AudioUp "The Ballad Of Uncle Drank" Comedy-Musical Podcast Replaces Gary Busey

 You have to clap for Sirius XM and AudioUp. When actor Gary Busey was charged two weeks ago with criminal sexual assault, the companies made a quick switch.

Comic actor Will Sasso is now stepping in to play the title role in Audio Up’s new animated musical-comedy podcast, “The Ballad of Uncle Drank,” replacing Gary Busey, who is out of the project.

The 11-episode series also has a new premiere date, as it’s retooled with Sasso in the lead. Formerly set to bow Aug. 30, “Uncle Drank” is now due Sept. 13 through major podcast hosts, including all of SiriusXM’s audio entertainment platforms (including the SXM App, Pandora and Stitcher).

Audio fiction podcasts continue to attract well-known actors, with Will Sasso and Luke Wilson starring in this new comedy-musical podcast.

 Audio Up’s newest scripted, country-musical podcast sprang from the mind of Audio Up CEO/Founder Jared Gutstadt. 

The podcast is now set to premiere September 13th across SiriusXM audio entertainment platforms -- including the SXM App, Pandora, and Stitcher -- and other major podcast platforms in the U.S. and will include original music written and produced by platinum selling artists Uncle Kracker, Snow, and Gutstadt. 

Audio Up will also release an original soundtrack alongside the podcast later this fall, with the first single, “Biggest Dock on the Lake” featuring Uncle Kracker, releasing on August 26^th. 

 Listen to the song HERE.

The eight-part series gives a new comedic take on the music industry throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s.  Artists and fans alike tell the somewhat true-life adventures of long-forgotten fictional country superstar, Uncle Drank - a lovable, drunken and free-spirited beach musician who traveled the world with his best friend BLENDY, a talking blender, and then mysteriously disappeared in 1992. 

One-part Kenny Chesney and one-part Kenny Powers, Uncle Drank’s music and story will take listeners on an adventure through an era that time has forgotten.  Before Jimmy Buffet ate a cheeseburger in paradise, and before Kenny Chesney sang about wearing no shoes, no shirt and no problems, there was Uncle Drank.  

Watch the official Uncle Drank trailer HERE.

“Uncle Drank was widely known as the inventor of beach-country and trop rock,” Audio Up CEO Jared Gutstadt explains. “He lived his life by worshiping the seven B’s... Bars, Birds, Beaches, Boats, Beers, Babes and of course…Bananas (for his mixed drinks). He allegedly inspired everybody from Luke Combs to Brad Paisley - and it is rumored that Drank even chose the color of the red solo cup.  Originally they were orange… Imagine that!” 

 Audio Up’s current scripted podcasts include the season two of Make It Up As We Go with Scarlett Burke, Garrett Hedlund, Elle King, Shooter Jennings and award-winning Nashville songwriter Liz Rose among many others; Webby honoree for Best Limited Entertainment Series Podcast Halloween in Hell with Machine Gun Kelly, and Strawberry Spring, the first-ever adaptation of the classic short story by Stephen King, starring Garrett Hedlund and Milo Ventimiglia. 

Listen to this quote from Audio Up’s President of Music PJ Bloom: “Aside from being truly hilarious, this is a great way to show innovation within our music business. Jared has a great track record writing for artists across many different genres. Now, we are inventing artists of the future who live inside the podcast, but could ultimately tour, become brand ambassadors and create lucrative IP across film, television and streaming.”

Bloom's reference casts time echoes of a previous generation when TV shows created musical groups such as The Monkees, The Partridge Family, and Archie Comics' Josie and the Pussycats. 

Now, musical podcasts are the "big bang" for musical acts. Consider that podcasts now generate original music from Dolly Parton in the Run, Rose, Run podcast to AudioUp and Audible with the announcement that the official soundtrack to the critically acclaimed and multi-award-winning Audible Original podcast, Maejor Frequency, from Audio Up and Audible is out now to streaming services. 

 Following the podcast’s debut episode, original tracks will continue to be released with the full podcast soundtrack, including bonus songs available after the finale episode. 

 The release of these high-concept, audio fiction podcasts like The Ballad of Uncle Drank with talented creators and actors attached to the project continues to show current podcast listeners and potential podcast listeners that the format is more than simply true-crime shows and angry politicos howling at the moon.