Circling The Drain

Country icon Trace Adkins gets candid about buying his Tennessee farm, Nashville’s explosive growth, and why “perfect” modern records leave him cold. He shares wild stories with Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens, and more, plus visions for a catfish joint called Hot Mamas.
Trace Adkins is back for part three, and this time he goes deep on life at the farm, Nashville’s real estate explosion, and why old-school, imperfect records still hit harder than today’s polished tracks. From Merle Haggard in boxer shorts with a joint over his ear to Waylon cussing the bugs onstage and Buck Owens’ brutally honest “low note” advice, Trace tells the kind of stories only a true country legend can.
He and the guys also riff on Nashville turning into a “clean New Orleans,” soccer vs. hockey, the changing studio scene, in-ear monitors vs. wedges, health food vs. fried catfish, and his dream of opening a catfish joint called “Hot Mamas.” If you love real country, road stories, and unfiltered opinions, this is your episode.
 1:01 How Trace found his dream 100‑acre farm (and paid more later for 30 acres)
 2:55 Nashville’s growth, California money, and $3M homes in former farm fields
 3:35 “Clean New Orleans” vibes: Broadway, CMA week, and 250 people a day moving in
 5:19 Murfreesboro, Franklin, Gallatin: when the outer ring gets just as crowded
 6:07 Getting outside 840 to keep “country living” alive
 7:26 Little League moms, grocery store encounters, and a fan story gone sideways
 8:18 Why Trace hates soccer and loves hockey fights
 10:37 Being a Titans fan, the Music City Miracle, and growing up with the Saints
 12:20 Nashville before the Titans and Predators: massage parlors, Printer’s Alley, and a ghost town downtown
 17:07 What happens to Music Row studios when AI and home recording take over?
 18:39 “Too perfect” records vs. real, messy, live music
 19:46 Cutting with Asleep at the Wheel high and out of tune – and why that’s exactly what Trace wanted
 20:22 Loving rough live albums and records with mistakes and feel
 21:54 Old records recorded by eye and cue, not click tracks and grids
 22:33 Trace refuses to sing to a click in the studio
 23:00 One in‑ear, loud wedges, and missing the days of club monitors ripping his face off
 25:08 Country legends: Merle Haggard in boxers, Waylon fighting bugs, and Hall of Fame grudges
 29:41 Buck Owens puts Trace through his paces and gives him brutal “low note” advice
 33:05 Grand Ole Opry memories and realizing he’s now one of the “old guys” backstage
 36:09 Married to a fitness model: salmon, rice, salads… and disastrous squash brownies
 38:02 “I pay for premium health insurance so I can eat what I want”
 39:30 Bougie Nashville: Sperry’s, Perry’s, Bourbon Steak, truffle and duck‑fat fries
 40:46 Organic fast food and shameless restaurant plugs
 41:38 Trace’s dream restaurant: a catfish joint called “Hot Mamas” with flirtatious 50‑something waitresses
 43:28 Victoria’s “guilt‑free” menu concept and why Trace’s buddies won’t eat there
 44:20 Real pizza talk: New York‑style favorites and local spots
 45:22 Mafia‑vibe Italian joints, Godfather radio bits, and ticking off the real bosses
 46:37 Wrapping up: three hours with Trace, veterans work, 30th anniversary tour, and where to find Circling the Drain

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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co
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In Part 2 of our deep-dive with country icon Trace Adkins, we get the stories behind his most emotional and controversial songs, from “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” to “You’re Gonna Miss This” and “Arlington.” Trace shares powerful memories from Arlington National Cemetery, his candid take on Donald Trump, and the radio days with Phil Valentine that almost got people fired.

We also dig into his acting career, how he met his wife on a movie set, the wild origin of his dog “Gary Busey,” and why he believes live shows are now the only truly “real” part of the music business.

0:43 – If Trace had to be in a tribute band forever, who would he choose? 
1:36 – Waylon Jennings’ “Honky Tonk Heroes” and how it inspired Trace’s “Dangerous Man” album cover  
3:25 – The grind of album photo shoots and making a real, gritty cover shot  
4:12 – The Phil Valentine show, stepdad life, and getting sick of “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk”  
5:44 – Why “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” is cleverly written, not just a novelty hit  
6:42 – How the song became the most-played country song in strip club history  
7:44 – The backroom label deals behind certain cuts and how “You’re Gonna Miss This” started as a wedding song  
9:00 – “I thought it was too sappy” – Trace misjudges a song that becomes a massive number one  
10:26 – Ashley Gorley’s hit-making juggernaut and why everyone wants one of his songs  
11:04 – Writing “American Made” for the country’s 250th anniversary  
11:38 – “Arlington” and “An Empty Chair” – songs that choke him up on stage  
12:04 – Performing “Arlington” at Arlington National Cemetery and barely getting through it  
12:43 – Why Trace only does “Arlington” for the right audiences (and never for drunks or festivals)  
14:04 – The true story behind “Arlington” and Lance Corporal Patrick Nixon  
16:26 – Playing “Arlington” on air, Phil Valentine’s reaction, and the emotional weight of the song  
17:04 – Remembering Phil Valentine: sparring on-air, sharp wit, and real friendship  
18:34 – A hilarious voicemail from Trace and joking about “your little radio show”  
19:22 – Rodeo memories, FCC close calls, and the infamous “hot and juicy” weather report  
21:18 – Live radio chaos: open mics, cussing and thinking they’d be fired  
22:16 – Trace’s new production company “Fifth Rodeo” and its cowboy-with-a-fifth-of-whiskey logo  
23:14 – Why Trace doesn’t want the pressure of doing a podcast  
24:07 – From tractors to Lululemon and voiceovers: “degradation” of the conversation  
24:19 – “Ultimate Cowboy Showdown,” real cowboys and concern for the horses  
25:25 – Why some ranch work still has to be done on horseback  
26:08 – Trace’s Christmas show: Celtic vibes, stories behind songs and gospel roots  
27:32 – Feeling good about the Christmas show vs. “I’m sorry, Lord” after “Badonkadonk”  
28:08 – Is memorizing dialog hard? How years on stage made acting easier  
28:58 – Directors who demand word-for-word delivery vs. those who allow improvisation  
29:46 – Meeting his wife on the set of “The Virginian” in Vancouver  
30:21 – How his wife writes, acts and why their dog is named Gary Busey  
31:50 – The Christmas parade, a weird looking puppy and the Gary Busey hair and teeth  
32:05 – Writing a song for the 250th and the Freedom 250 concert controversy  
32:48 – PBS Fourth of July, Trump’s event, and shifting TV schedules  
34:02 – The best Trump impressions Trace has heard and how Trump exaggerated his own persona  
35:43 – Riding in Trump’s limo and getting asked: “Are you reasonably faithful to your wife?”  
36:55 – Trump Jr. explains his job: “I follow him around and put fires out”  
37:42 – Wanting to be Ambassador to Australia or the “Office of Hell No”  
38:00 – How Trace judges Trump: “He’s a rich old asshole, not evil”  
39:11 – New York real estate, DC politics, and why Trump didn’t need to run  
40:00 – Meeting Trump on the plane: funny, warm, and totally different from the public caricature  
40:31 – Touring Trump’s penthouse and offices: proud of what he’s built  
41:04 – Negotiating through hyperbole: Greenland, Canada, and “shooting for the moon”  
42:23 – Dave Chappelle’s take on Trump’s debate moment about tax loopholes  
43:07 – Rand Paul vs. Trump on stage and how one debate moment flipped opinions  
43:54 – Label history: Capitol, Show Dog, Broken Bow, Verge, and coming back “home” to MCA  
45:22 – Why this next MCA album might be Trace’s last  
45:32 – New artists he likes (Ella Langley) and why she “has every tool”  
46:12 – Betting whether Ella Langley will stay country or go pop  
46:42 – Not knowing many of today’s artists and thinking “Shaboozy” was a whiskey brand  
47:32 – Loving traditional country and hopes for a pendulum swing (Zach Topp)  
47:57 – Advice for new artists in the AI era and why live shows are the last “real” thing  
48:54 – Getting fooled by an AI demo and how hard it is to tell what’s real  
49:14 – Why you should never spend your own money if people truly believe in you  
50:12 – Writing his book with twin collaborators and building the “roller coaster” story  
52:33 – Immigration, politics and realizing parts of the book were prophetic  
52:53 – Feeling uneasy before release and calling Charlie Daniels for advice  
53:55 – Charlie Daniels’ wisdom: “People who don’t like you now aren’t going to read your book”  
54:20 – Singing at Charlie Daniels’ funeral and what Charlie meant to him  
54:51 – Why he probably didn’t sell enough books to worry in the first place  
55:09 – Why there’s no audiobook yet and how a Trace-voiced edition could revive it  
56:00 – Ideas for updating the book with new chapters and addendums  
56:17 – Tease: Trace Adkins Part 3 is coming to Circling the Drain  

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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co
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Country legend Trace Adkins joins Circling the Drain for a raw, funny, and unfiltered conversation about survival, success, and the scars he picked up along the way.
Trace opens up about growing up in small-town Louisiana, singing bass in church, working dangerous oil rigs in the Gulf, getting shot by an ex-wife, flipping a tractor, multiple open-heart surgeries, and why he still prefers hard work on the farm to life on the tour bus. He also talks about his breakout in Nashville, label politics, 30 years in country music, and how acting and voiceover work have kept him relevant.
Along the way you’ll hear wild stories featuring Gene Simmons, Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Donald Trump, Blake Shelton, and more – plus why the national anthem still makes him nervous every single time.
This is Part 1 of our Trace Adkins series on Circling the Drain.

1:56 – Trace walks in like a superstar and why everyone respects him 
2:26 – The only “tangible result” of being on stage: applause and then back to the bus 
3:03 – Farm life, physical work, and needing something real to show for the day 
3:50 – Taking down massive ash trees and chasing a chainsaw voiceover gig 
4:30 – Losing a Steel commercial because he didn’t wear gloves 
6:09 – 12+ years as the voice of Firestone and other national campaigns 
6:42 – KFC, Farmer Boys, and ongoing work with Wounded Warrior Project 
7:30 – Five daughters, Lululemon bills, and the idea of Trace voicing an athleisure brand 
8:01 – Intimidating the boyfriends: hunting on his land and the “I could bury you here” moment 
9:47 – Telling a boyfriend he “wasn’t going to make it” and helping him cut his losses 
10:25 – Five daughters, three ex-wives, and being “five times more confused about women” 
11:10 – Growing up in church: singing beside his granddad with that rich bass voice 
11:40 – Discovering that “chicks dig the bass” in a gospel quartet at 17 
12:43 – Hayrides, jamborees, and covering Haggard and Buck Owens 
13:20 – Working offshore on a drilling rig and singing in the wheelhouse after 12-hour shifts 
14:08 – Winning the Wild Turkey Battle of the Bands and coming to Nashville 
15:00 – Club circuits, drugs, booze, and learning “everything you’re not supposed to do” 
16:08 – Getting his first guitar at 10 and taking lessons in Spring Hill, Louisiana 
16:42 – Why he calls himself a “lazy guitar player” and just plays enough to accompany himself 
17:11 – Cutting off a finger and the chords he can’t play anymore 
17:40 – The shooting: getting shot by an ex-wife and why he didn’t press charges 
18:52 – Bullet through the heart and both lungs, Life Flight, and Vanderbilt saving his life 
19:45 – Bleeding on the floor, protecting the new carpet, and passing out in the atrium 
21:04 – Being 32, strong, and why that’s the only reason he survived 
21:39 – Scars from construction work, broken arms and legs, ribs, and flipped tractors 
23:15 – Tractor roll-over, crushed sternum, and calling a neighbor with a backhoe to save him 
24:16 – Trauma surgery vs. scheduled open-heart surgery and the pain difference 
25:14 – Why he doesn’t write songs about his craziest life events 
26:00 – Capitol Records, meeting Scott Hendricks at baggage claim, and getting offered a deal on stage 
27:06 – Being a big, striking presence and coming from a tall family 
28:21 – Shrinking from 6'6" to 6'5" and feeling it in the joints 
28:52 – Label politics after Scott leaves Capitol and refusing to go back into the building 
29:29 – Almost throwing an executive out the window and the Patsy Cline “she’s dead” story 
31:02 – New leadership, Mike Dungan, and how Tim DuBois helped push Trace’s career forward 
32:17 – The Chrome era, bikes, and typecast biker roles in movies 
33:00 – Deepwater Horizon, playing a furious parent, and Peter Berg demanding more intensity 
35:30 – Manhandling Mark Wahlberg on set and the behind-the-scenes story 
35:59 – Meeting Kurt Russell and seeing oilfield authenticity on screen 
36:38 – Why that movie got the oilfield details right 
37:01 – Taylor Sheridan, Land Man delays, and writers chasing the next “shiny toy” 
38:53 – Yellowstone, spinoffs, and the risk of losing momentum between seasons 
40:04 – Getting tricked into a faith-based movie (Mom’s Night Out) and only reading his sides 
41:23 – Peeing fire as a demon in a field and calling it his greatest scene ever 
49:00 – Gene Simmons on Celebrity Apprentice and how he changed the rules of the game 
52:01 – Turning hot dogs into $5,000 donations and reshaping the show around charity money 
53:07 – The mysterious “go to my room” invitation and the producer’s warning 
53:52 – What Trace really thinks of Gene Simmons and his magnetism 
54:08 – His take on Donald Trump and how “what you see is what you get” 
54:34 – Why the national anthem still makes him nervous, from car lots to the World Series 
55:52 – Respecting the anthem, the range of the song, and starting in the basement 
56:47 – Land of the Free as the vocal high point and the challenge of the melody 
57:16 – Reading music, Nashville number system, and forgetting trombone days 
57:58 – Losing music programs in public schools and why that bothers him 
58:17 – Country heroes: George Jones, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and more 
58:48 – Hillbilly Bone with Blake Shelton and why Blake is always chasing the laugh 
59:31 – Wrapping Part 1 and teasing more Trace Adkins stories to come 
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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co
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Veteran bassist and author Mickey Hayes joins Circling the Drain to pull back the curtain on the wild, brilliant and chaotic world of country legend David Allan Coe. From blacked‑out tour buses and outlaw bikers to wigs, panthers, boats and hit songs, Mickey shares what it was really like to live on the edge with one of country music’s most controversial figures.  

Mickey talks about joining Coe’s band in 1979, surviving the Outlaws MC, refitting buses and boats in the Florida Keys, the truth behind the “death row” myth, and why Coe was the PT Barnum of country music. He also dives into Coe’s overlooked Columbia catalog, the making of “The Ride,” working with Warren Haynes, and how those years inspired his book “My Life on the Road with David Allen Coe” and a late‑career songwriting burst.  

If you love outlaw country, road stories, and unfiltered music history, this episode is packed with stories you won’t hear anywhere else.  

Timed highlights  

02:56 Miami club gig and the four‑barrel derringer on the monitor board  
04:55 Flying into David Allan Coe’s world and first impressions at the compound  
07:04 The purple house, refitting buses and boats, and riding in like a circus  
10:16 Swamp-ass on black buses with no A/C and building the outlaw image  
13:17 Ad break: Milltown Bikes in Columbia, Tennessee  
16:01 Coe’s later years, health, and the line “I just don’t want to die alone”  
20:02 Leaving the spotlight, finishing the book, and writing 35–40 new songs  
21:38 Playing Coe’s deep cuts, Columbia catalog, and early classic albums  
22:18 Rewriting “Stand By Your Man” as “Stand By Your Band”  
23:32 The birth of the wigs and why David named one after Mickey  
24:57 TV appearances, Farrah Fawcett hair and multiple wigs on Ralph Emery  
26:24 Rusty Spur stories, lost wigs and using heartbreak as stage patter  
26:55 Earning Coe’s respect by standing up to him over an out‑of‑tune guitar  
29:32 Outlaw caravans, smoking and drinking on the road in a fake Packard  
33:21 The real story behind Coe’s “death row” legend  
34:55 Controversy, X‑rated albums and why Coe welcomed being talked about  
41:04 Kris Kristofferson’s advice on songwriting and “Sunday Morning Coming Down”  
45:19 Dealing with labels and the infamous record‑exec table story  
47:20 Pink Nudie suit, “family” crowd shock and Coe’s onstage antics  
50:00 Ruskin Cave, Loretta Lynn tours and getting kicked off the bus route  
51:39 Why David Allan Coe belongs in the Country Music Hall of Fame  
54:00 Sinking the 50‑foot “pirate” boat and losing everything with no insurance  
55:00 Outlaws MC, being hung over a balcony and “you can’t testify if you don’t know”  
58:31 Calling Coe a legend and the unmatched volume of songs he wrote  
59:54 How Nashville remembers Coe and what happens after you die in this business  
1:02:08 Billy Joe Shaver standing up to Waylon and how an album got made  
1:07:00 Touring with a black panther, monkeys and other road “pets”  
1:11:18 Quitting Coe five times and sending him the tire bill  
1:18:00 Austin City Limits, “My Girl,” and how Coe gamed the taping  
1:19:49 Mickey on Coe’s legacy, the kids, the widow and posthumous releases  
1:20:31 Outro: Where to find Mickey’s book and how to follow the show  

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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co
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Sheila Shipley Biddy went from small‑town radio and seven failed interviews to running one of Nashville’s most powerful record labels. In this episode, the first woman to head a major label on Music Row sits down with us to talk about discovering artists, fighting industry sexism, and the stories behind some of country music’s biggest careers.
Sheila shares intimate memories of working with legends like Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Alabama, Roger Miller, Don Williams, Patty Loveless, Gary Allan, and LeAnn Womack. She opens up about fighting for “difficult” artists, taking career gambles, launching Decca Records, and what really changed when Napster, streaming, and 360 deals hit the business.
In the most personal part of the conversation, Sheila reflects on her faith, her work with Music Health Alliance, and surviving the devastating loss of her husband and son within months of each other.
If you care about country music history, radio, or how the record business really works behind the scenes, this is a masterclass in both the business and the humanity of Music Row.
02:21 – Moving to Nashville, small‑town radio roots, and seven Monument Records interviews
05:40 – Turning down TV news and working for less than $100 a month
07:21 – Early days at Monument: Roy Orbison, Larry Gatlin, Ray Stevens, Kris Kristofferson
08:06 – Waylon Jennings, intimidation, and becoming the only rep he’d work with
09:49 – Reading Waylon’s energy and protecting him in public
09:58 – Jumping to RCA and “failing downward” to bet on herself
12:20 – Telling radio the truth about a bad record and earning lifelong trust
14:23 – When that honesty paid off years later at Decca
15:10 – Sexism on Music Row and being mistaken for “the secretary”
17:55 – Mentors, office politics, and being the only woman in the room
20:02 – How Sheila helped bring Alabama to RCA (and why they were first passed on)
22:02 – The phone call that changed Alabama’s life forever
23:47 – Inside Alabama’s rise and balancing Southern imagery and the Confederate flag
26:12 – 50 years in music and how the industry has changed
27:23 – Taking artist failures personally and why she “couldn’t leave it at the office”
28:13 – Fighting three times for Waylon’s “Rose In Paradise” to go No. 1
29:22 – Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith and the risk of “left‑of‑center” country
33:25 – Roger Miller’s “Big River” and selling Broadway to Country radio
36:47 – Working with Glen Campbell and hearing him sing Amazing Grace on an airplane
39:59 – Remembering promotion brothers, early MCA days, and lost friends
41:27 – Becoming the first woman to run a major label in Nashville (Decca)
42:27 – Building Decca from scratch: logo, staff, budget, and vision
45:38 – Dawn Sears, incredible talent, and when an artist doesn’t want it badly enough
48:10 – Discovering Gary Allan in California and why she refused to change his image
49:50 – The album cover where you can’t see Gary Allan’s face (and why that mattered)
49:50 – LeAnn Womack’s showcase strategy and choosing MCA/Decca over “everyone”
51:46 – Why “Never Again, Again” had to be the first single
53:58 – When radio programmers and Alan Jackson fell in love with LeAnn’s album
54:44 – Old‑school radio: when DJs really chose the music and broke artists
55:51 – How small‑market radio and relationships built careers
58:15 – Chasing trends vs. creating trends in country music
59:27 – Roster strategy: male/female, tempo, traditional vs. modern
1:02:09 – From singles deals to full albums and the cost of breaking an artist
1:05:14 – SoundScan, Napster, and watching country sales spike – then slide
1:06:20 – 360 deals, touring, and why tickets are so expensive
1:08:39 – Live Nation, fees, and the squeeze on mid‑level touring acts
1:09:24 – AI, fully AI movies, and the fear inside the creative community
1:09:59 – Life after labels: Music Health Alliance and helping artists get healthcare
1:11:14 – Losing her husband after a long illness and the strength of faith
1:11:44 – Her son’s sudden death at 52 and holding him as he passed
1:13:25 – The Reba McEntire birthday lunch her son never forgot
1:15:01 – Being more than “the label”: real friendships with artists
1:15:24 – Legacy, loss, and why these stories need to be told before they “circle the drain”

Follow Johnny B:
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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co
www.itsyourshow.co