Country icon Trace Adkins gets candid about buying his Tennessee farm, Nashville’s explosive growth, and why “perfect” modern records leave him cold. He shares wild stories with Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens, and more, plus visions for a catfish joint called Hot Mamas.

Trace Adkins is back for part three, and this time he goes deep on life at the farm, Nashville’s real estate explosion, and why old-school, imperfect records still hit harder than today’s polished tracks. From Merle Haggard in boxer shorts with a joint over his ear to Waylon cussing the bugs onstage and Buck Owens’ brutally honest “low note” advice, Trace tells the kind of stories only a true country legend can.

He and the guys also riff on Nashville turning into a “clean New Orleans,” soccer vs. hockey, the changing studio scene, in-ear monitors vs. wedges, health food vs. fried catfish, and his dream of opening a catfish joint called “Hot Mamas.” If you love real country, road stories, and unfiltered opinions, this is your episode.

 1:01 How Trace found his dream 100‑acre farm (and paid more later for 30 acres) 2:55 Nashville’s growth, California money, and $3M homes in former farm fields 3:35 “Clean New Orleans” vibes: Broadway, CMA week, and 250 people a day moving in 5:19 Murfreesboro, Franklin, Gallatin: when the outer ring gets just as crowded 6:07 Getting outside 840 to keep “country living” alive 7:26 Little League moms, grocery store encounters, and a fan story gone sideways 8:18 Why Trace hates soccer and loves hockey fights 10:37 Being a Titans fan, the Music City Miracle, and growing up with the Saints 12:20 Nashville before the Titans and Predators: massage parlors, Printer’s Alley, and a ghost town downtown 17:07 What happens to Music Row studios when AI and home recording take over? 18:39 “Too perfect” records vs. real, messy, live music 19:46 Cutting with Asleep at the Wheel high and out of tune – and why that’s exactly what Trace wanted 20:22 Loving rough live albums and records with mistakes and feel 21:54 Old records recorded by eye and cue, not click tracks and grids 22:33 Trace refuses to sing to a click in the studio 23:00 One in‑ear, loud wedges, and missing the days of club monitors ripping his face off 25:08 Country legends: Merle Haggard in boxers, Waylon fighting bugs, and Hall of Fame grudges 29:41 Buck Owens puts Trace through his paces and gives him brutal “low note” advice 33:05 Grand Ole Opry memories and realizing he’s now one of the “old guys” backstage 36:09 Married to a fitness model: salmon, rice, salads… and disastrous squash brownies 38:02 “I pay for premium health insurance so I can eat what I want” 39:30 Bougie Nashville: Sperry’s, Perry’s, Bourbon Steak, truffle and duck‑fat fries 40:46 Organic fast food and shameless restaurant plugs 41:38 Trace’s dream restaurant: a catfish joint called “Hot Mamas” with flirtatious 50‑something waitresses 43:28 Victoria’s “guilt‑free” menu concept and why Trace’s buddies won’t eat there 44:20 Real pizza talk: New York‑style favorites and local spots 45:22 Mafia‑vibe Italian joints, Godfather radio bits, and ticking off the real bosses 46:37 Wrapping up: three hours with Trace, veterans work, 30th anniversary tour, and where to find Circling the Drain

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Circling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Co

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Episode ID: 1000774989684

GUID: 02372827-2159-47a3-ac5d-51a83d0cdd95

Release Date: 01/07/2026, 11:00:00