Country Thunder—the largest Country music festival brand in North America—excitedly presents the second season of its fan-favorite podcast, “On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer,” now live on all DSPs, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Music. Stay tuned for two new episodes to arrive each month. Listen here.

Season two just kicked into high gear with the premiere of a new episode featuring none other than MULTI-PLATINUM rising star Koe Wetzel. Host Troy Vollhoffer explores Wetzel’s journey from humble beginnings in East Texas to achieving a scholarship to play college football and later dropping out to pursue music. Among many highlights, Wetzel admits, “[I] figured out I could get more women by playing a guitar and get more free beer by playing guitar than ever having any chances of going to the NFL, so I was like, 'Man, screw this I’m out.'"

Moreover, they discuss his latest music, the Texas scene, TikTok, and so much more. It concludes as the 21st century sonic outlaw previews his imminent performance with a promise, “It’s going to be really fucking loud tonight.”

Stream “If Sh*t is Good, It’s Good with Koe Wetzel” HERE.

“On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer” launched this current season in February with a fascinating interview, pairing Vollhoffer with top booking agents Rod Essig, Curt Motley, and Nick Meinema. The episode gives a glimpse into how the world of live music works and proves essential listening for neophyte and established artists alike. 

It’s truly the next best thing to an all-access pass!

“It’s great to be releasing this next season of ‘On The Bus’ to the fans and listeners, especially with superstar, Koe Wetzel to help kick it off,” explains Vollhoffer. “We’ve got some great conversations lined up and can't wait to pull back the curtain on today’s greats in the industry.”

Stream “Backstage Pass with Legendary Music Agents Rod Essig, 

Curt Motley, and Nick Meinema” HERE.

During season one, Vollhoffer played host to Country music royalty with a string of fascinating, funny, and enlightening conversations. The roster included Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, Bailey Zimmerman, Ashley McBryde, Nate Smith, Marty Stuart, Parker McCollum, Terri Clark, and Big Kenny, among others. 

Recorded from Vollhoffer’s tour bus and home studio, the podcast stands out as a must-listen for Country afficionados and music fans at large. Boasting an intimate format, exclusive content, and an elite lineup of all-star guests, there’s nothing quite like it.

Don’t miss the bus this year!

ABOUT COUNTRY THUNDER:
Attracting nearly 625,000+ fans to its six multi-day events, Country Thunder Music Festivals boast unparalleled reach with a diverse demographic profile spanning the USA and Canada. Featuring top-tier Country artists, Country Thunder Festivals draw diverse crowds, fostering a vibrant atmosphere that celebrates the essence of Country music. The Country Thunder Music Festivals organization has a 21-year history which boasts five other major multi-day events in North America, including Wisconsin, Florida, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

ABOUT TROY VOLLHOFFER:
Troy Vollhoffer is an American entrepreneur from Nashville, TN and currently serves as the President of Country Thunder Music Festivals, Big Valley Jamboree, and Premier Global Production Company. One of the most beloved festival brands in the world, Country Thunder has seen tremendous success, receiving numerous awards including the ACM Festival of the Year for Country Thunder Arizona, Wisconsin, and most recently, Bristol in 2023. For his transformation of the festival, Vollhoffer was honored with the Academy of Country Music Lifting Lives Award and the Don Romero Talent Buyer of the Year Award at the ACM Honors in 2023.

Vollhoffer played professional ice hockey from 1982-1992 and has served on the boards of the T.J. Martell Foundation, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, ACM Lifting Lives, ACM and the CMA. His dedicated philanthropic commitment was recognized at the 2018 CCMA Awards, where he received the Slaight Music Humanitarian Award.

ABOUT ON THE BUS WITH TROY VOLLHOFFER:
Troy Vollhoffer, owner and founder of Country Thunder Music Festival, invites the biggest Country artists and industry giants to join him for a one-on-one celebrity interview “On the Bus”.  As Troy opens his home, his tour bus, and festival venues to his audience for behind the scenes conversations, he asks exclusive questions, discusses festival do’s and don'ts, and highlights the tracks fans will hear on stage at Country Thunder this summer. Guests include Dustin Lynch, Koe Wetzel, Tigirlily Gold, Dierks Bentley, Bailey Zimmerman, Jon Pardi, Ashley McBryde and countless other music industry legends, taking you backstage to share stories of their concerts, their careers, and their entertainment industry journeys. Be ready to be thunderstruck, On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer. 

ABOUT KOE WETZEL:
Koe Wetzel never met a genre wall he couldn’t tear down. The Texas singer-songwriter has earned a rabid audience for his songs that mix country, rock, hip-hop, and even Nineties grunge. With his defining fifth studio album, 9 Lives, released in 2024 via Columbia Records, Wetzel earned recognition on several major year-end best-of lists, including Rolling Stone, Billboard, the Tennessean and more, with the Los Angeles Times naming lead single “High Road” (feat. Jessie Murph) as the No. 8 best song of 2024 across all genres. The single not only marked Wetzel’s debut at Country radio, it also held the No. 1 spot for five weeks and became his fastest song to reach the RIAA Platinum milestone to date. Previously, his 2016 album Noise Complaint endeared him to fans with its no-holds-barred lyrics about drunken nights, broken hearts and stints in jail, and included the Gold-certified hits “Love” (feat. Parker McCollum), “Something to Talk About” plus the infamous “February 28, 2016.” Wetzel’s 2020 major label debut, Sellout, only furthered his legend with the Platinum-certified “Drunk Driving” and “Good Die Young” plus the Gold-certified “Kuntry & Wistern.” The 2022 follow-up, Hell Paso, hit No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Albums and spawned hits on both the country and rock charts, including the Gold-certified “Creeps” and “Cabo.” To date, Wetzel has amassed 3.7 billion total streams and has created a genuine experience with his live concerts, which he describes as “total chaos.” Wetzel performed for well over 200,000 fans across the U.S. in Europe in 2024, with over 96% of all headline tickets sold, in addition to playing prominent festival sets and opening for Morgan Wallen on the superstar’s One Night at a Time Stadium Tour, while 2025 sees him again embark on a year of heavy touring both as a headliner and alongside Wallen and HARDY.