Best Ashton & Hayes Podcasts (2025)

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227: Josh Crutchmer 1:01:03

3M ago1:01:03

1:01:03

Send us a text On Episode 227, I'm joined by esteemed journalist and writer Josh Crutchmer (Rolling Stone, New York Times, etc.). During this sit down in Okemah, OK during this summer's Woodyfest, we talk to Crutchmer about The Turnpike Troubadours, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Wyatt Flores, writing books--his latest being Never Say Never--and the curre…

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226: Ashton Naylor, Cameron Allbright, & Hank Weaver 1:02:21

3M ago1:02:21

1:02:21

Send us a text On Episode 226, I'm joined by a trio of up and coming Texas songwriters--Ashton Naylor, Cameron Allbright, and Hank Weaver. The three have been making waves down around San Marcos the past couple of years, having ushered in a new class of Texas artists from the hotspot. During this episode, we talk about Songwriter Nights across the …

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225: Hayes Carll 1:06:00

3M ago1:06:00

1:06:00

Send us a text On Episode 225, I'm joined by Texas songwriter Hayes Carll. We talk about his upcoming album, We're Only Human (out August 8), collaborating with The Band of Heathens, songwriting, finding the middle ground, and how folks like Ray Wylie Hubbard (who briefly cameos) influenced and inspired Carll's generation of songwriters. Our presen…

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224: Muscadine Bloodline 1:09:28

3M ago1:09:28

1:09:28

Send us a text Welcome back to New Slang. On Episode 224, I'm joined by Alabama country duo, Muscadine Bloodline. We recorded this interview a few weeks back with Charlie Muncaster and Gary Stanton when Muscadine Bloodline headlined CottonFest out at Cook's Garage in Lubbock, Texas. On this episode, we talk about their latest albums, The Coastal Pl…

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223: Randy Rogers 41:00

4M ago41:00

41:00

Send us a text Welcome back to New Slang. On Episode 223, I'm joined by Texas singer-songwriter Randy Rogers. We recorded this episode a few weeks back out at Cook's Garage during this year's CottonFest. On this episode, we talk about the 20th anniversary of their breakout album Rollercoaster, working with the likes of Radney Foster & Sean McConnel…

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The Neon Eon: 007 Sara Evans 1:01:33

5M ago1:01:33

1:01:33

Send us a text This week on The Neon Eon, I'm joined by country music superstar Sara Evans. We talk about breaking into the industry and forming her sound, embracing her Missouri roots and singing songs about small-town life, writing and/or recording massive hits like "Suds in the Bucket," "Born to Fly," and "A Real Fine Place to Start," why countr…

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The Neon Eon: 008 Tracy Lawrence 36:15

4M ago36:15

36:15

Send us a text On this week's episode of The Neon Eon, we're joined by country icon Tracy Lawrence. During this one, we talk about music videos for songs such as "Texas Tornado" and "As Any Fool Can See," find the right outside cuts, the process of cultivating a sound for an album, having an identifiable sound being a calling card, and how he's pro…

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The Neon Eon: 004 Porter Howell of Little Texas 1:17:09

5M ago1:17:09

1:17:09

Send us a text Welcome back to The Neon Eon. On Episode 004, we're joined by Porter Howell of Little Texas. Howell was one of the founding members of the '90s country outfit starting out as the outfit's lead guitarist and one of their chief songwriters. During this episode, we talk about moving from Texas to Nashville, attending Belmont University …

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The Neon Eon: 006 Larry Stewart of Restless Heart 1:05:25

4M ago1:05:25

1:05:25

Send us a text This week on The Neon Eon, Larry Stewart of Restless Heart stops by to talk about the band's '80s roots, their quick rise in country music, Restless Heart's longevity and consistency all these years later, their string of #1 hits, why radio helped make them successful, being country's soft rock band, and Larry's underrated '93 solo a…

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The Neon Eon: 002 Pam Tillis 1:09:22

5M ago1:09:22

1:09:22

Send us a text Welcome to The Neon Eon. For Episode 002, we're joined by of the era's greatest, the legendary Pam Tillis. During this episode, we hear some of the stories behind some of Pam's biggest hits like "Let That Pony Run," "Spilled Perfume," and "Where Have All The Good Ones Gone," writing songs with the likes of Dean Dillon, being a young …

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The Neon Eon: 001 Clay Walker 1:21:38

5M ago1:21:38

1:21:38

Send us a text Welcome to Episode 1 of The Neon Eon. We kick off the podcast being joined by country music star Clay Walker. During this episode, we talk about Walker's early roots and rise out of the blossoming Beaumont/East Texas scene in the late '80s, signing on to Giant Records, being a young writer, finding his lane, and hear some of the stor…

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The Neon Eon: 010 BJ Barham of American Aquarium 1:07:34

4M ago1:07:34

1:07:34

Send us a text On Episode 11, we're joined by our first present-day and new artist, BJ Barham, the lead vocalist and chief lyricist of American Aquarium. The North Carolina-based Barham and AA released a surprise album today--the aptly titled Slappers, Bangers & Certified Twangers, Vol. 1--the band's ninth full-length studio album and first covers …

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The Neon Eon: 005 Terry McBride (McBride & The Ride) 1:13:32

4M ago1:13:32

1:13:32

Send us a text Welcome back to The Neon Eon. We kick off February being joined by singer-songwriter Terry McBride. McBride began making a name for himself as a bass player playing for the likes of Dale McBride (his father), Delbert McClinton, Rosie Flores, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and others down in his native Texas before bursting onto the scene as th…

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The Neon Eon: 009 Marty Raybon of Shenandoah 1:20:56

4M ago1:20:56

1:20:56

Send us a text On this week's episode of The Neon Eon, we're joined by Marty Raybon of the legendary country band Shenandoah. During this one, we talk about their early Muscle Shoals roots, signing onto a label, touring with the likes of Randy Travis, having to essentially start their career over mid-career, smash ballads like "Moon Over Georgia," …

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The Neon Eon: 003 Gretchen Peters 1:12:19

5M ago1:12:19

1:12:19

Send us a text Welcome back to The Neon Eon. On Episode 003, we're joined by singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters. During this episode, we talk about her journey as a songwriter in Nashville during the era, finding her voice as a storyteller, why she wrote at her best solo, some of the stories behind some of her biggest hits like "Independence Day" an…

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Dr. Paul Baker, CAM (Contemporary Art Museum) Raleigh 43:16

1+ y ago43:16

43:16

As the Executive Director of CAM Raleigh, Dr. Paul Baker's goal is not just to display thought-provoking art, it's also to help develop new artists and bring art to communities outside Raleigh's city lines. Today, Dr. Baker talks about those goals, why he's so passionate about art, what's going on at CAM today, and how the CAM team chooses what to …

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Jenn McEwen, United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County 51:53

1+ y ago51:53

51:53

Jenn McEwan transformed her love of arts and performing into a career of supporting artists and performers, and uplifting the community through art. Today she shares her journey to becoming the head of the United Arts Council, and gives us inside information on what's ahead on the Raleigh and Wake County art scene. --- Jenn McEwen is the President …

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Orage Quarles III, 16-Year News & Observer Publisher 53:10

1+ y ago53:10

53:10

Orage Quarles served as President and Publisher for the News & Oberserver for sixteen years, and has been on just about every Board you can think of, both locally and nationally, including the North Carolina Museum of History, the Dix Park Conservancy, and the UNC School of Media and Journalism Foundation. Today we talk to Orage about the importanc…

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Ernest Dollar, City of Raleigh Museum 57:33

2y ago57:33

57:33

Ernest Dollar calls himself a professional hoarder, but he's actually a historian who has overseen the City of Raleigh Museum , the Pope House, and other important historical sites for over a decade, and whose role is expanding to help preserve and educate on even more of the city's history. We talked to Ernest about the role of museums and histori…

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Meg Paradise, Umbrella Dry Bar 56:45

2y ago56:45

56:45

Meg Paradise has nothing against the Raleigh bar scene. Far from it! She was an enthusiastic participant in Raleigh's nightlife, but when she became pregnant, she gained a new perspective on what life without alcohol might look like. Meg went from a fear of missing out, to wondering if a healthier (but still fun) lifestyle was possible. A lot of th…

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212: Caleb Lee Hutchinson 1:02:05

2y ago1:02:05

1:02:05

Send us a text On Episode 212, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Caleb Lee Hutchinson. This past Friday, Hutchinson released the cosmic-swept space country album Southern Galactic. With anthemic barnburners like the tone-setting "Silverado" and honky-tonk juke joints like "At Least I'm Drunk" and "Good at Being Bad," Hutchinson captures adventurous s…

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211: Dallas Burrow 53:20

2y ago53:20

53:20

Send us a text On Episode 211, I'm joined by Texas singer-songwriter Dallas Burrow. This past summer, Burrow released his latest full-length, the country and folk rambler Blood Brothers. With fellow Texan songwriter/producer Jonathan Tyler at the producing helm, Burrow continues establishing himself as a vivid storyteller with a knack for deliverin…

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Terrance Ruth, Professor and Student of the Community 54:55

2y ago54:55

54:55

Terrance Ruth is one of those people in Raleigh who seems to be everywhere at all times. He's been a public school teacher and administrator, a college professor, a policy evaluator, a foundation founder, and a mayoral candidate. But how would he describe himself? First and foremost, a student of the community. Today we talk about policy and politi…

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Angela Salamanca: Centro, Ex-Voto, & the Day of the Dead 5K 1:01:35

2y ago1:01:35

1:01:35

As a high schooler in Columbia, Angela Salamanca had no idea where Raleigh was. Fast forward 30 years later, Angela is one of the most influential chefs and entrepreneurs in our community, owning Centro and Gallo Pelon in downtown Raleigh, as well as Ex Voto in the Durham Food Hall. Plus she's the founder of the Day of the Dead 5K (coming October 2…

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Adrienne Cole, Raleigh Chamber 53:26

2y ago53:26

53:26

Get ready to dive into the vibrant world of Raleigh with our special guest today, Adrienne Cole, the President and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber isn't just about stuffy business talk – it's all about fun, support, advocacy, and community-building! Join us as we uncover the many facets of the Chamber. Sure, they're expe…

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Donald Thompson, The Diversity Movement 56:43

2y ago56:43

56:43

Today we welcome Donald Thompson, serial entrepreneur, investor, author of Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success, host of the High Octane Leadership Podcast, and CEO of The Diversity Movement. Don has so much going on that’s making a difference in both the Triangle business community and the nation at large - and the accolades are starti…

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Preeti Waas, Cheeni Indian Food Emporium 54:25

2y ago54:25

54:25

Some of you may know Preeti Waas as a 2023 James Beard nominated chef for her work at Cheeni Indian Food Emporium in North Raleigh. Or maybe you know her for Cheeni's famous chocolate chip cookies. What you probably don't know is the path Preeti took to get where she is today - how she uncovered her love of baking, lessons she learned starting a re…

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Les Stewart, Trophy Brewing 57:05

2+ y ago57:05

57:05

Today's guest is Les Stewart, a builder, tinkerer, doer, and chief beverage officer and co-owner of Trophy Brewing. Les tells us how he started making beer, what the growing and waning trends in the alcohol industry are, and if you give him enough time, he'll give you dissertations on how to make a proper tomato sandwich and the movie Steel Magnoli…

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Lauren Kennedy Brady, Theatre Raleigh 43:21

2+ y ago43:21

43:21

Today, Lauren Kennedy Brady shares her journey from a successful Broadway career to making great theater in her hometown. Hear her touching memories of growing up in Raleigh, filled with shows, Broadway weekends, and the magic of theater. Tune in to find out about Theatre Raleigh's new state-of-the-art facility and exciting future programming - inc…

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Ron Pringle, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle 54:52

2+ y ago54:52

54:52

If you asked an average Raleigh citizen what the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle does, you'd probably consistently get answers like "help feed people" and "fight hunger"--and both of those would be correct. But did you also know they have a food truck? And run a farm? And a catering service? And will come to anyone's home and build a garden? The Inter-Fai…

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Adrian Mangano, Skate Raleigh 31:18

2+ y ago31:18

31:18

What do you do with a future city park site that currently sits kind of as an empty parking lot? Enloe student Adrian Mangano had an idea: why not make it a skate park? And that idea became Skate Raleigh, a venture to build a temporary skate park between Capital Boulevard and West Street on the future site of Smoky Hollow Park. The area has long be…

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Jason DeGroff, Swing Racquet + Paddle 46:20

2+ y ago46:20

46:20

A little more than 5 years ago, Raleigh almost became home to the new USTA headquarters that eventually landed just outside Orlando. But the message was clear: Raleigh has a lot of people who spend a lot of time with racquets in their hands. Now the Triangle is on the verge of getting a 45-acre racquet and paddle sports super park that includes fac…

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Jonathan Melton, City Council member at-large 59:49

2+ y ago59:49

59:49

Jonathan Melton is serving in his second term as an at-large member of the Raleigh City Council, serving on the Economic Development & Innovation and Transportation & Transit Committees. He was inspired by seeing other young leaders run for and take office, and saw a need for the city to have more varying voices making decisions. And calling back o…

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Johnny Hackett of Black Dollar NC, Black Friday Market and The Factory 1:05:44

3y ago1:05:44

1:05:44

Johnny Hackett had a successful stint in the corporate world before deciding to seek out work that had more meaning. This led to the founding of #BlackDollarNC, a black owned business directory, the Black Friday Market, a retail store hosting goods from 60+ small businesses, and The Factory, and co-working and manufacturing space. We talked to John…

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SPECIAL: Office Talk with Raleigh Magazine, Raleigh's Best Restaurants 19:32

3y ago19:32

19:32

We plan to roll out new Podcast Raleigh episodes soon, but in the mean time we’re kicking off the year with a Podcast Swap! Today’s episode will be from Raleigh Magazine’s Office Talk podcast. Raleigh Magazine Publisher Gina Stephens (a Podcast Raleigh guest--check out the episode!) discusses some of the top Raleigh restaurants, including which one…

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210: Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry 1:18:50

3y ago1:18:50

1:18:50

Send us a text New Slang returns with Episode 210, where I'm joined by singer-songwriter Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry. During this conversation, we talk about Flatland's latest EP, Songs To Keep You Warm, working with the great Bruce Robison on projects, finding your true self in songwriting, Far West Texas inspirations, the new Panhandlers EP…

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Dr. Brian Ralph, William Peace University 54:44

3+ y ago54:44

54:44

It's been almost a decade since Peace College became William Peace University and, since 2015, its leader under the new banner has been Dr. Brian Ralph. We talked to him about the school's diverse student body and array of academic studies, its focus on immersive learning, the expansion of arts and athletic programs, the growth of the North Person …

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Cody Charland & Meetal Shah, Raleigh Sister Cities 1:00:08

3+ y ago1:00:08

1:00:08

Can you name Raleigh's Sister Cities? Do you know what it means to be Sister Cities? And did you know you (yes, YOU) have the ability to help start a Sister City relationship? Cody Charland, President, and Meetal Shah, Development Director, want to take Raleigh Sister Cities--a program that started in the 1980's--and grow it even bigger. More Siste…

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Ashley Campbell, Blanchard Community Law Clinic 45:05

3+ y ago45:05

45:05

Ashley Campbell grew up watching Perry Mason on TV, so it was no surprise that she followed her dream and became a lawyer. Along the way she discovered her passion: helping ensure everyone has access to representation in the justice system. Now--after a decorated career in real estate law with Ragsdale Liggett--that passion is her singular focus as…

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Scott Dupree, Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance 1:04:00

3+ y ago1:04:00

1:04:00

Scott Dupree grew up watching and playing sports, now he brings sports to Wake County as the executive director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance. Sports are a major part of any city's tourism plan, and our area has a sterling reputation as event hosts. We talked to Scott about the economic impact of sports in our area, the rise of e-sports, o…

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209: Thomas Csorba 59:35

3+ y ago59:35

59:35

Send us a text On Episode 209, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Thomas Csorba. During this conversation, we talk about growing up in Houston, discovering Texas songwriters, recording with Beau Bedford & The Texas Gentlemen, writing during the Pandemic, how songwriting has evolved and changed over the past few years, Randy Newman songs, and what he h…

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Marchell Adams-David, City Manager 1:02:11

3+ y ago1:02:11

1:02:11

As City Manager, Marchell Adams-David is responsible for a lot of employees (about 9,000) who serve a lot of people (about a half a million citizens, plus a few hundred thousand more who work and play here). So when she hires people to work for the City of Raleigh--she has one of three roles selected by the City Council, the rest are hired, directl…

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208: Grady Spencer 1:01:10

3+ y ago1:01:10

1:01:10

Send us a text On Episode 208, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Grady Spencer, who in January released Wait, his fourth full-length with his band Grady Spencer & The Work and sixth overall. During this interview, we talk about writing Wait, the sonic palette that was influenced by the mood and feel of the past few years, the significance of songs li…

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207: William Beckmann 1:03:45

3+ y ago1:03:45

1:03:45

Send us a text On Episode 207, I'm joined by singer-songwriter William Beckmann. During this conversation, we talk about his Del Rio roots, border radio influences, splitting time between Texas and Tennessee, finding his voice as a writer, navigating co-writes with songwriting heroes, sage advice from Radney Foster, and what new music he has on the…

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Rhett Fussell, Raleigh Area Land Trust 58:14

4y ago58:14

58:14

Rhett Fussell is a transportation engineer, but when he bought some real estate he realized something important: it's not that feasible for everyone to purchase real estate. That sent him down a path that eventually led to him becoming a founder and interim director of the Raleigh Area Land Trust. RALT is Wake County's first land trust; there are l…

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206: Kolton Moore 37:41

4y ago37:41

37:41

Send us a text On Episode 206, I'm joined by singer-songwriter Kolton Moore. During this one, we talk about his hiatus, coming back to songwriting, being a reenergized artist with a cult-like following, working with the likes of Ace Crayton of Thieving Birds, and what he has on the horizon in 2022. This episode's presenting partner is Desert Door T…

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Mitchell Silver, VP of Urban Planning at McAdams 59:20

4y ago59:20

59:20

It's not hyperbole to say Mitchell Silver is one of the most experienced, most respected city planners in the world. And for a second time, we've got him right here in Raleigh. Silver helped develop Raleigh's comprehensive plan as its chief planning officer before moving to New York City to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recre…

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Tinu Diver, Filmmaker "This Belongs To Us" 1:09:58

4y ago1:09:58

1:09:58

Tinu Diver is an attorney, writer, community activist and filmmaker who went from tinkering with a camera to make her first movie in elementary school in Maryland to being featured at the Sundance Film Festival. In between, she graduated from UNC's Creative Writing Program and UNC Law and pursued (and continues to pursue) a number of different inte…

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205: Caleb Lee Hutchinson 1:00:08

4y ago1:00:08

1:00:08

Send us a text On Episode 205, I'm joined by rising country singer-songwriter Caleb Lee Hutchinson. Back in September, Hutchinson released the wonderful EP Slot Machine Syndrome. During this episode, we talk about writing and recording the songs of Slot Machine, working with the likes of Brent Cobb (who produced the effort), navigating Nashville so…

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204: David Beck's Tejano Weekend 1:02:22

4y ago1:02:22

1:02:22

Send us a text On Episode 204, I'm joined by David Beck, bassist and chief songwriter of David Beck's Tejano Weekend. During this conversation, we talk about their latest album, the aptly titled Volume 2, writing Tejano songs in English, diving into a Mexican music culture that's loved in Texas, but often overlooked, collaborating with legends, and…

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