About Nashville With Mike Rodgers

2X AMERICAN IDOL FINALIST Emily Brooke is a young up-and-coming country music star that has been a finalist on American Idol twice now. Mike and Emily talk about songwriting, American Idol, CMA Fest, and a mystery boy.

COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER/SONGWRITER Mike talks to Ray Scott about breaking into music business, getting his first publishing deal, having his songs recorded by other artists, signing his first record deal, and his favorite TV shows. Mike makes a bad joke about his wife’s dog dying, and then then the dog really does die.  

THE MUSIC CAREER OF SCOTT REEVES This is part two of a two part series. Part one was focused more on Scott’s successful acting career in soap operas like General Hospital, The Young & the Restless, and Days of Our Lives. Part 2 of this interview is focused more on his music career as half of the popular country music duo called Blue County. Mike talks to Scott in detail about how he broke into the music business, how he got a record deal, life on the road, returning to acting in the TV series Nashville, and how he would survive a zombie apocalypse.

THE ACTING CAREER OF SCOTT REEVES Mike talks with Scott Reeves in part 1 of a 2 part series. Scott Reeves is a successful Actor, Singer and Songwriter. You may know Scott from the TV series Nashville or one of three soap operas he has been on like General Hospital, The Young & the Restless, and Days of Our Lives’\. He was also in the popular country music duo called Blue County. Mike talks to Scott about breaking into the acting business, competing for roles against Brad Pitt, Jason Priestly, and Luke Perry, and how he asked his wife of 26 years, Melissa Reeves, to marry him.  

SINGER/SONGWRITER/ACTOR/PRODUCER/DOG WHISPERER - In this episode Mike talks to Dean Miller about persevering for the love of the art, his High school prom date that went from good to breaking bad, acting with James Gandolfini & Robert Redford, the crimes of Michael Vick, and producing legends like Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard.

CHAD RIDEN INTRODUCED MARC MARON TO PRINCE’S HOT CHICKEN Have you ever wondered who held the title of ambassador to comedy for the up and coming comedian in Nashville? It would be comedian Chad Riden. Chad Riden has appeared on “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central, the Late Show with David Letterman’s “Tony Mendez Show”, ABC’s “Nashville,” and is featured on an episode of CMT-Canada’s “Mississippi Snake Grabbers.” Riden’s comedy is about his chaotic reality. Chad has weathered bankruptcy, divorce and foreclosure, launched a poultry farm, co-produced and headlined the Guinness World Records breaking #BrokenRecordShow, and made an unsuccessful run for mayor of Nashville. Riden tells self-incriminating stories that embarrass his daughter and make everybody else think he’s a weirdo. He lives in East Nashville with two flying squirrels and a turtle. From April 12-20, 2015, Riden co-produced and headlined the world record setting #BrokenRecordShow at The East Room in Nashville, Tennessee – a non-stop 184 hour, 16 min

ZANIE'S NASHVILLE COMEDY CLUB MANAGEMENT TEAM Have you ever wondered what it would be like to Manage a Comedy Club? Casey Ray is the Manager & Grace Trippodo is the Assistant Manager of the legendary Zanie's Nashville Comedy Club. Mike talks with them about what a week might look like running the comedy club as they sit in the famous green room to the stars of funny.

WARNER BROTHERS RECORDS RADIO PROMOTER Have you ever wondered how to start a career in Nashville on the business side of the music business? Adrian Michaels is the current Director of National Promotion at Warner Brothers Records and the CEO of the Adrian Michaels Agency in Nashville. He started from the bottom, now he’s here. In the early 90’s he sold off everything he owned to move to Nashville for a position that never really existed. Adrian was lucky enough to have been gifted with a natural born ability to talk the talk which helped him create an opportunity to get his foot in the door where he has since proven over and over again that he can also walk the walk. Not everyone coming to Nashville wants to be an artist, a songwriter, a producer, or a musician. Those are careers pursued on the music side of the music business. Some people go to Nashville to work in promotions, management, booking, or possibly a position at a label in order to work in the business side of the music business. The careers are q

GENERAL HOSPITAL CAST Have you ever wondered what it would be like to talk to the cast of General Hospital? This week’s episode is with several cast members of the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital. Tyler Christopher, Laura Wright, Finola Hughes, Michelle Stafford and Ryan Paevey talk with Mike about comedy, podcasts, southern roots, bad auditions, hidden talents, and their Native American Heritage.

NEPHEW OF DAVID & LEFTY FRIZZELL AND SON OF ALLEN FRIZZELL Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be born into country music royalty? Award winning Artist, Corey Frizzell was born in Country Music Royalty, as the nephew of Country Stars, David & Lefty Frizzell and the son of Nashville Recording Artist, Allen Frizzell, Corey is carrying on the family name while blazing a path of his own.  The Frizzell family, most famous for its prominence on the Country Music charts, is now witnessing the artistic successes of the second generation. Corey falls somewhere in the middle of the six children spanning four decades of Allen Frizzell, former Nashville recording artist and younger brother to Lefty and David. Although he has siblings following in the Frizzell music footsteps, who have accepted the challenge of emerging from the giant shadow first cast by music family patriarch, Lefty Frizzell, Corey chose a different path, a path to create his own shadow.  Corey has been a Golden Gloves Boxing Champio

TIM MCGRAW'S FORMER DRUMMER FOR THE DANCEHALL DOCTORS Have you ever wondered what it would be like to play in a band with country music superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill? Billy "Thunder" Mason was a member of Tim McGraw's touring band The Dancehall Doctors. He has toured or recorded with artists such as Tobin Sprout, Faith Hill, Bill Anderson, Paulette Carlson, among others. The Former Dancehall Doctor's drummer, Billy 'Thunder" Mason, talks with Mike about how he became a member of the Dancehall Doctors for over 18 years, life on the road with Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, and how he let the band go.

POPULAR COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER & OPENING ACT Have you ever wondered what it would be like to open the show for country music stars Eric Church and Lee Brice? Country music singer, Rick Monroe, is a road warrior who has released several independent country music records to garner a very large fan base. In episode 7 of About Nashville, Rick Monroe provides a deeper look about himself as a man and a country music artist.

BIG SCREEN ACTOR IN MONEYBALL & I SAW THE LIGHT Have you ever wondered what it would be like to do scenes in a movie with Brad Pitt and Tom Hiddleston? Mike talks with film actor Casey Bond who is also a former professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants about working in the movies 'Moneyball' and 'I saw the Light', his transition from sports to acting, the Oscars, his family, and doing scenes with Tom Hiddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt, and Brad Pitt. Casey Bond played Chad Bradford in the movie "Moneyball" and fiddle player Jerry Rivers in the new Hank Williams' movie, "I Saw the Light" that opened on April 1st in theaters everywhere.

TOURING COMEDIAN FROM THE LAST COMIC STANDING Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a touring stand-up comedian? Mike talks to comedian Bubba Bradley about his family, traditional country music, Aziz Ansari, Netflix, Zanie's, the Nashville comedy scene, and how he became a stand up comic. Bubba Bradley is a touring comedian best known for appearing on the television shows "Master of None" and  "The Last Comic Standing", while also featuring in the Tara Thompson country music video, "Someone to Take Your Place".

COUNTRY SINGER CHRIS YOUNG'S LEAD GUITAR PLAYER Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in a band with country music singer Chris Young and play for thousands of fans? Mike talks to Chris Young's lead guitarist, Kevin Collier, about his influences on the guitar, Ronda Rousey, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). They also reminisce about playing in a band together called "3 Doors Down" back in the 90's. Kevin Collier is the lead guitarist for RCA recording artist Chris Young. He tours the world playing country music for thousands of fans.

COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER & SEASON ONE NASHVILLE STAR WINNER Have you ever wondered what it would be like to win a televised singing competition and become a 20 year overnight success in country music? Mike and Jeff talk to country music singer Buddy Jewell about growing up in Arkansas, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Miranda Lambert, and Nashville Star. Buddy Jewell won the first season of the singing competition television show Nashville Star which earned him the record deal that promoted his radio hit songs “Help Pour Out the Rain (Lacey's Song)" and “Sweet Southern Comfort”.

TAYLOR SWIFT PRODUCER & HIT SONGWRITER Have you ever wondered what it would be like to write a #1 hit song or produce a multi-platinum selling record for international superstar Taylor Swift? Mike sits down with acclaimed record producer and hit songwriter Robert Ellis Orrall at the 'infinity Cat' house where they discuss painting, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, Jessica Simpson and Taylor Swift. Robert Ellis Orrall is an accomplished painter, singer/songwriter, producer, and still somehow finds the times to manage the operations of the punk rock record label infinity Cat; one of the top 50 independent record labels in the world.

TALKING DEAD HOST & NERDIST PODCAST FOUNDER WITH GO BAYSIDE PODCAST HOST Have you ever wondered what it would be like to host the after show for the fan favorite television series 'The Walking Dead' or to turn your podcast into a electronic content empire? Mike talks to the 'Talking Dead' host Chris Hardwick and comedian April Richardson about the 'Nerdist' podcast, the Oscars, movie remakes, Sylvester Stallone, Bob Odenkirk, and having kids at an older age. Chris Hardwick is the creator of the 'Nerdist' podcast and host of the television shows 'Talking Dead', , 'Talking Bad', and the soon to be released, 'Talking Saul'. April Richardson is host of the 'Go Bayside' podcast which dissects episodes of 'Saved by the Bell' with fellow comedians.