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January 25, 2021 13 mins

On this episode of the Cody Cast podcast, Cody sits down with country newcomer Parker McCollum to discuss major life changes, his new song “To Be Loved By You,” and the ins and outs of why Dierks Bentley was FaceTiming his mom. 

Listen to the “Pretty Heart” singer describe it all as he makes his way from the Grand Ole Opry stage to skyrocketing on the country charts.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Cody Ellen's podcast, This is Cody Cast. Probably
now he's number one song already pretty heart. Parker McCullum
already a big star also in Texas, is a great singer,
songwriter and performer, sales out Honckey talks and clubs in
the Lone Star State and um of course making a
big splash on the national scene with that number one

(00:22):
and it is follow up to be Loved by Youth.
So Parker is on the line. You're there, buddy, Cody,
what's up? Long time no talk? And know it's been
fifteen minutes. Can you hear Can you hear me? Good? Yeah?
I can hear you perfect? How about me? Great? Awesome?
I want to ask first about to be loved by you?
Lady single? I gotta be honest. The woman in the song, Parker,

(00:43):
she sounds like impossible to please. Um. Was it inspired
by like a real life situation or or not? Man?
I literally was driving a bus call one day and
I was kind of going through it with Hallie Ray
at the time, and I was like, you know, what
in the world is a man has to be loved
by you? I said it out loud in my truck
and I got to the bus and we were going

(01:04):
somewhere far away and we're on it forever. Um and
started writing that song and ended up finishing it with
Red Um and so, Man, every song is kind of, uh,
it's either something I've gone through or something I'm or
going through currently or going to go through. But um,
you know, it's really kind of I think at the
end of the day, it's not so much about her,

(01:25):
it's more about you, you know, and kind of maybe
you need more self reflection than pointing fingers kind of thing.
You mean, red Akins, Yes, red Aine and I finished
that song together. It is great. Have you written with
him a lot? Man? We've written a couple of times.
We're actually right next week a song we wrote like
a year ago now that we want to finish um
called have you ever? Have you ever left me in

(01:47):
your mind? Um? And uh so a couple of times.
Who do you like to write with? Or does it?
Or are there times where it's just like you don't
want to write with anybody just you? Man. I would
prefer to create on my own all the time. Um.
The co writing thing is something that I I still
haven't done in a ton um and I still to

(02:08):
be totally honest, I don't enjoy it a whole lot,
but I have had six. I just I'm very I
work in my own way, you know. Scheduling myself to
go write a hit song is not something I'm very
good at. It always struck me as weird, as in Nashville,
where they, you know, ten in the morning you show
up at like an office or something that you've read
a song. It's like, it's it's a weird way to

(02:30):
do it. I always thought, And and maybe it goes
back to my roots in Texas to were singer songwriters
like you really, you know, you lean on yourself and
the introspection sometimes to make the best song about your
real life experience. Yeah, And I just I don't really
want to go in there and pour my heart out
with with anybody else. You know. One are the lines
by the way in the song struck me. Why do

(02:50):
you sleep alone when I know you don't like it?
And I honestly, I kind of like sleeping alone. Sometimes
it's like you get the whole bit to yourself. It's
that's so bad. Um, what about you? Are you one
of those people who who likes to have someone there
or are you like, Okay, I'm cool sleeping by myself
and I'm all down to to cuddle or snuggle or

(03:12):
whatever you want to call it. But when it's time
to go to sleep, UM, I definitely, you know, I'm
definitely I need a couple of feet on both sides
at the least. Do you have a dog by the way, man, Well,
I had a dog and then broke up with a
girl and she took that one, and then uh kind
of had another dog, and now I don't have that

(03:33):
dog anymore. Um, but you know, I'm trying to buy
some land in a house right now. And I was like,
as soon as I find the place I want, I'm
gonna get a little Catahoula puppy. So yeah, Um, Dirk
spent invited you to play the Opry on February sixth Um,
so tell me about getting that call from from Dirk's man,

(03:54):
it was cool. I My mom was was we were
playing one of those a socially distance show about a
month ago, and um, and we were backstage and I
walked in the green room and she's on face time
with Dirks and I'm like, why's Dirk's calling my mom?
And I was like whoa Dirk's and uh no, but
he he was super cool about it and super He's
a super sweet guy. Man. He's been so kind to

(04:15):
me ever since I got to town, and um has
the best reputation. And then it was just a cool
person to get that phone call from Beware of his
ice baths the right before he plays, you know, back
when we had concerts. Uh. He he likes to do
the ice baths, so he may drag you into one
of those at some point. I'm all about it, man,
I'm all about whatever you gotta do to get in

(04:35):
that zone to go on stage. I'm all about do
you have UM to get even playing? In case people
don't know, hockey talks clubs all over the place, particularly
in Texas though you're a huge star there already. Um,
do you have a ritual? Uh? You know, we we
kind of laugh as a band. We're like, man, we
don't have any cool things that we do before we

(04:56):
go on stage. I kind of just got there and
rip it um And but man, I definitely uh. I mean,
if I got to do push up, sir, I get
really tired right before we go on stage. Like sometimes
I'm gonna bus like slouched over to the side my
em ears and pack on everything ten events before we
go on stage, and as soon as those lights come
on you walk out there, it's like, you know, it's

(05:17):
it's game time. But um, maybe I should find some
sort of ritual. Um. The push ups are a good thing.
I do that too sometimes before I do anything on camera,
I'm like, Okay, I just gotta get like in the
zone and something about that. There's some blood, blood of
the brain, blood pumping helps. Yes, I meant to Opery
February six. Um, do you know what you're wearing yet? Parker?
This is important. There is no there's a it's a

(05:41):
shirt actually found in my uh a forward in a
shirt uh posted on Instagram or in a picture I
posted on Instagram a couple of weeks ago, and I
was like, man, I didn't mean to expose that fit
so soon. Um, but I was like, it's I gotta
I found. It's a shirt. I found my granddad's closet,
and I was like, this is this is opery worthy?
For sure? Your brother influenced you to write songs? UM

(06:05):
tell us that story. Yeah, Tyler, he's uh Man a
phenomenal songwriter. He started writing songs and playing guitar at
a really young age. And I really you know, honestly,
he's six years old, and I was I was just
wanting to do was Uh. I just wanted to do
what big brother was doing. Uh. You know, he could
have been ice skating and I'd have been trying to
ice skate. Um. So it just so happened that he

(06:26):
wanted to to write songs and play guitar. And UM,
I just kind of, you know, stole a bunch of
stuff from him, and and and and I was always singing,
you know, and um, I think I sing a lot
better now than I probably could back then. Um, it's
certainly improved. But UM yeah, I just I kind of
it was the one thing when I was in high
school and stuff, I was like, I can do this

(06:47):
better than all my friends. UM, So I stuck with it.
What does he think of your brother? What does he
think of your journey? Man? I think he I think
he thinks it's just as cool as I am. I mean,
we talked about everything that I've done and I'm trying
to do. We talked about all of it. Um, when
I was when I was a teenager, you know, I
would tell him I want to do this and I

(07:08):
want to do that and be a songwriter and same
country music on the biggest level, and um, you know
we're still trying to do it, but we're getting a
lot closer, and UM, I think it's cool for him
to just be like I talked about it and when
antam is doing it. What personal goals as we look,
you know, into the new year. Obviously everybody wants to
get back out on the road and play live again.
But um, you know, when it comes to personal stuff,

(07:30):
it sounds like one of your goals from what you
just said, is that you want to take advantage of
every opportunity that you have right now and live it
to the fullest and not regret anything later. So, um,
besides that, what else you sort of like set his
goals for the new year? Uh? You know, I think
certainly to just the number one thing I think for
me this year, I've put so much time and emphasis,

(07:53):
um on trying on songwriting and singing and performing. Uh,
I mean, I think really the number one area that
I would like to grow in this year is a
huge goal of mine has just become a better musician.
I play guitar and harmonica and stuff. But I just
feel like there's another level that I could get to. UM.
And I feel that way about songwriting, performing and singing

(08:14):
as well. UM. So I think just if I could
at the end of every year, if you can look
back and be like, I'm a lot better than I
was in January. UM, you know every other I think
all the other goals that you set for yourself, you know,
will kind of naturally be accomplished. We talked about Dirk's
a little bit. Who else in Nashville, whether the country
starts are you? Are you pretty close to what? Who

(08:35):
are your friends? Uh? Man, it's not. It's not a
whole lot party and I talk a little bit. We
hadn't got to hang out a whole lot of just
kind of a universal evance or award show whatever. Um,
Dirk's for sure, UM Luke Bryan Man super sweet guy.
We've gotten to do some of the universal um stuff,
you know, and and h He's always been really really

(08:57):
kind and um it's uh. I mean, I hadn't got
to spend a whole lot. I toured so much, you know,
before COVID, I was, Um, I was either here working
or I was I was on the road, and so
I feel like, you know, hopefully living here will um,
you know, we'll kind of get to maybe having him
over at some point. Yeah, Luke come over. He'll bring

(09:19):
probably like a cast roll or something. He's just he's
a crazy guy. Could not be a sweeter, nicer guy,
but he is out of his mind funny man. Anytime
around him, I'm like crazy. We usually this week we'd
be in Mexico doing his crash My playoff festival down there,
which fingers crossed it comes back next year because it's

(09:41):
like my favorite fest to do because it's obviously in Mexico,
it's on the beach. It's great. You gotta get him
to get you on the lineup for that next year. Yeah,
I'll be bugging him about it for sure. It is
crazy fun main Caroline, my mom Leclair comes down. That
sounds so much like him. That's Harry Kenny. We've done

(10:01):
way too many interviews and actually I've done that impersonation
in front of him before and he um, he cringes
every time I do it. Dude, that is it's spot on.
Gonna be back on American Idol, Katie, what do you
think going to Hollywood or not going to Hollywood, spoke
in a Hollywood Hollywood Golden Ept taking to Hollywood. That's

(10:24):
way that's way too good. Um, super Bowl obviously coming up.
So if you're coming to my super Bowl party, Parker,
what are you bringing? What are you bringing to the potluck? Is? Um? Man,
I don't know. I don't even know if I could
say that on CMT radio, but um, you know, I
don't know. I um, I don't really cook anything particularly well,

(10:47):
you know, I can't really grew. I would honestly probably
bring something takeout for delivery so just so I could
eat it. Do you do that a lot of the
house that are you a takeout guy? You like order?
I mean because I'm addicted to like door Dash and
Postmates and all these It's just so easy now to
get food delivered. Man, I hadn't cooked in probably two
months and so, and I've been eating so much fast

(11:09):
food and just been like super busy with all the
new stuff and um and moving and all this stuff.
And I'm just like I have I threw all my
I started trying to move like two weeks ago and
throw all my dishes and pots and pants away like
day one. And I was like, well, you have no
choice but to eat out man. Dirk's gave me again
bringing up Dirks here, but he gave me the best

(11:29):
answer to that question one time. He's like, I'm gonna
bring ice. Yeah, you always need ice at a party,
like you always seems like you need the cooler. You
neat ice. So I'll tell you what we'll have the party.
You bring the ice, I will. I'll bring the ice, Okay,
Parker what I'm bringing. Parker's bringing the ice. Drks is

(11:50):
bringing ice to he may bring the beer. I don't know.
Are you a beer guy? By the way, Cody, really no,
not really, dude, I I don't really. Alcohol has never
been my thing at all. I definitely have my vices,
but and and don't be wrong, I love to have
a good time and and do the thing. But um,
I'm not a I'll drink like two beers and I'm like,

(12:12):
I'm good, right, your control freak. That's what that says
about you, because I'm the same way. I don't like
being like not in control, and that's what I feel
like alcohol does to me. I would much rather drink
like an energy drink and go do something. I mean,
just I don't know. I don't don't be wrong. I
definitely love to have a good time, but I try
not to. Um. Parker, good check it in with you

(12:34):
and thanks for doing all this stuff for CMT today.
I know it was a lot, so UM, I appreciate
the time. I can't wait to see you in person,
hopefully soon. Okay, Cody, thanks so much for having me
on putting up with me. Man, I'll talk to you.
Thanks for listening to Cody cast. Follow Cody right now
at Cody Allen on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Care Cody
on hundreds of radio stations every day, and watch Cody

(12:55):
on twenty this weekend Saturday and Sunday and Central and
c T. Bye for now, Hm,
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