July 1, 2025 • 36 mins
Louie The Singer: Resilience, Vulnerability, and the Power of Authenticity |
Just Keep Talking Podcast
Links to Just Keep Talking Here!
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In this heartfelt episode of the Just Keep Talking podcast, Brother Love explores the remarkable journey of Louie The Singer. Dive into the inspiring story of a Texas-born artist overcoming a tumultuous upbringing, navigating gang affiliations, and enduring prison time, all while maintaining a deep passion for music. Louie shares his experiences with mental health, vulnerability, and the strength found in embracing one's true self. From early poetry to a breakout music career, discover how Louie's resilience and authenticity guide him to thrive and inspire others. Tune in for an engaging conversation on the transformative power of storytelling and the importance of being seen, heard, and loved.
#mentalhealthpodcast #yourstorymatters #louiethesinger #musicianlife #mcarecords #brotherlove #beseen #beheard #belong
00:00 Introduction to Just Keep Talking Podcast
01:14 Meet Louie The Singer
02:04 Louie's Early Life and Family Background
03:56 Challenges and Resilience
09:56 Music and Poetry Beginnings
13:35 High School and Early Music Career
16:03 Prison Time and Reflections
18:16 Facing Rejection and Embracing Authenticity
18:40 The Story Behind 'Alcoholic'
19:18 Struggles with Alcohol and Finding Support
20:21 Reflecting on Family and Personal Growth
21:04 The Power of Vulnerability
22:38 Navigating the Music Industry as a Latino Artist
24:08 Life on the Road and Maintaining Authenticity
30:10 Balancing Career and Personal Life
32:23 Speed Round and Final Thoughts
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Brother Love (00:00):
Telling our stories is the connective tissue of the
collective human experience.
The Just Keep Talking podcast delvesinto the lives and stories of artists.
What is the impact ofmental health on creativity?
What does it mean to bea creative individual?
Someone who feels deeply,experiences joy and pain intensely
and navigates the challenges oflife through the creative process.
(00:21):
With each story shared, we explorethe authentic experience of our
basic need to be seen, to be heard
and to belong.
We're really not so different fromone another, nor are we alone.
Together we can inspire, encourage, andenlighten each other to find the true joy
and fulfillment that is within ourselves.
When we Just Keep Talking, we createthe space for gratitude self-acceptance
(00:46):
and grace in everyday life.
In a world filled with divisiveness,
fostering inclusivity and connection isa powerful way to make a positive impact.
The Just Keep Talkingpodcast with me, brother.
Love, because Your Story Matters.
Thank you so much for tuning into theJust Keep Talking podcast You can like
and subscribe and share this show that isnow available on all podcast platforms.
(01:10):
You can also support this show byclicking the tip link in the show notes.
I.
When they ask about their birthday,I'll tell them, get one twice.
And if they ask
(01:33):
I the kids, if this is
Larry (01:40):
My guest this week is Louie The Singer Hello.
Louie the Singer (01:42):
What's up man?
How are you?
man?
I'm blessed to be here, man.
CMA Fest Week,
Larry (01:46):
CMA
Fest Week.
Your record has just come out.
One For The Hometown out now as of June6th on MCA, produced by Nick Bailey.
Your record, Celebrating theHeritage, Passion, and the
Journey of a Texas born artist.
Rooted in your MexicanAmerican background.
Louie, you weaves a colorful tapestryof cultural influences into your music,
(02:08):
reflecting your Fort Worth upbringing,and the stages that you now command.
Your story is one of resiliencefueled by deep love for your
performances and an unwaveringdetermination to pursue your dreams.
It's so good to have you here.
Louie the Singer (02:22):
Thanks,
man.
Larry (02:22):
That's the little commercial, and you know, anybody can Google
all the good things about you,but I want to get to know you.
Louie the Singer (02:28):
Yeah, man.
Let's do it.
man.
Larry (02:29):
Let's
do it.
You grew up, you're a Mexican American.
Correct.
And you grew up in Texas.
Now, when I was introduced toyou, I was told that you, I hate
to use the word should or couldhave, but been a statistic.
Louie the Singer (02:42):
Correct.
Larry (02:42):
What does that mean?
mean
Louie the Singer (02:44):
I think they're referring to the prison stuff.
You know, the background, but I was astatistic at one point, but I technically
I still am, but I'm on the positive end.
They say the five outta 10.
I'm the other five,
the six out 10.
I'm, one of the four.
I'm proof,
Larry (02:56):
But going back before the prison, you're still a statistic
in a way, being a Mexican born
American.
right?
I mean, what was it like growing up foryou, your what were your parents like?
What was it like?
So
Louie the Singer (03:06):
So my father was
actually the
youngest
one?
No, he was the secondto youngest out of 10.
technically eight immigrant children.
The first two were,
didn't, they were stillborns.
But
fast forward, my father grew up in avery, very, very Mexican household.
Spoken nothing butSpanish in that household
or
on the other side.
My mom was
third
generation Texan already.
(03:26):
and those two worlds, whenthey're put together, it becomes
a little bit more Americanized.
You know?
'cause my father did grow up,speaking Spanish and English.
He spoke Spanish.
You couldn't tell he knew English.
He spoke English.
You couldn't tell he knew Spanish.
It was just so dead on.
He was one of the very few, becausewhen you could speak Spanish.
you could tell, You know?
and he just couldn't,
He'd like, they would call himout sometimes and he'd go off in
Spanish and they're like, whoa.
You know?
So I guess because my mom being alittle more Americanized, my dad
(03:50):
would talk to her a lot in English.
So that's what we picked up on.
But Also, where it started was the music,the only time I really listened to Spanish
music was if Tejano music was playing,and most of the time it was Selena.
But Selena was a bilingual singer,so we listened to the English
and Spanish and you know, mostof the time it was just dancing.
you know, with Selena.
but we grew up on Michael Jackson,Garth Brooks, George Straits of the
world, like, and then when I gotolder, you know, the RB stuff, but
(04:11):
I
mean, I, Fort Worth,
Texas in the nineties,you know, growing up, man,
it,
it was an urban era, you know?
And then Fort Worth there'sa lot of cowboy outlaw shit.
Yeah.
You know, so it's
cool.
Larry (04:20):
Yeah.
did you have a, I don't knowwhy I feel like asking, did
you have a happy childhood?
What was it like for you?
Louie the Singer (04:25):
You know,
it's
funny because we just put outa video that talks about it.
it.
talks about
how Music and dance were always there.
and
it shows videos of me to like CharlieDaniels and stuff running around with
the guitar and the pacifier in my mouth.
And it it says you would thinkthat everything went smooth, but
it didn't, you know, my parentswere young, when they had me.
They were in High school, Nice.
yeah.
And then my mom, she had to move out.
My grandma forced her to move byherself 'cause she wanted to make
(04:47):
sure that if anything happened toher, she could take care of me.
And That my mom would be good by herself.
My dad was already, he jumped outtathe picture when I was born, dropped
outta high school and kind of leftme, my mom to do it by herself.
He got back into the picture when Iwas about two, and they lived together.
He went back to high school, graduated, I.
and, you know, we grew upthere in the neighborhood.
(05:07):
But to be honest, man, my parentswere real abusive with each other.
they not only put theirhands on each other, but they
would put their hands on me.
I
got beat.
They
beat the hell outta me.
Like I got beat like man and, uh, I'mnot afraid to say it 'cause I don't
want nobody to feel like they'realone or feel like, man, this is it.
I'll never get my manhood.
or da da.
'cause
that's not true.
But
they
were abusive with each other, and thedrugs took a big play with my father.
(05:30):
You know, which eventually took his life.
and
um, whenever they divorced, I was nine.
And the tear between them was hard.
Because I was close to my dad.
Yeah.
Like, was daddy's boy, you know,
This is my father right here on my
neck.
Larry (05:43):
Oh man.
Louie the Singer (05:44):
I lived with him and then he had another
son, my youngest brother, Jacob.
So I lived in the house with Jacob too.
My other brothers did.
We all grew up together, but theydidn't live in the house with 'em.
I was oldest brother I livedwith all my brothers at one point
in their lives, so it was hard.
And then when I was 15,they kidnapped my dad.
Larry (05:59):
Kidnapped.
What do you mean kidnapped?
Louie the Singer (06:01):
He Got kidnapped.
He was involved in a situation.
and Somebody went four o'clockin the morning, pistol, whipped
him, put him in a trunk.
His neck was cut to open everything.
He had 14 stitches put across
his neck.
Larry (06:11):
What year is this?
'cause this sounds like today, by the way.
Louie the Singer (06:13):
2005.
I was 15.
Wow.
And
they pulled me outta highschool, pulled me outta school.
I was in 10th grade.
and They were like, uh, my mom wasthere and she had this look on her face.
I, was like,
I'm in trouble again.
You know?
And
they
ended up, uh, They ended upbringing me out to the side and
she was like, I gotta talk to you.
I was like, what's going on?
She's like, we're going to Relita's house.
Your,
Your dad was kidnapped this morning.
Larry (06:33):
Wow.
Louie the Singer (06:34):
the fuck?
What does that mean?
And I'm just confused.
Like stuck.
So I'm in high school.
At
the time, my mom pulls me out.
and She's like,
they kidnapped your dad this morning.
He was in an accident.
He's okay now we're going toRelita's house or something.
I don't really remember everything.
I just remember walking into thehouse and going into my Relito's room.
' cause you know, they're old schools,so there, the, my grandpa and
grandma slept in different rooms in
(06:55):
their later years and I go to the roomand my dad's sitting there on with an
IV bag on his arm.
Half, his face is swollen shut.
and
he's got 14 stitches across his neck.
And I, think that was thefirst time that I realized like
life's finna be not what I thought it was.
That was Superman.
Like it.
he honestly, like, that's what ithit me, is like I just saw Superman
(07:15):
in the
bed.
Yeah.
The man that's you, you kindof feel, as a kid, you feel
like scared, like vulnerable.
Like this is the man'ssupposed to protect me.
Not that he couldn't, it'sjust he got caught slipping.
Like you see Superman in bed.
You're Who's
gonna save us now?
know?
And at 15, you know, like I wasalready dealing with certain
things, involved in certain thingsin the neighborhood, you know?
I went to 12 High schools.
That's a real fact.
Larry (07:34):
12 high schools?
But you lived in the
Louie the Singer (07:36):
They were all in Fort Worth.
Fort worth area.
yep.
Larry (07:38):
Was this by choice?
Louie the Singer (07:40):
No.
I mean, I'm moving back andforth between my mom and
dad's
house for one too.
But also I'm fighting in school.
I'm always getting in trouble.
Kicked out
for this
and that, you know?
And then there was the gangaffiliation, accusation stuff,
or whatever you wanna call it.
But you know what I'm saying, like, It
was just always problems.
man.
And I ended up dropping out at 17.
My dad was,
That situation changed a lot for us.
(08:00):
You know, we were really onour P's & Q's after that.
I ended up moving to Californiawhen I was 18, I dropped out.
I didn't have nothing going for me.
I didn't have a GED, nothing.
And My mom, I got thisCalifornia opportunity.
Mind you, this is aftersleeping at Echo Lake.
This is a whole process.
I used to break danceon the street for money.
Like this was a thing.
Boom.
I moved to California.
She kept it real.
She was like, you should go.
This is probably why lifehas been hard for you, son.
You were meant to be anentertainer go to California.
Larry (08:21):
Your mom.
That's amazing.
Louie the Singer (08:23):
I, Yeah, my mom has always had my back, but it's been hard
because we grew up together and it'skind of like a, almost like uh, she
is my mom and I'll never like try to
be outside
of that, but it's like almost like a
a big sister that is your mom.
At the same time.
Larry (08:37):
Is
she Mexican American?
Louie the Singer (08:38):
Mm-hmm.
Larry (08:39):
I don't know one person of Spanish descent at all
Mexican or anything that wouldn'tjust be like Ay Dio's Mio!
You're not leaving me.
Not at all.
You'll never leave me.
You'll never ever leave me.
The fact that she let you go?!
Louie the Singer (08:50):
You my mom is not being funny.
Like is the opposite of atraditional Mexican mom.
Like know how the Vato's that have theirmom and they could just run to mom.
He's
never wrong,
and the girl has to deal with that.
I'm the opposite.
My baby mamas and my mom ride together,
You
know,
what I'm saying?
For real, like straight up.
But honestly.
I like it like that.
You know why?
Yeah.
Because I'm not always gonna be here.
Yeah.
And if I'm not, I'd ratherthem get along, you know?
(09:12):
and It does suck because she takesa lot of her stuff out on me that
dealt with my dad and my family.
In one of my songs, like we had abig argument in the family about it.
In
Just Be Me it says, "Even my mamacan't stand the sight of my face."
I put that in the record a weekafter she told me in my face,
I can't stand the sight of
Larry (09:28):
Wow.
You were able to receive these things.
Louie the Singer (09:30):
At the time.
I wasn't.
I was broke.
I was like, because I always toldher, I was like, you judge me
'cause you think I'm him, I'm not.
And she told me, she was like, Idon't think you look like your dad.
I think you look like your Uncle Freddie.
And I can't stand his fucking face.
And she would, no, she wasangry, like hitting me in my face
while telling me.
And you know, she scratches at, my,she was, my mom was real violent.
Yeah.
And you know, we're open about itnow, and like God's changed her
and definitely moved a lot in her.
(09:51):
And she is a perfect exampleof like, you're never too
old to like figure shit out.
'Cause she's a daily like prayer she'sa daily blessing of like, she's the
type of woman that'll wake up and admither flaws and be like, I fucked up.
Yeah.
And even though she's fuckedup, she ain't really told me.
And she'll admit it, but she'sone of those I fucked up But...
you know?
Yeah.
And That's why it's so hard.
But on
the cool, like my dad was, hadhis flaws too, you know, so I
(10:13):
can't really hold her to him.
And the truth is, bottomline, out of everything.
All I got is, her.
Yeah.
So I gotta love.
her while I have her.
Larry (10:21):
Yeah.
So when did music enter yourlife with all of this stuff?
Louie the Singer (10:24):
I don't remember a day without it.
You
talking about professionally,like my a career or
just like, wanting to do it?
Larry (10:28):
I mean like, you had a rough childhood.
You had a childhood an upbringing,that you could have gone a lot
of different ways, and you did.
It sounds like you were actuallya well-rounded individual.
The tough stuff, the streetstuff, all of the stuff that
could get you into trouble,maybe did get you into trouble.
Obviously did at some point.
But there's another side to it.
You weren't just all of that.
Louie the Singer (10:46):
I was a funny kid, I was the goofy kid, man.
My guys will tell you from the hood, likeLouie ain't really like wild like that.
Just don't piss him off.
Just like the next guy.
But I come from that,so I take shit serious.
You know?
I'm not
a wild, I wasn't a wildgang banging crazy Vato.
Did I run around with it?
Yeah.
I, You know, I ran up, I did whatever.
It don't matter, But all I can say is.
(11:07):
I was
a happy person and I think thatthat's what made me act out is
because I couldn't be happy.
It was just my surroundings weren't that.
Right.
And like I, I've talked about inprevious interviews, like, man, maybe
that's our curse as artists, we canonly give you the art and make it
real if we really go through it.
Larry (11:22):
Yeah.
"People who wade into discomfort andvulnerability and tell the truth about
their stories are the real bad asses."
That's a quote from BrenéBrown, my hero, by the way.
I know you're a badass because I canjust hear the way you speak and the way
you carry yourself, and I've listenedto your music, but I appreciate the
fact that you're also a feeling person.
You have vulnerability, youhave courage beyond, yourself.
(11:43):
Meaning you have courage to know yourself.
And so music, when were you writingsongs and what were you writing about?
Were you writing about things thatyou thought you should write about
because your experiences werejust what your experiences were?
Were you diving a little deeperinto the courage, the vulnerability,
maybe the anxieties that you have?
Did that come at all inyour earlier days of music?
Louie the Singer (12:06):
Man music
with writing didn't actually startwith music, it Started with poetry.
Larry (12:10):
Wow.
Louie the Singer (12:10):
So my artist name used to be Louie EVOL.
It was
love spelled backwards.
Larry (12:14):
Louie EVOL.
Louie the Singer (12:14):
Yeah.
And
Larry (12:15):
That's sexy,
Louie the Singer (12:17):
You know, it's
funny.
I've never heard it like that.
I've always had people belike, what the fuck is that?
Larry (12:21):
Louie EVOL.
Are you kidding me?
I'm
Louie the Singer (12:22):
I know, right?
That doesn't, well, I was 19,it didn't come off that cool.
At the time, it was like,Hey, yo, Louie EVOL.
You know?
It is like, Oh, that's cool.
Like now you give it some, Barry
Larry (12:30):
Barry White.
Louie the Singer (12:31):
So Barry White.
You're right.
Yeah.
Give it some Barry White Louie EVOL.
I see it.
No, That was the name.
And
Larry (12:35):
So you were writing poetry and you were saying what, how old?
19?
You were
Louie the Singer (12:38):
I was 13.
at the time.
12.
Yeah.
So
I
would write the word EVOLat the bottom of every poem.
Because
I
would go to these slams reallyearly on, and these people would
talk about their lives, right?
And
I
would talk about mine,but it wasn't happy.
It was the opposite of theirs.
It wasn't love.
So I wrote love backwardsone day on a piece of paper.
And every poem I would just keep writing
love
backwards on it.
(12:58):
And
the writing came fromthat, and it stemmed from.
not
even really wanting to share itwith people, but the fact that
writing something down and lettingit be here was no longer here.
And I learned that, I guess earlyon and then I, it's really weird, at
like 11 and 10, I was writing likethese little book movie scripts,
I don't know what you call it.
was like Antonio in San Antonio,nine years old, wanted to die.
I don't even know why.
(13:19):
I was already wanting to write likemovie scripts and stuff like that
and just be involved and stuff.
Just wanted to be outof the world I was in.
Larry (13:24):
Do you remember a verse or a passage?
Louie the Singer (13:27):
I don't,
Larry (13:27):
You wrote when you were younger?
Louie the Singer (13:28):
I don't, but what's funny is I found the notebook
that was in a pile of stuff,like with Nemo, like a lot of
my homies have passed away whenI was younger like all of their
pictures and stuff like that.
But no, I don't, it's kindof cool that I don't though
either.
Larry (13:39):
It's funny 'cause EVOL almost sounds like EVOLVE and if you were
to look into a mirror into your life,the EVOL will turn back into LOVE.
Which is something that you've done withyour songs because you, have a record out.
You have songs, you have music.
So let's jump ahead a little bit.
Okay.
So you were writing poetry
and then you were also creating music.
(13:59):
Were you recording songs?
Louie the Singer (14:00):
Man, I'm in high school.
I'm already in trouble.
I'm in and outta
juvenile hall at
14 years old.
I'm trying to figure things out.
I'm at the afterschool program, thegang intervention program for the
Boys and Girls Club when I'm like
Larry (14:11):
Gang intervention program?
Yeah.
At the Boys and Girls Club.
Louie the Singer (14:14):
Yeah.
So the Boys and Girls Club
has a
program called coming up in the evening.
Mm-hmm.
It's a gang intervention programfor the kids to keep 'em off
the street that I grew up in.
Yeah.
And uh, Brian,
uh, at
the time that worked there, heactually ran the boxing program.
I would get on the mitts with himand break dance there because I grew
up boxing at the Diamond Hill Rec.
So I knew all these guys inthe neighborhood and they
had a recording studio in the
Rec.
Larry (14:33):
What?
Louie the Singer (14:34):
Crazy part it just, It was ran by Alfredo Parra,
who was only a year older than me.
And when we meet in the room, weironically went to alternative.
school together three years before.
Wow.
And so I would go break danceat the Rec as a teenager
and
I would just jump in the booth.
I mean, we didn't really knowwhat much what we were doing.
We know how to record you know, whatever,
But
that's where like just the craftstarted building, wanted to write
better and just wanted to do music.
(14:54):
Like, It was just fun, But
in high school, like is when the musicstarted, because I was the funny guy.
Like I always had, but Iwasn't the quarterback.
Right.
So getting the girl was never easy.
It was like they alwayswanted the quarterback.
And not being funny in high school,being the bad boy, especially going
to, like, having to go to so manyschools wasn't always a good thing.
They're like, that guy's trouble and thenthe worst part is the girls that like that
you're doing more dumb stuff to impress'em, and then you're in trouble again.
(15:15):
So it's a, it's a revolvingdoor, but I found the median.
And I remember watching Jamie Foxxon TV one time and he was so funny.
But when he got fancy,he played the piano.
So when he sits down, he plays this piano.
He
became this other guy
and
when he did, the women looked at him.
different.
I said I want that.
I want that.
And I remember
wanting that.
And then eventually becameinto like, this is who I am.
(15:37):
I love
this shit so much.
Like I just want to sing.
I just want, sometimes I loveit so much I get nervous.
They're like,
you know how to do this andyou love, this is what you do.
Maybe that's why I get nervous'cause I love it so much.
Larry (15:49):
Well it's funny 'cause people put the mask on in order to go on stage.
I grew up watching Kiss.
You know what I mean?
So, hey.
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (15:53):
They, yeah.
Larry (15:54):
Real showman stuff.
Louie the Singer (15:55):
I become the guy.
You know, I gotta, you gotta turn it on.
I'm, I'm just a regular person.
Right.
That's why I have to turnit on when I go on stage.
Larry (16:00):
But, the true you comes out, you take the mask off and it's scary
I remember now thinking back I'mwriting songs called like Love Cave.
I mean come on.
how stupid is that?
It's just, it's juvenile and Iwish I could say I was nine, but
I wasn't, you know what I mean?
Louie the Singer (16:14):
Love Cave
Larry (16:15):
Love Cave.
Because I was afraid to show who I was.
I was afraid to just be, 'cause Ididn't know, I didn't go on the journey
inward.
And man, sometimes you gotta hitthe wall in order to go inward.
So let's fast forward.
You did prison time, you got introuble, you were already playing music.
They knew you could sing, I read alittle bit about your story, right?
(16:36):
How long were you away?
Louie the Singer (16:37):
Just
a couple of years.
I caught my charge in 2017.
Went down,
the
next year.
and got out in 2020.
Larry (16:42):
Okay.
So at the time that you went in,did you think you knew yourself?
Louie the Singer (16:46):
Hell
no.
I didn't even know what wasgonna happen the next day.
It wasn't like I turned myself
in,
they raided my grandma's house.
And
so
it was just like a wake up call man.
And God, it was just the worstexperience of my life, aside
from losing my close ones.
Like, I just remember sitting therelike, dude, you fucked this up.
What are we doing here.
I
was, in prison.
I'm watching Becky Ggive an award to Cardi B.
(17:09):
And Leon Bridges on the commercial.
Both of these people were inmy vicinity and within proxy of
me while I was pursuing this.
Leon Bridges was my backupsinger when he first started.
He had His first time on stage was withme at the House of Blues in Dallas.
Larry (17:20):
What year was that?
Louie the Singer (17:21):
2011.
Larry (17:22):
What was music that you were doing that he was your backup singer?
Louie the Singer (17:24):
Was doing R&B music and there was a free show at
the House of Blues in the main room,
and
the co headliner at the time wasa friend of mine that rapped.
And he actually put me on his show,but he put me on his show because,
you know, I was the one bringingthe girls and stuff like that.
He was just an older guy that was,kind of fading out with the music.
And I had Leon sing behind me, withmy buddy John Gonzalez And then
Octavian
(17:45):
was on the piano.
And that's how I knew Leon.
He used to work at the Rose Cafebehind my, apartments, And so I
would take him, I would take him
home too.
But I knew him.
And then Becky had me, had thesame manager when I was 18,
when I lived in California.
So
I knew her and her family, and justseeing all them on TV while I'm in prison.
I thought it was over.
Larry (18:02):
You thought it was over.
So then what happened?
What clicked?
What changed?
What did you do?
Louie the Singer (18:07):
Really, I remember putting, doing a song
about my dad when I went to prisonand it was a country record.
It was called Glad I'm Home.
And when I got out, I did anotherone called I Do It Anyway.
And It was literally weird becausewhen I posted it, it went viral
on TikTok because they were like,he looks like a North Houston
rapper, but sounds like Kane Brown.
And at first I was like,oh, this is stupid.
Like I don't wanna do this.
And then the numbers shot up
(18:28):
because they were like, yo, you're likeKane Brown, but like a lot like an Ese.
And I'm like, What, What's the problem?
They're like, nah, that's cool.
And I'm
Larry (18:35):
You see?
Louie the Singer (18:35):
So it was always just me being myself, 'cause I wanted
to always do this and just pursue it,
right?
But
the
discouragement of being Mexican American,
and being told that Nashville wasn't gonna
like
me or like what I am.
If
I keep being me, they're like, nah,that's never gonna be accepted.
And I'm like, you know what?
At this point I ain't never been accepted.
Right.
So I'd rather be unaccepted inmyself than accepted and not myself
(18:56):
because I'm never gonna be happy.
And there's times where I'm stillwake up and I'm like having to tell
myself like, why are you complaining?
You're never fucking happy, dude.
Yeah.
Put yourself in the fucking corner.
Larry (19:04):
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (19:05):
And think the shit out.
Larry (19:06):
I wanna talk a little bit about, some of your songs before this record.
You did a song called Alcoholicfrom Country My Way in 2022.
And it really resonated with mebecause it was deeply personal, you
said, "I don't wanna be an alcoholic.
I don't ever wanna letthem call me by that name.
It's not my name no more."
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (19:24):
Yeah.
Larry (19:25):
Coming to the table with a song and being this vulnerable
and singing something like that,
because I quit drinking.
I was a raging alcoholic.
And so this really spoke to me becauseI was the party guy just like you.
I was funny.
I was awesome,
but I was not awesome.
I wasn't
good to anybody becauseI wasn't good to myself.
And so you, started digging deeperinto the country music realm,
(19:47):
right?
Yeah.
How does that feel?
Louie the Singer (19:50):
I mean, it was never a, and again, it wasn't an intention to
make a record or like a viral song per se.
It was literally just to vent toliterally like, let it all out.
It was a story about myself and my father
all in one.
And, um,
I had got into an incident thenight before and, um, I had to
have a family member pick me upunder a bridge, This is 2021.
(20:13):
I, I'm already, a year outta prisonand I'm still fucking up and I don't
remember, I black out whatever.
And the next day Iforcefully put myself in AA.
And I went to an AA meeting.
Yeah.
And I saw somebody that I knew.
She was there because of, uh, probationor whatever and we talked afterwards.
She says, keep coming.
And my sponsor it wasan older guy named Gary,
and
Gary talked to me.
He was like,
I
(20:33):
know you're, you're kind.
I was like, what does that mean?
He was like, I used to be like you.
He said, them hands look likethat happened pretty recent.
He said, is it all right?
I said, yeah, I'll be all right.
He says, I'm talking about the other guy.
So we became friends after that.
I remember the worst part was I wantedto share what I learned with my dad.
Larry (20:51):
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (20:51):
Yeah.
But it was too late.
I felt like if I'd have learnedwhat I learned, you know, and I beat
myself about that too, like, man,you could have been a better son.
Like I drank with my father.
We did wild shit together.
Yeah.
You know, he was 17 when I was born.
It's just a different relationship.
He was a little rougher.
He grew up rougher and he wasthe youngest of his brothers.
I was taught, you gotta problem fix it.
Somebody's in your way move
him.
Larry (21:11):
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (21:11):
That's not how you live life, man.
Because that's not gonna getyou nowhere, but in a box.
And then who's gonna take care ofyour kids when you're in that box?
I've already been thereand I'll never do it again.
So I think where I get joy now out of itis what I did learn and I can't teach him.
I can teach my sons.
Larry (21:25):
What I see in your journey is that, you were really going through these
changes in your life because youwere seeing yourself, you were
really seeing yourself, and youwere being honest and vulnerable.
And it's so hard to be vulnerable
because vulnerability is strength
vulnerability is courage.
And as a man, especially as a Latino man.
We're just not allowed to do it.
(21:46):
The world, society, ourparents, our loved ones.
You're weak if you're vulnerable, right?
And I've told this story a few times.
I've, interviewed Veterans that havekilled people for our Country and
they say vulnerability, weakness?
They looked at me like I was nuts.
And I said, please explain.
They said, I couldn't do what Idid, I couldn't be as strong as I am
if I didn't have the vulnerabilityand the courage to know who I am.
(22:11):
And you being able toreach deep down inside.
I applaud you for that because thisis a world now where so many men
are feeling so powerful becausethey feel like they can, like you
say, knock somebody out of the way.
There's a difference and adistinction between I am power.
Right.
Or I have power.
And in order for me or you to havepower, somebody else has to be powerless.
(22:32):
'Cause it's a game that way.
And very rarely are welearning to be empowered.
Louie the Singer (22:35):
I
think it's scary because alot of people are like that.
But
some of us get to the point wherethey're scared because they do
know what they're capable of.
And then once again, you'restuck being in that box again.
I have walked away and I've beenthe whole in the situation multiple
times over the last couple years.
'Cause guess what?
I get to go home.
Yeah.
And I didn't hurt nobody.
Yeah.
Nor did I get hurt, I
don't know, I just wish I could tellyounger me that, but at the same time
(22:57):
if I didn't, I wouldn't getto help out everybody else.
you know?
Yeah.
The Curse
part.
Larry (23:01):
Well, you're right that's what gets me to the next part.
Do you feel a responsibility?
Now I've met you, what, 10 minutes nowwhatever this is 27 minutes I've known
you, but I've seen people come in and outand there's a reverence and there's a love
for you, and obviously you're at a, major
record label here.
And I can just tell by your face,I think I'm pretty good at this.
You're a good guy andyou got a good heart.
(23:21):
I just appreciate people that haveexperienced all of it and can then
funnel it and channel it through them.
And look It's not easy.
It's not like you're aSaint, you're not Superman.
Dad wasn't Superman.
Louie The Singer's not Superman.
But you have Superhuman powers.
Louie the Singer (23:36):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Larry (23:37):
And at this point now, I do believe your journey, I mean, your new
album, One For The Hometown, CountryMusic with your flair, your style, right?
It's as American and it's also as Mexican.
It's got it all.
It's a gumbo because that's what thisCountry is, folks, in case you forgot, It
feels like You're in a period of comfort.
You know who you are.
(23:59):
And now you're able to give backbecause you're not trying to grasp,
I want this and I want that one tolove me and I need them to love me.
And now I need these people who love me.
I have to be white for the whitepeople that have to be Mexican for
the Mexicans and all these things.
You really sound and you feel,and I can tell because people
treat you with the respect.
And that is a responsibility.
(24:21):
Yeah.
To be a man that says, I am me,for better, for worse, all the
good, all the bad, all the scars.
Take
me for how I am.
But I am mindful of you, I am mindfulof those around me, and, I applaud you.
Tell me a little bit about what it'slike for you now to deal with, the
younger cats that are coming up.
To your friends, to your family.
I mean, you have a responsibilityand you look like you wear it well.
Louie the Singer (24:42):
It is a big one.
I've
seen so many cats come up inthis industry, or coming up
right now that hit me up, man.
Louie, you're opening doors for us.
And I'm like, Man.
Don't...
I'm like,
oh.
But also, it's one of those things,man, to be honest, like I am not Freddy.
I'm not Rick Trevino.
I'm not Johnny Rodriguez.
I wish I was that great.
I'm just different, You know?
And I think this is the firsttime that this is happening.
(25:05):
So they're ready for me to act up.
They're ready for me to.
No,
they are man,
Larry (25:10):
When you say act up, sorry.
Louie the Singer (25:11):
Act like the Mexican, they, think I am.
or Mexican that they know I can act likeif, they, if I ever feel disrespected.
Just like the next man.
so I know walking intothese rooms, there's
gonna be times where I'm tested ortaunted or told I can't be in a green
room because other artists is thereand I know the moment I act out,
I just gave you what you wanted.
But the only thing I'm gonnado is give you one thing
that you know, you don't want.
I'm gonna go on that stage anddo everything you can't do.
(25:34):
Then I'm gonna get off and
I'm gonna get off and I'mgonna tell you, Hey, good show.
good seeing you.
And then I'm gonna walk by man, becauseI know that a lot of these Mexican kids
ain't gonna get no love after this.
And the moment they shut thatdoor because of me, I gotta tell
them I fucked it up for all of us.
Yeah.
So if I go in there
and
I do what I gotta do and Igo home, the job's not done.
But it's definitely
(25:54):
starting.
Larry (25:55):
Yeah.
Wow.
Maya Angelou has a great "Mymission in life is not merely to
survive, but to thrive, sorry.
And to do so with some passion, somecompassion, some humor, and some style.
If you don't like something, change it.
If you can't change it,change your attitude."
You remind me this quote, I, I searchedfor like an hour to get this quote.
(26:18):
'cause I was like,
Louie the Singer (26:18):
That's so crazy.
Larry (26:19):
this is you.
Louie the Singer (26:20):
You know what I tell people all the time, I've never
heard that, but I always tell people.
They're like, man, you'renot worried about it?
I'm like, nah man.
If you lose and you worryabout it, you lost twice.
just accept the L
and keep going, you know,
Larry (26:29):
You're
saying something very poignant.
It's like I get mad at myself for doingsomething and then I'm angry at my anger.
Louie the Singer (26:35):
Yeah.
So you think about that and yougo back and go, not gonna get mad.
Yeah, no.
Like me and the guys are like that.
Especially on the road, we look at eachother like, it's one of those days, right?
You go "Get the fuck away."
Yeah.
And it might not even be me.
It might be one of the guys in the bandIt's like, I'm just gonna go over here.
and stay quiet.
I'm like, all right, cool.
Go do your thing.
Yeah.
You know?
But we all get there.
Larry (26:50):
I'll tell you, I'm a New Yorker, man.
I mean, I'm born andraised in New York City.
Louie the Singer (26:53):
Oh yeah.
What part?
Queens.
I got
People from Flatbush.
Larry (26:56):
Right
on.
And I lived in Flatbush.
And so when I first came downhere, I was in a Country band.
I was the Jewish drummer, youknow, I mean, yeah, I was, I
still am, in a Country band.
And we would tour the country, theywould be like, don't bring any of
that old Obama shit from New York.
You know, like as racistas can be, and I'm a white
guy, I mean, I'm a Jewish guy,
they don't like me, you know?
I get it.
But the New York in meat any given second.
(27:18):
You wanna fucking talk, man?
Louie the Singer (27:20):
There you go.
Larry (27:20):
You wanna get down?
There you go.
You wanna get loud?
I will be louder than you.
I will be, brash.
I will bowl you over.
I'm like five foot seven.
Nothing,
Louie the Singer (27:27):
Yep.
I feel I'm right there with you,
Larry (27:29):
And I have a mouth on me that won't quit.
And it's, a badge of honor for menow because I can pull it out and
it's, it's great at parties, right?
Louie the Singer (27:36):
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Larry (27:37):
What I get now is, Hey man, talk New York to me.
Louie the Singer (27:39):
Talk New York
to And I'm like,
I'm walking here.
Larry (27:42):
yeah, like right there.
Me, no, give something more.
And I'm like, dude, whydon't you shut the fuck up?
Yeah.
More like that.
And now that I'm getting mad, 'cause I'm
mad.
Louie the Singer (27:49):
He's more New Yorkers coming out.
Larry (27:50):
More New Yorkers coming out, more New York, if I'm like,
maybe do I go to their mother?
Nah, don't do that.
Louie the Singer (27:53):
All right.
Your mother is
Larry (27:55):
Yo.
Louie the Singer (27:55):
Hey yo son It's brick outside, you
got a problem?
I got, I'm telling you,
I got people from,
Flatbush, bro.
It's funny 'cause the saying,you're saying it has to do with
the New York rapper I grew upon 50 Cent real heavy and Yeah.
He had said this quote that I had beensaying for years, but I couldn't get
it worded right and he said it right.
"I don't ever want a problem, butif there's a problem,No Problem."
Larry (28:12):
No problem.
Woo.
Louie the Singer (28:14):
Like, man, you summed it up for me, brother.
Thank you.
Larry (28:16):
That is fantastic.
What's it like now?
So you have your recordout, you're touring, do you
have an entourage with you?
Do you have a big band?
I mean, like.
That's part of the responsibility.
You're a family oriented person obviously,
and you are taking care of yourselfand you're also taking care of others.
What's it like?
You're on the road, there'speople that love you.
I'm sure crowds are selling out nowand they really, I mean, look at
(28:38):
your smile as I was saying that.
What's it like?
Louie the Singer (28:40):
Man, it's surreal.
I mean, in the beginning we had securityreally just becau to kind of help
with events and structured things andlike line up stuff and da, da, da.
I Kind of keep certain things.
'cause I was getting, you know.
uh,
groped,
licked.
Everything you could
think of at meet andgreets and there was that.
And then it got to the point wherethey're having to barricade our RV just
to walk outta the venue three hours
in the middle of the nightafter, in Denver, Colorado.
You know, we get all this on footage,so we tell people like, this is what
(29:03):
it is.
You know, we can't figure it out.
You know, he is not ontv, he's not on the radio.
We don't know, you know?
But the guys help out driving.
So the Flores Brothers they're
security and Big Lou, they all drive.
They help out so much.
Locardo's Part of the band.
We got a full piece band.
I mean, there's 10 of usat minimum on the road.
And that's for a show.
Everybody has a job, I'mgonna be honest with you.
Ever see a bunch of Vatos with me?
I'm not the kind of guy tohave guys just standing around.
(29:24):
Everybody has a job andthey get the fuck out.
But everybody here doesso well at helping me.
I wouldn't be able to do noneof this without people like of
course listen, Jackie, but thewhole squad that rolls with me.
I've got two RVs that run around with me.
Right.
With my photo, everything on it,you know, we do the whole nine.
I purchased those out of myown hard earned touring money.
You know, I own both of those.
So we hit the road.
(29:44):
And we go.
We have another Merchcompany running out now.
But like, I mean, I'm at a majorlabel and I'm still getting
to orchestrate the way I want.
That doesn't happen.
I
sat and this, actually,Chris Pérez sat right here.
I sat in this chair with a room fullof executives and when we left that
meeting, it was one of my big ones.
Chris's exact words,when we're in the lobby.
I've never seen that in my 30 years.
This is Selena's husband.
(30:05):
I've never seen that in my life, Louie.
You stood up and I did.
I stood up right here and for 20minutes I told them exactly who I was
who I'm gonna be and whoyou'll never make me.
And they loved it and acceptedit, and I said, I'm home.
Wow.
Here We are.
You know, You change anything?
The people are out.
I would be,
Larry (30:21):
Because it's not authentic.
Louie the Singer (30:22):
Yeah.
But not only that, Mexican Americanswe're hardheaded and we're the first
one to say, ah, you changed, later.
Yeah, I would leave too.
Yeah.
You know, but no, man, I want, that'swhy I'm saying if I don't change up and I
keep it me, everybody else has a chance.
Larry (30:34):
Wonderful.
Do you take care of yourself on the road?
Louie the Singer (30:36):
Yeah.
And that's another thing too.
We just had, I had a conversationwith my guys, which is another one I
love to smoke, don't get me wrong, butlike the drinking, I told 'em, I was
like, we gotta slow down starting now.
Larry (30:44):
Do you drink?
Louie the Singer (30:45):
yeah, hell yeah.
but
I can finally control myself.
You know, when I say, Hey,we're going back by 10 'cause I
got interviews in the morning.
We're
back by 10.
This is a real career now.
Larry (30:52):
Boundaries.
Louie the Singer (30:53):
We're all grown men, man.
My, my boys out theremarried, got kids and shit.
Some of them.
We're grown men on the road, you
know, and not, in a bad way.
We don't do the female thing.
I don't trust women like that anyway.
I
don't trust homeboys on theroad, all this other stuff.
You know, like
I
got my homies, we cool.
You know what it is?
It's love.
I keep it moving.
I'm not, the craziestmotherfucker in every city.
And guess what?
They got crazy peopleand wild shit going on.
Just do your little music,Louie and keep on moving,
(31:15):
you
know?
Yeah.
Because, you know, mycrowd is a little urban.
It is a little bit morestreet and I'm cool with that.
But everybody's working on theroad and everybody's got a job
So, 10 people on the road and twoRVs heading across the country.
Man, you it doesn't get more fun.
Yeah.
It's Music, dude.
Larry (31:27):
Yeah.
As a man, being vulnerable androlling with a crew, do you
feel like men in general need to
talk a little bit more and need tobe able to share their feelings?
You're an artist and you're asongwriter and you write these
songs, and you don't need the mask.
You roll with a bunch of cats.
Do you feel like a responsibilitythat we could do better just in
general as a population of men?
Louie the Singer (31:48):
Yeah,
I mean, with me it's all guyspretty much, except for the merch
team, you know what I'm saying?
Like man,
we're all very vocal with each other.
Larry (31:54):
Yeah
Louie the Singer (31:55):
Hey bro.
man,
lemme holler at you.
Hey, so start doing...da,
da, da.
Alright, cool.
Hey, y'all need tofigure this shit out man.
Everybody cool?
Oh
no, it's misunderstanding bro.
Ed.
alright, cool.
You know, just get someshit out, you know.
Like my Al JT Campos,very, very dope actor.
In prison my favorite show was hischaracter Boaz from Queen of the South.
And we became friends afterwards andhe's one of the guys that will just sit
there and vent to me or I'll vent to him.
And we're homeboys, you know,come from a similar background.
(32:17):
Sometimes we just gotta ventbefore we go do something stupid.
Larry (32:19):
Yeah.
I love that.
You know, it takes different forms.
There's not one way tobe good to yourself.
Yeah.
Do you think you're good to yourself?
Louie the Singer (32:26):
I am.
My horse would say so.
He probably gets, every time I walkin, he's probably like, oh, here he
Larry (32:29):
comes.
Your
horse?
Louie the Singer (32:30):
Yeah.
it is.
like, It's been a long day.
My horse probably knows me morethan anybody I've talk to him
Larry (32:33):
You talking about a real
horse?
Louie the Singer (32:35):
Yea
buddy.
Oh
Oh
Larry (32:36):
Where's your
horse?
Louie the Singer (32:37):
In Texas.
Larry (32:37):
Oh.
Louie the Singer (32:37):
Up at the ranch.
Larry (32:38):
Your horse knows you better than anybody.
Louie the Singer (32:39):
Than anybody.
I just did a meet and greetfrom my hometown show with
him.
Larry (32:42):
Wow!
What's his name?
Louie the Singer (32:43):
Buddy.
Larry (32:44):
Mm-hmm.
Oh, here's to Buddy.
This show goes out to
buddy.
Hey buddy.
Cheers.
That's fantastic.
I got a couple of questions for you.
My speed round.
You ready?
Louie the Singer (32:51):
Okay.
Alright.
These are timed answers then?
Larry (32:53):
Eh, not really.
Louie the Singer (32:53):
Yeah.
So to speak.
Larry (32:53):
I edit this.
Louie the Singer (32:54):
Gotcha.
Larry (32:54):
What fascinates you?
Louie the Singer (32:56):
Music.
music.
Larry (32:57):
That's great.
What angers you?
Louie the Singer (32:59):
Slow people.
Larry (33:00):
What do you mean?
Louie the Singer (33:01):
Man, and I hate to say it because I'm like,
impatient.
and
I'm wired different.
But people that just can't keepup, like, it's like, dude, now I
understand why there's workers, there'sbosses, there's people in between,
and there's people above me that are
making
the bigger dollars and they're smart, you
Larry (33:14):
know?
Louie the Singer (33:14):
Can just sit down and make what I have to make
running
around.
But yeah, people that are slow.
Larry (33:19):
I always thought the same thing, especially because I'm a New
Yorker and I drive like a maniac.
So if I'm yelling at you, it's becausethere's a New Yorker behind you.
But then I get next to them and it'slike an 84-year-old woman from the
south,
you know what I mean?
And I'm like, oh, I'm so sorry.
Louie the Singer (33:32):
Oh dude.
It's the worst man.
Larry (33:33):
I gotta check my head on that.
Louie the Singer (33:34):
My grandma used to get the middle finger
every five minutes growing up.
I'm like, man,
it
was so common with her bad driving.
I thought it was a friendlygesture by the time I was nine.
I'm Looking over like,oh, you know him too.
She's like.
I guess.
Larry (33:46):
That's great.
What brings you joy?
Louie the Singer (33:48):
My family.
My
Larry (33:49):
Yeah.
How many kids.
you
Louie the Singer (33:50):
got?
I got four beautiful boys.
and If I had a daughter, the worldwouldn't know until it was time.
Larry (33:55):
That's great.
If you had a magic wand and youcould fix something, fix one
thing, change it, make it better,
just make it the way you'd likeit to be, what would it be?
Louie the Singer (34:02):
Nothing.
Larry (34:03):
Nothing?
Louie the Singer (34:03):
Nah man.
In my life, nothing because I'malive my family's healthy and
everybody's safe.
You know, I don't want tojeopardize, maybe and you know, a
a butterfly effect, you fucked thatup and things might not go well.
And Two,
you know, changing anything else inthe world, man, that's not my position.
That's God.
bro.
Oh
Larry (34:17):
Oh, that's good.
All right.
Now here's the heavy, deep one.
Toilet paper over or under?
Louie the Singer (34:24):
Over I guess.
Larry (34:24):
Yes.
Thank All right.
You're a
sane human being.
Good you.
That's a big
ding.
Okay, I have a quote here from Alan
Cohen
from The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore.
" Our strengths lie within us, andit is only our permission that
can activate their expression.
Our problem is not that weare weak, but that we do not
believe that we are strong."
You
sir, blow me away with your strength,with your vulnerability, with your
(34:46):
passion, with your compassion.
Your record is great.
I listened to the whole thing.
Great songs, Country music as itshould be because it's honest.
And
you wrote all of the songs There's
co-writers?
Louie the Singer: There's two out of eight. (34:57):
undefined
Two of 'em I completely
wrote by myself.
Yeah.
And then the other ones, Yeah.
co-writers, amazing co-writers.
Larry (35:02):
Yeah.
Rob Hatch wrote one.
Louie the Singer (35:04):
Yeah, Rob.
and also Joe
Ragosta they were on.
They're from New York.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's
cool right?
Yeah, absolutely.
I seeing
Rob man.
Joe.
Joe is funny.
man, those guys are, those guys are funny.
Larry (35:13):
Louie The Singer.
Your album One For TheHometown is out right now.
Everywhere!
You are on MCA, your recordwas produced by Nick Bailey.
Thank you for taking the time andjoining us here, the Just Keep
Talking podcast with me, BrotherLove, because Your Story Matters.
Thanks brother.
Thank you, man.
All
right.
Brother Love (35:30):
You can personally support this show simply by clicking
the tip link in the show notes.
The Just Keep Talking podcast is nowavailable on all podcast platforms.
Please like, share, and subscribe.
Visit our website atwww.justkeeptalking.com,
our YouTube channel@JustKeepTalkingPodcast and
Instagram @theJustKeepTalkingpodcast.
(35:51):
Thank you so much for supporting theJust Keep Talking podcast with me,
Brother Love, because your story matters.
Telling our stories is the connective tissue of the
collective human experience.
The Just Keep Talking podcast delvesinto the lives and stories of artists.
What is the impact ofmental health on creativity?
What does it mean to bea creative individual?
Someone who feels deeply,experiences joy and pain intensely
and navigates the challenges oflife through the creative process.
(00:21):
With each story shared, we explorethe authentic experience of our
basic need to be seen, to be heard
and to belong.
We're really not so different fromone another, nor are we alone.
Together we can inspire, encourage, andenlighten each other to find the true joy
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When we Just Keep Talking, we createthe space for gratitude self-acceptance
(00:46):
and grace in everyday life.
In a world filled with divisiveness,
fostering inclusivity and connection isa powerful way to make a positive impact.
The Just Keep Talkingpodcast with me, brother.
Love, because Your Story Matters.
Thank you so much for tuning into theJust Keep Talking podcast You can like
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(01:10):
You can also support this show byclicking the tip link in the show notes.
I.
When they ask about their birthday,I'll tell them, get one twice.
And if they ask
(01:33):
I the kids, if this is
Larry (01:40):
My guest this week is Louie The Singer Hello.
Louie the Singer (01:42):
What's up man?
How are you?
man?
I'm blessed to be here, man.
CMA Fest Week,
Larry (01:46):
CMA
Fest Week.
Your record has just come out.
One For The Hometown out now as of June6th on MCA, produced by Nick Bailey.
Your record, Celebrating theHeritage, Passion, and the
Journey of a Texas born artist.
Rooted in your MexicanAmerican background.
Louie, you weaves a colorful tapestryof cultural influences into your music,
(02:08):
reflecting your Fort Worth upbringing,and the stages that you now command.
Your story is one of resiliencefueled by deep love for your
performances and an unwaveringdetermination to pursue your dreams.
It's so good to have you here.
Louie the Singer (02:22):
Thanks,
man.
Larry (02:22):
That's the little commercial, and you know, anybody can Google
all the good things about you,but I want to get to know you.
Louie the Singer (02:28):
Yeah, man.
Let's do it.
man.
Larry (02:29):
Let's
do it.
You grew up, you're a Mexican American.
Correct.
And you grew up in Texas.
Now, when I was introduced toyou, I was told that you, I hate
to use the word should or couldhave, but been a statistic.
Louie the Singer (02:42):
Correct.
Larry (02:42):
What does that mean?
mean
Louie the Singer (02:44):
I think they're referring to the prison stuff.
You know, the background, but I was astatistic at one point, but I technically
I still am, but I'm on the positive end.
They say the five outta 10.
I'm the other five,
the six out 10.
I'm, one of the four.
I'm proof,
Larry (02:56):
But going back before the prison, you're still a statistic
in a way, being a Mexican born
American.
right?
I mean, what was it like growing up foryou, your what were your parents like?
What was it like?
So
Louie the Singer (03:06):
So my father was
actually the
youngest
one?
No, he was the secondto youngest out of 10.
technically eight immigrant children.
The first two were,
didn't, they were stillborns.
But
fast forward, my father grew up in avery, very, very Mexican household.
Spoken nothing butSpanish in that household
or
on the other side.
My mom was
third
generation Texan already.
(03:26):
and those two worlds, whenthey're put together, it becomes
a little bit more Americanized.
You know?
'cause my father did grow up,speaking Spanish and English.
He spoke Spanish.
You couldn't tell he knew English.
He spoke English.
You couldn't tell he knew Spanish.
It was just so dead on.
He was one of the very few, becausewhen you could speak Spanish.
you could tell, You know?
and he just couldn't,
He'd like, they would call himout sometimes and he'd go off in
Spanish and they're like, whoa.
You know?
So I guess because my mom being alittle more Americanized, my dad
(03:50):
would talk to her a lot in English.
So that's what we picked up on.
But Also, where it started was the music,the only time I really listened to Spanish
music was if Tejano music was playing,and most of the time it was Selena.
But Selena was a bilingual singer,so we listened to the English
and Spanish and you know, mostof the time it was just dancing.
you know, with Selena.
but we grew up on Michael Jackson,Garth Brooks, George Straits of the
world, like, and then when I gotolder, you know, the RB stuff, but
(04:11):
I
mean, I, Fort Worth,
Texas in the nineties,you know, growing up, man,
it,
it was an urban era, you know?
And then Fort Worth there'sa lot of cowboy outlaw shit.
Yeah.
You know, so it's
cool.
Larry (04:20):
Yeah.
did you have a, I don't knowwhy I feel like asking, did
you have a happy childhood?
What was it like for you?
Louie the Singer (04:25):
You know,
it's
funny because we just put outa video that talks about it.
it.
talks about
how Music and dance were always there.
and
it shows videos of me to like CharlieDaniels and stuff running around with
the guitar and the pacifier in my mouth.
And it it says you would thinkthat everything went smooth, but
it didn't, you know, my parentswere young, when they had me.
They were in High school, Nice.
yeah.
And then my mom, she had to move out.
My grandma forced her to move byherself 'cause she wanted to make
(04:47):
sure that if anything happened toher, she could take care of me.
And That my mom would be good by herself.
My dad was already, he jumped outtathe picture when I was born, dropped
outta high school and kind of leftme, my mom to do it by herself.
He got back into the picture when Iwas about two, and they lived together.
He went back to high school, graduated, I.
and, you know, we grew upthere in the neighborhood.
(05:07):
But to be honest, man, my parentswere real abusive with each other.
they not only put theirhands on each other, but they
would put their hands on me.
I
got beat.
They
beat the hell outta me.
Like I got beat like man and, uh, I'mnot afraid to say it 'cause I don't
want nobody to feel like they'realone or feel like, man, this is it.
I'll never get my manhood.
or da da.
'cause
that's not true.
But
they
were abusive with each other, and thedrugs took a big play with my father.
(05:30):
You know, which eventually took his life.
and
um, whenever they divorced, I was nine.
And the tear between them was hard.
Because I was close to my dad.
Yeah.
Like, was daddy's boy, you know,
This is my father right here on my
neck.
Larry (05:43):
Oh man.
Louie the Singer (05:44):
I lived with him and then he had another
son, my youngest brother, Jacob.
So I lived in the house with Jacob too.
My other brothers did.
We all grew up together, but theydidn't live in the house with 'em.
I was oldest brother I livedwith all my brothers at one point
in their lives, so it was hard.
And then when I was 15,they kidnapped my dad.
Larry (05:59):
Kidnapped.
What do you mean kidnapped?
Louie the Singer (06:01):
He Got kidnapped.
He was involved in a situation.
and Somebody went four o'clockin the morning, pistol, whipped
him, put him in a trunk.
His neck was cut to open everything.
He had 14 stitches put across
his neck.
Larry (06:11):
What year is this?
'cause this sounds like today, by the way.
Louie the Singer (06:13):
2005.
I was 15.
Wow.
And
they pulled me outta highschool, pulled me outta school.
I was in 10th grade.
and They were like, uh, my mom wasthere and she had this look on her face.
I, was like,
I'm in trouble again.
You know?
And
they
ended up, uh, They ended upbringing me out to the side and
she was like, I gotta talk to you.
I was like, what's going on?
She's like, we're going to Relita's house.
Your,
Your dad was kidnapped this morning.
Larry (06:33):
Wow.
Louie the Singer (06:34):
the fuck?
What does that mean?
And I'm just confused.
Like stuck.
So I'm in high school.
At
the time, my mom pulls me out.
and She's like,
they kidnapped your dad this morning.
He was in an accident.
He's okay now we're going toRelita's house or something.
I don't really remember everything.
I just remember walking into thehouse and going into my Relito's room.
' cause you know, they're old schools,so there, the, my grandpa and
grandma slept in different rooms in
(06:55):
their later years and I go to the roomand my dad's sitting there on with an
IV bag on his arm.
Half, his face is swollen shut.
and
he's got 14 stitches across his neck.
And I, think that was thefirst time that I realized like
life's finna be not what I thought it was.
That was Superman.
Like it.
he honestly, like, that's what ithit me, is like I just saw Superman
(07:15):
in the
bed.
Yeah.
The man that's you, you kindof feel, as a kid, you feel
like scared, like vulnerable.
Like this is the man'ssupposed to protect me.
Not that he couldn't, it'sjust he got caught slipping.
Like you see Superman in bed.
You're Who's
gonna save us now?
know?
And at 15, you know, like I wasalready dealing with certain
things, involved in certain thingsin the neighborhood, you know?
I went to 12 High schools.
That's a real fact.
Larry (07:34):
12 high schools?
But you lived in the
Louie the Singer (07:36):
They were all in Fort Worth.
Fort worth area.
yep.
Larry (07:38):
Was this by choice?
Louie the Singer (07:40):
No.
I mean, I'm moving back andforth between my mom and
dad's
house for one too.
But also I'm fighting in school.
I'm always getting in trouble.
Kicked out
for this
and that, you know?
And then there was the gangaffiliation, accusation stuff,
or whatever you wanna call it.
But you know what I'm saying, like, It
was just always problems.
man.
And I ended up dropping out at 17.
My dad was,
That situation changed a lot for us.
(08:00):
You know, we were really onour P's & Q's after that.
I ended up moving to Californiawhen I was 18, I dropped out.
I didn't have nothing going for me.
I didn't have a GED, nothing.
And My mom, I got thisCalifornia opportunity.
Mind you, this is aftersleeping at Echo Lake.
This is a whole process.
I used to break danceon the street for money.
Like this was a thing.
Boom.
I moved to California.
She kept it real.
She was like, you should go.
This is probably why lifehas been hard for you, son.
You were meant to be anentertainer go to California.
Larry (08:21):
Your mom.
That's amazing.
Louie the Singer (08:23):
I, Yeah, my mom has always had my back, but it's been hard
because we grew up together and it'skind of like a, almost like uh, she
is my mom and I'll never like try to
be outside
of that, but it's like almost like a
a big sister that is your mom.
At the same time.
Larry (08:37):
Is
she Mexican American?
Louie the Singer (08:38):
Mm-hmm.
Larry (08:39):
I don't know one person of Spanish descent at all
Mexican or anything that wouldn'tjust be like Ay Dio's Mio!
You're not leaving me.
Not at all.
You'll never leave me.
You'll never ever leave me.
The fact that she let you go?!
Louie the Singer (08:50):
You my mom is not being funny.
Like is the opposite of atraditional Mexican mom.
Like know how the Vato's that have theirmom and they could just run to mom.
He's
never wrong,
and the girl has to deal with that.
I'm the opposite.
My baby mamas and my mom ride together,
You
know,
what I'm saying?
For real, like straight up.
But honestly.
I like it like that.
You know why?
Yeah.
Because I'm not always gonna be here.
Yeah.
And if I'm not, I'd ratherthem get along, you know?
(09:12):
and It does suck because she takesa lot of her stuff out on me that
dealt with my dad and my family.
In one of my songs, like we had abig argument in the family about it.
In
Just Be Me it says, "Even my mamacan't stand the sight of my face."
I put that in the record a weekafter she told me in my face,
I can't stand the sight of
Larry (09:28):
Wow.
You were able to receive these things.
Louie the Singer (09:30):
At the time.
I wasn't.
I was broke.
I was like, because I always toldher, I was like, you judge me
'cause you think I'm him, I'm not.
And she told me, she was like, Idon't think you look like your dad.
I think you look like your Uncle Freddie.
And I can't stand his fucking face.
And she would, no, she wasangry, like hitting me in my face
while telling me.
And you know, she scratches at, my,she was, my mom was real violent.
Yeah.
And you know, we're open about itnow, and like God's changed her
and definitely moved a lot in her.
(09:51):
And she is a perfect exampleof like, you're never too
old to like figure shit out.
'Cause she's a daily like prayer she'sa daily blessing of like, she's the
type of woman that'll wake up and admither flaws and be like, I fucked up.
Yeah.
And even though she's fuckedup, she ain't really told me.
And she'll admit it, but she'sone of those I fucked up But...
you know?
Yeah.
And That's why it's so hard.
But on
the cool, like my dad was, hadhis flaws too, you know, so I
(10:13):
can't really hold her to him.
And the truth is, bottomline, out of everything.
All I got is, her.
Yeah.
So I gotta love.
her while I have her.
Larry (10:21):
Yeah.
So when did music enter yourlife with all of this stuff?
Louie the Singer (10:24):
I don't remember a day without it.
You
talking about professionally,like my a career or
just like, wanting to do it?
Larry (10:28):
I mean like, you had a rough childhood.
You had a childhood an upbringing,that you could have gone a lot
of different ways, and you did.
It sounds like you were actuallya well-rounded individual.
The tough stuff, the streetstuff, all of the stuff that
could get you into trouble,maybe did get you into trouble.
Obviously did at some point.
But there's another side to it.
You weren't just all of that.
Louie the Singer (10:46):
I was a funny kid, I was the goofy kid, man.
My guys will tell you from the hood, likeLouie ain't really like wild like that.
Just don't piss him off.
Just like the next guy.
But I come from that,so I take shit serious.
You know?
I'm not
a wild, I wasn't a wildgang banging crazy Vato.
Did I run around with it?
Yeah.
I, You know, I ran up, I did whatever.
It don't matter, But all I can say is.
(11:07):
I was
a happy person and I think thatthat's what made me act out is
because I couldn't be happy.
It was just my surroundings weren't that.
Right.
And like I, I've talked about inprevious interviews, like, man, maybe
that's our curse as artists, we canonly give you the art and make it
real if we really go through it.
Larry (11:22):
Yeah.
"People who wade into discomfort andvulnerability and tell the truth about
their stories are the real bad asses."
That's a quote from BrenéBrown, my hero, by the way.
I know you're a badass because I canjust hear the way you speak and the way
you carry yourself, and I've listenedto your music, but I appreciate the
fact that you're also a feeling person.
You have vulnerability, youhave courage beyond, yourself.
(11:43):
Meaning you have courage to know yourself.
And so music, when were you writingsongs and what were you writing about?
Were you writing about things thatyou thought you should write about
because your experiences werejust what your experiences were?
Were you diving a little deeperinto the courage, the vulnerability,
maybe the anxieties that you have?
Did that come at all inyour earlier days of music?
Louie the Singer (12:06):
Man music
with writing didn't actually startwith music, it Started with poetry.
Larry (12:10):
Wow.
Louie the Singer (12:10):
So my artist name used to be Louie EVOL.
It was
love spelled backwards.
Larry (12:14):
Louie EVOL.
Louie the Singer (12:14):
Yeah.
And
Larry (12:15):
That's sexy,
Louie the Singer (12:17):
You know, it's
funny.
I've never heard it like that.
I've always had people belike, what the fuck is that?
Larry (12:21):
Louie EVOL.
Are you kidding me?
I'm
Louie the Singer (12:22):
I know, right?
That doesn't, well, I was 19,it didn't come off that cool.
At the time, it was like,Hey, yo, Louie EVOL.
You know?
It is like, Oh, that's cool.
Like now you give it some, Barry
Larry (12:30):
Barry White.
Louie the Singer (12:31):
So Barry White.
You're right.
Yeah.
Give it some Barry White Louie EVOL.
I see it.
No, That was the name.
And
Larry (12:35):
So you were writing poetry and you were saying what, how old?
19?
You were
Louie the Singer (12:38):
I was 13.
at the time.
12.
Yeah.
So
I
would write the word EVOLat the bottom of every poem.
Because
I
would go to these slams reallyearly on, and these people would
talk about their lives, right?
And
I
would talk about mine,but it wasn't happy.
It was the opposite of theirs.
It wasn't love.
So I wrote love backwardsone day on a piece of paper.
And every poem I would just keep writing
love
backwards on it.
(12:58):
And
the writing came fromthat, and it stemmed from.
not
even really wanting to share itwith people, but the fact that
writing something down and lettingit be here was no longer here.
And I learned that, I guess earlyon and then I, it's really weird, at
like 11 and 10, I was writing likethese little book movie scripts,
I don't know what you call it.
was like Antonio in San Antonio,nine years old, wanted to die.
I don't even know why.
(13:19):
I was already wanting to write likemovie scripts and stuff like that
and just be involved and stuff.
Just wanted to be outof the world I was in.
Larry (13:24):
Do you remember a verse or a passage?
Louie the Singer (13:27):
I don't,
Larry (13:27):
You wrote when you were younger?
Louie the Singer (13:28):
I don't, but what's funny is I found the notebook
that was in a pile of stuff,like with Nemo, like a lot of
my homies have passed away whenI was younger like all of their
pictures and stuff like that.
But no, I don't, it's kindof cool that I don't though
either.
Larry (13:39):
It's funny 'cause EVOL almost sounds like EVOLVE and if you were
to look into a mirror into your life,the EVOL will turn back into LOVE.
Which is something that you've done withyour songs because you, have a record out.
You have songs, you have music.
So let's jump ahead a little bit.
Okay.
So you were writing poetry
and then you were also creating music.
(13:59):
Were you recording songs?
Louie the Singer (14:00):
Man, I'm in high school.
I'm already in trouble.
I'm in and outta
juvenile hall at
14 years old.
I'm trying to figure things out.
I'm at the afterschool program, thegang intervention program for the
Boys and Girls Club when I'm like
Larry (14:11):
Gang intervention program?
Yeah.
At the Boys and Girls Club.
Louie the Singer (14:14):
Yeah.
So the Boys and Girls Club
has a
program called coming up in the evening.
Mm-hmm.
It's a gang intervention programfor the kids to keep 'em off
the street that I grew up in.
Yeah.
And uh, Brian,
uh, at
the time that worked there, heactually ran the boxing program.
I would get on the mitts with himand break dance there because I grew
up boxing at the Diamond Hill Rec.
So I knew all these guys inthe neighborhood and they
had a recording studio in the
Rec.
Larry (14:33):
What?
Louie the Singer (14:34):
Crazy part it just, It was ran by Alfredo Parra,
who was only a year older than me.
And when we meet in the room, weironically went to alternative.
school together three years before.
Wow.
And so I would go break danceat the Rec as a teenager
and
I would just jump in the booth.
I mean, we didn't really knowwhat much what we were doing.
We know how to record you know, whatever,
But
that's where like just the craftstarted building, wanted to write
better and just wanted to do music.
(14:54):
Like, It was just fun, But
in high school, like is when the musicstarted, because I was the funny guy.
Like I always had, but Iwasn't the quarterback.
Right.
So getting the girl was never easy.
It was like they alwayswanted the quarterback.
And not being funny in high school,being the bad boy, especially going
to, like, having to go to so manyschools wasn't always a good thing.
They're like, that guy's trouble and thenthe worst part is the girls that like that
you're doing more dumb stuff to impress'em, and then you're in trouble again.
(15:15):
So it's a, it's a revolvingdoor, but I found the median.
And I remember watching Jamie Foxxon TV one time and he was so funny.
But when he got fancy,he played the piano.
So when he sits down, he plays this piano.
He
became this other guy
and
when he did, the women looked at him.
different.
I said I want that.
I want that.
And I remember
wanting that.
And then eventually becameinto like, this is who I am.
(15:37):
I love
this shit so much.
Like I just want to sing.
I just want, sometimes I loveit so much I get nervous.
They're like,
you know how to do this andyou love, this is what you do.
Maybe that's why I get nervous'cause I love it so much.
Larry (15:49):
Well it's funny 'cause people put the mask on in order to go on stage.
I grew up watching Kiss.
You know what I mean?
So, hey.
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (15:53):
They, yeah.
Larry (15:54):
Real showman stuff.
Louie the Singer (15:55):
I become the guy.
You know, I gotta, you gotta turn it on.
I'm, I'm just a regular person.
Right.
That's why I have to turnit on when I go on stage.
Larry (16:00):
But, the true you comes out, you take the mask off and it's scary
I remember now thinking back I'mwriting songs called like Love Cave.
I mean come on.
how stupid is that?
It's just, it's juvenile and Iwish I could say I was nine, but
I wasn't, you know what I mean?
Louie the Singer (16:14):
Love Cave
Larry (16:15):
Love Cave.
Because I was afraid to show who I was.
I was afraid to just be, 'cause Ididn't know, I didn't go on the journey
inward.
And man, sometimes you gotta hitthe wall in order to go inward.
So let's fast forward.
You did prison time, you got introuble, you were already playing music.
They knew you could sing, I read alittle bit about your story, right?
(16:36):
How long were you away?
Louie the Singer (16:37):
Just
a couple of years.
I caught my charge in 2017.
Went down,
the
next year.
and got out in 2020.
Larry (16:42):
Okay.
So at the time that you went in,did you think you knew yourself?
Louie the Singer (16:46):
Hell
no.
I didn't even know what wasgonna happen the next day.
It wasn't like I turned myself
in,
they raided my grandma's house.
And
so
it was just like a wake up call man.
And God, it was just the worstexperience of my life, aside
from losing my close ones.
Like, I just remember sitting therelike, dude, you fucked this up.
What are we doing here.
I
was, in prison.
I'm watching Becky Ggive an award to Cardi B.
(17:09):
And Leon Bridges on the commercial.
Both of these people were inmy vicinity and within proxy of
me while I was pursuing this.
Leon Bridges was my backupsinger when he first started.
He had His first time on stage was withme at the House of Blues in Dallas.
Larry (17:20):
What year was that?
Louie the Singer (17:21):
2011.
Larry (17:22):
What was music that you were doing that he was your backup singer?
Louie the Singer (17:24):
Was doing R&B music and there was a free show at
the House of Blues in the main room,
and
the co headliner at the time wasa friend of mine that rapped.
And he actually put me on his show,but he put me on his show because,
you know, I was the one bringingthe girls and stuff like that.
He was just an older guy that was,kind of fading out with the music.
And I had Leon sing behind me, withmy buddy John Gonzalez And then
Octavian
(17:45):
was on the piano.
And that's how I knew Leon.
He used to work at the Rose Cafebehind my, apartments, And so I
would take him, I would take him
home too.
But I knew him.
And then Becky had me, had thesame manager when I was 18,
when I lived in California.
So
I knew her and her family, and justseeing all them on TV while I'm in prison.
I thought it was over.
Larry (18:02):
You thought it was over.
So then what happened?
What clicked?
What changed?
What did you do?
Louie the Singer (18:07):
Really, I remember putting, doing a song
about my dad when I went to prisonand it was a country record.
It was called Glad I'm Home.
And when I got out, I did anotherone called I Do It Anyway.
And It was literally weird becausewhen I posted it, it went viral
on TikTok because they were like,he looks like a North Houston
rapper, but sounds like Kane Brown.
And at first I was like,oh, this is stupid.
Like I don't wanna do this.
And then the numbers shot up
(18:28):
because they were like, yo, you're likeKane Brown, but like a lot like an Ese.
And I'm like, What, What's the problem?
They're like, nah, that's cool.
And I'm
Larry (18:35):
You see?
Louie the Singer (18:35):
So it was always just me being myself, 'cause I wanted
to always do this and just pursue it,
right?
But
the
discouragement of being Mexican American,
and being told that Nashville wasn't gonna
like
me or like what I am.
If
I keep being me, they're like, nah,that's never gonna be accepted.
And I'm like, you know what?
At this point I ain't never been accepted.
Right.
So I'd rather be unaccepted inmyself than accepted and not myself
(18:56):
because I'm never gonna be happy.
And there's times where I'm stillwake up and I'm like having to tell
myself like, why are you complaining?
You're never fucking happy, dude.
Yeah.
Put yourself in the fucking corner.
Larry (19:04):
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (19:05):
And think the shit out.
Larry (19:06):
I wanna talk a little bit about, some of your songs before this record.
You did a song called Alcoholicfrom Country My Way in 2022.
And it really resonated with mebecause it was deeply personal, you
said, "I don't wanna be an alcoholic.
I don't ever wanna letthem call me by that name.
It's not my name no more."
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (19:24):
Yeah.
Larry (19:25):
Coming to the table with a song and being this vulnerable
and singing something like that,
because I quit drinking.
I was a raging alcoholic.
And so this really spoke to me becauseI was the party guy just like you.
I was funny.
I was awesome,
but I was not awesome.
I wasn't
good to anybody becauseI wasn't good to myself.
And so you, started digging deeperinto the country music realm,
(19:47):
right?
Yeah.
How does that feel?
Louie the Singer (19:50):
I mean, it was never a, and again, it wasn't an intention to
make a record or like a viral song per se.
It was literally just to vent toliterally like, let it all out.
It was a story about myself and my father
all in one.
And, um,
I had got into an incident thenight before and, um, I had to
have a family member pick me upunder a bridge, This is 2021.
(20:13):
I, I'm already, a year outta prisonand I'm still fucking up and I don't
remember, I black out whatever.
And the next day Iforcefully put myself in AA.
And I went to an AA meeting.
Yeah.
And I saw somebody that I knew.
She was there because of, uh, probationor whatever and we talked afterwards.
She says, keep coming.
And my sponsor it wasan older guy named Gary,
and
Gary talked to me.
He was like,
I
(20:33):
know you're, you're kind.
I was like, what does that mean?
He was like, I used to be like you.
He said, them hands look likethat happened pretty recent.
He said, is it all right?
I said, yeah, I'll be all right.
He says, I'm talking about the other guy.
So we became friends after that.
I remember the worst part was I wantedto share what I learned with my dad.
Larry (20:51):
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (20:51):
Yeah.
But it was too late.
I felt like if I'd have learnedwhat I learned, you know, and I beat
myself about that too, like, man,you could have been a better son.
Like I drank with my father.
We did wild shit together.
Yeah.
You know, he was 17 when I was born.
It's just a different relationship.
He was a little rougher.
He grew up rougher and he wasthe youngest of his brothers.
I was taught, you gotta problem fix it.
Somebody's in your way move
him.
Larry (21:11):
Yeah.
Louie the Singer (21:11):
That's not how you live life, man.
Because that's not gonna getyou nowhere, but in a box.
And then who's gonna take care ofyour kids when you're in that box?
I've already been thereand I'll never do it again.
So I think where I get joy now out of itis what I did learn and I can't teach him.
I can teach my sons.
Larry (21:25):
What I see in your journey is that, you were really going through these
changes in your life because youwere seeing yourself, you were
really seeing yourself, and youwere being honest and vulnerable.
And it's so hard to be vulnerable
because vulnerability is strength
vulnerability is courage.
And as a man, especially as a Latino man.
We're just not allowed to do it.
(21:46):
The world, society, ourparents, our loved ones.
You're weak if you're vulnerable, right?
And I've told this story a few times.
I've, interviewed Veterans that havekilled people for our Country and
they say vulnerability, weakness?
They looked at me like I was nuts.
And I said, please explain.
They said, I couldn't do what Idid, I couldn't be as strong as I am
if I didn't have the vulnerabilityand the courage to know who I am.
(22:11):
And you being able toreach deep down inside.
I applaud you for that because thisis a world now where so many men
are feeling so powerful becausethey feel like they can, like you
say, knock somebody out of the way.
There's a difference and adistinction between I am power.
Right.
Or I have power.
And in order for me or you to havepower, somebody else has to be powerless.
(22:32):
'Cause it's a game that way.
And very rarely are welearning to be empowered.
Louie the Singer (22:35):
I
think it's scary because alot of people are like that.
But
some of us get to the point wherethey're scared because they do
know what they're capable of.
And then once again, you'restuck being in that box again.
I have walked away and I've beenthe whole in the situation multiple
times over the last couple years.
'Cause guess what?
I get to go home.
Yeah.
And I didn't hurt nobody.
Yeah.
Nor did I get hurt, I
don't know, I just wish I could tellyounger me that, but at the same time
(22:57):
if I didn't, I wouldn't getto help out everybody else.
you know?
Yeah.
The Curse
part.
Larry (23:01):
Well, you're right that's what gets me to the next part.
Do you feel a responsibility?
Now I've met you, what, 10 minutes nowwhatever this is 27 minutes I've known
you, but I've seen people come in and outand there's a reverence and there's a love
for you, and obviously you're at a, major
record label here.
And I can just tell by your face,I think I'm pretty good at this.
You're a good guy andyou got a good heart.
(23:21):
I just appreciate people that haveexperienced all of it and can then
funnel it and channel it through them.
And look It's not easy.
It's not like you're aSaint, you're not Superman.
Dad wasn't Superman.
Louie The Singer's not Superman.
But you have Superhuman powers.
Louie the Singer (23:36):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Larry (23:37):
And at this point now, I do believe your journey, I mean, your new
album, One For The Hometown, CountryMusic with your flair, your style, right?
It's as American and it's also as Mexican.
It's got it all.
It's a gumbo because that's what thisCountry is, folks, in case you forgot, It
feels like You're in a period of comfort.
You know who you are.
(23:59):
And now you're able to give backbecause you're not trying to grasp,
I want this and I want that one tolove me and I need them to love me.
And now I need these people who love me.
I have to be white for the whitepeople that have to be Mexican for
the Mexicans and all these things.
You really sound and you feel,and I can tell because people
treat you with the respect.
And that is a responsibility.
(24:21):
Yeah.
To be a man that says, I am me,for better, for worse, all the
good, all the bad, all the scars.
Take
me for how I am.
But I am mindful of you, I am mindfulof those around me, and, I applaud you.
Tell me a little bit about what it'slike for you now to deal with, the
younger cats that are coming up.
To your friends, to your family.
I mean, you have a responsibilityand you look like you wear it well.
Louie the Singer (24:42):
It is a big one.
I've
seen so many cats come up inthis industry, or coming up
right now that hit me up, man.
Louie, you're opening doors for us.
And I'm like, Man.
Don't...
I'm like,
oh.
But also, it's one of those things,man, to be honest, like I am not Freddy.
I'm not Rick Trevino.
I'm not Johnny Rodriguez.
I wish I was that great.
I'm just different, You know?
And I think this is the firsttime that this is happening.
(25:05):
So they're ready for me to act up.
They're ready for me to.
No,
they are man,
Larry (25:10):
When you say act up, sorry.
Louie the Singer (25:11):
Act like the Mexican, they, think I am.
or Mexican that they know I can act likeif, they, if I ever feel disrespected.
Just like the next man.
so I know walking intothese rooms, there's
gonna be times where I'm tested ortaunted or told I can't be in a green
room because other artists is thereand I know the moment I act out,
I just gave you what you wanted.
But the only thing I'm gonnado is give you one thing
that you know, you don't want.
I'm gonna go on that stage anddo everything you can't do.
(25:34):
Then I'm gonna get off and
I'm gonna get off and I'mgonna tell you, Hey, good show.
good seeing you.
And then I'm gonna walk by man, becauseI know that a lot of these Mexican kids
ain't gonna get no love after this.
And the moment they shut thatdoor because of me, I gotta tell
them I fucked it up for all of us.
Yeah.
So if I go in there
and
I do what I gotta do and Igo home, the job's not done.
But it's definitely
(25:54):
starting.
Larry (25:55):
Yeah.
Wow.
Maya Angelou has a great "Mymission in life is not merely to
survive, but to thrive, sorry.
And to do so with some passion, somecompassion, some humor, and some style.
If you don't like something, change it.
If you can't change it,change your attitude."
You remind me this quote, I, I searchedfor like an hour to get this quote.
(26:18):
'cause I was like,
Louie the Singer (26:18):
That's so crazy.
Larry (26:19):
this is you.
Louie the Singer (26:20):
You know what I tell people all the time, I've never
heard that, but I always tell people.
They're like, man, you'renot worried about it?
I'm like, nah man.
If you lose and you worryabout it, you lost twice.
just accept the L
and keep going, you know,
Larry (26:29):
You're
saying something very poignant.
It's like I get mad at myself for doingsomething and then I'm angry at my anger.
Louie the Singer (26:35):
Yeah.
So you think about that and yougo back and go, not gonna get mad.
Yeah, no.
Like me and the guys are like that.
Especially on the road, we look at eachother like, it's one of those days, right?
You go "Get the fuck away."
Yeah.
And it might not even be me.
It might be one of the guys in the bandIt's like, I'm just gonna go over here.
and stay quiet.
I'm like, all right, cool.
Go do your thing.
Yeah.
You know?
But we all get there.
Larry (26:50):
I'll tell you, I'm a New Yorker, man.
I mean, I'm born andraised in New York City.
Louie the Singer (26:53):
Oh yeah.
What part?
Queens.
I got
People from Flatbush.
Larry (26:56):
Right
on.
And I lived in Flatbush.
And so when I first came downhere, I was in a Country band.
I was the Jewish drummer, youknow, I mean, yeah, I was, I
still am, in a Country band.
And we would tour the country, theywould be like, don't bring any of
that old Obama shit from New York.
You know, like as racistas can be, and I'm a white
guy, I mean, I'm a Jewish guy,
they don't like me, you know?
I get it.
But the New York in meat any given second.
(27:18):
You wanna fucking talk, man?
Louie the Singer (27:20):
There you go.
Larry (27:20):
You wanna get down?
There you go.
You wanna get loud?
I will be louder than you.
I will be, brash.
I will bowl you over.
I'm like five foot seven.
Nothing,
Louie the Singer (27:27):
Yep.
I feel I'm right there with you,
Larry (27:29):
And I have a mouth on me that won't quit.
And it's, a badge of honor for menow because I can pull it out and
it's, it's great at parties, right?
Louie the Singer (27:36):
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Larry (27:37):
What I get now is, Hey man, talk New York to me.
Louie the Singer (27:39):
Talk New York
to And I'm like,
I'm walking here.
Larry (27:42):
yeah, like right there.
Me, no, give something more.
And I'm like, dude, whydon't you shut the fuck up?
Yeah.
More like that.
And now that I'm getting mad, 'cause I'm
mad.
Louie the Singer (27:49):
He's more New Yorkers coming out.
Larry (27:50):
More New Yorkers coming out, more New York, if I'm like,
maybe do I go to their mother?
Nah, don't do that.
Louie the Singer (27:53):
All right.
Your mother is
Larry (27:55):
Yo.
Louie the Singer (27:55):
Hey yo son It's brick outside, you
got a problem?
I got, I'm telling you,
I got people from,
Flatbush, bro.
It's funny 'cause the saying,you're saying it has to do with
the New York rapper I grew upon 50 Cent real heavy and Yeah.
He had said this quote that I had beensaying for years, but I couldn't get
it worded right and he said it right.
"I don't ever want a problem, butif there's a problem,No Problem."
Larry (28:12):
No problem.
Woo.
Louie the Singer (28:14):
Like, man, you summed it up for me, brother.
Thank you.
Larry (28:16):
That is fantastic.
What's it like now?
So you have your recordout, you're touring, do you
have an entourage with you?
Do you have a big band?
I mean, like.
That's part of the responsibility.
You're a family oriented person obviously,
and you are taking care of yourselfand you're also taking care of others.
What's it like?
You're on the road, there'speople that love you.
I'm sure crowds are selling out nowand they really, I mean, look at
(28:38):
your smile as I was saying that.
What's it like?
Louie the Singer (28:40):
Man, it's surreal.
I mean, in the beginning we had securityreally just becau to kind of help
with events and structured things andlike line up stuff and da, da, da.
I Kind of keep certain things.
'cause I was getting, you know.
uh,
groped,
licked.
Everything you could
think of at meet andgreets and there was that.
And then it got to the point wherethey're having to barricade our RV just
to walk outta the venue three hours
in the middle of the nightafter, in Denver, Colorado.
You know, we get all this on footage,so we tell people like, this is what
(29:03):
it is.
You know, we can't figure it out.
You know, he is not ontv, he's not on the radio.
We don't know, you know?
But the guys help out driving.
So the Flores Brothers they're
security and Big Lou, they all drive.
They help out so much.
Locardo's Part of the band.
We got a full piece band.
I mean, there's 10 of usat minimum on the road.
And that's for a show.
Everybody has a job, I'mgonna be honest with you.
Ever see a bunch of Vatos with me?
I'm not the kind of guy tohave guys just standing around.
(29:24):
Everybody has a job andthey get the fuck out.
But everybody here doesso well at helping me.
I wouldn't be able to do noneof this without people like of
course listen, Jackie, but thewhole squad that rolls with me.
I've got two RVs that run around with me.
Right.
With my photo, everything on it,you know, we do the whole nine.
I purchased those out of myown hard earned touring money.
You know, I own both of those.
So we hit the road.
(29:44):
And we go.
We have another Merchcompany running out now.
But like, I mean, I'm at a majorlabel and I'm still getting
to orchestrate the way I want.
That doesn't happen.
I
sat and this, actually,Chris Pérez sat right here.
I sat in this chair with a room fullof executives and when we left that
meeting, it was one of my big ones.
Chris's exact words,when we're in the lobby.
I've never seen that in my 30 years.
This is Selena's husband.
(30:05):
I've never seen that in my life, Louie.
You stood up and I did.
I stood up right here and for 20minutes I told them exactly who I was
who I'm gonna be and whoyou'll never make me.
And they loved it and acceptedit, and I said, I'm home.
Wow.
Here We are.
You know, You change anything?
The people are out.
I would be,
Larry (30:21):
Because it's not authentic.
Louie the Singer (30:22):
Yeah.
But not only that, Mexican Americanswe're hardheaded and we're the first
one to say, ah, you changed, later.
Yeah, I would leave too.
Yeah.
You know, but no, man, I want, that'swhy I'm saying if I don't change up and I
keep it me, everybody else has a chance.
Larry (30:34):
Wonderful.
Do you take care of yourself on the road?
Louie the Singer (30:36):
Yeah.
And that's another thing too.
We just had, I had a conversationwith my guys, which is another one I
love to smoke, don't get me wrong, butlike the drinking, I told 'em, I was
like, we gotta slow down starting now.
Larry (30:44):
Do you drink?
Louie the Singer (30:45):
yeah, hell yeah.
but
I can finally control myself.
You know, when I say, Hey,we're going back by 10 'cause I
got interviews in the morning.
We're
back by 10.
This is a real career now.
Larry (30:52):
Boundaries.
Louie the Singer (30:53):
We're all grown men, man.
My, my boys out theremarried, got kids and shit.
Some of them.
We're grown men on the road, you
know, and not, in a bad way.
We don't do the female thing.
I don't trust women like that anyway.
I
don't trust homeboys on theroad, all this other stuff.
You know, like
I
got my homies, we cool.
You know what it is?
It's love.
I keep it moving.
I'm not, the craziestmotherfucker in every city.
And guess what?
They got crazy peopleand wild shit going on.
Just do your little music,Louie and keep on moving,
(31:15):
you
know?
Yeah.
Because, you know, mycrowd is a little urban.
It is a little bit morestreet and I'm cool with that.
But everybody's working on theroad and everybody's got a job
So, 10 people on the road and twoRVs heading across the country.
Man, you it doesn't get more fun.
Yeah.
It's Music, dude.
Larry (31:27):
Yeah.
As a man, being vulnerable androlling with a crew, do you
feel like men in general need to
talk a little bit more and need tobe able to share their feelings?
You're an artist and you're asongwriter and you write these
songs, and you don't need the mask.
You roll with a bunch of cats.
Do you feel like a responsibilitythat we could do better just in
general as a population of men?
Louie the Singer (31:48):
Yeah,
I mean, with me it's all guyspretty much, except for the merch
team, you know what I'm saying?
Like man,
we're all very vocal with each other.
Larry (31:54):
Yeah
Louie the Singer (31:55):
Hey bro.
man,
lemme holler at you.
Hey, so start doing...da,
da, da.
Alright, cool.
Hey, y'all need tofigure this shit out man.
Everybody cool?
Oh
no, it's misunderstanding bro.
Ed.
alright, cool.
You know, just get someshit out, you know.
Like my Al JT Campos,very, very dope actor.
In prison my favorite show was hischaracter Boaz from Queen of the South.
And we became friends afterwards andhe's one of the guys that will just sit
there and vent to me or I'll vent to him.
And we're homeboys, you know,come from a similar background.
(32:17):
Sometimes we just gotta ventbefore we go do something stupid.
Larry (32:19):
Yeah.
I love that.
You know, it takes different forms.
There's not one way tobe good to yourself.
Yeah.
Do you think you're good to yourself?
Louie the Singer (32:26):
I am.
My horse would say so.
He probably gets, every time I walkin, he's probably like, oh, here he
Larry (32:29):
comes.
Your
horse?
Louie the Singer (32:30):
Yeah.
it is.
like, It's been a long day.
My horse probably knows me morethan anybody I've talk to him
Larry (32:33):
You talking about a real
horse?
Louie the Singer (32:35):
Yea
buddy.
Oh
Oh
Larry (32:36):
Where's your
horse?
Louie the Singer (32:37):
In Texas.
Larry (32:37):
Oh.
Louie the Singer (32:37):
Up at the ranch.
Larry (32:38):
Your horse knows you better than anybody.
Louie the Singer (32:39):
Than anybody.
I just did a meet and greetfrom my hometown show with
him.
Larry (32:42):
Wow!
What's his name?
Louie the Singer (32:43):
Buddy.
Larry (32:44):
Mm-hmm.
Oh, here's to Buddy.
This show goes out to
buddy.
Hey buddy.
Cheers.
That's fantastic.
I got a couple of questions for you.
My speed round.
You ready?
Louie the Singer (32:51):
Okay.
Alright.
These are timed answers then?
Larry (32:53):
Eh, not really.
Louie the Singer (32:53):
Yeah.
So to speak.
Larry (32:53):
I edit this.
Louie the Singer (32:54):
Gotcha.
Larry (32:54):
What fascinates you?
Louie the Singer (32:56):
Music.
music.
Larry (32:57):
That's great.
What angers you?
Louie the Singer (32:59):
Slow people.
Larry (33:00):
What do you mean?
Louie the Singer (33:01):
Man, and I hate to say it because I'm like,
impatient.
and
I'm wired different.
But people that just can't keepup, like, it's like, dude, now I
understand why there's workers, there'sbosses, there's people in between,
and there's people above me that are
making
the bigger dollars and they're smart, you
Larry (33:14):
know?
Louie the Singer (33:14):
Can just sit down and make what I have to make
running
around.
But yeah, people that are slow.
Larry (33:19):
I always thought the same thing, especially because I'm a New
Yorker and I drive like a maniac.
So if I'm yelling at you, it's becausethere's a New Yorker behind you.
But then I get next to them and it'slike an 84-year-old woman from the
south,
you know what I mean?
And I'm like, oh, I'm so sorry.
Louie the Singer (33:32):
Oh dude.
It's the worst man.
Larry (33:33):
I gotta check my head on that.
Louie the Singer (33:34):
My grandma used to get the middle finger
every five minutes growing up.
I'm like, man,
it
was so common with her bad driving.
I thought it was a friendlygesture by the time I was nine.
I'm Looking over like,oh, you know him too.
She's like.
I guess.
Larry (33:46):
That's great.
What brings you joy?
Louie the Singer (33:48):
My family.
My
Larry (33:49):
Yeah.
How many kids.
you
Louie the Singer (33:50):
got?
I got four beautiful boys.
and If I had a daughter, the worldwouldn't know until it was time.
Larry (33:55):
That's great.
If you had a magic wand and youcould fix something, fix one
thing, change it, make it better,
just make it the way you'd likeit to be, what would it be?
Louie the Singer (34:02):
Nothing.
Larry (34:03):
Nothing?
Louie the Singer (34:03):
Nah man.
In my life, nothing because I'malive my family's healthy and
everybody's safe.
You know, I don't want tojeopardize, maybe and you know, a
a butterfly effect, you fucked thatup and things might not go well.
And Two,
you know, changing anything else inthe world, man, that's not my position.
That's God.
bro.
Oh
Larry (34:17):
Oh, that's good.
All right.
Now here's the heavy, deep one.
Toilet paper over or under?
Louie the Singer (34:24):
Over I guess.
Larry (34:24):
Yes.
Thank All right.
You're a
sane human being.
Good you.
That's a big
ding.
Okay, I have a quote here from Alan
Cohen
from The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore.
" Our strengths lie within us, andit is only our permission that
can activate their expression.
Our problem is not that weare weak, but that we do not
believe that we are strong."
You
sir, blow me away with your strength,with your vulnerability, with your
(34:46):
passion, with your compassion.
Your record is great.
I listened to the whole thing.
Great songs, Country music as itshould be because it's honest.
And
you wrote all of the songs There's
co-writers?
Louie the Singer: There's two out of eight. (34:57):
undefined
Two of 'em I completely
wrote by myself.
Yeah.
And then the other ones, Yeah.
co-writers, amazing co-writers.
Larry (35:02):
Yeah.
Rob Hatch wrote one.
Louie the Singer (35:04):
Yeah, Rob.
and also Joe
Ragosta they were on.
They're from New York.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's
cool right?
Yeah, absolutely.
I seeing
Rob man.
Joe.
Joe is funny.
man, those guys are, those guys are funny.
Larry (35:13):
Louie The Singer.
Your album One For TheHometown is out right now.
Everywhere!
You are on MCA, your recordwas produced by Nick Bailey.
Thank you for taking the time andjoining us here, the Just Keep
Talking podcast with me, BrotherLove, because Your Story Matters.
Thanks brother.
Thank you, man.
All
right.
Brother Love (35:30):
You can personally support this show simply by clicking
the tip link in the show notes.
The Just Keep Talking podcast is nowavailable on all podcast platforms.
Please like, share, and subscribe.
Visit our website atwww.justkeeptalking.com,
our YouTube channel@JustKeepTalkingPodcast and
Instagram @theJustKeepTalkingpodcast.
(35:51):
Thank you so much for supporting theJust Keep Talking podcast with me,
Brother Love, because your story matters.
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