All Our Favorite People

Brittney Spencer  delivers thought-provoking insight on everything from race to romance and adult peer pressure to gun violence on her just-released debut EP, “Compassion.” She moved from Baltimore to Nashville in 2013 to pursue her dream of writing and performing country music despite not seeing anyone who looked like her in the format when she was growing up. At first, Brittney vowed not to talk about race in country music circles, but the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin murder case later that year led to her awakening on social justice issues. We talk about the importance of representation, staying true to herself and her journey to making "Compassion". 

You may have heard Maren Morris shout out Brittney during her CMA Awards acceptance speech last month. Brittney had a songwriting session with Maren, Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell the day before we recorded this conversation. Her cover of The Highwomen’s “Crowded Table” on social media earned Brittney an invitation from Maren and Amanda to join The Highwomen onstage for a performance whenever they resume live appearances.

Hit songwriter/artist Luke Dick is one of the creative people in Nashville that keeps music interesting for us. His left-of-center perspective shows up in hits he’s co-written for Eric Church (“Kill a Word”), Dierks Bentley (“Burning Man”), Kacey Musgraves ("Velvet Elvis") and he just received his first Grammy Nomination for Country Song of the Year for co-writing “Bluebird” with Miranda Lambert and Natalie Hemby. For what is surely his most personal project to date, Luke enlisted Dierks, Miranda, Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, The Highwomen’s Natalie Hemby and Jackson Dean to help him create the album Music from the Documentary Red Dog. On both the album and in the film, Red Dog, Luke and his mom, Kim, tell the story of the people at Oklahoma City’s Red Dog Saloon, the topless bar where Kim worked as a dancer when Luke was a kid. In this conversation, Luke tells us what inspired him to create the Red Dog documentary and album, how he found his people in Nashville’s music community, and how he keeps challenging himself to grow creatively.

Patrick Droney is here to tell us about his brand-new EP, State of the Heart. We’re both huge fans of Patrick’s music, and his life experience as a musician is just unbelievable. He started opening shows for B.B. King and James Brown as a teenager and has been mentored by some of rock’s most influential producers — Danny Kortchmar and Glen Ballard. He even tells us about having dinner with Joni Mitchell! Over the last four years, Patrick has found a creative home in Nashville's songwriting community while also contributing a track on Kygo’s latest album, Golden Hour, which also features Whitney Houston, OneRepublic, Kim Petras and more. Patrick tells us how mindfulness and meditation has transformed his life this year and why he’s committed to bringing the saxophone back to pop music.

Ryan Hurd is here to talk about his latest EP, EOM, which features his hit, “Every Other Memory,” and songs he’s written for other artists like “What If I Never Get Over You”, which became a #1 for Lady A, and “Heartless” by Diplo featuring Morgan Wallen. We talk about the importance of expanding your worldview and the lessons he’s learned on his journey to becoming a hit songwriter. He also tells us about how he and his wife, Maren Morris, have settled into their lives as new parents to their son Hayes, who was born in March. We also get into Ryan’s role as a budding fashion icon, the reasoning behind him covering Taylor Swift songs, and why it is so important to he and Maren to speak truthfully about how they see the world.

Jesse and Stevie Frasure are here to talk about how they balance their life as a married couple running their own business at the top of the Nashville music industry. Jesse is an in-demand songwriter/producer who’s worked with everyone from Thomas Rhett and Jon Pardi to Kelsea Ballerini and Kylie Minogue. Stevie is the VP at their publishing company, Rhythm House, which they run as a joint venture with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. Jesse, who has DJ’d some of music’s most exclusive parties under the name Telemitry, just released an awesome new project called “Calm Springs”. The instrumental album evokes the glory days of Frank Sinatra’s time in Palm Springs in the swinging ‘60s and provides the perfect soundtrack for your cocktail party, trip to the spa or ride in a hotel elevator.

Caitlyn Smith is here to celebrate the deluxe edition release of her sophomore album, “Supernova,” featuring a collaboration with Old Dominion on “I Can’t.” The project came out earlier this year just as we all went into quarantine, so Caitlyn tells us how the album has evolved for her as she performs it during virtual concerts from her home. Caitlyn also opens up about her experience finding her artistic voice after becoming a mother and what it was like to write Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s final duet “You Can’t Make Old Friends” and Meghan Trainor and John Legend’s “Like I’m Gonna Lose You.”

Rissi Palmer is here to talk about her new Apple Music Country series, “Color Me Country.” The show shines a light on the rich history of Black, Indigenous and Latinx people in country music, and Rissi tells us why the success of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” inspired her to start the series. Rissi also tells us about her own experience as a black woman making country music on a major level in the 2000s. We also dig into her inspiring latest album, “Revival,” which addresses issues of social justice and the pressing need to keep speaking up for equality in America. Plus, Rissi explains the relationship between her daughters Grace and Nova, describes the ongoing influence of ‘80s television on our need for “pageantry” and explains how she’s seen the banning of The Chicks from country radio play out over the last decade.

Our good friends Allison and Jay DeMarcus are here to talk about their new Netflix docu-comedy “DeMarcus Family Rules,” and this is truly one of the funniest, wackiest episodes in “All Our Favorite People” history. The series offers a look at the couple’s crazy, hilarious family as they juggle parenthood, Allison’s work in the pageant world, and Jay’s hectic life as a musician, producer and member of Rascal Flatts. We’ve known Jay and Allison for a long time, so this conversation gives you a peek behind the scenes of “DeMarcus Family Rules” before veering off into topics ranging from Kevin Costner’s eulogy at Whitney Houston’s funeral to Vanna White’s wardrobe budget for “Wheel of Fortune” and that time Madonna blessed their daughter Madeline. To paraphrase the great Iyanla Vanzant, this chat happened at the appointed time AND the anointed time.

Also, Ashley and Hunter talk about their new shows on Apple Music Country! Check out Ashley hosting Guest List Radio at Apple.co/GuestList and Hunter hosting PROUD Radio at Apple.co/Proud.

Tenille Townes is here to talk about her major label debut album, The Lemonade Stand. She tells us about the making of the album, finding her voice as both a vocalist and songwriter, and connecting with listeners who have started to make The Lemonade Stand their own since its release. We also talk about being raised in a family of strong women, that time she shared the stage with Shania Twain, and what she's learned from Miranda Lambert and Lori McKenna. Tenille also explains why she started her annual Big Hearts for Big Kids concert, which to date has raised more than $2 million dollars for emergency shelters that serve homeless and at-risk youth.

Russell Dickerson is here to talk about life, new music and how he’s preparing for fatherhood! Russell and his wife, Kailey, are expecting their first child in September, and he tells us about the moment it really hit him that he’s about to have a son. With three consecutive #1 singles to his credit, Russell shares several stories behind the songs and what fans can expect from his upcoming sophomore album. The new project will feature his latest songs “Home Sweet” and “Love You Like I Used To.” We also talk about home projects, how he’s staying sane during the pandemic, the art of making Tik Tok videos and the real story behind why he started the “Wine Glass Challenge.”

Gina Miller is a music executive, mentor, musician and one of the most inspiring people we know. She is the General Manager and Senior Vice President of Entertainment One in Nashville, helming projects from gospel luminaries John P. Kee, Shirley Caesar and Michelle Williams as well as shepherding the music of James Fortune, Jonathan McReynolds and many more. In this conversation, Gina graciously makes a space for an open and honest talk about the reckoning over racism currently happening in America and how we can move forward, while Hunter and Ashley both explore the ways they can foster change among their respective families and friends. Gina shares with us the deeply personal purpose behind her initiative, “Beautiful Girl, you are already enough,” and tells us about the legacy she wants to leave in the world.

Our friend Michael Ray is here to talk about making the most of his time while off the road during quarantine. He’s been recording a new studio album with all of the musicians working remotely, and shares with us what fans can expect from the new project which follows his latest hit single, “Her World or Mine.” Michael is also hosting a Honky Tonk Tuesday video series playing the classic country songs he was raised on while also welcoming some of his favorite artists, including Phil Vassar, Mark Wills, Jeff Carson and more.

We also talk with Michael about how he’s lending his voice in support of racial equality and his history of standing up for the LGBTQ community.

Hugh Howser is back by popular demand for another round of big laughs in the midst of lockdown! Buckle up as Hugh shares his passion for Bette Midler, his reaction to Neiman Marcus filing for bankruptcy, and how he came up with his latest quarantine-inspired characters, Peggy Publix and Kathy Kroger. Plus, we get an update on his Great Aunt Tootie’s 90th birthday celebration, complete with elaborate yard art and his thoughts on ‘80s celebrity lifestyle VHS tapes from the likes of Angela Lansbury and Knots Landing’s Donna Mills.

One of Nashville’s most beloved singer/songwriters, Grammy-winner Lori McKenna joins us from her home just outside Boston to talk about her brand-new album, The Balladeer, due out July 24. The first song from the project, “When You’re My Age,” featuring her frequent co-writers Hillary Lindsey and Liz Rose, is a love letter from parents to their kids as they grow up and move forward with their own lives. Grab your tissues for this one. We discuss the stories behind several of the songs on her album including a tribute to her sister, “Marie,” and “The Dream”, which was inspired by storyline from the hit NBC show This Is Us. We talk about Lori's approach to songwriting, her friendship with Hillary and Liz, and she shares with us where she goes to find inspiration when she feels stuck creatively. Lori’s songs “Girl Crush” (Little Big Town) and “Humble and Kind” (Tim McGraw) were decade-defining songs in country music, and she continues to pen new songs with Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Sara Bareilles.

We also talk with Lori about her experience writing songs for Lady Gaga’s A Star Is Born, and what it was like holding Oprah’s hand while Faith Hill sang a gospel song on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

And now, here’s the rest of our conversation with Kristian Bush! We’re talking about everything pop culture-related from Tom Hanks taking selfies on Kristian’s phone to  Kristian’s celebrity crush Laura Linney living down the street from him when she was filming Ozark in Atlanta.  Kristian also shares his favorite British shows to binge during the quarantine, teaches Ashley about the joys of Absolutely Fabulous, and tells us about some next-level murder mystery games. Hunter gives his revelations from recently rewatching Forrest Gump and Fried Green Tomatoes back-to-back. Kristian explains how he questioned his creativity as a songwriter and what he did to move forward.

Speaker, Unspoken podcast host and author Ruthie Lindsey is here to talk about her new memoir, There I Am: The Journey from Hopelessness, to Healing, which tells the redemptive story of her journey from living in her bed due to chronic pain and prescription drug dependency to her life today as a seeker embracing wholeness and joy. She chronicles the loss of her beloved father, the end of her marriage, and explains how she came to unlearn the story of brokenness that defined her life for so many years. We also get an update on some reconciliation Ruthie has made since the book was finished.

Miles Adcox, Crystal Miller and Laura Hutfless are here to talk about Triumph Over Tragedy, a first-of-its-kind, trauma-informed therapy program providing tools, support and a safe community offering hope and healing for those affected by mass trauma. Thanks to private donations to The Onsite Foundation, the workshop is fully-funded by scholarships.

As a survivor of Columbine and a member of the foundation’s Survivor Advisory Council, Crystal shares with us a detailed account of her experience during the attack on her school and tells us how the Triumph Over Tragedy program was designed to address the way trauma affects the brain and the body in different ways for everyone.

Triumph Over Tragedy is inspired by the life of Austin Eubanks, who was also a Columbine survivor.  Austin had a vision to create a safe place for survivors of mass shootings to find hope and healing.  Austin passed away before his vision could become a reality, but his family and friends, including Laura, continue to carry on his legacy through this program.

Laura and Miles share resources for survivors, family members and first responders. We also talk about grief, community, empathy and how we can show up for each other in times of loss, trauma or suffering. Our hope is that in sharing these stories, you would know that you are not alone.

NOTE: The beginning of this conversation contains graphic discussions of the April 20, 1999 Columbine mass shooting tragedy. If you have been affected by mass shootings, gun violence or other traumas, this language could be activating and we recommend starting this episode around the 30 minute mark.

Resources available: The Onsite Foundation, Everytown, Moms Demand Action.

Actress/voiceover artist/media maven/branding expert Dawn McCoy is here to share her journey from working with makeup titan Trish McAvoy to being Sandra Bullock’s stand-in on "Miss Congeniality" to working as Barbra Streisand’s personal shopper to now running her own growing media empire with half-a-million followers across her social media accounts. Dawn is a long-time friend of Hunter’s and an instant friend to Ashley after this conversation. She shares what she’s learned about leaning into creativity when life throws us curveballs, the importance of pivoting, finding your own voice, and following your instincts. Dawn also gives us actionable steps that she uses with branding clients on how to build a strong social media platform and explains why she’s been letting down her guard down on Instagram lately. We all discuss what is bringing us joy right now.

Sugarland’s Kristian Bush checks in with us from his home in Atlanta, just down the street from the CDC. With one of his kids finishing his senior year of high school, Kristian shares with us how his family to navigating the Covid-19 pandemic and how he’s handling his business while trying to stay creative during this time. We go in-depth about multiple projects, including a brand-new musical, his band Dark Water, what we learned from his TED Talk last year (a MUST listen for all creatives) AND we get some scoop on what to expect from the upcoming Sugarland album. Plus, we’re celebrating the 10-year anniversary of Sugarland’s “The Incredible Machine” album (a record we both love) with a few stories behind the songs we had never heard before.

With everything going on in the world, we needed a laugh (or 20) so our good friend, event planner/comedian Hugh Howser, is back to give us his “Hughlarious” take on living in quarantine and dealing with friends and family members’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic (“It’s just crazy”). Hugh and Hunter explain why they feel it's offensive for people to be spreading cheer by putting up Christmas decorations with Easter right around the corner ("Would a tulip kill you?), while Ashley says you can decorate however you want to spread joy right now.  Plus, Hugh’s telling some more stories about his beloved grandmother Swopie, and giving some tips to brides on what to expect when you’re postponing your wedding due to the pandemic. Just a note: Listen with earbuds if you’ve got little ones around.

“By the Book” podcast hosts Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg are here to talk about their new book, “How to Be Fine: What We Learned from Living the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books.” Every two weeks, Jolenta and Kristen upend their lives to live out the advice of books such as “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” “The Four Agreements” and “Girl, Wash Your Face” to the letter. The result is some real insight into which books work and which books are selling some false promises. There are also hilarious interactions between the two friends as well as between Jolenta and Kristen and their respective husbands, Brad and Dean. You’ll find tons of love for Dolly Parton and Oprah Winfrey throughout this episode, too!

Cam is here to talk about her inspired new single and video, “Till There’s Nothing Left,” and give us an honest look at her life and what she's learning as a new mom to her daughter, Lucy. After breaking through in country music with the out-of-the box, double-platinum hit “Burning House,” Cam has established herself as one of the most innovative artists working in Nashville today. She knows who she is, speaks her mind and stands up for what she believes in. In doing so, Cam inspires so many others to do the same. It is one of the many things we love about her. The episode does contain content that may be sensitive for some people, so we suggest wearing headphones if you are listening at work or around your kids.

CMA Award winning singer/songwriter Brandy Clark is here to talk about her third album, Your Life Is a Record. The new songs, which are partly inspired by the break-up of a 15-year relationship, are Brandy's most vulnerable and personal to date. She says, “I've written a lot of songs about characters. But this time I wrote a lot of songs about my heart.” 

We talk about how she grew creatively on this album, which includes collaborations with Oscar-winner Randy Newman and Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne. We also celebrate Brandy’s love of Designing Women and her newly-formed book club, in addition to discussing how we each deal with negative self-talk and what we’ve learned from our failures. We also explore what it was like for Brandy to embark on a country music career after first coming out of the closet with a little inspiration from friend and collaborator Shane McAnally.

NOTE: This episode was taped a few days prior to Pete Buttigieg suspending his Presidential campaign.

We’re kicking off season four with Ashley’s dear friend and the Founder, Face and CEO of the influential fashion blog “Happily Grey” - Mary Lawless Lee.  We talk about Mary’s relationship with her husband, Madison, and her life as a new mom to daughter, Navy James. We also cover how “Happily Grey” evolved from a passion project into a well-respected brand with a combined social presence of over 2.6 million, an e-commerce site and a brick-and-mortar retail store in Nashville, where we recorded this episode. Mary shares the biggest lessons she’s learned while building a business, creating a strong team culture, chasing creativity, and dealing with naysayers. Hunter also gives his thoughts on potential T-shirt slogans for Mary’s future private label clothing line and draws parallels to The Devil Wears Prada and Sex & The City. Ashley and Mary share tips they’ve learned from throwing several New Year’s Eve parties together.

Author William Dameron’s new book, “The Lie: A Memoir of Two Marriages, Catfishing & Coming Out,” tells the story of what happened when he came to terms with being gay, ended his 22-year-marriage to the mother of his two daughters and set off on a journey to self-acceptance. It’s a story of the power of honesty and forgiveness. Now, William is happily married to his husband, Paul, and has a good relationship with his ex-wife. The road to this point in his life wasn’t easy, and William has heard from men and women around the world telling him his story has helped them start living authentically. Also, William is currently featured in the “New York Times” Modern Love essay collection.

Hugh Howser is an event planner to the stars, a link to Nashville’s old guard and one of the funniest people we know! Hugh grew up in Nashville and has become the go-to designer for weddings and events with his company, H Three Events. He gives us some tips on how brides can best work with their wedding planner, how to lessen stress during the wedding gown selection process, and explains why social media has driven up the cost of weddings across the board. Hugh also tells us about his biggest inspiration, his legendary grandmother Swopie, and recaps his recent sightings of Cissy Houston and Katherine Jackson at a Diana Ross concert in Las Vegas. Then there are his “Hughlarious” impressions and stories. Too much fun!

Television and radio personality Cody Alan is here! You know him from hosting CMT's "Hot 20" and "CMT Radio Live" and "After Midnite,” and we’ve known Cody as a friend and colleague for many years. This is the first time we’ve gotten to sit down for an extended period and talk about life, our backgrounds, the art of the interview and living authentically. We also dig into dealing with negativity on social media, finding balance personally and professionally, and, as usual, there are a lot of laughs!

Character actress Beth Grant has been in everything, including Oscar Best Picture winners “No Country for Old Men,” “The Artist” and “Rain Main” as well as “Speed,” “Donnie Darko,” “A Time to Kill,” “To Wong Foo,” “Jackie” AND “Child’s Play 2.” (She was even killed by Chucky!) You may also recognize her from her role as Beverly on “The Mindy Project,” and her classic turn as “Sissy Hickey” in the cult classic, “Sordid Lives.” In this episode, Beth’s stories from her years in Hollywood are beyond fascinating, and her approach to choosing roles and staying committed to her art are SO inspiring. Plus, she’s telling us all about her upcoming projects coming to the big screen and Netflix in the coming months!

Trisha Yearwood is here, and, well, we just adore her. She just released her first studio album in 12 years, Every Girl, and Trisha tells us the title track, “Every Girl In This Town,” is taking on a life a life of its own with its message of love and self-acceptance. Trisha looks back on her recent trip back home to Georgia as it relates to her new songs, “Home” and “Bible and a .44,” and tells us why she wouldn’t let her husband, Garth Brooks, listen to the new album until it was finished. This episode is full of stories (Hello Cher!), laughter, a few tears and left both of us asking "When can we hang with Trisha again?”

What doesn’t Kelly Henderson do? She’s a top fashion stylist and men’s groomer in Nashville whose clients include Dierks Bentley, Bobby Bones and Amy Brown. She’s one of the stars of E!'s Very Cavallari. (We’ve got some hints about season 3!) Kelly hosts her own podcast, Velvet’s Edge, which has taught us about all kinds of things including the nature of empaths and the truth behind Hollywood’s arranged marriages. Her blog VelvetsEdge.com is one of our favorites to follow for fashion, beauty, fitness, health & so much more. She’s refreshingly honest and hilarious, and we’re talking about EVERYTHING and then some in this episode.

Vince Gill welcomed us into his home studio in Nashville to talk about his new album, Okie, and so much more. The new project features some of his most personal songwriting to date covering topics ranging from sexual assault to racism along with heartfelt tributes to his mother, his wife Amy Grant. and his musical heroes Guy Clark and Merle Haggard. We also talk about Vince’s gig touring as a member of The Eagles and get Vince’s thoughts on taking part in the landmark Ken Burns documentary, “Country Music,” coming to PBS this month. Amazing stories about George Jones, Dolly Parton, Vince and Amy’s dog “Okie,” and Vince’s unforgettable night at a hotel karaoke bar are also included.

IT’S OUR FIRST-EVER LIVE EPISODE, COMING TO YOU FROM THE CMA IN NASHVILLE! Country newcomer Caylee Hammack delivers an exclusive live performance of her song “Small Town Hypocrite” and sits down for a conversation with her manager, incoming CMA Board President Mary Hilliard Harrington. Mary lays out how she went from working PR for Donald Trump to managing Dierks Bentley, LANCO, Tucker Beathard, Elle King and Caylee. Caylee explains how she went from living in her car to chasing her own muse as one of country music’s most original new acts. It’s a rare look at the inner workings of what it takes to launch a new artist and succeed in the music industry.