1 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: It's Ranger Smith. This is my podcast episode thirteen. Hey, 2 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: if this is your first podcast to listen to by me, 3 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: I encourage you to go backwards and listen to some 4 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: more episodes. This is my way to tell the whole 5 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: story from the back of my bus. Thanks for listening. 6 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: This is a fun time for me. Touring has been 7 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:35,160 Speaker 1: absolutely insane, which it usually is in the summer. I'm 8 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: currently in Colorado, just got back from Australia and Hawaii 9 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: yesterday last night. We got in about midnight and jumped 10 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 1: on the bus and then woke up in Brighton, Colorado, 11 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: where we're gonna play a county fair today. We fly 12 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: to Mississippi tomorrow and then we fly back to meet 13 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: the buses in Oregon, play shows in Washington, and then 14 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: to Kansas. And that's about as far as I can remember. 15 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: But it's a good time. It's a good time to 16 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: be torn, that's for sure. I've been excited about a 17 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: lot of things lately, especially right now, because I have 18 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: this brand new book out called If Your City, If 19 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: Your Country, and I'm going to do a lot of interviews. 20 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do a lot of radio shows about this. 21 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: But today I want to take you behind the curtain 22 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: and tell you where the idea came from, how the 23 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: heck we wrote it, and who I wrote it with, 24 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: from creation to finish line. Here's the whole story, all right. 25 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: If you want me to answer a question from you 26 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: on this podcast, go to social media, ask your question 27 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: and then hashtag Granger Smith podcast. That way I could 28 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 1: search for it like I'm doing right now, read it 29 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: and answer it. This one's on Twitter from Quinn Odenthal. 30 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: It says, can you start each podcast with like a 31 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: one minute section of an unreleased song? Quinn, I think 32 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: that's a great idea. Here's a song that didn't make 33 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: the last record. I still think it's a great song. 34 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: And just because it's not on an album doesn't mean 35 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,559 Speaker 1: it's gone forever. But let me know what you think. 36 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: This is called still find You. You could be a 37 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 1: need in a haystack. There he'd way down deep in 38 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: the back of the barn in the middle, and no, 39 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: I still find you. You can being drop in the 40 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: desert or snow flake in a blizzard. Gurl. It don't 41 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: matter how buzz are, how far ain't nothing in order 42 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: to keep us apart, I still find you. Shutting metting 43 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: with the baby blue mass forgeting me, glowing my mind, 44 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: I still find you, making me want you like I 45 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: want you right now and girl, I want you right now. Oh, 46 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: there's no place side I want to go. There's nothing 47 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 1: I wonder even when I'm thinking another myself is too 48 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: I still find you. Thanks for the question, Quinn. We 49 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: could play this game every single podcast. I got lots 50 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: of songs. I actually wrote that song in Vancouver, British Columbia, 51 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: and I was on tour and I had some buddies 52 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: out writing. We called ourselves SGOP. And the funny thing 53 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: about it is during that trip, over the course of 54 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:21,959 Speaker 1: three days, we wrote Happens like that, Never too Old, 55 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: Still holds Up, and still find You, and so of 56 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 1: that entire trip, still find You was the only song 57 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: that didn't make though, when the Good Guys went album. 58 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: By the way, I'm on that same bus right now. 59 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: We are parked in Kansas City going to play a 60 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: show tonight. I've moved around a little bit since I 61 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: started this episode. I started that in Colorado, and then 62 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: I went back to Mississippi. Then I went back to 63 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: the West Coast and played a couple of shows in 64 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: Washington State. I went home for a day and a half. 65 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: Here I am in Kansas City. Tomorrow is Louisville and 66 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: then Baltimore. If you want to keep up with me, 67 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: go to grangersmith dot com slash tour love to see 68 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: on the road. That's my favorite thing of everything that 69 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: we do is touring, and I also like to meet you. 70 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: We have VIP packages available on my website. We have 71 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: a Silver meet and greet and a Gold meet and greet. 72 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: The Gold gets to come up on my bus and 73 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: hang out for a little bit, take some pictures, sign 74 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: whatever you need, and get to know you. And that's 75 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: what happens. I really get to know my fans during 76 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: these meet and greets and kind of get my gauge 77 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: on how the show is going to go, what kind 78 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: of people are at the show tonight. I hear all 79 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:37,160 Speaker 1: kinds of personal stories, and I love that. That's one 80 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: of my favorite things is learning who I'm performing to. 81 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: I have notes letters that you guys have written me. 82 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: Some of them are very heartfelt letters, and I have 83 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: every single one of them under this mattress right here 84 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 1: in my bed in the back of my bus. I 85 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: want to talk about some of that one of these days, 86 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 1: I want to make an entire podcast about these letters 87 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: and about these people and their stories and how that 88 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: inspires me to be a better artist. Bath Tractor Massy 89 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 1: Red Pain takes a couple more cranks these days, but 90 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 1: it's Stew holds up. Yeah, Stew holds up. That's forty 91 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: five Max Wheeling song. Every time it comes on. It 92 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: might have a little crack, a little vinal, but give 93 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: a little time and it'll get you down deep in 94 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: the gush. It still holds up, She'll real strud still 95 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: turn like a kitten, like a deep drawing engine, like 96 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 1: a cold glass bottle coke and mama cooking in the kitchen. Man, 97 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: it never did sold my true I am and where 98 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 1: I'm from, damn sure. So if you're listening to these 99 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: podcasts in order, and the last one you heard was 100 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: episode twelve, which that's pretty cool if you are, thank 101 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: you for that. But you know that I've been telling 102 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: this story since the very beginning of my career, and 103 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: I've kind of been leading you down this path, and 104 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: I think that's important for you to know. As a fan, 105 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: I would sure want to know it. You know, I 106 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: was a huge George straight fan, and I would have 107 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: loved to have heard something like this from George and 108 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: maybe that's where the inspiration of all this comes from. 109 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: But I've been leading you down this path, and in 110 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: that path, It's about two thousand and nine ten, and 111 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: I was working on a brand new album called Poets 112 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 1: and Prisoners, and things are about to get really, really 113 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: pivotal in my career. Things are about to get really important, 114 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: and I have to tell you that story. But meanwhile, 115 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: on this episode thirteen, I want to take a little 116 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: bit of a departure because I have this new book 117 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,719 Speaker 1: that's just hitting Amazon right now. It's called If Your City, 118 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: If Your Country. I guess it depends on when you 119 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: listen to it. It comes out August twenty first, twenty eighteen. Now, 120 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: because obviously this is not going to be sitting on 121 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 1: the front shelf of every Barnes and Noble in America. 122 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: The only way I'm really going to be able to 123 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: spread the word on this book that I'm very proud 124 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: of is by word of mouth, by telling you. And 125 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: what better way do I have than this podcast? About 126 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: five years ago, I had a vision, a vision for 127 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: Earl Dibbles Junior to write a book. I remember when 128 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: I was a kid back home, Mom and dad had 129 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: this book and it was always on the coffee table, 130 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,679 Speaker 1: and it said on the front, fifty reasons to become 131 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: a cowboy, and then you flip it over on the 132 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: back and it says fifty reasons to not become a cowboy. 133 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: It was a great little book with funny illustrations and 134 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: these little bitty short quips in each page on why 135 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: you should be a ca and then you look at 136 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: the other side and it would be why you shouldn't 137 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: be a cowboy. And ever since Earl Dibvils Junior came around, 138 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: I always thought it would be so funny and fun 139 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: to write a book on if your country or if 140 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: your city, and how to tell the difference and so 141 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: on one page, I could have you know, if your city, 142 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 1: you're going to do this scenario, and on the other page, 143 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 1: if your country, you'll do this scenario. And you know 144 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: what better author than Earl Dibbles to speak about this subject. Anyway, 145 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: I went to New York City with my brother Tyler, 146 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 1: and our mission in New York City was to talk 147 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 1: to some publishers and talk to them about who Earl 148 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 1: was and the possibility of us having a book. So 149 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: I remember we sat down in the office, and keep 150 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: in mind, this was about five years ago, about twenty thirteen. 151 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 1: I remember we sat down and a lot of people 152 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: told us. This guy that you're about to meet, he 153 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: knows everything about books. He's been doing this for a 154 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: long time. You know. We went in there and you 155 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: can see all these shelves of all these books that 156 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: he'd published, and he kind of kicked back in his 157 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: chair and his glasses down at the end of his nose, 158 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: and he said, son, tell me your idea. That's why 159 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: I told him the basic idea of if your city, 160 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: of your country, and he said, that'll never work. He said, 161 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 1: people don't want that kind of book anymore. It used 162 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: to be okay, but now you got to have a chapter, 163 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: and you got to divide your book into a bunch 164 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: of chapters, and so it would be something along the 165 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: lines of chapter one, how to do this country activity? 166 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 1: Say it's fishing, and you've got to write several pages 167 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 1: on how earld nibbles would fish. It's not a bad idea. 168 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 1: I actually kind of liked that idea, and there might 169 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: be one eventually, but I was dead set on my 170 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: one page one quip with an illustration, and he was 171 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 1: dead said that I was wrong now anytime in my career. 172 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 1: And this has happened many times. People have looked me 173 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: in the and said, son, that will never work, and 174 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 1: that just kind of lights a fire under me. You know, 175 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: no one wants to hear that, especially the word never. 176 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: Don't ever ever, don't you never tell me never. I've 177 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: heard it enough and I've learned enough that there's always 178 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: a way. And so here I am right now on 179 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:30,199 Speaker 1: my bus holding this book and so hey, dude, I'm 180 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 1: looking at never right in the face. Okay, I don't 181 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: have an official sponsor for this podcast besides ye yee 182 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: Energy and that's my energy drink. Me and my brothers 183 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:48,839 Speaker 1: made this thing. We started from the very beginning from 184 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: taste testing recipes that companies literally sent us in the mail, 185 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: these little vials of energy drink, and we would go 186 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: back and we would say, not this one, not this one, 187 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,719 Speaker 1: maybe number seven, but it's too sweet. Can you make 188 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: it a little more tangy? And so we finally got 189 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:07,679 Speaker 1: the exact drink that we want so that we can 190 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 1: call it Yeee Energy, and we're so proud of it. 191 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: I think it started, you know, kind of like the book, 192 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,760 Speaker 1: kind of when Red Bull and a Monster and all 193 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: these companies would never call us back to give us 194 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: free drinks for our green room, we decided to screw it, 195 00:11:23,440 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: We'll make our own, and that became Yeee Energy. I 196 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 1: hope you try it someday, go to Amazon Prime orgrangersmith 197 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: dot com or get it at My Life show. So 198 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: if you haven't realized it yet, I'm very bad at 199 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 1: taking no for an answer, which drove my mom and 200 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: dad crazy growing up, but it has served me well 201 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: in the music business because you have to be extremely 202 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: stubborn in the music business, and I have plenty of that. 203 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: When I finally decided that now is the time for 204 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 1: the book, which was about a year and a half ago, 205 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 1: and before I started writing, before I wrote a single page, 206 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: I wanted to make one phone call. I wanted to 207 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 1: call a guy that I knew would get this. And 208 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 1: if you look at the book, if you look at 209 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: page one, it says additional content contributions by Frank Rogers, 210 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,719 Speaker 1: Tyler Smith, and Chris Lee. Now you all know Chris Lee. 211 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: He's my tour manager, and you know what he has 212 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: done in the life of Earl. It's been huge what 213 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: he has done for Earl. And you know Tyler Smith, 214 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: that's my brother, my manager, and Tyler was one of 215 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: the founders of Earl with me, and he has helped 216 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: tremendously in the life of what has become Earl Dibbles. 217 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:33,959 Speaker 1: But I don't know if you've ever heard me talk 218 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 1: about Frank Rogers. He wasn't there for the first two 219 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 1: songs of Earl, but everything after that Frank has either 220 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: been a co producer on it or a co writer 221 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: on it. In fact, I think he's been a co 222 00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: writer on all of them since Country Will Love Now. 223 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: Frank is a huge country music producer who has been 224 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: responsible for some really big superstars that owe Frank a 225 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: huge amount of credit for the work that he's done 226 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 1: on their careers. In fact, I think he's been responsible 227 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,439 Speaker 1: for forty number one songs in country music. It's crazy 228 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: to me. Frank is also a great friend, and the 229 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: guy is super witty. He's really funny. You sit in 230 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 1: the room with Frank for a few minutes and he'll 231 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: have you laugh. And he's just that kind of guy. 232 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: He's he's the class clown and I think most of 233 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: us were that work on Earl Dibbles, and that's what 234 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: makes Earl what it is. In fact, when I first 235 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: had the idea to make this book and to really 236 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:31,920 Speaker 1: execute this book, I talked to Tyler about it and 237 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: he said, cool, we'll just write, you know, fifty pages 238 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: of funny stuff and let's see what you got. And 239 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: my first thought was, I gotta call Frank. You know, 240 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: there is not going to be a book without Frank, Like, 241 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: Frank will be all over this idea. In fact, let 242 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: me call him right now. Yellow, Hey, what you're doing? 243 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:05,439 Speaker 1: So is it forumber ones h as producer? Yeah? As producer? Yeah, 244 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: because we were at thirty nine with back Road song? Yep. 245 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: Then you get that old five more minutes. Yeah, congrats 246 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: on that. But again and uh so that's that's an 247 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: even forty. We need to make that forty one very 248 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: soon play if you're in it. So how many of 249 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: that is? I know, I can't remember what you said. 250 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: Songwriting wise that is? I know that's forty produced number 251 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: ones five, I think songwriting wise, and did you produce 252 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: all five of those? I did? Okay, I have I've 253 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: had top twenties that I didn't produce. But I had 254 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: hit a number one that I didn't produce. There's got 255 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: to be a connection with that somehow, I guess. So 256 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: don't trust another producer. Was one of your songs or 257 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 1: I just know how to make them sound good? So 258 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: you don't know the songs? Aren't they good? Sure? Got you? 259 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: All right? Well, all right, so I'm doing this podcast 260 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: and you're on it right now? Okay, right now? Yeah, yeah, 261 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: you're on it, and and I have I've kind of 262 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 1: led up to you a little bit here and we 263 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: met in the year two thousand, College Station, Texas. Yes, yeah, 264 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: one of the one of the best performances you have 265 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: ever seen it. It's the pinnacle of performances in my 266 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: entire career, I think because there was a lot of 267 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,040 Speaker 1: cold beer and there are a lot of cute women around. 268 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: It was perfect that had there been it. Yes, it was. 269 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: It was a great show. Remember like it was yesterday? Yeah, 270 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: I do too. So basically what happened is you you 271 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: went down there by the suggestion of some publishers to 272 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: go down there, Hey check out this guy, this kid, 273 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: and if we signed them to our publishing company, you 274 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 1: could produce them and more importantly, you could excite Granger 275 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: into wanting to sign with us because look at we 276 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: got this big rock star producer with us. Well you 277 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: were good up until Rockstar. Well okay, well you I 278 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: think you just had Brad at the time. Yeah, there 279 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: was two thousand that would have been Brad, maybe Darryl Worley, 280 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 1: maybe Daryl. Yeah, yeah, Darryl's out. Yes, we were starting 281 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: on Josh Tournament. I don't I don't believe anything to 282 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 1: come out yet. Yeah, kind of in that era. So 283 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: the the crazy thing is I did sign with that 284 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: company and move to town, and me and you did 285 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: work together. But the funny part of the story was 286 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: we didn't make a real record for what fifteen years 287 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 1: after that? I know, yeah we did. Uh, we got together. 288 00:16:55,480 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: We may have done a demo session and uh then 289 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: you ended up kind of going and doing rebuilding your 290 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 1: world down in Texas and spreading out from there. And 291 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: then we reconnected what ten years later? I mean it 292 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 1: was more like maybe thirteen, I said fifteen, but maybe 293 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:19,399 Speaker 1: about thirteen, twenty thirteen or fourteen. I was in a 294 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: hotel room, I don't remember where, and I get a 295 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: text message and it says Granger question Mark. I said, 296 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: I think I said, Frank question Mark. We hadn't talked 297 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: in the year a decade exactly. And I don't remember 298 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: how it came across my desk, but it may have 299 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: been just coming through the utube spy bar, or maybe 300 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: someone turned out to it. I think I just just 301 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 1: kind of popped up. Yeah, And I looked over there 302 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 1: and it was Earl Divils Junior. And I went that 303 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: loss a whole lot like Grangery, and I had it, 304 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: well that's Granger. That's not his name, but that's Granger. 305 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: And I started laughing hysterically and I said, I got 306 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: to figure out what this guy's up to these days. Yeah, 307 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: Earl Divils brought us back together. Yes he did, Yes 308 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 1: he did. And that's uh, that's part of what's been 309 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 1: so fun working together again. It's been you. You have 310 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 1: gotten Earl since the very beginning, you know, before Earl 311 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 1: was you know, all over TV and has a book 312 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: coming out. You got Earl way before that. And and 313 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: I went to your house and we wrote the entire 314 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: Remington album actually at your house and fun fun process. Yeah, yeah, 315 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 1: and uh, one of those songs was back Road song. 316 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: Which is uh, and that's another story for another podcast. 317 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,440 Speaker 1: But I will tell you that that song is platinum, 318 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:54,120 Speaker 1: so hopefully I'm the first one telling you that. Yes, well, congratulations, 319 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:56,720 Speaker 1: that's great. Yeah, so that day we wrote a platinum 320 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 1: song at your house. But you from the very beginning 321 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:03,920 Speaker 1: one to continue with Earl absolutely, which is just so fun. 322 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,200 Speaker 1: You said, we got we got to write the Granger songs, 323 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 1: but we also have to continue with Earl. And I 324 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 1: remember I said, well, great, because I have this song 325 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 1: called city Boy Stuck. I want to pitch it. And 326 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 1: I kind of played a little bit of city Boy 327 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: Stuck in and I remember you said, yeah, that's great, 328 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 1: we'll write it as long as we get to write 329 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 1: a song called America. That was that was your vision 330 00:19:26,680 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: from day one. America was your baby, your vision. You know. 331 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: That's what's fun about Earl. And let's be honest, it's 332 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 1: not me. I'm not I have never done anything with Earl. Yeah, 333 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:40,239 Speaker 1: I'm not the only one with an alter ego. You 334 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: have an alter ego too. Yeah, here's a fellow that 335 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:47,719 Speaker 1: looks a lot like me. It's Austin Outlaw. Look on 336 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:49,880 Speaker 1: all the liner notes, there is no Frank Rodgers. When 337 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: it comes to Earl Dibbles, it's only Austin outlaw, and 338 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:56,160 Speaker 1: I think it was we go every uh, every Fourth 339 00:19:56,160 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: of July, we go to South Carolina and hang out 340 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: at the beach and there's a whole kind of inlet 341 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: voting crew that is just as red as you can 342 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: possibly be. That are all our friends. And we were 343 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: hanging around the Fourth of July and there were flags 344 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:18,280 Speaker 1: everywhere and everybody was drinking beer and having a big time. 345 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: And I left around and someone said America and I went, well, 346 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: that's what Earl needs to do right there. Yep. Yeah. 347 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,879 Speaker 1: And so what a lot of people didn't know was 348 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: a lot of people know Earl is based out of Texas, 349 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 1: but I don't think a lot of them knew until 350 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 1: you just said that that Earle has a huge influence 351 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: from South Carolina, which is which is what you've brought 352 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: to the table. So yeah, yeah, this has been a 353 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: this has been a South Carolina Texas merger. And that 354 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: brings me to uh, to this book. Yes, that we 355 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 1: wrote and when we wrote Don't Tread on Me, that 356 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: song was completely remote. We never we're in the same 357 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: room at the same time. No, we emailed back and forth, 358 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: and we completed the entire song separately. And that's the 359 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 1: same way this book came about, absolutely, which and this 360 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: is the first time I've ever I've written parts of songs, 361 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 1: you know, start a song with someone and then finish 362 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,120 Speaker 1: it long distance or over sky for something like that. 363 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: But that song was the first time I've ever never 364 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:27,160 Speaker 1: been in a room with the person and completely written 365 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: a song. Yeah, yeah, well yeah, often yeah, so all 366 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: the time he's done that. I remember calling you and said, 367 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: all right, I have an idea Earl needs to write 368 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:41,719 Speaker 1: a book. And of course you said I'm in. And 369 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: you said, we said, well, what's it about, And I said, well, 370 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,439 Speaker 1: I think it's it's basically just a big play on words. 371 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 1: We'll have a little phrase that you could use in 372 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 1: the city and then a phrase that you could use 373 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: in the country, and it'll be we'll phrase it the same, 374 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: but it'll mean completely two different things. And you said, great, 375 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: you said I'm in. You said, all right, tell you 376 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: what shoot me an email, you know, put four or 377 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:05,439 Speaker 1: five of them down there that that you have ideas for, 378 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: and then I'll shoot back four or five of my 379 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,199 Speaker 1: ideas and then you clean up mine a little bit, 380 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 1: and I'll clean up yours a little bit, and then 381 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: we'll write sixty or seventy of these ideas and then 382 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,959 Speaker 1: we'll keep fifty of them. That's really what it was exactly. 383 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: I think we probably are close to one hundred, and 384 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: it just kind of whittled down to the Yeah, the 385 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 1: fifty best. Yeah, it was. It was a fun process. Yeah, 386 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 1: did you get it? I sent you one in the mail. 387 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 1: Did you get it yet? I got it yesterday and 388 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: I have it. I brought it to the office today 389 00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:34,719 Speaker 1: and it's sitting on my coffee table in the office. 390 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,360 Speaker 1: Good good, it feels good. Harley holds. Richard Barreau, who 391 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 1: is an engineer that we have known for years and 392 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 1: years and years, came back to work on some computer 393 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,399 Speaker 1: computer stuff in the office today and they walked in 394 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 1: and said, what is that? So we left about fifteen 395 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: minutes worth of worktime as he went through the book. 396 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 1: But awesome, Hopefully that'll that'll be many more hours of 397 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: that in the future. I'm flipping around here and some 398 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: of my favorite uh Frank Rogers contributions to this book. 399 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 1: Maybe my favorite is four O one K. If your 400 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: city and you need a retirement plan, get a four 401 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,880 Speaker 1: to one k. If your country and you need directions 402 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 1: to the field party, go about half a mile past 403 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 1: the cree across the cattle guard, then turn left on 404 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: County Road four oh one. Okay wait, can you reread 405 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 1: that with Earl? Yeah, because that was not it's not 406 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 1: cool when Granger does it. If your country and you 407 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: need directions to the field party, go about half a 408 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: mile across the cree, across the cattle guard, then turn 409 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:42,120 Speaker 1: left on County Road four oh one. Okay, yeah, that's 410 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:48,239 Speaker 1: the way I hurt. Oh man, Yeah, if you know, 411 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 1: if no one gets this book, which I hope a 412 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: lot of people get this book, but if no one does, 413 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 1: I had a blast writing it. Uh. We had many laughs. 414 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,360 Speaker 1: And as Earl has always been for me, at such 415 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: a creative release of this crazy strict music business that 416 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 1: we live in, and songs that have to go on 417 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: the radio, and songs that have to change people's lives, 418 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: and then there's Earl that means none of that, and 419 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: he's still and he's still changes people's lives and gets 420 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: on the radio somehow. It's the Earl thing is an 421 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:27,639 Speaker 1: absolute it's it's mental flaws it's okay, this is awesome, 422 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: absolutely all right, buddy. Well I don't want to I 423 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: know you're busy. I don't want to keep up too 424 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: much of your day. But thanks for It's a pleasure 425 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:39,479 Speaker 1: talking to you, and thank you. I've never been on 426 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: the podcast. Well there you go. Hey, a lot of 427 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: EE Nation listens to this thing, and so I think 428 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 1: they're going to really appreciate hearing from the Frank Rogers 429 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: and Austin Outlaw. Hell is nice to meet you. Thank 430 00:24:51,119 --> 00:24:55,880 Speaker 1: you for you. And I guess I was supposed to say, 431 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 1: see buddy, beg you bye bye. You read every single 432 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 1: good time when I paid everybine in my mind. Yeah, 433 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,159 Speaker 1: every Dad, I'm like you me. All I see is 434 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 1: you in me, my dreaming everything. I don't know what 435 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 1: the future hold. All I know is you're ready. Yeah. 436 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: Frank Rogers is a good dude. He's also one of 437 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 1: the riders on my new single You're In It. I 438 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: just got off the stage here in Kansas City and 439 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 1: amazing crowd, amazing energy. I'm just walking back here to 440 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 1: the back of my bus and turned on this computer 441 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: and I want to kind of share with you what 442 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,480 Speaker 1: it's like post show. You know, after I leave everybody, 443 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: I said, I've said good night to the crew, and 444 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:01,639 Speaker 1: there's some nights when I I come back to the 445 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 1: bus just on cloud nine, thinking we absolutely killed it, 446 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,520 Speaker 1: we did great, we were in sync with the crowd, 447 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,120 Speaker 1: And then there's nights like tonight when I get this 448 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: little creeping doubt in my mind that says, did you 449 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: give them everything they came to see or did you 450 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 1: live up to the hype that they expected. Maybe it's 451 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 1: because of the crowd was so good. There's seven thousand strong, 452 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: you know, the energy was amazing. Maybe it's because I 453 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: flew this morning, flew from home and came here and 454 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: now I'm kind of coming down off of that. But 455 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, that's kind of an inside window to 456 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: almost every artist that I know, is that there's highs 457 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:48,919 Speaker 1: and lows sometimes and you can't predict it. Sometimes you 458 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 1: feel like you're on top of the world, and sometimes 459 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: you think you suck. And I'm not saying that that 460 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,159 Speaker 1: tonight I felt like I sucked. I felt like I 461 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 1: I gave it my all, but I don't know. I 462 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 1: don't know if my all was where it needed to 463 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: be tonight. You know, I've had this feeling ever since 464 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: we started pulling good crowds, the first good crowds that 465 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 1: I would see, there's this feeling about the middle of 466 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: the show. I'm looking out there into a really good 467 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:25,920 Speaker 1: group of fans, and I think any minute now they're 468 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:29,479 Speaker 1: going to realize I'm not what they expected to see, 469 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:33,200 Speaker 1: Like they bought a ticket expecting one thing, and then 470 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 1: here I am, and I'm just not delivering what they thought. 471 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:40,680 Speaker 1: But that's what keeps me coming back and tomorrow those 472 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:44,160 Speaker 1: Louisville It's a new day and I'll have a fresh 473 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 1: swing at it. The only reason I even bring this 474 00:27:46,880 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 1: stuff up is because I want this podcast to be 475 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,360 Speaker 1: as real as possible. I want you to hear, as 476 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: I've said, the whole story. But now it's midnight, I've 477 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: got radio calls to start at eight am to it's 478 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:02,919 Speaker 1: going to be a busy day. I'm gonna shut this 479 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 1: down and I'm going to continue on the story about 480 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,360 Speaker 1: how this book came about. And I want to tell 481 00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 1: you about one of the biggest goofballs in my band 482 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,719 Speaker 1: and crew and how his crazy, sick mind has always 483 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: helped Earl Dibblis Junior be funnier. Right now, I'm going 484 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 1: to get some sleep, then I'll tell you how. Louisville, Kentucky. 485 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,760 Speaker 1: That's where I am today, feeling much better. Got some 486 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 1: good rest, got my radio calls done this morning, went 487 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: and got some Texas roadhouse, and I'm feeling on fire, 488 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,479 Speaker 1: ready for the show tonight. I want to talk about 489 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 1: another contributor to this book, and that's a guy that 490 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: lives with me on Wildflower. It's my tour manager, Chris Lee. 491 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 1: I've known him since I was a teenager. He was 492 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: a drummer at the Garland Opry many many, many many 493 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 1: years ago, and I was one of the singers. A 494 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 1: few years after that, I moved to Nashville and Chris 495 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: was already living in Nashville. I didn't know anybody in 496 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 1: that whole town. So I pulled out a phone book 497 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: and I went through all the Chris Lees. This was 498 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 1: obviously before Facebook, before you could just look someone up 499 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,960 Speaker 1: on social media. I looked up in the phone book 500 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: all the chris Les and I literally started calling them 501 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 1: and they would say hello, and I would say Chris 502 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 1: Lee and they say yeah. Then I say from Garland, Texas, 503 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 1: and they said huh, and I would hang up. I 504 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 1: went through the whole list of Chris Lee's none of 505 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: them were him until one night, a Friday night, I 506 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: was out at a honky tonk by myself and I 507 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 1: see this guy and he walks up to me and 508 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 1: he says Granger Smith from the Garland Opry. And I said, Chris, 509 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: where you've been man? And he said, oh, just hanging 510 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 1: out and working doing some music. And I said, do 511 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: you want to be roommates? I don't have a roommate 512 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:58,240 Speaker 1: and he said yeah. And that was it. We became 513 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: roommates in Nashville. A few years after that, I moved 514 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 1: back to Texas, started the band, started the music scene 515 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:07,960 Speaker 1: in Texas. Chris continued working, later got married, started a 516 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: family in Nashville, and when I finally realized it was 517 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: time for me to hire a full time tour manager 518 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 1: on salary, Chris was my first phone call. It was 519 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: a perfect match because the guy is stupid. He's really stupid. 520 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 1: He is insanely funny. He has me laughing all the time. 521 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: And he was there co writing the country Boy song 522 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:30,160 Speaker 1: from the very beginning of Earl's musical career. He also 523 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: co wrote with me City Boy, Stuck America, and don't 524 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: tread on me. Chris has also helped me from the 525 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:40,479 Speaker 1: beginning of Dipham and Pickham, which is my CBS Sports 526 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: Network inside College Football special that Earle host picking college 527 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: football games every week. I want the record to be 528 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: known that Chris is also He always brags about going 529 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:55,200 Speaker 1: to the gym all the time and getting gains, and 530 00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: he's this ultimate bro in the gym. I want to 531 00:30:57,880 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: just set the record straight that I could lift more 532 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 1: than him in every category. He'll argue with you and 533 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 1: say that I could only beat him in bench press, 534 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: but that's actually not true. I could beat him in 535 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 1: every other category. Just saying, and if there needs to 536 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 1: be some kind of online competition, if we need to 537 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 1: have a video competition of this, bring it on. So 538 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:23,320 Speaker 1: needless to say, when I needed help writing this book, 539 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 1: when I needed some jokes, and I'm on the bus 540 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 1: while ier talking about it, Chris is the perfect addition 541 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: to this lunacy. For instance, one time I'm sitting here, 542 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 1: I'm on the bus riding jokes. Chris knows what I'm doing. 543 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 1: He looks up from his phone and he says, I 544 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: got one for you, mohawk. I said, okay. By the way. 545 00:31:41,120 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 1: This is page twenty chris Is joke. It says, if 546 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: you're city, mohawks are a hairstyle for those city folks 547 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 1: who feel like they're a little bit more rooster than chicken. 548 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:53,480 Speaker 1: The next page says, if your country on the farm, 549 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,880 Speaker 1: the more rodents you have the mohawks. Another time, he's 550 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: passing him in the hall and he says, quota. If 551 00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 1: you're city, some jobs make you sell a certain amount 552 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: of city things each year. I'm pretty sure that's a quota. 553 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: Next page, if your country two dimes plus a nickel. 554 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:17,160 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure that equals a quota. When I want 555 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: to explain what an idiot Chris is, how stupid his 556 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:24,239 Speaker 1: jokes are, I need to go no farther than his 557 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: podcast that he has. It's called on the Road with 558 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: Chris Lee. And as a lot of you know, when 559 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: I put out the album when the good guys win, 560 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: I called fans to thank them for buying the album. 561 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 1: They would submit to a form. I would get their 562 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 1: number and I would call and say, hey, thanks for 563 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:44,200 Speaker 1: buying music. It really helps an artist like me tremendously. 564 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 1: Chris made a podcast episode calling fans that did not 565 00:32:49,240 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 1: buy the album it's pretty funny. Here's a clip of it. 566 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 1: Hey man, Hey, oh not much. Hey, I just I 567 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 1: was looking at my records and it looks like you 568 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:05,960 Speaker 1: did not buy if the Good Guys win? So are 569 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:13,480 Speaker 1: you going to be going out today or tomorrow? Okay? Yeah? 570 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 1: Sharp Chris so yes with Granger? So why didn't you 571 00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 1: buy the album? Exactly? Did you buy the last one? 572 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 1: I think you may have the wrong number? Day? What 573 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 1: I want to know why you didn't buy when the 574 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 1: Good Guys Win. It's a great album and a lot 575 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 1: of people bought it. But I ran across my list 576 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: here and I see that you did not, So I 577 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 1: wanted to find out what's going on? You want me 578 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:49,680 Speaker 1: to put you down for a couple? No? You talking 579 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:56,400 Speaker 1: about that album? I'll send them to you. What's your address? 580 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:02,520 Speaker 1: This number? Day? But but out face here? All right? 581 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 1: I'll put you down for three and then if you 582 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:09,080 Speaker 1: need more, down for ship. If you need more, just 583 00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: let me know. I don't know what. I don't know 584 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: what's going on here, man, But I have not over nothing. 585 00:34:14,360 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 1: I don't even have a stereo system. The hell when 586 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:20,279 Speaker 1: I want an album? Okay? So just three? Or do 587 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 1: you want me to put you down for a four No, no, no, no, 588 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: we don't. Don't put me down for ship and you don't. 589 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:29,280 Speaker 1: You don't understand, but don't put me down for nothing. Okay, 590 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: there's a tart playing simple down. I do not want 591 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:38,360 Speaker 1: what it is. I understand if you don't have the internet, 592 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 1: but I do not won't. Yeah, there should be a target, 593 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 1: simpling up for a target or a Walmart close by there. 594 00:34:53,920 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 1: I don't within driving distance. Look, dude, I dou not 595 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 1: want whatever it is. Okay, all right, well, thank you 596 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: for your all right, thank you for your time. So 597 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 1: there he is on his podcast. It's Chris ly on 598 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: Tour with Chris le podcast. And if you have been 599 00:35:30,719 --> 00:35:32,680 Speaker 1: in a meet and greet of mine, maybe you've bought 600 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:36,320 Speaker 1: a VIP ticket and for some reason, uh, the time 601 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 1: changed and you were never notified by my tour manager, 602 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:42,400 Speaker 1: and you wonder what he was doing. That's what he 603 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 1: was doing, Yes, being stupid, but I think that's hilarious. 604 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: And you could imagine. These are the kind of guys 605 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 1: that I've recruited to help me write this book. If 606 00:35:55,880 --> 00:35:58,600 Speaker 1: you're city, if your country, you know. The only other 607 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 1: component that I haven't met yet is the illustrations and 608 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 1: that's by an outstanding artist named Patrick Beater, and he 609 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:11,360 Speaker 1: lives in Illinois, just outside of Chicago. He probably wouldn't 610 00:36:11,360 --> 00:36:14,120 Speaker 1: want me to tell you inside Chicago because he wouldn't 611 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: want you to think that he's a city boy. But hey, 612 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: being country a city, it's in the heart, not in 613 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:22,399 Speaker 1: the closet, right at least that's what Earl likes to say. 614 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:26,040 Speaker 1: But Patrick is an incredible artist that my brother Tyler found, 615 00:36:26,239 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: believe it or not, on Instagram, reached out to him. 616 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:31,200 Speaker 1: He had never done a book before, but he saw 617 00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 1: this amazing work that he had done on Instagram and 618 00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: approached him about it. And Patrick took on this task 619 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:42,400 Speaker 1: and really captured Earl in the cartoon essence, which is 620 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:46,200 Speaker 1: ironic because Earl in real life exists as a real 621 00:36:46,239 --> 00:36:50,600 Speaker 1: life cartoon as himself, and so making him into a 622 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: cartoon seems to make perfect sense. But Patrick truly captured 623 00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:57,799 Speaker 1: the cartoon version of Earl, and we did go through 624 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:02,320 Speaker 1: a couple of different versions. Patrick's started drawing Earl pretty 625 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:06,640 Speaker 1: serious looking and super strong jawline and real serious face, 626 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: and I had him soften it up just a little 627 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:13,600 Speaker 1: bit to make it, you know, more of a likable 628 00:37:13,640 --> 00:37:16,719 Speaker 1: guy because Earl. In my mind, Earl was a likable guy. 629 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:22,360 Speaker 1: And it's funny because kids love Earl Dibbles Junior, and 630 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:23,920 Speaker 1: I think they're going to love this book. It let 631 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:27,640 Speaker 1: my kids love it. My four year old Lincoln, from 632 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 1: the moment he saw the final copy of this book, 633 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:32,800 Speaker 1: he just gets mesmerized by it. It comes out August 634 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: twenty first, So depending on when you've heard this podcast, 635 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 1: it's either out or it's just about to come out. 636 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:41,480 Speaker 1: And we're selling it exclusively on Amazon at least right 637 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 1: now because Amazon has been an excellent partner with us 638 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 1: on EEE Energy and it's super simple to get something 639 00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:50,480 Speaker 1: on Amazon Prime with free shipping. It's a no brainer. 640 00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:53,839 Speaker 1: I hope that you guys check it out. It's a 641 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:56,800 Speaker 1: fun passion project for me. It's been a blast making 642 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,800 Speaker 1: it with these nutheads and as always, give me your feedback. 643 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:02,000 Speaker 1: Know what you think of it. I hope it makes 644 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,880 Speaker 1: you smile. It happens like that out of the Blue 645 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 1: scatters in your blood. Last year, When it happens like 646 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:13,600 Speaker 1: like that, nothing to movies turns right into you do 647 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 1: all you can do just to keep her around till 648 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:19,400 Speaker 1: the moon goes down in her back into your house, 649 00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 1: one thing looks to another. You love at each other. 650 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:26,319 Speaker 1: When look can you never look back. It happens like that. 651 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to my podcast. Come find me on 652 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:33,440 Speaker 1: tour Granger Smith Ord Slash Tour. We'll see you down 653 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 1: the road.