Is it really quits for John Michael Montgomery? Let's visit with him.

Is he really saying goodbye? Bob catches up with the legendary John Michael Montgomery.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Bob Picking on the line with us. We got John Michael mcgoery. First
of all, good morning to you. How you doing. I'm doing great,
vibe. Thank you, buddy.I appreciate good to talk to you.
Want good to talk to you againand visit with you again. Okay.
The question that I'm going to askyou, why why are you quitting
touring? Right, I'm just yeah, I'm just just going to be done

(00:22):
with the tour part of it,you know. And it's just, you
know, I'm fifty nine years old, and my body and my brain's just
you know, going starting to I'mstarting to feel every little bump in the
road. But you know, Ijust over thirty years of you know,
being you know, doing it justyou I think, you know, it

(00:44):
comes a point where you go,you know, I still love getting on
stage and singing and all that stuff, and I'll continue, you know,
from time to time doing that.I just felt like, you know,
six when I turned sixty next year, I was like, you know what,
I think that's it's going to bea good time to you know,
say goodbye to the tour side ofit anyway, you know. So,
uh, you know, it's justuh, my age is catching up with

(01:08):
me. Man, Well, Itotally understand. I'll be sixty three in
April. Hey, you know,uh I wish I had Willie Nelson jeans.
I tell people that that guy,do you what do you think he's
doing to extend that a little bit? What do you think, Michael?
Uh? Well, I mean,uh, you know, I don't know.
It might have he might have somesome real good smoke or something that

(01:34):
a long way. I don't know, man, but I tell you,
uh yeah, I'm uh you know, just uh I said out, I'm
just gonna try to take a breakfrom the turn for a little bit and
uh you know, and and tryto just I just ain't getting no younger.
And I just felt like, youknow, I have that talk with

(01:56):
yourself, and like, you know, I think six he's a perfect number
for me to you know, togo ahead and and uh say goodbye to
the touring thing. And uh uhit just that's one of them things you
don't really have any uh you know, any real great explanations. You just
feel it just feels right, youknow. Yeah. In other words,
if we want to see we comesee you, you don't come see us.

(02:19):
Like that's where it is. Well, yeah, you know, I
mean I don't plan on doing anyVegas residencies or anything like that, you
know. I mean I love musicand getting on stage and performing too much
to say I ain't never gonna getup on stage and sing again, you
know. I mean, but uh, you know, there's a lot of
touring obviously. I mean, youhave lots of artists to tell you that

(02:40):
all the time, you know,the you know, there's just a bunch
of nuts and boats that goes alongwith it, and h and everything and
uh, but more than anything,you know, at the end of the
year, my body and my brain'slike, man, I shore feel my

(03:00):
age. Have you ever heard thatstory? And a good friend of mine
was was the road manager for LarryGatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, And that
time that Larry on stage announced thatthey were going to quit touring, and
he hadn't even told his brothers yethis brothers looked at him. You know,
I did not know that. Youasked around. It's a famous story.

(03:21):
Evidently there was a fight on thebus after that stage. Oh my
goodness, Well yeah, I canimagine. Yeah, you know, so
you have told everybody around you thatthis is it. Then I'm just making
sure. Oh yeah, well,you know, I've kind of been throwing
the hen out. You know.Back when I turned fifty five, you
know, I was starting to kindof feel the effects of being on the
road a lot, you know,and and you know, I'm then a

(03:43):
couple of years ago, I hadthat bad bus wreck and broke po ribs
and you know, and I waslooking out the busted windshield of my bus
as I was skidding on the side, you know, and going, I
was like, I don't know howmuch long. It's just it's a traveling
starting to get harder on an oldbody, you know, and I just

(04:03):
you know, it's just things,you know. So anyway, I've been
hitting around to my band and crewguys, most of them, you know,
they're my family out there. They'vebeen with me, most of them
been with me for over twenty fourtwenty years, some of them over twenty
five years and and everything. AndI've just kind of slowly been letting them
those like, guys, I thinkI can you know, I'm going to
be sixty here in a couple ofyears. I just you know, I'm

(04:26):
thinking, you know, hey,you know, and my uh yeah,
a lot of artists that went thatage tend to take a break from I
think George Straight, you know,it's sixty, you know, kind of
took a break from the turin andsing for a while. It's just a
I mean, when you do somethingfor over thirty years, man, you
know, it's you know, it'sit traveling. Traveling, you know is

(04:48):
as much as I've been fortunate enoughto be able to see so many wonderful
parts of this country. You know, it is a tough way to make
a living. That's tough on yourbody. You know, trap out,
it's got well, yeah, Ithink the cool thing is when you come
out the crowd is still there.Man. And are there any any of
your hit song and of course whenyou think of John Michael mcgom where you
think of I Love the Way YouLove Me, be my baby night,

(05:11):
I can love you like that,any of those big songs that other artists
have. Did you ever pass onany song which became a hit for another
artist? Well, you know whenI put out I Swear Back in ninety
four, uh, you know,about three months later, two or three
months later Atlantic with Atlantic Records,and they had the group off of one

(05:38):
that was R and B. Andthen they put that song out, but
they wrapped it off from you YouGo first, and well, yeah,
they kind of did in a way. I see, I can say that.
You can't say that, but theyrepped it, you know. Now
they took money out of their pocketwith that version. It was it was
brought to me actually to be fairthat you know, the Sea in Nashview

(06:00):
actually asked me if I wanted togo pop with the song, and I
said, no, I don't wantto be a pop singer, you know,
I want to be any singer.And he told me. I said,
well, there's a another label inNew York, Atlantic, hasn't you
know, as an artist that wantsto put it out as an R and
B. I said, man,I'm good with it, you know so,

(06:21):
and you know, they did greatwith it. And then and then
when I the next album I CanLove You Like That came out, I
actually went to an Atlantic party,uh, the label and All for One
was there and we got to talkingabout each other. You know, we
were both in the studio cutting stuffand I told him I was like,
yeah, I said, man,I I just cut this other uh really

(06:41):
really kick but ballad, I said, call I can live it like that.
They went, well, we werecutting that too, and so what
it was after you know, Isawhere works so well. The publishing company
pitched it to both my me andand and and their producer too so and

(07:02):
everything. So that's that's probably myonly story as far as uh uh you
know, uh songs that I'd cut. I think there was one song called
holding onto Something that I kind ofwish I would we it was not going
to be. It didn't end upbeing the first single on the label,
and and so it ended up,you know, uh getting cut by another

(07:26):
artist and becoming a hit for him. I can't remember his name for uh
nothing right now. But uh butreally, you know, I've been so
fortunate just to have a lot ofgreat songs that you know, that were
pitched my way. I mean,you know that was all you know,
label producers, songwriters, supposing companiesand and thousands of hours of me sitting

(07:48):
you know, down in front ofa couple of speakers and you know,
playing uh songs over and over andover again just to you know, uh
it's a pros you know, andeverything, and uh, I just uh
uh you know, I know whatI like, what sounded great? To
me, but you don't always knowif that's always going to carry over to

(08:09):
the fans and I you know,and and luckily that that did happen.
So uh, but I come fromyou know, uh uh, you know
a decade of artists that I wasinfluenced by. You know that you know,
I think helped me, you know, uh, help me in finding
those songs, you know, growingup in the seventies and eighties and listening

(08:31):
to you know, George Strait's andWhaling's and Lillies and even the Liel Richies
and Bob Seegers of the world,you know, back in house, you
know, I mean I had thatlittle decade from like seventy five to eighty
five, especially, uh, youknow, I got to grow up listening
to some really really great artists andgroups and stuff, you know, and

(08:54):
I think it, uh, youknow, that had a big influence when
I was able to get a recorddeal and try to find songs I felt
like, you know, that wouldthat I liked and hopefully the fans we
liked. And you know, likeI said, it's it's it's worked out
well for me. And I've beenforcing to be out here for thirty plus
years. Of being able to sing. You know, fan fans show up,

(09:16):
come listen to me singing. Youknow, you wonder when it's like,
we know, they're like, okay, well I've heard enough of him.
I've seen his show enough times.You know, all that stuff goes
through your head all the time andeverything. And but you know, my
mom and dad played music on theweekends with me and my brother, Eddie
of Montgomery Gentry, and me andmy brother got out of high school and

(09:39):
started to put a little band togetherand and you know, I think that
was around eighty two, eighty threeor something. And you know, so
we've we've been so lucky to beable to actually pick and sing for a
living pretty much, I mean,our whole lives. Excuse me. You
also influenced a lot of today Eastcountry singers. Mean, look, we

(10:01):
could call you the godfather of countrymusic. This. Look how many people
in your family besides Eddie I've takenthe mic? I mean you know,
I mean we're talking about your sonin law, right, Yeah, Well
I've got yeah, uh, Travisor Denning who was my son in law,
and then my son Walker, youknow Apry not too long ago.

(10:24):
Yeah, first time one of hisyou know, definitely bucket list things to
do. And I mean he actuallygot to go on the grand old Lopry
before I even got to grow atthat earlier age than I did, you
know. And but that was uh, you know, my we heard me
and Edie grew up listening uh toour dad talk about how he that's how
he actually learned to play music,was you know, because he was living

(10:46):
on a little small farm and andthey didn't have TV when he was a
kid, so basically they had alittle radio and the Opry was their entertainment
and he would sit there and listento you know, the artists come on
there. And he learned to playguitar on his own and sing and everything
and uh uh and he talked abouthow his dad gets some mad at him

(11:07):
because he said, put that darnguitar down and come out here and do
some work. And uh but uhyeah, you know, and my mom
sang and played drums for my dad, you know, I mean, and
uh, it's been a musical family, uh for you know a long time.
And oh and Dylan obviously is doinggreat out there. I mean,

(11:30):
you know, he's, uh,he's got a great thing going. I
mean, uh, you know,it's it's like you say, and we
definitely have some uh some new bloodcarrying on our tour. That's you sure
going to call you the godfather?Okay? When you sing I like that,
though, godfather of country music,I don't know if that's been you
feal that from you steal it andput it on a T shirt. Okay,

(11:54):
when you sing sold? How canyou sing? That's? First of
all? Do you singing as Fancydid when you were Well? Actually,
that's the easiest song I sing becauseI don't have to think about the words.
Absolutely. I tell people it's likebelieve it or not. Now.
Going in the studio was a littletricky and because I had to listen to
it over and over again to getit in my head. But actually out

(12:16):
on the road, I don't reallyhave time to think about messing the words
up. Where you know, ifyou're singing ballads, uh, you know,
there's you know, there's a littlespacing and time in between the lyrics
and stuff like that, and andsometimes you know, if you're just not
paying attention, I mean you'll getoff track and I've accidentally singing like the

(12:39):
wrong you know, the wrong lyricor something like that. You talk about
making some fans mad, you know, especially during a love song, but
I have the love songs to meare much harder to sing, you know,
than sold or Be My Baby Tonight. I mean, it's so it
was just kind of rattle. Yourattle them off, and after you've done
it a few times, I mean, you know, it becomes kind of
second nature to be able to dothat song. I'm not saying I ain't

(13:03):
never messed it up before, though, because trust me, I have.
I say this, watch something's goingto happen Sunday night when you try to
sing it, I know, Iapologize that. Yeah, well that's when
you that's when I just point toMike at the bands that go, Okay,
obviously I remember the words, let'ssee y'all can Yeah, well they'll
be singing along with you. Itdoesn't matter the song that you recorded.
And I've been in radio nearly fiftyyears, but the song that really hit

(13:28):
me, and it hit a lotof our listeners was the Little Girl My
Goodness. Yeah, you know,and I was really surprised when the label
played that song for me, youknow, I I was like, they
said, what do you think thatyou said the song you think you would
cut, and I'm like, oh, absolutely. I said, if I

(13:50):
can't cut songs like that on thealbum, I just need to quit singing
country music. And I said,I definitely want to cut it, and
uh so we ended up putting onthe album. What surprised me was the
fact that the label said, well, we we want this to be the
first single. And I went reallylike, I said, you know,

(14:11):
the content of that song is alittle dark, and uh, but they
said, yeah, we want toWe're gonna give it a try, and
and radio absolutely uh embraced it,and it became, you know, a
really big song for me. ButI you know, I grew up listening
I tell people, I grew uplistening in an era back in the seventies

(14:31):
where you know, the trucker cberadios and trucker songs were big, and
you know, uh, you know, like Red so Vine and guys like
that was and they and their songswere all about story songs. You know,
these songs that they would tell youthis story and you just sit there
and I mean your tears would bein your eyes and and uh and then

(14:52):
at the end of the song therewas this beautiful ending to it and all
that. And I just love thosekind of songs. So, uh that
song and Letters from Home, yeah, kind of rounded out my you know,
rounded out my you know, uh, I guess, uh, my
full circle of kinds of music thatI love singing. I love the love

(15:13):
songs that love the fun songs,songs about life, you know, like
life advance and things like that.But adding the story songs to you know,
my career really really kind of broughtthat all full circle. And and
so and I tell you you knowthat when I sing the song sometimes it's

(15:37):
usually you look out in the crowdand sometimes you see a couple of people
out there and tears are coming downtheir eyes. I mean I'm sitting there
trying to hold back mine, youknow what I mean, because it's definitely
powerful words, you don't no doubtabout it. Well, that's when you
know you touch somebody too. Yougot the emotions, so crying and watching
that stage it on and to me, that's what music's all about. I
mean, if you can't sing asong, I can't bring people the mute

(16:00):
emotion out, whether it's laughing orcrying, you know, love it.
I mean it's like you know,I'm an old nightclub I spent years in
nightclubs and my job was to singsongs that got people either on the dance
floor or I mean, you knowthat was I was an entertainer first.

(16:22):
It's like, you know, that'show our dad raised me and my brother
Eddie. You know, on stage, you have to engage the crowd and
if you want them to you know, uh come back and see you again.
And and you know, so obviouslymy philosophy when I went in the
studio was, I don't really wantto change how I'm doing things from the

(16:45):
club other than I want to findmy own songs to do it, you
know. And and but to me, that's what especially country music has been,
that's what it's all always been about, is the whole emotion that you
know, people fall in love witha song and uh, it's it's it's

(17:07):
for the rest of their life,you know. And if you can make
that happen where you've got a fanfor the rest of your life. Boy,
what what a career you've had.The what a career you've had.
It's it's great. I'm very gratefulthat the Good Lord chose me to you
know, be able to do thisfor a living. Yeah, I'm you
know, I'm I'm going to wrapthis year up and then I'm you know,
and I'm gonna get ready to uh, you know, go out in

(17:33):
twenty twenty five and and uh justyou know, have a well like I've
been doing. I'm gona have adamn good time. Hey, thank you
for all the great music throughout theyears. I appreciate it absolutely, absolutely,
thank you all for playing it forme.