Randy Travis Is BACK! (feat. Mary & Randy Travis)

In today’s episode, hosts Bobby Johnson and Barrett Hobbs sit down with Nashville fiddle legend Tim Watson, a musician whose career stretches from the earliest days of Opryland to stadium stages across the country. Raised in Gadsden, Alabama and taught by his fiddle-playing grandfather, Tim arrived in Nashville as a teenager and quickly found himself in the middle of country music history, recording with bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe and opening shows for legends like Conway Twitty, George Jones, and Tammy Wynette. Tim shares the wild road that brought him to Music City, including early days navigating a very different Nashville in the 1970s, landing a job at Opryland after an unforgettable audition, and eventually building one of the park’s most popular shows. Along the way he reflects on a time when Nashville entertainers worked sunrise to midnight, bouncing between the Ralph Emery Show, theme park stages, corporate gigs, and late nights in Music Valley. The conversation also dives into the friendships and unexpected turns that shaped his career. From touring with Tammy Wynette to ending up on stage with Kid Rock decades later, Tim tells stories that show just how small the Nashville music world can be when you’ve been in it long enough. There are tales of studio sessions, prank bets with celebrities, rodeo crowds, and the art of grabbing an audience the second you step on stage. It’s a conversation about the old Nashville that built this town, the entertainers who kept the crowds coming, and the kind of work ethic that turns a kid with a fiddle into a lifelong part of Music City’s story. Kick back and enjoy another round of stories straight from the heart of Music City on the Nashville Palace Podcast… where the stars drop in.

Hosts Bobby Johnson and Barrett Hobbs sit down with singer-songwriter Allie Colleen for a conversation that feels more like catching up with family than a formal interview. A longtime friend of the Palace and Scoreboard crew, Allie shares stories from her early days in Nashville when she was still figuring out her sound, playing afternoon sets on sweaty decks, and learning the craft one song at a time. What started as a young songwriter with a guitar slowly turned into an artist who’s building her career the hard way, through persistence, work ethic, and a deep love for storytelling. Allie talks about moving to Nashville to attend Belmont, the early years of writing songs and posting videos online, and how playing small stages around town helped shape her voice as both a songwriter and performer. The conversation turns into a deeper look at what it really takes to survive in Music City, from learning the business on the road to figuring out where you fit in an industry that’s constantly changing. Along the way, she reflects on recent milestones including touring with Jelly Roll, navigating the realities of life on arena tours, and the lessons that only come from grinding it out night after night on the road. The group also dives into songwriting itself, exploring how melodies come together, what makes the lyrics connect with people, and why the best songs often come from the most personal places. The episode wraps with Allie doing what she does best, picking up her guitar and sharing a few songs right there in the room, including the powerful “Gasoline” and the fan favorite “Horses in Heaven” closing out a conversation that’s equal parts music, friendship, and the kind of Nashville stories you only hear inside rooms like this one. Pull up a chair and let the stories roll for another round of the Nashville Palace Podcast… where the stars drop in.

Hosts Bobby Johnson and Barrett Hobbs welcome two guests to the Nashville Palace for a conversation all about the World Bass Enterprises (WBE) Champions Tournament, a brand new event set to become the largest paid bass fishing tournament in the sport's history. First up is Brian Bird, the visionary behind the tournament, who explains how the idea came about: after noticing that the two biggest leagues in professional bass fishing, Major League Fishing and the Bassmaster Elite Series, never actually compete against each other, he set out to create an event that would crown a true world champion. The Champions Tournament pits the top anglers from both leagues against one another, complete with a team format and a "Champions Cup," plus an "Average Joe" division that lets everyday anglers fish against the best in the world. Joining Brian is professional angler Ott DeFoe, the 2019 Bassmaster Classic Champion and 2011 Rookie of the Year, who's fished professionally since 2006 and gives his perspective as one of the anglers gearing up to compete. They also break down what to expect during tournament week in Nashville, including the $3.25 million total prize purse — the largest in professional bass fishing history — with $1.25 million going to the champion, plus concerts from Riley Green, Randy Houser, and Lee Greenwood, a Civil War-era cannon blast-off with Bill Dance, and an All Outdoor Expo running alongside the tournament. Opening ceremonies kick things off October 28th at Gaylord Opryland, followed by three days of competition October 29th–31st on Old Hickory Lake, a Riley Green concert at The Pinnacle on October 30th, and the Pro-Am, featuring the top 15 anglers plus celebrities, on November 1st. Pull up a chair and settle in for another round of the Nashville Palace Podcast… where the stars drop in.

Hosts Bobby Johnson and Barrett Hobbs welcome Nancy Jones, wife of the late George Jones, back to the Nashville Palace for a conversation full of stories about George and a preview of his upcoming birthday celebration. Nancy shares details on the George Jones 95th Birthday Bash happening September 13th at the Nashville Palace, including the stacked lineup she helped put together: Jamey Johnson, Ernest, T. Graham Brown, Lorrie Morgan, Jesse Keith Whitley, Tanya Tucker, Jake Worthington, Billy Yates, Heath Wright of Ricochet, and Dean Dillon, with Cletus T. Judd hosting. The conversation turns to Nancy's memories of George, including the story of how she first met him in New York in November of 1981, after being talked into going to one of his shows, and how their relationship took off from there. Barrett also shares the story of the day he, George, and his road manager Peewee spent riding around picking songs together for the Cold Hard Truth album, notepads in hand in the back of the car, a day that would end with George's headline-making car accident. Nancy also gives an update on the future George Jones Museum being built on their old property, along with plans to bring back the Christmas lights display that once drew crowds to their home every year. Pull up a chair and settle in for another round of the Nashville Palace Podcast… where the stars drop in.

Hosts Bobby Johnson and Barrett Hobbs welcome Taylor Winston, the man behind the Nashville Palace's country dancing program, for a conversation covering his time in the Marine Corps, an unlikely career path, one of the most difficult nights of his life, and Nashville Dance Fest. Taylor talks about growing up in Round Mountain, Nevada, joining the Marine Corps, training in aviation, making sergeant, and serving on a police transition team in Iraq. From there, he shares stories from an unexpected career path that included working as a roller coaster ride mechanic at SeaWorld San Diego, building custom furniture, and eventually helping progress the dancing movement in Nashville. The conversation turns to how Taylor first found the Nashville Palace during COVID, when the room that now hosts the dance floor was sitting mostly unused, and how that discovery led him to build the Palace's dancing program from the ground up. That work eventually grew into Nashville Dance Fest, the country dancing festival he now runs every year in the Palace parking lot. Taylor also opens up about the Route 91 shooting in Las Vegas, where he helped save over two dozen lives, and the year of trauma therapy work that followed. Pull up a chair and settle in for another round of the Nashville Palace Podcast… where the stars drop in..