Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
[00:00:12] Speaker B: Come on.
[00:00:15] Speaker A: This is Outside the Round with Matt Burrill for Rage Rowdy podcast.
What's going on, guys? Welcome back to another episode of Outside the Round. Today, a special guest, a Nashville native to just dropped a big EP called High Road. We got our girl Jess Woodland in the house.
Homie. I'm glad we were able to make this work, dude.
[00:00:34] Speaker C: I'm so. I'm so happy to be here. Thank you so much.
[00:00:36] Speaker A: Yeah, we survived through the ice storm, the chaos, barely.
Yeah. Cuz, where were you? You're over on the east side, right?
[00:00:43] Speaker C: Dude, yeah, I'm like right on the edge of the east side. And we had like, so far it's been like $26,000 of damage done to our property. We've had. We've had seven trees down and one landed on our roof and oh, man, it's been a nightmare. But we're okay.
[00:00:56] Speaker A: Yeah. I'm glad. I'm glad you and the family are okay.
[00:00:59] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:00:59] Speaker A: And safe and that's the biggest thing, you know. So kind of walk me through your story. You grew up here? Born and raised. So grew up in like Nashville proper or just in the middle Tennessee?
[00:01:09] Speaker C: Oh, well, no. So I was born on West End in what they call St. Thomas now. It used to be something different, I think.
And I grew up on the outside, on the outskirts because we were too poor to live and inner city.
I was in White Bluff for a while, chunk of my childhood. But then the main part of my childhood, I grew up in a place called McEwen, right on the Dixon county line.
And I lived on a dirt road, sat on 12 acres, raised a bunch of chickens. We were in the middle of nowhere. I would bike to church. I biked to my first job. You know, there were no other kids around. I was homeschooled as well. So that was super fun.
But yeah, I mean, that was just the beginning and then of just my childhood. But I wouldn't change it for anything, you know, now. Now I live in Nashville. I'm kind of like, oh, I see why. My parents, you know, they moved and they bought a bunch of land and whatever. Kind of like the best of both worlds. Because then my dad would commute to Nashville every day to work, you know.
[00:02:10] Speaker A: Yeah. And you grew up singing like in that bluegrass world, right?
[00:02:14] Speaker C: Yeah, so my dad is a. My dad's a harmonica player. He's like a three time national championship.
[00:02:19] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:02:20] Speaker C: He's. He's. He's wild. He. And you know what's interesting about him is that he bluegrass didn't really accept harmonica. It's not really a harmonic. Like, it's not like an instrument that they use typically. That's not blues.
[00:02:35] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:02:35] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. So it was very interesting for dad to start in that round. Now. Dad moved here when he was 18, and that was like, 40 years ago.
And, you know, so he kind of carved a path. He was, like, the only one doing bluegrass with harmonica back then. And.
And so he. He brought me up. We would go to the Museum of Appalachia. We would go down to the fillers convention in Alabama. We would travel all over. And, you know, I was doing all these, you know, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash kind of stuff, but also a lot of stuff from, like, Orange Blossom Special. You know, we would. We would clog to that. And I did buck dancing for a minute, you know, when I was, like, five or six, like, things like that. So it was very embedded in my roots. And you might not ever know looking at me, but that's the way I grew up, you know?
[00:03:22] Speaker A: Yeah. And I feel like that does translate into your. Your sound, because your stuff is undeniably in that country world, but it dips into that Americana and that folk and that you're telling stories, and it has that traditionally sonic element to it, you know, where there. There is some heavy harmonica, which seems like that's got to be a cool feeling, given your dad's background and given your upbringing.
[00:03:44] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:03:44] Speaker A: You know.
[00:03:45] Speaker C: Yeah. As soon as I could put him on something, I was like, we gotta do it. You know, dad brought me into the studio when I was five years old, is the first song I ever cut. Wow. And I can't remember.
Oh, it was icing praises. It was. It was a. It was like seven words in that whole song, but it was enough for me to remember. And then he just looped my voice and then played harmonica over it. And I remember that distinctly. And I remember thinking, this is so cool. I want to do this when I get older, you know?
But I think along the way, I felt like I didn't fit in that world because of how alternative I am and how much I love metal and how much I love rock and classic rock. And just by looking at me, I really did stick out like a sore thumb when I got older, you know?
And so it was interesting for me to find my way back to my roots, but I'm glad I did.
[00:04:43] Speaker A: Yeah. Talk about taking that break. And that feeling of not feeling worthy is something that you said about that and kind of finding your way back to your musical Roots.
[00:04:54] Speaker C: Yeah, I.
Yeah, I. I'm. I'm a hard worker, I think, and I put a lot of my being into whatever I'm working on. And so what had happened was I was probably around 17, 18 years old, and I was like, all right, well, I'm graduating. I'm gonna go ahead and go to go do a, you know, some kind of trade work and went to college for a little bit, and. And then I was like, all right, I'm gonna start working and I'm gonna do music at the same time. And. And it just didn't hit. I mean, I. I wanted to be like Haley Williams. I loved Manchester Orchestra. I wanted to. I wanted to be like that, you know, my Chemical Romance things. And so. But when I was singing it, I just kept sounding the way I sound because my voice was built in the hills, you know what I mean? And so I. I was just, like, also growing up in Nashville. The talent's immense. You know, everybody comes here to do this. What do I have to offer that's any different than. Than what. What they have? I. I was just born here, you know, I. I didn't seek this out, blah, blah, blah. So I was like, I'm going to be done. I felt like it was a ladder I couldn't climb. I didn't go out. I didn't want to.
To have to.
You know, I thought maybe I had to build connections to get to where I wanted to be. And really, I think, too, I didn't really. I just knew that it was fun and I liked it, but that wasn't enough of a drive for me to keep going. So I stopped and I worked really, really hard, and I got a salary job, and I bought a house, and I got married, and I did all the things. And then I stopped. I stopped to have my child. And then I got very, very sick.
And I realized every purpose that I had, where it was music, I took it away. It was a job, I took it away. It was then caring for my family. Oh, that got taken away. I was left with nothing. I couldn't get out of bed. I couldn't walk, I couldn't drive. I had to be cared for. And it felt like at this point, what was I offering? Not only you know, just the world, if I were to, you know, go, but my family, I was more of a burden.
And I felt like I.
It wasn't. It wasn't good. You know, I wasn't. I wasn't giving anybody anything.
And I was so ready to be done.
And I remember Laying in bed day after day. And finally, what's the point of this? You know, I can't. I can't do anything. And God was like, well, you can think and you can speak, so we're going to start there.
And.
And I just. You're not done. So I want you to remind other people they're not either. And so that's when I decided not to just start trying music again. But I was just going to try in general. And I was going to learn from that moment on how to love myself. Because I realized at my big old age, I'd never done that really well. I'd pour myself into everything else. Yeah. And that's what kept me going. But when I had nothing else, I had to look at who I was.
And so, yeah, that's. That's where I landed and I started.
I decided I was going to commit myself to posting one video a week. Whether that was a little song that I wrote or if it was a dumb little cover that I did, or if it was just me encouraging somebody with something, I learned that's what I was going to do. And then I was going to start loving myself. Not by looking in a mirror and saying, oh, I love you. Because to me, it doesn't really work. Yeah, actions really just show our brain. What's up Shows our brain that we can do the things that we don't think we can.
So I took myself to get a haircut for the first time in almost two years.
[00:08:32] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:08:33] Speaker C: I took myself to the dentist. First time in four years. I started doing the thing. Dropped so much money on that I really neglected myself for a very long time. I was long depressed before I laid in a hospital bed.
I was depressed long before that. And it's because I didn't allow myself to do the things that my heart needed me to do.
So my mission, you know, my product is music, and I'm really grateful for it. But my mission is really to encourage people and let them know they're worthy of doing the things they don't think they are. And I've never felt so good in my life. And there's, of course, there's bad days that come along with that, and that's okay. But it's something that's made me realize nothing really lasts forever, and that's a good and a bad thing. It's good. It's good when it's bad, and it's bad when it's good. You know what I mean?
[00:09:20] Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. You have to kind of. You just. You Got to deal with it, you know, and you got to. There's always a high road to find. Which is why I love the title of your project. I love the title track and the songs that you put on there and. And again, the sound, because it is. It is kind of a. It is a healing thing, you know, And I feel like that's been the response to it from fans and people that are new to your music is. They relate to the trials and the tribulations and are seeking that high road.
[00:09:48] Speaker C: Yeah, it's honestly, what a. What an amazing feeling it is. Because two High Road was a song that I debated not putting on there because.
[00:10:01] Speaker A: Really?
[00:10:01] Speaker C: Yeah, because I was like, well, this is sad song, and it's just about my depression. And I think that, you know who. I already write enough sad songs about death and being, you know, just so dark all the time. But I was like, my. My producer, Mike Lepento was like, that song is special, despite the numbers that you see online, because I tease a lot of my stuff, whether I'm gonna cut it or not. I'll just tease it because I like to. Why not? And he's like, you need to do something with that. I think it only got a few thousand likes, like, it wasn't anything crazy.
And he was like, that song we gotta put out. And I'm so glad we did, because up until that point, I had never been on a Spotify playlist until that song came out. And I didn't do any promotional work, really for it. I really didn't do too much for. I said, it'll be what it is. But I think he was absolutely right. This is the pinnacle of. Of my mission. And, yeah, I'm so glad he pushed me for it.
[00:10:57] Speaker A: Yeah, me too. Honestly, I think I speak for anybody that's taken a listen to it, and if you haven't, go check it out. Seriously. Because it is about that healing and that identity, the growth, the. The quiet, the result, the resilience. Words are hard. The resilience that. That you have. And I think that's something that that genre kind of seeks. Like, how would you describe your music? Or where do you think you fit when people talk about genres? Because I think the whole idea of genres are kind of dying out, because I think everything's everything.
[00:11:25] Speaker C: Yeah, well, I. It's so funny because I.
Somebody said the other day, what kind of music do you make? The kind you gotta listen to. Because.
[00:11:35] Speaker A: Great answer.
[00:11:36] Speaker C: Well, because I think that I can write, man, and I've left all my stuff up on my TikTok. TikTok was my trash can. That's where I first started throwing stuff because nobody I knew followed me. A, so it was safe and I felt like I wasn't going to be judged. And then, and then B, I was like, yeah, it doesn't matter. Just delete it tomorrow. I'm a nobody on this, this app. It'll be great. And so if you look back on through my Tik Tok, I've written everything from like country, country to like popish sounding stuff. So I can write all in between.
[00:12:05] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:12:06] Speaker C: And I think that's such a gift.
But if, you know, if I were to say, if someone would say, what do you sound like? I would?
Gosh, you know, I'm just really grass, grassroots, gritty. I just like to be a little gritty, unpolished, you know, I feel like I pull my, my lyrics a lot from the alternative stuff that I listen to because it's so emotionally heavy. And then my sound just comes from where I was built, you know, so it's. It's interesting because I feel like I'm in a niche lane where I'm this. I call it gothic or the alternative space, whatever.
But I feel like you can pull me closer to that country route, you know, or you can, you can come over here from the alternative side and see where I'm sitting at the same time. So it's interesting.
[00:12:59] Speaker A: Yeah. And I think goth hick is a great way to describe it is awesome. I would wear that T shirt 100%.
And I mean, you think about some of the. Even like the big rock bands, like a band like Slipknot, they come from small town Iowa, you know, like, there's so many. There's so, so much of that crossover to where rock has always been in that small town vein as well.
[00:13:22] Speaker C: Dude, I actually saw Slipknot when they came to Nashville. What was that, like two or three years ago? It was incredible. That was a highlight of my life. And then you saying that too reminds me like, I just covered a Shined down song.
Shined down, took it and reposted it. And then I seen them post a video like maybe a week or two later talking about how Americana and country and like all that kind of stuff, like, kind of built them as well. And I'm like, I can hear it when I hear Shine staring down the
[00:13:53] Speaker A: barrel of a 45.
[00:13:54] Speaker C: Yeah, it's that emotion. Literally. I think that. I think too, when you look at genres, you got to look at how they were built, you know, Blues built on depravity. Bluegrass was built on depravity. You know, metal comes all the way from Norway, Iceland that, but also built on depravity. So I think that there's all these things that kind of connect them to be so fluid. Music is so fluid. It, and, and so I love that.
[00:14:19] Speaker A: Yeah. It even stretches over into like the old school, like hip hop stuff where they're singing about struggle and what they were going through in poverty.
[00:14:27] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:14:27] Speaker A: Like so much of music is built on that depravity.
[00:14:30] Speaker C: Yes. Yeah. And it's all relational and it just might have a different beat. And you might count it on the 1 and the 3, or you might count on the 2 and the 4, but either way it don't matter. You know what I mean? Yeah, I love that.
[00:14:40] Speaker A: Yeah. And that had to be like, what were some of your moments like, grow like. Did you come into Nashville a lot? I know you said your dad worked here, but, but did you have experiences as a kid coming into town?
[00:14:50] Speaker C: No. So I, no, not really. My dad would play, I'm sure he would play when I was younger out here and, and whatnot, but he really did a lot more traveling to play, which is interesting. I, I, I remember the first time I was on stage called, it was called the Old Hatchery down in Dixon. Yeah, the Hatchery. And it still exists. It's still there. Just a small little stage where you go clogging and do two stepping and stuff. It's a lot like the Legion out here.
That's what it reminds me of. But I didn't sing, sing like in Nashville unless it was for like a special event until maybe a couple years ago.
[00:15:30] Speaker A: Really?
[00:15:30] Speaker C: I really just didn't. No, I think, you know, I think it's because A, I'm scared of it, but B, I took it for granted. I mean, it was my backyard, you know.
[00:15:39] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:15:40] Speaker C: So I don't know. Yeah.
[00:15:42] Speaker A: And I feel like that the scene that you're a part of, like what would be considered like that gothic or your alternative, really, as a home in East.
[00:15:49] Speaker C: Yeah, like East Nashville. Yeah, dude. Our under, our underground hardcore scene is crazy. Here we have one.
[00:15:56] Speaker A: I went to what's, what was the place called that I, I went to the Cobra Lounge for the first time.
[00:16:00] Speaker C: Oh yeah, I went there.
[00:16:02] Speaker A: I went there like two weeks ago. I don't get out in east as much as I should. Nikki. Nikki T and Kurt kind of hold down our, our wing. And we're, we're thinking about doing like some pop ups over There. And yeah, we're talking with like the five spot and Skinny Dennis and about doing some things over there.
[00:16:17] Speaker C: You should.
[00:16:17] Speaker A: Yeah. And because there is such a. There's always. It seems like there's been this disconnect from what goes on in Midtown and music row side of things and what all the creatives are doing in East.
[00:16:28] Speaker C: Yeah. I'll tell you what, I. Every creative I meet basically lives in East.
[00:16:33] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:33] Speaker C: All my meetings that I have, all the collaborations, I have East Nashville. And man, I went. I went out there the other day and I said, spotted some big names just in Skinny.
[00:16:43] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:16:44] Speaker C: And I was just like, what the heck? You go to D's? Have you heard?
[00:16:46] Speaker A: Yes. Oh, yeah. I've been in these.
[00:16:48] Speaker C: One of my favorite place that's in my backyard. I live like four minutes from D. Nice. And yeah, I go there and I'm like, oh, you know, there's. There's so and so and oh, there's so and so. They're on a break from their big tour or whatever, you know, but everybody's out in East Nashville, so I definitely think that you should head out there.
[00:17:04] Speaker A: Yeah. Because I mean, there's so many great hangout spots. Even like the Underdog and Shulman's are other ones that come to mind, you know, or Dinosaur Dino Smokers Abbey. The Cigar lounge over there is great.
[00:17:15] Speaker C: Yeah. And then. And then the Legion has a great pickers night.
[00:17:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:17:20] Speaker C: On. On Wednesday nights they do bluegrass and eastside bowls.
[00:17:23] Speaker A: Doing a lot of stuff. Right.
You know, like to where there. There is that element. There's that scene. And it's like, it's. It's kind of cool that it's not super commercial, but at the same time, it's like you want to. Want to shine a light on the guys community over there. Yeah.
[00:17:36] Speaker C: It's a definite community out there. Actually. You know what's so funny is I've been way more in east. Not just because I live there, I think, but because of the scene is more low key. And also it feels. It just feels really authentic and good.
More than I have in Midtown now. I'm going to Midtown tonight. I'm gonna go do something out there and you know, whatever.
But I'm starting to venture out more in different parts of national be like, okay, what can I find over here and what can I find over there?
[00:17:59] Speaker A: Well, we do. We do six events a month. You're more than welcome to either come and play or just come and hang out.
[00:18:04] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:18:05] Speaker A: And we. We host over at Odies and we do that's where you're gonna be tonight?
[00:18:11] Speaker B: Hell yeah.
[00:18:11] Speaker A: You'll see me on stage introducing people. That's.
[00:18:14] Speaker C: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Somebody invited me to the songwriters round tonight.
[00:18:17] Speaker A: That's us. That's rowdy on the road. So we do. We do that. We do that every. Every Wednesday night. And that one's normally more full band. But writers rounds are kind of where we got our start with the hosting stuff. Like we used to do them over at the Ode at the old Live Oak on the Bumbrian and then we do the local. Is the other spot. I don't know if you've been in there or not.
[00:18:36] Speaker C: Yeah, I have. I went to one. It was all women's round. It was awesome.
[00:18:40] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:18:40] Speaker C: Because Becca Ray was on. I don't know.
[00:18:41] Speaker A: Oh, Becca is one of the greatest human. Shout out. Becca Ray Green. She is one of the greatest people that you will meet in this town.
[00:18:50] Speaker C: I believe it. And I wrote with her. She's so talented too. I wrote with her was one of my favorite rights I've done and I hope I get to cut that song one day. But she's. Yeah, I went to go see her and a bunch of other people was like, this is great. It was awesome. And I've just been sleeping on it because I'm poor and I just don't go out. But now I'm gonna start.
[00:19:06] Speaker A: Yeah, well, life. Life happens too, you know? And it's. Cuz. How old are you?
[00:19:10] Speaker C: 31.
[00:19:12] Speaker A: We're the same age.
[00:19:12] Speaker C: Oh.
[00:19:13] Speaker A: I just turned 31 a couple weeks ago, so.
[00:19:15] Speaker C: Well, I did two months ago then.
[00:19:16] Speaker A: Two months ago. So what are you? December?
[00:19:18] Speaker C: Yeah, December.
[00:19:19] Speaker A: December. I'm January.
[00:19:20] Speaker C: So we're.
[00:19:20] Speaker A: We're right around.
[00:19:21] Speaker C: Right around the same age.
Then your back must hurt too.
[00:19:24] Speaker A: Yeah, honestly.
Honestly, it. It does. Like 31 kind of hit me like a freight train.
[00:19:29] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:19:30] Speaker A: Which is crazy.
[00:19:31] Speaker C: But. But also I feel so good in my brain. You know what I mean? I feel so good in my brain.
[00:19:36] Speaker A: Yeah, I feel. I feel like more. Just more mature because I moved here when I was 23.
[00:19:41] Speaker C: Oh, wow.
[00:19:41] Speaker A: And I bounced on Broadway, did the security thing, spent some time on the road working for different acts. And it's like now to have gone through those experiences, like 31 feels. I don't feel old. I feel old. My body sometimes reminds me that.
[00:19:53] Speaker C: But you also know what your body needs now, which is nice.
[00:19:55] Speaker A: And the biggest thing is I know what I want and what I want to do, which I think takes getting into your 30s to. To really get to.
[00:20:03] Speaker C: That's so true. I agree with that, because.
[00:20:05] Speaker A: So you started. You got back into really releasing music in, what, 20, 24. So two years ago. So you were 29?
[00:20:12] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. Was. I. Was that right? I was 29. No, 29 sounds right. Yeah. I think. I think the first song I did, I drove for Uber eats. I paid 500 to get it cut.
[00:20:24] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:20:25] Speaker C: And the second song, I said, that's it. That's all I'm going to do. I'm going to just do this first song. I want to make sure I have it just. So I. It was a song that I wrote for my future self to. To hopefully become the person I was singing about. I was like, and that's all I'll do because I'm too poor and I don't have money.
And.
And then the second song got crowdfunded. I put up a clip of the song and it got crowdfunded. And I'm like, that's amazing.
[00:20:46] Speaker A: Shout out to the crowd. Shout out to the fans and the followers.
[00:20:49] Speaker C: Thank you, band camp. Thank you for people buying my. My terrible. My not terrible. My. I'm not so good at designing merch.
People. People were really kind. They bought my stickers that I had made on, like, some website and whatever, and my handwritten notes and things like that. So I really appreciate people just being so supportive. But then after that, you know, I. I met with Michael Pinto. Met him at a birthday party, because Nashville's Nashville.
[00:21:16] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:21:17] Speaker C: And you run into people. He goes, oh, I'd love to work with you. I go, you were on SNL last week. I can never afford you. I do appreciate it. Thank you so much.
This was a great conversation. And he goes, no, let's see if we can cut you some song. Um, and I think I had to crowdfund for the mastering. And, you know, and then we. We did. And then the EP was born, which was so sick.
[00:21:39] Speaker A: You know, how big. How big of a feeling is that to have a champion like Michael Pinto?
[00:21:44] Speaker C: Yeah, it's.
He's changed my life. He's changed my life.
When people, you know, believe in you, and yet you don't even believe in yourself, that's a weird feeling. And you. And because I was raised by boomers, and, oh, my goodness, I love them, but they were like, be suspicious of everything. I was like, what's this? What's going to happen? Like, this is a prank. I'm on a. I'm being pranked right now that this person of this caliber and genius wants to cut Some of my silly little songs that I wrote in my room, you know, and, and yeah, it completely changed my life. It.
I'm so happy I talked to, I talked to him this morning. I talked to him every day. I really appreciate him.
[00:22:31] Speaker A: Yeah, it's so important to find your. Have those people that keep you going because, like, you talked about, like, you've been in some, in some dark spots and gone through a lot of shit, you know, like, and everybody has, but you've definitely been through that. And it's like the music world, it's. There's so many ups and downs. Like you'll have a video go. Go viral or semi viral and all these people and you'll get calls and take meetings and then that stuff might go away and then you're back down in the swell waiting for the next wave, you know, so to have somebody in your corner that is going to keep hyping you up and say, jess, you got this. Like, we're going to do this.
[00:23:06] Speaker C: Yeah, literally. It's so interesting too, because I'm, I, like, I'm so grateful for social media. It obviously got me where I'm at and I felt like up into a certain part, I was just a social media artist. I'm like, I don't do. I haven't done anything yet. I haven't gone on any tours. I haven't done this, I haven't done that, you know, and it would come in waves where it'd be like, oh, this just got 2 million views.
Oh, nope. Now no one is. No one's interacting. No, no. Oh, no. We're going back up. It's been very interesting, but I decided that when I first started doing this, I wasn't gonna really pay attention nor put a lot of stock into the numbers. And that as long as I delivered a product and posted a product that I A, liked and. And B, had fun making. Yeah, then that's really all that mattered. And guess what? I just delete it tomorrow if I hate it. Yeah, it's not that serious. I think my stuff was on private. My Instagram alone was on private for eight years.
[00:24:02] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:24:03] Speaker C: And then I started posting on TikTok. And about a year after I started posting on Tick Tock, then I let my Instagram be open to the public. Then I started posting on Instagram.
[00:24:11] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:24:12] Speaker C: And yeah, I think it was a fear of being seen, a fear of being judged. And then I was like, wait a minute, there's a block button. And wait a minute, I can delete stuff. And wait a Minute I don't have to keep this up if I hate it tomorrow. It's not that serious. It really isn't. So, anyway, yeah, now I. I get to go make fun. Content with. I just went down to Florida with this brand called Natural Life. We just made a ton of content with, like, some amazing people. Anna Voss, you know, Madison Hughes, the band. Lula was there. Like, it was really, really six.
SJ was there. So, so many cool writers.
Yeah. And now I'm just like, how did I get here? Oh, it's because I posted dumb videos.
It's not a big deal.
Because you supposed to move on, man.
[00:24:54] Speaker A: Because you put yourself out there.
[00:24:56] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:24:57] Speaker A: And you took that chance.
[00:24:58] Speaker C: Yeah, I've never really. You know, and even going down there, I think now that I know how to put myself out there online, I'm going to learn how to do it in person, you know? Um, especially going down there. All those people are from Nashville, by the way. Um, and I. When I was. Peyton Porter was there, too. I went and I went down there. They were like, you know, aside from Madison, they were like, I don't. I've never. I don't know you. I've never met you. I live in Nashville, you know. Where you been? In my bedroom. I've been too scared. I've been too scared to come out.
And it really kind of opened my eyes to be like, you know, I need to start engaging with the community in person.
So I played a show in Nashville, like, a few weeks ago and sold it out, and it was great. And I was like, why haven't I been doing this sooner?
[00:25:44] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:25:45] Speaker C: You know, but I just had to believe in myself a little bit more. I think that's all there was to that.
[00:25:50] Speaker A: Yeah. It's a very welcoming community, and especially when, like, you find your champions. Like, I think of Becca Ray as one of those people that's just like a super connector. Like, there's nobody that I know that doesn't like someone like a Becca Ray, you know where. And it's. And it's. She's out in the. She's out in the scene, you know, and she has her. Her friend groups and stuff. And it's like, you make homies by going and hanging out at Skinny Dennis or hanging out at. At Dino's or D's or any of those places, but also, like, in Midtown, you know, it's a big city, and there's so many different little sex within it.
[00:26:23] Speaker C: That's so true. Yeah. Yeah. I can't. I can't Wait to discover and just also just encourage and be encouraged by. I think Becca Ray is definitely one of those people that have encouraged me to keep going. You know, Mike lepento or now, you know, all the people that I just met on that trip that I just took. And so I'm just excited to. To start being like, hey, I. I deserve a seat at this table. I might not know the string names on a guitar, but at the end of the day, I love this. And I think that there is such a. I used to look at it as more like, oh, people would climb a ladder here, and that's how it felt. That's how Nashville felt to me. But now I look more of it like, oh, no, wait, we're all just doing the same thing.
[00:27:04] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:27:04] Speaker C: You know, we're all just going, going through, going through it, and we just need to pat each other on the back and have fun.
[00:27:10] Speaker A: You're making cool stuff with your friends.
[00:27:12] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:27:12] Speaker A: That's what this is.
[00:27:13] Speaker C: Literally.
[00:27:14] Speaker A: You're making cool things with your friends.
[00:27:16] Speaker C: Literally.
[00:27:17] Speaker A: And you get. And you get to. You. You work hard enough and you find your thing, you get to call it work.
[00:27:21] Speaker C: Yeah.
Yeah. What a. What a gift.
[00:27:24] Speaker A: Are you still driving Uber Eats and doing that stuff, or are you able to do music full time now?
[00:27:28] Speaker C: Well, yeah, I, I. So, yes. And no, I, I do clean toilets every now and then.
[00:27:38] Speaker A: I used to do that for work, by the way. Yeah, I was. I worked. I worked the town parks and rec department back home when I was in high school and college and would have to clean out the bathrooms, and it was. It was something.
[00:27:48] Speaker C: Dude, you know what's so funny is, is I just realized work is work. It doesn't really matter what it is, you know, if it. It gets you. Gets you to where you want to go. I. That's the thing, too, is I've made so much money in my life. I. I was on salary by the time I was 21. I was a manager at, you know, at this company. I worked for corporate. I did this, I did that. And then I.
I've been up here with money. I've been down here with money, and it doesn't really matter either way. Like, the struggle is a struggle. I was not happy up here.
[00:28:18] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:18] Speaker C: Even though I had the money.
And then I got down here and I was like. I started finding the things that made me happy, and I realized, oh, yeah, I need money to live, but it ain't that. It ain't that serious.
[00:28:30] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:30] Speaker C: You know, and I'm not defined by the work that I do with my hands, I'm defined by how I love people and who I am, you know,
[00:28:36] Speaker A: and how you love yourself.
[00:28:37] Speaker C: And how you love yourself, that's the most important thing.
[00:28:40] Speaker A: I think I saw a clip of. Of Young Blood talking about it.
I do, too.
[00:28:44] Speaker C: I love him so much.
[00:28:45] Speaker A: I do, too. He's on my. My bucket list. I'm fortunate to go to a lot of festivals and go to a lot of shows and usually and get to host events. He is somebody that's, like, on my dream bucket list of seeing live.
[00:28:57] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:28:57] Speaker A: And he talked about, like, he couldn't. How could he put out the music or how could he do what he's doing if he. If you don't love yourself?
[00:29:06] Speaker C: Literally. So funny you said that, because on the drive here, I was thinking about that today. You know, there's that verse, love your neighbor as yourself, but. And I think that a lot of times people forget that as yourself is part of that.
[00:29:19] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:29:19] Speaker C: And they just think, love your neighbor, but I don't think you can truly love someone and know what they deserve until you know what you deserve as well.
[00:29:25] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:29:26] Speaker C: Giving yourself the same kind of compassion and grace that other people deserve is very important.
And so. Yeah. So funny that you brought that up. I was just thinking about that today, and I'm. I'm glad that I did the hard work to learn how to love myself. Not just the good parts, but the bad parts, too. And I sing about those a lot.
[00:29:42] Speaker A: The bad parts are almost more important.
[00:29:43] Speaker C: They are. Yeah. You need to recognize them and know they're there and be like, oh, well, this is a limitation I have. Like, I'm. I had to apologize for not being patient today. I'm like, I'm not a patient person. I get pretty angry pretty quick. And. And that's okay. You know, I know I struggle with that.
I'll. I'll keep working on it, but be like, yeah, that's just part of me, you know?
[00:30:03] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:30:03] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:30:04] Speaker A: Yeah. It's accepting.
[00:30:05] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:30:05] Speaker A: You know, it's accepting and then it's doing what you want to do.
[00:30:09] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:30:10] Speaker A: You know, it's not doing the stuff you don't want to do.
[00:30:13] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:30:13] Speaker A: It's pretty simple.
[00:30:14] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:30:14] Speaker A: A lot easier said than done, though.
[00:30:16] Speaker C: When I can recognize my faults, I'm a lot quick to forgive other people's for theirs. You know, be like, oh, you might not have an issue with impatience, but maybe you have an issue with this. Or xyz and. And that's okay, too, because, man, I struggle. I'M not worried about it. You do you. It's fine.
[00:30:31] Speaker A: Yeah, 100%. So, talking more about High road, of the songs on there, which one was kind of the toughest for you to put out? Because you're very vulnerable. And I give you a lot of credit for that.
[00:30:42] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:30:42] Speaker A: Because I feel like that's the hardest part of putting. Putting something out there and. But it really connects with the fans and with people and with the listener. When you are authentic and you are vulnerable. And you really got into it on this EP with Michael.
[00:30:56] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'll tell you what. Mike chose three of those songs, so thank goodness that weight was lifted from me. And he was like, we're going to cut this, this, and this. Because he.
He gave me some of his time to go in and produce those when I had no money. And he was like, okay, I want these three. And he chose all good things. He chose Brothers, which is, to date, one of the hardest songs I could ever sing out loud.
[00:31:18] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:31:19] Speaker C: I was like, great.
And then he chose Fool's Gold.
The rest were put on by either how well they did online. So the show was one that did really, really well.
Along for the Ride was another one that did fairly well. And then High Road was one purely because we were like, this is important. This is. This is my stepping stone to where I'm going next.
[00:31:43] Speaker A: Yeah. So. So you. You bookended it with two of the tough Michael pick songs.
[00:31:48] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:31:48] Speaker A: With All Good Things and with Brothers.
[00:31:50] Speaker C: Yeah. Well. Well, wait. Yeah, it was Fool's Gold. Ended it with. With Brothers.
[00:31:55] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:31:56] Speaker C: And you know what's funny about Fool's Gold is that that was the very first song I ever put on social media. And I think I Got a whole 150 likes on tick Tock. And I was like, all right, now I'm gonna do this one video a year thing and I'm gonna keep going. And I'm so glad he chose that song because it actually does mean so much to me that he put that. Because that song is about feeling like you're not worthy enough to be loved. And so.
So, yeah, I'm glad he chose that one. And Brothers, I'll tell you this, Brothers was a song where I got that hook at the very end of the song from the show called Parks and Recharge.
[00:32:33] Speaker A: Because I love parks.
[00:32:34] Speaker C: Oh, it was. Well, you know, white haired Ron.
[00:32:36] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:36] Speaker C: He turns. You know how they disag and Ron Swanson and him disagree.
[00:32:39] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:40] Speaker C: They were sitting at the bar and he turns to Ronnie and he goes you know, dad's gonna make brothers of us all.
At the end of the day, he said something, I paraphrased it, you know, in my song. And I was like, yes, yes, it will. And I will write a song about that because I truly do believe that we all have intrinsic value or we don't. You know, and at the end of the day, I think we put a lot of stock into the things that we have and what we look like and, and. And the things that we surround ourselves with, but we can't take any of that when we go. It's really. I've never been to a funeral. I've been to a lot of funerals, which is why I write about stuff like that so much.
I've never been to one where they've been like, I love Billy Joe. Billie Joe had a great yacht. You know what I mean? Nobody cares. It is absolutely not about the things you have. You can't bury them with you, it don't matter.
And so I. When I heard that line, I was like. And that's my segue into writing a song that I feel is important for people to know.
[00:33:34] Speaker A: It's about what you do in the interactions that you have with people, being good to people.
[00:33:38] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:33:39] Speaker A: In those moments. That's what's talked about in the eulogy.
[00:33:41] Speaker C: Exactly. And I think I say in that song, there's a line that says, and after it's all said and done, will you be proud of who you've become?
Because there was a very long time in my life that I was not proud of who I was. I was an angry, bitter person. And that's when I was really sick and I realized I have not left anything good enough on this earth, aside from maybe my family.
I haven't left anything that will carry that goodness over and. And I need to change that. And so that. That's how that line was born. And so, yeah, that song's definitely the hardest one for me to sing, sonically.
And then High Road, of course, is just the hardest one for me to sing content wise. But I'm really glad that we stuck both of those on there. Yeah.
[00:34:24] Speaker A: Talk about some of the messages in the comments, because you're one of those artists, one of those songwriters that really affects people because you're singing about real stuff.
[00:34:32] Speaker C: Yeah, I, you know, I had.
I have such a. You know, people come up to me, they go, how are you so vulnerable? And I don't. I don't love the word vulnerable because I love it for. Because I know what it means. But I think that a lot of people associate vulnerability with weakness.
[00:34:50] Speaker A: Yeah, it's not.
[00:34:51] Speaker C: And it's not complete opposite. It is the complete opposite. But sometimes people put them to, you know, how do you show the spots that hurt? You know, you can't hurt me more than I've hurt myself. You can't say the things I haven't said to myself 100 times. I had to be really strong to get to where I'm at. So I don't look at it that way. But I get a lot of people saying, you know, thank you for. For showing us, you know, where you're weak and things like that. I think everybody has these.
These spots in their lives. And when I had a show a few weeks ago, I won't go into detail with it because it's somebody else's story, but I had a man come up to me and talk about. You know, I think that we don't talk enough, especially about depression in the south and especially when you're religious and you have depression in the spouse in the South. You know what I mean?
I was raised religiously my whole life.
Baptist, Nazarene Church of Christ. I've been to all of them. And I just don't think that there was enough talk about mental health.
You know, if we break our leg, we got to go to the doctor and get that in a cast.
Our minds are no different. You know what I mean? And just because you can't see it don't mean it's not there. And I think that there's a lot of stigma still in 26 about that. It makes me very sad. And I had a man come up.
You know, my. My mom was depressed and she was ostracized. You know, she's talking about her in the church, and, you know, people didn't understand. And he said, I just really want to thank you. I said, I.
That is the whole point of me doing this, man. And that was. That was a moment where. I'm not going to quote him because it'll make me cry, but that was a moment where I was like.
And that's. And that's the point. My product is music, but my mission is to encourage people and let them know whatever dark time they sit in, they don't sit in it by themselves. Your circumstance might be different, but the light's still the same. You know what I mean?
[00:36:43] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:36:43] Speaker C: Whether it's there or not.
So, yeah, I get a lot of people reaching out, and I try to respond the best in the comments that I can I'm honored to have those conversations, and I really love to connect with people, and that's the whole point of it. So it's really been a gift to have kind of that community built around
[00:37:02] Speaker A: that you have a platform to do good and make a difference and help people that are in the position that you were once in or find yourself in. Still sometimes, like, that's some powerful stuff.
[00:37:13] Speaker C: Yeah, it really is. Yeah, it's a gift.
Makes it all worth it, because sometimes I. I literally said this two nights ago. I said, you know, I went up. I was doing this writer this round, and.
And everybody's singing these great songs, and everybody's a powerhouse. And you've got me, who's been on stage as an adult maybe three or four times now.
So I go up, middle finger broken. I can't play guitar the way I usually play, and I'm feeling a little insecure. But I go up and I talk about where I've come from and the. The struggles that I have with. With depression or anxiety or feeling like I'm not good enough to be here.
And I had somebody come up to me after the show, and she goes, you know, I really. I appreciate that. And I'll close the show out, too. Which was.
They drew names out of a hat. That was not my own volition.
[00:38:04] Speaker A: That's a tough. That's a tough spot.
[00:38:06] Speaker C: No, it was just tough. And at the end of the day, I'm just going to play what I feel led. Whether, you know, people are going to. You never know how people are going to take it. Sometimes it's too heavy. Sometimes people can't relate. They haven't been through that, and. And that's a privilege, and that's a wonderful thing. I don't fault anybody for not understanding where I'm coming from.
But I said to her, you know, she goes, I see you. I thank you for saying that. I've been there.
We hugged for, like, two minutes, and I was like, thanks for saying that, because I needed that more than you needed to tell me that, because it felt like, you know, sometimes you just never know how they're going to be received.
But I think the truth needs to be said, whether that feels good or it doesn't feel good, you know, and the more I say it, the easier it is to say, and the more I accept it, too. Yeah. And that's all right.
[00:38:54] Speaker A: 100. Yeah, I'm with you on that. Yeah. You ever. You ever want to get on rounds or anything like that or need. Need some more reps you know, we got you covered, too.
[00:39:02] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:39:02] Speaker A: Because we do. We do so many of them.
It'd be an honor to have you playing one of our. Playing one of our nights and telling your story. Seriously. I mean that. I mean that. Now what are we looking at? I know we just. We kicked off the year with this new ep. What are we. I'm sure you and Michael have been talking about some new stuff. Stuff, huh?
[00:39:19] Speaker C: Oh, dude. Yeah. We're going.
Two weeks. We'll be going into the studio.
I know. I really need to. I like this. I love this ep. This EP took me two. It was a dream of two years. Maybe. Maybe a little less than that. Maybe a year.
So I know I need to focus on it and just sit in it and be like, it's out. But I also, like, I'm sitting on 27 songs. I've got to get some of these ready to go.
So me and Michael are going in in a couple weeks, and we'll. We'll be cutting some stuff, and I'm excited. We haven't figured it out, like, what exactly, but just to have some stuff ready to go and then.
Yeah, I'm. I know I'm playing in North Carolina. There's some things that I've been pitched for. We'll see if I can get on. I really want to do a supporting tour. That's my dream of this year.
[00:40:01] Speaker A: Who would be some acts that you'd love to go out with? Like, what fits in your world?
[00:40:05] Speaker C: Well, dream acts that I love, I might not have been pitched from yet because they might have already, like, had their lineup. But, like, I love Club Filter Wall.
[00:40:14] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:40:15] Speaker C: Huge fan of that, man.
I think he's incredible. And he. He's like. He's just.
Just gritty and. And just like the dirt. You know what I mean? Yeah.
I love the Broody Brothers. I'm a huge fan of their sound, sonically, and just the. The lyrics that they write in, you know, so people like that.
Of course. We love Sierra Farrell.
[00:40:39] Speaker A: I was gonna say Sierra Farrell would be.
[00:40:41] Speaker C: Yeah, I see her around town, too.
[00:40:43] Speaker A: She is. She is a SK regular.
[00:40:46] Speaker C: Oh. And Andy's dude.
[00:40:47] Speaker A: And, like, she is at the forefront of that East Nashville scene and wanting the champion guys and especially girls that are coming out of east like you are.
[00:40:56] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah. I'm. Yeah. I just have to learn how to put myself out there more often. And, you know, my manager's like, you're gonna have to start, you know, following some of these artists and. And talking to them and I go, I'm too scared. Too scared. But. But I'm. I'm working on it. You know, it's all about learning how to believe in myself. I also love the Cruise brothers. I know you just had them on. They're so great.
[00:41:19] Speaker A: The boy. Like, I love Miles and Chandler.
[00:41:22] Speaker C: Yeah, dude, I listened to the podcast you did with him. I was like, this is sick.
[00:41:25] Speaker A: They're good. They're good dudes. They were just out here. They might even. I might have to shoot them a message, see what they're doing tonight, see if they can't pop out, because.
[00:41:32] Speaker C: Yeah, that would be great.
[00:41:32] Speaker A: They're. I know they're in town working right now.
[00:41:34] Speaker C: Yeah. Oh, they're working. My friend Julia. Yeah, I saw on her story, like, two days ago.
[00:41:38] Speaker A: Julia Degrazia.
[00:41:39] Speaker C: Yeah, I love Julia, dude. She's amazing. Yeah, yeah.
[00:41:42] Speaker A: But, yeah, yeah, there's such a great crop of, like, of people coming up and kind of having their moments right now, and I put you on that list. And the Cruise brothers and Julia and some of the guys that, that she. She kind of rolls around with, you
[00:41:53] Speaker C: know, gap and things.
[00:41:55] Speaker A: Yes, low gap. Those boys are awesome. And they're similar to your story where you grew up in small town religious like that, that environment. They come from the Amish country, you know, so it's like they come from a different world, too, and have kind of seen. Seen what that life's all about and now gotten out of it in a way and are torn around the country and doing what those boys are doing.
[00:42:19] Speaker C: You know, it's like, it's so cool to see just regular people do that kind of stuff. You know what I mean? There are really no limitations. I think that we think there are, you know, oh, well, you weren't built by this industry. You know, I. I feel like sometimes we think things are gated when they're really not.
[00:42:38] Speaker A: No. What, what the. In my opinion. What the. What the what? The suits, so to speak. And I've changed my vernacular to go from suits to industry people because it's like everyone. Everyone thinks, like, entourage with the suits, but it's like. But I think what. What that side, what the industry is there for is to add gas onto the flame that you guys as artists are starting. Like, you guys start the fire and. And then they're just pouring. They're just pouring kerosene on it and watching the flame go higher.
[00:43:07] Speaker C: Yeah, I. You know what's so funny is being an independent artist for so long. Like, I did a. I did a distro deal on it that was super wonderful and beneficial to me and taught me some stuff, you know, But I really have just been an independent artist for the most part. And I've realized that I don't need a label. I really can do it myself. Anybody can do it themselves. But if you can find the right fit. Fit, you know, and bring it up, I think that that's such a gift as well. You know, you just have to find somebody who believes in the mission and. And what you stand for and what you want to do. But I think that. That it's absolutely a thing that can be cohesive and beneficial to both parties.
[00:43:43] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. You come from the court. You did the corporate thing for a while. You're the CEO.
[00:43:47] Speaker C: I know. Can you never look at me and be like, she was in corporate? But I love that, though I was incorporated, I was a boss, too.
[00:43:54] Speaker A: Yeah, I love that.
[00:43:55] Speaker C: I'm a pretty aggressive person. So it worked out really well.
[00:43:57] Speaker A: Yeah. So it's like you're the CEO of your business, and then you're looking. You bring on partners to grow the thing.
[00:44:04] Speaker C: That's what it is.
[00:44:05] Speaker A: Or you bring on a CFO or an operating officer or whatever to help grow that business. But at the end of the day, you're the CEO.
[00:44:13] Speaker C: You're the business, dude. I was, two nights ago, I was just saying that to somebody, a songwriter, and I won't out or anything like that, but she was, oh, my gosh, so much talent played on Broadway for a really long time. And I was just sitting there, I was like, dude, you. You got me tenfold when it comes to performing. And just your lyrics are great, whole package, you know? She goes, yeah, I just don't understand. I just can't get, you know, xyz. I go, they either will, they won't, but it doesn't really matter because it rests in your hands. I think when we take success and we think success is what everybody else thinks about us, but truthfully, at the end of the day, success is what you can do on your own. And if you like it, and if you like it and you've acquired, accomplished it and completed that product, that's been success, move on to the next, you know, the rest will follow. Don't worry about who's paying attention to what. Take your wins, take your losses, move on to the next product. You know what I mean?
[00:45:08] Speaker A: Amen.
[00:45:09] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:45:09] Speaker A: So, yeah, you're firing me up right now.
[00:45:11] Speaker C: Let's go.
[00:45:13] Speaker A: I'm all. I'm all, so what do we. What do we like doing when we're not on the music grind.
[00:45:17] Speaker C: Oh, dude, I love cooking. I actually went to culinary school. That was. That was. That was the trade that I was
[00:45:23] Speaker A: full of different doors of. You've lived, like.
[00:45:26] Speaker C: I've lived a long life.
[00:45:27] Speaker A: You've lived, like five or six lives.
[00:45:29] Speaker C: I really have.
[00:45:30] Speaker A: East in. In 31 years.
[00:45:32] Speaker C: Yeah, I have. I started working. I was 14. I worked at a camp. I did house cleaning and housekeeping. Then I worked on their. Oh, my gosh. Their zipline for a while, and then I worked in their kitchen. And then I moved. I moved on. I became a barista. I went to culinary school. I did catering. I catered by myself then for a while, and then I started running kitchens in Nashville and Germantown. And. And then I realized, you know, oh, well, I don't actually live a life. I should work a 9 to 5 because I was coming home with blood in my shoes. Yeah, it's hard. And I was like, okay, I gotta stop doing this. And. But, you know, and then I did the corporate thing and, yeah, I've just done it all. And I think by doing all of that, because I really do have such a drive.
I was scared to do music because I was scared it wouldn't. I wouldn't succeed in it because it. I. In. At that time in my life, I thought it really was dependent on what everybody else thought of my music. But let me tell you, whether somebody's listening to your song or they're not listening to your song, you're still making the song. The song still exists. And that's. And that's enough. And if that's not enough for you, then you might need to take a break and. And try again or figure out what's driving you to do music or do art in general. Because it's all subjective. You can't win at it. You know what I mean?
[00:46:42] Speaker A: It is. It really is subjective. Yeah.
[00:46:44] Speaker C: And as for somebody who loves to win, that's a difficult, difficult pill to swallow.
[00:46:48] Speaker A: Yeah. Were you in the sports as a kid?
[00:46:49] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. I did soccer for six years. I did basketball for a long time, and then I coached soccer after that.
[00:46:54] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:46:55] Speaker C: Yeah. Very athletic. I love to love to play and.
But I think I was also very competitive, and that kind of killed me a little bit. So I think. I think when I turned 16, 17, I stopped playing because I was like, oh, it's hurting my heart a little bit. So. But yeah.
[00:47:09] Speaker A: Yeah, because there is. You got to have that. That urge and that drive to. To keep going and there's so many people that have. That grew up playing sports that are in music.
[00:47:19] Speaker C: Yeah. Isn't that interesting?
[00:47:20] Speaker A: There's a big correlation with it for sure.
[00:47:22] Speaker C: Yeah. Well, because at the end of the day, no one's going to push you but you.
[00:47:26] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:27] Speaker C: You know, and I just think eight, nine years ago I wasn't ready to push myself.
I just. If somebody was going to do it, I was going to do it.
[00:47:34] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:36] Speaker C: And. And I didn't feel like I could compete with anything that was going on. But I don't have to compete. I looked at it all the wrong way.
[00:47:43] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:43] Speaker C: You know, and now I can push myself and have fun and whatever. So. Yeah, I love to cook. I love, I love to travel. I'm too poor to travel right now, but any chance that I can travel, just wait.
[00:47:54] Speaker A: Pretty soon you're gonna be getting paid to travel.
[00:47:56] Speaker C: I mean, I did just go down to Florida.
[00:47:58] Speaker A: You're gonna be going on gigs?
[00:48:00] Speaker C: Yeah, I'm going to North Carolina. Carolina. I am getting paid to do that, so that'll be fun.
But yeah, I think my goal is to hit all 50 states and I'm at 34 right now, so I've put in.
[00:48:10] Speaker A: You're at 34?
[00:48:11] Speaker C: Yeah, I put in a lot of work to. Yeah. And I love to drive, you know, drive and see.
Well, I love to drive in short spurts. I can't sit still for very long. But.
But yeah, so that's the. My goal is to get a truck and a trailer so I can camp places and, and go see stuff. Yeah.
[00:48:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:48:28] Speaker C: That's what I love.
[00:48:29] Speaker A: There's a lot to see. Where's some of the favorite places that you've gotten to go?
[00:48:32] Speaker C: Oh my God. I love Phoenix, Arizona. I love my, My family lives. They lived in the Scottsdale. Now they live in Peoria area.
Beautiful. Love traveling up to Sedona and seeing all that. We actually just drove from Nashville to Arizona and I hit two states along the way. So I hit Oklahoma and New Mexico because those are two I haven't been in. And we hit Texas, of course, obviously, because you have to.
New Mexico was really, really cool. Oklahoma was great. There was a gluten free brewery that I got to go into. Yeah, I, I'm a big, you know, because I love food. I like.
That's where I spend all my money, you know, Anyway. But yeah, love to travel, love to eat. That's awesome.
[00:49:11] Speaker A: Yeah, I like Oklahoma a lot too. I've. I've gotten to go out to like the Stillwater area a bunch over the years. Like where Oklahoma State is. And that's kind of like the birthplace of that whole red dirt scene.
[00:49:20] Speaker C: So cool.
[00:49:20] Speaker A: That's where cross Canadian ragweed came out of. That's where the great divide came out of. Turnpike troubadour, Zach Brian, Wyatt Flores.
[00:49:29] Speaker C: Oh, those are some other ones.
[00:49:30] Speaker A: I really love Caitlyn Butts.
[00:49:31] Speaker C: Like Caitlyn Butts, too. I love Caitlin Crew.
[00:49:34] Speaker A: Kind of came out of that still water scene. Like in between Stillwater and Tulsa.
[00:49:39] Speaker C: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Well, I. Did you go to the Woody Guthrie center, too?
[00:49:42] Speaker A: No, I haven't been.
[00:49:43] Speaker C: I haven't been to that, so. It's so good too. That's another place when you go back. Go back to go see Woody Guthrie and the museum that they have set up there. It's incredible.
[00:49:51] Speaker A: But yeah, if you had. If you got to pick one restaurant to eat at in Nashville, you said you're a foodie and you're a girl that's living in east. And east has a lot of good food. There's good food all over town. But where. Where are. Where's your favorite spot?
Well, after the allergy in too.
[00:50:07] Speaker C: Yeah. I have to factor the allergy in. So that's. That's the only thing is I. There's specific places that I eat. I don't get to try every single new place that pops up. And actually used to, before I was very poor, when I had a lot of money and I was working salary, I'd go to a. A new restaurant every other week.
[00:50:23] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:50:24] Speaker C: Now I don't do that. I have to cook everything, which is fine. I'm good at it. But I love east side Bom Me. I love it. They have. Their whole menu can be gluten free, aside from their Bon me sandwiches, which they could alter if you, you know, can't have bread. But Eastside Bom Me is like one of my favorites. I also love Nomzilla right next to. To them. I love Asian food. Big fan of Asian food.
But yeah. And then. And then if you're gonna ask me, I'll give you this a bonus. I love Tfold Pizza. That's in Donaldson area.
[00:50:54] Speaker A: Tenfold's good.
[00:50:55] Speaker C: Tenfold's so good.
[00:50:56] Speaker A: And the vibe in there is pretty good, too.
[00:50:58] Speaker C: Yes. And then they have a sister company called Nectar.
[00:51:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:00] Speaker C: Lots of gluten free. I can eat their chips, which is a big thing. I love. I love chips and queso, but I can't really eat it except for like three different places in Nashville because they fry Their chips in the same oils, other stuff. So nectar tenfold. East side bomb me. Those are like. I'll rotate those pretty heavily.
[00:51:17] Speaker A: Yeah. That's a good rotation, right?
[00:51:18] Speaker C: Yeah, dude, it's good.
[00:51:19] Speaker A: It's a good rotation. And talk about having. Having a little one, too.
[00:51:23] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:51:24] Speaker A: Like, because we were talking beforehand around the same. Around the same age.
[00:51:27] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:51:28] Speaker A: And stuff like.
[00:51:29] Speaker C: Yeah, dude. You know what's so amazing? Like, I.
I have Crohn's, so I never knew if I could have children or anything.
I've been in and out of the hospital since I was 15. I can't even count on both hands how many times I've been hospitalized.
And so she's just been such a gift for me in terms of learning patience and learning how to love. I've never knew that I could love something so much. I love my husband, love my mom, my dad, my sister. I love them all. But what a different type of thing. And also taught me how resilient that I could be and just taught me.
She taught me to start dreaming again. Truthfully, it was a combination of being really sick, feeling like I had nothing else to offer, but also wanting her to have the world and wanting her to chase anything that she wanted to dream. But then I thought at the same time, wait a minute. Why am I not worth the same? I am. My parents want that for me. They always told me I could do anything. I didn't believe them, you know? So I started doing music and doing. Taking care of myself because I wanted to show her what you're supposed to do to love yourself. And. And that she was very much so worthy of that as well. So I had to start with me. And so if it wasn't for her, I'm not sure that I would be in this position. Oh, I definitely wouldn't be in this position. That's just. That's a fact, you know, but incredible. I. You know, I. I homeschool just like I was homeschooled.
It's another reason I don't have money when that's okay.
But it's a gift. It's such a. Such a cool thing that we get to do. And, you know, then we. Then I can go out on the road and I can do whatever we need to do.
[00:53:14] Speaker A: Yeah. Has she started, like, humming along the songs or.
[00:53:17] Speaker C: She knows my song, dude. She was singing my song the other day in the back of the car. She was singing High Road. She goes. I don't know where it goes. And I was, like, singing my song about depression in the back of the car.
It's probably not a good thing, but it was so cute, dude, I loved it. She got to see me play the other night. She didn't get to see me all the time play, but she got to see me play the other night. And it was. It was great to watch her see that, you know?
So I. I hope that it translates to her in the way that I want it to, you know?
[00:53:46] Speaker A: Yeah. That's awesome. That's so cool. Well, girl, you're killing it. Like, seriously.
[00:53:51] Speaker C: Thanks, dude.
[00:53:52] Speaker A: It's happening. It's. It's freaking. It's freaking going. And high road was so great. I can't wait to see what you and Michael have. Cooking music. And we'll have to have you come out and play sometime.
Play sometime soon. What's something that you would tell that. Trying to think of which time period I would go here. What's something you would tell that that girl that is get post. Getting ready to post her first Tik Tok video singing like, what would you tell yourself a few years back?
Well, knowing what you know now and having experienced what you've gotten to experience so far.
[00:54:25] Speaker C: I remember before I pressed post, I thought I was gonna throw up. I almost did throw up posting my videos a few times because I was so anxious. Isn't that stupid? I was so scared about because I had told myself so many ugly things about myself for so, so long that I thought everybody was gonna confirm those thoughts. Nobody confirmed those thoughts. I mean, I'll get. I'll get a comment every now and then, but I know who I am now. I'm not really worried about it, but back then, it probably would have made me crumble.
I was so scared that everybody's gonna confirm the ugly things I thought about myself.
If I could go back and just tell her, be like, don't think about it too hard.
You don't have to make the perfect video.
None of it has to be perfect.
It's not that serious. It's just really not.
And I tell every creative, especially people just starting that I get to talk to.
It's post it and move on. It's not just delete anything you don't like. Delete anything somebody says that you don't like. It really doesn't matter. None of it matters. Post it, move on. Find your community, show people who you are.
I think that was another thing is I was so scared of the way I was going to be perceived, but I can't control that. I can't control the way people are going to look at me. They don't really matter. Be yourself sooner. I wish I could have just been myself a little bit sooner, you know, But I'm just glad of where I'm at now so it don't really matter.
[00:55:52] Speaker A: Hey, better late than never.
[00:55:54] Speaker C: That's right, honestly.
[00:55:55] Speaker A: That's right, honestly. So thank you so much for coming on here, dude.
[00:55:58] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:55:58] Speaker A: And hanging out and I'm glad we were able to line it up with the calendar and everything and, and anything you ever need. We're happy to call you family and shout out to Berg with Rowdy alternative. Yes, he was, he was a huge, a huge factor. When I, when I watched that episode that you did with him and dove really into your music, I was like, we got to get you on here. And excited to watch where the journey continues to go for you, homie.
[00:56:22] Speaker C: Thank you, dude. I appreciate you.
[00:56:23] Speaker A: Of course. Well, you all be sure to check out our girl Jess Woodland High Road is out now. New music coming soon. They're getting back in the studio so be sure to give her a follow. Check out those videos on Tik Tok Instagram. Check out the music wherever you stream your music and be on the lookout for just getting on the road. Yeah, when is that North Carolina thing that.
[00:56:41] Speaker C: That one's happening in April, I believe.
[00:56:43] Speaker A: April.
[00:56:43] Speaker C: Yeah. We're going to try and do a little run going up but I'll have to post about that when I know more.
[00:56:47] Speaker A: Sick. That's awesome. Also, big shout out to our friends from Surfside. No bubbles, no troubles and in a seltzer. It's a Surfside. Go check them out. And for more on us visit ratty.com for Jess I'm Matt Burrill. This has been outside the round
[00:57:02] Speaker B: I ain't never been the kind for stair one place for too long I ain't never been the best at sin I love you to a girl I love only got a couple tricks up my sleeve they usually just make them leave so if you know me if you really know me you know I'm just a two trick pon be the drinking and the lack of money for show I'm just a two trick on it.
