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