WEBVTT - Russell Dickerson 0:00:09.320 --> 0:00:14.880 Carola. She's the queen of talking. He was sown your man. 0:00:16.000 --> 0:00:18.239 She's on the yes, actually got the scoop on the 0:00:19.160 --> 0:00:22.079 on the ones in side. No one can do with quiet, 0:00:22.320 --> 0:00:33.000 my Carala, Carola. No one can do with quiet Caroline. 0:00:34.520 --> 0:00:40.160 This time of Caroline, You guys, this is the last 0:00:40.400 --> 0:00:44.320 episode of Getting Real for the Year, and we have 0:00:44.600 --> 0:00:49.080 Russell Dickerson joining us. He has had a huge explosive year. 0:00:49.520 --> 0:00:53.720 His song Yours is top five. He has journey to 0:00:53.800 --> 0:00:56.800 getting a top five song is truly remarkable. He's so 0:00:57.000 --> 0:01:00.640 inspired by his calling, his walk with God, and he 0:01:00.720 --> 0:01:02.560 talks all about it. You will not want to miss 0:01:02.760 --> 0:01:06.800 this absolutely inspirational episode. Here is Russell Dickerson to kick 0:01:06.840 --> 0:01:09.200 off the last episode of Get Reel for the Year. 0:01:11.840 --> 0:01:16.959 Well hello, Russell Dickerson, Well hello, how are you. I'm fantastic. 0:01:17.800 --> 0:01:19.520 I'm happy to have you here because I've caught you 0:01:19.640 --> 0:01:21.959 in a brief, little moment of time for you being home, 0:01:22.000 --> 0:01:24.400 because you're on a whirlwind right now. Yeah, it's pretty 0:01:24.400 --> 0:01:27.160 it's pretty nuts, but it's all good living the dream. 0:01:27.240 --> 0:01:29.160 You get what you asked for. I guess so what 0:01:29.240 --> 0:01:33.560 did you ask for? Uh? To play Arenas and stadiums 0:01:33.600 --> 0:01:38.560 and have hits and you know, do the country music life. 0:01:39.080 --> 0:01:43.800 Heck yet, so you're a Nashville native, you're one of 0:01:43.880 --> 0:01:48.200 the few, which is amazing. You grew up in the 0:01:48.280 --> 0:01:51.360 country music capital of the world. Did you always know 0:01:51.640 --> 0:01:53.680 that you wanted to do country music and be a 0:01:53.720 --> 0:01:58.520 country music star? No? No, well there was like so 0:01:58.600 --> 0:02:01.000 I was born in West Tennessee and then moved to 0:02:01.080 --> 0:02:04.240 Nashville when I was tin. So but still like when 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:07.160 you're tin, you don't really know what you want to 0:02:07.240 --> 0:02:12.240 do with your life. And so in the school systems here, 0:02:12.360 --> 0:02:16.160 it's not like everybody listens to country, okay, because I 0:02:16.240 --> 0:02:19.840 went I grew up in Franklin, and so like it's 0:02:19.880 --> 0:02:22.760 like a you know, Nashville is kind of a big 0:02:22.840 --> 0:02:25.520 city vibe going on totally. And so, I mean there 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:30.840 was kids listening to everything rap rock, you know, Nirvana, 0:02:31.680 --> 0:02:38.840 Red Hot, Chili Peppers, Little Wayne, Yeah, Emminem, Like eight seconds? 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:40.840 Did that come up when you're growing out? Growing up? 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:49.040 A second? Eight seconds? Eight miles? I combined the Cowboy 0:02:49.120 --> 0:02:53.079 movie and combined to Jake Owen song. Oh yeah, and 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:55.720 that one, the one where the guy died in the 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:59.200 bull Riding movie Okay, any check that one out? Is 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:02.920 it on Netflix? It's when I have the name? Um 0:03:03.080 --> 0:03:05.880 yeah eight miles. But yeah, just I mean, there were 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:10.359 so many different influences around, and so what did you 0:03:10.440 --> 0:03:12.880 gravitate towards? What were you loving when you're growing up? 0:03:13.000 --> 0:03:18.680 Pretty much? I mean red Hot Chili Peppers, Blink, Nirvana, 0:03:19.840 --> 0:03:23.040 like even like all the Way to the super poppy 0:03:23.240 --> 0:03:28.040 like Britney Spears like we would just like I didn't care. 0:03:28.200 --> 0:03:30.560 I just like this music is cool and I wanted 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.799 to listen to it. But then like around when I 0:03:33.919 --> 0:03:36.920 started being able to drive was when I would like 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:40.240 put that country CD in and it like felt so 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:44.320 good while you're driving. All that and so all of 0:03:44.400 --> 0:03:49.120 that just kind of morphed into this sound that I 0:03:49.280 --> 0:03:53.000 just kind of how would you describe your sound? Uh? 0:03:53.280 --> 0:03:56.640 Super high energy and upbeat, But that's just you. That's 0:03:56.720 --> 0:04:00.120 just you in general, the happiest person to live on 0:04:00.200 --> 0:04:05.000 this earth. Thank you. That's sweet. You always are. You 0:04:05.080 --> 0:04:07.680 and your wife both are so happy. All radiate happiness. 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:11.120 Thanks that's very sweet you too, look at that smile. 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:17.719 Come on. Um, but yeah, so just upbeat and energetic. 0:04:17.960 --> 0:04:20.119 Is it important to you to be upbeat? And happy. 0:04:20.279 --> 0:04:24.080 Is that a choice you make? I mean sometimes yeah, 0:04:24.400 --> 0:04:29.920 Like sometimes you know, you just gotta I know that 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:33.240 that is who you are, and even regardless of your 0:04:33.279 --> 0:04:36.640 surrounding situations, and like, Okay, I have to get up 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:40.360 at four thirty am for this flight, but you know, 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:43.280 I mean, I still don't let that ruin your day. 0:04:43.800 --> 0:04:47.800 Funny story, So like checking into the airport on my license, 0:04:48.000 --> 0:04:53.160 my picture is literally like and so like the happiest 0:04:54.240 --> 0:04:57.440 you have thumbs up in the picture. But can we 0:04:57.480 --> 0:05:00.680 want to get a close up of it? Yes? Can 0:05:00.720 --> 0:05:04.200 you blow out my my number? We can just put 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:09.960 our finger over and the close up of that, Oh 0:05:10.080 --> 0:05:14.840 my gosh. So my license holds me accountable, you know 0:05:15.120 --> 0:05:17.200 when I'm at the when I'm checking into the airport 0:05:17.279 --> 0:05:22.080 desk and I'm like you know, and they're like, oh, 0:05:22.880 --> 0:05:25.279 you don't look like this in your picture, and I'm like, okay, 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:29.000 you're right, all right. So were your parents super happy 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:31.840 growing up? What was your upbringing? Like, do you have siblings? 0:05:31.920 --> 0:05:35.320 What was the environment of your childhood? My dad is 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:38.160 a music minister. Okay, so you grew up in the church. Yeah, 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:42.000 so that we moved here for my dad's still at 0:05:42.000 --> 0:05:45.000 the same church today has been there twenty years, and 0:05:45.160 --> 0:05:48.480 so yeah, we spent a lot of time. And that's like, 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:51.039 when I think about my childhood, I think about growing 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:54.280 up like literally in the church, and what was that, Like, 0:05:54.400 --> 0:05:56.800 did you enjoy that? Oh? Yeah, it was because like 0:05:57.080 --> 0:06:01.760 I was surrounded by obviously great people, but like other 0:06:01.920 --> 0:06:06.520 kids who were in the same like scenario was me. 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:09.400 Their parents worked at the church and you know, dad 0:06:09.520 --> 0:06:12.360 was enquired rehearsal till nine o'clock on a Wednesday night, 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:14.240 and so like you just hung out. Oh yeah, we 0:06:14.360 --> 0:06:16.240 just hung out with like all of those kids and 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:18.480 like played hide and seeks. You're kind of like in 0:06:18.560 --> 0:06:22.640 a family commune in a way, church in a weird way, 0:06:22.880 --> 0:06:24.320 not in a weird way, like, and like you just 0:06:24.400 --> 0:06:27.720 have kids all around you all the time. That's so funny. 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:31.039 It was cool. And then my little sister she's eight 0:06:31.120 --> 0:06:37.080 years seven a half years younger than me, and she's amazing. Um. Yeah, 0:06:38.240 --> 0:06:42.000 so when did you start to really full force pursue 0:06:42.520 --> 0:06:44.600 your dream of country music to the point where you like, 0:06:44.760 --> 0:06:47.040 I'm not just gonna sing in church, I'm not just 0:06:47.120 --> 0:06:49.800 gonna sing for fun. I'm actually going to go for 0:06:49.920 --> 0:06:53.039 this and how did you start making your way into 0:06:53.200 --> 0:07:01.560 that career. Let's see, Honestly, there was Let's see, it 0:07:01.720 --> 0:07:06.200 was like two thousand and seven really because I had 0:07:07.200 --> 0:07:09.720 like after high school, senior year of high school, we 0:07:09.960 --> 0:07:15.160 started this band and like like, oh, you're ready for it, 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:24.160 embracing myself buried under Broken Glass? Oh oh man, you're 0:07:24.320 --> 0:07:29.000 feeling it. Yeah, I was feeling ce Bury under broken Glass. 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:31.800 What were you trying to What was the thought when 0:07:31.840 --> 0:07:34.400 you came up with that? What were you wanting to think? That? 0:07:34.600 --> 0:07:38.400 We were hardcore and you're feeling it, You're getting to 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:40.880 the heart of the real stuff. Yeah, we were just 0:07:41.080 --> 0:07:44.640 dealing with our teenage angst. Music is a good way 0:07:44.680 --> 0:07:47.320 to deal with that, and so we just played loud, 0:07:48.800 --> 0:07:52.280 annoying now music, but that we thought it was so cool. 0:07:52.400 --> 0:07:55.320 Did you make a c Yeah, I know, I gotta 0:07:55.360 --> 0:07:58.640 find it. I gotta find that kind of screaming in 0:07:58.720 --> 0:08:02.080 it isn't I wasn't the vocalist. You weren't the vocalist. Well, 0:08:02.120 --> 0:08:04.000 I would like sing every once in a while, but 0:08:04.120 --> 0:08:07.400 I played guitar. Okay, so you didn't even start off 0:08:07.440 --> 0:08:11.240 as the vocalist. Okay, then not in that band, but 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:15.160 you knew how long you secretly wanted to best um. 0:08:15.840 --> 0:08:18.080 But yeah, Like in high school, I was in marching band. 0:08:18.680 --> 0:08:23.240 What do you play snare drum? So I did that 0:08:24.040 --> 0:08:27.960 and then we started this heavy rock band. And then 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:31.240 after that, like around high school too, I started like 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:34.360 leading worship from my youth group. So it does Buried 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:38.599 under Broken Glass and worship leading? Did they match? Is 0:08:38.640 --> 0:08:41.640 it the same kind of message or is it two 0:08:41.679 --> 0:08:45.720 different messages? Yeah? It was kind of more two different messages, 0:08:45.800 --> 0:08:51.360 not not messages, two different sounds. Like yeah, because I 0:08:51.440 --> 0:08:54.120 wasn't really involved in writing any of the lyrics for 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:59.640 Buried under Broken Glass, it's I love it. I think 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:04.439 that is you're going to go big. You know you're 0:09:04.440 --> 0:09:06.960 not going to have after Yeah, we're not gonna get 0:09:07.000 --> 0:09:13.800 Buried under Rose pedals. It's not hardcore, um, but yeah, 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:16.760 leading worship and that was kind of That's where I 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:21.319 learned to play guitar, and then like being up in 0:09:21.480 --> 0:09:25.120 front of people and playing and singing, and then we 0:09:25.200 --> 0:09:27.120 did the band thing and that was kind of like 0:09:27.400 --> 0:09:29.679 I got a feel for like a show and like 0:09:30.480 --> 0:09:33.839 people coming out to listen to this music, and I'm like, 0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:38.280 these people came to hear our songs and so that 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:41.000 I kind of got hooked on that. And then I 0:09:41.120 --> 0:09:44.120 was dating this girl in college who was raised on 0:09:44.320 --> 0:09:49.400 like the oldest, most traditional country music and like that's 0:09:49.440 --> 0:09:53.280 what she did, and so I kind of like dove 0:09:53.360 --> 0:09:56.319 into that too, and was like, you know, listen to 0:09:56.440 --> 0:10:00.320 whatever she was listening to, and it was like old stuff, 0:10:00.480 --> 0:10:04.040 like I mean, Jim Reeves and like George Jones and 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:07.400 like so many of these old, great traditional songs, and 0:10:07.480 --> 0:10:10.480 I just kinda I got hooked on that for a while, 0:10:11.440 --> 0:10:14.040 and a lot of it because like the lower voices 0:10:14.200 --> 0:10:16.800 kind of could I could relate with that, and you know, 0:10:16.920 --> 0:10:20.599 some Merle Haggard stuff and um, but yeah, just like 0:10:21.880 --> 0:10:24.559 that's kind of what got me hooked on country music. 0:10:24.679 --> 0:10:27.640 And so then you know, that took me like super 0:10:27.760 --> 0:10:31.800 far in the traditional realm of country, and so I 0:10:31.880 --> 0:10:35.400 started writing songs in that zone. And so it started 0:10:35.440 --> 0:10:38.400 out more traditional, and then I kind of came back 0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:43.720 to the center about like probably two two or three 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:47.440 years ago, and I was like, all right, like that's cool, 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:50.079 but I'm I'm like trying to do something over here. 0:10:50.160 --> 0:10:53.560 I'm trying to do something different, but like right here 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:56.400 is who I am is that when you birtht out 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:59.319 all of these songs that are now you're ep And 0:10:59.440 --> 0:11:02.240 so that's when I started writing with Casey Brown and 0:11:02.280 --> 0:11:05.800 Parker Welling. The second song we wrote together ever, was 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:08.760 Yours and that's a really important special song for you 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:12.079 because it's very personal. Yeah. Yeah, and so I just 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:15.079 kind of got back to the center of because like 0:11:15.440 --> 0:11:18.360 when I signed my first pub deal, I was in 0:11:18.480 --> 0:11:21.800 this like before that, I was kind of like Josh 0:11:21.880 --> 0:11:27.920 Turner vibe and like sing real low country and yeah, 0:11:28.480 --> 0:11:30.520 and then I kind of went more to like, all right, 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:33.040 well I'm playing guitar too, so like kind of Keith 0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:36.520 Urban vibe, and like I was trying to write the 0:11:36.640 --> 0:11:40.719 next Keith Urban song for myself, and it just like 0:11:40.960 --> 0:11:45.000 wasn't happening. Nothing was nothing was like catching. And then 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:47.520 it's when I got with two of my best friends 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:51.120 who knew you knew me, they knew my you know, 0:11:51.440 --> 0:11:55.199 they knew me and Kayley's relationships since before we were together. 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:57.800 They knew Kaylee before I did. Did you meet your wife? 0:11:57.840 --> 0:12:01.640 In college? We met Belmont. Okay, y'all have like this 0:12:01.800 --> 0:12:04.440 epic love story. Y'all are one of the country music 0:12:04.480 --> 0:12:06.480 couples that I feel like it's just a really great 0:12:06.520 --> 0:12:12.600 example of true love and you are happy to display 0:12:12.720 --> 0:12:15.719 her in your songs and you're not back in the 0:12:15.800 --> 0:12:18.959 day like people tried to hide their relationships. But that 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:21.640 is not your vibe at all, which I think is amazing. 0:12:22.360 --> 0:12:24.000 So tell me about how you met your wife and 0:12:24.120 --> 0:12:27.079 how she has influenced your music so much. We met, 0:12:27.360 --> 0:12:29.920 we were kind of we were dating other people and 0:12:30.000 --> 0:12:33.719 so we don't really there wasn't like this like love 0:12:33.800 --> 0:12:37.320 at first sight. Were both dating other people when y'all met. Okay, 0:12:37.360 --> 0:12:39.360 so you kind of met in the friend zone. Met 0:12:39.400 --> 0:12:41.360 in the friend zone. We were in the same kind 0:12:41.400 --> 0:12:45.760 of friend group, and then we actually had the same 0:12:45.880 --> 0:12:50.120 voice teacher. So she sings. Also, Okay, can you ever 0:12:50.200 --> 0:12:52.679 do that with her? I mean I would, but I 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:56.400 feel like she's like never really come around. She's I 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:58.240 feel like she's starting to come around to this whole 0:12:58.880 --> 0:13:02.559 the singing thing, but not. I mean, I don't think 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:04.600 she She's not trying to appreciate. That's why she started 0:13:04.640 --> 0:13:08.600 doing photography. But yeah, we had the same voice teacher, 0:13:08.720 --> 0:13:10.679 and I just kind of met and hang out and 0:13:10.800 --> 0:13:13.160 ended up breaking up with those people and when you 0:13:13.240 --> 0:13:15.640 met her, were you kind of like she's cute? Yeah, 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:20.760 oh yeah, of course. And then but like it wasn't 0:13:20.800 --> 0:13:24.559 this like moment. We just kinda grew as like friends 0:13:24.679 --> 0:13:27.319 first and the same group, and then just kind of 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:30.679 naturally gravitated towards each other and we're like, hey, we 0:13:30.760 --> 0:13:32.719 kind of like hanging out with each other. And then 0:13:33.520 --> 0:13:35.880 you know, I had our first kiss and it was 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:40.800 like that it was good. It was honestly was that 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:45.959 like a Belmont graduation party and like not in like 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:49.200 a can you say, do she on here? Yeah? Okay, 0:13:49.320 --> 0:13:52.439 not in like a douchey way, but like I had 0:13:52.559 --> 0:13:58.760 never really like gone in for that super vulnerable, because 0:13:58.800 --> 0:14:01.079 what did you get rejected? Because you have had friends 0:14:01.160 --> 0:14:03.480 now for a while. Yeah, you're cool in the friends zone, 0:14:03.520 --> 0:14:07.120 so going for the kids even like yeah, exactly what 0:14:07.360 --> 0:14:09.840 all of a sudden it doesn't work out or she's 0:14:09.880 --> 0:14:13.600 like what are you doing? We're friends? You ruined everything? 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:17.120 Oh that's so it was like it was like my 0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:23.200 first to zero, you know, your heart racing? Yeah, how 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:25.440 did you how did you get the nerve to do it? Well? 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:28.520 Like I told her, I was like, you know, it's 0:14:28.600 --> 0:14:30.280 usually like a meet in the middle kind of thing, 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:33.600 and she's like not here. She's like, you're going to 0:14:33.680 --> 0:14:35.560 have to kiss me. Well at least you know what 0:14:35.600 --> 0:14:38.120 you're talking about it, so she's open to it. Yeah, 0:14:38.760 --> 0:14:42.440 and so but yeah, it was just like dang, like 0:14:42.880 --> 0:14:47.520 I'll never forget that. And so we dated for like 0:14:47.960 --> 0:14:52.720 to two and a half years and got married in 0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:59.720 May five, four years ago. That's awesome. And so yeah, 0:14:59.800 --> 0:15:04.040 she he's really I mean a huge part of this 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:08.360 whole thing because we didn't we had nothing going on 0:15:08.600 --> 0:15:12.520 for like the first two years of our marriage. Like 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:15.160 we made literally our first year of marriage, I think 0:15:15.200 --> 0:15:18.040 we made twelve dollars. So how do you stay afloat? 0:15:18.760 --> 0:15:22.840 She would do like photography jobs and like living off 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:26.240 some wedding money we had. Isn't it kind of awesome 0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:29.040 to start off like that if you can make it 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:32.680 through those really hungry years where neither one has anything 0:15:32.760 --> 0:15:36.000 to show for themselves yet, that's true love, Yeah, it is. 0:15:36.440 --> 0:15:39.560 And I mean, like we had nowhere to be, nothing 0:15:39.600 --> 0:15:42.080 to do, Like I wasn't playing It's a wasn't really 0:15:42.160 --> 0:15:47.200 playing shows. You're like I'm available, Yeah, I'm like call me, 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:50.360 I'm ready to play some shows. Um, So how did 0:15:50.400 --> 0:15:53.880 you move past that? Not having anywhere to be anything 0:15:53.920 --> 0:15:55.320 to do with that cracking up that you said it 0:15:55.360 --> 0:15:58.240 like that. I mean it's true, totally ready, no one 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:01.000 was really like trying to write songs with me. I 0:16:01.120 --> 0:16:05.600 had nothing going on for real. How did you break 0:16:05.640 --> 0:16:08.760 out of that? I just, honestly, I started kind of 0:16:08.960 --> 0:16:11.920 just making my own tracks and kind of producing my 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:15.040 own stuff. Don't you think it always when you self start, 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:19.320 it always creates a ripple effect. So you're finally like, Okay, listen, 0:16:19.360 --> 0:16:21.600 I'm not gonna wait for Jeffrey Steele to call me. 0:16:21.680 --> 0:16:24.480 I'm just gonna go and start making my own which 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:28.520 funny story because that was my next deal. It was 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:31.680 with Jeffrey Steele. What was in a roundabout way anyone listening, 0:16:31.760 --> 0:16:36.280 Jeffrey Steel is one of the biggest songwriters in Nashville. Amazing. Um, 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:39.520 it wasn't directly with him, but he was. He was 0:16:39.600 --> 0:16:44.880 pretty involved and so but yeah, so those first years, 0:16:45.600 --> 0:16:49.800 what are you thinking in those years? I'm like, when 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:52.000 is it going to happen? Like? When am I stressing 0:16:52.040 --> 0:16:54.280 out because you got a new wife? Now? Are you worried? 0:16:54.360 --> 0:16:57.920 Are you peaceful about it? Kind of id go back 0:16:57.960 --> 0:17:00.920 and forth. Like honestly, we were times when I'm like 0:17:01.640 --> 0:17:04.920 what am I doing? Like I'm a country artist, but 0:17:05.040 --> 0:17:09.920 like I'm not writing songs right now, I'm not playing shows. 0:17:10.080 --> 0:17:12.800 I'm like what am I doing? And like, looking back, 0:17:12.960 --> 0:17:16.960 it was like the most foundational time of our marriage 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:22.119 to like just really be with each other, not have 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:24.159 to be here, be there like we are now, like 0:17:24.800 --> 0:17:28.120 you really you really built a strong foundation, oh my gosh. Yeah, 0:17:28.960 --> 0:17:33.040 and so it wasn't built around like me already being successful. 0:17:33.160 --> 0:17:36.359 And then she comes in and like you know, it 0:17:36.520 --> 0:17:39.840 enters into this lifestyle. Immediately, it was like we're in 0:17:39.960 --> 0:17:44.440 this together, like we're broke together and now we're you know, 0:17:44.560 --> 0:17:49.000 getting our first little taste of success together, and that's awesome. Yeah. 0:17:49.080 --> 0:17:51.120 And she it's not like she was just like there, 0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:54.960 she's like helping me. She shot the music video for Yours, 0:17:55.280 --> 0:17:58.280 which yours music video first time. The whole song is 0:17:58.280 --> 0:18:01.720 about her, right, which is amazing. I love it. And 0:18:01.800 --> 0:18:05.240 then I feel like there's this really subtle depth to 0:18:05.320 --> 0:18:08.520 it because you're walking down this road and you're just 0:18:08.600 --> 0:18:12.320 sort of like proclaiming your heart to the wild open 0:18:12.920 --> 0:18:14.719 kind of describing who you are and then at one 0:18:14.760 --> 0:18:18.520 point it's raining and it's all about finding love. It 0:18:18.640 --> 0:18:21.600 also as a god connection. Explain to me yours and 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:24.680 why this is such an important song to you. It was. 0:18:24.920 --> 0:18:29.960 It was kind of really the first hm true love 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:34.280 song that I wrote, like from the bottom of who 0:18:34.440 --> 0:18:39.720 I am about the woman I love, and and it 0:18:39.880 --> 0:18:42.560 was it was really easy to do because it was 0:18:42.680 --> 0:18:47.520 with some of my best friends who knew who know her. Yeah, 0:18:47.720 --> 0:18:50.040 but you didn't wasn't vulnerable. You could just be yourself, 0:18:50.200 --> 0:18:55.000 be real. And then but then it's like not writing yours, 0:18:55.080 --> 0:18:57.320 but like if there's other times it's like, yeah, that's 0:18:57.359 --> 0:19:00.159 not really you, bro, and I'm like, yeah, you're right, 0:19:00.320 --> 0:19:03.440 thank you for knowing me. Yeah, and so but yeah, 0:19:03.520 --> 0:19:06.040 writing yours it was it was just this kind of 0:19:06.160 --> 0:19:09.160 like I had the idea just the title, very simple, yours, 0:19:09.880 --> 0:19:11.840 and I was like I was this before you. I 0:19:12.000 --> 0:19:15.840 was this before you, but now I'm yours, and it's like, so, 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:19.240 what were you? The simplest little twists like talking about 0:19:19.280 --> 0:19:21.480 a boat stuck in a bottle, like it just I 0:19:21.520 --> 0:19:25.359 don't know. I was selfish and like as far as 0:19:25.440 --> 0:19:29.280 relationships go, yeah, just selfish and like the whole first 0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:31.639 kiss thing like I don't like to make the first move, 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:34.760 Like I never make the first move, and she was like, well, 0:19:34.800 --> 0:19:39.600 you're gonna have to with me. I'm like okay, yeah, 0:19:39.800 --> 0:19:43.679 And it's just like, really, she makes me better than 0:19:43.720 --> 0:19:46.480 I was before? Do you say that you make me 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:48.520 my best self? I left behind my worst self. I 0:19:48.520 --> 0:19:51.639 don't know how you say that, Like the best me 0:19:51.840 --> 0:19:56.280 has his arms around you. Yeah it's long gone memory. 0:19:56.480 --> 0:20:00.919 Yeah that's awesome. So it's it's just a really vulnerable, 0:20:01.040 --> 0:20:06.960 like love song admitting that I wasn't the best you 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:09.960 know in our relationship before, but now you make me 0:20:10.080 --> 0:20:13.040 better than I was before. I feel like those to 0:20:13.160 --> 0:20:15.440 have someone like you, a cute guy breaking out in 0:20:15.480 --> 0:20:20.720 country music to yes, you know born this way like 0:20:20.840 --> 0:20:23.600 lady God that says born this way. So, but to 0:20:23.800 --> 0:20:27.119 actually value marriage, and I feel like that's something happening 0:20:27.119 --> 0:20:31.280 in country music right now. Which it's great, awesome to 0:20:31.960 --> 0:20:36.399 have a community of happily married people. Well, and I 0:20:36.560 --> 0:20:38.960 just think it's so much more fun. Why would you 0:20:39.040 --> 0:20:42.440 be married if you don't enjoy being with your spouse, 0:20:42.560 --> 0:20:45.440 And so it's cool to see people working it into 0:20:45.480 --> 0:20:48.720 their careers too. I think it's amazing. Yeah, and like 0:20:48.840 --> 0:20:51.520 now we're going out to shows and stuff and I'm like, 0:20:51.560 --> 0:20:56.280 where's Kaylee, Like she's not here. And even like with Florida, 0:20:56.359 --> 0:20:59.320 Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett and Lauren and all their wives, 0:20:59.680 --> 0:21:02.919 the lives are almost just as as wildly popular as 0:21:03.000 --> 0:21:06.200 the husbands, which is crazy. Which also you have toured 0:21:06.240 --> 0:21:10.640 with them, all of those people, Thomas Hrett, Florida, GEORGEA Line, 0:21:10.680 --> 0:21:13.440 Kanan Smith. But you're kind of in this crew. Yeah, 0:21:13.600 --> 0:21:15.280 did y'all come up together? How did you get in 0:21:15.359 --> 0:21:18.160 this crew? Yeah, this is a fun story because that's 0:21:18.160 --> 0:21:20.160 a great crew to be a part of. Yeah. Well, 0:21:20.240 --> 0:21:25.359 like so it started out. I was playing at Twelfth 0:21:25.400 --> 0:21:28.520 and Porter down here and it was like one of 0:21:28.600 --> 0:21:32.480 my first shows ever. And this girl came up and 0:21:32.520 --> 0:21:34.040 she was like, Hey, a couple of buddies of mine 0:21:34.119 --> 0:21:35.720 want to talk to you and like write with you 0:21:35.800 --> 0:21:38.280 and meet you. And I'm like, Okay, that's whatever. Sure, 0:21:38.320 --> 0:21:41.480 I'm here to write songs. I'm in Nashville. And so 0:21:41.840 --> 0:21:46.480 it was Brian and Tyler and before they yeah, like 0:21:46.600 --> 0:21:49.600 they were just trying to be songwriters. Yeah, and so 0:21:49.880 --> 0:21:52.280 I was like I knew I wanted to be an artist. 0:21:52.440 --> 0:21:55.040 So I was already playing shows and you know, ten 0:21:55.160 --> 0:21:57.600 people were there, but you're doing it. I'm doing it. 0:21:58.320 --> 0:22:02.840 And so we they were like, hey, man, like we 0:22:02.880 --> 0:22:06.400 should write some songs together, come over to the house. Um, 0:22:06.600 --> 0:22:08.639 and I was like yeah, sure, And so we kind 0:22:08.680 --> 0:22:12.240 of wrote a ton of songs together, awesome songs, and 0:22:12.359 --> 0:22:15.240 I just like was I wanted to be the artist 0:22:15.320 --> 0:22:18.520 and so like I just cut them off. And then 0:22:18.960 --> 0:22:21.800 they're like, yeah, we're gonna do this band thing Florida 0:22:21.840 --> 0:22:23.960 Georgia line and I'm like all right, cool, I go 0:22:24.119 --> 0:22:26.320 do your thing. And they kind of had a totally 0:22:26.400 --> 0:22:30.480 different sound than I did, and so um, so they 0:22:30.520 --> 0:22:33.240 went out and did their thing, and then they showed 0:22:33.320 --> 0:22:37.040 me cruise. They were like, hey man, we just wrote 0:22:37.080 --> 0:22:39.440 this song like it's pretty good, awesome, and I was 0:22:39.520 --> 0:22:44.840 like dang, yeah, um but now it was. And then 0:22:44.920 --> 0:22:47.960 then for them, it just like took off so fast. 0:22:48.280 --> 0:22:50.840 Is that crazy to be in that? Yeah? It was 0:22:50.920 --> 0:22:53.600 crazy to see them like just blow up. I was 0:22:53.680 --> 0:22:57.479 like these are my boys, and like now they're They 0:22:57.520 --> 0:22:59.440 were like on tour with Jaco went at the time, 0:23:00.200 --> 0:23:03.080 which yeah, and then just like hearing him on the 0:23:03.200 --> 0:23:05.520 radio and it was just so like I felt like 0:23:05.640 --> 0:23:09.040 the proud little brother, you know, and so because they 0:23:09.080 --> 0:23:10.439 were like a couple of years ahead of me at 0:23:10.480 --> 0:23:13.160 Belmont and all that stuff, and so just to see 0:23:13.200 --> 0:23:15.600 them take off in that way, it was so amazing. 0:23:16.560 --> 0:23:19.960 It's so crazy, and I feel like Nashville is really 0:23:20.160 --> 0:23:23.840 amazing at having such a strong community of people because 0:23:23.880 --> 0:23:27.760 people really do link up and they they they grow 0:23:27.880 --> 0:23:29.840 off of each other, they get inspirational off each other, 0:23:29.840 --> 0:23:31.480 and then all oftudden you see this whole group of 0:23:31.600 --> 0:23:33.920 friends all making it. I feel like it happens like 0:23:34.000 --> 0:23:36.360 that a lot, like how doing the music mafia would 0:23:36.359 --> 0:23:38.359 to stick together and then one by one they start 0:23:38.440 --> 0:23:42.360 getting their own success. I feel like national so supportive. Yeah, 0:23:42.440 --> 0:23:46.520 it really is, because like I know, like Jake brought 0:23:46.600 --> 0:23:49.359 fgl Out on tour, Luke brought f gl Out on tour, 0:23:49.480 --> 0:23:51.840 and um, I mean you have to have the music 0:23:51.920 --> 0:23:55.440 as well, but it's still that and like Thomas brought 0:23:55.520 --> 0:23:58.359 me out on tour, and I know like al Deane 0:23:58.400 --> 0:24:00.920 brought him out on tour, and it's just like it 0:24:01.080 --> 0:24:03.960 is this community of like, hey, I dig what you're doing. 0:24:04.119 --> 0:24:07.000