Behind the Scenes of Brad Paisley's Shark Country

Country star Brad Paisley and comedian JB Smoove meet in the Bahamas to attract new fans, Sharks! With Dr. Austin Gallagher's help, they put Brad's musical talents to the test in shark-infested waters to see how sound can attract or repel sharks.

Dr. Austin Gallagher is the Chief Executive and lead scientist at Beneath the Waves. He gives us the inside scoop on what happened out on the water while shooting BRAD PAISLEY'S SHARK COUNTRY.

Stream BRAD PAISLEY'S SHARK COUNTRY now on discovery+.

July 13, 2021

By: Beneath The Waves

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Photo By: Beneath The Waves

Photo By: Diego Camejo for Beneath the Waves

Photo By: Beneath The Waves

Photo By: Diego Camejo for Beneath the Waves

Photo By: Beneath The Waves

At dive sites like in Tiger Beach in the Bahamas, a backdrop of lemon and Caribbean reef sharks is almost always a guarantee. When boats arrive, inquisitive sharks swim around boats to see if any are carrying fish. Tiger sharks prefer to wait on the bottom, so the crowd at the surface usually consists of lemon sharks, caribbean reef sharks, and occasional nurse sharks. The crew enjoyed the sharks' appearance and scored an amazing backdrop for interviews.

Divers ready. Dr. Gallagher prepares for the first shark dive of the day, leading the way for Brad Paisley and JB Smoove to follow (once they know it’s safe!). Jumping into an ocean full of sharks can be intimidating, but it’s all part of the job for a shark scientist.

Dr. Erica Staaterman, David Harris, and Hanan Atia all joined from the Beneath the Waves team to help make this episode a reality. Dr. Staaterman is a marine bioacoustics expert, and shared her knowledge of how underwater sounds travel to help with the experiments above and below deck. David Harris is a highly skilled, lifetime diver, who assisted our celebrity talent underwater - and was an extra lookout for any aggressive shark behavior. Hanan Atia, MD kept the Beneath the Waves team safe all year with COVID testing and procedures for expeditions during a global pandemic.

Caribbean reef sharks patrol the coasts and coral reefs of The Bahamas. At this dive site, these are the apex predators.

A quick selfie break between scenes. At Beneath the Waves, everybody's smile lasts a few hours after shark dives. This team has swam with sharks over many years, yet still smile as if it's their first time.

Andre Musgrove and Sami Kattan teamed up to cover all angles underwater. Andre, a freediver and shark advocate, is a Bahamian native who knows these waters (and these sharks) like no one else. Sami is the Director of Digital Media for Beneath the Waves, and has joined dozens of shark dives and expeditions throughout the years, telling the Beneath the Waves story and assisting with all aspects of shark research.

Stuart has been leading shark dives since before the first episodes of Shark Week. Beneath the Waves has partnered with Stuart Cove’s Dive Shop for years on their research expeditions, learning from the experts in the best procedures for diving safely with apex predators.

Caribbean reef sharks circle the divers around a wreck. Are they attracted to the sounds from the underwater speaker, or are they curious about the dive team?

A surprise concert for one final experiment.

Ready to rock.

The end of an unbelievable adventure, and some pretty cool science.