Rolling Stone Nashville Now - podcast cover

Rolling Stone Nashville Now

Rolling Stonewww.rollingstone.com
Rolling Stone’s weekly deep dive into the hottest genre in music: country. Hosted by Senior Editor Joseph Hudak, each episode breaks down the biggest stories in country, spotlighting rising artists and legends alike and delivering the must-hear songs — all with the insider access only Rolling Stone can provide. From Americana to outlaw to Red Dirt, we’ll bring you behind the scenes of the genre’s biggest moment yet, with sharp commentary, rich history, and just the right amount of attitude.
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Episodes

Dan Auerbach on the Lasting Influence of Gregg Allman

Dan Auerbach has called Gregg Allman “the foundation of what I do.” On the ninth anniversary of the Allman Brothers Band leader’s death, Auerbach joins Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now for a very special episode filmed at Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound in Nashville. The Black Keys singer-guitarist goes deep into how Allman influenced him personally, as well as the music of the Black Keys, and opens up about the grief that informed the band’s new album Peaches!, which was recorded as Auerbach’s father wa...

May 27, 202644 min

Luke Grimes: From ‘Yellowstone’ to Nashville

Fans of gritty TV dramas know Luke Grimes from his role as Kayce Dutton on Yellowstone and now CBS’s Marshals, which airs it's Season 1 finale on May 24th. But Grimes is every bit the country singer and songwriter as he is accomplished actor. In this freewheeling episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast, the Ohio native turned Montana resident shares what went into his new album Red Bird, how he made the successful transition to all-around artist, and why he said yes to reviving the role...

May 20, 202652 min

Tyler White: From ‘Love on the Spectrum’ to Country Music

When Tyler White joined Love on the Spectrum , Netflix’s series about the dating lives of people with varying degrees of autism, he became an instant fan favorite for his Southern charm and wealth of country music knowledge. Now, the Florida native is making a go as a country singer, with help from some Nashville power players. Tyler joins Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast to talk about his debut single “Oh Yeah Baby,” his experience on Love on the Spectrum , and what it’s like to encounter ...

May 13, 202636 min

Adam Mac and His Courageous Brand of “Queer Country”

Adam Mac is leading a proud, new charge for queer country music, but getting to this point wasn’t without its challenges. The Russellville, Kentucky, native joins us in the Nashville Now cabin to talk about the discrimination he’s faced, including harsh public words from a pastor in his hometown, and how he’s overcome it. Mac also shares the origin of his band the “Cowgays”, with Brooke Eden and Chris Housman, and how he approaches his version of masculinity. And in a candid display of courage, ...

May 06, 202647 min

One By Willie x Nashville Now: Happy Birthday Willie Nelson!

Happy birthday, Willie Nelson! In honor of the country music legend turning 93 on April 29, Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast joins forces with Texas Monthly and PRX’s One By Willie podcast for a very special crossover episode. One By Willie host John Spong, the preeminent scholar on all things Willie, joins Nashville Now host Joseph Hudak in the cabin to talk about Willie’s catalog of songs and why each is uniquely important. Then, Spong asks Hudak about the impact that Nelson’s 1980 Number...

Apr 29, 202656 min

Ne-Yo Opens Up About His Country Debut

Back in 2012, Ne-Yo teamed up with Tim McGraw for the country/R&B collaboration “She Is.” Now, Ne-Yo is returning to Nashville to work on his own country-influenced project. We welcome the singer to the Nashville Now cabin to talk about going country, his love of Reba McEntire, and the time Tim and Faith Hill had him over for fried chicken. He also opens up about his personal experience so far in Music City and on the rowdy blocks of Lower Broadway, and how it may be different than what some...

Apr 22, 202655 min

The 2026 ACM Awards Nominations: When Will Voters Get It Right?

Nominations for the 2026 ACM Awards are out now and we have some questions. Rolling Stone’s Senior Music Editor Joseph Hudak and longtime RS contributor and author Marissa R. Moss break down five key storylines, from the dominance by this year’s women nominees to the wildly confusing New Artist races. Check out our hot takes and be sure to tune in to the 61st ACMs airing May 17 on Prime Video, live from Las Vegas. Country is Here… Nashville is Now. Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, upd...

Apr 20, 202618 min

Is Maddox Batson “Country Music’s Justin Bieber”?

From Taylor Swift to Tanya Tucker, country music has a rich history of child stars. Maddox Batson, at just 16, is the latest, drawing comparisons to a young Justin Bieber with his songs about middle-school crushes and country living. Maddox joins us in the Nashville Now cabin to talk about songwriting, social media, and the song he co-wrote for Lana Del Rey and Quavo. And for his already hardcore fans, he tells us if there really was a “girl in green.” It’s the future of country music, only on R...

Apr 15, 202646 min

Is Paul Cauthen Country’s Reformed Rebel?

You’ve never met a mother quite like Paul Cauthen. The outrageous Texas country singer remains proudly defiant on his new album The Book of Paul , which he says is about “the freaking trials and tribulations of Paul.” In a new episode of Rolling Stone ’s Nashville Now podcast, the man known as “Big Velvet” tells us exactly what those tribulations are. He also talks about writing songs for Beyoncé, explains a lyric that dissed Kenny Chesney, and reveals where his alter-ego “Big Velvet” ends and P...

Apr 08, 202657 min

Brandon Lake is Bringing His Faith to Country Music

Brandon Lake has made a name for himself as one of Christian music’s most successful stars. Now he’s setting his sights on country music and Nashville, teaming up with artists from Jelly Roll and Cody Johnson to Lainey Wilson. In this new episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now, we ask Lake about the intersection between Christian music and country, if he’s worried about faith being exploited by politics, and if listeners of all faiths can have a seat at his table. Country is Here…Nashville is ...

Apr 01, 202654 min

Noeline Hofmann is Your New Favorite Songwriter

Noeline Hofmann has gone from the Badlands of her native Canada to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry on the strength of her expertly crafted songs like “Purple Gas” and “Rodeo Junkies.” In a very special episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now, Hofmann joins us in front of a live audience at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge outside of Nashville to preview her upcoming full-length album, share what Zach Bryan’s endorsement meant to her, and explain why she was drawn to cover the late songwriter Luke ...

Mar 25, 202633 min

Vince Gill and the Art of Being Kind

Vince Gill has earned a reputation in country music not just for his singing, songwriting, and guitar playing, but for the way he treats people. In this episode of Rolling Stone ’s Nashville Now podcast, Gill’s kindness is on full display as he walks us through his new series of EPs, 50 Years From Home , his ongoing gig as a member of the Eagles, and his own solo tours. Gill also recalls the time he was heckled by Eagles fans, reflects on his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame when he...

Mar 18, 20261 hr 13 min

How the Black Crowes Relaunched in Nashville

When the Black Crowes reunited in 2019, brothers Chris Robinson and Rich Robinson recorded their comeback album in Nashville and also kicked off their reunion tour here. They returned to Music City to record their brand-new album, A Pound of Feathers , and embedded themselves in town. In our most free-spirited episode yet, the brothers strut into the Nashville Now cabin to talk about mending fences, how their reunion inspired Oasis’s comeback, and why the Crowes are touring with Texas country-ro...

Mar 11, 202656 min

Devon Gilfillian’s Funky Take on Nashville

Devon Gilfillian has been putting his own spin on Americana music since moving to Nashville from Philadelphia back in 2013. He pushes the boundaries even further on his forthcoming album Time Will Tell , which he recorded at historic RCA Studio A on Music Row. But, Gilfillian says, this is far from a Music Row-type album. During his visit to the Nashville Now cabin, the singer-guitarist talks about sidestepping the system as an indie artist, how Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds in Country Mu...

Mar 04, 202654 min

Carly Pearce on ‘Getting High and Talking to Jesus’

Carly Pearce is unafraid to raise tough questions about faith, marriage, and success in country music. In a startling candid episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast, the Kentucky singer-songwriter addresses the polarizing response to her new song “Church Girl,” opens up about the sacrifices she’s had to make for her career, and wonders if you can ever really “move on” from a broken relationship. “Those parts of your story, they’re never gone,” Pearce says. Also, we run down the week’s n...

Feb 25, 202644 min

Rival Son’s Jay Buchanan: The Best Singer You Haven’t Heard

As the singer of Rival Sons, Jay Buchanan has one of the most powerful voices in all of music, but on his new solo album, Weapons of Beauty , he dials back the volume in favor of a rootsy, Americana approach. The results are stunning. In a special episode of Rolling Stone’ s Nashville Now , taped in front of a live audience, Buchanan talks about writing the album off the grid in the Mojave desert, where he slept with a pistol beneath his pillow. He also goes deep on his role in the Bruce Springs...

Feb 18, 202650 min

The Unsolved Mystery of the Band Perry

The story of the Band Perry remains one of the most fascinating in all of music. The sibling trio restored faith in real country music with songs like “If I Die Young” and dynamic live shows, but left fans confused when they exited their Nashville label to make pop music. Now lead singer Kimberly Perry is back with a revamped Band Perry lineup, new songs that continue to touch on her favorite subject (death!), and a long-awaited answer for those who ask what the hell happened. We welcome Kimberl...

Feb 11, 20261 hr 6 min

Exploring Justin Townes Earle's Nashville

Justin Townes Earle may have traveled the world as an Americana troubadour, but the story of the singer-songwriter’s life can be told in just a few square miles in his native Nashville. In this special episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now, Jonathan Bernstein, author of the new authorized biography of Earle, What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome, gives us an intimate walking tour of Earle’s Nashville, from the park where he found solace to the dive bar where he honed his craft. We also talk abo...

Feb 04, 202656 min

Nashville's Songwriting Secrets with Laura Veltz

Laura Veltz, the songwriter behind hits for Dan + Shay, Jessie Murph, and more, shares the secrets of the Nashville writing room in this week's episode of Nashville Now. Veltz opens up about how she collaborates intimately with someone who may not share her own beliefs. We also preview Nashville's upcoming 615 Indie Live festival, where we'll host a live-audience podcast, and assess the health of Nashville's independent music venues with local champion Jamie Kent. Country is Here…Nashville is No...

Jan 28, 20261 hr 11 min

Surviving the Las Vegas Shooting

The deadliest mass shooting in modern American history happened at a country music concert. Journalist Mark Gray was at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas for Rolling Stone when the gunfire started during Jason Aldean’s performance, and he recounts his harrowing experience on the Nashville Now podcast. He also talks about the relationships he and other survivors forged in the aftermath, which is the focus of Gray’s new book, The Las Vegas Massacre Connections . Join us in the Nashville N...

Jan 21, 202648 min

Langhorne Slim Finds a New Sound with Greta Van Fleet

Langhorne Slim made his bones as an acoustic singer-songwriter, but on his new album The Dreamin’ Kind he teams up with Greta Van Fleet’s Sam Kiszka and Danny Wagner to make a bona fide Americana rock & roll album. We go deep into how the Nashville troubadour bonded with the rock stars, and also ask Slim about what drove him to get sober. It’s a fascinating interview with an artist who isn’t afraid to decare, “We’re living in f-cked up times.” We also preview the country albums we’re excited...

Jan 14, 202653 min

BONUS: Remembering Jim Croce With His Son A.J.

Jim Croce, the singer-songwriter behind indelible songs like “Operator,” “Time in a Bottle,” and “Bad Bad Leroy Brown,” would have turned 83 this on January 10. In a special bonus episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now, we sit down with Croce’s son A.J. Croce at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to discuss his dad’s legacy and influence on country music and Americana. Country is Here…Nashville is Now. Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, updated weekly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Jan 10, 202651 min

Bryan Andrews Doesn’t Want to Be a Novelty

Welcome back to Nashville Now! If you’re online, you’ve seen Bryan Andrews all over your feed. The Missouri country singer has made a name for himself by singing traditional-leaning country music and unapologetically sharing his political beliefs in a series of viral posts. In doing so, he’s smashed the stereotypes of what it means to be both a country singer and an American. This week we welcome Bryan to the cabin to talk about what drives him and ask him one particular question: Is he a countr...

Jan 07, 202658 min

The Year in Review with Brian Dunne

It’s our final official episode of the year and we run through our list of the best country albums of 2025 with Rolling Stone contributors Marissa R. Moss and Josh Crutchmer. We also talk about albums we loved that didn’t make the list and look ahead to what we’d most like to see in country in 2026. Plus, we have a very special interview with the artist behind Nashville Now host Joseph Hudak’s favorite all-genre album of the year – singer, songwriter, and guitar hero Brian Dunne. Country is Here...

Dec 17, 20251 hr 2 min

Marcus King Sobers Up and Rocks Out

Marcus King is helping revive guitar-rock in country music, while also working on himself. The South Carolina guitar-slinger joins us in the Nashville Now cabin to talk about getting sober (an Ozzy Osbourne quote inspired him), his new album Darling Blue, and the time he was caught sneaking into a club to give Warren Haynes a demo tape. King also gets candid about the response to his wife Briley King’s cover of “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.” It’s a conversation of Southern rock, sel...

Dec 10, 202557 min

Breland Sounds Off on AI and Playing Nashville’s Game

Breland joins us in the Nashville Now cabin for one of the podcast's most honest conversations yet. It's a look behind the curtain at what it means to "play the game" in country music, with the "My Truck" singer and songwriter openly talking about his experience of being Black in Nashville. Breland also teases new music coming in 2026 and shares his candid reaction to one of his collaborators performing a controversial gig. Country is Here…Nashville is Now. Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spo...

Dec 03, 20251 hr 6 min

Todd Snider’s Friends Remember the Songwriter

When the singer-songwriter Todd Snider died in November, he left a gaping hole in the Nashville Americana music scene. We gathered some of those who knew him best, friends and musical collaborators Elizabeth Cook, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and Chuck Mead, to share their memories of Todd. In this very special episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast, we remember the charismatic artist that Cook calls “the Pied Piper of East Nashville” and why Snider’s legacy will never be forgotten. Country is He...

Nov 26, 202557 min

CMA Awards 2025: Talking Smack, Taking Names

The 2025 CMA Awards took Nashville by storm this week, crowning new winners and welcoming fresh faces. In this special bonus episode of Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast, we break down the good, the bad, and the “what were they thinking?!” Country music journalist Marissa R. Moss joins host Joseph Hudak to heap praise, talk smack, and question if the country music establishment finally got it right. Country is Here…Nashville is Now. Check out our Hear Now playlist on Spotify, updated weekly....

Nov 21, 202535 min

Jake Owen Finally Gets Real

Jake Owen is one of the architects of bro country, churning out radio smashes like “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” and “The One That Got Away.” But on his new album of outlaw country songs, he buries his bro persona. In a shockingly emotional interview on Nashville Now , Owen talks about his big musical risk and how he ended up working with producer Shooter Jennings on the new album Dreams to Dream . It’s a vulnerable interview that shows a major country star letting down his guard, and it’s only on ...

Nov 19, 20251 hr 3 min

Kings of Leon Are Still Rocking Nashville

Kings of Leon may be one of rock’s most global bands, but the group is forever tied to Nashville. This week, lead singer Caleb Followill joins us in the Nashville Now cabin to talk about the Kings’ surprise new EP, what it’s like to work with Zach Bryan, and what he thinks about all of those country covers of the band’s massive hit “Sex on Fire.” (Spoiler alert: Some make him cringe.) Caleb also takes us back in time to a much different Nashville, where he and his brothers tried to shop their so...

Nov 11, 202545 min
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