1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: You're listening to Math and Magic, a production of iHeart Podcasts. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 2: Tenacity is a talent because I never felt like I 3 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 2: was super talented at anything, because I never had one 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 2: skill that I can lean on. I couldn't sing, didn't 5 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:23,639 Speaker 2: have a great voice, wasn't super funny. I started to 6 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 2: realize that being tenacious and not stopping being tenacious, that's 7 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 2: a real talent. 8 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 3: I am Bob Pittman, and welcome to this episode of 9 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 3: Math and Magic. Today we're exploring the power of audio 10 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 3: and the power of those hosts on the radio and 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 3: podcasts who hundreds of millions of Americans call their friends. 12 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 3: Our guest today is Bobby Bones, known the millions and 13 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 3: millions for his morning show on country radio, and also 14 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 3: for his stints as a mentor on American Idol, host 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 3: of Breaking Bobby Bones on the National Geographic Channel, and 16 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 3: a past winner of Dancing with the Stars. He's also 17 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 3: authored two New York Times bestsellers, and it has the 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 3: wildly successful podcast Bobby Cast and the Nashville Podcast Network. 19 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 3: Bobby was born and raised in small town Arkansas, Mountain Pine, 20 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 3: in what he has described as extreme poverty. He literally 21 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 3: had no bed for himself until he finally got to college. 22 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 3: He has had a life of driving to make his 23 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 3: life a success. He's going to share some of those 24 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:26,839 Speaker 3: stories and insights and more. 25 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 4: Bobby, welcome, Thank you for having me, Bob. This is awesome. 26 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 3: Listen before we get into the meaty stuff, I want 27 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 3: to do you in sixty seconds. 28 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 4: You ready this? There? Do you prefer cats or dogs? Dogs? 29 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 4: Early Riser night Out? I'm an Early Riser, but I 30 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:42,759 Speaker 4: hate it. 31 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 3: Nashville or la oh, Nashville by far, City or Country. 32 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 2: I'm going to surprise you and go city on this 33 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: Coker PEPSI. I'm going to go coke, rock and roll 34 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 2: er country. What's the difference? You know, they're basically the same. 35 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 4: But I'll go Country, Coffee or tea. I'll go tea. 36 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 4: As long as it's. 37 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 3: Podcast or streaming TV out podcast by far, call her, text, 38 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 3: don't call me, just text. All time favorite musical artist 39 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 3: Counting Crows. First job doing maintenance on a golf course. 40 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 3: Favorite TV show of all time, The Office, childhood hero 41 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 3: David Letterman. Favored sport to watch college football, Arkansas Razorbacks. 42 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 4: Most important piece of advice you ever got, just keep 43 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 4: pushing regardless. Favorite city Oh you'll give me in trouble here. 44 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 4: I'm gonna go Fabel. 45 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 3: Arkansas Final one secret talent. 46 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 4: I can juggle really well. I can do turns and 47 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 4: throws and it's awesome. 48 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 3: Okay, let's jump in. Country music is on a real 49 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 3: up swing in America, comes up and down sometimes. It is, 50 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 3: by the way, the biggest music format on the radio. 51 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 4: What's going on? Why? 52 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 2: I think because one the music sonically has opened itself 53 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 2: up a bit. And the one thing about country music 54 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 2: is it's always progressing. And the other thing is there's 55 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 2: always a group going that's not country. And so as 56 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:09,799 Speaker 2: long as country music has existed, you've had people saying, well, 57 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 2: that's not real country. I think you've had a couple 58 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 2: transcendent artists as well. So it doesn't hurt when you 59 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 2: have big stars. And so guys like Morgan Waller and 60 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 2: Luke Combs and Zach Bryan and then the guys like 61 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:27,519 Speaker 2: Chesney and Garth the Stadio Max are really ruling country music. 62 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 4: And the fact that some of them are so young 63 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 4: makes it cool. 64 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 3: You know, you're talking about people saying that's not country. 65 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 3: But the history of country music, country radio especially is 66 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 3: the oldies always seem to be from rock in the seventies. 67 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 3: The oldies were not Hank Williams. The old ones were 68 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 3: Elvis Presley, the Eagles or whatever. Why does over the 69 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 3: years country music attract the former rock and roll audience? 70 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 3: What makes them switch and how does that work? 71 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 2: I think the format itself is very traditional in nature. However, 72 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 2: I think the format also at times will attempt to 73 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 2: hold itself back, if not for real pioneer type artists. 74 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: I mean, when you look at country music just in general, 75 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 2: from the beginning of the format itself, at the genre 76 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 2: you're talking about, the music was created by slaves coming 77 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 2: over on the slave ship and Europeans coming over, and 78 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 2: that's where you get the banjo on the fiddle. And 79 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 2: the fact to where they live geographically is the roots. 80 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 4: Of country music. 81 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 2: And so when people will hear a song and go, well, 82 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 2: that's not country, you know, my response often is, well, 83 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 2: nothing is unless you go back to the very beginning. 84 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 2: You can look at any of the artists like Bob 85 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 2: Wills and the Texas Playboys. The first time they amp 86 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 2: to steal guitar, it was like Dylan going electric, Like 87 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 2: people flipped out, and that has happened over and over again. 88 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 2: Garth Brooks doing concerts, touring like a rock star. You 89 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: have people put in eight to eights in songs now, 90 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 2: and I think what's happening is when you're young, you 91 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 2: like the edgy music, and then what happens is that 92 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 2: edgy type music isn't so edgy anymore, and what was 93 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 2: the rock back in the time really has settled into 94 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 2: what is now country music ten fifteen, twenty years later. 95 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 3: So let's talk a little bit about the country music community. 96 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 3: You touched on it, about who these people are, how 97 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 3: are they different from other audiences. 98 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:25,359 Speaker 2: They are far more loyal to the artist than any 99 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 2: other format. 100 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 4: Country music. 101 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 2: From before I got in it until today, there were 102 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 2: artists that I love and it did not matter what 103 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 2: they put out. 104 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 4: I loved it. 105 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 2: When I worked in pop, you could have a song 106 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 2: and go away forever. That almost never happens in country 107 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: music even today. So once you establish who you are 108 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 2: and you build a fan base, they don't go anywhere. 109 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 2: And I think that's really like a lot of people 110 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 2: in this country like, if you can actually prove your 111 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 2: worth and there's a reason to like you, and you're 112 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 2: not going to really change fundamentally who you are, like, 113 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 2: we're gonna. 114 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 4: Roll with you. 115 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 2: We're real loyalists to folks, and I think that's what 116 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 2: this format is really known for, and I think it's 117 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:01,679 Speaker 2: why it thrives. 118 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 3: You know, you started in top forty pop hits and 119 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 3: you moved the country radio. 120 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 4: Why. 121 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 2: I think I wanted to talk to the most people. 122 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 2: That's the selfish answer. But when it comes to where 123 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 2: did I even fit, Like how I sound, I mean, 124 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 2: I talk like a guy from and I want to 125 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: say Middle America, probably a little south of Middle America. 126 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 2: Like I talked like a guy from Southeast America. And 127 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 2: so when I was doing pop, I had Willie Nelson 128 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 2: on and Derek spentleyon and I had all these country acts. 129 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 2: And what was funny was the word on the street 130 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 2: then was he's too country for pop. But then once 131 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 2: I got the country, it was he's too pop for country. 132 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 2: So I kind of never really had a place to 133 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 2: fit in. But that's exactly how and why I fit, 134 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: because nobody really fits anywhere. And the fact that I 135 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 2: just embraced that, like, yeah, I don't fit into one 136 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 2: specific hole. I think that is what endeared me to listeners. 137 00:06:58,680 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 4: I hope. I hope it still does. 138 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,479 Speaker 2: But that's why I'm here now, because I talk to 139 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 2: people that grew up like me, have sensibilities like me, 140 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 2: and have loyalties like me. 141 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 3: So how has Nashville managed to hang on to its 142 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 3: dominance in the country scene. 143 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 2: And invests a lot of money? I mean, it is 144 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 2: a industry. It's billions and billions of dollars, and you 145 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 2: know where it's an art and it's fun and it 146 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 2: makes you happy and sad. It is also a cutthroat business. 147 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: It just reminds me of sports, right, Like I have 148 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: my favorite teams and I love them. But behind the 149 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 2: guys playing on the field for nine innings getting dirty, 150 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 2: that there are people making really difficult decisions, and there 151 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 2: are people that are paid a lot to judge and 152 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 2: gauge talent and scout talent. I think Nashville is really 153 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:50,559 Speaker 2: prioritized one investing in technology and also investing in really 154 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 2: great people to live here and cultivate the music. And 155 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 2: you often see a lot of the producers from Los Angeles, 156 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 2: a lot of the songwriters from Los Angeles. They're in 157 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 2: Nashville a lot because they want to write with Nashville 158 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 2: songwriters so I think it's really just the investment of 159 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 2: the people and the technology and both are doing the 160 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 2: job of letting the strongest survive. 161 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 3: So you're also a musician performer on the stage. You've 162 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 3: got the Ragie Idiots. Tell us about your history as 163 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 3: a performer and where that fits into what you do. 164 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 2: The Raging Idiots are a comedy duo. It's how we started, 165 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 2: and we were just raising money for charity. Honestly, I 166 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 2: was just looking for ways to tour around, do some 167 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 2: funny songs and make a little bit of money to 168 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 2: donate to dog shelters and Saint Jude, which. 169 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 4: Is a hospital for kids. 170 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 2: And I was in the hospital a bunch as a kid, 171 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 2: and I know that if people didn't help me, like 172 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 2: my church and the community, that I don't think I 173 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 2: would have been able to actually get the care that 174 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 2: I got because we didn't have a whole lot of money. 175 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 2: So Saint Jude they don't have people pay that you 176 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 2: show up there. If you have the kind of cancer, 177 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 2: they take care of you. 178 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:58,319 Speaker 4: So that was it. That's why we started at. 179 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 2: Me and my buddy Eddie, and we tore our and 180 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 2: honestly we were just okay. But The great thing is 181 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: if you're okay and you work hard enough, you get 182 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 2: to be pretty good. And that's what we did. From 183 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,000 Speaker 2: pretty good, we got to a little better than pretty good, 184 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 2: and our shows got bigger and we were playing theaters. 185 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 2: We've been able to raise millions of dollars for the hospital. 186 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 2: But it really just started off as two guys playing 187 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 2: in like a barbecue restaurant. So it's a comedy band, 188 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:20,199 Speaker 2: but we've been able to do a lot of really 189 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 2: serious stuff with them. 190 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 3: You're big on social too. How does that tie together 191 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 3: all you do? Is it sort of like the listen 192 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 3: line used to be at the radio station? How does 193 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 3: it keep you tuned into your audience in real time? 194 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 2: It's where they are, and I want to be where 195 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 2: the people are. I want to be where the people are. 196 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 4: It sounds like. 197 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 2: I'm a little mermaid or something, but you know, it's 198 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 2: where the people are. It's where I can talk to 199 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 2: them twenty four hours a day. The great thing about 200 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,559 Speaker 2: the radio show is like I'm their friend. If they're 201 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 2: driving in, I'm their companion. Hopefully they trust that I'm 202 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 2: going to give them something compelling to listen to. If 203 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 2: it's happier set if it's funny or not, that I'm 204 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 2: their buddy that's going to be with them. 205 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:05,480 Speaker 4: Same with podcasts. 206 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 2: The thing about social media is I can be on 207 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 2: it constantly, over and over and over again, saying different things, 208 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 2: but also directing them to the longer form media. 209 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 4: Right it's in the end. 210 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 2: It is a wonderful promotional tool for what I feel 211 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 2: I do best, which is mid and long form audio. 212 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:24,439 Speaker 3: You know, I want to go back in time a 213 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 3: little bit, get a little context on you, especially for 214 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 3: people who really know you and you're interested in how 215 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,439 Speaker 3: you got to be Bobby Balenes, you have an amazing, 216 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 3: tough yet inspiring personal story. Teenage mom who had some 217 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 3: abuse issues for her whole life. Your grandmother's stepped down 218 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 3: as an important figure in your life, and it seems 219 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 3: that poverty dominated your early life. Can you share that story. 220 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 2: I was born to a mom who got pregnant at fifteen. 221 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 2: She had me right after her sixteenth birthday. And having 222 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 2: a mom that got pregnant at fifteen, it was very 223 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 2: difficult for her because she also didn't come from money. 224 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 2: So she's again in a situation where she didn't have advantage. 225 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 2: And now we're all at a big disadvantage, and so 226 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 2: my biological dad was seventeen when she was fifteen. He 227 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 2: left when I was four or five years old. I 228 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 2: was in the hospital for a long time. He kind 229 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 2: of skipped out. Then. 230 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 4: I don't have a relationship with him. I never really 231 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 4: knew him. 232 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 2: I chased him down a few years ago just to 233 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 2: kind of get some closure in my life. But my mom, 234 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 2: being a teenage mom, she wasn't super consistent. She was 235 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 2: gone a lot. I was adopted by my grandmother. I 236 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 2: was in and out of trailers and apartments, and then 237 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,880 Speaker 2: it was so normal, you know, looking back as an adult, 238 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 2: you kind of admire the tenacity that little sucker who 239 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:45,320 Speaker 2: just continued to read books and go to school. You 240 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 2: mentioned earlier, I didn't have a bed. I never really 241 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 2: thought about not having a bed. I knew I never 242 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 2: had a bedroom, but I never had a bed. So 243 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 2: I slept on the couch every night. My closet was 244 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 2: underneath the couch and just got by. 245 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 4: Now. 246 00:11:56,040 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 2: Luckily, I was pretty good at school, and so from 247 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 2: a very young age, I knew that I did not 248 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 2: want to be where I was, which was just a 249 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 2: place of complete inconsistency. 250 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 4: If that was food if that was where we were living. 251 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 2: We moved around a bunch as a kid, But I 252 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 2: think there was a lot of time struggling with Because 253 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 2: my mom ended up dying in her forties with addiction issues, 254 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 2: there was a lot of struggling with, like even me existing, 255 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 2: there was a bunch of guilt that my mom wouldn't 256 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:26,959 Speaker 2: have had me, that her life would have been a 257 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 2: whole lot better. So it was just a lot of inconsistency, 258 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 2: And I think that's probably now why if there's anything 259 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:37,599 Speaker 2: I'm good at, it is being consistent and it's tenacity. 260 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 2: I think those are really the skills that I've developed. 261 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 2: My grandmother was the saving grace. Anytime my mom would leave, 262 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 2: and she would leave for months at a time, a 263 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 2: couple of years at a time, I would just go 264 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 2: live with my grandmother and she was that consistency. It 265 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,559 Speaker 2: just sucks she was so old. If Grandma's could be younger, 266 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 2: that'd be way cooler. But yeah, like my grandma was 267 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 2: what really gave me the idea that consistency even existed. 268 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 3: What advice do you have for young people who've had 269 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:05,839 Speaker 3: a background like you and are trying to start their 270 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 3: adult lives. 271 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 4: What do you tell them? 272 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 2: I will tell them that if you climb out of 273 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 2: the hole, you're so much stronger when you get out 274 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 2: of the hole, and once you're back to even you 275 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 2: are so much farther ahead than anybody who didn't have 276 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 2: it as hard as you to weaponize whatever background you 277 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 2: come from and whatever way you can. And that's generally 278 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 2: the advice. I don't say it's easy. I will say, yeah, 279 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 2: it sucks. I didn't go to a good school. I 280 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:33,679 Speaker 2: didn't have a good education. You don't either. But that 281 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 2: doesn't mean we can't use that to our advantage, because again, 282 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 2: that's sharpening a different iron that we get to use 283 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 2: that other people don't use unless they have to. 284 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 3: Right. 285 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:45,559 Speaker 2: I think perspective is such a gift that nobody wants 286 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 2: to get until they have it, because perspective is hard. 287 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 2: You don't get perspective unless you go through something hard 288 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 2: like that's the gift that when you have it, you're like, man, 289 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 2: this is an awesome gift to have, but it did 290 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 2: not feel good while getting it. And I think real 291 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 2: talk like that and that somebody liked this has done 292 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 2: it that often helps as well. 293 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 3: I'm sure there must have been some people along the way, 294 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,080 Speaker 3: in addition to your grandmother who helped you see beyond 295 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 3: your circumstances and in the future possibilities. You mentioned you 296 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 3: were a smart student. You read a lot who put 297 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 3: you on that track. How were those people who influenced you? 298 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 4: Were there people? Specifically? 299 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:22,920 Speaker 2: My head football coach in high school's name was Vic Gandolf, 300 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 2: and he was really the first male influence that I 301 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 2: had that was hard on me, and it was of 302 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:37,920 Speaker 2: extreme value because I knew he cared about me, and 303 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 2: I knew he wanted to see me be better, and 304 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: his way to do it was to be harder on me. 305 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 2: It was the first time I'd experienced that, and I 306 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 2: think a lot of people get that from a parent. 307 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 4: I didn't get that. 308 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 2: From a parent, So I think it was people providing 309 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 2: that consistency that gave me the fundamental jump off point 310 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 2: to even see that I could do more than what 311 00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 2: was being done around me. 312 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 3: You've talked a little bit and places I've read that 313 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 3: you actually one of your regresses that you didn't get 314 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 3: to go to University of Arkansas, which, by the way, 315 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 3: they just gave you an honorary degree, So congratulations. Tell 316 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 3: me about that. Obsession with the razorbacks. 317 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 2: In Arkansas. We don't have any pro teams in Arkansas. 318 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 2: We don't have much, but we do have something that 319 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 2: kind of galvanizes the state, and that is the University 320 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 2: of Arkansas. Like that is pretty much everyone's pride and 321 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 2: joy I did not get to go to school there, 322 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 2: which was really hard for me because I always wanted 323 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 2: to go, but I had to work. And I think 324 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 2: you'll relate to this growing up in a small town 325 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 2: and understanding what it's like growing up in the South 326 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 2: and having to pay your own bills and insurance and food. 327 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 2: And I had to work, and I was waiting tables, 328 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 2: and I was begging for jobs. And I got a 329 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 2: job at a radio station and the radio was forty 330 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 2: five minutes away, and they hire me to switch out 331 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 2: a Rick D's Countdown CD and clean the front office. 332 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 2: And to me, that was like getting a job in 333 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 2: Los Angeles. I was like, this is crazy. I cannot 334 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 2: believe they're paying me to work at radio station. 335 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 4: Which city was that? In Bobby The radio station. 336 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 2: Was in Hot Springs, Arkansas, but I went to school 337 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 2: in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, so it was about a forty five 338 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 2: minute drive too. 339 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 4: And back. 340 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 2: But before my first shift on the weekend of cleaning 341 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 2: and flipping a CD, somebody got fired and I was 342 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 2: just there. 343 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 4: So they put me on on the weekends. 344 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: And as you know, my real name is not Bobby Bones, 345 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 2: it's Bobby Estell. And they said, Okay, your name is 346 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 2: going to be Bobby Bones or Bobby Z. And I 347 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 2: was like, man, Bobby Z sounds terrible, so at least 348 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 2: I'll sound like a pirate that sounds like a real human. 349 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 4: And that's how I got the name. 350 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 2: Working at that really small station in Hot Springs, Arkansas 351 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 2: while I went to college and so yes, I was 352 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 2: not able to go to the University of Arkansas, but 353 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 2: they did give me an honor, a doctorate, and when 354 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 2: I want campus, they have to call me doctor. 355 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 4: And that's pretty cool. 356 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 3: Moral Math and Magic right after this quick break, welcome 357 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 3: back to Math and Magic. Let's hear more from my 358 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 3: conversation with Bobby Bones. Tell us about your starting radio 359 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 3: So you go, you do the weekend shift. Where did 360 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 3: you go from there? What point did you begin to 361 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 3: be the Bobby Bones we sort of know and love 362 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 3: and appreciate today. 363 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 2: I think that guy came years later, as I was 364 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 2: trying to figure out what I could and couldn't do right. 365 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 2: I didn't have the traditional cool or deep booming radio voice. 366 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:25,920 Speaker 2: I really tried to have it. I tried in every 367 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 2: way possible. And so I went from weekends and I 368 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 2: was doing weekend overnights, and then I would do weekend nights. 369 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 2: And the key to my success, at least at the beginning, 370 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 2: has always been to be exactly where I'm told to 371 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 2: be and where I said i'd be when I was 372 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 2: supposed to be there. And so I was really consistent 373 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 2: and if you needed me, I was there. There's a 374 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 2: lot of value in that. And so I went from 375 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 2: doing weekend nights too, I got the night shift. I'd 376 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:51,439 Speaker 2: been at the station for about a year. I was 377 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 2: nineteen years old, and I had some offers pretty quickly 378 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 2: to move to like the tri cities like Johnson City, 379 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 2: Tennessee had stations that were interested in me coming to 380 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 2: do night shows and other markets. But no one in 381 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 2: my family had graduated high school, much less college, and 382 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 2: so my goal was to go and finish college. So 383 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 2: I stayed my entire run at KLAZ in Hot Springs, Arkansas. 384 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 2: I did nights. Looking back, it was awesome. I built 385 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:22,560 Speaker 2: a really big, cool, fun night show, especially for that area. 386 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 2: From there, I went to Little Rock and I was 387 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,160 Speaker 2: there like six months. From Little Rock, went to Austin, 388 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 2: Texas and never been to Austin in my life, and 389 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 2: that's where I started to kind of find who I 390 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:35,000 Speaker 2: was and that I didn't have what was traditional. But again, 391 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 2: my weakness ended up being my biggest strength because I 392 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 2: didn't chase that anymore. I knew what I had was 393 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 2: the ability to talk to people, not at people, and 394 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 2: although I didn't sound like what was traditional, I did 395 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 2: sound like people that were traditionally in the lives of 396 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,680 Speaker 2: the people that listened to my show, so it kind 397 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 2: of sounded like a friend and that worked. I did 398 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:00,080 Speaker 2: nights in Austin, and they were going to flip the 399 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,640 Speaker 2: format of the station in Austin and I just got 400 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,680 Speaker 2: an offer to move to Seattle and do nights, and 401 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 2: I remember they called me in the office and said, Hey, 402 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 2: what can we do to keep you? 403 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 4: And I said I'd love to do mornings. 404 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 2: I was twenty two, and they were like, I don't 405 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 2: think that's going to be able to happen. I went 406 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:17,200 Speaker 2: in that following Monday and they offered me fifty thousand 407 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 2: dollars a year to do mornings, and I thought I 408 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 2: was the richest. It was Beverly Hillbilly's, Bob. It was 409 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 2: Beverly Hillbilly's Just you know, thirty years later. 410 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:27,400 Speaker 3: I love that You've done a number of high profile 411 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:29,639 Speaker 3: TV projects. Let's hit a few of them. How did 412 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:33,120 Speaker 3: you get on American Idol? What did you both contribute 413 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 3: and learn from that? 414 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 2: So everything that I've done in any other medium other 415 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 2: than radio is based off of my success in radio. 416 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 2: So you know, my hub of radio podcast has allowed 417 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 2: me to get in places and then they realize how 418 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 2: big the following is because of audio, and then they 419 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 2: allow me to expand. But I had done a pilot 420 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 2: for ABC at daytime talk show pilot with Deon Sanders. 421 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 2: It did not get picked up. So that's very disappointing 422 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 2: because we worked hard on it. But I had made 423 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 2: a couple of contacts, and it's all about relationships, and 424 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,199 Speaker 2: I think if anything, they were able to see that 425 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:10,640 Speaker 2: I have a bit of talent. But I was super consistent. 426 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 2: It's the key to my success. And they said, hey, 427 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:15,240 Speaker 2: we need somebody to come in for one episode on 428 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 2: American Idol, and we want you to work with the 429 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:22,159 Speaker 2: contestants on how to be interviewed, how to be on camera. 430 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 2: And it really was no more than that. It was 431 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 2: one episode, and so I was like cool. They didn't 432 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 2: know anything about me, the people that were running the show, 433 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 2: So I didn't tell them I was from Nashville because 434 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,479 Speaker 2: I didn't want them to think that it was going 435 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:35,160 Speaker 2: to be difficult for me to get to set. 436 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 4: So I do the job. I come, I crush it 437 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:38,360 Speaker 4: for one episode. 438 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 2: But what they realized and what I was able to 439 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:42,840 Speaker 2: do was talk to these kids and young adults because 440 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:43,919 Speaker 2: a lot of them for the first time. I had 441 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 2: never been to Los Angeles or New York, and here 442 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 2: I am. I had the same story. I'd never been 443 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 2: to a big city like that until work got me there. 444 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 2: And as wide eyed as they were, that's what I 445 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 2: was not too long before that, So being able to 446 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 2: relate to their stories and situations, but also so having 447 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,200 Speaker 2: the knowledge of knowing music, knowing how to be good 448 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 2: on Mike and on camera, knowing what songs to pick, 449 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 2: having a history of just studying music and pop culture 450 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 2: like all that helps. They put me on two episodes again. 451 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 2: They didn't know that I didn't live there. So I'm 452 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,479 Speaker 2: making Union minimum, which is like two thousand dollars an 453 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 2: episode for the first two episodes, but it's costing me 454 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 2: about three thousand dollars an episode to be out there 455 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:27,679 Speaker 2: because I happened to fly both ways. I'm having to 456 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:30,119 Speaker 2: pay for my own hotel. I just didn't want to 457 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 2: be anw sence therefore they wouldn't work with me anymore. 458 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 2: In my mind, that's what happened. So they had me 459 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,640 Speaker 2: back for a third episode. I'm down like four grand 460 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 2: at this point doing three episodes of American Idol, And 461 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 2: finally I told them, Hey, just so you guys know, 462 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 2: I've lost a bunch of money doing that. I love 463 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 2: doing it, but I don't live in LA and would 464 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 2: love to do more. But is there a way at 465 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:53,520 Speaker 2: that you could compensate? And they were like, oh, yeah, 466 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 2: of course. So the final episode of the season one, 467 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 2: they gave me fifty thousand dollars and I'm like, oh, 468 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 2: this is awesome. I'd built a relationship with those guys. 469 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 2: They trusted me where they would send talent with me, 470 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 2: and Ryan was really starting to get busy doing Ryan 471 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 2: and Kelly and so there were times when Ryan couldn't 472 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 2: fly back to Los Angeles, so any of his junior 473 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 2: varsity duties they would have me do. I haven't filled 474 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 2: in his host for him once when he got sick, 475 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 2: so I was basically Ryan's JV squad, which to me awesome, 476 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 2: I'll take it. But they came back season two and 477 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 2: they were like, hey, we want you to be a 478 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 2: full time member. And I can tell you the pay 479 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 2: was about fifty times what it was for that one 480 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 2: final episode. And again it was because I showed up 481 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 2: on time every time and had the ability to talk 482 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 2: with people, not talk at them. 483 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 3: So Dancing with the Stars, I've never thought of you 484 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 3: as the amazing dancer, yet you won Dancing with the Stars. 485 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 4: What's that story? Well, still was an amazing dancer even 486 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 4: after I won. 487 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 2: The real story is and God's honest truth, they told 488 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 2: me after the final episode after I won the show, 489 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 2: because I was not good. I'd never danced before. I 490 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 2: was also the only person that had a job and 491 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 2: was working the entire show because a lot of people 492 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 2: on that are creatives and they cut off a time, 493 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:04,160 Speaker 2: or they're ex athletes and they cut out a time 494 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 2: and they go and spend three months dancing on television. 495 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 2: I couldn't do that because I had a radio show 496 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 2: to do every single morning, and so I did the 497 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 2: show because I was in La So I would be 498 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 2: on at three am to eight am, and then I 499 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 2: would go and train for six eight hours, no dance 500 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: experience at all, and I am surviving. I am not thriving. 501 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:26,879 Speaker 2: I never got great scores, but I was never in 502 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 2: the bottom three. It's a bit controversial because I wasn't good, 503 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 2: but I took it very seriously. 504 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:35,880 Speaker 4: I trained really hard. I ended up winning the show. 505 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 2: The executive told me at ABC, he said, hey, look, 506 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 2: we knew about after episode one or two that nobody 507 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 2: had the following you did. 508 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 4: That. 509 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 2: There were people with millions and millions on social media 510 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 2: and I have a million, a couple million, but with 511 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 2: like tens of millions that didn't have the following that 512 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 2: you did. And it was because the people that listen 513 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 2: to my radio show and podcasts came along with me. 514 00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 2: That was the whole reason I won. They saw I 515 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 2: was serious about it. I was, and that's what allowed 516 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 2: me to win that show. Was like, my people came 517 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 2: along with me. 518 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 3: So how does being on TV different from being on 519 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 3: the radio. 520 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 4: You got to put on more makeup. That sucks. You 521 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:14,400 Speaker 4: got to wait around a lot. 522 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 2: I love doing audio, doing radio, doing podcasting more than 523 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:22,199 Speaker 2: anything in the whole world. TV is so fickle, and 524 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 2: you go job to job again. I'll give some more 525 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 2: credit to Ryan Seacrest. When we did Idle together, we 526 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 2: would talk about that and he would go, hey, TV's fun, 527 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,199 Speaker 2: it's glamorous. It makes you cool for a second. But 528 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 2: if you want a sustaining career and you want people 529 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 2: to stay with you, it's audio. I've always felt that 530 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 2: way too, you know, I always wanted to have a 531 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 2: late night talk show. What's cool now is you can 532 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 2: do that. You just turn some cameras on and you 533 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:51,720 Speaker 2: also record the audio for a podcast. And so television 534 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 2: has been fun. It's allowed me to try things. I've 535 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 2: gotten hurt a few times. I did a show called 536 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 2: Breaking Bobby Bones, Let Me on Fire, through Me Off Buildings. 537 00:24:58,440 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 4: Like all that's happened. 538 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 2: I feel like I've been to have a pretty successful 539 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 2: television career, but it doesn't feel as authentic, even at 540 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 2: its most authentic, as audio does. 541 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 4: Let's jump to podcasting. 542 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:13,919 Speaker 3: Some people call it radio on demand, like Netflix is 543 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 3: probably TV on demand. How does podcasting differ from doing 544 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 3: a live radio show. 545 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 2: I think if you love long form like super long 546 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 2: form media, which I do, podcasting is a plus. I 547 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:29,959 Speaker 2: think it just kind of depends what your schedule is, right. 548 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 2: I'm trying to make content to fit everybody's schedule that 549 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 2: has every different kind of schedule. So if you got 550 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 2: thirty seconds, I got something for you on the YouTube 551 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,879 Speaker 2: channel or my social if you have an hour and 552 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 2: fifteen minutes. I had Ringo Star over at the house 553 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 2: and it was crazy, and we did an hour and 554 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 2: fifteen minutes talking about the Beatles and talking about country music. 555 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,960 Speaker 2: Podcasting allows me to really get down in. 556 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 4: The weeds a little bit. Even this conversation. 557 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:57,800 Speaker 2: We probably wouldn't get to have this on my morning 558 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 2: radio show, mostly for time reasons. But sitting here with 559 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 2: you now, we could do this for three hours with 560 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 2: really no restrictions. Now that's not for everybody, but for 561 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 2: the people it's four It really fills a need and 562 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 2: I'm one of those people that need it. 563 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 3: You're the host of the iHeart Country Festival in Austin 564 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,119 Speaker 3: each year. How does that fit with everything else you do? 565 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 2: It's kind of the tent pole of everything else I do. 566 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 2: All of my success has been because of the success 567 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 2: and the investment in me with the radio show. You know, 568 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 2: there's the wedding and the wedding reception, and so the 569 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 2: iHeart Country Festival that's kind of the wedding reception of 570 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 2: the job. And what's been really cool is I've played 571 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:42,880 Speaker 2: the festival four times. I've hosted it I think nine 572 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 2: or ten times at this point. So I feel like 573 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 2: I'm as ingrained as that festival is to just this 574 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 2: time of year. And Austin is a great city for it. 575 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:54,919 Speaker 2: It's not Nashville. Nashville people tend to get a bit 576 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 2: jaded because it's always here Austin. 577 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 4: I lived there for twelve years. 578 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,239 Speaker 2: People love music, it's it's a great place to go 579 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 2: and have this festival. The artists love it as well, 580 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 2: and so for me is kind of the party and 581 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:07,439 Speaker 2: the celebration of what we've been able to do and 582 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 2: also what we're doing. 583 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 4: But also with my friends. 584 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 2: Again, those guys, I think there are three acts that 585 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 2: played my literal wedding. I didn't pay them. They're just 586 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 2: my friends who were coming to the wedding anyway. So 587 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 2: they got up there and sang songs. 588 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,679 Speaker 3: You've done some amazing interviews. What do you try to 589 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 3: get each time you interview with someone? 590 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 2: I try to feel what they're feeling when we start, 591 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 2: because I can go into an interview with my goals, 592 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 2: even an agenda, but if the person isn't feeling it, 593 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 2: I think now I have the emotional intelligence to roll 594 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 2: with them and trust that I will get us somewhere, 595 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 2: if not just as good better. So I think silence 596 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 2: is a massive weapon that I now am comfortable using. 597 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 2: And it's hard to be silent interview. It feels awkward. 598 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 2: Some people always want there to be sound. Some people 599 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:07,200 Speaker 2: that are doing interviews, if there's a gap, they want 600 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:10,679 Speaker 2: to fill it. I feel now comfortable enough in my 601 00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:14,960 Speaker 2: own skin and interviewing skills to sit in silence for 602 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 2: a second, because what happens is the person being interviewed 603 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 2: often gives their best if there's silence, because they put 604 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,800 Speaker 2: the pressure on them to continue allowing you into their lives. 605 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 2: More So, I think for me, I have an idea 606 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,399 Speaker 2: of what I want, I'll quickly change. 607 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 4: You know. 608 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:35,400 Speaker 2: It's like if you have an offensive plan, but they've 609 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 2: got eight guys in the box. You're not going to 610 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 2: run the ball, so you're now going to have to 611 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 2: throw the ball, so you better adjust quickly. I think 612 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 2: now I feel comfortable doing that, and that happens a lot, 613 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 2: and when it doesn't, it's awesome, but when it does, 614 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 2: there have been times where it's better than it would 615 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 2: have been regardless. I think just being comfortable knowing that 616 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 2: and trusting myself to modify on the move has been 617 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:57,760 Speaker 2: really great for me, and that just comes from reps, 618 00:28:57,800 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 2: honestly doing it over and over again. 619 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 4: Been intimidated by any of the stars interview. 620 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 2: At first, I think I was because they were all rich. 621 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 2: And what's weird is I'm rich now too, thanks to you, 622 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 2: So that part's gone. So I was always like, man, 623 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 2: people with money, I'm just so intimidated by them. But 624 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 2: now it's there's an understanding with creatives that I'm talking 625 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 2: to that we all kind of have a screw loose. 626 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 2: It just happens to be the right screw we're able 627 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: to create something really cool. And also, as I've been 628 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 2: in Nashville and got to be friends with a lot 629 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 2: of the men women that have come up around the 630 00:29:35,280 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 2: same time, meaning they didn't have much success and now 631 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 2: they're massive. They're just normal people. But it's easy to 632 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 2: say that until you actually see that. You know, I 633 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 2: did idol with Luke Bryan for four years and we 634 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 2: would travel to and from and looks like a close friend, 635 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 2: but looks like the most normal guy. And I mentioned 636 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 2: Ringo Star earlier and I wasn't intimidated by him, but 637 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 2: what I was intimidated by was the history of him. 638 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 2: And I think my intimidation kind of rooted in I'd 639 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 2: rather not screw this up because of the history of 640 00:30:04,840 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 2: who I'm sitting with. So a moment can be intimidating now, 641 00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 2: I think way more than a person can, because in 642 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 2: the end, we're all awesome and flawed. But it's taken 643 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 2: me a long time to realize that. 644 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 3: I think, of all the interviewers you've done, that's the 645 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 3: only one you ever sent me a text about. 646 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 4: With the picture then okay. 647 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 2: And that's why, because I also know, I know you 648 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 2: appreciate the history of it aside from it being Ringo, 649 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,160 Speaker 2: and that's cool. It was kind of like, hey, Bob, 650 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:32,880 Speaker 2: you're like me, You'll really appreciate this. This is real 651 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,000 Speaker 2: history that we're getting to be a part of right Now. 652 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 3: Let's talk a little bit about ambition and expectations. When 653 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 3: you're growing up in Mountain Pine, did you think you'd 654 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 3: be successful as an adult? What kind of dreams of 655 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 3: the future did you allow. 656 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 4: Yourself to have. 657 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:51,479 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I thought I'd be so successful, only because 658 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 2: if I didn't believe that, I don't think I would have. 659 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:54,440 Speaker 4: Got out of there. 660 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 2: So there was never a lack of confidence. At times, 661 00:30:57,640 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 2: there was a lack of understanding how I was going 662 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 2: to do it because nobody else around me was doing it. 663 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 2: That was TV like moving out of your town, moving 664 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 2: out of Arkansas. That was television only that wasn't real life. 665 00:31:08,840 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 2: I was never told I couldn't do something. I think 666 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 2: that's pretty cool. I was not shown how to do anything, 667 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 2: But I was never told I couldn't. And so I 668 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 2: was just naive enough and just confident enough to lean 669 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 2: into it and really not have a plan B. 670 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:25,800 Speaker 4: And that's what I did. You know. 671 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 3: It's interesting there's a lot of talk in America about 672 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,000 Speaker 3: people and living in poverty, etc. 673 00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 4: But all of us who. 674 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 3: Were poor, I think, probably share one trait, as we 675 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,920 Speaker 3: all dreamed about doing really well. 676 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 2: To me, it was more I just want to be 677 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 2: fulfilled and not hate my job. Everybody hated their job, 678 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:49,920 Speaker 2: like my stepdad when my mom got married, he hated 679 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 2: going to the mill. Anybody did it every day, and 680 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 2: so I didn't want that, and I had crazy aspirations, 681 00:31:57,280 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 2: and I knew they were crazy then, but also knew 682 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 2: that every once in a while something crazy happens to 683 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 2: people that have crazy dreams, and so it also didn't 684 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:10,320 Speaker 2: happen overnight. There's revisionist history that it was like all 685 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 2: of a sudden, I'm born in Arkansas, Boom, I have 686 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 2: a national radio show, Like there never really was this 687 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:19,560 Speaker 2: moment where everything changed. It was one rung of the ladder, 688 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 2: sometimes falling down a couple of rungs, and slowly growing it. 689 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 3: You know, this podcast is actually for marketers, Math and 690 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 3: Magic stories from the frontiers of marketing. A lot of 691 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 3: marketers don't listen to country music, and they don't really 692 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:37,520 Speaker 3: have an understanding of it. What advice would you give 693 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 3: them about how they should use it. 694 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:42,200 Speaker 2: I think what happens with people who don't listen to 695 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 2: country music is that they've probably been conditioned that country 696 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 2: music is a cariacture of what it really is. I 697 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 2: think if you were to go to somebody says, oh, 698 00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 2: do you listen to country, and they're like, no, they 699 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:56,600 Speaker 2: do an impression of country. They'd go battle, Lame, Dame down. 700 00:32:57,280 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 2: And there is part of that and it's rooted in that. 701 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 2: But what the country music is to me is just 702 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 2: authentic lyrics, music with mostly real instruments, stories, and then 703 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 2: loyalty to artists like I talked about earlier, loyalty to people, 704 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 2: loyalty just like loyalty they want with their products. 705 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 4: Right. 706 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 2: I think that's what country music is. It is based 707 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:21,120 Speaker 2: in loyalty. It's got to be good or people aren't 708 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 2: gonna like it. There's a reason that these guys are 709 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 2: selling out football stadiums, and it's not because there's a 710 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 2: bunch of people in overall showing up, which by the way, 711 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,040 Speaker 2: I had many pair of overalls and God bless overalls. 712 00:33:31,080 --> 00:33:33,840 Speaker 2: But it's normal people that are going to normal jobs 713 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 2: that have money that spends just like anyone else's does, 714 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 2: but oftentimes feel like they're not paid the attention to 715 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 2: because they're not in La or New York. 716 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:44,880 Speaker 4: And I relate to that so much. 717 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:48,800 Speaker 3: So still a little advice here, if you could go 718 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 3: back in time. What advice would you give your twenty 719 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:52,400 Speaker 3: one year old self. 720 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,719 Speaker 4: It's just tenacity is a talent. 721 00:33:56,000 --> 00:33:59,480 Speaker 2: Because I never felt like I was super talented at anything, 722 00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 2: because I ever had one skill that I can lean on. 723 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:07,760 Speaker 2: It couldn't sing, didn't have a great voice, wasn't super funny, 724 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 2: didn't have really one thing that I knew if all 725 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 2: else went wrong, I could lean on this talent. But 726 00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:15,759 Speaker 2: as I got older, I started to realize that being 727 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 2: tenacious and not stopping being tenacious, that's a real talent. 728 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:26,840 Speaker 2: And I would just say, continue to be tenacious, continue 729 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 2: to be curious, and it's all going to happen. It 730 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 2: may not happen at the pace that you want. Sometimes 731 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:34,279 Speaker 2: it may happen faster than you want. Sometimes it may 732 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 2: happen in a way that you're not ready for. But 733 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 2: if you just keep pushing, eventually it'll happen. 734 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 3: Bobby, it is a real honor and pleasure to work 735 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 3: with you here at iHeart, and it's rewarding to watch 736 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:50,880 Speaker 3: the audience you've built on the radio and podcast and 737 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 3: see how you take such great care of them. Thank 738 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:55,240 Speaker 3: you and thanks for the insights today. 739 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:58,799 Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you for having me and I'll just do 740 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 2: the shameless. You can put a lot of touch on 741 00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:03,520 Speaker 2: my fingertips right now. I literally wouldn't be here if 742 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:05,880 Speaker 2: it weren't for a guy from a small town in 743 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 2: Mississippi who believed in a small town kid from Arkansas 744 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:14,279 Speaker 2: and going, we're going to invest in you. Therefore we 745 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 2: believe in you and the guy his name is Bob, 746 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 2: just like my name. So I would not be here 747 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 2: without mister Bob Pittman. You're from a small town and 748 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:26,840 Speaker 2: it takes people like you to do things sometimes for 749 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:29,480 Speaker 2: people like me to go okay, someone else did it 750 00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:29,960 Speaker 2: before me. 751 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:31,799 Speaker 4: I think I can really dial in as well. 752 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:33,800 Speaker 2: So without me being able to see that, and without 753 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 2: you believing in me, I definitely wouldn't be here today. 754 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:39,080 Speaker 3: Well, you've been one of the great investments of our company. 755 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:39,760 Speaker 4: Thanks Bobby. 756 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:43,200 Speaker 3: Here are a few things I picked up from my 757 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 3: conversation with Bobby. One, consistency can be everything. Bobby didn't 758 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 3: feel like he had an especially deep radio voice. He 759 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:54,720 Speaker 3: actually didn't think he had any special skills, but early 760 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:57,720 Speaker 3: in his career, if stations needed him, he was there. 761 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:01,880 Speaker 3: Bobby's dependability continue. You need to benefit him for years to come. 762 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:02,759 Speaker 4: It still does. 763 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:07,040 Speaker 3: Being reliable and tenacious or talents in themselves. 764 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 4: And they won't go unnoticed. Two. Own your story. Bobby 765 00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:12,759 Speaker 4: has a strong sense of. 766 00:36:12,719 --> 00:36:15,480 Speaker 3: Identity, shaped by the unique perspective he gained through his 767 00:36:15,600 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 3: challenging childhood. Perspective is a hard won strength that you 768 00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 3: shouldn't take for granted. Bobby has used it to connect 769 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:26,160 Speaker 3: with his listeners and build an incredibly loyal fan base. 770 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:30,359 Speaker 3: He knows that the intimacy and authenticity of audio has 771 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:33,680 Speaker 3: allowed him to show up as himself. That's part of 772 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:35,040 Speaker 3: what makes him stand out. 773 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 4: From the crowd. Three. 774 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 3: Emotional intelligence is a muscle you can train. Bobby has 775 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 3: a deep connection with his fans, but he also had 776 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,240 Speaker 3: to learn how to engage his guests. Conducting a great 777 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:49,000 Speaker 3: interview doesn't mean sticking to. 778 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:50,160 Speaker 4: A pre prepared script. 779 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:54,120 Speaker 3: It means listening and understanding where someone is coming from. 780 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:57,840 Speaker 3: Interviewing didn't always come naturally to Bobby, but he developed 781 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 3: the skill by doing it over and over and over again. 782 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:04,759 Speaker 3: Whether you're in the studio, a conference room, or a boardroom, 783 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 3: growing your emotional intelligence can make you more adaptable in 784 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 3: any situation. I'm Bob Pittman. Thanks for listening. 785 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 4: That's it for today's episode. 786 00:37:15,239 --> 00:37:17,719 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for listening to Math and Magic, a 787 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:21,560 Speaker 1: production of iHeart Podcasts. The show is created and hosted 788 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:25,160 Speaker 1: by Bob Pittman. Special thanks to Sidney Rosenbloom for booking 789 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 1: and wrangling our wonderful talent, which is no small feat. 790 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 1: The Math and Magic team is Jessica Crimechich and Baheed Fraser. 791 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:36,160 Speaker 1: Our executive producers are Ali Perry and Nikki Etour. Until 792 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:36,680 Speaker 1: next time.