January 23, 2024 • 45 mins
At just 23 years old he is proven to be a veteran of the Nashville songwriting community as well as the most hotly-anticipated artists. I took a listen down to his debut album, “Smoky Mountains” that releases this Friday, 1/26/24 and wow is it good. Featuring hits, “Take It Slow,” “I Hate Alabama,” and “Creek Will Rise (which is on country radio right now)” this 12 song project is rock solid and is guaranteed to put him on the map. He earned the 2022 Artist to Watch status from Spotify, Amazon Music and Opry NextStage, while also making him the only Country artist on Pandora’s Ten List 2022. He secured 2023 recognition from MusicRow Next Big Thing and CMT Listen Up as well as joining the CRS New Faces Class of 2024. He is currently headlining his latest headline trek on the CREEK WILL RISE TOUR, wrapping on February 24 in Bloomington IN. Outside of his music, he is celebrating his recent engagement. I have a feeling some of the songs on this album were written about her. Pumped to have this discussion. Please welcome… Conner Smith.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I played a show a few weeks ago. I was
up in Virginia somewhere. I was like, it's gonna be
a good show. And I got there. It's awful, and
they wouldn't They did not care about anything. And so
finally I was just on stage and I just go,
we got any Morgan Walla fans? They all yet, I go,
I go, what that don't matter. I just want to
hear y'all yell tonight.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
All right, guys, I hope you're ready for a new episode,
because we are back, bigger than ever in twenty twenty four.
And I am pumped to have this next guy on
the podcast. I am lucky to call him a friend,
and I've got to watch his career take off the
past couple of years. At just twenty three years old,
he's proven to be a veteran in the Nashville songwriting
community as well as one of the most highly anticipated artists.
(00:54):
I listened down to his album Smoky Mountains, which releases
this Friday, January twenty six, and let me tell you,
top top to bottom, this thing is a masterpiece. It
has take it slow, I hate Alabama and Creak Will
Rise my favorite song, which we're gonna get into and
it's a twelve song project that's just guaranteed to put
them on the map. So here's the deal. We're gonna
(01:15):
sit down and talk a little bit about this. We're
gonna talk about his tour last year, all the new plans,
and I am so pumped to welcome the one and
only mister Connor Smith.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
That was really kind, man, I appreciate it. It's cool. I
was just thinking about as you were talking, the variations
of our friendship. I think we met three years ago.
I didn't have songs that I think you just started
six point five house. Yeah, and we went on a
camping trip. I do remember cold cold, man, it was
so cold. I woke up we were gonna I woke
up in the ten or vand or wherever it was,
(01:44):
and like was like it was one of those cold
where like there's nothing to fix it either, Like your
whole body is purely just like frozen, and there's no
way to remedy that either way to start there to
see over the last three years, the evolutions of our
lifespan in Nashville. It's it's it's special to to be
here today. So excited to be on the podcast.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Yeah, man, it's it's great to have you. I do
want to share one quick story about that. I remember
when it was you, your brother and other artists Roman, Alexander,
and myself. I remember we were still all getting to
know each other, so I felt like nobody wanted to
be like, hey, guys, it's a little.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Cold, like we should go, and we're all trying tough
it out.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
We're trying to tough it out of like you know,
I'm a man, man it up, and it's like thirty
degrees at you know, Fall Creek Falls outside of Dashville,
and we're all just like shivering in her sleeping bags.
But that might have been that might have been the
low point of everything.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
That's well, I do think we both proved something to
each other in that moment. Yeah you know what I
mean that we were on tough it out. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
I definitely felt like we linked arms together.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Oh yeah, dude, Well it's been it's been crazy to watch, uh,
watch your career take off since those freezing days. Yeah,
on that camping trip, I think you had a massive
twenty twenty three and even a bigger twenty twenty four
to come. What what are you most excited about for
this upcoming year.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Oh man, so much like I feel this industry is
a wild one and I feel like I'm stepping this
year kind of control my career for the first time,
maybe you know. I put out an EP back in
started twenty twenty two and had some success with it
with I Hit Alabama and Take It Slow and some
of those songs. But yeah, that really helped me kind
(03:24):
of get going and build some fans and play some shows.
And since then, I've put up three songs. Yeah, and
which is a sobering reality that in the past, you know,
two years and put out three songs. I think that's
the math and so understanding that and just recognizing what
we've got this year with an album finally coming out.
And this album really kind of shows the different layers
(03:46):
of who I am as an artist and a songwriter,
mainly yeah, and the and then the plan even after
that just to keep firing and and building layers. This thing.
I'm really excited about that. I just love. I love
I get to do this. I love to write songs
and get to tell stories, and I think I'm finally
getting to like really kind of say what I want
to say. On this record, so it'll be fun. It'll
(04:07):
be really exhausting too. It's gonna be a crazy year.
I get married in April as well, so it's like
all of it at once. But it'll be amazing. Man.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Congratulations. I did see I saw that video of a
song that you had her fiance. They came out I
think a couple of days after you proposed, which is
just it was amazing to see that all come to fruition.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I wrote that I back pocketed it. I was like,
you can't hear this until later, So yeah, I was.
I was talking to a songwriters with Chase McGill, Parker
Wellings and and I think Mark Trussell or Casey Brown,
I think it was and uh, and I was talking
about about to get a ring and they're like what ring.
Was like, I'm gonna get a grandma's ring and they're like, oh,
(04:47):
we're gonna write that today, and so kind of fell
out the sky.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah, that's awesome, man. Well, it's it's gonna be a
big year.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
I had.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I think you said something interesting how you've only put
out three songs in the past two years, which I
think we're in like we're in a high volume. Yeah,
market right where a lot of people are putting out
of music. But at the same time, I feel like,
you know, creativity, you can't rush, and I feel like
what you've done a great job is you've really put
out music that I think is meaningful to you. It's quality,
(05:14):
it's meaningful to you know, your fan base, what you've built.
It seems like this album has been in the works
for several years and it's just finally now at a
point where you know, you feel like you have the
full the full package, ready to go.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah. I mean, I think it takes time to figure
out what you want to say and do it well.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
I think anybody can can kind of rush rush the process,
and there were times that I wanted to, but I
think at the end of the day, you got to
have something different. And I think the early music was
good and it really spoke to where I was at
in life. I also think in that time period from
when we put it out to where I'm at now,
I just grew up so much and so so much
(05:50):
of it was evolving so quickly, and so I think
I was trying to get the music to evolve with it.
I think Crequel Rise was kind of the the tone
setter for where we were going. Record kind of follows
that suit on what that song is and just kind
of growing it up. But yeah, I mean, I'm just
proud of the songs we got. It was a long
process and definitely a lot of days that were just
(06:13):
you know, kind of annoying as an artist trying to
get things move in. But sure, you know, now we
got a song top fifteen on country radio.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Now, man, the Crequeal Rise and keeps rising on radio. Yeah,
I get up.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I always like the joke. I'm like, you know, I
put take It Slow out to radio. It died at fifty,
so it took it slow, and then Crequel Rise keeps rising.
So my songs follow suit, and so I respect them
for doing that.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Well we have we got a bunch of talk about
I want I want to get into the think of
it with this this album and and kind of the
past couple of years with you. But first things first,
I think your songs are okay. I think uh, I
think your artistry is okay. But what I think I'm
I'm most impressive about Connor is he has this this
(06:56):
mic flip, this ability It's a mic flip that is
just second to none, and I respect that. Here's the deal.
I've always wondered whether you're a fraud or not. So
I got a.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Little bike, so either every show. Every show, it's like
how high and how many flips can I get? Right? Yeah,
So I mean I've gone pretty high. I've dropped it
twice in my career, which is like a deeply embarrassing thing.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I was gonna say, do you remember the drops that
you've had?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, Like, because when they drop I'm talking, they like
go into the crowd and so then like the crowd's
just looking for my mic and I'm just sitting there like, man,
I really try to be too cool today. And then
I'm looking back, you know, my brothers probably videoing me,
and I'm looking back and he's just like about to
roast me. And so it happens. But like there's been
(07:40):
some impressive ones that have gone really high. It's like
dark on stage obviously, and I'm trying to like track
it down and get it. The thing I've learned is
like the best time to do it is when when
I'm singing a song and then I give the fan
the mic to sing so if the fans singing it
and then when I take it back, I flip it back.
(08:01):
So if I'm right here and I flip it back,
yeah they love it. That's awesome. So that's been kind
of the key trick. But we'll see how h I
can get it. Like I think the key to the
height thing is slow rotation.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, do you have you do you have a physics
equation for this? Shocked up? Or is it mostly dude?
Speaker 1 (08:16):
I failed match twice, Like there was no chance for
me in physics. So this is just kind of all
feel all kind of.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
You know, natural out, you know what I mean. Yeah,
well let's let's let's see.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Oh wow, so you see what I'm saying, Like you
can go high or if you go slower rotation, because
if I'm that's a lot harder.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Yeah, but if you go, oh wow, shoot, there's there,
there's the drop and that's the drop drop, you know
what I mean?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Oh wow, So that's kind of the that's kind of
the key. And yeah, it is something I think is
when you're on stage. You know, I think every art
has like their six like back pocket tricks they that
they pull out, and uh, that's that's become a staple
for me.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
It's awesome, man. I just I can't imagine in the
thrill of throwing a mic a slightly too high and
having a thousand people looking at you and like you
cannot drop that.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Sucker, and then when you do, it's just like okay, yeah,
And that's that's that's why we which I think is important.
I think everybody needs to be humbled every now and then. Sure,
and so I think when you share that intimate moment,
you know, with an arena of people looking at you,
just go yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Yeah, I totally understood. Well man, you uh, I want
to talk a little bit about college football. Did you
see I assume you watched the game last week?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yeah? I did. Ago it was a tricky game for me. Yeah,
how so, well, because I bet on Bama plus two
and a half and then I bet on the under
at fifty forty seven and a half, which but then
as the game was going on, I realized how much
I wanted Michigan to win. So there's a lot of
conflicting emotions. And then I had both the bets on
(09:52):
lock with Bama and the under, and then it goes
into overtime and then I'm like, I might lose both
these bets end up hitting the under because it was
a forty seven, so I about half point. Oh wow,
and Michigan one, so I broke even Michigan one. Bama lost.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Hate Alabama, damn you make your money and uh and
you watch the Crimson Tide.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
So it was a tricky game. But yeah, I was
watching it and I was like, what what really turned
it around for me? Because I was kind of cheering
for Bama, Believe it or not. I'm just an SEC
guy and I do love Nick Saban, which I probably
shouldn't admit, but I was looking at Hardball, who's definitely
probably going to the Pros next year. I was like,
(10:31):
you know how bad he wants this, like this would
probably be the worst loss of his entire life. And
I was like, man, I just kind of want him
to have this moment.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
And so that was crazy, crazy finish though it was
wild and the and even the Washington Texas game is nice.
I mean it's it's you know.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
It was.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
College football is at it at an all time high.
And speaking of which, I want to I want to
jump into a little game and this is a would
you rather pretty simple I'm just gonna hit you with
a couple of questions, and the first would you rather
is would you rather be the worst player on the
Tennessee Volunteers or win a Heisman? But you have to
(11:08):
play for Alabama?
Speaker 1 (11:11):
I mean that's just I'm barely's been rocking a hard
place there, you know what I mean? But uh on it,
I mean I'd rather win the Heisman.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yeah, but like then, but then, but then that song
holds no merit, right.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Yeah, but like then it might be like ironic in
a beautiful way.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I don't know, man, I think, uh no, man, I'm
not playing for Bama. I'll look at that. He's making
me the punt over Tennessee. Baby's.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Well, we'll stick to that.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
That's a good question, though. I respect that. I'll give you.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
I'll give you one that that maybe hits hits home
a little more. Would you rather have to play one
entire quarter as the offensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans?
Or would you rather have to play one period for
the Nashville Predators skating offensive line?
Speaker 1 (11:54):
And I'm not you know, I like five ten, five eleven.
So it's just like there's no like meat on these
moms to be an offensive lineman, but like just my
skating ability versus my my walking ability. Yeah, pretty severe.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
So there's there's just some logic in the answer. Hey,
would you uh, would you rather have to wear the
same socks for a month or the same underwear for
a week?
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Underwear? Wow? Yeah, I mean a week figured out?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yeah, someone tells me you've done that before. That was
a very casual answer. No, too casual.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
I mean I'm back to back, Like these are the
second days I've worn these socks, so it's like I'm
at the peak on these things. But like I just
feel like I can cover one of those a lot better, gotcha.
But like it's like I can keep my pants on. Yeah,
I might take my shoes off somewhere, and like I
don't want to get.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Reckless understood, We'll call them clean feet.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Connor bres Go.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Hey, would you rather sip whiskey with Matt McConaughey or
shoot tequila with Dwayne the Rock Johnson?
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Yeah, I mean that's an easy whiskey for when I
like whiskey, buttering for two, like Matthew would be kind
of top five top five hang for me. I just
think that there's some charisma there that's impressive.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Yeah, he's a dude, unbelievable. One of my favorite actors.
I mean too, But I.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Don't know, Man, I watched The Rock on Joe Rogan
the other day. He's just so polished. Yeah, like there's
there's just no like grit. Yeah, which I'm saying that
about like probably the strongest guy.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I was going to say, watch watch what you're saying, man.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
But I mean, I'm just standing by it, like he's
not going to see this, and if he does, I
said what I said, But Matthew's got some grit in
his book. You read Matthew's.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Book green Light, Yeah, I have not. I haven't read it,
but I've heard about it.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Yeah, it's a mustard. It's like one of those books
even if you hate reading, you love it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
What was it? What was the biggest takeaway from Man?
Speaker 1 (13:49):
I just think I think he had such an approach
on creativity that's that's unique and he's such an odd ball,
but he does it in such a kind of likable way.
And so I mean, just thinking about I think he's
had a good, good grasp on like humility too. And
I think for a dude, like that, that's an impressive thing.
(14:10):
I mean, he just talks about like, you know, he
was a movie star and he literally like went and
he was single and went and lived in like a
trailer park just to kind of like humble sell himself
and like refine himself sort of sort of stuff. And
so he just got a wild story. His parents like
got married and divorced like three times, you know what
I mean. So and then he just like quit everything
to become an actor and just kind of went all in.
(14:33):
And like I said, there's just some charisma there that
I respect.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Hell yeah, that's awesome. What we got a shout out
to to old Matt Come come sip some whiskey with
with Connor. Last last, would you rather hear?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Is?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
I know how much that you love to to tour live.
It's one of your one of your biggest strengths in
my opinion. Would you rather only be able to play
one show a year but you could play your original music?
Or you could play as many shows as you want,
but you'd only be a Ellen Marlow cover band.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I mean, I'm dude, I'd rather play no shows. Look
at that. No, I was gonna say, do as many
shows with the cover band. When you were doing in there,
It's like, yeah, it's one. He's just saying so dang high.
I'm like, I can't hit his falsetto, Like.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Yeah, it's kind of crazy his girl voice.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
I just can't.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Yeah, is he ever gonna hit puberty?
Speaker 1 (15:24):
That's what I'm saying. It's like, dude, you got a
fake mustache and can't even you know, but that's another
topic understood.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yeah, definitely, definitely. Well, hey, we're gonna be right back
here on podcast with Codnor Smith in studio. What's up, guys,
We're back Connor Smith in the house. He has an
album coming out this Friday, Smoky Mountains. I have gotten
a chance to listen to this thing, and it is fantastic.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
What was your highlights?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Well, I actually think that I want to talk about this,
but Roulette on my Heart. I think that is on
the heart, right, I think that is maybe the best
song I've heard from you. And there's a lot of
good songs, but and you've been teasing it slowly online.
But I listened to that thing and I was, you know,
(16:11):
I was just alone jamming in my kitchen last night.
It was a little it was a little emotional aside
from Chris here, but I just heard that thing and man,
I was I got emotional. I was damn thank you man.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
That means a lot. Man, I just like that's part
of the one of those things we talked about the
time it takes to craft who you are as an
artist and as a songwriter. That was one of the
songs that like, when that song came, it just goes,
that's it, right, Like, that's that's the heart behind who
I want to be as a songwriter. And so I
wrote that song, Jesse, Alexander, Chase McGill, Mark Trussell, and.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
And hey, is that is Haley Witters? Yeah, okay, I
don't know if that was, if that's prop or not,
but man, her voice is special on it too. Why
did you choose Haley to collect?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
So we wrote the song and it just had to
It had a different thing to it. It was it
felt elevated, I think, and honestly I agree that it's
I think it's going to be the biggest song I've
put out yet, if I can mark my words. But
when we heard it, I felt like we all kind
of felt like there would be a really cool tension
(17:18):
to it if you could add a girl girl's vocal
And I say this genuinely, were the first. The first
person that came to mind was Haley. I love Haley,
I love her artistry, I love who she's a person.
We played a ton of radio shows together and have
become friends, and so we asked her and she said yes,
And I don't know, man, It's just like when when
her voice got on it, there was that that level
of emotion that added to it of the story of
(17:40):
this back and forth. And yeah, that was an idea
I had of Roulette on the heart and just kind
of the back and forth and knowing that you know,
sometimes you're with a girl and you know that at
any point you're you're you're gonna be screwed and uh.
And so that's kind of where it started. But when
that song kind of came into the room, I wrote
that song and how It Looks from Here, which which
(18:02):
was one of the last songs we put out at
the same day at the same time. So I was
there's two writing rooms writ a writers camp, so I
was writing how It Looks in one room and Roulette
and the other. And so when we brought that in
the room, Jesse and Chase, they kind of brought it
to life and in that kind of tone of it
and lyrically, it just holds up for me. And just
every every line I think matters, which is kind of
(18:24):
my test of a song, Like every line says something new,
it tells the story, and I think I think with
where country music is right now too, I think it's
a really cool, a cool uh kind of taste of
that in my way, that's that's still very genuine to me.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Yeah, that's that's awesome, man, It's it's one of my favorites.
But I mean the whole whole album, top to top
to bottom, is fantastic. And you're quite the multitasker in songwriting.
If you're able to go in one room and write
a song and then go to the other finish another one.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
I found that's like that's my sweet spot because you know, man,
like more than anything. Live show is great, I love it,
but like writing a song is all I care about,
Like that is the heart behind it. When I sit
in a room and I write a song with someone,
I feel I feel the most like exactly who I
was made to be sort of thing, like it's one
of those purpose things. And so I've found that with
(19:17):
how busy the schedule is, how much my mind is
all over the place. When you give me a week
and just go, hey, you're gonna write four songs a day,
but you're gonna knock it out in five days, there's
gonna be two rooms at all times. Like that's where
half of my songs come from. I think probably half
of the record came from retreats.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
That's amazing to hear.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Man.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I love that you care so much about the craft
and songwriting. It's funny. I actually saw a shout out
to your mom. So your mom has an awesome podcast
that while Yea that you were on, and I remember
she was saying that, like even in elementary school, in
middle school, you were writing your own songs and like
singing around the classes. It seems like you've been a
(19:57):
songwriter since like day one.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Yeah, I think my stories like there was a gift
to do something. I think everybody has like natural gifts
and abilities the Lord puts on them. But I also
think that I was in the perfect like environment to
foster that growing up in Nashville, growing up around songwriters.
My mom was interviewing songwriters working at Channel four here
in Nashville. Yeah, and she loved country music too, and
(20:20):
so it's just kind of this wild guid story of
you know, the song God Moments, which wraps out, wraps
out the record. It kind of talks about that stuff
in the second verse of I'm just like man, I
just I felt like I've been really lucky to have
the right opportunities to be around the right people, to
kind of foster a gift that the Lord gave me.
And just since I was six years old, all I
(20:41):
wanted to do was write songs and just tell stories.
And if I could only pick one thing, if I
could give up everything else, just to write songs every day,
that's all I would do because that's just such a
part of who I am, and it's also part of
my heart inside of Nashville. Is like, how can I
be an artist who champions songwriters for above all else?
Like how can I make sure that the songwriter community,
(21:02):
which is the center of the ecosystem right is healthy
and they're they're rightly rewarded Because I think it's it's
it's been wishy washy the last few years. The music
injury has changed so much.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yeah, do you remember the first song that you ever wrote.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Yeah, the first song I ever wrote was a song
I I like. I had gone to the grand old
Opry how catch him sang a song called sure Love
I came Home. I rewrote through lyrics. But the first
song I remember started to play out. I would go
to like puckets and leapers, fork and and out. Yeah. Yeah,
this was before it was like a thing. And every
(21:38):
Thursday night, me and Coop, my brother, we would we
would go out there were the Smith brothers and we'd
go play one cover and then I played one original song.
It's seven years old. First one I started playing with
a song called small Town, Big dream Boy. Yeah, and
and so that was kind of the anchor of it.
There you go.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Didn't make the record though.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
No, I didn't make the record, but the album two
is cooking.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
So yeah, I love love that. He's already working on
out too.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Hey.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
You mentioned something about how you know you want to
be a champion in the songwriting community, and I think
there's a lot of champions of you as well. One
in particular is Thomas Ratt. You got to play on
the road with him last year. And then you guys
can continue to stay close. What is your relationship with
Thomas Ratt mean to you?
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Oh? Man, it's its massive, I think. I think it's
so many elements. I started young. I saw my first
publishing do when I was sixteen. I started touring when
I was twenty one, twenty maybe, And this is one
of those industries you kind of get thrown into and
just sink or swim. And so to have tr as
(22:45):
the dude who like kind of looked out for me,
it's just kind of a big brother role and just
be a voice that I could look to and see
that if nothing else, like if he did it, I
can do it because he did it the right He's
done it right right, Like he's positioned his career, he's
handled success, he's handled his family the right way. And
(23:06):
and so to see that in the middle of like
me trying to figure out who I wanted to be
or how I wanted to live and knowing that that
was an option. I don't know if I would have
fully known that was an option without him, And so
to have him there and as as just a dude
I could look to is massive. And then on top
of that, to like have him intimately and like some
conversations of just like, man, how did you process this,
(23:27):
how did you deal with this, how did you handle
that pressure, how did you you know, work with the label,
how did you all those different things? It's been really
special and he was just really intentional, man. Like I
remember early on, I was going to play a show
in Athens, Georgia. Were just started like, get some headlining shows.
I hate Alabama just come out. Like there was a
little bit of a momentum started forming. I was about
(23:49):
to play a show, and he just called me one
call me one afternoon. He said, Hey, man, I'm just
checking on you, Like I know what it's like to
like start to play those headlining shows and in those
college talents, and it's you gotta have your head on straight,
and so how you doing. And it's like, man, that's that.
That's life changing, dude.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
That's so cool.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Man.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
That's like so down to earth too. Just him like
him remembering that and looking out for you. I mean,
it really feels like he's like a little brother to
you for sure.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
What I mean, Like I said, like I don't think
I can over overstate like the impact that I'll have
when it's all said and done. Just a little just
a little moments of intentionality from him that where he
was just able to like see me and give me
some wisdom that I would never have without, you know,
someone being intentional. I think every artist needs that. Yeah,
(24:40):
I just like and so I'm just very thankful to
the Lord kind of crossed those paths we met. The
first time we ever met was when I think it
was like early twenty twenty, before the pandemic. There was
a hurricane in East Nashville and or a tornado my
bad and uh and I met him because we were
(25:05):
both out there like cutting up trees, helping clean up,
and that's where we ran into each other for the
first time. We were like, hey, man, we should write
a song or something. He said that, and that's the.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
First time you met Thomas when you guys were helping.
That's wild, dude.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
And so we wrote a song on zoom and then
hung out once after that, and he asked me to
go on tour and I'll forever, you know, be a
be a defining moment in my life.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Yeah, that's incredible, man. I love to hear that.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Well, that's Nashville for you, right, Like you want to
talk about that, like that's that's what this town is.
Is that you would meet Thomas Rhett, you know, cutting
up trees after a tornado, and then and then you know,
a year later he asked you to go on tour
with him and Park McCollum, and your life is forever changed.
You're like, oh, cool, this is great.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Yeah, dude, that is That is the community in Nashville.
You know, I wasn't gonna ask you, like, I mean,
you've you've seen it because you you've been here for
quite some time. A lot of people are talking about
how much they're building in Nashville and how many people
are moving in the batons on Broadway and all that, Like, Wow,
what do you think of the all the growth of Nashville.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
I mean, I think it needs to chill. I think
I think we're right there where I'm like, all right, guys,
this is great. It's always fun, especially like when it's
your town where it's like when it's the city and
everyone's like, you know, because I do. I take so
much ownership in this town, like this town is my heart.
I love that. Even in country music, Nashville's having its
moment with Jelly Roll, Ernest Chase Matthews, Lauren Watkins, Mitchell
(26:34):
Tenpenny like me, like all these Nashville guys are kind
of coming up, which is fun. Uh and uh, and
so I got to like my heart is so for
for this town, but at the same time, like this
traffic's stupid, and like, like Atlanta, I love you, but
like when I got to drive through Atlanta, go to Atlanta,
like there's dread in my mind and I just see
(26:55):
Nashville is about to be that because it ain't slowing
down anytime soon. I get in probably, I mean why
people are moving here and why people love it so much,
and so it definitely needs to calm down. Like you know,
abou to get married, try to buy a house, and
I'm like, I need a couple more hits.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Yeah, it's a different it's a different beast than what
I kind of grew up with one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
And you're thinking about like if you if you buy
a place fifteen minutes outside of an Ashville, well fifteen
minutes right, that's now that's now forty five to an
hour basically just traffick in the morning. It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Man.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Hey, I want to talk about one other thing that
you mentioned a little bit, which is, you know, your
faith and your relationship with God, you know, talk to
me a little bit about about that and how that's
kind of played a role in your life.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
I mean, I think it. I think it is everything right,
and uh yeah, I mean I I I'm a strong
believer and just you know, try to follow the way
to Jesus and try to carry that through my life
through my work. And I love I love that I
get to do that in this industry because I think
(28:04):
I think country music has such of that backbone to
it of like family and faith and football sort of thing,
and and that's just so much of who I am
and and uh and and what I try to revolve
my life around in a very imperfect way. And so yeah,
I think as I've gotten older and I've recognized, uh,
(28:24):
you know, what it means to to believe that Jesus
was actually you know, God in flesh. It it's kind
of definitely shaped, uh, the decisions I made or tried
to at least and and and figure out what this
industry is. And I think overall, this industry is such
a self centered, egotistical job where you're building you know,
(28:50):
practically essentially a company around who you are as a
person and your talent, and you've got all these people
about making your dream come true and that's very and
and then you go on stage, right, and you have
a thousand people who paid to come be in the
same room as you. Sure, and then you go on
stage and and and it's like they're cheering for you.
(29:12):
It's just like it's all very counter human, I think
in a lot of ways. And uh, and so I've
just I've just tried to recognize that and go, man,
this is so beautiful and like, this is really cool
and special that I've been given this platform. Uh and
this uh, this opportunity to like do what I love
(29:34):
and make a living and provide for my family and
a kid kids one day and and everything. And I'm
just really grateful for that. And at the same time recognize, like, hey, man,
like what's the point, what's the point of this whole thing?
Like if I'm gonna get out there and you know,
worry about what I'm in control of and worry about
(29:55):
the success of my songs, and you know, because I
can work, I can only work so hard, and I
I try to believe that I've worked harder and as
as hard as I possibly can in every way, but
at the same time so much out of my control.
And so I think having that faith in that backbone,
and I mean I could sit here and tell you
ten stories over the last three years of my career
(30:15):
where you see that and you go, oh, that's only God.
And so when I've seen him show up time and
time again, it's so much bigger than just kind of
this this mystical faith that I grew up in. But
it's really like, oh, man, I've God is the type
of guy that wants to be in the day to
day and like show himself and he's done some pretty
(30:35):
crazy things.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Yeah that man, you said that so beautifully. I think
the one thing that stood out to me is we
were eve been talking beforehand. But it's such a contrast
when everything about your career is centered around you, like
it is, like you even told me before, and like, man,
I gotta man, I gotta sit with Chris and talk
for half an hour to an hour about me, and
it's like it's like, yes, you're building a brand all
(30:57):
around you and the spotlight is always on you. But
at the same time, like the gift of music is
to be shared with everyone. You're providing for your family,
and that ability, you know, to project yourself is really
also helping the community.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
And that's where it's like, Okay, cool, I got this
now practically what I do. And that's where I'm like, well,
I want to I want to. I want to care
about the songwriters in Nashville. I want to. I want
to evolve, you know, the health of the songwriter community
in Nashville as an artist. Okay, that's one thing I
think about the guys around me. You know. You know
Jake Kenny, my tour manager.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Oh, I know Jake.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
It's like that's one of my best friends growing up.
He's just like just one of those Prodigy sort of
music guys and reminds me of you and just kind
of a hustler sort of mindset. And it's like, dude,
I get to have him out and we get to
like chase this stream together. I got to bandon guys.
I freaking love that. It's like, hey, dude, what's your
biggest dream? Like even outside of me, outside of like,
(31:52):
it's like, let's I want to help you get there.
And so I try to lead from that perspective and
and that makes everything way way more fun and way
less stressful. Yeah, because then it's just like I'm I'm
judging my whole life of what other people think of me.
And when you get in that mindset, man, you're just
you're stuck in the comparison game where it's never going
to be enough.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Right. Well, I love one thing I compliment you too,
is you surrounded yourself with a group of guys that
are so fun to be around. I've gotten to meet
your band, I've gotten to meet your tour manager, Jake Kenny,
who's the man I do? I do want to talk
about it. I think it's important that the truth comes
out now. Jake Kenny did star in a Dylan Marlin
(32:34):
music VI. He did, and I want to know what.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Is the beast between you and Dylan Marlow Dude, that's
that is Yeah, that was hard to swallow for me.
But at the end of the day, I get it, like,
you got to take opportunities, and I think Jake, you know,
rashly jumped into that opportunity, and.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Yeah, do you feel like that franchise is maybe not
as established or qualified as your franchise?
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Well, I think I think it. At the end of
the day, like, I think you look at the intentions
of Dylan there, it speaks a lot to his heart.
He first wanted to ask my my roommate, who is
McKenzie Carpenter's fiance or I guess husband, So my old roommate,
and he was going to ask ask him, and then
(33:20):
decided on on Jake and so.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Kind of a bench player.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Like well, second, I think at the end of the day,
you just see Dylan was fishing in my pond, right, Na.
But Dylan is like, Dylan's like one of my best friends,
and uh, just like love him. And I think in
this industry, it's a it's a unique thing to find
friendships that don't revolve around comparison and and hold ounces
(33:46):
of jealousy if we're all honest with ourselves and and
Dylan is just one of those dudes that just we
both just like care about each other and like there's no, no,
none of that comparison and uh, and he's such a
good dude too that like we're able just to like
get on the phone after a long weekend and just
be like, dude, that weekend sucked, Like I played this
(34:08):
show up in blah blah blah, and it was you know,
nobody cared like I could. Yeah, I played. I played
a show a few weeks ago. I was up in
Virginia somewhere, and I was like, it's gonna be a
good show, and I got there's awful, and they wouldn't.
They did not care about anything. And so finally I
was just on stage and I just go, we got
any Morgan Walla fans. They all yelled. I go, I go,
(34:30):
what that don't matter. I just want to hear y'all
yell tonight. So you know, I'm able to call Dylan,
We're able to laugh about that stuff. And and then
on the on the back side, it's it's just fun
to like kind of create a beef and act like
we hate each other.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Oh for sure. Yeah, for those that don't know, Dylan
Marlow is an awesome artist. I really think that. You know,
Connor and Dylan are both and two of the next stars.
And I'm glad that you guys like have locked arms.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
We're playing. We're playing like down the road just to
do like a Battle of Bands tour. We're gonna build
this thing up. Yeah, but it's been fun. There's an
Instagram account mate called uh Connor and Connor and Dylan
Beef and they just kind of track anything anything that
goes wrong between us. But he's a good dude, man. Yeah,
(35:15):
he's got it. He's got a good heart on him.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
That's awesome, man. But we got just a few more
things we got to talk about. Connor Smith in the studio.
We're going to be right back here on six one
five hours podcast. What's up, guys. We're back on the
podcast Connor Smith in the studio and we have a
fun game that we like to play and it is
called rank these five things without knowing what comes next.
(35:38):
The category for today is going to be Zen Flavors.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
Praise God. I love that, dude. Did you see that?
I think you commented on it. I did. There's a
picture of Zen holder and uh, like when I got
engaged my my buddy's like I got a gift for you.
I was like what is it? And it was like
this dip holder and so I put it on that
(36:03):
night of the engagement. It was like it's like leather,
like Dip told her I put my sin and then
I was like fired up, Like phenomenal gift. I don't
think i've worn it since, but like, yeah, still a
phenomenal gift, like that's just something you need to have, right, Yeah,
And so the way I forgot, I didn't like recognize
that that was in the picture, but I post I
love that because I was like, people think I'm legit
(36:25):
just out he like a holster for my zin, Like
I take it that. Yeah, that's seriously, which you know
sometimes you do.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
Right, I mean it's when you have a leather it's
in older like a different level.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
That's something I'm glad.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
I'm glad to hear it was for the fleck and
maybe not a regular thing. With that being said, right,
these five things without knowing what comes next. Category is
in flavors. First is winter green M three three? Okay,
uh cinnamon?
Speaker 1 (36:55):
Uh five?
Speaker 2 (36:57):
You're not a cinnamon guy.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
No, I mean I'll do them all, but that's five.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Yeah, okay, what I mean clearly a bottomshelf player. What
about peppermint?
Speaker 1 (37:06):
I've never had that. You never have peppermint? It would
have been four. I think I've had it. There's winter
green peppermint is that we're talking about? Yeah? Yeah, okay,
then that's two.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Sorry, I'm well, there's peppermint, and then there's also cool
Mint two separate. Yeah, you're so Peppermint? Is it the
dark blue one? No, that's that's cool.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Okay, then we're going four on Peppermint.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Okay, got it. So we got winter Green at three
centnamon F five, Peppermint A four. Now we're jumping to
the Blue cool Man.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
Yeah, we're going to and you better have Citrus on
this list.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
And the number one spot, drum roll please, is Citrus.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Yeah, dude, that is a lock solid, Like that's what
I'm getting.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
City three's or City six and city threes. I've been
sanctified a little bit. I was kind of ripping the
two sixes and I was like, I need to calm down.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
What happened? You were on City six is went to
church a few too many times? Needed to bounce down
to the three.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
I woke up and I was like, I feel terrible,
Like you know, I probably had you know, too much nicotine.
But it is like it's one of those things that like, uh,
after a show, dude, yeah, helpful.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, talk to me about that that last song that
walk off of the stage Kenny's coming in with like it's.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Cramon that that that it's my zen guy, you know,
kran is my best friend from high school. He's Yeah,
he's out on the road with us and I kind
of just kind of bring bring out everything. Like he
played the opry with me and he comes up on
stage for this headlining show and uh plays an acoustic set.
But he's my zaing guy because he rips them. I
mean he rips them.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
I'm glad we clarified that you have a tour manager
and then also a zen manager. I think it's important
that the two times overlap.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
No, I mean that'd be too much. Wait for Jake
to carry. He's he's too young for that. Jake hasn't
even graduated college yet, you know what I mean, So
he doesn't.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
He's still kind of in the apprentice role. Yeah, he doesn't,
like he can't hold that weight.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Yeah, but uh but yeah, you get off stage where
you know, where's my zin, throw a little you know,
city in there, and then play a game of chess.
Really that's my thing. Yeah, you're a chess player, freaking obsessed.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Have you seen it? Did you get into it because
of Queen's gamut?
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Or I haven't seen it. I haven't seen it. I
was I was somewhere and someone taught me how to play.
This was probably back in September, and from that moment
on it just became like my lifeline. So I probably
I mean, I play every day, like on my phone,
chest dot com.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
So it's just say, you get your touches on chests
dot com. Yeah you do drills?
Speaker 1 (39:35):
Are you doing that? I'm just I'm straight ten minute boys.
If anybody wants to play me, just like hit them
in the comments, like.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Yeah, could is it possible? Can we put Connor's chest
dot com handle here real quick?
Speaker 1 (39:47):
I mean it's Connor Smith thirteen shout out episode thirteen,
But uh yeah, hit me up. Me and my roommate
play every day and we'll play on the road a
good bit. So that's kind of my like my mind
off the show. There's such a dopeamine rush of the show.
Throw a little nick in there, right, calm down, play
game of chest.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
That's a really that's a healthy wind own. I love
that well. I appreciate you for playing rank these things
without the next We do have one other segment from
our boys over at Area Let's go. They got some
great apparel. We got This sweatshirt definitely has not been
worn or used by me. It's up for grabs for you, Connor.
But it's very simple, all right, rapid fire questions. We're
(40:30):
gonna put sixty seconds on the clock. We're gonna see
how you do. Some people have gotten to this point
of the podcast and persevered. Others have gotten to this
point and they've gotten up and left the podcast.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
So this is rapid fire. Rapid fire. Yep.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
Do you need a minute to mentally prepare yourself? Or
do you feel good? We're in the pot right now,
feeling good?
Speaker 1 (40:49):
All right?
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Rapid fire question sixty second Matt, wind that puppy up
and let's go dream collaboration, Eric Church, what was the
last thing you bought on the internet?
Speaker 1 (41:00):
A chess clock?
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Should sleeping with socks be illegal?
Speaker 1 (41:04):
No?
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Wow? Okay? Ice coffee or hawk coffee?
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Hot coffee?
Speaker 2 (41:08):
What's a hidden talent people don't know about you?
Speaker 1 (41:11):
I'm really good at Madden Madden Football. Okay, there we go.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
We're gonna play funniest comedian out there right now, neighbor Gazzi?
Speaker 1 (41:19):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Did Bush do nine to eleven?
Speaker 1 (41:21):
No?
Speaker 2 (41:22):
And what's the sexiest animal?
Speaker 1 (41:25):
A jaguar? Well? Jack? Why that's a night? Was not
just off the tone? Baby?
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yeah, do you think that fart jokes are still funny?
Speaker 1 (41:32):
No?
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Interesting? And what's the worst genre of music?
Speaker 1 (41:39):
Like the type of rap where like they're just not
even saying words. It was just like.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
Showing showing.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
Yeah, that's track thirteen on Connor's new album, Right the
Looks Babe? Yeah. What's the weirdest food combination that you've enjoyed? Oh?
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Gosh, I enjoyed Golly. I don't know. I'm just like
I love cucumbers on anything, so like just put cucumbers
on anything. Cucumber is my favorite food and like that's
kind of weird. So I can Connor the cucumber Man.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
That is weird. What's your go to karaoke song?
Speaker 1 (42:08):
Um? Hmmm my girl Temptations? Okay not Dylan Scott two
different songs? Good to know?
Speaker 2 (42:16):
Yeah, name a woman? Uh just any woman in armis awesome?
Moving along. What's the dumbest sport?
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Regular season basketball?
Speaker 2 (42:28):
I agree, it's way too long? It should just be
the playoffs? Dream venue to play Bridgestone Bridgestone? And last questions,
are condoms really necessary?
Speaker 1 (42:40):
I'm getting married in three months.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
And that's all the time that we have on Rapid
Fire clashes for Zetevi Area. That was very good. Connor,
we got the bonus in there too.
Speaker 1 (42:49):
I love that. I love that well.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Man, I do appreciate you for coming in. I want
to talk. Uh, we got this album that's dropping. And
then plans for the tour. What's what's spring and summer
looking like for you?
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Man? We yeah, I mean we're gonna be We're gonna
be hustling this album comes out. I think we go
to like New York, l A, Europe, Canada, so it's
just gonna be madness for a little bit. And then
I made a joke with with my roommate the other
day because he's like my best friend in my life
and we we finally got to live together this year,
(43:25):
and I think I've I've slept consecutively at our house
three nights in a row the whole time I've been there,
just traveling so much. So we're gonna be really busy.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
Are you guys doing sprinter Vans or Bosses.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
We're getting the bus in January, so we're we're h Yeah.
I mean that just will put a smile on your face.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
I was gonna say, there's nothing like h.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Like that, Like when you just close your eyes and
think about that for a second. You just makes you smile.
So we're doing that and then wrapping up this Critical
Rise tour. You know, we got three more weekends headline
show Nashville, Brooke and Bowl on the night of the
album release or the day of the album release, and so, uh,
(44:08):
that'll be awesome. You'll get your tickets to that one
and it'll be crazy. And then this summer we're just
kind of ripping it out there and doing all the
fairies and festivals and it's gonna be a lot of fun.
So it's gonna be really good us It's can be
really busy, and yeah, man, I'm just firedough for people
to hear this this album. I haven't gotten to put
out yeah this much music ever and definitely haven't haven't
(44:29):
felt like, you know, music has been coming out in
a while. So it's gonna be really sweet.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
That's awesome. Well, Connor's album comes out Friday, the twenty sixth.
It is an awesome album called Smoking Mountains. He's gonna
be on tour. I can't wait to check out. Your
live shows are phenomenal. You know, I know that you
talk a lot about songwriting and how much songwriting means
to you, but also how much performing means to you
because your your live shows are barren regardless of whether
(44:56):
the mic flip works or not. But that but you know,
but I appreciate that. But yeah, man, and dude, it's awesome.
Just one of the things that I tell this to
every guest I have on the podcast. But I love
doing these because it's a chance to hang out with
friends and people that I haven't seen in a while,
people that I really support and care about. And I'm
just so pumped for the you and this year and
(45:18):
all the success that's going to come your way. Man,
So thank you, so thanks again for being on.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
We'll do it again, baby, just let me know. You know,
we finally got to make it happen. For sure, it
makes sense, so let's just do it again.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
No sounds great, guys, Thank you, Connor Smith. Once again,
We'll see y'll next week.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
See you go.
I played a show a few weeks ago. I was
up in Virginia somewhere. I was like, it's gonna be
a good show. And I got there. It's awful, and
they wouldn't They did not care about anything. And so
finally I was just on stage and I just go,
we got any Morgan Walla fans? They all yet, I go,
I go, what that don't matter. I just want to
hear y'all yell tonight.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
All right, guys, I hope you're ready for a new episode,
because we are back, bigger than ever in twenty twenty four.
And I am pumped to have this next guy on
the podcast. I am lucky to call him a friend,
and I've got to watch his career take off the
past couple of years. At just twenty three years old,
he's proven to be a veteran in the Nashville songwriting
community as well as one of the most highly anticipated artists.
(00:54):
I listened down to his album Smoky Mountains, which releases
this Friday, January twenty six, and let me tell you,
top top to bottom, this thing is a masterpiece. It
has take it slow, I hate Alabama and Creak Will
Rise my favorite song, which we're gonna get into and
it's a twelve song project that's just guaranteed to put
them on the map. So here's the deal. We're gonna
(01:15):
sit down and talk a little bit about this. We're
gonna talk about his tour last year, all the new plans,
and I am so pumped to welcome the one and
only mister Connor Smith.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
That was really kind, man, I appreciate it. It's cool. I
was just thinking about as you were talking, the variations
of our friendship. I think we met three years ago.
I didn't have songs that I think you just started
six point five house. Yeah, and we went on a
camping trip. I do remember cold cold, man, it was
so cold. I woke up we were gonna I woke
up in the ten or vand or wherever it was,
(01:44):
and like was like it was one of those cold
where like there's nothing to fix it either, Like your
whole body is purely just like frozen, and there's no
way to remedy that either way to start there to
see over the last three years, the evolutions of our
lifespan in Nashville. It's it's it's special to to be
here today. So excited to be on the podcast.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Yeah, man, it's it's great to have you. I do
want to share one quick story about that. I remember
when it was you, your brother and other artists Roman, Alexander,
and myself. I remember we were still all getting to
know each other, so I felt like nobody wanted to
be like, hey, guys, it's a little.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Cold, like we should go, and we're all trying tough
it out.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
We're trying to tough it out of like you know,
I'm a man, man it up, and it's like thirty
degrees at you know, Fall Creek Falls outside of Dashville,
and we're all just like shivering in her sleeping bags.
But that might have been that might have been the
low point of everything.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
That's well, I do think we both proved something to
each other in that moment. Yeah you know what I
mean that we were on tough it out. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
I definitely felt like we linked arms together.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Oh yeah, dude, Well it's been it's been crazy to watch, uh,
watch your career take off since those freezing days. Yeah,
on that camping trip, I think you had a massive
twenty twenty three and even a bigger twenty twenty four
to come. What what are you most excited about for
this upcoming year.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Oh man, so much like I feel this industry is
a wild one and I feel like I'm stepping this
year kind of control my career for the first time,
maybe you know. I put out an EP back in
started twenty twenty two and had some success with it
with I Hit Alabama and Take It Slow and some
of those songs. But yeah, that really helped me kind
(03:24):
of get going and build some fans and play some shows.
And since then, I've put up three songs. Yeah, and
which is a sobering reality that in the past, you know,
two years and put out three songs. I think that's
the math and so understanding that and just recognizing what
we've got this year with an album finally coming out.
And this album really kind of shows the different layers
(03:46):
of who I am as an artist and a songwriter,
mainly yeah, and the and then the plan even after
that just to keep firing and and building layers. This thing.
I'm really excited about that. I just love. I love
I get to do this. I love to write songs
and get to tell stories, and I think I'm finally
getting to like really kind of say what I want
to say. On this record, so it'll be fun. It'll
(04:07):
be really exhausting too. It's gonna be a crazy year.
I get married in April as well, so it's like
all of it at once. But it'll be amazing. Man.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Congratulations. I did see I saw that video of a
song that you had her fiance. They came out I
think a couple of days after you proposed, which is
just it was amazing to see that all come to fruition.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I wrote that I back pocketed it. I was like,
you can't hear this until later, So yeah, I was.
I was talking to a songwriters with Chase McGill, Parker
Wellings and and I think Mark Trussell or Casey Brown,
I think it was and uh, and I was talking
about about to get a ring and they're like what ring.
Was like, I'm gonna get a grandma's ring and they're like, oh,
(04:47):
we're gonna write that today, and so kind of fell
out the sky.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Yeah, that's awesome, man. Well, it's it's gonna be a
big year.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
I had.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
I think you said something interesting how you've only put
out three songs in the past two years, which I
think we're in like we're in a high volume. Yeah,
market right where a lot of people are putting out
of music. But at the same time, I feel like,
you know, creativity, you can't rush, and I feel like
what you've done a great job is you've really put
out music that I think is meaningful to you. It's quality,
(05:14):
it's meaningful to you know, your fan base, what you've built.
It seems like this album has been in the works
for several years and it's just finally now at a
point where you know, you feel like you have the
full the full package, ready to go.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah. I mean, I think it takes time to figure
out what you want to say and do it well.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
I think anybody can can kind of rush rush the process,
and there were times that I wanted to, but I
think at the end of the day, you got to
have something different. And I think the early music was
good and it really spoke to where I was at
in life. I also think in that time period from
when we put it out to where I'm at now,
I just grew up so much and so so much
(05:50):
of it was evolving so quickly, and so I think
I was trying to get the music to evolve with it.
I think Crequel Rise was kind of the the tone
setter for where we were going. Record kind of follows
that suit on what that song is and just kind
of growing it up. But yeah, I mean, I'm just
proud of the songs we got. It was a long
process and definitely a lot of days that were just
(06:13):
you know, kind of annoying as an artist trying to
get things move in. But sure, you know, now we
got a song top fifteen on country radio.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Now, man, the Crequeal Rise and keeps rising on radio. Yeah,
I get up.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
I always like the joke. I'm like, you know, I
put take It Slow out to radio. It died at fifty,
so it took it slow, and then Crequel Rise keeps rising.
So my songs follow suit, and so I respect them
for doing that.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Man.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Well we have we got a bunch of talk about
I want I want to get into the think of
it with this this album and and kind of the
past couple of years with you. But first things first,
I think your songs are okay. I think uh, I
think your artistry is okay. But what I think I'm
I'm most impressive about Connor is he has this this
(06:56):
mic flip, this ability It's a mic flip that is
just second to none, and I respect that. Here's the deal.
I've always wondered whether you're a fraud or not. So
I got a.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Little bike, so either every show. Every show, it's like
how high and how many flips can I get? Right? Yeah,
So I mean I've gone pretty high. I've dropped it
twice in my career, which is like a deeply embarrassing thing.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I was gonna say, do you remember the drops that
you've had?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Yeah, Like, because when they drop I'm talking, they like
go into the crowd and so then like the crowd's
just looking for my mic and I'm just sitting there like, man,
I really try to be too cool today. And then
I'm looking back, you know, my brothers probably videoing me,
and I'm looking back and he's just like about to
roast me. And so it happens. But like there's been
(07:40):
some impressive ones that have gone really high. It's like
dark on stage obviously, and I'm trying to like track
it down and get it. The thing I've learned is
like the best time to do it is when when
I'm singing a song and then I give the fan
the mic to sing so if the fans singing it
and then when I take it back, I flip it back.
(08:01):
So if I'm right here and I flip it back,
yeah they love it. That's awesome. So that's been kind
of the key trick. But we'll see how h I
can get it. Like I think the key to the
height thing is slow rotation.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Yeah, do you have you do you have a physics
equation for this? Shocked up? Or is it mostly dude?
Speaker 1 (08:16):
I failed match twice, Like there was no chance for
me in physics. So this is just kind of all
feel all kind of.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
You know, natural out, you know what I mean. Yeah,
well let's let's let's see.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Oh wow, so you see what I'm saying, Like you
can go high or if you go slower rotation, because
if I'm that's a lot harder.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Yeah, but if you go, oh wow, shoot, there's there,
there's the drop and that's the drop drop, you know
what I mean?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Oh wow, So that's kind of the that's kind of
the key. And yeah, it is something I think is
when you're on stage. You know, I think every art
has like their six like back pocket tricks they that
they pull out, and uh, that's that's become a staple
for me.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
It's awesome, man. I just I can't imagine in the
thrill of throwing a mic a slightly too high and
having a thousand people looking at you and like you
cannot drop that.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Sucker, and then when you do, it's just like okay, yeah,
And that's that's that's why we which I think is important.
I think everybody needs to be humbled every now and then. Sure,
and so I think when you share that intimate moment,
you know, with an arena of people looking at you,
just go yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Yeah, I totally understood. Well man, you uh, I want
to talk a little bit about college football. Did you
see I assume you watched the game last week?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yeah? I did. Ago it was a tricky game for me. Yeah,
how so, well, because I bet on Bama plus two
and a half and then I bet on the under
at fifty forty seven and a half, which but then
as the game was going on, I realized how much
I wanted Michigan to win. So there's a lot of
conflicting emotions. And then I had both the bets on
(09:52):
lock with Bama and the under, and then it goes
into overtime and then I'm like, I might lose both
these bets end up hitting the under because it was
a forty seven, so I about half point. Oh wow,
and Michigan one, so I broke even Michigan one. Bama lost.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Hate Alabama, damn you make your money and uh and
you watch the Crimson Tide.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
So it was a tricky game. But yeah, I was
watching it and I was like, what what really turned
it around for me? Because I was kind of cheering
for Bama, Believe it or not. I'm just an SEC
guy and I do love Nick Saban, which I probably
shouldn't admit, but I was looking at Hardball, who's definitely
probably going to the Pros next year. I was like,
(10:31):
you know how bad he wants this, like this would
probably be the worst loss of his entire life. And
I was like, man, I just kind of want him
to have this moment.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
And so that was crazy, crazy finish though it was
wild and the and even the Washington Texas game is nice.
I mean it's it's you know.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
It was.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
College football is at it at an all time high.
And speaking of which, I want to I want to
jump into a little game and this is a would
you rather pretty simple I'm just gonna hit you with
a couple of questions, and the first would you rather
is would you rather be the worst player on the
Tennessee Volunteers or win a Heisman? But you have to
(11:08):
play for Alabama?
Speaker 1 (11:11):
I mean that's just I'm barely's been rocking a hard
place there, you know what I mean? But uh on it,
I mean I'd rather win the Heisman.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yeah, but like then, but then, but then that song
holds no merit, right.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Yeah, but like then it might be like ironic in
a beautiful way.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I don't know, man, I think, uh no, man, I'm
not playing for Bama. I'll look at that. He's making
me the punt over Tennessee. Baby's.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Well, we'll stick to that.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
That's a good question, though. I respect that. I'll give you.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
I'll give you one that that maybe hits hits home
a little more. Would you rather have to play one
entire quarter as the offensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans?
Or would you rather have to play one period for
the Nashville Predators skating offensive line?
Speaker 1 (11:54):
And I'm not you know, I like five ten, five eleven.
So it's just like there's no like meat on these
moms to be an offensive lineman, but like just my
skating ability versus my my walking ability. Yeah, pretty severe.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
So there's there's just some logic in the answer. Hey,
would you uh, would you rather have to wear the
same socks for a month or the same underwear for
a week?
Speaker 1 (12:21):
Underwear? Wow? Yeah, I mean a week figured out?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yeah, someone tells me you've done that before. That was
a very casual answer. No, too casual.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
I mean I'm back to back, Like these are the
second days I've worn these socks, so it's like I'm
at the peak on these things. But like I just
feel like I can cover one of those a lot better, gotcha.
But like it's like I can keep my pants on. Yeah,
I might take my shoes off somewhere, and like I
don't want to get.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Reckless understood, We'll call them clean feet.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Connor bres Go.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Hey, would you rather sip whiskey with Matt McConaughey or
shoot tequila with Dwayne the Rock Johnson?
Speaker 1 (12:58):
Yeah, I mean that's an easy whiskey for when I
like whiskey, buttering for two, like Matthew would be kind
of top five top five hang for me. I just
think that there's some charisma there that's impressive.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Yeah, he's a dude, unbelievable. One of my favorite actors.
I mean too, But I.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Don't know, Man, I watched The Rock on Joe Rogan
the other day. He's just so polished. Yeah, like there's
there's just no like grit. Yeah, which I'm saying that
about like probably the strongest guy.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I was going to say, watch watch what you're saying, man.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
But I mean, I'm just standing by it, like he's
not going to see this, and if he does, I
said what I said, But Matthew's got some grit in
his book. You read Matthew's.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Book green Light, Yeah, I have not. I haven't read it,
but I've heard about it.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Yeah, it's a mustard. It's like one of those books
even if you hate reading, you love it. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
What was it? What was the biggest takeaway from Man?
Speaker 1 (13:49):
I just think I think he had such an approach
on creativity that's that's unique and he's such an odd ball,
but he does it in such a kind of likable way.
And so I mean, just thinking about I think he's
had a good, good grasp on like humility too. And
I think for a dude, like that, that's an impressive thing.
(14:10):
I mean, he just talks about like, you know, he
was a movie star and he literally like went and
he was single and went and lived in like a
trailer park just to kind of like humble sell himself
and like refine himself sort of sort of stuff. And
so he just got a wild story. His parents like
got married and divorced like three times, you know what
I mean. So and then he just like quit everything
to become an actor and just kind of went all in.
(14:33):
And like I said, there's just some charisma there that
I respect.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Hell yeah, that's awesome. What we got a shout out
to to old Matt Come come sip some whiskey with
with Connor. Last last, would you rather hear?
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Is?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
I know how much that you love to to tour live.
It's one of your one of your biggest strengths in
my opinion. Would you rather only be able to play
one show a year but you could play your original music?
Or you could play as many shows as you want,
but you'd only be a Ellen Marlow cover band.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I mean, I'm dude, I'd rather play no shows. Look
at that. No, I was gonna say, do as many
shows with the cover band. When you were doing in there,
It's like, yeah, it's one. He's just saying so dang high.
I'm like, I can't hit his falsetto, Like.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Yeah, it's kind of crazy his girl voice.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
I just can't.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Yeah, is he ever gonna hit puberty?
Speaker 1 (15:24):
That's what I'm saying. It's like, dude, you got a
fake mustache and can't even you know, but that's another
topic understood.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yeah, definitely, definitely. Well, hey, we're gonna be right back
here on podcast with Codnor Smith in studio. What's up, guys,
We're back Connor Smith in the house. He has an
album coming out this Friday, Smoky Mountains. I have gotten
a chance to listen to this thing, and it is fantastic.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
What was your highlights?
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Well, I actually think that I want to talk about this,
but Roulette on my Heart. I think that is on
the heart, right, I think that is maybe the best
song I've heard from you. And there's a lot of
good songs, but and you've been teasing it slowly online.
But I listened to that thing and I was, you know,
(16:11):
I was just alone jamming in my kitchen last night.
It was a little it was a little emotional aside
from Chris here, but I just heard that thing and man,
I was I got emotional. I was damn thank you man.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
That means a lot. Man, I just like that's part
of the one of those things we talked about the
time it takes to craft who you are as an
artist and as a songwriter. That was one of the
songs that like, when that song came, it just goes,
that's it, right, Like, that's that's the heart behind who
I want to be as a songwriter. And so I
wrote that song, Jesse, Alexander, Chase McGill, Mark Trussell, and.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
And hey, is that is Haley Witters? Yeah, okay, I
don't know if that was, if that's prop or not,
but man, her voice is special on it too. Why
did you choose Haley to collect?
Speaker 1 (16:57):
So we wrote the song and it just had to
It had a different thing to it. It was it
felt elevated, I think, and honestly I agree that it's
I think it's going to be the biggest song I've
put out yet, if I can mark my words. But
when we heard it, I felt like we all kind
of felt like there would be a really cool tension
(17:18):
to it if you could add a girl girl's vocal
And I say this genuinely, were the first. The first
person that came to mind was Haley. I love Haley,
I love her artistry, I love who she's a person.
We played a ton of radio shows together and have
become friends, and so we asked her and she said yes,
And I don't know, man, It's just like when when
her voice got on it, there was that that level
of emotion that added to it of the story of
(17:40):
this back and forth. And yeah, that was an idea
I had of Roulette on the heart and just kind
of the back and forth and knowing that you know,
sometimes you're with a girl and you know that at
any point you're you're you're gonna be screwed and uh.
And so that's kind of where it started. But when
that song kind of came into the room, I wrote
that song and how It Looks from Here, which which
(18:02):
was one of the last songs we put out at
the same day at the same time. So I was
there's two writing rooms writ a writers camp, so I
was writing how It Looks in one room and Roulette
and the other. And so when we brought that in
the room, Jesse and Chase, they kind of brought it
to life and in that kind of tone of it
and lyrically, it just holds up for me. And just
every every line I think matters, which is kind of
(18:24):
my test of a song, Like every line says something new,
it tells the story, and I think I think with
where country music is right now too, I think it's
a really cool, a cool uh kind of taste of
that in my way, that's that's still very genuine to me.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Yeah, that's that's awesome, man, It's it's one of my favorites.
But I mean the whole whole album, top to top
to bottom, is fantastic. And you're quite the multitasker in songwriting.
If you're able to go in one room and write
a song and then go to the other finish another one.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
I found that's like that's my sweet spot because you know, man,
like more than anything. Live show is great, I love it,
but like writing a song is all I care about,
Like that is the heart behind it. When I sit
in a room and I write a song with someone,
I feel I feel the most like exactly who I
was made to be sort of thing, like it's one
of those purpose things. And so I've found that with
(19:17):
how busy the schedule is, how much my mind is
all over the place. When you give me a week
and just go, hey, you're gonna write four songs a day,
but you're gonna knock it out in five days, there's
gonna be two rooms at all times. Like that's where
half of my songs come from. I think probably half
of the record came from retreats.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
That's amazing to hear.
Speaker 1 (19:35):
Man.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I love that you care so much about the craft
and songwriting. It's funny. I actually saw a shout out
to your mom. So your mom has an awesome podcast
that while Yea that you were on, and I remember
she was saying that, like even in elementary school, in
middle school, you were writing your own songs and like
singing around the classes. It seems like you've been a
(19:57):
songwriter since like day one.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Yeah, I think my stories like there was a gift
to do something. I think everybody has like natural gifts
and abilities the Lord puts on them. But I also
think that I was in the perfect like environment to
foster that growing up in Nashville, growing up around songwriters.
My mom was interviewing songwriters working at Channel four here
in Nashville. Yeah, and she loved country music too, and
(20:20):
so it's just kind of this wild guid story of
you know, the song God Moments, which wraps out, wraps
out the record. It kind of talks about that stuff
in the second verse of I'm just like man, I
just I felt like I've been really lucky to have
the right opportunities to be around the right people, to
kind of foster a gift that the Lord gave me.
And just since I was six years old, all I
(20:41):
wanted to do was write songs and just tell stories.
And if I could only pick one thing, if I
could give up everything else, just to write songs every day,
that's all I would do because that's just such a
part of who I am, and it's also part of
my heart inside of Nashville. Is like, how can I
be an artist who champions songwriters for above all else?
Like how can I make sure that the songwriter community,
(21:02):
which is the center of the ecosystem right is healthy
and they're they're rightly rewarded Because I think it's it's
it's been wishy washy the last few years. The music
injury has changed so much.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Yeah, do you remember the first song that you ever wrote.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Yeah, the first song I ever wrote was a song
I I like. I had gone to the grand old
Opry how catch him sang a song called sure Love
I came Home. I rewrote through lyrics. But the first
song I remember started to play out. I would go
to like puckets and leapers, fork and and out. Yeah. Yeah,
this was before it was like a thing. And every
(21:38):
Thursday night, me and Coop, my brother, we would we
would go out there were the Smith brothers and we'd
go play one cover and then I played one original song.
It's seven years old. First one I started playing with
a song called small Town, Big dream Boy. Yeah, and
and so that was kind of the anchor of it.
There you go.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Didn't make the record though.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
No, I didn't make the record, but the album two
is cooking.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
So yeah, I love love that. He's already working on
out too.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Hey.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
You mentioned something about how you know you want to
be a champion in the songwriting community, and I think
there's a lot of champions of you as well. One
in particular is Thomas Ratt. You got to play on
the road with him last year. And then you guys
can continue to stay close. What is your relationship with
Thomas Ratt mean to you?
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Oh? Man, it's its massive, I think. I think it's
so many elements. I started young. I saw my first
publishing do when I was sixteen. I started touring when
I was twenty one, twenty maybe, And this is one
of those industries you kind of get thrown into and
just sink or swim. And so to have tr as
(22:45):
the dude who like kind of looked out for me,
it's just kind of a big brother role and just
be a voice that I could look to and see
that if nothing else, like if he did it, I
can do it because he did it the right He's
done it right right, Like he's positioned his career, he's
handled success, he's handled his family the right way. And
(23:06):
and so to see that in the middle of like
me trying to figure out who I wanted to be
or how I wanted to live and knowing that that
was an option. I don't know if I would have
fully known that was an option without him, And so
to have him there and as as just a dude
I could look to is massive. And then on top
of that, to like have him intimately and like some
conversations of just like, man, how did you process this,
(23:27):
how did you deal with this, how did you handle
that pressure, how did you you know, work with the label,
how did you all those different things? It's been really
special and he was just really intentional, man. Like I
remember early on, I was going to play a show
in Athens, Georgia. Were just started like, get some headlining shows.
I hate Alabama just come out. Like there was a
little bit of a momentum started forming. I was about
(23:49):
to play a show, and he just called me one
call me one afternoon. He said, Hey, man, I'm just
checking on you, Like I know what it's like to
like start to play those headlining shows and in those
college talents, and it's you gotta have your head on straight,
and so how you doing. And it's like, man, that's that.
That's life changing, dude.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
That's so cool.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Man.
Speaker 2 (24:10):
That's like so down to earth too. Just him like
him remembering that and looking out for you. I mean,
it really feels like he's like a little brother to
you for sure.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
What I mean, Like I said, like I don't think
I can over overstate like the impact that I'll have
when it's all said and done. Just a little just
a little moments of intentionality from him that where he
was just able to like see me and give me
some wisdom that I would never have without, you know,
someone being intentional. I think every artist needs that. Yeah,
(24:40):
I just like and so I'm just very thankful to
the Lord kind of crossed those paths we met. The
first time we ever met was when I think it
was like early twenty twenty, before the pandemic. There was
a hurricane in East Nashville and or a tornado my
bad and uh and I met him because we were
(25:05):
both out there like cutting up trees, helping clean up,
and that's where we ran into each other for the
first time. We were like, hey, man, we should write
a song or something. He said that, and that's the.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
First time you met Thomas when you guys were helping.
That's wild, dude.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
And so we wrote a song on zoom and then
hung out once after that, and he asked me to
go on tour and I'll forever, you know, be a
be a defining moment in my life.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
Yeah, that's incredible, man. I love to hear that.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Well, that's Nashville for you, right, Like you want to
talk about that, like that's that's what this town is.
Is that you would meet Thomas Rhett, you know, cutting
up trees after a tornado, and then and then you know,
a year later he asked you to go on tour
with him and Park McCollum, and your life is forever changed.
You're like, oh, cool, this is great.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Yeah, dude, that is That is the community in Nashville.
You know, I wasn't gonna ask you, like, I mean,
you've you've seen it because you you've been here for
quite some time. A lot of people are talking about
how much they're building in Nashville and how many people
are moving in the batons on Broadway and all that, Like, Wow,
what do you think of the all the growth of Nashville.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
I mean, I think it needs to chill. I think
I think we're right there where I'm like, all right, guys,
this is great. It's always fun, especially like when it's
your town where it's like when it's the city and
everyone's like, you know, because I do. I take so
much ownership in this town, like this town is my heart.
I love that. Even in country music, Nashville's having its
moment with Jelly Roll, Ernest Chase Matthews, Lauren Watkins, Mitchell
(26:34):
Tenpenny like me, like all these Nashville guys are kind
of coming up, which is fun. Uh and uh, and
so I got to like my heart is so for
for this town, but at the same time, like this
traffic's stupid, and like, like Atlanta, I love you, but
like when I got to drive through Atlanta, go to Atlanta,
like there's dread in my mind and I just see
(26:55):
Nashville is about to be that because it ain't slowing
down anytime soon. I get in probably, I mean why
people are moving here and why people love it so much,
and so it definitely needs to calm down. Like you know,
abou to get married, try to buy a house, and
I'm like, I need a couple more hits.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Yeah, it's a different it's a different beast than what
I kind of grew up with one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
And you're thinking about like if you if you buy
a place fifteen minutes outside of an Ashville, well fifteen
minutes right, that's now that's now forty five to an
hour basically just traffick in the morning. It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Man.
Speaker 2 (27:27):
Hey, I want to talk about one other thing that
you mentioned a little bit, which is, you know, your
faith and your relationship with God, you know, talk to
me a little bit about about that and how that's
kind of played a role in your life.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
I mean, I think it. I think it is everything right,
and uh yeah, I mean I I I'm a strong
believer and just you know, try to follow the way
to Jesus and try to carry that through my life
through my work. And I love I love that I
get to do that in this industry because I think
(28:04):
I think country music has such of that backbone to
it of like family and faith and football sort of thing,
and and that's just so much of who I am
and and uh and and what I try to revolve
my life around in a very imperfect way. And so yeah,
I think as I've gotten older and I've recognized, uh,
(28:24):
you know, what it means to to believe that Jesus
was actually you know, God in flesh. It it's kind
of definitely shaped, uh, the decisions I made or tried
to at least and and and figure out what this
industry is. And I think overall, this industry is such
a self centered, egotistical job where you're building you know,
(28:50):
practically essentially a company around who you are as a
person and your talent, and you've got all these people
about making your dream come true and that's very and
and then you go on stage, right, and you have
a thousand people who paid to come be in the
same room as you. Sure, and then you go on
stage and and and it's like they're cheering for you.
(29:12):
It's just like it's all very counter human, I think
in a lot of ways. And uh, and so I've
just I've just tried to recognize that and go, man,
this is so beautiful and like, this is really cool
and special that I've been given this platform. Uh and
this uh, this opportunity to like do what I love
(29:34):
and make a living and provide for my family and
a kid kids one day and and everything. And I'm
just really grateful for that. And at the same time recognize, like, hey, man,
like what's the point, what's the point of this whole thing?
Like if I'm gonna get out there and you know,
worry about what I'm in control of and worry about
(29:55):
the success of my songs, and you know, because I
can work, I can only work so hard, and I
I try to believe that I've worked harder and as
as hard as I possibly can in every way, but
at the same time so much out of my control.
And so I think having that faith in that backbone,
and I mean I could sit here and tell you
ten stories over the last three years of my career
(30:15):
where you see that and you go, oh, that's only God.
And so when I've seen him show up time and
time again, it's so much bigger than just kind of
this this mystical faith that I grew up in. But
it's really like, oh, man, I've God is the type
of guy that wants to be in the day to
day and like show himself and he's done some pretty
(30:35):
crazy things.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
Yeah that man, you said that so beautifully. I think
the one thing that stood out to me is we
were eve been talking beforehand. But it's such a contrast
when everything about your career is centered around you, like
it is, like you even told me before, and like, man,
I gotta man, I gotta sit with Chris and talk
for half an hour to an hour about me, and
it's like it's like, yes, you're building a brand all
(30:57):
around you and the spotlight is always on you. But
at the same time, like the gift of music is
to be shared with everyone. You're providing for your family,
and that ability, you know, to project yourself is really
also helping the community.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
And that's where it's like, Okay, cool, I got this
now practically what I do. And that's where I'm like, well,
I want to I want to. I want to care
about the songwriters in Nashville. I want to. I want
to evolve, you know, the health of the songwriter community
in Nashville as an artist. Okay, that's one thing I
think about the guys around me. You know. You know
Jake Kenny, my tour manager.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Oh, I know Jake.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
It's like that's one of my best friends growing up.
He's just like just one of those Prodigy sort of
music guys and reminds me of you and just kind
of a hustler sort of mindset. And it's like, dude,
I get to have him out and we get to
like chase this stream together. I got to bandon guys.
I freaking love that. It's like, hey, dude, what's your
biggest dream? Like even outside of me, outside of like,
(31:52):
it's like, let's I want to help you get there.
And so I try to lead from that perspective and
and that makes everything way way more fun and way
less stressful. Yeah, because then it's just like I'm I'm
judging my whole life of what other people think of me.
And when you get in that mindset, man, you're just
you're stuck in the comparison game where it's never going
to be enough.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Right. Well, I love one thing I compliment you too,
is you surrounded yourself with a group of guys that
are so fun to be around. I've gotten to meet
your band, I've gotten to meet your tour manager, Jake Kenny,
who's the man I do? I do want to talk
about it. I think it's important that the truth comes
out now. Jake Kenny did star in a Dylan Marlin
(32:34):
music VI. He did, and I want to know what.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
Is the beast between you and Dylan Marlow Dude, that's
that is Yeah, that was hard to swallow for me.
But at the end of the day, I get it, like,
you got to take opportunities, and I think Jake, you know,
rashly jumped into that opportunity, and.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Yeah, do you feel like that franchise is maybe not
as established or qualified as your franchise?
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Well, I think I think it. At the end of
the day, like, I think you look at the intentions
of Dylan there, it speaks a lot to his heart.
He first wanted to ask my my roommate, who is
McKenzie Carpenter's fiance or I guess husband, So my old roommate,
and he was going to ask ask him, and then
(33:20):
decided on on Jake and so.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Kind of a bench player.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Like well, second, I think at the end of the day,
you just see Dylan was fishing in my pond, right, Na.
But Dylan is like, Dylan's like one of my best friends,
and uh, just like love him. And I think in
this industry, it's a it's a unique thing to find
friendships that don't revolve around comparison and and hold ounces
(33:46):
of jealousy if we're all honest with ourselves and and
Dylan is just one of those dudes that just we
both just like care about each other and like there's no, no,
none of that comparison and uh, and he's such a
good dude too that like we're able just to like
get on the phone after a long weekend and just
be like, dude, that weekend sucked, Like I played this
(34:08):
show up in blah blah blah, and it was you know,
nobody cared like I could. Yeah, I played. I played
a show a few weeks ago. I was up in
Virginia somewhere, and I was like, it's gonna be a
good show, and I got there's awful, and they wouldn't.
They did not care about anything. And so finally I
was just on stage and I just go, we got
any Morgan Walla fans. They all yelled. I go, I go,
(34:30):
what that don't matter. I just want to hear y'all
yell tonight. So you know, I'm able to call Dylan,
We're able to laugh about that stuff. And and then
on the on the back side, it's it's just fun
to like kind of create a beef and act like
we hate each other.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Oh for sure. Yeah, for those that don't know, Dylan
Marlow is an awesome artist. I really think that. You know,
Connor and Dylan are both and two of the next stars.
And I'm glad that you guys like have locked arms.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
We're playing. We're playing like down the road just to
do like a Battle of Bands tour. We're gonna build
this thing up. Yeah, but it's been fun. There's an
Instagram account mate called uh Connor and Connor and Dylan
Beef and they just kind of track anything anything that
goes wrong between us. But he's a good dude, man. Yeah,
(35:15):
he's got it. He's got a good heart on him.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
That's awesome, man. But we got just a few more
things we got to talk about. Connor Smith in the studio.
We're going to be right back here on six one
five hours podcast. What's up, guys. We're back on the
podcast Connor Smith in the studio and we have a
fun game that we like to play and it is
called rank these five things without knowing what comes next.
(35:38):
The category for today is going to be Zen Flavors.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
Praise God. I love that, dude. Did you see that?
I think you commented on it. I did. There's a
picture of Zen holder and uh, like when I got
engaged my my buddy's like I got a gift for you.
I was like what is it? And it was like
this dip holder and so I put it on that
(36:03):
night of the engagement. It was like it's like leather,
like Dip told her I put my sin and then
I was like fired up, Like phenomenal gift. I don't
think i've worn it since, but like, yeah, still a
phenomenal gift, like that's just something you need to have, right, Yeah,
And so the way I forgot, I didn't like recognize
that that was in the picture, but I post I
love that because I was like, people think I'm legit
(36:25):
just out he like a holster for my zin, Like
I take it that. Yeah, that's seriously, which you know
sometimes you do.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
Right, I mean it's when you have a leather it's
in older like a different level.
Speaker 1 (36:37):
That's something I'm glad.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
I'm glad to hear it was for the fleck and
maybe not a regular thing. With that being said, right,
these five things without knowing what comes next. Category is
in flavors. First is winter green M three three? Okay,
uh cinnamon?
Speaker 1 (36:55):
Uh five?
Speaker 2 (36:57):
You're not a cinnamon guy.
Speaker 1 (36:58):
No, I mean I'll do them all, but that's five.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Yeah, okay, what I mean clearly a bottomshelf player. What
about peppermint?
Speaker 1 (37:06):
I've never had that. You never have peppermint? It would
have been four. I think I've had it. There's winter
green peppermint is that we're talking about? Yeah? Yeah, okay,
then that's two.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Sorry, I'm well, there's peppermint, and then there's also cool
Mint two separate. Yeah, you're so Peppermint? Is it the
dark blue one? No, that's that's cool.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
Okay, then we're going four on Peppermint.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Okay, got it. So we got winter Green at three
centnamon F five, Peppermint A four. Now we're jumping to
the Blue cool Man.
Speaker 1 (37:33):
Yeah, we're going to and you better have Citrus on
this list.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
And the number one spot, drum roll please, is Citrus.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Yeah, dude, that is a lock solid, Like that's what
I'm getting.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
City three's or City six and city threes. I've been
sanctified a little bit. I was kind of ripping the
two sixes and I was like, I need to calm down.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
What happened? You were on City six is went to
church a few too many times? Needed to bounce down
to the three.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
I woke up and I was like, I feel terrible,
Like you know, I probably had you know, too much nicotine.
But it is like it's one of those things that like, uh,
after a show, dude, yeah, helpful.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, talk to me about that that last song that
walk off of the stage Kenny's coming in with like it's.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Cramon that that that it's my zen guy, you know,
kran is my best friend from high school. He's Yeah,
he's out on the road with us and I kind
of just kind of bring bring out everything. Like he
played the opry with me and he comes up on
stage for this headlining show and uh plays an acoustic set.
But he's my zaing guy because he rips them. I
mean he rips them.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
I'm glad we clarified that you have a tour manager
and then also a zen manager. I think it's important
that the two times overlap.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
No, I mean that'd be too much. Wait for Jake
to carry. He's he's too young for that. Jake hasn't
even graduated college yet, you know what I mean, So
he doesn't.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
He's still kind of in the apprentice role. Yeah, he doesn't,
like he can't hold that weight.
Speaker 1 (38:56):
Yeah, but uh but yeah, you get off stage where
you know, where's my zin, throw a little you know,
city in there, and then play a game of chess.
Really that's my thing. Yeah, you're a chess player, freaking obsessed.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Have you seen it? Did you get into it because
of Queen's gamut?
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Or I haven't seen it. I haven't seen it. I
was I was somewhere and someone taught me how to play.
This was probably back in September, and from that moment
on it just became like my lifeline. So I probably
I mean, I play every day, like on my phone,
chest dot com.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
So it's just say, you get your touches on chests
dot com. Yeah you do drills?
Speaker 1 (39:35):
Are you doing that? I'm just I'm straight ten minute boys.
If anybody wants to play me, just like hit them
in the comments, like.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Yeah, could is it possible? Can we put Connor's chest
dot com handle here real quick?
Speaker 1 (39:47):
I mean it's Connor Smith thirteen shout out episode thirteen,
But uh yeah, hit me up. Me and my roommate
play every day and we'll play on the road a
good bit. So that's kind of my like my mind
off the show. There's such a dopeamine rush of the show.
Throw a little nick in there, right, calm down, play
game of chest.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
That's a really that's a healthy wind own. I love
that well. I appreciate you for playing rank these things
without the next We do have one other segment from
our boys over at Area Let's go. They got some
great apparel. We got This sweatshirt definitely has not been
worn or used by me. It's up for grabs for you, Connor.
But it's very simple, all right, rapid fire questions. We're
(40:30):
gonna put sixty seconds on the clock. We're gonna see
how you do. Some people have gotten to this point
of the podcast and persevered. Others have gotten to this
point and they've gotten up and left the podcast.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
So this is rapid fire. Rapid fire. Yep.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
Do you need a minute to mentally prepare yourself? Or
do you feel good? We're in the pot right now,
feeling good?
Speaker 1 (40:49):
All right?
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Rapid fire question sixty second Matt, wind that puppy up
and let's go dream collaboration, Eric Church, what was the
last thing you bought on the internet?
Speaker 1 (41:00):
A chess clock?
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Should sleeping with socks be illegal?
Speaker 1 (41:04):
No?
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Wow? Okay? Ice coffee or hawk coffee?
Speaker 1 (41:07):
Hot coffee?
Speaker 2 (41:08):
What's a hidden talent people don't know about you?
Speaker 1 (41:11):
I'm really good at Madden Madden Football. Okay, there we go.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
We're gonna play funniest comedian out there right now, neighbor Gazzi?
Speaker 1 (41:19):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Did Bush do nine to eleven?
Speaker 1 (41:21):
No?
Speaker 2 (41:22):
And what's the sexiest animal?
Speaker 1 (41:25):
A jaguar? Well? Jack? Why that's a night? Was not
just off the tone? Baby?
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yeah, do you think that fart jokes are still funny?
Speaker 1 (41:32):
No?
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Interesting? And what's the worst genre of music?
Speaker 1 (41:39):
Like the type of rap where like they're just not
even saying words. It was just like.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
Showing showing.
Speaker 1 (41:45):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
Yeah, that's track thirteen on Connor's new album, Right the
Looks Babe? Yeah. What's the weirdest food combination that you've enjoyed? Oh?
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Gosh, I enjoyed Golly. I don't know. I'm just like
I love cucumbers on anything, so like just put cucumbers
on anything. Cucumber is my favorite food and like that's
kind of weird. So I can Connor the cucumber Man.
Speaker 2 (42:05):
That is weird. What's your go to karaoke song?
Speaker 1 (42:08):
Um? Hmmm my girl Temptations? Okay not Dylan Scott two
different songs? Good to know?
Speaker 2 (42:16):
Yeah, name a woman? Uh just any woman in armis awesome?
Moving along. What's the dumbest sport?
Speaker 1 (42:26):
Regular season basketball?
Speaker 2 (42:28):
I agree, it's way too long? It should just be
the playoffs? Dream venue to play Bridgestone Bridgestone? And last questions,
are condoms really necessary?
Speaker 1 (42:40):
I'm getting married in three months.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
And that's all the time that we have on Rapid
Fire clashes for Zetevi Area. That was very good. Connor,
we got the bonus in there too.
Speaker 1 (42:49):
I love that. I love that well.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Man, I do appreciate you for coming in. I want
to talk. Uh, we got this album that's dropping. And
then plans for the tour. What's what's spring and summer
looking like for you?
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Man? We yeah, I mean we're gonna be We're gonna
be hustling this album comes out. I think we go
to like New York, l A, Europe, Canada, so it's
just gonna be madness for a little bit. And then
I made a joke with with my roommate the other
day because he's like my best friend in my life
and we we finally got to live together this year,
(43:25):
and I think I've I've slept consecutively at our house
three nights in a row the whole time I've been there,
just traveling so much. So we're gonna be really busy.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
Are you guys doing sprinter Vans or Bosses.
Speaker 1 (43:38):
We're getting the bus in January, so we're we're h Yeah.
I mean that just will put a smile on your face.
Speaker 2 (43:43):
I was gonna say, there's nothing like h.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Like that, Like when you just close your eyes and
think about that for a second. You just makes you smile.
So we're doing that and then wrapping up this Critical
Rise tour. You know, we got three more weekends headline
show Nashville, Brooke and Bowl on the night of the
album release or the day of the album release, and so, uh,
(44:08):
that'll be awesome. You'll get your tickets to that one
and it'll be crazy. And then this summer we're just
kind of ripping it out there and doing all the
fairies and festivals and it's gonna be a lot of fun.
So it's gonna be really good us It's can be
really busy, and yeah, man, I'm just firedough for people
to hear this this album. I haven't gotten to put
out yeah this much music ever and definitely haven't haven't
(44:29):
felt like, you know, music has been coming out in
a while. So it's gonna be really sweet.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
That's awesome. Well, Connor's album comes out Friday, the twenty sixth.
It is an awesome album called Smoking Mountains. He's gonna
be on tour. I can't wait to check out. Your
live shows are phenomenal. You know, I know that you
talk a lot about songwriting and how much songwriting means
to you, but also how much performing means to you
because your your live shows are barren regardless of whether
(44:56):
the mic flip works or not. But that but you know,
but I appreciate that. But yeah, man, and dude, it's awesome.
Just one of the things that I tell this to
every guest I have on the podcast. But I love
doing these because it's a chance to hang out with
friends and people that I haven't seen in a while,
people that I really support and care about. And I'm
just so pumped for the you and this year and
(45:18):
all the success that's going to come your way. Man,
So thank you, so thanks again for being on.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
We'll do it again, baby, just let me know. You know,
we finally got to make it happen. For sure, it
makes sense, so let's just do it again.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
No sounds great, guys, Thank you, Connor Smith. Once again,
We'll see y'll next week.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
See you go.
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