1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:01,560 Speaker 1: Taking a Walk. 2 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 2: I think it's pretty timeless. So some of those songs 3 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:09,880 Speaker 2: are have that already withstood the test of generations. Great 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 2: songs endure. I'm very proud and happy to know that 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 2: I was part of something that will endure, and you know, 6 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 2: which is fabulous, and you know, it's a blessing. It's 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 2: something that most musicians and songwriters would hope that they 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 2: would have won much less than you know, multiple songs 9 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:30,680 Speaker 2: that fit that description. 10 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast Music History on Foot, 11 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: the podcast where your host Buzz Night talks with musicians 12 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: and gets their inside stories behind the music. On this episode, 13 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 1: Buzz is joined by John Oates, co creator of the 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: iconic pop rock duo Hall and Oates. John was inducted 15 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in two thousand and 16 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: four and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 17 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: with Hall and Oates in twenty fourteen. He recorded his 18 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: first single in nineteen sixty six and continues recording to 19 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: this day, and on this episode he'll discuss as many 20 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: influences and his new release called Reunion. Buzznight host the 21 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 1: legendary John Oates on Taking. 22 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 3: A Walk Well, John Oates, it is a terrific honor 23 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 3: to have you on this virtual edition of Taking a Walk. 24 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:26,960 Speaker 4: We're going to take a walk down memory Lane a bit. 25 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:27,759 Speaker 4: We're going to talk. 26 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 3: About your new project, Reunion. But I'm grateful to have 27 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 3: you on. 28 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 2: Thanks, Thanks, nice to be here. 29 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 4: So Reunion is the new project. The singles out. 30 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,559 Speaker 3: The album is coming out on May seventeenth. 31 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: We want to get into. 32 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 3: A lot about that project, but can you just talk 33 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 3: about how the creative process worked for you for this 34 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 3: new Reunion project and any differences in the creative project 35 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 3: to the way you've done it in the past. 36 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 2: Well, this, this particular project, I think is in a 37 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: sense a culmination of my Nashville experience moving here, being 38 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 2: embraced and participating in a lot of the Americana music 39 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 2: you know, communities, not only in terms of musical relationship, 40 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 2: but friendships and all sorts of things like that. So 41 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 2: in a way, I think this record really kind of 42 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 2: crystallizes all those things. There's many many of my amazing 43 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 2: musicians who have become my good friends over the years, 44 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 2: who we've recorded and toured together with, you know, people 45 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: like Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bayla Fleck, Jim Lauderdale. You 46 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 2: know some great amazing also players like Guthrie Trapped, Tom Bukavac. 47 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 2: So it's really chock full of this kind of all 48 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: star cast, Sierra Hall on Mandolin, just more recently, Russ Paul, 49 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 2: you know, people like that. I could go on and on, 50 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 2: but it's really and a lot of I think what 51 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: makes this record unique too, is there's songs on this 52 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 2: record that are that were written a long long time ago, 53 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 2: some some as early as the early nineties and on 54 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: up to songs that I knew that someday would see 55 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,399 Speaker 2: the light of day, but I didn't have a project 56 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 2: that they seemed to fit. And finally I had this 57 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,959 Speaker 2: body of work that seemed to embrace some of these 58 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 2: other songs that have just been sitting around in the 59 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 2: in the archives. So really it's it's I think in 60 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 2: a way, it's a little bit of a retrospective on 61 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 2: my on my singer songwriter side, on my folk acoustic side, 62 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 2: all of which are very important in my in my background, 63 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: in my musical DNA. 64 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 3: And back here you can't quite see it, but there's 65 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 3: a photo of the great John Prime back there from 66 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 3: an album cover, and you do an absolutely beautiful, beautiful 67 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 3: rendition of the song Long Monday. Congratulations on that. Tell 68 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 3: me about what John Prime that song and his music 69 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 3: means to you. 70 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 2: Well, I think there's a you know, probably you know, 71 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 2: a fact, a hidden unknown fact that John was doing, 72 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 2: if not his first album, one of his first albums 73 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 2: at Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Studios in New York City 74 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 2: in the early seventies with the producer Aarif Martin, at 75 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 2: the exact same time that Darryl and I were doing 76 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 2: our first albums in the same studio with the same producer. 77 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,280 Speaker 2: So there's a lot of a lot of synergy there 78 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 2: in terms of, you know, we'd be passing each other 79 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 2: in the hallways as you know, him going to his 80 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 2: session or coming out and vice versa. So you know, 81 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 2: even though I wasn't super close with John in the 82 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 2: later years, we did play together once or twice, just casually. 83 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 2: And I've just been a huge fan, you know, one 84 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: of the great American songwriters. And and I was asked 85 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 2: to celebrate to his birthday at the Ryman Auditorium in 86 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 2: Nashville a few months ago. They asked me if I 87 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 2: would participate, and I said, of course, And you know, 88 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 2: I picked long Monday, and then I thought about it, 89 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 2: you know, and I thought, well, here's a challenge, you know, 90 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 2: because I have a great respect for songwriters, so I 91 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 2: wouldn't want to mess with the beauty of his lyrics 92 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 2: and his melody for that matter. So I thought, well, 93 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 2: the only way I can make this my own is 94 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 2: by in terms of the arrangement. So I dug into 95 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 2: the arrangement and I tried to make the arrangement a 96 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 2: little bit more personal and a little bit more comfortable 97 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 2: for me. And then when I played it live on stage, 98 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 2: everyone seemed to really like it. Then I said, well, 99 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 2: I guess I should record it, so I did, and 100 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 2: of course I included it on the album. 101 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 4: It really is beautiful. 102 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 2: Thanks. Yeah. 103 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 4: Tell me about collaborating with Aj Croachy. 104 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: Well, it's a perfect segue because I met Aj Crochy 105 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 2: at that exact John Prime event at the Ryman Auditorium. 106 00:05:58,240 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 2: We were put into the same we were assigned the 107 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 2: same dressing room, and of course I knew I knew 108 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 2: of him, but we had never met, and we hit 109 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 2: it off immediately. He's just got a very very He's 110 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 2: a really warm, engaging guy, and and I could tell 111 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: from immediately that there was there was something going on. 112 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: We had a reel, you know, it was very compatible, 113 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 2: and I could just sense that we could do something together. 114 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 2: I didn't know what that was going to be, but 115 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 2: we did talk about, you know, getting together to write, 116 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 2: and when we did, I had this idea for a reunion. 117 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 2: I had the concept. I had the part of the chorus, 118 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,719 Speaker 2: and I had a key line the lights at the 119 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 2: party burned bright, but I'm leaving early tonight, and to 120 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,479 Speaker 2: me that that kind of symbolizes the spirit of the 121 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 2: whole song. We talked about it. I told him about 122 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,160 Speaker 2: my hundred year old father who gave me the inspiration 123 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:52,920 Speaker 2: for this song. We start discussing, you know, what it's 124 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 2: like to really find the essence of yourself, and of 125 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:58,799 Speaker 2: course he related I think in a lot of ways. 126 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 2: Due to the fact that his father there was such 127 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 2: a famous and well known songwriter and he was in 128 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 2: the midst of doing a tour Croachy Sings Croachy, there 129 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 2: was a lot going on that really we were both 130 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 2: able to relate to the idea of the song in 131 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 2: our own personal way, and it really it was beautiful. 132 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: It flowed really quickly. I think we wrote the song 133 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 2: in a few hours. 134 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 4: Had you encountered his father through your career? 135 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 2: No, not personally, no, but of course I was a fan. 136 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 4: What a legacy, right, my god? 137 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think really in a way it's sad, but 138 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 3: many times people's legacy is more appreciated after they pass away, 139 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 3: and it feels like that was the case with his father. 140 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I think he was also appreciated, you know, 141 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 2: in his own time this you know, he had big hits. 142 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 2: He had big hits with a very kind of acoustic, 143 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 2: folky kind of recording style and which was unusual for 144 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 2: the time, which was great. It made him stand out 145 00:07:57,720 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 2: for sure. 146 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 3: So put you on the spot here and ask you 147 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 3: maybe five quintessential albums that have really mattered to you 148 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 3: and had an influence on you. 149 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know where to begin, Okay, sure, I 150 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 2: would say, you know, going back. The first, the first 151 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 2: long playing album LP that I ever heard, other than 152 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 2: early rock and roll single forty five's was Ray Charles 153 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: Ray Charles's Greatest Hits. And I did not have a 154 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: long playing record player at home. I only had a 155 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,960 Speaker 2: little forty five recording record player, and this was probably 156 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,840 Speaker 2: late fifties, and I remember a friend of mine's parents 157 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 2: had a console record player and they had this Rach 158 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: Charles record and I just absorbed it. You know, it 159 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 2: had what I say, and it had you know, you know, 160 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 2: all some of his early classics, and it was just 161 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 2: it just grabbed me immediately. So I would definitely say 162 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 2: Ray Charles was a huge influence on me. And then 163 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: you know, when the folk movement, the folk revival hit 164 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 2: in the early sixties, I was exposed to music that 165 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 2: I had never heard from, never heard before, roots music 166 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:17,319 Speaker 2: that was being rediscovered and spread around the college campuses 167 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 2: in the early sixties. So I would say Dave Van Ronk, 168 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 2: who was a big, big influence on me because I 169 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 2: loved his voice. It was so gritty and he had 170 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 2: this powerful personality. Also, the first Doc Watson record on 171 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:38,199 Speaker 2: Vanguard was a real touchsdowne for me because it was 172 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 2: the first time I heard virtuosic acoustic guitar playing. So 173 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 2: I absorbed that record. I try to learn, as you know, 174 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 2: eventually over the years I learned all the songs on 175 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 2: the record, but you know, that was a challenge and 176 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 2: a real inspiration for me. And then you know, you know, 177 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 2: there's so many more the Temptations. They had a particular 178 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,360 Speaker 2: live Albu that was incredible that they recorded at a 179 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 2: club somewhere, which was amazing. And then of course the 180 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 2: classic James Brown Live at the Apollo, which was probably 181 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 2: the most kinetic and exciting recording that I'd ever heard. 182 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 2: The tempos were all jacked up. It was just as 183 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,839 Speaker 2: James Brown at his best at the Apollo Theater. And 184 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 2: then moving on later on in the sixties, you know, 185 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 2: the band. The band was a big influence on me 186 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 2: and I, you know, and I just thought that it 187 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 2: was music that I had never heard before. It was 188 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 2: a style of music, but I understood the roots of it, 189 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 2: I understood where the influences were. But their unique take 190 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 2: on it and their unique well not only the songwriting 191 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 2: but they're playing and singing was so unique. There was 192 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 2: no one that ever sounded like them, So that was 193 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 2: highly influential to me. And then the record that I 194 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,960 Speaker 2: consider the classic of all time is Blue by Joni Mitchell. 195 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,679 Speaker 2: I think that's the perfect album. I think every on 196 00:10:55,720 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 2: every level, there's nothing I've never heard anything bettering her playing, 197 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 2: the production, the engineering, the songs themselves, even down to 198 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 2: the album cover. It's the perfect the perfect combination of sensitivity, sensibility, music, lyrics, creativity, 199 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 2: all all wrapped into one perfect album. 200 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 4: Brilliant list, Brilliant list. 201 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 3: How did you feel watching Jonie at that Newport Folk 202 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 3: Festival event? 203 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 4: Wasn't it beautiful? 204 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 2: You mean most recently? Yes, yeah, Well, you know, congrats 205 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 2: to her, kudos to her. I'm really you know, I'm 206 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,199 Speaker 2: just glad that she she left her house and decided 207 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 2: to make that step. You know, a very good friend 208 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 2: of mine who was my guitar tech during the eighties 209 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 2: and also who's current currently the guitar tech for the 210 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 2: Edge and you two, he was asked to go to 211 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 2: her house and help her with her acoustic guitars and 212 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 2: help her kind of of prepare for that show. So 213 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 2: he gave me a lot of inside scoop on what 214 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 2: she was like and the and the you know, I'm 215 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:11,120 Speaker 2: sure the the you know, she was concerned and I'm 216 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 2: sure she had a lot of trepidation about what she 217 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 2: was going to do and how she was going to 218 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 2: do it. As you age, you have certain limitations to 219 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,959 Speaker 2: you to your skill set, whether that be vocally or instrumentally, 220 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 2: and I think, you know, she was concerned but she 221 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 2: had an amazing group of people to support her, and 222 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 2: it was great to see her honored and appreciated by 223 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 2: a newer generation. 224 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was a magical moment for sure. Speaking of 225 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 3: magical moments, first concert that you experienced as a fan, 226 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 3: what was it? 227 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 2: When I was four years old it was Bill Haley 228 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 2: in the Comments. I saw them play at Willo Grove 229 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 2: Amusement Park in Pennsylvania in a bandshell, and I had 230 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 2: just my family had just moved us from New York 231 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 2: City to Pennsylvania, and it was one of my first 232 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 2: memories of Pennsylvania to go to the amusement park and 233 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 2: hear this band. I had never heard live music before. Well, 234 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 2: of course, I was four years old, four or five, 235 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 2: maybe four and a half, and I remember running down 236 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 2: to the bandshell, down to the stage, and the stage 237 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,679 Speaker 2: was probably only, you know, two feet high, so I 238 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 2: was even as a little kid, I was able to 239 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 2: stand there. And I remember standing right in front of 240 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,839 Speaker 2: the upright bass player and then went at a certain 241 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 2: point in the show, which was a kind of a 242 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 2: rockabilly tradition, which of course I didn't know at the time. 243 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:39,800 Speaker 2: You know, he put it on its side and rode 244 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 2: it like a horse while he was playing. And of 245 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 2: course to a four year old, that was big. That 246 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 2: was that was that was the the apage of a 247 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 2: show business there right there? 248 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 4: Did that cement you for life that you'd be a musician. 249 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 2: I was already a musician, believe it or not. I 250 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 2: have recordings of me at four years old singing songs 251 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 2: that we did at the Coney Island Amusement Park in 252 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 2: the little booth, in the record booth where you put 253 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 2: a coin in and you'd go in and sing. So 254 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 2: for some reason, I just had this ability to sing. 255 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 2: And my parents, my mother in particular, was you know, 256 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 2: she really pushed me and supported me about that. 257 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,079 Speaker 4: So do those recordings still exist? 258 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 2: I got them? Yep. 259 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 4: Wow, that's amazing. 260 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 2: First one, the first one was here comes Peter Cottontail 261 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 2: when I was about three or four, and then the 262 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 2: second one was later a few years later. It was 263 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 2: all shook up by Elvis tremendous. 264 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 3: Who were some of the mentors in your career that 265 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 3: have really mattered to you, well a few. 266 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 2: I had an English teacher in seventh grade who gave 267 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 2: us an assignment to write a poem, and it was 268 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 2: at the time of the Cuban missile crisis, and I 269 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 2: was kind of aware of the kind of the early 270 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 2: days of the protest song movement with phil Oaks, people 271 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 2: like that Bob Dylan Phillips. So I wrote this poem 272 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 2: about the Cuban missile crisis, and the teacher knew that 273 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 2: I played guitar and said, you know, you should put 274 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 2: this to music. And I never I had never thought 275 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 2: of the idea that I could write a song, and 276 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 2: that was kind of an you know, that was an 277 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 2: incentive to try it. So I would have to count 278 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 2: that English teacher as an early mentor. But my real 279 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: mentor was a guy named Jerry Rix, who I met 280 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 2: in Philadelphia in nineteen sixty seven. He or sixty six. 281 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 2: I can't e spride sixty six. I had my first 282 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 2: year of college. I was I needed a job. I 283 00:15:57,600 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 2: needed a part time job. Of course, I'm too lazy 284 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 2: to work. So I went to a place called Esther 285 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 2: Halpern's Folk Music School in Philadelphia and I applied for 286 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 2: a job as a guitar teacher, and she auditioned me 287 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 2: and I played her a few things and she said, okay, 288 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 2: you'll be You'll be good to teach like the beginners 289 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 2: in the intermediates, and I said, okay, fine, I just 290 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 2: needed a job. The guy who was teaching the advanced 291 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 2: lessons was a guy named Jerry Rix, and he he 292 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 2: was unbelievable, and he also had been involved with helping 293 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 2: a guy named Dick Waterman. Dick Waterman was the manager 294 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 2: to a lot of the early blues men, people like Sunhouse, 295 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 2: Sonny Terry, Brownie McGee, Robert Pete Williams, Mississippi, John Hurt, 296 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 2: Doc Watson, people like that kind of helping them because 297 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 2: when a lot of these these performers, rural performers came 298 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 2: to the big cities and were performing for the first 299 00:16:56,920 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 2: time at these folk festivals and things, they had no 300 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 2: clue what to do. They had no money, they couldn't 301 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 2: stay in a hotel, so they would stay at Jerry's 302 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 2: house because Jerry lived right across the street from Dick Waterman. 303 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 2: And a little fun fact sidebar, Bonnie Ray was Dick 304 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 2: Waterman's girlfriend. So if anyone ever wonders why Bonnie Raid 305 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 2: is so good and why she's so authentic, it's because 306 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 2: she sat in the living room with some of these 307 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 2: great authentic performers and learned directly from them. But anyway, 308 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 2: and actually one day Bonnie and I had to drag 309 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,719 Speaker 2: Robert Pete Williams out of a bar in South Philly 310 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 2: and bring him back because no one could find him. 311 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 2: These guys didn't know it. They did tend to like 312 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 2: to drink. But anyway, Jerry became my Initially, when I 313 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 2: realized how good he was, I asked him if he 314 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 2: could teach me some things. So I became his guitar student, 315 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 2: and eventually we played together. In fact, Jerry is playing 316 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 2: Jerry Rix is playing on the first two Hall and 317 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: Oates albums with me on acoustic guitar on some of 318 00:17:56,080 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 2: their songs. And interestingly enough, here's another sidebar. After Mississippi 319 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:04,360 Speaker 2: John Hurt died hit, his guitar that he played at 320 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 2: Newport Folk Festival in sixty three was given to Jerry. 321 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 2: And when I asked Jerry to come to New York 322 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 2: in the early seventies and play on the whole of 323 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 2: Notes albums, he asked me, he said, do you want 324 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,919 Speaker 2: me to bring Mississippi John's guitar so you can play it? 325 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 2: And I said absolutely, So the guitar I'm playing on 326 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:21,240 Speaker 2: the first two Whole Notes albums is Mississippi John Hurts 327 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 2: acoustic guitar, which I now own, by the way, Wow, 328 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 2: I know it's crazy, and it's on display at the 329 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:34,840 Speaker 2: Phoenix Musical Instrument Museum as we speak, and I'm playing 330 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:38,239 Speaker 2: there as well in a week or so. But so, 331 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 2: Jerry was incredible, and not only you know, he became 332 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 2: a good friend, a teacher, a mentor, and I really 333 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 2: learned so much from him, not only about actually how 334 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 2: to play some of these songs and how to authentically 335 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 2: finger the finger picking in the styles, but also just 336 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 2: some basic, just basic learning about musicianship and listening and 337 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 2: a more sophisticated way of of of he may be 338 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 2: a more sophisticated musician in a way. So so I 339 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 2: would say they're they're my real mentors. 340 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more of the Taking a 341 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: Walk Podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 342 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 3: Well throughout your career, you've always had an eye on, 343 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 3: you know, rising talent and how to help them and 344 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 3: work with them. We had one of those talents on 345 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 3: this podcast named Honorly, who was a delightful person for 346 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 3: us to encounter and very talented. Tell us about how 347 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 3: that collaboration came about with honorly. 348 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 2: Well, she's my niece, all right, she said, yes, she's 349 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 2: my wife's brother's daughter. And she was always a very 350 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:56,880 Speaker 2: you know, I watched her grow up from the time 351 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,200 Speaker 2: she was a baby. Uh, and she's always very outgoing. 352 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 2: She had always had a real big personality. And she 353 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 2: began to sing, and I when I first heard her sing, 354 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 2: you know, I knew that she could really sing. And 355 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 2: I remember she came. She came to Nashville quite a 356 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 2: while ago when she was just out, maybe in high 357 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 2: school or just in college, and she really wanted to 358 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 2: come to Nashville, and she said she wanted to make 359 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 2: it and all this stuff. And I remember we went 360 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 2: to a restaurant with her parents and we were sitting 361 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 2: there and I said to her, look, I said, you 362 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 2: see all these waitresses. They're all trying to do exactly 363 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 2: what you're trying to do. I said, so, if you're 364 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 2: going to come here, you better be prepared because the 365 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 2: bar is set very high and it is not easy. 366 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:46,919 Speaker 2: And I thought maybe she would get scared off or 367 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 2: maybe just lose the vibe. But she came and she 368 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 2: worked her butt off. She went down on Lower Broadways. 369 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 2: She sang in the bars, she did all the cover songs. 370 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 2: She really really worked hard. I didn't help her very much, 371 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,440 Speaker 2: to be honest with you, but I did help her 372 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,399 Speaker 2: when she needed it, and we wrote a song together. 373 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 2: I put her with the great Nathan Chapman who produced 374 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 2: Taylor Swift, and Nathan myself and Anna Lee. We wrote 375 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 2: a song together, and I think that was the first 376 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 2: time she got a chance to write with professional songwriters. 377 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 2: And we wrote a really cool song called Hey There Walls, 378 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 2: which I believe she recorded. So I mean, I didn't, 379 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 2: you know. I just I've always there for her, but 380 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 2: didn't really want to be, you know, like kind of pushy. 381 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:36,200 Speaker 2: And it was really her career, and I just I'm 382 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 2: so proud of her for really doing it herself and 383 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 2: really finding her way. She's making some new music now 384 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 2: out in California. She's found some producers who she's working with, 385 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 2: and she runs things by me. I give her my 386 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 2: two cents, but she knows what she's doing and she's amazing. 387 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:52,640 Speaker 4: Is a good soul. 388 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,640 Speaker 3: Good tell yeah, good, tell tell me about the Nashville community. 389 00:21:56,680 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 3: You've been there a while and it is a unique 390 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,919 Speaker 3: and I think special community, talk about what it means 391 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 3: being part of that community in the way that you are. 392 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 2: Well in the nineties, when Daryl and I weren't doing 393 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 2: very much, I started going to Nashville and meeting some people. 394 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 2: I did a few demo sessions and things like that, 395 00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 2: and immediately the first thing that struck me was the 396 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 2: caliber and quality of the players, the musicians. I realized 397 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 2: that they were really, really good. And you know, I 398 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 2: had spent my whole basically my own you know, I 399 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:34,359 Speaker 2: was in bands and playing playing by myself prior to 400 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,959 Speaker 2: meeting Daryl. But once Darryl and I started, you know, 401 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 2: it was all Hall and Oates all the time, twenty 402 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 2: four to seven for you know, for fifteen twenty years whatever. 403 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 2: So I was used to playing with a certain in 404 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:48,400 Speaker 2: a certain style, with a certain band, with a certain ensemble. 405 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 2: So all of a sudden I was playing with different 406 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,360 Speaker 2: people in different settings, and I was really impressed. And 407 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 2: I also realized that that I couldn't kind of kind 408 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:02,239 Speaker 2: of skate and kind of I couldn't make it on 409 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 2: my reputation. I really had to up my game. So, 410 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,720 Speaker 2: to be honest with you, I started practicing really hard. 411 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 2: You know, in the late nineties early two thousands, I 412 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 2: realized that I needed to really up my game and 413 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 2: if I wanted to be in that caliber player. So 414 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 2: it's really been an incredible incentive to me to get 415 00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,920 Speaker 2: better and to really realize my full potential. 416 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:29,400 Speaker 3: You know, there's a couple of historic moments in your 417 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 3: career that I wanted to get your memory of Live 418 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,640 Speaker 3: Aid and the We Are the World sessions, those two 419 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:42,400 Speaker 3: in particular. Any reflections you could share with us about 420 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 3: those two historic events. 421 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 2: I don't think you have enough time, But Okay, where 422 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:50,159 Speaker 2: you want to start with Live AID, I guess we 423 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 2: can start there. Yeah, well, you know, the American version 424 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 2: was going to be in Philadelphia, of course, Darren I 425 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 2: being from Philadelphia and being of course at almost you know, 426 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 2: at the top of our commercial. You know, we were 427 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 2: at the top of the pop pyramid at the time, 428 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:11,119 Speaker 2: so we were we were asked to basically close the show, 429 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:13,719 Speaker 2: and we wanted to do something really special and something 430 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 2: you know, above and beyond. We had just played the 431 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 2: Apollo Theater with Eddie Kendrick and David Ruffin who were 432 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 2: the lead singers and the Temptations, and we did a Temptations, 433 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 2: you know, kind of retrospective of songs metalley and it 434 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 2: was great. So we thought, well, why not bring Eddie 435 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 2: and David and we'll do some Temptations songs in addition 436 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 2: to our own set, of course, and then Mick Chagger 437 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 2: reached out and he was doing a solo album at 438 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 2: the time and he didn't have a band, so he 439 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 2: asked if we if our band were backing, So of course, 440 00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 2: you know, we said, yeah, of course. And I remember, 441 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 2: you know, one anecdote it's really amazing to me, is 442 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 2: we were rehearsing at SIR, which was studio instrument rentals 443 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 2: in New York City, so you know where they have 444 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 2: a sound stage and you could rehearse and all that. 445 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 2: And we had rehearsed the songs that Mick wanted to play, 446 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 2: and so we knew the songs. We had learned them, 447 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 2: and then Mick was going to come in and just 448 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 2: go over them with us. And I thought, you know, well, 449 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 2: he'll just come in and you know, we'll go through 450 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 2: the motions and we'll play the songs and he'll say 451 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 2: yes or no or change whatever. But what I didn't 452 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 2: expect was for him to literally jump on stage, grab 453 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 2: the mic and count the song off and go into 454 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,679 Speaker 2: his full Mick Jagger routine in rehearsal with nobody in 455 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:34,239 Speaker 2: the room except us. I mean, I'm talking about the 456 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 2: full thing, the chicken wings, you know, the jumping around 457 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 2: doing He did it as if he was playing you know, 458 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 2: Madison Square Garden. It was unbelievable and you know, and 459 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:51,400 Speaker 2: it was incredible and it was exciting, and I immediately said, okay, well, 460 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 2: this is why this guy is who he is. And 461 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 2: then of course he didn't tell us. We didn't know 462 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 2: that he was going to bring Tina Turner out on stage. 463 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 2: That was a surprise, and literally he didn't we didn't know. 464 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 2: And when he brought her out on stage, and then 465 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 2: of course he ripped her leather skirt off, which was 466 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:08,879 Speaker 2: kind of cool too. I guess they had it all planned, 467 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 2: but you know, but it just made it so exciting 468 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 2: because it was like it was happening all, you know, 469 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 2: for the first time. So that was that. That was 470 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 2: an amazing night and I believe that was the biggest 471 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 2: rock concert to ever be a simulcast around the world, 472 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 2: you know, at the time, and then you know, on 473 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 2: We Are the World. That was that was scheduled to 474 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 2: be done after the American Music Awards. And back in 475 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 2: those days, you know, there was really only the American 476 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 2: Music Awards and the Grammys, so everybody who was anybody 477 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 2: in pop was pretty much at that show. And they 478 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,640 Speaker 2: carted us all over to the studio and put us, 479 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:48,439 Speaker 2: you know, on those things. And there I was standing 480 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,360 Speaker 2: next to Bob Dylan and Ray Charles, to my heroes. 481 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 2: So I thought, hey, this is pretty good, pretty good 482 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 2: spot to be, uh and yeah, and then I went 483 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 2: around and got everyone to sign my manuscript, my music, 484 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 2: the music lea, the lead sheet, the sheet music which 485 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 2: they handed us. I got everyone to sign it, and 486 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 2: I have that frame now, So it's a It's a 487 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 2: definitely one of my prize possessions. Love it. 488 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 3: How do you think the musical hall and Notes will 489 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 3: be viewed for years to come? 490 00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 2: I think I think it would be. 491 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 3: Uh. 492 00:27:19,400 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 2: I think it's pretty timeless. So some of those songs 493 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 2: are have that already, you know, withstood the test of generations, 494 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 2: so I don't see that they're going to go away. 495 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 2: Great songs endure, and I'm very proud and happy to 496 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 2: know that I was part of something that will endure. 497 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 2: Uh and uh, you know which is is fabulous and 498 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 2: you know it's a it's a blessing. It's something that people, 499 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 2: you know, people would you know, most musicians and songwriters 500 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:53,400 Speaker 2: would hope that they would have one much less than 501 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 2: you know, multiple songs that fit that description. So I'm 502 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 2: proud of it. At the same time, I've I feel like, 503 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 2: I think those songs should be respected and heard in 504 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 2: the in the context of the records that were made 505 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 2: in the seventies and eighties, and I really don't feel 506 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 2: like I've moved beyond it now. I'd rather hear those 507 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 2: songs the way they should sound, as opposed to kind of, 508 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 2: you know, a live reproduction of them. At this point 509 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 2: in my life, I've kind of moved away from that. 510 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 3: You moved to Colorado to just sort of change the 511 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 3: pace of your life a bit and sort of go 512 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:33,399 Speaker 3: into a different mode. 513 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,159 Speaker 4: And as part of that move. 514 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 3: I think you did encounter the great Hunter Thompson while 515 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 3: you were out there. Can you share anything about an 516 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 3: experience with Hunter? 517 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 2: Many many, some of which I can't tell you, but well, 518 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 2: you know, I have been going to Colorado since the 519 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 2: late sixties when I was in college and I finally 520 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 2: finally moved there. In the late eighties nearly nineties, I 521 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 2: met my future wife and we were looking for a 522 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 2: place to live. She found a little piece of land 523 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 2: in place called Woody Creek outside of Aspen, Colorado, and 524 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 2: it was like a little little farm, a little ranch. 525 00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:20,520 Speaker 2: And I remember the first time we went to see 526 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 2: it with the real estate agent. We're standing there on 527 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 2: this kind of there was only a horse barn and 528 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 2: a little log cabin, and we're standing there and all 529 00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:32,560 Speaker 2: of a sudden, we heard, you know, boom boom, and 530 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 2: then we heard shotgun pellets all on the metal roof 531 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 2: of this little barn, like you know. And I was like, whoa, 532 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 2: what's that? And then real estate agent was like, oh, 533 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 2: that's your neighbors. That's on her that's your neighbor. And 534 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 2: I said, well, is this something we should be concerned about? 535 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:51,040 Speaker 2: And he said no, no, he said he's fine, he's fine. 536 00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 2: He's just sending a warning shot, you know. So I 537 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 2: thought to myself, well, this is either really good or 538 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 2: really terrible. As it turned out, it was really good 539 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 2: because he slept during the day and worked at night. 540 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 2: I did I work during the day and slept at night, 541 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,160 Speaker 2: so that worked out pretty well. The interesting thing that 542 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 2: I noticed immediately in the little log cabin there was 543 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 2: the big There was a big red convertible, which was 544 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 2: that land shark that he used in fear and loathing 545 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 2: is his car. Because no one had been on the 546 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 2: property for years, so he even though he didn't own 547 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:25,719 Speaker 2: the property, he just put his car in the cabin 548 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 2: and put a padlock on the door. And I said, 549 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 2: what are we going to do with this guy's car? 550 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 2: Because we wanted to turn the cabin into it into 551 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 2: a little apartment where we could live while we built 552 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 2: the rest of our house. So I would go and 553 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 2: knock on his door and he never answered. Then I'd 554 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 2: go again, I knock, and I didn't even note because 555 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 2: I because we wanted to, you know, we wanted to 556 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 2: have the carpenters come in and start rebuilding this cabin. 557 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 2: So the keys were in it. I jump started it, 558 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 2: I backed it out, I drove it up on his lawn. 559 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 2: I put it directly in front of his and I 560 00:31:01,240 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 2: just left it there. And I knew him for twenty 561 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 2: five years, and he never said a word to me 562 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 2: about it. I guess he just thought the car just 563 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 2: appeared one day, you know. So we went to his 564 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 2: funeral that Johnny Depp organized and it was amazing. We 565 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 2: played at his funeral with Lyle loved and Johnny Depp 566 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 2: and it was just absolutely amazing. He was an amazing 567 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:25,160 Speaker 2: guy and one of the great you know, a classic journalists, 568 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 2: you know, who invented a style of journalism. Really, you know, 569 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:32,480 Speaker 2: he loved being Hunter Thompson. He loved the image of himself. 570 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 2: And I think what happened when he broke his hip 571 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 2: in his leg and he couldn't really be that guy anymore, 572 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:41,120 Speaker 2: I don't. I think that's when he decided to pack 573 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:44,160 Speaker 2: it all in. But he we used to go up 574 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 2: there and watch Monday night football with the sheriff, and 575 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 2: we like, it's just kind of crazy. 576 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 3: Let's come back to reunion here. I want to get 577 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 3: your take on a couple of the specific songs here. 578 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 3: We've already touched on Long Monday and Reunion. I want 579 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 3: to talk about Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, who you 580 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 3: mentioned earlier in the conversation, So talk about them and 581 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 3: that song. 582 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,040 Speaker 2: That song was written during the pandemic when I was 583 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,840 Speaker 2: out in Colorado. I'm spending more time in Colorado during 584 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 2: the pandemic, just to get out of the city, breathe 585 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 2: some fresh air and all that. And I ran into 586 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 2: a guy who his neighbor, who I knew for years 587 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 2: and years, but we never did anything together. His guy 588 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 2: named Joe Henry, who has written lyrics. He's an author, 589 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 2: he's written books, and we were just shooting the breeze 590 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:38,720 Speaker 2: and he said, you know, we should write a song? 591 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 2: Did I said, yeah, we should, And so he came 592 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 2: up to my little cabin and the cabin where that 593 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:49,760 Speaker 2: car was by the way, and we'd start talking about, 594 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 2: you know, ideas for songs, and he told me he 595 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:55,320 Speaker 2: related this story about Sunny Terry and Brownie McGee, how 596 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 2: as time went on in their career they were together 597 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:02,000 Speaker 2: for over forty years, they began to really dislike each 598 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 2: other and they didn't want to play together anymore. So 599 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 2: obviously there was something going on that resonated with me. 600 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 2: But he said that the interesting part was that one 601 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:14,120 Speaker 2: of them lost his ability to see and the other 602 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:17,840 Speaker 2: one lost his ability to walk, and it brought them 603 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 2: together in a way, and they needed each other to 604 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 2: get on stage. And when I thought about it, I said, well, 605 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:27,800 Speaker 2: you know, we could write about them specifically, or we 606 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 2: could use their story and their experience as a metaphor 607 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:34,840 Speaker 2: for highness and lending a helping hand and helping your 608 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 2: fellow man, so to speaking. I thought that was a 609 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 2: more broad subject. So in the end, Sunny Terry and 610 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:44,160 Speaker 2: BROWNI McGee became more of a metaphor for the meaning 611 00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:44,640 Speaker 2: of the song. 612 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 3: How about the song All I Am that you co 613 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:50,480 Speaker 3: wrote with Adam Ezra. 614 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, Adam's great. He and I just did a song 615 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 2: that we just played together in New York just a 616 00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:00,040 Speaker 2: couple of weeks ago. He's he's great. He's from the 617 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:06,440 Speaker 2: Boston area, a really good soul, talented guy, and we played. 618 00:34:06,480 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 2: We've done shows together over the years. We've written a 619 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 2: few songs together, and All I Am is probably my 620 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 2: favorite of the ones we've written. It's just a song. 621 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:18,759 Speaker 2: He came to Nashville, we sat down and we wrote it. 622 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:20,879 Speaker 2: It just worked, and I love that song. We played 623 00:34:20,920 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 2: all the time. 624 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 3: And how about the song that This Field Is Mine? 625 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 3: Which is just wonderful to talk about that one? 626 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 2: Thank you. That song was supposed to be included on 627 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:35,000 Speaker 2: the Arkansas album, which came out in twenty eighteen, but 628 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:39,040 Speaker 2: it just didn't There was something about it that I 629 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 2: didn't think it was right for that album. So I 630 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:43,759 Speaker 2: held it, but I knew that I was going to 631 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:46,920 Speaker 2: release it someday. That song was inspired by my wife's 632 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:51,840 Speaker 2: family who they own a farm in southern Illinois and 633 00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:55,520 Speaker 2: they're very, very passionate about keeping the farm as the 634 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 2: surrounding area gets developed by suburbs and houses and developments. 635 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 2: And when I know the passion that they have for 636 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:07,359 Speaker 2: their land because it's a you know, it's been in 637 00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 2: their farm family for generations. So I thought about it, 638 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 2: and I thought about what that really means. I thought 639 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,600 Speaker 2: about what owning a piece of land? Do you really 640 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 2: really own it? Or are you're just the caretaker for 641 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,759 Speaker 2: a while, you know? And so that was the impetus 642 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 2: for it, and I I ran the idea by Sam 643 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 2: Bush and the great Jeff Black, who's an incredible Nashville songwriter, 644 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:32,200 Speaker 2: and we wanted to try to write something together. So 645 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,440 Speaker 2: the three of us got together and we wrote that 646 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:37,799 Speaker 2: song together. Yeah, So that was that was that was 647 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 2: really great to be able to. I had never written 648 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 2: anything with Sam and it was first time, and I 649 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:43,919 Speaker 2: think we did pretty good. 650 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:51,759 Speaker 3: Did awesome and closing, You've always explored diverse influences. 651 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:54,359 Speaker 4: In your career and you continue to do that. 652 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 3: Are there some influences that you have not explored that 653 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 3: you'd still like to explore. 654 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:07,320 Speaker 2: I wouldn't say there's any particular influence like style I 655 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 2: I but I still have a lot of interest. You know. 656 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 2: I just wrote a song with a young artist named 657 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:18,360 Speaker 2: Devin Gilfillan, who's fantastic. He's an R and B singer 658 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:23,479 Speaker 2: from Philadelphia, and once saw him live and he's great, 659 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:26,160 Speaker 2: and I introduced myself and we hit it off and 660 00:36:26,480 --> 00:36:29,200 Speaker 2: wrote a song. It sounds like a vintage soul song. 661 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:32,839 Speaker 2: And so I'm not going to be stuck in any 662 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:36,400 Speaker 2: particular style. I'm just going to, you know, do whatever 663 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:39,080 Speaker 2: it feels right at the time. That's a song that 664 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 2: I want to release this coming fall, and it's a 665 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:45,279 Speaker 2: really cool song. So and then, you know, I just 666 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 2: recently I was on the Joe Bonamassa Blues Cruise and 667 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 2: I got a chance to sit in with a band 668 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:54,280 Speaker 2: called Robert John and the Reck They're a California based 669 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:58,320 Speaker 2: rock band and they're really really good and I really 670 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:01,480 Speaker 2: like them and got together and wrote a song just 671 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 2: a few days ago with him and Dave Cobb is 672 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 2: producing him. Hopefully it'll make it onto the album, and 673 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:11,640 Speaker 2: so you know, I'm I'm just open to interesting ideas. 674 00:37:12,360 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 3: Congratulations on reunion, the singles out the album coming out soon. 675 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:21,319 Speaker 3: I'm so grateful that you took the time to be 676 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 3: on Taking a Walk. I've been a fan forever and 677 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:27,279 Speaker 3: thank you for the music that you continued to give us. 678 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:27,640 Speaker 1: John. 679 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:30,520 Speaker 2: Thanks, it was a good interview. I like talking about 680 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 2: that stuff, so thanks. 681 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:35,480 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 682 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:39,400 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 683 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:43,000 Speaker 1: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 684 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:46,919 Speaker 1: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 685 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:49,399 Speaker 1: and wherever you get your podcasts.