Country Outdoors Podcast

Johnathon Schaech joins Country Outdoors to talk about Blue Ridge, Hollywood, faith, sobriety, fatherhood, and the move that changed his life.

Known for Blue Ridge, That Thing You Do!, How to Make an American Quilt, and Houdini, Johnathon shares the unlikely road that took him from blue-collar Maryland to Hollywood—and ultimately to a new life in Nashville.

He talks about playing Sheriff Justin Wise in Blue Ridge, why family-friendly storytelling matters to him, and his hopes for the future of the series. Johnathon also shares stories from the set of How to Make an American Quilt, including working with Maya Angelou and unexpectedly realizing he had been talking with Steven Spielberg. He reflects on That Thing You Do!, working with Tom Hanks, meeting Brad Pitt early in his career, and the unlikely series of events that redirected him from a Chippendales audition toward acting.

Jonathan Schaech shares the deeply personal story of the sexual abuse he says he experienced early in his Hollywood career at the hands of director Franco Zeffirelli. He explains how hearing Rose McGowan speak publicly about Harvey Weinstein helped him understand the power dynamics, shame, and trauma surrounding his own experience.Jonathan reflects on finding his voice amid the broader #MeToo-era conversations around abuse, power, and accountability. In a moving exchange, host Mary O’Neill Phillips also shares her own experience as a survivor and the lasting impact it had on her relationship with faith and healing. Together, they have an honest conversation about trauma, sobriety, recovery, faith, and finding the strength to speak the truth and move forward with hope, healing, and family.

Beyond the movies and television, this is a conversation about dyslexia, family, recovery, fatherhood, faith, and choosing to leave Los Angeles for Nashville. Johnathon opens up about finding purpose outside of Hollywood, helping others through 12-step recovery, and building a life rooted in presence and community.

Content advisory: This episode includes candid discussion of trauma, sexual assault, addiction, recovery, and mental health.

In this episode:

Johnathon’s role as Sheriff Justin Wise in Blue Ridge

The future of Blue Ridge and why the series matters to him

Moving from Hollywood to Nashville for family

That Thing You Do!, Tom Hanks, Maya Angelou, and Steven Spielberg

Dyslexia, acting, and finding your lane

Sobriety, recovery, fatherhood, and faith

Working with Tom Hanks and Christina Applegate

Building a more purposeful life beyond fame

Working on cult-classic Australian comedy movie "Welcome to Woop Woop "

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, support is available through local recovery resources and 12-step meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics

Blue Ridge star Johnathon Schaech joins Mary O'Neill on Country Outdoors Podcast for an honest conversation about 12 years of sobriety, leaving Hollywood, faith, fatherhood, and building a new life in Nashville Tennessee.
Known for playing Sheriff Justin Wise in Blue Ridge, as well as roles in That Thing You Do!, How to Make an American Quilt, and Houdini and many more! Johnathon shares the unlikely road from blue-collar Maryland to Hollywood—and the personal transformation that led him to choose family, recovery, and purpose over the life he once knew.
Jonathan Schaech shares the deeply personal story of the sexual abuse he says he experienced early in his Hollywood career at the hands of director Franco Zeffirelli. He explains how hearing Rose McGowan speak publicly about Harvey Weinstein helped him understand the power dynamics, shame, and trauma surrounding his own experience.Jonathan reflects on finding his voice amid the broader #MeToo-era conversations around abuse, power, and accountability. In a moving exchange, host Mary O’Neill Phillips also shares her own experience as a survivor and the lasting impact it had on her relationship with faith and healing. Together, they have an honest conversation about trauma, sobriety, recovery, faith, and finding the strength to speak the truth and move forward with hope, healing, and family.
Johnathon talks about Blue Ridge, what makes the series different, why family-friendly storytelling matters, and why he hopes the show continues. He also shares incredible stories about working with Maya Angelou, realizing he had been talking with Steven Spielberg on the set of How to Make an American Quilt, meeting Brad Pitt early in his career, and working with Tom Hanks.
Beyond the screen, this is a conversation about dyslexia, faith, recovery, fatherhood, and becoming more present for the people who matter most. Johnathon reflects on sobriety, helping others through 12-step recovery, and why his move from Los Angeles to Nashville changed the direction of his life.
In this episode:
12 years of sobriety and the road to recovery
Johnathon Schaech on Blue Ridge and Sheriff Justin Wise
Why he hopes Blue Ridge continues
Why he left Los Angeles and moved his family to Nashville
That Thing You Do!, Tom Hanks, Maya Angelou, Christina Applegate and Steven Spielberg
The unexpected Chippendales audition that redirected his life
Working on cult-classic Australian comedy movie "Welcome to Woop Woop "
Dyslexia, acting, and learning to find your lane, or Vegetable...
Fatherhood, faith, purpose, and building a better life
Helping others through 12-step recovery and community
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Content Advisory: This episode includes candid discussion of trauma, sexual assault, addiction, recovery, and mental health. Viewer discretion is advised.
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or drug use, support is available:
Alcoholics Anonymous: https://www.aa.org
Narcotics Anonymous: https://na.org
Treatment and support: https://FindTreatment.gov
U.S. & Canada crisis support: Call or text 988
Subscribe to Country Outdoors for real conversations with actors, musicians, athletes, outdoorsmen, and people living with purpose.
Chapters

00:00:00 Johnathon Schaech on sobriety, faith & leaving Hollywood
00:02:24 Welcome Johnathon Schaech to Country Outdoors
00:03:09 How to Make an American Quilt & That Thing You Do!
00:04:36 Maya Angelou, Steven Spielberg & Hollywood stories
00:07:19 Growing up in Maryland & discovering acting
00:09:05 Dyslexia, acting school & finding his path
00:11:23 The Chippendales audition that changed everything
00:13:25 Roy London, Brad Pitt & Hollywood acting class
00:18:00 Fatherhood, family & getting older in Hollywood
00:19:03 Faith, sobriety & leaving Los Angeles for Nashville
00:21:16 Blue Ridge, Sheriff Justin Wise & a new chapter
00:21:43 Finding faith and community in Nashville
00:23:04 Content warning: trauma, faith & survivor support
00:28:06 12 years sober: addiction, healing & recovery
00:32:03 Faith, freedom & seeing life differently
00:35:51 Fatherhood, trauma & breaking generational cycles
00:40:38 Blue Ridge: family-friendly storytelling & Season 2
00:42:45 Blue Ridge fitness, action scenes & Sheriff Justin Wise
00:47:55 Marriage, faith & 12 years of sobriety
00:50:35 Helping others through 12-step recovery
00:54:45 Hollywood, Nashville & family life
00:58:23 Tom Hanks, Australia & career reflections
01:00:32 What Johnathon Schaech wants to be remembered for
01:02:02 Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous & recovery resources
01:02:57 Blue Ridge Season 1 & Season 2

#JohnathonSchaech #BlueRidge #BlueRidgeSeries #SheriffJustinWise #ThatThingYouDo #Sobriety #Recovery #Faith #Hollywood #Nashville #CountryOutdoors #metoo

Jacob Hackworth joins Country Outdoors host, Mary O'Neill to share the story behind writing Bailey Zimmerman’s No. 1 hit, “Rock and A Hard Place,” and his road from southern Missouri to Nashville.
Jacob is a country artist and songwriter whose first major-label cut became a No. 1 song with Bailey Zimmerman. In this conversation, he takes us inside the songwriting journey that led to “Rock and A Hard Place,” what it was like hearing the record take off, and why he is now pursuing his own career as a country artist.
Before Nashville, publishing deals, and writing hit songs, Jacob was a small-town Missouri kid raised around deer camp. He shares unforgettable stories from his early days deer hunting—his first rifle hunt with his mom, the buck that got away, buying his first Mathews bow after working construction and hauling hay, and the unexpected story behind his first bow kill. We also talk bowhunting, turkey hunting, public-land deer camp traditions, hunting with family, and the outdoor experiences that shaped who he is.
Jacob also opens up about singing in church and school choir, posting early music videos, working long shifts building railroad track, learning guitar in hotel rooms, making the move to Nashville with his bandmates, working whatever jobs he could, and falling in love with the craft of songwriting before earning his first major breakthrough.
In this episode:
Jacob Hackworth on writing Bailey Zimmerman’s “Rock and A Hard Place”
How a first major-label cut became his first No. 1 hit
The reality of chasing country music and songwriting in Nashville
From railroad work to country songwriting
Jacob’s artist career and his next chapter in country music
Southern Missouri deer camp and growing up in the outdoors
His first deer hunt, a rifle malfunction, and the buck that got away
Buying his first Mathews bow after hauling hay and working construction
The hilarious truth behind his first bow kill
Turkey hunting, public-land hunting, family hunting traditions, and conservation
If you enjoy country music, Nashville songwriting stories, behind-the-scenes artist conversations, deer hunting, bowhunting, turkey hunting, and outdoor culture, subscribe to Country Outdoors for more conversations with the people shaping country music and the outdoors.
Follow Jacob Hackworth: https://www.jacobhackworth.com
Subscribe to Country Outdoors for conversations about hunting, fishing, farming, country life, western culture, outdoor adventure, and the people living it.
https://linktr.ee/countryoutdoorsofficial
Get Country Outdoors merch here! ➡️ https://countryoutdoors.com/shop
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OUR Partners :
BOG https://www.boghunt.com
OnX Hunt https://bit.ly/3UyuOKN
Mossy Oak https://store.mossyoak.com
Chapters

00:00:00 Jacob Hackworth’s first No. 1 hit
00:00:41 Jacob Hackworth joins Country Outdoors
00:01:56 Growing up in southern Missouri
00:03:52 First deer hunt with his mom
00:07:17 A lesson from the buck that got away
00:09:30 Getting into bowhunting
00:10:34 First bow kill story
00:14:34 Deer hunting ethics and hunter recruitment
00:15:35 Turkey hunting in Nashville
00:16:58 When Jacob Hackworth started songwriting
00:18:29 Singing “God Bless the Broken Road” as a kid
00:21:54 Posting country music covers on Instagram
00:23:19 Working on the railroad and learning guitar
00:24:56 Writing his first country songs
00:27:53 First songwriting advice in Nashville
00:28:30 Moving to Nashville to chase country music
00:30:21 Life as a struggling songwriter in Nashville
00:31:28 Writing “Rock and A Hard Place” for Bailey Zimmerman
00:33:12 The story behind Jacob’s first major-label cut
00:36:00 How “Rock and A Hard Place” became a No. 1 hit

#JacobHackworth #BaileyZimmerman #RockAndAHardPlace #CountryMusic #CountrySongwriter #DeerHunting #Bowhunting #Nashville

Jacob Hackworth joins Country Outdoors host, Mary O'Neill to share the story behind writing Bailey Zimmerman’s No. 1 hit, “Rock and A Hard Place,” and his road from southern Missouri to Nashville.

Jacob is a country artist and songwriter whose first major-label cut became a No. 1 song with Bailey Zimmerman. In this conversation, he takes us inside the songwriting journey that led to “Rock and A Hard Place,” what it was like hearing the record take off, and why he is now pursuing his own career as a country artist.

Before Nashville, publishing deals, and writing hit songs, Jacob was a small-town Missouri kid raised around deer camp. He shares unforgettable stories from his early days deer hunting—his first rifle hunt with his mom, the buck that got away, buying his first Mathews bow after working construction and hauling hay, and the unexpected story behind his first bow kill. We also talk bowhunting, turkey hunting, public-land deer camp traditions, hunting with family, and the outdoor experiences that shaped who he is.

Jacob also opens up about singing in church and school choir, posting early music videos, working long shifts building railroad track, learning guitar in hotel rooms, making the move to Nashville with his bandmates, working whatever jobs he could, and falling in love with the craft of songwriting before earning his first major breakthrough.

In this episode:

Jacob Hackworth on writing Bailey Zimmerman’s “Rock and A Hard Place”

How a first major-label cut became his first No. 1 hit

The reality of chasing country music and songwriting in Nashville

From railroad work to country songwriting

Jacob’s artist career and his next chapter in country music

Southern Missouri deer camp and growing up in the outdoors

His first deer hunt, a rifle malfunction, and the buck that got away

Buying his first Mathews bow after hauling hay and working construction

The hilarious truth behind his first bow kill

Turkey hunting, public-land hunting, family hunting traditions, and conservation

If you enjoy country music, Nashville songwriting stories, behind-the-scenes artist conversations, deer hunting, bowhunting, turkey hunting, and outdoor culture, subscribe to Country Outdoors for more conversations with the people shaping country music and the outdoors.

Follow Jacob Hackworth: https://www.jacobhackworth.com

Subscribe to Country Outdoors for conversations about hunting, fishing, farming, country life, western culture, outdoor adventure, and the people living it.

https://linktr.ee/countryoutdoorsofficial

Brett Maverick and Brayden Pridemore from Farmer Wants a Wife join Mary O'Neill on Country Outdoors to talk life after the show—relationships, farming, hunting, bull riding, concussions, CTE, and neurofeedback.
Brett and Brayden share what Farmer Wants a Wife was really like, from intense filming days and life around the cameras to long-distance relationships, family farms, cattle, horses, and what it takes to stay rooted in rural life.
They also get into Illinois big bucks, turkey hunting, duck hunting, fishing, bull riding, rodeo injuries, brain health, and Brett’s personal experience with neurofeedback after years of concussions. Plus: music, songwriting, business ventures, and what both guys are building after the show.