Podcast Summary: Bubba on the Lake
Episode 42: A Visit from an Old Friend JT / Betty Bussey
Host: Bill "Bubba" Bussey
Guests: Jeff "JT" Tyson, Betty Lou Bussey
Date: January 15, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode of "Bubba on the Lake" shines with nostalgia, humor, and real-life reflections as Bubba welcomes his longtime friend and former radio collaborator, Jeff "JT" Tyson, for a walk down memory lane. Later, Bubba’s wife, Betty Lou Bussey, joins for laid-back banter, updates on lake life, spring fever, and podcast tech shenanigans. The conversations blend fun radio history, wild anecdotes, family catch-ups, and the joys (and quirks) of lakeside living, all with the easygoing warmth Bubba is known for.
Main Segments & Key Points
1. Kicking Off: Post-Holiday Reflections & Lake Life Updates (00:00–08:44)
- Bubba opens reflecting on post-holiday blues and missing the glow of the Christmas tree, joking, “I pleaded with Betty to leave it out and make it a Valentine tree… I lost that battle.” (03:25)
- Excitement mounts for upcoming sports (national college championship), hunting season, and the return of spring.
- Local lakeside culture: mentions "plug day" (refilling the lake) and the sort of "lake state of mind"—relax, chill, no “hissy fits.”
- Bubba spotlights local events and lake living real estate, encouraging folks to “jump in and enjoy the appreciation” of property values.
- Upcoming Birmingham Boat show and community events around Lake Martin highlighted.
2. Nostalgic Radio Days with Jeff "JT" Tyson (08:44–26:45)
How Bubba & JT Met and the Early Days (09:01–12:45)
- Bubba welcomes JT, his old program director and on-air partner from their 94.5 FM Birmingham days.
- JT recalls, “You guys came down together and came into my office on Highland Avenue back in 1995… I ran it up the old chain and got 25 people involved in making a decision that should have been made.” (09:45)
- Reminiscences about legendary radio personalities who worked alongside them.
Radio Life Now and Voice Tracking (12:03–13:41)
- JT updates on his work: hosting Alabama’s Morning News (105.5 WERC) and voice tracking for iHeartRadio.
- Explains “voice tracking” for non-radio folks: “You can do a five-hour radio show and record your breaks for those five hours in about 15 to 20 minutes… and you can be in any city you need to be in from your computer in your own studio.” (12:54)
Legendary Radio Antics and Behind-the-Scenes Stories (13:41–26:45)
- "Running of the Goobs" event:
- Hilarious account of a paintball-laden, check-grabbing stunt.
- JT: “Look, if you run sideways on a hill of pine straw at about a 45 degree angle, it's not going to go well. It's slick as ice.” (14:17)
- Backing over a streetlight in a U-Haul and bribing kids to stay quiet:
- Bubba pokes fun: “Did you offer money not to tell their parents you did it?”
- JT dodges: “There might have been some biscuits involved, but I don't know about any cash.” (16:21, 16:28)
- Softball faux pas—‘School Closing Tony’ incident:
- JT unwittingly jokes on-air about a player’s lack of fitness, learning post-break: “He’s only got one lung. He’s got cystic fibrosis.” (17:09–17:56)
- Humble reflections and positive takeaway: “Thank God... he let me off the hook. He laughed with us and everything.” (18:26)
- Tony’s clown-suit funeral wish:
- Touching and humorous recount of a friend’s last joke—wanting to be buried in a clown suit: “He said, I want to be buried in a clown suit with a red foam nose—because this body has made a fool out of me.” (19:20)
- Hunting camp disaster and police encounter:
- JT tries to dispose of an unprocessed deer in secret, ends up stopped by police:
- “So I bailed on that idea… and did a, you know, like you're throwing a hammer in the Olympics… launched the deer into the woods.” (22:23)
- “You can't be riding around Hoover with a bloody bag dripping out of your trunk.” (24:44)
- JT tries to dispose of an unprocessed deer in secret, ends up stopped by police:
The Comedic Thread
- Every story is met with Bubba’s signature chuckles and friendly jabs—rekindling their on-air chemistry.
3. Family Updates and Radio Life Today (29:10–36:27)
- Bubba checks on JT’s family:
- Daughter is an art teacher at Mountain Brook Elementary.
- Son Michael coaches football at West Virginia under Rich Rodriguez.
- Career highlights:
- Michael’s coaching journey (FAU with Lane Kiffin, then Stanford, Ole Miss, now West Virginia).
- JT on getting up early for radio:
- “If you got to get up when it's dark out, your body just seems to tell you, what are you doing? I mean, go back to bed.” (33:33)
- “If I hit the lottery, I'd probably do this morning show. I just like, you know, talking about what's going on in the news…” (34:13)
- Family pride and reflections on kids' growth and successes.
4. Betty Lou Joins – “Betty’s Corner” and Lake Life Chit-Chat (39:07–58:22)
Tech Antics & New Segments (39:18–43:42)
- Bubba and Betty banter while experimenting with podcast video equipment; multiple cameras and “micro TV table” shenanigans.
- Launch of “Betty’s Corner” on the website—Betty: “I just sat down and looked at your screen and I said, What's Betty's Corner? I didn't know I had a corner.” (40:03)
- Requests for Betty’s famous dressing and Chex Mix recipes, which will be posted soon.
Life Updates & Upcoming Plans (43:42–58:22)
- Betty shares post-holiday routines, catching up on doctor’s appointments, and enjoying lake life.
- Playful back-and-forth on office setup:
- Betty: “I keep ramming my knee under here… there's a board I feel like we don't need. It's extra.” (42:15)
- Bubba: “It's not the kind of desk that you would sit under.” (42:22)
- Quips about the Lake Martin magazine and its “swimsuit issue.”
- Bubba: “Why wasn't you in that?”
- Betty: “They want people to actually look at the magazine…” (46:23)
- Bubba: “They would be flying off the shelf, people would go, can you believe that? Girl’s in here.” (46:38)
- Betty: “You’re a beautiful woman.” // “Well, I’m glad you married me.” (46:45–46:50)
- Reflecting on 37 years of marriage:
- “We’ve lasted 37 years…” (47:24)
- Pickleball, spring fever, and plans for travel:
- Future trips discussed: Cape Canaveral rocket launch, a possible Vegas trip (“You need to see some of those hotels and the waterfalls… I mean, water fountains and all. That’s kind of cool.” (54:58)), Yellowstone, wine country, England, and Alaska.
- Humorous takes on not being a perfectionist (Betty: “You're organized chaos, I guess, but you are a perfectionist when it comes to audio.” (50:03))
- Bubba reflects on their history: “Since first grade, I’ve been studying the female… and you’re right up there on the top shelf.” (46:50)
Notable Quotes and Moments
- On the Lake Life attitude:
- “Living on the lake, to me is more of a state of mind. It is, hey, just relax. Chill out. Everything's going to be all right. Work through it, and there's no need to pitch a hissy fit.” – Bubba (05:04)
- JT, on radio's shift:
- “Everything's digitalized now so you can do a five hour radio show… in about 15 to 20 minutes… and you can be in any city you need to be in from your computer in your own studio.” (12:54)
- Wild story payoff:
- “You can't be riding around Hoover with a bloody bag dripping out of your trunk.” – Hoover police officer to JT (24:44)
- On family and life balance:
- “If I hit the lottery, I'd probably do this morning show. I just like, you know, talking about what's going on in the news and talking to listeners and it's just, I enjoy what I do.” – JT (34:13)
- Betty's self-deprecating humor:
- “They want people to actually look at the magazine, you know what I mean? That's why they don't have people like me [in the swimsuit edition].” (46:23)
Key Timestamps
- 00:00–08:44: Bubba’s intro, reflections on holidays, sports, lake events, life updates
- 08:44–26:45: Bubba & JT interview; radio memories, wild stories, running of the goobs, life updates
- 29:10–36:27: Family catch-ups, JT’s son’s coaching journey, thoughts on early mornings and the radio business
- 39:07–58:22: Betty Lou segment—tech escapades, recipe requests, marriage laughs, future travel, life on the lake
Episode Tone & Style
Light-hearted, nostalgic, and full of good-natured ribbing, the episode exudes the down-to-earth, Southern charm synonymous with Bubba’s radio persona. Listeners are treated to a playful peek behind both the radio and family curtain: fond career memories, genuine friendship, relatable marriage moments, and humorous daily-life mishaps.
Final Thoughts
Anyone missing the camaraderie and realness of classic Southern radio will appreciate this episode. More than just laughter, there’s love and appreciation for both career journeys and the quirks of everyday life—on the lake, at home, or behind the radio mic.
For recipes, more Betty’s Corner, and to leave a voicemail for the show, visit bubbaonthelake.com.