The Music Universe Podcast

With a legendary career spanning five decades, Kansas has firmly established itself as one of America’s iconic classic rock bands. This "garage band" from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide. The group is best known for "Carry On Wayward Son," a song that continue...

Michael Ray is a multi-Platinum country star who has four No. 1 singles under his belt, has garnered over one billion streams globally, and grew up playing traditional country music in a family band. The country star's most recent project, The Warehouse Sessions , features live performances of songs from his most recent studio project, Higher Education . Earlier this year, Ray released a cinematic...

Morgan chats from his tour bus Last month, Craig Morgan -- Army veteran, country music hit-maker and star of the CBS series Beyond The Edge -- released his much-anticipated personal memoir, God, Family, Country , in partnership with Blackstone Publishing. The book, which Morgan wrote with Jim DeFelice, details the country star's road to success, from his humble childhood in Tennessee to his years...

Band releases a remixed version of debut record The Dead Kennedys’ classic 1980 album Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables has been remixed from the original multi-track tapes by Chris Lord-Alge and is now available via Manifesto Records. The band’s debut album, which was originally released on September 2, 1980, is politically incendiary while also wholly musically adept – provocative and often idi...

Drummer joins us for an hour Kenny Aronoff is one of the most influential and in demand drummers and percussionists in the world. He has entertained millions of people with his drumming, has played on thousands of records, and has been the “go to” drummer for the biggest stars in music, including John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Elton John, Jon Bon Jovi, Stin, Adele, Bruno Mars, Alice Cooper, Lady G...

We trek to Europe to explore some music history If you've been following our podcast, you know that we had a big European trip set for September 2022 to coincide with the five Garth Brooks Irish concerts in Dublin. That time has come and gone and we wanted to recap the trip with a new series -- TMU Radio -- which features us talking about a variety of music-related subjects without a guest. We not...

Sweeney releases new album on Sept 23rd Sunny Sweeney's new album, Married Alone , drops on September 23rd via Thirty Tigers. Produced by Paul Cauthen and The Texas Gentlemen’s Beau Bedford, Married Alone takes listeners on a vibey ride from rowdy juke joints to lonely hotel rooms over the course of twelve tracks. Ranging from sweet acoustic Americana to painful, pedal steel ballads to unrestraine...

Kongos is one of the biggest independent bands in the world Kongos -- featuring brothers Johnny, Jesse, Dylan and Danny Kongos -- have music in their blood. They're continuing the musical legacy of their South African/British father, John Kongos, who landed hits on multiple charts in the Seventies. Growing up in London and Johannesburg, the men ultimately settled in their mother's hometown of Phoe...

Texas rapper chats about career and new music In the mid 2000's, Cowboy Troy defined a new era in country music with country rap -- or hick hop, as he has coined it. The Texas born rapper released Loco Motive in 2005 with "I Play Chicken With The Train" landing in the Top 50 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. It paved the way for a genre that some may argue is unrecognizable today with its hi...

We address some positive and negative things about the trek After two summers of delays , Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts hit the road this summer The Stadium Tour . Produced by Live Nation, the summer tour is set to wind down on September 9th with a performance at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Upon initially going on sale in 2020, 25 stops have sold out whil...

Farriss has embarked on a solo career Earlier this year, prolific INXS singer/songwriter Andrew Farriss released his self-titled debut solo record. After decades of producing and writing songs for others, Farriss has embarked on a solo career. A credit to his remarkable versatility, his self-titled debut album is stunningly Americana and features a collection of eclectic songs with a unique blend...

Wright chats about her new album and "Take It Like Man" 30th anniversary Canadian Country Music Hall of Famer Michelle Wright releases her 10th studio record,  Milestone , on August 26th via BFD/Audium Nashville. The album was produced by Bob Funk and features her latest single, "Small Town," released in June. Wright is also celebrating the 30th anniversary of her massive hit, "Take It Like A Man,...

Multi-faceted entertainer chats about her new single & more The multi-faceted Hayley Orrantia debuts her new single, " Gasoline ," today (Fri, Aug 12th). The track is a pop juggernaut that imbues her country trademark, and shows off a new side to her songwriting. It follows the May release of " Open Your Mouth ," in which she calls out her self-obsessed ex. Orrantia co-wrote "Gasoline" with Be...

Griffin is transitioning from songwriter to an artist Singer/Songwriter Ryan Griffin is making waves, having been previously tapped as an opener for Kelsea Ballerini, Lady A and Old Dominion. The budding country star co-wrote Ballerini's No. 1 hit, "Dibs," and is the first signee to Red Street Country , run by Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus. In May, Griffin released his EP, Slow Down Sunrise , which...

White suffered a stroke in 2019 Drake White continues his musical voyage with his second studio album,  The Optimystic , which was released in March 2022. White co-wrote 12 of the album's 14 tracks and produced two songs solo, co-produced the others with The Cadillac Three's Jaren Johnston. In August 2019, White collapsed on stage due to a hemorrhagic stroke, the result of Arteriovenous Malformati...

Ranger Doug talks about the group's legacy Riders in the Sky is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2022. The four members -- Doug "Ranger Doug" Green, Fred "Too Slim" Labour, Paul "Woody Paul" Chrisman and Joey "The Cowpolka King" Miskulin -- are keeping country music fans laughing with their mix of quick-witted humor, musicianship and vocal abilities. The group regularly tours while appearing fr...

Dean chats about forthcoming album Billy Dean is keeping 90's country alive with the release of his forthcoming album, The Rest of It’s Mine . The 10-track collection of tunes reflects a place very near and dear to his heart: his home state of Florida, where he and his wife have resided since returning to the panhandle in 2018. The project is his first country album in 10 years and drops July 22nd...

Rising country duo, BoomTown Saints, have released their debut single, " All Trucks Go To Heaven ," via Nashville/Muscle Shoals-based entertainment company, 8 Track Entertainment. Chris Ramos and Ben Chism formed the duo in 2018 after deciding to pursue music full time instead of their previous career paths. The guys chat with us about those former career paths as well as their forthcomi...

Flanigan is prepping his debut album For the last decade, troubadour Ian Flanigan has toured his whiskey-soaked voice and evocative lyrics across America, with a country sound reminiscent of Joe Cocker and Chris Stapleton. In 2020, Flanigan was a celebrated finalist on NBC’s The Voice, finishing third as the representative from Team Blake. The country music world has since tapped him as an up-and-...

McCreery chats about his latest music and expanding his family Last fall, Scotty McCreery released his fifth studio album Same Truck via Triple Tigers. The album includes his latest single, " Damn Strait ," which has become the fastest rising single of his career. The track follows the country singer's fourth consecutive No. 1 single “ You Time ,” also from the album. Earlier this week, McCreery a...

Zeiders recently released second EP Fast-rising country star Warren Zeiders released his second highly-anticipated set of original tracks, 717 Tapes EP Vol. 2 in April via Warner Music. The set features the stunning, panoramic track, "Wild Horse" which reveals a plaintive tale about the tribulations of chasing a dream to fulfill one’s destiny. The introspective ballad offers a poignant contrast to...

We were in Nashville for 2022 CMA Fest The 49th CMA Fest is in the books after a two year hiatus due to the pandemic. Reporter Matt Bailey was on the ground in Nashville where he brought us updates from all of the action all festival long. Matt was live from Music City Center most of the time, but also chatted with artists at the Chevy Vibes Stage, Glen Campbell Museum and even backstage at the Gr...

Anderson releases a new best of album One cannot think or talk about country music or the Grand Ole Opry without thinking of Whisperin' Bill Anderson. The Country Music Hall of Famer releases his new album, As Far As I Can See: The Best Of , today (Fri, June 10th) which includes a newly recorded duet and original 1964 demo with Dolly Parton. The collection of 16 songs shares its name with the curr...

Morgan chats with us Nineties country music star Lorrie Morgan is looking ahead to a big year. She is currently working on two new albums, writing a book about her life and career, and recently accepted the announcement of her former husband, the late Keith Whitley, will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum later this year. We welcome Morgan via video to discuss her successfu...

Band releases collection on LP UMe has issued The Cranberries' greatest hits collection Stars: The Best of 1992–2002 on 2 LP vinyl . The reissue comes 30 years after its original release and collects their five Island Records album hits and adds two tracks unavailable on other albums, "New New York" and "Stars." Drummer Fergal Lawler joins me virtually from Ireland to discuss the new vinyl, forthc...