October 28, 2025 • 52 mins
What if your songwriting school was a sold-out room and your tuition was a bar shift? We sit down with Luke Stevens to trace a path from Oklahoma fields to Nashville stages, where classic 70s storytellers like James Taylor and Jackson Browne shaped a pen built for honest lines and clean hooks. Luke shares the spark behind Second Thoughts First, a title he caught in the wild and turned into a chorus about overthinking until the right person makes life simple. Then the script flips with Since You Ain’t Mine, a tune he almost shrugged off that suddenly lit up phones, tour buses, and inboxes once the demo landed in the right hands.
We talk shop on co-writing that actually works—why the best days feel like speed dating with heart, and how framing an idea can turn a room from polite into electric. Luke explains why the most valuable networking tip in Nashville is humility: show up, listen, be a good human first. Working at The Listening Room became his masterclass, a place where staff culture respects the stage, guests plan trips around the shows, and writers feel safe to bring their best. That ecosystem opened doors, taught structure and setups by osmosis, and proved that consistency outlasts luck.
Luke also opens up about sobriety. Choosing not to drink while tending bar sounds impossible, but it became his armor—showing up on time, staying present in rooms, and writing with a quieter mind. Faith and gratitude anchor his choices and remind him to celebrate the small wins: a tight verse, a clean demo, a nod from a hero, a room that goes silent on a new line. If you care about songwriting craft, Nashville co-writing etiquette, and how real growth happens—one honest decision at a time—this conversation will meet you where you are and push you forward.
If this story moved you, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with a friend who loves great songs and the people who write them. Your support helps us bring more writers, more stories, and more truth to the mic.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:03):
You're listening to Stories Behind the Songs with
Chris Blair.
For more information, check outChris Blair.com.
Today's guest is an independentsongwriter today because things
are about to quickly change forhim.
He's also uh a good buddy that'sworked for the listening room
for a long time.
He's got a lot of thingshappening, and uh I'm so excited
(00:26):
to dive into this.
Luke Stevens, how are you,brother?
SPEAKER_01 (00:29):
I'm fantastic, man.
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_02 (00:31):
I am uh really happy to be here.
Man, it's uh this is gonna be uhkind of fun.
We're still gonna dive into somestories, man, the songs, and
you've got uh you've got somesome some cool stuff happening
right now, um, but also justkind of diving into uh the
listening room.
And um, I told you earlier thisis uh it's it's different for
(00:52):
me.
It's a little it's a littleweird.
Like, hey, hey, let's talk abouthow awesome the listening room
is.
But uh that's what you wanted totalk about, and I I think I
thank you for that.
And um, you've worked for us fora long time, so we'll we'll get
to all that.
Let's let's uh let's kind ofstart from the beginning, like I
always do, um, and talk aboutyour journey uh in music early
(01:14):
days and kind of what what gotyou to Nashville.
SPEAKER_01 (01:16):
Yeah, I'm uh I'm born and raised in Oklahoma, and
um I was an athlete my wholelife that also did music, and
that's kind of what I thought Ialways was.
Um and then COVID happened, Iguess, when I was a junior in
high school, and sports wentaway naturally, and and the
guitar was here to stay.
I started really writing songsand taking it serious, and uh
(01:38):
through a friend heard aboutthis place called Belmont and uh
ended up getting into thesongwriting program and did that
for a little while.
I didn't finish at Belmont.
Um, but it brought me out hereto town and brought me to
Nashville and kind of showed methat I could I could be a
songwriter, you know, and followmy dreams in that world and uh
left sports behind and now I'mhere.
SPEAKER_02 (02:00):
Yeah.
Um and you uh I loved readingabout your musical inspirations.
Um talk about that a little bit.
I mean, a lot of times I seelike, you know, whatever's hot,
you know, as as in that genre ortime period that people are are
growing up, but uh you kind ofyou kind of dig a little deeper,
(02:23):
yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (02:24):
Um growing up in Oklahoma, all that you really
ever hear around you is countrymusic.
Um I wasn't like that.
I uh I loved singer-songwritersof the 60s and 70s, and that's
what my parents loved.
Um, and I I adore my parents andmy family's very, very important
to me.
So although I was hearing, youknow, growing up, I was hearing
(02:45):
George Strait and Merle Haggardand everybody through, and even
you know, Jason Aldean, guyslike that.
My parents loved the Eagles andJackson Brown and Jim Croce and
my personal favorite, JamesTaylor.
And I I mean, I literallyremember my very first time
hearing James Taylor, my worldmade sense for the very first
time.
Um and I had no idea that howold were you?
(03:06):
Um probably middle school, Imean maybe sixth grade.
And I I didn't have anyelectrics, you know, devices or
anything uh to listen to it.
But you know, my dad had a rule.
Uh when we were drivinganywhere, he was gonna listen to
what he wanted to listen to.
So we weren't listening to popradio or anything.
So with uh with mom, it wasK-Love and Dad, it was classic
(03:26):
rock or the 60s and 70s singersongwriters, and that blessed me
a lot.
That that that was my roots.
SPEAKER_02 (03:31):
Yeah, that's awesome, man.
Uh, you also like songwritingheroes.
Like, did you know um listeningto that kind of music, like
Wendell Mobley, some of theseguys that you were talking
about, like um when before youmoved to town, did you already
know like writers like that, ordid that kind of come after you
were here?
SPEAKER_01 (03:50):
Candidly, no.
I mean, it was one of my biggesthumbling moments is you know,
being in a being in a small ponduh kind of feeling like a big
fish, although I probablywasn't.
Um, you know, I quickly learnedwhen I moved out here that I
didn't know anything.
Um, I didn't know that myfavorite songwriters, guys like
Wendell Mobley and Tony Lane, Ididn't know that they were the
(04:12):
guys behind the songs.
They had the stories.
You know, and I grew up with whoI love, James Taylor and Jackson
Brown.
They it was their story and theysang them.
SPEAKER_03 (04:20):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (04:20):
But I had no idea that these country songs that I
love were written by other guysuntil I moved out here, and I I
massively got humbled notknowing names and getting
inspired um and just trying tolearn and be a student of this
craft.
And I still have a long, longways to go, but I know a few
names now, which is nice.
SPEAKER_02 (04:38):
Yeah, well, we're gonna talk about that as we kind
of dive into your journey at thelistening room and just some of
the connections you've been ableto make and all that.
But um let's dive into some ofyour songs.
Uh you you've got um you've gotsome cool stuff going on right
now.
Uh, as I mentioned in the intro,uh you are, as we sit here
today, an independentsongwriter.
(05:00):
Yes, sir.
That uh hopefully will changevery soon.
Things are looking really good.
Um let's uh let's talk aboutsome stories behind the songs.
Uh, second thoughts first.
Yeah, let's start with that one.
SPEAKER_01 (05:13):
You know, it's so it's so incredible.
I I always jokingly say uhco-writing is like speed dating
around Nashville.
You you you walk into a bar andyou love somebody sound and you
go up to them and you say, Heyman, I'm Luke Stevens.
I'm a songwriter too.
I'd love to write with you.
Uh and you know, you sit downwith them one time and you share
your heart and you share yourideas, and and if it goes well,
(05:34):
you keep writing and you've madea friendship.
And if it doesn't, you justabsolutely pray like you know
what, that you never see him outin public again.
It's exactly like Speed Dayton.
And uh it was kind of that waywith Matt McKinney, who has
become a great buddy of mine.
But I sat down with him the veryfirst time we wrote, and I had
this idea that I'd had forprobably six months that
everybody had passed on.
(05:55):
Uh, I guess maybe I wasn'texplaining it very well, but I I
said that title to him, SecondThoughts First, and man, he just
took it and ran with it.
And we we wrote it in probablyan hour and a half.
Uh, it's doing some really coolstuff for us around town.
People love it, uh, which isrewarding for me in terms of you
know, I believed in that ideafor a long time and to have
(06:17):
other people believe in the songnow that it's been written and
it's been demoed, and you know,got to sing it at a lot of
shows.
It it's really uh been rewardingfor me in a lot of ways.
But yeah, I'm excited to see thelife that that song lives.
SPEAKER_02 (06:29):
Yeah.
Take me into the room that daywith Matt.
Um, where did the idea come fromand tell us about the song?
SPEAKER_01 (06:37):
Uh, well, so you know this because I know that
you're a songwriter too.
Uh, a lot of times great ideasare are coming from hearing
people talk.
Now in Nashville, there are alot of people that have had too
much to drink that are talking awhole lot, uh, which means you
hear a lot of things that maybearen't said quite right.
And uh that was one of thoseideas.
(06:59):
I was uh I was just out in townand and somebody had a little
bit too much and and said thatabout regrets.
And he goes, Man, I just wish Ihad second thoughts first.
And then he literally correctedhimself.
He goes, I don't even know whatthat means.
And I said, I don't care what itmeans, I'm writing it down right
now.
Yeah, that's what I had.
(07:20):
And uh yeah, I I hope he's notlistening wherever he is because
he's not getting any credit forit.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (07:28):
It's funny.
I was just talking the other dayuh with a guest um maybe a week
or two ago, uh, about how likewhen Britney and I go out to
dinner or whatever, it used tolike well, I was gonna say it
used to drive her crazy.
It still probably drives hercrazy.
Uh, and I don't know if Jess isthe same way or whatever, but
(07:49):
like you're always listening tolike five different
conversations, you know, and I'mtrying to be locked in.
Like if we go out on a datenight, I'm trying to be locked
in and like, you know, butthere's thoughts about work and
there's all all these things,and then like every
conversation.
And if like somebody sayssomething, I mean, I'll I'm
like, I I sorry, I gotta do it.
(08:10):
I gotta write this down, man.
SPEAKER_01 (08:11):
It's yeah, it's it's the truth.
Now, I she's a fantasticsongwriter as well, so
unfortunately we both be whogets to write it down first.
It's a real thing we just hadthat problem.
Um, but yeah, it's hilarious.
She's she's the one that most ofthe time we'll be sitting out at
a nice dinner and and she'stelling me to be quiet to listen
to the conversation behind us.
(08:31):
That's amazing.
I'm done right on you.
It's hilarious.
SPEAKER_02 (08:35):
Oh, that's I love it.
Um so uh yeah, what um I mean,so you're you're out and you
hear this.
Uh, what was the reaction withMatt?
What do you think changed inthat room that day where like a
bunch of other co-writers hadsaid, no, I don't like that that
hook?
SPEAKER_01 (08:52):
Like I wish I knew, or I I'd write a hundred more of
them.
Yeah, right.
Sometimes just the right day,sometimes it's the right, you
know, you articulate it in a waythat makes sense to your
co-writer, and maybe that's whathad happened with Matt.
Um, but I I actually texted himthe night before just because
you know, there's a little bitof nerve going into a room with
a guy that has some real successand you've never written with
(09:15):
him and said, Man, I have thisidea.
And he texted me in probably 35seconds details about the song,
where the song goes.
And then we sat down the nextday and and just wrote it.
I think it just clicked to him,and I kind of framed it as you
know, I want it to be, I want itto be a story that's something
real to my heart.
Um, and it's a story aboutoverthinking it, and it's a
(09:38):
story about a guy thatoverthinks every single thing
until he finds someone that hedoesn't have to overthink
anymore, uh, and he doesn't havesecond thoughts first.
And that's kind of when the songclicked, and uh, I'm sure I
didn't say it as cool as that inthe room, but he got it, man,
and we've we've written somereally good stuff since then
together.
But that was a that was a win inthe speed dating scene for sure.
(10:01):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (10:02):
I love it.
Can we hear a little bit of it?
Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (10:24):
Well, I'll sit down at a diner and order coffee
black, and change it to a sodawhen that wedress comes on back,
and I'll walk down every high,like I've done three times
before, just to storm outempty-handed of that same old
grocery store.
I ain't one to take a risk.
(10:45):
I think twice before I speak.
Sometimes I second guess, secondguessing everything, but I've
been called an overthinker, anda taker of my time, a little
indecisive, and a prisoner of mymind.
I'm a man of reservations, aproduct of my doubts.
(11:07):
But these days I'm breaking newground, cause when it comes to
her, I don't have secondthoughts for hers.
SPEAKER_02 (11:23):
Man, I love that song.
SPEAKER_00 (11:25):
Yeah, thank you very much.
SPEAKER_02 (11:27):
So good.
Uh let's dive into uh let's diveinto one more.
Um tell me about Since You Ain'tMine.
SPEAKER_01 (11:35):
Yeah, that has been the craziest thing that I've
ever been a part of in thistown.
I uh the that was again withMatt McKinney.
I promise I do write with otherpeople.
Um, but he actually had thatidea and he said it kind of, you
know, we're going through titlesand he says ten things and then
says that title, kind of says itout the side of his mouth like
(11:55):
it meant nothing.
I for whatever reason I heard itand I just said boom, wide open,
huge chorus, think Brooks anddone.
You know, old school, drop D.
Um, I really want it to be big.
Yeah, and that was another onethat we probably wrote in an
hour and a half.
Um and man, I it was veryinteresting.
(12:16):
I I didn't really love the songall that much, and uh thank God
for Matt McKinney because heloved it and just started firing
it off everywhere.
Um and probably within 24 hourswe're getting we're getting
calls about artists and bandslooking at it and singing it on
tour buses, and I'm like, man,this has never happened to me
(12:37):
before.
I mean, this is the stuff, thisis what keeps you going.
Um, and I I just kind ofremember thinking, I don't I
don't know how long this willlast, and I certainly don't want
to take this for granted.
This isn't something thathappens for everybody, but I'm
gonna really enjoy this insteadof being hard on myself and
wanting something to happen.
And um, Matt's publisher endedup saying, you know, hey, you go
(12:58):
get that thing demoed yesterday,you know, go get it done now.
And that was really fun, man.
I got to I got to sit in a in abig time studio with a live band
and and sing a song that Iwrote.
It was it was kind of awhirlwind moment, and the next
week was just filled with phonecalls about, hey, so and so
loves the song, so and so lovesthe song, and and now it's on
(13:20):
hold, and um we're still we'restill doing some really cool
stuff with it.
And uh yeah, man, it's it's beenjust uh truly a treat for me to
watch watch a song that I waseven a part of do something that
cool.
And it's not not something toblow over, and I'm really,
really grateful for it.
SPEAKER_02 (13:40):
So yeah, I'm praying for you.
I know a couple uh a couple bigartists are yeah are looking at
it.
We won't talk about who, but uhit's an old jinx.
It's an old jinx, you know.
Yeah, yeah, we can't say it, orwe can't put it out there in the
universe.
Uh, but um yeah, I mean, I thinkisn't that crazy, man?
Like I I've uh I've walked outof the room um multiple times in
(14:03):
that same feeling of like it wasit was okay, you know.
It's like that's a song I'lljust put in the catalog and not
think about anything about it.
And the opposite, where I'vewalked out of the room like, oh
my gosh, I love this song, andand my co-writers are like,
yeah, I don't know, it's it'sall right, you know, it's and
it's so subjective to to who'shearing it when and all of that.
(14:24):
And um, you know, but that'swhere you just gotta get out of
the way, let God do his thingand just see where it goes.
SPEAKER_01 (14:32):
So it's yeah, it's a constant reminder that I don't
have any idea what I'm doing.
That's right.
Yeah, yeah.
And uh I need to learn how to bea better passenger and let God
drive.
That's right.
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_02 (14:41):
Uh Jesus take the wheel.
Oh man.
Wish I would have written thatone.
Yeah, no kidding.
Um, so take us, same thing.
Uh take us a little bit moreinto the story behind that one.
SPEAKER_01 (14:53):
Yeah, I I uh, you know, and this is the truth
about about writing.
Um, sometimes there's songs thatreally mean something to you,
and sometimes it's just it'sjust a magical creative process
that that clicks.
I mean, that song is just one ofthose old school country songs
that's a double meaning, adouble entendre of, you know,
since you ain't mine, I've doneall these things.
(15:14):
Um, but I'm I'm actually doingjust fine since you ain't mine.
I'd love to sit here and saythat's a personal story to me,
although I felt that way.
Um, but that was that was reallyjust a a creative kind of
thunderbolt in the room thathit, and we both wrote it.
Um, you know, maybe Matt wouldtell you differently, but he's
he's in a happy relationshiptoo.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
So I was just with him on Sunday at the Titans
game.
Yes.
Uh yeah, both of you guys, Ifeel, uh, got super lucky and uh
scored outside of your uh uh youthink?
And and me too.
I mean we're we're all in thatboat, but I mentioned Jess
earlier.
SPEAKER_01 (15:54):
I'll kick my coverage, my friend.
SPEAKER_02 (15:55):
Yeah, yes, sir.
Yeah, I think uh both of I'mjust so happy.
Uh I mean Jess immediately whenI I mean when she first started
working the listening room andMatt too, man.
Matt worked at the listeningroom, which is yeah, it's like a
big old family.
Um you know, like she would comedown and pigeon forge when we
were doing that, and um, youknow, just to to watch two great
(16:19):
people connect the way that thetwo of you have and and what
you're uh are are buildingtogether.
Just I I love having a backseat,just kind of watching that from
afar.
SPEAKER_01 (16:29):
Well, you're you're very kind and I appreciate that.
I I don't say this lightly, youknow.
I she is the most impressiveperson I've ever been around.
She uh she's incredible, and I'mcompletely in love and
infatuated with her, so Icertainly have some bias.
Yeah, but there are plenty ofpeople that don't have bias that
say the same thing, and she'sthe same, she's become that way
(16:50):
in writing rooms.
It's unbelievable the stuff thatshe's doing um in her first year
writing songs.
I mean, yeah, yeah, she's she'sincredible, as as you know.
SPEAKER_02 (17:00):
Yeah.
Well, I'm glad that this song isnot true for you or Matt, but uh
let's hear a little bit of thatone since you ain't mine.
And we will uh we will hope thatby the time this episode comes
out, there's some news to followthat uh where this song's gonna
land.
SPEAKER_00 (17:22):
Your words to God's ears, my friend was a river that
could wash away this hurt.
(17:54):
There's an ocean overflowing asI watched your ship sail by I'm
stranded on the shore, and thatmight have yours away sit you in
(18:14):
my space to freedom something Itain't been too hot I see it's me
who made their escape.
(18:36):
I ain't walking the lines, beendoing just fine, sent you a
money.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (18:46):
Another great one, man.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Love it.
Um all right.
Well, I let's uh let'stransition uh just into your
journey here.
Um and again, like I mean, I wasgoing over these notes and I was
like, man, this is this is gonnabe awkward to kind of talk
(19:06):
about.
SPEAKER_01 (19:07):
I want you to be comfortable with it.
You deserve you deserve a lot ofpraise, and I'm I'm uh I'm fine
with doing that.
SPEAKER_02 (19:12):
Man, I I appreciate it.
I just you know, for all thelisteners out there, I did not
write these questions.
Um but yeah, I mean, uh I do, Ido love, I mean, we're about to
celebrate 20 years, and I loveum, you know, the connections
that that our staff has beenable to make.
I mean, um, it's uh, you know,it's uh if if if somebody would
(19:35):
have told me 20 years ago that,you know, hey, the listening
room is gonna spit out all thesefriends that are getting ACM
awards and CMA awards, andyou're gonna know them all, and
you're gonna have all thesepeople that start out as
independent songwriters that areyou know winning awards, and I I
would have been like, you'recrazy, but it it has been
(19:58):
awesome to to watch that, and umso walk through what has that
journey been like for you andjust kind of like when you when
you moved here in the firstplace, how you got connected and
just everything that's happened.
SPEAKER_01 (20:14):
Yeah, I uh you know I moved out here.
I was I was really fortunate tothe home that I came home from
the hospital was the was thehouse that I grew up in, and I
was in the same room my wholelife.
Uh it's one of my biggestblessings that I've ever known
uh is stability and and lovefrom a family and massive
(20:36):
support.
Um and unfortunately thattranslated really poorly when I
moved out here.
Uh I was really it was reallyhard for me to uh not have a
home.
I wasn't anywhere longer thanabout six months.
Uh Belmont just didn't end upworking out for me personally.
It's a fantastic school, as youknow, and I don't have a single
(20:56):
negative thing to say about it.
Uh just didn't end up workingout for me and uh never found
that community and you know I Iwas working four jobs and I was
living in Laverne, Tennessee,um, and just you know, two years
into this whole thing, had neverdone a co-write, had never done
a writer's round, I didn't knowanybody, and kind of start
(21:18):
thinking, like, what am I stilldoing out here?
I mean, why am I still here?
Um, and I've certainly missedthe mark on why I moved out here
in the first place.
Uh you look up and you know,you're 20 to 21 years old and
you're coaching golf and workingat a golf course and trying to
start your own landscapingbusiness, and you know, I'm not
(21:39):
really even that good atlandscaping.
So I'm glad that didn't workout, and I'm sure a lot of
people in Laverne, Tennessee aretoo.
Um but it kind of changed my thewhole course of my life.
I uh was talking to AmaraBreich, who's uh still at the
listening room right now, and umshe said, why don't you just
(22:00):
come into the listening room andand you know try to get a job?
I really think people will loveyou.
And I am not kidding, man.
I had heard about the listeningroom as a songwriter, obviously.
Um I was so nervous walking inhere, I was shaking.
Just even trying to talk tosomebody about getting a job.
And I I really try to definemyself as somebody that respects
(22:25):
what this place is and what itmeans to so many people.
Um so I walked in there, it'slike, hey man, I you know, I'm
I'm looking for a job.
I'm doing a lot right now, but II need to be here.
Amara told me how great this isand what this place is like and
what it could be, and I need tobe here.
Um and I I got hired and uh it'sit's hilarious.
(22:49):
My uh everybody on staff alwayskind of jokes around.
It's like we we knew you weregonna be a guy in it for the
long haul after your first youknow, two shifts.
My my first two shifts here, Igot called in.
I'd never worked in a restaurantbefore.
Uh I got called in on a Fridayum and they go, Hey, we're we
don't have a dishwasher, willyou come in?
(23:12):
And I was like, I don't sure, Idon't have any idea what I'm
doing, but I will do it and I'llwork hard.
And uh, you know, I will brag onyou in this moment, but every
single Friday, Saturday, and nowSunday night, and a lot of
Thursdays, they're sold out.
There is no ifs, ands, or butsabout it.
Now, when you when you've neverworked in a restaurant and you
have two straight sellouts atalmost 300 people, that's a lot
(23:35):
of dishes.
And uh I was very, veryoverwhelmed and sop and wet, and
I loved it.
I'd never been a part ofsomething that was so
fast-paced, was so just evengetting to hear the music in the
other room was like this is theclosest I've been.
And the second shift, uh, I geta call and I go, Hey, uh, we
need somebody to clean thesmoker.
(23:56):
Will you clean the smoker?
I go, Yeah, absolutely.
Uh, get in there.
I think I can still smell bitsand pieces of that smoker every
once in a while, but uh eversince then it's just been I
don't know why.
I I absolutely loved it.
I love the work.
I've never been afraid of anykind of work.
Um, but that that was how muchthis place meant to me day one.
(24:18):
It's like I I don't even carewhat I have to do to get in to
be to be in this community.
I'm whatever it takes.
And uh yeah, started there andnow I'm a bartender, which is a
lot more fun than washing dishesor cleaning the smoker.
So a lot of a lot of blessingsthere for sure.
SPEAKER_02 (24:33):
Yeah, it's uh it's been cool just to kind of see
you rise up.
And um, you know, w what whatwould you say some of your
favorite moments are?
SPEAKER_01 (24:43):
Um, you know, I would honestly say a lot of my
favorite moments are are realmoments that you're talking with
customers, people that arecoming in.
Um you know, it's just likeevery single job in the world,
you're gonna have bad nightswhere you feel off and uh
somebody across from you feelsoff, and it's just not the
(25:05):
perfect interaction.
I have been so profoundly movedjust by people from Idaho and
people from California andpeople from Florida that have
come in and and they came toNashville to go to the listening
room, and we get to talking, andby the end of it, I know their
kids' names, I know where theywent to college, and they're
(25:26):
following me on Instagram, andand it's new friends, and
they're texting me every timethey come back to town.
Those have been those have beenthe moments that you know it
just makes you love people, itmakes you love the story, it
makes you love the journey.
And that's a place that attractseverybody from everywhere.
Um, and that's been the coolestpart for me is you know, just
little old me as a bartender isgetting to be a part of
(25:50):
somebody's night that they'vebeen planning a trip around.
I mean, that's pretty awesome.
Yeah, it's it's hard to beat.
It really is those nights arehard to beat.
SPEAKER_02 (25:59):
Yeah, I I say this all the time and I mean it.
Um, you know, it's we're aboutto celebrate 20 years um
planning a huge huge party.
I I'm not gonna say what yet,because I don't know when this
episode comes out if it will beuh past that date, but um uh you
(26:20):
know, it it's it is amazing, youknow, when I get uh I get
emails.
I just got a lot of them not toolong ago with fall break going
on for kids, you know, it's likeall these emails flooding in of
like yeah, we're coming fromsomewhere up north and we're
going to the beach, and youknow, like we stopped in
Nashville and we stop every yearin Nashville just for one night
(26:42):
just to go to the listeningroom.
And it's like, what?
Like it just blows my mind.
Um but the part I say all thetime is like, you know, that we
would not have the success thatwe do if it weren't for people
like you and Jess and all of theall of the amazing staff that we
have here uh and all thesongwriters.
(27:04):
I mean, you know, it's it's myvision, um but it came to life
because of because of the staffthat we have and you know love
talking about like you know, yougetting connected through Amara
that you know worked for us foryears and um and a lot of the a
lot of the staff.
I mean, we just I talked toother buddies in the industry,
(27:26):
you know, and they're like, mygosh, like I wish that I could
just get a server or bartenderor somebody to work for us for
longer than three months.
Like we're just tired of theturnover.
SPEAKER_01 (27:34):
I'm like, that's not a problem.
SPEAKER_02 (27:37):
Yeah, we just it's uh it it it really, it's like a
it's it's a family.
When someone, you know, it it'slike a bittersweet, like talking
about Matt McKinney earlier,like you know, when I was
actually speaking of Florida, Iwas in Florida in Destin when he
called me, yeah, and he waslike, dude, I'm I'm moving on,
you know.
And um I was like, what?
(28:00):
You know, but he's like, got agot a pub deal, got some stuff
going on, and I'm I'm jumping inwith two feet and I'm going
after this.
I was like, man, like I can'twait to get home and hug your
neck, man.
SPEAKER_01 (28:10):
So it's just that's the culture that you've created,
and that's the climate of thelistening room, and that's what
I think separates it from fromany other place that I've been
to, any other place that I'veever played.
You know, we're all fighting forthe same thing, and that's
that's to give that place therepresentation that it deserves.
I mean, and you talk about whatare some of your favorite
(28:33):
nights.
My favorite moments are aretimes where you know people walk
out of there crying at whatthey've just seen.
I mean, and I remember sittingin there my very first time
thinking this is the mostmagical thing I've ever been a
part of.
Uh just even sitting in there.
I mean, so it's you know, theculture there, the family, you
know, that's an old cliche andeverything, uh, but it's a
(28:54):
cliche for a reason over therebecause it's true.
And at the listening room, it istrue.
I mean, we're all we're all init, and we all fight for each
other and we all love eachother.
Um, and it's it's wonderful.
Some great, great humans, and itstarts it starts from the top
because if you don't, if youdon't start that at the very
top, you you are well aware thatthat doesn't trickle down the
way that it has.
So thank you.
We appreciate you.
(29:15):
Appreciate that, man.
SPEAKER_02 (29:16):
Means a lot.
Um, a lot of guests that I haveon, you know, we talk about new
riders coming to town and likeyou know what they should do to
get out and network and buildtheir camp and all that.
And um, you know, I've hadseveral people throughout the
last almost three years, Iguess, that we've been doing
this podcast, um, talk aboutlike, you know, go out, go to go
(29:37):
to writers rounds, meet peopleand all of that.
And um, so you know, whetherit's listening room, bluebird,
the local, like there's a lot ofgreat places around town to go
do that.
Um talk about that a little bitof uh both, you know, as someone
who's been with us for a longtime and worked with us, what
(29:58):
kind of doors those.
Have opened, um, you know whatwhat you've learned and the
relationships that you'vedeveloped because of that, but
also just for anybody elselistening, you know, what kind
of things um should you do, youknow, coming to to places like
the listening room.
SPEAKER_01 (30:16):
Yeah, I mean, I I think there are two very
important things that have tohappen uh and both have happened
to me and continue to happen tome.
First off, when you go into aplace like that uh or any place
around town, um you have to takeyourself out of the equation and
drop your ego.
Um, if you're sitting therethinking, that song's not very
(30:38):
good, that person's not verygood, why are they there and I'm
not, then you're missing thewhole point.
Um, so I was it's funny, I wastalking about it this morning.
Um that's that's one thing thathas to happen.
And the other thing that has tohappen is you have to understand
it is not gonna happen for you.
You have to make it happen foryourself, and that's something
(30:58):
that I dealt with for the firsttwo years.
Me being here is almost anentitlement and the ego problem
of, oh, I'm so great, it'llhappen for me.
Yeah, which I laugh even sayingnow.
Um, everybody here is betterthan you, everybody here has
been here longer than you,everybody here knows somebody,
and I don't mean that in a in anegative way.
(31:19):
I'm saying that should besomething that gets you fired up
and excited in terms of man, Ineed to I need to put my pride
aside and I need to go makethings happen for myself.
And once I got out of wanting itto be pretty and wanting it to
look good, um it it kind ofopened up for me.
And um just when you put yourego you know behind you and you
(31:42):
listen to guys and think, whatare they doing that I need to be
doing?
What and obviously working atthe listening room, I've heard
so many rounds, I'm so inspired,I've heard things, uh you know,
I've stolen things and made itmy own, you know.
Um, but but no, it's it's reallyit's really important to to come
in and and those two things haveto happen.
(32:03):
You have to you have to dropyour ego and understand that
it's not gonna happen for you,you have to make it happen.
And then the other thing is isyou gotta give up on making it
look pretty, it's gotta lookgritty, it's gotta look like you
want it, and the town willreward you for that.
SPEAKER_02 (32:17):
Yeah.
Um what like why from yourperspective, why do you think
songwriters' rounds in Nashvilleare so important?
SPEAKER_01 (32:30):
Um, well, the networking more than anything,
you know, I've been I've beenreally fortunate to have uh you
know Mark Irwin take me underhis wing.
He's been so good to me as a asa human and as a friend and also
as a writer.
And and you know, he's he's saltat the earth.
Um but you know, he told me themost important thing one time.
You can kind of get dragged downin the rounds system.
(32:52):
You know, it's you're going outand sometimes you play to just
the bartender.
And uh, you know, I kind of wassharing him some of those
frustrations, you know, justplaying at little dive bars all
over town.
He goes, it doesn't matter, itdoesn't matter who you're
playing to, or what matters isyou're networking with people on
the round that you like.
It's that's that's youropportunity to meet somebody
(33:13):
that you could write a hit songwith.
That's your opportunity to hearsomething new.
Um, and that's that's the mostimportant thing about riders'
rounds is getting out there andnetworking and shaking hands.
And it doesn't happen once,because let's all face it, you
know, we're not gonna remembervery many names in this town
after one time.
Be a guy that shows up, be a guythat's present.
You gotta be present to win,right?
(33:33):
Yeah, you gotta you gotta go andshow up and show face.
And obviously I've beenextremely spoiled, uh, but I
learned the hard way.
Something that's also importantabout rounds is uh when you're
talking to writers that are muchbigger than you, which most of
them are bigger than me at thispoint, but you can't just walk
straight up somebody and go, heyman, I'd love to write with you.
Oh, it's a it's a connection,man.
(33:55):
You gotta you gotta talk to thema few times, you gotta get to
know people.
Uh, you gotta almost kind of winpeople over as a as a human
first, right?
SPEAKER_02 (34:03):
Yeah, let's let's talk about that a little bit
because I mean it's so true.
And I mean, I've seen like, youknow, we have that policy in our
policies and procedures at thelistening room for that reason
because we don't want we don'twant the artist or the
songwriters to feel like they'rebeing germed, right?
But also the reason that I wroteit in there was to protect the
(34:25):
writer, to protect you, right?
Like our staff, because Ibecause I know how it works.
It's like, you know, there's theanomalies of the marker wins
that if somebody walked up tohim after a show and was like,
hey, I'm a writer too.
Do you want to write?
He'd probably be like, here's myphone number, let's go.
Yeah, but yeah, most people aregonna be like, like at that
point, you will most likelynever write with that person
(34:47):
because it's like the door isshut.
Correct.
So, you know, how how as a newwriter in town that's trying to
network, like how do you get outof your own way?
And what advice would you givesomebody to like, how do you
build those friendships?
SPEAKER_01 (35:06):
I have I have great advice because I've done it
wrong many times.
Yeah, yeah.
And I've and I've been the guythat you know mistakenly just
got so uh starstruck, and youknow, I just get too excited.
And I remember at a old pizzabrewery uh in town, that was one
of the first rounds I ever wentto.
I went went up write up somebodywho will remain nameless uh and
was like, hey man, I'd love towrite with you.
(35:27):
It's like he's got 10 numberones, but that's probably not
gonna happen right now.
Uh, anyways, yeah, I think it'simportant uh to be uh to be a
human being first.
I know that sounds silly, um,but the amount of times that
I've been bartending on uh thewriters over at the listening
room, and I've bartended on themenough times, and you know,
(35:48):
they've liked they've liked whoI am, or maybe I've said
something or told them, hey,have a great show, whatever you
need, my name's Luke.
And a lot of times they open upthat door for you, and it
happens a lot more organic.
Um so that's that would be myonly advice is if you're really,
really set in stone aboutwanting to write with somebody
who maybe you really look up to,show them that you're a good
(36:10):
human first.
SPEAKER_02 (36:11):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (36:11):
Because I think we've all sat in some rooms with
maybe people that we didn't knowthat quickly we figured out
maybe we didn't really love theright and uh maybe we didn't get
along or see eye to eye.
Um, I think that's the mostimportant thing.
And and oftentimes if you dothat, this town is so good at
giving people chances.
If you just prove that you're ayou're a nice guy first,
(36:32):
there'll be a lot of guys, heyman, you a writer?
You know, I'd love to hear yourstuff, that kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_02 (36:37):
So yeah.
Um yeah, that's exactly why inthose policies and procedures is
like, don't go up to somebody,yeah.
But if they ask you, yeah, whatare you in town for?
What are you what are you doing,like whatever, then the door is
open.
And that's like uh, I meanagain, like a lot of people
think um, oh, these policies andprocedures are written, like,
(36:58):
you know, whatever, with withonly this in mind.
I think maybe, maybe, I don'tknow, that's where a little bit
of the magic comes to is thatlike you know, I didn't start
this this company because Iwanted to be in the restaurant
business or the bar business orwhatever.
I started it because I wasplaying writers' rounds all over
town and I was like, man, Idon't know, like I just want
(37:20):
something that's more special,that's bigger, that's like, you
know, and so I started as asongwriter and wrote those of
like, hey, this is what I wantus to do as a company, but also
because I know what will openthe doors for you guys as staff.
SPEAKER_01 (37:34):
No, and I think I think that's very apparent.
And we were talking about youknow leadership trickling down
in that way.
Uh, you are a songwriter.
I mean, it's I think everythingabout that place is really
apparent, whether it be uh otherstaff or management supporting
the songwriters as well.
That's not accidental.
You've you've done thatpurposefully, and that's who you
(37:54):
are.
Uh, and that's one of thebiggest, the biggest blessings
about the listening room, andone of the one of the coolest
things about it.
But yeah, it's you gotta protectboth parties in a little way.
And most of the time, you know,uh if if you're just good
people, you'll have a chance toshow yourself, you know, and and
to show that, hey man, I'm a I'ma writer too.
I love that song, you know.
(38:15):
And I'll tell you what, it's alittle joke, but there's a
little bit of truth in everyjoke.
Boosting somebody's ego neverhurt.
You know, you see a songwriter,you're really, I love that song,
man.
It's all of a sudden they wantto talk to you a little bit
more.
That's true.
SPEAKER_02 (38:30):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Uh, what would you say your mostmagical memory of shows that a
listener miss?
SPEAKER_01 (38:41):
Man, I've I've had so many unbelievable moments.
Um so I was actually gonna geton engaged on that stage, um,
and then just found out theplan, so I had to quickly
sidebar.
That was what a night that was.
It was unbelievable.
But uh, a lot of stress went inthat and it went perfectly.
(39:02):
Um I've had a lot of reallymagical moments.
I uh, you know, I think some ofmy funnest memories, and not
even memories, I mean thingsthat are happening right now is
I'll be sitting in between twosongwriters that I've been
listening to their songsforever.
And you kind of zoom out for asecond, you think I don't I
(39:23):
don't belong here.
Uh, you know, it's kind of akind of an imposter syndrome
moment of just what am I doinghere, man?
And um, you know, to even justbriefly for those moments of I
belong, if you catch them for 30seconds in a show of just you're
sitting in between two hitwriters and it's like this is
what I'm supposed to be doing.
Um but I've had I've had so manymagical magical moments there.
(39:48):
Uh I've had people come up andjoin me from stage.
Um, I've been a part of somesome charity stuff and some
foundations that have I've seenmove people in real time.
Um yeah, it's been every timeI'm on that stage, not to be the
this guy, but every time I'm onthis stage that stage, it's it's
something magical happens.
(40:10):
I mean, whether it's singing asong that you've loved forever
or it's it's uh you know seeingsomebody cry to a song that you
wrote.
I mean, that's pretty.
That's about as good as it gets.
SPEAKER_02 (40:20):
Yeah, I love that, man.
Thanks for sharing that.
I um I would correct you thoughand say you do deserve to be
there.
SPEAKER_01 (40:28):
Well, uh that's very kind.
I appreciate that.
I um I love being there.
There's there's always somethingthat you want to surround
yourself with the best and uh bewith people that are much better
than you, and I hope to alwayscontinue to do that.
I'm doing that pretty well rightnow.
SPEAKER_02 (40:45):
Yeah, I think that's you know, that's a a lot of like
going out to these writers'rounds and stuff.
And I mean, you know, especiallypeople like you that that work
here, um, you know, I I look atthat like, you know, you
mentioned Belmont didn't workout for you, but it's like I I
(41:06):
my feeling of it, and I lovelike your input on this, but my
feeling is like you're gettingpaid to go to school.
Yeah, because you're like you'reyou're you're bartending and
you're you're making money tojust listen over and over and
over and over.
And like how has that umimproved your writing?
(41:28):
Like like have you learned likedifferent ways to string things
together?
SPEAKER_01 (41:32):
Like it's it, yeah.
I mean, how like I said, unlessyou have an ego problem, you'd
be a fool not to.
It's like I, you know, um, and Iwant to walk a very fine line
here, so I will I will startwith saying it has nothing to do
with Belmont, it just didn'twork out for me personally, but
my schooling has been thelistening room.
I mean, and yeah, the obviouscherry on top is I'm getting a
(41:53):
paycheck.
I mean, that's awesome, that's adream come true.
But um, yeah, it's it's myschooling has been there.
I mean, the real lifeexperiences, but I am a student
of songwriting because I'm inthere hearing all those rounds.
You know, I never you talk aboutmagical moments, first time I
ever heard Tom Douglas in thatroom.
I have a long way to go.
Yeah, I have a really long wayto go.
(42:15):
And if that's not what you comeout of it thinking uh you're
doing something wrong, it's it'sman, how unbelievable.
Listen how he flipped that.
I love how conversational he is.
I love that line before.
I love the setup.
It's yeah, I mean, if you'renot, if you're not slinging
drinks and taking notes, it'slike you need to have your pulse
checked, man.
How could you not?
They're fantastic, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (42:35):
And I mean, to go back to what you were saying
earlier, you know, advice forfor new people coming to town.
Tom, uh Wendell, Mobley, uhDavid Lee, Lee Thomas Miller, I
mean Ashley Gorley, you could goon and on.
They didn't sit in a house inLaverne and wait for somebody to
hear their songs.
(42:56):
All made it happen.
So, yeah, like get out, network,go talk to people in the right
way, get to know them.
Right.
All those things.
SPEAKER_01 (43:03):
Yeah, that being said, all those guys don't ask
them to write.
Yeah, they get to know right.
Yes, yeah.
Wait until they ask you to writeit.
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_02 (43:12):
Man, that's my biggest problem.
I it I every like some of thesebig writers that that play, um,
I'm so bad at like when I've hadso many people like that that
will be like, Man, I've knownyou for 18 years.
I didn't even know you were asongwriter.
We should write sometime.
And I'm like, Yeah, man, thatwould be awesome.
(43:32):
And then I don't follow up.
And it's just like because thenit's almost like, man, so and so
asked me to do this like a monthago.
Like, yeah, is it is it toolate?
You know, I need I need to bebetter at that.
SPEAKER_01 (43:45):
There's two things certainly that you need to know
and you need to be told.
Uh, first off, you're veryhumble and you're somebody that
puts other people beforeyourself, so you're not out
talking about you as asongwriter.
The second thing is you'repretty busy, you got a lot going
on.
You know, yeah, talk to Britney.
She's like, You're not blowingpeople off.
You got some real stuff goingon.
SPEAKER_02 (44:07):
Yeah, so it has been a whirlwind.
Um, so I want to uh before wewrap up, I do want to talk about
your journey with sobrietybecause I think um, you know,
it's almost becoming more of atrend that's positive, and I
love that.
But, you know, in our industry,especially, you know, when I
first moved to town, um, man, Ihave like I have some dark
(44:30):
moments that I look back at, youknow, and it wasn't me.
It was just like same thing.
Like, how how do you get to knowpeople?
How do I meet songwriters?
Like, I was going out to thebars night after night after
night and staying out till twoor three in the morning, and
everybody else is drinking.
And so I started drinking, andum, you know, it gets to the
(44:52):
point where it's like you youyou wake up the next morning and
it's like, man, I think somebodyasked me to write, but who was
you know, it's like it can be uhin any industry, right?
But in the music industry,especially, um, man, you know,
Brittany uh and things thatchanged in my life almost 15
(45:15):
years ago, uh kind of kind ofmade that pivot for me where I,
you know, I stopped drinking allthe time.
And you know, I still willoccasionally socially have some
drinks, but Jess, when I youknow, she was sober when I first
met her.
And like yeah, and uh um yourjourney to sobriety, you know, I
(45:35):
I um in an industry like this,like take walk me through like
why and what that did for you.
SPEAKER_01 (45:43):
Well, I I wanna I want to start that by saying uh,
you know, my my sobriety and myjourney is different than
anybody else's, and there'snothing wrong with anybody
else's journey, it's just achoice that I made.
Um, and I I I give a lot ofcredit and a lot of things to my
life in the listening room, butI don't say lightly at all that
(46:05):
the listening room changed mylife.
Uh I've first off, I I found mywife there.
I get to marry a girl that I metthere in April.
Um, who would have thought?
I certainly wouldn't have.
Um I got sober there, I found mysobriety there, and ultimately
I've I've really done some verycool things professionally
because of that place.
I don't ever say that lightly.
(46:25):
The listening room changed mylife.
Um my sobriety came from a pointof being very unhappy with who I
was as a man and realizing thatI had fallen quite a long ways
from who I want to be.
Um I I've had a lot of I'venever been perfect and really,
(46:45):
really far from being perfect.
Um, but one thing that I I'vedone well and hope to continue
to do well is I I deeplyself-analyze my own mistakes and
drinking every single night andit being socially okay because
of you know the industry thatyou're in and the town that
you're in.
You wake up a lot of morningsand there are times of um I
(47:11):
shouldn't have driven lastnight, I don't know what I said
last night, and it's just howmany more times do I want to do
this?
Uh, and I don't think I like whoI am anymore.
You know, I always say it takessomething like that um to make a
drastic change in your life,right?
Um so it's it's been the biggestblessing in in my life, and I
(47:32):
know I've talked a lot aboutblessings today.
I forgive me.
I'm just I'm a really fortunateguy.
Um, but all three of thosethings at the listening room,
you know, um my sobriety waschallenged at the listening room
bartending for a while, but I'vesince realized that it's become
my armor of I'm around alcoholall the time.
(47:54):
Um, and I'm almost two yearsinto uh a life journey, and I I
never want to drink again, Inever will drink again.
Um, but it's become a strengthfor me of being around alcohol
and and just thinking, no, I Ilike myself a lot better this
way.
And yeah, and uh selfishly, howawesome it is I'm not late, I
(48:17):
show up, I'm present, um, andthat's professionally and
personally.
And I haven't been that guyforever.
So that's been the mostrewarding thing for me with my
sobriety, is it's um gotten mecloser to the man that I want to
become.
Obviously, we never get there,but it certainly got me closer.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (48:37):
You're uh you're a big man of faith too.
Yes, sir.
I think that goes a long way,and um you can say that you've
been blessed as much as you wantbecause brother, uh as a as a
brother in Christ, and um, youknow, I'm someone that is very
vocal about that, and I love mychurch, and I love my God, and I
talk about it all the time, andI'm great with it.
(49:01):
Um man, I think uh I think thedecisions that you make is
because of the glory of that.
And um that's why all thoseblessings come to you, bro.
SPEAKER_01 (49:11):
Yeah, well, thank you very much.
I uh yeah, I just try to try tostay one step at a time and
remember remember who I'mglorifying, and the world seems
a lot simpler.
Yeah, yes, sir.
SPEAKER_02 (49:24):
Dude, thank you.
Uh thank you for spending sometime and kind of sharing uh your
story, the stories behind yoursongs and and uh um talking
about the listening room.
Thank you, man.
SPEAKER_01 (49:36):
I know it's a different episode, but this is
pretty awesome, and peopledeserve to hear what kind of
place you have made and and whatyou've done.
So thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (49:44):
Oh thank thank you.
Um as we wrap up, man, we'll uhwe'll keep everybody posted with
uh with what's going on, andhopefully, um you know, very
soon these couple songs youplayed today and so many more
people are gonna know from theradio, and um they're gonna be
the ones that go back and go,uh, oh wait, like so Luke wrote
(50:04):
this song.
That's pretty cool.
So um last question I always endwith if you can go back to
eight-year-old you, what advicedo you give yourself today?
SPEAKER_01 (50:13):
Uh don't put too much weight on being a
professional scuba diver.
That was my dream when I was aneight.
Uh I have that written down.
Um, no, eight-year-old,eight-year-old me would uh would
all I think would tell me toremember to enjoy some of this
stuff that's happening, man.
(50:34):
It's so easy to get bogged downin this town and want it all
right now.
SPEAKER_03 (50:37):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (50:37):
I think eight-year-old me would be
pretty impressed with some ofthe things that's happening.
So, yeah, give up on being aprofessional scuba diver and
remember to celebrate yourself afew times and and maybe even pat
yourself on the back.
SPEAKER_02 (50:51):
So great advice.
You you mentioned earlier aboutum, you know, when uh the song
you and Matt uh sent out, likeall of a sudden everybody's
talking about they're playing iton their bus and all this stuff,
and that you were just like,Man, I don't know if this is
gonna come.
Like, I need to live in thismoment.
Dude, that's that is such greatadvice, and so good on you to
think about that because there'sso many times that I talk to
(51:13):
people and they're like, Man, Idon't even remember it was such
a whirlwind.
Like, so yeah.
Well, thank you.
Yeah, that's uh that's greatadvice, dude.
SPEAKER_01 (51:21):
I'm saying it out loud because I need to remember.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (51:25):
And uh keep uh keep uh not worrying about uh the
scuba diving.
SPEAKER_01 (51:31):
So yeah, yeah, I think that's gone.
I mean, maybe maybe that'll bemy my next game.
SPEAKER_02 (51:39):
Everybody, thank you so much for listening.
This has been another episode ofStories Behind the Songs.
I'm Chris Blair, you've beenlistening to Luke Stevens, and
we will see you next time.
This has been an episode ofStories Behind the Songs with
Chris Blair.
For more information after theshow, head over to Chris
(52:00):
Blair.com.
That's where you can findinformation on these episodes,
trailer notes, video links, allkinds of great stuff.
Also, make sure to leave us agreat rating on iTunes, like and
follow us on Spotify, YouTube,wherever you listen to podcasts.
Leave us a comment, let us knowwhat you think.
I really hope that you thinkthis show is awesome and we
(52:22):
really appreciate the love andsupport.
I promise to keep gatheringgreat content and continuing to
sit down with more amazingsongwriters and artists as we
grow.
Thanks so much for listening.
Thanks for the support.
We'll see you next time.
You're listening to Stories Behind the Songs with
Chris Blair.
For more information, check outChris Blair.com.
Today's guest is an independentsongwriter today because things
are about to quickly change forhim.
He's also uh a good buddy that'sworked for the listening room
for a long time.
He's got a lot of thingshappening, and uh I'm so excited
(00:26):
to dive into this.
Luke Stevens, how are you,brother?
SPEAKER_01 (00:29):
I'm fantastic, man.
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_02 (00:31):
I am uh really happy to be here.
Man, it's uh this is gonna be uhkind of fun.
We're still gonna dive into somestories, man, the songs, and
you've got uh you've got somesome some cool stuff happening
right now, um, but also justkind of diving into uh the
listening room.
And um, I told you earlier thisis uh it's it's different for
(00:52):
me.
It's a little it's a littleweird.
Like, hey, hey, let's talk abouthow awesome the listening room
is.
But uh that's what you wanted totalk about, and I I think I
thank you for that.
And um, you've worked for us fora long time, so we'll we'll get
to all that.
Let's let's uh let's kind ofstart from the beginning, like I
always do, um, and talk aboutyour journey uh in music early
(01:14):
days and kind of what what gotyou to Nashville.
SPEAKER_01 (01:16):
Yeah, I'm uh I'm born and raised in Oklahoma, and
um I was an athlete my wholelife that also did music, and
that's kind of what I thought Ialways was.
Um and then COVID happened, Iguess, when I was a junior in
high school, and sports wentaway naturally, and and the
guitar was here to stay.
I started really writing songsand taking it serious, and uh
(01:38):
through a friend heard aboutthis place called Belmont and uh
ended up getting into thesongwriting program and did that
for a little while.
I didn't finish at Belmont.
Um, but it brought me out hereto town and brought me to
Nashville and kind of showed methat I could I could be a
songwriter, you know, and followmy dreams in that world and uh
left sports behind and now I'mhere.
SPEAKER_02 (02:00):
Yeah.
Um and you uh I loved readingabout your musical inspirations.
Um talk about that a little bit.
I mean, a lot of times I seelike, you know, whatever's hot,
you know, as as in that genre ortime period that people are are
growing up, but uh you kind ofyou kind of dig a little deeper,
(02:23):
yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (02:24):
Um growing up in Oklahoma, all that you really
ever hear around you is countrymusic.
Um I wasn't like that.
I uh I loved singer-songwritersof the 60s and 70s, and that's
what my parents loved.
Um, and I I adore my parents andmy family's very, very important
to me.
So although I was hearing, youknow, growing up, I was hearing
(02:45):
George Strait and Merle Haggardand everybody through, and even
you know, Jason Aldean, guyslike that.
My parents loved the Eagles andJackson Brown and Jim Croce and
my personal favorite, JamesTaylor.
And I I mean, I literallyremember my very first time
hearing James Taylor, my worldmade sense for the very first
time.
Um and I had no idea that howold were you?
(03:06):
Um probably middle school, Imean maybe sixth grade.
And I I didn't have anyelectrics, you know, devices or
anything uh to listen to it.
But you know, my dad had a rule.
Uh when we were drivinganywhere, he was gonna listen to
what he wanted to listen to.
So we weren't listening to popradio or anything.
So with uh with mom, it wasK-Love and Dad, it was classic
(03:26):
rock or the 60s and 70s singersongwriters, and that blessed me
a lot.
That that that was my roots.
SPEAKER_02 (03:31):
Yeah, that's awesome, man.
Uh, you also like songwritingheroes.
Like, did you know um listeningto that kind of music, like
Wendell Mobley, some of theseguys that you were talking
about, like um when before youmoved to town, did you already
know like writers like that, ordid that kind of come after you
were here?
SPEAKER_01 (03:50):
Candidly, no.
I mean, it was one of my biggesthumbling moments is you know,
being in a being in a small ponduh kind of feeling like a big
fish, although I probablywasn't.
Um, you know, I quickly learnedwhen I moved out here that I
didn't know anything.
Um, I didn't know that myfavorite songwriters, guys like
Wendell Mobley and Tony Lane, Ididn't know that they were the
(04:12):
guys behind the songs.
They had the stories.
You know, and I grew up with whoI love, James Taylor and Jackson
Brown.
They it was their story and theysang them.
SPEAKER_03 (04:20):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (04:20):
But I had no idea that these country songs that I
love were written by other guysuntil I moved out here, and I I
massively got humbled notknowing names and getting
inspired um and just trying tolearn and be a student of this
craft.
And I still have a long, longways to go, but I know a few
names now, which is nice.
SPEAKER_02 (04:38):
Yeah, well, we're gonna talk about that as we kind
of dive into your journey at thelistening room and just some of
the connections you've been ableto make and all that.
But um let's dive into some ofyour songs.
Uh you you've got um you've gotsome cool stuff going on right
now.
Uh, as I mentioned in the intro,uh you are, as we sit here
today, an independentsongwriter.
(05:00):
Yes, sir.
That uh hopefully will changevery soon.
Things are looking really good.
Um let's uh let's talk aboutsome stories behind the songs.
Uh, second thoughts first.
Yeah, let's start with that one.
SPEAKER_01 (05:13):
You know, it's so it's so incredible.
I I always jokingly say uhco-writing is like speed dating
around Nashville.
You you you walk into a bar andyou love somebody sound and you
go up to them and you say, Heyman, I'm Luke Stevens.
I'm a songwriter too.
I'd love to write with you.
Uh and you know, you sit downwith them one time and you share
your heart and you share yourideas, and and if it goes well,
(05:34):
you keep writing and you've madea friendship.
And if it doesn't, you justabsolutely pray like you know
what, that you never see him outin public again.
It's exactly like Speed Dayton.
And uh it was kind of that waywith Matt McKinney, who has
become a great buddy of mine.
But I sat down with him the veryfirst time we wrote, and I had
this idea that I'd had forprobably six months that
everybody had passed on.
(05:55):
Uh, I guess maybe I wasn'texplaining it very well, but I I
said that title to him, SecondThoughts First, and man, he just
took it and ran with it.
And we we wrote it in probablyan hour and a half.
Uh, it's doing some really coolstuff for us around town.
People love it, uh, which isrewarding for me in terms of you
know, I believed in that ideafor a long time and to have
(06:17):
other people believe in the songnow that it's been written and
it's been demoed, and you know,got to sing it at a lot of
shows.
It it's really uh been rewardingfor me in a lot of ways.
But yeah, I'm excited to see thelife that that song lives.
SPEAKER_02 (06:29):
Yeah.
Take me into the room that daywith Matt.
Um, where did the idea come fromand tell us about the song?
SPEAKER_01 (06:37):
Uh, well, so you know this because I know that
you're a songwriter too.
Uh, a lot of times great ideasare are coming from hearing
people talk.
Now in Nashville, there are alot of people that have had too
much to drink that are talking awhole lot, uh, which means you
hear a lot of things that maybearen't said quite right.
And uh that was one of thoseideas.
(06:59):
I was uh I was just out in townand and somebody had a little
bit too much and and said thatabout regrets.
And he goes, Man, I just wish Ihad second thoughts first.
And then he literally correctedhimself.
He goes, I don't even know whatthat means.
And I said, I don't care what itmeans, I'm writing it down right
now.
Yeah, that's what I had.
(07:20):
And uh yeah, I I hope he's notlistening wherever he is because
he's not getting any credit forit.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (07:28):
It's funny.
I was just talking the other dayuh with a guest um maybe a week
or two ago, uh, about how likewhen Britney and I go out to
dinner or whatever, it used tolike well, I was gonna say it
used to drive her crazy.
It still probably drives hercrazy.
Uh, and I don't know if Jess isthe same way or whatever, but
(07:49):
like you're always listening tolike five different
conversations, you know, and I'mtrying to be locked in.
Like if we go out on a datenight, I'm trying to be locked
in and like, you know, butthere's thoughts about work and
there's all all these things,and then like every
conversation.
And if like somebody sayssomething, I mean, I'll I'm
like, I I sorry, I gotta do it.
(08:10):
I gotta write this down, man.
SPEAKER_01 (08:11):
It's yeah, it's it's the truth.
Now, I she's a fantasticsongwriter as well, so
unfortunately we both be whogets to write it down first.
It's a real thing we just hadthat problem.
Um, but yeah, it's hilarious.
She's she's the one that most ofthe time we'll be sitting out at
a nice dinner and and she'stelling me to be quiet to listen
to the conversation behind us.
(08:31):
That's amazing.
I'm done right on you.
It's hilarious.
SPEAKER_02 (08:35):
Oh, that's I love it.
Um so uh yeah, what um I mean,so you're you're out and you
hear this.
Uh, what was the reaction withMatt?
What do you think changed inthat room that day where like a
bunch of other co-writers hadsaid, no, I don't like that that
hook?
SPEAKER_01 (08:52):
Like I wish I knew, or I I'd write a hundred more of
them.
Yeah, right.
Sometimes just the right day,sometimes it's the right, you
know, you articulate it in a waythat makes sense to your
co-writer, and maybe that's whathad happened with Matt.
Um, but I I actually texted himthe night before just because
you know, there's a little bitof nerve going into a room with
a guy that has some real successand you've never written with
(09:15):
him and said, Man, I have thisidea.
And he texted me in probably 35seconds details about the song,
where the song goes.
And then we sat down the nextday and and just wrote it.
I think it just clicked to him,and I kind of framed it as you
know, I want it to be, I want itto be a story that's something
real to my heart.
Um, and it's a story aboutoverthinking it, and it's a
(09:38):
story about a guy thatoverthinks every single thing
until he finds someone that hedoesn't have to overthink
anymore, uh, and he doesn't havesecond thoughts first.
And that's kind of when the songclicked, and uh, I'm sure I
didn't say it as cool as that inthe room, but he got it, man,
and we've we've written somereally good stuff since then
together.
But that was a that was a win inthe speed dating scene for sure.
(10:01):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (10:02):
I love it.
Can we hear a little bit of it?
Yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00 (10:24):
Well, I'll sit down at a diner and order coffee
black, and change it to a sodawhen that wedress comes on back,
and I'll walk down every high,like I've done three times
before, just to storm outempty-handed of that same old
grocery store.
I ain't one to take a risk.
(10:45):
I think twice before I speak.
Sometimes I second guess, secondguessing everything, but I've
been called an overthinker, anda taker of my time, a little
indecisive, and a prisoner of mymind.
I'm a man of reservations, aproduct of my doubts.
(11:07):
But these days I'm breaking newground, cause when it comes to
her, I don't have secondthoughts for hers.
SPEAKER_02 (11:23):
Man, I love that song.
SPEAKER_00 (11:25):
Yeah, thank you very much.
SPEAKER_02 (11:27):
So good.
Uh let's dive into uh let's diveinto one more.
Um tell me about Since You Ain'tMine.
SPEAKER_01 (11:35):
Yeah, that has been the craziest thing that I've
ever been a part of in thistown.
I uh the that was again withMatt McKinney.
I promise I do write with otherpeople.
Um, but he actually had thatidea and he said it kind of, you
know, we're going through titlesand he says ten things and then
says that title, kind of says itout the side of his mouth like
(11:55):
it meant nothing.
I for whatever reason I heard itand I just said boom, wide open,
huge chorus, think Brooks anddone.
You know, old school, drop D.
Um, I really want it to be big.
Yeah, and that was another onethat we probably wrote in an
hour and a half.
Um and man, I it was veryinteresting.
(12:16):
I I didn't really love the songall that much, and uh thank God
for Matt McKinney because heloved it and just started firing
it off everywhere.
Um and probably within 24 hourswe're getting we're getting
calls about artists and bandslooking at it and singing it on
tour buses, and I'm like, man,this has never happened to me
(12:37):
before.
I mean, this is the stuff, thisis what keeps you going.
Um, and I I just kind ofremember thinking, I don't I
don't know how long this willlast, and I certainly don't want
to take this for granted.
This isn't something thathappens for everybody, but I'm
gonna really enjoy this insteadof being hard on myself and
wanting something to happen.
And um, Matt's publisher endedup saying, you know, hey, you go
(12:58):
get that thing demoed yesterday,you know, go get it done now.
And that was really fun, man.
I got to I got to sit in a in abig time studio with a live band
and and sing a song that Iwrote.
It was it was kind of awhirlwind moment, and the next
week was just filled with phonecalls about, hey, so and so
loves the song, so and so lovesthe song, and and now it's on
(13:20):
hold, and um we're still we'restill doing some really cool
stuff with it.
And uh yeah, man, it's it's beenjust uh truly a treat for me to
watch watch a song that I waseven a part of do something that
cool.
And it's not not something toblow over, and I'm really,
really grateful for it.
SPEAKER_02 (13:40):
So yeah, I'm praying for you.
I know a couple uh a couple bigartists are yeah are looking at
it.
We won't talk about who, but uhit's an old jinx.
It's an old jinx, you know.
Yeah, yeah, we can't say it, orwe can't put it out there in the
universe.
Uh, but um yeah, I mean, I thinkisn't that crazy, man?
Like I I've uh I've walked outof the room um multiple times in
(14:03):
that same feeling of like it wasit was okay, you know.
It's like that's a song I'lljust put in the catalog and not
think about anything about it.
And the opposite, where I'vewalked out of the room like, oh
my gosh, I love this song, andand my co-writers are like,
yeah, I don't know, it's it'sall right, you know, it's and
it's so subjective to to who'shearing it when and all of that.
(14:24):
And um, you know, but that'swhere you just gotta get out of
the way, let God do his thingand just see where it goes.
SPEAKER_01 (14:32):
So it's yeah, it's a constant reminder that I don't
have any idea what I'm doing.
That's right.
Yeah, yeah.
And uh I need to learn how to bea better passenger and let God
drive.
That's right.
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_02 (14:41):
Uh Jesus take the wheel.
Oh man.
Wish I would have written thatone.
Yeah, no kidding.
Um, so take us, same thing.
Uh take us a little bit moreinto the story behind that one.
SPEAKER_01 (14:53):
Yeah, I I uh, you know, and this is the truth
about about writing.
Um, sometimes there's songs thatreally mean something to you,
and sometimes it's just it'sjust a magical creative process
that that clicks.
I mean, that song is just one ofthose old school country songs
that's a double meaning, adouble entendre of, you know,
since you ain't mine, I've doneall these things.
(15:14):
Um, but I'm I'm actually doingjust fine since you ain't mine.
I'd love to sit here and saythat's a personal story to me,
although I felt that way.
Um, but that was that was reallyjust a a creative kind of
thunderbolt in the room thathit, and we both wrote it.
Um, you know, maybe Matt wouldtell you differently, but he's
he's in a happy relationshiptoo.
SPEAKER_02 (15:36):
So I was just with him on Sunday at the Titans
game.
Yes.
Uh yeah, both of you guys, Ifeel, uh, got super lucky and uh
scored outside of your uh uh youthink?
And and me too.
I mean we're we're all in thatboat, but I mentioned Jess
earlier.
SPEAKER_01 (15:54):
I'll kick my coverage, my friend.
SPEAKER_02 (15:55):
Yeah, yes, sir.
Yeah, I think uh both of I'mjust so happy.
Uh I mean Jess immediately whenI I mean when she first started
working the listening room andMatt too, man.
Matt worked at the listeningroom, which is yeah, it's like a
big old family.
Um you know, like she would comedown and pigeon forge when we
were doing that, and um, youknow, just to to watch two great
(16:19):
people connect the way that thetwo of you have and and what
you're uh are are buildingtogether.
Just I I love having a backseat,just kind of watching that from
afar.
SPEAKER_01 (16:29):
Well, you're you're very kind and I appreciate that.
I I don't say this lightly, youknow.
I she is the most impressiveperson I've ever been around.
She uh she's incredible, and I'mcompletely in love and
infatuated with her, so Icertainly have some bias.
Yeah, but there are plenty ofpeople that don't have bias that
say the same thing, and she'sthe same, she's become that way
(16:50):
in writing rooms.
It's unbelievable the stuff thatshe's doing um in her first year
writing songs.
I mean, yeah, yeah, she's she'sincredible, as as you know.
SPEAKER_02 (17:00):
Yeah.
Well, I'm glad that this song isnot true for you or Matt, but uh
let's hear a little bit of thatone since you ain't mine.
And we will uh we will hope thatby the time this episode comes
out, there's some news to followthat uh where this song's gonna
land.
SPEAKER_00 (17:22):
Your words to God's ears, my friend was a river that
could wash away this hurt.
(17:54):
There's an ocean overflowing asI watched your ship sail by I'm
stranded on the shore, and thatmight have yours away sit you in
(18:14):
my space to freedom something Itain't been too hot I see it's me
who made their escape.
(18:36):
I ain't walking the lines, beendoing just fine, sent you a
money.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (18:46):
Another great one, man.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Love it.
Um all right.
Well, I let's uh let'stransition uh just into your
journey here.
Um and again, like I mean, I wasgoing over these notes and I was
like, man, this is this is gonnabe awkward to kind of talk
(19:06):
about.
SPEAKER_01 (19:07):
I want you to be comfortable with it.
You deserve you deserve a lot ofpraise, and I'm I'm uh I'm fine
with doing that.
SPEAKER_02 (19:12):
Man, I I appreciate it.
I just you know, for all thelisteners out there, I did not
write these questions.
Um but yeah, I mean, uh I do, Ido love, I mean, we're about to
celebrate 20 years, and I loveum, you know, the connections
that that our staff has beenable to make.
I mean, um, it's uh, you know,it's uh if if if somebody would
(19:35):
have told me 20 years ago that,you know, hey, the listening
room is gonna spit out all thesefriends that are getting ACM
awards and CMA awards, andyou're gonna know them all, and
you're gonna have all thesepeople that start out as
independent songwriters that areyou know winning awards, and I I
would have been like, you'recrazy, but it it has been
(19:58):
awesome to to watch that, and umso walk through what has that
journey been like for you andjust kind of like when you when
you moved here in the firstplace, how you got connected and
just everything that's happened.
SPEAKER_01 (20:14):
Yeah, I uh you know I moved out here.
I was I was really fortunate tothe home that I came home from
the hospital was the was thehouse that I grew up in, and I
was in the same room my wholelife.
Uh it's one of my biggestblessings that I've ever known
uh is stability and and lovefrom a family and massive
(20:36):
support.
Um and unfortunately thattranslated really poorly when I
moved out here.
Uh I was really it was reallyhard for me to uh not have a
home.
I wasn't anywhere longer thanabout six months.
Uh Belmont just didn't end upworking out for me personally.
It's a fantastic school, as youknow, and I don't have a single
(20:56):
negative thing to say about it.
Uh just didn't end up workingout for me and uh never found
that community and you know I Iwas working four jobs and I was
living in Laverne, Tennessee,um, and just you know, two years
into this whole thing, had neverdone a co-write, had never done
a writer's round, I didn't knowanybody, and kind of start
(21:18):
thinking, like, what am I stilldoing out here?
I mean, why am I still here?
Um, and I've certainly missedthe mark on why I moved out here
in the first place.
Uh you look up and you know,you're 20 to 21 years old and
you're coaching golf and workingat a golf course and trying to
start your own landscapingbusiness, and you know, I'm not
(21:39):
really even that good atlandscaping.
So I'm glad that didn't workout, and I'm sure a lot of
people in Laverne, Tennessee aretoo.
Um but it kind of changed my thewhole course of my life.
I uh was talking to AmaraBreich, who's uh still at the
listening room right now, and umshe said, why don't you just
(22:00):
come into the listening room andand you know try to get a job?
I really think people will loveyou.
And I am not kidding, man.
I had heard about the listeningroom as a songwriter, obviously.
Um I was so nervous walking inhere, I was shaking.
Just even trying to talk tosomebody about getting a job.
And I I really try to definemyself as somebody that respects
(22:25):
what this place is and what itmeans to so many people.
Um so I walked in there, it'slike, hey man, I you know, I'm
I'm looking for a job.
I'm doing a lot right now, but II need to be here.
Amara told me how great this isand what this place is like and
what it could be, and I need tobe here.
Um and I I got hired and uh it'sit's hilarious.
(22:49):
My uh everybody on staff alwayskind of jokes around.
It's like we we knew you weregonna be a guy in it for the
long haul after your first youknow, two shifts.
My my first two shifts here, Igot called in.
I'd never worked in a restaurantbefore.
Uh I got called in on a Fridayum and they go, Hey, we're we
don't have a dishwasher, willyou come in?
(23:12):
And I was like, I don't sure, Idon't have any idea what I'm
doing, but I will do it and I'llwork hard.
And uh, you know, I will brag onyou in this moment, but every
single Friday, Saturday, and nowSunday night, and a lot of
Thursdays, they're sold out.
There is no ifs, ands, or butsabout it.
Now, when you when you've neverworked in a restaurant and you
have two straight sellouts atalmost 300 people, that's a lot
(23:35):
of dishes.
And uh I was very, veryoverwhelmed and sop and wet, and
I loved it.
I'd never been a part ofsomething that was so
fast-paced, was so just evengetting to hear the music in the
other room was like this is theclosest I've been.
And the second shift, uh, I geta call and I go, Hey, uh, we
need somebody to clean thesmoker.
(23:56):
Will you clean the smoker?
I go, Yeah, absolutely.
Uh, get in there.
I think I can still smell bitsand pieces of that smoker every
once in a while, but uh eversince then it's just been I
don't know why.
I I absolutely loved it.
I love the work.
I've never been afraid of anykind of work.
Um, but that that was how muchthis place meant to me day one.
(24:18):
It's like I I don't even carewhat I have to do to get in to
be to be in this community.
I'm whatever it takes.
And uh yeah, started there andnow I'm a bartender, which is a
lot more fun than washing dishesor cleaning the smoker.
So a lot of a lot of blessingsthere for sure.
SPEAKER_02 (24:33):
Yeah, it's uh it's been cool just to kind of see
you rise up.
And um, you know, w what whatwould you say some of your
favorite moments are?
SPEAKER_01 (24:43):
Um, you know, I would honestly say a lot of my
favorite moments are are realmoments that you're talking with
customers, people that arecoming in.
Um you know, it's just likeevery single job in the world,
you're gonna have bad nightswhere you feel off and uh
somebody across from you feelsoff, and it's just not the
(25:05):
perfect interaction.
I have been so profoundly movedjust by people from Idaho and
people from California andpeople from Florida that have
come in and and they came toNashville to go to the listening
room, and we get to talking, andby the end of it, I know their
kids' names, I know where theywent to college, and they're
(25:26):
following me on Instagram, andand it's new friends, and
they're texting me every timethey come back to town.
Those have been those have beenthe moments that you know it
just makes you love people, itmakes you love the story, it
makes you love the journey.
And that's a place that attractseverybody from everywhere.
Um, and that's been the coolestpart for me is you know, just
little old me as a bartender isgetting to be a part of
(25:50):
somebody's night that they'vebeen planning a trip around.
I mean, that's pretty awesome.
Yeah, it's it's hard to beat.
It really is those nights arehard to beat.
SPEAKER_02 (25:59):
Yeah, I I say this all the time and I mean it.
Um, you know, it's we're aboutto celebrate 20 years um
planning a huge huge party.
I I'm not gonna say what yet,because I don't know when this
episode comes out if it will beuh past that date, but um uh you
(26:20):
know, it it's it is amazing, youknow, when I get uh I get
emails.
I just got a lot of them not toolong ago with fall break going
on for kids, you know, it's likeall these emails flooding in of
like yeah, we're coming fromsomewhere up north and we're
going to the beach, and youknow, like we stopped in
Nashville and we stop every yearin Nashville just for one night
(26:42):
just to go to the listeningroom.
And it's like, what?
Like it just blows my mind.
Um but the part I say all thetime is like, you know, that we
would not have the success thatwe do if it weren't for people
like you and Jess and all of theall of the amazing staff that we
have here uh and all thesongwriters.
(27:04):
I mean, you know, it's it's myvision, um but it came to life
because of because of the staffthat we have and you know love
talking about like you know, yougetting connected through Amara
that you know worked for us foryears and um and a lot of the a
lot of the staff.
I mean, we just I talked toother buddies in the industry,
(27:26):
you know, and they're like, mygosh, like I wish that I could
just get a server or bartenderor somebody to work for us for
longer than three months.
Like we're just tired of theturnover.
SPEAKER_01 (27:34):
I'm like, that's not a problem.
SPEAKER_02 (27:37):
Yeah, we just it's uh it it it really, it's like a
it's it's a family.
When someone, you know, it it'slike a bittersweet, like talking
about Matt McKinney earlier,like you know, when I was
actually speaking of Florida, Iwas in Florida in Destin when he
called me, yeah, and he waslike, dude, I'm I'm moving on,
you know.
And um I was like, what?
(28:00):
You know, but he's like, got agot a pub deal, got some stuff
going on, and I'm I'm jumping inwith two feet and I'm going
after this.
I was like, man, like I can'twait to get home and hug your
neck, man.
SPEAKER_01 (28:10):
So it's just that's the culture that you've created,
and that's the climate of thelistening room, and that's what
I think separates it from fromany other place that I've been
to, any other place that I'veever played.
You know, we're all fighting forthe same thing, and that's
that's to give that place therepresentation that it deserves.
I mean, and you talk about whatare some of your favorite
(28:33):
nights.
My favorite moments are aretimes where you know people walk
out of there crying at whatthey've just seen.
I mean, and I remember sittingin there my very first time
thinking this is the mostmagical thing I've ever been a
part of.
Uh just even sitting in there.
I mean, so it's you know, theculture there, the family, you
know, that's an old cliche andeverything, uh, but it's a
(28:54):
cliche for a reason over therebecause it's true.
And at the listening room, it istrue.
I mean, we're all we're all init, and we all fight for each
other and we all love eachother.
Um, and it's it's wonderful.
Some great, great humans, and itstarts it starts from the top
because if you don't, if youdon't start that at the very
top, you you are well aware thatthat doesn't trickle down the
way that it has.
So thank you.
We appreciate you.
(29:15):
Appreciate that, man.
SPEAKER_02 (29:16):
Means a lot.
Um, a lot of guests that I haveon, you know, we talk about new
riders coming to town and likeyou know what they should do to
get out and network and buildtheir camp and all that.
And um, you know, I've hadseveral people throughout the
last almost three years, Iguess, that we've been doing
this podcast, um, talk aboutlike, you know, go out, go to go
(29:37):
to writers rounds, meet peopleand all of that.
And um, so you know, whetherit's listening room, bluebird,
the local, like there's a lot ofgreat places around town to go
do that.
Um talk about that a little bitof uh both, you know, as someone
who's been with us for a longtime and worked with us, what
(29:58):
kind of doors those.
Have opened, um, you know whatwhat you've learned and the
relationships that you'vedeveloped because of that, but
also just for anybody elselistening, you know, what kind
of things um should you do, youknow, coming to to places like
the listening room.
SPEAKER_01 (30:16):
Yeah, I mean, I I think there are two very
important things that have tohappen uh and both have happened
to me and continue to happen tome.
First off, when you go into aplace like that uh or any place
around town, um you have to takeyourself out of the equation and
drop your ego.
Um, if you're sitting therethinking, that song's not very
(30:38):
good, that person's not verygood, why are they there and I'm
not, then you're missing thewhole point.
Um, so I was it's funny, I wastalking about it this morning.
Um that's that's one thing thathas to happen.
And the other thing that has tohappen is you have to understand
it is not gonna happen for you.
You have to make it happen foryourself, and that's something
(30:58):
that I dealt with for the firsttwo years.
Me being here is almost anentitlement and the ego problem
of, oh, I'm so great, it'llhappen for me.
Yeah, which I laugh even sayingnow.
Um, everybody here is betterthan you, everybody here has
been here longer than you,everybody here knows somebody,
and I don't mean that in a in anegative way.
(31:19):
I'm saying that should besomething that gets you fired up
and excited in terms of man, Ineed to I need to put my pride
aside and I need to go makethings happen for myself.
And once I got out of wanting itto be pretty and wanting it to
look good, um it it kind ofopened up for me.
And um just when you put yourego you know behind you and you
(31:42):
listen to guys and think, whatare they doing that I need to be
doing?
What and obviously working atthe listening room, I've heard
so many rounds, I'm so inspired,I've heard things, uh you know,
I've stolen things and made itmy own, you know.
Um, but but no, it's it's reallyit's really important to to come
in and and those two things haveto happen.
(32:03):
You have to you have to dropyour ego and understand that
it's not gonna happen for you,you have to make it happen.
And then the other thing is isyou gotta give up on making it
look pretty, it's gotta lookgritty, it's gotta look like you
want it, and the town willreward you for that.
SPEAKER_02 (32:17):
Yeah.
Um what like why from yourperspective, why do you think
songwriters' rounds in Nashvilleare so important?
SPEAKER_01 (32:30):
Um, well, the networking more than anything,
you know, I've been I've beenreally fortunate to have uh you
know Mark Irwin take me underhis wing.
He's been so good to me as a asa human and as a friend and also
as a writer.
And and you know, he's he's saltat the earth.
Um but you know, he told me themost important thing one time.
You can kind of get dragged downin the rounds system.
(32:52):
You know, it's you're going outand sometimes you play to just
the bartender.
And uh, you know, I kind of wassharing him some of those
frustrations, you know, justplaying at little dive bars all
over town.
He goes, it doesn't matter, itdoesn't matter who you're
playing to, or what matters isyou're networking with people on
the round that you like.
It's that's that's youropportunity to meet somebody
(33:13):
that you could write a hit songwith.
That's your opportunity to hearsomething new.
Um, and that's that's the mostimportant thing about riders'
rounds is getting out there andnetworking and shaking hands.
And it doesn't happen once,because let's all face it, you
know, we're not gonna remembervery many names in this town
after one time.
Be a guy that shows up, be a guythat's present.
You gotta be present to win,right?
(33:33):
Yeah, you gotta you gotta go andshow up and show face.
And obviously I've beenextremely spoiled, uh, but I
learned the hard way.
Something that's also importantabout rounds is uh when you're
talking to writers that are muchbigger than you, which most of
them are bigger than me at thispoint, but you can't just walk
straight up somebody and go, heyman, I'd love to write with you.
Oh, it's a it's a connection,man.
(33:55):
You gotta you gotta talk to thema few times, you gotta get to
know people.
Uh, you gotta almost kind of winpeople over as a as a human
first, right?
SPEAKER_02 (34:03):
Yeah, let's let's talk about that a little bit
because I mean it's so true.
And I mean, I've seen like, youknow, we have that policy in our
policies and procedures at thelistening room for that reason
because we don't want we don'twant the artist or the
songwriters to feel like they'rebeing germed, right?
But also the reason that I wroteit in there was to protect the
(34:25):
writer, to protect you, right?
Like our staff, because Ibecause I know how it works.
It's like, you know, there's theanomalies of the marker wins
that if somebody walked up tohim after a show and was like,
hey, I'm a writer too.
Do you want to write?
He'd probably be like, here's myphone number, let's go.
Yeah, but yeah, most people aregonna be like, like at that
point, you will most likelynever write with that person
(34:47):
because it's like the door isshut.
Correct.
So, you know, how how as a newwriter in town that's trying to
network, like how do you get outof your own way?
And what advice would you givesomebody to like, how do you
build those friendships?
SPEAKER_01 (35:06):
I have I have great advice because I've done it
wrong many times.
Yeah, yeah.
And I've and I've been the guythat you know mistakenly just
got so uh starstruck, and youknow, I just get too excited.
And I remember at a old pizzabrewery uh in town, that was one
of the first rounds I ever wentto.
I went went up write up somebodywho will remain nameless uh and
was like, hey man, I'd love towrite with you.
(35:27):
It's like he's got 10 numberones, but that's probably not
gonna happen right now.
Uh, anyways, yeah, I think it'simportant uh to be uh to be a
human being first.
I know that sounds silly, um,but the amount of times that
I've been bartending on uh thewriters over at the listening
room, and I've bartended on themenough times, and you know,
(35:48):
they've liked they've liked whoI am, or maybe I've said
something or told them, hey,have a great show, whatever you
need, my name's Luke.
And a lot of times they open upthat door for you, and it
happens a lot more organic.
Um so that's that would be myonly advice is if you're really,
really set in stone aboutwanting to write with somebody
who maybe you really look up to,show them that you're a good
(36:10):
human first.
SPEAKER_02 (36:11):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (36:11):
Because I think we've all sat in some rooms with
maybe people that we didn't knowthat quickly we figured out
maybe we didn't really love theright and uh maybe we didn't get
along or see eye to eye.
Um, I think that's the mostimportant thing.
And and oftentimes if you dothat, this town is so good at
giving people chances.
If you just prove that you're ayou're a nice guy first,
(36:32):
there'll be a lot of guys, heyman, you a writer?
You know, I'd love to hear yourstuff, that kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_02 (36:37):
So yeah.
Um yeah, that's exactly why inthose policies and procedures is
like, don't go up to somebody,yeah.
But if they ask you, yeah, whatare you in town for?
What are you what are you doing,like whatever, then the door is
open.
And that's like uh, I meanagain, like a lot of people
think um, oh, these policies andprocedures are written, like,
(36:58):
you know, whatever, with withonly this in mind.
I think maybe, maybe, I don'tknow, that's where a little bit
of the magic comes to is thatlike you know, I didn't start
this this company because Iwanted to be in the restaurant
business or the bar business orwhatever.
I started it because I wasplaying writers' rounds all over
town and I was like, man, Idon't know, like I just want
(37:20):
something that's more special,that's bigger, that's like, you
know, and so I started as asongwriter and wrote those of
like, hey, this is what I wantus to do as a company, but also
because I know what will openthe doors for you guys as staff.
SPEAKER_01 (37:34):
No, and I think I think that's very apparent.
And we were talking about youknow leadership trickling down
in that way.
Uh, you are a songwriter.
I mean, it's I think everythingabout that place is really
apparent, whether it be uh otherstaff or management supporting
the songwriters as well.
That's not accidental.
You've you've done thatpurposefully, and that's who you
(37:54):
are.
Uh, and that's one of thebiggest, the biggest blessings
about the listening room, andone of the one of the coolest
things about it.
But yeah, it's you gotta protectboth parties in a little way.
And most of the time, you know,uh if if you're just good
people, you'll have a chance toshow yourself, you know, and and
to show that, hey man, I'm a I'ma writer too.
I love that song, you know.
(38:15):
And I'll tell you what, it's alittle joke, but there's a
little bit of truth in everyjoke.
Boosting somebody's ego neverhurt.
You know, you see a songwriter,you're really, I love that song,
man.
It's all of a sudden they wantto talk to you a little bit
more.
That's true.
SPEAKER_02 (38:30):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Uh, what would you say your mostmagical memory of shows that a
listener miss?
SPEAKER_01 (38:41):
Man, I've I've had so many unbelievable moments.
Um so I was actually gonna geton engaged on that stage, um,
and then just found out theplan, so I had to quickly
sidebar.
That was what a night that was.
It was unbelievable.
But uh, a lot of stress went inthat and it went perfectly.
(39:02):
Um I've had a lot of reallymagical moments.
I uh, you know, I think some ofmy funnest memories, and not
even memories, I mean thingsthat are happening right now is
I'll be sitting in between twosongwriters that I've been
listening to their songsforever.
And you kind of zoom out for asecond, you think I don't I
(39:23):
don't belong here.
Uh, you know, it's kind of akind of an imposter syndrome
moment of just what am I doinghere, man?
And um, you know, to even justbriefly for those moments of I
belong, if you catch them for 30seconds in a show of just you're
sitting in between two hitwriters and it's like this is
what I'm supposed to be doing.
Um but I've had I've had so manymagical magical moments there.
(39:48):
Uh I've had people come up andjoin me from stage.
Um, I've been a part of somesome charity stuff and some
foundations that have I've seenmove people in real time.
Um yeah, it's been every timeI'm on that stage, not to be the
this guy, but every time I'm onthis stage that stage, it's it's
something magical happens.
(40:10):
I mean, whether it's singing asong that you've loved forever
or it's it's uh you know seeingsomebody cry to a song that you
wrote.
I mean, that's pretty.
That's about as good as it gets.
SPEAKER_02 (40:20):
Yeah, I love that, man.
Thanks for sharing that.
I um I would correct you thoughand say you do deserve to be
there.
SPEAKER_01 (40:28):
Well, uh that's very kind.
I appreciate that.
I um I love being there.
There's there's always somethingthat you want to surround
yourself with the best and uh bewith people that are much better
than you, and I hope to alwayscontinue to do that.
I'm doing that pretty well rightnow.
SPEAKER_02 (40:45):
Yeah, I think that's you know, that's a a lot of like
going out to these writers'rounds and stuff.
And I mean, you know, especiallypeople like you that that work
here, um, you know, I I look atthat like, you know, you
mentioned Belmont didn't workout for you, but it's like I I
(41:06):
my feeling of it, and I lovelike your input on this, but my
feeling is like you're gettingpaid to go to school.
Yeah, because you're like you'reyou're you're bartending and
you're you're making money tojust listen over and over and
over and over.
And like how has that umimproved your writing?
(41:28):
Like like have you learned likedifferent ways to string things
together?
SPEAKER_01 (41:32):
Like it's it, yeah.
I mean, how like I said, unlessyou have an ego problem, you'd
be a fool not to.
It's like I, you know, um, and Iwant to walk a very fine line
here, so I will I will startwith saying it has nothing to do
with Belmont, it just didn'twork out for me personally, but
my schooling has been thelistening room.
I mean, and yeah, the obviouscherry on top is I'm getting a
(41:53):
paycheck.
I mean, that's awesome, that's adream come true.
But um, yeah, it's it's myschooling has been there.
I mean, the real lifeexperiences, but I am a student
of songwriting because I'm inthere hearing all those rounds.
You know, I never you talk aboutmagical moments, first time I
ever heard Tom Douglas in thatroom.
I have a long way to go.
Yeah, I have a really long wayto go.
(42:15):
And if that's not what you comeout of it thinking uh you're
doing something wrong, it's it'sman, how unbelievable.
Listen how he flipped that.
I love how conversational he is.
I love that line before.
I love the setup.
It's yeah, I mean, if you'renot, if you're not slinging
drinks and taking notes, it'slike you need to have your pulse
checked, man.
How could you not?
They're fantastic, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (42:35):
And I mean, to go back to what you were saying
earlier, you know, advice forfor new people coming to town.
Tom, uh Wendell, Mobley, uhDavid Lee, Lee Thomas Miller, I
mean Ashley Gorley, you could goon and on.
They didn't sit in a house inLaverne and wait for somebody to
hear their songs.
(42:56):
All made it happen.
So, yeah, like get out, network,go talk to people in the right
way, get to know them.
Right.
All those things.
SPEAKER_01 (43:03):
Yeah, that being said, all those guys don't ask
them to write.
Yeah, they get to know right.
Yes, yeah.
Wait until they ask you to writeit.
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_02 (43:12):
Man, that's my biggest problem.
I it I every like some of thesebig writers that that play, um,
I'm so bad at like when I've hadso many people like that that
will be like, Man, I've knownyou for 18 years.
I didn't even know you were asongwriter.
We should write sometime.
And I'm like, Yeah, man, thatwould be awesome.
(43:32):
And then I don't follow up.
And it's just like because thenit's almost like, man, so and so
asked me to do this like a monthago.
Like, yeah, is it is it toolate?
You know, I need I need to bebetter at that.
SPEAKER_01 (43:45):
There's two things certainly that you need to know
and you need to be told.
Uh, first off, you're veryhumble and you're somebody that
puts other people beforeyourself, so you're not out
talking about you as asongwriter.
The second thing is you'repretty busy, you got a lot going
on.
You know, yeah, talk to Britney.
She's like, You're not blowingpeople off.
You got some real stuff goingon.
SPEAKER_02 (44:07):
Yeah, so it has been a whirlwind.
Um, so I want to uh before wewrap up, I do want to talk about
your journey with sobrietybecause I think um, you know,
it's almost becoming more of atrend that's positive, and I
love that.
But, you know, in our industry,especially, you know, when I
first moved to town, um, man, Ihave like I have some dark
(44:30):
moments that I look back at, youknow, and it wasn't me.
It was just like same thing.
Like, how how do you get to knowpeople?
How do I meet songwriters?
Like, I was going out to thebars night after night after
night and staying out till twoor three in the morning, and
everybody else is drinking.
And so I started drinking, andum, you know, it gets to the
(44:52):
point where it's like you youyou wake up the next morning and
it's like, man, I think somebodyasked me to write, but who was
you know, it's like it can be uhin any industry, right?
But in the music industry,especially, um, man, you know,
Brittany uh and things thatchanged in my life almost 15
(45:15):
years ago, uh kind of kind ofmade that pivot for me where I,
you know, I stopped drinking allthe time.
And you know, I still willoccasionally socially have some
drinks, but Jess, when I youknow, she was sober when I first
met her.
And like yeah, and uh um yourjourney to sobriety, you know, I
(45:35):
I um in an industry like this,like take walk me through like
why and what that did for you.
SPEAKER_01 (45:43):
Well, I I wanna I want to start that by saying uh,
you know, my my sobriety and myjourney is different than
anybody else's, and there'snothing wrong with anybody
else's journey, it's just achoice that I made.
Um, and I I I give a lot ofcredit and a lot of things to my
life in the listening room, butI don't say lightly at all that
(46:05):
the listening room changed mylife.
Uh I've first off, I I found mywife there.
I get to marry a girl that I metthere in April.
Um, who would have thought?
I certainly wouldn't have.
Um I got sober there, I found mysobriety there, and ultimately
I've I've really done some verycool things professionally
because of that place.
I don't ever say that lightly.
(46:25):
The listening room changed mylife.
Um my sobriety came from a pointof being very unhappy with who I
was as a man and realizing thatI had fallen quite a long ways
from who I want to be.
Um I I've had a lot of I'venever been perfect and really,
(46:45):
really far from being perfect.
Um, but one thing that I I'vedone well and hope to continue
to do well is I I deeplyself-analyze my own mistakes and
drinking every single night andit being socially okay because
of you know the industry thatyou're in and the town that
you're in.
You wake up a lot of morningsand there are times of um I
(47:11):
shouldn't have driven lastnight, I don't know what I said
last night, and it's just howmany more times do I want to do
this?
Uh, and I don't think I like whoI am anymore.
You know, I always say it takessomething like that um to make a
drastic change in your life,right?
Um so it's it's been the biggestblessing in in my life, and I
(47:32):
know I've talked a lot aboutblessings today.
I forgive me.
I'm just I'm a really fortunateguy.
Um, but all three of thosethings at the listening room,
you know, um my sobriety waschallenged at the listening room
bartending for a while, but I'vesince realized that it's become
my armor of I'm around alcoholall the time.
(47:54):
Um, and I'm almost two yearsinto uh a life journey, and I I
never want to drink again, Inever will drink again.
Um, but it's become a strengthfor me of being around alcohol
and and just thinking, no, I Ilike myself a lot better this
way.
And yeah, and uh selfishly, howawesome it is I'm not late, I
(48:17):
show up, I'm present, um, andthat's professionally and
personally.
And I haven't been that guyforever.
So that's been the mostrewarding thing for me with my
sobriety, is it's um gotten mecloser to the man that I want to
become.
Obviously, we never get there,but it certainly got me closer.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (48:37):
You're uh you're a big man of faith too.
Yes, sir.
I think that goes a long way,and um you can say that you've
been blessed as much as you wantbecause brother, uh as a as a
brother in Christ, and um, youknow, I'm someone that is very
vocal about that, and I love mychurch, and I love my God, and I
talk about it all the time, andI'm great with it.
(49:01):
Um man, I think uh I think thedecisions that you make is
because of the glory of that.
And um that's why all thoseblessings come to you, bro.
SPEAKER_01 (49:11):
Yeah, well, thank you very much.
I uh yeah, I just try to try tostay one step at a time and
remember remember who I'mglorifying, and the world seems
a lot simpler.
Yeah, yes, sir.
SPEAKER_02 (49:24):
Dude, thank you.
Uh thank you for spending sometime and kind of sharing uh your
story, the stories behind yoursongs and and uh um talking
about the listening room.
Thank you, man.
SPEAKER_01 (49:36):
I know it's a different episode, but this is
pretty awesome, and peopledeserve to hear what kind of
place you have made and and whatyou've done.
So thank you.
SPEAKER_02 (49:44):
Oh thank thank you.
Um as we wrap up, man, we'll uhwe'll keep everybody posted with
uh with what's going on, andhopefully, um you know, very
soon these couple songs youplayed today and so many more
people are gonna know from theradio, and um they're gonna be
the ones that go back and go,uh, oh wait, like so Luke wrote
(50:04):
this song.
That's pretty cool.
So um last question I always endwith if you can go back to
eight-year-old you, what advicedo you give yourself today?
SPEAKER_01 (50:13):
Uh don't put too much weight on being a
professional scuba diver.
That was my dream when I was aneight.
Uh I have that written down.
Um, no, eight-year-old,eight-year-old me would uh would
all I think would tell me toremember to enjoy some of this
stuff that's happening, man.
(50:34):
It's so easy to get bogged downin this town and want it all
right now.
SPEAKER_03 (50:37):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (50:37):
I think eight-year-old me would be
pretty impressed with some ofthe things that's happening.
So, yeah, give up on being aprofessional scuba diver and
remember to celebrate yourself afew times and and maybe even pat
yourself on the back.
SPEAKER_02 (50:51):
So great advice.
You you mentioned earlier aboutum, you know, when uh the song
you and Matt uh sent out, likeall of a sudden everybody's
talking about they're playing iton their bus and all this stuff,
and that you were just like,Man, I don't know if this is
gonna come.
Like, I need to live in thismoment.
Dude, that's that is such greatadvice, and so good on you to
think about that because there'sso many times that I talk to
(51:13):
people and they're like, Man, Idon't even remember it was such
a whirlwind.
Like, so yeah.
Well, thank you.
Yeah, that's uh that's greatadvice, dude.
SPEAKER_01 (51:21):
I'm saying it out loud because I need to remember.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (51:25):
And uh keep uh keep uh not worrying about uh the
scuba diving.
SPEAKER_01 (51:31):
So yeah, yeah, I think that's gone.
I mean, maybe maybe that'll bemy my next game.
SPEAKER_02 (51:39):
Everybody, thank you so much for listening.
This has been another episode ofStories Behind the Songs.
I'm Chris Blair, you've beenlistening to Luke Stevens, and
we will see you next time.
This has been an episode ofStories Behind the Songs with
Chris Blair.
For more information after theshow, head over to Chris
(52:00):
Blair.com.
That's where you can findinformation on these episodes,
trailer notes, video links, allkinds of great stuff.
Also, make sure to leave us agreat rating on iTunes, like and
follow us on Spotify, YouTube,wherever you listen to podcasts.
Leave us a comment, let us knowwhat you think.
I really hope that you thinkthis show is awesome and we
(52:22):
really appreciate the love andsupport.
I promise to keep gatheringgreat content and continuing to
sit down with more amazingsongwriters and artists as we
grow.
Thanks so much for listening.
Thanks for the support.
We'll see you next time.
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