Country music can feel like it’s changing every week, but the best nights are when the stories all connect. We kick things off with a surprisingly fun rabbit hole: country singers who rode into Western movies and TV, from Kenny Rogers and Glen Campbell to the Yellowstone universe and “1883.” It’s not just nostalgia, it’s proof that country has always been built for characters, scenes, and big emotions.

Then we hit a tight country music news rundown with the stuff you actually want to know: Jelly Roll reaching a new milestone at the Grand Ole Opry, tour and festival updates, country artists popping up on-screen, and why Morgan Wallen’s vocal rest is a reminder that your voice is your livelihood. After that, we throw it to the crew with the question of the day: who is the most talented up-and-coming artist? The comment section turns into a discovery feed, and we add our own rising-artist picks before running through the latest mainstream chart and indie chart highlights.

The mailbag is where we get real about the Nashville music industry. We talk about overproduced records, the brutal math of streaming royalties, why touring and merch still carry so much weight, and the new version of gatekeeping through playlist culture. If you’re an aspiring artist, we also share the biggest career killers we see early on, and a smarter way to study great records by following producers like Dan Huff, Bob Bullock, and Jay Joyce.

Subscribe for more country music news, music business talk, and artist discovery, then share this with a friend and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show.

Episode Links

• Bob Bullock: https://jayfranze.com/episode28/
• MacKenzie Leigh: https://jayfranze.com/episode153/
• Mary Kutter: https://jayfranze.com/episode197/
• Lee Newton: https://jayfranze.com/episode198/

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• JFS Country Countdown: https://jayfranze.com/countdown/

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She reached out to the people she admired most and they actually wrote back. Country music recording artist Lee Newton joins us to share the real story behind her latest release “Silver Thread And Golden Needles,” including how she teamed up with Georgette Jones and Heidi Parton and why that classic song still lands like a punchline and a warning at the same time. Along the way, Lee reflects on the late Joe Bonsall and what true generosity looks like in the studio when a legend shows up, lifts you up, and expects nothing in return. 

We talk through the nuts and bolts of modern traditional country: how collaboration happens through social media, how a tight-knit Nashville community opens doors when you show up prepared, and what it feels like when the “yes” finally comes. Lee also breaks down the creative choices that shaped her version, from honoring the legacy of past recordings to carving out a sound with rockabilly spark, steel guitar, fiddle, and harmonies that let every voice shine. If you’re curious about music networking, recording a cover song, or building an independent country career with grit and taste, you’ll get practical insight here. 

The conversation widens into life beyond the single: performing the song live, meeting fans on the road, raising her son Cash, staying grounded in North Carolina, and giving back through veteran communities. We also swap stories about producers, session musicians, and those moments that feel like divine timing when everything lines up. 

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Episode Links

• Lee Newton: https://leenewtonofficial.com/
• Chris Leusinger: https://jayfranze.com/episode17/
• William Lee Golden: https://jayfranze.com/episode72/
• Grayson Russell: https://jayfranze.com/episode106/

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• JFS Country Countdown: https://jayfranze.com/countdown/

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What does it really take to go from writing rooms to a record deal without losing the soul of your songs? We sit down with country artist and songwriter Mary Kutter to map the turns: small-town Kentucky roots, Nashville writers’ rounds, pandemic Zoom sessions, and the quiet shift from penning hits for others to owning the mic herself. Along the way, Mary pulls back the curtain on the cuts that changed her life, Bailey Zimmerman’s Never Leave and These Nights, Nate Smith’s Wreckage and Sleep, and why leaning into unvarnished, lived detail can turn a song into a lifeline for strangers.

Mary talks about logging 452 sessions in a year, why volume builds instinct, and how posting Devil’s Money cracked open an audience for her own stories. She shares the exact moment the record deal offer landed, what felt surreal about the announcement photo, and how she keeps perspective in a town overflowing with talent. The conversation also honors an unsung giant: Hall of Fame songwriter Kim Williams, whose generosity and introductions helped set her trajectory. His story, blue-collar grit, unthinkable recovery, and a fateful coffee with Garth Brooks, becomes a blueprint for creative courage and quiet mentorship.

If you care about songwriting craft, country music history, or the long game behind so-called overnight success, you’ll find practical takeaways: write more than you think you can, tell the truth even when it’s heavy, build community by hosting and showing up, and let kindness compound. Press play, then share this with a friend who needs a nudge to keep going. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us which song or moment hit you hardest, we’re listening.

Episode Links

• Mary Kutter: https://marykutter.com/

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• JFS Country Countdown: https://jayfranze.com/countdown/

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