December 10, 2022 • 24 mins
The duo of Tanya and Michael Trotter, Jr., known as The War and Treaty have suddenly found themselves in high demand. Having performed with Dierks Bentley on several occasions, their high energy support has brought them into the spotlight and to the attention of country music’s elite. Now they’re featured with Brothers Osborne on the upcoming CD, STONE COLD COUNTRY, a salute to the 60th anniversary of The Rolling Stones. We’ll get their fascinating story of going from the upper deck seats at the CMA Awards in 2021 to the main stage the very next year. It’s Michael and “Miss Thang” having a lot of fun with Crook & Chase.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, everybody. Welcome once again to Crook and Chase, Nashville Chats.
Charlie and Lorien here from our studio on Music Row,
and in today's episode, we are going to introduce you
to a couple of people. You probably have seen some
of the award shows recently, especially in two and you're going,
who are those people? And they are the War and
Treaty husband and wife duo. And there's a reason they're
(00:23):
called the War Entreaty. They're married and they work together,
thus the War and Treaty. You know, when you look
at their background, it's so funny, Charlie, because I guess
Wikipedia or bios usually artists named a genre. Well, these
two people are so versatile that they don't have a genre.
(00:46):
They cross all genres. They are listed as rock, soul, Americana, blues,
folk and now country. I guess we should tell them
who they are. It's Tanya and Michael Trotter, husband and
wife team. Now you may have seen them recently on
the c m A Award show. They performed a Rolling
Stones classic with brothers Osborne and earlier in the year
(01:07):
and you may have seen him with Dirtsmidtley on the
American Music I mean the Academy or Country Music Awards. Right,
So a lot of things to talk about with these
folks as we get to know them. And you know,
it goes back to the title the War and the Treaty,
which is unusual. Right, We're gonna we will get the
story just so you know why it's known as the
War and Treaty. Wasn't easy to come up with either, Right. Well,
(01:28):
I had a sort of a brush with greatness surrounding
them about a week or so before we actually met.
And here's what happened. I told them about it. I'm
at this intimate, little industry dinner a couple of weeks ago,
and a guy was there. He introduced himself who uh
did sound for Kiss. There was another guy there who
(01:51):
had done keyboards for Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. And
then the guy sitting next to me said, my name
is Max Brown. I worked for the one. He had
just come from doing a video with you. He hopped
into this dinner. We had a blast, and then as
(02:11):
we were leaving, we're like, okay, we're going to bed now.
He goes, oh, yeah, I got a gig with Yeah.
So anyway, he was just so complimentary about the two
of you and how much fun it was to be
part of the band. We're really extremely close. He's actually
our son's guyfather. Yeah, sixty six sixty years Will you
(02:35):
need from Michigan to be here with us when we
moved from Michigan. Well, he picked a good one. I
mean he is just um, he looks like he's twelve
years old, but he just he's just very very kind
and very soon. And it's not a it's not a
he's not putting it on one like, this is just
who he is. He truly is. Yeah. Well, who you
(02:56):
surround yourselves with tells a lot about you. So you
know we we feel the same about you. Well, we
told him when we were building a band, we let
go of everyone and accept him, and we said, um,
fill it with people who are like you. I don't
care how good or bad they play. I want we want,
we want people who you know. And when you do that,
(03:18):
the touring is easier and and people who understand the
moment get real grateful one and that's what we we
We we love touring now, yeah we love it before
And it was like, yeah, I want to I want
to sneak off before it was War in Destruction. Yeah,
I've been doing my homework on you guys. Just first
(03:38):
of all, it's a pleasure to meet, you know, and
I guess my first question is have you changed your
name since we started the interview? No, I got him
under wrapped now here. First of all, Okay, it was
Trott and Trott right the first that was first. Okay,
(03:59):
So what the ones in between before for Entreaty, trying
to and Blunt nine years Apart and Tanya. Empty Earth
we did that, d D. That's that's one's a new
name right there. Empty Earth we were that was like
a rock kind of grunge thing, and I was like,
(04:19):
that's not gonna, that's not gonna. But actually it was
an argument that that's pretty serious. Argument that led to
your current name. Well, I felt like, you know, we
we were looking at bands we love and they had
all these amazing stories about how they came up with
their name, and I just felt like, you know, we
were just throwing stuff up and just hoping it was sticking.
(04:41):
And finally I said, you know, telling you we need
to we need to really think about this, and she's like, Michael,
this is your first time in the industry. I've been
in the industry before, and this is not how you brand.
I was like, show it was a different name, lady,
we need to change this that and we are. Do
(05:02):
you realize history could have been changed if the Beatles
had spell check? Oh that's true, that's that's true. But
maybe they did that on purpose because of the brilliant branding.
That's true. Well, we argued enough. Yeah, Finally Italian calmed me.
Now I was I was trying to hold my own
(05:24):
because I was still stinging a little bit from her
telling me it was my first time in the industry. Yeah,
I assaulted his mail ego. Yeah, I think there's still
some stinging. We're seeing that with Garth and Tricia. Gartha
said he's let things go, and we're like, apparently not,
because you're bringing bring it up here. We know about
(05:47):
it now. I'm happy to bring it up again for
you to appreciate you. You are. You are new no more.
Everybody knows who you are. It's so excited about you.
You have your own unique, fabulous thing going, and this
industry Nashville keeps reeling you in. Everybody wants to work
(06:09):
with you. What was your first footstep into country music.
We were just talking about this. To be honest with you,
I think our first footstep into country pure would be
um being invited in to help induct the legendary ms
Dottie West and um Man. I hate talking about Miss
(06:34):
West because I get emotional because we never met her,
never met her family, didn't know anything about, you know,
the innermakings of her and her story. Only thing we
knew was that she was queen. And how did you
get invited? Well, a gentleman my name of Peter Cooper,
of course, Yeah, yeah, Peter Cooper had spoke with another
(06:55):
young lady in our team named Lindsay Hayes, and Lindsay
came and she was so excited. I have I've got
something to tell you. And she called us and, um,
you know, all we heard was Country Music Hall of Fame.
We're like, yeah, no, no, you're serious. And then when
she told us what it was, that was amazing. And
(07:16):
and that that evening, you know, we we we forged
relationship with Dirk Spentley because he was a part of
and it was Dirk's Garth and Chris Stapleson and they
were inducting Ricky Skaggs into the same country's on fame
and so, you know, and from that moment on, I
just felt like we were teetering around where we really
(07:37):
belonged technically, and the relationship has just been blossoming ever since,
you know, and I'm just so grateful for that man.
You know, that experience with Dirk Smithley. I saw the
performance on the A C M Awards Show. And when
you sing, I just sense it. You feel so much
joy inside. Can you put into words what the feeling
is when you are just singing and just having a
(07:59):
good time. I've been giving it all. I can't. We
actually talked about this the other day, and it's out
of body experience because the thought that you can open
up your mouth and the sound can come out of
it that you can't. You don't know where it comes from,
first of all. And then it touches people. You watch
a smile, you watch someone you know get excited. That's
hard to describe, you know, It's it's hard, and you're
(08:22):
looking at them respond to you and you're like, well,
I don't even understand what's happening inside of it, you know,
and then it just explodes. But you respond to each other,
and yeah, and I think that I used to say
I didn't know where it comes from. I know where
it comes from now, you know, like you said, the
responsibility to love another human being and the fact that
(08:43):
I get to do what I love to do with
the person I love most in this world, which is
my wife. And it just so happens that, you know,
Dirk's invite us to to be on a c M
S And to sing that particular song during that moment.
You know where our country we're always looking for ways
to prove that we're moving forward, you know, proved that, Hey,
(09:07):
listen as we have this, but there's another side that
we don't give as much credence to. And for Dirk's
to choose that song and for us to sing the
parts we sang in that song, you know, having pride
and having pride dripping in the name of love to
me is important and it says that's who Tie and
I truly are, and Dirk's as well, and that's who
(09:29):
he is, you know, and that's who we all are.
Well now you are rocking out and stoned cold collectory
my goodness. Okay, First of all, a sixtieth anniversary project
like this, what did I say fifth yea, they're actually
(09:51):
there's a lot of big names on this, but it's
just it's just a handful and you are right in
there with everyone who it's doing the sixtieth anniversary tribute.
So did you get to pick the song, the Rolling
Stones song that you wanted to do? You were you
were saying, hey, this is what's happening. Yeah, yeah, And
(10:11):
I love that. I think because you know, Tana, we
we one of the things that we've always wanted to
be was easy to work with, you know, and and
and pride ourselves on being able to say we can
do that. You don't know, worries, but when you look
at how careful every song was chosen for each artist
and who the duels would be into duets, would be
(10:32):
like to be able to do this with brothers, you know, Brothers,
they're insane and stole my voice. Well we'll discuss that
with them next time. We'll have a talk, all right. Hey,
Next on Crook and Chase Nashville Chats with the War
and Treaty, we'll get the inside scoop on the recording
process for the Rolling Stones tribute and why it took
(10:55):
several takes to get it right. Uh, plus a long
term wish for and Michael that became a reality practically overnight.
Wait do you hear the story. I'm trying to imagine
the first phone call you get. Now we're doing this
rock and roll tribute to the Rolling Stones, and they
call you and tell you that, and you go, what yeah, yeah,
(11:17):
I mean we're like when we laugh first, Yeah, we did,
were like they want us. Yes, yes, but it proves
what you were talking about. You're not just one thing.
I mean, being crossed genre is what so many artists
craved for the obvious reasons for the creativity of it.
(11:41):
Being able to be more than one thing. Not many
people can pull it off, and you do. I think
it's because everything is so relative. I remember Duke Ellington.
I think it was he got extremely offended when they
were saying, like, man, you know, you're just such a
great jazz musician, and he slammed his hands down. I
don't make jazz. I make music. Yeah, And you know,
(12:04):
And and I think that the common thread for tying
I throughout all the genres that we may cross or
we may flirt with, is uh, the integrity of our voices,
the purity of that staying the same, you know. And
it's almost like when you listen to Brad Paisley, right,
and Brad Paisley is a country guy, and then all
of a sudden he just slides on over with his
(12:25):
guitars and bluegrass and you just go, wait a minute,
what just happened? You know? For that matter, he loves,
you know, doing bluegrass and getting up there and and uh,
I can't breathe Territory and Colorado. You know. I want
to talk about the recording session because we have seen
because of technology so much going on, people record by zoom.
(12:49):
I know, Uh, Keith Urban recorded here and he took
what he recorded to Los Angeles. Worth carry Underwood recorded
her part and all that. So let's talk about how
the brothers Osborne and the two of you got together. Well,
we recorded it together. We were actually in the studio
together and I remember the producer, Robert came in. We
had taken maybe a two or three passes of the
(13:09):
song and we're trying to be we're friends, so we
were trying to be nice to the song and Robert
came in there and he was like, that's not what
I want. I want rock and roll, you know, and
we rock and roll, rock and roll song, gonna rock out. Yeah.
He was like, this is like country music. Yeah in
(13:29):
the middle. Yeah, and we went in. We did it again,
and I think that was the We did it two
more times and that was the We did it a
lot of times. Yeah. Yeah, So would you change most
after he came in and said, I don't want some
rock and roll? So what changed the most for each
of you? It sounds like you let loose, yeah, especially
(13:53):
thank you. Well for me, it's just embodying what the
song is asking, you know, rock and rolls asking you
to rock and roll, you know, and to think of
out the lyrics and to think about when the Stones
were doing this song and what they may have their
version of it, but how can you do it and
still keep the integrity of the other version but add
yourself into it. So I just we got lost in
it and we watch some video Tanya, you know, Tinia
(14:15):
put up a video clip of the Stones doing it
live with Tina Turner. That helps you because I mean,
if you're gonna be bolded, do some ta right, And
it's like super fast. The song is like wave. Originally
the Stones three times live, Oh my goodness. From the
first time. It was nineteen seventy two. Of course, I
(14:36):
saw on the Sullivan Show when they came on for
the very first time. And I don't know what it
is about them. They call them the bad boys of
rock and roll and all that jazz. But they're extremely smart.
They're wonderful musicians, they're creative. I mean, Keith Richards just
a genius when it comes to the guitar licks and
all that. So when you're preparing to do this tribute,
(14:58):
what are you thinking about the you've seen, the performances,
you've seen tapes or whatever. What do you think? I think? Um,
for me, it's a disservice to think of them. Um.
When you have to show originality, you know, you you
you you think of the spirit that they brought to it,
and then you think of, well, what kind of spirit
can you bring to it? And I think that that
(15:20):
is the most important responsibility we have as artists. You know,
I actually hate when artists do attributes to do word
for word and try to sound like that artist, and
you know, it's like, just listen, they chose you because
they want to hear your interpretation of it. But I
also feel like, you know, just just really leaning into
(15:41):
the relationships that we have with each other and with
with brothers. I think being able to just you know, say, hey, man,
let's rehearse you know again on stage with nobody there.
You know, let's see we can create that that moment
were just high five and just really having fun with
one another and you know, trying not to uh to
make this song something else. Looking over at miss miss
(16:03):
thing here, you know names that's one of them today.
So so what do you think. I know, you're preparing
to do it live on the c m A Awards.
You've done it in the studio and you've done it
for cameras, So how will it be the same or
different than you've already done on that stage that night?
(16:25):
I think the main thing for me is to not
pass out because we're actually on the c m as,
like you know, and really, I mean, I'm just telling
someone in there, um that you know, we were in
the audience last year and you know, we were way
up in the rafters and watching so many artists, artists
that we respect, and Luke Holmes and singing Um doing this,
(16:51):
and Chris Stepson of course doing what he always does,
and and and Miranda opening up the show the way
she opened, but then watching some body who directly looks
like me, Jimmy Allen, come to tears because he wins.
And I remember holding Tanya's hand and leaning over to
her and saying, do you think we could ever be
(17:13):
on this stage and we'll ever be invited? And Tanya says,
if we worked hard in five to six years, we
we could we could possibly get invitation or nomination. And
this was just last years, was sitting in the room
high That's that's what keeps swirling in mind, in my mind,
you know. And we always have those those little glimpses,
(17:35):
those moments. We don't we don't take it for granted
at all. Yeah, you say you're afraid you might pass out.
I mean we're looking for a mic drop. We just
don't want you attached to it. And we're just glad
he remained conscious. Well, the War Entreaty did some networking
at an industry party that is paid off in a
(17:56):
really big way. It's another behind the scenes story for
music that you're about to hear. Plus, as the Powerball
jack pot was getting huge, Charlie Chase had to ask
the off the wall question of what do you do
with the money if you win. Now. Michael's answer was
off the wall too. But then I got away and
that's coming up a crook and Chase and Nashville chats.
(18:18):
Let's go back to brothers Osport. Had you worked with
him before being in the studio with him? No, No,
we hadn't worked with them before. We met him at
after the a c M. They invited us to a
party and we clicked right at and we just clicked
right away. And then from Maryland and where you know,
I grew up in the Maryland area, So yeah, the
(18:38):
country music, you know, and that's the that we we
always hear, you know how it doesn't matter, you know,
it's like, man, I want to I want to know
that person. And we met so many We met Casey
at their house that night, and uh, you know, we
we met our publicists and said we're gonna work together
one day. And that's when we see in Nashville a
lot you'll see our just get together. We're gonna work together.
(19:01):
You manage, just work it out, you labels work it out. Well.
They wanted to take us on the road on tour,
but we were already we had already committed to tow
back back tours. We committed to John Legend at the
time and Lauren Dago at the time. So but they
wanted to take us out and we were like, yeah,
we don't get ready. You guys are big time. I'm
(19:23):
not kidding. This is crazy. This is you guys so far,
So let's get crazier. Do we know? Do we know?
If the Stones? Do they know about i mean, does
Mick know about this? Does Keith know about it? Have
they heard it? Had they commented? I've heard that you
don't do anything without them knowing. So I wouldn't be surprised.
(19:47):
I mean, like, you know, that's they're they're old school
and the old school artists. Uh, they have a way
of just knowing things. Now, the question is will they
let us know that they know. I have no idea,
but I kind of got a sense that, you know,
they got their ear to the ground. Do you think
they had any say so though, I'm sure maybe a
(20:13):
job for us chart We're gonna have to dig in
and find all this stuff. We'll let you know. Um,
here's an off the wall question. Oh, Michael, you win
the power Ball? What are you gonna do with it?
That isn't off the ball, but you know, it's a lot.
(20:35):
We talked about this, but we talked about it all
the time, and we have a whole plan. We have
a little town called Heartstown that we want to develop.
Go somewhere, just buy land and buy town. Maybe an
old I don't know, air force space with excuse me,
you have to buy a ticket first. How many tickets
(20:56):
do you have in your pocket right now? You know what?
I probably need to go. And the numbers are astronomical
and it just leads everybody to believe their dream is
about to come true. And it's curious. So I'm always
curious dreams, you know, I have. I have a guilty obsession.
I watched on TV. I want to say maybe TLC. Yeah,
(21:16):
one of those those stations that that that cares to
family life. And um, it's how I won and lost
the lottery. I mean, it's the weirdest thing to get
all this money and they go in and they're like,
they have these big plans of saving and investing and no,
they go by boats and they go buy all these
things and then all of a sudden, the camera's back
(21:36):
and the music is slower, and they're like and now
it's gone, and like does so who of the two
of you, who can we trust more of the money? Me?
Definitely me? Tanya is that it depends because he makes
(21:57):
a four dollars spaghetti, So my goodness, now if it
comes to end, yeah, he gets it all. So we
would have he would spend my cook every once it's
dollars and talk about what you did? See this outfit
here and jill by this today and then tomorrow and
(22:18):
say I don't have anything to wear. I gotta go
back to the things. Exactly why, ladies and gentlemen, we
don't understand why it's the war You thought it out
of us, you know, any one of the One thing
we do want to want to open though, if we
do get this is the you guys are black? What
the heck is wrong with this band? We would love
(22:39):
to open up a laundry mat. We do. Yeah, we
talked about she's just trying to get last. We've talked
about a laundry matt all the time, because you know,
one we we it's very difficult when you don't have
a washer and dryer. And where grew up at, you know,
(23:01):
we were always having to go to coin and you know,
and the most frustrating thing is when you don't have
time and then they close at five, you like, you know,
but laundromats I feel like, you know, and I would
love to cater it to like the homeless, you know, like, yeah,
I think that, you know. I just feel like laundromat
(23:22):
is a really cool place. Okay, now, I'm glad you
explain that it wasn't really the answer we were looking for,
you know, like car houses, buy an island or something
like that. But you can tell just from answers like
that and the conversation we had, they are wonderful people.
Just charming personality they are. They are good people, and
(23:42):
not only because of their talent, but because they are
such good people. It's why they are being welcomed with
open arms into country music. The upcoming album that includes
the War Entreaty and so many artists Stoned Cold Country
attribute to the rollings zones here you go. It's only
rock and roll, and I like it is the one
(24:03):
they did with Brothers Osborne. Will be listening for that. Hey,
we have your country covered. Be sure to listen to
the Crook and Chase cow Down every weekend. We're on
hundreds of radio stations all across America and streaming on
I Heart Radio. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram at Crook and Chase
Hi, everybody. Welcome once again to Crook and Chase, Nashville Chats.
Charlie and Lorien here from our studio on Music Row,
and in today's episode, we are going to introduce you
to a couple of people. You probably have seen some
of the award shows recently, especially in two and you're going,
who are those people? And they are the War and
Treaty husband and wife duo. And there's a reason they're
(00:23):
called the War Entreaty. They're married and they work together,
thus the War and Treaty. You know, when you look
at their background, it's so funny, Charlie, because I guess
Wikipedia or bios usually artists named a genre. Well, these
two people are so versatile that they don't have a genre.
(00:46):
They cross all genres. They are listed as rock, soul, Americana, blues,
folk and now country. I guess we should tell them
who they are. It's Tanya and Michael Trotter, husband and
wife team. Now you may have seen them recently on
the c m A Award show. They performed a Rolling
Stones classic with brothers Osborne and earlier in the year
(01:07):
and you may have seen him with Dirtsmidtley on the
American Music I mean the Academy or Country Music Awards. Right,
So a lot of things to talk about with these
folks as we get to know them. And you know,
it goes back to the title the War and the Treaty,
which is unusual. Right, We're gonna we will get the
story just so you know why it's known as the
War and Treaty. Wasn't easy to come up with either, Right. Well,
(01:28):
I had a sort of a brush with greatness surrounding
them about a week or so before we actually met.
And here's what happened. I told them about it. I'm
at this intimate, little industry dinner a couple of weeks ago,
and a guy was there. He introduced himself who uh
did sound for Kiss. There was another guy there who
(01:51):
had done keyboards for Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. And
then the guy sitting next to me said, my name
is Max Brown. I worked for the one. He had
just come from doing a video with you. He hopped
into this dinner. We had a blast, and then as
(02:11):
we were leaving, we're like, okay, we're going to bed now.
He goes, oh, yeah, I got a gig with Yeah.
So anyway, he was just so complimentary about the two
of you and how much fun it was to be
part of the band. We're really extremely close. He's actually
our son's guyfather. Yeah, sixty six sixty years Will you
(02:35):
need from Michigan to be here with us when we
moved from Michigan. Well, he picked a good one. I
mean he is just um, he looks like he's twelve
years old, but he just he's just very very kind
and very soon. And it's not a it's not a
he's not putting it on one like, this is just
who he is. He truly is. Yeah. Well, who you
(02:56):
surround yourselves with tells a lot about you. So you
know we we feel the same about you. Well, we
told him when we were building a band, we let
go of everyone and accept him, and we said, um,
fill it with people who are like you. I don't
care how good or bad they play. I want we want,
we want people who you know. And when you do that,
(03:18):
the touring is easier and and people who understand the
moment get real grateful one and that's what we we
We we love touring now, yeah we love it before
And it was like, yeah, I want to I want
to sneak off before it was War in Destruction. Yeah,
I've been doing my homework on you guys. Just first
(03:38):
of all, it's a pleasure to meet, you know, and
I guess my first question is have you changed your
name since we started the interview? No, I got him
under wrapped now here. First of all, Okay, it was
Trott and Trott right the first that was first. Okay,
(03:59):
So what the ones in between before for Entreaty, trying
to and Blunt nine years Apart and Tanya. Empty Earth
we did that, d D. That's that's one's a new
name right there. Empty Earth we were that was like
a rock kind of grunge thing, and I was like,
(04:19):
that's not gonna, that's not gonna. But actually it was
an argument that that's pretty serious. Argument that led to
your current name. Well, I felt like, you know, we
we were looking at bands we love and they had
all these amazing stories about how they came up with
their name, and I just felt like, you know, we
were just throwing stuff up and just hoping it was sticking.
(04:41):
And finally I said, you know, telling you we need
to we need to really think about this, and she's like, Michael,
this is your first time in the industry. I've been
in the industry before, and this is not how you brand.
I was like, show it was a different name, lady,
we need to change this that and we are. Do
(05:02):
you realize history could have been changed if the Beatles
had spell check? Oh that's true, that's that's true. But
maybe they did that on purpose because of the brilliant branding.
That's true. Well, we argued enough. Yeah, Finally Italian calmed me.
Now I was I was trying to hold my own
(05:24):
because I was still stinging a little bit from her
telling me it was my first time in the industry. Yeah,
I assaulted his mail ego. Yeah, I think there's still
some stinging. We're seeing that with Garth and Tricia. Gartha
said he's let things go, and we're like, apparently not,
because you're bringing bring it up here. We know about
(05:47):
it now. I'm happy to bring it up again for
you to appreciate you. You are. You are new no more.
Everybody knows who you are. It's so excited about you.
You have your own unique, fabulous thing going, and this
industry Nashville keeps reeling you in. Everybody wants to work
(06:09):
with you. What was your first footstep into country music.
We were just talking about this. To be honest with you,
I think our first footstep into country pure would be
um being invited in to help induct the legendary ms
Dottie West and um Man. I hate talking about Miss
(06:34):
West because I get emotional because we never met her,
never met her family, didn't know anything about, you know,
the innermakings of her and her story. Only thing we
knew was that she was queen. And how did you
get invited? Well, a gentleman my name of Peter Cooper,
of course, Yeah, yeah, Peter Cooper had spoke with another
(06:55):
young lady in our team named Lindsay Hayes, and Lindsay
came and she was so excited. I have I've got
something to tell you. And she called us and, um,
you know, all we heard was Country Music Hall of Fame.
We're like, yeah, no, no, you're serious. And then when
she told us what it was, that was amazing. And
(07:16):
and that that evening, you know, we we we forged
relationship with Dirk Spentley because he was a part of
and it was Dirk's Garth and Chris Stapleson and they
were inducting Ricky Skaggs into the same country's on fame
and so, you know, and from that moment on, I
just felt like we were teetering around where we really
(07:37):
belonged technically, and the relationship has just been blossoming ever since,
you know, and I'm just so grateful for that man.
You know, that experience with Dirk Smithley. I saw the
performance on the A C M Awards Show. And when
you sing, I just sense it. You feel so much
joy inside. Can you put into words what the feeling
is when you are just singing and just having a
(07:59):
good time. I've been giving it all. I can't. We
actually talked about this the other day, and it's out
of body experience because the thought that you can open
up your mouth and the sound can come out of
it that you can't. You don't know where it comes from,
first of all. And then it touches people. You watch
a smile, you watch someone you know get excited. That's
hard to describe, you know, It's it's hard, and you're
(08:22):
looking at them respond to you and you're like, well,
I don't even understand what's happening inside of it, you know,
and then it just explodes. But you respond to each other,
and yeah, and I think that I used to say
I didn't know where it comes from. I know where
it comes from now, you know, like you said, the
responsibility to love another human being and the fact that
(08:43):
I get to do what I love to do with
the person I love most in this world, which is
my wife. And it just so happens that, you know,
Dirk's invite us to to be on a c M
S And to sing that particular song during that moment.
You know where our country we're always looking for ways
to prove that we're moving forward, you know, proved that, Hey,
(09:07):
listen as we have this, but there's another side that
we don't give as much credence to. And for Dirk's
to choose that song and for us to sing the
parts we sang in that song, you know, having pride
and having pride dripping in the name of love to
me is important and it says that's who Tie and
I truly are, and Dirk's as well, and that's who
(09:29):
he is, you know, and that's who we all are.
Well now you are rocking out and stoned cold collectory
my goodness. Okay, First of all, a sixtieth anniversary project
like this, what did I say fifth yea, they're actually
(09:51):
there's a lot of big names on this, but it's
just it's just a handful and you are right in
there with everyone who it's doing the sixtieth anniversary tribute.
So did you get to pick the song, the Rolling
Stones song that you wanted to do? You were you
were saying, hey, this is what's happening. Yeah, yeah, And
(10:11):
I love that. I think because you know, Tana, we
we one of the things that we've always wanted to
be was easy to work with, you know, and and
and pride ourselves on being able to say we can
do that. You don't know, worries, but when you look
at how careful every song was chosen for each artist
and who the duels would be into duets, would be
(10:32):
like to be able to do this with brothers, you know, Brothers,
they're insane and stole my voice. Well we'll discuss that
with them next time. We'll have a talk, all right. Hey,
Next on Crook and Chase Nashville Chats with the War
and Treaty, we'll get the inside scoop on the recording
process for the Rolling Stones tribute and why it took
(10:55):
several takes to get it right. Uh, plus a long
term wish for and Michael that became a reality practically overnight.
Wait do you hear the story. I'm trying to imagine
the first phone call you get. Now we're doing this
rock and roll tribute to the Rolling Stones, and they
call you and tell you that, and you go, what yeah, yeah,
(11:17):
I mean we're like when we laugh first, Yeah, we did,
were like they want us. Yes, yes, but it proves
what you were talking about. You're not just one thing.
I mean, being crossed genre is what so many artists
craved for the obvious reasons for the creativity of it.
(11:41):
Being able to be more than one thing. Not many
people can pull it off, and you do. I think
it's because everything is so relative. I remember Duke Ellington.
I think it was he got extremely offended when they
were saying, like, man, you know, you're just such a
great jazz musician, and he slammed his hands down. I
don't make jazz. I make music. Yeah, And you know,
(12:04):
And and I think that the common thread for tying
I throughout all the genres that we may cross or
we may flirt with, is uh, the integrity of our voices,
the purity of that staying the same, you know. And
it's almost like when you listen to Brad Paisley, right,
and Brad Paisley is a country guy, and then all
of a sudden he just slides on over with his
(12:25):
guitars and bluegrass and you just go, wait a minute,
what just happened? You know? For that matter, he loves,
you know, doing bluegrass and getting up there and and uh,
I can't breathe Territory and Colorado. You know. I want
to talk about the recording session because we have seen
because of technology so much going on, people record by zoom.
(12:49):
I know, Uh, Keith Urban recorded here and he took
what he recorded to Los Angeles. Worth carry Underwood recorded
her part and all that. So let's talk about how
the brothers Osborne and the two of you got together. Well,
we recorded it together. We were actually in the studio
together and I remember the producer, Robert came in. We
had taken maybe a two or three passes of the
(13:09):
song and we're trying to be we're friends, so we
were trying to be nice to the song and Robert
came in there and he was like, that's not what
I want. I want rock and roll, you know, and
we rock and roll, rock and roll song, gonna rock out. Yeah.
He was like, this is like country music. Yeah in
(13:29):
the middle. Yeah, and we went in. We did it again,
and I think that was the We did it two
more times and that was the We did it a
lot of times. Yeah. Yeah, So would you change most
after he came in and said, I don't want some
rock and roll? So what changed the most for each
of you? It sounds like you let loose, yeah, especially
(13:53):
thank you. Well for me, it's just embodying what the
song is asking, you know, rock and rolls asking you
to rock and roll, you know, and to think of
out the lyrics and to think about when the Stones
were doing this song and what they may have their
version of it, but how can you do it and
still keep the integrity of the other version but add
yourself into it. So I just we got lost in
it and we watch some video Tanya, you know, Tinia
(14:15):
put up a video clip of the Stones doing it
live with Tina Turner. That helps you because I mean,
if you're gonna be bolded, do some ta right, And
it's like super fast. The song is like wave. Originally
the Stones three times live, Oh my goodness. From the
first time. It was nineteen seventy two. Of course, I
(14:36):
saw on the Sullivan Show when they came on for
the very first time. And I don't know what it
is about them. They call them the bad boys of
rock and roll and all that jazz. But they're extremely smart.
They're wonderful musicians, they're creative. I mean, Keith Richards just
a genius when it comes to the guitar licks and
all that. So when you're preparing to do this tribute,
(14:58):
what are you thinking about the you've seen, the performances,
you've seen tapes or whatever. What do you think? I think? Um,
for me, it's a disservice to think of them. Um.
When you have to show originality, you know, you you
you you think of the spirit that they brought to it,
and then you think of, well, what kind of spirit
can you bring to it? And I think that that
(15:20):
is the most important responsibility we have as artists. You know,
I actually hate when artists do attributes to do word
for word and try to sound like that artist, and
you know, it's like, just listen, they chose you because
they want to hear your interpretation of it. But I
also feel like, you know, just just really leaning into
(15:41):
the relationships that we have with each other and with
with brothers. I think being able to just you know, say, hey, man,
let's rehearse you know again on stage with nobody there.
You know, let's see we can create that that moment
were just high five and just really having fun with
one another and you know, trying not to uh to
make this song something else. Looking over at miss miss
(16:03):
thing here, you know names that's one of them today.
So so what do you think. I know, you're preparing
to do it live on the c m A Awards.
You've done it in the studio and you've done it
for cameras, So how will it be the same or
different than you've already done on that stage that night?
(16:25):
I think the main thing for me is to not
pass out because we're actually on the c m as,
like you know, and really, I mean, I'm just telling
someone in there, um that you know, we were in
the audience last year and you know, we were way
up in the rafters and watching so many artists, artists
that we respect, and Luke Holmes and singing Um doing this,
(16:51):
and Chris Stepson of course doing what he always does,
and and and Miranda opening up the show the way
she opened, but then watching some body who directly looks
like me, Jimmy Allen, come to tears because he wins.
And I remember holding Tanya's hand and leaning over to
her and saying, do you think we could ever be
(17:13):
on this stage and we'll ever be invited? And Tanya says,
if we worked hard in five to six years, we
we could we could possibly get invitation or nomination. And
this was just last years, was sitting in the room
high That's that's what keeps swirling in mind, in my mind,
you know. And we always have those those little glimpses,
(17:35):
those moments. We don't we don't take it for granted
at all. Yeah, you say you're afraid you might pass out.
I mean we're looking for a mic drop. We just
don't want you attached to it. And we're just glad
he remained conscious. Well, the War Entreaty did some networking
at an industry party that is paid off in a
(17:56):
really big way. It's another behind the scenes story for
music that you're about to hear. Plus, as the Powerball
jack pot was getting huge, Charlie Chase had to ask
the off the wall question of what do you do
with the money if you win. Now. Michael's answer was
off the wall too. But then I got away and
that's coming up a crook and Chase and Nashville chats.
(18:18):
Let's go back to brothers Osport. Had you worked with
him before being in the studio with him? No, No,
we hadn't worked with them before. We met him at
after the a c M. They invited us to a
party and we clicked right at and we just clicked
right away. And then from Maryland and where you know,
I grew up in the Maryland area, So yeah, the
(18:38):
country music, you know, and that's the that we we
always hear, you know how it doesn't matter, you know,
it's like, man, I want to I want to know
that person. And we met so many We met Casey
at their house that night, and uh, you know, we
we met our publicists and said we're gonna work together
one day. And that's when we see in Nashville a
lot you'll see our just get together. We're gonna work together.
(19:01):
You manage, just work it out, you labels work it out. Well.
They wanted to take us on the road on tour,
but we were already we had already committed to tow
back back tours. We committed to John Legend at the
time and Lauren Dago at the time. So but they
wanted to take us out and we were like, yeah,
we don't get ready. You guys are big time. I'm
(19:23):
not kidding. This is crazy. This is you guys so far,
So let's get crazier. Do we know? Do we know?
If the Stones? Do they know about i mean, does
Mick know about this? Does Keith know about it? Have
they heard it? Had they commented? I've heard that you
don't do anything without them knowing. So I wouldn't be surprised.
(19:47):
I mean, like, you know, that's they're they're old school
and the old school artists. Uh, they have a way
of just knowing things. Now, the question is will they
let us know that they know. I have no idea,
but I kind of got a sense that, you know,
they got their ear to the ground. Do you think
they had any say so though, I'm sure maybe a
(20:13):
job for us chart We're gonna have to dig in
and find all this stuff. We'll let you know. Um,
here's an off the wall question. Oh, Michael, you win
the power Ball? What are you gonna do with it?
That isn't off the ball, but you know, it's a lot.
(20:35):
We talked about this, but we talked about it all
the time, and we have a whole plan. We have
a little town called Heartstown that we want to develop.
Go somewhere, just buy land and buy town. Maybe an
old I don't know, air force space with excuse me,
you have to buy a ticket first. How many tickets
(20:56):
do you have in your pocket right now? You know what?
I probably need to go. And the numbers are astronomical
and it just leads everybody to believe their dream is
about to come true. And it's curious. So I'm always
curious dreams, you know, I have. I have a guilty obsession.
I watched on TV. I want to say maybe TLC. Yeah,
(21:16):
one of those those stations that that that cares to
family life. And um, it's how I won and lost
the lottery. I mean, it's the weirdest thing to get
all this money and they go in and they're like,
they have these big plans of saving and investing and no,
they go by boats and they go buy all these
things and then all of a sudden, the camera's back
(21:36):
and the music is slower, and they're like and now
it's gone, and like does so who of the two
of you, who can we trust more of the money? Me?
Definitely me? Tanya is that it depends because he makes
(21:57):
a four dollars spaghetti, So my goodness, now if it
comes to end, yeah, he gets it all. So we
would have he would spend my cook every once it's
dollars and talk about what you did? See this outfit
here and jill by this today and then tomorrow and
(22:18):
say I don't have anything to wear. I gotta go
back to the things. Exactly why, ladies and gentlemen, we
don't understand why it's the war You thought it out
of us, you know, any one of the One thing
we do want to want to open though, if we
do get this is the you guys are black? What
the heck is wrong with this band? We would love
(22:39):
to open up a laundry mat. We do. Yeah, we
talked about she's just trying to get last. We've talked
about a laundry matt all the time, because you know,
one we we it's very difficult when you don't have
a washer and dryer. And where grew up at, you know,
(23:01):
we were always having to go to coin and you know,
and the most frustrating thing is when you don't have
time and then they close at five, you like, you know,
but laundromats I feel like, you know, and I would
love to cater it to like the homeless, you know, like, yeah,
I think that, you know. I just feel like laundromat
(23:22):
is a really cool place. Okay, now, I'm glad you
explain that it wasn't really the answer we were looking for,
you know, like car houses, buy an island or something
like that. But you can tell just from answers like
that and the conversation we had, they are wonderful people.
Just charming personality they are. They are good people, and
(23:42):
not only because of their talent, but because they are
such good people. It's why they are being welcomed with
open arms into country music. The upcoming album that includes
the War Entreaty and so many artists Stoned Cold Country
attribute to the rollings zones here you go. It's only
rock and roll, and I like it is the one
(24:03):
they did with Brothers Osborne. Will be listening for that. Hey,
we have your country covered. Be sure to listen to
the Crook and Chase cow Down every weekend. We're on
hundreds of radio stations all across America and streaming on
I Heart Radio. You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram at Crook and Chase
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