April 30, 2025 • 19 mins
Jn this inspiring episode of Music Saved Me with Lynn Hoffman, she talks with country artist Kolby Cooper to explore how music became his refuge and source of strength. From his early beginnings to navigating the challenges of life and the music industry, Kolby shares heartfelt stories about the healing power of songwriting and the passion that drives his career. Tune in to hear how music saved him and continues to inspire his journey—reminding us all of the transformative power of melody and lyrics.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Music Saved Me.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I like to try and make a song for up
a conversation as much as I can, because I want
to feel like we're alive, and I think it's part
of the relatability I guess, or at least what I've
tried to.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
I'm Lynn Hoffman and welcome to the Music Save Me Podcast,
the show where we go behind the scenes and explore
musicians and their incredible bond with the transformative power of music.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Thank you so much for listening.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
By the way, and while you're here, I'd like to
let you know about another podcast produced and hosted by
Buzz Knight, who is a dear friend of mine, and
it's called Taking a Walk. So if you like this podcast,
you're really gonna love his podcast too, So check it
out wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Now.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Today I am joined by rising BMG Nashville star Colby Cooper.
He was born in Bradford. Can you tell him excited?
He was born in Bradford, Texas. Colby's journey from small
town roots to national acclaim is truly a dedication to
his passion. With a unique blend of outline country in
(01:00):
southern rock, Colby has certainly captivated audiences with his electrifying
performances and truly his heartfelt storytelling. So let's delve into
how music has been a source of strength and inspiration
for Colby Cooper on Music Saved Me.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Colby, Welcome to Music Saved Me.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
I get really almost too excited to even speak sometimes
because you know just the energy you bring.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Even though we're on zoom right now, you.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Can just feel it the minute you popped on the
screen and it's there, not just with you personally and
we haven't even really spoken yet, but with your music.
It is just so powerful, your voice like buttah, don't
get me into it.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I appreciate but thanks for being here today.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I want to start, you know, at the beginning where
you first got interested in music. Can you share with
us that was there a defining moment or an experience
that you realized that music was going to be your passion?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Absolutely? I think I think as a as a young kid,
me and my dad really bonded over over music. He
drove over a cow truck and I went with him
so many times. It would be, you know, a few days,
we're gone, just me and him in the trunk was
It was the best of times. It went into like
first grade even I was missing like the maximum of
(02:25):
school you can miss to go riding the couch truck
with that, and we would listen to uh to Waylon Jennings.
It was he's like one of my heroes. He was
one of my dad's heroes. Uh. You know, it's one
of those things. So I would say, like being the
couch truck is definitely like the first moment like this,
how how we bonded over music really was like oh,
(02:46):
like you know, this is cool, like and you know,
my dad was like my hero, so like here we
thought music was cool together and I was like, wow,
maybe one day I could maybe I could do this
one day. It just took me, you know, a few years.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Just a couple of years, but you caught in the buck.
You caught the bun absolutely well. Growing up in Bradford, Texas.
How did your hometown influence the songwriting and your sound?
Because you have a unique sound. You're not just rock
and you're not just country or southern rock. You're just
the whole blend of goodness.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I appreciate that. Yeah, I just I'm just a music
fan in general, I listened to so many things, but
being out in Bradford, I mean it's you know, it's
it's lonesome. You know, you look at the population, it's
like thirty forty people whatever. I've got a family in five. Yeah, yes, man, man,
I've got a family of five. So we've got to
We've got a you know, and my family. We're probably
(03:38):
out of the thirty twenty plus or family members there.
It's half the town exactly exactly used to make me there.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
You should call it Cooper Texas.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Hey, come on, but yeah, I think just growing up
out here, it's it's very it's very country. And you know,
my dad worked haulled cows and he was a cowboy.
I mean here it wasn't all in was working on ranches.
So you're listening to to chrys to do as well.
I grew up on a bunch of just old just
some of the best country music really in my opinion.
(04:11):
And then as a you know, young man, my dad
got me an Assie Osborne CD for my birthday, the
Yeah No More Tears record, and that was like my
introduction to rock. And like then it was guns and
Roses and def Lever and all that and then I
found grinds and punk and all that, but it was,
you know, there lonesomeness out here in Bradford. Just the
Also it's such a small town, so it's easy to
(04:33):
get inspiration, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, yeah, Well you mentioned earlier about Waylon Jennings and
driving with your dad. The song Rose in Paradise, I
believe I read somewhere you said was a sort of
a big inspiration for you. What was it about that
song that resonated with you, especially as a young songwriter.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I think just the storytelling and just like the the
one thing got that I think as cool as like
the open ended list on the end of it is
you know, did he did he run away with their
needy killer and leab her buryed in the garden? That
was so cool. But not only that, but so that
was like the storytelling songwriting aspect, and also the melody
(05:12):
and just you know, his voice is just so just
ai It's smooth, it's perfect. But the the production and
the guitar, like that intro lick is so I mean,
it's it's one of the most it's probably the most
underrated guitar of all time. Just throughout the lead thought
the whole song is so tasty. It's it's nice.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, tasty.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I like that word for I've never heard anyone describe
a song as tasty or even a guitar lick.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
That's fair.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
I want to talk a little bit about your songwriting process.
I Love You good Night, which I was just perusing
through some of the tracks. Your songs often draw from,
you know, personal experiences you've said, also from friends and
people in the neighborhood. Yes, how how do you balance well,
First of all, when you when you look at all
(06:02):
of the even just the titles of your songs, you know,
things jump out that are completely relatable, you know, to
me just the title of the.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Song, much less the song itself.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
So how are you able to sort of balance your
storytelling telling other stories with a relatability? And are you
ever surprised at how relatable your songs are?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Uh? For sure, there's some that are. Like a song
from our first album called Curse Artober is by losing
my Dad, And that was one that was really personal.
It was a song that I tried to write for
a few years and I guess I finished through I
was like twenty or so, and uh, when I finished
and that was where I was went there and showed
(06:44):
my life and you know, cried about and I was
like that's awesome, cool, and that was it. And I
didn't plan on release it, and she was like, hey
make me She released that song, and you know, I
showed it to my people that like, oh this is
incredibly she released it is all right, I guess, so
you know, I was realimbarous about it, but then I
released it add hundreds of people message be like, oh
(07:04):
my god, this you know I just lost my dad
or just lost a brother or a friend or something. Uh,
this one means the world. So it's yeah, it's it's
I think since I've learned, you know, everybody's story is
very very similar, or you're gonna have similarities. I guess
everybody's got that brokenness about them and you know, shit's
(07:26):
happened to really uh you know, it's far a live uh.
But then also like I think whenever putting like putting
an album together, like if I was just totally right
thing about my life, it would be uh, you know,
there wouldn't be uh, there wouldn't be any you know,
breakup songs or any of the the fun like uh,
(07:48):
the fun ones to jam too or whatever. I just
you know, I've got a beautiful life and three babing.
I'm so super lucky. But you know, so when we
put an album together that I wanted to, I want
there to be my story, but then I want there
to be an overall theme, kind of an overall like
a relatability, I think. And uh so that's like part
(08:09):
of the process is like here's my story and then
here's like stories of the world and probably your story,
Like you know.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Yeah, it's it's got to be scary letting your songs go.
But when you just described to me, you said that
after you were finished, it made you cry.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Oh yeah, absolutely, that's.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
How you knew.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
But you actually even said that sort of sideways, almost
like you're not allowed to admit that. But I thank
you for saying that because I think I think a
lot of young men need to hear that it's okay
and that yeah, oh my god, that happened to you
and it happened to me, and wow, if you can
do this with your life, what what are the options
for me?
Speaker 1 (08:48):
So it's about the big deal.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
So I always tell everybody anyone that comes up to ask,
like you know, Oh God, what should I do? You know,
I want, I want to make music or I want
I did, so you just got to do it. Just
go do it, and you know, chase your dreams you rather.
I feel like you'd probably rather chase it and it
not work out and not chase it and thinking about it.
(09:11):
You know, Wow, what if I'd done that back when
I was out of your email?
Speaker 1 (09:14):
So true? So true?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
And could you walk us through a bit of that
process of creating a song. I think some of your
favorite tracks you had said were are We on Fire, which,
by the way, if you haven't seen the music video, brilliant.
I love the story, or Storms Coming? Can you how
did you make that all come about?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah? All We're on the Fire? That was I read
it with Jordan Walker, and I remember well year we
were from the rear. I mean we'd been throwing ideas
around for thirty minutes or so, an hour or so,
and it was been I've been there for a long week.
I was like, man, I wonder if we're out to
get anything today?
Speaker 4 (09:56):
And then the smoke alarm went off downstairs and the
lights kept flickering and just like laughing and did it again,
like damn it, and we're on fire, and we just
kind of chuckled and be like that that's cool.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
We should write that we wrote it, and just I think,
you know, I like to try and make a song,
throw up a conversation as much as I can, because
I wanted to feel like real life. And I think
it's part of the relatability I guess, or at least
what I try to it.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Is it truly is?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
I mean it's like you're talking telling the story, talking
about yourself or talking about Actually, after I saw are
we on fire? I thought, oh, he must have gone
through really bad breakup and then I read no, he's
happily married with three kids to his high school sweetheart.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Am I correct?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
I mean the three kids, and you're only what twenty five? Maybe?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Is sure? I have twenty Clive, I turned twenty six
in May. All right, I've got a few more months,
you know, insurance and whatnot.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Yeah, well, you figured out some secret sauce obviously, so
maybe that'll be some few sure songs that you'll write
about how how to make it work.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yeah. Absolutely, we'll see that.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
We need that, we need that.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
What what's a lyric or title that you've written that
holds like a special place in your heart that stands
out to you.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Probably so many then there are, but for the new
album let Me Goodnye, I would say that that's the
title track, and I would say that that song specifically,
there's just uh and they're very just like casual phrases
and stuff, but it's what I wrote it. I've been
on the road for two weeks and then I got
home on a Sunday for about an hour and said
(11:37):
hey to my babies and my wife, and then I
had to unpack my bag and repack it and go
to the airport and fly to Moine And I got
there with my guitar player bo to the hotel and
I was just I was bumming. I was really sad.
I wanted to be back home. My babies were sad.
And he was like, I'm gonna get some coffee you
and go like I just gonna stay from the room
(12:00):
and just beat a sad boy or whatever. And he's
a car man. Let me know if anything scar. He
left his guitar sitting on my bed. Uh, So I
picked it up and I put my phone down. I
started recording and had like a two minute voice memo
and just sang like the first thing on my head
and like wrote the first verse and chorus and uh
(12:21):
second verse of the song and I was like, I
need to put that down and digg an apple whatever.
And a couple months later I finished it with my
producer Andrew Bayless, and just that song, the it feels
like it's kind of described describes like our whole situation.
Uh it's the push and to pull pull the whole deal, uh,
(12:42):
trying to find who's fake and what's real. And you're
the only one that I feel, uh just because it's
you know, it's a song about b M my road
and uh, missing my wife and missing my babies and
you know, feeling like, wow, am I doing the right thing?
Being gone so much? And that whole idea. Uh that one,
that one's along with my favorites.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
And that's the title track, I Love You good Night, Yes, yes, ma'am.
It sounded like a you know, a bedtime song. And
I have to say, even though this podcast is about music,
I would love to know what one one tip from
you that makes your family stay so complete, especially with
(13:20):
what you do for a living, because that's not easy
to share a relationship with someone. When you're a musician,
you perform for thousands of people.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Absolutely, and I think that uh unfortunately, honestly, the biggest
thing is my wife is just a rock star. She is.
He's she's like we've known each listen to her in
fourth grade or third grade, and we've been best friends
since fourth grade. And I mean I started playing music
back in middle school. Uh so, like she's she's known
(13:49):
for a long time that I wanted to play music.
And uh when we got together, seniors like her and
my mom brother two that even pushed me to just
like to not go to nursing school after I've finished
the year, my last year of basics, and they're like,
you should try, you know, music. We put some music on.
It was decent, and uh so I think, really it's
just I'm super blessed and super lucky. My wife was. Uh,
(14:12):
she's awesome. He's awesome. But also face timing, I mean,
you know, I facetimed as much as that can on
the road. But you know we're not far from family too.
That that helps a bunch. But you know, other than that,
it's just my life is awesome.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Oh that's the right thing. To say, by the way,
it's all your way.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
I'm just kidding.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
So now you said to me just in that just
earlier you were going to go into nursing. Isn't it
interesting how healing music can be and almost in a
sense you wanted to be in a profession that gave
back immediately originally.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah. Absolutely absolutely. I think it feels really good to
you or are to have people just you know, come up.
And I love hearing people's stories about what my songs
mean to them. If they mean thing to it, I
mean enough for you to have. You know, there's core
memory that stuck with it. You know, it means enough
for me to hear it, and it's like that's part
(15:08):
of it. That's like the whole, the whole thing. And
also found out that I hate blood, so that was
like the rich doctor that just saw patience or something,
but not patience with anything nasty.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
No, that's so funny.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Do you how has music helped you navigate some personal challenges?
You mentioned you lost your dad when you were fourteen,
and when you lose your dad at such a young age,
it changes you and you really could go in two paths.
My husband lost his father at fifteen, a friend of
mine also lost their father, and it's it really changes you,
(15:48):
especially if you had a really good relationship. So was
music ever obviously it started with him. Was that something
that helped you get through losing him?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Sure? And I just like he got diagnosed with brain
cancer when I was thirteen, and uh, I just started
like really playing guitar and singing within those past year
and a half. So he got just on. He got
to see me kind of start and it was really
pushing me to keep going. So that was a big
inspiration in the end. But uh, yeah, after you passed away,
I mean I was definitely I mean dove deep off
(16:20):
in music and you know, I know every Whalen song
and uh on the cloud Cross Canadian Ragweed was one
of his funeral songs and Cross Kane Ragweed is an
arclehole band, that's one of it was one of our
favorites when we were growing up. It was another one
like Whalen that we just listened to and I'm still
one of my favorites. Uh. So like that, you know,
(16:40):
I definitely dog deep off in music and uh lost
myself but I started writing at lunch and making music too,
and uh, trying to get better, you know. Yeah, so
it was definitely big inspiration the.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Fact that he was supportive of you and that you
have that connection with Whalen geez.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
You know.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I just can't help but to think that when that happens,
you really could go in two directions in life, and
and you pulled yourself out of it and created a
career for yourself and married someone and had children. I mean,
it's a really good story and it's a beautiful story.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
My brother too. I have a brother of two years younger.
I mean he so you know, he was I was
fourg and he was twelve, and he manages me. Now.
So it's it's all the fan, Yes, it is. It's
really awesome. I feel very lucky.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Do you feel that there's a specific song that resonates
deeply with your fans and brings them, you know, comfort
or strength or to rephrase, what song of yours would
you prescribe to comfort or inspire someone who really needed it?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah? I think we got a few different a few
different realities, you know, if you just need like a
big to hell with that. Uh, we got a couple.
We got one called hate You Too, which is uh,
it's it's one of my favorites and stuff if I'm
live and the other cub two words, the whole the
whole hook is just f you. Uh and it's very fun. Yeah,
(18:15):
you know if you're if you're in love and you
know you're you're loving somebody that got a few of those.
A Fall is one of our our bigger songs. Uh.
And I've had selly people come up and say like
this was our first dance song. Like me, you know,
we were one you do concerts and my boyfriend asked
my friend asked me to be his boyfriend during you
know whatever blah blah blah girlfriend. Uh, you know, so
(18:39):
we had so many of those. Uh. One of my
theorites is a song called coming Home, and it was
me and my wife's wedding song. Actually it was just
about me being gone and coming home. But off the
new record, there's uh this one called One Big, Happy,
Sad Family. If you're going through it and your family's
driving you crazy and you just want reassuring, say not alone,
(19:00):
that everybody's family is a little lackey. There you go.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Like I said, when you read the titles of the song,
it's almost like you're going what do I need today
from Colby to make my day? It's so perfect. Colby Cooper.
I wish you nothing but continued incredible success. You're with
an amazing group. BMG. Hello and thank you for sharing
your story with us on music Save Me and I
(19:24):
hope that you do come back when you release the
next EP.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Absolutely, thank you for having me.
Music Saved Me.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I like to try and make a song for up
a conversation as much as I can, because I want
to feel like we're alive, and I think it's part
of the relatability I guess, or at least what I've
tried to.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
I'm Lynn Hoffman and welcome to the Music Save Me Podcast,
the show where we go behind the scenes and explore
musicians and their incredible bond with the transformative power of music.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Thank you so much for listening.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
By the way, and while you're here, I'd like to
let you know about another podcast produced and hosted by
Buzz Knight, who is a dear friend of mine, and
it's called Taking a Walk. So if you like this podcast,
you're really gonna love his podcast too, So check it
out wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Now.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Today I am joined by rising BMG Nashville star Colby Cooper.
He was born in Bradford. Can you tell him excited?
He was born in Bradford, Texas. Colby's journey from small
town roots to national acclaim is truly a dedication to
his passion. With a unique blend of outline country in
(01:00):
southern rock, Colby has certainly captivated audiences with his electrifying
performances and truly his heartfelt storytelling. So let's delve into
how music has been a source of strength and inspiration
for Colby Cooper on Music Saved Me.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Colby, Welcome to Music Saved Me.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
I get really almost too excited to even speak sometimes
because you know just the energy you bring.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Even though we're on zoom right now, you.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Can just feel it the minute you popped on the
screen and it's there, not just with you personally and
we haven't even really spoken yet, but with your music.
It is just so powerful, your voice like buttah, don't
get me into it.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
I appreciate but thanks for being here today.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I want to start, you know, at the beginning where
you first got interested in music. Can you share with
us that was there a defining moment or an experience
that you realized that music was going to be your passion?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Absolutely? I think I think as a as a young kid,
me and my dad really bonded over over music. He
drove over a cow truck and I went with him
so many times. It would be, you know, a few days,
we're gone, just me and him in the trunk was
It was the best of times. It went into like
first grade even I was missing like the maximum of
(02:25):
school you can miss to go riding the couch truck
with that, and we would listen to uh to Waylon Jennings.
It was he's like one of my heroes. He was
one of my dad's heroes. Uh. You know, it's one
of those things. So I would say, like being the
couch truck is definitely like the first moment like this,
how how we bonded over music really was like oh,
(02:46):
like you know, this is cool, like and you know,
my dad was like my hero, so like here we
thought music was cool together and I was like, wow,
maybe one day I could maybe I could do this
one day. It just took me, you know, a few years.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Just a couple of years, but you caught in the buck.
You caught the bun absolutely well. Growing up in Bradford, Texas.
How did your hometown influence the songwriting and your sound?
Because you have a unique sound. You're not just rock
and you're not just country or southern rock. You're just
the whole blend of goodness.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I appreciate that. Yeah, I just I'm just a music
fan in general, I listened to so many things, but
being out in Bradford, I mean it's you know, it's
it's lonesome. You know, you look at the population, it's
like thirty forty people whatever. I've got a family in five. Yeah, yes, man, man,
I've got a family of five. So we've got to
We've got a you know, and my family. We're probably
(03:38):
out of the thirty twenty plus or family members there.
It's half the town exactly exactly used to make me there.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
You should call it Cooper Texas.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Hey, come on, but yeah, I think just growing up
out here, it's it's very it's very country. And you know,
my dad worked haulled cows and he was a cowboy.
I mean here it wasn't all in was working on ranches.
So you're listening to to chrys to do as well.
I grew up on a bunch of just old just
some of the best country music really in my opinion.
(04:11):
And then as a you know, young man, my dad
got me an Assie Osborne CD for my birthday, the
Yeah No More Tears record, and that was like my
introduction to rock. And like then it was guns and
Roses and def Lever and all that and then I
found grinds and punk and all that, but it was,
you know, there lonesomeness out here in Bradford. Just the
Also it's such a small town, so it's easy to
(04:33):
get inspiration, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, yeah, Well you mentioned earlier about Waylon Jennings and
driving with your dad. The song Rose in Paradise, I
believe I read somewhere you said was a sort of
a big inspiration for you. What was it about that
song that resonated with you, especially as a young songwriter.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I think just the storytelling and just like the the
one thing got that I think as cool as like
the open ended list on the end of it is
you know, did he did he run away with their
needy killer and leab her buryed in the garden? That
was so cool. But not only that, but so that
was like the storytelling songwriting aspect, and also the melody
(05:12):
and just you know, his voice is just so just
ai It's smooth, it's perfect. But the the production and
the guitar, like that intro lick is so I mean,
it's it's one of the most it's probably the most
underrated guitar of all time. Just throughout the lead thought
the whole song is so tasty. It's it's nice.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Yeah, tasty.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
I like that word for I've never heard anyone describe
a song as tasty or even a guitar lick.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
That's fair.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
I want to talk a little bit about your songwriting process.
I Love You good Night, which I was just perusing
through some of the tracks. Your songs often draw from,
you know, personal experiences you've said, also from friends and
people in the neighborhood. Yes, how how do you balance well,
First of all, when you when you look at all
(06:02):
of the even just the titles of your songs, you know,
things jump out that are completely relatable, you know, to
me just the title of the.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Song, much less the song itself.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
So how are you able to sort of balance your
storytelling telling other stories with a relatability? And are you
ever surprised at how relatable your songs are?
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Uh? For sure, there's some that are. Like a song
from our first album called Curse Artober is by losing
my Dad, And that was one that was really personal.
It was a song that I tried to write for
a few years and I guess I finished through I
was like twenty or so, and uh, when I finished
and that was where I was went there and showed
(06:44):
my life and you know, cried about and I was
like that's awesome, cool, and that was it. And I
didn't plan on release it, and she was like, hey
make me She released that song, and you know, I
showed it to my people that like, oh this is
incredibly she released it is all right, I guess, so
you know, I was realimbarous about it, but then I
released it add hundreds of people message be like, oh
(07:04):
my god, this you know I just lost my dad
or just lost a brother or a friend or something. Uh,
this one means the world. So it's yeah, it's it's
I think since I've learned, you know, everybody's story is
very very similar, or you're gonna have similarities. I guess
everybody's got that brokenness about them and you know, shit's
(07:26):
happened to really uh you know, it's far a live uh.
But then also like I think whenever putting like putting
an album together, like if I was just totally right
thing about my life, it would be uh, you know,
there wouldn't be uh, there wouldn't be any you know,
breakup songs or any of the the fun like uh,
(07:48):
the fun ones to jam too or whatever. I just
you know, I've got a beautiful life and three babing.
I'm so super lucky. But you know, so when we
put an album together that I wanted to, I want
there to be my story, but then I want there
to be an overall theme, kind of an overall like
a relatability, I think. And uh so that's like part
(08:09):
of the process is like here's my story and then
here's like stories of the world and probably your story,
Like you know.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Yeah, it's it's got to be scary letting your songs go.
But when you just described to me, you said that
after you were finished, it made you cry.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Oh yeah, absolutely, that's.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
How you knew.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
But you actually even said that sort of sideways, almost
like you're not allowed to admit that. But I thank
you for saying that because I think I think a
lot of young men need to hear that it's okay
and that yeah, oh my god, that happened to you
and it happened to me, and wow, if you can
do this with your life, what what are the options
for me?
Speaker 1 (08:48):
So it's about the big deal.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
So I always tell everybody anyone that comes up to ask,
like you know, Oh God, what should I do? You know,
I want, I want to make music or I want
I did, so you just got to do it. Just
go do it, and you know, chase your dreams you rather.
I feel like you'd probably rather chase it and it
not work out and not chase it and thinking about it.
(09:11):
You know, Wow, what if I'd done that back when
I was out of your email?
Speaker 1 (09:14):
So true? So true?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
And could you walk us through a bit of that
process of creating a song. I think some of your
favorite tracks you had said were are We on Fire, which,
by the way, if you haven't seen the music video, brilliant.
I love the story, or Storms Coming? Can you how
did you make that all come about?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Yeah? All We're on the Fire? That was I read
it with Jordan Walker, and I remember well year we
were from the rear. I mean we'd been throwing ideas
around for thirty minutes or so, an hour or so,
and it was been I've been there for a long week.
I was like, man, I wonder if we're out to
get anything today?
Speaker 4 (09:56):
And then the smoke alarm went off downstairs and the
lights kept flickering and just like laughing and did it again,
like damn it, and we're on fire, and we just
kind of chuckled and be like that that's cool.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
We should write that we wrote it, and just I think,
you know, I like to try and make a song,
throw up a conversation as much as I can, because
I wanted to feel like real life. And I think
it's part of the relatability I guess, or at least
what I try to it.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Is it truly is?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
I mean it's like you're talking telling the story, talking
about yourself or talking about Actually, after I saw are
we on fire? I thought, oh, he must have gone
through really bad breakup and then I read no, he's
happily married with three kids to his high school sweetheart.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Am I correct?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
I mean the three kids, and you're only what twenty five? Maybe?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Is sure? I have twenty Clive, I turned twenty six
in May. All right, I've got a few more months,
you know, insurance and whatnot.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Yeah, well, you figured out some secret sauce obviously, so
maybe that'll be some few sure songs that you'll write
about how how to make it work.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Yeah. Absolutely, we'll see that.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
We need that, we need that.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
What what's a lyric or title that you've written that
holds like a special place in your heart that stands
out to you.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Probably so many then there are, but for the new
album let Me Goodnye, I would say that that's the
title track, and I would say that that song specifically,
there's just uh and they're very just like casual phrases
and stuff, but it's what I wrote it. I've been
on the road for two weeks and then I got
home on a Sunday for about an hour and said
(11:37):
hey to my babies and my wife, and then I
had to unpack my bag and repack it and go
to the airport and fly to Moine And I got
there with my guitar player bo to the hotel and
I was just I was bumming. I was really sad.
I wanted to be back home. My babies were sad.
And he was like, I'm gonna get some coffee you
and go like I just gonna stay from the room
(12:00):
and just beat a sad boy or whatever. And he's
a car man. Let me know if anything scar. He
left his guitar sitting on my bed. Uh, So I
picked it up and I put my phone down. I
started recording and had like a two minute voice memo
and just sang like the first thing on my head
and like wrote the first verse and chorus and uh
(12:21):
second verse of the song and I was like, I
need to put that down and digg an apple whatever.
And a couple months later I finished it with my
producer Andrew Bayless, and just that song, the it feels
like it's kind of described describes like our whole situation.
Uh it's the push and to pull pull the whole deal, uh,
(12:42):
trying to find who's fake and what's real. And you're
the only one that I feel, uh just because it's
you know, it's a song about b M my road
and uh, missing my wife and missing my babies and
you know, feeling like, wow, am I doing the right thing?
Being gone so much? And that whole idea. Uh that one,
that one's along with my favorites.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
And that's the title track, I Love You good Night, Yes, yes, ma'am.
It sounded like a you know, a bedtime song. And
I have to say, even though this podcast is about music,
I would love to know what one one tip from
you that makes your family stay so complete, especially with
(13:20):
what you do for a living, because that's not easy
to share a relationship with someone. When you're a musician,
you perform for thousands of people.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Absolutely, and I think that uh unfortunately, honestly, the biggest
thing is my wife is just a rock star. She is.
He's she's like we've known each listen to her in
fourth grade or third grade, and we've been best friends
since fourth grade. And I mean I started playing music
back in middle school. Uh so, like she's she's known
(13:49):
for a long time that I wanted to play music.
And uh when we got together, seniors like her and
my mom brother two that even pushed me to just
like to not go to nursing school after I've finished
the year, my last year of basics, and they're like,
you should try, you know, music. We put some music on.
It was decent, and uh so I think, really it's
just I'm super blessed and super lucky. My wife was. Uh,
(14:12):
she's awesome. He's awesome. But also face timing, I mean,
you know, I facetimed as much as that can on
the road. But you know we're not far from family too.
That that helps a bunch. But you know, other than that,
it's just my life is awesome.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Oh that's the right thing. To say, by the way,
it's all your way.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
I'm just kidding.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
So now you said to me just in that just
earlier you were going to go into nursing. Isn't it
interesting how healing music can be and almost in a
sense you wanted to be in a profession that gave
back immediately originally.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Yeah. Absolutely absolutely. I think it feels really good to
you or are to have people just you know, come up.
And I love hearing people's stories about what my songs
mean to them. If they mean thing to it, I
mean enough for you to have. You know, there's core
memory that stuck with it. You know, it means enough
for me to hear it, and it's like that's part
(15:08):
of it. That's like the whole, the whole thing. And
also found out that I hate blood, so that was
like the rich doctor that just saw patience or something,
but not patience with anything nasty.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
No, that's so funny.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Do you how has music helped you navigate some personal challenges?
You mentioned you lost your dad when you were fourteen,
and when you lose your dad at such a young age,
it changes you and you really could go in two paths.
My husband lost his father at fifteen, a friend of
mine also lost their father, and it's it really changes you,
(15:48):
especially if you had a really good relationship. So was
music ever obviously it started with him. Was that something
that helped you get through losing him?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Sure? And I just like he got diagnosed with brain
cancer when I was thirteen, and uh, I just started
like really playing guitar and singing within those past year
and a half. So he got just on. He got
to see me kind of start and it was really
pushing me to keep going. So that was a big
inspiration in the end. But uh, yeah, after you passed away,
I mean I was definitely I mean dove deep off
(16:20):
in music and you know, I know every Whalen song
and uh on the cloud Cross Canadian Ragweed was one
of his funeral songs and Cross Kane Ragweed is an
arclehole band, that's one of it was one of our
favorites when we were growing up. It was another one
like Whalen that we just listened to and I'm still
one of my favorites. Uh. So like that, you know,
(16:40):
I definitely dog deep off in music and uh lost
myself but I started writing at lunch and making music too,
and uh, trying to get better, you know. Yeah, so
it was definitely big inspiration the.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Fact that he was supportive of you and that you
have that connection with Whalen geez.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
You know.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I just can't help but to think that when that happens,
you really could go in two directions in life, and
and you pulled yourself out of it and created a
career for yourself and married someone and had children. I mean,
it's a really good story and it's a beautiful story.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
My brother too. I have a brother of two years younger.
I mean he so you know, he was I was
fourg and he was twelve, and he manages me. Now.
So it's it's all the fan, Yes, it is. It's
really awesome. I feel very lucky.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Do you feel that there's a specific song that resonates
deeply with your fans and brings them, you know, comfort
or strength or to rephrase, what song of yours would
you prescribe to comfort or inspire someone who really needed it?
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah? I think we got a few different a few
different realities, you know, if you just need like a
big to hell with that. Uh, we got a couple.
We got one called hate You Too, which is uh,
it's it's one of my favorites and stuff if I'm
live and the other cub two words, the whole the
whole hook is just f you. Uh and it's very fun. Yeah,
(18:15):
you know if you're if you're in love and you
know you're you're loving somebody that got a few of those.
A Fall is one of our our bigger songs. Uh.
And I've had selly people come up and say like
this was our first dance song. Like me, you know,
we were one you do concerts and my boyfriend asked
my friend asked me to be his boyfriend during you
know whatever blah blah blah girlfriend. Uh, you know, so
(18:39):
we had so many of those. Uh. One of my
theorites is a song called coming Home, and it was
me and my wife's wedding song. Actually it was just
about me being gone and coming home. But off the
new record, there's uh this one called One Big, Happy,
Sad Family. If you're going through it and your family's
driving you crazy and you just want reassuring, say not alone,
(19:00):
that everybody's family is a little lackey. There you go.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Like I said, when you read the titles of the song,
it's almost like you're going what do I need today
from Colby to make my day? It's so perfect. Colby Cooper.
I wish you nothing but continued incredible success. You're with
an amazing group. BMG. Hello and thank you for sharing
your story with us on music Save Me and I
(19:24):
hope that you do come back when you release the
next EP.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Absolutely, thank you for having me.
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