Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everybody and welcome to another edition of
Skip Happens the podcast thatfeatures everything from major
national acts to the vibrantmusic scene right here in the
315.
And whether you're here for bigname hits or fresh local talent
, I bring you the artists whoare shaping sound and culture
across all scales.
And tonight, no different we'returning the spotlight on kind
(00:23):
of a new friend.
Got to know him at a showcasehere not too long ago Zachary
Levison, a true central New Yorknative, his music blends roots
in innovation, authenticity andambition.
That sounded pretty good,didn't it?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
That was pretty good Born and raised right here in
the heart of New York.
I love this.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Zachary channels local stories and personal
experiences into a sound that isvery deeply authentic.
On this episode man, I'mreading a lot.
This thing's longer than Ithought.
On this episode, we'll explorehow Central New York has shaped
his creative identity, dive intohis songwriting and hear what
it takes to build a passionatemusic career right here in the
(01:02):
315.
Although he does have afull-time gig all day, and he's
working on this a little bit onthe side.
So, whether you're an aspiringmusician, a fan of the local
scene or someone in search ofmeaningful music, this is a
conversation you do not want tomiss.
Love it.
I know that was like what thehell did I write?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
That's crazy, it's crazy, but zachary, how are you,
my friends?
Good to see you, good to seeyou too, welcome welcome to the
pod zone.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
This place is great.
Yeah, tell everybody that.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I mean if people come I mean I love this, I, I want
one of these, like I really dois no, this is cool dude.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
No, thank you, I appreciate that uh you know,
this was always a dream.
You know, I've been doing theradio thing for a long time and
doing all that.
But as I get older I said, whatam I going to do someday when I
retire?
What's going to happen?
And now you walked into the podzone.
I got the pod zone, the podcastarea, I got the voiceover
studio, I got a booth in theother room there.
I mean, this is all.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And you got the Skip Happens Mugs.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Look at you, you get the cup, you take it home with
you.
Man, I tell you we get you allhooked up.
But again, uh, just want to saywelcome.
It's good to see you.
My friend, um, tell me a littlebit about yourself, and how did
you get started playing music?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
um well, first of all , I was born and raised in
watertown, adam center, new york, moved here oh dude, you
shoveled a lot of snow in yourday, didn't you?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Oh, yeah, yeah, right in the middle of it.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
But yeah, no, moved here when.
I was about 13.
The guitar part my dad playsguitar.
Oh cool so.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Is he in a band or?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
anything like that?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
No, he's never been in a band.
I think at one point he justjammed out with his brothers.
Yeah, he just enjoyed it,except a guitar in place.
But um, yeah, uh startedplaying when I was 13 and kind
of just went from there.
Didn't really put myself outthere until about like four
years ago you know playing liveand where do you live now um
(02:59):
right in fairmount, fairmountcamillus area.
Yes, yeah, kind of I uh rightbehind azles, which I love Azles
, by the way.
Oh, wait a minute, You'll likethis.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Lisa Azles, that's.
Yeah, I know that's the oldbowling alley.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Maybe you don't remember that it used to be.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Fairmount bowling alleys used to be back there.
This is in Fairmount right.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
You said okay and Tampa Drive.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yeah, okay, right, yeah, okay and champ drive and
yeah, okay, yep, I grew up liketwo blocks from there, yeah, but
uh, yeah, how cool, cool,camilla's guy god um west
chennessee west jenny, yeah, ohthree.
Yeah, oh three, oh three.
You don't want to know mine 74um you know what's cool, you
know what?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
just not to change the subject no, it's cool my
nephew had his graduation atWildcat.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Oh yeah, what's up Dan?
Yeah, shout out to Dan Tome,One of the best he had it at
Wildcat this past Saturday andhe embarrassed me.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
He went over.
I didn't know that they had arack with all the old yearbooks.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Oh, they got the yearbooks.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yes, and he goes over and I see him showing everyone
my picture and I'm laughing andI'm like what?
And he goes yeah, he justbrought it over to me.
He's like they have all theolder yearbooks.
I'm like that's a genius idea,I know I know, of course,
obviously I'm a little bit older.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
My daughters went to West Tennessee and they played
lacrosse and all that.
So their picture's on the wall,my picture's in one of those
yearbooks.
I brought it out a couple ofshows ago.
We did there and showed a fewpeople.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Dude, that's you Very cool.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Now, what a great idea.
That is as well.
It's just brilliant.
Just everything that Dan doesthere is so brilliant and great
wings, by the way.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
When did you realize that?
Uh, that music.
You wanted music to be more ofa hobby for you.
Um, because I know you got thefull-time gig, but I know what
you're thinking too.
You're going this is cool if Ican go out and get these gigs,
and even if you stay local, it'sstill there's money in it and
it's a talent and you're beingcreative yeah, well, so a lot of
(05:05):
it.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
A lot of it doesn't have to do with the money, it's
a lot of it has to do with justthe love of doing it, and I was
starting off doing it for kindof a therapy, kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Like a mental thing.
But then I started realizing Ihad feedback from people saying
hey, man, we just go to camp andI jam out and sing and whatever
, and uh, yeah, at one point afew years ago I'm like I'm
getting new equipment and I'mgonna start doing this and it's
turning out great I love thatyou know.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
You mentioned the fact about therapy, though.
I mean, I think I've beenthrough a lot of what you've
been through, maybe just at adifferent point in our lives,
yeah, but but music is thattherapy that everybody needs and
really, really helps whenyou're down and out.
I mean we were just talkingbefore we went out with the
lights and the camera thatthere's times if I'm not in a
good mood or I just need tobreak away from everything, I
(06:00):
come down here to my pod zone, Igo over to my computer on the
other side of the room and I'llcrank some tunes and I'll see
what else is going on and thatthat'll change my mood and it'll
lift it'll lift me up.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
So yeah, very cool yeah, and that's the thing with
me too a lot of, uh, basicallyall the cover songs they learn
um, they mean something to me,right, they?
The reason I'm learning them isbecause they I you know, I feel
them right so but yeah, they, I, you know I feel them Right.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
So, but yeah, there you go.
Can I ask what else do you do?
I mean, you have a full-timegig, can you?
Can you say what that is.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, I don't see why not.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
It's on my Facebook, oh then everybody knows Never
mind that it's on my Facebook.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Oh, no, yeah, no, yeah, no.
So I've been at National Gridfor 15 years.
Good for you Substationmaintenance.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So maintenance means you play with the wires, yeah.
Or anything that has to be donein the substation, yeah.
You play with a lot of things.
Dude, that's so dangerous.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Well, my least favorite is playing with oil.
It's not my, I'm not a fan ofit.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I know we want to talk about your music, but I
know a little bit about that.
I was a fireman for a bunch ofyears.
Okay, there's oil inside thesecomponents, so to speak,
transformers.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
A lot of them.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Wow, and when lightning hits a substation,
it's not a pretty thing.
Uh, no, it's not.
Nope, is that when you getcalled and say hey, zach, we
need you to come into work?
Yeah, there's, there's callouts.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yeah, yeah, there, yeah, yeah, that's cool so I
mean, do you have?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
uh, I here again, I want to talk about the music,
but I find this very interestingis the um like?
Is it substations anywhere?
I know there's a substationvery close to me here.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
So there's different divisions right, so there's
north east, west, and we'recentral, but we cover, I think,
a whole lot of areas it's like140 stations in central alone,
like between far south iscourtland, and as north as like
(08:08):
southern fulton area.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Okay, do you get called to go and help other
areas?
Have you been on any of those?
Well, yeah, that does happen.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Yeah, you know, when it's a disaster strikes and, for
instance, uh, when the tornadowent through, um, what was it?
Rome last year?
Yes, yeah, yep.
So you know we had a lot ofcrews.
We'd send crews there to help.
And, uh, you know we deliverice and all that stuff.
And you know it as a goodcompany, they do help when they
(08:36):
can, you know, but I love yeah,I love that.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
So are you songwriting as well?
I mean, do you?
Are you just pretty much stickwith the covers, or you know, as
a little bit as you go?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
well, the writing part is a challenge for me I
don't know why like I'll sitthere, but but I I get into my
own head.
You know what I mean there.
I I'm sure other people wouldthink they're good, but I don't
personally.
But I did write one song when Iwas 20 that I usually play out.
Okay, all right, mostly covers.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
All right, all right.
Do you remember the first songyou ever played out in front of
the public?
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah, what was that?
And it's still one of myfavorites Hootie and the
Blowfish.
Oh, let her cry.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Let her cry, yeah, yeah, and if you heard the Hold
my Hand with Scotty.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Yeah, Scotty, and I love it.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Oh my God, that song is huge Bottle Rock.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
I heard it on the way here.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
I'm sure Probably on the Wolf.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yes, just saying I think right when you got off air
.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Yeah, exactly.
No, no, actually.
Yeah, I guess.
Are you working on any otherprojects right now?
Are you just kind of practicingyour craft, just going with it?
How often do you pick up theguitar?
Do you do it every day when youget home?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I try to every day, just before bed or just whatever
, If I'm bored I'll pick it up.
That's cool, that's cool.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Yeah, so you get out and you play.
I know I remember the day Ireached out to you and said hey,
I want you to come and play.
Yeah, because it's one thingthat I believe in is local
artists like yourself, that's.
You know.
It doesn't I don't care who youare.
If you want that opportunity,come on, we're going to give you
that opportunity.
You know, and, uh, it went oververy well yeah um, it was a lot
(10:25):
of fun and uh, let's see.
Do you remember the artist wehad?
Speaker 2 (10:28):
that, yeah, it was uh john morgan oh, he was huge
baby I don't know like he wasreally good.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Yeah, john morgan's got it.
You know, his song went all theway to number one yeah yeah and
uh, he writes with jason eldeen, and those guys.
So yeah that was uh, that I wasvery honored for that and thank
you.
No, absolutely, it was a lot offun, like you, know the other
way I look at it and again, thisisn't about me, but I mean with
the radio station and beinglocally owned and operated and
we pay our national grid bill.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
No, just no.
No, that's great, no, that'sperfect.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Just thought I'd throw it in there uh, but um, we
believe, I believe in artistslike yourself, that the local
artists Just let people hear you.
You need to be heard, you needto be seen, and you don't get
that opportunity unless somebodydoes like what we did, and it
gives you, as the artist, theopportunity.
For example, you opened up forJohn Morden.
(11:20):
You got to hang out with him alittle bit, you got to talk with
him, you got some tips from him, and here's a guy that's put
out a number one song and he'salready got another one coming
out.
So it's pretty cool.
And anybody that's watchingthis my door is always open with
the podcast you want to come inand talk I mean, just like I
have Zach here today talk aboutyou, talk about your music.
(11:41):
That opportunity is there aswell.
So that's pretty cool.
No, that's awesome Skip.
Yeah, no, like I said, it's not.
Please don't.
I don't want anybody to thinkit's about me.
It is not.
I'm not trying to, but I'm justsaying it's an opportunity for
artists like yourself that arelocal and you know to get in
here.
How do you do shows on onlineat all, like facebook, well?
Speaker 2 (12:08):
I did during the c word.
You know kobe.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
You know it's kind of where I yeah, but maybe that
got you known a little bit right, you know people would find you
and they would come out.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
That's cool no, it did um, but really what, what,
what kind of?
And I really just do play locallike it's not.
Yeah, I don't play up up inwatertown every once in a while,
or watertown.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
What yeah, except in the winter?
Speaker 2 (12:30):
yeah, there you go, but um, but yeah, I don't
usually go live you know onfacebook, but and can I?
Speaker 1 (12:39):
ask why not?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
I don't know but see it gives it opens up so many
doors for you.
It really does.
And look at a lot of theartists that you are hearing on
the radio now, and I did readsomething I don't know who it
was, but I did read somethingfrom a musician, like a high-up
musician saying if you post asong a day, you're going to get
(13:01):
somewhere so.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
I read that a while ago.
Yeah, no, probably, but thenagain you're working a full-time
gig.
There you go, you may beputting in a 16-hour day, for
whatever reason, and now you gethome and it's like I just want
to go to bed.
I don't.
You know, I've had a long day.
But they're right, though,you've got to stay after it.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
You've got to stay on top of it the best you can.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
And you're right, COVID.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
COVID did a lot for artists, good and bad it did, it
really did and that whole livething was a lot of fun.
You know, you have yourcomputer set up.
You see, everyone that tunes inyou know saying hey, zach, or
hey, you sound great, blah know,I love that While they can't do
anything.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Oh, look it.
So, don Newman, you know Don.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Hey Don.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Don not looking like Class of 74, skip.
Oh, you have no idea you mether at the John Morgan.
Did I?
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Oh, that's cool, I don't know if you remember the
bald guy Dustin.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Yes, no, I do.
Yeah, that's his wife.
Oh, okay, well, give Dustin ashout out as well, so excited to
watch this live.
Well, thank you for tuning in.
I know that's only one, but weget quite a few, so it's pretty
cool.
Is there anything that you'dlike to do different with what
you do, or where?
Speaker 2 (14:20):
With you know you're playing guitar.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
I mean any opportunities you would like to,
at least have.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I mean I'd like to try to get.
Maybe I shouldn't say this,because downtown is not the best
right now.
But I'd like to get downtown.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Yeah, I mean, why not ?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
No, I would love to Right Right.
That's been one of my goals,but I'm more on, like the
outskirts.
You.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
That's been one of my goals.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
But, I'm more on like the outskirts you know what I
mean of the city, but I'd liketo get down there.
What are your hobbies?
I mean when you're not thinkingabout fixing a substation.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
I don't know if that's a hobby or work, but
still.
Well, basically just this.
Play hockey every once in awhile and I have two gorgeous
little girls who are probablywatching right now.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
What are their names?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Bria and Elena, little girls are probably
watching right now.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
What are their?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
names rhea and elena.
Oh cuties, sweet, sweet.
But yeah, so those are myhobbies.
Yeah well, I have threedaughters.
I now have eight grandkids, soI'm just saying that it's you
know yeah yeah, I have my threedaughters.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It's just I know having girls yeah yeah you know,
and we all went through certainlife changes.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
So that's yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
So it happened, but you know.
So you played hockey.
Tell me about, did you?
Well, camilla's and I mentionedI used to run a Zamboni at the
ice rink in Shove.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Park, that's awesome.
That was news to me and it wasgreat.
I used to live at that place.
Yeah, Well then I'm sure thatour paths Well, I don't know,
maybe 15.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
No 15.
How long ago would that havebeen, though?
Speaker 2 (15:44):
I'm going to be 40.
So that was over 21 years ago.
Okay, I don't know if I wasstill there then.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
I don't know.
Yeah, because I was doing theradio and then the radio even
moved into more and then I hadto give that up.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Yeah, exactly, wow, so what?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
position.
Did you play Defense, and Iloved it.
Did you play for Genesee?
I didn't play for Genesee, justCamillus Youth.
Oh yeah, okay, my grandkidsplay for Camillus Youth.
Yeah, yeah, my nephew just gotdone.
He just graduated, so it washis last year, this year, but I
had the honor of coachingassistant coach for a year.
(16:23):
Oh how cool, what level.
Midgets, midgets, big boys, thebig boys, yeah that's when they
want to check, and they're outthere, they're ready yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
I know One of my grandkids is just starting.
He's not midget yet, but he'sat that point where, yeah, they
get a little rough.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Oh yeah, yeah, just you know and then the parents
get rough and it's like yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Then they yell at the coaches yeah, and the coaches
have to be the mediators likechill out.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
It's a game your kids are playing.
Stop, yeah.
Yeah, that's crazy.
That's kind of cool.
I did not know that about you,so that's pretty awesome.
Yeah, I even have a littlemodel zamboni here somewhere, I
don't know.
I'm looking at all my gadgetson the wall, but I know there's,
I don't know there is one heresomewhere.
It's a little.
Maybe it's in the other room, Idon't know.
I don't know.
So you got your guitar.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
What do you want?
Let's hear what Zachary Levisonhas.
You know, anything you want toplay, I leave it open to you.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah, no, I mean obviously it's going to be cover
.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
It's a cover.
That's cool.
That's cool.
So this is Zachary Levison.
If you just joined, thank youfor doing that.
This is Skip Happens.
Not only do we interview youknow all the big stars and all
that but I like to reach outlocally.
And Zach, he did one of ourradio showcases and I'm going to
get him back on those here soon.
(17:44):
Jack, he did one of our radioshowcases and I'm going to get
him back on those here soon atleast another one or two and
he's in the studio.
He actually watched a podcastthe other night.
He said dude, I'm bored, butthis is freaking awesome.
Yeah, this is great, not boredwith the podcast.
You were bored just because youwere sitting home.
Yeah, I know, I get it, Itotally get it.
But all right, what do you?
Speaker 2 (18:02):
got for us.
I guess I'll do a Luke Combstune.
Okay, it's called BetterTogether, better Together.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
I got a .48 Speed Johnson on a flat bottom metal
bow, cold cans and BB guns bywiring an old fence post, eight
point bucks.
In autumn, a freshly cutcornfield, one arm out the
(18:33):
window and one hand on the wheel.
Some things they just go bettertogether.
And probably always will Like acup of coffee and a sunrise.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Sunday drives and time to kill.
What's the?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
point of this old guitar If it ain't got no
strings you pour your heart outinto a song.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
That you ain't gonna sing.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
It's a match made up in heaven, like good old boys
and beer and me.
As long as you're right here,your license in my wallet.
When we go out downtown,lipstick stains every coffee cup
(19:25):
.
That I've got in this house.
The way you say I love you tooIs like rain on an old tin roof
and your hand fits right intomine Like a needle in a groove.
Some things, they just gobetter together and probably
always will.
Like a cup of coffee and asunrise, sunday drives and time
(19:49):
to kill.
What's the point of this oldguitar if it ain't got no
strings?
You pour your heart out into asong that you ain't gonna sing.
It's a match made up in heavenLike good old boys and beer, and
me as long as you're right here, and me as long as you're right
(20:16):
here.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Oh man, wait a minute , we can do this, you know, hang
on.
Yeah, that's awesome, dude.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
That's awesome.
Hey, this is morenerve-wracking than in front of
a crowd at a bar.
Man Come on Dude why, no, I'mall good I just had to get one
out of me, no but it soundedgreat, oh, thank you.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
It sounded great.
I mean, how hard is it to learn?
And how do you learn to do thecovers?
Just by listening?
So I'm more like a by ear, Okaywhich is not out of the
ordinary I get it.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
A lot of artists are by ear and I'm telling you, if
you're that way, it helps somuch with pitch and just guitar
playing in general.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, as you know, we'vetalked to a lot of artists and
they'll say well, I go toYouTube, I'll watch the videos
on YouTube.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I'll do that every once in a while myself just to
check it out and see.
But a lot of them.
I don't play them the exact way.
You know what I mean.
I make them kind of like my own.
You should yeah, Bit of adviceMake it your own.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
It's a cover, but still it's Zachary Levison doing
his own thing.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Exactly.
That's the cool part about it.
That's what's going to stickout.
Yeah, yeah, it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
We talk to a lot of different artists, and that's, I
got to make it mine.
I got to make the song mine.
If it's covered somehow, I gotto make it mine.
Yep, it could be a little bitof a different sound, or Just an
octave higher.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Oh yeah, or whatever, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Is that the only guitar you have?
Speaker 2 (21:53):
No, I have another Taylor Nice, and I have a Martin
Nice.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Wow, that's cool yeah that's cool, yeah, that's cool.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
I always ask because I know you, you have to have
more yeah I mean, I actuallyhave a ton of guitars but I
don't.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Some are not like no name brand.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
I kept every garage yeah, oh yeah, yeah, you're not
wrong no, you're not wrong.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
You should mount them on the wall, like I've got a
couple behind us here.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
That's my plan, uh for the basement, but I got some
work to do in the basement.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Well, amazon has those little hangers.
You get two for like $10.
So you know, I'm just saying soMike is Mike, your brother,
mike Levison.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
No, that's Uncle oh.
Yep, that's Uncle Mike.
Okay, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
I know everybody's chiming in Sounded as great as
always, hugh Palmer.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Hughie, what's up?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Hughie there, he is right there.
Oh, there's Hughie.
Okay, let's see what else.
Here's a good point.
He says YouTube is so hard, somuch talent lost in the crowd of
trash I guess everybody's onYouTube.
You're going to have a lot ofreally good and you're going
(23:04):
gonna have some that probablyreally suck.
Yeah, so, yeah, yeah, no,that's a good point.
That's a good point.
How about tom?
Oh my god, you got the wholefam watching.
I don't hear.
Let me see if I can.
Uh, here we go, here we gothere.
It is beauty sack sounds great.
Oh, that's my nephew, that's.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
That's the one I found.
The uh wait is that a geneseeuh yeah, he played football for
genesee.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Yeah, no, kidding yeah, good way to go.
Tom is tom.
Is tom a musician at all?
Speaker 2 (23:28):
is no, not after you.
His uncle, I don't think.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Maybe I'll try to make him sing, I don't think I'm
going for that have you had theopportunity to?
Speaker 2 (23:36):
um, maybe, uh like, guys ask you to play in their
band or anything like that yeahyeah, um so I have never played
in a full band and I don't knowif it's my own personal thing
because I just love the sound ofstraight up acoustic okay and a
voice.
So any, any song that a bandwould ever play, I would always
(23:58):
look up the acoustic version andlove it more.
I don't know what it is, it'sjust the calmness of the sound.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
No, I totally get that.
I totally get that.
But most artists will not onlyknow, if they're playing in the
full band, how that goes.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
But they also can play it acoustically.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
A lot of people that come in from nashville and say,
oh, yeah, I'll play my hit.
Yeah, and it's like, well, I'mused to hearing it with a, with
a full band, but it's always alittle different when it's
acoustic.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
So, yeah, I've never had the chance to play with a
full band, so maybe that'ssomething that I should do a
step just to try, you know.
But let's see shelly and Shelly.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Yeah, we need you back.
She's up in Norwood.
Norwood, new York.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Norwood up past Potsdam.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Just damn, that's a drive yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a drive.
Well, shelly, thank you fortuning in.
Yeah, give us a subscribe, skiphappens and we can do a lot
more of this, which is prettycool, and I'm running out of
space here.
There we go.
I don't know why that's likethat, but uh, so, uh, where
would you like to see yourselfin five years, retired and maybe
(25:07):
playing a guitar?
Uh, that would be something now.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Wait a minute, you're you're 40 or gonna be.
I'm gonna be 40 the 31st, justJuly 31st, god you're just a
baby dude.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
I didn't even know.
My daughter is 40.
A little bit older, actually 42, 41, 42.
That's my oldest.
So cool, I don't know when doyou see yourself, maybe getting
a band together?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
I don't know when it comes to this guy, I would love
to do more with it.
I'm trying to advertise it morelike yeah, for instance, like,
um, next weekend I'm playing atuh johnson park in liverpool.
Liverpool, yeah, they have.
Is that uh the?
Uh cosmic?
Uh, what is it?
Uh, cauldron I saw.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I saw something advertised.
Yeah, saw something mentioned,it's all it's all like a local
vendor that's cool.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
They set up tents and they have a nice stage there
which I went and checked out theother day?
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Oh, they do.
It's a really nice stage.
When they do the Music in theParks series, they do one at
Johnson Park and that stage isreally nice yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
I've never been there before, never seen it.
Yeah, yeah, oh, that's cool,that's cool.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
What about and do an acoustic set.
I think it was Elbridge once,wildwood, wildwood.
Yes, that place is awesome.
I mean they're all awesome,don't?
Speaker 2 (26:21):
get me wrong, but Wildwood.
It's a gorgeous place for anykind of event, weddings,
anything.
It's set out in the middle ofnowhere.
And there's like a little swampoff to the side.
It's just a very nice vibe.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
But do you get?
Let me me ask, do you get allnervous when you know family is
watching or family is there oranything like that?
Um, because that's how I am.
If I get on stage or I'm doingan event, yeah, and I say holy
shit, I mean, yeah, I know thatperson, I know that person.
I didn't, I'm afraid I'm gonnamess up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
So well, no, this is more nerve-wracking for me than
that.
Like dude, there's nobody.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
No, I know, but there's nobody over there but
yeah, there's cameras everywhereyou know, I know, but yeah no I
know, but no when it comes tothe family, no when after.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
You know I'm nervous off the bat but after like one
or two songs, that goes but usedto be different, don't get me
wrong, but yeah it just goesaway.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Oh, dad says jam out, no, no, that's tom, oh, that's
tom, that's tom so oh, oh, he'ssaying.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
My dad says jam out all right well, we will.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Uh, yeah, you will, you will.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I don't know what else there's, man there's a me
and skip are gonna do a duet.
We are.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
No, I'm kidding.
I thank you.
I may be the radio guy, but Icannot sing uh let's hear
another song, let's do anotherone.
Oh okay, all right.
Would you say?
Um, when it comes to anacoustic, is there a particular
artist that you prefer overanother?
Speaker 2 (27:55):
um when it comes to the playing yeah, I playing,
singing vocals.
No, I mean chris.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
I'm obsessed with chris staples voice, I mean oh
yeah, have you heard the new onewith miranda just did today.
Yeah, I just did today.
Yep, that's out.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
But but yeah, no guitar playing.
I mean, I don't know I'm I donreally get too too into like
that, like my favorites orwhatever, I just play.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
I love it.
I'm trying to see Chucky Kovac.
He's trying to see what he'swriting here.
There you go, it's painless.
Oh, he's talking about hit,like because it helps the
algorithm.
Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.
All right, see, I learn allthis stuff too.
If I need to do somethingonline, I'll call my son and
(28:45):
you'll meet him afterwards.
Zach is 24.
He's down syndrome, butanything with the computers,
numbers, anything like that.
Zach, you've got to show methis and he'll go Dad, and he'll
do it.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
It's just amazing.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
All right, what are we going to do, oh?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
I'm still thinking, okay, still thinking.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
What am I in the mood for?
Move the capo.
There you go, good job.
Do you ever take your guitar towork with you?
Speaker 2 (29:11):
No, I never have.
I did on a storm once when Iwent to Watertown.
That's about because we'restaying in hotel yeah, but that
was it.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
No.
No, but the guys don't like atlunchtime.
Hey, zach pull out the guitar.
Let's hear a song now we haveto listen to them all day.
We don't need to hear yeah,there you go no no, I hear you
man oh, that's funny.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
All right, what was I gonna?
Oh, my god here.
Okay, why not do hootie?
Yes, yes, let's do hootie.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Yes, yes, let's do Hootie.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
First song I ever learned.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
Okay, sister's the one I love the most, that
stripes down far behind.
She never lets me in, onlytells me where she's been when
(30:14):
she's had too much to drink,said that I don't care, I just
run my hands Through her darkhair.
Then I pray to God you gottahelp me, fly away and let her
cry If the tears fall down likerain.
(30:37):
Let her sing.
If it eases all her pain, lether go, let her walk right out
on me.
The sun comes up tomorrow, lether be.
Oh, let her be, oh, let her be.
(30:57):
This morning I woke up alone,found a note standing by the
phone Saying maybe, maybe I'llbe back someday.
(31:18):
I wanted to look for you.
You walked in.
I didn't know just what Ishould do, so I sat back down
and I had a beer and felt sorryfor myself, Saying let her cry
If the tears fall down like rain, let her sing If it eases all
(31:42):
the pain, let her go.
Let her walk right out on me.
If the sun comes up tomorrow,let her be.
Oh, let her be.
Just let her be.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, last night I tried toleave, cried so hard I could not
(32:12):
believe she was the same girl Ifell in love with long ago.
She went in the back to gethigh.
I sat down on my couch andcried, yelling oh mama, won't
you please just hold my hand andlet her cry If the tears fall?
(32:34):
down like rain, Let her sing.
If it eases all the pain.
If the tears fall down likerain, let her sing.
If it eases all the pain, lether go.
Let her walk right out on me Ifthe sun comes up tomorrow let
her be, oh, let her be.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Wow, little Hootie, little Hootie, little Hootie.
I love it.
I love that song, you knowanything?
Speaker 1 (33:03):
Hootie is I love it too.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
I love Darius, I love his voice.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
You know, like we mentioned a few minutes ago,
scotty McCurry out with oh geez,I just had a brain fart, but
with Hootie holding my hand inthe background.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Oh yeah, Bottle.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Rockets.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
That's a great song.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Yeah, that's definitely.
Yeah, you said I played it.
I was getting off the air atseven.
So, yeah, well, thanks forlistening.
By the way, um, what is youryoutube channel?
I don't have one?
Okay, well, we need to get youone.
Yeah, well, I don't.
I don't know how you do that.
You sign up, okay, yeah.
And and by the way, um tom thetomison said no, I'm dad.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Oh, that was dad.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
So his dad is on there Then it said, where it
says Thomas Levison.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Thomas is, tom is grandpa, with me as his picture.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
This account is your nephew?
Well, yeah, because, dad, youhave the same picture as Thomas.
That's why it's confusing.
No, wait a minute, let me pullthis over here.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Let's take a look at this, right?
Oh no, so that's still him, buthe has Thomas.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Yeah, yeah, okay, you got a big-ass family dude.
You want to?
Speaker 1 (34:09):
hear about it, tell me about it.
They're baby boomers, oh Jesus.
One after another, afteranother.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Well, let's just say, what is it?
I think it's.
My mom has nine brothers andsisters.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Holy crap my dad has nine brothers and sisters.
So what's it like wheneverybody gets together?
Oh, it's a party.
It is, I mean, everybody.
They like to drink, they liketo have a good time.
And they ask you, Zachary, topull out your guitar.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Pretty much, yeah like to have a good time, you
know, and they ask you, zachary,to pull out your guitar pretty
much.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
Yeah, that's really yeah.
Do you do like, when you have achristmas get together and do
you know?
Speaker 2 (34:42):
we don't know, no, you don't know, like that all
right.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
Well, I know because my wife is.
I'm from a just, I was gonnasay normal family.
But is any family normal?
Um probably not but I.
There's myself and threesiblings, but my wife comes from
a family like eight or nine.
Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
A lot of cousins.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Yep, yep, when everybody gets together for the
holidays, it turns into a party.
Yes, it does it usually, doesit?
Gets loud, it gets obnoxiousand all that good stuff.
Are you a NASCAR watcher?
I am not Okay.
You don't like watching carsjust turn left, do you?
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Usually I watch golf or NASCAR Golf Scheffler.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Yeah, wow, he just won big.
Right, he won big.
Yeah.
Yeah, I saw it on the newstonight.
His daughter, I think, wastrying to get up to him on the
green.
It was adorable.
It was adorable.
That's after he had one, andthen, yeah, yeah, that was.
What do you think is?
Speaker 2 (35:42):
your biggest challenge as a local artist?
Um biggest challenge is itgetting gigs?
Uh, I'd say getting gigsbecause I mean I actually just
two weeks ago I just printed outcards, like I just got you know
, I used to have them two yearsago, but then I, so getting gigs
is definitely I.
I've noticed that you have togo out in person because I would
(36:02):
be the I'm the type that'lllike message them or something
you know.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Okay, okay, but it doesn't hurt to go and shake a
hand and no, and that's what I'mlearning.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
You know, that's what I'm starting to learn just to
go there and give them a cardand say, hey, this is me yeah,
you go to.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Just I know a lot of people that run these different
venues and it's just you showingup to have a beer or something
and just kind of hey you knowyou're looking for somebody to
play.
I'd love to come in here and doit for you.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Yeah, that'd be good to get you out even more.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
Get you out even more .
So that's cool.
See, I'm a little because Ihave two screens, two screens
here.
I can't what a setup this isgreat, all right, keep talking
because I'm busy, you're fine.
No, I'm trying to.
Okay, we're Tom Tom, there'sThomas.
Okay, there you go.
(36:50):
Goodbye, all right.
So, uh, yeah, it's cool.
So that's what you need to do.
You need to get out to the uh,to the different venues, get
yourself known.
I mean, you get a little gasmoney, why not?
Speaker 2 (37:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
And now with the podcast here, hopefully we can
help out a little bit as well.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Yeah, you know, what's really hard to get into
is the fair.
I filled out applications forthe fair and it's really
difficult to get in there, man.
Your best bet.
Three years in a row, I putthem in.
Okay, well through, the state,well through.
You've got to apply for itthrough the state you do Well.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
The state has a promoter that they use for all
the big shows.
Got it All right.
So the Suburban Park and we'retalking about Chevy Court- those
stages are all the bigpromoters.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
Oh, of course, there's no way.
I'm talking about just like theeven for the little ones.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Like the smaller ones , you should like like there's a
good friend of mine, DannyBosco, and they have Bosco's in
the family and they have bandsall the time.
The thing to do there would bejust go and talk to Danny.
Talk to them and try to go thatroute and say I'd like to
perform it at the fair.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Can I get a night or two?
Yeah, I was talking to thewrong person.
Well, you got to apply and I'mapplying for, like, chevy core
or something, could you imagine?
Yeah, no problem, we'll get youup there.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Yeah, no, okay, um, yeah, you know a lot of the uh,
the different venues uh that arethere that do local acts, I
mean that's what?
Speaker 2 (38:15):
yeah, okay, hit them so that's kind of cool.
I'm just trying to help you,dude?
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Yeah, we're going to get you out there.
Great info.
We'll get you out there.
Love it Plus.
We'll get you in front ofanother showcase.
Now we got some stuff coming up, but the next one I have
Stephen Calley.
Yep, stephen, great artist,he's a good one to him on, you
(38:38):
know, facebook message yeah, oh,he is so good, yeah, uh brian
michael is another one.
Uh, we just we try to.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
Actually, I just joe van drieser.
I just met brian um.
I played a gig at harvey'sgarden, yeah, a couple weeks ago
, and he was actually rightafter me it was like a little
country.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
Yeah, yeah, that's kind of thing they had, yep yep,
exactly.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
Yeah, I got to meet him too.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
Exactly so.
Do you have anything?
You have Facebook.
Yeah, zachary Levison.
So anybody watching this thatdoesn't know how to get a hold
of you, they can go to Facebookand message you.
Yeah, but you don't have awebsite yet.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
I don't have a website that's coming.
I have an Instagram.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
But you know what One thing I've learned with and
anybody watching this may agree,may disagree, but websites
aren't what they used to be.
They're not.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
If you're on X, insta , instagram, any of those a lot
more effective.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
See, I don't have my music on X, maybe I should try.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
Do you do TikTok.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
I do, but I'm not tiktok I know it's hard.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
It's difficult because we're a little bit older
.
Yeah, yeah, yeah but still,when you look at what that, the
exposure that something liketiktok would give you, that's
true, I do have a tiktok account.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
But no, yeah, I know, I'm just saying all right, hey,
no, keep going, man, I love it,I love it.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
you know anything we can do to help out.
Somebody wants to get a hold ofyou.
The the best thing would be goto Facebook right now and
Zachary Levison Correct, andthen they can message you and
get you to come out and play andyou can work out whatever you
need to work out.
That's cool.
Yeah, that's very cool.
Anything else you'd like to add?
It's been great, got, great,got to know you a little bit.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
No, I love it, Skip this is awesome.
Speaker 1 (40:16):
So next time I have a power issue, I can call you
Directly.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
You can call me directly.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
You know, I will say one thing the other day, nothing
to do with you, but NationalGrid.
It was funny.
I got this message saying wehave a power outage at my
address, this and that, and thepower should be restored in
three and a half hours.
So this and that, and the powershould be restored in three and
a half hours.
So I call my wife.
I go honey, what's going on?
She's like what are you talkingabout?
(40:42):
I said power is out.
She goes, we haven't lost power, everything's fine.
So yeah, she goes.
But I did see a national gridtruck down at the end of the
street.
I said well, maybe it's just inthe area then or something, or
maybe somebody had a problem orthe substation.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
There you go.
Well, I have dad calling me allthe time from Adam Center Like,
oh my power went out.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
Well, it does when it snows up there.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Oh, yeah, his goes out all the time?
Speaker 1 (41:03):
Can you find him in the winter?
Speaker 2 (41:06):
I've driven down so you know where Old McDonald's
Farm is.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
No, In Adam Center.
Do you know where Sackett's is?
I know where Adam's Center is.
Do you know where Sackett's is?
Yes, so Old.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
McDonald's is between 81 and Sackett's.
Speaker 3 (41:19):
It's just like a petting zoo farm kind of thing.
He lives right down the roadfrom there.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
But I've driven through there times where it
just looks like you're drivingthrough a tunnel.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
There's snow on each side of the road.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
It's like 15 feet up.
It's crazy, it's nuts, it'scrazy, you know it's crazy, no,
it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Wow, why does he live there?
Sorry?
Speaker 3 (41:39):
dad, I'm just saying he likes the work.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
I haven't seen my kids since uh, since November.
He likes the challenge.
I think it's you know it's home.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
It's home, that's what it's about.
And you've put up with it.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
You're used.
You know, even here we get alot.
So yeah, yeah, it's crazy.
Zachary Levison, you knowyou're cool dude, hey, thanks
this is pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Well, you did it, yeah.
Yeah, he's still like scaredshitless but that's all right,
no, it's all good.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
Uh, skip happens like .
Yeah, like I said, this is morenerve-wracking than playing in
front of a bunch of people doyou ever have?
Speaker 1 (42:14):
I'd get used to it do you ever have any sort of skip
happen when you've been playing,like speaker falls over or fall
off the stool.
Speaker 2 (42:24):
Well, I had a speaker .
Speaker 1 (42:25):
I mean cut out just at last at Harvey's Garden but I
don't think that's everhappened.
I'm just wondering that's astory you know.
Once that happens, you'll neverforget it.
Just want to say thanks forhanging man.
It's been great.
Now you've experienced SkipHappens Great and the real deal.
And for those of you watchingplease, and the Levison family,
(42:49):
subscribe, hit the like.
It works with the algorithm, sowe like that, but also keep an
eye out because I have a lot ofthe big stars on as well, and we
make it happen.
So you're sitting in one of thestars.
Come in and they sit in thatchair.
Dude, love it.
Yeah, dude, all right, zacharyLevison, thank you so much for
joining us on Skip HappensTonight.
(43:10):
It's good to see you.
I think there's my mouse.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Skip, thank you very.
Hello everybody and welcome to another edition of
Skip Happens the podcast thatfeatures everything from major
national acts to the vibrantmusic scene right here in the
315.
And whether you're here for bigname hits or fresh local talent
, I bring you the artists whoare shaping sound and culture
across all scales.
And tonight, no different we'returning the spotlight on kind
(00:23):
of a new friend.
Got to know him at a showcasehere not too long ago Zachary
Levison, a true central New Yorknative, his music blends roots
in innovation, authenticity andambition.
That sounded pretty good,didn't it?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
That was pretty good Born and raised right here in
the heart of New York.
I love this.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Zachary channels local stories and personal
experiences into a sound that isvery deeply authentic.
On this episode man, I'mreading a lot.
This thing's longer than Ithought.
On this episode, we'll explorehow Central New York has shaped
his creative identity, dive intohis songwriting and hear what
it takes to build a passionatemusic career right here in the
(01:02):
315.
Although he does have afull-time gig all day, and he's
working on this a little bit onthe side.
So, whether you're an aspiringmusician, a fan of the local
scene or someone in search ofmeaningful music, this is a
conversation you do not want tomiss.
Love it.
I know that was like what thehell did I write?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
That's crazy, it's crazy, but zachary, how are you,
my friends?
Good to see you, good to seeyou too, welcome welcome to the
pod zone.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
This place is great.
Yeah, tell everybody that.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
I mean if people come I mean I love this, I, I want
one of these, like I really dois no, this is cool dude.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
No, thank you, I appreciate that uh you know,
this was always a dream.
You know, I've been doing theradio thing for a long time and
doing all that.
But as I get older I said, whatam I going to do someday when I
retire?
What's going to happen?
And now you walked into the podzone.
I got the pod zone, the podcastarea, I got the voiceover
studio, I got a booth in theother room there.
I mean, this is all.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And you got the Skip Happens Mugs.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Look at you, you get the cup, you take it home with
you.
Man, I tell you we get you allhooked up.
But again, uh, just want to saywelcome.
It's good to see you.
My friend, um, tell me a littlebit about yourself, and how did
you get started playing music?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
um well, first of all , I was born and raised in
watertown, adam center, new york, moved here oh dude, you
shoveled a lot of snow in yourday, didn't you?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Oh, yeah, yeah, right in the middle of it.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
But yeah, no, moved here when.
I was about 13.
The guitar part my dad playsguitar.
Oh cool so.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Is he in a band or?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
anything like that?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
No, he's never been in a band.
I think at one point he justjammed out with his brothers.
Yeah, he just enjoyed it,except a guitar in place.
But um, yeah, uh startedplaying when I was 13 and kind
of just went from there.
Didn't really put myself outthere until about like four
years ago you know playing liveand where do you live now um
(02:59):
right in fairmount, fairmountcamillus area.
Yes, yeah, kind of I uh rightbehind azles, which I love Azles
, by the way.
Oh, wait a minute, You'll likethis.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Lisa Azles, that's.
Yeah, I know that's the oldbowling alley.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Maybe you don't remember that it used to be.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Fairmount bowling alleys used to be back there.
This is in Fairmount right.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
You said okay and Tampa Drive.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yeah, okay, right, yeah, okay and champ drive and
yeah, okay, yep, I grew up liketwo blocks from there, yeah, but
uh, yeah, how cool, cool,camilla's guy god um west
chennessee west jenny, yeah, ohthree.
Yeah, oh three, oh three.
You don't want to know mine 74um you know what's cool, you
know what?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
just not to change the subject no, it's cool my
nephew had his graduation atWildcat.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Oh yeah, what's up Dan?
Yeah, shout out to Dan Tome,One of the best he had it at
Wildcat this past Saturday andhe embarrassed me.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
He went over.
I didn't know that they had arack with all the old yearbooks.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Oh, they got the yearbooks.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yes, and he goes over and I see him showing everyone
my picture and I'm laughing andI'm like what?
And he goes yeah, he justbrought it over to me.
He's like they have all theolder yearbooks.
I'm like that's a genius idea,I know I know, of course,
obviously I'm a little bit older.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
My daughters went to West Tennessee and they played
lacrosse and all that.
So their picture's on the wall,my picture's in one of those
yearbooks.
I brought it out a couple ofshows ago.
We did there and showed a fewpeople.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Dude, that's you Very cool.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Now, what a great idea.
That is as well.
It's just brilliant.
Just everything that Dan doesthere is so brilliant and great
wings, by the way.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
When did you realize that?
Uh, that music.
You wanted music to be more ofa hobby for you.
Um, because I know you got thefull-time gig, but I know what
you're thinking too.
You're going this is cool if Ican go out and get these gigs,
and even if you stay local, it'sstill there's money in it and
it's a talent and you're beingcreative yeah, well, so a lot of
(05:05):
it.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
A lot of it doesn't have to do with the money, it's
a lot of it has to do with justthe love of doing it, and I was
starting off doing it for kindof a therapy, kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Like a mental thing.
But then I started realizing Ihad feedback from people saying
hey, man, we just go to camp andI jam out and sing and whatever
, and uh, yeah, at one point afew years ago I'm like I'm
getting new equipment and I'mgonna start doing this and it's
turning out great I love thatyou know.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
You mentioned the fact about therapy, though.
I mean, I think I've beenthrough a lot of what you've
been through, maybe just at adifferent point in our lives,
yeah, but but music is thattherapy that everybody needs and
really, really helps whenyou're down and out.
I mean we were just talkingbefore we went out with the
lights and the camera thatthere's times if I'm not in a
good mood or I just need tobreak away from everything, I
(06:00):
come down here to my pod zone, Igo over to my computer on the
other side of the room and I'llcrank some tunes and I'll see
what else is going on and thatthat'll change my mood and it'll
lift it'll lift me up.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
So yeah, very cool yeah, and that's the thing with
me too a lot of, uh, basicallyall the cover songs they learn
um, they mean something to me,right, they?
The reason I'm learning them isbecause they I you know, I feel
them right so but yeah, they, I, you know I feel them Right.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
So, but yeah, there you go.
Can I ask what else do you do?
I mean, you have a full-timegig, can you?
Can you say what that is.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, I don't see why not.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
It's on my Facebook, oh then everybody knows Never
mind that it's on my Facebook.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Oh, no, yeah, no, yeah, no.
So I've been at National Gridfor 15 years.
Good for you Substationmaintenance.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So maintenance means you play with the wires, yeah.
Or anything that has to be donein the substation, yeah.
You play with a lot of things.
Dude, that's so dangerous.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Well, my least favorite is playing with oil.
It's not my, I'm not a fan ofit.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I know we want to talk about your music, but I
know a little bit about that.
I was a fireman for a bunch ofyears.
Okay, there's oil inside thesecomponents, so to speak,
transformers.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
A lot of them.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Wow, and when lightning hits a substation,
it's not a pretty thing.
Uh, no, it's not.
Nope, is that when you getcalled and say hey, zach, we
need you to come into work?
Yeah, there's, there's callouts.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yeah, yeah, there, yeah, yeah, that's cool so I
mean, do you have?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
uh, I here again, I want to talk about the music,
but I find this very interestingis the um like?
Is it substations anywhere?
I know there's a substationvery close to me here.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
So there's different divisions right, so there's
north east, west, and we'recentral, but we cover, I think,
a whole lot of areas it's like140 stations in central alone,
like between far south iscourtland, and as north as like
(08:08):
southern fulton area.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Okay, do you get called to go and help other
areas?
Have you been on any of those?
Well, yeah, that does happen.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Yeah, you know, when it's a disaster strikes and, for
instance, uh, when the tornadowent through, um, what was it?
Rome last year?
Yes, yeah, yep.
So you know we had a lot ofcrews.
We'd send crews there to help.
And, uh, you know we deliverice and all that stuff.
And you know it as a goodcompany, they do help when they
(08:36):
can, you know, but I love yeah,I love that.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
So are you songwriting as well?
I mean, do you?
Are you just pretty much stickwith the covers, or you know, as
a little bit as you go?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
well, the writing part is a challenge for me I
don't know why like I'll sitthere, but but I I get into my
own head.
You know what I mean there.
I I'm sure other people wouldthink they're good, but I don't
personally.
But I did write one song when Iwas 20 that I usually play out.
Okay, all right, mostly covers.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
All right, all right.
Do you remember the first songyou ever played out in front of
the public?
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah, what was that?
And it's still one of myfavorites Hootie and the
Blowfish.
Oh, let her cry.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Let her cry, yeah, yeah, and if you heard the Hold
my Hand with Scotty.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Yeah, Scotty, and I love it.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
Oh my God, that song is huge Bottle Rock.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
I heard it on the way here.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
I'm sure Probably on the Wolf.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Yes, just saying I think right when you got off air
.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Yeah, exactly.
No, no, actually.
Yeah, I guess.
Are you working on any otherprojects right now?
Are you just kind of practicingyour craft, just going with it?
How often do you pick up theguitar?
Do you do it every day when youget home?
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I try to every day, just before bed or just whatever
, If I'm bored I'll pick it up.
That's cool, that's cool.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
Yeah, so you get out and you play.
I know I remember the day Ireached out to you and said hey,
I want you to come and play.
Yeah, because it's one thingthat I believe in is local
artists like yourself, that's.
You know.
It doesn't I don't care who youare.
If you want that opportunity,come on, we're going to give you
that opportunity.
You know, and, uh, it went oververy well yeah um, it was a lot
(10:25):
of fun and uh, let's see.
Do you remember the artist wehad?
Speaker 2 (10:28):
that, yeah, it was uh john morgan oh, he was huge
baby I don't know like he wasreally good.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Yeah, john morgan's got it.
You know, his song went all theway to number one yeah yeah and
uh, he writes with jason eldeen, and those guys.
So yeah that was uh, that I wasvery honored for that and thank
you.
No, absolutely, it was a lot offun, like you, know the other
way I look at it and again, thisisn't about me, but I mean with
the radio station and beinglocally owned and operated and
we pay our national grid bill.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
No, just no.
No, that's great, no, that'sperfect.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Just thought I'd throw it in there uh, but um, we
believe, I believe in artistslike yourself, that the local
artists Just let people hear you.
You need to be heard, you needto be seen, and you don't get
that opportunity unless somebodydoes like what we did, and it
gives you, as the artist, theopportunity.
For example, you opened up forJohn Morden.
(11:20):
You got to hang out with him alittle bit, you got to talk with
him, you got some tips from him, and here's a guy that's put
out a number one song and he'salready got another one coming
out.
So it's pretty cool.
And anybody that's watchingthis my door is always open with
the podcast you want to come inand talk I mean, just like I
have Zach here today talk aboutyou, talk about your music.
(11:41):
That opportunity is there aswell.
So that's pretty cool.
No, that's awesome Skip.
Yeah, no, like I said, it's not.
Please don't.
I don't want anybody to thinkit's about me.
It is not.
I'm not trying to, but I'm justsaying it's an opportunity for
artists like yourself that arelocal and you know to get in
here.
How do you do shows on onlineat all, like facebook, well?
Speaker 2 (12:08):
I did during the c word.
You know kobe.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
You know it's kind of where I yeah, but maybe that
got you known a little bit right, you know people would find you
and they would come out.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
That's cool no, it did um, but really what, what,
what kind of?
And I really just do play locallike it's not.
Yeah, I don't play up up inwatertown every once in a while,
or watertown.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
What yeah, except in the winter?
Speaker 2 (12:30):
yeah, there you go, but um, but yeah, I don't
usually go live you know onfacebook, but and can I?
Speaker 1 (12:39):
ask why not?
Speaker 2 (12:41):
I don't know but see it gives it opens up so many
doors for you.
It really does.
And look at a lot of theartists that you are hearing on
the radio now, and I did readsomething I don't know who it
was, but I did read somethingfrom a musician, like a high-up
musician saying if you post asong a day, you're going to get
(13:01):
somewhere so.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
I read that a while ago.
Yeah, no, probably, but thenagain you're working a full-time
gig.
There you go, you may beputting in a 16-hour day, for
whatever reason, and now you gethome and it's like I just want
to go to bed.
I don't.
You know, I've had a long day.
But they're right, though,you've got to stay after it.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
You've got to stay on top of it the best you can.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
And you're right, COVID.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
COVID did a lot for artists, good and bad it did, it
really did and that whole livething was a lot of fun.
You know, you have yourcomputer set up.
You see, everyone that tunes inyou know saying hey, zach, or
hey, you sound great, blah know,I love that While they can't do
anything.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Oh, look it.
So, don Newman, you know Don.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Hey Don.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Don not looking like Class of 74, skip.
Oh, you have no idea you mether at the John Morgan.
Did I?
Speaker 2 (13:58):
Oh, that's cool, I don't know if you remember the
bald guy Dustin.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Yes, no, I do.
Yeah, that's his wife.
Oh, okay, well, give Dustin ashout out as well, so excited to
watch this live.
Well, thank you for tuning in.
I know that's only one, but weget quite a few, so it's pretty
cool.
Is there anything that you'dlike to do different with what
you do, or where?
Speaker 2 (14:20):
With you know you're playing guitar.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
I mean any opportunities you would like to,
at least have.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I mean I'd like to try to get.
Maybe I shouldn't say this,because downtown is not the best
right now.
But I'd like to get downtown.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Yeah, I mean, why not ?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
No, I would love to Right Right.
That's been one of my goals,but I'm more on, like the
outskirts.
You.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
That's been one of my goals.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
But, I'm more on like the outskirts you know what I
mean of the city, but I'd liketo get down there.
What are your hobbies?
I mean when you're not thinkingabout fixing a substation.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
I don't know if that's a hobby or work, but
still.
Well, basically just this.
Play hockey every once in awhile and I have two gorgeous
little girls who are probablywatching right now.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
What are their names?
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Bria and Elena, little girls are probably
watching right now.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
What are their?
Speaker 2 (15:07):
names rhea and elena.
Oh cuties, sweet, sweet.
But yeah, so those are myhobbies.
Yeah well, I have threedaughters.
I now have eight grandkids, soI'm just saying that it's you
know yeah yeah, I have my threedaughters.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It's just I know having girls yeah yeah you know,
and we all went through certainlife changes.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
So that's yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
So it happened, but you know.
So you played hockey.
Tell me about, did you?
Well, camilla's and I mentionedI used to run a Zamboni at the
ice rink in Shove.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Park, that's awesome.
That was news to me and it wasgreat.
I used to live at that place.
Yeah, Well then I'm sure thatour paths Well, I don't know,
maybe 15.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
No 15.
How long ago would that havebeen, though?
Speaker 2 (15:44):
I'm going to be 40.
So that was over 21 years ago.
Okay, I don't know if I wasstill there then.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
I don't know.
Yeah, because I was doing theradio and then the radio even
moved into more and then I hadto give that up.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
Yeah, exactly, wow, so what?
Speaker 2 (16:03):
position.
Did you play Defense, and Iloved it.
Did you play for Genesee?
I didn't play for Genesee, justCamillus Youth.
Oh yeah, okay, my grandkidsplay for Camillus Youth.
Yeah, yeah, my nephew just gotdone.
He just graduated, so it washis last year, this year, but I
had the honor of coachingassistant coach for a year.
(16:23):
Oh how cool, what level.
Midgets, midgets, big boys, thebig boys, yeah that's when they
want to check, and they're outthere, they're ready yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
I know One of my grandkids is just starting.
He's not midget yet, but he'sat that point where, yeah, they
get a little rough.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Oh yeah, yeah, just you know and then the parents
get rough and it's like yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Then they yell at the coaches yeah, and the coaches
have to be the mediators likechill out.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
It's a game your kids are playing.
Stop, yeah.
Yeah, that's crazy.
That's kind of cool.
I did not know that about you,so that's pretty awesome.
Yeah, I even have a littlemodel zamboni here somewhere, I
don't know.
I'm looking at all my gadgetson the wall, but I know there's,
I don't know there is one heresomewhere.
It's a little.
Maybe it's in the other room, Idon't know.
I don't know.
So you got your guitar.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
What do you want?
Let's hear what Zachary Levisonhas.
You know, anything you want toplay, I leave it open to you.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah, no, I mean obviously it's going to be cover
.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
It's a cover.
That's cool.
That's cool.
So this is Zachary Levison.
If you just joined, thank youfor doing that.
This is Skip Happens.
Not only do we interview youknow all the big stars and all
that but I like to reach outlocally.
And Zach, he did one of ourradio showcases and I'm going to
get him back on those here soon.
(17:44):
Jack, he did one of our radioshowcases and I'm going to get
him back on those here soon atleast another one or two and
he's in the studio.
He actually watched a podcastthe other night.
He said dude, I'm bored, butthis is freaking awesome.
Yeah, this is great, not boredwith the podcast.
You were bored just because youwere sitting home.
Yeah, I know, I get it, Itotally get it.
But all right, what do you?
Speaker 2 (18:02):
got for us.
I guess I'll do a Luke Combstune.
Okay, it's called BetterTogether, better Together.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
I got a .48 Speed Johnson on a flat bottom metal
bow, cold cans and BB guns bywiring an old fence post, eight
point bucks.
In autumn, a freshly cutcornfield, one arm out the
(18:33):
window and one hand on the wheel.
Some things they just go bettertogether.
And probably always will Like acup of coffee and a sunrise.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Sunday drives and time to kill.
What's the?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
point of this old guitar If it ain't got no
strings you pour your heart outinto a song.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
That you ain't gonna sing.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
It's a match made up in heaven, like good old boys
and beer and me.
As long as you're right here,your license in my wallet.
When we go out downtown,lipstick stains every coffee cup
(19:25):
.
That I've got in this house.
The way you say I love you tooIs like rain on an old tin roof
and your hand fits right intomine Like a needle in a groove.
Some things, they just gobetter together and probably
always will.
Like a cup of coffee and asunrise, sunday drives and time
(19:49):
to kill.
What's the point of this oldguitar if it ain't got no
strings?
You pour your heart out into asong that you ain't gonna sing.
It's a match made up in heavenLike good old boys and beer, and
me as long as you're right here, and me as long as you're right
(20:16):
here.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
Oh man, wait a minute , we can do this, you know, hang
on.
Yeah, that's awesome, dude.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
That's awesome.
Hey, this is morenerve-wracking than in front of
a crowd at a bar.
Man Come on Dude why, no, I'mall good I just had to get one
out of me, no but it soundedgreat, oh, thank you.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
It sounded great.
I mean, how hard is it to learn?
And how do you learn to do thecovers?
Just by listening?
So I'm more like a by ear, Okaywhich is not out of the
ordinary I get it.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
A lot of artists are by ear and I'm telling you, if
you're that way, it helps somuch with pitch and just guitar
playing in general.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, as you know, we'vetalked to a lot of artists and
they'll say well, I go toYouTube, I'll watch the videos
on YouTube.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I'll do that every once in a while myself just to
check it out and see.
But a lot of them.
I don't play them the exact way.
You know what I mean.
I make them kind of like my own.
You should yeah, Bit of adviceMake it your own.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
It's a cover, but still it's Zachary Levison doing
his own thing.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Exactly.
That's the cool part about it.
That's what's going to stickout.
Yeah, yeah, it's a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (21:33):
We talk to a lot of different artists, and that's, I
got to make it mine.
I got to make the song mine.
If it's covered somehow, I gotto make it mine.
Yep, it could be a little bitof a different sound, or Just an
octave higher.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Oh yeah, or whatever, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Is that the only guitar you have?
Speaker 2 (21:53):
No, I have another Taylor Nice, and I have a Martin
Nice.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
Wow, that's cool yeah that's cool, yeah, that's cool.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
I always ask because I know you, you have to have
more yeah I mean, I actuallyhave a ton of guitars but I
don't.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Some are not like no name brand.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
I kept every garage yeah, oh yeah, yeah, you're not
wrong no, you're not wrong.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
You should mount them on the wall, like I've got a
couple behind us here.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
That's my plan, uh for the basement, but I got some
work to do in the basement.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Well, amazon has those little hangers.
You get two for like $10.
So you know, I'm just saying soMike is Mike, your brother,
mike Levison.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
No, that's Uncle oh.
Yep, that's Uncle Mike.
Okay, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
I know everybody's chiming in Sounded as great as
always, hugh Palmer.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Hughie, what's up?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Hughie there, he is right there.
Oh, there's Hughie.
Okay, let's see what else.
Here's a good point.
He says YouTube is so hard, somuch talent lost in the crowd of
trash I guess everybody's onYouTube.
You're going to have a lot ofreally good and you're going
(23:04):
gonna have some that probablyreally suck.
Yeah, so, yeah, yeah, no,that's a good point.
That's a good point.
How about tom?
Oh my god, you got the wholefam watching.
I don't hear.
Let me see if I can.
Uh, here we go, here we gothere.
It is beauty sack sounds great.
Oh, that's my nephew, that's.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
That's the one I found.
The uh wait is that a geneseeuh yeah, he played football for
genesee.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
Yeah, no, kidding yeah, good way to go.
Tom is tom.
Is tom a musician at all?
Speaker 2 (23:28):
is no, not after you.
His uncle, I don't think.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Maybe I'll try to make him sing, I don't think I'm
going for that have you had theopportunity to?
Speaker 2 (23:36):
um, maybe, uh like, guys ask you to play in their
band or anything like that yeahyeah, um so I have never played
in a full band and I don't knowif it's my own personal thing
because I just love the sound ofstraight up acoustic okay and a
voice.
So any, any song that a bandwould ever play, I would always
(23:58):
look up the acoustic version andlove it more.
I don't know what it is, it'sjust the calmness of the sound.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
No, I totally get that.
I totally get that.
But most artists will not onlyknow, if they're playing in the
full band, how that goes.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
But they also can play it acoustically.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
A lot of people that come in from nashville and say,
oh, yeah, I'll play my hit.
Yeah, and it's like, well, I'mused to hearing it with a, with
a full band, but it's always alittle different when it's
acoustic.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
So, yeah, I've never had the chance to play with a
full band, so maybe that'ssomething that I should do a
step just to try, you know.
But let's see shelly and Shelly.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
Yeah, we need you back.
She's up in Norwood.
Norwood, new York.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Norwood up past Potsdam.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Just damn, that's a drive yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a drive.
Well, shelly, thank you fortuning in.
Yeah, give us a subscribe, skiphappens and we can do a lot
more of this, which is prettycool, and I'm running out of
space here.
There we go.
I don't know why that's likethat, but uh, so, uh, where
would you like to see yourselfin five years, retired and maybe
(25:07):
playing a guitar?
Uh, that would be something now.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Wait a minute, you're you're 40 or gonna be.
I'm gonna be 40 the 31st, justJuly 31st, god you're just a
baby dude.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
I didn't even know.
My daughter is 40.
A little bit older, actually 42, 41, 42.
That's my oldest.
So cool, I don't know when doyou see yourself, maybe getting
a band together?
Speaker 2 (25:30):
I don't know when it comes to this guy, I would love
to do more with it.
I'm trying to advertise it morelike yeah, for instance, like,
um, next weekend I'm playing atuh johnson park in liverpool.
Liverpool, yeah, they have.
Is that uh the?
Uh cosmic?
Uh, what is it?
Uh, cauldron I saw.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I saw something advertised.
Yeah, saw something mentioned,it's all it's all like a local
vendor that's cool.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
They set up tents and they have a nice stage there
which I went and checked out theother day?
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Oh, they do.
It's a really nice stage.
When they do the Music in theParks series, they do one at
Johnson Park and that stage isreally nice yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
I've never been there before, never seen it.
Yeah, yeah, oh, that's cool,that's cool.
Speaker 1 (26:09):
What about and do an acoustic set.
I think it was Elbridge once,wildwood, wildwood.
Yes, that place is awesome.
I mean they're all awesome,don't?
Speaker 2 (26:21):
get me wrong, but Wildwood.
It's a gorgeous place for anykind of event, weddings,
anything.
It's set out in the middle ofnowhere.
And there's like a little swampoff to the side.
It's just a very nice vibe.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
But do you get?
Let me me ask, do you get allnervous when you know family is
watching or family is there oranything like that?
Um, because that's how I am.
If I get on stage or I'm doingan event, yeah, and I say holy
shit, I mean, yeah, I know thatperson, I know that person.
I didn't, I'm afraid I'm gonnamess up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
So well, no, this is more nerve-wracking for me than
that.
Like dude, there's nobody.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
No, I know, but there's nobody over there but
yeah, there's cameras everywhereyou know, I know, but yeah no I
know, but no when it comes tothe family, no when after.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
You know I'm nervous off the bat but after like one
or two songs, that goes but usedto be different, don't get me
wrong, but yeah it just goesaway.
Speaker 1 (27:15):
Oh, dad says jam out, no, no, that's tom, oh, that's
tom, that's tom so oh, oh, he'ssaying.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
My dad says jam out all right well, we will.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Uh, yeah, you will, you will.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I don't know what else there's, man there's a me
and skip are gonna do a duet.
We are.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
No, I'm kidding.
I thank you.
I may be the radio guy, but Icannot sing uh let's hear
another song, let's do anotherone.
Oh okay, all right.
Would you say?
Um, when it comes to anacoustic, is there a particular
artist that you prefer overanother?
Speaker 2 (27:55):
um when it comes to the playing yeah, I playing,
singing vocals.
No, I mean chris.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
I'm obsessed with chris staples voice, I mean oh
yeah, have you heard the new onewith miranda just did today.
Yeah, I just did today.
Yep, that's out.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
But but yeah, no guitar playing.
I mean, I don't know I'm I donreally get too too into like
that, like my favorites orwhatever, I just play.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
I love it.
I'm trying to see Chucky Kovac.
He's trying to see what he'swriting here.
There you go, it's painless.
Oh, he's talking about hit,like because it helps the
algorithm.
Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.
All right, see, I learn allthis stuff too.
If I need to do somethingonline, I'll call my son and
(28:45):
you'll meet him afterwards.
Zach is 24.
He's down syndrome, butanything with the computers,
numbers, anything like that.
Zach, you've got to show methis and he'll go Dad, and he'll
do it.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
It's just amazing.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
All right, what are we going to do, oh?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
I'm still thinking, okay, still thinking.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
What am I in the mood for?
Move the capo.
There you go, good job.
Do you ever take your guitar towork with you?
Speaker 2 (29:11):
No, I never have.
I did on a storm once when Iwent to Watertown.
That's about because we'restaying in hotel yeah, but that
was it.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
No.
No, but the guys don't like atlunchtime.
Hey, zach pull out the guitar.
Let's hear a song now we haveto listen to them all day.
We don't need to hear yeah,there you go no no, I hear you
man oh, that's funny.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
All right, what was I gonna?
Oh, my god here.
Okay, why not do hootie?
Yes, yes, let's do hootie.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
Yes, yes, let's do Hootie.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
First song I ever learned.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
Okay, sister's the one I love the most, that
stripes down far behind.
She never lets me in, onlytells me where she's been when
(30:14):
she's had too much to drink,said that I don't care, I just
run my hands Through her darkhair.
Then I pray to God you gottahelp me, fly away and let her
cry If the tears fall down likerain.
(30:37):
Let her sing.
If it eases all her pain, lether go, let her walk right out
on me.
The sun comes up tomorrow, lether be.
Oh, let her be, oh, let her be.
(30:57):
This morning I woke up alone,found a note standing by the
phone Saying maybe, maybe I'llbe back someday.
(31:18):
I wanted to look for you.
You walked in.
I didn't know just what Ishould do, so I sat back down
and I had a beer and felt sorryfor myself, Saying let her cry
If the tears fall down like rain, let her sing If it eases all
(31:42):
the pain, let her go.
Let her walk right out on me.
If the sun comes up tomorrow,let her be.
Oh, let her be.
Just let her be.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, last night I tried toleave, cried so hard I could not
(32:12):
believe she was the same girl Ifell in love with long ago.
She went in the back to gethigh.
I sat down on my couch andcried, yelling oh mama, won't
you please just hold my hand andlet her cry If the tears fall?
(32:34):
down like rain, Let her sing.
If it eases all the pain.
If the tears fall down likerain, let her sing.
If it eases all the pain, lether go.
Let her walk right out on me Ifthe sun comes up tomorrow let
her be, oh, let her be.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Wow, little Hootie, little Hootie, little Hootie.
I love it.
I love that song, you knowanything?
Speaker 1 (33:03):
Hootie is I love it too.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
I love Darius, I love his voice.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
You know, like we mentioned a few minutes ago,
scotty McCurry out with oh geez,I just had a brain fart, but
with Hootie holding my hand inthe background.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
Oh yeah, Bottle.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Rockets.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
That's a great song.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
Yeah, that's definitely.
Yeah, you said I played it.
I was getting off the air atseven.
So, yeah, well, thanks forlistening.
By the way, um, what is youryoutube channel?
I don't have one?
Okay, well, we need to get youone.
Yeah, well, I don't.
I don't know how you do that.
You sign up, okay, yeah.
And and by the way, um tom thetomison said no, I'm dad.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
Oh, that was dad.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
So his dad is on there Then it said, where it
says Thomas Levison.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Thomas is, tom is grandpa, with me as his picture.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
This account is your nephew?
Well, yeah, because, dad, youhave the same picture as Thomas.
That's why it's confusing.
No, wait a minute, let me pullthis over here.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Let's take a look at this, right?
Oh no, so that's still him, buthe has Thomas.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Yeah, yeah, okay, you got a big-ass family dude.
You want to?
Speaker 1 (34:09):
hear about it, tell me about it.
They're baby boomers, oh Jesus.
One after another, afteranother.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Well, let's just say, what is it?
I think it's.
My mom has nine brothers andsisters.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Holy crap my dad has nine brothers and sisters.
So what's it like wheneverybody gets together?
Oh, it's a party.
It is, I mean, everybody.
They like to drink, they liketo have a good time.
And they ask you, Zachary, topull out your guitar.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Pretty much, yeah like to have a good time, you
know, and they ask you, zachary,to pull out your guitar pretty
much.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
Yeah, that's really yeah.
Do you do like, when you have achristmas get together and do
you know?
Speaker 2 (34:42):
we don't know, no, you don't know, like that all
right.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
Well, I know because my wife is.
I'm from a just, I was gonnasay normal family.
But is any family normal?
Um probably not but I.
There's myself and threesiblings, but my wife comes from
a family like eight or nine.
Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
A lot of cousins.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Yep, yep, when everybody gets together for the
holidays, it turns into a party.
Yes, it does it usually, doesit?
Gets loud, it gets obnoxiousand all that good stuff.
Are you a NASCAR watcher?
I am not Okay.
You don't like watching carsjust turn left, do you?
Speaker 2 (35:18):
Usually I watch golf or NASCAR Golf Scheffler.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Yeah, wow, he just won big.
Right, he won big.
Yeah.
Yeah, I saw it on the newstonight.
His daughter, I think, wastrying to get up to him on the
green.
It was adorable.
It was adorable.
That's after he had one, andthen, yeah, yeah, that was.
What do you think is?
Speaker 2 (35:42):
your biggest challenge as a local artist?
Um biggest challenge is itgetting gigs?
Uh, I'd say getting gigsbecause I mean I actually just
two weeks ago I just printed outcards, like I just got you know
, I used to have them two yearsago, but then I, so getting gigs
is definitely I.
I've noticed that you have togo out in person because I would
(36:02):
be the I'm the type that'lllike message them or something
you know.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
Okay, okay, but it doesn't hurt to go and shake a
hand and no, and that's what I'mlearning.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
You know, that's what I'm starting to learn just to
go there and give them a cardand say, hey, this is me yeah,
you go to.
Speaker 1 (36:16):
Just I know a lot of people that run these different
venues and it's just you showingup to have a beer or something
and just kind of hey you knowyou're looking for somebody to
play.
I'd love to come in here and doit for you.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Yeah, that'd be good to get you out even more.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:30):
Get you out even more .
So that's cool.
See, I'm a little because Ihave two screens, two screens
here.
I can't what a setup this isgreat, all right, keep talking
because I'm busy, you're fine.
No, I'm trying to.
Okay, we're Tom Tom, there'sThomas.
Okay, there you go.
(36:50):
Goodbye, all right.
So, uh, yeah, it's cool.
So that's what you need to do.
You need to get out to the uh,to the different venues, get
yourself known.
I mean, you get a little gasmoney, why not?
Speaker 2 (37:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
And now with the podcast here, hopefully we can
help out a little bit as well.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Yeah, you know, what's really hard to get into
is the fair.
I filled out applications forthe fair and it's really
difficult to get in there, man.
Your best bet.
Three years in a row, I putthem in.
Okay, well through, the state,well through.
You've got to apply for itthrough the state you do Well.
Speaker 1 (37:23):
The state has a promoter that they use for all
the big shows.
Got it All right.
So the Suburban Park and we'retalking about Chevy Court- those
stages are all the bigpromoters.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
Oh, of course, there's no way.
I'm talking about just like theeven for the little ones.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Like the smaller ones , you should like like there's a
good friend of mine, DannyBosco, and they have Bosco's in
the family and they have bandsall the time.
The thing to do there would bejust go and talk to Danny.
Talk to them and try to go thatroute and say I'd like to
perform it at the fair.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Can I get a night or two?
Yeah, I was talking to thewrong person.
Well, you got to apply and I'mapplying for, like, chevy core
or something, could you imagine?
Yeah, no problem, we'll get youup there.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
Yeah, no, okay, um, yeah, you know a lot of the uh,
the different venues uh that arethere that do local acts, I
mean that's what?
Speaker 2 (38:15):
yeah, okay, hit them so that's kind of cool.
I'm just trying to help you,dude?
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Yeah, we're going to get you out there.
Great info.
We'll get you out there.
Love it Plus.
We'll get you in front ofanother showcase.
Now we got some stuff coming up, but the next one I have
Stephen Calley.
Yep, stephen, great artist,he's a good one to him on, you
(38:38):
know, facebook message yeah, oh,he is so good, yeah, uh brian
michael is another one.
Uh, we just we try to.
Speaker 2 (38:41):
Actually, I just joe van drieser.
I just met brian um.
I played a gig at harvey'sgarden, yeah, a couple weeks ago
, and he was actually rightafter me it was like a little
country.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
Yeah, yeah, that's kind of thing they had, yep yep,
exactly.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
Yeah, I got to meet him too.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
Exactly so.
Do you have anything?
You have Facebook.
Yeah, zachary Levison.
So anybody watching this thatdoesn't know how to get a hold
of you, they can go to Facebookand message you.
Yeah, but you don't have awebsite yet.
Speaker 2 (39:09):
I don't have a website that's coming.
I have an Instagram.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
But you know what One thing I've learned with and
anybody watching this may agree,may disagree, but websites
aren't what they used to be.
They're not.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
If you're on X, insta , instagram, any of those a lot
more effective.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
See, I don't have my music on X, maybe I should try.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
Do you do TikTok.
Speaker 2 (39:36):
I do, but I'm not tiktok I know it's hard.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
It's difficult because we're a little bit older
.
Yeah, yeah, yeah but still,when you look at what that, the
exposure that something liketiktok would give you, that's
true, I do have a tiktok account.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
But no, yeah, I know, I'm just saying all right, hey,
no, keep going, man, I love it,I love it.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
you know anything we can do to help out.
Somebody wants to get a hold ofyou.
The the best thing would be goto Facebook right now and
Zachary Levison Correct, andthen they can message you and
get you to come out and play andyou can work out whatever you
need to work out.
That's cool.
Yeah, that's very cool.
Anything else you'd like to add?
It's been great, got, great,got to know you a little bit.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
No, I love it, Skip this is awesome.
Speaker 1 (40:16):
So next time I have a power issue, I can call you
Directly.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
You can call me directly.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
You know, I will say one thing the other day, nothing
to do with you, but NationalGrid.
It was funny.
I got this message saying wehave a power outage at my
address, this and that, and thepower should be restored in
three and a half hours.
So this and that, and the powershould be restored in three and
a half hours.
So I call my wife.
I go honey, what's going on?
She's like what are you talkingabout?
(40:42):
I said power is out.
She goes, we haven't lost power, everything's fine.
So yeah, she goes.
But I did see a national gridtruck down at the end of the
street.
I said well, maybe it's just inthe area then or something, or
maybe somebody had a problem orthe substation.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
There you go.
Well, I have dad calling me allthe time from Adam Center Like,
oh my power went out.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
Well, it does when it snows up there.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Oh, yeah, his goes out all the time?
Speaker 1 (41:03):
Can you find him in the winter?
Speaker 2 (41:06):
I've driven down so you know where Old McDonald's
Farm is.
Speaker 1 (41:10):
No, In Adam Center.
Do you know where Sackett's is?
I know where Adam's Center is.
Do you know where Sackett's is?
Yes, so Old.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
McDonald's is between 81 and Sackett's.
Speaker 3 (41:19):
It's just like a petting zoo farm kind of thing.
He lives right down the roadfrom there.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
But I've driven through there times where it
just looks like you're drivingthrough a tunnel.
Speaker 3 (41:29):
There's snow on each side of the road.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
It's like 15 feet up.
It's crazy, it's nuts, it'scrazy, you know it's crazy, no,
it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Wow, why does he live there?
Sorry?
Speaker 3 (41:39):
dad, I'm just saying he likes the work.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
I haven't seen my kids since uh, since November.
He likes the challenge.
I think it's you know it's home.
Speaker 1 (41:49):
It's home, that's what it's about.
And you've put up with it.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
You're used.
You know, even here we get alot.
So yeah, yeah, it's crazy.
Zachary Levison, you knowyou're cool dude, hey, thanks
this is pretty awesome.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Well, you did it, yeah.
Yeah, he's still like scaredshitless but that's all right,
no, it's all good.
Speaker 2 (42:08):
Uh, skip happens like .
Yeah, like I said, this is morenerve-wracking than playing in
front of a bunch of people doyou ever have?
Speaker 1 (42:14):
I'd get used to it do you ever have any sort of skip
happen when you've been playing,like speaker falls over or fall
off the stool.
Speaker 2 (42:24):
Well, I had a speaker .
Speaker 1 (42:25):
I mean cut out just at last at Harvey's Garden but I
don't think that's everhappened.
I'm just wondering that's astory you know.
Once that happens, you'll neverforget it.
Just want to say thanks forhanging man.
It's been great.
Now you've experienced SkipHappens Great and the real deal.
And for those of you watchingplease, and the Levison family,
(42:49):
subscribe, hit the like.
It works with the algorithm, sowe like that, but also keep an
eye out because I have a lot ofthe big stars on as well, and we
make it happen.
So you're sitting in one of thestars.
Come in and they sit in thatchair.
Dude, love it.
Yeah, dude, all right, zacharyLevison, thank you so much for
joining us on Skip HappensTonight.
(43:10):
It's good to see you.
I think there's my mouse.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Skip, thank you very.
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