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Here's What We Know

Here's What We Know

By: Gary Scott Thomas
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Authentic Conversations. Intriguing Guests. Time Well Spent. Gary Scott Thomas’ “Here’s What We Know” podcast will entertain you, enlighten you, and even possibly inspire you! Listen each week as Gary Scott Thomas engages guests in unscripted conversations where he’ll be just as surprised as you will be with how the talk turns out. So, join him each week and be privy to the captivating conversations that are sure to ensue.

Conversations include interviews with Country Music artists, professionals, professional athletes, authors and more.

© 2026 Here's What We Know
Music Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Why Showing Up Changes Everything | Kyle Clark
    May 20 2026
    Send us Fan MailWhat if the biggest moments in your life come down to one simple decision?Show up.This week on Here’s What We Know, we sit down with rising country artist and songwriter Kyle Clark for a conversation about faith, songwriting, Nashville, and the unpredictable moments that can change everything.Kyle shares the story behind how one late-night decision to “just show up” led to a song eventually recorded by Blake Shelton after first being held by HARDY and Morgan Wallen.The episode explores creativity, resilience, purpose, and the small moments that shape our lives forever.If you’ve ever wondered whether the little decisions in life really matter, this episode is a reminder that sometimes the moments that change everything begin with simply walking through the door.In This Episode:How hit country songs are really writtenMoving from Georgia to NashvilleLeaving college to pursue music full-timeLearning to trust timing instead of forcing outcomesWhy great songs sometimes sit for years before finding the right artistThe role faith plays in creativity and songwritingThe emotional reality of chasing a dream in NashvilleWhy vulnerability matters in both music and lifeHow persistence and consistency open unexpected doorsWhy “showing up” became the defining lesson of his careerThis episode is sponsored by: Mike Counsil Plumbing & Rooter (Use code “Gary” to get $89 off any service!) License #: 679261Bison Junk Removal (Be sure to tell them Gary sent you!)Bio:Kyle Clark is a songwriter, artist, and producer born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in the small town of Jefferson, Georgia. His love for country music, paired with a diverse range of influences and a strong work ethic, has shaped his unique sound. After winning the 101.5 Kicks Radio competition in Atlanta two years in a row, Clark’s music caught the attention of hit songwriter and producer Jordan Schmidt (Kane Brown, Tyler Hubbard, Jason Aldean). In 2019, Schmidt offered Clark a joint venture publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing. Within a year, Clark co-wrote his first RIAA-certified Platinum single, “Villain” by Lily Rose. When the global pandemic hit, Clark focused his energy on producing his own music, learning from his mentor Jordan Schmidt and his roommate Jacob Durrett (Morgan Wallen, ERNEST). His dedication paid off in early 2022 when a video of his song went viral on TikTok, driving over 21,000 pre-saves for “Hope It’s Hot Out,” which was released on May 27, 2022. The track crossed 1 million streams in its first week and has since amassed over 40 million streams independently across all platforms. In 2024, Clark signed a new publishing deal with Relative Music Group, and has since landed cuts with major country acts including HARDY, Blake Shelton, Dylan Scott, Jon Pardi, Mitchell Tenpenny, Restless Road, Mackenzie Carpenter, Erin Kinsey, and Chayce Beckham.Website: https://www.kyleclarkmusic.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KyleClarkMusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyleclarkmusic/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kyleclarkmusicFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleClarkMusicTags: Kyle Clark, Gary Scott Thomas podcast, Nashville songwriter interview, country music podcast, Blake Shelton Let Him In Anyway, HARDY songwriter story, Morgan Wallen songwriting, country songwriting process, how hit songs are written, Nashville music industry, faith and creativity, storytelling podcast, songwriter interview, Kyle Clark Nashville, creative persistence, showing up changes everything, music industry inspiration, country artist interviewConnect with Gary:Gary's WebsiteFollow Gary on InstagramGary's TiktokGary's FacebookWatch the episodes on YouTubeAdvertise on the PodcastThank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • What Happens When You Ride a Tandem Bicycle Across America With Your Spouse? | Teri M Brown
    May 13 2026

    Send us Fan Mail

    Sometimes the biggest adventures begin after life falls apart.

    This week on Here’s What We Know, our host, Gary Scott Thomas, sits down with author Teri M Brown about surviving emotional abuse, rebuilding self-worth, and riding a tandem bicycle across America with her husband.

    Their 3,102-mile journey became more than a cycling trip. It became a story about resilience, relationships, fear, kindness, and discovering what’s possible when you stop letting your past define you.

    This conversation is funny, vulnerable, deeply human, and exactly the kind of unexpected story that reminds us how powerful connection can be.

    Listen now and discover why Teri says adventure can restore your faith in humanity.


    In This Episode:

    • How Teri rebuilt confidence after emotional abuse
    • What riding across America taught her about resilience
    • Why tandem bicycles are called “divorce machines”
    • What cross-country travel revealed about humanity
    • How adventure changes relationships and identity
    • Why most people are far kinder than the internet makes us believe


    This episode is sponsored by:

    Dignity Memorial


    Bio:

    Born in Athens, Greece as an Air Force brat, Teri M Brown graduated from UNC Greensboro. She began her writing career helping small businesses with content creation and published five nonfiction self-help books dealing with real estate and finance, receiving multiple awards.

    In 2017, after winning the First Annual Anita Bloom Ornoff Award for Inspirational Short Story, she began writing fiction in earnest, and published her debut novel in 2022, Sunflowers Beneath the Snow, a historical fiction set in Ukraine. Her second novel published in 2023, An Enemy Like Me, takes place during WWII. Her third novel, Daughters of Green Mountain Gap, a generational story about Appalachian healers came out in January 2024. 10 Little Rules for a Double-Butted Adventure (Feb 2025), is an inspirational look at the life lessons she learned riding across the United States on a tandem bicycle. Little Lola and Her Big Dream, is a children’s picture book helping children realize that it is okay to have big dreams even in the face of opposition. Her newest work, Peg, Unhinged (April 2026), is a humorous contemporary women’s fiction looking at menopause.

    ​Teri is a wife, mother, grandmother, and author who loves word games, reading, bumming on the beach, taking photos, singing in the shower, hunting for bargains, ballroom dancing, playing bridge, and mentoring others.


    https://www.terimbrown.com/


    Tags: tandem bicycle across America, emotional abuse recovery, resilience stories, cross-country bicycle trip, adventure podcast, inspirational life stories, healing after trauma, tandem bike journey, overcoming fear, personal growth podcast, cycling across America, relationship stories, life after divorce, podcast interviews, human connection stories, emotional resilience, storytelling podcast, author,

    Connect with Gary:

    • Gary's Website
    • Follow Gary on Instagram
    • Gary's Tiktok
    • Gary's Facebook
    • Watch the episodes on YouTube
    • Advertise on the Podcast

    Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!

    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
  • How Do Bestselling Authors Actually Create Stories? | James Rollins
    May 6 2026

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    This week on Here’s What We Know, James Rollins shares how bestselling authors actually create stories that last.

    James Rollins is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers translated into more than forty languages. His Sigma Force series has been called one of the “top crowd-pleasers" by the New York Times and one of the “hottest summer reads” by People Magazine. He’s written more than 40 books, built entire worlds, and still approaches storytelling with the curiosity of someone just getting started.

    In this conversation, we explore how curiosity, research, and imagination come together, not all at once, but piece by piece, until something clicks.

    If you enjoy conversations about creativity, storytelling, and the human side of success, this one’s worth your time.


    In This Episode:

    • How bestselling authors develop story ideas
    • Why curiosity is the foundation of creativity
    • The difference between learning to write and becoming a storyteller
    • How reading improves writing over time
    • What makes “popcorn fiction” so powerful


    This episode is sponsored by:

    Sterling Oak Cabinetry

    Reed Animal Hospital


    Bio:

    James Rollins is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers, translated into more than forty languages. His Sigma series has been lauded as one of the "top crowd pleasers" (New York Times) and one of the "hottest summer reads" (People Magazine). In each novel, acclaimed for its originality, Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets—and he does it all at breakneck speed and with stunning insight. Known for building high-octane adventures on a solid science foundation, Jim juxtaposes the familiar with the exotic and then turbo-charges his tales with suspense. Always mindful of history’s legacy, Jim reveals how secrets, some hidden for centuries, can change the course of human events. His novels explore how advancing technology can impact society—not just the physical threats of unchecked developments, but also the spiritual and moral challenges that result. “The true terror of technology is not the cogs and the wheels, but how it will change us,” he says


    Website: https://jamesrollins.com/

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjamesrollins/


    Tags: how to write a book, storytelling process, writing tips, bestselling author interview, Sigma Force, creative process, how to be a writer, fiction writing, author interview podcast, writing inspiration, author mindset, creative thinking, writing advice



    Connect with Gary:

    • Gary's Website
    • Follow Gary on Instagram
    • Gary's Tiktok
    • Gary's Facebook
    • Watch the episodes on YouTube
    • Advertise on the Podcast

    Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!

    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
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