1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk Nashville. 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 2: Hi everyone, this is Sarah Harrelson, your host of Taking 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 2: a Walk Nashville, and today I am back at the 4 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 2: Russell Hotel and East Nashville. In their podcast studio, The 5 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 2: Russell gives away a percentage of each night's stay to 6 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 2: local nonprofits who are helping those experiencing homelessness here in Nashville. 7 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 2: The average weekend stay at the Russell Hotel provide sixteen 8 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 2: nights in a bed, one hundred free showers, or thirty 9 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 2: three meals for someone experiencing homelessness, so definitely check them out. 10 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 2: And here with me today is songwriter, publisher and author 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 2: Melissa Bala Rowe. And I've had the privilege of writing 12 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,880 Speaker 2: with you and performing alongside you at the Bluebird Cafe 13 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 2: and Listening Room here in Nashville. And Melissa, I'm so 14 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 2: happy to have you on the podcast today. Thank you 15 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 2: for being here. 16 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you. This is such an amazing hotel. 17 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's so beautiful. I love the podcast studio and here, 18 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 2: and throughout your songwriting career, you've had many cuts by 19 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 2: various artists, including Ali Colleen, who is Garth Brooks's daughter, 20 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 2: Karen Waldrup Jimmy Charles, just to name a few, and 21 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 2: your publishing company, Rhyme Partners, owns hundreds of songs, including 22 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: Bonnie Tyler's latest single, Yes I Can So. I want 23 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 2: to get to all of this in a bet, But 24 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 2: can you just start by telling us how you started 25 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,039 Speaker 2: your music career and what brought you here to Nashville. 26 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 3: I think for as long as I can remember living 27 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 3: in Florida, I'd wanted to get to Nashville. I worked 28 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 3: in a salon for many years, and I would literally 29 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 3: dream about playing the Bluebird Cafe. What would that be like? 30 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 3: And for me, it was a matter of timing. I 31 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 3: have a son, I had him pretty young in my life, 32 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 3: and I though I wanted to get to Tennessee, I 33 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 3: didn't want to remove him from his roots and his 34 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 3: life there with all of our families, so I waited. 35 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 3: I was in my mid thirties before I actually made 36 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 3: it to Tennessee, and I once I got here, I 37 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 3: did not want to waste a moment, and I started working. 38 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 3: I landed a job at Great American Country, which was 39 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 3: then on music Row, and it started out as supposed 40 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 3: to be a temp job for three days, and I 41 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 3: just had a talk with Jesus and I said, I'd 42 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 3: like to turn this into a permanent thing, and I did, 43 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 3: and that was a big launch for me with my career, 44 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 3: with learning the business and also building relationships. 45 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, and Great American Countries now Great American Family, I 46 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 2: believe as the network. And then from there you opened 47 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:46,359 Speaker 2: your publishing company, Ryan Partners in twenty thirteen. You've had 48 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 2: songs placed in TV and film, a lot of cuts. 49 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: What made you decide to open up your publishing company 50 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 2: and was it hard when you first opened it? 51 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 3: Well, they say ignorance is bliss, and that was none 52 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 3: true than starting a publishing company without having a lot 53 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 3: of real understanding of how to collect royalties. And I 54 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 3: always tell people that, you know, I just dove in 55 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 3: and spent many years and still working my way backwards, 56 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 3: but I wouldn't change a thing, and just going back 57 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 3: real quick to what is now Great American Family ironically, 58 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 3: And we've had lots of as a company. I've had 59 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 3: lots of songs and Christmas movies, but my first as 60 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 3: a writer, ironically was with GAC Family Network. You know, 61 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 3: there's so many out there, there's all the streaming services, 62 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 3: there's the Wholemark channels. But I thought it was so 63 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: cool to land my first Christmas movie and I felt 64 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 3: right at home with gac family. 65 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 2: What Christmas movie was that that's. 66 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 3: Called Journey to Christmas. So that was a couple of 67 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 3: years ago, and it's still every year it comes out. 68 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 3: As matter of fact, it was on Great American Family 69 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 3: on the thirtieth of last year, November, but every year 70 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 3: it comes out. And there's a song called Mary Almost 71 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 3: Christmas in that movie, and that's the song. 72 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely check out that song. And you know, I 73 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 2: think entertainment seems to run in your family. I recently 74 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 2: learned that your uncle was Terry Jean Bala aka Old 75 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 2: Cogan and unfortually bessed away this year or so. I'm 76 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 2: sorry for your loss. But were you were you close 77 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 2: to him growing up? 78 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 3: Well, we have a very small family, so it was 79 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 3: just my father was his brother. My grandparents had you know, 80 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 3: two sons, and so we were a small family. And yeah, 81 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 3: I remember Gosh being a teenager and my uncle and 82 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 3: his wrestling friends at that time, they'd have been in 83 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 3: their like late twenties, and they were just giant human 84 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 3: beings to me. Maybe I was, you know, not even 85 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 3: a teenager. I was probably like ten eleven years old. 86 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 3: But they come walking through the house and there's vetos, 87 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 3: and I was always just like, I just I remember 88 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,239 Speaker 3: being so fascinated at how large they were. But yeah, 89 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 3: and over the years, just like kind of any family, 90 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 3: you know, that were ebbs and flows, and there were 91 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 3: times when we were closer in other times. My uncle, 92 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 3: especially the first part of his career, he spent a 93 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 3: great amount of time on the road. You know, three 94 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 3: hundred and sixty five days a year. He probably early 95 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 3: in his career was on the road three hundred of those. 96 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 3: So it was complicated for sure. 97 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. Was anyone else in your family playing music? 98 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 3: Yes, actually my grandmother, So I grew up in a 99 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 3: very musical home. My grandmother, I always bragged that she, 100 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 3: which was his mother, played like liberachi. We had a 101 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 3: you know, piano in the home always. And then my 102 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 3: cousin Brooke, his daughter, she's a wonderful musician. She's a 103 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 3: piano player also. And while I play acoustic, I actually 104 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 3: piano is more my first instrument also, So I have 105 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 3: I spent my time now between here and Florida, and 106 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 3: I've got pianos in both music rooms. But yeah, so 107 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 3: I actually come from a pretty musical family. Yeah, my 108 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,040 Speaker 3: uncle played bass in the bands before he sold all 109 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 3: his equipment and decided that and literally verbatim told his father, 110 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 3: my grandfather, that he was going to be the greatest 111 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 3: wrestler in the world. And so I still have all 112 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 3: the I've still got all kinds of pictures of my 113 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 3: uncle and his bands in the seventies with those high 114 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 3: platform shoes on. It was just really really cool. 115 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 2: That's cool. And you've also collaborated with the legendary Bonnie 116 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 2: Tyler in your career. I really want you to tell 117 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 2: our listeners about the Rocks and Honey story because I 118 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 2: think this really depicts like what it's like to be 119 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 2: a songwriter in Nashville sometimes. 120 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, and there are so many stories, but that 121 00:06:54,400 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 3: one certainly is hilarious and interesting. A gentleman on music 122 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 3: Row that used to work for Dream Records and Universal 123 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 3: Music went by the name of Spoon, and he still 124 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,679 Speaker 3: goes by the name of Spoon, but he's no longer 125 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 3: in the music business. But he was one of my 126 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 3: very first champions when I came to town. He heard a 127 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 3: song I wrote called I Want to Wear White, and 128 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 3: he came to a couple of my early shows and 129 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 3: he just became such a champion. It was my very 130 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 3: first publishing deal. He was working with Wren song Reed Geier. 131 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 3: I guess are you familiar with them? 132 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 2: On Music Row? 133 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 3: And he was working in the office with Hearns. So 134 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 3: I had sort of a handshake pub deal. And one 135 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 3: day he called me up and he said, Hey, what 136 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 3: are you doing today? Would you like to write with 137 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 3: Bonnie Tyler? And I just, of course thought he was joking. 138 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,559 Speaker 3: I was like, shut up, and He's like, no, really, 139 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 3: I've got Bonnie Tyler here and Bonnie Baker, who by 140 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 3: the way, is an incredible hit songwriter here and town 141 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 3: and love her work, you know as well. And so 142 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 3: I just stopped what I was doing and I ran 143 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 3: down to do that. And on the drive there, I 144 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 3: was really emotional because early in my life I lost 145 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 3: my mother and I can distinctly remember just as a 146 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 3: child bawling my eyes out to totally Clips of the Heart. 147 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 3: And I wasn't even really old enough to really understand 148 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 3: the lyrics. I just felt them, and so I was 149 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,719 Speaker 3: in kind of in awe of the fact that I'm 150 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 3: driving to this writing appointment where I'm going to be 151 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 3: sitting in a room with this woman, and sure enough, 152 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 3: writing session was amazing. We wrote a song called One 153 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 3: Mistake that day and just hearing her voice and I 154 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 3: still of course saved the work tapes. But Bonnie became 155 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 3: a dear friend of mine after that, and in fact, 156 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 3: we used to text back and forth, and I used 157 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:01,199 Speaker 3: to get nervous because she'd be texting me from Wales. 158 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 3: And this is back when we didn't have unlimited text. 159 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 3: You'd actually get your phone bill and you'd see like 160 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 3: all these additional charges. So it's like, how am I 161 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:12,079 Speaker 3: gonna tell Bonnie. 162 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 2: Just not texted me? 163 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 3: It's much But yeah, So through the years we stayed 164 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 3: in touch, and she's such a wonderful woman and such 165 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 3: an icon and I cannot believe how her fan base is. 166 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:28,679 Speaker 3: And I actually have something else pretty cool in the 167 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 3: works with a song that I co wrote with Megan Connor, 168 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 3: who's amazing, and it's a collaboration. I wish that I 169 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 3: could speak on it, but it does include Bonnie and 170 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 3: and some other folks, so I'm and it's a song 171 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 3: that is just so special. So I look forward to that, 172 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:53,959 Speaker 3: you know, coming up this year me too, So yeah, 173 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 3: that that's the story, and oh you wanted to know 174 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 3: about Rocks and Honey, and I went off on a tangent. 175 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 2: Okay, I loved hearing how you got to meet Eric. 176 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 2: I'm sure I was really nerve wracking the first time 177 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 2: writing with her. 178 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 3: It was she was just so open and honest in 179 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 3: what she wanted to talk about that day that she 180 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 3: made it just kind of effortless. But I was probably 181 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 3: a little bit more excited than nervous. I probably should 182 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 3: have been more nervous, but I was a little bit 183 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 3: more excited than nervous, and I was just I actually 184 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 3: was very much in the moment, and so I cherished 185 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 3: that writing session. But that led to the friendship, which 186 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 3: led to her putting together her album, and she invited 187 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 3: me to her album release party and she had a 188 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 3: duet with Vince gill on there, and somebody in the 189 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 3: room said, Wow, their voices sound like Rocks and Honey together, 190 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 3: and of course I immediately was like, oh, my goodness, 191 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 3: that's a great song. And so the next day I 192 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 3: was in a writing session with billdi and we wrote 193 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 3: it and I immediately sent it to David huff which 194 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 3: is Dan Huff's brother, because he was producing her and 195 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 3: he said, gosh, we're just about wrapped up, but let 196 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 3: me play this for her. So they were done recording, 197 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 3: but she said she loved the song and she loved 198 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 3: the title, so we really thought we were gonna get 199 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 3: on the album. But as it turns out, she just 200 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 3: titled her album Rocks and Honey. And I actually didn't 201 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 3: know that until for some reason, Bill and I were 202 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 3: on Wikipedia one day and Wikipedia said American songwriters Bill 203 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 3: Dye and Melissa b o Leah while they wrote the 204 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 3: song Rocks and Honey, it became the title name, but 205 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:40,840 Speaker 3: the song didn't get on the album, And I was like, 206 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 3: go figure, thank you so much. Nashville. 207 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's so frustrating because, especially as a songwriter, you 208 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: always hear stories of, you know, the artist is really 209 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 2: interested and sometimes even goes ahead and records the song, 210 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 2: but it doesn't make on the app, it doesn't make 211 00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 2: it on the album, it doesn't see the light of 212 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 2: the day. And maybe they had the song on hold 213 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 2: so no one else can cut it for a while. 214 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 2: So it can definitely be frustrating for Nashville songwriters. In 215 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 2: your instance, you can't copyright a title. 216 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 3: So you can't. And I only know of one other 217 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 3: instance recently. My good friend Mark mlch wrote block Party 218 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 3: for Priscilla Block and she went on a block Party 219 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 3: tour and they sold black Party merchandise and black Party 220 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,720 Speaker 3: block Party bar patty block Party side. It's a tongue. 221 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 3: Fwister didn't make it on the album. I'm laughing in 222 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 3: jest with him, not but yeah, So when that happened 223 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 3: with Rox and Hotti, I was like, are you kidding me? 224 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 3: Like that is a first where the song didn't make 225 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 3: it on the album but the title did. 226 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, the title of the album. Right, that's when you 227 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 2: wish you trade marked the name for merchandise. But she 228 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 2: made it up to you guys later because she cut 229 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 2: the song she wrote with Bill d Luigi. Yes I can. 230 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 3: She didn't write it with Bill. I pitched it to 231 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 3: her with a bunch of songs. Bill wrote that song 232 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 3: with Hannah McNeil, who is an artist in her own 233 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 3: right and she's released that song and she does Hannah 234 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 3: does a lot of philanthropic work. She's incredible, and she 235 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,359 Speaker 3: and Bill wrote that and that was part of a 236 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,800 Speaker 3: folder that I put together and sent to Bonnie and 237 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 3: when she heard that song, she needed to get it 238 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,440 Speaker 3: and she did, but it took like four years. I 239 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 3: think Hannah and Bill probably thought that. 240 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 2: I was like, it was never gonna happen. 241 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 3: I said, hey, you won't believe this, but I found 242 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 3: out that some of the guys that played with Huey 243 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 3: Lewis and the News played on your record and year 244 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:46,839 Speaker 3: after year, you know, but the timing was right when 245 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 3: it did come out, and it has done phenomenally and 246 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,439 Speaker 3: she's never been needed to be resurrected because she's always 247 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 3: been relevant. But we're so excited that her fan base 248 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:04,120 Speaker 3: really said that, yes I can. They felt like was 249 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 3: one of those songs that competed with some of her 250 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 3: great songs. So and it was almost on the super 251 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:12,760 Speaker 3: Bowl commercial. We'll talk about that, but yeah, and it's 252 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:14,439 Speaker 3: a very powerful anthem. 253 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,960 Speaker 2: It is, and it's the name of her tour. Correct. 254 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, she's going to go on tour all over the 255 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 3: UK this year. And so I was actually thinking that 256 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 3: and Bill doesn't know this, so don't hold me to this, Bill. 257 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 3: Then I was saying that maybe we could, you know, 258 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 3: get out to the UK, which I know you've been 259 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 3: a lot out there, so yeah, to actually see her 260 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 3: on tour. 261 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, that would be amazing seeing her perform the song live. 262 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 2: And you finally got your monie Tyler Gun. 263 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, she debuted it last New Year's in front of 264 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 3: seventy thousand people live. 265 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 2: Wow. 266 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 3: And that was the debut of it. 267 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 2: And that was really cool. 268 00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 3: So we were like, oh, wow, this is really happening. 269 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's very special. 270 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Taken a 271 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: Walk Nashville podcast. Welcome back to Taken a Walk Nashville. 272 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 2: In addition to being a songwriter and publisher, you've also 273 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 2: written five books. Many of the books are geared towards women, 274 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 2: and you've also created music for Speak Life and Bullying 275 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 2: the musical, which is a film that's been played in 276 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 2: over one thousand schools and theaters nationwide. Tell us about 277 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 2: your books and how you got involved with this musical. 278 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 3: So we'll start with the musical because that has just 279 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 3: been such a blessing in so many ways. But early 280 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 3: here in Nashville, I did, as we all do, a 281 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 3: lot of volunteering, and I worked a lot with different 282 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 3: organizations like the Beat of Life and a lot of 283 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 3: veterans organizations. But the Beat of Life at that time, 284 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 3: many many years ago, was focused on they got they 285 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 3: go into prisons and everywhere now, but at that point 286 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 3: they were going into a lot of schools. And I 287 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 3: had experienced some bullying in middle school, and so I 288 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 3: was really passionate about it. But I'd put myself out 289 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 3: there and I'd done a lot with the Beat of Life. 290 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 3: So what I'm told is that when this organization decided 291 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 3: that they could not they were using some music Kelly 292 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 3: Clarkson songs and Katy Perry, and they were using some 293 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 3: really big production songs, but they couldn't license them. The 294 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 3: licenses were just so expensive, and so they thought, you 295 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 3: know what, We're just going to go out and see 296 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 3: if we can't create our own music, and we won't 297 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 3: run into this issue. And so they were vetting people 298 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 3: and they were looking online. And so this is a 299 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 3: testament to all you songwriters who sometimes it's frustrating to 300 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 3: do so much volunteer work. But this is a time 301 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 3: where something I did early on in my career and 302 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 3: continued to do really paid off because they found me 303 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 3: in a lot of Google searches that I had done 304 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 3: a lot with kids and bullying and so they reached 305 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 3: out to me and they just said, Hey, we're just 306 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 3: kind of in the phase of talking to people, and 307 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:18,400 Speaker 3: so I knew they were talking to folks in Nashville. 308 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 3: They were talking to a girl who's now become a 309 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 3: good friend of mine too, is a fantastic artist named 310 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,920 Speaker 3: Juliet Riley in New York at the time. And Juliet 311 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 3: has we talked about TV and film placements. She's kind 312 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 3: of the queen of it and songs in the Kardashian 313 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 3: movies and just all over the place. She's just such 314 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 3: a neat girl. And so they were talking to Juliet, 315 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:41,880 Speaker 3: they were talking to me, they were talking to few 316 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 3: other people, and we went through a series of zoom 317 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 3: conversations and so I was honored to get the call 318 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 3: one day that they had chosen me for the project. 319 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 3: And then that's when the panic sunk in because not 320 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 3: only was it something they needed done in thirty days. 321 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 3: I needed these five songs written, produced, mastered, and ready 322 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 3: to go in thirty days, wow, but they had also 323 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 3: been used to they had a budget. They are they 324 00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 3: were funded through the Justin Simmons Foundation, who does incredible 325 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 3: work for youth and Justin Simmons is a football player, 326 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 3: I think for the well he was for the Denver Broncos. 327 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,880 Speaker 3: I'm not sure if he's still playing for the Denver Broncos. 328 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,479 Speaker 3: But anyway, so they did have a budget, but it 329 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 3: wasn't it wasn't the type of budget for the songs 330 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 3: they had been. I mean, I'm sure that those songs 331 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 3: had like one hundred thousand songs individually, had one hundred 332 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 3: thousand dollars you know, productions to them. So I say 333 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 3: that because I knew what their ear was accustomed to hearing. 334 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 3: And so, but I stayed awake one night, staring at 335 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 3: the ceiling and just really you know, saying God, I 336 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 3: you know, if you feel like I can do this, 337 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 3: then I'll sign the contract. Because it was like a 338 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 3: twelve page contract on top of that, and so I 339 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 3: was really nervous. But the next morning I woke up 340 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:13,160 Speaker 3: with confidence and I said, yes, and wow, I can't 341 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 3: even begin to express to you how you know, literally 342 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,360 Speaker 3: there was a blessing in every one of those songs. 343 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 3: And thankfully this is not to kind of tooot my 344 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 3: own horn, but I'd been in Nashville long enough that 345 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 3: I was able to understand what each song, and I 346 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 3: knew so many people that I could. I could see 347 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 3: the song and know which singer it needed, which co 348 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 3: producer it needed, which co writer it needed. I did 349 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 3: end up writing a couple of the songs solow because 350 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 3: again there was a budget and that kind of thing. 351 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 3: But I collaborated on three out of the five with 352 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 3: some pretty incredible artists and talent here at Nashville. So 353 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,199 Speaker 3: given their skill level and everything, we were able to 354 00:19:58,200 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 3: get it done. 355 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 2: Oh great, Yeah, I'm sure it was hard near the 356 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 2: end of the deadline getting it done in thirty days. 357 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, because one of the things that I had 358 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 3: to do was present the song to them. And you know, 359 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 3: when you're presenting a song and you don't want to 360 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 3: go ahead and fully produce it because they may not 361 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 3: like it and they may want changes. But also you 362 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 3: don't know if they can hear it because it's not 363 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:19,959 Speaker 3: their lane. Yeah, so you don't know if they can 364 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 3: kind of hear where their production would go. And so 365 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,400 Speaker 3: the very first time I had to present the very 366 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 3: first song that I wrote, called Shadows Story, I was 367 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 3: so nervous and we got on a zoom and I 368 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 3: started to play it for them, and the tears just 369 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,160 Speaker 3: were coming down, and I was like, Okay, this is. 370 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 2: Gonna be okay. 371 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 3: Yeah no, So they basically said no, we were absolutely 372 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 3: blown away. This is exactly what we wanted. So it 373 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 3: was just a blessed project from there. And I'll wrap 374 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 3: it up by saying that, you know, if you had 375 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,159 Speaker 3: asked me early on in my career, you know, I 376 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,560 Speaker 3: think that we all I don't can't speak for all songwriters, 377 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 3: but I think I can when I say we all 378 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 3: kind of ache for that timeless song. You know, you 379 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,199 Speaker 3: hear timeless songs on the radio and you're like, I 380 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 3: just want to make a difference that way. I want 381 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 3: to write and contribute to the world a timeless song. 382 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 3: And I'm sure we all have them in our catalog, 383 00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 3: and you know they may someday, hopefully while we're living, 384 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 3: but even later, you know they may surface. You just 385 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 3: never know. But I would have probably said if you 386 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 3: asked me that, I, you know, oh well, I hope 387 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 3: to be known for, you know, a Garth cut or something, 388 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 3: but got ahead of the plans. And I get letters 389 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:38,159 Speaker 3: from children that tell me that after seeing the film 390 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 3: the musical, because it's a musical and they turned it 391 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 3: to film in order to get it in more of 392 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 3: the schools that they were going to commit suicide and 393 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 3: because of that film, because of that song, they went 394 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 3: home and changed their mind. 395 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 2: Wow. 396 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 3: So that kind of really tops it all for me. 397 00:21:56,680 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's amazing to see how impactful you know your 398 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 2: songs can be. And I love when you brought up 399 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 2: how volunteer work is so important, because I've seen many 400 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 2: times where volunteer work and charity can lead to bigger opportunities, 401 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 2: just like for you seeing your songs being turned into 402 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 2: a musical and film. 403 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I will say, without going into a lot 404 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:24,119 Speaker 3: of detail, there was a particular day when I was 405 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 3: having to drive. I was living in bell Mead at 406 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 3: the time, and I needed to drive something like thirty 407 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 3: miles to get to this middle school, and the night 408 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 3: before I'd gotten some bad news and back home, but 409 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 3: I was I'd cried all night, and I woke up 410 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 3: in the morning and honestly, the last thing I wanted 411 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:48,359 Speaker 3: to do was get in my car and drive thirty 412 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 3: miles and go pour into these kids. I didn't feel 413 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 3: like I had it in me, and I forced myself 414 00:22:55,880 --> 00:23:01,160 Speaker 3: to go, and ironically That's one of the biggest pushes 415 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 3: towards me was that day because there was a film 416 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 3: crew there. Unbeknownst to me, the local TV stations were 417 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 3: there that day, so a lot of that footage and 418 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 3: a lot of that day was what is was put online. 419 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,640 Speaker 3: And so I think about the details of that day 420 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 3: and I think about how cool and profound it is 421 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 3: that we have to sometimes let go of the idea 422 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 3: that we know what direction our career is going to go, 423 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 3: and we just have to do what we love and 424 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,120 Speaker 3: pour in to the music in the ways that we can. 425 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,679 Speaker 3: Because yes, that was something that they googled, and I 426 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:42,880 Speaker 3: almost wasn't there that day, you know. 427 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 2: So wow, Yeah, that's amazing. How have you had time 428 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 2: to write books while doing a musical having a publishing company? 429 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think I've been a little bit nuts looking back, 430 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 3: But I think when you just kind of love everything 431 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,880 Speaker 3: that you do. You know this, Sarah, because you are 432 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 3: so multi creative, and I find it ironic you're asking 433 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 3: me that because you do how do I find the 434 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 3: job you do so much? And you've written your book 435 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 3: Turtle Tears, which my granddaughter Mila has in her room. 436 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 3: But I had always wanted to. I'd started by and 437 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 3: this is listen up if you are anyone out there 438 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:31,880 Speaker 3: thinking about writing a book. I started by contributing to anthologies, 439 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 3: and that really helped me understand book writing, Like I 440 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 3: would contribute a chapter to a book. There's a lot 441 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,199 Speaker 3: of people out there putting books together that are looking 442 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 3: for authors to contribute, and so I started doing that, 443 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 3: and yes, they were all like female empowerment. I was 444 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 3: just kind of sharing some of my stories and some 445 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,720 Speaker 3: of them were relationship type things. But I learned a 446 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 3: lot about book publishing by doing that. So then I 447 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 3: felt like maybe I was ready to finally put out 448 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 3: my book. 449 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you've written five of them, which that's a 450 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 2: lot of books. 451 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 3: It's a lot of books. But I always joke with 452 00:25:13,119 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 3: people and tell them that if you actually, you know, 453 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,160 Speaker 3: have some of my books, then you know that they're 454 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 3: like coffee table books and that they're not very long 455 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 3: and they only take you, you know, like my book 456 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:27,919 Speaker 3: Got Gratitude and Giving would take you all of maybe 457 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 3: forty five it is to read, and it includes some 458 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 3: journal pages in there for some you know, just kind 459 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 3: of thinking about some of the things I talk about. 460 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:39,639 Speaker 3: But I had always wanted to write that book because 461 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 3: I had a very profound experience. And when I moved 462 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 3: to Nashville, I because I didn't get here till my thirties. 463 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,119 Speaker 3: One of the things that I was committed to doing 464 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 3: was not taking any job that wasn't aligned with the 465 00:25:56,040 --> 00:26:00,359 Speaker 3: music industry, because I wanted so badly to find do 466 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 3: what I'd always wanted to do with my career. But 467 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 3: I was falling on some really hard times and I 468 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 3: was about to take a waitressing job at Pfchin's on 469 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:18,160 Speaker 3: West End, and the day that I was going to start, 470 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 3: the road was blocked off by fire trucks and the 471 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 3: kitchen had caught on fire, and so it was kind 472 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 3: of a gift and a curse for me. I really 473 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 3: didn't want to do it, but at the same time, 474 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 3: I was kind of counting on that money right away, 475 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 3: and so I went home and I just kind of 476 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,679 Speaker 3: went into my time with God, my meditation, which I 477 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 3: learned to do when I was a little girl. After 478 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 3: my mom died, I wanted to feel close to her, 479 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 3: and I would close my eyes and I would just 480 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,719 Speaker 3: like I could smell her, I could feel her, and 481 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 3: I would just have that prayer time with her with God. 482 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,199 Speaker 3: And so I went in prayer time and I was like, 483 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:54,480 Speaker 3: what am I going to do? And I heard these 484 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 3: three really profound words laid on my heart God, gratitude 485 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 3: and giving and in that order, and I knew in 486 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 3: that moment why they were given to me. I knew 487 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 3: what they meant, and I knew that if I focused 488 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 3: on those things daily, God, which I talk about in 489 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 3: my book, is for me my silence. I mean, there's 490 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:22,160 Speaker 3: just so many there's so many things, and we all 491 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 3: know God as the ultimate, you know, healer and love. 492 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,359 Speaker 3: But where I would find my time with God was 493 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 3: in silence. So I knew that every day if I 494 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 3: focused on silence and gratitude and giving, and it didn't 495 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,880 Speaker 3: have to necessarily be monetary. It could be sending a prayer, 496 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 3: it could be writing a note that I would stop worrying, 497 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 3: release my anxiety. And I did that immediately, and my 498 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:54,159 Speaker 3: life just shifted so profoundly. And so I'd always wanted 499 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 3: to tell that story about God, gratitude and giving and 500 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 3: in that order. And so after doing this anthologies and 501 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 3: understanding the publishing world, that I put that book out. 502 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,639 Speaker 3: And then came another book that I wrote that I 503 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 3: partnered with a neuropsychologist. It's called The Musical Imprint, and 504 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 3: that book we did incorporate stories with other people. Some 505 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,680 Speaker 3: of them are in the music business, some are realatures, 506 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 3: some of them are coaches, and that was just that's 507 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,639 Speaker 3: an incredible book. I highly recommend it. But Sarah doctor Sarah, 508 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,760 Speaker 3: and I we come from the perspective where she's a doctor, 509 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 3: and so she talks about the real neurophysical effects of 510 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 3: music on the brain, which we've all heard so much about. 511 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,959 Speaker 3: And then myself, I'm a little bit more about the 512 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,479 Speaker 3: magic and the muse and how a song lands on 513 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 3: my shoulder and you know that side of it. So 514 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 3: it was really interesting to have, you know, a songwriter 515 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 3: and a neuropsychologist come together and the stories are incredible. 516 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 3: And I talk about my song in the Story that 517 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 3: Changed My Life was three Times a Lady by Lionel Richie, 518 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:09,719 Speaker 3: because the night that my mother was killed, me, my 519 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 3: brother and sister were sitting in the backseat of my 520 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 3: aunt's car and that song came on the radio and 521 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 3: I was really little, and I thought that that song 522 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,120 Speaker 3: was talking about my mother and all of my life. 523 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 3: Three Times a Lady When I would hear it was 524 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 3: a love song to my mother, and of course later 525 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 3: in life I learned, you know that it's a romantic song. 526 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,200 Speaker 3: But to wrap it all up, I will tell you 527 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 3: that I got to meet Lionel Richie. I got to 528 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 3: share the book with him. 529 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 2: Wow. 530 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,959 Speaker 3: And I've become friends with him and he did promise 531 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 3: to write with me when he came to Nashville, but 532 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 3: that hasn't happened yet. But I'm not giving up on 533 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 3: that because he gave me his words. So that's a 534 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 3: full circle. 535 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 2: Linel, if you're listening, were your word, Lionel. Yeah, that's 536 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:01,080 Speaker 2: so beautiful. Thank you for sharing that with us. Where 537 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 2: can people find your books and your music? 538 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 3: So everything's at Melissa blero dot com and there's also 539 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 3: Rhyme Partners. Everything kind of intersects and attaches to all 540 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 3: the social medias and that kind of thing. 541 00:30:16,200 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 2: So yeah, we'll definitely check that out. And I want 542 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 2: to give you a congrats because you are now a 543 00:30:21,640 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 2: CMA Country Music Association Member ambassador. What are you going 544 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 2: to be doing with this program? 545 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 3: So the ambassadorship has been incredible and this was twenty 546 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:38,880 Speaker 3: twenty five, was the first year that they decided to 547 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:41,800 Speaker 3: do it, and it just made perfect sense for me 548 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 3: because I've been such a champion of CMA. It's one 549 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 3: of my favorite membership organizations. And I don't know if 550 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 3: a lot of people really understand all the benefits of 551 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 3: being a member that there are. There's different tiers. You know, 552 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 3: there's student, there's industry, and there's professional that allows you 553 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 3: voting rights. But beyond that, there really really are so 554 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 3: many opportunities, most of them you can find online. But 555 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 3: what we are here to do is to elevate ourselves 556 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 3: as members to really kind of tell people who are 557 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,920 Speaker 3: not members what the CMA is really all about, not 558 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,280 Speaker 3: to mention all the cool I mean, we were invited 559 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 3: to the CMA Awards this year. I wouldn't say that 560 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 3: it gives us more cloud or anything like that, but 561 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:38,360 Speaker 3: we certainly are members who have been actively involved for many, 562 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 3: many years and kind of proven ourselves to show up 563 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,959 Speaker 3: for the CMA and be involved to the point that 564 00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 3: they felt confident in creating this ambassadorship program with those 565 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 3: of us that were chosen to be ambassadors, so that 566 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 3: we could represent we could be sort of boots on 567 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:59,720 Speaker 3: the ground for the CMA, and it's it's absolutely been 568 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 3: been wonderful, and it's come with some cool. 569 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:05,880 Speaker 2: Perks, a great way to connect with other country music 570 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 2: artists and creatives as well. 571 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, because I think I think there really are a 572 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 3: lot of people. There's so many membership organizations and if you, 573 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 3: you know, don't take advantage of what the things that 574 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 3: they have to offer, or if you don't know what 575 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 3: they are, then you you can't get the full value 576 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 3: of your membership. So I'm here to help people understand 577 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 3: that value. 578 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's wonderful. Well, Melissa, I have one final question 579 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 2: left for you. I always ask this to every guest. 580 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 2: This is taking a walk Nashville. So do you have 581 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,360 Speaker 2: a favorite place you like to take a walk in 582 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 2: Nashville Currently? 583 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:45,280 Speaker 3: I like to take a walk on Main Street In Franklin, Tennessee. 584 00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 3: I lived on the West Side for many, many, many years. 585 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 3: I have been in Nashville over twenty years, and then 586 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 3: I've moved out to Franklin. But listen, Nashville is so cool, 587 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 3: Like I'd like to take go walk down on twelve 588 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 3: self a lot, you know, But Main Street is I live. 589 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 3: My office suite is a half a mile from Main Street, 590 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 3: so I'm pretty fond of that these days. It's really cool. 591 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 2: So many cute shops on Main Street and Franklin Theater, 592 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 2: which you will be playing at too. 593 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:24,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, Franklin Theater, so that's really cool. It's very iconic, 594 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 3: like the Bluebird. So I'm just honored to be playing 595 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 3: the iconic historic Franklin Theater for the first time with 596 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:36,560 Speaker 3: a show I created four years ago called a Very 597 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 3: Merry Nashville Christmas, and so look out for us every year. 598 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:44,920 Speaker 3: Hopefully they'll invite us back, but we'll also be traveling 599 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 3: to different theaters with the show. 600 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:50,120 Speaker 2: Wonderful. That's great. Well, Melissa, thank you so much for 601 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:53,040 Speaker 2: being on Taking a Walk Nashville today and being here 602 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:53,360 Speaker 2: with me. 603 00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 3: Thank you so much. Sarah. 604 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:58,920 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to Taking a Walk Nashville with singer 605 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: songwriter Sarah Arylson, and check out our other podcasts, Music 606 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 1: Save Me, Comedy Save Me, and Taking a Walk, available 607 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,719 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 608 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 1: your podcasts.