Stories Behind the Songs

Bobby Tomberlin- One More Day

In this episode we get into the nuts and bolts of the songwriting process with Bobby Tomberlin and the business realities behind a hit. Bobby also shares what it feels li

Joe Fox- Last Night Lonely

On this episode we sit down with songwriter and industry pro Joe Fox to unpack the story behind Jon Pardi’s hit “Last Night Lonely.” Joe walks us through the song’s origi

Dallas Wilson: Raised In The Studio

A hit song can start as a title scribbled in your notes app, a half-sung voice memo, or a joke on a tour bus that somehow turns into John Mayer actually playing on the re

Seth Ennis: Boys Back Home

Join us for an intimate conversation with singer‑songwriter Seth Ennis as he recounts his transition from touring artist to full‑time songwriter. Seth discusses how he ma

CMA Fest 2026 Recap

Join us for a special episode recapping CMA Fest 2026 with incredible interviews from Emmett Stevens Jr, Drew Baldridge, Taylor Austin Dye, Cassidy Daniels, Payton Smith,

Phil Vassar: The Writer Who Would Not Quit

A hit song can start with a flooded kitchen, a late co-writer, and a line tossed off as a joke. Sitting down with Phil Vassar, we follow the real road behind the radio: m

Terri Clark: Trust The Process

A single “loss” can either break you or reroute you, and Terri Clark proves it can do both. Sitting down with me on Stories Behind the Songs, Terry tells the wild true st

How Diamond Rio Built A Signature Harmony Sound

A country band doesn’t last 40 plus years by accident, and Diamond Rio doesn’t sound like Diamond Rio by accident either. We’re recording from a ship off Mexico, and Mart

Year-End Gratitude And Big News

Time to close the books on a huge year and open the door to an even bigger one. We step back to celebrate what your support made possible at the Listening Room—862 shows,

Tyler Rich - From Valley Roads To Music Rows

A farm town kid with a tiny amp, a bandana from Stagecoach, and a promise to take one more swing at the dream—Tyler Rich sits down with us to unpack the road from Norther

Ava Suppelsa - How A Last‑Minute Write Became A Multi‑Format Hit And Sparked A Career Surge

A last-minute writing invite, a young artist with star power, and a chorus that had to carry the whole story—Ava Sapelsa walks us through how a room with Jamie Kenny, Tre

Jerry Flowers - Chasing Hits And Hard Truths

A riff can change a room. That’s the spark Jerry Flowers chases as he walks us through the real stories behind hits for Sam Hunt, Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris, Old Dominion

Annie Bosko: California Cowgirl, Nashville Heart

A hummingbird at a window. Santa Ana winds rattling the night. A promise to Vince Gill that forced the album to finally exist. Our conversation with Annie Bosco traces th

Jeff Cohen - How A Songwriter Turned Stories Into Hits And A Career That Lasts

A porch write that wouldn’t quit, a chorus saved by one repeated word, and a ballad that made Madison Square Garden feel like home—this conversation with Grammy-nominated

Phillip White Shares The Stories Behind Country Classics

A modulation mistake that worked. A morning DJ who spun a ballad eight times in a row. A first-time co-write that became a TV theme and then went viral years later. Phili

AI, Demos, And The Fine Print with Justin Morgan

Warning: that AI demo might be quietly licensing your lyric and melody to the world. We sat down with songwriter and producer Justin Morgan to pull back the curtain on ho

Cowboys, Honky Tonks, And One Very Nervous Mom On Reality TV with Jenny Tolman

A fictional town can set a songwriter free. That’s the spark behind Jennyville, the creative sandbox where Jenny Tolman learned to ignore the lanes, chase characters, and

From Oklahoma Roots To Nashville Stages: Luke Stevens On Craft, Community, And Sobriety

What if your songwriting school was a sold-out room and your tuition was a bar shift? We sit down with Luke Stevens to trace a path from Oklahoma fields to Nashville stag

From RV Breakdowns To Platinum Hits: Jeff Middleton On Songwriting, AI, And The Long Road In Nashville

Some songs take the long way home. Jeff Middleton joins us to map that winding route—Jersey kid to Nashville lifer—through a Warner deal with The Dirt Drifters, a thousan

From “Gonna Love You” to “Devil Don’t Go There”: Abram Dean on hits, hustle, and the doors that opened

What if the song that changes your life starts with a brief, a laugh, and a note you weren’t sure you could sing? We sit down with songwriter Abram Dean and trace the unl