#105 - Dave Barnes (Artist, Songwriter and Comedian)

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Speaker 1: M Hey, welcome to another one here. It's Bobby and I'd say what happened before we roll back to Dave Barnes Bobby Cast. That happened just a couple of days ago. When you ever hear this? But I really like his new album And sometimes i'd say most of the time now people come to us and say, hey, can we get on the podcast? And we go cool, yeah, and we sometimes I have to schedule them out now. But with Dave and I said, hey, I love this album. Is there anyway we get Dave Barnes to commit and he agreed to and so for me, it was really cool. Can you hear me geeking out a bit in this? So yeah, this is Dave Barnes and thank the Life Block who sponsored it. We do have David Lee Murphy coming up, so that one's gonna be cool. I ever recorded that one yet, but David Lee Murphy obviously Dust on the Bottle and he has a new song too, and he's just written tons of songs as well. But I just sign enjoyed this one here with Dave Barnes, and I hope you like it and tell your friends about the Bobby Cast if they like songwriting or if they like these artists, you know, we could spend a lot of time. So from my house here we go up to the one oh five with musician, song writer, real fun guy comedian Dave Barnes. Everybody, all right, Dave Barnes red, this is the greatest intro music all the time. By the way, I don't even know, and I think it's something. Yeah, you can just it's all there. It's the podcast, It's it's all there. It's ready good. I'm great. I was first of all, I was wondering if about you wear pants, And this is what I was thinking about before you came over. It was it's my house. You can do whatever. Cannot wear shorts or sweats or pants. And I did put on pants. Yeah, I appreciate that I have the same bait because we get a lot of uh people I don't know that well something I know really well, some older men, some you know Daniel Bradby the twenty one year all fe mil like I just I guess you have to wear clothes for the situation and for you, I was just gonna wear like old cut short rebos, but I did, and I did put on pants for you. But I didn't have a whole long thought today. Dave Barnes is. Here's a couple of reasons I brought him in. One because I'm a fan, but too when I heard you new record, I said, oh, we gotta get Dave Barnes in. Well it's kind of it means a lot, Yeah, because it is. It's so good. I sent it to friends and said, hey, dude, that's that's really kind. So we'll come back to it in a second. But who knew it would be so hard just to be myself, which I was also the name of the record. I don't know. It's in front of me. There's just two minute, about twenty seconds into this song. I was like, I'm gonna love this whole lot. And I'm not blowing smoke, thank you. It's just too manness. They're horns in. It's got kind of Chicago meats, okay, James Taylor vibe. He's when I was hearing does that bother of people compare to other people? Know, it's a huge compliment. It's better than the opposite, which is which is like, um, well that's different. That was different. Dave, you sounded excited, Well, you really did it. That's what I worry about because I've just finished my second book, and so I just finished editing it. Um, now I going through the last edit because it involves so many edits. So you write it and then it comes back to and it's terrible. You editor just readlines the whole thing, and then you edit again. And then my editor sent me a bunch of questions to answer because obviously I didn't do a good job fixing her edits. And so then I was in the third edit just now, and I think I'm done. I hope I'm done, but I know what's going to happen. I give the project with somebody and they go, wow, that was really interesting a lot to say. How about that? Look at all those words? How about how about that? You know it's it's funny. I'm thirty and I'm gonna be I'm gonna need forty in gin And so I feel like, um, my career sort of has had two phases. The artist crew, which I'm still doing, but then sort of like this separate new thing in the last really three or four years of writing with and four other people, especially in the country market. Um, and I've never felt so old and useless. I'm around the most fit, like coolest people, and I'm always the guy in the room. It's like, well you're going out right, you know, And so like I was laughing. We went to a friend of mine last night and it's all these artists friends of mine, and everybody in that room is like jacked and in the best shape of their lives, like they're glowing. They have the coolest clothes, and I laugh with any of My wife where we left was like, I'm never more insecure than the thirty minutes before we go to these parties because I'm going through my outfits like that doesn't match too old, you know, It's like it's not the whole line. It's so for me, anytime I feel like people listen to these records really enjoy, it's such a win because it's like, this is my twelfth album. If you count all of my olds, it's I think my night like non Christmas nan ep, but nine. That's a lot of stuff to say. So for me, I'm always like I feel like with everyone I released, I'm like righte everybody, everybody right. It's a lot of music, you know, I keep waiting for somebody. It's like, dude, that's enough, that's plenty of music this album. For me, I can always tell how much I like an album by how many times I have many songs I save. Yeah, So what I'll do is I'll save a full album and then I fly so much. I just listened to it, and if a song doesn't interest me, but at the second time, I'll just swipe it. Yeah, of your twelve songs, yeah, Because also I get confused because I know your wife sings on on one of the songs with you, um, but I think I don't know which. I think I kept eleven of them. That's I will take five four, you know what I mean? Though, Like these days, like it, it's so hard to keep people's attention, and I always I'm weird telling people how many songs I kept there because then they're like, oh, you didn't like one of my songs. And it wasn't didn't like it, it was just there's so much. And then I started to get bored with everything and go, I've listened to the the same thing seven times. The question I think with a lot of arts to be like, how many would you keep on the record of your own record? You know? How many swiped me? Like and as time goes by, but it gets less and less. Yeah. Well, I mean, you know, it's like when you're making a record. At first you're super excited. At the time it comes out, you're like, oh, man, I was in a bad place to make That's how you feel with every creative project that I do, records, even the book, I was I'm so over me. Yeah, I've never been so over me than right now. I had to fight with them because I did not want my picture on the cover. Yeah. Yeah, they said, hey, we really need to picture on the cover. I think I just spent six months writing about me, looking at me, thinking about me. Let's not even put a cover on. Yeah, let's just put it up just the papers. Yeah, just smile. That's it. I don't even want to cover just page one. Yeah, but that would actually be pretty that. I thought the idea was good too. I'm glad you think that, because I thought it was so out of the box, and I thought, what if the cover was just page one. I think that's I'm endorsing that right now. And it was so crazy to them that they thought I was kidding, And so after the second time I said it, and they still thought I was kidding. I had just laugh it off. The other guy. Yeah, crazy, Yeah, that's not crazy, you know, crazy, But I did think that. But they're the ones spending the money on it, and in the end you kind of have to find a balance. But it's funny you bring that up. But I'm going I thought that was a good idea to make the first page, right, because everybody's going to grab it and then when they see like three three back, it's like, oh my god, these are all the same. Otherwise, what are they seeing on the cover? Some dorky dude in dark room glasses going, Hey, I'm trying to look about seven years younger than I really am. Please read my book. That would be the name of my own by the way, just trying to look seven years please, But I really do, like, really sincerely. I love the album, So you don't know what I'm doing. I love it. We'll come back to it. But I just wanted to know before we started. This is not a uh, you know, any sort of bull crap. Like I love it. It means a lot. It really does mean a lot. Yeah, that's a good one. I can get out over that that you're here. You know what's interesting about you is that we we have a similar style, and that we're both self deprecating, we both love music and comedy. The name of your comedy tour, your music and comedy tour, is maybe the best name of a music and comedy tour that I've ever heard of. So can I tell you what happened so you would know? I actually need to get some tips from Legitimately, I may need to ask you about this because we're still figuring out how to do it, because you know, I think what it's gonna be is like thirty minutes of music, thirty minutes of stand up, and then another music or something the night's done. But we so I did five or six stand up shows, just stand up, no guitar, like flew with us My it was the best thing ever. I mean, it's like I get so jealous of my friends. I get to like rock up to places with like a you know, Oh it's from playing in a band with the raging idiots. It's so much because there are people and inst when I go to stand up, I just fly to an event here. I don't even need to sound check, Like I'll walk in and just tap the floor. I've checked in so so I did. I did like five or six says. The last one I did was in Denver. So it's this place called the Soiled Dove, which is maybe one of the most interesting name of a place. Everybody. It's a great room, it's like a three room, was sold out, was great. So I come out and I could tell immediately something was wrong, like the just the vibe, you know, which doesn't happen a lot of thank God to me, but like I was like, this doesn't feel right. So I start the show. I make a joke about not having a guitar, and it just didn't go real well for about the first three or four minutes, and I was like, what is going on? You know? So I do the show. You know, it's like an our fifteen of jokes. I get done. I walked back and nobody leaves. I can hear that, like no one has left. It's like Encore clapping, and I'm like, I don't have it, not like that's it, that's it, that's all the funnies. So finally they cranked the music about it leaves. I go to Twitter and I'm just there's like fifteen people just like livid, and I was like, what has happened. And what had happened is the venue had not advertised it really clearly, which was and I, you know, I didn't name it the smartest thing. So I had to get online and like apologize. Yeah, so they were so sorry. So they were like, see I'm not clear. Isn't ironic that I can't even tell you what happened in clearly? But um? Yes. So they thought it was gonna be a music show, and so people drive in from our two away and I get done with the show and the like, hey, dude, where's this song? Like that was funny, like congratulations, just songs. So with this one, I was like, we can't. And thankfully eybody was super cool. I'd send everybody a personal tweet just saying like hey, so sorry. But and I think once they saw what had happened and but it was really cool except one dude who's still mad um but my dad but he but uh so, So with this I was like I can't do that again, Like that's gonna break my heart if all these nights I show up I do music and the people like hey, were you putting the guitar? And or or people like no, dude, don't don't sing, like do some more jokes. So I thought, what is the clearest way that we can advertise this so no one can be like, well, dude, I didn't know you're gonna do the stand up No, yes you did. Because the tour is called the tour where I sing songs and do stand up tour. It was like, we can make it none more clear, so deliberate, and it's so deliberate. It's funny because I went to the same thing with my first full stand up tour. Like I've done a lot of stand up dates where I would do I do a show or do a couple of shows, but people would expect the band or maybe other show members. So I called it funny and alone. Just so for the same reason you did that, I said, Okay, look that's what I'm coming to do. Yeah, I'm coming to be funny and I'll be alone, so all the expectations are in the time. That's why when I read yours, I said, man, his is way better than my name was. And I know what it is exactly, but I do understand where people would You're the music guy first, in my mind, you have big songs, you have tons of records, so I do see that if it wasn't advertised plainly and you didn't play any during it none, I didn't have a guitar, and if you did an hour and fifteen minutes, that's solid, that's solid work. Yeah, straight straight stand. It was just going. Yeah, I think the name is quiet, ingenious and actually effective for what you're trying to do. Yeah, I mean, I hope, So, I definitely I think heading into these shows, it'll be interesting to see what the feedback because my thing is interesting though, because I've held off so long in the comedy part of sort of my brand or who I am, that I think people are finally like, yes, you're gonna finally like do both of them. Because I was just so scared for so long that the comedy would just sort of, you know, eat the music thing alive. And so I really wanted to get the music things sessed out so that when I started doing anything that was slightly comedic live that people wouldn't be like, dude, you're you gotta this music is by it, but you've got to do this comedy thing, you know, because music is really my passion and I love doing stand up and being funny, but music is so much harder, it's so engaging, it's so it takes so much more of my brain. And not that being funny is easy at all, but it's just not the thing that music is, you know man. I just feel the opposite, really yeah. And and I think that like your thing, your main thing is music and you're going music is so much and my main thing is comedy, and I'm going comedy so much harder. Yet they're both very vulnerable. Yes, super the best, the best ones are, I think for sure. And you're just up on a stage and everyone is just looking at your your mouth hole. If you do a comedy, everything relies on your mount hoole, everyone's watching your mount h That's it. It's just your mount. I found with the guitar because I do music, dure on my ship too, um and I can't sing or play at the level that you are. But I find that, uh, I have more room to screw up. I have I don't have to be People don't expect anything from the musically, you know what. They probably don't expect a lot from you comedically because they don't. And maybe that's where it is with us. I think maybe we just hit what it is. Well, you know too. It's really interesting because my my comedy is sort of cheating for two reasons. One because it's fans. So it's like people that know my music for me too though. But I'll do theaters and I do sometimes large theaters. I mean, well act like theaters. Probably the big rooms, but that's a whole lot and they're hard tickets. You know their theaters. But exactly what you just said, I'm playing my people and it's easier. It's not cheating because we had to do something to create, so we did. They didn't just come to sor we didn't get inherited from our uncle. They had a business of comedy and say hey, come watch, come watch my uncle, Dave, my my nephew, Dave Varnes. It's not like a card dealer. It is coming. So they actually what we've done. We've bonded with them in another way and they trust us to come exactly right. So when you stay cheating, I think that that's unfair. But yeah, and it may be. I mean, I was laughing with a buddy Minded to a podcast with Buddy Mind. He was asking the same thing. He was like, you feel because he didn't he was like, you're not cheating. You've worked. It's exactly your point, he said, You've worked so hard to get these people to pay attention to what you do. But I think for me, like I've had friends like, dude, you should do zanies, and I'm like, I would be tear. I mean, I I think I would, but I would be like, that's a different thing. Minds. I do the operation sometimes and I'll go and it's not my crowy and I do it just to sharpen myself and make me feel like oh, because when I'm planning to my people, I can't wait to see them. They can't wait to see me, and we just go have fun when I play the opery. First of all, there are ninety year old that in any minute that I think they came to the operation. So they die at the operation like it's a that's where they wanted to go. Like let's go to the ore show and if it's beautiful and there are people there, I know that they have no idea who I am. They didn't come to see stand up they have and if I can make them laugh and people who have no idea what my radio shows about, so I go and if I can make that room work. I go, I'm good, but I don't do I do it about once every two or three months because for that reason, I don't wanna go to zay Any's and grind with a group of people. I played. I played one once and it was basically a restaurant. I didn't know. This is dark, and I don't want to say where it is, but because every was so kind to me, but I go and they say, hey, we have this place and it holds eight hundred and I said, okay, cool, lets sit in and it's sold that so fast? Do it dude twice in a row. And I go, oh, okay, easy, that's that's awesome and it's great money and I don't have to fly in and so I go and I get there and I realize it's a restaurant. And now when people are watching us do music or comedy, they're facing us. This is the way they're It's four people looking at the table and I'm up on a stage telling jokes while they're making their chicken fried steak orders. And the first show really wasn't pleasant because I was taking it all in and their waitresses, and and then the second show, I was like, you know, I know what I'm I'm basically playing to a cracker barrel. Yeah, that's right. But it was a tough one. And that's why I don't think I could do a Z A yes, or a place where they didn't know me and have to grind and have so much respect for comedians have to come up that way by just being good. Here's the thing too, and this is something I realized when I started doing the standard thing a few years ago. Is and I was dabbling. I was lily like a toe in the water was Sting can get up and play a new song at anywhere in the world, and it can be terrible, but it's never that terrible because his voice is so unique. Even if he's singing the dumbest song ever in the crowd, you're like, got just that voice, his guitar playing. Even if it's a bad song, I'll look how cool he plays that Sting, You're gonna leave being like, holy grab that was snake. Jerry Seinfeld can get up to a crowd and bomb and he's if you're not funny, you're just not funny. Oh yeah, you suck. There's no redemption. Jerry Seinfeld probably the greatest technical comedian of our days, without a doubt, can get up in bomb and you leave and go, whoa, he sucks out. But you're right Musically, you can get up and be like, oh, you know, I don't know, I didn't know the song. It's freaking side staying his voice sounded the tamber, the way you played the guitar. It's something is like where you can redeem something out of that experience with if it's just it's either funny or not funny, it's completely do it's like yes or no. There's a thrill that I get and the first time people don't laugh. Now I don't like it when people don't laugh. It's never I don't I don't chase the oh that joke bombed. But there's a thrill that I get when people don't laugh because that means I have to earn anything from that point on, because I know when I walk out, the first eight to eleven minutes are freebies. They paid a ticket, They're gonna have a good time. I'm out. Everybody's we're ready to go, So I know that first eight to eleven minutes everybody's in a good mood. The first time I tell a joke and it doesn't go over. That means Okay. The exciting part is everything I say after that that does. That means I've earned it. Yeah, that's right. And I don't feel like I've earned it because I'm not gonna murder for an hour. I'm just not like, I'm not one of the great comedians of our day. And I realized that when you make the listen of the top fifty, there's no picture of the nerdy dude with glasses and sideburns and that doesn't pop up. So but that's a thrill for me when it doesn't work, because the next time it does, that's literal currency in the comedy banker, I'm like, oh, that makes me feel so good because now I'm working for this. Yeah, and you are the whole show. I mean, you do have some favor because they're there, but but about yeah, twenty minutes in, you were just You're just earning your keep, earning your keep, ear every next joke makes And I think the other thing is fascinating too, is I learned these two lessons to and doing it was uh a shorter ship. Like comedy wears you out, it wears the audience out. And it ebbs and flows. You don't want uh. You don't want to be playing your like you're encore the whole show, right, Like if if if some Matt got up and literally just play, it would be like you'd just be like I need give me like a like a mid tempo or a slow you know, you can't do it. It's the same with comedy, like it needs uh and you know, so that's okay. So the other day and like now I'm breathing and then okay, and then it needed it. And that was hard for me because I was like, why is everybody out laugh on? I was like, well you can't. It's physically you like, you gotta get to the point and then the point be funny. And I think to realizing like I was doing Like when I started doing these, I was doing like an hour and a half and my wife came and she was like, Dave, I was done by fifty minutes, Like I was tired. Like my I was like, because you're so like the crowd has to engage. It's different than music. You can music sort of going by you and you're listening for a minute and you turn to your friend and you're singing a comedy, you are engaged. And I think for me it was like I had to learn like how to do a set because it was, like, you know, I was literally like I did like an hour and a half a couple of times, and people are just like, dude, like that's two shows worth of stuff, and it really wasn't. I like at it like they're flexing a muscle the whole time, the whole time it Could you hold your bicep flexed for an hour and a half from you if you had to, probably could maybe, but it's tough to do, Like I'm holding mine right now. It's tough, and so sometimes you have to let the flex go right. And so it's I don't want to leave some my flexing for hour and thirty minutes, and I don't want to get irritated with them for not holding the flex. So I keep a clock. You can't see it, but I keep it underneath my front monitor that tells me where I am, because if I'm killing great if I'm not, And I also break my show up in my mind too, where I come out. I do the first fifteen minutes it's straight ahead comedy. I'm I'm not really pounding them with the stuff that I feel the real strongest, but I'm giving them solid B plus stuff that has proven. Then, since I have a guitar and I do music, I'll do twelve to fifteen minutes of music, because again, what that does it gives him a break. For sure, it does give them a break. So I'll do a little bit of music. Then what I do after that is I go and I work some material for about eight to ten minutes, and if none of it works, it's like four minutes like if I if if my working material is not working, they even starts peeling back and real quick. And so then I get back to something and then I close and we do you know, I bring out like on this tour to be Brandon Ray, We'll go, We'll do a couple of musical things together, and then I'll do about two minutes of varying by myself and that's it. And I find that if I break it up and even lets the audience go. Chapter one, Chapter two, Chapter I want to watch Chris row in Atlanta in his specials on Netflix now, but I want to watch him and he did uh two hours in eight minutes, dang, and it was awesome. But it was even too long to see all those. Jerry Seinfeld is the greatest technical comedian I think of my generation. Chris Rock is the best. Just at how his observations on culture and it was fantastic. But I was tired at two hours, especially someone like him, because he's saying things that are profound. Yeah, I mean they're funny, but he'll make a point or two. Your like soccer teas. Yes, yeah, very very very so you're like you're not just laughing, You're like, hold on, like itta, think about wow, that is true, like you and I left that going I should do shorter sets. Even though he just did two hours in eight minutes, I go, wow, I'm not eighth of what that is. And I should really peel mine down because I was tired watching the greatest of all time, our greatest of our time. I should well, man, we could probably do the whole whole deal on comedy. Just talking about that. I'm gonna talk about the spot for one second. So remember the gigantic data breach at Equifax last September, the one that exposed soal security numbers, names, birth dates over to a hundred million customers. 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Say you might miss go to LifeLock dot com or call one LifeLock the promo code his bones for an extra ten percent off your first year promo code bones for an extra ten percent off. There you go. Alright, so let's talk about music for a second, because cow uh, let's do what I know you from first, which maybe what you made the most money from. I don't know. Uh. When Blake Shelton cut God gave me you? Is that? Is that the biggest meal ticket so far? I mean it was so I wrote it by myself and I owned all the publishing. Oh wow, So it wasn't a publician company like that. It was it was a yeah, God was very kind and that. Yeah, this was And I didn't know you when Blake came in and he goes, hey, this is what happened with the song, and he said him and Randy were driving on a road. He head he was listening to the country, the Christian station, and he hears you sing the song God. So then what happens did someone call you and go, hey, Blake heard this song and he wants to cut it, or Blake's thinking about cutting it? What do you think, like what happens there with that? Yeah? So so Dave Heywood, who I love that you had on the I mean loved talk about a smart dude. Oh yeah, holy yeah. We don't play words with friends. Um. He his wife is Kelly, and Kelly used to work at Warner and so she's a really good friend of ours. We've known Kelly forever way before Dy Dave and uh she called. It was kind of the sequence events. So the first call was like, hey, uh, Blake is her? Guy gave me you it maybe in the wedding. And I was like oh, and literally it was so out of context me. I literally said Blake wo and she was like Shelton. So. Um. I was like, oh, that's great, you know. And I really wasn't in the world nearly like I am now. So I had a lot of friends that were country artists. I had a couple of cuts that were totally from people just knowing albums, going hey, man, you mind if I record this song. I'd never like purposefully tried to write for that world. Um, And so it was totally out of context. I was like, oh, that's awesome, So it's maybe in the wedding. Well then she comes over to eat like a month later with us one night, my wife and I and she's like, oh, this is so random. I think Blake's gonna record. Guy gave me you and I it's like, that's awesome, you know. But I learned from my Nashville friends like you just never I mean, you know, you never count that before it's hatched, because those things can change so much. The family is thaying never kind of song before it's yes, that's that's even. That's great. So so I was like great. So then like again a month later, I pull up to my house after writing one day and there's all these cars there and I walked into all of my friends and nobody knows why we're there. So I'm like, hey, is everything okay because my wife was pregnant and they're like, yeah, I don't know, and he just told us to be here, and I'm like okay, And so she and Kelly walk out with this little like with some champagne and like a cake, and it just said that Blake had decided to single it, which I even then I was like, this is awesome, but I didn't really understand what that meant. So um, so I was like, that's great. And I think a lot of a lot of I'll never forget Luke Layard. I saw you a couple of days later, and who I went to school with frandomly and too, but yeah, Jesse, Alexander, there was a bunch of us there was like yeah the whole day, Luke's ease me and I'll never forget this inn embogo jar ruh Frosty Mike. A couple days later, he's like, man, congrats on the single. He's like, do you do you understand what that means? And I was like what do you mean by that? He was like just monetarily and I was like no, and he was like, well, you're just it's gonna be a fun ride. And I was kind of like, okay. You know, so it's a real blessing because I think I got to enjoy it from a really just like pure unadult traded like it's just fun seeing your song being sang by the superstar and the world sort of respond to it, not sort of like how's it doing on the chart? You know, like where are we? Is it gonna bullet? You know. I didn't know any of that stuff, um, which is kind of why with this second one with Thomas, the second single I've ever even had in country, when it was a number one, such a yeah, it was such a different thing for me because I was like, where is it, how's it doing? You know, I'm texting his manager. You know. It's like so it's kind of fun to do both versions of that experience because the first one was so I don't know, like literally, people would be like, dude, where is it. I'd be like, what do you mean? Like on the chart? I was like, I don't have to think on there. I don't really know, you know. So, so it's a fun experience to do it this time kind of it was. It was a little it was just different, you know, because you're watching it and your and you've also had some success, and you know what can happen financially You get kids, yea mortgage, so you know what has happened. You'd like to see it happen again because when you're making money doing this, you can create other passion projects. So here's Blake doing Scout. So I had no idea. That's how the story happened. I think Blake and I knew. I guess when did that song come out? Uh? Two? These songs can move so fast now, and that was that was really fast. I mean that was like a fifteen week, thirteen week or something that's extremely fast. It was flying. But it's it's wild because I hear it and you know you wrote it, and it goes what top five on the Christian chart something like that. Yeah, God, and when you sing it, I know it's a Christian song, but when Blake sings that, it's it's so here. This is the This is one of my favorite stories to tell. So the condensed version is, um, I just made this record called what We Want, What We Get, and um uh. I called my This is like the story you've heard of many times. I called my producer and I'm like, hey, man, I got this extra song I just wrote. I think it's pretty calm. I sent it to you, so I did like a demo centem guy, get mute. He calls me. He's like, I've already booked the band. We're recording it tomorrow. I was like, oh, so, I guess you like it. You know, it's kind of one of those things. We go and we record it. He messed I was on the road a ton. Then he messaged with it a ton he sent to me and it's like this poppy version of it's a version that I put out. But I was like, what is this. He's like, dude, I really think this thing has legs if you'll let it, because it had to hook at the and I was like, no, man, this is like because we did kind of like a band version of yeah. So I was like, I don't know, man, So ironically, I just I've been going through this season I was I just turned thirty where I was just really struggling with like what I was doing and do people like what I'm doing where I'm in the industry because I've always sort of been, um, the guy that didn't have the major record deal, had the indie deal and love my career. I wouldn't change anymore. But you know, I think in comparison as the f C. S. Lewis says so well as the thiefa Joy, and I was in a season of that where I was seeing friends that were things were happening, and I was just really struggling with that, and so I literally just prayed for encouragement. That was all I did. That was one word prayer. I just felt like, where I just need some encouragement. And so my manager calls after we record A Guy Give You and he's like, hey, man, Christian programmers have heard this song and they really like it. And I was and I'd never done anything in the Christian world. I'd played, you know, some church events and stuff like that, and I'm a Christian guy, but I've been really careful about that because I just knew, like, that's a tricky little thing. If you you know, it can it can kind of it can. Yeah, it's a it can be a little like quicksand if you aren't careful where they kind of grabbed, which is great, but I think for where I was playing clubs and bars and all these other things, it was tricky. So long story short, my version of that was amazing. I went and did radio for the first time I ever like, and I loved it. I loved it was so much fun sitting talking to people and doing ship We're back with the things God made me you God made me you did. But so it was really fun. But I thought that was the answer to prayer. Like so it was one of the top spun songs and Christian that year, which was a whole new experience for me. And it was literally just the beginning of really what it was gonna be. So it was this crazy sort of story of this one word of prayer that turned into this just massive, massive blessing, you know. So it was crazy because I've never done CCM and it turned into this thing I didn't know that, never would have thought that so what that wasn't the intention? No, no being the purpose. Yeah, there was an independent radio plugging guy Nashville and he heard and he called us music Listen, I really think this thing could have legs and seem because it's a love song and it's not a Christian song. It is because you know, ultimately it is, but it wasn't something where I was like, you know, people are gonna be raising their hands of this at passion or something. And you know when I heard it the first time, it was obviously Blake's version, and I never thought this Christian song. I thought this is a love song, which is what it is. You track back, I go, oh, what has the word God in it so much? I mean the first word god. Yeah, I don't miss that. So and you mentioned that, Thomas Rhett, because you wrote Craving You with one of my favorites, Dan write, Dan huff nod. That's that's why you see the nicest guy ever in the history of time. I just when he did this with me, I just stared listen. I just stared at and I would go, oh, I was talking, this keeps looking at you, and I think the Dan have ted talk. I was just taking it in that is the one solo. So he is such a sweet, talented even being. So you wrote this one? Did you write this with Thomas's manager's boyfriend, Julian, Yeah, and I know Julian. I met Julian because he produced Thomas's a lot of Thomas's last record of Direction. Yeah, and Julian's awesome. He's amazing. British or Australian No, no, no no, no, he's from l A. Yeah, he uses I'm from somewhere something, yes, geography, cooler than he would pay any accident, and like his hair. So you wrote this with him? Yea. And Thomas was supposed to be there. That story is so funny. I thanked Thomas for this so many times for not showing up, but like he was supposed to be there and got sick, and so I showed up to Virginia Thomas's manager's house where Julian was, and um I walked in. I didn't know Julian at all. I've never met him, and he's like, hey man, Thomas can't be here. So we had that little dance of like so should we go or what should we do? Order lunch? And then like hit it. I mean all the dates I've ever been on. Yeah, but but but yeah, so thankfully we both like, no, we should write something. And so one of the advantages of obviously writing with the dude's producing something is he knows, you know, he's got the intel and he's like, you know what, man, he kind of needs like a jam. He needs like a and so we we just kind of threw on some ideas and he started putting this tracked. Kevin. It was just kind of it was I mean, I literally think it took us two hours, right, it was so fast, which is really fast. It's super fast. Yeah, and so I kind of thought, well, nothing, you know, that's too fast, like you can't write. I mean, I loved it, and that's four hours in song, and yeah, that's gotta be the house that built me to look like, you know, thirty five pounds of writers that. I'm sure. But but it was so awesome because Tom's hurt and he literally texts me like the next day it was like this is what I needed. Thanks cool, And I was like, that's the best that's ever worked. You know. It was awesome, and I believe it was the first single. Yeah, it was. Yeah, I'm thinking about again. They all start to run together, and I think that it's a disservice to the artist in the music that they do run so fast. Because I worked in pop and hip hop, an alternative, and I've done every format and this is the format that I liked the most. But what I dislike about it is the songs don't have any longevity and country as they even do and pop. I was looking at the pop chart yesterday and that um do Ah do a Leap? Yeah? Yeah, that song has been number one from multiple weeks. It's been at the top five for fifteen weeks. In the top five, songs earn the top and they stay on the top where end people will always know her for that song. Thomas Canna put out a song and it goes number one, but it was so fast that the people may never really even care to the hearing again. And that's not top. But anybody, even Luke Luke, puts out so many number one and you can't even play them all the show. They don't resonate. Well, it's the thing. I'm learning this and you know this so much better than I do. But I think from an outsider looking in the symbiotic nature of country music is so fascinating because you know, you guys as programmers and DJs, you need the hit artist to write hits, but they need you to pro it's this program. So it's this wonderful thing because it's like, hey, Thomas, we need hits from you, and he goes, well, I need you to play these songs. So it's wonderful and it's to me one of the last bastions of radio that's really still working, Like you know what I mean. Here's my issue with that though, is that what happens is we I say we I'm really not a proponent of our radio is being programmed. So I'm so anti radio while having the biggest radio show. It's the weird like that, that's the whole thing. But what I is also weird about it is is that country artists do the opposite of what hip hop and pop artists do. They won't put out songs like crazy, but then they'll put a single out and they'll let it have time and build while they're putting out all this other stuff with their fans. Country has put out a record and they just sit back for a year. Then then you just wait for another year for how did you put a new record because that's the culture of it. Songs flapp the chart, but the record just stays out there. We're in pop hip hop alternative. They're putting out songs all the time, but the big songs stay up there. They're so different, and I feel like just a lot of songs get lost as forever songs because of that, if that makes sense. Watch I'm thinking about this well, and I think to to your point that there there there really is as well. That's not fair. I'm sure some musicologist could sit down and be like, that's not true. But I do feel like, um, you know that. I think that's why the songs that are like the really big songs that that really tend to be top five played songs of the year, they usually have some sentiment that's a little more substantial, and sometimes they're ballads because they actually and the words that people here. It's there's the girl crushes, the burning Houses that will always be massive songs even if Little Big Town decided to break up and never's always gonna be huge. Cam can never have another hit, and burning House will always be a song that she can play. And that's the thing. It's incredible, But yeah, that's that's uh, the whole, the whole situation. I'm always fighting about that with no one. Actually, I just sit and fighting myself in the room. Yeah yeah, I started think, who do I fight with? I just yell at it on the radio and nobody answers into the vacuum. What about So? How about this? You know somebody I really enjoyed a friend of mine as Lucy Silvis. Oh my goodness, she's she's I have I can only I'll start like crying and laughing all at the same time to talk about I love that woman. She We talked about her so much on this podcast. If there's not a if there's an episode where she doesn't pop up, I go, Wow, something that's missing. But she's somehow lighting ourselves into everybody's life because she's so awesome. She's the best. And you wrote Villains, She's the She came out and open yea and did a bunch of just for me, and it was it was one of those times where I go, man, what's wrong with the world, Like you're opening for me? She you know, she she I've told her this so many times. She's one of my closest friends in Nashville. I mean, I love she's like a sister. We're doing around. Actually, when did you guys go out together and new shows? Yes, yeah, that's right, you guys went out and like I saw you guys in like New York. Yeah, yeah. Um. She she is so unbelievably talented. She's one of She's one of maybe ten people I know that you could put her and I literally meaning any club in the world. I don't care if it's a hip hop club, I don't care if it's a country and western like with the net around. When she starts singing, I don't care who the people are. They're gonna shut up and listen. And I've watched her do that so many times. It's it becomes like this guilty, dark pleasure of mine just to watch her get up there and just be like, you don't know who you know you're about to be will because she's so freaking talented. Uh. And I don't know a lot of people. I can say that about Mark broussarda buddy minds. One of those like just voices and presence is that when they start to sing, it doesn't matter what you like musically, You're like, hold on, hold on, I think Caitlin Smith does a better. Yes, Caitlin is captivating where you go, let me look at my wallet? What the That's exactly right. Kate is very Lucy like to or you just go, WHOA. I don't know what they're trying to do, but it doesn't matter. Like I'm in whatever they're in, I'm in. And you know, that day we wrote Villain was really fun because I was Mary and it was me and Lucy and Marrin that wrote that and you're talking about it. I literally just sat there. I was like, that's cool. Well you guys, you're you're good. You're also really good. That was a great moment together that I'm getting to. I mean, it was just it was amazing. So the fighting is Man actually sang the demo because I kind of worked on the track and then would help them write and get work and so Maren sang it and within like two or three days, Lucy was like, man, like, I love the song, guys. Like the next day she's like, I mean I keep singing this song, guys, And like the you know, third or fourth day out, she's like, are you guys cool if I just record this? You know, and we're like yeah, but that was like one of those days you pinch yourself. We're just like, this is I'm getting to watch two people who are just assassins at what they do. You know, it was incredible. They played another one of your new songs. Here. By the way, check out Day's album Who Knew It would be so hard to be Myself? It's a very long title, but if you can get through the title, you should check out the songs. I was like, who knew what? I'll come back later. It would be so hard to maybe maybe when the acronym it's a big it's a big yall VI positive y. What is that? How does that? So? You know, it's so funny. I heard Dave mentioned this to uh so do you know the instagram if you heard just a million things about the personality test thing you mentioned, I haven't done it, basically the ever positive guy. And it's just I'm one of those guys that like, I'm the same with movies. I'm like, there's so much darkness in the world and so much stuff that's just hard. Like I like to and sometimes I like music to just rip my face off and just beat the crap out of me. But you know, a lot of times I want to escape, I want to fee I just want to be like, how that groove feels greater whatever. So I tend to be the guy that's like, let's let's offer something new to the world that if you just want to listen this and have a good time and forget about the craps going on. But you know it's funny. I'll tell you. I love your interview with John with Mayor, and I thought something you said something that really influences record. Truthfully, Um y'all's interview was so great, and I think John is obviously so wonderful. Uh, but you know when y'all were talking about um in the Blood, it really I started thinking about that song a lot when I was when I was kind of in the middle of making this record, and I felt the same way. And that song, to me is such an important song. I was like, that song is genius. It's so good. And so I sat down was like, what makes that song what it is? And I finally realized, I think the reason I would tell someone that needs to listen to it or that it's important is because it's vulnerable, is because it's saying something that's really like you know, it's it's sensitive, it's this is I'm really showing you something in me that that I don't show mostly. And I think that's what makes a lot of music important, is it It has a message that's like needs to be heard. And I think a lot of that has to do with vulnerability. So I was writing this record, I had like these positive songs and I was like, you know, I haven't ever really let myself go there, and literally that interview is a big part of that is me going. You know, I'd love to feel like this record is something that people don't only go, man, we love it, but go you need to listen to this because Dave is really saying some stuff. So there's a few songs this record that I hadn't written until that point, and I think a lot of that was from just listening. I'll talk about that song, especially because it was really profound to me, Like I was like, why is that song? Why? Why would I say it's such an important song? You know what I mean? What song? What's a post that realization song? There's this song especially called Chasing Dreams, and that's now that's a jam. It's one of those that I picked out is one of my favorites. So I put the hook out first. It's like, you know, I'm telling this, but I won't stop. I admit it ain't then my just my impression of somebody. I was listening to a song on my card of the day, and you know, I'm lucky enough that I created this podcast that I just love of songwriters, and so I've been exposed and have met a lot of great songwriters and and they all say, you know, it's all you know, it's about the hook. It's about the hook. It's about that, you know. And this literal song comes on because I have it at the top now of my Spotify and you know, Chasing Dree and I'm going, man, the that hook is so strong and and and takes me back to it that I started actually listening to the act the words of the because and that song for some reason triggered that in me. It goes wow, that song and bring me back all the day. It was simple, but it was all about the hook, and I go, I should listen to the words. Yeah, weird, man, you know that song is about oddly enough, No, lie, it's basically about me writing. It's when I got my pud deal and for the last three four years, how hard it's been. This job is like no, I think especially for me being an artist writing my basically all my stuff by myself for my song. It was like, you know how to do that, and it's been great. They had some success in whatever, and then doing this as a job was just such a just kicked my face and I was like, why is this not working yet? Like seeing your friends and are And I think artistry too, is so different because it's so esoteric, like I can't compare myself to John or it's hard not to, by the way, it's really hard not to. You do you get yourself in into potholes. It's almost impossible not to. Even though we know we shouldn't, we all still do welle to. For me, it was a change from artistry, which you can't really compare yourself, like I came up right behind like Maras and Mayor and how We Day and some of these guys. But I never, like, I never have tried to grid myself against those guys. It's impossible. They grew up in different places, with different parents, with different musicalities, with different influence, so you can't do that. But all of a sudden, you moved to Nashville, you start writing for other people, and there is a grid. Did you get a cut? No? I didn't. I didn't get a cut on that record. Well then okay, did you? Okay, we gotta cut? Is it a single? It's just it's a cut, but it's not. Okay? Well then you that guy got the single, that girl that's and it was all that I just got so in my head I was like, first, I think I suck at this too, Like why am I so intensely jealous of people who have I have deep respect and love for and that weird rub of like I love these people, yet I'm so mad at their success disappointed in you. That's how I am. That I jealous of other people, not because of them, but because I'm disappointed in me, angry at others because I'm upset that I haven't done before. But yeah, this song, the hook is so on and simple to the listener that I go, oh man, so next time, because I I I'm not musical like you at all in anyway, but when I write funny songs, um, I have to go Okay, I can make things simple because I'm all these great songwriters, They're like, what do we need to do? Come back around? And I heard this song and I go, you know, what, does what I need to do? Just make the chords really simple and catchy and then the rest of it really matters. Yeah, And I don't even know if what I said makes sense, but this was the song I was thinking about the other day. I mean, I'm knee deep into your stuff right now. All the time you would save save same feel breaking, but I won't stop. That might be my favorite song on the record. Thanks, Yeah, I think it might. It might be. Did you just sing this song for my children with your wife? Right about? That's your wife right the same last name. I assumed that last It was just the most random. So I don't know the story about your wife and she's a singer. No, dude, this whole thing is star Okay, that's why did I story about your wife? So she basically she's someone who come with theres bgvs like it's not featured or anything, but Spotify for some reason when it came up. The night it came up, they put featuring and then like this code it was like zero two underscore seven nine worked it once. He's awesome He's amazing, but he wasn't on this track. He's been an New Zealand for the last year and so so we were all confused, like why does it have this featuring thing? Plus who is who is? What robot is that? So I think what happened is that whoever cleared up was like, oh, it's got this girl on her. I mean so now when you look at the song, it's just with any Barnes and she's like, oh, that's not how this was supposed to go. Like she's like debuting on Dave Barnes new album. Oh. I saw it and I went to and I said, oh, this is them both singing about their kids. Yeah, and I guess she's his wife, but I've never heard she literally just sings B G B. That's funny is that in her contract? You didn't know she hates it now because she wants to just be back there. She drives me crazy, like it's so cute. Every record She's like, you can have anything on it, anything on it, and then I'll get and she was just like, oh my god, I'm so nervous. Ton the Heaverne is too loud to that. Okay, not enough. I don't know how to do that, you know, and then like when this came out and she's like, of course it looks like I'm featured. It was like, oh my god. And they had a song on dates that's funny, Wall Day, what else? So much here, so much so, I mean I have everything up. They have the Christmas record. I'm always intrigued by Christmas records. Yeah, I love Christmas music is probably my favorite music to write. Yeah, because it's such a fixed target. It's like it's you, you know, it's it's kind of like comedy. Truthfully, it's like you know if you hit it, you know if you miss it. There's really no in between, Like you know when you get downe to something like that makes you feel like Christmas, or you're like that doesn't make me feel like Christmas. Do you record it at an odd time and then make the room it's like July never if you can method acted and you Christmas, we have to do you like degree in the house, the kids living the life kids, they all look like the Ralph. You're the Daniel d Lewis Christmas music, Baby Christmas Tonight. Who's this thing with Hillary? Hillary Scott? Listen? If we don't go up. You know, I have like a couple of wishes in my career and one of them still left because God's just been so kind. It's been such a fun run. But I feel like I'm about to die, I know, but his last words, but but one of them is I just want some I want Booble to cut that song so bad because to me, it's like it's the less rap version of baby. It's called out And so when we wrote it, me and Clint Lagerberg wrote that and we had so much fun, right we did as a duo, and then I record it and it's and thankfully like people really enjoyed it. But I want somebody that can turn it into the thing because I really think in so much of the feedback we've gotten, it's been out for you know, six seven years now, but is it people like, yeah, this is like the clean version of that. It's the happier, less like go to sleep, you know, like you don't need your phone, there's no need for anuba. But you know that it's and so that's still one of like the two. Like if somebody was like if you could have like three wishes that like you can get and then your music has done. One of them for me would be to have like Boo Bleat or somebody do like a duett and see that really get a run at, like the New Christmas duet. You know that. Everybody's like, oh, we should do that too. You know, well, what's the goal now? Yeah that's a great yeah, be and you're right and so, but what's the goal now? You know? Life has changed a lot for me because like from when I was probably twenty five, well that's not true really about twenty two to about thirty, I was hitting it really hard, like you know, playing a lot, never as much as like the guys who were because I was in an indie world. I was like the singer songwriter guy that wasn't signed. So my schedule was never anything like you know, our friends or even goss Shares would be where you're like every weekend and doing the thing. Um. But we had kids, man, I just I love being a dad. I love it so much. It's like my favorite thing. And so I was like, how can I do this in a way where I can still go play my shows. I can still do what I love to do and make enough money to sort of haven't you know a family? Eating, living, and be humans until I'm not responsible for them anymore. Um. And was just good because I was right at the time, God game you happened. So it kind of created this new other lane in my career where I could sort of slow down my artistry a little bit. Need to be gone and playing shows and stuff. Um. And so now I think it's a lot more about like, you know, how do I sort of maximize road time? And also you know, I mean again, man, i'n be forty this So I literally feel like it's it's such a blessing that people even care. You know, there's just so much music. Man, It's like there's so much, and the people that do care, you have to super serve them. And really that's your focus, and that's that's what matters. Right. I went through that struggle and I'm still going through it a bit where I was like, you know what, I'm just gonna be famous for everybody. I'm just gonna be, uh, the next Suzanne Summers. You know. That's like I was gonna say a lot of people compared me to her. That was like, I'm gonna be the next Everybody's just gonna love me because I'm Susanne Summuch, And then I started to realize, you know, it's really important to me. Are the people that get me, and I'm going I get them, So I'm gonna make sure that and I'm gonna try to satisfy them. And what I've noticed is when I target my people, not everybody, well I target my people, that piece of pie starts to spread a little by a little more so than if I've tried to throw it to everybody and just saw what happened. And I think that's been so far as secret to what I've been able to do is instead of being trying to be famous for everybody, because there is so much out there, you're you're you're not, especially now because back in the day there were four networks, there were eight radio stations. There wasn't online. So if you do have this niche, you do have this audience, that's your audience, and continue to give them what they want, what they love, and watch it grow instead of throw chum out all over the place and nothing grows because there you're just in the middle of this super highway of and I'm sure you see this a lot and and have for your career, but you know, One of the tricks of being an artist that's had so many records is there's always that temptation to reinvent and reinvent. How do I reinvent? But to your point, sometimes the worst thing you can do is to rein then and then the one crowd you have is kind of like. So there's a radio segment that we do called tell Me Something Good, and we've done it for fifteen years, and at times I get tired of doing it because we've done it for fifteen years, and I go, man, I just tired of doing this, and not all the time, but their brief periods, and I'm like, I just want to scrape the whole thing. And we we do research and that's our most popular segment. That segment, by the way, we started doing it. Man, it's my twenties, mid twenties. We started doing it five am it research. Other shows will start doing it because they were forced to do it because it researched so well with us. And then it became like Seacrest called was like I like to take tell me something Good? You care And all of a sudden, this one segment that we used to do, not that everybody stole it. From us, but because it had success, it bred other companies to go, well, we'd like that success, we're gonna start doing. And so all of a sudden, there's this huge tell me something good in all the station you're doing some sort of it, some some incarnation of the same segment. And so I started to go, man, don't want to do this anymore. But I get it back as like, what do people love the most? I can tell me something good. I've been done in fifteen years every day, and it's still what people love the most. So I go, as much as I'd like to reinvent myself at times, I can reinvent other little parts of me, but I still shouldn't make the main thing the main thing. Well, and that's you know, I can't. I don't think you can say that better. In my opinion, I think that's so well enunciated. I think that's a temptation, especially when artists in my season so not where tr is, not where artists who are in their third, fourth, second record, that's not the time for that. That's the time for invention, and it's time to figure out who you are more so than change up. Figure out who you are. And I think now, you know, and it's tough, man. I mean I had a really long conversation, to be really honest with my manager a couple of days ago, just going like, how do we feel how the records gone? And it was kind of frustrating for both of us. One I've never been like the sexy artist, but two I'm definitely not the sexy artists now. So you know, you watch a lot of these opportunities to go, man, that would be so fun to do these things, and they don't happen, and it's like, well, I feel like the record Kord's good and and and just having to go you know what, though, Look, I'm not the young new dude, and I was at one point and it was so awesome and I got a lot of those opportunities, but I'm not anymore. And it's not about that anymore. It's making sure that people that do love what I do get what they want, and like that they're getting the songs, they're getting to tell me something good, they're getting the moments for me that they go. Let me tell you what why I listen to their bonnes. Let me tell you why I listen to Bobby Bones, right because they go this is what I get in. The minute we start deviating from those things, you can always add to them. But I think the minute you start changing these things that really bring people to what you do, it gets a little You can get into trouble because they start going, well, no, no, I go to these people. And I think that's one of the hardest things about being olders and artists. That's it's helpful as you realize, like, wow, people do kind of listen to me for a few things. You know, they listen to your show for I mean, everybody listenedge, but you know what I mean, Like, you start realizing, wow, Like, whether I like it or not, this is kind of how I'm perceiving. And thankfully, I think I would assume you'd say the same thing. You're probably proud of why you are, and that's why it's been so successful. Percent of the time. I love that. Then I get the itch and you don't want to throw away the whole arm from itch, And there are times where I go, you know what, it's just itch, don't cut off the arms to scratch it. And I can scratch it before that segment, rap of that segment, but just give the people what they want because they want you and that's what you've given them. And so for me, that's when you talk about that, I go, oh, yeah, I experienced it all the time, just a different plane. But you know you, you talk about you. So you're doing comedy now too, And I don't think you're ever gonna be known as Dave Barnes comedian and artist. Like I'm never gonna be known as Bobby Bones the comedian and radio host. It's just never going to happen. I can be fantastic. That's I'm always going to be radio host first and then other things. I wrote a New York Times number one best selling book and nobody gives a crap. No one goes author, no what not. One person has ever said, oh, you're the author. Never. They always go, oh, you're the DJ, which by you know, by the way, d J to me, I feel like that's insulting the dead mouth. He's a real DJ. I feel like he's getting piste off of the mouth head going oh they go off with DJ that good talks. So yeah, it's uh, it's a We're always gonna be who we are, but we can explore these other areas and you can go tell jokes, and I can go tell jokes and we can be successful at them, but we're never gonna be known as except for what we're known as. But you can be the new comedy guy. But you don't look like some decrepitle If you're listening to and you don't know what Dave Barnes looks like, you think he looks like un family guys that goes you're gonna bring me some that's not you. You're still you can be a young comedian at forty years old. And I'm listen, I'm thrilled. I couldn't be more happy with the life that I've got and I feel so blessed. So no one's claiming you aren't. Yeah, and I understand what that's like to go this stuff's not going right. They're always gonna things that are going right. Don't mean we don't love what we have. I get so upset at times, but I would never change. I hate waking up at three in the morning. And if I complain about that one more time, I think everybody's head may explode around me because it's like body again. Yeah, I still I love what I do. Well, you know the other thing too, and and and This is the other thing that I think I've had to learn is I don't know what it's like to have the things that I want to have. And I think that was a real lesson to me. Honestly, I feel like the Lord really told me. It was like, look, you know you can handle what you got, right, And I was like, yeah, I think so, and he's like, but you know what you don't know is if you can handle all this stuff that you're so mad you don't have, So maybe trust me a little more that I know what's good for you and I know you can handle. And that was a huge moment because I think it's so easy to see these moments or these people are just whatever, and it's so stupid because I don't need all that stuff. I just think my security was like, I just like to have a little more success or something. And he's like, well, well, do you know what that's like? And I'm like no, and he's like, well, then be careful. And that was one of the best things I'll never forget out a conversation with Natalie him Be. This was one of the most profound things I've ever been told. We're doing around this is right when Pontoon was happening, and I was like, God, can rass on everything that's happening. And she was like, oh, thank you so much. And I said, how's it going? You know? Natalie? She's like, you really want to know? And I was like yeah. She said, I've never been so in my head about anything in my life. And I was like why. She said, because nobody warned me about success. And I felt like literally the Lord had taken up and he was like, day, were you listening. It's now God, it's not Natalie anymore. And I was like, but it was just like that was a profound moment for me. And I think that's really true. And I think as we all got to be careful about this thing where we chase these things, because if you're not careful, one, you forget the stuff you got, which is such a blessing. I mean, look at what you're doing. It's incredible. I mean, there's but jillions of people listen you talk on the radio. But if you're not careful, you can get into season where you're like, yeah, but you know what, I need it a brilliant in one. I need that extra market. Give me that market, you know what? I mean, all of a sudden, it's like you can't enjoy these huge blessings you have a lot. It's tough, and so for me, I think it's going no, no, I'm thankful what I have and it's you know, you always want a little more than you have. But how do how do I live a life that's that I can be a great day, hadna be great husband. I can do my artistry. I can do this comedy and do it in ways that are sustainable that I'm not gonna kill myself being gone a million days a year, but also doing enough where I get to work and you know, flex these muscles. I have to do this stuff. You know, well, I hope everybody checks out the record. It is really fantastic record. Who knew it would be so hard just to be myself? And that's that. That's long a lot of words. I admire that though the same reason I want to put the whole front page on the book my cover, like I wanted it to be called all of them. That was even part of my gag to about the book was what's the title of it? Well, it's the every word on the front page. You don't think that's interesting and they're like, we just They're like it's interesting. Yeah, we just don't. We just think it's too much. You'd be hard to explain it, Like that's the beauty. You have to talk about everything. I hope you listen to the record, check it out. All I can ask is that you expose yourself to it. I love it if you're gonna start with one, because you know, just full disclosure. What happened is, I don't feel like I have I don't feel like I deserve a lot of the things that are offered to me in the artist world. Because artists will come up and I think they go, man, I kind of like Bobby. He's not a good songwriter, but he's pleasant to be around, and he's semi knowledgeable in music, and they go, they'll leave not on the minke, they'll leave it. Go hey, if you ever want to write something, I never ever do that because I don't feel like I deserve to be in the rooms. I'll call friends sometimes because I don't write normal music, alright, stupid stuff. So I don't feel like they should waste their time it's stupid stuff because that's not their thing in their passion. What what I think would be cool. I think you should come in one weekend. You're not like we're on the road. You should come out on the road with me and do a couple of shows. I can't give you hour, but we can get up and play some songs, so we can. I mean, I would love that. I would love And I know it's not cool. It's not Lucy Silva's, it's not somebody is super Time. I think you're funnier and better music to me, and so I look forward to the challenge. But that would be for me that I like to look at days and see it. I love that. Yeah, I would love that too, and I would be completely threatened and insecure, and that's when I'm often the best. We should write funny songs because you do that. I don't feel weird about that. Like that, uh, Nicole Guyland Nicole, she left you like, hey, let's write I wouldn't do that to her because her things not being odd. That thinks being awesome. Yeah, And so she's writing female and she's writing tequila. She's she's doing her thing and being awesome. She's their things not being awkward. I feel like us we and don't that just a bit so anyway, I'll probably never follow up, but if you ever go, I like what he said, like just me, I would love I would love you to come on. I think my people would love it, crush it. And then I would just be so destroyed by you dominating and taking my crowd that I would have to get better, because I believe you only get better by seeing people that are better than you at what you do. I've enjoyed this a lot, and you know what, for what it's worth. I thought about this when I was coming today this. I'm so thankful for what you do, especially for the songwriting community here, because I think it really is it's such a I mean, the the talent of people in this town that you know so well, You've beterviewed so many of them. It's I listened to it all the time. I love this part. I was thrilled that I was gonna be on it. So thank you for having you. But I love that you do that because it's it's it's so funny to hear, you know, to hear artists talk about because you're used to that. But it's I've I've loved and these are some of my best friends, and I'm learning so many things about them I didn't know, and so I'm glad. I I'm so thankful you do this because I think it gives a voice to people who really kind of are the voices without people knowing it to so many of these songs that are you know, cherished, sort of timeless songs that matter so much to people, and you have them in to kind of give him a chance to talk about it with some thanks. Man. One of the fun moments for me was, you know, and in town, Shane mcinally's kind of running the songwriting community and he's writting everything. He's the king King Dingling of Nashville. And so he we did the podcast, and he was out because he had started Monument Records, and he was out with Walker Walker Hayes who was opening for me, and we were in Boston and Shane had him a podcast like two weeks before, and he walked out to the lobby and they're like, Shane McK and alley. He goes, dude, people recognizing for your podcast. This is legit. And I was like, that's awesome, because really people didn't know Shane or what he did unless you're so into the weeds. But I also enjoyed bringing something awesome to my people. It was just the town. You know this, It is so t I could do. I could endlessly do this for years and years and years and and bring someone into my house. It's awesome every time. So I'm I'm just a huge fan of yours and it just started me going to the record came out and there's a listener of mine, uh Steph who is a huge fan of yours, who was like, you should bring in date and I don't want to tell her I was bringing you in, Pickul, bringing Dave bar She's tweeting me all the time and so she's gonna flip out whatever finally do you have talking about? So she's gonna flip out whenever she hears this. But I'm a big fan. I think the record is fantastic. Never really does mean a lot. If you're listening out there, you check it out. And Dave Barnes, this has been a fantastic, fantastic one. Do you enjoy this? Yeah? Right, yeah, Like I don't say this, but this is I mean, it's my favorite one. I'm gonna end everyone for now one Dave one. I felt like Dave and I could be best friends. After he left, I was like, huh, you know how because he's way smarter than I, and I go, Man, if I just hung around to him, i'd be smarter too, And that's that's that's what I'm trying to do it. When Davide Woods said to me, you know, I don't remember what it was like not to be out to playing music, I was like, oh man, I've never done in anything in my whole life. Like I don't even understand that. You didn't understand, Like it's just yeah, yeah, well, Dave Barnes, good to see a bud, Yeah, thanks for having all Right, that's it. Episode uh, episode something I don't know. We're in the hundreds of now on the Bobby Cast, and we'll see you next time. Everybody