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Prepare for a raw, no-holds-barred chat with my bestie Kristen Brust as she opens up about surviving a young divorce and then the rollercoaster of being married to a country music star, Preston Brust of LOCASH. Kristen shares how she overcame her darkest moments and found joy in motherhood, all while dishing on the hilarious and heartfelt lessons learned along the way—including why you should *never* let your friends pressure you into a sexy photo shoot just 10 days after giving birth! From laughs to life-changing moments, and the heart behind her podcast “In Kristen We Brust,” this convo between two best friends is one you can't miss!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
CONTENT ISN'T KING It is often said that content is King. That isn't necessarily true. Content by itself won't gain you an audience. Content isn't King. Great content is King. Anybody can copy information. Your content needs to be infused with story and personality to really connect with listeners. To help you create more powerful interviews, grab my list of "17 of the most Powerful Podcast Interview Questions Ever". It is a free download you can get at www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/interview. BE UNIQUE It really hit me one time when I was interviewing a musician on the air. I won't mention his name, because he called me out right there in the middle of the interview. Before our conversation, I went online and read his bio. I went through the news release they sent me about the new album and the tour. Once the interview began, I felt pretty good. We were rolling along with the standard questions and he was giving the standard answers. In what city will the tour start? When does the album come out.? What can we expect when you roll through here? Then I asked him a question about a detail in his bio. I though it was something unique. But he said, "Well, I see somebody read my bio." That's when I realized I couldn't just ask typical questions and get typical answers. To create great interviews, I needed to get my guests to tell great stories. Everything I was doing to this point was simply a derivative of someone else. I was a cliché, a poor knock off. Why would anyone listen to me when they could get the same thing by listening a variety of other interviews with the same guest? From there, I took my original content and made it great. CONTENT WITH STORIES Later in my career I was interviewing Preston Brust of the country band LOCASH. He and Chris Lucas had been working hard for years writing songs for themselves and others while also recording and touring. LOCASH had a few different record deals, but had never had that big hit they needed to break through. Other artists were recording songs the two had written, but none of those had hit either. In 2011, country superstar Keith Urban not only decided to record a song written by Preston and Chris, but he was going to release it as a single. When I was talking with Preston, I asked him what it felt like when he got the call that Keith Urban was releasing their song. Here is what he said. "Things weren't going so good. I get this phone call. I'm in the backseat of my friends car and I get this phone call and it sounded like something was wrong. And he says, 'I'm sitting next to Keith Urban and he just told me that 'You Gonna Fly' is going to be his next single, and he's releasing it next week.' And I literally had them stop the car and I got out of the car and I just let out this yell. It just felt like I'm back." They were back. That song went to number one on the country charts. Preston and Chris then wrote a hit for Tim McGraw and eventually a top 5 hit for themselves. I guarantee that question about how it felt to get that call hasn't been asked many times if ever of Preston. We created such a relationship over the years that he still texts me. They just finished their latest song called "Hometown Home" and he sent me the early version. That kind of relationship doesn't happen with typical questions and standard answers. Your audience also isn't attracted to typical interviews. Be different. BE YOURSELF Over the years, my style and content developed. I became myself. That is when my show became #1. My content was original and fresh. Nobody else was doing it. If your content isn't great, nothing else matters. The production of your podcast could be the best available. You could have all the bells and whistles available in your studio, including the best mic. The marketing of your podcast could incredibly creative and unique. However, if the content is average, no one will care. Don't simply go through the motions creating your content. Find a unique angle. Your take on the subject should be interesting. Make your content stand out using stories, creativity, and personal revelation. Content won't attract an audience unless it is great content. When your content is great, you become king. Make it happen. There are four key areas of focus when creating great content and tightening up your show. 1. BE ORIGINAL Old-timey radio would say, "Hello Everybody in Radioland!" You're not an announcer talking to a group. Be a person talking to another person. To be engaging, you need to be human. You need to be yourself. As you record your podcast, use your natural voice and your own words. Individuals who are new to broadcasting tend to want to sound like their broadcasting idols. They try to imitate those they have heard on the radio with their voice and clichés. Unfortunately, new broadcasters tend to sound as if they are using scripted drivel done in some character voice that is forced and unnatural. You don't need to sound like Wolfman Jack, Howard Cosell, Don LaFontaine or Howard Stern. In fact, you shouldn't sound like those guys. The big personalities are who they are. You should be who you are. If you are naturally over-the-top, then be over-the-top. If you are not, don't fake it. You'll sound like an amateur and people can tell. Be natural. Talk with a little energy, but always deliver it as you naturally speak. The days of "the voice for radio" are gone. You don't need a big voice to be on the radio. And you surely don't need a big voice to create a podcast. Your voice becomes unique by what you say, not how you sound saying it. Be yourself. Use your own voice instead of trying to impersonate someone else. Use your natural voice and your own words. 2. REPEATING YOURSELF That's right, of course, like I said, obviously. If you find yourself saying "obviously" or "of course", you are making two mistakes. The first error is repeating yourself. If you are saying "obviously" because you feel everyone already knows the information, you are wasting your breath. If it is obvious, there is no need to say it. To frame it in a way to indicate it is something everyone knows, I might simply make a statement. I may say, "Because the sun comes up in the East, I prefer my bedroom windows be on the West side of the house." Everyone listening to me knows the sun comes up in the East. I simply include the statement. If I use a phrase like, "Of course", it appears I didn't want it to look like I was trying to teach you about the sunrise. I didn't want you to think I just learned that. "Of course" plays it off, but it also doesn't need to be there. If it is "of course", there is no need to say it in the first place. CONFIDENCE The second error is lack of confidence, so we add filler words. You may want to sound knowledgeable to those who know the information. Yet, you know there is a segment of the audience that does not know the details. To inform those unaware, you add the "of course". In this case, you're just wasting words. I may say, "The band will be at the arena Saturday night, of course." Some may be aware of this performance. Yet, there may be people in the audience who haven't heard the news. It makes sense to add the information, but you don't need the "of course". The idea is to sound knowledgeable and credible to those that already know, while providing the information to those unaware. You simply need to restructure you sentence and eliminate the cliché. Use a sentence like, "When the band is at the arena Saturday night, parking will be at a premium." This sentence provides new information to both segments of the audience. I include the "arena Saturday night" portion for the new listeners while giving those already aware of the concert new parking information. Both receive a benefit without the filler words. When you include "that's right" or "like I said", you are repeating yourself. Your listener heard you the first time. Most people use these cliches to fill time while they think of the next thing to say. Avoid going in circles. Your listener will quickly become uninterested. Know where you're going and keep moving forward. 3. ELIMINATE CLICHES I hear so many cliches in podcasts today. They are present in business in general. A cliché is a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. It is a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person. We had a leader of our division who would use one particular cliché on every conference call we had. Every month, we would have a conference call to keep each station in sync. It would be run by our division leader. The call would then feature 4 or 5 other speakers covering various topics. The call would last about 30 minutes. After every speaker would finish their report, our division leader would say, "Really good stuff." "That was really good stuff, Ray." "Thanks, Sarah. Really good stuff." When he would talk about new resources that were available to us, he would wrap it up with "really good stuff". When he talked about new music coming out, he would call it "really good stuff". What started out as a compliment became a hollow nod that carried no weight. It was overused and lacked original thought. It was predictable. He got so predictable, as the speaker would wrap up, we would say to ourselves, “that was really good stuff” right before our leader would chime in with the same line. It kept us entertained on the call, but added nothing to the conversation. What cliches are you using? They are everywhere. Many times you don't realize it is a cliché until you start listening to your own show, or a coach points it out. The one that sounds most out of place to me on a podcast is, "To be honest with you". When somebody says "to be honest with you", I immediately think, "were you lying to me before?" What message are you trying to convey when you say, "to be honest with you"? I assume you are simply trying to add emphasis to what you are saying. In reality, the cliché has lost its power. It means nothing. It's a cliché. There are many others. We are thinking out of the box. We are pushing the envelope. We are taking it to the next level. It's Erik here to remind you something or another. You know what I mean? You know what I'm saying. Listen to an older episode or two of your show. Really listen to the shows like a listener. Find the cliches and eliminate them. Be original. 4. AVOID ROUGH TRANSITIONS And now it's time for … This phrase seems harmless. It looks like a logical transition from one segment to another during your podcast. Unfortunately, this phrase gives your listener permission to leave the show. When you use "and now it's time for..." or some similar phrase, it tells the listener that one segment is over and we are moving on to something else. It also signals a natural break in the show and the perfect time to exit. The transition is a lot like a commercial break in a television show. It is time to grab the remote to see what else is available. This is why TV shows started using the cliff hangers to keep you around. Famous American showman P. T. Barnum noticed that people were lingering too long at his exhibits. If he could get them through the exhibit faster, he could get more people through in a day and make more money. Barnum posted signs around the exhibit indicating "This Way to the Egress". Henry would ask Barbara, "Have you ever seen an egress? No? Let's check it out." Unaware that "Egress" simply meant "Exit", people followed the signs to what they assumed was a fascinating exhibit only to end up outside. Take down your "egress" sign. If you truly want to hold your listener from one segment to the next, don't send up the signal. Simply move to the next segment. THE TRANSITION On a coaching call the other day, I pointed out to the host that he was using "I want to keep this moving" quite often in his show. When he says "I want to keep this moving", I know we are switching to a new topic. I can punch out here if I'd like. Instead, just move on. Imagine you are at a cocktail party. You are discussing the baseball game that you saw over the weekend. After the baseball topic runs its course, do you say, "Now it's time to talk about my new car"? I doubt it. You probably just roll right into, "Hey, I bought a new car last week." It is a natural transition. Your friend doesn't think, "Hmm, that was a pretty rough transition." They have moved on right along with you. As you wrap up one segment, move right to the next. You might end the first segment with, "If you take those steps, things should be back to normal." Roll into the next with, "Jackie has a question about teamwork," and play the call. The next segment just starts. You've hooked them on the next segment without opening the door to leave. Don't flash the exit sign. Eliminate "and now it's time for" to hold your listener for the entire podcast. TIGHTER CONTENT Focus on these four areas to create great content. Avoid repeating yourself. Eliminate the cliches. Create smooth transitions in your content. Above all else, be original. When you be yourself and ask great questions, it will be difficult to copy you. The content will be original. And, people will love you for it. If you don't have a mentor who can take your hand and walk you every step of the way, go to www.PodcastTalentCoach.com/apply, click the button and apply to have a chat with me. We will develop your plan and see how I can help and support you to achieve your podcast goals.
• Preston Brust of LoCash reveals diagnosis • Ty Herndon has launched a new podcast about dealing with mental health • Shania Twain and Martina McBride to make appearances on Monarch Get In The Know On Music
With hits 'One Big Country Song' and 'I Love This Life,' LOCASH's become woven into the fabric of modern country music. Members Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, natives of Baltimore, Maryland and Kokomo, Indiana, respectively, are also big bourbon fans. In 2019, they joined Fred at the H. Clark Distillery in Thompson's Station, Tennessee. Things got crazy when Preston breaks a glass. Lots of laughs in this one.
Chris Lucas and Preston Brust make up the country duo LoCash, but for these guys, it goes well beyond music. Over the years they have developed a brotherhood that has become a major part of their success. It’s one of those vibes that just occurs and entertains anyone around including our troops on 2 USO tours earlier this year. The “brotherhood” joins Crook & Chase for a Nashville Chat about their recent chart topper ONE BIG COUNTRY SONG, Preston’s life as a PK (preacher’s kid), Chris’s odd fishing gear, and how they’d go about running a Walmart. It gets interesting. It’s another unbridled round of fun with LoCash. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers
Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, aka: LOCASH are getting closer to scoring another #1 hit with "One Big Country Song!." The dynamic duo got together for the first time during the pandemic, just days ago. They decided to get together again today and call us! The boys became a country music favorite after releasing "I Love This Life" back in 2015. The song has been used for years as Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi's walk up song, and recently the three have become friends. In 2016 LOCASH scored their first #1 with "I Know Somebody." The duo catches up with Kruser to talk about "One Big Country Song," Benintendi, The Patriots, how it's been being at home all this time with their young children, and they play a rousing round of Kruser's "Bean To Boston" game! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Big Rick chatted with Preston from LoCASH about the bands recent travels on the USO Tour, the new single "One Big Country Song", new album, Christmas toys, and much more! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/onairwithrick/message
Mitch & Mary catch up with LOCASH in on tour Minnesota! Tune in to hear about the history of this hot-country duo and hear their big announcement about their first USO tour!
I talk with Preston Brust, one half of the country duo LOCASH about their new album Brothers, their friendship with Chris Janson, what it's like having your kids recognize your own songs, being starstruck around Garth Brooks and more!
Jim Casey talks with Chris Lucas and Preston Brust of Locash about: new additions to their families signing a new record deal with Broken Bow Records releasing new single, "Feels Like a Party" being known for their feel-good vibes and energetic shows working on their new 11-song album, which is expected to drop in January the pressure of keeping their momentum going writing songs for the new album and for other artists embarking on the Pepsi Tailgating Tour playing the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December playing the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 28 going to Australia in March Show Participants: Chris Lucas of Locash Preston Brust of Locash Jim Casey, NCD editor in chief
George Jones starts a seven-week run at Number One, Patsy Cline records "Crazy" and Spade Cooley gets convicted of first-degree murder, all on the exact same day! Dolly Parton gets the key to a big city, John Denver gets his second DUI, Johnny Cash records his last song, and happy birthday to Kenny Rogers, Harold Reid, Preston Brust and Kacey Musgraves! Be sure to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google or Spotify. Or say "Hey Siri, play the podcast Today In Country Music History."
Chris Lucas and Preston Brust of Locash drink wine backstage with me and talk about the secret pirate recipe and the ramifications of eating a 72 oz steak. The new album The Fighter is taking country music by storm with two number one songs including I Know Somebody and I Love this Life. http://twitter.com/locashmusic http://www.locashmusic.com/ http://barbecuetricks.com http://nashcountrydaily.com
Chirs Lucas and Preston Brust have come a long way as the LoCash Cowboys on Average Joe's Records. Known mostly for hard partying kinds of songs, the duo recently co-wrote a song about Chris' father called "Best Seat In The House." We had a chance to catch up with the guys on the set of that new music video.
We kick off another Inside Music Row with the mention of Resteless Heart - the group is celebrating three decades with the release of "Playlist: The Very Best of Restless Heart." The album hits stores this week and includes twelve of the goup's biggest hits, plus two new songs. Up next we mention the 21st Graves Mountain Festival of Music which is set to kick off May 30th in Syria, Virginia. Look for Carolina Chocolate Drops, Steep Canyon Rangers, Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out, The Cleverly's and many more to perform. Also in the news is the Texas Thunder Festival which took place last week in Gardendale, TX with 100 percent of the net proceeds donated to local schools and first responders in the area. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is up next as it has just opened several new exhibits, just in time for the summer. "Radio Romance: Mainstram Country in the 1980's" and "Lee Greenwood: American Patriot" are just of couple of the new exhibits. Finally, we go Inside The Song with Preston Brust to hear about a song called "Best Seat In The House."
We kick off another Inside Music Row with the mention of Brad Paisley as he is set to release his latest album "Wheelhouse" April ninth. It's also time to go ahead and start making plans to attend this year's CMA Music Festival as it is just around the corner. Look for Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, and Little Big Town to perform at the four-day event. Patsy Cline is also in the news as the stars are lining up to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the plane crash that took her and the lives of Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, and pilor Randy Hughes, in 1963. The three-day "Gone But Not Forgotten" event will be in Camden, Tennessee begiinning February 28th. Up next is The Band Perry as they will release their sophomore album April second. "Better Dig Two" is the lead single from that project, which is their fastest-rising song to date. Also in the news is Blake Shelton as he is planning to hit the road again this summer. He'll hit up plenty of cities in three months during the "Ten Times Crazier" tour, and he's taking Jana Kramer and Easton Corbin on tour with him. Finally, we go Inside The Song with Preston Brust to hear about a song he co-wrote with Chris Lucas and Jaren Johnston called "You Gonna Fly" which Keith Urban took all the way to number one.
Preston Brust and Chris Lucas have been together as LoCash Cowboys for years, getting their start performing at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. Now on Stroudavarious Records, the duo is touring like crazy supporting their new summertime anthem…’Here Comes Summer.’ Preston and Chris put on a truly incredible stage show, and one you really don’t want to miss. Here’s Kelly with more.