Malibash Sports & Entertainment

Country music artist, television producer and lifelong outdoorsman Dave McElroy joined Ashley Marie on the Entertainment & Sports Spotlight Podcast for a conversation that quickly went far beyond music.

From his love for the Green Bay Packers and the realities of life on the road to the unexpected beginning of his music career, the creation of Hangtime with Dave McElroy, his faith and the philosophy that continues to guide his career, McElroy offered a look at the person behind the music.

From Business Owner to Country Music Artist

Music had always been part of McElroy’s life, but becoming a professional country artist wasn’t originally the plan.

Growing up, he was a four-sport athlete while also participating in band, jazz band, choir, swing choir and theater. He continued performing in college, even singing lead vocals for a band and recording with them.

But his professional path initially took him somewhere else entirely.

McElroy had built a successful business when, he says, his faith began pushing him toward music. Eventually, he made the decision to sell the company to his operations manager and take the leap.

Then things started moving quickly.

McElroy began writing songs almost immediately, producing roughly 15 to 20 in his first few weeks. Through a series of connections, his early demos eventually reached producer Lil Ronnie Jackson.

That relationship helped put McElroy into the heart of the Nashville music world — and within roughly six months, McElroy says he had his first Top 40 single.

But getting there didn’t mean the work stopped.

McElroy talked openly about the grind behind a music career: radio appearances early in the morning, television stops, load-ins, soundchecks, meet-and-greets, performances, buses, airports and then doing it all over again in another city.

Success, he explained, still requires work.

The Music Business Isn’t Just About Music

For aspiring artists, McElroy offered a piece of advice that sounds simple but can be difficult to follow: be yourself.

Rather than chasing whatever sound happens to be popular at the moment, he believes artists need to discover what makes their own voice different.

“Write about what’s real to you,” McElroy said.

He pointed to his own naturally raspy voice as something that helped listeners distinguish his music at a time when many artists were chasing similar sounds.

The industry can change quickly. Trying to manufacture an identity around what is popular today, McElroy argued, may mean that by the time the music is written, recorded and released, the trend has already moved on.

Authenticity lasts longer.

The Story Behind Hangtime with Dave McElroy

McElroy’s career also extends well beyond the recording studio.

When the COVID-19 pandemic canceled a nationwide tour just days before it was scheduled to begin, McElroy started looking for another way to stay connected with his audience.

That eventually led to Hangtime with Dave McElroy.

But McElroy didn’t want to make a traditional hunting show.

For him, hunting was never simply about the hunt. It was about family, friends, campfires, local communities, laughter and the experiences surrounding time spent outdoors.

That became the foundation of Hangtime.

McElroy directed and produced the episodes and helped develop the hunts and concepts himself. The program incorporated friends, athletes, veterans and family members while emphasizing the camaraderie surrounding the outdoors.

McElroy said he and his team are now considering bringing Hangtime back in a new form through his own YouTube channel.

And during the interview, Ashley may have even volunteered herself for the reboot.

Sports, Football and the Mental Side of Competition

Of course, this is the Entertainment & Sports Spotlight Podcast, so the conversation couldn’t stay away from sports for long.

McElroy is a diehard Green Bay Packers fan, the kind who blocks Packers games off his professional calendar once the NFL schedule is released.

But the football conversation also became more serious.

McElroy spoke about friendships with professional athletes and the pressure fans don’t always see: fighting to keep a roster position, studying constantly, competing against newly drafted players and dealing with public scrutiny while still being expected to perform.

The conversation touched on Baker Mayfield, the mental toughness required at the professional level and the reality that many elite athletes don’t want to be treated like celebrities.

Sometimes, McElroy said, they simply want a conversation, a laugh and the opportunity to be treated like everyone else.

It’s one of the places where entertainment and sports aren’t as different as they may appear.

“We’re Not Here for Ourselves”

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the conversation had nothing to do with charts, television ratings or football.

Asked about the philosophy that guides him, McElroy summed it up in five words:

“We’re not here for ourselves.”

For McElroy, success means more when it can be used to help someone else.

That philosophy has influenced his music, charitable work, outdoor projects and even his relationship with his listeners. He shared that every Friday, he includes his fans in his prayers — something he also tells audiences at the end of his live shows.

It also explains why so many of McElroy’s projects revolve around a similar idea: people coming together, sharing an experience and hopefully having a few laughs along the way.

As he puts it, his approach is about “living life one laugh at a time.”

What’s Next for Dave McElroy?

McElroy says more music is coming.

He shared that he has several songs in the works, including one deeply personal track inspired by the loss of his mother-in-law and told through the perspective of his father-in-law.

He also teased bigger news expected in the coming months, including plans surrounding a residency, while work continues on the possible re-boot of Hangtime.

Whatever comes next, the common thread appears unlikely to change.

Music. Sports. The outdoors. Faith. Friends. A lot of laughter.

And the reminder that we’re not here only for ourselves.

Catch the full conversation with Dave McElroy on the Entertainment & Sports Spotlight Podcast and follow Dave under DMAC Band for updates on his upcoming music, performances and projects.