Bennie Shipley: From Small-Town Radio to Country Music Legends :: Ep 27 Circling the Drain Podcast

Radio veteran and voiceover pro Bennie Shipley joins Johnny B, Jay and Jim for a deep dive into the golden age of radio, the rise of country music superstars, and the evolving world of voiceover in the age of AI.Starting as a 15-year-old kid at WLCK in Scottsville, Kentucky, Benny went on to WCDS, became a hometown celebrity in high school, and eventually made the massive leap to powerhouse Nashville station WSM. Along the way he worked alongside legends like Harold Hensley, Ralph Emery, Marty Robbins, Lefty Frizzell, Alabama, Reba McEntire, and many more.Bennie shares hilarious and heartfelt behind-the-scenes stories: stars tossing pebbles at the studio window to get on the air, Marty Robbins prank-calling the station, early days of Alabama before their first hits, and the creative chaos of producing a full “Country Christmas Carol” with country stars on reel-to-reel tape.He also opens up about building a successful national voiceover career, losing part of his vocal range, rebuilding it with help from Vanderbilt’s voice clinic, landing a huge McDonald’s campaign, and his honest take on how AI is impacting human voice talent today.If you love classic country, radio history, behind-the-scenes music industry stories, and real talk about the future of voiceover, this episode is for you.Timed Highlights 0:00 – Opening banter and intro to “Circling the Drain” with guest Bennie Shipley  2:30 – Growing up in Scottsville, Kentucky and starting in radio at 15  3:40 – Becoming popular in high school after landing a job at WCDS  4:50 – First radio paycheck, buying a color TV, and early radio memories  6:00 – Glasgow days, part-time to full-time, and a generous station owner  7:20 – Landing at WSM in Nashville and working with Harold Hensley  10:30 – Culture shock: small-town kid meets big-city country stars  12:00 – Marty Robbins stories, late-night calls, and emotional listener reactions  14:00 – Waylon, Willie, and Kristofferson at the door… and one unforgettable “no”  16:00 – Lefty Frizzell’s praise, friendship, and a heartbreaking last phone call  17:30 – Discovering Alabama before they were famous and spinning “I Want to Come Over”  19:20 – Early visits from “The Alabama Band” and watching their rise  21:00 – Music director days at WSIX and getting in trouble for playing unknown artists  22:30 – Programming battles and ultimately being proven right about Alabama  23:30 – Working with Gerry House, Jerry Minchew, and legendary Nashville radio voices  26:00 – WSM moves, Music Country Radio Network, and working with Charlie Douglas  28:30 – Creating a full “Country Christmas Carol” with country stars  30:00 – Producing on reel-to-reel: razor blades, tape, and homemade sound effects  31:40 – The Country Music Hall of Fame archives and the lost master tape  33:10 – Theater of the mind and why radio was magical before cameras  35:00 – Transitioning from radio to serious voiceover work  37:00 – Early feedback, blunt advice on appearance, and refining the “whole package”  39:10 – Breaking into studio work at Sound Shop and earning respect the hard way  41:20 – Losing vocal range and the scary moment in a session you can’t deliver  42:50 – Vanderbilt voice clinic, scopes, therapy, and rebuilding the voice  44:30 – Strange but effective vocal exercises: water, straws, and “curly” sounds  45:40 – Rethinking delivery: moving out of “radio voice” into higher, lighter reads  46:40 – Landing a major McDonald’s national campaign and how it changed his life  48:20 – Paying off debt, buying a condo, and the chain of events that led to meeting his wife  49:50 – Gratitude for songwriter/producer Milton Blackford and “Me and My RC”  50:50 – Reflecting on a full career and the importance of documenting radio history  53:10 – Being called a “legend,” radio luncheons, and old connections resurfacing  54:30 – AI, radio’s future, and what today’s tech is missing: human nuance  55:30 – Why authenticity, vinyl, and real voices still matter to younger audiences  56:30 – Wrap-up, where to find “Circling the Drain,” and closing thoughts with Benny  Find more episodes and extras at:  circlingthedrain.netFollow Johnny B:https://www.facebook.com/john.e.bozemanFollow Jay Harper:https://www.facebook.com/harperjeffFollow Jim:www.jmvos.comCircling The Drain is produced by It's Your Show dot Cowww.itsyourshow.co