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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
  • 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 22 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 19 mins
  • Chris Golden on Oak Ridge Boys Legacy, Presidents, Elvis, and 478,000 Miles :: Ep 40 Circling the Drain Podcast

    Chris Golden on Oak Ridge Boys Legacy, Presidents, Elvis, and 478,000 Miles :: Ep 40 Circling the Drain Podcast
    May 27 2026


    Award-winning artist and multi-instrumentalist Chris Golden joins Johnny B and Jay Harper to swap stories from a lifetime in music. From growing up in the Golden family dynasty (son of Oak Ridge Boys’ William Lee Golden), to playing for every living U.S. president, to singing with his kids and racking up 478,000 miles on the road, this episode is loaded with behind-the-scenes tales, faith, family, and a lot of laughs.


    Chris talks about:

    – Growing up on the Alabama–Florida line in a deep musical family

    – The Oaks’ gospel-to-country transition and backlash from the “church crowd”

    – Forming The Goldens and Golden Spear, Muscle Shoals sessions, and label drama

    – Playing the White House, One America Appeal, and hanging with multiple presidents

    – Touring life, that red sparkle Ludwig snare, and his monster hybrid drum kit

    – Voiceover work (Heinz 57, ad auditions, and chasing the “Sam Elliott” spec)

    – Recording 34 songs with his dad and brother, and now sharing the stage with his kids

    – His upcoming album “A Better Man” and the song “Where My People Are”


    03:18 Growing up on the Alabama–Florida state line

    07:58 Golden family music roots and Inspirational Country Music Awards

    09:56 Rusty Golden, Beatles, Elton John, and brotherly rivalry

    10:47 Dad hands Chris a guitar: three chords and “Home on the Range”

    13:42 Early bands: Boys Band, Cedar Creek, and Golden Spear

    17:19 Muscle Shoals sessions and CBS developmental deal

    22:14 The Goldens, label cuts, and touring with William Lee Golden

    27:49 Pandemic records: 34 songs with Dad and Rusty, three albums of covers

    29:29 Chris’s kids join the show: the next Golden generation

    30:48 Opening for Ricky Skaggs with daughter Elizabeth on fiddle

    37:14 Glen Campbell, hairspray, and backstage heroes

    38:50 Roy Clark, Jim Halsey, and the Oaks’ trip to Russia

    41:59 Realizing the family was “extraordinary” and the grind of early Oaks days

    47:17 All-night gospel sings: sundown to sunup

    53:39 Playing for every living U.S. president at One America Appeal

    56:36 The first red sparkle Ludwig snare and why it still matters

    1:02:00 Shaking hands with the President at the White House

    1:02:38 Drum nerd talk: Chris’s hybrid Pearl/DW/Ludwig/Meinl/Zildjian/Sabian kit

    1:06:04 Palace Theatre “family and friends” shows in Gallatin

    1:08:21 478,000 miles on the van and the song “Grateful”

    1:10:11 Voiceover stories: Heinz 57 campaign and hillbilly reads

    1:16:31 New album “A Better Man” and “Where My People Are”

    1:17:27 How Chris’s song “Home” helped Johnny B through a rough patch

    1:18:26 Where to find Chris Golden and Circling the Drain online

    Follow Chris:
    https://chrisgolden.net/

    Follow CTD:
    www.circlingthedrain.net


    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
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 20 mins
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