Philip Peters' Journey in the Music Industry, Auto Racing and Impact in Haiti.

So buckle up and enjoy the ride . My guest today is Philip Peters . Philip is from Franklin , Tennessee , and he's been involved in the , we'll say , entertainment industry for 20 plus years . I met him through IndyCar driver Stingray Rob last fall when I was connecting with Stingray and turns out Philip was Stingray's PR person .

Last year I finished that interview and later on Philip and I caught up and learned that we had both been involved in organizations in Haiti . He started one there in the early 2000s . Linda and I just happened to be on a trip down to Nashville , so we made a drive on down to Franklin , Tennessee .

We sat with Philip for a little bit and just caught up , and I'm just really excited to talk to him about his journey in the industry he's been in for the past 20 plus years . Well , welcome to the show , Philip .

Married for almost 10 years , have a seven-year-old kid . I just enjoy life . I enjoy listening to your podcast and hearing about all the different people that are on there and the concept so grateful to be on .

And that's the important part of the story , because I loved how the cool the car looked but I wasn't proficient on driving a manual and it drove my mom crazy . Why would you buy a car that you can't drive ? But my dad totally got it .

We live on a farm , had big lanes , learned how to drive up and down the lane by the time it was going , you know , had it all summer and by the time I was to go to college I knew how to drive it . That was the car that the guys on the floor were like I'm going on a date , can I borrow your car ? Which obviously made me feel good .

And then a lot of first kisses were in that car by them Probably not me , but yeah . So that was maybe a good thing to hear , I don't know . So that was fun . So , yeah , that was my first car and I had it . I had it for several years . I mean it was great . I finally it was one of those .

The air conditioner went out and so I didn't put money into it and needed to get a little better at it . But , yeah , love that . And I have another car story . Like I bought a Jeep a 95 Jeep Wrangler in my twenties I had two cars . That was just kind of like the summer car , take the top off , drive with friends . It was so much fun .

Sure , we just had a blast . I remember with my parents one time we were driving and dad was in the back . He was like we are going to get poured on and you could just see this summer storm just pop up and we were just drenched but it was 90 degrees . It was so much fun . But it was one of those .

I had wanted it for a while and I actually I'm in the music industry . I love Michael Jackson . I got tickets to his concert . Well , when he died I sold a couple of those tickets for people , for collectors , and the Jeep's name was Jackson , in honor of Michael Jackson . And yeah , that was the Jeep that I had .

But when I went to buy or I didn't go to buy I was like I want a Wrangler , save up some money . So I put a bid on eBay , went to a graduation party and came back and I had won and it was in Pennsylvania . I had no idea what I was gonna do . Well , I was like I don't have the money , you can't drive a 95 .

I mean you could , but it would be a very rough ride . But I got it here and shipped it here and I got in it . It started and it was , oh my gosh , it was a blast , like so many memories . But I bought a house about five years after I had it and it didn't have a garage and the squirrels kept eating the fuel line .

So after the third time , I was like all right , I'm getting good at working on this Jeep , but I'm getting tired of the fuel line , so I had to make a decision as to where it needed to go . I even heard to put mothballs in the in the on the back , to see if it would scare my way , and it didn't .

I put the mothballs in , like one of my roommates room , just for fun . He was traveling . He came home . He came home one time to change his shirt cause he had to go to a gig . And so here comes the drummer in a new shirt and he smells like Nemal .

He was upset and I was yeah , it was a great joke , but anyways , had sold the college car after working here for a couple years and then had the Jeep until I had the car got the house , but definitely miss it . Thought about the four-door Wrangler , but anyway , just not as cool as the rugged ones . Good stories .

Then it was the road trips happened and we'll talk about . I have a ministry in Haiti , so there's a road trip every time you're , every time you go down there that's a road trip .

I am kind of though I don't know if this is going to get me kicked off your podcast I'm kind of an AB , kind of a road trip guy Like , hey , let's go from point A to point B , let's get to the closest restaurant or whatever gas station , put the food in the car and keep going .

But I will say I'm a lot of fun , meaning like , we have fun , do games . I have a playlist that is so fun . People who say they never sing in the car , they'll be singing , you know , the most ridiculous guilty pleasure . And so I'm fun to be on a road trip with guarantee . And then working in the music industry .

We travel around the world in a bus , which I don't know if you could say that's a road trip , because typically what that looks like is we leave a city around midnight , 1 am , you've got bunks that you sleep in and you wake up and you're , you know , sitting outside in a parking lot or underneath an arena somewhere . But yeah , there's definitely some stories .

I remember one time we were actually coming to Cincinnati , near where you live , to do a show from Pennsylvania , and it was , I don't know , 1.32 in the morning or 2.30 . We were asleep and the bus driver said he smelled smoke . And so you get your stuff and you're off of there .

I think it was a battery situation , but yeah , a lot of travel and a lot of stories , for sure .

Anyway , see , that's why I never veer off the street .

My mom's side of the family her father's very musical , her brother's very musical wrote songs , country toured with country artists . My dad loved music , wasn't musical but always had the music on 70s rock all the time in the car , in the truck , in the tractor , in the shed . So there was always surrounded by music and he knew music .

He knew who put this album out and what year and the name of the album and of the song and that kind of stuff . So that kind of got it around it .

But living where we live , right off the interstate , we're about an hour from Cincinnati and Indianapolis , so we were able to get to a bunch of shows as well which mom and dad love shows and we saw a lot of concerts which , starting in the music industry side , I loved the live aspect of it .

Now I'm in a bigger picture with I do , you know , the album side and the marketing and the live portion , but I'm not on the road specifically . But that was kind of what drew me to the industry and I went to a university Anderson University is in Indiana which has Christian music .

Gaithers were from there Sandy Patty , stephen Curtis , and so in the 90s they were having shows all the time . I worked at the auditorium with them or we had shows in . I would load gear , run spotlight , just do whatever . That experience is what . When they were looking for work , they were like , wow , this guy has done a lot .

He knew all the key players and so I think that's why they hired me . Wow .

We were able to see them live there and that was obviously great when the whole family was there and you kind of experience it and that kind of stuff .

I feel like I have a story Like I've kind of go from you know , a month into here I'm working for my favorite band and I'm on a tour bus for the first time , just blown away by

that . I've been able to go to the Grammys a few times , which was great . I've seen multiple countries , which was amazing . We had an artist , Mandisa , who was on American Idol , which was great . To do that and be on the show like in the crowd I wasn't on the show , private jets , first class , like that kind of stuff was just so fun .

I think one of the biggest , though , is I was able to before he passed and it was one of his last few is be a part in the back with an artist that was playing the Billy Graham Crusades . So we did one in Oklahoma City and then Arrowhead Stadium there at the Chiefs , where the Chiefs play there in Kansas City . So that was pretty amazing , and I think .

You know , I always think of things like . You know , I never met my grandma on my mother's side . She passed before I was born but she listened to Billy . So it was kind of one of those things like there's just this invisible connection that we had at that moment . And he just says he was known worldwide . So to be there .

You know , I kind of almost feel like , out of all the celebrities I've met , he wouldn't want to be called a celebrity , but he's one of them , well known , exactly Great memory yeah for sure .

That's a guy that's got that great hair yeah exactly , and so then we met you in person in November , while we were down in Franklin . Of course , you're from Indiana , so you know racing well , because it is the great state of Indiana and the Indianapolis 500 . Yeah definitely , and so you were with Stingray in 2024 .

He's just the most incredible human , I tell everybody . But I was able to hang with him for gosh , all but two of the races , I think . So hang mean roommates , ride and that kind of stuff . So to experience and see what they do and go through and you know , any of the behind the scenes stuff .

That's what a lot of people will say in the music industry , like I just want to come hang with you and see what happens behind the scenes . So that's kind of what I got to do last year . But yeah , I mean there's so much fun stuff . There's some unspoken stuff that I won't share , some rowdy things .

Yeah , it was great , I mean I think being you know , my dad and his brother went to the 500 in the 60s for the first time and I have a cousin who's gone to 50 some Last year . Stingray and Kimmy , his mom were like we're going to have you , you know , go for a few days in the RV and before the 500 .

So it was kind of that moment where I woke up in the middle of the 500 that was going to happen in a few hours . And I was like this is crazy and it was almost one of those things where I said this is actually a bucket list . That wasn't a bucket list .

I just checked off something that I need to go rewrite on my list because that was kind of a fun experience . But just to be that close , you know to to go from somebody that you're chatting with that then gets in a car and then drives crazy and then gets out of the car and starts chatting Like it's just funny to me .

And I always say that , like with the artists too , like , hey , we're just chatting , they go up and play in front of 10,000 people and then they get off and then we start talking life again . You know , like it's a , it's a definite , like I don't know , it's a real life moment . Yeah , I think . I think . I hope that answers the question .

. Tell us a little bit about Haiti and how you got involved there .

And so I knew a pastor who I met when I was 17 and we stayed in touch and he said you should come visit . I went down at 25 in 2005 . We were actually celebrating our 20th year and a group of six of us went and when we went down we were like , wow , I think we could help . We don't have a lot , but a guy that really sparked it .

There was a couple of guys my age and when we worked they wore the same clothes as when we hung out , as when they went to church , and I was like , all right , I don't have a lot of money , I don't know a lot of people that have money yet , but I do have a lot of clothes and shoes that I don't always wear .

Six months later , 12 of us went back , took a bunch of clothes and it just started to spiral from there and we just networked and so we feed kids , send them to school , and then we have a medical clinic to help with medical stuff and then right now we're very community focused . We're sticking with them .

So if someone dies , we find money to help bury them . If someone's getting married , we help with their wedding , and then we have a lot of job placement from some of the states and Canada and many with other nonprofits down in Haiti as well , serving as translators and stuff . It's been a fun adventure . I always tell people because I'm not and stuff .

It's been a fun adventure . I always tell people because I'm not . 99% of the plates in Haiti are made with onions and I hate onions . So I'm a horrible missionary . I really , really am . But there's a scripture in the Bible that just talks about just opening a door , just being a doorkeeper in God's kingdom , and I was like you know what I think ?

That's what I am . If all I do is just open a door so other people could walk through it and do what they are called to do , then I'm so happy just to stand there and be a greeter . So , anyway , I guess in a few years you'll see me greeting at Walmart if they still have those positions . If it's not been replaced by AI , I don't know .

Like that's kind of we're just kind of playing town and we're helping out , but , man , after 20 years they get it . We have WhatsApp and Zoom and all that . They're running the socials now . They're taking care , getting the information and it's just been amazing . The report's been amazing . So all the time I tell people Haiti is . You hear so much about Haiti .

That's not good , but our community is great . There's some very smart and great people and I know you have ties down there too , so all of it .

Has there been any obstacles in your life that you just felt like , wow , what am I doing ?

When it's like , no , this is the journey that you're on and it's okay , you're going to get where you need to get , you have to look back and be like you know what . I'm actually okay with this car . Why am I talking that I don't like this car ? Where did that come from ? Just because so-and-so got a new car or got a different

job or whatever ? I'm somebody who's definitely struggles with the lies of like man . I want something greater and it's hard in this town here , because we're dreamers and we're creators and we're you know a lot of what happens in Nashville . Franklin is seen by the world , so it's very much . Are you good enough and are you doing well ?

And what's next for you ? Instead of just walking in a room like I just want to walk in a room and just be Philip and not be like he works for so and so and he has this nonprofit and he did racing this past year , and this , this and this and this . It's like man .

No , this is just you , just like you said , you're just going to like sitting down and talking to Philip . That's what I want the takeaway to be , and a lot of times it's like , oh , this guy's doing this and I should have done that .

I mean , we'd never met you , we just sat down and began a conversation .

And , like I said , my dad just passed in December and all of us kids had talked like for , as he declined for over a year , we were just like are you good with dad ? Have you talked to dad ? And my wife and I every time we would leave Indiana , have you gone up enough ? We just would constantly process those things . So there's not a lot of regret .

Like I was thinking about that question and I think some of it is , I got married a little later in life and maybe it was my fault , maybe I would have enjoyed getting married earlier , but life is great now and so it might've not been a good marriage at 23 years old or four years old . You know , I don't know .

Maybe that's the only rear view moment that I would have , but for the most part I guess I suggest for people to don't live in a rear view , to live in regret , but look in to be like all right , let's look in the rear view , often kind of like you do in the car , like , hey , let's just constantly assess where you're at .

Like , hey , was I a jerk to someone today ? Was I nice to someone today ? Was I this or that you know ? And so you can make that turn quicker versus being a year down the road and be like gosh , I really blew it .

To you know , in a couple months I'm stepping away from 22 years with True Artist and Toby Mac , which is kind of a surprise , but not . I just feel like it was a time where we're ready for chapter two . My wife felt that as well , which is interesting because I don't have anything lined up . So , if anyone's interested , I'm game .

Like I said , I love Kings Island there in Cincinnati , so maybe I can run a roller coaster . I don't know , we're not looking to move , but I just like to have fun with anything and so I think something will pop up . I hope so . I'm not really worried yet , but maybe in a couple of weeks I'll be sweating . How are we going to eat ? But I don't know .

I've said I've been able to connect a lot of people , introduce a lot of people and network for people that I've not really done it for myself , and so I'm learning to kind of and again , not in a way of being arrogant and I did this and that I have to learn that because you have to kind of sell your strengths to people .

But I'm just kind of in a season of telling people hey , I'm looking to transition out of a current job and I'm available , what's out there , what do we got ? That is the windshield . I tell people right now , like I've used the analogy of being in a wilderness , and in scripture , wilderness is a real place and also a hypothetical place , if you will .

I don't know if that's the right word , but a wilderness is a place where they went to just prepare . It's not a punishment place . I'm not in a valley right now , but I'm kind of in a place , if I'm being honest , like I'm getting lonely , Social on purpose .

Social media I've taken off my phone , I try not to watch it much , I'm trying not to connect with as many people . Right now I'm reading , I just I really want to .

There's a place in Kentucky , that monastery , that's a quiet retreat , that I'm looking at some dates to just go to and just kind of really , really for the first time , like be in a wilderness and prepare for what is next , and it's hard to do when there's so much noise and good noise not like I don't feel addicted to this or always hanging out with people ,

but you know , just a moment of like . All right , let's really prepare for chapter two and let's see what needs to be there and let's do it well .

No one's a failure who has friends , and I'm so blessed I have friends and I'm friendly to people and I just love people and I love everyone who's unique and weird and I just let people be people . So I would probably say I would want a big bus and I want to just go down to the beach and hang . Those are always .

My fun moments is when it's just a lot , a lot of hang . I love throwing parties in my 20s and we still kind of do occasionally .

We are created to love and if we're not loving , what's the point ? That's my thing , man . People are number one in my book and again , I think that's the key and I love it and that's kind of my advice in life , because if you know people , it's a good thing .

You know , and I know we could dive into the whole introvert thing , but I definitely know introverts have their people and they have their way of connecting too . We do , you know .

If I'm on tour , toby Mac , I throw that up there . Any random stuff at the racetrack would be up there . Fun stuff around the house are there . I work in digital marketing , wander Creative , so you can learn about that . Or restorehadycom .

Don't forget to share this podcast with your friends and family and help us to spread the joy of road trips and great conversations . Until next time , keep driving , keep exploring and keep having those amazing conversations . Safe travels and remember you can find me on the internet at dantheroadtripguycom .