AquaTru.com

Water, wonderful, clean, delightfully tasting water. So good because it keeps you healthy and your family and your friends and your pets. I use an AquaTru water filter. AquaTru water filter is a four-stage reverse osmosis purification process. And the best thing I love about it is no installation or plumbing. I got it. I sent it to my home and I was able to set it up so easily and it works and it removes 15 times more contaminants than any regular filter they ever had. And the great news is the filters are affordable and long lasting. You don’t change in every two or three months. They’ll last from six months, maybe even two years. And the result of that is that one set of filters will give you over 4,000 bottles of water. That’s less than three cents a bottle. Today, my listeners, to the joy of living, you’re gonna receive 20 % off. That’s right, 20 % off any Aqua True Purifier. Enter the code JOY at checkout. Go to AquaTru.com

[11.04] Roots, Loss, and the Making of a Music Man

• Ira opens up about his modest beginnings, being raised by a single mother alongside four siblings.
• His mom was a beacon of strength and humor, someone who never met a stranger and supported Ira’s musical passion wholeheartedly.
• Ira shares his deep connection with his father, who instilled discipline and a love for music, waking him up at 12 years old to write songs.
• The emotional gravity of losing both parents is evident, but so is the ongoing inspiration he draws from them.
• Songwriting becomes more than just a craft for Ira—it’s a channel for emotion and connection with others.

[19.00] Faith, Redemption, and Charlie Daniels’ Grace

• Ira shares how Charlie Daniels recognized his inner struggles and stepped in with compassion and clarity.
• Charlie prayed over Ira in a dressing room, offering a moment of spiritual rescue that changed the trajectory of Ira’s life.
• Years later, Charlie affirms Ira’s transformation by saying, “I can see you now. Look at you shine.”
• Ira recounts how songwriting became a tool for healing, reflection, and reclaiming purpose.
• The powerful message of the song “What Would Charlie Daniels Do?” was born from road rage and reflection, blending humor with moral clarity.

[26.45] Ted Nugent, Truth-Telling, and Standing for Values

• Ira explains how a road rage incident led to writing a song about unwavering personal principles.
• The song evolved into a collaboration with Ted Nugent, who was a friend of Charlie Daniels and shared similar patriotic values.
• Ira emphasizes living without shame or the need to justify his beliefs, embracing faith, family, and self-reliance.
• The music video becomes a cultural moment, topping charts and outpacing pop icons like Taylor Swift.
• Ira celebrates “God’s grocery store” — his way of describing hunting and organic living as part of a grounded, American lifestyle.

[34.40] Demons, Angels, and the Redemption of Ira Dean

• Ira reflects on how his darkest moments with addiction were necessary to find the light.
• A friend’s wedding toast inspires a profound realization: his demons led him to his angels.
• Barry makes a stunning connection in Ira’s name itself: DEAN contains both “DE” (demons) and “AN” (angels).
• Ira opens up about how love, faith, and music became his anchors and helped him rise above his past.
• The conversation highlights how songwriting and sobriety are deeply intertwined on his path to redemption.

[42.00] Nashville Dreams, Divine Timing, and True Love

• Ira shares how a chance encounter at a Nashville gig led to meeting his future wife, Jennifer.
• Their courtship, filled with serendipity and soulful connection, leads to a dream wedding at Johnny and June Carter Cash’s home in Jamaica.
• Ira reflects on the miraculous nature of their love story, calling it the result of divine design.
• He shares details of his new album, “I Got Roads,” where every track is a chapter from his life—raw, real, and redemptive.
• The record features collaborations with legends and friends who walked beside him through every high and low.
• Ira leaves listeners with a clear message: stay close to music, love, and the man upstairs.

Nicole Iny is the Executive Director of Grants and Consumer Education at FAIR Health, a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. FAIR Health possesses the nation’s largest collection of private healthcare claims data, which includes over 47 billion claim records. It is dedicated to bringing transparency and integrity to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support.

Topics:

• What is FAIR Health?
• What types of tools and resources are offered on FAIRHealthOlderAdults.org?
• What obstacles do older adults and family caregivers face when navigating the healthcare system, and what strategies can they use to find the services and support they need?
• Have you received any feedback from patients and/or their caregivers about the shared decision-making resources available on the FAIR Health consumer website?
• Where can patients, family caregivers and healthcare providers find more information?

Ira was the founding member and chief songwriter of Country Mega-Group Trick Pony. He has recorded with Blake Shelton, Jamey Johnson, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Montgomery Gentry, Ronnie Milsap, Hank Williams Jr, Kid Rock, Stevie Wonder.