Hops & Spirits Bar Conversations

Growing up along Kentucky’s Country Music Highway U.S. 23, Adam Chaffins' sound owes as much to the lush mountains of his home state as it does to the paved canyons of the city he now calls home. We chat with Adam about his new music, growing up in eastern Kentucky, heading to Nashville, being a session musician and part of touring bands, being able to make his own music, being able to collaborate with his wife Brit Taylor on the songs and so much more. Jonathan's Drinking: RD1 French Oak Finish

Country artist Allie Colleen performs her song While We're Still Friends, which features country superstar Lee Brice. The honest and sincere single, with lyrics full of raw emotion, was co-written by Allie Colleen, Sara Brice and Lee Brice. We also chat about how this collaboration came to be and how her collaborations typically happen.

Jet Jurgensmeyer shares his song Bones from his album The Ride: phase 2 which is the only song he wrote solo on the album. We chat about how Bones is a special song to him and how special it's been to give back to several organizations.

Nether Hour is a trio of unapologetic rebels fusing the swampy grooves of Louisiana with Texas-sized doses of funk, blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll. We chat with Bobby, Bishop and Bercy about their new single Long As I Ain’t Alone, their upcoming new album Moonshine, how the group came to be, their process for creating music, what their live shows are like, what's next and so much more. Jonathan's Drinking: 15 STARS Three Kings

Rising country music artist Charly Reynolds released her debut album, Off The Record, in September. We chat with Charly about bringing that album to life, moving to Nashville at age 18, having vocal surgery, how she approaches songwriting, having fun on social media, her Off The Record tour, what's next and more.Jonathan's Drinking: Southern Star Paragon Bottled-in-Bond Wheated Bourbon

Country artist Allie Colleen performs her song Grass On The Grave and we chat about her tattoos and a personal addition to the collection.

Jade Eagleson has made quite the mark on the international country music scene and he just made his Grand Ole Opry debut. We chat with Jade about his Opry debut, how he met his wife and their first date, growing upn on his grandparent’s small town farm in Ontario, what music he listend to growing up, how he met Shaina Twain, his jump from the farm to the stage, his new singles "Worth the Double" & "Welcome to Rock Bottom", working with Jake Worthington on the re-released "Do It Anyway", what's coming next for him and more.Jonathan's Drinking: Jos A Magnus Cigar Blend

Jet Jurgensmeyer shares his song Ruin This Town from his album The Ride: phase 2 and we chat about the difference in being both an actor and musician.

A former fry cook, oil field operator, concrete surface decorator and kids’ baseball coach met up in a small town in West Texas and started playing music together (as one does in small town West Texas). We chat with Fox and James Tuffs from Dexter and the Moonrocks about their latest song Like You (Like You), their EP Western Space Grunge which they released this summer, how they became a group, what goes into creating their social media videos, what their live shows are like, the success of Sad in Carolina and so much more. Jonathan's Drinking: Balcones Mirador Eclipse American Single Malt Whiskey

Raised in the Appalachian foothills of northern Georgia, Christian Hayes grew up surrounded by southern storytelling. We chat with Christian about his debut EP Last I Love You, how he got the nickname Lullaby Kid, growing up in a musical family, writing 900 songs before heading to Nashville, hitting the stage at Americanfest and so much more.Jonathan's Drinking: Hard Truth High Road Rye

We love our conversations, but sometimes you've got to go "Beyond The Bar" for a little more insight into a song and artist. We kick it all off with Allie Colleen as she shares on of her favorite songs "The Otherside", how the co-write with Carter Winter came to be and how excitied she is to go on tour with Jelly Roll.

Noah West, is a name familiar in Nashville’s publishing houses and writing rooms. Hailing from Beckley, WV, Noah has carved his path in the industry with a distinctive voice, clever lyrics, and an undeniable passion for storytelling throughout his music. We chat with Noah about his latest single "If It Was Easy", what led him to songwriting, growing up in West Virginia, getting his first song cut by an artist, what's next and so much more.Jonathan's Drinking: Yellowstone 2024 Limited Edition Bourbon

The Talbott Brothers, hailing from the heartland of Imperial, Nebraska, embody the heart and soul of country and Americana with their blue-collar grit and unapologetic authenticity. We chat with brothers Nick and Ty Talbott about their new single Kerosene, their upcoming album Borderlands, going back to Nebraska, buying a Craiglist van, making their Americanafest debut and so much more.Jonathan's Drinking: Buzzard's Roost American Whiskey

Born into a military family, country artist Matt Oakley spent the first few years of his life moving up and down the East Coast, before heading to college in South Carolina where he started making music. He credits his passion for country music to his military upbringing and mother’s slow and simple way of living. We chat with Matt about his latest single "Soldier's Son", growing up in a musical family, how he got started playing country music, his approach to writing songs, performing at military benefits, his single "Can't Take the Dogs", what's next and so much more.Jonathan's Drinking: 15 STARS First West Bourbon

Since his debut as a solo artist, Nate Haller has firmly established himself as one of  Canadian country’s premier talents, bringing his unmatched vocals and energetic live show to some of the biggest stages. We chat with Nate about his latest singles "Race to the Bottom" and "Drive", how he got into performing, playing guitar in bands first, what pushed hime to go out on his own, building a mobile bar for the "Somewhere to Drink" video, if more music is coming and what's next.Jonathan's Drinking: Woodinville 8YR Whiskey

Owen Riegling is the kind of artist so down to earth his boots are always dirty. He’s a small-town kid with his roots firmly planted in the songs he sings. There’s something organic about the way Owen does what he does. We chat with Owen about his latest single "Church", being nominated for four CCMA awards, including Male Artist and Entertainer of the Year, writing his first song at age 10, where he got his first guitar and so much more!Jonathan's Drinking: Blue Note Crossroads

Chart-topping, tour de force JJ Wilde has been on an incredible journey since the release of her debut album Ruthless in 2020. With over 36 million global streams and prominent playlist placement on digital platforms, Wilde continues to captivate a diverse global audience, consistently establishing herself as a dominant voice in the rock music scene. We chat with JJ about her upcoming album Vices, travelling across the country, moving to Nashville how she got into music, how things changed when she released The Rush, winning Rock Album of the Year, and so much more.Jonathan's Drinking: George Dickel Bottled-in-Bond 12YR Spring 2011

Country-soul troubadour Drake White has a new album, Low Country High Road, out September 20. The new project finds White digging deep into his creative bag. We chat with Drake about the album, what music he grew up on, what it's like to be a dad, how he met his wife, sharing those family moments with the world, his road back from a stroke, and so much more. Plus, Drake talks about being able to blend his own whiskey.Jonathan's Drinking: Lawrenceburg Bourbon Co Breakfast Bourbon Batch 1

We have a short convo with Holly Doscher of Danny Wimmer Presents, who is behind Bourbon & Beyond and Louder than Life in Louisville. Holly talks about how Bourbon & Beyond added two more stages and 50 more artists,  their culinary and spirits lineup, several fun giveaways happening on their socials, and how they expect this to be the biggest event yet.

Having grown up in Mannford, Oklahoma, Jake Banfield is intimately familiar with country music. Along the way, he discovered a love for basketball, with every intention of pursuing the sport as a career. However, life took an unexpected turn, and with the help of social media and a guitar bought from a pawn shop, Jake found his way into music. We chat with Jake about his latest song "Cadillac Coupe", be so open about mental health, how he got into music, his songwriting style, being on stage, what's next and more.Jonathan's Drinking: Penelope Rio