Shows
Next Rung Radio"From Prison To Purpose," Featuring Men of Valor Advocate Jay AustinJay Austin’s redemption story moves from addiction, abuse, and years behind bars to a peace he can’t explain without Jesus. In this raw Nashville testimony, Jay shares the moment God “stopped him in his tracks” at a Circle K, how Men of Valor reshaped his identity in Christ, and why community, accountability, and the right voices matter. We talk suicide prevention, transforming shame into wisdom, parenting through repair, and building a purpose-driven life after prison. If you or someone you love is fighting addiction, trauma, or reentry, this faith-forward conversation is a blueprint for second chances and real cha...
2026-02-0338 min
Next Rung RadioThe Space Between The Notes - Featuring America Lead Guitarist Bill WorrellWorld-class guitarist and storyteller Bill Worrell (America) unpacks how imagination, discipline, and humility shape a sustainable music career. From touring with America and sharing bills with Chicago and the Beach Boys to building a YouTube audience and studying the modern music business at Berklee Online, Bill explains why rhythm and space make solos sing, how classical precision and jazz freedom sharpen feel, and what it really takes to grow in today’s industry. We dive into legacy-band lessons, social media awareness, daily practice that actually sticks, and creating unforgettable live moments that move audiences. If you play, produce, or le...
2026-01-2729 min
Next Rung RadioFrom Blake Shelton's "Austin" To Global Impact - Featuring Songwriting Icon Kirsti MannaHit songwriter and creative mentor Kirsti Manna shares the real story behind Blake Shelton’s five-week number one Austin, the faith that carried her through a college vocal setback, and the practices that turned resilience into results. We unpack her Songwriter Girl camps, why women in music need safe creative spaces, and how mentorship, goal setting, and music publishing literacy change careers. Kirsti explains her process from title-first hooks to collaborative listening, the role of intuition in the writing room, and building an indie label that’s landing Texas number ones. If you write songs, lead creatives, or want a pu...
2026-01-2043 min
Next Rung Radio"He Cracked The Viral Code" - Featuring Content Creator Donald JenkinsEntrepreneur and viral creator Donald Jenkins built a digital empire reaching billions of views without a blueprint—just belief, storytelling, and persistence. In this episode, he breaks down the attention formula, mastering watch time, and how faith fuels consistency when motivation runs dry. Donald shares his journey from Nashville Hits Collecting Dust to social media success and now using his platform to fight child exploitation through Operation Light Shine. This conversation is raw, practical, and a must for anyone building a brand, platform, or purpose-driven life.Episode Highlights• Built mill...
2026-01-1349 min
Next Rung Radio"From Addiction To Redemption," Featuring Author Cathy A. LewisIn this powerful and deeply moving episode of Next Rung Radio, we sit down with Cathy A. Lewis, one of America’s first female executive chefs who’s cooked for NFL, NBA, and NHL teams, music legends, and Indy 500 champions and now an award‑winning author and speaker whose story of redemption will stir your soul. From the high‑pressure chaos of the restaurant world and the heartbreak of addiction to a radical life transformation through faith, Cathy reveals how she rebuilt her identity from the inside out. Her courage to confront her past, rediscover her worth...
2026-01-0643 min
Next Rung Radio"From Murals To Music"- Featuring Dean Tomasekhis week on Next Rung Radio, we dive into the colorful world of Dean Tomasek, a rare creative who’s lived multiple artistic lifetimes. From painting stage sets for Dolly Parton, Alice Cooper, and KISS, to playing bass on tour and designing murals across the country, Dean’s story is one of true resilience, humility, and raw creative fire. Hear how he shifted from supporting roles to owning his artistry, stayed grounded through feast-or-famine seasons, and built a legacy out of saying YES, even when he didn’t know how. W...
2025-12-3020 min
Next Rung Radio"From Needle To Legend," - Featuring Fashion Icon ManuelIn this deeply moving and iconic episode of Next Rung Radio, we sit down with Manuel Cuevas , the 92-year-old master tailor behind the looks of Johnny Cash, Elvis, Dolly Parton, and hundreds of the world’s most celebrated artists. From picking up a needle at age seven to shaping fashion history, Manuel shares how clothing isn't just fabric: it's identity, storytelling, and legacy. With poetic humility and a mischievous grin, he reminds us that true beauty lies within, he just adorns it so the world can recognize it. This isn’t just about rhinestones and runways... it’s about...
2025-12-2332 min
Next Rung Radio"He Got Paid To Blow Things Up" - Featuring Rockstar Pyromaniac Rand BastGet ready for an explosive episode, literally. In this week’s Next Rung Radio Podcast, we sit down with pyrotechnics mastermind Randy Bast, the man behind the fire, sparks, and spectacle for rock legends like KISS, AC/DC, Rush, and even NASCAR and HBO. From lighting his first fuse at just 18 to creating jaw-dropping stage effects across 40+ countries, Randy’s journey is one of grit, passion, and pure rock ‘n’ roll chaos. He opens up about his early hustle as a concert promoter, life on tour with the world’s biggest...
2025-12-1631 min
Next Rung Radio"From Tootsies To Number Ones" - Featuring Hit Songwriter Trey BruceFrom a Memphis drum kit to Emmy wins and multiple No. 1 hits, Trey Bruce has spent decades shaping songs and artists who shape the culture. In this wide-open conversation, Trey explains how he turns a spark into a song people actually feel, why “vernacular” matters when writing for different voices, and how he can tell fast when someone’s a real artist. We dig into development vs. radio, why great artists don’t have to write everything they sing, and how streaming built a thriving “middle class” of independent careers. Trey shares stories from the rooms (Tootsie’s to Bridgestone...
2025-12-0933 min
Next Rung Radio"From Rock Bottom To The Boardroom" - Featuring Jamie Creech CEO of Creech LaddersStrict rules. Crushing perfectionism. A decade tangled in opioids. A failed marriage. And the day she found her father after an overdose. By every measure, Jamie Creech had reasons to stop climbing. Instead, she chose the hard path...the one with treatment, truth, and rebuilding. In this raw, hope-heavy conversation, Jamie shares how chasing acceptance turned into addiction, why grief first pulled her under, and how she reframed her father’s death into a mandate to live. We talk about owning consequences, choosing uncomfortable growth, and surrounding yourself with people who won’t let you quit. Today, Jamie is the...
2025-12-0232 min
Next Rung Radio"Dirty Reps and Buzzer Hits" - Featuring Elijah "The Boss Ninja" BrowningHe built his first obstacles with his grandpa on weekends, bled on monkey bars he couldn’t cross, and years later placed Top 10 on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior at just 16. Now 20, Nashville native Elijah “Boss Ninja” Browning has competed across 34 states and 4 countries, coaches a podium-stacked youth team, builds full courses, and turns passion into business—from merch to sports-card investing. In this high-energy conversation, Elijah breaks down how to love the grind, why “dirty reps” beat highlight reels, and the mindset that lets you perform when millions are watching. He shares the gut-punch...
2025-11-2533 min
Next Rung Radio"Turkey Fries & Tour Life" - Featuring Chuck Pursel (The Man Behind The Curtain)What really powers a world-class tour? In this episode, Ron sits down with veteran tour and artist manager Chuck Pursel, a behind-the-scenes force with 30+ years in live entertainment. From production tents at sunrise to settlements after midnight, Chuck has worn nearly every hat on the road: stage manager, production manager, tour manager and he’s learned the secret to longevity: keep your cool, build a family, and be a good human. He shares how a single moment watching a beaming worker at a row of porta-johns reset his entire perspective, why attitude matters as much as sk...
2025-11-1833 min
Next Rung Radio"Mom, Hitmaker & Host" - Featuring Sirius XM's Danielle PeckFrom singing Johnny Cash at three to hosting SiriusXM Y2 Country (Ch. 57), Danielle Peck has lived the full arc of country music—bars, churches, buses that broke down in every state, and arena tours that tested every ounce of grit. In this candid sit-down, Danielle opens up about being discovered by Scott Borchetta, cutting sides at DreamWorks, becoming the flagship female at Big Machine Records, and launching with the no-apologies single “Jesus Loves You, I Don’t.” She talks motherhood, faith-before-proof, and why the “wait” in a career is often the be...
2025-11-1138 min
Next Rung Radio"Unbreakably Me' - Featuring NBC's Season 6 Finalist Audra McLaghlinOn this episode of Next Rung Radio, Audra McLaughlin (NBC’s The Voice, Season 6) brings raw honesty and undeniable power. From on-set bloopers to a goosebump performance of her new song “Hate Being Me,” Audra opens up about self-talk, body image, faith, and the daily fight to choose grace over criticism. It’s a vulnerable, victorious look at how scars, setbacks, and second chances can shape a voice that refuses to break.This conversation centers on self-acceptance and resilience, the inner battle to silence the world’s labels, lay down our “weapons,” an...
2025-11-0424 min
Next Rung Radio"Two Voices, One Truth" - Featuring Monster Music Duo Beck & CallOn this episode of Next Rung Radio, we shine a light on the magnetic duo Beck and Call. Becca Bradley and Chris Call each walked through the fires of solo artistry, carrying both the scars and the lessons of going it alone. But when they came together, something electric sparked — haunting cello lines intertwined with soulful vocals, pop sensibilities fusing with blues grit, and lyrics that live in the tension between faith, love, and life’s gray areas. Their story isn’t just about music; it’s about trust, vulnerability, and rediscovering your voice through collaboration.This e...
2025-10-2841 min
Next Rung Radio"Strength After Sacrifice" - Featuring Blackhawk Pilot | Voice of the PBR Ryan WeaverOn this rung of Next Rung Radio, we welcome Ryan Weaver, U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot turned country music firebrand. After losing his brother (KIA) and later his brother-in-law in combat, Ryan chose purpose over paralysis, turning grief into fuel. From karaoke contests and writing songs in the desert to standing center stage at Madison Square Garden, the Grand Ole Opry with Charlie Daniels, and headlining PBR arena shows as their patriotic voice, his story is equal parts sacrifice, grit, and mission. Whether he’s honoring the fallen, building brands, or ripping through “Burn,” Ryan shows what it looks...
2025-10-2150 min
Next Rung Radio"Faith in the Numbers" - Featuring Music's Mathematical Mastermind Mike CastronovoOn this rung of Next Rung Radio, we spotlight a visionary who stepped into the music industry not as an artist, but as the strategist who could see what was broken and dared to fix it. Mike Castronovo built his career in wealth management and international markets, mastering numbers the way musicians master notes. But when his daughter pursued music at Belmont, he quickly realized just how flawed and unfair the system was for creators. What started as frustration turned into revelation—and from that revelation, CrowdMusic was born. Alongside David Browning, Mike has been pioneering a new model th...
2025-10-1439 min
Next Rung Radio"When God Says Know" - Featuring Grammy Nominated songwriter | 2X Cancer Survivor Dave StatonOn this rung of Next Rung Radio, we sit down with powerhouse vocalist, hit songwriter, author, and two-time cancer survivor David Staton. From singing on gospel stages at the age of six to penning Grammy-nominated songs for some of the biggest names in the genre, David’s life has been defined not just by music but by resilience, faith, and a relentless pursuit of truth. He’s filled in for gospel royalty, shared stages from Branson to national television, and written the book When God Says No. But his greatest testimony is found in how he faced the industry’s high...
2025-10-0739 min
Next Rung Radio"Legacy Over Labels" - Featuring Award Winning Producer | Engineer David BrowningOn this rung of Next Rung Radio, we welcome a man whose fingerprints are all over some of the biggest names in music. David Browning has spent more than 30 years as a producer, performer, and songwriter, working alongside artists like Katy Perry, Natalie Grant, and C.C. Winans. But his story goes far beyond studio walls and stages. He’s walked hand in hand with his wife through cancer, navigated personal battles, endured legal storms, and found himself tested in every direction and yet still he rises with humility, faith, and purpose. Now as co-founder of CrowdMusic, David is he...
2025-10-0135 min
Next Rung Radio"Faith, Rodeo & Redemption" - Featuring Bullrider | Cancer Surviver | Songwriter Cayden GillardWelcome to the very first official episode of Next Rung Radio Podcast, where every rung on the ladder is another step toward purpose, power, and resilience. To kick off this journey, we’re joined by country artist and survivor Cayden Gillard — a man who embodies what it means to rise through adversity. From a leukemia diagnosis at just 14, to picking up a guitar in a hospital room, to chasing rodeo dreams, breaking bones, and eventually breaking through in the music industry — Cayden’s story is one of grit, grace, and God’s guiding hand. He’s opened for superstars, racked up mi...
2025-10-0135 min
The Church Renewal PodcastTheology of Church as Family: From Me to WeChurches, like families, instinctively resist change even when it's healthy because systems naturally seek stability—even dysfunctional stability.• Family systems theory provides powerful insights for understanding church dynamics• Western individualism misses our design for relationship and community• Eastern collectivism correctly values community but can suppress healthy differentiation• Jesus modeled perfect differentiation—maintaining values while staying connected• Identity and acceptance cannot be self-manufactured but must be received• When we try to work for acceptance rather than receive it, we create dysfunction• The gospel uniquely addresses fear, guilt, and shame in church systems• Church renew...
2025-09-1137 min
Owl's Nest the PodcastBONUS: Hertz Gets Fused by Suzanne PurvisHello, Nestlings! We could not wait for you all to hear this fun interview we had with our author Suzanne Purvis, so we are dropping into your feed with this bonus episode.
Suzanne Purvis is a transplanted Canadian living in the Deep South, where she traded “eh” for “y’all.” She’s an author of long, short, flash fiction, and poetry for both children and adults, often written with a touch of humor. Suzanne's debut with Owl's Nest Publishers is a Middle Grade novel in verse called HERTZ GETS FUSED.
In this episode, Katie and Suzanne discuss HERTZ as well...
2023-07-1736 min
Motivational Messages/SpeechesFuneral Service Kathy Jean HarbinKathy Jean Harbin, age 62, passed away Monday, July 10th, 2017, at the Middlesboro ARH.She was born in Salina, Kansas, on December 18, 1954, and was the daughter of the late Billy E. Harbin Sr. and Muriel Calloway Harbin, who survives.In addition to her father, she is preceded in death by her grandparents: Virgil and Ellen Harbin and Richard and Alpha Calloway.Kathy was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend to many. She enjoyed reading books and was an avid crocheter. Kathy was very passionate and cared with her whole heart, and she gave ceaselessly.
2017-07-1644 min