Country Music Dads

Jeremy Ivey’s Shape Reveals Itself

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 04:00:00 -0700

Recently, the dads sat down with Grammy-nominated songwriter, alt-country artist and father, Jeremy Ivey. But you may know him better as Margo Price’s husband. Ivey has a new album, It’s Shape Will Reveal Itself, out now on Soggy Anvil Records, and it’s a heavy look at the world around us. We will talk about his role as Price’s husband, their partnership in raising their children and songwriting, and how their lives together (and apart) have influenced his art.

Show Notes

1:10: Donnie admits to being a fan boy and interrupting Jeremy’s dinner before a show in Charlotte, NC, several years ago. What he wanted to ask then, and could ask now, was how Jeremy got into songwriting, and it all started with reading great poetry.
3:12: Jeremy explains how It’s Shape Will Reveal Itself came together, and the story of “Little Bird” and his daughter’s role on the track.
5:15: A discussion of how the track order, the playing and technical recording impacts the album's feel, through a patchwork of old and new songs. Also, a CRAZY story about Joan Baez.
10:35: Jeremy’s approach and process, supporting Margo Price and his personal career, and the impact of fatherhood. And a cautionary tale about selling your car with a young child to make an album -- this one worked out, but don’t do it, says Jeremy.
14:10: Balancing home and touring. How Margo and Jeremy find the balance for their music and family, and the hardest part of staying off the road is the FOMO.
16:20: Balancing the creative, romantic and parenting partnerships, and the annual cycle of creativity and support.
19:30: What does a normal day look like for the Ivey/Price household? Pretty normal, explains Jeremy. It’s complete chaos, with a bunch of toys on the floor.
21:40: Jeremy explains his writing process and how the chaos around him influences it. And the honest balance between self-indulgence and giving in to the process of songwriting.
22:57: The difference between songs created for Margo Price’s albums and Jeremy Ivey’s albums.
26:40: The American experience provides an incredible context for creating meaningful and interesting art.
27:20: The Dad Life Sound Check.

Mentioned in the Episode

References/Songs:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
Little Bird - Jeremy Ivey
Edge of Darkness - Jeremy Ivey
Don’t Sleep on Your Dreams - Jeremy Ivey
Whiskey In A Jar - The Dubliners
Close to You - Margo Price
Tennessee Song - Margo Price
A Long Way From Home - The Kinks
Gone to Stay - Margo Price
He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
Lots of Beginnings - Nathan Evans Fox

2026 Grammy Awards Preview: Country Music Dads' Picks, Snubs, & Surprises

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:55:00 -0700

Awards Season is here, so the Country Music Dads must weigh in on what is most deserving, who was snubbed and how the Grammys may be the ultimate dad award show. It’s the 2026 Grammy Awards preview edition of Country Music Dads!

While you're listening, please take two minutes to fill out our listener survey! What do YOU want to hear about country music and modern fatherhood in Season 3? Survey will be live until February 28th, 2026.

https://countrymusicdads.com/feedback/

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Price of Admission by Turnpike Troubadours
Country Cutler's 2025 Year-End Review
The Grammys Process

And the Categories are...

[14:04] Best Country Song

Bitin’ List- Tyler Childers
Good News- Shaboozey
I Never Lie- Zach Top
Somewhere Over Laredo- Lainey Wilson
A Song to Sing- Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton

[20:58] Best Country Solo Performance

Nose on the Grindstone- Tyler Childers
Good News- Shaboozey
Bad As I Used to Be- Chris Stapleton
I Never Lie- Zach Top
Somewhere Over Lareo- Lainey Wilson

[27:38] Best Country Duo/Group Performance

A Song to Sing- Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton
Trailblazer- Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson
Love Me Like You Used to Do- Margo Price and Tyler Childers
Amen- Shaboozey and Jelly Roll
Honky Tonk Hall of Fame- George Strait and Chris Stapleton

[33:49] Best Traditional Country Album

Dollar a Day- Charley Crockett
American Romance- Lukas Nelson
Oh What a Beautiful World- Willie Nelson
Hard Headed Woman- Margo Price
Ain’t In It For My Health- Zach Top

[42:51] Best Contemporary Country Album

Patterns- Kelsea Ballerini
Snipe Hunter- Tyler Childers
Evangeline Vs. The Machine- Eric Church
Beautifully Broken- Jelly Roll
Postcards From Texas- Miranda Lambert

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
II Most Wanted by Beyonce and Miley Cyrus
I Had Some Help by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen
On the Red River by Turnpike Troubadours
Bitin' List by Tyler Childers
Good News by Shaboozey
Somewhere Over Laredo by Lainey Wilson
Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole (Iz)
I Never Lie by Zach Top
She Thinks I Still Care by George Jones
She'll Come Back to Me by Hayes Carll
Nose to the Grindstone by Tyler Childers
Hurt by Johnny Cash from American Recordings
Bad As I Used to Be by Chris Stapleton
Getting to the Bottom by Tyler Childers
Honky Tonk Hall of Fame by George Strait feat. Chris Stapleton
Trailblazer by Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, and Lainey Wilson
Love Me Like You Used to Do by Margo Price feat. Tyler Childers
Amen by Shaboozey feat. Jelly Roll
Dollar a Day by Charley Crockett
Ain't Done by Lukas Nelson
Oh What a Beautiful World by Willie Nelson feat. Rodney Crowell
Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down by Margo Price
Between the Ditches by Zach Top
Armadillo by Miranda Lambert
I Am Not Okay by Jelly Roll
Johnny by Eric Church
Patterns by Kelsea Ballerini
Watch Out by Tyler Childers

Beefing Bros: Making Sense of Gavin Adcock and the Fightin' Side of Country Music

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:45:00 -0700

What’re you looking at, son? You wanna go? Well, it seems like Gavin Adcock can’t get enough of the fightin’ side of country music, and the media (The Dads included) can’t get enough of his bologna. This week, we dive into the beefs, why country music seems to foster this kind of violent rhetoric, what dads should do about it and how the media landscape makes it all worse.

https://countrymusicdads.com/feedback/

Show Notes:

00:58 - Who is Gavin Adcock and why is country music (and its tabloids) so obsessed with him? The Dads get into his origin story, his approach and why he’s the perfect foil. He’s either a marketing genius or an idiot savant.

6:21 - Donnie outlines why he doesn’t like him, but Dave jumps in to say he totally gets his appeal, that vibe and that stupidity. There is something to be said about acting a fool. But it needs to be safe for everyone involved.

10:31 - Beefs, it’s what’s for dinner. The Dads outline the wild number of beefs that Adcock either instigated or accelerated. Up first, we talk about Braxton Keith and Adcock.

13:28 - Next, we cover the swing Adcock took at Beyoncé. His take was loaded and unneeded.

16:53 - Now we get to the good stuff: Zach Bryan vs Adcock. They came into it with the same energy, and this one is wonderfully messy. They both looked like fools because neither chose to de-escalate.

21:10 - On to Charley Crockett and his master class in narrative control. Adcock put himself back into the conversation, ego and all. And boy did he miss. The allegations of “Cosplay Cowboy” against Crockett fall so flat. All stage performers put on an act -- including Adcock.

27:46 - The fight and beef drives streaming revenues, but it’s not going to establish Adcock for the long term.

29:16 - Benjamin Tod, the $75 a night beef and the outlaw version of puka shells.

34:14 - How do these beefs stand up to the history of country music beefs? They are similar, but the social media system exacerbates the situation.

36:10 - What role do violence and male bravado play in country music -- it’s all about the storytelling. From Johnny Cash to Jason Aldean, country uses violence to tell a story and foster the image of power and control. And this music provides an escape. Understanding the line between violence as an escape vs a solution is critical.

45:19 - How do dads help their kids deal with this kind of trash talk or bullying? Be a better person: don’t let yourself be hurt, and find a better way to fix the problems that will always arise. And this isn’t just about dumb beefs or little kids. This is about how society solves its problems.

54:29 - Dad Life Sound Check for meeting the bully in the parking lot.

Thank you for listening. The best way to support us is to subscribe to the show on Spotify, Apple podcasts, or whatever podcast platform you use. If you want to see new episodes and more content delivered straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our newsletter: countrymusicdads.substack.com. You can find everything we do on our website: countrymusicdads.com. And we’d love to hear what you think, so send us comments, suggestions, friendly banter on Instagram @countrymusicdads, or via email countrymusicdads@gmail.com.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Gavin Adcock bus surfing and shotgunning a beer (Source: Adcock’s social channels)
Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast with Gavin Adcock
Braxton Keith calling out Adcock
Adcock comments on Beyoncé
Zach Bryan's reaction to young fan
Adcock reaction to Zach Bryan's young fan interaction
Charley Crockett video on the subway
Crockett on the Nashville Now podcast with Rolling Stone
Country Cutler article on crafting personas in country music
Kat Hasty tweet about Morgan Wallen's authenticity
Clip from Benjamin Tod's socials screaming at people about Nashville
Interview with Benjamin Tod for Saddle Mountain Post
Interview with Benjamin Tod about making $75/night

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
Run Your Mouth - Gavin Adcock
Need To - Gavin Adcock
SOLD OUT - HARDY
February 28, 2016 - Koe Wetzel
Settle for a Beer - Braxton Keith
16 Carriages - Beyonce
Nine Ball - Zach Bryan
Crucified Son - Charley Crockett
War Inside of Me - Lost Dog Street Band
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
Try That in a Small Town - Jason Aldean
Don't Take Your Guns to Town - Johnny Cash
I Could Kick Your Ass - Justin Moore
Beer for My Horses - by Toby Keith feat. Willie Nelson
Fightin' Side of Me - Merle Haggard
Decoration Day - Drive By Truckers
Fuss & Fight - Koe Wetzel

Why Thanksgiving is the Ultimate Country Music Dad Holiday– and Why It Gets No Respect

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 12:15:00 -0700

Thanksgiving doesn't get any respect, but we're looking to change that. The beleaguered middle child of the holiday season, Thanksgiving is often overlooked. Yet so many elements of Thanksgiving (gathering with family, romanticizing our past traditions, and reckless binge-eating, among others) seem to make it the perfect holiday for a dad and for country music. We explore why Thanksgiving doesn't get its due and we take our best shot at creating a Country Music Thanksgiving Playlist.

0:01 - The introduction: Why do we, in the country music and dad community, not elevate Thanksgiving to its rightful place as the American Holiday?

2:33 - A Bit of History about Thanksgiving and how it became today’s National Holiday. Please note that Donnie had a lot of trouble with the word “popularization.”

5:30 - What does Thanksgiving mean to the Dads? What must you have to eat in order for it to be “right?” And how does being an adult make a difference? Donnie also talks about when he was in shape and ran really fast during a Turkey Trot (Much like the misremembered history of the holiday, Donnie made up a bit of the story, but he did come in first place in the Clydesdale division one year).

13:16 - Deep-fried turkeys, roasting turkey and handling the bird like a chunky nine-month-old. Also, how do you pronounce “giblets?”

16:30 - How do kids change your traditions? Establishing these rituals is very important, and with a bit of planning, you can do great things. But there is more that gets done, and less pure enjoyment and celebration.

19:08 - The great joy of being a parent comes from hard work, and what Donnie says to people who are considering having kids.

21:21 - A Call to Dad Action: We should take Thanksgiving and make it THE American Dad Holiday.

22:30 - What must be on your Thanksgiving table?

26:20 - Donnie and Dave discuss why we think Thanksgiving doesn’t get the respect it deserves. And like the Father of our Nation, George Washington, the Country Music Dads make a proclamation naming Thanksgiving the Dads’ Holiday.

29:48 - Why are there no country music Thanksgiving songs? There are a few songs that work, and the Dads try to jam a square peg into a round hole.

40:51 - Green Bean Casserole is easy: Dads, you can up your game! Donnie outlines the entire process of making it—and it’s super easy.

42:31 - Alice’s Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie is a bonkers banana pants song, but it’s a song about Thanksgiving. Sorta…

44:00 Change My Mind: Donnie pretends to believe that turkey is overrated. And Dave changed my mind -- in the name of tradition. But everyone can agree that the next day sandwich is what Thanksgiving is really all about.

Mentioned in the Episode

Butterball Togetherness Report
Cooking with Country Cutler and Donnie’s fascination with Jello molds
Family leave episode
Christmas Music episode
Holler's list of Thanksgiving songs
Brent Cobb
Alice's Restaurant Massacree by Arlo Guthrie
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot
Mustache episode

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
Children's Folksong- Yankee Doodle by Nesrality on Pixabay.
All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey
The Thanksgiving Song by Adam Sandler
Thanksgiving Song by Mary Chapin Carpenter
It's a Great Day to Be Alive by Travis Tritt
Glad to Be Here by Hailey Whitters (feat Brent Cobb)
Turkey in the Straw by Burl Ives
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Burl Ives
Family Table by Zac Brown Band
Crowded Table by The Highwomen
Family Tradition by Hank Williams Jr.
Buck on the Wall by HARDY
Chicken Fried by Zac Brown Band
Biscuits by Kacey Musgraves
Cornbread and Butter Beans by Carolina Chocolate Drops
Gravy by Tim McGraw
Polk Salad Annie by Tony Joe White
Berry Pie by Dolly Parton

Songbirds' Son: Shooter Jennings on Waylon The Artist, Waylon The Dad and The Legacy of Both

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 04:00:00 -0700

This episode needs no introduction: Shooter Jennings joins Donnie and Dave to discuss his dad’s cache of recordings, the process of bringing together three albums' worth of new Waylon Jennings music, and his feelings about the first installment, Songbird. Shooter talks at length about the discovery of Waylon’s previously unreleased music, his relationship with his legendary dad and his own role as a father of two. This one was big for the Country Music Dads, as there couldn’t be a more perfect topic for this podcast.

Show Notes

1:24 -- Shooter tells us about the discovery of these songs and how the Songbird project came together.

6:12 -- Dave says it was surreal to hear these songs in 2025. Shooter felt the same way. And then he knew he had to share this with others so they could have the same experience.

8:26 -- The Myth vs. The Man: Shooter explores what fans might be able to take from these projects.

10:42 -- Shooter’s childhood on the road and why he’s tired at shows regardless of how much sleep he gets.

12:20 -- Waylon the Artist vs. Waylon the Dad. Shooter kept true to the art but modernized it a bit — “letting the music on the tape talk.” That said, the experience of going through this chapter of his dad’s life was very special to Shooter.

20:07 -- As a producer, the process of this project was a bit different for Shooter because Waylon is no longer with us; he is his father, and there was so much more material than usual. So he wanted to make it last to “make it like Waylon is here for a minute.”

23:00 -- Donnie asked about how relationships impact Shooter’s production style. He specifically pointed to Turnpike Troubadour’s last two albums and the fan backlash after Cat in the Rain. Shooter’s direct and honest answer provides an interesting view into his producing style.

28:58 -- The Dads ask Shooter how the production on the next albums fit together and how they tell a story. We also learn that there are several other projects to come from this collection of recordings, including songs by his mother, Jessi Colter. It’s like a little Marvel Universe of Waylon Jennings, they joke. But wouldn’t that be cool?

30:40 -- How this project impacts Shooter’s legacy and his kids’ vision of him.

36:30 -- What’s next for Shooter? He’s working with Charley Crockett and BJ Barham of American Aquarium again.

Mentioned in the Episode

Songbird album by Waylon Jennings
Countach (for Giorgio) album by Shooter Jennings
Tony Joe White
Sometimes Y album by Yelawolf
Sunset Sound
Rumours album by Fleetwood Mac
Rolling Stone Nashville Now podcast with Shooter Jennings
WSM
Billy Bob’s Texas’ mural of Waylon is still the King
Shooter’s Father's Day post about the music

References

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
"Loading" by Shooter Jennings
"I'd Like to Love You Baby" by Waylon Jennings
"Songbird" by Waylon Jennings
"Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac
"After The Ball" by Waylon Jennings
"I Hate to Go Searchin' Them Bars Again" by Waylon Jennings
"The Cowboy (Small Texas Town)" by Waylon Jennings
"The Eagle" by Waylon Jennings
"Dollar a Day" by Charley Crockett
"Cat in the Rain" by Turnpike Troubadours
"Mean Old Sun" by Turnpike Troubadours

Ryan Posner: The Dad Behind Y'all Star Revue on Country Music's Evolution

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0700

This week, Donnie speaks with Ryan Posner, a Los Angeles-based bass player, side man and musical director, about balancing his home and professional life, how to define country music, why it is important to push art forward and how bass players make great dads.

They dive deep into the value of his current project, the nearly weekly Y’all Star Revue, a showcase at the original Desert 5 Spot in Hollywood. This event highlights the best local and touring country music talent who are on the verge of breaking out.

Show Notes

1:50 -- Ryan’s origin story: From a 16-year-old rocker to figuring out playing country music right before the pandemic. He tells Donnie that his first concert was Willie Nelson at age five and his second concert was Weird Al opening for the Monkees in the early 1980s -- which really summarized his musical existence. Until he watched Ken Burns’ Country Music documentary.

6:38 -- Bass players make great dads: Ryan has always been attracted, and it seems that the Country Music Dads are attracted to bass players. Perhaps the kind of person who likes to play bass is also the kind of person who wants to be a dad.

8:58 -- How do you truly balance the parenting? Being honest is a good start.

10:40 -- What is The Y’all Star Revue, and what is the impact of this program on country music?

17:25 -- What is real country music? Ryan ends the debate of what country music is and what it is not. His platform is to share new music with new audiences.

20:19 -- Freedom from Choice: Ryan hopes that his new curated platform can help bring so many different kinds of music together to help develop a new experience outside of the over-saturation of the Los Angeles music scene. He prefers “freedom from choice” rather than “freedom of choice.”

22:19 -- More Debate on What Makes Real Country Music: But does this kind of platform push country music too far? Ryan says no. There is no line too far. Country music evolves just like every other kind of music, and the only person who can define “real” country music for that person is that person.

30:55 -- The Dad Life Sound Check: Ryan brings “Funny How Time Slips Away” by Willie Nelson, and Donnie talked about Waylon’s “Songbird.”

38:15 -- THE LIGHTNING ROUND, which gets completely derailed by the last question about the one concert you could attend at any time.

Mentioned in this Episode:

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
"I Can Almost Taste the Whiskey" by West of Texas
"My Grass is Blue" by Kimmi Bitter
"Good News" by Shaboozey
"Austin (Boots Stop Workin')" by Dasha
"Just Got Paid" by Brett Tomberlin
"The Car Hank Died In" by Casual Drifter
"Cherry" by Ajii
"He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones
"Funny How Time Slips Away" by Willie Nelson
"Songbird" by Waylon Jennings
Live from Billy Bob's by Pat Green

The Mustache Rides Again: Greatest 'Staches in Country Music (and Beyond)

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 04:00:00 -0700

This week, the Dads talk about a growing trend in country music and on the faces of men everywhere: the mustache. While facial hair is divisive, this episode takes a light-hearted view of the ‘stache, the correlation between masculinity in society and the prevalence of mustachioed individuals and much more. This is just one long “Change My Mind” segment, and you won’t be disappointed.

Show Notes:

1:45 - The History of the mustache, pogonotrophy and some notable ‘staches from history. There are several horrible dad jokes about facial hair throughout this section.

6:30 - The place of the mustache in pop culture from the Fu Manchu to the handlebar to Tom Selleck, everyone’s favorite short-short-wearing Private Eye.

11:52 - The mustache is a symbol of Dad Life. Dave comes from a long line of mustachioed dads.

13:33 - A mustache is an intentional act of manliness and all that is baked into that statement. In the end, men grow mustaches for their fellow men.

16:11 - The evolution of the mustache in modern society, the impact of Movember and shifts in culture.

17:50 - The great (and not so great) mustaches of country music. And for some reason, Dave brought up Chris Gaines in relation to Garth Brooks.

29:44 - Change My Mind: Here it comes down to this -- will Dave change Donnie’s mind about the 'stache?

35:54 - The Dad Life Sound Check

Mentioned in this Episode:

Prince Rahotep
Pazyrik horseman
2014 BBC article about Edward, Prince of Wales
Dr. Fu Manch from the British author Sax Rohmer
Magnum P.I.
Yosemite Sam
Tombstone
Jeopardy and Alex Trebek
Fatherly article about moustaches
Movember
Children's Book Episode
Identify this 90's moustache on Instagram with Zach Top
Buzzing sounds…

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
"East Bound and Down" by Jerry Reed
"Worst Way" by Riley Green
"Use Me" by Zach Top
"Honky Tonk City" by Braxton Keith
"Three Car Garage" by Flatland Cavalry
"The Coyote & The Cowboy" By Colter Wall
"I'm a Little Crazy" by Morgan Wallen
"American Nights" by Zach Bryan
"Country Boy" by Alan Jackson song
"Boot Scootin' Boogie" by Brooks and Dunn
"Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)" by Joe Diffie
"You’ve Got to Stand for Something" by Aaron Tippin
"Down on the Farm" by Tim McGraw
"Every Light in the House" by Trace Adkins
"Alibis" by Tracy Lawrence
"Brand New Man" by Brooks and Dunn
"Always Have What We Had" by William Prince

Jeremy Pinnell on Country Music, Jiu-Jitsu and Balance

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0700

In this episode, The Dads speak with Jeremy Pinnell, a country music dad from Elsmere, Kentucky. Jeremy released his first full-length album in 2014 on SofaBurn Records, featuring a collection of songs that draw from his life to tell a truly country story. Jeremy recently released brand new singles “Save You” and “Come Home to Me.” He joined the Dads to talk about family, finding balance and all sorts of other topics on this episode.

Show Notes:

2:00 - Jeremy’s music seems highly biographical, but he gets into his roots and family background that shaped his musical approach and personal experience.

5:15 - The stories in Jeremy’s music feel true. And that is something that resonates with him. Story songs have always resonated with Jeremy, and he believes other folks like them too because they want to experience others and “feel uncomfortable.” In the discussion of “Feel This Right,” Jeremy notes that the story is true -- perhaps.

8:38 - Jeremy discusses how his experiences and drug use influenced his earlier writing. He goes on to say that he doesn’t discuss these songs with his son as he wants to allow him to just be a kid, something that he didn’t have the opportunity to do in many cases.

11:02 - A discussion of the push and pull of home and the road -- Jeremy started touring about the same time his son was born. It’s getting harder as he grows up, but he still needs to balance the pull of the road.

12:40 - Donnie brings up the ideas of “I Don’t Believe” about religion, being a good person and other issues. Jeremy explains that he was looking for something when he wrote that song, and he’s still not sure why, but it has become a study of being content where you are in life.

15:05 - Jeremy talks Jiu-Jitsu, getting his ass kicked and finding balance in being uncomfortable.

18:31 - Work makes Jeremy happy. He shares that enjoyment on socials, but it’s more about sharing what he enjoys, not some desire to prove his country credentials. For the Dads and Jeremy, work provides a counterbalance to chaos that is always rewarding.

21:09 - When talking about balancing inspirations, Jeremy told the Dads about the rules about not talking about the venue until you are three miles down the road with the windows up. And that gave birth to a great idea -- and that is sort of how that happens.

24:00 - The story of the “Save You” music video.

26:38 - The new singles from Jeremy were produced by Shooter Jennings. The studio process was about highlighting the song and making it as strong as it could be, Jeremy explains.

28:45 - The Dad Life Sound Check is coming in hard with Jeremy leaning into silence. A nice shift. Donnie and Dave have songs.

Mentioned in the Show

Western AF
Cincinnati Airport
Jiu-Jitsu
The Five-Day Work Week
LFDW Podcast
ZZ Top
Jonathan Tyler
Nikki Lane’s advice: make the music you want to make
Rod Gator and the “Save You” music video
Sagebrush, Austin
Zach Bryan

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
“The Way Country Sounds” by Jeremy Pinnell
“Ballad of 1982” by Jeremy Pinnell
“Night Time Eagle” by Jeremy Pinnell
“Save You” by Jeremy Pinnell
“Teddy Bear” by Red Sovin
“Feel this Right” by Jeremy Pinnell
“Satisfied Mind” by Porter Wagner
“I Don’t Believe” by Jeremy Pinnell
“Goodbye, L.A.” by Jeremy Pinnell.
“Legs” by ZZ Top
“Never Thought of No One” by Jeremy Pinnell
“Come Home to Me” by Jeremy Pinnell
“Sunshine” by Ryan Bingham
“Honey Do” by Steve Denmark

Why Dads Should Take Parental Leave, Plus a Country Music Dads Update

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Dave goes solo for this episode with a brief update on Country Music Dads' plans in the coming months and with a brief rant about parental leave for dads.

Show Notes:

00:34: The Update Dave's having a baby! He shares how that news will affect the timing of the podcast in the coming months as he takes Podcaster Parental Leave. The Country Cutler Takeover of Country Music Dads is underway....

03:53: A Brief Rant on Parental Leave for Dads: Dave encourages dads to take EVERY MINUTE of their paternity leave (especially if they get paid for it). It's good for you, it's good for the baby and it's good for the women in your lives.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Article about paternity leave by Tulane University Law School

References

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode

Sean Burns Does It All

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0700

This week, the Dads sit down with Manitoba's own Sean Burns. He’s a sideman, a frontman and a radio man -- and he’s your new best friend. Sean has been playing bass and touring with one of Canada’s best underground country stars, Corb Lund, for years. He makes time for his own solo career as a songwriter and purveyor of classic country sounds as the frontman of Sean Burns and The Lost Country. And he’s also the evangelical lover of traditional real country music and as the host of the Boots & Saddle Show, your humble home of honky-tonk and beautiful country music by beautiful country music singers, he shares his takes on what make great country music every Tuesday on CKUW 95.9 FM in Winnipeg, and then on podcast services around the globe.

Throughout the show, they discuss the balancing act of being a touring musician with a deep passion for the music and being an engaged father to a young daughter. For Sean, it’s all about how the two worlds influence one another and finding the right balance as he navigates his life with his wife and kiddo.

Show Notes:

2:01 -- Sean Burn’s country music origin story.

6:14 -- Dave asks Sean a very easy question: What is the best country music album of all time? He has his opinions, and then he gets into how to define country music -- what is and what isn’t country. It’s not as divisive as you might think.

9:24 -- The planning process for the Boots and Saddle Show.

13:30 -- The Canadian Music Rules and how Sean breaks the laws -- because he’s an outlaw! But he has great reasons for it. And then Sean goes deep into the history and Canadian infrastructure of country music through the 20th Century.

21:07 -- Balancing the road and the home life: Sean loves being a road warrior and “dadding up,” but it’s a hard balance.

25:33 -- How all the different creative pursuits provide different fulfillment to Sean that makes him a better and more complete person, which in the end makes him a better dad too.

30:00 -- Sean is a true critic and delivers truth without being a jackass. It’s not an easy process but the key is to be honest and keep it about the music, not the people. In the end, it is about what he wants. He also has some strong words about 90s country and the people making it.

36:01 -- The clear divide between the road and the home comes down to the responsibilities we all have. But the road and the music influence the home life, which exposes the little one to a bit of the road. And that brings the kiddo into the music life -- and gets to meet some weirdos. Driven and independent folks, but weirdos all the same!

41:24 -- The Dad Life Sound Check -- Sean and the Dads share their songs of the moment.

Mentioned in the Show:

The Boots and Saddle Show
Don Stickle aka DJ Salty Cracker of Both Kinds of Music
Bryan Saunderson of Hurting For Real
Skinny Dyck of Lethbridge, Alberta
Discogs.com
Duley Record in Winnipeg
Several legacy Canadian country music labels, including Arch Records, Marathon Records, Paragon Records, Boot Records, Quality Records, Banff Records and Rodeo Records
Tommy Detamore
Andrina Turenne

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
“Nightlife” by Ray Price
“Roll Truck Roll” by Red Simpson
“Life is a Highway” by Tom Cochrane
“Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts
“Before She Made Me Crawl” by Sean Burns
“Crazy Arms”
“Pick Me Up On Your Way Down”
“Invitation to the Blues”
“Swinging Doors”
“Old Men” by Corb Lund
“Tomorrow’s Good Ol’ Days” by Jesse Daniel
“Diamonds and Divorce Decrees” by Sunny Sweeney
“For You & I” by Garrett T Capps
“SIGNED, SOBER YOU” by HARDY
“Cows Around” by Corb Lund

Family Vacation is a Lie

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0700

... or how I traveled with kids on summer break, and all I got was this grape snow cone. This week, the Dads talk about the season of family vacations. While these trips are a tremendous amount of work, all the research and our lasting memories suggest that, although these journeys aren’t exactly vacations, the family trip is incredibly valuable to the family unit.

This episode explores some of the research — both academic and anecdotal — that supports our theory that these trips are great for families (if only in the long term), as well as some of the great country songs that can help us through the grind of the summer family vacation or family trip.

Show Notes

01:08: How do we define the family trip vs. a vacation? Well, Google and the all-powerful AI summary help us out by delivering a clear and concise explanation.

02:08: Benefits of a Family Trip: While it’s exhausting, research seems to back the idea of taking a family trip. It keeps our family talking, helps our kids learn and enhances the bond between partners, no matter what was said when the directions were not followed exactly.

03:58: The Brutality of Traveling With Children: As a Stay-at-Home-Dad and “Default Parent,” Dave feels that family trips are often like business trips. So it’s just parenting on the road as you deal with the “brutality of traveling with children.”

06:28: Content Warning: The first mention of vomit.

08:33: Content Warning: The second mention of vomit.

9:39: Content Warning: The third mention of vomit.

11:35: Family Team-Building on the Family Trip: The idea of working together as a family during these trips helps the family grow together -- working as a team makes you a better family.

12:46: Dave’s Notorious Family Trip to Sequoia National Park and the Fisher Price Toy Lantern.

14:50: What is the best place to stay during a family trip? The rental house vs the hotel seems to be the debate. While the space and privacy seem to win out, the breakfast buffet is a huge plus.

20:40: Do Family Trips Need to Be Educational? Research suggests that educational trips make kids smarter, but do trips need to be explicitly educational for kids to extract value from the trip? The Dads touch on how just changing it up a bit, doing things you want to do and working through the difficulties on the road provides the real educational value — and how Dad Stories (read: lies about things on the side of the road) are critical.

27:32: Content Warning: The fourth mention of vomit.

29:50: Conquering the Family Trip: The Dads discuss packing, planning spreadsheets, and other key tactics.

32:19: Content Warning: The fifth mention of vomit, and this one is intense.

33:14: Giving our Kids a 90s Summer: Is this possible? Should it be?

40:27: The Songs of the Summer: The Dads debate the greatest country music for the summer. As well as a few songs for cleaning up vomit.

51:17: Change My Mind: Donnie attempts to change Dave’s mind about using profanity in front of the kids. It’s a great f**ing conversation.

Mentioned in the Show

Good Time - Alan Jackson
Chattahoochee - Alan Jackson
Hot Summer Day - Turnpike Troubadors/John Hartford
Things Have Gone to Pieces - George Jones
Honky Tonkin’ for Life - Hannah Juanita
Cold Beer & Country Music - Zach Top
Good Times & Tan Lines - Zach Top
Denim & Diamonds - Nikki Lane
It’s a Great Day to Be Alive - Travis Tritt

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
Vacation or Trip? A Helpful Guide for Parents - M. Blazoned, Huffington Post
NuclearMeltdown - Jim Dalrymple
Why You Should Travel With Your Kids - Jim Dalrymple, Institute of Family Studies
The Billy Bob’s Texas Step and Repeat Story
The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad - Shannon Carpenter
Family Leisure Satisfaction and Satisfaction with Family - Journal of Leisure Research Life
Profanity Can Sometimes Be the Best Medicine, Increasing Pain Tolerance by ~33% - Katie Brown, Psychiatrist.com
On Bullshit - Harry G. Frankfurt

The Doohickeys on Comedy, Dad Jokes and Country Music

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 14:00:00 -0700

Our guests this episode are The Doohickeys, a comedic country music duo who are on the rise in the Americana and country music worlds. Haley and Jack join The Dads to talk about their journey from house parties and open mic nights in LA to playing the Ryman Auditorium and releasing their debut album, All Hat No Cattle. We talk about their creative process, the current state of independent country music, and about how Jack was once starstruck by Jon Pardi.

We also talk about Dad Jokes: the definition, their proper use, and their pun-filled overlap with country music. This pair is hilarious and we hope you enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at their unique brand of comedy and music.

Show Notes

03:31: Creative Process for a Comedic Country Duo: Haley and Jack like to start with a clever premise. And even if they don't think Too Ugly to Hitchhike is the smartest song they've written, plenty of fans thinks so.

05:29: The Doohickeys Origin Story: The Doohickeys were born at an LA Halloween party and raised on a shared love of "good" country music and an original plan to make sketch comedy YouTube videos.

10:13: More Background on Creating Comedy Songs and Their Comedy Influences: Haley and Jack share the story behind Rein it in Cowboy. And they cover their main influences like Minnie Pearl, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, and their very funny parents and grandparents.

14:54: The Doohickeys Play The Ryman: The duo share their thoughts on playing The Mother Church of Country Music and pooping in the same toilet as Hank Williams.

16:58: Making a Point vs Making It Funny: Jack shares some wisdom from Phil Rosenthal (showrunner for Everybody Loves Raymond) about the power of clarity in comedy to get laughs and to get your point across. They also comment on the balance that serious artists walk when trying to be funny, and that funny artists walk when trying to be serious.

21:33: The Doohickeys Get Serious: Jack and Haley give their commentary on the state of popular country music and the entertainment industry at-large, the uphill battle independent artists face, and their love/hate relationship with Spotify.

27:54: Please Tell Me You're Sleepin' is Not Safe for the Family: Dave shares how he accidentally played one of The Doohickeys' more risque songs on a family road trip, and Haley shares how they were banned from a radio station for that same song.

30:38: The Definition of a Dad Joke: The Doohickeys weigh in on Dave and Donnie's favorite comedy genre. Jack uses the poor pun in Tequila Little Time to share his true feelings about Jon Pardi.

38:20: The Dad Joke Laugh Off: The Dads and The Doohickeys go head to head with their best dad jokes in an effort to get a laugh (or at least a cringe).

Mentioned in This Episode

Saving Country Music review
American Songwriter interview
The Tiny Desk contest
Minnie Pearl
Ray Stevens
Phil Rosenthal's book
Cocaine and Rhinestones
The Big Book of Insults
Jeff Foxworthy's Complete Redneck Dictionary
Freakonomics podcast about AI and Dad Jokes

References

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
"This Town Sucks" by The Doohickeys
"Too Ugly to Hitchhike" by The Doohickeys
"I Wish My Truck Was Bigger" by The Doohickeys
"All Hat No Cattle" by The Doohickeys
"Rein It In Cowboy" by The Doohickeys
"Please Tell Me You're Sleepin'" by The Doohickeys
"Tequila Little Time" by Jon Pardi

Tony Kamel Fights With a Smile: On Fatherhood, Real Stories and Finding Hope in Hard Times

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Tony Kamel, a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, clawhammer banjo and guitar player, and father to a four-year-old girl, joins the show to talk about his latest album, We’re All Gonna Live, and to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the stories and real people that inspired many of his songs. Tony shares how his new-ish role as a father and his relationship with his own late father influences his music in an honest, vulnerable and inspiring interview. Listen along as the Dads commiserate with this stalwart of the bluegrass world about shared family calendars, the challenges of being a working parent, and finding hope in the stories of real people in roots and folk music.

Show Notes

02:05: The Story Behind We’re All Gonna Live: Tony describes the creation of his latest album, how fatherhood affected the creative process, and where the theme of death and loss on the album came from.

07:18: “Fight With a Smile:” Tony tells the story of how his grandmother helped him find strength and hope during difficult times and how her wisdom influenced the album’s theme (and cover art).

10:52: Authenticity and Tradition in Storytelling and Fatherhood: Tony shares that many of the stories in his songs are about real people and real experiences. He comments on the importance of telling authentic stories in roots and folk music and of bringing authenticity to your parenting.

15:28: 90’s Alt-Rock Cover Songs: Tony talks about his viral banjo cover of “Santa Monica” by Everclear and the songwriting quality of many alt-rock songs we remember from our childhoods.

18:49: "We’re All Gonna Live:" Tony tells the true story that inspired the title track of We’re All Gonna Live.

22:24: "A Father and a Daughter:" Tony shares the inspiration behind his song "A Father and a Daughter" and how he considers it to be a gift to his daughter as she grows up.

26:08: The Dad Life Sound Check: Tony shares one of his dad’s favorite songs, George Strait’s "Love Without End, Amen." Dave talks about how Summer Dean’s “Lonely Girl’s Lament” reminds him to consider the single people in the “village” helping to raise his kids. And Donnie can’t help but choose Tony Kamel’s “The Surfer” (and he swears he’s not just sucking up to the songwriter in the room).

Mentioned in This Episode:

Tony Kamel
Wood and Wire
"We're All Gonna Live" album cover art
Country Cutler’s article in Saddle Mountain Post about 90's country
Dr. Becky

References:

Theme Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode
"We're All Gonna Live" by Tony Kamel
"Makin' It Work" by Tony Kamel
"Sue" by Tony Kamel
"The Surfer" by Tony Kamel
"Santa Monica" by Tony Kamel
"Santa Monica" by Everclear
"No Rain" by Tony Kamel
"A Father and a Daughter" by Tony Kamel
"Love Without End, Amen" by George Strait
"Lonely Girl's Lament" by Summer Dean

Daddy's Got His Blue Jeans On: A Deep Dive Into Country Music's Pants

Wed, 28 May 2025 07:00:00 -0700

Blue jeans are ubiquitous in country music. Yet dads (and kids) often choose the comfort and flexibility of "soft pants" over the rich history and unforgiving fit of denim. In this episode, the dads explore how blue jeans fit in our kids' active lives, on dads' expanding waistlines and in country music tropes. They're joined by author James Sullivan (who literally wrote the book on blue jeans) to dive deep into the history of blue jeans in America, culture and music. If you've ever wondered where our blue jeans obsession comes from, or whether you'll ever fit into your suddenly "tight-fitting jeans" again, this is the episode for you.

To wrap things up, Dave spends the "Change My Mind" segment trying to convince Donnie that even aging dads should embrace the discomfort (read: suffering) of country music festivals in pursuit of growth and, perhaps, the fountain of youth.

Show Notes

3:32: Should Our Kids Wear Jeans? In a Scary Mommy article, a pediatric occupational therapist suggested that kids should not wear jeans. The dads discuss the merits of blue jeans in the lives of active, knee-skinning children.

7:17: Should Dads Wear Jeans? When the size of your pants is a moving target, pants selection gets tricky. The dads weigh the requirements for “dad pants” from ruggedness and cool-factor to flexibility and comfort.

9:44: The History Of Blue Jeans: Donnie kicks off an initial history lesson by reading the Levi’s website with the voice of an old-timey movie narrator.

13:46: Blue Jeans in Western Wear: A western wear aficionado, Donnie, weighs in on denim’s role in “the scene” and encourages Dave to check out the rancher pant (or maybe a nudie suit).

16:37: Do Stretchy Jeans Still Count? The dads discuss the current trend toward stretchy (but less rugged) jeans-like materials and whether that matters in the world of blue jeans.

20:05: Blue Jeans in Country Music: Of the many mentions of blue jeans in country music, the dads hone in on two common tropes: the funny yet often cringey sexual innuendo of “tight fittin’ jeans” and the more family-friendly images of nostalgic Americana and simpler times.

28:02: Author James Sullivan on Blue Jeans and American Culture: James Sullivan joins the podcast to share a more in-depth look at the history of blue jeans, based on his work writing Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon.

38:41: How the Hatred of Laundry Led to a Resurgence in Blue Jeans’ Popularity: James Sullivan tells the story of how the Denim Council reversed blue jeans’ “juvenile delinquent” reputation with a clever marketing campaign.

46:25: The Dad Life Sound Check: Donnie discovers a sad country song about laundry: Rebecca Porter’s “The Laundry Pile.” Dave looks forward to finding his “Chattahoochee” this summer, though he’d prefer not to wear jeans in the lake like Alan Jackson does in the music video.

49:06: Change My Mind: Dave changes gears and encourages Donnie to “choose discomfort” in an effort to change his mind about whether aging dads still belong at multi-day country music festivals.

Mentioned in the Show

Ameripolitan Awards
Scary Mommy post about jeans on kids
Levi's history page
Brett Favre Wrangler commercial playing backyard football
Jukebox Mama
COUNTRY-Country Music podcast
Jeans: A Cultural History of an American Icon by James Sullivan
Chattahoochee Music Video

References:

Theme Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
"Tight Fittin' Jeans" by Conway Twitty
"Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" by Mel McDaniel
"Those Jeans" by Ray Scott
"Girl in a Country Song" by Maddie and Tae
"Dance a Little Closer" by Emily Love
"You Look Good in Neon" by Silverada
"Bury Me in Blue Jeans" by Midland
"Bury Me in Blue Jeans" by Granger Smith
"Barefoot Blue Jean Night" by Jake Owen
"You Never Even Called Me By My Name" by David Allan Coe (written by Steve Goodman)
"Blue Jean Bop" by Gene Vincent
"Cadillac Ranch" by Bruce Springsteen
"Blue Jean Baby" by Zach Bryan
"Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots" by The Cheers
"L'Homme a la moto" by Edith Piaf
"The Laundry Pile" by Rebecca Porter
"Chattahoochee" by Alan Jackson

Ted Russell Kamp: A Founding Father of Alt-Country

Wed, 14 May 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Ted Russell Kamp, a Los Angeles-based musician, songwriter, producer and country music dad, joins Dave and Donnie to talk about the evolution of modern country music from his perspective as one of the forefathers of the modern alt-country movement. Ted's balance between touring, producing, songwriting, and building a family is unique and inspiring.

We also explore his time with Shooter Jennings, his recent solo work and drop a boatload of stories from his time on the road and in the studio.

Show Notes

2:23: Ted tells us a bit about his background and entry into the country music space and how he grew up not liking pedal steel. But once discovering The Band and Whiskeytown, things really changed.

5:27: Ted’s move to LA introduced him to many of the great California country legends, like Merle, Buck and Dwight -- and having the opportunity to play with those who played with them -- pushed him further into this space.

6:01: The Shooter Jennings Relationship starts like most great music relationships -- a Hollywood jam session in a dingy practice space.

10:28: Slappin’ the Bass -- Ted has always loved the bass and that is how he can build trust with bands, musicians and production partners.

11:32: Six Degrees of Ted Russell Kamp gets us to Diplo and how his bass line got onto “Use Me (Brutal Hearts).” To quote Ted, this is a totally weird and wonderful LA rock star story.

18:09: The guys talk about Ted’s semi-autobiographical album and the push and pull of the road and family life. Luckily, Ted and his wife worked together to create a balance that worked for them, but it wasn’t easy and it took work to figure it out.

27:20: The Dads talk about the resurgence of roots music and freedom the LA Music Scene allows for exploration and creativity in this space. Ted finds the genre orthodoxy from some in the scene to be an interesting aspect of this renaissance and provides a few examples for those looking to dip their toe in the alt-country Americana space.

31:30: A quick discussion of the nostalgia loop and how what was on the radio when your parents were driving you around as a kid influences you as an adult. But as the world gets more complex, people long for things like music that they can understand, Ted explains.

36:12: The Dad Life Sound Check provides a chance for Ted to tell stories about Waylon Jennings being a mensch, Dave shares some great news and Donnie talks about the passage of time while using the word “vibe” too many times. Ted also provides more insight into his song writing process.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Shooter Jennings
James Taylor
Ted touches on how discovering The Band, Old 97s, Whiskeytown, Sun Volt, Uncle Tupelo and several others, paved the path to his chosen career in the alt-country and Americana space.
Diplo and Sturgill Simpson partnership
The Godfather’s final scene’s explanation of a man’s job
Alan Jackson
Tyler Childers
Chris Stapleton
West of Texas
That 70s Show, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Emmylou Harris
Waylon Jennings stories from the road

References:

Theme Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
“Put the O Back in Country” - Shooter Jennings
“16 Days” - Whiskeytown
“The Weight” - The Band
“Use Me (Brutal Hearts)” - Diplo, Dove Cameron, and Sturgill Simpson
“The Ballad of the Troubadour” - Ted Russell Kamp
“July 4th/He Stopped Loving Her Today” - Shooter Jennings/George Jones
“Lonesome, On'ry and Mean” - Waylon Jennings
“Another Leaf” - Charles Wesley Godwin
“Daddy’s Mugshot” - Laci Kaye Booth

Jason Isbell Canceled Shows for His Daughter: Great Dad or Letting Fans Down?

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0700

A few months ago, mega-star and Czar of the Americana Empire Jason Isbell announced on social media that he was sorry to push back a few dates at large venues across the country to attend his daughter’s school play. In this episode, we discuss whether modern families — especially fathers navigating shifting expectations across their various responsibilities — achieve balance or if we should even try to achieve it.

In honor of this topic, we discuss work-life balance, the low bar dads have to live up to as parents and some Donnie and Dave's favorite Isbell songs.

Donnie also tries to convince Dave it’s time to get a cowboy hat.

Show Notes

02:26: Work-Life Balance: Before discussing Isbell’s decision, the guys talk about the term “work-life balance” and whether it has a place in modern family life. They touch on how this may apply to primary, stay-at-home parents and those who work completely remotely. Dave also sneaks in that he is a rocket scientist.

08:47: What does balance look like now? Dave and Donnie touch on what kind of balance is prevalent today in a post-pandemic work, school and family environment.

11:58: Initial reactions to the Isbell news: Dave admits he was very uncomfortable about the news from Isbell -- well more about the news about the news of Isbell’s announcement.

17:36: Responsibilities of a Public Figure and the Low Bar for Dads: The guys touch on the similarities to the Eric Church Final Four show cancellations and how the “family first” argument is sort of a copout which leaves the bar incredibly low for dads. This gives Dave a little bit of the ick.

31:02: There's No Easy Right or Wrong Answer for Dads: Is Isbell’s situation so much different than the guys that they can’t understand his decision? Or is it that there is no easy, straightforward answer when dealing with these issues? It’s getting Meta on this podcast.

33:12: The Dad Life Sound Check: In honor of talking all about him for more than a half an hour, the guys talk about their favorite Isbell songs for the Dad Life Sound Check.

40:41: Change My Mind-- Dave Can't Pull Off a Cowboy Hat: Dave asks Donnie to change his mind about why he, too, can wear a cowboy hat.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Jeff Bezos Article
Southeastern records social media post and Isbell response
"Severance" on Apple TV
Eric Church Final Four controversy
Whiskey Riff article about Eric Church v. Kobe
Scary Mommy post about Isbell
Vanessa Bryant clip about Kobe playing hurt
PBS documentary Nashville 2.0
Drive by Truckers
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2014

References:

Intro Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
"Cover Me Up" by Jason Isbell
"Cover Me Up" by Morgan Wallen
"Speed Trap Town" by Jason Isbell
"Live Oak" by Jason Isbell

Luke Combs' "Fathers & Sons" Reviewed: An Emotional Country Gut Punch for Modern Dads

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0700

If you're a dad in need of a good cry, consider this your warning: Luke Combs’ album Fathers & Sons hits hard. In this episode, the Country Music Dads give a full, unfiltered review of Fathers & Sons because, honestly, it was inevitable. The Dads weigh in on the best and worst songs and the overall impact of this album on country music, modern fatherhood and their emotional state of mind.

Plus: Dave goes full throttle in an impassioned “Minivan Rant” and tries to change Donnie’s mind once and for all.

Show Notes

03:11: First Reactions to the Album as a Whole: After Donnie recovers from "snot-bubble crying" during his passive listen, we discuss the songwriting quality, sincerity of the lyrics in a "songwriting-by-committee" approach and how "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" doesn't seem to fit (even though it is very sad).

14:01: The Dad Life Sound Check: Donnie is a better parent thanks to "Huntin' By Yourself" (even though he doesn't hunt), and Dave finds a pillar of his parenting philosophy in "Whoever You Turn Out to Be."

25:06: The Best Tracks from the Album: The Dads share more of their favorites, including "Front Door Famous" and "The Man He Sees in Me," and how those songs inspire us to live up to the higher expectations that modern dads rightfully (and finally) are measured against.

32:36: The Worst Tracks from the Album: The Dads discuss the songs, like "All I Ever Do is Leave" and "Little Country Boys," that seem more like filler material to get an LP out of this concept album.

36:00: "Fathers and Sons" Album Rating: The Dads wrap up the album review by rating "Fathers and Sons" on a scale of 1-5.

37:50: Change My Mind About Minivans: Dave launches into an impassioned and memorable "Minivan Rant" to change Donnie's mind about the classic and highly versatile “FUV,” the family utility vehicle.

References

Intro Music: "Dark Country Rock" by Moodmode
"Hurricane" by Luke Combs
"When It Rains It Pours" by Luke Combs
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" by Luke Combs
"The Grand Tour" by George Jones
"Huntin' By Yourself" by Luke Combs
"Whoever You Turn Out to Be" by Luke Combs
"In Case I Ain't Around" by Luke Combs
"Front Door Famous" by Luke Combs
"Remember Him That Way" by Luke Combs
"The Man He Sees in Me" by Luke Combs
"All I Ever Do Is Leave" by Luke Combs
"Long White Line" by Sturgill Simpson
"Little Country Boys" by Luke Combs
"Beer Never Broke My Heart" by Luke Combs

Country Grammar: Children's Lit with Some Country Grit

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 04:00:00 -0700

The Country Music Dads dive headlong into the world of children’s literature, pop culture and its intersection with country music. We discuss the viral video of Ludacris’ incredible rapping of the book Llama Llama Red Pajama, discuss our favorite kids' books, which ones would make incredible country music songs and who should cut them.

Show Notes:

2:22: The Kids Books We Love and Love to Hate: Dave and Donnie discuss the nighttime classics and some modern-day page turners for kids (and those reading them to kids). And what would a podcast episode be without some conflict -- so we jumped on a few we wish would just fall behind the bookshelf.

21:27: Books That Sound Like Country Songs: Before diving into who should sing our kids' book songs, the Country Music Dads explore the fairly significant crossover between country music songwriting and children's book writing -- and some of those people who did both. Namely, Shel Silverstein.

38:34: Who Should Sing These Kids' Book Country Songs? From Colter Wall to Miranda Lambert, the Country Music Dads consider the best artists to bring these books to life.

46:57: Dad Life Sound Check: This recurring segment is an opportunity for Dave and Donnie to discuss a song that is hitting home in recent days. For Dave, "Buy Me a Boat" by Chris Janson had been resonating in his house, while Lasers Lasers Birmingham’s "Shorter Letter" was touching a chord for Donnie.

52:22: Change My Mind: Donnie challenges Dave to think differently about the glories of shopping at Costco -- from the sea of beautiful TVs, to rows of top-shelf bulk-size booze to Costco staples, like rotisserie chicken, availability of eggs and the $1.50 hot dog and soda.

Mentioned in the Show:

Ludacris rapping "Llama Llama Red Pajama."
"Magic Candies" animated short film
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is a GRAMMY Award-winning recording by Boris Karloff in 1968.
"The Masked Singer"
Haley Brown Spence of The Doohickeys
Dolly Parton talent search
Willow Avon
"Goodnight Songs" by Tom Prout and Emily Gehry
The Highwaymen
The Highwomen

References:

Books

"Magic Candies" by Baek Heena
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" by Dr. Seuss
"Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown
"The Going to Bed Book" by Sandra Boynton
"Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See" by Bill Martin Jr., Illustrated by Eric Carle
"Hatchet" by Gary Paulson
"The Last Stop on Market Street" by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Christian Robinson
"Oh Look, A Cake" by J.C. McKee
"The Alphabet Book" by Dr. Seuss
"Little Blue Truck" by Alice Schertle
"Little Blue Truck Leads the Way" by Alice Schertle
"Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site" by Sherri Duskey Rinker
"Otis" by Loren Long
"Two Little Trains" by Margaret Wise Brown
"Goodnight Songs" by Margaret Wise Brown
"Giraffe and a Half" by Shel Silverstein
"Tow Truck Joe" by June Sobel
"Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson
"Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak
"Runaway Bunny" by Margaret Wise Brown
"Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss
"The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway

Songs

Intro Music:⁠⁠“⁠⁠Dark Country Rock⁠⁠” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
"Hello Walls" by Faron Young (songwriter: Willie Nelson)
"Success in My Mind" by Lizzy Passion
"I Love" by Tom T. Hall
"A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash
"Queen of the Silver Dollar" by Emmylou Harris
"One's On the Way" by Loretta Lynn
"Redneck Yacht Club" by Craig Morgan
"Highwayman" by The Highwaymen
"Highwomen" by The Highwomen
"Luke 2:8-10" by Tyler Childers
"Something 'Bout a Truck" by Kip Moore
"JIM BOB" by HARDY
"The Coyote & the Cowboy" by Colter Wall
"Evangelina" by Colter Wall
"Joy to the World" by Hoyt Axton
"Geraldene" by Miranda Lambert
"Buy Me a Boat" by Chris Janson
"Shorter Letter" by Lasers Lasers Birmingham

New Year, Same Ole Me… But Different: How We’re Growing in 2025

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0700

Country Music Dads is BACK for Season 2! And we are kicking things off by talking about the change (or lack thereof) that often accompanies the start of a new year. “New Year, new me” we say in January before seeing the “same ol’ me” staring back at us in the mirror in March. But is that such a bad thing? George Jones and Dierks Bentley provide support via two songs separated by 40 years but with the same name (different spelling), “Same Ole Me.” The Dads wrestle with self-improvement vs. self-acceptance, change vs. growth, and bro country vs. traditional country.

We also discuss changes to the podcast itself. What is different for Season 2, what is staying the same, and what, Dear Listener, do you have to look forward to when you follow the Country Music Dads? True to form, it’ll be the same ole show, but a little bit different.

Show Notes:

02:12: Dave shares a preview of Season 2 of the podcast: what has changed, what is staying the same, and how feedback from our early-adopting listeners has influenced our plans.
06:26: Meet Country Music Dads’ new co-host: Donnie C. Cutler!
08:22: Dave and Donnie discuss George Jones’ “Same Ole Me,” Dierks Bentley’s “Same ‘Ol Me,” how they think about goal-setting, personal change, and growth, and how their pursuit of improvement could influence their kids.
35:02: The Dad Life Sound Check: Donnie shares how the competing pressures of life on the road and family life in Jeremy Pinnell’s “Night Time Eagle” resonate with his own attempts to balance self-care pursuits and being there for the bedtime routine. Dave admits that “Halo” is his favorite Beyonce song and that Joshua Ray Walker’s highly countrified rendition of it takes him back to a simpler time before kids when weddings were ragers.
45:41: In our new, recurring segment called “Change My Mind,” Donnie posits that Bro Country is BAD for the country music genre. Self-proclaimed “recovering bro country aficionado” Dave attempts to convince him otherwise.

Mentioned in the Show:

Country Music Dads podcast Season 1, Episode 9: “Country Cutler Talks Parenting, Country Music in LA and Strawberry Pie For Breakfast”
The Country Cutler Substack newsletter
"Atomic Habits" by James Clear
The Marfa Tapes
Dierks’ bluegrass album, “Up On The Ridge” from 2010
HomeDadCon: the annual convention for at-home dads
The backlash surrounding the “Bluey” Season 3 "Exercise" episode
Eddie Izzard on British vs. American films

References:

Intro Music:⁠⁠“⁠⁠Dark Country Rock⁠⁠” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
"Same Ole Me" by George Jones
"Same Ol' Me" by Dierks Bentley
"Forever and Ever, Amen" by Randy Travis
"She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" by Kenny Chesney
"Some Beach" by Blake Shelton
"I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair" by George Jones
"Don't Give Up on Me" by Jason Aldean
"Night Time Eagle" by Jeremy Pinnell
“Halo” by Beyonce
"Halo" by Joshua Ray Walker
"Cuz I Love You" by Joshua Ray Walker
"Dumpster Diving" by Joshua Ray Walker
"Canyon" by Joshua Ray Walker
"Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line
"I Had Some Help" by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen

Best Country Christmas Songs for Fireside Eggnog Season

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:35:14 -0700

With the Holiday season upon us, here are our favorite Christmas songs. We have songs by classic country artists, new renditions of the classics, original compositions, and some that just make us laugh and smile at the joy of the Christmas season. Grab a glass of eggnog, sit back and enjoy the sounds of a Country Christmas.

Mentioned in the Show:

Show Notes:

5:57 Dad Life Soundcheck - Dave talks about "The World is On Fire" by American Aquarium and Mick explains why Morgan Wallen is the Entertainer of the Year.
12:09 HARDY Report - HARDY and Mick finally have something in common as the former prepares for life as a #girldad!
13:08 Farm Boy Update - Preparing the urban homestead for winter by chopping up leaves and cutting firewood.
15:35 The Dads share their favorite Christmas songs. While there are many tried and true classics, some may surprise you.

Thank you for listening. You can find back episodes and all of our playlists via our ⁠⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠⁠. Make sure you are following us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠. Feedback and comments can be sent to ⁠The Dads⁠ and most importantly have a very Merry Christmas! References:

Intro Music:⁠⁠“⁠Dark Country Rock⁠” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: “⁠Frantic⁠” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: “⁠The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)⁠” by Mike Cole

"The World is on Fire" by American Aquarium
"Thought You Should Know" by Morgan Wallen
"Joy to the World" by Dolly Parton
"Meet Me Under the Mistletoe" by Randy Travis
"Silent Night" by George Strait
"Frosty the Snowman" by Willie Nelson
"Pretty Paper" by Willie Nelson
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee
"The Little Drummer Boy" by Johnny Cash
"White Christmas" by Ryan Larkins
"If We Make it Through December" by Merle Haggard
"Two Step Around the Christmas Tree" by Suzy Bogguss
"Two Step Around the Christmas Tree" by Blake Shelton
"Country Christmas" by Loretta Lynn
"Country Christmas" by Harper Grace
"The Cowboy Christmas Ball" by Michael Martin Murphy
"I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Koe Wetzel
"Christmas Again" by HunterGirl
"Hard Candy Christmas" by Dolly Parton
"Hard Candy Christmas" by Zach Top
"Fancy Like Christmas" by Walker Hayes
"All I Want for Christmas Dear is You" by Travis Tritt
"All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey
"Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley
"Blue Christmas" by Koe Wetzel

The Country Music Bourbon Showdown: Chris Stapleton vs. Ryan Bingham

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 07:08:49 -0700

This was our first live podcast recording with some of our listeners as guests. In a ballroom at HomeDadCon in St. Louis, the Dads gathered with four fellow at-home dads for the ultimate country music bourbon showdown between Chris Stapleton (Traveller Whiskey) and Ryan Bingham (Bingham's Bourbon). We taste-tested their bourbon brands, sampled their music, and engaged in a lively, bourbon-soaked debate that we're sharing with you here. Take a listen and let us know who YOU think does country music and bourbon better.

Mentioned in this episode:

HomeDadCon
Home Dad Chat Podcast
Parenting Day From Hell Episode and Playlist
Halestorm
"Starting Over" Article on Whiskey Riff

Show Notes:

5:30: Dad Life Sound Check - The Dads talk about "War Inside of Me" by Benjamin Tod and Lost Dog Street Band and "Disaster" by the The Red Clay Strays.
13:40: Farm Boy Update- Yellowstone the chicken went to live with another family because her coop mates are a--holes.
16:15: HARDY Update- Congrats to HARDY and his wife, Caleigh, who are expecting their first child! TBD whether "ONE BEER" played a role….
18:00: The Country Music Bourbon Showdown.

Please share your feedback on the Socials or via email at countrymusicdads@gmail.com. All of our content is available at the Country Music Dads Website, countrymusicdads.com.

References:

Intro Music:⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: “Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Farm Boy Update Theme Music: “The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole

“War Inside of Me” by Lost Dog Street Band
“Disaster” by The Red Clay Strays
"ONE BEER” by HARDY feat. Lauren Alaina & Devin Dawson
"Hallelujah" by Ryan Bingham
"Dollar a Day" by Ryan Bingham
"Tell My Mother I Miss Her So" by Ryan Bingham
"Sunrise" by Ryan Bingham
"Bread and Water" by Ryan Bingham
"Southside of Heaven" by Ryan Bingham
"Starting Over" by Chris Stapleton
"BLOW" by Ed Sheeran with Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars
"Maggie's Song" by Chris Stapleton

"Think I'm in Love With You" by Chris Stapleton

"Joy of My Life" by Chris Stapleton
"Joy" by Santana and Chris Stapleton

"Honky Tonk Hall of Fame" by George Strait and Chris Stapleton

"You Should Probably Leave" by Chris Stapleton
"Fire Away" by Chris Stapleton

Best Country Songs From Yellowstone: A Playlist Inspired by the TV Series

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0700

The second half of the fifth season of the "Yellowstone" TV series is slated to come out on November 10th. In preparation, the Dads compiled a list of the best country songs featured on the show over the years. Take a listen as you prepare for Yellowstone's return and let us know which of your favorites we missed!

Mentioned in the Episode:

Underwood Family Farms
National Finals Rodeo
The Venice West
Whiskey Riff article: Yellowstone is my adult WubbaNub
WubbaNub
Mutt Nation

Show Notes:

07:31: Farmboy Update - Harvest season is upon us, so please thank a farmer.
10:28: Dad Life Soundcheck - The Dads talk about "I Never Lie" by Zach Top and "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" by Barbara Mandrell.
15:34: HARDY Report - Dave discusses HARDY singing the unreleased song "Dog Ears" at Mutt Nation with Miranda Lambert.
19:23: The second half of the fifth season of the "Yellowstone" series is slated to come out on November 10th. The Dads cannot overlook how important music is to the show's success. Therefore we compiled a list of the best country songs featured on the show over the years to prepare you for the upcoming season.

Thank you for listening. You can find back episodes and our playlists on ⁠Spotify⁠ and via our ⁠⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠ @countrymusicdads. Correspondence can be sent to ⁠countrymusicdads@gmail.com.⁠ Most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

References:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock”⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic”⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Lemon Music Studio
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)”⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Mike Cole
"I Never Lie" by Zach Top
"I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool" by Barbara Mandrell
"Whiskey and You" by Chris Stapleton
"Sleeping Dogs" by Blackberry Smoke
"Last of My Kind" by Jason Isbell and the 400 Pound Unit
"This Way of Life" by Garrett Bradford
"Pearl Snaps" by Jason Boland and the Stragglers
"Far From Home" by Aubrie Sellers
"Lady May" by Tyler Childers
"All I See Is You" by Shane Smith and the Saints
"Drunken Poet's Dream" by Hayes Carll
"Hold My Halo" by Lainey Wilson
"No Horse to Ride" by Luke Grimes
"Cowpoke" by Colter Wall
"Chess" by Dani Rose
"Goodbye Yesterday" by Billy Joe Shaver
"Summertime Blues" by Zach Bryan

"The Art of Fatherhood" With a Twang: Art Eddy Interview

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0700

We are so grateful to interview Art Eddy for our show! Art is the host of one of the premiere podcasts for Dads, "The Art of Fatherhood". Art has interviewed over 500 Dads over the years about their fatherhood journeys, and we are so honored to get him on the other side of the microphone this week.

Mentioned in the Show:

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
The Art of Fatherhood
Art's Interview with Walker Hayes
Gabb Wireless

Show Notes:

8:16: Farm Boy Update - Mick got some rain and Yellowstone the chicken has completely recovered from her brush with death.

9:10: HARDY Report - Dave explains how a sippy cup made "BOOTS" one of his favorite songs.
13:00: In the interview with Art Eddy we learn why he does what he does for the "Brotherhood of Fatherhood" and how ⁠Walker Hayes⁠ became one of his favorite guests. Art also shares what he has learned from his guests over the years and the most profound piece of parenting advice he has ever heard.
24:20: Dad Life Sound Check - Art joined us on this segment and talks about "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" and how Taylor Swift's "Never Grow Up" lives rent free in his head. Mick shares how "I Am Not Okay" by Jelly Roll is actually a parenting song. Dave shares his connection to "Ghost In This House" By Alison Krauss.

Thank you for listening. You can find back episodes and our playlist on Spotify and via our ⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠. Please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram and ⁠⁠⁠Facebook @countrymusicdads. Correspondence can be sent to countrymusicdads@gmail.com. Most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

References:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock”⁠⁠⁠ by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic”⁠⁠⁠ by Lemon Music Studio
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)”⁠⁠⁠ by Mike Cole
"I Am Not Okay" by Jelly Roll
"BOOTS" by HARDY
"Fancy Like" by Walker Hayes
"Chapel" by Walker Hayes
"Don't Let Her" by Walker Hayes
"A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey
"Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift
"Ghost in This House" by Alison Krauss

Don't Call Me "Mr. Mom," Lonestar

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 10:00:00 -0700

The Dads discuss the complicated and sometimes controversial phrase, "Mr. Mom," which also happens to be the name of Lonestar's early-2000's hit song. In the stay-at-home dad world, this phrase is bound to get certain people as riled up as ⁠George Jones getting pulled over⁠. We talk about why that is, and what we as active, engaged fathers can do about it. The Country Music Dads share their own experiences hearing that moniker, and only get slightly riled up. This episode was so important, Mick showered for it. And you can totally tell, even over audio.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Show Notes:

4:21 - Dad Life Sound Check: The Dad's Talk about the Songs "One More Last Chance" by Vince Gill and "Are You Sure Hank Done It That Way" by Waylon Jennings and how they relate to their kids and their parenting styles.
9:05 - HARDY Report: HARDY did an acoustic version of "Father's Son" with Stephen Wilson Jr. and I think it is the first song to be on our playlist twice.
12:10 - Farm Boy Update: Mick laments the fact that it is way too dry in Kansas City.
13:00: The Dads talk about Lonestar's hit song "Mr. Mom." In the stay-at-home dad world this phrase is bound to get certain people as riled up as George Jones getting pulled over. We talk about why that can be for some dads. The Country Music Dads share their own experiences on the subject.

You can find back episodes and our playlist on ⁠Spotify⁠ and via our ⁠⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠ @countrymusicdads. Correspondence can be sent to ⁠countrymusicdads@gmail.com⁠ Most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends. References:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock”⁠⁠ by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic”⁠⁠ by Lemon Music Studio
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)”⁠⁠ by Mike Cole
"One More Last Chance" by Vince Gill
"Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" by Waylon Jennings
"Father's Son - Acoustic" by Stephen Wilson Jr. featuring HARDY
"Rain is a Good Thing" by Luke Bryan
"Mr. Mom" by Lonestar

Small Towns, Hard Work, and Giant Hay Bales With Officer Isaiah Lemasters

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 04:57:52 -0700

Small town living, hard work, and hay are common themes in country music. We learn how all of these things came together to give the ⁠Country Music Dads⁠ their biggest social media post to date. Our guest is the star of that social media post: Officer Isaiah Lemasters from the Missouri Highway Patrol. Perhaps better known (on the internet) as the hay bale-lifting cop, Officer Lemasters joins us to talk about his viral video, small town life, and a little country music.

Mentioned in This Episode:

CMA Nominations for Song of the Year: I Had Some Help
"Rock Band" on Playstation 3
The Viral Hay Bale Reel
Isaiah LeMasters' Instagram page

Show Notes:

5:08 - Dad Life Sound Check: The Dad's talk about the songs "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone and "Troubadour"" by George Strait

10:48 - HARDY Report: Dave got tickets through one of our favorite friends of the show Country Cutler to see ERNEST and he is hoping that HARDY shows up for a collaboration.
14:15 - Farm Boy Update: One of Mick's chickens had a near death experience.
16:39 - The Dads' guest on this episode is Officer Isaiah Lemasters from the Missouri Highway Patrol. Small town living, hard work and hay are common themes in country music. We learn how all of these things came together to give the Country Music Dads their biggest social media post to date.

You can find back episodes and our playlist on Spotify and via our ⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠. Please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram and ⁠⁠⁠Facebook @countrymusicdads. Correspondence can be sent to countrymusicdads@gmail.com Most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

References:

Intro Music: ⁠“Dark Country Rock”⁠ by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic”⁠ by Lemon Music Studio
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)”⁠ by Mike Cole
"I Had Some Help" by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen
"Troubadour" by George Strait
"I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair" by George Jones
"Creep" by Radiohead
"Creep" by ERNEST feat. HARDY
"Drinking Class" by Lee Brice
"Ain't Worth the Whiskey" by Cole Swindell

5 Montgomery Gentry Songs You Can Roll Through Life With

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 10:00:00 -0700

This week, the Dads take a deep dive into one of Mick's all-time favorite artists: Montgomery Gentry. The 5 songs we analyze build a life narrative that any dad can relate to, whether you're a Montgomery Gentry superfan (Mick) or a Montgomery Gentry newb (Dave). Take a listen and "roll with me" as we unpack some of the biggest hits from this early aughts country music super-duo.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Show Notes:

11:00 - Dad Life Sound Check: The Dad's Talk about the Songs "Much Too Young (to Feel This Damn Old)" by ⁠Garth Brooks⁠ and "Yes Ma'am, He Found Me In A Honky Tonk"" by ⁠Summer Dean.
⁠15:35 - HARDY Report: Dave talks about his favorite HARDY song of all time and how it has become his white whale because he has never seen it performed live.
20:06 - Farm Boy Update: Mick lost his lawnmower
21:40: The Dads take a deep dive into one of Mick's all time favorite country music artists: ⁠Montgomery Gentry.⁠ Mick explains how many of their biggest hits form a life narrative. Dave shares how he wasn't the most familiar with the group but realized that he can relate to much of their music.

You can find back episodes and our playlist on ⁠Spotify⁠ and via our ⁠⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠ @countrymusicdads. Correspondence can be sent to ⁠countrymusicdads@gmail.com⁠. Most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

References:

Intro Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole
⁠⁠"Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)" by Garth Brooks
"Yes Ma'am, He Found Me in a Honky Tonk" by Summer Dean
"My Kinda Livin'" by HARDY feat. Hunter Phelps, Jameson Rodgers
"One In Every Crowd" by Montgomery Gentry
"Back When I Knew It All" by Montgomery Gentry
"Roll With Me" by Montgomery Gentry
"My Town" by Montgomery Gentry
"Something to be Proud Of" by Montgomery Gentry
"Lucky Man" by Montgomery Gentry

The 8-Hour All-Female Country Playlist With Macey Isaacs

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0700

We are joined by Macey Isaacs on this episode. Macey is a standup comedian in Los Angeles, Co-Host of the SSRI'M OK Podcast and the curator of an 8-hour all-female country playlist on Spotify.

Mentioned in This Episode:

MaceyIsaacs.com
SSRI'M OK podcast
Dolly Parton's America podcast
Macey Isaacs' all-female country playlist
Article from The Pudding about female artist airplay on country radio
Jo Dee Messina and Cole Swindell award show collaboration
Ethan Hawke video about playing the fool
I Love Lucy - Chocolate Factory

Show Notes:

We are joined by Macey Isaacs on this episode. Macey is a standup comedian in Los Angeles, Co-Host of the SSRI'M Ok Podcast and the curator of an 8 hour all female country playlist on Spotify.

24:10 - HARDY Report: Dave talks about "Six Feet Under" (Caleigh's Song) on this episode
26:47 - Farm boy Update: Mick share's a story about what Macey deemed to be a suicidal snapping turtle
30:39 - Dad Life Sound Check: Macey joins the Dads and they discuss songs by Jo Dee Messina, Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen, and Pam Tillis.

You can find the Country Music Dads playlist on Spotify and via our ⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠. You can find all of our back episodes on our website countrymusicdads.com. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram and ⁠⁠⁠Facebook @countrymusicdads. And most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

References:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠
"Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt
"Suspicious Minds" by Dwight Yoakam
"Stand By Your Man" by Tammy Wynette
"Hunt You Down" by Kaitlin Butts
"Six Feet Under (Caleigh's Song)" by HARDY
"Lesson in Leavin" by Jo Dee Messina
"Rodeo Clown" by Randy Rogers and Wade Bowen
"Maybe It Was Memphis" by Pam Tillis
"wait in the truck" by HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson

"As Good As I Once Was:" Toby Keith's Anthem for Middle-Aged Dads

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0700

The Dads talk about Toby Keith's longest running #1 song, "As Good As I Once Was." Ultimately they need to decide if the lyrics in the song title are true OR ask themselves if they were ever any good in the first place?

Mentioned in this Episode:

Show Notes:

7:05 - Dad Life Sound Check; The Dad's talk about the songs "Chess" by Dani Rose and "Cuckoo" by Stephen Wilson Jr.
12:00 - HARDY Report: The Quit Album comes out soon and Dave is full of nervous excitement
14:42 - Farm Boy Update: Mick discovered that they have a follower in Australia and are kinda excited that they have gone international
17:05 The Dads talk about Toby Keith's longest running #1 song, "As Good As I Once Was." Ultimately they need to decide if the lyrics in the song title are true OR ask themselves if they were ever any good in the first place?

You can find the playlist on Spotify and via our ⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠. You can find all of our back episodes on our website countrymusicdads.com. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram and ⁠⁠⁠Facebook @countrymusicdads. And most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

References:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠
"Chess" by Dani Rose
"Cuckoo" by Stephen Wilson Jr.
"Quit!!" by HARDY
"As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith

The "Home Dad Chat" Podcast Goes Country

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0700

The Dads are joined by the hosts of the Home Dad Chat
podcast, Brock Lusch and Danny Mercer. Home Dad Chat is the official podcast of the National At Home Dad Network .

Mentioned in this Episode:

Home Dad Con
Chris Stapleton's Traveller Whiskey
Ryan Bingham's Bingham's Bourbon
"There I Ruined It" on Instagram: Conway Fitty
"Beat Bugs" on Netflix
Fathering Together
Father's Eve
#NoDadAlone

Show Notes:

7:05 - HARDY Report: We were not going to do a HARDY Report this episode but Brock became a HARDY fan because of this segment and it had to be done.
14:35 - Dad Life Sound Check: The Dads turned this segment over to their guests. Brock and Danny shared songs from Conway Twitty, Tracy Lawrence, Rodney Atkins, Billy Currington and Toby Keith
32:02 - Main Segment: The Dads learn about all of the ways that the National At Home Dad Network provides resources for all dads to build community, find mentors and learn from their peers. The best way to see everything they have to offer is to visit and join their Facebook group National At Home Dad Network Facebook Group.

You can find the Country Music Dads Playlist on Spotify and via our ⁠⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠⁠. You can find all of our back episodes on our website⁠⁠⁠⁠ countrymusicdads.com. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram and ⁠⁠Facebook @countrymusicdads. And most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
"That's My Job" by Conway Twitty
"Time Marches On" by Tracy Lawrence
"Watching You" by Rodney Atkins
"People Are Crazy" by Billy Currington
"As Good As I Once Was" by Toby Keith
"Heat Waves" by Glass Animals
"Texas Hold 'Em" by Beyonce

"A Boy Named Sue:" Parenting Genius or Deadbeat Dad?

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0700

The Dads break down the Johnny Cash Classic "A Boy Named Sue." They talk about the song's uniqueness, its backstory and its cultural significance.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Huberman Lab podcast Sleep series
"A Better Man" by Michael Ian Black
"Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance" by Angela Duckworth
Angela Duckworth's TED Talk about Grit
Video of Johnny Cash performing "A Boy Named Sue" at San Quentin
Video of Shel Silverstein performing "A Boy Named Sue" with Johnny Cash

Show Notes:

8:48 - Dad Life Sound Check Mick shares how water represents so many of the things we like about summer. with the help of Brad Paisley. Dave is burning the candle at both ends and just needs some quality sleep, with the help of Koe Wetzel.

14:40 - HARDY Report Dave talks about HARDY's latest single "Psycho".

17:33 - Farm Boy Update Mick has lightened his load around the urban homestead by teaching his son to use the chainsaw.

19:45 - The Dads get into whether or not "A Boy Named Sue" is a parenting triumph or failure. Along the way they discuss some parenting techniques and habits that may have run their course and no longer work in today's world. You will also learn some of the backstory of how this poem written by Shel Silverstein became a song in the first place. Be sure to watch the clip of Johnny and Shel singing it together.

You can find the playlist on Spotify and via our ⁠⁠website⁠⁠. You can find all of our back episodes on our webpage ⁠⁠www.countrymusicdads.com⁠⁠. Follow us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ @countrymusicdads. And most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠
"Water" by Brad Paisley
"Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley feat. Alison Krauss
"Creeps" by Koe Wetzel
"Psycho" by HARDY
"A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash

Country Cutler Talks Parenting, Country Music in LA and Strawberry Pie For Breakfast

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0700

We are super excited to have our first guest. Joining us is Donnie C. Cutler: better known as Country Cutler on Instagram and Substack. Donnie shares his insights on the LA Country Music scene, having a dad in charge of the household and whether or not strawberry pie is acceptable for breakfast.

Mentioned in this episode:

Country Cutler's Substack and article about the HARDY show
"Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity" by Richard A. Peterson
The Grand Ole Echo
The Desert Five Spot
Saddle Mountain Post
Honky Tonk Times

Show Notes:

11:20 Dad Life Sound Check: Donnie talks about being there when your kids need you. Mick shares how grandpa's farm provides such a strong foundation for the younger generations. Dave wonders which bottle is being taken away, the whiskey or the baby's?
21:22 Farm Boy Update: The strawberry and cherry season was brief this year... but, there was pie.
23:23 HARDY Report: Dave tells the story of having his gallbladder removed a couple years ago after a HARDY show but blames the spicy ramen his brother-in-law gave him at 1am.
30:20: The Dads and Country Cutler talk about how country music tells a story, the Southern California influence on country music, how Donnie's dad was featured in a newspaper story on "Mr. Moms" and how to introduce your kids to the music you like. They wrap things up with a lightning round and Donnie gets the first question wrong in Mick's opinion.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠
"Monsters" by Molly Kruse
"No. 7 Road" by The Castellows
"Take This Bottle" by Cody Jinks
"Epic" by Faith No More
"Give Heaven Some Hell" by HARDY
"Space Nachos" by Parry Grip
"The Bird Hunters" by Turnpike Troubadours
"TRUCK BED" by HARDY

You can find the playlist on Spotify and via our ⁠website⁠. You can find all of our back episodes on our webpage ⁠www.countrymusicdads.com⁠. Follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠ @countrymusicdads. And most importantly, please give us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

The Perfect Country Playlist for Father's Day

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0700

Father's Day is almost upon us and the Dads figured every father needs some tunes to listen to while he is practicing his well-deserved self-care. So whether you are watching the grill or watching your kids mow the lawn we've got the Playlist to help you celebrate yourself.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Stay-at-Home Dad Book Club
Otter Pops
HARDY on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Gary Allan "Tough Little Boys" Music Video

Show Notes:

09:52 Dad Life Sound Check - Dave is trying to wrap his head around being master of ceremonies for the summer instead of shipping the kids off to camp. Mick starts wondering about the bucket list differences between younger and older adults.

17:46 HARDY Report - Hardy appears on the Jimmy Kimmel Show and gives a free show that Dave attends afterwards

21:54 Farm Boy Update - Mick had a critter eat his new green beans and he is not happy about it.

23:21 The Dads share the eleven best songs to listen to on Father's Day. The list they put together is pretty wide ranging as it spans 35 years of different country music styles celebrating all things Dad and Father's. Believe it or not they only had one song show up on both of their lists. Can you guess which one it was?

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠
"Don’t Take Much" by Jackson Dean
"I Want to Do It All" by Terri Clark
"That's My Job" by Conway Twitty
"Steak Night at the Prairie Rose" by Silverada
"Tough Little Boys" by Gary Allan
"Even Though I'm Leaving" by Luke Combs
"Daddy's Hands" by Holly Dunn
"The Dollar" by Jamey Johnson
"My Front Porch Looking In" by Lonestar
"Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore" by Chris Stapleton
"Watching You" by Rodney Atkins
"Drive (For Daddy Gene)" by Alan Jackson
"Love Without End, Amen" by George Strait

You can find the playlist on Spotify and via our website. You can find all of our back episodes on our webpage www.countrymusicdads.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @countrymusicdads. And most importantly, please us a 5-star review and share the show with all of your friends.

How To Impress Shania According to Two Dads Who Drive Minivans

Wed, 22 May 2024 17:00:10 -0700

The Dads break down one of Shania's biggest hits and answer the question guys have wrestled with for the past 25 years: if brains, looks, and a car don't impress Shania, what does?

Mentioned in This Episode:

Show Notes:

12:18 Dad Life Sound Check - After dealing with a potential bullying situation with one of the boys Dave felt like he needed a drink. Mick realized that he wouldn't be able to celebrate mothers if God hadn't given him a girl.

14:54 HARDY Report - HARDY gives the commencement speech at his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University.
18:38 Farm Boy Update - Mick laments the fact that since the chickens started free-ranging they are messing up all his newly spread mulch.
20:20 Shania shares the three things that don't impress her. And The Dads share their takes on what does.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠

"Why We Drink" by Justin Moore
"God Gave Me a Girl" by Russell Dickerson
"the mockingbird and THE CROW" by HARDY
"That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain
"Real Damn Good" by Josh Abbott Band
"The Worst Country Song of All Time" by Brantley Gilbert feat. Toby Keith and HARDY

ACM Awards 2024: Picks and Predictions From The Dads

Wed, 08 May 2024 10:00:00 -0700

The Dads change things up this week and preview the 2024 ACM Awards with our picks and predictions. We cover lots of ground from Jelly Roll to Megan Moroney, weigh in on the Stagecoach livestream, and share some of our hot takes and/or rants on some of the biggest names in mainstream country music.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Chris Stapleton's Traveller Whiskey
Home Dad Chat
The National At-Home Dad Network
Morgan Wallen's set missing from the Stagecoach live stream: https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2024/04/29/rep-for-morgan-wallen-reveals-the-reason-his-stagecoach-performance-wasnt-livestreamed/⁠
ACM Award Criteria
Luke Combs and Tracy Chapman at the Grammy's
Morgan Wallen throws chair from bar rooftop
Our "near-viral" Hay Bale Reel

Show Notes:

7:06 Dad Life Sound Check - Mick and his daughter enjoyed watching Stagecoach's live stream together and enjoyed Chris Barnes and Bailey Zimmerman. Dave talks about "Father's Son" by Stephen Wilson Jr. and the crush his boys have on Megan Moroney.
13:43 The Farm Boy Update - Mick planted his garden and is updating his landscaping in preparation for the high school graduation party.
15:50 The HARDY Report - HARDY was all over the place at the recent Stagecoach music festival and Dave shares the highlights or to Dave's disappointment the lowlights.
20:08 - The Dads give their takes on the upcoming ACM Awards by breaking down the nominees for Best Female Artist, Song of the Year, Best Male Artist, and Single of the Year. Dave and Mick provide some commentary on who they think will and SHOULD win.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠⁠

HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠
"God Took His Time on You" by Casey Barnes
"Religiously" by Bailey Zimmerman
"Father's Son" by Stephen Wilson Jr.
"God's Country" by Blake Shelton
"Gin & Juice" by HARDY
"Gin & Juice" by Snoop Dogg
"The Devil I Know" by Ashley McBryde
"I'm Not Pretty" by Megan Moroney
"Heart Like a Truck" by Lainey Wilson
"I Remember Everything (feat. Kacey Musgraves)" by Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves
"Fast Car" by Luke Combs
"The Painter" by Cody Johnson
"Next Thing You Know" by Jordan Davis
"Joe" by Luke Combs
"White Horse" by Chris Stapleton
"Last Night" by Morgan Wallen
"Save Me (with Lainey Wilson)" by Jelly Roll
"Fast Car" by Tracy Chapman
"Need a Favor" by Jelly Roll
"You Proof" by Morgan Wallen

There is a lot of music mentioned in this episode. You can find a sampling of it on our Spotify playlist. Previous episodes can be found at https://countrymusicdads.com/. Our social media accounts are @countrymusicdads on Instagram and Facebook. Send us feedback via countrymusicdads@gmail.com and last but not least, thank you for listening and please share with your fellow country music fans and give us a 5 star review on your favorite podcast platform.

"Somewhere in the Middle" is Just Fine: Education, Achievement, and Cody Jinks

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0700

There is a lot of discussion around education in society today. Does education always come from books? Can you find learning opportunities in unconventional places? Is an academic education better than hands-on learning? With the help of Cody Jinks and "Somewhere in the Middle," we break it down and share some of the life lessons we've learned working on the factory floor.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Show Notes:

The Dad Life Sound Check starts off the show with Dave talking about how he needs a vacation from the vacation. Then the kids transfer the virus to him and he is out of commission for a few days. Alabama and a date attending the Tyler Childers concert help pull him through the fact that he has to wear Astros gear to support his son's little league team. Megan Moroney reminds Mick that it is OK for our kids to do things differently than we would.
14:35 HARDY Report - "Truck Bed" goes to #1 and Mick thinks HARDY and Beyonce should do a collaboration.
19:17 Farm Boy Update - Mick's garden makes him happy but repotting 60 tomato and pepper plants takes awhile.
21:00 The Dads break down why "Somewhere in the Middle" is such a great song to illustrate that you can learn something from everyone and that doctors are not necessarily superior to world champion roller skaters. Is achievement culture really helping us raise our kids? The Dads share what their first jobs were and why everyone needs work in a restaurant or customer service at some point in their life.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠
"Way of the Triune God" by Tyler Childers
"I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)" by Alabama
"Tennessee Orange" by Megan Moroney
"TRUCK BED" by HARDY
"Texas Hold 'Em" by Beyonce
"Tequila" by Dan + Shay
"Somewhere in the Middle" by Cody Jinks

Please subscribe to the show, rate it, and leave a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠OverCast⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Pandora⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@CountryMusicDads⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠@CountryMusicDads⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit us on the web at ⁠⁠⁠CountryMusicDads.com⁠⁠⁠. And if you want to hear some of these songs in full, check out the ⁠⁠⁠Country Music Dads Playlist⁠⁠⁠ and the ⁠⁠Best Country Songs for Your Parenting Day From Hell Playlist⁠⁠ on Spotify.

"It Won't Be Like This For Long:" The Best Parenting Advice We Don't Want to Hear Courtesy of Darius Rucker

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0700

Time flies when you're having fun. Time moves excruciatingly slowly when you are sleep deprived and can't seem to get the baby down for a nap. What do these things have in common? They don't last forever. We are going to talk about just how fast things move when it comes to raising kids and why we hate the phrase "I miss those days." "It Won't Be Like This For Long" by Darius Rucker is the perfect song to describe this moment in time.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Show Notes:

4:04 Dad Life Sound Check - The Series "Yellowstone" provides both parenting advice and music from Ryan Bingham. Flatland Cavalry makes Dave feel older than he is.
13:10 Farm Boy Update - Mick has a mole problem on the urban farmstead.
15:15 HARDY Report - "Quit!!" has Dave wanting to see HARDY perform live once again.
18:39 The Dads break down why "It Won't Be Like This For Long" is such a perfect summary of the fact that life changes faster than you think when it comes to raising kids. They also touch on the fact that when you are in the middle of it you aren't always the most receptive to hearing about how people miss it. Dave needs to go and research the word Kairos as well.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠

"Tell My Mother I Miss Her So" by Ryan Bingham
"Nobody Knows My Trouble" by Ryan Bingham
"Godspeed" by Zach Bryan
"Come Back Down" by Flatland Cavalry
"Why Baby Why" by George Jones
"Quit!!" by HARDY
"It Won't Be Like This For Long" by Darius Rucker
"You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins
"Let Her Cry" by Hootie and the Blowfish

Please subscribe to the show, rate it, and leave a review on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠OverCast⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Pandora⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@CountryMusicDads⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@CountryMusicDads⁠⁠⁠ or visit us on the web at ⁠⁠CountryMusicDads.com⁠⁠. And if you want to hear some of these songs in full, check out the ⁠⁠Country Music Dads Playlist⁠⁠ and the ⁠Best Country Songs for Your Parenting Day From Hell Playlist⁠ on Spotify.

Best Country Songs for Your Parenting Day From Hell

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0700

In this episode the Dads get into every parent's nightmare: the Parenting Day From Hell. We came up with some songs to help you through these trying and exhausting times. These songs approach the Parenting Day From Hell in a variety of ways. Some describe how we are feeling at that moment. Others give us something to look forward to when the day is "over." We even have a couple of songs in this list that channel our inner HARDY and salute the day with his favorite offensive gesture.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Jason Kelce's Retirement
George Strait Christmas Albums
Professor Benjamin Bergen and the scientific research behind the middle finger
Yip Harburgh's Famous Quote
Office Space
Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Charley Crockett busking in New York City

Show Notes:

1:16 Dad Life Sound Check: Dave talks about the bonds that brothers form and how they sometimes confuse George Strait with Jose Feliciano. Mick talks about college visits and the song "Starting Over" by Chris Stapleton.

12:12 HARDY Report: We learn about the history of the Middle Finger thanks to HARDY, Post Malone and Professor Benjamin Bergen.

15:38 Farm Boy Update: Mick is working in the garden and planting spinach.

17:25: The Dads explain their thoughts and soundtracks for the Parenting Day From Hell.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode⁠
HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio⁠
Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠

"Amarillo By Morning" by George Strait
"Feliz Navidad" by Pedro Feliciano
"Starting Over" by Chris Stapleton
"SOLD OUT" by HARDY
"Take This Job and Shove It" by Johnny Paycheck
"Hello Walls" by Faron Young
"9 to 5" by Dolly Parton
"Two Words" by Kolby Cooper
"It's Five-o-Clock Somewhere" by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett
"Drink in My Hand" by Eric Church
"Half of Me" by Thomas Rhett featuring Riley Green
"Welcome to Hard Times - Live from the Ryman" by Charley Crockett
"Thanks a Lot" by Ernest Tubb
"Smoke Break" by Carrie Underwood
"The Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning" by Willie Nelson
"The Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning" by Chris Stapleton
"Things Have Gone to Pieces" by George Jones
"Working Man" by Larry Fleet

Please subscribe to the show, rate it, and leave a review on ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠, ⁠⁠OverCast⁠⁠, ⁠Pandora⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠@CountryMusicDads⁠⁠ and Facebook ⁠⁠@CountryMusicDads⁠⁠ or visit us on the web at ⁠CountryMusicDads.com⁠. And if you want to hear some of these songs in full, check out the ⁠Country Music Dads Playlist⁠ and the Best Country Songs for Your Parenting Day From Hell Playlist on Spotify.

"Things a Man Oughta Know" According to Two Dads and Lainey Wilson

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0700

In this episode the Dads talk about the breakthrough hit for the current queen of country music, Lainey Wilson: "Things a Man Oughta Know". This song is a lot deeper than it first appears and affects you in more ways than you realize. The Dads break down how the song hits them and how their perceptions of this tune have evolved over time.

Mentioned in This Episode:

LA Dads Group
Kansas City Dads Group
Naja’s Place
Dogs playing Poker by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge
“Things a Man Oughta Know” (Official Music Video)
“How Lainey Wilson Took Over Country Music” by Grady Smith on YouTube
Lainey Wilson Wins Female Artist of the Year – The 58th ACM Awards

Show Notes:

1:18 Dad Life Sound Check: Dave Talks about the Importance of a DNO (Dad's Night Out) with the LA Dads Group, Naja's Place, Toby Keith and Kip Moore. Mick talks about being home with a sick kiddo, Johnny Cash's American Recordings and how "God's Gonna Cut You Down" has affected Major League Baseball.

15:27 The Hardy Report: What makes a small town? HARDY gives us some perspective via "Rednecker."

19:01 The Farm Boy Update: The chickens don't like the 55 degree Midwest weather fluctuations.

20:15: The Dads get into and break down the song that put Lainey Wilson on the path to becoming the hottest commodity in country music, "Things a Man Oughta Know."
29:40: Grady Smith and his feature of "How Lainey Wilson Took Over Country Music" on YouTube.

Sources:

Intro Music: ⁠“Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode

HARDY Report Theme Music: ⁠“Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio

Farm Boy Update Theme Music: ⁠“The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole⁠

“I Love This Bar” by Toby Keith

“Kinda Bar” by Kip Moore

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” by Johnny Cash

“Rednecker” by HARDY

“Country Must Be Country Wide” by Brantley Gilbert

“Things a Man Oughta Know” by Lainey Wilson

Please subscribe to the show, rate it, and leave a review on ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Amazon⁠, ⁠OverCast⁠, Pandora, ⁠YouTube⁠, or wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on Instagram ⁠@CountryMusicDads⁠ and Facebook ⁠@CountryMusicDads⁠ or visit us on the web at CountryMusicDads.com. And if you want to hear some of these songs in full, check out the Country Music Dads Playlist on Spotify.

The Who, What, and Why of Country Music Dads

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 13:45:26 -0700

In our very first episode, Mick and Dave dive deeper into the mission of the podcast. Who are the Country Music Dads? What will we talk about? And why does the world need a country music podcast about parenting? We cover our distinct backgrounds, the six kids we have between us, and the key influences that have shaped our tastes in country music. We also give listeners an idea of the topics and structure they can expect from our first season. Thank you for tuning in! We are stoked to start sharing the music and the parenting stories that are helping us raise our kids country.

Mentioned in this episode:

National At-Home Dad Network Convention

Show Notes

Mick and Dave share how they met and their previous creative endeavors in the parenting and country music space [01:35].
Who are Mick and Dave and what are their perspectives? [04:32]
What can listeners expect from the show? [07:27]
The musical tastes and preferences that influence the Country Music Dads [18:18].

Sources

Intro Music: “Dark Country Rock” by Moodmode

Farm Boy Update Theme Music: “The Wheels on the Bus Rockabilly Style (instrumental)” by Mike Cole

HARDY Report Theme Music: “Frantic” by Lemon Music Studio

“Where the Wild Things Are” (Luke Combs)

“The Redneck Song” (HARDY)

“Look What You Made Me Do” (Taylor Swift)

“Hurt” (Johnny Cash)

Please subscribe to the show, rate it, and leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, OverCast, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! And follow us on Instagram @CountryMusicDads and Facebook @CountryMusicDads.