John Michael Whitby Part 2

This show was taped before the untimely deaths of Ace In The Hole Band member and friend Gene Elders and Erv Woolsey. We all have a big hole in our hearts with the loss of these giants.
Also, never ask Bob to predict who will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hey, it's Bob Pickett. Weare on our way to the legendary Broken
Spoke. Come on, let's getout the truck and head inside. Come
on, let's go inside. Getready for another tale from the Broken Spoke.

(00:25):
Let's get back to our conversation withJohn Michael Whitby on Tails and the
Broken Spoke. John Michael, howlong? How many times you played here
at this spoke? I know youmentioned you were here just the other night
playing quite a few, but afew in fact, Kyle when he was
getting started, I got in thegig to open up for a sleep at
the Wheel. It may have beenhow he met Jason a long time ago.

(00:46):
When did you first meet Kyle?Because I I you know, the
first record that Kyle had out,Sammy already got it played on Kendre.
Were you part of that project?Yeah? Yeah, I produced that.
One singer played on it, What'sHot to Sing on it? Jason Roberts
played on it, John Carroll playedon it. I'm thinking about But it
was the collection of songs. Sothat's that's that's before the Texas Tree.

(01:10):
I think Kyle was nineteen. Howdid you meet Kyle? Then? That
was through? Uh, there wasa guy, uh, Alex Lipsitz.
We called him Alex Lipschitz, buthe was he was from Waco growing up.
I knew him and he was playingwith Shooter Jennings and Stargun in LA
and anyway, he was doing producing. I think he still does. I
haven't talked to him in a while, but he was producing this his mom.

(01:33):
Kyle's mom knew his mom, andhe knew I was doing some music
in Austin and he didn't know anybody, and so he said, put a
band together. So that's how wedid it. That was on his demo,
Kyle's demo, and I think Ithink Sammy got that, but Sammy
might have gotten the first, uhthe first record. So and I produced
that over to Cedar Creek Adam orto produce. Anyway. Yeah, back

(01:55):
in the nineties we're talking about.I didn't realize that you've known Kyle that
long. I'd have to think aboutwhat year though it was, but it
might be early two thousands maybe,yeah for sure. And I know,
so how long have you been pickingwith the State Line Band? Which I
love and I think Jody's such aphenomenal He's a great singer and great guy.

(02:16):
Looks like a star. Well,I won't play with them all the
time, but they do a littleyou know, George Straight tribute or set
and we we play I don't know, over twenty George Strait songs. I
remember when we did the thirty numberones and the thirty number ones, you
know, Friday Saturday Night in LasVegas, and oh the Mighty Georgia that

(02:38):
was the one one and done rightthere. Boys, that was a lot
of stuff. But anyway, weplayed. They play some George Straight stuff,
so they I like them and theytake care of me, and so
they're like, hey, this guy'sin the band. So it's like a
license to print money. I justI'll draw. So there was a bunch
of dancing people the other night,and it's being south By Southwest. There
was a that was a who Mikewas getting something to drink Me and Benny

(03:01):
Mack and Bennie Man goes, hey, you see that guy over there,
so yeah, he's from Norway,and you hear people talking. This one
lady came up and said we tooka break and she goes, when when
are we going to be able todo the group dance? And I said,
I said, oh, the groupdance. I said, I don't
know, you need to talk tohim, and she goes who And I

(03:22):
said, the lead singer, gotell that I don't know, Joe.
She's in here, you know,given lessons before, but the group dance.
So anyway, but I'd be aspecial guest with the state line.
Anytime somebody asks you that, yougo that's in the next set. Yes,

(03:42):
well, we got done at whatever, twelve forty five. I mean
it's a it's a marathon. Andthen then they start this one more song,
one more song, one more andI'm like, dude, give me
a break. And so Hayden,they can come up to Hayden but Terra
and Hayden goes, no, theymake a shut down at twelve forty five.
It's there. You know, we'reblaming everything on Mike and Spoke.
So yeah, we didn't play onemore song because if we know anything about

(04:05):
Mike and the Spoke is they hateselling more alcohol. Yeah, having people.
It's a hard cut boys, getoff the stage. Music's over,
get out, parties shouts over.No, what is it about that Spoke?
Though? This special toy? Youman? The I mean, just
look around, Bob and if youhaven't been to the Broken Spoke, which

(04:26):
some people haven't been to the BrokenSpoke. I'm like, man, this
is so much history right here,and to think about, you know,
if the walls could talk and seeing, Yeah, Bob Wills and Ernest Tubb
and Hank Thompson, everybody. AndI'm just George Straight on Wednesdays in nineteen
seventy nine. Well, how muchare those tickets back then? One buck
the riff raft tax. Mister Whitecalled that the riff raft tacks. One

(04:46):
buck to see George Straight, Isee, we call that the riff raft
tacks. That's how to keep allthe bombs out. That's yeah, that's
good. And James White knowing him, you know, over the years and
having just good memories of the spoken, just how much history is here.
So I got onto one guy.He said something about a dive baruh I

(05:10):
remember his name, but he saidsomething about Garth Brooks playing dive bars and
dive bar. But Garth was herebecause of south By Southwest. He played
was green, yeah, which isbut that's what he should have called it,
a Texas honkey talk to her right. The dive bar got lumped into

(05:30):
the spoke, and I got onsocial media and scolded him publicly on social
media? Did you set him straight? It's an institution, it is.
It's a dance hall to some people, it's a honkey talked up, just
a piece of history to me,should be here forever and ever. Amen,

(05:53):
And yeah, I agree with you. It is the Texas going to
play here. I don't know.That's a great question. The grown man's
gigs. So are you going tohave a record release here? Because I
can't think of a better place.You know, that's a great idea,
uh Bob, And we're actually talkingabout that. Answers, Yes, right
now. I want to have arelease. We should. I think you

(06:14):
could be invited and wouldn't miss it. But we are only only three and
there the talk is if somebody everwanted drums and bass, I mean we
could do that for sure. Ohdrums for parades. Yeah, don't even
worry about that, man. Yeah, you don't need that. We got
the didn't have a drummer for twoyears, man, we do really Yeah,
yeah records that that's Bill Black slapin the base. Man, it's

(06:38):
not even a drummer. You don'tneed that. So I don't know if
we're gonna play here or not.But uh yeah, we're looking. We'll
see May seventeenth, when the Suckergets released. You don't have a date
that day with straight in place toyou. May seventeenth, We don't,
No, we don't. And that'shis birthdays eighteenth, Yeah, yeah,
my birthday, Bubba's birthday, KylePark's wife's birthday, May fourteenth, five

(07:00):
fourteen. It's club that we have. Actually, it's good, fantastic.
You said you grew up in NewBronfels, right, well, Waco,
born in Austin, Waco and theNew Bronfles Yes high School in New bron
Feles. Okay, all right,And did you start picking just to like
meet chicks or playing in church?I had to. I had to take
piano, remember was I picked outa little a little you know, a

(07:23):
melody on on the TV and figuredout the notes es. I was young.
You could already had the aptitude forI think it's paid off for you.
So the day you were born,God made you a piano player.
That's what that is. Yeah,for sure, that's what it is.
And then just started taking lessons fromthere and had to play recitals and all
that. And then I thought itwas stupid, like, so like,

(07:45):
you can read and everything. Well, I did graduate from New Bronfles High
School, so I can't. Ican't read. No, you want to
speak a little bit slower, Ican. I can read numbers. Yeah,
the note for note takes me awhile now and I just never enjoyed
that. Yeah, shape notes meanthat it is chicken scratch. But you

(08:05):
know numbers. Yeah, that's easy, of course, right yeah, but
uh yeah, So anyway, Ihad to play and then and then but
I got into Jerry Lee, Lewisand McKey gilly. After that I got
to hanging around the Kicker crowd.You're just like, man, I want
to play some that's the piano Iwant to play well. And then in
particularly those Jerry Lee country records,those things that were on monument Billy Ryl
did and those are those are someof the greatest. Like if he if

(08:28):
he'd never ever made one rock androll record in the fifties, if he
just had been known as a countryact, I think he's still in the
Country Music Hall of Fame, thosethose Jerryley records. Yeah, he went
in shortly before he passed. Theywaited for he went in the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame was one ofthe first. Let's make a little prediction.
Writer. First of all, let'sgive the date we're taping this.
This won't be on the podcast fora couple of weeks. But this is

(08:50):
May the thirteen. No, it'sit's excuse me, March thirteenth. March
thirteen. Coming up Monday morning,Brooks and Dunn will announce the class of
twenty twenty four for the Country MusicCall of Fantastic. Now, if June
Carter Cash does not get in thisyear, I'm gonna do some hoop and
holler and any any predictions, Well, people vote on that. I guess.

(09:13):
No, Charlie Richarding in, yeah, and Johnny Paycheck's not in.
That's wild, yeah. I meanto me, it's like Charlie Richard in
for political reasons because he earned theenvelope. He burned the envelope with John
Denver's name in it, which Ithink is great. But Charlie rich deserves
me to country, me to callof Fame. I mean, my god,

(09:33):
that behind closed doors, rolling withthe flow of some of the greatest
records ever. You know, EddieRabbit, I think Eddie Rabbit, But
I think before Rabbit, and hecertainly deserves it. I think Johnny Paycheck
and you know, on paycheck's notthere because of you know, Travis Tritz
not in there. So he's beenmaking records. Thirty five, timmcgra something
something tells me Tim mcgrawl will probablybe in this year. This year,

(09:54):
I'm just guessing. I think so, yeah, I don't think Toby Keith
should be that Toby won't be becauseof I think that he will be eventually.
He will be eventually. You know, I don't know if my girl's
body of work is has the depth. Well, I'm telling you that I
think he's sold a lot of records, but it's not r I A A.
It's your peers. You know.R I A A gives you the
gold records, and the Country MusicHall of Fame is is also about your

(10:18):
artistic contribution. And that's why Ithink somebody like Charlie Richard, Johnny Paycheck
of the newer people quote unquote neweryou know, I would say Travis Tripp,
Tricia, Oh my god, yea, Tricia, certainly, how about
you? What do you think Ihave given that zero thought about? This
is called show prep. We're makingpredictions. We sent you the email.

(10:39):
No, I agree with Johnny Paycheck. You know his real name, Donnie
Donnie Lytle. That's correct. Andwhat was his first full time gig he
played with? Uh? Was itRoger Miller? It was Jones, Jones,
George Jones. I'm just he hadto think harmony says we're growing all

(11:01):
And you never mentioned the word turtlemeat to Johnny Paycheck. Yeah, shot,
Yeah, that's that's why I thinkthat he got thrown in prison.
Far fight. Well, first countrystar I ever met was Paycheck in seventy
nine. Wow, I'll show youthat photo. I would love to see
how old you had to been?Just well, sixteen seventeen. I was
eighteen? Wow? Eighteen? Areyou from Austin? No, I'm from

(11:24):
Sweetwater Man, grew up in Sweetwater, spent some time in Lovebock came down
here in eighty one. Wow,so I've been some time in Loveck.
You were paroled. I spent timein Lobock, Texas tech one to come
down here and see water, womenand trees. Done. So what was
it like? I mean Paycheck seventyeight, that's shove it. That's Colorado
kool aid. That paycheck that wasthe time seventy nine when I saw him.

(11:46):
That's when he was big man.Yeah was it? Was he cool
to you? Yeah, very nice, fantastic, Yeah, very nice.
That was a steel player, JimBig, Jim Murphy with a sleep at
the Wheel. But he had playedwith Think Thompson and Lorett Lynn and Paycheck
and and there's he was. Theywere playing some TV show. He's got
a free Sonny Barger shirt on andthey were all friends with with Sonny Barger.

(12:09):
And anyway, the story is fromthat guy. But but uh,
there's a Merle Haggard live at AnaheimStadium. Yeah yeah, so yeah,
so and Ronnie gave me that videoor let me watch it or whatever.
And at the end, you know, uh, Merle brings out Willie Nelson
and uh Johnny Paycheck. So whatever, there's song there. That's a great

(12:33):
album. I forget about that.That was hard to find. It was
out of print for a while,but they came out early early eighties.
Yeah, it's one of my favorites. He made so many. Right,
don't take her, she's all I'vegot eleven months, nine days. Take
this job and shove it, ir. Yeah, it's good stuff. I'm
sure. You know, being theyoungest member of the Ace and the whole

(12:54):
band, you've heard a lot ofgreat stories from the people, your fellow
band members and everything. Yeah,and that deal was Jim Murphy was on
the bus and they dropped dropped himoff at Johnny at the Kansas City Airport
or whatever, and Willie had aplane, and will he said if he
got over there, he'd fly himto Anaheim or whatever. So they did.
But then you know, towards theend of the video, you can

(13:16):
see Johnny Paycheck. He has onsuspenders and he's man, He's walking around,
just pacing, and he's just poppingthose suspenders. You know, man,
he is. And the photo Igot it's like Mork and Mindy suspenders
he was wearing. He was thephoto fired up. So Murph just died
laughing because he had never seen that, and he just remembered dropping him off
on the plane and then he wasjust laughing. Yeah, he was good

(13:39):
friends with Johnny, So he wasa He was a cool, cool,
interesting guy, A lot shorter thanI thought I met him. I was
at a airport I think it was. I think it was in Phoenix,
somewhere out west fixed I was fixingfly back to Nashville. It's a late
flight. And he comes in andhe has on an an army coat like
a like a World War to justcoat, no shirt, bandana on his

(14:03):
head. And he comes and hegoes up to the girl at the gate
and he said, I want toupgrade my ticket first class. She said,
well, sir, we don't normallydo. I only fly first class
and I'm coach and Johnny Paycheck doesnot fly coach. I'm Johnny Paycheck.
And he pulled out this wad ofhundreds out of his army coat and he

(14:26):
and I had I was on havingmy black leather jacket, jeans and you
know. And he goes, you'rea picker, ain't you, boy?
I said yes. She said youknow who I am. I said,
yes, sir, I know exactlywho you are. I love your record,
sir. And he goes, let'sfly first class together. I'll buy
you a first class ticket. AndI said, well, I got I
got mother guys, you know.And he thought I meant so by them,
you know, I thought, Ijust hang out to them. And
he goes, he goes, areyou the main one? I said,

(14:50):
yes, sir, the main wanted. I'll buy the main one of the
first class ticket. The rest ofthose boys can set back there. What
did you do sat with the bath? I didn't want to put I didn't
want to get on the buses,the main one that flew first class.
When they were back in the cattlesection. His father in law wrote one
of Johnny Paycheck's hits, three ofhis hits hits Brandy's dad. He wrote
Colorado kool Aid. He wrote meand the I R s. And he

(15:11):
wrote Billy Bardow and this is waybefore you knew Brandy. Oh yeah,
yeah. Matter of fact, firsttime Brandy came down from Nashville when we
first started courting, I said,what are some of your dad's cuts and
and she said, well, hewrote the flip side to take this job,
and Sep and I went, no, in, Austin, take the
job and shove. It's the flipside, Colorado kool aids the A side
as far as radio, and Austinwas concerned. I had the original forty

(15:35):
five. He also wrote, uh, baby or baby for straight. Her
dad did so. He played thatthe other night. Yeah, y'all don't
have desperately in the ship, butyou have Colorado. I mean or baby,
the gold record for Desperately is inthere, and you ingreat some yeah
that that that odd cords a twominor when it gets to it. Don't

(15:56):
let it scare you. He'll rideon the sett list for you, okay,
not her chart, yes, pleasedo. It's too with a dash.
The dash means mine. Okay.So I mean you're busy all the
time, You're you're you're with Straighton the road. Occasionally you're with Ray.
You've got this new project, andyou've got real estate and any books

(16:17):
and he got two kids, don'tyou books? Wait a minute, No,
he put me and Walt Wilkins ona juicy gig talking around. Just
try to take care of everybody,you know, just whatever needs to be
done. But I do enjoy thebooking thing. There's a nice lady,
uh from Cameron that uh you know, she's in the finance world, but
she loves live music and singer songwritersall this stuff anyway, But they had

(16:41):
a reception for some of her clientsand she needed two world class singer songwriters
and they weren't available. So hehired me. So yeah, Money and
Walt did it and it was great. It was a nice evening. It
was. It was fantastic. Sobut I'll go and try to, you
know, talk to everybody and whichjob you enjoy the most? One of

(17:02):
that feeds his kids? Well,yeah, I'm playing music. You can't
top that now, you know,Yeah, just playing you know so,
and that's not really the job.The job is all the other stuff.
That's right. It goes around aroundit. But everybody that that's on the
rovio. For instance, this yearthe gigs with stapleson, you know,
opening up the Moody Center, WillieNelson, Yeah, you know, I

(17:22):
mean, oh, man, that'sa that's a lot from a kid who
you know, uh, started playingpiano and had no idea where he was
going to end up. Man,it's been a fun journey for you.
Well, I'm picking with straight.I mean really, there's been enough time
for a historical perspective. That's likeSinatra, Pressley Gerald one of the all

(17:45):
time great artists in any genre,and you picked with him for years.
That that is an honor, that'sa generational honor. Your brand babies will
talk about that. Yeah. Well, hopefully the people recognize you. So,
hey, aren't you remember the ashand the whole band you and MONI
due Mike does Hey Mike, herecognizes me? Uh I No, not

(18:06):
really. I mean sometimes you'll getthis or that, But I don't know
if recognized is the word i'd usefor what I see. See you.
George show me a story about histrailer blowing a tire or something one time
by new Brothels, and he walkedinto the tire shop, that truck stop
on top of the hill. Hesaid, I need a new tire or
whatever, and the lady said okay, blah blah blah, and then yeah,

(18:30):
okay, all good, and thenshe started looking and looking like that's
recognized. But uh yeah, I'dsay if I walked into some show,
they wouldn't turn me. They usuallydon't turn me away. But yeah,
we all know one another. Ithink pretty much. Right well, I

(18:51):
think you hang around with a greatyou know, cool guys. You know
when Elvis came with playing golf atPeter Pan here and Allston, the girl
that gave him his him Scotty andBill of clubs, she said, you
look like that new boy Elvis Preshyand he said, I get that a
lot. That's great, that's good. I think Ray Ray was in the

(19:14):
truck stop eating one time, andthe lady came up and said, you
signed an autograph for me? AndI was like, oh, sure,
I think I have this right.But anyway, she said, I know
who you are. He said youdo, said, yeah, you're Tray
Sadkins. I think he signed thetrace. That's so great. Ray just
had a birthday yesterday. As youcall him up, wish mappy birthday.
Well, I think his birthday's Fridayor Saturday. I got in my phone.

(19:37):
I will but birthday party could bewrong. Birthday party was last night.
I think it's a fifteen. Hisbirthday party, well, hell,
let's just call it, you know, Ray Benson week, My god should
be I was unable to. Uh. He got a proclamation from the mayor
last night, Saturday, birthday sixteenth, sixth sixteenth? Did y'all go?
I went? I went excellent lastnight. Brandy and I went for about.

(20:00):
That's an annual event that I lookforward to all the time because just
the talent that Ray will bring outon stage. You never know, you
know who's going to show up andsee. Kelly Willis was there last night
because she just recorded a song ofmine on a great album and see because
she wants to be successful, right, whereas the people that have fear of

(20:21):
success tend to not record people.People watching the video podcast can see you
holding up the album the CD rightnow and kind of t X three x
three great people, great music.Well no, wait a minute, t
X three. There needs to bea t X two before a t X
three. See planning these and thethree of them. The second one I'm

(20:42):
talking about the album though, oneyou got to and two should have a
money Warden. It should be amoney Warden tribute record. Really is what
it should be. A ten cut. Nobody's made that yet every time I
make a record, it's a moneyWarden talked about it. She needs to
talk to Ray. Vincent got exactlythe one artist he had, Vincent's reggae

(21:04):
record he's got coming out. Uh. The only way that I'm a part
of that is just being appreciative asa fan listener. Yes, no,
because he went to Jamaica and didthat stuff. That's good stuff. I
mean it's it really is the cutsI've heard it great. It is different,
yeah, and it is good.I mean it's you got all these

(21:25):
guys playing, there's some girls singingand it's fun the groove. I can't
I can't play that groove. Youever had a moment where you froze up
on stage and you forgot whether thewords or how to how to play the
piano and a certain song, orany kind of equipment problems that happened to
you. You know, I gotto sing the national anthem at the National
Finals rodeo, I don't know afew years ago or whatever, at Texas

(21:48):
Ranger at the ballpark. You dosay, yeah, yeah. A buddy
of mine called and people had canceled, and I was like the one hundred
millionth person on the list, allthe way down on the phone book.
Randy Carroll couldn't do it. RandyCarroll couldn't do it. Eric Rains couldn't
do it. They went, theywent through everybody. I've heard. I've
heard Randy singing before the ballgame theRangers. Wow, that's anyway you talk

(22:14):
about. No, No, Igot through that. I just looked at
the flag, stared at the flagbecause that was maybe the most nervous like
that I've you you cannot, butoh man, it was. It's huge.
Here's the secret. You start low, say, is the lowest note
in that song and people always starttoo high. If you can hit say

(22:36):
deeply and richly, but hit itlow, you'll be okay. But if
you you know what I did wasI started with the high uh Land of
the Free right, Yeah, Istarted with that high. That's what I
did. Yeah, okay, AndI doubt they doubt they will, but
I actually I'm not a singer,but I thought i'd did good and people

(23:02):
said that's the way the anthem shouldbe, saying absolutely, so I gave
it justice. But anyway, freezingit well. Keyboard fell off the stool
one time, Ranch on Nicosia willSleep the Wheel Race said, I won't
say the S word, but hesaid trick. He looked over at me
and the keyboards on the floor andI'm like, what the Obviously the stand,

(23:25):
you know, gave way or something, but I hadn't set it up,
so I didn't know anything about it. But he said, trick your
crap before the gig and they comeover there and we're trying to lift it
up, and I'm like, oh, what happened? So that broke?
My stool broke on stage one timewith George we were in Tulsa, Oklahoma
city. Whatever arena and I've hadnightmares about that. And the damn thing
broke gave way. It was thiswrinky ink thing. I can tell you

(23:49):
all about it, what I won'tuse ever again. On stage, I
was switching back and forth from theHammond to the to the you know string.
I have wall controller for that,but anyway, yeah, and it
gave way man and I hit thehit the deck and I heard the section
behind me go, you know,they kind of gasp. And I look

(24:10):
up and I see the top ofthe arena and I'm like, oh,
And I think we were playing likerun or something where the keyboard the since
starts the song and I've got petalseverywhere, and I remember having to make
do and and the little man cameup there and was trying to fix it.
George was walking by, and Imean, he's cool, but he

(24:30):
had to be. I never didask him, but he had to go,
what the hell is going on there? But did you stand up like
the stand up and play the gigsaying hey that's once? No, No,
there was no that was that wasnone of that. So genuinely,
genuinely was not my fault. Butif it had been your fault and didn't

(24:53):
set you up for that, thenhe did not set me up. But
also something like that. It wouldn'tanybody's fault. It just gave it time,
Okay, But was it like akeyboard player. I mean, you
see guitar players the string breaks.I saw that happen the other night at
the Eagles concert, you know,with Joe Walsh. What's the worst thing
that can happen to a keyboard playeron stage? I mean, really,

(25:15):
you're just stuff doesn't even turn on. No, your stuff not working.
Sometimes your ship just didn't. Thathappened to Ronnie, like I don't know,
months ago. He was playing somegig and he turned it on and
I mean I think it worked duringsoundcheck and turned on nothing and couldn't get
it. And I'm so I don'tknow what he did, but I know
he was not happy at all.So that's the worst. Who's the band

(25:37):
leader? N Ronnie's a band leaders, Okay, he's very regimented. So
and that's a good thing in thatposition because that's just a lot of junk
stuff to keep up with. Sothere's a lot of people in that band,
and if you're at a stadium,you're on end. You gotta be
looking. So there's a lot morea drummer as the artist job, I

(26:00):
think because he's watching the main one. But watching the main one. Money
didn't get watching the watch and hewas watching everybody in your and it's like,
yeah, I mean so, butlike I think, like like you
know, and I've only done youknow, maybe a couple of dozen stadium

(26:21):
gigs, but they kind of it'sjust kind of just a stage but bigger,
like you know, for me,the like playing a theater. The
soft seaters are the ones where,really, I mean, you can hear
everything and the audience can hear youtalking to the band. And that's one
of my main things is, youknow, I talk to the guys all
the time and we use you know, cinemax language when we talk to one

(26:45):
another, and in a theater theycan hear everyone. Also when you're playing
the round, I mean, y'alllike having something behind you solid. I
mean, that's gonna be nerve wracking. I'm doing that because then you can
see everybody. You get a chanceto see it, Yeah you do have
you want to make sure that yougot your wrangler patch and and and your
Zilker belt ready to be seen.And you know, say, hey,

(27:07):
I'm not trying to be funny here, but can you take a picture of
me from behind so I can sendYeah, So I don't need anything solid.
I like the round better because thenyou're looking and and you know,
and and it's fans, so they'rethey're on your song, they're on your
side. They know that they madea point to come to the show.

(27:32):
Get you know, put on aclean shirt, ask some chick out,
you know, all that stuff whereyou know, it's uh it really it's
particularly in country music. I mean, the fans are so wonderful and so
low and all they really expect youis to play songs they want to hear,
and don't get above your raisin.You know. It's really cool time.
Amen, definitely want to see that. And the cool thing about the

(27:52):
straight gigg also, everybody knows thesongs they sing along changed, and these
songs their lives. They're in anindelible part of it, part of their
lives, chapters of their lives actuallyand everything. And you got a cool
gig, man, you got areal cool gig a long time ago where
I didn't play because I was justsitting there and I think I was like
singing along like still much or something. I don't know, something. I

(28:17):
was just you know, listening tothe song. You were a fan,
Yeah, I'm just you know,I remember just looking down and then kind
of waking up, going, dude, you got to play on this.
It's like start play your parts.You know. I was just enjoying.
Yeah, wait, don't do somethinghere. That's a really cool B three
part here coming out? Yeah yeah, yeah or ship that's me. So

(28:37):
yeah, when you enjoy the musicthat you're playing, and that's a lot
of fun and rewarding. You know. I heard that you guys are going
to be part of this new Straightalbum too coming out. We got to
play four songs on the new records. There's thirteen something like that, but
we did Yeah, we did aDean a Dean Bubba George song more like

(28:59):
a gosp tune called the Book,and then we did way More's Blues.
Oh wow. Yeah, so that'show we did it, just like that,
And I think that I'm proud ofthat because I think everybody really played
awesome on on that. So that'scool and we like it. And then

(29:19):
uh, there's a Keith Gadda songcalled I Wish I wish I could say,
and uh, I don't know ifKeith co wrote it with somebody,
but uh, man, it's like, I don't know. We did it
just like Eith had the had thethe demo, you know what I'm saying,
And and then there's an there's anotherone. Uh what else did we

(29:45):
do? Oh? The one thatwe did was am I, Am I
Down and am I. That's aDean Dylan song. And I know that
he wanted because when I saw himmonths ago, he said, well,
we didn't get any songs on thenew George record. It's okay. I
told him, I want you tomake the best record you can. I
thought, well, that's cool,and then we did. We cut two

(30:07):
of those songs, so that's sothat's tasty. But yeah, the overall
record sounds. It sounds great JoeKinley and all the players. But there's
some good songs. A couple ofthem, A couple of them moved me.
There's one that Keith wrote with GuyClark called Rent and man that's just
like Killer. There's a few Killersongs that are really good. But it's
been I think five years since Georgereleased a record, and man, he's

(30:30):
uh he's singing better than he everhas. It seems he sings great,
sings great, sounds more comfortable.I mean, it's just wild. It's
like, you know, because likethe male voice is like like it's it's
peak is like from you know,fifty five to sixty five they say,
and straight it's just he's singing hisass off. I mean, it just
sounds so good. And you know, and I because I've been a fan

(30:51):
since you know, straight counting sincebefore he cuts you right here. Yeah,
oh my lord, of course.You know. I stood out in
the rain there at the Double Leagueone. I'm fifteen years old. It's
it's uh me and a thousand chicks. I was like the only dude in
the audience, Hucky, They're onlyhuman after up. But now Hukaby,
I was right up front, andHuckaby was laughing his ass off. He's

(31:12):
going to that kid, here's pointingabout to everybody. I was the only
I was fifteen, because they sneakme in, Wayne Nagel sneaked me in
because I just loved Joe and uhand I was the only dude in there.
But anyway, you know, Ijust uh loved him and uh,
I just think he's singing is likeit's like there's no he's not taking any

(31:34):
breaths or checking out or ducking anything. He's singing his ass off. I
mean, it's so inspiring to seesomebody like George Strait who doesn't have to
necessarily sing great her even more though, and he's just it means so much
to him, And because it meansso much to him, he's singing so
great. Have you learned anything frombeing a member of the e of the
whole band from the other band members, anything that we can publicly talk about.

(32:00):
What haven't I learned? Really?You know you're playing You're playing with
the best band. That's what BennieMack says is he's my illegitimate father on
the road. And I passed thebeer joint school because he'd always give me
marks in the back lounge. ButI passed me. Jason Robertson Hayden Materia,
we all passed Bennie's beer joint school. But uh, you learn a
whole lot. One thing you learnedis to not drink the last glass of

(32:22):
wine and uh from a wine bottleon the bus that you think is just
like bus stock that you don't knowwhat's yours. You can learn that lesson,
Yeah you learned that? What otherwhat others? There's there's there's a
lot of lessons to be to belearned out there. Musically, you guys
are just yeah, having Rick McCraeand Joe Manuel and yeah you can.

(32:47):
That's pretty awesome. All those guysand anybody that's ever worked with Joe has
learned to say Joe no means no. Who's the announcer who announces that you
it is? That's right. Ithought that was you when I wouldn't sell
you guys up in Fort Worth,I thought that was you saying that used
to be the backup singer. Andthen uh, that guy Tom Flora a

(33:10):
long time ago was wasn't feeling great, so he didn't want to do it,
and I always wanted to do it, like one time, and now
you got the gig. Ronnie saidyou still want to bring us on stage
tonight? And I said, hesaid you still want to bring us on
stage? Sometimes? I said,heck yea, he goes you're up and
I was like, what, hegoes no tonight? So I was like,

(33:32):
uh, well, uh you know, and start doing that crap.
And then I get off stage.Yeah, and Georgia goes to Michael and
I said, yes, sir,and he goes, you're gonna bring me
on tonight. I said yes,sir, and he said, don't screw
it up. So gentlemen, pleasemake well Georgia hold on a minute.

(33:52):
Yeah. Back in the old days, they had always have disc jockeys do
that, and I got to dothat a couple of times. I got
to escort George one time the IrwinCenter when it was in the round walk
with George, walk right behind Tomand George all the way to the stage,
and that was the coolest thing inthe world. My mother was there
that night. And then I tookmy mom on the bus afterwards when we
got to meet George. Been onthe bus. She was excited and we

(34:16):
get off of We get off ofGeorge's bus and Mom goes, that was
so much fun. But I thinkthat George was drinking. But you know
what having having jocks bring you upis like, uh, it's dangerous.
Well what they all of you andyou know, because y'all aren't taught,
Because it's your it's your deal,you know, ladon, gentlemen. Yeah,

(34:37):
but it's they they screwed with themic. You have the mic ready
to go. You just you pacedyourself. You've spaced it out just right.
And sure enough, Joe Schmoe fromLightning one hundred has moved the mic,
except the only cat that that didnot do that was Cole. Bob
Cole never moved the mic from wherethe singer had it. Oh yeah,

(34:58):
why would you do that? Isay what' saying? Yeah, they don't
know, they don't know any better. You don't mess with that. They
move it for them. And thenyou go, here's my big hit record
and you're not gonna hear it firsthalf the first verse, the local jocks,
somebody messed it up. But Lee, you don't think about that.
But then like you get to alevel where's something like George nobody touches his

(35:20):
mic. That's his Yeah, it'sprofessional. Course. Again, before we
leave, we want to plug thenew album, which comes out again May
seventeenth, twelve oh one a mThe Texas Trio the Texas Trio dot com
and listen because I hope you guysdo release date here at this spoke.
I think it's just natural. It'sit's billed as the Texas trio featuring country

(35:45):
artist Kyle Park, two time GrammyAward winner Jason Roberts, and keyboardist John
Michael Whitby from George Strait Sason thewhole man. So that's a long marquee
right there. That's a hell ofa T shirt. Nobody says that it
is a long T shirt. Soyou say Texas treeover any guy's got long
sleeves put that name. Fantastic.We're excited about about this project for sure,

(36:08):
years years taking years to it.We can't wait to hear it.
In fact, I listened to iton the way back to Cedar Park.
Give you my opinion, Red Stiegall, I love bad Luck Cowboy Jason Kyle
wrote that one. That's great,So yeah, man, I love the
fact that you got some Benny tuneson here too. Yeah, hot Headed
Honey that he wrote for his wifeyears and years ago, and that's a

(36:30):
that's a you know, uh uplifting, it's uh I don't know, funny
as the word, but it's anentertaining song. So that fits fits certain
people's personalities that can try to singthat song. And then there's what other
one is there on there? NaomiYes, Naomi which Jason ended up singing

(36:51):
that I like that song a lot. It's a ROADI you know, Cal
It's about a cow girl, youknow, now my Now, My Naomi
and Shining Way. Yes. Soit's thank you for something by Today and
lit'st If people want to get ahold of you, just just look me
up. You can find out.You can't swing up the cat without hitting

(37:12):
you man, everything everything it's peoplethink they're hidden, but they're not.
So you can just google that Johnwhatever you need, one of the nicest
guys, and he'll next time.He'll be back soon. But the next
time we're gonna have Kyle and Jasonyou too, So that'd be fun.
It'd be fantastic, little picking alittle tails. Broken Spoke continues next week.

(37:34):
Tales from the Broken Spoke is recordedlive at The Broken Spoke in Austin,
Texas, hosted by Country Radio Hallof Fame broadcaster Bob Pickett and Monty
Warden, recorded mixed down and producedby Mike Rivera