WEBVTT - BobbyCast Presents: Unsigned & Independent: Megan Ashley - Lessons Learned from a Tough Year 0:00:10.200 --> 0:00:14.440 Another episode of Unsigned and Independent Season two, Episode two. 0:00:14.760 --> 0:00:18.200 The artist is Megan Ashley Kevin. Why did you pick 0:00:18.239 --> 0:00:20.880 to talk to Megan? Actually, her manager reached out to 0:00:20.920 --> 0:00:22.919 me on Instagram. Dang, we're being found out now on 0:00:23.000 --> 0:00:25.479 the show blow one up? But Unsigned it Independent, I know. 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.000 So she reached out and she just kind of introduced 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:29.760 me to her, and I came across her Instagram her 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:31.600 music and liked what I saw. So I wanted to 0:00:31.680 --> 0:00:34.279 hear a story. So what if you didn't like what 0:00:34.320 --> 0:00:37.960 you heard? Would she be on here? Maybe? So you 0:00:38.000 --> 0:00:40.440 would bring out somebody think sucks? No, No, I wouldn't 0:00:40.440 --> 0:00:42.400 bring on somebody it sucks, And I want to know 0:00:42.400 --> 0:00:43.919 that they have a good story before I bring them 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:45.519 on too. I need to do some background surgeon, I 0:00:45.560 --> 0:00:47.559 guess I'm say asking in case people are you wanted 0:00:47.560 --> 0:00:50.360 to hit you up? So you need to, like, maybe 0:00:50.360 --> 0:00:53.279 not personally with your preference, enjoy their music, but at 0:00:53.320 --> 0:00:56.160 least understand why people like it, like it's quality music, yeah, 0:00:56.200 --> 0:00:58.440 and then know a little bit about them. Yeah. It 0:00:58.440 --> 0:01:00.320 doesn't need to be something I would person be like, 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:02.480 I'm going to listen to this every day, but you 0:01:02.520 --> 0:01:04.880 know more about them. I know and as long as 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.080 it's good quality music, that's all right. So Meghan grew 0:01:07.160 --> 0:01:09.440 up on country music, and she claimed she didn't even 0:01:09.440 --> 0:01:11.600 know there was another genre until grade school. She moved 0:01:11.600 --> 0:01:13.759 to Nashville twenty nineteen for a few months, went back 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:17.160 to Texas to grab her stuff, and then COVID hit. Yeah, 0:01:17.200 --> 0:01:19.720 and she said she was building momentum in twenty twenty 0:01:19.840 --> 0:01:21.959 COVID hit, but it actually turned out to be a 0:01:21.959 --> 0:01:24.800 great thing for her. So she majored in knesiology. Was 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:26.360 that something that she wanted to do or something that 0:01:26.360 --> 0:01:28.000 she just kind of fell into even though she didn't 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:29.760 have a passion for that, Yeah, she just kind of 0:01:29.760 --> 0:01:31.800 fell into it. She said that her older brother majored 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:33.600 in it and she didn't know what to do, so 0:01:33.640 --> 0:01:35.800 she picked that major. Okay, here we go. It is 0:01:35.880 --> 0:01:39.720 unsigned and independent, Season two, episode two. The artist is 0:01:39.760 --> 0:01:43.200 Megan Ashley. The interviewer mister Kevin O'Connell, here you go. 0:01:44.520 --> 0:01:47.480 You are from Texas. You're a Texas girl? Is that correct? Yes? 0:01:48.000 --> 0:01:52.120 Born and raised in Texas Hill Country. Yes. Now, when 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:54.680 I read that, I thought it was it meant to 0:01:54.720 --> 0:01:58.320 say Texas Hill County maybe, but Texas Hill Country is 0:01:58.320 --> 0:02:00.440 an actual thing. Is that like you guys just you 0:02:00.440 --> 0:02:03.400 have your own little country out there, or where's Texas country? 0:02:03.400 --> 0:02:05.560 I feel like Texas is own country, right kind of 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:08.799 that is true. But Texas hill country is just like 0:02:09.240 --> 0:02:11.960 between see Antonio Austin, a little north of It's just 0:02:12.280 --> 0:02:13.959 very hilly. It kind of reminds me of Tennessee a 0:02:14.000 --> 0:02:16.360 little bit. There's a lot of hills, not as big 0:02:16.400 --> 0:02:19.400 as you know here, but kind of the same. Okay. 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:22.680 And what was Texas Hill Country like for you growing up? 0:02:22.800 --> 0:02:24.760 Is it out in the middle of nowhere are you? 0:02:24.800 --> 0:02:27.000 Were you born on a farm or did you live 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:29.560 in like the suburbs? What was that like for you? Yes, 0:02:29.680 --> 0:02:32.560 so my parents were divorced, so I was in between 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:34.840 the suburbs and the country and we just spent a 0:02:34.880 --> 0:02:36.480 lot of time in the country. Or just like the 0:02:36.600 --> 0:02:39.320 hill country quote unquote, there's just out there. There's just 0:02:39.360 --> 0:02:40.799 like a lot of lakes. I grew up going the 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:43.919 lake all the time, wakeboarding that was my life back then, 0:02:44.360 --> 0:02:47.440 and fishing, and there's just so many great thing I mean, 0:02:47.520 --> 0:02:51.839 just Texas you know, yeah, Texas doing Texas things in Texas. Absolutely, 0:02:52.000 --> 0:02:55.760 that's awesome. And were your parents big music fans. Were 0:02:55.760 --> 0:02:57.679 you into music growing up your entire life or this 0:02:57.800 --> 0:03:00.280 something later on you got involved in. So nobody played 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:04.160 anything or did anything but heavy country music. That's all 0:03:04.160 --> 0:03:06.760 on you growing up. I didn't know there's other genres 0:03:06.919 --> 0:03:12.520 till grade school, like what's this? But yeah, I mean 0:03:12.680 --> 0:03:15.120 my my mom is honestly the one that got me 0:03:15.160 --> 0:03:18.280 into just really loving country music and like everything from 0:03:18.320 --> 0:03:21.560 like the Mavericks to Lone Star. I mean obviously George Strait, 0:03:21.800 --> 0:03:23.800 So all you know all that great stuff. Is that 0:03:23.840 --> 0:03:26.160 your favorite? George Strait? Do you have a favorite? I 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:28.760 love George. I mean, growing up such a weird kid, 0:03:28.760 --> 0:03:31.800 I just like loved George straight like as a child. Um, 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:35.200 and my dad is actually from the same areas as 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.520 he was from Texas, and so I mean George Strait. 0:03:38.600 --> 0:03:40.920 You know, he lives in San Antonio like from there, 0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:43.800 so you know he's pretty big grown up for sure. 0:03:43.840 --> 0:03:45.600 I'll like. Yeah, what about any female artists? Did you 0:03:45.600 --> 0:03:48.000 grow up on any female artists or groups? Maybe the 0:03:48.040 --> 0:03:50.400 Chicks or anything like that. Oh I loved Yeah, I 0:03:50.400 --> 0:03:54.040 love them. I loved Lean Rhimes, loved her old stuff. 0:03:54.080 --> 0:03:56.640 I'm like her greatest hits and my mom's Mustang that 0:03:56.800 --> 0:04:01.760 was like my childhood. And then Lean Womack. I love 0:04:01.800 --> 0:04:06.720 the Liens, Martina, all of them, Okay, all the classics. Yes, 0:04:06.760 --> 0:04:09.280 I surprise your name wasn't Leon. Then, you know, for 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:11.840 a while, I'm like, we could just added extra into Megan. 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:14.200 I know, there you go. I like the I like 0:04:14.360 --> 0:04:17.320 the is your name? So your name? Is it actually 0:04:17.360 --> 0:04:19.919 Megan Ashley? Or is that an artist name? You know, 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:21.680 some artists will come and move here and it's like, hey, 0:04:21.680 --> 0:04:23.960 it's easier than like Megan Ashley. I mean that's just 0:04:24.000 --> 0:04:26.400 as you know, easy as it gets and for an 0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:29.480 artist name. But is that your actual name? Yes, first 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:31.719 in middle, Yes, Okay, well that works out just great 0:04:31.760 --> 0:04:34.279 then for you? Huh absolutely, I like it. And what 0:04:34.400 --> 0:04:36.640 prompted you or when did you move to Nashville. I 0:04:36.720 --> 0:04:40.200 moved to Nashville in twenty nineteen, and it was a 0:04:40.240 --> 0:04:42.000 big move for me because it's like first time moving 0:04:42.040 --> 0:04:44.599 out of state and honestly like out of like my county. 0:04:44.960 --> 0:04:48.000 And so when I first moved here, I was like, Okay, 0:04:48.000 --> 0:04:49.440 I'm gonna give it a trial for like, I mean, 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:51.440 I've been in Nashville before, I like visited and stuff, 0:04:51.480 --> 0:04:53.640 like that. But I was like, all right, I feel 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:55.520 like I should do this. I just don't. Texas Radio, 0:04:55.640 --> 0:04:58.719 my radio promoter, encouraged me to move to Nashville. He's like, 0:04:58.800 --> 0:05:00.440 you should just do it, like you need to do it. 0:05:00.760 --> 0:05:02.279 And I was like, okay, I'll give it like a 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:05.080 three four months trial. So I did and I was like, wow, 0:05:05.160 --> 0:05:07.039 I really like this. I need to go back. I 0:05:07.080 --> 0:05:10.599 went back to Texas and then COVID hit. Of course, 0:05:10.960 --> 0:05:12.600 but we can I supposed to move back, and so 0:05:13.160 --> 0:05:15.560 I ended up saying in Texas for three more months 0:05:15.640 --> 0:05:18.719 and they moved back up here and then honestly, twenty 0:05:18.800 --> 0:05:21.200 twenty was a pretty good year for me. I mean 0:05:21.360 --> 0:05:24.160 it was hard because it was like right before COVID hit, 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:26.440 like I had a lot of like, you know, stuff 0:05:26.520 --> 0:05:29.000 going on. I was nominated for new Female Vocalists and 0:05:29.040 --> 0:05:32.000 Texas had a top forty on the Texas Radio and 0:05:33.120 --> 0:05:35.279 just open up for Mark Wills and its just like started, 0:05:35.640 --> 0:05:38.520 you know, building, and then COVID hit and I was like, hey, 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:41.040 what do I do? And so just focused on riding. 0:05:41.080 --> 0:05:44.200 I did so many riders rounds in twenty twenty, and 0:05:44.360 --> 0:05:48.320 so it was still good spite you know, the challenge 0:05:48.360 --> 0:05:50.599 that COVID brought to all of us. Yeah, I hear you, Wolf. 0:05:50.640 --> 0:05:52.080 It wasn't for COVID, I wouldn't be out here too. 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:53.480 So I know there's a lot of bad that came 0:05:53.520 --> 0:05:55.360 with COVID, but there's also some good if you look 0:05:55.400 --> 0:05:57.680 at it, absolutely, And what was it about Nashville that 0:05:58.240 --> 0:05:59.600 were you were out here for a short period of 0:05:59.640 --> 0:06:02.600 time You're like, oh, yeah, this is this is happening. Yes, well, 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:05.960 I feel like and I'm super extroverted. I love people. 0:06:06.040 --> 0:06:08.320 I love meeting people, getting to know people, and so 0:06:08.440 --> 0:06:10.599 when I first moved here, I mean I pose up 0:06:10.640 --> 0:06:14.520 to like three ad just like meeting people, and like 0:06:14.760 --> 0:06:17.760 my radio promoter from Texas introduced me to a lot 0:06:17.800 --> 0:06:20.760 of people here, Bart Butler and just like that Texas crew, 0:06:20.839 --> 0:06:23.720 and so I mean I just felt very welcomed and 0:06:24.200 --> 0:06:26.040 I just loved getting to know people. And there's just 0:06:26.160 --> 0:06:29.000 so much I mean, you're feeling Nashal's. I mean it's 0:06:29.000 --> 0:06:30.600 a big tab, but it's not that big, you know, 0:06:31.080 --> 0:06:32.840 So I feel like there's so much packed in and 0:06:33.160 --> 0:06:35.360 there's just so much to see, and like people didn't 0:06:35.440 --> 0:06:37.720 get to know and all that great stuff. Did you 0:06:37.839 --> 0:06:41.000 play were you playing in places at that time that 0:06:41.080 --> 0:06:43.120 you came just for that short period of time or no, 0:06:43.400 --> 0:06:46.480 did okay? I did, Oh we're at oh gosh, my 0:06:46.640 --> 0:06:49.119 first riders around. I did a lot of writers rounds 0:06:49.360 --> 0:06:51.920 first my first week here, I did a rider's round 0:06:51.960 --> 0:06:54.600 at Ali Taps in Printer's Ali, and I did the 0:06:54.680 --> 0:06:58.680 whole uh puckets thing back in a Leaper's Fork. So 0:06:59.320 --> 0:07:02.880 love area. Yes, So you've actually played there at Pockets 0:07:03.040 --> 0:07:06.440 I did first week. It was great. I didn't know anybody. 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:09.360 I just kind of like, wait, it was so good though. Yeah, 0:07:09.440 --> 0:07:11.680 all the people out there great. That area, especially like 0:07:11.760 --> 0:07:14.680 during the spring and summertime, that area is absolutely beautiful. 0:07:14.680 --> 0:07:16.240 So if you're listening to this and you visit Nashville, 0:07:16.320 --> 0:07:17.840 try to go out to Puckets out there in the 0:07:17.880 --> 0:07:21.080 Leaper's Fog area gets you some What are the roasted peanuts? 0:07:21.080 --> 0:07:22.960 I think it is. See, I'm from California. We don't 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:25.120 really have those, So they have those out there. They 0:07:25.160 --> 0:07:27.720 have good food, good barbecue. It's a nice little little 0:07:27.760 --> 0:07:30.640 area with beautiful homes out there. And what about now? 0:07:30.720 --> 0:07:33.200 Are you playing anywhere like downtown? Do you play Broadway 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:34.960 or are you more riders around the Live Oak kind 0:07:34.960 --> 0:07:37.440 of thing. Right, So, when I first moved to town, 0:07:37.480 --> 0:07:40.040 I did Broadway. I like, literally I just win after it, 0:07:40.160 --> 0:07:42.880 And honestly, I was very proud of myself for like 0:07:43.280 --> 0:07:45.280 what I did when I first got to town, and 0:07:45.400 --> 0:07:48.520 then I right currently, right now, we're focusing on just 0:07:48.640 --> 0:07:52.360 opening shows. And I did last year. In the year before, 0:07:52.400 --> 0:07:55.280 I did like sixty about sixty to eighty per year 0:07:55.360 --> 0:07:58.600 shows like acoustic shows and stuff like that. So this 0:07:58.840 --> 0:08:03.400 year we're focusing on writing and obviously social media and 0:08:03.880 --> 0:08:06.840 opening shows and hopefully going on a tour with somebody. 0:08:06.960 --> 0:08:09.880 So oh yeah, something little in the works maybe or 0:08:10.000 --> 0:08:12.840 is that something that you're okay, okay, okay, Well I'll 0:08:12.880 --> 0:08:14.840 be on the lookout for that. Then do you have 0:08:14.960 --> 0:08:17.440 some people out here that have been big influence on you, 0:08:18.240 --> 0:08:23.640 whether it's a writer or promoter or anything. Yeah, So, honestly, 0:08:23.800 --> 0:08:27.480 I'm gonna say Lindsay, my manager, she has been I mean, 0:08:27.560 --> 0:08:30.400 she's just an incredible person and so she became I 0:08:30.480 --> 0:08:33.240 mean through hiring her as my manager, we became really 0:08:33.320 --> 0:08:36.199 good friends and just like her values and just kind 0:08:36.200 --> 0:08:38.000 of like teaming up together and like, hey, like what 0:08:38.080 --> 0:08:39.920 do we want to do this year. You know, what's 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:42.120 our goals, and like we've just exceeded them each year, 0:08:42.160 --> 0:08:44.280 and just like I think, just like her friendship and 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:46.880 support and just who she is as a person has 0:08:47.720 --> 0:08:50.319 been honestly have a huge influence on me. What about 0:08:50.320 --> 0:08:52.560 your family or were they very supportive of you making 0:08:52.600 --> 0:08:55.800 the move out here? Um? Yes and no each other. 0:08:56.600 --> 0:08:58.240 You have a good relationship with both. Oh yeah, I 0:08:58.360 --> 0:09:00.760 love my parents. My parents are They're honestly some of 0:09:00.800 --> 0:09:02.760 the greatest people you'll ever meet. You know, they're just 0:09:02.840 --> 0:09:08.199 super kind, down down to earth, hard workers, and they're supportive, 0:09:08.320 --> 0:09:11.640 but they also like they have no idea. They're kind 0:09:11.679 --> 0:09:13.720 of like they kind of just learned through me. I'm like, hey, 0:09:13.800 --> 0:09:15.480 this is how the industry is. Like I kind of 0:09:15.520 --> 0:09:18.439 just like kind of explain to them. And it's funny 0:09:18.440 --> 0:09:21.040 because sometimes my dad's super supportive in the idea and 0:09:21.240 --> 0:09:22.920 my mom will be like, oh my gosh, and lea 0:09:23.000 --> 0:09:25.719 vice versa, like, well mom thinks I should do this 0:09:26.040 --> 0:09:28.880 or you know so, But I know they're proud and 0:09:29.400 --> 0:09:34.240 I just want to make them proud as well. Have 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:36.320 your parents come out to visit you since and seen 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.719 you play out here, somewhere, so my mom, so nie 0:09:39.720 --> 0:09:41.760 of them have seen me play out here, but obviously 0:09:41.960 --> 0:09:44.480 they go to all my shows in Texas. Um. I 0:09:44.600 --> 0:09:46.920 go back to Texas usually about once a month to 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:50.000 play shows, and so they're always They've always been supportive 0:09:50.040 --> 0:09:53.800 of that since my first show in college and my 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:57.880 mom's coming to visit. My dad is super like small 0:09:58.000 --> 0:10:03.480 town main country boy doesn't really fly. So I'm like 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:05.160 to get him out here and might have to drive them, 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:07.680 but we have to. We have done a road trip, actually, 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:11.200 he went with me. I was before actually in twenty nineteen, 0:10:11.240 --> 0:10:13.000 before I moved out here, I was invited to go 0:10:13.320 --> 0:10:17.079 on a to play for iHeartRadio, like a fundraiser in 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:20.800 Saint Louis for like this like softball game type thing, 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:23.320 and so I was like, well, might as well make 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:25.199 a like a trip out of it. And so we 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:30.079 stopped and obviously Texas, Oklahoma place shown Kansas and then 0:10:30.679 --> 0:10:32.319 went back. We went through Nashville. Was like, well we 0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:34.480 got to go to the beach in Florida before. It 0:10:34.640 --> 0:10:36.480 was like a huge road trip and I'm like, sorry, Dad, 0:10:36.520 --> 0:10:39.160 but but we had to. He probably made it to 0:10:39.280 --> 0:10:41.920 Nashville before I moved here, so do you feel like 0:10:41.960 --> 0:10:43.439 you have a little bit from each of them where 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:45.640 you you had that small, small town vibe to you, 0:10:45.760 --> 0:10:47.360 but you can also get out of your comfort zone 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:50.319 and move to Nashville and chase a dream, and you 0:10:50.400 --> 0:10:53.079 get that from both of them kind of they're very 0:10:53.200 --> 0:10:55.880 much like live in the same zip code, die in 0:10:55.920 --> 0:10:59.000 the series. Okay, it's I admire, Like, I mean, I 0:10:59.120 --> 0:11:01.640 think you know, they're content. My dad's just just a 0:11:01.720 --> 0:11:04.640 good old boy, he really is. And so with him, 0:11:04.800 --> 0:11:07.240 like I feel like I get my extra rudeness friendliness 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:09.920 from him because he's like the friendliest guy you will 0:11:09.920 --> 0:11:12.040 ever meet, just love like he will just talk to you, 0:11:12.360 --> 0:11:14.640 you know, the girls store, like everybody's his best friend. 0:11:14.760 --> 0:11:17.679 And then my mom and they're both hard workers. But 0:11:17.840 --> 0:11:19.880 my mom has been a really hard worker growing up. 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:22.679 She always worked two to three jobs, you know, And 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:25.559 so I get that from her because I'm the same way. 0:11:25.600 --> 0:11:28.840 I'm like hustle. Like, let's go, we'll Speaking of jobs, 0:11:28.880 --> 0:11:31.240 have you had another second job out here other than 0:11:31.360 --> 0:11:33.120 music or three jobs? Yeah, you say it like you 0:11:33.200 --> 0:11:35.040 had quite a few in the short time you've been 0:11:35.080 --> 0:11:37.160 out here. So when I was in high school, I 0:11:37.200 --> 0:11:39.440 worked a job and over the summer I was at 0:11:39.520 --> 0:11:42.520 home more than I guess I should have been, and 0:11:42.760 --> 0:11:44.800 my dad was like, why don't you you need to 0:11:44.840 --> 0:11:46.440 start working. I was like that to have a job. 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:49.839 He's like, we'll go get another one. Really, I was 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:52.720 like okay, So I did, and like ever since then, 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:55.559 I've always worked two to three jobs. In college, I 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:57.959 did the same. I paid my way through college and 0:11:58.080 --> 0:12:00.440 then as soon as I graduated, so I can make 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:03.320 you more money once you get that degree. You're right. 0:12:03.559 --> 0:12:08.720 My first paycheck went to my first EP and so yeah, 0:12:08.760 --> 0:12:11.000 So I've always had a day job and I've always 0:12:11.000 --> 0:12:13.240 like worked remote, so that kind of helps, but it 0:12:13.280 --> 0:12:16.240 also helps fund my dream too, because it's I honestly 0:12:16.280 --> 0:12:18.439 don't know what I've done without it, you know, financially. 0:12:19.600 --> 0:12:23.400 So I've always loved and honestly it's never having like 0:12:23.480 --> 0:12:25.480 a day job where I work remote has never affected 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:29.040 like my dream. And my boss has always been super 0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:31.160 supportive of like, hey, if you need to go do 0:12:31.280 --> 0:12:33.120 something like, let me know and go do it. So 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:36.160 what are those jobs consists of? Yes throughout the year. 0:12:36.440 --> 0:12:40.760 So yes. So I've in a success coach for an 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:44.160 education company and so I help other people reach their 0:12:44.240 --> 0:12:46.240 goals and dreams and just kind of like help them 0:12:46.520 --> 0:12:49.439 like set their goals, like small baby steps stuff like 0:12:49.520 --> 0:12:54.679 that to reach their goal. So which helps with mine? Obviously? Interesting? Yes, 0:12:54.960 --> 0:12:57.720 so you're almost like investing in yourself while also getting 0:12:57.760 --> 0:13:00.800 paid to help other people out and have a side job. Yes, 0:13:01.320 --> 0:13:03.839 that's very smart of you. Yes, that's very smart of you. 0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:06.079 I didn't know what that was in college, but I 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:11.439 love it. Exactly. What college did you go to? I 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:15.280 went to UTSA and for my undergrad and then I 0:13:15.440 --> 0:13:18.920 did a grad program um for a fun kind of thing. 0:13:19.000 --> 0:13:23.560 What company was paying for Alabama World Tide? Wow? Your 0:13:23.600 --> 0:13:26.280 company was paying where? You can't beat that exactly. So 0:13:26.800 --> 0:13:29.400 and where did you enjoy your time at both UTSA 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:33.920 and Alabama? I did? Yes? Um, looking back, I'm like, man, 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:36.120 I wish I said went to Alabama, But you know, 0:13:36.320 --> 0:13:37.959 it's just like when you're young, you don't know, like 0:13:38.080 --> 0:13:40.520 that's all. That's all I knew, and so I'm proud 0:13:40.520 --> 0:13:44.120 of it. I'm thankful, I'm we did good and I 0:13:44.240 --> 0:13:46.040 have a lot of great friends from college and just 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:48.720 good memory. So did you go to school for music 0:13:48.840 --> 0:13:51.800 anything in music? No, not at all. I went for kinnesiology. 0:13:54.400 --> 0:13:56.719 So what transition to you, like what we're at, what 0:13:56.920 --> 0:13:59.640 age or what year? Was there a specific moment or 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:01.920 time where you're like, you know what, this was fun? 0:14:02.080 --> 0:14:04.040 It was great. I got my degree and that's awesome. 0:14:04.080 --> 0:14:06.959 But I want to go chase music, right, I've always 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:08.559 wanted to I just didn't know what to do. I 0:14:08.600 --> 0:14:12.120 haven't no idea. So it was like the time. I 0:14:12.240 --> 0:14:15.000 was kind of like a clueless. I didn't have much direction, 0:14:15.040 --> 0:14:18.000 I'll tell you that. But I'm an older brother. And 0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:20.040 when I was like, okay, I guess I've got to 0:14:20.080 --> 0:14:23.480 go to college now, I'm like Mark. My brother's name 0:14:23.560 --> 0:14:24.600 is Mark, and I was like, what do I do? 0:14:25.320 --> 0:14:28.280 He's like, well he did kinesiology too. We're both really 0:14:28.320 --> 0:14:30.600 into sports and stuff like that. So it's kind of 0:14:30.600 --> 0:14:32.560 the route we went. I've always wanted to do music. 0:14:32.680 --> 0:14:36.200 I just didn't know what to do. What direction? Oh yeah, 0:14:36.240 --> 0:14:37.200 I was like I don't know what to do. So 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:38.600 I was like, you know, how to play in my 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:40.600 room and stuff like that and for my friend and 0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:43.240 with my friends and stuff like that. And so it 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:45.440 wasn't until like, all right, I want to take this serious, 0:14:45.480 --> 0:14:47.560 Like what do I do what's my next step? Book? 0:14:47.640 --> 0:14:51.560 My first show in college at this little pizza place 0:14:51.600 --> 0:14:56.760 and Bernie, Texas, and it was free, but I did 0:14:56.840 --> 0:14:58.760 my first show there and I just figured out, Okay, 0:14:58.800 --> 0:15:01.560 what's next step? You play more shows around town? I 0:15:01.600 --> 0:15:04.040 would just like cold call places, be like hey, I 0:15:04.040 --> 0:15:05.960 would love to play a show. Do you music? This 0:15:06.080 --> 0:15:08.080 is what I've done so far, and then I went 0:15:08.160 --> 0:15:11.760 from there. So, so you were booking yourself, you're performing, 0:15:11.920 --> 0:15:14.240 you're performing for free, and if you're paid, it was 0:15:14.280 --> 0:15:17.360 probably the bare minimum. I imagine, right, yes, what age 0:15:17.400 --> 0:15:19.960 were you? What year was this when you figured out 0:15:19.960 --> 0:15:22.520 you wanted to do all this full time? Cart will 0:15:22.600 --> 0:15:25.360 like seriously just start like, okay, this is what I 0:15:25.400 --> 0:15:27.880 want to pursue, and this is what I need to 0:15:27.880 --> 0:15:29.360 start doing. I need to start cold calling, I need 0:15:29.400 --> 0:15:31.320 to just start go performing and just kind of seeing 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:34.880 where it goes. Absolutely so, I mean always I wanted 0:15:34.920 --> 0:15:36.920 to take music serious, but again, like I had no 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:38.920 I'd never been to Nashville. I had no idea of 0:15:39.120 --> 0:15:41.800 like what the next step was. So it was like 0:15:41.880 --> 0:15:44.240 my senior year when I booked my first show, and 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:49.000 that the summer of before I graduated, And yeah, this 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:50.600 kind of this, I was like, all right, what I'd 0:15:50.600 --> 0:15:55.920 do next? And yeah, yeah, and you haven't looked back since, 0:15:56.040 --> 0:15:58.600 right right, right, it's been great. Has Nashville always been 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:02.360 on your mind? It? Yes, I had never been. I 0:16:02.440 --> 0:16:04.920 honestly never been outside of well, we would go to 0:16:04.960 --> 0:16:07.920 Florida every summer, like the destinary. We of family over 0:16:07.960 --> 0:16:09.960 in that area in Georgia, so that was like our 0:16:10.120 --> 0:16:13.720 family reunion vocation. So I'd only been to like those 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:16.800 southern states on I ten to get there, okay, until 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:19.800 after I graduated and me and my friend's cigaroo trip 0:16:20.040 --> 0:16:22.640 up here to Nashville, and that was my first time 0:16:22.720 --> 0:16:25.680 in Nashville and it was great. I was like, oh, 0:16:25.760 --> 0:16:27.960 I want to go back, So I just figuring out 0:16:27.960 --> 0:16:30.720 how to get back. Yeah, I link it to you now, huh. Yes, 0:16:30.960 --> 0:16:33.680 that's awesome. Good for you. Is there a time out here? 0:16:33.840 --> 0:16:36.160 Has there been a time out here in Nashville where 0:16:36.960 --> 0:16:40.680 you're kind of thinking to yourself, Man, this is a lot, 0:16:40.840 --> 0:16:43.560 this is tough, this is hard, this is a grind. 0:16:44.080 --> 0:16:47.520 Did I make the right decision? Right? I've never thought 0:16:47.680 --> 0:16:50.280 I always honestly felt like this is where I'm supposed 0:16:50.280 --> 0:16:53.640 to be. I mean, it's definitely been hard, but I've 0:16:53.680 --> 0:16:56.680 never let a hard situation like to tear me from 0:16:56.720 --> 0:16:58.040 like this is where I know I should be, Like 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:00.080 this is where I feel like I'm called and what 0:17:00.160 --> 0:17:02.560 I should be doing. Like I could not imagine quitting music, 0:17:03.280 --> 0:17:05.920 you know, and so I love to work hard. And 0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:08.320 I mean it's been tough, you know, especially being a 0:17:08.359 --> 0:17:11.360 girl in the industry. But it's been and like I said, 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:14.240 like my manager, she's been Oh my gosh, Like I'm 0:17:14.240 --> 0:17:18.760 so thankful for her friendship and just her support. So yeah, 0:17:18.880 --> 0:17:21.800 I mean, how did you two meet? You and your manager? Um? 0:17:22.160 --> 0:17:25.840 Off Facebook? I think um. I had heard about her 0:17:26.359 --> 0:17:29.600 from somebody and I was like working out one day. 0:17:29.880 --> 0:17:32.040 I loved workout. I was working out one day and like, 0:17:32.160 --> 0:17:34.120 She's like popped in my mind because I was thinking, Okay, 0:17:34.160 --> 0:17:36.080 for the new year, I would love to hire somebody 0:17:36.119 --> 0:17:38.240 to help me like booking and stuff like that. And 0:17:38.320 --> 0:17:40.159 so I reached out to her and then we just 0:17:40.200 --> 0:17:42.760 started working together, kind of figured it out as we went. 0:17:42.840 --> 0:17:46.440 She had just graduated from Belmont and we just kind 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:48.680 of went with it. And it's done really good. Like 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:51.000 people that we know in the industry are like, wow, 0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:54.680 like you know, y'all are great work working together so well. 0:17:54.680 --> 0:17:56.280 If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be sitting here 0:17:56.320 --> 0:18:01.720 as well, because and dmme on Instagram, and I was like, 0:18:02.000 --> 0:18:03.880 oh okay. And anybody who goes out of their way 0:18:04.119 --> 0:18:07.200 or or reaches out, you know, that says a lot 0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:09.560 or it's just it's not easy to reach out to 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:12.240 somebody like hey, I have this artist. And she obviously 0:18:12.440 --> 0:18:15.080 was just very polite about it. Check her out, no problem, 0:18:15.119 --> 0:18:17.320 if not this and that. And I think that the 0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:20.400 way that she went about it was definitely the right angle. 0:18:20.480 --> 0:18:22.280 And I was like, oh, okay, this is interesting. So 0:18:22.840 --> 0:18:25.480 shout out to her, and shout out to you guys. Yeah, 0:18:25.520 --> 0:18:27.720 it shout out to lindsay. Is there a time or 0:18:27.760 --> 0:18:29.840 a moment or goal of yours where you're going to 0:18:29.880 --> 0:18:32.720 think like, holy crap, this this is it, like I 0:18:32.840 --> 0:18:34.760 finally made it or is it more of the journey 0:18:34.840 --> 0:18:37.679 for you? I think it's honestly the journey. I mean, 0:18:37.760 --> 0:18:39.600 obviously I have my goals. I would love to play 0:18:39.640 --> 0:18:41.960 the Green Ole Opry one day just because it's just, 0:18:42.280 --> 0:18:45.240