The Evolution of Cimarron 615: From Poco to Nashville's Harmony Masters

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<v SPEAKER_00>My career in the entertainment industry has enabled me to work with a diverse range of talent.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Through my years of experience, I've recognized two essential aspects.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Industry professionals, whether famous stars or behind-the-scenes staff, have fascinating stories to tell.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Secondly, audiences are eager to listen to these stories, which offer a glimpse into their lives and the evolution of their life stories.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This podcast aims to share these narratives, providing information on how they evolved into their chosen career.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We will delve into their journey to stardom, discuss their struggles and successes, and hear from people who help them achieve their goals.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Get ready for intriguing behind-the-scenes stories and insights into the fascinating world of entertainment.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Hi, I'm Tony Mantor.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Welcome to Almost Live Nashville.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Joining us today is Michael Webb.

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<v SPEAKER_00>He is one of the members of Cimarron 615.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This group connected through the legendary country rock band Poco, which created a rich tapestry of music and memories.

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<v SPEAKER_00>You'd be hard pressed to find a band with a more impressive collective resume than Cimarron 615.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Michael is here to share the story of how the band came together, what they've accomplished, and their exciting plans for the future.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We're thrilled to have him here with us.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Thanks for coming on.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, thanks for having me on here.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, it's my pleasure.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So I'm interested, how did you come up with your band name?

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<v SPEAKER_01>Well, we had um three of us in the band had toured with Rusty Young as Poco.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And Rusty Young died, and we went out to LA to uh record a DVD and an album kind of covers of some of the songs he wrote with Poco.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we had done a solo album up there near Ewan Hendersonville at Cash Cabin for Rusty.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we'd done a Poco album called All Fired Up.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Anyway, after we had finished recording all that, the label blew along, asked us about doing our own album.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we did it, and we we got to recording, and then we were having trouble finding a name because uh it's not as easy as it used to be.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Everybody ties them up in every little town.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Our first like 20 stabs at names were already taken and just little ideas we had that we thought would be appropriate.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then Rusty Young, one of his classic songs, is called Rose of Samurai.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's been covered by many people.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Emmy Lou Harris had a great version, and we would do it every show at Poco, and it was a big piece.

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<v SPEAKER_01>At first, we thought, well, that could be kind of good.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That could be a good fit.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then 615 being the area of code in Nashville, because we're we're really all from Nashville.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We do our recordings in Nashville.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So we threw that one out, and everyone loved it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The trademark people loved it, the label loved it, and it hits us to a T because we are of the Poco heritage, and with 615 sounds it kind of kind of young and hit.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, it does sound cool.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I always like to get the origin of a band name because there are so many names out there where people just wonder where it came from and the thought process behind it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was quite a ride because with anybody trying to come up with a name, it's kind of like signing yourself a type of song to write.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You have to wade through a few levels, you know.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That's how it came about.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, I can understand that completely.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So give us a little information who's in the band and how it kind of formed.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Well, I joined Poco back somewhere around 2008, or I can't remember, but I toured about 10 years, and our bass player had toured with Rusty and Poco for 30 years.

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<v SPEAKER_01>His name is Jack Sundred, S-U-N-D-R-U-D.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Jack Sundred.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he once had a band that toured out at uh had a record deal named Great Plains.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So he and I really hit it off when we toured and recorded together as Poco.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then our drummer is a guy named Rick Lono, L-O-N-O-D.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Rick Lono and I have known each other since the very beginning of the 90s when I first moved here and started playing.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He's a drummer, both in sessions and live.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he moved here from California, and he and I've done countless testings together and played live here in Nashville together, rocked, singer, songwriter, originals.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We're musical brothers.

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<v SPEAKER_01>At one point, Poco was on hiatus, and when we were talking about getting back together, kind of retooling, uh, Rick Lono also sings.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's a high big vocal band.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So he was the logical choice.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And at that time, we had already, in between Poco touring Jack and Rick and I were already playing once a month or so at a club called Douglas Corner.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's dawn now.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, I certainly hated it when that closed.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we would play and have guest musicians and guest writers.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And in that band, we had on guitar Rick's old running buddy that he had toured in the Burrito Brothers with, named Ronnie Gilbo, G-U-I-L-B-E-A-U.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And Ronnie's father, who was Gib Gilbo, a classic title player and guitar player, and a member of the Flan Burrito brothers, they were fixtures of the California scene before they even moved here.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So when I first met Rick Lono, he and Ronnie had already been playing in California.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So they kind of moved here together.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They also happened to co-write Poco's second biggest hit, it's Call It Love, that came out in the early 90s or late 80s.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was a triple A hit.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So Ronnie and I had also done a lot of work together over in Berry Hill and the studio world back in the late 90s and the 2000s.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we just think alike.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We were musically similar.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So basically, in between Poco gigs, while Rusty Young would be back in Missouri, Jack and Ronnie and Rick and I would play at Devil's Corner, and we were already going into Blackbird and you know recordings and demos and things like that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then when uh Poco got back kind of retooled and we took Rick back out with us, they kind of put that band on a bit of a hiatus, and then we kept recording with Rusty Young.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then somewhere around 2019, Poco went on a another little bit of a hiatus.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And during that time, I took a turn on the road with Hank Williams Jr.

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<v SPEAKER_01>That's how we all came together through Poco and the Burrito Brothers.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Oh, that's great.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Now you bring those four people up with all the different styles and different entities, gives you a wide variety and style of music to play.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yes.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So with that said, what did you develop into and what are you doing now?

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<v SPEAKER_01>During the course of all this time through Poco, we really are harmony-driven.

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<v SPEAKER_01>This to come and link to all the bands out of the California country rock, is that harmony.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So a lot of people can play that style.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You have to have fairly imaginative, committed harmonies on every single song.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we all love that.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We all love the challenge of coming up with harmonies or background vocals that lift every song, give it its own personality.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we're all versatile and we all really get a charge out of that as much as we do being adept at our instruments.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So that's one of the things that in this band, we really appreciate the commitment to background vocals that the bands like Crosby Stills and Knacks and the Eagles, and they raise the bar.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We really take that seriously.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And that's the most fun part of every album we've done after the tracks and after the lead vocals getting together, and we'll sometimes spend half a day just on one song.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We love it.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, I love it.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I love harmonies.

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<v SPEAKER_00>There are several bands over the years that I hate to say this, they weren't the greatest musicians in the world, but their harmonies was spot on, and that just made all the difference.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That's just a really great thing to have in a band, and that's great harmonies.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We love it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We take a lot of pride in it, in blending, not just parts, but finding our vocal blend.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You know, we've been around living in Nashville.

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<v SPEAKER_01>You get to witness and participate with the best of the best in everything we do.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So we don't look at it as competition, but Larna, it's kind of like going to school, and we try to do our own version of living up to those who we get to see here in Nashville as well as the past.

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<v SPEAKER_01>For instance, we're all friends with Marty Stewart's band.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They're so excellent, and we get to see them in various forms on a pretty regular basis.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So having that as just the contemporaries, it's pretty honest with our own sense.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's so true, and that drives everybody here in Nashville.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So what label was you on again?

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<v SPEAKER_01>We're on a label out of Los Angeles called Blue Alon.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Okay.

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<v SPEAKER_01>ELA and Blue, like the color, Blue Align.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They have a good variety of artists.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They have Air Lee Tajant, they have uh Chris Schifflet, that's the guitar player of the Fue Fighters, Morgan Miles, who won the voice, I guess for their country rock band, Janeth Magnus, who's a blues icon, really.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And they have a really varied roster.

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<v SPEAKER_01>They uh believe in a variety of music.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's been a lot of fun.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's great.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So, what are the plans moving forward?

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<v SPEAKER_00>I've seen where you either are going to release a new single or you have released a new single.

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<v SPEAKER_00>What's going on there?

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<v SPEAKER_00>The second single is out right now.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's called The Truth.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The first single came out in the fall.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's called Butte La Rose.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's kind of Cajun flavored, and uh had a lot of accordion on it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And the new one is one that Jack Sundred co-wrote with a writer named Kent Agey.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It's uh an interesting story.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Kent Agey is a well-established natural singer-songwriter.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He's just had every level of success he could have as a music row writer and then as an artist himself.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And he uh during COVID, I don't know when he exactly began, but that's when we all were aware of it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He started writing poetry.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was Facebook or Twitter or wherever, just different poems.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He didn't put the pressure on himself to turn them into songs.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Anyway, he wrote one, it was called The Truth.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Jack Sundred saw it.

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<v SPEAKER_01>He could see where we could put music to it, and there would be a good song for us right away.

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<v SPEAKER_01>From the first time he brought it to us, we realized, like, oh, this is this is a charmed song.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And we really dug into it, tried to make it have a swampy edge to it, kind of um bring the song to 100%.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We brought in Paco Ship, who's a legendary harmonica player.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Rick used to play with him with the Jamie Hart band years ago.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Paco is uh Harmonica Virtuoso, and all of us that were musicians in town would go to see them.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We also had Ray Flack on League Guitar, who's a super band.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Paco, he's just got such intelligent and soulful command of harmonica that we thought, yeah, if we had Paco add to our track, set it to a higher level.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Again, as soon as we heard it, we knew that it was a charm track.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And it's the same live.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Everyone just responds to that song.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's great.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Speaking of live, are you doing many live shows now?

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<v SPEAKER_00>We did uh for the new album.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We toured quite a bit last year.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The year before it, the year of our first album, we didn't really tour much.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Frankly, touring was still finding its footing post-COVID.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We did a few things.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We went and played South by Southwest.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We went and played our album release at the Roxy NLA for the first album.

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<v SPEAKER_01>And then we did a few shows, of course, here in Nashville.

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<v SPEAKER_01>But last year we were able to kind of finally pick up and do quite a few shows last year at uh theaters.

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<v SPEAKER_01>A lot of the venue Zapoko used to play, a lot of East Coast, a lot of the Midwest.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Of course, we went back to California, played a couple of times, but we actually hit the road and did fairly extensive touring last year, and we're looking forward to just picking right back up with it this year.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We made this album, we started it about a year ago.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We started the new album recording about a year ago, and we even once we started on the road, we had uh critique mixes on the road, like the old days.

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<v SPEAKER_01>I remember those days for sure.

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<v SPEAKER_01>So we would listen and we actually came up with the uh album order, the sequencing of the album on the road.

00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:28.480
<v SPEAKER_01>We had to send notes to our mastering engineer from the road, like uh uh three seconds is the end here, and you know.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was fun.

00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:35.120
<v SPEAKER_01>We did it all as a gang, but instead of being in the studio, we were out on the road.

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<v SPEAKER_01>It was a lot of fun.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that is.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's a lot of fun.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That's kind of dialing it in the old-fashioned way.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, it's fun.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So is it being released just digitally, or do you have some vinyl or CDs to go along with it?

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<v SPEAKER_01>No, we have CDs and digital.

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<v SPEAKER_01>Uh, we don't have the vinyl on the new one yet, but we will.

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<v SPEAKER_01>The official release will be February 28th.

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<v SPEAKER_01>CD release show or album release show is gonna be at the Bluebird Cafe.

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<v SPEAKER_01>We chose that because we all have a lot of history with Bluebird Cafe, and it just felt like the right place to do it.

00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:11.759
<v SPEAKER_01>Jack goes singer songwriter nights there.

00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:18.399
<v SPEAKER_01>Rick and I have played there countless times for the Christmas parties, their anniversary parties with the Jay Patton band.

00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:25.679
<v SPEAKER_01>My first show ever played in town was at the Bluebird with Chonel Masser and Bicker Wooten was on base.

00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:32.159
<v SPEAKER_01>So the Bluebird just seemed like the only true place for us to release our album.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, and it's such an intimate room.

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<v SPEAKER_00>You get to feel the vibe from the audience, and it's just great for interaction.

00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:41.679
<v SPEAKER_00>You made a wise choice.

00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.559
<v SPEAKER_01>Yes.

00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:58.480
<v SPEAKER_01>The first big act I'm recorded with was a singer songwriter named Mark Jamino, and I was part of the band we were called the Sluggers, and uh met them at the Bluebird, or they kind of came to see me play with Jonel, actually.

00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:04.960
<v SPEAKER_01>And Mark was a classic singer songwriter on the Bluebird lineup, you know, one of their favorite sons.

00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:12.000
<v SPEAKER_01>In fact, they have an acoustic guitar he smashed at a rock show, hanging as you go to the bathrooms at the Bluebird.

00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:23.039
<v SPEAKER_01>I just have so many memories there, and I've played there every which way from in the round quietly to being part of bands that were watching people from outside.

00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.559
<v SPEAKER_01>I it's just the home.

00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:26.879
<v SPEAKER_01>It's like my home, the whole band's home.

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:29.200
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, yeah, that's a great place.

00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:32.559
<v SPEAKER_00>So, what's the plans over the next few years?

00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:34.799
<v SPEAKER_00>What have you got planned out?

00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:36.399
<v SPEAKER_00>Anything big coming up?

00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:40.000
<v SPEAKER_01>Our first tinker this year is we're already hitting the road again in March.

00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:45.759
<v SPEAKER_01>As soon as we're done with this show, like 10 days after that, we'll be on the road hitting the East Coast again.

00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:54.559
<v SPEAKER_01>And we just want to pick up where that left off and really already into halfway into April and other gigs coming in within that framework.

00:15:54.720 --> 00:16:10.159
<v SPEAKER_01>We don't want to think about recording anymore for a minute, but we already have another three or four songs that ready to go that we may start sneaking in here or there on out on the road to see what works and what doesn't.

00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:11.919
<v SPEAKER_01>We did that with a couple of these.

00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:15.600
<v SPEAKER_01>We're kind of lucky that way in that we've always played live.

00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:21.120
<v SPEAKER_01>We're not afraid to try something out live and see if it works or not, and adjust.

00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:23.519
<v SPEAKER_01>We used to do that Douglas Corner all the time.

00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:25.679
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, I miss Douglas Corner.

00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:27.600
<v SPEAKER_00>It was an intimate little venue.

00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:28.240
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah.

00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:36.080
<v SPEAKER_00>I've done a lot of shows here, but unfortunately, everything changes, and unfortunately, again, we've lost a lot of venues to play in.

00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:36.639
<v SPEAKER_00>Yep.

00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:42.159
<v SPEAKER_00>So all we can do is go with what we have left and just do the best we can with what we have.

00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:44.399
<v SPEAKER_01>Yes, it sure is.

00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:48.320
<v SPEAKER_01>We still have the we still have the bluebird, we still have stage in the end.

00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:49.120
<v SPEAKER_00>That's right.

00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:52.639
<v SPEAKER_01>We still have a lot of good venues over in East Nashville now.

00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:55.600
<v SPEAKER_01>The five spot has been around long enough.

00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:56.960
<v SPEAKER_01>It's one of the old ones.

00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:58.639
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, been there several times.

00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:03.679
<v SPEAKER_00>We all do like our walk things, sir, but we've played the five spot twice, actually.

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:05.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, it's a great place.

00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:08.160
<v SPEAKER_00>Sounds like you've got a lot of good things coming up.

00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.119
<v SPEAKER_00>I love it.

00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:19.039
<v SPEAKER_00>One thing I'm willing to bet on is that where you've been and played so much together, the tightness must be spot on.

00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:28.640
<v SPEAKER_00>Because you know each other so well, know what to expect, that gives you a great blend so that even when you have an off night, it's still a great night.

00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:30.319
<v SPEAKER_01>That's a good observation.

00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:36.480
<v SPEAKER_01>That's true, because we stay pretty tight because we're playing at least once or twice a week.

00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:40.400
<v SPEAKER_01>If we don't have a gig, we'll at least rehearse.

00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:52.160
<v SPEAKER_01>That second nature, if you sing as much as we do, you can't really take the second nature of the play for granted because as soon as you're thinking about what you're playing, it affects your vocals.

00:17:52.319 --> 00:18:00.240
<v SPEAKER_01>If I'm playing keyboards or accordion, as soon as I think about what I'm doing, my vocals won't get constricted.

00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:09.519
<v SPEAKER_01>You know, we have a lot of instrument changes, and you have enough to think about that we try to maintain as much second nature awareness as possible.

00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:12.480
<v SPEAKER_01>We take it very seriously, but we want to have fun with it.

00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:14.160
<v SPEAKER_01>We're all so seasoned.

00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:20.319
<v SPEAKER_01>We don't have fun if we can't remember what we're supposed to do, being well prepared so that we can have fun.

00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:22.960
<v SPEAKER_00>You mentioned instrument changes.

00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:28.640
<v SPEAKER_00>Your promo shot shows three guitar players and a drummer.

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:29.440
<v SPEAKER_00>Right.

00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.079
<v SPEAKER_00>So do you change to keyboards as well?

00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:33.680
<v SPEAKER_00>And how does that work?

00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:41.519
<v SPEAKER_01>Generally on the road, I'll have a B3 and an 88-weighted keyboard in an L formation.

00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:47.039
<v SPEAKER_01>Then I'll come out front if I'm doing accordion and then I'll play guitar on a few rhythm guitar.

00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:49.759
<v SPEAKER_01>I don't really uh Ronnie does all the leads and guitar.

00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:53.119
<v SPEAKER_01>I played rhythm guitar most of my life in bands too.

00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:55.440
<v SPEAKER_01>So we don't like to keep the sound limited.

00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:55.920
<v SPEAKER_00>Okay.

00:18:56.319 --> 00:19:01.839
<v SPEAKER_01>One of the things we developed with Poco, accordion when appropriate, don't make a big deal of it.

00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:04.799
<v SPEAKER_01>And we've also done a lot of shows with mandolin.

00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:12.079
<v SPEAKER_01>For instance, on on Jack's songs, he likes to play acoustic guitar, so I'll generally go to bass in general.

00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:14.319
<v SPEAKER_01>I'll play bass on Jack's songs.

00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:22.960
<v SPEAKER_01>Sometimes if we go back to some of the older Poco catalog, and I'm on accordion and Jack's on acoustic guitar, Ronnie will play bass.

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:27.279
<v SPEAKER_01>But we don't try to really make that so much of a gimmick.

00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:32.640
<v SPEAKER_01>There for a while, it seemed like the instrument changes were becoming their own thing.

00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:44.480
<v SPEAKER_01>So over the years, we've kind of kept it trying to structure the set to where it's kind of been chucked so it's not distracting, so that I'm not for people when it's too accordion and then to bass and then guitar.

00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:46.400
<v SPEAKER_01>We try to keep it kind of cool.

00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:48.000
<v SPEAKER_01>I really enjoy that.

00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:49.839
<v SPEAKER_01>I like playing a lot of different instruments.

00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:50.960
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's great.

00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:56.960
<v SPEAKER_00>It sounds to me like you're creating dynamics within a set as well as a dynamics within a song.

00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:58.480
<v SPEAKER_01>Yes, that's it.

00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:11.759
<v SPEAKER_01>We've actually had three or four versions of different songs so that we could do them on the radio, do them full-blown, you know, the theaters and then kind of clubby versions because you're a keyboard player, correct?

00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:12.799
<v SPEAKER_00>Yes, that's right.

00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:19.440
<v SPEAKER_01>Sometimes you gotta be ready for to stand on your feet and only do everything on one keyboard.

00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:23.759
<v SPEAKER_01>It's not ideal, but you gotta be ready in case that happens.

00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:28.960
<v SPEAKER_01>And sometimes you have to be ready that it might be an acoustic-based show.

00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:32.880
<v SPEAKER_01>So we've been prepared for virtually every contingency.

00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:42.559
<v SPEAKER_01>And you know, before we were even formed, we kind of first got together at down on a radio show run by George Hamilton V down in Columbia.

00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:43.680
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, I know him.

00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:49.279
<v SPEAKER_01>And these are all old friends of ours, the uh George and Tom Comet, Michael Pell.

00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:52.160
<v SPEAKER_01>We couldn't have been in any more comfortable environment.

00:20:52.319 --> 00:21:04.799
<v SPEAKER_01>But of course, this classical radio station, there's no room for dentinal keyboards, and there's no room for a drum kit, and there's no room for the accordion to be as loud as everything else.

00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:11.279
<v SPEAKER_01>So we would have to adjust because again, those vocals, we have to all be able to get in there and blend our vocals.

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:18.400
<v SPEAKER_01>We kind of developed uh our own little versions of the songs for perhaps instead of piano, I play mandolin.

00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:21.119
<v SPEAKER_01>A lot of them are accordion or mandolin-based anyway.

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:24.079
<v SPEAKER_01>We were able to kind of tweak that on the air.

00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:28.160
<v SPEAKER_01>We like letting the songs and the harmonies adapt.

00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:29.680
<v SPEAKER_00>Yeah, that's great.

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.200
<v SPEAKER_00>Perfect way to do it.

00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:33.519
<v SPEAKER_00>Now, how do people find you?

00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:38.640
<v SPEAKER_00>How can they follow you and get to know you so they can follow your musical journey?

00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:48.799
<v SPEAKER_01>Well, we have a website, Cimaron C-I-M-A-R-R-O-N 615, the numbers 615.com.

00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:53.519
<v SPEAKER_01>That's our website that has all shows and all the info.

00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:56.799
<v SPEAKER_01>Of course, we have an Instagram from that and a Facebook.

00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:59.440
<v SPEAKER_01>But then from there, we found that our audience.

00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.519
<v SPEAKER_01>Need any more than that.

00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:03.440
<v SPEAKER_01>We don't have TikTok.

00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:04.960
<v SPEAKER_01>We don't have Twitter.

00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:09.039
<v SPEAKER_01>You know, it's such a social media world right now.

00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:18.640
<v SPEAKER_01>We were being kind of uh told that we needed to have the TikTok presence and uh Twitter presence or whatever it's called now.

00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:34.240
<v SPEAKER_01>And we quickly found out that our audience, which is the Poco audience, the California country, and kind of some overlay into younger bluegrass, alt country, they don't really care about Instagram and Facebook and our websites enough for them.

00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:35.599
<v SPEAKER_01>They want to see us play live.

00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:37.039
<v SPEAKER_01>They like hearing ourselves.

00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:43.039
<v SPEAKER_01>So nothing against said, but we're not as young as a lot of the bands that, you know, really have a TikTok.

00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:44.960
<v SPEAKER_01>It's just really not our thing.

00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:47.039
<v SPEAKER_00>That makes perfect sense.

00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:52.559
<v SPEAKER_00>You have to do what your fans want, and most of all, you have to do what works for you.

00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:56.400
<v SPEAKER_00>And after all is said and done, that's really all that matters.

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.119
<v SPEAKER_01>Yeah.

00:22:57.359 --> 00:23:12.160
<v SPEAKER_01>Our fans are a lot of them our friends, actually, you know, from touring with Poco all the time, and they're our biggest supporters, and and they've really helped take an active hand in making our touring on the road success.

00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:20.079
<v SPEAKER_01>So they don't really they like to see the pictures of us in the studio or see what we're up to, but they don't go on TikTok, and neither do we.

00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:23.759
<v SPEAKER_00>So we didn't that uh that makes perfect sense.

00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:32.640
<v SPEAKER_00>Is there anything else that you'd like to tell the listeners about what you're doing or what what's coming up so that way they kind of can keep looking out for you?

00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:35.759
<v SPEAKER_01>Well, we're getting ready to uh tour.

00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:44.799
<v SPEAKER_01>We'll be on the East Coast, we'll be in Virginia, we'll be in New York, we'll be playing Daryl's house, we're gonna be playing in Philadelphia.

00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:46.240
<v SPEAKER_01>Come out and see us.

00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:47.839
<v SPEAKER_01>That's what I'd like for them to do.

00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:52.000
<v SPEAKER_01>And then uh we're gonna be in Louisville, Kentucky, one of my old aunts.

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:54.480
<v SPEAKER_01>We'll be uh in Cincinnati.

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:59.279
<v SPEAKER_01>We're excited to get back on the road and we have to see everybody out there.

00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:00.319
<v SPEAKER_00>Absolutely.

00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:01.759
<v SPEAKER_00>Well, this has been great.

00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:04.319
<v SPEAKER_00>I really appreciate you taking the time to come on the show.

00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:05.920
<v SPEAKER_00>Well, I appreciate you having me.

00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:07.039
<v SPEAKER_00>It's been my pleasure.

00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:08.480
<v SPEAKER_00>Thanks again.

00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:19.759
<v SPEAKER_00>Thanks for joining us today.

00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:21.839
<v SPEAKER_00>We hope you enjoyed the show.

00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:26.079
<v SPEAKER_00>This has been a Tony Mantor Production.

00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:30.880
<v SPEAKER_00>For more information, contact media at plateau music.com.