WEBVTT - Amanda Shires 0:00:15.476 --> 0:00:23.596 Pushkin. Amanda Shires is a Texas born singer songwriter who 0:00:23.596 --> 0:00:26.236 got her start at age fifteen when she joined the 0:00:26.356 --> 0:00:31.356 legendary Bob Wills group The Texas Playboys on fiddle. After 0:00:31.396 --> 0:00:34.116 starting her solo career in two thousand and five, Shires 0:00:34.156 --> 0:00:36.676 continued to play with a number of other groups, including 0:00:36.756 --> 0:00:39.396 the four hundred Unit, which is fronted by her husband, 0:00:39.636 --> 0:00:43.316 Jason Isbel. In twenty nineteen, she started the all female 0:00:43.396 --> 0:00:48.236 country supergroup The High Women, which includes Brandy Carlyle, Natalie Hemby, 0:00:48.436 --> 0:00:52.076 and Maren Morris. After the twenty twenty two release of 0:00:52.076 --> 0:00:55.116 Amanda Shire's seventh solo album, Take It Like a Man, 0:00:55.476 --> 0:00:58.356 she released an album of covers with the late and 0:00:58.596 --> 0:01:02.716 reclusive Bobby Nelson, who's primarily known for playing piano and 0:01:02.756 --> 0:01:07.156 her younger brother, Willie Nelson's family band for decades. Amanda 0:01:07.156 --> 0:01:09.836 initially elicted Bobby to play on her vert of Willie's 0:01:09.836 --> 0:01:13.316 classic You Are Always On My Mind, but they continued 0:01:13.356 --> 0:01:17.196 to record together. The resulting collection of songs became the 0:01:17.316 --> 0:01:21.276 album Loving You, which was released this past June, nearly 0:01:21.316 --> 0:01:25.676 a year after Bobby's death. On today's episode, I talked 0:01:25.716 --> 0:01:28.916 to Amanda Shiers about Bobby Nelson's unfortunate start in the 0:01:28.956 --> 0:01:32.476 music business. Amanda also talks about why she feels more 0:01:32.516 --> 0:01:36.556 comfortable singing about societies big issues alongside her group The 0:01:36.676 --> 0:01:39.756 High Women, and she remembers the time she went to 0:01:39.876 --> 0:01:43.036 Vegas and gambled away all of her band's tour money, 0:01:43.236 --> 0:01:46.196 only to win it all back after playing craps through 0:01:46.196 --> 0:01:51.436 the night. This is broken record line of notes for 0:01:51.556 --> 0:01:55.316 the digital age. I'm justin Mitchman. Here's my interview with 0:01:55.516 --> 0:01:57.636 Amanda shires Man. 0:01:57.716 --> 0:02:00.116 Great to talk to you, Oh, great to talk to you. 0:02:00.436 --> 0:02:03.276 There's a lot to talk about, but I feel like 0:02:03.316 --> 0:02:06.356 I want to start with your record with Bobby. That's 0:02:06.356 --> 0:02:07.356 a pretty special thing. 0:02:07.956 --> 0:02:10.436 I really liked that record. We had a great time 0:02:10.476 --> 0:02:13.756 recording it, and it was a nice return to the 0:02:13.796 --> 0:02:15.916 songs that I played growing up. 0:02:16.436 --> 0:02:19.676 I guess for people who don't know, Bobby Nelson is 0:02:19.996 --> 0:02:25.076 Willy Nelson's sister and longtime piano player with Willy, although 0:02:25.116 --> 0:02:28.596 she played even before she joined Willie in like the 0:02:28.756 --> 0:02:32.956 early seventies, I guess the family band. But she was 0:02:32.996 --> 0:02:37.156 a pretty quiet person, as I'm led to believe, and 0:02:37.756 --> 0:02:39.916 she didn't seem to collaborate with a ton of people. 0:02:39.956 --> 0:02:44.396 I'm curious how you were able to get a record 0:02:44.436 --> 0:02:45.116 going with her. 0:02:46.196 --> 0:02:48.676 Well, i'd seen her play, you know, growing up all 0:02:48.716 --> 0:02:51.396 the time with Willie. But I think she started out 0:02:51.396 --> 0:02:54.316 when she was playing music, playing revival tints and churches 0:02:54.356 --> 0:02:57.476 and all that, and then started playing with Willie and 0:02:57.636 --> 0:03:01.196 one of her exes in a band that sold alcohol 0:03:01.196 --> 0:03:03.396 and quickly got her kids taken away from her. So 0:03:03.636 --> 0:03:06.236 that put a stop to all of that. And in 0:03:06.316 --> 0:03:08.636 the time when she you know, was coming up and 0:03:08.676 --> 0:03:12.956 growing up, she was powerless as what she was and 0:03:13.436 --> 0:03:15.916 had to figure out a new way to keep music 0:03:15.956 --> 0:03:19.156 in her life and get her kids back and eventually 0:03:19.556 --> 0:03:23.476 rejoin Willie. But I guess our collaboration started because I 0:03:23.556 --> 0:03:26.556 was considering putting you were always on my mind on 0:03:26.596 --> 0:03:28.956 my record take it like a man, and I went 0:03:28.996 --> 0:03:31.956 down there and we recorded it, and then she decided 0:03:32.356 --> 0:03:33.756 and I agreed that we were going to make a 0:03:33.836 --> 0:03:34.436 record together. 0:03:34.756 --> 0:03:36.836 So you wanted her to be on that song for 0:03:36.876 --> 0:03:38.756 your TAKEO Commander, Oh right. 0:03:38.636 --> 0:03:43.076 Yes, I'd played it in the studio with my piano player, Peter, 0:03:43.156 --> 0:03:47.076 and it was beautiful. But I just had a feeling 0:03:47.196 --> 0:03:49.356 that the way to do it right and to do 0:03:49.396 --> 0:03:52.996 it any justice at all would be to have Bobby 0:03:53.036 --> 0:03:55.236 on it. And I called and she said yes, and 0:03:55.276 --> 0:03:58.036 I sent her a bunch of orchids, and when we 0:03:58.076 --> 0:04:00.796 got to the studio we recorded it and just started 0:04:00.836 --> 0:04:04.796 talking about songs and life and we decided that I 0:04:04.836 --> 0:04:06.076 was going to come back and we were going to 0:04:06.156 --> 0:04:08.356 make a record. In this first song we would do 0:04:08.396 --> 0:04:08.996 would be Summer. 0:04:09.796 --> 0:04:13.156 What's it like hanging out with Bobby inspiring. 0:04:12.716 --> 0:04:16.436 In the way that she had like she had knowledge 0:04:16.476 --> 0:04:19.316 of every song ever, like Cold you could not stump her. 0:04:19.396 --> 0:04:25.756 And then just the way she carried herself with love 0:04:25.796 --> 0:04:29.116 and forgiveness, the way that she just was able to 0:04:29.196 --> 0:04:32.836 forgive and lead with love. And then also at the 0:04:32.876 --> 0:04:36.316 same time she was very centering, she was very she 0:04:36.436 --> 0:04:40.076 was very sure of herself with the piano, and also 0:04:40.276 --> 0:04:44.436 very much about the point of music being to be 0:04:45.476 --> 0:04:49.476 connection with people or with whatever God you believe in, 0:04:50.036 --> 0:04:51.956 and you know, with the heart and with your with 0:04:51.996 --> 0:04:54.836 your friends. She's really, really awesome. 0:04:55.316 --> 0:04:57.316 I don't have any tattoos, but I often feel like 0:04:57.356 --> 0:05:01.156 if I had tattoos, I would have a Ray Charles 0:05:01.156 --> 0:05:03.516 and Willie Nelson tattoo, because I feel like that kind 0:05:03.516 --> 0:05:07.276 of encompasses all of you know, American music and all 0:05:07.276 --> 0:05:07.596 the music. 0:05:07.716 --> 0:05:10.836 I mean, Ray Charles is record is I still stand 0:05:10.836 --> 0:05:12.836 by it the best country record ever recorded. 0:05:12.636 --> 0:05:13.916 He says, the best country record. 0:05:14.196 --> 0:05:16.796 Yeah, I ever recorded modern songs at country music that 0:05:16.956 --> 0:05:19.596 and along with the time that it came out and 0:05:20.596 --> 0:05:22.956 just you know, there's a lot that goes with that record. 0:05:23.396 --> 0:05:25.596 Yeah yeah, yeah, Wow, that's surprising you hear you say 0:05:25.596 --> 0:05:27.276 it's the best in your in your views? 0:05:27.316 --> 0:05:29.116 Absolutely absolutely what makes you. 0:05:29.156 --> 0:05:31.276 So good to you? Like as a country record. 0:05:31.356 --> 0:05:33.196 He can play the shit out of it and it 0:05:33.596 --> 0:05:38.436 inspired and even the sequencing is great. The players are great. 0:05:39.396 --> 0:05:42.596 It's inspiring to the story of it, you know, him 0:05:42.636 --> 0:05:45.916 getting his rights to his music and all that kind 0:05:45.916 --> 0:05:48.436 of stuff at that time. The I don't know, it's 0:05:48.476 --> 0:05:50.956 just fearless to me, fearless, you know, I mean we 0:05:51.076 --> 0:05:53.836 will all have fears, so to me, it feels fearless 0:05:53.876 --> 0:05:56.236 in the way that it was made. And then there's 0:05:56.276 --> 0:06:00.356 some incredible you know, solos and feels and stuff that 0:06:00.396 --> 0:06:02.156 are just like, what how did you come up with that? 0:06:02.356 --> 0:06:02.836 Yeah? 0:06:02.956 --> 0:06:07.916 Yeah, you know, yeah knows country music. It's so good, Like, 0:06:07.916 --> 0:06:09.956 how could you not that record? The best country record? 0:06:09.996 --> 0:06:12.076 I don't care. Wow, stand by it. 0:06:12.156 --> 0:06:14.076 I gotta go, I gotta revisit it. I haven't listened 0:06:14.076 --> 0:06:14.276 to it. 0:06:15.196 --> 0:06:19.636 Yeah yeah, damn. And to do that and being black, 0:06:19.756 --> 0:06:22.956 you know, can you believe it? Like during the sixties 0:06:22.996 --> 0:06:25.116 and you know, I don't know, just everything about it 0:06:25.156 --> 0:06:26.876 is like there's there's a hero right there. 0:06:27.116 --> 0:06:30.316 Yeah, yeah, I understand. My first concert was a knockoff 0:06:30.396 --> 0:06:32.596 like Boys to Men kind of group, but. 0:06:32.996 --> 0:06:33.916 It wasn't new edition. 0:06:34.116 --> 0:06:35.956 It wasn't new edition, No new aeddition was dope. 0:06:36.156 --> 0:06:39.156 It was my first was Black Street new Edition. 0:06:39.316 --> 0:06:41.956 Black Yep, that's a great show. That's a great show. 0:06:42.036 --> 0:06:42.996 Yeah, it was awesome. 0:06:43.436 --> 0:06:45.636 Remember all for one that had that song I se 0:06:45.916 --> 0:06:48.716 I do that was That was my first concert. But 0:06:48.756 --> 0:06:52.716 my second was a Garth Brooks concert. So oh wow, 0:06:53.556 --> 0:06:57.996 being black in a country environments. 0:06:57.076 --> 0:06:59.676 Get it, Yeah, exactly, I get it. 0:07:00.076 --> 0:07:02.916 But that was pretty that's pretty mind altering, I'll say. 0:07:03.276 --> 0:07:05.796 But like you know, to my point, like Ray Charles, 0:07:05.836 --> 0:07:09.796 Willie Nelson like great players. But you know, when you 0:07:09.876 --> 0:07:12.516 really dig into Willy's music, like it's not just Willy, 0:07:12.596 --> 0:07:14.836 although it's Willy as much that he brings the table, 0:07:14.876 --> 0:07:17.796 but it really by the time it really, in my view, 0:07:18.316 --> 0:07:22.036 kind of finds his stride in terms of recordings and 0:07:22.356 --> 0:07:24.756 all that. You know, it's with Bobby and the band, 0:07:24.796 --> 0:07:29.956 and she really has a beautiful way of accompanying Willie. 0:07:30.756 --> 0:07:35.276 Was it difficult to get her to consider kind of 0:07:35.556 --> 0:07:38.556 slapping her name on a record, Like, it's not like 0:07:38.596 --> 0:07:41.876 as if she's accompanying you on this, it's like you 0:07:41.956 --> 0:07:43.596 and her together releasing something. 0:07:43.756 --> 0:07:47.236 Yeah, yeah, no, that was that was really easy. And 0:07:48.316 --> 0:07:52.116 it came along organically, like just sitting around playing together. 0:07:52.236 --> 0:07:55.836 I think too it we'd played together some in the past. 0:07:55.876 --> 0:07:59.316 I was introduced to her first by Mickey Raphael, the 0:07:59.396 --> 0:08:02.756 harmonica player, and at that point they had me on 0:08:02.796 --> 0:08:05.596 stage to join them in the band at a show, 0:08:05.716 --> 0:08:07.236 and they're gonna have me up for one, and they 0:08:07.276 --> 0:08:09.196 wound up keeping me up for like, I don't know, 0:08:09.396 --> 0:08:11.756 a whole lot of songs. And then I'd always go 0:08:11.836 --> 0:08:16.076 sit in with them. But after that show, we started 0:08:16.076 --> 0:08:18.836 talking about how much we liked each other's choice of 0:08:18.876 --> 0:08:22.716 clothing that night, and then the solos, and you know, 0:08:22.796 --> 0:08:25.236 we kept on talking to each other when we see 0:08:25.236 --> 0:08:26.676 each other. And then when I saw her, she said, 0:08:27.116 --> 0:08:28.756 we're gonna make a we're going to go on tour 0:08:28.836 --> 0:08:32.916 so we could go shopping and play music. And I said, yeah, 0:08:32.956 --> 0:08:34.596 we are, but we're going to need a record. She said, 0:08:34.636 --> 0:08:36.156 we're going to need a band, and I said, we 0:08:36.196 --> 0:08:38.516 could just be the two of us. And so our 0:08:38.556 --> 0:08:41.356 plan was to go around and spend a few days 0:08:41.396 --> 0:08:44.076 in a town, play a show, and buy some killer shoes. 0:08:44.316 --> 0:08:46.236 What year was this that we recorded? 0:08:46.316 --> 0:08:48.356 But no, no, no, that that you guys had that 0:08:48.396 --> 0:08:49.596 conversation about that. 0:08:50.036 --> 0:08:52.596 This stuff with the clothes and stuff that happened a 0:08:52.596 --> 0:08:54.756 long time ago. But the part where we actually were 0:08:54.756 --> 0:08:56.836 going to make a record that happened after we recorded 0:08:57.916 --> 0:08:58.876 always on my mind. 0:08:59.236 --> 0:09:01.356 Wow, do you remember what you guys were wearing when 0:09:01.396 --> 0:09:03.316 you first met that? You guys are dr. 0:09:03.436 --> 0:09:06.636 Had to toe black? And I think you know, she 0:09:06.636 --> 0:09:08.516 she wasn't a person that drew a lot of attention 0:09:08.596 --> 0:09:11.116 to herself, And I think that that was she started 0:09:11.156 --> 0:09:13.636 playing so young, and then she got her kids taken 0:09:13.676 --> 0:09:16.756 away so young, and then when that happened, she went 0:09:16.796 --> 0:09:21.676 to school, got a degree, started working, then was demoing 0:09:22.156 --> 0:09:25.396 pianos and working to get her kids back in a 0:09:25.476 --> 0:09:28.996 time when you really couldn't do it so low and 0:09:29.036 --> 0:09:32.076 then she did it, and then that's why she rejoined after, 0:09:32.156 --> 0:09:36.156 you know, Willie, after they were good and grown and everything. 0:09:36.276 --> 0:09:40.876 Yeah, yeah, Yeah, She's such an incredible character man, in person. 0:09:41.156 --> 0:09:42.956 I can't imagine, like if that had happened to me 0:09:43.236 --> 0:09:45.156 and then I got my kids back, sure, shit, I'll 0:09:45.196 --> 0:09:46.916 sit in the back. I don't want anybody to notice, 0:09:46.956 --> 0:09:48.236 but I'm gonna play. 0:09:47.996 --> 0:09:50.956 Right because she got her kids taken away because she 0:09:51.076 --> 0:09:55.396 was playing in environments that was apparently double right for. 0:09:55.636 --> 0:09:57.796 Yeah, and they called her all kinds of name, like 0:09:57.876 --> 0:10:01.196 a whore, and her reputation was solely just for like 0:10:01.236 --> 0:10:03.836 she wouldn't even drink at the places, and she you know, 0:10:03.916 --> 0:10:08.676 the churches would barely have her back, damn. Yeah. And 0:10:08.716 --> 0:10:11.076 she was by her grandparents to her and Willie were 0:10:11.116 --> 0:10:13.876 and when her granddad passed away, they threatened to take 0:10:14.316 --> 0:10:16.876 the kids away from the grandmother, saying that they didn't 0:10:16.876 --> 0:10:19.036 think she could provide and didn't even give them a chance, 0:10:19.036 --> 0:10:23.116 you know, but she managed to keep them. And but yeah, 0:10:23.316 --> 0:10:25.636 it's just I just can't imagine. 0:10:25.876 --> 0:10:29.356 So that that is that's sort of the mythology around her, 0:10:29.356 --> 0:10:31.716 is that she was just kind of to herself, you know, 0:10:31.876 --> 0:10:34.996 like in terms of she didn't really want Yeah, I 0:10:35.036 --> 0:10:37.036 wouldn't do interviews. Didn't want to. 0:10:37.796 --> 0:10:39.556 I don't blame her, I mean you don't want to, 0:10:39.676 --> 0:10:41.316 you know, stay out of trouble. 0:10:41.756 --> 0:10:45.596 Yeah. That's a fascinating but also kind of a sad story, 0:10:45.716 --> 0:10:48.676 you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I didn't consider. 0:10:48.716 --> 0:10:51.476 But like, like I said, she she led with forgiveness, 0:10:51.516 --> 0:10:52.756 and I was like, how do you get through all 0:10:52.796 --> 0:10:56.276 this trauma and then, you know, get your kids back 0:10:56.316 --> 0:10:59.476 and they're grown and healthy and everything, and then suddenly 0:10:59.556 --> 0:11:02.076 two of them, not suddenly, but then two of them 0:11:02.116 --> 0:11:04.556 die within six months of each other, and then the 0:11:04.596 --> 0:11:06.756 world is a vampire. And she said, the easiest thing 0:11:06.876 --> 0:11:09.076 to do, which is sometimes hardest, to forgive. 0:11:10.556 --> 0:11:12.436 I don't know where she gets a grace, but the 0:11:12.476 --> 0:11:15.316 Nelson family in general seems to have that level of 0:11:15.556 --> 0:11:17.196 grace and ease about life. 0:11:17.396 --> 0:11:19.316 I mean they are fashion forward with a lot, not 0:11:19.436 --> 0:11:22.396 fashion forward, you know, with weed and all kinds of things, 0:11:22.436 --> 0:11:22.636 you know. 0:11:23.076 --> 0:11:26.396 Yeah, I mean there were ahead of the times spiritually 0:11:26.516 --> 0:11:27.396 and culturally. 0:11:28.116 --> 0:11:28.516 Mm hmm. 0:11:28.756 --> 0:11:31.756 You came up in the same town as does the 0:11:32.276 --> 0:11:34.516 right No, the same state, same state. 0:11:35.316 --> 0:11:39.236 It sounds a lot alike there there grew up in Abbott, 0:11:39.436 --> 0:11:41.956 which is more hill country esque. 0:11:42.156 --> 0:11:45.476 I guess, got it, but but love it? What I mean? 0:11:45.476 --> 0:11:47.556 What doesn't isn't that where Willie's place is? Now? 0:11:48.196 --> 0:11:50.476 No, there's a place in Luke and Bac and one 0:11:50.676 --> 0:11:55.556 in the Florist Country store. I guess it's purdin Alis area. Yeah, 0:11:55.676 --> 0:11:58.476 but Luke and bach Is is a different place than Lon, 0:11:58.596 --> 0:12:00.356 like I think they're probably six hours apart. 0:12:00.396 --> 0:12:02.356 But yeah, I'm messing up my Texas geography. 0:12:03.036 --> 0:12:05.236 It's okay, it's a big state. It really should be four. 0:12:05.556 --> 0:12:09.636 But no, I grew up playing Texas playboys when I 0:12:09.716 --> 0:12:13.516 wasn't you know. I thought when I first heard West 0:12:13.516 --> 0:12:16.436 Side Connection they were playing fiddles, but it turns out 0:12:16.476 --> 0:12:18.796 it was a synthesizer. So part of my life was 0:12:18.796 --> 0:12:21.036 a hoax me trying to learn from. 0:12:21.636 --> 0:12:24.276 Was that, Like, so, we're you a Westside Connection fan? 0:12:24.356 --> 0:12:25.196 Were you listening to rap? 0:12:25.636 --> 0:12:27.836 I listened to all of it? Yeah. I have clippings 0:12:27.836 --> 0:12:30.516 from when Tupac died out of the Lubbic newspaper. I 0:12:30.516 --> 0:12:33.836 watched MTV jams countdown every day. I wrote fan letters 0:12:33.876 --> 0:12:39.996 to Tyrese. I have response letters, but I have yeah, yeah, yeah, 0:12:40.076 --> 0:12:43.276 it was like hy two K in the neighborhood, like 0:12:43.316 --> 0:12:45.996 nineteen ninety nine, and he signed it stuff about Y 0:12:45.996 --> 0:12:48.596 two K and all this, But no, I was like, 0:12:49.116 --> 0:12:51.396 I listened to all the music and I learned all 0:12:51.436 --> 0:12:56.596 the music, and yeah, everything from gang Star to what 0:12:56.676 --> 0:12:57.236 Are You Guthrie? 0:12:57.676 --> 0:13:00.476 Wow? What was pox? One of my favorite? 0:13:01.396 --> 0:13:03.476 Did you see how they arrested somebody in Vegas in 0:13:03.716 --> 0:13:05.156 connection with them? Oh my gosh. 0:13:05.236 --> 0:13:08.436 Yeah, yeah, I'm too deep into that rabbit whole song. Yeah. 0:13:08.516 --> 0:13:10.596 Yeah, you need to find some shit out. 0:13:10.796 --> 0:13:12.956 Yeah, No, I think I think it seems like they're 0:13:12.956 --> 0:13:15.236 close to figuring that out finally, which is a beautiful 0:13:15.276 --> 0:13:17.796 thing because that was one of the most crushing things. 0:13:17.836 --> 0:13:19.596 Part of me. You still hoped he was like living 0:13:19.636 --> 0:13:20.796 in an island somewhere. 0:13:20.916 --> 0:13:22.916 I always I always have that as well. He was 0:13:22.956 --> 0:13:25.156 so larger than life, you know it really, Yeah, and 0:13:25.236 --> 0:13:28.076 unbelievable at twenty six, spent a year in prison. So 0:13:28.116 --> 0:13:32.836 in twenty five years, six five put out six albums 0:13:32.916 --> 0:13:35.396 plus all the other stuff that was recorded, plus like 0:13:35.756 --> 0:13:40.076 five movies plus Yeah, just all the stuff. I mean, 0:13:40.076 --> 0:13:45.516 it's just insane, insane work ethic what So I'm imagining 0:13:45.556 --> 0:13:47.356 you're joking though that you thought it was fiddle on 0:13:47.516 --> 0:13:48.236 West Side Connection. 0:13:49.516 --> 0:13:51.396 Yeah, on that song bound Down, that part goes bear 0:13:51.676 --> 0:13:55.036 Bear Bear Bear Bar. I was very young. How was 0:13:55.036 --> 0:13:56.756 I supposed to know about synthesizers? 0:13:58.516 --> 0:13:59.036 You thought that was? 0:13:59.356 --> 0:14:01.996 Yeah? Yeah, I did, and I learned it. I was like, 0:14:02.036 --> 0:14:04.556 I had this dream I was gonna join. My dream 0:14:04.596 --> 0:14:07.036 one day was to play a violin with method Man. 0:14:07.436 --> 0:14:09.636 And while I did get to meet him in the 0:14:09.676 --> 0:14:11.476 Wu Tang, I didn't ever get to play with him, 0:14:11.476 --> 0:14:12.916 but he did let me dance on stage. 0:14:12.996 --> 0:14:13.756 Did you tell him. 0:14:15.196 --> 0:14:19.756 I did it? I got. I'm usually good at over sharing, 0:14:20.156 --> 0:14:23.796 but that time I was like, good job, Sharrees didn't overshare? 0:14:25.556 --> 0:14:27.516 Is that really? Do you really talk to yourself that way? 0:14:27.636 --> 0:14:30.916 Like, I mean, you know, so when I do a 0:14:30.956 --> 0:14:32.716 good job, I mean, we all talk to ourselves and 0:14:32.796 --> 0:14:35.676 our brains and most of it's a beat down. But 0:14:35.716 --> 0:14:37.716 at that time, I was like, good job, not oversharing. 0:14:39.596 --> 0:14:42.596 I feel like, I don't know. I definitely talk to myself. 0:14:42.716 --> 0:14:47.236 I'm definitely a self talker to psych myself up. But 0:14:47.436 --> 0:14:50.956 I just assumed from your music that you were pretty 0:14:51.116 --> 0:14:53.116 sure of your movements through the world. 0:14:54.116 --> 0:14:56.636 Oh no, God, no, no. 0:14:56.756 --> 0:14:58.516 What does the confidence in your music come. 0:14:58.356 --> 0:15:01.876 From Oh that's only happened of late. And that's because 0:15:01.916 --> 0:15:04.716 I feel like for me, I feel like I've always 0:15:04.756 --> 0:15:06.676 felt like I've had to have some sort of like 0:15:07.116 --> 0:15:11.116 uh certificate or or something to say that I'm allowed 0:15:11.156 --> 0:15:15.036 to do the things that I do or call myself 0:15:15.036 --> 0:15:17.156 a thing. Like I didn't really feel like I was 0:15:17.236 --> 0:15:18.836 much of a writer at all until I got my 0:15:18.916 --> 0:15:23.636 degree at Swanee. Although I was writing, and I mean 0:15:23.916 --> 0:15:27.396 not the worst at it. But I don't know. I 0:15:27.396 --> 0:15:30.636 guess maybe we all have imposter syndrome. I don't know 0:15:30.676 --> 0:15:32.756 if that everybody seems to say they have it. I 0:15:32.796 --> 0:15:33.396 know I do. 0:15:33.916 --> 0:15:35.876 I definitely have it, but I'm also like, you know, 0:15:36.116 --> 0:15:40.556 I'm not There's so much opportunity as a musician for 0:15:41.556 --> 0:15:47.396 failure and embarrassment, and so many opportunities to be exposed 0:15:47.436 --> 0:15:50.716 as a as a fraud as it were, you know. 0:15:50.876 --> 0:15:52.916 But yeah, it's like so it's like, that's a pretty 0:15:52.956 --> 0:15:57.876 wild decision you've made to I mean, I don't know, 0:15:57.916 --> 0:15:59.676 how do you how do you handle that? Because it's 0:15:59.756 --> 0:16:04.516 like to have I hide from most opportunities for embarrassment, 0:16:05.516 --> 0:16:08.276 and I'm able to do that in my chosen you know, 0:16:08.396 --> 0:16:09.556 path or less. 0:16:10.876 --> 0:16:12.916 I mean, I know I can play, and I know 0:16:13.196 --> 0:16:16.876 I can write, but I don't know why it exists. 0:16:17.156 --> 0:16:19.076 I mean, I don't know why it exists. I guess 0:16:19.116 --> 0:16:22.676 because some things are just maybe to me, it feels 0:16:22.716 --> 0:16:25.236 like the purpose of life, I guess is growing and learning. 0:16:25.596 --> 0:16:28.276 It feels like you can't master anything in the world. 0:16:28.356 --> 0:16:30.516 So how could you be a thing if you can't 0:16:30.556 --> 0:16:35.276 master a thing? Like we'll never truly master a violin, 0:16:35.436 --> 0:16:39.836 will never truly master the words on the page. I mean, 0:16:40.396 --> 0:16:44.276 they're always moving and living and shifting. And I mean, actually, 0:16:44.316 --> 0:16:46.196 now that we're talking about it, I'm going to think 0:16:46.436 --> 0:16:48.236 about it more because it doesn't really make you an 0:16:48.236 --> 0:16:50.996 imposter so much as it makes you, like you said, 0:16:51.036 --> 0:16:54.596 afraid to fail. But I guess that's a beautiful thing to. 0:16:54.516 --> 0:16:59.236 Your point of like words are, you can never master 0:17:00.156 --> 0:17:03.516 a language because language is a living, breathing thing that's 0:17:03.556 --> 0:17:05.396 always changing, evolving, adapting. 0:17:06.356 --> 0:17:11.716 Nobody will give a shit if you do it in Latin, right, right, right? 0:17:11.756 --> 0:17:14.196 The two Latin scholars alive might But. 0:17:14.316 --> 0:17:16.516 It's like music's saying. I mean, like you know, like 0:17:16.516 --> 0:17:20.116 like fiddle violin music, and the instrument's the same. It's 0:17:20.156 --> 0:17:24.116 like you're always in conversation with the current sort of 0:17:24.316 --> 0:17:28.956 time in place and leaving it up to the next 0:17:28.996 --> 0:17:31.916 sort of group of people to move it forward or 0:17:31.956 --> 0:17:34.996 backwards or just laterally or wherever, you know, in some 0:17:35.036 --> 0:17:37.636 sort of way. It's like music, for sure, is always 0:17:38.276 --> 0:17:41.476 evolving and changing, and that's what keeps it hopefully interesting 0:17:41.596 --> 0:17:42.356 for years to come. 0:17:42.476 --> 0:17:44.716 It does, and then you learn a lot about how 0:17:44.716 --> 0:17:46.756 it changes depending on the folks you get in the 0:17:46.836 --> 0:17:48.916 room to play with you, and that can be really fun. 0:17:49.636 --> 0:17:51.716 We're gonna pause for a quick break and then come 0:17:51.756 --> 0:17:59.196 back with more from an interview with Amanda Shires. We're 0:17:59.236 --> 0:18:02.756 back with more from Amanda Shires. Who are some of 0:18:02.836 --> 0:18:03.876 your favorite people to play with? 0:18:04.236 --> 0:18:06.196 I really like to playing with Bobby, but my favorite 0:18:06.196 --> 0:18:08.676 people to play with. I love playing with my piano player, 0:18:09.156 --> 0:18:11.196 Peter Levin. He's great. I'm at him and the Greg 0:18:11.276 --> 0:18:14.756 Almond band when I was opening for them, and he's fantastic. 0:18:14.956 --> 0:18:18.916 And I love playing with all the four hundred Unit members. 0:18:18.916 --> 0:18:24.756 They're fantastic. Yeah, Jason's band, they're good, good guys too. 0:18:25.516 --> 0:18:27.876 I recently played with the Asleep at the Wheel band, 0:18:28.316 --> 0:18:33.196 Ray Benson and them. They were fantastic. I mean it's 0:18:33.316 --> 0:18:37.636 rare to get on stage and play with anybody that 0:18:37.636 --> 0:18:39.796 that's no good or no fun because I don't really 0:18:39.836 --> 0:18:42.356 operate in that world much that no fun world? 0:18:43.556 --> 0:18:44.636 Are there some times you have? 0:18:45.996 --> 0:18:51.356 Oh yeah, Sometimes you get into situations with in studios, 0:18:51.396 --> 0:18:52.956 like when I first moved to town, where I worked 0:18:52.956 --> 0:18:55.996 with some people that I like. Now, in hindsight, know 0:18:56.156 --> 0:18:57.956 that the reason that wasn't fun was because of the 0:18:57.996 --> 0:19:01.276 people in the room. But and then you get some 0:19:01.356 --> 0:19:04.676 folks that operate in the top forty world that have 0:19:04.916 --> 0:19:10.796 very interesting facial hair and haircut, and you're like, you know, 0:19:10.876 --> 0:19:15.556 they're like little napoleons running around everywhere, and that you 0:19:15.596 --> 0:19:18.516 know that's not the whole Top forty. I'm not trying 0:19:18.516 --> 0:19:20.316 to talk shit on all of them, but there's some 0:19:20.676 --> 0:19:23.156 serious ass kissers out there. And then you try to 0:19:23.196 --> 0:19:25.236 tell them something. They're like, no, but x Y and 0:19:25.356 --> 0:19:28.796 Z said this, And I'm like, well, you're. 0:19:28.596 --> 0:19:31.636 So boring x Y and Z meaning like some industry 0:19:31.716 --> 0:19:36.676 person or right right damn. Do you feel like a 0:19:36.716 --> 0:19:39.236 commercial artist, like an artist who's operating or do you 0:19:39.276 --> 0:19:40.636 feel I feel. 0:19:40.316 --> 0:19:42.356 Like an artist but I know I'm not in the 0:19:42.476 --> 0:19:45.436 what they call the top forty country genre, and that 0:19:45.516 --> 0:19:48.716 suits me just fine. I don't mind wherever they put me, 0:19:49.556 --> 0:19:53.396 because I'm not really looking to get into wars with 0:19:53.636 --> 0:19:57.956 folks that are ding dongs releasing songs like that crap 0:19:57.996 --> 0:20:01.276 ass Jason al Dean song. I mean, I don't need 0:20:01.316 --> 0:20:03.356 to get in that argument every day. That's a piece 0:20:03.396 --> 0:20:03.756 of shit. 0:20:04.156 --> 0:20:07.236 So I mean you don't at all feel kinship with 0:20:07.876 --> 0:20:10.156 contemporary pop country. 0:20:10.276 --> 0:20:12.276 I do with some of them, but there's not They's 0:20:12.276 --> 0:20:14.316 just not enough room. And and so if there's not 0:20:14.436 --> 0:20:16.196 enough room, I don't want to be in your club anyway. 0:20:16.316 --> 0:20:17.596 If you won't let me in the club, I don't 0:20:17.636 --> 0:20:18.316 want to be in your club. 0:20:18.356 --> 0:20:19.476 Do you really feel like they won't let you in 0:20:19.516 --> 0:20:19.836