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The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Ever wonder what really goes on at a small-town morning radio show?
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett and Best Friends is your daily dose of real callers, big laughs, and unforgettable characters straight from QCountry 925 in Show Low, Arizona.
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Shawn Burke, Virgil the Cowboy & A Giving Kind of Love: Country, Kindness, and Relationship Truths
It’s a feel-good, music-filled morning on The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett and Best Friends!
We start with a story of giving back—the Light the World Giving Machines are coming to Show Low. Imagine buying a chicken, a goat, or meals for families right from a vending machine—every dollar going to support charities like Hope Women’s Center, Victory Village, Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, and more. It’s hands-on generosity that turns kindness into a local tradition.
Then, Shawn Burke joins us in studio to share his front-row perspective as the dad of country artist Austin Burke—from singing the national anthem at age two to quitting his restaurant job the night a playlist changed everything. We spin “Whole Lot in Love,” “Let It Burn,” and “Didn’t I,” and hear the stories behind them—love, loss, and a little Red Hot Chili Peppers influence from Austin’s San Diego years.
Shawn also steps into the hot seat for Relationship Advice Thursday, dropping wisdom on effort, honesty, and walking away when the energy fades. Then Virgil the Cowboy calls in with a smile-worthy update, and Paul from Beaumont returns to defend his title in Are You Smarter Than a Redneck? (Spoiler: the redneck reigns supreme.)
It’s country music, small-town heart, and real-life laughs wrapped up in one uplifting episode. 🎧
Listen now, share it with a friend, and tell us—what’s one act of giving you’ll make part of your holiday tradition?
From the Horn Auto Center Studios, Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. Janine, you there? Yes, I am. How are you? I'm doing awesome on this Thursday morning. Um, I know it's not Tuesday, but uh you and I got to do uh something really cool the past two days, and I feel like we should have a special talk about something good Thursday.
SPEAKER_00:I know it's something to look forward to. It is so fun, and a lot of people will remember the Light the World giving machine that's been in Snowflake Taylor the last two years. Well, now it's gonna still be in Snowflake Taylor, but it's also coming to Sholow. So I'm super excited. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Heck yeah, it's gonna be set up in the meadow in Sholo over by the barn. And it was uh it was such a cool thing to sit down and we got to hear from all the uh because there's national charities in these giving machines because they're basically like vending machines, but instead of uh getting food from it, you're giving stuff to people in need. And so we got to hear from a lot of great uh charities. Do you want to tell us about some of the uh local charities that will be at the giving machine this year?
SPEAKER_00:Yes, and it and it just so happens that the White Mountain Coalition Against Homelessness, which is also Victory Village, I have Roger in studio today, so that's really cool. He's gonna be one of my guests on iTalk, and we're gonna be going through all of these great charities. But um the benefiting charities this year are Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, Hope Women's Center, White Mountain Coalition Against Homelessness, which I just mentioned, which is Victory Village also, Lifting Hands International, okay, the Joe McCarthy Foundation, and also Round Valley Cares. So there's a lot of these are these are the show low ones that are benefiting. And then we also have Snowflake Taylor ones, which is Nexus Coalition, and a couple of others. The the food bank that's up in Holbrook. I mean, they're covering it all this year. It's gonna be amazing.
SPEAKER_01:It's so good. And the reason for the season, you know, it's uh uh giving back, giving to the community, and and sitting and listening to all these uh nonprofits and hearing about the amazing work they do in our community. Uh I know I'm an emotional dude, but I was crying.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, the stories and the testimonials and the testimonials are just incredible. And the giving machine, 100% every dollar. If you go there and you buy a chicken or you buy a goat or you, you know, buy whatever, 100% goes right to that charity. Okay. So that's the coolest part. That's so cool. And it's a great thing to take your kids to. They love it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, your kids could buy a chicken for someone, your kids could support a local charity. It is uh such a cool thing, and definitely something I would recommend people putting on their holiday or Christmas tradition list. And uh, do you know when these uh machines are starting for Solo and Snowflake?
SPEAKER_00:In Solo, it's November 18th. I don't have the Snowflake one in front of me.
SPEAKER_01:I believe that one's uh in uh in December it starts.
SPEAKER_00:Yes. So the first launch, the first one, and this is the first time for Solo. And you can go to any giving machine. You don't if you live in Snowflake Taylor, you can come to the Sholo one, see that. And what I love is gonna be at Sholow Creek Meadow Trailhead, which is a perfect place for it there. That's gonna be awesome. And uh you can go and look at that vending machine and pick your different things you want to buy. And it's it's super cool. It's very, very really awesome experience.
SPEAKER_01:Super awesome. That only means one thing the countdown to Christmas. It's going.
SPEAKER_00:I know.
SPEAKER_01:I love it. I love the holidays. I just love it. Yeah. Uh well, sweet. Well, Janine, thanks for uh letting me check in with you today. Have a good day, and hopefully, we'll talk to you tomorrow.
SPEAKER_00:Have a good one. Thank you, Chris. Bye-bye.
SPEAKER_01:Good morning. It's the morning brew with Chris. Who's this?
SPEAKER_02:Good morning, my friend.
SPEAKER_01:Heck yeah, it's Virgil the cowboy from Eager. Uh, Virgil, today I have Sean Burke. He's uh living in Pinetop Lakeside, joining us in studio. His son is Nashville recording artist Austin Burke. Uh, have you ever heard uh Virgil call into the show there, Sean?
SPEAKER_04:I have, yep.
SPEAKER_01:Heck yeah. You're a star. Do people ever notice you or say they heard you on the radio, Virgil?
SPEAKER_02:No, I keep it a secret.
SPEAKER_01:That's the one thing about radio. Like, people can't really see your face, but you got a pretty distinctive voice, so I feel like your friends would know.
SPEAKER_02:They probably do. That's good.
SPEAKER_01:Well, uh, Virgil, what can I do you for this morning?
SPEAKER_02:Uh, play as a song by that guy that you're talking about.
SPEAKER_01:By Austin?
SPEAKER_02:Virgil. I love you.
SPEAKER_01:Heck yeah, dude. Did you Austin's on the Facebook Live right now? Austin, you literally just had someone call in to our show low Q Country 925 Station and request a song. I'm gonna let his dad, his dad has been with uh Austin the whole journey. What how how young did you was it when you knew that Austin had some type of gift or pension for music?
SPEAKER_04:He was two and a half and he started learning the national anthem, and that's what started the the entire thing right there.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and then Virgil, he sung at the Sons Games. He was on Rosie O'Donnell. This is like all before the age of five. Yeah. And uh then it's just uh blossomed from there. Yes. And what's it like having a son? Like, because I know my parents, they weren't happy about me pursuing my comedy dream. They wanted me to stick with something safe. What's it like seeing your son enter a business that that's so hard and go for it?
SPEAKER_04:Well, I think uh, you know, I didn't, it's funny you you can't really see where things were going until you look back, right? Right. So when I look back on it, I I guess I imagine it as a parent who has an athlete that maybe gets to that next level, you know. So um it just seems natural at that point, you know, they've been working so hard at their craft and then they decide they want to go and pursue it. Right. Um, there were a couple hiccups, and we'll talk about that, but just you know, education was really important in my family, and and having him drop out of college and move to Nashville, you know. Yeah, that was one of the times that I I didn't understand what he was doing, but I but I I respected it. And uh we've come around obviously since then and have a great relationship. But yeah, it's it's very surreal. Heck yeah. A lot of times I'm looking up.
SPEAKER_01:And he's even he's even written songs about you that we'll play later. 100%. Yeah. Virgil, has anyone ever written a song about you?
SPEAKER_02:Yep, George Strait did.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, yeah? What what's uh what song did George Strait write about you?
SPEAKER_02:Write this down.
SPEAKER_01:Really? Did he really write that about you?
unknown:No.
SPEAKER_01:No, he didn't. I fall for everything.
SPEAKER_04:Where does Virgil live? Where do you live, Virgil? Eager. Oh, you live in Eager. Awesome. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:So uh, Virgil, we're gonna play a song from Austin Burke. Uh Sean, what is the first one? Uh you know what? Let's start with his most popular one.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, so this song was his first one that was uh featured on a big playlist. It's got, I think, close to being gold, which I think is a couple hundred million streams. Heck yeah. Called Whole Lot in Love. Oh, right. It's my mom's favorite uh song. She's listening right now, and uh it's kind of everybody's favorite song. When he plays that, everyone seems to know it. So it's a good song.
SPEAKER_01:So song requested by Virgil the Cowboy, it's Austin Burke with Whole Lot in Love on Q Country 925. Heck yeah, that is Austin Burke with Whole Lot in Love on Q Country 925. We have Austin Burke's dad in studio with us right now. Good morning. That song is so awesome. He's so at this point, and that was the first hit, basically, first one of his songs that went crazy, right?
SPEAKER_04:Yep, that's when he took the apron off at the restaurant, walked out the door.
SPEAKER_01:That's such a cool story. So he's he's trying to make his dream happen. Like just I know this in comedy. A lot of times you have to have a job to support your dream, support your habits. So he was working at a fancy restaurant, and uh all of a sudden he gets on this playlist, doesn't know it, someone walks in and says, Hey, um, are you Austin Burke?
SPEAKER_04:And he he has his apron, he's holding a plate of uh lobster, puts his lobster down, takes off the apron, and the guy wanted a picture with him. So he then goes into his manager and says, Hey, I'm unfortunately I need to quit. I'm too famous to work here.
SPEAKER_01:And then the journey started. He has he has a lot of other songs that uh have gone crazy on all the streaming uh platforms, so make sure you follow Austin Burke. And uh he writes, I know it's weird for my parents because they don't like going to see me do comedy because I have a lot of jokes about them. Doesn't paint him in the best light, always. Uh it has that happened to you? Does Austin write any songs about you? And and how does that affect you?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, so I think it was a couple years ago the song came out. It took him five or six years to write. Um, it was about uh his mom and I going through a divorce and pretty serious song, and it took him a lot of time to process what he was going through and what he was feeling. And the song is really very much Arizona. There's a line in the song that says, it's I I know that it's uh how does it go? I just forgot it as I'm telling the story. But it talks about feeling cold and it's 120 degrees out, but it still feels cold. I forgot the exact line, but it's something like that. So it's just how he felt going through that process and what his feelings were about, you know, uh the divorce. So um, and just you just gotta let it burn. Like it's over with, just let it burn. So it's a very deep, emotional song. Uh, you know, when I first heard it, I cried. Uh, when I first heard it, he made his mom and I get in the truck together and listen to it together. Together. Yeah. So there's a video on Austin's uh social media that has his mom and I sitting in the car listening to this song, and it's you know, we don't spend much time together. So to be cooped up in a car together was very interesting. And then to have that song playing was I had it's so funny. I had my sunglasses on, but not on purpose. I just forgot to take them off. And I know I had comments of like, who do you think you're so cool with your sunglasses? But I was like, I think it was hiding my tears a little bit too, you know. So uh it's a great song, it's it's one of his top songs. Um, and I think a lot of people can relate to it just when a relationship doesn't go as it should, you know, do you keep fighting for it or do you just let it go? Right. And then the idea of seeing them out again, you see them out on the street, and it's like, I know it's I feel like it's hundred, I know it's gonna feel like it's 20 below. And then he says, And when I see you in the arms of someone new, that kind of stuff. Yeah, so it's a great like if you really listen to the words of that song, uh, I think it can relate to a lot of different things.
SPEAKER_01:It is now time for relationship advice. Today's relationship advice expert is Sean Burke, father of Austin Burke, Nashville recording artist. We just heard the song Let It Burn, which was about your divorce. So I feel uh you would be perfect for relationship advice.
SPEAKER_04:Who better than somebody who's been through it? Exactly.
SPEAKER_01:You've been through it, you know how it goes. All right, here we go. Here's the deal this uh young man's 22, the girl's 22. He says she's giving him mixed signals and he wants help. They've hung out for one and a half months, and he says, but we haven't met in person for two weeks now and haven't communicated for a week. She takes way longer replied to my text than I do hers, which makes it hard for me to initiate plans or convey anything to her. Once she even apologized for ignoring me, but she was mentally recharging, after which she continued like normal. Now she hasn't even opened my messages for a week. Even though it was my answer to her question, weird. I know how bombarding a person with messages, especially when they go silent, can push them away even further, as as well as losing your self-respect in the process. So I don't. However, I did send her a message after a few days of silence asking about her week and uh uh kinda her hangout. Still left undelivered. I can see she's active on Instagram, liking reels, which I guess is considered low effort while answering messages or reacting to a friend's reel is high effort. I understand I have friends like that. I am unaware if she suddenly lost interest or if she's just in a phase. If the latter, then I want to make this work. Would love to hear some advice from other shy type people on this behavior and what to expect. What would you do in my situation? Yeah, I think uh just to be really blunt, it's over.
SPEAKER_04:So I think you're on her roster, so to speak. She's entertaining lots of different guys, and you might be interesting to her, but there's somebody else who has uh more of her attention. And I think in those beginning stages, if a girl isn't uh giving you basically all the attention, I don't mean like obsessive attention, but just focused on you and the relationship, it means she's kind of like playing the field, and and the harder you try, the more she's gonna pull away. Right. So it's it so you're stuck in this like you know, place of uh do I want this girl and I really like her? You're stuck between your feelings saying I really like this girl and the reality logic saying she's not into you. Right. Right. So my experience, I had a you know a little bit of experience after my divorce dating a few girls, and I can think of one in particular that did this exact thing. In the very beginning, she was like very excited and happy to be with me, and then and then it's just slowly started to dwindle where I didn't know where she was, what she was doing. She wouldn't communicate, wouldn't answer my texts, and there was always an excuse. Always an excuse. But then you'd see her out on social media, right? And like, wait, you said you were busy at home, and then I see you at a party or something. Right. So my advice is move on to the next one. Find somebody who who who uh there's like more of a it has to be reciprocal, it has to go both ways.
SPEAKER_01:All right. He says let her go, just ghost her. Or that's not how you do it.
SPEAKER_04:I think I guess in a weird way, if she I mean, if you ghost her, that that's a good thing. But that the problem is she'll come back. Oh like so she'll she'll text you and then you're like, okay, hi, what's going on? So you really just have to like just write her off.
SPEAKER_01:All right, just write, do you tell her?
SPEAKER_04:Like, no, no, I just think it's it's almost like a takeaway in sales. Okay, like I you just I don't care. I don't care. And and then, oh, I have something funny to tell you. I my friend said, start tagging yourself with his wife. So in other words, use my wife's name as somebody you're with. So I'd check into a restaurant and add his wife as my person that I was with. And that that did get her to get back to me, respond to me. She's like, Oh, I see you, you know, hi. She didn't say anything about the girl I was with, supposedly, even though I wasn't with anybody, right? But it made her jealous thinking I could be with somebody else. But then then you're just playing games. Yeah, well, manipulation. Manipulation.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, manipulation is the best. It's a way it's the best until it's not, right? Yeah. Well, Sean, is there a uh one of Austin Burke's song that uh might be good to play after uh this relationship advice story we just had?
SPEAKER_04:Absolutely, yeah. It's a song, kind of a deep cut. And if you look uh up a song called Didn't I, it has a um kind of a uh red hot chili pepper vibe to it. We I think I told you I took my kids to San Diego and we lived there during high school years for Austin, and the red hot chili peppers were a big part of his life and the music he listened to. So um Dinai is about a relationship that one person's given it all and the other person's not given too much.
SPEAKER_01:All right. Perfect song to play after relationship advice. This is Austin Burke with Din and I on Q Country 925. Yay! Yeah! It's everyone's favorite redneck from Beaumont, Texas, Paul from Beaumont. Paul, we have uh Sean Burke in studio, and I always like to ask all our studio guests, do you know who the heck Paul from Beaumont is?
SPEAKER_04:I think I know Paul better than you, Chris. Really?
SPEAKER_01:Yes, how so?
SPEAKER_04:Well, because when I first moved up here a year ago, um I turned the radio on, 92.5, and I heard Paul from Beaumont. And that was I heard him talking. So I I actually heard he was my first uh introduction to the radio station. So of course I know who Paul from Beaumont is.
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh, dude.
SPEAKER_03:And he's still here, baby. Yep.
SPEAKER_01:Well, uh, let's play a little uh true or false about Paul, see how much you need to. Oh, yeah, let's go. All right. Uh true or false, Paul the Redneck, Paul from Beaumont, prefers baths over showers. No. Paul, what uh what's the correct answer? Uh baths. Yes, he prefers baths. He calls them soaks.
SPEAKER_04:All right, my whole impression of Paul just went out the window.
SPEAKER_01:Uh uh, what what do you think, Paul? Dogs or cats?
SPEAKER_04:Well, now that he takes baths, I think Paul likes cats.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, you're more of you're more of a cat guy, huh, Paul? Yeah. Paul is a prime example of don't judge a book by its covenant.
SPEAKER_04:Does the cat drink the bath water while you're in the bath?
SPEAKER_03:No, no, but no. I don't let'll get close. I don't let them get clothes like uh like don't put their flop piles up on the edge of the bathtub, but I'll chase them off because I don't want them to like jump in there and start freaking out.
SPEAKER_04:Are they feral cats or are they home cats? Like, did you find them outside or are they actually your cats?
SPEAKER_03:Well, one one that we got in is uh no, I think they're all been feral cats.
SPEAKER_04:Can you imagine a feral cat in the bathtub with you? I want to see that video.
SPEAKER_01:Dude, that sounds like the next country song coming out from Austin Burke.
SPEAKER_04:Feral cats in the bathtub.
SPEAKER_01:Feral cats with Paul from Boma. It is now time for Are You Smarter Than a Redneck? Today, Paul, you're going up against Sean Burke, father of country uh Nashville recording artist, Austin Burke. And today is National Dictionary Day and Learn a Word Day. So I'm going to give you guys a word, and it'll be multiple choice. And if you know what the definition is, say your name. That's your buzzer. Are you two ready? Ready. First one, two.
SPEAKER_03:English and grammar?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, I'm talking about words from the dictionary, and then I'll give you I'll give you possible definitions of it, and then you gotta say which one it is. Here we go. First word, catty wampus. Doesn't mean a a dance move involving cats, b crooked or out of alignment. Or C, a southern insult meaning ridiculous. Paul. Pa. Pa! What? Crooked. Oh, there we go. Crooked, he gets upset if I don't hear his buzzer. Yeah. Yeah, he's up 1-0.
SPEAKER_04:Okay, I thought that last one could be close too, but it is the second one. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Here we go. Next one. A snolly goster. Is it a fancy type of dessert spoon? A clever but unprincipled person, or C, a small flightless bird from Australia Paul.
SPEAKER_03:I'm gonna say that'd be like Kurt.
SPEAKER_01:Which one is that? That's not like a clever but unprincipled person? Yeah, that, yeah, that person. That is a Snollygoster. Dude, Sean. Wow. Alright, if he gets one more right, it's over. Yep. All right. All right, he's the first one to three. All right, last one, lollygag. Hey, to waste time. Paul. Sean!
SPEAKER_03:Sorry, Sean.
SPEAKER_01:Juja's lazy. He ain't doing nuts.
SPEAKER_04:Man, Paul. Three and oh.
SPEAKER_01:There we go. Three and oh. That is one smart redneck. You deserve a nice soap.
SPEAKER_04:Congratulations, Paul.
SPEAKER_01:Go ahead and get the bath ready and get yourself ready for a nice soak.
SPEAKER_04:Add some bubbles for the cat to play with.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, Mr. Bubbles. All right, Paul. We love you. Thanks for calling in. Having fun with us.
SPEAKER_04:Thanks, Paul. Nice meeting you again.
SPEAKER_01:Ah, Sean, it is now time for us to head out. Thank you so much for uh spending your morning with us.
SPEAKER_04:I don't want to go home.
SPEAKER_01:I know. Well, guess what? We will definitely have you back. It's been uh great hanging out and playing your son Austin Burke's music. Make sure you follow Austin Burke music on all your socials and uh download his music. Today we played Let It Burn, Whole Lot of It Whole Lot in Love, and Din and I, and he's got a lot more songs wherever you uh stream your music. So make sure you follow Austin Burke. And uh for the morning brew, I've been Chris Bennett, reminding you to be nice to yourself, be nice to others, and don't be jerk.
