The Road to Stagecoach

The Road to Stagecoach

From Spout Podcast by Spout Podcast & Studio71

April 20, 2026 · 1h 45m

About this episode

The episode features conversations with three country music artists discussing their journeys and music ahead of Stagecoach weekend.

This week on the Spout Podcast, we’re doing something a little different for Stagecoach weekend. In this special bundled episode, we bring together three separate conversations with Josh Ross, Corey Kent, and Willow Avalon — three artists heading into one of country music’s biggest weekends, each with a very different story, sound, and lane right now. Josh Ross talks about the emotion behind “Give Her Hell,” why he’s drawn to songs that hit harder emotionally, and how he moves between stripped-back country, power-ballad energy, and full-scale live intensity. He also opens up about the personal side of his songwriting, the meaning behind sequencing records, and why some of the deepest songs are the ones that stay with people the longest. Corey Kent joins us to talk about the rise of “Empty Words,” how fan reaction helped push the song forward faster, and why trusting instinct still matters in a world obsessed with data. He reflects on the long road from Oklahoma to Nashville to Texas, losing a publishing deal, working at a pavement company during COVID, and building a career that now includes platinum records, a No. 1 song, and a place on major festival stages. It’s a conversation…

People in this episode

Host: Spout Podcast

Guests: Josh Ross, Corey Kent, Willow Avalon

Topics covered

  • Stagecoach
  • country music
  • songwriting
  • artist interviews
  • music industry
  • resilience
  • emotional storytelling

Keywords

  • Stagecoach
  • country music
  • Josh Ross
  • Corey Kent
  • Willow Avalon
  • songwriting
  • music industry
  • emotional songs
  • artist interviews

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Give Her Hell, Empty Words, Easy on the Eyes, Cardinal Sin

Places: Oklahoma, Nashville, Texas

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