Country Roads with Ben Earle

Max McNown sits down with Ben to talk about his extraordinary story, and just how much life has changed for him in the last three years; from singing publicly for the first time on a pier in South California, to headlining his own tours, having a viral hit, and notching up over 10 million monthly listens on Spotify!As ever, we get to know Max through the places that have made him who he is, including the wilds of Bend, Oregon, Southern California where the whole trajectory of his life was changed, and Nashville, the place he now calls home. This conversation covers everything from the role models that have shaped him into the old soul he is today, to the challenges of growing up and feeling lost as a teenager; finding confidence through singing and healing through songwriting, to the real life experience that inspired his break out hit A Lot More Free and why it changed his life in more ways than one. Check out the tracks discussed in Max’s episode on our specially curated playlist, the Country Roads Podcast Playlist on Spotify. Follow us on Instagram for exclusive giveaways and to be the first to hear when Country Roads is back for Series Two! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Singer songwriter Eric Paslay holds the unique honour of being the first guest on the podcast to get Ben on a horse! They chat about this story and so much more, including Eric’s family-filled upbringing in Texas, the amazing story of how one of his songs brought him and his wife together, and his considered take on where Country music is at right now. We also hear about how the memory of his Grandad’s band fed his musical dreams, and the very special moment he got to have singing with his Grandad from beyond the grave on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. Eric shares his journey to Nashville and how he first began learning how to write songs, songs which earned him three Country number ones in one year! He talks about his faith, his family, and his farm, and how one producer told him that his song would kill Country music - and it went on to be ranked the most played song of the decade! This episode has it all. Be sure to check out our Country Roads Podcast Playlist on Spotify, so you can listen to all the tracks discussed in this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Caylee Hammack dials in from Nashville to chat to Ben about the places that have had the biggest impact on her and on her music. She talks about everything from the quiet stability that family life in Ellaville gave her, to the heartbreak that pushed her to leave town and pursue her dreams in Nashville.Caylee speaks about a devastating diagnosis at the age of sixteen which turned her world upside down, and set her on the path to becoming a songwriter. She also shares what she learned from losing all her worldly possessions in a housefire; how the beginning of her honky tonk education at Tootsie’s on Broadway came about; and her love of solitude and nature and how it brought her to Scotland. Be sure to check out our Country Roads Podcast Playlist on Spotify, where you can hear all the songs discussed with Caylee in this episode, and many more besides! Follow us on Instagram @countryroadspod to connect with fellow Country fans, to hear exclusive content with our guests, and be the first to know about the giveaways and competitions we have coming up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, rising star, Kassi Ashton, speaks about finding her sound by accepting that she is two sides of one coin; leaning into being someone who loves fashion design as much as dirt bikes, and hunting as much as ballet. Kassi has learned to be unapologetically herself, and explains how she has captured her truth in her long awaited debut album, Made From The Dirt. In learning more about the places that have made her who she is today, we journey to Missouri for rifle season which is bigger than Christmas for Kassi’s family; to her happy place in Key West, Florida, where she met her husband; and to Nashville where she struggled to fit in at Belmont, but found her feet Downtown. Kassi shares what it was like writing the most difficult song of her life but why it’s become one of her favourite songs to perform, why she’s more interested in being an icon than a star, and why her “rat cave” is the place she feels most at home! Also, listen in full to hear Kassi deliver one of the best answers ever to the question, “Are you Country enough?” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canadian singer/songwriter Josh Ross joins Ben for a chat about his incredible rise to stardom, his love of Nashville and how sometimes you just need sit in silence. Josh slept in his car when he first moved to Nashville, trying to make it as a young songwriter, but soon made his mark and it's now the city he calls home. But Canada still has his heart - and he loves to return to see his family, and, to fish! Ben and Josh share stories of songwriting sessions in Nashville (and how, sometimes, they don't always go right) and talk about some of their inspirations. Remember you can watch all of our episodes on our YouTube channel - please subscribe and like so we can share the love! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, American country artist Rissi Palmer joins Ben Earle for a chat about the places that have inspired her songwriting. From the churches of Pennsylvania, to her home of North Carolina, Rissi's songs tell great stories, which are influenced by her family. A trailblazer for Black women in country music, she debuted in 2007 with the single "Country Girl", which made her the first African-American woman to chart a country song since 1988.Get more familiar or reacquaint yourself with all the music mentioned in this episode by saving our Country Roads Podcast Playlist on Spotify. You can also follow us on Instagram be the first to hear what's coming up on Country Roads each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Ben is joined by his first British guest of the series - Kezia Gill! She takes us back to her musical roots in Ireland, where she would sing with her Dad in the local pubs. She honed her craft playing cover songs in clubs, before becoming the singer/songwriter she is today.We journey to Nashville and Memphis, where Kezia had an inspirational Elvis moment, and across the UK, where she calls home. She also tells Ben about the inspiration behind some of her most personal lyrics, and, how she gambled everything - even her house - on making her most recent album. Get more familiar or reacquaint yourself with all the music mentioned in this episode by saving our Country Roads Podcast Playlist on Spotify. You can also follow us on Instagram to be the first to hear what's coming up on Country Roads each week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we have not one, not two, but three guests - the amigos that make up Midland! Cam, Mark, and Jess tell us about the places have had the biggest impact on them as a band.We journey to L.A. where they explored the early 00's rock scene; to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where Cam brought them together for his wedding, and Mark and Jess played music together for the first time; and then, of course, to Texas and The Sonic Ranch where they cut their first demos and discovered they had something special as a trio.They also tell Ben what's so special about a Texas Honky Tonk, how they were once on the brink of breaking up, and why Jess never thought their smash hit Drinkin' Problem would get played on the radio, let alone make number one! Get more familiar or reacquaint yourself with all the music mentioned in this episode by saving our Country Roads Podcast Playlist on Spotify. You can also watch every episode on YouTube, and follow us on Instagram to be the first to hear what's coming up on Country Roads each week.Warning: This episode contains strong language. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canadian singer songwriter, Tenille Townes, describes her hometown as a place with a lot of blue sky and room to dream. Being in Alberta, it’s also winter there nine months of the year! But there was nothing cold about the community she grew up in, and we hear how it shaped her into the artist she is today.We also hear about some of the most memorable places she has travelled with her music, including the school on a tiny island that inspired her song Jersey On The Wall, and the one-of-a-kind Holiday Train that rattled through Canada and gave life to her Train Track Worktapes. Tenille also shares stories from the road trip that changed her life; when she and her dad drove 47hours to move her to Music City! And one of the best full circle stories we’ve ever heard, featuring fellow Canadian and pop country icon, Shania Twain. You can watch the Train Tracks Worktapes: The Documentary on YouTube, and subscribe to our channel whilst you’re there - @countryroadspod Follow us on Instagram @countryroadspodSave our Country Roads Podcast Playlist on Spotify, so you can listen to every song we discuss with our brilliant guests on the podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Any interview that starts with squats and shots has to be a good one! This week, Ben learns more about Mackenzie Carpenter’s pre-show rituals, the big characters in her childhood neighbourhood who inspired some of her songs, and her friendship with Megan Moroney. Through Mackenzie’s stories, we travel to her tiny hometown in Georgia where they’d hold hootenannys on her back porch until the early hours; to Nashville where she made a new home for herself; and to the sands of Florida where she and her husband got married. Enjoy the hilarious cultural exchange between a London boy and a Georgia girl, as they each try to explain what everything from a chomp to a tailgate is! One thing is largely the same on both sides of the Atlantic though, and that’s country songwriting; they discuss why Mackenzie is a songwriter at her core. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more video content, and check out all the songs mentioned in this episode on the Country Roads Podcast Playlist on Spotify. You can also follow us on Instagram @countryroadspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not often you get to interview the person that inspired you to make Country music, but this week Ben does exactly that! Lady A opened his ears to the kind of country music Ben wanted to make, and their co-lead vocalist Charles Kelley joins him today.Charles takes us to all the important places in his life; from the golf courses of Augusta and the pharmacy where he met James Brown, to his swampy college party hangout in Athens where the early foundations of the band were laid, to the venue where they first performed in Nashville.He tells us all about how much has changed in Music City since he started out in music, and fondly remembers the pure optimism he felt when the band first formed. Charles explains how the pressure to build on their numerous number ones contributed to his problematic relationship with alcohol, and how he has shed the fear of failure since getting sober - resulting in an ambitious and joyous new album, Songs For A New Moon. If you want to get better acquainted with the songs mentioned in this episode, head to Spotify for the Country Roads Podcast Playlist and hit save. You can also follow us on Instagram @countryroadspod and subscribe to our Youtube channel for full length videos and bonus content.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chart-topping student of classic Country, Drake Milligan, joins Ben to talk about the places that have made him who he is today. Drake takes us to the barn in Texas where he sang his heart out as a child; he tells us about his dream holiday on an Elvis Cruise, where he performed with the The Jordanaires; and we journey to Memphis where he moved to film Sun Records and - in his words - went about as far as you can go without being Elvis himself! Drake speaks about his experiences on American Idol and America’s Got Talent, and the unlikely person who convinced him to do the latter! He speaks candidly about the importance of being ready for big opportunities when they come, and putting in the work it takes to be a performer and an artist in your own right. We also hear about his love for a British pub, and the surprising place he most likes listening to music... For more content, follow us on Instagram and Youtube - @countryroadspod.You can also check out our curated playlist on Spotify - the Country Roads Podcast playlist - where you can listen to every track discussed in each episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our journey begins with…. Cam! Grammy award winning singer songwriter, Camaron Ochs, is where we go for deep healing. She is one of the greatest storytellers around, so who better to ask about the places who have made her who she is today?  Cam takes us to her Grandparents’ ranch in Southern California where her Grandpa first taught her to play the piano; we climb up the redwood tree in her parents backyard where she thought all her big thoughts as a child; and to the banks of the Nile where she started to heal a broken heart. She also tells us about the “humanness” of Nashville that she likes so much, and the elements of country living that feel so right to her. Of course, we talk about what it was like working collaboratively with Beyoncé, and we dive deep into her songwriting; the places and people who have inspired her most powerful songs - including the guru she met in Nepal who inspired one of the tracks on All Things Light!Listen to the songs discussed in the show by searching for our Country Roads Podcast playlist on Spotify. All episodes are also available on Youtube - @CountryRoadsPod - and you can follow us on Instagram @countryroadspod for more stories behind the stories of Country’s finest song writers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Singer songwriter Ben Earle is offering Country fans a fresh take on the lives and careers of their favourite artists. Follow the podcast on instagramCountry music has always been closely tied to the land from which it sprung, and as a result many of the best Country songs tell us stories with a strong sense of place; be it Dolly’s Mountain Home in Tennessee, Tim McGraw’s Nashville, or Cam’s Redwood Tree in California. We’re taking this one step further by better getting to know our favourite Country stars through the places that are most important to them; the landscapes that have shaped them, the places that have opened their eyes to new possibilities, the people who’ve crossed their paths and inspired them to capture their story in a song. If their lives were a stack of postcards, where would they be from? We also dive deep into the songwriting, to find out more about the places that have inspired some of our guests most beloved songs. There’s a saying; we are everywhere we’ve ever been. So meet us here every Thursday to hear real stories about the places that have made the biggest and brightest Country artists who they are today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.