Gary Scott Thomas

Sep 16

Kenny Chesney

By Chrissy Bernal Music, Podcast No Comments

Our host, Gary Scott Thomas, has spent nearly 50 years in radio, and during that time he has met plenty of artists who went on to become stars. But there was one he never saw coming: Kenny Chesney.

This week on Once Around the Country, Gary walks through Kenny’s full journey, from a self-produced demo album sold out of the trunk of his car in Johnson City clubs to a publishing deal at the Opryland Music Group to a first record deal that ended when the label shut down to the persistence that finally landed him a deal with BNA Records. Gary also shares a personal memory from a moment in a program director’s office, when a young and slightly discouraged Kenny Chesney needed a laugh and a little belief from the people around him.

Years later, when Kenny had become a superstar, he returned the favor by being the first big guest on KRTY’s new streaming radio station. This is a story about Kenny Chesney, hard work, humility, timing, and what happens when someone keeps going even when the path ahead isn’t obvious.

This episode is sponsored by:

Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!

(Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!) License #: 679261

In this Episode:

Kenny Chesney’s childhood in Luttrell, Tennessee, and his athletic beginnings
Attending Gibbs High School, the same school that later produced Morgan Wallen
Discovering bluegrass music at East Tennessee State
Meeting Alison Krauss while both were still students
Selling over a thousand self-produced albums with no promotion
Moving to Nashville and playing the Bluebird Cafe and the Turf
Signing his first record deal on Capricorn Records in 1994
The label closing and what came next
Signing with BNA Records in 1995 and his first top ten hits
The moment Gary and his radio partner Julie helped Kenny push through self-doubt
Kenny agreeing to help launch the radio station’s move to streaming
What Kenny Chesney is really like, according to someone who has known him for decades

Bio:

Kenny Chesney is one of country music’s biggest stars, but his story started far from the stadiums. A Tennessee native and former college baseball and football player, Chesney discovered bluegrass at East Tennessee State before moving to Nashville and building his career one club, song, and fan at a time. Known for hits like “How Forever Feels,” “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” and “That’s Why I’m Here,” Chesney’s career is a story of hard work, persistence, and knowing when to change course.

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

Sep 03

Love42

Alex Pearlman

By Chrissy Bernal Comedian, Podcast No Comments

What happens when anger becomes funny?

Alex Pearlman has built a following by saying the things many people are thinking but cannot always say themselves. His viral Mexican Pizza rant helped put him on the map, but there was a lot of work behind that moment.

This week on Here’s What We Know, comedian and TikTok star Alex Pearlman talks about growing up outside Philadelphia, finding his voice through more than two decades of comedy, going viral, and what happens when the internet suddenly decides you’re an “overnight success.”

Alex believes people have lost sight of the fact that there is a real person on the other side of the screen. His Crashing Out Tour is part of his effort to get people out of comment sections and back into real conversations. Listen now.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!)

In this episode:

The real story behind Alex’s viral “Mexican Pizza Hut rant” and what he learned about timing, monetization, and TikTok
Why Alex calls himself an “anger translator” for people who can’t say what they’re really thinking
Growing up in Delco, outside Philadelphia, and how that shaped his comedic voice
The difference between angry-and-funny and angry-and-jerky, and why so few comedians land on the right side of that line
What Alex means by a “25-year overnight success” and the odd jobs that quietly fed his material for decades
Why his wife became his most trusted editor and what that partnership taught him about ego
The danger of young creators going viral with no life experience to back it up
Why Alex built the Crashing Out Tour around getting people off their phones and back into a room together
What’s coming to San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts on September 11th

Catch Alex Pearlman’s Crashing Out Tour on September 11.

Pick up your tickets here before they sell out!

Bio:

Alex Pearlman is a comedian, podcaster, and creator who has been performing stand-up since 2002. A longtime Philadelphia-area resident, Alex has built a following with his sharp, often angry, and always funny takes on everyday life, culture, and politics. His viral videos have introduced him to a much larger audience, but his comedy is rooted in more than two decades of performing and developing his voice. He is also the creator of the Crashing Out Tour, which aims to bring people out of online arguments and back into real conversations with one another.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pearlmania500/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pearlmania500/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pearlmania500

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexPearlman2000

Aug 31

Love42

Dolly Parton

By Chrissy Bernal Music, Podcast No Comments

We lost the biggest star country music has ever had.

This week on Once Around the Country, our host, Gary Scott Thomas, takes you back to a Saturday afternoon in Red Level, Alabama, where an eight-year-old boy stood in a plowed field, fire ants and all, as Porter Wagoner performed on a flatbed trailer and a young Dolly Parton walked onto the stage. Gary had no idea then that he was watching someone who would become one of country music’s biggest stars.

In this episode, Gary shares what he remembers about that day, industry insight from his years in country radio, and a heartfelt tribute to a woman who built an empire, stayed true to herself, and never forgot where she came from.

Gary also talks about Dolly’s relationship with Porter, her rise from country music star to cultural icon, her marriage to Carl Dean, and the few moments he was lucky enough to speak with her. And at the end, he’ll tell you what happened when he asked Dolly if she remembered that first concert. Listen now.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!)

In this episode:

Gary’s first concert ever, and why it still sticks with him today
The real story behind Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton’s partnership and eventual split
How “I Will Always Love You” started as a professional goodbye letter
Dolly’s business instincts, including the decision that cost Elvis Presley the song and made Dolly millions
Dollywood, her marriage to Carl Dean, and what she was like one-on-one
Why Gary believes Dolly was country music’s first true crossover starrescue

Quotations:

“Honey, when you’re singing on a flatbed trailer on a hundred-degree day in Red Level, Alabama, you don’t forget that.” – Dolly Parton

“She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.” – Gary Scott Thomas

Bio:

Dolly Parton is a country music legend, singer, songwriter, actress, author, and entrepreneur who rose from a large, poor family in Tennessee to become one of the most recognizable and beloved artists in the world. Known for her distinctive voice, songwriting talent, humor, and business sense, she built a career that crossed from country music into pop culture while remaining proud of her Appalachian roots. Her catalog includes classics such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “I Will Always Love You,” and her legacy extends beyond music through Dollywood, philanthropy, and her commitment to literacy and children’s causes.

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

Aug 19

Love45

Mark J. Carter

By Chrissy Bernal Author, Personal Growth, Podcast No Comments

Have you ever wanted to reach out to someone you admire but talked yourself out of asking?

This week on Here’s What We Know, Mark J. Carter has been asking people for their time since he was in college, when he started tracking down CEOs, authors, and other successful people simply because he wanted to learn from them. That curiosity eventually led to his work as an interviewer, the Idea Climbing podcast, and conversations with people like Bo Jackson.

Mark shares what he has learned from years of interviewing successful people, including the two questions that can help an interviewer when they don’t know what to ask next: How? And why? We also talk about networking, asking for help, finding your personal superpower, building a brand, and figuring out how to turn a big idea into something that can actually make money.

This episode is sponsored by:

(Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!)

In this episode:

How Mark started reaching out to successful people before social media changed networking
Why asking for someone’s time can be much easier than we make it
The importance of genuine curiosity
Mark’s “How and Why” approach to interviewing
What he learned from interviewing Bo Jackson
How to find your personal superpower
Why everyone has a personal brand
How to ask for help without feeling like you’re imposing
Turning a big idea into a business
Why successful entrepreneurs keep looking for the next challenge
How Mark uses interviews to help coaches, consultants, and speakers tell better stories

Quotations:

“I figured if you want to be successful, surround yourself with and learn from successful people.” – Mark J. Carter

“It’s not going to hurt to ask. That’s my big thing. It never hurts to ask. The worst you’re going to hear is no. No harm done.” – Mark J. Carter

Bio:

Mark J. Carter is the founder and host of the Idea Climbing podcast, as well as an interviewer, speaker, author, and entrepreneur. For more than 27 years, his curiosity about how successful people think, solve problems, and turn ideas into action has led him to conversations with entrepreneurs, authors, athletes, and other accomplished people. He is the author of Idea Climbing: How to Create a Support System for Your Next Big Idea, and his upcoming book, Idea Scaling: How to Monetize Your Next Big Idea With Passion and Purpose, draws on interviews with six-, seven-, and eight-figure business owners to offer practical guidance for entrepreneurs. Mark also brings his experience as an improv practitioner to his interviews and presentations, creating conversations that are curious, collaborative and spontaneous.