John Schneider

July 7, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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I’ve always expected great things and I’ve asked people to do the same. It’s a mindset. If you expect bad things to happen, they will. I don’t think anybody would disagree with that. Therefore, if you expect great things to happen they will. -John Schneider

Music Row is just a road in Nashville, but it is paved with the hopes and dreams of just about every man or woman who ever walked it…hoping that someday, somehow, they’ll make it in Music City. John Schneider is one of those people who always knew he would make it, and he did. As Bo Duke on the Dukes of Hazard, he decided to use his talents as a singer and was able to have a number one TV show and number one songs, back to back. In total, John released 9 studio albums, 18 singles, 11 top 10 songs and 4 number one smash hits. An actor throughout his childhood and teenage years, John wrote and directed the final episode of The Dukes of Hazard and then jumped back into acting with leading roles on Smallville, the Haves & Have Nots, Dr Quinn Medicine Women…and more. Valuing his ability as a storyteller above all his many talents, John is a gifted filmmaker, too. In this episode, John Schneider proves that having your face on a lunchbox is pretty cool, but that was 40 years ago, and he’s still got plenty of films to make and stories to tell.

Sara Evans

June 23, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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I grew up on a farm with the clothes line in the backyard and I knew that millions of Americans would relate to that. As much as I love New York and L.A, I am really a spokesperson for middle America and the girl next door. -Sara Evans

Every trip to Nashville is filled with non-stop adventure. Jacy and I spend weeks planning our interviews and when we got word that Sara Evans had agreed to share her story with us, we did have a bit of a fan moment.

With 5 number 1 songs, the ACM Award for Top Female Vocalist, a CMA for Video of the Year, Grammy, Billboard, BMI, R&R, CMA & ACM nominations, and 10 studio albums, Sara Evans is a success story by any standard, but it is her personal story, shared with Jacy and me, as we sat together on cozy couches, tucked away on the third floor of the colonial style home she shares with her 3 children, that really blew us away. Turns out, the girl next door who sang Suds in the Bucket really did grow up on a farm in Missouri, with the clothes hanging out on the line and she
has been planning her success story since she was 5 years old.

Collin Raye

June 2, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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Your identity is not about how well you’re doing on the charts, that’s your job, you have to treat that as your career and keep it separate. Your identity has to be bigger than, “I’m a star” because that star can fade fast. -Collin Raye

Words of wisdom from multi-platinum selling artist, Collin Raye. With 12 studio albums, 39 singles, 21 top 10 songs and 4 number 1 hits, he is a solid recording artist and live performer who is hardwired for a career in country music. Born Floyd Elliot Wray and known throughout his early life as “Bubba Wray”, Collin was always surrounded by music. His mother, Lois Wray was the opening act for the Sun Records Tour, featuring Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Collin’s dad played bass and loved bringing playing the songs of his favorite country artists over and over on the family stereo. In this interview, Collin takes you into his rise from singing harmonies and playing the tambourine on stage as a child for his mother, to chalking up number 1 songs throughout the 90’s and you’ll hear plenty of his songs in this episode. But it is Collin’s love of performance that really shines through. Says Collin: “I don’t know what to do with myself if I can’t sing songs for people and make them happy. That’s all I know how to do.” His final answer about success might surprise you. Go ahead and take a listen.

Aimee Mayo

May 19, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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When I saw my name on that first record, it just lit something up inside of me. -Aimee Mayo

Meet Aimee Mayo, award-winning songwriter and survivor. In this interview, we drive down a country lane just outside of Nashville and find our way to AimeeLand, the studio where Aimee and her husband Chris write and record. Located a stone’s throw from their home originally owned by Mel Tillis, this is the place where superstars record mega hits we all know by heart. Although her life as a wife, mother of three and Grammy-nominated songwriter looks pretty idyllic from here, Aimee’s childhood was a nightmare and the story of how she survived it is chronicled in her book: Talking to the Sky. As we sat around a table Aimee built herself, in a studio where ideas and music come to life everyday, we learned how deeply gifted this woman really is. With hits that have spent 26 weeks in the #1 spot on the Billboard Country Charts, selling 155 million units worldwide, this Alabama girl is grateful for how far she has come. Says Aimee: “All my greatest gifts have come wrapped in ribbons of pain.” And to that we say: Amen, Sister-friend. For the stories behind songs like Amazed, This One’s For The Girls, Every Time I Hear That Song and more, go ahead and pour yourself a glass of wine and hit that download button.

Tony Brown

May 5, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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Pay attention to trends, but never be a follower. Be a leader, not a follower. Push the envelop, but don’t let it break. I like to stay in front of the curve, but I never like to be too cool for the room. -Tony Brown

Just when Jacy and I think we’ve experienced the best interview EVER, another country music icon comes along and blows us away. Meet Grammy, ACM & CMA award-winning producer Tony Brown. A pillar of the country music scene for 40 years, Tony came to Nashville with a dream to be a session player. The son of an evangelist minister, Tony started playing piano in church by ear and knew that music would be his life. In this interview, he shares stories about what it was like to play piano for Elvis Presley both on tour and in the famous jungle room at Graceland. He recounts his first #1 song with George Strait, the experience of producing Lionel Richie’s live duets album and the surprise invitation to fly to Los Angeles to produce a track to be sung by Barbra Streisand. As an A&R guy with a feel for musicianship AND hit-making, Tony rose to become president of MCA records and co-founded Universal South. His work with Reba, Vince Gill, George Strait, Lyle Lovett, Patty Loveless, Sara Evans and so many more artists has yeilded 100 #1 singles and record levels of sales over 100 million dollars. For a tutorial on how to make it in Nashville, this episode is required listening!

John Berry & Robin Berry

April 21, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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Fame is not a decision you make. It’s a lot more work, and it’s a lot of fairy dust. -John Berry

Let’s turn back time to 1979 when singer/songwriter/guitarist John Berry had big dreams and the patience to see them through. A brilliant singer with a gift for storytelling and the ability to connect with an audience, John got a band together and recorded his own songs in a 4-track studio he built himself. He distributed his songs on his own label and sang in bars after University of Georgia football games, never saying “no” to the chance to perform. More than 10 years passed before John was signed to Liberty Records. When his career took off, his wife Robin continued at his side as his backup singer. Married for 33 years, John and Robin Berry welcomed us into their cozy home and into a music room where John’s guitars are always close at hand. Together, they share their stories of life on the road with their children, and what success really means. With 30 albums and 19 appearances on the Billboard Country Music charts including his #1 smash “Your Love Amazes Me” John Berry’s life is a testament to family, faith and perseverance.

Steve Dorff

March 31, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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I’m like this anonymous Oz behind the curtain guy nobody ever knows. The face of the songs are the artists who record them. -Steve Dorff

If you are a songwriter or a composer, this episode is for you! Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, Steve Dorff was born to do what he does. Recorded in his music room at his home just outside of Nashville, Steve says he “heard an orchestra in his head” before he could walk or talk and recalls climbing up onto the piano bench at 3 or 4 to play better than his older sister. Raised in Queens, New York, Steve first heard the Beatles on the car radio at 12 and said to himself “that’s what I want to do.” The list of singers who have breathed life into his songs is massive. From Willie to Whitney, from Celine to Ray Charles, Ringo Star to Kenny Rogers and George Strait to Cher and Dusty Springfield, Steve says he is most proud of being a diverse songwriter, composer and producer who can rise and shine in any musical genre. The author of the book I Wrote That One ,Too, Steve Dorff has the kind of musical talent that doesn’t come along very often. His sage advice for young songwriters and his entertaining stories behind hits like Every Which Way But Loose, I Cross My Heart and Through The Years will keep you glued to this rare interview with a true musical genius.

TG Sheppard

March 17, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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I was only 15 when I climbed out my window and ran away to Memphis with 60 cents in mypocket. I look around at my life now and I realize that it all started with just 60 cents. -TG Sheppard

Incredible as it seems, TG Sheppard was a runaway teen with a lifelong dream of making it in country music. In this interview, TG and his wife Kelly Lang welcome us into their hime for a chat around the kitchen table and a rare look at his climb up the ladder to success. The stars aligned one night at midnight outside the Rainbow Terrace Roller Rink in Memphis when TG (his real name is William Browder) met his idol: Elvis Presley. On that night, Elvis took the boy under his wing, and the two remained friends until the day Elvis died. With 21 #1 songs to his credit, ranked #87 on Billboard’s list of the top 100 artists in country music, an Elvis tribute show on Sirius, a new album called Midnight In Memphis, and possession of his masters plus a distribution deal with Time Life, TG Sheppard is living his dream. And every day, TG continues to follow the advice of Elvis Presley who said: If you ever forget where you came from, you’ll never get where you want to go.” #countrymusic #elvis

Larry Strickland

March 2, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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Relationships are everything and in Nashville they are made of gold. When Jacy introduced me to Naomi Judd and we interviewed her at their compound in Leipers Fork, Tennessee, her husband Larry Strickland was sitting on a couch in the recording studio, just listening quietly. But when he spoke, his rich, deep voice filled the room. I knew I had to interview him because his long career as a bass singer is like a page out of country music history. From humble beginnings singing with gospel quartets on weekends in high school, Larry Strickland made his way in country music and reached the pinnacle of success singing bass and touring with Elvis Presley. His latest album is called Legacy, a labor of love that includes the gospel songs that inspired Larry to become a bass singer nearly 50 years ago. #elvis #elvispresley #gospelmusic #basssinger

Karen Staley

February 17, 2021episodecountrymusicsuccessstories

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I didn’t come to Nashville having played bars for 10 years. I was a total green horn. So I learned a lot. It’s a blast, it’s like perpetual adolescence. -Karen Staley

Welcome to the success story of a woman whose songs have been played on radio more than 12 million times (and counting) with downloads at about 20 million! Karen Staley is in a league of her own as a Nashville quadruple threat who sings, plays, writes and produces. Her love of music started in high school when she hurt her back and had to give up playing varsity sports. Karen’s music teacher noticed she was floundering, handed her a guitar and taught her the chords to Annie’s Song by John Denver. Karen Staley never put that guitar down and her 30 year success story has included writing number one songs like Take Me As I Am, Hey, Baby Let’s Go To Vegas and Keeper of the Stars. She knows what it is like to tour and play to gigantic crowds with Reba, Faith Hill, Terri Clark, Patty Loveless and more. Born in Weirton, West Virginia and raised near Hookstown, PA, Karen is an iconic, hit songwriter with a tireless work ethic and a heart of gold. This interview was recorded in Karen’s home where her music room is lined with gold records and guitars just waiting to be played. With honesty and plenty of humor, Karen says: “In 30 years of writing, I’ve never had writer’s block. God gives me something every time.” Press that download button now for priceless stories about being a part of the early days of the Bluebird Cafe and a treasure box full of songwriting advice.

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