Justin Moore Just Launched His Own Podcast

Justin Moore says he's always wanted to start a podcast; in fact, for the past four years, the “Why We Drink” hitmaker has often thought aloud about the possibility of sharing a little slice of his life on and off the road in that form.

“Our fans are always looking for more content and the chance to really get a look into who we are as human beings beyond the stage and the radio,” Moore tells Taste of Country. “I have always thought it’s important to let fans see who we are as people before they spend their money on concert tickets and T-shirts and stuff.”

However, Moore would often find himself coming up with excuses as to why a podcast wasn't in the cards for him: his lack of knowledge about anything having to do with technology, for example, or the lack of time to not only record the podcast, but perfect it. But then, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit, and, suddenly, the podcast that Moore once only dreamed about took on a new urgency.

“I immediately was concerned about how to pay my band if I was going to be off the road,” Moore recalls. “I can pay my bills and groceries, but at some point, my 20-something employees can’t. I wanted to generate some income to distribute to those guys. If I could just pay one more person than before, it would be worth it.”

Developed in the last 3-4 months, The Justin Moore Podcast is a 15-episode, weekly series launching Tuesday (May 19), co-hosted by Moore and his tour manager J.R., aka “The Handler.” New episodes will debut every Tuesday, inspired by the podcasts that Moore himself enjoys.

“There is one called The Hog Pod that Bo Mattingly does that I love,” says Moore, who currently has a total of eight No. 1 singles under his belt, including “Small Town USA,” “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away,” and “The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home”. “The other ones I love is the Stone Cold Steve Austin's podcast and Marty Smith’s America.

"I also love podcasts that have to do with the Civil War," he says, adding with a laugh, "I’m a little bit of a history nerd.”

And while his family is sure to play a part in the podcast, Moore says he tries his best to protect his and wife Kate’s children as much as possible. “I’ve never wanted to put my kids in a position that they didn’t choose to be in and have it affect them negatively,” says Moore, who reveals on the initial podcast that he will release a new album titled Live From the Ryman Auditorium this summer.

“My choice to do this for a living was my choice, and I want them to have a normal childhood," Moore adds. "Down the road, I never want them to look at us and say, ‘Thanks a lot.'"

But that doesn’t mean some members of the Moore family won't find a way to sneak their way into an episode — especially his three little daughters.

“I usually sneak away to my office to do the podcast and inevitably they end up showing up,” he says with a laugh. “And I bet we will keep candid moments in the show because people really seem to get a kick out of it.”

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