Country Outdoors Podcast

What does it take to create a legacy that outlives the spotlight?

In this episode of Country Outdoors, Mary O’Neill Phillips sits down with Jamie Nudie, granddaughter of legendary tailor Nudie Cohn—the visionary behind the rhinestone-studded Western suits that helped define the look of country music, Hollywood cowboys, and rock ’n’ roll.

Jamie shares the family stories behind Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors: from Nudie’s early beginnings and his bold decision to bring sparkle, fringe, and rhinestones to Western wear, to the artists who wore his work—including Roy Rogers, Tex Williams, Lefty Frizzell, Gram Parsons, Marty Robbins, David Lee Roth, and Elvis Presley.

They talk about the making of Elvis’ iconic gold lamé suit, the personal friendship behind the famous clients, the origin of the “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Nudie’s custom cars, and the irreplaceable vintage pieces Jamie now protects and shares with the world.

Jamie also opens up about growing up with her grandfather, his unmatched boots that honored his humble beginnings, the original North Hollywood store, and what it means to preserve a family archive when every suit carries a story.

From country music history to Western fashion, family, craftsmanship, and the American dream—this is the legacy of the man behind the stones.

Visit Nudie’s Honky Tonk at 409 Broadway in Nashville, where vintage suits, historic memorabilia, and Nudie’s final Cadillac are on display.

@breakingbenjamin Jasen Rauch joins Country Outdoors for a wide-ranging conversation about music, life on the road, fatherhood, the band’s new album—and the unbelievable day he returned to his Nashville home and found squatters inside.

Jasen shares what happened when he walked into the house during a move, discovered the damage and stolen belongings, and had to navigate an incredibly stressful situation while preparing to leave for tour. He also talks about the journey from working in Nashville recording studios and co-founding Red to joining Breaking Benjamin, writing alongside Ben Burnley, and completing the band’s biggest and longest album-production process yet.

We get into some of Jasen’s biggest career moments, including playing with Metallica during the Black Album anniversary celebration and sharing a bill with Ozzy Osbourne. He also opens up about being a dad while living the touring life, raising his daughters to pursue their passions, his love for the outdoors, his interest in hunting and fishing, and using his platform to support veterans and first responders.

This episode was recorded at Scuba Diving International headquarters in Florida while training for a future wounded-veteran dive program.

Eric Tansey is a former police officer, combat veteran, podcaster, and author of Pig Latin: A Seriously Funny True Story of a Former Police Officer. In this episode, Eric tells the unbelievable story of his first day as a rookie cop—only minutes into the job—when a routine call became absolute chaos.

We dive into the hilarious, outrageous, and sometimes dark real-life police stories that inspired Pig Latin, including what it was like learning law enforcement on one of Raleigh’s toughest beats. Eric shares how writing helped him process the job, how a collection of wild police stories became a book, and why Pig Latin is more than just another “cop book.”

But this conversation goes much deeper than rookie cop chaos.

Eric takes us back to his life as a Saint Augustine beach kid and deep-sea fishing deckhand, the moment he felt called to join the military, his combat deployment to Afghanistan, Green Beret selection, SERE school, leadership lessons, and the complicated transition from military service to police work. We also discuss his personal perspective on the war in Afghanistan and the U.S. withdrawal.

Eric also opens up about being wounded in the line of duty, trauma, faith, marriage, raising five kids, homeschooling, getting rid of screens, building self-reliant children, and learning to put fatherhood ahead of personal ambition. He shares why he recently rededicated his life to Christ and what becoming a spiritual leader in his home means to him.

We begin at Scuba Diving International, where Eric helped create a veteran-focused scuba-diving initiative designed to bring wounded veterans, combat veterans, first responders, Gold Star families, and their loved ones into a healing experience on the water.

This is one of the funniest and most honest conversations we’ve had: from combat stories and police academy pressure to fatherhood, faith, healing, outdoor living, and the wild true stories behind Pig Latin.

Former police officer, combat veteran, and Pig Latin author Eric Tansey joins Country Outdoors to share the wild true stories behind his time in law enforcement—from his unbelievable first call as a rookie cop to military service, fatherhood, faith, and the moments that changed his life.

Listen to this preview now, then come back tomorrow for the full conversation.

Mary O’Neill sits down at CMA Fest with Australian farmer and rising country artist Jarrad Wrigley, fresh off winning the Star Maker competition that funded his first-ever trip beyond Australia. They dive into his humble background, how Star Maker changed his life, and what it’s like to perform in Nashville for the 1st time.

Jarrad shares behind-the-scenes stories from Farmer Wants a Wife Australia, from producers living under the same roof to the drama that changed the rules for later seasons. You’ll hear how the show really works when the cameras aren’t rolling, plus why he chose a more respectful approach while other farmers leaned into the chaos.

Mary and Jarrad dig into meeting the American Farmer Wants a Wife cast at CMA Fest, nights out in Nashville, and the differences between country fans in the U.S. and Australia. They swap stories about travel, music, hats and merch, and what Jarrad is dreaming up next for his music career after reality TV.