Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 What is up everybody? Welcome to the In the Round podcast you've got Matt Baril and Mr. Producer, the big man himself. Tyler Lasar Thomas, what up going, oh, my buddy.
Speaker 1 00:00:10 Not much, man. How you doing?
Speaker 0 00:00:11 I'm doing great. Excited to be bringing a podcast out to the great people of the world.
Speaker 1 00:00:16 This is our first one.
Speaker 0 00:00:17 This is our first one, and I am ecstatic. We got a great guest coming up. But first, something we're gonna be doing. We're not gonna be, we're gonna be jumping into the guest a little bit later on in the show, but to kick things off, gonna be letting y'all know since this is a music thing that we are doing, gonna let you know what we've been bumping, what we've been cranking, and, uh, something that if you're not listening to it, according to us, you should be checking it out. You should be listening to us. So, Tyler, what have you been, uh, cranking up?
Speaker 1 00:00:44 Uh, a lot recently I've been cranking out the new Randy Hauser album. Um, I think, you know, it's definitely a step away from what he's done in the past. I feel like it's a step towards more of an organic natural sound for him, especially for his voice. You know, it's not the overproduced stuff that he's done before, but it's very, uh, it's very organic. It feels like you're in the room with him in a smoky bar and he's like singing right to you.
Speaker 0 00:01:11 It hits the heart and soul. Those are the two words that I get for heart and soul. So I guess it's actually three words, but it's, the album is called Magnolia Came out January, right? In the beginning of 2019, man. Yeah. One
Speaker 1 00:01:21 Of the, one of the first albums of the year.
Speaker 0 00:01:23 And is there a certain track on there that just really like, just is like, whoa, this is some damn good music?
Speaker 1 00:01:28 Yeah. Um, for me it was the track number five, no Good Place to Cry. Um, when I was driving listening to that, I actually like pulled over to the side of the road and like, rewound the song and like, was just listening to it again. And I think I actually listened to it like three times. Cuz not only does it talk about like something that's a heavy hit or something that pulls on the heartstrings and all, but like, you know, it talks about Broadway cause and it talks about Nashville, you know, it talks about stuff that's home where you're like, dang, I've been there before and I've done that. So for me, you know, it was something is like the song not only is a great song, but it like speaks to things I've actually done.
Speaker 0 00:02:08 Yeah. Oh, amen to that, man. I've been cranking that up. And again, that's Randy ER's Magnolia album kind of has jumped back to his, uh, country roots of, to his deep country roots. Yeah. Not necessarily his mainstream country roots, very soulful. A lot of blues are definitely gonna wanna check that one out. Now for me, something a little bit more in the, uh, dare I say bro, country spectrum of things. A guy by the name of Hardy, his first name's Michael, he's not related to Ed. The, uh, famous clothing designer. Uh, and you might know some of the songs that he's written, been a co-writer on Big Hits, like Up Down Simple and quite a few others. He's been writing a lot with Florida George Line. He's on the road right now with Morgan Wall, and they actually just played Marathon Music Works here in Nashville.
Speaker 0 00:02:47 Sold out show. I didn't get a chance to go. Some of my buddies went, they said it was rowdy as can be. And for me, uh, what's really cool about this album, there's some songs on there that are just sonically and lyrically just very freaking catchy. It's kinda like jumping back to where 20 12, 20 13, maybe 2014 F g l left off with songs like Round Here and Tip It On Back or Tip It Back, excuse me. Um, and just, it just a rowdy, fun party atmosphere. And, but the song that really gets me is, um, a song called Sign Sober You, which is actually one of the slower tracks on the four song ep. And, uh, it's about writing, uh, writing yourself a letter you sober, you writing a letter for your drunk self to look at so you don't pick up the phone and, uh, call up that x that you're thinking about.
Speaker 0 00:03:34 I wish I had that idea, right. No, it's, it's an incredible track, incredible song. And again, that's Hardy off the ep. Where To Find Me an album, uh, should be getting released from Big Loud Records. A full length hardy record should be coming out later on this year, and he'll be on the road with Fgl, Dan and Shay and Crazy Mr. Redneck Mullet himself, Morgan Wallen lum to an amphitheater near you in the summer of 2019. Now without further ado, Hey, we got a guest to get to, don't we, Tyler? Oh, yeah, we do. We got a great guest to get to somebody who I refer to as being a triple threat. Somebody who, uh, can do it all, who can make you sound good, who can sing a, who can write a song for either himself to sing or for you to sing and can play a mean, a mean soulful, just all around badass bass guitar. Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, our conversation with Colton Parker, let's go in the round, what's going and on guys, welcome back to In The Round, the, in the Round podcast. It is your host, Matt Burrell, hanging out with ya in Music City. Got my good buddy, my co-host, the big boy from Alabama himself, Stephen Tyler Lasar. Ty, how you doing, my brother?
Speaker 1 00:05:11 I'm doing well, man. How you doing
Speaker 0 00:05:13 Today? Doing great. This is our first episode with a guest. Thank you guys for checking us out and we got a damn good one for you. We got, I call him a triple threat because he can do a lot of damn things here in this town. Sometimes he's running the soundboard, sometimes he's in a writing room, right, in a smash hit, and other times he's out on the road or playing gigs downtown with some great acts. It's our buddy Colton Parker. Colton, how you doing my man?
Speaker 3 00:05:34 I'm great, man. How are y'all doing today?
Speaker 0 00:05:36 Doing all right was a bender last night, but, uh, we're here. I feel you, man. We're here. And we were even saying like, we're recording this around noon time. And even then it's like, this is early,
Speaker 3 00:05:45 It's Yeah, in Nashville, noon is early. I had to set three alarms just to make it here on time. <laugh>.
Speaker 1 00:05:51 Yeah, I woke up at like six and then eight, and now I woke up at 11, finally I was like, all right, I gotta get up.
Speaker 0 00:05:57 It's really bad as I was going to bed as you were waking up. But we're here and we're doing it and it's awesome. Nashville. That's Nashville. So how long you been here in Nashville? What's kind of your backstory for getting, getting the where you're at
Speaker 3 00:06:07 Right now? Man, I've been playing in Nashville for like three years, but I've only been living in Nashville for the last four months. So like, you know, I, I started doing the whole Broadway thing and playing. I started out playing at Tootsie's and doing that whole circuit and then moved to other bars. I probably played every bar on Broadway, but, um, you know, and it, driving back and forth. I'm from Jackson, Tennessee. Yeah. So that's like a two hour drive. So doing that every day, it was, wasn't very cost efficient. So, you know, I started like trying to make a plan to move here, and then me and my girlfriend, she, she graduated from, uh, nursing school and then, you know, we just had the opportunity. We're like, let's move, let's go and you gotta be there. You know?
Speaker 0 00:06:52 You were driving two hours. Yeah, every day. Every
Speaker 3 00:06:54 Day for like two hours back and forth, man.
Speaker 0 00:06:57 It's just, that is dedication. That's insane. I thought I've had some pretty bad commutes, like just like distance wise when I was living up in New York, but that is wow. It is. You were, so, you were, what would you be coming up here for? Like what would, would it be like a full day where you'd be up here? Or would you just come up gig and go home?
Speaker 3 00:07:13 It was different every day. It was like some, there were some days like I literally drove here just to do a riding session and then drive home, or I would, you know, come play a gig and then drive home. Every once in a while I would try to, you know, stay at a buddy's house or something, but, you know, that's the grind, man. You gotta sacrifice to get where you want to get, you know?
Speaker 1 00:07:33 I mean, just driving up here two hours to do a writer's round, you know, like you're not making any money there. Like that's, you know, that is dedication for, you know, especially doing it. And that's the grind that you have to do, you know, like,
Speaker 0 00:07:44 That's insane. Yeah. That's just that <laugh>, that's, that's why, that's what you gotta do though. Like, I've, I was told before I moved out, I moved down here a few months ago, the Nashville's like a hustler's paradise. If you hustle, if you grind, you, you, there's a better chance of you getting somewhere. Yeah. Nothing's guaranteed in this town,
Speaker 3 00:08:01 Honestly, there, like some of the, some of the most talented people I know in Nashville aren't doing anything, and it has nothing to do with how good they are because they are some of the best I've ever seen. But really in Nashville, like talent is maybe 40% of what gets you to be successful. Like really talent is only maybe 40% of it.
Speaker 0 00:08:24 It's just all about the grind and
Speaker 3 00:08:26 Dedication and grind and being professional.
Speaker 0 00:08:29 That's, that's absolutely, that's just so insane. Especially so a day for you could consist of a Right. A gig and working sound somewhere.
Speaker 3 00:08:39 I've done it.
Speaker 0 00:08:40 You've done all three or more in one day? Yeah. Wow. That. Now what? Now? Okay. So, so backing up a little bit, you said you're from Jackson, Tennessee originally. When did you start doing the music thing?
Speaker 3 00:08:51 Well, I was actually born in Lexington, which is like 30 minutes from Jackson. Okay. But I, I grew up in Jackson, spent most of my life there. But, uh, I got my first bass when I was four,
Speaker 0 00:09:02 Four years old. You're, you're slapping a bass?
Speaker 3 00:09:04 Oh, I was really just ripping the strings off of it. <laugh>
Speaker 0 00:09:06 Okay.
Speaker 3 00:09:07 <laugh>, you know, kind of doing bam, bam on a bass. But I didn't <laugh> I didn't really start playing like really just dedicated to it till I was maybe 11 or 12. I saw a guy at church and he's just up there grooving and having the time of his life and I was like, I want to do that. And so, you know, we tried to go through the process of getting lessons and all that didn't work out just because my fam, both my parents worked all the time and didn't really have time. I didn't have anybody to take me to go get lessons. So, but my dad was a bass player, like all of his brothers, they had a band when he was younger, and so he was like, Hey, I'm gonna teach you how to tune it. I'll teach you a couple songs. And so we did that whole thing, like, we sat in the room the first day, he taught me like, some slime in the Family stone stuff. And like, he just put, he put on like, just records Andra, like the radio and stuff, and was like, sit down, learn, just learn the song, figure it out. And then, man, I would stay in my dad's bedroom for hours at a time, just learning songs. And I was just obsessed ever since. Just, it was love at first
Speaker 0 00:10:20 Pluck. You caught, you caught, you caught the music bug. Yeah. Really? You caught the musician bug, and that's a bug that you got too, Tyler. Like it's, there's gotta be some, see, I have no musical ability. Like, you hand me that guitar you got over there, I don't know what I'm doing. Like I'll, I'll, I'll like strum it and act like I know what I'm doing. Yeah. But it'll sound awful. It's like when you're missing the notes in Guitar Hero and it's just like, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. And it's all Exactly, exactly. So you pick it up at four and then you said about 10 or 12 you seriously started playing. When did you go out and start gigging, start doing it for, they'd be like, Hey, I can do this for a living kind of thing.
Speaker 3 00:10:52 Um, well I went to college for music, so my, my bachelor's was in entertainment music. So like, I went through that whole process of, you know, learning how to be on stage and play with other musicians and do all that, all that jazz. But then, so I graduated college when I was 21 when I could act, you know, legally get into a bar. And so, you know, immediately I started trying to go around different guys and play. And I started out playing blues. I played with a bunch of different people playing country. And then, uh, man, it was just right soon, soon as I graduated and was legal to get into a bar is when I started gigging. And, um, but, you know, it's hard man. Like when you first get out into the scene, like you're not making a lot of money. So it was like, it was kind of the mentality of like, I know this is why I'm do for the rest of my life, but can I support myself and can I ever support a family doing it? So it was really just a back and forth kind of battle within myself to like, just stay mentally focused, to be like, okay, this is a process. I can do this. I just gotta stay dedicated to it and it's not always gonna be easy.
Speaker 0 00:12:03 Yeah. Now you said blues and I, when I've, I've seen you play before and you've seen him play before too, Tyler. Yeah. Multiple times. You get funky when you're playing the bass and stuff. Like you, you are able to flip it, flip playing country songs if you're out with somebody or flip it to playing blues or funk or like old school. What do you prefer? I know this can be a tough one because I I'm sure you like it all,
Speaker 3 00:12:24 Man. Like, so like I said, I grew up, like the first song I learned was a sly in the family song. So like, that's the first very first song I ever learned. So that always has funk Motown that has a place in my heart. So like, that's the most natural realm for me is staying in the funk Motown thing. But like I said, I've played with so many different people. Like, I played Blue, I played on Bill Street for years. I was in the house band at 1 52 on Bill Street. And you know, I've, I've played country, I've played with all kind of country people, obviously, you know, man, I've done the, I've played some reggae stuff I've done, I mean, I've pretty much, you name it, I've done jazz, you know, all of the stuff like that. So, but that's what gets you hired, man, being versatile. If somebody can call you and be like, Hey, I need you to come do this, I wanna be able to do it. So I try not to close myself off to just one thing.
Speaker 0 00:13:19 Just being, being available and knowing how, knowing what to do to get the gig. Exactly. Because there's so many gigs and stuff out there.
Speaker 1 00:13:27 I do have a question for you. Talking about playing on Bill Street and like doing that. What's the like, main difference between Bill Street and Broadway,
Speaker 3 00:13:36 <laugh> Main, different? Man, there's so many different differences. Like, or I probably said that stupid, but there's so many differences. If you good <laugh>. I did, I kind of stumbled right there. You're good,
Speaker 0 00:13:45 Baby. You're in the,
Speaker 3 00:13:46 You're I'm just thinking of the question though. Uh, man, it's night and day, really, the entire atmosphere is 100% different.
Speaker 1 00:13:55 So which would you say is a Wilder party on the weekends?
Speaker 3 00:14:00 Man? Uh, Nashville. Definitely. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:14:03 I was gonna say, Nashville gets pretty wild. Like, there's a lot of times where people are like, Hey, let's go out on a Saturday night. And I'm just like, no, I'm not doing it.
Speaker 0 00:14:11 <laugh> now on Beale Street. Is it? I I have no idea about Memphis. I know it's a style of barbecue. I know there's a lot of music and I know Elvis's House isn't too far from there. <laugh>, that's about all I know about Memphis. Yeah. Um, is it, is Bee Street similar to Broadway where there's just a stretch of bars and it's just music kind of
Speaker 3 00:14:27 Thing? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That they're the same in that aspect, but that's it. Like everything else is different. But yeah, bee Street is pretty much just one Long street. Not as big as Broadway, but it's just one long strip of bars side by side where you go hear good blues music, you know.
Speaker 1 00:14:45 So now you said that you're part of the house band at a bar there. Yeah. Are there any more house span oriented or is it kind of like Nashville where like you're bringing in new acts every like three or four hours and you know, it's, it can change from week to week or it can be the same, but like every night it's somebody different. Is it kind of that same way? Or is it very much like, this is set and this is who's playing here
Speaker 3 00:15:09 For the majority? Uh, it's, it's the same as Nashville. Like, you got different people at different bars every night. I mean, but you have a few places where they, they do the Houseman thing and I was at Club 1 52 at the time, they did the whole houseman thing. We played there Monday through Thursday. So
Speaker 1 00:15:25 Playing Monday through Thursday, was it like set hours or were like, you know, as the crowd gets there, like you kind of do it, like, was it the same guys every night? Like how did that whole like house band thing work for y'all?
Speaker 3 00:15:39 Yeah, it was, it was the same guys every night. It was a three piece thing. So it was a trio three piece
Speaker 0 00:15:44 Thing? Yeah. Okay.
Speaker 3 00:15:45 It was a trio, just straight, straight blues thing. But, um, man, it was, it was totally different because Bill Street has changed a lot in the last 10 years or so.
Speaker 0 00:15:56 How so?
Speaker 3 00:15:57 Well, I mean, just the atmosphere itself, because I mean, blues, blues in general just doesn't, it's not getting the respect that it used to get. Not because of a talent thing, it's just because, you know, we could go into the whole like, you know, media and we can go into the whole like record label thing, but like, uh, that has a lot to do with it because music business obviously is, it's a money machine. Yeah, right? Yeah, a hundred percent. So who's putting money into it and what they're putting money into pretty much controls what the majority of the average listener hears. So if, you know, money's not getting put into blues, people aren't hearing blues like they used to. So, but, you know, bill Street, they still get a lot of tourists. Like they get a lot of people from overseas where Blues is played, which weirdly played more overseas than it is here in America.
Speaker 0 00:16:53 Sounds like rock and roll in that sense. Yes. Like you have those big rock festivals like Rock Emery. Yes. And like the huge ones that go in Europe. Is it like that for blues? Yes. Like will you see like a big blues festival in like England or France or something? Yes,
Speaker 3 00:17:04 Yes.
Speaker 0 00:17:04 Really? Have you been over, have you been overseas to
Speaker 3 00:17:07 I haven't. I haven't, but I'm, I mean, I'm gonna get to pretty soon, but, um, I've, I've been in sessions though with like these guys where I barely know 'em, but then you have somebody from Europe comes in and treats 'em like they're a superstar, like the biggest deal, you know, they've ever seen. So it's just a total, you know, it's just different. Foul blues is respected in America as to like, places like Europe.
Speaker 0 00:17:34 That's crazy cuz you've rewind like, what, like 15 years, not even. And you've got blues is viewed in a whole different light. Exactly. I remember as a kid, even watching it go way back, you got finding a stereotype, blues Brothers. That was fun. Yeah, that was a fun one. I did that. I did that as a Halloween costume, won't you? That was a fun one. <laugh>. Yeah. I know
Speaker 1 00:17:51 For me as a guitarist, like one of my biggest influences on my playing was BB King. Like, you know, for me that's how I learned, you know, I, I learned more of like playing for field than playing for, you know, notes. But I feel like, you know, now, like you say BB King to people and there's a lot of people that are growing up that they're like, who's that?
Speaker 0 00:18:12 Just a guy with a restaurant or music venue at this
Speaker 1 00:18:14 Point. Yeah, yeah. You know, but like, they don't understand how he like, really shaped a
Speaker 0 00:18:18 Lot of stuff. Yeah, absolutely. Shaped, country shaped what's in modern day pop music shaped rock and roll shaped. Yeah. He's one, one of those guys, one of those big guys that, that had a huge influence. So you, we covered the, the playing some of the playing aspect that songwriting. Yeah. When did you write your first song?
Speaker 3 00:18:36 Man, I started writing songs as soon as I started playing music. Okay. Like the, it was just kind of a natural thing. Like for some, I guess I always wanted to be creative and not necessarily be, be in a box. So I immediately started writing songs, whether they had lyrics in them or not, and just being melodic, you know, things that I came up with. That's always been second nature.
Speaker 0 00:19:00 Now, how hard is it to be, to make it as a songwriter in this town? Cause that seems like the biggest occupation if you looked up like in certain areas that if you look on like, the census report of what people's listed like employment is, I feel like Nashville's top one would be, would be songwriter. Yeah. If, if that's something that you can list on there. What's it like being one of the, one of the fish in the Huge Monsters Sea that is Nashville songwriting? Well,
Speaker 3 00:19:23 That you, you just said it like, man, there's so many people here that are writing songs and, well, there's so many people that have been successful writing songs. Like they may have had one song that got popular and you never hear anything from them ever again. So like, it's very, it's very difficult and it's all about networking and meeting people and just staying true to writing. That's the biggest difference. Like, that's what I've learned. Everybody I talk to, you know, all the publishers and all, everything that I talk to, they're really looking for people that are songwriters. There's a difference between somebody who likes to write songs for a hobby and being a songwriter. So if you're a songwriter, you do that. Like, that's what it you do. It's not necessarily you're doing it because of money. It's something that is within you. It's a passion. Just like playing music in general is a passion. In order to be a successful songwriter, you have to be dedicated to it.
Speaker 1 00:20:19 Yeah. And like, you know, with you saying like doing it for a hobby versus doing it like, because it is you, like, you know, I know with being a writer myself, like, there's times where I get writer's block and like, people notice, like, I get into a funk and like people are like, what's wrong? And I'm like, I'm trying to get something in the paper, but nothing's coming out right now. And like, they're like, well just, just go write. And I'm like, you, you're not understanding. Like, it's not just that simple. Like there's, there's something that's literally a mental block right now to where I can't do what I want to do and I can't say what I want to say right now. And it's frustrating, you know?
Speaker 3 00:20:58 Yeah. Well the reason, the reason that happens is because if you're a real songwriter and you're putting yourself into writing a song, what is going on in your atmosphere and in your life at the time? It's, it's a mental block. So like, you can't put out what you want to put out at the time because you're going through something in life. So when that happens to me, like I'll take a song, if I get blocked on it, I will stop and I might take it to somebody else and see, okay, what is your perspective on, on this? And it'll, by changing my atmosphere and changing how I'm experiencing it at that time, it kind of helps me open up too to be able to finish.
Speaker 0 00:21:39 Is that one of the ways the, one of the reasons the co-writing is so important? Yes. Because I know there's a lot of that in this town. Yes. And I didn't realize how much of that was going on. Like, and then you start seeing, if you look up, look up songs written by people, like there's so many, there's at times there's so many names attached to it and stuff. What, what do you do? Like tell, like you co-write, I'm assuming a lot. Yeah. You, I'm sure you're, you've got your buddies, you've got your crew, your networking that you, that you like to go out and and write with and, and whether you're in a room or you're hanging out in somebody's back porch or out on a trip somewhere, whatever, how'd you get involved with doing that?
Speaker 3 00:22:13 Um, really I playing out with Skylar. Okay. So I, I, we were doing the whole, you know, playing gigs and doing the bar scene, traveling back and forth to Nashville and things like that. But then you start meeting people, you know, we got the whole Jack Daniels, uh, sponsorship. So we go there.
Speaker 0 00:22:34 That's a, that's a nice tasty sponsorship. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:22:36 Yeah. So, so we're out in Lynchburg and we're playing for the Barbecue Fest. And then we just start meeting people and then, uh, they're like, Hey, come to Curb and let's sit down and talk. So, uh,
Speaker 0 00:22:49 So that's a, that's a big <laugh>. Oh, just come to Curb, you're like, whoa.
Speaker 3 00:22:53 Yeah,
Speaker 0 00:22:53 That's a big deal.
Speaker 3 00:22:54 We're playing a gig and it's Oh, come to Curb. Alright. Right. So we, we set up a meeting, we go to Curb and we're sitting down and we're talking. They're like, um, do y'all got, do y'all write any songs? And of course, yeah, I've been writing songs for years. Like, all, send us some stuff. We send 'em songs, we like your songs, we wanna set you up with writing some of our writers, you know, just see how that goes. So we start, we wrote with Billy Montana, Phillip Lamon. So yeah, so we were, you know, will Nance, that was another one. And I was a big fan of Will Nance cuz he wrote some Brad Paisley stuff. And, uh, so yeah, so it kind of just went to there and just since it was something that I was already doing, it just kind of opened the door and, you know, I started sharing it with other people and then I meet new riders and so now it's just part of, part of life.
Speaker 0 00:23:46 So are you currently on a pub deal right
Speaker 3 00:23:47 Now? I'm
Speaker 0 00:23:48 Not. You're not. You're gonna be though. It's gonna happen for you. I know how good you are. And I see, and I'm sure Tyler, it's gonna happen for you eventually. Yeah. It's, it's going to like, I think sooner rather than later. Like, yeah, you got a lot of good stuff going here. Damn. Good writer.
Speaker 3 00:24:01 Well, man, it's really like, for me mentally, it's not something that I'm just, I'm not stressing over it.
Speaker 0 00:24:07 You don't rush, you don't wanna rush. Like, it's not something that you try to rush into in this town. Like, it just, if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't kind of
Speaker 3 00:24:14 Thing. That's kind of what I treat everything. Like I, I put myself out there and I just try to be the best that I can at something. And the way I see it is if it's meant for me in my life, it'll happen. And if it's not, it won't. But in the end, I'm gonna end up where I'm supposed to be. So I'm gonna write songs regardless if I ever get a pub deal or not. Okay.
Speaker 0 00:24:33 Okay.
Speaker 1 00:24:33 Okay. And I feel like, you know, that's a lot of the mentality of, you know, the people that are doing it and like, are on the big stages and doing it. They're not somebody that like actively went out and like, you know, pushed for like, you know, I wanna be X's guitar player, you know, like, I don't, I want to do this. Like, they kept doing their craft, they kept doing what they were doing, and eventually Doors opened up for 'em. You know, it's one of those things where, you know, those who weigh, you know, good things come to them, you know, kind of thing.
Speaker 3 00:25:04 Exactly. Like the Hunter thing. I did not go out and yeah, we try to make that happen.
Speaker 0 00:25:09 Yeah. We haven't brought that up yet. So two names that you brought up. You brought up Skyler and you brought up Hunter. So first Skyler, somebody that Tyler and I both know that we get to, we get to see Play Live a bunch downtown and one of the coolest, nicest guys that you can meet out on Broadway. Um, how'd you get to meet him? What's the backstory on your guys' relationship?
Speaker 3 00:25:29 Yeah, so, um, like I said, um, you know, I was playing in Jackson and stuff like that, playing all kinds of different stuff. But then I was going through the, the time in my life where, you know, I wasn't, I was playing a lot, but I wasn't necessarily making a lot of money and making ends meet. And as soon as I graduated from Lambath with my emmi degree, I went and got my master's in Business administration. So I graduated from there. And then, you know, I, one of my best friends moved to Oxford, Mississippi. Everybody's who has ever been to Oxford, Mississippi knows it's a great time. So I was like, Hey, I'm gonna go move to Oxford, Mississippi. I got a job right there on the square. I was, you know, doing some tax kind of stuff like that. And then, um, so I'm, I'm at work and then my phone rings and it's, uh, my buddy Greg Pratt.
Speaker 3 00:26:22 It's like, Hey, this guy I know, um, he, he needs a bass player might be giving you a call. Like, so I'm on lunch, his manager at the time Cosby, I was like, Hey, we gotta run in Myrtle Beach, would you be interested in going? I'm like, I haven't been out on the road much and stuff like that. I looked him up, I saw his X-Factor video. Yeah. So I was like, yeah man, like sign me up. So I took off work. We, we go to Myrtle Beach and I'm sitting there like, after playing the show, I'm like, I wasn't very happy after playing the show. I knew it had nothing to do with Skylar. I was like, this dude is so good, but his band is not. So like, when we got back home, I hit him up. I was like, Hey man, um, just, I really believe that you, you're a talented, talented singer. Talented entertainer. And, um, I think you could really do something, but I don't think that your band and your management, uh, is gonna get you there. I was like, let's, let's get together. Just have a little faith in me. I can get you a band that is worthy of playing with an artist like you and everything that your manager is doing, we can do on our own better. Just have a little faith in me. He was like, you know what, uh, sure, let's do it.
Speaker 0 00:27:47 Just taking the leap of Yeah. Taking the leap of faith.
Speaker 3 00:27:50 Yeah, he felt it too. You know, he felt it too. So, uh, you know, man, we just did it. We just did it. And then, so I ended up quitting my job and,
Speaker 0 00:28:01 And this is how many years ago? Just the timeline of, uh, Colton Parker.
Speaker 3 00:28:04 Right? It'll be four years of March.
Speaker 0 00:28:06 Okay. So you're coming up on your anniversary, you guys meeting and you guys taking that jump and it started with a gig, Myrtle Beach. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> from Mutual friend, a guy we know and love to Mr. Greg Pratt. Yes. That's, it's just how it works, huh? Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:28:18 That's it, man. You just take that just like Steve Harvey says. You just sometimes you gotta jump, man. <laugh>.
Speaker 0 00:28:24 Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. So you've been playing with Skylar now here in Nashville for how long?
Speaker 3 00:28:30 Three years.
Speaker 0 00:28:31 Three years. And you've seen how he's, how he's grown. And again, he can just, some guys got it. Uh, where either they can, they can sing or they their performance on stage or there's great dudes. He's got all three Yeah. Where he can, he, like, you see him on a stage and he's just having fun. You guys out there having fun together, you guys have a good chemistry and whatnot. And now the other name you mentioned, that's Skylar Anderson, by the way, if you don't know Skyler, you will soon and definitely look him up on social media. Kid is badass. Love that guy. You mentioned Hunter, somebody that people, a lot of people know. Somebody that I've seen play up in New Jersey, up in New York. Somebody that's thrown around the country. It's Mr. Hunter Hayes, right? Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:29:07 Man. So how
Speaker 0 00:29:08 The heck does that all happen?
Speaker 3 00:29:10 Man? It's crazy. It's really crazy how it happened. Um, so I met this guy on at Whiskey Row. Um, his name is Hubert Payne. He plays drums for little big town, but when he is not playing, you know, he's just, he goes out on Broadway and, you know, just to meet new people and have fun and, you know, play some gigs. So I get his number and I just hit him up one day. I'm like, Hey Hubert, uh, man, I really enjoyed your playing. Let's get together and jam some time. And then so, uh, he already knew my, my buddy Trevor that plays for Skylar Trevor McKay. So he is like, Hey, yeah, let's, we're gonna go to my buddy Matt Cummings house and uh, let's just jam. So I get there and it's, you know, me, Hubert, Trevor, and then Matt, another guitar player.
Speaker 3 00:29:56 And then this guy named Jonathan Smith shows up. I'm like, oh, we got a keyboard, keyboard player. So we're all sitting in the garage, man. And we just start jamming and it was very organic. And next thing you know, like within 10 minutes we're sitting there writing songs. Wow. Like all of us together as a band, just writing songs. And it was just like a instant connection. And then, so we just, we just, every week we're like, every week, let's get together and, and do this. Because it's totally different from what we do every day. Because, you know, on Broadway, I don't even know if I should say this, but I'm gonna say it anyways. You do what you gotta do, man On Broadway, man, sometimes you can get stuck. Yes, yes. Playing the same things because you have to, because obviously your job is to make a bar money.
Speaker 3 00:30:46 And if people are in there and they want to hear certain things, you gotta play 'em. Like, you don't have the freedom necess necessarily to just go off on a tangent and to play something that's always stimulating musically. So like, we're like, man, we really, this is something different. We, we enjoy it. Let's just get together every week and do that. And then, uh, Hubert friends with Hunter, he's like, man, I'm, I'm gonna see if he just wants to like come and sing a song one day or something. Cuz he likes, he's a musician, he likes to do jam stuff. And then, man, so three weeks later I'm sitting at Whiskey Row running sound. I get a text, man, would you be interested in a road gig? Like, uh, who wouldn't be interested in a road gig? Of course. And then I'm like, who's it for?
Speaker 3 00:31:33 He's like, man, I just got the weirdest call. Andy Sheridan from Hunter Hayes just hit me up, said, hunter needs a new band. It's like, huh, alright, <laugh> sounds great. And he's like, man, uh, I'm gonna try to set it up for this week. That was on Tuesday night. And then, uh, he calls me the next day and says, okay, well it's tomorrow. You don't have to learn anything. We're just gonna come and jam our stuff. Andy's gonna show up. So we're sitting in that Matt's garage, Andy Sheridan comes in and then we're sitting there playing. He's like, oh, by the way, hunter Hay is about to show up. It's like, man, okay. No pressure. That's gotta be fun. <laugh>. Yeah. So Hunter Hayes walks in, we played three songs and he said, wow. Uh, I'm gonna give you a call, man. It wasn't 10, 15 minutes later, Hubert gets a text, Hey, uh, you guys wanna audition Sunday? It's like, okay, we'll do, we'll do a real audition Sunday. He, he sends us songs to learn off the new album and everything. We go in there at starstruck and play the songs and bam, it's like, congratulations guys. Uh,
Speaker 0 00:32:49 So the jam band, the band that you were jamming with Yes. In the garage is now gonna be out in the road Yes. Going to all these places? Yes. So just you guys jamming and doing something different? Yeah. Led Wow.
Speaker 3 00:33:00 Within a, I mean, within three weeks, you know, it was just, you know, but that's, that's Nashville though, man. You never know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 1 00:33:09 Yeah, no. Like with me, with getting the sound job at Whiskey Row, I hit Tyler up one day, he's like, yeah, how about like, training on Sunday night? I'm like, yeah, sure. So I show up on Sunday night and I start to tune the monitors and all, and like, he's like, cool, you know what you're doing? I'm gonna go for a little bit. And I'm like, uh, okay.
Speaker 0 00:33:32 Baptism by fire. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:33:33 And then like, he, he's like, all right, uh, I need you to come in one more day for training stuff. So I was like, okay. And so the next day I show up and uh, I showed up for the morning, and I think it was right around the time that you were there too. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And like, you weren't there that night. So, um, he's like, I really need a guy for the night. He's like, you've already ran this one band. He's like, you want a job? And I was like, yeah, sure. And he's like, all right, you're hired. Run tonight. That's your like, one thing, like, if you can run tonight, you've got a job. I was like, got it, dude. That's
Speaker 3 00:34:08 Natural.
Speaker 0 00:34:09 So it's just being in the right place at the right time. Exactly. Knowing the right people and just putting yourself some yourself in positions to succeed. That's it. It sounds so easy, but I know it's so difficult with, with what goes on down here. Like there's a lot, lot, you can get caught up and there's a lot. But dude, congratulations on Thank you. That gig and you guys, the fact that you guys are all doing it together too. Yeah. That's something special. It is. That's really something special. So, I mean, you, excuse me, you do so many different things. What's kind of your dream goal? And I know this can be a loaded question because you do so many things where you could be, would it be, say, running sound at a place like Red Rocks, like going on the road with a huge name and getting to work at a cool venue like that? Would it be being able, would it be able to write songs and be writing, bumping out number one hits, or at least be in the position to, or would it be going out on the road and slapping the bass a little bit?
Speaker 3 00:35:00 My number one goal is going out on the road. Okay. And playing for a major artist. That has always been my dream and my number one thing. And songwriting would be number two. Okay. For me, running sound, that was just kinda like something I know how to do. It's not really my passion, but I do enjoy it. But as far as like doing it for the rest of my life, no. Okay. I just like knowing how to do it. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:35:22 And that, that's gotta add something to, and Tyler, you can chime in on this as well, man, you guys as musicians and as writers now that probably that's gotta help you out too, mean the whole run sound thing you guys are at, you guys are in the, or have been in the shoes of the people that where you're, where you're watching levels and everything, you know. Well you, you've been guitarist, you've been bassist, you know drummers, you know, you do vocals and stuff. That's gotta add a whole nother dimension to it too.
Speaker 1 00:35:47 Yeah. Like, you know, it's always nice for me whenever an artist knows what, like knows a little bit about sound or something, or a player knows a little about something about sound and they're just like, Hey man, uh, you know, I need this frequency turned up. You know this much. And you're like, easy done. You know? Cause you get the guys, um, I was a group one time and they were like, yeah, I'm like my ears right now. They just sound washy or spacey. <laugh>. I hate that oceany. Oh, you're like, all right dude. Well, uh, what does that mean? Like what, what am I fixing here? Like, what sounds that? And he's like, I don't know man, it's just my ears. And I'm like, just washy. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:36:27 Or muffled. Or muffled. Yeah. It's like, okay.
Speaker 1 00:36:29 Yeah. Yeah. People use that one a lot and they're like, oh, it's just muffled. And I'm like, okay.
Speaker 3 00:36:35 Yeah. Some people don't know what muffled means though. Some people, like some artists say muffled, they're saying that there's nothing below end. But then I've had other ones who are saying, oh, it's just all high end, but they use muffled as the same term. Yeah. You know,
Speaker 1 00:36:50 It's one of the, it's one of the hot phrases to use. Um, I had one guy right. That I was with and he was like, yeah, my ears right now they just, they just kind of sound blue and I'm like, <laugh>. Alright dude. So let's, let's have a talk real quick.
Speaker 0 00:37:05 The n rhymes blue over and over. So
Speaker 3 00:37:07 Lemme call John Mayer and ask him what blue means
Speaker 0 00:37:10 Ex Right. Seriously. Seriously. And you, you mentioned John Mayer, you're big, I'm assuming you're a big music guy. You don't just listen to country. What are you kind of digging on your, on your Spotify, on your Apple music and stuff, whatever you're listening to. What do you, what are you jamming to? What's on the Colton Parker playlist?
Speaker 3 00:37:26 Man, it's, it's a lot of different things. I'm really into this band called Brothers Landri. Uh, Joey Landreth, he's got his own thing too, but they're Canadian, like they're Canadian blues country kind of kind of band. And they are awesome man. Just so much soul.
Speaker 1 00:37:42 He, uh, he got me to pull 'em up right here whenever before you got here today. And I listened to a song or two of those, those guys jam.
Speaker 3 00:37:51 They're so good. But then, you know, Volek. Okay. I love Volek <laugh>, obviously Chris Stapleton, in my opinion, is the best country vocalist.
Speaker 0 00:38:00 He's the guy right now. Yeah. He's
Speaker 3 00:38:02 The guy to me. Um, Michael Jackson. I've always been a Michael Jackson fan. Um, I mean, it, it goes into a bunch of different things, man. Hunter Hayes. Yeah. <laugh>, obviously <laugh>. I'm invested in myself on that one. <laugh>.
Speaker 0 00:38:17 Yes. So having that, that wide stuff. And uh, would you say some of those, some of those guys that's, that's a big, those are big influences for you? Or does it go back to the blues roots where you're, you're playing BB King, that first song you learned too and Yeah,
Speaker 1 00:38:30 I was gonna say with Chris and, you know, explaining that you mentioned him cuz he has a very like bluesy that kind of like Yes.
Speaker 0 00:38:37 He's, he's that balance of Memphis and Nashville. Yes. He's, he could, he could sell out a venue in either city. Yes. Like he's that, I mean, he could sell out a venue in any city. Yeah. He sold that Madison Square Garden. But like he can that he's, that that hybrid mean
Speaker 3 00:38:50 People, people don't really know that much about Chris Stapleton. He had a rock band.
Speaker 0 00:38:54 Yeah. The uh, yeah, back in the band that was the pile. Those was was it the pile divers?
Speaker 1 00:38:58 No, the steel drivers was Steel
Speaker 0 00:39:00 Driver. Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:39:02 It was brothers something. Uh, I can't remember the name of the band, but if you go back and listen to that man, he really proves how versatile and
Speaker 0 00:39:10 While he's doing that, he's just bumping out number one hits. Yeah. All across the mid two thousands. Nobody has any idea. Nobody. And then he, he pops in and now he's,
Speaker 3 00:39:18 He's the
Speaker 0 00:39:19 Guy, he's Chris Stapleton. He's running tours and playing amphitheaters and venues all over the place. Well that's badass man. So you got that guitar with you? Yes. Over there. I'm presum. That means you're gonna sing us a little tune.
Speaker 3 00:39:30 Yeah, man. I'll do y'all, I'll do y'all one of my originals.
Speaker 0 00:39:32 So what do you, what, what are you thinking for the original, what kind of, what song you looking at? Cause I know you write, how many songs do you write a today, by the way? Cause depends. I, I know people that, that bump out like double digits a week. I know some people where they're, they're writing when they're in their, when they got their mojo and they're in their zone. Like how often, how many songs are you writing?
Speaker 3 00:39:48 It depends, depends. There's some weeks where I might only write two songs and then there's some days where I'll write five songs, you know, so it really just depends on what's going on and how I'm feeling at the time. Like, if I can be on the road,
Speaker 0 00:40:02 Make it sound so casual, like I just wrote five songs in one day. Like, it's so, so like, it's so casual. Like this is hard. This is hard stuff to do. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:40:10 But there's times whenever like you're writing a song and like, I've had it multiple times where it takes 15 minutes and it's done and I'm like, alright, that's it. Like, that's, that's what I wanted to say with it. That's the song. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:40:21 I mean, there's also been certain songs, I I'm sure you've done this before. It's like, you really love this song, you really believe in this song, but you rewrite it six times in six months, you know, like you spend six months on this one song.
Speaker 1 00:40:34 I have a song that I wrote. Um, I have the first two verses and courses written, but there's like always like three or four that end up and when I play it live, the last two that I have to like sing for it to finish up like as a story song. So the last two to finish up the story, I just literally make it up on the top of my head as I'm singing it. And it's every different, every time. Like I, I've had good ones where I'm like, oh, that was a good one. And then nobody has a recording of it. And I'm like, great. I don't remember what I said. So it's gonna be different next time too.
Speaker 0 00:41:07 Yeah, no, I know, I know. Having, having it down in the phone and, and having a work tape is so important. I can't tell you how many times I've had buddies were in their car and they're plugging in the s they're not going on spot. They're showing me their work tapes and just how important, like, you, you lose those. That idea could be gone forever. Yeah, man. It could be a real sticky situation. That's so what's this one that you, that you got for us today here on
Speaker 3 00:41:28 Round? Um, man, it's, it's called it, it's called, it smells like rain. So it's pretty much about, you know, like living in Nashville for sure. Like your friends want you to go out and have a good time. They
Speaker 0 00:41:39 Sure do.
Speaker 3 00:41:40 <laugh>. Yeah, you're right. We all know, we know how that is every night. It never stops, but sometimes you just want that night at home with your girl and you don't feel like going out. You wanna stay home. So that's what I wrote this song about. All
Speaker 0 00:41:56 Right. Awesome. Any co-writers on this one?
Speaker 3 00:41:58 No, this is all me. This is all
Speaker 0 00:41:59 Colin Tyler Parker original. Awesome. Well, well Colton's getting that guitar ready and stuff. Thank you guys for tuning in to end the round. Tyler, this was fun, man. Episode one with a guest. This was badass. Wanna thank Colton for coming out. You guys make sure you follow and plug that social media for us real quick. What do you, where, where can people find you? Instagram, Facebook,
Speaker 3 00:42:20 Uh, Instagram. Colton Parker base.
Speaker 0 00:42:22 Colton Parker Base. Nice. Nice and simple. I love it. Nice. Straight into the point you guys can find us at in the round on Facebook, Instagram. I think we're gonna get a Twitter going soon. We got the website as well in the round.com. We bump it out, YouTube videos, doing all kinds of cool content as we get this wild ride going with wheels and all that stuff. Keeping her going down here in Music City. Best place on the earth now. Time without further ado. Our good buddy Colton Parker with it smells like rain.
Speaker 4 00:42:59 I don't, we we call, I've got it spin. Tell you it feels like it smells like rain. We can catch up this weekend. You can't. I got it. The, I just want a little bit of you right. Doing smells like rain. Yeah, buddy. Woo.
