Dadville with Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin

Time for the monthly check-in with Jon and Dave. In this episode, the fellas answer your questions. But first, they catch up with stories of parent guilt, when bedtime goes wrong, and those times when you've just had enough. Then, they do a (not-so) speedy round of fan questions!

Let's get this right out of the way. We spend an abnormal amount of time talking about Phil Wickham's hair. It's majestic. Anyways, Phil is an incredible musician with a voice that we are all thankful exists in this world. Listen in as Phil shares stories about his dad offering some wise musical advice, how he started to lead worship at 13(!), and how he overcame a nearly career-ending injury. Also, we have a Dadville First! (You have to listen to find out). 

Laughs on laughs with this episode. We have comedian/singer-songwriter/internet darling Trey Kennedy joining the party this week on Dadville. Did you know Trey has an MBA? We didn't either. Listen in as he recounts his early years making Vines in his dorm room, the very-changing social media landscape, and why he still gets anxious whenever he drops a new video.

Attention moms of Dadville! This week we have Dr. Morgan Cutlip joining the fellas. Her latest book is called 'Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself' and is all about developing a new approach to motherhood. She joins the fellas to discuss the ideas she discovered while writing her book, working with a parent as an adult, and why balance shouldn't always be the goal you aim for.

This month's Dave/Jon episode is an old-fashioned catch-up session. The fellas talk a bit about their respective new music projects and every parent's favorite time of year—back to school. Naturally, Dave drops some soccer talk, gives a tour update on the Lady A run, and gives Jon what is likely the best compliment a musician can get. 

Oh boy, is Dave excited about this one. We have Nashville SC and USMNT star Walker Zimmerman going Dadville. Zimmerman (aka Walkey Zim Zim) talk about some unexpected topics such as his fool-proof method for dominating Dave and Busters and a brief chat about his national ranking (unofficial) in Mario Golf. Plenty of laughs and soccer talk in this one!

We welcomed back Harrison Scott Key to talk about his incredible new book, How to Stay Married. The book is a wildly vulnerable memoir about when infidelity threatened his marriage. Only a skilled author can find the true humor in such a heavy subject. Listen in as the fellas talk to Harrison about his go-to response in the DMs, how humor has changed for him, and how thrilled he is to talk to two musicians who can read.

This week we have Carlos Whittaker coming through Dadville to share his incredible story and powerful words about talking to your children about race. Carlos is an author, podcaster, and public speaker who has appeared on Good Morning America, Today, CNN, and more. His latest best-selling book, How to Human, is a look at how to bring people together through deeper connections. He also talks about his Instafamilia and how through the power of social media he is able to create change in people's lives. 

Caleb and Will are brothers, fathers, musicians, and feverish lovers of The Three Amigos movie. Listen in as they reveal (maybe for the first time?) that they are indeed related to Steven Curtis Chapman. What was it like heading out on tour while still balancing all the ups and down of high school? Or that time that Caleb had to tell Michael W. Smith "no." Tons of incredible stores in this episode about the unique path the Chapman boys took to carry on the family business.

This week the fellas take a trip to the comments section and highlight a particularly confusing use of emojis. Then, Jon shares his triumphant tale of a months-long house renovation. Make sure to stay to the end to hear one of the greatest tour stories you've ever heard (Hint: Lady A are serious when it comes to Sundays on the road.)

For over 20 years Matt Wertz has been in the fellas' inner circle. And with the recent announcement of his impeding fatherhood, it's time we all welcome Mr. Wertz to Dadville. No brag sheet needed for this one as the trio discusses and reflects on the early days of fatherhood. Bonus at the end for the Crystal Pepsi fans out there.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins finally stops by Dadville to catch up with the fellas about the offseason life he's currently enjoying before training camp fires up again. The embarrassingly deep and accurate Brag Sheet is one for the ages, and Kirk talks about the intersection of sports and parenting, the mental side of being a professional athlete, and he does an incredibly convincing job of getting Jon to convert to a Vikings fan. 

The fellas prepared a host of questions for David Nasser. But they never got to a single one. David is a gifted author, speaker, and former campus pastor for Liberty University, the largest collegiate ministries in the country. In this episode, he shares his unbelievable story of his family fleeing from Iran to Texas and then to Alabama, all while struggling with his own faith.   

The two benevolent proprietors of Dadville are simple men. All they need is love, water, and a tan. And finally, you can see Jon and Dave's faces actually make the sounds and words you've been hearing for years. In this episode they break down some hardcore Father's Day facts, drop some useful gift ideas, and talk more about the grocery store than you would expect. Also, please don't send this to Mr. McLaughlin or Mrs. Barnes. 

It's about time we had the third member of our new supergroup on the pod. James Bay is reporting live directly from the studio to chat with the fellas about life as a new dad. His first night out with his wife was to headline Royal Albert Hall and I'm sure the sitter got a nice tip. Listen is as he shares one of the most outrageous Rolling Stones stories you've ever heard, professes his love for The Last Waltz, and is well aware that negotiations with his daughter are just on the horizon. 

We wrap up Momville by talking with Dr. Alison Cook, who is a therapist that specializes in the intersection of psychology and theology. The fellas talk to Alison about connecting with your kids in a meaningful way, the nature or nurture myth, learning to instill a sense of confidence in your children, and how to talk to your kids about parenting failures. 

This week we celebrate Momville with Lady A's Hillary Scott. As part of a legally binding agreement with her current opening act she sat with the fellas and talked about what it was like growing up with parents who worked in Reba's band, how to squeeze in as many Christmas shows as possible in 37 days, and the struggles her band has had over the last few years and what she did to work through it.

Ellie Holcomb is so many things: singer, songwriter, musician, author, and of course, mom. This week we caught up with Ellie to discuss her life as a solo artist and sometimes member of her husband's band, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. Not only does Ellie share her whole backstory with Drew but she gives some real insight into how counseling helped her with both her dad and her husband.

We are kicking off Momville with one of our absolute favorite people. Amy Grant is a legendary singer/songwriter with a history that's deeply intertwined with contemporary Christian music. The fellas sit with Amy in her home studio and talk about her recent Kennedy Center Honors experience, being a parent in a blended family, and how an impactful Christmas gift changed how her family communicates. 

During the month of May we will be celebrating the moms in our life! We can't wait to share their stories with you! Stay tuned for episodes with Amy Grant, Ellie Holcomb, Hillary Scott, and Dr. Alison Cook.

We are going to take the rest of the month off from Dadville. Here’s a message from Dave. Thanks to everyone for the support. 

See you in May, 
Team Dadville

I've tried to figure out how to address this over the last week and as you can imagine, it's been hard to put words to this tragedy. 

The Covenant School has been our home away from home for the last 6 years and is where all three of our children go to school. They were all there last Monday and thankfully are all home and safe. Covenant is not only our school but is our church family also. So much of our life is there. 

There will be a time I talk more about all of this in the future, but for now we're keeping it close to home spending time with our family and friends grieving and trying to heal. All of those who passed are beloved members of our community and we are beyond heartbroken for their families. 

Thanks to everyone everywhere who has prayed, reached out, given, and taken care of us and our community. I've never felt more loved in my life. And Nashville — I've never been more proud to call you home. I have been brought to tears so many times by how well this city has loved us. The amount of benevolence from this special place has truly humbled me. 

For those who want to give to the Covenant fund, there is a link below. 

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

There's a certified legend pulling up to Dadville this week. John Oates is not only one of the greatest songwriters of all time, but an author, guitarist, dad, and wrestling champion. During his time in Dville John talks about his creative process at the height of his success, learning how to raise a son on the road—literally, and how he deals with modern technology as a dad.

We went uber-local for this week's guest. Elliott Cherry is the Pastor at Midtown Fellowship at 12 South in Nashville—and he's Jon's Pastor. In this episode Elliott talks about the ups and downs of being a relatively young pastor and insecurities can creep into the work. Also, he discusses life as a dad of 5, the time a couple of night nurses taught him a lesson, and why he onced asked people to pray about maybe finding another church. 

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What is it like to be a beacon of advice in a world where grown adults agonize over very real stats on a made-up team? ESPN's fantasy football guru Field Yates joins Dadville this week and lets the fellas in on his biggest pet peeve when friends ask him for advice on their fantasy football team. Field goes deep on why his life goal at 12 was to be a football coach and the discussions surrounding letting his children play sports. And for the second week in a row a Dadville guest breaks some BIG news.

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All the comedy heads will LOVE this week in Dadville. Bobby Moynihan will simply wear you out with humor. It will never stop. He shares incredible stories from his time on SNL and gives us an insight into how that experience has shaped him as an actor, all-around funnyman, and a dad.

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Of course Patrick Renna is the coach of his son's T-ball team—it's in his DNA. Widely known as The Great Hambino, Renna is so much more than just an amazing character actor with Brad Pitt-level looks and charm. He's a producer, director, fashion maven, husband, dad, and bitter little league coaching rival to Clayton Kershaw. 

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Singer/songwriter Kristian Stanfill has won Dove awards, written chart-topping hits, and been a worship leader for one of the most popular churches in the country. Even with all that success, Stanfill needed help and in November 2020 he decided to get sober. In this episode, Kristian discusses how he got help through therapy, how an episode of Dadville changed his life, and his incredible new album, Make it Out Alive.

You know there was no way we could contain the pure joy of Hanson in a single episode! Tulsa's favorite sons are back again to talk about why Issac was their parent's favorite, how to encourage self-confidence in your children, and their current relationship with "MMMBop."

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The '90s nostalgia is DEEP in this episode as we welcome Taylor, Zach, and Issac Hanson to the comfortable confines of Dadville. With approximately 15 children between them, few guests have had as much raw dad experience as this trio. In the first of a two-parter, the brothers discuss how fatherhood has changed the band, important lessons they have learned, and what it was like to meet Paul McCartney (Spoiler: It was very cool.)

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The entire reason Brian Bates became a father was to be on this episode. With his life goals fully realized he joined the fellas to complete the circle. Since he also co-hosts the Nateland podcast with Nate Bargatze he feels comfortable being this close to comedic genius. Listen in as Brian tells an inspiring story about becoming a father in your 50s, the fine line between self-depreciation and sadness, and the time in little league he stole two bases in one play and gained nothing.

Michael is currently the Chief Operating Officer of TDJ Enterprises and has one of the most incredible stories we've ever heard. He's also the author of 'Wrong Lanes Have Right Turns', which is an in-depth look at how Michael reinvented himself as a pastor and moved past his troubled childhood years. You're not going to want to miss this episode.

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There was only one real option for a guest to kick off 2023. Gretchen Rubin is an author, podcaster, speaker, and an investigator of unexpected truths. Do you have a hard time sticking to your resolutions? Gretchen lays out concrete and informative ideas to think about the next time you need to hold yourself—or your kids—accountable. Plus, we find out if Dave and Jon are Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, or Rebels. (No, those aren't new houses in Hogwarts.)

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The fellas are back and they are catching up about what 2022 meant to them, Barnes’ trip to London to stalk McCartney, and so much more. Plus, they run down their favorite Dadville experiences from the year and look forward to what’s coming in 2023.

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Big-time songwriter (and retired commercial real estate maven) Tom Douglas heads to Dadville in an attempt to finally pad out his underwhelming bio. He's written songs for all your favorite artists and is nearly every songwriter's favorite songwriter. Listen in as he shares his story of triumph that started with a singular moment in a shopping mall—and why he feels like he has two huge songs left to write.

Are you looking for that elusive combination of side-splitting humor, a romantic comedy, and acute colorblindness? Well, that very specific trifecta is exactly what's on deck this week in Dadville. The fellas joined Bran, Brian, and Dan from Deck the Hallmark for a crossover episode! Deck the Hallmark is the perfect podcast for those who can't get enough of those lovable Hallmark rom-com movies. In this episode, the fellas go deep on The Most Colorful Time of the Year, which is sure to be an instant classic—or not. 

Now that it's December, it's time to (maybe) start thinking of that perfect gift for the dad in your life. The fellas go DEEP into their well of ideas and bring you a pile of hip options for that someone special. Plus, Jon divides the gift-giving universe into two camps: list maker and rogue agents. Which one are you? 

Apparently, Chip Dodd didn't have much to do recently so we brought him back for another go-round. It was rather evident that we only got to (Dave's) half of the questions last time. Chip is a counselor, author, podcaster, and overall fountain of pure wisdom. Could this be the best sequel since Kindergarten Cop 2?

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You all remember the '90s, right? Well, this week we celebrate the 24th anniversary of NSYNC's 'Home for Christmas' album by having Chris Kirkpatrick make a long requested visit to Dadville. Chris goes deep on the origins of the band, how intertwined the group was with the Backstreet Boys, and the day his entire life changed (strangely enough, it wasn't the afternoon spent at Dave's place). A definite must-listen for '90s kids!

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After hearing the cries from millions and millions of Dadville diehards, we have finally brought Momville back. Amy and Annie are joined by her Highness of Dadville, Sissy Goff, for one of the most useful and compelling episodes we've done. Sissy gives hands-on advice and guidance for dealing with sibling dynamics, body image, and when to push your kids to stick with something. Lots of great advice for moms and dads alike! Bonus: Amy gives a hard push for Dave to get a dog.

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It’s time for the monthly look into Jon’s notebook. And boy, it’s a doozy. This week the fellas discuss the finer points of fighting, individual quirks, and Mrs. Barnes' absolutely hilarious takes on regional colloquialisms. Trust me, you want to stick around for that.

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We did it friends! For a celebration this big we had to bring in the benevolent queen of podcasts, Annie F. Downs. She grills the fellas on who their dream guests would be, the best part of hosting, and finally gets to the bottom of the duo's underwear jealousy.

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As we roll into episode 100 Dave and Jon wanted to reflect a bit on their favorite moments over the previous 98 episodes. From a slightly embarrassing moment with Ted Danson to the official inside joke of Dadville, this episode is proof that laughter makes everything better. 

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This week we have something completely different. Jon takes the lead and dives into an intimidating brag sheet before talking about the latest collection of recorded sounds from Mr. Barnes.

Gather 'round  friends. This week the fellas are joined by a trio of fathers. Buddy Burks, Micah Kandros, and Matt Lehman share stories about how they are exploring the idea of fatherhood, why you should be just a bit more careful when tossing your kid into the air, and dealing with the best (and worst) parts of daily dad life.

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This week on Dadville we have a bona fide rock star. Chris Shiflett is the lead guitarist in the Foo Fighters and has a string of killer Americana solo records. We caught up with Chris the day after the legendary Taylor Hawkins tribute concert in LA. Chris talks about how he balances fame and fatherhood, Arsenal football, and the tough part about sending your kid to college. 

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We are lucky to have Miles Adcox return to Dadville. When we first welcomed Miles, he was a new dad, and that appearance was so transformative for Miles he decided to have another child. Miles' list of occupations is a mile long (dad joke), but his work with emotional wellness is significant. Listen in as he gives tangible advice that can help anyone to better understand their emotions and communicate with others.

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"Your job is to go into the future, not to take care of the past." 

That's one of the many memorable quotes that Chip Dodd drops on the fellas this week. Chip is an author, counselor, and all-around wisdom machine. In this episode he discusses the 8 feelings, why humans are made to consume love, and so much more.

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We have Daystar's Sissy Goff joining Dadville this week to help us navigate the tricky world of being a girl dad. Oh boy, will those middle-school years be tough! Sissy dishes out solid, practical advice on how giving kids too much power will lead to insecurity, when (and how) to pay more attention, and how to just absorb the love. 

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We've achieved peak dad-centricity with this week's guest. Taylor “Dude Dad” Calmus has been described as an author (he is), an actor (he was), and “that guy from that video” (he is). He catches up with the fellas to dig into his new book, A Dude’s Guide to Baby Size: What to Expect and How to Prep for Dads-to-Be, how to deal with “active hogs", and what it takes to keep your dad style on point. 

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