Podcast appearances and mentions of Eric Church

Most commencement speeches are forgotten within days. But when country music star Eric Church compared life to a guitar with six strings that must stay in tune—faith, family, relationships, ambition, community, and identity—the message struck a chord with millions. In this Shop Talk, Bill and Alex unpack the viral speech and explore what it means to keep your own life in tune when the world keeps pulling you out of it. Support the show: https://www.normalfolks.us/#joinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Eric Church joins the boys on the bus for one of the most incredible interviews we've ever had. The Chief opens up about the label almost dropping him before Smoke A Little Smoke saved his career, the origin story behind the sunglasses and nickname, secretly pressing the Mr Misunderstood album in Germany without telling his label, getting fired from the Rascal Flatts tour and finding out from Taylor Swift, launching the Me And Myself Tour as the ultimate troll move, Bob Seger calling and changing everything, headlining Stagecoach with just a guitar and a choir, the commencement speech that broke the internet, and announcing The Six Strings Of Your Life book. Plus the boys break down Myles Garrett to the Rams, Aaron Donald coming out of retirement, UFC 250 on the White House lawn, bachelor party tier talks, and the Knicks taking over New York. Subscribe. Big hugs, tiny kisses. Timestamp Chapters: 0:00 Open 0:43 Eric Church Is The GOAT 2:09 UFC 250 On The White House Lawn Predictions 5:46 Michael Chandler Will Never Retire 6:10 Alex Pereira Over Jon Jones? 8:16 Travis Pastrana Recap 11:03 Taylor Almost Cried Last Episode 14:16 Delanie Crushed Racin’ With The Boys 15:23 Fans LOVE Intern Chris 17:07 Bussin’ Bash 2026 20:14 Power Ranking The Boys Night Out 23:24 Will's Beach Vacation 27:01 Will Ran Into Brian Kelly On The Beach 32:59 Brendan Sorsby Is Back 39:57 Myles Garrett To The Rams 40:24 Aaron Donald Is Coming Out Of Retirement 45:01 Jared Verse Got Traded To Cleveland 51:31 AJ Brown To The Patriots 54:03 Ro Spicy Tier Talk 59:00 Tight End University & The Dad Combine 1:01:05 The New York Knicks 1:03:39 Stanley Cup Finals 1:05:00 Best Warm Up Songs 1:07:12 Did BWTB Get Florida Georgia Line Back Together 1:08:21 Peeing Yourself During A Football Game 1:14:22 Eric Church Interview Begins 1:16:04 Eric Church Has Never Used Social Media 1:18:11 The Label Almost Dropped Him 1:21:10 The Sunglasses And Chief Nickname Origin Story 1:24:04 Secret Album Drop With Zero Promo 1:28:08 Chris Stapleton And Justin Timberlake Stole The Moment 1:37:58 Eric Church Got Fired From The Rascal Flatts Tour 1:41:02 Taylor Swift Told Him He Was Fired 1:42:11 The Ultimate Troll Move 1:44:06 Bob Seger Called And Changed Everything 1:47:34 Headlining Stagecoach 1:50:00 Lightning Was Inspired By The Green Mile 1:51:18 The Record Label Meeting That Went Horribly Wrong 1:55:08 Getting Drunk At Tin Roof + Getting Signed 1:58:03 The Commencement Speech That Broke The Internet 2:04:35 The Six Strings Of Your Life 2:05:52 Bud Light Question 2:09:37 Eric Church Beefs 2:13:14 Staying True To Your Creative Compass 2:20:48 Eric Church Mentors Ella Langley 2:24:27 Fan Questions + Connor Smith Question 2:28:20 How Bussin’ With The Boys Started 2:34:52 Does Eric Church Recognize Fans In The Crowd 2:38:17 App State Or UNC Wilmington 2:39:13 Does Eric Church Sleep In His Sunglasses 2:41:03 The Outsiders Was The 2016 Titans O Line Walkout Song See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just three chords and the truth. Or a double-minded genre, unstable in all its ways. One song praises God; the next glorifies drunkenness. One minute it's faith; the next it's fornication. And millions of Christians are singing along to both without blinking an eye. From Ella Langley to Morgan Wallen to Riley Green to Tucker Wetmore, the message is incredibly consistent: get drunk, sleep around, break hearts, ignore conviction—but talk about the big man upstairs. Just sprinkle a little Jesus on top to pull in the nominals and voila… you've got yourself some country music. What we want to get in today is what Eric Church calls, quote, "Country Music Jesus." And does he match the One we find in Scripture? Follow Good Fight Ministries on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodfightministries  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodfightministries  Twitter/X: https://www.twitter.com/goodfightmin  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goodfightministries  Rumble: https://rumble.com/GoodFightMinistries  Support Us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/goodfight  The Submerging Church https://www.goodfight.org/product/the-submerging-church/ 

From AI-written songs and a controversial commencement speech to trans athletes in girls' sports, Cody Johnson's bear hunt backlash, THC drinks, and a powerful small-town funeral story – the guys cover it all in this episode of the Try That In A Small Town Podcast. They compare Scott Borchetta's AI-heavy, “deal with it” address to Eric Church's inspiring guitar analogy, talk about what AI and streaming are really doing to songwriters, roast a school district for a rained-out graduation, tell wild Bahamas golf and gambling stories, and debate THC drinks, hunting, and new “poly” reality TV. They close with DipShidiot of the Week and a heartfelt look at how small towns still show up for their own. 00:52 Will Levis sex tape rumor and buying stories back from tabloids 02:53 Summer is here, kids out, and notable commencement speeches 03:16 Eric Church's guitar-and-life commencement speech and why it worked 05:09 Scott Borchetta's AI commencement: streaming, socials, and production 05:41 Booed by grads, “I know it, deal with it” and delivery vs message 07:12 Is brutal realism better than inspiration for graduates? 08:02 AI as tool vs replacement and why it hits different when you're already rich 09:18 Comparing AI to Pro Tools, samples, and why fully AI songs lose listeners 11:09 Streaming's impact on publishing, who actually makes money now 12:25 Big label buildings, tiny publishing floors, and small pub company struggles 13:54 Local high school graduations drenched in rain, no backup venue 14:45 Rain-or-shine policies, lightning concerns, and rushing the ceremony 15:43 What the soaked kids and grandparents went through that night 16:48 Superintendent named Dipshit of the Week for no backup plan 17:34 Road managers, “bad calls,” and transition to Bahamas trip 18:01 Bahamas: golf, fishing, tequila-fueled NHL-on-PS5 money games 19:57 High-dollar putter on the line: live call to Jake for Scotty Cameron details 20:58 Aldean wins the putter in overtime and pulls it from Jake's bag at the airport 22:10 Telly's golf swing, overconfidence, and getting mocked online 23:06 Baker's Bay, Morgan Wallen, and stories that stay behind the paywall 24:36 Charles Barkley's swing yips and getting a little better over time 25:03 Tax deadlines pushed back again in Tennessee and IRS jokes 25:38 Teasing next guest and Kayla's upcoming shoulder surgery 26:16 Pain meds, “no days off,” and the idea of a post-op podcast 26:54 The blue bottle “herbal” drink heading toward felony status in Tennessee 27:35 How it became a pre-show hype drink and what it actually looks like 28:26 Why the state is banning it and links to opioid recovery concerns 29:10 If that's illegal, what about THC drinks and Delta beverages? 29:54 THC drinks as golf “swing juice” and health vs alcohol debate 30:32 Listeners' THC drink stories and whether it really helps putting 31:20 Prebiotic Pepsi “health” marketing and chemical overload 31:56 Predicting THC drinks at sporting events and stadiums 32:07 Super Bowl 2030 coming to Nashville and halftime show speculation 32:30 Taylor Swift, “real” country, and who should play the big stage 33:40 Titans rebuild, new coach, and does Will Levis really have it? 38:18 Pocket passers vs mobile QBs and what the guys want under center 39:40 Topic wheel spin: California track meet and trans athlete controversy 40:21 “Can't believe this is still a thing” and fairness for girls in sports 40:58 Parents, boycotts, and refusing to line up against male competitors 41:51 Riley Gaines' regret about competing and the mental toll 43:08 Zero tolerance stance vs waiting for laws and elections to catch up 44:02 New show “This Is Poly” and modern polyamorous families on TV 45:25 Jealousy, fights, and why some refuse to watch these reality shows 47:34 Kayla's comedy, being “yourself” on mic, and overthinking funny 49:04 Musicianship, performance anxiety, and freedom when you stop monitoring 50:34 Recording vocals without headphones and trusting feel 51:12 Delta THC drinks: 20 mg misfire and why 5 mg is smarter 52:02 Gummy war stories, Doritos, and not being natural stoners 53:04 On-stage looks vs reality: who seems like the “stoner” in the band 54:03 Dip Shitty of the Week: Cody Johnson's Alaskan bear hunt haters 54:31 Hunting culture vs online outrage and meat-eating hypocrisy 55:27 “Harvested” vs “killed” and calling hunting what it is 56:02 Liberal sensitivities, offense at everything, and language games 57:07 Public etiquette dipshit: people who just stop in the middle of walkways 58:30 Airport moving walkways: “it's not a ride, keep walking” 59:20 Backpack chaos on airplanes and basic travel courtesy 1:00:33 Listener callout: submit your Dip Shitty of the Week in the comments 1:01:02 Small-town funeral: honoring a firefighter, veteran, and community pillar 1:01:45 Fire trucks, sirens, last ride, American Legion, and folded flag moment 1:02:20 Food, casseroles, and how small towns show up for grieving families 1:03:22 Why small towns may be what keeps the country united 1:04:36 Going home to a 400-person town and Legion dinners after funerals 1:05:09 How that support gives the family peace and helps them move on 1:05:27 Peacemaker Coffee promo: TTIAST blends, sucker punch dark roast, travel mugs 1:05:58 CTAs: download, comment, send small-town stories and dipshidiots of the week ______________________________________________________________________________________________SPONSORS: The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every BusinessBook a tour today at espaces.comFrom 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-PATRIOTRight now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.Original Brands - Our original sponsor since the beginning!!Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.comPeacemaker Coffee CompanyFounded by retired police officer/chief Chris Morris, Peacemaker delivers clean, low-acidity coffee while supporting police, firefighters, EMS, military, veterans, teachers, dispatchers, and medical personnel through donations and programs.https://www.peacemakercoffeecompany.com/________________________________________________________________________________________________Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.comProduced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.coSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Please do yourself a favor. Listen to the commencement address that country star Eric Church recently gave at the University of North Carolina. It's 18 minutes—and very much worth our time.Church offers that there are what he calls "six strings" to a life well lived. If all six strings are properly tuned, our life can be a beautiful song. If any one of those strings is not properly tuned, the song of our life is off.  We can hear it. The people in our life can hear it, too. Take a good look at the list. What strings of ours need tuning? Church observes that the need to tune our strings is never-ending. At every age and stage some string or strings needs our attention. Which makes sense. Faith is an important string, but events like illness, death, and loss rock our faith. Family is an important string, but families are ever-changing. Loved ones die, loved ones are born, people grow up and out. Marriage is an important string, but every marriage has its different chapters. And so on for all the strings.On Shabbat morning we are going to look at three Jewish values—listening (shema), focusing (kavanah), and returning (teshuvah)—that can bring our strings into attunement.Church's commencement address has gone viral because it is artful and true. Matching his six strings with our three Jewish values will add beauty and meaning to our song and our life.

It's been a long hiatus but my series called The Unskippables is back. I speak with a musician about an album they think is perfect from start to finish. An album with no skips. This week I caught up with my old friend Payton Smith. I say "old" because I met him 7 years ago, but he's still 26. I've been following his career since he was a teenager. Payton is such an impressive songwriter and guitar player.In this episode we discuss Eric Church's album "The Outsiders." Despite being one of his least commercially accessible albums, "The Outsiders" has been a standout to the Church Choir and all of his fans. Payton and I discuss how he found himself in Nashville at such a young age, how the pandemic derailed all of his momentum and how Eric Church has always been an inspiration to him.

In this episode, we conclude season 18 by reflecting on the grace-filled moments this past season and the quiet ways the Lord continues to invite us into deeper communion with Him. We share who our favorite guests were, which episodes deeply ministered to us, and what we are hoping for in this next season.  Thank you for spending this season with us, friends. It has been such a gift to walk alongside you in every conversation, prayer, and story shared. We'll be holding you close in prayer over the summer and look forward to gathering with you again on July 6th, 2026 for our summer book study. Heather's One Thing - Our Abiding Together Team: Kristina, Camille, and Kate! Heather's Other One Thing - The team for a Healing the Whole Person Retreat in England Sister Miriam's One Thing - Seeing Abiding Together listeners in the wild! Sister Miriam's Other One Thing - The Dignity of Dependence by Lea Libresco Sargeant Michelle's One Thing - Timothy Shriver's Laetare Address and Eric Church's Commencement Address   Other Resources Mentioned: Diane Keaton Because I Said So Clip The Ladies' Favorite S18 Episode: Prophetic Motherhood Sister's Other Favorite S18 Episode: Episode on Forgiveness    Announcement: Our summer book study on "Friendship in the Lord" by Fr. Hinnebusch begins July 6th! You can buy your copy from Ave Maria Press (or Amazon).   Journal Questions: How is God teaching me to love those around me differently? What risks have I been asked to take lately? What expectations is God inviting me to release? What is the pace of beauty in my life? What fears am I carrying below the surface today?   Discussion Questions: What struck you throughout this season? How has your life changed during this season? When have you been tempted to possess rather than receive? What gifts has God given you this year? Where is the Holy Spirit already moving in your life?   Quote to Ponder: "Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are, quite naturally, impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—and that may take a very long time." (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin)   Scripture for Lectio: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)   Sponsor - BeeStill Design: BeeStill Design is a handcrafted Catholic jewelry and art brand founded by Louisiana artist and entrepreneur Holly Klock. A wife and mom of three, Holly has built BeeStill from a small creative outlet into a growing brand known for pieces that are both beautiful and meaningful. Her collections feature heirloom-quality jewelry, pressed flowers, and custom intaglios, along with enamel work and ornaments. From the very beginning, she has sought to bring the joy and beauty of our faith into each creation—always with the same vision: to design timeless pieces that tell stories of faith, love, and family. Whether you are looking for a piece of jewelry to be a daily reminder of God, or would like to find a meaningful gift for someone in your life, we encourage you to head over to beestilldesign.com. Use the code "AbideinHim" for 25% off.   Timestamps:  00:00 BeeStill Design 01:00 Introduction 01:46 Welcome 02:40 Scripture Verse and Quote to Ponder 03:38 Our Favorite Guests this Season 06:58 Our Favorite Episodes this Season 12:28 Receiving Good Gifts 16:58 Fruit Being Born in Our Lives 19:42 Hopes and Desires for the Next Season 26:28 Summer Book Study Announcement 28:26 One Things

Special Memorial Day Edition Featuring Governor Kay Ivey's  2026 video tribute& Eric Church's Commencement Speech at UNC Chapel Hill 

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREIn this solo episode of Maximum Lawyer Live, Tyson Mutrux unpacks a powerful idea: most of what you think is “just who I am” is actually a series of choices you've made, and can change. Inspired by Sydney Sweeney's physical and mental transformation to play boxer Christy Martin, Tyson explores how our looks, leadership style, and even our “bad habits” are usually the result of repeated decisions, not permanent traits.He weaves in a moving Eric Church commencement clip about a guitar that's slightly out of tune, reminding you that there is a core “chord” running through you that should stay constant while you intentionally upgrade everything around it.From visualizing the future version of yourself to stepping into different roles (parent, firm leader, spouse, business owner) on purpose, Tyson gives you a practical mindset shift: stop saying “I'm not organized” or “I'm bad at hiring” and start saying “I haven't chosen to get good at this yet.”Most lawyers hide behind fixed labels like “I'm not a numbers person” or “I'm just bad at sales.” Tyson explains why those identities are choices, and how to change them without losing who you really are.In this episode, you'll learn:How watching Sydney Sweeney play boxer Christy Martin sparked a deep question: how much of how we look, act, and lead is actually a choice?Why your “look” isn't just clothes and hair, but training, eating, body language, and how you carry yourself as a leader.The difference between your unchangeable inner “chord” (your core values) and the roles you can intentionally step into.How to use visualization to become the future version of yourself, including the way Tyson borrows characters like the lawyer from “The Judge” to snap into a different mode.Why saying “I'm disorganized,” “I'm bad at hiring,” or “I'm not a numbers person” is just dodging responsibility—and how to reframe those as underdeveloped skills you're actively improving.How intentional decisions around health, fitness, and training now pay off for your 50-, 60-, and 80-year-old self.Highlights01:00 - The Christy Martin movie that sparked Tyson's identity rabbit hole03:12 - How Hollywood proves “the look follows the decision” (training, eating, moving differently)05:09 - The unchanging “chord” inside you and why you shouldn't try to rewrite it06:45 - Visualization 101 – stepping into the future version of you on purpose (Billy Terrasio shoutout)08:18 - Using characters like “The Judge” to snap into parent, leader, and owner roles09:52 - Why Tyson wore a three‑piece suit at MaxLawCon and Disrupt while everyone else went casual11:24 - Health as a long game – building muscle in your 40s for your 50‑ and 80‑year‑old self13:03 - “I'm just not organized” and other identity lies law firm owners tell themselves14:37 - Reframing your labels: “I haven't chosen to get good at this… yet”16:02 - Teaching kids (and teams) to replace “I'm bad at this” with “I'm working on getting better”17:25 - Turning decisions into reality – training, support, and telling your leadership team who you're becoming19:10 - Final challenge: audit your labels, choose new ones, and keep that core chord intact

Ordained minister, Dr. Dennis Hall, examines commencement speeches given at colleges and universities during this year's graduation ceremonies. He looks at speeches that were roundly booed by the audiences to a speech so anti-Semitic that it can be considered the worst speech in 2026. On the other end of the spectrum Dr. Hall focuses on the commencement address at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that is considered the best commencement address delivered in 2026, and one of the best of all time. This speech was given by Eric Church, a country music artist and songwriter who grew up in North Carolina and has received many awards for his music. In this speech Eric Church uses his guitar as a metaphor to talk about six strings of life. Dr. Hall takes the liberty to expand on Eric Church's metaphor through a scriptural perspective. Can be heard on all podcast search engines and viewed on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/sT7s2qjs26s.

Send us Fan MailWe bounce from the Thunder vs Spurs playoff chess match to the long wait for Texas football, where summer work and staying clean matter as much as any depth chart. Then we get real about transfer portal academics, break down Texas postseason baseball and softball, and end with nostalgia and a reminder to choose community over online performance. • Spurs physicality and coaching plan against OKC • Why summer workouts shape Texas football success • Sark's point on transfer credits and earning a real degree • Rasheem Biles on nearly missing Texas after a number change • How Texas' strength of schedule changes CFP expectations • Longhorn baseball postseason outlook, roster strengths, pitching concerns • Mike Hard's take on young arms, bullpen roles, and top seeds • Texas softball's path back to Oklahoma City and what could stop them • Field day ribbons, cafeteria square pizza, and a summer lunch program memory • Gratitude, family time, and the Eric Church commencement message about community Go to YouTube and subscribe for free. Please share and like on each of our social media platforms. Support the showPlease like and follow each of Stories Inside the Man Cave Podcast social media links on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Tik Tok.

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Michael and TC revisit some of the most memorable commencement speeches from both this year and years past — from Roger Federer, Steve Jobs, Shonda Rhimes, Steve Carell, Eric Church, Arthur Brooks, and more. From lessons on resilience and rejection to purpose, kindness, ambition, and community, they break down the advice that resonated most with graduates — and why these messages matter far beyond campus. Plus: AI gets booed at graduations, universities navigate speech controversies, and Michael reflects on the power of rejection in his own commencement addresses. A thoughtful, funny, and surprisingly emotional conversation about success, failure, and what actually makes a meaningful life. Original air date 19 May 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

KCP Crew Reacts to Eric Church's “Six Strings of Life” UNC 2026 Commencement The KC Crew discuss graduation season and family updates, including a daughter graduating from the University of Minnesota, then do a “reaction video” to Eric Church's 2026 University of North Carolina commencement speech. Church frames life like a six-string guitar, urging graduates to keep key “strings” in tune: faith, family, spouse/partner, ambition and resilience, community and belonging, and staying true to yourself amid social pressure, stressing that “the world does not need another cover song.” The hosts reflect on how the message applies beyond graduates, share tangents about music and community ties like reunions, and emphasize being honest about setbacks and failures as part of real life.

On the Guy Benson Show today, Guy took a listen to Eric Church's recent commencement address at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Guy called Church's commencement address a "masterclass" and played a large chunk of the address for the audience to hear, and you can listen to the full segment below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hour Two of A&G features... A trio of "reporters" share their thoughts on the Mangione Triial/murder of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson... The Amazing Wemby... The amazing Eric Church commencement speech.... Social Program = Slush Funds! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Briefing's Nick Pitts helps us look at the Rededicate 250 event and the different types of Christians.  He also talks about a commencement address given by musical artist Eric Church where he uses the six strings on the guitar, how they are facets of your life and how get them to work together beautifully.  Luke Moon of 2 Hammers and Generation Zion addresses the allegations leveled by a New York Times opinion piece of sexual violence by IDF soldiers against Palestinians.  The piece was released before another report regarding the violence, including sexual, by Hamas fighters against Israelis on Oct. 7th.   The Reconnect with Carmen and all Faith Radio are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here  

Hour Two of A&G features... A trio of "reporters" share their thoughts on the Mangione Triial/murder of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson... The Amazing Wemby... The amazing Eric Church commencement speech.... Social Program = Slush Funds! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Vardon from The Athletic joins Bobby to talk about NBA storylines, including LeBron’s future, what could happen with Giannis, and how the Cavs have turned things around. He also shares the hilarious behind-the-scenes story of accidentally walking in on Eric Church mid-massage. Plus, Bobby gets into what Matthew McConaughey is really like after meeting him and whether he feels more like a character or just a regular guy. The guys also break down the 9x9x9 challenge, debate if it is actually doable, and Kickoff Kevin explains why he misses the old Tom Brady before the fashion shows and post-retirement spotlight. Follow the Show: @25WhistlesSports Follow the Crew: @MrBobbyBones @ProducerEddie @KickoffKevin @MikeDeestro @BrandonRayMusic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chumps Line starts the hour, and Howie discusses Eric Church's commencement speech at UNC. Then, Howie takes a trip to the past when a climate change promoter told everyone there'd be no humans left in 2026.  Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

In part one of Red Eye Radio with Gary McNamara and Eric Harley, headlines over the weekend were a bit unsorted as we start the week. College basketball overshadowed the World Cup, for example, but one important story was the Louisiana Senate shake-up with Republican Senator Bill Cassidy being un-seated by Trump endorsed Congresswoman Julia Letlow. We feature audio from Cassidy skirting a question about impeaching President Trump during his first term, as well as audio from Louisiana Senator John Kennedy with his usual humorous take on the matter. Also Country music superstar Eric Church uses guitar strings to explain life lessons at UNC graduation, the addiction to sports, the hero complex of TikTok and Texas tops the list of most favorable places to move to. For more talk on the issues that matter to you, listen on radio stations across America Monday-Friday 12am-5am CT (1am-6am ET and 10pm-3am PT), download the RED EYE RADIO SHOW app, asking your smart speaker, or listening at RedEyeRadioShow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My wife's favorite country singer is Eric Church, and his commencement address at UNC is proof of why he's so great. Sit back and enjoy his description of the 6 strings of a guitar and the 6 pillars of life.

Chris Williams and Chris Hassel debate why a 24-team College Football Playoff might actually be a lifeline for Iowa State and the Big 12, react to the national fallout from the Fran McCaffery/Gary Dolphin story, and break down Iowa's new basketball court plans.

My wife's favorite country singer is Eric Church, and his commencement address at UNC is proof of why he's so great. Sit back and enjoy his description of the 6 strings of a guitar and the 6 pillars of life.

This season finale is classic rambling in the very best way!  We're rambling about: ✨ American Idol (and how refreshing it is to see bold faith in mainstream culture) ✨ Fran's 24-hour NYC adventure ✨ Eden Salon therapeutic head spa reviews because self-care matters ✨ Nashville food adventures (Fryce Cream & Wanna Spoon Cereal Bar) ✨ podcasts we're loving (2819 Church & With the Perry's) ✨ Eric Church's commencement speech ✨ what we're actually excited about this summer ✨ AND celebrating our anniversary

Can a celebrity-backed whiskey brand actually change the way American spirits are made? In this episode of Bourbon Lens (383), Jake Lewellen sits down with the ultimate industry outsider turned mad scientist: Ari Sussman, the whiskey maker behind country star Eric Church's Whiskey Jypsi.We take a deep dive into their most ambitious and historically significant release yet: Legacy Batch 003: "The Declaration." Conceived as a liquid tribute to America's upcoming 250th anniversary, this bottle completely reimagines Colonial-era Maryland-style rye. Ari breaks down the insane logistics behind this 60/30/10 cross-category blend, which features 8-to-12-year-old Indiana rye finished in apple brandy casks sourced directly from George Washington's Mount Vernon Distillery, 25-year-old Canadian corn whiskey, and a touch of Virginia single malt. From the pioneering use of agricultural gene editing (like the "Lavender Haze" grain) to the hidden Easter egg behind its 115.74 proof statement, this episode proves why Whiskey Jypsi is leaving standard sourced bourbon behind to stage an American whiskey revolution.In this episode, we explore:The Outsider Ethos: How Ari's background in French wine harvests shapes his approach to "noble grains."Deconstructing "The Declaration": Breaking down the components of an ultra-complex $200 blend.The Mount Vernon Connection: Finishing MGP 95/5 rye in actual historic apple brandy barrels.Punk-Rock Rye: Why Ari believes rye—not bourbon—is the true whiskey of revolutionaries.Agricultural Innovation: Looking at the future of heirloom grains and gene-edited varietals.Hidden in the Proof: The incredible historical meaning behind the 115.74 bottling strength.Timestamps:00:00 | Introduction: Catching Up with Whiskey Maker Ari Sussman02:15 | The Jypsi Lineup: Legacy, Explorer, and Tribute Series07:45 | Celebrity Brands Done Right: Eric Church and Authentic Leadership10:30 | Noble Grains: Heirloom Varietals and Agricultural Philosophy15:00 | The Cutting Edge: Can Gene Editing Revolutionize Whiskey Grains?20:45 | Wood & Stave Innovation: Designing Cross-Category Complexity25:30 | Reclaiming the Past: The Rise and Fall of Maryland-Style Rye30:20 | Tasting The Declaration: Blending Indiana, Canada, and Virginia34:20 | Bottle Storytelling: The Hidden History in the 115.74 Proof Statement38:00 | Scarcity & Allocation: Where to Find Legacy Batch 00342:00 | Final Thoughts: Shaking Up the American Blended Whiskey Category

It's graduation season, and Brian From mines the best commencement wisdom making the rounds — Eric Church's six guitar strings as six pillars of life (and why faith is the low E that everything else depends on), Rick Warren's sobering reminder that nobody on their deathbed has ever asked for their trophies, and Admiral McRaven's legendary case for why making your bed every morning is actually about the trajectory of your entire day. Then: a genuinely important piece on why parents need to play too — not just schedule their kids' activities, but carve out hobbies, downtime, and unstructured joy for themselves. Research says peak wellbeing hits around $111,000 a year, relationships matter more than wealth, and time may be our greatest currency — but do we actually live like we believe any of that? A 72-year-old grandmother just graduated medical school and is starting her residency, which is either inspiring or convicting depending on where you are with your own dreams. Plus: a company that gave employees a goodie bag instead of a raise, Pizza Hut bringing back the red checkered tablecloths, and a beautiful meditation on why God loves to hear his children cry "help please, Dad."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Vardon from The Athletic joins Bobby to talk about NBA storylines, including LeBron’s future, what could happen with Giannis, and how the Cavs have turned things around. He also shares the hilarious behind-the-scenes story of accidentally walking in on Eric Church mid-massage. Plus, Bobby gets into what Matthew McConaughey is really like after meeting him and whether he feels more like a character or just a regular guy. The guys also break down the 9x9x9 challenge, debate if it is actually doable, and Kickoff Kevin explains why he misses the old Tom Brady before the fashion shows and post-retirement spotlight. Follow the Show: @25WhistlesSports Follow the Crew: @MrBobbyBones @ProducerEddie @KickoffKevin @MikeDeestro @BrandonRayMusic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good Morning BT with Bo Thompson and Beth Troutman | Monday, May 18th, 2026. 6:05 Beth’s Song of the Day 6:20 Weekend Graduation speeches recap (Eric Church and Tom Brady) 6:35 Bo and Beth talk "best" commencement speakers 6:50 RAM Biz Update; Commencement speeches cont. 7:05 Remembering Jack Szoke | Aaron Rai wins PGA Championship 7:20 Radio Host and Producer replaced by A.I. In Andon Labs experiment 7:35 Steve's A.I. Show description for GMBT 7:50 GMBTeam included in A.I description 8:05 80 Pizza Hut locations to undergo major revival 8:20 Pizza Hut news cont. 8:35 Guest: Thomas Dismukes (SC Senate Candidate) 8:50 Guest: Thomas Dismukes 9:05 In-Studio Guest: Mark Lach (Creative Director of the Titanic exhibition at the Park Expo) 9:20 Mark Lach cont. - Inside the Titanic Exhibition 9:35 Mark Lach cont. - Titanic Exhibition 9:50 Mark Lach cont. | Show wrapSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Kasey Covers Country..Check out the winners list from last night's ACM Awards! Lainey Wilson shares wedding photos with Vogue.Eric Church gives graduation commencement speech at UNC.Morgan Wallen brings inclusive concert experience to blind attendees.Reba on her upcoming wedding details!Jordan Davis.. Shave that beard. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if Jesus' most demanding words are actually his most life-giving? On Senior Sunday, Pastor Eric unpacks three commands from Matthew 16 — deny yourself, take up your cross, follow me — and makes the case that this isn't a burden to bear but a blueprint for a life worth living. Science, biography, and Scripture all point the same direction: the people who grip their lives the tightest end up with the least, and the ones who give themselves away end up with everything that actually matters. Meaning Over Happiness Dr. Eric J. Gilchrest | May 17, 2026 Check out the weekly sermon here or on our SRBC podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. What We're Talking AboutWhat Jesus would actually say in a commencement speech — and why it's harder and better than the usual adviceWhat "deny yourself" means, and the trap of thinking it means killing the passions God planted in youWhy doing hard things isn't punishment — it's the path to the life you actually wantThe hedonic treadmill: what science finally caught up to tell us about pleasure, pain, and why your phone is making you miserableHow to follow Jesus wisely — and why who else you follow matters more than you think Like what you hear? We'd love to know.At South Run, we read every message personally. Whether you have a question, want to share how God is moving in your life, or are thinking about visiting in person, this is the place to start. If you click the link below, Pastor Eric will personally reach out to you. Listening online? Let us know. Sermon Transcript South Run Baptist Church | Springfield, VAPastor Eric GilchrestMatthew 16:24–26May 17, 2026 — Senior SundayThis is a full sermon transcript from South Run Baptist Church in Springfield, Virginia. In this message, Pastor Eric Gilchrest delivers a commencement address to the church's graduating senior class from Matthew 16:24–26. This sermon is part of the ongoing "The Jesus Way" transformation series and addresses three commands Jesus gives his followers — deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me — and what each one means practically for young people stepping into adult life. Opening: A Pastor-Dad Starts to Feel the FeelsGood morning. It's really nice to have the room fuller and to be with all of you who have gathered for this class of seniors. As I was sitting over here, I think I've made a grave error. I thought to myself, I'm going to do something a little different this morning. And Danny, despite what you said, my gift to you all is that this message will be a little shorter today. The grave error, though, is that I don't have notes to read, which I think was going to be fine until I was over here and thinking, this is not the morning to just...Someone was asking me earlier, like, how do you feel about all this? Because I have a senior, in case you don't know. One of my seniors in the room here, one of the 11 — there's 11 of them — is mine. And the question was, how do you feel about that? I said, you know what? I feel fine. I've not had any time to process. I've just kind of been doing the thing. And then as I'm sitting over here, I'm starting to feel the feels. And I'm like, this could go terribly. So my hope is that it doesn't.I'm going to talk to you all this morning, and they can listen, and this message is for you. What Would Jesus Say in a Commencement Speech?As I was thinking about what to talk about, the question popped into my head: if Jesus was asked to give a commencement speech, what would he do, right? What would Jesus do, WWJD? And, you know, if you were at the homeschool commencement yesterday, Dr. Yingling gave a very nice commencement speech. Let's go ahead and practice what he said. He said, you need to remember four things, right? They are — as we're kind of cheated — yes, lead courageously, and then the second was? Yes, accept responsibility. The third was? Reject passivity. Adam, can I just say, you did something right here. Three out of three so far. The fourth is? The most important one. Invest eternally. Yeah.I went home from that, and I thought that was beautiful. And then I opened up the social media, and I saw that there's a musician named Eric Church. He gave a speech yesterday, and he was up there with his guitar, and he had six points, the six strings of the guitar. Each were their own point, and the bottom E string was that you need faith, and you need a belief in God, and this will see you through life. All of these would be great. But this is not how Jesus talks. And so he doesn't usually give us the six points to living the right life. As much as I would wish he did, by the way, I really do. But instead, he often talks in parables and enigmatically. He gives us things like we heard this morning: if you try to save your life, you'll end up losing it. And yet if you lose your life for his sake, you find it, right?And so this morning, I want to give you some of what I think to be Jesus' wisdom. Again, as a dad who's in the middle of my life and have a few years under my belt now, and the thought of sending one of my own out into the world — what would I want to say to you? Like if this was my last chance and I never got to talk to you again, what would I want to say? Before I do, let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come this morning and we ask that your word is spoken here. Lord, we believe that you have something to say to these seniors especially, but to everybody in the room. God, we are on a path of some kind — a narrow path, prayerfully, one that leads to life. But some of us on that wider path that leads to destruction. And so Lord, this morning, as we think about the future that sits in front of us, let us choose wisely. Speak clearly. In Christ's name we pray, amen. Matthew 16:24–26: Three Points for a Life Worth LivingI believe with all my heart that Jesus wants each and every one of you to live really full lives. When he promises us abundant life, I think he means it. When he promises us that this path, this narrow path, is one that leads to life, I think he means it. But it's narrow for a reason. And sometimes that narrowness gets so small, it feels like a tightrope, like you might fall off on one side or another.And so with the shorter time that I have, Danny, I want to give you not the six strings of a guitar and not even the four. I'm going to go three. And I think they come straight from Jesus' word to us this morning. I'd ask that each of you open up to Matthew chapter 16. I want to show you what he says.First of all, if we get to the end of the passage from today, which is verse 26, he offers a warning. And the warning is this. He says, what's the profit of a man if he gains the whole world, if he gets to the end of his life, and he has achieved everything. He is the king of it all. He's sitting on top of every throne, and he has all the money, and he has all the fame, and he's got whatever you've wanted in this life, but he has forfeited his soul. What does he profit? And of course, Jesus is saying nothing. And so what he's really talking about here is how do we live a life where we keep our souls intact? How do we live a life of integrity and character? How do we live a life that leads to life and fullness?And I think he does give us a bit of a roadmap here. He gives us, we'll say, three things. Verse 24: "If anyone comes after me, let him" — and here's your three points — "deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." These are the three things. Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.Point One: Deny Yourself — What It Means and What It Doesn't MeanWe'll start with the deny yourself piece. For this, I want to tell you what it means and what it does not mean.To deny yourself is to say that the world and human nature is such that the operational mode — like the mode you just start in — is selfishness. It's just how it works. We walk through the world in a way that is, I'm at the center of my own world, right? Wherever I go, there I am. I'm in the frame at all times, and there's no getting around that. And so it requires something of you to think about other people and to prioritize others and to put them ahead of yourself. And so when Jesus is saying to deny yourself, he's saying you need to find a way to love other people well and to think about others — whether it's your moms, and you're supposed to call them when you go off to college, whether it's your friends, whether it's your younger siblings or the people in your life that you meet that need you — you've got to find a way to bend outside of the frame that is our life, the selfish frame, and to think of others.Here's, though, what deny yourself does not mean, and this one is very important to me, and I wanted to make sure I got it in here because I fell into this trap many, many times in my life. What deny yourself does not mean is to deny the passions of your life, the things that you love, the things that make you come alive, the things that God has rooted way deep down in you. God's put those there for a reason. And you don't need to deny those. You might need to train those and to make them proper loves, but you don't need to deny them. In fact, those might be the very gifts that God has given to you, that you are then supposed to give to the world. Point Two: Take Up Your Cross — Doing Hard Things and the Hedonic TreadmillThe second thing that Jesus says is to take up your cross. Take up your cross. I've got two points on this one too.There is the bigger sense of what this means. To take up a cross means to go to your death. It's a very sobering thought. Thankfully, as a preacher, I get to talk about sobering things, and so I want to take this moment to do so. I would encourage each of you to ask yourself in a very sincere way, maybe in a quiet moment: what would I be willing to actually die for? What would I die for in this life? Who would I die for? If you're entering into the military, you might really be asked this question. Your country, your family, your faith — what is it? For whom and for what would you be willing to take up your cross?The second thing, though, is maybe lesser, but also very important, which is to say, Jesus is calling us to a life that costs something, that has some measure of pain to it, that has some measure of devotion. And you can do hard things. This is what I want you to know. You can do hard things. You need to do hard things in life. And there's something about the doing of the hard thing that actually makes you stronger and ready for the next harder thing until you've done that. And then you're at the next hard thing. And pretty soon, you're a whole lot stronger than you thought you were. And picking up your cross means doing the hard thing over and over and over again.Jesus leads his disciples into some pretty hard places, and the Peter we meet in the Gospels and the Peter we meet in the letters of Peter are two very different people. The one is deeply immature. He's probably really young. He might be your age, and he does some really foolish things. But by the time he's at the end of his life and he's the fully mature Peter, he has done some very hard things in life. And if tradition has anything to say, he died a martyr's death just like his Savior did. You can do hard things, and you should do hard things. I've got this whole bit about the hedonic treadmill, and you know what? I'm doing all right on time, so I'm going to say it. It goes like this. There's a way of living that seeks to just do the next pleasurable thing. Whether that thing is sitting on your phone, whether it's chasing some kind of fun thing out there, whether it's doing things you shouldn't be doing — maybe it's things that you think are harmless — but it's a life that seeks those pleasurable dopamine hits, okay?The truth of your brain, and science has finally caught up to faith here, is that this is not sustainable. The hedonic treadmill goes like this. Hedonism is the pursuit of pleasure and pleasure and more pleasure and more pleasure. And to do so requires increasing amounts of pleasure, and that becomes unsustainable. And what really happens is you find the pleasure in the momentary hit of the dopamine, whatever that might be for you, and then the baseline of your life, the in-between spaces, gets lower, and then it gets lower again, and then it gets lower again. And this leads to things like depression and anxiety and just a general malaise. The opposite of this is to do hard things. It's why when you work out, if you go to the gym and you push some weights around, in the moment you're doing the hard thing, and then what happens is there's this rush after the fact and you feel better about yourself, and your mind is clearer, and the world just seems like a better place. And it's because by doing the hard thing, you've actually pushed down the opposite way, but then the baseline of it all, the in-between places — it comes up. This is a very important lesson in life, because you can't just chase the pleasure and skip the pain. It's all one bundle together. And by doing the hard things of life, you actually make room for the more pleasurable experiences to even be received as such. A couple weeks ago, I told a story or I had this illustration about a boy mowing the lawn with his dad. If you were here for it, it was awesome. And I forgot my prop again. The boy comes in from mowing the lawn with his dad. He did nothing — he had a plastic mower, if you weren't here for it. But he comes in, and he's sweating too. And the dad's sweating too. And they're both enjoying a glass of lemonade together. And they're both looking at that lawn, and the little boy is like, we did such a great job, dad. And there's something about the hard work of it all that makes that moment of the lemonade worth it completely.Let me offer you two people. One person spends a lot of his life building a business — lots of late nights, lots of early mornings, lots of probably coffee involved, like sweat and no doubt some real tears in building this business and building this life. And then five and 10 and 15 years down the road, that business turns into something awesome. And he becomes a millionaire. And then there's this other person, and this person won the lottery. And they became a millionaire overnight. You tell me — those two people, the one who built the business and the one who won that million dollars overnight, which one appreciates that life that has been built for them? You know the answer, right? It's the one who worked for it. It's the one who put in the hours. It's the one who was doing the hard thing, was receiving some of the pain. But then the pleasure on the backside of it all — this was worth every minute because now this person has built a life. And so part of this is picking up your cross — being willing to do the hard thing. Point Three: Follow Jesus — and Be Careful Who Else You FollowBut I'd be neglectful if we didn't say the third part, which is actually part of the cross bearing, which is the third thing that Jesus says here: to follow him. To follow him. I have two things I want to say about this. One is to follow Jesus is exactly what he's talking. He's not just talking about following some divine source out there. He's talking about Jesus has a way for you. And the message that I've been trying to give to you for the last 18 years of your life is that the Jesus way is a way worth walking. It's a path that you are intended to walk down. And if you walk it well, then it will lead to life. It won't preclude all the hardness that I've talked about. The cross bearing is still real. All of that is still real. But the meaning of life will be abundant at that point.And then the second thing goes along with following. And it, again, is a lesser point here, but it's really important. Because here's the truth. You're going to follow someone in life. You're actually going to follow many people in your life. And I need you to be very careful about who you trust. Who do you entrust yourself to? Who do you entrust your mind to? Walk in a discerning way. Follow discerningly. But you'll follow somebody. So find the right people to trust. I would encourage you to find people with character. People who love you. People who have a certain amount of humility about them. But people who have lived a life that you would want to actually live. That you would be proud of living. Follow those kinds of people. A Word from a Dad Who Got LuckyI've said my three points. And so there's just one more thing to say. I am proud to be your dad. And I'm proud to be your pastor. I don't know how I got this lucky in life. My life has been winding and it's been its own path. But to find myself here in the middle of my life, standing on a stage, getting to talk to 11 amazing seniors who have awesome lives waiting in their future — God has given me an amazing thing. And I want amazing things for each of you. I believe God has amazing things in store for each of you. And I would just encourage you to walk the path with integrity, to keep your souls intact, to follow his ways. Let's pray together. Father in heaven, we thank you for these students, these young men and these young women. Lord, they are a gift from you. They are a gift to me. They are a gift to this church. They are a gift to these parents, their families. And Lord, I am looking forward to what you are going to do with these fresh young lives. They very well might change the world. There are 11 of them, just like the 11 disciples who were following you, and they changed the world. And so, Lord, my prayer is that each of these 11, these disciples of Christ, that they walk the way with a steadiness, that they choose you every time. And we ask that you prepare the way for them. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. South Run Baptist Church | 8712 Selger Drive, Springfield, VA 22153 | Sunday Worship at 11am Serving Springfield, Burke, West Springfield, Lorton, Alexandria, Fort Belvoir, and Franconia, Virginia. Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

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On Episode 299 of Outside The Round, Matt Burrill sits down with rising South Carolina artist Cooper Ledford. Fresh off his first tour opening for Kameron Marlowe, Cooper shares how posting a cappella covers on TikTok helped launch his career and led to sold out shows across the Midwest. The conversation dives into growing up with a preacher father in South Carolina, football injuries that pushed him toward music, and falling in love with songwriting through artists like Eric Church, George Jones, and Keith Whitley. Cooper also talks about moving to Nashville at 19, building his band with fellow South Carolina musicians, and creating a sound that blends traditional country, rock, and bluegrass influences. Plus, stories from the road, hearing fans sing his songs back to him for the first time, and what's next as he prepares for a breakout year. Follow on Social Media: Cooper Ledford: @coopertledford Matt Burrill: @raisedrowdymatt Outside The Round: @outsidetheround Raised Rowdy: @raisedrowdy Chapters (00:00:00) - Cooper Ledford On The Rage Rowdy Podcast(00:02:51) - How JD Stopped The Car on the Road(00:04:03) - Songwriter and musician from South Carolina talks about growing up in the(00:06:36) - Blair Gibbon on Growing Up in a Preacher's Home(00:10:11) - Ori Lee Cornbread on the Carolina Gamecocks(00:13:08) - Cornbread Connects for TD(00:13:14) - Cameron on His Acappella Tour(00:14:27) - Carolina Songwriter Meets Eric Church(00:15:45) - Colton Dawson on How He Met Kelsey(00:20:08) - The Local Nashville Song(00:23:59) - How to Get a Handgun in Antioch(00:25:28) - Living With My Bandmates(00:26:47) - Thrift Shop(00:29:28) - Cameron Marlowe on His Carolina Country Music Fest(00:31:18) - Getting to Be Around Ella and Tucker(00:31:50) - Colton On Playing The Tuesday Writers' Round(00:32:53) - Writing With Legendary Songwriters(00:35:00) - Cooper Ladford on His Faith(00:38:52) - "I Started Singing Acapella Before I(00:39:11) - Favorite Places to Eat in Nashville(00:42:15) - Cooper Ledford on His New Music(00:45:11) - Cooper Ledford on His Live Show(00:47:52) - Maroon 5 at a Concert(00:49:42) - Willie Nelson At His First Concert(00:51:22) - Cooper Ledford on His New Music(00:53:54) - Cooper Ledford

The Morning Xtra with Tug and Los delivers conservative talk on the biggest political, cultural, and news stories of the day. Smart analysis, unapologetic opinions, and real conversations every weekday morning. Every weekday from 6a to 10a! FTTK- Gay Tim looked the other way while the Treasury was being raided. Will a 5’1” woman as the best warrior of all time sells? Atlanta's ONLY All Conservative News & Talk Station.: https://www.xtra1063.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Summit ends with Trump-Xi agreement, Eric Church and Harrison Ford give 2 different commencement addresses, Spencer Pratt does it again showing kid's playgrounds with homeless people hanging out.

The Abortion Pill is what starts our Fear Of Missing Out report this week. Major decision from the Supreme Court may not have gone the way you think. We look at the numbers in this country on marriages and if immigrants are helping. A mayor of a California city has been convicted of spying for China. We end with what Eric Church said to graduates about the 6 pillars of life.

We got a question in for our American Mamas...Dear Mamas, what did you think of Eric Church's six String Commencement Speech?If you'd like to ask our American Mamas a question, go to our website, AmericanGroundRadio.com/mamas and click on the Ask the Mamas button.

Eric Church with the Graduation speech of the year

Stay connected with us at americangroundradio.com, on Facebook, and Instagram. You're listening to American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avallone and Stephen Parr. This is the full show for May 13, 2026. We open with the China story that keeps getting bigger — the day after we covered the Arcadia, California mayor who pleaded guilty to acting as a Chinese Communist Party agent, a man named Lou John Wang was convicted in New York City for operating a secret Chinese police station — kidnapping dissidents, pressuring critics of the CCP, and running what amounts to a foreign government's law enforcement operation on American soil. We connect it to Trump and Rubio's diplomatic trip to Beijing, explain what China's secret police stations actually do, and make the case that China's infiltration of American life — through supply chains, universities, real estate near military bases, and now city halls and police stations — is unlike anything any hostile nation has ever accomplished inside our borders. We ask the question every American should be asking — how much access has the Chinese Communist Party already built while we were telling ourselves economics and national security were separate conversations? In our Top 3 Things You Need to Know, President Trump landed in Beijing with a delegation that included Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Wang — arriving to a red carpet welcome and plans to push for Chinese market access for U.S. businesses. Then the U.S. Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve on a 54-45 vote — with Democrat John Fetterman the only crossover — signaling future interest rate cuts that sent equity markets surging. And Salem Communications — home to Hugh Hewitt, Joe Piscopo, Charlie Kirk, Mike Gallagher, and American Ground Radio partnerships in New York, D.C., and the Salem Podcast Network — has been acquired by Waterstone in a deal CEO David Santrella says will accelerate the company's faith-forward mission for years to come. Our American Mama Teri Netterville joins us to talk about country singer Eric Church's commencement speech at North Carolina — which she calls the single greatest commencement speech she has ever heard. Using the six strings of a guitar as his framework, Church walked graduates through faith as the foundational low E string, family as the A string, their life partner as the D string at the heart of the instrument, ambition and resilience on the G string, community on the B string — where he urged graduates to put down roots, volunteer, and build the thing their community needs even if the internet never sees it — and individual greatness on the high E string, the thinnest string most easily bent by outside pressure. We walk through every string and explain why this speech deserves to be heard by every graduating class in America. We dig deep into a new Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth report called From Learning Recession to Learning Recovery — which identifies a nationwide decline in student achievement in math and reading that began in 2013 and was just as severe before the pandemic as during it. The researchers blame social media. We disagree. We connect the timeline directly to Common Core — the untested, nationally imposed educational standards pushed by the Gates Foundation and adopted by 46 states by 2013 — that confused children, baffled parents who could no longer help with math homework, and produced exactly the results you'd expect from conducting a nationwide experiment on children with no prior testing. And we note that Louisiana — which abandoned Common Core's methodology and adopted the Science of Reading — now leads the nation in educational improvement. We also cover the DOJ's settlement with PayPal over their $530 million Economic Opportunity Fund — a 2020 program that tied eligibility explicitly to race and national origin in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. We make the case that you cannot achieve fairness by creating an unfair system, and that civil rights laws were designed to stop discrimination — not rebrand it. We also dig into Senator Tommy Tuberville's proposal to establish English as the official language of American schools — and make the case that a shared language is not about race, it's about unity, assimilation, and the Tower of Babel. For our Bright Spot, a Marine veteran with a concealed carry permit in Massachusetts was already going car to car helping people escape and exchanging fire with an active shooter on Memorial Drive in Cambridge before police arrived. The shooter — who had previously been given half the recommended prison sentence for shooting at cops in 2020 — was stopped before anyone was killed. Nobody's covering this story. We are. We also note that Rudy Giuliani has recovered from pneumonia, left the hospital after being on a ventilator and in the ICU, and remind listeners that God is not finished with us until He says so. And we close with Logan, Cody, and Brody — three high schoolers in Cooper City, Florida who pulled over to help a man they thought had a flat tire and discovered he was having a heart attack. They called 911. Emergency crews arrived. Diego survived. His son said, God didn't send angels with wings. He sent those boys. May your pursuit of happiness bring you joy. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, visit AmericanGroundRadio.com, and join the conversation at 866-AGR-1776!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SPONSOR: — BLAZE TV — If you’re not already a subscriber, you’re missing out on everything we’re building here at BlazeTV. This is where you get the full, unfiltered version of the show—no cuts, no algorithms deciding what you can and can’t see, and a whole lot more content you won’t find anywhere else. When you subscribe, you’re not just getting extended episodes—you’re getting exclusive shows, original documentaries, and early access to the conversations that actually matter. It’s the kind of content that doesn’t get buried or watered down. The best part? You can support this show directly while getting access to all of it. Just head over to https://www.BlazeTV.com/RICK and use promo code RICK to get 20 dollars off your subscription. Unlock everything we’re doing—and keep us going.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

0:30 - CPS 12:35 - Electronic Monitoring 32:33 - Eric Church commencement address at UNC 50:20 - Remembering Rich from Indian Head Park 51:39 - Gordon Chang, author of Plan Red: China’s Project to Destroy America & The Great U.S.-China Tech War, previews Trump’s trip to China. Follow Gordon on X @GordonGChang 01:10:37 - Ted Snider, contributing editor for The American Conservative: Between Iran and a Hard Place. Ted is also a frequent contributor to Responsible Statecraft & Antiwar.com 01:35:41 - Noted economist Stephen Moore: When you’re dealing with an enemy like China you have to use every tool in your chest. Get more Steve @StephenMoore 01:48:18 - Theodore Dalrymple, retired physician and psychiatrist who worked in a general hospital and prison in England, shares details from his two newest books Agatha Christie and the Metaphysics of Murder – available 6/9 & Life at the Bottom: The Worldview that Makes the Underclass 25th Anniversary Edition – available now 02:05:58 - Josh Blackman, Centennial Chair of Constitutional Law at the South Texas College of Law Houston, weighs in on election maps and The Stunning Plan To Reverse The Supreme Court of VirginiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baxter & Johnny D welcome Kentucky-born-and-bred hit songwriter, Jeremy Spillman, to the Challenge. Jeremy has had songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Eric Church, Keith Urban, Cody Johnson, Ashley McBryde, Trace Adkins, Brandy Clark, Midland, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire, Brantley Gilbert, Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan, Emily Ann Roberts, and many more. Spillman is also an author who released his first book, The Divine Devils, last September, to incredible reviews from John Osborne of the Brothers Osborne, Ted Danson, Academy Award Winner, Mary Steenburgen, and many more! Connect with Jeremy Spillman Here: Facebook: @JeremySpillman Instagram: @JeremySpillman Website: https://jeremyspillman.com The C.L.I.M.B. Show is dedicated to helping singers, songwriters, indie artists and industry pros "Create Leverage In The Music Business." We want you to win! About the hosts: Brent Baxter is an award-winning hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson (“Monday Morning Church”), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Gord Bamford and more.  He helps songwriters turn pro by helping them WRITE like a pro, DO BUSINESS like a pro and CONNECT to the pros.  You can find Brent at SongwritingPro.com/Baxter and  SongwritingPro.com. Johnny Dwinell owns Daredevil Production and helps artists increase their streams, blow up their video views, sell more live show tickets, and get discovered by new fans, TV and music industry pros. Daredevil has worked with artists including Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, Ty Herndon, Ronnie McDowell and others.  You can find Johnny at TheCLIMBshow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get in, we're going to Eric Church. Eric's newest album, Evangeline vs. The Machine, brought a whole new level of storytelling to the stage. This tour didn't just showcase the band's incredible musical talent, it delivered a string of hilarious, unexpected moments we couldn't wait to share. Including the one where Tasha was absolutely convinced karaoke was about to break out mid‑show.

Send us Fan MailThere's an idea we all want to believe. If you're talented enough, you'll make it.This week on Here's What We Know, we sit down with singer-songwriter Trey Calloway, a rising country artist navigating the reality of building a career in today's music industry. And what we uncover is something a lot of people don't want to admit: Timing matters more than talent.We talk about country stars like Jason Aldean and Eric Church, artists who feel inevitable now but weren't always. There were years where nobody knew who they were, years where it could have gone the other way.Because when you really look at success in the music industry, you start to realize something. It doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen just because someone is talented.It happens when everything lines up. Talent. Timing. Opportunity. And readiness.Miss one of those, and the outcome can look completely different.If you've ever wondered what it really takes to make it in country music, why some artists break through and others don't, or how timing shapes success in the music industry, give this episode a listen!In This Episode:Why some incredibly talented artists never break throughHow timing, readiness, and life experience all collideThe reality of making money in music todayWhy success often comes later than expectedAnd what keeps someone going when it would be easier to quitThis episode is sponsored by:Sterling Oak CabinetryReed Animal HospitalBio:Trey Calloway is a singer/songwriter born and raised in North Carolina. The son of a preacher man, Trey grew up singing in church and was a seasoned performer by the age of 10.  Although southern and contemporary gospel were his first musical loves, he was instantly mesmerized by the sounds of country music after hearing a Garth Brooks Greatest Hits album his parents bought for him.  A deep understanding and passion for the rocking, boot stomping, country music of artists such as Clint Black, Alan Jackson, and Travis Tritt began to grow within him. Trey began writing songs, playing guitar, and performing in clubs at age 15. He knew early on without a shadow of a doubt that he would make music his career. Trey recorded and released his debut Nashville album entitled “Carolina Man” and was able to work with some of his musical heroes including Brent Mason, Lonnie Wilson and Buddy Hyatt on the album. Website: https://treycallowaymusic.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treycallowaymusic/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/treycallowaymusic/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TreyCalloway1TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@treycallowaymusicConnect with Gary:Gary's WebsiteFollow Gary on InstagramGary's TiktokGary's FacebookWatch the episodes on YouTubeAdvertise on the PodcastThank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!

Kristen Rogers has built a career most music fans never see, but it’s one that’s taken her around the world. As a touring background vocalist, she’s worked with artists like Post Malone, Hozier, Eric Church, and The Killers. In this episode, she shares what life is really like behind the scenes of the music industry: from jumping into major tours with days of notice to navigating tour bus life, massive stadium shows, and the freedom (and risk) of building a career in the background. It’s her viewpoint from the chaos, creativity, and unexpected paths that power the biggest stages in the world.