The Bobby Bones Show – BONUS EP: CMA Awards Backstage Interviews (Day 2)

Date: November 19, 2025
Host: Bobby Bones (Premiere Networks)
Overview:
Live from backstage at the 59th Annual CMA Awards, Bobby Bones and Morgan chat with a lively mix of country stars and rising talent. The episode is a blend of fun back-and-forths, personal stories, holiday chatter, music talk, and candid moments. Artists share career highs, touring tales, backstage nerves, holiday traditions, and what they’re not thankful for, all seasoned with Bobby’s signature banter.

Featured Guests & Segments

• George Birge
• Jordan Davis
• Josh Ross
• LoCash
• Tucker Wetmore
• Ashley Cooke
• Cody Johnson
• Drew Baldridge
• HARDY
• Riley Green

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. George Birge: Rivalries, Sweaters, and Student Loans

Timestamps: 02:36–08:41

• Sweater Gifting Comedy: The crew teases George for gifting Eddie a dubious sweater. George admits, “If I loved it, I might not have given it…” (04:19)
• Life & Touring: George reflects on a good year, “Had a number one to start the year and hopefully another one. Getting close here.” (05:42)
• Sports Fandom & Rivalry: Talks Texas Longhorns, alumni donations, and rivalries — “If Texas and A&M aren’t playing, I’m rooting for A&M … but Oklahoma? I hope they lose.” (06:27)
• Student Loan Stories: George shares, “I was getting calls before I finished paying my student loans off … finally, I had $5,000 left and they just sent me a letter, said, hey, we’ve forgiven the rest.” (07:31)
• Degree Confessions: Lunchbox admits, “Do you know Lunchbox is three hours short of graduating?” (07:50)

2. Jordan Davis: Wardrobe Malfunctions, Year in Review, and Dad-Life

Timestamps: 09:39–15:08

• Wardrobe Malfunctions: Jordan recounts playing shows with his fly down, “It’s not that big a deal … you just get used to it.” (10:02–10:45)
• Busyness & Family: “Busiest year I’ve had since I started touring ... new kiddo to the fam, up to four now and done, that’s my last one.” (11:04)
• Staying Present: “Locking my phone away for a day or two and just really spending time with them, catching up … the world keeps spinning.” (14:12)
• Christmas Spirit: Both love early decorating, “Why don’t we just keep Christmas going year round?” (11:54)
• Not Thankful For: “I’m not thankful for the situation LSU football’s found themselves in.” (14:49)

3. Josh Ross: Genre Blending, Road Life, and Social Media Trends

Timestamps: 15:15–20:02

• Middle Name Memories: Funny stories about being called by full names as a kid. (15:45)
• Genre Diversity: “The project finally just became a bunch of all that ... pop, rock, country, rap — that’s just who I am as a person.” (16:51)
• Touring Lessons: “You start to realize that, like, 20 years is a long time, but it goes by very quick ... you’re better off to take the steady climb.” (17:44)
• Social Media Inside Jokes: The “group seven” meme and “6, 7” trend explained. “There is no meaning.” (18:29–19:02)
• Not Thankful For: “People with no manners … proper etiquette and respect.” (19:13–19:56)

4. LoCash: Friendship, Nicknames, and Holiday Traditions

Timestamps: 20:05–25:21

• Reuniting & Texting: Bobby jokes about losing touch, “We’re fighting because Chris and I used to text all the time.” (20:29)
• Nickname Game: Fun with nicknames — “Nilla” for Vanilla Ice, “Morgz” for Morgan, “Eddie Money.” (21:55–22:59)
• Celebrity Moments: Hanging with Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) and Vanilla Ice. “So, Chris, will you throw me the last football pass to the end zone so I could spin?” (24:07)
• Holiday Vibes: “Our tree went up the day after Halloween ... if we’re going to do all this work, it’s going to be up for two months.” (21:31)

5. Tucker Wetmore: Pre-Show Jitters, Social Media, and Quirks

Timestamps: 25:55–30:46

• CMA Performance: “Definitely more excited than nervous ... there’s just a switch that flips and it’s showtime.” (26:45–27:16)
• Celebrity Advice: “Thomas Rhett, he told me, ‘If you’re not nervous, you don’t care.’” (27:01)
• Social Media Trends: Explaining “group seven” and the “6, 7” meme — “It literally doesn’t have a meaning ... Gen Z’s inside joke.” (29:08)
• Personal Quirks: “Mismatching socks. I can’t do it. I’ll wear a dirty sock over a mismatched sock.” (29:44)

6. Ashley Cooke: WWE, Career Milestones, and Keeping Faith

Timestamps: 35:37–41:38

• WWE Experience: Performed at Madison Square Garden, “Yesterday was one of those [‘how did I get here?’] moments.” (35:44–36:08)
• Viral Song “Baby Blues”: Interacts with fans during live shows, led by playful fan-participation—“My boyfriend has blue eyes!” (37:12)
• Staying Grounded: “Knowing that God’s got me ... I just have a lot of confidence in that.” (39:11)
• Social Media Chatter: Knows about “group seven” and “6, 7,” admits her dad teaches her about TikTok trends. (40:33)
• Not Thankful For: “Plane turbulence ... just had some rough turbulence on the way to New York.” (41:01)

7. Cody Johnson: “Traveling Soldier,” Listening to Fans, and Thanksgiving Favorites

Timestamps: 41:45–47:32

• “Traveling Soldier” Cover: “All they wanted to hear was ‘Traveling Soldier’ ... it’s not an America song, it’s a world song.” (42:04)
• Fan-Driven Singles: “I literally just pay attention to the fans. That’s my live data.” (43:57)
• Thanksgiving Heaven: “In my heart and soul, I am a 600-pound man ... just go ahead and wear sweatpants” (44:20)
• Food Debates: Stuffing vs. dressing, cornbread vs. white bread, “We’re at tomato, tomato at this point.” (45:39)
• Not Thankful For: “This ear injury, it’s killing me. Busted eardrum.” (46:50)

8. Drew Baldridge: Success, Giving Back, and Bathroom Fame

Timestamps: 47:44–54:55

• From Struggles to Success: Describes making it independently, “There were nights at like 3am being up and crying ... how am I going to pay for this?” (50:48)
• Paying It Forward: “Now, hopefully, we can help other artists’ careers and paths along the way.” (50:32)
• Celebrity Moments: On sharing a table with Post Malone, Jelly Roll, and Avril Lavigne after the ACMs. (51:50)
• Bathroom Fame: “Been in a Pilot bathroom and heard [my song] ... that was pretty sweet.” (52:48)
• Not Thankful For: “People that change their kid’s diaper and just throw it in the parking lot ... just throw in the trash can!” (54:23) and “People on airplanes who sprint to the front to get off first.” (54:47)

9. HARDY: Rock Star Dad Life, Persona, and Pet Peeves

Timestamps: 56:06–59:57

• Relaxing After Tour: On taking family time in Florida, “We bought it and then … did not stay in it. So the second I got off tour, we went down there for like a month.” (56:54)
• On-Stage Persona: Describes separation between stage and home—“Kind of a professional wrestler thing ... who I am as an entertainer and who I am as a person is just a little different.” (57:09)
• Rock Lullabies: “There’s a Spotify playlist called Twinkle, Twinkle Little Rock Star ... Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden as a lullaby … it’s sick.” (57:40)
• Musical Parenting: “As long as she likes the music, she’s not going to have a choice ... I’m thankful for my dad for pretty much forcing rock and roll on me.” (58:13)
• Not Thankful For: “Food poisoning ... just the sensation of being extremely nauseated.” (59:05)

10. Riley Green: Auburn Fandom, Nicknames, and Not-Thankful Quest

Timestamps: 60:06–64:09

• Sports & Charity: Playing Auburn’s basketball arena before the Iron Bowl, “Probably try to be like the Matthew McConaughey of Auburn walking the sideline with a cowboy hat.” (61:12)
• Family Nicknames: Explains he calls his dad “Pops,” inspired by Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. (62:30)
• “Not Thankful” Banter: Playfully struggles with the reverse question—“If I’d lost a finger, that’d be perfect … gosh, life is just so good right now.” (64:03)

Memorable Quotes

• George Birge: “If I loved it, I might not have given [the sweater].” (04:19)
• Jordan Davis: “As busy as we’ve been getting home, locking my phone away … just really spending time with them. The world keeps spinning.” (14:12)
• Josh Ross: “For me, it’s like, I’d rather the steady climb … build a great foundation, have great people around me.” (17:44)
• Ashley Cooke: "Knowing that God’s got me and just taking a breath in it … that's the confidence." (39:11)
• Cody Johnson: “All they wanted to hear was ‘Traveling Soldier’ ... this is not an America song, this is a world song.” (42:04)
• Drew Baldridge: "There were nights at 3am crying ... How am I gonna pay for this?" (50:48)
• HARDY: “As long as she likes the music, she’s not gonna have a choice.” (58:13)
• Riley Green: “Life is just so good right now.” (64:06)
• Multiple Guests: Playful “not thankful for” segment—brings out pet peeves and personal quirks with endearing honesty.

Recurring Themes

• The Balance of Stardom: Most guests highlighted how they juggle career highs, heavy touring, and staying present for family.
• Backstage Nerves: Several artists confessed to still getting pre-show jitters, proving “if you’re not nervous, you don’t care.”
• Thanksgiving & Holidays: Decorating timelines, holiday food debates, and unique traditions were recurring topics.
• Social Media & Trends: Many wrestle with the fast pace of online jokes (“group seven,” “6, 7”), often learning via younger family or bandmates.
• Community & Influence: Giving back—whether to family, fellow musicians, or fans—was a source of pride and gratitude.

Fun, Candid Moments

• Sweater Roast: George Birge’s ugly sweater saga.
• Bathroom Fame: Drew Baldridge hearing his song in a Pilot bathroom.
• Sock Quirk: Tucker Wetmore refuses to wear mismatched socks—even over a dirty pair.
• Holiday Honesty: Guests confessed to early Christmas decorating and favorite foods (“I could drink the gravy and follow it with the stuffing.” — Cody Johnson, 44:57).
• Nickname Olympics: LoCash session produces “Nilla” and “Morgz.”
• "Not Thankful” Segment: Guests get playful with things they’re annoyed by: manners, traffic, mismatched socks, food poisoning, smacking food, turbulence, people throwing dirty diapers in parking lots, and airplane “line cutters.”

Conclusion

The episode delivers behind-the-scenes camaraderie, artist confessions, and rapid-fire storytelling straight from the heart of country music’s biggest night. Listeners get a genuine, lighthearted look at both the star power and the relatable day-to-day annoyances of their favorite artists, all tied together by Bobby and Morgan's sharp, friendly banter. Whether it's a deep career lesson or a goofy social media trend, this bonus CMA Awards episode is frothy, festive, and packed with country charm.