#694 - Kings of Leon’s Caleb Followill
Episode of This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von · November 6, 2026 · 1 h 48 min
Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill tells Theo Von about his itinerant Pentecostal childhood, the band's rise, fame's toll, drinking, brotherhood, and faith.
Summary
Caleb Followill, frontman of Kings of Leon, joined Theo Von to discuss his upbringing as the son of a traveling Pentecostal evangelist, the band's improbable rise, and the new album "O My Beloved." Followill described a childhood spent living out of a car, playing drums at revivals, summers with cousins in Louisiana, and witnessing what he considered healings. He and Von reflected on growing up poor, with Followill arguing that poverty instilled a drive to prove one's worth.
Followill recounted hearing a voice telling him to "go home" while considering military enlistment in Oklahoma City, returning to Tennessee, writing songs with brother Nathan, and being rejected across Nashville before receiving seven record deal offers in New York and signing with RCA. He described the band breaking first in the UK, opening for Bob Dylan at Dylan's request, and the pressures that followed the 2008 album "Only by the Night."
Followill said the band's family bond kept its members from going "too far gone," while acknowledging his own ego and a period of heavy drinking during which he felt isolated from bandmates and did not enjoy performing. He said the new album is filled with gratitude and that he now enjoys touring and talking to crowds. Von shared his own experiences with recovery meetings. The conversation closed with Followill describing an evolving, personal relationship with God after bitterness over how his father was treated by churches.
Chapters
- 0:35
Louisiana memories
Von and Followill swap stories about Louisiana dialect, floods, and Followill's childhood summers with his cousin.
- 7:13
Life as a traveling evangelist's son
Followill describes his father's preaching, living on the road, and the family's role at revivals.
- 24:22
Pentecostal services, prayer and miracles
They discuss glossolalia, laying on of hands, a healing Followill says he witnessed, and snake handling.
- 29:35
Growing up poor and proving your worth
Followill and Von reflect on poverty, humor, and the drive it instilled.
- 38:11
From house painter to record deal
Followill recounts the voice telling him to go home, writing songs with Nathan, Nashville rejections, and signing with RCA in New York.
- 49:17
Breaking big in the UK
The band's EP hits in Britain, their first London show, and anonymity back home.
- 58:34
Touring with Bob Dylan
Followill describes Dylan personally requesting the band and their brief encounters.
- 1:01:56
Fame, brotherhood and ego
Followill discusses how family kept the band grounded and how ego and isolation crept in.
- 1:11:55
Drinking, Only by the Night, and the new album
Followill describes years of unhappy performing, the pressure of 2008 success, and the gratitude behind O My Beloved.
- 1:26:59
Rock star mortality and aging icons
They discuss musician life expectancy, Von meeting 311's Nick Hexum, and living up to the poster.
- 1:32:22
The band members
Followill describes what he admires in Nathan, Jared, and cousin Matthew.
- 1:35:14
Faith and searching
Followill describes his evolving personal relationship with God, Von discusses recovery meetings, and they close on festivals and his father.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- Caleb Followill
Followill described his father as a gifted, relatable traveling evangelist who could move tough men from laughter to tears.
“He would see the biggest, scariest-looking man in the room, and he would have them laughing. And then five seconds later, the man would be crying”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said he witnessed healings, including a gravely ill cancer patient his father prayed for who he believes is still alive.
“I've seen healings and seen people walk that weren't walking”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said his family's ministry did not practice snake handling and he sees no need for it.
“i don't think we've got to bring snakes into it you know i don't i think we there's an easier way to get to god”
- Theo Von
Von said he grew up resentful about poverty partly because no one communicated to him that having little did not define the family.
“I think I grew up with a lot of resentment about, like, not having much, you know? But I think also it was because there wasn't much communication”
- Caleb Followill
Followill argued that growing up poor gave the brothers thick skin and a drive to prove their worth rather than to seek success.
“I feel like it gave us thick skin, put a drive in us and a hunger. And it was never really for success. It was just kind of to prove our worth”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said that while considering military enlistment in Oklahoma City he heard a voice telling him to go home, prompting his move into music.
“I mean, you know, it sounds strange, but I heard a voice that just said, go home”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said that after Nashville rejected them, the band met nine labels in New York and received seven offers.
“we had nine record labels that we met with and we played a couple of songs for them and we got seven record deal offers”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said the band succeeded in Britain by leaning into a fast, country Southern sound that distinguished them from British and Australian acts.
“just play it very fast and very country. I said, because that's the one thing that these people don't have that we do”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said Bob Dylan personally requested Kings of Leon as an opener and was one of the first iconic American artists to support them.
“he was one of the first iconic American artists that took us under his wing and gave us a stage”
- Caleb Followill
Followill argued that being in the band together as family kept them from going too far into addiction and self-destruction.
“I think the fact that we were there together we never allowed ourselves to get too far gone”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said he feels sorry for solo artists who become famous alone and come to see those around them as people profiting from them.
“I really feel sorry for artists or musicians that kind of get so big and then and really the whole time it's happening you're so alone”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said that during his heavy drinking he felt he was punishing himself and that his band and crew resented him.
“I felt like I was trying to punish myself because I didn't like the person that I was becoming”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said there were years he did not enjoy any shows and did not speak to crowds for a decade, but now loves performing.
“there were years that I just don't remember playing a show that I enjoyed. Right. Like I didn't. I was mad on stage”
- Caleb Followill
Followill described the new album's songs as full of gratitude for how the band members were raised and who they have become.
“i feel like a lot of these songs are full of gratitude and appreciation for”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said the massive success of Only by the Night marked the start of the band's dark times because they were not ready for that pressure.
“Yeah, that was when like the rough times started. Just the real weight of like actual big-time success here at home, everywhere”
- Caleb Followill
Followill argued that attempts to repeat a moment of success only produce a watered-down version.
“anytime you try to repeat success, you know, it doesn't happen. It just ends up being like a watered down version of something”
- Caleb Followill
Followill said he became bitter after feeling his father was pushed out of ministry for ordinary human struggles, and now has a personal relationship with God.
“there was times I felt like my dad kind of got pushed out because he was – having normal struggles that a man goes through”
- Theo Von
Von said that hearing others share at recovery meetings sometimes releases tension he has carried for years.
“I go to recovery meetings, and I'll go sit in meetings sometimes, and it's like, oh, yeah, sometimes I'll hear somebody say something”
People
In the conversation
- Theo VonAmerican stand-up comedian and host of the podcast This Past Weekend
- Caleb FollowillAmerican musician, lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Kings of Leon
Discussed
- Bob DylanAmerican singer-songwriter who invited Strings to play with him on tour
- Nathan FollowillCaleb's older brother and Kings of Leon drummer
- Jared FollowillCaleb's younger brother and Kings of Leon bassist
- Matthew FollowillCaleb's cousin and Kings of Leon lead guitarist
- Steve MartinAmerican comedian, Randolph's Only Murders in the Building co-star
- Jeff BridgesAmerican actor, star of Crazy Heart and The Big Lebowski
- Britney SpearsAmerican pop singer cited by Tinashe as an influence
- Nick HexumLead singer of 311
- Elvis PresleyAmerican singer who invited Stallone to watch Rocky with him in 1976
- Prince HarryDuke of Sussex
- Mason LocklearYoung preacher shown in a video clip
- Tom MurphyFollowill's stepfather who funded the brothers' first Nashville efforts
Topics
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From the publisher
Caleb Followill is a musician and songwriter known for fronting the band Kings of Leon. Their new album “O My Beloved” is out now everywhere. Caleb Followill joins Theo to talk about going from a preacher’s kid to a rock star, the turmoil that comes with sudden fame, and the brotherhood that held Kings of Leon together. Caleb Followill: https://www.instagram.com/kingsofleon/ ------------------------------------------------- Tour Dates! https://theovon.com/tour New Merch: https://www.theovonstore.com ------------------------------------------------- Sponsored By: Celsius: Go to the Celsius Amazon store to check out all of their flavors. #CELSIUSBrandPartner @CelsiusOfficial https://amzn.to/3HbAtPJ Better Help: This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off BetterHelp at http://BetterHelp.com/Theo How to Rob a Bank — Only in Theaters November 13. Get your tickets now! Ethos: Get a free quote for life insurance today through Ethos at http://ethos.com/weekend ------------------------------------------------- Music: “Shine” by Bishop Gunn Bishop Gunn - Shine ------------------------------------------------ Submit your funny videos, TikToks, questions and topics you'd like to hear on the podcast to: tpwproducer@gmail.com Hit the Hotline: 985-664-9503 Video Hotline for Theo Upload here: https://www.theovon.com/fan-upload Mail stuff to: ATTN: TPW PO BOX 40137 Nashville TN 37204 ------------------------------------------------ Find Theo: Website: https://theovon.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/theovon Facebook: https://facebook.com/theovon Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thispastweekend X: https://twitter.com/theovon YouTube: https://youtube.com/theovon Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheoVonClips Shorts Channel: https://bit.ly/3ClUj8z ------------------------------------------------ Producer: Zach https://www.instagram.com/zachdpowers Producer: Trevyn https://www.instagram.com/trevyn.s/ Producer: Nick https://www.instagram.com/r…
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on November 7, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.