1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: Episode three seventy is with Brett James. He has twenty 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 1: seven number one songs. It's wild it's twenty seven number 3 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: one songs. He also showed up on a motorcycle, so 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: it's way cooler than I will ever be. His name 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: is Brett James on Play for a year. You can 6 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: follow him at Brett James Songs. It's really cool you 7 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: want a Grammy And here he is episode three seventy. 8 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: Hey Brett. So when Mike reached out, he said, and 9 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: what he often does with folks and said, hey, what 10 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:32,599 Speaker 1: are the number ones that you know? And you were like, well, 11 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: hold on a minute, because I looked at your listen 12 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,279 Speaker 1: number one you have twenty seven and counting something like that. 13 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: I don't know. I mean, what a what a life 14 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: that you have so many massive songs that you get 15 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: to forget some of them? You know, it's you know, 16 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 1: I just leave the listing to somebody else, So I 17 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 1: don't I don't try to keep you know, I don't 18 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: keep scoring. What does encounting mean? Is there anything? Um 19 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: right now? That's I don't have anything climbing right now? 20 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: I go. My last number one was knowing You're loser 21 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: then I gotta get busies. We don't have anything going 22 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: for yet. All I do want to mention this before 23 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 1: we get going, and I'll come back to it again 24 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: at the end. Um, you're doing an event in November 25 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: at the Bell Tower in Nashville. So what is this event? Man, 26 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: it's so worth going to. Um, it's November ten. It's 27 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: it's for a thing called Aerial Recovery. And I didn't 28 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: know much about them. I just knew some of the 29 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: people involved, and then I ended up going to kind 30 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: of their board meeting or something and did some you know, 31 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: play some music form and stuff and got to know them. 32 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: And what they do is they take like X special 33 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: ops guys like these are all mostly almost all green Berets, 34 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: some seals, and they kind of repurposed them for good 35 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: and so literally like what they've been doing. Like last year, 36 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: for instance, they pulled four thousand people out of Ukraine, 37 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: including like a thousand orphans. You know, I know they 38 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: were in Pakistan for the floods like three weeks ago. 39 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: I'm sure they were, and I'm sure they're in Florida 40 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 1: right now. And they do them like just these guys, 41 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: you know, they come out of like they get all 42 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: this training and then they they kind of it's time 43 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: to move on. And you've got all this kind of 44 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: wasted talent and what this, what this organization is trying 45 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: to do is tap into that talent and and use 46 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: these you know, the expertise of these special ops guys. 47 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: So you're playing and singing, yeah, yeah, Christa Stephano, John 48 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 1: Knight and I are playing that night, and um, it's 49 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: the Bell Tower. It's a beautiful, beautiful venue and it's 50 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: just an amazing cause. If you if you're interested, Aerial 51 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: Recovery dot event I think is where you go to 52 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: kind of buy tickets and stuff. I did a charity 53 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: event once with Christina Stephano. And I don't get up 54 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: and play next to you good guys often because I 55 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: do comedy and I remember, and there's a reason I 56 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: think Chris reminded me why I don't. CHRISTI reminds me 57 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: why I don't like to play next to Christy just 58 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: like singing that at certain octaves, singing carry songs and 59 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 1: it's just like god, dang dude, I'm over here to 60 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: singing songs about working a hobby lobby poorly, and he's 61 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: crushing it. But both of you guys have that in common, 62 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: and that your boats such great singers. I think that 63 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: you're being very humble there, because I mean, you had 64 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: a solo deal way before you turned into the great writer. 65 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: I had miserably failed solo dealers. But was it a 66 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: miserably failed deal though, I mean, I would say otherwise, 67 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: I mean to get a deal first of all? Period 68 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:23,079 Speaker 1: incredibly different. Sure, So was that deal in Nashville based deal? 69 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 1: It was? It was? It was Arista Nashville based back 70 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: in that's all was Arista and obviously Arista as an 71 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: imprint outside of his country music. So did you move 72 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: to town and then pursue a like a the career 73 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: to be a singer? It was that the idea, That 74 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: was the idea. You know, it's it's it's a really 75 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: long story, but we have all the time for it. 76 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: There you go. Well, I I was in medical school, 77 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: just like all good country songs, you're in medical school 78 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: to do what I was going to be in the 79 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: r doc. That was my kind of plan for life. 80 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: My dad and granddad were both docs, so that's kind 81 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: of grew up in that world. Yeah, I just you know, 82 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: they just seemed like the natural thing, and and up 83 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: my my freshman year of med school in Oklahoma, where 84 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: I'm from, I go and I see it. You know, 85 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: I went to college in Texas and I grew up 86 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 1: in Oklahoma, so you know, I loved country music anyway. 87 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: But I went and saw Steve Warner concert one night. 88 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: Who's getting into song with a whole fame in a month. 89 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: I'm so excited because he's awesome. I go see a 90 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: Steve Warner show and kind of watched him one night, 91 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: and he's an amazing player. And I was like, Okay, 92 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: I'll never play guitar like that, but I think the 93 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: rest of it I might be able to do. And 94 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: so I kind of when, you know, because everybody it 95 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: kind of has that moment. I'm sure you had your 96 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: moment where you're like, this is what I can do 97 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: and I can be pretty good at it, and and 98 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 1: you know, that was kind of my little moment where 99 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: maybe I should start writing songs in my free time. 100 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: And so that's what I did. I started writing songs 101 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: my free time. And did you sing though? In high school? 102 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: Like fifteen, were you singing? You know? In church? Yeah? 103 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: And I was in a group that even traveled from church, 104 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: we sing in other churches. So I grew up singing 105 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: in church, and that's how I learned to sing. So 106 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: I kind of knew I could sing. But were you 107 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: a celebrated singer at church? When when the group would 108 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: go in with it be like this is this is 109 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: a little bread a little brad can saying, yeah it 110 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 1: was a little bit. I was. I was. I was 111 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: a guy who got most of solos and stuff like that, 112 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: so yeah, a little bit, And I knew I could 113 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 1: sort of, you know, I was singing at high school 114 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:10,280 Speaker 1: graduation and stuff like that, like like a lot of 115 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: kids in high school, but I never you know where 116 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 1: I'm from, you don't. It's not on the list of 117 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 1: things you think you can do for a job. It's 118 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: not really one of those things in high school they say, 119 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: yeah you should, you can do this, you know, right, 120 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: But your grandfather's a doctor, your dad's doctor. Those are 121 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 1: pretty practical jobs as far as jobs that if you 122 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: go to school and you study and you get the 123 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: right grades and you perform, you get the job. You 124 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 1: get the job. That's right. This this industry is not 125 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: that in any way whatsoever. And so what did they 126 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: say about when you finally expressed to your dad even, hey, 127 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: I think I want to not do medicine, right, you know. 128 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: He he was all about it, interestingly enough, because he 129 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: was kind of a frustrated singer himself, and and you know, 130 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: he'd been a doctor for a long time by that time, 131 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: and it kind of changed the job description to change. 132 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 1: He was kind of like one of these small town 133 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: doctors who just you know, takes care of the grandparents 134 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: and delivers the grand babies and everything in between. And 135 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: and he and it and just medicine had changed. So 136 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: he was a little like, go chase your dream. That's 137 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: what he was about. And that's what happened to me. 138 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: I came out here. I'd written, like, you know, ten songs, 139 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: and I put five of them. I literally took, you know, 140 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: my summer job money and paid for a little studio 141 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 1: in Oklahoma City and sent it to my one contact 142 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 1: in the music business, who was my friend Deb from college, 143 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: who was an intern in college radio promotion in ann Arbor. 144 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: So that was my you know, it was my big end. 145 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: But unfortunately she gave it to her boss. Her boss 146 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: had been a big deal and her boss as well. 147 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,040 Speaker 1: I'd like to manage you. When can you come to Nashville? 148 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: So let me get this straight. So An Arbor, Michigan, right? 149 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 1: Is that where? Right? That's where she was based. Okay, 150 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,239 Speaker 1: that's not really that close to Nashville. So who's her boss? 151 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: Her boss is I think still lives here. A lady 152 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: named Marine Nally and Rene had been a big A 153 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: and R person. She actually started the at CO record 154 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: label for Atlantic in New York. But live here, no, 155 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 1: and but she had she had some contacts here and 156 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: she'd done some really cool stuff with some bands from Nashville, 157 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: like she discovered in Excess and she she had had 158 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: some had a big career and then gone back home, 159 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: moved back home to ann Arbor, And so she was like, 160 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: can I meet you in Nashville? I want to introduce 161 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: you some people. And anyway, long story short, as I 162 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: came into a spring break in my sophomore year and 163 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: it was my third day. We we met with a 164 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: couple of labels and they kind of patted me on 165 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: the head and you know, sent me back and from 166 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: that demo, like they heard the demo they met with Yeah, 167 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: mainly they met with me because they knew her, you know, 168 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 1: she got the meetings. So we go in, we played 169 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: the music and they're like, nice to meet you. We 170 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: have lunch and and you know, see again some time. 171 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: And then randomly we're in another guy's office that she knows, 172 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: and I play some music for kind of Cliff Alder 173 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: and she might know Cliff or his son cliffy Um. 174 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: And we're in his office and I play some songs 175 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: for him and I'm this kid and the Cowboy have 176 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: from Oklahoma. And he's like, it's pretty good. And this 177 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: is the way Nashville kind of worked back then. He 178 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: literally got on his landline, called up Tim Dubois and said, Tim, 179 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: I think I got a guy over here. It's pretty 180 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: good and Tim said bring him over. So literally ten 181 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: minutes later, I'm in the you know, the president of 182 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: Arista's office, Tim Dubas at the time, and they were 183 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: they were crushing it, you know, Alan Jackson and Brooks 184 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 1: and Dunne and all these acts. And I'm sitting in 185 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: his office playing playing music for him. In twenty minutes later, 186 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:15,640 Speaker 1: he's like, Mr, I've never told anybody this, but if 187 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: you moved to Nashville, I'll give you a record deal. 188 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: Did you know that how heavy it was the room. 189 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: Not really, I don't think I had a clue how 190 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: big a deal he was at the time. You know, 191 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: um I learned later. Did you guess, and I guess. 192 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: Do you think your performance when performing in that room 193 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: for Tim Duas? Do you feel like, because you didn't 194 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:37,680 Speaker 1: really know, you were allowed to just perform as you 195 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: normally would. And if you did, actually knowing you were 196 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: educated on the process, maybe you would have you'd have 197 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: been a little tight, because like I'm with the president 198 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:45,959 Speaker 1: of probably so exactly. It's probably nice that I didn't 199 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: kind of, you know, kind of gather how how important 200 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: he was. You gotta deal that quick. I mean, you 201 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,839 Speaker 1: weren't even living here, right, it was nuts. It was 202 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 1: nus he and but what was you know? I I said, 203 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: you know, he offered me a deal, and I was like, well, 204 00:08:58,400 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 1: I'm in med school. I'm gonna have to think of 205 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: at it a little bit. And he said, well, you're 206 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: gonna have to move here if you want to do this, 207 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: you know, And he gave me his, you know, home 208 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: phone number because nobody even had cell phones back then. 209 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: So here's my number. Call me if you if you 210 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: want to do this. And what happened was I decided 211 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: to take a year off med school finished that year, 212 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 1: I took my medical board exams all that stuff, and uh, 213 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: the day after I took my board exams, I moved 214 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: to Nashville. But I knew, like instinctively, I wasn't ready, 215 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 1: you know, to do this too. I just, you know, 216 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:29,560 Speaker 1: I've written ten songs, and I just knew I wasn't ready. 217 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: So I got a job waiting tables in midtown cafe. 218 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: And so you moved here, but you didn't take I 219 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: didn't call him for nine months. So you moved here. 220 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: I did. You went through with that part, the part 221 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: that kind of is hard, but the part that's kind 222 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: of cool he's started not to do yet. Yeah, I 223 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: just I just didn't think I was ready. You know. 224 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: I was like, I don't know who I am, I 225 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: don't know what I'm doing. I don't you know, have 226 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: a clue about this business. And so I just started 227 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: playing you know, open mic nights, just like everybody else. 228 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: And and I, you know, I got, like I said, 229 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: waited tables. And fortunately, you know, it was the early nineties. 230 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: It was a little different town back then. If you 231 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: could like play three chords and sing any at all, 232 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: somebody to give you a publishing deal. So I got 233 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: lucky that I got a publishing deal. About three months later, 234 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:15,959 Speaker 1: Tim the Ball never walked into a restaurant like that. 235 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: He did not. He did not, And so I called him, like, 236 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: you know, finally I'd recorded some demos and kind of 237 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 1: felt like I was comfortable playing him some new music 238 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: and called him nine months later, said, you know, it'd 239 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: been a year since I met with him and had 240 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: that meeting, and he was I was like, I don't 241 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: even know if you remember who I am, but a 242 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: year ago you told me if I moved here, you 243 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: give me a deal. He said, I remember you. So 244 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 1: I came in and he signed me, and that's the 245 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:39,599 Speaker 1: way that got started. So what happens then, So you 246 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: have a deal, you put out a couple of songs. 247 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: I'm gonna have them here. Failed miserably. Yes, everything fail, 248 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 1: because I can tell you from just a personal experience. 249 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: Like I had a show we were we had tried 250 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:52,559 Speaker 1: to pilot for it, and the networks about to pick 251 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: it up. Then they changed all of the executives, so 252 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,200 Speaker 1: they went, this wasn't our show, so we're not going 253 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: to go through with it. So I can go, well, 254 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: that felt miserably, or I can go, well, the reason 255 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: I never got a shot because it's not it's not 256 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 1: anybody's fault exactly. And you know, that whole thing just 257 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,559 Speaker 1: wasn't meant to be Looking back, you know, Um, I 258 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: was trying. I mean, we're doing radio tours, We're going 259 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 1: to see all the stations and and they're all telling 260 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: me they're gonna play the records, and then they don't, 261 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 1: you know, and that's happened. Still. Lots of artists were 262 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: heartbroken when that deal didn't work out. You know, I 263 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 1: wasn't heartbroken. It was more like, uh, because it didn't 264 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: it kind of drug out. It was about a five 265 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 1: year period of it not working because put out a 266 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: couple of singles, they don't work. Then you go back 267 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: into make another album, you change producers. You're kind of 268 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 1: you know how that that game works with with artists. 269 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: You're just trying to figure it out. And when it 270 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: finally went away, it was literally five years later. And um, 271 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: I was not heartbroken, but I was, honestly I was. 272 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,679 Speaker 1: I'd be embarrassed. It was sort of like, you know, 273 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 1: weren't you the guy that was supposed to you know, 274 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: have your had you had a had a seedy and 275 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: Walmart for a minute, you know. And I remember being 276 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:00,040 Speaker 1: on music row and walking into my publishing coming just 277 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: being like embarrassed, like kind of feeling like he's that's 278 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:04,719 Speaker 1: the guy that didn't work and he's washed up. Now, 279 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:06,199 Speaker 1: you know, it was real, It was a real thing. 280 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 1: Was there ever a time that you purposefully said, well, 281 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,959 Speaker 1: I'm gonna pivot because because you had to also decide 282 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: not to pursue it anymore, even if you don't have 283 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: a deal. Like I've had friends who have had deals 284 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: and they've gone away or they've lost it, or and 285 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: they go, Okay, well I can do it independent, I 286 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: can go sign somewhere else. I cannot do it. Some 287 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: of them have become wonderful songwriters. Sure, Like, what was 288 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: that moment for you and how did you make that decision? Well, 289 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:32,439 Speaker 1: it was a little different. It was a little different 290 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:37,559 Speaker 1: pivot for me. I was it was ninety nine. I've 291 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 1: been in Nashville for seven years and had lost my 292 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 1: record deal and my publishing deal had gotten cut by 293 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: like two thirds. You know, when I was early twenties, 294 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: I'm making great money, because everybody thought I was gonna 295 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 1: be Tim was still everyway's gonna be Garth Brooks. So 296 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: I had this, you know, some some good money and 297 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: all that stuff happening, and all of a sudden, it's 298 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: Ninete and I'm like, I think I'm almost thirty years 299 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: old and I have two little babies, and um. I 300 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 1: literally walked into Target one day and almost if I've 301 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: ever had a panic attack, this was it. I was 302 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: standing in Target and I'm in the like the kid's clothing, 303 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: and I see this little pair of, you know, one 304 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 1: year old tennis shoes, and I looked at him. I 305 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 1: was like, and I'd really like to buy this from 306 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: my kid, but I can't afford him. And I'm not 307 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: going to live like this. And so I decided then 308 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: and there, um that I was going to figure something out. 309 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 1: But all I've ever done was go to med school 310 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: and and be a songwriter. And so I literally snail 311 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: mailed to med school a letter and said, I know 312 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: you're only supposed to get one year off. I've been 313 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:35,959 Speaker 1: out for seven. Is there any chance I can get 314 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 1: back in? You know? And the dean snail mailed me back, 315 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: and she said, well, you've been at a long time. 316 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 1: But yes, you can come back, but you gotta start. 317 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: You have to repeat your sophomore year. And so I 318 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:49,719 Speaker 1: did that. I went back to med school after being 319 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: in town for for seven years in um and you know, 320 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: my ex wife now and kids stayed here in Nashville 321 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: to sell the house. So I just went back and 322 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:03,079 Speaker 1: moved in with my parents who lived there, and UM, 323 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 1: I started back to med school, you know, at thirty 324 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: as a sophomore, you know, just and it was it 325 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: was a huge relief. I was like, man, you know, 326 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,680 Speaker 1: I gave Nashville shot, um, but at least I know 327 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:16,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be able to feed my kids. And that's 328 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: that's you know, at some point when you're dad, that's 329 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: all that matters in the world. And that's all that 330 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: mattered to me, you know. And but what happened was 331 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: God sort of had another plan. I went back to 332 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 1: med school in September one, still had a had a 333 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: year left on a publishing deal, and they were really cool. 334 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 1: I said, we'll just keep writing. Maybe something will happen. 335 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 1: I go back to med sical on September one, and 336 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: Faith Hill Cutch, one of my songs in September four 337 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 1: on a Breathe album and then ended up getting thirty 338 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: three cuts in the next nine months and had five 339 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: top ten singles. So thirty three cups of songs you'd 340 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: already written, mostly and somebody written. Somebody was writing. In 341 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: med school. I had a dear friend who's a huge 342 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: hit song writer named Troy Burgers, and he he was 343 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: a kid like twenty three or four at the time, 344 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: and he decided, you know, we started to get hot 345 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: as a as kind of a writing team, and uh 346 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: so he would come to Oklahoma and we write songs 347 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: out there. So a lot of those were new songs 348 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: that I was. I go to med school until two 349 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: and he'd he'd be waking up, you know, and then 350 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: we write until we write songs and I'd come, I'd 351 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: fly back into Nashville and we demo him up and 352 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. So you were hustling pretty hard, yeah, Prety, 353 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: So what was the faith Sale song? It was a 354 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: song called love the Sweet Thing. It was not a single, 355 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 1: but it was on that album that you know, her 356 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: Breathe record. But that's probably I mean, really, when you 357 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: think about the songs, I mean, I could list every 358 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: number one of the ten million you have. But that's probably, 359 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: when you look back, one of the most important songs 360 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: to your entire career. Oh. Absolutely. It kind of started 361 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: opening doors and I kind of found the right publishing situation. 362 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: I worked with a grilling Kelly King, who was my 363 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: song plow and Mark Bright who but Kelly was my 364 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: song pluggers. She's still around Nashville as well, and uh, 365 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: you know, it was just amazing because I was kind 366 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: of her only writer, and so I'd write songs and 367 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: she'd kind of get them out there, and you know, 368 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: I'd be and it was a it was a crazy 369 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: time because I'd be literally studying for a pathologies and 370 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: examined the library and I'd get up and a call 371 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: on my flip phone Brett, you know, Tim mcgrage, just 372 00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: cut tell your rider that Martin hu provide, just cut 373 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: lust or whatever. And I was like, you know, there's 374 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 1: there's nobody around a high five with I just kind 375 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: of like do a little dance in the in the 376 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 1: library and call it. Because so my assumption that you 377 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 1: didn't finish medical school, I didn't you and quit again, 378 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: which was some years under your exactly, and took exams 379 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: and then I had an interesting conversation with that. Dean 380 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: was an interesting so because the legal rules, we can 381 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: only play five seconds of music at this point, but 382 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna hit five seconds hard, Mike, Are you ready? 383 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: This was your first number one. This is Jessck Andrews 384 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: Who I Am. That's a song that's still today is 385 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: played as what they call a recurrent because it was 386 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: such a big song from those early two thousand years. 387 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: And that's your first number one. It was the first 388 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: number one. Yeah, it was, you know what a blessing 389 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: it was? It was. It was awesome when you wrote 390 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: the song. Was it just one in a mix? Or 391 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 1: did you go, Man, if somebody just gets That's always 392 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: my question because sometimes, like you know, it's just another one. 393 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: We just wrote it and thought what about? We thought 394 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: that one was special? Quite honestly, you know, I wrote 395 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 1: that back to med school. I wrote that in my 396 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: parents kitchen with Troy verges Um after I had gone 397 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: to class one day and and uh, we had heard 398 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 1: there was a new artist named Jessica Andrews who was 399 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,120 Speaker 1: looking for a you know, a kind of a female anthem, 400 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 1: and and I remember I spit out, like what about 401 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: we write it just called who I am and like 402 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: I am and literally the first thing I said was 403 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 1: Rosemary granddaughter and and Troy said the spitting image of 404 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: my father. And we're like on our way and uh 405 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: and uh. Troy's girlfriend at the time, who's now a 406 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,479 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame songwriter, Hillary lindsay, Um, she wasn't even writing, 407 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: but she uh, she was kind of enough to sing 408 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 1: the demo for us on that song. And um, so 409 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 1: after Hillary saying it, we knew there was something special 410 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 1: about it. And then Jessica did an amazing John did 411 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: you feel when you weren't focusing strictly on performance and 412 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:01,160 Speaker 1: your vocal and you're just you your record deal, when 413 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 1: you just focused on writing that you became a better writer. 414 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: Did you always feel like you were a really good right? Like, 415 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,880 Speaker 1: when did you start to feel like, Okay, I'm actually 416 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,960 Speaker 1: competitive and if I focus this right, I'm great. I 417 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 1: don't think I don't think I still feel that way, 418 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: thank you. I'm still working on that one. But um, 419 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 1: you know what what Troy and I kind of what 420 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: what what going back to med school did for me 421 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 1: was free me up a lot um. You know, it 422 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:33,240 Speaker 1: was sort of like a creative thing where it was Okay, 423 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: now my kids are gonna get fed. I'm not I'm 424 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 1: not just struggling trying to I'm not dying to try 425 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: to get the next George Straight Cut so that you know, 426 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,440 Speaker 1: I can feed the family anymore. I have a job, 427 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: I have a plan, and so I'm gonna kind of say, 428 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 1: you know, screw it, you got to play, you got 429 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 1: to play loose. I said, screw it, and let's just 430 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 1: write what we love. And that's really what happened now year. 431 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 1: I mean that that's a bizarrely remarkable story that one 432 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 1: you go to med school, you quit med school, you come, 433 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: you get a jo, you go back to med school, 434 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: you quit med school after you and got another record. 435 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: By the way, I signed another record deal with Arista 436 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: again after after that year in med school, and just 437 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: like that one failed miserably too. So here we go. 438 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 1: This is a wild story. It's like you keep I know, 439 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 1: and not the same, but you keep marrying your ex 440 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 1: wife over and over in a different one. It's like 441 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: different different xt wives. Would you keep marrying Yeah yeah, um. 442 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: Just looking at some of the accolades, like the big accolades, 443 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 1: like you hit you have it's six number ones in 444 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:34,919 Speaker 1: two thousand nine, And I had to look again three 445 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 1: times to make sure I'm not reading all the numbers 446 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:38,159 Speaker 1: wrong because six and nines are upside down and us. 447 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:39,479 Speaker 1: But I think you had six number ones in two 448 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,439 Speaker 1: thousand nine. I think I did. That's I can't believe that, 449 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:44,439 Speaker 1: and I can because I'm looking at it. But when 450 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:45,919 Speaker 1: I read it, I was like, am I looking at 451 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:49,640 Speaker 1: this right? Six? I turned the screen nine. I want 452 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 1: to roll through these quickly in this year, have two 453 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: thousand nine? All six these number ones? Rodney Atkins, It's America, 454 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:09,240 Speaker 1: Kenny Chesney, out Last nine, Carry Underwood, Cowboy, Casanova, Chris Young, 455 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: the Man I want to Be, Jason Aldi and the Truth, 456 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:19,719 Speaker 1: Rascal Flat, Summer Nights. I'm tired just reading them all 457 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: there like that in a row. So, whenever you have 458 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: this many number ones in a row, is it so 459 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: hard to write? Because everybody wants to write with you. 460 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: That's never that's never a bad thing. If everybody wants 461 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: to write what it's like. And I've had brief parts 462 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,640 Speaker 1: of my career where you're the shiny toy for a second. 463 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: Everybody wants play with a shiny toy. When you start 464 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,479 Speaker 1: to have this unparalleled success writing two thousand nine, two 465 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: thou eight, I'm making even go backward. I mean, is 466 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: it people constantly calling going, hey, I just love to 467 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: get on your calendar at some point, even if it's 468 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 1: six months from now. Yeah, I mean, yeah, that's what happens. 469 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: And that's a fun place to be, you know, because 470 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: you kind of get to pick and choose who you 471 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 1: want to work with and get to you know, you know, 472 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: do do do the days you love and not not 473 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: do as many as of the days that you don't. 474 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 1: And it's it's a pretty cool, you know thing. But 475 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,199 Speaker 1: you know, I always say that, you know, and in 476 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 1: the music business, it's like most businesses, it's you know, 477 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: it's it's who's Brett James. Get me Brett James. Give 478 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,120 Speaker 1: you the next Brett James. Who's Brett James. Yeah, that's 479 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 1: kind of the that's the arc of most careers, you know, 480 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:18,679 Speaker 1: And I think you have to kind of I always 481 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: tell the writers that I work with. I've had a 482 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:22,879 Speaker 1: publishing company for like fifteen years, so I get to 483 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 1: be around young writers and I'm like, you're never as 484 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: as hot as you think you're When you're hot and 485 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,120 Speaker 1: you're never is not when you're not, you know, And 486 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: and I think you kind of have to learn to 487 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 1: have some thick skin and not to not to think 488 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 1: you're so cool when things are working, so that when 489 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: things aren't working, you don't get in the dumps either, 490 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: you know that makes sense? Yeah, And I tell new 491 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: artists or just as an example, we had a group 492 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: that was in a couple of weeks when I was 493 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: talking to them and they had had some success on 494 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: on television, And it's like, when you get to be 495 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 1: shining for a second, make all the relationships that you 496 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: can make, all the relationships to you because it's not 497 00:21:57,359 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 1: going to change your life just to be cool for 498 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,120 Speaker 1: a second. But the relationships that you make and that 499 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: you keep will actually help you through your career for 500 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 1: a long time. So just don't go like I'm cool now, 501 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: who wants to work with me? It's like dig in. 502 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: Find your spots that you're finally allowed to get. They're 503 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,439 Speaker 1: very important. Make a few real strong connections, like I 504 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,160 Speaker 1: was like with the operay, you're in with the operation now, 505 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: like really value that connection because maybe they wouldn't have 506 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,160 Speaker 1: got to look, we don't ever get a look any 507 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:24,399 Speaker 1: of us until we have some sort of success. But 508 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: it's like, what do you grab onto and really develop 509 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: out from this moment that you're successful, cool, whatever word 510 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: you want to use there, And it's that's exactly and 511 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,119 Speaker 1: that's what I was telling them too. It's like, you know, 512 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 1: you're you feel everybody in social medialling you, they love you. 513 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: You're probably not that cool right now, but when you were, 514 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:42,239 Speaker 1: when you're not cool again, you're probably not that not 515 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 1: cool again because there are a lot of people that 516 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: still think you're awesome. It's never too high, never too low, 517 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: you know what. I try to My therapist though, tells 518 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: me that I am on a straight line, regardless of 519 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 1: all the time I've never hired, all never loved, I 520 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: never really yeah, yeah, something I'm going to get to 521 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: interview you about that. I don't go up or down, 522 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,560 Speaker 1: and I think it's I always want because you can't 523 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:06,879 Speaker 1: really experience like true happiness if you can't feel some sadness, right, 524 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 1: it's almost it's almost an equal scale, like if you 525 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 1: can let yourself feel, you get to feel way down 526 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 1: or way up. And so I have trouble feeling the 527 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 1: sad I think probably from childhood trauma. So I don't 528 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,919 Speaker 1: ever feel good about that same way. I think I'm 529 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:23,360 Speaker 1: very much the same way. I think you just kind 530 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:24,919 Speaker 1: of find your I think, and I think men are 531 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: more likely to be that way and set. Yeah, I'm 532 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 1: kind of that same way, and I do think that 533 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: in maybe especially on the songwriting side of things and 534 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 1: the artist side of things, you have to be that 535 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: way because you know, there's always another single that you're 536 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: either it's either winning or it's losing, or there's always 537 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,400 Speaker 1: another you know, cut that you're either getting or you're 538 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 1: not getting, and you know you you you have to 539 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: come and in the song I decide it most of 540 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 1: the time, it's not most of the time it's disappointment, 541 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,640 Speaker 1: you know. And so you have to kind of just 542 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: just learn to to to love what you do and 543 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: and not not feel too high too low, I don't think, 544 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:02,679 Speaker 1: because if I if I felt at all, I'd go crazy. 545 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:04,679 Speaker 1: I mean, in a creative world, if you let the 546 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 1: lows dominate you, because it's it's low eighty five to 547 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: ninety percent of the time. If you're if you're succeeding, 548 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 1: if you're if you're crushing it exactly if you're sixty 549 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: if you know, and I think you'll understand this probably 550 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: better than even I do. But it's like at times 551 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: people will be like, man, you're really killing it. But 552 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:22,679 Speaker 1: I'm like, if you guys had any idea how much 553 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 1: how many knows I get, or or what I wanted 554 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:28,639 Speaker 1: and didn't get, or what how glamorous it looks and 555 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 1: it ain't. You know, that's a lot of what we do. Absolutely, 556 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,200 Speaker 1: it's getting beat up most of the time, and it's 557 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: getting back up when you get beat up, and staying 558 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: up just long enough to finally get a bite the worms. 559 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:43,919 Speaker 1: Finally you get a bit the worms? What was in 560 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 1: your mind? What was the more well, I can't believe 561 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: this just happened moment? Was it that year two thousand nine? 562 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: Or wasn't one of the Grammy with carry back a 563 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: few years before that? Man? You know, all of those 564 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 1: are great. You know, I don't think we knew when 565 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: Jesus take the it was happening. How you know what 566 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 1: a big deal it was. You know, quite honestly, I 567 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: don't think it kind of hit me that well, this 568 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 1: is I'm gonna be talking about that song. You know, 569 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: seventeen years later you still play that one. If you 570 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: play usually almost I'm almost always. I feel like if 571 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 1: I don't, it's somebody's gonna throw something at me. But yeah, 572 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 1: I think both of both those moments were great, and 573 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:22,880 Speaker 1: both these usual great. Yeah, but if you had if 574 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 1: we had to eliminate one, somebody shows up, but the 575 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:26,840 Speaker 1: old men in black thing that goes, all right, letna 576 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: make you forget one of them, which you know, I 577 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: got to be Songwater of the Year twice, and and 578 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:33,439 Speaker 1: though that's that's a really fun cool thing because it's 579 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:36,159 Speaker 1: kind of based on more body of work than just 580 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: one song, you know, and I think that was those 581 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 1: those are pretty special trophies to me. Where do you 582 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 1: have the Graham at your house? It's in my office. Actually, yeah, 583 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: it's in my office. Do you pettit? I do not? 584 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 1: Maybe not. I wish I had more than one, let's 585 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: put it that way. But you know there's people that 586 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: have lots. I got to work at Allison Cross's house 587 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,200 Speaker 1: the other day with her son, and you know Alison, 588 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: you know, she's so which she just brings his coffee. 589 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:04,160 Speaker 1: You know, I'm just like someone with twenty eight Grammys 590 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: just gave me coffee and that's that's just a cool thing. 591 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: What is it for you? I think you go, wow, 592 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: this is cool. Where most people maybe wouldn't think that. 593 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 1: You think it's the coolest thing. And I give an 594 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: example as you think about answer, because it's a tough one. Um. 595 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,639 Speaker 1: I got an airplane once and Barry Switzer was on 596 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 1: and I'm from Arkansas and he was played at Arkansas, 597 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 1: you know, coach the Cowboys, coached Oklahoma, and I was like, 598 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:34,639 Speaker 1: just the freaking coolest thing ever. And I would tell 599 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: my friends of it, like I don't I don't really 600 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 1: fall sports. I don't care that kind of thing, but 601 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, this is so cool and that's not even 602 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: something that I like earned or deserve. I interviewed Dan 603 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 1: Patrick on my sports show the other day, and I'm like, 604 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: this is the coolest thing. And I tell people like, yeah, 605 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: I don't know, but to me, that's that's like legit, 606 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:52,439 Speaker 1: Like that's the coolest thing. What for you? Who is 607 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: it or what happened where You're like, this is like 608 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:56,959 Speaker 1: different world and never thought i'd be here. But most 609 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,119 Speaker 1: people probably won't even think it's as cool as I do. Well, Well, 610 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: it's it's funny because the one that pops into my 611 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: head is not about a superstar, you know, it's a 612 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: because you know, like you said, I've gotten to be 613 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 1: around Garth and Staying and some pretty you know Taylor 614 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:13,920 Speaker 1: and people like that. He's just like, that's just insane, 615 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,399 Speaker 1: you know, you to even think about it. And like, literally, 616 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 1: I'm at the n s A. I think two weeks ago, 617 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: and I hadn't. I was Taylor's you know, producer when 618 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 1: she was like thirteen, you know, you know, before she 619 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: came back and had all her success. And then I'm 620 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 1: walking down the back hall and Taylor just steps out 621 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: of her saying season. She's like, you know, it's like 622 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: old home with you know, Taylor Swift, which is pretty 623 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: crazy because I have a daughter who worships everything everything 624 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 1: Taylor Swift. But for me, the moment that strikes me 625 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:43,760 Speaker 1: is like, you know, I'm convinced that whoever your superstar 626 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: superhero was when you're like in fourth or fifth grade, 627 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 1: is that person whatever? And for me, it's a Christian 628 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,479 Speaker 1: singer named rust Half, and um, you probably never heard 629 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:53,959 Speaker 1: of him, but he was a big deal around like 630 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: in Christian music, and I'll never forget the only time 631 00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: I ever suit got superstar struck. I was. I was 632 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: writing a song with Marcus Hummond at his house and 633 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,080 Speaker 1: like the nineties, and I didn't know Rust Half was 634 00:28:05,119 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: his next door neighbor. I would have stalked him. And 635 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 1: so I'm sitting there with Marcus when we're writing a 636 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,920 Speaker 1: song and Russ Taff walks and they're best friends. He goes, hey, 637 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: your dogs in the yard again. He's like, you got 638 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: any coffee made? You know, kind of kind of like that, 639 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:19,680 Speaker 1: and Mark said yeah, He's like, there's coffee in the kitchen, 640 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 1: and Rust this is but and I literally just cried. 641 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 1: He didn't know what I'm doing. It's like a Tuesday afternoon. 642 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 1: Who was And I literally tears just came to my eyes. 643 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 1: And all I could say was like, you're my hero, 644 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,159 Speaker 1: you know. And I think that it's those moments that 645 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: kind of, you know, catch you off guard and to 646 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: make me go, wow, I can't believe I've gotten to 647 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 1: do this. Yeah, that stuff to me, it's like, what, 648 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: like that's for example, I get to go and I'm 649 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: big Arkansas guy. Grew up in Arkansas. We didn't have 650 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: a lot of money and so maybe would get to 651 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: go to one game a year. But now it's like 652 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: when I get to go back and even just get 653 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: to go in the locker room, I'm just like, I 654 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,560 Speaker 1: cannot believe this. But my friends like, but you get 655 00:28:57,560 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: to like it doesn't matter all that other stuff I 656 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: do all the time. Like this to me is like, 657 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 1: there's a lot of value in this because when I 658 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: was nine, this is what I dreamed of, was being 659 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:11,120 Speaker 1: here at this place looking at these lockers and for 660 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 1: you was rust haft Well and Barry Switzer would be 661 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: it from me too. I mean, I grew up in 662 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 1: the in the seventies in Oklahoma. Man, there's nothing nothing, 663 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: there was nothing bigger than Barry Swits sports guy. Huh 664 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 1: what what what's your sport and team? And I'm a 665 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:25,959 Speaker 1: college football you know. That's really what I come back 666 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,120 Speaker 1: to is always college football. Baylor and I went to 667 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: Baylor undergrad. And want toell you two. And I grew 668 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 1: up in Oklahoma, so Baylor, no, you were my two 669 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: two main teams. But I've adopted a few mothers. Might 670 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: got a son at Auburn now, so I'm rooting for Auburn. 671 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: And and but yeah, Baylor, know you, yeah, I see 672 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 1: you drove up on a motorcycle, and I'm scared of 673 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 1: death of a lot of things, including motorcycles. You have 674 00:29:45,880 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: to watch out for so many things when riding a motorcycle. Yes, 675 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: and there and so many of those things are idiots. Oh, 676 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 1: and there's an unlimited amount of idiots. Yeah, it's it's 677 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 1: I just pretend like every car is gonna kill me. 678 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: That's the way. Literally, I just as I'm driving, I'm 679 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: playing this game like like that one's gonna swerve into me, 680 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: and this one's gonna swear, and and the person behind 681 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: is not gonna know that I'm turning. So I just 682 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: need to expect that all the time. I mean, I think, 683 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: and I think, you know, and I ride it around 684 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: town at forty miles an hour. I don't I don't 685 00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 1: do anything crazy on a motorcycle, but I like to 686 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 1: put around town. But you know, that could be the 687 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:21,960 Speaker 1: most dangerous time, because you're right, there's so many stupid people. 688 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 1: It's it's all the time. Everybody's on their phones now too, 689 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 1: which is worse. You know, you know what, the phones. 690 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:29,360 Speaker 1: That's a that's a whole new last five year wrinkle, 691 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,440 Speaker 1: isn't it. Right? When did you start riding a motorcycle 692 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 1: about ten or twelve years ago something like that. Yeah, 693 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: I bet the phones made it a lot more dangerous. 694 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: Yeah they have, for sure, for sure. For sure you 695 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 1: have the radio ke you trying to do? You turn 696 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: the radio up real out. I don't turn up, and 697 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:46,680 Speaker 1: you gotta have that light to hear it while you're riding. 698 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 1: But it's also like when you're slowing down, there should 699 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: almost be a the volume turns itself down automatically. Wouldn't 700 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 1: that be nice? Because I don't know because you pull 701 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 1: up next to motor I don't turn my radio on 702 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: everyone I ride because I like to hear the other 703 00:30:57,880 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 1: car that's about to swerve into me and kill me, 704 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: but because they all will and are planning on it 705 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: right um, But yeah, I don't. I don't turn it 706 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: up at all. I want to play. I was looking 707 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 1: through your entire catalog here and I was trying to 708 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: find the song because you have again so many. The 709 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 1: one that I love, I think the most is one 710 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: of your more recent number ones. Is that Kenny Chesney 711 00:31:18,680 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: Knowing you because I love Emo Kenny. I'm not really 712 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 1: big into Beach Kenny, because I don't like to beach 713 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:26,080 Speaker 1: that much. I grew up in Arkansas, so I know 714 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: I don't have this affinity for the beach and we 715 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 1: never want on vacations, so I never went to the beach. 716 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:31,680 Speaker 1: I never thought I've never heard it called emo Kenny, 717 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 1: but I get it. My favorite Kenny is Emo Kenny 718 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 1: when he singing sad songs or slow songs, and so 719 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: knowing you might could be a place of this all, 720 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 1: damn it was good. How do you get a song 721 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: to Kenny? Well, I'm lucky because I know Kenny pretty well. 722 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:52,160 Speaker 1: I just texted to him, and I just texted to 723 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: his phone and he just says yes or no. If 724 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 1: you send Kenny ten songs, how many yes his nose 725 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: or and no responses? Oh wow? Well, and he never 726 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 1: says no. It's always in no response like like he 727 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 1: he never says I don't like that one, And I 728 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: kind of I love that about him. He's just don't 729 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 1: get anything back. You know, you never go you never 730 00:32:08,880 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 1: hear that. That totally sucks. Would you leave me alone? 731 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:14,080 Speaker 1: That's good that he doesn't do that. Um, it's usually 732 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 1: no response and out of you know, I would say 733 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 1: it's one out of twenty really that you get Yeah, 734 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 1: I'm into that or I'm not at that. But Kenny 735 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 1: has He's such a song guy. He texted me the 736 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 1: day before yesterday about a song that I played for 737 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 1: him seven or eight years ago, and he's like, do 738 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: you still have that version that the duet and blah 739 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: blah blah blah blah. He never forgets a song. It's incredible, 740 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:39,239 Speaker 1: And did you still have the version? I did and 741 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 1: had anyone cut it? Nobody's cut it, so I'm hoping 742 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 1: he will. Yeah, Caitlyn Smith thing doet on it. It's 743 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:49,160 Speaker 1: amazing on the fence, that's sell it pretty good. Um, 744 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:53,120 Speaker 1: oldest song that was ever cut? Meaning you mentioned that 745 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: six or seven years you wrote a song X amount 746 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:57,920 Speaker 1: of years later it finally gets cut and becomes a hit. 747 00:32:58,080 --> 00:33:00,040 Speaker 1: What comes to your mind? There? The truth pops in 748 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 1: in my head. Um, we had written I wrote that 749 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 1: with Ashi Monroe, who I just love too. We're actually 750 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:07,600 Speaker 1: getting ready to go to Brazil together trip saw her 751 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 1: there or four days ago. Yeah, we had it. I 752 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: love her. She's the best. Yeah, and I've known her 753 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:13,880 Speaker 1: since she was fifteen. Somehow. I started working her when 754 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: she was really young, and I think we wrote that 755 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:18,280 Speaker 1: song when she was about sixteen or seventeen in my 756 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: living room. Um and uh, but you know, the truth 757 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:24,200 Speaker 1: is kind of a weird song. You don't really really 758 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: know what it's about until the very end of the song, 759 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: the last two lines, which is, you know, breaks every 760 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 1: songwriting rule there is. And so we wrote it and 761 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: just sat on shelves and we just thought it was 762 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 1: never gonna pop up, you know, And all of a sudden, 763 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,320 Speaker 1: you know, like six or seven years later, I don't 764 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 1: even know how I was gonna ask, how does it? 765 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 1: I don't know long enough to get around no clue. 766 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 1: I have no idea how. Jason never heard that song, 767 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 1: but I'm glad he did, and he sure he sure 768 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: crushed it. And there was another one called You Saved Me. 769 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 1: There was a Kenny song that just got happened in 770 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:52,840 Speaker 1: the same kind of deal. It was probably ten years old. 771 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:57,280 Speaker 1: What's in Brazil? We're going to a riding camp to 772 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: write Brazilian music and Portuguese. Of course we are. Why 773 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't we be doing you know, I thought you would 774 00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:03,640 Speaker 1: go to Brazil or right country music song for the 775 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: country music people who wanted to fly to Brazil. But 776 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 1: I'm way wrong on that so what, how and what 777 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:11,759 Speaker 1: and why. It's a really long story, but um, we 778 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:14,000 Speaker 1: both right work with a coming called Warner Chapel here 779 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,400 Speaker 1: in town, big publisher, and they have offices all over 780 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 1: the world. And um, you know, I get this email 781 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 1: one day, Hey, do you want to go to sell 782 00:34:21,480 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 1: Apollo to write this new kind of Brazilian music that 783 00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:29,120 Speaker 1: is apparently huge? Apparently this new genre of Brazilian music 784 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:31,439 Speaker 1: is taking over the world or something. And it's gonna 785 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 1: be a little camp with like five Nashville Riders and 786 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: and studios, and you're gonna it's all gonna be in 787 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,600 Speaker 1: Portuguese and you're gonna have translators. I have no idea 788 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:41,399 Speaker 1: we're going into But so you haven't done this yet. 789 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: I haven't done it yet. We're leaving. We're leaving Sunday, 790 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 1: actually asked you. Monroe, Liz Rose, me and a couple 791 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: other people are gonna go down and because that see 792 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:51,560 Speaker 1: what happens, does it excite you a lot? You like, 793 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:54,279 Speaker 1: it's just it's just, you know, I look at it 794 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:56,400 Speaker 1: like it's a cultural experience. I've never been to Brazil, 795 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: and I, you know, don't know a thing about the music. 796 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:00,360 Speaker 1: But I'm gonna do a lot of I'm gonna educate 797 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 1: myself before Sunday, hopefully. Are you doing Rosetta Stone and Portuguese? 798 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:06,759 Speaker 1: I am not at all. No, I'm not. I'm doing 799 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:09,200 Speaker 1: d lingo friends right now. I'm trying to learn friends. 800 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:11,719 Speaker 1: We had Dan Huff, and we've talked to Dan a 801 00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 1: couple of times, and you know, he would talk about 802 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 1: how he'd be at an airport and did hear a song? 803 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 1: I guess I really like that guitar part, and he'd 804 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: later realized I was him who played it. So you've 805 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:25,200 Speaker 1: had five hundred plus songs cut. You ever hear a 806 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 1: song and not realized that it was yours? I have? 807 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 1: I did it recently. Um, I was with Drew Green 808 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 1: and artists that I love and worked with. We read 809 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:34,759 Speaker 1: he was actually playing a wedding and and we're at 810 00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: this wedding somewhere and nowhere they'd won they'd won the 811 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:40,360 Speaker 1: you know, they won, they'd won a contest, and so 812 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:43,080 Speaker 1: Drew's up there singing and and I heard this song, like, man, 813 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: I kind of like that, I kind of you know, 814 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:48,240 Speaker 1: I think it's pretty cool. And somehow it was familiar 815 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:49,880 Speaker 1: and ended up being a Larry Fleet song that I 816 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:51,799 Speaker 1: had written just just a few months ago, and I 817 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 1: was like, wow, that's what you spent a bunch of 818 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:00,400 Speaker 1: years on the board for the c m as. I 819 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 1: have a heart hitting question here is why have I 820 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: been black balled so long to be the host of 821 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:06,440 Speaker 1: the c M as. You know, we've had discussions about 822 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:10,480 Speaker 1: and it just never goes the right way. I have 823 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:13,959 Speaker 1: no idea, and I'm not on that board anymore now. Yeah, 824 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:16,880 Speaker 1: I don't know they have they talked to you about it, 825 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:19,200 Speaker 1: because all I hear like there's certain channels you've been 826 00:36:19,239 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 1: black balled, and I can't get down to the bottom. 827 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:25,760 Speaker 1: I don't can't believe that. Listen. I've had some pretty 828 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: prominent folks in here tell me off. He said, like, 829 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:31,359 Speaker 1: you know, there's the systems holding you down, and they 830 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: won't exactly tell me who the system is? Is it you? Yeah? No, 831 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 1: you know It's funny, man. The c MA is like 832 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 1: I have been on that board for a long time, 833 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:43,920 Speaker 1: and I hear so many things about that board, and 834 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 1: yet they're all you know them all, they're all the 835 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:52,320 Speaker 1: sweetest people. Exactly who do I not? Somebody? Right, I 836 00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: don't know. I don't know, I'm sure that's going to happen. 837 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 1: Something just to happen somewhere. You just send me a 838 00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:00,160 Speaker 1: little carrier pigeon and you let me know. I'm to 839 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:01,760 Speaker 1: get to the bottom. I'm gonna get to the bottom 840 00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:03,399 Speaker 1: of this. When you're at the Grammys, did you get 841 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:06,520 Speaker 1: to sit by anybody cool? Yes? Um, well, the one 842 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 1: time I ever got nominated for the big like to 843 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 1: get in the big room was just amazing. That was 844 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: for Jesus take will We We? One country song? But 845 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:16,000 Speaker 1: we were up for a real song, and you know, 846 00:37:16,360 --> 00:37:18,120 Speaker 1: we got to sit like on the fifth row and 847 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 1: I was like in front of John Mayor and behind 848 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:23,720 Speaker 1: John Legend, and you know, it was pretty heavy stuff, 849 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:25,800 Speaker 1: you know, And I would literally, like in breaks, I 850 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:27,279 Speaker 1: would just get up and act like I was just 851 00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:29,239 Speaker 1: stretching my legs and just just to walk around my 852 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 1: section just to like just to see people. You know 853 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:34,680 Speaker 1: what I'm saying that you're you're everyone right now, every one. 854 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 1: I literally like, I'm you know, you're not staring at him, 855 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:39,600 Speaker 1: but you're getting to walk past you know. I mean 856 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:42,480 Speaker 1: I remember justin Timberlake played twice that nine. Stuff like that. 857 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:44,959 Speaker 1: You're just like, Okay, I just gotta I just gotta 858 00:37:44,960 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 1: walk around a little bit just to just to see 859 00:37:47,239 --> 00:37:50,520 Speaker 1: these people. Did you prepare a speech? No, you didn't, 860 00:37:50,520 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 1: even just in case I didn't. I'm not a preparer, 861 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:55,640 Speaker 1: and I knew, honestly. I wrote that song with Hilly 862 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:57,279 Speaker 1: Lindsay and Gordy Sampson, and I knew I'd have to 863 00:37:57,320 --> 00:37:58,960 Speaker 1: let Hillary do the talk and anyway, so it was 864 00:37:59,000 --> 00:38:01,719 Speaker 1: all good. You say you're not a preparer, then let 865 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:05,200 Speaker 1: me put this into your everyday practical life. When your 866 00:38:05,239 --> 00:38:08,360 Speaker 1: professional practical life, do you prepare notes for songs and 867 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 1: ideas that you have at this point? Absolutely not as 868 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:13,200 Speaker 1: much as I should. And I think that's what I think. 869 00:38:13,239 --> 00:38:15,839 Speaker 1: That's that's a lesson for all songwriters that I need 870 00:38:15,880 --> 00:38:17,520 Speaker 1: to do better at because you get old and you 871 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:21,600 Speaker 1: get lazy. You know, I always I keep titles and 872 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,360 Speaker 1: and concepts, and you know, I'm always putting them on 873 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:27,960 Speaker 1: my phone. But the really great writers, the ones that 874 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:29,760 Speaker 1: everybody wants to write with, are the ones that write 875 00:38:29,840 --> 00:38:33,160 Speaker 1: walk in with something that's great and it's you know, 876 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 1: got a verse or of got it's got, it's got, 877 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:38,319 Speaker 1: it's got some real form to it. And I can 878 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:39,880 Speaker 1: just say that that the young writers that I know 879 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:42,759 Speaker 1: that are being super successful in Nashville right now, they 880 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:44,880 Speaker 1: walk into rooms really prepared, and I think that's I 881 00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:55,799 Speaker 1: think that's half the battle. You ever accidentally rewrite or 882 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,280 Speaker 1: have the same melody of a previous song of yours, 883 00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 1: because it is your brain that had initially Does it 884 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:03,759 Speaker 1: ever come up again? Like, oh did I already do? 885 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:06,799 Speaker 1: Because you have some it's five that's been cut, but 886 00:39:06,800 --> 00:39:08,680 Speaker 1: I've written over for That's what I'm saying, that's it's 887 00:39:08,719 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 1: been cut. It's kind of impossible not to um, to 888 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:14,000 Speaker 1: be honest with you, especially because it's you know, but 889 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:16,360 Speaker 1: what what what you try to do, having done it 890 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:17,919 Speaker 1: as long as I've been doing, is try to find 891 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 1: new lanes. You know, new lanes make your brain go 892 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:24,080 Speaker 1: different places, so you're not falling into the same you know, 893 00:39:24,200 --> 00:39:27,080 Speaker 1: melodies that that you have written before, and you know, 894 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:29,759 Speaker 1: so I think that's the sort of the challenge have, 895 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:34,400 Speaker 1: you know, after you've written a lot, so you're this 896 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:36,400 Speaker 1: event we're talking about specifically, but just when you go 897 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:39,279 Speaker 1: when you play a show with great songwriters and you're 898 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:42,239 Speaker 1: showcasing the songs that that have become hits for you, 899 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:46,279 Speaker 1: and you get four. What four do you play more 900 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:48,440 Speaker 1: than not? What are your what are your mount rushmore 901 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:52,760 Speaker 1: of songs that you play when you play I almost 902 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:55,040 Speaker 1: always do that last night because it's got a fun 903 00:39:55,080 --> 00:39:57,320 Speaker 1: story to it. And that's you know, you know those shows, 904 00:39:57,320 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 1: those stories are you know, those songs are just as 905 00:39:59,120 --> 00:40:02,800 Speaker 1: much about the stories. Uh what's the story? Uh? The 906 00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:04,960 Speaker 1: store is out? Last night was you know, it started 907 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:07,040 Speaker 1: in my kitchen. I was standing in my kitchen on 908 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:11,400 Speaker 1: Christmas Eve and my cell phone rang and um, you 909 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:13,640 Speaker 1: know the voice on the other the line, which was Kenny. 910 00:40:13,960 --> 00:40:16,200 Speaker 1: I was like, hey man, you know what are you 911 00:40:16,239 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 1: doing day after tomorrow? You know? And so I had, 912 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:21,160 Speaker 1: you know, four children under the age of twelve at 913 00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:23,440 Speaker 1: the time, you know, when it's Christmas Eve, you know, 914 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 1: so the joke is well, of course, I said, well nothing, man, 915 00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:27,919 Speaker 1: you know what you gotta mind because and he said, 916 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:29,200 Speaker 1: why don't we got to the islands and to write 917 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:32,879 Speaker 1: some songs. And so we did, you know, because those 918 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:35,440 Speaker 1: four children know what pays for Christmas presence around my house. 919 00:40:35,480 --> 00:40:37,840 Speaker 1: I ended up in you know, the islands on December 920 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:41,000 Speaker 1: and Kenny and I have, you know, we have we 921 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,520 Speaker 1: always have a good time together. In this particular night. 922 00:40:43,600 --> 00:40:46,759 Speaker 1: We we made a night of it, you know, And 923 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:48,440 Speaker 1: so I woke up the next morning and I was, 924 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:50,960 Speaker 1: I was, I woke up way before he did. I 925 00:40:51,000 --> 00:40:54,040 Speaker 1: remember I was playing guitar and sipping coffee, and a 926 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 1: couple of hours later, the sliding glass door to his bedroom, 927 00:40:58,160 --> 00:40:59,480 Speaker 1: you know, he kind of sticks his head out and 928 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:04,239 Speaker 1: he's like, at we went out last night, and I said, dah, 929 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:05,759 Speaker 1: we did. And that's the song we had a right today. 930 00:41:05,760 --> 00:41:07,600 Speaker 1: So that's how kind of out we We kind of 931 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:10,360 Speaker 1: wrote it about the night before a little bit, and 932 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:12,560 Speaker 1: we actually wrote two number one that day. We wrote 933 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:15,359 Speaker 1: a song called Reality that afternoon. Same day. The same day, 934 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:17,720 Speaker 1: it was you guys should go out more greatest. I know, Kenny, 935 00:41:17,719 --> 00:41:19,560 Speaker 1: if you're listening, actually we need to go out more 936 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:22,120 Speaker 1: and do this again. Okay, that's song number one? What 937 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:26,080 Speaker 1: song number two? Um? I almost always play Mr know 938 00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:28,080 Speaker 1: at all like Kelly Clarkson, just because it's fun to 939 00:41:28,120 --> 00:41:30,799 Speaker 1: sing and you know, and maybe people don't expect you 940 00:41:30,840 --> 00:41:33,480 Speaker 1: to sing. If expect me to sing, you wrote, I mean, 941 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:35,799 Speaker 1: I guess that's it. People don't expect you two have 942 00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:40,760 Speaker 1: written Kelly Clarkson songs because you're a massive country music songwriter. 943 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:42,719 Speaker 1: I guess so that's probably part of the reason I 944 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:44,759 Speaker 1: played it, because you you never know there's there may 945 00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:46,759 Speaker 1: be somebody in that audience. It's not a country music fan, 946 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:48,759 Speaker 1: but they might have listened to Kelly Clarkson on pop 947 00:41:48,840 --> 00:41:51,640 Speaker 1: radio and so and it's just a fun really, you know, 948 00:41:51,680 --> 00:41:53,880 Speaker 1: it's such a weird song to sing because you know, 949 00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:57,880 Speaker 1: you write these songs as a middle aged dude and 950 00:41:57,920 --> 00:42:00,759 Speaker 1: then you're singing I Am Rosemary's Grand in front of 951 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:03,160 Speaker 1: strangers or you know, Mr Nolodle in front of strangers. 952 00:42:03,239 --> 00:42:05,799 Speaker 1: But um, it's still fun, you know. And it's fun 953 00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:07,560 Speaker 1: to kind of being character for that one, and and 954 00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,560 Speaker 1: and play that. I almost always play the Truth just 955 00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:13,000 Speaker 1: because I do love that song. It's one of my 956 00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:16,160 Speaker 1: one of I'm most proud of. And um, then I 957 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:17,960 Speaker 1: almost always and would Jesus take the Wheel? If those 958 00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:20,160 Speaker 1: are the four? That's probably about about the four? Can 959 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 1: you hit that when you're singing Jesus not in her key? 960 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:27,480 Speaker 1: I can't? You gotta change the key. That's it's fun. Yeah, 961 00:42:27,480 --> 00:42:31,279 Speaker 1: Carrie songs are wow. You know, you know, they're they're 962 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:33,239 Speaker 1: hard to they're hard to do live. You know, but 963 00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:36,640 Speaker 1: they're they're also really fun and challenging. Stephane and I 964 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:40,640 Speaker 1: were at one with her together called um something in 965 00:42:40,680 --> 00:42:42,840 Speaker 1: the water that's always really fun. I heard him, you know, 966 00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:44,840 Speaker 1: he played that next to me once and then I 967 00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:47,160 Speaker 1: just went, I'm gonna tap out of this round and 968 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:50,800 Speaker 1: he had like a drum under his phone. Yeah, And 969 00:42:51,239 --> 00:42:53,240 Speaker 1: it came to me there and I had a little 970 00:42:53,560 --> 00:42:55,560 Speaker 1: funny comedy song I was and I was like, all right, 971 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:57,239 Speaker 1: let's just go ahead and skip me and go over 972 00:42:57,760 --> 00:42:59,360 Speaker 1: and I was just like, do you expect anyone to 973 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:02,400 Speaker 1: play after that? No one likes and what's the juxta position? 974 00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:06,960 Speaker 1: But Chris and me, I'm the worst. I'm I'm just 975 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:09,360 Speaker 1: there to make a different kind of entertainment, my friends. 976 00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:14,600 Speaker 1: Which song came back to you so different sonically than 977 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:17,879 Speaker 1: you expected that we would know, like you write it, 978 00:43:18,040 --> 00:43:21,920 Speaker 1: you know, so just John Smith has cut the song 979 00:43:21,960 --> 00:43:24,239 Speaker 1: and it's really cool. John's a great artist. They're probably 980 00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:26,280 Speaker 1: gonna and you get it back and you're like, wow, 981 00:43:26,920 --> 00:43:30,160 Speaker 1: that is not my interpretation, but it's amazing. What is that? 982 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:32,919 Speaker 1: You know? It's it's funny you mentioned that when when 983 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:36,279 Speaker 1: the first time I heard Jessica Andrews version of of 984 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:39,359 Speaker 1: Who I Am. It was so different, and I had 985 00:43:39,360 --> 00:43:43,879 Speaker 1: such demo love for Hillary Lindsay's demo that the first 986 00:43:43,880 --> 00:43:45,360 Speaker 1: time I heard it, I heard it on the radio 987 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:48,560 Speaker 1: and I was like, I don't know, I don't know 988 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:50,520 Speaker 1: if that's I don't know if they did that right. 989 00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:53,080 Speaker 1: Of course it's Byron Gallimore. He's a freaking genius, so 990 00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:55,600 Speaker 1: of course they did it right, you know. But the 991 00:43:55,600 --> 00:43:56,920 Speaker 1: first time I heard that song, I was I was 992 00:43:57,000 --> 00:44:01,040 Speaker 1: kind of like just disappointed or just confused. I was like, 993 00:44:01,040 --> 00:44:02,919 Speaker 1: I don't know if this is gonna work now, And 994 00:44:03,080 --> 00:44:05,279 Speaker 1: sure enough it did. Sure enough it did. Yeah. Uh 995 00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:07,720 Speaker 1: spoiler alert, that was very wrong about it. Yeah, yeah, 996 00:44:07,760 --> 00:44:11,520 Speaker 1: that did. Um. Okay, look let me promo the event again. 997 00:44:12,200 --> 00:44:16,360 Speaker 1: It's a nonprofit aerial recovery, which is a really that's great, 998 00:44:16,520 --> 00:44:19,319 Speaker 1: that's you know, there's so much there that these men 999 00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:21,160 Speaker 1: and women invest so much of their time in life 1000 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:23,040 Speaker 1: to have the skill set that it's like they come 1001 00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:25,719 Speaker 1: out of the military and then what how do they 1002 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:28,160 Speaker 1: use it now? You know? And they also do a 1003 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:30,960 Speaker 1: lot of other things. They have they have a center. Um, 1004 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:33,080 Speaker 1: it's it's there. The two people that are ahead of 1005 00:44:33,080 --> 00:44:35,359 Speaker 1: it one girl's named Brittany Murphy. She's from Nashville and 1006 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:39,799 Speaker 1: she's an amazingly successful real estate developer. So she also 1007 00:44:40,040 --> 00:44:42,200 Speaker 1: has an island in the b v Iyes that has 1008 00:44:42,239 --> 00:44:45,960 Speaker 1: turned into like a therapy center and they take you know, 1009 00:44:46,000 --> 00:44:47,600 Speaker 1: the one. That's just one of the things they do 1010 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:49,440 Speaker 1: is do all these rescue missions. The other thing they 1011 00:44:49,520 --> 00:44:52,319 Speaker 1: do is a lot of recovery for uh, you know, 1012 00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:54,120 Speaker 1: guys who are getting out of the military not knowing 1013 00:44:54,160 --> 00:44:57,040 Speaker 1: what to do next, or they're depressed or suicidal or whatever, 1014 00:44:57,080 --> 00:44:59,520 Speaker 1: and they go down to this island and have counselors 1015 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:01,719 Speaker 1: and all of stuff and kind of you know, lots 1016 00:45:01,719 --> 00:45:03,800 Speaker 1: of training for these guys. And it's just amazing what 1017 00:45:03,840 --> 00:45:06,160 Speaker 1: they're doing. I'm I'm I'm all in on this one. 1018 00:45:06,160 --> 00:45:08,560 Speaker 1: It's cool. November ten, six pm at the Bell Tower 1019 00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:11,359 Speaker 1: in Nashville and there's a cocktail reception. This is heavy 1020 00:45:11,440 --> 00:45:14,360 Speaker 1: or darks. I don't know the difference the trades, just 1021 00:45:14,480 --> 00:45:20,080 Speaker 1: the Yeah, they got some put lead balls. Yeah, I think, uh, listen, 1022 00:45:20,080 --> 00:45:21,400 Speaker 1: I hope people go check it out, But mostly I 1023 00:45:21,400 --> 00:45:24,239 Speaker 1: hope people can appreciate just your story. I mean, it's 1024 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:28,359 Speaker 1: if this isn't the story of Hey, you never really know, 1025 00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:32,120 Speaker 1: and you have the liberty to pivot and change and 1026 00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:34,200 Speaker 1: figure it out. I don't know what is because I 1027 00:45:34,239 --> 00:45:36,359 Speaker 1: mean that's what you did. We're all learning, still still 1028 00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:37,960 Speaker 1: trying to pivot and change, you know, And I think 1029 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:40,319 Speaker 1: that's an ongoing, ongoing thing for all of us, isn't it. 1030 00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:43,319 Speaker 1: At Brett James songs, well, I only change because people 1031 00:45:43,320 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: tell me I suck a one thing. I don't never 1032 00:45:44,560 --> 00:45:46,520 Speaker 1: change on purpose. I only change because it's like you 1033 00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:49,200 Speaker 1: ain't good at this anymore, and I'm like God, usually 1034 00:45:49,239 --> 00:45:51,480 Speaker 1: that I think the ticket from me has been finding 1035 00:45:51,480 --> 00:45:53,360 Speaker 1: out that I suck at something soon enough, you know, 1036 00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:55,160 Speaker 1: not wasting so much more time. I waste a lot 1037 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:57,800 Speaker 1: of time talking. I'll be honest with you. At Brett 1038 00:45:57,840 --> 00:46:00,359 Speaker 1: James song, it's Brett. It's been a pleasure man, you Bobby. 1039 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:03,520 Speaker 1: I really appreciate the time, and congrats on everything. I mean, 1040 00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:05,840 Speaker 1: your career is just insane. I want to flip the 1041 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:08,000 Speaker 1: switch sometime and do this interview with you. Do you 1042 00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:10,240 Speaker 1: do you do a podcast? Do you have a podcast? Okay, 1043 00:46:10,600 --> 00:46:13,759 Speaker 1: all right, well we're just gonna interview and at your 1044 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:16,880 Speaker 1: house with no microphone. That's it. I just really just 1045 00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:20,759 Speaker 1: going to have a um Brett. Good to see you 1046 00:46:20,800 --> 00:46:22,960 Speaker 1: and thank you for the time. And I hope this 1047 00:46:23,040 --> 00:46:25,839 Speaker 1: event goes wonderfully. And I don't know. If I see 1048 00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:27,600 Speaker 1: on the on the street, I'll block for you. If 1049 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:28,960 Speaker 1: I'm a car and I see you driving, I'm gonn 1050 00:46:28,960 --> 00:46:31,680 Speaker 1: give a sidebody please, thank you. Yeah, I need it 1051 00:46:31,719 --> 00:46:32,879 Speaker 1: all right, Thanks Matt, thank you