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PODCAST

Stories Behind the Songs

Welcome to Stories Behind the Songs. This is a weekly podcast hosted by Chris Blair in Nashville, TN. After over 20 years in Nashville and owner of the famous music venue The Listening Room, CB has become friends with some of the biggest names in music, the writers behind the hits and amazing industry leaders. In this podcast, he sits down with those friends and shares their stories. You’ll hear about the songs you know from radio, you’ll hear from brand new artists and much more. Whether you have

music music interviews

All Episodes

00:59:13

Pam Tillis: A Lifetime In Music

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/03/04

In this special episode, I sit down with the legendary @PamTillisWe talk about her incredible career and the 25th anniversary of her Grand Ole Opry membership.Music has surrounded Pam since day one—literally. Her father moved her to Nashville as a baby, and from that moment on, she was immersed in every kind of sound imaginable. Growing up, she explored all genres, experimenting with different styles in high school before finding her own voice in country music.We talk about the songs that shaped her

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00:57:34

Lonestar: Our 2 Year Anniversary! - A Legacy Of Hits...

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/02/25

In this special episode from the Boots on the Water cruise, I sit down with Lonestar to talk about their legendary hits and decades in country music. I couldn’t think of a better fit to help us celebrate our 2-year Stories Behind The Songs Anniversary! We dive into “Amazed”—a song that says what men struggle to put into words, spending nine weeks at No. 1—and “I’m Already There,” which became an anthem for military families after 9/11. They share career highlights, from playing the Ryman to

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00:54:09

Emily Falvey: Made In The USA

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/02/18

In this episode, I sit down with Emily Falvey!Emily’s journey from Colorado to Nashville was fueled by a love for songwriting and a deep passion for music. After moving to Texas in high school, she set her sights on Belmont, where she quickly realized she was surrounded by incredible talent.An internship at SMACK changed everything—when a mentor asked where she really wanted to go, she knew songwriting was the answer. Since then, she’s written for artists like Cody Johnson, Walker Hayes, MacKenzie

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00:42:39

Johnny Clawson: Chasing Songs

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/02/11

In this episode, I sit down with @Johnny Clawson!Johnny’s journey from Northern Virginia to Nashville is anything but typical. After playing in rock and metal bands, he knew he had to leave Virginia to chase music, eventually leading him to quit his corporate job and make the move to Music City. From substitute teaching to bartending, Johnny did whatever it took to stay in Nashville. His big break came in 2022—he took a life-changing call from SMACK while bartending and found out he was getting

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00:35:41

Scott Stepakoff: The Road To Success

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/02/04

In this episode, I sit down with Scott Stepakoff!From fronting his own jam band Turtle Grove to becoming a Nashville songwriter, his journey has been full of twists. After working in TV production, he took a shot at music, leading to a longtime writing partnership with Josh Osborne. Over the years, he’s landed cuts with Kip Moore, Kelsey Hart, and Blake Shelton—but he’s still chasing that first No. 1. We talk about the ups and downs of the industry, the stories behind his biggest songs, and the

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01:04:51

Sarah Buxton: Stupid Boy

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/01/28

In this episode, I sit down with ⁠@Sarah Buxton⁠!From Kansas to Nashville, Sarah’s journey is a testament to her talent and resilience. After moving to Music City in 1998 and attending Belmont University, she quickly found her way into Nashville’s songwriting circles, collaborating with some of the industry’s best. Sarah co-wrote the Grammy-winning hit ⁠“Stupid Boy,”⁠ recorded by Keith Urban, and Chris Lane’s first No. 1 single, ⁠“Fix.”⁠ She shares how these songs came to life, the collaborative

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00:53:36

Kassi Ashton: Made From The Dirt

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/01/21

In this episode, I sit down with @Kassi Ashton!From performing on stage at just four years old to signing her first publishing deal with @Creative Nation, her journey is nothing short of extraordinary. We talk about her debut album, where every song is a piece of her story, from the empowering “Made From the Dirt” to the heartfelt “Juanita,” written in honor of her grandmother. She shares the highs of touring with artists like @Maren Morris and @Jamey Johnson, the challenges of starting over

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01:15:59

Ward Guenther: Our 100th Episode!! - Whiskey Jam and...

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/01/14

For our 100th episode, I sit down with ⁠Ward Guenther⁠, the creator of ⁠Whiskey Jam⁠ and a cornerstone of Nashville’s music scene. Ward’s journey started with a guitar at summer camp and a dream that brought him to Nashville in 2003. Since then, he’s built something truly iconic.We explore how Whiskey Jam grew from an underground writers night into a platform that launched countless careers for many stars we know and love. Ward shares behind-the-scenes stories, from unforgettable performances to

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00:42:23

Styles: God's Grocery Store

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2025/01/07

In this episode, I sit down with Styles! Styles has made his mark in country music with his song “Country On,” cut by Luke Bryan and performed at the CMAs. He’s had quite the journey, from growing up in Ohio where his dad’s shop hosted a local band, to moving to Nashville in 2018 with just one connection. Along the way, he worked with legends like Rob Snyder and Eric Hurt, and landed his first publishing deal. We dive into his story, including how he went from playing local bars to writing hit

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00:44:46

Matt Mulhare: Things I'm Going Through

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/12/31

In this episode, I sit down with ⁠Matt Mulhare⁠! Matt’s journey from New York to Nashville is as unexpected as it is inspiring. While studying at Belmont University, he discovered his voice as a songwriter and performer, eventually collaborating with other songwriters to bring his music to life. His story is proof that no dream is too big—even for an 8-year-old kid with a love for guitar. We dive into the story behind ⁠“Things I’m Going Through,”⁠ one he co-wrote with ⁠Jordan Dozzi⁠ which later

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00:51:59

SJ McDonald: Good Ol' Gals

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/12/24

In this episode, I sit down with ⁠SJ McDonald⁠! Growing up on her family’s turkey and cattle farm in Virginia, SJ’s journey to Nashville started with selling a steer to buy her first guitar. After moving to Music City in 2017 to attend Belmont University, she discovered her passion for songwriting and spent seven years performing on Broadway, where she sharpened her craft. From landing her publishing deal at the Key West Songwriters Festival to creating heartfelt songs like “⁠Right Hand Man⁠” and

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00:56:23

Jenn Bostic: Jealous of the Angels

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/12/17

In this episode, I sit down with singer-songwriter Jenn Bostic. Jenn Bostic has made a name for herself in country and christian contemporary music as an artist and songwriter, with her heartfelt song “Jealous of the Angels” connecting with listeners around the world. From growing up in a small town in Minnesota, where music became her therapy after losing her dad, to attending Berklee College of Music, Jenn’s journey to Nashville has been one of heart and passion. We dive into her story,

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00:51:05

James Slater: The High Cost Of Living

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/12/10

In this episode, I sit down with singer-songwriter James Slater!James Slater has written songs for Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Jamey Johnson, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, and Martina McBride. James has pretty much seen it all. From living in places like Miami, the Panama Canal, and Switzerland, he has so many stories to share. After spending years writing in LA and touring Europe with guys like Huey Lewis and Bruce Hornsby, he ended up settling in Nashville with one really specific

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00:50:11

Jordan Rowe: "Mama Ain't Jesus" and Music Row Ministries

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/12/03

In this episode, I sit down with Jordan Rowe! From navigating a music career during a pandemic to building his community of songwriters centered around faith, we dive into a little bit of it all this week. Jordan tells us about his early days playing drums in church, getting his start on the Georgia acoustic circuit, and how his path eventually led him to Nashville in 2019. That same year, he released his first EP while touring with Chris Janson. Throughout our conversation, Jordan shares the

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00:45:34

Johnny McGuire: Chevys, Fords, and Twisters

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/11/26

In this episode, I had the chance to sit down with the incredibly talented Johnny McGuire, who’s had quite the journey in country music. Originally from Dallas, Johnny moved to Nashville in 2012 with the dream of becoming a songwriter. Little did he know, his path would take some unexpected turns, from forming the duo “Walker McGuire” with Jordan Walker to carving out a successful solo career. We dive into his early days in Nashville and how everything changed when he found himself sitting next to

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00:50:39

Chris Ruediger: "A Good Song Always Wins" -...

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/11/19

Chris Ruediger joined me on today’s episode of Stories Behind the Songs to share his incredible journey from growing up in Massachusetts to making his mark in Nashville’s thriving music scene. After moving to Music City in 2017 with a passion for being part of the creative process, Chris quickly found himself immersed in the energy of Nashville’s songwriting and artist community. In this episode, we dive into Chris’s story, including his first time at The Listening Room where he witnessed Hardy’s

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00:57:13

Russell Sutton: My Boy

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/11/12

In this week’s episode of Stories Behind the Songs, I’m joined by Russell Sutton! Russell talks about how he made the move from Texas to Nashville and carved a name for himself in the music industry. He’s the writer behind some of your favorite hits, including “My Boy” by Elvie Shane – a song that was Russell’s first #1 and landed him his first publishing deal. We dive into the journey that led to that breakthrough, and how his next chart-topping hit, “Whiskey on You” by Nate Smith, took things to

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01:05:43

Keio Stroud: Drumming Up Dreams

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/11/05

Joining us on this week's episode of Stories Behind the Songs is Keio Stroud, a drummer whose journey through the music world is deeply rooted in family and faith—and whose career reads like a who's-who of country music icons. In this episode, Keio talks about how his Nashville journey began with a last-minute gig that led him to the city and eventually put him on the stage with some of the biggest names in country music like Big & Rich and Wade Hayes. From learning to play by ear alongside

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00:55:25

Lauren Hungate: Holy Smokes

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/10/29

Lauren Hungate joins us on today’s episode of Stories Behind the Songs.Lauren has been writing for some exciting newer artists like MacKenzie Porter, Carter Faith, and Lauren Watkins, as well as household names like Anne Wilson, Carly Pearce, and most recently, Bailey Zimmerman. In this episode, we explore her story, from starting out as an intern with Capitol Christian, navigating Nashville writers’ rounds, and earning her first publishing deal right before the world shut down in 2020. She shares

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00:49:33

Will Bundy: Mowing Lawns to Writing Thomas Rhett's #1s

Stories Behind the Songs ·

2024/10/22

Our guest on Stories Behind the Songs this week is Will Bundy! From a small town near Bristol, TN, Will has such a cool story that was so much fun to get into. We dive deep into his journey from mowing lawns and farming to producing demos that landed him in writing rooms with some of Nashville’s biggest names right now like Riley Green, Thomas Rhett, and Ella Langley, as well as hit songwriters like Brett James, Forest Whitehead, and Ashley Gorley. In this episode, you’ll hear about how he

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