Episodi

  • A Conversation with Songwriter Marv Green: The Stories Behind Country Music’s Biggest Hits

    A Conversation with Songwriter Marv Green: The Stories Behind Country Music’s Biggest Hits
    Nov 11 2026

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    This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome Nashville hit songwriter Marv Green, the man behind country favorites like Lonestar’s “Amazed” and Tim McGraw’s “I Called Mama.”

    Marv looks back on his journey to Nashville and shares stories about working with some of country music’s biggest names, including George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, and Tim McGraw. He also opens up about the inspiration behind great songwriting, the importance of paying attention to everyday life, and the moments that turn an idea into a song. Listen now.

    In This Episode:

    • Marv tells the story of his afternoon writing with a young Taylor Swift and why he wishes he had skipped the mixes and focused on the song
    • He explains how he landed in Nashville in 1993, waiting tables at the same restaurant where Kenny Chesney parked cars
    • We talk about “Amazed,” including the demo that Lonestar’s Richie McDonald heard, which you can still find on Apple Music and Spotify
    • Marv shares how Scott Hendricks and Michael Knox at Warner/Chappell gave him his first real shot
    • He describes writing with Hudson Westbrook, who rewrote a second verse overnight and cares about country music history
    • We talk about Marty Robbins, “El Paso,” and a very memorable night at Rosa’s Cantina
    • Marv explains why he reads so much and why he writes better when he is in the middle of a good book
    • We close by talking about our moms and what it means to keep a voicemail you can’t erase


    This episode is sponsored by:

    Reed Animal Hospital

    Mike Counsil Plumbing & Rooter (Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!)

    License #: 679261


    Tags: Marv Green songwriter, Marv Green interview, Nashville songwriter, country music songwriter, country music hits, songs written by Marv Green, Lonestar Amazed songwriter, Tim McGraw I Called Mama, George Strait songs, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift songwriting

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    1 ora e 1 min
  • In Memoriam 2026: Remembering the Country Music Legends We Lost | Once Around the Country

    In Memoriam 2026: Remembering the Country Music Legends We Lost | Once Around the Country
    Nov 4 2026

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    Some of the most important people in an industry aren't always the ones standing in the spotlight. Country music reminded us of that in 2026.

    This year, we lost performers whose voices were unmistakable, songwriters responsible for songs that became part of our lives, talented musicians who helped bring those songs to life, and radio personalities who made millions of mornings a little better.

    This week on Once Around the Country, we remember the artists, songwriters, musicians, and radio personalities who left their mark on country music.

    You'll hear about Dolly Parton, John Anderson, David Allan Coe, and several others. You'll also hear stories about the songwriters and musicians whose names might not be as familiar but whose work certainly is.

    With personal reflections, behind-the-scenes stories, a little humor, and plenty of appreciation, this episode reminds us how much these individuals gave to country music. Their voices may be gone, but the music and memories will stay with us.

    Join us for this special tribute to the people who helped make country music what it is today.

    Who we remember in this episode

    • Dolly Parton passed away at age 80, and we talk about her health, her marriage to Carl Dean, and her bluegrass version of Stairway to Heaven.
    • John Anderson grew up in Apopka, Florida, loved Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones, and hit country radio Swingin’.
    • David Allan Coe died at 86 and wrote Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone) for Tanya Tucker.
    • Jim McBride died at 78 and wrote Chattahoochee, Chasing That Neon Rainbow, and Someday with Alan Jackson.
    • Don Schlitz died at 73 and wrote The Gambler, Forever and Ever, Amen, and When You Say Nothing At All.
    • Pete Finney died at 70 and played the steel guitar lick at the start of Blame It On Your Heart.
    • Jerry Kennedy died at 85, signed his first record deal at 11, and played dobro on Harper Valley PTA.
    • Wayne Moss died at 88 and is one of the players credited with the opening riff of Pretty Woman.
    • Ronnie Bowman died at 64 and wrote Nobody to Blame, a hit for Chris Stapleton.
    • Jimmy Nichols died at 64 and served as musical director for Reba McEntire and Faith Hill.
    • Bill Cody, born Trent Klutz, hosted the morning show on WSM in Nashville for 30 years and died in June 2026.

    This episode is sponsored by:

    Dignity Memorial

    Reed Animal Hospital

    Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!


    Tags: In Memoriam 2026, Country Music Legends We Lost in 2026, Country Music Tribute 2026, Country Music Memorial, Country Music Legends, Country Music History, Dolly Parton, John Anderson, David Allan Coe, Jim McBride Songwriter, Don Schlitz, Bill Cody Radio, Nashville Songwriters, Nashville Session Musicians, Country Music Songwriters, Country Music Hall of Fame, Once Around the Country, Gary Scott Thomas, Here's What We Know, Country Music Stories, Country Music Artists Remembered, Country Music Legacy, Country Music Tribute

    Connect with Gary:

    • Gary's Website
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    Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!
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    19 min
  • Bobby Braddock | Once Around The Country

    Bobby Braddock | Once Around The Country
    Oct 28 2026

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    Connect with Gary:

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    18 min
  • Brent Huff on The Rookie, Acting, Voiceovers, and His Book My Playbook for Life

    Brent Huff on The Rookie, Acting, Voiceovers, and His Book My Playbook for Life
    Oct 21 2026

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    This week on Here’s What We Know, we sit down with Brent Huff to talk about what acting and voiceover work really take. Brent has one of those voices you recognize before your brain catches up with the face. Fans know him as Smitty on The Rookie, where he’s now in his ninth year playing the part.

    Brent grew up in the Ozarks and dreamed of playing in the NBA and starring in movies during the offseason. He shares the story of a year when everyone thought he was working all the time, while his appointment book told a different story: 100 auditions and four bookings. Brent still considers it a great year.

    Brent’s first book, My Playbook for Life, comes out November 6 on Amazon. He built it from years of underlining passages and keeping journal notes from the self-help books and biographies he loves. He also recorded the audiobook himself, which took about 200 hours. Brent explains why he decided not to use an AI voice clone that could have finished the job in a day.


    In This Episode:

    • Growing Up in the Ozarks
    • Dreaming of the NBA and Hollywood
    • Making the Move to Los Angeles
    • The Reality of an Acting Career
    • 100 Auditions and 4 Bookings
    • Brent Huff's Voiceover Career
    • The Old-School Voiceover Auditions
    • Finding a Distinctive Voice
    • Brent Huff on The Rookie and Smitty
    • My Playbook for Life
    • Avoiding Bitterness in Hollywood
    • Finding Your Calling
    • Getting Better and Caring Less What People Think
    • Brent's Career, Books and What's Next

    This episode is sponsored by:

    Reed Animal Hospital


    Bio:

    Brent Huff is an actor, voiceover artist, and author best known for playing Officer Smitty on The Rookie. He has spent decades working in television, film, and voiceover, with appearances in shows including Mad Men, Shameless, and The West Wing. Brent grew up in the Ozarks and eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. His first book, My Playbook for Life, brings together lessons and advice he has collected from years of reading, journaling, and building his career in Hollywood.

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brent.huff.9/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenthuff11/

    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brenthuff11


    Tags: Brent Huff, Brent Huff podcast, Brent Huff interview, The Rookie, The Rookie TV show, Officer Smitty, Smitty The Rookie, Brent Huff The Rookie, Brent Huff actor, Brent Huff voiceover, Brent Huff voice actor, Brent Huff movies, Brent Huff television, Hollywood actor, Hollywood acting, acting career, voiceover career, voice acting, My Playbook for Life, Brent Huff My Playbook for Life, Van life

    Connect with Gary:

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    Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!
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    59 min
  • Roger Miller: The Forgotten Genius Behind ‘King of the Road’ | Once Around the Country

    Roger Miller: The Forgotten Genius Behind ‘King of the Road’ | Once Around the Country
    Oct 14 2026

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    For everyone who has ever sung “King of the Road” at the top of their lungs without knowing the second verse.

    This week on Once Around the Country, Gary Scott Thomas looks back at the remarkable life of one of the most unpredictable minds in country music, Roger Miller.

    He wrote “Dang Me” in four minutes, recorded 16 songs in a single day, won a Grammy for “King of the Road,” and won seven Tony Awards for Big River.

    But the accomplishments only tell part of the story.

    Gary takes a closer look at the funny, restless, complicated man behind the music and how a poor kid from Erick, Oklahoma, became the songwriter Bill Anderson called the closest thing to a genius country music had ever had.

    Best known for “King of the Road,” “Dang Me,” and “Husbands and Wives,” Roger Miller had a rare gift for turning heartbreak, humor, human nature, and the strange little observations of everyday life into unforgettable songs.

    This is the story of Roger Miller, the music he left behind, and the remarkable mind that created it.

    In This Episode:

    • Why Roger Miller Is Country Music's Forgotten Genius
    • Roger Miller's Childhood in Fort Worth and Erick, Oklahoma
    • How Sheb Wooley Taught Roger Miller to Play Guitar
    • Roger Miller's Army Years and the Move to Nashville
    • The Chet Atkins Audition That Almost Went Wrong
    • How Roger Miller Wrote Dang Me in Four Minutes
    • The Story Behind King of the Road
    • Why King of the Road Won a Grammy Over Yesterday
    • Marriages, Addiction, and the King of the Road Inn
    • How Roger Miller Wrote the Big River Score
    • Roger Miller's Death and His Most Heartbreaking Quote
    • The Husbands and Wives Story From Waylon Jennings
    • Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, and Roger's Best Lines


    This episode is sponsored by:

    Dignity Memorial

    Sterling Oak Cabinetry


    Bio:

    Roger Miller was one of country music’s most original voices, a gifted songwriter, musician, performer, and storyteller whose wit was as memorable as his music. Best known for timeless hits like “King of the Road,” “Dang Me,” and “England Swings,” Miller brought humor, heart, and an unmistakably unconventional style to country music. His career stretched from Nashville honky-tonks and television to Broadway, where his music for Big River earned him a Tony Award. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1995, three years after his death, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence musicians and storytellers today.

    Website: https://rogermiller.com/


    Tags: Roger Miller, Roger Miller podcast, Roger Miller documentary, Roger Miller story, Roger Miller biography, Roger Miller country music, Roger Miller songs, King of the Road, King of the Road Roger Miller, Dang Me, Dang Me Roger Miller, Husbands and Wives Roger Miller, Big River Roger Miller, Roger Miller songwriting, Roger Miller songwriter, Roger Miller genius, forgotten country music legends, country music history, classic country music, country music podcast, country music legends, Nashville songwriting, greatest country songwriters

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    Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!
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    14 min
  • The Refugee Advantage: How Refugees Strengthen American Business and Communities with Dalton T. Sirmans

    The Refugee Advantage: How Refugees Strengthen American Business and Communities with Dalton T. Sirmans
    Oct 7 2026
    Send us Fan MailWhat can refugees teach us about resilience, gratitude, work, and starting over?This week on Here’s What We Know, we sit down with Dalton T. Sirmans, author of The Refugee Advantage, to talk about the incredible stories of people who were forced to leave their homes and rebuild their lives from almost nothing. We’ll talk about resilience, entrepreneurship, gratitude, and why many refugees become some of the hardest-working and most committed people in their communities. Dalton also shares stories of refugees creating businesses, becoming valuable employees, supporting others, and finding ways to give back even when they have very little. The conversation stays out of politics and focuses on real stories, policies that have worked, and the economic and human value refugees bring to the communities that welcome them. Listen in and let these stories challenge you to reconsider what you see when you look at refugees and what we might learn when we take the time to hear their stories.In This Episode:What does it mean to be a refugee? We explain the difference between refugees and internally displaced people.How many refugees are resettled? Only 1% to 2% worldwide ever get the chance to start over in another country.How does the U.S. Refugee Program work? We look at the 1980 program and its focus on resettlement, integration, and self-sufficiency.Do refugees contribute to the economy? From 2005 to 2019, refugees contributed about $123 billion more in taxes than the cost of their resettlement and integration.What does starting over cost? Refugees in the U.S., Canada, and Australia repay the cost of their travel to their new country.Can refugees build financial independence? Dalton shares how access to credit can help refugees and immigrants build a new financial future.What if refugee aid looked more like investment? Dalton explains why he believes mutual opportunity can be more powerful than charity.Could refugees help businesses find great employees? We look at the connection between refugee employment and the ongoing need for quality workers. This episode is sponsored by: Bison Junk Removal Mike Counsil Plumbing & Rooter (Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!) License #: 679261 Bio:Dalton T. Sirmans is an entrepreneur, investor, and author of The Refugee Advantage: Building Enterprise in the Face of Adversity. He co-founded MainStreet Technologies, growing the company from a rural Georgia startup into a nationally recognized fintech firm. After earning a Master of Liberal Arts in International Relations from Harvard, Dalton turned his attention to refugee entrepreneurship, researching how refugees rebuild their lives and create economic opportunity. He is also the founder of the Sirmans Global Impact Foundation, which supports refugee entrepreneurs and refugee-serving organizations through investment, partnerships, and storytelling.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalton-t-sirmans-2017833/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalton.sirmans/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Refugee-Advantage/61573021826766/Tags: Refugee Advantage, Dalton Sirmans, refugees, refugee stories, refugee resilience, refugee entrepreneurship, starting over, immigration, opportunity, resilience, gratitude, refugee success stories, human potential, humanitarian aid, refugee integration, entrepreneurship, refugee advantage, entrepreneurship, refugee resilience, starting over, immigration, refugee integration, entrepreneurship, resilience, gratitude, humanitarian aidConnect with Gary:Gary's WebsiteFollow Gary on InstagramGary's TiktokGary's FacebookWatch the episodes on YouTubeAdvertise on the PodcastThank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!
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    48 min
  • Tammy Wynette: The Tragic Life Behind the First Lady of Country Music | Once Around The Country

    Tammy Wynette: The Tragic Life Behind the First Lady of Country Music | Once Around The Country
    Sep 30 2026

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    Before she was the First Lady of Country Music, Virginia Wynette Pugh was a little girl picking cotton in Itawamba County, Mississippi, raised by her grandparents while her mama worked in Memphis. Her daddy died before she turned one, leaving her only his instruments and stories told secondhand.

    Nobody looking at that childhood would have predicted Nashville. But Tammy Wynette's story is proof that talent finds a way out, even when everything else says stay put.

    This week on Once Around the Country, we trace her path from beauty school and a teenage marriage to the night producer Billy Sherrill, who changed her name and changed her life. We talk about "D-I-V-O-R-C-E," the firestorm around "Stand By Your Man," her marriage to George Jones, and the health struggles that followed her all the way to her death at 55 under circumstances her own family still argues about.

    Listen now to her whole story, both the good and the hard parts. Give it a listen and let us know what you think.

    In This Episode:

    • Her childhood in Itawamba County and the father she never really knew
    • How an uncle's connection led to her first television audition
    • The Billy Sherrill meeting that turned Wynette Bird into Tammy Wynette
    • The making of "Stand By Your Man" and the backlash that followed
    • Her marriages, including the turbulent years with George Jones
    • The addiction, the surgeries, and the disputed circumstances of her death
    • What Gary saw backstage that he still thinks about

    This episode is sponsored by:

    Sterling Oak Cabinetry

    Dignity Memorial


    Bio:

    Tammy Wynette, born Virginia Wynette Pugh in 1942, grew up on a cotton farm in Mississippi before becoming one of the most recognizable voices in country music. After working as a beautician and raising three children, she moved to Nashville in 1966 and signed with Epic Records.

    Known as the First Lady of Country Music, Tammy sold more than 30 million records and recorded some of country music’s most enduring songs, including “Stand By Your Man.” Her deeply emotional singing style connected with millions of listeners because she sang about the things they knew firsthand: love, heartbreak, marriage, loneliness, and family.

    Her life away from the stage was just as eventful. Her seven-year marriage to George Jones became one of country music’s most famous and complicated relationships. She later married songwriter and producer George Richey and continued recording despite years of health problems.

    Tammy Wynette died in 1998 at her home in Nashville. Later that year, she was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.

    Website: https://tammywynette.com/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialwynette/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TammyWynettemusic

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TammyWynette/


    Tags: Tammy Wynette biography, who was Tammy Wynette, Tammy Wynette life story, Tammy Wynette story, why was Tammy Wynette called the First Lady of Country Music, what happened to Tammy Wynette, Tammy Wynette and George Jones, Tammy Wynette Stand By Your Man, Tammy Wynette legacy, Tammy Wynette country music career, Tammy Wynette songs, Tammy Wynette George Jones, First Lady of Country Music, Stand By Your Man, Tammy Wynette country music, Tammy Wynette Nashville, Tammy Wynette Country Music Hall of Fame, classic country music, country music legends, country music history

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    Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!
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    21 min
  • The Navigator’s Letter: Love, War, and a WWII Story Hidden in Family Letters with Jan Cress Dondi

    The Navigator’s Letter: Love, War, and a WWII Story Hidden in Family Letters with Jan Cress Dondi
    Sep 23 2026
    Send us Fan MailWhat happens when a box of old family letters opens a window into one of the most dangerous chapters of World War II?This week on Here’s What We Know, we welcome author Jan Cress Dondi to talk about The Navigator’s Letter, a remarkable story built from letters, family memories, military records, and the lives of three young people whose paths were changed by war. Listen in as the conversation takes us into the world of B-24 navigators, the deadly Ploesti mission, prisoner-of-war camps, and the emotional reality faced by young men who knew they might not make it home. Jan also shares the deeply personal connection she has to the story through her father, her uncle, and her mother, and how those letters helped bring their personalities and experiences back to life decades later.We’ll also deep dive into what happens when the people who lived through history don't talk about it and what families can discover when they take the time to ask questions and preserve the stories that remain.If you have old letters, photographs, journals, or stories from someone in your family who served, this conversation may make you look at them a little differently.In this episode:The true story behind The Navigator’s LetterWhat WWII letters reveal about the lives of young servicemenThe dangers faced by B-24 crews and navigatorsThe infamous Ploesti mission and "Black Sunday"Life inside a Romanian POW campThe friendship and complicated relationship between Bob, John B., and PollySurvivor's guilt and the emotional cost of warWhy family history matters before the people who lived it are gone This episode is sponsored by: Dignity Memorial Reed Animal Hospital Bio:Jan Cress Dondi's journey began in Hillsboro, Illinois, where the inspiration for The Navigator’s Letter took root. With thirty years experience in legal writing and research, she learned to trace facts with precision, following threads of the past—across time, language, and continents. Her pursuit was personal—a labor of love of family—a desire to connect historical truth with the human experience. The culmination of which has enriched this narrative with depth and authenticity.Hundreds of letters from two B-24 navigators—John B. and Bob—and a POW diary together with historical documents became the backbone of this book. Clues led Dondi on an emotional search for answers, one that carried her across the globe—to her father’s POW camp in Romania, the military archives in Germany, her uncle’s military base in England—where she pieced together a deeply human story of war, courage and love—one that had waited decades to be told. Dondi was born in Hillsboro, IL. Raised in Atlanta, she graduated from the University of Georgia; lived years in Anchorage, AK, where she pursued post-graduate studies at the University of Alaska; and built a career as a litigation paralegal. She has spoken about her father's POW experience at the US Embassy in Bucharest, recounted her uncle's mission experience to the 93rd Bombardment Group in Washington, DC, and flown in one of the only B-24 Liberators still operating. The mother of two daughters and grandmother of four, Jan has been married nearly forty years to an aviation enthusiast and hobby pilot whose projects include building a 72% scale all-carbon replica of a P-51 Mustang, the WWII fighter that significantly impacted the war. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL.Website: https://jancressdondi.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jancressdondi/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenavigatorsletter/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b24navigators/Tags: The Navigator's Letter, Jan Cress Dondi, World War II, WWII, WWII family history, WWII letters, World War II history, WWII veterans, WWII navigator, B-24 Liberator, Ploesti mission, Ploiesti Romania, WWII prisoner of war, WWII POW, military family history, family letters, World War II books, WWII memoir, historical nonfiction, Gary Scott ThomasConnect with Gary:Gary's WebsiteFollow Gary on InstagramGary's TiktokGary's FacebookWatch the episodes on YouTubeAdvertise on the PodcastThank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!
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    57 min