse Dayton, a musician, a filmmaker and an all-round awesome guy.

He tells me great stories about some country legends, including Willy Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. 

Jesse’s done amazing things, he’s worked with Rob Zombie on some films, he was in Halloween, he’s directed his own horror film, and is very well known in the horror community.

We talk about music, his experiences throughout his career, and share our thoughts on Austin and Dallas.

 “It’s not just about making money, it’s not just about staying relevant, it’s about feeling your soul. You want to do what you love to do, play music.” - Jesse Dayton  

Today, I’m joined by Tim Urban from Urban Creative TX, a video production company from Texas. 

We talk about the masks mandate, how COVID has affected his business, and the podcasts he's been working on. 

We dive deep into the discussion about masks, and this is what podcasts are all about - having an open dialogue  about controversial topics. 

You know me - I can’t help but play devil's advocate now and again, and I do that a fair bit in this chat. This was a very much needed conversation and I hope you enjoy the show! 

“The life expectancy for a lion is longer than it is in the wild, because there's less things to kill it. But which life would your trade for?” - Tim Urban  

Today we are joined by author and Vietnam Veteran Tim O’Brien and the Award-winning Director and Producer of The War and Peace of Tim O’Brien, Aaron Matthews.

Tim is a literary giant in the US, who has written many books about the Vietnam war, including The Things They Carried as the most famous one. The documentary follows him writing his final book, that he wanted to leave as a memoir and legacy for his sons.

I loved this gripping documentary, and it's just impressive how Aaron followed Tim’s life for 5 years, still filming even when Tim became seriously ill.

We talk about the making of the film and about Tim’s views on war in general. He's a fascinating man who manages to make me laugh even when discussing difficult topics. He’s made me re-evaluate the way I view the wars we wage and I feel like I’ll be mulling this discussion over for a good while yet... “

We pride ourselves in our sophistication, our cosmopolitan, and our awareness of moral issues. Yet we just abandon that in a Stone Age response to things, let’s just kill people.” - Tim O’Brien  

Today, I’m joined by Texas blues singer and pianist Marcia Ball. 

Marcia plays her grand piano right here on the podcast, and it is nothing short of awesome, in fact it's probably the best performance we’ve ever had on the show.

However, she’s very humble throughout our discussion, meanwhile my jaw is on the ground in amazement at the talent this lady has.

We talk about how she found her love for singing, the difficulties she faced during the pandemic, and what the future looks like for live music. We also talk about the relationship between Louisiana and Texas and the history behind Mardi Gras. 

And then she treats us with an amazing performance of her song "La Ti Da."

Listen in and enjoy!

“I’ve been lucky at every turn. Musically, personally, professionally, it’s just been a gift to me. I feel like I have it all.” - Marcia Ball  

My guest today is actor and producer Matt Barr, who’s recently got a recurring role in the show Walker, a great Texan crime series, which I was once an extra on!

He’s involved with a bunch of other cool projects like Blood and Treasure on CBS, an Indiana Jones style show that they film in all the countries around the world. 

He is also an executive producer for Twelve Mighty Orphans, starring Martin Sheen and Robert Duvall for the first time together on screen since Apocalypse Now.

We talk about how Matt got his roles, what it’s like travelling around the world acting for a living, and the different foods he’s been able to try on the road.

“Being a Texan I’m so proud of these wonderful Texas stories that speak to me in a special way.” - Matt Barr  

Today I have a chat with the modern rock/country duo The Powell Brothers, Blake and Taylor Powell.

Awesome dudes and real hustlers from Kingwood, Texas, they tell us what they did in the pandemic to be able to record, and what they’re doing now. 

They are the kind of guys you want to have a beer with, and we chat about their life, music, current events and all things Texas…

“Do what you love to do and just keep doing it every day.” - Taylor Powell  

Today, I’m joined by Director and Set Designer, Catherine Hardwicke.

Catherine’s directed some incredible films including Twilight, Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown, and she’s worked with the likes of Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Heath Ledger, Cameron Crowe, Richard Linklater, and countless other film artists. 

We talk about how she got into the film industry, some of the memories she has from working with iconic film stars, and what her favourite films to direct have been.

She tells me how Twlight went from being a low-budget indie movie to becoming a worldwide phenomenon, and how she managed to find such a perfect cast for the movie.

An energetic and wonderful lady with a life most people dream of, Catherine tells us hilarious stories from her 20 years of experience working in film. And she was standing through the whole interview! 

“How can I really efficiently tell a story, how much interesting information can I pack into one frame?” - Catherine Hardwicke  

Today, I’m joined by American singer, songwriter and native Texan, Jolie Holland. 

We have an absolute blast and it’s a privilege to have a singer on the show who’s also so passionate about cooking and food.

We talk about Jolie’s music career, how she got into the business, and some of the crazy experiences it’s allowed her to have.

We also talk about some of the difficulties she’s come across being a woman in the music industry, and what it’s like performing on a stage in front of thousands of people.

Finally, the talk moves to food, our favourite places to eat in Texas, and what we both love to cook at home...

“I'm a writer first, I don't like being in the spotlight on stage, that's why I like having badasses in the band.” - Jolie Holland