August 21, 2025 • 50 mins
The Journey of Adam Shoenfeld: From Side Man to Solo Artist - Just Keep Talking Podcast
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In this heartfelt episode of the Just Keep Talking podcast, hosted by Brother Love, renowned Nashville guitarist, songwriter, and producer Adam Shoenfeld shares his fascinating journey through the music industry. From humble beginnings in New York to playing on over 500 albums and touring with country superstar Tim McGraw, Adam opens up about the highs and lows of his career. The discussion delves into his role in defining the modern country music sound, his personal battles with anxiety and mental health, and his transition to becoming a solo artist. Adam also reflects on his family's impact on his musical trajectory and the fulfillment he finds in creating music. This episode offers an authentic glimpse into the life of a musician who has significantly influenced country music while navigating personal challenges and growth.
#mentalhealthpodcast #yourstorymatters #musicianlife #adamshoenfeld #brotherlove #katiecook #faithhill #songwriter #dad #touringguitarist
#musicjournalism #beseen #beheard #belong #guitarplayer #bigandrich #timmcgraw #nashville
00:00 Introduction to Just Keep Talking Podcast
01:40 Meet Adam Shoenfeld: Guitarist and Producer
02:39 Adam's Journey in the Music Industry
03:34 The Impact of 'Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy'
05:23 Songwriting and Collaborations
06:59 Life in Nashville and Music Business Insights
09:41 Creating and Producing Music
14:28 Adam's Solo Career and Personal Reflections
26:33 Introduction to Jenee Fleenor
27:04 Working with Katie Cook
29:00 Balancing Family and Music Career
30:13 Touring and Session Work
33:22 Struggles and Anxiety
37:11 Therapy and Recovery
41:18 Current Projects and Future Plans
47:20 Speed Round Questions
49:27 Conclusion and Farewell
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker (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 are really not so differentfrom one 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 Talking podcast with me,Brother Love, because Your Story Matters.
Larry (01:32):
Hello and welcome to the Just Keep Talking podcast with me, your host
Brother Love, you know your story matters.
I am so happy to be hanging out with thissuper famous cat named Adam Shoenfeld.
Hello,
Adam Schoenfeld (01:46):
super famous in my own mind, baby.
That's right.
Adam
Larry (01:49):
Adam Shoenfeld.
Let me get the Google out of the way, isa professional guitarist, a songwriter and
producer based in Nashville, Tennessee,primarily focused on modern country music.
His guitar playing has been featuredon over 500 albums and is closely
associated with Big and Rich's Save aHorse, Ride A Cowboy, and Jason Aldean.
(02:09):
You Sir, are currentlyon tour with Tim McGraw.
You've been in that band since I.
I believe 2012.
That's right.
Great to see You
Adam Schoenfeld (02:16):
too brother.
Larry (02:17):
Thanks for having me
Adam Schoenfeld (02:17):
glad you're here.
Larry (02:18):
Thank you.
You're building a studio in your home.
This is what happens in Nashville.
You go to somebody's house ifyou're lucky, and you walk in and
especially if it's a musician,you see the instruments or
of records and stuff.
You are full on building a studio in
Adam Schoenfeld (02:31):
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Me and my dad have beenframing the heck out of it.
Larry (02:35):
That's so
Adam Schoenfeld (02:35):
Almost there.
That's yeah.
I think we can get itdone in a couple months.
Larry (02:39):
You and your dad, so you're originally from New York.
You were born in Huntington?
Yep.
Long Island.
Adam Schoenfeld (02:44):
My parents grew up in east Northport.
Larry (02:46):
I grew up in Queens, the gateway to Long Island.
Adam Schoenfeld (02:48):
then
Larry (02:49):
And then you lived in Jersey,
Adam Schoenfeld (02:50):
Yeah.
they, They.
moved to Jersey when I wasyoung, when I was three.
But grew up going to Long Island tosee my grandparents all the time.
Every year.
A couple times a year.
Sorry to hear Grew upgoing to Yankee games too.
But to me, I didn't know the.
bad stuff about LongIsland that people say,
but
it's still great.
Larry (03:07):
No, it's, it is great.
It depends.
I mean, it, look, it's new,
it's New York.
It totally has its thing.
I can make fun of Long Islandjust because I'm from Queens.
So many of my friends, I alwayswas spending time on Long Island.
And when I meet somebody from Long Islandor Strong Island, there's a kinship.
You are a Yankees fan, so youunderstand what winning is like.
No, it's okay.
(03:28):
You, because you are a winner in life.
You are an absolute winner.
So let me just get right to this.
You As a guitar player, you are the guitarplayer on Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy.
Is that correct?
Adam Schoenfeld (03:40):
I am.
Larry (03:40):
You are.
Like Back in Black when somebodyhears the first few notes of Back
In Black or Detroit, rock City, orI mean name any Beatles sung, just
any song that is famous when somebodyhears the first few chords of Save a
Horse, Ride a Cowboy, Big and Rich.
That is you.
Adam Schoenfeld (03:58):
It is, That
was my first time on the radio too,
with
that song, like National Radio.
I had had songs with bands, youknow, Lightning 100 stuff like that.
But that was the first.
time it was like, oh,this is worldwide baby.
Yeah.
Larry (04:12):
So what year was that?
2000, 2004 or five.
Yeah, because I moved to Nashvillearound 2000 8 0 9 and I was in
a band called Her & Kings County
and we came from New York andI wasn't even playing drums.
I was doing my thing BrotherLove, singer songwriter
Adam Schoenfeld (04:28):
as you should have
Larry (04:29):
know.
Thank you.
And I filled in on drums.
Because I knew the band's music.
I lived with the producer
for a time while he made the record.
So he was like, we need adrummer to play Arlene's Grocery
in New York on like Thursday.
And it's like Monday.
And I'm like, dude, I lived with you.
I know the songs and I'll, I'lldust off the old drumsticks.
Yeah.
Adam Schoenfeld (04:49):
Yeah.
Larry (04:49):
And I had a great time playing drums
And I
thought, this is so cool.
And somebody came up to me andsaid, wow looks like you had a
good time playing with this band.
Congratulations, you'regoing to Nashville.
And I thought, what thehell are you talking about?
Why would I go to Nashville?
I'm a Jewish kid from Queens.
Why would I go to Nashville?
And then I thought, this is odd.
And I went up to Caleb, the band leader,producer, who worked on all my records.
(05:11):
We'd been friends for years
and I was in support ofanything that he did.
'cause he's a really talentedguy and he was a close friend.
And I said, are we going to Nashville?
And he was like, do youwant to go to Nashville?
And I thought, sure.
Adam Schoenfeld (05:22):
What year was that?
Larry (05:23):
2008 ish, I think we drove, we came down here, had to showcase it.
Dan McGinnis
and there was a management company there.
And there was, booking agent.
What was it?
Lee something,
Adam Schoenfeld (05:35):
country booking
Larry (05:36):
they're rather big, mid-level, booking agency.
Anyway, point is, theysaid, can you play covers?
We'll get you out on the road right away.
We said, sure.
So Buddy Lee.
Buddy Lee.
Adam Schoenfeld (05:47):
Lee attractions.
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah.
Larry (05:49):
So we thought, wow.
Went back to New York, put an ad inthe, in the Village Voice found Alex.
Adam Schoenfeld (05:54):
Haddad,
Larry (05:55):
Yeah,
we got to Nashville, went ontour, and you know what song
we played every single night?
No.
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.
can't escape it.
And anywhere we go, you always hear it.
Would you want to escapesomething like that?
Well,
yes and no.
Right?
Like,
I'm
glad that it established thiscareer for me that whole time.
Yeah.
(06:15):
And those group of songs thatJohn Rich and Kenny were writing.
Mm-hmm.
You know, I'm glad about it, but I think,
I
feel like it pigeonholed me
for
several years the guy thatjust plays power chords.
Right.
In country music, butcountry music, yeah, go on.
But, but that actually is what kindof like that rock edge is what?
(06:37):
Kept me getting hired over and over.
Yeah.
And over again.
know, so it was a good thing.
And I, I wouldn't be where I'm at withoutit, so no, I don't want to escape it.
But sometimes you go in your mind,you know, I can do other things.
Right, right.
I can play like on a Lucinda Williams.
Record.
I don't need to be on,
you
don't need to call me.
Just when you want Go to, go, go.
(06:59):
You know?
Yeah.
Okay.
But that was the sound of country music.
You, sir Adam Shoenfeld, you were thesound people were playing and because it
was like metal, that was the part that Icouldn't understand because I'm like, this
is called quote unquote country music.
This sounds to me like everybody I grewup with that played metal and figured out,
(07:20):
you know what, I'm gonna go to Nashville.
And somehow or other thatbecame the sound of the time.
Yeah, it was interesting because.
You know, John and Kenny, John Rich.
Big Kenny Muzik Mafia are part of that.
All friends and, Kenny and I hadLovejoy, which is a rock band right.
prior to Big and Rich.
He kind of wanted to make it Bigand Rich, you know, and we were all
like, dude, this is a rock band.
(07:42):
We don't want
no
offense to John and Troy, butwe don't wanna, Black Rapping
Cowboy and a Dwarf in our band.
yeah.
We don't want a circus.
Kenny saw this vision.
And we all quit.
Not necessarily because of thatreason, but we all ended up quitting.
And it was within six monthsthat Kenny called me and said,
me and John got a record deal.
You know, in my head I'm like,of course, as soon as I quit
(08:02):
something, there's a record deal.
Right.
You know?
And that's usually how itworks my life, you know?
Not that my success is anythingto, you know, snicker at, but Yeah.
But it was like the record dealstuff usually would happen right
after I, you know, ducked out.
Yeah.
But anyway, they wanted meto play on their record.
I said, guys, I don't play country music.
And they said, that'sexactly why we want you.
(08:24):
Wow.
And that's what carried me through.
You know, John, a lot of thoseriffs people think I wrote.
Mm-hmm.
I just played.
of those riffs, not all of 'em,but John wrote, and John Rich.
John Rich wrote those riffs andyou know, like for instance,
Jason
Aldean's first record, Iplayed mostly acoustical.
Right.
But I brought my aunt because wewere doing the song Hick Town.
(08:46):
Yeah.
And Knox
knew he
wanted it to sound like the demo.
When you say Knox, Michael Knox.
Michael Knox, the producer.
And he had Kurt Allison and JackSizemore who were Jason's Road
guys at the time at On Electric.
Adam Schoenfeld (08:59):
And
Larry (09:00):
They could absolutely play the part.
Yeah.
You know, but it didn't soundexactly like the demo And that's
what Knox liked was, that sound.
Well, I had the fingers,the amp, the guitar, and the
pedal that played on the demo.
So that was the last thingI did on the first record
was it.
Hick Town.
Yeah.
And
that cemented from then on, itwas just me and Kurt on electrics.
(09:21):
Wow.
On all the records.
On all of Jason Aldean's.
Yeah.
So there's been like.
one or two songs where for somereason I couldn't be there and
I think Rob Mcnally filled in a
couple things.
But
yeah, it's, it's prettyinteresting that Ride Man.
Do you get called todayfor Jason Aldean's records?
I've, on everyone.
Everyone been part of everyone,
so he's another one.
(09:41):
We opened up the band I was in, weopened up for Jason Aldean and we
were playing, Hick Town we played allof the songs that you made famous.
And it was nuts for me becauseit was fun, because it was rock.
I was playing drums and singing, Isang Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.
in fact, at the Bridgestone Arena, wehad played in front of Montgomery Gentry.
(10:01):
Then I thought, well.
I guess I'm into this 'causeI loved Montgomery Gentry and
then I found out later that allof that Jeffrey Steele stuff,
and when I listened to JeffreySteele's demos, they are the exact
replica, like the record was thereplica of Jeffrey Steele's demos.
Right.
He
did some great demos.
He did some, yeah.
And he's a fabulous writer.
(10:22):
I cut
Adam Schoenfeld (10:23):
a
Larry (10:23):
a bunch of his songs with an artist named Mark McKay.
Yeah.
Mark's more of a,
consider him like amodern day Jackson Brown.
Oh yeah.
You know, that's, and,
But a little more rocking.
Yeah.
And, know, he always, he loves Jeff andhe's always bringing me Jeff's songs.
Yeah.
Have you ever been in the situationwhere you've seen a band playing one
of your songs, just like Save a Horseor anything, and you know, the guitar
(10:46):
player's not playing it correctlyand you're like, Hey, got a tip for
you, Sonny, or, Hey, young, person.
Excuse me, miss.
I mean, have you ever done that?
I've,
I've never had that thought.
I mean, I've definitely heard bandsplaying the song and I've, you know,
but I've never like really critiqued it.
What's the tuning of Savea Horse, ride A Cowboy?
To be completely honest with you.
(11:06):
Yes, sir.
Please, come on.
I can't remember.
If we did drop D or notbecause live, I didn't do drop
D because I just hammered on
the
second fret of the a and D string.
And left the E open
think on the record thatE Open, I think, yeah.
That's how we played it.
I think John and I couldbe completely wrong.
(11:27):
Like if John heard this, he might belike, dude, it was totally dropped.
Right.
You know?
But I think he did drop D liveand I did the other one, so we
had that rub of the, the low E.
Wow.
I'm pretty sure, you know, itwas just the e ringing, you know?
Yeah.
But the, the higher notes of the chord.
Wow.
The fifth and the ok.
Doing the, going down tothe D chord and Right.
Hammering on the EI don't know.
(11:47):
I, I might, that's how we did it live.
Yeah.
Or I did it live.
Yeah.
So did you get along with both of them?
I know, oh yeah.
Yeah.
Big Kenny, you, you worked withhim sort of a little bit more.
Yeah.
And John Rich is, is a real character.
I mean, they're both characters.
They both have their own legend.
Yeah.
And they, they really built somethingMuzik Mafia, like Gretchen Wilson,
my wife got to play withGretchen Wilson a bunch.
(12:08):
And I love hearing the stories.
I always rooted for her because she'sjust so down to earth and badass.
And I love Big and Rich, you know,like there's politics that came later
on and it's all nutty and whatever.
It's all nut.
and Gretchen was awesome.
That was the first video I was in.
Yeah.
I played on the demo of RedneckWoman, but not on the record.
Wow.
She's,
She's always awesome.
I did a lot of demos for herbut yeah, man, John and Kenny.
(12:29):
Both good to me.
You know, but I wouldalways get made fun of that.
I was the, and
know I was the go-between,oh if there was any friction.
I was kind of like the diplomaticcommunicator between the two of them
sometimes.
The musical diplomat that's in your bio.
I remember being at John Rich's houseand, I was pretty amazed, because, so he
(12:49):
built this house on, is it Love Circle?
And people were pissed.
So folks, there's a, little area, there'snot a lot of like, really pretty views
necessarily in like Nashville City proper.
I mean, it's such a cool town, but there'sthis place called Love Circle, right?
And, and there's some beautiful viewsand John Rich just Plopped a big
compound and really pissed a lot ofpeople up, blocked a lot of people's
(13:12):
sunshine, is Yeah, yeah, exactly right.
So like in the morning, JohnRich is out there throwing
money, you know, Hey, is better?
And people are like, no, no, no.
We, we, we would rather have the sun.
But I remember being in his house becausethe band I was in, the, main, writers
of the band, We're getting ready towrite with John, and it was just cool.
He had us over and I rememberthat he had a really cool, bar
(13:33):
in the, elevator of his home.
And I thought, this guy's my kind of guy.
Yeah.
You know, he's, and I, Ijust thought, this is crazy.
And we were upstairs andon the roof is a pool.
And then.
We went downstairs and there's a club,he has this cool club and he's smoking a
stogie and he's got just people around.
By the way, he had a baby,like he just had an infant.
(13:54):
And like the kid is nowhereto be found, thankfully.
'cause he we're in a bar in his house.
Yeah.
And I thought this kid's gonna growup around some really cool stuff.
Yeah.
And we're at the bar and I do recalllooking up, I'm in a building, I'm in
the top floor of this bar and I look up.
And I can see the peopleswimming in the pool
because the floor of the pool is a glassceiling that looks down into the club.
(14:18):
And I just looked up and just sawpretty women just swimming by me.
And I I love this place.
Nashville is amazing.
Yeah.
And they were very sweet and JohnRich was very to us and very kind.
You've been involved in this musicbusiness on the level of just
being a real, you're a taste maker.
I mean, you are the sound youare the sound of what Nashville
was and that's a sound that bythe way, it doesn't just go away.
(14:41):
People are listeningto your stuff forever.
Yeah.
Which is cool.
It's still out there and it's still,
it's
still an element to Yeah.
you know, blending those tones.
I couldn't get people to come visit fromNew York back then in 2000 10, 11, 12.
Nobody would come and visit.
I'm like, you don't understand.
And I would play them your music.
I'd say, this is country music, man.
You know?
They'd be like, this is country music.
you're ob It took a turn man.
(15:02):
Yeah.
You're obviously more, and thingshave evolved and changed or devolved,
however the hell you wanna look at it.
But you're also, you'rea fantastic writer.
I mean, you co-wrote, MississippiGirl Song of the Year.
Right.
Number one hit for Faith Hillco-written with John Rich.
So come on.
Number one song.
That was interesting, man.
And I honestly have big Kenny'sname for that because John,
(15:25):
we were on the road, right.
And John had the idea for the song.
went to Kenny and we were openingfor McGraw and Faith was out there.
You were opening for Tim McGraw.
Wow.
She's looking for songs he's
recording.
What year was this thatyou guys were opening up?
Five.
Oh five.
And,
John goes to Kenny to write the songand Kenny said, I don't feel good, man.
Go write it with Adam.
Wow.
Thanks Big Kenny.
Yep.
Wow.
So you wrote the song.
(15:46):
That year.
And was it the f how long?
How long from the, it wasn't very long.
Right?
Man, I feel like it was amatter of like six months.
And that thing was on the radioand it was, I tell everybody,
they're like, what was it like?
And it was like, me it was mystery.
Like I wrote the song with John,obviously he had a bulk of the idea.
Mm-hmm.
Melody and the title.
(16:06):
helped him with some lyrics.
Yeah.
And I think the first time we sat downmight have been a total of 30 minutes.
And then we took another 20minutes sitting at a picnic
table at another venue.
Next thing I know, we'resomewhere I forget where it is.
I always recognize it when I get there.
playing it on this grassy hill.
We're parked on the bus.
I'm looking up on the grassy hill, andthere he is playing the song for Faith.
(16:27):
Right.
And he comes on the bus,he's like, she loves it.
She's gonna, she wants to record it.
And of course in my Brains,I'm going, whatever.
Yeah.
Because when we finished writing the song.
I wasn't a country writer.
Yeah.
You know, I was dabbling, I kindof came out of it thinking, well,
that was an interesting exercisein writing a country song.
And I didn't really think any,I was kind of indifferent.
(16:48):
I didn't think it sucked, but I didn't
yeah.
It was awesome.
And he comes and saysshe wants to record it.
I'm like, really?
Okay.
Wow.
Oh, okay.
It's, she's recording it and they'relike, oh, it's gonna be the first single.
I'm like, whoa.
Adam Schoenfeld (17:00):
I'm like,
Larry (17:01):
Wow.
Then it's like, it's gonna be number one.
I'm like, nah, and boom, there it was.
You know?
It's like, wow.
That just happened.
Wow.
I was, I'm luckiestsongwriter in Nashville.
Wow.
And by not chasing after it.
Yeah.
You know, I mean, obviously look,sometimes we just don't have a choice.
You go into a co-write, that'swhat happens here in Nashville.
(17:22):
If you're listening, folks,people write music all the time.
You get into a room with peopleyou don't know, or people you
do know, you write by yourself.
And a lot of times it's like,okay, hey, nice to meet you.
If you're the artist, and I'ma writer, it's like, all right,
well what are you looking for?
What do you need?
Right?
And it's sort of like this kind of chase.
Well, I'm looking for, hey,
and you know what?
The chase was for years.
Well man, we gotta write,Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.
(17:44):
You know what I mean?
Then you realize the business of itall, then you just see the carbon
copycats of everything, right?
You see a million songs thatsound like the Faith Hill song.
But you were just there beingpresident in the moment.
Yeah.
And my next cut, it wasn't a singleeven, but it was a Jason Mm-hmm.
Jason Aldean.
Yeah.
the funny thing that happened was, KnoxMichael had me set up to where I was
(18:06):
about to sign a publishing deal with Peer.
That was when he startedworking with Peer.
Before he was kind of like the bigdog there, but he was getting there.
then I decided, I'm going on the roadwith McGraw and when the LA office heard
I was doing that, they're like, well,when's he gonna make time to write?
Adam Schoenfeld (18:22):
You
Larry (18:22):
Yeah.
Because they want peoplewriting all the time.
Yeah.
So I didn't get that publishing deal.
know, you keep all the money.
Well, a short couple months afterI didn't get that publishing deal,
I get a cut with Jason Aldean.
Wow.
You guys.
You know, it's like, whatever, you know?
I don't know.
Songwriting is
an
interesting beast.
I did, I chased it for a while.
Yeah.
What was that like for you, likethe difference in your mindset
(18:44):
because you had the taste.
I mean, look, you started outwith a grand slam home run.
It was difficult becauseyou start out that high.
Yeah.
I might never, ever, and probably won't.
With the odds probably won'tmatch that again, you know?
I focus more on guitar playing.
I did chase it a bit, butthen I got to later in life
where I'm like, you know what?
(19:05):
write what I want to write.
Yeah.
The only time I really writecountry now is with my artist Todd.
Yeah.
Todd Cameron.
But other than that I'm writing for me.
You know, or for whoever I'm sittingwith, if they're country, yeah.
Cool.
But I'm not, I'm not chasing that anymore.
Interestingly enough, I.
(19:25):
Write this song out on the road from mylast year with Sean Fichter, the drummer.
McGraw and Deano Brown, fiddle player.
Kind of my buddy co-writers outthere and, write this EP and
rewrite this song called Rise Up.
Mm-hmm.
I know there's been a lot of that songout there, that title, but it's just cool
to Imagine Dragons kind of thing and.
Deano just plays it for Tim.
(19:46):
Just wanna tell you whatwe're up to, you know?
Yeah.
When Tim's like, I'm gonna cut that.
Wow.
Proof that you can write what you want.
He's cut it.
It's recorded.
know if he's ever gonna put it out.
And you need to be in theroom with Tim, you know?
Well, and yeah, and I was,I was on the record, right.
So he cut, he wants to cut my song.
I'm on the record recording, andmy hero, Michael Landau ends up
(20:06):
shredding and trumping my guitar solo.
With his own
guitar solo on it.
So it's my hero playing on it.
So it's like a trifecta for me.
It
will only get better ifhe actually releases it.
So this has been, recorded,what was the name of that ep?
Splitting Adams.
Right?
Splitting Adams.
And so when did this happenthat Tim cut this song, Rise Up?
This was like last year.
(20:27):
So you don't even know, so Timis he putting a record out soon?
Do you have any inclination?
We just recorded another record.
Do you ever go, Hey, we recordedthat with the last batch, right?
The last record.
So the last record cameout without it on it.
Okay.
Still sitting.
You recorded another record.
Wow.
And still waiting to see ifit's gonna be on that one.
Right.
Or if he's gonna do somethingelse with it, you know?
He's been playing it, , as thelast song before the lights
(20:50):
out song to the audience.
Oh, so you're playing it live?
No, not live.
Just the recording before the lights out.
So before the song comeson where they boom,
Oh, the room goes, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Coming on.
Right.
So.
And of course people, if they Shazam it,if they're out there going, that sounds
like Tim, they're not finding it right.
Oh yeah.
You're so close on that.
Like, oh, come on man.
Yeah, come on.
(21:11):
There was another songseveral years before
Tim wanted to cut.
Right.
A little jazzy thing.
It was a little different.
Mm-hmm.
It was a band record he was doing,
I get a call from Deano.
This is before I'm in the band, right?
I get a call from Deano who goes,Hey man, we're, we're rehearsing
your song for the session.
Yes.
Yes.
And they go in the studioand apparently they
try cutting it, but it didn't make it.
(21:32):
Wow.
has nothing to do with Tim or
Deano,
Adam Schoenfeld (21:35):
but
Larry (21:35):
It's a crazy business.
The band, I was in HER and Kings County,we had a song that was not written by
anybody in the band, and we cut it.
And we made the video for it and wewere like, this is gonna be awesome.
And we got the call that The Band Perrywas taking it and we're like, no, no, no.
Wait, it's on hold.
Right?
If you hold something, youhave something, you have it.
And it was like all the writerscalled the lawyers and everybody
(21:56):
said, look, nobody knows who youguys are, but we're on Warner Music
Nashville.
Right.
Espo do something.
You know?
And it was like, it just.
Me too.
And it just vanished.
And it was Better Dig Two.
It was a song that wasa huge hit for them.
And
the video was the exactsame video that we shot.
Like it was exactly like, whoa.
we, we were a very creative band.
(22:17):
Like, you know, this was the onesong we didn't write, but visually we
were, wild and crazy from New York.
We took what you guys were doing.
Adam Schoenfeld (22:24):
Mm-hmm.
Larry (22:24):
With the rock sound and we just continued it and we didn't
chase that, so we really fit in.
We were like, great Drop d no problem.
We understood the rockinfluence of things.
And it just fit us.
And that's why we got signed.
We got signed.
You really helped pave the way your sound.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
And then we got dropped, butno, and thank, thank you.
(22:45):
You're
welcome.
Thank you.
So, alright, so fast forward.
So you're a side man you're amusical diplomat in your world, but
then you put out your own music.
Your debut solo album, AllThe Birds Sing co-produced by
your wife.
Yeah, Katie Cook, a very famous person.
I,
read that this was an unabashed,evocative, and broad musical look
at his love of family and friends,your love of family and friends.
(23:07):
Most people, I like to say you have yourwhole life to write your first record.
You've had a pretty cool damnwhole life before your first record
because you know, a lot of timesour first record, you're 18, your
22, your maybe 30 or whatnot.
This record is so good.
Adam Schoenfeld (23:21):
Thank you.
Larry (23:22):
It's so good and yes, there's all of the journey of you into this record.
And what was it like to finally, I mean,oh God, it, it was amazing because, I
had written plenty of records And plentyof groups of songs through the years
and recorded it, but I never, neverhad the confidence to get behind it.
(23:42):
I'd
Do it and then it would sit and I'dbe like, yeah, that stuff sucks.
Adam Schoenfeld (23:45):
sucks.
Larry (23:45):
You know, anxiety comes in all forms.
Anxiety, fear, whatever you call it.
I wasn't a great singer admittedly,but I also had friends that
weren't afraid to tell me that
and kind of jab me a little bit.
I love those guys dearly to this day.
But, you know, I'd had reasonsfor this anxiety and stuff.
And when Katie and I got together.
(24:06):
gave each other this confidence in music.
Nobody had
ever really given us, it startedour musical journey together.
Started with Sun Katwith our stuff together.
We started dating.
We were, thinking of getting married,And all of a sudden we start, we
tried writing some songs together.
quite hit anything that real.
Then all of a sudden
(24:27):
naked in bed one one night with mandolin
boom, I hit something we writelike five songs in two weeks and
we're like, we got something here.
Wow.
So that was the first, the clue in.
And you know, I startedwriting this record
and
I had to have her be a part of it becauseher musical background as far as what she
(24:49):
listened to, is so much cooler than me.
Oh yeah.
And.
I believe that other peopleshould produce your records.
I mean, there are geniuses out therethat are crazy and can sit in the
studio, and I could probably do it,
I'd rather have an opinion from somebodythat's actually the listener and can,
when I had that doubt and say, no.
(25:10):
Right.
It's awesome.
Leave it like it is.
Or, if you do this, it couldbe that much better, you know?
And she gave me that confidence and.
it was the first time in my life I didhave that collection of songs where I
was like, I don't care what you think,I believe in every word of this record.
(25:30):
Wow.
And every word of that record had meaning.
Integrity.
So, you know, whatever.
If you don't like it, you don't like it.
But I am so proud of it.
And I have another one I'm working onthat's similar, you know, but it's.
Adam Schoenfeld (25:41):
It's,
Larry (25:42):
more songs that I just wrote and they might not even be about
something, but they sound like they are.
Right.
Well, so what was it like,you have all the success in,
you know, 2006, 7, 8, 9, 10.
you were also nominated for like,what is it, the guitarist of the year?
Yeah.
For the a CMA.
Yeah.
Like several times I got,I never won, but whatever.
Yeah.
To get on that list inthis town is just an honor.
(26:03):
That was like.
Maybe six or seven times.
Yeah, I've been on the, The second roundof Musician of the Year on CMA awards.
Right.
In fact, I just found out todayI'm on the second round ballot.
Congratulations.
Which is narrowed down tolike 15 or 15 musicians.
I'll vote for you.
it's gonna be Jenee Fleenorthis year, as it always is.
Paul Franklin Award for yearsand the Mac Mcanally Award.
(26:24):
And now think it's gonnabe the Jenee Fleenor
Award she deserves.
Adam Schoenfeld (26:27):
Yeah.
Oh God.
She's
Larry (26:28):
If you don't know who she's, she plays fiddle I'm like, do you
play the violin or the fiddle?
And she's like, I do both.
But on this occasion, it's fiddle.
She's
awesome.
You know, and honestly,
You're gonna go, oh, shut up.
But I don't deserve to be on that list.
I'm a good player.
Yeah.
I bring something to the table.
Yes, I know how to play guitar, butthe other people that are on this list
could play technical circles around me.
(26:50):
Right?
If you want to get.
You know, get detailed right
on that list.
But you're so dreamy.
You're so good looking.
And on stage next to Tim McGraw.
I don't know.
I mean, you know, oh, sign me up.
Yeah.
know, but Jenee Fleenor, I met Jenee,because she played with Steven Tyler.
Yeah.
And my wife was thedrummer for Steven Tyler.
And, you know, working with your spouseat the time when you made this record,
(27:14):
you were married, you and Katie Cook.
Katie Cook is a very famous person, right?
CMT cmt.
Yeah.
She had a record deal.
Years ago with a band calledReno, you could find A, Whole
World was this song by Reno.
Wow.
You
could find it on YouTube.
It was so super cool.
Yeah.
So you get along when youwork together in the studio.
Yeah.
I mean, there's always times whereshe might come down and I think I
(27:34):
just worked on a whole bunch of stuff.
Right?
And she comes down and prettymuch is like, I don't like that.
I don't like that.
I think you should do that.
And I'll be like, kind of huffingand puffing, like, all right.
You're a television star.
What the hell do you know?
Adam Schoenfeld (27:49):
Well, no, it's just,
Larry (27:50):
I'm kidding.
No, it's, it is just, youknow, that deflation of Yes.
Oh, I was into this and Igot, she comes down and she
gives me her view on it andthen she'll walk back upstairs.
'cause she's not the kind of personthat wants to sit there and listen to
a song over and over and over again.
She catches things she likes or dislikesreal quick and she'll go upstairs and I'll
be kind of deflated and then I'll be like.
Adam Schoenfeld (28:10):
Oh,
Larry (28:11):
Damnit, she's right.
Yeah.
All that work I did the lastthree hours and she's right.
Right.
That's great.
I just trust her.
You know, she's got an ear for a song.
Wow.
And can write a song.
I mean, and she's.
it's in
her blood.
That's so cool.
You know, her dad was one of thebiggest songwriters of all time.
Who's her dad?
Roger Cook.
Oh.
Little song called, Teach theWorld to Sing by the World a Coke.
(28:34):
gosh.
Long
Cool Woman in the Black Dress.
Oh my gosh.
You know, stuff like that.
Wow.
A couple of songs.
She grew up around it.
Yeah.
She grew up around, you know, her andher dad and John Prine were best friends.
Wow.
You
know, so she grew up around it all.
That's so cool.
She grew up sitting Atthe bar at a young age.
At Gold Rush.
Well, her dad was having fun.
(28:54):
Gold Rush was amazing.
We could smoke, we coulddo drugs, we could drink.
We did it all at the Gold Rush.
Yeah.
Obvious.
So I, my wife and I work togetheralso, and I'm a drummer first, right?
And she married a drummer from Queens.
Her dad was A drummer from Queens.
I never knew her dad.
But we work together.
We're very New York, right?
We both yell at each othervery, very quickly, very easily.
(29:16):
And when I write the songs, if Iwrite the songs that we're working
on, a lot of times I play drumswhile we write for Them Vibes songs.
Yeah.
And so the rhythm of the drumsand the rhythm of the vocal
means something together.
Right.
There's a relationship, so there willbe a reason, 'cause I'm not a great
drummer, but there will be a reasonwhy the patterns are what they are.
(29:39):
Sarah can play circles around me and mostpeople, but there will be times when I
said, when we're tracking, I'm like, Hey,
Honey or babe or Sarah?
I said, drummer.
Hey, hired person thatis not getting paid.
No.
I say, honey, can you play it like this?
Please?
I need you to play it like this.
And more like that.
And there are times whereshe's like, my way is better.
(29:59):
Get the fuck out.
And I go, okay.
Normally you're right
and if she's right, Iwill get the fuck out.
But there are times when I'm like.
Hear me out, you know,hear me out, please.
It is fun.
It is, the dynamic is fun.
But I wanna go back a littlebit to the years, like a
decade where you're a side man.
Yeah.
You're basically thinking,what are you thinking?
(30:21):
What am I asking?
You're, I'm telling youwhat you're thinking.
You're a side man.
You're clearly working on music.
You're writing, let me ask this.
Are you playing on all of the Tim McGrawrecords while this is all happening?
Didn't start playing on anyTim stuff until the last
couple records.
Okay.
So you were playing in theband, you're touring like crazy.
You guys tour like wild.
(30:42):
So the touring for mestarted 2005 with Big & Rich.
You know, that and that,that start of everything.
It was exciting.
and I quit big and rich,because I wanted to, you know,
get
in on the studio stuff 'causeit was happening so much.
Right.
I was that guy.
I was one of the new guys.
There was only a coupleyoung blood guitar players.
Mm-hmm.
It was me, Rob Mcnally and
(31:02):
for
about five years there,there wasn't many others.
Yeah.
Then James Mitchell came along and.
But it wasn't like, now there'sall these, there's a ton
of young, guitar players out there.
Yeah.
But, dude, it was fun.
It was exciting because it's like, oh,people want to pay me to play guitar
and I get to sleep in my own bed.
Yeah.
You know, so I, you know, I comeoff the road from big and rich.
(31:24):
For one year, and then they askedme to come back for another year.
And I, I did it, thank God I didbecause it was a recession, which I
had no way of knowing was gonna happen.
Wow.
But I had work, you know?
Yeah.
And then I stopped, know, forjust a couple years, you know.
But it was so much fun.
I'll bet.
Because I just get to go play guitar.
(31:47):
Yeah.
and
then now its turns and darknesses andchanges and stuff, you know, with life.
And, but it was, it was a beautiful thing.
Wow.
And now to be on this other sideof it where I'm an empty nester.
Mm-hmm.
I still feel 30.
I
still can't stop dreaming of making music.
And I still.
Get paid to go play in frontof thousands of people.
(32:09):
Yeah.
I still get called to go inthe studio and play music that
thousands of people are gonna hear.
Yeah.
I get to go in the studio and play onmusic that somebody's mom's going to hear.
Yeah.
I get to go in the studio andplay on music that's crappy.
Yeah.
I get to go play on music that's awesome.
Yeah.
I get it all.
That's great.
And it's, I, dude, that was my onething when I was in high school,
(32:30):
I remember saying to somebody, Idon't know who, but my dream was.
I just wanted to be able tohave a family make music and
raise my family making music.
That's great.
And it happened, right?
So, how was your headspaceduring those years?
Where you're playing guitar, it's2012 onward, all of these years and
(32:50):
I didn't know that you had recordsout until, I mean, I knew you had
music out, but I thought you hadrecords out like earlier so that you
first record being in 2022 or 2021.
What was your headspace likefor those years that you're
playing guitar, you're touring?
Did you ever have the like, I'll, I,I know I can do this, I wanna do this.
I see it happening.
I could do better.
(33:10):
This is, this is just, I,maybe I'll give up on this.
This, I've done this enough.
I've made enough money whereI could take a year off.
I need to make a record.
Well,
how
deep do you want to go?
I wanna hear your story.
Adam Schoenfeld (33:21):
Well,
Larry (33:22):
Well, you know, I had some dark times.
You know, go out with Tim in 2012.
I had, I.
Adam Schoenfeld (33:28):
I,
Larry (33:28):
You
know, 2012, I start with Tim.
2014 I get a divorce.
2012, when I go out with Tim, I'm ontop of the world as a session guy.
I go out on the road
my ex-wife moved my kids to another state.
So I'm.
on the road, Tim.
Then every other weekend, or everyother a weekend for me might've
(33:50):
been a Monday through Wednesday.
Sure.
I'm going to
see my kids in Raleigh, wherethey're coming here and I'm like,
I'm not working when they're here.
And before I know it, you know,I, I did everything I could
to, make it good for my kids.
Yeah.
You know, all of a suddenthis was a different thing.
You know, this is way different.
This, the guitar didn't matter.
(34:10):
Anymore music didn't matter anymore.
It mattered, but not the way it used to.
You know, this is okay.
All
hands on the deck.
I gotta make sure my kids are okay.
Yeah.
So I buy a little house in Raleighand spent half my last 10 years
going back and forth when I can.
I wish I could havedone it more, you know?
(34:32):
And then the sessionthing at the same time.
Because I'm gone so much,I start saying no to work.
And at the same time, there's
all
these young guys coming into the scene,phone starts ringing less and less
at
this time, especially from guys that Igot used to working with a long time.
And no saying that it wouldn't havestopped ringing if I stayed in town,
(34:55):
right?
And my kids stayed here.
But it's just the way it happened.
long story short, Ifinally get to this session
where audio wise, itwas a little messed up.
Like I could hear my cabinetfrom down the hallway out a phase
with the speaker in front of me.
I'm sat in front of the right side speaker
(35:16):
a thing.
my daughter is here one morenight and I get called for a
double scale master overdub.
Is going in reverse here.
you know, I had been at that point where
I didn't work when they were in, butthis was at a point where I'm like,
I'm gonna have to not always say nowhen they're in and take some work when
they're here visiting you in Nashville.
Like, maybe I can work a littleand they, they're gonna have to
(35:38):
understand 'cause I gotta make money.
and this was the last minute thing.
And my daughter was a little older,so I knew, I figured she could
take it, you know, no big deal.
Dad's gotta go work for three hours.
Adam Schoenfeld (35:51):
Well,
Larry (35:51):
I get there and the whole long story short thing is I shouldn't
have even said, 'cause here we go.
It's not quite the right setupanyway for audio and it's in a place
where I had had a weird experience.
anxiety experience with a producerthat this producer was kind of
an underling of and working for.
(36:11):
And so it was a weird vibe.
And
although I loved the guy thatI was working for thankfully,
and he was a friend.
There were already all these beautifulguitar parts on this recording.
he said, we, we don't know what we want.
We just want somethingdifferent from what's on here.
And I'm like, okay.
And I'm like struggling to find anythingthat's making him go, yeah, that's it.
(36:36):
And, and it just feels wrong sonically.
And, and there's the AC sucked.
And I'm sweating and wow, this is myfirst huge bout with anxiety, you know?
And then he goes, well, whydon't you just replay this part?
And I'm like, part sounds beautiful.
Why would I
replay
that?
I didn't say that tohim that way, you know?
I literally could not putmy hand on the fingerboard.
(36:59):
Wow.
And I went home, I drove home
in
tears.
And I told Katie, I said, I'm never doinganother recording session in my life.
And she said to me, she goes, you know,
you really handled your divorcewell, you know, for your kids,
but you've never dealt with it.
(37:19):
You've never dealt with it.
And I was like, I guess you're right.
She goes, you think maybe youwanna go talk to somebody?
And I went, to, uh, therapy and I gotabout half a sentence in, and then I think
I was sitting in a puddle of my tears.
Wow.
You know, I didn't realize Yeah.
That
I just didn't take care of me.
Yeah.
You know, and I'm notin town as much anymore.
(37:41):
There's other people getting thework I used to get, which is cool.
That's the way it goes in this town.
Yeah.
Hopefully you get to stay in the gamejust enough to just stay in the game.
When you get older, you get less work.
Sometimes you still get the same amount,sometimes you get more and it's ebbs and
flows but when it first started happeningto me, I had all this other stuff
(38:02):
going on and it made everything dark.
I think everybody needs to take a lessonfrom that if they're listening to this.
That gotta take care of yourself.
do it.
trust me, it's not a good feelingwhen you're sitting there as somebody,
a respected musician, and you can'teven put your hand on the guitar neck.
(38:24):
Yeah.
You know, it was, wow.
It was, it was awful.
You know.
And your daughter was at the session?
No, she was at home.
Oh, she was at home?
Yeah,
she
was at home with Katie.
Wow.
Did that ever come to light?
That song?
What You did the work?
I don't even remember.
Right.
Yeah.
I don't think I did anything on it.
Right.
Well, I don't think I playeda note that the kept Wow.
Well, good for you to
(38:44):
take
care of yourself.
No, I just, I I got up and left.
That's the part I left out.
Oh.
I, I told
the producer that wasworking on it with me.
I said, I can't do this.
I said, I've got nothing.
And I packed up and I left.
Wow.
Yeah,
that's, it was weird, man.
That's brave.
It was It's a lot of courage to do that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Good for you.
Yeah.
(39:05):
That taught me a big lesson and it's so,so nice to be on the other side of that.
Yeah.
I still battled with anxiety fora while after that, and I still,
every
once in a while do just alittle bit, and I, I don't think
anybody's immune from anxiety.
I don't think anybody can predict ifthey're ever gonna have it or not.
hope
they don't Yeah.
But it's not, it can be crippling.
Yes.
(39:25):
You know?
now all of a sudden, and maybe it's,you know, different chapter of life.
I'm proud of us for, our kids are great.
Our kids mm-hmm.
Are amazing and they'reonto their own lives.
Daughter's outta college.
My son's going into college.
My stepdaughter's incollege is a choir major.
And, and they're all rocking the world.
Yeah.
We helped get him there.
(39:45):
And I'm like, oh, you're all right.
Yeah, we're all good.
Yeah.
Things
would become fun again.
Oh, good.
There was a time where the phonewould ring or text would ring mm-hmm.
And say, are you available?
And I'd be like, ah, dammit.
I am.
Yeah.
And now,
I'm excited.
Yeah.
and it's beautiful, you know?
(40:06):
Yeah.
It's cool, man.
Yeah.
I'm in therapy as of recently.
You know, it's been years since I'vedone it, but I've been very anxious.
Midlife things have slowed downfor me in a big way, and I'm
like, wow, what is my purpose?
But being able to talkto somebody and to share.
I feel better about all of that.
And it's hard and it'sreally scary because you just
(40:26):
think I got it all together.
I mean, hey, you're the Save a Horse.
Ride a Cowboy guy.
Come on.
When I saw you the firstcouple times, I was like,
holy shit,
this guy's the freaking best.
And thanks, thanks.
Thought you were justthe biggest rock star.
Ah, thought you'd neverwant to talk to me.
Wow.
You know, that's, that'sa form of anxiety.
Absolutely.
Why
would that guy wanna hang out with me?
(40:47):
Absolutely.
And here you are.
Well, yeah.
A little red room, but I and you,I was like, I've known your name.
I've known, you know, and then wefinally got to, meet and talk in
person at the greasy chicken review.
Thanks to Matthew Szlachetka.
That's right.
And I got to dive into yourmusic and your fabulous, you're.
You know, you're really, I I was alittle nervous because you're tall
(41:08):
and good looking and I'm like alittle bit, you know, intimidated
by tall, good looking people.
I think you're sexy.
Oh, thank you.
I appreciate that.
But you couldn't be, kinderand I really root for you.
So you just had somesongs come out, this year,
Being Human, DigitalBrainss and Angel Boy.
Are you back out on tour with Tim soon?
You put music out.
What's it like to put music out for you?
(41:30):
Because at this point in the game,putting music out is like, whatever.
Right?
And I hate to say that or belittle it.
People like, when's ThemVibes, put music out.
Well, Alex, we're workingon his solo record.
I have some music coming out soonthat's kind of like Mental Health.
Afro Pop.
Mm-hmm.
But being Jewish, I'm gonna callit maybe like Jew-Fro Pop you know,
(41:50):
it's like nothing, like anything thatI've ever done, but we're working on
separate things I'm doing this podcast.
But we do have a few singles inthe can, but it's so different
from what it used to be.
It's, and, and to answer your firstquestion, light year with Tim.
light year with Tim,we've got 14 shows left.
Right.
We've only done two.
Right.
As far as the putting the music outfor me, It's something I have to do.
(42:11):
Yeah.
I can't stop making the music.
I don't necessarily have to put it out.
Right.
But I can't stop writing andI can't stop being creative.
That's who you are.
It's just who I am.
That's great.
Honestly, the, uh, songs you mentioned,that was my rock band Digital Brainss,
which kind of, I mean, will always exist,but we're not really doing anything.
Okay.
We've gone in different directions, but.
We've actually come together, um, as therecording band for a guy named Dave Allen.
(42:35):
Producing, he's a fricking awesome kid.
Sounds like Layne Staley And he rocks.
But,
Know, I do the music ' cause
I can't stop.
The ones I put out Iwas like, you know what?
I've got this new record I'm working on
song's about 80% there.
don't know when I'm gonna finish it.
So I started digging back.
Wow.
(42:55):
Cool.
To what I had just, you know, as they sayto keep the algorithm going, you know?
Yeah.
So I can keep my onelistener involved every week.
You have 85 listeners a month.
I looked
well, I was doing my research.
Yeah.
I think they're great listeners.
This, they are great listeners,
but you're very successful, so
Don't
feel sorry for, for Shoenfeld, Adam,
here's the deal, I put outthat song Splitting Atoms,
(43:16):
McGraw cuts
the song.
So to me it's like, I'mgonna put this stuff out.
don't know who's gonna hear it.
Right.
I don't know if
know some other artist I know is goingto go, oh, Adam has a record out.
Yeah.
Listen to it and go,
I
love that song and it'sall songs I'm doing for me.
Right.
And those songs, you saidthose were leftover Digital
Brains songs we never put out.
(43:36):
Right.
And I called the guys and I said, Heylisten, we're not really doing stuff.
I want to kind of keep my algorithm going.
For my 85 listeners.
Yes.
I said, do you mind if I put these out asAdam Shoenfeld featuring Digital Brains?
So those have been just kindof stuff, you know, coming out.
And then I'm about to come outwith a song called Zero to Hero.
Which is the second version of a,
(43:57):
Song.
But that
recording's from 2009.
for before Digital Brains And I'mon the search for the tracks for the
original version from about 2005.
Wow.
It's a whole different ballgame.
The one that's coming outis like early Foo Fighters.
The original version is like this weird
ELO
meets Tom Petty, just weirdthing, but I have to resing it.
(44:19):
Wow.
I did not sing back then,you know, so I'm digging, I'm
just putting random stuff out.
Yeah.
I have a, an acoustic cover of acertain Ozzy Osborne song that I've
thought about putting out and not.
Not because Ozzy just left.
Right?
Yeah.
I've been wanting to put it out.
Do it.
Please.
(44:39):
know what, I think I'm gonna put thatout and I'm not, it's not, again,
it has nothing to do with him dying.
I'm not trying to, youknow, capitalize on that.
Right.
It's just hear that Sharon,
I think that's fantastic.
I love your records.
So you, have All The Birds Sing.
You had Breadcrumbs For Hope in 2023.
Your music is fantastic and Ijust want to go back real quick.
I played with Maggie Rose, an artist,and we opened up two shows for
(45:02):
Tim McGraw a couple of years ago.
You guys were wonderful.
Thank you so much Touring with Tim McGraw.
You guys eat so well.
Well.
Hell yeah.
Being on tour is reallydifficult and really hard.
I can tell you're a healthy person.
I appreciate the fact thatyou take care of yourself.
Now you've dealt with someanxiety, and, and by the way,
that stuff does not go away.
(45:22):
It comes back, but youseem like a healthy person.
You work out?
Do.
You have a regimen?
Well, lately I haven't.
I've been meaning to get back on it.
Okay.
But a regimen is important.
Yeah.
I fall off every once in a while.
Yeah.
Well, that's, you're human.
I've had get back to the gymon my calendar for the last
few
weeks.
But you guys tour there is agym as part of your touring.
do a full tour.
We got the gym out there.
(45:43):
It's like a gym in an 18 wheeler, right?
I mean, it's its own truck.
I went in the wrong door and Isaw Tim McGraw and all of you
musicians working out like maniacs.
And I thought I better get outta herebefore I get dragged in here because
I was drinking and I was a mess.
So
I left and went to cateringand it was fabulous.
You were all very kind tous and thank you for that.
(46:04):
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's great out there.
I mean, Tim's been a hell of aninfluence when it comes to that.
For example.
You know, I joined him in 2012.
Yeah.
And I think it was 2014 I wasdoing a overdub for a song.
The,
Warren Brothers, I don't think theywere producing it, but I think it was
their song and an artist was cuttingit and Brad was sitting behind me.
(46:24):
Brad Warren, right?
Yeah.
Brad, Brett.
And Brad goes.
Shoenfeld, You got triceps now?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it's really hard to stay in shape.
It's really hard to take care of yourselfon tour, and obviously it's easier when
you are on such a highfalutin tour.
Is it easy to hide out onthe tour with Tim McGraw?
'Cause I know some tours, noalcohol, no drugs, no smoking.
(46:48):
Would it be easy for you, and I'm notsaying you do, to like hide out and sneak
around and like, you know, eat a Snickersbar while drinking a a shot of tequila?
If I
wanted to.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
I'm just curious.
Yeah.
Well, I've been, I've been ontours where it's like, no, nothing.
And I'm like, no problem.
We try to keep it clean outthere, you know, for the people
that don't need the temptation.
(47:08):
it's usually
in private moments or
Adam Schoenfeld (47:10):
Or
Larry (47:11):
when we're rolling.
Yeah.
It's not gonna have any
consequence
on anything.
Right.
You know?
Good for you.
Yeah.
We try to keep it, keep it light.
That's great.
I have questions.
Are you ready for my speed round?
Yes.
Go.
Okay.
What fascinates you?
You, ugh.
Why?
you're a
fricking rock star.
I see you up on stage,dude, and I'm just like.
Adam Schoenfeld (47:29):
like,
Larry (47:30):
This dude is magic.
Thank you.
That's very, I wish I, I wish Icould be that way as a, as a singer.
Oh, I appreciate that.
Thanks.
Well, somebody called me.
I need to, I need some singingwork and I play percussion.
Somebody call me Adam.
Yeah.
What angers you?
pisses you?
Why, not much, Really,
Adam Schoenfeld (47:50):
Hatred
Larry (47:51):
angers me.
Yeah.
Hatred and, division.
Yeah.
Things like that.
Yes.
That angers me.
Yeah.
and
I try to keep that anger lowso it doesn't stress me out.
Well, what brings you joy?
Oh, God, my wife, my kids.
Yeah.
And still writing
songs.
Yeah, singing songs.
Still brings me joy.
(48:12):
Yeah.
If you had a magic wand and you could fixanything in the world, what would it be?
Oh boy.
I'd still have my brother here.
Yeah,
he passed.
85, 9, 14.
I was 11.
May I ask how hit
by a car?
I'm so sorry.
I wouldn't be who I am now.
I don't know who I'dbe, but I'd gladly see.
Adam Schoenfeld (48:33):
you know?
Larry (48:33):
Yeah,
Adam Schoenfeld (48:34):
so
Larry (48:35):
Wow.
Now the heavy, deep questionafter something so beautiful
toilet paper over or under, over.
Of course, you know thereare a lot of maniacs out
Adam Schoenfeld (48:42):
No.
They put 'em under and it's like, no dude.
can't do that.
That's, that's a little extra.
work.
Larry (48:45):
Fantastic.
Adam Shoenfeld, where do we find you?
Because you have great music outand you are an artist unto yourself.
Adam Schoenfeld (48:52):
Adam Shoenfeld.com
@schoenfeld on Instagram.
And adam-shoenfeld on
facebook.
Larry (48:58):
If somebody were to be like, I want that sound.
I need the sound.
Which by the way, Adam Schoenfeld,you have been that sound.
Are you available to
Adam Schoenfeld (49:07):
work?
I'm, I'm
always available.
That's
Larry (49:08):
great.
You're very approachable,which is really great.
Adam Schoenfeld (49:10):
Send me an email, send me a message.
That's
Larry (49:12):
great.
Adam Shoenfeld, Tim McGraw has been verylucky to have you on tour all of the
work that you've done in country music.
I have played songs thatyou have made famous.
You are a fantastic person.
Thank you so
Adam Schoenfeld (49:25):
much.
Thank you brother,
Larry (49:26):
Thank you for having me over your house.
Thanks for tuning into theJust Keep Talking podcast.
Your story really matters, folks.
Adam Shoenfeld, you matter,and I appreciate you being on
Adam Schoenfeld (49:35):
show, Love Brother Love
Larry (49:35):
my man.
Until next time, see
Adam Schoenfeld (49:37):
see ya.
Bye-bye.
Speaker 7 (49:38):
You can personally support this show simply by clicking
the tip link in the show notes.
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Please like, share, and subscribe.
Visit our website@justkeeptalking.com,
our YouTube channel.
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(49:59):
We all just want to be seen,to be heard and to belong.
Thank you so much for supportingmy mission and the Just Keep
Talking podcast with me, BrotherLove, 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
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Together we can inspire, encourage, andenlighten each other to find the true joy
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(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 Talking podcast with me,Brother Love, because Your Story Matters.
Larry (01:32):
Hello and welcome to the Just Keep Talking podcast with me, your host
Brother Love, you know your story matters.
I am so happy to be hanging out with thissuper famous cat named Adam Shoenfeld.
Hello,
Adam Schoenfeld (01:46):
super famous in my own mind, baby.
That's right.
Adam
Larry (01:49):
Adam Shoenfeld.
Let me get the Google out of the way, isa professional guitarist, a songwriter and
producer based in Nashville, Tennessee,primarily focused on modern country music.
His guitar playing has been featuredon over 500 albums and is closely
associated with Big and Rich's Save aHorse, Ride A Cowboy, and Jason Aldean.
(02:09):
You Sir, are currentlyon tour with Tim McGraw.
You've been in that band since I.
I believe 2012.
That's right.
Great to see You
Adam Schoenfeld (02:16):
too brother.
Larry (02:17):
Thanks for having me
Adam Schoenfeld (02:17):
glad you're here.
Larry (02:18):
Thank you.
You're building a studio in your home.
This is what happens in Nashville.
You go to somebody's house ifyou're lucky, and you walk in and
especially if it's a musician,you see the instruments or
of records and stuff.
You are full on building a studio in
Adam Schoenfeld (02:31):
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Me and my dad have beenframing the heck out of it.
Larry (02:35):
That's so
Adam Schoenfeld (02:35):
Almost there.
That's yeah.
I think we can get itdone in a couple months.
Larry (02:39):
You and your dad, so you're originally from New York.
You were born in Huntington?
Yep.
Long Island.
Adam Schoenfeld (02:44):
My parents grew up in east Northport.
Larry (02:46):
I grew up in Queens, the gateway to Long Island.
Adam Schoenfeld (02:48):
then
Larry (02:49):
And then you lived in Jersey,
Adam Schoenfeld (02:50):
Yeah.
they, They.
moved to Jersey when I wasyoung, when I was three.
But grew up going to Long Island tosee my grandparents all the time.
Every year.
A couple times a year.
Sorry to hear Grew upgoing to Yankee games too.
But to me, I didn't know the.
bad stuff about LongIsland that people say,
but
it's still great.
Larry (03:07):
No, it's, it is great.
It depends.
I mean, it, look, it's new,
it's New York.
It totally has its thing.
I can make fun of Long Islandjust because I'm from Queens.
So many of my friends, I alwayswas spending time on Long Island.
And when I meet somebody from Long Islandor Strong Island, there's a kinship.
You are a Yankees fan, so youunderstand what winning is like.
No, it's okay.
(03:28):
You, because you are a winner in life.
You are an absolute winner.
So let me just get right to this.
You As a guitar player, you are the guitarplayer on Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy.
Is that correct?
Adam Schoenfeld (03:40):
I am.
Larry (03:40):
You are.
Like Back in Black when somebodyhears the first few notes of Back
In Black or Detroit, rock City, orI mean name any Beatles sung, just
any song that is famous when somebodyhears the first few chords of Save a
Horse, Ride a Cowboy, Big and Rich.
That is you.
Adam Schoenfeld (03:58):
It is, That
was my first time on the radio too,
with
that song, like National Radio.
I had had songs with bands, youknow, Lightning 100 stuff like that.
But that was the first.
time it was like, oh,this is worldwide baby.
Yeah.
Larry (04:12):
So what year was that?
2000, 2004 or five.
Yeah, because I moved to Nashvillearound 2000 8 0 9 and I was in
a band called Her & Kings County
and we came from New York andI wasn't even playing drums.
I was doing my thing BrotherLove, singer songwriter
Adam Schoenfeld (04:28):
as you should have
Larry (04:29):
know.
Thank you.
And I filled in on drums.
Because I knew the band's music.
I lived with the producer
for a time while he made the record.
So he was like, we need adrummer to play Arlene's Grocery
in New York on like Thursday.
And it's like Monday.
And I'm like, dude, I lived with you.
I know the songs and I'll, I'lldust off the old drumsticks.
Yeah.
Adam Schoenfeld (04:49):
Yeah.
Larry (04:49):
And I had a great time playing drums
And I
thought, this is so cool.
And somebody came up to me andsaid, wow looks like you had a
good time playing with this band.
Congratulations, you'regoing to Nashville.
And I thought, what thehell are you talking about?
Why would I go to Nashville?
I'm a Jewish kid from Queens.
Why would I go to Nashville?
And then I thought, this is odd.
And I went up to Caleb, the band leader,producer, who worked on all my records.
(05:11):
We'd been friends for years
and I was in support ofanything that he did.
'cause he's a really talentedguy and he was a close friend.
And I said, are we going to Nashville?
And he was like, do youwant to go to Nashville?
And I thought, sure.
Adam Schoenfeld (05:22):
What year was that?
Larry (05:23):
2008 ish, I think we drove, we came down here, had to showcase it.
Dan McGinnis
and there was a management company there.
And there was, booking agent.
What was it?
Lee something,
Adam Schoenfeld (05:35):
country booking
Larry (05:36):
they're rather big, mid-level, booking agency.
Anyway, point is, theysaid, can you play covers?
We'll get you out on the road right away.
We said, sure.
So Buddy Lee.
Buddy Lee.
Adam Schoenfeld (05:47):
Lee attractions.
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah.
Larry (05:49):
So we thought, wow.
Went back to New York, put an ad inthe, in the Village Voice found Alex.
Adam Schoenfeld (05:54):
Haddad,
Larry (05:55):
Yeah,
we got to Nashville, went ontour, and you know what song
we played every single night?
No.
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.
can't escape it.
And anywhere we go, you always hear it.
Would you want to escapesomething like that?
Well,
yes and no.
Right?
Like,
I'm
glad that it established thiscareer for me that whole time.
Yeah.
(06:15):
And those group of songs thatJohn Rich and Kenny were writing.
Mm-hmm.
You know, I'm glad about it, but I think,
I
feel like it pigeonholed me
for
several years the guy thatjust plays power chords.
Right.
In country music, butcountry music, yeah, go on.
But, but that actually is what kindof like that rock edge is what?
(06:37):
Kept me getting hired over and over.
Yeah.
And over again.
know, so it was a good thing.
And I, I wouldn't be where I'm at withoutit, so no, I don't want to escape it.
But sometimes you go in your mind,you know, I can do other things.
Right, right.
I can play like on a Lucinda Williams.
Record.
I don't need to be on,
you
don't need to call me.
Just when you want Go to, go, go.
(06:59):
You know?
Yeah.
Okay.
But that was the sound of country music.
You, sir Adam Shoenfeld, you were thesound people were playing and because it
was like metal, that was the part that Icouldn't understand because I'm like, this
is called quote unquote country music.
This sounds to me like everybody I grewup with that played metal and figured out,
(07:20):
you know what, I'm gonna go to Nashville.
And somehow or other thatbecame the sound of the time.
Yeah, it was interesting because.
You know, John and Kenny, John Rich.
Big Kenny Muzik Mafia are part of that.
All friends and, Kenny and I hadLovejoy, which is a rock band right.
prior to Big and Rich.
He kind of wanted to make it Bigand Rich, you know, and we were all
like, dude, this is a rock band.
(07:42):
We don't want
no
offense to John and Troy, butwe don't wanna, Black Rapping
Cowboy and a Dwarf in our band.
yeah.
We don't want a circus.
Kenny saw this vision.
And we all quit.
Not necessarily because of thatreason, but we all ended up quitting.
And it was within six monthsthat Kenny called me and said,
me and John got a record deal.
You know, in my head I'm like,of course, as soon as I quit
(08:02):
something, there's a record deal.
Right.
You know?
And that's usually how itworks my life, you know?
Not that my success is anythingto, you know, snicker at, but Yeah.
But it was like the record dealstuff usually would happen right
after I, you know, ducked out.
Yeah.
But anyway, they wanted meto play on their record.
I said, guys, I don't play country music.
And they said, that'sexactly why we want you.
(08:24):
Wow.
And that's what carried me through.
You know, John, a lot of thoseriffs people think I wrote.
Mm-hmm.
I just played.
of those riffs, not all of 'em,but John wrote, and John Rich.
John Rich wrote those riffs andyou know, like for instance,
Jason
Aldean's first record, Iplayed mostly acoustical.
Right.
But I brought my aunt because wewere doing the song Hick Town.
(08:46):
Yeah.
And Knox
knew he
wanted it to sound like the demo.
When you say Knox, Michael Knox.
Michael Knox, the producer.
And he had Kurt Allison and JackSizemore who were Jason's Road
guys at the time at On Electric.
Adam Schoenfeld (08:59):
And
Larry (09:00):
They could absolutely play the part.
Yeah.
You know, but it didn't soundexactly like the demo And that's
what Knox liked was, that sound.
Well, I had the fingers,the amp, the guitar, and the
pedal that played on the demo.
So that was the last thingI did on the first record
was it.
Hick Town.
Yeah.
And
that cemented from then on, itwas just me and Kurt on electrics.
(09:21):
Wow.
On all the records.
On all of Jason Aldean's.
Yeah.
So there's been like.
one or two songs where for somereason I couldn't be there and
I think Rob Mcnally filled in a
couple things.
But
yeah, it's, it's prettyinteresting that Ride Man.
Do you get called todayfor Jason Aldean's records?
I've, on everyone.
Everyone been part of everyone,
so he's another one.
(09:41):
We opened up the band I was in, weopened up for Jason Aldean and we
were playing, Hick Town we played allof the songs that you made famous.
And it was nuts for me becauseit was fun, because it was rock.
I was playing drums and singing, Isang Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.
in fact, at the Bridgestone Arena, wehad played in front of Montgomery Gentry.
(10:01):
Then I thought, well.
I guess I'm into this 'causeI loved Montgomery Gentry and
then I found out later that allof that Jeffrey Steele stuff,
and when I listened to JeffreySteele's demos, they are the exact
replica, like the record was thereplica of Jeffrey Steele's demos.
Right.
He
did some great demos.
He did some, yeah.
And he's a fabulous writer.
(10:22):
I cut
Adam Schoenfeld (10:23):
a
Larry (10:23):
a bunch of his songs with an artist named Mark McKay.
Yeah.
Mark's more of a,
consider him like amodern day Jackson Brown.
Oh yeah.
You know, that's, and,
But a little more rocking.
Yeah.
And, know, he always, he loves Jeff andhe's always bringing me Jeff's songs.
Yeah.
Have you ever been in the situationwhere you've seen a band playing one
of your songs, just like Save a Horseor anything, and you know, the guitar
(10:46):
player's not playing it correctlyand you're like, Hey, got a tip for
you, Sonny, or, Hey, young, person.
Excuse me, miss.
I mean, have you ever done that?
I've,
I've never had that thought.
I mean, I've definitely heard bandsplaying the song and I've, you know,
but I've never like really critiqued it.
What's the tuning of Savea Horse, ride A Cowboy?
To be completely honest with you.
(11:06):
Yes, sir.
Please, come on.
I can't remember.
If we did drop D or notbecause live, I didn't do drop
D because I just hammered on
the
second fret of the a and D string.
And left the E open
think on the record thatE Open, I think, yeah.
That's how we played it.
I think John and I couldbe completely wrong.
(11:27):
Like if John heard this, he might belike, dude, it was totally dropped.
Right.
You know?
But I think he did drop D liveand I did the other one, so we
had that rub of the, the low E.
Wow.
I'm pretty sure, you know, itwas just the e ringing, you know?
Yeah.
But the, the higher notes of the chord.
Wow.
The fifth and the ok.
Doing the, going down tothe D chord and Right.
Hammering on the EI don't know.
(11:47):
I, I might, that's how we did it live.
Yeah.
Or I did it live.
Yeah.
So did you get along with both of them?
I know, oh yeah.
Yeah.
Big Kenny, you, you worked withhim sort of a little bit more.
Yeah.
And John Rich is, is a real character.
I mean, they're both characters.
They both have their own legend.
Yeah.
And they, they really built somethingMuzik Mafia, like Gretchen Wilson,
my wife got to play withGretchen Wilson a bunch.
(12:08):
And I love hearing the stories.
I always rooted for her because she'sjust so down to earth and badass.
And I love Big and Rich, you know,like there's politics that came later
on and it's all nutty and whatever.
It's all nut.
and Gretchen was awesome.
That was the first video I was in.
Yeah.
I played on the demo of RedneckWoman, but not on the record.
Wow.
She's,
She's always awesome.
I did a lot of demos for herbut yeah, man, John and Kenny.
(12:29):
Both good to me.
You know, but I wouldalways get made fun of that.
I was the, and
know I was the go-between,oh if there was any friction.
I was kind of like the diplomaticcommunicator between the two of them
sometimes.
The musical diplomat that's in your bio.
I remember being at John Rich's houseand, I was pretty amazed, because, so he
(12:49):
built this house on, is it Love Circle?
And people were pissed.
So folks, there's a, little area, there'snot a lot of like, really pretty views
necessarily in like Nashville City proper.
I mean, it's such a cool town, but there'sthis place called Love Circle, right?
And, and there's some beautiful viewsand John Rich just Plopped a big
compound and really pissed a lot ofpeople up, blocked a lot of people's
(13:12):
sunshine, is Yeah, yeah, exactly right.
So like in the morning, JohnRich is out there throwing
money, you know, Hey, is better?
And people are like, no, no, no.
We, we, we would rather have the sun.
But I remember being in his house becausethe band I was in, the, main, writers
of the band, We're getting ready towrite with John, and it was just cool.
He had us over and I rememberthat he had a really cool, bar
(13:33):
in the, elevator of his home.
And I thought, this guy's my kind of guy.
Yeah.
You know, he's, and I, Ijust thought, this is crazy.
And we were upstairs andon the roof is a pool.
And then.
We went downstairs and there's a club,he has this cool club and he's smoking a
stogie and he's got just people around.
By the way, he had a baby,like he just had an infant.
(13:54):
And like the kid is nowhereto be found, thankfully.
'cause he we're in a bar in his house.
Yeah.
And I thought this kid's gonna growup around some really cool stuff.
Yeah.
And we're at the bar and I do recalllooking up, I'm in a building, I'm in
the top floor of this bar and I look up.
And I can see the peopleswimming in the pool
because the floor of the pool is a glassceiling that looks down into the club.
(14:18):
And I just looked up and just sawpretty women just swimming by me.
And I I love this place.
Nashville is amazing.
Yeah.
And they were very sweet and JohnRich was very to us and very kind.
You've been involved in this musicbusiness on the level of just
being a real, you're a taste maker.
I mean, you are the sound youare the sound of what Nashville
was and that's a sound that bythe way, it doesn't just go away.
(14:41):
People are listeningto your stuff forever.
Yeah.
Which is cool.
It's still out there and it's still,
it's
still an element to Yeah.
you know, blending those tones.
I couldn't get people to come visit fromNew York back then in 2000 10, 11, 12.
Nobody would come and visit.
I'm like, you don't understand.
And I would play them your music.
I'd say, this is country music, man.
You know?
They'd be like, this is country music.
you're ob It took a turn man.
(15:02):
Yeah.
You're obviously more, and thingshave evolved and changed or devolved,
however the hell you wanna look at it.
But you're also, you'rea fantastic writer.
I mean, you co-wrote, MississippiGirl Song of the Year.
Right.
Number one hit for Faith Hillco-written with John Rich.
So come on.
Number one song.
That was interesting, man.
And I honestly have big Kenny'sname for that because John,
(15:25):
we were on the road, right.
And John had the idea for the song.
went to Kenny and we were openingfor McGraw and Faith was out there.
You were opening for Tim McGraw.
Wow.
She's looking for songs he's
recording.
What year was this thatyou guys were opening up?
Five.
Oh five.
And,
John goes to Kenny to write the songand Kenny said, I don't feel good, man.
Go write it with Adam.
Wow.
Thanks Big Kenny.
Yep.
Wow.
So you wrote the song.
(15:46):
That year.
And was it the f how long?
How long from the, it wasn't very long.
Right?
Man, I feel like it was amatter of like six months.
And that thing was on the radioand it was, I tell everybody,
they're like, what was it like?
And it was like, me it was mystery.
Like I wrote the song with John,obviously he had a bulk of the idea.
Mm-hmm.
Melody and the title.
(16:06):
helped him with some lyrics.
Yeah.
And I think the first time we sat downmight have been a total of 30 minutes.
And then we took another 20minutes sitting at a picnic
table at another venue.
Next thing I know, we'resomewhere I forget where it is.
I always recognize it when I get there.
playing it on this grassy hill.
We're parked on the bus.
I'm looking up on the grassy hill, andthere he is playing the song for Faith.
(16:27):
Right.
And he comes on the bus,he's like, she loves it.
She's gonna, she wants to record it.
And of course in my Brains,I'm going, whatever.
Yeah.
Because when we finished writing the song.
I wasn't a country writer.
Yeah.
You know, I was dabbling, I kindof came out of it thinking, well,
that was an interesting exercisein writing a country song.
And I didn't really think any,I was kind of indifferent.
(16:48):
I didn't think it sucked, but I didn't
yeah.
It was awesome.
And he comes and saysshe wants to record it.
I'm like, really?
Okay.
Wow.
Oh, okay.
It's, she's recording it and they'relike, oh, it's gonna be the first single.
I'm like, whoa.
Adam Schoenfeld (17:00):
I'm like,
Larry (17:01):
Wow.
Then it's like, it's gonna be number one.
I'm like, nah, and boom, there it was.
You know?
It's like, wow.
That just happened.
Wow.
I was, I'm luckiestsongwriter in Nashville.
Wow.
And by not chasing after it.
Yeah.
You know, I mean, obviously look,sometimes we just don't have a choice.
You go into a co-write, that'swhat happens here in Nashville.
(17:22):
If you're listening, folks,people write music all the time.
You get into a room with peopleyou don't know, or people you
do know, you write by yourself.
And a lot of times it's like,okay, hey, nice to meet you.
If you're the artist, and I'ma writer, it's like, all right,
well what are you looking for?
What do you need?
Right?
And it's sort of like this kind of chase.
Well, I'm looking for, hey,
and you know what?
The chase was for years.
Well man, we gotta write,Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.
(17:44):
You know what I mean?
Then you realize the business of itall, then you just see the carbon
copycats of everything, right?
You see a million songs thatsound like the Faith Hill song.
But you were just there beingpresident in the moment.
Yeah.
And my next cut, it wasn't a singleeven, but it was a Jason Mm-hmm.
Jason Aldean.
Yeah.
the funny thing that happened was, KnoxMichael had me set up to where I was
(18:06):
about to sign a publishing deal with Peer.
That was when he startedworking with Peer.
Before he was kind of like the bigdog there, but he was getting there.
then I decided, I'm going on the roadwith McGraw and when the LA office heard
I was doing that, they're like, well,when's he gonna make time to write?
Adam Schoenfeld (18:22):
You
Larry (18:22):
Yeah.
Because they want peoplewriting all the time.
Yeah.
So I didn't get that publishing deal.
know, you keep all the money.
Well, a short couple months afterI didn't get that publishing deal,
I get a cut with Jason Aldean.
Wow.
You guys.
You know, it's like, whatever, you know?
I don't know.
Songwriting is
an
interesting beast.
I did, I chased it for a while.
Yeah.
What was that like for you, likethe difference in your mindset
(18:44):
because you had the taste.
I mean, look, you started outwith a grand slam home run.
It was difficult becauseyou start out that high.
Yeah.
I might never, ever, and probably won't.
With the odds probably won'tmatch that again, you know?
I focus more on guitar playing.
I did chase it a bit, butthen I got to later in life
where I'm like, you know what?
(19:05):
write what I want to write.
Yeah.
The only time I really writecountry now is with my artist Todd.
Yeah.
Todd Cameron.
But other than that I'm writing for me.
You know, or for whoever I'm sittingwith, if they're country, yeah.
Cool.
But I'm not, I'm not chasing that anymore.
Interestingly enough, I.
(19:25):
Write this song out on the road from mylast year with Sean Fichter, the drummer.
McGraw and Deano Brown, fiddle player.
Kind of my buddy co-writers outthere and, write this EP and
rewrite this song called Rise Up.
Mm-hmm.
I know there's been a lot of that songout there, that title, but it's just cool
to Imagine Dragons kind of thing and.
Deano just plays it for Tim.
(19:46):
Just wanna tell you whatwe're up to, you know?
Yeah.
When Tim's like, I'm gonna cut that.
Wow.
Proof that you can write what you want.
He's cut it.
It's recorded.
know if he's ever gonna put it out.
And you need to be in theroom with Tim, you know?
Well, and yeah, and I was,I was on the record, right.
So he cut, he wants to cut my song.
I'm on the record recording, andmy hero, Michael Landau ends up
(20:06):
shredding and trumping my guitar solo.
With his own
guitar solo on it.
So it's my hero playing on it.
So it's like a trifecta for me.
It
will only get better ifhe actually releases it.
So this has been, recorded,what was the name of that ep?
Splitting Adams.
Right?
Splitting Adams.
And so when did this happenthat Tim cut this song, Rise Up?
This was like last year.
(20:27):
So you don't even know, so Timis he putting a record out soon?
Do you have any inclination?
We just recorded another record.
Do you ever go, Hey, we recordedthat with the last batch, right?
The last record.
So the last record cameout without it on it.
Okay.
Still sitting.
You recorded another record.
Wow.
And still waiting to see ifit's gonna be on that one.
Right.
Or if he's gonna do somethingelse with it, you know?
He's been playing it, , as thelast song before the lights
(20:50):
out song to the audience.
Oh, so you're playing it live?
No, not live.
Just the recording before the lights out.
So before the song comeson where they boom,
Oh, the room goes, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Coming on.
Right.
So.
And of course people, if they Shazam it,if they're out there going, that sounds
like Tim, they're not finding it right.
Oh yeah.
You're so close on that.
Like, oh, come on man.
Yeah, come on.
(21:11):
There was another songseveral years before
Tim wanted to cut.
Right.
A little jazzy thing.
It was a little different.
Mm-hmm.
It was a band record he was doing,
I get a call from Deano.
This is before I'm in the band, right?
I get a call from Deano who goes,Hey man, we're, we're rehearsing
your song for the session.
Yes.
Yes.
And they go in the studioand apparently they
try cutting it, but it didn't make it.
(21:32):
Wow.
has nothing to do with Tim or
Deano,
Adam Schoenfeld (21:35):
but
Larry (21:35):
It's a crazy business.
The band, I was in HER and Kings County,we had a song that was not written by
anybody in the band, and we cut it.
And we made the video for it and wewere like, this is gonna be awesome.
And we got the call that The Band Perrywas taking it and we're like, no, no, no.
Wait, it's on hold.
Right?
If you hold something, youhave something, you have it.
And it was like all the writerscalled the lawyers and everybody
(21:56):
said, look, nobody knows who youguys are, but we're on Warner Music
Nashville.
Right.
Espo do something.
You know?
And it was like, it just.
Me too.
And it just vanished.
And it was Better Dig Two.
It was a song that wasa huge hit for them.
And
the video was the exactsame video that we shot.
Like it was exactly like, whoa.
we, we were a very creative band.
(22:17):
Like, you know, this was the onesong we didn't write, but visually we
were, wild and crazy from New York.
We took what you guys were doing.
Adam Schoenfeld (22:24):
Mm-hmm.
Larry (22:24):
With the rock sound and we just continued it and we didn't
chase that, so we really fit in.
We were like, great Drop d no problem.
We understood the rockinfluence of things.
And it just fit us.
And that's why we got signed.
We got signed.
You really helped pave the way your sound.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
And then we got dropped, butno, and thank, thank you.
(22:45):
You're
welcome.
Thank you.
So, alright, so fast forward.
So you're a side man you're amusical diplomat in your world, but
then you put out your own music.
Your debut solo album, AllThe Birds Sing co-produced by
your wife.
Yeah, Katie Cook, a very famous person.
I,
read that this was an unabashed,evocative, and broad musical look
at his love of family and friends,your love of family and friends.
(23:07):
Most people, I like to say you have yourwhole life to write your first record.
You've had a pretty cool damnwhole life before your first record
because you know, a lot of timesour first record, you're 18, your
22, your maybe 30 or whatnot.
This record is so good.
Adam Schoenfeld (23:21):
Thank you.
Larry (23:22):
It's so good and yes, there's all of the journey of you into this record.
And what was it like to finally, I mean,oh God, it, it was amazing because, I
had written plenty of records And plentyof groups of songs through the years
and recorded it, but I never, neverhad the confidence to get behind it.
(23:42):
I'd
Do it and then it would sit and I'dbe like, yeah, that stuff sucks.
Adam Schoenfeld (23:45):
sucks.
Larry (23:45):
You know, anxiety comes in all forms.
Anxiety, fear, whatever you call it.
I wasn't a great singer admittedly,but I also had friends that
weren't afraid to tell me that
and kind of jab me a little bit.
I love those guys dearly to this day.
But, you know, I'd had reasonsfor this anxiety and stuff.
And when Katie and I got together.
(24:06):
gave each other this confidence in music.
Nobody had
ever really given us, it startedour musical journey together.
Started with Sun Katwith our stuff together.
We started dating.
We were, thinking of getting married,And all of a sudden we start, we
tried writing some songs together.
quite hit anything that real.
Then all of a sudden
(24:27):
naked in bed one one night with mandolin
boom, I hit something we writelike five songs in two weeks and
we're like, we got something here.
Wow.
So that was the first, the clue in.
And you know, I startedwriting this record
and
I had to have her be a part of it becauseher musical background as far as what she
(24:49):
listened to, is so much cooler than me.
Oh yeah.
And.
I believe that other peopleshould produce your records.
I mean, there are geniuses out therethat are crazy and can sit in the
studio, and I could probably do it,
I'd rather have an opinion from somebodythat's actually the listener and can,
when I had that doubt and say, no.
(25:10):
Right.
It's awesome.
Leave it like it is.
Or, if you do this, it couldbe that much better, you know?
And she gave me that confidence and.
it was the first time in my life I didhave that collection of songs where I
was like, I don't care what you think,I believe in every word of this record.
(25:30):
Wow.
And every word of that record had meaning.
Integrity.
So, you know, whatever.
If you don't like it, you don't like it.
But I am so proud of it.
And I have another one I'm working onthat's similar, you know, but it's.
Adam Schoenfeld (25:41):
It's,
Larry (25:42):
more songs that I just wrote and they might not even be about
something, but they sound like they are.
Right.
Well, so what was it like,you have all the success in,
you know, 2006, 7, 8, 9, 10.
you were also nominated for like,what is it, the guitarist of the year?
Yeah.
For the a CMA.
Yeah.
Like several times I got,I never won, but whatever.
Yeah.
To get on that list inthis town is just an honor.
(26:03):
That was like.
Maybe six or seven times.
Yeah, I've been on the, The second roundof Musician of the Year on CMA awards.
Right.
In fact, I just found out todayI'm on the second round ballot.
Congratulations.
Which is narrowed down tolike 15 or 15 musicians.
I'll vote for you.
it's gonna be Jenee Fleenorthis year, as it always is.
Paul Franklin Award for yearsand the Mac Mcanally Award.
(26:24):
And now think it's gonnabe the Jenee Fleenor
Award she deserves.
Adam Schoenfeld (26:27):
Yeah.
Oh God.
She's
Larry (26:28):
If you don't know who she's, she plays fiddle I'm like, do you
play the violin or the fiddle?
And she's like, I do both.
But on this occasion, it's fiddle.
She's
awesome.
You know, and honestly,
You're gonna go, oh, shut up.
But I don't deserve to be on that list.
I'm a good player.
Yeah.
I bring something to the table.
Yes, I know how to play guitar, butthe other people that are on this list
could play technical circles around me.
(26:50):
Right?
If you want to get.
You know, get detailed right
on that list.
But you're so dreamy.
You're so good looking.
And on stage next to Tim McGraw.
I don't know.
I mean, you know, oh, sign me up.
Yeah.
know, but Jenee Fleenor, I met Jenee,because she played with Steven Tyler.
Yeah.
And my wife was thedrummer for Steven Tyler.
And, you know, working with your spouseat the time when you made this record,
(27:14):
you were married, you and Katie Cook.
Katie Cook is a very famous person, right?
CMT cmt.
Yeah.
She had a record deal.
Years ago with a band calledReno, you could find A, Whole
World was this song by Reno.
Wow.
You
could find it on YouTube.
It was so super cool.
Yeah.
So you get along when youwork together in the studio.
Yeah.
I mean, there's always times whereshe might come down and I think I
(27:34):
just worked on a whole bunch of stuff.
Right?
And she comes down and prettymuch is like, I don't like that.
I don't like that.
I think you should do that.
And I'll be like, kind of huffingand puffing, like, all right.
You're a television star.
What the hell do you know?
Adam Schoenfeld (27:49):
Well, no, it's just,
Larry (27:50):
I'm kidding.
No, it's, it is just, youknow, that deflation of Yes.
Oh, I was into this and Igot, she comes down and she
gives me her view on it andthen she'll walk back upstairs.
'cause she's not the kind of personthat wants to sit there and listen to
a song over and over and over again.
She catches things she likes or dislikesreal quick and she'll go upstairs and I'll
be kind of deflated and then I'll be like.
Adam Schoenfeld (28:10):
Oh,
Larry (28:11):
Damnit, she's right.
Yeah.
All that work I did the lastthree hours and she's right.
Right.
That's great.
I just trust her.
You know, she's got an ear for a song.
Wow.
And can write a song.
I mean, and she's.
it's in
her blood.
That's so cool.
You know, her dad was one of thebiggest songwriters of all time.
Who's her dad?
Roger Cook.
Oh.
Little song called, Teach theWorld to Sing by the World a Coke.
(28:34):
gosh.
Long
Cool Woman in the Black Dress.
Oh my gosh.
You know, stuff like that.
Wow.
A couple of songs.
She grew up around it.
Yeah.
She grew up around, you know, her andher dad and John Prine were best friends.
Wow.
You
know, so she grew up around it all.
That's so cool.
She grew up sitting Atthe bar at a young age.
At Gold Rush.
Well, her dad was having fun.
(28:54):
Gold Rush was amazing.
We could smoke, we coulddo drugs, we could drink.
We did it all at the Gold Rush.
Yeah.
Obvious.
So I, my wife and I work togetheralso, and I'm a drummer first, right?
And she married a drummer from Queens.
Her dad was A drummer from Queens.
I never knew her dad.
But we work together.
We're very New York, right?
We both yell at each othervery, very quickly, very easily.
(29:16):
And when I write the songs, if Iwrite the songs that we're working
on, a lot of times I play drumswhile we write for Them Vibes songs.
Yeah.
And so the rhythm of the drumsand the rhythm of the vocal
means something together.
Right.
There's a relationship, so there willbe a reason, 'cause I'm not a great
drummer, but there will be a reasonwhy the patterns are what they are.
(29:39):
Sarah can play circles around me and mostpeople, but there will be times when I
said, when we're tracking, I'm like, Hey,
Honey or babe or Sarah?
I said, drummer.
Hey, hired person thatis not getting paid.
No.
I say, honey, can you play it like this?
Please?
I need you to play it like this.
And more like that.
And there are times whereshe's like, my way is better.
(29:59):
Get the fuck out.
And I go, okay.
Normally you're right
and if she's right, Iwill get the fuck out.
But there are times when I'm like.
Hear me out, you know,hear me out, please.
It is fun.
It is, the dynamic is fun.
But I wanna go back a littlebit to the years, like a
decade where you're a side man.
Yeah.
You're basically thinking,what are you thinking?
(30:21):
What am I asking?
You're, I'm telling youwhat you're thinking.
You're a side man.
You're clearly working on music.
You're writing, let me ask this.
Are you playing on all of the Tim McGrawrecords while this is all happening?
Didn't start playing on anyTim stuff until the last
couple records.
Okay.
So you were playing in theband, you're touring like crazy.
You guys tour like wild.
(30:42):
So the touring for mestarted 2005 with Big & Rich.
You know, that and that,that start of everything.
It was exciting.
and I quit big and rich,because I wanted to, you know,
get
in on the studio stuff 'causeit was happening so much.
Right.
I was that guy.
I was one of the new guys.
There was only a coupleyoung blood guitar players.
Mm-hmm.
It was me, Rob Mcnally and
(31:02):
for
about five years there,there wasn't many others.
Yeah.
Then James Mitchell came along and.
But it wasn't like, now there'sall these, there's a ton
of young, guitar players out there.
Yeah.
But, dude, it was fun.
It was exciting because it's like, oh,people want to pay me to play guitar
and I get to sleep in my own bed.
Yeah.
You know, so I, you know, I comeoff the road from big and rich.
(31:24):
For one year, and then they askedme to come back for another year.
And I, I did it, thank God I didbecause it was a recession, which I
had no way of knowing was gonna happen.
Wow.
But I had work, you know?
Yeah.
And then I stopped, know, forjust a couple years, you know.
But it was so much fun.
I'll bet.
Because I just get to go play guitar.
(31:47):
Yeah.
and
then now its turns and darknesses andchanges and stuff, you know, with life.
And, but it was, it was a beautiful thing.
Wow.
And now to be on this other sideof it where I'm an empty nester.
Mm-hmm.
I still feel 30.
I
still can't stop dreaming of making music.
And I still.
Get paid to go play in frontof thousands of people.
(32:09):
Yeah.
I still get called to go inthe studio and play music that
thousands of people are gonna hear.
Yeah.
I get to go in the studio and play onmusic that somebody's mom's going to hear.
Yeah.
I get to go in the studio andplay on music that's crappy.
Yeah.
I get to go play on music that's awesome.
Yeah.
I get it all.
That's great.
And it's, I, dude, that was my onething when I was in high school,
(32:30):
I remember saying to somebody, Idon't know who, but my dream was.
I just wanted to be able tohave a family make music and
raise my family making music.
That's great.
And it happened, right?
So, how was your headspaceduring those years?
Where you're playing guitar, it's2012 onward, all of these years and
(32:50):
I didn't know that you had recordsout until, I mean, I knew you had
music out, but I thought you hadrecords out like earlier so that you
first record being in 2022 or 2021.
What was your headspace likefor those years that you're
playing guitar, you're touring?
Did you ever have the like, I'll, I,I know I can do this, I wanna do this.
I see it happening.
I could do better.
(33:10):
This is, this is just, I,maybe I'll give up on this.
This, I've done this enough.
I've made enough money whereI could take a year off.
I need to make a record.
Well,
how
deep do you want to go?
I wanna hear your story.
Adam Schoenfeld (33:21):
Well,
Larry (33:22):
Well, you know, I had some dark times.
You know, go out with Tim in 2012.
I had, I.
Adam Schoenfeld (33:28):
I,
Larry (33:28):
You
know, 2012, I start with Tim.
2014 I get a divorce.
2012, when I go out with Tim, I'm ontop of the world as a session guy.
I go out on the road
my ex-wife moved my kids to another state.
So I'm.
on the road, Tim.
Then every other weekend, or everyother a weekend for me might've
(33:50):
been a Monday through Wednesday.
Sure.
I'm going to
see my kids in Raleigh, wherethey're coming here and I'm like,
I'm not working when they're here.
And before I know it, you know,I, I did everything I could
to, make it good for my kids.
Yeah.
You know, all of a suddenthis was a different thing.
You know, this is way different.
This, the guitar didn't matter.
(34:10):
Anymore music didn't matter anymore.
It mattered, but not the way it used to.
You know, this is okay.
All
hands on the deck.
I gotta make sure my kids are okay.
Yeah.
So I buy a little house in Raleighand spent half my last 10 years
going back and forth when I can.
I wish I could havedone it more, you know?
(34:32):
And then the sessionthing at the same time.
Because I'm gone so much,I start saying no to work.
And at the same time, there's
all
these young guys coming into the scene,phone starts ringing less and less
at
this time, especially from guys that Igot used to working with a long time.
And no saying that it wouldn't havestopped ringing if I stayed in town,
(34:55):
right?
And my kids stayed here.
But it's just the way it happened.
long story short, Ifinally get to this session
where audio wise, itwas a little messed up.
Like I could hear my cabinetfrom down the hallway out a phase
with the speaker in front of me.
I'm sat in front of the right side speaker
(35:16):
a thing.
my daughter is here one morenight and I get called for a
double scale master overdub.
Is going in reverse here.
you know, I had been at that point where
I didn't work when they were in, butthis was at a point where I'm like,
I'm gonna have to not always say nowhen they're in and take some work when
they're here visiting you in Nashville.
Like, maybe I can work a littleand they, they're gonna have to
(35:38):
understand 'cause I gotta make money.
and this was the last minute thing.
And my daughter was a little older,so I knew, I figured she could
take it, you know, no big deal.
Dad's gotta go work for three hours.
Adam Schoenfeld (35:51):
Well,
Larry (35:51):
I get there and the whole long story short thing is I shouldn't
have even said, 'cause here we go.
It's not quite the right setupanyway for audio and it's in a place
where I had had a weird experience.
anxiety experience with a producerthat this producer was kind of
an underling of and working for.
(36:11):
And so it was a weird vibe.
And
although I loved the guy thatI was working for thankfully,
and he was a friend.
There were already all these beautifulguitar parts on this recording.
he said, we, we don't know what we want.
We just want somethingdifferent from what's on here.
And I'm like, okay.
And I'm like struggling to find anythingthat's making him go, yeah, that's it.
(36:36):
And, and it just feels wrong sonically.
And, and there's the AC sucked.
And I'm sweating and wow, this is myfirst huge bout with anxiety, you know?
And then he goes, well, whydon't you just replay this part?
And I'm like, part sounds beautiful.
Why would I
replay
that?
I didn't say that tohim that way, you know?
I literally could not putmy hand on the fingerboard.
(36:59):
Wow.
And I went home, I drove home
in
tears.
And I told Katie, I said, I'm never doinganother recording session in my life.
And she said to me, she goes, you know,
you really handled your divorcewell, you know, for your kids,
but you've never dealt with it.
(37:19):
You've never dealt with it.
And I was like, I guess you're right.
She goes, you think maybe youwanna go talk to somebody?
And I went, to, uh, therapy and I gotabout half a sentence in, and then I think
I was sitting in a puddle of my tears.
Wow.
You know, I didn't realize Yeah.
That
I just didn't take care of me.
Yeah.
You know, and I'm notin town as much anymore.
(37:41):
There's other people getting thework I used to get, which is cool.
That's the way it goes in this town.
Yeah.
Hopefully you get to stay in the gamejust enough to just stay in the game.
When you get older, you get less work.
Sometimes you still get the same amount,sometimes you get more and it's ebbs and
flows but when it first started happeningto me, I had all this other stuff
(38:02):
going on and it made everything dark.
I think everybody needs to take a lessonfrom that if they're listening to this.
That gotta take care of yourself.
do it.
trust me, it's not a good feelingwhen you're sitting there as somebody,
a respected musician, and you can'teven put your hand on the guitar neck.
(38:24):
Yeah.
You know, it was, wow.
It was, it was awful.
You know.
And your daughter was at the session?
No, she was at home.
Oh, she was at home?
Yeah,
she
was at home with Katie.
Wow.
Did that ever come to light?
That song?
What You did the work?
I don't even remember.
Right.
Yeah.
I don't think I did anything on it.
Right.
Well, I don't think I playeda note that the kept Wow.
Well, good for you to
(38:44):
take
care of yourself.
No, I just, I I got up and left.
That's the part I left out.
Oh.
I, I told
the producer that wasworking on it with me.
I said, I can't do this.
I said, I've got nothing.
And I packed up and I left.
Wow.
Yeah,
that's, it was weird, man.
That's brave.
It was It's a lot of courage to do that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Good for you.
Yeah.
(39:05):
That taught me a big lesson and it's so,so nice to be on the other side of that.
Yeah.
I still battled with anxiety fora while after that, and I still,
every
once in a while do just alittle bit, and I, I don't think
anybody's immune from anxiety.
I don't think anybody can predict ifthey're ever gonna have it or not.
hope
they don't Yeah.
But it's not, it can be crippling.
Yes.
(39:25):
You know?
now all of a sudden, and maybe it's,you know, different chapter of life.
I'm proud of us for, our kids are great.
Our kids mm-hmm.
Are amazing and they'reonto their own lives.
Daughter's outta college.
My son's going into college.
My stepdaughter's incollege is a choir major.
And, and they're all rocking the world.
Yeah.
We helped get him there.
(39:45):
And I'm like, oh, you're all right.
Yeah, we're all good.
Yeah.
Things
would become fun again.
Oh, good.
There was a time where the phonewould ring or text would ring mm-hmm.
And say, are you available?
And I'd be like, ah, dammit.
I am.
Yeah.
And now,
I'm excited.
Yeah.
and it's beautiful, you know?
(40:06):
Yeah.
It's cool, man.
Yeah.
I'm in therapy as of recently.
You know, it's been years since I'vedone it, but I've been very anxious.
Midlife things have slowed downfor me in a big way, and I'm
like, wow, what is my purpose?
But being able to talkto somebody and to share.
I feel better about all of that.
And it's hard and it'sreally scary because you just
(40:26):
think I got it all together.
I mean, hey, you're the Save a Horse.
Ride a Cowboy guy.
Come on.
When I saw you the firstcouple times, I was like,
holy shit,
this guy's the freaking best.
And thanks, thanks.
Thought you were justthe biggest rock star.
Ah, thought you'd neverwant to talk to me.
Wow.
You know, that's, that'sa form of anxiety.
Absolutely.
Why
would that guy wanna hang out with me?
(40:47):
Absolutely.
And here you are.
Well, yeah.
A little red room, but I and you,I was like, I've known your name.
I've known, you know, and then wefinally got to, meet and talk in
person at the greasy chicken review.
Thanks to Matthew Szlachetka.
That's right.
And I got to dive into yourmusic and your fabulous, you're.
You know, you're really, I I was alittle nervous because you're tall
(41:08):
and good looking and I'm like alittle bit, you know, intimidated
by tall, good looking people.
I think you're sexy.
Oh, thank you.
I appreciate that.
But you couldn't be, kinderand I really root for you.
So you just had somesongs come out, this year,
Being Human, DigitalBrainss and Angel Boy.
Are you back out on tour with Tim soon?
You put music out.
What's it like to put music out for you?
(41:30):
Because at this point in the game,putting music out is like, whatever.
Right?
And I hate to say that or belittle it.
People like, when's ThemVibes, put music out.
Well, Alex, we're workingon his solo record.
I have some music coming out soonthat's kind of like Mental Health.
Afro Pop.
Mm-hmm.
But being Jewish, I'm gonna callit maybe like Jew-Fro Pop you know,
(41:50):
it's like nothing, like anything thatI've ever done, but we're working on
separate things I'm doing this podcast.
But we do have a few singles inthe can, but it's so different
from what it used to be.
It's, and, and to answer your firstquestion, light year with Tim.
light year with Tim,we've got 14 shows left.
Right.
We've only done two.
Right.
As far as the putting the music outfor me, It's something I have to do.
(42:11):
Yeah.
I can't stop making the music.
I don't necessarily have to put it out.
Right.
But I can't stop writing andI can't stop being creative.
That's who you are.
It's just who I am.
That's great.
Honestly, the, uh, songs you mentioned,that was my rock band Digital Brainss,
which kind of, I mean, will always exist,but we're not really doing anything.
Okay.
We've gone in different directions, but.
We've actually come together, um, as therecording band for a guy named Dave Allen.
(42:35):
Producing, he's a fricking awesome kid.
Sounds like Layne Staley And he rocks.
But,
Know, I do the music ' cause
I can't stop.
The ones I put out Iwas like, you know what?
I've got this new record I'm working on
song's about 80% there.
don't know when I'm gonna finish it.
So I started digging back.
Wow.
(42:55):
Cool.
To what I had just, you know, as they sayto keep the algorithm going, you know?
Yeah.
So I can keep my onelistener involved every week.
You have 85 listeners a month.
I looked
well, I was doing my research.
Yeah.
I think they're great listeners.
This, they are great listeners,
but you're very successful, so
Don't
feel sorry for, for Shoenfeld, Adam,
here's the deal, I put outthat song Splitting Atoms,
(43:16):
McGraw cuts
the song.
So to me it's like, I'mgonna put this stuff out.
don't know who's gonna hear it.
Right.
I don't know if
know some other artist I know is goingto go, oh, Adam has a record out.
Yeah.
Listen to it and go,
I
love that song and it'sall songs I'm doing for me.
Right.
And those songs, you saidthose were leftover Digital
Brains songs we never put out.
(43:36):
Right.
And I called the guys and I said, Heylisten, we're not really doing stuff.
I want to kind of keep my algorithm going.
For my 85 listeners.
Yes.
I said, do you mind if I put these out asAdam Shoenfeld featuring Digital Brains?
So those have been just kindof stuff, you know, coming out.
And then I'm about to come outwith a song called Zero to Hero.
Which is the second version of a,
(43:57):
Song.
But that
recording's from 2009.
for before Digital Brains And I'mon the search for the tracks for the
original version from about 2005.
Wow.
It's a whole different ballgame.
The one that's coming outis like early Foo Fighters.
The original version is like this weird
ELO
meets Tom Petty, just weirdthing, but I have to resing it.
(44:19):
Wow.
I did not sing back then,you know, so I'm digging, I'm
just putting random stuff out.
Yeah.
I have a, an acoustic cover of acertain Ozzy Osborne song that I've
thought about putting out and not.
Not because Ozzy just left.
Right?
Yeah.
I've been wanting to put it out.
Do it.
Please.
(44:39):
know what, I think I'm gonna put thatout and I'm not, it's not, again,
it has nothing to do with him dying.
I'm not trying to, youknow, capitalize on that.
Right.
It's just hear that Sharon,
I think that's fantastic.
I love your records.
So you, have All The Birds Sing.
You had Breadcrumbs For Hope in 2023.
Your music is fantastic and Ijust want to go back real quick.
I played with Maggie Rose, an artist,and we opened up two shows for
(45:02):
Tim McGraw a couple of years ago.
You guys were wonderful.
Thank you so much Touring with Tim McGraw.
You guys eat so well.
Well.
Hell yeah.
Being on tour is reallydifficult and really hard.
I can tell you're a healthy person.
I appreciate the fact thatyou take care of yourself.
Now you've dealt with someanxiety, and, and by the way,
that stuff does not go away.
(45:22):
It comes back, but youseem like a healthy person.
You work out?
Do.
You have a regimen?
Well, lately I haven't.
I've been meaning to get back on it.
Okay.
But a regimen is important.
Yeah.
I fall off every once in a while.
Yeah.
Well, that's, you're human.
I've had get back to the gymon my calendar for the last
few
weeks.
But you guys tour there is agym as part of your touring.
do a full tour.
We got the gym out there.
(45:43):
It's like a gym in an 18 wheeler, right?
I mean, it's its own truck.
I went in the wrong door and Isaw Tim McGraw and all of you
musicians working out like maniacs.
And I thought I better get outta herebefore I get dragged in here because
I was drinking and I was a mess.
So
I left and went to cateringand it was fabulous.
You were all very kind tous and thank you for that.
(46:04):
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's great out there.
I mean, Tim's been a hell of aninfluence when it comes to that.
For example.
You know, I joined him in 2012.
Yeah.
And I think it was 2014 I wasdoing a overdub for a song.
The,
Warren Brothers, I don't think theywere producing it, but I think it was
their song and an artist was cuttingit and Brad was sitting behind me.
(46:24):
Brad Warren, right?
Yeah.
Brad, Brett.
And Brad goes.
Shoenfeld, You got triceps now?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So it's really hard to stay in shape.
It's really hard to take care of yourselfon tour, and obviously it's easier when
you are on such a highfalutin tour.
Is it easy to hide out onthe tour with Tim McGraw?
'Cause I know some tours, noalcohol, no drugs, no smoking.
(46:48):
Would it be easy for you, and I'm notsaying you do, to like hide out and sneak
around and like, you know, eat a Snickersbar while drinking a a shot of tequila?
If I
wanted to.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
I'm just curious.
Yeah.
Well, I've been, I've been ontours where it's like, no, nothing.
And I'm like, no problem.
We try to keep it clean outthere, you know, for the people
that don't need the temptation.
(47:08):
it's usually
in private moments or
Adam Schoenfeld (47:10):
Or
Larry (47:11):
when we're rolling.
Yeah.
It's not gonna have any
consequence
on anything.
Right.
You know?
Good for you.
Yeah.
We try to keep it, keep it light.
That's great.
I have questions.
Are you ready for my speed round?
Yes.
Go.
Okay.
What fascinates you?
You, ugh.
Why?
you're a
fricking rock star.
I see you up on stage,dude, and I'm just like.
Adam Schoenfeld (47:29):
like,
Larry (47:30):
This dude is magic.
Thank you.
That's very, I wish I, I wish Icould be that way as a, as a singer.
Oh, I appreciate that.
Thanks.
Well, somebody called me.
I need to, I need some singingwork and I play percussion.
Somebody call me Adam.
Yeah.
What angers you?
pisses you?
Why, not much, Really,
Adam Schoenfeld (47:50):
Hatred
Larry (47:51):
angers me.
Yeah.
Hatred and, division.
Yeah.
Things like that.
Yes.
That angers me.
Yeah.
and
I try to keep that anger lowso it doesn't stress me out.
Well, what brings you joy?
Oh, God, my wife, my kids.
Yeah.
And still writing
songs.
Yeah, singing songs.
Still brings me joy.
(48:12):
Yeah.
If you had a magic wand and you could fixanything in the world, what would it be?
Oh boy.
I'd still have my brother here.
Yeah,
he passed.
85, 9, 14.
I was 11.
May I ask how hit
by a car?
I'm so sorry.
I wouldn't be who I am now.
I don't know who I'dbe, but I'd gladly see.
Adam Schoenfeld (48:33):
you know?
Larry (48:33):
Yeah,
Adam Schoenfeld (48:34):
so
Larry (48:35):
Wow.
Now the heavy, deep questionafter something so beautiful
toilet paper over or under, over.
Of course, you know thereare a lot of maniacs out
Adam Schoenfeld (48:42):
No.
They put 'em under and it's like, no dude.
can't do that.
That's, that's a little extra.
work.
Larry (48:45):
Fantastic.
Adam Shoenfeld, where do we find you?
Because you have great music outand you are an artist unto yourself.
Adam Schoenfeld (48:52):
Adam Shoenfeld.com
@schoenfeld on Instagram.
And adam-shoenfeld on
facebook.
Larry (48:58):
If somebody were to be like, I want that sound.
I need the sound.
Which by the way, Adam Schoenfeld,you have been that sound.
Are you available to
Adam Schoenfeld (49:07):
work?
I'm, I'm
always available.
That's
Larry (49:08):
great.
You're very approachable,which is really great.
Adam Schoenfeld (49:10):
Send me an email, send me a message.
That's
Larry (49:12):
great.
Adam Shoenfeld, Tim McGraw has been verylucky to have you on tour all of the
work that you've done in country music.
I have played songs thatyou have made famous.
You are a fantastic person.
Thank you so
Adam Schoenfeld (49:25):
much.
Thank you brother,
Larry (49:26):
Thank you for having me over your house.
Thanks for tuning into theJust Keep Talking podcast.
Your story really matters, folks.
Adam Shoenfeld, you matter,and I appreciate you being on
Adam Schoenfeld (49:35):
show, Love Brother Love
Larry (49:35):
my man.
Until next time, see
Adam Schoenfeld (49:37):
see ya.
Bye-bye.
Speaker 7 (49:38):
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@justkeeptalking.com,
our YouTube channel.
@jutkeeptalkingpodcast andInstagram @thejustkeeptalkingpodcast
(49:59):
We all just want to be seen,to be heard and to belong.
Thank you so much for supportingmy mission and the Just Keep
Talking podcast with me, BrotherLove, because Your Story Matters.
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