The Real Country Podcast by Nikki in Nashville

In this episode of The Real Country Podcast from the archives, I'm again live for The Carter Studio Sessions! I sat down with Americana singer-songwriter Sophie Gault for a deeply honest conversation about music, mental health, and writing songs that don’t shy away from uncomfortable truths.

Sophie talks about the long road to releasing her sophomore album, Baltic Street Hotel (out September 20 of 2024), and what it took to keep going after nearly walking away from music altogether. She reflects on her early days, the confidence she regained after releasing her debut record, and how working with legendary producer Ray Kennedy helped shape her evolving sound.

The conversation takes a powerful turn as Sophie opens up about writing “Christmas in the Psych Ward,” a song rooted in her experience with bipolar disorder and mania. She explains why mania is so often misunderstood, how silence around mental health creates isolation, and why songwriting became a way to speak openly about experiences many people are afraid to name.

This episode explores:

• Americana music and genre-fluid songwriting
• Mental health, bipolar disorder, and stigma in art
• Finding confidence after almost quitting music
• Writing songs that challenge comfort and convention
• Building a sustainable career as an independent artist

The session also features intimate acoustic performances, recorded live at Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, giving listeners a raw, stripped-down look at Sophie’s songwriting and voice.

🎶 New album Baltic Street Hotel out September 20, 2024
🎤 AmericanaFest performances + Whiskey Jam appearances
📍 Recorded live in Nashville
🎙️ Part of The Carter Studio Sessions

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 of The Real Country Podcast, from the archives, I'm showcasing my first artist on The Carter Studio Sessions. I sat down with rising Americana artist Zach Meadows for an honest conversation about songwriting, Nashville, and taking the long road as an independent artist.

Zach shares his journey from growing up in Orlando, Florida, to finding his sound in the Carolinas, and ultimately committing fully to music by moving to Nashville. He opens up about his background in musical theater, how songwriting became his true creative outlet, and why Americana feels like the most authentic home for his music.

The conversation dives into the pivotal role fellow artist Gabe Lee played in encouraging Zach’s move to Nashville, the reality of building a career without shortcuts, and how lived experience has shaped his songwriting over the years. Zach also talks about his upcoming record, his new single “Highway to Birmingham,” and why he’s leaning into a grittier, more rock-driven sound for live performances.

This episode is a thoughtful look at:

• Finding your artistic identity
• Building a music career the long way
• Songwriting from personal experience
• Americana, country, and Southern rock influences
• Life as an emerging artist in Nashville

The episode also features an intimate acoustic performance, recorded live at Carter Vintage Guitars, making this session a must-listen for fans of Americana, country-adjacent music, and independent singer-songwriters.

 📍 Recorded live in Nashville
 🎙️ Part of The Carter Studio Sessions

Follow The Real Country Podcast for more artist interviews and performances. Follow Zach Meadows for his upcoming album now in 2026!

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

From the archives, recorded during a pivotal moment in his career, this conversation features Willi Carlisle reflecting on folk music, belonging, and what it means to make art for real people, not algorithms.

In this episode, Willi talks through his Opry debut, his complicated relationship with musical institutions, and why folk music, at its core, is about people singing together, telling the truth, and bridging loneliness. He traces his path from punk scenes to traditional folk spaces, discusses learning instruments out of necessity, and explains how songwriting, literature, and lived experience shape his records.

The conversation goes deep into themes of sincerity, protest through love, rural life, loneliness, and redemption, as well as the tension between authenticity and the modern attention economy. Willi also shares how he approaches albums as cohesive bodies of work, why the personal is inseparable from the political, and how community, not virality, has driven his career forward.

If you’re interested in folk music, songwriting, Americana, independent artists, or the human side of making music, this episode offers a rare, thoughtful look at craft, conviction, and connection that still resonates today.

Subscribe to the Real Country Podcast with more country and country music adjacent artists!

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

From the archives. Recorded in early 2024, this conversation captures Aaron Watson in rare, unfiltered form before playing in Indianapolis, reflecting on more than 20 years of building an independent country music career on his own terms.

In this episode, Aaron breaks down how country music has changed over the past two decades, why social media creates faster fame but shorter careers, and what it really takes to play the long game as an artist. 

He shares how staying independent allowed him to own his songwriting, protect his brand, and release multiple top-10 Billboard albums without a major label.

The conversation also goes deeper into the personal side: raising kids while touring, involving his family in the business, mentoring the next generation, and why hustle, gratitude, and connection with fans still matter more than trends.

 Aaron opens up about vocal surgery, being pushed out of mainstream radio, and why his next chapter feels bigger than anything that came before.

If you’re into Texas country, independent artists, songwriting, or the business of music, this episode is packed with hard-earned perspective that still holds up today.

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

From the archives: Recorded in November 2023, just hours before his first-ever performance at the Ryman Auditorium, this past conversation captures Tanner Usrey at a true turning point.

In this episode, Tanner sits down backstage in Nashville to talk about betting everything on music, leaving a “real job” behind, and letting songs become what they’re meant to be without forcing them into a genre box. 

We discuss his release of 'Beautiful Lies' collab with Ella Langley, and 'Crossing Lines' album.

We dig into his Texas roots, the songwriting influences that shaped him (from Jason Isbell to Whiskey Myers), and the long road to finally releasing his debut album Crossing Lines.

Tanner also opens up about signing with a major label, touring relentlessly, playing the National Finals Rodeo, and what it feels like to step onto the stage at the “Mother Church of Country Music” for the first time. Plus, a rapid-fire round covering favorite songs, dream collaborations, road snacks, and the unexpected moments that come with life on the road.

If you’re into modern country, Texas country, Americana, or artists who care more about honest songwriting than chasing trends, this conversation holds up, and hits even harder in hindsight.

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

Nothing changes until you start.

In this episode of Real Country, Nikki sits down with Eddie Marange a country music creator and photographer/videographer, to talk about what it really takes to build a career in country music and social media without connections, shortcuts, or overnight success.

Eddie shares his journey from law enforcement to working alongside country artists, how he grew a large platform simply by showing up consistently, and why most people quit long before things begin to work. They unpack the realities of social media growth, building a personal brand, and pushing through the discouraging phase of no views, no comments, and no validation.

The conversation also expands beyond music into the broader world of country music, touching on entrepreneurship, creative work, grit, and what it means to build something real in a fast-changing industry. Eddie and Nikki also dive into honest thoughts on AI in music, creativity vs. automation, and why human connection matters more than ever.

If you’re an artist, creator, or entrepreneur and you’ve been waiting to feel “ready” before starting, this episode is for you.

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

Lane Smith is an emerging country music singer-songwriter from Texas who started as a bullfighter! In this episode of the Real Country Podcast, we discuss his inspirations, goals for his career, how he writes songs, and his entire journey from rodeo...to the country music stage.  

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

On this episode of The Real Country Podcast, I’m joined by multi-instrumentalist and viral fiddle sensation Philip Bowen. Known for his electric energy, soulful playing, and mountain roots. We talk about his unconventional path to music, going from a corporate day job to a full-time artist, and what it’s been like building a fanbase from scratch through social media, songwriting, and sheer authenticity.

We also dive into his Appalachian upbringing, what inspires his songwriting, and how he’s carving out a space in the modern country/Americana world that’s both deeply rooted and forward-thinking.

🎻 Connect with Philip Bowen:
• Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipbowenmusic/

• On Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@philipbowenmusic

 • On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Mm4P393IFVqIQDmL691G9?si=DyL6uWYKSI-JgN3jpulI9g 

- Keep up with Real Country: https://www.instagram.com/nikkiinnashville/

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 🎙️ Real Country is your home for the best country, Americana, and roots music storytelling, along with stories of modern-day outlaws — featuring raw conversations with the artists keeping it real.
Don’t forget to like, follow, and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

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

Western Kentucky native and singer‑songwriter Kelsey Waldon has earned a loyal following for her honest, no‑nonsense lyrics and her commitment to real country music. 

Raised in the farming town of Monkey’s Eyebrow and steeped in bluegrass and honky‑tonk, Kelsey blends raw storytelling with a voice that cuts straight to the heart. After years of working odd jobs and paying dues in Nashville’s clubs, she’s now a critically acclaimed artist whose albums, including her new one Every Ghost, showcase life’s highs and lows with grit and grace.

In this interview, we dive into:

• Kelsey’s rural Kentucky upbringing and how it shapes her music
  
  
• Her move to Nashville and signing with John Prine’s Oh Boy Records
  
  
• The themes of working‑class resilience and family woven through her songs
  
  
• Her thoughts on staying authentic in a changing country scene
  
  
• What fans can expect from her upcoming projects

Follow Kelsey on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6hQxX...
Subscribe to the Real Country Podcast for more conversations with today’s outlaw storytellers: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Ilijkp...
More from Nikki in Nashville:   / nikkiinnashville 

This episode is sponsored by Modern West Media:  marketing and advertising for hyper-growth brands that want to tell their stories authentically. Schedule your free marketing audit here: www.modernwestmedia.com

#KelseyWaldon #RealCountry #OutlawCountry #SingerSongwriter #KentuckyMusic #NikkiInNashville #Podcast #WesternLifestyle

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

Country singer-songwriter and Nebraska native, B.J. Jamison, vows to put the twang back in today's country music...and he's just in his early 20s.

Being born to rodeo royalty, B.J. has been at it since a very young age, even running into issues while playing at honky tonks while he was under 21! His voice and songs are what country gold is made of, and we discussed the possibility of a new upcoming album. He also just released a recent single, Listen to Hank, which is a MUST listen.

In this interview, we discuss:

• His past, how he chose this as a career, and why it was the only path
• 'Stealing' a song from the king himself, George Strait
• Touring, who he's opened for, and what's coming up for him

Follow B.J. on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4ezERRujIypyYnuNPO3w0S?si=x19e2ZZUTm-2avhS0DRmQA
Subscribe to the Real Country Podcast for more behind-the-scenes of Real Country Artists: https://www.youtube.com/@nikkiinnashville 
More from the Real Country team:   / nikkiinnashville

This episode was sponsored by Modern West Media, marketing and advertising for the brands of the Western industry, that gets your story and keeps your brand authentic. Schedule your free marketing audit here: www.modernwestmedia.com

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