Russell Dickerson and his wife Kailey have been together for 10 years. They talk about how they met in college, broke up for a month and then got married. Russell talks about the struggle to find a home at a record label and how it took 4 years for his debut song to go No. 1. Kailey talks about how she is the creative director behind Russell when it comes to music videos, photography, merch design and more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, it's Bobby here. Thanks for listening, and thanks for
subscribing to the Bobby Cast. If you haven't subscribed yet,
please do. It does help us so much. I wanted
to share with you guys an episode we did with
Russell Dickerson and his wife Kaylee Dickerson. And the reason
comes up now is I just spent a whole weekend
on the road with them. Russell was playing with the
Raging Idiots, and so we spent a bunch of time
on the road, but also hung out with Kaylee a
(00:21):
little bit on the road, and it reminded me of
this episode that I wanted to put back up. You know,
they talked about being together for ten years, how Kaylee
filmed and directed the music video for Yours. Russell talks
about how it took four years from when that song
was written to go number one. So here you go
from It's a couple of years old, but I wanted
you to hear this in case you haven't. Here is
the Bobby Cast with Russell Dickerson and his wife Kaylee.
(00:42):
All Right, welcome to episode to nineteen. It's Russell and
Kaylee Dickerson. Have you guys ever do one together? An
interview together. That track was fire you have an interview together? Yeah,
only a couple of the like what who interviews you together?
The Not did so a print publication, yes, but it
was their podcast. Okay, we were their first episode, right
(01:02):
and Bristo and I think that's it? How was that?
I don't know her, but she lives, she's wonderful, love her, Yeah,
I hear, I hear good things about her as a person.
I always have a weird thing with the Bachelor people
because I've met, like most of them, I meet or
not people I would normally hang out with in her life.
I go, oh, that's why you wanted the Bachelor and
(01:23):
and not and not because she I hear she's great.
And I'm saying this because I have multiple friends that
are like, oh, she's like a fantastic human, right yeah,
you actually is, yeah, legitimately lover. Yeah, it's cool than not.
When you bring that up, it reminds me that I
saw on the Not, which is a wedding website, right,
like Not that yours was the biggest wedding song for
them ever or something like that, or the year or
(01:45):
some like same music they put it, they put it,
they make like an annual list for their like because
you go to the knot to like who should I
use as my photographer? Who should I use make my cake?
Or whatever? And they had yours was one of their
their like number one playlist wedding first dance, so you
(02:07):
know what I mean, like their communative list whatever? Did this?
Did this song build your new house? Absolutely? Yeah? Are
you still getting checks for it? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I
mean he's like yep, yeah, I mean it's yeah, that
was that yours is It's its own whole story anyway,
(02:28):
And we'll get to that. We will. Have you played
this song at many weddings that you weren't personally connected to, like,
have people hired you? Because I talk to talking to
Dan recently? Have Danna Chaney was like, you know, we
don't do a lot of weddings, but listen, we'll do song.
And we're right because they have wedding songs. Yeah, like
(02:49):
legit yours is one speechless Yeah. Have you played that
at any weddings I have? Yeah, I've I've probably done
like like, hey, like come play our wedding will pay
you like three yeah, not not a lot? Does that
go through your agent? Yeah? Yeah? But then that's good.
Those are good. The privates of anything were so good, fantastic.
(03:12):
But then there's that one in a million. We happened
to be playing a show in a certain city and
there happens to be a wedding, and they're like tweeting
like crazy, you know what I mean. So we were
in like South Carolina, some I don't know, some town
and we played it like four thirty. First dance was
(03:32):
at like six thirty, so it was oh yeah, yeah yeah.
So we got we got ubers, I brought my guitar,
we changed clothes, we tried to find something dressy the
band sounds like I can't wear jean shorts to a wedding. Yeah,
And so we just like rolled up. Anyone know you
were coming on? Literally no one, no, because we walked
(03:54):
in and we were like hey, uh and they the
wedding planner. I don't know if they knew who we
were at all. Yeah, someone in that band, like Incognito,
was like, where's the wedding planner and like right in
and so someone a bit advanced it. Yeah, I mean
we walked in just enough because I'm telling you I've
done the thing before where I also have gone to
a wedding where it's like a big fan. It's like
(04:15):
we just love you, and you don't tell him you're coming,
and you go and have people like I don't know
who you are exactly, and it's a real humbling experience.
That happened once. That happened once in Phoenix. We were
staying in a hotel outside of Phoenix, I don't know what,
and we heard the rehearsal. She was walking down the
aisle to yours and so we were in the pool
like at this hotel and heard the rehearsal and we're like,
(04:37):
you gotta do it, you gotta crash. And you walked
in the door after the ceremony and they were like,
they're like and Russell was like, Hi, I'm Russellserson. That
was myself like things. There are two times where that
happens to me. That one. It's like that because there's
only like a small selection of people to give me
(04:58):
a crap, give a crap who I very small and
I'm very loyal to them. But most people have no idea, right,
I'm just a dork with big glasses. So without the glasses, yes,
So when you show up somewhere and you're like, I'm
actually doing this because I know somebody here cares I'm
and then they're like, yeah, we got no idea, bro.
The other one is when something like sometimes like people
on my my management team will call and go, Hey,
(05:21):
we're gonna have dinner at this place. We're gonna call
and and they'll be like, hey, we're gonna get a table.
And I don't do this anymore, but like, can we
get a table for four bibones is in town? And
they're like, I don't know who that is. And that
happens and it's like, you know what, it's just not
worth it to me. Its not worth it. It It happens
like one or two times, and you're like, it's just
I don't do it. I'll just go and wait. I'm
not special. Um, I tell you that my my recent
(05:44):
have to k Lee stories and we're gonna get all this.
By the way, she's just talking. I have so much
preparation I've done for this interview. We haven't gotten to
it yet. Um. The first one is this is a
three or four weeks ago. I was playing the opera
at the Rhyme and you were playing too at night. Um,
and so we were on the same thing together. But
I was walking back and if you ever just kind
of an insight tip, you're gonna go to the opera
(06:06):
at the Rheman, you can wait for all the artists
to show up behind the Rheman because we all have
to go through a backdoor. And so and I'm there.
I'm just gonna do some stand up and I think
I don't have a guitar with me or anything, and
so I'm going in and there's a lot of people
that know that, and they're just waiting and there would
take pictures and in a bit, there's a there's a
lot and it starts to be a little bit overwhelming,
and all of a sudden, it's like an angel came
out of the guy. I was like, I'll take these pictures.
(06:27):
And it was Kaylie standing there and she grabs everyone's
phone and it's like, okay, next sext sex sex And
this ushered me right into the door, and I was like,
thank you very much. And I left that experiencing like
did he know that was me? Or does he think
I was a fan? Like I know, I knew exactly
who was you know, I'm a fan, But I was like,
I left that experience, being like he might have thought
I was one of the people just waiting for him.
I did not. And then we saw each other again upstairs.
(06:50):
But and then my second one is and I didn't
say anything about this on the radio, but I'm gonna saying, well,
maybe I didn't know. Okay, So I saw at the airport.
I don't know where, I don't know. No, No, we
weren't at the airport. We were event that I live
in airport. So I feel okay, same, but I remember this, Um,
we we're at charity event. Did she tell you this?
(07:12):
I love it? And so I say, hey, you know
what's because I feel like I know Kaylie better than
you Russell at times, like we've spoken more than than
you and I have. And we're talking at this event
and she was like, hey, I was gonna go Russell's
playing a radio show and I was complaining about radio
shows in your honor, and I was like, I can't
you know what they barely get paid. It's like Tuesday night,
you know, I'm feeling I'm feeling bad for you. And
(07:34):
she's like, yeah, it's not so bad, and um, she
goes well, and I was gonna thinking about going. But
what I do is I reserve the Southwest because if
you fly, because my idea is my companion, right, my
go on Southwest, I can take him anytime I fly Southwest,
I can put Mike on for free. She's yours, she goes,
you know. So I used the pass and I walked
all the way to the gate with him and then
I just don't go. It's all over again. I was like, yeah,
(07:57):
I was like, you just took the seat if the
plane was sold out. So I laughed and then I
got and I thought about telling that story on the show,
but I didn't. I felt like it was a good
private moment. And then then I heard and then I
don't know again, did you I've posted it because that
what it was. Yeah, I thought when I heard my name,
(08:20):
I was like, oh, he's about to call me out
and say that I stole the seed on Southwest and
something in me. But you didn't mind me that you
were okay they talking about I'm like, if Southwest is
going to give me that but not let me. This
is my beef with with the companion pass, which you
may feel with me, which we're grateful Southwest that we
(08:40):
get to fly well, can we fly a lot giving
it to us for charity. Thing is they don't let
you board together. You're like Z three yes, and I
have no status because he's like a plus preferred plus
plus plus are you and your boarding past? I'm sure
when you board is like beef ift two are like
(09:01):
it's at the way. I'm like, we're going to sit
together if we're companion pass, just let us sit together.
They won't do it. I don't know why did you
have to not write an article about this, because this
would be good you guys. What's interesting to me is
you guys worked together too. You don't because and I
(09:23):
didn't know that Kelly was a singer because I was
talking to her. She was like, you know, I did
vocals and because she just went to school together. Wait,
let's start from the very beginning. You guys met in school. Yeah,
and like a singing class. Yeah, we have the same
vocal coach, voice teacher, and like you have these required
classes where it's legitimately you sit in the classroom, you
have someone play guitar or piano for you, you you stand
(09:46):
in front of the class and sing. That's terrifying. That's
why I don't sing anymore. But I mean for me,
that's literally that's radio tour, right, you know, so that
like prepped me for these like super awkward, sterile, fluorescent
light conference rooms with seven people looking at exactly and
looking like they could care less to be there. So that's,
(10:07):
you know, that prepped me. But that that's where we met.
And we had the same vocal teacher. And I remember
who who sing first. I remember hearing him sing first
and he's saying it was in our classical class and
you're saying, oh yeah, and they made me sing low yeah,
like I thought you were saying a church on the
(10:29):
Cumberland Road. I mean like like the old, yeah, the
old like And I was like, dang, that guy can sing.
And that's the first time I remember. Because we didn't
ever meet. Really, Everyone's always like somebo, do you guys
meet and we're like, we don't know. We were like
all friends of friends and she was dating somebody, I
was dating somebody, and it's just like all interwoven, slowly merging. Yeah,
(10:53):
and then we made out at a graduation party after
we'd broken up with Let's rewind for a second. You
hear him sing yeah, and do you hear her sing
like the same around. Yeah, who at that stage was
the better singer. It's always been him in classical though
like slash like musical theater, but that transitions into like
(11:15):
this little indie vibe that she's got. It's like incredible,
it's so good. But you didn't answer the question what
he Okay, I was better at classical. He was better
at um commercial, which is like his life, which is
a good thing that I'm like not going to go
on radio to classical classical. I'm going to say her
(11:36):
that's the right answer. Even if we can't you can't
prove it. And so you guys, you're in this class
and you have friends that mutual friends you guess, are
hanging out, and was it like, even though you're dating
other people, I'll just ask you where you like. Man,
she's cute. I don't have a girlfriend, but she's cute. Yeah,
well I was dicky, he didn't really have a girlfriend. Yeah,
(11:58):
it was like, but I would like ask her for advice,
like dating advice. But then like we would start hanging
out more. We'd go to like the flea market. We'd
always get coffee or whatever while you were dating another girl. No,
not really it had kind of once asked her they
were dating. If you asked him, they weren't. It was
kind of one of those they weren't. They were not serious.
(12:21):
They mean they were not to convince me, I believe it. No,
I'm like trying to make sure he doesn't sound like, also,
you're in college doing dumb, young, darky things. But really,
what I mean, you start hanging out. I was in
a serious relationship. So you were hanging out with him
while you were had a serious boyfriend. Okay, you both
kind of single then, yeah, but we were you vibing
(12:44):
at all? It's so long ago, honestly, I'm like, like
we were like ten years yeah, so let's go back
in time. So back in time. Yeah, back in time.
It was like friends of friends. Like it was just
like a group like that's Belmont. It's such a small,
like tight knit group. Like there was like twenty people
in our graduating class. So it was and so like
(13:05):
we all all would hang out and then like we
would just start going again. Like I remember when the
first time I was like going to the flea market
and I would like, ask you about another girl. Yeah,
he would been like like, bring us closer. You know
what I mean, I need to ask other girls about
other girls, but it really just brings them to don't know, no, Yeah,
(13:30):
he would be like should I do this? I was like, well,
do you miss her? Do you like her? And he'd
be like, I don't know if I like. I'm like,
well did you think about her when you were like
on Thanksgiving break? And he'd be like, I mean a little.
I'm like, I don't think you like her that much.
I don't know how long have you two been together
or not married, but together? Period ten years minus one month.
(13:51):
We broke up after that, okay minus one month? What
happened with that month? I was an idiot? He was
an idiot. I this is this is a this is
for real. I had just we had graduated already, and
I had just signed like my pub deal, and like
it was about to happen for Russell Pakers, you know
(14:11):
what I mean. It was in like all these promises
were made from that deal and like you're gonna get
a record deal, You're gonna be you know, you're gonna
be on radio, you gonna be on tour, You're gonna
be gone, You're gonna be going going, And I was
like I don't really have time for a relationship, like
I need to just kind of and we don't think
dating for a year. Oh that's a long time. That's
(14:33):
not only yeah for me, like yeah, and and so that,
I mean, that was that was my mindset, was like
it's about to happen for me. I need to be single.
But like twenty two year we were two, you know,
and there's no judgment triangle here. I'm here. I'm just
(14:58):
asking questions. Yeah, And so that was. That was one
month and I remember calling her on Thanksgiving Day and
I was just like wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, you
have to waity back up what he was like, Well,
he was like we'll be friends, and I was like, no,
we won't. And you go ahead and do what you do.
I'm going to move on. You move on, and you're like,
(15:20):
but you're my best friend. I was like, well, you're mine,
and but we're not doing this like both thing. And
so I moved on. He moved on. And then I
got a call on Thanksgiving and he was like, I
just want you to know I'm thankful for you. And
I was like, wait, well, like I needed and when
I say this, it is the smallest it's not even
(15:43):
like I needed to live the rock star road life.
You know. I literally made out with one girl and
that was I was just like, no, this isn't for me,
this whole this is a this is not a good
this is not fulfilling, you know what I mean. Like
literally I made out with one girl and I was like, yeah, okay,
this is I gotta call Kaylee. That whole deal from
(16:07):
back then, that pub deal didn't turn into all the
things we thought it was going to. Career wise, No,
you still would same publish company. Also, you're out of
all of that. Yeah. That was the first I signed
in two thousand eleven. That was a two year deal,
got dropped after two years. Um, and then that was
two thousand thirteen. And I didn't even write yours until
(16:30):
two thousand fourteen, and then I didn't sign a deal
till you haven't made that song and it's after two years. Huh. Yeah, Well,
what's kind of the genesis of your writing that song?
And it took a second for it to kind of happen. Yeah,
so you're right, like, just tell me about the So
the overall picture is January twenty something is when we
(16:56):
wrote it, and then January twenty something, literally almost to
the day. Four years later, four years is when it
went number one, So four years in between that was.
I had one offer for a publishing deal. We took it,
we had to, We had no just got married. I
(17:18):
got dropped the week we got back from our honeymoon.
So that was a great We made twelve tho dollars
that you combined. Yeah, so that was that was year
one of marriage. And then soeen we wrote it, and
I mean we just we went all around town. Everybody
said no, all the majors, all the indies, every I
(17:38):
mean literally, were you were you chasing an artist deal
with that song? Were you also pitching the song? Well
so you want you wrote it? You're like, it's mine
on this hill? Yeah, the whole, the whole, this whole time,
I was like, I'm an artist writer, you know, like
that was that was what I wanted to do. And
so uh yeah, I was just like I we obviously
(18:00):
it and take no for an answer, but I just
put everything on this one song. I was like, I know,
I know that, I know that I know this is
a hit. And and it took i mean another two
years from writing it too to go to labels and
showcases and do the whole dance. And it wasn't until uh,
thirty Tigers slash now Triple Tigers. They've just started a
(18:24):
whole brand new label. And it was it was Norbert
Nicks who had just got to let go from Sony
and like Kevin Herring who just gotta let go from Warner.
It's all these guys who kind of, you know, related
to this, this like being rejected kind of mentality, like
a little chip on your shoulder a little bit, and
(18:45):
uh and it just all came together with this tiny
little label. I was the only artist on there and
they had me one song and that was that was
what really ignited. I mean, I I missed the whole
video part, but an industry wise, industry wise that that
was what what really like to took it. You know,
(19:08):
at what point because the label was a small independent label,
so it's it's difficult because they don't have the promotion
infrastructure right for for an independent that they just don't
have arms and fangs everywhere. So but at what point, though,
did you realize we actually have a shot with this thing,
Like this thing could actually be a massive hit. Like
(19:31):
what was it a number on the chart. Yeah, like,
were you hearing about research because it was also a
valid Oh dear god, I don't play. But then it
started jumping like it was only in the twenties. For
like three weeks, four weeks something like that. It was
like jump, two spots, jump, three spots jump, and then
(19:51):
it was in the teens and we were like, who woa, whoa, whoa,
what was happening? Did you do this song on any
any TV? On any anything on our favorite? Did it
seems like The Bachelor? Okay, I don't know this, but
it seems like this, this would be that kind of song,
big pop from that show. Absolutely, it was a couple,
Rachel and Dean. Rachel, she was she was like bachelor.
(20:17):
Dean was Geanie babies. Do you know Dean? Bachelor in Paradise?
He came back, I've never seen. I'm not the guy
to talking, but but I don't know Rachel. But was Okay,
So she's an attorney, she's smart, she's really cool. You
play this on the show, and it was ever on radio?
I'm pretty sure? Or no, no, it was on radio
(20:38):
and it jump because it was so hard. After that,
it jumped like tin spots on airplay and top top
of the iTunes charts. You know, just like craziness that
was that was a big jump when you played that
song on the show. You did it over and over again. Yeah,
it was that awkward too. Is are you just playing
with them? Dan? What was the scene was that awkward? Uh? Well,
(20:59):
they were late first of all, So it all started
where we never had a tour bus before, but we
got to ride down in a tour bus and then
to South Carolina, South Carolina. Um, and then so we're waiting,
We're waiting, We're waiting. I think Chris Harrison was felt bad.
So he comes on our bus and you know, we
(21:20):
have a we raise a toast, we have to have
a drink, and we're just like hanging out with Chris
Harrison on our bus, which for us at the time,
we were like, I was freaking out. He was there
for like two hours and we shared we had knob
right now and I had him signed the bottle and
I have it in my house, like I mean, like
I'm a fan, and he let us every Monday like
(21:40):
her and her gal pals get together and watch Bachelor.
He's also really nice. He's so nice and me let us.
He let us come to after the final rows. He
was like, let me take us, do you want? I
was like, it's twelve too many and he was like, no,
we'll make it happen. We I mean me and all
my friends filed in, Like it was so fun. It
was really cool to like make it a real life
exp and not so like this is the show. That's
(22:03):
cool that you got to watch him play on the
show and you got to hate because you're a fan.
When you're a fan of something, it's so much cool
that when it actually works out in a way that
makes you still feel good. Yeah, and it was fun.
It was I think the whole thing is a crazy phenomenon.
And do I think it's the best way to find someone? No?
Am I highly entertained by drama that has nothing to
do with my own life. Yes, I love it. I
(22:25):
love it. They are they dancing is a dancing, it's
like a slow dance makeout And how many times do
you think you have to play that song with them dancing? Yeah,
it was like two or three, but they have to
make out every time on cue? No no, no, they
just think I mean they made out but they wanted
to it wasn't like make out at this, It wasn't choreograph.
(22:45):
You know who I became friends with from the Bachelor
was again the episodes of Good Made Bachelor. It was
Joe gross Store Joe. Yeah, I don't know I'm personally,
but he did dance. He's the nicest guy. Heck yeah,
he seems like it. And Kindle is engaged. I don't know.
I don't know if they're engaged either, but I'm telling
you that is a reel of a relationship. They are
(23:07):
the greatest for each other. They're both so nice, So yeah,
they're His story is wild because he went on and
I would add him and I were both not considered
to be the best answers, so we were bonding over that.
And he went on that show and he was only
on for an episode and he get kicked off almost immediately,
and the internet blew up. The Internet blew up, Yeah,
(23:29):
and he was like the internet was pissed. Yes, Then
he got bring Bring Back Grocery Store. Check there, Like,
he's good looking and he seems super nice, and so
he ends up going back to Bachelor in Paradise and
that's where he ends up meeting Kindle. But he was like,
you couldn't believe it. He was like, I didn't one show.
It was embarrassed that my friends are gonna be kicked off.
We at a party he goes then then my social
media started to blow up. And but he was as
(23:51):
much as I give the Batchelor people crap, Like an
earlier I've went out with a couple of people from
that show. Um went out with a couple of people. Yeah,
like went out with a people off Mike, and I've
been around some of the people. You know, it was
really weird. Who wasn't mean or nice? But who's the
guy that thinks he's a model? Jordan Kimpbell. I had
(24:13):
lunch with that guy. He's I didn't. I have no
feeling like I didn't spend enough time with him to
like him or dislike him. He's a lot though, and
he's real. Yeah, just what you see on the show
is like my friends were like, tell me if this
guy is real, and I'm like, why don't watch the show?
And I sat with him and I was like, I
don't know what you say on the show, but that's real.
Whatever you see, he's exactly like that in person. He's
(24:33):
like on twelve just it's like, you know, I got
for modeling. Deal's got to get down, dude, Willhelm and models.
And I'm just like, I can tell he was kidding
or not. If there's a mirror behind you at dinner,
You're like, I need to put myself looking in the mirror, allies,
He'll never look at me this whole And I liked
him just fine. It was just I didn't know what
his vibe was. My friends were like, tell me, what
(24:53):
if he's really liked that him Robbie, Oh no, that's
another But you're just like, yeah, she didn't watch it. Football, yeah,
steak and stuff. You know. So you go on this
show and it pops for you. You come back to
the life and it's like, wow, we gotta so obviously
(25:14):
your team has a story too, like on the Wan,
on The Bachelor, Look how it's all on this that's
and at that moment when you literally you have nothing,
when you have this one little spark that is what
you just like nurture and nurture and nurture and try
to try to get that into try to get a
little flame, try to get a little bigger flame. I
mean it's it's literally man, we we flew around the
(25:37):
country and then would drive in Honda Civics and just
like go to station to station and like tell this
little story of you know we had we had some downloads,
we had some streams, we you know, we it was
literally this tiny little flame that you have to curate
and just like keep it sep it alive. Yeah, like
you don't, don't say no, Like we're not going to stop.
(26:04):
One of the problems my wife and I have is
always what are we gonna cook for dinner? Because we
cook the same things over and over and over again.
Spaghetti last week, spaghetti this week, spaghetti next week, spaghetti
wei the week out of that, and we're like, we
need something new. We always getting a rut of cooking
the same things. And then we found it Hello Fresh,
(26:25):
different items each week delivered right to our front door.
Cooking made simple. We were like, oh, we were so excited.
So you go to Hello Fresh dot com and let's
say you're a vegetarian. They have different vegetarian meals that
choose from, and when you open up that box on
your front door, all the ingredients are measured out to
(26:45):
the tea spoon and they have step by step instructions.
Thirty minutes later around you have the meal sitting on
your table, and right now you can get nine free
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cast nine. That's nine free meals with Hello Fresh dot com.
(27:06):
Go to Hello Fresh dot com slash Bobby cast nine
and using the code Bobby cast nine. So you're you're
hustling around. The song is continuing to climb. It hits
top ten, and now it shifts to well, we're trying
to get the whole freaking thing now, like we've been
working this hard, this long because it was on the
(27:26):
chart for a long time. It was the Billboard set
a record first. Okay, the timeline in itself two thousand
fourteen when we wrote it, just to even get a
record deal was one of the longest journeys of my life.
Then once we finally hit radio, it is the Billboards
(27:48):
longest solo male debut climb to number one. So it
was just on the chart for a long time up
the chart. Yeah, so you go your top ten? Did
they give you the talk like they do some artists,
Like it's just honored be in the top ten, like like,
you know, we made it. Who knows, but you got
a top ten and we got some momentum for the
next one. And that's not how I work. Due I'm
(28:10):
like faith, I'm like, yes, we're gonna do it. I
will drive to every radio station again to make sure
this goes all the way. I don't care. I'll do it. Seven. Yeah,
I'm what are you three with a hard to wing? Okay,
so I'm eight with the three two two? Eight with
(28:32):
you go to two and growth hold on, Oh dude,
we'll be here all okay. You know who got me
out on his Dave Heywood into it. Yes, and Kelly
bought us all the books. It's a Haywood thing. They've
they love it. They love the iniogram. I had never
heard of it until Dave came in. It's been ten minutes.
Ted talk to me about the indiagram. Yeah, I'm an
(28:53):
eight with two, so you can only go left. I go.
I picked my own way, as an eight would. Yeah, yeah,
so I made my own. Mine was like the scent
whenever they tell you, yeah, so mine whatever that you're
a crazy scenario. That means you're really healthy because you
(29:13):
in eight. If you're truly innate, you go to two
and growth. What's to me? It's the help of um
that's not me. That's my lowest one. I'm three. I'm whatever,
the perfectionist. What's three my When you look up three,
it's not eased the achiever. That's what I am. A three. Okay,
that's where your highest two. I don't think that I
showed up as the two. They were like the one
umber the time. I don't think that's true. Because you
(29:34):
find people in the world and you're like, I believe
in you, I'm going to help you. I'm just telling you.
The score told me I too, didn't even register giving
yourself enough credit because every question was like who do
you believe? And I was like me, who else do
you believe in? Yeah? There you go? Yeah, so you go,
and I will I will concur with that. I mean,
(29:56):
because you find all these artists and you're like, I'm
going to give you a platform. I'm gonna help you
be hurt, you being really healthy. It's a challenger. Yeah.
Eight goes to two and growth in five. So when
you're stressed out, you investigate things, right, you google stuff.
I mean, I'm doing that right now with you guys. Actually,
I'm the eight. Okay, I'm an eight and you're an eight.
(30:18):
I'm I'm a three. So you can only go left
or right in your wings. So like you can lean
towards what we do, you can clean, you can lean
towards seven and an optimist, or you can lean towards mediator.
I'm guessing you lean towards seven. If I'm neither one
of those, neither, I just live. I built walls around
the eight, so I'm a three achiever. But then I
(30:41):
leaned towards two, which is the helper supportive advisors that
one says, Oh my gosh, there is that has never
been a more accurate description. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Well,
I'm all I know is I saw the scores and
I was like eight, and yeah, make that makes total sense.
I can. And that's the thing that's the human a
(31:02):
little bit of yeah, it's yeah, not me. I'm straight
up seven? Are you? You're really optimistic? Optimistic, enthusiastic? Wow,
look at you. Every day is the best day of
his whole life. Literally, Wow, I don't. I mean that's
I mean, good for you. I struggle with that. He's yeah,
I don't. It's I don't understand it is that like
(31:23):
I can get myself there, which I often do, like
I can find reasons, but are you? Is it just
a natural part of you where you just feel it
like that is you? Pretty much like I. I wake
up and I'm like, today is going to be breaking awesome, literally,
and he's like, Pape, get up, look up, look outside,
then let's go. Let's go. Like he's like a kid
(31:45):
on Christmas, like every day it's insane to me and
sometimes like Buddy, there's one person in my life. It's
it's our photographer videographer who out sevens me and he
is actually Buddy the ELpH. It's yeah, it's it's crazy. Wow. Wow,
that's that's that's a good thing to know about. I
don't know that. I wake up and I'm the opposite.
(32:07):
I'm like, I can't believe it's three o'clock in the
freaking morning. I couldn't if he's like that on like
those infamous radio shows where he's up till eleven midnight
and Lobby calls five four something like that, and it's
just like over and over and over days like that,
he wakes up and he's like but other than that,
(32:29):
you're pretty much yeah, for the most part optimistic. When
the songs on top ten though, you felt it though,
you were like, oh babe, we got this. I will
do I will call every hundred and fifty six stations, yeah,
to make to see if we can actually take this
all the way. And so is it a slow week
(32:49):
week methodical climber? Does it kind of hit the top ten?
Pretty good? It was pretty good. Yeah, it wasn't. It
wasn't like sevens all the way up and we got
two weeks on Billboard and and so yeah, it just
like it's shot up, and it was just it was
what do you do when you What were you doing
(33:09):
the night it hit one? So the Sunday that it
actually flips and after West Coast comes in and it's
you're done. Um, you're now officially number one. What were
you guys? What were you doing? We were at the house.
I remember, like everybody, I had like all these interviews.
All of a sudden, it was like Billboard they wanted
to do a whole like number one interview, and like
because the debut number one is pretty crazy and and
(33:31):
so yeah, they were I was on the phone with them.
I was on the phone with management and and just
like it was cool that we were actually home to
wine on our little porch, because like we we didn't
want to take that for granted. This entire climb, like
we had a we had a top forty party legitimately
with the songwriters, Like they came up, they came over,
(33:53):
and um, we had a top forty party. Every every
ten ten spots. We would just take a moment and
be like, you know, if this is as high as
it goes, raise a toast to this. And it's been awesome.
So it hits one. And now we're gonna rewind a
bit though, because the video is a big part of
this song too. In the video, if I'm remembering right,
(34:16):
I'm just gonna go from memory, you were asleep? Wait
as a proposal? Hold on a second, let me get
this right. Did you propose in the video? Was a
part of the video? Okay, hold on? Getting my stories
mixed up? Hold on, are you propose? Were you taking
a nap? And he wakes you up? When we got
engaged and oay, I'm getting my stories mixed up. But
I want to hear both of them. So let's talk
(34:38):
about the engagement. Here because you're taking a nap, you
are gonna wake up and do a little song, A
little yeah, okay, and what was happening there? So she
I mean, looking back, I could have written a way
more elaborate song, but now it is what it is.
It was like three lines um, not even about the
(35:00):
song though. He was like, you decided on like a Thursday.
You're like, I'm going to propose botter Ring asked my parents.
It was Sunday, like at all. We looked at a ring,
but I still was like, it's gonna be a while.
I was like, if this is going to be a surprise,
if it's gonna be surprised, I gotta do this now.
(35:20):
And so yeah, it was like a Sunday after church.
She was taking a nap and I was obviously so nervous.
I was like trying to come up with this little
just a little proposal, Diddy, and I was like, she
woke up and I was like, hey, can we do
this little like YouTube. I just want to kind of
make a video to put out and you know, just
(35:41):
through the fans, my four fans at the time, and
you know, play this little acoustic jam and you know,
just riding that avenue of of trying to convince her
to get her camera out put this wide angle lens on,
and she's like, no, well, like why would I do
a wide angle? Like it needs to be in on
you on your face this crop Like she knows what
(36:02):
you're talking. Are you telling me how to do my job?
I was like so annoyed, and I'm like, would you
just please this like the vibe I'm seeing as an artist,
Like I just want to see I just want a
wide angle lens like you can see the mess on
the counter that picture. I was so annoyed, just woken
up and I was like, great happening, great start to
my proposal. She's pissed, and so she's she sets up
(36:25):
the tripod wide angle. Finally convinced her, I'm like, all right,
go stand over there, let me see how it looks,
let me see the framing. And I hit record and
and then I walk over and I just start kind
of playing that little did he. I mean it's I'm
literally just like talking, not even looking at Honestly, I
(36:46):
think it might have been the most mad I've ever
been at You do you remember the did he? Yeah?
It's like, you know, the love of my life. You
know the girl on that tw okay, Lucy, will you
marry me? It's just like literally literally like four lines.
And so when did it? He said, Kaylee, Kaylee Holly
(37:09):
love a lot Seymour, nickname, middle name. I have that
her five older brothers. When the family is that big,
you know, the the kids by the by the six kid,
are you from a big family? He's not a night there. Yeah.
By the time it gets to the six kid, they've
got twelve names. They've got you know, the teachers don't
even know their actual name. And I was the only
(37:30):
girl and it was the pink care bear was named
the Love a Lot and so everything was pink. My
whole room was pink. The carpet was pink because my
parents were like, we're having a girl. And so love
Lot was a nickname, middle name. So when he said
Kaylee Holly love a lot Seymour, I was like I
looked up and I was like, wait a second. And
that's when I was like, oh my gosh, like I
(37:51):
really truly had no idea, Like the surprise factor was
you nailed it? You did? I was pulled it out
the ring. Oh that's not my story. So let's go
to the yours video. Yeah, you shot this for it
was inexpensive video, very about less than ten dollars, less
(38:15):
than ten almost half. Yeah, so tell me about that.
So again, we had been denied and denied and denied,
and it just got to the point where I was
so frustrated but also so hopeful, and I was like,
I know that, I know that, I know. Like I
(38:37):
listened to the radio, I hear these songs. I maybe
way off, but this sounds like a hit to me,
and I'm going to put everything on this song. So
a six dollars six I'm gonna put my life savings
on this song, honestly, and so and so we did,
and like she, we didn't. We didn't even really have
(38:59):
a plan. This was just supposed to be test footage.
We're just gonna like hopefully find a road that I
could just walk down. That's all I really had envisioned
for for the video. It was just like I'm just
gonna walk down this road. I'm gonna pour my heart
out to the camera and sing this song, and that's it,
(39:19):
Like see what happens. I had I had done music
videos and all of that through college. So when I
stopped loving performing. I started doing music videos and photo shoots,
and so I did his first I did all of
his photo shoots maybe except for one and then this
one is our friend Spencer did those, but other than that,
I did all of his stuff. And so I was like,
(39:41):
you know what, like because we had actually gone in
and it was the final no that we were like, okay,
well now we have to do this ourselves. No one's
going to help us. And I was like, I can
make music video. I did a music video for Nora Jones,
like let's do it. Yeah, she's over here. I was like,
let's let's just I don't know why we didn't think
of it us, and and so I was like, I'll
(40:01):
just do it myself. I can't hire anyone. We can't
afford to hire anyone. I'll just film it and I'll
edit it and I'll do the whole thing. And so
that day I was like, let's get in the car.
We had a friend living with us because he had
nowhere to go, and I was like, hey, will you
drive our car while I sit in the back with
our tripod? And so we found a road and as
we're leaving, he was like in workout clothes, and I
(40:21):
was like, I want to be sure that this like
could work if you like it, so put on like
real clothes. It was like test footage. I was like,
just put on real clothes. And we hop in the
car and the storm starts rolling in and I was like,
oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh. And
I had called a cinematographer friend of mine in l A.
And I was like, Hey, I just want to double
check my settings. I want to be sure I'm doing
(40:42):
this right. He didn't get back to me, and I
was like, all right, well, I hope this is right.
Get out there. This whole storm rolls and lightning, the
whole thing is real. Because we can't pay for c
G I like tornado warning. Ye are calling us to
come to our basement for shelter, and we're like out
in it. I'm stop calling us. And they would call
(41:04):
us in the middle because we were using our phone
as playback to the car speakers and so like it
was just like every time they called. It was just
like the most ghetto set up it was. And so
we finished and then it started pouring rain at the
very end, Like I was like, God, this is what
would be great. I need all these things, and then
when we're done, if it could rain, that would be
(41:25):
awesome and no joke, like we had everything we needed
and then it started pouring. And so then my friend
called me back as we're on our way back, and
I was like, hey, my settings were this, this and that,
and he was like, I would have told you to
do exactly that, and I was like yes, And so
I got home started editing it, and then I had
to make it black and white because the tail lights
(41:46):
this is rich right here, the tail lights from the car.
When our buddy would hit the brakes, it would light
them up red, so like you could tell. Yeah, And
I was like, well, black and white it is a necessity.
Out of necessity, we couldn't have used anything. That's a
great story for that music video. Yeah. And so well
you finished school, what is your what do you finish school?
(42:07):
The degree and killing music music commercial voice performance? So
same yeah, same as me. But you didn't want to
be a performer anymore, or you didn't want to go
down that professionally anyway. Now I didn't. I moving to
Nashville made me realize, like what it would take and
I'm such a family person and like want we want
(42:28):
to start our own family, and I just kind of
saw it as like, there's no way I could be
the kind of like mom, I'd want to be in
the future and do this, and some people do that
and good for them. I just was like, I don't
think I could do it. And I also wasn't passionate
like it would have. Just if someone were to tell
me I couldn't shoot a music video, I would be like,
(42:50):
you're wrong, I can't. I know I can. But if
someone told me I couldn't sing, I'd be like, maybe
you're right, you know, Like I wasn't passionate enough to
be like listen to me saying I think it takes
the right kind of person to be good at it
and also not need to like proclaim it from the rooftops,
but people like still draw it out of you somehow.
(43:11):
I don't know you have that that it's not like
egotistical and it's not like listen to me saying I
just couldn't do it. If you were to like be
like saying from he right now, I would be like,
think you did you try to get it a thing
on anything before? I mean there's times were like but
(43:32):
like like I recorded like on a on a track.
Oh yeah, we did a Christmas song. Yeah, it was
like our our little I mean we made five discsily,
what's not on you? I didn't see anything it was.
It was a Christmas gift to our family when we
(43:53):
were super broke the year we made twelve and we're like,
well what do we give everybody? We have no money
to buy gifts, so we've made Christmas songs. When you
want to get him a taste, oh white Christmas. Nice? Yeah,
we can definitely do that. I'll definitely help you about
listening and supporting you in the Heart Boo book, Do
(44:19):
It Girl Dreaming Christmas? Just like the that was amazing,
really good. Really yeah, she's got that like little Zoe Deschanel, cute,
(44:40):
little indie vibe. I love it. Yeah right, yeah that's right.
I'm so risingly good. So were you like terrified, would
you like what if she's no, because I'd have been like,
oh I get it, you don't want to any I
was like oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no problem. I'd
be like, weren't trying that? Totally understand So when you
finish al though, So what career path, Like, what was
(45:01):
the goal then, because you're not going to perform I
did photography, You're going she supported our family. Yeah, I
did pictures of what I did, and I ended up
doing more video like weddings. This is a very niche market.
I did full time. I was a missions photographer for
(45:23):
two years out of college. So an organization out of
Dallas called Missions International would pay for me to go
and document their trips and I was on salary with them.
And then so when t R and Lauren went to adopt,
Lauren was like, will you please come with us? Um, A,
I want you to be there, but be other people
want to document it and I don't know them, and
(45:44):
so she was like, you've done this, So um I
went with them, and then I did a lot of
album covers and kind of branding sort of things. And
then when he started to get really business busy and
being able to support us, I transitioned out of doing
other people's stuff and just did his stuff and went
on the road and did all his highlight videos from
(46:06):
the road. Oh don't just brush over this, this is
this deserves a moment. She let me just brag real quick.
She first of all, she was five older brothers. They
all played travel soccer and they drove all across America
in a van growing up. So when we got married,
she hopped in our van. She took the live photos
(46:28):
while we're playing. She sold the merch, set up the merch,
after designed the merch uh and then after the show
would take every meet and Greek photo until you know,
I mean there's like fifteen people per night. But I
mean she would shoot, tear down the merch, load the merch,
you know what I mean. Like she was a road warrior,
(46:50):
throw the van and trailer, and I was pretty good
at why turning a trailer by the time I retired. Yeah,
I mean, like this woman just let me brag on
her for two seconds. She was warrior. So you have
it's an investment. So you're investing back into this nucleus. Yeah,
because again you have to pay somebody to do all
that stuff, right, because I mean money, money's money, however
(47:11):
it comes from, however it comes, money's money. So I
wasn't like making us money, but I was saving us
money absolute and I was like I can do that.
I can do that. That's the three in me. I'm like,
I can do it between the between the music video
and coming out on the road. I mean the the
jump start that the video had on my career and
(47:32):
then the countless dollars and hours that you saved. I mean, yeah,
it's not your not your typical. So what is your
official position with him? I don't know. I don't need one.
But if someone says, what do you do? What do
you say? I hate that question. Yeah, but that's the question.
(47:53):
That's the question. I say. I'm a touring wife now
because now we're in a place that we've hired other people,
and so like, I do still like vet who ends
up being a photographer if I like their work or not,
I still I kind of creative direct. If someone asked,
really I oversee like this, and I oversee graphic design,
(48:15):
and yes, no like ad mats and like I made
the Carly and Russ tour ad mat. His one came
back and I was like absolutely not, like redid the
whole thing. And then when management calls, they're like, hey,
can you and Kaylee come in for this meeting to brainstorm?
So she's kind of CEO of ate of this, of
(48:36):
you you So it makes me sound uncomfortable, But I
mean it is you are you are? We're co No,
you're still okay, so you're CEO, You're ce FO. I
don't know, I don't know. So okay, but did you
ever consider going into management and doing management for him?
(48:57):
Everyone question? No, because I didn't. I don't know. I didn't.
I wanted to get that official official like I don't know.
I wasn't trying to have I didn't need the industries
like recognition of like oh, she manages Russell and I
almost didn't want that. Like when people call me a
white pitcher, it makes like I've never heard that term. Well,
(49:20):
I compared you to Sharon Osborne when I was talking
about you, okay, because she means she. I don't know she.
I don't think she's Aussie's main manager, but she definitely
she's involved. Yeah, and she may have been his manager,
Mike when you looked that up. But yeah, I compared
you to Sharon Osbald because she ran that Aussy was
the guy and he did the deal. She made sure
nobody nobody mess with Ausy. Yeah, for sure. I feel
(49:45):
like a gatekeeper to some extent, and like even when
it means like when people come backstage, if they do
or like because I'm monitoring his energy levels and like
because he'll go hard and yeah protoh he crashes And
I'm like, okay, well yeah, because I go hard and
(50:07):
then and then zero you know what I mean. But
I don't know there was We're it's such like a
family vibe with my team that to have her as
like an official anything would just feel we feel weird. Kaylie,
I told you five four and your six for works
for it's the whole foot. When I was doing math
(50:28):
real quick, I was like, whole, I don't want to mess.
That's my big shot to show my numbers, my skills
and numbers sharing she didn't manage them, and then started
the whole management company, started the whole companyeez um, you
also did you did another video for him? Right blue?
To me? Yeah, so I brought in. I was full circle.
My fourth brother is a director in l A, went
(50:50):
to USC film school, did the whole thing and he
was the one directing. The reason I did in nor
Jones video was because of him and he was directing
it and brought me into shoot which video a young
blood if we look it up, young blood, young blood
and he was like, I want you to film it,
and I had filmed a few things, but it was
like nothing officially. I had only done photos at that point,
(51:11):
and I was doing head shots because the musical theater
department's big at Belmont and I was doing head shots.
Was like my college money basically, and he was like,
I want you to film this and I was like,
I've never done that, and he was like, I trust
you an eye and I and he's like, I want
to fly you to New York and I want you
to film it. And I was like, okay, what are
we doing? And he was like, do you know who
Nora Jones is? And I was like yes, but like reminder,
(51:34):
I've never done this, and so he's like, no, I
believe in you. So I flew out there shot her
music video in her apartment and I got to meet
her and it was crazy. So then I moved back
to that went back to Belmont and everyone was like,
that's the girl that shot Nora Jones music video. So
then I got so much business and that was like NonStop.
But then when this music video was happening, we still
(51:54):
it was still a new label, young label, still didn't
have a real big budget, and I was like at
that point, I was like, I don't have to do it,
like someone else can come in, Like, let's see the treatments.
I saw the treatments and I was like I don't
love them, and um and then I saw the numbers
and I was like, oh my gosh, for this to
(52:15):
get pulled off, I still have to do it. And
so I called my brother and I was like, hey,
he lives in l A. And I was like, we
need to film this in California obviously, will you help me.
You can take the entire director percentage, which was like
not a lot, and he was like, yeah, I'll do it.
So we got to direct together again after all that time,
and it was just it was just a sweet, like
(52:36):
full circle bringing him in and we'll probably bring him in.
He's like a creative genius. But um, yeah, it was
just cool. Where were you in the song hit number one?
Where where we I think we were on the road.
It's funny that we can't remember. I don't. I don't
remember I was in waffle House for the most recent
(52:58):
I was like, we're going to waffle house. Baby is
the jam? I don't So my thing is I don't
hear a lot of oddly I don't hear a lot
of music because when I'm doing my show, we're playing
like three songs. Now, we're talking the whole time, and
we're only playing like and I don't pick them. I'll
play new stuff that I like sometimes, but I don't
(53:20):
pick the music because it's like we're on like a
hundred and fifty cities. They make sure the biggest three
songs the rest. And so unless this song is like one,
two or three or four, maybe five, I don't hear it.
So when this song started hit top and I was like, oh,
talk to Amy, I was like, what's the Russell song
that I hear that like? But it was already in
the top ten, and and then I mean, it's so good.
I love it so but I again, I didn't hear
(53:42):
it until the time. But I don't hear anything people
like people always ask me you hear so much music?
I don't know your crap. Like I talk for a
living and I have. I love music, and I love
all kinds of music, but I don't. And also my
days of like just scouring for somebody on YouTube playing
a guitar with three strings the next big thing, you
know what, I'm just gonna ta be funny. I find
(54:03):
people who I really believe, you know, I like take
them out, lit him open from me on a tour,
try to help get published deals. But it's like, you know,
but this song is a jam. Um, I love that one.
This song? Which one moved the fastest? For you? Blue
ta Cooma? Really? Yeah? I mean every little thing was
longer than yours? Really weeks man, Yeah, it was just
(54:26):
the later like the forties was. Then my album came
out like three years ago. Now you know, you lose
you know, you lose that initial steam from Yours to
Blue to Come and then the third single was it
was a grind. You had six or fifty people at
your wedding. How do you know that many people? My
dad is a he's the music minister at Woodmont Baptist
(54:49):
over here, and it's kind of so the venue was
free at the church, and it was kind of like
once you invite one, you invite them all kind of vibe.
But we did like we just did like a cake's
reception at the right immediately following the wedding, and then
we had to people at our actual like family friends,
love to Wedding, FA wedding and the ceremony, cake reception,
(55:16):
closed reception. I was like, I don't want to meet
anyone at our wedding. You don't want to have to
do the whole song, and right well that still didn't
happen because there were six people. And but anyway, I
want it. Definitely wanted something a little smaller, but here
we are. How do you feel about girls who try
(55:42):
to get it Russell during shows? I really don't care, honestly.
I there are some girls who like sit side stage
and are like I, and the girls who are like I.
I don't know. I think a I trust him like
crazy bit be they know so many of them, like
even if someone comments something on one of his things,
(56:03):
like the droves of people who come out there like
excuse me, do you know Kate, Like they just like
have a whole thing. I was at a show once
actually this is pretty early on, and some girl was
in this like little red dress at the front of
the stage. I was still out in the crowd at
that point, and this girl came up to me and
she was like, excuse me, I'm going to go say
(56:23):
something to her, and I was like, please, don't, please,
don't say anything, and she was like this is inappropriate,
Like everybody knows he's married, and if you don't know
he's married, you're not a real fan. Like she like
got this whole like it's okay, it's all fine, Like
please don't say anything, it's fine. Well, not to be
awkward here, but on the phone right now, is the
one girl you made out with? I was like, my heart,
(56:48):
I wouldn't be surprised. Oh, so, what's what's happening looking
forward for you right now? Like where are you at?
You get music recorded? That? Like, what's the what's what's
the timeline, what's happening? We have a so the next
(57:09):
single it's called love You like I used to. It'll
be February, early February coming out. We got six songs
recorded for the record, go in and probably cut four
more in February. Are you doing any of the What
is very vogue right now is the collaborations. Do you
have any? It's very in right now, it's super in
(57:31):
right now. Everybody's getting a collaboration. I know, and I don't.
I mean I don't have any as of now. Uh,
I would love some. I haven't really. I feel like
we'll get there once we get it. All recorded and out.
Barbra Streisan, Oh what a classic? What a classic? Uh?
(57:52):
Would you let him sing a love song with another girl? Yeah? Yeah, Um,
I'm I'm always down for collapse. I'll do a whole
edge hearing collab album. My prediction is you will have
one by the time you feel you're only six songs totally. Yeah, absolutely,
you'll have something. That's the thing. Now, how do you
feel about that? Um? You know, I feel like I do.
(58:13):
But everything a couple are really cool. Then if you
come out and it's down the middle and then we
start to burn on it and then we go to
the next thing, it's it's everything is cyclical period in music,
every art, it's not even music art, everything is so So,
how do I feel about it? Great? Then medium? Then
let's get over it? Right, I'm kind of over its. Well,
you're in the business, so you're seeing it a lot more,
(58:35):
and you're seeing it from the early early stages of
the talks of it. The we're gonna recording this, and
we've heard it yet it's actually out that forty two
weeks before it even hits the chart, So we both
I have to separate myself from what I know on
the inside versus like what my people are hearing, which
is one why I don't listen to new music from
any of my friends ever until it comes out. Maybe
(58:57):
two people ever while I be while I take their music,
can listen to it um, because then I just don't
feel the same. Even my favorite artist, I won't take
their music because I want to be able to because
I feel like I represent all my people and so
I don't want to be burned out on something before
it even comes out, because it's not fair to them.
(59:18):
So but I'm okay with it. There's some really good ones.
Let's not do bad ones, but let's do a good one. Um,
really good collaborations happening right now. Well, first of all,
the and we'll go back in time for a second,
but maybe let im back And that's the j It
just was like boom the world just I remember once
(59:39):
I was driving somewhere, I was flipping I was on
satellite and I heard that song the first time, and
I was like, that's that. That's like the greatest radio
song I've heard in yours. I mean, I just heard
it and I didn't know who it was on it,
I didn't know what didn't and I was just like,
won't there is and so and then I think that
kind of line people up to go, oh we should
(01:00:00):
grab some more dudes. Yeah, um good ones. All right,
let's go around the room. I'm gonna go. I do
like the Dan and sha Bieber song, Yes, because I
just love Dan and Jay totally. So I don't know.
It can be Dan and Shaye and me. You know,
it doesn't matter whatever they put out, it is going
to be good. But this is this is a jam
Russell got a collaboration you like right now, don't see?
(01:00:21):
I mean, if we're still going back in time when
when Lauren Elena comes in on that came Brown song,
what about with me again? An early one too? Like
when she comes into that course, it was like whoa, yes,
there we go. I mean mine, I don't know the
name of it, but it's the if the World was
(01:00:42):
ending you JP, JP Sacks and Julia Michaels this this
deserves a little sound. But Hannah Gray, Ellis and Ellis
and Nick Wayne covered it and it is straight fire.
Who is this one? Mike? Do you know what it is?
I can't find it. Julia Michael on her record and
(01:01:02):
now it's I think it's on JP sacks s A
x E. Who's JPS. I don't know who that is though,
he's like, might be like smart, I was, I don't
know anything. He's got like thirty k on Instagram. I looked.
As soon as I heard that, I messaged him. I
was like, dude, can we play what's it called? If
the World wasn't? And in traffic? I didn't feel it
(01:01:22):
when the earthquake happened, but it really got me thinking,
were you out drinking? Were you in the lift? If
the world was ending? It's been a year like this
earthquake happens and it's like she thinks about her what
she's doing, and the rock shows up. Yeah's in that movie?
You know? The one that I like now is that
(01:01:43):
I like the Ed Shearing. It's been out for ed
Sharing and uh Khalid beautiful people People. That is the
dad song. That's a jam. Yeah, I'm in I'm into
the Collapse big time. I mean that whole album, the
Travis Scott Oh yeah, what's in the club at the
beginning of that track? Yeah, yes, the whole that album
(01:02:07):
is great. Yeah. So you're going out with Kane, Yes,
And so there's also like international stuff in there. Huh
Is that true? He is? Yeah, I'm not on that.
I'm just in America. Correct, We need to come on.
I kind of nixed him international stuff for the next year,
(01:02:27):
like we were. We were international twice last year and
we were like, oh my gosh, we need to take
a circumnavigated the globe when around the whole thing lay
over in China Europe? How long do you go with Kane?
I have until May night here, I don't know. I
don't know, February to May night into February. You already
have tour stuff planning for next fall. You just haven't
announced you Are you still working on that ahead? Is it?
(01:02:50):
We're so? Then the summer is like fairs and festivals,
classic and then headlining slash. Yeah, unannounced stuff. Yeah, it's exciety. Yeah.
Festivals stages just built for the day stage semi trucks
that transformers into a day. Well look at you at
(01:03:11):
the peanut fests and the Sausage Fest and the Point
Cedia Fest, and you know, all the fests. To be
fair to all the fests, there is no paycheck like
a festival paycheck. You were indeed correct, They're great and
there's really no pressure to draw tickets. Usually there's somebody
(01:03:32):
bigger than you plan too, or even if not, people
are already there. It's just like we're on a Thursday,
and like some like Classic Legacy Act is on Friday,
Arners on Friday, and then Cake is playing on Saturday.
You've got it all covered in all directions. Exactly. Amazing. Well,
I look forward to the to the new music. Yeah, man,
I'm I'm super stoked. And then I'm glad both you
(01:03:54):
guys would come in. I know that you were sick.
We're gonna do this earlier and more so than I
cared about you being sick. I cared about me getting
sick from you, and I would never I would never
want I was like, I hope he's cool with that
because it's literally for everyone's own good. Yeah. He was
like a hundred and two fever. You know he's sick
when he's like because he is like every day is
(01:04:15):
awesome and I'm only a seven. He's like, I guess
I'll sleep till nine, you know, like, yeah, do you
do the thing where you go because this is what's
gonna happen to me in the next few days. I
will get sick because I have been pressing. I've been
pressing so hard and it's what we all do. But
(01:04:35):
I mean, in my mind, I've been pressing hard and going,
and I get very grateful. Then I'm not sick during
big things. Yes, because if I'm like, I have this
big stand up show I'm gonna do, or I have
this big American I don't think i'm gonna do. Please God,
don't let me be sick. And then I'm not sick,
and I'm like, thank you God, I'm not sick. But
I feel like I'm just constantly praying and battling. It's
like December comes, it's like it's uh, not here way
(01:05:00):
the next guys, they're all parts of the little Green guys,
big Green Blob guys are coming all of it. Um
a little throw back. Here's that's my girl from from
Yeah right there. I am not great, but I did
it in college. Here is from two thousand twelve green
(01:05:21):
Line Russell. Who's the one let's take her out of
the equation. Who's the one person that believed in you
excluding her your career, in your career, who's the one
person that you go Holy moly without them? I just
I wouldn't be here. John Dennis, my manager, he signed
(01:05:43):
me in two thousand ten. Uh. Yeah, he's the one
who has steadily for a decade. Now, wow, that's weird.
A decade has believed in me, signed me. I had nothing.
He took me to every label all said no, you know,
he didn't. He never gave up on me. And there
(01:06:03):
was artists along the way that he would sign. Taking
the labels they'd say, no, he he dropped, you know,
but for some reason he always kept me around and
would continue to to brainstorm with me. Um. We we
started our own record label for yours and that was
how we jumped started that. You know, we legally started
(01:06:24):
a record label. We didn't have a you know, millions
of dollars, but we just he paid for your track
to get fixed. Yeah. He always my Nissan Armada two
thousand four that I would drive, Uh would break down,
still drive it, it would break downs. He would, you know,
pay for all that and eventually finally we recouped all that.
(01:06:46):
Did you get him a Cristis present? This year? We
don't really, I know, I know, it's super embarrassing. We
never really like do Christmas presents. Well, we're in the
middle of moving, so we'll give everyone a delay. Like St.
Patrick's president, Yeah, give him a Valentine's Day. Yeah, it's no.
I mean, like movers come this weekend, like the next
(01:07:09):
two days. So we've kind of just been in a yeah,
dizzy dizzy I don't know either work. Yes, well, let's
I really enjoy talking about you guys, to spend it
over hour and finally, yeah, it's been a long time coming,
has it. I mean I've he's like, I've been waiting
(01:07:31):
for you to call me. I see all these awesome
artists on Well, this to me is so fine because one,
it's long form, you can just talk. It's not six
minute blocks or two minute blocks. And too, I also
get to talk to people about deeper in the craft,
and I get to talk to people actually inside the craft,
like Tom Douglas comes and talks or what a well
(01:07:53):
spring or m Carrie Luke's manager, Carry Las comes, Here's
Luke and Colesman and talks about that side of it.
So I'm such a such a nerd of of like
music and business that um I enjoyed, and it's in
my house basically, come here. Nobody comes to my house
except for people for this show. I'm super like nobody
who come to my house. And then except for everybody
(01:08:15):
who's able to do the show, some of them I've
never even met before. So I do want to throw
in When you were talking about the Brooks and Dunn hits,
I just want to throw in Cowboy Town. Oh he's
referencing if I get to pick two songs. Okay, yet
you're right, Cowboys don't Owy Town. I would like to
say I heard him do a demo once that h No,
you don't. You have to pick the hits. I'm not
(01:08:39):
saying it's it's not it's not the most massive hit.
I get two songs to play with Brooks and Dune,
this one just hits me. And if you get to pick,
what did you pick? I picked Neon Moon, Yes absolutely,
and probably boot Scoot Bog because that's just the crowd.
So I've luckily oddly become friends with Ronnie Dunn, who's
(01:08:59):
known as super sarcastic, dry guy and people like man Ronnie.
But that's right up my alley, like we are just
like perfect, were like lovers, right and so um I
got a note today they were like, hey, they're gonna
do Neon Moon and Red Dirt Road and I was
like it was like Red Road's fine, but let me
hit Ronnie up but te him out of that boot scoogie.
(01:09:20):
So all right, listen that that's all russelled D Russell D.
But you spell your last name with the e at
the end. Is that true? It was just spelled wrong
with my sheet rustled. Yeah, russet rustled Instagram. That's my Instagram.
That's so confusing. I know it's like Russell. I wanted
to go for Russell D, but then I just did
Russell E D both of my initials and it's just
(01:09:42):
so ull right yeah Russell Yeah. And then Kayleie Dickerson,
are you are you verified? No? I'm not. Are you verified? Okay?
Not to insult him, I mean yeah, I would just
expect you should be verified. She absolutely ship Yeah, are
you verified on Twitter? Are you verified on Twitter? That
(01:10:02):
was a big day the Twitter with verification back in
the day because that was the first verification. That's that's
like introt of verification. Yeah. I remember the day, like,
oh my god, you're like, wow, a my famous. But
that was like before they would like give it out
to like influence or like herbal t influencers you know
what I mean, used to be on the Bachelor, and
that's how we'll end it. And then I can find that. Yeah,
(01:10:26):
well data isn't the word. Well, you know went on it.
You may know them, and it's I don't know no.
All right, let's see you guys,
Hey, it's Bobby here. Thanks for listening, and thanks for
subscribing to the Bobby Cast. If you haven't subscribed yet,
please do. It does help us so much. I wanted
to share with you guys an episode we did with
Russell Dickerson and his wife Kaylee Dickerson. And the reason
comes up now is I just spent a whole weekend
on the road with them. Russell was playing with the
Raging Idiots, and so we spent a bunch of time
on the road, but also hung out with Kaylee a
(00:21):
little bit on the road, and it reminded me of
this episode that I wanted to put back up. You know,
they talked about being together for ten years, how Kaylee
filmed and directed the music video for Yours. Russell talks
about how it took four years from when that song
was written to go number one. So here you go
from It's a couple of years old, but I wanted
you to hear this in case you haven't. Here is
the Bobby Cast with Russell Dickerson and his wife Kaylee.
(00:42):
All Right, welcome to episode to nineteen. It's Russell and
Kaylee Dickerson. Have you guys ever do one together? An
interview together. That track was fire you have an interview together? Yeah,
only a couple of the like what who interviews you together?
The Not did so a print publication, yes, but it
was their podcast. Okay, we were their first episode, right
(01:02):
and Bristo and I think that's it? How was that?
I don't know her, but she lives, she's wonderful, love her, Yeah,
I hear, I hear good things about her as a person.
I always have a weird thing with the Bachelor people
because I've met, like most of them, I meet or
not people I would normally hang out with in her life.
I go, oh, that's why you wanted the Bachelor and
(01:23):
and not and not because she I hear she's great.
And I'm saying this because I have multiple friends that
are like, oh, she's like a fantastic human, right yeah,
you actually is, yeah, legitimately lover. Yeah, it's cool than not.
When you bring that up, it reminds me that I
saw on the Not, which is a wedding website, right,
like Not that yours was the biggest wedding song for
them ever or something like that, or the year or
(01:45):
some like same music they put it, they put it,
they make like an annual list for their like because
you go to the knot to like who should I
use as my photographer? Who should I use make my cake?
Or whatever? And they had yours was one of their
their like number one playlist wedding first dance, so you
(02:07):
know what I mean, like their communative list whatever? Did this?
Did this song build your new house? Absolutely? Yeah? Are
you still getting checks for it? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I
mean he's like yep, yeah, I mean it's yeah, that
was that yours is It's its own whole story anyway,
(02:28):
And we'll get to that. We will. Have you played
this song at many weddings that you weren't personally connected to, like,
have people hired you? Because I talk to talking to
Dan recently? Have Danna Chaney was like, you know, we
don't do a lot of weddings, but listen, we'll do song.
And we're right because they have wedding songs. Yeah, like
(02:49):
legit yours is one speechless Yeah. Have you played that
at any weddings I have? Yeah, I've I've probably done
like like, hey, like come play our wedding will pay
you like three yeah, not not a lot? Does that
go through your agent? Yeah? Yeah? But then that's good.
Those are good. The privates of anything were so good, fantastic.
(03:12):
But then there's that one in a million. We happened
to be playing a show in a certain city and
there happens to be a wedding, and they're like tweeting
like crazy, you know what I mean. So we were
in like South Carolina, some I don't know, some town
and we played it like four thirty. First dance was
(03:32):
at like six thirty, so it was oh yeah, yeah yeah.
So we got we got ubers, I brought my guitar,
we changed clothes, we tried to find something dressy the
band sounds like I can't wear jean shorts to a wedding. Yeah,
And so we just like rolled up. Anyone know you
were coming on? Literally no one, no, because we walked
(03:54):
in and we were like hey, uh and they the
wedding planner. I don't know if they knew who we
were at all. Yeah, someone in that band, like Incognito,
was like, where's the wedding planner and like right in
and so someone a bit advanced it. Yeah, I mean
we walked in just enough because I'm telling you I've
done the thing before where I also have gone to
a wedding where it's like a big fan. It's like
(04:15):
we just love you, and you don't tell him you're coming,
and you go and have people like I don't know
who you are exactly, and it's a real humbling experience.
That happened once. That happened once in Phoenix. We were
staying in a hotel outside of Phoenix, I don't know what,
and we heard the rehearsal. She was walking down the
aisle to yours and so we were in the pool
like at this hotel and heard the rehearsal and we're like,
(04:37):
you gotta do it, you gotta crash. And you walked
in the door after the ceremony and they were like,
they're like and Russell was like, Hi, I'm Russellserson. That
was myself like things. There are two times where that
happens to me. That one. It's like that because there's
only like a small selection of people to give me
(04:58):
a crap, give a crap who I very small and
I'm very loyal to them. But most people have no idea, right,
I'm just a dork with big glasses. So without the glasses, yes,
So when you show up somewhere and you're like, I'm
actually doing this because I know somebody here cares I'm
and then they're like, yeah, we got no idea, bro.
The other one is when something like sometimes like people
on my my management team will call and go, Hey,
(05:21):
we're gonna have dinner at this place. We're gonna call
and and they'll be like, hey, we're gonna get a table.
And I don't do this anymore, but like, can we
get a table for four bibones is in town? And
they're like, I don't know who that is. And that
happens and it's like, you know what, it's just not
worth it to me. Its not worth it. It It happens
like one or two times, and you're like, it's just
I don't do it. I'll just go and wait. I'm
not special. Um, I tell you that my my recent
(05:44):
have to k Lee stories and we're gonna get all this.
By the way, she's just talking. I have so much
preparation I've done for this interview. We haven't gotten to
it yet. Um. The first one is this is a
three or four weeks ago. I was playing the opera
at the Rhyme and you were playing too at night. Um,
and so we were on the same thing together. But
I was walking back and if you ever just kind
of an insight tip, you're gonna go to the opera
(06:06):
at the Rheman, you can wait for all the artists
to show up behind the Rheman because we all have
to go through a backdoor. And so and I'm there.
I'm just gonna do some stand up and I think
I don't have a guitar with me or anything, and
so I'm going in and there's a lot of people
that know that, and they're just waiting and there would
take pictures and in a bit, there's a there's a
lot and it starts to be a little bit overwhelming,
and all of a sudden, it's like an angel came
out of the guy. I was like, I'll take these pictures.
(06:27):
And it was Kaylie standing there and she grabs everyone's
phone and it's like, okay, next sext sex sex And
this ushered me right into the door, and I was like,
thank you very much. And I left that experiencing like
did he know that was me? Or does he think
I was a fan? Like I know, I knew exactly
who was you know, I'm a fan, But I was like,
I left that experience, being like he might have thought
I was one of the people just waiting for him.
I did not. And then we saw each other again upstairs.
(06:50):
But and then my second one is and I didn't
say anything about this on the radio, but I'm gonna saying, well,
maybe I didn't know. Okay, So I saw at the airport.
I don't know where, I don't know. No, No, we
weren't at the airport. We were event that I live
in airport. So I feel okay, same, but I remember this, Um,
we we're at charity event. Did she tell you this?
(07:12):
I love it? And so I say, hey, you know
what's because I feel like I know Kaylie better than
you Russell at times, like we've spoken more than than
you and I have. And we're talking at this event
and she was like, hey, I was gonna go Russell's
playing a radio show and I was complaining about radio
shows in your honor, and I was like, I can't
you know what they barely get paid. It's like Tuesday night,
you know, I'm feeling I'm feeling bad for you. And
(07:34):
she's like, yeah, it's not so bad, and um, she
goes well, and I was gonna thinking about going. But
what I do is I reserve the Southwest because if
you fly, because my idea is my companion, right, my
go on Southwest, I can take him anytime I fly Southwest,
I can put Mike on for free. She's yours, she goes,
you know. So I used the pass and I walked
all the way to the gate with him and then
I just don't go. It's all over again. I was like, yeah,
(07:57):
I was like, you just took the seat if the
plane was sold out. So I laughed and then I
got and I thought about telling that story on the show,
but I didn't. I felt like it was a good
private moment. And then then I heard and then I
don't know again, did you I've posted it because that
what it was. Yeah, I thought when I heard my name,
(08:20):
I was like, oh, he's about to call me out
and say that I stole the seed on Southwest and
something in me. But you didn't mind me that you
were okay they talking about I'm like, if Southwest is
going to give me that but not let me. This
is my beef with with the companion pass, which you
may feel with me, which we're grateful Southwest that we
(08:40):
get to fly well, can we fly a lot giving
it to us for charity. Thing is they don't let
you board together. You're like Z three yes, and I
have no status because he's like a plus preferred plus
plus plus are you and your boarding past? I'm sure
when you board is like beef ift two are like
(09:01):
it's at the way. I'm like, we're going to sit
together if we're companion pass, just let us sit together.
They won't do it. I don't know why did you
have to not write an article about this, because this
would be good you guys. What's interesting to me is
you guys worked together too. You don't because and I
(09:23):
didn't know that Kelly was a singer because I was
talking to her. She was like, you know, I did
vocals and because she just went to school together. Wait,
let's start from the very beginning. You guys met in school. Yeah,
and like a singing class. Yeah, we have the same
vocal coach, voice teacher, and like you have these required
classes where it's legitimately you sit in the classroom, you
have someone play guitar or piano for you, you you stand
(09:46):
in front of the class and sing. That's terrifying. That's
why I don't sing anymore. But I mean for me,
that's literally that's radio tour, right, you know, so that
like prepped me for these like super awkward, sterile, fluorescent
light conference rooms with seven people looking at exactly and
looking like they could care less to be there. So that's,
(10:07):
you know, that prepped me. But that that's where we met.
And we had the same vocal teacher. And I remember
who who sing first. I remember hearing him sing first
and he's saying it was in our classical class and
you're saying, oh yeah, and they made me sing low yeah,
like I thought you were saying a church on the
(10:29):
Cumberland Road. I mean like like the old, yeah, the
old like And I was like, dang, that guy can sing.
And that's the first time I remember. Because we didn't
ever meet. Really, Everyone's always like somebo, do you guys
meet and we're like, we don't know. We were like
all friends of friends and she was dating somebody, I
was dating somebody, and it's just like all interwoven, slowly merging. Yeah,
(10:53):
and then we made out at a graduation party after
we'd broken up with Let's rewind for a second. You
hear him sing yeah, and do you hear her sing
like the same around. Yeah, who at that stage was
the better singer. It's always been him in classical though
like slash like musical theater, but that transitions into like
(11:15):
this little indie vibe that she's got. It's like incredible,
it's so good. But you didn't answer the question what
he Okay, I was better at classical. He was better
at um commercial, which is like his life, which is
a good thing that I'm like not going to go
on radio to classical classical. I'm going to say her
(11:36):
that's the right answer. Even if we can't you can't
prove it. And so you guys, you're in this class
and you have friends that mutual friends you guess, are
hanging out, and was it like, even though you're dating
other people, I'll just ask you where you like. Man,
she's cute. I don't have a girlfriend, but she's cute. Yeah,
well I was dicky, he didn't really have a girlfriend. Yeah,
(11:58):
it was like, but I would like ask her for advice,
like dating advice. But then like we would start hanging
out more. We'd go to like the flea market. We'd
always get coffee or whatever while you were dating another girl. No,
not really it had kind of once asked her they
were dating. If you asked him, they weren't. It was
kind of one of those they weren't. They were not serious.
(12:21):
They mean they were not to convince me, I believe it. No,
I'm like trying to make sure he doesn't sound like, also,
you're in college doing dumb, young, darky things. But really,
what I mean, you start hanging out. I was in
a serious relationship. So you were hanging out with him
while you were had a serious boyfriend. Okay, you both
kind of single then, yeah, but we were you vibing
(12:44):
at all? It's so long ago, honestly, I'm like, like
we were like ten years yeah, so let's go back
in time. So back in time. Yeah, back in time.
It was like friends of friends. Like it was just
like a group like that's Belmont. It's such a small,
like tight knit group. Like there was like twenty people
in our graduating class. So it was and so like
(13:05):
we all all would hang out and then like we
would just start going again. Like I remember when the
first time I was like going to the flea market
and I would like, ask you about another girl. Yeah,
he would been like like, bring us closer. You know
what I mean, I need to ask other girls about
other girls, but it really just brings them to don't know, no, Yeah,
(13:30):
he would be like should I do this? I was like, well,
do you miss her? Do you like her? And he'd
be like, I don't know if I like. I'm like,
well did you think about her when you were like
on Thanksgiving break? And he'd be like, I mean a little.
I'm like, I don't think you like her that much.
I don't know how long have you two been together
or not married, but together? Period ten years minus one month.
(13:51):
We broke up after that, okay minus one month? What
happened with that month? I was an idiot? He was
an idiot. I this is this is a this is
for real. I had just we had graduated already, and
I had just signed like my pub deal, and like
it was about to happen for Russell Pakers, you know
(14:11):
what I mean. It was in like all these promises
were made from that deal and like you're gonna get
a record deal, You're gonna be you know, you're gonna
be on radio, you gonna be on tour, You're gonna
be gone, You're gonna be going going, And I was
like I don't really have time for a relationship, like
I need to just kind of and we don't think
dating for a year. Oh that's a long time. That's
(14:33):
not only yeah for me, like yeah, and and so that,
I mean, that was that was my mindset, was like
it's about to happen for me. I need to be single.
But like twenty two year we were two, you know,
and there's no judgment triangle here. I'm here. I'm just
(14:58):
asking questions. Yeah, And so that was. That was one
month and I remember calling her on Thanksgiving Day and
I was just like wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, you
have to waity back up what he was like, Well,
he was like we'll be friends, and I was like, no,
we won't. And you go ahead and do what you do.
I'm going to move on. You move on, and you're like,
(15:20):
but you're my best friend. I was like, well, you're mine,
and but we're not doing this like both thing. And
so I moved on. He moved on. And then I
got a call on Thanksgiving and he was like, I
just want you to know I'm thankful for you. And
I was like, wait, well, like I needed and when
I say this, it is the smallest it's not even
(15:43):
like I needed to live the rock star road life.
You know. I literally made out with one girl and
that was I was just like, no, this isn't for me,
this whole this is a this is not a good
this is not fulfilling, you know what I mean. Like
literally I made out with one girl and I was like, yeah, okay,
this is I gotta call Kaylee. That whole deal from
(16:07):
back then, that pub deal didn't turn into all the
things we thought it was going to. Career wise, No,
you still would same publish company. Also, you're out of
all of that. Yeah. That was the first I signed
in two thousand eleven. That was a two year deal,
got dropped after two years. Um, and then that was
two thousand thirteen. And I didn't even write yours until
(16:30):
two thousand fourteen, and then I didn't sign a deal
till you haven't made that song and it's after two years. Huh. Yeah, Well,
what's kind of the genesis of your writing that song?
And it took a second for it to kind of happen. Yeah,
so you're right, like, just tell me about the So
the overall picture is January twenty something is when we
(16:56):
wrote it, and then January twenty something, literally almost to
the day. Four years later, four years is when it
went number one, So four years in between that was.
I had one offer for a publishing deal. We took it,
we had to, We had no just got married. I
(17:18):
got dropped the week we got back from our honeymoon.
So that was a great We made twelve tho dollars
that you combined. Yeah, so that was that was year
one of marriage. And then soeen we wrote it, and
I mean we just we went all around town. Everybody
said no, all the majors, all the indies, every I
(17:38):
mean literally, were you were you chasing an artist deal
with that song? Were you also pitching the song? Well
so you want you wrote it? You're like, it's mine
on this hill? Yeah, the whole, the whole, this whole time,
I was like, I'm an artist writer, you know, like
that was that was what I wanted to do. And
so uh yeah, I was just like I we obviously
(18:00):
it and take no for an answer, but I just
put everything on this one song. I was like, I know,
I know that, I know that I know this is
a hit. And and it took i mean another two
years from writing it too to go to labels and
showcases and do the whole dance. And it wasn't until uh,
thirty Tigers slash now Triple Tigers. They've just started a
(18:24):
whole brand new label. And it was it was Norbert
Nicks who had just got to let go from Sony
and like Kevin Herring who just gotta let go from Warner.
It's all these guys who kind of, you know, related
to this, this like being rejected kind of mentality, like
a little chip on your shoulder a little bit, and
(18:45):
uh and it just all came together with this tiny
little label. I was the only artist on there and
they had me one song and that was that was
what really ignited. I mean, I I missed the whole
video part, but an industry wise, industry wise that that
was what what really like to took it. You know,
(19:08):
at what point because the label was a small independent label,
so it's it's difficult because they don't have the promotion
infrastructure right for for an independent that they just don't
have arms and fangs everywhere. So but at what point, though,
did you realize we actually have a shot with this thing,
Like this thing could actually be a massive hit. Like
(19:31):
what was it a number on the chart. Yeah, like,
were you hearing about research because it was also a
valid Oh dear god, I don't play. But then it
started jumping like it was only in the twenties. For
like three weeks, four weeks something like that. It was
like jump, two spots, jump, three spots jump, and then
(19:51):
it was in the teens and we were like, who woa, whoa, whoa,
what was happening? Did you do this song on any
any TV? On any anything on our favorite? Did it
seems like The Bachelor? Okay, I don't know this, but
it seems like this, this would be that kind of song,
big pop from that show. Absolutely, it was a couple,
Rachel and Dean. Rachel, she was she was like bachelor.
(20:17):
Dean was Geanie babies. Do you know Dean? Bachelor in Paradise?
He came back, I've never seen. I'm not the guy
to talking, but but I don't know Rachel. But was Okay,
So she's an attorney, she's smart, she's really cool. You
play this on the show, and it was ever on radio?
I'm pretty sure? Or no, no, it was on radio
(20:38):
and it jump because it was so hard. After that,
it jumped like tin spots on airplay and top top
of the iTunes charts. You know, just like craziness that
was that was a big jump when you played that
song on the show. You did it over and over again. Yeah,
it was that awkward too. Is are you just playing
with them? Dan? What was the scene was that awkward? Uh? Well,
(20:59):
they were late first of all, So it all started
where we never had a tour bus before, but we
got to ride down in a tour bus and then
to South Carolina, South Carolina. Um, and then so we're waiting,
We're waiting, We're waiting. I think Chris Harrison was felt bad.
So he comes on our bus and you know, we
(21:20):
have a we raise a toast, we have to have
a drink, and we're just like hanging out with Chris
Harrison on our bus, which for us at the time,
we were like, I was freaking out. He was there
for like two hours and we shared we had knob
right now and I had him signed the bottle and
I have it in my house, like I mean, like
I'm a fan, and he let us every Monday like
(21:40):
her and her gal pals get together and watch Bachelor.
He's also really nice. He's so nice and me let us.
He let us come to after the final rows. He
was like, let me take us, do you want? I
was like, it's twelve too many and he was like, no,
we'll make it happen. We I mean me and all
my friends filed in, Like it was so fun. It
was really cool to like make it a real life
exp and not so like this is the show. That's
(22:03):
cool that you got to watch him play on the
show and you got to hate because you're a fan.
When you're a fan of something, it's so much cool
that when it actually works out in a way that
makes you still feel good. Yeah, and it was fun.
It was I think the whole thing is a crazy phenomenon.
And do I think it's the best way to find someone? No?
Am I highly entertained by drama that has nothing to
do with my own life. Yes, I love it. I
(22:25):
love it. They are they dancing is a dancing, it's
like a slow dance makeout And how many times do
you think you have to play that song with them dancing? Yeah,
it was like two or three, but they have to
make out every time on cue? No no, no, they
just think I mean they made out but they wanted
to it wasn't like make out at this, It wasn't choreograph.
(22:45):
You know who I became friends with from the Bachelor
was again the episodes of Good Made Bachelor. It was
Joe gross Store Joe. Yeah, I don't know I'm personally,
but he did dance. He's the nicest guy. Heck yeah,
he seems like it. And Kindle is engaged. I don't know.
I don't know if they're engaged either, but I'm telling
you that is a reel of a relationship. They are
(23:07):
the greatest for each other. They're both so nice, So yeah,
they're His story is wild because he went on and
I would add him and I were both not considered
to be the best answers, so we were bonding over that.
And he went on that show and he was only
on for an episode and he get kicked off almost immediately,
and the internet blew up. The Internet blew up, Yeah,
(23:29):
and he was like the internet was pissed. Yes, Then
he got bring Bring Back Grocery Store. Check there, Like,
he's good looking and he seems super nice, and so
he ends up going back to Bachelor in Paradise and
that's where he ends up meeting Kindle. But he was like,
you couldn't believe it. He was like, I didn't one show.
It was embarrassed that my friends are gonna be kicked off.
We at a party he goes then then my social
media started to blow up. And but he was as
(23:51):
much as I give the Batchelor people crap, Like an
earlier I've went out with a couple of people from
that show. Um went out with a couple of people. Yeah,
like went out with a people off Mike, and I've
been around some of the people. You know, it was
really weird. Who wasn't mean or nice? But who's the
guy that thinks he's a model? Jordan Kimpbell. I had
(24:13):
lunch with that guy. He's I didn't. I have no
feeling like I didn't spend enough time with him to
like him or dislike him. He's a lot though, and
he's real. Yeah, just what you see on the show
is like my friends were like, tell me if this
guy is real, and I'm like, why don't watch the show?
And I sat with him and I was like, I
don't know what you say on the show, but that's real.
Whatever you see, he's exactly like that in person. He's
(24:33):
like on twelve just it's like, you know, I got
for modeling. Deal's got to get down, dude, Willhelm and models.
And I'm just like, I can tell he was kidding
or not. If there's a mirror behind you at dinner,
You're like, I need to put myself looking in the mirror, allies,
He'll never look at me this whole And I liked
him just fine. It was just I didn't know what
his vibe was. My friends were like, tell me, what
(24:53):
if he's really liked that him Robbie, Oh no, that's
another But you're just like, yeah, she didn't watch it. Football, yeah,
steak and stuff. You know. So you go on this
show and it pops for you. You come back to
the life and it's like, wow, we gotta so obviously
(25:14):
your team has a story too, like on the Wan,
on The Bachelor, Look how it's all on this that's
and at that moment when you literally you have nothing,
when you have this one little spark that is what
you just like nurture and nurture and nurture and try
to try to get that into try to get a
little flame, try to get a little bigger flame. I
mean it's it's literally man, we we flew around the
(25:37):
country and then would drive in Honda Civics and just
like go to station to station and like tell this
little story of you know we had we had some downloads,
we had some streams, we you know, we it was
literally this tiny little flame that you have to curate
and just like keep it sep it alive. Yeah, like
you don't, don't say no, Like we're not going to stop.
(26:04):
One of the problems my wife and I have is
always what are we gonna cook for dinner? Because we
cook the same things over and over and over again.
Spaghetti last week, spaghetti this week, spaghetti next week, spaghetti
wei the week out of that, and we're like, we
need something new. We always getting a rut of cooking
the same things. And then we found it Hello Fresh,
(26:25):
different items each week delivered right to our front door.
Cooking made simple. We were like, oh, we were so excited.
So you go to Hello Fresh dot com and let's
say you're a vegetarian. They have different vegetarian meals that
choose from, and when you open up that box on
your front door, all the ingredients are measured out to
(26:45):
the tea spoon and they have step by step instructions.
Thirty minutes later around you have the meal sitting on
your table, and right now you can get nine free
meals with Hello Fresh by going to Hello Fresh dot
com slash Bobby Cassina nine and using the code Bobby
cast nine. That's nine free meals with Hello Fresh dot com.
(27:06):
Go to Hello Fresh dot com slash Bobby cast nine
and using the code Bobby cast nine. So you're you're
hustling around. The song is continuing to climb. It hits
top ten, and now it shifts to well, we're trying
to get the whole freaking thing now, like we've been
working this hard, this long because it was on the
(27:26):
chart for a long time. It was the Billboard set
a record first. Okay, the timeline in itself two thousand
fourteen when we wrote it, just to even get a
record deal was one of the longest journeys of my life.
Then once we finally hit radio, it is the Billboards
(27:48):
longest solo male debut climb to number one. So it
was just on the chart for a long time up
the chart. Yeah, so you go your top ten? Did
they give you the talk like they do some artists,
Like it's just honored be in the top ten, like like,
you know, we made it. Who knows, but you got
a top ten and we got some momentum for the
next one. And that's not how I work. Due I'm
(28:10):
like faith, I'm like, yes, we're gonna do it. I
will drive to every radio station again to make sure
this goes all the way. I don't care. I'll do it. Seven. Yeah,
I'm what are you three with a hard to wing? Okay,
so I'm eight with the three two two? Eight with
(28:32):
you go to two and growth hold on, Oh dude,
we'll be here all okay. You know who got me
out on his Dave Heywood into it. Yes, and Kelly
bought us all the books. It's a Haywood thing. They've
they love it. They love the iniogram. I had never
heard of it until Dave came in. It's been ten minutes.
Ted talk to me about the indiagram. Yeah, I'm an
(28:53):
eight with two, so you can only go left. I go.
I picked my own way, as an eight would. Yeah, yeah,
so I made my own. Mine was like the scent
whenever they tell you, yeah, so mine whatever that you're
a crazy scenario. That means you're really healthy because you
(29:13):
in eight. If you're truly innate, you go to two
and growth. What's to me? It's the help of um
that's not me. That's my lowest one. I'm three. I'm whatever,
the perfectionist. What's three my When you look up three,
it's not eased the achiever. That's what I am. A three. Okay,
that's where your highest two. I don't think that I
showed up as the two. They were like the one
umber the time. I don't think that's true. Because you
(29:34):
find people in the world and you're like, I believe
in you, I'm going to help you. I'm just telling you.
The score told me I too, didn't even register giving
yourself enough credit because every question was like who do
you believe? And I was like me, who else do
you believe in? Yeah? There you go? Yeah, so you go,
and I will I will concur with that. I mean,
(29:56):
because you find all these artists and you're like, I'm
going to give you a platform. I'm gonna help you
be hurt, you being really healthy. It's a challenger. Yeah.
Eight goes to two and growth in five. So when
you're stressed out, you investigate things, right, you google stuff.
I mean, I'm doing that right now with you guys. Actually,
I'm the eight. Okay, I'm an eight and you're an eight.
(30:18):
I'm I'm a three. So you can only go left
or right in your wings. So like you can lean
towards what we do, you can clean, you can lean
towards seven and an optimist, or you can lean towards mediator.
I'm guessing you lean towards seven. If I'm neither one
of those, neither, I just live. I built walls around
the eight, so I'm a three achiever. But then I
(30:41):
leaned towards two, which is the helper supportive advisors that
one says, Oh my gosh, there is that has never
been a more accurate description. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Well,
I'm all I know is I saw the scores and
I was like eight, and yeah, make that makes total sense.
I can. And that's the thing that's the human a
(31:02):
little bit of yeah, it's yeah, not me. I'm straight
up seven? Are you? You're really optimistic? Optimistic, enthusiastic? Wow,
look at you. Every day is the best day of
his whole life. Literally, Wow, I don't. I mean that's
I mean, good for you. I struggle with that. He's yeah,
I don't. It's I don't understand it is that like
(31:23):
I can get myself there, which I often do, like
I can find reasons, but are you? Is it just
a natural part of you where you just feel it
like that is you? Pretty much like I. I wake
up and I'm like, today is going to be breaking awesome, literally,
and he's like, Pape, get up, look up, look outside,
then let's go. Let's go. Like he's like a kid
(31:45):
on Christmas, like every day it's insane to me and
sometimes like Buddy, there's one person in my life. It's
it's our photographer videographer who out sevens me and he
is actually Buddy the ELpH. It's yeah, it's it's crazy. Wow. Wow,
that's that's that's a good thing to know about. I
don't know that. I wake up and I'm the opposite.
(32:07):
I'm like, I can't believe it's three o'clock in the
freaking morning. I couldn't if he's like that on like
those infamous radio shows where he's up till eleven midnight
and Lobby calls five four something like that, and it's
just like over and over and over days like that,
he wakes up and he's like but other than that,
(32:29):
you're pretty much yeah, for the most part optimistic. When
the songs on top ten though, you felt it though,
you were like, oh babe, we got this. I will
do I will call every hundred and fifty six stations, yeah,
to make to see if we can actually take this
all the way. And so is it a slow week
(32:49):
week methodical climber? Does it kind of hit the top ten?
Pretty good? It was pretty good. Yeah, it wasn't. It
wasn't like sevens all the way up and we got
two weeks on Billboard and and so yeah, it just
like it's shot up, and it was just it was
what do you do when you What were you doing
(33:09):
the night it hit one? So the Sunday that it
actually flips and after West Coast comes in and it's
you're done. Um, you're now officially number one. What were
you guys? What were you doing? We were at the house.
I remember, like everybody, I had like all these interviews.
All of a sudden, it was like Billboard they wanted
to do a whole like number one interview, and like
because the debut number one is pretty crazy and and
(33:31):
so yeah, they were I was on the phone with them.
I was on the phone with management and and just
like it was cool that we were actually home to
wine on our little porch, because like we we didn't
want to take that for granted. This entire climb, like
we had a we had a top forty party legitimately
with the songwriters, Like they came up, they came over,
(33:53):
and um, we had a top forty party. Every every
ten ten spots. We would just take a moment and
be like, you know, if this is as high as
it goes, raise a toast to this. And it's been awesome.
So it hits one. And now we're gonna rewind a
bit though, because the video is a big part of
this song too. In the video, if I'm remembering right,
(34:16):
I'm just gonna go from memory, you were asleep? Wait
as a proposal? Hold on a second, let me get
this right. Did you propose in the video? Was a
part of the video? Okay, hold on? Getting my stories
mixed up? Hold on, are you propose? Were you taking
a nap? And he wakes you up? When we got
engaged and oay, I'm getting my stories mixed up. But
I want to hear both of them. So let's talk
(34:38):
about the engagement. Here because you're taking a nap, you
are gonna wake up and do a little song, A
little yeah, okay, and what was happening there? So she
I mean, looking back, I could have written a way
more elaborate song, but now it is what it is.
It was like three lines um, not even about the
(35:00):
song though. He was like, you decided on like a Thursday.
You're like, I'm going to propose botter Ring asked my parents.
It was Sunday, like at all. We looked at a ring,
but I still was like, it's gonna be a while.
I was like, if this is going to be a surprise,
if it's gonna be surprised, I gotta do this now.
(35:20):
And so yeah, it was like a Sunday after church.
She was taking a nap and I was obviously so nervous.
I was like trying to come up with this little
just a little proposal, Diddy, and I was like, she
woke up and I was like, hey, can we do
this little like YouTube. I just want to kind of
make a video to put out and you know, just
(35:41):
through the fans, my four fans at the time, and
you know, play this little acoustic jam and you know,
just riding that avenue of of trying to convince her
to get her camera out put this wide angle lens on,
and she's like, no, well, like why would I do
a wide angle? Like it needs to be in on
you on your face this crop Like she knows what
(36:02):
you're talking. Are you telling me how to do my job?
I was like so annoyed, and I'm like, would you
just please this like the vibe I'm seeing as an artist,
Like I just want to see I just want a
wide angle lens like you can see the mess on
the counter that picture. I was so annoyed, just woken
up and I was like, great happening, great start to
my proposal. She's pissed, and so she's she sets up
(36:25):
the tripod wide angle. Finally convinced her, I'm like, all right,
go stand over there, let me see how it looks,
let me see the framing. And I hit record and
and then I walk over and I just start kind
of playing that little did he. I mean it's I'm
literally just like talking, not even looking at Honestly, I
(36:46):
think it might have been the most mad I've ever
been at You do you remember the did he? Yeah?
It's like, you know, the love of my life. You
know the girl on that tw okay, Lucy, will you
marry me? It's just like literally literally like four lines.
And so when did it? He said, Kaylee, Kaylee Holly
(37:09):
love a lot Seymour, nickname, middle name. I have that
her five older brothers. When the family is that big,
you know, the the kids by the by the six kid,
are you from a big family? He's not a night there. Yeah.
By the time it gets to the six kid, they've
got twelve names. They've got you know, the teachers don't
even know their actual name. And I was the only
(37:30):
girl and it was the pink care bear was named
the Love a Lot and so everything was pink. My
whole room was pink. The carpet was pink because my
parents were like, we're having a girl. And so love
Lot was a nickname, middle name. So when he said
Kaylee Holly love a lot Seymour, I was like I
looked up and I was like, wait a second. And
that's when I was like, oh my gosh, like I
(37:51):
really truly had no idea, Like the surprise factor was
you nailed it? You did? I was pulled it out
the ring. Oh that's not my story. So let's go
to the yours video. Yeah, you shot this for it
was inexpensive video, very about less than ten dollars, less
(38:15):
than ten almost half. Yeah, so tell me about that.
So again, we had been denied and denied and denied,
and it just got to the point where I was
so frustrated but also so hopeful, and I was like,
I know that, I know that, I know. Like I
(38:37):
listened to the radio, I hear these songs. I maybe
way off, but this sounds like a hit to me,
and I'm going to put everything on this song. So
a six dollars six I'm gonna put my life savings
on this song, honestly, and so and so we did,
and like she, we didn't. We didn't even really have
(38:59):
a plan. This was just supposed to be test footage.
We're just gonna like hopefully find a road that I
could just walk down. That's all I really had envisioned
for for the video. It was just like I'm just
gonna walk down this road. I'm gonna pour my heart
out to the camera and sing this song, and that's it,
(39:19):
Like see what happens. I had I had done music
videos and all of that through college. So when I
stopped loving performing. I started doing music videos and photo shoots,
and so I did his first I did all of
his photo shoots maybe except for one and then this
one is our friend Spencer did those, but other than that,
I did all of his stuff. And so I was like,
(39:41):
you know what, like because we had actually gone in
and it was the final no that we were like, okay,
well now we have to do this ourselves. No one's
going to help us. And I was like, I can
make music video. I did a music video for Nora Jones,
like let's do it. Yeah, she's over here. I was like,
let's let's just I don't know why we didn't think
of it us, and and so I was like, I'll
(40:01):
just do it myself. I can't hire anyone. We can't
afford to hire anyone. I'll just film it and I'll
edit it and I'll do the whole thing. And so
that day I was like, let's get in the car.
We had a friend living with us because he had
nowhere to go, and I was like, hey, will you
drive our car while I sit in the back with
our tripod? And so we found a road and as
we're leaving, he was like in workout clothes, and I
(40:21):
was like, I want to be sure that this like
could work if you like it, so put on like
real clothes. It was like test footage. I was like,
just put on real clothes. And we hop in the
car and the storm starts rolling in and I was like,
oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh. And
I had called a cinematographer friend of mine in l A.
And I was like, Hey, I just want to double
check my settings. I want to be sure I'm doing
(40:42):
this right. He didn't get back to me, and I
was like, all right, well, I hope this is right.
Get out there. This whole storm rolls and lightning, the
whole thing is real. Because we can't pay for c
G I like tornado warning. Ye are calling us to
come to our basement for shelter, and we're like out
in it. I'm stop calling us. And they would call
(41:04):
us in the middle because we were using our phone
as playback to the car speakers and so like it
was just like every time they called. It was just
like the most ghetto set up it was. And so
we finished and then it started pouring rain at the
very end, Like I was like, God, this is what
would be great. I need all these things, and then
when we're done, if it could rain, that would be
(41:25):
awesome and no joke, like we had everything we needed
and then it started pouring. And so then my friend
called me back as we're on our way back, and
I was like, hey, my settings were this, this and that,
and he was like, I would have told you to
do exactly that, and I was like yes, And so
I got home started editing it, and then I had
to make it black and white because the tail lights
(41:46):
this is rich right here, the tail lights from the car.
When our buddy would hit the brakes, it would light
them up red, so like you could tell. Yeah, And
I was like, well, black and white it is a necessity.
Out of necessity, we couldn't have used anything. That's a
great story for that music video. Yeah. And so well
you finished school, what is your what do you finish school?
(42:07):
The degree and killing music music commercial voice performance? So
same yeah, same as me. But you didn't want to
be a performer anymore, or you didn't want to go
down that professionally anyway. Now I didn't. I moving to
Nashville made me realize, like what it would take and
I'm such a family person and like want we want
(42:28):
to start our own family, and I just kind of
saw it as like, there's no way I could be
the kind of like mom, I'd want to be in
the future and do this, and some people do that
and good for them. I just was like, I don't
think I could do it. And I also wasn't passionate
like it would have. Just if someone were to tell
me I couldn't shoot a music video, I would be like,
(42:50):
you're wrong, I can't. I know I can. But if
someone told me I couldn't sing, I'd be like, maybe
you're right, you know, Like I wasn't passionate enough to
be like listen to me saying I think it takes
the right kind of person to be good at it
and also not need to like proclaim it from the rooftops,
but people like still draw it out of you somehow.
(43:11):
I don't know you have that that it's not like
egotistical and it's not like listen to me saying I
just couldn't do it. If you were to like be
like saying from he right now, I would be like,
think you did you try to get it a thing
on anything before? I mean there's times were like but
(43:32):
like like I recorded like on a on a track.
Oh yeah, we did a Christmas song. Yeah, it was
like our our little I mean we made five discsily,
what's not on you? I didn't see anything it was.
It was a Christmas gift to our family when we
(43:53):
were super broke the year we made twelve and we're like,
well what do we give everybody? We have no money
to buy gifts, so we've made Christmas songs. When you
want to get him a taste, oh white Christmas. Nice? Yeah,
we can definitely do that. I'll definitely help you about
listening and supporting you in the Heart Boo book, Do
(44:19):
It Girl Dreaming Christmas? Just like the that was amazing,
really good. Really yeah, she's got that like little Zoe Deschanel, cute,
(44:40):
little indie vibe. I love it. Yeah right, yeah that's right.
I'm so risingly good. So were you like terrified, would
you like what if she's no, because I'd have been like,
oh I get it, you don't want to any I
was like oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no problem. I'd
be like, weren't trying that? Totally understand So when you
finish al though, So what career path, Like, what was
(45:01):
the goal then, because you're not going to perform I
did photography, You're going she supported our family. Yeah, I
did pictures of what I did, and I ended up
doing more video like weddings. This is a very niche market.
I did full time. I was a missions photographer for
(45:23):
two years out of college. So an organization out of
Dallas called Missions International would pay for me to go
and document their trips and I was on salary with them.
And then so when t R and Lauren went to adopt,
Lauren was like, will you please come with us? Um, A,
I want you to be there, but be other people
want to document it and I don't know them, and
(45:44):
so she was like, you've done this, So um I
went with them, and then I did a lot of
album covers and kind of branding sort of things. And
then when he started to get really business busy and
being able to support us, I transitioned out of doing
other people's stuff and just did his stuff and went
on the road and did all his highlight videos from
(46:06):
the road. Oh don't just brush over this, this is
this deserves a moment. She let me just brag real quick.
She first of all, she was five older brothers. They
all played travel soccer and they drove all across America
in a van growing up. So when we got married,
she hopped in our van. She took the live photos
(46:28):
while we're playing. She sold the merch, set up the merch,
after designed the merch uh and then after the show
would take every meet and Greek photo until you know,
I mean there's like fifteen people per night. But I
mean she would shoot, tear down the merch, load the merch,
you know what I mean. Like she was a road warrior,
(46:50):
throw the van and trailer, and I was pretty good
at why turning a trailer by the time I retired. Yeah,
I mean, like this woman just let me brag on
her for two seconds. She was warrior. So you have
it's an investment. So you're investing back into this nucleus. Yeah,
because again you have to pay somebody to do all
that stuff, right, because I mean money, money's money, however
(47:11):
it comes from, however it comes, money's money. So I
wasn't like making us money, but I was saving us
money absolute and I was like I can do that.
I can do that. That's the three in me. I'm like,
I can do it between the between the music video
and coming out on the road. I mean the the
jump start that the video had on my career and
(47:32):
then the countless dollars and hours that you saved. I mean, yeah,
it's not your not your typical. So what is your
official position with him? I don't know. I don't need one.
But if someone says, what do you do? What do
you say? I hate that question. Yeah, but that's the question.
(47:53):
That's the question. I say. I'm a touring wife now
because now we're in a place that we've hired other people,
and so like, I do still like vet who ends
up being a photographer if I like their work or not,
I still I kind of creative direct. If someone asked,
really I oversee like this, and I oversee graphic design,
(48:15):
and yes, no like ad mats and like I made
the Carly and Russ tour ad mat. His one came
back and I was like absolutely not, like redid the
whole thing. And then when management calls, they're like, hey,
can you and Kaylee come in for this meeting to brainstorm?
So she's kind of CEO of ate of this, of
(48:36):
you you So it makes me sound uncomfortable, But I
mean it is you are you are? We're co No,
you're still okay, so you're CEO, You're ce FO. I
don't know, I don't know. So okay, but did you
ever consider going into management and doing management for him?
(48:57):
Everyone question? No, because I didn't. I don't know. I didn't.
I wanted to get that official official like I don't know.
I wasn't trying to have I didn't need the industries
like recognition of like oh, she manages Russell and I
almost didn't want that. Like when people call me a
white pitcher, it makes like I've never heard that term. Well,
(49:20):
I compared you to Sharon Osborne when I was talking
about you, okay, because she means she. I don't know she.
I don't think she's Aussie's main manager, but she definitely
she's involved. Yeah, and she may have been his manager,
Mike when you looked that up. But yeah, I compared
you to Sharon Osbald because she ran that Aussy was
the guy and he did the deal. She made sure
nobody nobody mess with Ausy. Yeah, for sure. I feel
(49:45):
like a gatekeeper to some extent, and like even when
it means like when people come backstage, if they do
or like because I'm monitoring his energy levels and like
because he'll go hard and yeah protoh he crashes And
I'm like, okay, well yeah, because I go hard and
(50:07):
then and then zero you know what I mean. But
I don't know there was We're it's such like a
family vibe with my team that to have her as
like an official anything would just feel we feel weird. Kaylie,
I told you five four and your six for works
for it's the whole foot. When I was doing math
(50:28):
real quick, I was like, whole, I don't want to mess.
That's my big shot to show my numbers, my skills
and numbers sharing she didn't manage them, and then started
the whole management company, started the whole companyeez um, you
also did you did another video for him? Right blue?
To me? Yeah, so I brought in. I was full circle.
My fourth brother is a director in l A, went
(50:50):
to USC film school, did the whole thing and he
was the one directing. The reason I did in nor
Jones video was because of him and he was directing
it and brought me into shoot which video a young
blood if we look it up, young blood, young blood
and he was like, I want you to film it,
and I had filmed a few things, but it was
like nothing officially. I had only done photos at that point,
(51:11):
and I was doing head shots because the musical theater
department's big at Belmont and I was doing head shots.
Was like my college money basically, and he was like,
I want you to film this and I was like,
I've never done that, and he was like, I trust
you an eye and I and he's like, I want
to fly you to New York and I want you
to film it. And I was like, okay, what are
we doing? And he was like, do you know who
Nora Jones is? And I was like yes, but like reminder,
(51:34):
I've never done this, and so he's like, no, I
believe in you. So I flew out there shot her
music video in her apartment and I got to meet
her and it was crazy. So then I moved back
to that went back to Belmont and everyone was like,
that's the girl that shot Nora Jones music video. So
then I got so much business and that was like NonStop.
But then when this music video was happening, we still
(51:54):
it was still a new label, young label, still didn't
have a real big budget, and I was like at
that point, I was like, I don't have to do it,
like someone else can come in, Like, let's see the treatments.
I saw the treatments and I was like I don't
love them, and um and then I saw the numbers
and I was like, oh my gosh, for this to
(52:15):
get pulled off, I still have to do it. And
so I called my brother and I was like, hey,
he lives in l A. And I was like, we
need to film this in California obviously, will you help me.
You can take the entire director percentage, which was like
not a lot, and he was like, yeah, I'll do it.
So we got to direct together again after all that time,
and it was just it was just a sweet, like
(52:36):
full circle bringing him in and we'll probably bring him in.
He's like a creative genius. But um, yeah, it was
just cool. Where were you in the song hit number one?
Where where we I think we were on the road.
It's funny that we can't remember. I don't. I don't
remember I was in waffle House for the most recent
(52:58):
I was like, we're going to waffle house. Baby is
the jam? I don't So my thing is I don't
hear a lot of oddly I don't hear a lot
of music because when I'm doing my show, we're playing
like three songs. Now, we're talking the whole time, and
we're only playing like and I don't pick them. I'll
play new stuff that I like sometimes, but I don't
(53:20):
pick the music because it's like we're on like a
hundred and fifty cities. They make sure the biggest three
songs the rest. And so unless this song is like one,
two or three or four, maybe five, I don't hear it.
So when this song started hit top and I was like, oh,
talk to Amy, I was like, what's the Russell song
that I hear that like? But it was already in
the top ten, and and then I mean, it's so good.
I love it so but I again, I didn't hear
(53:42):
it until the time. But I don't hear anything people
like people always ask me you hear so much music?
I don't know your crap. Like I talk for a
living and I have. I love music, and I love
all kinds of music, but I don't. And also my
days of like just scouring for somebody on YouTube playing
a guitar with three strings the next big thing, you
know what, I'm just gonna ta be funny. I find
(54:03):
people who I really believe, you know, I like take
them out, lit him open from me on a tour,
try to help get published deals. But it's like, you know,
but this song is a jam. Um, I love that one.
This song? Which one moved the fastest? For you? Blue
ta Cooma? Really? Yeah? I mean every little thing was
longer than yours? Really weeks man, Yeah, it was just
(54:26):
the later like the forties was. Then my album came
out like three years ago. Now you know, you lose
you know, you lose that initial steam from Yours to
Blue to Come and then the third single was it
was a grind. You had six or fifty people at
your wedding. How do you know that many people? My
dad is a he's the music minister at Woodmont Baptist
(54:49):
over here, and it's kind of so the venue was
free at the church, and it was kind of like
once you invite one, you invite them all kind of vibe.
But we did like we just did like a cake's
reception at the right immediately following the wedding, and then
we had to people at our actual like family friends,
love to Wedding, FA wedding and the ceremony, cake reception,
(55:16):
closed reception. I was like, I don't want to meet
anyone at our wedding. You don't want to have to
do the whole song, and right well that still didn't
happen because there were six people. And but anyway, I
want it. Definitely wanted something a little smaller, but here
we are. How do you feel about girls who try
(55:42):
to get it Russell during shows? I really don't care, honestly.
I there are some girls who like sit side stage
and are like I, and the girls who are like I.
I don't know. I think a I trust him like
crazy bit be they know so many of them, like
even if someone comments something on one of his things,
(56:03):
like the droves of people who come out there like
excuse me, do you know Kate, Like they just like
have a whole thing. I was at a show once
actually this is pretty early on, and some girl was
in this like little red dress at the front of
the stage. I was still out in the crowd at
that point, and this girl came up to me and
she was like, excuse me, I'm going to go say
(56:23):
something to her, and I was like, please, don't, please,
don't say anything, and she was like this is inappropriate,
Like everybody knows he's married, and if you don't know
he's married, you're not a real fan. Like she like
got this whole like it's okay, it's all fine, Like
please don't say anything, it's fine. Well, not to be
awkward here, but on the phone right now, is the
one girl you made out with? I was like, my heart,
(56:48):
I wouldn't be surprised. Oh, so, what's what's happening looking
forward for you right now? Like where are you at?
You get music recorded? That? Like, what's the what's what's
the timeline, what's happening? We have a so the next
(57:09):
single it's called love You like I used to. It'll
be February, early February coming out. We got six songs
recorded for the record, go in and probably cut four
more in February. Are you doing any of the What
is very vogue right now is the collaborations. Do you
have any? It's very in right now, it's super in
(57:31):
right now. Everybody's getting a collaboration. I know, and I don't.
I mean I don't have any as of now. Uh,
I would love some. I haven't really. I feel like
we'll get there once we get it. All recorded and out.
Barbra Streisan, Oh what a classic? What a classic? Uh?
(57:52):
Would you let him sing a love song with another girl? Yeah? Yeah, Um,
I'm I'm always down for collapse. I'll do a whole
edge hearing collab album. My prediction is you will have
one by the time you feel you're only six songs totally. Yeah, absolutely,
you'll have something. That's the thing. Now, how do you
feel about that? Um? You know, I feel like I do.
(58:13):
But everything a couple are really cool. Then if you
come out and it's down the middle and then we
start to burn on it and then we go to
the next thing, it's it's everything is cyclical period in music,
every art, it's not even music art, everything is so So,
how do I feel about it? Great? Then medium? Then
let's get over it? Right, I'm kind of over its. Well,
you're in the business, so you're seeing it a lot more,
(58:35):
and you're seeing it from the early early stages of
the talks of it. The we're gonna recording this, and
we've heard it yet it's actually out that forty two
weeks before it even hits the chart, So we both
I have to separate myself from what I know on
the inside versus like what my people are hearing, which
is one why I don't listen to new music from
any of my friends ever until it comes out. Maybe
(58:57):
two people ever while I be while I take their music,
can listen to it um, because then I just don't
feel the same. Even my favorite artist, I won't take
their music because I want to be able to because
I feel like I represent all my people and so
I don't want to be burned out on something before
it even comes out, because it's not fair to them.
(59:18):
So but I'm okay with it. There's some really good ones.
Let's not do bad ones, but let's do a good one. Um,
really good collaborations happening right now. Well, first of all,
the and we'll go back in time for a second,
but maybe let im back And that's the j It
just was like boom the world just I remember once
(59:39):
I was driving somewhere, I was flipping I was on
satellite and I heard that song the first time, and
I was like, that's that. That's like the greatest radio
song I've heard in yours. I mean, I just heard
it and I didn't know who it was on it,
I didn't know what didn't and I was just like,
won't there is and so and then I think that
kind of line people up to go, oh we should
(01:00:00):
grab some more dudes. Yeah, um good ones. All right,
let's go around the room. I'm gonna go. I do
like the Dan and sha Bieber song, Yes, because I
just love Dan and Jay totally. So I don't know.
It can be Dan and Shaye and me. You know,
it doesn't matter whatever they put out, it is going
to be good. But this is this is a jam
Russell got a collaboration you like right now, don't see?
(01:00:21):
I mean, if we're still going back in time when
when Lauren Elena comes in on that came Brown song,
what about with me again? An early one too? Like
when she comes into that course, it was like whoa, yes,
there we go. I mean mine, I don't know the
name of it, but it's the if the World was
(01:00:42):
ending you JP, JP Sacks and Julia Michaels this this
deserves a little sound. But Hannah Gray, Ellis and Ellis
and Nick Wayne covered it and it is straight fire.
Who is this one? Mike? Do you know what it is?
I can't find it. Julia Michael on her record and
(01:01:02):
now it's I think it's on JP sacks s A
x E. Who's JPS. I don't know who that is though,
he's like, might be like smart, I was, I don't
know anything. He's got like thirty k on Instagram. I looked.
As soon as I heard that, I messaged him. I
was like, dude, can we play what's it called? If
the World wasn't? And in traffic? I didn't feel it
(01:01:22):
when the earthquake happened, but it really got me thinking,
were you out drinking? Were you in the lift? If
the world was ending? It's been a year like this
earthquake happens and it's like she thinks about her what
she's doing, and the rock shows up. Yeah's in that movie?
You know? The one that I like now is that
(01:01:43):
I like the Ed Shearing. It's been out for ed
Sharing and uh Khalid beautiful people People. That is the
dad song. That's a jam. Yeah, I'm in I'm into
the Collapse big time. I mean that whole album, the
Travis Scott Oh yeah, what's in the club at the
beginning of that track? Yeah, yes, the whole that album
(01:02:07):
is great. Yeah. So you're going out with Kane, Yes,
And so there's also like international stuff in there. Huh
Is that true? He is? Yeah, I'm not on that.
I'm just in America. Correct, We need to come on.
I kind of nixed him international stuff for the next year,
(01:02:27):
like we were. We were international twice last year and
we were like, oh my gosh, we need to take
a circumnavigated the globe when around the whole thing lay
over in China Europe? How long do you go with Kane?
I have until May night here, I don't know. I
don't know, February to May night into February. You already
have tour stuff planning for next fall. You just haven't
announced you Are you still working on that ahead? Is it?
(01:02:50):
We're so? Then the summer is like fairs and festivals,
classic and then headlining slash. Yeah, unannounced stuff. Yeah, it's exciety. Yeah.
Festivals stages just built for the day stage semi trucks
that transformers into a day. Well look at you at
(01:03:11):
the peanut fests and the Sausage Fest and the Point
Cedia Fest, and you know, all the fests. To be
fair to all the fests, there is no paycheck like
a festival paycheck. You were indeed correct, They're great and
there's really no pressure to draw tickets. Usually there's somebody
(01:03:32):
bigger than you plan too, or even if not, people
are already there. It's just like we're on a Thursday,
and like some like Classic Legacy Act is on Friday,
Arners on Friday, and then Cake is playing on Saturday.
You've got it all covered in all directions. Exactly. Amazing. Well,
I look forward to the to the new music. Yeah, man,
I'm I'm super stoked. And then I'm glad both you
(01:03:54):
guys would come in. I know that you were sick.
We're gonna do this earlier and more so than I
cared about you being sick. I cared about me getting
sick from you, and I would never I would never
want I was like, I hope he's cool with that
because it's literally for everyone's own good. Yeah. He was
like a hundred and two fever. You know he's sick
when he's like because he is like every day is
(01:04:15):
awesome and I'm only a seven. He's like, I guess
I'll sleep till nine, you know, like, yeah, do you
do the thing where you go because this is what's
gonna happen to me in the next few days. I
will get sick because I have been pressing. I've been
pressing so hard and it's what we all do. But
(01:04:35):
I mean, in my mind, I've been pressing hard and going,
and I get very grateful. Then I'm not sick during
big things. Yes, because if I'm like, I have this
big stand up show I'm gonna do, or I have
this big American I don't think i'm gonna do. Please God,
don't let me be sick. And then I'm not sick,
and I'm like, thank you God, I'm not sick. But
I feel like I'm just constantly praying and battling. It's
like December comes, it's like it's uh, not here way
(01:05:00):
the next guys, they're all parts of the little Green guys,
big Green Blob guys are coming all of it. Um
a little throw back. Here's that's my girl from from
Yeah right there. I am not great, but I did
it in college. Here is from two thousand twelve green
(01:05:21):
Line Russell. Who's the one let's take her out of
the equation. Who's the one person that believed in you
excluding her your career, in your career, who's the one
person that you go Holy moly without them? I just
I wouldn't be here. John Dennis, my manager, he signed
(01:05:43):
me in two thousand ten. Uh. Yeah, he's the one
who has steadily for a decade. Now, wow, that's weird.
A decade has believed in me, signed me. I had nothing.
He took me to every label all said no, you know,
he didn't. He never gave up on me. And there
(01:06:03):
was artists along the way that he would sign. Taking
the labels they'd say, no, he he dropped, you know,
but for some reason he always kept me around and
would continue to to brainstorm with me. Um. We we
started our own record label for yours and that was
how we jumped started that. You know, we legally started
(01:06:24):
a record label. We didn't have a you know, millions
of dollars, but we just he paid for your track
to get fixed. Yeah. He always my Nissan Armada two
thousand four that I would drive, Uh would break down,
still drive it, it would break downs. He would, you know,
pay for all that and eventually finally we recouped all that.
(01:06:46):
Did you get him a Cristis present? This year? We
don't really, I know, I know, it's super embarrassing. We
never really like do Christmas presents. Well, we're in the
middle of moving, so we'll give everyone a delay. Like St.
Patrick's president, Yeah, give him a Valentine's Day. Yeah, it's no.
I mean, like movers come this weekend, like the next
(01:07:09):
two days. So we've kind of just been in a yeah,
dizzy dizzy I don't know either work. Yes, well, let's
I really enjoy talking about you guys, to spend it
over hour and finally, yeah, it's been a long time coming,
has it. I mean I've he's like, I've been waiting
(01:07:31):
for you to call me. I see all these awesome
artists on Well, this to me is so fine because one,
it's long form, you can just talk. It's not six
minute blocks or two minute blocks. And too, I also
get to talk to people about deeper in the craft,
and I get to talk to people actually inside the craft,
like Tom Douglas comes and talks or what a well
(01:07:53):
spring or m Carrie Luke's manager, Carry Las comes, Here's
Luke and Colesman and talks about that side of it.
So I'm such a such a nerd of of like
music and business that um I enjoyed, and it's in
my house basically, come here. Nobody comes to my house
except for people for this show. I'm super like nobody
who come to my house. And then except for everybody
(01:08:15):
who's able to do the show, some of them I've
never even met before. So I do want to throw
in When you were talking about the Brooks and Dunn hits,
I just want to throw in Cowboy Town. Oh he's
referencing if I get to pick two songs. Okay, yet
you're right, Cowboys don't Owy Town. I would like to
say I heard him do a demo once that h No,
you don't. You have to pick the hits. I'm not
(01:08:39):
saying it's it's not it's not the most massive hit.
I get two songs to play with Brooks and Dune,
this one just hits me. And if you get to pick,
what did you pick? I picked Neon Moon, Yes absolutely,
and probably boot Scoot Bog because that's just the crowd.
So I've luckily oddly become friends with Ronnie Dunn, who's
(01:08:59):
known as super sarcastic, dry guy and people like man Ronnie.
But that's right up my alley, like we are just
like perfect, were like lovers, right and so um I
got a note today they were like, hey, they're gonna
do Neon Moon and Red Dirt Road and I was
like it was like Red Road's fine, but let me
hit Ronnie up but te him out of that boot scoogie.
(01:09:20):
So all right, listen that that's all russelled D Russell D.
But you spell your last name with the e at
the end. Is that true? It was just spelled wrong
with my sheet rustled. Yeah, russet rustled Instagram. That's my Instagram.
That's so confusing. I know it's like Russell. I wanted
to go for Russell D, but then I just did
Russell E D both of my initials and it's just
(01:09:42):
so ull right yeah Russell Yeah. And then Kayleie Dickerson,
are you are you verified? No? I'm not. Are you verified? Okay?
Not to insult him, I mean yeah, I would just
expect you should be verified. She absolutely ship Yeah, are
you verified on Twitter? Are you verified on Twitter? That
(01:10:02):
was a big day the Twitter with verification back in
the day because that was the first verification. That's that's
like introt of verification. Yeah. I remember the day, like,
oh my god, you're like, wow, a my famous. But
that was like before they would like give it out
to like influence or like herbal t influencers you know
what I mean, used to be on the Bachelor, and
that's how we'll end it. And then I can find that. Yeah,
(01:10:26):
well data isn't the word. Well, you know went on it.
You may know them, and it's I don't know no.
All right, let's see you guys,
Host
Bobby Bones
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