The Stephan Hogan Podcast

Chris Thacker is the co-founder and CEO of Stage Water, a canned water brand built for the live music community. He is also a longtime tour manager for Dierks Bentley and has spent decades behind the scenes of the music industry leading teams, solving problems, and keeping major tours moving.

In this episode of The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Chris Thacker shares how Stage Water launched, how the company became the official water...

At some point, the dream changes. Ben Montague started as a musician chasing songs, shows, and the artist life. Then he found himself driving through the night after gigs, windows down just to stay awake, so he could open his guitar shop the next morning.

That was the crossroads.

Today, Ben owns Carter Vintage Guitars and Norman’s Rare Guitars. But the real story is not about guitars. It is about being able to s...

https://www.gofundme.com/f/stephanhoganpodcast

Stephan sits down with Mitchell Tenpenny for a real conversation about fatherhood, grief, losing a parent, anger, therapy, phones, social media, AI, fake validation, human connection, and why live music still matters in a world full of content.

Mitchell Tenpenny is known for songs like Drunk Me, Truth About You, At the End of a Bar, and his latest chapter as an artist, hu...

Kent Earls is one of the music executives behind the scenes helping shape the songs, songwriters, artists, and careers people are talking about in Nashville.

In this episode of The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Kent Earls sits down with Stephan to talk about the business behind the hits, from his time as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Universal Music Publishing Group Nashville to becoming partner at Verse 2 Music, the publ...

Jake Owen has lived a lot of life since “Barefoot Blue Jean Night.”

The songs. The tours. The success. The public highs. The private lows. The reinvention. And all the things people search for when they want to understand the man behind the music: Jake Owen songs, Jake Owen tour, Jake Owen music, Jake Owen age, Jake Owen married, and yes, even Barefoot Blue Jean Night lyrics.

But this conversation is about the part you do...

After a career at the summit of the music industry, most recently as the Global Head of Country Music at Apple, Michael Bryan reached a definitive conclusion: scaling without soul is a race to the bottom.

In this masterclass on creative discipline and longevity, Michael reveals the Southern Drift manifesto, a blueprint for leaders and creators who want to build empires that last 40 years, not 40 seconds.

If you care a...

The Truth About Music Royalties, Creator Funding, and Long-Term Careers | Alex Heiche

Alex Heiche sees the creative business from a rare vantage point.

As the founder of Sound Royalties, he works with songwriters, artists, producers, and creators at the intersection of money, ownership, pressure, and long-term career building.

Founded in 2014, Sound Royalties is the world’s leading specialty finance company for t...

Rusty Gaston sees the music business from a rare vantage point.

In this conversation, we talk about what really makes songs connect, why the best careers are built on more than hype, and what happens when somebody who came from the independent world steps into one of the most powerful roles in Nashville publishing.

This is a real conversation about the heart behind the business. If you care about songwriting, country ...

James Shotwell, founder of Country Minute, breaks down how songs actually go viral in today’s music industry, what artists and labels are really paying for, and how influencer marketing is shaping country music.

Country Minute is one of the fastest-growing platforms in country music, reaching millions of fans every month through TikTok, Instagram, and short-form content that drives music discovery.

James explain...

In this episode of The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Stephan Hogan sits down with one of the most respected musicians in the Nashville music industry, Charlie Worsham.

Charlie is a singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist whose career spans bluegrass, country, and Americana. He made his Grand Ole Opry debut at just 12 years old and has since become widely known in Nashville as a true musician’s musician. 

In this raw and deeply personal conversation, Bear Rinehart of Needtobreathe sits down with Stephan Hogan to talk about songwriting, faith, trauma, creativity, and the future of music.

The interview comes as Needtobreathe prepares to release their 10th studio album, The Long Surrender, on March 27, 2026 via MCA. Produced by acclaimed producer Dave Cobb, the 12-track album marks a return to raw, personal songwriting from fron...

https://www.simonsaysnashville.com/
https://30aroasters.com/

What does “darkness” actually mean when you are living in it, not writing poetry about it?

In this episode of The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Canaan Smith opens up about grief, faith, anxiety, and the seasons that make you feel lost. He talks about losing his brother, the pressure that hit after a Number 1, and the day he walked into Mercury Record...

What does a Number 1 song in China actually mean in 2026, and how is it different from a U.S. radio “Number 1”? Nashville songwriter and producer Mark Siegel breaks down his real-world experience landing a Billboard China chart-topper with Lay Zhang (EXO), including how China’s music economy is still heavily download and sales-based, how platforms like QQ Music and NetEase function, and why “units sold&rdquo...

49 Winchester frontman Isaac Gibson joins The Stephan Hogan Podcast for a full 49 Winchester interview covering the band’s current tour schedule, including dates with Tim McGraw and Eric Church.

This conversation explores how 49 Winchester grew from an Appalachian garage band to supporting major arena tours across North America.

I49 Winchester lead singer Isaac Gibson sits down for an in-depth interview about th...

Jelly Roll’s Grammy speech struck a nerve because it spoke about faith, redemption, and telling the truth about where you come from. Those same values run through the music on Beautifully Broken, the album that just won Best Contemporary Country Album.

In this episode, I sit down with Steph Jones, the songwriter behind “Born Again” and “Hear Me Out” on Jelly Roll’s Grammy winning album, to...

Priscilla Block opens up about the mental, physical, and spiritual “come to Jesus moment” that changed everything.

In this conversation, Priscilla shares what burnout really looked like behind the scenes, how nonstop touring and pressure left her feeling empty, and the moment she realized she stopped recognizing herself. Sitting on a beach in New Zealand, exhausted and overwhelmed, she experienced a turning point...

Full Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOjAs5F7-ds

In this powerful clip from The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Kip Moore speaks directly to rising country artists about a mistake he believes is hurting new careers. He warns young artists to stop copying the styles of major stars like Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan. He explains why imitation never leads to long term success and why building your own identity is the only path t...

In this episode of The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Stephan sits down with Mark Rucker for a deep conversation about royalties, income streams, ownership, and the financial blind spots most people never learn about.

Mark Rucker is a senior leader at SoundExchange, the organization responsible for collecting and distributing digital performance royalties to artists and rights holders. His work focuses on helping creators understand where t...

Today, Bear Rinehart of NEEDTOBREATHE sits down with me for an honest, unguarded conversation. No talking points. Just heart.

We get into:

• Writing alone vs. co-writing — why some songs need one voice, one story.
• Art over algorithms — keeping the human edge in an AI world.
• Faith, therapy, and healing old wounds — rebuilding identity, naming core beliefs, and choosing surrender daily.
• Sobriety on tour — boredom...