1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: My cousin, who also grew up in Columbus Isle. Gary 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: was calling me, going, you know, I've been singing up 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: here and I think I got something. I've been winning 4 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: to karaoke contests or around you know, Columbus area here, 5 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 1: and I'd like to come to Nashville and spend some 6 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: time with you and sing for you and just see 7 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 1: whether or not you think that there's a path from 8 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: me there or if I got anything worth pursuing. And 9 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: you know, when you hear from a relative that they've 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: been winning karaoke contest and you're not sure what's to expect. 11 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:34,239 Speaker 1: It was one of those moments that I kind of 12 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 1: panicked at that call. I remember having a conversation with 13 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 1: my mom and I'm like, you know, Gary called me 14 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:40,879 Speaker 1: and said he's been winning to karaoke contest. But what 15 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: in the world am I going to do or say 16 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: to him if he comes and sings for me and 17 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: he's terrible. 18 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,840 Speaker 2: Welcome to this edition of the Taking a Walk Podcast 19 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 2: with Buzz Night. On this episode, Buzz welcomes Jaye de Marcus, 20 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: legendary country artist, songwriter and producer known for his successful 21 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 2: run with the band Rascal Flats. Jay has a new 22 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 2: chapter in his career, serving as the president of Red 23 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 2: Street Records, an independent label based in Nashville representing country 24 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 2: and Christian artists. Jay DeMarcus joins Buzz Night next on 25 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 2: Taking a Walk. 26 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,960 Speaker 3: Well, Jay DeMarcus, thanks for being on this virtual edition 27 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 3: of Taking a Walk. We'll take a walk down memory 28 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 3: lane here and talk about what you're up to these 29 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 3: days as well. But thank you so much for being 30 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 3: on the Taking a Walk podcast. 31 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: Oh, it's my pleasure. Thanks for having me on. It's 32 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: good to be with you. 33 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 3: So we share one thing in common, certainly Columbus, Ohio, 34 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 3: where I spent some of my formative years in the 35 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 3: radio business at a radio station there called QFM ninety six. 36 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,919 Speaker 3: But tell me what it was like for you growing 37 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 3: up in Columbus, Ohio, Man. 38 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what. It was a wonderful time because 39 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: I spent the eighties and what I consider to be 40 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: the greatest decade ever, and QFM ninety six was certainly 41 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: a part of shaping my musical foundation for sure. I 42 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: had I remember SUNDA, ninety five, FM ninety six and 43 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: ninety two x FM were my three favorite radio stations 44 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: that I bounced around between all three of those listening 45 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: to harder rock stuff on QFM ninety six and more 46 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: of the pop stuff on nineties UXFM. So I remember 47 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: so well and it makes me smile thinking that you 48 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: were a part of that. 49 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was a fun place to be and uh 50 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 3: watched certainly. The town was a great town to be 51 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 3: because of, you know, the college influence as well. I 52 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 3: gather you were a big football fan as well. 53 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, bleed Charlette and Grace still to this day. Dude. 54 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: I grew up a few blocks from the stadium, so 55 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: I used to be able to sneak in. I knew 56 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: some of the security guards. They'd let me sneak in 57 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: the back gate there and kind of stand on the 58 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,920 Speaker 1: you know, in the in the student section there. So 59 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: it was fun. I loved it. 60 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 3: The Varsity Club remember that place? 61 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: Do I ever, absolutely absolutely. 62 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 3: Remember when John Cooper was the coach? 63 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: Very well? Yeah, I used to spend a lot of 64 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: Saturday afternoons infuriated it because he couldn't run any better 65 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: places than he did. 66 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 3: We actually did a funny promotion that we called it 67 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 3: meet mister Cooper at the Varsity Club, and it was 68 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 3: actually Alice Cooper that we brought in to meet listeners. 69 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: That is awesome. I love that so much. 70 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 3: We threw caution to the wind, for sure. 71 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: It's great. 72 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 3: So what was the first band that you were in. 73 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: I was in a band. I was in several bands, 74 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: you know, in junior high and high school. But the 75 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: most serious band when I was young was a band 76 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: called Fair Warning, and it was a Christian rock band. 77 00:03:57,560 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: So I had some guys that I went to church, 78 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: and we played youth you know, like lock ins and 79 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: youth camps and things of that nature. So I spent 80 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: a lot of my early days, the teenage years there 81 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: loving some of the Christian rock bands that were coming out, 82 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: like Petra and Whiteheart, things of that nature. And so yeah, 83 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: I spent about probably four and a half years. They're 84 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: playing with those guys. They were all older than me 85 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: at the time, seven eight years older. But that was 86 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: my first serious band situation. 87 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 3: Could you have imagined then how big Christian music would become? 88 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: No, I couldn't, you know. It was a little just 89 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 1: a little niche, a little genre, and I certainly followed 90 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: it and loved it, but man, it did not have 91 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 1: the worldwide appeal that it does now and it's certainly 92 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: turned into, you know, a vinable business. 93 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 3: Now. Production came before Rascal Flats for you, is that correct? 94 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: Yeah? I started producing some into high school. You know, 95 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:06,239 Speaker 1: I had the good fortune of going to a school 96 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: of the arts there, Fort Hayes Career Center in downtown 97 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: Columbus there, and you had to audition to get in, 98 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 1: and you sort of did your academy the first half 99 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: of the day and then you studied whatever art you 100 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 1: were studying the second half the day. And I was, 101 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,359 Speaker 1: of course there for music. So I really found a 102 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: really great call because I was surrounded by kids that 103 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: had the same passions and the same interest that I did. 104 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: Really really took music seriously. So I was around kids 105 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: that were very, very gifted people that really pushed me 106 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: to be better than I probably was at that point 107 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: in time. And in that studio at that school, I 108 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: started to get my feet wet and learning the process 109 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: of producing and putting parts together and parts that worked 110 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: together or to service the song. So I really started 111 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: to discover my affinity for record production there in my 112 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 1: high school years. 113 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 3: So in your production resume, certainly a couple things or 114 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 3: in particular pop out to me in those early days. 115 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 3: One was Jody Messina. Yeah, and tell me about how 116 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 3: that experience was. Producing Jody. 117 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: You know, that was great because we'd been on the 118 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: road with her, so we were already friends and knew 119 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: her so well and just always loved her voice. And 120 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: when it came time to do that record, she reached 121 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: out and wondered if Dan Huff and I would do 122 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: a couple of sides on her. I called Dan and 123 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: I said, Hey, my friend Jody's wondering if we can 124 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: do some sides on her. And it was the first 125 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: chance I had never had to work in a co 126 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: production situation with Dan. We certainly have worked together on 127 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 1: some Flass records and some other things, but never as 128 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: co producers. So it was a really great experience for 129 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,719 Speaker 1: me because working with Dan in a different capacity and 130 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: sort of learning from him and watching him and working 131 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 1: in tandem with him, I sort of got to throw 132 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 1: ideas out and creative you know, everything from her arrangements 133 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 1: to you know, coming up with parts together. It was 134 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: a really great situation to learn from him and be 135 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: able to be in a different sort of relationship with 136 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: him than just him as the record producer and me's 137 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: at the artist being peers and co production was a 138 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: really special experience. 139 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 3: And how did you end up working with Chicago in 140 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 3: the production side. 141 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: Well, that is a remarkable story. Actually, I grew up 142 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: loving Chicago. Talk about the eighties and the reinvention they 143 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: had there and the resurgence they had with David Foster 144 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: with some of my favorite music. When I was a kid. 145 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: I remember coming home one afternoon and running through the 146 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: front door and saying to my dad, who was a 147 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: wonderful musician himself, Dad, you won't believe this new song 148 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: I've heard. I cannot wait to play for it for you. 149 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: And it was hard to say, I'm sorry. And he 150 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: listened to it and he said who is that? And 151 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: I said, this is this new band called Chicago and 152 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,239 Speaker 1: he dying. It was like, Chicago's not a new band. 153 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: They've been around a long long time. So my dad 154 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: started to introduce all of the old Chicago music to 155 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: me when Terry Caath was in the band, and so 156 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: I developed this tremendous lovel for Chicago. I mean, they 157 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: were everything I loved about music. You know. They had 158 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: the horns, they had a funky rhythm section, they had 159 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: the best singers in the world. And then when David 160 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: Foster started making records for them in the eighties, I 161 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: really fell in love with that and I was bummed out, 162 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,599 Speaker 1: like everybody was, I guess when the news dropped that 163 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: Peter Stetera was going to leave the band, and I wondered, 164 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 1: what in the world are they going to do? This 165 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: guy sings, you know, all of the tenor parts, and 166 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: he has this extraordinarily high voice, so signature for the band. 167 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: Not only that, but he plays bass. It's got to 168 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: be nearly impossible to replace a guy like that. And 169 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: then when I heard Chicago eighteen was coming out and 170 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,199 Speaker 1: they were dropping the first single, which was really used 171 00:08:58,200 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: to Love Me, and that they had found a new 172 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: movie singer. I heard it on the radio and I 173 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: never will forget sort of have that moment where I 174 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 1: stopped my car and kind of pulled over to the 175 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: side and I was like, Oh, my gosh, I don't 176 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: know how they've done this, but they found the perfect 177 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: replacement for Peter Sata. Many many years later, I would 178 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: have never known that Jason Chef and I would become 179 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: dear friends through the music business. He was in my wedding. 180 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,320 Speaker 1: We were writing songs together. I was such a fan 181 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: of his, and you know, those high school years in 182 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 1: early college years, coming out, never dreaming that I would 183 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:36,959 Speaker 1: even get the chance to meet this guy someday, And 184 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: as fortune would have it and our past would cross, 185 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: we became instant friends and really really close friends. The 186 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 1: more that we wrote together, the more that our materials 187 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: started to sound like Chicago records. I mean, you can't 188 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: help but sound like Chicago when Jason is singing one 189 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: of your songs. So when Chicago started talking about going 190 00:09:57,679 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 1: into the studio to make a new album, they had 191 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 1: not in the studio for about fifteen years working on 192 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: any kind of a new project, we started to make 193 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: our demos. Jason would play them for the band and 194 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: I never will forget. I believe it was Thanksgiving of 195 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: two thousand and four. I was at my mother's house. 196 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: I got a call from Robert Lamb and he said, Jay, 197 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 1: we've been hearing the things that you've been writing with Jason. 198 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: It really sounds like a fresh version and a fresh 199 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 1: take on Chicago and while honoring the past too, and 200 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,559 Speaker 1: we would love to offering you the opportunity to produce 201 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 1: Chicago thirty. And you know, about to drop the phone, 202 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: and I'm sure I almost passed out. It was you know, 203 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: for a kid that grew up idolizing that band, then 204 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: to be asked to produce a record was something I 205 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: wouldn't have dreamed in a million years. So that's how 206 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: that happened, through my relationship with Jason, and so proud 207 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: of that record. It's still one of my most favored 208 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: memories when it comes to anything having to do with music. 209 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: Being in the studio with those guys but we're really 210 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: my heroes was just such a wonderful experience and one 211 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. 212 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 3: And what a band that is so intricate in so 213 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 3: many areas that I think the intricacies of that band 214 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,319 Speaker 3: sometimes get taken for granted, don't you think. 215 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 1: I absolutely do. I mean there's more to that band 216 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: than what's just on the surface. You know, those guys 217 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:36,679 Speaker 1: are seriously studied and tenured and gifted musicians. I mean, 218 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 1: they know what they're doing. Jimmy Penco is one of 219 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: the most brilliant brass arrangers you know, you'll ever come across, 220 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: and he's got such a signature sound when he plays trombone. 221 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: You know instantly that it's Jenny playing that horn, and 222 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: that's why he's worked on not only Chicago records, but 223 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: so many other records that were coming out of La 224 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 1: op scene in the seventies and eighties. You know, a 225 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 1: lot of those brass rangeits to hear on things through 226 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: everything from Toto to some of the Earthline and Fire 227 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 1: stuff were written by Jimmy. I mean, he's just one 228 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 1: of the very, very best in that field. So it 229 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: was I learned a lot. I was so fortunate to 230 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: be around those guys and soak up so much. But 231 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:23,439 Speaker 1: they also, you know, at the risk of sounding self serving, 232 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: they realized very quickly that I had studied their music 233 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,079 Speaker 1: and I was a student of their music, and it 234 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 1: wasn't just some kid coming in trying to make them 235 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: something that they weren't. I knew and tried to honor 236 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 1: all the legacy that was there while also trying to 237 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 1: make a more modern sounding you know, Chicago rere. 238 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 3: So nineteen ninety nine happens. That was a very good 239 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 3: year I think for you, wasn't it nineteen ninety nine? 240 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: Yeah? 241 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was this little band called Rascal Flats Forms 242 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 3: you formed it with your cousin. So talk about the 243 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:01,359 Speaker 3: formation of this band that would have sixteen number one singles, 244 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 3: be the CMA Vocal Group of the Year from two 245 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,679 Speaker 3: thousand and three to two thousand and eight, the ACM 246 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 3: Vocal Group of the Year from two thousand and three 247 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 3: to two thousand and nine. Can I keep going on. 248 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: Jay Man, I'm starting to blush. 249 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 3: Inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in two thousand and 250 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 3: eleven and given a star in the Hollywood Walk of 251 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 3: Fame in twenty twelve. So how did the band form? 252 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 1: Well? I had been on the road with a female 253 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,960 Speaker 1: artist named Shelley Wright who was really really coming into 254 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: her own there in the late nineties. She had a 255 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: string up some hits, and I was her musical director 256 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: band leader. And when I took the position as her 257 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: band leader, she wanted me to hire some new guys 258 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: in the band, some fresh spaces. And so one of 259 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: the guys to come into audition for guitar was this 260 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 1: fresh space, little young and named Joe Don Rooney from Oklahoma, 261 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: drove all night to come in for the audition, got 262 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: up and sat in with us. Some of the guys 263 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: and I were playing at a bar here in town, 264 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: and he got up on stage and sat in with us, 265 00:14:14,480 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: and there was a fire and just an energy about 266 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: this guy that I instantly was drawn to and selling 267 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: love with him right there on the spot. Offered him 268 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 1: the gig that night, and I was like, I don't 269 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: need to see anything else. You know, you've got the 270 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: gig if you want it. Joe Don and I became 271 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: fast friends. At the same time, my cousin, who also 272 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: grew up in Columbus, Ohile, Gary, was calling me, going, 273 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: you know, I've been singing up here and I think 274 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 1: I got something. I think I've got a voice. I've 275 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 1: been winning some karaoke contests or around you know, Columbus 276 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: area here, and I'd like to come to Nashville and 277 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: spend some time with you and sing for you and 278 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: just see whether or not you think that there's a 279 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: path from me there or if I've got anything worth pursuing. 280 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: And you know, when you hear from a relative that 281 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: they've been winning karaoke contest and you're not sure what's 282 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: to expect. It was one of those moments that I 283 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: kind of panicked and I called. I remember having a 284 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: conversation with my mom and I'm like, you know, Gary 285 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: called me and said he's been winning to karaoke contest. 286 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 1: But what in a world am I going to do 287 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: or say to him if he comes and sings for 288 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: me and he's terrible. So I had the fear that 289 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: I was gonna hurt my cousin's feelings or something, you know, 290 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: because you just never know what to expect. Everybody thinks 291 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: they can sing. I'm sure when they're in gonna shower 292 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: by themselves, they all sound like Mariah Carey or Steve Perry, 293 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: I'm sure. But Gary came to town. He stayed with 294 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: me for a weekend, and I remember sitting down at 295 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 1: the piano and one of the first songs he asked 296 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: me to play for him was One Last Try by 297 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: Brian McKnight, and I remember when he opened his mouth, 298 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: I was just stunned. I couldn't believe the gift and 299 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: the voice that this guy had been blessed with. He 300 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: was my my cousin, we'd spend a lot of time 301 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 1: together growing up, but I never knew he sang until 302 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: I guess, gosh, that would have been the end of 303 00:16:07,760 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety seven or the beginning of nineteen ninety eight, 304 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: and I was just absolutely mesmerized by the gift this 305 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: guy had. The tone was there, all the things you 306 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: can't teach, the texture, the licks, the ability to sing 307 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: in an incredible range, it was all there. But it 308 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: was all pretty raw in the beginning, and so we 309 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: sat out to sign up as many writer nights or 310 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: as many open mic nights as we could find downtown. 311 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: We would go together and sign up and I would 312 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: play for him and he would get up and sing. 313 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: And the more we sang together, the more we developed 314 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: this chemistry, and the better and better he got at 315 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: finding who he was because Gary was really great about 316 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: emulating other artists, and he sang along to the radio 317 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 1: and he could sound like Merle Haggard or he could 318 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: sound like Stevie Wonder. He was a cameleon. He could 319 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:06,679 Speaker 1: do everything, really, But during those early months with playing together, 320 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 1: he really started to come into his own and find 321 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: his own voice and his own identity and develop who 322 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 1: he was. And it was amazing to watch. I now 323 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 1: look back on it, and at the time I didn't 324 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 1: realize how special it was to be a part of 325 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 1: that time where Gary LeVaux was becoming Gary Levox and 326 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: finding himself and the more we played together, you know, 327 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: because Gary didn't play an instrument, more often than not 328 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 1: played behind him. And finally, the owner of the fiddle 329 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: and Steel guitar Bar and printer, z Ally, came to 330 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: us one night and said, if I give you guys 331 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,479 Speaker 1: Monday nights and so Tuesday nights, would you put a 332 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: band together and I'll build a stage on the other 333 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: side and I'll knock this wall down and make it 334 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: a big dance floor so you guys can kind of 335 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 1: have a home base. And we had been working with 336 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:01,520 Speaker 1: another guitar player at that point, and time Shane and 337 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: we started playing together. The place was packed on Monday 338 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: and Tuesday nights. It was it was I mean, you'd 339 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 1: have everybody from Toby Keith coming in. He would sit 340 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: in and sing with us. It was a great place 341 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 1: for musicians who weren't on the road to come in. 342 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: Would get him up to sit in with us, and 343 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: she became this big family and before you know it, 344 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: the place was packed out all the time. And the 345 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 1: guitar player we'd been using called me one night. I 346 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 1: know I'm long winded here, but this is a great story, 347 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:33,880 Speaker 1: and he said, man I've got the flu. I can't 348 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: make it in tonight. I'm so sorry that I can't. 349 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: You know, Bet, I can't make it tonight. So I 350 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: immediately called Jodan and I said, hey, we're in a spot. 351 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 1: I need you to come sit in with us tonight 352 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 1: if you can. And I'd been telling joda On about Gary, 353 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: and I've been telling Gary about Jodn. And we got 354 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: there that first night, Jodaan said his gear up. Gary 355 00:18:55,480 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: was a little frustrated because, you know, he it had 356 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: communicated to me that, you know, he was going to 357 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: be a long night and if Jodn didn't know any 358 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: of her songs, that I'm gonna leave early because I 359 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: got to work early in the morning. And he was 360 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: very frustrated. I was like, let's just give us a 361 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: chance to see what we can come up with here. 362 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: And the first song we played together was Church on 363 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: the Coverland Road by Shenandoah. And when we hit that course, 364 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: all three of us, I think you could ask either 365 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: one of those other guys, we all knew instantly we 366 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: had captured some lightning to bottle and some magic that 367 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 1: you can't manufacture, and it was naturally there. The blend 368 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: was there. Jodn's pure tenor voice was about the only 369 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: thing you could imagine that could sing above Gary all 370 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:45,440 Speaker 1: that long, because Gary already sang pretty high. Gary and 371 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 1: I of course were family, but jo don't felt like 372 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: he was family too, And from that night on we 373 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: never never stopped. It went on from there, and I 374 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:58,919 Speaker 1: had the unenviable task of calling Shane and telling that 375 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:03,160 Speaker 1: he had and replaced in the mad great story. 376 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 3: My God. 377 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 2: You'll be right back with more of the Taking a 378 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 2: Walk podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 379 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:20,440 Speaker 3: How do you sort of grasp the difficulty of keeping 380 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 3: such a band with a great run like that together 381 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:28,199 Speaker 3: for the length of time that you did. Do you 382 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 3: sometimes sort of step back from that and kind of 383 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 3: look at that differently now? 384 00:20:33,960 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think I appreciate it a lot more now 385 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 1: that we've been, you know, dormant for the past four years. 386 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:43,439 Speaker 1: I really can look back on it with clearer vision 387 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: and realize that it was so good. But being in 388 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: the middle of it and sort of watching it all 389 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: go behind a blur, it's hard to appreciate it when 390 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: you're in the middle of it. And for me, we 391 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: didn't do We did a good job of this, but 392 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:03,719 Speaker 1: we were always great about it. Sometimes it's easy for 393 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: three guys that have different opinions, different different points of 394 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 1: view about things, it's it's hard sometimes to put your 395 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 1: own personal selfishness aside and do what's always good for 396 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: the band and good for the whole. We did a 397 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 1: pretty good job of doing that most of the time. 398 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: And I will say this, we rarely fought. I mean 399 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: just like any other brothers or any other band. Of course, 400 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 1: we had disagreements, and we fought a couple of times, 401 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: maybe two bad times, but for the most part, we 402 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 1: always made a commitment to each other to try to 403 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: put each other first in the good of the group first. 404 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: We wouldn't do things that competed with Rascal Flats. If 405 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 1: we had outside interests or outside hobbies, we tried to 406 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 1: keep that away from the Flats so that we served 407 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: Rascal Flats first. And I feel like overall we did 408 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 1: a pretty good job at that. The one thing we 409 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 1: did not do a good job up was managing our 410 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 1: time well. We got on a vicious cycle of touring, 411 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: doing a new record, doing press, and then touring again 412 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 1: for twenty plus years. We never took a break, and 413 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: I think the only thing we didn't do right was 414 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 1: taking a breath and sitting down and going we need 415 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:18,120 Speaker 1: to take a year off. We've got to refuel ourselves. 416 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 1: We need some time away from each other. We need 417 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: some time to do some things individually that we haven't 418 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: had a chance to do because all of us are 419 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 1: going down the same path ninety miles a minute. So 420 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,560 Speaker 1: I wish that we would have been a little smarter 421 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:34,880 Speaker 1: at one point to look at each other and go, hey, 422 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,440 Speaker 1: no matter what the label wants to do, our management 423 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 1: is telling us we should do another tour. We need 424 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 1: to draw a hard line in the sand and say, hey, 425 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,400 Speaker 1: we need a break. We need we need to refuel ourselves, 426 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: we need some rest, and we need a break. 427 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 3: Do you think if you did that the band would 428 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:53,399 Speaker 3: still be around. 429 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: It's hard to say. You can't predict. I mean, you 430 00:22:56,760 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: know COVID was such an anomaly and that you ruined 431 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,439 Speaker 1: a lot of things for a lot of people. But 432 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: I think it would have been the very least given 433 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: us maybe a little more fuel in the tank to 434 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 1: not have run as ragged as we did toward being there. 435 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,640 Speaker 1: Twenty nineteen was a really tough year. We toured really 436 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: really hard. Jodun had decided at a certain point that 437 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 1: he had had enough, which there were other contributing factors 438 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 1: there that we had no knowledge of. He was dealing 439 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,399 Speaker 1: with a lot at HOLEM. We were all a little 440 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: bit frustrated because the band, I think, was coming to 441 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: an end and we were supposed to do a farewell 442 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: tour and it made the end of twenty nineteen even harder. 443 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:39,159 Speaker 1: So I think it might have given us a boost 444 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: of energy, you know how much needed rest would have 445 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: helped in a lot of ways. 446 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 3: Would we ever see Rascal Flats and any other incarnation 447 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 3: come back, even for a short run? 448 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: You know, I think you remember when some of the 449 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: Melissa McCarthy and a couple of others remade Ghostbusters a 450 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,920 Speaker 1: few years ago. I think Rascal Flights is going to 451 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:09,360 Speaker 1: come back as three girls in a couple of years, 452 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: and they'll remake a new version of a Rascal Flat. 453 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 1: You know. I hope and pray that there's a day 454 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: in the Nazi distant future when we can take care 455 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,399 Speaker 1: of some unfinished business. I feel like we were robbed 456 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: of being able to say goodbye to our fans that 457 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: have been so good to us over the years, and 458 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: I feel like, you know, one of the things that 459 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,679 Speaker 1: makes me very, very sad is thinking about March of 460 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:37,640 Speaker 1: twenty twenty, of being on stage together for the last time, 461 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:42,600 Speaker 1: not realize the last time we were so worried about 462 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: COVID because the world was shutting down that all we 463 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 1: wanted to do was get back home to our families, 464 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: and rightfully so, but that last time, that last night, 465 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: we didn't realize it was the last time. And I 466 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:58,400 Speaker 1: would love to give it the honor and the respect 467 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 1: that it deserves, to give our fans another chance to 468 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 1: at least come see us and say, you know, they're 469 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:09,160 Speaker 1: farewells and their goodbyes. Maybe it won't be a farewell 470 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: to her, who knows, but I certainly would hope that 471 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 1: there's a time that exists that we can be on 472 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:16,359 Speaker 1: stage together again. 473 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 3: So what were three sort of quintessential songs that you 474 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 3: would say made a great impact on you musically and professionally. 475 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 1: You know, my earliest memory of my dad playing music 476 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: and playing piano, The song Daniel by Elton John always 477 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 1: sticks out to me because my dad played and sang 478 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: that song and I remember being a little kid in 479 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 1: that song being really really impressional to me because my 480 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,880 Speaker 1: dad sang it. I watched him play it on the piano, 481 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: and it's always been one of those songs that had 482 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 1: stood out to me as one of the first songs 483 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: that captured me, you know, that made me stop to 484 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: think about what the song was saying and the chord progressions. 485 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: So that was that was my very first time that 486 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,480 Speaker 1: a song like made me stop what I was doing 487 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:14,960 Speaker 1: and pay attention to it, I guess is the best 488 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: way to say it, you know, some of the some 489 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: of the other songs. Uh, this is a tough question 490 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: because there's so many songs that have influenced me over 491 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 1: the years. But one of my life changing moments I've 492 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 1: already covered was hearing hard to Say Im Sorry on 493 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:34,359 Speaker 1: the radio for the first time. There was something about 494 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: that production and about that sound coming off the radio 495 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,800 Speaker 1: waves that just you know, consumed me. And it was 496 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 1: another one of those moments I remember sitting in mind 497 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 1: in the I wasn't driving at the time, but I 498 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 1: sitting in the car of the person I was with, 499 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 1: just like stunned and mesmerized and trying to take all 500 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: of this audio experience in and it was life changing. 501 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 1: For me, I knew from that moment on that that's 502 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: you know, I wanted to write songs and be a 503 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 1: part of music that changed people the way that song 504 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: changed me that day, and so that really that song 505 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: right there, really really stands out as one of those 506 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:17,639 Speaker 1: moments for me. And you know, quite honestly, one of 507 00:27:17,680 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 1: the other ones was he stopped loving her today. That's 508 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:24,600 Speaker 1: when I really really developed an affinity for country music, 509 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: in the way that it was written and how well 510 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: you could craft the lyric to hit so hard and 511 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:33,680 Speaker 1: be so heavy and be delivered by such a vulnerable, 512 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: transparent vocal. George Jones was sort of my daddy's favorites, 513 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: and I certainly loved and grew up loving him as well. 514 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,640 Speaker 1: But when I heard that song and I heard how 515 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: great country music could be and how powerful it could be, 516 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,879 Speaker 1: that changed me forever. And I was one of the 517 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: lucky ones. I was surrounded by everything from gospel music 518 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 1: to R and B, and my daddy was a rock 519 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: and roller, but he also loved the country. My grandfather 520 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,959 Speaker 1: played in a bluegrass band, so I loved bluegrass growing up. 521 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: I had it from all sides, and I'm so grateful now. 522 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:10,440 Speaker 1: I didn't even realize it at the time. What a 523 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: treasure that was to have, you know, to be surrounded 524 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:21,040 Speaker 1: by all of those different kinds of musical influences was remarkable. 525 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 3: So let's do a little segment that we'd like to 526 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 3: call famous firsts here. First time you knew that you 527 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:31,439 Speaker 3: loved music? 528 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:35,399 Speaker 1: Well, I mean, I think that the first time I 529 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: knew I loved music was early on, as a kid, 530 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,480 Speaker 1: probably five or six years old, listening to my dad's 531 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:45,560 Speaker 1: band and listening to them rehearse and watching the drummer 532 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: and just you know, I couldn't get enough of it. 533 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: I was, you know, playing my first little drum kit 534 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 1: that was bought at a garage to say, when I 535 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: was six or seven years old, and I'd put headthunds 536 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: on and play, you know, some of my favorite records. 537 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: And that's how I started. And I knew I loved that. 538 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 1: I knew there was something in there that wasn't going 539 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: to leave anytime soon. 540 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 3: First time you heard one of your songs on the 541 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 3: radio That. 542 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: Would be in my Christian band East to West in 543 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,120 Speaker 1: the early nineties. We were visiting, you know, doing a 544 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: radio tour. My college roommate and I had a band 545 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:23,640 Speaker 1: called East to West and we were signed to Benson Records, 546 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: and we had six number ones. We were together for 547 00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 1: about four and a half years, so much fun. But 548 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: they would have been at the radio station when they 549 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: played our single on there for the first time. I 550 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: heard Welcome to the Next Level, which was our first single, 551 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: And I never will forget what an amazing experience that 552 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 1: was hearing your record over the radio airways. 553 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:48,560 Speaker 3: Your experience when you got your first number. 554 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 1: One, Oh man, I think we were on the road 555 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 1: at the time. There was a chart back of the 556 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: early two thousands called the g two chart at Gavin Chart, 557 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 1: and technically Praying for Daylight was a number one song, 558 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: but it was only a number one song on the 559 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:05,960 Speaker 1: Gamon chart, and I think it was a number three 560 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 1: on Billboard and at that time R and R. So 561 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: our first bonified number one record was These Days, and 562 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: I think we were on the road at the time, 563 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:19,360 Speaker 1: and we celebrated backstage after one of the shows that night, 564 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:23,719 Speaker 1: and that was a remarkable time, really wonderful memory. 565 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 3: I'm sure you had no idea you would continue to 566 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 3: repeat that experience many times. 567 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 1: Well, we felt very lucky to have one to be 568 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:33,360 Speaker 1: honest with you. 569 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,280 Speaker 3: I dare say, I bet it never gets old. 570 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: No, it's always you know, it sounds so cliche to say, 571 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: but it's always a wonderful, great feeling to know that 572 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: you've got a number one song. I mean, it never 573 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 1: gets old. 574 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 3: First album you owned. 575 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 1: That would have been probably Gosh Chicago sixteen YEP. 576 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 3: And first concert experience Dolly Parton. 577 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: My mom took me to see her at the Ohio 578 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: State Fair and then we won't forget it. That's when 579 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: I fell in love with live music. I saw the 580 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: light show and the stage show and how tight her 581 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:16,760 Speaker 1: band was. I was probably ten or eleven years old 582 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:22,320 Speaker 1: at the time. It was remarkable, and I remember looking 583 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 1: at that stage going, I don't want to do that 584 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: for the rest of my life. Somehow I want to 585 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 1: figure out a way to be on that stage and 586 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 1: do exactly that right there. 587 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 3: Did you have one of those big funnel cakes while 588 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:33,480 Speaker 3: you were there? 589 00:31:34,640 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: Probably so, or a corn dog in to stay or something. 590 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 1: I'm sure I did. 591 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 3: My father in law and I ate our way across 592 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 3: the Ohio State. 593 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 2: Fair one time. 594 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,080 Speaker 3: I swear to God, we must have put on ten pounds. 595 00:31:48,920 --> 00:31:50,920 Speaker 3: Easy to do and the funny thing is we had 596 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 3: to go out to a dinner with the family after 597 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:56,280 Speaker 3: and actually leave room to eat, and we were so full. 598 00:31:57,880 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: It's easy to do, no doubt about. 599 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 3: So twenty eighteen Red Street Records is formed. Tell me 600 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 3: about the formation. What was behind starting a label? 601 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: I think I always wanted to, in the back of 602 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 1: my mind, be in a place where as I got 603 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: older in my career, was you know, settling in more 604 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: and the flats, coming to the point to where we 605 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 1: weren't touring. It's armed and life wasn't as crazy. I 606 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:28,400 Speaker 1: always wanted to be in a place to help other artists. 607 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 1: I've always had on a heart for other artists, being 608 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 1: an artist myself, and it seemed like a natural thing 609 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:35,719 Speaker 1: to sort of start out small and see if I 610 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 1: had an affinity first first of all, and see if 611 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: I was any good at it. So I started out 612 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:44,720 Speaker 1: with a buddy of mine, Jason Krabb, and another group 613 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:48,320 Speaker 1: called Avalon signed a couple of Christian addicts. And the 614 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 1: more I did it, the more I got into it, 615 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: I discovered quickly that I did love it. Ken I 616 00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 1: learned that I brought some value to them, having done 617 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:02,320 Speaker 1: you know, been in the business for thirty plus years myself. 618 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:06,040 Speaker 1: I had things to offer them that conventional label heads 619 00:33:06,560 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 1: don't possess. So my view is very, very unique in 620 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 1: that I can give them some advice about being an 621 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 1: artist and about trying to achieve their goals that not 622 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 1: a lot of other people in town can. And so 623 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: I realized that that had value. I realized that there 624 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 1: was a place for that. And the more I did it, 625 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:27,480 Speaker 1: the more I fell in love with it. The more 626 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,040 Speaker 1: I loved being able to like pass on any knowledge 627 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 1: that I had to new artists, and also passing the 628 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: torch on to a elder or the next generation of 629 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 1: country music stars was really really exciting for me. So 630 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:43,360 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two we opened up a Country Division 631 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:46,400 Speaker 1: two and now we have just signed Chris Lane. I've 632 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 1: got Neil and Union, a really wonderful duo, and Ryan Larkins, 633 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:56,520 Speaker 1: who is incredibly gifted, and Ryan Griffin. So we've grown 634 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 1: a lot in the past three years, and it's been 635 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 1: remarkable to see how all the dots connected and how 636 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:04,440 Speaker 1: the Good Lord has really put us in a place 637 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:08,880 Speaker 1: and set us up for success. And I'm so grateful 638 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:11,320 Speaker 1: and so honored by the fact that so many artists 639 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:15,360 Speaker 1: have trusted our careers or trusted their careers with us. 640 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: It's a really, really wonderful thing to be a part of. 641 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 3: There's so many intricate aspects of running a business like that, obviously, 642 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:26,000 Speaker 3: the publishing side, and the A and R side, and 643 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 3: the airplay side. And it seems like you've certainly, with 644 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:36,880 Speaker 3: the success of the label, reinvested pretty regularly. Is that true. 645 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's very true. I've got a wonderful partner, Dan Crockett, 646 00:34:40,080 --> 00:34:43,440 Speaker 1: who came along signed in twenty twenty during the pandemic, 647 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 1: because I'd started in eighteen and I'd hired about six 648 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:48,760 Speaker 1: or seven people, and I was doing it all myself, 649 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:50,400 Speaker 1: and I got to the point to where, you know, 650 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:52,319 Speaker 1: the Farewell tour was going to be canceled, and I'm 651 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,239 Speaker 1: sitting around and going, gosh, I've just gotten this off 652 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 1: to the ground. What I'm not going to do? I 653 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 1: called my dear friend. He jumped in, and he's been 654 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 1: a magnificent partner and sort of help, you know, given 655 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,040 Speaker 1: me the ability to realize all of my dreams and 656 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 1: hire the people I wanted to hire. We've got about 657 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,439 Speaker 1: twenty folks, and to your point, about so many intricacies 658 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:15,919 Speaker 1: in running a label. I've been able to really hand 659 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: pick some people that have a whole lot of experience 660 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,879 Speaker 1: and know things about the music business that I don't 661 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:24,760 Speaker 1: know they've got. You know, I've got some remarkable people 662 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 1: like Alex Valentine who's our general manager, and Mike Craft, 663 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 1: who's our CFO. We've got a wonderful and our department 664 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 1: headed by Kelly King, who's been working with me since 665 00:35:35,400 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 1: the day Rascal Flat started. She helped find, you know, 666 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 1: some of our biggest hits. So there are nobody's ears 667 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,360 Speaker 1: that I trust in instincts that I trust more than Kelly's. 668 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:48,279 Speaker 1: So I've got myself surrounded by this trusted group of 669 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:50,799 Speaker 1: people that really helped me figure out the things that 670 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:54,000 Speaker 1: I don't instinctually know about the music business. I'm very, 671 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,720 Speaker 1: very creative, and I know how to do the creative 672 00:35:56,920 --> 00:36:01,920 Speaker 1: very well, but some of the more administrative managerial of things, 673 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:05,239 Speaker 1: I lead that to the people that know what they're doing. 674 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 3: How were your leadership skills shaped? 675 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 2: You know? 676 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:12,000 Speaker 1: I think being in a band it really put me 677 00:36:12,040 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 1: in a good place to learn a lot and learn 678 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 1: how to deal with different personalities. You know, when you 679 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:20,880 Speaker 1: have band personality that you deal with and crew personnel 680 00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: that you deal with. It really without even knowing it 681 00:36:24,040 --> 00:36:25,759 Speaker 1: puts you in a place to where you're able to 682 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:30,359 Speaker 1: deal with multiple different personality times. So when you get 683 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:33,360 Speaker 1: thrown into a situation where you're working in close proximity 684 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:36,360 Speaker 1: with different personalities all the time, it's not always going 685 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,759 Speaker 1: to be perfect harmony. You've got to be part of 686 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:42,160 Speaker 1: counselor per cheerleader, per coach, and I think all of 687 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:45,760 Speaker 1: those things are developed over time, but I didn't realize how, 688 00:36:46,320 --> 00:36:49,920 Speaker 1: you know, what a wonderful education I was getting being 689 00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: on the road for as long as I was and 690 00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: sharpening those leadership skills, because you know, all the three 691 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:59,280 Speaker 1: of us were the leaders of our company in our business, 692 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:02,080 Speaker 1: and we had to make those decisions. It's not always 693 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,120 Speaker 1: easy and people don't always love what you have to say, 694 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:08,080 Speaker 1: but at the end of the day, your responsibility is 695 00:37:08,120 --> 00:37:11,160 Speaker 1: to do what is best for the company first. And 696 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:15,640 Speaker 1: so I'm really really enjoyed being in a place to 697 00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:19,480 Speaker 1: where I feel like I can use the skills that 698 00:37:19,560 --> 00:37:22,560 Speaker 1: I developed without even really even realizing that I had 699 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:23,720 Speaker 1: developed them over time. 700 00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:29,319 Speaker 3: I mean, your reputation as stellar, how did you learn 701 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,640 Speaker 3: the importance of reputation. 702 00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:36,799 Speaker 1: I think that started early on in college. The guy 703 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:39,360 Speaker 1: that brought me is to Lee University. His name is 704 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:41,479 Speaker 1: Danny Murray, and he was always like a second father 705 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:44,520 Speaker 1: to me, and he taught me the value of relationships, 706 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:47,960 Speaker 1: and I think that's where it starts first. If you're 707 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:50,600 Speaker 1: not a good steward of your relationships and you're not 708 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: a person that is honorable to your word, and you're 709 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:57,480 Speaker 1: not a good friend, that will catch up with you 710 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 1: over time, people will find out what you're made of. 711 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 1: And if you can't. Vince Gill told me one time, 712 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:05,960 Speaker 1: he said, you know the thing that I tell all artists, 713 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,719 Speaker 1: And I'm fortunate to be dear friends with Vince, and 714 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:12,480 Speaker 1: this is advice that everybody could use. If you're not 715 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:17,360 Speaker 1: gracious on the way up and gracious on the way down, 716 00:38:17,760 --> 00:38:20,960 Speaker 1: it's gonna reveal which your character is, really, really, really fast. 717 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 1: And I've always tried. Nobody's perfect, but I've always tried 718 00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 1: to be cognizant of the fact that I'm blessed and 719 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:31,200 Speaker 1: have been very blessed to do what we've done over 720 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:34,279 Speaker 1: the last twenty plus years. And I'm one of the 721 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:37,359 Speaker 1: lucky ones. So few get to be where we've been, 722 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 1: and I feel grateful and humbled by it. And so 723 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:46,600 Speaker 1: I've really tried to communicate to the people that have 724 00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:49,640 Speaker 1: been cheerleaders of mine and friends of mine and business 725 00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:52,160 Speaker 1: associates of mine over the years. I've tried to be 726 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:55,799 Speaker 1: consistent and communicate the fact that I appreciate that they 727 00:38:55,880 --> 00:38:58,920 Speaker 1: worked so hard for us, or that they had our backs, 728 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:00,799 Speaker 1: or that they were such a good friend to us. 729 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:03,160 Speaker 1: I've tried to be consistent in that because I believe, 730 00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:05,719 Speaker 1: like I said at the beginning, that relationships in this 731 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:07,440 Speaker 1: business mean everything. 732 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:08,319 Speaker 2: I really do. 733 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:12,880 Speaker 3: When you look at Red Street, now, where do you 734 00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:16,279 Speaker 3: want Red Street to be a couple of years from now? 735 00:39:17,239 --> 00:39:19,160 Speaker 1: You know, I want us to be successful. I want 736 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:22,840 Speaker 1: us to be consistently great at putting out great music, 737 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 1: compelling music. You know, we're such a young company still 738 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:29,839 Speaker 1: and we've got a little metum, but you know you don't. 739 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:32,640 Speaker 1: We haven't proven anything yet. You don't prove anything until 740 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:34,960 Speaker 1: you have a hit. I want us to have some gits. 741 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:36,759 Speaker 1: I want to have the kind of artists that we 742 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:40,400 Speaker 1: build long sustainable careers. I believe that we have some 743 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:43,920 Speaker 1: stars in the making on our roster and My desire 744 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:47,200 Speaker 1: for them is that they get the credit that they're 745 00:39:47,239 --> 00:39:49,640 Speaker 1: I believe that they're due. So I just want us 746 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:51,719 Speaker 1: to carve out a little space for us. I think 747 00:39:51,719 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 1: there's enough room for all of us in this town. 748 00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:56,200 Speaker 1: And I think that Red Street can do really, really 749 00:39:56,200 --> 00:40:01,440 Speaker 1: great business. But with every business, in the music business, 750 00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:03,960 Speaker 1: you needed a little luck. You got to have it. 751 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:06,120 Speaker 1: So that's what we're praying for every day. 752 00:40:07,040 --> 00:40:09,120 Speaker 3: How did you get the acting bug? You've been in 753 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:15,960 Speaker 3: a few shows CSI, Crime Scene Investigation, among others. How 754 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:17,160 Speaker 3: did you get the bug? 755 00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:20,600 Speaker 1: You know, I've always kind of had it. I was 756 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:23,839 Speaker 1: in a musical theater in high school and dabbled in it. 757 00:40:24,160 --> 00:40:27,320 Speaker 1: And I think the more active friends that I started 758 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:30,440 Speaker 1: to have along the way, and meeting through Rascal Flats 759 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:34,040 Speaker 1: obviously one of my dear friends, Billy Zapka, who's Johnny 760 00:40:34,040 --> 00:40:36,960 Speaker 1: and the Karate Kid, and you know, living vicariously through 761 00:40:37,080 --> 00:40:39,680 Speaker 1: him and hearing his wonderful stories about working with other 762 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:43,040 Speaker 1: great actors kind of really piqued my interest in it. 763 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:49,080 Speaker 1: We did the CSI episode and the director Ken think, Oh, 764 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:51,320 Speaker 1: I don't want to say he took an interest in me, 765 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:54,239 Speaker 1: but he paid more attention to me than I expected, 766 00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:57,040 Speaker 1: and we had a couple of great conversations in catering. 767 00:40:57,239 --> 00:40:59,880 Speaker 1: He was like, you know, you got a neck for this. 768 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:03,800 Speaker 1: The camera likes your face, and you've got some natural ability. 769 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:06,080 Speaker 1: If this is something you wanted to do, you know, 770 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:09,160 Speaker 1: as time permits, I would encourage you to do more 771 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:11,279 Speaker 1: of this because I think you could do it. So 772 00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:13,160 Speaker 1: that was all I needed to hear. I was off 773 00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:16,919 Speaker 1: to the races. I got an agent and started doing headshots, 774 00:41:17,120 --> 00:41:20,160 Speaker 1: going out for different parts. And I've done some television 775 00:41:20,239 --> 00:41:23,640 Speaker 1: and gotten some little roles and some films here and there, 776 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:26,279 Speaker 1: and I've also scored a couple of films. So I 777 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:29,319 Speaker 1: really I have a desire to do it more. I'm 778 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:31,239 Speaker 1: trying to be really really good at where I am 779 00:41:31,360 --> 00:41:33,759 Speaker 1: right now at Red Street, and don't have too much 780 00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:36,600 Speaker 1: on my plate that distracts my focus from here. But 781 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:40,200 Speaker 1: I would really love eventually to be able to do more. 782 00:41:41,160 --> 00:41:41,359 Speaker 2: Well. 783 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:47,280 Speaker 3: In closing, you seem like a continuous learner. What hapen's 784 00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:50,080 Speaker 3: you learn that you wish you still can learn? 785 00:41:51,160 --> 00:41:54,960 Speaker 1: Patience? I really, I really wish I could learn how 786 00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:58,040 Speaker 1: to be patient. I am a person that wants things 787 00:41:58,120 --> 00:42:01,879 Speaker 1: done yesterday and when it comes to something like this 788 00:42:02,560 --> 00:42:06,480 Speaker 1: in Red Street. I mean, I want success last year, 789 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:09,960 Speaker 1: you know. Being patient sometimes and letting things play out 790 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:12,480 Speaker 1: the way that they need to and letting things just 791 00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:15,880 Speaker 1: happen is really tough for me to learn. Because I 792 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:19,319 Speaker 1: think my bandmates would tell you this too. I have 793 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:23,000 Speaker 1: a really a propensity to be very controlling. I want 794 00:42:23,080 --> 00:42:25,319 Speaker 1: I want the outcome to be exactly the way I 795 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:28,200 Speaker 1: want it to be. That also comes from I think 796 00:42:28,360 --> 00:42:31,640 Speaker 1: producing records and being, you know, being in charge of 797 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:34,040 Speaker 1: so many different moving parts and making sure that everything 798 00:42:34,520 --> 00:42:36,320 Speaker 1: sounds the way that it's supposed to and all the 799 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:38,600 Speaker 1: right parts are on there and it all sounds right 800 00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:42,000 Speaker 1: in the mix. It's just part of my personality that's 801 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:46,920 Speaker 1: hard for me sometimes to put the reins on. So 802 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:51,400 Speaker 1: I'm working every day at being more patient. But I 803 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:53,600 Speaker 1: appreciate you saying that because I do feel like I 804 00:42:53,680 --> 00:42:57,040 Speaker 1: learned something every day. I'm trying to keep my mind 805 00:42:57,080 --> 00:42:59,799 Speaker 1: and my heart open to things that I need to learn. 806 00:43:01,000 --> 00:43:05,480 Speaker 3: Jay DeMarcus, an honor to meet you. Continued success on 807 00:43:05,719 --> 00:43:08,400 Speaker 3: all the paths in your tremendous career. 808 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:11,000 Speaker 1: I appreciate that. Thank you for your time, and thanks 809 00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:11,560 Speaker 1: for having me. 810 00:43:13,040 --> 00:43:15,520 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 811 00:43:15,520 --> 00:43:19,440 Speaker 2: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 812 00:43:19,520 --> 00:43:23,000 Speaker 2: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 813 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:26,959 Speaker 2: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 814 00:43:27,160 --> 00:44:03,920 Speaker 2: and wherever you get your podcasts in