1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,280 Speaker 1: Next Question with Katie Couric is a production of I 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: Heart Radio and Katie Kuric Media. Hi everyone, I'm Katie 3 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:10,959 Speaker 1: Kuric and welcome to Next Question. I don't know about you, 4 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: but it's sometimes hard to stay positive in the world 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: we're living in right now. So much suffering, so much 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: rancor so much hate. Then there's all that social media 7 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: that gives you a serious case of fomo. As Teddy 8 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: Roosevelt once said, comparison is the thief of joy. I'm 9 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: sorry if I seem in patient. I'm not a fan 10 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: of pleasantry. She occup bored with the weather and what's 11 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: in the news. Studies show the average person has about 12 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: twelve thousand to sixty thousand thoughts per day, and that 13 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: of those thoughts are negative and end of the thoughts 14 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: are repetitive. That adds up to a lot of ruminating 15 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: about a lot of bad stuff. So next question, how 16 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: do you stay positive in today's world? In my opinion, 17 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,279 Speaker 1: the happy guy or the happy girl is like way 18 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: more three dimensional than just like happy. Like it's a fight, 19 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: it's a war. There's a lot of things you can 20 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: do to try and stay positive. You're about to meet 21 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: a very happy guy with some uplifting and sightful advice, 22 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: and you can even dance to it. Go al. Multi 23 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: platinum pop singer and songwriter Andy Grammer's work reads like 24 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: a playlist for positivity. His platinum singles include hits like 25 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: keep your Head Up, which I love, thank You, Good 26 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: to be Alive, and the ridiculously catchy song that became 27 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: an anthem for monogamy, Honey I'm Good. He's also got 28 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 1: a popular positive podcast called The Good Parts, and he 29 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: also has a new album out called Naive and So Andy. 30 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: I'm so happy to see you because I could use 31 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: a little positivity in my life. I love you, thank 32 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,119 Speaker 1: you so much for having me here, and your whole 33 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 1: story is so interesting. But before we kind of dive 34 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: into your life, you sometimes have to defend your positive attitude, 35 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 1: don't you. I mean, you have to make sure people 36 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: understand that it's cool to be happy. I feel like 37 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: I smile quite a bit and I have just in 38 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: the world that kind of came in always like looking 39 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: for the good. My late husband used to say, I 40 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: was hardwired for happiness, and it sounds like you and 41 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,959 Speaker 1: I are the same. Right. Every once in a while, 42 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:53,959 Speaker 1: what you will get back from the world. If you 43 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: are this type of person, is that you don't know 44 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: what you're talking about, Like, can't you see how crappy 45 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: the world is? Like why are you smiling so much? 46 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,119 Speaker 1: You must not know. So you kind of get put 47 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: off into this corner of like, oh, you're like cute, 48 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: you know, you're so sweet and he comes by like smiles. 49 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 1: If you're happy, you must be stupid. It must be stupid, yeah, 50 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: because you don't know what's going on. And so what 51 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: do you say to people who have that attitude? It's 52 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: almost like a rebellious way of being like, call me 53 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: whatever you want. This is how I live, this is 54 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: how I am, and I'm making it for people like me, 55 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: And there's much more to me than a smile on 56 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: my face. Because I guess a lot of people think 57 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: you have to be dark and moody to be interesting. Totally, yes, 58 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: and you want to prove otherwise. Yeah, hopefully there's there's 59 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: people that can see that that's not always the case. 60 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: And everybody has all these sides to them, right, Like 61 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: I have dark and moody in my life, but usually 62 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: that dark and moody is trying to get me to 63 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: somewhere that is worthwhile, where I can grow, where the 64 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: world is worth it, where I want to show up 65 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: and be a part of this thing. Rather than just 66 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: be dismal about it. Let's talk about sort of how 67 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: you came into the world with a smile on your face. Yeah, 68 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: I was born in Los Angeles, and then my dad 69 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: as a children singer, so I got some of my 70 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: good vibes from him and my mom. They both wrote 71 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: these children's songs together, so they were following him around. 72 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: So they moved to Nashville, and they moved to New York, 73 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: and that's where I grew up. I grew up here 74 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: in Upstate and state on an hour north of here, 75 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: a place called Monroe Bary. And so you were surrounded 76 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: by music all your life when you were a very 77 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: little kid. And we have a clip of your dad's 78 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 1: singing barnyard Boogie. He's a stinging and stinging and uster. 79 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 1: He loves to im provide. He's the kind of clock 80 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: Curo was born to harm and I and every day. 81 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: And then my dad was so where did he sing that? 82 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: Was this just a children's record? Or was what I mean? 83 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: He took it really seriously. He was incredible. He was 84 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:53,919 Speaker 1: my dad's Grammy nominated children singer, so this was like 85 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: his job. You travel all around the country and around 86 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: the world singing to kids, and your mom too was 87 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: so this came to you naturally, kind of genetically predisposed 88 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: to be a great musician. The older than I get, 89 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: the more I realized, how lucky if you want to 90 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: be a songwriter, to grow up in a house with 91 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,559 Speaker 1: two songwriters writing songs all the time, it's pretty lucky, 92 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 1: I bet. And you started writing songs yourself when you 93 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: were fifteen years old. Yeah, I started just taking stabs 94 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: at It was never really pushed on me. Do you 95 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: remember the first song you ever wrote. Yeah, I think 96 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 1: it's something called like Doorstep to a Girl about like 97 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 1: I like you, but I'm probably gonna come past the doorstep, 98 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: but I'll hang outside and flirt with you a little bit. 99 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: You were busting and I've never even heard of that term. 100 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: I guess it's more of a what is that a 101 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: West Coast term? I don't know. I didn't really heard 102 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: of it either. So you were a street performer in 103 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 1: other words, so you were doing what a lot of 104 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: people do here in Central Park or in the subway 105 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: waiting area you were performing. So what kind of things 106 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: were you doing and what did that experience teach you? 107 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: A lot? I understand quite a bit because at it's 108 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: very fundamental level, the idea of not waiting for anyone 109 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 1: and just going and doing it is really important in 110 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 1: any career, especially in arts. Do not wait for permission. 111 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: It's like free him of speech. You literally can't stop me. 112 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: I'm allowed to just start doing what I do. So 113 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: that was really important for me. So I did that 114 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: for four years, and I'm starting to learn what it 115 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: is that I had to offer and what was working 116 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: in what was not working? See what kind of songs 117 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 1: would you sing? I would sing covers, I would sing 118 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: my own originals and no one would stop, and you'd 119 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: be like, all right, well, I gotta write some more 120 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: um And I would, you know, cover Room five and 121 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: I cover one Republic. And I try, like Michael Jackson 122 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: and all these different things to see like what's working here, 123 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: trying to find myself, find my sound. I imagine that 124 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: you encountered all different kinds of people and a real 125 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: slice of humanity. You really do, And what'school is kind 126 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 1: of like being on tourist saying in one spot because 127 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: Santa Monica's tons of tourists come from. I was gonna say, 128 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: is that where you were Santa Monica? Where on Third 129 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: Street Promenade? And yeah, it was like this awesome wading 130 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,359 Speaker 1: into the water of what it means to be an 131 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: artist and how honestly the whole ecosystem of what an 132 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 1: artist is, which is you put yourself out there. Some 133 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: people like it, most people don't. And if you can 134 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: hang with longs of solitude waiting while everybody's just ignoring you, 135 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: then there are these moments where something catches on and 136 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: now there's three people, there's five people, now there's a 137 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: hundred people, and you are the man for about twenty minutes. Crazy, 138 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: everybody wants your autograph on the street. Yeah, they will 139 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: buy your CD. You sign this for me. Holy crap, 140 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: this is awesome. And then they all leave and you're 141 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: back to like, Okay, I gotta figure out how to 142 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: build this back up again. I could not care le 143 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 1: us about today, job gossip, ordinary stress. So in the beginning, 144 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: when you're bad and you play, you would be giving 145 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: me attention, not me giving you a service, right like 146 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: you're giving to me because I'm bad to actually make 147 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: the switch to where like I'm doing something that is 148 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: beautiful or touching your heart or making you think, or 149 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: like actually giving to you. That actually switches it to 150 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: where like I'm giving you the service. And I, for 151 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: the first time with my music, started to do that 152 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: as a street performer. And actually those four years were 153 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 1: where it started switch. So by the time I left 154 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: the street, it was like cool a little bit figured 155 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: out how to write a song that gives rather than 156 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: just like asked for attention, show me women, give me. 157 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: You wrote your first song really based on your experiences 158 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: as a street performer, called Keep your Head Up, which 159 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 1: is such a great, fun, upbeat, catchy song, but you 160 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: were feeling kind of rejected when you wrote it. It 161 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: was a day of no one putting anything in my case, 162 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,959 Speaker 1: which is usually I get there early, set up and 163 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:38,679 Speaker 1: wait for spots. You're like there for like almost eight 164 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: to ten hours, so a full day of the world 165 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: being like no you sick or we're not interested, and 166 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: no enough of you. Um, So I packed up all 167 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: my stuff and then I literally did this. I looked 168 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: up at the sky and I said, I'm never leaving, 169 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 1: So your move like I'll be back for the for 170 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: the rest of ever, like until I go I'm here, 171 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: I will be here and I'm not going to stop 172 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: showing up, so you might as well just like make 173 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: something happen for me. And then I went home and 174 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: wrote a song. Up, keep your head up, your head up. 175 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: You wrote a song, it became a huge hit. You 176 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 1: put it out in the world. I mean, what was 177 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: that like? Here you were busting and suddenly you become 178 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: this well known singer songwriter. So what was that like? Yeah, 179 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 1: you hear on the radio, and then you're going around 180 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: different parts of the country, in the world, and people start, 181 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: you know, see things on YouTube, everybody covering it, and 182 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 1: then you go to play a show and they're all 183 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: singing it. It was. It was pretty spectacular. Tell me 184 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: the process for writing a song, because I've played the 185 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 1: piano and I've always wanted to be a songwriter, you know, 186 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: I just think it would be so fun, and I've 187 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: tried a little bit. Of course we can make it. 188 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: Tried to write a song called if I Only knew. 189 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: My husband died of cancer, and I thought how different 190 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: people would act. I actually just went to a funeral 191 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: this morning of a dear friend who was killed in 192 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: car accident, And would you do anything differently if you 193 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 1: only knew that your time was limited? Would you be 194 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: more generous and loving and caring? And would you not 195 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: waste a moment being mad at someone or getting in 196 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 1: silly fights? And I just think the idea of really 197 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: taking advantage of every minute to be happy and loving 198 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: is so a wonderful thought. So if you want to 199 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,199 Speaker 1: take that idea with it, you can. So this is 200 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: what I say. What songwriting is to me at least 201 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,360 Speaker 1: is you have that thought, which is a great thought. 202 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: And I also like, if I only knew as a lyric, yeah, 203 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: it's like a great lyric. It's a great idea. And 204 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,199 Speaker 1: then for anyone who's listening with the songwriter, this is 205 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 1: what's going to happen. You're going to write the song 206 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: and it's going to be so sincere in you, it's 207 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: like a perfect, pure little thing. And then in the 208 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: process of taking it out of you and actually putting 209 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: it out into the world, you will realize that it 210 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 1: fell apart and crumbled into like a terrible little thing. 211 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:58,839 Speaker 1: And he'd be like, crap, it was so good in me. 212 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: I know it, I really like connecting to it. I 213 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 1: was getting so encouraged and to the said that, and 214 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:05,959 Speaker 1: then as you take it out, it falls apart. So 215 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: the only way you can actually do it is to 216 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: write it again. Then you write it again, and then 217 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: you write it again, and then you write it again. 218 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 1: And being a good songwriter is someone who gets better 219 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: and better at the process of actually putting it into 220 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: the world in the way that it actually feels inside you, 221 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: because that is an unbelievable art. But I feel like 222 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: I need someone to help me because maybe I'm just 223 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,679 Speaker 1: a lyricist and not necessarily a songwriter. That's very possible 224 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: either should be a duet, and I think we got it, Okay, 225 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: all right, Well we'll talk about figure out podcast when 226 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: we come back. We're going to talk about how to 227 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 1: stay positive in this increasingly depressing world we're living in, 228 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 1: because I think people are feeling anxious and unhappy and depressed. 229 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: And we're going to get your prescription how to click 230 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: that around fix everything. No problem, I got you when 231 00:11:52,440 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 1: we come back, and he fixes the world. Music can 232 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: really change your mute so dramatically. I think that as 233 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 1: a songwriter, you're just trying to find what's true about 234 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 1: being here. For some reason, I don't know why, it's 235 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: harder to make the happy side of things sound cool, 236 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: but if you catch it, the world really needs it 237 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 1: and we all freak out. I've been waiting on the 238 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: sunset build on, Mama said, not kidding, Hi, Hi, having 239 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: my income, income's bread, Cromes, cobbin, trying to survive. We 240 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: talked about being surrounded by music as a kid and 241 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: by children's singers. Having parents who sing songs from the 242 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: time you're hopping out of the womb must kind of 243 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: make you a very happy person. But what else do 244 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 1: you think shaped you and made you positive? Because I 245 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: think we all have different thresholds of happiness and different 246 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: happiness levels. I think one of the quickest ways to 247 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: become happy be the only fail safe that I know, 248 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:08,200 Speaker 1: is to be of service to other people stranger, which 249 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: sounds weird and ridiculous. It's kind of like when you 250 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: are laying on your couch and you're lethargic. What's the 251 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 1: best thing to make you feel better is to like 252 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: go for a run, and then you what do you know? 253 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: You feel better? So suddenly stranger in a world right 254 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: now and where everybody's got their phone in front of 255 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: their face and the cameras facing back at them all 256 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: day long. We're like very self right now, and I 257 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 1: think that makes you very unhappy. And the more that 258 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: you can go outward and do something for other people, 259 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: be of service to somebody else, figure out how what 260 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 1: your daily life is is being of service, that will 261 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: undeniably make you happier every time. I agree with you 262 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: because I was thinking about that as I was sitting 263 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: in this funeral service this morning, and I you know, 264 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: when you go to funerals, you hear such incredible things 265 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 1: about people, and you wonder, gosh, why didn't I know 266 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: this person better? Or how can I have what David 267 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 1: Brooks calls eulogy values? How can I be the kind 268 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: of person that people would say those things about, you know, 269 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: when they're no longer with us. And I started thinking 270 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: about when you're external facing, instead of so focused on 271 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: yourself and your own problems and your own complaints and 272 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: you know, things that are usually exaggerated, and instead kind 273 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: of look around and how can you help other people 274 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: and make them feel better instead of being consumed by 275 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 1: your own It is the quickest way to be happier now, 276 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 1: let me ask you this. You were at a funeral. 277 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: So I have a podcast about what I think are 278 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: the most interesting questions the good parts of our story. 279 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: What do you think happens when we die? Is one 280 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 1: of the things that I like to ask. I think nothing, 281 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: nothing lights out, game over. Yeah. What I love about 282 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 1: this question is there's no right answer, it's all. It's 283 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: all really fun. I was raised to Presbyterian. My mom 284 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 1: was Jewish, but I do sort of. I think believe 285 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 1: more in I agree more probably with the Jewish faith 286 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: that your spirit lives on in the hearts and mind, 287 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: that you you can shape other people who come after 288 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: you by your presence in their lives. That's what I think. 289 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: I wish I believed in heaven and you know that 290 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: I was going to be on a cloud eating Philadelphia 291 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: cream cheese. But I just don't think I do. How 292 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: about you? So I'm behind. One of the things that 293 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: I got from the behind faith was there's these writings 294 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: about how we believe that it's like the womb to 295 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: this place is a good analogy. So when you're in 296 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: the womb, you're growing arms and legs that you don't 297 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 1: necessarily know why you need them. It's actually making you 298 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: more uncomfortable in there. And then when it's time you 299 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: move into this new place where you get to use 300 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: these things that you were growing. Oh my god, this 301 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: is awesome. And it's a much vaster, crazier, cooler place 302 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: than you could ever imagine, right, much bigger than So 303 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 1: the idea is that this place here, living in life, 304 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: in the world, you're supposed to grow spiritually, and then 305 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 1: once you leave this place that then you use all 306 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 1: that wherever you are next. So where is that where 307 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: It's impossible to describe. I don't think that it's a 308 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: cloud with cream cheese either. What do you think it is? 309 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 1: Do you think it's sort of some kind of particles? 310 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: Think my brain literally is incapable of understanding it. But 311 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: I do think that it is worth growing. It's like 312 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: we're here to grow for that place. So then when 313 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: you're talking about your friend's funeral, I am sad, but 314 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,040 Speaker 1: I am also I do think that this this guy 315 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 1: is in a really great place. You do, I really 316 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: genuinely do, And I've had many wild experiences with my 317 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:33,720 Speaker 1: mom who's passed on that just like further that that's 318 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: you can't prove that to anybody, but in my own 319 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: personal beliefs, I think that he is in a wonderful place. 320 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: Tell me about your mom. You mentioned her. She died 321 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 1: a breast cancer when you were in your twenties, and 322 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: I'm curious how that affected you and how you were 323 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: able to maintain this sort of upbeat, positive attitude. I 324 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: have the song on my new album called Wish You Pain, 325 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 1: which kind of makes sense with this, which is like, 326 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: you only grow from things usually that are really, really difficult. 327 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: And if I was going to be someone who runs 328 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: around the world and sings songs that were trying to 329 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 1: uplift people, that would be pretty obnoxious if I didn't 330 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 1: understand pain. I hope your dads come like monsters and 331 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 1: terror raged dreams. I hope you feel the lonely hopelessness 332 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: because no one else believes. I hope you question whether 333 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: you ever really had a chance at all. Up until 334 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: that point in my life, life was pretty easy for me. 335 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: I like was good enough at sports. It was like 336 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,159 Speaker 1: homecoming king. It wasn't like trying. It was just like 337 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: if I wasn't ever really happy, life is awesome. This 338 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: is great. And then I lost my mom and my 339 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 1: whole world got completely rocked, and I was for about 340 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: a year and a half. I went from being the 341 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 1: super gregarious guy to just like at the dinner table 342 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 1: or the friend table, just completely quiet, silent, taking in like, oh, 343 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,679 Speaker 1: this is what so many people are feeling when it 344 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,200 Speaker 1: comes to like sadness and pain and difficulty. I really 345 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: needed that to not be annoying, uh and not understand 346 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: I have any compassion towards how hard it can actually be. 347 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: So losing her was like very grounding. And I think 348 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: a song like keep your Head Up is saying be 349 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:20,360 Speaker 1: happy amidst how difficult this is. Most happy songs are 350 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:24,920 Speaker 1: still grounded in pain. I know that it might sound strange, 351 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:35,400 Speaker 1: but whish you pain, whish you it was your mom 352 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: sick for a long time. It happened really fast. They 353 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 1: caught it late. She passed pretty soon after. We found 354 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: out again, what's crazy is my relationship with death is different. 355 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,239 Speaker 1: She was behind too. I actually got to sit with 356 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: her and we had a whole conversation about like it 357 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: was almost like a train station for me where I 358 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,120 Speaker 1: was like, oh my god, I'm so sad. I don't 359 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 1: want to lose you, But are you a little excited 360 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:00,199 Speaker 1: about where you're going, and we had this awe, some 361 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: super intense conversation that was like, man, maybe I don't 362 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: know what is it? Who you know? So that is 363 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,879 Speaker 1: either to anyone loosen that's either like a ridiculous, silly 364 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: conversation between two people that are trying to make themselves 365 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 1: feel better totally fair possible, or a really really sweet, 366 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 1: spiritual conversation between a mother and his son. I love 367 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: these conversations. These are my favorite. I hope it was 368 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 1: the latter, honestly, despite the fact that I'm a Scotia cynical, 369 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: but I know that you do something. You keep your 370 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: mom's spirit alive with something called Cathy Graham's. That's what 371 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,399 Speaker 1: I did as a way to work through my grief. 372 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: I don't do it as much anymore, but right when 373 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: she passed away, I would at any of my shows 374 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: be like, if you're going through something, if you are 375 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: having struggles or troubles, as a way to get through this, 376 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: I will write you a Cathy Graham which is like 377 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 1: a short teeny little song, and I'll send it over 378 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: YouTube to you. It was kind of wild because you know, 379 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: you're just having a normal day and then you get 380 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 1: this email that says, I'm going into back surgery for 381 00:19:57,920 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 1: the fourth time and I'm really stressed out about I 382 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: don't of any arms or legs and I'm going into 383 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: back surgery. You said you'd write a song like oh 384 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 1: my God, so that I like get out my guitar 385 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: and like really fast, we got your back? Did you 386 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: get your back back? Right? It's like, send it off. 387 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: Any of those I probably did about ten or twenty 388 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: of them in that period of my life. You're really upset, 389 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: But then by doing things for others, it is amazing 390 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:23,760 Speaker 1: how quickly that makes you feel different. You know. Then 391 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 1: you're getting these incredible, beautiful emails back from the family 392 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: of the girl saying like, oh my god, she's been 393 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:30,919 Speaker 1: playing this over and over and over before she goes 394 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 1: into surgery. There's a random stranger that now like, I'm 395 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: like kind of family with you know. My whole musical 396 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: career is basically trying to do that as much as 397 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 1: I can on like a worldwide scale. Meanwhile, you went 398 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: on Dancing with the Stars in honor of your mom. 399 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 1: She loved to dance. Yeah she did. Oh my god. 400 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 1: I watched that show sometimes and I think, would you 401 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: do it? You know. They've asked me to do it 402 00:20:50,640 --> 00:20:53,159 Speaker 1: a couple of times. First of all, I don't think 403 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 1: I could because it's very physically tasted the hardest thing 404 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: I've ever done right. And I also think I would 405 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: forget everything because I would panic and I would draw 406 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,639 Speaker 1: a blank once it was my time to dance. I 407 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: would just be freaked out. I just don't think I 408 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:09,120 Speaker 1: could do it, but I admire people who do. Did 409 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 1: you have fun doing it? Fun? Is trying? Not the word? 410 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:15,520 Speaker 1: Who is your partner? Well? Fun, it's definitely fun, But 411 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: what you're talking about. Her name is Alison Hulker. She 412 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: was awesome. It was the most stress that I think 413 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:22,159 Speaker 1: I've had in my whole career, Like, why would I 414 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 1: invite that into my life? I was doing it. They 415 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:26,320 Speaker 1: want They asked me to go sing the national anthem 416 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: at the game one of the World Series, which is 417 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: supposed to be a stressful thing, and I was like, fine, 418 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 1: that's great, be out of here, help me stop doing 419 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 1: the chat shot. I would love to go do that. 420 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 1: But it was really really good, and it was really 421 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: sweet to do it for her because she loved to 422 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: watch dance. He was like a big fan of dance. 423 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: Don't get to every night, go just like get quiet 424 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: before I went out and did something ridiculous like dance 425 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 1: for her. And did you get very far in the process. Yeah, 426 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: I made eight shows. That's good. But no mirrorball for you. 427 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: No mirrorball. I did not deserve the mirror ball. It's okay. 428 00:21:56,400 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: Justice was served. Next, we're going to talk to Andy 429 00:22:02,040 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 1: and hear an incredible story about how he keeps his 430 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: mom's memory alive for his little girl. That's what she said. 431 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 1: So you have a little girl named Louisiana who you 432 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 1: called lou Yeah, Louie, Louis Louie. How old is she? 433 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 1: And I know that you actually try to keep your 434 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: mom and your little girl connected as well. Yeah. So, um, 435 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 1: she is going to be to this weekend. So as 436 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: soon as I'm done with this big record, lease, I'm 437 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,640 Speaker 1: gonna fly home and we've booked a bubble guy for 438 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 1: her second birthday party. It's gonna be freaking awesome. And 439 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: uh yeah, she's she's my favorite. You know. One of 440 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 1: the songs on this this new record, it comes with 441 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,439 Speaker 1: a pretty wacky story. So I'm just gonna share it, 442 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:49,359 Speaker 1: share it. So I get this call my wife goes, um, 443 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: I got I got your phone call with this guy, 444 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: m Danion Brinkley. I don't know if you've heard him 445 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 1: struck by lightning, was dead for twenty eight minutes, and 446 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:57,959 Speaker 1: then wrote a book about his near death experience. So 447 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 1: like what he said happened when he passed away, Okay, 448 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,160 Speaker 1: I don't know exactly what to do that information, but sure, 449 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: my wife gets me a phone call and she says, like, 450 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 1: you should call him, Like, all right, I'll call him. 451 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: I'm like, fift that's ridiculous percent, like I lost my mom. 452 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: If he says you can talk to people like maybe whatever. 453 00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: So I called the guy and I'm like kind of 454 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 1: skeptically on the phone, and he goes like, all right, 455 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: your mom's here. Her name is Kathy, right. I'm like yeah, 456 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:22,280 Speaker 1: still kind of like whatever, what are we doing here? 457 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: What are we doing? Yeah? And he goes she she's 458 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: saying very specifically that she wants you to write a 459 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: song to your daughter about everything that she would say 460 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 1: to your daughter because she can't be there to say it. 461 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 1: And I was like, honestly, man, that's just a great idea. 462 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: I don't even know. I don't know what's going on here, 463 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,160 Speaker 1: but I've written like way worse songs on way less 464 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,399 Speaker 1: good ideas, so I will definitely do that. So I 465 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: write the song and it's called She'd Say. And my 466 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: mom is a huge Paul Simon fan. She loved the 467 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: Graceland record where um he went to South Africa and 468 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: he's Ladysmith Black Mambazo and it's like dimes on the 469 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: soles of her shoes. You can call me al. These 470 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 1: are all like amazing songs, and this is one of 471 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: her favorite albums. So I write the song. I get 472 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 1: in the car. The next day after I've written the song, 473 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:06,400 Speaker 1: on the radio, it says Ladysmith Black Mambazo is gonna 474 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 1: be in Los Angeles, And at that point, now I'm like, 475 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: this is so weird. Now, I'm like, mentally internally just 476 00:24:14,359 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: weirded out by this phone call, the fact that one 477 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 1: of my mom's favorite groups is gonna be here. And 478 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: so I chase him down and I'm like, I think 479 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 1: I just gotta follow this all the way to the 480 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: weird end that it is. And they agreed, and we 481 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: have this insane song called Yeah. So it's this wild 482 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: song called She'd Say, Uh, featuring Ladysmith black mambazo, and 483 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: when you hear like the African singers, it gets so insane. 484 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:49,800 Speaker 1: And then it's me singing to my daughter all of 485 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 1: the principles and truths that my mom would have sang 486 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: to her. You never got to meet your grandma, did you? 487 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I I got to kissing an o pick 488 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: because me up to two will never listen to sweet, 489 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: sweet sound of a boy. I've had so many weird 490 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 1: experiences like that that I just live in like a 491 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 1: weird magical lane. And I don't know what to do 492 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:10,520 Speaker 1: about it. I don't necessarily it's like I don't say 493 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: it's true or not true. I just like, this is 494 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: my life. Did you tell the singers the group that 495 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 1: you had had this a little a huge photo of 496 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:20,679 Speaker 1: my mother and we put it in the studio and 497 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: they came in and I told them all this insane story, 498 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 1: and they quickly started writing in Zulu the words what 499 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 1: she'd say, and I love my mother and I missed 500 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 1: my mother. So it's like they're singing, duh, It's like wild, 501 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:37,399 Speaker 1: It's one of the most incredible experiences. So my daughter 502 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: is going to have this song that whatever maybe my 503 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 1: mom wanted her to hear, which is really sweet. She beautiful. 504 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: But don't you don't know what other weird experiences have 505 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 1: you had if you just had to name one more, 506 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,040 Speaker 1: because I'm fascinated by this. I had this experience you 507 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 1: got picked up on the news up in Boston where 508 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: I'm playing a show in Boston and I'm sitting at 509 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: early brunch by myself before you go play the show, 510 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: and these six like elderly ladies come in and sit 511 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,719 Speaker 1: down in the corner and they were making me think 512 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: of my mom. And I'm like, oh, man, I should 513 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:15,680 Speaker 1: pick up their lunch. But then sometimes you have to 514 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:17,199 Speaker 1: worry about doing that because then you look like you're 515 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: trying to be a big shot or whatever. And I'm like, 516 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: never mind, I just keep keep like eating my breakfast. 517 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: And then I have this thing inside it's like you 518 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: should probably go pick up their lunch, and I was like, no, 519 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:29,120 Speaker 1: I'm having this internal conversation with myself now, like now 520 00:26:29,119 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: I'm feeling crazy because it's like so intensely saying like 521 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: go pay for their lunch, like wom fine. So I 522 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: get up, I go over to them and I go, hello, ladies, 523 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 1: you all seem very very sweet. I don't want to 524 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,960 Speaker 1: be weird at all. I just like, I lost my mom. 525 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 1: You're making me think of you all, and it would 526 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: mean the world to me if I could just pick 527 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:48,639 Speaker 1: up your lunch. This lady starts crying and she stands 528 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 1: up and she goes, I just lost my son. Who's 529 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,080 Speaker 1: your age? And like I'm like, now I'm hugging this lady. 530 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: So stuff like this happens to me and I don't 531 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:58,240 Speaker 1: know what to do with it. And we took this 532 00:26:58,280 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: photo and I wrote it out and it became like 533 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 1: a viral thing up in Boston, and then the news 534 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: came and like took photos of us together like this 535 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: sweet little moment that occurred. I just think there's like 536 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 1: way more going on here than we all think there is. 537 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:12,640 Speaker 1: I don't try to say I know what it is, 538 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: but there is like a sweet interplay of stuff occurring 539 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 1: that I'm not necessarily scared of. But it's like it's insane. 540 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: Do you think you're operating on a different spiritual register 541 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,359 Speaker 1: because of your faith and because of Behi? And what 542 00:27:25,560 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 1: is Behigh? Exactly? So? The Behigh faith is a world 543 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:32,239 Speaker 1: religion very simply based on the unity of religions. The 544 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 1: idea is that there's just one God and that God 545 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: has come down in succession throughout all of time. So Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, 546 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: all these are like different accents of God. And so 547 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:47,360 Speaker 1: that's great because there's so much strife and conflict that 548 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:49,880 Speaker 1: comes from religion. It was a wonderful way to grow 549 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 1: up because everywhere that you'd meet someone new, you'd be 550 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 1: like same team. Right, But it's obviously been very important 551 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 1: to you into your life. Yeah. I mean, so there's 552 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 1: like a lot of principles that if you're raised this way, 553 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: can't help but affect how you see the world. So 554 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 1: this idea that pain or struggle is something that is 555 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,680 Speaker 1: for you to grow from that is a huge deal 556 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 1: because when bad things happened to you, it's not just 557 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 1: like oh me again, life sucks. It's like, oh, what 558 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: am I supposed to be like learning from this? How 559 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 1: am I going to grow from this? What am I 560 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 1: gonna take from this experience? You did an incredible video 561 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 1: about a woman who was dying a breast cancer with 562 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: her little boy. That was with Justin Beldoni's show, Right, Yeah, 563 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:31,320 Speaker 1: he has this show called My Last Days. Justin Beldoni. 564 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 1: He's on Jane the Virgin. He's Raphael from Jane the Virgin. 565 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: He's also maybe one of my best friends in the world. 566 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:37,440 Speaker 1: So he started doing this show called My Last Days, 567 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:41,000 Speaker 1: where when someone's terminally ill, a friend of theirs will 568 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: nominate them to be on the show and Justin's crew 569 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: goes in and then they interviewed them about what's important 570 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: to them? What are you thinking before this thing happens? 571 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 1: It's really powerful. I'm sure it's incredibly powerful. Is it sad? 572 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: Is that uplifting? And you've probably watched a lot of 573 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: these Is there a common theme that people talk about, 574 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 1: or feel or regret in their last days? Yeah? I 575 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: think that it just like really centers what's important while 576 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: you're here? What are we doing here? These are my 577 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 1: favorite questions to ask. And the show gets into way 578 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: more about how you treat people, loved ones, being around 579 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 1: your family again back to being of service. How are 580 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 1: you actually being of service to other people? And so 581 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: this show, it was a lady named Ellie who was 582 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: passing away and her son was a big fan of mine, 583 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 1: so I wrote him a song to sing to her 584 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 1: when he missed her. When she Yeah, which is brutal talking. 585 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 1: And Ellie passed away and then she passed away, but 586 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: again all context of how you feel about that, right, 587 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: So if you believe that they are going somewhere else 588 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: and that one of the ways you can keep in 589 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:48,600 Speaker 1: touch with them is to do good deeds in their name, 590 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: there can be a sweetness around it that I really 591 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 1: I think there is. I know that you're a really 592 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: good beat boxer. I mean in the land of beat boxers, 593 00:29:57,840 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: I am not, but I know how to beatbox. You 594 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: don you want to be all right, go ahead, you 595 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: basically just man m ginty drum set, So give me 596 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: the kick is going to be like a pff like sure, 597 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: then uh high, that was no, I wanted to do 598 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: that again. Do it again? What like give me a 599 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: little more bottom like p f f f that's good, 600 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 1: that's fine. Then the high hats like a T, I 601 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 1: s like yep, and then like like a K A 602 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 1: I'm doing great, Then like a K for this there, 603 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: like yeah, give me like a you're a full on 604 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 1: beat box right now, yeah, sounding absolutely fantastic. Yes, now 605 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: you're off on running. Do it for me, do it fast? 606 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:53,720 Speaker 1: So I'm really here, I'm sitting you with Katie. We're 607 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: having a good old time singing about positivity and I 608 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,240 Speaker 1: don't know how to I mean, I can't death and 609 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: death stick around. I promise it's not as depressing as 610 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: it sounds yet. All right, fantastic talented, all right? I 611 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: love that. Do you ever feel like you just want 612 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: to turn your whole image on its head and be 613 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 1: like a jerk and dark and moody and like steal 614 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: a kid's ice cream cone? Like everybody has evil thoughts, 615 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: but not in general. I'm down to like let kids 616 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: keep their ice cream cones coming. This conception about me 617 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 1: is that like I'm like happy, and I'm like no, no, 618 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 1: I love to go deep. This is my favorite. That 619 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: someone passed away and I was like, oh man, I 620 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,400 Speaker 1: actually have a overly like I love to talk about death, 621 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 1: partly because my mom passed away. It's so fascinating to me. 622 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 1: And then I spent a lot of time thinking about 623 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: so it was wonderful. It was really nice to a 624 00:31:48,960 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 1: meet you and be talked to you past. Yes, and 625 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: we're going to write the song. If I only knew, 626 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 1: If I only knew, that's good. That's what you come 627 00:31:58,440 --> 00:31:59,960 Speaker 1: out of this before we go, you want to give 628 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: me a beatbox bed. Thanks for joining us. I'm Katie 629 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 1: Curik and I'm looking forward to tackling your next question. 630 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: And if you haven't already, subscribe on Apple Podcast, the 631 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:19,480 Speaker 1: I Heart app or wherever you listen. And by the way, 632 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: if you're overwhelmed by the tsunami of information coming at 633 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 1: you from your phone every single day, check out my 634 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: morning newsletter wake Up Call. Go to Katie Kurk dot 635 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:33,960 Speaker 1: com to subscribe, and of course follow me on Instagram, Facebook, 636 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 1: Twitter and YouTube. Next Question with Katie Curic is a 637 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 1: production of I Heart Radio and Katie Curic Media. The 638 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:48,320 Speaker 1: executive producers are Katie Kuric, Lauren Bright Pacheco, Julie Douglas, 639 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: and Tyler Klang. Our show producers are Bethan Macaluso and 640 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: Courtney Litz. The supervising producer is Dylan Fagin. Associate producers 641 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: are Emily Pinto and Derek Clemens. Editing is by Dylan 642 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: Fag and Derrek Clements and Lowell Brillante. Our researcher is 643 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 1: Barbara Keene. For more information on today's episode, go to 644 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 1: Katie currect dot com and follow us on Twitter and 645 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:18,760 Speaker 1: Instagram at Katie correct. For more podcasts for My heart Radio, 646 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 1: visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever 647 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows sounding absolutely fantastic.