Tag: Only Vans

Dale Brisby on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Dale Brisby is a one-of-a-kind personality, entrepreneur, and real-life (actual) cowboy. In this episode of Only Vans – that was filmed live at The MusicFest at Steamboat 2025 – we talk about when Dale and I used to date, about haters, documentary-making, attitudes, and all things rodeo.

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Dale Brisby is a force of nature when it comes to building a brand and he is a master at creating fun and unique content. Dale wears sunglasses all the time and if you can’t tell, I pause to join him in sunglass-wearing for this super fun chat with a man that can not walk five feet at MusicFest (or probably anywhere) without being stopped and recognized. Dale was a hired emcee at MusicFest in Steamboat, Colorado, where we recorded this episode in front of a large live audience. (Thanks John Dickson!)

It’s hard to give a description of Dale, so I highly recommend checking out his Instagram and his YouTube channel if you’re one of the few who are not yet a fan. Also, I really loved his How To Be a Cowboy series on Netflix. You get a sense of who Dale is when he says he’s the man who invented bull riding with one hand.

When preparing for this Only Vans episode, I was wondering if I would be interviewing the character of Dale Brisby or the man behind him. Are they the same person? Could I carry on an hour-long interview with someone who claims to be the best bull rider in the world while wearing a giant fake belt buckle, but also in reality is a really amazing cowboy….? Bottom line, and you’ll see, Dale is hilarious, but also a genuine person, a good man, and actually a real cowboy. Don’t forget to check out his Rodeo Time podcasts.

I want to apologize to Amy Reitnouer Jacobs and Cindy Howes for not giving them a shoutout at the intro of this podcast, because they’re also the true force behind our partnership with BGS, Good Country, and the BGS Podcast Network! Love y’all.

Enjoy!

 

Brendon Anthony & Jon Randall on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This is one of the more serious – and important – conversations I’ve had so far on Only Vans and I was lucky enough to get to have it with two good friends. Brendon Anthony is the newly named VP of Big Loud Texas and a brilliant fiddler. Jon Randall is a hit songwriter, producer, and co-founder of Big Loud Texas. We talk about things like the Texas music scene, the politics of live music, product versus legacy, and the impact of AI.

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Here is another Only Vans recording in front of a live audience at MusicFest at Steamboat in Colorado. Thank you so much to John Dickson and everyone at MusicFest for making this happen!

Today I am joined by two amazing human beings that I’ve known for over a decade (and a half…?), Brendon Anthony and Jon Randall. Brendon Anthony has recently been named the Vice President of Big Loud Texas, which is a record label that was founded by Randall and Miranda Lambert. It is a branch of the Big Loud record label that has artists such as Lambert, Hardy, and Hailey Whitters to name a few. Before that, Brendon was the director of the Texas Music Office and was instrumental in the creation of BMI Texas and the Texas Music Incubator rebate program, which supports music venues in Texas with over $20 million in tax rebates. We talk about a lot of other great things Brendon has done for Texas music and music-friendly communities, and even I was fascinated by it and learned something new. You can also find him playing fiddle on stages with people like Pat Green!

Jon Randall, co-founder of Big Loud Texas, has some hits you may know as a songwriter, including “Whiskey Lullaby,” “Tin Man,” and many of your favorite new Hold My Beer Volume II tracks by Wade Bowen and Randy Rogers. His producer credits are equally impressive: Dierks Bentley, Parker McCollum, Miranda, Jack Ingram, Pat Green – you get the picture.

These two guests are funny, down-to-earth, approachable, and they truly care about art in the midst of a time I’ve been referring to as “The Wild West” of music. When Jon also called it “the Wild West,” I almost fell off my chair with validation. Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode!

Thank you so much again to Jon and Brendon and to Dirt Trail Entertainment for sponsoring these very special and very cold MusicFest episodes. Thanks to our show sponsors, Hand Drawn Pressing & CH Lonestar Promo, too!

Find our Only Vans episode archive here.

Chris Brundrett on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Today on Only Vans we’re joined by Chris Brundrett from the award-winning William Chris Vineyards in Hye, Texas. We dig into wine-making, Texas wines, the creation of his label, and being your best self.

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I’m so excited to share this episode, even though I was a tad nervous – and you can tell by the way I talk too fast. Or was it the wine that we were drinking before noon…?

Anyway, in this episode of Only Vans I talk to one of the owners of one of my absolute favorite wineries, William Chris Vineyards, Chris Brundrett. I’ve never spoken to or met this man and usually I talk on this podcast about music, so this was really branching out for me. I love their wine and I’m also a huge fan of what they stand for. It’ll be so fun in 100 or 500 years to look back (well, for other people to look back) at this episode where I’m talking to someone who has been a true pioneer in the Texas wine industry. Chris has worked really hard to authentically label Texas wines and make the laws in our state require transparency, which I do a pretty bad job at explaining, but Chris does a great job clarifying.

I think it’s fascinating that Chris wanted to learn about wine-making before he was even 21. In our chat, he details his journey into finding his true passion in life; he’s an intelligent and approachable dude. Sorry I thought horticulture was the study of horses and didn’t know what entomology was, either.

We get into the William Chris Wine Club, which is a subscription where you receive six special releases per year and will also have the first option to purchase any new wines as soon as they’re bottled. You can look into that (especially because he said they have open spots!) at williamchriswines.com. But definitely go see the gorgeous tasting room when you’re in the Texas Hill Country area.

Thanks to Chris and the team gave us two really fancy wine glasses, and two incredible bottles of wine and a tour. What a great day! And thanks to our sponsors, Hand Drawn Pressing & CH Lonestar Promo!

Find our Only Vans episode archive here.

Year-End Bri-View 2024 on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

What an incredible year it’s been for Only Vans! We have big things planned in 2025. As Kyle says, we are going to expand to other industries as well, like William Chris Winery (we interviewed one of the owners)! In our final episode of the year, I shamelessly ask for an Only Vans laptop, we shoutout our sponsors and ask for more, and reveal we are doing FOUR live podcasts at Steamboat Musicfest 2025!

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For our year-end podcast, producer Kyle and I get on Zoom and chit chat! The audio isn’t perfect here because, hello Zoom.

Thanks to Kyle Tomchesson for all of the hard work throughout the year. He really does all of the things: coordinating sponsorships, making the reels, editing the audio, all the social media posts, you name it, it’s him. We also thank the BGS Podcast Network for picking up the podcast – it’s still unbelievable to me (thanks Amy, Cindy, and Ed)! We also thank my amazing PR team, Richlynn Group out of Nashville, Tennessee, for helping us promote the pod.

I also have a correction: The green room that I call amazing but slightly treacherous was actually The Magic Bag in Ferndale, Michigan, oops, not the Rumba Cafe in Ohio like I said. It’s absolutely not treacherous, unless you’re drunk. But they’re an awesome venue, sorry I got those two confused.

Lastly, Kyle and I talk about our new projects, and we manifest a Red Rocks show… As always thank you so much for your unbelievable support of this podcast.

Thanks to our sponsors, The MusicFest at Steamboat, Lakeside Tax, & CH Lonestar Promo!

Photo Credit: Haley Hays

Michael & Michaela Kelton on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Today we have one of my favorite couples on Only Vans! Michael is currently Pat Green’s drummer and also has a solo artist career. Michaela is the creator and artist behind More Than Music Creations. We talk about losing brain space, being parents, and their unique side hustle.

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On this edition of Only Vans, my friend Michael Kelton met Kyle and I on the RV when his wife, Michaela – you heard that right, their names are Michael and Michaela – also walked up. She is one of my dear friends, so I invited her to sit down and be a bonus guest on Michael’s episode of the podcast. Michael is currently the drummer for established Texas legend Pat Green (who also had a national hit with the song “Wave on Wave”), but Michael does a lot more than just drum for Pat. I loved talking to him about his Sideman Song Swap show, where “sidemen” such as drummers, guitarists, fiddle players, and even tour managers showcase their own “frontman” talents alongside Michael. It’s very impressive.

Michaela, meanwhile, is a master upcycler and has found a way to take used guitar strings from a bunch of bands – including my own – and turn them into one-of-a-kind jewelry items that we can sell at our merch tables with some of the profit going back to a good cause.

Oh! And the carbon monoxide alarm goes off at the end of the episode in the RV and it is loud. Super sorry about that, my deepest apologies, but I’m warning you now in case you’re driving. It’s also kind of funny! Enjoy!

Thanks to our sponsors, The MusicFest at Steamboat, Lakeside Tax, & CH Lonestar Promo!

Find our Only Vans episode archive here.

Alli Mattice on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Today’s guest on Only Vans is my peace, love, and all-things-groovy friend, Alli Mattice! We talk about the making of her record, setting boundaries, her journey as a yoga teacher, and how she merges yoga practice with her art. You’re gonna love it!

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Make sure you check out Alli Mattice’s full length record, No Drama, that just came out last year. In this episode of Only Vans we talk about her band, the Billie Jeans. It’s an all-female band that’s really incredible. We also talk about the studios at Fischer in Canyon Lake, Texas, which is near New Braunfels, where I live and Canyon Lake is where Alli lives. So, we talk about that really incredible studio, Alli’s journey as a yoga teacher, and more. As you can tell, I really love this girl. She’s peace and love and all things groovy. Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to our sponsors, The MusicFest at Steamboat, Lakeside Tax, & CH Lonestar Promo!

Find our Only Vans episode archive here.

Bleu Edmondson on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

On today’s episode of Only Vans, we have one of my all-time favorite Texas country singers, Bleu Edmondson! We talk about Robert Earl Keen, self-worth, getting Stoney’d, and making a record with Wade Bowen.

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Our guest this week on Only Vans is ​exciting ​for ​me, ​because ​I’m ​a ​big ​fan ​of Bleu Edmondson ​and ​I ​have ​been ​for ​a ​long ​time. ​As ​you’ll ​find ​out, ​he’s ​been ​on ​a ​multi-year ​hiatus, ​but ​he’s ​back. ​In our conversation ​we ​talk ​about ​Texas ​music ​staple ​and ​legend ​Wade ​Bowen, who ​is ​producing ​Edmondson’s ​new ​project – ​which, of course, ​we ​are ​highly ​anticipating.

We also ​chat ​about ​Lloyd ​Maines, ​who ​we ​mention ​​a ​lot ​on ​the ​podcast. ​I’ve ​never ​really ​introduced ​him ​properly, ​but ​he’s ​a ​GRAMMY ​Award-winning, ​Texas-based ​producer, ​session ​player, ​musician, ​and ​he’s ​in ​the ​Austin ​City ​Limits ​Limits ​Hall ​of ​Fame. ​No ​big ​deal. Also, ​his ​daughter is ​Natalie Maines, ​who ​is ​the ​lead ​singer ​of The ​Chicks. ​

Elsewhere in our chat, we ​also ​talk ​about ​our ​friend ​Brandon ​Jenkins, ​who ​passed ​away ​unfortunately ​in ​2018 ​from ​heart ​surgery ​complications. ​He’s ​dearly ​missed ​and ​remembered ​by ​all ​of ​us. Enjoy our Only Vans ​episode featuring my ​friend, ​Bleu ​Edmondson!

Find Bleu Edmondson on social media here and here.

Thanks to our sponsors, The MusicFest at Steamboat, Lakeside Tax, & CH Lonestar Promo!

Find our Only Vans episode archive here.

Sunny Sauceda on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

My “Redneck, Squeezebox, Mexican” amigo Sunny Sauceda joins us on Only Vans this week to talk about content creation. He’s a three-time GRAMMY Award winner who’s making the switch from Tejano to Texas Country. He has some great insight on content creation, mentality, and blurring genre lines to share!

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Find Sunny Sauceda’s music, tour dates, and merchandise here.

Thanks to our sponsors for this episode, The MusicFest at Steamboat, Lakeside Tax & CH Lonestar Promo!

Find our Only Vans episode archive here.

Clay Hollis on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

My little brother and best friend, Clay Hollis, is my guest on Only Vans today! Of course we talk about what he’s been up to and his latest song, and then dig deep into… our live sound rigs!? I hope this episode gives you a ton of new insight into the high level of knowledge that’s needed to tour like we do as independent artists, but (full disclosure) the second half might go right over your head if you’re not interested in the audio nitty gritty. Enjoy!

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Find Clay Hollis’ music, podcast, tour dates and merchandise here.

Thanks to our sponsors for this episode, The MusicFest at Steamboat, Lakeside Tax & CH Lonestar Promo!

Editor’s Note: Only Vans with Bri Bagwell is the latest addition to the BGS Podcast Network! Read more about the podcast coming on board here. Find our episode archive here.

Dallas Burrow on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

One of my favorite people on earth, Dallas Burrow, stopped by for this new episode of Only Vans to talk about owning a music venue, shamans, Charley Crockett, having a complicated past, and all the good vibes!

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Find Dallas’s music, podcast, tour dates and merchandise here.

Thanks to our sponsors for this episode, The MusicFest at Steamboat, Lakeside Tax & CH Lonestar Promo!

Editor’s Note: Only Vans with Bri Bagwell is the latest addition to the BGS Podcast Network! Read more about the podcast coming on board here. Find our episode archive here.