The Real Country Podcast by Nikki in Nashville

I sat down with Adam Trenk, attorney turned owner of one of the most iconic saddle brands in the American West, to talk about one of the most remarkable comeback stories I've ever heard.

In 2019, Adam learned that Genuine Billy Cook Saddles, a 70-year-old American institution founded in Greenville, Texas in 1953, was on the verge of shutting down after its founder passed away. With no background in manufacturing and a legal career in Arizona, he bought it anyway. Then in April 2024, a tornado leveled the entire factory in Sulfur, Oklahoma, a total loss. And somehow, on the other side of all of it, Genuine Billy Cook is now the Official Saddle of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and the PRCA.

This episode is for every horse person, rodeo fan, western lifestyle lover, and anyone who grew up putting their boot in a Billy Cook stirrup and never forgot it.

We talk about:

• Growing up in New Jersey with a grandfather who managed thoroughbred racetracks and the Billy Cook saddle that started it all
• What the company looked like when Adam took over and what it took to restore its legacy
• The April 2024 tornado that wiped out the Sulfur, Oklahoma factory completely
• Rebuilding from scratch; what resilience actually looks like in practice
• Becoming the Official Saddle of the NFR and the PRCA and what that means for the brand
• The Sulfur Stampede; a rodeo and music festival helping rebuild an entire town's economy
• Custom saddle fitting, new apparel and lifestyle products launching at Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas
• What six summers training horses in Montana and Idaho taught him about business
• Why Billy Cook is, in his own words, "an undeniable American legacy"

Whether you're a lifelong rodeo fan, a horse person who grew up in a Billy Cook, or someone who just discovered western culture through Yellowstone and wants to go deeper, this one's for you.

🐴 Shop Genuine Billy Cook: genuinebillycook.com
 📲 Instagram: @genuinebillycook

Billy Cook Saddles, NFR, National Finals Rodeo, PRCA, western lifestyle, cowboy culture, rodeo, American made, saddle making, horsemanship, cowgirl, cowboy, Wrangler NFR, Cowboy Christmas Las Vegas, Sulfur Oklahoma, western fashion, Real Country Podcast, horse people, rodeo life, American West, comeback story, small business

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

From Garbage Truck to Grand Ole Opry;  Riley Downing's Landfill Poetry

Missouri-raised troubadour Riley Downing stopped by the Real Country Podcast at his album release party at Skinny Dennis in Nashville to talk to me about one of the most unique origin stories in Americana music. 

Before joining the Deslondes and landing on John Prine's legendary Oh Boy Records, Riley was riding a trash truck in Holt, Missouri, and writing songs the whole time.

In this episode, I sit down with Riley to dig into his sophomore solo album Landfill Poetry, a raw, stripped-down collection of autobiographical songs written from memories of growing up in small-town Missouri. We talk about the line that started it all ("This business stinks, but it's picking up"), the guitar strap he found in a guitar case in someone's trash, and why the golden armadillo tarot card might just be his new good luck charm.

Riley also opens up about:

• Trading a trash truck driving contract for a band in New Orleans and never looking back
• How New Orleans shaped his sound and musical taste
• Balancing solo life with his work in the Deslondes
• The deeply personal song he wrote for his grandparents in their own home
• His upcoming Grand Ole Opry debut and what it means to him
• Why he packed up and moved to New York City and what he thinks about it now

Plus the quick hits: purple Skittles, Gorditos, the worst thing he ever found on the job (we spared you), and the one line he'd use to get you off your phone and onto his record.

Landfill Poetry is out now on Oh Boy Records.

Riley Downing, Landfill Poetry, Americana music, Oh Boy Records, Grand Ole Opry, the Deslondes, Real Country Podcast, singer songwriter, folk country, indie country, John Prine, New Orleans music, Missouri music, Skinny Dennis Nashville

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

Former cop turned country artist Frank Ray sits down with me to talk life on the road, fatherhood, and what it really means to serve. 

Frank opens up about his 10 years in law enforcement, the moment Keith Urban changed everything, and the story behind his powerful new song "Hard To Be A Hero", written to memorialize a fallen officer and humanize the men and women who do the job every day. 

He also talks about his FRAY initiative supporting first responder mental health, his Tracy Lawrence collab on the new EP Good For The Soul, and what it actually looks like to balance tour life with three daughters at home.

Topics covered: law enforcement mental health · first responder PTSD · Latino country music · Tracy Lawrence · Good For The Soul EP · FRAY initiative · life on the road · fatherhood · country music

Frank Ray, country music, Latino country, first responders, mental health, Good For The Soul, Tracy Lawrence, Real Country Podcast, country podcast, new country music 2026

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

Brennan Scott Greene is a freelance cowboy in the truest sense... by day he's working ranches across the Texas Panhandle, and by night he's on stage opening festivals like Dusty Vaquero Days in Gillette, Wyoming with one of the most unforgettable sets in western music.

In this episode, I sit down with Brennan right after his performance to talk about what it means to live the cowboy life in 2026, how that life shapes his songwriting, and why his music sounds like a dream you can almost remember.

What we get into:

• Growing up on a ranch in the Texas Panhandle: his family's been there since 1900
• What "day working" actually means and why he keeps his saddle in the van
• Writing songs like film scores and dream logic: his unique approach to western storytelling
• How the didgeridoo became his signature instrument (hint: it started with PVC pipe)
• The bobcat skin, the deer antler stand, and why the weird setup just works
• His third record in progress and the Tennessee connection
• Why festivals like Dusty Vaquero Days matter for preserving real cowboy music

If you love western music, cowboy culture, and artists who actually live what they sing about, this one's for you.

Brennan Scott Greene | Real Country Podcast | Dusty Vaquero Days | Western Music | Cowboy Music | Texas Panhandle | Traditional Country | Storytelling Songwriters | Working Cowboys

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

Y'all, this one was SO good. I got to sit down with Rachel Brooke. the underground country queen from Northern Michigan, and honestly this might be one of my favorite conversations I've had on the Real Country Podcast. Her new album This One's For You dropped April 24th and she came in with zero filter. Love her for it.

We talk about what it actually looks like to do everything yourself as an independent country artist, the booking, the emails, the registering, the social media you hate but have to do anyway. 

Rachel breaks down that split between being the artist and being the business owner, and how those two people literally cannot exist at the same time. We also get into AI in country music and why it genuinely frustrates her (she brings up the John Henry song and it's perfect), her roots growing up in the woods of Northern Michigan with a banjo-picking dad, her five biggest musical influences from Hank Williams to Fats Domino to Brian Wilson, the story behind Sing Sad Songs, and why she's finally made peace with the "underground" label.

Oh, and we played "You Chose Poorly" a little game on bad relationships, terrible advice, and a THC cider story that had me LOLing.

If you love real country music, independent artists, and honest conversations about the music industry this episode is for you.

Rachel Brooke | Real Country Podcast | independent country music | underground country | authentic songwriting | country music podcast | new country music 2026

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

Alex Miller has been more country than most people twice his age since he was ten years old, and this conversation proves it.

Raised in Lancaster, Kentucky on Merle Haggard records and late nights at honky tonks with his granddaddy, Alex Miller is 22 years old and already has a Grand Ole Opry debut, an American Idol Season 19 run, and a brand new album under his belt. And not just any album, More Country Than You features an unreleased Alan Jackson song, duets with Tracy Byrd and Emily Ann Roberts, and might be the most authentically traditional country record you'll hear this year.

I sit down with Alex for a wide-ranging conversation about where he came from, what drives him, and why he can't help but be exactly who he is.

In this episode:

• Growing up in Kentucky honky tonks at age 10 with his granddaddy
• How Merle Haggard, George Jones, and George Strait shaped his sound
• The unreleased Alan Jackson track on his new album
• His American Idol Season 19 experience, including a cornbread moment with Ryan Seacrest you didn't see on TV
• How Eddie Montgomery showed up at his mom's house and personally invited him to play the Grand Ole Opry
• Why authentic country music is having a moment, and why Alex can't make anything else
• The Hank Williams Sr. song he'd wish he'd written
• What legacy means to a 22-year-old who's already lived a lot of life

If you love traditional country music and artists who are the real deal, this one's for you.

🎵 Find Alex Miller's music on all streaming platforms 

🎟️ Catch Alex Miller on tour in 2026 

📲 Follow Alex Miller on socials

Subscribe to Real Country wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

On this special episode of The Real Country Podcast, The Real Country Corner, I sit down with T. Graham Brown for a conversation that feels like sitting with a true piece of country music history. With an illustrious career spanning more than 50 years, T. Graham has built a legacy not only through his own music, but through the incredible company he’s kept along the way. We talk about his friendships and experiences with some of the most legendary names in country music, the staying power it takes to last in this business, and what it means to still be having fun with your career in your 70s.

We also get into the personal side of that longevity, including his 40-plus-year marriage and why he credits his wife as such a huge part of his success. On the music side, we talk about his recent accomplishments, including earning a #1 blues chart album after five decades in the business, his Grand Ole Opry member induction, and the perspective that comes from still creating, performing, and loving the work after all these years.

This is a conversation about legacy, resilience, love, friendship, faith, and the kind of career that only comes from doing it for real, and doing it for a long time.

If you love classic country music, country music history, Grand Ole Opry stories, legendary artists, and conversations with the people who helped shape the genre, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we get into:

•  T. Graham Brown’s legendary career in country music 
•  His friendships with some of the biggest names in the genre 
•  The secret to a 40+ year marriage 
•  His Grand Ole Opry member induction 
•  Reaching #1 on the blues charts after 50 years in music 
•  Why he’s still loving the ride and making music in his 70s

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

In this episode, I sit down with Brit Taylor for a conversation about Appalachian roots, country music, songwriting, motherhood, heartbreak, and finding your true sound as an artist. We get into Brit’s upbringing in Eastern Kentucky along the Country Music Highway, the deep well of talent and resilience that comes out of Appalachia, and why she believes that region carries a kind of “underlying lonesome” you can hear in its music.

We also talk about Brit’s journey through Nashville, getting everything she thought she wanted and realizing it wasn’t actually the life she was meant for, and what it took to finally arrive at a sound that feels fully her own. She opens up about independence as an artist, creative control, working with Sturgill Simpson, and why protecting your vision matters so much in country music.

One of the most fascinating parts of this conversation is Brit’s story about the owl symbolism that kept showing up before major turning points in her life; moments of ending, change, and rebirth. We also talk about the themes behind her album Land of the Forgotten, from blue-collar life and resilience to relationships, indifference, and writing songs that tell the truth instead of dressing life up prettier than it is.

If you love real country music, Appalachian artists, independent country singers, authentic songwriting, Eastern Kentucky culture, and deeper artist conversations, this one’s for you.

In this episode, we get into:

• Brit Taylor’s Eastern Kentucky roots and the Country Music Highway
• Appalachia, resilience, and the “underlying lonesome” in country music
• Motherhood, identity, and balancing life as an independent artist
• Working with Sturgill Simpson and protecting the creative process
• The spiritual symbolism of owls, death, rebirth, and major life changes
• Brit’s album Land of the Forgotten and writing from real life

Follow along with the Real Country Podcast for more artist conversations!

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

In this special edition of the Real Country Podcast, The Real Country Corner, I sit down with Adam Sanders fresh off winning the first season of CBS’s The Road. We talk about what it was really like to win the show, why he had to keep the result quiet for months during filming and post-production, and what it felt like knowing his life was about to change before he could tell the world. Adam was officially announced as the inaugural winner of The Road in late 2025.

We also get into Adam Sanders’ history as a Nashville songwriter, his transition from writing hits for other artists to stepping further into his own spotlight, his new music, his engagement, and the wild story behind burning an actual house down for a music video. Adam has long been recognized in Nashville for both his artist career and his songwriting background, which makes this conversation especially interesting now that he’s coming off a major national TV win.

If you’re a fan of country music interviews, The Road on CBS, Adam Sanders, Nashville songwriting, new country music, and stories about what really happens behind the scenes of music competition shows, this episode is for you. We also talk about Alan Jackson being one of Adam’s all-time favorite artists, the pressure of waiting to use his “winnings” until the show aired, and what comes next after a moment this big. Adam has also spoken publicly elsewhere about the long wait between filming and the public reveal of the finale result.

Subscribe to the Real Country Podcast for more country artist interviews, behind-the-scenes music conversations, and stories from the real heart of country music.

Follow along with Adam: https://open.spotify.com/artist/17ewtqMhsRUPRdhpYLzMxg?si=W-cIbQySSBOyzEiernAX6w 

#AdamSanders #TheRoad #CBSTheRoad #CountryMusic #NashvilleSongwriter #RealCountryPodcast

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.

On a special edition of The Real Country Podcast...The Real Country Corner...I sat down with 2000s country star Cyndi Thomson to discuss life after her break from music and the 25th anniversary of her hit song, What I Really Meant to Say.

What I Really Meant To Say topped the US Hot Country Songs chart for three consecutive weeks and was one of 2001's most played songs at country radio, and was part of her My World album.

She's back in the studio recording new music, and recutting this hit single along with a few others as collabs!

Follow the Real Country Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/0IlijkpNEoIffcEdK2H8Nd?si=4ae63452c82e4638

Follow Cyndi Thomson - https://open.spotify.com/artist/1SlB319k1toEaGunEFn6yq?si=wwC6xXSeRIGLY_gD_oREGg

Thanks for listening! Tune in every week when we release new episodes discussing new music, chatting with artists, and all things country.