Circling The Drain

Larry Stewart, the voice of Restless Heart and member of The Frontmen, joins Circling The Drain to talk about breaking through in 80s and 90s country, early resistance from Music Row, touring with Alabama, and how one phone call changed his life. Larry shares the origin stories of Restless Heart and The Frontmen, the realities of road life, raising a family while constantly touring, and why today’s country boom feels bigge...

Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy dive into how Nashville and Middle Tennessee have changed under the wave of California and out-of-state transplants. From McMansions and roaming dogs to the death of “old” Music Row, they unpack what’s been gained, what’s been lost, and why some newcomers bring their problems with them.  

They also hit on the impact of the Telecommunications Act on radio, the shift in the music and...

Circling The Drain welcomes artist and storyteller Jared Rogers, with a special guest drop‑in from country legend John Berry. They dive deep into what’s happened to the magic of music: from growing up around Kenny Rogers and Opryland to the harsh reality of streaming payouts, AI “artists,” and the corporatization of radio and Nashville.  

Jared shares the story behind his powerful duet with John Berry, “Bridge We All Mu...

On this episode of Circling The Drain, the three J’s sit down with Marconi Award–winning talk host and former WTN program director Dan Mandis for a deep dive into his 30+ years in radio.  

From cutting his teeth at legendary KFI in Los Angeles with Dr. Laura, to building syndication the hard way, to steering SuperTalk 99.7 WTN through the loss of Phil Valentine, Dan opens up about the highs, lows, and realities of a lif...

On this episode of Circling The Drain, Johnny B, Jay Harper and James Patrick McCarthy sit down with guitarist and broadcaster Dez Dickerson – best known as Prince’s original guitarist from the 1999 and Little Red Corvette era.

Dez takes us from his early days in Midwestern cover bands to his legendary audition with Prince, life on the road, opening for the Rolling Stones, his faith journey, leaving the band just as the...

In this episode of Circling The Drain, Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy dive deep into the changing world of music and radio from the perspective of insiders who have lived it.  

They start with why some artists get massive tribute concerts while others do not, then slide into a raw, honest look at country radio’s glory days, its corporate-driven decline, and what happens to artists and broadcasters when the indus...

In this powerful episode of Circling the Drain, Johnny B and Jay Harper sit down with legendary drummer Zoro (Lenny Kravitz, Bobby Brown, and more) to explore his extraordinary journey from growing up in Compton and rural Oregon poverty to becoming a world‑class musician, author, speaker, and “Minister of Groove.”  

Zoro shares how a humble janitor job unlocked his destiny, why he believes gifts come from God as seeds t...

Johnny and Jim talk candidly about the state of radio today, the toll of bad management, and how podcasting has become a lifeline after nearly 50 years on the air. 

They share raw stories about being let go over Zoom, losing close friends and mentors like Phil Valentine and Dave White, and trying to find purpose again in a fractured media landscape. Guest appearance by longtime radio pro John David Wells, who breaks dow...

In this episode of Circling The Drain, we sit down with traditional country artist and former radio host Scott Southworth for a funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly deep conversation.  

Scott shares how “bad breaks” in life often led to his biggest blessings, from accidentally landing a radio show on WLAC to stumbling into a thriving traditional country career with fans across Europe. He talks about walking away from chas...

What do The Beatles, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, The Monkees, Queen, Bo Diddley, Jason Aldean, and a random fan named Dave in a backstage doorway all have in common?

Sandy Gennaro.

In this episode of Circling the Drain, John and Jim sit down with veteran rock drummer Sandy Gennaro, a man whose career has taken him from watching The Beatles on TV as a kid to playing arenas around the world and speaking to Fortune 500 com...

Longtime Nashville programmer Ron Allen (96.3 Jack FM, Y’all Country) joins Circling The Drain to talk about 20 years of Jack FM, the changing face of radio, and how local personalities still matter in a streaming and AI-driven world.

Ron walks through his journey from Tulsa and Wichita to Nashville, the heyday of big-budget radio, and what has been lost as companies cut costs, shrink staffs, and push more national and ...

From Civil War battlefields to the legendary Hank Williams house on Franklin Road, this episode of Circling The Drain dives deep into hauntings, strange coincidences, and emotional encounters with the other side.

Johnny B, Jay Harper, and Jim McCarthy swap eerie and heartfelt stories, including:  

– Ghostly music in Phil Valentine’s old cabin  

– Cold rooms and strange phenomena in Hank and Audrey Williams’ home  

– A chil...

Radio veteran and voiceover pro Bennie Shipley joins Johnny B, Jay and Jim for a deep dive into the golden age of radio, the rise of country music superstars, and the evolving world of voiceover in the age of AI.

Starting as a 15-year-old kid at WLCK in Scottsville, Kentucky, Benny went on to WCDS, became a hometown celebrity in high school, and eventually made the massive leap to powerhouse Nashville station WSM. Along...