<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:psc="http://podlove.org/simple-chapters" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[The Golden Standard]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to The Golden Standard—a lighthearted, unfiltered look at life behind the scenes in Nashville and beyond. Hosted by full-time musician and creative Megan Golden, the show explores the unexpected, exciting and occasionally chaotic realities of building a creative life.</p><p>Some weeks, Megan takes the mic solo to share personal stories, honest reflections and everything happening on—and off—Broadway. Other weeks, she’s joined by musicians, creators and fascinating guests for candid conversations about their lives, careers and the stories you don’t usually get to hear.</p><p>Come for the Nashville stories, creative inspiration and behind-the-scenes moments—and stay for the laughs, unexpected tangents and conversations that feel like catching up with a friend. There’s no single path to a golden life, but we can have a really good time figuring it out.</p>]]></description><link>https://megangolden.com/the-golden-standard-podcast</link><generator>Riverside.fm (https://riverside.com)</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2026 14:31:11 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://api.riverside.com/hosting/k5KRvJeW.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><author><![CDATA[Megan Golden]]></author><pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 22:53:04 GMT</pubDate><copyright><![CDATA[2026 Megan Golden]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><ttl>60</ttl><category><![CDATA[Society & Culture]]></category><category><![CDATA[Comedy]]></category><itunes:author>Megan Golden</itunes:author><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Welcome to The Golden Standard—a lighthearted, unfiltered look at life behind the scenes in Nashville and beyond. Hosted by full-time musician and creative Megan Golden, the show explores the unexpected, exciting and occasionally chaotic realities of building a creative life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some weeks, Megan takes the mic solo to share personal stories, honest reflections and everything happening on—and off—Broadway. Other weeks, she’s joined by musicians, creators and fascinating guests for candid conversations about their lives, careers and the stories you don’t usually get to hear.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Come for the Nashville stories, creative inspiration and behind-the-scenes moments—and stay for the laughs, unexpected tangents and conversations that feel like catching up with a friend. There’s no single path to a golden life, but we can have a really good time figuring it out.&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Megan Golden</itunes:name><itunes:email>megangolden@megangolden.com</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:explicit>yes</itunes:explicit><itunes:category text="Society &amp; Culture"/><itunes:category text="Comedy"/><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/logos/5e8ef257-50e4-4526-95da-bc264ede2e11.png"/><item><title><![CDATA[The Dream Just Pivots: Jenae Cherry on Music, Motherhood & Major League Baseball Life]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>The Golden Standard officially has its first guest! Nashville singer-songwriter Jenae Cherry joins Megan to share the beautifully chaotic story of leaving college, moving to Nashville at 19, breaking into the Broadway music scene, and meeting her future husband—Major League Baseball pitcher Brad Brach—just days before his first call-up.</p><p>Jenae opens up about auditioning for <i>The Voice</i>, balancing two people’s big dreams, traveling through 11 MLB seasons, becoming a mom, and finding her way back to music in a new season of life. She also shares the stories behind “Honky Tonkin’ Children” and “Me, Her and You,” including the adorable moment her daughter Briley stepped into the recording booth.</p><p>It’s an honest, funny conversation about friendship, family, songwriting, perfect timing, and realizing that letting a dream change doesn’t mean giving up on it—it just means the dream pivots.</p><p>Follow Jenae Cherry and listen to her music wherever you stream!</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">db0d5ac7-22dc-488b-a85d-cff36f70be07</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Megan Golden]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/5dccae63850c418040131c13db8e58079ad4a0142a3d26cd22261af99d6b525a/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJkYjBkNWFjNy0yMmRjLTQ4OGItYTg1ZC1jZmYzNmY3MGJlMDciLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI2ODJjOTZlMy1lZDhlLTRiNDQtOTk4ZC0zMTVlYWI0YmNjYzAiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2YTMwMjk0MWQzMTlmYjEyMTZjNTY1NTEiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE4ZGU2NTZiY2I1NWYzNDEyNGJjMjc3L21lZ2FuLWdvbGRlbnMtc3R1ZGlvLWFidE5yLWNvbXBvc2VyLTIwMjYtOC0yNV9fMjEtMC0zNy5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="194708941" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/episodes/db0d5ac7-22dc-488b-a85d-cff36f70be07/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;The Golden Standard officially has its first guest! Nashville singer-songwriter Jenae Cherry joins Megan to share the beautifully chaotic story of leaving college, moving to Nashville at 19, breaking into the Broadway music scene, and meeting her future husband—Major League Baseball pitcher Brad Brach—just days before his first call-up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jenae opens up about auditioning for &lt;i&gt;The Voice&lt;/i&gt;, balancing two people’s big dreams, traveling through 11 MLB seasons, becoming a mom, and finding her way back to music in a new season of life. She also shares the stories behind “Honky Tonkin’ Children” and “Me, Her and You,” including the adorable moment her daughter Briley stepped into the recording booth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s an honest, funny conversation about friendship, family, songwriting, perfect timing, and realizing that letting a dream change doesn’t mean giving up on it—it just means the dream pivots.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow Jenae Cherry and listen to her music wherever you stream!&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>01:41:25</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/logos/5e8ef257-50e4-4526-95da-bc264ede2e11.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>4</itunes:episode><itunes:title>The Dream Just Pivots: Jenae Cherry on Music, Motherhood &amp; Major League Baseball Life</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[Millennials Are Getting Our Childhood Back: Camp Rock 3, Tyra Banks, Myspace & Hoku]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Millennials, we are SO back! ✨ In this hot-topics episode of The Golden Standard, Megan celebrates the wave of millennial nostalgia taking over pop culture—from Camp Rock 3 and the return of our favorite childhood franchises to the new America’s Next Top Model documentary and Tyra Banks’ lawsuit against Netflix.</p><p>She also dives into why Hoku walked away from the music industry after giving us the iconic Legally Blonde anthem “Perfect Day”—and officially begins her campaign for the comeback Hoku deserves. Plus, Megan briefly discusses the latest surrounding the Lindsay Clancy case.</p><p>Why are so many millennial favorites returning right now—and why does it feel so good to revisit them? Grab your emotional-support nostalgia and join the conversation!</p><p>Follow The Golden Standard and share this episode with the millennial friend who still knows every word to the Camp Rock soundtrack. 🎙️</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">71283391-2883-4bf3-9d5d-a8a513d36df6</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Megan Golden]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/c8f131626ec2cf26fd7009f141028ef49d0991dd702a7a741d240a8044038857/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI3MTI4MzM5MS0yODgzLTRiZjMtOWQ1ZC1hOGE1MTNkMzZkZjYiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI2ODJjOTZlMy1lZDhlLTRiNDQtOTk4ZC0zMTVlYWI0YmNjYzAiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2YTMwMjk0MWQzMTlmYjEyMTZjNTY1NTEiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE4YzRiMjcyYmFhOTc2MzhhZTc5NTk0L21lZ2FuLWdvbGRlbnMtc3R1ZGlvLWFidE5yLWNvbXBvc2VyLTIwMjYtOC0yNF9fMTUtNDYtMTUubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="112239743" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/episodes/71283391-2883-4bf3-9d5d-a8a513d36df6/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Millennials, we are SO back! ✨ In this hot-topics episode of The Golden Standard, Megan celebrates the wave of millennial nostalgia taking over pop culture—from Camp Rock 3 and the return of our favorite childhood franchises to the new America’s Next Top Model documentary and Tyra Banks’ lawsuit against Netflix.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;She also dives into why Hoku walked away from the music industry after giving us the iconic Legally Blonde anthem “Perfect Day”—and officially begins her campaign for the comeback Hoku deserves. Plus, Megan briefly discusses the latest surrounding the Lindsay Clancy case.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Why are so many millennial favorites returning right now—and why does it feel so good to revisit them? Grab your emotional-support nostalgia and join the conversation!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow The Golden Standard and share this episode with the millennial friend who still knows every word to the Camp Rock soundtrack. 🎙️&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:58:27</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/logos/5e8ef257-50e4-4526-95da-bc264ede2e11.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>3</itunes:episode><itunes:title>Millennials Are Getting Our Childhood Back: Camp Rock 3, Tyra Banks, Myspace &amp; Hoku</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[I Auditioned for The Voice… and Had to Find a Babysitter for My Flour Baby]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Every gig, someone asks me why I haven’t auditioned for <i>The Voice</i>—but here’s the plot twist: I already did.</p><p></p><p>In this episode, I’m telling the full story of my high-school audition, including the massive contract, the audition process, and the very important babysitter I needed for my flour baby. That somehow leads us into my tiny Christian school’s version of the baby project, complete with proposals, sister wives, and one particularly memorable fake marriage.</p><p>Then we get into the part people don’t talk about: why so many talented singers choose not to audition for shows like <i>The Voice</i>, what can happen after the show ends, and the mental-health struggles some contestants have faced when the experience didn’t change their careers the way they expected.</p><p></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">764e51e2-bd97-4620-871b-848e77ee4472</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Megan Golden]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/b9a33c9dfa6fbe289c62d9f58ab2aaee53702b38094ba6b80fbba23717e5da0e/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiI3NjRlNTFlMi1iZDk3LTQ2MjAtODcxYi04NDhlNzdlZTQ0NzIiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI2ODJjOTZlMy1lZDhlLTRiNDQtOTk4ZC0zMTVlYWI0YmNjYzAiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2YTMwMjk0MWQzMTlmYjEyMTZjNTY1NTEiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE4MDg0MDQyNjk4ZDA0YmEyM2UxZGJjL21lZ2FuLWdvbGRlbnMtc3R1ZGlvLWFidE5yLWNvbXBvc2VyLTIwMjYtOC0xNV9fMTctMjEtNDAubXAzIn0=.mp3" length="116737819" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/episodes/764e51e2-bd97-4620-871b-848e77ee4472/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Every gig, someone asks me why I haven’t auditioned for &lt;i&gt;The Voice&lt;/i&gt;—but here’s the plot twist: I already did.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, I’m telling the full story of my high-school audition, including the massive contract, the audition process, and the very important babysitter I needed for my flour baby. That somehow leads us into my tiny Christian school’s version of the baby project, complete with proposals, sister wives, and one particularly memorable fake marriage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then we get into the part people don’t talk about: why so many talented singers choose not to audition for shows like &lt;i&gt;The Voice&lt;/i&gt;, what can happen after the show ends, and the mental-health struggles some contestants have faced when the experience didn’t change their careers the way they expected.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>01:00:48</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/logos/5e8ef257-50e4-4526-95da-bc264ede2e11.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>2</itunes:episode><itunes:title>I Auditioned for The Voice… and Had to Find a Babysitter for My Flour Baby</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[So… I Started a Podcast: Welcome to The Golden Standard]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to the very first episode of <i>The Golden Standard</i>! 🎙️✨</p><p>In this episode, I’m sharing a little about who I am, how I became a full-time musician on Nashville’s Lower Broadway, and the experiences that led me to start this podcast. I’ll also give you a glimpse into what you can expect from the show—including honest conversations, behind-the-scenes stories, creative life in Nashville, solo episodes, special guests, and plenty of moments that may not be quite so “golden.”</p><p>Whether you’ve followed my journey for years or you’re meeting me for the first time, I’m so happy you’re here. Welcome to <i>The Golden Standard</i>—let’s get started!</p><p>Follow along and connect with me on social media: @MeganAGolden &amp; @thegoldenstandardpod</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">cabb3603-ed16-44a5-a8f8-901df4d37be7</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Megan Golden]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/3ce0d8a18719d95a1ee8f6f78ac5556c398b9d69e2d49d42da6b9f0c914a9f5c/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJjYWJiMzYwMy1lZDE2LTQ0YTUtYThmOC05MDFkZjRkMzdiZTciLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI2ODJjOTZlMy1lZDhlLTRiNDQtOTk4ZC0zMTVlYWI0YmNjYzAiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2YTMwMjk0MWQzMTlmYjEyMTZjNTY1NTEiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE3NGFhNmQ1NDQ4NWFmODVjODU3ZmNiL21lZ2FuLWdvbGRlbnMtc3R1ZGlvLWFidE5yLWNvbXBvc2VyLTIwMjYtOC02X18xNy0zOC0yMS5tcDMifQ==.mp3" length="134387400" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/episodes/cabb3603-ed16-44a5-a8f8-901df4d37be7/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Welcome to the very first episode of &lt;i&gt;The Golden Standard&lt;/i&gt;! 🎙️✨&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode, I’m sharing a little about who I am, how I became a full-time musician on Nashville’s Lower Broadway, and the experiences that led me to start this podcast. I’ll also give you a glimpse into what you can expect from the show—including honest conversations, behind-the-scenes stories, creative life in Nashville, solo episodes, special guests, and plenty of moments that may not be quite so “golden.”&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Whether you’ve followed my journey for years or you’re meeting me for the first time, I’m so happy you’re here. Welcome to &lt;i&gt;The Golden Standard&lt;/i&gt;—let’s get started!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Follow along and connect with me on social media: @MeganAGolden &amp;amp; @thegoldenstandardpod&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>01:10:00</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/logos/5e8ef257-50e4-4526-95da-bc264ede2e11.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:episode>1</itunes:episode><itunes:title>So… I Started a Podcast: Welcome to The Golden Standard</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title><![CDATA[Welcome to The Golden Standard | Official Trailer]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to The Golden Standard!</p><p>Hosted by full-time Nashville musician and creative Megan Golden, The Golden Standard is a lighthearted, unfiltered look at life behind the scenes in Nashville and beyond. Expect honest stories, creative-life chaos, solo conversations, special guests and plenty of unexpected tangents along the way.</p><p>Listen to the official trailer now, then follow the show so Episode 1 is waiting for you when it drops August 11!</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">2bd161cc-9322-4dea-9246-22bf325501de</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Megan Golden]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 23:14:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/2e7af89dfee3cf2d375efcc584aadb13a39fb2c6fdbb0f06061e6f1d43b41a7b/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiIyYmQxNjFjYy05MzIyLTRkZWEtOTI0Ni0yMmJmMzI1NTAxZGUiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI2ODJjOTZlMy1lZDhlLTRiNDQtOTk4ZC0zMTVlYWI0YmNjYzAiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2YTMwMjk0MWQzMTlmYjEyMTZjNTY1NTEiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmE3MjcyNmM5OGU1OGY3ZmI3OWNjZWI2L21lZ2FuLWdvbGRlbnMtc3R1ZGlvLWFidE5yLWNvbXBvc2VyLTIwMjYtOC01X18xLTE0LTUyLm1wMyJ9.mp3" length="7578583" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/episodes/2bd161cc-9322-4dea-9246-22bf325501de/transcripts.txt" type="text/plain"/><itunes:summary>&lt;p&gt;Welcome to The Golden Standard!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hosted by full-time Nashville musician and creative Megan Golden, The Golden Standard is a lighthearted, unfiltered look at life behind the scenes in Nashville and beyond. Expect honest stories, creative-life chaos, solo conversations, special guests and plenty of unexpected tangents along the way.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Listen to the official trailer now, then follow the show so Episode 1 is waiting for you when it drops August 11!&lt;/p&gt;</itunes:summary><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:duration>00:03:57</itunes:duration><itunes:image href="https://hosting-media.riverside.com/media/podcasts/682c96e3-ed8e-4b44-998d-315eab4bccc0/logos/5e8ef257-50e4-4526-95da-bc264ede2e11.png"/><itunes:season>1</itunes:season><itunes:title>Welcome to The Golden Standard | Official Trailer</itunes:title><itunes:episodeType>trailer</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>