362 - Cole Swindell: You Should Be Here

Grammy award-winning Country Music superstar Cole Swindell pulls up a chair at the big wooden table to have a chat with good friend Dale Earnhardt Jr. The two giants in their perspective industry have a special bond. They open up about the loss of their fathers and mothers and how they each found ways to cope with unthinkable loss. It's a conversation that brings us closer to how Cole, who lost his father in a freak accident as a child, and his mother to illness recently, was able to carry on. He didn't miss a beat, playing his popular song, "You Should Be Here" in front of packed audiences for an even deeper meaning. We learn how the particular song brought Dale Jr. and Cole together. Swindell didn't have a typical start for a country music artist. Yes, he was a songwriter, that moved to Nashville in hopes of achieving his dreams of being on the big stage. But his story really starts at a college dorm, where he met fellow Georgia Southern alum and country music artist Luke Bryan. The friendship grew into Cole going on the road with Bryan. But, not to perform... rather sell his merchandise. From slingin' t-shirts to writing music, it was time for Swindell to shine. He explains the opportunities that led to his first big break in music. Dale Jr., co-host Mike Davis, and Swindell bring us inside what it's like in the Country music scene as a songwriter and performer. How playing the bar circuit in Nashville can connect an artist to the next shot. Speaking of bars, which Nashville watering hole is Cole's favorite? We find out. Swindell is not shy about sharing his love for his alma mater, Georgia Southern. It's the same place that Mike Davis went to school. The two share some fun talk about their different paths from the same institution. Davis also asks Cole about some of the stigma surrounding the new-country scene. Swindell is a big Atlanta Braves fan. Many people know that. But what some don't realize is how big of a NASCAR fan he is. This isn't just some celebrity fly-by-night NASCAR fan, the Dawson County native has been following the Cup Series since he was a child. Before Swindell arrives Dale Jr. answers some amazing fan questions in our AskJr segment. We learn about how Dirty Mo Media was started, Dale's new square body Chevy truck, and the day Dale Earnhardt Jr lassoed a fish. Yes, I said "lassoed a fish." The biggest moment of the show comes when the cat is let out of the bag. Amy Earnhardt, Mike Davis, Swindell and the Dirty Mo Media gang had been scheming a birthday surprise for Dale Jr. Well, let's just say the surprise not only closed the show, but it brought Dale Jr. to tears.