Backstage Pass Radio

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Date: February 25, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S10: E4: Avery Kern - Rooftops, Roots, And A Rescue Dog

SHOW SUMMARY:
Some stories sneak up on you from the rooftop. That’s where we reconnect with Americana artist Avery Kern, whose voice moves from honeyed hush to gravel edge and whose songs hold the kind of honesty you feel in your ribs. We chart her leap from a tiny K–12 school in Pawnee, Illinois, to the neon of Nashville, sharing the moments that shaped her: a sixth-grade assembly, the quiet courage it took to sing on American Idol, and the rescue dog who inspired a tender, hooky single called Cowboy Crazy.

We get into the craft. Avery talks about writing for the human experience without staying trapped in love-song cliches, and why delivery can be the final verse of any lyric. She explains how Failure To Launch simmered for years until she had the words—and the nerve—to finish it. We compare polished studio cuts with the raw, gritty energy of her live band, where arrangements evolve, grooves grow teeth, and setlists give way to instinct. And if you’ve ever tried to honor a wild request mid-show, you’ll love how she navigates range, bridges, and the difference between serving a song and sacrificing it.

There’s a forward pulse too. Avery is building two DIY EPs: one steeped in old-school country and blues swagger (don’t miss Left Him in Georgia), and one orbiting a “space” theme that threads lunar imagery through stories of growth, loss, and finding your footing. TikTok has opened doors to new cities, and a tour feels closer with every venue that fans send her way. Through it all, the aim stays simple—send people home lighter than they arrived, with a chorus humming under their breath.

Hit play to hear an artist who refuses to fit a box and makes that refusal sound like clarity. If you enjoy the conversation, follow Avery Kern Music everywhere, subscribe to the show, and share this episode with a friend who needs a new favorite song. Your reviews help more listeners find us—what track should Avery cover next?

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Artist(s) Web Page

www.averykern.com

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Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 
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Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!
Date: February 111, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S10: E3: Kendra Erika - Behind The Bond

SHOW SUMMARY:
A standing ovation at a Boca Raton restaurant set the stage for a career that would span club anthems, jazz standards, and a daring reinvention shaped by risk and timing. We sit down with Kendra Erika—multiple Billboard Dance Club #1 artist—to map the journey from karaoke nights and Sinatra schooling to a Bond-inspired album and a string of Vegas dates that showcase a new sonic identity.

Kendra opens up about the strategy that turned a supposed industry taboo into a win: dropping Self Control during the quiet week between Christmas and New Year’s, when the release calendar goes silent. She breaks down how DJ relationships, club spins, and mix shows drive Billboard dance charting, why accolades are confirmation rather than identity, and how consistency is the real magic potion. We also dig into the craft: writing by conversation, capturing melodies on voice memos at midnight, and treating remakes as re-stylizations that honor the original while stamping your own signature. Her new single Golden Eye, produced with Myron McKinley, channels cabaret swing and Peggy Lee’s Fever, revealing the “quiet power” at the core of her evolving sound.

Beyond the studio, Kendra talks acting projects, reading charts with live bands in Vegas, and grounding herself through golf and Rotary service. She shares a candid take on songs that felt forced during polarizing times, and why letting ideas arrive on their own terms often yields the work that lasts. If you’re curious about how artists pivot without losing momentum—or how to turn club credibility into a cinematic, jazz-forward lane—you’ll find a smart, generous blueprint here.

Stream now, pre-save License To Thrill, and join us for a behind-the-scenes look at a reinvention done right. If this conversation moved you, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others discover it.

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Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
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Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - backstagepassradio.com and randyhulsey.com
Artist(s) Web Page

www.kendraerika.com
https://www.facebook.com/KendraErikaMusic
https://www.instagram.com/kendraerika/

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. 
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Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 

Support the show

Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!
Date: January 21, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S10: E2: Earl Slick (David Bowie / John Lennon) - The Six String Saga

SHOW SUMMARY:
The guitar can talk if you let it. That’s the lesson Earl Slick brings to the table—equal parts groove, grit, and a sharp sense of what a song really needs. We sat down to trace his path from Little League dreams to stages with David Bowie and John Lennon, and the result is a candid masterclass on rhythm, taste, and integrity. He doesn’t chase trends or pedals; he chases feel. He’ll tell you why the best job in rock might be the sideman who keeps the front person free, and how a two-bar hook can make a track immortal.
 
We dive into the sessions that defined him. With Bowie, Slick had full creative trust and learned to build parts that breathe—signature licks, precise space, and a stage sense that let the star step back when needed. With Lennon, he was the “wild card,” the street player alongside seasoned readers, there to inject heart. He unpacks tone philosophy in plain terms: light bodies for resonance, Telecasters kept honest, Gibson acoustics that bloom, fuzz as spice, and a pedalboard that leaves plenty to your hands. It’s practical wisdom for players at any level, from studio pros to weekend warriors.
 
Slick doesn’t dodge the hard stuff. He talks about anxiety, isolation off the road, and the healing power of telling the truth. His definition of success is refreshingly simple: play the guitar, take care of your family, pay the mortgage, and sleep at night. We explore his Slick guitar line—lighter builds, quality hardware, workable prices—and his advice for the next generation: get in a room with a drummer and bass player, let the first take speak, and don’t mistake social media for a career. There’s new music, a heartfelt David Johansen tribute, and studio experiments on the horizon, all grounded in the same ethic: rhythm first, ego last.
 
If you love real stories from the engine room of rock—Bowie, Lennon, hooks that stick, tone that breathes—this conversation will stay with you. Subscribe, share with a musician friend, and leave a review to keep these deep dives coming. What’s the riff that made you fall in love with the guitar? Tell us.

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Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - backstagepassradio.com and randyhulsey.com
Artist(s) Web Page

https://www.facebook.com/EarlSlickOfficial/
https://www.instagram.com/earlslick_official/

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. 
 
Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 

Support the show

Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!
Date: January 7, 2026
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S10: E1: Austin Ingerman (Gunshine) - Gunshine From Sunshine State

SHOW SUMMARY:
Big riffs, big hooks, zero apologies. That’s the energy we chase with guitarist and songwriter Austin Ingerman of Gunshine, a Florida-born player who balances swagger with sharp songcraft. From Daytona beginnings to LA’s Musicians Institute and arena tours as a hired gun, Austin shares how those miles shaped a band built for choruses you can shout and guitars that actually feel dangerous again.
 
We talk origin stories the honest way: how a pandemic pause pushed Austin home, how early tracks came together before a singer was even in the room, and why the search for a voice with an X factor took years. When Jordan walked in from a dueling-piano bar, the chemistry clicked fast. The result is Gunshine’s “swampy” identity—Southern edge, modern punch—rooted in influences like Boston, Def Leppard, AC/DC, and a touch of early GNR. The name Gunshine nods to Florida’s nickname and the band’s sunburned grit, not a retro costume.
 
Songwriting sits at the center. Austin often starts with melodies and riffs captured on voice memos, while Jordan brings a Nashville-honed lyric lens and the number system to keep structures tidy. We break down “Bayou,” which began as Jordan’s country-leaning sketch and morphed into a layered modern rocker with a ramping chorus. The home-studio pipeline is real: tracks built in Austin’s space, files shipped to Chris Collier for mix and master, and a sound that still hits like a room full of amps. Theory helps in the background—tension, resolution, the occasional Mixolydian wink—but the rule is feel first.
 
Grand Rising, a 13-song album, arrives with more colors: piano textures, heavier corners, and a stealth seven-string thickening the choruses without stealing the spotlight. We dig into touring momentum after a successful run through venues like the Whisky and Sturgis, plus the realities of booking while transitioning agencies. Austin’s parting wisdom is pure working-musician truth: pick one job a day, finish it well, and let the songs lead everything else.
 
If you crave straight-ahead rock with big melodies and no filler, hit play, follow Gunshine on socials, and watch for the first single on January 23. Enjoy the conversation, then subscribe, share, and leave a quick review so more rock fans can find the show.

Sponsor Link:
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Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
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Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - backstagepassradio.com and randyhulsey.com
Artist(s) Web Page

www.gunshineband.com

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. 
 
Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 
Support the show

Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!
Date: December 17, 2025
Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass Radio
S9: E11: Kendall Beard (Love & Chaos) - When Grit Meets Grace

SHOW SUMMARY:
The story starts on Texas backroads and winds through Opry houses, a teen pop deal, and a reality TV spotlight before landing in an Austin room where sparks fly. Kendall Beard joins us to share how that winding path led to Love & Chaos, her electrifying duo with AJ Vallejo, and why the most interesting music often lives between labels.
 
We dig into the early hustle—weekend shows, VHS audition tapes, and a family that said yes when the dream demanded long drives. Kendall opens up about the label collapse around the Napster era, stepping back for college, and a detour into the business side that confirmed she needed to be on the creative front lines. You’ll hear a candid look at American Idol’s true timeline, the contract strings that stall momentum, and the unexpected upside: a loyal Texas fan base and new doors for songwriting and production.
 
Then the chemistry kicks in. A one-off duet with AJ turns into Love & Chaos, a project where country storytelling collides with rock muscle and a hint of Latin rhythm. We trace their four-year Saxon Pub residency, the craft behind their live duo setup with a suitcase kick drum, and the evolution of Rather Be Alone from sprawling art piece to tight radio edit without losing its pulse. Kendall breaks down their writing process—sometimes 50–50, sometimes whoever has the spark—and why inspiration shows up on runs, in dreams, and in those moments when life refuses to sit still. She also talks about balancing motherhood with touring, choosing fewer but more meaningful shows, and what’s next: a Texas radio tour, new singles, sessions at AJ’s new studio in Gruene, and fresh solo writing.
 
If you love Americana’s open borders, Texas grit, and songs built to breathe on stage, this conversation delivers. Follow Love & Chaos, spin the new single, and tell us which track caught you by surprise. If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more music fans find us.

Sponsor Link:
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Backstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:
Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusic
Instagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusic
Twitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusic
Website - backstagepassradio.com and randyhulsey.com
Artist(s) Web Page

www.loveandchaosmusic.com

Call to action
We ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. 
 
Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio
 
Your Host,
Randy Hulsey 
Support the show