In this week's issue: At home in East Nashville with the "Wagon Wheel"-writer (with Bob Dylan) talking about his new Christmas album, the story about the American Wall that connects people across borders, questions I will ask Dwight Yoakam in my dream interview, and the best burgers (?) in Music City revealed.

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IN right now:

OUT right now:

I was this close to getting an interview with my all time hero, Dwight Yoakam, in Nashville recently. But for "managerial reasons out of our control", it didn't happen. This time.

This (see below) was the questions I was going to ask him. If you have a question for Dwight, please send it them my way and I will try to ask him the next time. Because this time, ain't the last time.

Question 1: "During my teens, I had a page from the British music paper, New Musical Express, hanging on my wall. The headline was 'Kicking the horseshit out of Nashville.' It was an interview with you, and I thought it was incredibly cool. I remember you talking about how Nashville wasn't ready for you and other new artists who were bringing a fresh energy to the genre. Then, last year, I saw you on stage at the Ryman Auditorium, looking so emotional while accepting your Lifetime Achievement Award here in Nashville. What is your current relationship with Music City, and how has it evolved over the years?"

Question 2 "Early in your career, you talked about the essential ingredients for making the right country music mix—what really makes it 'country'—from the singing style and instrumentation to the songwriting and even the visual style: how to wear your jeans over your boots, the right angle for a cowboy hat, the right heels on the boots, and so on. You've always stayed true to that. Is this something you ever talk about with younger artists like Post Malone?"

Question 3 "You've been involved with the great exhibition at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum here in Nashville on the impact of Californian music on country and Americana. You've always shown great respect for those who came before you, both in your music and on your radio show, talking about the first and second waves of California's influence. It's something you're well known for. Have you ever found new inspirations from other places over the years?"

Question 4 "I have to say, after attending your show at the Ascend Amphitheater here in Nashville last night, you've taken your stage show to a new level, both artistically and musically. How involved are your band members in shaping the show, and what is your main focus when directing it?"

Question 5 "Early in your career, you performed in Sweden. We're grateful for that, of course, and we hope to have you back soon. What has your international audience meant to you as you've built your career over such a long period of time?"

Question 6 "I once saw you perform with Buck Owens at the Hilton in Las Vegas, sitting next to your mom in the front row. She was such a nice lady. What did your own upbringing teach you about music, and how do you apply that to fostering a new generation of musicians now that you're a father yourself?"

Listening suggestion while you ponder what he might answer…

A personal introduction to the king of country cool.

You hear them every year's end — the new country Christmas songs. Usually they sound pretty much the same, year after year. But then, from time to time, we are blessed with something special. Like this year's effort from Old Crow Medicine Show, the brand new album "OCMS XMAS". I knocked at the door to the home of singer songwriter and frontman Ketch Secor, and he invited me in to talk about the new songs on the festive new holiday album.

Hot Country has presented a list of the Best Country Songs of 2025. But taste is taste and what is your taste? Let me know in the survey below.

Cult hero singer songwriter John Prine loved this place. And in a recent piece in the New York Times, Kacey Musgraves said it too: Do not leave Nashville without a visit to Brown's Diner. I have visited it for you, and yes, the traditional American breakfast is great. The coffee too. But most of all, you go for the traditional diner atmosphere.
Follow me to Brown's Diner in this video… 

All around Nashville (and, actually, everywhere in the South), you can find this towel (left). Me, myself being from a small southern town (in Sweden ;-), makes this message more than understandable, and I like the quirkiness of it all. All around the world, the differences between "north" and "south" continue countries to fascinate.

Also, the other two towels pictured here show, in so many ways, the essence of what is known in the world as Southern Hospitality.

I found these three in the gift shop at Nashville Music City just outside Bridgestone Arena, on the Broadway side, Nashville, TN.

Telling a story based on real life experiences is always a good idea, not only as a cornerstone corner stone in country music writing, but also in a speech, anyday, for any occasion.

I did exactly that for my acceptance speech at the CMA Awards this year, where I was gifted the award for "International Country Broadcaster." The story of my ancestors going to America to pursue their dreams and my mama's country record collection resonated. I have heard that the video recording of the speech was re-run on the big screen at the following CMA Board Meeting (see pic above), and it makes me both happy and humble.

During this year's CMA Awards day, it was Texas honky tonk:er singer Randall King himself who said a few kind words about my work and presented me the award. See that moment — and my acceptance speech — in the attached video. Fair warning: tears and laughter included. Click on the picture below and watch my speech!

*And, yeah, it is a great Ernest Tubb song too. Listen here

I think this is so cute. When approx ONE‑THIRD of the Swedish population sailed to the land of hope and dreams - the USA - in the early 1900's, some of the immigrants sent home money to their relatives back home in Sweden. In the small rural seashore village of Abbekås in my south Swedish hometown, they built a wall to protect them from the lively Baltic Sea, and they named it The America Wall. And it is still there, connecting the two countries in the most beautiful way. A wall that connects people. Stay at Bongska Huset if you want to spend a day or two within walking distance to the great America Wall.

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