Andy Mooney has been the CEO of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation since 2015. Prior to that, he held senior positions at Disney and Nike. We cover it all. This episode was recorded in person at the Fender headquarters in Los Angeles.

of Kiss

Country pop singer-songwriter Twinnie is trying to be the first English country artist to have a No. 1 on American country radio. We talk about her massive rise and new album 'Something We Used to Say"

Possibly the best guitarist you haven't heard yet. 

Bob Lefsetz is a music industry analyst and critic. He is the author of The Lefsetz Letter. Bob holds nothing back in this conversation. Get to know the man behind the newsletter.

Funk guitar player Cory Wong on the podcast this week.

Drake Milligan is a country artist and former contestant on America's Got Talent.

Zak catches up this week with Nashville music leaders and co-hosts of the popular Dadville podcast, Dave Barnes and Jon McLaughlin

LA based musical duo and couple ni/co (Dani + Colton) couldn't find the perfect song for the first dance at their wedding, so they decided to write it themselves. Now the song has gone viral on TikTok. We talk about how they met, writing the song and growing their massive following across social media.

Rising country artist Erin Kinsey is on the podcast this week. We discuss past relationships, her new album and how to go viral on social media. 

ZZ Ward began singing at the age of 8, inspired by her father’s extensive blues collection. By 12, she was already performing blues music, and it helped steer every aspect of her early career, from her musical sound to her signature Fedora. But as a professional female musician, she often felt pressured to compromise her blues roots to meet industry demands. She quickly became a buzzed-about artist, earning a major label deal and breaking into Billboard’s Top 40 with her debut release. Her sophomore album hit #1 on the Billboard Blues chart, highlighted by singles featuring GRAMMY-Award winners Fantastic Negrito and Gary Clark Jr. We talk about her new album, life as a mom, touring with Slash and so much more. 

Multi-platinum artist Andy Grammer continues to energize, empower, and bring together audiences around the world with his uplifting and honest pop anthems. His observations and affirmations pick people back up when they need it, affirm their potential, and encourage them to keep going. Grammer was even named the #1 "Happy" Streaming artist globally. Inspiring fans around the world, he has over 3B global streams under his belt and a social media footprint of over 4M followers.

On this episode of the Zak Kuhn Show, legendary blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa talks gear, how to market your own shows and why he sold his Dumble amps + why you need to learn a 31 band EQ. We cover it all!

This week, I interviewed the truly legendary producer and studio guitar player Dann Huff. His credits include Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts and more. We cover it all. He even shares a shred guitar lick at the end. A must learn for all you guitar players out there! 

This week, I interviewed guitar connoisseur and YouTuber Keith Williams. He created and hosts the famed YouTube channel Five Watt World. We discuss launching the channel, his relationship with Rick Beato, his affinity to Strandberg guitars and why people send him vintage instruments in the mail.

Brad Tursi is the lead guitarist in Old Dominion. He just released his debut solo project Parallel Love. We break down what it's like to play guitar in one of country music's biggest acts and what finally pushed him to release music under his own name.

Catie Offerman is fresh off of playing the largest US ticketed concert ever, opening up for George Strait. The Universal Nashville recording artist has also been on the road with Parker McCollum, Elle King and Ashley McBryde. She has new music on the way.

38x platinum group Sheppard is on the podcast this week. After spending the majority of their career in Australia, they are now taking over the US. You'll love their story. Go listen!

Former saddle bronc rider Chancey Williams is on the podcast this week. Now he is more known for being a country artist.  He and fellow Wyoming artist and rodeo cowboy Chris LeDoux are the only two individuals to compete in the rodeo and perform on the main stage of Cheyenne Frontier. You're going to love this conversation! 

Host of popular YouTube channel Ask Zac, Zac Childs is who the guitar legends call when they need something. He's a wealth on information. Learn the secrets to buying a vintage guitar in this episode and much more.

Brad Paisley needs no introduction. This was recorded live in Brad's home studio. Watch the video interview on YouTube.

Shawn Askinosie is the Indiana Jones of making chocolate. His company Askinosie Chocolate makes some of the best, highest quality chocolate today. We talk all about the chocolate making process. But it's not about the chocolate. Shawn uses his business to help his local community, as well as the farmers around the world that he sources his beans from. You'll be inspired by Shawn's story. 

Jerry Flowers is the bass player and musical director for Keith Urban. He's been playing with him for over 30 years. Flowers is also a No. 1 Songwriter and has written hits for Sam Hunt, Ryan Hurd and Maren Morris, Jason Aldean and Billy Currington, among others. Jerry is a Nashville lifer! It's in his blood. And he spills it all in this conversation. You're going to love it! - Zak

Nashville guitar ace Guthrie Trapp returns to the podcast this week. We discuss his new record with Tom Bukovac and so much more. Guthrie is one of a kind. You're going to love his musical knowledge and insight.  

If you don't know, my company Nashville Briefing is releasing our debut print issue today! This conversation with Bobby Bones was for a Q&A that appears in the print issue. The audio here was never meant to be listened to but I decided we should put it out anyway. Have fun!

Sony/Monument recording duo Tigirlily Gold is on the podcast this week! We talk about them being on the cover for Nashville Briefing's debut print issue, their current radio single "I Tried A Ring On", and so much more. I even harmonize with them live on the air. These girls are blowing up! Listen to our convo now

Grace Bowers has emerged as a guitar phenomenon out of Nashville. She's been sought after by everyone from Lainey Wilson, Devon Allman, Margo Price, Tyler Childers, Kingfish, Susan Tedeshi, and others. Grace mastered her abilities via YouTube tutorials and lessons. In the midst of the COVID lockdown, she built an audience by regularly livestreaming solo jam sessions on Reddit, while her Instagram reels often achieved viral impact. Along the way, she landed a coveted Gibson endorsement at the age of 14. At the current age of 17, Grace is one of the most interesting guitarists in the scene right now. We talk about her rise, her approach on the instrument and so much more. 

Rising country star Alexandra Kay joins The Zak Kuhn Show this week to open up about her debut album, divorce and live on the road. The independent artist sold over 50,00 tickets last year on her headlining tour and has already earned millions of streams.

Colbie Caillat burst onto the music scene with Coco in 2007. She has since sold millions of albums and has earned over 15 billion streams and two Grammys. You know the hits. Her debut country album Along The Way is out now.

This week, the podcast is back at Berklee College of Music. In front of a live audience of students, Zak sat down with Double Elvis co-founder and CEO Brady Sadler to talk about what it takes to build the most successful music podcasts in the world. Brady has helped create and produce shows like Disgraceland, Badlands and 27 Club, all hosted by his partner and co-founder Jake Brennan. He also recently produced Shred With Shifty, which is hosted by Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett.  Bradys podcasts have received hundreds of millions of downloads around the world. You'll love his insight.

In this special bonus episode, Zak is live on the red carpet during St. Jude's Country Cares weekend. This episode features interview snippets with Brothers Osborne, Chase Matthew, Catie Offerman, Tigirlily Gold, Alex Hall and several others. 

Matthew Ramsey is the lead singer of country band Old Dominion. You know all about the band, but you’ll learn a lot about Matthew from this conversation. Don’t miss it! Old Dominion’s new album Memory Lane is out this Friday.

Best selling author Seth Godin returns to the podcast this week to talk about his new book The Song of Significance. A conversation with Seth never disappoints. He covers so much ground in this episode. You can't miss it.

Elliot Greer delivers unfiltered truth with grizzled, yet warm intonation accompanied by acoustic guitar. Growing up in Scotland, he attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York city. Armed with a basic $100 microphone purchased by his girlfriend, he wrote, produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered his independent debut,Handcrafted, in the bathroom of his apartment. Simultaneously, he gigged as often as he could, joined Ashley McBryde and John Osborne for a performance onThe Tonight Show at Jimmy Fallon, and even supported himself by busking in Central Park. In 2022, he launched a TikTok account and broke through with the single "Bleed." A video of Elliot with an acoustic guitar singing his soul out caught fire, reeling in 8 million views on Instagram and 5 million on TikTok. Now, the Scotland-born and New York-based artist forges a lasting connection on a series of 2023 singles for Arista Records and much more to come. Elliot is a modern troubadour. You're going to love his story! 

Arista recording artist Rosie just wrapped her first ever headline tour the same week she released her new EP "5 Songs For Healing". You need to listen. She first blew up on TikTok, but she is so much more than just a "TikTok artist". You're going to love how real and honest Rosie is in this conversation. Find out what it's like to be an artist who is on the rise today!

Columbia Records and Sony Music Nashville artist Ella Langley is on the rise. The singer just released her debut EP Excuse The Mess, which is a must listen. In this conversation, Ella dishes the real info on what it's like to make it Nashville but we also talk about hunting, playing the college bar scene and so much. This episode will make you a fan.

This week I caught up with Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. We talk about his solo career, recording with Nashville's A-Team and so much more. You're going to love his stories from the road, his knowledge of music and of course guitars. Of course we talk about the Foos as well. Chris is an actual real life rock star! Don't sleep on this conversation! Listen to his new song "Dead And Gone" out now. 

John Oates needs very little introduction. As one half of the iconic group Daryl Hall and John Oates, he has sold more records then any other duo in history. You know the hits. We dive into the stores behind them and so much more. You'll be blown away by how down to earth and normal Oates comes across in this conversation. You're going to love it.

Jonnie Forster emerged as a music entrepreneur after graduating with a Bachelor of Sciences in Marketing from San Diego State University. He joined A&M/Tuff Break Records implementing marketing plans for their hip-hop roster before moving to Capitol Records. As a marketing executive, he was instrumental in campaigns for the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys, Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, and a host of others. In 2020, Forster’s entertainment company rebranded to The PENTHOUSE, inspired by its one-of-a-kind creative hub. The Penthouse includes recording studios, offices for film & TV, management companies, plus a legendary 2,500 sq. foot patio overlooking the Hollywood Hills where all are invited to collaborate & celebrate. Today, Forster manages country acts Willie Jones and RVSHVD. He is also perhaps the most connected man in Nashville, who doesn't live in Nashville. You need to know about him.

On the final stop of the podcast tour, Zak is live in Chicago at the Museum of Post Punk & Industrial Music. His guests are legendary punk rocker Martin Atkins, co-founder/owner of Chicago based vinyl pressing plant Smashed Plastic John Lombardo and Dark Matter Coffee founder Jesse Diaz. These three entrepreneurs are impacting culture in the Windy City. Don’t miss these conversations.

For the third stop of the podcast tour, Zak sits down with country music journalist, critic and educator Grady Smith. Perhaps best known for his incredibly popular YouTube channel, that has over two hundred thousand subscribers, Smith is an important voice in the world of Nashville. You’ll be blown away by his story and knowledge of the genre. This honest conversation will make you a fan and give you a whole new perspective on what it takes to make it as a professional YouTuber. Don’t miss it!

The podcast tour continues! This live episode was recorded during a panel last week at SXSW. Zak is joined by Spotify Nashville Head of Editorial Rachel Whitney, Universal Nashville Director of Streaming Vipin Reddy and Riveter Management Founder Charlene Bryant. We cover it all. Don't miss this conversation!

We are live from Berklee College of Music. This week's guest, and season 3 opener, is Jim Lucchese, the CEO of Sofar Sounds. Prior, Jim was the CEO of The Echo Nest, which was acquired by Spotify in 2014. That technology and team went on to develop tools like Spotify's algorithmic playlists. Jim was also very involved in creating Spotify for Artists. Today, Jim is focused on continuing to grow Sofar  around the world. You’re going to be inspired by this conversation and love Jim’s passion for what he does. Don't miss the student questions at the end of the episode!

Born in Chattanooga TN, raised in Dallas TX and currently living in Nashville, Shaylen has done it all. After 10 years of living in Los Angeles, Shaylen has accumulated tens of millions of streams as a major label pop artist. Now, she's gone country. If you're on TikTok, you probably know her song "What If I Don't" and her recently released track "Do It Right The First Time", which was featured on the The Kelly Clarkson Show. She's making a name for herself here in Nashville. Don't sleep on it! 

Em Beihold is a rising star. You probably know her song "Numb Little Bug", which went viral on TikTok last year and went to #1 on Hot AC. What you might not know is that Beihold started out fencing, long before it was featured on the Netflix showWednesday. She has performed on Jimmy Fallon, James Corden, opened up for the Jonas Brothers and has a brand new song coming out this Friday titled “Roller Coasters Make Me Sad”. This episode is a window into how you take a viral moment and turn it into a career. Don't miss it!  

Ron Fair is an American A&R executive, record producer, record executive, musical arranger, recording engineer and conductor. In his epic career, Fair has worked with artists that include Christina Aguilera, Vanessa Carlton, Keyshia Cole, The Black Eyed Peas and so many more. We talk about his move to Nashville, how he got started in the biz, his involvement in recording the Rocky theme song and so much more. Ron is a true record man living here in Nashville. You'll be inspired by this conversation.

It's our season 3 premier! Christian Barker has been named one of Billboard's "Top Music Lawyers" and is an Equity Partner in the Nashville office of Shackelford, Bowen, McKinley & Norton, LLP. Barker has signed his songwriter and producer clients to nearly every publishing company in Nashville and beyond and brokered deals for his clients totaling 8-figures+ this past year alone. Barker thinks outside of the box and puts his own creative spin on the practice of law. You're going to love this conversation, and I can't think of a better guest to kick off our third season!

25-year-old Kameron Marlowe is a force to be reckoned with. His debut album "We Were Cowboys" is available now via Columbia Nashville/Sony Music Nashville and was produced by ACM/CMA winner Dann Huff and GRAMMY-nominated Brad Hill. He is about to wrap up his headlining "We Were Cowboys Tour", which kicked off in September with a sold-out show at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl. Marlowe has also played to capacity crowds in New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, Birmingham, Chesapeake, VA, Charlotte (his hometown), and more. You probably know his song “Giving You Up", which he wrote entirely by himself, but you might not know why he wrote the song or what made him break into country music. You'll learn a lot in this conversation. Don't miss it.

Spencer Crandall is one of country’s most progressive new talents. You probably know him from social media, but do you know that he is selling out shows across the country as an independent artist? We talk about his new album "Western" and how he built his massive fanbase. But that's just the surface in this conversation. Spencer's relatability will make you think you have what it takes to become a massive country artist. Make no mistake, it's harder than it looks. Spencer is at the top of his game. If you know, you know.