Jamie O'Neal

O'Neill in the house. What what So? When she came out two thousand, her album Shiver went to gold, number one, back to back singles, to number one, back to back singles. There is no Arizona when I think about Angels. She's not made for Grammys. She won a c M Top New Artists. She's saying all by myself in Bridget Jones Diary, Okay, are you kidding me? That's like the movie of my life.

She's amazing, She's so much fun to talk to. I'm so honored, thrilled, kind of fan girled out a little bit that I got to interview her because I'm such a fan of her. Here is Jamie O'Neil. Jamie O'Neil in the house. Actually, I'm in your house. I know. I'm so glad you're here. Thank you. I'm sorry, and I'm pay you. Your house is amazing. It's like a you walk in it, It's an experience that's so cozy. You have all these great feeling colors. What's the vibe

that you could call your house? I would call it um Castle meets kind of. I mean, I like the idea of it being cozy and kind of like um earth tones, nothing too garish and bright, more like soothing. But it's it's pretty dark. I mean, it's kind of like moody. And I love it. Thank you. I absolutely love it. And I've kind of collected things all over from all the places I've been, so everything has kind

of a memory attached to it. I love that. I really think that's so special because you see, it takes you back. You never forget where you've been. Absolutely, by the way, you're from Australia. I never knew that. I know. Well, it's it's throws people because I don't have an accent where it's kind of like I always say, it's the opposite of Nicole Kidman. She was born in New York

or Hawaii or something, and then she moved to Australia. Well, I was born in Australia and then I moved here when I was two, Okay, because I moved back there and I ended up touring with Kylie Minogue and going all all over the world with her, and that was a major It was just a life changing experience in my twenties. And I lived back there for nine years before I came. I got offered by publishing deal and came back to Nashville. Okay, So we have to break

that down a little bit. How it's very confusing. Your family is you're from a family band, So you grew up playing music your parents? What kind of family band were you at? My mom was a singer dancer. My dad was a songwriter and a guitar player, great guitar player and um singer and yodeler yodeler, can you get us? No? No, My sister is a master yodeler. Now I can only do a little old Lady who from the Knock Knock jokes.

That's That's all I'm good for, That's right. So, um, yeah, family and my younger sister and then um, my parents divorced. That kind of broke up the family band. So what it was it was yodeling, it was country. It was country music. And we did like Pop Goes the Country with Ralph Emery here in Nashville when I was little, and we worked with Ronnie millsap, Dolly Parton, Crystal Gale. We opened up for a lot of different country artists. You are like a very successful family band. Well, we

grew I grew family, you know, it's kind of like that. Yeah, we had the overalls, we had the bus, you know, we had we just we in between fairs. We would just go to a koa campground, plug in and live there until the next fair. So you really like gypsies. We just traveled wherever the work was. How long did you do that? My whole childhood from the age of

probably seven. I started singing at eight, but from the age of seven I was on the road with my parents because they did it all the way up till about um, wow, and you and your sister, is it just y'all too? And then my dad remarried and had three more kids. About the family band was overbeted right exactly. And then he started a new family band with my sisters and and my step mom. So he's always been in the business and now he's co managing me. So so he had the first family band with your mom

and your sister, so it's four of y'all. And then your parents divorced and he started a new family band with his new wife and three new kids. Well they didn't really go on the road though, they were just playing in Washington State. But yeah, everyone in my family sings or writes music, and yeah, it's really it's really cool because we have karaoke nights. We really have Karen Go Hard. My dad does Baby Got Back, and it brings down the house. He is a master rapper. It's amazing.

He'll be here in a little while, so he might do it. Maybe you could pop into a little yodeling a little rap session. It would not be funny. I had a yodel in a rap song. Let's do it. That yodeling really is the country version of rapping. I guess I totally agree. That's amazing. You don't meet many people who actually grow up in a family band like into the music like that. Music industry like that, right, Yeah, we were singing, and you know the thing is, we

thought it was so fun, so much fun. And my dad used to give us quarters to go to the arcade. So to us, you know, just being able to play the games, sing and then ride the rides and then eat a corn dog and then do another show and then get back on the right. I mean, it's a

great way to grow up, you know. And we never thought we were missing out on anything, and all we ever wanted to do was sing, and so it's just I think it was just, you know, something that started early and took a hold and it's never gone away. Did you'll tour all over the States? We did nice? Okay. So then from two years old you're born in Australia. From two to thirteen, you're touring in the family band

in the United States. At some point though, you moved back to Australia and you link up with Kylie Minogua. And how did that is very confusing. Well, I went, I was actually singing in Canada with a couple of the guys from a Lover Boy and they gave me all these contacts. I said, I'm going to go to Australian visit my mom who was living over there at the time, and my sister, and do you have any musical contacts and so one thing led to another. They gave me a list of people to call. I called

all those people. Um, somebody that I was in a band with at the time said hey, you know she she needs a backing vocalist. Would you like to do the tour? And I was like, I said, heck yeah, So yeah. What was Kylie like? Really great? She's Madonna of Australia for sure, right, she really is. And I think I feel like I learned so much from her because of her work ethic. Would you never seen anybody

work so hard? What's her what's her regime? Like? She's very, very structured and very disciplined and she would dance all day. She would do interviews and dancing. We were over there doing rehearsals for like ten days, and um, is it Birmingham. I don't want to say Birmingham because it's like I don't want to pronounce mispronounce it. But set up in a huge, you know, arena type of rehearsal space for ten days and she would come in early in the morning.

They do dance rehearsals, they do fittings, and we were there to be there for like ten hours, and she would go beyond that because she had interviews to do and things like that, and I think, you know, just being super super disciplined and coming off stage and still working on stuff. I mean, probably like Taylor Swift, does you know, they just never stopped. They're really driven in

very She never complained. She loved her complain and I feel like that was a lot for me to to learn because I would look at her and I think she's never saying, oh I'm so tired, I can't take this anymore anything like that. I never heard a complain out of her. So now when I work with other artists as I do because I'm producing, if they complain, if these young girls start complaining about being too tired, and I'm just like, you're not, suck it up. Yeah, it's a great job and it's a big job, but

it's it takes a lot of commitment. And I think that drive where you wake up just with that burning ambition to keep going and to keep doing it into and that nothing's too hard that you can get through it. You know, what a great boot camp experience, and it really was you're like made for this. Though you started off in your family band, you go straight to Kylie Minoga, I mean, like honestly. And then okay, so after that you moved from Australia because you get offered a publishing

deal states How did that happen? Which was, well, it was Harold Shed and it was kind of new to me because I've been writing since I was eighteen. But it wasn't something like in my mind all I wanted to me was an artist. I didn't really think, oh, I want to be a songwriter and if an artist steel comes great. It was more I want to be an artist steal, and I'll write to help get my artist steal. I mean you were like trying to write for other people. You just wanted to not at that time,

I wanted to be the artist exactly. Yeah, and I was. And when people would want to pitch my songs, I'm like, no, you know, like when when I think about Angels, I'll never forget. Whitney Dane was like, what do you pitch this to Jessica Andrews. I'm like, no, it's fine, it's fine, mind mine. And now I'd like to take it, take it. But I wanted to actually talk to you about your songwriting because your songwriting is you write such incredible lyrics,

like when I think about that's really sweet. I was just about to say I'm more of a melody person, though, I have to say I have to give it back to my co writers, because if I didn't write, I would. I'm not the kind of person that's going to sit home writing lyrics, but I will hum melodies all day long. All my melodies started first, So you're a melody first, melody first, and then put Yes, I've never put a melody to lyrics. I've tried, but it just doesn't. It

just doesn't work out for me. The melody has to come first, and the lyrics come yes yea. And titles like I mean, I get titles, but but not pages and pages of lyrics. I have so much respect for like Lisa Drew, who I wrote Arizona with, because all she does is lyrics, and she'll come in with just pages and pages of songs and she'll fit it precisely to my melody. I could just send her a melody and she'll do. That's a great comb team. There is no Arizona is one of the most amazing songs. Thank you.

Ever that was your big breakup song. I will never forget when that song came out, I was like, Holy cow, this girl can sing and that song is so cool. Thank you. It was different for the time, you know it was. It has like a almost like a Hotel California vibe a little bit, and we do Hotel California in the middle of that song. It's funny you should say that, are you serious? We do when we do the bridge, we go into the verse of Hotel California and then go back to the chorus of Arizona. It's

so cool, Thank you. So tell me how that felt like you got hooked up with Keith Steagall. Who is it Steagall or Stea Gale? I can never get stall And he did all of Alan Jackson's records, so you get a publishing deal and then does he hear you and like, I will have to work with her. She's amazing. Um.

I was so lucky too. I feel like I wouldn't have a career if it wasn't for Keith, you know, I mean he Gary Overton was at e m I and set up an audition in the studio sort of like this where I was singing on the other side of the glass and Keith came in to listen to me, because I guess he liked the idea of hearing someone in the studio because you really can hear someone's voice.

Sometimes when people say you sound so different live, you sound so much better live than you do on record, it's because when you're on record and it really picks up your tone you're being in the studio. There are things that they can cover up afterwards, but when you're singing live on a mike, that's it. That is you're gonna hear every single thing that might be wrong with a with a singer or a voice or whatever, or what they're doing in their throat, you know, and things

like that. The studio is a great a great place to discover that, and I think Keith knew that, and I think it was a really different way to audition. But when you think about it's so smart because you know what people are really like and what they can do. So anyway, I had prepared to do four songs and I made it through two and he's like, stop, stop, stop,

I've heard enough. And I thought, oh, it is yeah, you know and everything, and no he was like he told Gary, he said, I want to sign her, like before he left that day, he was so he was just instantly on board. And I just feel like everybody needs that one person that's their champion, and he was definitely my champion. You have to get that power player in your corner. He's just cheerleader, going to make it happen. Who believes in you? But I feel like you would

be very easy to believe in. Your voice is insane. Like when I heard a lot of nose, I went around twice to different labels. Yes, people said, are you serious? Wow? You know, but it only takes one yes. And that's what I always tell everybody, Like, you can't get discouraged because every time you hear no, you're just like next, next, next. And you also really have to keep songwriting, you know, writing songs because I didn't have Arizona when I got my deal. I wrote it after I got my record deal.

But you just never know when that next song is going to be your breakout song. If anybody had asked me, I would have said Angels would be my first single. It was my second one. But um, I hadn't even written Arizona wasn't even on the radar. So I just feel like it's the songwriting thing. It's very discipline. You have to. Like, my daughter is writing every day and she has that passion of running up to a room

and creating and doing all that. For me, I had to be more disciplined, like make an appointment, show up, have my pages of ideas, melodies on my notes and things like that, because I didn't write by myself. And I'm so I I really admire the fact that, you know, she can't wait to get home from school and go right Eliah, Eliah. She's alread sometimes though, oh thank you, Oh my gosh, I see all your Instagram videos that proud mom. You should be. Yeah, she can see like

a crazy person for thirteen years old. I know she well, she loves it, you know, and that's what Yeah, yeah, it's posting in a curse. Though Ronnie and I are like, go to medical school, go to law school. She's like, heck, no, I got I got musician, producer parents. I'm not doing it. Yeah, And it's funny because she could probably you know, you would think have an album recorded by now, but she doesn't.

You know. We're always working with other people, and I mean, I will work with her, but I feel like she's so young, and I feel also like having been a child performer myself, where I put everything into that, it kind of makes you grow up quicker and you're thinking about the business side of things and your childhood goes to the wayside. And I really want her to enjoy

her childhood. And I also feel like, besides Leanne Rhymes, who I feel, it's like the exception of a person who made it when she was thirteen, has really kept herself together and it's so amazingly talented and has sustained a career. But that doesn't happen. That's not the norm. A lot of people fall off the rails and go crazy, you know, gonna end up on a therapist couch, you know, and I at one time or another, we definitely do.

But but that it's handed to them so soon, you know, and if you're not ready for it, it's a lot to process. That's actually very smart. Yeah, So let her have her childhood and maybe when she's ready to fly, well. Yeah. The other thing is it takes so much work. It takes so much conditioning when it comes to everything about you know, your songwriting and you're singing and getting better, and if you don't work on it, I don't know

that it's going to come. You know, if you if it's one of those things, I just want to be a star, but the work ethic isn't there. I don't think it's gonna work. I could not agree with you more. I think that's a big misconception people have, is they think, oh, people live this glamorous life and they're flying around and playing shows. That's like the very least of the job. I feel like, don't you think absolutely and the steps you have to take to get there? So what are

the steps? Tell me the steps When you got your big break and your big record deal, there is no Arizona came out and then right after when I think about Angels, tell me what that looks like. You're also touring with Reeba, you toward Kenny Chesney Alan Jackson, like you've toured with the great Martina McBride. I know what did your life look like in that season? Um, it was very busy. It was definitely like when I look back on it, I think I wish I could have

enjoyed the moments a little bit more. I think everybody would say the same thing. You know, Um, I wish I could have stayed in the moment, But I feel like for me, it did happen so quickly that I was just bamboozled by all that I wanted to do and wanting to sustain in that kind of thing. And then you know, with leaving record companies, and then I had my baby, and then my focus completely changed. I wanted to be there with her. And you know, it's just life changes and it takes you down roads you

never expected, and that's definitely what show businesses like. But I feel like if you can make yourself be prepared for what you think might be coming, um and and lots of things are distractions for me. I didn't even get my record deal until I was thirty three, and I was as I was getting married, and my grandfather was sick, my aunt was sick. They were both sick with cancer at the same time as I was getting married and my record was coming out, so that it

was it was all like how pening it once? You know what I mean? It was hard to take in and stay focused and you know, do what I needed to do and also be emotionally prepared for everything. I think, So, how old were you when there is no air? When is it just it? There is no Arizona as the whole title, is it just Arizona? How old? I love when people say there ain't no Arizona, or they say or one person told me I love that song yours Raise in Arizona, Like that was a movie with Nicolas

Cage and it was a great one. It's not my song. How old were you when that song came out? Um? I say, I got my record deal in pretty much the next year, so like thirty four, Wow, what was touring? You're actually before I get start, I interned at Capitol Records and you were on Capitol really what we were than we there at the same time, and I was so start Oh my gosh, you're so sweet. I swear like this whole my whole life has been so fun because starting off in Turning, I turned it like Universal

South you see at all. Yes, I entered all these record labels and I would just be around these artists like just kind of wide eyed and silent, so scared to breathe. Because I was such a fan of country music. So it was so cool to inter where you are and now I'm getting to that's amazing. So you were there with John's Arling and where were you Capital or Capital Capital? Okay because Mercury. John's Arling was an intern there. It was Jimmy Harnan was there and Steve um My, gosh,

I'm forgetting his name. He did. I know everybody. That's terrible. I know. You know when you have a baby, a lot of your memories they get all fuzzy and I'm just like that and head lights, Yeah I do too, would you and you don't even have any kids? Wait till that happens, Lord bless me. Yeah. Probably leave him at the Kroger accident. Oh gosh, leave him in the diaper aisle. Where to leave them? My baby? Um that's amazing. So yeah, that was I guess that was kind of

the Atlantas and Somebody's hero days. Was that when you were there, Somebody's here. That song was so great. Thank you. I feel like you have message songs. I did well. I do try to think about that. I mean, I do like to really write story songs. I love writing because then you can go anywhere. If you're saying I I I all the time, and you want to project a certain image. But when you do the story songs like say, Carrie Ona, what does you can go anywhere?

You can kill somebody, I mean you can, you can drink yourself blind, you can beat someone up, and you do all those things if you're saying exactly, but you can't if your I you really have to be honest about who you are. You know, because I remember now I write all kinds of songs. I mean, especially with these younger artists, I find myself writing more like friendship songs, are falling in love songs. But if I'm writing songs just for anybody and no matter who it is, I

can write about anything nowadays. But when I was thinking as an artist, I would be well, I don't want to write any songs about cheating. I don't want to write any songs about saying it's okay to cheat. And I don't want to write any songs about getting drunk. You know what I mean? You didn't want to know. I didn't know, and it's it's just it's not really me, you know what I mean. I really wanted to be

true to what I what I felt was right. Um even though I know those those are great songs, and I sing them, you know, I sing Patsy Klein songs and I sing you know, some of these songs that just amazed me. I just kind of wanted the audience and the fans to know who I was and what I kind of stood for, you know. I think that's so crucial to represent yourself truly as an artist. Well,

I think the fans know when you're being fake. I think they recognize authenticity, and I think, um, that's what they really connect with, you know, is I know who this person is and that's exactly how I feel, and that's how what I would do in a relationship or not,

you know. Um. And so some of the artists that I feel like you have to believe them are the ones that make it to the top because you absolutely believe every word they're saying, you know, Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, people like that, where when they when they sing a song and then you believe it, you're in the palm of their hand, you absolutely And you know, it takes being a fan to get fans, do you know what

I mean? So that fans of I've always been a fan, and I love the Waye Taylor Swift fan girling all the time. She recognizes talented people and you know, pass them on the back. And I feel like other people see that and love that too, because that's the way most people are supporting, to support everyone. Loretta Lynn always says, there's enough room for everybody, exactly, and there is. If you're doing you and you're doing it like how you feel called to do the right, it's going to happen

the way it's supposed to. Yeah, if you're being yourself. Absolutely Okay. So in this whirlwind, you won a c M New Artists the Year. Because a c M, then you like Billboard New Arts the Year, you're nominated for four Grammys? Are you freaking out? I was freaking out. And when I did the announcements for the Grammys, it was really cool and it was like Ussher and Stevie Nicks and Beyonce and and I remember that was when I was looking around, going, am I really amongst these people?

They don't know who I am, but I know who they were. That's the company you're in, that's your yeah, And I think, and I remember the Dixie Chicks to Natalie Maines came up to me on the c M A red carpet, my very first cimas and said I love your song, I love your voice. That was a huge moment for me. If anybody says, what are your big moments, I'm like, well that was as a new artist, you know, barely known, you know, still living in a

little rental apartment, you know, with my with my husband. Um, that was a big, huge moment for me, just that recognition. And I love that about her, And I thought, I always want to be that way. I always want to recognize other people because you know how great it made you feel. Like Myelu says, you know, people won't remember what you said, but they'll always remember how you make them feel. And I think it's it's so important. I love that you live that way. Yeah, well I don't

know if I live that way. I don't want to be. I don't want to be like totally you know, UM, you know saying I do it all the time because we all in our own world, you know. I mean, I'm driving my car and I turn off the radio deliberately to try to get melodies because that's when they come to me in the car. So a lot of times on my voice notes. You hear all this, you know, fire trucks going past, the people honking and me screaming

at another driver or whatever. But it's it's that's the time when I you know, really the melodies do come to me, but I do. If I'm thinking about other things, it's definitely a block, you know, like I need to do this, I need to get take care of this. You know. Just every day shouldn't shut off because as a mom, I probably drive sixty miles a day. A lot of time is spent in the car, and I think, I guess the car is a quiet space, you know.

You know, when you're home, you're doing stuff. I'm usually down here singing background vocals or riding upstairs with co writers. And you know, with Rodney here, you know, he busts in, you know, in on my groove. And so how did you and Rodney meat? And how long about the studio? We have been to other for twenty one years, um, married for sixteen this year. I don't know if there is a secret, because I feel like what works for

one people one person doesn't work for another. UM. It's weird because if you had said to me, you're gonna end up working with your husband in the studio and on the road and still be together and doing everything that we do. I would have said, no way could I take that, because I remember doing a cruise with him before I had any any success, and we were just dating and we did a cruise together and he

drove me crazy in that little space. Well, I don't know, it was just it was a confined space, and I just thought, this is what marriage must be like. You know, you can relieve if we if we didn't have this house with some space. I don't know, I don't know. You know, I think he needs your own separate thing. But he's never been the kind of person that would ever stop me from doing what I want to do,

which I think is important for any relationship. And he's never been jealous, and he's never needed to be reassured. And those are really unattractive things that I think someone can do, especially in entertainment. In entertainment, if you don't understand what someone is doing and let them go do it with a healthy respect, you know what I mean. You don't want to like just ignore them and go, Okay,

well i'll see you when you get back. But um, because you are it's kind of cool when you're gonna miss that person, you know they're gone for a little while. You know, three husbands on the road. Actually, my husband's been home for two months after CHRISTI driving you crazy. It's not driving me crazy, but I'm like, you know what, I'm not. I'm gonna be excited to miss you. And I think I felt the same way because we we always have a little bit of time to miss each other.

That kind of keeps you your relationship always fresh, it does, yeah, I think so. I mean we don't really have that now, but we had a lot of that in the beginning because you know, I was a new artist and everything, and he wasn't. He was in the band, but I'd have to go do different things, you know, often fly off for things that he wasn't involved in. So we

at all that in the early days. And it's also great to have him included in your life because I do think artists that are totally separate from their spouses that could also be problems. That's true, I mean, I think it just it takes a special person to understand this crazy business and the fact that you know, one of the one of the things that that he and I hit quite a lot with any issues. Is He'll always say to me, you don't tell me, you don't keep me in the loop. You don't tell me what's

going on with our daughter. And I'm like, we're two chicks, you know. We we don't have time to stop and tell you every move we're making. It's just tedious. But it's funny because when when I get it as a dad, because if he if we had a son, I'm sure it would be the two of them going everywhere and making plans and then be going, wait, where are you guys going? What's going on? You know? But for for my daughter and I were like looking at each other,

rolling our eyes. Here comes dad again with there's twenty questions as we're walking out the door. So we a lot of times because he's working in the studio, we sneak out the front and he goes out there and we're going, he calls us, what's going on? When did you guys leave? We're like, we're gonna want the questions, So we just left it, just booked it out of here. You guys are a cute family. Oh thank you, thank you. That's so sweet of you. That's well. At the end,

of the day. That's all that really matters. Sense of humor is huge, It really is huge. I feel sorry for people who don't have it. You know, they can't laugh serious hysterically, are too uptight to laugh. And every honestly you can laugh at everything. You can find a little bit of humor and everything. Yeah, I think our daughters sometimes thinks we're nuts because we're like you know, Modern Family a little bit, you know what I mean.

We laugh at that show so much. But wait, it's because we can relate a lot to those crazy characters. I love it. Yeah, Okay, So another cool thing that I'm going a fan girl out about is I'm obsessed with the Bridget Jones is iri. It's like for my single years in my twenties, I felt like I was Bridget Jones, just like the hottest missed ever is a Disaster.

But in the yeah you say all by myself, which they had had seln Dion when they were going to have her do it right, I think it was going to be too expensive, so they got old cheap oh over here. But the fact that like you and Selene, how that is the caliber of your voice is like neck and neck was Celendon I mean, hello, Jamie O'Neill. Yeah, it was. I think she wants to go. She's so bored with this. She's she's y'all and she's like, Adios,

peace out the watches, Okay, bye, Chelsea. That's a little dog. She's a little terrier. She's a Marky. I call it a y'all tee. It's Maltese and YORKI so yll tee instead of Marky. I know, I know my stepmom is though, Um, I think that's weird. I haven't seen Bridget Jones's baby. I haven't either, but um, they had already shot the movie when I when I got to sing it, so I had to watch her and follow her. When I sang, I had to follow her lip syncing. She had already

lip sync to the other version. So that was like a first for me, was trying to do something like that. Holy cow. So did you actually get to meet Renee Zellweger? I did. I got to go to the movie and meet Hugh Grant and m Renee's Yeah. It was really cool. So would you have Paris Hilton was there too, I remember that was big at the time. Would you have picked Hugh Grant or Colin Firth, if you were a grant, not his personality. I guess I'm just going by looks.

He's so charming. He is charming. He is charming for sure. Okay, so how did that field? But I would pick Patrick Dempsey and the new one over any of them. I love. I'm so upset. I started crying. I started crying on Gray's Anatomy when that happened, and my daughter was like, Mom, get it together. This isn't real. What is going on with you? And then my husband's so sweet. He's like, sweetie, you gotta realize she's had a lot of years invested

in this character. He was so sweetie. I'm like, thank you, you're understanding. Yeah, I love Gray's and out of me, I'm a huge grades fan and I really miss Patrick Dempsey. I'm sorry, Well he's McDreamy. How could the show go on without McDreamy. I don't know. And they shocked us. It wasn't like we knew it was coming. We can't kill the main character. Well apparently they did, and they're going for it. They're still going strong rude. No one consulted,

no exactly, But how did that feel? Just have that huge moment in Bridget jones Diary, amazing all by myself. She's lip singing and having this big dramatic moment and it's your voice. It was amazing. I I feel like I can't use a bigger word than that. I mean, it was life changing for me because it happened so early in my career. Um, and I would love to do it again. But then when it came on Bridget Jones's Baby, everyone was like, hey, Britney Spears, it's on

Bridget Jones Baby too. Yeah. Britney Spears even put it up. She put up a little YouTube of that scene, and I was like, Britney Spears is talking about that scene? Is in the new movie? Not that scene. But they do play the song again and she says something like, oh, screw off, Oh my god, kiss off of something. Very yeah, cheers, high five. I know the song that lives on. I didn't even know that. I didn't even know it was a repeat. And what a cool movie to be. It's

the Girl movie. Did you see? So you haven't seen the movie obviously, because I want to see it. I want to see Patrick Dempsey. That's all I care about. So Okay, that leads me to another question. Is he your hot pass. I'm gonna say that would have to be Ryan Reynolds for the sense of humor that I love Ryan Reynolds. I love the way so dry and I just canna. I want to go to dinner at Blake and and Ryan's house, you know, I just I want to watch their sense of humor together. I think

they're the cutest couple, so cool, so cute. Ryan Reynolds's he's pretty, Yeah he is. He's good looking, but he doesn't know it. And I don't know that that's attractive to Yeah, funny. We always get the guys with a sense of humor always get us, don't you think. I think so because he wants to be like all stiff

and serious, I know. And you don't want someone that's that has more mirror time with hair products than you either, And you just want the guy who just puts on a ball cap, hasn't showered in two days and goes out the door. That's my husband. You're like, I don't care. Okay, So we're in speaking of your husband. We're in your studio called the Grotto, which is awesome, which is a little grotty, right, now, as we say in Australia, it's a little grotty. What does that mean? Messy? Dirty? Not clean.

It's great though, it's got this great vibe. Tell me about it. A vibe, it's a full vib. It's just it can use a little made action. I think right now, I think you're being hard on yourself when Rodney comes in here with his dust. You saw him dusting when you got here. It's just it's very it's very cute. He plays the maid, you know, with a little the best dusting feather. So y'all have this grotto and you

produce too. He's seeing and you produce. None of my artists right now is Kaylee Rutland and her song is on radio Disney Country. Is it radio? Is it Radio Disney Country or Radio Country? I think it's Disney Country. Yeah, that's a big slightly dyslexic, I guess anything. And we just shot a video with Kristen Barlow for it and Kaylee. Yeah, Kristen is she's so cool. She's so funny. Speaking of funny and gorgeous, she's amazing and um so yeah, Kaylee

did a great job. The video is going to be incredible and it's about to be premiered UM at I Heart Radio Summit and CRS is coming up. How did you get into producing and do you like producing or being an artist more? Is it two different animals? I think it's all part of the same animal, you know, it's more like the leg that no, But I think I still love being on stage. I mean, love performing and singing. It's just like there's nothing else like that, you know what I mean. But I also love seeing

the results of helping someone else. Does that make sense? Like I love seeing someone getting better and helping them find, you know, the right stylist or maybe finding the look that works for them and connecting them with you know, photographers or video directors and people that I've known in the business. And I don't know the whole, the whole start to finish thing about helping, mentoring an artist, writing with them and everything, every part of it is something

I enjoy being in the studio too. So when you work with an artist, you don't just produce them. You do the full meal deal you started begetting. If it's for Momentum my label that UM we started a few years ago with Rochelle and a which is awesome amazing. You have a record label. Yeah, well my dad does most of the heavy lifting and a couple of others. We have a great team of people. But um so I'm more the creative side. But I do love all

aspects of it. I love performance, helping people with their performance and just everything being on set watching someone else. Now that's when I watched someone else do a video, it makes me be like I want to I want to do it. Yeah, but I do love seeing all as spects of the editing and it's just everything, you know, going into the booth and seeing it come together. Tell me the three top experiences of your career that you could say off the top of your head that you've

had so far. Um, being at the Grammys being nominated that always, to me is my first. Bridget Jones is a huge one. And I think making the connection with other artists that I've always looked up to. Reba, for instance, Reba McIntyre is a hero of mine. And then when she cut my song and I was just like, oh, thank you. Which is another thing that we're talking about, is Reba, Hey, oh is this this is my dad? And you're the yodel you go to learn the rapper. Okay,

we need to hear him. We're gonna have a guest guest spot from you. You have to come in. We've heard all about it. Can you yodel on the spot? Here? You talking to the microphone really fast. So this is Jamie's dad. Dad's coming in with some coffees and um being put on the spot. Oh yes, this is very it is real. Okay, we're just gonna say a little hello to you because you started the whole thing with

a family band and the yodeling. Okay, so give us anything you want to give us, Just a little nugget, okay, little I don't know, country, western country and western Yoli lady, Lodi Holadio, Lodi Holadio. Holy loony loonily loily my. But the wrapping, now, I don't know. I feel like maybe we need the wrapping, some wrapping. One note, Dad, why don't you put the coffees down, grab a guitar and do the thing right. Put the coffees now, grab a guitar. Here,

I'll take the coffee. Do you stay here. Let's grab your guitar and now we gotta hear there rapping. This is too good to be true. So you and you walk about him and then he shows up with bringing coffee. Perfect. You're like a visit, your dream come true. This is this is called Hi Caroline. This is Caroline. Hello. It's so nice to be you. Okay, I'm gonna hold this to you and you now give us your wrapping. You have pink run Oh, here you go here you okay, this is so exciting. M what it is? Check it

out running down? That's right. Hey, hey, I like big butts and I cannot lie you. Other brothers can't deny. When a girl walks in with a nittybity ways round thing in your face, you get strong. I want to get up beside it because you see that button stuffed trying the jeans and she's wearing I'm hoaxed and I can't stut staring. Oh baby, I want to get witcher and take your picture. My homeboys trying to warn man that but you got makes me so horny. Oh whispoons

skin say you want to get muppins. Why use man? Use me because you ain't that average grouping. I see her dancing to hell the room mance. She sweats went gotta going like a terrible bet. I'm tired of magazines saying flat butts on the flank taking that ridge black man and asked him that she gotta pack much bag. So fellas, fellas you your friend got that button? Hell yeah, shake it, shake it, shake that healthy but baby got back baby god, Oh my gosh. Okay, So yes, introduced yourself.

I'm Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Murphy. He's like Madonna. He just goes by Jimmy goes by Jimmy Jimmy Murphy. That is Jammie O'Neil's father. And oh my gosh, how incredible is that? I told you we have the best karaoke nights are family nights. Trump that that's on a bar with the shark bite. It is. Yeah, I'm sorry, it just is when you talk to you dad about coolness, he might I got bit in the face by a shark, but he cannot seeing about butts, so I think you might

he really got bit by a shark in the face. Yeah. I well, thank you for joining us. That was such a treat. That was too much fun. Thank you. That's gonna go. That is gonna gona go viral. That's hilarious. Dad's gone viral. Dad's gone viral. I don't know what's funny, or bending over with the coffees and yodeling, yeah you know, or the baby got back. I think it's the combo meal of it all. It's proby m. It's pretty spectacular, and it just it actually gives me so much more

insight into you, Jamie. Right, you see what's going on behind the scenes craziness. I like it. If you're not crazy, I mean, what's the point. You know? You gotta have you gotta have that gut, I mean loose and written a moment's notice. Yeah he didn't. He didn't even need any time to warm up. He's totally ready to go. He I have put him on the spot at the opery too. I was playing at the opera and then I'm like, you know what, you know, we just had

some yodelers here. I think I want to bring my dad out to yodel and Dad's like, you could have warned me. I'm like, but then it wouldn't be fun if you didn't do a spur at the moment. That's amazing. I freaking love it. Okay, So I think, let me see, is there anything amissing you? You also do a songwriter cruise. We are doing one, and that's great. I'm so glad you brought that up because, um, Randy hobb Day at Daily Travel will be so happy that you brought up

doing an Alaskan cruise. I've never been to Alaska. I've always wanted to go to Alaska. Colin Ray has been to Alaska on this Yeah, he was just here actually, and Ronnie mills Up were doing some interviews at your house. Yeah. I forget that these people are just your friends, like we're using the studio. Came up together the same class like you and Tie Herndon and Colin Ray. Who else was in that class with you? Um? Well, those guys when I got to Nashville, they were already big stars.

They were so Yeah. I feel like they've had, you know, been around longer than I haven't had, you know, fifteen number ones. I think Colin has had something like incredible like that. Yeah, he's a jam I sang I can't live if living is without you with him because he did that with Susan Ashton and so I was doing a show with him and so we come out and sing with me, and I was like, sure, we didn't even rehearse. I walked out there and was just like, Holy Molly, his voice is so incredible. He has so

much power. He's just as good as he as he ever was, and it was that was definitely a highlight for me singing that song with him because he's amazing. Okay to go back to the The Alaskan Cruise is July nine through the sixte My daughter, my husband and I are going on it and we're doing acoustic shows and songwriting seminars and you know, Lee is gonna talk

to him about her writing and what her processes. I'm gonna talk to him about writing Gona tank Q and A and even it work within anybody who's actually a songwriter who wants to come on there and do some writing. Heck, yeah, how do we sign up for it? It? I think you'd go to Jamie O'Neil um Cruise or Alaskan Cruise. Yeah, it's all. It's on my website, It's on my Facebook. Tell me what your website, JA, Jamie O'Neil dot com.

And then I'm on Facebook UM and I'm on Instagram Jamie O'Neil Official and Twitter and you can find out all the information about and you can also go to Daily Travel, which is d A Y L E E Travel. Because the booking for that cruise and many other cruises. I'm really super excited. That's gonna be awesome. It's gonna be incredible. I'm gonna see a glacier. We might write a song on a glacier. You probably should. I think we should. Yeah, I love that. Yeah, Okay, anything else

that I missed? I mean, there's so much. We talked about the artists, and we talked about the cruise, and that's that's what I'm doing. Okay. I like to wrap up with Oh, by the way, I had to tell you, you know, you're telling me a recipe because I don't know. I don't off the top of my head, I can't think of one. You know who your double Gamer gang is? No. I was watching your videos obviously because I was like stopping you back background search, because you're a good interviewer.

When I think about angels, you and Meg Ryan are like, y'all are the same. I was gonna say, Meg Ryan, back in the day, I would get asked all the time, and you Meg Ryan. One woman in Jersey was like, I know who you are when Harry met Sally. You are huh that Ryan? Can you do that thing a scene? Now?

That would be like after a few glasses of wine, I think before I No, I love that movie, though, I can't wait till my daughter is old enough to show her that, you know, Like that's one of the things you think about when you have a child and they start getting older and they become like your buddy is like, I can't wait to show you this movie, but you can't see it now, not yet. Come back in like three or four years, and then you'll be

ready to see the sandwich scene or whatever. That. Yes, I love Meg Ryan, I love the two of them together, Crystal, he's still okay. So is there anything left on your bucket list? And what are you excited about? You've done so much for me. That was going on safari to South Africa and seeing the animals and taking pictures, and

that would be like just a dream trip. Um. But I think also going back to Europe and singing and playing some shows and seeing one of my artists make it to the level that you know we all want to make it too. Yes, that's a dream. I love that. Yeah. So I like to wrap up with leave your light. So leave some inspiration, how you've been inspired or how you would like to inspire people. Oh wow, okay, yes, um.

One of the most important things that I can tell people is you know, when they're when they have this talent and this innate ability to connect with people and want to make music is um to keep going, but to write everything down, like if you have a title, or if you're you know, going into a bookstore and you're just looking and seeking out ideas or melodies, it will come to you, you know, because everybody has something to give, and everybody's different than the next person. I

always tell people, don't compare yourself to others. Don't try to compete. It's not a competition, you know. Um. So I guess that I'm probably giving way too much advice to people that are like, Okay, I'm like a mom to a lot these people because they're so young. But you need to give it. People need to know yeah that's true, and know that it really is hard work, but it's so worth it at the end of the day. It's so worth it. Hellove it. Thank you, Jane, thanks

for coming out, Thanks for having me. I'm so glad to be here. In the grotto. Okay, piece out. I hope you loved hearing from j B O'Neil. She's the bomb dot com. Next week I have Kyle Jacobs and you may know him to recognize him from I Love Kelly Pickler on CMT. He is Kelly Pickler's husband and he is the best guy ever. Love him so much. He's also Lee Bryce, Bryce's producer. Amazing. He wrote More Than a Memory for Garth Brooks. Do you remember that song?

It came out. It was the first song to ever debut at number one on the country charts. It was insane and he's probably just the sweetest guy ever. Love him like a brother. Cannot wait for him to join me. So next week Kyle Jacobs will be in the house. Make sure you guys subscribe on iTunes and leave some comments and tune in next week. Bye guys, mm hm