00:00
Holy shit, this guy's written like 12 songs that I sing in the shower that I didn't even know were his. Like that's what artists are supposed to do. They're not supposed to sit around and wait for somebody to say whether or not something's a hit or not. And I said, I will do this as long as you just let me kind of do my thing, and I think this'll be a good partnership. And that's when you see the benefit of country radio is when you've got one in thirties or in the twenties, and you're like, oh wow, these are different. These aren't the same flannel wearing old people.

00:24
coming to the show. Look at that kid, he's 15, cool. You know? Yep. Most of these guys, are you drinking every night, Plan? Yeah, I'm drinking now, man. I know, I mean, me too. I just finished my beer, but like. The hardest part of ending is starting again. You're listening to the Radcast. If it's radical, we cover it. Here's your host, Ryan Alford. Hey guys, what's up? Welcome to the latest edition of the Radcast.

00:53
radically country today, folks, radically Southern, I'd even say. My friend, Jared Johnston. What's up, brother? Hey man. Thanks for having me on here, dude. Hey man. My pleasure. I've been, uh, following from afar and DM and you're going, damn, I gotta get that guy on there. I fall in love with the music. And then I'm like, holy shit. This guy's written like 12 songs that I sing in the shower that I didn't even know were his original writings. You're a bad ass, man. I love it.

01:22
Well, I appreciate that, man. I, I, I'm sorry. I missed the, the, the man, my managers wouldn't get back to you. Dude, you got so big. I mean, you know, it was like, this time of year, everybody shuts down and I think they just stopped looking at emails all the way. So I just started texting you. I know I was like, let's get out of the way here. Let's just make this happen. You're down at the beach, beach in it. I'm having a beer on a, on a Wednesday before Christmas. So, uh,

01:48
You know, we'll just shoot the shit. We usually start around 10 30 a.m. around here with mimosas and then, um, get a little nap when the kid naps and then you get up and then it's time to pop some tops. There we go. I like it. That's what we do. We go down to folly beach in Charleston, which is my favorite spot. It's a little old, a little grungy. I like it a little crunchy around the edges. And, uh, you know, my buddy, Kip, Kip mortage, just, he's building the house there right now in folly. Yep.

02:19
That's cool. Look at your name dropping already. Kitmore. Yeah, my town is about to get handy on the toes. I know. Um, well, cool. Jared, I want to, let's, uh, back up a little bit for everybody. Um, I'm sure some of our audience has heard, I know they've heard your music, whether you've written it or played it with, you know, uh, Member of the Cadillac three, which we'll talk about, but let's give everybody a little bit. I know we could talk for probably two hours about your story, but

02:48
You know, maybe give us the, a little bit of that background and your history and what makes you such a damn good country music writer. Um, man, I grew up in Nashville was born and raised, which is kind of, uh, not, that's not the normal situation. You know, they, I think they kind of call us a unicorns, but people that are actually born in Nashville rather than moving to Nashville, um, and I came up, you know, went to school downtown and heen fog.

03:17
My dad was always a drummer, a grand old opera. He was a drummer for a bunch of older country artists in the eighties and early nineties. And then he started pitching songs, which means, you know, like finding songs from writers and taking them to John Michael Montgomery or whoever and trying to get them recorded. And so I saw that at a very early age and remember seeing how excited dad would get when he got a whole quote unquote a hold, which means the artist or the manager liked it for whoever.

03:47
And I was just like kind of mesmerized by that whole thing, like the equation of sitting down, writing a song by yourself or with friends. And then two weeks later, it's, you know, a recording by Garth Brooks or whoever. You know what I mean? So I just thought that was so cool. So I kind of started touring when I was 18 playing drums for a bunch of bands. And then I started writing songs, man, got serious, real serious about it about 2005.

04:17
And, um, you know, got my first publishing deal. And from then on, it's just kind of been a crazy, you know, country, Western ride. Exactly. What, what do you, how do you classify your writing style? I mean, what's your, uh, obviously country, but like, do you think you have a certain style? Yeah. Well, mine's like, you know, I think the reason I've had.

04:44
the success that I've had or at least part of it, part of the whole game is being in the right circles and being around the right people. I think I would classify my style as just left of centers, as far left as I can get without, I like it still to be accessible because I grew up in a time where Garth Brooks was the biggest thing in the world, and it's commercial music, but it was country. Hank Williams Jr., stuff like that that

05:14
like Hanks on the side of like left is held, but man, when he wants to deliver a strike, he delivers a strike. So I think that's the fun part about the way that I try to write. And, and like I said, it's also like who you surround yourself with, the people that you're writing with and the people that work your songs that are working for your publishers and stuff. But yeah, I just try to go into every room with something a little different and try to do things the way that that aren't expected, you know? Yeah, I like that.

05:44
It's much the creative process. I own an ad agency and it's kind of the same thing when we're developing ads. It's like, how far can I push it? You don't want to alienate mainstream, but if it's different, it sells, you know? And it's kind of the same thing with music. So Jaren, I'm gonna make a, we're gonna start that name dropping thing. I think it's at nine number one hits that you've written. Am I short of changing you or is that right? No.

06:13
I think that's, I think that's about right. And, um, it's funny, somebody asked me that the other day and I said seven. And, uh, my wife popped her head and she goes, no, you're, you're, you're not. She's counting. I'm like, that's exciting. Yeah, dude. I mean, a lot of people just go hang it up on one, you know, but nine, even if it's just, I mean, you know, it's funny cause you always think as a songwriter, you're like,

06:41
You always think that even when you've had success, you're like, and that you feel bad, like canceling a riot because you're like, Oh damn, that, that could have been the one that was, you know, girl crush or, you know, uh, sweet home Alabama, you know what I mean? And you're like, so that's how you kind of stay in it. But, um, yeah, man, I've been real lucky. And, um, so I'm proud of the proud of those, those hits too. It's pretty fun to be driving down the road here.

07:11
Florida and hear Beachin' or hear Sunshine of Whiskey. You're like, oh, that's cool, you know? And nobody around me knows any of the other cars that I'm the one that wrote it. Yep, Frankie Ballard, Sunshine of Whiskey, that's a newer one, right? I might be, is that your newest one? Is that, is that? No, that was like, I guess that was a while back. I think my newest one was American country love song, J.Cole. There we go, J.Cole one. I like his stuff. Beachin' was awesome. That's still like go-to. That's on my, I got my country, my three country.

07:41
Playlist. I got my old faves, my new faves and my, you know, I need just some country music phase, like it's like, those are my three country playlist and, uh, and a Beeching's on there. There was at least I, once I started going through all your songs, it was like, there's like five songs on here. Damn. And look, ironic thing about beach and was it the beach and song bought this beach house. Thanks, Jake. Oh, thanks Jake. Hey, I like that.

08:10
I, since you went there, it's funny. You know, it's a, we're a business and marketing podcast, but we've gotten to the point where I also just get to cherry pick the people that I admire and, and see from afar and, you know, just want to learn more about, uh, the business of country music, you know, you've been in it for a while, I mean, oh five, like you said, maybe getting your feet really into it with the songwriting. I mean, you've seen a lot of change, right?

08:39
Can you talk about some of that? What the biz like that, that journey of the business side of it. I mean, it seems pretty cutthroat from the outside. It can be pretty brutal. Um, like an example, I started in 2005. That's when I got my first publishing deal making 30 grand a year. Um, had to turn in 10 songs a year, which is 10 hundred percent songs, meaning like

09:08
If it's a two way, it counts as half of one, you know what I mean? Or if it's three way, about so on and so forth. Um, and that, and it was a copub deal, which means I own half, they own half. So that's a pretty good deal coming into the game. And my publisher was a really nice guy. He helped me out. So it wasn't until 2010, late 2010, where I had my first. Number one, that's five years, you know, like, and there would be a couple songs that got recorded in between there, but you're not really seeing money from that unless it's on the radio.

09:38
So you're living off that publishing, you know, the 30 grand a year, and you're trying to keep that deal every year too, which is if you're not getting a bunch of stuff going on, it's tough. Now I had the luck and the blessing of being also like what they call triple threat. So I was writing for other people. I had my own band with a record deal in Warner Brothers at the time called American Bang. And I also was producing a little bit of stuff. So

10:06
There's many irons on the fire there, as far as business speaking. I try to look at it still that way. There's a lot of busy cats in Nashville, but I would say right now, with the Cadillac 3, all the touring, the production work, I'm producing Kit Moore's new record, I'm just did Sam Williams record and a bunch of stuff like that. And then also the writing every day, it gets pretty, it's pretty crazy. But if one thing's not doing as well,

10:36
You got something to follow on the other side. You know, like when COVID hit, we couldn't tour. Yeah. And COVID hit, we couldn't tour. So I have songwriting and production work to back, to fall back on. Um, and so that's kind of the, you know, but yeah, as far as Nashville and the business side of things, you know, and I've seen it change, like you were saying so drastically in the last five years, where a lot of the songwriters are moving to town and they're primarily track guys, which means they.

11:05
They, you know, they run the tracks and they play a, they build a track and you top on it, meaning they, they got this, Hey man, I got this group. Boom, boom, chica, doom, doom, doom, chica, doom. And I'm like, cool. And I go, there's a truck and a dog and a something. Yep. And then, and then a song was born, but you got all these track guys where you're, you know, it's, it's, it's a little tougher to compete with because I run tracks and stuff too, but I also top line. So you've just got more people in the game. So it's just like, and it's like house market in Nashville. You know what I mean? Like.

11:34
It's like, it's, it's just getting so packed with competition. It's, it's, it's gotten harder. It's, it's a crazy game, man. Is, uh, is it like this, is there pressure? Can you get rat? I would think, look, Nashville so damn hot, you know, and country music's so hot, like in, you know, popularity and everything, it just seems like you could get caught up in that rat race. And I don't know, get swallowed whole maybe.

12:02
trying to like, you know, do your own thing, be your own artist, but also having the realities of that. I don't know the business and I don't, it's not even just a competition. I would just think there's, I don't know, there's gotta be some backstabbing. I don't know. I'm not trying to pull drama out of something that's not drama, but I just would think with all that it's going on, it just would be cutthroat. Oh man. Every time I turn the radio on, I hear something, whether it's a guitar

12:30
It's in one of my songs. It happens a lot with like, you know, you'll hear something. I'm not going to do the names, but the other day I heard something and it's one of the biggest songs, you know, it's going to be one of the biggest songs on country this year, probably. And it's a direct rip off of an old Cadillac three song, because a lot of these guys that are big now, when they, when, when, when we started in 2011.

12:56
they were going to whiskey jams in Nashville. They were going to riders rounds in Nashville. They were coming to Cadillac shows. They were doing so you're, you're hearing a lot of that. And that's also a way to see like how you've affected or influenced a market or genre, which is kind of fun, but at the same time, you're like, okay, all right, okay, a little too combs. Yeah. I thought that's who you were talking about. And then, uh, yeah. Oh.

13:23
Yep. There's a lot of, that fine line of flattery and, uh, and, uh, what's the word paid, uh, suing, law, lawyering. There's a lot of those going on, man. There's, there's three or four, like, um, like, you know, lawsuit kind of things going on over songs right now that some of my friends are dealing with. And it's not fun, man, because it, once you go down that road, it's like, it's, it's hard to come back.

13:52
Uh, friendship wise, you know what I mean? Yeah. It's as big as Nashville is getting. It's still a very small town in that community. You know? Yep. Uh, I bet. And the only people that tend to make money in those, uh, it's the lawyers by the time it all settled. Yeah. Then it's just, everybody's mad at each other. Everybody's broke. That's right. Talk to me about, uh, I want to talk about Cadillac three some, uh, and I know you had a progression with the bands, but you know, I'm going to be selfish because.

14:20
I like Cadillac three and they're fucking bad ass. That's you. Thanks, man. And I mean, I like I think I played and I've got I think I put it on the teaser on my story yesterday long after the laugh call. Like it's on a steady repeat seven times a day now in the car. I don't know what it is about that song. I don't know what the sound is, but that is just it's just so it's it's got a vibe. But I think, you know, Cadillac three is a vibe. Literally.

14:48
Well, that's what's fun about Cadillac is like you can go do songs like that, you know, that are a little bit more, you know, I wrote that song like 2014 by myself down, down the road and a little room and it just kind of resurfaced where I'd always kind of liked it and nobody recorded. I pitched it to Derrick's, I pitched it to everybody, Kenny Chesney, Keith and Jake at one point and nobody ever been on it. And I was just always like, man, I'm going to put this, I'm going to stick this on the country fuzz record, the last song and

15:18
You see if anybody reacts to it and never really like my wife is like to actually the only one that doesn't really like that song. Really? Why would you like it? There's something about the melody or the way I sing it or something. I don't know, but she's, you know, she's the best judge of that stuff. Well, I've played it for 10 people now that don't know Cadillac three and every, every one of them is playing it now. So, uh, that's good. It's a jam.

15:44
In its own way it's mellow, but it's not like putting any sleep mellow. It's more like thoughtful and I don't know. It's right. I call it riding down the road music. And, uh, I had it on at a party last night and it was well received. So, uh, well, it was just, we turned it up loud though. We were sitting on drinking wine. We were drinking wine and watching black and white movies on silent and listening to wrong after last call. So how loud, how loud you turn it up?

16:12
But no, but talk about Cadillac Three, you know, influences, like, you know, kind of the history of the band and like, you know, I know you guys got a tour next year, maybe build into that. Yeah, the Cadillac Three started in 2011 after a terrible falling out with Warner Brothers Records and our last band, the American Bang Band. And basically we got dropped from the label in 2010.

16:41
like December and in January 2nd, we were in the studio with Dave Cobb doing the first Catalan record and just the three of us. And it was kind of a no rules thing because, you know, we've been pulled in so many directions by the A&R staff at Warner Brothers and the president of the company. And this band was going to be, okay, this is my way. This is the only way we're doing this.

17:09
I'm writing the songs I want to write. We wrote 11 songs in like two weeks and did the record. Like that's what artists are supposed to do. They're not supposed to sit around and wait for somebody to say whether or not something's a hit or not. You know, and I think a lot of artists in town, Derrick's being one and Eric Church being one, heard that record and saw, I'd known them for a while, you know, through songwriting community, but like they kind of respected how we bounced back and did something really cool on our own by ourselves.

17:39
And it was cool sign. It was a different sound. It was guitar, drums and lap still. And, uh, you know, I didn't, I hadn't heard of anybody else really doing that. And, um, we started touring on our own, man. We got in a van again, no trailer, all the gear in the back of the van and back and forth to Texas, Chicago, Florida, South Carolina, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Memphis, and did that for two and a half years and built up our own fan base, the old school way and got it to a point to where it was big enough.

18:09
but we couldn't get any bigger unless we brought in the right partners. And so that is, I know this is a business podcast, so it's like, if you look at it like that, that's when we started really looking at it. You know, those two years in, after two years, we were all on salary, making 50, 60 grand a year, and, you know, because we weren't having to pay anybody, you know what I mean? And we were driving ourselves. So I, we had a couple different interests in town.

18:37
Warner Brothers, ironically, and, uh, yeah. And then I get a call on day from big machine, uh, president Scott Breschetta and he said, Hey, what are you guys doing? Uh, next weekend? I said, we're actually off. And he said, will you fly down? Can I fly you down to Cancun so you can meet the label, play for us and tell us how you want to do this? I said, Oh, that's a pretty cool way of courting an artist. So I said, sure. So we go down there and met everybody and.

19:04
You know, they love the music, love the mindset. And, you know, we stick out, I don't know if you're familiar with their roster, but we stick out like a sore thumb. At the time it was, um, Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift and, you know, the band Perry, Thomas Rhett. And so we, I thought it was really cool because, you know, I, he, me and Scott shook hands and I said, I will do this as long as you just let me kind of do my thing. And.

19:34
I think this will be a good partnership. And so we saw a big machine brought on a manager out of Texas for the time. And we got to work, man. And I said, he said, how do you want to do it? I said, well, I'm sick of driving myself. So we need a either a Sprinter van or something and a tour manager. And so he paid for that, bought us that and got us on the road in a way that was a little easier on us because we could sleep in the back and stuff. And next thing you know, man, we're, you know.

20:04
putting songs on the radio and doing pretty good. And that's when you see the benefit of country radio is when you've got one in the thirties or in the twenties and you're like, Oh wow, these are different. These aren't the same flannel, wearing old people coming to the show. This there's some girls in the crowd. There's look at that kid. He's he's 15. Cool. Yup. The only way he was hearing you was on the radio. Yeah. So we started hearing that. And then that's also right about then we did like the national show where we got on there with Connie Britton and all the, the, uh,

20:34
whatever it was called Nashville, but we were on there. And so at that point you get to where you're like, you're getting recognized at pilots and flying J's at four in the morning by truck drivers or, and so you get a little bit, get a little bit of that. And then from then on, man, we got really lucky with the Florida Georgia line guys took us out for a year. Derrick's took us out for a year. Eric took us out for a year. And then.

21:01
Now it's gotten worldwide, man. We're, we're doing something really cool and we don't have a lot of radio help these days, so it's kind of like, it's, it's still, we're keeping that same mindset from the beginning, we're doing it our way and building it. And, um, it's, it's, it's a lot of fun. Cause me and Kelby and Neil, the other guys in the band, we all grew up together in Nashville and there's, there's none of that in town, you know, there's none of that that most bands are either put together or they meet each other in a song writing room and decided to become a duo. You know what I mean? Yep. No, man, you guys did it the old school way.

21:30
You know, growing the following organically and then the hard way, you know, didn't have, uh, all the shortcuts. The, but the, uh, talk about the, uh, how is it on the road? I mean, is it, do you, you have to love it and I don't know, I wouldn't say hate it, but it's, is it a love hate relationship?

21:56
Well, in 2014, it is different now that I have a kid. I will say that. And Neil's got a little baby girl too. Um, but we love it because we've always done it and there's something about the three of us and when we leave the bus and hit the stage is there's, there's a, a fire that you don't really get in a lot of other things you do. You know, I could probably, uh, relate it to like, or compare it to like a football.

22:20
game or, you know, or like a, you're going on a day or like a wrestling match, you know? Yeah. Coming to the ring. Yeah. Pretty, pretty much. And then you get, you kind of get into that whole world and it's, it's a lot of fun. I think in 2014, when we got out of the, um, the vans and everything and pretty much decided we were going to be on a buck a time that was a little easier on us. So it, it changed, uh, travel. That's what makes that whole thing so hard. A lot of times it's the

22:49
is if you're traveling hard, like a lot of dates, and you're having to do all the work, you're not getting a good night's sleep, stuff like that. So I mean, it's like, we don't go anywhere without the bus. We have buses in the UK, Europe, and everything as well. And it's like, it made it. That's when we all kind of looked around at each other and we were like, all right, we can do this. You know what I mean? So the road's a lot of fun. And we've got a studio on the back of our bus here in the States. And so I work a lot on the road too,

23:18
You get to the venue that morning, you travel overnight and you have all day to do whatever I can usually find a Mexican restaurant, usually, uh, write a song, get a nap, go for a run, whatever. You know what I mean? So it's, it's, it's a lot of fun. That's cool. The, uh, I guess once it's in your blood and I could certainly see, I played sports. I don't know that it was ever at the level that was, you know, coming out to thousands of fans screaming, but it was high enough to get the, the juices going to kind of see what that buzz was, but

23:47
I mean, I got to ask you this question. I've always wanted this and I've had other artists on. I've never asked what percent you can answer this for her, for yourself or for others, like how many people are drinking the entire night they play? Like, are most of these guys, are you drinking every night plan? Like are most artists. Yeah, I'm drinking now, man. I know. I mean, me too. I just finished my beer, but like, you know, like, is it, is that

24:16
That's just part of it, right? I mean, that's just the lifestyle. I'll give you a night's rundown. All right. It'll be, you know, we played Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and usually home 9 a.m. Sunday morning, right? Leave Wednesday night at midnight on the bus. And then I would say, you know, if we go on at nine, let's say 9 15. All right. At 8 15 on the dot.

24:42
me, this is just my own thing. Your ritual. Red bull Tito's and Red Bull vodka or Tito's and Red Bull. I have one of those, see how I'm feeling. Then I make a tall one for the stage and we go on and you're fired up because Red Bull gives you wings. Yep. And, um, and the vodka makes you not make, makes you not talk about, or it makes you not overthink the lyrics. So you don't forget that stuff. So it's a nice combo. It's a good combo. And then.

25:10
Yeah. And then, uh, my tour manager makes me one half of the show and then we get done, we just sit around, drink beer and talk about what we did right or what we did wrong. And, but yeah, I would say, you know, there's people like, like, you know, Derrick's will probably have like one beer if, if anything, when he goes on, he used to drink a little bit more, but like Eric's the whiskey guy, you know, Keith's sober. So Keith doesn't drink anything on there and he puts on a hell of a show. So I think it's a little different for everybody. And obviously that, that whole

25:38
situation changes the older you get, I would imagine. But, um, but yeah, man, it's, it's usually a pretty, pretty rowdy situation for the, the, the whole, you know, time you're out. Hey man, the Cadillac three, I mean the whole vibe, dude, you got it. It's like, I'd almost been disappointed if you hadn't told me that I kind of assumed and the Red Bull thing I can, I can relate to keep your energy up, but yet the vodka, you know, it was my drink of choice, you know, when I was single, you know,

26:06
Yeah. You're a jacked, you know, a little jacked up, but the, but the alcohol kind of mellowed it out. So you had it all together. You know, it's probably not the best thing for my, my, my parental unit, but it's, you know, it is what it is. The, uh, what's the marketing for you guys. So, you know, you guys are doing it different, you know, I mean, you, you cranked out what two albums here in like the last year and a half or so. I mean, like you guys are crushing like albums out like on.

26:35
like anyone else that all he's just trying to ride one single into, you know, five, five song EP and you guys are putting out two albums and, but not chasing the singles. So, I mean, like, what's the marketing kind of, you know, the, the singles kind of carry everybody now, right from a marketing and stuff, but what's.

26:55
I mean, you guys, I guess, just that organic following and, you know, living, you know, keeping your fans happy. I mean, what's your kind of approach on that, on the marketing side? And I know you got a team that manages it, but I'm sure y'all talk about it. Yeah, it's, I mean, it stays back to that whole, it goes all the way back to the 2011 thing I was talking about where, you know, our approach was always gonna be do it our way, word of mouth, hit the streets, you know, worldwide.

27:22
It do is go to Europe and UK as many times as we can every year. Um, the, you know, there's something to be said for a loyal, I mean, a lot of these guys and girls coming out now that let's say they have a number one hit, can't sell 500 tickets in their hometown. You know what I mean? And that's, that's not, that's not doing anything for anybody. So, um, I think that ours is more content. Less.

27:52
less directing one thing at one thing, like a single to radio, which let's be honest, everything we'd kind of do is, you know, it's left, man. And it's, we're doing it on purpose. There's that mentality, I think that if we build it so big, at one point, radio won't be able to not play it because it's, you know, the fans want it, the country fans want it.

28:19
And even if it's like a rock thing, you know, we, we've kind of leaned a little bit more rock some and this new record, we're, we're about to start a new one. Um, next month and it's leaning a little bit more rock, but it's like, you know, I'm not mad at a rock station and Cincinnati planet, you know, cause it's all the same thing. So I think our, our, our idea for marketing is as many irons on the fire. We put out putting out more records and songs and videos and all that stuff and touring as much as you can.

28:46
It's more irons in the fire. Every one of them is going to do something for you. So, um, I believe in that one for our particular situation, you know, like for some of these kids out doing it now, it wouldn't, that wouldn't work. You know what I mean? Because they don't sound any different from Thomas Rhett or whoever to make a dent without that radio single. But, um, you know, that thing about 500 tickets in your hometown, if you can't do that, that's.

29:15
you're somebody and your team is doing it wrong. We just did two headlining sold out shows at the Ramen and Nashville. That's 2,500 tickets each night. And that's realistically 20 years of kicking ass and working for it. And 11 specifically with this band, or 10 with this band. So, you know, there's, I don't think there's, there's maybe six or seven other country artists.

29:39
town that could probably do two nights in the rhyme and sell it out that are at our level. You know what I mean? Right. Well, it's, I think there's something, we're doing something, right? Clearly, but I think it starts with the music. I mean, that's the, that's the bottom line, you know, I hope so because that's the easy part. You know, that's the fun part. Well, you play in the game, right? You're getting content out there a lot. That's why I call it, you call it my own social. Once I'd kind of heard you and, and through the grapevine and all that, it's funny.

30:08
I had coffee Anderson, I don't know if you've heard of him who's 100% independent out of Texas. He was on Netflix and to this day, he doesn't have a record deal, but I think makes more, more money than a lot of, uh, the B-level, you know, national guys. Those Texas dudes, man, they don't mess around with, I think he's from Texas. Yeah, he is. I think he spent some time in California, but he's, I think he's originally Texas. Yeah. And he's there now. He, yeah, I met him.

30:38
I was in a studio, I was doing Chris Shifflett from the Foo Fighters. We're making a record together and we walked out of the vocal room and coffee was standing there and you know, he's a big guy, six, six something. And I just hear like, Hey, Jaren, uh, Kofi, you know, and he puts his hand out and I was like, Hey man, you know, I had no idea. Um, and so we sat there and talked for a minute, really super guy, seems very smart. Um, but yet the, the Texas thing is so interesting because

31:05
We did a lot of going back and forth to Texas in the beginning, trying to build something down there. Um, and Texas is Texas. If you're from Texas, you know, then they'll, they'll listen to it. It could be even terrible music, but they'll represent it cause it's Texas. Um, but I remember talking to Randy Rogers one day on the road and he told me what he made in one year just in Texas alone. And I said, dude, and he was at the time he had a record deal on national. He was going back and trying to do the radio thing. I was like, dude,

31:35
What are you doing? I would not leave the house. If I made that much money one year and once, and didn't have to leave Tennessee. Holy shit, man. And he was just like, Oh man, you know, I was like, well, obviously you don't know what people are making in Nashville because you're way ahead of the game, bro. Yeah. I think it's being spread then with all the, I don't know, the C there's a sea of sameness a little bit, like you said, going on, that's the only negative. I like that country's gotten more.

32:03
mainstream a little bit and all that, but it's, I don't know, some of the stuff I'm, I'm kind of having to look and remind myself who it sounds like the same thing I heard on the last one. You don't- Well, that's why you have three playlists. That's why you have the one. Yeah. Well, the cool thing about the country, John, I told somebody this on something else, it's neat because you've got room. You've got room for a guy like Eric Church, he's doing his own thing. Could be a little heavier, could be whatever.

32:33
still country, you know, as it gets with that tenor voice, his delivery and the songwriting. And then you've got room for Sam Hunt, who's taking his approach, you know, who's doing the more talky kind of thing. But, you know, beaching was like that too. It's like talking in the verses and all that stuff. And then you have room, you have room for us, a band that's just completely off the map and, but every now and then hits you with something that makes a little bit, a little bit of sense to be in the genre.

33:02
Um, but it's interesting. That's what I like about country music. There's just so much, so much, you know, different that there's just different takes on it, I guess, you know, like more is Bruce Springsteen, you know, like that kind of lane. It's, it's neat. Everybody kind of has a lane. It's pretty fun. Yeah. And I know you mentioned it and you know, you, you, uh, maybe you don't self promote as much as I'd like for you to, but that Sam Williams album's pretty fire.

33:29
Oh, thanks, man. Yeah, I really enjoyed that different. And he's different, man. Yeah, man, I like that. He was real easy to work with, too. Glass houses, something. Is that? Yeah, man. I've been digging that. A lot of people don't know that he's Hank Williams Jr.'s youngest son. Yeah, man. And if you look at that guy and don't see Hank Senior. Oh, God. I see it. Just like him. Just like him. Yeah, he's a good dude. Yeah, man. I've been enjoying that. I caught it on your feed.

33:59
I don't know, a couple months ago you posted, I guess you'd produced or whatever. I'm like, all right. And I'm like, damn, he doesn't look like Sam William. He, that's a, he, you can't, you can't fight that. He's got his own lane. You know what I mean? It didn't sound, I mean, there's a little child or children's and they're just vocal similarities, but he's kind of doing his own, you know, take on and it's, and it's really cool because it's super unexpected. Cause I mean, it coming out, you remember when shooter came out, shooter Jennings. Yeah.

34:28
You know that first records, he sound like Waylon. You know what I mean? So it's like, it's, and now Shooter's got his own way. It's, it's a really cool. There's a couple of people doing some really cool stuff. It's just a little harder. It takes a little longer to get there. I think. Yeah. And his is, I almost call it alternative country. I mean like, you know, I don't know that's the right bucket but that's almost where I put him, you know, like. Yeah. I mean, and there should be, they should really do that. I mean, I know a lot of people point those people towards Americana.

34:56
Yeah, I think there should be an alternative country.

35:01
I don't know situation. I think there should be a Grammy for it. I think there should be a CMA for it. There should be an ACM for it. Canada does it. Canada has its own genre and it's alternative country and they give awards for it. I mean, I think if that happened, then that would, and they had alternative country radio stations as many as they had real old bud here being a bigger beach house. Let's just say that. You never, never say never, uh, never say never is, um, what's your, uh, favorite bar in Nashville.

35:29
Oh, goodness. Well, I haven't been to one in two years, really, because it's terrifying down there. But I can tell you, we used to really love the Red Door down there. But, you know, it's like bar scene in Nashville is kind of tough because you can't once you get to be certain level, like I call myself the plus famous. Yeah. In Nashville, the Nashville. Are you pretty known? Yeah, I would think. Yeah. And so you can't go. We can't really go.

35:58
do that like you used to. People just won't leave you alone. Yeah, they won't leave you alone. And it's, you know, especially now that the bachelor.

36:11
Mm.

36:13
I think I lost you. Oh, there we go. Okay, we're back. We're back. But yeah, you can pick it back up. It's a little different. A little different. They, you would like to think, I don't know, that Nashville would be cool enough that people would like, but I guess it's just so many tourists or whatever. And so what's they know? It's the tourists. Yeah. And they don't see, you know, say me and Dirks or whoever, Jake go get a beer. Yeah. They don't see that every day. And so,

36:42
You know, it's like, it's interesting, but I mean, red door was always great. That's a good bar. Um, there's it's, I used to really love spring water and gold rush. It's not there anymore. They torn down a lot of them old good ones that we used to go to. Yeah. What about, uh, I know you brought up Luke. I was going to ask you, you know, your opinion on the couple guys. Like I'm not asking you to talk shit. I'm just saying like, Morgan, Morgan whale. I mean, these guys that are the seemingly the hot.

37:11
the hot of the hot, at least on the, I don't know, radio stations. It seems like, you know, Luke and Morgan, I mean, Morgan keep himself out of trouble. He would have no tell him where he can go. Yeah, that's, that's kind of just, I've known him a long time. He's, you know, it is what it is. It's that I have a feeling. I hope he does well. I hope the best for him. And I hope he keeps his nose clean, but you know, you kind of just think it's only a matter of time, but I mean,

37:38
Um, I know his team's watching it pretty good and he's trying. So he's talented, dude. He's, I think he's one of the better singers in town. Um, and he's cutting great songs. He's, he's a good writer. I've written a couple with him. He's, you know, and you know, it's, it's that thing he got big so quick. That I think that his 27 year old mind or whatever could not handle it. And so you can see when that happens, you know, Kings of Leon guys got

38:08
big like that really quick. And we kind of saw that because we were coming up at the same time. I think, you know, I'm friends with all those guys that most of them are really good. There's a couple, you know, that are drinking their own Kool-Aid a little too much, but what are you gonna do? You know, it's like you play the game with them and, oh yeah, okay, cool, you know? Whatever. I like, I think the biggest country star coming for 2022 is gonna be Hardy. Yeah. I think.

38:37
I think he's going to pass all of them. Um, except that ass. He is. Yeah. He's great. He's one of the, I think he's probably one of the top five talented talent wise songwriters in Nashville. Um, I love that album and I still like just used to bringing his name up. I've got like, I got dirt in my boots. I've set that song because that was different too. Like had almost like a rock riff to it. You know, I can't sing, but you know,

39:05
Like, you know, a lot of those risks. Uh, if you, that thing I was talking about earlier, if you go back to listen to smoke cat, like rich, you might hear something in some parties, but he's, he's awesome. I should, I talked to him this morning. So he's, he's great, dude. That's cool. So, uh, Jaren, as we wrap up a little bit here, man, I don't want to keep you, I want to get you back to your, uh, lovely family is, uh, I mean, when it's all said and done, like what? Tell me the.

39:35
the book cover for Jaren. Like what's, what do you want, what do you want people to, or maybe not the book cover, the sentence, the two sentences, like what, what kind of legacy are we trying to leave? I mean, you know, it's tough to wrap that up, but in a, with a bow on it, because there's so much stuff that we've done and then so much stuff that I still wanna do. But you like to think that it's kind of like a,

40:04
the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, you know, or something, use them where Tom Petty, you know, did so much, like with the band, wrote great songs for other people, did crazy things like with Johnny Cash and toured as Dylan's band and, you know, they had beautiful family and all that stuff. I mean, I think that's the kind of thing. I think Dave Grohl's kind of also done something similar where...

40:32
It's kind of like the life that people like me try to strive for, you know, on a family level and then on a professional career level, you know, those guys pretty much done everything you can do. And so that's kind of, you know, that's, that's, that's probably, that'd probably be the little sentence he did everything he did, everything he could do, you know? That kind of thing, you know? Yeah, man. Well.

40:58
You're super talented and a super cool dude. And I couldn't be more thankful for you coming on the show, man. Thanks for having me, man. It's been a blast. Yeah, man. Let's stay in touch. I know we can't grab a beer because you'll get bobbed. But we'll get to Nashville. I'm going to text you. Maybe we can at least catch up or something. Let's do it, man. I'll take you to dinner. I got you. Be great.

41:20
Alright Jaren, hey guys, you know where to find us, we're at theradcast.com, search for Jaren. Search for all things from this episode, we'll have all the highlight clips and more. I'm at Ryan Alford on all platforms, see you next time, Radcast.