Dusty Saxton is a professional drummer who plays full-time with Granger Smith. Dusty joins Country Music Made Me to discuss his musical upbringing which began before he was born, kicking a little harder within his mom's womb when hearing live drums, how quickly he wore out his first real drum kit after only two years of playing it, and how his passion for music expanded after teaching himself the piano and guitar. Dusty and Brendan talk about his early years of chasing a career in music, the...

Scott Stevens is a Country Music Singer/Songwriter who recently released his album "Every Hat is a Cowboy Hat". Scott joins Country Music Made Me to discuss the influence his Dad, who also chased a career in music, had on his musical beginnings, the inspiration he gained from his Pappy and how important that relationship was in helping him become the person he is today, and how music helped him overcome his shyness while living in 6 different U.S. States throughout his childhood. Scott and...

Brad Mates in the lead singer of Canadian Country Band Emerson Drive. Brad joins Country Music Made Me to discuss what he learned as a kid watching his Dad perform in his own local Country Music outfit "The Swinging Doors", the importance of the eleventh grade talent show when he jumped on stage to perform for the first time, and how the band was formed after he began jamming with other like minded musicians in his school. Brad and Brendan talk about the bands early days when they would play...

Jenna Paulette is a singer/songwriter who splits her time between her home start of Texas and new home in Nashville, Tennessee. Jenna joins Country Music Made Me to discuss her two biggest influences growing up, her Grandad William and her Grandpa Jerry, the roles they each played in helping inspire Jenna to chase her dreams in both Cattle Ranching and Country Music, and how they helped instill a love of music within her from a young age. Jenna and Brendan talk about her many musical...

Jeff Hanna is the founding member of the Grammy Award winning country/rock group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Jeff joins Country Music Made Me to talk about his musical beginnings after picking up the guitar in Middle School, the organic formation of his first jug band in High School, and how winning a local talent competition set the group of friends on a path towards forming the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1966. Jeff and Brendan talk about the band's early years of hanging out with a group of...

Jason Nix is a singer, songwriter and jack of all trades within the Country Music community. Jason joins Country Music Made Me to discuss the influence his musical father had on his early love of music, why being encouraged to become a musician never deterred him from chasing a career in music, and how his Dad's journey in Nashville helped shape his own path to Music City after high school. Jason and Brendan talk about his years at Belmont, how friendships with the likes of Tyler Hubbard,...

Abbey Cone is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter who is signed to The Valory Music Co. an imprint of Big Machine. Abbey joins Country Music Made Me to discuss her early love of music, her first public performances when singing the national anthem on the Rodeo Circuit her family competed on, and how she grew as both a performer and a musician while singing on the Opry Circuit in her home state of Texas. Abbey and Brendan talk about her first trip to Nashville at the age of 12, how that led to...

Steve Moakler in a Country Music Singer/Songwriter. Steve joins Country Music Made Me to discuss the importance of family within his journey, including his Grandfather, who built a popular neighborhood bar in his basement called "Siddle's Saloon", and his Grandmother, who lived with Steve and his family for much of his formative years and helped inspire him in many important ways. Steve and Brendan talk about his musical beginnings, which started thanks to the gift of a 1980's Alvarez...

Morgan Johnston is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter based in Nashville. Morgan joins Country Music Made Me to discuss her two competing loves, Horses and Music, how her parents love of both animals and music helped inspire her to chase her dreams no matter where they led, and how learning about her Great Grandmothers past as a songwriter has inspired her journey in Nashville. Morgan and Brendan talk about Morgan's early musical experiences, first with her friends putting on "air band"...

Devin Cooper is a Canadian Country singer/songwriter. Devin joins Country Music Made Me to discuss his early love of music which included playing along on the self playing piano, cranking up The Beatles Anthology CD on his parents living room stereo, and begging for a guitar at the age of 5. Devin and Brendan talk about the moment he received his first guitar at the age of 7, the dedication he showed at a young age to learning the instrument, how his songwriting began to develop, and how he...

Ryan Griffin is a Country Music singer/songwriter originally from Ocala, Florida. Ryan joins Country Music Made Me to discuss his early love of music which began while listening to the Country greats in the family car and with his Grandpa on Sunday nights while watching the Grand Ole Opry Telecast, it was also inspired by the soulful tunes of Brian McKnight and the genre bending sounds of Keith Urban. Ryan and Brendan talk about how his time at Belmont helped guide him towards a career as an...

Sarahbeth Taite is a Country Music singer/songwriter originally from Fort Collins, Colorado. Sarahbeth joins Country Music Made Me to discuss her early musical memories on the piano with her Grandmother, the encouragement her parents offered in following whatever path she chose as long as she worked hard, and how writing musical poems at the age of six transformed into song writing in her early teens after picking up the guitar. Sarahbeth and Brendan talk about signing her first publishing...

Raleigh Keegan is a Country Music singer/songwriter based in Nashville. Raleigh joins Country Music Made Me to discuss his unusual birth story, born to a single mom serving time in a state penitentiary and being adopted when he was only a few days old to a loving family in Cincinnati. Raleigh and Brendan talk about his early love of music which was developed on a Baby Grand Piano in the family home, some of his first bands including the rap/pop group The Queen City Kids, and what caused him...

Dallas Smith is one of the most successful Canadian Country Artists in history and the lead singer of rock band Default. Dallas joins Country Music Made Me to discuss his first musical memory of listening to The Beatles "Abbey Road Medley" on the radio, how his shyness kept him from singing in front of others as a youngster, and how a passion for music continued to burn deep within until his early 20's. Dallas and Brendan talk about stepping out of his comfort zone to perform Plush by the...

Chayce Beckham is a Country Music singer/songwriter and the winner of Season 19 of American Idol. Chayce joins Country Music Made Me to discuss his early love of music after getting a guitar from his Grandma at the age of 3, how important his Grandpa was in helping him become the person he is today, and how singing along to George Strait in his truck as a teenager helped him find his voice. Chayce and Brendan talk about The Sinking Sailors, the reggae inspired band he formed with a group of...

Lexie Hayden is a Country Music Singer/Songwriter who recently competed on MTV's Becoming a Popstar. Lexie joins Country Music Made Me to discuss growing up in the Rock influenced suburbs of Washington but being drawn to Country Music thanks to regular trips to her Grandparent's farm in Pennsylvania, the influence her Grandpa and his love of classic country has had on her journey, and how she picked up the guitar thanks to inspiration from her young brother. Lexie and Brendan talk about her...

Jillian Cardarelli is a country music Singer/Songwriter. Jillian joins Country Music Made Me to discuss her grandpa's Country Music influence, her love of Elvis and how he inspired her to sing and perform at a young age, and the first grade talent show when she sang a LeAnn Rimes song and realized that's what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Jillian and Brendan talk about her move to Nashville to attend Belmont University, the amazing opportunities she had early in her career to...

Shantaia is a Canadian born and raised singer/songwriter who is currently based in Nashville. Shantaia joins Country Music Made Me to discuss her early musical experiences growing up in Canada, the moments that led to her dreams of a career in Country Music in her early teens, and the business minded personality that has allowed her to thrive as an independent artist within the industry at a young age. Shantaia and Brendan talk about moving to Toronto from her small town in Saskatchewan to...

Adam Sanders is a Country Music Artist and Songwriter. Adam joins Country Music Made Me to discuss the moments that inspired his love of music, including one of the most important concerts he's ever attended, seeing Alan Jackson open for Randy Travis and meeting Alan backstage, a moment that would set him on a path towards a career in Country Music. Adam and Brendan talk about the moment he was encouraged by his Uncle Scotty, a session player in Nashville, to being songwriting, how that led...

SixForty1 is a Country Music duo formed by Brooks Hoffman and Austin Gee. Brooks and Austin join Country Music Made Me to discuss their separate musical journeys growing up in Kentucky, how Country Music influenced them as youngsters, and the musical adventures, from musical theatre, lively living room performances and high school bands they enjoyed before graduating high school. The duo talk about attending Murray State University with the goal of securing day jobs, their chance meeting...

Eric Paslay is a Nashville based Singer/Songwriter who has scored numerous #1's as both a songwriter and artist. Eric joins Country Music Made Me to discuss the musical influence of his family growing-up, how music helped guide his journey but was never the main focus until College when he attended Middle Tennessee State to study Music Business and dove headfirst into the world of songwriting. Eric and Brendan talk about his early years in Nashville, how becoming a successful songwriter made...

Corey Kent is a singer/songwriter who released his latest single "Wild As Her" in early 2022. Corey joins Country Music Made Me to discuss the hard-working principles passed down through the generations from his Great Grandfather that continue to help guide him through his journey, the early musical experiences at the Oklahoma State Fair and Cain's Ballroom that created a unique musical spark within him, and what he learned during his years fronting the Western Swing band Oklahoma Stomp...

John Jeffers is the Guitarist and background vocalist for American Rock/Country group Whiskey Myers. John joins Country Music Made Me to discuss his families musical past that he didn't become aware of until his teens, how natural ability shone threw when he first picked-up the guitar, and how his focus quickly turned from baseball to music in his later teens. John and Brendan talk about the early days of Whiskey Myers, how a focus on their live show from the very beginning has helped build a...

Maggie Baugh is a Nashville based Singer/Songwriter. Maggie joins Country Music Made Me to discuss the moment she fell in love with Classical Music while watching the animated Disney show Little Einstein's, the journey she began at the age of 6 towards Julliard and a career in Classical Music, and how being bullied in school helped lead her towards Country Music as a way to heal. Maggie and Brendan talk about her development as an artist while playing shows around her home state of Florida as...

Stephanie Quayle is a Country Music singer/songwriter. Stephanie joins Country Music Made Me to discuss how family helped influence her love of music at a young age, how music helped distract from the negativity and constant bullying she endured during middle school, and the important role a student exchange to Switzerland played in where she is today. Stephanie and Brendan talk about the events that led to joining a band during her time in Europe, the amazing feeling of freedom she felt...