#184 - Dustin Lynch on releasing a single that he didn’t like, playing weddings and Dating

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Speaker 1: About to have Dustin Lynch on here. He just left the house. Uh yeah, I don't forget. Check out Amy's podcast Four Things with Amy Brown. I'm looking at my email, Mike, do is anybody who can up about our producer's job yet? Not yet? I usually get those pretty quick. Yeah, I've been hit up by everybody, and good like there are a couple of people like background to our show. Our head producer is leaving to go work for me in different capacity on my management team, which my management team looks over like books and TV and even radio a bit and just pretty much everything I'm doing touring. Um so I need someone over there. So I've asked Morgan number one to move over to that side, and it's a promotion for her, but that means I gotta find a new producer, like a new head producer executive producer on the show. And so yeah, man, everybody I know wants the job. I don't think people just even know what the job is though, and I put on Twitter it's a pretty heavy job, and so you know, people like, hey, listen, I I did you know two years of media in college and I love it. And shoot your shot, everybody, everybody, shoot your shot, but it's it's a tough one. There are some of my friends I'm even having to go. I don't quite know that you're you're ready for this yet. It's like, you know, a hundred and fifty cities in the USA. In Canada we do night shows all over the country too. We have a countdown, we book guests. You have to manage all the morning show staff. You have to work with sales the mornings, that part of it, the whole thing, pitch segment, ideas, manager schedule, I'm traveling. It's just a lot um but it's great that we have so many people like trying for it. And I'm glad everybodys raising their hand. I would raise my hand even if I wasn't qualified, because a few people fall through. You never know who's gonna be there waiting. But I just wanted if you've been hit hit for it now. I usually get those emails like, hey, here's my res b throw Bobby, let me know what you do? All right? All right, well, um, Caroline Hobby has a fantastic podcast and she has on Katie Cook from cmta's really it's a really good one. It's great in there, which he Cook doesn't so much just talk about herself, but like Dolly Parton Stories, Blake Shelton Stories. Um, just if you're bored, check that podcast out, like if you're like man, she talks to really interesting women, some of them having wives of country stars. But it's called the Get Real Podcast with Caroline Hobby and I hope you checked that out. Um, I was just talking about the producer's job. I'm just looking at my email because we just did you know, hour and fifteen minutes with Dustin and have like eleven of them just about that job. And I have to have the awkward call with some of them. It's like, hey, I don't think that this job and I don't like having to have that conversation, but I do so Mike, sorry, Budd, you can't have the job. Yeah yeah, And I get out. You know what else, I get a bunch of relatives and twenty three and me. I get those all the time. It's like, do you have a new relative? They want to reach out to you. It's like my ninth cousin was like, hey, man, that's I'm gonna dance with the stars. Were related? Uh so I haven't done that. This is not a commercial. By the way, they're not I don't think the response are they of podcast? Um? Yeah, all right, anything you'd like to say? Am I missing anything? Check out also store Losers, there you go, and Velvet Edge and Velvet Sage. Um. All right, here's Dustin Lynch. That the newest episode of the Bobby Cast. Kind of good to get a man and gather on the show a bit. He's coming out a few times. I don't think we've ever really hung out socially though. Um, we've seen each other like a a couple of festivals. But um, I think as long as we ever spent together and we were naked the whole interview, we weren't just half of it. All right, here's Dustin Lynch. Hey, welcome to episode with Dustin Lynch. I didn't see you drive up. They did say you got your early, which I love. I'm such a proponent of early, man. I I've been in the studio and we got done, and I'm like, well, I might as well get over there early. I don't know in the studio I was afraid I would beat you here. Well, you're ready, man, I came from the gym and I can put on my best Jorgs. I don't know if you noticed it summertimes and uh, I did try to think. I'm like, what's appropriate the word of Bobby cast whatever you want, and I just went with comfee. Man. But you've been so you've been in the studio doing what. But we were writing today. Yeah, I'm like, I'm in this weird zone of need a couple more songs. I need to write songs, a couple more songs for what for the next album to make sense. There's there's a few songs that we have that won't make sense until I find the two I'm trying to find. So you need a bridge in between, yes and see, like you and See, you're just trying to find those be songs that kind of close it up. Yeah, I have like really well written, meaty songs, and I just need I need that song that people want to dance and drink too. Well. It's it's usually the other way around, I know it really yea where people like we got the party songs. We're just trying to find those song, those deep songs that kind of express how I feel. The elusive up tempo for me. Man, It's it's tough. I can't do certain things I've learned, certain like the farther get in my career, the smaller the bulls eyes gotten because I know who I am, which makes things frustrating, it really does. So who are you writing with? Today? Um? I was with will Weatherly. I was with Jaren Johnson of Three, Um, which I love, dude. We hadn't written in a while. Um, and uh, James McNair. So you go into the room and do they already know what you're looking for? Like you just told me, like you're looking for that that we'll call it the B Gap song. Do they know you're looking for that song? Or do you guys all go in and don't Really? I kind of direct them, you know. Um. And I've been blessed to be able to write with people that kind of know what I am now and know what I do and know what I need. Whenever I say, hey, I need a song that gets people up in the arena or the amphitheater, they know what that means. So, um, we instantly, you know, gravitate towards a certain thing. Did you finish it today? We did? Yeah. Actually they're kind of guitars on it right now. So I kind of earlier. Once I sang it, isn't it exciting to like get that song back? That's like after you like you've you've written it all day. And I do this with a lot of comedy songs that we write. But you're right it all day and then it feels good. But when they sit and they because you're not, it's not that the song that's gonna be on the record. But still it's kind of cool to hear the demo back. Yeah, it is, And and that's changed. I've been doing this long enough to it used to be when we started, man, it was just us and guitars in a room, and then you kind of just had a recording on your phone and and then you had to go back in and demo with a whole band three weeks later and then wait on that to get done. Now it's I mean tonight or tomorrow, I'll be riding around at the song we wrote today. So it's pretty cool. I was talking to Garth Brooks this morning. We're talking about school, and there was a story about because Garth had some stuff at school where he wasn't always the best student. Yeah, Elvis had some stuff where he wasn't the best student and it's something where all of us is kind of seeing music. And the teacher was like, I don't know if this thing is for you. Yeah, yeah, like all of us. I don't know, a little Elvis, I don't know if music is your credit. I was reading this thing about you where you gotta see it in music. I did my only see in my life really vocal music, yes, and vocal music. Vocal music. So tell me about this class you go in and how big is the school you went to? UM? I graduated like fo Yeah, so pretty big. I mean we were the big town of of my area. We had Applebee's and the movie theater. I think we had eight theaters in it, so we were kind of the We were the preppy kids of the county, right. Everybody hated on us because we had a movie theater, Applebees. But UM, vocal music too was a class everyone took if they wanted to be in chorus. I guess junior and senior year, which was kind of the cool kids thing to do other than sports. And I gotta see and I couldn't get in. Well why would you get to see? Were you not a good enough singer? Did you not know? I think it was I was talking to a lot of girls like in the back, wasn't paying attention, so you were goofing off the Yeah, I think that's what it was. And you didn't get into chorus. So then what you do? Just a band? No kidding? Start um now, now I probably would have anyways, because two of my guys in my band we're in the course as well. But um, that was kind of my I don't know. I like I like being the underdog man. I like having a chip on my shoulder just the way I'm programmed. I think my dad's programmed the same way. Other than that, you though you're a great student. Yeah, I love school, man, I love working hard. I wasn't. It didn't come to me easy see. I got to college, um from a golf scholarship, believe it or not. How it got to Nashville and David Lipscomb and I fell in love with I was good at biology in high school. I fell in love with As a freshman, what do I want to do? I apology? I'll take apology, of course, and I did, will at it, and then that led to another bology of course, and all of a sudden I was like, man, I'm in love with science and outdoors and how plants work. And um, I'm he's that huge outdoorsman. And I fell in love with how the body works. Human body is amazing machine. Let's back up to the golf scholarship. How good of a golfer were you in high school? Um? We were the first player? Were you number one? I was number some weeks, number two most of the time behind my actual my college roommate, um Cody, But yeah I was. I won my senior year. I won regional. I guess it would be right before State by seven shots. Jeez. I was like Tigers the Masters, like man. I was like, I'll never forget that day. I could not make a bad sling, I mean or stroke. It was awesome. So you're playing golf though at an elite level. Were there golf courses in your town? Yes? Yeah, we had a few. Yeah, and you're such a you didn't been played basketball football? I didn't know I really wanted to play football. Um. If I would to play football, I don't think I would have payed the guitar up. To be honest with you, that was kind of my crutch of And no one cares about the guys that aren't on the football field. What can we do? And you can hang out up parties after after the football game, and all of a sudden, the guy picking guitar gets all the attention. I'm amazed at all of you guys that are such good golfers. Because there's you and there's Jay. There's something too. But I think maybe we we were good at golf because we were I don't know. I wasn't big enough to play high school football. I got my bell around at an early age. I was like, I'm out, this is this is not for me. Um. I put on all my weight after college. Really, I was a scrawny, scowny human. How good of a golfer are you. I'm still fascinated with this good at golf because I played golf forever and I couldn't shoot blow eight. Yeah, it's a tough game, man. I played, of course, I played every day for twenty years. Um got a full ride of college that was back whenever could write, uh, you know, if you got more, if I qualified for more scholarship, they wrote you checks actual cash here, go rent a house or buy clothes or whatever. And you didn't play golf through college? Yeah. I played all the way through college. Yeah, all for years. I stay good enough in college of really fell in love with music and chasing that because I found Tin Roof on the Burming Street, which is you know, I don't know if it still is, but back then wasn't the college bar to hang out for for the lipscom of any kids. And started playing there as a college kid. Dude, when you have your Friday night and you're playing for tenda too, and you're all your friends from college campus are coming down, and it was insane. And so that became my love and passion. And I would stay purposely stay good enough at golf to keep my scholarship um obviously, because that's how I pay my way for school. So you're living in Nashville, you're playing golf, and you're you're playing music. What are you kind of feeling the bug for more? Though music for sure? Yeah, I never had it mentally to make it professionally as a offer. I don't know why. I just could not get over uh whatever hurdle that was in my brain. I don't don't know if it's pressure, I don't know. I just I was never good enough or maybe mentally I get the ball good enough, but I was never mentally good enough to win it. What was it? You and Nashville when you're playing music, where you go, oh, I think they can do this for forever, Like, well, I know I was having fun at first as a college kids, you're making good money on the weekends, not only getting a party with your friends, but you're getting paid to parties for friends. Um. And then those parties turned into frat parties at other college campuses. And whenever you start traveling and people want you to come to their party and host the party, and and you see that one invitation my first ever was at ut Knoxville is a crawfish boil on a Thursday afternoon, I think. And after we play that show, like three more frats called him. When you were booked. The next month, three frat shows up there, and you know they they've got mom and dad's money, so they're paying us thousands of dollars to come hang out, play and de craws fishes. That's a confidence builder. This is like, oh, man, I'm doing something right. And uh, are you playing in a band or you just Dustin Lynch. Yeah, I was doing a band. And then we would got there, me and another guy as an acoustic guitar. Does you have a name? I don't think we have ever had like a in the you know, a band name. But you're playing these uh frat parties, these sorority parties. I mean, as a twenty year old, nineteen year old making good money, making good money, don't know how you stay focused on playing golf. It was tough because I would have to go, Um, you play all night and then or even if it's in Nashville, you play all night and then at six am you're on a bus rolling to whatever golf course to walk eighteen and play a practice round. And then we played Monday Tuesday, eighteen thirty six. We had to walk thirty six sols um on Tuesday, so or maybe it was thirty six eighteen. I think it was thirty six eighteen. But it was a long day, long days, man. And then I have to you know, also do well in school, and you do finish school. I finished. Yeah, it's crazy that you're here, you know, when you're doing music on a large level, but you stayed in school and finished. I promised my parents. You don't wanted to do that. And and also I mean Um, I wanted a little bit of a backup plan. I think that it's scary jumping out and trying to do music for a living. Um, but I knew I had to give it a shot. Um. Yeah, I graduated and and actually got and I did all the med school prep stuff. So I did. Um it's called the MCAT. So that was like a prep class for a surgeon. Yeah. I want to be a surgeon. That instant gratification. Man, you fix somebody that's broke, Like, what's what's up with that? Like why a surgeon? Where did you see surgery or a surgeon? And that was like I said, I think I should do that. Um, I think just being around I don't know, maybe being around doctors at the golf clubs or something that had the nicest cars. It's probably you think about to you know, sixteen year old me. Maybe why I thought that would be the past for me, I don't know. But you love music more than you loved That was a tough conversation man, because your parents and and also inter dialogue too was like, you know, having fun and making money, making good money, playing these crap parties, wedding receptions and um, but then you have four years of hard heart work in dedication that is, you know, the premit degree. Yeah, there was a turning point. It was actually um at my buddy's house over here. I was helping him bartend for one of his mom's she's a a big time lawyer, but she was holding the conference and one of the guys there was a surgeon. He came to get a drink and he's just being nice, like, man, what are you studying the college? Is it? Man? I'm actually to graduate. I want to be a surgeon. And he goes, I'm a surgeon. Don't be one drab, just drink and walk off. I was like, what did that mean? You know, that's funny you remember that though likesion? That was it? That was it? And then so then that really gets your wheels turning, like, don't be one. Um. I think the whole insurance thing and made a switch at that time with UM. Maybe it's Obamacare or something. I can't remember what it was, but I don't know if that's what that comment was about. But it started making me wonder and I was like, you know what, I've got to give us a shot. I can't. I feel like I'm having so much fun, and I feel like I'm good enough to give us a shot. I can remember another turning point, U I lost sleep for weeks over trying to decide if I wanted to try out from Nashville Star. Yeah, the old TV show, old TV show. I think Miranda Casey was on there. Remember the year I was. I was like losing sleep over what do I do it or not? The first episode, christ Young comes on and sings and I was like, thank God, I didn't try out like you out. Unbelievable I've ever tried out, and that was a blessing. Were they trying to get to try out someone can watch you from the show? Not at all. I just knew, you know, at the time it could be kind of a cool thing. And I think I'd gone to watch a taping or two. You know. Now they do ringers though ringers maybe isn't the fair word, but they'll do. They'll go to YouTube and I'll find people who are really good, and like half of them, they don't want to just trust straight the audition pro I wouldn't either, probably casting director, I wouldn't just go. My entire show is gonna be based on who shows up, Like who wants to stand in line, so they go when they find That's why I asked you, like, did they have you kind of set up to go on? But I guess pre that one, so everyone about going on this show and stand in line for forever. So he didn't go on National Star. When did it start to happen for you? When people started sniffing around, going hey, maybe maybe pretty good, Like we may can do something with you at a record label or a publishing deal. Like when was the first time you were getting paid more so than just to go out and play these parties? Yeah, it was. It was. I got a cold call from an old golf room teammate, his coworker. It was a son in law of my future manager. Was the Sun. Okay, so he's like, man, I got a friend that sayings check him out, and that guy heard it and sent it to his father in law, who ended up cold calling me. Um. At the time, I was working at an environmental lab in Nashville just to kind of have a day job as well as still doing my frat thing, making good money there and playing at the bars too. Um, you're playing weddings too. By the way, I was playing weddings Yeah, the college kids graduate and then they go get married. Man, they haven't be back. What was the one wedding song that you'd play the vanil at every time, Like the one it was like, this is the one they're gonna everybody's gonna get up and dance out of slow dancing. Man. You know there's the classic shout. I mean, right, you guys play shot absolutely, man, we go nuts. I had a guy that that would I would. I was always smart because I can't everybody likes eighties and I can't say eighties stuff that well. Um, I would always have a guy in the band that could just rip eighties music, So I would do all the country hits back then. Wagon Wheel was bigger than life back then. Like that's twenty years ago, right, uh um, and then we'd rip into some eighties Um. Yeah, living on a Fair, I mean all that stuff. It still works, honestly, it's still you still go to like these Broadway bars and it's the same white people dancing to these same songs. Man. Right, it's the same deal. This guy calls you cold and you pick up yourself phone and you're like hello, he says what he says? Hey? Um, this this is pete hard tongue. Can I say his name? I guess I can. Um. And I managed an artist, brand new artist that we're just getting started um the name of Justin Moore, and he's gonna have a single here in the next year or so. And I would love to I've come across your MySpace page. How long ago this was, and I'd love to meet you in person. Man, I love what you I'm a big fan. I love it. Do you love to meet you? And I went over to his house and uh, I went up into his bonus room and play him a few songs that I had written. And I was scared of death, uh, you know, because it's just taking a call from a guy you don't know that has an artist that hasn't had any success. And but hey, it's a call and you go do it. We hit it off and within two weeks, man, he had me uh at Big Machine Records in the office and because just Justin big ye yep. And so we went in there. Man, I can remember I got out of his car. Of course he's coached me up, you know. And what does he tell you before you walk in, Like, what does he tell a brand new artists going into a label. Yeah, So he was like, just tell me who's gonna be there, and kind of what was gonna happen. You're gonna play song for this guy? And UM, how deep you want to get in the weeds of this? Very much? Okay? So I go in and actually Justin was with Valerie Music, which is considering kind of an imprint of Sure. And so I'll go up up there upstairs, and at this time they had had Reeba McIntire, they had Jimmy Wayne, just A Moore, maybe Brenton Gilbert. I think I think it's right there. Um. And so I go in there and I play, I play a couple of my songs, and I was I was gonna say, I remember, like yesterday, I get out of his car and I'm so so nervous. I get out of his car and I like brush my pants and I realized my flies wide open, like walking across music road. So that's how my days started, Like oh jeez, yeahs impot my pants. Walking there, start playing songs and I think it was my second or third song. Um. The VP of Valerie at the time, his name is John Loeba. He turns away from me and starts typing on his computer and I'm just like, so you feel like i'd like they're not feeling men. I was like, this is okay, I get I'm catching the dose here, turns back around, all right, play me another one. Um, and then goes, hey, I'm opened the door real quick. And he opens at the door and there's two girls on the floor with their ears listening, and he goes, I want you to know how excited like, I apologize for typing. I was actually answering their emails. They're trying to figure out who the heck in here singing because they're in love with you. I wanna offer you record bill like that out of nowhere. Um. Two weeks after getting this call from Peat and so me is a science nerd, we're going to lab at a job. I hated, uh playing frat music. All of a sudden, I've got a record deal and published a deal on the table like that. So what does that mean for your life? Though? How does your life change when they go, hey, you have a record deal? I mean obviously you don't sign something right there. No, not at all, not at all. You gotta get somebody on the phone man like I. Of course, this is. You know, the industry is evolved greatly since I was, since two thousand eight or whatever that was nine. Um, but you know I'm I'm here in hindsight to come in a record deal, in a publishing deal. Those words mean nothing. Uh that gets you nothing. All that really does is sign your life away to someone else. Um. Because you fast forward. Uh. You know, we went by and forth to aango your question for months and months. I'm trying to what's a fair deal? What's not a fair deal? Do I want a day job doing? I want a day job, don't want to you know, publishing deal that's gonna pay me a little bit, allow me to focus just on music. It's tough, especially for twenty four year old kids. It has nothing going on. You know. It wasn't like I was in the system of Nashville. I didn't have anybody. I was just doing my frat thing, trying to figure out who do I meet to go get co writes and how do I get a publish and jo I didn't know anything. Um. I didn't have anybody holding my hand. You know, there was no family member ahead of me that did it. I was just kind of out in the Ocean, Shread and water. So, um, you do now I know how kind of how this story ends that you're not with Big Machine. So yeah, so John um part of his deal when he signed his contract over there, he got to sign an act um of his choice and I ended up being the one the card he wanted. So the guy that was typing who turned around, you thought, man, he's not feeling he's the guy that signed you. It was this one like golden tick that was it and and so um man, life's good. We end up getting the deal done. I don't have a day job. I'm focusing straight up on music, and I start writing and I'm writing, and I'm writing, I'm writing. I write a song called Cowboys and Angels, and there's a moment where I go, man, this song feels different. Uh, there's something deep down inside and know this is special, and I'm excited. We going to play it and for the bing Machine team, and they're not excited at all about it? Um why because it was so cowboy or maybe so yeah, I don't know. You know, it's one of those things where that song is every song is not for everybody, and maybe that song wasn't for for them. I don't. I'm not sure, but that was a bit of a that was a tough pill of s fault. We could not get any participation from that label to give me a photo shoot, nothing to really get the ball rolling. So John ends up getting frustrated over that and some other things, I guess, and ends up going to Broken Boat Records. And so I'm stuck at a label that wants nothing to do with me because your champions not with you. By the way, they never they never messed with cowboys and angels. No, no, they didn't like it at all. You go over to Big Machine and how does that work? Or excuse me to Broken Bow? Yeah, so I think did John still get to have you? So they end up, you know, doing a deal and buying me out of my record contract with Big Machine. And was that a weird time in between? Well? It was tough because here I am, I've sawn my life away. I can't do anything. I can't I don't have any money to you know, I'm just paying rent with my frat party stuff and what little pubs can draw. I was getting and trying to write um and so yeah, you know, you fast forward a couple of years and I was able to get over to Broken Bow. They bought me, I guess out of my deal and um, then Cowboys and Angels was sitting there ready to rock and they felt differently a Broken Bow. Yes, they said, this is access that we love. Yeah, and so we went out. Man, we cut four or five songs and uh often you know, they had a plan in place. Off the radio tour went and this song came out and man, not knowing any different, it was an amazing I but now knowing how hard that is to do to put out a ballot, put out of but not only about it, just the first thing one get a song at the charts. Yeah, yeah, this thing was. It changed my life, you know, it did amazing, amazing things and still is my favorite song play out is it? No? I don't think so. I know, but this is not one I can cut and it's it's the one that started us. There's so many um guys and girls that come back repeatedly. Um, maybe this is the song that brought them together at the concert the first time. And now they've got kids together, you know, they keep coming back and dancing to it and all every time. So was this a big song that was played a lot of weddings, and honestly, um, I found a little bit of a formula there early on in my career where the song is that people can That's what I was doing. I was playing wedding receptions, so I think as a writer, I was grabbing from from those experiences. There's a song called Daddy's Boots I have that It's from us specific wedding reception in Kentucky where this guy was just falling crying watching watching the father daughter dance and that's kind of when inspired that song. So those first couple of records, I had some songs that were kind of directly from that frat party, wedding reception type of you know this one, I'm going to Heaven head of trying to feel your Daddy's booze, you know. Cowboys and Angels peaked at two. Yes, not a lot of songs. It's crazy. There are not a lot of songs to stop it too. And I stuffed it too behind my label mate Jason Aldean, which means you're label was kind of in the they were totally in on it. Yeah, so uh yeah, take a little Ride by Jason Aldean song kept it out being a number one. I always think back to like my my career, and I feel like I'm just getting started, but I've been put through the wringer man is an artist of like getting a deal and they'm not even want to do anything. Then finally I get this song that gets my life going as an artist, and then it stops at number two for through, you know, and then it takes me a few years to get another hit on the radio. It's crazy. Was it frustrating? And I know the ANSWER's gotta be yes, but was I'm gonna ask you to say it was a frustrating that didn't hit number one? Yeah? Because this town is so funny. There's no celebration. There's no plaques unless it hits one. You know they could and and a lot of artists there there step out songs you know or you know, let's take Luke Bryan for instance, the country girl Shake It from Me. I think out the five Yeah, no party for that song. Keith Urban's had a bunch that didn't hit one that are massive, massive that no parties for some of those songs, Chesney. It's just funny as a town in an industry, we don't celebrate career changing songs we celebrate a stat on the chart that could be, you know, a flash in the pan type of song you mentioned it took a while to you can know the song on the radio. So what happened? What what did you put out that came out after that that didn't work so hot a RADI there was a lot of confusion of we had Cowed was an angel, so obviously we need tempo next. Can't go slow slow, so you gotta go slow and up. And we had we had a really a song doing really well. Um that was a little bit slower, A couple of couple actually, and we we felt victim of the radio tour. I think we had cowboys and Angels. And then we had another slow song and then a tempo which was she Crates My Tractor, which is the silliest song I've ever written in my life. Um, so everybody you know that we're listening to out there, the programmers go, man, we want the tempo next for sure. Well, I didn't realize that I had written eight more songs after the radio tour that may have been better candidates. Um, this song came out and did what it did. It was fine. And then because this song existed. You were kind of pinned into it. It's what you're say a little bit, but it did its thing. I mean, it's still um. The next the next step is where we took a bit of a tumble. I was talked into recording a song I hated really um because as a new artist, I got my way with all the other songs. And uh, who now, who talks you into it? Is that a label? Is it management? Because people try to talk me and we're all victim of being led when when we're not overly sure and almost arrogant about it, we can be led into directions by people that we feel like no more than us at times. Yeah, yeah, that happens to me all the time. I was I remember this call. I was out in front of my girlfriend's house at the time, and I repeatedly said, I'm not I don't like the song, I'm not doing it, and I got a call it says, look these other however many songs are on the first album. I think twelve, these other eleven songs, we're kind of you and your producer's choice. Give the owner of the record label one song we promised we won't single, just just go record it. Oh this is even about a single? This is this is the old just to get you to record it, so so I'll record it, go ahead. And the reason I didn't want to record it because it's not what we could do well. It's not what I could do well, it's not what my producers do well. And we record it and U that was angels success. Tractor hits a ceiling because it's goofy and whatever, but this thing is cool. And then I get the song that wasn't not going to be a single that I didn't want to record, um chosen for me to go next? The label picked it as you're single? And uh man, that was that started a dark dark my first dark time as an artist. And what do you want to say? What song that was? While your smile? You know what? And we don't even have that was not even happen, is it? We have it up? So okay tell me sorry Red Akins, I don't and I don't even think he'd mind. I don't think. So you didn't want to cut this? Why do you say you didn't do this? This wasn't for you? Um? Like what about the vibe? Where you going? You know? This isn't what I do well, it just did. It wasn't me at the time, man, Um, I didn't like it at all. Well would you have put out from that collection that would have existed? It wasn't a single, but I can remember very specifically. Uh. It was our first tour stop of my very first two or ever with Keith Urban in a little big town. We're in Cincinnati, and he called me on the bus after my first step and I'm freaking out. I thought I did something wrong, and he goes, man, great job. Uh, and I think Nicole was on side stage. My band's freaking out, you know, because it's our first tour and I so he goes, man, great jobs. I'm like, all right, I relie, I want you to come out and sing with me tonight. What song? And uh? So we go through that. I'm like, all I don't want it's take a first, She'll come in and do that. And then he looks at me. He goes tell me, uh, why didn't you put out last lap? And it just broke my heart, man, because it was the song that I knew we should have done. Um. And then for Keith Urban to invite me on tour because I think he thinks we're gonna put that song out and then we don't do it, um and I'm having to sing a song every night. I don't like, Uh, what was tough man and and but a great lesson learned. Here's the deal um and and knock on wood and I hope it continues. My gut hasn't been wrong so far, um and so I'm just that that right there in life, I think you. I think he got through almost like that. Where if that didn't happen, I don't know if I would learn the lesson of trust your gut, you know. And I don't know that you would have all the success that you've had based on you learned so much from now you've been able to make really great decisions, but maybe even better decisions than you would have made should not even happen. Yeah, without a doubt. And I'm always good with bombing out if it's my gut, the bombs out, because then I don't wonder, Yeah, like if I screw up, or I write a joke and I'm like, I feel pretty good about this and it doesn't work, you know, that was that's on me. I would rather be on me if it doesn't work then to God, I wish I just would have trusted me. So no, I get it, And I think we learned Listen, I did a whole book on I think we learned so much more mistakes that actually in the end, like the net wind, is so much more than if the mistake would have never happened without a doubt. This is otis gray And for this season of On the Job, we're hitting the road to tell amazing stories of real people and their lives, working from a young woman making dolls for an underserved market to folks falling in love at the office. Each episode will so prize you. And just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, we got the job from hell. Check it out by searching for On the Job from Express Employment Professionals, in the I Heart Radio app or wherever you listen. So okay, So, so that song doesn't go well wild and you're smiling, then what how you say? A dark time? Like what happens in an artist? Dark time? And we think everything is wonderful and you're famous and you're making music, But what's a dark time? Board? Yeah, because because now you're second guessing, you come out and you have this gigantic career song, and then you know, something that was kind of whatever, and then I miss um and and everybody in my hometown, including my family, were like, dude, you're rich and famous. Oh my goodness, which is whatever you think. Guess what, Yeah, making no money out there. Um, I'm still you know, at the time, I was just now kind of have enough money to pay rent because I wasn't playing frat parties that pay well anymore. I'm playing free radio shows. You're actually making way less. Yeah, there's no income now. Um, even with a number one song, there's no income because when we go play shows, now, I've got how much expenses that going to put on a show and a bust in the whole deal and just to get in the wheat. A little deeper is that these Fridays and Saturdays that you've been working before, where you've actually had money coming in, now you're you can't even go do you can't even do that because those Friday and Saturdays are taken up by you doing free shows. So the ability to even try to make money doesn't exist for you anymore. Exactly. You know what, I think that's I didn't understand that until I kind of got over and and what's see, my friends do it and you make less money when you're assigned artist, at least in the whole beginning part of it, without a doubt. So okay, it's you're finding songs, you're writing songs. Yeah, so now it's okay, can we do this again? As a young artist? You go, man, and I just get lucky once. Um, you know, as a writer, as do you get one hit wonder in your head started around a little bit and uh, man, I had a very and I gotta go do this again. Um. We worked, we worked really hard on writing and trying to find songs. And of course we're playing shows and getting the tour and that brings on, you know, relationships and new experiences and getting to see the world. And um, we we cut our first handful of songs for the next album with a new producer. UM that I was kind of, hey, go try this guy. But I was also working with with Prett Beavers, my my producer from album one. Um, and I said, man, I just need to get away for a minute. Let me I want to go to the West Coast and rent a car for a few days and just drive, uh the out there. One of my reps lives on the inland side. I guess San Jose of what would that be, Um, Santa Cruz so nor yeah, north, So I jump over the mountain. I drive from Santa Cruz down to Big sur and I'm listening to these new tracks we cut. Man. I've never seen that part of the world in my life, and such a spirit, spiritual, just mind blowing. Ah. Drive me alone. I had a right orange charger driving coast Man and listening to new music, and it was like a light bulb went off. I said, Oh, this is next, this is this is what I'm supposed to say next, And it was where it's at, and um, it just jumped out out there and and came back and and uh, that was a song that kind of just threw in the mix last minute of that first batch of songs. And we just found something magical in the studio and it made sense for me to do. And and we hadn't you know. All I knew is my gut told me that should be first. And all of a sudden, you know, country radio just embraces it and we get our heart on the verge and cut boom um your first number one. Yeah, it's multi weeks. Man, it's a big one, yea yea Is that this ended up landed us? Yeah, this ended up landing us. Uh but Luke Bryan's who are the first time around? This song? That's pretty cool. You get a flag now, yeah, I gotta get a trophy, you get a party. It's a little bit. It's gonna be a little bit of relief. Right sure, you're not, you know, lou Bega. Now you have more than Mambo number five for sure. And then but then this tops out and then what you gotta pick the next one? Well, and that will always be the process though, right as you see now it's absolutely and it's never in. It's never and um there's never a sure thing, man, which keeps it exciting. I've learned instead of stressing about that, it's it's about enjoy the ride. Okay, but you've learned that after some success, that's true. Like I always feel that way too, Like I, you know, I learned after all the struggles. I wonder if I didn't find it and it had continued to struggle, if I would still have learned the same lesson. I can't imagine not having a miss um. That'd be tough where it's at hits and what's next? Uh next? To continue the story? Next, I want a fall. Victim of this label wants this song. I want this song. So they put out a third song that we didn't want. So that was the compromise. We'll put out that. Nobody wants her, you get her. Um so okay, So what happened? What was that? One hell of a night? And in neither one of you guys were that wasn't your first choice? No, I wanted it fourth. I think I wanted mine reader and then I forget now, but hell haven't I went number one? If I'm right? Okay? So so but you guys second choices. You must have a bunch of music on this record. We did, we had, we had some good stuff. There's still a couple of songs that maybe three songs on that album I think would be hit this one. It's okay. Then then who gets the next choice? Though you get to go, you get the next pick or today? Um no. At this point still they're still kind of running things, all right, and I kind of you have to earn your I think it's a young artist. You know, it's my money. I'm gonna pick the song because I'm with an independent label. I'm not with some giant conglomerate well, and also there is some some currency to the label picking it and then having more invested in it, absolutely, both with their money and their minds. Sure, because if they've picked it, they're a little more responsible for it, no doubt. And I mean even the specific people. If you're the VP of X y Z picks that song, you don't think they're going to be in the mixed fighting for that thing all the time. Yeah, Whereas if it's your song and they argued against you, they still wanted to do well. But like human nature is I told you exactly so mind Raader hits, then what comes after that? Um gosh, this is You've got so many I know it, it's tough. What is next? Is that hell of a night? Hell of a night than mind Raator right? Seeing red, I got you covered? Thank you. I's trying to think about set list another number one. At this point, you gotta feel pretty good, like the world is your waist. You gotta feel that, Like do you ever think, all right, I'm about two songs wife Entertainer of the Year, Because I won't be thinking that. I would be like Dan, I can't I can't be go into that with you. Actually, yeah, go ahead later on if we can do that. Absolutely, Uh seeing Red Hits, Yeah, that was man, it's fun. We're rocking at this point. We're we're two years into Luke Bryan tour. Man. I mean we're playing Wrigley Field and massive massive two nights in a road to let massive massive numbers. Man. So we're in front of a lot of people in life is good, it's easy, it's fun, such a funny and it's a great camp is great to our west. So we're having a blast. Small Town Boy was freaking awesome. Here's this one. This one to me was another like you you made it. You were climbing slowly, but this was a just like a boom, like somehow you got to jump up a whole other notch with this long did you feel that way? And um, I actually argued against this song, believe it or not. Um, So you know, the story goes both ways. I'm glad that my label pressured me and going no, I think we think this is the right move. Here's why. Okay, let's do it and kaboom a big one by changing good girl you first number one of the song writer. Yeah, he's gotta be cool, right. I remember you bringing this one in and going, well, this is just my recollection. You're like, well, we're just gonna put this out. We don't have anything to go with it, just that we just have the songs. I'm just gonna do it. And and now I think this year that was last year. This year, I think everybody can kind of consume that a little bit easier. And last year that was kind of odd to do. The album we put out was only a Current Moves, only about eight months old when we did this. So but now it's like, man, you write a song, your start about put the dang thing out of it out. Yeah, it's it's not even crazy to take it. And you feel good about a demo put on Instagram if you really want to, Yeah, for sure, because if you can get anyone to pay attention to at any point, that's great. That's because everybody there are ten thousand things coming to people from ten Yeah. I was scared to death if I had to wait two years for another album, cycle or whatever for that song to come out, that it wouldn't make sense. And it made sense to do last year. From my life. So you know what I love is to love me or leave me alone. I told time off. When there's nobody around, I don't need to have a radio or a phone or I would love to release this one day, man. I just you know all these factors go into can that be a radio hit? Is it too slow? Is it too bare? I don't knows you? And can fare chot from a little big down. I think this shows the importance of getting to tour with I mean, I never would have had the guts to ask kar and fair Child to sing with me and my wife. It may still not, but we're out on tour together and it felt comfortable to do um and that magical moment happened because of that. I bet you that's a song though too that even though it wasn't a single that people know. It's hard to have songs that people know that aren't single. I gotta do something really special This past fall with Lauren Elena, she was out with with Cole and I and she would come out and sing to you pop out on the second verse and singing that song with me every night. It's goodness. I took her out and she opened for me doing stand up for a bunch of shows, and you've we and we live in this world where we go and do our thing on the weekend, so we don't see everybody else do their thing right, and then we come back together and you guys will come into my show or I'll take heart, but you don't see people really do their thing in their own elements. So many times because we come we kind of get on this even plane where we're like this, like I'm not watching you do your thing on a big stage. You're not watching me on a stage of comedy or so. But when you like you watch I see Laura before and I go, oh my god, like you forget how good she is. She's unbelievable, like really one of the best singers. Yeah, it's one of those things where she would come out and sing, and after after she get all the stage, I would question how am I a singer? Like how am I hope you're doing this? And then after that tour ends, we gotta do let me or leave me alone without her? It doesn't feel right anymore. Whose things the other part? And you want you no one if you think all of it. Yeah, that's by keyboard players doing some harmonies, but I mean, it's not Laura Atlena. Come on, it is the gym. It is the jam though. Thank you. I'm glad you dig that one. I was watching your vlog. Did you have you have the flu? Huh oh yeah, and you're had to play sick? Yes, all right, so tell me your your guidelines on sick and performing. I've never, um, I've had to cancel one show because of food poisoning in my career. Um I actually that was the first time I tried to fight it off that, you know, organically. I guess I easily could have gone I got a steroid shot and probably would have kicked that, no problem. Um. I just wanted to try to sweat it out and do it the the natural way. In hindsight, I probably should have just got a steroid shot. Been fine, That's what I do, and it's always not good for me long term. You're right, because it's not the best thing for us is to do the quick hit. But then you go, okay, well, I've had two weeks of craftic performance and I feel I just feel guilty. I don't know if anybody can can tell, but I feel like I know I can tell, So maybe I'm not putting on the best show I could if I was just taking a shot and people can't really tell, Like I've been to shows and watch people have been like, that's a great performance. I talked to him after, like I've been feeling terrible. You can't unless you're falling down. You're really can't tell. For me if it's my throat, Like, if I can't talk, I'll shut it down. Were with Mike Iowa. We did two nights in Iowa Casino. I was really sick. Yeah, it was in Iowa. I mean I was. I was so sick and all I wanted to do is make it to the show. You just want to get to that point because when you go on, you do get a little adrenaline. And it wasn't my throat, but I was like poving myself. It was coming out every hole. There was a hole there was and um and I got through it. Okay, did you have to leave midway through the show? I kept thinking I was gonna have to, But did you let the crowd in on that? No? Not if it's my throat. If I my voice is a bit gone, I'll acknowledge it. If it needs to be acknowledged. Only once because it gets annoying because it's not as big a deal of them as it is you. But I were I'm not kidding. I had black pants on, so I really wasn't that nerves by craving myself. If I just cried myself, I'd be like, hey, I'll be back right right, But um yeah, but I feel like for me, I had to removed myself from from stage. Uh down in Mexico. Could you get sick water? Yeah, bad fruit or something. And I just told the crowd it was a pool party that crushed my plan. I said, hey, the beers are running through me. I need to go take a leak, and went compute and other things in the bathroom and came back and finished the set. You know, it was really complimentary of you, and that pool party is carried Luke's manager because look, and I did I don't think we've done I don't think it last tweeters and she was like, you gotta come down, and she was showing me a video of you at the pool party. She was like, Dustin owns this pool party and people as far as you can and I'm right right, like, I'm not making this up. There are people in the water. Yes, ours and their elbow to elbow packed in and you're up on You're up on the stage crushing it at the pool party. And she's like, Dustin's made this his own thing, Like this is like he's so prideful of how great this pool party is. It is, man, I kind of want to like I want to see if we can grow it into you know, other spaces. I promise you that's not the only pool people want to get in and do that, you know. So it's like, boy, they're they looked awfully closed standing well. I think it was year three. I finally told everybody said all right, because they get there. I think we'd show up at two there and they're tim waiting on us to get front. That's like, you guys, realized you've been in the sun and drinking all day and no one's getting out of this pool. So what do you think is happening. It's like everybody just don't touch the water. Everybody's just being on each other. Whatever. You get recognized about the cowboy hat, yeah, I do. Now think it's because I started flogging yeah um and posting more on social with my ball capp or no hat or whatever. Are you ever not going to perform on stage with the cowboy hat? Have you not performed? I don't know if you've ever done it. I see you without the hat. I only see you without the hat. Fact. Yeah, I feel completely naked without it on stage. Luke used to We've got saying with Luke, and he used to trade hats with me, and that still felt weird in the ball cap. He'd switch it up and did grab your hat and put and that felt funny to you? Um it did? Yeah? Uh yeah, I don't know what. I don't know how to be man. I feel like I feel like I'm gonna change character whenever I put the hat on. You know, Yeah, I get that, like I I wear my big dark rum glasses because to me, it's a bit of a hide behind something that is a character almost in yourself. I mean I'm the same way with my hat. Brown Man. I cut light and you know what was up with the hat? Why had the hat at the beginning? Like you thought I'm gonna perform on stage with the hat? Yeah, I was in and out of it, like the frat party days. I didn't have I had just like a buzz cut um and then I wore cowboy hat, but it was it wasn't the right fit, and then it was it was a bit of kind of collaboration with management and my label and then obviously cowboys and angels. Okay, it makes sense to let's keep the cowboy hat luck and go with that. Do you have a deal with cowboy hats now? I do? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I started wearing the one that that I found that fit my face. That's the main thing with the hat's just gotta fit your head in your face and so you don't look like a weirdo. Um was a two thousand twelve resist all and they stopped making them. That was only year they made them had happened. And that mean I'll just buying them at boot Barn or whatever trap, whatever Trail West or whatever is downtown. They're gone. I'm like, man, I need some hats, So like, will we stopped making those? Well, we can't stop making those for me because this is my look. So now they have a press, just still make that one. I don't think they sell them. I think they're just making for me. You know you you're making it though, when you're getting your own special hats made, they tell me about this entertainment of the year. Talk to me, so what is it? What? What do you what are you gonna ask me about that? A lot of thoughts about this UM and and this is something I want to continue to ask close friends. I guess why not do it on here? Right? I want the whole world to know. UM is the constant battle of what other than hit songs, big hit songs? We know that that helps. How do you get from my level two? That next step? It's funny that you say that because you're in that that middle, the middle, like you're not a new artist. I say, there are five levels, right, yeah, what's it? Call them f we'll go backward. Hey, abc DF, we'll call him like the five grades. And that's not bad. But we're gonna say that's the brand new artist. Okay, So everybody knows A and we'll put in the A category the Luke Brian, your superstars, that Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert's the church but they carry underwoods. That's a right. And I would say with you, you're in that bottom of the b you know, it depends how much people know your music, maybe in the very tip top of the sea, but you're right there. In that spot and you've done a great job. I think freaking small town boy, he kind of put you into that B level. Like we talk about moments, moments are the things that move you up a level. Moments or slash and doing things other people can't do. For example, Eric Church goes out in place four hours now, he should be in the conversation for entertaining there without doubt, without it doubt with doesn't have a bunch of hit songs. Now, he does what I'm saying in comparison to someone like Luke, but he doesn't all. He also doesn't walk the same highway to the store that Luke does. And for him not have hits is fine. He doesn't. He's not an artist that's based on hits. He can go and play for four hours. We sell at the freaking football stage. We were talking about that today in co right. You know how Church has his fan base. It doesn't matter what he puts out, they're in, they're in. And I think that's a big thing right now. Part of his brand is not playing the game at all. If he and I'm not telling him to and I'm not John Pizza his manager, and I love him, But if he did a bit. I think he'd win it, Yeah, I do. But but part of his brand is he doesn't play the game, and good for him, Like he does what he wants to do like a loop. Look smash mash smash mash mash mash, um and Lucas has a distinct sound when Luke opens his mouth. Hey you I mean, I mean he's so distinct. He's on television now as a judge on UM the Middle of America Hit Show. Right, but that was hit hit hit hit hit, So to move you all you need those those moments like Stapleton, his his album sales. He sells albums like nobody sells albums and for a long time. Who I think now is quickly and he's not going to be it now. But because he streams so high, who to look out for his Luke Holmes and he doesn't. You don't look at him ago Entertainer of the Year because he's just a normal dude. That's his appeal. But I think he's really Him and Kane Brown are the guys that have come around because they're in the class after you, maybe even two classes after you. Um, they're in the classes after you that I think they're about the only two stars so far that streaming is really made like that. They're big, like streaming has been a huge push for them. Radio has two. But I think streaming is really um so, I think it's a moment, a moment, distinction or in a combination of some you can't not have hits, right, yeah, you can't not sell shows. Um So, I think a moment something big, a song that's so big that's the thing is like what now you go, okay, well, what's a moment you can undefinable at what a moment is? Is it a song that just comes out like an old town of road right that just everybody loves and things, or is it a Stapleton where what put him on was singing a cover at the c m as which people know that song from him now Tennessee Whiskey, But that was a cover with him and justin Timberlage. So it's not just having a massive amount of success. There are a lot of people who have a lot of success, but who's and I would say even like a Keith Urban who's in who's in his fifties now, I think there's something to Keith and his kind of his comeback, no doubt. It's almost like I was talking with Red Side stage watching watching TR the other night, because you know TR, TR and I got and we text about this. When the tour announced, It's like, man, I can't believe this is real life. Uh, we just met seven years ago and we're having lunch with your dad and I was asking Ran, I'm like, how in the heck because I think TR sold out? You know, the two are sold out all weekend, and it's like, how in the heck are there twenty two thousand people here tonight singing and dancing to these songs? Like what is the difference? And he talked about, Man, it feels like to me because RT's been around longer than we have right in this business. And he says, you look at your superstars and let's consider that t R is one because he's selling out the same antheaters Luca is right now, and you go, there's always something more than the music with these guys and girls. Um, like the storyline of him and Lauren or it was kind of tough to the point of what Luke's is. I mean, he's got a bunch I guess um. He had a breakout performance with with country girls shaking from me at the c mt S. I remember that. I think Luke, though a bit is before like he's had so much, but again, he's so distinct. I think his distinction helps him a lot. Yeah, yeah, he doesn't sound like anybody else. But I agree with what what he what you guys are saying, there's a guy that there's something to it, like why he and Rent was saying. I thought this was so so neat to hear Dad saying this. He said, Man, I think these people have bought into the reality TV show of of tr and Lawrence Why Life and family just as much of his as his music. That's why they spent the money to be here tonight. Um, and it's just me And I told Htta said, man, I'm I'm gonna go to the grave with this. I'm never gonna be it's never gonna be good enough. I'm always gonna want more and drive to have more success and how can I do that better? And how can we reach this next level? Like always, I'm always fearful of what if I do get Entertainer of the Year, then what you know that's a great and then what though you know it is a great. And then what I think though, So that's like that's my new I mean, I think about it NonStop, dude. It's it's a it's about something that's more than just putting out a hit song, right for a single guy, you know? And I mean, am I boring? I don't know. I just I'm just living life, having fun, making is it? But it's like, is there enough enough of a story? You know? You just wonder, sure, but the story could be I mean, you're still dating the girl that you're dating or now, okay, so let's just say hypothetically that she was someone that was on The Bachelor. I don't know if she is was she okay? Okay, alright, because I don't like if I don't know that, but or she was another artist? Like I think who you're dating is part of a story as a single guy. I think with t R two Lauren, their kids are a big part of their story, like he covers them and makes and also to TR's credit, it's hit after hit and he takes chances big chances of music. Some of the songs is like do wop, they don't do this this song? This is like a nineties country song, and I'll do a song and he gets crushed for being different, which is great, which I love. I'm a fan of people who take chances even if it doesn't go right. I love chances. But you're yeah, no, I think you guys are right on. It's entertainment yours, not just hits. If it was number one song, but have a whole it'd be a whole different deal. Like Blake's never nominated for it, and Blake put at one point to get twenty number ones in a row. But you know, since Blake moved to l A, it's just songs and he doesn't play the game. And you gotta play the game a little bit too, which Gus doesn't get it. Entertainer of the Year and superstar a level touring act or a different thing. I think that. I think the Van Diagram they crossed the major cross, but they don't have to all the way. And also I don't think it's likely something I would say it out loud and be like, hey, my goal is to be entertained of the year, like I say all the time, like my goal is to have a late night talk show. My goal is to go down as one of the greatest radio personalities of all time. All people to consider me is that I think I'm the second best interviewer on the radio period in the whole world. Right now. You know, there's all this Howard Stern, I think still the best until he retires. I'll never say other way. Um, but I'm a big believer in I tell people what I'm trying to get to because then they'll at least know when they can help me. And you may rub an eighth of them the wrong way that yeah, you may, you may, but but the seventh aides that you didn't actually know what you what you want in your desire, and they can help you. And it's hard to help someone if you don't know what they want. So if your goal was too, hey, i'd like to be entertained or male vocalists for the year, like Michael. When it comes that voting time and people are rolling through because I vote on this crap, I'm on the board and some of this crap and I go, you know what's kind of all the same, But I go, you know what Dustin said, this would be something he'd really this is one of his goals. I'll click it, especially when it's a toss up and you know, someone actually desires that, so not that that's you know, I mean, God, you don't need my advice, but no, I just I do I think, Um, I don't have the answer, you know. Um, it's just nice to have other opinions. I thought, rhet are you saying moments? Um, it's very vary insipable. Was just like, because you go through life and if this is a goal, you gotta figure out the path, right. UM. I don't know if it's something you can manufacturer, and maybe it is. Sometimes you can manufacture it, but most times it comes organically and unexpected that super a tier, like everybody's good. You can look around be artists, the artists, and I use those those letters as only um indicators that where people are right now because because bees moved A, c's moved A, a's moved ds, So everybody's good. You in this town, everybody's good. It's like in the NFL where they say there's such a small distinction between superstar and real good players. That's what it's like here, Oh, without a doubt, And sometimes the good, the good performer has more success in there freaking amazing one because of a couple of decisions, someone's either made for them or they've made themselves tiny decisions. So yeah, it's a there is not a right answer I think is the right answer, but it's something that's outside of just music, or you'd see people with just all the number ones hitting it every time. What do we have up here? Mons? No, No, I'm talking about now like recently, No, like in the past five six years or so, like whenever they announce, even the Blake wanted. We're looking at the list here. These are CMA urban Guarth like. You can look at Garth, who's had really maybe I think one hit in the past five or six years, but he doesn't need them. But he goes out and he tours and he sells that freaking arenas four and five, six nights in a row. That's what's different about him is that he goes out and tours. I would say Church is doing his best best Garth impression right differently in a different way. But no one does what Garth does. And that's why Garth wins it. Man, I've got to open for Garth twice, unbelievable crazy, you know, he and Georgia. The reason I've picked a guitar up and and a cowboy hat when I was five, so Urbane Garth see sixteen Luke Luke George straight is that when he hit the fifty number ones in a row. Have you ever hond with Chesney? Yeah? I have. He's aid you ever hung with Chesney? No, that's one guy I don't know anything about. You would like hanging out with him because he's a dude. He's a dude. We were, That's like one guy. I want to get the note. He's really bad. He's the dude that well once there are no microphones and again, I kind of treasure my time away from the microphone. So I'm not gonna share anything that we would stay here but there are no walls. He's just like yeah, because he just says what you think your dude friends would stay. But I like hanging out Kenny a little bit. We've done some West Coast stuff together. And you know, if you're either waiting around or on a plane together, or you actually get good human time where you're forced to be together. Um, yeah, I like Kenny's I like him. Uh. Taylor Swift Paisley, Now that's all this Paisley Taylor stuff with pre me. Yeah, when did you get when you signed a deal two thousand eight or nine, so that's around the Chesney Taylor. Taylor won it twice man, and she was young and one it. Yeah, that was she was different in the world, in the country. Of course he is still now Dixie Chicks or look, we get the whole list up, ye, but yeah, I think at the end is it's it's kind of under there's no tag you can put on what winds entertain of the year, and every year when they announced the nominate some people left out. Yeah, every every category. Man. I caught a lot of heat from I don't know if it's heat publicity, I don't know. It was whenever vlogged my reaction to small Town Boy not getting a nominated it that's the first time that I had seen I told just before this, first time I've seen you be human publicly or you showed like real emotions because you were disappointed. Yeah, man, but there's you know what I realized. I still get asked about that and interviews, and I realized from from that moment um and even very quickly I accepted it because I think of this song by my friend and that song by my friend that didn't get nominated either, You're like, well, it happens every year in every category. That's what it is. The beauty of that clip. And I still remember it too. First of all, that's how successful that clip was, good or bad. If you've got any pushback, that means there was a lot of push forward. Um, and you showed something thing that was so human and relatable that people still remember it. I remember it. You know clips I watch today? God du it. Just that's all I do is watch clips. Um. I thought it was fantastic. And as long as you're not in trouble, if people are noticing you, you win. That's it. You win. Um, Mike, we we've been a for hour. Huh, look at us. You've done an hour our interview before I'm gonna of course, I can man, I'm long winded. I can go. I can go forever. That's an hour. That was quick. You do you got a cycloud huh? Your sonic guy? Well, I would like I pretend that I do. I just heard it. I just heard a dairy queen ad this morning. I was stretching and I love Reese's peanut butter blizzards and blasts, and they've got multiple flavors of Reese. So that's gonna be my next swan dive into the dark side of desserts? Are you deprivation like with food to stay in shape? Uh? And I've just gotten better at I think I realized I feel better and I'm a better person when I eat healthy. Yeah me too, Um I can, I can. I'm going to hypernation mode pretty quick if you junk. Yeah, I mean too. And I love it for a second or now you've got to be on every day. I don't have to be on it. I just fit my clothes doing because this last year I've done a lot of television last year and a half, and I don't know if I don't put my clothes really that quick. Give me three bad meals, I feel like my gut what's good? When I fo help is. One of my best friends in Nashville is same deal. He's really watching what he eats and stuff. And when you have friends that and I guess, in a roundabout way, keep you in check because he'll pump me on my body fat percentage and stuff. And we're always trying to out do each other. It's like, man, you when you when you're held accountable with friends, it's like You're very much a product of your environment at all times, without a doubt. Man, you realize the decision people around you. You make better to realized that. Man. The past few years, UM, it's become very important to me of watching who I hang out with. And it's not even like there's bad people. It's just people that have similar interests of you know, long term term health and wealth and that kind of stuff. My show, my radio show. None of them have ever done radio. And I didn't go out and set out to make the best radio show. I set out to make a show with people that would make me the best at what I guess around myself with positive attitudes. For the most part, everybody's human, positive attitudes, great work ethic, and people that helped me get to a better spot. Not the best radio people. We even criticized harshly for not being a very good radio show. But by the way, don't trip on our nineteen A c M or c M A S or like it. But it's the same thing, like as all the all the everybody hates that's what you want me. You're resonating. But you know, like Amy, it was selling granted, and I was like, hey, come in and but yeah, you surround yourself with great people, you get better out of yourself. At least I found that, even like my management team, I've put wonderful people around me. And I yeah, well look, look I'm happy for you. Man, I like you, but I'm not even gonna you go. We're in They're like, what's up with your girlfriend? Is that the number one thing? Now? Yeah? The question I even got this morning was hey, when did you start dating? And I'm like, man, I don't know how to answer that. I don't know the official like, man, at this age of life, you don't you don't go, oh my goodness, do you want to be with my girlfriend? All right, June? The second you know, it's like, there's not that, man, It's just it's kind of happened naturally and organically, and that's good. Has she been on your Instagram? I haven't seen her? Yeah, and I watch your stuff. She came up, she's been what she came to the cmas and they see him? Oh she did, so it's out there. Yeah who she is? Yeah? Oh yeah, I guess pictures I would assume. So see I'm I'm I'm I'm so insulated with let me my fan pages. I don't know. You don't I don't like google myself. What's her name? Look at it? Can you tell me? Or do you don't want to say? I'd rather I'd rather not say. You know what I say, here's what hal is. I've learned, like whatever. But if she's out there, you're just typing in. I won't even say type on my Instagram say no, I'm just saying she gets. She gets like the bad end of the sticky troll man and call her terrible names. And that's why. Let me tell you one great story. Let what if I hit it? It's like follow back? Yeah, not bad, my friend. I didn't know that. I didn't know that, so I guess I'm missing out because I didn't know that was her. I know you had a girlfriend. I didn't know that. So she's single. I'm like, hey, be a twist, right, I'm dating someone's wife. You gotta be careful because people will jump on and be mean. Yeah. I noticed that inadvertently her sister posted something and my fannin Counts caught it and it was like man, and then you wonder, like, who are these people that I think are running my fan pages? No, it's like, well, they love you so much. If they can't have you, no one will. Yeah. Man, I've noticed that. I was. I went out with this girl. I'll end on this selfish story. I was on a flight and this flight attendant. I had my glasses on it. I can't see it's not my glasses. And I'm like, I think she's super cute, and I think she's like flirting with me, which it usually doesn't go together. How far away she on this plane? Uh? Like three or four rows up. I was flying back and forth to Idol, and so they put me a first class. I'm up in the front of the plane and she's working first class, so so not that far and and and I can't and I don't have courage to just go out and be like, hey, what's I mean. I'm sitting on an airplane. How do you hit on a girl on an airplane? Here's I want to I want to say this. How do you hit on a girl? Period? No idea? Right? No, I don't on Instagram. I I'm good with right here. Yep. I've never had practice. I've been stuck on stage my whole life. I've been stuck on nothing exactly. It's in my bedroom alone looking at hercle going so I'm like hey, um, and then the old guy next to me a first class elbows meet and goes, hey, man, I think she's flirting with you. And I was like, oh, cool, you're not. I'm not only want to think of this. So she gets on the thing and she does this thing where she sticks her two fingers, puts in her eyes and then does it to my eyes and back to her eyes like I'm looking at you kind of thing. And so wait before she gets on the microphone. Before she gets on the microphone, and then she gets on the mind goes, hey, tell us how we're doing. They do the shill where they're like, tell us how we're doing, and she goes, you can get online and submit your survey at Delta dot com and she goes or and she looked at me. Sure she can write it on a napkin. And I'm like, am I in a movie? And it's like she was she even talking to me? Because it never happened to me on my love It never is this happening in my life. That's exactly what you and I need, though, yeah, I'm still not even sure. And so I go, okay, and they have these napkins and I write my name and I'm like, hey, Bobby, and I don't know prof a phone number because she's take a picture of it and put my phone number up on Instagram. I don't want that, so I write Bobby and then I put my Instagram name and I'm like, hey, send me a message, and I hand it to her. So safe, right, And I tell the story on the morning show Awake. I'm been doing the Shore from California and I'm like, hey, this happened to me. This girl. I think she was flirting with me and the day and and she hadn't reached out anything. And then she was like, you're an idiot. She was like the no, she wasn't flirting with Nobody flirts with you. The show isn't letting me have it. So our listeners track her down. They find what they find. I said, Yeah, they knew what flight I was on. They knew it was Delta. They go to the Facebook page. They track her down and they and no, I shouldn't say my listeners, A few of them, of the ones that shouldn't have been they were, they were wrong. And they track her down and they go to her Instagram and left the messages, and that's so she hits me up and it's like, hey, what's whoa, whoa, what's happening here? I know? I know, so I don't lie to anything anymore. So that's what broke the eyes of and I had always been like I've been open and I still and that there was no like no, we went out a couple of times. I played the operating to stand up. She came out and and it was she lives in Utah. But I was like, oh, I gotta be careful because she had nothing to do with anything except me. She was she was feeling the pain from my idiot actions. And I wasn't even anything good or bad. I was just telling my story. Worry right, yeah, And so I can only imagine like when that's why it's tough. Man. It's like I feel bad. Half of me feels bad, like you're not claiming claiming her and blot and then you go, man, it's not worth it. It's not good. Yeah man, we're good protecting her, yeah, golden in real life, But does she want to be out there with you? No? I know, I don't. I don't think. So there's never been even even like girls in the past i've you know, hung out with I could I could see that was that was a bit of the case. But this is it's a it's cool not having to worry about that. I don't think. Man, it's like it's like the first person. I don't think I've had to work or even worry about anything. You know. Does she live here? No, that's good and bad. I guess it could be both. It's tough. Yeah, I don't know. It's great to miss somebody, man, you know, or have somebody listen. I don't know either way. There was one one story. I feel like I talked about these stories forever. There's one girl in town and she had a boyfriend. I kind of I didn't she didn't even know I was flirting with her, right, but I was that She put post something on it's a story sup posted like her music, and I hit I was like, hey, I love that band too, because I did flirting with her. And she goes, hey, I'll send you their record. It's not out yet, you know a link to it. So she texted me and I was like, dang. And I looked at the last text side center and I said, oh, man, haven't. We haven't texted since the last time I tried to flirt with you. She goes, that was flirting and then she and then she got a boyfriend I after that, and she was like, yeah, we broke up and I was like, oh cool, Well, um, I'll ask you out sometimes, so I'm gonna right now, but I ask you out. Well. Then, what I hear from somebody that I know is like, hey, this certain girl was in the bathroom. She come to me and said that you were hitting on her. And I was like, I don't what I want I supposed to do. It's tough. Nalls to Nashville. I've that's why you're not da anybody Nahville. Like we've we've we've We've said it all. I stay, I stay reclus to Nashville. We've said it all. I'm good to see my friend. Thank you. So here is hey, Mike, pull me a little bit of Dustin's song right now because that's the riding roads and down. You know people, you're gonna hear this for years, but right now this is single. This is you like this one? Huh yeah? I like this one. This is inspired by on Instagram story. Yeah, who picked this one? Uh to be a single? Yeah, I did. Okay, there we have it yea, and the labels on board with it, alright, riding road. Check it out stream it downloaded. Dustin Lynch and your Instagram name is that Dustin Lynch, right, Dustin Lynch music. Somebody, the real Dustint Lynch is taken by somebody because I can't get Bobby Bones. Yeah. Yeah, we had to do Dustin Lisch music, which is cool. Trying to buy it though, Yeah, it's some guy. Um, I think he's a painter or something. I try. I looked him, I tried about my my dudes, like he just didn't even use his account and he still wouldn't sell. I don't think this guy does either. Yeah, all right, thank you very much, thank you. Good to see my friend will Ston next time here on the show.