Circling The Drain

On this episode of Circling The Drain, Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim talk about how political division has seeped into every corner of entertainment and media. They trade stories from talk radio, debate Trump’s influence on patriot events, and unpack why fans are turning on artists who get too political from the stage. The guys also reminisce about women who changed rock (Linda Ronstadt, Ann and N...

Country icon Trace Adkins gets candid about buying his Tennessee farm, Nashville’s explosive growth, and why “perfect” modern records leave him cold. He shares wild stories with Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens, and more, plus visions for a catfish joint called Hot Mamas. Trace Adkins is back for part three, and this time he goes deep on life at the farm, Nashville’s real estate explosio...

In Part 2 of our deep-dive with country icon Trace Adkins, we get the stories behind his most emotional and controversial songs, from “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” to “You’re Gonna Miss This” and “Arlington.” Trace shares powerful memories from Arlington National Cemetery, his candid take on Donald Trump, and the radio days with Phil Valentine that almost got people fired. We also dig into his acting c...

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...

Veteran bassist and author Mickey Hayes joins Circling the Drain to pull back the curtain on the wild, brilliant and chaotic world of country legend David Allan Coe. From blacked‑out tour buses and outlaw bikers to wigs, panthers, boats and hit songs, Mickey shares what it was really like to live on the edge with one of country music’s most controversial figures.   Mickey talks about joining Coe’s...

Sheila Shipley Biddy went from small‑town radio and seven failed interviews to running one of Nashville’s most powerful record labels. In this episode, the first woman to head a major label on Music Row sits down with us to talk about discovering artists, fighting industry sexism, and the stories behind some of country music’s biggest careers. Sheila shares intimate memories of working with legend...

Award-winning artist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Golden joins Johnny B and Jay Harper to swap stories from a lifetime in music. From growing up in the Golden family dynasty (son of Oak Ridge Boys’ William Lee Golden), to playing for every living U.S. president, to singing with his kids and racking up 478,000 miles on the road, this episode is loaded with behind-the-scenes tales, faith, family,...

Larry Stewart, the voice of Restless Heart and member of The Frontmen, joins Circling The Drain to talk about breaking through in 80s and 90s country, early resistance from Music Row, touring with Alabama, and how one phone call changed his life. Larry shares the origin stories of Restless Heart and The Frontmen, the realities of road life, raising a family while constantly touring, and why today’...

Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy dive into how Nashville and Middle Tennessee have changed under the wave of California and out-of-state transplants. From McMansions and roaming dogs to the death of “old” Music Row, they unpack what’s been gained, what’s been lost, and why some newcomers bring their problems with them.   They also hit on the impact of the Telecommunications Act on radio, the...

Circling The Drain welcomes artist and storyteller Jared Rogers, with a special guest drop‑in from country legend John Berry. They dive deep into what’s happened to the magic of music: from growing up around Kenny Rogers and Opryland to the harsh reality of streaming payouts, AI “artists,” and the corporatization of radio and Nashville.   Jared shares the story behind his powerful duet with John B...

On this episode of Circling The Drain, the three J’s sit down with Marconi Award–winning talk host and former WTN program director Dan Mandis for a deep dive into his 30+ years in radio.   From cutting his teeth at legendary KFI in Los Angeles with Dr. Laura, to building syndication the hard way, to steering SuperTalk 99.7 WTN through the loss of Phil Valentine, Dan opens up about the highs, lows,...

On this episode of Circling The Drain, Johnny B, Jay Harper and James Patrick McCarthy sit down with guitarist and broadcaster Dez Dickerson – best known as Prince’s original guitarist from the 1999 and Little Red Corvette era. Dez takes us from his early days in Midwestern cover bands to his legendary audition with Prince, life on the road, opening for the Rolling Stones, his faith journey, leavi...

In this episode of Circling The Drain, Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy dive deep into the changing world of music and radio from the perspective of insiders who have lived it.   They start with why some artists get massive tribute concerts while others do not, then slide into a raw, honest look at country radio’s glory days, its corporate-driven decline, and what happens to artists and broa...

In this powerful episode of Circling the Drain, Johnny B and Jay Harper sit down with legendary drummer Zoro (Lenny Kravitz, Bobby Brown, and more) to explore his extraordinary journey from growing up in Compton and rural Oregon poverty to becoming a world‑class musician, author, speaker, and “Minister of Groove.”   Zoro shares how a humble janitor job unlocked his destiny, why he believes gifts c...

Johnny and Jim talk candidly about the state of radio today, the toll of bad management, and how podcasting has become a lifeline after nearly 50 years on the air.  They share raw stories about being let go over Zoom, losing close friends and mentors like Phil Valentine and Dave White, and trying to find purpose again in a fractured media landscape. Guest appearance by longtime radio pro John Davi...

In this episode of Circling The Drain, we sit down with traditional country artist and former radio host Scott Southworth for a funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly deep conversation.   Scott shares how “bad breaks” in life often led to his biggest blessings, from accidentally landing a radio show on WLAC to stumbling into a thriving traditional country career with fans across Europe. He talks about...

What do The Beatles, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, The Monkees, Queen, Bo Diddley, Jason Aldean, and a random fan named Dave in a backstage doorway all have in common? Sandy Gennaro. In this episode of Circling the Drain, John and Jim sit down with veteran rock drummer Sandy Gennaro, a man whose career has taken him from watching The Beatles on TV as a kid to playing arenas around the world and speakin...

Longtime Nashville programmer Ron Allen (96.3 Jack FM, Y’all Country) joins Circling The Drain to talk about 20 years of Jack FM, the changing face of radio, and how local personalities still matter in a streaming and AI-driven world. Ron walks through his journey from Tulsa and Wichita to Nashville, the heyday of big-budget radio, and what has been lost as companies cut costs, shrink staffs, and...

From Civil War battlefields to the legendary Hank Williams house on Franklin Road, this episode of Circling The Drain dives deep into hauntings, strange coincidences, and emotional encounters with the other side. Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy swap eerie and heartfelt stories, including:   – Ghostly music in Phil Valentine’s old cabin   – Cold rooms and strange phenomena in Hank and Audrey...

Radio veteran and voiceover pro Bennie Shipley joins Johnny B, Jay and Jim for a deep dive into the golden age of radio, the rise of country music superstars, and the evolving world of voiceover in the age of AI. Starting as a 15-year-old kid at WLCK in Scottsville, Kentucky, Benny went on to WCDS, became a hometown celebrity in high school, and eventually made the massive leap to powerhouse Nashv...

From coked-up sales reps in limos to Dolly Parton impostors and “attributes” pressed against the studio glass, this episode dives deep into the wild world of radio sales and promotions. Johnny B, Jay Harper, and James Patrick McCarthy trade war stories from small-market radio, over-the-top salespeople, unforgettable clients, and the local commercial legends who became stars in their own right. Tim...

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.”   Alo...

Fresh off a nasty Nashville ice storm, Johnny B, Jay, and Jim unpack winter chaos, government blame, and why people still run to live talk radio when things get dangerous. From Phil Valentine tornado stories and Sheryl Crow calling out NES, to THC cookie misadventures, potholes, the Cherokee Nation fixing roads, and the slow death of music radio, this one is equal parts war story and radio therapy...

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 Gol...

Legendary keyboardist, writer, and producer Bill Cuomo joins Circling The Drain to share six decades of music-industry stories. From crafting the iconic intros to “Bette Davis Eyes” and “Oh Sherrie” to working with Alabama, Trace Adkins, Herb Alpert, Barbra Streisand, Little River Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd**, and more, Bill walks through the evolution of recording from analog to digital, lawsuits with...