Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi everybody, it is Skip Clark.
We are live in the Inner HarborMedia Studios with the Inner
Harbor cast and I am veryexcited because, as you look at
this the young lady to my left,you're right as you look at the
screen her name is Nikki Sparks.
Let me tell you something.
Well, you know what.
She's an artist.
(00:21):
She moved to LA, she's inNashville, she's making her
rounds to radio.
But, better yet, let me askwhere are you from?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I am from Syracuse, new York, yay Exactly.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
And of course you know the radio stations here.
Being hometown proud, he choseto stop by and say hi.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I did.
I am just so happy to be here.
Um, you know, I did.
I am just so happy to be here,you know.
But I have to say where I'mfrom.
Skip is where I've lived andthe experiences and the
relationships I've had over thepast 30 years that really have
made me a musician and a writerand, more importantly, as a
person.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
So you say Syracuse, but what in the city or suburb?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Actually just outside of Syracuse.
But what in the city or suburbActually just outside of
Syracuse?
Liverpool, liverpool.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Now, are you a graduate of Liverpool or no?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I am Yay, I am the Warriors.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Are they still called the Warriors though?
Speaker 2 (01:17):
You know what I have no idea?
I know.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Well, you got up and you moved.
Tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Oh, my gosh about that.
First.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Of all tell us.
You know, let's hear about yourbackground.
You wanted to be a Shania Twainimpersonator.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, yeah, I mean, let's kind of back up a little
bit.
Yeah.
So you know, I always knew Iwanted to sing and perform.
I've been at this since I was11 years old performing, writing
, singing, voice lessons, andit's really funny.
(01:49):
I convinced my mom to take thisold, beaten up guitar in our
house.
It had like a missing string onit and I had no idea how to
play the guitar.
And she was like honey, youdon't know how to play the
(02:10):
guitar, I'm like, but I reallywant to try and play and sing,
and so we went to Hyde's HotDogs.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
You've heard of Hyde's Hot Dogs, right?
Who doesn't love Hyde's?
And as the weather gets better,you can find me there almost at
least twice a week, right?
Oh my gosh, what is it famousfor, their?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
hoffman's, hoffman's hot dogs right hoonies or conies
, conies, okay we're on the samelevel, okay, continue.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Sorry, cool.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
so, um, yeah, we would go there a couple times a
month and, uh, I ended upconvincing her to sing and play
for people outside of hides andyou know, at that time I was
just making up stories about youknow what people were wearing,
or crying babies, or you knowwhat the weather was in the
(02:56):
parking lot in the parking lot.
Yeah, and crazy enough, Iactually this is like my very
first experience of learning howto busk.
Okay, so this man comes up tome broken down you know truck.
He had all of these, basicallyhad junk in the back of his
(03:17):
truck.
Maybe he was a junk collector,he could be, or he could be an
antique collector.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I know Nothing wrong with that.
Nothing, hey, nothing, no, no,but go ahead.
Nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Nothing, hey, no, no, but go ahead.
Nothing wrong with that.
So he comes up to me and he'slike you're doing a really great
job, but do you have a tip jar?
And I had no idea what a tipjar was and I was like, what's a
tip jar?
He's like, hold on.
He literally goes back to histruck and hands me like a glass
Mason jar and he was like everytime you sing, you put this down
(03:44):
next to you.
And that was pretty much thefirst time I realized I could
sing and play and make money.
And he put a dollar in there forme and it was just like you
still have the most amazingexperience I do actually.
Oh my gosh, I'm going to showit to you right now.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Okay, Well, I don't know if they'll see it on the
well, you can hold it up infront of the camera.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Okay, I'm going to show it to all the listeners
here.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
But you have that tip jar.
So no matter where you go, thatdollar, that jar is in front of
you, it is yes, oh my God, yes.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
That's awesome, I'll put a dollar in it before you
leave.
Oh, sounds amazing.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Okay, you guys, this is away.
Show it to me, though, let'ssee.
Okay, there you go.
Oh, the guitar.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah, and I don't know if you can tell it's
missing a string.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
The E string.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
you said yeah, it's missing.
Yeah, it's missing a string.
Wow, yeah, the E string.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Yeah, and we were.
You found the string from thatguitar, correct?
Speaker 2 (04:47):
No, I actually the string.
The string is still missing.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
It's never been, not behind the couch, not under a
cushion, no, no, no, I just dugup this pillow.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I went back to my folks' house and I was like I
want to find this guitar.
You know, this is somethingthat's always been a part of me
since I was 11.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
But you found the guitar, so that's cool, found
the guitar.
Take it home with you when yougo.
Yes, I know.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
You know what I mean, or do you leave it?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
here when you come and visit.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
I think I'll probably just leave it here.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
And you have mom mounted.
Yeah, I know, I should have herdo that you can't see it here,
but I have a guitar over on myright-hand side that's got a
clamp to mount it on the wall.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Okay, cool, you should do that.
I'm going to take your advice,skip.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah, and you have a room in the house.
Yes, you know what I mean.
You grew up there, yes, so thatneeds to be hung on that wall.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Sounds good.
All right, I am on it With thename Nicky.
I love that idea.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Or hopefully the Country Music Hall of Fame Then
they have to take the whole walland put it into the Country
Music Hall of Fame and say thisis the Nicky Sparks display.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
There you go.
Your question was about movingto LA right.
What prompted me to move to LA?
Fast forward 10 years.
Thank you, sir, at 21.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
So you went out there for the, you saw an ad or
something for the Shania.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
I did so remember Craigslist, craigslist.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Craigslist yeah, oh my gosh, oh yeah, so went on
Craigslist, Craigslist,craigslist yeah, oh my gosh, oh
yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
So went on Craigslist .
There was an open call auditionlooking for a Shania Twain
impersonator and she's my idol,love her so much.
Super amazing, talented woman,trendsetter, unbelievable oh my
gosh, yes.
And got the call back.
I flew to LA and went throughelaborate hair and makeup and
(06:46):
went through rehearsals and justbeing in front of the lights
and the camera and it was on aTV show.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
And can I ask how old were you when you made that
move?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I was 21.
21.
Young, I was a baby.
Were you scared?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Oh my gosh.
I mean a beautiful woman makingthe move like that, yeah, yeah,
being in an area or, you know,a city that you haven't been to
before.
Well, what happened was afterwell basically LA, no less, yeah
, but go ahead.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Basically that show.
After that show I knew thatperforming was what I wanted to
do and I was put on this earthto perform and entertain people.
So I flew back to upstate, toldmy parents, you know I am
moving to LA, and they were likefreaked out.
They were like, well, what areyou thinking here?
You know, you know, doe eyedgirl.
(07:34):
You know I didn't know anybody.
And anyways, my friend's fatherowned a moving company and
shipped my car out for a fewhundred bucks and lo and behold,
there I am in LA at 21.
Um and tragically funny story.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Uh, I'm afraid to hear this when you start any
sentence um, but go ahead, goahead.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Tragically funny story.
Um, as I was saying, I wassuper doe eyed and green.
I didn't know that you neededto have verifiable income to get
an apartment.
Um, yeah, and I was activelylooking for jobs and, just like
the entertainment business, itwas super competitive just to
get a waitressing job.
So I had no leads, I hadnowhere to go.
(08:21):
I, um, you know, had a few bagsof clothes, um, my guitar, and
I, uh, was living in a car fortwo months homeless.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
That's not uncommon, though.
There's so many people thathave worn those boots, so to
speak, dressed like you've goneto either LA, nashville, memphis
, and hoping they hit it big,but then they can't afford.
You know, places aren't cheap.
So you end up because you wantto do it, you have the passion,
you have the dedication and yousay you know, I, nikki, I'm
(08:55):
going to do this one way or theother but it's not uncommon and
I've talked to so many differentartists that the story is very
similar.
It's like I lived out of my carfor two months, that the story
is very similar.
It's like I lived out of my carfor two months.
Lainey Wilson lived out of abeat-up trailer.
I actually had her on my otherpodcast, Skip Happens.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
I love Lainey.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
She's amazing and she was telling me that the floor
had fallen through the sewer wasI mean not to sound disgusting,
but think about it, the water,she didn't have any of that.
And another artist, jimmy Allen, who we all know, jimmy Allen,
outside the Y and he wouldactually.
He got a job at the Y cleaningso he could take a shower.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Okay, so funny story so.
I actually, I actually, um, I Ipurchased a gym membership at
the Bailey's in Hollywood, andthat's where I would actually
shower and occasionally work outif.
I had the energy because Ididn't have a whole lot of money
.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
So I was just kind of on fumes, eating like ramen
noodles, or on a treadmill nextto somebody that's like really
famous, like I was in LA once mywife had to do a conference
there Hotel I was staying at.
Rod Stewart walked through thelobby.
I can you know they had thewhat's it?
The Screen Actors Guild.
They had their meeting thereand I see Ron Howard and I'm
(10:10):
going wow, but in the gym, ordid you see any of the-.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
I never really did.
No, no, but I will tell you.
Speaking of celebrities, so Iactually was scouring places to
actually live in my car and thisfamous place called the Rock
and Roll Ralphs, which is onSunset.
It was the only place that soldbooze until 2 am, but they
(10:38):
stayed open 24 hours, so I feltsafe there.
A lot of celebrities again,which I never saw, but I'm sure
they were there.
They were there after hangingout on the Sunset Strip or
wherever Tim does know.
Yes, yes, they were.
Hey, that's true too.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
He's got a lot of good stories, and we'll be
talking about that some othertime.
It's going to be fun.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
So, anyways, I made nice with the security and this
big black guy called Bubba, hereally looked out for me and he
was so cool and I told him mystory and what I was going
through and I'm like, look, I'mnot going to be here forever, I
just need a place to, you know,crash in my car and they, uh, I
would give them treats every nowand then, like muffins and
cookies, and they just lookedthe other way.
(11:23):
So, yeah, so, so tragicallyfunny story Not really funny,
but yeah, it was a really darktime for me, you know but, I,
wasn't.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
I wasn't going to let it stop me from chasing my
dream.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
You know, I've been relentlessly persistent at this
for a long time.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
It's been a long journey and I'm not stopping.
No ago I was in nashville and Ihappened to be in the omni
hotel and you were on the bigstage.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
how cool was that?
Oh my gosh, I had known.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I had no idea it was you.
That's crazy.
I want to walk by and gosyracuse right seven degrees of
separation.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Right, yes, I go, let's go.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Six degrees of separation sorry, then you would
go.
Who was that?
By yelling, I was trying to domy set, uh, but no that.
What an opportunity for you tobe there it was, and for those
that don't know, it's called thecountry radio seminar and
anybody that is, anybody in thecountry music business, even
outside of it, they're usuallythere yep and networking,
(12:25):
showing off your talent, um, youknow, meeting the people that
really matter exactly, andyou're making it and you're
climbing that ladder and to beon that stage is pretty cool.
Showing off your talent.
You know, meeting the peoplethat really matter.
Exactly, and you making it andyou're climbing that ladder and
to be on that stage is prettycool.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
I mean your management hooked you up really
well.
Just a great, great opportunity.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Thank you.
Yeah, I was the first artist toperform for the Rising Star
Series and performed my upcomingEP and yeah, it was amazing and
I'm sorry we missed each other.
Well, we did, but we didn't,yeah, and here I am.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
No, I know, I know you walked through the front
door.
It's like wow I love this.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Tell us how god works , right?
Speaker 1 (13:03):
yeah, I'm loving this already uh, how would you
describe your sound to somebodythat's never heard your music?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Well, the title of my upcoming EP is called Crockpot.
When we were in the studiorecording the songs In the
corner.
I actually cook in a crockpotas well.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
You can start and not go out.
See, this is what I do.
When I have a podcast, Iusually take a turn every once
in a while I just took anotherturn, but you cook in a crockpot
.
All the is what I do when Ihave a podcast.
I usually take a turn everyonce in a while.
I just took another turn.
But you cook in a crock pot allthe time I do, there's nothing
better.
You start that in the morningwhen you come home from work.
It smells so good.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
It smells so good.
What's your favorite?
What?
Speaker 1 (13:44):
do you cook in the crock pot?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I actually cook a whiskey.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I actually a whiskey chicken dish, so it's like a
shot of whiskey whatever whiskeyyou have, it doesn't matter
what, what grade doesn't matterwhat, it doesn't matter what
grade.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Yeah, I was just gonna say, I currently have jack
daniels okay, in our, in our,in our kitchen is it cooking now
maybe, maybe I'm watching it asyour home visiting, but uh, how
uh, how cool, so continue.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
I'm sorry, I'll get back on the main highway here,
no that's okay.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
So, um, yeah, my EP is called crock pot.
Um, it's so.
When we were in the studio, Iwas throwing around the word a
lot country rock, and so whenyou put country and rock
together, you get crock.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
The creativity.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Thank you.
Yeah, so these songs reallyhave.
They've been simmering for acouple of years now and, um, I'm
just so excited to finally putyou know my stamp in the country
world with my brand of crock.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
How often do you write?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
I write a lot.
I write a lot.
Yeah, um, I, I.
I started writing on a moreprofessional level when I was in
LA.
I met Tim, president ofNashwood Records.
Nashville meets Hollywood.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Can we put those two together somehow and come up
with a?
I don't know.
Is that what the label is?
Yeah, is that what–.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Nashville and Hollywood makes Nashwood.
Yes yes, Nashwoodwood yeah, Ithink we you have something
going here, that's cool, thankyou, um, yeah, so he, he really,
you know, I was kind of outthere, you know, doing shows
here and there with a band and,um, you know, we met and he
really took me under his wing.
(15:30):
Um, you know, uh, he and I justclicked right off the bat and
he really took me under his wing.
He and I just clicked right offthe bat and he was actually one
of the people to really ask mewhat I wanted out of my career.
And we started talking about megrowing up and my influences.
I grew up on everything fromShania to Bon Jovi, to Faith
(15:52):
Hill, to Journey and even KidRock.
I mean, you know, he's anAmerican badass.
I love that guy.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
You know, I mean we talk about I would talk about
Def Leppard.
You want to go back a littlebit further?
I got some Zeppelin roots.
I mean that's the stuff.
I was like really digging andreally you know, I love that.
Ozzy Osbourne, black Sabbath,you know stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
I'm right there with you too, man.
I'm right there, yeah, I'mright there with you too, you
know, and that's not unusual aswell, because you're doing
country now, but country rockkind of.
Yes.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
But knowing that you know so many artists have that
very same background, you know,if you were to ask and I ask a
lot of artists, you know whatdid you listen to?
And they mention these bandsthat you would go.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
really, it's like wow yeah but you're doing country
now I am, you know, I feel likeall of this has come full circle
for me.
You know um ever since I wasthat 11 yearyear-old girl.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
From Liverpool.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
From Alepool and, being that Shania Twain
impersonator, I just feel likeeverything that I'm doing right
now is coming full circle.
So I'm mixing my countryinfluences and my rock
influences and when we wereworking together is when I
really kind of leveled up my mysongwriting.
(17:13):
I would say Um, and we wouldactually perform on the sunset
strip.
We put a band together, sangsome covers and originals and um
, you know, we I was performingum at the house of blues RIP.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
I walked past it one day you know as I go back to the
conference thing we weretalking about with my wife being
in LA, but KZLA, the radiostation, used to be right there
on Sunset Boulevard, the Houseof Blues.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
You had the Hollywood Walk of Stars, I believe was
there by the theater yes, theChinese Theater, chinese Theater
.
Okay, so I want to back you uphere just a bit, okay, beep,
beep, beep.
Okay, we just backed up.
Let's do it before I met tim.
Going back to my busking days,I actually, I actually was
busking right in front of thechinese theater I may have
(18:01):
walked by on hollywood boulevardmaybe I didn't put a dollar in,
that's okay, you can get me.
You can get me next time.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Oh, I'll make up for it, okay.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Okay, um, and it was just so funny because I would
see at the time they had thosecharacters like Spider-Man and
Batman walking around andentertaining people, and so so,
yeah, so my busking carried on,you know, from hides to
Hollywood Boulevard, right infront of the Chinese theater
Heights of Hollywood Heights ofHollywood.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Yeah, just saying we're coming up with another
name.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
I love it.
I love this creativity.
Yes, we're all coming togetherhere.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
So now you made the move, you live in Nashville now.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
So I have a dual residency.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
So, going back to where I was performing, on the
Sunset Strip, besides the Houseof Blues, which I actually had a
residency there, I, on theSunset Strip, besides the House
of Blues, which I actually had aresidency there, I opened up
for Steel Panther.
Have you heard of Steel Panther?
No, okay, you got to look themup.
Just no, you've got to lookthem up.
They are a parody 80s glam bandand they're a little vulgar, so
(19:06):
you wouldn't want to take yourkids there or anything.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
No, no, my kids are pretty much grown up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
There you go, but celebrities would actually come,
like Gene Simmons, carmenElectra who's that guy that try
to act like that?
Tries to act like MichaelJackson with the glasses.
That actor guy.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I can't, Corey Corey, you'reputting me on a spot.
Corey Feldman, corey Feldman,yes, he would show up.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
No offense to Corey, but yeah, he was there with the
shades, looking like MichaelJackson, do you get?
Speaker 1 (19:37):
intimidated when you know those people are there.
Do you get?
When you perform in somebodylike that is like watching you,
do you go?
Holy shit, that's.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
I mean, at first I was just like, oh, at first I
was just like, oh, my gosh.
But then, you know, I just wentright back into like
performance mode and I justwanted to give it my all and
just do the best that I can do.
You know what I mean?
Um, so yeah, so um, that waskind of where we started um with
our working relationship and uh, we, uh, like you were talking
(20:11):
about, um about with KLOS, is itoh, kzla oh.
Kzla.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
You're listening to.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
KZLA.
Yeah, we were recognizing thatthe climate of the industry was
changing.
A lot of people radio stations,label people, musicians,
friends of ours were flocking toNashville of ours.
We're flocking to Nashville.
And you know it's funny becausewhen I was performing in
Hollywood, people will come upto me and say, man, that Judas
(20:37):
Priest cover that you did soundsa little country Like, why
aren't you in Nashville?
And you know I'm just like, ohwell, you know, you know,
everybody thinks they know.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
But, being the artist , you know, and you know what
you need to do a little bitbetter yeah, maybe a little bit
less of if you're going to makethat work yeah, I mean to hear
that from a fan or somebody thatI mean that is cool, don't get
me wrong.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Something was simmering something was
simmering in the crock pot inhides of hollywood.
Yeah, yeah so yeah, a lot ofpeople just were moving.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
We're doing, it Do you remember To Nashville.
We're off to Nashville.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yeah, las Vegas, yeah Las Vegas, there you go.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Where there's a hotel in every corner.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
now, there is, you know we were talking about that.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Here I go I just made another turn.
But Nashville I go maybe onceor twice a year.
One of those is always thecountry radio seminar and every
time I go there's anotherbuilding on another corner and
it's like how do they even getthat building in there?
Speaker 2 (21:38):
I know, Seriously it's like are you kidding?
Speaker 1 (21:41):
me, everything's going up now.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Yes, yes, it's nuts.
It's nuts, but it's a greatcity.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
It's a beautiful city every other day, yeah, well
going back to um the crs uhconvention.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
um, I was just there, um in february, and, besides
showcasing my ep um at the event, um, I performed at bar lines,
which was inside the omni, and Iperformed at the famousines,
which was inside the Omni, and Iperformed at the famous
Bluebird Cafe.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I was going to ask you about the Bluebirds.
I hadn't gotten there yet.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Yes, I performed there and yeah, it's just been
an amazing journey for me.
And, like you were asking me,do I live in Nashville?
Well, I have a dual residency.
I have a little place in BigBear.
So, from LA, moved to Big Bear,made the pit stop to Big Bear
we were only going to like livein big bear for a year and then
(22:42):
moved to nashville, but, uh, wejust fell in love with it.
You know, um, absolutely.
And have you heard of big bear?
Speaker 1 (22:48):
lake.
I have heard a big bear.
Don't ask me much about it, butI've heard of it well it's 90
minutes outside of la insouthern california.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
um, it's a four seasons resort town and I think,
it being four seasons, reallyit was very close to home for me
because Syracuse has the FourSeasons too, and yeah, so we
just decided to make a pit stopthere.
Lo and behold, we've been therefor a good eight, nine years now
(23:17):
and but yeah, but we've beenwriting and you know I've been
honing on my craft performing inthe village of Big Bear at the
local venues there and Iactually had some really cool
opening act opportunities.
There's this concert hall inBig Bear.
It's kind of like a house ofblues Seats about maybe 500
(23:38):
people Very intimate.
Yeah, and I had the amazingopportunity to open up for hal
ketchum.
Oh yeah, I know, and winonajudd winona, yes legend, legend
and dina carter dina.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Just saw dina.
You did.
Yes, just saw dina.
Uh, she's on tour with blakeshelton oh my gosh it was craig
morgan uh dina carter traceadkins oh man yeah, really
smoking away, that's how I getmy book but um it was.
(24:13):
Let's see no dina, craig, blakeand trace amazing amazing and
uh, it's the.
It's the tour that blake's onright now.
The name is like I can't thinkof it.
But what they do is they don'tintroduce the other artists,
like one artist like, forexample, blake started the
concert four songs in.
(24:33):
Craig Morgan walks out on thestage and then Blake kind of
goes to the back and Craig doeslike four songs.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
And then he goes to the back and Blake comes out
again.
Wow, so it was that type ofshow that's amazing.
Where yeah, and it made forjust an awesome time an awesome
concert, so that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Pretty cool, do you?
Speaker 1 (24:52):
um, do you remember the first song you ever wrote?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
I do did it suck um, actually it's called
misunderstood, okay and how?
Speaker 1 (25:02):
first of all, how old were you when you wrote that
song?
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Well, when I was 11, I was writing a lot of poems.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
So, like I was saying , when Tim and I met is when I
leveled up a lot.
Oh okay.
So I would say on aprofessional level it was
Misunderstood, yeah, and I don'tplay that anymore, but yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
But you know, I didn't mean anything bad by
saying that it sucked.
Because whenever I talk to anartist it's like, do you
remember the first song that youever wrote?
And I go, oh my god, it sucked.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
You don't want to hear it.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Oh my god, it was you know, I was in love with this
boy, or I was in love with thisgirl and I had, or whatever.
You know there's somethinggoing on.
It's like yeah you know, do youever just like pick up a guitar
and play it for the hell?
Speaker 2 (25:42):
of it and it's like no, no, exactly.
It's gone, but I remember theypretty much sucked yeah, so I
didn't know anything about it.
But you see, where I'm comingfrom.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
So yeah, that's pretty cool.
Your creativity sounds prettycool.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
We've been talking about how you've come up with
names and the name of the labeland everything.
Now, yeah, hollywood, I meanthis is good, you know.
I'm just saying I don't knowwhere we're going relentlessly
persistent.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
That's all I have to say.
I am uh.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
I'm in it for the long haul so what's your
favorite part of actually beingon that stage performing live?
Speaker 2 (26:17):
you know, I love connecting with the people, like
I love looking in people's eyesand and and seeing their
reaction and feeding off oftheir energy.
That's, that's my, that's mything as a performer, and also
just being really just free.
You know, it's a, it's a veryfree feeling, just being able to
express myself however I want,and so let me ask you this so
(26:40):
Shania gets your phone number,calls you up.
Oh my God, I think I would havea heart attack.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Says Nikki hey, it's Shania.
I had somebody back out theother day from whatever show.
I was wondering if you'd liketo come and open up for me.
How would you?
How would you handle that?
How would you?
Because I know how much youlove Shania?
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Yeah, I mean.
I feel, speechless right now.
I mean, I probably Would Shaniabe going.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Nikki, nikki, hello, are you there, are you?
Speaker 2 (27:13):
there, I probably, I probably would collapse.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Then you hear Tim going, oh crap.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
She's on the floor.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Call 911.
But even if it's not her, whatif it dolly?
What?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
if it's somebody else .
You know what I'm saying.
Yeah, exactly, I mean Iprobably would be dying inside,
but just really just try to yeahyou know um so contain myself.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
You know all that being said, is there somebody
that that you really would loveto collaborate with, to be on
stage with you?
Know, I've mentioned those twopeople and I can, yeah, but
let's put them over here let'stalk about.
Is there anybody else?
A male, female, dead or alive?
Speaker 2 (27:52):
oh yeah, kid rock, kid rock baby I would love, I
would love to do, uh, thepicture song with him.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Yeah, do you do you do that in your set?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I do yeah, I do yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
So does Tim take the other part or?
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Well, he does.
But then sometimes I'll havepeople just like sing it, you
know, like come on, help me out,you know what I mean.
Or I'll just sing it, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
So give me an example of a few songs.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Let's say you're there with the band, yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah, so what would we hear?
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Well, you, would hear a little bit of country, a
little bit of classic rock, alittle bit of 90s rock.
I would throw in some pop inthere as well.
It's just like a mix.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Maybe, as I look at you, maybe a Joan Jett.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
I hate myself for loving you.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Thank you.
Yeah, I don't know, I've nevermet before, but still, um, yeah,
no, exactly no, I know that'sgreat.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
That's great song, thank you.
Thank you, yeah, I mean, I justtry to mix it up for all ages.
I even throw in some.
Let it go for the littlekitties from the movie frozen.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Let it go Okay.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Just let it go, yeah, just let it go.
Just let it go, yeah, yeah,yeah, yeah, my son would be
going nuts right now.
Uh, what's something that fanswould be surprised to learn
about you something that theywill go really gosh skip.
You stumped me on that one.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I'm trying to think so let me, let me throw all
right before.
All right what it?
Let's talk about early jobs.
Have you always been a singer?
I mean did you well?
You lived at home, I singer, Imean did you work Well?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
you lived at home, I lived at home and where did you
work?
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Yes, did you have a part-time job somewhere?
What did you do I?
Speaker 2 (29:29):
did.
I actually worked at NicholsSupermarket as a cashier, the
greatest supermarket.
Yeah, I actually saved money tobuy my first car, which was my
Pontiac Sunfire that I shipped.
That I shipped to.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
LA.
Do you still have it?
I don't.
I got rid of it.
You sold it out right.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
I traded it in for another Pontiac Sunfire.
So my first Pontiac Sunfire wasturquoise, I named her Bessie,
and then I traded her in for ablack Pontiac Sunfire.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
And you named her.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
I actually didn't name her.
I didn't name her.
Well, you need to, I know sothat's what she's driving now at
home.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
No, no.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
I actually was driving down the mountain of Big
Bear and I hit a boulder and mycar just bottomed out.
And, yeah, I was on the side ofthe road waiting for AAA to tow
the truck.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
How did you hit a boulder?
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Honestly, I was driving and there was, like this
boulder in the middle of theroad Because rocks are falling
from, like this side of themountain.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Oh yeah, I didn't think about that.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Yeah, yeah, and I couldn't get into the left lane
because there was an oncomingcar, so I had to go right
through it.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
That's what you told the police anyway.
Yeah, that's what you told thepolice anyway.
Yeah, exactly, but no, no, I'msorry that happened.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Yeah, hopefully everybody was okay.
So no, we drive a bigfour-wheel drive Lincoln.
Navigator.
I was going to say LiverpoolNavigator.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Well, you could, because it could be the
Liverpool Navigator now.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
There you go.
I mean, let's talk to Ford.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
I think Ford's the one.
No, is that Lincoln?
That's Lincoln?
I don't know Either way.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Or maybe GM, I'm not really sure.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
I don't know Dream venue, if you could play
anywhere.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Red Rock.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
I was going to ask you about Red Rocks.
I have never been there, but alot of my colleagues have.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Yes, and they say you need to go to a show at the red
rocks.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
at red rock, I watch artists perform there and I just
manifest it and it's like awhole different feeling it
really is even from my side ofthings, just to be there to
watch somebody like you on stagewould be just unbelievable okay
, well, you have so v, front rowand backstage passes.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
You call me when you're there, I'm going to make
it a plan to be there.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
What's your ultimate goal?
I know it's probably pretty.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
What's your ultimate goal out of all this.
Yeah, I mean, my ultimate goalis just to tour worldwide and
connect with and connect withfans um worldwide and just share
my music and my love for musicand that's that's that's my
dream that's my dream always,has always been my.
I've never had a plan b, soyou're awesome.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Have you had the opportunity to maybe play in the
united kingdom, uk or some ofthose countries?
Speaker 2 (32:21):
I have, have not, I have not.
We're manifesting it right now.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Yes, I know.
I know it's going to be the UKtour.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
I hear it already.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
The C2C festival I was just mentioned.
C2c with Nikki.
Nikki Sparks here we go.
Because what I hear from so manyartists that get that
opportunity is there is nothinglike it.
They know, they know you'recoming.
They know every single song onyour ep or album.
They sing it back to you.
(32:48):
You don't even get that here inamerica.
I know.
You know what I mean.
Yeah, you've got your hits andthe people will sing those back
to you your fans but over thereit's like they know every single
song.
Yeah, you know, they follow youon your socials.
They do all that yeah, Iactually.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I actually hear that um the country music world is is
expanding.
It's phenomenal over there yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
And who would have thought right?
Who would have thought justbecause, because, you know yes
so, um, somebody's watching thisand they go hey, I'm digging
this and uh, they want to get ahold of your music.
Where can they go?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
Well y'all for whoever's listening can check
out my socials, facebook,instagram.
My handle is IamNikkiSparks,and yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
That's it.
So it's just they'll find it.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
They will find it.
Yeah, Actually, my song to mysingle Double Wide Paradise.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Which is going to be right underneath this video okay
, you all check it out it'sgoing to be right there, I'm
going to put double, you'll seeit there.
Uh, just click on it, give it alisten and let us know what you
think too, and we love that andif you listen to the wolf,
you'll hear that this afternoonas well.
So well, that depends whenyou're watching this, but I'm
just saying it could be anafternoon where I'm not going to
play it, because you could bewatching this a month down the
(34:02):
road.
But either way, either way, youneed to check this young lady
out, nikki sparks.
Um, she's hometown girl y'all.
She is from syracuse, liverpool, went to liverpool high school
she is.
She's doing what so many of youmay probably.
If you had a dream, a passion,yes, you go for it, you reach
for it.
What's the worst that couldhappen?
(34:23):
You know what I mean.
Maybe you make it, maybe youdon't.
I'm just being realistic aboutit.
But if you don't at least giveit a shot, you're going to
regret that.
And when you get you're in withsome good people.
I've been talking to Tim, yourmanager, and from the label and
you know you've got a goodbacking you've got a good
(34:47):
backing and I'm gonna cry.
Oh, I'm gonna cry, I'm gonnacry.
I'm an emotional girl.
But yeah, he's been a huge.
Sure, you haven't shown that atall.
I'm the one over here with abox of tissues I'm feeling
teary-eyed right now.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
It's coming over.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
It is all right, nikki sparks.
Thank you for coming on theinner harbor cast today and
being a part of the Wolf here inSyracuse.
Thank you so much, Skip, forhaving me.
Oh my gosh, I am like, I'mblown away.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
And.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
I love it when I know .
Because I grew up here, I hadopportunities to move on many
years ago.
I've been doing radio here for45 years.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Amazing.
I started when I was 12.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
Amazing, yeah, started when I was 12.
Amazing, yeah, okay, but no,it's just being a part of
Syracuse and knowing that wehave people like you, that you
grew up here, your roots arehere in town.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
My roots are here.
My roots are here and theyalways will be.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Yes, they will my mom is here, and now she's putting
the guitar up in the room she'syep and your name under the
guitar and the gold record onone side, the first single thing
on the other side.
You know that's all going to becool.
Then it hits the Country MusicHall of Fame, which we started
talking about.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
We're manifesting it right now.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
That's where mom is going to be missing a wall,
because when they put something,like that in the museum.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
they have to cut the whole wall out, but no, it's all
good.
Speaker 1 (36:04):
Nikki Sparks everybody, the whole wall out.
But no, no, it's all good.
Nikki sparks everybody.
Thank you, make sure you checkher out on the socials, get her
music.
Uh, it was so good seeing you,so just having you stop by to
say hello and unbeknownst to meseeing you in nashville, which I
didn't see you, but I saw you,I was probably.
I was in line to get foodprobably because you were
outside the ballroom, and thenit's like you know but the music
is like wow, who is this?
(36:25):
now I put it all together andnow I'm here.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
We're here together and connecting, and I can't
thank you enough skip.
Thank you so much for yoursupport absolutely.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Thank you for being here.
All right, yep, just hit stopand I'll let it out again, jesus
what'd you do, tim?
Speaker 2 (36:42):
are you causing trouble?
I'll let it.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
Good job.
Hi everybody, it is Skip Clark.
We are live in the Inner HarborMedia Studios with the Inner
Harbor cast and I am veryexcited because, as you look at
this the young lady to my left,you're right as you look at the
screen her name is Nikki Sparks.
Let me tell you something.
Well, you know what.
She's an artist.
(00:21):
She moved to LA, she's inNashville, she's making her
rounds to radio.
But, better yet, let me askwhere are you from?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I am from Syracuse, new York, yay Exactly.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
And of course you know the radio stations here.
Being hometown proud, he choseto stop by and say hi.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I did.
I am just so happy to be here.
Um, you know, I did.
I am just so happy to be here,you know.
But I have to say where I'mfrom.
Skip is where I've lived andthe experiences and the
relationships I've had over thepast 30 years that really have
made me a musician and a writerand, more importantly, as a
person.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
So you say Syracuse, but what in the city or suburb?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Actually just outside of Syracuse.
But what in the city or suburbActually just outside of
Syracuse?
Liverpool, liverpool.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Now, are you a graduate of Liverpool or no?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I am Yay, I am the Warriors.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Are they still called the Warriors though?
Speaker 2 (01:17):
You know what I have no idea?
I know.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Well, you got up and you moved.
Tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Oh, my gosh about that.
First.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Of all tell us.
You know, let's hear about yourbackground.
You wanted to be a Shania Twainimpersonator.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Well, yeah, I mean, let's kind of back up a little
bit.
Yeah.
So you know, I always knew Iwanted to sing and perform.
I've been at this since I was11 years old performing, writing
, singing, voice lessons, andit's really funny.
(01:49):
I convinced my mom to take thisold, beaten up guitar in our
house.
It had like a missing string onit and I had no idea how to
play the guitar.
And she was like honey, youdon't know how to play the
(02:10):
guitar, I'm like, but I reallywant to try and play and sing,
and so we went to Hyde's HotDogs.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
You've heard of Hyde's Hot Dogs, right?
Who doesn't love Hyde's?
And as the weather gets better,you can find me there almost at
least twice a week, right?
Oh my gosh, what is it famousfor, their?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
hoffman's, hoffman's hot dogs right hoonies or conies
, conies, okay we're on the samelevel, okay, continue.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Sorry, cool.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
so, um, yeah, we would go there a couple times a
month and, uh, I ended upconvincing her to sing and play
for people outside of hides andyou know, at that time I was
just making up stories about youknow what people were wearing,
or crying babies, or you knowwhat the weather was in the
(02:56):
parking lot in the parking lot.
Yeah, and crazy enough, Iactually this is like my very
first experience of learning howto busk.
Okay, so this man comes up tome broken down you know truck.
He had all of these, basicallyhad junk in the back of his
(03:17):
truck.
Maybe he was a junk collector,he could be, or he could be an
antique collector.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
I know Nothing wrong with that.
Nothing, hey, nothing, no, no,but go ahead.
Nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Nothing, hey, no, no, but go ahead.
Nothing wrong with that.
So he comes up to me and he'slike you're doing a really great
job, but do you have a tip jar?
And I had no idea what a tipjar was and I was like, what's a
tip jar?
He's like, hold on.
He literally goes back to histruck and hands me like a glass
Mason jar and he was like everytime you sing, you put this down
(03:44):
next to you.
And that was pretty much thefirst time I realized I could
sing and play and make money.
And he put a dollar in there forme and it was just like you
still have the most amazingexperience I do actually.
Oh my gosh, I'm going to showit to you right now.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Okay, Well, I don't know if they'll see it on the
well, you can hold it up infront of the camera.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Okay, I'm going to show it to all the listeners
here.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
But you have that tip jar.
So no matter where you go, thatdollar, that jar is in front of
you, it is yes, oh my God, yes.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
That's awesome, I'll put a dollar in it before you
leave.
Oh, sounds amazing.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Okay, you guys, this is away.
Show it to me, though, let'ssee.
Okay, there you go.
Oh, the guitar.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah, and I don't know if you can tell it's
missing a string.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
The E string.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
you said yeah, it's missing.
Yeah, it's missing a string.
Wow, yeah, the E string.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Yeah, and we were.
You found the string from thatguitar, correct?
Speaker 2 (04:47):
No, I actually the string.
The string is still missing.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
It's never been, not behind the couch, not under a
cushion, no, no, no, I just dugup this pillow.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
I went back to my folks' house and I was like I
want to find this guitar.
You know, this is somethingthat's always been a part of me
since I was 11.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
But you found the guitar, so that's cool, found
the guitar.
Take it home with you when yougo.
Yes, I know.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
You know what I mean, or do you leave it?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
here when you come and visit.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
I think I'll probably just leave it here.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
And you have mom mounted.
Yeah, I know, I should have herdo that you can't see it here,
but I have a guitar over on myright-hand side that's got a
clamp to mount it on the wall.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Okay, cool, you should do that.
I'm going to take your advice,skip.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Yeah, and you have a room in the house.
Yes, you know what I mean.
You grew up there, yes, so thatneeds to be hung on that wall.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Sounds good.
All right, I am on it With thename Nicky.
I love that idea.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Or hopefully the Country Music Hall of Fame Then
they have to take the whole walland put it into the Country
Music Hall of Fame and say thisis the Nicky Sparks display.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
There you go.
Your question was about movingto LA right.
What prompted me to move to LA?
Fast forward 10 years.
Thank you, sir, at 21.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
So you went out there for the, you saw an ad or
something for the Shania.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
I did so remember Craigslist, craigslist.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Craigslist yeah, oh my gosh, oh yeah, so went on
Craigslist, Craigslist,craigslist yeah, oh my gosh, oh
yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
So went on Craigslist .
There was an open call auditionlooking for a Shania Twain
impersonator and she's my idol,love her so much.
Super amazing, talented woman,trendsetter, unbelievable oh my
gosh, yes.
And got the call back.
I flew to LA and went throughelaborate hair and makeup and
(06:46):
went through rehearsals and justbeing in front of the lights
and the camera and it was on aTV show.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
And can I ask how old were you when you made that
move?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I was 21.
21.
Young, I was a baby.
Were you scared?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Oh my gosh.
I mean a beautiful woman makingthe move like that, yeah, yeah,
being in an area or, you know,a city that you haven't been to
before.
Well, what happened was afterwell basically LA, no less, yeah
, but go ahead.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Basically that show.
After that show I knew thatperforming was what I wanted to
do and I was put on this earthto perform and entertain people.
So I flew back to upstate, toldmy parents, you know I am
moving to LA, and they were likefreaked out.
They were like, well, what areyou thinking here?
You know, you know, doe eyedgirl.
(07:34):
You know I didn't know anybody.
And anyways, my friend's fatherowned a moving company and
shipped my car out for a fewhundred bucks and lo and behold,
there I am in LA at 21.
Um and tragically funny story.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Uh, I'm afraid to hear this when you start any
sentence um, but go ahead, goahead.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Tragically funny story.
Um, as I was saying, I wassuper doe eyed and green.
I didn't know that you neededto have verifiable income to get
an apartment.
Um, yeah, and I was activelylooking for jobs and, just like
the entertainment business, itwas super competitive just to
get a waitressing job.
So I had no leads, I hadnowhere to go.
(08:21):
I, um, you know, had a few bagsof clothes, um, my guitar, and
I, uh, was living in a car fortwo months homeless.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
That's not uncommon, though.
There's so many people thathave worn those boots, so to
speak, dressed like you've goneto either LA, nashville, memphis
, and hoping they hit it big,but then they can't afford.
You know, places aren't cheap.
So you end up because you wantto do it, you have the passion,
you have the dedication and yousay you know, I, nikki, I'm
(08:55):
going to do this one way or theother but it's not uncommon and
I've talked to so many differentartists that the story is very
similar.
It's like I lived out of my carfor two months, that the story
is very similar.
It's like I lived out of my carfor two months.
Lainey Wilson lived out of abeat-up trailer.
I actually had her on my otherpodcast, Skip Happens.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
I love Lainey.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
She's amazing and she was telling me that the floor
had fallen through the sewer wasI mean not to sound disgusting,
but think about it, the water,she didn't have any of that.
And another artist, jimmy Allen, who we all know, jimmy Allen,
outside the Y and he wouldactually.
He got a job at the Y cleaningso he could take a shower.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
Okay, so funny story so.
I actually, I actually, um, I Ipurchased a gym membership at
the Bailey's in Hollywood, andthat's where I would actually
shower and occasionally work outif.
I had the energy because Ididn't have a whole lot of money
.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
So I was just kind of on fumes, eating like ramen
noodles, or on a treadmill nextto somebody that's like really
famous, like I was in LA once mywife had to do a conference
there Hotel I was staying at.
Rod Stewart walked through thelobby.
I can you know they had thewhat's it?
The Screen Actors Guild.
They had their meeting thereand I see Ron Howard and I'm
(10:10):
going wow, but in the gym, ordid you see any of the-.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
I never really did.
No, no, but I will tell you.
Speaking of celebrities, so Iactually was scouring places to
actually live in my car and thisfamous place called the Rock
and Roll Ralphs, which is onSunset.
It was the only place that soldbooze until 2 am, but they
(10:38):
stayed open 24 hours, so I feltsafe there.
A lot of celebrities again,which I never saw, but I'm sure
they were there.
They were there after hangingout on the Sunset Strip or
wherever Tim does know.
Yes, yes, they were.
Hey, that's true too.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
He's got a lot of good stories, and we'll be
talking about that some othertime.
It's going to be fun.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
So, anyways, I made nice with the security and this
big black guy called Bubba, hereally looked out for me and he
was so cool and I told him mystory and what I was going
through and I'm like, look, I'mnot going to be here forever, I
just need a place to, you know,crash in my car and they, uh, I
would give them treats every nowand then, like muffins and
cookies, and they just lookedthe other way.
(11:23):
So, yeah, so, so tragicallyfunny story Not really funny,
but yeah, it was a really darktime for me, you know but, I,
wasn't.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
I wasn't going to let it stop me from chasing my
dream.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
You know, I've been relentlessly persistent at this
for a long time.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
It's been a long journey and I'm not stopping.
No ago I was in nashville and Ihappened to be in the omni
hotel and you were on the bigstage.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
how cool was that?
Oh my gosh, I had known.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I had no idea it was you.
That's crazy.
I want to walk by and gosyracuse right seven degrees of
separation.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Right, yes, I go, let's go.
Speaker 1 (12:04):
Six degrees of separation sorry, then you would
go.
Who was that?
By yelling, I was trying to domy set, uh, but no that.
What an opportunity for you tobe there it was, and for those
that don't know, it's called thecountry radio seminar and
anybody that is, anybody in thecountry music business, even
outside of it, they're usuallythere yep and networking,
(12:25):
showing off your talent, um, youknow, meeting the people that
really matter exactly, andyou're making it and you're
climbing that ladder and to beon that stage is pretty cool.
Showing off your talent.
You know, meeting the peoplethat really matter.
Exactly, and you making it andyou're climbing that ladder and
to be on that stage is prettycool.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
I mean your management hooked you up really
well.
Just a great, great opportunity.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Thank you.
Yeah, I was the first artist toperform for the Rising Star
Series and performed my upcomingEP and yeah, it was amazing and
I'm sorry we missed each other.
Well, we did, but we didn't,yeah, and here I am.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
No, I know, I know you walked through the front
door.
It's like wow I love this.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Tell us how god works , right?
Speaker 1 (13:03):
yeah, I'm loving this already uh, how would you
describe your sound to somebodythat's never heard your music?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Well, the title of my upcoming EP is called Crockpot.
When we were in the studiorecording the songs In the
corner.
I actually cook in a crockpotas well.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
You can start and not go out.
See, this is what I do.
When I have a podcast, Iusually take a turn every once
in a while I just took anotherturn, but you cook in a crockpot
.
All the is what I do when Ihave a podcast.
I usually take a turn everyonce in a while.
I just took another turn.
But you cook in a crock pot allthe time I do, there's nothing
better.
You start that in the morningwhen you come home from work.
It smells so good.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
It smells so good.
What's your favorite?
What?
Speaker 1 (13:44):
do you cook in the crock pot?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
I actually cook a whiskey.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
I actually a whiskey chicken dish, so it's like a
shot of whiskey whatever whiskeyyou have, it doesn't matter
what, what grade doesn't matterwhat, it doesn't matter what
grade.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Yeah, I was just gonna say, I currently have jack
daniels okay, in our, in our,in our kitchen is it cooking now
maybe, maybe I'm watching it asyour home visiting, but uh, how
uh, how cool, so continue.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
I'm sorry, I'll get back on the main highway here,
no that's okay.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
So, um, yeah, my EP is called crock pot.
Um, it's so.
When we were in the studio, Iwas throwing around the word a
lot country rock, and so whenyou put country and rock
together, you get crock.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
The creativity.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
Thank you.
Yeah, so these songs reallyhave.
They've been simmering for acouple of years now and, um, I'm
just so excited to finally putyou know my stamp in the country
world with my brand of crock.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
How often do you write?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
I write a lot.
I write a lot.
Yeah, um, I, I.
I started writing on a moreprofessional level when I was in
LA.
I met Tim, president ofNashwood Records.
Nashville meets Hollywood.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Can we put those two together somehow and come up
with a?
I don't know.
Is that what the label is?
Yeah, is that what–.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Nashville and Hollywood makes Nashwood.
Yes yes, Nashwoodwood yeah, Ithink we you have something
going here, that's cool, thankyou, um, yeah, so he, he really,
you know, I was kind of outthere, you know, doing shows
here and there with a band and,um, you know, we met and he
really took me under his wing.
(15:30):
Um, you know, uh, he and I justclicked right off the bat and
he really took me under his wing.
He and I just clicked right offthe bat and he was actually one
of the people to really ask mewhat I wanted out of my career.
And we started talking about megrowing up and my influences.
I grew up on everything fromShania to Bon Jovi, to Faith
(15:52):
Hill, to Journey and even KidRock.
I mean, you know, he's anAmerican badass.
I love that guy.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
You know, I mean we talk about I would talk about
Def Leppard.
You want to go back a littlebit further?
I got some Zeppelin roots.
I mean that's the stuff.
I was like really digging andreally you know, I love that.
Ozzy Osbourne, black Sabbath,you know stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
I'm right there with you too, man.
I'm right there, yeah, I'mright there with you too, you
know, and that's not unusual aswell, because you're doing
country now, but country rockkind of.
Yes.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
But knowing that you know so many artists have that
very same background, you know,if you were to ask and I ask a
lot of artists, you know whatdid you listen to?
And they mention these bandsthat you would go.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
really, it's like wow yeah but you're doing country
now I am, you know, I feel likeall of this has come full circle
for me.
You know um ever since I wasthat 11 yearyear-old girl.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
From Liverpool.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
From Alepool and, being that Shania Twain
impersonator, I just feel likeeverything that I'm doing right
now is coming full circle.
So I'm mixing my countryinfluences and my rock
influences and when we wereworking together is when I
really kind of leveled up my mysongwriting.
(17:13):
I would say Um, and we wouldactually perform on the sunset
strip.
We put a band together, sangsome covers and originals and um
, you know, we I was performingum at the house of blues RIP.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
I walked past it one day you know as I go back to the
conference thing we weretalking about with my wife being
in LA, but KZLA, the radiostation, used to be right there
on Sunset Boulevard, the Houseof Blues.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
You had the Hollywood Walk of Stars, I believe was
there by the theater yes, theChinese Theater, chinese Theater
.
Okay, so I want to back you uphere just a bit, okay, beep,
beep, beep.
Okay, we just backed up.
Let's do it before I met tim.
Going back to my busking days,I actually, I actually was
busking right in front of thechinese theater I may have
(18:01):
walked by on hollywood boulevardmaybe I didn't put a dollar in,
that's okay, you can get me.
You can get me next time.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Oh, I'll make up for it, okay.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Okay, um, and it was just so funny because I would
see at the time they had thosecharacters like Spider-Man and
Batman walking around andentertaining people, and so so,
yeah, so my busking carried on,you know, from hides to
Hollywood Boulevard, right infront of the Chinese theater
Heights of Hollywood Heights ofHollywood.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Yeah, just saying we're coming up with another
name.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
I love it.
I love this creativity.
Yes, we're all coming togetherhere.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
So now you made the move, you live in Nashville now.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
So I have a dual residency.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
So, going back to where I was performing, on the
Sunset Strip, besides the Houseof Blues, which I actually had a
residency there, I, on theSunset Strip, besides the House
of Blues, which I actually had aresidency there, I opened up
for Steel Panther.
Have you heard of Steel Panther?
No, okay, you got to look themup.
Just no, you've got to lookthem up.
They are a parody 80s glam bandand they're a little vulgar, so
(19:06):
you wouldn't want to take yourkids there or anything.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
No, no, my kids are pretty much grown up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
There you go, but celebrities would actually come,
like Gene Simmons, carmenElectra who's that guy that try
to act like that?
Tries to act like MichaelJackson with the glasses.
That actor guy.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I can't, Corey Corey, you'reputting me on a spot.
Corey Feldman, corey Feldman,yes, he would show up.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
No offense to Corey, but yeah, he was there with the
shades, looking like MichaelJackson, do you get?
Speaker 1 (19:37):
intimidated when you know those people are there.
Do you get?
When you perform in somebodylike that is like watching you,
do you go?
Holy shit, that's.
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
I mean, at first I was just like, oh, at first I
was just like, oh, my gosh.
But then, you know, I just wentright back into like
performance mode and I justwanted to give it my all and
just do the best that I can do.
You know what I mean?
Um, so yeah, so um, that waskind of where we started um with
our working relationship and uh, we, uh, like you were talking
(20:11):
about, um about with KLOS, is itoh, kzla oh.
Kzla.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
You're listening to.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
KZLA.
Yeah, we were recognizing thatthe climate of the industry was
changing.
A lot of people radio stations,label people, musicians,
friends of ours were flocking toNashville of ours.
We're flocking to Nashville.
And you know it's funny becausewhen I was performing in
Hollywood, people will come upto me and say, man, that Judas
(20:37):
Priest cover that you did soundsa little country Like, why
aren't you in Nashville?
And you know I'm just like, ohwell, you know, you know,
everybody thinks they know.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
But, being the artist , you know, and you know what
you need to do a little bitbetter yeah, maybe a little bit
less of if you're going to makethat work yeah, I mean to hear
that from a fan or somebody thatI mean that is cool, don't get
me wrong.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Something was simmering something was
simmering in the crock pot inhides of hollywood.
Yeah, yeah so yeah, a lot ofpeople just were moving.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
We're doing, it Do you remember To Nashville.
We're off to Nashville.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yeah, las Vegas, yeah Las Vegas, there you go.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Where there's a hotel in every corner.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
now, there is, you know we were talking about that.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Here I go I just made another turn.
But Nashville I go maybe onceor twice a year.
One of those is always thecountry radio seminar and every
time I go there's anotherbuilding on another corner and
it's like how do they even getthat building in there?
Speaker 2 (21:38):
I know, Seriously it's like are you kidding?
Speaker 1 (21:41):
me, everything's going up now.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Yes, yes, it's nuts.
It's nuts, but it's a greatcity.
Speaker 1 (21:52):
It's a beautiful city every other day, yeah, well
going back to um the crs uhconvention.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
um, I was just there, um in february, and, besides
showcasing my ep um at the event, um, I performed at bar lines,
which was inside the omni, and Iperformed at the famousines,
which was inside the Omni, and Iperformed at the famous
Bluebird Cafe.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I was going to ask you about the Bluebirds.
I hadn't gotten there yet.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Yes, I performed there and yeah, it's just been
an amazing journey for me.
And, like you were asking me,do I live in Nashville?
Well, I have a dual residency.
I have a little place in BigBear.
So, from LA, moved to Big Bear,made the pit stop to Big Bear
we were only going to like livein big bear for a year and then
(22:42):
moved to nashville, but, uh, wejust fell in love with it.
You know, um, absolutely.
And have you heard of big bear?
Speaker 1 (22:48):
lake.
I have heard a big bear.
Don't ask me much about it, butI've heard of it well it's 90
minutes outside of la insouthern california.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
um, it's a four seasons resort town and I think,
it being four seasons, reallyit was very close to home for me
because Syracuse has the FourSeasons too, and yeah, so we
just decided to make a pit stopthere.
Lo and behold, we've been therefor a good eight, nine years now
(23:17):
and but yeah, but we've beenwriting and you know I've been
honing on my craft performing inthe village of Big Bear at the
local venues there and Iactually had some really cool
opening act opportunities.
There's this concert hall inBig Bear.
It's kind of like a house ofblues Seats about maybe 500
(23:38):
people Very intimate.
Yeah, and I had the amazingopportunity to open up for hal
ketchum.
Oh yeah, I know, and winonajudd winona, yes legend, legend
and dina carter dina.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Just saw dina.
You did.
Yes, just saw dina.
Uh, she's on tour with blakeshelton oh my gosh it was craig
morgan uh dina carter traceadkins oh man yeah, really
smoking away, that's how I getmy book but um it was.
(24:13):
Let's see no dina, craig, blakeand trace amazing amazing and
uh, it's the.
It's the tour that blake's onright now.
The name is like I can't thinkof it.
But what they do is they don'tintroduce the other artists,
like one artist like, forexample, blake started the
concert four songs in.
(24:33):
Craig Morgan walks out on thestage and then Blake kind of
goes to the back and Craig doeslike four songs.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
And then he goes to the back and Blake comes out
again.
Wow, so it was that type ofshow that's amazing.
Where yeah, and it made forjust an awesome time an awesome
concert, so that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Pretty cool, do you?
Speaker 1 (24:52):
um, do you remember the first song you ever wrote?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
I do did it suck um, actually it's called
misunderstood, okay and how?
Speaker 1 (25:02):
first of all, how old were you when you wrote that
song?
Speaker 2 (25:04):
Well, when I was 11, I was writing a lot of poems.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
So, like I was saying , when Tim and I met is when I
leveled up a lot.
Oh okay.
So I would say on aprofessional level it was
Misunderstood, yeah, and I don'tplay that anymore, but yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
But you know, I didn't mean anything bad by
saying that it sucked.
Because whenever I talk to anartist it's like, do you
remember the first song that youever wrote?
And I go, oh my god, it sucked.
Speaker 2 (25:32):
You don't want to hear it.
Speaker 1 (25:32):
Oh my god, it was you know, I was in love with this
boy, or I was in love with thisgirl and I had, or whatever.
You know there's somethinggoing on.
It's like yeah you know, do youever just like pick up a guitar
and play it for the hell?
Speaker 2 (25:42):
of it and it's like no, no, exactly.
It's gone, but I remember theypretty much sucked yeah, so I
didn't know anything about it.
But you see, where I'm comingfrom.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
So yeah, that's pretty cool.
Your creativity sounds prettycool.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
We've been talking about how you've come up with
names and the name of the labeland everything.
Now, yeah, hollywood, I meanthis is good, you know.
I'm just saying I don't knowwhere we're going relentlessly
persistent.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
That's all I have to say.
I am uh.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
I'm in it for the long haul so what's your
favorite part of actually beingon that stage performing live?
Speaker 2 (26:17):
you know, I love connecting with the people, like
I love looking in people's eyesand and and seeing their
reaction and feeding off oftheir energy.
That's, that's my, that's mything as a performer, and also
just being really just free.
You know, it's a, it's a veryfree feeling, just being able to
express myself however I want,and so let me ask you this so
(26:40):
Shania gets your phone number,calls you up.
Oh my God, I think I would havea heart attack.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Says Nikki hey, it's Shania.
I had somebody back out theother day from whatever show.
I was wondering if you'd liketo come and open up for me.
How would you?
How would you handle that?
How would you?
Because I know how much youlove Shania?
Speaker 2 (27:02):
Yeah, I mean.
I feel, speechless right now.
I mean, I probably Would Shaniabe going.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Nikki, nikki, hello, are you there, are you?
Speaker 2 (27:13):
there, I probably, I probably would collapse.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Then you hear Tim going, oh crap.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
She's on the floor.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Call 911.
But even if it's not her, whatif it dolly?
What?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
if it's somebody else .
You know what I'm saying.
Yeah, exactly, I mean Iprobably would be dying inside,
but just really just try to yeahyou know um so contain myself.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
You know all that being said, is there somebody
that that you really would loveto collaborate with, to be on
stage with you?
Know, I've mentioned those twopeople and I can, yeah, but
let's put them over here let'stalk about.
Is there anybody else?
A male, female, dead or alive?
Speaker 2 (27:52):
oh yeah, kid rock, kid rock baby I would love, I
would love to do, uh, thepicture song with him.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Yeah, do you do you do that in your set?
Speaker 2 (28:03):
I do yeah, I do yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
So does Tim take the other part or?
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Well, he does.
But then sometimes I'll havepeople just like sing it, you
know, like come on, help me out,you know what I mean.
Or I'll just sing it, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
So give me an example of a few songs.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Let's say you're there with the band, yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
Yeah, so what would we hear?
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Well, you, would hear a little bit of country, a
little bit of classic rock, alittle bit of 90s rock.
I would throw in some pop inthere as well.
It's just like a mix.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
Maybe, as I look at you, maybe a Joan Jett.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
I hate myself for loving you.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Thank you.
Yeah, I don't know, I've nevermet before, but still, um, yeah,
no, exactly no, I know that'sgreat.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
That's great song, thank you.
Thank you, yeah, I mean, I justtry to mix it up for all ages.
I even throw in some.
Let it go for the littlekitties from the movie frozen.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Let it go Okay.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Just let it go, yeah, just let it go.
Just let it go, yeah, yeah,yeah, yeah, my son would be
going nuts right now.
Uh, what's something that fanswould be surprised to learn
about you something that theywill go really gosh skip.
You stumped me on that one.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I'm trying to think so let me, let me throw all
right before.
All right what it?
Let's talk about early jobs.
Have you always been a singer?
I mean did you well?
You lived at home, I singer, Imean did you work Well?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
you lived at home, I lived at home and where did you
work?
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Yes, did you have a part-time job somewhere?
What did you do I?
Speaker 2 (29:29):
did.
I actually worked at NicholsSupermarket as a cashier, the
greatest supermarket.
Yeah, I actually saved money tobuy my first car, which was my
Pontiac Sunfire that I shipped.
That I shipped to.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
LA.
Do you still have it?
I don't.
I got rid of it.
You sold it out right.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
I traded it in for another Pontiac Sunfire.
So my first Pontiac Sunfire wasturquoise, I named her Bessie,
and then I traded her in for ablack Pontiac Sunfire.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
And you named her.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
I actually didn't name her.
I didn't name her.
Well, you need to, I know sothat's what she's driving now at
home.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
No, no.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
I actually was driving down the mountain of Big
Bear and I hit a boulder and mycar just bottomed out.
And, yeah, I was on the side ofthe road waiting for AAA to tow
the truck.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
How did you hit a boulder?
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Honestly, I was driving and there was, like this
boulder in the middle of theroad Because rocks are falling
from, like this side of themountain.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Oh yeah, I didn't think about that.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
Yeah, yeah, and I couldn't get into the left lane
because there was an oncomingcar, so I had to go right
through it.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
That's what you told the police anyway.
Yeah, that's what you told thepolice anyway.
Yeah, exactly, but no, no, I'msorry that happened.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Yeah, hopefully everybody was okay.
So no, we drive a bigfour-wheel drive Lincoln.
Navigator.
I was going to say LiverpoolNavigator.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Well, you could, because it could be the
Liverpool Navigator now.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
There you go.
I mean, let's talk to Ford.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
I think Ford's the one.
No, is that Lincoln?
That's Lincoln?
I don't know Either way.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Or maybe GM, I'm not really sure.
Speaker 1 (31:05):
I don't know Dream venue, if you could play
anywhere.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Red Rock.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
I was going to ask you about Red Rocks.
I have never been there, but alot of my colleagues have.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Yes, and they say you need to go to a show at the red
rocks.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
at red rock, I watch artists perform there and I just
manifest it and it's like awhole different feeling it
really is even from my side ofthings, just to be there to
watch somebody like you on stagewould be just unbelievable okay
, well, you have so v, front rowand backstage passes.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
You call me when you're there, I'm going to make
it a plan to be there.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
What's your ultimate goal?
I know it's probably pretty.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
What's your ultimate goal out of all this.
Yeah, I mean, my ultimate goalis just to tour worldwide and
connect with and connect withfans um worldwide and just share
my music and my love for musicand that's that's that's my
dream that's my dream always,has always been my.
I've never had a plan b, soyou're awesome.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Have you had the opportunity to maybe play in the
united kingdom, uk or some ofthose countries?
Speaker 2 (32:21):
I have, have not, I have not.
We're manifesting it right now.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Yes, I know.
I know it's going to be the UKtour.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
I hear it already.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
The C2C festival I was just mentioned.
C2c with Nikki.
Nikki Sparks here we go.
Because what I hear from so manyartists that get that
opportunity is there is nothinglike it.
They know, they know you'recoming.
They know every single song onyour ep or album.
They sing it back to you.
(32:48):
You don't even get that here inamerica.
I know.
You know what I mean.
Yeah, you've got your hits andthe people will sing those back
to you your fans but over thereit's like they know every single
song.
Yeah, you know, they follow youon your socials.
They do all that yeah, Iactually.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
I actually hear that um the country music world is is
expanding.
It's phenomenal over there yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
And who would have thought right?
Who would have thought justbecause, because, you know yes
so, um, somebody's watching thisand they go hey, I'm digging
this and uh, they want to get ahold of your music.
Where can they go?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
Well y'all for whoever's listening can check
out my socials, facebook,instagram.
My handle is IamNikkiSparks,and yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
That's it.
So it's just they'll find it.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
They will find it.
Yeah, Actually, my song to mysingle Double Wide Paradise.
Speaker 1 (33:41):
Which is going to be right underneath this video okay
, you all check it out it'sgoing to be right there, I'm
going to put double, you'll seeit there.
Uh, just click on it, give it alisten and let us know what you
think too, and we love that andif you listen to the wolf,
you'll hear that this afternoonas well.
So well, that depends whenyou're watching this, but I'm
just saying it could be anafternoon where I'm not going to
play it, because you could bewatching this a month down the
(34:02):
road.
But either way, either way, youneed to check this young lady
out, nikki sparks.
Um, she's hometown girl y'all.
She is from syracuse, liverpool, went to liverpool high school
she is.
She's doing what so many of youmay probably.
If you had a dream, a passion,yes, you go for it, you reach
for it.
What's the worst that couldhappen?
(34:23):
You know what I mean.
Maybe you make it, maybe youdon't.
I'm just being realistic aboutit.
But if you don't at least giveit a shot, you're going to
regret that.
And when you get you're in withsome good people.
I've been talking to Tim, yourmanager, and from the label and
you know you've got a goodbacking you've got a good
(34:47):
backing and I'm gonna cry.
Oh, I'm gonna cry, I'm gonnacry.
I'm an emotional girl.
But yeah, he's been a huge.
Sure, you haven't shown that atall.
I'm the one over here with abox of tissues I'm feeling
teary-eyed right now.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
It's coming over.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
It is all right, nikki sparks.
Thank you for coming on theinner harbor cast today and
being a part of the Wolf here inSyracuse.
Thank you so much, Skip, forhaving me.
Oh my gosh, I am like, I'mblown away.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
And.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
I love it when I know .
Because I grew up here, I hadopportunities to move on many
years ago.
I've been doing radio here for45 years.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
Amazing.
I started when I was 12.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
Amazing, yeah, started when I was 12.
Amazing, yeah, okay, but no,it's just being a part of
Syracuse and knowing that wehave people like you, that you
grew up here, your roots arehere in town.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
My roots are here.
My roots are here and theyalways will be.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Yes, they will my mom is here, and now she's putting
the guitar up in the room she'syep and your name under the
guitar and the gold record onone side, the first single thing
on the other side.
You know that's all going to becool.
Then it hits the Country MusicHall of Fame, which we started
talking about.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
We're manifesting it right now.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
That's where mom is going to be missing a wall,
because when they put something,like that in the museum.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
they have to cut the whole wall out, but no, it's all
good.
Speaker 1 (36:04):
Nikki Sparks everybody, the whole wall out.
But no, no, it's all good.
Nikki sparks everybody.
Thank you, make sure you checkher out on the socials, get her
music.
Uh, it was so good seeing you,so just having you stop by to
say hello and unbeknownst to meseeing you in nashville, which I
didn't see you, but I saw you,I was probably.
I was in line to get foodprobably because you were
outside the ballroom, and thenit's like you know but the music
is like wow, who is this?
(36:25):
now I put it all together andnow I'm here.
Speaker 2 (36:28):
We're here together and connecting, and I can't
thank you enough skip.
Thank you so much for yoursupport absolutely.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Thank you for being here.
All right, yep, just hit stopand I'll let it out again, jesus
what'd you do, tim?
Speaker 2 (36:42):
are you causing trouble?
I'll let it.
Speaker 1 (36:48):
Good job.
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