Wait What!? with Aimee Mayo

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Brandy Clark joins Aimee Mayo on Earth to Aimee for one of her most honest conversations yet. From writing massive hits for Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves to finally winning her first Grammy after 17 nominations, Brandy shares the stories, heartbreak, and perseverance behind one of country music's most respected careers.In this episode, Brandy opens up about writing "Mama's Broken Heart" for Miranda Lambert, "Follow Your Arrow" for Kacey Musgraves, creating the Tony-nominated Broadway musical Shucked with Shane McAnally, and the advice that kept her going through years of rejection before finally hearing her name called at the Grammy Awards.You'll also hear behind-the-scenes stories about Nashville songwriting, Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, Brandi Carlile, Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Loretta Lynn, Patsy Cline, Kenny Rogers, Rick Springfield, Alanis Morissette, Theo Von, and more.Whether you're a songwriter, country music fan, or simply love hearing the real stories behind legendary careers, this conversation is full of wisdom, humor, and unforgettable moments.In this episode:🎵 How Brandy Clark wrote country music's biggest hits🏆 Winning her first Grammy after 17 nominations🎭 Creating the Broadway hit Shucked✍️ Nashville songwriting secrets❤️ Overcoming rejection, grief, and self-doubt🤠 Behind-the-scenes stories from country music legendsSubscribe for more conversations with the songwriters, artists, and storytellers shaping music and culture.#BrandyClark #CountryMusic #Grammy #Songwriting #Nashville #MirandaLambert #KaceyMusgraves #Shucked #Broadway #AimeeMayo #EarthToAimee #Podcast #MusicPodcast #Songwriter #CountrySongs

On this episode of Earth to Aimee, I sit down with legendary Nashville A&R executive Missi Gallimore, who has helped discover, champion, and place more hit songs and Grammy-winning songs than almost anyone in Nashville history.We talk about meeting Taylor Swift before she became Taylor Swift, finding songs like "Live Like You Were Dying" and "Blue Ain't Your Color," the art of spotting a hit, and why great songs still matter more than anything else.Plus stories about Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Lori McKenna, Chris Tompkins, the famous Aimeeland bathroom wall, and what really happens behind the scenes on Music Row.You can hear the split second before a song becomes a hit, but only if you know what to listen for. I’m sitting down with Nashville powerhouse Missy Gallimore, an A&R original with stories that stretch from legendary demo days to the social media driven music business we’re all trying to understand now. We start with a surprisingly emotional tour through the little moments artists leave behind, then jump straight into what it felt like meeting Taylor Swift early, watching her professionalism up close, and recognizing that rare “walks in the room and owns it” charisma. From there, we get honest about how Nashville changed. We talk about the rise of artist written albums, why outside songs got tougher to place, and why Missy still believes the longest careers are built on cutting the best song, period. She breaks down what makes a hit before the charts ever say so: a title that makes you click, a lyric that lands fast, and that gut level replay factor. Missy also tells the real A&R hustle behind songs like Blue Ain’t Your Color and the frantic, competitive moment Live Like You Were Dying got put on hold before it even left the studio. We also dig into modern artist development and why consistency, frequent releases, and social traction now carry massive weight. Missy shares her “superstar pie” of confidence and presence, plus a simple life lesson that applies way beyond music: fear is your enemy, and you’ve got to push through those first seconds of doubt. If you like music industry stories, songwriting craft, and practical career advice, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What’s the last song that made you pull the car over?

Murder trial. Dirty cops. Jury secrets. Police interrogation tactics. Reasonable doubt explained. What really happens inside a murder trial? Can police legally lie during an interrogation? And why do criminal defense lawyers tell people to stop talking?In this episode of Earth to Aimee, Aimee Mayo sits down with veteran criminal defense attorney Marian Fordyce for a fascinating conversation about murder trials, jury psychology, police interrogations, reasonable doubt, wrongful accusations, courtroom secrets, addiction, corruption, and the biggest mistakes people make when dealing with law enforcement.From shocking courtroom stories to practical advice that could save you from self-snitching, this episode pulls back the curtain on the criminal justice system like you've never seen before.New episodes every week — subscribe so you never miss one.

Nashville real estate in 2026 is WILD — and if you're buying a house, selling a house, or moving to Nashville, you need to hear this first.Top realtor Katie Morrell of Morrell Property Collective sits down with Aimee Mayo for a conversation that goes way deeper than buying and selling houses. They cover the best Nashville neighborhoods to watch, home staging secrets, red flags buyers miss, how to price your home right, and the most insane things Katie has ever found inside people's houses — including a woman chained to a bed, a man living in a closet with Little Debbies, and a seller who hid $200,000 in structural damage.Plus why songwriting and real estate are basically the same job, and why some houses just feel wrong the second you walk in.New episodes every week. Search Earth to Aimee wherever you listen.

What happens when a family sits down and finally tells the stories they've never told before? In Part 2 of this raw, unfiltered conversation, hit songwriter Aimee Mayo sits down with her mom Becky and uncle Kelly Harwood for a hilarious, emotional, and wildly unexpected journey through family secrets, DNA surprises, growing up in small-town Alabama, coming out as gay in the Deep South, mental health struggles, suicide prevention, addiction and recovery, and grief. There's Danny Mayo burning 500 X-rated movies on live television (except he didn't actually burn them), Southern family trauma, country music stories, and a meteor shower over Monteagle where two kids with nothing made wishes that somehow came true. Near the end, Kelly says something that stopped everyone cold — and you won't see it coming. This is Wait. What?! with Aimee Mayo — and this might be the most important episode we've ever made.

Family secrets, DNA surprises, pet loss, shocking stories and supernatural encounters collide in one conversation. In this episode, Aimee sits down with her mom Becky and uncle Kelly Harwood — artist and owner of Gallery 202 in Franklin, Tennessee — for one of the funniest, most emotional, and wildest family conversations yet.A DNA test blows the lid off a decades-old secret — their childhood neighbor who lived two doors down their entire lives was actually a secret half-sister. Aimee shares the terrifying night their family stumbled into pure evil in Mississippi. Aimee describes seeing a glowing angel as a toddler after a near-death experience. Kelly recounts the dream he had the night before his mother died — the moment she spread her wings and said goodbye. Plus embarrassing moments that will make you cry laughing, pet grief, growing up gay in a small Southern town, and why mothers always know.This episode is funny, heartbreaking, nostalgic, shocking, and deeply human all at once. Follow the show and please leave a review if it moved you.

In this chaotic solo episode of WAIT. WHAT?! with Aimee Mayo, hit songwriter and bestselling author Aimee Mayo dives into AI obsession, ChatGPT, Airbnb horror stories, ancestry.com family secrets, surprise siblings, dog grief, Reddit rabbit holes, ketamine therapy, ibogaine, podcast struggles, celebrity songwriting stories, and the emotional story of losing her soulmate dog.This episode covers:Airbnb nightmares and crazy guest storiesChatGPT, Claude, AI obsession, and YouTube algorithmsThe ancestry DNA discovery that shocked an entire familyDog grief, pet loss, and emotional healingTheo Von, Joe Rogan, and comedy podcast inspirationRyan Tedder and Adam Lambert songwriting storiesFunny Southern storytelling and dark comedyReddit rabbit holes and viral internet storiesKetamine therapy, ibogaine, psychedelics, and mental healthPodcasting struggles, fame, family secrets, and chaosIf you love podcasts like Theo Von, Joe Rogan Experience, Diary of a CEO, SmartLess, Armchair Expert, comedy podcasts, storytelling podcasts, conspiracy rabbit holes, emotional real-life stories, Nashville music stories, celebrity interviews, and hilarious chaos — this episode is for you.https://linktr.ee/WaitWhatPod

What Denzel Washington, Billy Bob Thornton and Sandra Bullock Are Really Like On Set | John Lee HancockHow movies are made, what it’s really like working with actors like Denzel Washington and Sandra Bullock, and the truth about screenwriting and directing in Hollywood.Oscar winning films. A list actors. Real Hollywood behind the scenes.Hollywood director and screenwriter John Lee Hancock, known for The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks, and The Rookie, sits down with Aimee Mayo to talk about filmmaking, the screenwriting process, and what actually happens on a movie set.From Sandra Bullock’s Academy Award winning performance in The Blind Side to directing multiple Oscar winning actors like Denzel Washington, Jared Leto, and Rami Malek, John Lee shares how movies are made, how actors really work on set, and why some of the best scenes come from unexpected mistakes.They break down the filmmaking process, working with actors, Hollywood storytelling, and how scripts turn into movies people connect with.In this episode you’ll hearHow movies are made and what directors actually do on setWhat it’s like working with Denzel Washington, Sandra Bullock, and Billy Bob ThorntonScreenwriting tips and how to write a screenplay that gets madeThe truth about directing actors with different stylesWhy most movies never get made and what separates great scriptsBehind the scenes stories from The Blind Side and Saving Mr. BanksThe impact of AI and algorithms on Hollywood and creativityIf you’re interested in filmmaking, screenwriting, Hollywood behind the scenes, or the movie making process, this episode gives you a real look inside the industry.Wait. What?! with Aimee Mayo is a podcast featuring real conversations about music, movies, storytelling, and the creative process.Subscribe so you never miss an episode Aimee's links: https://linktr.ee/waitwhatpod

Ketamine therapy. Magic mushrooms. Psychedelics. Treatment resistant depression. Matthew Perry. And a mushroom that naturally produces ketamine. This episode covers all of it.Dr. Amy Price Neff is a Nashville physician, founder of MindStream Integrative Medicine, trained at the University of Virginia and University of Arizona, and certified in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.We go deep on what ketamine therapy actually feels like, how it rewires the brain, why it works two to three times better than antidepressants for most people, and how psilocybin mushrooms compare. We also cover what really happened to Matthew Perry, whether mushrooms can help with grief, why cannabis is Schedule 1 while opioids are Schedule 2, and what to say when someone you love makes comments about not wanting to be here.Aimee also shares something she has never said publicly before. That she attempted suicide at 19 while on antidepressants that were later pulled from the market because of exactly what they did to her.This episode is for anyone who has tried everything and still feels hopeless. For anyone who lost someone to mental illness. For anyone who is just trying to feel better and keeps hitting a wall.Not medical advice. Always talk to your own doctor. But this conversation might change how you think about what healing actually looks like.Aimee's Social's:  https://linktr.ee/WaitWhatPod

Parkinson's disease. Taylor Swift. Nashville hit songs. Shocking true story. The night we found my dad dead at his own birthday party.Nashville songwriter. Country music. Songwriting deal. Music Row. Grief. Keith Urban. Tim McGraw. Reba McEntire. Garth Brooks. Ashley Gorley. Taylor Swift changed Nashville forever.Bob Regan joins Aimee Mayo on Wait. What?! — the Nashville country music podcast. Bob was Danny Mayo's best friend. He was there that night. They are talking about it together for the very first time.New episodes every Thursday at 5AM ET. Aimee's Socials: https://linktr.ee/WaitWhatPod

If you’ve ever had to leave the house you grew up in or say goodbye to the home where you raised your children, this emotional episode with Pam Tillis and Aimee Mayo will hit you right in the heart.Pam Tillis returns to her Nashville childhood home, the same legendary house where Mel Tillis made country music history and where family memories still live in the walls.For 25 years, this Brentwood home became Aimee Mayo’s world. It’s where she raised her kids, built her marriage, and wrote songs. Long before she ever saw it, Aimee had drawn this exact dream house in sixth grade. Years later, she walked through the front door, got down on her knees, and prayed it would become hers.It did.Now, both women are facing the bittersweet grief of letting go of the house that shaped their lives.This unforgettable conversation explores childhood home memories, leaving the house you raised your kids in, grief after moving, motherhood, marriage, Nashville songwriting, country music legacy, dream homes, and the ache of saying goodbye after 25 years.Keep up with Aimee Mayo here! Linktr.ee/waitwhatpod

Plastic surgery, Botox, fillers, face lifts, laser skin resurfacing, body dysmorphia, beauty standards, and social media insecurity — what does a top plastic surgeon actually see when they look at your face?In this episode of Wait. What?!, Aimee Mayo sits down with Dr. Brian Biesman, one of Nashville's most respected cosmetic surgeons and a Botox and filler specialist. This is really about identity, reinvention, heartbreak, aging, confidence, and how women can separate real self-worth from social media-created insecurity.What we cover:How social media made women hate things they never noticed beforeWhy divorce and major life transitions send so many women to a plastic surgeon's officeThe Kardashian effect, Instagram filters, and the beauty standard that broke an entire generationThe heartbreaking signs of body dysmorphia — and when a good doctor says NOA teenage girl's acne scar transformation that will make you cryThe difference between enhancing who you are vs. chasing someone else's faceWhether you've ever thought about getting work done — or you just want to understand why beauty culture feels so out of control right now — this episode goes way deeper than surgery. It's about why criticism sticks, why reinvention feels urgent after loss, and how women can get their groove back.Dr. Brian Biesman | Nashville, TN | Named one of America's Best Doctors every year since 2004, Dr. Biesman has over 30 years of experience in cosmetic eyelid and facial surgery, injectables, laser skin resurfacing, and noninvasive body contouring.Wait. What?! with Aimee Mayo — New episodes every week. Follow so you don’t miss one. Aimee's Social Media Links: https://linktr.ee/WaitWhatPod

Jerry Bostleman co-founded Vaco from zero, built it into a $1 billion company, made over 100 millionaires, and has invested in nearly 100 companies across industries. He also got pushed out of the company he built — and what he learned from that is the most valuable part of this conversation.In this episode Aimee and Jerry get into the real truth about how to raise money when you have nothing, what investors actually want to see before they write a check, why "Yeah But" is quietly killing every great idea in your life, why being a control freak is the fastest way to stay broke, the explosive growth of the THC beverage industry and why it isn't federally legal yet, how to build a team that wins without you, what he'd do with $1,000 and a laptop in 2026, and how childhood trauma can make you unstoppable in business while wrecking everything else.Raw, funny, unfiltered, and genuinely useful. No fluff. No corporate speak. Just the real stuff.Follow Aimee Here: https://linktr.ee/WaitWhatPod 

This episode is chaos in the best way. On Wait. What?! With Aimee Mayo, Grammy-winning hit songwriter and producer Shane McAnally pulls back the curtain on the music industry, fame, family, and the weirdest moments you cannot make up.From producing Dolly Parton to a completely unhinged Oprah encounter, to kids accidentally outing their dads, to Hollywood, Broadway, Nashville songwriting, and addiction recovery, this conversation is funny, dark, brutally honest, and wildly entertaining.Shane has written and produced over 50 number one hits for artists like Kacey Musgraves, Sam Hunt, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, and LeAnn Womack, and created the hit Broadway musical Shucked. But behind the success is anxiety, imposter syndrome, creative fear, and the constant pressure of “what if it never happens again.”They talk songwriting, country music, celebrity stories, stand-up comedy, parenting, marriage, manifestation, rejection, and what it really takes to survive a creative life.If you like Theo Von, Call Her Daddy, Joe Rogan style interviews, country music stories, Nashville songwriting, celebrity interviews, comedy podcasts, and raw, unfiltered conversations, this episode will hook you fast.Shane's Socials: https://www.instagram.com/shanemcanally/https://www.facebook.com/shanemcanallysongs

What are your dreams like if you're blind from birth? What's it like to play on Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, Kenny Chesney, Willie Nelson, and hundreds of other hit records?Hit songwriter and bestselling author Aimee Mayo sits down with legendary piano player Gordon Mote for a fascinating conversation. In this episode of Wait. What?! Gordon reveals what it's actually like to experience the world without sight, tells the unbelievable story of his seeing-eye dog, Atlas, who saved his life more than once, and demonstrates live Meta glasses that instantly describe the room around him in real time.They also talk about why AI music can never replace real musicians, what separates great singers from true communicators, and why Gordon tells every young musician the same brutal truth — if you have a Plan B, go do that.This conversation is funny, emotional, philosophical, and full of moments that will make you see the world differently.Subscribe for more wild stories, unforgettable guests, and the unbelievable moments in life that make you stop and say... Wait. What?Gordon Mote BioMost people have never heard of Gordon Mote. But they've heard him play piano.Blind since birth, Alabama-born musician Gordon Mote has spent three decades becoming Nashville's secret weapon. A pianist, singer, songwriter, and producer, he has played on hundreds of hit records, released 15 albums, won three Academy of Country Music Awards for Keyboard Player of the Year, and earned multiple Grammy and Dove nominations. He holds an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Jacksonville State University.His story is just as extraordinary and inspiring as his music. He was one of the first blind students in the country to mainstream into the public school system. Mote received a full scholarship to Jacksonville State University before transferring to Belmont University in Nashville, where he graduated with honors.Just two days after graduation, he was hired by Lee Greenwood, launching a career that would take him into studios and onto stages around the world.His social media info hereInstagram: www.instagram.com/officialgordonmote

Aimee Mayo sits down with country music superstar Martina McBride for a wild and emotional conversation packed with shocking moments, backstage confessions, and stories no one has ever heard. Martina talks about how Independence Day changed women’s lives, the miracle voicemail that saved her dad’s last phone call. Aimee explains why she made Tony Robbins cry, how Theo Von inspired her to start a podcast, and the moment she started lactating when she met Rick Springfield. They dive into true crime obsessions, Nashville’s golden era, manifestation, teen crushes, fame, and what happens when kids grow up. Along the way, Aimee reveals that Kris Kristofferson got knocked out cold in her kitchen, Kenny Chesney kicked Eddie Van Halen off his own tour bus, and Martina finally got to sing with her hero Pat Benatar. There is grief, laughter, shock, and the story of another famous singer whose tampon flew out onstage. Martina also reveals what she is building next and why an empty nest is not the end. It is the beginning of everything.