Katie & Company

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ACM-nominated Katie Neal is here to get you through the workday and keep you in the know with all things Country music. She's always looking for a good laugh and a great deal. When Katie's not on your radio, she's probably binging her favorite TV shows, attending a wedding or planning a trip somewhere! Katie was recently recognized by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and won a Gracie Award.

  1. 1d ago

    Little Big Town Finds Hope

    Before getting into their emotional, twelfth studio album, 'It’s A Dying Art,' which arrives everywhere on August 28, Little Big Town stepped into the strange and supernatural during a talk with Katie Neal. Beginning with the haunting legends of a historic Franklin home where they once recorded, the band shared a terrifying tale about "Beulah," the resident ghost they believe once flooded their studio, threatening precious analog tapes and artifacts. “I'd left the studio last that night and there's a little bathroom upstairs in the office side of the studio, and I turned the light off, faucets off, shut the door,” shares Philip Sweet. “Karen gets there the next morning, first thing, and the lights are on in that bathroom, faucet's full blast, and it was flooding water pouring through the ceiling fan downstairs.” “All I could think was like, ‘oh my gosh, if water got into the studio,’” Karen Fairchild gasps. “I ran in there and it was like the water stopped right at the kitchen door.” “Fast forward to someone that is like a ghost historian… said that water is the way that ghosts communicate tears,” reveals Karen. “We were cutting a song called ‘Evangeline’ about an abused woman. So, anyhow, Beulah, we didn't ever think she wasn't our friend, but, she was there.” No ghosts were encountered in the making of Little Big Town’s new album, 'It’s A Dying Art,' but very present is the band’s desire to create hope in dark times. “Maybe ‘we could have it all’ probably sums up the sentiment of the whole record,” Karen says. “That there's hope in the darkest of days, you know, and you'll get up again, and it's about all the little journeys and the nooks and crannies of life.” The title comes from a track on the project, which Sweet says captures the true connection of Little Big Town. “With all that's going on and changing in music and AI and all that, what we really love is being human and making human connection with the band and the writers and the sounds, and you know, being human.” For much more from Little Big Town, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.

    Little Big Town Finds Hope

  2. Aug 4

    Brandon Lake's Mission is the Message

    Brandon Lake has made a mark in Country music, thanks to his profound, faith-based approach to music and collaboration, and his desire to connect with as many people as possible through the power of song. The “Hard Fought Hallelujah” singer joined Katie Neal earlier this year inside our Nashville studio, during the whirlwind of CMA Fest, to unpack his origin story and share how so many meaningful relationships have been forged along the way. “I just feel like a kid who's just, I'm not a kid, but I think, my spirit, I just still feel like a kid who just loves writing songs and puts them out there,” Lake says of his path into music. “God's just like breathed on them and gotten them in front of millions of people.” Growing up Lake’s family started a church in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and he watched as a community formed, and as his father taught him his first chords on the guitar. “I'm one of those few people that has been a part of the church my whole life and hasn't grown bitter of it,” he adds. “My parents did it the right way, so I grew up in a Christian home and my dad had a guitar laying around and he taught me my first few chords G, C, and D, and I kind of took it from there.” Singing in the church offered Brandon something special. “I watched this thing happen that I'm still addicted to now, and it's why I've stayed in it, just when people connect with a song, especially a song that's bigger than them and gives them hope, gives them faith to keep going. I got addicted to that I think I found my calling, you know, it's like this is what I was made to do.” The stages got bigger for Brandon Lake, and so did the impact, as his mission has taken him into the sphere of Country music. “I think the ultimate dream is like, I wanna influence as many people as I possibly can with a message that I know the world desperately needs.” Lake pushes back against the perception that his recent crossovers are driven by a desire for fame, emphasizing that his partnerships with artists like Thomas Rhett, Jelly Roll, Jordan Davis, and Lainey Wilson are built on genuine friendships, describing a culture where artists reach out to him not just for professional collaboration, but for life advice regarding fatherhood, marriage, and maintaining boundaries within the industry. “I feel like that's been my goal is just to, I don't know, like be a chaplain of Country music, you know, just be a guy who's available that can listen and encourage these other artists who I look up to and who are doing it so well, and so we went in and I was like, ‘I wanna put on the biggest coolest writing camp that you know I've ever been a part of and maybe that Nashville's seen,’ and so we booked Dark Horse Studios.. and I invited everybody who I've just been running into.” To hear much more from Brandon Lake, check out the full conversation above, and this week on the 'Superstar Power Hour' on your favorite Audacy Country station.

  3. Jul 28

    Brantley Gilbert's Season of Learning

    Brantley Gilbert has officially unveiled his new album, 'SINS OF THE FATHER,' and with it, a deeply personal look at his life. During a recent conversation with Katie Neal, Brantley opened up about the intersection of his faith, parenthood, and his past struggles with addiction and how they shine through on his new project. Sitting with Katie inside our Nashville studios, The “GOOD DAMN” singer describes his albums as "chapters" of his life. 'SINS OF THE FATHER' is the latest in a page-turner of a career, and was born out of his anxieties as a father of three, fearing that his past "troubled chapter" would negatively impact his children. “I've got an 8-year-old, a 6-year-old, a 1-year-old, and kind of had a little troubled chapter of life, I guess we could say, a long one,” he shares, admitting he was “worried, just paranoid, scared to death that the things, choices I made back then, would come back on my kids.” “I fully thought I'd either be dead or incarcerated by 30, so this living in a different direction, being a married dad of 3 was not on my bingo card.” Gilbert looked to his faith for guidance, and found conflicting biblical passages regarding generational sin, which led him to reflect deeply on his role as a parent. Ultimately, he says, the album is a prayer and a reflection on his current "season of learning," finding relief in the realization that he can change the trajectory for his children. Brantley has a lot to be proud of these days, including an excellent album where he threw out the rule book, concentrating on where the song wanted to go rather than how successful it could be across platforms. He’s also approaching 15 years of sobriety, and spoke with Katie about his journey, and his role in supporting others who are struggling. Emphasizing that addiction is a "genetic disease" that is non-discriminatory. He navigates it all with a support system that allows for tough, honest conversation, and continues to connect with listeners in a special way because of his past. For more from Brantley Gilbert on 'SINS OF THE FATHER,' his collaboration with Jelly Roll, and his relationship with Jason Aldean, check out the full conversation above.

  4. Jul 7

    Megan Moroney on 'Cloud 9' with Boots

    Between dates on her already-epic 'Cloud 9 Tour,' Megan Moroney and her dog Boots join Katie Neal in the studio to talk about the making of her latest trek, the importance of her fans, and how she navigates life with a puppy on the road. Moroney’s tour began in May, featuring hallmarks of Megan and her 'Cloud 9' album, a detailed stage design, and a floating window moment across the arena that initially had the singer in a panic. “I will say I had 2 weeks to rehearse up in Pennsylvania, and fortunately my video guy Jeff has it all on video so one day I'll get to show everybody,” she shares. “The 1st 5 times I went up there I was terrified, like they were having to give me towels because my hands were so clammy and sweaty and I kind of felt like I was gonna pass out up there, and I was like kind of having mini panic attacks.” “I think it's because all the lights were on so I could see the two little strings I'm hanging from, I could see that I could touch the rafter, I could see that I could fall to my death if something went wrong,” she adds. “Once we started doing the show full out and the lights were off I was like, ‘oh this isn't bad.’ And honestly, I was kind of just like, I'm gonna have to find a way to get over this fear because this window's already been paid for and it was expensive, so we're using the window.” “Obviously the more I did it, it's fun now. It's one of my favorite parts of the show.” On tour Megan keeps her routine, eating at the same time, doing her Pilates workout on YouTube, knocking out the schedule to keep things rolling. “Every 15 minutes I have something to do,” Moroney admits. “Like my day is planned out that way.” Through it all, she knows that it’s the fans that have pushed her career to this level, looking back on the past few years as she has shot to superstardom. “I released ‘Tennessee Orange’ in 2022 and it hasn't even been four years since I released [it]. It'll be four years this football season.” “I always just give credit to my fans because they've done this for me, they show up, they're the ones that have encouraged me to continue to be honest in my songwriting and they support me when I do things. I know that there's a lot of people that don't get it still, but… the people that do get it, that's what it's for.” For more from Megan Moroney and her dog, Boots, check out the full interview above.

    Megan Moroney on 'Cloud 9' with Boots

  5. Jun 30

    HARDY is Acting Up

    Heading into the 4th of July, Katie Neal got to sit down with one of our favorite fireworks, HARDY, who has carved out his own lane in Country music and songwriting since first exploding onto the scene. The GRAMMY-nominated singer is set to embark on a trip to Japan with his wife, his longest time away from his 15-month-old daughter, Rosie. While with Katie, he can’t stop gushing about how smart and sweet his little girl is, surprising himself with the way she has changed him. When asked what surprised him about fatherhood, HARDY says, “I guess in a way this might sound weird, but how gentle and delicate I want to be with her.” “Not that I ever imagined it any other way, but like, there's just something about a little girl,” he adds. “I'm looking at these guitars, all my guitars are banged up, all of my stuff is, I'm just rough on my stuff, and it's something about her that it's just, it's just completely different. I've never been that kind of person to be very gentle or to take things slowly or to be patient with things, and it's just, it's like second nature for me for sure.” The conversation shifts to a mysterious, under-wraps film project involving actor Glen Powell, that HARDY is a part of, filming some scenes recently at CMA Fest. “I got to sit in the room and like he, I don't think this is giving too much away. He's already been talking about it, but like he's immersed himself into the culture. It reminds me of what Post Malone did where he like, he didn't just come here and write with all the big people. He like wanted to write with the songwriters and learn all that, and Glenn really like came to town and kind of, more or less, I guess like method acting, he wants to learn about the town to play the better character.” HARDY would be down to do more acting, but he needs to play himself. “Certain people just play themselves,” he notes, citing actors like Vince Vaughn. “I feel like that's the only way I can do it because I've thought about like, how hard it would be for Johnny Depp to become a completely different person and how good like Jared Leto, some of these people are just great at becoming a different person. There's no way I could do that I don't think.” The real passion for HARDY still lies in songwriting, sharing that he’s having a real “songwriter moment,” including his work on the all-star single, “McArthur,” featuring Tim McGraw, Eric Church, and Morgan Wallen. "It's two different channels of fulfillment too,” he says. “I started a publishing company with some members of my family... we're signing people and then like people that have never had hits and they're like writing hits and we're writing hits together and it's really cool, it's really special." To hear more about a few of those hits and family life with HARDY, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.

  6. Jun 23

    Parker McCollum Lucky in Las Vegas

    Fresh from his 'Album of the Year' win at the ACM Awards this year, Parker McCollum is back with Katie Neal, talking about the big night, his child on the way, and the story behind his latest hit, “Killin’ Me.” “I really, really, really didn't expect it,” Parker says of his win at the ACMs, with his self-titled LP taking home the prize for 'Album of the Year.’ “They say your name and it's on live TV and you're like, ‘oh damn, what do I do now?’” “So many people are a part of my journey, I would need so much time to really thank everybody that I truly and sincerely want to give credit to for putting me in a position to do something like that, but it's, I don't know, it's such a blur when they call your name.” After the big win, McCollum says he took his luck to the tables in Las Vegas with Tucker Wetmore. “Me and Tucker went to the blackjack table,” he shares. “We were balling. Laney Wilson was back there, and Zach Top was too. They weren't at our table. They ended up coming over once we were in it, and we were like, ‘Hey, this is going really well. Y'all can't sit down.’” “Every time Laney would walk over and check on us, we would win. So like we had this Laney effect and like every time she would come over, and eventually she just came and hung out and I mean, I think I walked away with like 13,000. I sat down with 1000. Just asked Tucker, like it was the most unorthodox way of making money in that game, not playing by the rules, just winging it. The place is going crazy, but we had a good time.” The winning streak continues for McCollum, who is once again climbing the charts with his song, “Killin’ Me.” “A lot of people describe that song as like a sexy love song, but I had never really written anything from that perspective or in that vein, so it was kind of new territory for me in the songwriting aspect,” Parker reveals. “It was a little dark and it was emotional, and it was all hot and bothered is what the melody kind of made me think of, so it's just 3 grown men in the room writing this song.” “I was like, let's all just close our eyes and picture our wives and let's stop looking at each other,” he laughs. “That's just how I've always written songs, just messing around on guitar, just kind of, you know, just making stuff up.” For more on the upcoming addition to his family, and the stories behind some of his songs, listen to the full conversation with Parker McCollum above.

    Parker McCollum Lucky in Las Vegas

  7. Jun 19

    Cole Swindell is a ‘Girl Dad’

    Cole Swindell is forever changed, thanks to his newest title, Dad. The singer stopped by for a talk with Katie Neal about his new single, “Girl Dad,” and what the first Father’s Day in his new role means to him. Swindell shares that having a child fundamentally changed his perspective, teaching him that the common cliches about how fast time moves are actually true. "There's no measure of time like a child, like watching how fast it goes by watching them grow and I don't know. It just sounds like a bunch of cliche stuff that is the truth now." As his daughter nears one, Cole has unveiled an emotional new track, "Girl Dad," explaining that the song serves as an update to his life since the release of his hit, "You Should Be Here." "It's just an update of life over the past 3 or 4 years to my dad,” he explains. Swindell wanted to revisit the site of his father’s grave - the location where the video for "You Should Be Here" was filmed - to update his father on his life. He emphasizes that despite the specific title, the song is ultimately about hope and finding light at the end of the tunnel, even after profound loss. “It may be titled ‘Girl Dad,’ but it's really for anybody going through any life moment or anything. Those moments where you wish you could just call that one person or a couple people, and tell them. So I hope that people know that this is a special song to me, but it's really just the power of music and also hope.” “Sometimes that's all we need is to know that whatever that feeling is, there's somebody out there that's been through it,” Cole adds. To hear more from Cole on the search for his late father’s old Bronco, and the stories behind a few of his biggest hits, listen to the full conversation above.

  8. Jun 17

    Keith Urban Finds His 'flow state'

    Keith Urban has gotten so good at what he does, that he accidentally cooked up the perfect summer soundtrack for you and your friends. The GRAMMY-winning singer just released his Yacht Rock album, 'flow state,' setting the season off with an easy-going batch of beach-ready anthems, along with help from John Mayer, Little Big Town, and Michael McDonald. He joins Katie Neal this week during the 'Superstar Power Hour' to discuss how it all came together. After purchasing a studio in Nashville in 2024 and getting it operational by 2025, Keith simply wanted to record something fun to break in the new space. “We put a band together and I said to Dan Huff, ‘let's just do a couple of Yacht Rock songs just to break in the studio,’ like there was no intention of releasing them at all,” Keith shares. “It was just fun.” It was something that everybody in the band knew, we all know these songs, let's just have fun, let's not be getting too serious about everything,” he adds. “I would go away and tour and I'd come back and if I had time we would just put the band back together and maybe do one or two more songs and then I thought, well maybe I could release a little EP while I'm in between albums, you know, my original albums.” “It really did take on a life of its own.” The album features three collaborations from Little Big Town, John Mayer, and the one and only, Michael McDonald. “I'd actually recorded the album, we sequenced it, we mixed it, mastered it, turned it into the record label, it was done,” explains Urban. “My new manager said to me, ‘it'd be really great if we could get one of the Yacht Rock dudes to collab on something,’ and I said, ‘like who?’” Keith already had a song in mind for McDonald, and got a session together to record with him in record time. “I'd met Michael, he'd recorded his vocal, we'd recorded the song top to bottom, we mixed it, we mastered it, we re-sequenced the record, we resurfaced it, we put it back on the label,” says Keith. “That's probably the shining example of how the album has consistently had a life of its own.” For more from Keith Urban on the meaning of 'flow state,' and the debate surrounding the sound of Country music, check out the full conversation above.

    Keith Urban Finds His 'flow state'
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

ACM-nominated Katie Neal is here to get you through the workday and keep you in the know with all things Country music. She's always looking for a good laugh and a great deal. When Katie's not on your radio, she's probably binging her favorite TV shows, attending a wedding or planning a trip somewhere! Katie was recently recognized by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and won a Gracie Award.

Information

  • Creator
    Audacy
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    367
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Audacy, Inc.
  • Show Website
    Katie & Company

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