Ever tried to pack show pants while guessing the silverware order for dinner at a governor’s mansion? That’s where we start—tour jitters, wild boar rumors, and a very real battle with food poisoning that couldn’t keep us off the mic. From there, we swing hard into culture: the ICE headlines everyone rushes to frame, the pins and podiums at awards shows, and why Hollywood feels allergic to stories that stick. We’re not doom-scrolling; we’re searching for the good—Mayor of Kingstown, The Chosen, and anything with grit, heart, and a pulse.

Music gets the microscope next. Remember when albums were seasons of your life? Now it’s leaks, singles, and a content treadmill that ages a record the day it drops. We break down a smarter release strategy, celebrate new Aldean cuts, and talk about writing for the way listeners actually listen without caving on craft. The point isn’t nostalgia—it’s durability. Great songs should outlast the scroll.

Sports fans, we didn’t forget you. The NFL hope is alive, but college football’s NIL era is chaos. We lay out fixes that would stabilize the game—spending caps, meaningful transfer limits, and trusts that pay players at graduation or upon injury. Keep the incentives, cut the bidding wars, and rebuild the bond between fans and programs. It’s a simple promise: structure can save a beautiful game from itself.

We wrap with our “dipshidiots” segment—yes, a jingle is coming—aimed at speakerphone talkers, coffee-shop “CEOs,” and plane-aisle sprinters. The through line is respect. Whether it’s a governor’s table, a studio, or a stadium, community works when we choose patience and better stories. If that mix of tour life, hot takes, and real fixes is your thing, tap follow, share this with a friend, and drop a review with your own etiquette pet peeve—what everyday behavior would you ban first?

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A coffee in hand, a reformer by the couch, and a Zoom link away from the old studio—this one starts cozy and gets loud. We kick off with the simple routines that actually work: a new Pilates-style reformer easing back pain, why “eat real food” outlasts diet fads, and how flipping the old food pyramid toward protein and fiber brings real energy and steadier appetite. Frozen veg in a blender, unexpected beet devotion, and small-town practicality set the tone: less hype, more habits.

Then we open the guitar case. Neil pulls back the curtain on a hit that almost went elsewhere, a write that took 45 minutes, and a session kept on the second take. It’s a masterclass in trusting feel over perfection—how a studio band’s personality gets baked into a track and how not overthinking can make a record breathe. A live performance seals it, reminding us why songs stick: groove, grit, and choices you can hear.

The mood turns as we take on the Minnesota ICE shooting, the protests, and the politics that stoke them. We talk respect for law enforcement, leadership signals from city halls, and why “comply now, contest later” keeps people alive. You’ll hear frustration with outrage loops, headlines that miss context, and policy talk about “safe spaces” from federal law that can backfire on the street. Whether you agree or push back, the challenge is clear: build trust with consistent standards, not slogans.

We wrap with lighter but telling social media gripes—announced “breaks,” birthday-bait posts, and why authenticity beats copy-paste sentiment. From beets to back care, from a tour-naming hit to a city on edge, the throughline is the same: common sense over clout, craft over noise, respect over spectacle.

If this resonates, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review. Your notes help us shape sharper conversations and bring more honest voices to the mic.

The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!

Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
At e|spaces, we offer more than just office space - we provide premium private offices designed for focus and growth. Located in the heart of Music Row, our fully furnished offices, private suites, meeting rooms and podcast studio give you the perfect space to work, create and connect.

Ready to elevate your business? Book a tour today at espaces.com

From the Patriot Mobile studios:

Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!

Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT

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The Try That In A Small Town Podcast is produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co

Frozen fingers, live riffs, and zero safety nets. We kick off the year with a behind-the-scenes look at playing a New Year’s Eve set in brutal cold, why we refuse to mime to tracks, and how TV “post-fix” can make a one‑song club cut feel more polished than the real thing. From numb hands at soundcheck to signature licks under pressure, we pull back the curtain on what audiences hear—and what they never see.

That honesty sets up two new series we’re launching this year. History Behind the Hits goes inside the songwriting and the moments that turned into staples, while Small Town Stories invites you to send the heroic, un-Googleable tales from your community so we can spotlight one each week. Along the way we argue about language levels, trimming the F‑bombs that don’t serve, and keeping the ones that punch with purpose. We also trade lake house fantasies for the maintenance reality and share a candid family health scare that reminded us how fast life can change.

Then we hit the hot button: Dry January and the weight-loss “journey” myth. We’re happy for anyone getting healthier, including those using semaglutide, but we call for clear language when shortcuts do the heavy lifting. The same truth-to-power energy fuels our college football breakdown: Alabama’s 38–3 gut punch, Georgia’s risk-reward calls, and why long layoffs, NIL, and the transfer portal are tilting the sport toward parity and yearly turnover at the top. It’s part therapy, part strategy session, and a promise to keep the conversation grounded in what’s real.

If you care about live music, small-town grit, and smarter sports talk, you’re in the right place. Hit follow, share this with a friend who loves a good myth-bust, and drop your Small Town Story for a chance to be featured this season. Your listens and reviews help keep the mics on—thank you for starting the year with us.

The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!

Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
At e|spaces, we offer more than just office space - we provide premium private offices designed for focus and growth. Located in the heart of Music Row, our fully furnished offices, private suites, meeting rooms and podcast studio give you the perfect space to work, create and connect.

Ready to elevate your business? Book a tour today at espaces.com

From the Patriot Mobile studios:

Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!

Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT

Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.

Original Brands

Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.

Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com

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The Try That In A Small Town Podcast is produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co

A fresh calendar won’t change your life—your habits will. We kick things off with a light jab at New Year superstitions and quickly get into the real drivers of progress: discipline, honest self-audits, and the courage to adapt when your industry shifts under your feet. If you’ve felt the pull of comfort or the lure of blaming “the system,” you’ll hear why we’re doubling down on ownership this year and stacking more “lottery tickets” by writing, showing up, and doing the work even when it isn’t glamorous.

We also share what it takes to perform live when the weather fights back, why we refuse to lean on tracks, and how authenticity reads from the stage—especially on a freezing New Year’s Eve. From there, we rewind our most-watched conversations of the year and unpack why those episodes hit so hard. Names like John Rich, Jason Aldean, Kirk Herbstreit, Hulk Hogan, and Rob O’Neill brought stories that stuck with us, and we lay out a bold wish list for the next run—think Peyton Manning, Jeff Foxworthy, Dennis Quaid, and Dale Jr. If you’ve got a guest in mind, we want to hear it.

The heart of this one is about people and priorities. We talk circles of trust, boundaries, and how to spot relationships that drain more than they give. When is it worth trying to reconcile, and when is a “hard cut” the healthiest move? The answers aren’t soft, but they are simple: loyalty matters, reciprocity matters, and your time is precious. Traditions can be fun—black-eyed peas, cornbread, cabbage—but they’re not engines for change. Systems are. If you’re stepping into a new year, consider this your nudge to set goals you act on today, not after midnight.

If this hit home, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and drop a comment with the guest you want to hear next. And if you’re feeling generous, leave a quick review—it helps more folks find the show.

The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!

Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
At e|spaces, we offer more than just office space - we provide premium private offices designed for focus and growth. Located in the heart of Music Row, our fully furnished offices, private suites, meeting rooms and podcast studio give you the perfect space to work, create and connect.

Ready to elevate your business? Book a tour today at espaces.com

From the Patriot Mobile studios:

Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!

Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT

Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.

Original Brands

Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.

Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com

Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -

Browse the merch: https://trythatinasmalltown.com/collections/all -

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The Try That In A Small Town Podcast is produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co

A Christmas special should feel like a living room after dark—lights on, jokes flying, and just enough chaos to keep it honest. We kick things off with the great inflatable debate, the price of holiday lights, and who still climbs the roof when the weather drops. From there it gets spicier: does Santa “lean” one way or another, and did Coca‑Cola really give him that red suit? We share a small New York moment where a stranger buys our pizza, and it launches a bigger conversation about generosity that carries through the hour.

The tipping talk hits home. Some of us tip almost everyone—servers, delivery crews, furniture movers—because we’ve worked those jobs or just feel grateful. Others draw the line at the counter iPad for a plain coffee. We trade stories from butchers to juice bars, and wrestle with how far tipping culture should stretch without losing the point of service. It’s lively, respectful, and real—exactly the conversation people are having at drive‑thrus and kitchen islands right now.

We reset with music and movies: Sinatra over synths, Crosby over remixes, and a strong case that Polar Express is beautifully shot and also kind of creepy. Gifts get practical—do you give a gift card or hunt for the perfect thing?—and caroling makes a nostalgic return. The episode closes with stories from childhood Christmases: waiting behind “burglar bars” for parents to wake, the magic of a few gifts that meant everything, and how that feeling still guides us. Through all the banter and hot takes, we come back to the heart of it: faith, family, kindness, and the small-town spirit that makes December feel like home.

If this one made you laugh, nod, or argue in the car, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review. Your support helps more folks find the show and keeps our holiday lights on a little longer.

The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!

Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
At e|spaces, we offer more than just office space - we provide premium private offices designed for focus and growth. Located in the heart of Music Row, our fully furnished offices, private suites, meeting rooms and podcast studio give you the perfect space to work, create and connect.

Ready to elevate your business? Book a tour today at espaces.com

From the Patriot Mobile studios:

Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!

Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT

Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.

Original Brands

Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.

Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com

Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -

Browse the merch: https://trythatinasmalltown.com/collections/all -

For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com

The Try That In A Small Town Podcast is produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co

A joke about turning our show into a musical opens the door to a night of sharp turns: Broadway memories, Nashville headlines, and a candid look at what AI is doing to songwriting. We talk about that viral “AI artist” with a digital sales hit, why serviceable lyrics still miss the magic of a great hook, and whether writers should be paid when models train on decades of human work. The debate isn’t doom and gloom—it’s a working songwriter’s blueprint for keeping creativity human and credit fair.

From there, we zoom out to culture: phones in every pocket, social feeds that reward outrage, and how parents can steer the algorithm instead of being steered by it. Then we address the feedback that we’re anti-women. We draw some hard lines—what’s fair in elite sports, when representation feels forced, where expertise and safety matter—and ask our female listeners to weigh in so we can feature your takes on the next show. Respect and candor can live in the same room, and we’re keeping the door open.

We also announce a new project we’re excited about: a weekly spotlight on small-town hero stories from across the country. Send us the real stuff—rescue, generosity, quiet acts of grit—and we’ll share them, then honor the most impactful story at year’s end. We wrap with college football chaos, conference title games that feel like injury traps, and a challenge we’ll put on camera this spring: who can still drill a field goal when it counts.

If you’re into country music, live shows, fair play, and straight talk about AI, social media, and sports, you’ll feel at home here. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves honest conversations, and drop your hero stories and your take on fairness in sports in the comments. Your voice shapes where we go next.

The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!

Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
At e|spaces, we offer more than just office space - we provide premium private offices designed for focus and growth. Located in the heart of Music Row, our fully furnished offices, private suites, meeting rooms and podcast studio give you the perfect space to work, create and connect.

Ready to elevate your business? Book a tour today at espaces.com

From the Patriot Mobile studios:

Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!

Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT

Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.

Original Brands

Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.

Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com

Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -

Browse the merch: https://trythatinasmalltown.com/collections/all -

For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com

The Try That In A Small Town Podcast is produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co

Politics gets human fast when the conversation starts with family, music, and the weight of raising kids. We sit with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to trace a candid arc from campaign backrooms to the White House podium and into the governor’s office, where every signature has a name attached. She unpacks how motherhood clarifies priorities, why listening hard before deciding matters, and what it felt like to step into the press secretary role during the loudest news cycles of 2017.

We dig into leadership by friction—making the case, inviting disagreement, then owning the call. Sanders shares how she sometimes reframed language for Trump and sometimes watched him trust his gut, arguing that instincts, not scripts, often move voters. Then we shift to Saturdays and stadiums. As a lifelong Arkansas Razorbacks fan, she welcomes a new coach and calls out the unintended chaos of NIL and the transfer portal. She’s wary of heavy-handed fixes yet believes the current setup rewards the richest programs and strips away loyalty, a tension any college football fan will recognize.

The heart of the episode is education. Sanders walks us through the Arkansas Learns Act: raising starting teacher pay from $36,000 to $50,000, delivering raises statewide, and adding merit-based bonuses that reward exceptional educators. She details investments in literacy coaches and a hard focus on third-grade reading benchmarks, along with universal school choice that lets families find the right fit. We also hit Chiefs football, Royals loyalty, and the family pact that swapped SEC Saturdays for Kansas City Sundays, plus a frank detour into AI’s creative creep and what it could mean for Nashville’s session players and songwriters.

If you care about how policy translates into classrooms, how college sports drifted off course, or how leaders think under pressure, this conversation delivers clarity without spin. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves SEC football or education policy, and leave a review with the one change you’d make to fix NIL—we’ll feature the best takes next week.

The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!

Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
At e|spaces, we offer more than just office space - we provide premium private offices designed for focus and growth. Located in the heart of Music Row, our fully furnished offices, private suites, meeting rooms and podcast studio give you the perfect space to work, create and connect.

Ready to elevate your business? Book a tour today at espaces.com

From the Patriot Mobile studios:

Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!

Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT

Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.

Original Brands

Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.

Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com

Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -

Browse the merch: https://trythatinasmalltown.com/collections/all -

For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com

The Try That In A Small Town Podcast is produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co

A legend sits down and tells the truth. Don Mattingly takes us from a Nashville locker room soundtrack to the white-hot core of Yankees–Red Sox, from Steinbrenner’s pressure-cooker to a tiny adjustment that unlocked one of the wildest streaks in modern hitting. We get the human details you don’t see in a box score: the phone call that changed a relationship with ownership, the way a clubhouse becomes a small town, and the rush of watching your kid fall in love with the game from the warning track.

We dig into hitting with precision and humility. Don explains why his doubles came from using the whole field, how a simple cue from Bobby Murcer turned 1987 on its head, and what it really felt like to stand in against Randy Johnson’s sidearm thunder. He reframes the analytics era as a language shift—ride, run, horizontal movement—while still championing contact, tempo, and action. The pitch clock gets a thumbs up. The challenge-based automated strike zone, he argues, is quicker and more strategic than people realize. And the extra-innings runner? It ends games, but it bends bullpens.

Away from the lines, Mattingly Charities is building home libraries for underserved kids, aiming at the third-grade reading cliff with the urgency of a pennant race. We talk about hosting community events in airplane hangars, flying in artists for one-night sets, and creating nights where generosity feels like celebration. There’s space, too, for laughter—Seinfeld memories, golf handicaps gone dormant, and the odd night where Larry David practically pitches a Curb episode over dinner.

If you love baseball’s past and care about its future, you’ll feel at home here. Hit follow, share this with a friend who misses contact hitting, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show. Your notes shape what we do next.

The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!

Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every Business
At e|spaces, we offer more than just office space - we provide premium private offices designed for focus and growth. Located in the heart of Music Row, our fully furnished offices, private suites, meeting rooms and podcast studio give you the perfect space to work, create and connect.

Ready to elevate your business? Book a tour today at espaces.com

From the Patriot Mobile studios:

Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!

Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOT

Right now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.

Original Brands

Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.

Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.com

Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -

Browse the merch: https://trythatinasmalltown.com/collections/all -

For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.com

The Try That In A Small Town Podcast is produced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.co