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 broadcasters when the industry moves on.
From Taylor Hawkins and Eddie Van Halen, to Waylon Jennings, Jason Aldean, Kacey Musgraves, and Tim McGraw, the guys unpack how careers peak and fade, how politics can tank a fan base, and why loyalty in production teams still matters.
Along the way, you will hear behind the scenes stories from Nashville radio, Country Radio Seminar, hall of fame inductions, and on air rivalries the hosts now regret. It is a brutally honest, funny, and nostalgic ride through a business that is, quite literally, circling the drain.
Listen for
– Why some legends get big tribute concerts and others never do
– How corporate ownership and streaming gutted local radio
– The unspoken 20 year shelf life of most country stars
– When politics and award shows push fans away
– Confessions about bashing other hosts on the air
– The Nashville radio names they still want to get on the podcast
Circling The Drain is a podcast about music, media, and entertainment before it all goes down the disposal.
2:12 – Taylor Hawkins vs Eddie Van Halen: who gets a tribute and why
3:55 – Waylon Jennings, tribute shows, and honoring musical “gifting”
6:10 – Radio as a launchpad: how on air skills still matter even when radio does not
7:05 – Inside Country Radio Seminar: from DJ convention to corporate schmooze fest
8:49 – Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson as “new artists” at CRS
10:28 – Early misreads: not being blown away by The Judds at first listen
12:17 – When record labels ruled: RCA, MCA, and the power to make stars
13:27 – The Nashville machine wakes up to radio’s decline and bankrupt clusters
14:22 – Getting tossed aside with age: musicians, flatbed truck gigs, and reality checks
15:32 – Why only a handful of artists have true decades-long careers
18:11 – Earl Thomas Conley: hit records, introversion, and painful live shows
19:58 – Country bars, boring sets, and what audiences really want
21:56 – Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, and the 20 year A list career arc
23:37 – What happened to Kacey Musgraves and the Dixie Chicks effect
24:55 – The cost of politics onstage and why some artists never learn
25:32 – Oscars, live streams, and why award shows feel pompous and out of touch
26:36 – CMT Awards, live vocals, and brutal pitch correction moments
27:47 – Waylon’s hearing loss and the studio tricks to keep him on pitch
28:42 – Jason Aldean’s “Try That In A Small Town” and the Columbia courthouse backlash
30:06 – Racism in the North vs South: a blunt Ohio story
30:58 – Jason Aldean’s production team loyalty and “do not fix what is not broken”
31:39 – Talk radio etiquette: why bashing other hosts is bush league
32:39 – Johnny’s regret over slamming Rick and Bubba on the air
35:00 – Howard Stern, rivalries, and when feuds actually helped the ratings
36:01 – Air Awards story: the Kanye West Bill Cody gag
37:28 – How industry awards slowly got cheaper and smaller
38:24 – Tennessee Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame and forgetting key co hosts
40:00 – Phil Valentine, Terry Hopkins, and the show that made a career
42:29 – Brian Sargent, music director battles, and taking heat for the host
43:36 – A rare good GM: Dennis Ways and healthy radio culture
44:21 – Michael Dickey and the reality of ownership families
45:59 – Who they still want on: Nashville radio legends, especially women
47:07 – TV and weather crossovers: why they want Davis Nolan’s story
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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co