If you’ve listened to music, let’s say in the last 30 years, then you’re likely familiar with my guest today, but not in the way you may think. Gary Burr is a legendary songwriter and vocalist who is behind hit songs for artists like Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney, Lady A, The Oak Ridge Boys, Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire, Juice Newton, Christine Aguilera, Garth Brooks, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Carole King, and Ringo Starr…and seriously…that’s the tip of the iceberg here.
He's had 14 #1 hits in total (so far), 24 top 10s, and 32 top 40 hits to his name - a master of the 4-minute story arc known as a song.
But, while I could talk to him for years about his songwriting career, I reached out to him about something else — his foray into fiction. On July 5th, 2024, Gary is releasing his first novel called, Reunion - A Rock-n-Roll Fairy Tale and it is his take on the question…"What if?" What if John Lennon wasn’t assassinated? Could they ever come together again and play as a band? And, as a reader, can you let your imagination even go there?
I talk to Gary about the process of writing a fairy tale novel. How is it different (or similar) to writing songs? How did he take four of the most famous people in history and script an alternative story? Why tackle someone like the Beatles? Did he know from the outset how it would end? And, most importantly — what does Ringo (who Gary has worked with for the past 20 years) think of this fairy tale?
We often think about “what ifs” in our own lives and it is a fascinating idea to explore.
Order Reunion - A Rock-n-Roll Fairy Tale
Support the Podcast through Venmo https://www.venmo.com/u/CarrieSappBarrett or BuyMeACoffee.com - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/CarrieBarrett
Save 15% on Plantstrongfoods.com with code: CARRIE15
"I Could Never Do That" Website - https://www.podpage.com/icouldneverdothat/
"I Could Never Do That" Instagram - @icouldneverdothat
Theme Music: Your Love by Atch -License: Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
True Crime Tonight
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.