Murphy Elmore

Speaker 1 00:00:13 What is going on? Everyone? Welcome back to the In The Round podcast at your boy Matt Burrell. Shout out to Sweet Boy behind the camera. And, uh, we are in the sweet digs of the DM Monday Studio. Shout out to Trey Lewis, t Trey Bonner, the whole crew letting us come on in here and do in the round. Make sure you guys check out the DM Monday podcast as well. Today on, uh, episode at 91, we have got our boy, Mr. Murphy Elmore Murphy, Alabama native, been here in town for a while. Y'all may know his hit song, whoever Broke Your Heart. And, uh, he's got a brand new one coming out called Talk You Into Staying that we're gonna be talking about on today's episode. Great conversation with our boy Murphy Elmore. Biggest biceps in Nashville. I think I I I don't even know how he fit into that damn t-shirt, but anyway, tell you about our sponsors, whale Tail Media, whales, Beezy Gracie, the crew. Speaker 1 00:01:00 He's so freaking busy cuz he's so good at what he fucking does. Um, he was working even at our round the other night on his laptop putting, I think he got two or three music videos done during the round, which is unheard of and crazy. You want him working on your shit too? Keep the man busy. Hit up Whale Tail Media. Next we got our friends at Saxon Studios, Grady and the boys, they are badass. They kill it throughout Mount Juliet. Great product for a very reasonable great price. Hit up Saxon Studios and check them out. And then last, but certainly not least, our friend Mitch Wallace at the Digital marketing Agency. You use TikTok. You use Instagram. Check out our boy Mitch. He's got it. He's even got cool t-shirts now with a bear on it. So y'all be sure to check them out. We're gonna get into it now. Episode 91. Talk to Murphy Elmore, his new single talk You Into Staying. This is the Ian the Round podcast. So what, what are you drinking there bud? Speaker 2 00:01:51 I'm sipping on a little bit of Jack Daniels and Sprite. Speaker 1 00:01:54 And Sprite. Speaker 2 00:01:55 Yeah, Speaker 1 00:01:56 I haven't heard of people mixing Sprite with Jack. Is that, is that an Alabama thing or what? Speaker 2 00:02:01 Uh, it's, it's honestly not as good as Jack Daniels and Coke, but so Speaker 1 00:02:06 Why so why, why are we settling for Sprite and that all they had teeth. Speaker 2 00:02:10 What? Teeth. Teeth. Yeah. I don't drink dark liquids. Speaker 1 00:02:15 Maybe you don't drink dark Speaker 2 00:02:16 Liquids. I don't drink dark liquids. Speaker 1 00:02:18 Is that, is that why your teeth are so white? Speaker 2 00:02:20 Well, the f the front this, these are so white cuz they're fake. They're Speaker 1 00:02:25 Fake. Yeah. The fuck you doing with fake teeth? Speaker 2 00:02:27 I got a bowling, a bowling ball landed on my face when I was, uh, probably 12 or 13. How Speaker 1 00:02:33 The hell does that happen, Speaker 2 00:02:35 Man? With my luck, honestly. Sh shit just happened. No, Speaker 1 00:02:40 You gotta tell the story. Speaker 2 00:02:41 Well, so, all right, man. Youth trip, bowling, youth Speaker 1 00:02:45 Trips. So it's like church. Speaker 2 00:02:46 Yeah, so church function. Church function, um, yeah, church function. And, uh, thankfully much like I am as an adult, I was thinking, you know, I'm gonna be funny. And it's mostly just funny to me, but as long as I'm laughing at the end of the day, I guess that's what matters. But I had, uh, we had just got there to this bowling alley and I think maybe Pelham, Alabama. I don't know. It was somewhere around there. Um, but, and ironically enough, my dad built the bowling alley, but here and we're there, we just got there and somebody in the group before us had spilled a drink and they didn't clean it up. I mean, and I picked up, thankfully, thinking I was gonna be funny. There was like this little pink bowling ball and it was like the smallest one you could get. Yeah. You know? Speaker 2 00:03:42 And uh, thankfully I picked that one up instead of, you know, which I was at a young age. It wasn't like I was gonna be bowling with. I don't know much about bowling PTSD issues now, but it's not like I was gonna be grabbing the biggest ball, you know, anyways. But yeah, man, I, uh, went, you know, you're wearing the bowling shoes and all that and I went to go bowl and I, my feet found the puddle and so my feet go out from under me. Bowling ball goes up, head hits the ground, gravity does its thing. Bowling ball comes down right in the grill. Fuck. Yeah. So they, yeah, they actually had to do surgery to, uh, to pull, cut my teeth because they came through my lip and then they broke off on the way back and they couldn't find my teeth. Like they were, they weren't just like disintegrated. Speaker 2 00:04:32 They were broke off, you know? Um, but nobody could find my teeth, which I don't know why they were looking for 'em. <laugh>, like they were gonna glue 'em back in there. <laugh>. Yeah, I mean, I mean, hey, this is Pellham, Alabama. Yeah. I don't know. Get or done. I mean, I'm not, I'm pretty sure that might have been the first time I got semi knocked, you know, unconscious. So, um, it's not like I was really coherent and, uh, but I do remember him looking around for my teeth for whatever reason. And we nev obviously we never found him, but then when I went to the, uh, oral surgeon or whatever, um, they were like, well, good news. We found his teeth bad news. We have to do surgery to cut him out. Cuz they came through my lip then broke and they were still in there, so geez, they had to go in and cut those out. Speaker 2 00:05:20 But my favorite part of that was, um, once again, it's a youth function, like a church youth function and we're in the bathroom and obviously I'm bleeding like crate, like there's, you know, it's a, it's not a good situation and I'm just coming to terms with exactly what happened. And the most Alabama guy and I, you know, I say that being from Alabama and I love Alabama, but when people think Alabama, it was this guy that came up and I'm sitting there at the sink like trying to get some of the blood off my face. And uh, one of the guy that was like the youth pastor was the, there trying to, trying to, you know, help me. And, uh, this guy comes up, he's like, man, did you get your ass whooped or what? Like, what'd you do to piss somebody <laugh>? Speaker 1 00:06:14 Yeah. I was Speaker 2 00:06:15 Like, yeah, I did get my by bowling ball. It was, uh, Speaker 1 00:06:19 Was it the little pink one? Speaker 2 00:06:20 Yeah, it was a little pink one. Speaker 1 00:06:21 Thank you. Well, I'm glad it was the little pink one. I know. And not one of the big heavy ones. Exactly. Cause that might be, it might have been more than Speaker 2 00:06:26 Your teeth. That's a silver. Yeah. And, and they had like, um, and it kind of sucks cuz I didn't like, this is what my teeth would've looked like regardless of the bowling ball incident. But I, uh, I would've never had to have braces, which would've been awesome. And I didn't have to have braces, but they did have to wire my, my stuff. Speaker 1 00:06:47 So they, did they come out like dentures or No, Speaker 2 00:06:49 No, no. They're, uh, they're veneered. There was enough of the teeth left, uh, like the, you know, actual teeth. So they're, they're veneers. Like this is the top row, not the whole row, but the top row that you can see. But, so I don't drink dark liquid because these don't stain right here. Right. So if I'm drinking dark liquids and the rest of my teeth start to, you know, stain over time, if, if all your teeth look alike, you didn't, nobody notices. But if I go to smile and my teeth are stained on the, like the, you know, the ones that aren't, I got a two-toned mouth, you know, two-toned mouth. Yeah. I got a two toned mouth, like a, like an old cat eye Chevy just out here. And, and, uh, it, you know, I'm told it doesn't bode well. I feel, feel like people would be like, oh, I know where that guy's from. You know? Speaker 1 00:07:40 Yeah. Now where in Alabama are you actually from? Speaker 2 00:07:44 I'm from, I call it Oak Grove. Um, and that's where the school area is. But if you look up Oak Grove, it's not there cuz there is an Oak Grove, Alabama. But I grew up in my address was Moga, Alabama, Speaker 1 00:07:59 Which is closest to what, Speaker 2 00:08:02 Like Besser, Alabama. Um, which is Speaker 1 00:08:04 Like Birmingham area. Speaker 2 00:08:06 Yeah. Birmingham area. So Speaker 1 00:08:07 Right in the dead center, Speaker 2 00:08:09 Kinda sort. I'm about, I grew up probably about 45 minutes out of Birmingham, maybe an hour Speaker 1 00:08:17 Towards Georgia. Towards Mississippi? Speaker 2 00:08:20 No, kinda like south. Like if you'd go towards Tuscaloosa and then before you get, you're probably an hour and some change before you get towards Tuscaloosa, you go off into the middle of nowhere. Okay. And then, but we were, we were real proud. We had a, uh, we had a stop sign on one side, uh, where the, where red top was. And then at the other end we had an intersection at two, like off of a road called 2 69. And uh, that one had a caution light. So Speaker 1 00:08:49 Big time we Speaker 2 00:08:50 Were doing it big down there, <laugh> and, and uh, yeah, I mean that's just kind of where I grew up and honestly I loved it and, and I don't think I realized how much I loved it until I moved away. And then, you know, like for instance, even coming here, I was like, okay, I better leave an hour early even though it's not that far. Cuz you never know. Like, I stopped two miles mile and a half, two miles away from my house earlier to get diesel. And from there to get back home. <laugh>, it took me 35 minutes. Cause there was, Speaker 1 00:09:32 How, how mu how much is it costing you to fill up your truck right now? Speaker 2 00:09:35 <laugh> man. Um, thankfully today I wasn't on e um, but last time I tried to fill up the pump just shut off at $90. It, it didn't even let me fill up. It just the, uh, gas station I was at just had a, I guess they had a limit. So 90 bucks is all you can get. So I, I had maybe, Speaker 1 00:10:00 So I Speaker 2 00:10:01 Had a little over half a tank from 90, uh, but I put, I, I had diesel in like there. I wasn't on E but I was just like, you know what for, I might as well. Go ahead. And Speaker 1 00:10:12 So is it, how mu how much do you think on e like 150 bucks to fill up your truck right now? Speaker 2 00:10:16 I Speaker 1 00:10:17 200 Speaker 2 00:10:18 Mm probably anywhere from one 50 to 1, 1 60. I don't know. I, I put 120 in it today and I had, so that was about three quarters of a tank. 120 shees. Oh. Makes Speaker 1 00:10:30 Me feel good driving my Tacoma cuz that diesel's expensive. Speaker 2 00:10:33 Um, makes me think, you know what a Prius is pretty reasonable. Speaker 1 00:10:36 Yeah. All them electric cars and all that shit. So, so how long after the bowling ball incident did you start singing? So you're 12 when that shit happened? Yeah. Speaker 2 00:10:46 It, it's probably about three years. Um, I honestly, so I started, I mean, I was singing my whole life, but there's a catch to that because it wasn't like I was singing my whole life for anybody else to hear. I think my mom was the only one that knew that. Speaker 1 00:11:01 So you weren't like a singing in church guy. Like, Speaker 2 00:11:04 I, well I became one. Not thanks to me. Actually, my mom kind of made that happen as well. Um, long story short, the uh, youth group band at the church that, um, I grew, spent most of my life in, um, which wasn't the church I knocked my teeth out at, but a different church. But the youth group band was like, Hey. Did Speaker 1 00:11:27 You, did you guys move to a different church after you? No, Speaker 2 00:11:29 No, no. It wasn't like, it wasn't like that. No, no, it wasn't like that. Um, no man, it, it just, uh, it just seemed to shake out that way. But it, my mom grew up in this, this church that I learned, you know, that I started actually singing and playing guitar in. But, um, I didn't start, I started playing guitar first. Uh, and there, you know, there was maybe at the time like 15, 20 people in their tops that I'd known since, you know, Sunday school days, like Yeah. You know, itty bitty and the, uh, youth pastor, um, who actually called me yesterday, but Mike Stevens, um, at church one night was, uh, Wednesday night service was like, Hey, does anybody in here play guitar? And I started learning to play guitar that year actually. And, um, fell in love with it, but I didn't want anybody to know about it because I'm a super shy person and to this day I can be really shy and, and it comes across wrong to a lot of people. Speaker 2 00:12:40 Yeah. But, um, I'm an awkward, I can, I can be an awkward person now when it comes to what I do. And, um, you know, stuff like that. There's like a switch, if that makes sense. And, and it just, all that stuff kind of dissipates a little bit. Yeah. Um, but I, I can be awkward and, um, so I didn't say a word. I didn't want anybody to know. Um, and, uh, my mom snitched because apparently at the, what we called big church, which was like where the adults, you know, were at church, they, they asked the same announcement for somebody that could play guitar and uh, do it like for the youth group on, on Wednesday nights. And, and my mom went up and snitched on me after the service, I guess because I got a call from the youth pastor and he was like, so I hear you can play guitar. Speaker 2 00:13:36 Do you wanna start playing on Wednesday nights? And, and honestly it was the best thing ever because I didn't wanna do it, but I didn't wanna do it. Not because I didn't wanna play guitar, but because I was that shy of a person. Yeah. You didn't wanna, how am I gonna get up in front of people and do any, like, do something, you know? And, but I wasn't gonna say no either because, you know, it's like small town church and, and everything like that. And I was like, I, I've gotta do it. And I remember I was like, yeah, yeah, I'll, I'll do it. And I'll never forget like the first Wednesday night service that I played and that's all I had to do. I didn't have to sing, I didn't have to do anything. I, I just had to sit and strum my guitar, um, while the other guy sang and played keys. Speaker 2 00:14:26 Yeah. And, um, I don't think I've ever been more nervous to date of my entire life in any situation really. I think that's the most nervous I've ever singing songs about the Lord. And I wasn't singing I all, I had to do mind you was songs. Yeah. And, and don't get me wrong, like, it wasn't about the songs I was playing or anything like that. It was just like, I've gotta get up in front of, of people. And these are also people that I've known since Sunday school days. Yeah. Like I was a kid. And, um, so it, on one side it sounds kind of ridiculous, but I remember, you know, I, we got up there and did it and, and it was probably like three songs honestly. But it felt like an eternity. But I actually was like, you know what? That wasn't that bad. Speaker 2 00:15:13 I actually kind of enjoyed that and I was, every Wednesday night we were doing it and, um, I started enjoying it and like, getting comfortable to where it wasn't, it wasn't the like sickening Yeah. To, to a point. Like, cuz when you get nervous, at least for me, even when I would get nervous it would be pre pre-show. Yeah. Like at the time I, I say show in a quote, but it would be like before anything Ha once I got up there, I was like, this is kind of awesome. I I love it. I love music. I've loved music my whole life and it's, you were a big cool to be a part of it. You know, Speaker 1 00:15:53 You were a big butt rock guy, weren't you? Speaker 2 00:15:56 A big what? Butt rock. Speaker 1 00:15:57 Don't a Nickelback Creed. Uhhuh. Speaker 2 00:15:59 <laugh>, yeah. Oh, absolutely. Speaker 1 00:16:00 Like hinder, like, shit, like saliva, like people Speaker 2 00:16:03 100% till this day. Yeah, absolutely. Speaker 1 00:16:06 So I was gonna say, cuz like you talk about loving music, you're how old? I think you and I are about the same age. Speaker 2 00:16:10 I'm 29. Okay. Speaker 1 00:16:11 So you're a little bit older than me. So I'm 27. Um, but like growing up when we grew up, and obviously we have very different upbringings. You're from small town where you're talking about you're happy, you have a caution light in there and you're, you're playing small town. Yeah. And we didn't go to church on Wednesday is where I'm from, you know mm-hmm. <affirmative>. It's, it's different. But still that same era of, of music coming up. Obviously you have more country down here, but Right. The two thousands were really cool because everything was mainstream. Yeah. Like you had your, your your butt rock, you had your, your hip hop stuff, you had your country stuff, the Yeah. The worship stuff, all Speaker 2 00:16:43 That. When my dad like, so my parents listened to all of that by the way. Really? Yeah. I, my, uh, what was the Speaker 1 00:16:48 Weirdest thing you remember your parents playing? Were you like, I can't believe my mom and dad listened to this? Speaker 2 00:16:52 I can go, I can, I can go further than just what the weirdest thing I'll, like, I was scarred for life. Nelly, Nelly was, you know, the biggest thing at the time. And we are on the boat, um, Smith Lake, Alabama, we had a Bayliner Capri, we had a spot for maybe six or seven years in a, at a campground. We were, you know, a camper. And, uh, but the boat had a speaker system in it. Oh wow. And my dad dancing on a Bayliner Capri. My dad's like my side, like my height. Um, and he does not care about, he has no awkwardness that I have or shyness to him whatsoever. Speaker 1 00:17:44 We call that a give, we call that a give a fuck meter. That's what I call Speaker 2 00:17:47 It. Yeah. And he has none of it. Yeah. Like not one. Yeah. Not one at all. Um, which kind of makes him a total liability sometimes. But <laugh>, he, yeah. I'll never forget. Like there's, there's these rock, you know, people go jump off these cliffs and, and we would go, but when you'd get there to go jump, there'd be tons of boats and, and everybody, you know, just hanging out, having a good time. And I was young, you know, really young and a Nelly song would come on and nobody, everybody's, nobody else is doing it. But my dad's somehow in the brightest color, Speaker 1 00:18:21 He's getting hot and he's just take off all clothes. Speaker 2 00:18:24 And if you've ever seen the Fresh Prince, prince of Bel Air, it, it's like Carlton, the, you know, the Speaker 1 00:18:29 Car. Oh no. But Speaker 2 00:18:30 He, he goes in like, he goes, he goes hard and it kind of scarred, you know, like, man, that kind of scarred me for life. I still, uh, you know, think about that. But it would be like my parents had the Creed cd, um, you know, oh man. Now that one, that whole thing Speaker 1 00:18:48 Because I, cause I hear that in your music. Like I hear that rock kind of influence. I Speaker 2 00:18:53 Love, I love rock in your stuff. Um, I grew up, I grew up on everything though, man. Um, and I think honestly, uh, outside of the life that I grew up in and the world that I grew up in, be in as country as it was, um, Keith Whitley was, I would say my biggest country influence. And thankfully, I think it might have been the best thing that ever happened. But, um, my, when my granddaddy had passed, he had left my dad a farm truck, uh, or a truck. And we caught it, the farm truck. Cause that was what we'd take to the farm. But it was basically like a tank. It was like one of the old F 100 s or F one p. It was like steel, you know. And, uh, we, my dad had put like a stereo system in it. Not like the speakers and everything, but just something. Speaker 2 00:19:45 Cuz it didn't have cd, pla those, those didn't have CD players back in those days, but he put a CD player in it. And maybe they wired it wrong. I don't know. But, or maybe we just didn't have other CDs. But I'm, from my memory, if memory serves right, the Keith Whitley greatest Hits album got stuck in there. Or maybe, like I said, we just didn't have another cd. Um, but, so every time we'd go to the farm, go hunting, um, or anything like that, it was just Keith Whitley. But I loved it. Like, I loved every Yeah. Keith, everything Keith went Speaker 1 00:20:19 And it brings you back to that place, that nostalgic moment of riding around in the farm track. Absolutely. Speaker 2 00:20:24 And it Speaker 1 00:20:24 Just so happened that was what you Speaker 2 00:20:25 Had. Right. And, but you know, so for me that's, that's always gonna be my, when people are like, who's, who's the goat? Who's the goat, do you, who's your favorite of all time? And it's, it's Keith Whitley, but like, hands down. Speaker 1 00:20:37 So you're talking about your dad being liability. Liability. This is where I want on the road. This is where I want to, this is where I want to get into our, our buddy here, boy. So sweet boy. Behind the, behind the camera over there. Speaker 2 00:20:48 Oh yeah. So Speaker 1 00:20:49 Obviously him and I have gotten to know each other a lot over the last, I guess it'll be coming up on two years in the winter. I I couldn't have told you who he was, like any of that stuff. But of course now us both working with another Alabama guy, Trey. Right. How did you first meet Sweet boy. And what did he do to let you, to let you have him at your house? Like, like, cuz that, cause that that's a lot to house. Speaker 2 00:21:14 Well, there's two different, because I didn't find this out two years later, but to get hired because he was play like he was my drummer for a spell. Yeah. How'd you Speaker 1 00:21:23 Find him? Like how do you find, how do you find this guy outta Selma, Alabama? Speaker 2 00:21:27 Man? Just Birmingham, you know, playing shows in Birmingham and word of mouth. Um, at Speaker 1 00:21:33 What, at what venues? Like what, what was the Birmingham Speaker 2 00:21:35 Studio? I think I was at Zydeco. And, and I'd played a show and uh, somebody recommended him as a, as a drummer. And I wanna say that's about how it happened. You'll, you'll have to Michael Warren. Yeah, Michael Warren. That was it. Michael Warren. Um, the buddy of ours who, who lives here now as well in Nashville, who's, he's awesome. Um, but he, he had recommended him. And, uh, so I texted him, you know, and, uh, he, he lied cuz I was like, Hey man, are you good with like tracks and everything like that? And he was like, yeah, man, for sure. So I was like, cool, I'm gonna give you a shot. You know? And, uh, but I'll give him credit too. I didn't find out years later because even though he knew nothing about him, he made sure before he even showed up for the first rehearsal that he had figured it out, you know? And, um, he's just good people man. Yeah. Like, um, honestly, he's a solid dude. And I told him years ago, um, I was like, man, you need to be in this town though. Yeah. Speaker 1 00:22:44 There's only so much that, but the thing is, the Alabama scene is, in my opinion, and again, I could be biased based on who's been paying my checks the last few years. Um, but the Alabama music scene is unlike any other music scene as far as a local state goes. There's so many places to play. There's so many people coming out of there. Like I'm, I'm from New York where we got nine and a half million people on a fucking island in New York City. Right. And there's music and stuff going on there, but there's somewhat, there's, it's just the support system that's in Alabama. The, the opportunities to play and the college kids loving live music as opposed to a dj. Like, I, I can see why there aren't a lot of guys and girls that stick it out down there and are hesitant to come up. Speaker 1 00:23:25 Cause they're like, oh, if I gotta go to Nashville, it's three, four hours up 65. Right. So it's, I I get the, and same thing with the Georgia Boys. Same thing with the Mississippi guys and girls. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> like it's being in the Southeast, you're still not too far away. But you guys have such like a, a flourishing scene down there. And you're part of that story of what came up between the years of 2014 and I guess now, like you're part of that wave that was coming through at that time. Yeah. Yeah. What, and what was that, what were those years like coming up? Speaker 2 00:23:53 Well, man, I'll tell you to be honest, honest with you. So I didn't do the, I didn't have the Alabama scene, like the way that most people did before I got to town. Um, Speaker 1 00:24:05 What were you doing for gigs? Speaker 2 00:24:07 I, I was playing just like dive bars on the river or Speaker 1 00:24:12 Lakeview. Speaker 2 00:24:13 Um, no, that sounds fancy. It, it was, Speaker 1 00:24:16 Well I'm saying like that section of like, no, Speaker 2 00:24:18 It was the Warrior River. Um, so I was playing at just Speaker 1 00:24:23 Playing TP Millers. Speaker 2 00:24:24 I never played TP Millers, but I was Okay. Speaker 1 00:24:26 You didn't go to the biggest shitholes out there then? I've Speaker 2 00:24:29 Been You have been. I went to support, yeah. These dudes. Yeah. I think I've been to two of their shows out there. Um, at, at some point or another. And, and, uh, you gotta name, Speaker 1 00:24:39 Name and Speaker 2 00:24:39 Thank God I did because I think I was the only one at one of those shows. Speaker 1 00:24:43 <laugh>, well, you gotta name, you gotta name, name some of the places you were playing if there Speaker 2 00:24:46 River Bend, I played like this place called River Bend. Uh, it was on the river and we played on a, like a barge float. Like it was like, and it's on the river, but they, the stage wasn't on the decking or in, in, so Speaker 1 00:25:02 How'd you get the gear there? What'd you put in a boat and then you Well, there Speaker 2 00:25:04 Wasn't much gear. It was me, an acoustic guitar and then another guy playing acoustic guitar and they didn't even put my name on there. Acoustic Speaker 1 00:25:12 Duo? Speaker 2 00:25:12 Yeah, it was an acoustic duo. And, and they didn't even, like I say, I wrote the songs. I had like three or four songs written, so, and we'd play for three or four, you know how that goes. Yeah. Uh, so it was mostly covers and stuff. But it was kind of funny cuz I remember one time they printed up a flyer and, and my name wasn't even on. It was like, they, they were like Austin Freeman Band Live and, and he just played guitar. I was like, so that's where we, where we started. And then some like, through a long strain of crazy events, um, a song that we had put out, uh, recently got to somebody's ears who was, um, pretty influential in Nashville. And uh, for some reason they took an interest to it. And thankfully they did. But yeah, it was, at the time it was just, and it's something I still love, but at the time that's all it was, is just like, oh, I love do I just love music. I enjoy Speaker 1 00:26:17 This. So. And so were you making a living doing it? Or like, was it just Speaker 2 00:26:19 Something you were doing? No, on weekends. I wasn't making, I wasn't doing it for work at the time. So what were Speaker 1 00:26:24 You doing for work? Speaker 2 00:26:25 Uh, construction. Speaker 1 00:26:27 Oh, you were a construction guy. I mean, that makes total sense. Through Speaker 2 00:26:30 Co like when I was in college, um, at Alabama, I went to Alabama. I didn't graduate. Um, there's Speaker 1 00:26:36 A lot of musicians that go to, I'm, I'm learning in this scene that go to school at these universities in the state, Alabama, Uhhuh <affirmative> that don't end up graduating, but make it out. All right. Doing the music thing. Like, I think about, I think about you being there. Trey didn't even technically go there, but he lived in Tuscaloosa. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, Charlie going to, um, Auburn and he dropped out and mm-hmm. <affirmative>, that's worked out well. And I don't know if Riley fully made it through Jacksonville State, Speaker 2 00:26:59 I'm not really sure because Speaker 1 00:27:00 I know he, I know he was there for a little bit, but there's, well Speaker 2 00:27:03 That's the key to it then guys, if you're wanting to do the music industry, go to college and then quit. <laugh>. Yes. Go, Speaker 1 00:27:08 Go to go to college, Speaker 2 00:27:10 Drop out and move to Ashville. That's, Speaker 1 00:27:11 But while you're there, get the gigs and then make your money play in the gig. Speaker 2 00:27:16 See, I didn't, I I wasn't Well you weren't Speaker 1 00:27:18 Even doing music at that point. What was your major? Speaker 2 00:27:21 No, um, I was going for business and thinking about doing kinesiology cuz I was super in, so that's like kinesiology exercise science makes Speaker 1 00:27:31 Total sense. Speaker 2 00:27:32 But, uh, he's Speaker 1 00:27:33 A fitness trainer by the way. Ask our boy Trey Bonner. He will get you slow. Speaker 2 00:27:36 Well, yeah, that's, so that was one of my jobs in college. I'd gotten certified to be a personal trainer while I was still in high school, uh, around those ages. And, um, so when I went to college, I, I gotta get a job. So I, I didn't actually get, or I shouldn't say get because, um, you know, that, that's probably wrong. But I didn't do the normal college thought. Like I, I was working two jobs. I was personal, like I got a job at a gym as a personal trainer. Um, in between classes during the day I was at the gym, you know, doing that. And then at nights I worked at a bar on the strip that used to be called Rounders. I hadn't been been back, uh, Speaker 1 00:28:23 I think, I think their rounders is still there. Speaker 2 00:28:25 Okay. Is it still rounders? But I was security at, at rounders that, um, for a while. So, uh, but there was no thought of mu like I still loved music. And Were Speaker 1 00:28:36 You writing songs at that point? Or like, Speaker 2 00:28:38 I wasn't involved writing any music. I wasn't writing, I'd written songs before, um, when, you know, I'd started playing in church and stuff, and, and that went from, Hey, does anybody play guitar? Then the guy that sang and played Keys left and my mom snitched on me again and I felt like I couldn't say no. But then, you know, once again being nervous and then going through with it and falling in love with the performing side of music, um, Speaker 1 00:29:03 I thought you were gonna say Preacher's daughter. And I was like, damn, you and McElwain got a lot in common. <laugh>. Speaker 2 00:29:13 Well, McElwain is not calling much. So I don't know <laugh>, I dunno. No. Um, but, uh, I fell in love with that side of it through church and I started writing songs. I think the first song I ever wrote was A Praise and Worship song. And, um, and, and it, it ended up being, it, it's still his home. That means a lot to me, you know, to this day. But did Speaker 1 00:29:38 You ever think about going that route? Speaker 2 00:29:42 Yes and no. Honestly, no. I mean, there was brief times where I thought, like, cuz I was a big fan of, you know, I I, when you start doing any kind of music or whether you're playing in church or playing, you know, wherever you're a student of, I feel like you're a student of, you know, the people that do it, that on that next on level. So Speaker 1 00:30:06 That's, that's like what, cause again, I'm not super fr is that like Michael W. Smith and like, people like that? Yeah. Speaker 2 00:30:11 Those like Jeremy Camps, like Chris Tomlins, um, stuff like that. Um, because Speaker 1 00:30:19 There's a big crossover with, with that within country music. Like if you listen to a Speaker 2 00:30:24 Lot of like Yeah, basically Hillsong United, you know, at the time was every song. And then, you know, and you don't know where they come from. That's the weird thing about that industry is cuz it could be, there'll be one song done by nine different artists and all of them, you know, have their own spin of it. But it's, so I never understood all that side of that world. But yeah. Speaker 1 00:30:45 Cause cuz at that time is like when, cuz like, there's videos like when FTO was in their heyday and I remember it being a big, and I didn't know who Chris Tomlin was. I later found out he's like, he's huge in that, no pun intended, one of the gods of the worship scene music wise. Speaker 2 00:30:59 He's the Florida Georgia line of that scene. Yeah, <laugh>. Yeah, he's, Speaker 1 00:31:02 Yeah, he, well he's, he's a big, big, big deal. Like they brought him out to sing a song or whatever. But also like when I go and listen to some of that kind of music, cuz again, I didn't really grow up on it. You hear a lot of the, in Influe you hear a lot of what's transitioned and become considered like pop country. Mm-hmm <affirmative> like that more kind of melodic like a lot of what like Tim Penny does or like what mm-hmm. <affirmative> what a guy like, like a Jordan Davis or some of those Thomas red songs. Speaker 2 00:31:26 And just to stop, not to interrupt you, keep going with your thought, but Tim Penny, I'm pretty sure he could sing. It doesn't matter what he's singing, Speaker 1 00:31:32 I'm saying Speaker 2 00:31:33 Just, I'm gonna listen. That dude is a monster. Speaker 1 00:31:35 Yeah. I'm, yeah, I'm, yeah, I'm saying like sonically just like the way the production is and all that kind of stuff. So it's cool to see like, there's a lot, so many people were influenced by both country and the worship scene cuz they came up in the worship scene while also living the country lifestyle and listening to folks like Keep Whitley, but also listening to that other stuff. So that's cool. Speaker 2 00:31:55 Keep Whitley, Nickelback Nelly. Yeah. Creed. Yeah. All that stuff. Speaker 1 00:31:58 Yeah. It all, it all kind of flows in. So when does, when does music become like the thing you're gonna do with your life? Like when does that happen? Just Speaker 2 00:32:06 To be fully honest with you. So I wrote my first country song that I ever wrote. I was probably 15 or 16. And, and I say that like I'd written all these other songs. I'd written one Praise and Worship song, um, that we played in, you know, at church and stuff. And Speaker 2 00:32:26 It, country music was more natural to me. Yeah. It was easy. Not easy in any way, but more natural because that was my surrounding even with the church, even including church and, and everything like that. Um, it was just natural because that was my life. Like, I didn't even realize, you know, hey, I'm writing a country song. It wasn't like when I wrote the song, um, that I was like, I wanna sit down and try to write a country song. Yeah. You know, it was just, that's what came out when I was writing what I was feeling or what I was going through at the time. Speaker 2 00:33:06 And it, and it, that's just how it came out because that's, it was natural. Um, whereas when I wrote, you know, and it was the first song I ever wrote, but the Praise and Worship song, it was sat down with the mentality of like, I want to try to write a song. Like I'm playing these songs on, you know, Wednesdays and Sundays and, and what, you know, whatnot like that. Um, but that was a, that was not necessarily just reaction. That was a, a strategy. Like, I want to see if I can do this. Yeah. And, and I'm thankful that I did because that's the, you know, the first song, the first song that I ever wrote. Um, and, um, all that. But yeah, when I, when I just sat down to right when I just wanted to express, you know, what I was going through at the time, um, it was a country song and, and looking back I'm like, well, I know why cuz I know how I grew up and everything I grew up around and, and all that stuff. Speaker 2 00:34:11 But I think the deeper you dig into that and writing and you know, the music you do, like those influences that you were talking about earlier. Like whether it be, you know, there's probably all kinds of different influences in what I write today. And it's not intentionally like, oh I want this to have this sound because I liked this rock song back in the day. No, it's subliminally within your thoughts. Yeah. It's just, it's just ingrained in, in who you are. Just like when I sit down to write a song naturally and it comes out country, um, it's a country song. It's not because I sat down and go, I'm gonna write a country song today. I mean, and you know, we write multiple songs a week and, and some never see the lie today. Some do. Um, but it's never like, oh, what's gonna, what's country and what, what is like, what can I put in here to sell that this is country. Speaker 2 00:35:03 It's just, it, it's just a, it's just writing a song and that's how it comes out. But there's also as natural as that is, um, for me because of, I think where I grew up and how I grew up and you know, the values between the values my parents instilled and just also how we rebelled <laugh> and what we did to, you know, um, just when we were trying to have a good time and stuff at, at a certain point, you know, that's just, that's just how it really is. Yeah. You know, so it's just as natural, I feel like, for those influences to kind of sneak in to where it's like, oh this is like a rock. It's not like I've sit ever sat down and went, I wanna ride a country song today, but I want it to be rock. Yeah. Influenced or maybe even have a hint of like an r and b or this or that vibe. It, it's never been intentional. It's just I wanna write, uh, the best song we can for today. Yeah. Like, I wanna write the best song I can today. Um, and it comes out like that cuz it's, it's just natural. And I feel like that's a really, you know, cool thing to give in, like, to give, to give up control in in that aspect to just let you be you in an, in an aspect. Yeah. Speaker 1 00:36:23 100, 100%. So, so how does the, the song that really changed your life, how does, um, whoever Broke Your Heart, how, how does that come to be? Um, like I know you're always hesitant to play the writer's. I always break your balls to play when we have you at In The Round and you're like, I didn't write the song. Like, but Right dude, just throw it, throw it in there. Even if it's a fucking bonus song, whatever, because it's just one that it's, it's one that's a it's a big one man. And, and you were in Yeah. Even though you didn't write it. Like you, you're the, that's how this town works sometimes. Well, I know, but Speaker 2 00:36:55 I'm weird about it mostly because, not not, but I'm weird about playing it as a writer's in a writer's round because that's, I write my music like the mote. Like Speaker 1 00:37:06 Does it bother you that the biggest songs an outside cut? Like does that rub you the wrong way? Like No, honestly, Speaker 2 00:37:12 Honestly, it doesn't, it makes me wanna work harder as a rider. Um, but no, funny enough, I, um, before I moved to town when the, the whole prospect of me coming to town was a, which Speaker 1 00:37:25 Is what year? Speaker 2 00:37:26 That was around 20 15, 20 14. Late 20 14, 20 15. Okay. I, I moved up here I believe October, late October, early November of 2014. So, um, it would've been around that time, but So Speaker 1 00:37:40 You what, 2021 when that happens? Speaker 2 00:37:42 Yeah. 21. Think two. Somewhere in 21. Somewhere in there. Yeah. 21, 22, something like that. Um, but they, um, I was in contact with a certain, you know, publishing company here through the, the guy that, you know, had basically made all this fast forward, made everything happen as far as me getting here and all that. Um, but they wanted to hear me sing, you know, on some of his songs. Cause I didn't have enough originals. It, it probably even have enough originals at the time. So they were like, Hey, we're gonna send you some of his catalog to just come put a vocal on so we can see like, which, Speaker 1 00:38:25 Which is a common thing for a lot of folks when they come to town. Like, I remember and maybe Speaker 2 00:38:29 Buddy, I had no clue. Speaker 1 00:38:30 Well, what, well what I'm saying is like people, like, they, they're, they see potential. They saw something in there where like, this kid doesn't really have, we, we think like, this kid has a great voice. He might be the vessel for one of these songs. And just a good way to fuel out what you got right at that time. Which Right. Completely different than who you are right now. Eight years ago, you're, you're Speaker 2 00:38:49 Oh, absolutely. I was so clueless and, and now I'm only like, I'm still so clueless <laugh>, but, but I'm a little less clueless than I was eight years ago, seven years ago, whatever. Yeah. But, um, no, so I remember hearing that song and wondering why it wasn't already a huge number one because the, the guy that wrote it is a Hall of Fame writer. Yeah, Speaker 1 00:39:18 Yeah. Think he Ashley Gorley. Speaker 2 00:39:20 Well, yeah, I mean Rhett Rh Ret was my guy. Um, but Rhett, I think he just got inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame like last year. That over, you know, over the past year. Speaker 1 00:39:31 How'd you, how how'd you get synced up with him? Speaker 2 00:39:35 I ended up at a concert that I couldn't afford to be at and he was standing in the crowd. I didn't know it at the time, but I guess somebody had bumped into him or spilled a drink on him or something and then tried to fight him or something. So he was out in the crowd because he was trying to find this guy to get him thrown out of, uh, it was a Brantley Gilbert show where I believe, I know Thomas Rhett was out with Brantley at the time, and I wanna say maybe Justin Moore, um, and full circle thing. The Speaker 1 00:40:04 Small, the small town Throwdown days. Speaker 2 00:40:05 Yeah. Might have been small town Throwdown days. Um, but I just happened to look over and I was like, I'm pretty sure that's Red Akins. And I, and I went up and asked him for a picture and all that stuff and, and I didn't. But what I didn't do was go, Hey man, I write music too. Let me send you, you know, I didn't do that. I, I was, I'm, like I said, I'm an awkward shy person, so, well, you, Speaker 1 00:40:28 You, you did what we call in in our crew, the semi germ. Speaker 2 00:40:31 Yeah. I wanted the picture. I didn't want a full germ. I didn't even know that term existed or what it meant at the time, but I knew like I, me being as awkward as I am, it was, I was weird, like weirded myself out enough just by asking for the picture. But, um, he ended up, at the time there was a, an interest with a girl that was in the group that, uh, that I was with that they had a, a romantic interest for a brief, a brief time. But one of my songs came on the, and she was li already living up here. Um, but one of my songs came on her playlist while they were riding around and he like stopped and was like, who is that? And she was like, oh, that's Murphy. Um, he, you met him at this show or that, you know, whatever. Speaker 2 00:41:27 And um, so that's kind of how the, all that, that ball started kind of rolling. Really? Yeah. Crazy enough. I mean, you know, what are the eyes? I go from asking for a picture with a guy to, there's a, you know, a phone call and hey, it's, you know, Hey, it's Rhett. I'm like, stop lying. Who is this? <laugh>, get outta here. You know? And, and I, you know, I'm, I'm, that dude's just, he's he's just one of those guys. He is on another level. Um, and a lot of people probably don't know this about him. Um, I guess a lot of people probably do, but just a good dude man. Yeah. Um, Speaker 1 00:42:07 There's a reason that after his art, like cuz he was doing the artist thing mm-hmm. <affirmative> a long time. I know he still pops up and does some shows here and there. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But there's a reason he's still all these years later still regarded as such a big guy here in town. Yeah. As a writer, as just a creative mine. As someone who's really put the hand out and pulled some guys up to where he's Speaker 2 00:42:28 At. Very, very respected dude. And, and has had his hand in a lot of, a lot of people's, you know, help, uh, hand in helping a lot of people. Yeah. Speaker 1 00:42:38 So when, so when did whoever broke your heart become a Murphy Elmore song? Speaker 2 00:42:41 Oh yeah. Um, so I didn't touch it for year, like two or three years cuz I was like, it's not gonna be fair to him. He's just done all this stuff for me. I'm not gonna cut this song. Um, cuz somebody else is gonna cut it. Speaker 1 00:42:55 Was it ever on hold with anyone that you know of or Speaker 2 00:42:57 Not that I know of. No. And, and it blew my mind cuz it, it is just, when I heard it, I'm like, this is exactly, you know, I, I can't count the conversations I've had with, with girls over, you know, over the past that have just have been done so wrong or, or just been treated like absolute shit or, or whatever the case may be that, that I'm looking at and going like, that dude's a fucking idiot. You know? Um, and so immediately when I heard the song I was like, this is incredible. And, um, three, four years go by and it's still not, you know, on hold or, you know, cut by a major, like a-list act. And um, I just asked him one day, I was like, Hey man, um, what do you think about me cutting that song? And his response was probably, knowing Rhett was probably something along the lines of That's cool <laugh>, but Speaker 1 00:44:00 Like, there's just a song sitting in my catalog. Nobody's Speaker 2 00:44:03 Shown interest. Yeah. He was probably, he was probably like, yeah man. Sure. Um, but, uh, that's Rhett speak for dude. Absolutely, man. Like, you just gotta note, you know, um, him a little bit. But, uh, what Speaker 1 00:44:15 Did you put out before that song? Because that was the McElwain, that was, those were the days when Matt when, uh, McElwain was playing with you, right? Speaker 2 00:44:22 Yeah, yeah. Um, I think so, um, Kings of Friday Night, Kings of Friday Night. Yeah. So that was, uh, that was Post Kings of Friday night, but I think you were shortly after. Yeah, shortly after. Um, but um, yeah, I'd put out the first single I'd ever released, um, after moving to town, I put out a song called Damn Good Kisser. And uh, then I released one that, uh, I released One Night Stand, I think was second. And, uh, one Night Stand actually did decently well I think considering for Where Hal Green I was and, and everything like that. And I wrote that with a girl named Rachel Farley, who's, uh, really cool and, and have a really funny story, just a full circle story about even writing with her. And, and then our first ride ever, we wrote that song and, um, I think yeah, whoever Broke Your Heart was a follow up from the Kings of Friday and I d p and, and honestly it was kind of wild because I, that was the first song I think that really took off and what, you know, that I'd released that took off and what was it when he fired me? Speaker 4 00:45:42 Yeah, right when you fired, right when you fired back. Speaker 2 00:45:44 Yeah. I said, Hey Matt, it looks like I might be able to do this for a living. So Scr <laugh>, um, back to your paper route boy. Yeah. Get <laugh>, go go back where you belong, sir. Um, <laugh>, no, Matt, Matt was such a good dude and his work ethic was so respectable. That's why he lives in my house is because I told him, I said, Hey man, you need to be in town. I need like, I need you to be in town and I know you can't be in town right now, so I'm gonna have to go a different route. But when, cuz I knew it wasn't an, if I knew as much as hard as he worked like at his craft being a drummer and with his mentality and just, I mean, he's just a good dude. Like people, people want to work with people like that. Speaker 2 00:46:43 And I wanted to work with him, but it just, everybody else that I worked with in town was already in town. Yeah. It's the right place, right time. Yeah. I was like, man, when you moved to Nashville, if you need a place to like whatever, and I can help in any way, I got you. And I ended up being in a position to be able to buy a house. Um, you know, a few years back, maybe four years back or something, I started looking for my own house and um, and I bought a house that was honestly probably way too, way more than I needed because at the time everybody had been saying, oh, when you have your own house, we're gonna come visit all the time. Like, you know, family and all that fun stuff. But, um, turns out this like maybe once a year, so I basically have all these, or, and I say all these, but I had like, you know, three bedrooms that were just sitting there. Speaker 2 00:47:37 Yeah. Um, and around that time, just with timing and everything, Matt was like, Hey man, I think I'm actually gonna move up to Nashville. And I think he was like, I'm thinking about, I'm thinking I'm moving up here in March, does that offer still stand? And I was like, absolutely man, come by the house and see if it's something you, you know, you're good with interested in or whatever. And, uh, I think him and Terry came by and, and you know, much like every time I see Terry, I thought I was being robbed, but then I saw Matt, so I knew it was okay. <laugh> um, <laugh>, but um, and he didn't move up in March, so I was like, I guess he's not moving up. No, he, he took and then he just randomly next time took, yeah. Then randomly like if, I don't know, four or five months later, he was like, oh, I'm moving up next month. <laugh>. I was like, well come home Anna. Um, but yeah, I'd give him my word, but it wasn't, you know, it was just, I I believe in his work ethic and, and just his attitude and um, you know, and, and they're, you know, they're killing it right now and stuff, so Yeah. Dude, I couldn't be more stoked. I hadn't got my bird dog fee or anything. Like I, I feel like I should be getting slightly paid on, you know, back end for technically scouting McElwain out, but it's whatever, you know, I'll take, I'll take Speaker 1 00:48:56 <laugh> training him up. Um, so, so whoever broke your heart comes out what year? 16, 17? Speaker 2 00:49:03 No, I think it was towards the end of 2017. Towards Speaker 1 00:49:06 The end of 17. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And again, and I, I bring up the whole Alabama kind of scene, like, just because that's just a common talking point here and you were, you were there for a lot of that stuff. Like at that point Riley's doing his thing. Yeah, Speaker 2 00:49:21 I think Riley's first like show in that we, I think we coil that together. Speaker 1 00:49:25 It was inside Co and Charlie. Yeah. And Charlie and Gary with Musk and I'm Port Swing Angels doing its thing. Um, you've got the, the, the Luke Combs train is going, going at that point, like the, the moderate what we see, even Wallens got his first dep out, like every, all the stuff of what we see now. Yeah. Like it's really getting the ball rolling. And you were around that, you were, you were part of that like Yeah. Tho those early days of the Alabama scene, like what was it like to just be in a, be in a community that was just going boom when all you guys are really getting your start? Speaker 2 00:49:58 Well, it's crazy because you don't realize you're there at the time. You know, you don't realize what you're in at the time. Really, honestly, like in that moment, you know, you're, you're talking about days where, you know, Riley was a guy that was just off a reality TV show. You're talking about Muscadine who had just decided to be Muscu. Like they had just decided they were Speaker 1 00:50:20 Gary and Charlie for Speaker 2 00:50:21 Years. Yeah. They had just decided to be a duo. I didn't know him before I met actually. I think I, I wanna say I met Charlie before they were a duo, but I met him in Nashville and he, I don't even know if he lived here yet. Um, and you know, I'd been here maybe a year or so. Um, but I, I rem I met him at a writer's round or something and you know, but those dude, like at this time, like there's nothing really going on for anybody in this industry. So you don't really realize you're looking at, you know, I remember like back in those days, Luke Combs car, um, his car didn't have heat, my car didn't have ac so we like, when we would do anything like around the, you know, go and hang out together cuz we, like, there was a big group of people that kind of ran in the same crowd and, and stuff and you know, kind of plan it, try to plan it out between like, Hey man, if it's hot outside we're taking yours and if it's cold we'll take mine. Yeah. Like so these were those days where you, like you knew the talent was there, right? Like I don't think anybody's ever heard Luke Comb sing and not gone. Speaker 1 00:51:38 What were, what were, what were the rounds at that point? Because like I know Revival was a thing then. Revival Speaker 2 00:51:43 Was huge. Speaker 1 00:51:43 Threesome, was it Threesome Thursdays? Speaker 2 00:51:46 Was that It Speaker 1 00:51:47 Was that, that was Randy. Randy Mc. Yeah. Speaker 2 00:51:49 Yeah, it was like courthouse I think, or was it, or no, what was Speaker 1 00:51:51 It called? It A Blue bar. Speaker 2 00:51:53 Blue bar. Speaker 1 00:51:54 Um, the one across from Winners and Losers that's now the fucking taco place. So, or it might have been Poor House or it might been Broadway Brewhouse Speaker 2 00:52:02 Or I think the first threesome Thursdays that, that I remember and I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure it was like, so there's Frugal McDougals, right? There's a liquor store and it's like, it might be like a, some kind of a chicken place or something. Yeah, Speaker 1 00:52:18 Party fouls right there. Speaker 2 00:52:19 But it's across like, so you got Party Foul and then it was the right kind of right across like, Speaker 1 00:52:25 Yeah, now it's rights, now it's, um, fat Cat Slims, I think. Speaker 2 00:52:28 Yeah. That, that was the place that I think the first, that's I think if I'm not mistaken, might have been where I met Charlie. Oh. At a threesome Thursday thing, uh, that was like a rider's round and Speaker 1 00:52:39 Yeah. And Whyy not, was doing their was doing, I don't know that they were yet, they weren't even, that was even before Speaker 2 00:52:44 That. No, I think that was before why not? And um, all that. But it was just crazy cuz like you said, like at that time you don't know, like, you don't know that Riley's about to take like, but you, you know, you got to see how it started. Like you got to see all these things start and, and be in around all that. Like, you know, Mukadi was playing any and everywhere. Well, Speaker 1 00:53:08 Yeah. I mean that's part of, Speaker 2 00:53:09 They were playing, they were, they were doing, they Speaker 1 00:53:11 Were part of their strategy of part of the strategy. And this is like a good tip for a lot of people starting out. Even if you're just doing the, the cover goods. Like the flyers are so important. And they did such a good job of that early on of posting, Hey, look at all these shows we're doing. Right. And Speaker 2 00:53:26 They, but they were doing stuff like they were, they were also, I like, I gotta give those dudes credit. They were doing any and everything, like, to make it work. Like they would get, like, they would have a, a small bar gig. Well, they would just Speaker 1 00:53:38 Not going up Speaker 2 00:53:39 Downstair, they would have apri, they would do a private like wedding thing. Yeah. Like, they would do a wet, like, you know, stuff like that. And it might not have been a wedding specifically, but they'd be doing like a, like, oh, we're gonna go do this private thing. And they were just freaking burning up the rest. Speaker 1 00:53:50 Yeah. Driving up the guy in their, in their, in their, uh, in Avalanche. Speaker 2 00:53:54 Yeah. And, and Trey like, you know, Trey kind of did that similar thing. Like they're those y'all, I mean they, what was the place called you, you remember it by name? It's Speaker 1 00:54:05 Tp Millers. Yeah. Speaker 2 00:54:06 TP Speaker 1 00:54:06 Miller. Oh, TP Millers. Speaker 2 00:54:07 They playing TP Millers to fill a date. Like they were just, that's how that was. There was like, hey, four Speaker 1 00:54:14 Or four hour cover gigs a Speaker 2 00:54:15 Week. Yeah. And they, and I know for a fact one of those shows was literally me and the three people that came with me. And then a woman who's been around since the first Harley Davidson and has not stopped Bride and Harley Davidson since. And, you know, but that's what it, like, look at where they're at now. Look at where that that project is right now. Look at where a Musk dine camp is right now. Like, look at where Riley is right now. Like, it's just really cool to see because a lot of people don't get to see that. You know, like those people, like a a lot of people don't that, you know, are when when they're, you guys are selling out shows, like when with Trey Lewis Right. That's what they're seeing. But they didn't see the Tepi Miller days. But, but the beautiful thing about this industry is like the nine times outta 10, those shows are what makes the person that you see on state, like the band Absolutely. Person. Um, but for sure, so you, but you don't realize that's what you're seeing. Like when I was sitting in the crowd at, um, TP Millers and, and Trey was like, get up and sing with us. Get up and sing. That ain't my truck. Get up and sing, you know, something with us and, and stuff like that. And I, and I remember going like, man, I don't even know if I can breathe from this one. The, the one other lady that's chain smoking over here. Like I'm Yeah. My second hand smoke, my Speaker 1 00:55:43 Lung Speaker 2 00:55:43 Are smokey. Yeah. Um, but uh, like, so you don't realize how cool it is to get to be, you know, around stuff like that. Yeah. And see where it goes. Speaker 1 00:55:54 Yeah. At that, at that time was there was, did you guys have a chip on your shoulder come from Alabama seeing what all the Georgia guys were doing across the border? Speaker 2 00:56:02 No. Speaker 1 00:56:02 Was there, was there, was there a rivalry ever between the Alabama guys and the Georgia guys? Because everybody's talking Georgia, this Georgia that you had four wheel drive and I love all the guys that are part of that. You had like geor, like everybody talks. Georgia, Georgia, Georgia. Georgia, Speaker 2 00:56:16 Georgia. Yeah. Georgia. Speaker 1 00:56:16 Meanwhile you go across, you take I 20, you go across the border, there's a lot of shit happening. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> in Alabama. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Speaker 2 00:56:22 Well I, there wasn't, there wasn't for me especially like at all around that time because I, the guy that brought me up here, Georgia guy, um, my best friend in town for the first, you know, few years I lived here. Georgia guy, um, who's, who is that? John Langston, who's, yeah. You know, he's killing it. He's, he's, he was killing it at the time and he, and he does his thing. And um, the first country show, like actual, that I feel like is, uh, legit enough to call a country show that I got to be a part of was opening for John Langston. And it was his, I think that was his first full band show. Where was that at? And that was in Tifton, Georgia. Oh Speaker 1 00:57:04 Yeah. We gotta talk about Tifton. Speaker 2 00:57:06 Oh man. We're Speaker 1 00:57:07 Gonna talk about Speaker 2 00:57:08 Tifton. Good. Cuz I'm about to tell the world now. Um, but it was the gin at the time. Yeah. But jd, JD o yeah, jd, um, JD was running things down there and I think that was the moment I knew that no matter what this industry throws at me, this is what I want. And so I don't think there's, there was a chip on my shoulder from the Georgia perspective of things. Well, Speaker 1 00:57:31 I'm just saying collectively as a group, like you guys are just, well, just hearing all this stuff. Speaker 2 00:57:34 Well, yeah, but I wasn't like, at the time, like, my first bit into the music industry was when I got here. Like I'd ne I don't think I'd ever co-written before till I was under a deal and moved here. Um, and, and frankly I probably didn't deserve that deal. Um, what was, who was Speaker 1 00:57:51 The deal was the deal with Speaker 2 00:57:53 It was Sony ATV at the time. Oh no shit. Yeah, with a co-venture with Rhett. Um, and, uh, they took a huge chance on me because Rhett believed in me. And, um, you know, like, but I was so clueless when I got here, so I didn't know even realize, you know, that there was, there was this, you know, Georgia thing or whatever, but I will give the Georgia people credit, man. They, they do. Um, they, they lift each other up like, like crazy, you know, like they, if you're from Georgia, you're automatically a part of that scene and they're trying to help you. Like when one of 'em gets here, the guy, the guy that's here, the guy, you know, like, so guy one's up here and guy two from Georgia is here, this guy's gonna try to bring him up and then if this guy passes, they just constantly, yeah. So you gotta give, like it's, I make jokes all the time when people are like, oh, I'm from Georgia. I'm like, oh, cool. What record deal did you sign the first deal day you got here <laugh>? Because it just seems like those dudes are killing it. Um, and, and it's a joke I make, but, but I also see why, like, Speaker 1 00:59:08 Could the, could the, could that be a thing with Speaker 2 00:59:11 IBM artists? I think it should be because Speaker 1 00:59:13 There's a whole new crop of young folks coming Speaker 2 00:59:15 Up. You see, man, there's, there's so many cool dudes. Like, um, I've, you know, heard about like the, these dudes coming up. You got, um, like this Blaine Rudd kid that's killing it. And I don't even think he lives here yet. Um, but it seems like every time I'm talking to people, cause I'm still close with people back home. Yeah. You know, from Alabama and stuff. Like some of my be my best friends, you know, from day one, like day one when I was a kid that I'm still very close with. Like these, the, they're talking about this guy and he's from Alabama, right? Speaker 1 00:59:47 Yeah. Blaine Blaine still lives in Alabama. And he's, what's funny is you were winding back. Blaine used to play a lot of those Sky Bar cover games. I've never met him with, with I don't with Charlie before Charlie and Gary linked up. Okay. So Blaine's been around for a while, but like, I'm talking like, like Justin Holt. Timmy Jimmy. Speaker 2 01:00:02 Yeah. Justin. I was about to say you got Justin Speaker 1 01:00:05 Ella Langley, Speaker 2 01:00:05 Ella's slay crushing Speaker 1 01:00:06 It. Right now you got Joy s Joy Beth Taylor, who's writing hit after hit right now. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you've got what the Shackleford Lane Boys are doing. You've got, Speaker 2 01:00:13 I mean, clay Barker, clay Speaker 1 01:00:15 Barker, you've got, um, who is that dude that opened for a McElwain, immobile, I forget exactly what his name was. There was a dude, he's big in the South Alabama Sea Bruce smell Bruce smelly coming up out of, uh, mobile right now. And I mean, there just seems like there's, there's, there's the guys and girls that, that have gotten up to that level. And that's what's cool about like seeing what Trey's done. Like he's brought, he's brought, um, yeah, <inaudible>, we, Ella did a ton of dates with us last year. Yeah. Justin Holt did quite a few with us last year. Clay did quite a few, but there is that, that kind of, that kind of, uh, cool community. So whoever broke my heart, come whoever broke your heart. Excuse me, whoever. Who Speaker 2 01:00:51 Broke your Speaker 1 01:00:51 Heart? Lots of people broke. Speaker 2 01:00:52 Lots of, Speaker 1 01:00:52 Lots of, lots of people broke my heart. Speaker 2 01:00:54 Same bro. Same. Speaker 1 01:00:56 But um, so that comes out 2017. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So from, from, what was that reaction like? Was it like initial, like this song started changing things or was it something that took a little bit? Was it something that Speaker 2 01:01:08 Yeah, it honestly Speaker 1 01:01:09 Continued to grow. Like it Speaker 2 01:01:11 Honestly did it, it, I'd been touring with it before it came out for probably a year. Like, I knew when I, the moment I found out, like I'm for sure, like I'm, I got the green light. I'm getting, like, I'm cutting this song. I started playing it out immediately. And so I think that helped a lot. You know, obviously people, people responded to it before it was ever out, so they were anticipating it and everything like that. And, um, I, I think within maybe the first, you know, few months, two to three months, like it, we were, I think it was over a million streams, which, which at that time, which at the time for me was like, oh my gosh, like the Speaker 1 01:01:56 Million and you just have a published And Speaker 2 01:01:58 That was just like on Spotify alone. Yeah. Like, so that was, I don't know what the full numbers were doing on everything, but you know, Spotify is a lot easier to read. Uh, and I don't even know if they had their own, you had an artist page at the time. I don't think If you did, I didn't have one. Yeah. So I would have to go look, you know, I'd have to Google myself or Spotify myself, like a narcissist to see what it was doing. But <laugh>, um, yeah, I, I was just like, oh my gosh, that's insane. And then, um, the life of that song is insane to me. It's still, it's still going. Like it's still going and it's been, you know, how many years, like late, so let's just say, yeah, it's come up on five basically 2018. Like, I mean seven late 17, so 18, 19, 22, you know, four or five years, something like that. Speaker 1 01:02:47 Yeah. So did you feel like an added pressure, um, following up? Speaker 2 01:02:51 Yeah, absolutely. I did. I felt a, I felt a lot of pressure and, and you know, we, we had a lot of catalog, like a lot of catalog even at that time. And, and my mentality was, okay, we gotta, we gotta keep rolling off of this. And, and unfortunately the, um, the team that I had placed ar and, and that's all on me, but the team that I kind of had around me at that point, um, didn't, didn't really feel the the same. Um, and so there was like a lag period. Speaker 1 01:03:27 That's what I was gonna bring up. Cause I've, cuz I've noticed that like, it's not like you haven't put out some, you put out blue lights, you put out some other, some other songs. Yeah. And Speaker 2 01:03:33 That's, that's been like, after that team, that team thing shifted to where it was like, okay, this isn't like this, this strategy that, that I'm following on on, you know, a particular person's leaders. This just isn't working for me. And, and there was a lot, there was some other stuff that, you know, there was just, man, I just felt like there was a time, there was, there were bridges burned. There were, there was just not a lot going on when we had a lot going on. That should have been, but what was, Speaker 1 01:04:08 What was it, what was, what was that period like? Like cuz that's, for me it was Speaker 2 01:04:11 Very frustrating, but at the same time, I have nobody to blame but me. Like, and, and was it, that took some growing up to it was me thinking that the, the people in my corner at that time w wanted the be like, wanted. And I'm not saying that they didn't, but it was more so I think they were at that time in over their head and I was looking, that's who I was looking to for direction because that's what their role was supposed to be. And so when they would say, this is the call that we need to make, this is what we need to do. It, it, it goes back to me once again. It's all that, that time period before it sounds like I'm playing the blame game because at the end of the day, the decisions, whether wherever they came from landed in my lap and, but I was just listening to what everybody was telling me to do. Like, so if, if they were saying, Hey, don't release music, like we don't need to release this song right now. We don't re need to release these songs right now. Speaker 1 01:05:28 They weren't letting you be the scene. Speaker 2 01:05:29 I wanted Speaker 1 01:05:30 To, they weren't letting you be the CEO of your own business. Speaker 2 01:05:32 Well, I shouldn't even say let, because once again it goes back to me. But it was me not, not following my gut. Which I, I've learned is honestly is, uh, you know, as a writer, an artist or, or any of those things, um, is a big part of, I think, you know, so a big part of that is to just follow your gut. Like, and you're gonna make mistakes along the way. But at least, you know, looking back, I the, I wish they would've been my mistake. Like me making the mistakes, you know, directly me and not just being like, okay, I'm trusting that this is the right decision because somebody else is telling me this is what needs to happen. And like I said, man, there were, there was a lag period of, of super unreasonable lag period of of time. Were Speaker 1 01:06:30 You touring touring at this point? Were you touring at this time? Or like, what was your show situation like? Speaker 2 01:06:34 We were, and then, and then the, you know, at the time they, they also, the people that were, that were booking shows, they, they weren't, they, I think they, they were ended up being writing a lot smarter than, than I was and had kind of told me, Hey, you know, this particular part of your team, um, cuz I'm not gonna say it was everybody and, and, and this and that. Cuz at the end of the day, my worst enemy at that time was me. I didn't know it yet, but it was me b because I wasn't going, Hey, no, this is what my gut's telling me. This is what I think. Um, and so they didn't, you know, they didn't wanna work with a particular part of that team. One side didn't. And so we started getting a little less and a little less on the touring side of things or less offers and, and we were still Speaker 1 01:07:28 Touring. And at, at that point, were you going around the country or was it still regionally in the southeast? Speaker 2 01:07:33 No, we were going, I mean we, it was predominantly southeast stuff, but you know, we, we were like McElwain, we, we went to Virginia, we went to, uh, you know, I was, I did, I was up in Delaware. Speaker 1 01:07:45 Did you do any opening slots? Speaker 2 01:07:46 Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Those were, um, Speaker 1 01:07:48 Well, well I'm saying like, I'm saying like going on tour with like going on, like did you ever go out on a tour? Speaker 2 01:07:54 No, we didn't do, so we didn't get, um, it kind of got everything kind of blew up before those were like, there was a tour, but we, we had really good, we had really good like that open and slots. And some of them were last minute things. Like I think I got called for one, it, it might have been like a Tuesday. And they're like, Hey, we need you at this day in Virginia, um, on Friday. And so there's like, you know, scrambling to make sure everything's good to go for that. And, and uh, you know, that was after he fired Me too. <laugh>. Yeah. And I have rehired him. I was like, Hey, I need you <laugh>, I need you back Mack Wayne, I know I fired you. No, I've, I hate that word when you use it. I've, I have had this, you Speaker 1 01:08:41 Parted ways and, and then you got back here and he's, and now, and now he's your landlord and babysitter when I'm not with you. Exactly. Speaker 2 01:08:49 I, I've had to fire people. I don't like to say that when it comes to McElwain. I've had to part ways at the time because here's my bullet because moments like that where there would be show like, Hey, we need this last minute. Well we gotta run a rehearsal. We have to, you know, there's a lot of things that go into shows as, as you guys know. Yeah. Um, and you know, not that I gotta give him credit, he always found a way to make it work, but at the time it was like just a little too hectic when, you know, cuz I don't, I'm, how far is Selma? Speaker 1 01:09:30 It's far enough. Far enough. Speaker 2 01:09:33 So everybody, but one guy has to drive. Like everybody's driving 15, 20 minutes tops to rehearse and then, but then we got this guy just having to drive, you know? Yeah, Speaker 1 01:09:45 Yeah, yeah. Five. Yeah. I totally get that. So where's, so where's your head at now? Because you're getting ready to put out the new song that's dropping here soon. Like you, you're writing your ass off. Like you're, you're working, like, I feel like, and again, I've just gotten to meet you over the last, I've really gotten to know you over the last six, seven months, but Right. Gotten to know ya. Very, very familiar with you over like the last year. And it seems like you're back on, you're, you're in a really good place right now. Like, things are starting to happen again. And, and the Murphy Elmore that this town believed in and was like, Hey, get your ass up here is back. Speaker 2 01:10:18 I think, yeah, it was, uh, I think we're just getting started. Um, well Speaker 1 01:10:23 That, that's just it. Like how does it feel to, to to have gotten through that lull? Like sometimes you got, you gotta go through and you gotta, you gotta grow up and learn from your experiences. Speaker 2 01:10:32 Right? How, Speaker 1 01:10:33 How does it feel right now? Speaker 2 01:10:35 Right now it feels great, man. Like I'm sitting here, um, like the new song that's coming out and I couldn't be more proud. I, when I got the master back, um, I, I don't think I've ever been as excited about a song, like a song. And then, you know, we're already cutting, we're in already in the studio. Like, I was out, I was working till almost 10 o'clock last night. We were working on some of these new songs. And it just feels good to be that excited and also that confident in, in what we're doing. And I think just to be honest, like, and, and a lot of it's come from making those mistakes, right? Yeah. Learning you have to work. Gotta learn, man. Like, I'm one of those people that apparently learns be like, when I succeed it's because I failed 10 times before, but finally figured it like I'm a stubborn person. Speaker 2 01:11:29 But yeah. But same man. And honestly it comes down to, to also like, it, it comes down to more than just me in the aspect of, you know, I'm working with people that I'm fans of, you know, whether it be as riders, whether it be as, whatever this scenario is, but also like people that are truly believe in what, you know, what I wanted and, and what I see and what my vision is for, for what I want this to be and what I have wanted this to be. That was always a fight before. But the, the team that, you know, and it, and the places, the pieces that are coming together recently has just, it's been like, here we go. Like this is where we've been. You know? And it, and it, like I said, there was a lot of mistakes and a lot of missteps along the way to get here. Speaker 2 01:12:28 But honestly it kind of where I feel like I'm at right now and what we're about to bring, um, and what we're about to be able to let people see here and let people in on, I mean, personally speaking, I think, I just think it's, it's about to really shock some people and, and Right. And I couldn't be more excited and proud and, and hell yeah. Just thankful for the people, you know? Um, the people that are, that are with me and that are, that are also kind of helping guide me, but they're guiding me and helping. They're, but Speaker 1 01:13:10 They're also offering, they're offering their resources and you're, you're the brains, like they're Speaker 2 01:13:14 There, but they're also, they, they trust like where I'm at and trust what, you know, where my head is more of a collaborative effort than what you're, and so now it's like, instead of, no, this is what we should do, we should do it this way. And, and at the time years ago, me just being like, oh, okay, well if that's what you say, we should do it that way. I guess maybe, I don't think that's the right way, but you, you sh your, your job is to know that better than I do. That's not the approach with, with where we're at. It's more so, Hey, I've got advice, I've got, this is what I can offer, but this is yours. Like this is your lane and we are here to he like, we are here to help. And, and I think that's, you know, a big part of what it is. Speaker 2 01:14:00 Like, you know, like you guys have a camp, like y'all's camp right. Is cohesive. If, if that makes sense. Like it builds upon, builds upon builds. Like, you know, it's a really strong camp. It's a really tight-knit camp where, but everybody has the same goal. Yeah. Everybody has the same vision, the same goal. And and that's what, you know, I feel like I, I've had pieces of throughout, there's always been a piece of it, like with like with Rhett, there he was that piece, but there weren't those other pieces all working together. Yeah. It was like this, this was, you know, over here and then there was all this other aspect of that world, but this part of that world was here. But when it starts all coming together and everybody is on the same page, um, it just is a different feeling. Like, man, I'm excited when, you know, when even like social media, like I'm excited to post stuff. I'm excited. Yeah. Speaker 1 01:15:07 And social media's so huge and I think right now it's gonna give you like, and don't take this the wrong way, but it is like a, like a second life right now. Yeah. Because you had your, it is Speaker 2 01:15:15 Cause it has become so huge Speaker 1 01:15:17 Because you had your shit pop those years ago and now you're getting a chance to, to really get back out there, do what you fucking want to do. Right. And now there's all these different things. Cause back then Vine was a thing and you were around a lot of guys. I Speaker 2 01:15:30 Wasn't. Yeah. I was around a lot of the vine. You were Speaker 1 01:15:32 Around a lot of vines. Speaker 2 01:15:32 I was, I came in right at the death of Vine. Yeah. You were, Speaker 1 01:15:36 You like, you saw it tolerated. You saw what Luke you saw. Speaker 2 01:15:38 Yeah. But my buddies, my friend, like, so I had two of my really good friends around that time. Um, John and Luke, they had done crazy things on buy and that translated to when Instagram started popping Speaker 1 01:15:50 And, and now we've, and now we've got this two word TikTok. Yeah. Which is longer formed Vine Speaker 2 01:15:55 And the Speaker 1 01:15:55 Time and, and something that I don't understand, obviously I'm a big fan of it. Cause it is, it is changed. I Speaker 2 01:16:00 Don't understand it either. It changed trying real hard. Speaker 1 01:16:02 It has changed my life tremendously. It's changed the lives of a lot of folks around me. But I feel like as, and even now with Spotify, the way Playlisting works and this, that and the other thing, if there's a time for an independent to pop and to really see growth and to be able to get fans in different markets, like part of the reason I think you were toying the Southeast so much is because that's, that's all you really could do. It was hard to get someone from Omaha, Nebraska to know who the fuck Murphy was. Right. Now you got people listening for all over the world that know your songs. They don't, they don't just know the big one because if they're listening to that, it's gonna jump to the other songs that you've got out and it's gonna promote this new one that you've got coming and Right. Yeah. I mean man, I'm, I'm just really fucking excited for you cuz there's, there's, I can, I can just see this, this energy that's coming out right now. You've got a crew of co-writers that it seems like you're really like bd Brian Davis for example. Speaker 2 01:16:53 Oh man. Yeah. And he produces, like, he's, he's, he's one of the ones that like, you know, was somebody I looked up to for a long time and, and when I got to write with him for the first time, it was like a, you know, hard, hard not to fan girl a little bit and be like, man, I'm getting right with this guy. Cause I was such a fan of his as Speaker 1 01:17:12 A writer. I grew, I grew up listening to songs that this guy wrote. Yeah. Speaker 2 01:17:15 Me two. It's one of those moments. And then, and then come to find out like on top of that, he's one of the best dudes. Yeah. Just nicest guys. Um, but also just as somebody to look up to man. And he's a big part of, you know, of part of my team right now that, and he's been there since, you know, I basically was like, Hey, this, this other stuff isn't working. We cut ties with, you know, back Speaker 1 01:17:44 To the drawing board. Speaker 2 01:17:45 Back to the drawing board. Like the, I'm not doing what I even want to be doing in this industry. One Speaker 1 01:17:52 That's not working until I don't want to be doing it. Speaker 2 01:17:54 Right. That's a tough place to be. Right. And then the sec like, and it wasn't about, I don't want to be doing music. Like I love music. Like it's there, like there's nothing that I want to do more than seeing country music play Country music. Right. Country music. And it, there's just nothing that compares to that for me. It's, but there's something wrong when something that you're so passionate about becomes a negative feeling for a time. And then, so it was like, like you said, back to the drawing board, Brian came, um, we had written a couple songs together, we got along really well, um, and all that. But you know, he kind of was like, pitched the idea. He was like, man, what do you, what do you think about maybe me working with you? Like as from a producer standpoint and, and I was such a fan of his, it wasn't, I was, you know, we didn't, there was no business. Speaker 2 01:18:53 I was like, yep, nope. For sure. Yeah, absolutely. Um, so, but you know, the, we've released a few songs that, uh, I think four that, you know, he was a, he was a producer on, co-producer on, um, and you know, I I I look back on those and, and I don't have any regrets whatsoever. Um, but we hit our, we found like, we found we, and it takes time, you know, working with people and, and, but we just got to where, not that I'm, I'm very proud of the stuff that we've put Toge put out working together. Um, but when I tell you I heard the Master for this next song and then the roughs of the songs we're already working to get done to follow this next one. You find it cl like when it just clicks and he understands where I'm at perfectly. I understand, you know, where he's at. And we have that just cohesion. That's important. It's everything, man. I gotta tell you, I've, you know, I've been, I've been in this town for seven years Speaker 1 01:20:12 And he's been in this town double that time if not longer. Speaker 2 01:20:15 He's been in, yeah, he's been in town for a long time and he is been killing it. But, um, but I've had some really cool stuff happen while I've been here, you know. But I can honestly say I've never been more excited about what I get to do and excited for people to get to hear what is about to, you know, what, what's about to be going on. Yeah. When, when you I wake up dude, I just wake up and I'm pumped up. Yeah. Yeah. Do you, do you miss trying to, do Speaker 1 01:20:44 You miss doing shows as much as you were doing them? Absolutely. Dude, I'm, that's are are we getting Murphy Elmore shows soon? Like 100 hundred percent I'd be able to go somewhere. I mean, I probably won't because I'm out in the road doing, doing the, doing the damn thing too. But like, will people get to experience a Murphy Elmore show again? Speaker 2 01:20:59 100%. Man, that's because that's Speaker 1 01:21:01 Something I want for you too, is I want to see you out there doing your fucking thing, Speaker 2 01:21:05 Dude. That's where, which are good. That's, well thanks man. That's where I, that's my comfort zone is to be, to be out there and to be on a stage. That's where I feel like it really comes together for me. Um, and we, you know, we had a decision to make, um, cuz co like, and I hate to even throw the word out, but Covid jacked a lot of stuff up as far as that we had on the books. And, and even this year, which I thought was over, like, we had dates, you know, we had dates that they ended up going, Hey, we're, you know, it'd be this place or that place being like, Hey, we don't know if we're gonna be able to do this. So what we decided to do, or what I decided to do was, all right, I want to be on the road. That's where I want to be. But while this is, I want to build what I'm excited about and make sure that it's, Speaker 1 01:22:03 You wanna be touring this new music, Speaker 2 01:22:05 I want to be touring this new music. Yeah. And so when we hit the road again, I don't, I want it to be like, I want to hit it hard. Yeah. Like, I want to be out wherever, whenever. Speaker 1 01:22:17 Where's a place that you've played that you're excited to go back? Where you're like, I can't wait for the, for the go to this town. Probably a college town, cuz that be honest though are a lot of fun. Where's the college town where you're like, I can't wait to go in there and let this new shit rip? Speaker 2 01:22:33 Man, that's a tough dude. That's a tough question. I'll be honest with you. Um, I want to get back, I wanna get back to Tuscaloosa, something fierce. Um, that, that place will always hold a, like a, a special place in my heart. Georgia. I love, love playing in Georgia, South Carolina Speaker 1 01:22:54 States pro. Yeah. Speaker 2 01:22:56 South Carolina. I've, I loved, like, I love South Carolina, um, playing in South Carolina. Um, Starkville, I want to go like start Vegas. Yeah. Man, dude, there's so many places that, that I've gotten to play, whether it be as a headliner, as an opener that the fan base is like, it's a, that's a really tough question because honestly there's so many places that people are awesome, man. Like, do you Speaker 1 01:23:24 Get messages like, Hey, when are you come? And like I do, Speaker 2 01:23:26 I'm sure you've Florida Sure. You Florida's a big winner. Speaker 1 01:23:29 I'm sure you've been getting those for years now too. Yeah. With Speaker 2 01:23:31 Like, you talk about Speaker 1 01:23:32 Absolutely. That kind of drop mm-hmm. Where you've got your own shit going on behind the scenes where you're like, it's may not be the right, might not be the right time. Right. And then Covid hits you in the midst of that. But I'm sure a lot of the diehard fans that I remember seeing at the Musk and I merch table that I see at the Tre Lewis merch table that are, that are, that are ride or die with a lot of the acts can remember that time. Like the, like the Brandy Hewitts, the Lauren Far, like the, like those people, they're, they were supporting you hundred percent day once. Yeah. And then you go back out there, they're gonna, yeah, they're Speaker 2 01:24:01 Gonna be their, and for the record folks like those, those people, like those types of people are the reason that even when things weren't like, when I was frustrated about not how things were going or because even when like in a crazy way some at, at the time at our most, I guess, you know, popular point for that song, for whoever Brick, when it was like at his peak, like behind the scenes, I'm frustrated, like not frustrated with how that's going or frustrated with what we're doing out on the road. But just with some team, like team placement and stuff like that. And you know, there's, there's two things that, cuz I think anybody, if there anybody in this town is an artist, uh, is being honest or songwriter is being honest, there are days and I don't care how good things are going, there are days when you have to focus on your reasons for being here. Yeah. Speaker 1 01:25:02 You have to count 'em, you have to count 'em on your hands. Speaker 2 01:25:04 Yeah. And people like that. And the pa like the passion I have for it, but people like that, that are those ride or die fans, big worm Speaker 1 01:25:14 Babies, Speaker 2 01:25:14 I can't let them pe like I, I'm like, I mean, I ain't letting them down. Yeah. Like, I don't hundred percent come hell or high water. I don't care if this takes me till I'm 40 years old, it doesn't matter. I'm not going to, because they believe they don't have, they don't have to believe in me. They don't have to go listen to my music. They don't have to support me and come out to these shows. They don't have to do all this stuff. Right. They don't know, like, they don't, they don't have any stake in me outside of them just supporting me. So I refuse to throw a hissy fit and be like, well, I had a bad day. I'm not doing any, you know, or I had a, you know, a, a malfunction with, you know, the people around me or the circle that, um, as far as team and, and it, it just, nothing wa it, it wasn't perfect every single day. Like, so I'm done. Like, no, I refuse. So, and I think that's, you know, you have to get that p like you, the people that last in this town are the people that get, like, you have to, sometimes you have to find those reasons. And, and that's still even where I'm at right now. Like being so excited. You couldn't get me out of this town or out of this industry right now with a tank like you. Hey man, Speaker 1 01:26:34 Let's go. I you were Speaker 2 01:26:35 Looking for it. You better. You can come with all you got. And I ain't moving now, but those people are still a part of that. Yeah. Yeah. Those people are still a reason for that. Even, even outside Speaker 1 01:26:43 Of the, so I gotta wrap up with, with some, with some questions right here. Me wildest moment in Tifton, Georgia. Speaker 2 01:26:49 Oh man. Um, <laugh>. I don't know if I can say wild. Speaker 1 01:26:55 Yeah, you can, this is the, in the round podcast, you can say whatever the fuck you want. Speaker 2 01:27:00 I'm on stage and, Speaker 1 01:27:03 And this is the gin or terminal? Speaker 2 01:27:04 This is terminal. I'm on stage. There's a fight about to break out. There's boobs are out, which helps save second base. We're here for the tie ties. Um, but boobs are out on one side. There's a fight about to go on here and there's a projectile vomit happening all simultaneously, all at different points in this crowd. And it was literally like, you know, when you're playing and you're singing and you get lost in that moment, like for me at least, I get lost in that moment. But every now and then I crowd watch like I'm a people watcher too, and it was like, look, left fight about to break out. Look middle titties, look right. Somebody's like, like, you know, like a bobblehead over there. And just, and I, I remember being in the middle of a song and it was everything in me. I didn't know what to, I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, <laugh>. I didn't know what to whether, Speaker 1 01:28:12 Whether to draw attention to it, whether to just, yeah. Like, cause there's too much, Speaker 2 01:28:15 There was too much going on simultaneously. It was like they were on, it was like an like, they were all on a time. Like everybody's alarm on their phone just went off like it's time. You know? But, and I've seen some of that go on. Um, I've seen all of those things happen but simultaneously like, like it was on a timer. That's a moment. I think that was Speaker 1 01:28:36 The stars aligned for the Tifton Speaker 2 01:28:37 Shit show. Yeah. It show. Yeah. It was just like, like, I mean it was like somebody snapped their fingers and all these people reacted. Yep. And I've seen bits and pieces of all that. Um, Speaker 1 01:28:45 Yeah, shout out Tifton, Georgia. We love his son in the crew there, terminal south. Speaker 2 01:28:49 It's, Speaker 1 01:28:50 It's a spot that has been a staple on this circuit forever. Um, and nothing we gotta ask you. Speaker 2 01:28:55 That's a rowdy group of people, man. I love it down Speaker 1 01:28:57 There. Yeah. South Georgia, there ain't much to do, but drink, fight, and fuck. So there's a reason the Tifton, Statesboro and r i p Val, there's Speaker 2 01:29:04 A reason I can sell tickets down there. <laugh>. There's nothing. No, no man. Those people genuinely like, they uh, they love country music man. And they show up for, they show up for people whether they know who they are or they, they just, they just do and they get rowdy. I love. Yeah, Speaker 1 01:29:20 They do. Um, we're about to be, um, which you hooked, hooked, um, old TL up, uh, with, and I guess me and Alex and McElwain over there too with your buddy Red, the red rocket, um, and the red rocket. Yeah. Which red rocket means something if you're a dog owner, red rocket in this case means something different. Um, talk about Rev. Um, the bus driver. What do we have to look forward to because we're going out with him starting next week. Speaker 2 01:29:45 Well, first of all, I'm not fully sure he knows that's his nickname. Um, so if somebody slips and calls him Rev, try to come up with an excuse of why. But I'm pretty sure that that bus somehow Teleports places because d dudes drive like he'll get you where you're going. What's Speaker 1 01:30:09 His actual name again? Greg. Greg. Yeah. Greg. And he's, and he's and he's an Alabama boy as well. He's an Speaker 2 01:30:13 Alabama boy and he's, he's one of a kind, let me tell you that dude has got some stories, man. And, and don't worry. You're gonna hear 'em all. Whether or you Speaker 1 01:30:24 We're probably gonna make some we're with him for like a mo or he's with us for like a Speaker 2 01:30:28 Month. No, you're gonna make some. He's and he's uh, he's good people man. Like he's good people. Um, but it, it's kind of like being on a rollercoaster if when you're awake on, on the red rocket, like, I'll tell you this, we, uh, so as you guys know, we were on the bill with y'all like the Rock, the South Bill. Yep. We were all on and, and um, we left out our bus call that morning was super early. I think we were Wheels, wheels Out by 6:00 AM So bus loaded everybody on Gear. Gear and crew, band crew all on Bus by 6:00 AM Wheels rolling. Um, cuz we were originally thinking we, you know, we had to be sound checking I think at 10 or load in load in was 10. Um, and I was like, well we need to be wheels rolling by six because we're in a bus and it takes me three hours to get towards that part of the world and my truck. So we're on a, I mean I don't even know how big the buses are, but they're, I mean it's a full on tour bus. Yeah. Like they don't, they're not breaking land speed records. Yeah. Unless Revs driving. Um, yeah, because dude, I'm not kidding you. I Speaker 1 01:31:45 Is he a rumble strip guy? Speaker 2 01:31:47 Yeah. That's where Rev comes from. Hey, Speaker 1 01:31:50 Let's go. I, I know, I know some guys in our crew gonna be very excited about that. I'm looking forward to that. Um, can't wait. Speaker 2 01:31:58 Yeah, I've been here. Yeah, I remember we <laugh> and this situation's happened a lot, but I remember, um, that's an early morning for me usually. Um, Speaker 1 01:32:08 How is he driving through the night? Cuz we've got him on on some night drops. Oh, Speaker 2 01:32:11 I've never, it is, he's gonna get you there. Like you're getting there and you're gonna get there way faster than you anticipate it. But you're gonna get there fi like he's a, he's great man. He's my favorite. That's Speaker 1 01:32:23 What I'm saying, like overnight, like if there's nobody else on the road, like cuz I, I'm our driver in Speaker 2 01:32:28 The band. Unless, unless you're woken up by like, sounds, you know, unless you're woken up by strips Speaker 1 01:32:34 In the bunk. <laugh>. Speaker 2 01:32:36 Yeah. I mean there's an occasionally that, but you know, surprisingly it's a pretty peaceful ride and, and I don't know something about at this point that sound of it puts me out. It's the sound of diesel in that and it's Speaker 1 01:32:50 Like sleeping. It's like growing up next to a train track. Yeah. Can Speaker 2 01:32:52 Hear the train shit. But yeah, we, I got woke up to the bus stop and, and shortly after I'd fallen asleep, what seemed like shortly after, and I remember I looked at my phone because I was like, oh, we're here. That's why the bus is stopping. And I looked at my phone, it was 8:00 AM like on the dot 8:00 AM I was like, oh, we, we must have stopped if like for fuel something there's, there's no way. Um, but I decided to crawl out of like get out of the bunk anyway, so I get outta the bunk and uh, oh, I, I had to piss. So I go to the, I go to the front lounge like the bathrooms and the You gotta go towards the front lounge. Yeah. And I open the door and I see the stage out of the front window of the bus and we're already parked the whole nine. It's, if I'm moving in my truck, that's a two and a half hour drive. Yeah. If I'm moving, we got a tour, my guy gets a tour bus there and two hours flat. Yeah. Speaker 1 01:34:00 <laugh>. No, it's impressive. I'm excited to see cuz we've got some long drives coming up with him, so. Yeah. So let's talk about this, um, about this new song you got coming out. Um, Speaker 2 01:34:09 Oh man, it's Speaker 1 01:34:09 Called Talk Talk. You outta Speaker 2 01:34:11 Talk you into staying Speaker 1 01:34:12 Talk you into staying, not talk, you outta leaving. Well it's kind of what's talk you into staying. Speaker 2 01:34:16 It's kind of about talking somebody outta clothes. So it kind of, it's, you're not firm, but it's called Talk You into Staying Speaker 1 01:34:22 What Boy over here has to do at the bar every night he has to talk to them into staying by him not leaving. And that's when he whips out the little hand and Speaker 2 01:34:28 Yeah. That's where whips Speaker 1 01:34:29 Down some fireball. Speaker 2 01:34:30 Yeah. And that there's chloroform on those little hands. So do y'all just be careful with <laugh>? Speaker 1 01:34:34 I don't even think he, I don't even think he knows where to get that shit. So no <laugh>, but who'd you write the song with? Tell us the story about it. Speaker 2 01:34:41 Um, I wrote that song with Brian Davis and Mark Irwin. Hell yeah. Um, and both of those dudes are some heavy hitter songwriters, but that was my first right. With Mark Irwin ever. And uh, I remember I had this idea that I thought was, I was like, this is a hit song idea, right? Like, I was so juiced up about it and I get there, it was like a Monday or Tuesday, right. And, and um, I get there and of course I'm, I'm, I pitched that idea, right? I pitched the idea that I thought was this idea and, and neither one of 'em responded really to it. Um, they kept going like, yeah, what else we got? Um, <laugh>. So I was like, well dang, now I'm starting to get nervous cuz I'm a huge mark. Like Mark Irwin's got some, I mean, he's a, he's a monster, right? Speaker 2 01:35:34 Yeah. Like, and, and Brian's a monster, but I've known Brian for so long, we've been friends for so long. Yeah. The intimidating aspect of that is, is not as much there because we've, he know, like I know he knows he's worked with me enough and, and we're boys. So, um, but this was my first time ever even semi kind of meeting Mark Irwin. I was at Brian's house, um, we were writing in his studio, but it had snowed and, and Mark was kind of snowed in, so he was writing on Zoom. But so I th like, I'm not nervous at first because I come in with what I, I come in with what I think is a hit idea and, um, it just didn't respond. Uh, yeah. So how do you get to the, how do you get to the title? So I, I wanna say it was either Brian or it wasn't my title. Speaker 2 01:36:25 I will say that I know for sure. I can't remember if it was Brian or Mark that said, I got this idea talk you into staying. But Whenev, as soon as they said it, immediately it just starts shaping up and in my mind, and then with those dudes on it, man, I think the song came together. It, it came together super quick. I think may maybe like, probably of strict actual time riding we have in maybe an hour or 45 minutes to an hour of actually putting it. Yeah. It just came. Like, I That's awesome. The picture just immediately was clear of what, you know, what I, I wanted to say. And they were, that's where the page, we were all on the same page and it just came together. And those dudes, like I said, they're monsters, man, both of 'em. And um, and it was just such a smooth right. Speaker 2 01:37:15 And it was, you know, there's, there's a lot of songs where you leave the room and you're like, man, I think we got a good one. That was one of the ones that I knew before we work taped it. I was like, I have to have this song. Yeah. I want this song. I have to have this song. And, um, so Brian did, did a demo and we lived with it for, for a little while, um, just to, just to be sure, um, you know, just to try to objectively make sure that it was still everything that we all thought it was the day we wrote it. Yeah. And it, it just never, never, like, it kept standing up to every like every standard that we've, you know, we decided to put ourselves to where we feel like we should be Yeah. And what we should be doing and releasing. Speaker 2 01:38:06 And it's a, you know, it's, it's a higher standard and I'm the one of, it's one of the things I'm excited about for, for me personally in my opinion of some of, you know, I shouldn't say some of the work in the past, but just to make sure that this is where I want to go. This is where it's going. And it stood, it stood up to it and stood up to it and stood up to it. So, and, and like I said, walking outta that right was, uh, this is, I gotta ha I have to have this song. Oh yeah. And, and that's awesome. So it's been a, you know, it's been a, it's been a fairly easy decision on this. And um, Speaker 1 01:38:44 And the first of a few you got coming, right. Oh Speaker 2 01:38:46 Man, Speaker 1 01:38:47 That's awesome, dude. Hell Speaker 2 01:38:48 Yeah man. Speaker 1 01:38:49 I'm stoked. Well, the song comes, there's Speaker 2 01:38:50 About, there's about two albums worth that <laugh> that are like, and that's not how we're gonna do, you know, we're gonna do some ep like singles and EP stuff, but, uh, there's, there's prob we're sitting on about two full albums of like catalog content that, that I'm, it's awesome. Excited. Speaker 1 01:39:07 It's awesome, man. Well, excited. I'm proud of you and happy, happy to see you doing what you doing, bro. Man. I appreciate that man. And super. So where can people go to find you Speaker 2 01:39:15 Anywhere and everywhere? Instagram, TikTok, um, Facebook pages, Spotify, I mean, you know, our music's on every digital platform. Spotify. Oh yeah. Apple Music, Amazon, Pandora, um, all the ones that I probably might not even know about off the top of Speaker 1 01:39:32 There. Just my head. Lime, wire, MySpace, Napster, Speaker 2 01:39:36 If we made it to MySpace, if we went back in time to MySpace, I'm, I'm not gonna lie, I'm gonna be psyched. I don't <laugh>. Yeah. I don't know if that's even still like a running website. Speaker 1 01:39:47 I'm sure. I'm sure it's still out there, dude, but man, this, this was a pleasure to, pleasure, dude. Speaker 2 01:39:51 I'm stoked. Y'all finally had me, man. I was telling, uh, McElwain earlier, I was like, you know, not to fan like, to fangirl out too hard, but there's very, like, I love podcasts when I love podcasts, right. But I'm, for some reason Unrightfully probably a very harsh cri like critic of podcasts. So, um, but I was telling him, and, and it's the genuine truth. Like, I love watching this podcast and like listening appreci, appreciate that part. You never know. I love that it's re I feel like it's never just like, oh, this is what we're gonna say. This is how we're gonna say, I feel like it's always natural and real. That's Speaker 1 01:40:27 What we try to do, Speaker 2 01:40:27 Man. And always end up cracking up. And, and, um, so there's like three that, that I, that I actually really focus on. And this is, this is one of 'em. So I'm excited to finally get to, to get the, Speaker 1 01:40:40 And we, and we'll get you on another round here soon and Oh man, get your play. Get you. I'm gonna hold Speaker 2 01:40:45 You to it for Speaker 1 01:40:45 Sure, dude. No, absolutely bro. No, man. I love, love having you and all that. So you guys make sure to check out our boy Murphy Elmore, the brand new single talk you into staying, uh, co-written with the heavy hitters. Mark Irwin and Br and Brian Davis BD also produces Mr. Murphy El Omar. Oh yeah. Y'all be sure to check him out pre-order the shit out of it. Um, so these guys get some more money on iTunes, but also stream it. Tell your friends, tell your mama on them. Uh, all that good stuff. Big thanks to Murphy Elmo for joining us. Shout out to Sweet Boy, helping us put this one together. Sweet boy back there ladies. He is single. He may or may not have chloroform on his little hand, but uh, he is single. All you need to do to keep him breathing is Miller Light and Fireball. Speaker 1 01:41:25 He ain't, he ain't an expensive date ladies. You know, so shout out to Matt McElwain. Shout out to our sponsors, Saxton Studios, Grady Sackman and the boys holding it down out there. Mount Juliet, our boy, uh, Wales, Tony Whale, tail Media, Wales, Beezy, Gracie, the whole crew over there. We love you Wales. And then of course, um, a guy that's working with Murphy Elmore, working with us, working with a number of people here in town. Mitch Wallace, the pride of Tuka, Alabama. Oh, he is. Uh, he's got a new company called The Digital Marketing Agency. And if you're looking to grow your TikTok, your socials hit up. Mr. Mitch Wallace. Thank you guys for watching, uh, listening. However you're taking in this podcast, would really appreciate it. If you like, subscribe, give us a rating. If you think it sucks, give us one star. Still better than nothing. Um, and once again, my name is Matt Real. This has been the In The Round Podcast. Woo.