1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:01,280 Speaker 1: Music saved me. 2 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 2: But telling that story through my music and watching you know, 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 2: the tens of thousands, one hundred thousands of people gravitate 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 2: towards that fine inspiration and hope in my music and 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 2: use my music to help them get through whatever they're 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 2: going through. And then they get to meet them at 7 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: meet and Greece at shows and hug their neck and 8 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: you know them crown our shoulder. And that's what's cant 9 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 2: me going, That's what's capt me straight. 10 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: I'm Lyn Hoffman, and welcome to the Music Saved Me Podcast, 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,240 Speaker 1: the podcast where we get the incredible opportunity to chat 12 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: with musicians who share their stories about overcoming adversity or 13 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 1: what I like to call obstacles through the healing power 14 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 1: of music. If you enjoy our show, please share it 15 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: with your friends and check out our companion podcast with 16 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: a really cool guy that I think you're going to 17 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: like a lot. His name is Buzznight and he hosts 18 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: a really great podcast, also music related, called Taking a Walk, 19 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: and you can find that wherever you get your podcasts. 20 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: All right, today, we are really excited to welcome Struggle 21 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: Jennings as the grandson of Whylon Jennings and Jesse Coulter. 22 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: He hails from a legacy of outlaws and rock stars, 23 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: which I think should be the name of your next album. 24 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: Struggle has new music out called Live from Rikers Island, 25 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: and he's also had chart topping success with one of 26 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: our very first guests on the Music Save Me podcast, 27 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: Jelly Roll. Struggle is also the face of the Sound 28 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: Sobriety Rehab Clinics, which is a revolutionary music themed rehab 29 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: program that we'll also get to discuss. Welcome Struggle Jennings 30 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: to Music Save Me. It's so great to have you here, so. 31 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 3: Good to be here. I'm so grateful, Thank you for 32 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 3: having me. 33 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: I could have you talk to me forever. That voice 34 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: is just I'm sort of a voice geek, even just talking. 35 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 3: Yeah, to say thank you so much. 36 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: All right, let's start at the beginning, Struggle, can you 37 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit about your musical upbringing and 38 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: some of your early influences when you were growing up 39 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: in Nashville. 40 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, I'm an eighties baby, and I grew up, 41 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 2: of course in a musical family. My mom had a 42 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 2: piano in the house, and my grandfather was whaling, and 43 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 2: grandmother Jesse and so the first ten years of my life, 44 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: or from the time I was four to six, my 45 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: mom was touring with Whalan as a backup singer, and 46 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,119 Speaker 2: so summertimes stuff like that, I'd get to go out 47 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 2: on tour with them, and standing backstage and you know, 48 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,239 Speaker 2: watching Whalan do his sing and watching my mom sing 49 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 2: and hearing the instruments. I was automatically just so drawing 50 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 2: to the emotion and music. And of course we'll get 51 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 2: into it a little bit later. But like my mother, 52 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,239 Speaker 2: you know, she liked bad boys. She didn't want to 53 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 2: take handouts from Whalan. So we ended up living in 54 00:02:54,240 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 2: lower class areas throughout Nashville. And so as I was 55 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 2: growing hip hop, really as it was blowing up, it's 56 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,839 Speaker 2: what I really latched onto, you know, the storytelling and 57 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 2: the stories of hard times and heartbreak and the same 58 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 2: as country. Just it was that generation, you know, and 59 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: that was the That's what spoke to me due to 60 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 2: my environment more than anything. So at a young age, 61 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: I started writing poetry and falling in love with music. 62 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 2: And you know, my mom would play the piano every 63 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 2: night when she'd get off work, or every morning when 64 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 2: she woke me up for school. She would start today 65 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: singing hymn notes and playing and you know, kind of 66 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 2: infuse that energetic, happy, blessed to be awake environment even 67 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 2: through our hardest times. She was sixteen when she had me, 68 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 2: so you know, we struggled a lot with her growing 69 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 2: up and us kind of raising each other. 70 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 3: But she always tried to. 71 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 2: Infuse music into the house household as uplifting and as 72 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 2: a way. So I latched onto that immediately, And a 73 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 2: lot of my influences, of course, was wailing musically. A 74 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: lot it came from my tupac, you know, with my 75 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 2: lyricism and telling my story in a way that others 76 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 2: could gravitate towards it. Right, Like always, even when I 77 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 2: was just doing poems when I was young, writing poems 78 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 2: in school, but it was always something maybe not that 79 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 2: I went through, but that I was watching somebody else 80 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 2: go through. And it's really heartfelt things. 81 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 1: Well, that's interesting, So even when you were young, you 82 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: observed things and were inspired to write about them poetically. 83 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. One of the first poems that ever wrote was 84 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,559 Speaker 2: about abortion, and of course I was like eleven years old, 85 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 2: so I didn't really even understand what that concept was. 86 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 2: But it was called nine Months and it was about 87 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 2: being in the womb and then but you know, then. 88 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 3: It was about abortion. 89 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 2: So yeah, I was always I've always been like the 90 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 2: person to like soak up everything around me, like we'll 91 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: get into it later. I did five years in prison, 92 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 2: and I didn't write a single song while I was 93 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 2: in there because I was like, I want to just 94 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,800 Speaker 2: really take care of everything else I need to take 95 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 2: care of right now, observe, soak this up and then 96 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: I'll tell the story when I leave. And I've always 97 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 2: just been that kind of person, you know, like super pathic. 98 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: So well, do you do you remember? And pathic is 99 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: a phenomenal way to explain it. Do you remember the 100 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: first moment that music really deeply touched you? 101 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 3: I mean, it's I. 102 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 2: Don't I think it's been happening so long that I 103 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 2: probably don't remember the exact but I remember being in 104 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 2: kindergarten and liking a girl named Sarah in school, and 105 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 2: that song Sarah was like on the radio, and I 106 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: can remember just like being emotional on the way to 107 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 2: school thinking about this girl that is in I'm in 108 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 2: kindergarten that I have a crush on, you know, and 109 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 2: latching onto that song or you know, my Mom was 110 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 2: really musical since she was always listening to the radio, 111 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 2: Like music was constant when we were in the car 112 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: and the music was up all the way, And as 113 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,279 Speaker 2: long as I can remember, I can remember the feeling 114 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 2: of the emotion from the songs, right, So, like I 115 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 2: can pinpoint a time of my life to a song. 116 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:34,719 Speaker 2: A lot of times an emotion like when I was 117 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 2: going through a breakup, or when I was, you know, 118 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 2: going through a tough time in school, or you know, 119 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 2: when I lost my father ten I can kind of 120 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 2: pinpoint songs to that because I've latched on so heavy 121 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 2: my whole life to music and the emotion that came 122 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 2: from it, whether it's to soothe or to inspire or 123 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 2: to make me feel better about whatever the situation I'm 124 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 2: going through, or you know, like I've got all these 125 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 2: different playlists and the range of music is. 126 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 3: So wide, you know, depending on you know, if I'm 127 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 3: going to the. 128 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: Gym and I need like something that's going to get 129 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 2: me there, or if I'm sad or happier. You know, 130 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 2: music has such a power of being able to steer. 131 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: That for sure. And speaking of steering, you were once 132 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: hailed as one of Nashville's top rappers. And I'm curious, 133 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: despite your country music routs, what grew you to wrap 134 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 1: hip hop? 135 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 3: Well, it was just the environment. It was the era. 136 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 2: It was, you know, the eighties and on up in 137 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 2: the early nineties, becoming a teenager and you know, ninety three, 138 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 2: ninety four and Tupac and the long list of you know, 139 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 2: UGK and A Ball and MJG. That were like from 140 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 2: kind of close to where I'm from, and growing up, 141 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 2: that was what I gravitated towards, you know. 142 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 3: And by the time I was twelve, I was in 143 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 3: a gang. 144 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 2: My mom was working two jobs, and my dad was 145 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 2: murdered when I was ten, and so my wife had 146 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 2: kind of taken this huge shift to a different path, 147 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 2: you know. 148 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 3: And rap is just what I latched onto. It's what 149 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 3: spoke to me. 150 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: It's what made me feel okay, it's what made me 151 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 2: feel like I wasn't alone and what I was going 152 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 2: through how I felt then, I you know, I started 153 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 2: writing raps at twelve thirteen years old and decided that's 154 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 2: what I wanted to do, you know. And of course 155 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 2: life had its different obstacles and different you know, speed bumps, 156 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:41,959 Speaker 2: But yeah, I think that's really where that came from. 157 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,040 Speaker 3: But country music was still always a backdrop, you know. 158 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 2: It was always the soundtrack, you know, when I was 159 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 2: with my dad or when you know, after my dad 160 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 2: was gone and I was with my uncle's, country was 161 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 2: what everybody was listening to country or southern rock, and 162 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 2: so that was always ingrained in me, and I would 163 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 2: I found the same kind of comforting country a lot 164 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 2: of times just because of the storytelling. 165 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 3: So they kind of both coincided in my life. 166 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,679 Speaker 2: To really pay that path to me being one of 167 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 2: the first artists to ever mix the two genres, you know, 168 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 2: and then now leaning into country and finding what my 169 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 2: voice is, what my world in country music is. And 170 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 2: a lot of these songs that I'm doing now are 171 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 2: coming out really old school, and you know, it's natural. 172 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 2: It's not like we're pushing to get a sound or 173 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 2: we're pushing it. We're just going in there and writing 174 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 2: about my life and. 175 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 3: Laying the instruments to it. And it's turning out. 176 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 2: I've got sixty five unreleased country songs right now. 177 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 3: Wow, coming up in the next year. 178 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: So congratulations. 179 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,199 Speaker 2: You know, I took a break from touring last year 180 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 2: for just a few months. 181 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 3: For three months. 182 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 2: I still did over one hundred shows last year, but 183 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 2: for three months I took a break from touring and 184 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 2: wrote over one hundred songs in those three months. 185 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:05,839 Speaker 1: It's been working. How did you having Whalen Jennings as 186 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: a grandfather impact your relationship with music? 187 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 2: Well, one, you know, growing up with him as my grandfather, 188 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 2: I didn't really you know, he's papa. So until I 189 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 2: got older, I didn't realize, like, oh man, my papa 190 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 2: is like the band. Like back then, he was just papa, 191 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 2: and I knew he was. I knew he was famous. 192 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 2: But also in school and stuff, kids would give me 193 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 2: stuff about it, like, you know, you know, my mom said, 194 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 2: your dad's your grandpa is not a country music star. 195 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 2: He's just a drug addict or you know, because he 196 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 2: had been going through legal cases with his drug abuse 197 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 2: and stuff. But I didn't know that side of him 198 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 2: because and I think it was an eighty five or 199 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 2: somewhere when I was like five or six, he had 200 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 2: that big heart attack and he quit doing everything. So 201 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 2: when I was just really young, he switched over to 202 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 2: a whole nother role as who he was, and I 203 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 2: got the best years of him. You know as a grandfather, 204 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 2: but musically it drew me, of course, closer to music. 205 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 2: Watching the guy that was like, you know everything my 206 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 2: dad wasn't around anymore, and wailing it stepped up to 207 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 2: the plate to really be like my father, and getting 208 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 2: to watch him walk out on those stages and the 209 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:28,559 Speaker 2: people just go crazy, and him sing those songs, and 210 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 2: that of course solidified what I wanted to do as 211 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 2: a man. He taught me so much about family and 212 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 2: about integrity and about standing your ground and not selling 213 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 2: out or selling yourself short. Musically, he inspired me so 214 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 2: much to just tell your story and be truthful and 215 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 2: honest and just be you. Don't try to be like 216 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 2: somebody else, or you know, don't follow he used to say, 217 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 2: don't follow in my footsteps. 218 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 3: Find your own life, you know, stand in my shadow. Yeah. 219 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,199 Speaker 2: There's so much that I gained from those years with 220 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 2: him being my grandfather. But when I was young, I 221 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 2: didn't you know, He's just like, yeah, whyn't Jens is 222 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 2: my grandfather And some people are like yeah, right, or 223 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,440 Speaker 2: really or you know, And it got to a point 224 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,080 Speaker 2: when I was older, I didn't tell anybody for a 225 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 2: few years. Yellow Wolf tells the story all the time 226 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 2: that he was you know me and they were best 227 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 2: friends for almost a year before I even brought it up. 228 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 4: Because yeah reaction, he was like what, yeah, right, you know, 229 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 4: but I didn't want to be judged that way musically 230 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 4: coming in, Like I didn't adopt the name Jennings until 231 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 4: probably twenty and twelve, twenty thirteen. 232 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 2: Like, I was just struggle. You know, there's a lot 233 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 2: that comes with that. You know, some people automatically assume, oh, 234 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 2: you've had it easier. You're riding your grandpa's coat tails. 235 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,959 Speaker 2: You've had it easier because of who he is. It's like, man, 236 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 2: it makes it ten times harder. They expect you to 237 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 2: fill his shoes. They say, oh, you're not like your 238 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:56,959 Speaker 2: grand wall. 239 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 3: Of course I'm not. I'm not him. 240 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 2: Myself, you know, I'm doing things my own way, and. 241 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 3: So there it actually makes it a lot harder. 242 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 2: Now, it makes for a good conversation piece, you know, 243 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 2: when you walk into a room of musicians or artists, 244 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 2: of course, but as far as in the industry or fans, 245 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 2: there was no head, you know, there was no like 246 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 2: I didn't get any free rise because of that. 247 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 3: If anything, it made it. 248 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 1: A lot harder I bet it was. 249 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 2: And the reason the reason I even adopted the name 250 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 2: is because that's what they started calling me. They started 251 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 2: calling me struggled Jennings when like everybody was talking about 252 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 2: me going to prison and like. 253 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 3: The news, you know. 254 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 2: And dear friend of mine who's been riding with me 255 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:40,719 Speaker 2: the whole time and helped me build my brand, a 256 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 2: guy named Sebastians Marberry. He was like, man, if you 257 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 2: type in struggle on Google, you're never going to find you. 258 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 3: But you put in Jennings, you know it'll pop up. 259 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 2: And I talked to a Shooter about it, and Shooter 260 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 2: was like, man, please, that would be amazing, like pay 261 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 2: homage to them and use the name. 262 00:13:57,160 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 3: So I fought it for a while, but it just 263 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 3: kind of came part of the story. You know. 264 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a great legacy. And I understand that because 265 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: I've talked to so many artists who have kids who 266 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: have said the words like I've ruined my kids. They 267 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 1: all think they're going to be just like me, and 268 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 1: it's you know, there you are with your grandfather, and 269 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: it's a tremendous burden to carry, especially if you're going 270 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: to go right into that same industry. Yeah, I totally know. 271 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 2: One of the things that I think one of the 272 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 2: things that helped the most about being his grandson and 273 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 2: having that relationship even in my darkest moments, even when 274 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 2: my music wasn't streaming, even when I had a fiction 275 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 2: notices on the door, even when you know, I was 276 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 2: getting into trouble and fighting court cases, and regardless all 277 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 2: the different phases of my life, I never gave up 278 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 2: because he was a clear example that I had from 279 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 2: as early as I can remember that he came from nothing, 280 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 2: dirt floors in Texas and to me seeing him that 281 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 2: his prime with you know, a nanny and maids and 282 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 2: Cadillacs and Mercedes and guards at the shack and you know, 283 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: like so I got to see what was possible. So 284 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 2: regardless of how bad things got, always had that glimmer 285 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 2: of faith and hope that it would it's possible. And 286 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 2: I think a lot of people from my neighborhood and 287 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 2: a lot of my old friends, they never had that, 288 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 2: And that was one of the defining things, you know, 289 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 2: And I'll try to instill that in my kids now 290 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 2: and in other people's kids. You know, I have friends 291 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 2: that are still struggling and you know, work, you know, 292 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 2: sixty hours a week to still barely getting by, and 293 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 2: they can't do as much for their kids as maybe 294 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 2: I can. But I try to pick up that slack 295 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 2: and take them on vacations and do things because I 296 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 2: want those kids to see that too. Like this is, 297 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 2: if you get a taste of that better life, sometimes 298 00:15:55,840 --> 00:16:00,040 Speaker 2: you'll you'll never settle for less. And I think that 299 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 2: what one of the differences was is I never settled 300 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 2: and I never gave up, regardless of what was handed 301 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 2: to me or what was in front of me. 302 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's something that's definitely built in when you 303 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: know it naturally to not give up, and you know, 304 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: people leading ahead of you by example certainly put that 305 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: out there, but you have to be able to see 306 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,920 Speaker 1: it and make that choice. And that's really hard, I 307 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: think for a lot of people to just choose to 308 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: not give up. Yeah, it sounds so simple, but it's 309 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 1: you know, like you said, it's a choice. 310 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 3: It's a choice. There was many times in my life 311 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 3: where I never thought the music would work. 312 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 2: Out, and you know, being Tony Montana wasn't working out. 313 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: And. 314 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 2: You know, all these different phases of my life and 315 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 2: the neighborhood that I come from West Nashville. It's called 316 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 2: the Nations. It's surrounded by prisons and factories. And you know, 317 00:16:57,640 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 2: in our neighborhood, you either worked at the factories or 318 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 2: you want to prison. You know. 319 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 3: It's kind of like those were the two, and so like. 320 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 2: To make it in that neighborhood is to get a 321 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 2: job with the city, you know. 322 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 3: Work your way up to twenty dollars an hour in 323 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 3: a retirement fund, you know. 324 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 2: And I just I always saw past that so far 325 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 2: that I never could settle into that comfort. 326 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: You know, you're a visionary. You know, you speak quite openly. 327 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: I've seen on TikTok and a couple of other places 328 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: about a very pivotal moment in your life. Although you 329 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,479 Speaker 1: saw the potential in the future, you still ended up 330 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: going through quite a bit of strife to get where 331 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 1: you are now. And when you were in prison, you 332 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: decided to turn your life around. That was the moment, 333 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: at least, that's what I can recall from what you 334 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:56,199 Speaker 1: would had said. Yeah, can can you describe that moment? 335 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 1: That that moment for the listeners right now? Because I 336 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: feel like, you know, you're such an amazing example of 337 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: someone who has like everybody thinks, you had it all 338 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:09,440 Speaker 1: and you had all the best influences from the top down, 339 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: and you saw the good, you saw the bad, but 340 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 1: you still ended up where you ended up. How did 341 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 1: you What was that moment like for you? And can 342 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 1: you tell us? 343 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 3: Yeah? 344 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 2: Well, you know, there was a lot of in and 345 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:28,479 Speaker 2: outs as far as jail, and you know, I tempted 346 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 2: to change my life a few times and been successful 347 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 2: and then failed, and you know, took steps forward and 348 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 2: fell steps back. And at one point I did fifteen 349 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 2: months in jail for a marijuana case and got out 350 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:44,920 Speaker 2: and my kids were scattered. The mother of my kids 351 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 2: was fighting a fed case, and so I went and 352 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 2: got my kids and I was a single dad with 353 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 2: two kids. And I did good for like five six years, 354 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 2: stayed straight, working you know, two jobs if I had to, 355 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 2: and started having more kids with the mother of my 356 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 2: three youngest. 357 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 3: And fell back in. 358 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 2: You know, it was like one too too many or 359 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 2: too too many viction notices and you know, jobs not 360 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 2: panning out, and you know, I just I kept I 361 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 2: kept working hard, and that I you know, get knocked 362 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,439 Speaker 2: down and or allowed myself to fall. I hate to 363 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:24,439 Speaker 2: use the get knocked down, because we have this choice 364 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:29,120 Speaker 2: as well, right to get back up. And I fell 365 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 2: short numerous times in and out of jail, and I 366 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 2: you know, did good for years and then I fall 367 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 2: back off. And then this last time when I went 368 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 2: to prison. At that point, I had five kids, and 369 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:46,199 Speaker 2: I was watching the ones that I thought for so 370 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 2: long I was doing right by you know, where I 371 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 2: was instilled with a lot of irrational beliefs at a 372 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 2: young age. 373 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:56,360 Speaker 3: You know, you feature. 374 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 2: Family by any means necessary. It's okay to do wrong 375 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 2: if you're doing it for the right reasons. You know, 376 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 2: I live by that. I justify everything by like, I'm 377 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 2: just doing this for my kids. I'm just doing this 378 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: for my family, to take care of my kids. 379 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 3: You know. Then when those gate shut, my kids became 380 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 3: the biggest victim. 381 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 2: They were left without a father, without someone to protect them, 382 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:21,360 Speaker 2: provide for them. You know, my wife at the time 383 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 2: was left without a partner, without the man that was 384 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 2: paying the bills and taking care of her. So I 385 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 2: got slapped with that reality real fast that hey, I'm 386 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 2: not the man I thought I was, and I'm not 387 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 2: being a good father, I'm not being a good husband. 388 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 2: I'm not being a good son, I'm not being a 389 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,439 Speaker 2: good friend by continuing to put my family through this. 390 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,199 Speaker 2: That's a hard pill to swallow, you know, when you 391 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 2: really have to look at things and take accountability and say, 392 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 2: everything that is happening to me and everything that is 393 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 2: happening to the people that I love, is a direct 394 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 2: result of a decision that I made. 395 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 3: You know, you can't really hide anymore. You can't hide behind, 396 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 3: you can't justify. 397 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 2: You know, you can't be mad at the guy that 398 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 2: told on you because I shouldn't have been doing what 399 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 2: I was doing. And then the top that I'm watching 400 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 2: what's happening the mother of my kids hooking up with 401 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 2: another guy getting addicted to drugs again, and when I worked. 402 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:22,880 Speaker 3: Hard to get her off of them. 403 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 2: My children being drug through the mud and in the 404 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 2: bad situations, you know, having to make those phone calls 405 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 2: home and my five year old daughter at the time 406 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 2: is crying, saying, Daddy, we have an eight and I'm 407 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:36,159 Speaker 2: having a teacher from a jail phone how to make 408 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 2: macaroni and cheese so she can feed her two siblings 409 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 2: because her mom's passed out on drugs. And realizing that 410 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:49,239 Speaker 2: I'm not there. I can't protect them, you know. And 411 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 2: then my daughter got molested in a drug house, you know. 412 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 2: And I'm finding all this out while sitting behind concrete 413 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:03,439 Speaker 2: and still with no one to blame but myself. You 414 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 2: come to a point where you're like, hey, the same 415 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 2: way I messed all this up, I'm the only one 416 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 2: that can fix it. So I decided to just really 417 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 2: buckle down and work to become the best man that 418 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 2: I could make sure that my kids never had to 419 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:21,160 Speaker 2: go through that again. There were a lot of moments 420 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 2: in there where I'm looking around the room and I'm 421 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 2: seeing the guys that are gambling and smoking cigarettes, eating 422 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,119 Speaker 2: honey buns and you know, and then I'm seeing the 423 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 2: guys that are reading books, going to every program, working out. 424 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 3: I said, that's what I want to do. 425 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 2: So I spent every day of my five years training mind, body, soul, spirit, 426 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 2: finding out, stripping down all those layers and finding out 427 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:47,880 Speaker 2: why do I keep coming back? Why do I keep 428 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 2: coming here? How can I stop this fish a cycle? 429 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 2: Because my uncle said it. My dad was killed when 430 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 2: I was ten, and you know, he was a great man, 431 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 2: but you know, he sold drugs and worked all and 432 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:01,080 Speaker 2: just a good old boy. 433 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 3: But it's a vicious cycle. You know. 434 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 2: Wailing passed from drug induced diabetes, you know, from years 435 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:12,359 Speaker 2: of addiction. I don't want my kids to have to 436 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:15,199 Speaker 2: go through what I went through. I want them to 437 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,400 Speaker 2: have a father, I want them to have a role model. 438 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 2: I want them to have somebody that can look up to, 439 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 2: look to count on. I started stripping all those layers 440 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 2: away and really digging and so searching and finding myself, 441 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 2: finding who I wanted to. 442 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:32,679 Speaker 3: Be, Like who am I really? You know. 443 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 2: That's why I wear all the turquoise because for so long, 444 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 2: since I was a kid. 445 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 3: Turquoise was my favorite stone. 446 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 2: But I was so caught up in what was cool 447 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 2: and what I thought I was supposed to be that 448 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:46,880 Speaker 2: I would never wear it. I had all these diamond 449 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 2: chains and gold and you know, and so when I 450 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 2: came home, I was like, turquoise wasn't cool at that time, 451 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:55,800 Speaker 2: you know, And I was like, but it was to me. 452 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 3: So I started rocking the turquoise. Now it's trendy, but you. 453 00:23:59,880 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 1: Know, back then, my first time. 454 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:06,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, but yeah, So it was like watching all this happen, 455 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,119 Speaker 2: you know, even leading up to the death of the 456 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 2: mother of my kids who died from a drug overdose 457 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,640 Speaker 2: a few years ago, watching what my children were going 458 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 2: through and having to honestly look at that and go. 459 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 3: Just because of me, This is because of. 460 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 2: That guy I was trying to be and I justified 461 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 2: it for so long, you know, and now trying to 462 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 2: make sure that I can keep those same irrational beliefs 463 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 2: out of my children's mind. So, you know, those moments 464 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 2: and those phone calls calling home. I remember as soon 465 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 2: as I got into County Jail, one of the first 466 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 2: things that my five year old daughter, Innocence, who just 467 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:57,320 Speaker 2: went through so much, finding out that her mom had 468 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 2: passed out and she was at a bus stop crying, 469 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 2: couldn't you know, one there to pick her up for 470 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:08,360 Speaker 2: four hours, you know, and thinking about what a six 471 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,400 Speaker 2: year old is going through in their mind when she's 472 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 2: used to Daddy pulling up and being there, and now 473 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 2: Daddy's not here, and now nobody's there to pick her up. 474 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:22,679 Speaker 2: Like those moments were the just the ones that is, 475 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 2: even though as tragic as they are, and I tell 476 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 2: my family all the time, it's like, that's why I'm 477 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 2: not going to give up. That's why I didn't give up. 478 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 2: Something great has to come from this, or it was 479 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,160 Speaker 2: all in vain. If we can take all the pain 480 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 2: and all the tragedy and all the bad mistakes and 481 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 2: do something great with that, learn. 482 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 3: From it and. 483 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 2: Inspire others and live a purpose driven life in gratitude, 484 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 2: and we can do something great with all of this, 485 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:53,200 Speaker 2: it wasn't in vain. 486 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Music Saved 487 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: Me podcast. And by the way, if you like this podcast, 488 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: you were going to love our companion podcast called Taking 489 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: a Walk. It's hosted by my dear friend Buzz Night 490 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 1: and you can find it wherever you get your podcasts. 491 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Music Saved Me Podcast, the podcast 492 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,719 Speaker 1: where we discussed the healing powers of music with some 493 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 1: of the biggest names in music as well as up 494 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 1: and comers, and looking inward, the fact that you had 495 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:29,880 Speaker 1: the wherewithal to look inward. I'm curious, did writing and 496 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 1: creating music play any type of role in your personal 497 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: transformation on top of all of discovery. 498 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, every bit of it. You know. 499 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 2: I journaled the whole time I was there. I wrote letters, 500 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 2: I would write while I was in there. I didn't 501 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 2: actually form songs because I was like I'm just going 502 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 2: to write my you know, write about things. And it's 503 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 2: always been my go to A's always where my therapy was. 504 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 2: And then getting out from prison and telling that story, 505 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 2: showing that transformation of course and my actions and who 506 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 2: I am, but telling that story through my music and 507 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 2: watching you know, the tens of thousands, one hundred thousands 508 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 2: of people gravitate towards that find inspiration and hope in 509 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,440 Speaker 2: my music and use my music to help them get 510 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 2: through whatever they're going through. And then to get to 511 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:28,120 Speaker 2: meet them at meet and greets at shows and hug 512 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 2: their neck and you know them cry on our shoulder. 513 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:34,040 Speaker 2: And that's what's kept me going. That's what's kept me straight, 514 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 2: that's what keeps me focused, That's what keeps me from 515 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 2: you know, losing it. 516 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 3: God allowed me to be strong enough to make it 517 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 3: through this. 518 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 2: And now I have a testimony to give and I 519 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 2: have an opportunity to give that back. And you know, 520 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,199 Speaker 2: when you have that, when you have a purpose, when 521 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:55,960 Speaker 2: you feel like there's purpose in what you do, right, 522 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:58,760 Speaker 2: all the other things that come. 523 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,360 Speaker 3: Now. I tell people all the time, I don't look 524 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 3: at ops. I look at obstacles as opportunities. 525 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 2: Another notch under my belt story to tell to show 526 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,199 Speaker 2: somebody else that they can get through this too, you know, 527 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:13,879 Speaker 2: like when I found out that I found out recently 528 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 2: that how my father had got killed, you know, and 529 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,639 Speaker 2: it had been by a family member, And when I 530 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:23,479 Speaker 2: was young. He died when I was ten and I 531 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:27,199 Speaker 2: was outside playing football and my mom comes out there 532 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 2: and she's like, hey, your dad's on the phone, and 533 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 2: I was like, tell him, I'll call him back later. 534 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 3: Well, when I came in that night, she was crying. 535 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,160 Speaker 2: All my family pulled up, told me that my dad 536 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 2: was no longer with us. I was ten, and they 537 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 2: told me it was suicide. So where they thought they 538 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 2: were protecting me by telling me it was suicide, I 539 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 2: was the last person he called and I didn't take 540 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 2: the phone call. So I lived with that all through 541 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 2: my teenage years, feeling that regret of what if I 542 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 2: would answer the phone, which of course led me to 543 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 2: be suicidal because then I was like, you know, last 544 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 2: time my dad died. 545 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 3: And it wasn't until I was. 546 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 2: Eighteen and my uncle told me, boy, your dad didn't 547 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 2: kill himself. He was killed, but I never got a 548 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 2: clear answer who it was. And then one of my 549 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 2: family members of my favorite aunts. She was on her 550 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 2: deathbed and I went to visit her, and one of 551 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 2: my other uncles let it out the bag that she 552 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 2: was the one that. 553 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 3: Had killed him. 554 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 2: And I had my arm around her when it was 555 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 2: told to me, and it was one of those moments 556 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 2: where like, you know, I kind of blanked out, you know, 557 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 2: and I just kind of looked around, and I looked 558 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 2: at her, and she didn't budge, you know, she took 559 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 2: it all the way to the grave with it. But 560 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 2: she had been such a light in my life, and 561 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 2: she had took care of me so many times when 562 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 2: I was in my darkest moment, and I wasn't even 563 00:29:58,600 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 2: mad at her. 564 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 3: It was another level of closure. 565 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 2: I would have liked to been able to talk to 566 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 2: her and find out like what happened, you know, like 567 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 2: if they got an argument or what the reason was. 568 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 3: But she passed that night and I didn't. I never 569 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 3: got that. But but even then it was one of 570 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:17,960 Speaker 3: those things. 571 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 2: It was like I had to go through that to 572 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 2: become who I am today and to be able to 573 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,920 Speaker 2: talk to other people that are going through the same 574 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 2: things or that have been through or been through you know, 575 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 2: things like that to let them know that they're not 576 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 2: alone and that they can find strength, and the fact 577 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 2: that I'm still here and I'm doing good. You know, 578 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 2: I'm working to do great, but I'm doing good. You know, 579 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:48,160 Speaker 2: I've got all seven kids in the house, you know, 580 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 2: my daughter who was molested and you know, cooking macaroni 581 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:56,000 Speaker 2: and cheese in that apartment, talking to her dad on 582 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 2: the phone, trying to feed her siblings, and watching her 583 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 2: mom overdose and pass out, and then eventually losing her 584 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 2: mother to a drug overdose. 585 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 3: She just called me this morning because she couldn't. She 586 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:08,200 Speaker 3: was trying to figure out where to get her parking past. 587 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 2: At college, she graduated with three point nine SHEPA honors. 588 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: You know, that's such amassing. 589 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 2: Western She's in Western Kentucky now, you know, for going 590 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 2: to college, you know, and is doing incredible. My daughter, 591 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:27,640 Speaker 2: Curtis that who's sixteen, she's you know, she was right there. 592 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 2: She was the younger sister, and she went through all 593 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:33,480 Speaker 2: of that just as much, you know, and having to 594 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 2: be stripped from not only their father leaving, but then 595 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:39,959 Speaker 2: their mother crashing when he left, and then you know, 596 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 2: going from a life where I was providing to the 597 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 2: depths of poverty until they ended up in foster care. 598 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 2: And then you know, I came home and fought for 599 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 2: a year to get them out of foster care and 600 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 2: to get custody of them again, and then you know, 601 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 2: rebuilding those relationships and those that trust and stability. 602 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:04,000 Speaker 3: And you know, now she's. 603 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:06,480 Speaker 2: Sixteen and drives some brand new Lexus at V and 604 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 2: the homecoming queen straight a student like not even ninety eight, 605 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,960 Speaker 2: like one hundreds and hundred and two s like, you know, 606 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 2: in an incredible relationship with a great guy who was 607 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 2: a huge soccer star. I mean, it's just you know, there, 608 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 2: it is possible to turn it all around. You just 609 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 2: have to believe. You have to believe in yourself. You 610 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,040 Speaker 2: have to put the work in, and you have to 611 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:34,960 Speaker 2: find those things. Like for me, music was one of 612 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 2: the biggest things that I could latch onto and when 613 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: I needed you know, of course I have prayer and 614 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,479 Speaker 2: other things, but when I need to just recenter, I 615 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 2: can find that song, you know, and strike that emotion. 616 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 2: And whether it's me driving around you know with it 617 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:56,880 Speaker 2: on ten, crying my eyes out, or you know, getting 618 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 2: amped up, or just a happy singing at the top 619 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:01,959 Speaker 2: of my lungs, whatever or that is, whatever that emotion 620 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:03,960 Speaker 2: I need or that strength that I need being able to. 621 00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 3: Pull it for music. 622 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 2: You know, That's why we came out with Sound Sobriety 623 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 2: and the concept to Sound Sobriety, which is the rehabs 624 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 2: that were opening. 625 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 3: I'm supposed to be cutting the ribbon on the first 626 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 3: one soon. 627 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 2: We had a few hiccups in it, but we're lined 628 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,280 Speaker 2: up to do about twenty of them as soon as 629 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 2: we get the first model completely locked in and done. 630 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:28,880 Speaker 2: But I'm also working. We're still working, even though we 631 00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:31,440 Speaker 2: don't have our facility open yet. We're still doing things. 632 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 2: But the concept behind it was, you know, for me, 633 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:39,840 Speaker 2: writing was one of my biggest avenues of release and therapy. 634 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 3: And you know, so. 635 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,800 Speaker 2: I'll be having big songwriters and big artists come in 636 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 2: to the rehabs and Pete doing the songwriting class where 637 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:55,840 Speaker 2: we teach each participant that comes through how to put 638 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 2: their life and their emotions and their feelings into song form. 639 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 2: And then when they graduate the program, they'll get a 640 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 2: be my number and be a registered songwriter, and so 641 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:08,839 Speaker 2: they'll have somebody that they can pitch it. We'll pitch 642 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 2: songs for them, you know, they'll have somebody that they 643 00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:13,120 Speaker 2: can turn their songs into and pitch them for other 644 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 2: artists and hopefully give them, you know, hope and of 645 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 2: a career in that as well, because. 646 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:20,799 Speaker 3: That's what it's been for me. 647 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 2: You know, if I didn't have divine connection with music 648 00:34:25,920 --> 00:34:30,720 Speaker 2: or that deep passion to create, and you know, who 649 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:32,480 Speaker 2: knows if I would have made it through all this stuff. 650 00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: I didn't even want to stop this momentum because you're 651 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 1: just your story is just so incredible. And then every 652 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:42,680 Speaker 1: time I think I've heard it all, it's just another 653 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 1: height that you've reached after reaching the lowest lows. It's 654 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 1: pretty incredible, and it's amazing how much music has been 655 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:52,360 Speaker 1: a part of it. And obviously this question I'm going 656 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 1: to ask you, I'm going to guess I know the 657 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 1: answer to Do you believe that music has healing powers? 658 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,000 Speaker 3: I think it's one of the strongest. 659 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 2: I mean, we know it scientifically right through, like you know, 660 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 2: different frequencies and stuff you know that are able to 661 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:10,680 Speaker 2: heal soundbats, and you know, there's so much scientific research, 662 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:13,920 Speaker 2: but just as far as the personal, yes, I think 663 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 2: it's one of the most healing things ever. You know, 664 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 2: I've had songs that I needed to write, like when 665 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 2: the mother and my children passed, or when I was 666 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:27,240 Speaker 2: first coming home and I didn't really have that relationship 667 00:35:27,280 --> 00:35:30,600 Speaker 2: back with my daughters yet that I'd have these songs. 668 00:35:31,560 --> 00:35:33,640 Speaker 2: They take me months to write because every time I'd 669 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:36,520 Speaker 2: get emotional when I try to write it. But once 670 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:38,239 Speaker 2: I got that out on the paper and once I 671 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 2: sang it through that microphone, not only did I get 672 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 2: a level of healing, but then being able to play 673 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 2: it for them and then understand and have that to 674 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:50,000 Speaker 2: hold on to as well. 675 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:52,359 Speaker 3: It's just a whole nother you know. 676 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:56,279 Speaker 2: I think music has definitely been what's healed me more 677 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:57,360 Speaker 2: than anything else. 678 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,799 Speaker 1: Who are so much artists that you listen into when 679 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 1: you're having sort of a difficult time or maybe that 680 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:07,560 Speaker 1: you can recall you listen to in times of darkness. 681 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:12,160 Speaker 2: I mean there's so many, you know, and different levels 682 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 2: of different years and who was everything from you know 683 00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 2: old country, nineties country, George Street and George John like 684 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:27,080 Speaker 2: heartbreak songs, or you know Ed Sheeran has had there's 685 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:29,799 Speaker 2: He's had a couple of songs. There's an artist named 686 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:33,200 Speaker 2: Ron Pope who he had some songs that got me 687 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:37,799 Speaker 2: through some really really dark times. Let's go Chris Stapleton, 688 00:36:38,239 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 2: you know, I mean there's just so many, you know, 689 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:43,839 Speaker 2: you can go back to, you know, Whaland songs and 690 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:47,480 Speaker 2: Tupac songs. You know old rat that was just telling 691 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:51,600 Speaker 2: those stories. There's there's so many, you know. I couldn't 692 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:52,720 Speaker 2: pinpoint one artist. 693 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 1: That would be a whole other show, isn't it. Well, 694 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 1: you know, speaking of artists, one of your bestie? Can 695 00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:03,120 Speaker 1: I say that about guys best? 696 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:03,960 Speaker 3: Actually? 697 00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 2: When I just when I just went to the ad MS, 698 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:11,880 Speaker 2: the ATHM Awards last year and in Texas, uh, you know, 699 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:14,840 Speaker 2: you get your credentials, and Jelly was up for a 700 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:15,680 Speaker 2: bunch of awards. 701 00:37:15,680 --> 00:37:17,600 Speaker 3: I wasn't out for any awards or anything, but I. 702 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:21,800 Speaker 2: Was there as his guest and my credential, said Struggle 703 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:24,480 Speaker 2: Jennings artist Jelly Rolls bestie. 704 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,799 Speaker 1: Oh good, So I'm not the only one that called 705 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 1: me that. I love that so much? Can you tell 706 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 1: me I love him too? How important is that brotherhood 707 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:39,760 Speaker 1: with someone like Jelly Roll on your on your journey? 708 00:37:40,520 --> 00:37:42,439 Speaker 2: Well, it's been everything, you know, I mean, it's been 709 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:47,400 Speaker 2: it's been such a major role. He we met I 710 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:51,000 Speaker 2: was fresh out of a jail sentence, raising two kids 711 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:51,719 Speaker 2: by myself. 712 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:52,680 Speaker 3: I think I. 713 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:57,359 Speaker 2: Hadn't even had my third child yet when I when 714 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 2: we met and he just got out of jail or 715 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:05,439 Speaker 2: juvenile because he was still young and he was out 716 00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:08,600 Speaker 2: selling CDs and doing rap battles and I was promoting 717 00:38:08,600 --> 00:38:10,799 Speaker 2: the show and selling my CD and we met and 718 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 2: just automatically clicked. 719 00:38:13,560 --> 00:38:17,200 Speaker 3: And going on twenty three years of a friendship. 720 00:38:17,239 --> 00:38:20,719 Speaker 2: You know, he slept on my couch and I've watched him, 721 00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:25,640 Speaker 2: you know, grow and become who he's becoming. Not only 722 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 2: did our friendship because we were in the streets together. 723 00:38:28,719 --> 00:38:30,480 Speaker 2: You know, we we did a lot of things. We 724 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:32,560 Speaker 2: carried a lot of caskets together, We lost a lot 725 00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:38,800 Speaker 2: of friends. We both did time, you know, during our friendship. 726 00:38:38,840 --> 00:38:47,279 Speaker 2: And having somebody that you just always know is there 727 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 2: for you, you know, has been such a major part 728 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:56,160 Speaker 2: of it because there's you know, I think a lot 729 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:59,520 Speaker 2: of people make a lot more That's why I believe 730 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:00,799 Speaker 2: in support system so much. 731 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:03,280 Speaker 3: I believe that a lot of people make a lot worse. 732 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:06,239 Speaker 2: Decisions when they feel like they're all alone and they 733 00:39:06,239 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 2: have nobody, you know, the level of desperation or the 734 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:12,279 Speaker 2: level of loneliness and. 735 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:15,000 Speaker 3: Feeling like you have nothing to lose. 736 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,880 Speaker 2: And there's something Jelly's always given me is feeling like 737 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 2: I had something to lose. You know, when I was 738 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 2: in prison, he you know, calling him from that jail phone. 739 00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:30,839 Speaker 3: And him being like, oh man, I'm in Missouri. I'm 740 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:31,680 Speaker 3: in Mississippi. 741 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:33,920 Speaker 2: You know, he was out doing shows and he was 742 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 2: sleeping in a van, and you know, he started telling 743 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:40,320 Speaker 2: me as I was getting close to getting out. 744 00:39:40,239 --> 00:39:42,879 Speaker 3: Like sure, I'm telling you, this is possible. Man. 745 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:45,680 Speaker 2: You guys made a thousand bucks last night at the show, 746 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:47,200 Speaker 2: you know, Like why you mean a. 747 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:49,719 Speaker 3: Thousand dollars in one night without set of drugs, like, 748 00:39:50,239 --> 00:39:50,440 Speaker 3: you know. 749 00:39:51,840 --> 00:39:55,759 Speaker 2: So there was so much inspiration and hope. And when 750 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:58,040 Speaker 2: I came home, you know, he still didn't having figured out. 751 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:04,000 Speaker 2: It was still you know, doing shows and sleeping in 752 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:08,160 Speaker 2: a van still sometimes and you know he wasn't but 753 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:11,319 Speaker 2: then he just never gave up. He kept plugging away 754 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:15,000 Speaker 2: and uh, and it definitely was a big inspiration for 755 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:19,480 Speaker 2: me to not give up, you know. And then we 756 00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:22,719 Speaker 2: started doing the Weaving and Willie albums together and they 757 00:40:22,800 --> 00:40:26,080 Speaker 2: just took off, and then he signed with Strange Music. 758 00:40:26,160 --> 00:40:28,239 Speaker 2: And then had the song save Me, and. 759 00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:33,320 Speaker 3: It was just like yep, now. 760 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:34,880 Speaker 2: He's the household name, and I couldn't be more proud 761 00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 2: of him. I love it, and he's he's still this 762 00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:41,200 Speaker 2: day my best friend. You know, we we can sometimes 763 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:44,680 Speaker 2: talk five times a week, or sometimes we might not 764 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,000 Speaker 2: talk for three or four weeks because of his schedule. 765 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:48,719 Speaker 1: He's picked left off. 766 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:53,160 Speaker 2: Well anytime we cost two three hour phone call. You know, 767 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:56,840 Speaker 2: I can be that sounding board for him and he 768 00:40:56,920 --> 00:41:00,440 Speaker 2: can decompress and know that anything he says that phone 769 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:04,040 Speaker 2: with me is a thousand percent safe and things that 770 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:06,879 Speaker 2: you know, a lot of times, men we don't have 771 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 2: too many people that we can really just vent and 772 00:41:12,160 --> 00:41:15,279 Speaker 2: lay it all on, you know, like our wives, or 773 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:18,880 Speaker 2: our children, or our mothers or everybody kind of looks 774 00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:21,239 Speaker 2: to us to be that strength in that backbone. 775 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:24,560 Speaker 3: So in our moments of weakness sometimes it's hard. You know, 776 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:25,240 Speaker 3: we try. 777 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:30,360 Speaker 2: To hold that into shield others from feeling you know, 778 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:33,239 Speaker 2: getting nervous or ANTSI you know, we got to act 779 00:41:33,280 --> 00:41:34,360 Speaker 2: like we've got it all together. 780 00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:41,520 Speaker 3: So me and him have that in each other. 781 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:45,560 Speaker 2: And you know, I don't call him because I respect 782 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:47,959 Speaker 2: his time and I know how busy he is, all right. 783 00:41:48,280 --> 00:41:49,120 Speaker 3: I mean, if I had. 784 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:52,040 Speaker 2: Something, you know, that I really needed to talk to 785 00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:54,560 Speaker 2: him about, it was like an important or something, I 786 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:57,319 Speaker 2: would call him. I'm not saying I don't ever call him, 787 00:41:57,320 --> 00:42:00,080 Speaker 2: but I just I kind of try to be that 788 00:42:00,239 --> 00:42:02,600 Speaker 2: friend that is just like he knows he can call 789 00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:05,040 Speaker 2: me at any time, and I'm going to shut the 790 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:07,000 Speaker 2: world down and give him those two or three hours 791 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:10,799 Speaker 2: that he needs because he's he's really busy right now. 792 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:14,080 Speaker 2: He's going through a lot a lot of changes, you know, 793 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:17,560 Speaker 2: from coming from where we came from and going through 794 00:42:17,560 --> 00:42:20,439 Speaker 2: what he's went through to now being the biggest star 795 00:42:20,520 --> 00:42:21,560 Speaker 2: on the face of the planet. 796 00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:23,120 Speaker 3: You know, there's a lot of pressure in that. There's 797 00:42:23,120 --> 00:42:25,680 Speaker 3: a lot of you know, I know he's so busy. 798 00:42:25,719 --> 00:42:28,839 Speaker 2: He's got people pulling them a hundred different ways, right 799 00:42:30,000 --> 00:42:31,840 Speaker 2: So being able to be that support for him and 800 00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:32,799 Speaker 2: just be that guy for. 801 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:35,480 Speaker 3: Him that's always there for him means the world to me. 802 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:39,880 Speaker 1: You know, two things, keeping each other grounded and also 803 00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:43,080 Speaker 1: knowing that as much as it's great to ride to 804 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:46,279 Speaker 1: the success levels, there's also pitfalls that come with it, 805 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:50,080 Speaker 1: and I'm sure he needs the safety of your friendship 806 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:51,880 Speaker 1: even though he's. 807 00:42:51,960 --> 00:42:55,040 Speaker 3: Always have it and always have it. 808 00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:57,839 Speaker 2: It really is holding each other accountable to you know, 809 00:42:58,000 --> 00:43:02,520 Speaker 2: like he calls me all my sh it. You know, 810 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:06,520 Speaker 2: he's like struggle or you're not being accountable or not 811 00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:08,040 Speaker 2: holding yourself accountable right now? 812 00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:09,640 Speaker 3: Why did that happen? 813 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:11,560 Speaker 1: You know, that's a nice way of putting it. 814 00:43:12,120 --> 00:43:14,800 Speaker 3: Yeah. Well, he likes to give me my own medicine. 815 00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:16,680 Speaker 2: You know, Yes, you know, I got to hear my 816 00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:19,840 Speaker 2: own sermons sometimes from somebody else. 817 00:43:20,320 --> 00:43:23,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, like what would you say to yourself? What would 818 00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:25,960 Speaker 1: you tell me? Tell yourself that same thing kind of 819 00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:28,160 Speaker 1: advice it Jelly does that. 820 00:43:28,239 --> 00:43:34,120 Speaker 2: He uses uh, he uses my own sayings against me, 821 00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:34,960 Speaker 2: not against me. 822 00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:35,880 Speaker 3: It's for me, you know. 823 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:39,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, but you need that, you need you know, if 824 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:42,439 Speaker 2: you're surrounded by yes men or people that just tell 825 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:46,680 Speaker 2: you what you want to hear, or you know, condone 826 00:43:47,520 --> 00:43:49,479 Speaker 2: your bad behavior rights, We're all going to slip. 827 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:52,399 Speaker 3: We're all going to make mistakes. That never stops, right. 828 00:43:52,480 --> 00:43:57,680 Speaker 2: It's really just realizing when you make those, taking accountability 829 00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:02,040 Speaker 2: for him and then it because it's really not about 830 00:44:02,040 --> 00:44:03,880 Speaker 2: how many times you falls, about how many times you 831 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:04,520 Speaker 2: get back up. 832 00:44:05,360 --> 00:44:08,040 Speaker 3: You know, we all have were riddled with human nature. 833 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:12,600 Speaker 1: Mistakes. I like to say mistakes are tuition, you know, 834 00:44:12,719 --> 00:44:16,359 Speaker 1: if you use them correctly, then they're not mistakes. Yeah, 835 00:44:16,680 --> 00:44:19,200 Speaker 1: and sometimes you have to have a piano. A friend 836 00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:22,080 Speaker 1: of mine said this once. It was so sometimes you 837 00:44:22,120 --> 00:44:24,280 Speaker 1: know when like a piano just falls on your head, 838 00:44:24,719 --> 00:44:26,839 Speaker 1: like those are those moments that you need to wake up, 839 00:44:27,040 --> 00:44:31,960 Speaker 1: you know whatever that you know incredibly. I saw a 840 00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:34,680 Speaker 1: video and I believe it just happened this past year, 841 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:36,960 Speaker 1: and I just want to congratulate you when you were 842 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:40,719 Speaker 1: invited to the grandel Opry. I'm falling watching the video 843 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:42,640 Speaker 1: over asking you, well. 844 00:44:43,719 --> 00:44:44,800 Speaker 3: I didn't know what's going to happen. 845 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:46,560 Speaker 2: He told me I needed to come down there today 846 00:44:46,680 --> 00:44:50,280 Speaker 2: CMS and there was like a little grandell'd opery event 847 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:52,719 Speaker 2: that he wanted me to come to. And when did 848 00:44:52,760 --> 00:44:55,640 Speaker 2: Billy Bob's with them the night before? And so I'm 849 00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:59,080 Speaker 2: in there and the vent's cool or whatever, but I 850 00:44:59,120 --> 00:45:01,720 Speaker 2: was like, eh, I'm I might have a drink or something, 851 00:45:01,960 --> 00:45:03,839 Speaker 2: you know. So I mows you over to the bar 852 00:45:03,960 --> 00:45:06,719 Speaker 2: and I'm talking to other artists and hanging out, and 853 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:10,319 Speaker 2: I see him coming across the room and I can 854 00:45:10,360 --> 00:45:11,280 Speaker 2: tell that he's upset. 855 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:14,279 Speaker 3: But he's like teary ad and he gets up on 856 00:45:14,440 --> 00:45:16,960 Speaker 3: me and I'm paying attention to him. 857 00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:19,399 Speaker 2: So I didn't even realize there was cameras around us, right, 858 00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:22,359 Speaker 2: but they were like camera crew's following him. But I'm 859 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:25,200 Speaker 2: locked into his eyes because I can see he's like 860 00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:28,520 Speaker 2: choked up. He's like, man, I got to tell you something. 861 00:45:29,480 --> 00:45:32,960 Speaker 2: And my first thing because of our history, and you know, 862 00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:35,560 Speaker 2: I thought somebody had died, you know, like we lost 863 00:45:35,560 --> 00:45:39,080 Speaker 2: one of our best friends, like our little nephew a 864 00:45:39,160 --> 00:45:42,560 Speaker 2: year two years before that, the day me and him 865 00:45:42,560 --> 00:45:44,960 Speaker 2: were doing Red Rocks together, we got the call that 866 00:45:45,000 --> 00:45:47,799 Speaker 2: he had got killed outside of a club in Nashville, 867 00:45:48,719 --> 00:45:49,560 Speaker 2: our nephew, Nate. 868 00:45:49,719 --> 00:45:52,600 Speaker 3: And so it's like we've had so many of those 869 00:45:52,680 --> 00:45:54,480 Speaker 3: kind of moments. 870 00:45:54,040 --> 00:45:57,160 Speaker 2: That I just automatically went into like what's wrong, what's wrong, 871 00:45:57,200 --> 00:46:00,759 Speaker 2: what's wrong? And then he's like they've invited you to 872 00:46:00,760 --> 00:46:01,960 Speaker 2: play the grand old Opery. 873 00:46:03,719 --> 00:46:05,919 Speaker 1: He couldn't even get the words out, he couldn't even 874 00:46:05,960 --> 00:46:06,359 Speaker 1: say it. 875 00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:08,879 Speaker 3: I'd betther look on my face of the video. 876 00:46:08,960 --> 00:46:10,600 Speaker 2: I laugh at it all the time because it was 877 00:46:10,719 --> 00:46:15,799 Speaker 2: like a whirlwind of emotions going from thinking somebody's died 878 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:18,680 Speaker 2: or something's really wrong to Oh my God, this is 879 00:46:18,719 --> 00:46:21,320 Speaker 2: one of the greatest honors I could ever get, and 880 00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:24,399 Speaker 2: I don't take something else. How God likes to give 881 00:46:24,440 --> 00:46:26,080 Speaker 2: little winks every once in a while and let you 882 00:46:26,160 --> 00:46:26,960 Speaker 2: know you're doing right. 883 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:30,759 Speaker 3: My Grand Old Opry debut, I didn't get to pick 884 00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:31,719 Speaker 3: the date, you know. 885 00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:34,240 Speaker 2: They said, well, this is the day that you're gonna 886 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:36,440 Speaker 2: that we want you to come do. 887 00:46:36,520 --> 00:46:39,680 Speaker 3: The Grand Old Opry fell on the same day is 888 00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:40,840 Speaker 3: my last day of parole. 889 00:46:42,719 --> 00:46:44,960 Speaker 2: So I walked out on the stage at the Grand 890 00:46:44,960 --> 00:46:48,839 Speaker 2: Old Opry a free man, and it was like one 891 00:46:48,840 --> 00:46:51,440 Speaker 2: of those wings from God saying this is the end 892 00:46:51,480 --> 00:46:52,239 Speaker 2: of one chapter in. 893 00:46:52,280 --> 00:46:53,200 Speaker 3: The beginning of another. 894 00:46:54,239 --> 00:46:55,960 Speaker 1: You know it sure was. 895 00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:59,800 Speaker 3: You can't make it up, man, can't make it up. 896 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:02,839 Speaker 3: It's just so beautiful. How if you just stay in 897 00:47:02,840 --> 00:47:04,560 Speaker 3: tune and you stay in line. 898 00:47:04,239 --> 00:47:08,160 Speaker 2: And you listen and you pay attention, do your best 899 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:13,160 Speaker 2: to be your best and be humble and grateful, so 900 00:47:13,360 --> 00:47:17,719 Speaker 2: much amazing things fall into place, things we could never 901 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:18,480 Speaker 2: even design. 902 00:47:18,880 --> 00:47:22,880 Speaker 1: You know, Struggle Jennings, thank you so much for coming 903 00:47:22,960 --> 00:47:26,040 Speaker 1: on Music Save Me and sharing your story with us. Well, 904 00:47:26,200 --> 00:47:28,839 Speaker 1: thank you, really, I mean, just wonderful, wonderful stuff that 905 00:47:28,880 --> 00:47:31,040 Speaker 1: you're doing, and keep doing what you're doing, and that's 906 00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:34,759 Speaker 1: what we're doing here and highlighting stories like you love 907 00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:37,200 Speaker 1: It are just some of the most amazing things that 908 00:47:37,400 --> 00:47:39,520 Speaker 1: I feel like I've ever been a part of. So 909 00:47:39,600 --> 00:47:42,520 Speaker 1: thanks for coming on to share it and for the liteners. 910 00:47:43,040 --> 00:47:45,840 Speaker 3: Thank you doing what you're doing. Thanks keep touching lives. 911 00:47:46,080 --> 00:47:46,880 Speaker 3: People need to hear it.