1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. We just not play the song. I 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: refuse to play the song. 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 2: In fact, one of my favorite memories is we had 4 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 2: morning television in New York City, National TV. We're gonna 5 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 2: play two songs. We're gonna play Home and Where you Are. 6 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: We play Home first, and my entire record label is there, 7 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: my managers are there. 8 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 2: We play Home, go to commercial break, come back from 9 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 2: commercial break, and the anchor sis. 10 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: And once again here's Mark Brussard with Where you Are. 11 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:32,519 Speaker 1: And I turned to the band as she's saying that 12 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: and said. 13 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 3: Play rock Steady. 14 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: And they're like what I said, Pree rock Steady. 15 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 2: And as soon as we hit the downbeat on rock Steady, 16 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 2: I can see all of my label executives and my 17 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 2: managers through the glass in the studio and they just 18 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 2: started leaving. 19 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 3: Welcome to another episode of Taking a Walk, the podcast 20 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 3: where Buzz Night talks about the lives and careers of 21 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 3: some of the most fascinating figures in music and gets 22 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 3: the inside scoop directly from the art themselves. Today, we're 23 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 3: lacing up our shoes for musical journey with the soulful 24 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 3: and talented Mark Broussard. Mark is known for his distinctive 25 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 3: Bayous soul sound. He's been captivating audiences with his powerful 26 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 3: voice and blend of funk, blues, R and B and 27 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 3: rock for over two decades. Hailing from the great state 28 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,199 Speaker 3: of Louisiana, Brossard's music is deeply rooted in the rich 29 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 3: cultural tapestry of the American South. Let's join buzz on 30 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 3: taking a Walk with Mark Broussard. 31 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 4: Mark, thanks for being on taking a walk. And since 32 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 4: this podcast is called taking a walk, who would you 33 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 4: like to take a walk with, living or dead? And 34 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 4: where would you take a walk with them? Someone from 35 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 4: the music side of things, of course, because you are 36 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 4: a musician. 37 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 2: Probably Johann Bach, and I would take a walk with 38 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: him in Lucerne, Switzerland as a beautiful old bridge in 39 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 2: Switzerland that I absolutely love. 40 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: And Bach, you know, I mean, the guy is. 41 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 2: None of us would be here without him, you know, 42 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: in the modern era it's Stevie Wonder, But in the 43 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 2: history of music. 44 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: I think that Johann Bach takes the cake. Well. 45 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 4: First of all, I know that bridge in Lucerne was 46 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 4: just there recently and that. 47 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 5: Is spectacular, yes, beautiful. And the funny thing I have 48 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 5: to share with you is. 49 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,919 Speaker 4: I had a couple of brothers on this podcast from 50 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 4: this band called Red Cross, two d's and spelled with 51 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 4: a K, the McDonald brothers. There's a new documentary out 52 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 4: about them called Born Innocent, and they're punk rockers for 53 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:54,519 Speaker 4: about forty years. And I asked the same question and 54 00:02:54,639 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 4: the older brother he led exactly with your answer, Johan's. 55 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: I mean, the guy has done it all. 56 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 2: Every time I think I'm being creative or innovative, somebody 57 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 2: points out that Johann Bach. 58 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: Did it already. There. 59 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 4: We got tripped up a little bit in talking to 60 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 4: those guys, and then maybe we thought we were talking 61 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,080 Speaker 4: about Sebastian Bach from skid Row or something like. 62 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 5: That, so it really went down a severe rabbit hole. 63 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 5: But anyway, great answer. And I'd like to be tagging 64 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 5: along with you if I could. 65 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 2: Man, you know, taking a walk in chatting music with 66 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 2: Johann Bach would be an absolute dream, It really would, 67 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 2: especially in Lucerne. 68 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: I love that place. Switzerland. 69 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 2: You know, you don't hear too much about Switzerland, but 70 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 2: I've spent a significant amount of time there. 71 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: I did some touring. I did two tours. 72 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 2: There's a car company out of Spain called sayat spelled 73 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 2: like seat and they threw. 74 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: A bunch of money at this tour. So this guy 75 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: Phil Dunkner, who's. 76 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 2: Kind of an MD, you know, a piano. 77 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: Player and music musical director. 78 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: He put together these tours for say I and I 79 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 2: did like fifteen cities in Switzerland, which I don't know 80 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 2: if you know this, but Switzerland's not a very big country. 81 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 2: And so I got to spend a couple of months 82 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 2: there in the two tours that I did with Phil, 83 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 2: and it's really one of the most beautiful places ever, 84 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 2: especially Lucerne Lake. 85 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:35,720 Speaker 1: Lucerne. 86 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 2: I think it's something like eight hundred feet deep, and 87 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 2: it's crystal clear. It's a gorgeous and the city is 88 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 2: kind of built right around right around the lake, you know. 89 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 2: So I've enjoyed my time there, and I definitely would 90 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 2: take a walk with old Johann Bach across the. 91 00:04:55,160 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 5: Old Johan as we call the Old pal Yeah. 92 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 4: So if somebody never heard of the term by you, soul, 93 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 4: how would you describe this to them? 94 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 1: Man, It's really just. 95 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 2: It's a term that some journalists twenty years ago coined 96 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 2: for what it sounds like to listen to me. And 97 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 2: I think it's a fairly apt description. If we're just, 98 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 2: you know, going by the term by you. Soul is 99 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 2: soul that originates into by you. It's a little bit 100 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 2: swampier than you might hear in modern R and B. 101 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 2: It's got a little more groove then you might hear 102 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 2: from people with a similar pigmentation that I that I have. 103 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 2: It's just down home southern. 104 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 4: Soul music and the way you play it, it just 105 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 4: flows so naturally and so beautifully. Do you get in 106 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 4: a zone equivalent to the zone that an athlete gets 107 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 4: in when you're playing your music. 108 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 1: Man, I really do. 109 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 2: In fact, when I try to get cerebral on stage, 110 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 2: it's a real problem. I worked two years ago with 111 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 2: a group of guys. We called ourselves a Southern Soul Assembly. 112 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 2: It was myself, JJ Gray, Luther Dickinson from the North 113 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: Misissippi All Stars, and one of my dearest and most 114 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 2: favorite artists in the world, a guy named andrews Osbourne. 115 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 2: And I noticed that anders would sing certain songs just 116 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 2: the tiniest bit differently every night. He would emphasize different 117 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 2: words every night. 118 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: So I asked him and he. 119 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 2: Said, oh yeah, So I've got my iPad up there 120 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 2: with the lyrics, and as I'm singing, I'm looking ahead 121 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 2: at the lyrics and I think to myself, Ooh, I'm 122 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 2: going to pick out that word to emphasize tonight. And 123 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: I mean, he's brilliant. He's a really brilliant guy. Well, 124 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: I tried doing the same thing without the teleprompter one time, 125 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 2: actually a couple of times, and it was a massive 126 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 2: mistake because I would get to. 127 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: That line or that word and my mind would go 128 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: completely blank. 129 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 2: So I really kind of have to just give myself 130 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: over to the process and give myself over to the moment, 131 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: because if I try to get cerebral at all, it 132 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 2: really becomes a problem. And I've had to apologize to 133 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 2: the audience and say I'm so sorry. I just based 134 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 2: on that lyric. It's something that I've been doing. I'm 135 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 2: forty two now. I started playing with my father on 136 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:57,679 Speaker 2: stage when I was five and a half. 137 00:07:59,080 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: I feel like I developed love. 138 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 2: Of performing before I ever knew what social anxiety was. 139 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 2: And it's definitely a place that I feel most at home, 140 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 2: and when I'm on stage, I feel most at home. 141 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 4: So talk about further the influence that your father had 142 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 4: on you and the fondest earliest memory that really shaped 143 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 4: you with him playing music. 144 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, so I was five and a half. 145 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 2: My dad would book a gig in Destined, Florida every 146 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 2: year to help offset the cost of taking his family 147 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 2: on vacation. And so right before we left for that vacation, 148 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:50,439 Speaker 2: Back to the Future came on TV. And if you've 149 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 2: ever seen the movie, you see Marty McFly comes out 150 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 2: at his parents school dance and he plays Johnny b 151 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 2: Good on this beautiful red Es three five a Gibson 152 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: S three thirty five. Well, my father actually had that 153 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,080 Speaker 2: same guitar. His father bought. 154 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: It for him in nineteen sixty seven. 155 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 2: And for whatever reason, I just kind of gravitated towards 156 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 2: that hook and I kept repeating it over and over again. 157 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 1: Johnny be Good, Johnny be Good. So my dad says, Mark, 158 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: do you want to learn that song? 159 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 2: I said yeah, And he comes home the next day 160 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 2: with the lyrics printed out. Because he didn't know all 161 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,839 Speaker 2: the lyrics. I was on an old Dot Matrix printer. 162 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 2: This is a nineteen eighty seven. He taught me the lyrics. 163 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 2: I couldn't read at the time, but within a few 164 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 2: rounds I had memorized the words and he starts playing, 165 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 2: and I starts singing in key, and we play it 166 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 2: all the way down, and he was impressed. And then 167 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 2: he said, all right, let's try it again. And I 168 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: vividly remember this. He says, let's try it again, and 169 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 2: he starts. I start singing in key. In the second verse, 170 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 2: he modulates up a half step and I follow him. 171 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 2: Third verse, he modulates up another half step and I 172 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 2: follow him. And that's really what told him that I 173 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 2: had some gifts. 174 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: And so. 175 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 2: We went to Florida that weekend for our family vacation, 176 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 2: and he brought me along for the gig. That was 177 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 2: the first of great many times where he brought me 178 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:32,440 Speaker 2: along for the gig. Around nineteen ninety one, he joined 179 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 2: a band called the Boogie Kings. The Boogie Kings is 180 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 2: kind of a party band around here. Guys dress up 181 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 2: in tuxedos and white tails, and it's a big horn band. 182 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 2: They play what's known around here colloquially as blue eyed soul. 183 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: It's white guys singing Otis Redding and Marvin Gaye and 184 00:10:55,200 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 2: Wilson Pickett and the like. And I would go on 185 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 2: as many of those gigs as I was allowed to, 186 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 2: playing sort of semi roadie where I'd carry some of 187 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 2: his gear and then I would just kind of hang 188 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 2: side stage until it was my turn to get up 189 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 2: and go sing. Johnny be good, but he really fancies 190 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:19,439 Speaker 2: himself as a jazz player, and he's a very very 191 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 2: talented guitar player. And you know, growing up in the house, 192 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 2: most of the music that he listened to was instrumental 193 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: jazz music, and as a budding young singer, that. 194 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: Was kind of torture, to be quite honest with you. 195 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 2: So it was on the occasion that he had to 196 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 2: learn some new Oldish Redding song that he would put 197 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 2: on that he would put on an LP of Otis 198 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 2: and I'd come running out of the back and say, Dad, 199 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,439 Speaker 2: who's this? You know, I'll never forget When he put 200 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:49,959 Speaker 2: on James Taylor, I guess he was in a pensive 201 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 2: mood and decided to put on Never Die Young, And 202 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 2: that really launched launched me into songwriting. I was like, Dad, 203 00:11:58,040 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: I need you to show me how to play the 204 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,960 Speaker 2: song right here, and I kind of use those changes, 205 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 2: reincorporated those changes from Never Die Young into a song 206 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 2: of mine that I've been playing almost every night for 207 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 2: the last twenty plus years. 208 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 1: A song called The Wanderer. 209 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 2: Having such a sophisticated musician in the house, I think 210 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 2: definitely set me up for success. You know, most of 211 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,439 Speaker 2: the musicians that are from around here, from South Louisiana 212 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 2: are playing zydico and Cajun music. So being exposed to 213 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 2: Steely you know, Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder and Donnie 214 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 2: Hathaway and Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield definitely gave me 215 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 2: a nice launchpad. 216 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 4: Was he protective with you as far as you touching 217 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,239 Speaker 4: at an early age his guitars? 218 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 1: Oh yes, yes, and rightfully so. 219 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: In fact, one of the first times that I ever 220 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,559 Speaker 2: got to take one of his guitars was probably about 221 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 2: fourteen years old. I said, Dad, I'm going to a bonfire. 222 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 2: Do you mind if I bring the guitar? And he 223 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:14,440 Speaker 2: reluctantly okayed it, and I ended up I ended up 224 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 2: letting a buddy of mine play the guitar that night 225 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 2: as well. And when my buddy put the guitar back 226 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 2: into the case, he didn't realize that the plastic part 227 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 2: of the strap was kind of sticking straight up when 228 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 2: he closed the case, and it knocked just the tiniest 229 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 2: piece right out of the sound hole. 230 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: So yeah, I was banned. 231 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 2: I was banned from his guitars for a long time 232 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 2: before and after that. Luckily, I've been able to replace 233 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 2: that guitar. I signed a deal with Yamaha a few 234 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 2: years ago and ended up getting him a new guitar 235 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 2: that he absolutely loves. But yeah, he was very, very 236 00:13:56,240 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 2: protective over his guitars, mostly because you know, my dad's 237 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 2: he's not a wealthy man. He was a civil servant 238 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 2: for thirty five years. 239 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: He really worked hard. 240 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 2: To earn the money that he spent on those guitars, 241 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 2: and he cherished every single one of his guitars, which 242 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 2: is why I was blown away completely when at my 243 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 2: thirtieth birthday celebration at the House of Blues in New Orleans, 244 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:25,320 Speaker 2: he gifted me the red Es three thirty five that 245 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 2: his father had bought for him in nineteen sixty seven. 246 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 2: I was completely stunned, and it's actually still at my 247 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 2: dad's house. 248 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 4: I'm glad that the ice got broken in the relationship eventually. 249 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, no doubt. 250 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 5: Yeah. Tell me about the hometown that you grew up in. 251 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 2: Man, it's a pretty quaint town, you know. I grew 252 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 2: up right here. Actually, I still live on the street 253 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 2: that I grew up on. My parents live about one 254 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 2: hundred and fifty yards across the street from me. 255 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 5: And it's the name of the town. 256 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, it's called Karen Crow, Louisiana. 257 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 5: C Yeah, the name of your album. 258 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: That's right. 259 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 2: It's just a little bedroom community to the north of 260 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 2: Laffey at Louisiana. So when I was growing up, it 261 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 2: was pretty small. It was probably two to three thousand people. 262 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 1: When I was growing up. It's since grown up quite 263 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 1: a bit. 264 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 2: I think they're probably closer to about ten thousand people, 265 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 2: maybe fifteen thousand people here. I haven't looked at the 266 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 2: numbers recently, but the traffic feels like it's way. 267 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: Heavier than when I was a kid. 268 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 2: We rode our bikes a lot, you know, it's a 269 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 2: very typical gen X story. We rode our bikes everywhere. 270 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 2: We got into a lot of trouble. We played a 271 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 2: lot of basketball on driveways, and we played a whole 272 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 2: lot of football in the fields. It's a pretty typical 273 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 2: idyllic community, and I'm very very happy that I was 274 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 2: able to raise my kids here as well. 275 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 5: Everybody probably knows everybody's name. 276 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 2: Right, Oh yeah, yeah, especially when I was growing up. Man, 277 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 2: it was such a small town. 278 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: You know. My first job was at the store right 279 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: at the. 280 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 2: Corner at the top of the street. And when I 281 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 2: was a kid, my mother had an account there. I 282 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 2: could go and get her cigarettes. If she sent me 283 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 2: down to the store, I wouldn't. It wasn't an issue 284 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 2: for me to go get her cigarettes. I worked in 285 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 2: the kitchen at the local restaurant that used to be here, 286 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 2: a place called Paul's p Row. My brothers, you know, 287 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 2: cut their teeth at the other restaurant in town, pray Gen's. 288 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,360 Speaker 2: There was only two main stops in town. 289 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: You know. 290 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,040 Speaker 2: Played a lot of baseball. I was a catcher for many, 291 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 2: many years, and I loved catching. When the boys started throwing. 292 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 2: At about seventeen, eighteen years old, when the boys started 293 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 2: throwing up over. 294 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 1: Eighty miles an hour, I was like, I think I'm 295 00:16:53,480 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 1: done with this. 296 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 4: Well, the album you know and Crows twenty years old, right, 297 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,919 Speaker 4: it sure is. How does that make you feel that 298 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,280 Speaker 4: it's twenty years old? And tell me how proud you 299 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 4: are of that body of work and what it means 300 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:14,199 Speaker 4: to you today. 301 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: Man, It was an interesting time. 302 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 2: You know, I was twenty years old when I signed 303 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 2: my record deal with Island dep Jam. 304 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:25,360 Speaker 1: I felt as if. 305 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 2: I had this team of people around me, between management, 306 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 2: my band, and the label, that we're all smarter than me, 307 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,439 Speaker 2: and I felt good about that. I also felt like 308 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 2: all I needed to do was show up and that 309 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 2: I would be on a gravy train that. 310 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: Would run forever. 311 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 2: I was disabused of that notion about twenty eleven or so, 312 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 2: so it did take me quite a while to realize 313 00:17:55,359 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 2: just how much I had to engage in my own career. 314 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:02,199 Speaker 2: But Man, Karen Crow was an interesting time because you know, 315 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 2: it's kind of a schizophrenic album. 316 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:07,640 Speaker 1: There's a lot of. 317 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,879 Speaker 2: Different influences going on on that album, and I was 318 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 2: adamant that the song home should be my first introduction 319 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 2: to the American consumer. The record label, however, wanted a 320 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 2: song called where You Are as the first single. I 321 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 2: dug my heels in pretty hard, and you know, they 322 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 2: would send out the radio rep from the region who 323 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:41,360 Speaker 2: had already wined and dined the local program director at 324 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 2: the hot AC station or the Top forty station, and 325 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 2: they would show up at my show and all night long, 326 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 2: the regional radio rep for Universal is bragging about this 327 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,880 Speaker 2: song where you Are. We just not play the song. 328 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 2: I refused to play the song. In fact, one of 329 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:03,640 Speaker 2: my favorite memories is we had morning television in New 330 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 2: York City National TV. We're gonna play two songs. We're 331 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,919 Speaker 2: gonna play Home and where you Are. We play Home first, 332 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 2: and my entire record label is there, my managers are there. 333 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 2: We play Home, go to commercial break, come back from 334 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 2: commercial break, and the anchor says, and once again. 335 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:23,640 Speaker 1: Here's Mark Roussard with where you Are. 336 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,239 Speaker 2: And I turned to the band as she's saying that 337 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 2: and said, play rock Steady. 338 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: And they're like what I said, pree rock Steady. 339 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 2: And as soon as we hit the downbeat on rock Steady, 340 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:38,199 Speaker 2: I can see all of my label executives and my 341 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 2: managers through the glass in the studio and they just 342 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,360 Speaker 2: started leaving. And my brother actually who's in the business now, 343 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 2: ran into one of my former managers from that time 344 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 2: a couple of years ago, who says that that day 345 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: was the worst day in his entire music career. I 346 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 2: you know, hindsight, being twenty twenty, I probably would have 347 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: played it a little differently. These days, but there was 348 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:12,879 Speaker 2: there was something about letting them know that they no 349 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:17,679 Speaker 2: matter what they did, they couldn't control me. And you know, 350 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 2: maybe that kept me away from some success. I don't know, 351 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 2: nor do I really care at this point, because truth 352 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 2: be told, I'm very happy with the way my career 353 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 2: has gone over the last twenty years. I can still 354 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 2: walk down Main Street Disney World with my family without 355 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 2: being bothered by anybody. My wife hasn't had to have 356 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 2: a job in twenty years. She's been a stay at 357 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 2: home mother. Now she's touring with me because our kids 358 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 2: are a little older. So I wouldn't change a thing necessarily, 359 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 2: but just having a little more wisdom about how business operates, 360 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 2: I might have played it a little differently. 361 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 5: They're like that Broussar guy man boys, he's something huh. 362 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 6: He doesn't look like he'd be that way and so 363 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 6: unassuming and wow, yeah, you know, no, I'm I'm teasing you. Listen, 364 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 6: you gotta forge your path man. 365 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,640 Speaker 2: I told my my producer, Marshall Altman, I said, Man, 366 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:16,680 Speaker 2: I really disliked this song. 367 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 1: I hate this song. 368 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 2: And he says to me, I'll sabotage it in the mix, 369 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 2: and I trusted him, and he didn't. He turned it 370 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 2: into a really perfect pop mix that the label was 371 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:34,719 Speaker 2: just over the moon about. And I knew that Home was, 372 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 2: you know, that was a much better introduction to what 373 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 2: it is that I do. 374 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 1: Where you Are was a song that, yeah, you know, 375 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: it is what it is. 376 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 4: But Home has grown in stature over the years consistently. 377 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 4: It's because it just so connects with everybody in everyday life, right. 378 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I can't necessarily put my finger on it. 379 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: It's a song that my father originated. 380 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 2: The guitar riff was originally his, and he and I 381 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 2: had actually I had called him out to help me 382 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 2: open some shows for a guy named Martin Sexton. We 383 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:23,480 Speaker 2: played Atlanta in Birmingham with Martin, and on the way 384 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 2: home from Birmingham we were driving down I twenty fifty 385 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 2: nine and he says, hey, Mark, you remember that remember 386 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 2: that guitar riff oomed? I said, yeah, of course, And 387 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 2: he says, what do you think about this? 388 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: Rolling down the road going. 389 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 2: Noway, guitar packed thing the trunk and he kind of 390 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 2: looks at me all goofy like, and I had to 391 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 2: turn my head out out the window because I didn't 392 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 2: want him to know how cool I thought he was 393 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 2: at that moment. 394 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: I thought that was a. 395 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 2: Hell of a lyric, and right right when he right 396 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 2: when I looked out the window, I saw my marker 397 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 2: one twelve fly by, and I just kind of turned 398 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 2: back to him and said, somewhere around my mark of one, 399 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:05,360 Speaker 2: te Papa startle hung and the funk. And I had 400 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 2: no idea that that one little brief, passing moment would 401 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 2: turn into a career defining song for me. 402 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: But I am eternally. 403 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 2: Grateful that my dad was so inspired to share that with. 404 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 1: Me that day. And I have had no issue. 405 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,399 Speaker 2: Whatsoever playing that song every night for the last twenty years. 406 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 1: Man, it's a joy to play. 407 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 2: We've evolved it over the years into different versions from 408 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 2: the original, and I think every evolution has made the 409 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 2: song better. None of us get tired of playing that song. 410 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,119 Speaker 2: It's a hell of a song to play. 411 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 4: Don't you think That's one of those moments that when 412 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 4: you think about the art of collaboration and creating, and 413 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 4: you think about how often everybody overthinks certain things in 414 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 4: collaboration and creating, that that was a moment that it 415 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 4: was just like, trust your judgment, then let it go 416 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 4: and make it happen and let it flow. 417 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 5: I mean, don't you think Yeah? 418 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 2: I mean, look, collaboration is the defining term of music. 419 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 2: What I do on stage every night with my band 420 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 2: is collaborate and there are there's a place for intention always, 421 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 2: you know. I find that my guys and I do 422 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 2: better and feel a lot better about the show when 423 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 2: we all have very defined roles and especially after some 424 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:42,199 Speaker 2: rehearsal time before going into a new set. But at 425 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 2: the same time, the most beautiful things that we've ever 426 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,439 Speaker 2: come up with on stage are absolutely spur of the 427 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 2: moment things that inspire everybody else to pick up on 428 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 2: the next time that that round comes around, whether it's 429 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 2: referencing some Zeppelin or or whatever in the middle of 430 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,399 Speaker 2: the first chorus, and by the time the second chorus 431 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 2: comes around, everybody else's picked up on it. 432 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 1: Those are really really fun moments. 433 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 2: Those are the moments that make what I do the. 434 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 1: Best job in the world. 435 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,199 Speaker 7: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 436 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 7: Walk podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 437 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 4: When you think of the people that you collaborate with, 438 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 4: if you're meeting somebody that you're potentially going to collaborate 439 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 4: for the first time. What are the signals you look 440 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,800 Speaker 4: for that would indicate it's going to be a great collaboration. 441 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: It's a good question, man. 442 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,399 Speaker 2: Most of the time, it really comes out of left field, 443 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 2: to be honest. One that comes to mind right now, 444 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 2: there's a song called I'll Never Know that I wrote 445 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 2: with a guy named Darryl Scott. 446 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 1: I'm sitting in Daryl's parlor at his home. 447 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 2: He's playing lap steel, and I'm writing this beautiful song. 448 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: It talks about all the things that you'll never know. 449 00:26:12,000 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 2: In the middle of it, he just stands up and 450 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:20,400 Speaker 2: puts the guitar down without missing a beat, and makes 451 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 2: his way to the piano and then takes over on piano. 452 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 2: And it was such a stunning display of musicianship because 453 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 2: I'm in awe, you know. 454 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm a singer. 455 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:34,200 Speaker 2: I play enough guitar to get by and to write, 456 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 2: but I'm not really an instrumentalist in the sense that. 457 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:44,199 Speaker 1: My father is. Mostly because when I was about fifteen 458 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: years old, I was like, Dad, how'd you get so 459 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: good on guitar? 460 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 2: And he said, well, so when I was your age, 461 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:52,000 Speaker 2: I was practicing about six or eight hours a day, 462 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 2: and I said, so I'm going to be a singer. 463 00:26:54,800 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 2: I guess I was just always too lazy to put 464 00:26:57,880 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 2: in the work on guitar. 465 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: But to witness somebody. 466 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:06,400 Speaker 2: Again without missing a beat, put the guitar down, make 467 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 2: your way over to the piano and start playing the 468 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 2: most beautiful piano. 469 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:12,399 Speaker 1: Was really stunning for me. 470 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 2: Chris Stapleton also absolutely blew my lid off, mostly because 471 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 2: I was familiar with his voice before I was familiar. 472 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: With his name. 473 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,679 Speaker 2: And in a writing session, of cold writing session like that, 474 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 2: we typically spend about ten or fifteen minutes just kind 475 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,880 Speaker 2: of chatting. It was Chris, myself and a guy named 476 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 2: Jed Hughes. And the whole time Chris and I are chatting, 477 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 2: Jed is over here just playing playing some guitar. 478 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 1: Beautiful guitar. 479 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:43,000 Speaker 2: So you know, Chris and I are kind of getting 480 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 2: to know each other a little bit and talking about 481 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 2: what I want to write about, and then all of 482 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 2: a sudden, he starts wailing, and I immediately recognized the voice, 483 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 2: and I said, excuse it, hold on, I said, are 484 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 2: you the steel Driver? And he says, well, I was, 485 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 2: and he kind of tell the story about how he 486 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 2: ended up leaving that band, and for the rest of 487 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 2: that writing session, man was iking it too. This clip 488 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,200 Speaker 2: from the movie Step Brothers with Will Ferrell and John 489 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,680 Speaker 2: c Riley after Will Ferrell's character sings for John c 490 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 2: Riley's character, John c Riley's characters like. 491 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 1: I can't even look at you. 492 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:28,399 Speaker 2: I've never fallen in love with another man. That's the 493 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 2: closest I ever became, by far, the close than I became. 494 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 4: I want to talk about your work with charities even 495 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 4: though I'm still laughing, and charities are not supposed to 496 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:44,640 Speaker 4: be funny, so I'm just laughing. 497 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: At the story, but it's all good. 498 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 5: I love it. 499 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 4: Your work with charities is pretty amazing through your SOS foundation. 500 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 4: Talk about that work and the charities and what that 501 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 4: work means to you, because it's really amazing. 502 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 2: So the first SOS that we made was actually out 503 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 2: of necessity. I had made a second effort for Island 504 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:13,480 Speaker 2: def Jam. They decided that they were not going to 505 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 2: release that album. We asked to be let out of 506 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 2: our contract. They agreed to let us out, but I 507 00:29:20,240 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 2: could not take the album that I had just recorded, 508 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 2: and we didn't feel like there was enough time to 509 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 2: go back into a writer's mode. It was going to 510 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 2: take too long to write a new album, and so 511 00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 2: we decided the best course of action was just to 512 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 2: record a covers album, a bunch of really classic soul songs, 513 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 2: stuff that I had grown up on that my young 514 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 2: fans may not know about. And we knocked that project 515 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 2: out of the park once I left the major labels 516 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 2: around twenty eleven. 517 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: So the calculus on. 518 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 2: Record deals is such that I never saw a dime 519 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 2: from records else and thus never built it into my 520 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:07,239 Speaker 2: family's budget because I didn't see it. And so I 521 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 2: figured once I got off the major labels that this 522 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 2: money that used to go to keep the lights on 523 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 2: and office buildings in New York and Los Angeles and 524 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 2: Nashville was better served keeping the lights on for people 525 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 2: that actually needed to keep their lights on. My managers 526 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 2: were like, hey, man, you don't have you don't have 527 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 2: this in your budget. You need this money, and I 528 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 2: was like, no, I don't. I haven't needed it for 529 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 2: the last ten years. I don't need it. 530 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 1: Now. 531 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:43,640 Speaker 2: Let's set up let's build philanthropy into my business. And 532 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 2: so SOS two was the first of those releases. 533 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 1: I think that was probably. 534 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 2: Somewhere around twenty thirteen, and it was so much more 535 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 2: successful than I had ever even anticipated. 536 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 1: I knew it was going to work. 537 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 2: I knew that my fans, the music business was dying, 538 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 2: right the record sales industry was dying. So I wanted 539 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 2: to give my fans an extra incentive to leave the 540 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 2: shows with something in their hands, and partnering with charities 541 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 2: was exactly that incentive. My fans reacted to the project 542 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 2: like gangbusters. It got me to Europe for the first time. 543 00:31:25,920 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 2: We've been able to raise tens of thousands of dollars 544 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 2: through each one of these projects for various charitable causes. 545 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 2: All around, it's been a swimming success. And more importantly, 546 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:41,920 Speaker 2: it told my managers that even my hair braindiest schemes 547 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 2: are maybe worth taking a second look at, because they 548 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 2: were convinced that it was a massive, massive mistake, and 549 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 2: once it succeeded the way that it did, they were like, Okay, 550 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 2: whatever you want to do, now, let's go. 551 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 4: Have you personally seen where your music is, you know, 552 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 4: helping people through challenging times We produce in this other 553 00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 4: podcast called music saved me about the healing power of music. 554 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:18,920 Speaker 4: So have you have you witnessed in any instances with 555 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 4: your fans or one on one with anybody that music 556 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 4: has really a healing power. 557 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 2: Yes, lots and lots of stories over the years, but 558 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 2: one really stands out. We were playing a small club 559 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 2: in Los Angeles and my tour manager says, Hey, there's 560 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:39,480 Speaker 2: a guy in a wheelchair. 561 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: He wants to meet you. 562 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 2: I said, sure, tell me come right after soundcheck, and 563 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 2: I'm headed out the back door right after soundcheck when 564 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,120 Speaker 2: this guy is being wheeled into the building by his 565 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:56,960 Speaker 2: girlfriend and he tells me Mark, I wasn't always in 566 00:32:57,000 --> 00:33:00,960 Speaker 2: this wheelchair. About a year ago, I was outside of 567 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 2: club here in Los Angeles and I got sucker punched. 568 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:07,560 Speaker 1: I was put into a coma. 569 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 2: At the thirty day mark, the doctors tell my family 570 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 2: it's probably time. 571 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 1: To pull the plug. 572 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 2: They decide they're gonna pull the plug. Then she walks 573 00:33:20,120 --> 00:33:23,240 Speaker 2: in with a stereo and puts on your song Home, 574 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 2: and for the first time in thirty days, I start 575 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 2: mouthing the words and tapping my finger. That was my 576 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 2: first signs of cognition in thirty days. 577 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 1: Man, that was so much fuel. 578 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 2: That one story gave me so much fuel for my 579 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 2: tank I've had plenty of families show up and to 580 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:49,880 Speaker 2: say that, you know, I'll never forget one time father 581 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:53,760 Speaker 2: and son showed up in South Carolina. Dad's wearing a suit. 582 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:56,720 Speaker 2: It's kind of tie. Tie is a little loose. Son 583 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 2: has got tattoos and big holes in his ears, and 584 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 2: the dad tells me he's got his arm around his sunny. 585 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 2: He says, we haven't spoken in eleven years, ever since 586 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 2: his mom and I split, and then your music brought 587 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,279 Speaker 2: us back together. Those are kind of the stories that 588 00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 2: I live for, to be honest with you, because I 589 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:24,800 Speaker 2: could go do something else at this point. Traveling is hard. 590 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:28,880 Speaker 2: Traveling and being away from my family is hard. And 591 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:36,359 Speaker 2: not seeing a ton of improvement in attendance numbers or 592 00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:40,320 Speaker 2: our our ticket sales or our guarantees, it is hard. 593 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 2: I could go sell insurance and probably make a better 594 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 2: living at this point. But those are the stories that 595 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:49,759 Speaker 2: kind of tell me that I'm doing exactly what I'm 596 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 2: supposed to be doing. 597 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 5: Man, thank you for sharing. That's that's amazing. 598 00:34:56,160 --> 00:35:03,359 Speaker 4: And then you ventured off into a children's book. Yeah, 599 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:08,839 Speaker 4: I love you for you. Yeah, what prompted you to 600 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 4: go down the road of writing a children's book. 601 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 1: Well, I love kids. 602 00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 2: I love kids so much that I have to prevent 603 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:19,520 Speaker 2: myself from picking up random kids and just hugging the 604 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:23,960 Speaker 2: crap out of them. I asked permission. Now, not that 605 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:25,719 Speaker 2: I ever really picked up random. 606 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:29,440 Speaker 1: Kids, but I really do. 607 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:36,759 Speaker 2: Thoroughly enjoy being around children. I like working with kids. 608 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:42,919 Speaker 2: I have a godson that's just started catching. He's six 609 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 2: years old and he's a catcher for baseball, and so I. 610 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:47,440 Speaker 1: Bought him all the gear. 611 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 2: And I love working with kids. A dear friend of mine, 612 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:55,080 Speaker 2: a guy that I had worked with on a number 613 00:35:55,080 --> 00:36:00,239 Speaker 2: of product projects, Kurt Zenzian. His wife happens to be 614 00:36:00,239 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 2: an illustrator, and every time we got together on a project, 615 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:07,320 Speaker 2: we'd end up at dinner after a performance or something, 616 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 2: and Rebecca and I would talk about about working on 617 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:17,719 Speaker 2: a children's book together. And finally I've got this SOS Foundation. 618 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:21,399 Speaker 2: There's a brand new hospital, children's hospital that opened up 619 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 2: just down the road in Baton Rouge that expanded this 620 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 2: region's ability to care for chronic and terminal sick children 621 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 2: by something like one hundred and eighty thousand kids a year. 622 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:39,000 Speaker 2: And I thought that was a worthwhile project to put 623 00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:43,560 Speaker 2: an sos behind, and so once I decided that it 624 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:46,440 Speaker 2: was going to be a lullaby album, we figured why 625 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 2: not do a book in conjunction and help raise some 626 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:55,120 Speaker 2: funds for this hospital. Rebecca jumped at the chance. We 627 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:59,319 Speaker 2: were always you know, we were always both very very 628 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:02,960 Speaker 2: into the idea. We just needed the right moment, and 629 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:05,279 Speaker 2: so the opening of this children's hospital was the right 630 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:10,240 Speaker 2: moment for us. Any plans to follow it up, Yes, 631 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:12,879 Speaker 2: In fact, we've been in talks for a little while 632 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:14,160 Speaker 2: now to do so. 633 00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:15,719 Speaker 1: The book is I Love You for You. 634 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:20,320 Speaker 2: It's basically a story about a parent or an adult 635 00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:22,879 Speaker 2: figure in a child's life saying, no matter what you're 636 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 2: going through, no matter what you got, uh what what 637 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 2: what problems you're. 638 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:29,040 Speaker 1: Facing, I love you for you. 639 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,520 Speaker 2: If you can run like the wind, or if you 640 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:33,560 Speaker 2: need a wheelchair to get around, I love you for you. 641 00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:35,880 Speaker 2: If you can see to the moon, or if you 642 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:40,200 Speaker 2: need spectacles, I love you for you. And the next 643 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 2: project I think we're going to focus on I Love 644 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:46,400 Speaker 2: you for You too, which would be from the child's 645 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:51,200 Speaker 2: perspective to a parent to say, you know, no matter 646 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 2: if you had a great dead work or it was 647 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:55,680 Speaker 2: the worst day in the year. I love you for you. 648 00:37:55,920 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 1: Too, so we'll see exactly when that comes long. 649 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 4: Have you gone to schools to talk to kids in 650 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:06,239 Speaker 4: conjunction with the book. 651 00:38:06,360 --> 00:38:10,759 Speaker 2: Yes, I've done a few readings over the years. I've 652 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:13,760 Speaker 2: visited the hospital as well and done some readings there. 653 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:22,239 Speaker 2: It's it's honestly been the most remarkable piece of merch 654 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:25,960 Speaker 2: items I've ever had. There's not a single person that 655 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:28,200 Speaker 2: leaves the merch table without that book when we have 656 00:38:28,239 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 2: it available. It's really been a beautiful, beautiful venture. And 657 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:37,399 Speaker 2: so I'm definitely gonna do a follow up. 658 00:38:38,560 --> 00:38:41,279 Speaker 5: You've collaborated with some great people. 659 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:43,520 Speaker 4: I'd like to hear who some of your favorites in 660 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:47,560 Speaker 4: terms of collaboration are, and then I'd like to hear 661 00:38:47,640 --> 00:38:50,239 Speaker 4: maybe folks that you wish you could collaborate with in 662 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:50,760 Speaker 4: the future. 663 00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:54,000 Speaker 2: Oh Man, I got to open for Paul Carrick years 664 00:38:54,040 --> 00:38:59,360 Speaker 2: ago in Rotterdam and Amsterdam a few other spots. 665 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:00,040 Speaker 3: And how. 666 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:04,200 Speaker 2: It was right after I signed a record deal, a 667 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 2: big record deal with Atlantic Records. And for those of 668 00:39:09,520 --> 00:39:13,080 Speaker 2: you who don't know, Paul Carrick was in three massive bands. 669 00:39:13,280 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 2: He was in Ace, Squeeze and Mike and the mechanics, 670 00:39:18,719 --> 00:39:24,400 Speaker 2: and after the show in Rotterdam, I asked him. I said, Paul, 671 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:27,440 Speaker 2: I just signed this million dollar record deal. You got 672 00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 2: any advice for me? And he says, Mark, I've signed 673 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:32,719 Speaker 2: some of the biggest record deals in the history of 674 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:38,040 Speaker 2: the music business. Nowadays, I have a building in England. 675 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:43,120 Speaker 2: That building houses my management company, which I own. It 676 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:46,719 Speaker 2: houses my record label, which I own. It houses my 677 00:39:46,800 --> 00:39:50,880 Speaker 2: booking agency, which I own. I'm working harder than I've 678 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:54,839 Speaker 2: ever worked, I'm making more money than I've ever made, 679 00:39:55,120 --> 00:39:58,799 Speaker 2: and I'm happier than I've ever been. It took a 680 00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:03,359 Speaker 2: few years for that it's to really resonate, but it's 681 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:08,200 Speaker 2: one of the most important conversations I've ever had because nowadays, 682 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:11,400 Speaker 2: although I don't own my management company or our booking agency, 683 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:14,759 Speaker 2: I do own my record label. I'm definitely working harder 684 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:16,560 Speaker 2: than I've ever worked, I'm making more money than I've 685 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 2: ever made, and I'm definitely happier than I've ever been. 686 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:22,840 Speaker 1: Paul's advice that day was really. 687 00:40:22,640 --> 00:40:26,280 Speaker 2: A game changer for me, and I think about it often. 688 00:40:27,520 --> 00:40:31,120 Speaker 2: Bonnie Rait we did nine shows on the road with her. 689 00:40:31,640 --> 00:40:35,279 Speaker 2: She was an absolute doll of a human being. She 690 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:38,120 Speaker 2: called me up to sing love sneaking up every night, 691 00:40:39,719 --> 00:40:43,759 Speaker 2: called the entire band up for the encore, and she 692 00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:47,279 Speaker 2: bonused me about four thousand dollars in cash at the 693 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:50,600 Speaker 2: end of that nine show run, which was probably about 694 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 2: equivalent to what we had made for the entire run, 695 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:59,480 Speaker 2: which taught me a lot about paying attention to the 696 00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:02,479 Speaker 2: financial of the people that you have supporting you on tour. 697 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: I never forgot it. I'll never forget it. 698 00:41:06,920 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 2: All everybody in my crew got Christmas cards from her 699 00:41:10,280 --> 00:41:13,160 Speaker 2: every year for like ten years after that show. 700 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:17,760 Speaker 1: After those shows, she's quite. 701 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:21,279 Speaker 2: Honestly one of the sweetest people I've ever met, and 702 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:23,560 Speaker 2: a hell of a singer and a hell of a 703 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:29,680 Speaker 2: songwriter to boot. Joe Bonamasa and I dropped a record 704 00:41:29,719 --> 00:41:33,560 Speaker 2: last year. He produced an album for me, SOS four 705 00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:38,480 Speaker 2: and Man talk about one of the most talented yet 706 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:43,000 Speaker 2: humble people I've ever been around. The guy is one 707 00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:45,399 Speaker 2: of the best guitar players on planet Earth, and yet 708 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:48,560 Speaker 2: does not hesitate to give his chair up for somebody else. 709 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 2: So when I call a buddy of mine like Eric 710 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:54,040 Speaker 2: Krasno and come and sit in on a track instead 711 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:58,600 Speaker 2: of kicking Josh Smith out of the chair, Joe's the 712 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 2: one that volunteers to get up. Incredibly talented, incredibly humble, 713 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:08,480 Speaker 2: incredibly gracious, so much so that we are we actually 714 00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:11,000 Speaker 2: have on the schedule to go back into the studio 715 00:42:11,080 --> 00:42:13,920 Speaker 2: next month to record an original album. 716 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:17,200 Speaker 1: As far as people that I. 717 00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:21,879 Speaker 2: Wished to work with, There's a singer by the name 718 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:26,480 Speaker 2: of Yeba who I've been desperate to work with for years. 719 00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:28,360 Speaker 1: She's one of the best singers I've ever heard of 720 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:29,400 Speaker 1: my life. 721 00:42:30,160 --> 00:42:33,719 Speaker 2: There's another singer named Emily King that I think is brilliant, 722 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:38,360 Speaker 2: and I'm making overtures to both of those young ladies 723 00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:43,440 Speaker 2: for this blues project with Joe. I would say working 724 00:42:43,440 --> 00:42:46,120 Speaker 2: with Stevie Wonder would be probably the top of the list. 725 00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:49,319 Speaker 2: If I ever get the chance. 726 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:49,800 Speaker 1: I'm gonna jump. 727 00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:56,040 Speaker 4: Yes she will, Oh yeah, Oh my god. What a 728 00:42:56,680 --> 00:43:00,600 Speaker 4: unbelievable time this has been speaking with you. So grateful 729 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:03,280 Speaker 4: that you came out on the podcast to tell the story. 730 00:43:03,320 --> 00:43:05,960 Speaker 5: Is there anything that I might have left out that 731 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:06,720 Speaker 5: you want to talk. 732 00:43:06,600 --> 00:43:12,400 Speaker 2: About, Man, not at all. We've got a brand new record. 733 00:43:12,719 --> 00:43:15,440 Speaker 2: We just dropped a record Eric Krasno produced for me. 734 00:43:16,120 --> 00:43:19,200 Speaker 2: In fact, I'll tell you this little tidbit about this album. 735 00:43:19,719 --> 00:43:23,680 Speaker 2: So I was sitting in about twenty eighteen. I was 736 00:43:23,719 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 2: sitting on a batch of about thirty songs, and I 737 00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:27,120 Speaker 2: was ready. 738 00:43:26,880 --> 00:43:27,640 Speaker 1: To make an album. 739 00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:29,960 Speaker 2: And I only wanted to work with one guy, a 740 00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:36,480 Speaker 2: guy named Jeremy Most and Jeremy is notoriously difficult to 741 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:42,440 Speaker 2: get in touch with. After two years of searching, by 742 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:46,520 Speaker 2: March of twenty twenty, I had all been giving up. 743 00:43:48,120 --> 00:43:51,360 Speaker 2: Told my manager, I said, let's stop searching. I'm going 744 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:54,960 Speaker 2: to call my buddy Eric Krasno to produce these songs. 745 00:43:55,760 --> 00:43:58,040 Speaker 2: Eric and I have known each other for twenty plus years. 746 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:01,200 Speaker 2: I loved everything that he's ever produced, and so I 747 00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:02,839 Speaker 2: reached out to Eric and I said, hey, man, look, 748 00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:05,120 Speaker 2: I got a batch of material that I think is 749 00:44:05,160 --> 00:44:08,080 Speaker 2: ready to go for an album, but you and I 750 00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:11,040 Speaker 2: should start writing together to just kind of get the 751 00:44:11,120 --> 00:44:14,000 Speaker 2: juices flowing round off the edges of the album. See 752 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:18,800 Speaker 2: if we enjoy working with each other. And about a 753 00:44:18,840 --> 00:44:21,359 Speaker 2: week later we had an entirely new album. He had 754 00:44:21,400 --> 00:44:23,920 Speaker 2: sent me. He would send me instrumental tracks in the morning. 755 00:44:24,239 --> 00:44:26,919 Speaker 2: By the afternoon, I'd send him back a full song 756 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:30,360 Speaker 2: that I tracked right here in this little home studio, 757 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:36,200 Speaker 2: and we got this entirely new record. We're both fired 758 00:44:36,280 --> 00:44:40,120 Speaker 2: up about it, but we're in the throes of a pandemic, 759 00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:44,640 Speaker 2: and so we put the pause on everything until September 760 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:47,839 Speaker 2: about last year. I'm going to fly out to Los 761 00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:52,479 Speaker 2: Angeles in September of last year. Now, this record making 762 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:55,839 Speaker 2: process was quite different than any prior for me in 763 00:44:55,840 --> 00:45:00,640 Speaker 2: that Kraz was responsible for all the tracking without me 764 00:45:00,840 --> 00:45:03,239 Speaker 2: being there, and I was just going to fly out 765 00:45:03,239 --> 00:45:07,600 Speaker 2: to sing final vocals and do a few overdubs. And 766 00:45:07,719 --> 00:45:12,080 Speaker 2: because I'm a little older and wiser now, I don't 767 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:14,000 Speaker 2: want to just fly by the seat of my pants. 768 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:15,480 Speaker 2: I want to make sure that I'm not flying out 769 00:45:15,480 --> 00:45:19,319 Speaker 2: there to waste my time. And so I called Eric 770 00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:21,440 Speaker 2: about two weeks prior to me flying out there, and 771 00:45:21,480 --> 00:45:24,040 Speaker 2: I said, hey, man, look what's the plan. I don't 772 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:26,160 Speaker 2: want to come out there and waste my time. He said, oh, no, 773 00:45:26,280 --> 00:45:28,040 Speaker 2: I got it, man, it's all good X y Z 774 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:31,800 Speaker 2: blah blah blah blah blah. I got the plan. I said, Okay, 775 00:45:31,840 --> 00:45:33,960 Speaker 2: I'll see you in two weeks. And right as I'm 776 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:36,640 Speaker 2: about to hang out the phone, Crass says, oh, by 777 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:37,840 Speaker 2: the way, j. 778 00:45:38,000 --> 00:45:38,959 Speaker 1: Most is out here. 779 00:45:39,440 --> 00:45:41,319 Speaker 2: Should I ask him if he wants to work with us, 780 00:45:42,280 --> 00:45:44,239 Speaker 2: And I said, what do you mean, j Most is 781 00:45:44,280 --> 00:45:46,080 Speaker 2: out here, and he'said. 782 00:45:45,840 --> 00:45:46,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, he's been. 783 00:45:46,880 --> 00:45:48,719 Speaker 2: He's been looking for places to live for the last 784 00:45:48,719 --> 00:45:50,600 Speaker 2: four months, and so he's just been staying in my 785 00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:54,239 Speaker 2: guest bedroom. The guy that I looked for for two 786 00:45:54,320 --> 00:45:57,600 Speaker 2: years happens to be just camped out in the guest 787 00:45:57,600 --> 00:45:59,640 Speaker 2: bedroom of the second guy that I called. 788 00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:04,960 Speaker 1: Man. I said, yeah, I asked me he wants to 789 00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:08,239 Speaker 1: work with us. He texted me about five minutes later 790 00:46:08,239 --> 00:46:10,000 Speaker 1: he's like, he's down. Man. 791 00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:14,520 Speaker 2: I cried like a baby. I cried like a little child, 792 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:21,560 Speaker 2: mostly just because it was like the universe kind of again, 793 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:27,600 Speaker 2: you know, telling me like, stop worrying so much. Man, 794 00:46:27,640 --> 00:46:33,200 Speaker 2: we got you. I got you. It's been a hell 795 00:46:33,239 --> 00:46:36,799 Speaker 2: of a journey. I wouldn't change a thing, except maybe 796 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:38,719 Speaker 2: i'd have played Where You Are a few times back 797 00:46:38,800 --> 00:46:41,760 Speaker 2: in the day. But it's a hell of an album. 798 00:46:42,040 --> 00:46:44,879 Speaker 2: The new album is called Time as a Thief. Came 799 00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:47,560 Speaker 2: out in September, and I think it's probably the best 800 00:46:47,560 --> 00:46:48,120 Speaker 2: of my career. 801 00:46:49,600 --> 00:46:52,160 Speaker 4: Congratulations on it, and thanks for giving it to us, 802 00:46:52,160 --> 00:46:54,040 Speaker 4: and thanks for giving us everything, and. 803 00:46:54,400 --> 00:46:56,680 Speaker 5: Brother, thanks for being on taking a Walk. 804 00:46:56,719 --> 00:46:59,080 Speaker 1: This was a blast. I appreciate you, buzz. 805 00:47:00,640 --> 00:47:03,120 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 806 00:47:03,160 --> 00:47:07,040 Speaker 3: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 807 00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:10,600 Speaker 3: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 808 00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:14,560 Speaker 3: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 809 00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:17,040 Speaker 3: and wherever you get your podcasts.