Local Podcaster Nathan Brock Brings 'Aggravated Circumstances' to Digital Airwaves

By Michael R. Grigsby, Editor | Somerset-Pulaski Advocate

Image  Courtesy of Nathan Brock (C) 2025 All Rights Reserved

Somerset, Kentucky (SPA)---- In the quiet hills of Somerset, Kentucky, stories have always been currency. Passed down on porches, around dinner tables, and in church pews, they weave together the identity of a small Appalachian town where neighbors often know one another’s names—and secrets. But in recent years, one Somerset native has taken that oral tradition into a new space: the world of podcasting. Nathan Brock, 44, has worn many hats in his life—truck driver, logistics coordinator, and Pentecostal pastor among them. Yet his most unexpected role has become his most transformative: the host of Aggravated Circumstances, a podcast dedicated not to sensational true crime or headline-grabbing scandals, but to the quieter power of everyday stories.

The title, borrowed from a legal phrase suggested by two friends in law enforcement, is more tongue-in-cheek than literal. “It has nothing to do with the show,” Brock admits. “That’s why I used it.” What Aggravated Circumstances is really about, he explains, is connection: “I just believe everyone has a story worth hearing.”

From Truck Cab to Microphone

Brock’s path to podcasting was as unpolished as the show itself. A natural conversationalist with a booming laugh, he had long been told he should write a book. Instead, a gift from his brother—a small podcast setup—sparked the idea to hit “record” and see what might unfold.
Raised in a small Appalachian town, Brock says his worldview was shaped as much by leaving Somerset as by returning home. “I think there are similarities to growing up in any small Appalachian town that people can relate to. I was that poor kid in rural Kentucky who got out and was able to travel, but I always wanted to come home.”
Coming home meant returning to community, faith, and the storytelling tradition that ran through his family. Though he never trained as a journalist, he describes his ability to draw out stories as something he “inherited.” His podcast reflects that lineage: unscripted, unrehearsed, grounded in authenticity.

Honest Conversations, Hard Truths

Brock does not walk this path alone. His co-host, Amber Glass, plays a crucial role, particularly in helping guests—especially women—feel safe enough to share vulnerable parts of their lives. Together, they create space for what Brock calls “raw organic conversations.” Some stories are lighthearted, filled with humor and small-town quirks. Others cut deep. Episodes have delved into childhood trauma, abuse, and the long shadows of pain carried into adulthood. These are not easy conversations, but they are necessary ones—and often healing. “I’ve gotten really into my story of childhood and realized that things had affected me more than I thought,” Brock reflects. “It reopened some wounds and exposed trauma I didn’t know I was holding on to.”

That willingness to be vulnerable, to lay bare his own scars, is precisely what makes the podcast compelling. It is not a pastor preaching or a host interrogating—it is a neighbor sharing, listening, and learning alongside the audience.

Resonance Beyond Somerset

Though rooted in Somerset, the impact of Aggravated Circumstances has rippled outward. Listeners reach out from Kentucky and beyond, often with strikingly similar stories. “I’ve had people say they went through the same situations or had a family life like mine, and hearing a story helped them process what they’d gone through,” Brock says. “That feels good, like you’re helping someone.”
That feedback affirms his sense that stories are not just entertainment; they are tools for survival, empathy, and healing. In Appalachia—a region often reduced to caricatures in popular media—Brock’s podcast offers a nuanced counterpoint. It acknowledges hardship while also celebrating resilience, humor, and the everyday heroism of ordinary lives.

Looking Ahead

The podcast is still a passion project, but Brock has no shortage of ambition. He envisions reaching a million followers and adding a live video component so people can both watch and listen. He also hopes to expand the range of his guests to include voices from leadership and different walks of life.
Yet for all the goals on the horizon, Brock’s philosophy remains rooted in simplicity. “Stay with what you’re comfortable with,” he advises aspiring storytellers. “Don’t get into a subject you don’t know or don’t love, or you won’t last. Do this for yourself, not for downloads or followers.”

A Storyteller’s Calling

Ultimately, Aggravated Circumstances is less about building a media empire and more about carrying forward an ancient practice: the sharing of stories as a way to connect, heal, and make sense of the human experience. As Brock puts it, “People have to be able to relate or be entertained. If you can do both, you’ve done something worthwhile.”
In Somerset, Kentucky, where front porches and church pews once held the weight of a community’s stories, a pastor-turned-podcaster is proving that the same power can now live in a microphone—and reach far beyond the hills where those stories began.