Backstage @ CMA Awards Rehearsals DAY TWO

Day two brought another day of insane country talent to our booth backstage @ the CMA Awards.  Listen now as we catch up with Bailey Zimmerman, Dustin Lynch & more!

Don't miss the 58th annual CMA Awards LIVE from Nashville, ONLY on ABC, Wednesday @ 8pm / 7pm Central

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Wayne the CMA's are here and Bailey Zimmerman swinging through.
First of all, dude, you did, hey did real quick?

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Did?

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You are crushing everything you touched? And we saw you
come in as a new artist two years ago. I
don't want to say timid, but like you were kind
of like it felt like a fish out of water, right.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
Yeah, of course I just changed from my mom's trailer.

Speaker 4 (00:22):
Yeah, which Mom's been upgraded now.

Speaker 5 (00:24):
I'm sure mom has a decent house now.

Speaker 6 (00:27):
Yeah, it's it's not crazy, but she's got a garage.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
She's yeah, yep, she's doing a right.

Speaker 7 (00:31):
Listen.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
We're not too boozie around here, now.

Speaker 4 (00:32):
Listen, we'll keep stacking them. Number one, we're gonna put
Mom and Brentwood here. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
Yeah, get roud of Murphy's bro.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
I gotta ask you, what's been the best surprise out
of all this for you? Because, as I commented, you
felt like a fish out of water earlier. You're now
a big dog swimming in the deep end, and you
shoed to be proud of that because you've done it
in a short amount of time.

Speaker 4 (00:54):
But what's been the best part of the whole journey
for you? Man?

Speaker 6 (00:58):
Probably all the people, the people you meet and the
relationships you build with everybody because you get to like
not only meet your heroes and the people that you've
looked up to your whole life, but also people like
you man, like just awesome, ask people that love the
same thing, and yeah, it just I guess you would
say the community is the coolest part and being welcomed

(01:19):
by it.

Speaker 3 (01:20):
And there's a.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Lot of levels of the country music community too, which
I don't think you realize until you get inside.

Speaker 4 (01:25):
Of it, right, Yeah, oh yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
Country music did something amazing this year, and that was
opened the door to some pretty big names that you
wouldn't put into country. Yeah, one of those being Posts Malone.
Obviously he's been close with Morgan while and in them
you're close with Morgan as well. What has what has
your vision of posts welcoming to country music been?

Speaker 6 (01:43):
Like, I just think you did it like really perfectly
and it felt super authentic. And he knows more old
country songs than I do, so like I was like,
looks country smells country, seems country must be country. Like yeah,
so it was really cool. Just the way he did
it was so inspiring to me, Like as a young

(02:03):
artist coming up, the way he put his album out,
the way he collabed with so many people and did
it the right way too. I saw the videos of
him going in and just jamming with people and becoming
real friends, and you know, the times I've met him,
he's always the same dude. So it's just like it's
almost like the saying we made the right guy famous.

Speaker 3 (02:23):
Definitely made the right guy famous. Awesome.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
Last thing I want, because you're about to run out
of here. You put out a lot of great songs
over the last year. Obviously Holy Smoke has taken over
country radio right now. If you could pick one, what
is the song that you're most proud of that is
connecting whether it's on the radio or on streaming or
at shows.

Speaker 6 (02:42):
Probably where it ends, because yeah, dude, I wrote it.
I wrote it with Grant April and Joe London, and
it was one of those songs where walked into the room,
was nervous about the right because I didn't know these
guys and almost canceled it actually because I was nervous,
but I was like, no, I'm just gonna go in
because you never know what you're gonna write. You never

(03:03):
know what you're gonna you know the people you're gonna meet.
So went in and immediately started writing the song and
it just flowed right off the top of my head
just like boom boom, and everything about the song, the production,
everything was done that day in twenty minutes. Like it
was so cool and it tells my story man, Like
I've kind of been like walked on a lot because

(03:25):
of just how loving I am and like caring.

Speaker 3 (03:26):
I kind of wear my heart on my sleeve.

Speaker 6 (03:28):
And where it ends was that song that was like,
you know what, man, I am tired of that shit.

Speaker 3 (03:33):
I Am not putting up with it no more, dude.

Speaker 6 (03:35):
Like, and there's gotta be a lot of people out
there that feel the same way, Like dude, Qus stepping
on me, bro Like, it's so annoying, Like I'm so
nice to you and you step on me. And I
think that's what where it ends is for me and
for everybody.

Speaker 3 (03:46):
So that is probably the one that means the most
of me.

Speaker 4 (03:49):
Yeah, my man, you are tight on time. I appreciate
you hanging with me.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
Thinking, oh dude, anytime. Literally love you, dude, love You're badass.

Speaker 4 (03:55):
Yeah, Dustin Lynch is here.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
CMA Season is on man, and I gotta ask you
have been through these seas We're gonna call it meat
grinder many times.

Speaker 4 (04:05):
What's something you do because this is work.

Speaker 1 (04:07):
Like anything else, is like being on tour because you're
literally visiting about thirty five people.

Speaker 4 (04:11):
Uh, what do you still look forward to? Oh?

Speaker 8 (04:15):
This, well, I think this this time of year, you're
you're wrapping up YEP tour and music and then you're going, Okay,
what's next. For me, it's it's it's a very I
love the Cmas because we get to celebrate a lot
of songs, but then you're reminded about all the music
that kind of changed the game through the past year,
and for me is going into the off season of

(04:36):
touring creatively, I'm like, oh, I kind of feel inspired, Like, yeah,
let's go try to get you know, another song, Let's
go see what else is out there, and yeah, I'll
find an inspiring.

Speaker 1 (04:45):
What's the best part coming out of this because it's
this and then it's kind of like landing the plane
for the year for you on the music side of.

Speaker 8 (04:51):
Things, I thought you were asking me about my piloting
and I'm like, huh, I am, he says, let me
asking about No, yes.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
Just professionally after the CMA Awards, like what's what's something
that you look forward to professionally as far as like
you get this behind you. Things are starting to slow
down a little slow down, but every now and again
there's still some things.

Speaker 8 (05:13):
December has become the month for me of doing some
charitable work, which I love. I'm going about my hometown
to do our annual event there and then I've got
some awesome friends that are in other industries that do
some great events, so I like to pop into those
events too, and and just support, you know, and and
be a part of some good and giving back.

Speaker 9 (05:32):
It feels good.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
I don't.

Speaker 8 (05:33):
I don't do well being home, and so you know,
if i'm if I'm off, I'm usually bouncing around two
events or I'm deer hunting.

Speaker 9 (05:40):
It's deer season right now, so that's what's going on.

Speaker 4 (05:42):
I know he's like trying to get out of here.
He's got a rifle in the car.

Speaker 8 (05:44):
He's trying to well, not today, I don't have to
to day that a couple of days that's coming up.

Speaker 4 (05:48):
We're after it.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
Well, hit me with do you still have the land
that we've talked about before I do.

Speaker 4 (05:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
Uh, and that's kind of becoming a process because last
time we talked to you were planting the stuff, even
doing this. If you're not home a lot, how are
you taking care of that?

Speaker 4 (06:01):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (06:01):
The to do list is getting longer and longer. It's like, Man,
I think I have to hire some help.

Speaker 1 (06:05):
You know.

Speaker 8 (06:06):
I know I don't have to, but I think it
would take a lot of stress off of me, because
even though it doesn't have to be done, it still
stresses me out, like, oh, I've got to get out
there and do this and I can't right now. So
it's going great, but I wouldn't change it for the world,
Like my farm is my happy place. We've I didn't
realize when I got the thing how much of a

(06:26):
landscape it would be.

Speaker 4 (06:27):
For the visuals of what we've created.

Speaker 8 (06:28):
We shot Chevrolet commercials out there, We've shot you know,
happy to have beverage commercials out there. I Mean, the
list goes on and on of stuff. We've got to
do album covers. So it's been awesome, wonderful.

Speaker 1 (06:41):
What's the coolest thing that's been shot out there? You're like, wow,
shout out on that land.

Speaker 8 (06:46):
It's got to be a Chevrolet commercial. Pretty I don't
know how you taught that. It's a freaking Chevrolet commercial.
It's my farm.

Speaker 4 (06:53):
It's pretty cool. Professionally, you have done a lot.

Speaker 1 (06:56):
Obviously, we celebrated the pool situation here in Nashville not
long ago as well. What is your plan going into
the new year to keep doing things in a great
way but also like to stay Dustin.

Speaker 8 (07:09):
Lynch Man, it's it's it's kind of wild how we've
carved this path. It's only ours and uh, and it
continues to grow on its own.

Speaker 4 (07:15):
It's not something we've tried to do.

Speaker 8 (07:16):
And I think that's what we've recognized is you got
to you gotta nurture those seeds that start growing on
their own. And the pool situation is one, but it's
it's morphed into now, just the situation and the nightclub scene.
We've played Vegas immediately after that, Miami called, immediately after that,
Vegas called, and those are starting to pick up, you know,
and and it's it's like this new kind of genre

(07:37):
of I don't even know what it is yet.

Speaker 10 (07:39):
You can't put your finger.

Speaker 8 (07:39):
On what it is, but I love to host and like,
for whatever reason, it works that show works for me,
and now we're getting to do it in other settings
than just the pool. So next year we're bringing the
pool situation. Obviously we kick it off with Luke Bryan
down a Crashman Applia. The tenth year, it's gonna be epic.
But then we're gonna bring back to the States, go
to Canada. We're looking at different venues to continue that on.

Speaker 1 (08:00):
And they're gonna kill me because they said wrap it up,
but she ain't paying attention. So here's one more. You
just said something carving our own path. I see confidence
in your eyes when you say that, carving your own
path is you have. There has to be pride swallowing
in that at some point, right, So what how did
you get to like I'm covering my own path and
I'm cool with that. It didn't start that way. So
how did you get to the point where like, yeah, no,

(08:20):
we're doing this our.

Speaker 3 (08:20):
Way, man.

Speaker 8 (08:21):
I think just try it, just trying to be yourself.
And it really it starts with Luke Bryan, you know,
having me down toply going this is the merry crash
my apply. It kind of put me in charge of
coming up with something new each year and bringing it
a little bit better and bigger.

Speaker 11 (08:35):
He's done the same.

Speaker 8 (08:36):
That festival has grown in a you know, an incredible
little thing, and but my portion of it has become
a bit of a staple one. It wasn't something that
was like schemed up.

Speaker 9 (08:49):
You know.

Speaker 8 (08:49):
It was just us being us, having fun, letting our
hair down. If anybody's been to crash for apply, there's
nothing serious about the week. It's just having fun of
being yourself. And I think that's kind of allowed me
to go, oh wait, this is a new type of
show that no one else is doing. Maybe they you know,
only we can do and that's why it works.

Speaker 4 (09:07):
I dig it. DestinE Land, Thank you, brother, thank you.

Speaker 1 (09:10):
It's Wayne d and Dylan Scott has taken over all things.
iHeart country.

Speaker 4 (09:13):
Dude. Congrats on everything. You've had a pretty big year.

Speaker 12 (09:16):
It's been an awesome year, dude. I call it groundbreaking.
We've been doing We've been doing this a long time, right,
but this year has been It's been awesome. We've got
two songs like top twenty right now.

Speaker 4 (09:25):
Do you really feel that about this year? Yeah? What
was missing from years before that this.

Speaker 12 (09:30):
Year is not releasing enough music. Okay, not releasing enough music. Man,
So we started releasing music and everything went up. Fan
base went up, numbers went up. Uh, everything, everything's went up.

Speaker 7 (09:41):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (09:41):
When it comes to that, I want to touch on
because part of part of you celebrating chart success is
a song that you have with.

Speaker 4 (09:47):
Dylan Marlow right now. Yeah, what's it like.

Speaker 1 (09:50):
Because you are as much as you're still grinding, you're
also well established to a mainstream country fan. What's it
like for you to be able to kind of reach
back and bring you know, the next generation of new
guys up a little bit.

Speaker 4 (10:02):
No, it feels good, dude.

Speaker 12 (10:03):
I mean I took Dylan out on tour with me
his first tour in twenty twenty two, and we just
became boys since then.

Speaker 4 (10:09):
You know, it's such a great guy.

Speaker 12 (10:10):
And you know, since this song's been released, I tell
him like, don't forget man, I'm daddy, all right, I'm
daddy dealing. You're baby deal. Yeah, I'm dealing number one,
you're dealing number two.

Speaker 4 (10:22):
But yeah, don't tell him to call you daddy dyling.
That gets weird.

Speaker 5 (10:24):
No, he can call me daddy.

Speaker 4 (10:27):
I'm daddy deal.

Speaker 12 (10:29):
No, It's it's been awesome, dude, Joe like you said,
we've had I've had number ones. I've got another song.
This Town's been too good to us right now, top
twenty doing awesome. But it's really special when you can
not only share another song that's going number one, but
with your buddies. It's really special to do that. So
I'm uh, I'm proud of.

Speaker 1 (10:49):
It at this point in your career, outside of the
first number one, because that's like the first kid, right,
don't tell the second kid, But yeah, what's what's a
moment or a song that's come out there You're like,
I'm damn proud of that moment right there.

Speaker 12 (11:03):
Man, I mean I'm proud of them in all of
them all. I mean, after the first one, you don't
want to be a one hit wonder, right, so then
you're proud of the second one, Like, all right, cool,
we're not a one hit wonder. But you know we've
had four number ones now. I really am very proud.

Speaker 4 (11:18):
Of this Town's been too good to us. It's a
song about where I grew.

Speaker 12 (11:21):
Up, went back to my hometown, shot the video there,
got the hometown involved, and so to me, it's just
really cool to go back to the people that helped
you grow up as a person, and then you know,
obviously they're following the music, and so to have a
song that's about that town, I'm proud of.

Speaker 1 (11:37):
That speaking of that town. The song is doing great
things on country radio. What is the hardest part about
because I get from you in the times that we've talked, obviously,
family matters. Who you are makes you who you are,
Who you were makes you who you are. What was
the hardest part about leaving home to have to chase
the dream?

Speaker 12 (11:56):
Yeah, I mean it never gets any easier. Fortunately for me,
I've got a wife who understands it. My kids don't
know any different, right, they just know this. This is
every week. You're going to work this week. Yeah, I'm
going to work this week.

Speaker 4 (12:08):
Okay.

Speaker 9 (12:08):
They call it work, you know, which is wild to me.

Speaker 12 (12:11):
He's like, man, I'm living the dream, I feel like,
and they're calling it work, and it is work. It's
my job. And somebody said all ago, they were like, man,
you've played a lot of shows this year. It's like, yeah,
you should put all the shows who played this year
along with all the baseball games and gymnastics and all
the family stuff. Like it's been a lot between shows
and then just family stuff.

Speaker 4 (12:31):
Hey, a year goes by quick.

Speaker 1 (12:33):
Well, that's kind of this town's been too good to
us kind of gives that feeling too of like like
I am who I am, regardless of who I am.
I am who I am.

Speaker 12 (12:43):
Yeah, and I think, you know, the music's different now
than what it was even four years ago. I think
a lot of that has to do with is just
not only growing up, but being a daddy, being a husband,
and get to social media.

Speaker 4 (12:58):
You got to put that in there, and then writing
songs and recording music.

Speaker 12 (13:01):
I've told myself, I was like, man, I'm just gonna
stay true to who I am as a person to
make all this stuff a lot easier, not try to
be something I'm not, you know. And so since I've
done that, I feel like everything is all the headache
and everything and the end of business we're in has
really become a lot easier because I can just be myself.

Speaker 4 (13:20):
I can be who I am and at the end
of the day, that's who I am. Man, isn't that
an eminem song? Because I don't know what that's fine.
I'm gonna go listen to it now.

Speaker 9 (13:29):
I like it.

Speaker 4 (13:30):
Dylan Scott thank you brother, thank you. Here we are.
You just had a killer year.

Speaker 1 (13:34):
Your your follow up song, which usually it takes a
minute for artists to have a number one song and
then come back. You're already coming out of the gates swinging.
Life feels pretty good.

Speaker 7 (13:43):
As you it's I would say this has been the
best year of my life, and it's not really close. Yeah,
I mean, barely twelve months ago you and I were
I think you were giving me a pity interview, just
you know, nice enough to let me come into the
studio whatever.

Speaker 10 (13:56):
Oka, But I'll never forget that. I always love you
for that.

Speaker 4 (13:58):
Man.

Speaker 7 (13:59):
But but you know, people are learning how to say
my name, people are learning some of my songs, and
I feel like the luckiest guy in the world right now.
We started the year first number one ever, which is crazy,
mind on you, and then got to go on tour
with Luke Bryan and Parker McCollum and Sam Hunt and
do some headlining shows. And now, with a little bit
of luck, we might be and in the year with
a number one song in Cowboy Songs. So I'm just

(14:21):
trying to figure out what planet I'm on. Man, this
is I've dreamed about this for a long time, and
I'm definitely not used to it.

Speaker 4 (14:27):
You know. We have talked to many artists, including Laney Wilson,
who I feel has taken a similar path to you
where it's a ten year town it is and has
is that a similar story for you, like.

Speaker 7 (14:38):
Did you have to you know, it's it's so funny
because you moved to town and everybody tells you that
it's a ten year town.

Speaker 3 (14:42):
Stick it out.

Speaker 7 (14:42):
It's a ten year town and you don't want to
believe it because ten years is a long time.

Speaker 4 (14:46):
So it's a lot of dirt.

Speaker 2 (14:47):
Man.

Speaker 10 (14:47):
Yeah, there's a lot of rocks to kick, you know
what I mean.

Speaker 7 (14:50):
But it must be a fortune tailor because it was
ten years on the nose for me and then But
I will say that once the door opens and you
are accepted in the community, it is such a tight
knit family and there's so many people there to help
you and so many people to be resources and mentors,
and it is. Uh there's a special feeling in knowing
that like you paid your dues, like you know, you

(15:12):
played the empty bars, like you have a couple of
star scars that you can tell stories about what I
like to go do it again.

Speaker 10 (15:18):
Probably not, but I'm glad to be here on the
other side.

Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah, yeah, one star. I would not suggest you try
do me a favor.

Speaker 1 (15:26):
You are still very much a fan, which is why
you got into this thing. You get into and you're
new enough where like it's still the song on the
radio is awesome when you can hear yourself, absolutely, So
tell me what the reaction is if you're out of
stoplight and George Burr's comes on in iHeart country station.

Speaker 7 (15:40):
I mean, it's just ear to ear smile half the time.
I'll call my wife. I'll be like, babe, it's back on.
She'd be like, you just called me an hour ago, Like, yeah,
it's pretty special. I got an ASCAP Award last night,
which that's a big songwriting company from Mind on You
being one of the most played songs of country radio
in the last year, which is.

Speaker 10 (16:01):
Such a high honor.

Speaker 7 (16:02):
And I was pulling into the awards and as I
was about to vallet my car, which for the first
time in my life, I can't afford to valet my
car every now and then.

Speaker 10 (16:09):
Right, yeah, it was free valets as well, hang it.

Speaker 11 (16:12):
But as I was pulling into the Valet.

Speaker 7 (16:15):
My song came on the Big ninety eight here in Nashville,
and I felt like that was a little godwin, going
to accept my award for my first ever hit and
having that song come on as we got there.

Speaker 10 (16:23):
Yeah, I got a lootle giddy about it. I took
a video. I'm gonna take a video. I might to
put it on my social media.

Speaker 11 (16:27):
It's good.

Speaker 4 (16:28):
I'm gonna have to go check that out. Yeah. Can
I tell you what's so hilarious about So?

Speaker 1 (16:31):
I lived Tayan, I's lived in Vegas for five years
and the Valet thing, like you kind of feel like
I'm a baller on Valet, bro You're really paying for
some weird, strange individual to.

Speaker 4 (16:41):
Drive your car, digs through your glovebox and whatever.

Speaker 7 (16:44):
I swear, I don't have a picture to prove it,
but I swear the last time I'm valeted, I gave
my truck with a three quarter tank of gas and
I picked it up with a quarter tank of gas
labs And I was like, somebody went to Mexico with
this thing, Like somebody had some fun. I can't prove it,
but you know, I hope they had a good time.

Speaker 1 (17:02):
Pressure on you at this time last year as a
new artist. Now, I don't want to say you're established,
because there's there's a strong, strong bone structure to the
house you're building, absolutely at this point in your career.
But the confidence from then to now has to feel
pretty good.

Speaker 3 (17:19):
I think it's just.

Speaker 7 (17:22):
I've had a hard time trying to put into words
what I'm feeling. But I think the biggest thing for
me is comfortable in my own skin, you know, not
second guessing the music I want to make, not second
guessing the artist I want to be, and walking into
a room and I still sometimes don't feel like I
quite belong, you know, seeing all the people around here
and all the superstars that are around me, but not

(17:42):
feeling like an impost, which is it. It's taken me
a long time to kind of cross that bridge. So
it's exciting, you know, to be able to back off
my first hit and hopefully have a second one on
the way, maybe shake the one hit Wonder title, which
is pretty awesome. And then I've got a song coming
in January that I think maybe the big song I've
ever written, and I cannot wait to put that under

(18:03):
the world.

Speaker 4 (18:03):
So it ain't gonna end there is it a collab?
Did you write with somebody?

Speaker 7 (18:08):
I wrote it with some some of the biggest songwriters
here in Nashville, who I'm lucky enough to call friends.

Speaker 10 (18:12):
And it's just real life.

Speaker 7 (18:15):
I have a hell of a story to tell from
my way up here, and I'm very blessed to get
to do what I get to do. And I fell
in love with country music for songs of substance, songs
that say something, songs that paint pictures that you can
close your eyes and plug your own memories into. And
if that's the reason that I fell in love with
country music, I wanted to make somebody else fall in
love with country music for the same reason. And so
that's the song that I tried to write, and I

(18:36):
cannot wait for it to come out in January. We're
ready for it, Brother, George Burg, thank you, Thank you.

Speaker 1 (18:41):
Cmaser. Here it's Wayne D. John Morgan is hanging out
with us.

Speaker 4 (18:44):
Man.

Speaker 1 (18:44):
We were lucky enough to catch up with you for
the first time in our studio down at Jason nel
Deane's bar here in Nashville. How important has that relationship
with Jason been to you? And not just as like
a mentor but literally a guy who's done it at
a high level for so long as essentially endorsing you.

Speaker 13 (19:01):
Right, it's been awesome, man, I think in so many
different ways, it's been insightful. He's just it's like you said, Man,
he's been around, He's he's been through a lot of
the same It's funny because we've been through a lot
of the same things at this stage of the career,
and you know, doing showcases and stuff and like trying

(19:22):
to get people interested in what you're doing. And I
remember him telling me, like, dude, I did a hundred
showcases and was about to leave town and got asked
to do a couple more, and the last one we
did was with Broken Bow and that's who ended up
signing him, and he, you know, took that label to
what they are now, and so I don't know, it's

(19:43):
just encouraging a lot of the a lot of those ways.
He's also very smart on the business end of things,
which I was unaware of a lot of things moving
to town and you know, all that comes with being
an artist and writing and all that stuff. So he's, uh,
he's been awesome to bounce things by even just learn
learning about the charts, having you know, our our my
first radio single with him on it.

Speaker 14 (20:05):
You know, he's very insightful on all that.

Speaker 4 (20:07):
He's smart, smart guy. So yeah, it's been cool.

Speaker 1 (20:09):
So take me to the chart game, because you have
a song that's now on country radio.

Speaker 4 (20:13):
Jason is on it with you.

Speaker 1 (20:15):
You saw streaming success, you were seeing success that shows
radio success is almost like another notch in your belt
and you're starting to see that what does that mean
to you? To to kind of see that part continue
to circle that is making you the artist you are.

Speaker 13 (20:28):
It's cool, man, I you know, friends, I don't know's
it's It's one of those songs that like, I don't know,
you don't you don't know whether it's gonna, you know,
connect with people or whether it's not. And then when
it does, you're like, oh, yeah, of course I knew
it was going to the whole time, you know. But
it's been cool to watch it kind of do its thing,

(20:48):
and it's it's been a slow calm. I'm honestly just
thankful to have something in the just to be in
the game right now. There's a lot of stiff competition.
There's a lot of great artists and songs that are
on the charts right now. So I'm just happy to
have my name up there.

Speaker 1 (21:02):
You know, when it comes to the relationship you mentioned
with Jason, he's taught you a lot of even behind
the scenes stuff. What's a piece of knowledge he gave
you that I mean, I'm sure there's a lot, especially
behind the scenes that you're like, hey, I'm just trying.

Speaker 4 (21:14):
To play music, dude. Yeah, but what's.

Speaker 1 (21:16):
One of the most mind blowing behind the scenes things
that you're like, well, I'm glad I didn't have to
learn that the hard way.

Speaker 4 (21:22):
Yeah.

Speaker 13 (21:22):
Well, I think one of the most recent things that
he I had talked to him about was, you know,
thankfully I started my career as a songwriter, and it's
fortunately it's allowed me to kind of fund being on
the road a lot, because I think that's one thing
people don't realize is how expensive it is to be

(21:43):
on the road and play shows, and especially early on
at this stage when you don't have a ton of
help and you're kind of on your own to make
shows happen. And so one of the things he told
me was like, look, man.

Speaker 14 (21:56):
He's like, you've got to go You've got to be all.

Speaker 13 (21:58):
In on this not betting on yourself. Why do you
expect anybody else to? He's like, you know you can.
He's like, it's he he told me those two is
just funny. And he's like, now is a time where nobody,
nobody's gonna help you financially, no one's gonna throw you money.
He's like, but as soon as it hits, he said,
people will be throwing stuff at you, So hang on

(22:20):
and you know, get through this this time of like,
am I doing the right thing? And I should I
be hanging on my wasted money going with it. He's like,
you gotta believe in yourself. So it was I needed
that at the moment. So it was it was big,
big words to me.

Speaker 4 (22:34):
You know, I hear you, man. John Morgan CMA is
here man, enjoy the madness. Thank you, bro, you too,
Josh Ross is with us. It's all things CMA, Wayne
D and iHeart country man. Is this your first CMA.

Speaker 15 (22:45):
Awards, first uh the style interviews and first red carpet?

Speaker 11 (22:48):
Yeah, We've doing some other ones.

Speaker 15 (22:49):
We're not.

Speaker 3 (22:49):
Oh my man's on the red coat time getting dressed up.

Speaker 11 (22:53):
It's gonna be good.

Speaker 1 (22:54):
Let me ask you though, because for for a woman
or a female performer, that red carpet is not only
a place that you want to earn your way to,
but it's a statement for them. Are you just as
excited to be there as what you're wearing.

Speaker 15 (23:09):
I'm excited to be there, probably more than what I'm wearing.
I mean, I'm really excited with what I'm wearing. I
think it looks great. I'm really really excited. I don't
get dressed up that often, but I'm definitely the shorts
and birkenstocks with socks that goat to my you know,
I just like being comfy.

Speaker 1 (23:23):
So but so let me ask you this, because I'm
a I'm a for comfort first guy, So like, I
will like a shirt like this all that hang in
the back seat while I'm driving to where I'm going.

Speaker 15 (23:34):
Jacket is hat in the back until I got here
and then I was like, all right, I'll put the
jacket on.

Speaker 9 (23:37):
Now.

Speaker 1 (23:38):
When you see a time like this, and obviously you
are on your way to the nominations and the performances
during the show and whatnot, what's something you hope to
absorb now before you get to a point where which
is coming right, Yeah, but before you get to a
point where it's tough to enjoy the evening because it's
going too quick.

Speaker 5 (23:54):
I think, yeah, like that, you've.

Speaker 1 (23:55):
Played a ton of shows this year from from last year.
I first discovered you last year, so I followed you
on social media watching your thing this year, Like, dude.

Speaker 4 (24:04):
You a lot. You went all in. We've been twenty
twenty four.

Speaker 15 (24:07):
Yeah, we've been home in Nashville a little over forty nights,
which is what crazy?

Speaker 4 (24:12):
Yeah, yeah, you're it's paying rent on a spot that
you I just finally got a house. Yeah. Also you're
a rent home.

Speaker 11 (24:18):
I got a home a month ago.

Speaker 4 (24:20):
I got a home, So congratulations. That's a big deal man.

Speaker 15 (24:23):
But yeah, I know, just uh it is. It is
a crazy when you look at it that way. And
then just I'm excited to be back. I feel like
November December for me is now like let's right, let's record,
because we've just been gone, you know, playing so many shows.

Speaker 4 (24:35):
We've been to the UK, we did Australia, Canada this year.

Speaker 15 (24:38):
It's been it's been a big, big, busy year.

Speaker 4 (24:39):
But I love it. Well, enjoy the CMA.

Speaker 1 (24:42):
Thank you unplug a little bit, and thanks for taking
time to sasashiate.

Speaker 4 (24:44):
You guys think what thanks, thanksmas are here. It's d
and Nate smith when you just missing what's up smelling
each other?

Speaker 5 (24:49):
We were sniffing. We were it was very like like nature,
like nature was taking over it.

Speaker 4 (24:53):
You know, they feel like we were in the woods
or he was.

Speaker 5 (24:55):
He was one sniff away from licking my face. It
was like, wow, that's you.

Speaker 4 (24:58):
Obviously have been exfoliating.

Speaker 5 (25:00):
Yes, sir, I have I have great skin, great skin.

Speaker 1 (25:02):
I want to ask you, you came onto the scene
country music wise, and now there's a grind that got
you to where you're at.

Speaker 4 (25:08):
But as soon as you got here, it is.

Speaker 1 (25:10):
Like banger after banger for you, does it feel like
all of a sudden things are just on fire?

Speaker 4 (25:15):
For Nate smith Man, it's it.

Speaker 10 (25:17):
Ah.

Speaker 5 (25:18):
The fact that I was like, I didn't get the
joke at first, like it's so dumb.

Speaker 4 (25:21):
I didn't either.

Speaker 16 (25:22):
It just happened, right, It just happened. But you decided
after you said it, this is the joke is get.

Speaker 4 (25:26):
Picked up punch line?

Speaker 5 (25:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, get it dude. It's It's crazy, man.

Speaker 16 (25:30):
I'm just glad that people are connecting with the songs
and you guys are playing them and and it just
it means a lot to me.

Speaker 4 (25:34):
I love them. Does it still blow you away to
hear yourself on the radio.

Speaker 16 (25:37):
Oh yeah, oh yeah, it's it's it's a litterally incredible.
And I love getting videos like my dad and my
mom and family members and stuff like, oh my gosh,
it's on there. You know, it's really cool. And the
other thing being in the like quote unquote spotlight and
getting to do interviews. I get to roast my family
all the time. Like my dad pooped his pants. He
pooped his pants just a month ago. Why couldn't hold it?
Couldn't hold it. He pulled over and he pooped his
pants on the side of the insta him. It's I'll

(26:00):
tell you later. Yeah, well yeah, yeah, he's a pants pooper,
So I can do that.

Speaker 4 (26:04):
You know.

Speaker 16 (26:04):
When it comes to the my brother smells like beef
and cheese. He has a very very bad breath. Continue one.
I'm just saying, thanks, he's too much protein.

Speaker 4 (26:12):
Let me ask you. Let me ask you this.

Speaker 1 (26:14):
Your family takes videos which like on the surface like
oh they're proud, right, but you've also been like putting
out some pretty good songs So you've been on the
radio a lot lately. So at any point are you like,
are you guys surprised I'm successful at this point or
proud of me?

Speaker 7 (26:28):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (26:29):
Look at you did do it?

Speaker 4 (26:31):
Look at you go a little fella. Oh, he's Dave,
he's doing it.

Speaker 16 (26:36):
He's doing it, honey. I told you my dad literally,
and I have told a bunch of people this. You'll
see it somewhere out there. But he did tell me
when I got my record. He was like, I'm just
glad you got a job, dude, Like, just glad you
got a job. Like, Wow, thanks Dad, hell of a job.

Speaker 4 (26:49):
Huh what do you think?

Speaker 5 (26:50):
Huh got a great job, dad?

Speaker 9 (26:52):
What do you think?

Speaker 4 (26:53):
Like? I think it's called a career, dad. But this, yeah, yeah,
it's my career dad.

Speaker 5 (26:56):
It's not a phase.

Speaker 1 (26:57):
Listen, dude, I know you were going one hundred miles
an hour. Thanks for stopping by the hangout always well,
enjoy all things CMA, and let's let's hear some new
music at twenty twenty.

Speaker 4 (27:05):
For Got you, bro.

Speaker 9 (27:06):
I can't wait, I can't wait. You're gonna love it.

Speaker 4 (27:08):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (27:09):
It's the smell coming off you. I can smell that
new music. Is that what that sense is? It might be,
it might be I need to get the Cmas are here.
It's Wayne d and the Ochredge Boys have gracious with
their presence. First of all, an absolute honor to have
you guys here. Thank you for making time.

Speaker 4 (27:25):
How has it a lot of artists have put out.

Speaker 1 (27:29):
Their songs and done their thing and they're kind of like,
I'm good you guys stay on the forefront and continue
to be to be a big figurehead of country music.

Speaker 4 (27:37):
Why is it important for you guys to do that?

Speaker 17 (27:39):
Well, We've always really made our living on the road
in our concerts and recording albums and doing television.

Speaker 9 (27:47):
That's just a part of it.

Speaker 17 (27:49):
And we've we've just always been a concert act. So
we like tomorrow night when we do the After we
do the CMA Award show, we get on our bushes
we had out on the road, and we start doing
Christmas music in our regular show this week and after Thanksgiving,
it's all Christmas right up until Christmas Day.

Speaker 9 (28:12):
I mean, we work really hard.

Speaker 17 (28:14):
And we work several several events every year, but this
is one of those big events where a lot of
the major acts come and it's really a prestigious place
to be this time of the year at the CMA
Award show, and we're honored to be here and be

(28:34):
presenters and be presenting the Group of the Year award.
We've been there, we know how that feels. We got
a bunch of new groups right now in country music
that are just burning.

Speaker 9 (28:46):
Up the charts.

Speaker 17 (28:47):
We're so proud for them, and to present the winner
in that category. It's just just an extreme honor to
be asked to do that well.

Speaker 1 (28:55):
And as guys who have i mean literally defined what
a group and or duo would be as you know
those as they kind of went like group or duo
in the award shows and then they kind of bring
it back to the group end or duo. You guys
have done that for at a high level for so long.
What are some names, whether there are groups or solo acts,
some names that you're proud of, like they're doing country

(29:16):
music the right way, Like we're proud that they're following
our footsteps.

Speaker 2 (29:20):
Well, there's a lot of them, actually, I think you know,
you've got some of the country music as the hottest
music in the world right now. There's nothing as HoTT
as country music when you've got Beyonce wanting to do
a country album. You've got post Alone coming here record
with all the hot young acts. But people like Morgan
Walland that's actually writing their future, and and Jaelly Roll,

(29:44):
Lanny Wilson. You know these people are really they're firing
up country music. It's exciting to see the own and
I don't know of another girl singer that's come on
to the scene. It's got the energy that Lanny Wilson
has and the performing ability that she has to sell
a song. And she's been around Nashville here for like

(30:07):
ten years now, but she just in the past couple
of years really hit her stride and becoming a household
I am now. But it's people like that that exciting.
I'm a fan of their over the young country people.
Now you Luke Colmbs and the guy had seven number
ones off of.

Speaker 4 (30:25):
His first album, so that's just not fair, unheard of actually.

Speaker 2 (30:31):
But then by the time his first album is uh,
he finished releasing singles. He's selling uh, He's selling out
big arenas and stadiums before his album quit, you know,
before they quit releasing singles.

Speaker 1 (30:44):
Actually we got to rap here, but I want to
ask one more thing, because you, guys, if anybody scrolls
up and down your list of big songs, you take
pride in the writing aspects right, whether it was a
group effort or one y'all had an idea, what would
you say to a young artist who is excited just
to sing good songs. What's the importance of feeling the
song and being a part of the writing and kind

(31:05):
of living that song versus singing it.

Speaker 17 (31:07):
Whether you write it or not. Find great songs, record
great songs. Don't insist on writing it if you're not
at the top of your game as a writer. Cause
you can be a great artist, but if you're not
quite there yet in the writing part, make sure you
cut great songs, because great songs live longer than you do.

(31:31):
Like Elvirah, for example, it is still helping us pay
our bills.

Speaker 9 (31:37):
And the writer of that passed away to.

Speaker 17 (31:39):
It three years ago, but it still helps pay our bills.
Songs live forever. But you need to cut great songs.
Every song in that album needs to be great. Don't
cut favors, cut great songs.

Speaker 4 (31:55):
I feel like that's a model that should be a
Nasville billboard.

Speaker 1 (31:58):
Gentlemen. It's an honor to up with you. Thank you
for taking the time today. Thanks season, and you cannot
have an award show with the old minion if you
did just cancel the dang thing.

Speaker 4 (32:08):
Boys, how are you excellent?

Speaker 3 (32:10):
Excellent?

Speaker 4 (32:10):
How are you?

Speaker 1 (32:12):
We're getting there, We're getting there. Funny thing is this
is the most expensive shoe I own?

Speaker 4 (32:19):
Is it watched rinse and.

Speaker 1 (32:20):
Repeat for you guys with this stuff yet? Because because
I'd imagine that I could see that. Yeah, I didn't
want to say anything but okay, but but it has
to feel a little groundhog day is sometimes right or
were you able to stand back and enjoy?

Speaker 18 (32:36):
No, it's more U I would say it's more of
like tradition, like you know, like we we go through
the the paces that we do on this week and
all the awards and seeing all our friends and so
it's a good thing. It's not like like groundhoul Days
has a negative connotation and this is this is a
really beautiful.

Speaker 4 (32:53):
Thing that we get to celebrate.

Speaker 1 (32:55):
When they announced winners for awards, obviously there's a part
of like we've won before, why wouldn't when when this time?
Do you go through that at all at this point?
Or is it like we won one and everything else
after that kick.

Speaker 19 (33:08):
Like all of that stuff goes away the minute they
say and the winner is like, you're just starting from scratch,
Like maybe this is not our year because.

Speaker 3 (33:15):
It's always somebody isier to do it for the Yeah, maybe.

Speaker 4 (33:19):
That's yeah, which means it's someone's last.

Speaker 1 (33:24):
Let me ask you all this because we it's been
a minute since we've caught up.

Speaker 4 (33:27):
How are things going with the bar good?

Speaker 18 (33:30):
We were just in there not long ago. We finally
have I think got past all the like hiccups that
we hit and so like updating half of Nashville's now
it's now it's all the fun stuff, which is really
it's really coming along nicely and it's gonna be worth
the way, man, because every time I go in there,
I get really excited.

Speaker 4 (33:48):
It's a cool spot.

Speaker 19 (33:49):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (33:50):
The project that just came out is like a hybrid
version of the greatest hits, right, because you had mentioned
how it's not just the big hits, it's you know,
the the live hits as well. What's your plan moving forward?
Because obviously we love those hits, but we want more
of them.

Speaker 4 (34:04):
Yeah, we do too, We do too.

Speaker 18 (34:05):
We've been writing a whole bunch, and we've recorded a
good little batch of songs that's been putting the finishing
touches on the background vocals this week.

Speaker 1 (34:13):
So sooner or later, let me ask because obviously a
solo project has come out recently and that hasn't gone
so good.

Speaker 4 (34:22):
Which one?

Speaker 1 (34:27):
Uh, how important is it to let you guys be
individuals and support individual projects but still know that old
Dominion is home.

Speaker 18 (34:37):
Yeah, I think it's It's kind of an absurd idea
that any artist or writer is beholding to one thing. So,
you know, we all have different outlets that we want
to explore, and you know, we, like Trevor was saying earlier,
we all have tons of songs that we write, uh,
and a lot of them don't land with Old Dominion.
So it's we are at this fortunate position where we

(35:00):
we have an outlet to put more out if we
want to.

Speaker 4 (35:02):
So I think it's it's pretty important.

Speaker 1 (35:04):
How did that conversation go and where you're nervous at all?
Or was it like, hey, I'm gonna do this and like,
of course you should, you.

Speaker 7 (35:10):
Know, Yeah, you know, maybe I was a little nervous,
but you know, I think we're all adults here.

Speaker 6 (35:14):
And you know, we've all grown a lot together, and
you know we're I think we're just all support of
each other.

Speaker 1 (35:20):
They're like, do your thing, man, then the locks are
changed when you get home. I just painted a pan
that picture that country music bands all live together.

Speaker 4 (35:28):
That's weird, old dominion. Thank you, boys, I appreciate it.
Of course. Cmas are here. It's Wayne Dy and my
man Parker mc callum. Dude, it's so good to see you.
How's life.

Speaker 9 (35:37):
I'm blessed.

Speaker 4 (35:38):
Let me ask you this. You look well rested. Thank you.
So that tells me you ain't getting up with the baby.

Speaker 20 (35:44):
You know, I don't get up with the baby because
I don't have I don't have the milk.

Speaker 4 (35:49):
Oh, they just.

Speaker 20 (35:51):
Hadn't come in yet. I hadn't come in yet. I tried,
it was on there. I put him on there, but
he just got even matter. Now, last night he's at
the hotel and luckily her parents are here helping us
during the day. But you know, he was so good,
so good, and everybody were everybody was going to bed.
I was watching Monday night football and then he just
started howling. And because he was in his crib and

(36:12):
I'd pick him up and I'd rock and he'd fall
asleep instantly when I picked him up, and the second
I put him down, he would just start howling, crying,
I mean screaming. I'm like, dude, we're gonna get kicked
out of this hotel, dude. But he's It's good, dude,
It's such a blessing.

Speaker 1 (36:26):
Let me ask you, Uh, out of the million times
I've been able to catch up with you, if you
weren't a country artist, I don't know what to do.

Speaker 4 (36:33):
You feel like cut for this? So part of that is.

Speaker 1 (36:36):
Being somebody who's running the road right. Well, now you
have to transition to dad life. Now then we're now
the world ways in. Has that changed how you feel
about everything on the career side.

Speaker 20 (36:49):
Not on the career side. No, you know, I'm not
gonna start writing the Dad songs and stuff like that.
That's not really my jam. But and it just is
so much more of an adjustment than I paid it
at home. Like I didn't read a book, I don't
watch a YouTube video, I didn't take no class, I
don't nothing, you know. But luckily I am married to
the greatest mother of all time. I mean, she God

(37:12):
literally her life began the day Major was born. She
is that's been the craziest, most impressive, most exciting.

Speaker 4 (37:19):
Part of all of it is watching.

Speaker 20 (37:21):
How insanely good Hallie Ray is at being a mom instantly.
I mean, day one, she it's like, I pick him up,
He's like, put me down, give me back to her,
you know. I mean, it's it's uh that she's been
the biggest blessing.

Speaker 4 (37:37):
She's like, you don't even know what you're doing. Give
me back now.

Speaker 20 (37:39):
I don't know what I'm like, I don't know. It's crazy,
but it's it's good.

Speaker 4 (37:43):
Poor girl's got to raise two kids now now.

Speaker 20 (37:45):
She's definitely him and I are learning at the same
pace and the same things.

Speaker 1 (37:48):
I have a cool story to tell you once we
wrap here, so I'll make it quick. But last time
we talked, you had said that it kind of has
been a slow burn overtime.

Speaker 4 (37:57):
But mental health is something that you've been able to prioritize.
You talk of your buddies about it.

Speaker 1 (38:01):
Where you with that journey and how are you prioritizing
things now?

Speaker 20 (38:04):
Man, I've been having this conversation actually a lot this week, and.

Speaker 1 (38:09):
Because this week could burn right, because it doesn't you're
not slowing down any You had to fit this in right.

Speaker 20 (38:14):
Yeah, it's just I mean, it's work, man, It's it
doesn't matter what you're poor and concrete or singing country songs. Man,
it's it's work and you better get to it. And
I love to work. I like to do a lot.
I like to work hard and earn it. I like
to earn every single thing that we get in this business.
But effort is the answer. Effort is the answer. If
you're struggling in any way mentally, whatsoever, home, work, whatever,

(38:37):
step back, figure out what you need to do, and
put the effort in and do the things you say
you're going to do. And that fixes all my problems
when I'm when I when I start cutting corners and
getting a little lazy and I'm not doing the small
things and focusing on the details and putting the work
and the effort in, whether it's in the gym or
on stage, or in the studio or at home as
a dad and husband, whatever, that's when it starts to

(38:58):
slip from me.

Speaker 4 (38:59):
So put the effort in. Listen, enjoy the CMA festivities.
Brother appreciates you, Thank you man. Thanks glad to be here.

Speaker 1 (39:05):
CMA season and the Boys and Parmily are here in
fantastic spirits.

Speaker 4 (39:08):
It is an amazing time to celebrate country music. How
we feeling overall? Great man, wonderful.

Speaker 21 (39:12):
We're just coming off our biggest year we've ever had
as a band, which is unbelievable, biggest four or five
years have been amazing for us.

Speaker 4 (39:20):
And got a new.

Speaker 14 (39:21):
Song coming out.

Speaker 21 (39:22):
We got a new album coming out, just announced a
tour today a society man.

Speaker 4 (39:26):
It's a good time to be partially ready, no matter what,
it's a good time to be parmally. What what made
this year so successful for y'all?

Speaker 1 (39:34):
As you look back and you're like, you just said,
this is, you know, a massive year for y'all as
a band.

Speaker 4 (39:38):
What makes it that we well.

Speaker 21 (39:40):
You know, we started the tour of the year off
with the Cane Brown Tyler Hubber Tour, which was absolutely amazing.
Kind of went on to do our own thing, been
recording you know, songs, kind of getting this album lined up,
and then we do the concert for Carolina's with Eric Church.

Speaker 4 (39:55):
And Luke Colmbs.

Speaker 21 (39:56):
They help our people back home to get you know
that went through the flood and I'm gonna love you
sitting at like number four right now.

Speaker 4 (40:03):
It's great.

Speaker 21 (40:04):
And then we just got to go to Turks and
Caicos for about a week and do it, you know,
a little little thing there.

Speaker 14 (40:10):
It might be a new thing, it might be a
new thing, as it should be.

Speaker 21 (40:13):
And then we went from there, and then we did
a couple of shows in Florida, and then hited the
Disney World to.

Speaker 4 (40:18):
Do a couple of shows. And then now we're here.
It's good stuff, living your best life.

Speaker 1 (40:22):
But I do want to say with that, with pounding
the pavement comes a little man, I could really use
a break. So at what point are we taking a
break here? Because you have to work that in you'll
go nuts.

Speaker 4 (40:32):
Well, we have one show this week, this week that
we're done. We are you done for the year. Now
we have a couple of little you have your radio shows.
You know everybody's doing the christmastuff. You don't have to
try that hard at those. No, that's easy. That's the
bus is getting parked this this weekend. When it gets back.
When the bus is parked, we're done. We're done. Okay,
good deal, good deal. So one of the things fire
up then uh for you guys, once once the year

(40:54):
turns the end.

Speaker 21 (40:54):
Of February, the stars beginning of February, it'll start, Jane, you're.

Speaker 4 (41:00):
Not joining the until later.

Speaker 21 (41:02):
Yeah, I've got things I gotta do starting in the
top of December, just kind of some just you know,
tour things.

Speaker 1 (41:09):
I feel you well, So let me ask you that, because,
like an athlete takes time away, they're in off season, right,
not that you get an off season, but there is
a healthy pocket where you take a break. How do
you make sure the next time you pick up an
instrument or you know, slide up to a microphone, that
you're staying sharp.

Speaker 13 (41:25):
Well during our break, we're gonna be doing a lot
of rehearsals, so it's not really it's a break from
the road, but we're gonna keep all working.

Speaker 21 (41:32):
I think you gotta like stay away long enough to
get the bug back.

Speaker 4 (41:36):
That's that's the key to it.

Speaker 21 (41:38):
Like, man, you know, every time we go back home,
we love it. We have so much fun when you
fall in on that being home, you hunt fish and
you see family. But but but we always said that
when we're coming back in you just have a whole
new like energy when you're coming back into Nashville and
you're driving and you see you see the downtown and
you head back and you know you got something, something
to do, something on the agenda. You're ready to get back,
You're ready to get back on the bus, You're ready

(41:58):
to row.

Speaker 4 (41:59):
I mean, we we just we just love it. Man, Listen.

Speaker 1 (42:01):
The last thing I want to say to you guys
is we see on Instagram when you're listening locally here
in Nashville to the Big ninety eight, you still share
the excitement of hearing yourselves on the radio. Why is
that something that doesn't lose it shine for y'all?

Speaker 4 (42:14):
I noticed that this morning.

Speaker 21 (42:15):
I didn't hear a song, but I was going through
listening to the radio, listening to the playlist, to seeing
who was coming up, listening.

Speaker 4 (42:22):
To new songs. I'm always trying to see who's in town,
what's going on.

Speaker 21 (42:25):
And I said, don't ever forget you were up and
coming and you didn't have anybody in Nashville. You knew
you just had a dream to be on the radio,
to get to town and maybe get a record deal.
And I was like, don't ever forget that, because the
moment you forget that, what are you doing here? Because
I don't ever forget that excitement. And I always tell
the guys like, if you ever hear on the radio,
you got to turn it up. You can't turn it

(42:47):
out because I mean, you have spent That's a dream
of an artist to write a.

Speaker 4 (42:52):
Song or be a band and to hear it on
the radio. It's always been addressing. Keep tagging us on Instagram.
I appreciate it. Thank y'all.

Speaker 1 (43:00):
It's Wayne d Riley Green is here with us, the
latest name up in lights in Nashville. Man, how are
things going with the duck?

Speaker 4 (43:05):
Now?

Speaker 11 (43:05):
Wow?

Speaker 4 (43:06):
Cool?

Speaker 17 (43:06):
Is that?

Speaker 4 (43:06):
Man? That's wild to me?

Speaker 11 (43:08):
You gotta go over there and check it out.

Speaker 1 (43:09):
What I so, here's the thing I did, and I
tried the whole mention me to get free drinks.

Speaker 4 (43:14):
Thing didn't worth You don't do that?

Speaker 11 (43:16):
Oh no, you went to the wrong ball serving at.

Speaker 4 (43:17):
The other bar. What's that experience like? And why'd you
sign off on it so quick?

Speaker 1 (43:23):
Well?

Speaker 22 (43:23):
I never thought I would be in the bar business
by any means. I certainly didn't need another project, but
I just love that area. Steve Ford, it's my partner
on that bar. Is owned Losers and Winners for years
and Whiskey Jam was one of the first places I
played in Nashville, and it was in that building in
Winners which is now Riley Green's duck Line. So it's
cool to kind of have a full circle moment with
that building. Every relationship I've made in town as far

(43:44):
as songwriters and artists was right there, you know, And
that's where I.

Speaker 11 (43:48):
Really like to hang out at.

Speaker 22 (43:49):
And it's cool to watch now a building that's got
my name on it have these up and coming artists
and songwriters come in, tell their story and play and
maybe get a break like I did.

Speaker 4 (43:57):
Is any part of you?

Speaker 1 (43:58):
And I know the answer is not right now, because
if anyone falls you on social media or pays attention
to your music, not many days off for you. But
when things may be slow down a little bit, do
you hope to be more hands on with the artists
that are there at some point?

Speaker 4 (44:12):
Yeah?

Speaker 11 (44:12):
I think so. I think every artist is.

Speaker 22 (44:14):
You know, when you have the opportunities that I've got,
there are certain ways you can help out other artists.
We're taking a lot of people on tour next year
Damn Country Music Tour and just taking out artists that
I'm a fan of songwriters that I believe in. I
think that's one thing that's kind of cool about this
genre is everybody's kind of been where I'm at, and
I've been where they are, and everybody wants to help
each other out. I think that's something pretty special to
country music.

Speaker 1 (44:34):
Obviously, one of your biggest songs is talking about the
loss of a grandfather, which is a fantastic song. Your
latest song is more upbeaten, kind of a different version
of losing somebody.

Speaker 11 (44:46):
Yeah, you can't just write songs.

Speaker 22 (44:48):
Maybe we want to cry all day, you know. I
mean that's kind of where I live at as a songwriter.
I love those emotional type songs. But damn good day
to Leave is a fun breakup song, if there is
such a thing.

Speaker 1 (44:57):
Well, it's funny because anytime I talk about him, like
finally a breakup song for guys, because we've heard Taylor
Swift breakup songs for a long time.

Speaker 22 (45:03):
Yeah, man, I love I love the thought of she left,
but the Fisher binding. So I guess it's okay. Maybe
girls don't like that song as much.

Speaker 4 (45:10):
What's what's her in perspective?

Speaker 11 (45:12):
Yeah, you said it.

Speaker 1 (45:14):
Well, let me ask you this about that. Then, do
you think tempo when you're releasing songs like, oh, hey,
you know, maybe I went slow here here, let's give
country radios.

Speaker 22 (45:22):
I think when you start building an album, you know,
don't mind if I do. I think one of my
favorite things about that album has got a lot of
different types of songs on it, and that's one of
those that makes you want to roll the window down
and turn the radio up and uh, you know, you
got to have those on there. So I think when
you go in the right you just try to write
the best song you can, whatever idea you come up with.
But when you start building an album, you certainly think
about tempo's and trying to build a complete project.

Speaker 1 (45:44):
So I want to ask you, as a as a
songwriter two part question, what's the song you can't believe
you wrote? Or We're a part of the Right. And
what's the song you wish you wrote or We're a
part of the Right? Could be could be all time
as far as wish, or it could be something current.

Speaker 22 (45:58):
Yeah, Well, I mean I wish Grandpa's Never Died is
one of those that really just came together for me.
I wrote it strictly as a tribute to my grendaddies
didn't have any plans, but being on an album or anything.
You know, Jesus Saves is one that saw my album
this time.

Speaker 11 (46:10):
That's kind of that way.

Speaker 22 (46:11):
It just kind of came together and the story seems
to be something that means a lot to people. So
that's that's always really cool and kind of surprises me
when something really gets, you know, resonates with people like that.
As far as the song I wish I had written,
there's millions of those in color by Jamie Johnson's always
been one of my favorites. I still played at every show,
so that'd be one I wish.

Speaker 4 (46:28):
I would be together at Whiskey Fest.

Speaker 11 (46:31):
Yeah, and that was Yeah, that's awesome.

Speaker 14 (46:34):
Man.

Speaker 1 (46:34):
When it comes to country music, what's a relationship that
you value the most, not necessarily professionally, but kind of
has helped you nurture into the man and artists you
are in country today.

Speaker 22 (46:44):
There's been a lot of people helped me out along
the way. Jamie's one of them for sure. Randy Owen's
another guy that's always been a really good mentor to me.
He's from Fort Payne, Alabama, obviously the lead singer of Alabama,
and went to college at jacksonvill State where I played
football at and we met through the college, and he's
all has been one to give me advice even when
I didn't ask for it, which is very helpful because
he's I think up forty something number ones, you know,

(47:05):
and he's had quite a career.

Speaker 1 (47:07):
You're on your way with my friend. Hey, enjoy all
things CMA. And I'm an when are you serving at
the bar?

Speaker 11 (47:12):
I'm coming out all at me, man, I'll take care
of it.

Speaker 4 (47:14):
I got your brother Riley Green. Thank you, brother.

Speaker 1 (47:18):
Sorry, that's what we're talking to me talking.

Speaker 4 (47:21):
Yeah, all ever go, I try and make it good. Sam,
You're a man, you always have man.

Speaker 1 (47:26):
Sam hauntanging. It's CMA time, Wayne d and iHeart country man.
First of all, you look fantastic.

Speaker 4 (47:31):
Thank you. We're moving past that. And the beard is
on point too. Thank you. Man. You're coming in the
woods for a month.

Speaker 19 (47:37):
So I was looking pretty scraffy about four days ago,
but I got cleaned up.

Speaker 1 (47:40):
Let me ask you, because the way you're putting out
music right now, it's like kind of the way everybody
is doing it. Is it hard for you as a
guy who really is I feel like your songwriter first,
your heart feels songwriter.

Speaker 4 (47:50):
First, Am I right there?

Speaker 9 (47:51):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (47:51):
Absolutely yeah. I mean unless you finish the question, well no, so.

Speaker 1 (47:56):
So, but with that, like you're putting out music different
than you have a because it's it used to be
here's this album, and then it was like here's a
couple songs, here's this album, and now it's kind of
like here's a song, here's a song, here's a song.

Speaker 4 (48:08):
Is that on purpose? Are you just kind of like
I'm just gonna enjoy the journey?

Speaker 19 (48:11):
I think it's on purpose. I think more than anything,
it's I'm worried. I don't know exactly how long an
album will take to put out, so to go dark
without putting out any music for say, two three years
has been a little intimidating. I think if I want
to put out an album, which I'd like to, I'm
just gonna have to bite the bullet and just hope

(48:32):
that people are still interested in two three years get
out of here, of course, But so yeah, we'll see
how it plays out. But it's hard to sit on
songs too, So like this recent song, I'll put out Liberty.
I might have otherwise waited for the album to be ready,
or an album to be ready to put it out.
But I started to get the itch to put a

(48:54):
song out. You start to feel like, Okay, this sentiment
really matches the time that we're in right now. So
will this song be as relevant in two years the
sentiment of this song? And so those are things I
think about. But the biggest thing is just being worried
about going too long without putting anything out.

Speaker 4 (49:13):
Take me through the process.

Speaker 1 (49:14):
Now, when you still hear your songs on the radio,
is it is it still a moment that you're able
to stand back and appreciate if you're driving in the car.

Speaker 19 (49:20):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean the radio is the pinnacle to
make it on to the radio, you know, even still like,
you know, the idea that there are young folks back
home riding around in their trucks listening to the same
station as I grew up listening to, and and my
song might come on.

Speaker 4 (49:41):
It's just mind blowing to me. So absolutely, what's the
what's the downtime the rest of the year for you?
You're gonna go back into the woods for a month?
Well I did.

Speaker 19 (49:51):
In the heat of the touring season, I started booking
a bunch of a bunch of these hunting trips this fall,
bird hunting trips. And I found out about two months
ago that we've got a baby on the way. So, uh,
Hannah started feeling really sick, and so I was gone
for three or four days at a time. She's at
home with two kids sick. So I'm having to rearrange
some of my plans. But she's still gonna let me. Uh,

(50:13):
I'm not letting me. She I'm still gonna get out
and do a couple uh abbreviated versions of them.

Speaker 4 (50:19):
So it's a it's let you. Is this news? Is
this breaking news?

Speaker 19 (50:26):
I've talked about maybe not on like on air or
anything like that, just at my show. I'm as soon
as I got the green light to tell people I've
been telling just working into every conversation, dude, thank.

Speaker 4 (50:37):
You, yeah, absolutely and everything else.

Speaker 19 (50:41):
I'm obsessed with it and very just I just feel
very blessed to have another one on the way.

Speaker 4 (50:45):
Amen, man, Thank you, dude, Yeah man, thank you, brother.
Take pictures and get out of here.

Speaker 1 (50:50):
C M A Award season is taking over Nashville. It's
Wayne d and Scotty mcquery.

Speaker 4 (50:54):
Man.

Speaker 1 (50:54):
It's it's awesome because sure, you're here for country music,
but usually we start talking hockey.

Speaker 14 (50:59):
Yeah, that's pretty I know. I look forward to seeing
you so we can talk.

Speaker 1 (51:03):
Well let's start there. Because everyone wants to talk music,
I want to talk hockey. You're a big Canes fan,
hometown squad. Have you been able to enjoy any hockey
at this season?

Speaker 23 (51:12):
We've been busy on the road, but I've made I've
made a game we do watch on the road too.
And man, we all thought we lost a few key
players over the off season. We thought we might take
a step back. But they look better than they had
the last few years. So we just got to keep
that going to the playoffs. You know, it's a long season.

Speaker 4 (51:27):
And have we have you strapped on skates recently at all?

Speaker 23 (51:30):
It's been a minute for me every now and then
on the road, like playing arena that has a rink
attached to it for like practice and stuff, and we
get to do that. So I'm like a baby deer
at first, and then I get going, you know. So
See the thing is I can go, I can't stop.

Speaker 4 (51:44):
Usually I'm like a just I slowly turned my whole
or just go full speed and just go into the wall.

Speaker 1 (51:50):
That's why that's usually there's a small child there, So
I'm like, makes sense. Listen, CMA Award season is special.
Speaking of hockey and hockey building right across the street
Bridgetone Arena.

Speaker 4 (52:02):
You have done this. I'm not gonna make you sound
like the old guy, but this ain't your first real
young guy.

Speaker 1 (52:07):
Yeah right, it's a strange thing, but yeah, you still
could continue to create music at a high level.

Speaker 4 (52:12):
What is a weekend? I would say weekend? What what
is this experience? Like? It always feels like it's a weekend,
doesn't it.

Speaker 23 (52:18):
I mean, yeah, there's a lot going on, for sure,
and you see a lot of people and a lot
of parties and stuff. It feels good, you know, it's
always good to get everybody together in one room.

Speaker 14 (52:25):
You see a lot of old faces. You get to
celebrate country music.

Speaker 4 (52:29):
You know.

Speaker 23 (52:29):
I don't know how other people feel. I don't look
at it as a competition at all. You know, there's
different nominations, but I'm rooting for country music. I'm rooting
for these folks out there grinding their tails off, you know,
and are very deservedly nominated.

Speaker 4 (52:41):
So it's it's fun to celebrate country music.

Speaker 1 (52:43):
Speaking to that, I asked a question yesterday that I
wanted to hang on to for certain people, and you
were one of them, because you have your own way.
You have you have this like throwback delivery, but also
like you do it your own way in like this
modern style.

Speaker 4 (52:58):
And I'm sure you've heard something similar before.

Speaker 1 (53:01):
But with that, from the day you started to today,
country music is definitely in a better place. It's more
mainstream than it maybe ever has been. Why do you
feel like country music's success is at an all time
high right now?

Speaker 4 (53:15):
There's a lot of different factors in that.

Speaker 23 (53:16):
You know, I think number one, country music has always
been about the song, and I think more people are
getting to hear the songs. You know, I think there's
a lot of eyes on country music. I think country
music has been very accepting into other people that are
loving country, that want to come into country. You know,
we got Post Malone's doing his thing, and Beyonce was
kind of doing her thing, and I think Machine Gun
Kelly's wanting to do a little bit. So it's like
people love country, they want to be a part of it.

(53:37):
And you know, I think for the most part, everybody
was like, we're all about it more than mayor or
bring one bring them all and.

Speaker 14 (53:43):
It's fun to just hear the different takes on country.

Speaker 1 (53:47):
If one of those artists comes to you, and I
don't want to say there's a right and wrong way
to approach the format, but I also feel there's a
respectful way that maybe multiplies your chance of success. But
for you, if if one of those artists face don't matter,
name don't matter comes to you and says, hey, what
can you tell me that I want to do country music?

Speaker 4 (54:08):
What's the most important thing you can tell me?

Speaker 23 (54:10):
Well, you know, I think post Malone has done a
fantastic guy of doing what you're just talking about, being respectful,
admiring country music, learning about the history of country. He
sounds like he grew up on this stuff, you know,
so he didn't have to try. But yeah, he's been
so cool about it all and made a dang good
country record. So I'd say follow what followed the blueprint

(54:30):
that post he laid out.

Speaker 4 (54:32):
So let me ask you this. This is going to
be the last question. H You mentioned post malone.

Speaker 1 (54:37):
Success, and it really does feel like everybody in country
respects how he's done this. He did a ton of
collabse on his first album. The second album is Scotty McCreary,
maybe like.

Speaker 23 (54:47):
Hey, come on, my phone's always on, So I'm all
about it. Brother, Scotty McCreary, post Malone, you're opening to that.
I'm definitely open, especially after hearing what he did on
his first record. It's it's a dang good country record.
Love to be a part of something like that.

Speaker 4 (55:01):
Let's do it, Scotty McCray, Thank you brother for yes, sir.
Sweet Let's take CMA.

Speaker 1 (55:06):
Season continues swinging deep, Warrensiders hanging out.

Speaker 4 (55:09):
How his life is you?

Speaker 9 (55:10):
Life's man live?

Speaker 4 (55:11):
Man is great? Dude, do me this favor.

Speaker 1 (55:14):
Yeah, the last year was awesome for Warren Ziders because.

Speaker 24 (55:20):
Because let's see here, God is good, man, God is
good all the time. Life is good because I get
to do this for a living. And I was on
the tour with Jelly Roll for the last two months.
We took home first number one the country radio.

Speaker 4 (55:38):
Man, there's the list can go on and on. Now.

Speaker 1 (55:42):
It sucks the last year. Why because there has to
be there has to be something that was like, dang,
that wasn't the dopest moment in my life?

Speaker 24 (55:51):
Man, You know, I can't really There's I have too
much to be grateful for. I don't know if there
was really anything that I can look back on other
than getting sick of a couple of times.

Speaker 4 (56:00):
I'll say this much.

Speaker 11 (56:01):
Getting stripped throat as a vocalist not fun. Because I'm
not canceling the show.

Speaker 24 (56:06):
I got to go out there and do you're already
out there, especially the Jailerical.

Speaker 4 (56:09):
Tour when I was trus support, I was like, I
gotta go barrel through this and get her done. So
there you go. That's the worst thing I can think of. Listen,
you have been busy, You've been NonStop.

Speaker 1 (56:19):
You did have a partnership this past year with Wild Turkey, Yes, sir,
How was that to see support from such a big
I mean, Wild Turkey is a big deal, especially yeah
Whiskey slash Bourbon. What was that like to see them
throw support towards you so early in your career.

Speaker 4 (56:35):
I think it was amazing.

Speaker 24 (56:35):
I think it was kind of like that little pad
on the back of just like recognition of like okay,
like you're really doing the thing, and like real recognize
is real, and here we are. And I got one
more show with them coming up in LA. I want
to say the beginning of December, and you know, I
just feel honored to be recognized and to partner up
with such an awesome company. And you know, they're family

(56:56):
owned and operated and they're still like tight knit. And
I love that because my parents worked for me, so
that was a big that was a big selling point
for me personally.

Speaker 1 (57:03):
And I love that you said that because I was
just gonna bring up we hung out a little bit
with Wild Turkey at CMA Fest and your dad was there, yep,
but like, man, he wasn't just hanging He's like, let
me hold this.

Speaker 4 (57:12):
I'm a hold this. I got this. Yeah, we're going
this way. Follow me. How important has this been.

Speaker 1 (57:17):
For you to make sure that because you could have
been like, hey, I'm I'm it's still taking care of them,
but like.

Speaker 4 (57:22):
Hey, I'm doing a thing, y'all, I'll be back.

Speaker 1 (57:23):
Yeah, But like how important has it been for you
to make sure that they're part of the right as well?

Speaker 24 (57:27):
I think that, you know, I owe honestly man, Like,
so I don't get mushy gushy or you know, tiry eye,
but like I owe everything to my parents. You know,
my parents had me, you know, right out the gate
where they I wasn't planned, but thank God, thank God
that I'm here, you know, beautiful accidents. But you know,
my parents, you know, they got they got married, and

(57:49):
you know, I came along, and you know, they didn't
have that phase of like, hey we're married and we're
gonna you know, enjoy each other's company without kids. So
you know, my sister and I we were you know,
their world. They didn't travel a lot, they didn't go explore,
they were never gone. They always wanted to be around
my sister and I and be at our sporting events
and always supported us and loved us through it all.

(58:10):
And you know, to be able to now be in
the position I'm in, I love them.

Speaker 4 (58:15):
I trust them.

Speaker 24 (58:16):
They're the ones that I want in my corner to
protect me and just have my best interest at heart.
So to have them now down here in Nashville, to
have them both work for me full time, it's it's awesome.

Speaker 4 (58:26):
That's awesome. Plus taking care of your parents has to
be a tax, right off, right, we don't have to
talk about that.

Speaker 24 (58:31):
Well, my mom's my business manager, so she knows all
about the tax, right off.

Speaker 4 (58:34):
Man.

Speaker 1 (58:35):
Oh yeah, listen, listen, family business work for Elvis, why not, Warren, Zeiders,
Amen Man, enjoy all things CMA, brother, I appreciate you.