May 13, 2025 • 28 mins
Check out my new interview tonight with Garrett Bradford on The Songwriter Show at:
https://www.songwritershow.com/
iHeart Radio:
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/209-the-songwriter-show-29999203/
Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-songwriter-show/id1507368488
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5CtfvhYKu5LC8xlYSab7J5
RSS feed:
https://www.spreaker.com/show/4297091/episodes/feed
@SongwriterShow @iHeartRadio #Garrett Bradford #iHeartRadio #interview #interviews #radio #radioshow #radiointerview #iheart #podcast #podcasts #PodcastAndChill #radio1 #LiveShows #liveshow #music #thesongwritershow #songwriter #songwriting #lyrics #singersongwriter #singersongwriters #Songwriters #IndieMusic #MusicInterviews #tuesday #BehindTheScenes #behindthemusic #newmusic #musician #musicians #TuesdayThoughts #indie #indiemusic #indiesmusician #songwritershow #musicindustry #singer #musicproducer
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-songwriter-show--4297091/support.
https://www.songwritershow.com/
iHeart Radio:
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/209-the-songwriter-show-29999203/
Apple:
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-songwriter-show/id1507368488
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/5CtfvhYKu5LC8xlYSab7J5
RSS feed:
https://www.spreaker.com/show/4297091/episodes/feed
@SongwriterShow @iHeartRadio #Garrett Bradford #iHeartRadio #interview #interviews #radio #radioshow #radiointerview #iheart #podcast #podcasts #PodcastAndChill #radio1 #LiveShows #liveshow #music #thesongwritershow #songwriter #songwriting #lyrics #singersongwriter #singersongwriters #Songwriters #IndieMusic #MusicInterviews #tuesday #BehindTheScenes #behindthemusic #newmusic #musician #musicians #TuesdayThoughts #indie #indiemusic #indiesmusician #songwritershow #musicindustry #singer #musicproducer
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-songwriter-show--4297091/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Are you a songwriter? Are you looking to turn your
songwriting passion into a full time gig gig? Whether you
are just at the start of your songwriting journey or
a seasoned industry professional, this show is made for you.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
You.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
We would welcome to the Songwriter Show, bringing together songwriting, news, interviews,
and communitating. Now welcome your houst Sronto's.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Welcome again to the Songwriter Show. I'm your host. Soronto's
a solo music artist and songwriter who's always believed in
the power of words. Here on the Songwriter Show, every
single Tuesday evening, we bring you behind the scenes with
some of today's most inspiring songwriters, giving you a glimpse
into the stories at shape their songs. I'm so excited
tonight to have on the show. Garrett Bradford. He burst
(00:48):
onto the Texas music scene in twenty twenty with his
breakout single This Way of Life, featured on Yellowstone and
quickly climb in the iTunes charts. Raised on a ranch
and deeply rooted in the western and rodeo lifestyle, Garrett's
music captures the heart and soul of the cowboy wave
life with authenticity and vivid storytelling.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
And now welcome this week's special guest.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Guest, welcome to show. How you doing, Garrett.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
I'm doing fantastic. Thank you for having me on. It's
an honor to be on here.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Oh you're welcome. Man. So I got to ask you
about this twenty twenty three Texas songwriter you winner than
you did tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
You know, that's an awesome contest, and they don't actually
call it a contest because they don't like to think
of it that way, but they essentially they take eight
songwriters from Texas and there's mentors, and you stay out
at this ranch for three days and you perform, and
you get people from the industry who come do seminars
(01:48):
one day, and just phenomenal opportunity. There's Liz Rose who
wrote all those number one hits with Taylor Swift, and
tons of other artists, the war and brothers Jack Ingram
John Randall is involved, who's also another phenomenal songwriter. And
it was just and I mean it when I say
it's really one of the coolest things that I've ever
(02:11):
had the opportunity to do. That's awesome, and I was
very I think that they selected me to be the
winner because that was awesome. There's some great writers there.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, that's cool, man. So tell us about your instrument.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
My guitar. I've played guitar my whole well, since I
was twelve, I say, it seems like my whole life now.
But I've got a bunch of different guitars. I kind
of have a habit of collecting them. I have too many, really,
I should probably get rid of some of them, but
that's that's never gonna happen. But my main guitar that
I play, it's an Alvarezari and I play. I dabble
in a few other instruments. I've been learning a little
(02:44):
bit of piano and mostly just as a songwriting tool
and ukulele and things like that, but guitar is definitely
my main instrument.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Okay, is your family musical at all or is it
just you? Did you go off out a tangent?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
I kind of went off on a tangent. I mean
my family particularly, I'm an only child, and my father
and mother always worked in the ranching in western and
Rodeo world. That's kind of the water that I grew
up in the water I swam and as I was
growing up, and my uncle moved not too far from
us when I was about twelve, and he dabbled in guitar.
(03:19):
You know, he played a few songs and that's really
what stricked my interest in playing guitar. And then as
I progressed on, I started, I mean, writing seemed like
the thing to do. As soon as I learned three chords,
I was like, I need to write my own song.
You know, you probably know how that is. You know lyrics,
(03:40):
just like you. I love lyrics and the stories ever
since I was a kid. That just captivated me and
seemed like a natural thing to do as soon as
I picked up an instrument.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Yeah, that's awesome. I got to ask you about the
rodeo thing, man, I've never written apule. I was at
a bar a couple of months ago where they had
one of those writing bulls, and it was hilarious to
see like girls and people that were a little nepria
to get thrown off. But tell us about that. Is
it exciting? Is it scary?
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Well, I've only been on a couple of bulls in
my life, and that's when I was a young teenager.
But we actually so, I never considered myself much of
a bull rider. But obviously a lot of horses and
things like that. But we raised bugging bulls my family.
That's what part of what my dad did for a living.
So I grew up going around to rodeos. We would
take our bulls, the ones you'd see at the rodeo,
(04:26):
it's those and we would take them all over the
United States and Canada, and it was just a really
cool way to grow up. And yeah, it's exciting. I mean,
I love livestock and being around rodeos and almost all
of my friends from my childhood and even now, I
still spend half of my time back home where I'm
from in Texas and weather for Texas, and it's just
(04:49):
everybody in this area. That's where I'm at now. Everybody
in this area has something to do with rodeo or
shows horses, or owns a ranch or something. So all
of my friends, it seems like I have something to
do with the rodeo and western world and it's just
a lot of fun. You learn a lot of lessons
from taking care of animals because there's no days off.
(05:09):
They've got to eat every single day, sue your birthday
and all of that. So you learn a lot of
good things, and it's just a pretty wholesome community to
grow up. And I'm really the older I get, the
more thankful I am increasingly for being able to experience
that growing up and still to this day, really I'm
(05:30):
still neck deep in it all the time. We've still
got our ranch and every time I'm home, I'm doing
something on the ranch. So it's acutes me grounded for certain.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah, that's pretty cool, man. Tell us a little bit
about your typical week. What's your typical week like, Well.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
It depends on if I'm in Nashville or Texas. So
in Nashville, I live on a ranch in Nashville as well.
I'm super fortunate. I found some folks who had a
place that they don't live on and they need somebody
to help take care of it. So if I'm up
there there a lot of times in the mornings, I'll
get up, you know, feed horses every morning if i'm there,
or do something around the ranch with the cows or
(06:07):
the horses, and then a lot of riding. I try
to do as much co writing as possible up there.
I did not do a lot of co writing until
I moved up there, just because there's a Texas has
a great music scene, but I just wasn't really necessarily
plugged into the songwriting thing here like I have been
in Nashville. So I'm riding about three or four days
(06:29):
a week, playing rounds on the weekend, songwriter rounds or
little shows, and then when I'm back in Texas, essentially
the same thing as far as you know, waking up
in the morning and doing something around our place. I
play a lot more shows here in Texas. It's actually
it's funny. It's easier for me to play shows because
I've got probably a bigger network from growing up down
here and cutting my teeth down here. And there's also
(06:52):
a ton of places to play in Texas and they'll
actually pay you. Wait, not that, but it was not
that way, you know. So when I come down here,
it's really more of what I focus on, like performing live,
and then during the weeks, I just try to keep
myself busy doing something.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
So I'm gonna put you on the spot, if you
had a gun to your hide, is it Nashville or Texas?
Where would you?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Oh? Texas, no doubt, no, absolutely, But I love Nashville.
I always say that if it weren't I don't think
I would have ever moved. I've traveled quite a bit,
you know. I mean I grew even growing up going
to all those rodeos and getting the most of the
rodeos are in the big city, so from California to
the East Coast, and then with music, traveling even more
(07:37):
as I've gotten older. And I just love this area
where I'm from in Texas, and I think a lot
of that has to do with our ranch, our families,
my family's place here and you know, the heritage with
that and everything, it's always feeling like home. But Tennessee
is the only other place that I think that could
live and be happy, you know, because I love tennis
(07:58):
really good people there. I've been very fortunate to just
meet awesome folks that kind of make me feel like home.
And it does feel like a second home, even after
just two years. I haven't been living up there that long,
just hit two years, and it's been very neat to
meet all the folks that I've met up there, and
it doesn't feel very much different than Texas to me
at least.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Okay, what do you like the most by writing lyrics?
Speaker 4 (08:21):
For me? Personally, I would say my songs are. I
write a lot of songs, just like you know most songwriters,
and they go across the board, but the ones that
I tend to play out and record and the ones
I'm most proud of, like, I love to write songs
that are not necessarily always introspected. A lot of them
are kind of just about the things that I see
(08:43):
or people that I know, and of course lots of
them are personal. I mean, the song that I just
released as the first single on my album is It's
somewhat introspective and personal. But I think I just love
telling stories and it doesn't always have to be mine necessarily.
It is even more fun sometimes when I think. The
(09:05):
cool part about it is when you can write a song,
especially if you can write a song for somebody that
makes them feel like you understand them, you know, makes
it feel it makes them feel like you understand either
what they do for a living or how they feel,
or makes them laugh. I love writing funny songs. I
plan on doing a whole record of kind of funny
songs within the next year or two. So that's probably
(09:28):
my favorite thing, is just exploring storytelling.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Tell us about this song, we're gonna hear what inspired
this one.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
So I just gotten out of a relationship, and really,
if you listen to the song, it makes makes the
person that I broke up with sound like they were
a dumpster fire. They really weren't that bad. But the
one of the guys I wrote it with good friend
of mine. He had just gotten out of a very
bad relationship. So we're both just coming out of breakups.
It's about the hook is you know, I'll go blind
(09:56):
from your fires. I've learned that I'd go blind watching you.
And I think we just wanted to touch on loving
somebody who is maybe self destructive or can't really even
love themselves, and realizing in the song that you're not
gonna be able to help them, you're not gonna be
able to fix them, and you're only gonna destroy yourself
(10:17):
trying to in the pain behind that.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Well, it definitely sounds cool. So let's take a listen.
We'll come back and talk tomorrow. Okay, absolutely, all right, man,
check this out. Everybody here we go.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Try to save you a hope to who but you
can't rescue somebody from them, like come on, drawn to blease,
(11:01):
I moved closer when I should flown away. You keep
staring at the plan. I've never seen us to blame.
Speaker 6 (11:22):
From your fire? I've learned.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
A go bla.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
Watching you burn. Have you ever.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Thought to that.
Speaker 5 (11:43):
Why everthing it ud turns to ash, it must be
lone with burning long, smoking, ever or rang You've have no.
Speaker 6 (12:03):
If I be staring at the flame, never seen.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Us, the blame.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
From your fire, I learn, I go blind and watching.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
You by.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Wildfires are beautiful, you're nd and the lady little wild fire.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Some you you choose to.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Stand keep staring at blade ever seen?
Speaker 6 (13:09):
And who's blade from your fire?
Speaker 5 (13:17):
Iil I go blind watching you burn, go bland, watching
you burn?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Cool song man, I like the vibe. It's kind of cool.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
Thank you. I appreciate it. We did. We recorded that
up in Nashville with a guy named Dave's Smith who's
a cool producer and just a really good guy. It's
nice to be able to work with people you get
along with so well, and he's one of them.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Tell us about a risk that you took, musical or
business or anything you want that paid off.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
I would say, and it's already paid off, and I
think it's starting too. But you know, moving to Nashville
for me was a big at least it felt to
me like a big risk, a big leap. Having always
lived here where I'm from, and I mean from a
small town. It's kind of my whole world, and I
like it that way, where I grew up and all
my friends, and moving up there, I mean, I really
(14:34):
knew nobody, but I had had a song on Yellowstone
which I thought would help me get my foot in
the door in a few places. It certainly has, but
that was a big risk, I felt like. And I
also was very worried about moving up there. I was
playing a lot of shows run around here in Texas,
and when I first moved up there, I was concerned
(14:56):
that maybe they would quit calling me, you know, once
they figured out that I wasn't around, and that if
I came back in a couple of years, I'd have
to start all over again. But I think I've managed
to make him both work, and that's why at this time,
for the last year, I've been just splitting my time
because I love coming down here and playing shows and
maintaining that what I consider to be my core audience
(15:17):
in my core region, and also working on a bigger
scale of the Nashville or at least attempting to.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Who's your favorite person to follow on social media?
Speaker 4 (15:28):
That's a tough one. I really get tickled by various
different comedians, but THEO Vaughn really cracks me up. But
I see his little reels and shorts. But another guy
I really like to follow, I have a friend. He's
another here in Texas. His name is Bubba Bellen. People
want to go check him out. He's a great guy
and talent. But I feel like he does such a
(15:49):
great job with all his videos and his social media content,
he should have such a bigger following. Then he has
a good size following, don't get me wrong, bigger than mine.
I think. Buddy all his content, in the way he
promotes his songs, I love it because it gives me ideas.
I like to look at artists who can get ideas
from as far as especially on like the promotion side
of things or the social media side, because that doesn't
(16:11):
necessarily come intuitively to me. That's something that I've really
been having to force myself to learn over the last
year or two.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
What's the strangest, weirdest compliment you've ever gotten?
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Let me think about that. I've definitely gotten a few.
One time, after I was playing a show, this lady
told me, trying to remember how she phrased it, she said,
you look like George strait, but you don't sound as
good as im look like George straight. That's a compliment.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
I think I'd rather sound like yeah, backhanded bitch slap
for there.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Okay, yeah, yeah, but uh it was all I was
all in good fun. I was kind of talking smack
to her too. We were joking around. But I'll always
remember that one.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Yeah, Okay. Is there like an item that you have
to have anytime you record something? Little trinket or something.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
I would say definitely went on record, But really, anytime
I do something something special for some reason, I have
this ring. There's no real significance. Nobody gave it to me.
It's got a Native American Indian chiefs head and he's
got a headdress on it. It's just a silver ring,
and I like to think of it as my lucky ring.
So anytime that I'm playing a show or going having
(17:26):
a meeting, or anytime I think I need a little
bit of luck, including recording, I'll wear that ring.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Yeah. If your life was a movie, what song would
play in the opening scene.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
What a great question, I would say, I would want
am Maarilla by Morning by George Straight.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Okay, tell me about or tell me and the audience
about a common stereotype about Texans that drives you crazy.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
I would probably say the biggest one that is that
we're like all really or obnoxious, and there's definitely some
of those that exist. But at least you know the
area that I'm from and the kind of the subculture
of Texas and Rabio that I grew up in, Like,
people are really humble. People love to be from Texas.
I think, you know, it's a cool stafe to be
(18:16):
from a lot of people love Texas who were born
and raised here. But I'm not into the whole thing.
Everything in Texas is better. All the other states are terrible.
I can't stand that. And some people really keep that
SEEO type alive and they drive me crazy. But most
people are not like that, at least where I'm from.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
If you could sing your favorite to it with anyone
in the world, who would.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
That be, Boy, that's a great question. I would probably say.
At this point, I'd say Cody Johnson, country singer. People
have heard of him. He's a big star now, But
I've always loved his music and loved his singing. In fact,
I don't know if I would want to do do
that with him, because his voice is so good. I
think he might make me sound bad. He's a cool guy.
(19:02):
I got to spend about a week with him in
October at an event, this private event, and it was
a deal where we camped out on this ranch and
we performed for this about three hundred people who just
have this. Basically, it's big cowboy getaway and they all
hang out and ride horses and drink beer. They do
all kinds of things. We can't talk about all the things.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
They do, but yeah, exactly what happens in Texas stays
in Texas. Right, It's not just Vegas.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
That's right. He was on a ranch way down by
the by the border with Mexico. It's just it was
a really cool experience, and I got to hear him.
It's one thing to hear people on the radio or
in concert, but it was really neat to just be
able to sit around and hear him sing and play unplugged,
and just a very neat deal for me. I kind
(19:49):
of had to pinch myself. I'm like imposter syndrome started
creeping in on me. I'm like, how did I get here?
Speaker 3 (19:55):
I don't know if you ever watched on Netflix The Ranch,
it was awesome. You're making me want to either buy
a ranch or we'll find like a songwriting weekend at
some ranch somewhere, So I'm gonna start googling that soon.
Ace we get off here.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
You should. I've really been thinking about for a while
because a lot of people in Nashville that I've met
who are not from Texas, They're like, we need to
do a songwrite and retreat, you know, sometime either on
our ranch or somebody else's. And I have a lot
of friends with ranches that have a lot of guest accommodations,
and it's something neat about being out far away from people.
(20:27):
And I love Texas because it's flat and wide open
and it's awesome.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
You know, dude, keep me in mind, man, email me anytime.
I'd love to hook up with you guys and go there.
That sounds fantastic.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Absolutely, you have to fly down, that'd be awesome.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
Yeah, all right, man, tell us about your website where
can people buy and streamer stuff before we let.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
You go here? Absolutely, so I'm on all the social
media's TikTok, which is back online now apparently is probably
where I'm my biggest following, even though I just started it.
But it's Garrett Bradford TX websites Www. Doug Garrett Bradford
dot com and then on all the other platforms Instagram
and Facebook. If you just search Garrett Bradford, it's really
(21:10):
easy to find me. I'll be the guy on the
cowboy head.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
All right, man, awesome, thank you for doing this tonight.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Man, it was a real pleasure. Thank you for having
me on the show. And keep up the good work. Man.
You're doing some great stuff with this show.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Thank you, and thank you to all the fans out
there for spending a little bit of your time with
the two of us tonight. Thank you for being a
part of it. And if you're an artist with a
story to share, reach out over to Songwritershow dot com
and fill out the interview request for him. We both
hope your unique story gets heard around the world too.
Here's to creating, connecting and letting all of our stories
be heard. Welcome back to The Songwriter Show and we'll
(21:46):
see you again next Tuesday evening. Have a great night everybody.
I love you guys.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Night.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
It is so quiet outside.
Speaker 6 (22:26):
Seem so mean's for sleep si, but you ask me.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
Unhappy by my side?
Speaker 6 (22:34):
By my side, I can't. I think from the toy
happen to be.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Ready to be with him, to be with me?
Speaker 3 (22:49):
I give.
Speaker 7 (22:51):
Come on to be bab c came off and everythingthing
so all the time we were so young and sow.
Speaker 6 (23:05):
That fraid we love each other that constantly?
Speaker 4 (23:12):
How so.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
You are about me? Callbou me.
Speaker 6 (23:23):
Sacking anything to me?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Been to be free to me with you.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
With you to be with me?
Speaker 4 (23:35):
I give.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
To me, I been, I gave briefing.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Freak.
Speaker 6 (23:45):
I what is that I left you saying nothing?
Speaker 7 (24:02):
We haven't already said anyway we had what's your real?
Speaker 6 (24:10):
We used to have the real deal. I miss you and.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I miss so so.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
Thank you.
Speaker 7 (24:23):
I think, how happen to be free to meet with
you when you ask to meet with me? THANKI made
a heart to me. I've been, I gave briefing free.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
To be free to be with you, to meet hearty.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Thank you for listening to The Songwriter Show. To keep
the momentum going, head over to www dot songwriter show
dot com and joined our free music community of artists, songwriters,
and producers. That's www. Dot songwriter, show dot com.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Any any.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
Man, any and, and.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
No lem me hanging Hello my name Hang Hang
Speaker 6 (27:56):
Hangagements to deploy
Are you a songwriter? Are you looking to turn your
songwriting passion into a full time gig gig? Whether you
are just at the start of your songwriting journey or
a seasoned industry professional, this show is made for you.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
You.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
We would welcome to the Songwriter Show, bringing together songwriting, news, interviews,
and communitating. Now welcome your houst Sronto's.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Welcome again to the Songwriter Show. I'm your host. Soronto's
a solo music artist and songwriter who's always believed in
the power of words. Here on the Songwriter Show, every
single Tuesday evening, we bring you behind the scenes with
some of today's most inspiring songwriters, giving you a glimpse
into the stories at shape their songs. I'm so excited
tonight to have on the show. Garrett Bradford. He burst
(00:48):
onto the Texas music scene in twenty twenty with his
breakout single This Way of Life, featured on Yellowstone and
quickly climb in the iTunes charts. Raised on a ranch
and deeply rooted in the western and rodeo lifestyle, Garrett's
music captures the heart and soul of the cowboy wave
life with authenticity and vivid storytelling.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
And now welcome this week's special guest.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Guest, welcome to show. How you doing, Garrett.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
I'm doing fantastic. Thank you for having me on. It's
an honor to be on here.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Oh you're welcome. Man. So I got to ask you
about this twenty twenty three Texas songwriter you winner than
you did tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
You know, that's an awesome contest, and they don't actually
call it a contest because they don't like to think
of it that way, but they essentially they take eight
songwriters from Texas and there's mentors, and you stay out
at this ranch for three days and you perform, and
you get people from the industry who come do seminars
(01:48):
one day, and just phenomenal opportunity. There's Liz Rose who
wrote all those number one hits with Taylor Swift, and
tons of other artists, the war and brothers Jack Ingram
John Randall is involved, who's also another phenomenal songwriter. And
it was just and I mean it when I say
it's really one of the coolest things that I've ever
(02:11):
had the opportunity to do. That's awesome, and I was
very I think that they selected me to be the
winner because that was awesome. There's some great writers there.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, that's cool, man. So tell us about your instrument.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
My guitar. I've played guitar my whole well, since I
was twelve, I say, it seems like my whole life now.
But I've got a bunch of different guitars. I kind
of have a habit of collecting them. I have too many, really,
I should probably get rid of some of them, but
that's that's never gonna happen. But my main guitar that
I play, it's an Alvarezari and I play. I dabble
in a few other instruments. I've been learning a little
(02:44):
bit of piano and mostly just as a songwriting tool
and ukulele and things like that, but guitar is definitely
my main instrument.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Okay, is your family musical at all or is it
just you? Did you go off out a tangent?
Speaker 4 (02:57):
I kind of went off on a tangent. I mean
my family particularly, I'm an only child, and my father
and mother always worked in the ranching in western and
Rodeo world. That's kind of the water that I grew
up in the water I swam and as I was
growing up, and my uncle moved not too far from
us when I was about twelve, and he dabbled in guitar.
(03:19):
You know, he played a few songs and that's really
what stricked my interest in playing guitar. And then as
I progressed on, I started, I mean, writing seemed like
the thing to do. As soon as I learned three chords,
I was like, I need to write my own song.
You know, you probably know how that is. You know lyrics,
(03:40):
just like you. I love lyrics and the stories ever
since I was a kid. That just captivated me and
seemed like a natural thing to do as soon as
I picked up an instrument.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Yeah, that's awesome. I got to ask you about the
rodeo thing, man, I've never written apule. I was at
a bar a couple of months ago where they had
one of those writing bulls, and it was hilarious to
see like girls and people that were a little nepria
to get thrown off. But tell us about that. Is
it exciting? Is it scary?
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Well, I've only been on a couple of bulls in
my life, and that's when I was a young teenager.
But we actually so, I never considered myself much of
a bull rider. But obviously a lot of horses and
things like that. But we raised bugging bulls my family.
That's what part of what my dad did for a living.
So I grew up going around to rodeos. We would
take our bulls, the ones you'd see at the rodeo,
(04:26):
it's those and we would take them all over the
United States and Canada, and it was just a really
cool way to grow up. And yeah, it's exciting. I mean,
I love livestock and being around rodeos and almost all
of my friends from my childhood and even now, I
still spend half of my time back home where I'm
from in Texas and weather for Texas, and it's just
(04:49):
everybody in this area. That's where I'm at now. Everybody
in this area has something to do with rodeo or
shows horses, or owns a ranch or something. So all
of my friends, it seems like I have something to
do with the rodeo and western world and it's just
a lot of fun. You learn a lot of lessons
from taking care of animals because there's no days off.
(05:09):
They've got to eat every single day, sue your birthday
and all of that. So you learn a lot of
good things, and it's just a pretty wholesome community to
grow up. And I'm really the older I get, the
more thankful I am increasingly for being able to experience
that growing up and still to this day, really I'm
(05:30):
still neck deep in it all the time. We've still
got our ranch and every time I'm home, I'm doing
something on the ranch. So it's acutes me grounded for certain.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah, that's pretty cool, man. Tell us a little bit
about your typical week. What's your typical week like, Well.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
It depends on if I'm in Nashville or Texas. So
in Nashville, I live on a ranch in Nashville as well.
I'm super fortunate. I found some folks who had a
place that they don't live on and they need somebody
to help take care of it. So if I'm up
there there a lot of times in the mornings, I'll
get up, you know, feed horses every morning if i'm there,
or do something around the ranch with the cows or
(06:07):
the horses, and then a lot of riding. I try
to do as much co writing as possible up there.
I did not do a lot of co writing until
I moved up there, just because there's a Texas has
a great music scene, but I just wasn't really necessarily
plugged into the songwriting thing here like I have been
in Nashville. So I'm riding about three or four days
(06:29):
a week, playing rounds on the weekend, songwriter rounds or
little shows, and then when I'm back in Texas, essentially
the same thing as far as you know, waking up
in the morning and doing something around our place. I
play a lot more shows here in Texas. It's actually
it's funny. It's easier for me to play shows because
I've got probably a bigger network from growing up down
here and cutting my teeth down here. And there's also
(06:52):
a ton of places to play in Texas and they'll
actually pay you. Wait, not that, but it was not
that way, you know. So when I come down here,
it's really more of what I focus on, like performing live,
and then during the weeks, I just try to keep
myself busy doing something.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
So I'm gonna put you on the spot, if you
had a gun to your hide, is it Nashville or Texas?
Where would you?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Oh? Texas, no doubt, no, absolutely, But I love Nashville.
I always say that if it weren't I don't think
I would have ever moved. I've traveled quite a bit,
you know. I mean I grew even growing up going
to all those rodeos and getting the most of the
rodeos are in the big city, so from California to
the East Coast, and then with music, traveling even more
(07:37):
as I've gotten older. And I just love this area
where I'm from in Texas, and I think a lot
of that has to do with our ranch, our families,
my family's place here and you know, the heritage with
that and everything, it's always feeling like home. But Tennessee
is the only other place that I think that could
live and be happy, you know, because I love tennis
(07:58):
really good people there. I've been very fortunate to just
meet awesome folks that kind of make me feel like home.
And it does feel like a second home, even after
just two years. I haven't been living up there that long,
just hit two years, and it's been very neat to
meet all the folks that I've met up there, and
it doesn't feel very much different than Texas to me
at least.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Okay, what do you like the most by writing lyrics?
Speaker 4 (08:21):
For me? Personally, I would say my songs are. I
write a lot of songs, just like you know most songwriters,
and they go across the board, but the ones that
I tend to play out and record and the ones
I'm most proud of, like, I love to write songs
that are not necessarily always introspected. A lot of them
are kind of just about the things that I see
(08:43):
or people that I know, and of course lots of
them are personal. I mean, the song that I just
released as the first single on my album is It's
somewhat introspective and personal. But I think I just love
telling stories and it doesn't always have to be mine necessarily.
It is even more fun sometimes when I think. The
(09:05):
cool part about it is when you can write a song,
especially if you can write a song for somebody that
makes them feel like you understand them, you know, makes
it feel it makes them feel like you understand either
what they do for a living or how they feel,
or makes them laugh. I love writing funny songs. I
plan on doing a whole record of kind of funny
songs within the next year or two. So that's probably
(09:28):
my favorite thing, is just exploring storytelling.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Tell us about this song, we're gonna hear what inspired
this one.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
So I just gotten out of a relationship, and really,
if you listen to the song, it makes makes the
person that I broke up with sound like they were
a dumpster fire. They really weren't that bad. But the
one of the guys I wrote it with good friend
of mine. He had just gotten out of a very
bad relationship. So we're both just coming out of breakups.
It's about the hook is you know, I'll go blind
(09:56):
from your fires. I've learned that I'd go blind watching you.
And I think we just wanted to touch on loving
somebody who is maybe self destructive or can't really even
love themselves, and realizing in the song that you're not
gonna be able to help them, you're not gonna be
able to fix them, and you're only gonna destroy yourself
(10:17):
trying to in the pain behind that.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Well, it definitely sounds cool. So let's take a listen.
We'll come back and talk tomorrow. Okay, absolutely, all right, man,
check this out. Everybody here we go.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Try to save you a hope to who but you
can't rescue somebody from them, like come on, drawn to blease,
(11:01):
I moved closer when I should flown away. You keep
staring at the plan. I've never seen us to blame.
Speaker 6 (11:22):
From your fire? I've learned.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
A go bla.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
Watching you burn. Have you ever.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Thought to that.
Speaker 5 (11:43):
Why everthing it ud turns to ash, it must be
lone with burning long, smoking, ever or rang You've have no.
Speaker 6 (12:03):
If I be staring at the flame, never seen.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Us, the blame.
Speaker 5 (12:16):
From your fire, I learn, I go blind and watching.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
You by.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Wildfires are beautiful, you're nd and the lady little wild fire.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Some you you choose to.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Stand keep staring at blade ever seen?
Speaker 6 (13:09):
And who's blade from your fire?
Speaker 5 (13:17):
Iil I go blind watching you burn, go bland, watching
you burn?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Cool song man, I like the vibe. It's kind of cool.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
Thank you. I appreciate it. We did. We recorded that
up in Nashville with a guy named Dave's Smith who's
a cool producer and just a really good guy. It's
nice to be able to work with people you get
along with so well, and he's one of them.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Tell us about a risk that you took, musical or
business or anything you want that paid off.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
I would say, and it's already paid off, and I
think it's starting too. But you know, moving to Nashville
for me was a big at least it felt to
me like a big risk, a big leap. Having always
lived here where I'm from, and I mean from a
small town. It's kind of my whole world, and I
like it that way, where I grew up and all
my friends, and moving up there, I mean, I really
(14:34):
knew nobody, but I had had a song on Yellowstone
which I thought would help me get my foot in
the door in a few places. It certainly has, but
that was a big risk, I felt like. And I
also was very worried about moving up there. I was
playing a lot of shows run around here in Texas,
and when I first moved up there, I was concerned
(14:56):
that maybe they would quit calling me, you know, once
they figured out that I wasn't around, and that if
I came back in a couple of years, I'd have
to start all over again. But I think I've managed
to make him both work, and that's why at this time,
for the last year, I've been just splitting my time
because I love coming down here and playing shows and
maintaining that what I consider to be my core audience
(15:17):
in my core region, and also working on a bigger
scale of the Nashville or at least attempting to.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Who's your favorite person to follow on social media?
Speaker 4 (15:28):
That's a tough one. I really get tickled by various
different comedians, but THEO Vaughn really cracks me up. But
I see his little reels and shorts. But another guy
I really like to follow, I have a friend. He's
another here in Texas. His name is Bubba Bellen. People
want to go check him out. He's a great guy
and talent. But I feel like he does such a
(15:49):
great job with all his videos and his social media content,
he should have such a bigger following. Then he has
a good size following, don't get me wrong, bigger than mine.
I think. Buddy all his content, in the way he
promotes his songs, I love it because it gives me ideas.
I like to look at artists who can get ideas
from as far as especially on like the promotion side
of things or the social media side, because that doesn't
(16:11):
necessarily come intuitively to me. That's something that I've really
been having to force myself to learn over the last
year or two.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
What's the strangest, weirdest compliment you've ever gotten?
Speaker 4 (16:22):
Let me think about that. I've definitely gotten a few.
One time, after I was playing a show, this lady
told me, trying to remember how she phrased it, she said,
you look like George strait, but you don't sound as
good as im look like George straight. That's a compliment.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
I think I'd rather sound like yeah, backhanded bitch slap
for there.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Okay, yeah, yeah, but uh it was all I was
all in good fun. I was kind of talking smack
to her too. We were joking around. But I'll always
remember that one.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Yeah, Okay. Is there like an item that you have
to have anytime you record something? Little trinket or something.
Speaker 4 (17:03):
I would say definitely went on record, But really, anytime
I do something something special for some reason, I have
this ring. There's no real significance. Nobody gave it to me.
It's got a Native American Indian chiefs head and he's
got a headdress on it. It's just a silver ring,
and I like to think of it as my lucky ring.
So anytime that I'm playing a show or going having
(17:26):
a meeting, or anytime I think I need a little
bit of luck, including recording, I'll wear that ring.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Yeah. If your life was a movie, what song would
play in the opening scene.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
What a great question, I would say, I would want
am Maarilla by Morning by George Straight.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Okay, tell me about or tell me and the audience
about a common stereotype about Texans that drives you crazy.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
I would probably say the biggest one that is that
we're like all really or obnoxious, and there's definitely some
of those that exist. But at least you know the
area that I'm from and the kind of the subculture
of Texas and Rabio that I grew up in, Like,
people are really humble. People love to be from Texas.
I think, you know, it's a cool stafe to be
(18:16):
from a lot of people love Texas who were born
and raised here. But I'm not into the whole thing.
Everything in Texas is better. All the other states are terrible.
I can't stand that. And some people really keep that
SEEO type alive and they drive me crazy. But most
people are not like that, at least where I'm from.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
If you could sing your favorite to it with anyone
in the world, who would.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
That be, Boy, that's a great question. I would probably say.
At this point, I'd say Cody Johnson, country singer. People
have heard of him. He's a big star now, But
I've always loved his music and loved his singing. In fact,
I don't know if I would want to do do
that with him, because his voice is so good. I
think he might make me sound bad. He's a cool guy.
(19:02):
I got to spend about a week with him in
October at an event, this private event, and it was
a deal where we camped out on this ranch and
we performed for this about three hundred people who just
have this. Basically, it's big cowboy getaway and they all
hang out and ride horses and drink beer. They do
all kinds of things. We can't talk about all the things.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
They do, but yeah, exactly what happens in Texas stays
in Texas. Right, It's not just Vegas.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
That's right. He was on a ranch way down by
the by the border with Mexico. It's just it was
a really cool experience, and I got to hear him.
It's one thing to hear people on the radio or
in concert, but it was really neat to just be
able to sit around and hear him sing and play unplugged,
and just a very neat deal for me. I kind
(19:49):
of had to pinch myself. I'm like imposter syndrome started
creeping in on me. I'm like, how did I get here?
Speaker 3 (19:55):
I don't know if you ever watched on Netflix The Ranch,
it was awesome. You're making me want to either buy
a ranch or we'll find like a songwriting weekend at
some ranch somewhere, So I'm gonna start googling that soon.
Ace we get off here.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
You should. I've really been thinking about for a while
because a lot of people in Nashville that I've met
who are not from Texas, They're like, we need to
do a songwrite and retreat, you know, sometime either on
our ranch or somebody else's. And I have a lot
of friends with ranches that have a lot of guest accommodations,
and it's something neat about being out far away from people.
(20:27):
And I love Texas because it's flat and wide open
and it's awesome.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
You know, dude, keep me in mind, man, email me anytime.
I'd love to hook up with you guys and go there.
That sounds fantastic.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Absolutely, you have to fly down, that'd be awesome.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
Yeah, all right, man, tell us about your website where
can people buy and streamer stuff before we let.
Speaker 4 (20:48):
You go here? Absolutely, so I'm on all the social
media's TikTok, which is back online now apparently is probably
where I'm my biggest following, even though I just started it.
But it's Garrett Bradford TX websites Www. Doug Garrett Bradford
dot com and then on all the other platforms Instagram
and Facebook. If you just search Garrett Bradford, it's really
(21:10):
easy to find me. I'll be the guy on the
cowboy head.
Speaker 3 (21:14):
All right, man, awesome, thank you for doing this tonight.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Man, it was a real pleasure. Thank you for having
me on the show. And keep up the good work. Man.
You're doing some great stuff with this show.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Thank you, and thank you to all the fans out
there for spending a little bit of your time with
the two of us tonight. Thank you for being a
part of it. And if you're an artist with a
story to share, reach out over to Songwritershow dot com
and fill out the interview request for him. We both
hope your unique story gets heard around the world too.
Here's to creating, connecting and letting all of our stories
be heard. Welcome back to The Songwriter Show and we'll
(21:46):
see you again next Tuesday evening. Have a great night everybody.
I love you guys.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Night.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
It is so quiet outside.
Speaker 6 (22:26):
Seem so mean's for sleep si, but you ask me.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
Unhappy by my side?
Speaker 6 (22:34):
By my side, I can't. I think from the toy
happen to be.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Ready to be with him, to be with me?
Speaker 3 (22:49):
I give.
Speaker 7 (22:51):
Come on to be bab c came off and everythingthing
so all the time we were so young and sow.
Speaker 6 (23:05):
That fraid we love each other that constantly?
Speaker 4 (23:12):
How so.
Speaker 7 (23:14):
You are about me? Callbou me.
Speaker 6 (23:23):
Sacking anything to me?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Been to be free to me with you.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
With you to be with me?
Speaker 4 (23:35):
I give.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
To me, I been, I gave briefing.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Freak.
Speaker 6 (23:45):
I what is that I left you saying nothing?
Speaker 7 (24:02):
We haven't already said anyway we had what's your real?
Speaker 6 (24:10):
We used to have the real deal. I miss you and.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I miss so so.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
Thank you.
Speaker 7 (24:23):
I think, how happen to be free to meet with
you when you ask to meet with me? THANKI made
a heart to me. I've been, I gave briefing free.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
To be free to be with you, to meet hearty.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Thank you for listening to The Songwriter Show. To keep
the momentum going, head over to www dot songwriter show
dot com and joined our free music community of artists, songwriters,
and producers. That's www. Dot songwriter, show dot com.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Any any.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
Man, any and, and.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
No lem me hanging Hello my name Hang Hang
Speaker 6 (27:56):
Hangagements to deploy
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Herd with Colin Cowherd
The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day.