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Circling The Drain

Circling The Drain

By: John E. Bozeman & Jay Harper
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Circling The Drain is a show about the current state of the music and radio businesses as well as culture in general! Hosted by John E. Bozeman and Jay Harper along with Jim McCarthy as Co-Host/Executive Producer. John has had a storied career in music and talk radio, most notably as the Executive Producer for the late and legendary Phil Valentine. Jay also has has a long career in radio as Announcer, Play-by-Play, Voice and On-Camera Actor. He was also an Artist Rep for MCA records. Jim McCarthy ALSO has had a tremendous career in radio since 1996 and has since brought his consulting/producing skillset to the podcast world. Circling the Drain is produced by ItsYourShow.co2025 Music Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Trace Adkins: Near-Death Stories, Oil Rigs, And 30 Years In Country Music :: Ep 43 Circling the Drain Podcast

    Trace Adkins: Near-Death Stories, Oil Rigs, And 30 Years In Country Music :: Ep 43 Circling the Drain Podcast
    Jun 17 2026
    Country legend Trace Adkins joins Circling the Drain for a raw, funny, and unfiltered conversation about survival, success, and the scars he picked up along the way.Trace opens up about growing up in small-town Louisiana, singing bass in church, working dangerous oil rigs in the Gulf, getting shot by an ex-wife, flipping a tractor, multiple open-heart surgeries, and why he still prefers hard work on the farm to life on the tour bus. He also talks about his breakout in Nashville, label politics, 30 years in country music, and how acting and voiceover work have kept him relevant.Along the way you’ll hear wild stories featuring Gene Simmons, Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Donald Trump, Blake Shelton, and more – plus why the national anthem still makes him nervous every single time.This is Part 1 of our Trace Adkins series on Circling the Drain.1:56 – Trace walks in like a superstar and why everyone respects him 2:26 – The only “tangible result” of being on stage: applause and then back to the bus 3:03 – Farm life, physical work, and needing something real to show for the day 3:50 – Taking down massive ash trees and chasing a chainsaw voiceover gig 4:30 – Losing a Steel commercial because he didn’t wear gloves 6:09 – 12+ years as the voice of Firestone and other national campaigns 6:42 – KFC, Farmer Boys, and ongoing work with Wounded Warrior Project 7:30 – Five daughters, Lululemon bills, and the idea of Trace voicing an athleisure brand 8:01 – Intimidating the boyfriends: hunting on his land and the “I could bury you here” moment 9:47 – Telling a boyfriend he “wasn’t going to make it” and helping him cut his losses 10:25 – Five daughters, three ex-wives, and being “five times more confused about women” 11:10 – Growing up in church: singing beside his granddad with that rich bass voice 11:40 – Discovering that “chicks dig the bass” in a gospel quartet at 17 12:43 – Hayrides, jamborees, and covering Haggard and Buck Owens 13:20 – Working offshore on a drilling rig and singing in the wheelhouse after 12-hour shifts 14:08 – Winning the Wild Turkey Battle of the Bands and coming to Nashville 15:00 – Club circuits, drugs, booze, and learning “everything you’re not supposed to do” 16:08 – Getting his first guitar at 10 and taking lessons in Spring Hill, Louisiana 16:42 – Why he calls himself a “lazy guitar player” and just plays enough to accompany himself 17:11 – Cutting off a finger and the chords he can’t play anymore 17:40 – The shooting: getting shot by an ex-wife and why he didn’t press charges 18:52 – Bullet through the heart and both lungs, Life Flight, and Vanderbilt saving his life 19:45 – Bleeding on the floor, protecting the new carpet, and passing out in the atrium 21:04 – Being 32, strong, and why that’s the only reason he survived 21:39 – Scars from construction work, broken arms and legs, ribs, and flipped tractors 23:15 – Tractor roll-over, crushed sternum, and calling a neighbor with a backhoe to save him 24:16 – Trauma surgery vs. scheduled open-heart surgery and the pain difference 25:14 – Why he doesn’t write songs about his craziest life events 26:00 – Capitol Records, meeting Scott Hendricks at baggage claim, and getting offered a deal on stage 27:06 – Being a big, striking presence and coming from a tall family 28:21 – Shrinking from 6'6" to 6'5" and feeling it in the joints 28:52 – Label politics after Scott leaves Capitol and refusing to go back into the building 29:29 – Almost throwing an executive out the window and the Patsy Cline “she’s dead” story 31:02 – New leadership, Mike Dungan, and how Tim DuBois helped push Trace’s career forward 32:17 – The Chrome era, bikes, and typecast biker roles in movies 33:00 – Deepwater Horizon, playing a furious parent, and Peter Berg demanding more intensity 35:30 – Manhandling Mark Wahlberg on set and the behind-the-scenes story 35:59 – Meeting Kurt Russell and seeing oilfield authenticity on screen 36:38 – Why that movie got the oilfield details right 37:01 – Taylor Sheridan, Land Man delays, and writers chasing the next “shiny toy” 38:53 – Yellowstone, spinoffs, and the risk of losing momentum between seasons 40:04 – Getting tricked into a faith-based movie (Mom’s Night Out) and only reading his sides 41:23 – Peeing fire as a demon in a field and calling it his greatest scene ever 49:00 – Gene Simmons on Celebrity Apprentice and how he changed the rules of the game 52:01 – Turning hot dogs into $5,000 donations and reshaping the show around charity money 53:07 – The mysterious “go to my room” invitation and the producer’s warning 53:52 – What Trace really thinks of Gene Simmons and his magnetism 54:08 – His take on Donald Trump and how “what you see is what you get” 54:34 – Why the ...
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    1 hr
  • Life on the Road with David Allan Coe: Outlaws, Wigs, Boats and Blues :: Ep 42 Circling the Drain Podcast

    Life on the Road with David Allan Coe: Outlaws, Wigs, Boats and Blues :: Ep 42 Circling the Drain Podcast
    Jun 10 2026

    Veteran bassist and author Mickey Hayes joins Circling the Drain to pull back the curtain on the wild, brilliant and chaotic world of country legend David Allan Coe. From blacked‑out tour buses and outlaw bikers to wigs, panthers, boats and hit songs, Mickey shares what it was really like to live on the edge with one of country music’s most controversial figures.


    Mickey talks about joining Coe’s band in 1979, surviving the Outlaws MC, refitting buses and boats in the Florida Keys, the truth behind the “death row” myth, and why Coe was the PT Barnum of country music. He also dives into Coe’s overlooked Columbia catalog, the making of “The Ride,” working with Warren Haynes, and how those years inspired his book “My Life on the Road with David Allen Coe” and a late‑career songwriting burst.


    If you love outlaw country, road stories, and unfiltered music history, this episode is packed with stories you won’t hear anywhere else.


    Timed highlights


    02:56 Miami club gig and the four‑barrel derringer on the monitor board

    04:55 Flying into David Allan Coe’s world and first impressions at the compound

    07:04 The purple house, refitting buses and boats, and riding in like a circus

    10:16 Swamp-ass on black buses with no A/C and building the outlaw image

    13:17 Ad break: Milltown Bikes in Columbia, Tennessee

    16:01 Coe’s later years, health, and the line “I just don’t want to die alone”

    20:02 Leaving the spotlight, finishing the book, and writing 35–40 new songs

    21:38 Playing Coe’s deep cuts, Columbia catalog, and early classic albums

    22:18 Rewriting “Stand By Your Man” as “Stand By Your Band”

    23:32 The birth of the wigs and why David named one after Mickey

    24:57 TV appearances, Farrah Fawcett hair and multiple wigs on Ralph Emery

    26:24 Rusty Spur stories, lost wigs and using heartbreak as stage patter

    26:55 Earning Coe’s respect by standing up to him over an out‑of‑tune guitar

    29:32 Outlaw caravans, smoking and drinking on the road in a fake Packard

    33:21 The real story behind Coe’s “death row” legend

    34:55 Controversy, X‑rated albums and why Coe welcomed being talked about

    41:04 Kris Kristofferson’s advice on songwriting and “Sunday Morning Coming Down”

    45:19 Dealing with labels and the infamous record‑exec table story

    47:20 Pink Nudie suit, “family” crowd shock and Coe’s onstage antics

    50:00 Ruskin Cave, Loretta Lynn tours and getting kicked off the bus route

    51:39 Why David Allan Coe belongs in the Country Music Hall of Fame

    54:00 Sinking the 50‑foot “pirate” boat and losing everything with no insurance

    55:00 Outlaws MC, being hung over a balcony and “you can’t testify if you don’t know”

    58:31 Calling Coe a legend and the unmatched volume of songs he wrote

    59:54 How Nashville remembers Coe and what happens after you die in this business

    1:02:08 Billy Joe Shaver standing up to Waylon and how an album got made

    1:07:00 Touring with a black panther, monkeys and other road “pets”

    1:11:18 Quitting Coe five times and sending him the tire bill

    1:18:00 Austin City Limits, “My Girl,” and how Coe gamed the taping

    1:19:49 Mickey on Coe’s legacy, the kids, the widow and posthumous releases

    1:20:31 Outro: Where to find Mickey’s book and how to follow the show



    Follow Johnny B:

    https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozeman

    Follow Jay Harper:

    https://www.facebook.com/harperjeff

    Follow Jim:

    www.jmvos.com


    Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co

    www.itsyourshow.co
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • From Receptionist to Record Exec: The Sheila Shipley Biddy Story :: Ep 41 Circling the Drain Podcast

    From Receptionist to Record Exec: The Sheila Shipley Biddy Story :: Ep 41 Circling the Drain Podcast
    Jun 3 2026
    Sheila Shipley Biddy went from small‑town radio and seven failed interviews to running one of Nashville’s most powerful record labels. In this episode, the first woman to head a major label on Music Row sits down with us to talk about discovering artists, fighting industry sexism, and the stories behind some of country music’s biggest careers.Sheila shares intimate memories of working with legends like Glen Campbell, Waylon Jennings, Alabama, Roger Miller, Don Williams, Patty Loveless, Gary Allan, and LeAnn Womack. She opens up about fighting for “difficult” artists, taking career gambles, launching Decca Records, and what really changed when Napster, streaming, and 360 deals hit the business.In the most personal part of the conversation, Sheila reflects on her faith, her work with Music Health Alliance, and surviving the devastating loss of her husband and son within months of each other.If you care about country music history, radio, or how the record business really works behind the scenes, this is a masterclass in both the business and the humanity of Music Row.02:21 – Moving to Nashville, small‑town radio roots, and seven Monument Records interviews05:40 – Turning down TV news and working for less than $100 a month07:21 – Early days at Monument: Roy Orbison, Larry Gatlin, Ray Stevens, Kris Kristofferson08:06 – Waylon Jennings, intimidation, and becoming the only rep he’d work with09:49 – Reading Waylon’s energy and protecting him in public09:58 – Jumping to RCA and “failing downward” to bet on herself12:20 – Telling radio the truth about a bad record and earning lifelong trust14:23 – When that honesty paid off years later at Decca15:10 – Sexism on Music Row and being mistaken for “the secretary”17:55 – Mentors, office politics, and being the only woman in the room20:02 – How Sheila helped bring Alabama to RCA (and why they were first passed on)22:02 – The phone call that changed Alabama’s life forever23:47 – Inside Alabama’s rise and balancing Southern imagery and the Confederate flag26:12 – 50 years in music and how the industry has changed27:23 – Taking artist failures personally and why she “couldn’t leave it at the office”28:13 – Fighting three times for Waylon’s “Rose In Paradise” to go No. 129:22 – Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith and the risk of “left‑of‑center” country33:25 – Roger Miller’s “Big River” and selling Broadway to Country radio36:47 – Working with Glen Campbell and hearing him sing Amazing Grace on an airplane39:59 – Remembering promotion brothers, early MCA days, and lost friends41:27 – Becoming the first woman to run a major label in Nashville (Decca)42:27 – Building Decca from scratch: logo, staff, budget, and vision45:38 – Dawn Sears, incredible talent, and when an artist doesn’t want it badly enough48:10 – Discovering Gary Allan in California and why she refused to change his image49:50 – The album cover where you can’t see Gary Allan’s face (and why that mattered)49:50 – LeAnn Womack’s showcase strategy and choosing MCA/Decca over “everyone”51:46 – Why “Never Again, Again” had to be the first single53:58 – When radio programmers and Alan Jackson fell in love with LeAnn’s album54:44 – Old‑school radio: when DJs really chose the music and broke artists55:51 – How small‑market radio and relationships built careers58:15 – Chasing trends vs. creating trends in country music59:27 – Roster strategy: male/female, tempo, traditional vs. modern1:02:09 – From singles deals to full albums and the cost of breaking an artist1:05:14 – SoundScan, Napster, and watching country sales spike – then slide1:06:20 – 360 deals, touring, and why tickets are so expensive1:08:39 – Live Nation, fees, and the squeeze on mid‑level touring acts1:09:24 – AI, fully AI movies, and the fear inside the creative community1:09:59 – Life after labels: Music Health Alliance and helping artists get healthcare1:11:14 – Losing her husband after a long illness and the strength of faith1:11:44 – Her son’s sudden death at 52 and holding him as he passed1:13:25 – The Reba McEntire birthday lunch her son never forgot1:15:01 – Being more than “the label”: real friendships with artists1:15:24 – Legacy, loss, and why these stories need to be told before they “circle the drain”Follow Johnny B:https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozemanFollow Jay Harper:https://www.facebook.com/harperjeffFollow Jim:www.jmvos.comCircling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Cowww.itsyourshow.co
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    1 hr and 17 mins
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