March 12, 2025 • 27 mins
Special expanded version today with special guest John Michael Montgomery. He is saying goodbye to touring...why? It's not a short answer.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to podcast Bob Picket Radio. That's the name of
the podcast. Listen, I just got off the phone talking
to John Michael Montgomery. You've heard the news, John Michael
is he's going to stop touring at the end of
this year. So let's just dive right into the interview.
And you can tell John Michael likes to talk and
he never spends this amount of time with anybody on
the phone. But we've got a special long version of
(00:22):
the Bob Picket Podcast for you right now. Let's just
jump in the conversation with John Michael Montgomery on the
line with us right now, John Michael Montgomery, the legend.
John Michael Montgomery, I'm going to ask you the big question,
why why are you saying goodbye to touring?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Well, first of all, Bob, thanks for having me on
the show. I appreciate it very much. You know, your
body just after your body starts telling you, you know,
I mean, it's I think I turned sixty back in January,
and when I was fifty five, I don't know, you know,
I just the recovery from the traveling and all that,
(00:59):
just you know, And then of course you go to
the doctors and they go Hey, how much longer are
you going to have those those ear pods of those
ear monitors in your ear doing ninety minute shows because
your hearing is really starting.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
You're being brutally honest with us right now.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Oh, I mean, yeah, you know. I mean, it's just,
you know, I started getting arthritis and stuff in here
and there on the body and everything, and it just,
you know, your body just starts letting you know how
you feel. You know, I'd come home and it'd be
a day or two before I could get up and
just you know, get moving around and everything, and I think,
(01:42):
you know, I started thinking about it then. You know,
at that time, at fifty five, I've been on the
road for probably about twenty seven years, you know, straight
and everything, and I was like, you just kind of,
you know, you just start pondering it. And then and
then in about two years ago, back in September, I
had a bad bus wreck. You know, the driver just
(02:03):
blacked out and you know, we hit a big old
rock wall and flipped over on the side. You know,
we skidded down the road on her side, and I
had four broke ribs. When we finally stopped, and I'm
looking out through a broke windshield of a bus. We've
done knocked down about twenty trees with a bus and
(02:24):
everything like that, and I'm looking down that highway going
you know, I think I'm getting a little old for this.
And so that was you know, about a two or
three month recovery time and some more time to ponder
about it. And I finally I was like, you know,
twenty twenty five, I'll be sixty, and you know, I've
(02:45):
had a lot of guys that's been with me for
it'll be my thirty this will be my thirty third
year out on the road, you know, and I've had
guys with me that's been with me for over twenty
five years. And obviously that's like, you know, I didn't
want to just quit on them, obviously, but I told
them a couple of years ago. I said, boys, I said,
I'm you know, I'm starting to fill you know, this uh,
(03:08):
this traveling up and down the road really starting to uh,
you know, beat me up pretty bad. And I said,
I I still love getting on the stage and performing
for people, just like I did as much back when
I played five nights a week back in Lexington, Kentucky
for a five dollars cover charge, I said, But I said,
(03:31):
just getting there anymore is just getting uh and getting
back home. It's just starting to really, you know, take
its toll on me. And I said, the body don't lie,
you know. And I'm like, I wish I had Willy
Nelson's genetics, you know, I mean, I said, but I don't.
I wasn't blessed and born with Willy Nelson genetics. I
was like, I said, my body is definitely telling me, hey,
(03:54):
it's time to slow down. And and I think about
it is it's you know, I it's not like I'm
just I know, I'll be lying to myself if I
said I'll never get on stage and sing again, you know.
I mean, if I could click my heels together and
just magically appear, you know, on stage, you know, I
(04:16):
probably wouldn't even consider retiring. But uh so, you know
there's gonna be times and I'm gonna there's no doubt
about it. I'm gonna just miss getting on stage and
you know, and performing my songs and being in front
of the crowd like I grew up doing my whole life.
And you know, I'll call up the book an agency
(04:38):
or in my band guys and seeho's available. Hey, I
want to go do a show somewhere. Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Ho about a we introduce you to Willie Nelson's doctor
while you're down here? Would that make a big difference?
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Is he still alive? I think Willy's outliving everybody?
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Well, it's going you know, it's gonna be a very
special occasion these last few shows that you do this year,
and and we're looking forward to seeing you this summer. Now,
do you have the final show planned? Any specially anything
special plan for the final show?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Well? Uh, you know, I'm just I'm gonna add some
songs you know that I had hits with I hadn't
probably had the show for over twenty years.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
You know which songs are you talking about adding?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Then? Well, I'm going to kind of keep that a secret.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
In other words, you got to come see me, That's
what you're gonna say, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
But yeah, you know there's there's there's songs that you
know that I and I'll mention some of them. I
mean I may not, uh you know, have these certain
songs in the show, but because I may just kind
of mix them in there. But you know, like Angel
in My Eyes and how was I to know as
long as I live and hold on to me? Uh wow,
(05:54):
and uh fellow, ll be love working on you. Uh
you know some some things that I you know, friends,
Uh you know these songs I probably hadn't done in
my show and at least a decade and when some
of them are probably over twenty years and they were
hit some lots, you know, and for men. I but
you know, I do a ninety minute show because you know,
(06:17):
and it's it's that's the other thing, you know. I
mean I used to get on stage and heck, I
could go. I could sing for two three ires, no problem,
you know, but you know, you just don't have that
ability to be able to do that like you used to.
And you know, I mean, so you know, you picked
(06:38):
the songs, and you know, amount of time you can
perform and and and everything like that. There's certain amount
of songs that you fit into that show. And you know, unfortunately,
you know, I mean, just like Merle and Alan Jackson
and Willie and everybody else, you're fortunate enough to have.
(06:58):
And George Strait should mentioned the king of that yet
you know, I mean, you know, you you're lucky. It's
a great thing that you can't fit all the hits
you had into the show, and uh, you know, and
and then you know, there's just some that you feel
like fans know better and like better and want to
hear don the shows than others. So you know, over
(07:19):
the years, some get left out and all that. So, uh,
you know, I I hope to be able to you know.
You know, now there might be some scenarios where I
might have to drop out another song or two that
I've been doing it last few years, you know, and
replace you over this. But but uh, you know, so
the bottom line for me is kind of like being able.
(07:43):
I just want to do I tell people all the time,
they say, when you're going to do a new album stuff,
I said, well, I would I want to do a
new album people like I know I would be this way.
If I go see George Drade, if I go see
some of my favorite artists and concert, I want to
hear the hits that they had that I grew up with.
Little I don't want. I don't really care what's on
a new album, you know. And uh, and I'm like,
(08:06):
so for me, I mean, once I quit making albums,
I mean and and you know, and you know, obviously,
once you quit making albums, quit making hits, I was like,
I'm like, I'm going to sing you know that the
songs that made me be able to enjoy touring. And
you know, and and uh because when you're playing a
(08:29):
Home Kong five nights week, you never you know, you're
singing other people's hits. You never ever know if you're
ever going to be able to have your own or not.
So when you do have your own, I mean, I'm like, hey,
I want to I want to sing all of them
and I can. You know that I get and uh
so and I feel you know, I know that's the
fans want to. You know, that's what they're paying hard
working money.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Well, you had a blessed career though, I mean, look
at the number one hits that you've had. You're bringing
back memories when you go on The cool thing is
the fans are singing along with all of what. They're
singing along with you, you know out there.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Yeah, I mean that's and that's what's always uh for me,
when you get on stage and you know people are
out there and you know, and there's no doubt about
it when you've done it for a while I mean,
you know, it can there's times you're you feel like
it can be redundant and and you you know, you
(09:25):
wonder if it's like our people or people really are
they tired of send me? You know, you're you know,
because you just you've been doing it long enough. It's like, well,
I mean, I wonder how many you know, I mean,
you just always worry about the day that people are
not going to show ups. Like, Okay, I've seen I've
heard all his hits. I've seen him in the tight
Contracy I'm you know, uh and that kind of thing.
(09:50):
And uh, but when you get on and you do
see them out there singing along with your song, uh
that's thirty years old, you know, and and one and
and some of the people that are able to come
to show, especially with the family shows, where I like
the best when the young kids can come, uh, you know,
(10:13):
and they're singing the song. You know, I mean, you're going, okay, well,
that's really cool. This young kid is singing a song
that's thirty years old and he's only you know, he's
a young kid. I mean, uh, to know that you
have young people that have grown up and like, you know,
and their parents have raised them on your music. I mean,
(10:34):
you know, it just doesn't get any better feeling than that.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
You've made an impact, you made an impact on their
life on country music. You got to be proud of
everything that you've done.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Well, that's you know, and that's the open when you're
when you feel like your music has impacted people, you know, uh,
and to the point where they're willing to continue to
come out and hear you, you know, sing your songs,
even though they've probably been there, you know, maybe some
of them twenty times before, and maybe it's the first
(11:04):
time for some, but you know, the the sure love
of getting on stage, walking out there and filling them
butterflies that you never get rid of, you know, and
you're walking out there and then once you sing the
first couple of lines of the songs, and it's you know,
the butterflies are gone and and you know, and it's
(11:25):
there's really it's really not there's nothing out there like it.
I mean, anybody that's been able to achieve, you know,
getting a record deal and having hits and stuff like that,
and being able to sing your own stuff and go
tour the country and the world and all that stuff
I mean, you know, there's no doubt about it. It
(11:47):
was not an easy decision for me to say, Okay,
this is when I'm pulling the plug on this touring thing.
I mean, you know, like I said, I thought about it,
ponitored it, and you know, well, I really want to
do this. But at the end, you know, like I said,
fifty five was that magic number. Seemed like every year
after that. I was just at the end of the
(12:08):
touring season. I mean, you know, I'd come home and
I you know, I tell the wife who's put up
with me for almost thirty years now, I'm like, you know,
I just don't know if I can. I don't know
how much longer. I you know, and like the traveling
and you know, the road life is it's a young
(12:30):
man's game. That's just the bottom line.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Did you ever think though that you'd be doing this
when you first started? You ever think that this would
be a lifetime career?
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Oh? Absolutely not. Oh. I mean I think anybody, first
of all, just to get a record deal. You know,
you're feeling like, okay, well, can you know, can I
go in the studio and can I cut music that
people are gonna like in radio play? And then when
that happens and you're going, Okay, well can I do
it a second time? You know, and not get the
(12:59):
sophomore Gene says all the you know everybody talks about
on the second album, and you know, and then you
avoid that, and then then you're like, okay, well, shoot,
I've got a few hits on Rebel. I can actually
go out here on the road and tour and a
tour bus, and you know, for a long time just
off of these hits, and then you know, you do
(13:19):
the third album and you got you know, next thing.
You know, you just it's it's definitely least surreal at
a certain point, and then you then you realize it's like,
you know, after about five years and the Mole from
the Road, You're like, you know, I think I've arrived.
I've actually this has happened to me in my life
and I just need to accept it. I've been you know,
and uh and uh, you know, but you I don't
(13:43):
think you know, you ever feel that first three four years,
you ever feel confused?
Speaker 1 (13:53):
But you say that, you know you say that, But
I can tell you being in radio, we knew you
arrive when we got your single life Dance. We knew
that there was something special about you, about your voice
on radio. Take it from a guy who played that
when it first came out. We knew there was something
always special about.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You, well, I mean I And that was the biggest
surprise to me because you know, Doug Johnson who produced that,
and he also brought you know, uh, you know, a
couple of other hits. Obviously, I Love the Way He
Loved Me, which was my first number one, and you know,
and I was really you know, being a bar guy
(14:33):
five nights a week. You know, I always sang either
really country songs George Trade, Keith Whitley's, or I would
sing Bob Zeeger and I might even do a lot
of Richie song but I never ever had sang a
song like Life of Dance Football, which is a philosophical
song about life, you know, and uh, you know, I
(14:54):
liked it and everything, But did I think it was
a hit, big hit? And I certainly didn't think it.
I thought they were crazy not putting I Love the
Way You Loved Me out first, because I was like,
that's kind of songs I love to sing, and that's
a really damn good love song, you know, And it's like,
oh no, we're going to go with this Slights of
Dance song. It's mid tempo radio, you know, being new
(15:15):
and all that first thing, you know, it's be kind
of hard to get a radio to jump on a
four minute ballad and this song right here is mid
tempo and it's and they said, trust me, it's a
really good song. I'm like, okay, well, you know, I mean,
you got no more than I do. I just started
in this record business deal and sure enough, I mean
(15:35):
I sit there and watched it go up the charts.
And here's the funny thing is, I was still playing
the bar off in City Saloon five nights a week.
I've been there for about four years in a row.
I think me and my brother Eddy eighty was playing
drums for me. And you know, in ninety one is
(15:55):
when I got the record deal with Atlantic Records. In
ninety two as when Uh Life of Dance came out,
and of course I've been driving back and forth to Nashville,
you know, recording the album and then coming back and
you know, getting on stage and making my one hundred
and fifty bucks a week at you know, and the
(16:17):
Life of Dance broke. I kept telling the focus that
I got this song coming out. I swear I got
this song, and they were on, oh, you're lying, you know,
you're just telling everybody you got a record deal and maybe,
you know, just so people come and see her, you know,
And I'm like, I'm telling you I've been going down
to Nashville and cutting this song, and nobody believe me.
And then it broke top forty on the top and
bob king to the top forty countdown, and then people
(16:38):
started coming into the bar because you know, I didn't.
I didn't, I wouldn't. I'd make one hundred and fifty
bucks a week and that was I had to feed myself.
So I was still playing, uh, you know, five nights
a week in this bar for the next three months,
even when Life of Dance got into the top ten,
you know, and people were coming there going why are
(16:59):
you still playing this bar? You have a hit record,
And I'm like, because all my shows in the book
just six months down the road from now, and I
still got to make a living. And you know, but
needless to say, I mean, once the song broke top forty,
top thirty, you know, the bar just and it was
a small bar, I mean, I think one hundred and fifty,
(17:21):
one hundred and seventy five people is what it helped.
But I mean, you know, people started, you know, coming in.
I mean, you know, we packed the place on the weekends,
but you know, for the middle of the week, we
may have you know, twenty thirty forty people show up
in the middle of the week. Well yeah, next thing,
you know, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday place was packed.
(17:44):
And so sure enough, you know, the owner of the
bar said, hey, I'm going to give you a raise,
and I was like, oh, well, I appreciate He said,
I'm gonna take you to two hundred busy. I appreciate it, man,
I appreciate it very much, you know. And I mean
he was pulling down some serious food as fus, you know,
(18:06):
in that place. You know. So he gave me a
fifty dollars a week raise and and I think he
gave everybody else in the band of fifty dollars week
race too, So you know, I mean that was very
kind of We played there, I think for four years,
and we didn't have I don't think I got one
raise from playing there. But it was me and my
brother Eddie and Troy Gentry, which I hired, you know,
(18:28):
in the band. And we had to you know, keyboard player,
you know, and you know a bunch of young guys
just having fun. And you know it was a college
town and you know, University of Kentucky basketball obviously is
the biggest thing going on around Lexington, and and so
you know, we were packing the place with college kids
(18:49):
along with you know, people that had everyday job too,
you know, and everything. So you know, I had no
doubt about it. I mean, my mom and dad played music,
you know, they had a band when me and my
brother growing up, and you know, we had instead of
tears and stuff in our living rooms, you know, we
had amplifiers and drum sets and you know, and stuff
(19:10):
like that. I mean, I think we we had we
carried one couch every time we moved, because we rented
a lot. We had one couch and one wood burnerstow
and the and the rest of the living room was
filled with instruments. And you know, and when when mom
and dad wasn't picking on this weekend somewhere at a
BMW or wherever, I mean, and all the band guys
and all their friends, they'd all come to the house
(19:32):
and we'd all sit around pick and sing and you know,
and just have a big old time on the weekend
because none of us had any money to go out
anywhere and do anything, you know, so it was it
was an easy fun thing to do and and uh,
you know, I definitely uh, it's it's been an incredible life,
forming an incredible story for me. I mean, uh, you know,
(19:57):
being able to uh be out here as long as
I have during it, as long as I have basically
picking and singing, uh and entertaining people, uh, since I
was in high school, and until you know, this year year.
I mean, it's it's I mean, I just it's still
(20:17):
unbelievable that I've been able to pick and sing. I've
never had to have a real real job in my
whole life.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
But now you're making more than two hundred dollars a
week two which we're very proud of that accomplishment as well.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's I'm finally I've a I've I
tell you, it's it's hard to believe considering where I
come from, where I'm at and at it's just really,
you know, I look at my brother here on the
list twenty minutes away from me. I go visiting a
couple of times a week, you know, and we get together.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
We love that gar him.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
It's like, man, can you believe where we were at
as kids? And we're and you know, we because we
had we started the band right out of high school
piece band, me and him playing. He played drums, I
played guitar, and we had a buddy of IRUs that
played bass guitar and we just played all around central
Kentucky as a little three piece band. And you know
(21:10):
we uh it was mostly weekend warrior stuff and we
all had kind of real jobs through the week, you know.
And uh and I mean I did everything from help
building swimming pools, roof and houses, you know, you name whatever.
Anybody give me five dollars an hour to show up
to work. I was like, yeah, I'll be there as
(21:31):
long as I can kick the sing at night, I'll
be there. And you had to put gas in your car,
you know, I mean, because you never knew, you know,
if if your car was gonna run or not. You
you know, you definitely didn't want it to be because
you didn't have gas. And but uh no, I mean,
you know, it was definitely It's been an incredible life
(21:53):
on him because I've been from one spectrum to the other,
no doubt about it. You know, just uh you know
this an old Kentucky boy that made it good. I
guess if you if you want to put it simple, you.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Know, well, it is going to be a great night
celebrating your career, watching you on stage one more time.
We are really looking forward to it. And if I
even't said this again, I don't want to say it.
Thank you for everything you've done for country music. Thank
you and your family for everything you've done for country.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I mean, Texas has been uh, Texas has been a
blessing to me. I mean I remember when Life of
Dents came out and uh, you know, I started getting
booked in Texas and the song was getting played in
Texas a lot, and I just remember the label They
were acstatic because they were like, you've broke Texas And
(22:47):
I went, what what what you mean I broke Texas?
Andy went, No, you don't understand Texas. There. Those people
are really picky about who they like and they've got
older artists, big got their they got their own radio
station count there. You know, their uh uh local uh
countdown hits and and it's like they're they don't just
(23:10):
take in every Nashville commercial artist that comes out as
as a matter of fact, they probably grow up most
of them, Like really, And they said, for you, for
us to be able to get you to play in Texas,
that is really huge, you know, And I was like,
you know it. Well, the next thing, you know, I'd
never been to Texas in my life. Well heck, I
hadn't even been out of Kentucky most of my life.
(23:31):
And so we went down there, and I mean, we
toured Texas for it seemed like two months, and you know,
I mean, I was like, Wow, I can't believe how
many places in Texas there are to play and how
many bars and how many people come out to see you.
I'm thinking, I love his you know, and uh, it's
just because Kentucky loves their country music just as much
(23:54):
that we're nowhere in there as big and nowhere as
many bars as Texas.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
Proud of that bar.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I came from a bar, like I mean, you know,
playing you play five nights week at the bar, and
you go to Texas, you like, you know, you've died,
went to heaven of the country music bars, you know.
And but yeah, so I you know, Texas has always
it was probably the first state that really really came
(24:24):
on board hard for me. And I'll never forget that.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Well, we're not going to forget that show. We're not
going to forget your final appearance down here. So it's
something that we are looking forward to. And just get
your button down here, man now, and I now can't
wait for the show.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
You know, Hey, I'm I'm ready to go. I'm ready
to go. It's you know, it's I'm not I'm only
I'm not doing that many this year, of course, you know,
I'm just doing you know, just where I feel like,
you know, the people we're going to, the places I know,
the people, uh seem to have always supported me the most.
(24:57):
So we're just you know, because I can't, I can't
do a hundred shows a year.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Like well, we're blessed. We're going to see you here,
you know.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Yeah, so we're going to get as many as we
can as we can. But you can, you know, definitely
you can. Texas was the first one on the list.
I can.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
I can tell you that well, I can tell you
everything about retiring, building a retiring home here good place,
why not, right, plenty of fish and plenty of bars
in case you just want to grab your guitar and
show up someplace at night.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Oh, I'll tell you what. My son Walker and.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
He's going to be down there Friday night, by the way,
We've got him Friday night down here.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Yeah, yeah, you know, and he's he's he's the same way.
He's like, he's been going to Texas here and you
know last last year especially, and uh he's been he's
been opening up for down on the own box and
then he's a super nice dude and heh heh. You know,
he told me that, he said, oh my gosh, Texas
(25:55):
is incredible. I'm like, I know, something said, if they
like you down there, they'll like it everywhere. And then
so he's, uh, yeah, yeah he I told him. I
was like, if I if I was not going to
live in my home state of Kentucky and I wanted
to go somewhere else where. The weather will you know,
uh warm most of the year, and woodn't hard on
(26:17):
my hearth, rightis, and I could play golf a lot
and fish a lot, you know, and there was plenty
of places of entertainment. You ain't gonna be Texas. I said,
that's that's that's where i'd be, you know, living full
time at But you know, I love my I love
my home here in Kentucky. So I guess that's that's
where they'll put me under one day. I reckon big
(26:38):
a hole for me one day here.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Well, hopefully that's that's not in the future. Well, we
love you, love your music. We cannot wait for the show.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
I appreciate it, Bob, I appreciate your time, and I
can't wait to get down there too.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Can I wait to see that owing If John Michael
Montgomery comes to your area, you've got to see him.
I mean, it's the last time, right, and he's going
to put on a heck of a show. John Michael Montgomery,
thanks for listening the podcast. Realized it was a long
expanded version, but let me tell you, I didn't want
to chop out anything of that interview because it was
just nice visiting with John Michael this morning. We'll see
you tomorrow with a brand new edition the Bob Picket
(27:20):
Podcast right here on your favorite rap And remember, we'll
see you this afternoon on iHeart radio stations all across
the nation and I also remember follow me on Instagram,
Bob Picket Radio on Instagram,
Welcome to podcast Bob Picket Radio. That's the name of
the podcast. Listen, I just got off the phone talking
to John Michael Montgomery. You've heard the news, John Michael
is he's going to stop touring at the end of
this year. So let's just dive right into the interview.
And you can tell John Michael likes to talk and
he never spends this amount of time with anybody on
the phone. But we've got a special long version of
(00:22):
the Bob Picket Podcast for you right now. Let's just
jump in the conversation with John Michael Montgomery on the
line with us right now, John Michael Montgomery, the legend.
John Michael Montgomery, I'm going to ask you the big question,
why why are you saying goodbye to touring?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Well, first of all, Bob, thanks for having me on
the show. I appreciate it very much. You know, your
body just after your body starts telling you, you know,
I mean, it's I think I turned sixty back in January,
and when I was fifty five, I don't know, you know,
I just the recovery from the traveling and all that,
(00:59):
just you know, And then of course you go to
the doctors and they go Hey, how much longer are
you going to have those those ear pods of those
ear monitors in your ear doing ninety minute shows because
your hearing is really starting.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
You're being brutally honest with us right now.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Oh, I mean, yeah, you know. I mean, it's just,
you know, I started getting arthritis and stuff in here
and there on the body and everything, and it just,
you know, your body just starts letting you know how
you feel. You know, I'd come home and it'd be
a day or two before I could get up and
just you know, get moving around and everything, and I think,
(01:42):
you know, I started thinking about it then. You know,
at that time, at fifty five, I've been on the
road for probably about twenty seven years, you know, straight
and everything, and I was like, you just kind of,
you know, you just start pondering it. And then and
then in about two years ago, back in September, I
had a bad bus wreck. You know, the driver just
(02:03):
blacked out and you know, we hit a big old
rock wall and flipped over on the side. You know,
we skidded down the road on her side, and I
had four broke ribs. When we finally stopped, and I'm
looking out through a broke windshield of a bus. We've
done knocked down about twenty trees with a bus and
(02:24):
everything like that, and I'm looking down that highway going
you know, I think I'm getting a little old for this.
And so that was you know, about a two or
three month recovery time and some more time to ponder
about it. And I finally I was like, you know,
twenty twenty five, I'll be sixty, and you know, I've
(02:45):
had a lot of guys that's been with me for
it'll be my thirty this will be my thirty third
year out on the road, you know, and I've had
guys with me that's been with me for over twenty
five years. And obviously that's like, you know, I didn't
want to just quit on them, obviously, but I told
them a couple of years ago. I said, boys, I said,
I'm you know, I'm starting to fill you know, this uh,
(03:08):
this traveling up and down the road really starting to uh,
you know, beat me up pretty bad. And I said,
I I still love getting on the stage and performing
for people, just like I did as much back when
I played five nights a week back in Lexington, Kentucky
for a five dollars cover charge, I said, But I said,
(03:31):
just getting there anymore is just getting uh and getting
back home. It's just starting to really, you know, take
its toll on me. And I said, the body don't lie,
you know. And I'm like, I wish I had Willy
Nelson's genetics, you know, I mean, I said, but I don't.
I wasn't blessed and born with Willy Nelson genetics. I
was like, I said, my body is definitely telling me, hey,
(03:54):
it's time to slow down. And and I think about
it is it's you know, I it's not like I'm
just I know, I'll be lying to myself if I
said I'll never get on stage and sing again, you know.
I mean, if I could click my heels together and
just magically appear, you know, on stage, you know, I
(04:16):
probably wouldn't even consider retiring. But uh so, you know
there's gonna be times and I'm gonna there's no doubt
about it. I'm gonna just miss getting on stage and
you know, and performing my songs and being in front
of the crowd like I grew up doing my whole life.
And you know, I'll call up the book an agency
(04:38):
or in my band guys and seeho's available. Hey, I
want to go do a show somewhere. Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Ho about a we introduce you to Willie Nelson's doctor
while you're down here? Would that make a big difference?
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Is he still alive? I think Willy's outliving everybody?
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Well, it's going you know, it's gonna be a very
special occasion these last few shows that you do this year,
and and we're looking forward to seeing you this summer. Now,
do you have the final show planned? Any specially anything
special plan for the final show?
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Well? Uh, you know, I'm just I'm gonna add some
songs you know that I had hits with I hadn't
probably had the show for over twenty years.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
You know which songs are you talking about adding?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Then? Well, I'm going to kind of keep that a secret.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
In other words, you got to come see me, That's
what you're gonna say, right, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
But yeah, you know there's there's there's songs that you
know that I and I'll mention some of them. I
mean I may not, uh you know, have these certain
songs in the show, but because I may just kind
of mix them in there. But you know, like Angel
in My Eyes and how was I to know as
long as I live and hold on to me? Uh wow,
(05:54):
and uh fellow, ll be love working on you. Uh
you know some some things that I you know, friends,
Uh you know these songs I probably hadn't done in
my show and at least a decade and when some
of them are probably over twenty years and they were
hit some lots, you know, and for men. I but
you know, I do a ninety minute show because you know,
(06:17):
and it's it's that's the other thing, you know. I
mean I used to get on stage and heck, I
could go. I could sing for two three ires, no problem,
you know, but you know, you just don't have that
ability to be able to do that like you used to.
And you know, I mean, so you know, you picked
(06:38):
the songs, and you know, amount of time you can
perform and and and everything like that. There's certain amount
of songs that you fit into that show. And you know, unfortunately,
you know, I mean, just like Merle and Alan Jackson
and Willie and everybody else, you're fortunate enough to have.
(06:58):
And George Strait should mentioned the king of that yet
you know, I mean, you know, you you're lucky. It's
a great thing that you can't fit all the hits
you had into the show, and uh, you know, and
and then you know, there's just some that you feel
like fans know better and like better and want to
hear don the shows than others. So you know, over
(07:19):
the years, some get left out and all that. So, uh,
you know, I I hope to be able to you know.
You know, now there might be some scenarios where I
might have to drop out another song or two that
I've been doing it last few years, you know, and
replace you over this. But but uh, you know, so
the bottom line for me is kind of like being able.
(07:43):
I just want to do I tell people all the time,
they say, when you're going to do a new album stuff,
I said, well, I would I want to do a
new album people like I know I would be this way.
If I go see George Drade, if I go see
some of my favorite artists and concert, I want to
hear the hits that they had that I grew up with.
Little I don't want. I don't really care what's on
a new album, you know. And uh, and I'm like,
(08:06):
so for me, I mean, once I quit making albums,
I mean and and you know, and you know, obviously,
once you quit making albums, quit making hits, I was like,
I'm like, I'm going to sing you know that the
songs that made me be able to enjoy touring. And
you know, and and uh because when you're playing a
(08:29):
Home Kong five nights week, you never you know, you're
singing other people's hits. You never ever know if you're
ever going to be able to have your own or not.
So when you do have your own, I mean, I'm like, hey,
I want to I want to sing all of them
and I can. You know that I get and uh
so and I feel you know, I know that's the
fans want to. You know, that's what they're paying hard
working money.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Well, you had a blessed career though, I mean, look
at the number one hits that you've had. You're bringing
back memories when you go on The cool thing is
the fans are singing along with all of what. They're
singing along with you, you know out there.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Yeah, I mean that's and that's what's always uh for me,
when you get on stage and you know people are
out there and you know, and there's no doubt about
it when you've done it for a while I mean,
you know, it can there's times you're you feel like
it can be redundant and and you you know, you
(09:25):
wonder if it's like our people or people really are
they tired of send me? You know, you're you know,
because you just you've been doing it long enough. It's like, well,
I mean, I wonder how many you know, I mean,
you just always worry about the day that people are
not going to show ups. Like, Okay, I've seen I've
heard all his hits. I've seen him in the tight
Contracy I'm you know, uh and that kind of thing.
(09:50):
And uh, but when you get on and you do
see them out there singing along with your song, uh
that's thirty years old, you know, and and one and
and some of the people that are able to come
to show, especially with the family shows, where I like
the best when the young kids can come, uh, you know,
(10:13):
and they're singing the song. You know, I mean, you're going, okay, well,
that's really cool. This young kid is singing a song
that's thirty years old and he's only you know, he's
a young kid. I mean, uh, to know that you
have young people that have grown up and like, you know,
and their parents have raised them on your music. I mean,
(10:34):
you know, it just doesn't get any better feeling than that.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
You've made an impact, you made an impact on their
life on country music. You got to be proud of
everything that you've done.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Well, that's you know, and that's the open when you're
when you feel like your music has impacted people, you know, uh,
and to the point where they're willing to continue to
come out and hear you, you know, sing your songs,
even though they've probably been there, you know, maybe some
of them twenty times before, and maybe it's the first
(11:04):
time for some, but you know, the the sure love
of getting on stage, walking out there and filling them
butterflies that you never get rid of, you know, and
you're walking out there and then once you sing the
first couple of lines of the songs, and it's you know,
the butterflies are gone and and you know, and it's
(11:25):
there's really it's really not there's nothing out there like it.
I mean, anybody that's been able to achieve, you know,
getting a record deal and having hits and stuff like that,
and being able to sing your own stuff and go
tour the country and the world and all that stuff
I mean, you know, there's no doubt about it. It
(11:47):
was not an easy decision for me to say, Okay,
this is when I'm pulling the plug on this touring thing.
I mean, you know, like I said, I thought about it,
ponitored it, and you know, well, I really want to
do this. But at the end, you know, like I said,
fifty five was that magic number. Seemed like every year
after that. I was just at the end of the
(12:08):
touring season. I mean, you know, I'd come home and
I you know, I tell the wife who's put up
with me for almost thirty years now, I'm like, you know,
I just don't know if I can. I don't know
how much longer. I you know, and like the traveling
and you know, the road life is it's a young
(12:30):
man's game. That's just the bottom line.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Did you ever think though that you'd be doing this
when you first started? You ever think that this would
be a lifetime career?
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Oh? Absolutely not. Oh. I mean I think anybody, first
of all, just to get a record deal. You know,
you're feeling like, okay, well, can you know, can I
go in the studio and can I cut music that
people are gonna like in radio play? And then when
that happens and you're going, Okay, well can I do
it a second time? You know, and not get the
(12:59):
sophomore Gene says all the you know everybody talks about
on the second album, and you know, and then you
avoid that, and then then you're like, okay, well, shoot,
I've got a few hits on Rebel. I can actually
go out here on the road and tour and a
tour bus, and you know, for a long time just
off of these hits, and then you know, you do
(13:19):
the third album and you got you know, next thing.
You know, you just it's it's definitely least surreal at
a certain point, and then you then you realize it's like,
you know, after about five years and the Mole from
the Road, You're like, you know, I think I've arrived.
I've actually this has happened to me in my life
and I just need to accept it. I've been you know,
and uh and uh, you know, but you I don't
(13:43):
think you know, you ever feel that first three four years,
you ever feel confused?
Speaker 1 (13:53):
But you say that, you know you say that, But
I can tell you being in radio, we knew you
arrive when we got your single life Dance. We knew
that there was something special about you, about your voice
on radio. Take it from a guy who played that
when it first came out. We knew there was something
always special about.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You, well, I mean I And that was the biggest
surprise to me because you know, Doug Johnson who produced that,
and he also brought you know, uh, you know, a
couple of other hits. Obviously, I Love the Way He
Loved Me, which was my first number one, and you know,
and I was really you know, being a bar guy
(14:33):
five nights a week. You know, I always sang either
really country songs George Trade, Keith Whitley's, or I would
sing Bob Zeeger and I might even do a lot
of Richie song but I never ever had sang a
song like Life of Dance Football, which is a philosophical
song about life, you know, and uh, you know, I
(14:54):
liked it and everything, But did I think it was
a hit, big hit? And I certainly didn't think it.
I thought they were crazy not putting I Love the
Way You Loved Me out first, because I was like,
that's kind of songs I love to sing, and that's
a really damn good love song, you know, And it's like,
oh no, we're going to go with this Slights of
Dance song. It's mid tempo radio, you know, being new
(15:15):
and all that first thing, you know, it's be kind
of hard to get a radio to jump on a
four minute ballad and this song right here is mid
tempo and it's and they said, trust me, it's a
really good song. I'm like, okay, well, you know, I mean,
you got no more than I do. I just started
in this record business deal and sure enough, I mean
(15:35):
I sit there and watched it go up the charts.
And here's the funny thing is, I was still playing
the bar off in City Saloon five nights a week.
I've been there for about four years in a row.
I think me and my brother Eddy eighty was playing
drums for me. And you know, in ninety one is
(15:55):
when I got the record deal with Atlantic Records. In
ninety two as when Uh Life of Dance came out,
and of course I've been driving back and forth to Nashville,
you know, recording the album and then coming back and
you know, getting on stage and making my one hundred
and fifty bucks a week at you know, and the
(16:17):
Life of Dance broke. I kept telling the focus that
I got this song coming out. I swear I got
this song, and they were on, oh, you're lying, you know,
you're just telling everybody you got a record deal and maybe,
you know, just so people come and see her, you know,
And I'm like, I'm telling you I've been going down
to Nashville and cutting this song, and nobody believe me.
And then it broke top forty on the top and
bob king to the top forty countdown, and then people
(16:38):
started coming into the bar because you know, I didn't.
I didn't, I wouldn't. I'd make one hundred and fifty
bucks a week and that was I had to feed myself.
So I was still playing, uh, you know, five nights
a week in this bar for the next three months,
even when Life of Dance got into the top ten,
you know, and people were coming there going why are
(16:59):
you still playing this bar? You have a hit record,
And I'm like, because all my shows in the book
just six months down the road from now, and I
still got to make a living. And you know, but
needless to say, I mean, once the song broke top forty,
top thirty, you know, the bar just and it was
a small bar, I mean, I think one hundred and fifty,
(17:21):
one hundred and seventy five people is what it helped.
But I mean, you know, people started, you know, coming in.
I mean, you know, we packed the place on the weekends,
but you know, for the middle of the week, we
may have you know, twenty thirty forty people show up
in the middle of the week. Well yeah, next thing,
you know, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday place was packed.
(17:44):
And so sure enough, you know, the owner of the
bar said, hey, I'm going to give you a raise,
and I was like, oh, well, I appreciate He said,
I'm gonna take you to two hundred busy. I appreciate it, man,
I appreciate it very much, you know. And I mean
he was pulling down some serious food as fus, you know,
(18:06):
in that place. You know. So he gave me a
fifty dollars a week raise and and I think he
gave everybody else in the band of fifty dollars week
race too, So you know, I mean that was very
kind of We played there, I think for four years,
and we didn't have I don't think I got one
raise from playing there. But it was me and my
brother Eddie and Troy Gentry, which I hired, you know,
(18:28):
in the band. And we had to you know, keyboard player,
you know, and you know a bunch of young guys
just having fun. And you know it was a college
town and you know, University of Kentucky basketball obviously is
the biggest thing going on around Lexington, and and so
you know, we were packing the place with college kids
(18:49):
along with you know, people that had everyday job too,
you know, and everything. So you know, I had no
doubt about it. I mean, my mom and dad played music,
you know, they had a band when me and my
brother growing up, and you know, we had instead of
tears and stuff in our living rooms, you know, we
had amplifiers and drum sets and you know, and stuff
(19:10):
like that. I mean, I think we we had we
carried one couch every time we moved, because we rented
a lot. We had one couch and one wood burnerstow
and the and the rest of the living room was
filled with instruments. And you know, and when when mom
and dad wasn't picking on this weekend somewhere at a
BMW or wherever, I mean, and all the band guys
and all their friends, they'd all come to the house
(19:32):
and we'd all sit around pick and sing and you know,
and just have a big old time on the weekend
because none of us had any money to go out
anywhere and do anything, you know, so it was it
was an easy fun thing to do and and uh,
you know, I definitely uh, it's it's been an incredible life,
forming an incredible story for me. I mean, uh, you know,
(19:57):
being able to uh be out here as long as
I have during it, as long as I have basically
picking and singing, uh and entertaining people, uh, since I
was in high school, and until you know, this year year.
I mean, it's it's I mean, I just it's still
(20:17):
unbelievable that I've been able to pick and sing. I've
never had to have a real real job in my
whole life.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
But now you're making more than two hundred dollars a
week two which we're very proud of that accomplishment as well.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's I'm finally I've a I've I
tell you, it's it's hard to believe considering where I
come from, where I'm at and at it's just really,
you know, I look at my brother here on the
list twenty minutes away from me. I go visiting a
couple of times a week, you know, and we get together.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
We love that gar him.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
It's like, man, can you believe where we were at
as kids? And we're and you know, we because we
had we started the band right out of high school
piece band, me and him playing. He played drums, I
played guitar, and we had a buddy of IRUs that
played bass guitar and we just played all around central
Kentucky as a little three piece band. And you know
(21:10):
we uh it was mostly weekend warrior stuff and we
all had kind of real jobs through the week, you know.
And uh and I mean I did everything from help
building swimming pools, roof and houses, you know, you name whatever.
Anybody give me five dollars an hour to show up
to work. I was like, yeah, I'll be there as
(21:31):
long as I can kick the sing at night, I'll
be there. And you had to put gas in your car,
you know, I mean, because you never knew, you know,
if if your car was gonna run or not. You
you know, you definitely didn't want it to be because
you didn't have gas. And but uh no, I mean,
you know, it was definitely It's been an incredible life
(21:53):
on him because I've been from one spectrum to the other,
no doubt about it. You know, just uh you know
this an old Kentucky boy that made it good. I
guess if you if you want to put it simple, you.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Know, well, it is going to be a great night
celebrating your career, watching you on stage one more time.
We are really looking forward to it. And if I
even't said this again, I don't want to say it.
Thank you for everything you've done for country music. Thank
you and your family for everything you've done for country.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I mean, Texas has been uh, Texas has been a
blessing to me. I mean I remember when Life of
Dents came out and uh, you know, I started getting
booked in Texas and the song was getting played in
Texas a lot, and I just remember the label They
were acstatic because they were like, you've broke Texas And
(22:47):
I went, what what what you mean I broke Texas?
Andy went, No, you don't understand Texas. There. Those people
are really picky about who they like and they've got
older artists, big got their they got their own radio
station count there. You know, their uh uh local uh
countdown hits and and it's like they're they don't just
(23:10):
take in every Nashville commercial artist that comes out as
as a matter of fact, they probably grow up most
of them, Like really, And they said, for you, for
us to be able to get you to play in Texas,
that is really huge, you know, And I was like,
you know it. Well, the next thing, you know, I'd
never been to Texas in my life. Well heck, I
hadn't even been out of Kentucky most of my life.
(23:31):
And so we went down there, and I mean, we
toured Texas for it seemed like two months, and you know,
I mean, I was like, Wow, I can't believe how
many places in Texas there are to play and how
many bars and how many people come out to see you.
I'm thinking, I love his you know, and uh, it's
just because Kentucky loves their country music just as much
(23:54):
that we're nowhere in there as big and nowhere as
many bars as Texas.
Speaker 1 (24:00):
Proud of that bar.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
I came from a bar, like I mean, you know,
playing you play five nights week at the bar, and
you go to Texas, you like, you know, you've died,
went to heaven of the country music bars, you know.
And but yeah, so I you know, Texas has always
it was probably the first state that really really came
(24:24):
on board hard for me. And I'll never forget that.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Well, we're not going to forget that show. We're not
going to forget your final appearance down here. So it's
something that we are looking forward to. And just get
your button down here, man now, and I now can't
wait for the show.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
You know, Hey, I'm I'm ready to go. I'm ready
to go. It's you know, it's I'm not I'm only
I'm not doing that many this year, of course, you know,
I'm just doing you know, just where I feel like,
you know, the people we're going to, the places I know,
the people, uh seem to have always supported me the most.
(24:57):
So we're just you know, because I can't, I can't
do a hundred shows a year.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
Like well, we're blessed. We're going to see you here,
you know.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Yeah, so we're going to get as many as we
can as we can. But you can, you know, definitely
you can. Texas was the first one on the list.
I can.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
I can tell you that well, I can tell you
everything about retiring, building a retiring home here good place,
why not, right, plenty of fish and plenty of bars
in case you just want to grab your guitar and
show up someplace at night.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Oh, I'll tell you what. My son Walker and.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
He's going to be down there Friday night, by the way,
We've got him Friday night down here.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Yeah, yeah, you know, and he's he's he's the same way.
He's like, he's been going to Texas here and you
know last last year especially, and uh he's been he's
been opening up for down on the own box and
then he's a super nice dude and heh heh. You know,
he told me that, he said, oh my gosh, Texas
(25:55):
is incredible. I'm like, I know, something said, if they
like you down there, they'll like it everywhere. And then
so he's, uh, yeah, yeah he I told him. I
was like, if I if I was not going to
live in my home state of Kentucky and I wanted
to go somewhere else where. The weather will you know,
uh warm most of the year, and woodn't hard on
(26:17):
my hearth, rightis, and I could play golf a lot
and fish a lot, you know, and there was plenty
of places of entertainment. You ain't gonna be Texas. I said,
that's that's that's where i'd be, you know, living full
time at But you know, I love my I love
my home here in Kentucky. So I guess that's that's
where they'll put me under one day. I reckon big
(26:38):
a hole for me one day here.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
Well, hopefully that's that's not in the future. Well, we
love you, love your music. We cannot wait for the show.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
I appreciate it, Bob, I appreciate your time, and I
can't wait to get down there too.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Can I wait to see that owing If John Michael
Montgomery comes to your area, you've got to see him.
I mean, it's the last time, right, and he's going
to put on a heck of a show. John Michael Montgomery,
thanks for listening the podcast. Realized it was a long
expanded version, but let me tell you, I didn't want
to chop out anything of that interview because it was
just nice visiting with John Michael this morning. We'll see
you tomorrow with a brand new edition the Bob Picket
(27:20):
Podcast right here on your favorite rap And remember, we'll
see you this afternoon on iHeart radio stations all across
the nation and I also remember follow me on Instagram,
Bob Picket Radio on Instagram,
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