Country Music Success Stories

Persistence is the key to success. Not giving up.  – Steve Dean    We were having so much fun talking to hit songwriter Steve Dean, we had to divide it into 2 parts.   Over the past few years, we’ve learned that when you are interviewing an artist in their own home, you get to know them on a deeper level and that was certainly the case with Steve Dean.   Steve raised his children in the house where we recorded this interview and when you walk in the door, it feels that way.  Steve and his wife have created a cozy home, where love lives...

The competition for songwriters in Nashville is off the charts crazy and there are a lot of great writers coming to town every single day.   – Steve Dean   Welcome to part 1 of the country music success story of hit songwriter Steve Dean. This Grammy nominee has written 6 #1 songs including Watching You by Rodney Atkins…the most played song on country radio in 2007.  Recorded in Steve’s writing room at his home just outside of Nashville which is filled with guitars, Beatles memorabilia, and BMI awards this episode is full of wisdom for songwriters just getting started.   Born and raised in Little Rock, Arkan...

It’s not us that makes music.  Music makes us.  My love for music is what inspires me and that is the secret to my success. It’s the song.  – Lorrie Morgan  This episode may be one of the most personal interviews we’ve ever recorded. Born Loretta Lynn Morgan, Lorrie is the daughter of the legendary George Morgan and his beloved wife, Anna. Recorded at Lorrie’s home in a quiet little town outside of Nashville, she welcomed us into her favorite room which overlooks a backyard that was created by her husband Randy and includes a pool, BBQ, birdhouses per...

The first time I sang was at Pilgrim Holiness Church.  I was 3 years old and there were only 20 people in the pews. I got a lot of pats on the head but the most memorable thing was I heard this voice inside of me say:  “this is what you do.”   – Sylvia    Recorded in Nashville at the home studio of producer John Mock, this interview with Sylvia is full of stories.  Born and raised in Kokomo, Indiana, she grew up in a place called Tall Timbers Trailer Park, just 30 feet from the railroad tracks.   Sylvia recalls spending lots of time perched high in a tree...

Our goal has always been to take you with us as we go inside the homes and onto the back porches of country music icons as we discover what makes these talented people tick!  -Candy O’Terry & Jacy Dawn Valeras     Welcome to a recap of some of Candy and Jacy’s favorite 2022 interviews. Chockfull of behind-the-scenes stories that didn’t make the final cut, this episode includes Jacy’s terrifying flight from Nashville to Palm Springs, California to visit Candy, what it was like to be served espresso in a room full of guitars at Anthony Resta’s 1920’s hunting lodge/studio in...

In the early days especially, I really did have a fire.  I was very self-motivated.  I wanted it so bad and I pushed that internal override button and just got on with it.  – Pam Tillis  Welcome to part two of our exclusive interview with multi-Grammy winner Pam Tillis. Recorded at the Glen Campbell Museum, this part of our conversation includes the stories behind some of Pam’s greatest hits including Mi Vida Loca, Maybe It Was Memphis, Shake the Sugar Tree, and Don’t Tell Me What To Do.  Pam also reveals the vocal performance she is most proud of, and how it...

You can’t record a good song. You have to record a great song. I don’t want a song, I want an event. I knew that’s what it would take to get me off the ground. – Pam Tillis  This week, we’re sitting down with Pam Tillis who is not only the daughter of country music legend Mel Tillis but an icon in her own right. Pam is a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry and a 2-time Grammy winner with 6 number-1 hits and 14 top 10 singles. With more than 30 singles charting on Billboard, Pam has sold more than 7 mill...

If something fills your soul like music fills mine when I’m singing on stage, the feeling that I feel driving back home is I don’t wanna go back home, I wanna go to the next town and that’s how I’ve always been.  -Julie Roberts  Welcome to the story you probably never knew about platinum-selling singer/songwriter Julie Roberts.  We jumped in the car for a ride to her home just outside of Nashville expecting to get the scoop on her comeback record: Ain’t In No Hurry and ended up hearing a story steeped in incredible highs and the...

I believe that when you have a dream and a calling is put on your life, no matter what you have to endure to pursue it,  God will give you the strength to do it. – Brennley Brown  We’re back at the Glen Campbell Museum for CMA Fan Fest to interview emerging artists from the Rhinestone Stage. When Brennley Brown arrived for soundcheck with her guitar and a smile as big as the room, we knew we were in for a great interview.   Raised on a ranch in Apple Valley, California, Brennley’s first performance was at a kindergarten talent show wher...

Welcome to a very special episode of our podcast, taped on the Rhinestone Stage at the Glen Campbell Museum…the jewel of Broadway. There is so much talent in Nashville and we wanted to introduce you to some uber-talented emerging artists who are this close to making it big. First up, our interview with Darin and Brooke Aldridge, a married couple who were born to sing together. Darin’s superb musicianship as a guitarist, along with his rock-solid baritone are the perfect combination for Brooke’s angelic voice.  Their harmonies and phrasing have set them apart from the rest and fueled t...

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 … Continue reading Rita Wilson: Award-Winning Actress, Singer, Songwriter and Producer →

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

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

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

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 … Continue reading Glen Campbell Tribute: Part One – TK Kimbrell, Mike Borchetta & Julian Raymond →

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 … Continue reading Candy & Jacy: Manifesting & Wish Boards →

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 … Continue reading Lindy Robbins – Multi-platinum selling & award-winning songwriter →

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 … Continue reading Anthony Resta – Platinum Selling Producer, Composer & Musician →

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 … Continue reading Jim Vest – Award-winning Steel Guitarist, Producer & Author →

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. … Continue reading Pam Lewis – Nashville Publicist & Preservationist →

I appreciate the moment. I learned many years ago that happiness is the appreciation of what is happening. – Jim Messina    We were beside ourselves as we headed to the home of Jim Messina.  There we were  in Jacy’s silver Toyota Corolla, winding our way down country roads just outside of Nashville, singing Your … Continue reading Jim Messina of Loggins and Messina: up close & personal with an icon →

Be a good hang. Don’t bring dark energy into the room and be kind to people. Love the music so much, it loves you back.  – Bobby Tomberlin  We’re kicking off 2022 with a trip to Curb WORD on Nashville’s famous Music Row.  This iconic songwriter’s think-tank is owned by music industry giant Mike Curb … Continue reading Bobby Tomberlin – Grammy, CMA, and ACM nominated songwriter: Blake Shelton, Diamond Rio, Faith Hill, Dolly Parton →

For this episode, Jacy and I got to thinking about our favorite answers to the questions we always ask during our interviews with country music icons. We decided to put together a “best of” episode that featured singers and songwriters answering the question: tell me about the first time you ever heard yourself on the … Continue reading Their First Time on the Radio: Sara Evans, John Schneider, Crystal Gayle, Jamie O’Neal & more →

“You and I” just stuck out to me as a title, so I just wrote it down on a piece of paper with some other titles because I was really just learning how to write songs. – Frank Myers  From a career that began as a singer with a guitar on stages large and small … Continue reading Frank Myers : Grammy Award-Winning songwriter, Lonestar, Crystal Gayle, Vince Gill →

When I had the chicken pox, I went on stage. When I had a cracked rib, I went on stage. And that is the old Vaudeville saying “the show must go on.”   – Jamie O’Neal  Music Row is pretty magical. The streets that make up this iconic area of Nashville are lined with old … Continue reading Jamie O’Neal : Grammy Nominee, ACM & Billboard award-winning artist →

We love it so much.  We love our fans, we love what we do, and it is exhausting, but I think it’s a calling on our lives where, we have to do this. This is part of our blood. It’s our calling. – Lily Isaacs   In this interview, we settle into the living room … Continue reading Lily Isaacs of The Isaacs →

The appeal of music for me was playing the music. When you start playing, and that music is blowing by you, around you. It is the most amazing, glorious feeling.  – Sonny LeMaire    In this episode, we sit down with Sonny LeMaire, bass player, singer/songwriter for the iconic group Exile.  Taped in Sonny’s cozy … Continue reading Sonny LeMaire of Exile →

I think I am known as a nice guy.  It’s more important to be a great person than it is to be a hit songwriter.  -Chris Lindsey  In this episode, we’re heading back to Aimeeland, a famous recording studio just outside of Nashville for an interview with Grammy nominated hit songwriter, Chris Lindsey. In this … Continue reading Chris Lindsey →

Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves because the creation of Country Music Success Stories combines both of our talents and checks all of our boxes! -Candy O’Terry & Jacy Dawn Valeras We’ve been getting lots of messages from listeners (and please keep ‘em coming @countrymusicsuccessstories). They tell us that they love hearing about the country … Continue reading Candy & Jacy →

Find something you like doin’ so much, you’d do it for nothin’ and then learn to do it so well that they’ll pay you and then you’ve got it made. That’s how I feel about performing. – Bill Anderson If you want to get someone’s attention, just whisper! Whispering Bill Anderson has been getting people’s … Continue reading Whispering Bill Anderson →

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 … Continue reading John Schneider →

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 … Continue reading Sara Evans →

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 … Continue reading Collin Raye →

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 … Continue reading Aimee Mayo →

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 … Continue reading Tony Brown  →

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 … Continue reading John Berry & Robin Berry →

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 … Continue reading Steve Dorff →

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 … Continue reading TG Sheppard →

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 … Continue reading Larry Strickland →

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 … Continue reading Karen Staley →