Jrodconcerts: The Podcast

Rooster Walk is officially the #1 music festival in the region. After years of being a "top contender," the Martinsville, VA mainstay recently took home the top prize in the 2026 Best of the Blue Ridge Awards. In this episode, Jrod sits down with Executive Producer Johnny Buck for an inside look at the 16th annual festival (May 21–24, 2026). They discuss the festival’s moving origin story, its com...

In this episode of Jrodconcerts The Podcast, Jamie sits down with Nashville’s indie-pop sensations Jake & Shelby. From their shared roots in Hendersonville to gaining over a million followers and the attention of superstars like Michael Bublé, their journey feels like a "one in a million" miracle. We go behind the viral moments to discuss the duo's debut album, Learning To Love, and the soul-barin...

"Choosing love ain’t love, unless the choosing is free." What happens when an artist stops caring about the "industry machine" and starts caring only about the truth? Today, we sit down with 2-time JUNO and 17-time CCMA Award winner Tenille Townes to discuss the most transformative chapter of her career yet. Last time Tenille was on the show, we were navigating the beautiful chaos of Bonnaroo 2022...

It’s been five years since Aviva Mongillo (formerly known as CARYS) last sat down with Jamie. In that time, she’s gone from a viral pop explosion to a radical artistic rebirth. In this episode, we deconstruct the journey of an artist who chose to walk away from the major label machine to find her own voice. Fresh off her role as Dori in the Netflix series Bet, Aviva opens up about the "recovering...

This week, we are bringing you a very special reunion and our final broadcast from this year's festival coverage. We taped this conversation a few weeks ago on-site at the 30A Songwriters Festival, and it serves as the perfect conclusion to our 2026 series from the coast. Five years ago, Judy Blank joined us for the milestone Episode #100. Today, she returns to the show as a global powerhouse with...

“Sometimes, playing for 70,000 people is easier than playing for 50.” Live from the 2026 30A Songwriters Festival in South Walton, Florida, Jaime sits down with the husband-and-wife Americana powerhouse, Goldpine (Kassie and Ben Wilson). In this episode, we go behind the scenes of their journey—from the massive scale of performing the National Anthem at Arrowhead Stadium to the intimate, high-stak...

We are back home in Nashville! After a whirlwind week in Los Angeles, Jrod is back in the studio to deconstruct a 2026 Grammy Awards cycle that felt like a tectonic shift for the industry. Before the glitz of the Crypto.com Arena and the Peacock Theater, we head to the historic Troubadour for the Americanafest Pre-Grammy Salute to the Songs of Neil Young. We break down the magic of seeing an all-s...

Live from Downtown Los Angeles, in the heart of the Grammy orbit, Jrod breaks down everything you need to know ahead of the 68th Annual Grammy Awards. This year, the narrative isn't just about the chart-toppers—it’s about the "Vanguard" sound. We’re diving deep into the category breakdown and why the industry is seeing a necessary return to craft. In this episode, we discuss: The Nashville Vanguar...

How does a band survive losing an entire album's worth of recordings to a smash-and-grab theft? In this high-fidelity session, Zach Williams, the powerhouse frontman of The Lone Bellow, joins Jamie to pull back the curtain on the most exhilarating—and testing—chapter of the band’s 15-year career. Ahead of their new album What A Time To Be Alive (releasing February 13th), Zach shares the raw truth...

In this high-fidelity conversation recorded live at the 2026 30A Songwriters Festival in Walton County, Florida, Jrod sits down with one of the most revered voices in American music: Gretchen Peters. Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and a recipient of the ACM Poet’s Award, Gretchen Peters has spent her career deconstructing the human condition. While she is the pen behind legen...

"Five years is a serious run for a tribute show." Today, we are joined by our dear friend, singer-songwriter Andrew Leahey, to preview a milestone event in Music City: The 5th Annual East Nashville Tribute to The Traveling Wilburys. Coming to The Basement East on Friday, January 23, 2026, this year’s lineup is the biggest and most ambitious yet. From the "no-ego" philosophy of the original legends...

What happens when a classically trained cellist becomes an Americana soul-seeker and an award-winning director? In this episode, we sit down with Janie Price, the creative force known as BIRD, to explore a career that defies categorization. From her early days picking up the cello at age six to her recent acclaim from legends like Johnny Marr and Roy Orbison Jr., BIRD’s journey is one of relentles...

In this episode of Jrodconcerts: The Podcast, we sit down with the 2016 Kerrville New Folk winner and the master of "Americanoir," Ben de la Cour. Fresh off the release of his June 2025 album, New Roses, Ben joins us for a raw and insightful conversation about the grit required to make it in the Nashville machine. From his early days of doubt to finding his unique sonic signature, Ben shares the s...

“If he wanted to, he would.” Those are the resolute words anchoring Izzy Mahoubi’s newest single, “Good”—a bluesy Americana power ballad that proves why this 20-year-old artist is one of the most compelling new voices in the indie-folk/pop scene. In this episode, Jaime sits down with the Phoenix-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter to discuss her journey from "child prodigy" to opening for acts...

Nashville-based indie singer/songwriter and acclaimed actress Katie Boeck returns to Jrodconcerts: The Podcast. Katie, who previously starred in the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Spring Awakening, joins host Jamie to dive into the latest chapter of her creative life. She's back with her deeply personal new single, "Dust" (out since August 15th, 2025), a track that explores themes of spiritual...

The 30A Songwriters Festival is one of the most highly anticipated, absolute must-attend stops on our annual coverage calendar—and that’s why we’re bringing you an exclusive preview right now, as the final countdown begins!" The largest gathering of nationally recognized songwriters is coming back to the beautiful Florida coast, January 16th through the 19th, 2026. We sit down with the visionary l...

Get ready for an insightful conversation with Tim Nordwind, the bass player for the endlessly inventive rock band, OK Go! We dive deep into the world of one of music's most unique acts, from their groundbreaking visual art to their incredible new album, And The Adjacent Possible (released April 2025). Tim gives us the inside story on the band's latest achievements and what fans can expect from the...

The 59th Annual CMA Awards are over, and the dust is still settling in Nashville. Jrod breaks down the three-hour spectacle, from the biggest wins that shifted the genre to the snubs and controversies that social media can't stop talking about. Inside this episode: Lainey Wilson's Reign: She walked away with Entertainer of the Year and Album of the Year, but did the triple win while hosting taint...

Country music's biggest night is almost here! Jrod dives into the drama, the upsets, and the historical milestones set for the 59th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville. We are coming to you straight from the CMA Awards Press Conference where we heard directly from solo host and top nominee Lainey Wilson. We have the exclusive, first-hand insights into her hosting strategy, her six nominations, and her...

A legendary night in Los Angeles. A groundbreaking new class. A must-listen recap! The 40th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on November 8th was an electrifying, emotional, and star-studded event at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Join Jrodconcerts as we break down every unforgettable moment from the stage and behind the scenes. We dive deep into the night's biggest moments,...

Join JrodConcerts for a fascinating conversation with Joelton Mayfield, the Nashville-based artist celebrating his debut album, Crowd Pleaser (out since October 24th via Bloodshot Records). In this episode, we dive deep into the inspiration behind Crowd Pleaser, the meaning of his new single "Turpentine (You Know the One)," and how he's navigating the music world as a burgeoning songwriter. The St...

Pop star, singer-songwriter, and powerhouse vocalist Chloe Stroll joins Jrodconcerts for a candid conversation about her journey to her debut album, Bloom in the Break. We dive into Chloe's deep love for Whitney Houston and how the iconic star, alongside Celine Dion, inspired her to pursue her "big ballads" despite not having a professional musician in the family. Chloe shares stories of being "bo...

Country superstar Jake Owen joins Jrod to dive deep into his most raw and honest project yet, the new album Dreams to Dream (out November 7). Jake opens up about his unexpected collaboration with producer Shooter Jennings—a partnership sparked by an Instagram comment that turned into an "old-school country" record. Jake discusses growing up, finding catharsis in honest songwriting, and how this al...

Friend of the show Kashena Sampson returns to discuss her transformative new album, Ghost Of Me—a powerful cycle of letting go and rising again, structured around the phases of the moon. Kashena details her shift from Americana to a dark, industrial pop/rock sound, how she intentionally aligned her singles ("Rear View Mirror," "Phases") with specific lunar milestones, and the "vampire-style" arran...

The sensational Morgan James—hailed as "a phenomenal talent whose feel for classic soul music is bone deep" by The New York Times—is back on the show for an unprecedented third time! The former Broadway star and Juilliard alum joins J. Rod to peel back the curtain on her boundary-less career and her brilliant new concept album, Soul Remains The Same. What you’ll hear in this episode: Life Fantasti...