Try That in a Small Town Podcast

Sage Steele joins the Try That In A Small Town podcast for an honest, uncensored look at sports media, politics, faith, and standing up when it could cost you everything. She shares the real story behind her controversial Obama comments, the COVID vaccine moment that changed her career at ESPN, suing Disney while still on air, and why she refuses to back down from her convictions.
The crew also dives into the “Try That In A Small Town” backlash, country music, Jason Aldean’s TV bans, social media burnout, raising kids with values, and how Sage found love and a second chance at marriage in Nashville.
If you care about free speech, faith, sports, country music, and common sense, this one’s for you.
TIMED HIGHLIGHTS / CHAPTERS:

00:17:08 – Is “Sage Steele” a real name? Childhood, identity and keeping her name after marriage
00:19:02 – Growing up a military kid: Earth, Wind & Fire, Lionel Richie, James Taylor and first concerts
00:22:34 – First reaction to “Try That In A Small Town” and why Sage never saw it as racist
00:24:22 – Sponsor break: Original Glory beer and Patriot Mobile
00:25:40 – Sage vs The View: Barbara Walters, race, Obama and getting elbowed backstage
00:33:00 – “No going back”: politics, division since 2016 and losing common sense
00:36:33 – COVID, mandates, Fauci, Tulsi Gabbard and accountability in leadership
00:48:10 – The Jay Cutler podcast: Disney’s vaccine deadline and Sage’s fateful comments
00:50:36 – Suspended, forced apology and living in fear inside ESPN
00:54:24 – Double standard: political rants allowed on ESPN air… unless they’re from Sage
00:56:20 – Suing Disney/ESPN while still on the air and the moment her son told her to stand up
01:00:09 – Her relationship with Stephen A. Smith and why he still stands next to her
01:03:50 – How ESPN lost its way with politics, personalities and cord‑cutting
01:07:05 – Missing the old SportsCenter era: Stuart Scott, Berman, Linda Cohn and big TV moments
01:17:01 – Launching The Sage Steele Show and learning to be an independent creator
01:20:45 – Being labeled “conservative” and how that shuts doors in media and entertainment
01:21:34 – Jason Aldean, banned TV appearances and corporate fear around “Try That In A Small Town”
01:23:27 – When controversy makes a song bigger: backlash, business and blessing in disguise
01:30:15 – Meeting Dave: military‑brat connection, charity event, and a whirlwind Nashville love story
01:37:36 – Daily devotionals on camera: praying out loud, public faith and the fear of “send”
01:39:24 – First ever public prayer: doing the invocation at a NASCAR race on live TV
01:42:30 – Why praying out loud feels scarier than live TV and why we’re never “worthy”
01:49:41 – Pet peeves, movie etiquette and “read the room” moments in public
01:55:36 – Airplane chaos: overhead bin wars, service animals and entitlement culture
01:59:31 – Sage’s patriotic merch and the line “raised right, seasoned well”
02:01:02 – Why Sage came on the show and what standing up has really cost—and given—her

______________________________________________________________________________________________
SPONSORS:
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Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT
Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.
Original Brands - Our original sponsor since the beginning!!
Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.
Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com
Peacemaker Coffee Company
Founded by retired police officer/chief Chris Morris, Peacemaker delivers clean, low-acidity coffee while supporting police, firefighters, EMS, military, veterans, teachers, dispatchers, and medical personnel through donations and programs.
https://www.peacemakercoffeecompany.com/
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -
For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com
Produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of the Try That in a Small Town Podcast, the guys start with listener Q&A and end up deep in the realities of life as working Nashville pros. They break down why most artists use session bands instead of their road bands in the studio, what makes a truly great studio player, and how songs like “Try That in a Small Town,” “All-American Girl,” and other hits actually came together.

You’ll hear stories about mentoring young musicians in Nashville, navigating confidence and doubt in the early Aldean days, and how a raw, slightly “on the edge” sound helped define a new lane in country. The crew also vents about crosswalk etiquette, insane roundabouts on Demonbreun, messy public bathrooms, and a wild “dipshit of the week” segment that includes a pharmacist trading meds for sex and Neil’s unapologetically spicy take on women joining Augusta National.

Along the way, they celebrate “Try That in a Small Town” going platinum, shout out John Edwards finally getting some long-overdue recognition, and brag on Neil’s wife and her company for co-designing the new “Welcome to Tennessee” signs across the state.

Top moments:

05:24 Q&A: Favorite venues and why arenas win
14:44 Why artists use session players over road bands
21:15 Hicktown, early Aldean years, and betting on their sound
34:30 Writing “Try That in a Small Town” and how the track changed the melody
39:27 Worst writes ever: salad guy and Rich Robinson falls asleep
43:29 Neil’s wife helps design the new “Welcome to Tennessee” signs
45:27 “Try That in a Small Town” goes platinum and missing No. 1 parties
59:44 World Cup, offsides confusion, and “soccer in the South” rant
1:02:29 Dipshidiot of the Week: bathrooms, crosswalk zombies, roundabouts, Augusta & more
_____________________________________________________________________
SPONSORS:
The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!
Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
Book a tour today at espaces.com

From the Patriot Mobile studios:
Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!
Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT
Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.

Original Brands - Our original sponsor since the beginning!!
Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.
Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com

Peacemaker Coffee Company
Founded by retired police officer/chief Chris Morris, Peacemaker delivers clean, low-acidity coffee while supporting police, firefighters, EMS, military, veterans, teachers, dispatchers, and medical personnel through donations and programs.
https://www.peacemakercoffeecompany.com/
_____________________________________________________________________
Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -

For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com

Produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From bar-hopping at CMA Fest with Jason Aldean’s band to scheduled high school fights at 3 pm sharp, this episode of Try That in a Small Town is all about chaos, consequences, and the crazy ways we somehow survive it all.

The guys kick things off with surgery scars, locked-up backs, and near misses in the garage, then pivot into behind-the-scenes CMA Fest stories, in-ear monitor nightmares, and why late-night stadium sets grind down even veteran players. They talk Morgan Wallen flipping pianos and throwing phones, Taylor Swift’s historic new country single tied to Toy Story 5, and how modern country production has become so “perfect” it’s almost personality-free.

Things get heavier when they unpack the Carmelo Anthony/Austin Metcalf stabbing at a track meet, race narratives in the media, and what real self-defense is—and isn’t—when someone pulls a knife. They contrast that with a powerful small-town hero story: a Gwinnett County officer who saves a 7-year-old launched through a windshield.

In classic TTIAST fashion, the crew rounds it out with songwriting pet peeves, delusional DMs from strangers wanting co-writes and video calls, bullying stories that still haunt them, and how golf, TV binges, and pizza reviews are getting them through recovery.

01:30 Surgeries, brutal bruises, allergic reactions to bandages and upcoming product bans in Tennessee
04:40 Locked-up back on the toilet, crawling across the house and day-three recovery status
06:30 Surviving CMA Fest: bar crawl sets, in-ear monitor disasters and playing blind on stage
09:45 Bar energy vs stadium distance and podcast fans popping up at shows
11:15 Late-night stadium headlining slot, fried fans, and what TV does to show times
14:00 Original Glory and Patriot Mobile sponsor segments
15:10 Learning piano one-handed after surgery, Jingle Bells, and mining TV shows for song ideas
17:50 TV recs: Life After Lockup, The Invisible Pilot, and Cape Fear reboot
20:20 NBA and Stanley Cup talk: Knicks’ huge comeback, Wembanyama, and why some tuned out the NBA
22:45 Trump at the Garden, celebrity courtside culture, and politics vs respect for the office
24:40 Taylor Swift’s Toy Story 5 country single and the business behind her return to the format
29:00 Why modern country records all sound the same and the few acts still using their own bands
31:40 Morgan Wallen: “I Ain’t Coming Back” lyric love, phone toss, piano flip and Billy Joel’s defense
36:30 Wild private plane trip with Morgan Wallen, crass “rich buddies” and what stuck with Kalo
38:20 Post-surgery meds, apologizing to Neil, and the nurse/dong/stripper one-liner
41:10 Group shave before a heart cath and hospital humor
42:00 CMA Fest nights with Luke Bryan at his bar, tequila overload and four-day hangovers
44:10 Dipshits of the week: insane video chat requests, song pitches, and social media entitlement
47:00 Fans demanding co-writes and “brain picking” vs actually earning a seat at the table
50:40 The worst song “idea” ever: Cats in the Cradle… but backwards
55:00 Young writers sliding into DMs, asking for writes and coffees, and basic industry etiquette
58:40 Nearly gassing yourself in a closed garage while checking mixes: calling dipshit on yourself
1:01:40 Drone-rescue story: Apache down, surviving in the water and next-level military tech
1:05:30 Golf injuries, steroids on the road, and fighting to stay in playing shape
1:07:10 The Carmelo Anthony–Austin Metcalf stabbing: facts, sentencing and race narratives
1:12:10 Media framing, self-defense vs murder, and how race gets injected into every case
1:16:00 Scheduled school fights at the park, bus brawls and why nobody brought knives back then
1:19:40 Getting drilled in the face for knocking a kid’s basketball away: lesson learned
1:20:30 One cold jab to the nose and understanding when you’ve gone too far
1:22:10 The bully who made you fast: getting wrecked in pickup football and later asking for tickets
1:24:20 Small Town Big Story: Officer Ariana James saves a 7-year-old thrown from a truck in Gwinnett County
1:26:10 Closing: Peacemaker Coffee, shoutout to listener Ed, scheduled fights and listener call-to-action

______________________________________________________________________________________________
SPONSORS:
The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!
Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
Book a tour today at espaces.com
From the Patriot Mobile studios:
Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!
Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT
Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.
Original Brands - Our original sponsor since the beginning!!
Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.
Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com
Peacemaker Coffee Company
Founded by retired police officer/chief Chris Morris, Peacemaker delivers clean, low-acidity coffee while supporting police, firefighters, EMS, military, veterans, teachers, dispatchers, and medical personnel through donations and programs.
https://www.peacemakercoffeecompany.com/
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -
For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com
Produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chairman Jason Smith of the House Ways and Means Committee joins the Try That In A Small Town podcast from CMA Fest in Nashville. He breaks down what the powerful Ways and Means Committee actually does and how it touches every American’s life through taxes, trade, Social Security, Medicare, and more.

Jason opens up about his small-town Missouri roots, being a fourth-generation farmer, raising white buffalo, and why he still lives in the same rural community he represents. He explains how he took the Ways and Means Committee on the road to 32 states to listen to working families, small businesses, and farmers before writing what he calls the “Big Beautiful Bill” – the largest tax cut in U.S. history, including no tax on tips and overtime.

The conversation gets candid on Social Security’s future, election integrity and slow vote counts in places like California, and what happens when people lose trust in the system. Jason also shares behind-the-scenes stories of working closely with President Trump – from grilling him for three hours on every line of a 103-title tax bill in the Oval Office to the now-famous “red button” that just orders Diet Coke.

Along the way, they talk CMA Fest, Jason’s obsession with Reba, the Chiefs, Mahomes vs. Brady, cleaning up Washington, D.C., and why he believes the founding fathers’ values are really small-town values. Jason closes with a powerful story of a single mom whose $10,000 tax refund changed her life – and why that’s why he still fights for small towns and working families.

Timed highlights

2:00 Who is Chairman Jason Smith and what is the Ways and Means Committee?
5:13 CMA Fest, first concerts, and Jason’s country music roots
7:11 The Ozarks, one of America’s poorest districts, and small-town values
8:14 Reba superfan stories and being starstruck in DC
10:02 How the guys first met Jason at the South Dakota Governor’s Hunt
11:49 Nashville’s Bluebird Café, songwriting, and music in DC
13:06 Jason’s priorities: working families, small businesses, and farmers
14:19 White buffalo, donkeys named Bill, Hillary, Chelsea, and Hunter
15:29 Growing up poor in a trailer, farm life, and why that shapes his politics
19:15 Taking Ways and Means to 32 states and writing the “Big Beautiful Bill”
20:20 No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and tax ideas from real Americans
22:06 Social Security history, FDR, and why both parties will keep it
23:35 Will Social Security ever go away? Jason’s answer and insolvency warning
26:49 How Jason became the youngest Ways and Means chair since before the Civil War
29:01 Inside the steering committee and what it takes to win the gavel
32:31 Life on call with President Trump and 5:30 a.m. texts
33:00 Three-hour Oval Office grilling on the “Big Beautiful Bill”
35:07 The Diet Coke button story and a handwritten note after Jason’s dad passed
37:34 Elections, slow vote counts in California, and voter trust
40:31 Why “every vote counts”: Jason’s one-vote victory story
43:03 Chiefs fandom, Mahomes vs. Brady, and elite QB mindset
48:19 How Trump cleaned up Washington, D.C. and made it feel safe again
51:39 What do you buy a president for Christmas and Trump’s generosity with guests
52:14 Jason presents a Congressional Record honoring “Try That In A Small Town”
54:57 Why the song struck a nerve in small-town America
56:24 The waitress, a $10,000 refund, and how tax policy changes real lives
59:19 Jason’s schedule, gym routine, and juggling DC with life back on the farm
1:01:21 Final thoughts on serving small towns and inviting listeners to DC

______________________________________________________________________________________________
SPONSORS:
The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!
Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
Book a tour today at espaces.com
From the Patriot Mobile studios:
Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!
Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT
Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.
Original Brands - Our original sponsor since the beginning!!
Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.
Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com
Peacemaker Coffee Company
Founded by retired police officer/chief Chris Morris, Peacemaker delivers clean, low-acidity coffee while supporting police, firefighters, EMS, military, veterans, teachers, dispatchers, and medical personnel through donations and programs.
https://www.peacemakercoffeecompany.com/
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -
For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com
Produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Country artist and entertainer Chuck Wicks stops by the Try That In A Small Town podcast for a wild, honest, and surprisingly emotional ride.

Chuck opens up about his journey from small-town farm kid and college baseball player to Nashville recording artist, radio host, entrepreneur, and autism dad. He shares the real story behind Stealing Cinderella, what it was like to be turned down by RCA the first time, and how he fought his way back to a record deal.

Chuck also talks candidly about raising his nonverbal autistic son Tucker, early intervention, therapies, and the emotional roller coaster of getting an autism diagnosis at Vanderbilt. He explains how that journey has changed his priorities and why he and his wife Cassie (Jason Aldean’s sister) feel called to help other parents find resources.

From there, the guys dive into:

- Chuck’s relationship with Jason Aldean and what Jason is really like offstage
- How Melorosa Wine was born from Cassie’s Cuban family story
- Building Shiners, a wild Cirque-style, adults-only residency show in downtown Nashville
- The stress of chasing country radio, the power of authenticity, and artists taking shots at radio
- The infamous “DipShidiot” segment: road rage, gas station etiquette, youth sports parents, and more

Chuck also teases his upcoming movie on Great American Family Network and Amazon Prime, where he sings multiple songs and steps deeper into acting.

If you love real Nashville stories, songwriting, small-town values, and unfiltered conversations about parenting, business, and faith, this episode delivers.

Subscribe and share if you enjoy the show, and check out the member-only bonus segment for extra songs and stories.

3:06 Early mornings, syndicated radio, and sleep routines
5:05 Family trip out West: Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, elk and bison
7:48 Buffalo vs bison and bear talk
10:00 Hunting, backlash on social media, and eating what you kill
13:44 Health, wild game, and clean eating
14:17 Chuck on being 47, staying in shape, and raising his autistic son
15:12 Tucker’s autism journey: early signs, testing at Vanderbilt, and therapies
18:49 Nonverbal progress, speech breakthroughs, and hope
19:37 Faith, calling, and why parenting Tucker matters more than career
20:00 Connecting with other autism parents (Joe Don Rooney story)
22:19 Treatments, Lucavorin, red light therapy, and access to resources
24:50 “We wouldn’t trade him for anything” – embracing Tucker’s journey
26:17 Belt obsessions, airplane routines, and sensory quirks
26:28 Chuck’s early life: small-town farm kid and college baseball player
28:46 Discovering his voice in college, almost joining a pop group
31:45 First trip to Nashville, meeting RCA’s Jim Catino and singing a cappella
33:56 Development deal, not getting picked up, and starting over
36:18 Four years of grinding, learning to write, and finding his sound
42:40 Second chance: Clint Higham, Chesney camp, and full RCA deal
45:47 Writing Stealing Cinderella from a personal love story
50:00 Singing Stealing Cinderella at Coach Fulmer’s daughter’s wedding
51:37 Realizing the power of a song to move strangers
52:57 The stress of chasing radio hits and perspective with time
53:18 Other cuts and hits, including Jason Aldean’s Don’t You Wanna Stay (context: Aldean cut with Thrash)
56:03 How Chuck met Cassie, realized she was Jason Aldean’s sister, and dating into the Aldean family
1:00:13 The day after: Jason Aldean’s “blessing” phone call
1:02:30 Why Cassie’s three kids changed how Chuck approached relationships
1:03:58 Blended family life: ages of the kids and how fast time moves
1:05:25 What Jason Aldean is really like offstage: loyalty, mystery, and staying the same guy
1:06:29 Jason’s laugh, tight inner circle, and “it could all go away” mindset
1:08:01 Melorosa Wine: starting a wine company with Jason Aldean
1:09:00 Where to find Mellorosa (online, Kroger, ABC, Princess Cruises, Dubai)
1:09:33 The Cuban family story behind the name and “toast to freedom”
1:10:59 Shiners: Cirque-level, adults-only, comedy show in the historic Woolworth building
1:13:35 Writing Shiners during Covid and building a Nashville residency
1:16:10 The history and civil rights importance of the Woolworth building
1:20:20 What to expect at Shiners: moonshiners, aerial acts, crowd work, and “if you’re easily offended…”
1:22:02 DipShidiot segment: explaining the bit
1:22:33 Gas station chaos: Bucky’s pump hogs and parking-lot etiquette
1:25:29 Red velvet “Whitey” vs “Witty’s” custard mix-up
1:27:31 Red Clay Strays controversy: “radio is dead” comment and why radio still matters
1:30:39 Burning bridges you haven’t crossed yet and respecting country radio
1:35:05 Youth sports parents losing their minds vs just being a dad
1:38:01 CMT Awards “edit the chorus” story and learning to be grateful
1:41:03 Road rage story: 75 in a 70 and killing them with kindness
1:43:45 Locker room etiquette: naked close talkers and lifetime fitness stories
1:45:44 Manscaping, gym talk, and ridiculous visual bits
1:46:00 Chuck’s upcoming movie: Great American Family Network & Amazon Prime
1:47:04 Coloring hair, beard guard settings, and aging on camera
1:50:02 Closing: Melorosa Wine, Shiners, Chuck’s music, coffee collab, and podcast wrap

______________________________________________________________________________________________
SPONSORS:
The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!
Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
Book a tour today at espaces.com
From the Patriot Mobile studios:
Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!
Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT
Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.
Original Brands - Our original sponsor since the beginning!!
Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.
Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com
Peacemaker Coffee Company
Founded by retired police officer/chief Chris Morris, Peacemaker delivers clean, low-acidity coffee while supporting police, firefighters, EMS, military, veterans, teachers, dispatchers, and medical personnel through donations and programs.
https://www.peacemakercoffeecompany.com/
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -
For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com
Produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.