1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:01,440 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 2: I lost my record deal in twenty nineteen, and coming 3 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 2: with that loss of record deal, I lost my booking 4 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 2: agent and I also lost my manager. I didn't think. 5 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:10,719 Speaker 2: I didn't know what to do. I was living on 6 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 2: my credit cards, and so hade this idea. I was like, man, 7 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 2: am I still supposed to do music? I'll post on 8 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:19,159 Speaker 2: social media. I'll play anybody's backyard that wants to happen me. 9 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 2: And I thought I'd get like ten people. Man. I 10 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 2: got over twenty some thousand requests, and I ended up 11 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 2: going around the country for two years and turning over 12 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 2: three hundred people's backyard. 13 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 3: Hi, this is Sarah Harrelson, your host of Taking a Walk. 14 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 3: Nashville joined Buzznight on Taking a Walk as he has 15 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 3: a conversation with country singer songwriter Drew Baldridge as he 16 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 3: speaks about his journey from being a signed artist to 17 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 3: an independent artist with the support of his organic fan base. 18 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 3: His viral song She's Somebody's Daughter was released in twenty nineteen, 19 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 3: and now he continues to tour the world and release 20 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 3: new music with the support of his audience. 21 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 4: Drew Baldridge, thanks for being on Taking a Walk. We're 22 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 4: here in Nashville. I'm so grateful to be in personal 23 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 4: with you. 24 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 2: Man. I'm so glad this worked out. I'm excited to 25 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: be a part of it. 26 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 4: So what do moving cows around there in uh Pakoda, 27 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 4: Illinois have in common with the music business? 28 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 2: Man? So I grab on a farm and you know, 29 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 2: like you said, little town called Patoka, Illinois, and I 30 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 2: grab on a farm. My grandpa was like my hero, 31 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 2: you know, And and I always put farming and kind 32 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: of tie it to the music business in an interesting 33 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 2: way of like, you know, we write these songs and 34 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 2: we don't really know what they're gonna do. It's kind 35 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: of like, you know, putting seed in the ground and 36 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: you don't know why it's gonna yield. You know, you 37 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 2: don't know what's gonna turn out, if it's gonna have 38 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 2: a big yield, if you're gonna get rain, if you're 39 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 2: gonna you know, if you're gonna have a good crop, 40 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: a bad crop, if your tractor is gonna break down, 41 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: you know. And I grew up a lot of with 42 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 2: a lot of old tractors that broke down a lot 43 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: of times, and so you know, that's kind of feel 44 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 2: like a lot of my journey in music has been that, 45 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: you know, and it took you know, a couple of 46 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 2: years ago my grandpa passed away and me going back 47 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: home and kind of reliving that country lifestyle, helping with 48 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 2: the cows for a while and just find getting back 49 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 2: to me and not so much of chasing a sound 50 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 2: in Nashville, but more of, like, you know what, I'm 51 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 2: making music for people, and my people are country people. 52 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 2: And so it's been you know, like I said, I've 53 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: always tied farming kind of the music industry my whole life, 54 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 2: since I've since I moved here at nineteen. 55 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 4: But was there a period you felt like you were 56 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 4: chasing something that when you looked in retrospect, it wasn't 57 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 4: authentic to you. 58 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I think I chased When I signed 59 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 2: my record deal, I was chasing everything. I was just 60 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,399 Speaker 2: wanting to be heard in any any way possible, any 61 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 2: kind of sound, any kind of song. I lost my 62 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 2: record deal in twenty nineteen, and coming with that loss 63 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 2: of record deal, I lost my booking agent and I 64 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: also lost my manager in the same aspect, and I 65 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 2: did this tour over twenty twenty, you know, Covid hit. 66 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 2: I didn't think I didn't know what to do. I 67 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 2: was living on all my credit cards, and I was 68 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 2: kind of like, man, first off, I got a girl 69 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:25,839 Speaker 2: that I want to marry. I can't even afford a ring, 70 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 2: you know. So I had this idea. I was like, man, 71 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 2: I am I still supposed to do music. I'll post 72 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: on social media and I'll just say, hey, whoever, I'll 73 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 2: play in anybody's backyard that wants to have me. And 74 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 2: you know this is if as long as I can 75 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 2: do it, and you know, we can't do it for free. 76 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 2: We need help and get in there and travel expenses 77 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 2: and stuff. And I thought i'd get like ten people, 78 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 2: you know. I thought people would be like, hey, yeah, 79 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 2: we'll do it. Mean I got over twenty some thousand 80 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,240 Speaker 2: requests and I ended up going around the country for 81 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 2: two years and turning over three hundred people's back yards 82 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 2: and just bring And that really changed my creative process 83 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 2: to be like, you know what, I'm making music for 84 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 2: people and not for record labels. I'm not making music 85 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 2: for radio. I'm making it to have a connection with 86 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 2: real life people. When I was in their yard, I 87 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 2: was playing corn hole, eating dinner with them. They were 88 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 2: telling me what their song, what the songs meant to them, 89 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: and why thank you so much? You know you're thank 90 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 2: you so much for creating music that we can put 91 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 2: into our lives. And that's when it really changed for 92 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 2: me also too, of just like you know, I'm making 93 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 2: music for these for people, for real, authentic people, and 94 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 2: that really helped me strive to the music that I'm 95 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 2: creating today. 96 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 5: That's when I first heard about you. 97 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 4: Now many of those were they were backyard barbecues, they 98 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 4: were graduation parties, right, Yeah, there's a. 99 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 2: Lot of I even did a great like you said, 100 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 2: I had a song called Senior Year that kind of 101 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 2: had this moment during twenty twenty because the hook of 102 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 2: the song said, never thought it would disappear. Senior year. 103 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 2: All these kids of Senior year disappeared, and the songs 104 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 2: already out. I wrote it. When I wrote that hook, 105 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:00,720 Speaker 2: I just meant, live it up, kids, it's going to 106 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 2: go by fast. But third year really did disappear. So 107 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 2: I posted before I did the backyard thing, first, I 108 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 2: did this Senior Year thing, and I posted. I said, hey, 109 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:10,799 Speaker 2: I'll do a zoom concert for any class of twenty 110 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 2: twenty that wants a zoom concert. So I was doing 111 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 2: seven or A's Zoom concerts today from my living room couch, 112 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: and they'd be like thirty minutes a piece, and I'd 113 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 2: jump right into the next class, play for another one 114 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty kids. And then that turned into, hey, 115 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 2: we have a drive in graduation. Would you would you 116 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 2: fly down here and drive down here and play this 117 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 2: drive in graduation because it's all social distancing, And I 118 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 2: said sure, So I went around the country. I did 119 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 2: about twenty schools where I just played drive in graduations, 120 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 2: parades and gave commencement speeches to kids all around senior year. 121 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 2: And then that really sparked the idea, it's why it 122 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 2: might only doing this for senior year kids when I 123 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 2: should be doing it for people. And that's what turned 124 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 2: into the backyard shows. 125 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 4: And the way it struck me when I heard about 126 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 4: this was as the business and musicians were incredibly confused 127 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 4: and frustrated during the pandemic. You did something that was 128 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 4: reaching out and touching them. But it was also incredibly 129 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 4: unique compared to what anybody else was doing. 130 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was real different, and it was also the 131 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 2: real rewarding for a lot of people that need music 132 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 2: in their lives, and you know some of these shows 133 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 2: where you know, we did social distancing shows, we'd had 134 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: shows that were after COVID and they were just every 135 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 2: all of them were outside, you know, and it brought 136 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 2: music to people and they needed it. You know. There 137 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 2: were so many people that said, oh my goodness, we 138 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 2: normally go to concerts ten times in a year, and 139 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 2: we haven't. We haven't been able to go to any 140 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 2: This is our release, this is our life. We love 141 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 2: country music, and now you get to be here in 142 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 2: our yard, you know, and it just really it took 143 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 2: down all the you know, all the walls between artists 144 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 2: and fan, artist and listener, and it was just really 145 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 2: I became friends with a lot of these people, and 146 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 2: I still today when I play shows and you know, 147 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 2: there's hundreds of people in the crowd or whatever, I 148 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 2: can look down and see that they got the Baldridge 149 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 2: and Bonfire shirt on. I know I was in their yard. 150 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 2: You know, they have the shirt, and it's really cool 151 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: to know that they were with me at my hardest 152 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 2: time in music for me personally of just losing everything, 153 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 2: but still having my people that connect to my music 154 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 2: to support me and believe in me and keep me going. 155 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 2: And so every show that I play, and it's almost 156 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 2: every show now every tour that I go out and 157 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 2: play now that we're back to playing clubs, there's at 158 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 2: least one person in there I played in their backyard, 159 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 2: and so that's pretty cool. 160 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 4: So the cool thing about podcasts are they are, you know, 161 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 4: domestically everywhere here in terms of where people consume them. 162 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 4: And they're also international. But let's deal with the domestic 163 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 4: part first. Talk about some of those small towns and 164 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 4: name them where you played some of those shows. 165 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 2: Man, Yeah, we played a lot in upstate New York, 166 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 2: and we played some you know, from New York all 167 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 2: the way to California to Oakdale, California that I've never 168 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 2: heard of before. They call almonds amens and I was like, 169 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 2: what are you talking them? You know? And I just 170 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 2: got to do a lot of fun stuff on this 171 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 2: and see a lot of see a lot of people 172 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 2: and towns differently because most of the time people are like, 173 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: oh my gosh, you're a musician, you travel all around 174 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 2: the world. It's like, yeah, most of the time, all 175 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 2: I see are pilot gas stations, the club, and where 176 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 2: we're eating dinner that night. It's never I get I 177 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 2: never hardly have enough time to do anything. But this 178 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 2: way of touring is I got to see the back 179 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 2: roads of the town, you know. I got to go 180 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 2: to these little towns, and all these little towns are 181 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 2: on the back I make their own TOR shirt. I 182 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,079 Speaker 2: put their own little town name on it, where they 183 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,319 Speaker 2: feel like, hey, we're not Chicago, but we're a little 184 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 2: town in Illinois outside of it, but our name's on 185 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 2: the TOR shirt. And so that is what I love 186 00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 2: because I grew up in a town of five hundred people, 187 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 2: you know, so like our little town's never got anything. 188 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 2: So being able to go and tour this way was 189 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 2: really really special for me, but also for them because 190 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 2: they got to do what they thought was fun with me, 191 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 2: Like hey man, we take our four wheelers down to 192 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 2: this lake and we sit here and we catch you know, 193 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 2: Channel Cat Like okay, well let's let's go do that. 194 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 2: Let's go take the folder down the lake, you know. 195 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 2: And so I got to do a lot of this 196 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,440 Speaker 2: stuff with people on a human level that I would 197 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 2: have never got to do before if I was just 198 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 2: playing in clubs. 199 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 5: I'm just so fascinated by it. So I'm hung up 200 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 5: on it in a good way. 201 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 4: There was a man that I did some work with 202 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 4: as a former radio programmer who since passed away. His 203 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 4: name was John McGann. He worked at MTV for a 204 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 4: while and VH one, and he was a real trailblazer, 205 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 4: and he had a statement that sort of applies to 206 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 4: what you succeeded at doing with those tours that you 207 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 4: made think like a fan, make everyone a star. 208 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 5: What's your reflection on that? 209 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 2: No, I think that's awesome. I think you know, we 210 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 2: can get caught up artists sometimes and egos, you know, 211 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 2: And I've been there before where I'm like, well, I'm 212 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 2: a country singer and I'm rolling in. You know, nobody 213 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 2: can see me before I take stage. I'm backstage. It's 214 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 2: this cool moment. And you know, when you do it 215 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 2: like how we did it in those backyards, there ain't 216 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 2: nothing glamorous about that. Just being honest, you know, it 217 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 2: was like we're playing on the freaking haywagon. They just 218 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 2: took the bails off of you know, the morning before. 219 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 2: It's not you're rolling in and you're fancy Dan and 220 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 2: your bus and stuff. You know, it's it's really just 221 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 2: knocking those walls down and treating people like humans and 222 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 2: take and it makes me go in and being you know, 223 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 2: we're all humans, we're all put our pants on this morning. 224 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 2: And it really gave a whole new connection to me 225 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 2: for the people that listen to my music. And you know, 226 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 2: because I even hate the word fan, I just that's 227 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 2: a weird word to me. I think just people that 228 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 2: listen to your music is better, is what I like 229 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:53,960 Speaker 2: to say. More of it, and it just the people 230 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 2: listen to my music. It really allowed me to have 231 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 2: a connection with them. I could have put out of 232 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 2: all those three hundred yard This was the coolest thing 233 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 2: for me on this whole thing buzz was. You know, 234 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 2: on my social media I post about my family, I 235 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 2: post about God, I post about the music that I make. 236 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 2: And it's really interesting what you post and put out 237 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 2: in the world. Those are your people that follow your 238 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 2: social media pages. And so out of all those three 239 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 2: hundred backyards, I could have put all those people in 240 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 2: one big shit and it would have been the all 241 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 2: good time. They were all solid, salt of the earth 242 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 2: humans and it was really cool to see, like, Hey, 243 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 2: whoever listened to your music is an extension of who 244 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:35,400 Speaker 2: you are. And these were all people that I would 245 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 2: genuinely hang out with in my little town back home 246 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 2: on a Saturday night. It was just really it was 247 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 2: really cool. 248 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 4: Do you believe it really was the beginning that fueled 249 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 4: your organic growth as an artist with your fans. 250 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I was very lucky. I've been in 251 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 2: Nashville for thirteen years. You know, I had a record 252 00:11:55,920 --> 00:12:00,559 Speaker 2: deal before that where I created fans. I've will create listeners. 253 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 2: I've been on Sirius XM Radio. I've created listeners that way. 254 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,319 Speaker 2: I had a lot of things that built up to that, 255 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 2: but this was I think the most genuine way I've created, 256 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:15,079 Speaker 2: you know, people following my music and what I'm doing 257 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 2: because it was a real connection. You know. It was 258 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 2: they see me on their social media and talking about 259 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 2: my music, but I actually got to stand there next 260 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,520 Speaker 2: to them and talk about their grandma passing away or 261 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 2: their daughter going through high school. And I think that 262 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 2: was what was really different for this tour and really 263 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 2: catapulted us to allow what we're doing today, is to 264 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 2: know that we have those people out there that shared 265 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 2: that story with the surrounding towns that they were Hey, 266 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 2: you know, Drew Balters came to our house. You know 267 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:47,959 Speaker 2: that guy right there that's playing on the radio now, 268 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 2: he was in our backyard. And that, really, I think 269 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 2: does have some sort of you know, you kind of 270 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 2: start seeing the branches kind of go out when you 271 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:57,559 Speaker 2: come to these when I come, Like in last week, 272 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 2: I was in Omaha, Nebraska, and you know, I did 273 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 2: a I played first school up there, not that far away, 274 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 2: and the principals texted me and saying, hey, I'm so 275 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 2: glad you come back. We're gonna come watch it, you know, 276 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 2: and it's just like all these little you know, finger 277 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 2: legs kind of come out and start kept touching people. 278 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 5: It's like a textbook in marketing. You didn't know you 279 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 5: were coming up with that. 280 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 2: No, I had no idea, man, I just I just 281 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 2: wanted to play music, and I knew that this was 282 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 2: a way that I could continue to do that. And 283 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,719 Speaker 2: I really believe God built me to write songs and 284 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 2: play them and entertain people when I can, and it 285 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 2: was a special way for me. 286 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 5: To do that. 287 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 2: And I don't know, I always tell my band too, 288 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 2: it's like this might be something I do every year. 289 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 2: I'm even talking about maybe going out and doing another 290 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 2: twenty yards again because I just enjoyed it so much, 291 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 2: of meeting people on an everyday life level, and you know, 292 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 2: for maybe for the rest of my career. On now, 293 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 2: I don't know, I might do this again. Who knows. 294 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 295 00:13:54,440 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 296 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 4: So when was the first moment that you remember that 297 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 4: music touched you? How old were you What do you 298 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 4: remember most about being first touched by music. 299 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 2: I grew up singing in church, my dad singing church, 300 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 2: and I think there was this old song my dad 301 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 2: always used to sing at church and sitting you know, 302 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 2: in the pews and watching my dad sing. He's still 303 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 2: my hero, you know, And that's I go back to 304 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 2: those early moments of there was a song called when 305 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 2: the Anchor Holds and my dad used to sing that 306 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 2: at church on Easter Sundays. And that is a moment 307 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 2: that really moved me, of watching my dad go up 308 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 2: and sing and I was like, wow, that's something that 309 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 2: my dad does it. I want to do that. And 310 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 2: then I started singing. My first time performing in front 311 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 2: of people was my first grade Christmas program. I sang 312 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 2: all the different language just of goodbye there was it 313 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 2: was like the finale of the thing, and it was 314 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 2: like chew audios. I mean, I can remember, it's so goofy, 315 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 2: but but yeah, that was the first time I sang 316 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 2: in public and then got the bug and I was like, man, 317 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 2: I loved doing that. I loved being in front of people. 318 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 2: I loved entertaining. And that then turned into doing multiple 319 00:15:19,040 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 2: talent shows every year in our little area and it 320 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 2: wasn't much singing then. It was more dancing and lip 321 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 2: singing to like you know, there's some really embarrassing videos 322 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 2: out there, but as of me doing Thriller and trying 323 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 2: to act like I know how to moonwalk, Oh yeah, man, 324 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 2: And then the Blues Brothers and give me a sing 325 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 2: me a chorus of Thriller. I can't sing. You don't 326 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 2: want to hear that, but but just like that's why 327 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 2: I lip singing it all. But like the Blues Brothers, 328 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 2: we did some some of that and some dancing to 329 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 2: that and Grease Lightning and it was it was fun. Man. 330 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 2: And then looking back, my my mom and dad really 331 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 2: always pushed me along through that. I started taking piano 332 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 2: lessons in kindergarten and that was something that really started 333 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 2: driving me to music too, was you know, learning piano. 334 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 2: And then about third grade, I said that was a 335 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 2: girl instrument playing piano and I was like, looking back, 336 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 2: it was like, well, that was dumb. 337 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 5: Why do I do that? 338 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 2: So I picked up guitar at sixteen and been been 339 00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 2: writing songs ever since. But it's always Music's kind of 340 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 2: always had a hold on my soul. And since I 341 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 2: was you know, like I said, kindergarten, first grade is 342 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 2: when I started, you know, really performing in public in 343 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 2: front of people. 344 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 4: And talk to me about the musical influences that you 345 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 4: had as you you know, would hear music on the 346 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 4: radio or just see it in person. 347 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 5: What were those influences. 348 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so they were kind of all over the board. 349 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 2: You know, you just heard my talent show influences. I 350 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 2: mean we're talking you know Michael Jackson, who I loved 351 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 2: the energy and the performing the performer that he was 352 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 2: at that age. That was like, Wow, this guy is 353 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 2: larger than life, you know with his performances and how 354 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 2: he does it on stage. And then you know, when 355 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 2: I got old enough and was thirteen fourteen and got 356 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 2: into you know, what we all did in that small 357 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 2: town farming and helping my grandpa out and watching my 358 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 2: older cousins on the tractor and driving the tractor. Country 359 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 2: music became life because that was what we did, you know, 360 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 2: we were on the tractor from sign up to sundown. 361 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 2: And so like people like Brooks and dumb and Alan 362 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 2: Jackson and you know, Randy Travis and those people that 363 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 2: could really have those voices that could bring my lifestyle 364 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 2: to life, that was what, you know. I think a 365 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 2: song was like Red Dirt Road by Brooks and Dunn. 366 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 2: That was literally my life, you know. And Alabama the 367 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 2: very first country. My dad had this old mixtape that 368 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 2: he bought this car and the mixtape was stuck in 369 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 2: it and it was and it was a mixtape of 370 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:51,199 Speaker 2: Alabama singing born country. And we would listen to that 371 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 2: song over and over and over again. It says, you know, 372 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 2: I got a hundred years of down Home running through 373 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,119 Speaker 2: my blood. And we had a My grandpa had this 374 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 2: this plot of land on the outskirts of town down 375 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 2: Home because that's where he grew up and his great 376 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 2: grandpa was first there. And so it's been in my 377 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 2: family for over one hundred years. And so when that 378 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:12,640 Speaker 2: line came across and it was like, got one hundred years 379 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 2: of down home in my blood. That's when I realized, like, man, 380 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 2: country music is life. It's my life, you know. And 381 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 2: so that's what I always try to strive to do 382 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 2: with my music now, is write those real things to 383 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 2: me because Alabama back then could do it, you know, 384 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 2: and it really struck a chord in my soul that 385 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,400 Speaker 2: this is really authentic to me and who I am. 386 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 2: And so Alabama was a big was a big big. 387 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 2: John Anderson was also on that mixtape you Look Better 388 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 2: Than Money, and boy, I always just thought that was 389 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 2: his voice was so different, you know, and stood out 390 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 2: in such a cool way. And so John Anderson was 391 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 2: alsoally a big influence. 392 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 4: And it's the simplicity of the life and how these 393 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 4: songs come to life in a very clear way, right. 394 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, the simplicity of it, but also just the authentic 395 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:04,159 Speaker 2: of it of you know, when you hear Brooks and Dunn, 396 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 2: you know sing I believe, oh my goodness, like that 397 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,159 Speaker 2: is so the emotion in that is so real. But 398 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 2: it's also so real for the town that I was 399 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 2: in right of, Like old Man regularly lived in that 400 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 2: white house. I can. I can picture my neighbor running 401 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 2: down the street and seeing him. You know, we're a 402 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 2: quarter mile away, so we'd have to drop full of 403 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:23,439 Speaker 2: so there's no really running down the street. But it was. 404 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 2: It was just those kind of things that country music 405 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 2: was my life growing up. And I hope that whatever 406 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 2: I put out into the world music wise, that there's 407 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 2: some kid out there that can say, Wow, that's that's 408 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 2: my life too. 409 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:43,680 Speaker 4: One of your fans, Deborah k Is how she listed herself. 410 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:49,360 Speaker 4: She says, Drew's the man Drew draws pictures with his music. 411 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 5: How does that make. 412 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 4: You feel when you hear one of your fans talk 413 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 4: like that about your work? 414 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:57,639 Speaker 2: That's I mean, that's exactly what I hope for, you know, 415 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 2: I hope that when people hear my music. That's I 416 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,400 Speaker 2: always try to set in the writing room when we write, 417 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 2: and I always say, hey, no, we gotta we gotta 418 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 2: draw a better picture of what's going on. And so 419 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 2: here in her say that that's super amazing. I mean, 420 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:13,480 Speaker 2: it puts a smile on my face knowing that, you know, 421 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,160 Speaker 2: what I'm trying to do is being you know, portrayed 422 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:20,199 Speaker 2: in the in the right light. And I really you know, 423 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,920 Speaker 2: I really do strive hard to make sure that all 424 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:25,159 Speaker 2: the images are there, because I always tell everybody I 425 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:27,120 Speaker 2: want to close my eyes and see what's going on, 426 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:29,440 Speaker 2: you know. And and if I can close my eyes 427 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 2: when the song's playing and I and it takes me somewhere, 428 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 2: that means we did our job. 429 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 4: How about tell me about the creation of the song 430 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 4: before you. 431 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 2: Oh man. So I was actually out on tour with 432 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 2: low Cash at that time. We were playing on we 433 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 2: were in Long Island. We're not in on You can't 434 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 2: say in Long Island. You gotta say on Long Island, 435 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 2: Lung Island. Yeah, on Long Island. So we were on 436 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 2: on Long Island, playing at a place called mult Kahes, 437 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,639 Speaker 2: which are actually playing March seventh, and we were up 438 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 2: above and we were writing songs, and I was about 439 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 2: to get married, and we were talking about just all 440 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 2: of our wives, and we were talking about little Cash boys. 441 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,679 Speaker 2: You know, they'd like to have fun, just like you 442 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 2: know I did too. And we talked about all our 443 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 2: wives about how we were just saying, man, before then, 444 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 2: we were crazy, we were wild, and so coming across 445 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 2: writing that song, was talking about all the crazy things 446 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,720 Speaker 2: that I did before finding my wife and how she 447 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 2: made me, you know, a better person, And so that 448 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 2: was actually the song that I kind of wrote for 449 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 2: her for our engagement. And funny story, it was right 450 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,640 Speaker 2: at COVID and we were supposed to get engaged in France, 451 00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 2: and so we were going to get engaged right in 452 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 2: front of the Eiffel Tower. I had it all planned out, 453 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 2: and there's a line in the song that said I 454 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 2: never thought I'd fly to Paris to get down on 455 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 2: one knee. And what happened was three days before we left, 456 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 2: they had the travel band and we couldn't go to Paris. 457 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,400 Speaker 2: And so I'm like, I got this song. I got 458 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 2: this it says Paris to play it for So I 459 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 2: had to go in literally call my producer and said, 460 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 2: we have to change we have to change it. We're 461 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 2: gonna fly we flew to Aruba. I was like, we 462 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:09,439 Speaker 2: gotta change it too. I never thought I'd fly to 463 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 2: an island to get down on my knee, and so 464 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:13,440 Speaker 2: we changed into this and then we ended up going 465 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 2: to Aruba and that's it. It all worked out. But 466 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 2: that was a song that I used to propose my 467 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 2: wife with. 468 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:19,640 Speaker 5: Yeah Wow. 469 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 4: And then the song lost in Love talk about that 470 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:28,400 Speaker 4: and talk about collaborating with the Harper Harper Grace. 471 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, so Harper Grace. She sent me a message years ago, 472 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 2: she was probably sixteen seventeen years old on Instagram and 473 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 2: was like, Hey, I'm a big I had a song 474 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 2: out at that time called Rebound. And she's like, I'm 475 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 2: a big fan of Rebound. You know your music is awesome. 476 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 2: Blah blah blah blah blah. I'm a songwriter too. I 477 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:47,400 Speaker 2: make trips to Nashville, and most of the time when 478 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 2: I get those, I'm just like, you know, I don't know. 479 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:54,479 Speaker 2: I try not to dive too much into that that 480 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 2: side of discovering artists or anything like that. And I 481 00:22:58,160 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 2: went to her page and I just listened to her 482 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 2: and she was so good, and I hit her back. 483 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:05,479 Speaker 2: I was like, Hey, you're amazing, Like when you come 484 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 2: to Nashville's let's rite. So she started coming to Nashville 485 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:11,200 Speaker 2: and then now she has a record deal on Curb 486 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,159 Speaker 2: and she's really doing some amazing things. And so we 487 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 2: wrote this song together called Lost in Love, and I, 488 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 2: you know, put a record out year and a half 489 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 2: ago called Country Born. And I always thought she was 490 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 2: an incredible singer and I wanted to, you know, my 491 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 2: listeners to hear her, you know, to see what she 492 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:31,880 Speaker 2: has to offer. And so I think the track turned 493 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 2: out really really awesome. We wrote it together, which is 494 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 2: really special. It was kind of like her first cut 495 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 2: outside of her own project, and it was she came. 496 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 2: We do a festival in my hometown called the Big 497 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 2: Baldridge and Bonfire, And because I did the Backyard dour 498 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,479 Speaker 2: was called the Baldridge and Bonfire. So I decided to Hey, 499 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 2: I'm gonna put a festival on call the Big One, 500 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:53,399 Speaker 2: and so we put a festival on in my hometown 501 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,439 Speaker 2: last couple of years, and I brought her up the 502 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 2: first year we did it, and she got to sing 503 00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,439 Speaker 2: in front of a couple thousand people and sing that 504 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 2: song with me, and that was really special. 505 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:06,719 Speaker 4: So take us inside the collaborative process of a writing session. 506 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 4: How do you like to work and how are you 507 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 4: most productive in that session? 508 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I think most of the time now, 509 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 2: like when I first came here, was a lot of 510 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 2: new people you write and you've never written with before. 511 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:21,720 Speaker 2: Now I kind of have my group of friends that 512 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,160 Speaker 2: I've written a lot with, and it's all give and take. 513 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 2: And most of the time there's three of y'all, and 514 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 2: I can even go in and have, Hey, this is 515 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 2: what I want to write today. I've been thinking about this. 516 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 2: I haven't written down. I have some lines, but there's 517 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 2: sometimes you go in and you don't have anything. You know, 518 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 2: you're kicking around ideas and you're like, hey, I wrote that. 519 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 2: I was at you start talking about life and you're like, hey, 520 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 2: you know, a couple of weeks ago, I was at 521 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 2: the beach and I saw this and led me into this, 522 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 2: let me into this title. Most of the songs that 523 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 2: I write always start with the title or an idea, 524 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 2: like she's Somebody's daughter, like our single that we're working 525 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 2: in the radio now, I started off with she's somebody's daughter, 526 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 2: you know, And I knew coming into that, right, this 527 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 2: is what I wanted to write about. After meeting my 528 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:12,920 Speaker 2: wife's dad for the first time. This was a message 529 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 2: to myself to not screw it up, but treat her right. 530 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:18,640 Speaker 2: You know, if I break her heart, I'm breaking her 531 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 2: mama's heart and her daddy's heart too. And so going 532 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 2: into that, right, I knew I'm gonna write She's Somebody's daughter, 533 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 2: and yes, I'm gonna take outside ideas. Being the artist 534 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 2: in the room, you kind of got to drive it 535 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,680 Speaker 2: to what you would say. But having writers in the room, 536 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 2: they really bring it to the next level of ideas, 537 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 2: of experiences that they've been through, and you got to 538 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 2: listen to those in a big way. But the artist, 539 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 2: you know, you gotta really be honest of what you 540 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 2: will say and what you won't say. And I think 541 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 2: that's that's key for an artist in a songwriter's room 542 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 2: that's coming to Nashville. Of if somebody, if you're writing 543 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 2: with a hit writer and they say this line and 544 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 2: you're like, man, I would never say that line, but 545 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:57,400 Speaker 2: they really like it. I'm just gonna go with it. 546 00:25:57,880 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 2: And then you get to the point you get done 547 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,080 Speaker 2: with the song and you're like, wow, there's no me left. 548 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,479 Speaker 2: You know, it's a cool song, but there's it's not 549 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 2: how I would have said it. And so that's what 550 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 2: I always try to remember when I'm in the writing 551 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 2: room now. It's like, if I'm going to record this, 552 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:13,640 Speaker 2: I need to make sure that I really love it 553 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 2: and say what I would say and take take other 554 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 2: people's opinion because it's such a give and take in 555 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 2: a writer's room, and if you're on the other side, 556 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 2: if you're a writer, you know, obviously give and take, 557 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 2: but also lean on your artists that you're in the 558 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 2: room with that's going to record that song that you 559 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:29,159 Speaker 2: want to make sure that they are loving where this 560 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:34,160 Speaker 2: is headed. And so that's been a you know, obviously 561 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 2: a big couple of ways you can go in not 562 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,360 Speaker 2: have an idea at all, kick around ideas, somebody says something, 563 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 2: You're like, wow, I've never thought of it that way. Yeah, 564 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 2: let's write that title that you have and let's point 565 00:26:44,119 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 2: everything to that title. Or you're going in you have 566 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 2: something really convicted on your soul that day and you're saying, hey, 567 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 2: I think we should write this, and if we write 568 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,359 Speaker 2: this and it comes out correctly, I think it's something 569 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 2: that could be really special and powerful. 570 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,880 Speaker 5: We produce this other podcast. It's called Music Save. 571 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,719 Speaker 4: It's about the healing power of music. 572 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,400 Speaker 5: Do you believe music has healing powers? 573 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 2: Yeah? I really do. You know, I really saw it 574 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:11,719 Speaker 2: a lot over this tour where I played in people's 575 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 2: backyards and people wasn't getting music, they weren't gathering around music. 576 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 5: They were you. 577 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 2: Know, COVID had kind of had them stopped up and 578 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 2: not seeing music alive. And when I was in these 579 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 2: people's yards and playing songs, I could see them come 580 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 2: to life, you know, I could see their soul open up. 581 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 2: I could see the smiles on their face or their 582 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 2: tears in their eyes that you know, it really does 583 00:27:37,760 --> 00:27:38,239 Speaker 2: affect them. 584 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 5: Even for me. 585 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 2: I mean, when I listen to the right song, I 586 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 2: get goosebumps over my entire body. You know, it puts 587 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 2: me in it, it can transport me to a whole 588 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 2: other place, and it can you know, I've seen so 589 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 2: many videos too of people going through dementia or Alzheimer's, 590 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 2: but when the right song comes on, they know the words, 591 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:56,399 Speaker 2: you know, or they it takes them back and you 592 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 2: see them dancing. It brings cheerful, it brings happiness. And 593 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 2: as a writer, I don't take that lightly. That's something 594 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 2: I want to go in the writing room. I want 595 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 2: to make sure that I'm making music that people can 596 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 2: can do their life to and make memories to and 597 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 2: make you know, long lasting connections with and so yeah, 598 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 2: I totally believe that that music can heal. Music can 599 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:23,320 Speaker 2: bring so many great things that you can't get a 600 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:26,440 Speaker 2: point across just talking sometimes, you know, like if I 601 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 2: would just sit here and talk to you. She's somebody's daughter, 602 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 2: she's somebody's baby, she's somebody's everything. It's not going to 603 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,360 Speaker 2: connect as much as you have a melody to it. 604 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 2: And so I really believe that that music can heal, 605 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 2: but also I believe that music can can change lives. 606 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 2: And you hear a song that says, you know, I'm 607 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:46,600 Speaker 2: really friends close friends with Tim Nichols, and he wrote 608 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 2: Live like You Were Dying, and it talk There's a 609 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 2: line in there that says, you know, called somebody and 610 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 2: forgave them, you know, for a long lost thing they 611 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 2: did to me in the past. And he has people, 612 00:28:57,160 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 2: he said, people message me and said I forgave my 613 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 2: dad after hearing your song because I realized life was 614 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 2: too short. And and that is amazing. That's what music 615 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 2: is all about. I have people call me about She's 616 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 2: somebody's daughter. It says, hey, you know, i've you know, 617 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 2: I haven't talked to my daughter in a long time, 618 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 2: but I heard your song. They don't want to pick 619 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:19,720 Speaker 2: up the phone call her, you know, And it's like 620 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 2: it changes lives. 621 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 4: It must strike you as you're crisscrossing all over the 622 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 4: country at a very divided time. How music unites everybody. 623 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it really does. And you know, it's interesting. There's 624 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 2: what we were talking about this today. There's just there's 625 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 2: no rules in music, and I think that's cool. Like, 626 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 2: you know, you can be creatively different and you can 627 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 2: be creatively authentic, and it can. There is a lot 628 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 2: of opinions in music, you know, in country music too, 629 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 2: Like on social media, you can let it get to 630 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 2: you a little bit of people saying, well, it's not 631 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 2: country enough, you know, or it's too country. I don't 632 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 2: listen to that. So there is still some divisiveness even 633 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 2: in music. But like songs that have powerful messages, they 634 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 2: can get behind, they can get behind what that song 635 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:09,960 Speaker 2: is saying. 636 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 4: For sure, we're kind of looking out over downtown Nashville. 637 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 4: And as you do that, and you imagine, you know, 638 00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 4: maybe a year from now, what do you hope is 639 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 4: happening in your career next year at this time, after 640 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 4: all your hard work. 641 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 2: Man, hope I have a number one song, baby, that's 642 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 2: the goal. You know. We I did something really unconventional 643 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 2: the last year. I created my own label and I 644 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:37,680 Speaker 2: sent a song of mine that we've been talking about 645 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 2: she Somebody's Dollar. I sent it to radio myself because 646 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 2: I didn't have a record label that believed in me. 647 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 2: And I've had people that believed in me and then 648 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 2: gave up. And you know, you kind of get one 649 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:51,880 Speaker 2: shot here in Nashville sometimes, and I think taking this 650 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 2: song to radio and showing that it's a hit, and 651 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 2: we already know it's a hit, but like at radio 652 00:30:57,200 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 2: it's a number one song, it's a top ten song. 653 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 2: Love for that to have. I've been here for thirteen 654 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:04,080 Speaker 2: years and never had a number one hit, and I've 655 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 2: have friends that's been here for three and they do. 656 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 2: And I'm not saying that number one is everything, but 657 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:10,720 Speaker 2: I want as many people to hear She's Somebody's Daughter 658 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 2: as possible and the message that song brings about. And 659 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 2: you know, sitting here looking over Nashville, I moved here 660 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 2: at nineteen with nothing, you know, and now I have 661 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 2: a wife and a little boy that's fourteen months old, 662 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 2: and we have a house and it's all paid for 663 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:27,959 Speaker 2: by music. And it's like that's a pretty big blessing 664 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 2: in itself, and I'm just I'm happy to still be here. 665 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 2: I'm happy to create music every day, and yes, I 666 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,040 Speaker 2: hope we have a number one, But in a year's time, 667 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 2: if that's not the case, we'll have another song that's 668 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 2: out there that's touching other people's lives in a different way. 669 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 2: And my goal is I'm going to put another record 670 00:31:46,160 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 2: out within that time. Also, we've been recording new music 671 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 2: and maybe even some outside songs like that I've recorded 672 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 2: that other artists record. Hopefully have a hit hit or 673 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 2: two on some other artists besides myself as a song. 674 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 4: So in closing, I asked this question frequently, but I 675 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 4: think you're more supremely equipped to answer this than most. 676 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 4: What advice to someone listening who's a musician who's trying 677 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 4: to work it, break in, make a difference with their music. 678 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 5: What's the advice you would give them? 679 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think first off, we need to figure out 680 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 2: how serious you are. You know, music is an amazing path, 681 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:33,800 Speaker 2: Like to be able to wake up and play music 682 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 2: every day is awesome, but it's also you're so tied 683 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 2: to your dream, you're so tied to the like your 684 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 2: opinion of what you're doing. You can let those people 685 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 2: tear you down with one word of a no. You know, 686 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:47,520 Speaker 2: when I remember I moved here, and the first time 687 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 2: I heard no, I thought I was destroyed. But it's 688 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 2: like the no, let the nose drive you. And I 689 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,440 Speaker 2: think that's that's a really big powerful thing for me 690 00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 2: now is all the notes And even when you're you know, 691 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 2: you're the biggest art in country music, are still hearing no. 692 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 2: Country radio programmers are still telling them they don't like 693 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 2: that song, we're not gonna play it. But guess what 694 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 2: they end up playing it when when other people do. 695 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 2: And so it's like, let the nose fuel you. But also, 696 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 2: if you have a plan B, this plan's never gonna work. 697 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,760 Speaker 2: That's I think the big thing if you if you 698 00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 2: come here to Nashville and you say, I give myself 699 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 2: two years and now I'm gonna move home if it 700 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 2: don't work out, all right, y'all right at the beginning, 701 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 2: it's not gonna work because you have a plan B 702 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 2: and you want to get you want to put those 703 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 2: other eggs in other baskets, and that's not gonna It 704 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 2: doesn't fly in music. And it's like, you know, if 705 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:38,400 Speaker 2: you're gonna come here and people say it's a ten 706 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 2: year town, sometimes it's a fifteen year town. You know, 707 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 2: Ashley Gorly, who's written seventy number ones in Nashville, seventy 708 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:49,239 Speaker 2: the biggest songwriter that has ever been in Nashville. He 709 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 2: didn't have his first hit for eleven years. And it's like, 710 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 2: if you move down and you think, hey, I'm gonna 711 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:56,560 Speaker 2: do this, I'm gonna go back to the farm, or 712 00:33:56,560 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 2: I'm gonna go back and work my daddy's business, You're 713 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 2: going to fail. There's no I believe there's no failure 714 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 2: in country, in music in general, there's just quitters. And 715 00:34:06,600 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 2: I think that if you really want to do this 716 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:12,960 Speaker 2: and you're in some small town, now, it's the best 717 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:16,239 Speaker 2: time because you have the power of social media that 718 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:18,239 Speaker 2: a lot of us didn't have when we moved here. 719 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 2: We had to be here, we had to be on 720 00:34:19,880 --> 00:34:21,800 Speaker 2: the radio to be heard, we had to be playing shows. 721 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:24,680 Speaker 2: And now you can post a video and reach millions 722 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:28,479 Speaker 2: of people from your doorstep right now on your phone, 723 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:31,040 Speaker 2: wherever you're at. If you jump on TikTok or Instagram 724 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:35,279 Speaker 2: or Facebook, you have the chance to reach multiple stadiums 725 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:38,719 Speaker 2: full of people from your device. And I think if 726 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 2: you're in some little town, you're a songwriter right now, 727 00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:42,840 Speaker 2: or if you're an artist, There's no reason why you 728 00:34:42,840 --> 00:34:45,320 Speaker 2: shouldn't be posting every other day about your music or 729 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 2: writing songs right right You could write a hundred songs 730 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 2: and maybe only two of them are good, or maybe 731 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:53,880 Speaker 2: they're all good and you're phenomena. I don't know, but 732 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 2: I'm just saying, like I think, right now is a 733 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 2: great time you should be posting to get your music out. 734 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:03,200 Speaker 2: Don't be too good and too like protective. I think 735 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 2: there's sometimes there's people that's so protective of their music 736 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 2: that they're never gonna build a listenership. They're never going 737 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:12,000 Speaker 2: to build a following if they don't throw it out 738 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:13,719 Speaker 2: there and see if people like it, and if they 739 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:15,680 Speaker 2: like it, build on that, put out another one, put 740 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:18,279 Speaker 2: out another one. That's the business that we're in now. 741 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 2: And it's very lucky that there's a lot of people 742 00:35:20,520 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 2: that you can do that from your You can live 743 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 2: in Michigan right now and have a great artist career 744 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 2: and put out songs and own your masters and do 745 00:35:28,480 --> 00:35:31,040 Speaker 2: all that. You couldn't do that ten years ago when 746 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:32,880 Speaker 2: I moved here, you had to be on the radio 747 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:36,359 Speaker 2: to be heard. Now you can be discovered every night. 748 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 2: Somebody's millions of people are swiping on their phone in 749 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 2: their bed and you can be discovered and that that 750 00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:45,400 Speaker 2: song could change their life in a day's time. So 751 00:35:45,440 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 2: it's pretty pretty wild where we're at in the industry. 752 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:52,120 Speaker 2: So that's just a little bit of advice obviously, you know, 753 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:55,799 Speaker 2: don't get you know, kind of put your blinders on 754 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 2: and don't compare yourself. I think that's another big thing 755 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 2: for me and that I've had to learn over the 756 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,760 Speaker 2: years of you know, I've moved here and had some 757 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:05,400 Speaker 2: some of my friends when I first moved town to 758 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 2: the biggest artists in country music, and I haven't got 759 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 2: that shot yet. And maybe that's not my cards, but 760 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 2: maybe it is, you know. And so I think putting 761 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 2: your blinders on and just saying this is my path. 762 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:19,879 Speaker 2: Nobody's gonna run my path except me. I just need 763 00:36:19,920 --> 00:36:22,839 Speaker 2: to do what I'm here to do, and don't look 764 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:25,280 Speaker 2: at you know, your buddy down the street that's also 765 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:27,920 Speaker 2: that may be further along than you, or maybe a 766 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:30,840 Speaker 2: better guitar player than you, or maybe he's more talented 767 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:33,800 Speaker 2: than you, but you outworking, you know. I think that's 768 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 2: that's a couple of little tips along the way. I 769 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:40,279 Speaker 2: guess I don't know, keep. 770 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 5: Kicking its man. 771 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:45,359 Speaker 1: Appreciate you, Thanks for standing, Thanks for listening to this 772 00:36:45,440 --> 00:36:48,920 Speaker 1: episode of the Taking a Walk podcast. Share this and 773 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,040 Speaker 1: other episodes with your friends and follow us so you 774 00:36:52,120 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 1: never miss an episode. Taking a Walk is available on 775 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your 776 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 1: pot a guest 777 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:02,560 Speaker 2: I