True Country

Radney Foster, singer/songwriter with multiple top-ten hits, joins the podcast and discusses starting out as a musician (2:43), answering the call from Nashville (6:25), his development in the songwriting process (10:17), the tough moments in a long career (16:35), personal voices and perspectives that are represented in each song written (18:44), the best moments in a long career (20:54), what he sees in the industry today, and how he would approach it as a newcomer (22:21), what he's working on today (28:00), a unique day of writing with Guy Clark and another unexpected star (31:19), what True Country is to him (35:57), and more.

Country Legend Johnny Lee, the Urban Cowboy, joins the podcast and shares insights on his early career (1:43), how things changed after his success with the classic film 'Urban Cowboy' (4:42), the lows (7:50) and highs (9:33) of a long career in the music business, what he'd do differently if starting his career today (12:03), what True Country is to him (15:12), and more.

Ray Scott, artist and songwriter based in Nashville TN, joins the podcast and tells all about how he started playing music (1:40), his goals when arriving in Nashville (5:07), what it took to get songs cut and progress made in Nashville (7:31), a few key things he learned from that process (11:55), the good and bad of working as an independent writer and artist (17:45) and support for that music (19:54), what he is working on next (27:55), what he’s doing differently with his current efforts with years of experience as a successful independent artist (30:51), what True Country is to him (35:05), and more.

Mike Severson, founder and owner of Songwriter City based in Nashville TN, joins the podcast and talks how he got started in the music business (2:46), making the move to Nashville (6:30), what he experienced during the big radio station consolidations (9:56), some of the high points in his career (15:20), how he started Songwriter City and what his unique shows provide (20:09), what True Country is to him (25:28), and more.

Beth Nielsen Chapman, Hall of Fame Songwriter with multiple #1 hits to include Strong Enough To Bend (#1 for Tanya Tucker) and Nothin’ I Can Do About It Now (#1 for Willie Nelson) to name a few, Beth is a True Country professional with decades of experience. She joins the podcast and discusses her roots in songwriting (2:00), experiencing and participating in the incredible music from Muscle Shoals (4:25), the top 20 Billboard single "Down on my Knees" being heard for the first time by then-receptionist Trisha Yearwood, through the wall of the publishing company office they worked at together (5:45), the time it took to come back to music after her first major solo effort went nowhere (7:30), one of the Beach Boys pushing Beth to move to Nashville after hearing her songs performed in a lounge in Mobile, AL (9:18), the major struggles in personal life and the industry that she endured during her career (11:00), the high points of her career, including getting a call to write a song personally for Willie Nelson and being inducted into the Hall of Fame (18:32), what True Country is to her (29:13), and more.

Joe Nichols discusses how he got started as an artist (1:29), the tough but defining moment when he knew he belonged (3:29), the funny odd jobs he worked to get by (5:23), how he coped with disappointment and rejection when coming to Nashville (8:24), being told 'no' on every one of his first 31 opportunities (9:40), his 1st Grammy experience, and an odd encounter with Queen Latifah and Halle Berry (12:53), what he'd do differently if starting out in the music business today (15:10), what inspired his 'Never Gets Old' album and the response he's seen from it (16:14), what True Country is to him (19:13), and more.

Country music legend Mickey Gilley joins the podcast and discusses his first recording taking 50+ years to do anything for him (2:05), musical trivia of artists who played on his records (2:40), how a B-side jukebox throwaway tune became his first #1 record (3:27), wanting to be a rock-n-roller like cousin Jerry Lee Lewis (4:45), Urban Cowboy reunions (6:02), camaraderie with the fans (9:53), highest points of his career (11:08), finding his niche when creating his hit songs (15:07), the next Mickey Gilley on keys (18:25), what True Country is to him (19:42) and more.

Glen Templeton, rising star based in Nashville, talks following in his father's footsteps (2:06), songwriting being key to country artists' identity (4:16), his own turning point to making the dream become his reality (6:10), the peaks & valleys from a struggling musician to playing for thousands (9:55), the true value of living out the American dream in this country (10:45), giving fans what they ask for in traditional country music artists (12:40), calling on his rural upbringing in his music and songwriting (14:20), the move to Nashville (15:22), adoption into the Texas scene (18:04), carving the hard path the right way (22:14), a story about George Jones' special medicine (25:48), what True Country is to him (28:47), and more.

John Ozier, VP Creative at ole Majorly Indie, joins the podcast and talks about doing whatever it takes to make it in the music industry (2:18), striving to do something that you love without worrying about much else (5:50), writing 300 songs before coming up with 1 to be proud of (7:53), the first time hearing his own hit on the radio (10:33), 'Skin'- the power of a song that reaches deeper into people's lives than you could ever expect (11:30), the value of a strong work ethic (13:16), his work at ole (14:10), what True Country is to him (22:20), and more.

Bobby Tomberlin, of Curb Records Publishing, Nashville, talks about writing breakthrough hits like Diamond Rio's 'One More Day' (6:58), creating songs that speak to their listeners (9:45), staying true to self after years on Music Row (10:45), booking a gig on CMT's 'The Singing Bee' TV show (17:05), working on the movie 'Wheeler' (18:53), an interesting experience with Hall-of-Famer Phil Everly (23:40), what True Country is to him (26:03), and more.