1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: The Michael Arry Show four one hundred. You were just 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:05,080 Speaker 1: telling me who wrote that song? 3 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, Eddie Rabbit wrote that song, and Eddie Rabbit also 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 2: wrote a song for Elvis called Kentucky Rains. He did. 5 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 2: I played on that session in Memphis. What was it 6 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 2: like you? 7 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: You and Eddie Rabbit were singing back up to Elvis. 8 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 2: No, actually had backup singers on those sessions, but Eddie 9 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 2: had written the song Kentucky Rain and el was like 10 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 2: it and he wanted to record it. 11 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: Now, did Mac Davis write in the ghetto? 12 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 2: Yes, he did, Yes, sir. 13 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: That was an amazing set of folks that were coming 14 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: through Elvis's orbit at that way. 15 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 2: Well, it's a strange thing because I'd been living in 16 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: Atlanta and I went to college. Like you're talking about. 17 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: You're not good for my story because you were successful. 18 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,959 Speaker 2: Well, I was out of Raleigh. I was taught at 19 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 2: the Governor Moorhead School for the Blind, a residential school 20 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 2: in Raleigh, and they taught me braide at six, violin 21 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 2: at seven, I know at eight. So I had like 22 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 2: twelve years of classical training, but also was really good 23 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 2: academically in school. And they said, you've done so well 24 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: you you deserve a scholarship to go to college. Where 25 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 2: do you want to go to college? I said, anywhere 26 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:17,759 Speaker 2: but here in North Carolina. I want to get out. 27 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 2: So I went to a school in North Georgia called 28 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 2: Young Harris. One of the highlights of that whole thing 29 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: at college was Zell Miller. He was my political science teacher, 30 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 2: and you know, I got to thinking about it. You know, 31 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 2: he was so good. He almost convinced me a academic 32 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: life wouldn't be too bad. But then I went to 33 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 2: a Ray Charles concert in Atlanta, and that changed therea 34 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 2: it did. I went the pilot, got me into Gray's 35 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 2: dressing room. Ray comes in after his show and I said, 36 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 2: mister Ray Charles, you are truly the high priest, and 37 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 2: I've got all your records and I love your music, 38 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: and that changed it all. Yeah, he said, Well, there 39 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 2: was a piano addressing him. He said, play me something. 40 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 2: So I played him three songs and I told him 41 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: I was going through this dilemma by trying to decide 42 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: whether I wanted to be a lawyer. I said, I'd 43 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 2: really love to be in music, and I played in 44 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 2: these three songs. He said, well, son, you can be 45 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: a lawyer if you want to. But there's a lot 46 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 2: of music in your heart. If I were you, i'd 47 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 2: follow what my heart tells me to do. 48 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: Was one of those songs. Let's Go Get Stoned. 49 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 50 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: Now, I'm something of a libertarian on the issue of 51 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 1: drug policies, so I don't know what is Let's Go 52 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:34,919 Speaker 1: Get stoned? 53 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 2: Mean that's actually about getting stoned on alcohol. Okay, that's 54 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: what it is. Written by a great songwriters, Nick Ashford 55 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 2: and Valerie Simpson. I'd recorded a couple of songs in 56 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 2: New York and I had a top five rhythm and 57 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 2: blues record. Most people who were playing my records at 58 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 2: that time thought I was a black artist. 59 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: You're not black. 60 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 2: Check ever, Now, how can you tell a lot to 61 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: tell these things? A lot of people still think I am. 62 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 1: I'm afraid you're about to start telling craft shows on 63 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: the Family Show. 64 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 2: But right around after I got out of college because 65 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,959 Speaker 2: I got my Bachelor of Ours degree and it hasn't 66 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 2: done me any good. 67 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: But you don't get you don't They don't charge a 68 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: dollar more per concert ticket because of your BA. 69 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 2: No, they don't, of course they don't. And pretty good, Yeah, 70 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: I guess so. If I had one. 71 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: I've always appreciated your bs. 72 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 2: But living in Atlanta by then I was married and 73 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 2: uh moved to Memphis for a while. Joyce and I 74 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 2: moved to Memphis. A record producer named Chips Moment said, 75 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 2: if you'll move to Memphis, I'll get you to record 76 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 2: at my studio. And one of the first things he 77 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: did he got me to play on these Elvis Elvis 78 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 2: Presley recordings in nineteen sixty nine, Kentucky Rain and Elvis 79 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 2: they more Thunder on the piano mills up. It was 80 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: a great time, you know, having a chance to do 81 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: the recordings. But I could not make that happen in Memphis. 82 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: So it really didn't happen for me until I got 83 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 2: to Nashville in nineteen seventy three. 84 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: And that was I hate you. 85 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:22,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's kind of contract with RCA, and that really 86 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:23,040 Speaker 2: was what made it. 87 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: Please don't tell me how the story ends. 88 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. 89 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: Is there a song that Chris Christofferson didn't write in 90 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: that era? That's unbelievable. 91 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 2: That means a body a songwriter. Man, that was a 92 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: Grammy winner for me. I saw Chris not too long ago, 93 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,359 Speaker 2: and he was saying, man, what is happening with you. 94 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 2: You still look the same. I don't look the same. 95 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: It look good. I'm not a lie to you do 96 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: look good. You are in fantastic shape. What do you 97 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: do to stay in such good shape? 98 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 2: Oh? I don't try a whole lot about it. I 99 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: think the main thing is do what you love to 100 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 2: do in life. And I still say, you know, it's 101 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 2: not anything thing necessarily to do about my education, although 102 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,919 Speaker 2: I believed in it so much that I wanted it 103 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 2: when I was in school. But you know, college didn't 104 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 2: really change my life or help me. Ray Charles did, Yes, sir, 105 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: he did, because I thought if he liked what I 106 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 2: was doing. He explained, if you'll just mingle among people 107 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 2: you want to be around and soak everything up you can, 108 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: you'll find an opportunity. And you live in America. And 109 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 2: because I'm blind doesn't make any difference. I've always felt 110 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 2: the whole thing is special because I'm an American. 111 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: I kind of feel like we're having church, yes, sir, 112 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: in a good way. 113 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: Yes, you know. 114 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: I feel like I should call you running like we're 115 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 1: old friends, because that's kind of a dream of mine. 116 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 2: That's good, Mike, You know, Ronnie I give. 117 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 1: This is a message of mine in the midst of 118 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: politics and all that other stuff. Is the young people 119 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: who listen. I really want them to understand that you 120 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 1: don't go into a field because you're gonna make money. 121 00:05:57,880 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 1: Because I think a lot of people probably get into 122 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: music because they think, well, I'll get rich. Like Ronnie 123 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: millsap you go in. I say, chase your dreams, follow 124 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: your muse. Do what you love. And what if it 125 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: might be quilt making, it might be making music, it 126 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: might be writing music, it might be practicing law. But 127 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:13,840 Speaker 1: do it not because you think you're going to get rich, 128 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: but because it's what you'll love to do, and then 129 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: you'll never have a day of work in your life. 130 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 2: That's right, exactly right. And when I first came to Nashville, 131 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 2: I must say I had it easy, probably way too easy, 132 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 2: because I would have done anything that I had to do. 133 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 2: If I had to come to Nashville and sleep in 134 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 2: somebody's garage, I would have done it. I was playing 135 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 2: at Roger Miller's King of the Road Hotel and there 136 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 2: was a guy that came down there who was Charlie 137 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 2: Pride's manager named Jack Johnson. He said, I want to 138 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 2: manage you. So I went to talk to him on 139 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 2: January the third, nineteen seventy three, and sat in his 140 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,599 Speaker 2: office and he said, sign this contract. So I did, 141 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: and he said, all right, ron Eye. He had a 142 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:59,479 Speaker 2: gravelly voice. He said, I can't make you a star. 143 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 2: Have to do that yourself. 144 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: You know, we were talking off air about you were 145 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: talking about one of these gadgets and advancements that have 146 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: been made to enable you to keep all your music 147 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: and all your writings and all that stuff. Have we 148 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: come a long way? 149 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: Yes, we've come a long long way. It's interesting though, 150 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:22,119 Speaker 2: and all that started. You know, nobody made me learn 151 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 2: how to use the computer. It's just I wanted to 152 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 2: do it. And I started talking to people and learning 153 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 2: something from talking to folks, and then getting some courses 154 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 2: and some things in Brail and some things on tape, 155 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 2: and eventually taught myself how to use the computer. 156 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:43,679 Speaker 1: And so when you read now, is it in Brail 157 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: or is it an audioboik? 158 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 2: It could be in Brail. I still like and say, 159 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 2: I still need Brail every day of my life. You know, 160 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 2: a lot of young folks think they don't need brail. 161 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 2: The computer's talks that don't need brail, but you do 162 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 2: real kind of the little nutty things in my life. 163 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 2: I can keep on braille notes in front of you 164 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 2: and basically know everything there is to know about what's 165 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 2: coming up and what I've got to do. What song list? 166 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 2: If I got a show list and I write it 167 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 2: down and braille, I know what I'm supposed to sing next, 168 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 2: that's a good thing. 169 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: So that's how you do it. 170 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, do you think you have. 171 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: A greater capacity for remembering things and holding onto things 172 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: because for so long it would have been difficult to 173 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: write those things down. 174 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 2: I know one thing. I think you know. And playing 175 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 2: a lot of shows lately with Glenn Campbell has taught 176 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 2: me how importing your memory is. Glenn Campbell is such 177 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 2: a wonderful singer and still is. He sounds so. 178 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 1: Good he does. Did you see him honored recently at 179 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: what was it? They just had ramon? What was the 180 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: award show that he was honored on? You'll know the Grammys. Yeah, 181 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: they had They had Glen Campbell come out and perform 182 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: with them, and it was the neatest deal. 183 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: He's he's he's got the teleprompters, you know, and if 184 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 2: he misses well, if he misses the line here, you 185 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 2: know he can catch it. 186 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: On the next part. 187 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 2: Be good. Yeah, that's the thing that I've always figured. 188 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,599 Speaker 2: As long as I know how to have I memorize 189 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 2: all these lyrics in my head and I know how 190 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 2: to deliver it, that my memory is pretty good. 191 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 1: When you walked into the studio, I were actually in 192 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: an office and you reach down and you grab the microphone. 193 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: You told me what kind of microphone. 194 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's an R E twenty, an elective voice R 195 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 2: E twenty. But that's kind of part of what I do. 196 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 2: If I go to radio stations or studios, there's certain 197 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 2: mics that I like a lot. This is a great 198 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: dynamic mic. If I go to recording studio, I take 199 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 2: my own microphone with me. It's a tube microphone. I 200 00:09:58,200 --> 00:09:58,839 Speaker 2: prefer that. 201 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: It was amazing to me how much you knew about 202 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 1: the microphone just from touching it. When you look at 203 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: your life and whether you like it or not, you're 204 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,719 Speaker 1: an inspiration to people with some disabilities. I mean what 205 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: you've been able to accomplish. And there are a series 206 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: of folks who who have sort of transcended what would 207 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: have held other people back to what extent. Do you 208 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: embrace that? 209 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 2: Well? I know that. You know I was My mother 210 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 2: didn't want a blind child. I was given to my 211 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 2: grandparents when I was a year and a day old, 212 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 2: and thank God for them, it was a home filled 213 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 2: with love. And thank god I had a chance to 214 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 2: go to school in Raleigh too, because that really gave 215 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 2: me the tools to actually try to build a good 216 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 2: life and very I'm very comfortable in what I do 217 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 2: and very happy about my life. A happy person and 218 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 2: looking forward to going down to Longview, Texas this weekend. 219 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 1: Was that where you're gonna be where I'm headed, Well, 220 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: that's fantastic. Out on the road. We were talking about 221 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: being on the road. You don't mind it? Not a 222 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: lot of folks don't enjoy. 223 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 2: It, but I think it's part of what you do 224 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 2: and you get used to it. I can't say that 225 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 2: every time you go out there, it's it's incredible. But 226 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 2: usually what makes it the best thing about what I 227 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 2: do is the live performance. You know, if you're out 228 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 2: there with an audience and they're tuned into what you're 229 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 2: doing and they want to hear you sing, then it's 230 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:31,839 Speaker 2: amazing how good you can sing. 231 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I sense that guys like you that love 232 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: to perform, you just feed off that audience. Ronnie millsapp 233 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: is our guest. What's your favorite of all your songs? 234 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: Forty number one hits, behind only George Strait and Conway Twitty, 235 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,599 Speaker 1: ahead of George Jones and Merle Haggard and Mickey Go. 236 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: It's amazing what you've been able to do. What is 237 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: your favorite of your song? What's the one you most enjoying? 238 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 2: Lord, I don't know I can figure out. You know, 239 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 2: when you played smoking Out and Raining in It, that's 240 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 2: one of my favors. But that came about because I 241 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 2: wanted I talked to my producer and I said, I, 242 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 2: you know all these great songs, but by the time 243 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 2: I get to Phoenix, Wichita, Lyman, Galveston, I want to 244 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,800 Speaker 2: sing something about the Smoky Mountains. Writers came. I came 245 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 2: back in a couple of weeks later, and they had 246 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 2: this song, Smoky Mountain Ring. I took it into the 247 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 2: studio thinking about that session with Elvis Presley back in 248 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty nine. I thought of that Thunder worked on 249 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 2: his record, had work on mine too, and it sure did. 250 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 2: Tennessee's latest state song, Smoky Mountain Rain. That's what it is, 251 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 2: is that right? Yeah? 252 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: I did not know that. So that replaced Rocky Top. 253 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 2: Well, there are a whole lot of Tennessee songs. I 254 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 2: think there's Tennessee waltz and rocky type, smoky Mountain Rain. 255 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,679 Speaker 2: It's find a million seller single for me was it 256 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 2: was almost like a song and that's always going to 257 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 2: be very special to me. But found that song from 258 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 2: a great songwriter and worked it up at the house 259 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,319 Speaker 2: in my living room at the piano and found exactly 260 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 2: what I wanted to do with that song. My producer 261 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 2: came over and heard it and said, we got to 262 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 2: get into the studio and put this thing down. So 263 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 2: we did. 264 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: Is there one that you turned away that you go 265 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: that's the one that got away? 266 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know there been something I've turned away. 267 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 2: There was one particular one I remember turning away. Bob 268 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 2: Montgomery is a great publisher here in town. He had 269 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 2: this great song. He said, I want to play this 270 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 2: for you. This song is going to be huge and 271 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 2: I want you to hear it first. He put it 272 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 2: on and said it must have been cool there on 273 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 2: my shell. I said, Bob, take it off, take it off. 274 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 2: So right or wrong, I turned it down. 275 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: That's more bet Middler than running. 276 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:56,239 Speaker 2: Yeah. So Gary Morris did a version. 277 00:13:55,960 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: Of that, but forty number one hits they ever just 278 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 1: look back and say. 279 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 2: Well, that's a great I tell you what RCA did. 280 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 2: They had a They had departments at RCA that would 281 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 2: tell you, as an artist, how you could what you 282 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 2: could do, and if you would do everything they tell 283 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 2: you to do, get up and go to the radio 284 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: stations at six am and work them all day, or 285 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 2: get in this conference room and call radio stations all 286 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 2: day artist relations. If you do that, they said, here's 287 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 2: how you can make a twenty year career in Ronnie. 288 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: Are you telling me that hard work is more important 289 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: to your success than a college degree? 290 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 2: Oh it's much much more, much more important. Hard work 291 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 2: is much more. It has definitely been what it takes 292 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 2: from me and folks that think this job is glamorous, 293 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 2: I mean there are times maybe it is, but most 294 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 2: of the time, it's, like everything else, it's hard work. 295 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: If you liked the Michael Berry Showing podcast, please tell 296 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: one friend, and if you're so inclined, write a nice 297 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: review of our podcast. Comments, suggestions, questions, and interest in 298 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: being a corporate sponsor and partner can be communicated directly 299 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 1: to the show at our email address, Michael at Michael 300 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: Berryshow dot com, or simply by clicking on our website 301 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:26,479 Speaker 1: Michael Berryshow dot com. The Michael Berry Show and Podcast 302 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 1: is produced by Ramon Roeblis, the King of Ding. Executive 303 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 1: producer is Chad Knakanishi. Jim Mudd is the creative director. 304 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: Voices Jingles, Tomfoolery and Shenanigans are provided by Chance McLain. 305 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: Director of Research is Sandy Peterson. Emily Bull is our 306 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: assistant listener and superfan. Contributions are appreciated and often incorporated 307 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: into our production. Where possible, we give credit. Where not, 308 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: we take all the credit for ourselves. God bless the 309 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: memory of Rush Limbaugh. Long live Elvis, be a simple 310 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: man like Leonard Skinnard told you, And God bless America. Finally, 311 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: if you know a veteran suffering from PTSD, call Camp 312 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: Hope at eight seven seven seven one seven PTSD and 313 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: a combat veteran will answer the phone to provide free counseling.