1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:01,240 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast on Buzz Night, 3 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 2: and we are in the heart of our Valentine's Week 4 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 2: celebration with Love Songs and Heartbreak Stories, a special series 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,439 Speaker 2: where we revisit episodes that explore the deepest emotions in music. 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 2: This week, it's about the songs that make us feel, 7 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 2: the stories that remind us we're not alone in our 8 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,120 Speaker 2: joys and sorrows, and the artists brave enough to bear 9 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 2: their souls through their art. Today's guest the remarkably talented 10 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 2: Aj Crochy, a singer, songwriter, and pianist whose music spans 11 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 2: genres from soul and blues to jazz and pop, and 12 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 2: whose life story is a testament to resilience, love and loss. 13 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 2: AJ carries forward an incredible musical legacy as the son 14 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 2: of the legendary Jim Crochey, but he's carved out his 15 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 2: own distinctive path with a career spanning decades and numerous 16 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 2: critically acclaimed albums. His music is infused with deep emotion 17 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,639 Speaker 2: and craftsmanship, drawing from the rich traditions of American roots 18 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 2: music while creating something entirely his own. But AJ's journey 19 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: has been marked by profound heartbreak as well. The tragic 20 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 2: loss of his wife, Marlowe in twenty eighteen devastated him. 21 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 2: Yet through that unimaginable grief, he found a way to 22 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 2: continue creating, to honor her memory, and to channel his 23 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 2: pain into music that connects with anyone who's experienced loss. 24 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 2: This Valentine's Week, join us for a deeply moving conversation 25 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 2: about the power of love and the healing grace of music. 26 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 2: AJ Crochey is next on taking a walk. 27 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:52,639 Speaker 1: Taking a walk. 28 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: Well, Aj, welcome to taking a walk. Thanks for being here. 29 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 3: Hey, thanks so much. You know, I got to take 30 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 3: a walk every day, so I dig it. 31 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 2: So if you could take a walk with somebody living 32 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: or dead, it doesn't have to be in the world 33 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: of music, but we like when it can be. Who 34 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 2: would you take that walk with? And where do you 35 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: think you would you would go on that walk? 36 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,679 Speaker 3: That's a good question. There are so many people I 37 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 3: would love to walk and talk with, but I would 38 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 3: probably say that the first name that comes to mind 39 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 3: would be my father, because he died when I was 40 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 3: very young, and I think that being able to get 41 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 3: his perspective on life would be kind of magical. 42 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: I dare say it would be oh my god. And 43 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:57,519 Speaker 2: his career was really a short career considering the amazing 44 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 2: amount of work that he put out, right mm. 45 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 3: Hmm, yeah, you know it was three albums in eighteen months, 46 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 3: and all of it written, recorded, and toured it in 47 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 3: that time. 48 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 2: Do you have a sense, as you studied your dad's 49 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 2: life if he was caught by surprise at the quick 50 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 2: pace of his stardom? 51 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 3: It was? It took I think it took about, you know, 52 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 3: a dozen years for him to be an overnight success. 53 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 3: You know, he started playing in the late fifties and 54 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 3: through college and he graduated and he went, you know, 55 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 3: he was in groups in college and then in folk 56 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 3: groups and then you know, went in sixty four did 57 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 3: a State Department tour of you know, the Middle East, 58 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: which was a very common thing back then in North Africa. 59 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 3: And I think he felt like he was going to 60 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 3: be able to you know, that was gonna be what 61 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 3: he was doing. You know, he did everything he could 62 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 3: to avoid a steady job. He he you know, he 63 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 3: went he got two master's degrees and then and then 64 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 3: took odd jobs and he joined the army in sixty 65 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 3: four sixty five and then you know, he my mother 66 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 3: met in sixty three and they started writing together and 67 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 3: performing together. And in sixty seven they got a break. 68 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,799 Speaker 3: They got signed to Capitol Records. They released an album 69 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 3: that no one bought, and and it was kind of 70 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 3: over and they didn't even They toured for maybe two weeks, 71 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 3: you know, that was it, and then it was. 72 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 2: Back to work. 73 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 3: And and I think that he had up to that 74 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 3: point had really the become a good player, became a 75 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 3: good writer, but he hadn't really found his voice. And 76 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 3: when my mother was pregnant with me, and it was 77 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 3: this is kind of a rare thing to be able 78 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 3: to see in an artist. 79 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: But. 80 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 3: He recorded everything, all of the practice that for a 81 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 3: concert he'd play on the weekend at a little bar. 82 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 3: It could be a roadhouse or a coffee house, it 83 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 3: didn't matter what kind of place it was. He kind 84 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 3: of tailored the set to that group. And they were covers, 85 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,440 Speaker 3: mostly covers. He might throw something of his in there. 86 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 3: But it was when my mother was pregnant with me. 87 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 3: I think he felt like he had maybe one more 88 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 3: chance before he had to really get a serious job. 89 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 3: And I was archiving a bunch of his music, maybe 90 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 3: twenty five years ago, and I came across a cassette 91 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,360 Speaker 3: and it was all of the songs that he was 92 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 3: planning to perform that weekend. And then it was all 93 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 3: these great old blues songs and early country stuff, Jimmy 94 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 3: Rogers and Mississippi, John Hurt and Bessie Smith and all 95 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 3: of this stuff. And then I flip it over and 96 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 3: on the other side it's this beginning of time and 97 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 3: a bottle. And this was the like epiphany for him. 98 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 3: It was all of a sudden, all of those covers 99 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 3: that he had done and the album he did with 100 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 3: my mother and an early solo attempt at a recording 101 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:43,239 Speaker 3: called Facets self produced, was it was all really standing 102 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 3: on the shoulders of giants in the way that you know, 103 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 3: you could really see where the influences were from. And 104 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:53,160 Speaker 3: it wasn't that original until this. And at this point, 105 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 3: all of a sudden, with time and a bottle, it 106 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 3: became like the floodgates opened. And you know, in the 107 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 3: six to eight months everything for the first two records 108 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 3: were written, So don't mess around with Jim Operator was finished. 109 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 3: A lot of these things had been started, like leaving 110 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 3: New York City after moving there in sixty nine, my 111 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 3: folks moved there trying to make a living play music, 112 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 3: and on the way out my dad started New York 113 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 3: It's Not My Home and Box number ten, but they 114 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 3: were unfinished and it just went on, you know, and 115 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 3: so it became this. It was, you know, it was 116 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 3: kind of magic. It was like lightning had struck. 117 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 2: I'll say, yeah, we're going to talk about Croachy plays 118 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 2: Croachy and certainly the Heart of the Eternal tour as well. 119 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 2: But let's talk about the Heart of the Eternal. What 120 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 2: inspired you know, those songs and sounds and how does 121 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 2: it reflect where you are as an artist today. 122 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 3: You know, I think it's really very representative of who 123 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 3: I am as an artist. It draws from a lot 124 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 3: of different places. I was conscious in selecting the songs 125 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 3: with Shooter Jennings because I had a lot to choose 126 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 3: from a lot, you know, probably twenty five songs that 127 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 3: I was really proud of to choose from. I didn't 128 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 3: want anything to be too similar from the next, but 129 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 3: didn't want it to be too different. There are kind 130 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 3: of pairings in the sense that there's you know, certain 131 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 3: couple each song has has a partner in the sense 132 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,720 Speaker 3: that they kind of live in the same world. So 133 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 3: on that album, there's a couple songs that are kind 134 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 3: of rock and roll songs, ones sort of psychedelic soul influence. 135 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 3: I got a feeling the other being, Hey, Margarita, both 136 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 3: of those are kind of living in the same world, 137 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 3: just as just as Complications of Love and Finest Line 138 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 3: are kind of living in the same sonic world. I 139 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 3: like to be able to have things that can be 140 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 3: very different from the song before it, but will kind 141 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:20,559 Speaker 3: of take you on a little bit of a journey. 142 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: You know. 143 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 3: I like to think of an album in its entirety 144 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 3: because it helps me to have a well rounded story. 145 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 3: But I don't know that anyone else outside of outside 146 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 3: of me is ever going to listen to it that way. 147 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 3: Where we live in a world of singles, it's like 148 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 3: the nineteen fifties or early sixties again. You know, people 149 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 3: are they're not even getting two sides. They're getting one 150 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 3: song and that's it. You know, people download one song 151 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 3: and if they like it, they'll download another, and then 152 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 3: you've got a smaller group of people that want to 153 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 3: hear everything that a predicts artist does. I love those people, 154 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 3: but it's like there. You know, it's few and far 155 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 3: between compared to the number of people that hear a 156 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 3: song on the radio or a friend shares it with 157 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:13,439 Speaker 3: them and it becomes part of a playlist. I think 158 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 3: that's it's it's all valid, it's all important. But all 159 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 3: of those are facets that I consider in recording it. 160 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 3: You know, it was a really fun record to record. 161 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 3: It was super relaxed. We had been on tour for 162 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 3: two and a half years when my band went in 163 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 3: to record this. You know, my rhythm section, bass player 164 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 3: and drummer, we had had played with me for over 165 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:42,079 Speaker 3: a decade. At that point, we had played every one 166 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:47,599 Speaker 3: of these songs live except the last song, which we 167 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 3: played live, but it was in a different form and 168 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 3: and it was just very comfortable, you know. I I've 169 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 3: never had a lot of time in the studio budget wise, 170 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 3: So we recorded the the basic tracks in four days. 171 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 3: I had I'd overdubbed. If I was playing guitar and 172 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 3: I needed to play piano, I'd go over play the 173 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 3: piano part, the organ part, whatever it was sung, whatever 174 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 3: instrument I started on. I was singing live because I 175 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 3: want people in the you know that come to see 176 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 3: me perform I want them to be able to connect 177 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 3: with the album as if it's actually organic. It's me singing. 178 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 3: There's no pitch correction or or any tricks in that way. 179 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 3: I wanted to feel alive and yeah, so it was. 180 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:44,079 Speaker 3: It was a unique, unique project. It was it was fun. 181 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 2: I want to talk about some of the folks you've 182 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 2: worked with in your career, but before getting there, I 183 00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 2: think about that unbelievable list of people that you've collaborated with, 184 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 2: and it's a diverse group, and you're very diverse in 185 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:08,959 Speaker 2: your approach. Do you intentionally choose these collaborations because of 186 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 2: those folks and their diverse outlook on things? 187 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 3: Absolutely? I think you know, diversity is the spice of life, 188 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 3: you know it is. It's the thing that makes music interesting. 189 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 3: I think that it's not necessary. You can you can 190 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 3: hear great artists who have very very limited knowledge of 191 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 3: music outside of what they do. That's what they know, 192 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 3: and it can be magical and they can be the 193 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 3: greatest in the world or one of the greatest in 194 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 3: the world in their field. But I love it when 195 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 3: music is brings in a lot of different elements. And 196 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: I think because every chord's been played, every melody has 197 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 3: been written, every combination of words have been spoken and sung. 198 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 3: I think that we I've come to a place for 199 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 3: myself as an as a as a creator of music 200 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 3: that the best way to create something that's unique and 201 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 3: uniquely representative of me is to incorporate lots of different 202 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 3: genres and finding interesting ways to incorporate all of these 203 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 3: different sounds and textures and scales and chords and put 204 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 3: them in a together in a way that hasn't yet 205 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 3: been put together that way. 206 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,839 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more the Taken a Walk Podcast. 207 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 208 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 4: When you pull back and think of the list of 209 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 4: people I'm going to talk about, you must sometimes want 210 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 4: to pinch yourself thinking of being alongside all right, I'll 211 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:59,839 Speaker 4: start with Leon Russell as an example. 212 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 2: I mean, what was that experience, like. 213 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 3: Well, I'm not really starstruck. They're just they're people, you know. 214 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 3: And and with Leon, you know, it was funny. We'd 215 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 3: played on a couple of festivals in the nineties together 216 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 3: and and we really connected on he and he and 217 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 3: Willie Nelson were on tour and I and I they 218 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 3: were doing a duo show. It was the best I'd 219 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 3: ever heard these guys. And I had had the opportunity 220 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 3: to play with Willie, sit in with him and play 221 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 3: keys and stuff, and he was always super supportive. And 222 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 3: so I go backstage on onto Willie's bus, which was 223 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 3: dangerous in those days. And you know, you don't get 224 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 3: a contact high from gummies. So so anyway, he, uh, 225 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 3: Leon and I started talking about piano players, and we 226 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 3: spoke for like, we just talked about our heroes for 227 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 3: for an hour or you know, I think we bored. 228 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: Will you Have to Death. 229 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 3: And and and you know, a little while later I 230 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 3: got a call that he wants to write and so, 231 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 3: you know, we had the same influences. I wasn't thinking 232 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 3: about him as this iconic songwriter, piano player, studio musician 233 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 3: or or producer or any of the hats many hats 234 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 3: and very cool hats that he's worn. I just thought that, 235 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 3: you know, here's a kind of a fellow, you know, traveler. 236 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 3: You know, he's inspired by all kinds of music and 237 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 3: and as and uses uses it in the same way 238 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 3: that that I have, you know, in a different in 239 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:49,440 Speaker 3: his way. You know, that's magical. 240 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 2: Could you possibly nail your favoritely on Russell's song. I 241 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 2: know that's probably impossible. 242 00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 3: You know, there's uh, there's so many good ones. But 243 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 3: and we wrote a bunch together. We wrote probably ten 244 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 3: songs together. But I really in a song for you 245 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 3: is beautiful. There's something about the self titled Leon record 246 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 3: and Carney in particular that really resonate for me. And 247 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 3: and again, you know, I loved his music. I still 248 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 3: love his music, but he was not like my what 249 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 3: he was not Ray Charles for me or Ray Charles 250 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 3: for him. You know, we both had that connection to 251 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 3: Ray and to Little Richard and to Johnny Johnson and 252 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 3: to the boogie guys. Those were you know, they were 253 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 3: kind of our piano playing heroes, regardless of songwriting or anything. 254 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 3: But Leon wrote so many great songs, and those two 255 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 3: albums just have so many cool things, and I love 256 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 3: how raw it is and just just it's just great 257 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 3: because how much fun the band is having. 258 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 2: Oh man, I'll say. Then you think about his record 259 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 2: company executive period, which is incredible as well. 260 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:15,879 Speaker 3: Right, I know, Freddie King was on his label, and 261 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 3: JJ Kale and and then of course the studio the 262 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 3: Church which he has, which is you know, or had 263 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:28,160 Speaker 3: and and that's that's pretty amazing. And and his son, 264 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 3: Teddy Jack's very talented as well. 265 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,680 Speaker 2: I find when I listened to his catalog or my 266 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 2: wife and I just you know, just have a night 267 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 2: of just you know, swinging through playlists and whatnot. You 268 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 2: then like rediscover something that you knew was great, like 269 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 2: you know, magic Mirror and you go, oh my god. 270 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 2: Then we just play that, you know, fifteen times in 271 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:55,479 Speaker 2: a row because it's just so amazing. All right, you 272 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 2: brought up Ray Charles, So let's talk about that collaboration 273 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 2: and how magical that had to be. 274 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 3: That was pretty magical and it you know, obviously he 275 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 3: was he was a hero of mine. I got turned 276 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 3: on to him when I had lost my sight, and 277 00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 3: you know, it was it was funny. I when I 278 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,719 Speaker 3: was about sixteen, I started touring around southern California with 279 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 3: a with a blues piano player named Floyd Dixon. Floyd 280 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 3: was just an eccentric kook who had a tendency to 281 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 3: drink a little too much. He wrote, Hay bartender, wine, wine, wine, 282 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 3: one Scotch, one ber and one year and a great 283 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 3: boogie woogie player. And and he told me this story 284 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 3: about hanging out with Ray Charles and Sam Cook back 285 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 3: in the late fifties, and they were on Central Avenue 286 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 3: and Sam Cook and he had had too much to drink, 287 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 3: so they had the brilliant drunken idea to get Ray 288 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 3: Charles to drive him home. And so they get into 289 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 3: Floyd's Cadillac and they I a string to raise left 290 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 3: wrist and a string to raise right wrist, and they go, Okay, Ray, 291 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:07,439 Speaker 3: you've got you got a mile of green light. Step 292 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 3: on it right. So, five years after I hear that story, 293 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 3: I'm out on the road with Ray Charles and I'm 294 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 3: not starscrup but he was a huge, you know, influence, 295 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 3: and so I'm a little and I had heard a 296 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 3: lot of stories about him being challenging or difficult offstage 297 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 3: or whatever. And I see him smiling on the side 298 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 3: of the stage after the show, and he's sitting there 299 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 3: and you've seen this, the way he looked, and he 300 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 3: seemed approachable. And I come over and I say, Ray, 301 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 3: is it true I heard this story from Floyd Dixon. 302 00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 3: And here's Floyd Dixon and his smile disappears and he's 303 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 3: just like m hmmm, And I said, is it true 304 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 3: that you drove Sam Cook and Floyd Dixon home, and 305 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 3: he tightens up right away. He goes, man, I used 306 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 3: to drive all the time, and that was my introduction 307 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 3: to Ray Charles. He you know, he was super encouraging. 308 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 3: He dug what I did. He thought that he was 309 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 3: grateful that I always that I had had a piano 310 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 3: because because it made sure that he had that He 311 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,359 Speaker 3: had a great piano too, because he didn't always ask 312 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 3: for a great piano, even though he could. Anyone would 313 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 3: have given him whatever he wanted. It was just an 314 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 3: old fashioned way of doing things, you know. So he 315 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 3: always had the Wurlitzer and a keyboard or something. But 316 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 3: on tour, that was that was a dream, you know. 317 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 3: And I'd heard all these insane stories about his tour manager, 318 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 3: Joe Adams, who who I was terrified of meeting, and 319 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 3: you know, he would fire a bus driver and drive 320 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 3: drive the rest of the tour. He would fire a 321 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,640 Speaker 3: pilot and fly the plane. You know. He was It 322 00:20:55,720 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 3: was like and and I meet him, and he couldn't 323 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:02,479 Speaker 3: have been more of a gentleman in the whole. You know. 324 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 3: It was just I felt like after that, I must 325 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 3: have been twenty one years old when I did that. 326 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 3: I'm like, Okay, if I never do anything amazing in 327 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 3: my career, I've done this. 328 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 2: Well, You've continued doing amazing things. Hard of the Eternal 329 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 2: Wonderful Project. We had John Oates on this podcast some 330 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 2: time ago, and he spoke so wonderfully of collaborating with 331 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 2: you on Reunion. Talk about your view of collaborating with 332 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 2: the amazing John Oates. 333 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 3: John was such a surprise we met. We met at 334 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 3: the Ryman. We were both performing was a John Prime 335 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 3: tribute a couple of years back, and after I played, 336 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 3: he came over and said, Hey, you want to get together. 337 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 3: I'd known that he lived here in Nashville, but didn't 338 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:57,880 Speaker 3: know had never met him. And so he comes over. 339 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:00,239 Speaker 3: A couple of weeks later, he had just gone to 340 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:06,159 Speaker 3: see his father, who was one hundred years old in Philadelphia, 341 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 3: and and he comes over and he says, you know, 342 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 3: I saw my dad and you know he's one hundred 343 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 3: and he he said, John, I'm I'm ready for my reunion. 344 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 3: You know, I've had and had a great life and 345 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 3: I'm and I'm I'm grateful, but I'm ready to see 346 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,640 Speaker 3: the people I i' you know, I love and lost 347 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 3: and ready for my reunion. And that was all it took. 348 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 3: The two of us took that, and he said, I've 349 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 3: got an idea. I didn't want to call it reunion, 350 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 3: but I don't know exactly where to go with it. 351 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:43,360 Speaker 3: Kind of hear it as a kind of a gospel thing, 352 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:44,920 Speaker 3: but he was playing it in four to four, and 353 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 3: I said, well, we got to play it in three 354 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,120 Speaker 3: or in six of its gospel, and so I started 355 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:52,679 Speaker 3: and played the opening part to it, and that was 356 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 3: that we wrote it. Bam. It just kind of wrote itself. 357 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:02,160 Speaker 3: And John is such a talented musician. The thing, there's 358 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 3: very few uh musicians that I write with who understand 359 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 3: the possibilities uh as far as not not just you know, 360 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 3: the way it feels, but also theoretically what is going 361 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 3: on in the music. So it's a place where I'm like, 362 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:23,439 Speaker 3: you know, we want to go to the four, but 363 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 3: I don't want to. I don't want to stay on 364 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 3: this four again. We're going back to this and and 365 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 3: so we play a mine or two instead, which was 366 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 3: his suggestion in kind of the leading up to the chorus. 367 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 3: And it's basically the same chord the way it's played, 368 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 3: but it has a different tonality, and and I just 369 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 3: there's not a lot of collaborators that I have who 370 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 3: who have that ability. You know. Of course Leon was one, 371 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 3: and and and I've had you know, I've been able 372 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,119 Speaker 3: to collaborate with some great, great folks. But but John 373 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 3: really understands and the music and the possibility of of 374 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 3: of a song. And you know, he's he's a master 375 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 3: of what he does. 376 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 2: You both share this incredible passion for the history of 377 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 2: what you're doing as well the history of your craft. 378 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 2: So I think that's what's remarkable about both of you. 379 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 2: There's another force of nature that you collaborated with on 380 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 2: the latest project, Heart of the Eternal. What was it 381 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:34,959 Speaker 2: like working with Margot Price? 382 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 3: You know, I wasn't familiar with Margot. I knew her 383 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 3: name and have friends who who play with her, but 384 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 3: I had never met her before. And she came in 385 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 3: she was in Los Angeles and stopped in the studio 386 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 3: I think the second day of of of tracking just 387 00:24:55,840 --> 00:25:00,199 Speaker 3: to say hi, to shoot her and she heard we 388 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,360 Speaker 3: were doing and she apparently dug it and said, Hey, 389 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 3: if you want someone to join in and sing on anything, 390 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,359 Speaker 3: let me know. And I had I had written this 391 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 3: song initially on guitar, and then the day I was 392 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 3: leaving for Los Angeles, I was played it on piano 393 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 3: for my girlfriend and I said, what do you think 394 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,919 Speaker 3: of this? She's like, where's that song been? And I said, well, 395 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 3: you know, I've had it for a while. You heard 396 00:25:28,359 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 3: it on guitar, but it just came alive on the piano. 397 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 3: And so I looked at the lyrics to this and 398 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,680 Speaker 3: I realized that if I broke the verses in half, 399 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 3: that it was a real conversation, almost a question and 400 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:46,200 Speaker 3: answer or two statements, and it's such an a ethereal 401 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 3: piece of music that there was something kind of ghostly 402 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 3: about it, beautiful, gentle and forceful at the same time 403 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 3: confident maybe anyway, I felt like having those facets were 404 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,560 Speaker 3: kind of fit, you know. I think that I think 405 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 3: it worked for for us to do that in that way. 406 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 3: It just it was really unique, completely unexpected, and you know, 407 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 3: we met, We met twice and I haven't seen her since. 408 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 2: It's a wonderful collaboration. It really is. Well in closing 409 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 2: what's next after this album and tour? What are the 410 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 2: new collaborations or creative projects that are on your horizon? 411 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 3: Man I'm not sure, you know. I have a lot 412 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 3: I've gotten, you know, another album, you know, worth of 413 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 3: songs that I'm that I'm continuing to write, even one 414 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:47,200 Speaker 3: that I I wrote with with John uh Co wrote 415 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 3: with John and Gary Nicholson, who's been a long time collaborator. 416 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 3: I got a I got a message from Ben Harper 417 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,360 Speaker 3: the other day and that could be an interesting collaboration. 418 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 3: He's living in France right now and wanted to maybe 419 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 3: collaborate long distance. I have a project that's been sort 420 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 3: of a real passion project for several years. It took 421 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:18,000 Speaker 3: many years to sort of organize the concept for its 422 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 3: origin stories, using a lot of almost the world music 423 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,120 Speaker 3: project in a way, because there's a lot of really 424 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 3: unique instrumentation, a lot of interesting stories, and they're coming 425 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:34,879 Speaker 3: from folklore, coming from mythology, coming from science, coming from religion, 426 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 3: and the similarities of these origin stories from each continent 427 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 3: is so amazing and so similar that you realize how 428 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 3: similar we all are. And I think it's such a 429 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 3: beautiful project that when the time allows, I will And 430 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 3: you know that was initially started with a group called 431 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 3: Anti Ballast, who is you know, kind of a world 432 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:02,440 Speaker 3: music band. I think five languages are spoken in that group. 433 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 3: It started in Mexico City with the lead singer and 434 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,919 Speaker 3: percussionist is from Nigeria, and the band all kind of 435 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:14,199 Speaker 3: met in Brooklyn and and but there. You know, they 436 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:17,119 Speaker 3: all play with a lot of different groups, So I 437 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:19,200 Speaker 3: just think there's going to be a lot of collaboration 438 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:22,800 Speaker 3: when this thing comes together. I think it'll be really interesting. 439 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,440 Speaker 2: Oh Man, I have so enjoyed speaking with you, AJ Crochy, 440 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,800 Speaker 2: And for those that want to check out the Music 441 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 2: Save Me podcast, you should check out that version of 442 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,760 Speaker 2: the AJ Croche with Lynn Hoffman on Music Save Me. 443 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 2: That's also fabulous. But Aj, congratulations on the new project, 444 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 2: the tour and everything, and thanks for your generosity and 445 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 2: all you continue to give us. 446 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 3: Man, thank you so much for having me. 447 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. Thanks for listening to this episode of 448 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes 449 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: with your friends and follow us so you never miss 450 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:05,280 Speaker 1: an episode. Taking a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, 451 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.