1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:01,360 Speaker 1: Taking a walk. 2 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:02,360 Speaker 2: I know my truth. 3 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 3: I know what I am and who I am, and 4 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 3: I know that I am a Mexican American country artist. 5 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,480 Speaker 4: What if the map of your life was written on 6 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 4: the streets that you wandered. I'm buzznight And in this 7 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 4: special Taken Walk episode, We're gonna lace up our shoes 8 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 4: and our stories. As Romeo Vaughn takes us on a 9 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,800 Speaker 4: stroll through the city that has shaped his music and 10 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 4: his soul, the sidewalks echo with memories and melodies. 11 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 2: Sometimes it's a simple act. 12 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 4: Of walking alongside someone that reveals the journey beneath the surface. 13 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 4: So step out with us as we discover where the road, 14 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 4: both literal and lyrical, takes Romeo. 15 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 2: Next, taking a walk, Romeo, thanks for being on taking 16 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 2: a walk. 17 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 3: Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. 18 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 4: So, if you could take a walk with someone living 19 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 4: or dead, do you know who you would take a 20 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 4: walk with and where you would take that walk? Now, 21 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 4: it can be someone musical, Romeo, but it doesn't have 22 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 4: to be. 23 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 2: It's up to you. 24 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 3: Yes, I would go take a walk with my grandfather 25 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 3: who I don't remember, but his name is he was 26 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 3: Grandpa Lupe. I would love because I never had a 27 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 3: grandfather growing up, because my mom's dad passed away when 28 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 3: she was five, and my grandfather died when I was 29 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 3: a baby, so I never I don't remember him, but 30 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 3: I would love to meet, like walk with him. 31 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 4: And I know you're a fan of places to walk 32 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 4: and to reflect and to think about things. We're going 33 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 4: to talk about your your new single, big dreams from 34 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 4: a small town, and the creative process behind it. 35 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 2: But when you're. 36 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 4: Out and you're walking, what does that take you towards 37 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 4: creatively as a person and an artist. 38 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 3: It brings me, It makes me real creative. It takes 39 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 3: me closer to God and seeing all of his creativeness 40 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 3: and his majestic ways of the trees and the hills 41 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 3: and the levees and just everything that he created. You 42 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 3: know that I believe that he created, And so I 43 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 3: look at his craftsmanship, and he makes music with the 44 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 3: trees and the water and the sounds, and so it 45 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:48,519 Speaker 3: just is craft and music with the birds, turk being 46 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 3: and the water going. And that brings me closer to 47 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 3: my craftsmanship. And I can get home and write a song, 48 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 3: and or I can get home and come up with 49 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 3: the melody from the melody that by here. When I 50 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 3: go to Two Rivers Parkway, that's where I go. 51 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 2: That's so beautiful the way you described it. 52 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 4: As you were describing that feeling it actually it took 53 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 4: me back to the first episode of taking a walk 54 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 4: that I did at one of. 55 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 2: My favorite places in the world. It's right near me. 56 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 2: I live outside of Boston. 57 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 4: Actually the place I'm speaking of is Walden Pond and 58 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 4: Conquered Massachusetts, where Henry David Talaux found the movement of 59 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 4: mindfulness and meditation and taking in the universe and realizing 60 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 4: it's a special place. So thank you for the way 61 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 4: you shared that. You took me back to a pleasant 62 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 4: place and a memory of somewhere that in fact, I 63 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 4: would say, Romeo, if you could ever walk there, go 64 00:03:58,280 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 4: to Walden Pond. 65 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: You'll feel that energy, you know. 66 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 3: It's amazing. Yeah, I would love to go to Walden Pong. 67 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 2: What about the energy of Nashville? 68 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 4: If I step back as someone who doesn't live there 69 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 4: and who visits Nashville, it really does epitomize in its 70 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 4: own way your single big dreams from a small town 71 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 4: when you think about it, But tell me about the 72 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 4: energy creatively and spiritually that you feel from the Nashville community. 73 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 3: You know, Nashville is amazing. Now there's more in Nashville 74 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 3: than the Broadway lights. And when you go to places 75 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 3: like the Local in West End, when you go to 76 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 3: places like Losers in Midtown, and you go to places 77 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 3: like Scoreboard in Music Valley or music when you go 78 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 3: to Music City Bar. Music City Bar is my favorite, 79 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 3: you know to go when you go to Live Oak. 80 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 3: When you go to these places, that's there's these writers 81 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 3: and these writers arounds that are happening, and the community 82 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 3: just embraces you. Because the thing about Nashville is I 83 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 3: know my truth. I know what I am and who 84 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 3: I am, and I know that I am a Mexican 85 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 3: American country artist. But when you go to these places 86 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 3: like the Local, like Music City Bar, like Scoreboard, like 87 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 3: Live Oak and the Nashville Palace, when you go to 88 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 3: these places and there's other artists there and other songwriters there, 89 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 3: they're not It's not hey, this is the white singer songwriter, 90 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,239 Speaker 3: this is the Mexican country artist, this is the black 91 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 3: country artist. We're just all artists and we're all songwriters. 92 00:05:55,720 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 3: And that vibe that family. You mess with one of us, 93 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 3: you mess with all of us type of deal that 94 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 3: we have here, that little big town vibe and the 95 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 3: family and you know, we care for one another. Now, 96 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 3: is it all rainbows and butterflies. No, This is the 97 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 3: music business cutthroat, right, But at the end of the day, 98 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 3: when when you go to those places and like the 99 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 3: local I love that place because that's where the songwriters 100 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 3: and the artists and they come and they can be 101 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 3: unapologetically themselves and talk about you know, oh man, I 102 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 3: had this idea, and so we have this term here. 103 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 3: It's called demo jail. So I don't know if you 104 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 3: know what that is, but so demo jail is where 105 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 3: like you cut a demo and then you're like you're 106 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 3: making all your friends hear it, like what you did, 107 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 3: Like you're this guy like there you can't like, you know, 108 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 3: So we try not to put our friends in demo jail, 109 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 3: but sometimes but even if they don't want to, even 110 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 3: if they don't want to be in demo jail, they're 111 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 3: not going to cut you off. They're going to hear 112 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 3: the song and and and in that community of just 113 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 3: you know, we're all we all have big dreams from 114 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 3: a small town because none of us are from Nashville. 115 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 3: Some of us are from Oklahoma, some of us are 116 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 3: from Long Island, New York, you know, like you know, 117 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 3: and some of us are from California. So but we 118 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 3: all have big dreams from this from our small town 119 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 3: and we come to Nashville to chase it, you know. 120 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 3: But some catch it and some don't. But at the 121 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 3: end of the day, nobody can ever take away from 122 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 3: us that we gave it our best shot. 123 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 4: Oh that's wonderful. I want to thank you for your 124 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 4: service to our to our country. 125 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 3: Thank you. 126 00:07:56,120 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 4: And I want you to talk to those out there 127 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 4: listening who maybe have been in your position serving our 128 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 4: country and have been dealt with, you know, trauma and 129 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 4: difficulties in their life some of those same themes that 130 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 4: you talked so brilliantly on our Music Saved Me podcasts 131 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 4: with Lynn Hoffman. 132 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 2: Talk directly if you can to. 133 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 4: Someone who maybe was in your position, who's listening, on 134 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 4: how they maybe want to approach challenges that they're facing 135 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 4: and get help for their situation. 136 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 3: I would say that you're not alone. There's no shame 137 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 3: and guilt. You gotta call somebody. I read the Bible 138 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 3: and I call I talked to God. But if that's 139 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 3: not your faith, it's okay. Call somebody. Call call your brother, 140 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 3: call your system. If you don't have that, cast somebody, 141 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 3: go somewhere. Because the world that loves you, we love you. 142 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 3: It's not your fault. You were doing what the one 143 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 3: percent of Americans do, and that's fighting for freedom. You're 144 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,199 Speaker 3: not alone, and people love you, and you're not a monster. 145 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 3: People love you and you're a hero. Call somebody and 146 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 3: whatever you do, whatever you're thinking, don't do it because 147 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 3: we love you. 148 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 2: Romeo. 149 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 4: You are an amazing inspiration and you're so giving, You 150 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 4: are so transparent, and you're so loving yourself. 151 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 2: And I can't thank you enough for the great work 152 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 2: you're doing. 153 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 4: Congratulations on the new work, Big Dreams from a small 154 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 4: Town and everything else that you're creating. Thank you, and 155 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 4: we know we're going to to continue to see big 156 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 4: things from you. Extremely grateful for you taking the time 157 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 4: on taking a walk. 158 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for having me. And yeah, well 159 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 3: we pray and we pray that this gets going, and 160 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 3: and and you we got some cool stuff up our sleeve. 161 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 3: And I are working with with a really cool team 162 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 3: and got some really cool people out of Scottsdale, Arizona 163 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 3: that take a chance on this old boy, so we're 164 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 3: excited to see what we got going. 165 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 2: Thank you, Romeo. 166 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 167 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: Walk podcast. 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