Chart Beat Podcast: Bobby Bones on Syndicated Radio Stardom & 'Always Coming From a Place of Being Authentic'

The iHeartMedia & Premiere Radio Networks morning talent chats with Jim Asker about Bones' origins at the top 40 format before conquering country (and Billboard charts).

"I'm telling you my truth. Sometimes you're not gonna like it, but just respect, hopefully, that I'm always coming from a place of being authentic."

Bobby Bones, host of The Bobby Bones Show, originating from iHeartMedia-owned country radio station WSIX Nashville and syndicated through Premiere Radio Networks, sat down with Billboard's country, Christian and gospel chart manager Jim Asker for the Chart Beat Podcast in Nashville on Oct. 20 (the morning after the final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump; "I lean on picking on the absurd part[s] of both of them," Bones says).

Bones and Asker traverse a wide range of topics covering Bones' career, which brought challenges as soon as he joined WSIX, as he followed in the footsteps of the station's retired, and beloved, Gerry House. "I think 'survival' is the perfect word for my first 18 months," Bones says, "because I had to replace arguably the greatest country DJ of all time. He was in the community [and] the artists knew him." Plus, when The Bobby Bones Show – featuring co-hosts Lunchbox (Dan Chappell) and Amy (Moffett Brown), along with Eddie (Garcia), Ray (Slater), Nada (Taha) and Morgan (Massingill) – went national in 2013, "I wasn't just replacing Gerry, I was [hosting] the first syndicated national country morning show, so I was replacing other cities' Gerry Houses.

"Then, the incline slowly happened."

Along with garnering robust radio ratings, Bones is a No. 1-charting Billboard artist. The Critics Give It 5 Stars, by Bobby Bones and the Raging Idiots (also featuring Eddie), debuted atop the Comedy Albums chart in April. It also bowed at No. 4 on Top Country Albums and spun off the Comedy Digital Tracks top 10 "We Can't Stand Each Other," with Carrie Underwood, and the purely earnest Country Airplay entry, "Fishin' With My Dad," featuring Garth Brooks on backing vocals (!)

Bones additionally penned the autobiographical Bare Bones, I'm Not Lonely If You're Reading This Book and is a champion of rising country artists, having given early plays to Chris Janson's "Buy Me a Boat," which eventually sailed to No. 2 Hot Country Songs in September 2015.

Above all, Bones' support extends to numerous charitable causes.

"I do the radio show, I have the Raging Idiots, I do stand-up, I have the book. I like to do different things," Bones explains. Despite his multi-platform successes, "I like to fail," he says. "If I'm not failing, then I'm not trying things that make me uncomfortable."

A sampling of previous episodes with host Gary Trust:
How Daya Broke Through on New Label Artbeatz / Timothy B. Schmit / Chart Historian Joel Whitburn / Fall Preview With ABC Radio's Andrea Dresdale / Debbie Gibson / Hit Songs Deconstructed on The Chainsmokers & Meghan Trainor / Lionel Richie (hosted by Trevor Anderson)

Enjoy the entire latest Chart Beat Podcast and check back for more upcoming episodes with artists, label executives, radio programmers and personalities, songwriters, producers and more. And, to receive every episode automatically in your inbox, subscribe to (and rate) the Billboard Chart Beat Podcast on iTunes!