#67 - Cole Swindell

is this looks like where Bobby Bonds lives. Man, this is uh, it's a great, great idea that man. And And to be like I said, you've been You've had a lot of interviews, so I'm glad to just just be on here. Well, we're happy to have you. And Cole and I were sitting at a table and a board meeting, if you can take of calling together at a board meeting, and we were the first thing to leave, not the first thing to leave. But we have different

kinds hours. Our jobs are different hours everybody else's and so we're on the A c M board and I am happy to be on the A c M board. But those nine am ten am eleven AM meetings difficult. You first of all, don't wake up until at least then, and me I'm out by then. Yeah, like I'm just roasted. So we go to this meeting and they put us at the table and it's me and cold. There's only four people at the table, and Cole and I are to the people at the table, we were like, you

gotta be kidding. As soon as they like broke for water calling, I was like, we'll see you guys. Yeah, well we'll catch up with your later. Just taking a let us know what happened. At least we were together, Yeah, because that was yeah, board meeting that early, man, and whatn't wasn't my thing? But how did you get on a board? How did you get on it? That's what I would like to know. I mean, I remember when I found out when Carrie told me that, Hey, they you're on the c M board. Not I asked what?

I didn't ask how did that happen? I honestly don't. I don't know, man. I guess you know, when it comes back up, I'll be Uh, did they vote on it? I don't. I don't know, man, I don't know how I you know, I am a part of it, but I know that, you know, just to be a part of a thing like that that you know, that was my first award, and I mean you talked about they've always recognized you know, new new faces and and the future of country music and to you know, to be

on the board like that with all these people. I mean there's that you're in there, there's there's managers, producer and just to be in you know a lot of people that have a huge impact on our industry and for you know, there's other artists on it, but you know, I think I was one of the only ones that just it's crazy to be in there amongst all those people. So it's, uh, it's a cool thing, man. I'm glad

that glad that I'm a part of it. And to learn you get to hear, you know, kind of learn more about the industry and other people's opinions, and it's kind of cool that we are kind of on the same page and opinions I just like mine. Well you but remember when you stood up and saved our table. That was like my biggest fear, like going back to like high school group sessions or something. You they were asking our tables. All right, what did y'all, What did

y'all come up with him? Bobby? You stood up and just saved us with this like Will Ferrell and old schools, like what just happened? I just blocked out. It was like what it happened? Once? I wanted to be seen at the meeting, and I knew if I got out because it's all these professionals, and I knew if I got up and spoke, and I was like, actually, my

opinion on point four dash the three. Other thing is they'd be like, oh, Bobby was here because rememberbody said, and then after that we said, I know, and I just kind of rote your coat toil out like I was kind like, yeah, that's right, I agree with that. And then I got out there because I didn't want to stand up. That was a big room. And you you nailed it. You're the famous ones. They knew you were there. And then I had to bet on the microphone.

Got it. You got us through the through the meeting and they knew we were there, and maybe we'll get to go back. So you know, what's interesting about you is that there's nothing about you on the internet, as I do on purpose kind of yeah, I just kind of, you know, like to keep you know, some of some of my private life private just because I mean, I know, you know as well, there's just being and our profession.

I mean, there's just a lot of people out there that don't like to see anybody happy and uh, you know, and that's just dealing with some of it. But to me, I just kind of keep it, keep it low key. But um like nothing, I can always find something. What do you I mean, what like what? Well, No, I didn't ski stuff, but I'm telling you, of everyone, you're one of the more. You have a lot of hits, you have a lot of songs, Yeah, you have. And there's you're like one of these uh agents, the the

the ci agents that don't leave traces anywhere. No man, I you know, but I think as far as that stuff, the songs, I mean, I like what you do today. Let's talk about your day to day. What did you wake up? I woke up actually pretty early. I went to bed early, less about seven thirty. That's pretty I Actually I got I got to here a little bit

this morning. You mentioned I was coming in tonight, but yeah, I got a got a quick little workout in and I had a had a writing appointment this morning with Cole Taylor and Josh Kerr to of my buddies in town. So UH went and did that. We started that was a book for eleven, but Cole and Josh both agreed to do it at ten so we could get done.

And you know, I've got some family in town, two of my cousins and um, so I wanted to get done since I went and wrote a song and the first time I ever wrote with Josh, it was an amazing thing. Me and Cold have been buddies for a while. He's got several cuts on on my latest album you should be Here. And it was a great day. Man. I just had a little management meeting about some stuff, you know what we we got in the future coming up and looking forward to coming over here. So that's

been my day so far. So when you walk into a meeting, man, how times have changed? Like a writer, like, oh my god, because when I got here, when you first moved to town, though, you had to be pretty intimidated walk into some of these big rooms. Yes, like what was the first write that you can think about in your head? Do you walked into and there was like a writer that you're like, man, I shouldn't be writing with this person, Like, actually, I'm writing with a

with a legend or somebody that I look up to. Yeah, I mean I remember one of the stories um for me, and it goes back to being a kid. You know, I always say I fell in love with nineties country music, and that's one of the guys. You know, Thomas Ritz That Rhett Akins was one of the artists I loved as a kid. And I remember being in a room, um, the first time we ever read the first the road.

The first song we ever wrote was song Thomas Rhett to get me some of that, And that was just that memory was my first like only in Nashville, Like you grow up listening to a guy and the first song you end up writing his son takes to the top of the charts, and it's just that's a Nashville story if I've ever heard one. But yeah, there's so many. You know, you go from playing college bars and oh, so let me stop you. So you're going to write it.

How long you've been nashvill when you're at the song, Um, probably for four years or so. I had just gotten off the road from you know, doing the T shirt thing. I had a publishing deal and this was one of my This is the first time he and read every road. We've been buddies. But that was man, I wasn't That was a crazy story to go from being a fan of his to writing with him. And it's just a straight car me and Rett and Michael Carter, my producer.

But uh yeah, so you walk in, you write this song, and when you write a song, did you think maybe it would be for you? Now? You know? At this point, I was like, this is this all happened? Before I got my record deal. I was writing songs every single day, just wishing somebody would record him, and and this one, I don't know what. I loved it. I thought it was a great song, but I just didn't have enough

going for him. I didn't have the artist thing going, and I was willing for anybody when I heard that Thomas Rhett loved it. You know, I've always been a Thomas Rett fan and a buddy his, so I was just hoping to get a cut. You know that those

things that's what got me, you know. I think my chance that ultimately had a record deal was getting other big time artists to record my songs, and that was that's one memory of you know, you go from playing songs written by people in the board of sitting in a room with him and and writing a song, and that's just that's when you know you're you're living the dream man, when you're getting to do do that? Is that the first song for you that was like, Okay, I can make a little money, I can relax a

little bit. Is that the first one of those? I mean yeah, because I had I had, you know, a couple of early cuts, like Scotty McCreery right after he had one American idol. He wont he recorded one of my songs, water Tower Town. I read about my on with it. How do you have on this? Uh? But

that's like old we do our research on this. This is yeah, this is you know, that's a I wrote that about my hometown and I remember, you know, thinking that it didn't end up doing you know what we thought, But still that that let me know that, hey, I got a chance in this town. And Scotty, Uh, what a great guy he is. And speaking to him that his new song that you Oh my god, that's one of the best songs I've heard. I texted him as soon as I heard it when when you were talking

about it's just it's he's a great dude. So to have somebody like that record one of your songs about your town and and you know, some of the same beliefs, just just that was a cool moment for me. But Thomas read that was a different level. You know, Um, Paula, let me stop you. So this Scott even Carry song. This was the first one by an artist that was somewhat successful that you're like, Okay, this really has a chance.

And it was kind of really a cool moment for you. Huge, huge moment because I remember it was one of those I learned a lesson because you know, when I wrote this song, ultimately, you know, me and Luke were close, and I was like, man, this, Luke's gonna love this. I can just see him loving it. And I remember I sent it to him and all this sent back was yeah, man, I love that. Everybody knows your mom and them line and that's all they's sitting. I was

like crushed. I'm like, man, I was like, oh, I was like, that is not what I was wanting to hear. And literally, you know, a month or two later, Scotty wins American Idol and and that song gets recorded and it's on a platinum album, and it just I learned that day that you know, you may think you you got it all planned out what you but it's it's gonna work out how it's supposed to. And that one that was my really first example of you know, I'm just gonna try to do the right thing, right songs

and they'll end up where they're supposed to. So water Tower Town, Scott McCory cuts Dad and then you start realize, Okay, I got I can write these songs? Do you and did you have the confidence before that? It was like it's a matter of time. Where did it take songs to hit before you started to realize you could play in the league. You know, I would like to say I moved up here thinking I was gonna be but you know, I think you have to, you know, have

something like that happen. Have you know, you know, publishing companies, record labels doing that. That that means they believe in what you're writing. And yeah, you do get confidence. I mean it's hard to have confiden is when you're writing all these songs and you know they're not really getting any traction, but you just learned. You know. That's why they say, you know right every day because the more

you do it, the better you get. And it's just the the chances are better you're gonna have a great song the more you write. And that was I remember Dallas, Uh when some of my other writer friends calling me and just saying that when that UH song got recorded, like hey, congratulations, but don't start like this is this is where you gotta show up a lot of people just say I've made it, and you know that's I think that's what you gotta do. You gotta keep going.

Was that Do you think that'd be a a big single? When you're when you cut it, were you're hoping like, man, that this could be a number one hit? Is that? What? Is that? What? Every every time you cut one? I mean, yeah, I think you're you're hoping that that's what? Uh? You know, But I think being around the business, you know how hard it is to to to do that, to write.

There's so many great writers in this town. But yeah, I think you're always wanting like and that that song when it there's one thing for it to be on the album. I mean that's a huge album coming straight. I mean, selling over a million coupis these days, it's it's hard heard of and uh pretty much but and uh to have that. But then when it announced as a single, I remember thinking that was my first single to country radio, and I thought I didn't even know

what to think. Man. I mean that a song here I wrote about you know where I grew up, and and uh, you know, it was hitting country radio and it just like I said, either way, I mean that that was my first taste of seeing how the song was doing and wondering what was gonna happen with it, and watching watching yeah, watching the chart, and it's it's, uh, you know, that's that's just how how you learn, uh

the business, I guess. And I'm just glad that, you know, that song helped me, you know, no matter how it did, it got me. Uh, it gave me the confidence to keep writing and know that, hey, my songs are you know,

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All right, so after water Tower Town, what's the next song you wrote that You're like, Okay, this one has a shot, now, Okay, like this one has a shot like water Tower Town had old high hope, but you're still happy about it. Made you felt confident you could walk into a room that Then would you write UM? I said, well, I know I wrote a song that that Chris Young recorded UM after that. But then after I wrote a write a song for Luke Bryant called roller Coasters that I've heard of that one this is

the one. I mean, yeah, this, this was this and give me some of that, Like those were almost around the same time, I feel like, and you know, but this one was the one that, uh, you know, just our history from you know, Nolan Luke and and working for him to writing songs. And I mean when we played him this, me and Michael Carter wrote this one, we played it for him. It wasn't even to pitch it to him. It wasn't to see if he would recorded.

Me and Michael was the first one we had kind of written together and we had he had produced it how he wanted and we just wanted to hear my voice on it to see what he thought. And he freaked out, drove its straight over to his producer's house and me and Michael are sitting there like what is going on. We're that feeling is that's one of a kind feeling when somebody you've looked up to is about to I mean, it's freaking out literally over a song

like you've never seen them. You know, you used to freak out over there songs like that, and now here's something we wrote and uh to see him and Jeff Stevens just you know, go crazy over this song. I mean, it was one of the best, you know, moments of my life just knowing that, man, I this songwright. That's it's one of those things. That's why we love songwriting. It's because to make somebody feel like that, and that's you know, that's why I moved to Nashville because that's

how music, you know, it makes me feel. And after Nat let me hear this to get now I need to recut this too, come on, I wish yeah, yeah, yeah, you put your volk on into Deemo. I gotta see. I still have I thought about that some day, you know, like maybe putting out my own little uh like just the you know, the the versions of my versions of the songs, because I mean that's what pretty much got me my you know, when labels we were pitching my songs, and they were like, what, you know, why don't you

why can't you sing this song? Or why wouldn't you sing this? And it just kind of that gave me confidence to It's like, man, maybe I need to book a show because you know, when I moved here, I had just been singing cover songs, playing in bars, me and a buddy of mine, acoustic no uh, no big band or anything, but we just played country covers and I had gotten into the songwriting things. So I moved here and fell in love with the with the writing.

Did you move here to be an artist? I mean, ultimately yes, but I knew that I was, you know, I wanted to have my own songs, and I you know, I had friends in the business that was that said, you know you need to if you like songwriting and you're interested like you are. I mean I was looking up. I was more star struck by the songwriters when I got here because I you know, I had been on stage. I loved entertaining, but I knew I didn't have the song.

I didn't I couldn't write a song like I wanted to, And uh, you know that's why I moved here and to take three solid year and just focus on songwriting. I mean that if that wouldn't have happened that way, I wouldn't have had those songs for you know, when I finally got my chance at a record deal. So it's another situation where I thought I was gonna come up here, I was ready to get a record deal, and I would have had to screw it up so fast. I mean, it just happened that at the right time.

But that songwriting was definitely my my avenue. So, you know, in this town and they're luckily doing the show, I get to bring up all the great songwriters. You know, there becomes the coolest songwriters at the moment. They aren't artists yet, it may never be, but it's like, you know, who's the coolest? Were you for a while that the the coolest songwriter for a minute? I don't think so.

I don't um, you know, I wouldn't think that. I would think that I was a guy that people hopefully wanted to write with a second time and the third time. I think that's you know something my publisher, the people that you know brought me up through the business. It was like, you know, you gotta have this town. You know, behind you, wanting to write with you again. I mean, you gotta um, you know, you gotta write the best songs you can. And I think, uh, I never felt

like that. I just felt like I started getting some songs recorded and people heard my versions and it was like a lot of artists now it's like, well man, let's uh you know that's and that was about the time that that you came along. You know. It's it's crazy to think like it's all that happened. Uh, and then I finally got my chance. So it is crazy to think that you've really only been an artist for about four and a half years, and that's what's something.

I think. You know, you have a ton of hits and well, thank you, and I'm on my It's crazy to me from I mean, I met you during chilling It and now I'm on my seventh single that is in that amount of time. I mean, you know, we talked a little bit. I don't know how you measure

success really. I think it's happiness. But I think that if you look at what I've done, and I can't I don't have anything to complain about it if something didn't done my way, I mean, look at look at what's happened for me, And it takes something somebody like your mama or whatever, you know, pointing that out. It's like, you know, we always in this, we always want what's next, what's next? But man, you're right four and a half years I couldn't have couldn't have drawn it up any

any better. And you hit from the internet at the same time. It's amazing. Here, I'm gonna play chilling It. I think I'm a story about this one. So this song comes out about this dude I don't even know. I just dude. It sits up a cooler to this dudio and I'm like, let me see what this is. He said, up a cooler, Let me see what this chilling it. And I remember listening to out my ears. I was like, let me let me hear this sent up a cooler. I was like, I like the sound

of that times a little progressive but still country. And I was like, I liked it. And I remember playing it and I know you. I've never met, I know, but I had heard. I remember my mom telling me that you were playing it like and that was and you're texting you said, my mom heard this song on the radio. For the first I had to get your no, of course, you know, I just I was like, hey, my labels, like, can you get me Bobby Bones? And

my mom's freaking out he played my song. I just want to thank you because at that point, you know how I mean, somebody's got to give you a chance, and that you know, when you're a new artist and an artist and I mean putting out a new song anything, you got to have people that believe in you. And uh, I will never I will never forget that the people that you know you met at the beginning that kind

of gave you that shot. I mean, from from you to my label to Cooler the CD and even listening to CD, I like, he said, a beg old cooler up here. What am I gonna do with it? Well, at least you like the song, they'd be better than the Cooler Sons. But I was like, well, let me, let me listen to it, let me download this, And then I got as a jam the crowds what started and I watched you a stagecoach this year. Yeah, we played the same day I played. We played before you.

We don't worry. We're playing a PNG times like we're playing like four. You're playing at dark whatever, and I was watching you play this song and the whole crowd was still just they were singing their brains out to this song. And and that was my first single. I think that is you know, people ask me buddies that are trying to get record deals or whatever, this's like, you know, what song should I you know, what's the first thing? And I don't. I don't know the answer

to that. But I just think that if any other song I've had since then would have been my first, it might not have broken me through there like that one did. And that's scary to think about. But that's um, like I said, and that's why I love writing songs. I've always listened to music, and I don't think I'm a fan. I grew up a fan of music and I still am. And I think that's why, you know, try to put myself on their shoes and what would

I want to hear? What would you know? It's not always like that, but sometimes you gotta think about you know, hey, I'm just like him too, So let's let's try to say some of it's fun, some of us sad. But I wonder, let me wonder out loud for a second. I wonder because you put that song out and I was like, I like this song and it sounds a little different. I bet you got some pushback for that song. Yeah,

I bet you did. And now it's just a song that there was a hit that gets played as what they call a recurrent and nobody thinks the thing about it. In just four years, you've seen it change from WHOA, this is crazy. I bet you got some daddy countries for that song, which is crazy to think right now, right yeah, now yeah, But uh, like I said, that's I guess that's always you know, it's always gonna be

the thing. And you, like you said, man I that's the one thing about being in positions like we're in is like your open as if you're opening yourself up to just get you know, people that have you know, nothing other to do than just you know, talk trash or whatever it is. But that's you're gonna get pushed back about things. But I think those are always the things that mean you're you're breaking through and getting getting

something done. And you know, not everybody's gonna like that's the toughest thing for me, is I you know, I try to treat everybody how I want to be treating. But everybody's not gonna like your music. They're not gonna like every song. You're not even like me. Yeah, it's like what they don't even know us enough, but it's they don't know me. But you know, I uh, you gotta understand that you're putting your stuff in that position.

And I'll tell you what I think. We we've got a lot more people that do like us than don't. That's to me, the fans, I mean people that that's how you gotta focus on. And that let me wonder out loud again. I wonder because something I've had to do in my life, especially in the last six months to a year, is if I get a hundred tweets right all zero in on that negative one, yeah, and I'll be like, everybody hates me and this person just ripping, But there are ninety nine positive tweets, and I would

always focus in. It would make me go, oh, I'm so angry or I'm sad, but that we should really make an effort to appreciate those ninety nine. I'm not That is a great point because you know, that's being honest. If if if somebody says that they don't. Then I don't know. I guess they've got it figured out. But it's just it's tough to see that something that you know you love to do and you're doing you're you're not out there,

you know, doing what. I don't know, you're doing the right that you're doing great things, and um, trying to do the right thing, and people just no matter what, you're just trying to do, just trying to do things. And they they're gonna, you know, they're not gonna like it. And we gotta focus on the one. We gotta focus on the ninety nine I got, Yeah, I gotta focus They played this song time about this one. Here. This

is Craig Campbell. Yeah, Craig singing here. This is the one that was my second sing Yeah, that was my second single, Country Readier, right there, Craig Campbell, great friend of mine, great friend of yours. The thing about Craig is that And the weird thing about this song, I believe it was a song as it was climbing he gets dropped from his record label, not dropped the record

of the Folds when he's try climbing hard. Yes, and now I remember sitting the meeting with my boss's boss and we were in New York and Craig Campbell was our R radio on the Bridge artist and so I love the song and the song is just top ten and boom, his record label goes out and we're like, what what do we do? So it's like, well, we're gonna keep charging with the song even though there's no record label and no promotion, and I think you end up getting to like six or something and that's h yeah,

that doesn't even happen. Yeah, we were all flower against, like he's got a top to the song and now the record label folds and goes away. But but just because that's never had, why can't it have? And that's what I love about, like, like people that believe in a song, believe in music, and you, like I said, man, you can't really you don't know how to say thanks

for this? And I know Craig appreciated that. Probably is that when you met is that when y'all met kind of then when you've had Yeah, this is when we met that, So you wrote this, Yeah, I wrote this one.

So this is the one that as a writer on that scene that happened and a good friend I mean me and Craig and he used to play Broadway every Tuesday night at the stage, Me and him to go get sushi right on Demember and right there every tunesday to be the road from selling merch and uh he'd be playing the stage and we'd go down and I'd watch him sing all these songs that he's every song, every song, and I mean i'd sit there, wouldn't be you know that many people in there at the start.

I mean they have like four hour sets down there. By the end it was full. But I'd be there from the beginning. Now, I was his buddy, and I uh always supported him. So to see you know, him record a song like that, knowing that he used to get me up. That was my only chance to really ever sing in town was during his sets. He'd get me up to sing just some nineties country song or something, and you know that's uh, that was my moment of the week, you know, before I went back on the

road to sell t shirts. So Craig has always been good to me, and I looked for hopefully one day, Um, you know we can do some shows together. I know he's out there, I think with Luke doing some stuff now and like you said, you've you're a fan of his and I you know, I just I'd like to pull for good people and he's he's one of those.

If you if your friend as an artist, so back when you before you were trying to be an artist and you wrote something you's always fantastic, would you go to your friends with it first and say, here's a song I think is really good. And is it awkward when they don't think it's really good? Yeah? I mean that is so so true. I mean yes, it's like, you know, I've had, you know, a couple of close friends. I mean, Luke obviously is one of them, but Thomas

read Or but he's a songwriter himself. So I'm trying to think, you know, me and f gl Or boys, but it's it's hard to it's it's hard to think dirks now, but uh, I had to. You know, when you send the artists a song, you want them to love it, but it is awkward, like you if if they don't say anything back. Because now I'm on the other side of it, and I don't know what to do when I don't like you don't want to you know, what do you say it's so it's because you don't

I just if you made a song. Let's say I write a song. I'm like myself songwriters that are pitching me songs. Uh. This is something that gets talked about a lot here is that And a lot of people say, I believe someone they like in the last last week or so, I said they would get songs and they just don't reply. And that's kind of the universal. Hey, I wouldn't really feel in it without saying I wasn't really feeling it. That's I'm laughing because I know I've

done that before, but I don't know anybody listening. They just didn't reply. Do you remember who it was? Oh he was Nicole Guy, and that's somebody I'm looking forward to rights. So I know I'm looking Nicole. I want to write with you, but we're gonna, I know, we'll we'll try to wear that that out, but that is very true. I've done that before too, and you know, you try to get everybody by to her is what

it was. It's not Blake, That's what it was. Because her and Blake her friends, and she was like, she'll send Blake songs and if Blake doesn't reply, that just means he wasn't feeling it. That's their universal language. I used to do that. To me, I've yeah, I've done that, and you're kind of like, well, getn't replied by now, She hadn't replied by now. They don't like it, So then do you send it to someone else if they haven't replied in what? How much time do you give them? Um?

You know, I don't know. These days, I don't think there is any and I think they just send it and if you answer first, and it's good some some people.

But to me, I mean there were sometimes when uh, you know, I remember like roller Coaster when when Luke he had that on hold for a long time, and there were other artists that I remember, Um, a couple of artists you know wanted it or are there A and R people wanted it for them maybe and and Luke was like, you know, I want this song and he ended up recording it, you know, like after you know, you never know, I mean when you're holding a song, and especially now me knowing as an artist, I mean,

you're taking a chance on if you don't record it. There these writers are missing out on you know, other big artists recording the songs food. I mean, that's what and and that's why I'm so glad I got to do the writing thing, and I still do, but come up that way because I want to write all my stuff, but I don't have to have to. I know, I can't write every song because there's too many great songwriters here.

And if they're gonna send me their best stuff, I mean, you know, I think that's how you support the interest. And I'm not gonna record that just because of that reason. But I think there's so many great songs that you know, we're lucky enough to build record outside. I mean, I'd like to write them all, but I don't. I'm fortunate to have people sending me there's now know, and that's a I'm that's a compliment. So let me ask you something about your boy Luke. Why is he falling down

all the time. We're talking about this today, Like he jumped on a beer cooler? Just he's dangerous. I don't know, man, He's he's worn't too much money and he's getting a lot of people depending on him out there, but he's got too many people to pay. I know, he's I don't know, man, He's an entertainer. And that's that's something that I don't know, I literally though I think from being around it, I'm careful, but I have like anxiety

about falling off illness all of it. Man, Because again, if you're not making money, that people that you have, you're paying aren't making money. And that's that's uh. And that's something that I never you know, you never think about those things when you're chasing the dream that you might get to a level where you got a lot of people behind you that are helping you on your team. And every little thing you do, every decision you make,

every song you release, every whatever, it matters. But those people and there's people depending on you, and it's a good thing to have responsibility like that. But I don't think some people understand the pressure that that we're you know, put in these situations anybody in in the entertainment business I'm speaking of. So it's, uh, it's a different thing that I don't think some things they really realized that, hey, everything um we're doing is affecting all of the people

on our team. So let's go back to you moving to Nashville. So what's the how old are you? Uh, what's the thought? Did you always like just put me where you are? How old you were? See a lot of people, Um, I was, uh leaving college. I left college. I mean I had like eighteen nineteen hours. A lot of people don't even uh, I don't know that, but you know, it was just something that I had to do. I was, I was playing shows, and I'd already just go.

When I got to college, I didn't. I was undeclared major. I finally settled in on marketing and and did got so close. But it was just it was time and I knew that I love music, I knew what I wanted to do, and you know, I knew I had to get to Nashville. So I moved. I was I think twenty three is August twenty three, my dad's birthday two thousand seven, so uh yeah, August seven, moved to Nashville. I remember broke my mom. She was clue, I mean,

just couldn't understand. She had never really even seen me playing bars or anything. Didn't really understand. You know, I loved music growing up, but it wasn't She had never really seen you know, me play and didn't get it like some of my friends did. And there was a lot of people that didn't get it, thought I was crazy, And those are the people I think that end up motivating you. But so I moved to Nashville, and I just that was, you know, to write a song. I

didn't know what I was gonna do. I was in contact with Luke. I had his manager carry, which ended up she's my manager now we uh, you know that he needed a merchandise guy at that time. He we met uh he you know, I in college. I was in fraternity fraternity Sint Maca, and he was there a few years earlier than the same fraternity. Uh. He was

in a band there while he was in college. And they had come back to do like a like do a show that weekend, and he just stopped by and I knew his name and knew that he was pretty popular in the local, you know, coming through Statesboro. So he stopped to change his strings guitar strings for that night. And met him, and he sat down and said, can I care if I play all some stuff I wrote up in Nashville. And I was like, stuff you wrote? You know, I was that's I was singing cover songs.

And I remember he played a song that he had written, and it just blew my mind that he made that up and made me feel like that, you know, and I was like, wow, and that's really that was a big moment. And my knowing that, man, some of my people are behind there's people that aren't singing this, that are behind these songs writing to me and I I

learned about who the songwriters were. And from then on, when I buy an album, I was looking at every single cut on the album that I loved that I thought maybe you should be on the radio and looking at the writers and that, uh, that changed my whole view on songwright. And then you know, it was always

his demos he had sent me. But you know, then Eric Church's first album, Dirt Spent, when his first album came out, and that was just those are the guy They were writing their own songs, and I just I don't know that changed me. I said, I wanted to you know, I knew I wasn't writing the songs I was singing, and I just want to be one one of the guys that made people feel the way I did. So So two thousand seven, you pack up what would

you pack up? I mean, not a bed, nothing, my clothes, I had a I had a ninety six Chevrolet trucks. He seventy one. That's uh, that's truck. I well know. That was what I had when I was sixteen. So I had just a black Chevallet truck. So you loaded downloaded down. It didn't have it was just all in

the in the bed. Because I had a guy here that was from close to my town, um Cliff Corps, that that had a a house here that he was living in and they had a small extra room and he's like, man, there's a there's a bed, but you know you're not eve gonna have any room for any furnish or anything. There's you can have to put your

computer in the closet. And but I had to get a flat screen TV at that tip, I mean they were common, but still that I had to hang it on the wall because it wouldn't even fit in front of the TV where you walk through. So I was never there, you know, I was on the road a lot. I got the merchant Knights job, so that was I didn't have to pack a whole lot. Man, I never when I moved up to I didn't bring a bed

or anything. It just I lived here for a while until I moved, you know, probably uh where I moved after a year, and then I lived there for about six years. So what you do? You write Monday through Thursday and then go out and sell merch for Luke on the weekend. You know, I'd like to say I had it set up like that, but you know, at first, who do you write with? I mean, how do I'm

a merchant? Ask? Nobody took me serious, and I think that had a lot to do with when I was first coming out, people weren't really sure if I you know, I was like, who's this guy that just got off and got off the road selling T shirts? But I think, uh, you know, I don't know how it happened like that. But to right, you know, every day you can't do that without appointments, and to me, I had to meet people. So I had a couple of buddies that I'd write with you I might right twice a week if I could.

But the more I did it, you know, i'd right on the road when I could with Michael. But just thinking about and just knowing that, man, I'm not there yet. I'm not there yet. I mean, I can't wait till one day getting the room with some of these guys and I can learn, and but I'm glad I didn't. I'm glad I had to learn by myself with the

guys that were on my level. And I think that's how you that's how you grow, and it's you know, I wrote when I could, but the more I did, the more I you know, I think you got the feel of it. And it was just a dignity that feeling I used to have on stage of entertaining and watching people have fun. Now it was coming up with that line or what I thought was good and that feeling. It just took over. And so songwriting was my new love at that point. So when you were selling for Luke,

did he know you wanted to be an artist? And is that a weird dynamic because that yeah, I mean I don't think, you know, he knew that I was interesting music. He knew I loved music and I wanted to be a songwriter. And I think he you know, that was his way of saying, hey, well, you know, come out here and see what goes on. And kind of it wasn't a really long term plan, but it was something I went out one weekend and ended up being out for like three years. But you know that's

not what I moved to do. But it gave me an opportunity to just be around the business and be around radio and see how a new artist, I mean see, I had always thought Luke was the big star back that that he is now, but it just, you know, it took a little bit for everything to catch them, but for me to see how he did things, how he treated people, uh you know, his team, and it just think it helped me when I finally got my chance, I felt like I had been around it. I've seen

the good and the bad of the business. I've seen singles uh tap the charts I've seen. I saw me and him both loved you know, died thirty seven, and it just you know, things like that at going through that with a a friend and then finally getting your

chance like I do now. I mean, I obviously I can't thank him enough, but I think, uh, you know, things like that make you want to get to a point where you can give back and help people, because he's certainly you know, put his uh name out there and I've tried to do the best I can, write the best songs, and um, you know, make a name for myself telling about the hat because everybody thinks it means Coleswindell and it doesn't. But tell me about the hat and why you wear that hat all the time,

because you're not making money off that hat, are you. No? No, I don't. I don't know. I'm just obviously a hat guy's kind of kind of my thing. And the Georgia Southern thing. It just I remember when, um, I went out and did some of my first shows when I got my band and I was gonna try to start

getting a record deal. You know, I had a Georgia Southern baseball hat, one of the new ones, and I was like, I'm just gonna rock this, and we ended up out on a big tour and uh just pictures on the internet, you know, like coming out and they're like, who's this guy wearing the Georgia Georgia Southern people? Uh,

you know, we're noticing that. I saw a lot of alumni that we're like, this guy's repping our college, you know when I went to school there for six years and our five five years something and you know it's where I got my start, and it just kind of I don't know, I like to to be loyal where I come from, and it just kind of stuck with me. And then I know, I don't know how because it looks like a c I understand that, but if you look at it is it's obviously, but I can understand it.

So maybe, look, you've got all kind of cool hats, so maybe we can just design me a new one. I don't know, I don't even want that. No. I mean a lot of people think it's my yeah initials.

But if you don't make any money off that Georgia Southern hat, no, I just I just think it's something that nobody knows that Georgia and I get a chance to represent my college where my family we all, I mean everybody, I think everybody graduated with me from there, but everybody went there, and it's just I don't know, I love that school, Arkansas. I don't always wonder I got you. Yeah, well, you know, I appreciate. Do you

sell Georgia's other hats at your shows? Um? Now they have them in the bookstore like at the at the college, so it's like, I mean, they had a graph of the sales of baseball hats before I started wearing it. Now and it's pretty it's pretty funny. But to me, it's the cost mer booth of the college. I mean, I know, but I make I mean, you know, I have my own line of merch down there at Georgia

Southern now, so it's uh, I don't know. I mean, they don't do anything like the baseball hats, but it's still I mean, just to be tied in when I used to be a kid in that bookstore. Now I have stuff in there. But it's, uh, it's pretty wild to think about that. But they're I know, they're proud of me, and I'm I'm proud to represent them. So I'm I'm glad, glad you uh know, proud of where you come from. I mean, I know this story. I just wanted you to say anything because a lot of

people don't know. I well, thank you, and this is a lot of people listening, and this is my only way. And that's You're funny about people tweeting and stuff like when I get you know, a couple of TV moments here and there, But when I do, that's like the meanest thing. It's like, why is this guy think he can just wear his initial And it's like, well, hey, I mean, if that's not the worst thing, I guess I can. I can deal with that. But yeah, well

who knows, maybe I'll change it something. I talk about Blue Apron for a second. I love Blue Apron. You know, I do the show from my house and coincident to Lee, that is where Blue Apron comes right to my door. So Blue Apron comes and it's in a big, awesome Blue Apron box and for less than ten dollars per person per meal, Blue Apron delivers these awesome meals to you. Make them right at home. Seasonal recipes along with preportion ingredients,

make delicious home cooked meals and variety. Choose from them. Just look at the website. I I can tell you it'sok. At the website Blue Apron dot Com slash Bobby Cast. Also go over and to make sure if a Bobby Cast at the end of that Blue Apron dot Com slash Bobby Cast because eyes check out this week's men. You get your first three meals for free with free shipping Blue Apron dot Com slash Bobby Cast. And you know, I don't even know how to cook. I don't either.

Welcome to the club of not knowing how to cook and so there's a card and that teaches you how to do it. They have all the recipes are preportioned. They show you exactly how to do it. B B B. If I can do it, you can do it. So Blue Apron you love how good it feels and I get a taste create incredible home cook meals Blue Apron dot com slash Bobby cast Blue Apron is a better way to cook. Alright, cool cold Cole. We have so many hits. Let's see where do we starts? How about

hope you get lowly tonight? Tell me something about this one. This is now what we opened the show with. It was my second single to to radio. And this is a song that I wrote with Brian and Tyler vif J m uh Michael Carter, my producer. We were out. I was just out riding before I have my record deal. We are oute. It was M F G. L. Thompson Square and Luke I think on tour and I was out riding and we got together that day one day on tour wrote this song and I remember just freaking

out the melody. We were like, oh my god. We uh played it even after the show. We're in there playing it on on a little boom box, just the work tape of it and never knowing what would happen with it. What well it went on. Um, you know, I was saying that my songs were I'm trying to get a record deal, and I just assumed f g L would record that maybe, so I put it on my version because I did the demo. I had my

version on the things we're sending the labels. Well, somehow Jason al Dean got a copy of that song and it was like wanted it. And I here, I was without a record deal and f GL they you know, had a huge song out and they were blowing up and you know, here I am just trying. I needed a song like that. You know, I needed that song. And I'll never forget. Yeah, I mean and and out. I mean, I remember, you know he's me and him

or buddies. Now it's funny. And I ended up touring with him a year later to a couple of years later. And but you know, to think when a guy you you know, love his music, you played every one of his songs, coming up, wants a song that you wrote, and you know you possibly we're gonna have to say I may need to keep this, I mean, and so Carrie, you know that that's what she had to They talked

and he understood, though not I think now. I mean that's I have so much respect for for Aldon for that and for him recording all these great songs that he didn't have to. He could be in the room on any of them if he wanted, and he just he records great songs. But and not to mention, I mean, think about the publishing companies of the other writers and stuff like you think they didn't want Jason Aldean to have that. I get that, and that's just part of

the the business that you learn. It's like, man, you know when you got and the fact that they let me keep it and believe to me enough to say, you know what, if you're gonna keep it and you recorded, you keep it And and Alden was cool, the writers were cool, and it ended up being my second second single.

How about that you have to make the decision to not give superstar Jason Aldina song and you want to keep it in don't even have a deal like that's ball and your man and I know your manager carry and and that says a lot about the faith that she had in you yes, and because I mean there's you know, when you're having somebody's back and stepping up for him, there's gonna be other people in that like

what do you do? Like are you seriously? What is and and you know there's things that you don't think about, but you know the way you put that, I mean that is that's a big deal. And and things you kind of you take about in a while. You said no to free money. Yeah, I mean with the risk of making more money on the back side, with the risk of just having a career. And it's in this business you know a lot. You know, it's all about the song. You gotta have the right one. I love

your ball I love them. Oh okay, so I had a good story. How about this one here, I don't drink to a country song and work their wiskin and my last love I'm coming about this riding room. Yeah, this is like, this is crazy. I mean I wrote this song five some years. I mean, you know, I thought this was on my first one I got my publishing deal. This is on my first like uh demo session, like this song was and uh nobody wanted it like it's and I think it's because the names on it.

I mean me, Adam Sanders, Josh Martin, I mean three guys that nobody. It's like, I think they listened to the song and they're like, damn, this is a hit. Who is this like some of the hit rup who? And I think, I honestly think that had something to do with you don't know sometimes And I think that's what you work for as a writer. For people when

you send them, they know it's gonna be good. I mean, and that's that was one of those songs that you know, had I written that with a big name, I would I bet you somebody would record it, not have never had it. But the fact that you know many people had it on hold. I can't remember who all had it, but it never got recorded. That's a weird thing, right, Like someone has your song on hold and then they

let it go because you're like, there's a shot. And I think everyone knows every hole doesn't mean cut it. That's that's where you start as the first hole one is someone here and going I wanna put that a hole to make it and I'm gonna put that in the basket, yeah, and go back to it. And that is you know, these days you realize it might not be the biggest deal in the world. But to to a songwriter, I mean, your first hold I remember gosh.

I mean that that's the crazy feeling that that that is the first step that, like you said, is for somebody to just be interested enough to say, hold on, don't send this to anybody else, I'm gonna keep it and I'll let you know what. And then you know when they let you know pass so that it did, yeah it did, and I just you know, it's it's crazy. You get your hopes up and at that point, I mean I didn't even have a song record. This was

before water Tiwer any of that. I mean, and you know, you get your hopes up and then they're just like, oh man, but that's that's a little bit act like like when it hits and if they passed on it a little bit like and then now it's like, oh man, I'm thankful. Yeah, I was glad I had the song because ye know, I needed that song. And that's what you know, some people you know I had. I was fortunate to get some songs recorded before chilling it in my red to deal, but like that song right there,

it really I don't know. The first two did well, but that one was another like chill. It kind of took me to a different level. That's one of the biggest moments of the night still in my shows, that song. And I just think it's because it's it's simple country, something that's relatable everybody. You know, there's nobody in there that hapn't kind of somewhat been through. I been through something like that, I feel like, So it's uh, it's it's cool to get to perform that and and try

to help everybody get over get over them mixits. Here's another one here from from this guy let me see you're lean your head back in your lad Why because the way you said that, I mean this is you know, this was one of those songs that, um it was my fourth single on the first album I I've seen this song live for years and you sometimes you have

to make a call. It comes down to, all right, I've got a song, you know, this up tempo that's fun that I may need for my show, that I may need for just to to have, you know, like say it it's one of my singles or maybe a song that's made change the world over here, you know, like I don't think this is a song that's gonna

this is no you should be here. But I also knew what people didn't know is I knew I had you should be here after this, and I wanted to go out with something like something fun, and it's just one of those things that you know, this is one of those you were talking about chilling. Yeah, of course I got pushed back on it, and you don't like to see that. I mean, I think I had released something like Whiskey, and I had shown something this side, and here I was going back to the tempo, fun stuff.

But to me, I mean seeing that live, it's just like you just have to roll with it. People are gonna say what they say. But then you know, if they can come out and watch my show, watch me play it live and not get it, then it's you know, it's a different deal. But I could see how well the reason I did that because I can see how some people you know, are gonna push back on that.

So well, let me play the game changer here gift four number one right at this point for you for an the ones that you have been the artists for a bit artist. So here you come with the game changer at number five. You should be for many reasons. We'll talk about career first. You know this, this song elevated you to the next level. Did you feel that? Absolutely? Absolutely.

I remember the debut on your show that morning. I get to tell that story a lot because the day it hit radio, I mean, the stories I started seeing on my social media knew. I mean the minute I left your studio, I went and down on my Instagram and look at at a message and I'll never I'll tell you about that at some point, but it's just crazy to think the instant impact and you know how powerful radio is, and that song, you know, that's what

I that's what I wanted people to know about. And especially coming off a fun song like uh, you know, let Me See You Grow, It's like, yeah, that's that's the fun side of me. But this is me too. I mean, I think that first part of my album showed the fun side of me and that hey, I I you know, I want you all to get to know me, but you know I life ain't all fun, and that that was my chance to release a song

and show everybody. Look, I'll you put me in this position to sing songs, write songs, you know, I got every now you know, from time to time, there was a special one that that's gonna you know, relate to everybody and take you to that next level. I think that's you know, the the artists in our format that have lasted for years. I mean, they have those kind of career songs and when people that's a compliment of people like that's the biggest song of your career. You know,

who knows I want to have a long career. But if if any song so far, if I wanted it to be a career, it's that one. And that's because of what it means to me and the stories I've heard, and that's you know, uh, the chance to write a song like that is the Nashville dream to me. And that's that's why I'm moved. I hate the circumstances, but for my career and just knowing I mean, the people it's helped, just like you know, when you know I'm with songs, I mean, you you do things every single

day that that helped people. I mean, that's just my way of doing is writing a song. And that's it's hard to believe that I you know, I've been you know, able to do this for a living and that song is uh will always be probably the most special song I've ever Right, let me see if I noticed you get the story right, because I know Actuley who you wrote the song one of my favorites. Man. You guys were in Boston, Yeah, outside and you and you wrote

it in the bus yep he Uh. Yeah, I was like the opener, opener opener of one of the stadium tours up there. And yeah, we were up there and Goreley was out riding with me, and I remember he had walked in to take, uh a picture of the set up here. Mean, here's a state, you know, for anybody that's never been to a stadium show, as a stage in the middle of a football stadium. And he sent a picture to his daughter and it said with the stadium and the stage and said you should be here,

and uh he had that idea. So we're back on the bus and he's like, hey, man, I was inside, I had this idea, sent a picture my daughter, you should be here, and you know here here he was thinking missing his family and and immediately I think about, you know, missing my dad, and uh, it was just one of those things where immediately said Ashley, please let me write this with you, man Plea And he said, well, that's why, that's why I brought it up, you know, and it just kind of it was one of those

meant to be things. I mean that from the whole time when we started writing it, we I told him it's like, if if we do do it this way, I wanted everybody to be able to relate to it, whether they miss him, if you know, because everybody hasn't you know, might not have have been through lost somebody I hadn't been through that, but um, I wanted to be just everybody to bould relate to it. And I think that's why we We didn't write it just about a loss. We wrote it about the moments, and I

think that's what makes that one. You know, there's a lot of songs about loss, but to me, this one is just about those moments where in life. Uh, you know, there's a lot of things that I'd give anything, you know, you just want you want that one person to call or they just make it that much better and it means uh means that much more so to me. Uh, that song is is something that you know, getting to

play every night, seeing the crowd. I mean, it's it's hard to believe that that music is that powerful, but it is. How about this one number six and the middle of do You Even Miss? Like you can't even miss you, don't even miss, don't even miss? Another Ashley Gorly is a crowd right here, man Greig. I mean this was written in the middle of another song. That's the cool thing about Yeah. So you know I put

out these things EPs called the down Home Sessions. We've done several versions of those, and there was a song on one of them called Kiss that a lot of the fans it's like a fan favorite of my down Home Sessions. Will there's a line in the second verse that says, girl, you left me here with half a beer in the middle of a memory. And when we came up with that line in the room, me Zack and actually start were like, the middle of a memory. We gotta actually said, we gotta write that right now.

So that I learned a lesson that day from Gorly. Actually Gorly that we stopped that other song and started writing this one. I mean, just right out of the blue, and I'm like, what are you doing? Usually I would have just save the title, went back to it, but I learned that day, you don't, you know, we already had a good start on the other one, like why not start a new one right here and see what happens?

And it just flowed right out and it's it's one of those you know, when there's a story like that behind usually it's a special, special song. And to me, this one was always one of my favorites and just another uh you know song that that's uh, I don't know. It helped me get to where I ends. Six single, guy didn't mess Let's do this is the one. Now.

Depending what you may hear this from a year or now, he may have three more songs out, but right now, you Dirk Flatlighter, this is there's a story why Dirk is on the song? All right? Like why Dirk? How Dirk came up on this song? Yeah, I mean, uh, you know before the tour hadn't I mean, I had nothing to do with it. We before I got my record,

you know, I was writing songs every day. When we were writing the song, me and Jared Boyer and Matt Bromley, we I mean, in the middle of the song, I was like, man, this sounds like something dirts could sing and I remember us just thinking like this sounds like a you know, let's pitch this the dirts when we get done with it. Well, I wasn't really I knew him, but I wasn't close enough with him to sending the song. So I don't know if he ever even heard it.

And uh, years later, I'm sure obviously the years later, Uh, I told him the story and he had, you know, text me. He was a fan of chilling it and some stuff, and I told him. I was like, man, there's this song that I wrote, uh for you with with some guys a couple of years ago, but I don't think you've heard and he said, sended. I did, and uh, he wrote back and said he loved He's like, man, that sounds like a smash, uh, you know. And I'll just joke. I said, well, man, if I ever recorded you,

you should record it with me. And it was just kind of a running joke, you know, we'd see each other and if he brought it up, I love, But that's just dirts. He always remembers something that that you associated. He's like, man, that Flatliner song always, you know, I love that song, and it just he always brought that up and and I didn't never think he was serious. So when we went the album to record the album, um, we asked him and he was, yeah, you don't want

to put somebody on that spot. I mean, I literally it was one of those I'm the kind of person I like, you sure you want to? I was like, please tell him. If he doesn't want to, his fine, because I I just don't like to be put on the spot like that. And and to know that's a he's got his own career, and you know, I understand if if that's not something that he wanted to do, but I think he knew how much it means or knows how much it means to me. And uh now and and I'm I'm glad we get to perform it.

You know, we didn't plan on being on tour, but the fact that the tour worked out, I mean, I think that had something to do with it being you know, the single and just to to make everything come full circle me for me, those college shows I talked about earlier.

I mean, Dirk Spentley's first album, I mean, Settled for a Slowdown by him is one of my favorite songs ever, I think, and now I'm out here touring with him and getting to learn and talk about you know, I've been on some big tours, great tours, but he's just

he's just the most real dude man. And it's it's, uh, it's it's hard to find a guy that's a superstar at that more down to earth and I think, you know, he's just a good person to have in our format for for every new artist to look up to me, everybody. I mean, he's just he's one of those good dudes. And he's a grinder. Not on grinder, but he is a grinder. He might be on grinder. How Yeah, he's off his phone. I saw he's had enough of it. He's been working hard. So he's working. He's been around

man a long time, and that's what those people. Yes, and it's been that and he'll talk about it. He's not scared to talk about mistakes he's made and where I went wrong. And I mean we're you know, I've only flown with him a couple of times, but he's always back there trying to tell me, you know, hey, you know, do that, make sure you're doing the right thing.

Don't let this bother you, Like just Swstummer, do you let him fly you because I won't get this here airplane, I don't, you know, he uh, he's got you know, he can fly. And then also Austin another pilot this with him, but we usually just hang and I let them. I don't know, I don't let him fly. We'll just hangs. So I don't. I'm not a fan of him either, but man, the traveling just you know, it's been cool just getting to to do it a couple of times. But that's you know, I'm I'm good with riding the

bus too. I'm I'm lucky enough to to have a bus, so I'm gonna stick stick with that for a while. Let me play a couple more songs here, because you're you're in the fly like this. They have seven songs for four years. How about this one here? I wrote this way. I made some money off this. This is that's crazy, the thing that that's probably, I mean, I sold more than any song I've written. And then I can't explain that. Do you still get check sport this song?

I mean, I'm I don't, I haven't, I don't know, I haven't asked specifically, but probably I mean probably with that, yeah, I mean with the that the remix. I mean, it was all kind of I've never really had a song that had any kind of crossover artists on it or anything,

so it was it was a big song. But that just, you know, that shows you out those songs and I needed those because, you know, for the first three or four years, and I had while I was building up to these seven singles, only had a hit or two. And there I was getting to play roller Coaster, get me some of that, and this is how we roll in my set, and I'm you know, big songs, uh and and uh you know that. I just remember me and Brian starting that song and and Tyler coming in

and they was the shooting bullets at the moonline. Luke has said it in his show, and and Brian asked, He's like, you think we should add I was like, wow, I ask him. I don't think he's gonna want to come over here and write, but I'll ask him. And he came over and listened to just a little bit we had, and we finished it and they got to sing it and I didn't get to sing it. I just got the song right and credit. So I've been

introducing myself to Jason's Ruler ever since. Like, hey man, I'm I wrote that song too with them, but we'll talk about that later. I'm the guy with my initials on my hat. You're you're the guy. Yeah, you see us hat. I play one more. We'll go back in time a little bit, being luke. Wow, this is the one I didn't want to give up. This is this

is the song that made me keep chilling it. It was so huge to have cuts on this album for I can't remember the title of this album, but I mean this was when roller Coaster was on UM and and a couple more this one obviously, but I don't know. It's just like to have three cuts on the album that big was so huge for me. And that was right when people are like, I mean, this guy is the next I mean, he's got three songs on this big album. Blah blah blah. You know, so this is Uh,

it changed everything for me. I said it, all right, well, this is the song I loved. I mean, and I just always hoped to be a single. But that was fine. I just knew that when I gave that, when I said, alarright, if I'm gonna do the artist thing, uh, there's gotta be a point where I keep a song. The next song I write that I think I love like that, I have to keep it. I mean, there's no there's no way if I'm gonna con seriously be be the artist I want to be because I know how important

a song is. And you know, that was the song I loved. And then two months later, me and Shane miner Uh wrote Chilling It, and that's when I knew, I literally knew. I said, this is what I want my first single to be. I was like, I don't know what we gotta do, but this is what this is it. This is how I want the world to hear me right her first song. Let's get their attention right here, chilling and that was that's what we went with.

Look at you. You haven't missed yet, I know, yeah, And that's what there's people it's I know that's I'm really stick. I don't want that pressure on me my team. I don't you know that every song is not a number one. I mean I think there's you know, some songs that I'm gonna get the chance to say things I want to that might not be a number one radio hit, but it's gonna impact people. I mean, there's

a song that it's on my current album. Um you know that it's called Remember Boys that Andrew Dorff and Brad Tirsty from Old Dominion they wrote not that song. I get to play that live every night. And it's just songs like that that. It's like, man, you know, that's why I record songs I didn't write because I can't write that. I didn't write it, but I wish I had. I wish I would have written it. And

I think being an artist, you you're fortunate. You get to, you know, take people's work and and uh, you know, put your spin on it, and that's it stays around. I mean that those kind of songs really touch people. And I think you know it's coming off flatliner. I mean, I'm gonna have a big decision what's next. And you know, so if I give you a couple of titles like Stay Downtown or Broke Down, I wish you would listen and let me know over the next couple of weeks

what you think. I don't have no idea. I'm not gonna listen. You're just gonna if you see, if you play it, we'll see, we'll see. I'm like, if I play it. It's like the email when you said, OK, let' don't let's don't listen. Let's just, uh, we'll see you. I don't listen to anybody's I don't like. I don't. I don't blame you, because you know what, I wouldn't

want that kind of having to respond. Y'all just put what you want out and if it's not universal, absolutely then and I've like, I understand, I really did, like, I don't blame you. I'm friendly with Stapleton because I was having Chris out before even Traveler came out. So Chris has always been really loyal to me because I was. I loved him early of course, because it's like, hey,

I want to see you my new album. I haven't told Chris no. I was like, dude, and that was the hardest thing to do because I love that I'll take it. Yeah, I was like, I can't take it. Earlier I can't take but I just feel like if I can be like my listeners and here the day it comes out, then I'm still that is well. I just blew my mind. I mean, why why wouldn't you do that? That's the I want to experience it like my people experience, and that is I think that's something

that wow, I haven't thought about. But like in our format or just our business, I mean, we I hear a song, you know, and I'm tired by the time anybody else, even here's I know it so well that I can't even feel what they're like. I don't know what that first time feeling that's the best. I mean, the first time you hear a song, first time you realize I love this song. I mean, you can't go back to that, like once you've heard it a hundred times,

you can't go back to that. So that is really cool that that But that's how you stay in touch with your listeners, your fans. I mean, you're one of them, and that's what you know. You do that. I try to do the same thing on stage. I want them to know that I'm I'm just like them. I just get the stand ups here for you know, forty five minutes and night, however long it is. I appreciate you coming by. Are you this has been? This is awesome.

I will do and I want I'll talk about all the great things you did, like please, let's I want to be I'm gonna be a part of something soon,

So just let me know. Man, I'm you do a lot, and I wanna you know, I've been fortunate too, so I wanna want to help how account I know it's about it's about them, but we're we're very fortunate, and I know I want to say congrats to you also own there for for the induction and the whole of that's and you don't want to talk about, but it's to me that's I do not want to talk about. But absolutely I just want you to know, I, uh, that's that's huge, and congrats and uh you deserve it.

Thanks for all the good you do. I appreciate that. All right. Colsonondella is here, and depending when you hear this uh flat liners that's out or his next did people here nineteen, he may have this new hip hop song with me goes that's all over cout Okay, you never know. Well, we got this interview the way and Haley Steinfeldt the new colsonon Deale with Hailey Steinfeld's out you picked out? All right? So what episode is my

sixties seven? Wrapping up sixty seven? Good to see you but always good to see thank you, and we will h see you next time. Here on the Bobbycast. Thanks to Express Pros and thanks to Oh Blue Apron. Oh yeah, all right, thank you have for see you next time.