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SHOW SUMMARY:
Date: April 3, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S10: E6: John Gentry - Country With A Combat Heart


SHOW SUMMARY:
He jokes about sneaking a new guitar past his spouse, then pivots into something heavier: what it means to carry heartbreak, discipline, and memory into a Texas country song. We’re joined by rising artist John Gentry from Willis, Texas, an Army veteran whose music blends honky tonk grit with the spirit of 90s country.

We talk about the artists who shaped his ears and his voice, from Vince Gill to Travis Tritt, and why great guitar playing can turn a good show into a lifelong memory. John breaks down his songwriting process as emotion-first and unforced, where a rhythm or a rough day can open the floodgates. He also gets candid about perfectionism, how easy it is to overwork a track, and what he learned from his first co-write on “Mr. Lonely.”

John walks us through four recent releases including “Raining Inside,” plus how he recorded them in a small home studio setup with serious players and real feel. You’ll hear him perform “Raining Inside” live, unpack the story behind it, and share what it takes to build a dependable band in the Texas country scene. We also go deeper than music: John shares why he joined the Army, how fast he deployed, what adjusting back to civilian life can look like, and the everyday habits like time management that still shape his career. If you care about independent country music, Texas country songwriting, and the real life behind the stage lights, this conversation delivers.

Subscribe to Backstage Pass Radio, share this with a country music fan, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. What part of John’s story hit you the hardest?

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Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
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Artist(s) Web Page:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JGCM.Official

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Your Host,
Randy Hulsey

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Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!

Date: March 11, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S10: E5: Denny Somach - Getting the Led Out!


SHOW SUMMARY:
What if the biggest band in the world won by saying no? Author and hall of fame broadcaster Denny Somach joins us to unpack how Led Zeppelin rewrote the rules—refusing singles, skipping TV, guarding the studio—and still built a global legend on the strength of live shows, mystery, and relentless craft. Drawing on a vast archive, Denny shares the raw voices behind the myth: label chiefs, engineers, publicists, peers, and the band members themselves.

We dive into Atlantic Records’ unprecedented deal with Zeppelin and why Jimmy Page and Peter Grant’s terms created a fortress around the music. Then we head to Headley Grange for a ground-level look at Physical Graffiti, Cashmere’s hypnotic power, and the ambient tricks that made John Bonham’s drums feel like thunder in a stairwell. Denny opens the vault on rare memorabilia—global picture sleeves that “weren’t supposed to exist”—and the touring strategy that transformed college halls into a nationwide campaign. Along the way, we chase the near-mythic: Sabbath and Zeppelin jamming with tape maybe rolling, the XYZ sessions with Page and members of Yes, and a $500 Billy Joel headliner that foreshadowed Allentown.

Beyond Zeppelin, Denny explains why classic rock radio lost its catalog and how his show, Rock and Roll for Grown Ups, brings back the songs we loved but stopped hearing—paired with tight interview clips that reveal the stories behind them. It’s a conversation about taste, memory, and preservation: what survives, what gets erased, and how to listen with new ears.

If you love rock history told by the people who lived it, you’ll feel right at home. Hit play, then tell us your favorite Zeppelin track, the deep cut you miss on radio, and which lost story surprised you most. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show.

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Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - backstagepassradio.com and randyhulsey.com

Artist(s) Web Page:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennysomach/

https://rocknroll4grownups.com/

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer.

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Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio

Your Host,
Randy Hulsey

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Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!

Date: February 25, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S10: E4: Avery Kern - Rooftops, Roots, And A Rescue Dog


SHOW SUMMARY:
Some stories sneak up on you from the rooftop. That’s where we reconnect with Americana artist Avery Kern, whose voice moves from honeyed hush to gravel edge and whose songs hold the kind of honesty you feel in your ribs. We chart her leap from a tiny K–12 school in Pawnee, Illinois, to the neon of Nashville, sharing the moments that shaped her: a sixth-grade assembly, the quiet courage it took to sing on American Idol, and the rescue dog who inspired a tender, hooky single called Cowboy Crazy.

We get into the craft. Avery talks about writing for the human experience without staying trapped in love-song cliches, and why delivery can be the final verse of any lyric. She explains how Failure To Launch simmered for years until she had the words—and the nerve—to finish it. We compare polished studio cuts with the raw, gritty energy of her live band, where arrangements evolve, grooves grow teeth, and setlists give way to instinct. And if you’ve ever tried to honor a wild request mid-show, you’ll love how she navigates range, bridges, and the difference between serving a song and sacrificing it.

There’s a forward pulse too. Avery is building two DIY EPs: one steeped in old-school country and blues swagger (don’t miss Left Him in Georgia), and one orbiting a “space” theme that threads lunar imagery through stories of growth, loss, and finding your footing. TikTok has opened doors to new cities, and a tour feels closer with every venue that fans send her way. Through it all, the aim stays simple—send people home lighter than they arrived, with a chorus humming under their breath.

Hit play to hear an artist who refuses to fit a box and makes that refusal sound like clarity. If you enjoy the conversation, follow Avery Kern Music everywhere, subscribe to the show, and share this episode with a friend who needs a new favorite song. Your reviews help more listeners find us—what track should Avery cover next?

Sponsor Link:
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Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - backstagepassradio.com and randyhulsey.com

Artist(s) Web Page

www.averykern.com

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer.

Support Backstage Pass Radio - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628902/support

Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio

Your Host,
Randy Hulsey

Support the show