Rita Wilson: Award-Winning Actress, Singer, Songwriter and Producer

September 28, 2022episodeCountry Artist, Country Music, Country Music Interview, Country Music podcast, Elvis Costello, Glen Campbell Museum, Jackson Browne, Jimmie Allen, Josh Groban, RIta Wilson, Tim McGrawcountrymusicsuccessstories

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Music was always my first love. I had an aching, a longing to get on a stage as a very young age. – Rita Wilson

Get ready for an up-close and very personal interview with Rita Wilson. Recorded in the green room at CMA Fest 2022, this is a rare look at one of the entertainment industries’ most versatile artists. From her early career on legendary TV shows like The Brady Bunch, Happy Days, MASH, Bosom Buddies and Three’s Company to leading roles in film and on stage, Rita’s inner-glow shines through in any genre. In this interview, she admits that there is no greater joy than pouring your heart into a song. Her latest album is a labor of love, co-produced by Grammy winner Matt Rowlings. Packed with timeless duets from the 70’s, Now & Forever features Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, Vince Gill, Elvis Costello, Jimmie Allen and Leslie Odom, Jr. The lead single features Josh Groban intertwined with Rita’s flawless vocal on the Fleetwood Mac classic, Songbird. In this interview, Rita opens up about a success story very few women in show business experience. This episode includes stories about her parent’s immigration to the United States, performing at the Grand Ole Opry, her breast cancer diagnosis, her devotion to her family and how songwriting came late, encouraged by Kara DioGuardi. But it is Rita’s answer to our final question about the key to her success that left us speechless. There were tears in Rita’s answer and we left knowing that we had just interviewed a person of great character. For a deep dive into the trajectory of a superstar, just hit that download button.

Kara DioGuardi: Grammy Nominated Songwriter (Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Britney Spears) & former American Idol judge

September 13, 2022episodeAmerican Idol, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, Christiana Aquilera, Country Music podcast, Kara DioGuardi, Kelly Clarkson, Music Interview, pop musiccountrymusicsuccessstories

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I really want to help artists who want to help themselves. If you give me 100%, I’m gonna give you 100%. If you’re only in at 20, that’s all I can meet you at. – Kara DioGuardi

When you’ve got record sales of 160 million worldwide, the chances are pretty high that you know the words to the mega-hits Kara DioGuardi has written. Superstars like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Celine Dion, Pink, Christina Aquilera, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Katharine McPhee and so many more know that collaborating with Kara DioGuardi is like discovering buried treasure. In this up-close and personal interview, you will learn exactly what makes Kara tick. Recorded in the living room of her craftsman-style home in Nashville, lovingly restored by she and her husband, Kara talks openly about everything from a childhood where she hated being asked to sing on the spot for family and friends, to her days fronting a garage band called “Grandma Trips” to her first job at Billboard Magazine, and her realization that songwriting and producing hit records might be the strongest of her many talents. Her climb to the top was steady, but it has not been without roadblocks. In this interview, Kara shares some #metoo stories saying: “I don’t know if its about bravery or stupidity. There were times when I was so determined, I may have ended up in situations that were not the best for me.” Happily married and the mother of one son, Kara takes parenting seriously and speaks openly about the heartbreaking loss of her mother to cancer years ago. These days, the former American Idol judge is using her wisdom as a music industry pro to help aspiring songwriters with BRIIDGE, the first music platform that matches music creators based on their skillset, location and personality. The app is exploding worldwide, forming a community of support, all under Kara’s watchful eye. Be sure to listen all the way through this podcast to hear Jacy’s chat with one of Kara’s BRIIDGE singer/songwriters, Christiana Alaire who makes her debut as this week’s emerging artist.

H. Jack Williams: Singer / Songwriter – Kevin Coster, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Greg Allman, Peter Gabriel.

June 2, 2022episodeCountry Music Interview, Greg Allman, h Jack Williams, Jack Williams, Kevin Costner, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Montgomery Gentry, Music Interview, Peter Gabriel, The Who, Yellowstonecountrymusicsuccessstories

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When I set my mind out to do something, I do it. – H. Jack Williams

For this episode, we’re at Anthem Entertainment in Nashville with singer/songwriter H. Jack Williams. Anthem is one of the world’s leading independent music and entertainment content and services companies with publishing, production, the iconic Anthem Records, Film & Television, Music Licensing. As we prepped for this interview, we couldn’t help but be amazing at his career: nearly 50 years of writing songs and making music with icons like Richie Havens, The Who, Uriah Heep, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Greg Allman, Peter Gabriel, Montgomery Gentry and most recently, Kevin Costner for his band Modern West and for his hit series Yellowstone. But what is even more amazing is that Jack is still alive to tell his story, because he was so badly abused as a child. Adopted at birth through an illegal adoption operation run by the infamous Dr. Catherine Cole in Miami, Florida, Jack was raised in Eureka, Florida. His mother was a swimming teacher at the local YMCA. His father worked at the post office and was a card carrying member of the Ku Klux Klan. In this podcast, Jack explains that his early childhood was idyllic, but as he approached his early teens, his skin darkened and his father began to beat him with a garden hose, especially after he was passed up for a promotion by a black man. Jack ran away at 16 and at 17, joined the Marine Corp and became part of elite Force Recon. Now 70, this wise renaissance man is experiencing an incredible 2nd act as a recording artist with the release of his latest album Halfway to Hell which includes 10 songs he co-wrote, including two with Kevin Costner. In this episode, we learn that H. Jack Williams’ middle name should have been persistence, because he never, ever gave up on his dream to create music and relationships that pass the test of time.

Glen Campbell Tribute: Part Two – An Exclusive Interview with Glen’s wife, Kim Campbell

May 19, 2022episodeClass Country Music, Country Music Interview, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell Museum, Kim Campbellcountrymusicsuccessstories

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Dear God, please send me a southern, good looking Christian millionaire who I can be in love with and he can be in love with me…and there I was, having dinner with Glen Campbell. — Kim Campbell

Welcome to part two of our interview series on the life and music of Glen Campbell, recorded before a live studio audience at the Glen Campbell Museum in Nashville, Tennessee on April 21, 2022. This episode is your chance to experience what life was like behind the scenes, including the kinds of details only his wife Kim Campbell can share. Married to Glen for 34 years, the couple had three children together, and all of them are accomplished artists in their own right. In this interview, Kim shares her life as a dancer in New York City and how she met Glen on a blind date and married him 6 months later. Kim is very honest about Glen’s addiction to drugs and alcohol, sharing that it was their deep Christian faith that pulled them through, making it possible for Glen to be sober and the best husband and father she could have asked for. In 2011, despite a diagnosis of Alzheimers Disease, Glen set out on an unprecedented tour across America. He thought it would last five weeks but would go on to sell out 151 shows over 18 months. With his children Cal, Shannon and Ashley performing on stage with him, and Kim in the wings, the family was able to make Glen’s Good Bye Tour a glowing chapter in his success story, garnering an Academy Award nomination and the Grammy in 2015 for Best Country Song for I’m Not Gonna Miss You. From that first blind date to Glen’s death in 2017, this interview is a deep dive into the life of a country music icon, told as only a loving wife can tell it.

Glen Campbell Tribute: Part One – TK Kimbrell, Mike Borchetta & Julian Raymond

April 27, 2022episodeClass Country Music, Country Music, Country Music Interview, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell Museum, Julian Raymond, Mike Borchetta, Music Interview, Rhinestone Cowboy, TK Kimbrellcountrymusicsuccessstories

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There was never a more wonderful human being on the planet than Glen Campbell. – Mike Borchetta

Generations of artists count Glen Campbell as one of the greatest artists who ever lived. He was gifted with the kind of voice that connected to the lyric and the listener in a memorable way. Experts say that Glen Campbell was the greatest guitarist to ever play. In fact, he was a member of the famous Wrecking Crew, an outstanding session guitarist who played on some of the greatest records ever made like Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra, Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley, and You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling by The Righteous Brothers, Bridge Over Troubled Waters by Simon & Garfunkel. Willie Nelson once said: “When the good Lord was passin’ out talent, Glen Campbell got on the line twice.”

This episode was recorded LIVE at the Glen Campbell Museum on April 21, 2022 as part of a week long tribute to the man and his music. Glen died of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2017 and the museum is a place where you can experience his talent and his legacy firsthand. It’s a Nashville treasure where you’ll see his guitars, his awards, his costumes you can even sing along to Rhinestone Cowboy with Glen Campbell in a soundproof booth.

As our audience took their seats, the goal was to uncover details about Glen Campbell from three of his lifelong friends: manager TK Kimbrell, Grammy winning songwriter and producer Julian Raymond and recording industry giant, Mike Borchetta. From humble beginnings as the son of sharecropper in Delight, Arkansas, Glen Campbell made the kind of music that will never die.

Candy & Jacy: Manifesting & Wish Boards

April 13, 2022episodeBoston pops, candy o'terry, Country Music, jacy dawn, Jacy Dawn Valeras, manifestation, Naomi Judd, singing, wish boardcountrymusicsuccessstories

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Manifesting your dreams and visualizing your success works. We’re proof of that. -Candy & Jacy

This episode is a little bit different from the others. While together in Palm Springs, California for a west coast swing of interviews, we decided to sit down with cozy blankets and glasses of vodka and soda to talk about our career paths in music. Trust us, the road has been filled with potholes and disappointments, loss and heartache and we talk about all of it openly in this episode, including when Jacy lost her voice, and Candy almost lost her daughter. What we have discovered is that just like the artists we’ve interviewed on this series, when doors were closed and the answer was “no”, we didn’t give up, we just adjusted our sails and kept on going. We were not only determined to be successful, we envisioned our success from a very early age. Yes, manifestation is real and wish boards work and we are proof of that! The key is: you’ve got to believe you can do it, and you will. Like Naomi Judd told us in our very first episode: “You’ve got to be like the Little Engine That Could. Say to yourself: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”

Lindy Robbins – Multi-platinum selling & award-winning songwriter

March 23, 2022episodeBackstreet Boys, Country Music, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo, lindy robbins, Morgan Evans, Music Interview, pop music, songwritingcountrymusicsuccessstories

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Did I change somebody’s life, or change somebody’s day or help somebody to survive cancer because of this song that was a joy to write? That’s everything. – Lindy Robbins

Our trip to Los Angeles was a blast. We had lunch in Beverly Hills, walked up and down Rodeo Drive like we were Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and then hopped in the car for this interview with Lindy Robbins. She’s a multi-platinum selling and award-winning songwriter who has written hits for for the Backstreet Boys, Demi Lovato, and Jason Derulo, and you’ll hear hear the stories behind mega-hit songs in this interview. But Lindy is no stranger to Nashville and country music, having written great big hits like Day Drunk, Morgan Evan’s top 20 smash that went platinum in his native Australia. Turns out, Lindy has been a mentor to many young songwriters from every genre and Jacy couldn’t wait to get her advice for her Music City Mentor segment, so don’t miss Lindy’s answers at the end of this interview. Lindy LOVES the creative process and her energy is like a billion watt nuclear reactor! By the time this interview is over, you’ll feel like you know her, she’s that open and friendly with lots of cool stories to tell. Aspiring songwriters, take notes!

Anthony Resta – Platinum Selling Producer, Composer & Musician

March 10, 2022episodeAnthony Resta, blondie, collective soul, duran duran, elton john, hollywood interview, Music Interview, Sara Evans, shaun mullins, studio engineercountrymusicsuccessstories

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Being a producer is a lot like directing a film. You want to have a look at the bigger picture. You need to be able to zoom out and help the artist get a picture of where they’ve always wanted to go.

-Anthony Resta

We’re back from our west coast swing where we were searching for interviews with iconic music industry pros. One day in California we ended up high in the Hollywood Hills for an interview with Anthony Resta, award-winning producer, sound engineer, multi-talented musician, songwriter, and collector of vintage instruments. Anthony has worked with just about every A-lister you can think of including Duran Duran, Collective Soul, Blondie, Sara Evans, Shaun Mullins and Sir Elton John. And if you are a fan of the Twilight series, Scream 2, Scream 3, or Varsity Blues, it was Anthony Resta who did the programming and production work on these soundtracks. Originally from Canada, Anthony spent a few years living in Australia as a child and then moved to Chelmsford, Massachusetts where he met Jacy and then Candy a few years later. A prolific artist who performed beat poetry with the stage name Ajax Ray-o-Vac, Anthony plays drums, guitar, bass, piano, flute, clarinet and harmonica. His success story is filled with rich experiences, where he experimented with sounds, stayed ahead of the curve, learned how to guide artists to their greatest studio performances, and earned a name for himself as THE guy you want to work with in the studio. As we wound our way into Laurel Canyon, Anthony was waiting for us at the gate to his recording compound. Built in the 1920’s, it was once a hunting lodge and it is in this environment where Anthony feels most at home. As we pressed record, he poured us an espresso, sat back, and told us how he made his way in the music industry.

Jim Vest – Award-winning Steel Guitarist, Producer & Author

February 24, 2022episodeCountry Music, Jim Vest, Music Interview, Nashville, Nashville musician, Nashville producer, steel guitar, studio musiciancountrymusicsuccessstories

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Somebody from an 11 dollar house in Alabama has cut some of the biggest records in the world and if that can happen for me, it can happen for you. – Jim Vest

We can hardly wait for you to hear this interview with Jim Vest: musician, producer, songwriter, and leader of the legendary Nashville Cats. Recorded in an easy chair from his cozy home just outside of Nashville, this is a first-hand story about a career that thrives to this day.

The author of the new book Jim Vest & the Magic of a Steel Guitar, he is one of the greatest steel guitarists in the world. Jim has also been a teacher and mentor too many musicians along the way who have experienced a sideways glance and a dose of “Jim Vest schoolin.” He is also the recipient of the Super Picker Award, given only to musicians who have played on million selling records. In fact, Jim is so good, Paul McCartney showed up in a Nashville club wearing a fur coat, just to hear him play and an unknown artist named Kenny Chesney called him “Jimbo” and used to sing demos for him. It’s safe to say that everyone in Nashville knows and respects the great Jim Vest, but in this interview, we get to know the genius and the heart of a legend.

Pam Lewis – Nashville Publicist & Preservationist

February 2, 2022episodeGarth Brooks, mtv, Music business podcast, Music Interview, Nashville, Pam Lewis, pr, publicist, RCA Records, The Judds, Trisha Yearwoodcountrymusicsuccessstories

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There are a lot of parallels between the French wine industry and the country music industry. The vintners will cut back the vines to make them suffer in order to produce the best grapes. There is a part of this town that wants you to suffer a little bit. You’ve got to pay your dues. – Pam Lewis

Have you ever wondered about the role PR and marketing play in the development of a country music artist? Easy answer: it’s huge. That’s why we sat down with Pam Lewis, one of the PR queens of Nashville with offices right on Music Row. Born and raised in upstate New York, she attended Wells College and studied abroad to attend a program associated with The Sorbonne University. One of her very first jobs out of college took her to New York City where she was part of the original publicity and marketing team for MTV and sister channels Nickelodeon, the Movie Channel and A&E. In this interview, she tells the story of her move to Nashville in 1984 where she made the transition to country music at RCA Records and helped to shape the careers of stars like Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, The Judds & Alabama. Her partnership with Bob Doyle in 1987 formed Doyle/Lewis Management and their first client was an unknown artist named Garth Brooks. In addition to her work with Garth, Pam helped Trisha Yearwood land her first record deal which yielded the artist her first record-breaking single, “She’s In Love With The Boy.” The dissolution of her business relationship with Garth Brooks is well documented, and so is her determination and tenacity to get back on her feet through PLAMedia, Pam’s thriving PR and marketing agency. In this interview, we learn a lot about the business of country music and what it takes to succeed. For a birds-eye view into the life of a trailblazing powerhouse, hit that download button.

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