Country Mile

The 53rd Annual CMA Awards took place in Nashville last week, and Cindy Watts was there to talk with the artists that took home the heavy trophy. She grabs Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, Ashley McBryde, Dan+Shay, Luke Combs and Garth Brooks moments after coming off the stage.

Country Music Hall of Fame member Ricky Skaggs and up-and-coming country duo High Valley — composed of brothers Brad and Curtis Rempel — talk about the rich crossroads of country and bluegrass.
Skaggs remembers waking up to find a mandolin in his bed when he was 5 years old, a gift from his father. High Valley learned to love music in their isolated Northern Canadian town by listening to bluegrass records, including Ricky Skaggs.

The first seven installments of The USA TODAY NETWORK's Country Mile podcast were taped in some of Nashville's most storied, intimate rooms – with just a few lucky folks on hand to hear some of country music's most influential artists talk about the moments that made their careers.
Episode 8 – well, Episode 8 is a party. Thousands of country music fans packed into Belmont University's Curb Event Center to hear one of country's biggest stars ever, Garth Brooks, and one of its most exciting voices, Ashley McBryde, talk about the songwriting craft. There are lots of laughs, a few tears and a wealth of career advice for any aspiring writer.

What was the first music that moved you? The first song you learned to play? The first time you heard yourself on the radio?
Cindy Watts sits down with 21-time Grammy winner Vince Gill and multi-platinum selling country artist Chris Young at Belmont University's The GIG. (Gallery of Iconic Guitars)

Brad Paisley thinks he’s special – Europeans know it.
Paisley’s first television special “Brad Paisley Thinks He’s Special” will air 7 p.m. Dec. 3 on ABC. He filmed the television show in Nashville in September a few weeks before he headed to Europe for his sold-out arena tour.
Paisley sat down with The Tennessean’s Country Mile podcast to talk about “Brad Paisley Thinks He’s Special,” his record-setting European arena tour and the importance of giving back. Paisley, along with his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and Belmont University are partnering to open a free grocery store for those in need that is set to open in early 2020. The Store, by the way, was inspired by his sons when they were younger. His wife thought they were acting spoiled, put them all in the car and drove them to a place to volunteer in California called The Unity Shoppe. The Paisley family was so inspired by the trip that they tirelessly worked to bring a version of the concept – a free grocery store – to middle Tennessee.