BobbyCast Presents: Unsigned & Independent: Walker Montgomery - Creating His Own Path

people who are doing it independently. Now we're talking to Walker Montgomery today. You may recognize the last name because that's because he's the son of John Michael Montgomery. Walker is the sign of a well established country artist. But Kevin's goal is to tell walker story, not his dad's story. And because these artists are independent, it allows them to tell their story in their own words and let the audience know what their goals are, what their dreams are,

without ever losing what makes them unique in their own right. So, Walker Montgomery with Kevin O'Connell. He's got over five million streams of his debut song, Simple Town, and he was chosen as an artist to watch in two by Country Now and Music Mayhem Magazine. And here it is Unsigned and Independent with Kevin O'Connell and Walker Montgomery. Hey, this is Kevin O'Connell back with Unsigned and Independent. This is

episode five. I really appreciate it. If you've listened to the first four or any of the first four, they've all been so great, so different, little unique. Everyone's background, everyone's story and upbringing can be so much different than each other, and this one is exactly the same. We have Walker Montgomery on the son of John Michael Montgomery. But I didn't really want to talk about John Michael.

I wanted to talk about Walker, so we dive into walker story, his upbringing and how he never really got into music until he was a teenager, which was pretty surprising to me because he grew up in it with his family. But Walker is a great guy. He's a cool story. You can follow him on social media at

Walker Montgomery. Make sure you follow these artists. Follow me on social media as well at kick Off Kevin, Share the podcast, show some support these artists love it, share their music, listen to their music, and support them as well. Here is Walker Montgomery, Walker around you doing today? Man I'm doing great, man. I'm happy to be here, appreciate you having me on. Of course, of course happy to get you in here. I know I told you this

right before we started this. I don't want to, you know, make this about your dad, but you know, obviously I want to touch on it, and you know, talk about a little bit and your upbringing. So you are John Michael Montgomery's son I am, and you're from Kentucky, from born and Rice from Kentucky born and raised. I just want to ask you real quick, like what was that upbringing being the son of you know, a pretty big

country music star. But you but you lived in Kentucky your whole life, right like you were in Oldville whole entire life. I think by the time I was eighteen, I've I've counted it one time. I might have been to Nashville like three times my entire life before I moved here. So did you know growing up at all that you wanted to be in country music as well as a performer? Growing up? Not not particularly, uh, because

I mean, my my parents were so great. They surrounded me with sports, acting, you know, all these different things, and uh kind of let me find my own path. To music, and it was It wasn't really till you know, junior year of high school where I started picking up the guitar and and uh kind of had to look myself in the mirror and and say, hey, you ain't

going to the NFL, you know, but you too? But yeah, right, but uh yeah, I started picking up the guitar and and that's kind of that's kind of when I fell in love with it. But it was definitely later on. Did you You You didn't play as a kid or anything, you know, growing I mean, you literally grew up with it around it. So how did you want to make your own path, fir, if you wanted to try to find your own way in life. I don't, I don't know. I think it was really just you know, regular high

school stuff. And I I picked the guitar or play a little piano growing up, but I was always, you know, kind of focused on on football and basketball and everything. And I had choir in school and and and stuff like that. So I was still involving myself in some kind of music always, but definitely it took a second to get there. Do you credit your parents a lot for We're not pushing it on you? And let absolutely

live a normal quote unquote teenage life. Absolutely, And I mean all I had to worry about in high school was things that regular high school kids should worry about. Uh, So I didn't have any pressure from them going, you know, but you got to go into music, you gotta do all these things and uh and yeah, I mean I really do give them a lot of credit for for that, because it's different when you find it on on your own and and you fall in love with it, uh,

you know, on your own. But yeah, I definitely give them a lot of credit for that. Yeah. You hear about that all the time, whether it's sports or music, where these crazy dads have their kids going to fifty different games. That's seven years old, and by the time they get to fifteen, they're like, dude, I'm burnt out. I'm done. So I'm glad that you're able to find your way kind of naturally and organically if you will.

So when did you move to Nashville. Then you're twenty two years old, and I moved to Nashville nineteen around there. I was coming down and you know, writing and and doing different things like that. But it was probably twenty nineteen early twenty nineteen when I finally made the move. Now, what was your deciding factor were, Hey, maybe I should just go to Nashville and go for it. Yeah, I'm I mean, it really was just that I wanted to wanted to give it, give it the old old try.

And uh, I was at college. I was at UK for what I called my glorious nine weeks and uh joined a fraternity and and uh did all the college things, which was really good experience. But I just had I had a song that I that I'd written in my dorm and uh, you know, wrote it, sing it, sang it down, and we came down here and before I moved, started recording and stuff, and it just uh song started doing well on Spotify and everything, and I was just like, well,

it might as well, it's time go for it. Yefore, I saw a story and correct me if I'm wrong. Here where you played at a pre party or something for football, right man, And a radio guy came up and he said, Hey, I think you you damn good at this. I'm gonna put you on the radio. And that did that make you kind of uh or tell that story first, I guess. And what that leads to, well, it definitely did. I mean, it was definitely a catalyst to to me moving down here. But yeah, I was

in college at the time. It was my freshman year. Uh, and they had the University of Kentucky had a fan voted Twitter pole uh thing where the winner would play the opening game kickoff concert. And of course, you know, my mom's voting like ten times a day and everything like that, getting everybody to do it. And uh, but we just ended up winning and we played it. And my drummer at the time, I've shown him that song and uh, I didn't know what I was doing, you know,

I did. I always say it was just a god things. I've never written a song, never really sang a song that I've written, obviously, and I just showed him that. He was like, hey, we can put music too, and I was like, well might as well. And that was the first time that we have ever played it actually, and and yeah, radio guy came up and me and said, hey, I'll play that on the radio if you go down

and record it. And when that happens, you know, you're kind of like, well, uh, the college thing might might be on hold for a little bit, right right, I mean, how can you say no to that, especially at how old are you? Nineteen? I mean your eyes probably lit up. Yeah, I get excited just think about it. I can tell you by looking at you. I know you guys can't see this, but I can see it in his eyes right now. What'd your what'd your parents say when you

told him that? They? I mean, look, they were happy. Uh. I think my dad really he wanted me to go to college, just because he never got the chance. And uh, because but he was, you know, straight out of high school. He's playing honky tonks and and uh and everything, and I was. I was too, but I was still going to college. I was. That's why my grades might have suffered because I was trying, you know, I was. I was playing Proud Mary's honky Tonk and Lexing and Kentucky

and stuff and and uh. But yeah, they were. They were excited about it. And I think they kind of realized, uh that I had the bug, and they they I mean, they've been supportive and everything I've done, but this is this They knew it was coming. Once it once it happened, they were they were all in. Their writing was kind of on the wall, and it was that was the

last straw, if you will. Now, when you moved to Nashville, what was were you thinking like I want to be, you know, someone big or you just kind of winging and as you came out here and started started playing at local places and kind of seeing where it went. Well, I mean, as an eighteen year old, nineteen year old, you don't know. And I didn't know, Like I said, I'd only been to Nashville three times, I think, so

I didn't know anything about songwriting. Uh. All I knew was playing a little honkytongk bars and stuff in Kentucky and uh so, and obviously, you know, being being on the road with Dad some I've I've seen seen some stuff that I guess, uh maybe somebody who was just completely grain coming town might not have. Uh, But yeah, I was just seeing what happened, you know. I was trying to get a group of guys that I really liked riding with, uh and get as many meetings and

everything that I can keep booking shows. Of course, at the time, it was just my mom and me booking shows. Uh So, we were we were just calling county fairs wherever, seeing if they had a little bit of money, and even if they did and were like, well, can we

still come play? Uh? But yeah, I mean at the time, I've really didn't have a plan, I guess, uh, because I was eighteen and I was just like, well, let's see what happens, right and then since so since then, you do have a management team now, right, but you're independent,

you don't have UM any label or anything. But how much is that management team because I'm interested to find out people that come on this some have managers, some who don't UM all are obviously independent, unsigned, But how how much has that management team helped you, you know, be able to juggle things or getting more gigs or travel or whatever it may be. Yeah, well, I mean

it's helped tremendously. And I got a great team over Red Light Management, uh, Sean mcspaden, Jenny Tack and ends up even Senzo and it's uh, it's a special group and I'm blessed to work with them. But they definitely does take you know, some weight off of my shoulders because they obviously know things that I don't and and

they can handle things that that I might not. Really, even though I've been here for for a little bit now, you know, I still it might be the first time doing something for me when they've done it a million times before. And uh, but no, it's helped tremendously. Uh. And William Morris my book and agent, uh, Kevin Maid's has I mean just doing a tremendous job over there, so the whole two. You know, having more people on the team, it just always helps, right, everyone balances, it

plays a ball in some way. Now, do you enjoy because I always I also find it interesting, especially nowadays with social media, a lot more people, it seems like since I've started this are talking about how they enjoy being independent because you know, they have a lot of their rights to their own stuff. And so I gotta ask you as well, the same question of do you enjoy that independent And you're still young enough and still raw enough, probably you're still trying to figure things out.

Do you enjoy that independence of it? I mean yes, And and though obviously you know, I guess the main goal for everybody is to get a get a label behind you and more people that believe in you. Uh, but to have kind of that creative freedom really does in some cases help out. And uh, but yeah, I mean there's pros and constant to everything, especially being independent. But it it just depends on the situation. Uh really,

I guess. But owning and owning all the all all the music, it's pretty nice, you know, right knowing that you have that ownership to it. But it seems like one of those you know, if the right deal were to come along, then we can sit down and talk about that. Well, I mean, and that goes into I ment I keep mentioning the team. It's it's if if the team believes in you, then that's that's the right deal. And when it comes to points and whatever it is,

obviously there's a longer and stuff like that. But if people are behind you and really believe what you're doing, that just it makes all the difference. Have you had any trouble in the industry because and maybe you haven't at all. This isn't it at all, um. But at the end of the day, as a business, do you ever have you ever found it in the last few years or growing up? But all like, oh you know who your dad is, like you probably have it so easy. Like even in the industry, have you had and you

not have to call anybody out? But I don't call anybody. Yeah, But but have you run into those roadblots or people think that you have it easier when the reality is no, Man, we're all on the grinder. Yeah. I mean there's always people that and this. I mean you mentioned a business. I I just assume it would be the same thing if your dad was a football coach or something. You're trying to become a football coach yourself. There's always the people that I think that way. You know, I always

gotta be easy. He's only doing it because the day's doing it. Uh. But for the most part, man, I mean I think that lucky, luckily enough. I mean dad was Dad was very successful, and people respect that. Uh, but they kind of they do. See, I'm trying to make my own own path and uh while paying homage to all the success that he had because he had some great songs. But yeah, you do get every now and then some people that or I don't know if

it's bitterness or whatever it is. When you first came out here, were you playing Broadway or anything, or were you more like the writer's round kind of. I did a few things on Broadway when I first moved down here, but then you know, once I started kind of getting into Riders circles and stuff like that. It Uh, I started doing more the live Oaks and Demumbrians, uh and and just riders rounds, which are which I really enjoy but uh yeah, didn't didn't really do the Broadway thing

for that long. Kind of moved up to Demumbre and pretty quick. Uh. But the Riders rounds are also just fun, you know, it's They're just fun to do. So I really, I really, I really enjoyed them. I enjoyed the intimate intimacy of those more than anything. I've been to a few of them out here, especially have a live Volk

a couple of them. And as fun as you know, watching somebody go crazy on stage and having a beer in your hand, yelling and hooting and all er in those writers rounds, it's cool because you can get like the backstory of of these songs, and you can get the artist or multiple of the band up there talking about where the inspiration comes for this song or where the sound comes for this song. So is that something you enjoyed to do as well? Yeah, I mean, especially

when I'm on on stage. Uh, even the live show when I got the full band behind me. I mean it seems uh my TM gets mad at me. I'm I'm almost try to tell the story to every song just because I want I want people to hear it. But uh, but yeah, I do really enjoy hearing the stories and and telling the stories of you know, when when the song was written, or if I didn't write the song, where where it came from, how I found it.

But yeah, it is a cool little thing. Yeah. I mean me as a listener, I don't know how to play anything but musician, but me as a listener, I enjoy it. And when you sit down to write a song, do you have something a process in your head or does something just hit you that day? Because I know you guys have these scheduling writer writer meetings, So what what goes into writing a song for you? Well? I write. I write about two to three times a week, and

that's just because I'm on the road on the weekends. Uh, you know, get get a one day break or something before we go on the road. But I'm I'm a melody guy, so I'm always kind of thinking of melodies. And obviously I got a bunch of titles on my phone and everything. But it, uh, the process, it almost goes back to once you find a group of folks

that you really like writing with. For me, at least, uh, you can kind of hone in on everybody's strengths and weaknesses and stuff, and and uh, you know, I've got a few guys that are really good with words, and and I hate words. I just want to do melodies and and everything. And then I've got some good some really great track guys and everything. So it uh, it takes time to figure out your process and kind of

learn how to do it. But once you once you do, you can kind of get into groove and that sound that you look for. I'd love to play a song um of yours on here, but we're not legally allowed to do some one here anymore. So I do want to talk about, you know, some of your sound and where your background comes from. Do you do you feel like that nineties country is a sound that you've kind of grown up and it's just naturally into you or is that something that you're trying to get away from? No, God, no,

I think Uh, I think you you awarded it perfectly. Really, I mean, it's just kind of naturally what I gravitate towards. And uh, it didn't when I moved down down here. It didn't take me long to figure out that my voice doesn't sound good on a pop track. And uh, and I'm not dogging on that because there's so many, you know, pop country songs that I love listened to and everything. But it it naturally just the way my

voice is and the way I hear things. Definitely, the nineties influence has has more, has has more kicking into my songs. Is it just me? I don't know about you being an industry, I feel like the nineties sound is kind of coming back a little bit. Oh, I think absolutely, And I'm I think it's a good good thing. It's yes, it's storytelling telling music and uh and just good. You know. I'm glad the steel's come back, fiddles come back. Uh. That steel guitar is my face. Oh, it's just awesome.

I wish I could play it, man, but I've I've seen some boys that can that can play, and there's just so much that goes into it. I'm like, I'm just gonna I'm gonna stick to guitar, man, like I'll let you do. Yeah. Yeah, you had to EP come out earlier this year speaking of sound, and there's a couple of songs on there that I like, and I gotta I gotta say this just a title alone gets

me A bad day to be a beer? Yeah, I think I think that's me every Saturday and watching college football, and every Saturday is a bad day to be a beer. So I talk about this EP a little bit. They came out in March of this year. Is that correct? Yeah, it was March of this year, and uh, EPs called Russ but bad Day to be a Beer? U. It is my favorite song on there. It's just and I recorded that actually maybe two and a half years ago.

And even how my voice is now, I can kind of I can tell that my voice is either I don't know if it's gotten deeper or whatever, but I've or just matured a little bit. But man, it's just a fun song. And in my glorious nine weeks in college, we'd wake up on Saturdays. Of course we call him catter days, and uh almost saying my brothers, would you know, they say it's a bad day to be a beer.

And then I didn't write that song, but uh, a great man named Dallas Davidson actually wrote that song with a couple of good buys of mine, Ray Fulter, Cole Taylor, and uh but as soon as I heard that, I was like, I gotta cut it. I gotta cut it. I mean we can all relate to that. Oh yeah, oh yeah. I gotta say, by the way, real quick, my first SEC game I went to a few weeks ago. You're probably not gonna like this, but it was Tennessee and Kentucky. I'm sorry but I had to bring that up.

But I will say, I'm just saying a guy from California going to my first SEC game is unbelievable. It's different, man, I mean it's an experience. Yeah, it was. It was great. I had to throw that little nugget it well, but I was on the road when that happened, and you probably didn't watch much of it. Well, I put on a good face for the show, but but uh, I was. I was pretty mad. Yeah. I'm a big sports fan myself. Man, So I've been there. We've all been there. There, the upstand,

the downs, right. I know you don't really do the Broadway anymore, but you still play some shows. I'm sure we do a lot of cover songs. Like cover songs is a huge thing out here in Nashville, right, if you get the tourists in there, twenty bucks, play this, play this. Do you find yourself enjoying more of like the old school and nineties covers, even like your dad or whoever. It may be just because that's kind of what you grew up in and that's where you feel

like you're more comfortable with every cover. So we might do maybe three cover songs during our set if it's a long If it's a longer set, we might do four. But every song that, uh, that we cover is I think it's two thousand three and before. Yeah, so uh but yeah, it's but that also goes back to that's

just what I gravitate towards. And uh, you know, I always say to the crowd, you know, if if it's all right with y'all, it's, uh, every cover we do is gonna be nineteen nineties, and they all go crazy and stuff, what's your favorite? Well, we always do sold and and it gets them every time. Man, But it's it's just a fun song to play. But that's definitely my favorite. But yeah, I mean, it's it's just what I There's no really reason why I do that. It's

just what I grab gravitate towards right. It's just a natural thing for you. Well, Walker, what I'll have to close this out here? What else you got coming up? Um? Shows songs album? Well, I guess you EP earlier is here, But what else is on the books for you? Right now?

We're really planning for three, you know, trying to get on the road and everything, and uh, I gotta got a new producer, Mr. Bart Butler, and we're doing some some really fun things, you know, finding songs, writing songs and uh, just trying to uh, trying to keep honing in on that sound and uh. But yeah, we'll be in the studio hopefully hopefully in December or something like that January. And got some new music coming out next year? Can you can you say any of that are just

it's still in the works. It's still it's still in the works. I got a few, I got a few songs that I know we're gonna cut, uh and we're and we're playing we're already playing some of them on the road and everything. But yeah, it's I'm excited. I'm excited for for next Every year is almost a new chapter man. And uh and after COVID it's it's just it. Uh, it's just great to be in full swing and is gonna be even better. That's awesome. That's awes gonna check out.

His EP came out earlier this year called Rust Walker. Where can the find you on Instagram or Twitter, TikTok, whatever you're on? Yeah, man, I do the TikTok. I'm not very good at TikTok. But you just anything, you know, anything, uh at social media? Just Walker Montgomery, at Walker Montgomery.

I think on my Twitter it's at Walker Montgomery. If you want to see, you know, I'll have a few cocktails or something while watching football and you want to see some some mad football tweets, go follow me on Twitter. But there you go. That's awesome, man, Walker, I really appreciate it. Thanks for coming in. There's a lot of fun and best luck for everything that the future holds for you. I appreciate you, man, Thanks for having me on