Offstage America

Michael Ray & Paul Novielli
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Offstage America is Michael Ray like you’ve never heard him before. No stage lights. No script. This show lives where real life happens, on the road, on the porch, in the woods, at the table. Michael sits down for honest conversations about the things that actually matter: family, faith, the outdoors, sports, music, mental health, giving back, and what it means to build a life you’re proud of. Guests range from fellow artists, athletes, celebrities and veterans to everyday Americans with real stories worth hearing. Some you’ll recognize instantly. Others you’ll be glad you met here first. Michael brings a rare perspective from someone who’s toured nationally, topped charts, lived the highs of success, and still stayed rooted in who he is and where he comes from. That makes the conversations relaxed, unfiltered, and real. The kind of conversations that don’t happen on stage or in interviews. Offstage America isn’t about hype. It’s about real people. It’s about life off the stage and the stories that shape us when no one’s watching.

  1. MAR 24

    Offstage With Tanner Usrey & Joell Cooley

    Send us Fan Mail This episode of Offstage America comes straight from the table at Cadillac Creek Outfitters — four guys, a few drinks in, and absolutely no plan to keep it on the rails. Michael Ray and Paul sit down with rising artists and songwriters Tanner Usrey and Joel Cooley after a full day in the blind, and it turns into exactly what you’d expect — stories, chaos, music talk, and a whole lot of shit talking. They get into how Tanner built his career from the ground up, grinding through Texas and figuring it out the hard way, and how Joel is just getting started — balancing songwriting, touring, and now caddying for John Daly while chasing his shot in music. The conversation jumps everywhere — first tours, playing for nobody, living out of vans, how the industry’s changed, and why there’s no single path anymore. One minute it’s real insight into what it takes to make it, the next it’s complete nonsense about donuts, bad decisions, and whatever else comes to mind. At the core of it, though, it’s about the grind — betting on yourself, figuring it out as you go, and staying in it long enough for something to hit. Follow Offstage America on Instagram & Instagram @offstageamerica Follow Michael  Instagram - @michaelraymusic TikTok - @michaelrayofficial Follow Paul Instagram & TikTok - @pauloffstage

    1h 22m

  2. MAR 17

    Offstage With Toby Brohlin Cadillac Creek Outfitters

    Send a text Michael Ray, Paul, and Lil Skinny sit down with Toby Brohlin, the man behind one of the top waterfowl hunting destinations anywhere, after two unreal days in the blind. They talk about how Toby built Cadillac Creek, what hunting meant to him after losing his dad, and how the outdoors became the thing that helped pull him through one of the hardest seasons of his life. What started as a love for music and life on the road turned into something completely different back home in Texas — and eventually became Cadillac Creek. The conversation gets into a lot more than hunting. Toby talks about walking away from one dream, listening when life pushed him in a different direction, building something for his family, and creating a place that feels more like home than a business. They also get into the hunts themselves — huge feeds, thousands of birds, the madness of those first volleys, and why this place is different from anywhere else. It’s a conversation about faith, family, loss, purpose, and how sometimes the thing that saves you is nowhere near the plan you had for yourself. If you love the outdoors, good stories, and hearing how people actually built what they built, this one’s worth a listen. Learn more or book a hunt at CadillacCreek.com. Follow Offstage America on Instagram & Instagram @offstageamerica Follow Michael  Instagram - @michaelraymusic TikTok - @michaelrayofficial Follow Paul Instagram & TikTok - @pauloffstage

    49 min

  3. MAR 9

    Nashville Recap At The Atomic Inn

    Send us Fan Mail After a few packed days in Nashville, the crew sit down to recap their first trip recording together on the road. What started as a simple podcast setup quickly turned into a full Nashville run — six episodes in two days with guests from completely different worlds. The guys talk about the chaos of putting it all together, the behind-the-scenes moments you don’t see, and the stories that came out of the conversations. Michael also tells the story of waking up to two Nashville metro police officers at the door after a podcast sign shipped from overseas got flagged by the post office. What was supposed to be a simple delivery turned into a pretty unforgettable wake-up call. From there the conversation turns into what the trip really showed them — hearing guests open up about the grind behind success, the risks people take betting on themselves, and the reality that the road to where they are now wasn’t smooth for any of them. They also recap the incredible lineup of guests they recorded with in Nashville including Filmore, Drew Baldridge, Miles Burris, Grayson Russell, Ajay Popoff and Ethan “Lil Skinny.” Along the way the guys trade stories about growing up, parents who kept them in line, weird travel moments, the chaos of self-checkout grocery stores, and why sometimes the best conversations happen when there’s no real plan at all. It’s the start of something new for Offstage America — and just the beginning of what’s coming next Follow Offstage America on Instagram & Instagram @offstageamerica Follow Michael  Instagram - @michaelraymusic TikTok - @michaelrayofficial Follow Paul Instagram & TikTok - @pauloffstage

    51 min

  4. MAR 3

    Offstage With Miles Burris

    Send us Fan Mail Miles Burris joins Offstage America — former Oakland Raiders linebacker who went from peewee football to the NFL, became a day-one starter, and lived the full “dream turned pressure cooker” experience: draft day, walking into the facility for the first time, and lining up across from names like Peyton Manning. Miles breaks down the part people don’t see: what it takes mentally and physically to chase the league from childhoodthe reality of playing hurt and how a knee injury ended his career earlier than he ever plannedwhat the NFL feels like from the field (not from your couch)the emotional crash of losing the one identity you built your whole life aroundThen the conversation pivots into the second act: acting. Miles talks about getting pushed into acting by his wife when he was stuck and depressed after football, booking auditions early, then hitting the drought that nobody warns you about. He explains how the traditional acting path is changing fast — and how social media turned into his shortcut, his resume, and the reason he’s now getting offered roles without the same old cattle-call process. They also get into the wild overlap between sports, entertainment, and the creator world, plus the behind-the-scenes story of how Miles and Brady originally crossed paths in the wrestling/acting orbit. It’s funny, it’s honest, and it’s the kind of conversation that actually explains how people rebuild when the first plan dies. Follow Miles Burris: Instagram: @milesjamesburris Other platforms: @milesburristv Follow Offstage America on Instagram & Instagram @offstageamerica Follow Michael  Instagram - @michaelraymusic TikTok - @michaelrayofficial Follow Paul Instagram & TikTok - @pauloffstage

    1h 4m

  5. FEB 24

    Offstage With Filmore

    Send us Fan Mail Country artist Filmore sits down with Michael & Paul on this episode of Offstage America for a conversation that goes deeper than the highlight reel people usually see. Filmore talks about the road that led to his upcoming album Atypical, what went into writing and producing the project, and why this record feels like a reset for him creatively. He gets into the reality of the music business the grind, the pressure, and the parts of the industry fans rarely see when the cameras are off. They also talk about Filmore’s collaboration with Mr Worldwide, Pitbull, how that relationship started, and what it was like performing “Yeehaw” together on New Year’s Eve on national TV.  Offstage, life is changing too. Filmore shares what it’s been like preparing to welcome his second child, a baby girl, and how becoming a dad shifts the way he looks at the career, the road, and the future. Along the way they swap stories about Nashville, songwriting, the early grind of building a fanbase, and why staying true to who you are matters more than ever in today’s version of the music industry. Filmore’s new album Atypical dropped February 20, 2026 and is available NOW  everywhere you listen to music. Including Spotify, Apple Music, and all major streaming platforms. Follow Offstage America on Instagram & Instagram @offstageamerica Follow Michael  Instagram - @michaelraymusic TikTok - @michaelrayofficial Follow Paul Instagram & TikTok - @pauloffstage

    55 min

  6. FEB 17

    Offstage With Ajay Popoff

    Send us Fan Mail Before Lit had a hit, they had a Cadillac running on fumes and a steady diet of Del Taco. Michael & Paul hang with Ajay Popoff of Lit and gets into the stuff you don’t always hear — the years of getting passed on, almost running out of gas (literally), and how My Own Worst Enemy ended up becoming one of those songs that still shuts a bar down 25+ years later. They also talk about how different the game is now, from chasing radio adds to just putting music out and why chart spots still matter more than people admit. Ajay teases new Lit music too, including “Anybody Have a Light,” and why they’re done waiting around for the “perfect” moment. Recorded at The Atomic Inn Follow Offstage America on Instagram & Instagram @offstageamerica Follow Michael  Instagram - @michaelraymusic TikTok - @michaelrayofficial Follow Paul Instagram & TikTok - @pauloffstage

    1h 4m

  7. FEB 10

    Offstage With Grayson Russell & Lil'Skinny

    Send us Fan Mail We brought in two of our guys for a real fun show: Lil’Skinny (if you’ve been in Nashville longer than 10 minutes, he probably knows your cousin) and Grayson Russell — yes, the redheaded kid from Talladega Nights. And somehow, this turns into stories about John Daly, CMA Fest, getting dropped into wild situations with no warning, and how Nashville works when you’re new in town and just willing to meet people. But it’s not all jokes — Grayson talks about the acting road, faith, and what it was like being protected as a kid in Hollywood. Skinny talks about learning life the hard way, why the simple stuff matters, and how the best memories usually aren’t the flashy ones. If you want an episode that feels like you’re sitting at the table with us… this is it. Follow Offstage America on Instagram & Instagram @offstageamerica Follow Michael  Instagram - @michaelraymusic TikTok - @michaelrayofficial Follow Paul Instagram & TikTok - @pauloffstage

    46 min

  8. FEB 3

    Offstage With Drew Baldridge

    Send us Fan Mail Drew Baldridge came up in the music industry the hard way. Michael & Paul sit down with Drew and talk about the early grind. Tour vans, playing anywhere that would have him and what happened when Drew lost his record deal right before the world shut down. Instead of quitting, he started playing graduations during COVID, then built a backyard tour by DM’ing fans, cold-calling schools, and routing shows himself. Hundreds of backyards later, he had rebuilt his fanbase from the ground up. Drew also tells the real story behind She’s Somebody’s Daughter — how it went viral, still got turned down by Nashville, and why he decided to hire his own radio team and push the song independently, eventually taking it to #1. They get into the pressure of betting on yourself, starting a family while everything’s uncertain, and what it actually takes to keep going when there’s no safety net. Just a real conversation about not quitting everyone needs to hear.  Follow Drew Baldridge Instagram - @drewbaldridgemusic TikTok - @drewbaldridgemusic https://drewbaldridgemusic.com/ Follow Offstage America on Instagram & Instagram @offstageamerica Follow Michael  Instagram - @michaelraymusic TikTok - @michaelrayofficial Follow Paul Instagram & TikTok - @pauloffstage

    57 min
See All (14)

About

Offstage America is Michael Ray like you’ve never heard him before. No stage lights. No script. This show lives where real life happens, on the road, on the porch, in the woods, at the table. Michael sits down for honest conversations about the things that actually matter: family, faith, the outdoors, sports, music, mental health, giving back, and what it means to build a life you’re proud of. Guests range from fellow artists, athletes, celebrities and veterans to everyday Americans with real stories worth hearing. Some you’ll recognize instantly. Others you’ll be glad you met here first. Michael brings a rare perspective from someone who’s toured nationally, topped charts, lived the highs of success, and still stayed rooted in who he is and where he comes from. That makes the conversations relaxed, unfiltered, and real. The kind of conversations that don’t happen on stage or in interviews. Offstage America isn’t about hype. It’s about real people. It’s about life off the stage and the stories that shape us when no one’s watching.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Ray & Paul Novielli
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Offstage America
  • Show Website
    Offstage America