Jaren Johnston

could be adult content. Today is so exciting. Actually, I'd like to say today is going to rock your face off because I have Jaren Johnston from the Cattle I three and he rocks so hard. He's joining me today. He has written You're Gonna Fly by Keither, have Been Southern Girl by Tim McGraw, Days of Gold and Beaching by Jay Going Raise Him Up by Keither, to name a few. He is such a badass. He's also in a killer band, like I said before, the Cadillac Three.

They are so great. If you haven't heard of me yet, make sure you check them out because they are just cool to the core. And at the end of this interview, his beautiful wife, Evan pops in and talks about what it's like being married to a touring artist because they have been together for over fifteen years and they're expecting their first child. So this is such a great interview, so much in it. Cannot wait for y'all to hear Jared Johnston, Well, hi Jared Johnston. Hello. Do people pronounce

the tea or do they skip it? Sometimes they don't? We get Jared Johnson sometimes and those are usually people I don't hang out with anymore. Do you but lose guy? I'm not the foot long guy. Oh Jared? Uh? Yeah, there was a guy named Jared, but it was in Johnson. Is there, Jared Johnson? Is that a real person? I would imagine somewhere out there? This probably sounds like a job for Google. Okay Jaren Johnston and the hiss e asked Cappy and ask Cappy. Okay, I'm sorry off with

a few questions. Okay, so just answer what first comes to mind. Who do you admire and look up to? Um? Huge Tom petty fan um look up to? Is weird? You know? I think everybody, every musician. I think your husband will probably say the same thing. Wants to be Tom Petty. I think Tom Petty is the ultimate on like a cool level and on a songwriting level. That's a pretty cool thing. I look up to those kind

of people make Jagger all the nostalgic rock stars. Okay, great, if you could have This is a very traditional question, but I actually really want to know because I think it's gonna be interesting with you. If you could have a party, dinner party with five people, who would they be? Obviously your beautiful wife, Yeah, yeah, I probably am by my wife, excluding your gorgeous wife. He's pregnant with a

baby in April, coming out. So if I could have a dinner part with five people, Chuck Norris would definitely be there. You're a Chuck Norris fan, Well that would be amazing because you're like a secret ninja hunh Yeah, well I'm gonna go through those first such Actually, it would just be such a cool dinner if I could have Chuck Norris, John claud and down, Bruce Lee, Mike Tyson,

and let's throw in uh Rhonda Rolsie. I didn't realize that you were, Like just think of the conversations that would be had, Like, it would be a lot of I could kick your ass so you could kick my would you jump in on that? No, I would. I would strike the conversation and be like, so, which style of fighting do you think would really win this whole thing? And then it just gets you know, the real question

is what do you eat? Well? I bet you they eat like chicken and but bear chicken and find no drinking. I'm drinking. But don't you think this? People are pretty strict. I guarantee Chuting Norris probably drinking. Chuck Norris is probably drinking. Yeah, this is probably a dam McGuinness right now with my sister. I think he drinks Prune juice and and Uh and Jack Daniels, Little Jet Daniels, and Prune. I can't believe that's the people you would pick for your dinner party.

I didn't know you had the secret love for like ninja fighting, I do. I'm a big fan of old karate movies and stuff like that. Did you watch Karate Kid growing up? Hell? Yeah, I wanted to be Daniel LaRusso really bad. Can you can you kick real high? Don't get me going. It's Tuesday. I kicked really high on Tuesday's so okay. Good to know there's the reason why pants are split right now. They actually are. Really that happens to Michael all the time. I swear like kids,

crotch just it just falls out. There's two two reasons. Let me tell you what. Let me tell you why. I'm just kidding. Is that just the thing that happens with the guy J I never have crotched. I think it's the country Western rock and roll thing. You know. I guaranteed Dwight Yoakom had the same problem back in the day. Oh his jeans are tight? Yes? Do you like hygiene? Okay? What motivates you? What motivates you to get out of bed? Like? What's your inspiration that you

think of? Um? Like an honest answer, I would say, like, I really I'm one of the few people that that gets to do what he does for a living that he actually one of the things he really loves. So, you know, writing songs has always been a really fun thing for me to do, and it just so happens that it's a very you know, well paying job if you get it going right. Yeah, So it's that's been very exciting um to do that kind of stuff. And I love touring with my band. You know, three best

two best friends in the world. Um, that kind of thing. Obviously, my beautiful wife is she she motivates me to get out of the bed and she's like, I'm up so Europe, you know, having a baby and everything. I would imagine that's gonna be more and more of that, but that I'm I'm motivated heavily by music and it's always been a lot of fun for me. You know. So your dad was in a band called Bandana. Is that or you got your love for music? Was it just like

in your veins when you were born? Yeah? I think growing up in it, you know, whether it was mom playing at the church on the Oregon or we were one of those families that sit in the front row on the right right by mom as she played the organ. The organ's heart. It was a very vanilla organ playing situation, but there's like four keyboards and all sorts of pedals.

She was rocking it. Yeah, on Sundays and Wednesday. Yeah, so that that guy, you know, growing up in that and then dad being in the in the business, and um going at such a young age two shows like the Operator going out in the road with him and stuff and seeing that, and you know, I was always in thraw with a tour bus and like just that

rock star thing. It was really cool. So I guess to see that at an early age and to find out that I did have some sort of talent, whether it was from dad or whatever, just being around it that I could keep a beat and I could sing, and I could play guitar really easily. Just kind of those things kind of came easier to me than um math, which is crazy because playing guitars and drums is very That's like rubbing your patting your head. Yeah, it's very

hard to do that. I think it's interesting that didn't you start off as a drummer before you moved to singing, which is crazy because you have this insane voice. Right, How did you check out the record? If you haven't heard it anyways, exactly which we will get to all that. How did you Why did you not start singing? Why did you not originally start as a singer? Because dad was a drummer, and so that's just what in fifth grade you get to pick an instrument, you know, and

obviously leaned towards drums because that's what I wanted. Everybody wants to be like your dad. Most people do at least, and so I went into the drum world and I really loved it, and it was really good at and actually made a decent living at it for a while. And then I really when I was like thirteen, I've started playing guitar badly Nirvana and stuff like that, trying to pick out songs, and then I started realizing that I could write songs and stuff. And you know, how

did you realize you can start writing songs? When did that kick out? I think I just started one day and I was like, oh, I can do this. And they were really bad for years, you know, but then you finally figure out you can do it, you know, decently. I don't know why I didn't. I mean, I guess that's why I didn't. I didn't notice start singing at the beginning, you know what I mean, because I didn't have anybody in my family that did that drumming was

your ma saw that? So that's what And then you're like, oh my god, Okay, so you started bands when you were you started playing music obviously from birth pretty much. When did you form your first band? Because you've been in several bands and you've had a very long history in music. I see what you're saying here, I'm just saying. I'm just saying you started young, and did we? I think we had. Our first band was called the Trolls of Fortune. I was thirteen years old and it was

a very exciting experience. The Trolls Fortune. Yeah, that was real deal. What did that music sounds? It sounded like really really bad rage against the machine mixed with you know, I want to be Nirvan and I think with a guy rapping on it. Okay, so what a your guitar? And actual? What were you when you came up with that band? Thirteen? I think we're thirty fourteen years or something like that. Okay, how did you do? Land on Trolls? It just felt right, you know, I have no idea, honestly.

That was just something my goofy friend that was in the band when me Phil, he came up with that name and it was funny, so he went with it. And then okay, after Trolls of Fortune unfortunately disband. Was it a sad day? It was when the world lost a good one day? Um? Yeah, after we yeah, I don't know that. It was kind of a joke band, but then we all started getting serious with it and then we all, you're like the coolest kids in junior high high school pretty much for sure we thought we were.

And then we definitely kind of a split up into kind of real band side. Is that one? Were you the one that started the Nick Kicks? No, I just joined the Kicks. That joined the Kicks, Yeah I was. That was ten years later. I actually fifty five years old. I have an amazing person that does my stuff. Please give me your person I need I need to know her secrets. Oh he is really good. It's like every night she's over here, it's just staring at me. So she was like, well, I mean the face does look good.

You are ageless? Yeah, it's true. After Trolls of Fortune, what came next? Just high school and you're playing like that's when I met Kelby and uh Neil and been like all my guys that I kind of started playing with. And you're an original National, Native born and raised, which I kind of feel like it's almost unicornish. Yeah it is. Actually I was born right over there at Baptist Hospital and I went to high school right there on the other side of that thing. So National is your town?

It is? Are you do? Have you liked the way it's grown, because it's like shot up over the past tenures especially, I feel like, I like, you know, like certain talents and certain people that it's brought to town, like hobbies of great example, I wouldn't have met Michael if if you know, he hadn't moved here. I like that aspect. I don't like how it's gotten so condo ish and knocking down studios for all that ship. That's

kind of been a bummer. But it's a neat thing to be a part of a growth and a part of a city that is growing in a way that everybody has taken notice. So but yeah, that's my thoughts on that. So originally you were in Bang Bang Bang, and that was with Kelby and also oh who you're so in the man and you also had your friend Ben Brown. Y'all. I remember when I moved to Nashville and I first started dating Michael, who you're friends with my husband. Now, you guys owned this town, like everyone

went to Bang Bang Bang. It was good time Nashville. To me, it was the music that everyone wanted to be a part of, hang out with, go to the shows. How did y'all get that cool vibe? Going, and how did you guys get together because Kelby was in a

band called Lama. Was that right that, Neil? Yeah, we were all The Lama thing was like when we were in high school and they got a record deal and we were all kind of in that little circle and we were just all playing with different people, but we all had a kind of a cool thing, which is very similar to what happened when the Bang Bang Bang things started. Um, we started that band and we kind of you know, like I said, we all went to

high school together. We started that band, and then you had certain bands that also were popping around up around town, like Paramore and the Kings were already kind of because your friends with all them, right, yeah, the future kind kind of you know, well, you all kind of grew up, came up together, and then you know, autivon on these cool bands, underground bands that were rocking at the same time.

It's kind of like a little movement. And I guess Bang Bang Bang was like the biggest of those bands that wasn't huge. So you had Paramore and the Kings, but you guys were like the top. We were big in town. But yeah, that was about it, and then we got a record deal and things happen, and you know, we changed it to American Bang and years later, I'm still doing this ship. Years later, you're still dominating this ship. So you go from Bang Bang Bang and then you'll

change to American Bang. You signed with Warner Brothers and Bob Rock produces you guys, which is mega because he's done some major, big stuff. Yeah, I know, he's was amazing experience working my Bob. What was that? Like? Who's he done? Uh? One of my favorite I We did the Black Album, which is Metallica's kind of staple record. That made him huge. But you know, he did Permanent Vacation Byra Smith. Um. I mean, the Cult did all kinds of great stuff. He's in his own band, the

payol As Two, that was pretty rad. Um. He's just like the quintessential rock producer that everybody at one point or one time wanted to be with, you know, so, and he's maintained that kind of thing for the last thirty years. So it's yeah, he was pretty incredible. Did you always know that you were going to be in company with these greats? Like, did you always feel that

because you are? Are you hope you hope that you know that at some point like now where we are now and the people that I run around with and the random people that text me like keitherban Ja, Florida, Georgia, well, I mean like Steven Tyler R. Steven Tyler is like your friends, right. Stuff that happens like that is is

a very crazy thing. Like you always hope that you're going to be able to get there one day, and then it kind of happens, and then it happens over time and you kind of take it for granted and you find yourself not taking certain calls and you're like, what am I doing? You know what I mean? And that's so stupid. But it's like, you know, it's goes back to that childhood dream of morning to be in this situation. You know. So this is a question that one of my main things I love about doing these

interviews and talking to people like you. Is it unearthed? People might look at you and they could say, like, Jared's written, I mean, what six number one hits? Or is it seven? Homework? How many is it? Is it eight? It should be eight? But it's actually seven? Yeah, I got screwed on. Meanwhile, back at Mama's Dirks, and druncon a plane kept me out dirks. I thought he was your buddy, was past hint, Yeah exactly. So that was like that's basically number one. So you've had like eight

monster songs. Okay, So this is what I always like to talk about with people is everyone thinks it's so glamorous and so easy and they see these people living these life style style was hanging out with these people like, oh my god, that's so easy for you. Like music must be just be such a blast and so much fun. Obviously it is such a blast and so much fun, but it takes major perseverance. Like obviously you've been doing music since you were a kid, going through several record deals.

How do you not get discouraged when things don't go the way you want them to when you when you know that you have the talent and they should it's stuff. You have to know how to live broke and stick

with the dream of it will happen one day. You say that to yourself forever, you know, and then finally you get yourself to a point where you're just like, one thing happens and then it's very well, it was the first thing, your first thing you remember The first thing that happened that was crazy was when I started getting just little cuts, you know what I mean. And then I had my first number one with Keith and

You're Gonna Fly. And I remember at that moment was you know, we were like we were kind of oh, well, this is happening, and I was like, that's a big song too, and I was thinking, just as a kid, you don't know it, like I'm gonna be rich, you know, like that kind of thing, which is not the case, but it's but it's great. It's much more rich than

you were, but it's very neat now. And I mean even before that, like the first thing that happens you get your first pub deal where somebody tells you that they're going to pay you to write songs for a living, which is crazy. And that's when you stop waiting tables and you're like, I'm doing this for real. I'm one of those guys that actually get to do this. But do you know what I heard, there's only like three hundred and sixty people who have publishing deals. I don't know,

maybe that's even too many. Maybe it was like a hundred and sixty people actually have publishing deals and has a job, I have no idea. So it's a very small percentage of people who get to do this for a living. Yeah it is. But you know that's one of those things that set you up to where that's just the beginning and you're like, oh, I've made it. I've got a job, but you gotta keep the job.

So it's like that's what it's kind of. It gets kind of intense and it's very competitive, especially these days. You know, do you ever have a hard time celebrating a big hit because you know, as soon as that celebrations ever, it's you gotta start right back over do just not think about them? No, I mean we we usually go out pretty good whenever there's a number one party or whatever, you know. I mean there's a time when Nil and I would meet a rumbo when it

was still open over there. Every time we got a hold or a cut or anything, you know, we'd sit there like we're getting hammered tonight. We gotta hold, we gotta you know, Chris Cagle hold or you know whatever. It is, like it could have been anybody and you get so excited. But yeah, we still get really excited about all the little things like that. I do think it's important to celebrate all the victories. Yeah, I remember celebrating my stealing angels. Hold, did you really? I never

had a stealing angels. Hold. You guys wouldn't cut it? You of my stuff. I'm telling you. I when I was a song plugger, I would be so excited when you were write with our writers. The first hole I ever got, you know, I was that um young Guns publishing and the first hole that I ever got was picking up pretty Little Hot Sun, and I pitched it to every person in the world and like four people put it on hold. And I remember thinking like, oh my god, this song's gonna get cut, because every song

you write to me should be a hit. That song still hasn't gotten cut, by the way, which is so good, I know. And that's the thing that like blows my mind. And I'm sure as a hit songwriter and someone who writes all the time, is it frustrating when the songs that you write are so good just get overlooked Sometimes I know a lot of them don't obviously it is, though, And I just had a meeting earlier today about a

couple of songs that we were wondering. One nobody's taking them yet, and a couple of people have held them, you know, and then they let them go, and you're just like, I mean, that's the way it was for years, you know. So it's like, I guess it just they have to make their own their rounds. And I think a lot of it's about timing, whether or not an artist is feeling that moment or that kind of thing for that this record, or if they're cutting it all.

So it's you know, it's a lot about timing. So you're also really good, in my opinion, and I feel like you're really great at this, and my husband's really good at it too, kind of like not reinventing yourself, but learning how to like dance with the times because obviously rock radio sort of shut down and you are rooted in rock, my husband, Michael and Thalsmore just rooted

in rock, but there is no rock radio anymore. Do you feel like country has sort of morphed into that genre for where rock meets country, I think it's, you know, it's obviously with the you know, the way that some of the artists that have started making records like like they do. Eric Church is a great example. I think

that the genre. I don't know that the genre is actually open to this, but it's just kind of naturally happened with Stableton all these guys that are coming in and doing not not necessarily raw, they're just doing their version of country, and so it's you know, I grew up in Nashvillas around country music my whole life. You know. Um, I think my version, whether you want to call it rock and roll or country western or whatever, Southern rock, I think it's just my version of what I grew

up in, you know what I mean. So I think the country Johnas, I'm really happy the way that it's embraced a couple of us when giving us a home as far as the genre goes, because you have rock and roll radio is tough these days and I did it for years. Um, but you know, that's what's great about country music is it's it embraces the Sam Hunts who are extremely far pop, you know, or the casey musgrads who are very Texas kind of you know, whatever

that is. And then there's also room for us. Now whether or not country radio embraces it all the way and you know, takes it to the top, I don't know that. I don't know that that's gonna happen yet, but I think it's heading that way because the ones that of us that are doing our own thing or building a fan base, that there's going to be demand for those people in the radio. So it's it's it's

exciting times in the country genre, I think. And also I feel like country music is blowing up in Europe and you guys have gone overseas and I feel like, y'all just knock it out of the park. What is it like over there? Do you feel like Tom Petty because y'all y'all shows are crazy. Well, it's neat over there because you know that the Heartbreakers went over there first and they were big in Japan before they were anything over here. And I think that was our main

mindset of going over there first. And we were one of the first countryman's US and Eric to go over there three or four years ago. And I mean now it's you know, we're bigger over there than we are here in most places, and it's you know, it's surreal. It's crazy they that you have this people that are singing along in this to this genre that's talking about something they know absolutely nothing about but they want to

be a part of it. So it's it's really neat to be kind of leading that back because now everybody's going over there, you know. So it's it's cool, m so not to put you on the spot or making but kind of to put me on this well, I mean, we just have to go through will you just run through your it's for me, the ones that you've written for other people, what you've written and who there for I wrote You're Gonna Fly of Keith Urban even remember

how to do him? And Southern Girl mcgrawl, Sunshine Whiskey, Frankie Ballard, don't It Billy Currington, Beach in Jaco and American Country Love Home Song Jaco And meanwhile back at Mama's to mcgrawl, that's American Gold. Oh no, that's maybe when Michael trying to it's not like they got to raise him up by Keith Urban and days of Gold. That's what. Yeah, Yeah, there's I mean, there's you know, there's a bunch of it's it's been a very cool

couple of years. Is it crazy or is it normal that Keith Urban comes over to your house to write with you? It's that's pretty weird. He's He showed up in my house the other day to play on our our new Catlot record, and he was in this like, you know, I think Evan and I are doing pretty good. You know, I've got my truck out there, in my old truck, and he pulls up in like a five thousand dollar Bugatti Batmobile and I'm just like, oh hey, I'm like shutting my garage door really quick. Doesn't it

doesn't seem old, but now it's really cool. And it's it's, like I said, it's one of those moments you hope at some point you're gonna get to that point in your career, and it's it's kind of happened. You know. Has Keith Urban or anyone in particular been someone that you've like talked to, like leaned on to for not advice about how to navigate this industry? But I still I think of someone like Keith like it was never

a perfectly smooth road for him either. Yeah. I mean we've talked about I think a lot of Dirk's has been a really you know, he's helped us out a lot. Eric has helped us out a lot. Um, So you're Dirk's Eric Keith like all these people. Yeah, that's crazy the f g L guys, And honestly is we've been friends for so long and we kind of both started in the bars together there. You know, they're in private jets and things now, but they they were there in

those moments when we were both starting out. So they're fun to bounce ideas off too. You know, they don't really get our world right now because like I said, they're in private jet, but they're like, man, just you know, get it, man, just get a jet dog one. Yeah. Just everybody's been really cool, and I think there's a lot of people in town that are rooting for a band like us. Everyone well, and it's not even rooting like to me, you guys are are the band in town.

Like when you think of like the coolest guys in Nashville, it's always been Bang Bang Bang American ban Cat. Whatever you guys are doing is the coolest sound that you hear. That hobby. Michael would probably agree with me. He would. He would probably have to say, oh yeah, I get nice text messages from him every now and then. Michael has a he has a man crush on you. Yayo bromance a look, it's it's friendship. But he also has

like mad respect for you. Oh yeah, heck yeah he probably Kary, why are you making me look like good sissy daring on your podcast? Yeah? Why are you making jarreming like that's sissy? So do you enjoy is it a tie or is it even like can you even compare? Do you enjoy being a songwriter or an artist or is it like two different children because you're also a producer and a publisher, Like do you have a preference over what you love to do the most? Let's go

a songwriter and artist. Yeah, I like the songwrit an artist kind of gives me Jacklin High. It gives me the chance to flex these muscles over here and the check to the chance to flex these like creative muscles over here where I can write a song about something that I don't necessarily want to sing every night, you know what I mean, or live live someone else's life story like it doesn't match you, you know what I mean,

and still see the success of that song. So yeah, it is kind of like two children where you know, I still want these to do good and I want these to do good, and it's it's fun for I mean, I you know, if I wasn't with Nil and Kelby, it wouldn't I wouldn't be doing that, you know, and I wouldn't just be I'm not gonna go do it

Jaren Johnson sings the Blues record or whatever. You know what I mean, that's not I do it because we have such a blast with it as friends, growing up together and pursuing that dream and actually kind of starting to taste it is very very cool. But then over here it's an equal love because I love songwriting and I love the getting the success. I've seen a song go at the charts and have one of your favorite singers sing it, and you know it's it's neat man.

Both are amazing. What is it like being a band with Kelby and Neil? What are the what? How does it shake out? Like? What are the personalities? Mesh? I mean, we've know each other so long, it's you know, I know when Kelby's hungry and he never gains weight. Oh yeah, I know, when Neil's whatever. You know. I mean, we just kind of bounce off each other and it's it's just it's just a machine that just rides, you know,

like we're we're we're great together with great band. We're on the stage, we're just like we are in real life, Like, uh, we kind of moved together and we play together. You know, there's no bullshit, there's no tracks, there's none of that. It's just three dudes playing music together. And that's kind of the way we are in life too. It's just three days going through life together. So I go pretty much in sync. Like you don't really have to even speak to each other to know what a word. We

don't even talk about what we're opening with. Song wise, we just get out there and go, okay, are you serious? Oh yeah, never we have set Are you kidding me? So y'all don't sit there and playing out the show. You guys, just get out there rock yes, and you'll just have a look and you know what's opening? Really, can you change it? On this on a diamond? They're like, everyone's just right there pretty much. Really, that's kind of amazing. Do you feel like that's amazing? Because it is. There's

a reason I do it, you know. I mean, it's a lot of fun because it's just it's very natural with the three of Usten and listening about it is you don't see that very often and genre you really don't. Everything's pretty prepared. Yes, I love that. I had no idea. How don't you set list? That would kind of freak. I guess when you've done it that long, you know each other that well, do the new one? No? Okay, okay.

So speaking of Southern, your first single that came out the South, the South, you like trying about the South and Southern and southern because that's you. I only have a couple of tricks. You know. Well they say right way, you know, so clearly you're from the South. Your first single on Big Machine was Superstar Setted. There was Florida, Georgia, Line, Dirk Spinley, Mike Eli from a young man. That's kind of crazy to start off with a bang like that

and have that much support from the community, you know. Yeah, And it was just it was a joke. Honestly. We were like, we should get some guys that come over and sing on this, and it is actually gonna be a different song. And then for some reason, South ended up being the one that we were cutting that day, and Dirk's came over, FTL came over and Mike was next door singing on an Alabama tribute record or something like that. So he was just there. Yeah, so he

came over and we've been friends for a while. We just got off a two of them down in Texas. So, um, yeah, it just worked out. I mean, and that was a neat thing about that time, is like Dirk's had just taken taken us out on the road. We were going to do some shows we've gotten off the road with FGL and they were really blowing up at the time, and we were going to do a summer tour with them the next year. Is that what you just came

off of? This, that's what we just got doing. So you know, it's just really neat to kind of have it all kind of come together accidentally and sing on a song that you know, kind of it was an icebreaker for us at you know, in this genre. I love that. So you love to post pictures of your food on Instagram, I have a problem. Tell me about this. Uh, you just love to share what you eat because it's so good. A lot of times I didn't take it as it's a thing. Now everyone looks for your food.

Do it now? Just because a lot of people. It makes so many people talk about and they get so mad about it, or somebody's like, why do they get mad about it? No, I'm hungry, I'm eating I'm eating rice roney and you're on here, you know, like it's a lot of Mexican food. Yeah, I love and yellow porch. Yeah, we ate there last night actually, but I kind of like know where y'all hanging based on your Instagram food picks. Yeah, And you know, I think it right now. I started

doing it just for fun. He's like, oh, this is great, And now I do it just because people are always talking about it pretty much too. And I like a good meal here, I mean, and if it looks really good, it's like I could put that filter on, it's gonna look really good. Do you have a certain craving, like do you crave certain things? My wife is pregnant, and I crave more than do you have like empathy cravings

for her? Well, I'm always When she got pregnant, I was so excited because I was like, this will this will knock out the one thing we usually argue about is what we're gonna eat at night, because I'll just let her call it because I can eat anything. I don't care. I just get excited about it. You are ready, Yeah, I'm ready to go right now, and she goes. She she doesn't really hasn't really craved much and so it's still I'm like, you want to go to Asian? How

about Asian? And she's sick of Asian? She doesn't. Asian hasn't been her thing. Why she's been printed. So we eat a lot of pizza, a lot of Mexicans stuff at that. But yeah, I do have I have cravings for Mexican like probably once twice a day. I don't eat it once or twice to day sometimes, but but I do like it a lot. Well, it's amazing. Okay, this sounds like a good time to bring evident. I want to I want to just bring evident for the end of the interview just a little bit. You have

to come to it. You have to come. Come, come, you do too. You have makeup on here? Yes, come say hey, hand up. Okay, you're not fat. What you have in your stomach is called a baby. Okay, So first off, what are you having? Can we tell? Can you talk about it? Sure, we're having a boy. Do we have a name? Not yet? Rambo our Chuck or what are all those Chuck? No, um, no name. We haven't narrowed down, but we're not. You know what, I actually think that that's a really good idea not to

tell people, because then everyone gives you their opinion. You're like, oh, I knew someone named Chuck and he was the worst. Lots of opinions about names, and lots of opinions about pregnancy in general, other people's pregnancy, which is strange. But um, yes, so we have it narrowed down. But yeah, we're not. We're not doing what's some of the worst pregnancy advice you've gotten from someone? Um, I get a lot, I don't know, just people butting in where they're not supposed to. Um,

we're giving bird within in a private birth center. And I think a lot of people are hesitant and want to know why you're not going to a hospital. But it's really because hospitals freaked me out. That's why we're not going to the hospital. Yeah, Jared would pass out in a hospital. For him, who's the one giving labor here? Yeah, well we really need to do I just work around

his schedule and if he's stressed out or not. But um, but yeah, so I don't know, this is just all kinds of stuff for people want to tell you what you should eat. Actually, I did have a lady while we were down at the beach. I ordered a green juice and she told me that I should not be having a green juice because of like the risk of there's lots of things listeria whatever. But um, I am very well educated and I drink green juice all the time.

But anyway, it's just funny when people want to try to tell you what he was not a happy camper. She came to me and said, I want a smoothie, but you have to go get it from that. That was the second time because I drink like green smoothie reduces every day, and yeah, she like pissed me off,

so I made Jarn go get it. The second time, I almost didn't want one, but I needed one, so yeah, okay, So I hyperd pregnancy blog point to recently interviewed the wives of a thousand horses because I think it's a very interesting perspective the jockeys because we ride horses. Yes, yeah, sex thing. It's like a sex thing. I think it's a sex thing. Some of the girls don't think it's funny to be a sex thing. But I mean in a day, if you're not gonna have a funny name,

then what's the point. So how you have been y'all been like high school sweetheart shopping together for how It'll be sixteen in February, and y'all are just like not even in your mid thirties. So that's crazy right out there. So that's a long time you've been together along. Yeah, she's she's a lucky girl. I've been putting up with his crap for a long time. Okay, So that's kind of what I want to ask you. What is it like being married to a musician? Like, obviously there's so

many layers of it. Can you give us people who listen who have no idea what it's like being married to touring musician songwriter? I mean it's different for everybody. This goes back to the advice thing. I'd never try to tell people you know, I do it right and we have the secret or anything like that. But um, I mean, you've got to have your own life. You've got to be really invested in yourself, and you have

to stay busy and find things that you love. M Well, yeah, if you didn't like the music, I don't think you could be with someone, do you know. I think that that's part of it too. Um, But yeah, you just have to stay busy. You just have to find your own things and find your own life, and and you can't be too codependent because then you'll just be lonely and sad and you know, so you've just got to You've got to stay involved in things going on with you.

And then you also just have to be supportive and patient and hopefully find somebody that does the same for you. And we've just we've grown up together in the right way. So we just we got lucky like that. So for all you girls out there looking for a man in a band, they'll be discouraged. It can happen to you too.

I would not recommend it. I'm just kidding. I do agree with you, though, having your own thing is crucial because if you don't, I feel like you could get not you a wife or a spouse, or someone could get lost in it all. In a way. Yeah, well, there's a lot going on and and a lot of times doesn't involve you, and you can be the one sitting on the sidelines, and it can be difficult and stressful and um, but fun and awesome too. That's if you don't have all your own stuff going on, I'm saying.

But if you're confident and you feel good about yourself and you know that you and all this stuff going on, then um, then yeah, then it's just fun to go hang out on the road and to you know, go do stuff when they've got things going on and travel and all those things. So they're they're perks to it, for sure. We're speaking of your own thing. We're sitting in actually your office, which you are pretty much in my mind you run as CAP So that's kind of

a big deal. Not only are you a hot, smoking wife with your own thing, you're running your well obviously it takes a village from the say, but you are like a major player and one of the biggest prs, which no one's gonna know what that is. Can you

explain what you do performance? Performance performing rights organizing. Absolutely, it's all about the money, yeah, I mean, at the end of the day of performing rights organization make sure people like Jaren get paid when they have songs on the radio or on TV or in films or whatever. But um, I personally work on the creative side of things. So I work with writers and artists every day and

just wear many hats. I work as a booking agent some days, and a publisher some days, and a manager some days, and you just kind of do a little bit of everything. You're kind of at the forefront of development in the first step before people kind of get to that next level. You helped introduce new up and coming artists to people and kind of you know, get to meet them on their way up. So it's cool they can for to get you on your way down. Um, Jared once they get out. What is your favorite thing

about Evan? Um? Just those eyes? Um No, I mean, you know we've been, like she said, we've been together for maybe sixteen years, coming up here in two or weeks. Um, it's it's you know, it's the ability she's had to be with me. You know, when I was sleeping on her couch, you know everyone Hobbs Avenue and Green Hills, waiting tables at Calypso at night and Alpine Bagel making bagels during the day, waiting tables at all. Yeah, Anyway, I digress. Yeah, but that's my point that she, you know,

she's kind of stuck with me through everything. And we've always just you know, we've we've she's kind of given me the benefit of the doubt and been like, oh, it's it's gonna happen at some point. It's gonna happen

at some point, you know. And and to have that background build up for so many years of nothing happen or just kind of thinking we were doing something cool and then something actually happened, and something else happened, and something to get to the point where we're building a family. We have houses and cars together, and we we have a life together, and you know, it's like to see how that all come to fruition and then uh, look

back on what we started with. Is is that's my favorite thing, is that it's just been constant no matter what, whether it's good or bad, She's always been there. So I think, oh tears, I'm not even pregnant. I want to cry. No, No, I'm just saying, I mean, you know, not everybody, especially in this business, has someone like that. To have a bad ass babe by yourself, how how

much has that meant to you? Truly? Did you even know how much that means you when you obviously well I think you take it for granted as when you're younger, you're just like, oh, okay, you know whatever, She'll like me then because I'll be rich and you know what i mean, like that stupid ship. But like and then

you realize how long the process? Yeah, well that and like I mean, you look at all the songs I mean, half these songs I've written that have been hits for people are meant so much to certain people or to millions of people that bought him or sang them on the radio. Whatever we're written about her. So I wouldn't have found that inspiration, you know, without it. So it's just, you know, there's a there's a bunch of things that you know, you realize you can't do this business alone.

Especially um me, I don't think I think I you know, I say many times from stage, I'm always like I'd probably be dead, you know, of our who knows in jail are definitely not doing as well as I am. Now, you know, so I think that you know, you gotta chocolate that up to well missus here, Oh okay, even what's your favorite thing about Jared? Here we go. Um he's the funniest person I know. Um he has Um I'd say it's that he has the ability to calm

me down. I tend to be We're we're a really good balance in the fact that I'm I'm pretty anal and um a planner and a perfectionist and want everything to go right, like every little thing, even down to That's why we argue about where to eat, because every meal needs to be perfect. Um. For the pictures, yeah, well for that those food pictures are famous, Evan, They're a big deal. We all look forward to him. I am over the food pictures, but I know that he

does it now for the fans, for the people. Yeah. Um, but yeah no, I think, um just our dynamic. He's able to to chill me out when I need to be chilled out and and you know, let me see that things aren't always so serious. Um. And then also he loves dogs and that's probably one of my favorites. He has a good heart and he's quite the crier too, so it's pretty good. It's just recently since we having this baby. Damn, Guico commercial could come on and I'm

just like, it's good though, it's pretty awesome. It makes me feel better because I cried everything too. So do you guys watch this is us together. We started it. We started it. I've watched a few more. I mean, he's not home super often and I can't just put everything on hold, so I have to watch some. Yah. I'm just saying, if you cry, prepare for water works. Michael cries every time. Yeah, he's a big sissy. I love you happy, So tell me we're gonna wrap up.

I have like a few more questions. Tell me what you guys are excited about most of having this baby, and how what you think you hope your life to look like as a unit moving forward now as a three, there's a three instead of a two at this point, I think I can speak for both of us when mainly what's going through our minds is when you're hoping for something or whether you pray or whatever it is,

you're wishing for, just a healthy, easy situation. You know, if at least I am easy, doesn't want to pass out. I just wanted to be, you know, I want to be a great experience as I know it will be.

I just want to help, you know, we just want to love a healthy baby boy and everything to go smoothly and then you know, get him home and start life and at that point, God knows what's gonna happen because we've never done it before, you know, So I think that's the exciting part and also a little scary, but I mean it's you know, I think I get more and more excited as the days go, as we get closer and closer, and you know, I can't wait for her on the South Of stage with the little

headphones on bud you know, and me looking over and being like, that's my family. You know. That's so that's just such a cool thing to look forward to. Um, I think the starting a family thing is what I'm more excited about, just like just being like, oh, this is doing something different. They've done the same thing together for the I mean, we've had you know, new and exciting adventures, but it's just been the two of us and our dogs for the past yeah, fifteen and a

half years. So I think doing something else the next adventure, that's what is exciting. But you know what I like though, I like that y'all didn't rush it because some people don't get to have all that time together and everything is different for everyone, so it all works for each other. But at the same time, how cool you had fifteen years to like have these adventures and now it's over. Asshole. I just get as many we know each they're really well and I think that that is a good thing.

I mean, like you staid, it's different for everyone, but there's no surprises anymore, at least for the two of us. We know exactly how each other is going to react to what I know. I can tell you almost exactly the type of dad he's going to be, and let's have a dad's gonna be. Oh, he'll be the fun dad, absolutely, but he's also going to be the paranoid dad. He's like gonna he's gonna make my kid wear a helmet just to walk around like he's extremely paranoid. That's how

Michael is too. I want to get like six seat belts and it's just had eight. Me and the kid are gonna go and do like skydiving roller coasters, and Jared's going to freak out. We'll just do it when he's obviously down. I thought that over my dead body, or when you're in Europe. I love it. Your baby skydiver and brilliant. Hey got the first online husband and

wife fight right before she has a baby. Okay, so I'm gonna wrap up, but I'm actually gonna ask both of you guys this because I think you are both super interesting and kind of lighten us all. Jared, I'm gonna start with you. I like to wrap up all my interviews with leave your light. So leave some inspiration of how you would like to inspire people or how

you have been inspired. I mean, you know, I actually wrote a song about this not too long ago, but I think you know I can't tell you because the nine number one. But um, but now I think you know. The idea is to be is you know, remembered for your Like for me, I put most of what I will have done hopefully by the time I'm gone, as I put most of my life into my music and all this stuff. Right, So you build this whole life of you know, catalogs and just things that really move

people music wise. But then you also start a family and you're you're also remembered by the love that you gave them and stuff. So I think that's kind of what the song is. But um, I mean I think obviously you know, I just want to be remembered, as you know, but somebody that put true, honest words into songs that I had a decent melody that move people, and also by the family that I start, you know and hopefully finish. You know. Good Okay, Evan, that was

a good one. I just can't win up here, Evan, Okay, leave your life. UM, I'd say, just be who you are. I'm extremely unapologetic about who I am. I think that that has worked in both my personal life and my professional life. Um, the music business is a tough business, and so getting where you want to be is hard, and you have to really fight for what you want,

especially being a woman, sometimes it can be a little tricky. Um, But I think I apply the same thing in my personal life as as my professional life, and that's just I am who I am. Then I fight for what I believe in and it's worked out well in both aspects. So that's what I always try to tell people. You guys, y'all, y'all. Maybe given John Legend and Christie Teagan are run for their money on cuts couple, you need to that's my celebrity crush, hardcore sure, and their kid is like so cute,

love it. I'm starving. Well, it's about time to eat. It's dinner time. I think I asked you everything I needed to ask. If not, I mean, there's so much to talk about. You didn't bring up my dad's band's hits, The Killing Kind and Outside. I have him on there, The Killing Kind and Outside looked at it. I was like, wow, I can't believe you had those written. Now and talk to me about know, I want to. They're it's brought up. The Bandannam was basically Wrestless Heart awkward. No, I'm in

the middle. Oh no, no, it's all gonna flow hyper we listen. We're real life here. You know what you said be is real and unapologetic. That's what's happening here. My dad's band was like the Rascal Flats before Rascale Flats. This is nineteen eighty. So you grew up and you your dad was like famous. Yeah, well no, I mean they I mean wasn't famous, but they were like that type of band, you know what I mean. They were Warner Brothers, and you know, they had those hits or whatever.

And then Restless Hearts came in exile Diamond Rio. I was loving that are and so they kind of got blown out follows other guys. But I just thought it was funny that you had those songs right now. They haven't thought about those in a while, but I still have the vinyl. Dad. I just think it's awesome that your dad started this whole. I love it when people are so inspired by the way they were raised that they loved it so much that they love it too.

And if you look at it, if you google this, kids, um the Bandanna album cover, the big vinyl looks very similar to the color wise to the American Bang vinyl thing influence. Look on Warner Brothers too, just saying there could be a connection. Yeah, father and son. Okay, you guys, Evan and Jaren Johnston. I like to get the t T and baby Johnston is here with in spirits Rambo. This is your first interview. Anything you want to say. He has definitely been moving. I've been the food and

doesn't get Jaran food soon. Okay, you guys, rock by I hope you loved jarring from Jaren Johnston and his gorgeous wife Evan. I cannot wait for their baby to be born because it's going to be a rock star. They're such a great power couple. Love them so much. Next week, you guys, I have Lucy Sylvia's Joining Me What Lucy. Sylvia's was a European sensation, sold over a million albums in Europe. She has performed and toured with everyone from Elton John, Jamie Colin, Macy Gray, Charlotte Church.

She's been named on the CMTS Next Women of Country. She wrote a song on Miranda Lambert's new album called Smoking Jacket. Rolling Stone just premiered her video trilogy of songs. She did three songs in a row, Letters to Gost, Villain and Smoke. Rolling Stone premiered them all. She also has an album out that is amazing called Letters to Ghost and she's killing it. This girl is probably one

of the greatest singers I've ever heard. She's also married to John Osborne from The Brothers Osborne, and he kicks off this interview by interviewing Lucy. So it is so much fun. Y'all tune in next week. It's going to be a party.