Speaker 1 00:00:13 What is up everyone? Welcome back to the In the Round podcast. You got Matt and Tyler here, what up? Hanging out today And uh, we got a great guest, one of our favorite humans here in Nashville. A guy that we really got to know this year. But nevertheless, one of our favorite guys in this damn town. One
Speaker 2 00:00:30 Of our kickball friends,
Speaker 1 00:00:31 One of our kickball buddies, a fellow Alabama native for you Boudreau Roll Tide. And, uh, we love 'em Gil. But real quick, gotta tell y'all about our friends at Trailside cbd. Now these guys, they've been blowing up, um, Trailside. It's really taken off. They've got CBD products, they've got hemp products, they've got Delta eight THC products, and uh, they've got a lot of things coming for you. They've got a rewards program in addition to the, uh, deals and promotions that we've been running with them, Tyler, which is, uh, very exciting. Uh, you guys are gonna want to go check 'em out. Tyler, you can talk about those CBD products.
Speaker 2 00:01:03 Yeah, I've been using some of the, uh, CBD gummies, um, helped me sleep at night, got insomnia and all and never sleep. And it actually helps me go to sleep whenever I gotta wake up in the morning. Been using some of the CBD oil to actually help whenever I don't have gummies. That helps a lot too. And I actually tried that, uh, thinking that you gave me that syringe of CBD stuff that you gave me. That was, I put it in a barbecue sauce the other day.
Speaker 1 00:01:27 Hey, there we go. Yeah, we're gonna be doing a Cookoff with that RSO oil. There's gonna be a Delta eight version coming out as well. And we're planning a big smoke out with some of our four 20 friendly friends of, uh, smoking Boudreau's gonna be competing in it, as well as some of our other buddies that we've had here on the podcast, in addition to Andrew, the founder of Trailside c d That's,
Speaker 2 00:01:47 I actually saw that Andrew and I have the same smoker today.
Speaker 1 00:01:49 Yeah, he's an Oklahoma Joe's guy as same, but hey, so you guys, if you want to get involved, Trailside c make sure you enter promo code itt r at checkout, 20% off your purchase. They got it all. Um, free shipping as well. Go hit 'em up trailside cbd.com and uh, go get yourself some greenery legally. It's awesome. Now we get to our guests, uh, one of our favorite buddies. Like I said, it's Mr. Trey Lewis. Trey, how the hell are you doing buddy? Doing
Speaker 2 00:02:17 Great, man.
Speaker 1 00:02:18 That's that dude, <laugh>. It's awesome. I'm glad, glad to be here. Finally, have you on a podcast. We've been talking about doing one of these for a while, and, um, you're honest to God, one of the most interesting dudes that I've met, because you're the life of the party, but like me, you are even more than me because I get my, my four 20 on. You're sober. Yeah. Like completely sober. And, but you, but you still find a way to be the life of the party. It doesn't take away from what you do on stage. You're out there gigging and grinding more than anyone I know in Nashville. Even with Covid going on, you found ways to do shows and, um, you, you got new music coming out. You got a whole lot going on, man. So let's back up. When did you move here to Nashville? I moved here
Speaker 3 00:02:58 In, in 2019. Okay,
Speaker 1 00:03:00 So you're still pretty,
Speaker 3 00:03:01 So January, so you're
Speaker 1 00:03:03 Still pretty fresh to being here?
Speaker 3 00:03:04 Well, maybe no, 2018. 2018. Okay. So I've been here two, almost two years.
Speaker 1 00:03:08 Okay. And you're from one of my favorite places to go in the Grace did Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham, Birmingham's awesome dude. And, uh, Tyler had always told me about it like that, that was like his spot where he'd go down and get Whataburger and, um,
Speaker 2 00:03:22 Yo, hold up, hold the phone. <laugh>. Sorry, I just got this news the other day. Did you know that? Right On the east side on I 20. They're building at Bucky's.
Speaker 3 00:03:32 No.
Speaker 2 00:03:32 Yes. Amazing.
Speaker 1 00:03:33 Oh,
Speaker 2 00:03:34 That's, so now we can go to Birmingham and get Bucky's and Water Burger. That's, it's just like we're in Texas again.
Speaker 1 00:03:38 That's a, that's a big deal. So growing up in Birmingham, were you like in the city area? Were you more out in the country? What was going, going on? I
Speaker 3 00:03:43 Was more, more in the city. Okay. Uh, I grew up in a town called Stevia. When I was like young, my parents, like my mom divorced, like when I was like three. So like, my mom met this guy, his name's Seth. He was like, like another father to me, you know, for like 15 years. But like, they bought a house in Savian. We lived there. But like all my family's from like Springville, which is more like out in the country.
Speaker 1 00:04:06 That's where they got swamp monkeys and stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:04:08 Swamp, right? Yeah. The Swamp Monkeys and all that stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:04:10 Hell yeah. So let's back up. And you're the first sober guest that we've had and it's something that I connect with you a lot. Yeah. Obviously I'm, I'm about four and a half years now for you. Um, if you're cool talking about it. Of course. Yeah. Talk about being sober as a musician, kind of what, what that process was like. Cuz it's what now? Like 13 years for you?
Speaker 3 00:04:29 Yeah. Going on 14. Damn. June, June 11th, 2007. That's my sobriety. Holy
Speaker 1 00:04:34 Hell. You do. Congratulations on that. Yeah, congrats on that. It's not easy to do that being in the industry that all three of us are in.
Speaker 3 00:04:41 Yeah. I mean, I find like it's like more awkward for other people than it is for me. Um, cuz I mean, I've been sober for a long time, you know, and it's like, I don't ever, like, I guess I don't put a lot of thought into it, like on a regular basis more than like other people do. You know? Like, I feel like it's like when you're, when I'm out, people are like, oh, but you don't drink. You know, like I'm judging them or something. It's more like awkward for them than it like, is for me, you
Speaker 1 00:05:09 Know? Yeah. Meanwhile, you're the guy. When we, when we play our writers rounds, which we, we had you at, at a round recently that, uh, ended up going semi vial. We'll get into that in a little while. Yeah. Um, but you're the guy that, that, that supports the, the pe other people up there with you having a good time. Like, if you wanna drink, go ahead, but it's just not for me kind of thing. What were kind of your steps with, with getting sober? If you could take us back and kind of open up on that.
Speaker 3 00:05:33 So, uh, I just, um, I mean I started drinking and all that stuff when I was really young, like 13. And, uh, I went really hard at it for like, I guess I got sober when I was 19. I was like in and outta jail and a couple of different, you know, like psycho, like, uh, psych wards. Yeah. And like, I just, like, I'm, I'm gonna need to get closer here, <laugh>. Um, but yeah, I mean, I was just like in and out of just like, just living the crazy lifestyle, you know? I was selling drugs and just doing it all. And then eventually it just reached that point to where like, I was like, all right, I'm sick and tired of doing this. It's not fun anymore. Um, I heard everybody that I love that was like closest to me. And, um, I just decided I was call my mom up one day.
Speaker 3 00:06:20 I was like, I'm ready to go get some help. And then three months later I finally went and got help because for me it was always like, I would make a decision, but like, I would never take the action to do it. And I finally went to, uh, this place called, uh, Bradford Health Services, which is in Warrior, Alabama. It's a treatment center for drug and alcohol addiction. And I was there for two weeks. And, um, when I was there, I had a couple of cool things happen to me, um, weren't cool at the time, but like in, when you're in treatment, like you have to like sit in these groups and it's, and it's like, you know, there's two counselors on each side, and there's always like that one guy in the group that like, tells the same story every day over and over.
Speaker 3 00:07:04 And you're sitting there and you're like, fuck, we've already heard this, you know? Yeah. But like this one day, this guy like told this story about him and his dad, how they just kind of had like a messed up relationship. And I don't know what it was, my, me, me and my dad, me and my dad were not very close during my drug addiction, but it just hit me like a ton of bricks. And for the first time in a long time, I like cried. Not like, not like to kind of cry where like, you're like trying to get attention or like measle my way out of a situation. It was like an actual, like gut felt, like honest cry from the depth of my soul. Like boogers and snot flying everywhere. And I just like, was like, something's gotta change. And that was like my aha moment.
Speaker 3 00:07:45 And then, um, I learned how to pray for the first time. Like, I knew about growing up and like praying and stuff like that, but I never saw the necessity for a relationship, for a relationship with a higher power until I was like, absolutely beat down. So I started doing that, and then, um, my mom sent me this letter, I'd gotten some trouble with the law, and she was like, you can't come home until your, you know, court date or your sentencing. So they told me about this halfway house in Bessemer, Alabama. So I, I went there and, uh, I was there for six months and you know, they made you go to the 12 step groups and get a sponsor and work the steps and all that stuff. And I just went through that whole process and through all that, like my life started to change.
Speaker 3 00:08:28 And, and, um, that's like, that's like the short of it basically. Um, but when I was nine months sober, I went and made amends to my father. And, um, he told me just to keep doing what I was doing. I mean, like, I had stolen money from him. It was, you know, our relationship was screwed up. And, uh, he asked me, he was like, if you want to, you can come, come, you know, you can come live with me. And I went and lived with him. And, uh, during that process I was working at a smoothie shop making smoothies and sandwiches. That was my first like, real job. And I had a car. And uh, I decided, uh, with my whole paycheck, I called my grandfather. I was like, I think my paycheck was like probably like 350 bucks. It wasn't, I was making like minimum wage. Yeah. You know all about that. I heard you talk about that. You know, we, we've,
Speaker 1 00:09:15 We've all been there
Speaker 3 00:09:15 Like eight 50 an hour or something, you know? Yeah. All right. I think it was seven 50 back then. Yeah. But anyways, he was like, uh, I was like, I wanna buy a guitar. My grandfather was like, well, if you put up half, I'll put up the other half. And I went to the guitar center up the street and I bought like, uh, Epiphone Hummingbird, that red guitar, you know? Oh yeah. Man, this is great. And uh, I'll never forget I brought it home. My dad was like, that's great, Trey, just another thing you waste your money on. Like, he was supportive of it. But like, I always like did all these things, but like I said before, like I took, I would make all these decisions, but I would never take action, you know? And then like, before you knew it, I was like playing chords and like, I think like one of the first songs that I played on guitar was like a Wonderwall by Oasis. And my dad just thought it was like, so cool. He was like, man, he's really got something going on here. You know? Yeah. And, uh, so I mean, that's basically it. Like how is it playing music sober? Like, well, I don't really know how it is to play music drunk, because Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:10:16 It's, I mean, that's kind of a blessing. Yeah. Like that. And it's really, I mean, you talk about the higher power and like everything kind of happens for a reason. You getting cleaned up and kind of finding yourself mending that relationship with your, with your dad and building that relationship with the higher power something I did too. Yeah. You know, I, I, I first got sober at, at 19 and then, I mean, I've, I've fell off a couple times, but I've been, I've been sober now since I was 21. And I mean, to, to not, because the hardest thing I've, that I've heard from folks in the music industry, they've gotten sober is being on stage and not having the drink in your hand. You never had to really, you never did, did the whole music thing with the boo, with the sauce with you, you know? Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:10:55 And it was, it was, it was a whole gradual thing. Like, um, it was, um, there was times where it was weird. Like, I remember like a few years ago I really started, um, getting some opportunities and I don't think I, I was really ready for those opportunities, um, as far as like, um, who I was as an artist and, um, like being in those environments. Like, even I did a show with Muscadine at, um, Zydeco, and they sold it out. It was like right around Christmas, you know, now every year it's at Iron City. But like, I really wasn't ready for that, I don't think. Like, but like, I opened for like a bunch of people and, um, it was just like this gradual like, um, process. Like I don't regret those things, but I'm, you know, I'm grateful for 'em. But like, it took me a while of like going out and I think really, like, once I got those opportunities and they were what they were, like, that's when the rubber really hit the road.
Speaker 3 00:11:55 And like, I was like, I really love doing this, and like, I want to do it for a living one day. So like, I just, I remember one day I was playing this, um, I was playing this thing called Birmingham born at Tin Roof, where it's like, you know, you play like an hour set, you're from Birmingham, you know? And like, it was at like 11 o'clock in the morning and I was like, this sucks. There's nobody here. Nobody gives a crap. And as soon as I got done, this guy walked up to me and he was like, man, I think you're awesome, dude. He was like, I'd like to book you at all the 10 roofs. And then I started playing all the 10 roofs and then, you know, I've had this, I had a band for, you know, probably since 2014. And, um, you know, so we're like kind of cooking a little bit and then all of a sudden we're playing all these 10 roofs and it's four hours straight, no breaks. So like I feel like that doing that, it's really strenuous work, but like, I feel like doing all that, like really prepared me on like how to entertain a crowd, how to like, keep the energy up. Cuz you have to keep the energy up. You can't like, you know, fall off. You know how it is on Broadway. Oh yeah, man, you gotta
Speaker 1 00:13:03 Keep it going. And I mean that, I mean, there you talk about like those four hour gigs, that's what a lot of folks do when they come to town. They get on Broadway and it's, it's tough to kind of break out of that circuit because that circuit pays so well. Yeah. You know, and yeah. And I know you still do some of those four hour, you just don't go out and do those four hour gigs, whether it's it's a tin roof or it's a floor Alabama. Yeah. Or any of those places. Well, like,
Speaker 3 00:13:24 I take a lot of pride in it now. Yeah. You know, when I, when I first started it, I was like, this really sucks, you know, but like now that, like, we'll go out and do a four day weekend, you know, just me, my, my drummer Matt McElwain and my, my guitar player, Terry Adams, and my bass player, uh, Josh McElvoy or Mitch Gosey, depending on who we got that weekend, <laugh>. But, uh, you know, we'll just go out and we'll just, you know, we all load in the stuff together. We all load out the stuff together. If, if we play a frat show or, you know, whatever. And, uh, we all take turns driving and it's just like, we just do it and we don't complain about it. Cuz we're happy to be making the living doing, you know, playing music. Sounds very familiar. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:14:05 <laugh>. Yeah. Honestly, I mean, you're, you're paying those dues and, you
Speaker 3 00:14:09 Know, like, like Sunday coming home, it's like, man, this sucks. You know? Yeah. But like, you know, but like, when you're like, you know, pounding each other, like, man, last night when this or that happened, you know, like the camaraderie of all of it is just like, yeah.
Speaker 1 00:14:24 It's, it's kind of similar to being on a sports team, you know, like when you're in high school, when you're traveling from town to town playing football or something like that. Um, so for you, what inspired the move to Nashville? Because you're, you're still going back to them. I know some of your, your, your band guys are still down there in Bama mm-hmm. <affirmative>, a lot of your, your, like a lot of the, your, your businesses down in Alabama. What inspired the move to come up here?
Speaker 3 00:14:45 Well, so, all right, so to kind of give a backstory is I learned how to play guitar and then, um, in the 12 step groups, I started sponsoring people and I sponsored this guy. Uh, he was my first Spee ever. And, uh, he played guitar, like he was really good at guitar. I'm gonna mention his name. His name's Bryant, Stu Bryant Stewart. And, um, we just, he was around my age and you know, he got sober. I got sober when I was 19, and I think he was 19 at the time. I was like 20. And he played guitar and he was in a rock and roll band called, uh, it was called like, uh, Eli Thomas or something. And, uh, he had a friend up here that had a studio over on, um, it was like, uh, 16th and Edge Hill, like right by, um, taco Mamasita, like right in front of that.
Speaker 3 00:15:30 Oh yeah. And, uh, he was like, dude, let's go up to Nashville. I'm, we're working on our album. And I was like, I went up there with him and I had like some terrible songs that I'd written. They weren't terrible, they just weren't like the format or anything. And I played 'em for this, this guy named West Shaw. And he was like, dude, I think you have a great voice. So like, little by little I started coming up here to Nashville and recording, you know, like, and the recordings, you can hear like the rim shot on the drums, you know, just like sonically just like a mess. But I just remember driving back to Birmingham and just listening to that song on repeat, like hearing myself coming outta the speakers was like the coolest thing ever. And then around the time I had met this girl, but, and I went back, I dropped outta high school and I got my G E d and I started working at Bradford, the place that, um, I went to treatment at.
Speaker 3 00:16:20 So like, I had my kind of had felt like I kind of had my life together. And then, uh, Wes called me up one day. He is like, man, I got tickets to this C m a fa or c m a award show. He was like, do you want to go? And I was like, heck ke I want to go. And so I left work on like a Wednesday night. I worked like second shift and I drove up and went to the award show and then I had to be back at work on, on Friday. So it was like, what, while I was up here, he was like, dude, if you'll just like move up here for like a month, then like, we'll do an album. And he was like, I'll fun the whole thing. And you know, so I went back home and I talked to my parents and everybody was with me.
Speaker 3 00:16:58 They were like, yeah, go do it. And uh, you all right over there? Yeah. I'm good, man. Yeah. These allergies, dude. Yeah. So I, I, I loaded down my truck and I came to Nashville and, and you know, and I quit my job. It was like on Thanksgiving day I worked my last shift and then drove up to Nashville and um, I ended up, um, staying up here for about six months. And, uh, we did a whole recording thing and I met this guy named Aaron Lee. And I met this other guy named Nolan Neal. And those guys that were like, they both had pub deals and, um, they were just really nice to me, you know? And because sometimes Nashville's not a warm place. No. You know. Yeah. It
Speaker 1 00:17:38 Definitely has, has its people that are, that are comforting and then it's people that are very standoffish.
Speaker 3 00:17:42 Yeah. But like Aaron and, and and Nolan, they really didn't want anything from me. They just like, liked who I was as a person and like believed in me. And like, I feel like that kind of like instilled in me cuz like, I feel like I do that now to people that, you know, like the one thing my dad used to say all the time is like, you can easily judge a man's character by, you know, by like the person that can do nothing for him. You know, like how he treats that person. And like, that's just kind of always stuck with me cuz that's what those guys did to me. Um, but uh, so we did all that and then I moved back home and then ended up getting married and, um, I worked at, went back to work at Bradford and one thing Aaron told me, Aaron Lee, he said, um, his dad was like a massive hit songwriter.
Speaker 3 00:18:27 His dad wrote like, uh, don't make my brown eyes blue. And like Crystal Gale, you know, like, uh, he is got some Reba cuts too. And uh, he's a great songwriter. He is. Had a bunch of stuff like placed on TV and, and, and stuff like that. And uh, actually cut a lot of his songs on that first record. And um, but, uh, and we wrote a lot of songs together. And, um, but he told me, cuz I was like thinking about moving to Nashville then, and he was like, nah dude, you don't need to move up here. You need to go home and like, build your base there and, and do all that. And I took his advice cuz like he was a, you know, I feel like he had my best interest at heart. And I, and I moved home and, and I just started playing like acoustic show at this place called Kelly's in Lakeview.
Speaker 3 00:19:11 It's a across from Mos Barbecue. I know y'all heard about those barbecue? Yeah. Oh yeah. And it was small dude, it was probably like 30 people could fit in the restaurant. I think it's a vape store now. And, um, I played there every Friday and Saturday night for three years. Wow. Yeah. For three years. And, uh, then I, then I ventured out, I got a gig at the Mexican restaurant in Hoover and then they had, um, they had, they had like four different locations. So I started playing all those and then I, um, started putting a band together. But fast forward, like I started getting all those opening shows. Like I did the radio shows, you know, where the artists will come in, do like a 45 minute acoustic set. And, um, I decided that, uh, I went, you know, I, I just, things started to pick up and I was working at Bradford and they were like, Hey, uh, we either need you to be here when you, you know, you say you're gonna be here.
Speaker 3 00:20:05 Cuz I was like taking off work to like go do all this music stuff. And I finally gotten to the point to where I thought I could like actually make a living play music. And I was like, it's cool. I think I'm just gonna quit. And right around the same time as like, um, I was married, um, and my, my ex-wife started, um, we were both sober and she started drinking again. And, and it just, things got really bad. And, um, and I, I've never, like, throughout my 13 years of sobriety, I've never, like, I was talking to Alex Maxwell about this yesterday on the way back from the studio, and I was like, the thought to drink never crosses my mind like a good eye. Like never, it is never like, seems like a good identity to me. Um, it's just like that problem's been removed, but like, there's only been a few times where I've really honestly thought about drinking. And that was it for me. You know, like when I was going through all that with my ex-wife and I had to make a decision that was, you know, best for me. And, and, um, we got divorced and, um, I discontinued on in Birmingham and we were traveling all over the southeast playing a lot of the tin roof shows, frat shows, you know, whatever. And what's
Speaker 1 00:21:18 Your, what's your favorite frat show?
Speaker 3 00:21:20 Oh man. I think you
Speaker 1 00:21:21 Could think of one. Cause I know it's hard. Like
Speaker 3 00:21:22 I have, I have a few different college campuses. I, I can't say which one's my top, but like, I, my top three are states, bur states, bur borough, states, borough, Georgia State, bur State Bur Statesboro, Georgia, um, Auburn, Alabama, and, uh, Starkville, Mississippi. Hell
Speaker 1 00:21:40 Yeah. Yeah. I
Speaker 3 00:21:41 Look, I, I like, I hate Mississippi as a state, but like Starkville is pretty lit.
Speaker 1 00:21:46 I, I feel like that's a common opinion amongst folks from Alabama. Yeah. Yeah. But it's funny because Alabama folks tend to end up with Mississippi girls. Look at our boys on Musker. Yeah, look at, look at me, look at me,
Speaker 3 00:21:56 Look at me. Look, you know,
Speaker 1 00:21:57 Up with Ashley or they end up with Texas, you know, they go a little bit farther west, like in Boudreau's case, you know. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:22:02 You know, <laugh>, we actually, we actually played a, um, Corona, um, sorority party, uh, like two weeks ago in Starkville. Dude, it was so weird. Like, <laugh> what? Yeah, so they had to bring like the, they had to bring them in in waves. So we played for like four hours straight, but like the first wave was like the freshman and it was like all awkward and weird, like they didn't know how to act. And then the second wave was like, you know, the next class and that was pretty lit. And then the third party that came in, there wasn't a lot of 'em, so it was like super weird. And then the seniors came in and it was just like, we actually even played for an extra 30 minutes just cuz it was so lit. You know, <laugh> like, I think I put, I think I put something up on my, um, on my Instagram story and, and I think like Trey team was like, what's Coronavirus? You know, question mark. <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:22:51 Lord man. Yeah. What's it, what's it been like going out there playing shows in 2020? Cuz there's not a lot of people that have been able to do it.
Speaker 3 00:22:57 Um, it's been weird. Um, definitely for sure. Um, it's not the same. There's parts of it though that I do enjoy. Like, we went to, um, we went to Columbia and then we went to Raleigh for three nights and we just went like acoustic three piece. We went me on guitar, Terry on Electric, and then Matt on this like, um, on his drum box and like this small high hat and like this really small snare. Um, which has been kind of cool because like usually the crowd's like all in your face and they're like super drunk. They're like, you know, we had this one girl that was like, uh, can you play a picture by like Kid Rock and shell crow? And then like, I just pulled it, you know, pulled it out and just started playing it. Like I didn't really know the song that good. And she was like, this is my part. And I was like, I can already tell that I'm not gonna like you <laugh>. And then like 10 minutes later she got kicked out. So
Speaker 1 00:23:49 <laugh> you love
Speaker 3 00:23:50 To see it. She like threw a drink. Um, Aw. But yeah, it's definitely been weird, um, for sure. Um, but there's been cool parts where you can like, interact with the crowd where in like a full band setting you couldn't, so, um, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:24:03 There's Silver Linings to 2020 and I know it's been like a common thing that me and Tyler have talked about and I've, I've talked about with a lot of people. And one of my silver linings for 2020 is meeting, meeting you in this whole gang of, I don't know whether to call it hashtag no hits, cuz has he got like, Alex, Cody Dawson, all those boys in there, Trey Bonner, all those guys, B D T. But then you throw in the, I I mean I have like a whole new Alabama family. Yeah. And and it lives at your house. Yeah. And it's like yourself, clay Barker, Ella Langley, and of course old Mitch and his, his wild little dog, Sam. Yeah. Not so little dog, but, um, how'd you get to know those three?
Speaker 3 00:24:39 Uh, down, uh, so, um, uh, let's see. Um, I guess Clay started like, um, playing, playing music, like, I don't know. Anyways, Mitch was dating, I don't know if he was dating or hanging out with Hailey Galloway. Okay. Which he used to sell the stuff for, um, for 65 South. And she called me one day, she was like, Hey, I've got this guy Clay Barker, he's trying to get some gigs. Will you help him get some gigs? And I was like, yeah, sure. You know, like my thing, like I said, if you think he's good and you believe in him, like I'll listen, you know, I'll listen to it. And you know, if he, she's like, he's a good dude, I think he's talented, like he's sweet as can be. Let's do it. And I was like, yeah, I mean, I, I I can't like get you gigs at like Madison Square Garden, but like, I don't mind like helping him get gigs where I can get gigs, you know?
Speaker 3 00:25:30 And I think it was like Moe's barbecue in Auburn and like a few other ones. And then we just kind of became friends that way. And then we did a show at, um, it's like a standup place, like standup comedy play, I think it's called Standup Live in Huntsville. And it was like, uh, me, Ella Clay and, um, cam Spanks and Reid Hall, and we did like this writer's round thing there. And there was probably like maybe 50 people there. Not a lot of people, but we all kind of met that night. And me and Mitch just kind of like became friends on the phone and like, I had already moved up here and, um, they were like, we're thinking about moving in August. I was like, well, let's get all, get a place together. And then we just kind of all moved in, not really knowing each other that well. We knew of each other and we'd been to like, uh, some shows together and stuff. And then like the first week it was just me and Ella. So me and Ella were there for a whole week together and we just really got to know each other. She, she's
Speaker 1 00:26:28 Like your baby sister.
Speaker 3 00:26:29 She's like my baby sister dude. Like, exactly. Um, and we just really got to know each other real, real well. And it's been fun, man. Like, you know, they, they, when we first moved in there, it'd be like, do you like living with us? And I was just like, I was just ecstatic that somebody liked living with me and we weren't like, oh God, what have I moved myself into, you know, <laugh>. Um, but, uh, man, it's been great. It's been, uh, I mean, I, I honestly, like, I'm thinking about buying a house like within the next year, and I hope that when I buy that house that they'll come live with me. You know what I mean? Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:27:02 Like, there you go. Yeah, absolutely. Now talking about songwriting for you, I mean, it seems like there's a lot of, there's a lot of songwriters that are in Alabama and stuff, but obviously, I mean, not to the level that are in like Nashville or Austin or any of these big like music cities for you, what was co-writing early on? Like?
Speaker 3 00:27:18 So the thing for me was like, you know, I had the first stint where I lived here and did the whole thing and I wrote with, you know, Aaron Lee and, and, and Nolan Neal, which they're great writers and, and like beyond light years of what I was at the time, and probably still am, but um, I would always come up like travel to Nashville to get good songs, you know. And then, um, when, when all that my stuff, all my life kind of went to hell in Birmingham, I was like, man, I kind of wanna like, move to Nashville and like become that songwriter. You know? Like my goal was is like, I wanna be that guy that people in Birmingham call up and be like, Hey man, I got this guy that like needs some songs. Would you mind like, you know, sitting down with him and writing some songs with him, you know, or like, figure out what I want to say in a song.
Speaker 3 00:28:11 Like, learn how to do that. And like, I thought that like, the way I looked at it was like, you know, like living in Nashville versus living at home was like going to like the grocery store versus going to Walmart. You know, like you can go to Walmart and get all your shit, you know, or you can just go to the grocery store and get some of it. Then you gotta go to Dollar General and buy your paper towels and all that stuff, you know, or you can just go to Walmart and get it all. So I just felt like putting myself here was like the best thing I could do to become a better writer. And, and, um, when I first got here, it was, um, I met Agata and Kyle Colihan. We opened a show for Riley Green together and we just became like, kind of like phone friends before I even moved up here. And when I moved up here, he took me around and Hevi, you know, he, he, uh, introduced me to all the freak show people. Um, music Grow Freak show. Yeah. <laugh> on Wednesday nights.
Speaker 1 00:29:05 Yeah, dude, that's a fun round. I enjoy those
Speaker 3 00:29:07 Folks. You know, like Terry Joe, I think like my first co-writing in town was with Terry Joe Box and Kyle Colihan. And, um, I didn't know who she was. And then I left and like looked her up and saw that, you know, she wrote a lot of the, you know, like bible in a 44, like the, you know, the Ashley McBride stuff. Yeah. And I was like, holy shit, you know, <laugh>, I probably could have done a lot better in that, you know? And then like, it was like, uh, on Super Bowl Sunday we went to Clint Daniel's house and like watched the Super Bowl, didn't know who he was, you know, and he wrote like, some of it by like Eric Church, you know, and like Broken Hearts feel. And I was like, holy crap. And we got, like, me and Kyle had a co-write with a guy that we met at that party.
Speaker 3 00:29:47 So Kyle was just like, really good to me. Um, in that sense, when I first moved to town, he didn't have to do that, you know. Um, but there was other things, like I met this lady named Tracy Moore through, um, my guitar player, Terry Adams. He's an incredible songwriter. We wrote a whole lot of Nothing Together. My last, uh, single before all like the quarantine work tapes, like my fir you know, like real single, um, fully produced. But, uh, she would set me up on these blind writes with people. And then that's how, like, I wrote the song Believer with Alex Scofield, like I'd never met him, walked into a room. He was from Michigan, you know, we just sat there and talked. He talked about living in his van and like an office space when he first moved down here. And like, then we wrote Believer Together, which is like one of my favorite songs. Yeah, dude, that's
Speaker 1 00:30:34 A smash. That's a smash.
Speaker 3 00:30:35 And it's all real, it's all true. And it's all
Speaker 1 00:30:37 In the heart. Yeah. That's something that, that's something with, with you. I mean, they, some people talk about, like, when you're a songwriter, you have to live through some stuff. Yeah. You've lived through quite a bit of shit, and like, you find a way to convey it into two and a half, three minutes, sometimes four minutes. Like, you, you find a way to do that as a writer, which is, which is badass and awesome. Yeah. Yeah. How'd you get to meet Maxwell and all those dudes?
Speaker 3 00:31:00 Matt McKinney, <laugh>
Speaker 1 00:31:01 Old skinny McKinney baby. Skinny
Speaker 3 00:31:03 McKinney dude. And, um, I mean, I, I don't, I mean, I told him when I came on here, I was gonna gas him up. So let's, let's
Speaker 1 00:31:11 Just, let's talk about Skinny. Let's talk about Skinny for a little bit.
Speaker 3 00:31:13 You, both of you guys know McKinney really well. <laugh>,
Speaker 1 00:31:16 Like, I, I get texts from him cause that go from anything to, I talk about life with him. We talk a lot about sports, although he's in Atlanta and Yeah, like a Southern sports fan. I'm a New Yorker, but, um, McKinney is a great dude.
Speaker 3 00:31:28 Yeah. He's a, he's just a solid human. Uh, osa Okay. So there's this place called, uh, sky Bar in Auburn. Y'all heard of it?
Speaker 1 00:31:35 Oh, everybody's heard of Legendary. Legendary.
Speaker 3 00:31:39 So, uh, we do, like before, before Covid BC that's what I call it, before Covid, <laugh>, uh, we played it, um, sky Bar probably twice a month, sometimes, you know, once a month. And, um, one night I was playing at Sky Bar and I guess Matt had played at mo's. And after Mos he came down to Sky Bar and I was in there. Like, I had this thing where like, I changed the lyrics to songs because like playing cover songs for so many years to have fun with it. Like, I gotta say some off the wall shit. Yeah. And like, I was playing Big Green Tractor and I said, I'll take you for a ride on my, on my big tally Wacker <laugh>.
Speaker 3 00:32:16 And he was just like, McKinney came up to me and he was like, man, you know, uh, he was like, that's great, great set. You know, I was like, I was like, hell yeah man. You sounded great at MO'S or something. I can't remember. I think I'd have went up there. Fast forward, I'm living up here and I'm out at Revival one night, and here comes this tall, some bitch walking up to me and he is like, dude, I saw you play at Sky Bar. And uh, honestly, I did. I like, I only remember bits and pieces of that night and like, I'm sober, you know what I mean? But like
Speaker 1 00:32:46 Four, four hour cover gigs, you tend, they, it's
Speaker 3 00:32:48 Just like they all run together. Yeah. They
Speaker 1 00:32:49 All blend together. Absolutely. After a
Speaker 2 00:32:51 While after doing it, you just check out.
Speaker 3 00:32:52 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But like, it's like muscle memory, you know? Yeah. It's just
Speaker 2 00:32:56 Like, all right, I'm putting on an autopilot for like the next 10 songs,
Speaker 3 00:33:00 Whatever. And uh, and, and, and from that moment on, me and Matt McKinney were friends, like, from that night at Revival, like, I think, uh, one other night we like started at Dogwood and then we went, oh, we came all the way up to like, winners and losers and we hung out there. And at the time I had a girlfriend, so like, and he was single, so like, it came a point to where like, I had to leave. But, uh, but, uh, he was, uh, we were, uh, we just became friends after that and we didn't really write together that much. We wrote like one song together, but like, like you said, we were just friends. And then, um, and then like Ella and them moved to town and I was like, dude, you gotta get in a song with Ella. And y'all had Ella on the podcast and she told the story about how it got broken up with text and they kind of finished the song together. Uh, one of the guys. But, um, dude, Matt McKinney is just like such a special dude. Like, he brings people together from different, all walks of life that would never cross paths, you know what I mean? And like, that's like, I, to me, that's like a cool trait to have, you know? Oh,
Speaker 1 00:34:08 Ab absolutely.
Speaker 3 00:34:09 And like his writing skill is like so versatile. He can do any of it, you know? Yeah,
Speaker 1 00:34:13 For sure. No, he's, he's a great dude. And I, I've definitely had some good times in my short time of knowing him and look forward to many more. And, uh, I mean that, that whole, it's just crazy how like, we've all lived in town for like a little while and we all just kind of met through kickball, through freaking, just hanging out, watching NASCAR on Sundays, watching football at y'all's place, and just fantasy football. Like whatever we've, like y'all are the people I talked to most.
Speaker 3 00:34:38 Yeah, dude. Cuz we coulda easily just played kickball together and that would've been it. Oh yeah. You know, but it
Speaker 2 00:34:44 Was so fun out there.
Speaker 3 00:34:45 <laugh>. Yeah. It's like, let's, let's do fan, you know, it's like, let's do a fantasy football or,
Speaker 1 00:34:50 Yeah. And now we see each other. Like, when, when, I mean, usually you're, you're outta town and we see Ella a lot because like, y'all are out gigging a ton and ll will be home or like, whichever one of y'all is home, we always like, get together on the weekends and stuff. I mean, it, it's, it's a cool, fun group. What was, um, your first experience playing a Raiders round? Like going from playing covered shows to, I mean, I know you were doing acoustic shows for a while, but what was it like, just like being in Nashville, being amongst your peers and people that can really pick out talent and stuff like that to be up there playing a few of your
Speaker 3 00:35:22 Originals? Well, my first writer's round when I moved here was freak show. And, uh, I appreciate Terry Joe for that. But like, I played last <laugh> at like, you know, 12, so like everybody was drunk, so it didn't really matter, you know? Um, and like, my experience from like, playing on the road, you know, being on the road and stuff, like, I don't know, I just have this thing where like, people always ask me, do you get nervous when you go on stage? You know, I'm just like, well, I've been doing this for, you know, roughly 10 years and all I'm gonna, all I'm gonna be on stage is all I am, you know what I mean? Like, I've, you know, prepared as much as I can. So like, there's no reason to be nervous, just get up there and do your thing. And, um, but like, so I wasn't really like nervous or anything like that.
Speaker 3 00:36:10 It was just kind of like, well, I did that, you know? And then like slowly I would, sometimes I'd play rounds and even still this day, sometimes I'll play rounds and people don't give a shit, you know? But like, I try to play every round that everybody asked me to do it. Cuz like, the truth is, is like, no, do I wanna play covers for the rest, rest of my life? Hell no. You know, like, so I just feel like somehow, maybe somehow some way I'm gonna play one of these rider rounds and somebody's gonna hear my shit and like, see the way that I am and like be like, Hey, let's get this guy like, doing something else, you know? But like, um, um, you good over there, <laugh>? I'm good. I'm good. But like, uh, but you know, like, I, like some nights I'll play and people will love it, and then some nights they don't.
Speaker 3 00:36:51 And, and, and, but nothing really changes with the, you know, with the formula or anything. I'm just doing me, you know? Um, but, uh, I kind of forgot what I was gonna say. Um, but yeah, I mean like Terry Joe just kept like putting me in the lineup like earlier and stuff like that. But I'll never forget, like Barrett babe, y'all know who he is. Oh yeah. He wrote, um, uh, the Nothing On You Song Long, and he's written like plenty of other great stuff. But like, I knew that he wrote that. And then there's this guy named Dennis Drum, and he's Barrett's guitar player and I've known him for years through Nolan that produced a lot of, a lot of my stuff, you know, up until this point. Um, but I knew Dennis and like, I knew who he was and I was like, man, that guy's fucking cool, you know?
Speaker 3 00:37:39 And like, I'll never forget, I played, um, a whole lot of Nothing, which is a song I wrote with Terry Adams before I ever moved up here. And it's probably even still to this day, one of my favorite, like most like, um, me and him wrote that song outta pure frustration with like, everything in the music business and like all that stuff. And I'll never forget it. I played it and when I got off stage, he walked up to me and made it a point to like shake my hand and was like, dude, that song's awesome. And like, I don't know, I just feel like having that validation from your peers or people that are doing what you're doing that are way better, um, than you at what you're doing. So like, it was like all the validation that like I needed because like some days like you're playing these writers' rounds and you're doing two and three rights a day and you're just grinding it out and you're like, you know, most, you know, most of the time you're like, fuck, do I just need to move home? You know, like, what am I doing? You know? And then you get that little nugget and it's like, okay, I'm, I'm, I'm here. I'm in the right place, you know, I, I just need to keep on keeping on.
Speaker 1 00:38:38 And there's, there's a number of Tre Lewis songs I'm a big fan of and, um, a number of your songs. And I'm planning on getting lyrics from one of 'em freaking put on, put underneath my sobriety tattoo right here. But you talk about like frustration and the thought of moving home. You got a song called Taurus Town. Yeah. That is really freaking cool. Yeah. What, what went into that one? That was one you wrote with McKinney, right? I wrote
Speaker 3 00:38:57 It with McKinney and Alex Maxwell. Hell yeah. For those of you don't know. Shameless plug Alex Maxwell's producing. Um, he, he is the, a bunch of stuff for me. He
Speaker 1 00:39:06 Is, he is the Swiss Army knife. He is in Nashville. Yes. He literally can do it all. And, um, him being up there even playing rounds up, but I mean, he's a great songwriter. Like he's, he's badass doing that. But even just having him on stage to play weed, when, when he was up and we had him up there with yourself, joy Beth and Ella, um, but Taurus Town is a song. I could just feel the everybody in the room was kind of feeling that song. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:39:28 When you asked me to do that round, I knew that Dawson and like Caleb and all them were gonna be on it. So like, I knew Alex would probably wanna play with them, but I was like, I'm just gonna ask him because like, he can do, he can do the lead ride and Ella can sing the harmony. It'll be like a badass round. Yeah. You know? Um, but uh, yeah, dude, he's, he is like you said, like the Swiss Army knife, but we were at the house and us for a while there, we were playing Madden on Sundays cuz Matt McKinney is terrible at Madden. Yeah. Did
Speaker 1 00:39:57 He ever get the belt?
Speaker 3 00:39:58 Um, I don't know. I think he's only beat me like four times total. There was a time in Nashville where like, nobody could beat me at Madden. I was, we gotta play. Yeah. I gotta play. Say I'm not as good as I you used to be. Everybody's kind of like figured out like what I'm, what I'm about now. I haven't played you yet. Yeah. But, but I beat Maxwell pretty bad the other day, so Yeah. Yeah. He's, he, me and him are either like toe to toe or I just blow him out, you know. But anyways, uh, we were playing Madden on Sundays there for a while and I'd just done like, uh, a four day run at the Flo Bama and, um, you know, the Flo BA's rough. It's like, you know, it's, it's a fun gig. I'm not complaining, but it's like, you know, two shifts a day, four hours straight.
Speaker 3 00:40:43 Um, I mean, I think you can take breaks, but like when I take a break, you know, when you can just play through. Yeah. People leave, keep the tips going, you know, whatever. Um, anyways, uh, I'd gotten back, I mean, my voice was shot out and we were just playing mad and chilling and I think somebody, Maxwell was like, yeah, I right. Canceled tomorrow. And McKinney was like, yeah man, mine did too. And uh, he was like, let's write a song right now. And I was like, cool, let's do it. And uh, I was like, I can't really sing, you know, right now, but let's, let's write a song. And, and when we were at the floor Bama, I think we had played whiskey glasses like seven times, like literally and like one set. And I remember I looked at, um, Terry and I thought to myself, man, dying slow in a Taurus town.
Speaker 3 00:41:28 And I was like typing it in, you know, into my phone. Yeah. And, uh, I was like, man, I got this, uh, I got this. And, and that weekend some girl had given me her number on a napkin and like, I was trying to, like, all weekend, I was trying to like, here's ano another number on the napkin, I'll never call. And I was like trying to like fit that into a song somewhere. So I had that little piece and then I had Diane Slow in a Taurus town. And um, then Maxwell just kind of started like playing the, you know, the melody. And then we just had like a couple of cool things happen in the song, like moments where we were both thinking the same thing and like it all just came together. And, um, I've actually recorded that song along with, I think I have like six songs in the queue right now. So Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:42:11 You've been very busy in the studio. Um, there, there's one song in particular that, that we'll, that we'll talk about here in, in a second. Dick Dan. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. But, but for you, so you're working now with Alex, um, working with Alex, you got, you got Grady in there as well. Um, who is a,
Speaker 3 00:42:27 Actually Grady's played on everything I've recorded since 2012.
Speaker 1 00:42:31 Really?
Speaker 3 00:42:32 When I met, when I met Grady originally in I guess 2012 or 11, he had, he'd only been here for like a year. Wow. Like, I don't even, you know, he didn't have his house or any of that stuff. He was, um, very new to town. I think he was actually giving drum lessons to Wes, the guy that owned the studio. That's how we, that's how they had met him. And that's how like, I kind of knew who he was. Wow. Crazy, right? Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:42:57 Cuz Grady is a guy that's involved with a lot in town. I mean, of course we, we know him a lot working with Gary and Chuck and the Musk Island guys. We know him through, through Ryan Nelson. Yeah. I mean, there's known him through to, you know, him through Alex. He's, he's a guy that a lot of people wanna work with in this town. So the fact that he's played on everything. Yeah, that's
Speaker 3 00:43:13 Pretty, that's really cool. Pretty, he's played on like fucking cool. Yeah. He's played on some like, you know, like some huge records. Yeah. You know, and um, and the fact that I knew him before all that is really cool. And he's never changed, you know what I mean? He stayed the same guy. That's really cool. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:43:28 So how's this, this, um, this grinding in the studio for the last month it seems like, or what has it been two months? When did you guys first go in there?
Speaker 3 00:43:37 Uh, so we went, so I originally, October of last year, I went into benchmark rest in Peace. Benchmark's no longer a thing. Um, but I went in with Nolan Neal and we cut, uh, four songs. And I've actually got one of those songs. It was set to release, but, uh, you know, things have changed, obviously <laugh>, uh, shout out to end the round podcast, <laugh> on the podcast. But, uh, anyways, I did a music video for it and, uh, all this stuff. And I was out in la, you know, did all that stuff, um, out,
Speaker 1 00:44:09 Out in Los Angeles. Oh yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 00:44:11 You were, yeah, I did it with, um, Nolan Neal. Nolan Neal's. Like one of my, I've worked with like several pro different producers and uh, sometimes it pisses the producers off, but like, I'm, I'm an artist, you know, through and through and like, I like working with different, you know, producers like, and they all crush it. So it's nothing personal. It's just like sometimes I like doing different stuff. It's,
Speaker 1 00:44:32 It's business. Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:44:33 It's business. Absolutely. Like Josh Bright, he's down in Alabama, he's like the go-to guy if you're an artist in Alabama or like surrounding areas. And he does great work. Like, he did a whole lot of nothing, like I said, one of my favorite songs ever. Um, but like, I don't know, me and Maxwell became such good friends and then like, I did the quarantine work tapes where I like, you know, I, I actually texted Charlie and was like, Hey man, do you think I'm gonna be like a loser if I like copy y'all? And like, put out some quarantine work tapes? And he was like, nah man, go for it dude. Like, here's Ryan's number. Uh, their producer. Yeah. And he was like, send it to him and let him work his magic on it. So I did that, and then I wanted to do three more, but I wanted him to be a little bit more like studio. So I started working with Maxwell and that, and that's when like me and Maxwell are friends, we write together. Um, and then we like started having this like, uh, we we're hanging out in the studio together, you know, and like making this music together. And I was like, man, I think I really, and he had done some demos and stuff for me before. I was like, man, I really like, would like to
Speaker 1 00:45:36 Do a project if you're, if you're out there listening here in Nashville and you're looking for demos, I think Maxwell, I mean, I, I don't see him as much as I used to because he's back on his grind of just living. And I know Boudreaux, you've, you've gone in there and done, done some stuff as well with Al Alex is the guy. Yeah. So if you're, if you're looking for demos, a little bit of a shameless plug there. Go, go hit up Alex Maxwell. Keep that little man busy. Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:45:58 He's hard. He so busy. Dude, I was over there this morning. He is like, man, I got like 5 million things to do today.
Speaker 2 00:46:03 Hey, he's about to go outta town for like nine days too. Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:46:06 Yeah, yeah. Like I, I remember last week when I talked to him like, he's going home to hunt and stuff and like I could tell that he was like, already, just like his mind was not in Nashville. Like he's ready to be there, but he has so much stuff to do. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:46:19 He's, he's grinding. So this, so what's kind of the plan now? We'll get into the, to the big one. Let's get it. Um, so Dick down in Dallas, um,
Speaker 3 00:46:28 Dick down Dick, come on. Big.
Speaker 1 00:46:30 I'm, I'm trying to remember the first song. The first time that I heard this song, I think it was God, it had to be at a fire at somebody's house. Um, and I think Matt McKinney was kind of like begging you to play it or, or something along those lines. Um, maybe it was even had a kickball game. It was, it was something, but it, it was like a few months ago, I would say breau the, that we first heard this song and then it became, it was almost kinda like a joke at first. Like where we were like, all right, let, let's get It was
Speaker 2 00:46:58 Our Ya ya ding do. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:46:59 Yeah. D ding dong. If you've seen, um, Eurovision with Will Ferrell or
Speaker 2 00:47:03 Wagon Will or Free Burn or Insert song that gets overplayed.
Speaker 1 00:47:08 Yeah. So how did that song come to be? I know it's a, it's a song you're cutting, not necessarily one you, you were necessarily a part of in the writing room. Yeah. But how did this come to
Speaker 3 00:47:18 Be? So the Dick Down experience for me, <laugh> like, like I said, me and Matt McKinney tell us about this. If, if if have been, uh, friends for, you know, ever since I've been here. And um, I'll never forget when he wrote Brent Gafford and Drew TROs Claire, yeah. Are the co-writers on it. And me and Brent and Matt wrote us a song when I first moved to town and we've had a couple of other dates, but they just didn't work out. Um, but I'll never forget, Matt had this song called Dick Down in Dallas. He had a verse and a chorus, but there was no second verse or, you know, anything else for a long time. And then like, I think he was like, like I thought it was hilarious, you know, but I never really thought anything of it. And then I think he was trying to get somebody to like, finish, you know, they were trying to find like a third rider to get on and like finish it with 'em. And then it wasn't long ago, I think it was like right before quarantine happened, or like during quarantine, they sat down with Drew and they, and, and then they finished it. And then I, I'll, I'll never forget, like, it was probably like two or three months ago, we were riding around in Mitch Wallace's truck and like we were listening to it and Mitch like has this ear, like mu you know, he manages Clay Barker
Speaker 1 00:48:33 Power line artists Power
Speaker 3 00:48:34 Line artist. He just
Speaker 1 00:48:35 Shout, shout out to Mitch and
Speaker 3 00:48:36 Launched his new, um, his new like booking Nate, talent Management Management. Yeah. He's, he's
Speaker 1 00:48:41 A, he's a guy that's gonna be doing a lot of stuff here in the near
Speaker 3 00:48:44 Future. Yeah. So, um, and he, he has this ear for like, what's a good song? And he was like, man, that's a good song. He was like, I would listen to that in my truck. And I just remember like, it's just like kept playing in my head like all this time. And I was like, you know what man? Like I don't give shit about shit. You know, like, if nobody else will cut this song, I'll do it. And then it just kind of like all like transpired from there. I remember like Matt sent, I got Matt to send me the lyrics and I learned it in my, my room and, and then, you know, you hit me up and you were like, man, we're y'all want to have you on the like, I guess I played it at the campfire or whatever and you were like, dude, we're having,
Speaker 1 00:49:23 Well there was another night where you played at Live Oak, I forget whose round it was, but there was another night where we were all kind of egging you on the play it. Yeah. And we all went nuts in the crowd singing it back to you. Oh yeah. That had to be like a few, like a month ago maybe.
Speaker 3 00:49:37 That was uh, one of Tracy's round. Yes. Tracy Moore. Yep. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:49:41 And I remember you saying Tracy. I'm so sorry. <laugh>. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:49:44 Yeah. Well it's funny cuz like, once I started playing it, like we went to Statesboro a few weeks back and um, we had, it wasn't like inside cuz they were still doing the weird acoustic covid shows and um, like, it was like Statesboro Blue Room is usually the most lit show ever.
Speaker 1 00:50:02 I've heard. I've heard it's
Speaker 3 00:50:03 A two hour set, it's full throttle. They have a built in crowd there, college kids, you know, like play nothing but the hits just boom, boom, boom and then you're done. And then they have a green room. So you kind of feel like you're, you know, a superstar a little bit. But like that night it was in the back, you know, nobody really cared. All they wanted to hear was like Tyler Childers or like Morgan Wallen and like nothing against those guys. I think they're great. I just like have a strong policy of like, I'm not playing that, you know, <laugh>. Yeah. Uh, but uh, I was uh, I was just like, all right guys, we're about to play Dick down in Dallas for like 10 minutes until this crowd realizes what's going on. And I just like kept playing the chorus over and over and over and over and over until we got like this small like, you know, like the small crowd of people like singing it and going crazy about it.
Speaker 3 00:50:52 And like that weekend, like I posted a video on my TikTok and a couple other things and I think it got only like, you know, like 50 likes or something. But like, that's where it all started, you know. And I got several dms from like the security guards. They were like, dude, where can I get that dick down in Dallas song? You know, <laugh>? And they were like, is that out yet? I'm like, not yet man. I'm just trying to blow it up on social media before we do it. And then, you know, you asked me to play the Round, you were like, you gotta play Dick down Dallas.
Speaker 1 00:51:20 Yeah. That was the, that was the condition for Trey Lewis popping his in the round songwriter's night. Jerry was, Hey man, I'm an ledge. I'm gonna give you a slot. You're, you're gonna, you're gonna play this. Um, but you have to play, you can pick whoever you want to be up there, you and three other folks, but you gotta play Dick down in Dallas. And
Speaker 3 00:51:37 I loved it. I feel like I set it up perfect because before we went on I asked you guys, I asked you and I was like, can I play all my songs and then play like a bonus song? And you were like, hell yeah. So like, I think I played like, I played, um,
Speaker 1 00:51:50 You played TAUs Town? I
Speaker 3 00:51:52 Played TAUs Town, I played uh, um, I played Believer and I played Little Tired. Yeah. Um, cuz Nick was there. Nick, Nick Haines, he's like one of my main co-writers. Oh,
Speaker 1 00:52:04 We, we love Nick. One of the best. Yeah. Him and him and his girlfriend Chelsea. Yeah. Some of the best hosts in terms of like going for a hang when they invite you over, you're, you're set. They're Nick and Nick and Chelsea. They'd over there. Yeah, I know. So what the fuck, you gotta come up. Budros
Speaker 3 00:52:19 Always working. Yeah, they always have it. Whenever I'm at
Speaker 1 00:52:21 Work, <laugh>, which is all the time
Speaker 3 00:52:23 And like, just to say this and wanted to move on. But like Nick, like when I first moved to town, like I did have some big rights and stuff like that, but there was a period where like not a lot of people wanted to write with me. And that's okay cuz like I needed to earn it. But Nick Haynes was like my boy and we just like, sometimes we sat in the room for like eight hours, nine hours and just dug at something and Little Tired was actually one of those songs. Yeah. And that's still to this day one of those songs where it's like, it's not for everybody but the people that it hits home. Oh, love it.
Speaker 1 00:52:51 Oh, it
Speaker 3 00:52:51 It hit hits. It hits,
Speaker 1 00:52:52 It hits and hits myself. And it was cool. Um, again, we'll move on the More Dick Down and Dallas stuff, but I was sitting, uh, with, with Charlie, uh, Charlie Muncaster and he's another guy that's in sobriety and he was, he was kind of just like, wow. Like, and I was like, bro, yeah, I know this, this song is Cut Steve, and but you play three songs like that that are serious like songwriters songs. Yeah. I mean TAs Town Believer and then Little Tired and then you, you come out and do it
Speaker 3 00:53:18 <laugh> and then we bust Down Dick down in Dallas and then, um, and then raised Rowdy Nick. Is it Nick? Yeah, Nicky t Nicky t like took a video of it. And then when I got off stage, like nobody said shit about the serious songs, but everybody's like, Dick damn in Dallas, dude, that song's awesome. And then you're like, yeah dude, he is gonna put it on Raised Rowdy Tomorrow. And then it, you know, goes on Rose Rowdy and then all of a sudden my Instagram's just like blowing up like refresh every few seconds and it's like followers, followers. I think I have like a new 2000 followers or something crazy <laugh>. And then like, I don't know man, like, uh,
Speaker 2 00:53:58 Old Roe picked it up.
Speaker 3 00:53:59 Yeah, old Roe picked it up and then that's when it like Really? Yeah. Went crazy. I think caller daddy put it on their Facebook page or something. <laugh> like their group <laugh>. Um,
Speaker 2 00:54:08 Or uh, uh, wasn't it, uh, Trey? Um,
Speaker 3 00:54:13 Actually on the old, on the old Rose stuff, Matt McKinney actually has like an n with them. He told me this. Yeah, because like in college when he is in Athens, he just sent him like a lot of good content of like, I guess drunk shit. You know, there's
Speaker 1 00:54:26 A lot of drunk shit in Athens, Georgia.
Speaker 3 00:54:27 So like, he made that happen. I thought that was really cool. Wasn't
Speaker 2 00:54:30 A Trey Bonner that put it like in the call her daddy Facebook
Speaker 1 00:54:32 Page. It was either him or one of the raised rowdy girls, either Brandy or Heather. But yeah, dude, I mean it's, it's turned into something. Um, and it's, we, you played it, you played around last week from when we're recording this and to see the, the growth in that. I mean, it just goes to show
Speaker 3 00:54:48 It's, it's crazy dude, because like, I don't know, me and Maxwell were like hinting at like, we need to get in the studio and like record this thing. Are we gonna do like more of like an acoustic vibe or whatever? And then like I talked to Ryan Nelson about it some because you know, like he's a producer and he's been doing this like a long time and, and uh, he offered, you know, some of his advice on it. And then, uh, that night Grady Sackman texts me and all the texts said was Dick down in Dallas <laugh>. And I was like, dude, let's uh, let's track this thing. And he was like, I would love that. So I called Max well back and then he called Grady and then we went over there yesterday and uh, Saul uh, played guitar on online. Saul
Speaker 1 00:55:27 Played guitar on Dick down in Dallas. He,
Speaker 3 00:55:29 He played guitar, he played bass, he played acoustic on it Pro and then, and Grady played the drums and Grady and Maxwell just kind of like co-produced it together. And then, uh, I did vocals at Grady's and then this morning I went over to Maxwell and we did like background vocals and like all this stuff and then we're sending it off to mixing today. So hopefully, uh, uh, yeah, it's funny man. It's like the old saying, you know, you want to hear God laugh, tell 'em your plans because I had all these plans to put out this different music and then this song just kinda like happened and, and people are following and it's, it's pretty cool. Well, well
Speaker 1 00:56:03 It just, it just goes to a testament of of of how good of a writer and how, how how entertaining of an artist and just, just a human you are. Yeah. That you can do a, you can write all these serious songwriter songs that are, that are great and I, I love him. I think a lot of people are gonna love him. I think I speak for Tyler, he loves 'em as well. Yeah. Um, you, you write real shit, but then you also have the, the entertainer like fun side of you. I mean people love real recognizes real. Yeah. And people love when people don't give a shit about shit and they, they do things especially when with all the craziness that's been going on in, in 2020, people need something to smile about and laugh about. And Dick down in Dallas is that song well
Speaker 3 00:56:41 Like, you know, it's like, man, I don't think like I'm the best singer, like the best thing that that's out there. But like, um, one thing I did learn from and I have learned from like playing the tin roof shows and just being out there just, just grinding and, and, and all that stuff is like, yeah, you do. You gotta be able to, you gotta like, doesn't matter if you're tired or like whatever, those people are there to like forget about their work week, you know, and like, you gotta make 'em laugh, you gotta make 'em, you know, you gotta just row 'em up and get 'em going, you know? And like yeah, I've got the singer songwriter stuff, but like you gotta have the upbeat stuff too and like, it's like
Speaker 2 00:57:16 Sometimes, you know, you gotta put out the dick down in Dallas, you got stuff like that. Yeah. To make way for the more, more serious stuff
Speaker 3 00:57:24 You wanna, you know. Yeah. So I don't know what happens here, you know, like this is like new um, territory for me, you know, like I remember I was, I was, I've been running some ads on my own like on my Facebook page before, like all this dick down in Dallas stuff happened and I played a show at listening room with uh, Matt McKinney, Hayden Kaufman and Ella Langley like last week. And um, I, somebody videoed me a singing believer and I was talking before it and I was like, you know, I don't have like a million followers or like, you know, a blue check by my name. But I do have fans, you know, I play shows and you know, like Zydeco Birmingham has one, has been like a staple for me and I play a show there like every once in a while and like, can I sell it out?
Speaker 3 00:58:07 No. Can I get close? No. But like I do have like that 30 or 40 people that show up and buy the $5 ticket online when they know they can buy it at the door, but they buy it on the internet cuz they know it makes me look good, you know what I mean? And they believe in what I'm doing. So like that's what that song was for. But like now, like I'm like, I'm posting this song about Dick down in Dallas and like all these people are like buying into what I'm doing and like I feel like when I first started playing music, that's what I wanted, but the longer I did it and the longer it grinded, I just didn't care about all that stuff. I just wanted to do like music for a living and like do it cuz I love it. Not for like all that other stuff. So, you know, um, kind of going back to like moving, you know, moving to Nashville when I did, I don't regret it because I learned all those lessons early on where like, if I would've had that kind of succe, you know, like if I would've, if this would've happened when I was 20 years old, I wouldn't, you know, be the person I am now, you know, and like be able to handle it all, whatever happens with it. If that makes sense. You know?
Speaker 1 00:59:14 Absolutely. My man. Now is there anything else you wanna plug? Anything else you want to tell the people before we get you playing that gi guitar?
Speaker 3 00:59:20 Uh, just follow me on all social medias at at Tre Lewis Music. It's all the same. Um, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram,
Speaker 1 00:59:28 You got you on the website. Grinder.
Speaker 3 00:59:30 PornHub. No, I'm just kidding. <laugh>
Speaker 4 00:59:32 Farmers
Speaker 1 00:59:32 Only. Farmers only Black people meet all, all that good stuff. Yeah. <laugh>. Um, do you um, do you got any merchant stuff people can go support
Speaker 3 00:59:39 You? Yes, I have uh, I have t-shirts for sale. You can get 'em at my, um, my
[email protected]. Um, they'll be shipped to your house. It's, it's a pretty cool deal. I've got, I'm, we're actually working on Dick Down and Dallas t-shirts right now. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:59:53 I'm excited and I will be rocking that thing all over the place. Yeah. So
Speaker 3 00:59:57 We're uh, we're pumped about it, man. I appreciate you guys for having me on,
Speaker 1 01:00:00 Dude. No, we appreciate you cuz you're, you're one of those guys. I mean, again, we've, we've we've connected with uh, and you're honest to God, one of my, one of my favorite dudes in this town. Um, and uh, what's cool is you're, you're a big supporter of what we do here. You're a guy that, that shoots me a text and says, Hey love, love what you and Tyler talked about this week on In the Round. Yeah. Love what you and the guys talked about on Grapevine. Like
Speaker 3 01:00:21 Yeah, I listen to 'em both s
Speaker 1 01:00:23 You support all of the shit we do and, and it's, it's really cool to have that man. Yeah. So we love you and thank you for doing this Tyler. Another one in the books mom man. Hell yeah. And uh, this was a fun one. Uh, once again, make sure you guys check out Trailside C B D Emporium. Um, check out, shout out our poor friends at Well Tail Media gonna be getting the uh, 5 24 sessions going at some point soon. Those acoustic videos and uh, no writers around this week. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. What are your plans for Thanksgiving? You going home? You staying here?
Speaker 3 01:00:51 Well, my mom just sent me a text and said that they're canceling family Thanksgiving because of the Covid. Okay, well mom calls it the Covid <laugh>. Um, you know the Covid? Yeah, COVID.
Speaker 1 01:01:03 Well we wish everybody out there a happy Thanksgiving, um, watching the football, wearing the sweatpants. You can eat a lot of mac and cheese.
Speaker 3 01:01:10 Oh man, I'm, I'm on the, I'm, you know, I went to the ER the other
Speaker 1 01:01:13 Night. Yeah, yeah. How the hell are we gonna do on the health credit? What the hell are we
Speaker 3 01:01:16 Gonna do? I was gonna have to, I mean I was on a strict meal plan for like three years, so I'm gonna be fine. It's cool. <laugh>.
Speaker 1 01:01:22 I don't know. I mean I, I don't know how I'm gonna do. I mean I'm just gonna keep low carb.
Speaker 3 01:01:26 That pain I was in dude, there's nothing worse than that. I can't do that again. Yeah, it was brutal.
Speaker 1 01:01:32 Geez. Well we're glad that you're feeling better. Glad that you're here and uh, we're very excited Now that further ado, it's our boy Trey Lewis with Dick down in Dallas. Y'all enjoy this has been the in the
Speaker 4 01:01:51 Be she didn't think twice crossed. She's flying Memphis. She, me, Montgomery tonight she's getting Dick. Adam, Tennessee, Boston Lane. I'm come. She's probably in the lone star state. I wonder Daddy say maybe he's the one. The planes getting dig down and deaths Tennessee in Austin, Boston putting me through else. Now I'm one on my knees, shell come back, gimme that sweet as but know she Tennessee in knees. She'll come back, gimme that sweet dig. The masters of confusion. Then the only thing led to blame was a long line depression. Discre my living for the truth. Learning how to be living like I, there's a gold down hall in the middle of my mind telling me I'm crazy cause I learned how to walk the line. I ain't drinking no bour but there's Stevens on the, I lost so much me that I don't recognize myself. Feels like the winner took the fall. I ain't seeing my world's gone Hell. I'm just a little tired song. Broken hearts and brand new starts and cliches. People see on this day and I might have run of good. I feel like fool, like my prayers ain't getting through this hall. Tell me I'm crazy cause I learned how to walk the line. I ain't drinking but Dear Stevens on shit, I so much me but I don't recognize myself. Feels like the winner took the fall.
Speaker 4 01:07:17 I ain't seeing my world's gone just tired. That's all. Sing what I can't say then I'll just keep believing live cause there is down hall in the middle of my mind. Tell me I'm crazy cause I learned how to walk the line. I ain't drinking but there's demos on the so much me, I don't recognize myself. Feels like the winner took the fall. I ain't seeing my world's gone here open. There's more story lift till I'm just a little tired. That's all. Just a little tiredly. It's all.
