Circling The Drain

Larry Stewart, the voice of Restless Heart and member of The Frontmen, joins Circling The Drain to talk about breaking through in 80s and 90s country, early resistance from Music Row, touring with Alabama, and how one phone call changed his life. Larry shares the origin stories of Restless Heart and The Frontmen, the realities of road life, raising a family while constantly touring, and why today’s country boom feels bigger than ever.  

The crew also digs into modern country (Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Ella Langley), how AI is already reshaping the music business, why live shows are more important than ever, and what it really takes to stay married 40+ years in this industry. If you love 90s country, harmony-driven bands, and real behind-the-scenes stories, this one’s loaded.  

02:24 Six straight number ones, becoming “road dogs,” and the Wheels era  

03:36 Why radio embraced Restless Heart before the industry did  

04:37 How a Belmont kid working at the Country Music Hall of Fame became the lead singer  

05:45 Recording the first album, getting married, signing to RCA, and “the rest is history”  

08:06 Harmony magic: how five voices created the Restless Heart sound  

11:20 Where the songs came from and the role of Tim DuBois and Alabama  

12:24 First big tour with Alabama, stage fright, and playing for 15–18,000 a night  

14:13 Band chemistry, breakups, reunions, and outlasting most marriages  

16:39 Growing up in Kentucky, gospel roots, piano, and choosing music over baseball  

20:44 From JUCO ball to Belmont: the crazy path that led Larry to Nashville  

25:20 Naming Restless Heart and the terrible band names that didn’t make the cut  

25:27 How The Frontmen started with a lobby conversation and a wild idea  

26:54 Randy Owen, early Frontmen shows, and taking the act to the troops  

28:20 Performing in Iraq, Afghanistan, and on aircraft carriers – bonding through USO-style tours  

29:39 COVID shutdowns, livestreaming Fridays at Five, and doubling down on The Frontmen  

32:27 Building The Frontmen as a business: LLC, trademark, and brand strategy  

33:31 Putting the band together in Nashville and finding the right players  

35:46 Modern country: Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Ella Langley and the 90s influence  

37:40 Why country that “hits a nerve” is connecting with massive audiences  

38:36 How Restless Heart finally landed on their name (and why “Lazy River Boys” didn’t happen)  

41:54 Guilty pleasures, Broadway tunes, Taylor Swift, and not listening to much music anymore  

43:01 42 years of marriage, missing family time, and coaching his kids to make up for the road  

45:21 Kids, grandkids, and why none of them went into music  

48:16 AI, demo singers, and why live music is becoming even more valuable  

49:12 Can AI build an artist’s entire image and album from scratch?  

51:45 Tracks vs live: how The Frontmen actually run their show  

55:13 Where to see The Frontmen live and how Larry stays out of trouble on social media  

Follow Larry and The Frontmen: 

https://www.larrystewartmusic.com/
https://www.thefrontmenlive.com/