Josh Mitcham on Kentucky, Music, and Building His Own Table

Episode 3 Recap: Josh Mitcham

Episode 3 of The Rugged Revival Podcast takes us from the UK to Kentucky, with Josh Mitchum joining TJ for a conversation about making things, making mistakes, and making your own way.

Josh is the definition of multi-hyphenate.

He is a musician and songwriter with a deep catalogue, the host of the Every Damn Friday podcast, the brains behind the Ramble at the Randall Barn shows, and a visual artist through Big Head Studios. He is also a family man, a Kentucky local, and someone who has clearly reached that rare creative sweet spot where the work is honest, the pressure is lower, and the freedom is the whole point.

How this connection started

The episode kicks off with a relatable modern truth: most of the best artist connections now start in the DMs. Josh originally sent TJ his album Little Fires, and instead of that message disappearing into the void, it sparked a real friendship and a podcast invite. The two of them talk openly about how social media has removed a lot of the old “gatekeeper” barriers, even if the algorithm still feels like pure chaos on a good day.

Little Fires and the reality of being creatively wired

Little Fires becomes a theme early on, not just as an album title, but as a way of describing Josh’s brain. He talks about needing multiple projects on the go at all times, and how the record came together as a stream-of-consciousness release after a busy summer working in education.

It is one of the most relatable parts of the episode. That feeling of needing to make something, not because it is profitable or strategic, but because it keeps you alive and interested. Josh jokes about being “diagnosed” with being artistic, and TJ completely gets it. It is a shared mindset. Do the work. Start the thing. Keep building. Worry about the outcome later.

Kentucky roots, small-town music, and learning by doing

Josh’s story is Kentucky through and through. He grew up a mile from where he lives now, working from his grandfather’s old shop that he has turned into a studio. He talks about early musical memories, school choir, small-town community support, and the first college jam session that turned into a band that lasted over a decade.

There is a strong thread in this episode about place shaping people. Kentucky is presented not as a brand, but as a culture. A heritage of music that is normal, everyday, expected, and taken seriously. Not because it is glamorous, but because it is part of the soil.

Nashville, the machine, and the moment it stops being fun

A big part of the conversation explores the difference between Nashville and the broader grassroots scenes that are thriving outside it.

Josh shares an honest view of how the Nashville system can pull artists toward formulas, hierarchy, and chasing what fits the model, rather than what feels true. He is careful not to demonise it. He respects the talent and the people working there. But he is clear about what did not work for him: when music starts to feel like a job built around other people’s decisions, the joy drains fast.

That leads into one of the most important ideas in the episode, borrowed from a friend’s quote:

Build your own table.

The Ramble at the Randall Barn and building your own table

Out of Covid disruption and a desire to create something meaningful locally, Josh turned his old working barn into a venue. The Ramble at the Randall is now a curated live music experience on his family farm, built around treating artists properly, building trust with audiences, and creating community without needing anyone’s permission.

Josh talks about the early days of getting sponsors, selling tickets, convincing people to take a chance on artists they did not know, and gradually building a reputation for quality. There is a lot of heart in this. It is not about chasing the biggest names. It is about doing it right. Paying people. Feeding them. Making it feel special. Giving Kentucky bourbon and cold beers to artists who deserve a good night and a good room.

It is a strong reminder that you do not need a mainstream machine to create something culturally valuable. Sometimes you just need a space, a standard, and the stubbornness to keep going.

Art, bourbon culture, and big festival installations

The episode also dives into Josh’s visual art journey. What starts as a friend encouraging him to take painting seriously turns into real commissions, gallery shows, and eventually work connected to Kentucky’s bourbon world, including large-scale festival installations and brand projects.

It is another example of how Josh’s creative life is “symbiotic”, as he puts it. Music feeds art. Art feeds music. Relationships lead to opportunities. Projects connect.

This is also where we get a great behind-the-scenes moment about Bourbon and Beyond, including the joy of seeing artists like Tyler Childers in front of massive crowds, and feeling genuine pride rather than jealousy. That part lands because it is so rare and so real.

Artists vs entertainers, and why sincerity lasts

A standout section of the conversation is Josh’s take on the difference between entertainers and artists. Not as a judgement, but as a useful lens.

Entertainers can be brilliant. Stadiums need them. Radio needs them. But Josh is drawn to artists, the ones chasing sincerity, body-of-work legacy, and songs that mean something even if they never “fit.”

He brings up the idea of a North Star career, the kind where you might not be the biggest, but the work holds up, travels through generations, and keeps finding new listeners.

That line of thinking runs parallel to what The Rugged Revival stands for. The grit. The grind. The long game.

UK country music, finding the good stuff, and why discovery matters

TJ asks Josh how he sees the UK Country music scene, and the conversation turns into something a lot of listeners will recognise: the mainstream is dominated by pop country, and the deeper Americana and independent side often needs to be hunted down through playlists, internet radio, and word of mouth.

The shared frustration is obvious, but so is the shared solution. Curate. Recommend. Share. Build the playlists. Host the conversations. Create your own lane.

That is the heart of this episode. If the system does not serve what you love, build something that does.

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