Circling The Drain

Country legend Trace Adkins joins Circling the Drain for a raw, funny, and unfiltered conversation about survival, success, and the scars he picked up along the way.Trace opens up about growing up in small-town Louisiana, singing bass in church, working dangerous oil rigs in the Gulf, getting shot by an ex-wife, flipping a tractor, multiple open-heart surgeries, and why he still prefers hard work on the farm to life on the tour bus. He also talks about his breakout in Nashville, label politics, 30 years in country music, and how acting and voiceover work have kept him relevant.Along the way you’ll hear wild stories featuring Gene Simmons, Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Donald Trump, Blake Shelton, and more – plus why the national anthem still makes him nervous every single time.This is Part 1 of our Trace Adkins series on Circling the Drain.1:56 – Trace walks in like a superstar and why everyone respects him 2:26 – The only “tangible result” of being on stage: applause and then back to the bus 3:03 – Farm life, physical work, and needing something real to show for the day 3:50 – Taking down massive ash trees and chasing a chainsaw voiceover gig 4:30 – Losing a Steel commercial because he didn’t wear gloves 6:09 – 12+ years as the voice of Firestone and other national campaigns 6:42 – KFC, Farmer Boys, and ongoing work with Wounded Warrior Project 7:30 – Five daughters, Lululemon bills, and the idea of Trace voicing an athleisure brand 8:01 – Intimidating the boyfriends: hunting on his land and the “I could bury you here” moment 9:47 – Telling a boyfriend he “wasn’t going to make it” and helping him cut his losses 10:25 – Five daughters, three ex-wives, and being “five times more confused about women” 11:10 – Growing up in church: singing beside his granddad with that rich bass voice 11:40 – Discovering that “chicks dig the bass” in a gospel quartet at 17 12:43 – Hayrides, jamborees, and covering Haggard and Buck Owens 13:20 – Working offshore on a drilling rig and singing in the wheelhouse after 12-hour shifts 14:08 – Winning the Wild Turkey Battle of the Bands and coming to Nashville 15:00 – Club circuits, drugs, booze, and learning “everything you’re not supposed to do” 16:08 – Getting his first guitar at 10 and taking lessons in Spring Hill, Louisiana 16:42 – Why he calls himself a “lazy guitar player” and just plays enough to accompany himself 17:11 – Cutting off a finger and the chords he can’t play anymore 17:40 – The shooting: getting shot by an ex-wife and why he didn’t press charges 18:52 – Bullet through the heart and both lungs, Life Flight, and Vanderbilt saving his life 19:45 – Bleeding on the floor, protecting the new carpet, and passing out in the atrium 21:04 – Being 32, strong, and why that’s the only reason he survived 21:39 – Scars from construction work, broken arms and legs, ribs, and flipped tractors 23:15 – Tractor roll-over, crushed sternum, and calling a neighbor with a backhoe to save him 24:16 – Trauma surgery vs. scheduled open-heart surgery and the pain difference 25:14 – Why he doesn’t write songs about his craziest life events 26:00 – Capitol Records, meeting Scott Hendricks at baggage claim, and getting offered a deal on stage 27:06 – Being a big, striking presence and coming from a tall family 28:21 – Shrinking from 6'6" to 6'5" and feeling it in the joints 28:52 – Label politics after Scott leaves Capitol and refusing to go back into the building 29:29 – Almost throwing an executive out the window and the Patsy Cline “she’s dead” story 31:02 – New leadership, Mike Dungan, and how Tim DuBois helped push Trace’s career forward 32:17 – The Chrome era, bikes, and typecast biker roles in movies 33:00 – Deepwater Horizon, playing a furious parent, and Peter Berg demanding more intensity 35:30 – Manhandling Mark Wahlberg on set and the behind-the-scenes story 35:59 – Meeting Kurt Russell and seeing oilfield authenticity on screen 36:38 – Why that movie got the oilfield details right 37:01 – Taylor Sheridan, Land Man delays, and writers chasing the next “shiny toy” 38:53 – Yellowstone, spinoffs, and the risk of losing momentum between seasons 40:04 – Getting tricked into a faith-based movie (Mom’s Night Out) and only reading his sides 41:23 – Peeing fire as a demon in a field and calling it his greatest scene ever 49:00 – Gene Simmons on Celebrity Apprentice and how he changed the rules of the game 52:01 – Turning hot dogs into $5,000 donations and reshaping the show around charity money 53:07 – The mysterious “go to my room” invitation and the producer’s warning 53:52 – What Trace really thinks of Gene Simmons and his magnetism 54:08 – His take on Donald Trump and how “what you see is what you get” 54:34 – Why the national anthem still makes him nervous, from car lots to the World Series 55:52 – Respecting the anthem, the range of the song, and starting in the basement 56:47 – Land of the Free as the vocal high point and the challenge of the melody 57:16 – Reading music, Nashville number system, and forgetting trombone days 57:58 – Losing music programs in public schools and why that bothers him 58:17 – Country heroes: George Jones, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and more 58:48 – Hillbilly Bone with Blake Shelton and why Blake is always chasing the laugh 59:31 – Wrapping Part 1 and teasing more Trace Adkins stories to come Follow Johnny B:https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozemanFollow Jay Harper:https://www.facebook.com/harperjeffFollow Jim:www.jmvos.comCircling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Cowww.itsyourshow.co

In this episode of Circling The Drain, Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy dive deep into the evolution of media: from old-school radio and movie theaters to long-form podcasts and YouTube creators. They talk Joe Rogan’s three-hour conversations, why podcasts feel more authentic than corporate radio, the rise of independent creators, and how celebrities have lost their monopoly on “cool.” Along the way, they share classic Nashville industry stories, memorable movie-theater moments, and real talk about niches, sponsors, and the future of podcasting. If you love behind-the-scenes media talk, Music City lore, and smart banter about where content is headed, this one’s for you.Timed highlights (chapters)00:00 – Why long-form podcasts work and the Joe Rogan effect 01:00 – Welcome to Circling The Drain and hitting 1,000 Facebook followers 02:15 – Live event plans, swag, and possible dancing “girls” 03:10 – Why podcasts feel more real than corporate radio 05:35 – Borrowing the casual Joe Rogan-style intro for their own show 06:50 – Saving Nashville’s stories so they don’t “circle the drain” 08:50 – Donald Trump, Joe Rogan, Bill Clinton, and the politics of “being cool” 12:00 – How podcasts bypass mainstream media gatekeepers 13:55 – Relaxed rooms, real stories, and uncensored guest moments 14:58 – Sponsors, networks, and the cost of giving up independence 16:40 – Indie podcasters, Casey Anthony, and what you can’t air 18:30 – Releases, legal gray areas, and learning from Howard Stern 21:25 – Does a podcast really need video to succeed? 22:50 – Radio faces, self-deprecating humor, and old radio war stories 24:20 – Too many podcasts? Why niche and interest-based content win 27:15 – The decline of movie theaters and the streaming habit 28:50 – Marvel, Star Wars, and the magic of audience reactions 31:20 – Missing the big moment because you had to hit the bathroom 32:40 – Jaws, The Exorcist, and when movies truly scared people 33:45 – What we lose when we lose the shared theater experience 34:55 – New media vs Hollywood and the Markiplier “Iron Lung” moment 38:00 – How TV shows like “Nashville” reshaped the city’s image 40:20 – Behind-the-scenes Nashville TV stories and diva moments 45:00 – Reese Witherspoon, Music Row, and early film memories 50:20 – Modern TV, Law & Order, and aging into “get off my lawn” 51:40 – Schitt’s Creek, Christopher Guest mockumentaries, and Spinal Tap 2 53:00 – What podcasts the guys actually listen to 55:20 – Interest-based media, Gary V, and why you must aircheck yourself 56:40 – Joe Rogan, business pods, and the power of authenticity 58:00 – Johnny B’s favorite artist podcasts and “jacking around” 58:45 – Launching a niche redfishing podcast: Setting The Hook 1:00:10 – Fly fishing shows, sponsors, and how deep niches can go 1:00:46 – Why most new podcasts never make it past a few episodes 1:02:00 – Insurance, bowhunting, and how to find a money-making niche 1:03:26 – Knowing your audience and just letting proven talent work 1:04:30 – Who actually listens to Circling The Drain 1:06:08 – Why these stories matter and where to find the showFollow Johnny B:https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozemanFollow Jay Harper:https://www.facebook.com/harperjeffFollow Jim:www.jmvos.comCircling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Cowww.itsyourshow.co

What happens when your life flips upside down at 50? Former Oak Ridge Boys insider and Nashville industry pro Brenda Golden joins Circling the Drain to talk about starting over in her golden years.Brenda shares how a painful divorce, a cross-country move to Austin, and a complete career reboot led to her new book, “Now What?”. Along the way, she pulls back the curtain on life with William Lee Golden, working around Garth Brooks at his peak, the impact of Pam Lewis and Lib Hatcher (Elizabeth Travis), and how a little movie called “God’s Not Dead” became a turning point.If you’ve ever lost a job, a marriage, or a sense of who you are and thought, “Now what?”, this conversation is for you.Timed highlights: 1:10 Brenda’s book origin story and turning 50 in chaos 2:40 Moving from Nashville to Austin and finding an arts-first city 3:55 South by Southwest and representing artists at the festival 5:10 Brenda’s early music-business days and Nashville connections 6:40 How she met William Lee Golden and joined the Oak Ridge Boys 8:30 Marriage, family life, and their son Solomon’s path to medicine 9:40 Why Solomon chose EMT/paramedic work over music 11:55 Ongoing ties with the Oak Ridge Boys and concern for Richard Sterban 13:20 Joe Bonsall’s passing and helping him land his first book deal 14:30 Crossing paths with Jay at MCA in the mid-80s 15:10 Becoming William’s personal assistant and the MCA solo record 16:00 Meeting powerhouse publicist/manager Pam Lewis 17:30 Hitting rock bottom financially and asking Pam for a job 19:00 “Do you want a career or a paycheck?” – Pam’s tough-love moment 20:10 Learning PR, marketing, and sponsorships around Garth Brooks 21:35 How that mentorship permanently changed Brenda’s career 22:30 Reinventing at 50 and reaching out to Lib Hatcher (Elizabeth Travis) 24:00 Lib’s advice: “You’re going to have to reinvent yourself” 25:40 The film “God’s Not Dead” and its unexpected impact on Brenda 28:00 Feeling seen by God in the middle of a breakdown 30:30 Lib’s own reinvention and success in film and Pure Flix 32:40 Moving to Austin, turning 62, and what life looks like now 34:10 Meeting and briefly working with Frank Stallone 36:40 Longstanding friendships and business ties back in Nashville 38:30 Why Brenda wrote “Now What?” and who it’s really for 40:40 Finding hope, purpose, and community after major life changes 42:40 Two-stepping in Texas, strong dance partners, and playful banter 43:40 Wrap-up, where to find “Now What?”, and Circling the Drain outroFollow Johnny B:https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozemanFollow Jay Harper:https://www.facebook.com/harperjeffFollow Jim:www.jmvos.comCircling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Cowww.itsyourshow.co

Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy dive into their most memorable celebrity encounters from decades in radio, records, and concert production.You’ll hear stories about:The gherm-iest radio promo guy in a stained satin jacketDelivering a giant get‑well card to Amy Grant in a dying station vehicleGlen Campbell shredding in an Opry dressing room and cracking jokes at the urinalA Steve Earle meeting that went from dream chat to guarded on‑air interviewHank Thompson’s rough day and sincere later apologyWhy Raul Malo and The Mavericks should have been massiveBoarding Donald Trump’s private plane during the 2016 campaignJerry Lee Lewis at the Stockyard, an impatient Kenny Rogers backstage,Trace Adkins calling in after a rant, plus memories of Jimmy Dean, Roy Clark, and moreA funny, honest look at how fame collides with real human moods—and why backstage is usually the worst place to watch a show.Follow Johnny B:https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozemanFollow Jay Harper:https://www.facebook.com/harperjeffFollow Jim:www.jmvos.comCircling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Cowww.itsyourshow.co