April 7, 2025 • 7 mins
Amber Banda interviews Jon Jones, bassist for Eli Young Band. They talk about BBQ, Mexican food, them being off their label and doing things independently, how they've adapted to using social media to promote their music and themselves, Jon Jones throwing the first pitch at a Chihuahuas game, and more!
The Eli Young Band will be in El Paso along with Ashley McBryde and El Paso's Joe Barron at the Cowtown Event Center April 11th! Tickets on sale at splendidsunproductions.com
The Eli Young Band will be in El Paso along with Ashley McBryde and El Paso's Joe Barron at the Cowtown Event Center April 11th! Tickets on sale at splendidsunproductions.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So right now you're on tour. You just came from
a sold out show in California. Have you ever been
to all Passo before?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh? Absolutely, we've been to al Paso for a long time. Yeah,
We've made a lot of good friends out there. It's
a fun it's a fun market. I mean, we're all
all us in the banner from Texas. Started the band
in college in North Texas, and for a long time,
El Paso felt like it was like so far away,
like we know it's out there, we know that's still Texas. Yeah,
Texas huge, absolutely, So it really wasn't until we started
(00:29):
being able to tour, you know, further outside of Texas
where All Passo could be a stop on the way
in or the way out. And we've yeah, we've had
a lot of great experiences in Alpaso.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Well, we're glad that you're coming back. You're going to
be at the Cowtown Events Center this Friday, April eleventh.
You're coming with Ashley McBride and i'll Passo native Joel Baron. Now,
I don't know if you've heard of him. If you
listen to his song and YouTube, al Paso will give
you like a good idea but you said you've been
here before, So what are some of your places to
come when you're not, you know, on stage, like to eat.
Have they taken you any to any of the popular spots?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Oh goodness, I would be lie if I said that
I could remember any names of Well, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
You're right there by the Kowton Event Center. So there's
a place right next door. It's like, you know, you
could probably see it when you're on stage. Desert Oak Barbecue,
So we have a chance to some delicious barbecue. But
of course we're known for our Mexican food. So El
Coometa Al and Jays, they got to take you to
get some Mexican food while you hear man.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, it's a little more. I mean when we started touring,
we were under the opinion that you couldn't get good
Mexican food outside of Texas. Oh, which is it's it's
no longer the case anymore. I mean, I feel we've
been touring for a been banned for almost twenty five years.
I feel like the rest of the country has kind
of become hip to the Mexican food. Food should have
some flavor and some spice, and you know, more than
just like dray ground beef and Chaeddar cheese. That's kind
(01:45):
of what it was when you went up north. But
I would agree that, you know, the closer you get
to the border, the more authentic it definitely gets. In Olpaso,
oh for sure. I'll often try that barbecue place out
because I feel like, for some reason, I'm remembering getting
a lot of barbecue from like I'm not going to
name the place, but a big national chain. We're always
kind of disappointed. We're like, we're in El Paso and
(02:07):
they're feeding us this.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
No, okay, you got to go get some Mexican. We'll
give you some names of the places or some fun dulsa.
Are you familiar with what funds is?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
It is sweetbread that's not really that sweet it is.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
It's delicious, So you got to get at the Hamburger House.
But anyway, I'm just hungry. We're going to talk about
you know, you being on stage, you're performing. You have
your new single, Nothing on the Wild, so you know
if people love Love Ain't or Crazy Girl, which we
know that you know the fans do. Nothing on the
Wild is the new single. I love that song. I
was listening to it all morning So with you being
(02:40):
here in Alpasso, can you maybe give us a glimpse
into the set list. I'm sure those songs are going
to be on there.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
You know. I haven't seen how long we get since
it's a go bill with Ashley, so I'm guessing we
get almost a full headlining set, so it cut a
few honestly, We're we'll cut the We'll cut a few
of the songs out that no one cares about now, yeah,
So we'll always play you know, the big hits, the
crazy hills and he Breaks your hearts, all the hits.
(03:05):
And we recently went independent again. We've been to the
record veld for a long time and decided that tides
are changing and we want to be able to release
more music, like more quickly and have control again. So
we've been releasing like a song every six eight weeks
and have a new record done and are back in
(03:28):
control of like what the songs are and we could
release tomorrow if we wanted to, which is just really nice.
So we're gonna be playing some of the new songs,
probably a song or two that people haven't heard, as
well as like songs like nothing in the Wild. We
were lucky enough to go do that on the Today
Show a month or so ago, and excited about the
new music. It feels like it feels like we've kind
(03:49):
of come full circle to where we started doing everything
on our own and kind of trusting our own intuition.
I feel like that's when we've made the best choices.
So that's kind of where we're at again.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Oh good it's going to be a fantastic show. And
I heard you on a podcast you describe performing as
you know, a release. How does it feel when you're
on stage perform Describe it for the listening audience.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Oh goodness. On the best nights, Yeah, it really feels
like if you're on stage for an hour and a half,
it feels like the best five minutes of your day
because it just goes by. It can go by so
absolutely quickly, but it's that time where you get to
just let it all out, Like whatever is going right
or wrong in your day, you can just suspend that
(04:30):
moment of what's going right, and if things are going wrong,
it's your time to hit that reset button and like,
here's your chance to make up for everything that's going
wrong in your world. It's your time.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
You absolutely and so you said, you know, you've been
a band for almost twenty five years, and I'm so
curious social media. You know, I started following you guys
on Instagram. How has social media changed the way you do?
You all do music and touring.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
It allows us to bring the fans in in a
way that just wasn't possible before. And it allows us
to have that direct interaction, like after a show, we
can get instant feedback whether something's working or something's not.
It allows it allows like a window into our lives
on the road and off the road, really as much
as we want there to be. And I will say
(05:14):
that since we didn't grow up in that world, you know,
I feel like not to say we're at a disadvantage, but
we understand it from a different perspective than maybe someone
who is like a teenager getting into the industry now.
And so I think part of it is the quirkiness
of middle aged men trying to understand why something is
(05:37):
trending and being like this makes no sense to me.
I don't get it.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
But it's good like necessary evil, and no I get it.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
I mean part of it's necessary evil, but but there
there's really some great things about it like when it
when it works, it's like it's a super powerful tool
and one that sometimes it's like we're the cavemen that
are kind of late, late to the party discovering fire, you.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Know, trying to figure out how the iPhone works. Absolutely,
welcome you back again. You know, I don't know if
you knew this, but al Paso is the boot capital
of Texas. So maybe you want to get yourself some
brand new boots when you're out here. Catch at you
wa wa was baseball game. They're going to be playing
the Vegas Uh, the Vegas team, I don't know what
they're called, but they're going to be here, you know,
just partake in al Paso.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
We're I actually I threw the first pitch out at
a at a Twalla's game year. Did you really I did?
That was a thrill? Yeah, awesome.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Well they're going to be I think it's their last
home game for a while. So again, we're so excited
to have you back, Eli, Young Band, Ashley McBride and
I'll passo Native Joe. But on this Friday, April eleventh,
at Cowtown Events Center. You can get your tickets at
Splendidsunproductions dot com John Jones, is there anything else that
you would like to tell the listening audience.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Oh no, I mean, if you've seen us in All
Passo before, come out, come out, and if you haven't come,
you're you're missing a great show. And Ashley is absolutely fantastic.
We've been able to share the stage with her and
it's going to be a great lineup.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Awesome. Thank you, John, Thank you for talking with me today.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
All Right, thanks never and bye.
So right now you're on tour. You just came from
a sold out show in California. Have you ever been
to all Passo before?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh? Absolutely, we've been to al Paso for a long time. Yeah,
We've made a lot of good friends out there. It's
a fun it's a fun market. I mean, we're all
all us in the banner from Texas. Started the band
in college in North Texas, and for a long time,
El Paso felt like it was like so far away,
like we know it's out there, we know that's still Texas. Yeah,
Texas huge, absolutely, So it really wasn't until we started
(00:29):
being able to tour, you know, further outside of Texas
where All Passo could be a stop on the way
in or the way out. And we've yeah, we've had
a lot of great experiences in Alpaso.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Well, we're glad that you're coming back. You're going to
be at the Cowtown Events Center this Friday, April eleventh.
You're coming with Ashley McBride and i'll Passo native Joel Baron. Now,
I don't know if you've heard of him. If you
listen to his song and YouTube, al Paso will give
you like a good idea but you said you've been
here before, So what are some of your places to
come when you're not, you know, on stage, like to eat.
Have they taken you any to any of the popular spots?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Oh goodness, I would be lie if I said that
I could remember any names of Well, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
You're right there by the Kowton Event Center. So there's
a place right next door. It's like, you know, you
could probably see it when you're on stage. Desert Oak Barbecue,
So we have a chance to some delicious barbecue. But
of course we're known for our Mexican food. So El
Coometa Al and Jays, they got to take you to
get some Mexican food while you hear man.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, it's a little more. I mean when we started touring,
we were under the opinion that you couldn't get good
Mexican food outside of Texas. Oh, which is it's it's
no longer the case anymore. I mean, I feel we've
been touring for a been banned for almost twenty five years.
I feel like the rest of the country has kind
of become hip to the Mexican food. Food should have
some flavor and some spice, and you know, more than
just like dray ground beef and Chaeddar cheese. That's kind
(01:45):
of what it was when you went up north. But
I would agree that, you know, the closer you get
to the border, the more authentic it definitely gets. In Olpaso,
oh for sure. I'll often try that barbecue place out
because I feel like, for some reason, I'm remembering getting
a lot of barbecue from like I'm not going to
name the place, but a big national chain. We're always
kind of disappointed. We're like, we're in El Paso and
(02:07):
they're feeding us this.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
No, okay, you got to go get some Mexican. We'll
give you some names of the places or some fun dulsa.
Are you familiar with what funds is?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
It is sweetbread that's not really that sweet it is.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
It's delicious, So you got to get at the Hamburger House.
But anyway, I'm just hungry. We're going to talk about
you know, you being on stage, you're performing. You have
your new single, Nothing on the Wild, so you know
if people love Love Ain't or Crazy Girl, which we
know that you know the fans do. Nothing on the
Wild is the new single. I love that song. I
was listening to it all morning So with you being
(02:40):
here in Alpasso, can you maybe give us a glimpse
into the set list. I'm sure those songs are going
to be on there.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
You know. I haven't seen how long we get since
it's a go bill with Ashley, so I'm guessing we
get almost a full headlining set, so it cut a
few honestly, We're we'll cut the We'll cut a few
of the songs out that no one cares about now, yeah,
So we'll always play you know, the big hits, the
crazy hills and he Breaks your hearts, all the hits.
(03:05):
And we recently went independent again. We've been to the
record veld for a long time and decided that tides
are changing and we want to be able to release
more music, like more quickly and have control again. So
we've been releasing like a song every six eight weeks
and have a new record done and are back in
(03:28):
control of like what the songs are and we could
release tomorrow if we wanted to, which is just really nice.
So we're gonna be playing some of the new songs,
probably a song or two that people haven't heard, as
well as like songs like nothing in the Wild. We
were lucky enough to go do that on the Today
Show a month or so ago, and excited about the
new music. It feels like it feels like we've kind
(03:49):
of come full circle to where we started doing everything
on our own and kind of trusting our own intuition.
I feel like that's when we've made the best choices.
So that's kind of where we're at again.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Oh good it's going to be a fantastic show. And
I heard you on a podcast you describe performing as
you know, a release. How does it feel when you're
on stage perform Describe it for the listening audience.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Oh goodness. On the best nights, Yeah, it really feels
like if you're on stage for an hour and a half,
it feels like the best five minutes of your day
because it just goes by. It can go by so
absolutely quickly, but it's that time where you get to
just let it all out, Like whatever is going right
or wrong in your day, you can just suspend that
(04:30):
moment of what's going right, and if things are going wrong,
it's your time to hit that reset button and like,
here's your chance to make up for everything that's going
wrong in your world. It's your time.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
You absolutely and so you said, you know, you've been
a band for almost twenty five years, and I'm so
curious social media. You know, I started following you guys
on Instagram. How has social media changed the way you do?
You all do music and touring.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
It allows us to bring the fans in in a
way that just wasn't possible before. And it allows us
to have that direct interaction, like after a show, we
can get instant feedback whether something's working or something's not.
It allows it allows like a window into our lives
on the road and off the road, really as much
as we want there to be. And I will say
(05:14):
that since we didn't grow up in that world, you know,
I feel like not to say we're at a disadvantage, but
we understand it from a different perspective than maybe someone
who is like a teenager getting into the industry now.
And so I think part of it is the quirkiness
of middle aged men trying to understand why something is
(05:37):
trending and being like this makes no sense to me.
I don't get it.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
But it's good like necessary evil, and no I get it.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
I mean part of it's necessary evil, but but there
there's really some great things about it like when it
when it works, it's like it's a super powerful tool
and one that sometimes it's like we're the cavemen that
are kind of late, late to the party discovering fire, you.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Know, trying to figure out how the iPhone works. Absolutely,
welcome you back again. You know, I don't know if
you knew this, but al Paso is the boot capital
of Texas. So maybe you want to get yourself some
brand new boots when you're out here. Catch at you
wa wa was baseball game. They're going to be playing
the Vegas Uh, the Vegas team, I don't know what
they're called, but they're going to be here, you know,
just partake in al Paso.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
We're I actually I threw the first pitch out at
a at a Twalla's game year. Did you really I did?
That was a thrill? Yeah, awesome.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Well they're going to be I think it's their last
home game for a while. So again, we're so excited
to have you back, Eli, Young Band, Ashley McBride and
I'll passo Native Joe. But on this Friday, April eleventh,
at Cowtown Events Center. You can get your tickets at
Splendidsunproductions dot com John Jones, is there anything else that
you would like to tell the listening audience.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Oh no, I mean, if you've seen us in All
Passo before, come out, come out, and if you haven't come,
you're you're missing a great show. And Ashley is absolutely fantastic.
We've been able to share the stage with her and
it's going to be a great lineup.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Awesome. Thank you, John, Thank you for talking with me today.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
All Right, thanks never and bye.
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