The Zak Kuhn Show (Backboard Entertainment)

John Esposito is Chairman and CEO of Warner Music Nashville.  He has been running the label for over a decade and has signed acts like Dan + Shay, Kenny Chesney, Brett Eldredge, Ingrid Andress, Gabby Barrett and so many more. 

Kevin "Chief" Zaruk and Simon Tikhman are the co-founders of The Core Entertainment. They were introduced by their lawyer and Michael Rapino suggested they team up. We get the story and talk about their unique approach to artist management. These two will make you wish you worked in the music biz. If you're already in the biz, this episode will make you wish you had a partnership as great as this one.

Former saddle bronc rider Chancey Williams is on the podcast this week. Now he is more known for being a country artist.  He and fellow Wyoming artist and rodeo cowboy Chris LeDoux are the only two individuals to compete in the rodeo and perform on the main stage of Cheyenne Frontier. You're going to love this conversation! 

Sherod Robertson is the President and Owner of Music Row Magazine. Prior to running Music Row, Robertson served as Director of Finance at Arista Records after beginning his career as Vice President of Finance and CFO at Reunion Records. If you want to know what it takes to run a major music publication, then this episode is for you!

This week, the podcast is back at Berklee College of Music. In front of a live audience of students, Zak sat down with Double Elvis co-founder and CEO Brady Sadler to talk about what it takes to build the most successful music podcasts in the world. Brady has helped create and produce shows like Disgraceland, Badlands and 27 Club, all hosted by his partner and co-founder Jake Brennan. He also recently produced Shred With Shifty, which is hosted by Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett.  Bradys podcasts have received hundreds of millions of downloads around the world. You'll love his insight.

Thomas O'Keefe is the current tour manager for Weezer. Before that, he was out with Train, Ryan Adams, Third Eye Blind, and Sia. Thomas talks about life on the road, how he got his start with Ryan Adams, and how a punk rocker from Connecticut ended up touring with some of the biggest acts in the world.

Del Bryant is the President and CEO emeritus of BMI. He is also the son of legendary songwriters Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, who are considered the first professional songwriters in Nashville. Together, his parents sold over half a billion records and wrote hits for artists like The Everly Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Little Jimmy Dickens, and Buddy Holly. Today, Del is one of the most respected and influential leaders in the music industry, and spends a lot of his time focusing on preserving his parents legacy. There are few people as closely tied to the foundation of Music City as Del.

Erik Nelson & Gian Pergini are the founders of FanFlex, a mobile app that helps venues and artists books shows in a brand new way. As venues start to open back up, FanFlex is going to be critical for this process. Tune in to see how two old friends, teamed up to change the live music space.

Alana Springsteen is a rising artist in Nashville. If you're in the industry, you know what she is about. She moved to town at the age of 14 and has been here for almost a decade. Yet, she is just getting started. This is her moment. Ever think that if only you learned music earlier in life, you would have become a superstar? Well Alana did just that. She is on the path.

Her newest project "History of Breaking Up part 1 & 2" are out now. 

LA based musical duo and couple ni/co (Dani + Colton) couldn't find the perfect song for the first dance at their wedding, so they decided to write it themselves. Now the song has gone viral on TikTok. We talk about how they met, writing the song and growing their massive following across social media.

Carter Faith is a Nashville songwriter and artist on the rise. We discuss her path as an artist, why she moved to Nashville and her songwriting process. For Carter, it's all about the song but she loves being on the stage and she recently opened up for The Avett Brothers. In Nashville, Carter constantly comes up in conversation. The industry is rallying behind her and she has been featured on playlist covers for Fresh Finds and Today's Country. Learn about her now, before she blows up.

Tyler Dial first started developing his chops as a performer in Austin while studying at the University of Texas, playing UT parties and bars on Sixth Street. He is now signed to Make Wake Management and just released a new EP with the help of Virgin Music. You need to listen. Especially to the song "Damn Denver", which Tyler had been holding onto for years. He was waiting for the right moment to put it out and we talk all about it. Tyler is someone who is not going away. He is fighting his way to the top. You'll be inspired.

Ted Chapin is the former president of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. He has lead Broadway productions and revivals, including “South Pacific” Broadway revival, “The King and I,” “Oklahoma!” and “Carousel.” He also approved television productions such as “The Sound of Music Live!” on NBC and “Cinderella,” starring Whitney Houston and Brandy, on ABC. We talk about how he got the job, the importance of these shows today, how Ariana Grande's "7 Rings" came together and so much more. We also talk about "Annie Get You Gun" which is celebrating its 75th anniversary and how Rodgers & Hammerstein were involved in the iconic show.

If you're in Nashville, you know Lauren Weintraub. But you might not know the story of how she signed her first publishing deal with Big Machine Music and dropped out of college. If you're not in Nashville, Lauren should be on your radar, if she isn't already. She has over 450K followers on TikTok, recently signed with Virgin Music and has a brand new EP titled "This Is Your Brain On Love" coming out on Friday. You're going to love Lauren and this conversation.

Dan Rogers is the Executive Producer of The Grand Ole Opry. He started with the show as an intern over 20 years ago. Today, he is leading one of America's great treasures into the modern age. Tune in to hear Opry secrets, history, how the show gets put together and so much more.

We are live from Berklee College of Music. This week's guest, and season 3 opener, is Jim Lucchese, the CEO of Sofar Sounds. Prior, Jim was the CEO of The Echo Nest, which was acquired by Spotify in 2014. That technology and team went on to develop tools like Spotify's algorithmic playlists. Jim was also very involved in creating Spotify for Artists. Today, Jim is focused on continuing to grow Sofar  around the world. You’re going to be inspired by this conversation and love Jim’s passion for what he does. Don't miss the student questions at the end of the episode!

RJ Curtis is the Executive Director of Country Radio Seminar (CRS). RJ spent the first half of his career working in radio stations on the West Coast. He then moved to Nashville to work in journalism, and would become the Nashville Editor for the All Access Music Group. As the current head of CRS, RJ oversees every aspect of the conference. We talk about what it takes to pull it off, RJ's rise in the industry, the history and future of radio and so much more.

Mike Errico is a New York-based recording artist, writer and teaches songwriting at universities including Yale, Wesleyan, The New School, and NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. He has a new book out called Music, Lyrics, and Life: A Field Guide for the Advancing Songwriter. We talk about his day to day in the classroom, what makes a modern pop hit, why songwriters should study wheel makers and so much more. You're going to love Mike. And he might convince you that you could have a career as a songwriter.

Dan Smyers is a producer, songwriter, performer and one half of the duo Dan + Shay. You know the group. But do you know how they started? Or how Dan records Shay's flawless vocals? We cover it all. Dan is sharp and knows the business. This conversation gives you a glimpse into what it takes to be one of the biggest acts in all of music. Don't miss it.

Ben Vaughn is the President/CEO of Warner/Chappell Nashville. Prior to that, he was the youngest executive to head a major publisher in Nashville, as EVP & GM at EMI. Vaughn started out running an independent music publishing company at the age of 20. Today, he works with some of the biggest songwriters and artists in music including Thomas Rhett, Rhett Akins, Jesse Frasure, Nicolle Galyon, Liz Rose, Dan + Shay and many more. 

The Nashville Briefing

Colbie Caillat burst onto the music scene with Coco in 2007. She has since sold millions of albums and has earned over 15 billion streams and two Grammys. You know the hits. Her debut country album Along The Way is out now.

East Nashville guitar hero Guthrie Trapp returns to the podcast

Andy Mooney has been the CEO of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation since 2015. Prior to that, he held senior positions at Disney and Nike. We cover it all. This episode was recorded in person at the Fender headquarters in Los Angeles.

Kurt Deutsch is the Senior Vice President for Theatrical & Catalog Development at Warner/Chappell. He is also the President and founder of Sh-K-Boom and Ghostlight Records. Kurt has worked on some of the most iconic cast albums from the last 20 years including: In The Heights, Book of Mormon, The Last Five Years, Pippin, 13 and many more. Kurt is an entrepreneur, a pioneer and a leader in the Broadway community and the music industry.

Steven Galanis is the CEO and co-founder of the popular video-sharing website Cameo. We talk about how Steven bootstrapped the company while still working at LinkedIn, how the platform is changing the game for celebrities across the world and so much more. If you are an artist, a manager or an entrepreneur, then this episode is for you!

Shawn Askinosie is the Indiana Jones of making chocolate. His company Askinosie Chocolate makes some of the best, highest quality chocolate today. We talk all about the chocolate making process. But it's not about the chocolate. Shawn uses his business to help his local community, as well as the farmers around the world that he sources his beans from. You'll be inspired by Shawn's story. 

Sony/Monument recording duo Tigirlily Gold is on the podcast this week! We talk about them being on the cover for Nashville Briefing's debut print issue, their current radio single "I Tried A Ring On", and so much more. I even harmonize with them live on the air. These girls are blowing up! Listen to our convo now

BRELAND is in the studio this week to talk about his brand new album Cross Country. We talk about collaborating with A list artists like Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley and Pharrell Williams but we also talk about how BRELAND is creating his own path in the genre of country music. You're going to love this conversation and be inspired by BRELAND's confidence. In short, he is changing the game. Listen now! 

Panos Panay is the Co-President of The Recording Academy. Prior to his current role he served as the Senior Vice President for Global Strategy & Innovation at Berklee College of Music. A serial entrepreneur, he is the founder of Sonicbids; the founder of Berklee's Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship; and co-founder of the Open Music Initiative. His first book “Two Beats Ahead: What Musical Minds Teach Us About Innovation” (co-authored with IDEO partner Michael Hendrix) was selected by The Financial Times as a business book of the month in April 2021 and featured in Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast. He is one of the great minds in the music industry. 

Multi-platinum artist Andy Grammer continues to energize, empower, and bring together audiences around the world with his uplifting and honest pop anthems. His observations and affirmations pick people back up when they need it, affirm their potential, and encourage them to keep going. Grammer was even named the #1 "Happy" Streaming artist globally. Inspiring fans around the world, he has over 3B global streams under his belt and a social media footprint of over 4M followers.

Bobby Bones needs no introduction. This is episode #100. We are officially a real podcast. 

Alex Goodman is the head of digital at Riser House Records. He also manages the career of major label recording artist Dylan Brady. Alex is one of the fastest rising executives on Music Row. If you want to know how to make it in the modern music business, then this episode is for you.

This podcast is presented by The Nashville Briefing

David Ross is the founder of Music Row, one of the most prolific trade magazines in Country Music. Hear Ross' story about creating the publication, running it for over 30 years, meeting a young Taylor Swift, and ultimately selling the company to get back to his original passion, writing songs.

Zak catches up this week with Nashville music leaders and co-hosts of the popular Dadville podcast, Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin

David Kells is the the Executive Vice President at Bridgestone Arena and the Nashville Predators. He oversees operations for the entire venue and has been named twice to Billboard's Country Power Player list. We talk about how the venue is reopening, the best place to watch a show, why the venue community is so collaborative and so much more. Kells even mentions the best Bridgestone snack! Tune in to find out what it is.

If you don't know, my company Nashville Briefing is releasing our debut print issue today! This conversation with Bobby Bones was for a Q&A that appears in the print issue. The audio here was never meant to be listened to but I decided we should put it out anyway. Have fun!

Arista recording artist Rosie just wrapped her first ever headline tour the same week she released her new EP "5 Songs For Healing". You need to listen. She first blew up on TikTok, but she is so much more than just a "TikTok artist". You're going to love how real and honest Rosie is in this conversation. Find out what it's like to be an artist who is on the rise today!

It's our season 3 premier! Christian Barker has been named one of Billboard's "Top Music Lawyers" and is an Equity Partner in the Nashville office of Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP. Barker has signed his songwriter and producer clients to nearly every publishing company in Nashville and beyond and brokered deals for his clients totaling 8-figures+ this past year alone. Barker thinks outside of the box and puts his own creative spin on the practice of law. You're going to love this conversation, and I can't think of a better guest to kick off our third season!

Brad Paisley needs no introduction. This was recorded live in Brad's home studio. Watch the video interview on YouTube.

Funk guitar player Cory Wong on the podcast this week.

Steve Schnur is the Worldwide Executive of Music for Electronic Arts, the largest video game producer in the world. Not a piece of music makes it into an EA game without his approval. We talk about how he builds some of the most influential playlists in games like Madden, how the music and gaming industry will continue to collide, why Nashville is important to him and so much more. The Gaming industry today is bigger than the film and music industry combined. Tune in to find out why.

Mat Devine is the head of Music Partnerships for Cameo. Prior to that he created and fronted the alternative rock band Kill Hannah, which was signed to Atlantic Records. He also starred in the Spider-Man Musical on Broadway. We talk all about it! 

Adam Doleac is weeks away from his wedding and he still managed to find time to come onto the show. He just released his debut album "Barstool Whiskey Wonderland" and it's big! 18 songs big! You need to listen. He is getting ready to getting head out on his first headlining tour and we talk all about it. Adam has been grinding in Nashville for a long time. Now he has the music, the team, the label deal and the fans. This is his moment! You're going to be inspired by this conversation.

Kelleigh Bannen is the host of The Kelleigh Bannen Show and Today's Country on Apple Music Radio. She is also a longtime artist herself. We talk about what goes into creating her radio shows, how she preps for interviews, when she is coming out with new music and so much more. 

Bob Lefsetz is a music industry analyst and critic. He is the author of The Lefsetz Letter. Bob holds nothing back in this conversation. Get to know the man behind the newsletter.

Guitar hero Andy Timmons on the podcast this week. If you want to learn how to play like Andy, start by listening to this podcast.

Zach Beeken, Garret Nichols, and Colton Pack make up Restless Road. The group just finished their sold out headline "Bar Friends Tour" and their current single "Growing Old With You" is at country radio right now. We talk about how the group came together, connected with Kane Brown, built a following on social media and so much more. If you want to know what it takes to make it as a country band in Nashville, this episode will answer all your questions.

On our 40th episode special, we are pulling out all the stops! Leslie Fram is the senior VP of music strategy for CMT. Matt Pinfield is the legendary host of MTV's 120 Minutes. What do Leslie and Matt have in common? They once hosted a radio show together! We dive deep into stories of them being on the air and talk about how with minimal resources, they were able to pull off iconic stunts. Hearing the excitement that Matt & Leslie still have for music is exhilarating and I guarantee their stories will blow you away.

On this episode of the Zak Kuhn Show, legendary blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa talks gear, how to market your own shows and why he sold his Dumble amps + why you need to learn a 31 band EQ. We cover it all!

Kylie Morgan is the quintessential Nashville artist. Signed to Universal Music Group Nashville, she is getting ready to release a new EP titled P.S. and is about to take a brand new song to country radio. We talk about opening for Jason Derulo, performing her first stadium show, writing songs with Walker Hayes and so much more. Kylie's energy is infectious. She'll make you wish you were a country star. Bibi joins as guest host.

Brian Kelley of Florida George Line is on the podcast this week, along with wife Brittney Kelley and business partner Bryan Bulte. The trio talk about their new NFT project Chill Cowboy Country Club, BK's solo career, and what's around the corner. Everyone in this episode is incredibly well spoken and knowledgeable about the world of crypto. If you're an outsider, this conversation will make you want to get involved. But it goes deeper than that. You'll want to be in the friend group after listening.

BEXAR (pronounced ‘bear’) is comprised of Chris Ryan (lead vocals/guitar) and Logan Turner (vocals/banjo/guitar). The band self-released their debut EP in 2018 and have accumulated over 25 million streams to date. Now signed to Warner Music Nashville, BEXAR has been in the studio working on a new EP with producers Ross Copperman and Luke Laird. The project will be released September 3rd. The group is also getting ready to open a string of dates for Keith Urban. These guys are going to make you wish you were in a band.

Charlie Starr is the lead vocalist and guitarist of Blackberry Smoke. Hear about the bands drive-in shows, Charlie's musical influences, the group’s new album produced by Dave Cobb, and so much more. If you want to know what it takes to be a rockstar in the 21st center, then this episode is for you.

Tom Chapin is a three time Grammy winning singer-songwriter. He is the brother of legendary artist Harry Chapin. Above all, he is the first artist I ever fell in love with, at 5 years old. Tune in to hear how Harry wrote his legendary hit Taxi, how Tom made a career out of singing family music, the secrets of winning over an audience and so much more.

Rising country star Alexandra Kay joins The Zak Kuhn Show this week to open up about her debut album, divorce and live on the road. The independent artist sold over 50,00 tickets last year on her headlining tour and has already earned millions of streams.

Graeme Winder is an entrepreneur, music educator and founder of Keys & Kingdoms, a video game platform that is changing the way kids learn music. Having struggled himself learning music, Graeme is on a mission to teach kids in a way that is best for them. Oh, and the founder of Guitar Hero is coming along for the journey!

Ralph Jaccodine is a professor of Music Business at Berklee College Of Music. Ralph began his career as a concert promoter working with artists like Bruce Springsteen, Kiss, Rush, Hall and Oates, and the Doobie Brothers. After running his own commercial real estate company in Boston for 12 years, he joined Mike Dreese, the cofounder of Newbury Comics and started Black Wolf Records, an independent record label. Ralph is the cofounder of the Boston Management Group, a professional organization he started 25+ years ago with Tim Collins, the longtime manager of Aerosmith. In addition to being a full-time professor, Ralph also manages the careers of Livingston Taylor, Shun Ng, Rebecca Loebe, and others.

Em Beihold is a rising star. You probably know her song "Numb Little Bug", which went viral on TikTok last year and went to #1 on Hot AC. What you might not know is that Beihold started out fencing, long before it was featured on the Netflix showWednesday. She has performed on Jimmy Fallon, James Corden, opened up for the Jonas Brothers and has a brand new song coming out this Friday titled “Roller Coasters Make Me Sad”. This episode is a window into how you take a viral moment and turn it into a career. Don't miss it! 
 

If you're following country artists on the rise, you know Ashley Cooke. Still early in her journey, she's had chart climbing hits like “Never Til Now” with Brett Young, national TV appearances on ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” and has toured with Cole Swindell, Jordan Davis and is about to go on tour with Brett Young. Cooke is the co-founder of The 615 House and is a TikTok star. You need to follow her. Ashley makes it look easy, even though it's anything but. This conversation will make you want to be her best friend. Want to know what it takes to make it as a country superstar in Nashville? This episode is for you?

Cody Alan is one of country music's biggest radio personalities. Keith Urban says he "makes Ryan Seacrest look like a slacker". As host and executive producer of CMT Radio, millions of listeners hear Cody daily on more than 200 radio stations. On CMT's flagship music show, Hot 20 Countdown, his face can also be seen in 90 million homes. He has interviewed everyone from Taylor Swift to Blake Shelton, and Bradley Cooper to Dolly Parton. Cody has a brand new book out titled Hear's The Thing and we talk all about it. If you know Cody, you will love this conversation. If you don't know him, this episode will make you a fan.

This week I caught up with Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. We talk about his solo career, recording with Nashville's A-Team and so much more. You're going to love his stories from the road, his knowledge of music and of course guitars. Of course we talk about the Foos as well. Chris is an actual real life rock star! Don't sleep on this conversation! Listen to his new song "Dead And Gone" out now. 

Filmore is one of Nashville's buzziest rising superstars. He is signed to Curb Records and has earned over 147 million total on-demand streams. His debut album "State I'm In" is out now. Hear how a kid from Missouri hustled to make it in the music business.

By the age of nine, Jessi Alexander had taught herself how to play Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender” by ear on her grandparent’s piano. By the time she was 11 years old, she was already writing her own songs. Alexander first gained prominence thanks to her work on Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.” Throughout her career, she’s collaborated with multiple artists including Luke Combs, Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Midland, Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett, Trisha Yearwood, Celine Dion, Ashley Monroe and Midland. Additionally, she’s earned an NSAI Song of the Year honor, as well as ACM and CMA awards for Song of the Year with Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck.” Listening to Jessi, you'll wish you were a songwriter.

Ken Davenport is a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer whose credits include Once On This Island (Tony Award), The Play that Goes Wrong, Groundhog Day, Godspell, Kinky Boots (Tony Award), 13 The Musical and so much more. We talk about the return of live events, what makes a perfect logo, how he knew Ariana Grande would become a massive star and so much more.

Per Sundin became the CEO of Pophouse in 2019. Before that, he was the President of Universal Music Nordic Region and the Managing Director of Universal Music Sweden for more than a decade. In that role, he signed and broke EDM superstar Avicii. We talk all about it. Per was also the first label executive to partner with Spotify, driving the industry shift to a streaming revenue model. He is portrayed in the recent Netflix series The Playlist, which shows the creation of Spotify. You need to watch it! Per has had a massive impact on the modern music industry and you might not even know it. You'll be fascinated by this conversation.

Pete Ganbarg is a true record man. He is a 2-time Grammy winning executive who is the President of A&R at Atlantic Records. He learned the business from Clive Davis and over the past 30+ years has played a major role in the careers of some of the most influential artists in the world. We talk about his involvement with Santana, Train, Hamilton, BRELAND and so much. We also talk about his podcast Rock & Roll High School and how the show came together. You're going to love Pete. This episode will remind you why you got into the music business.

Brian Benson is the Vice President of Booking at AC Entertainment. He has been with the company for over 20 years and is perhaps best known for booking Bonnaroo. We talk about how he builds the lineup, discovers new bands, booked Paul McCartney and so much more.

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Jennifer Turner is the CEO of the Tennessee Performing Art Center (TPAC). We talk about how she got the gig, what goes into organizing the season, the future of theater in Nashville and so much more. The 2021 - 2022 season has already been announced and tickets are going fast!

David Dufresne is a partner at Panache Ventures, one of the most active and best performing Canadian venture capital funds. Prior to that, he was the Head of Strategy & Growth at Bandcamp. Prior to that, he was the CEO of popular website building service Bandzoogle.

Jerry Flowers is the bass player and musical director for Keith Urban. He's been playing with him for over 30 years. Flowers is also a No. 1 Songwriter and has written hits for Sam Hunt, Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris, Jason Aldean and Billy Currington, among others. Jerry is a Nashville lifer! It's in his blood. And he spills it all in this conversation. You're going to love it! - Zak

Columbia Records and Sony Music Nashville artist Ella Langley is on the rise. The singer just released her debut EP Excuse The Mess, which is a must listen. In this conversation, Ella dishes the real info on what it's like to make it Nashville but we also talk about hunting, playing the college bar scene and so much. This episode will make you a fan.

Fresh off his #1 single Prayed For You, Matt Stell is releasing a brand new EP titled "Better Than That". He is one of the nicest guys in country music, and his amazing career is just getting started.

On the final stop of the podcast tour, Zak is live in Chicago at the Museum of Post Punk & Industrial Music. His guests are legendary punk rocker Martin Atkins, co-founder/owner of Chicago based vinyl pressing plant Smashed Plastic John Lombardo and Dark Matter Coffee founder Jesse Diaz. These three entrepreneurs are impacting culture in the Windy City. Don’t miss these conversations.

Jonnie Forster emerged as a music entrepreneur after graduating with a Bachelor of Sciences in Marketing from San Diego State University. He joined A&M/Tuff Break Records implementing marketing plans for their hip-hop roster before moving to Capitol Records. As a marketing executive, he was instrumental in campaigns for the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys, Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, and a host of others. In 2020, Forster’s entertainment company rebranded to The PENTHOUSE, inspired by its one-of-a-kind creative hub. The Penthouse includes recording studios, offices for film & TV, management companies, plus a legendary 2,500 sq. foot patio overlooking the Hollywood Hills where all are invited to collaborate & celebrate. Today, Forster manages country acts Willie Jones and RVSHVD. He is also perhaps the most connected man in Nashville, who doesn't live in Nashville. You need to know about him.

Matt Graham is the manager of country superstars Midland. He is a co-founder of Range Media and grew up in the business promoting college shows with Scooter Braun. He was one of the first managers to break artists using social media and remains on the cutting edge of technology and talent today.

Jordan Burger is the head of Madison House Nashville. He has worked with artists such as Oasis, Squeeze, Kid Rock, Kevin Costner, Southern Avenue, Sugar Ray, Los Lonely Boys, Rob Zombie, Marc Cohn, American Idol Winners [David Cook, Nick Fradiani, and Kris Allen] and many more. We talk about the current booking landscape, why so many music industry legends come out of Emory University, the secret to the perfect New York bagel and so much more. 

This week, I interviewed the truly legendary producer and studio guitar player Dann Huff. His credits include Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts and more. We cover it all. He even shares a shred guitar lick at the end. A must learn for all you guitar players out there! 

Legendary ZZ Top guitarist Billy F. Gibbons is on the podcast this week and he has a new solo album, "Hardware." We discuss the early days of ZZ Top, what is was like opening for Jimi Hendrix, what inspires him today and where he likes to eat in Nashville. Here is a man who doesn't need much of an introduction.

Adam Lowenberg is the Chief Marketing Officer at Primary Wave. He is responsible for some of the most compelling and unique marketing concepts within the modern music industry. Prior to being at Primary Wave, Lowenberg was Sr. VP of Marketing for Island Def Jam and served as Sr. VP of Marketing at Virgin Records. We talk about his rise in the industry, the 15th anniversary of Primary Wave, how he creates national holidays for his clients and so much more. 

Robyn Ottolini describes herself as the Eminem of country music. No joke. In 2020, Ottolini's career took off with the viral TikTok hit “F-150”. Since then, she signed with Warner Music Nashville, recently announced a brand new tour and has been releasing music non stop. Despite recently making her debut trip to Music City, she is one of Nashville most talked about rising artists.

Born in Chattanooga TN, raised in Dallas TX and currently living in Nashville, Shaylen has done it all. After 10 years of living in Los Angeles, Shaylen has accumulated tens of millions of streams as a major label pop artist. Now, she's gone country. If you're on TikTok, you probably know her song "What If I Don't" and her recently released track "Do It Right The First Time", which was featured on the The Kelly Clarkson Show. She's making a name for herself here in Nashville. Don't sleep on it! 

A Thousand Horses are one of the few bands rocking in Country music today. These guys have been through it all and have come out on top. "A Song To Remember" is their brand new single, produced by Dave Cobb, that's out on Country radio right now.

Grace Bowers has emerged as a guitar phenomenon out of Nashville. She's been sought after by everyone from Lainey Wilson, Devon Allman, Margo Price, Tyler Childers, Kingfish, Susan Tedeshi, and others. Grace mastered her abilities via YouTube tutorials and lessons. In the midst of the COVID lockdown, she built an audience by regularly livestreaming solo jam sessions on Reddit, while her Instagram reels often achieved viral impact. Along the way, she landed a coveted Gibson endorsement at the age of 14. At the current age of 17, Grace is one of the most interesting guitarists in the scene right now. We talk about her rise, her approach on the instrument and so much more. 

Sarah Trahern is the CEO of the Country Music Association (CMA). We dive deep into her journey to Music City, how the CMA is innovating around the world today, the recovery of the music industry and so much more. This episode is simply a must listen. 

Will Farrell-Green is the head of Music Content at Twitch. This episode was recorded live as an industry webinar. We talk about best streaming strategies, if your artists should be on Twitch, how to get them on, and so much more! If you have even considered putting your art on Twitch, this episode is for you!

This podcast is from The Nashville Briefing

Ron Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In his epic career, Fair has worked with artists that include Christina Aguilera, Vanessa Carlton, Keyshia Cole, The Black Eyed Peas and so many more. We talk about his move to Nashville, how he got started in the biz, his involvement in recording the Rocky theme song and so much more. Ron is a true record man living here in Nashville. You'll be inspired by this conversation.

Dustin Boyer is a partner at Venture Music, one of the top digital marketing firms in Nashville. We talk about how to grow a fanbase, TikTok strategy, what most artists get wrong when it comes to marketing and so much more. Dustin is all about the analytics and he is one of the sharpest guys in the biz. This episode is going to make you grateful that there are people as knowledgeable as Dustin working in music .

The podcast tour continues! This live episode was recorded during a panel last week at SXSW. Zak is joined by Spotify Nashville Head of Editorial Rachel Whitney, Universal Nashville Director of Streaming Vipin Reddy and Riveter Management Founder Charlene Bryant. We cover it all. Don't miss this conversation!

Signed to Warner Music Nashville and Disney Music Groups’s Buena Vista Records, band members Dawson Anderson and Emma Salute boast stage credits worldwide, from Stagecoach Festival in their home state of California to C2C: Country to Country Festival in London. The duo just got off the road with Gary LeVox and are currently in the studio recording new music with Nashville legend Dann Huff. Want to know what's bubbling under the surface here in Nashville? This episode is for you.

Charlie Davis is the founder of Preffy, a brand new marketing platform that was recently acquired by Nashville based company Songfluencer. Preffy is changing the way artists engage with fans by allowing them to host competitions to see who can get the most likes on a social media video, that features their song. We talk about how Charlie built the platform, the future on influencer marketing, why Songfluencer CEO Johnny Cloherty was willing to bet big on Preffy and so much more. If you work in the fan engagement business, this episode is for you. 

Jared Gutstadt is the CEO and founder of Audio Up, one of the most talked about music companies today. As a music producer and song writer, Jared has collaborated with Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley Bob Dylan, Lil Wayne, Steven Tyler, Machine Gun Kelly, 24kGoldn, T Bone Burnett and DJ Khaled. He is a two time Emmy nominee, 3 time Cannes Lions winner, and is one of ASCAP’s most synched TV composers of all time. Jared created Audio Up as an ecosystem of premium entertainment content within the music and audio space. If you know about the company or are hearing about it for the first time, you will learn something in this episode. Don't be fooled by the cowboy hat and laid back demeanor. Jared in a genius and is taking audio to the next level. You'll want to be on his team after listening.

New York based jazz guitar player Oz Noy talks growing up in Israel, finding jazz, moving to New York and the inspiration of Jimi Hendrix. Sign up for my Patreon for guitar licks from this lesson and others. https://www.patreon.com/TheZakKuhnShow

This week, I interviewed guitar connoisseur and YouTuber Keith Williams. He created and hosts the famed YouTube channel Five Watt World. We discuss launching the channel, his relationship with Rick Beato, his affinity to Strandberg guitars and why people send him vintage instruments in the mail.

Jon Cohen is the co-founder of Vagrant Records. Throughout his legendary career as a label head, Cohen signed bands like The 1975, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Dashboard Confessional, Alkaline Trio and so many more. Now Cohen has created a brand new company called Big Noise Music and recently signed Nashville star Travis Tritt. If you want to know how to build a label from the ground up, from someone who has done it twice, then this episode is for you!

If you're a country music fan, you know about Lindsay Ell and how great of a guitar player she is. You might not know that she was recently featured on a PBS series called American Anthems. Each episode of the show follows a different country star as they meet a local hero. The show has received wide critical praise, and the song "Let the Words Come Out”, which Lindsay wrote in the episode, is now being submitted for a Grammy. On top of that we talk about Lindsay's practice routine, returning to host Canada's Got Talent, and she even shares tips on how to slide into someone's DMs. You'll learn a lot in this episode. Don't miss it.

Adam C. Sansiveri is Head of the Nashville Private Client Group at AllianceBernstein. He is also a Broadway producer, film financier, tech entrepreneur, philanthropist, restaurateur and a renewable energy investor Adam started his career as a classical vocalist and has performed at the Verbier Festival, the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and Tanglewood. We talk about the growth of Nashville,  NFTs, selling song catalogs and so much more. 

This week on the podcast, we sat down with Warner Music Nashville Recording artist Ryan Griffin. We talk about life growing up in Florida, moving to Nashville, working with Busbee and so much more. Ryan is a new artist, who is rising fast. Learn his story now!