Chase McDaniel Talks His Career, His New Music, And Our Upcoming Rising Stars Concert - FULL INTERVIEW

One of this year's performers in our Rising Stars Concert, Chase McDaniel, joins the show. Listen to him talk about his career, new music, and the upcoming concert. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Graham By and Sarah Lee. Chase McDaniel is on the
line the rising star himself.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
What up, brother, man, it's good to be on y'all.
Thanks so much for having me.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Uh no, of course, man, you were so much fun
to hang with when you stop by here. We're always
grateful for your time. Life seems like it's busy for
you these days, man, so one. I know you try
to make time whenever you can, but especially when you're busy,
it's a little extra special, man.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
You know, I think I'm a list on all the
airlines now. I've been at about two cities a day
for a long time. But yeah, man, it's been fun.
I got to see a lot of the country and
a lot cool places and stuff. Man. But yeah, a
little bit of down time it ain't bad, you know.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
Well, I know you love us. But let's get into
the music. There's a reason that we're talking to you today,
specifically because Lost Ones Man, the album, the pre releases.
Where do you want to start? Because I'm so curious
at the process of what you decide to pre release,
what you decide to hold on to, the title track,
all the above, Man, where should we start?

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Man, it's just been a long time of the make
and you know, I've been in Nashville. It'll be ten
years in May, and this is still just my debut album,
meaning it's the first album I've ever released, so you know,
and I was making music even before I moved to town,
so it's it's been a long process of making. It's
you know, this album is an autobiographical story. For the
most part. Lost Ones is the title track, but there's
so many important songs, you know, like burn Down the

(01:16):
Heaven that shall are playing Thank You so Much on
the bottom of My Heart, and you know, I think
it's just trying to put the pieces together a story
that makes sense, you know, my story, and then hopefully
other people's story that it might help along the way.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Let's start at the top of the list, So Lost
One's title track obviously the album. Let's get into where
that originated from, and then we'll merge into Burn Down Heaven.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Lost Ones is kind of like it's a call for community.
You know, I think everyone who has been through something
in their life, whether it be you know, grief, loss
of a loved one, addiction issues, mental health issues, a
lot of us have had to you know, build our
own homes in a way because we felt kind of
isolated or you know, disconnected from things around us. And
the Lost Ones I you know, named the title track.

(01:58):
We got a video for it since that prevention, and
you know, it's just kind of a call to home
for everyone that feels like they need a lighthouse.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
Good on you, man, and then moving right into burn
Down Heaven, it seems like and I'm biased, obviously we
got a chance to hang out with you, so we
know you on a personal level and could not say
enough nice things about the kind of guy you are.
So we love it, and obviously we're playing it, we're
supporting it. But what's the reaction on your end? Ben,
and the first person that you played it for, did
you know immediately like, man, this stands out a little

(02:26):
bit more than some of the other ones. This is
what we're going with.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
It did because the first time that I got, like
even the demo back, I was like, oh, I don't
think we've made anything like this before. It just felt special,
It felt unique. I hadn't heard a thing like it
before in terms of those words. You know, when I
sat down to write that song, I meant to write
a love song called turn down heaven man like I
turned down heaven for you baby, you know that kind
of thing. And I accidentally said the phrase burned down

(02:50):
heaven by accident. And then you know, waited for the
light in this strike me. It never did finish the song.
I was like, Wow, it's a really interesting take on
not being able to forgive yourself and I've definitely been
in that place before.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
Well that's where you and I part ways because I
say things by mistake all the time and never write
hit songs.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well we don't know if it's hit. Yeah, I gotta
keep working. I gotta keep going city to city.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
And then, like the pre releases, I love when artists
do this. You know, it's kind of like, you know,
it's probably a bad example, but trailers to a movie
building excitement for the entire project. And I'm an albums person.
I love hearing the way people set the track listing
and telling the story throughout. It seems like that's what
you've done with this. So the was it difficult to

(03:34):
know which ones to pre release?

Speaker 2 (03:35):
Uh? Yes and no. I had a feeling for like
the songs that I wanted to you know, get out first,
for people to be excited, you know about what the
rest of the album might be, you know. Uh, And
so we left a couple of songs that we know
are story songs, songs that are deeply you know about
my personal life that are you know, gonna be on
the album, but also some songs that like you know,

(03:56):
that are tied into some of the pre releases already,
you know, like made it as far tis into in
a Burning House, you know, burn down Heaven ties into
die Trying. So it's yeah, it's to me in a
way that like the stories are all connected, and I'm
excited for the fans to pick up those puzzle pieces.

Speaker 1 (04:10):
Whenever I think anyone can relate to this. Whenever I
come into work, there's certain things and certain stories that
I tell and I go home and I'll call my
mom or call somebody that's important to me and say, hey,
did you hear the story? What did you think? Is
there anyone that you were nervous to play the album
for when you were done, because I would imagine the
process is long, Like you said, this is the debut,
it's been ten years in the making. On some level,
how did that play out for you?

Speaker 2 (04:31):
Yeah, I mean definitely there's some heavy ideas in the record.
You know, lyrics aren't stuff that you know, I would
feel comfortable being in the room with my family when
you know we're all listening or whatever. Right. I was
nervous and play burn Down Heaven for my papa, he's
a preacher. I didn't know what he think of that phrase.
He actlutely loved it. It was awesome, which I was,
you know, relieved, you know the song. What I didn't

(04:52):
have was, you know, the story about being raised by
my grandparents because my dad was a drug addict. I
played that song for them and it was just a
really healing moment for our families. So yeah, I think
every song on the record it's you know, you never
know if you're gonna like cringe a little bit when
you play for somebody or if you're excited for him
to hear it, because it's how complex those relationships might be.
But it's actually been fantastic. It's been great, super dope.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
Have you ever played Kyte Joe's because you are one
of our rising stars. I am a music geek. I
love being able to see artists like yourself and a
very intimate venue, you know, iconic Coyote Joe's and down
the road. People are going to look back and say, man,
I saw Chase McDaniel with like a thousand other people,
you know what I mean, Like, that's just such a
cool thing. Have you ever played Coyotes and anything? You
want to share about your set list or what you're

(05:33):
excited to do out there.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
We have played Kyoti Joe's a couple of times, and
I love Alan. We've had a great time out there.
My first time I played there, we just have the
best night, packed the place out. It's just been so
much fun there. Man. I love Katie Joe's. I can't
wait to come back, and they just they have a
great venue, great place. Country music fans love that bar.
And I'm excited to be back and play some new
songs for him, literally all a whole new set.

Speaker 1 (05:56):
Man, that's dope. How far out do you do the
set list?

Speaker 2 (05:58):
Now?

Speaker 1 (05:59):
I know that it changes because you have different set times,
but have you played any where You're like, oh, I
kind of know where I'm leaning towards.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
I make the set list a lot of times. Fifteen
minutes before I go on stage. I like to get
a feel of where I'm at a lot of times
I'll do like a little meet and greet before the show, right,
some fans make a song request or two, and then
I'm like, Okay, like I know this person wants to
hear this song. This person wants to hear this song.
I know we have to do these songs tonight. My
band probably hates me because I'll come in there. I'm like,

(06:26):
I'm working on it. I'm working on I love it.

Speaker 1 (06:30):
Well, there's six of y'all playing this show again. You know,
Josh Ross is gonna be there, Preston, Cooper, Grayln, James,
Meghan Patrick, Alexandra k Do you have any relationship or
will you guys be building that on the road together.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
Well, I'm actually going on a small tour with Alexander
ka Sall. I think we're doing nine or ten dates together. Nice,
I'm gonna be supporting her out on the road. And
then Preston's a he's a label mate. I've done several
shows of Preston already. He's maybe got my favorite voice
in up and coming country music right now.

Speaker 1 (07:00):
Who I mean Week vocally Week that is, I don't
care who you are. Will you hear that you walk away?
That guy's good at his job.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
And here's the thing, man, the guy sounds as good
live as he does on the record, and when you
hear something like that, you're just like, you just can't
help the root for the guy. So I'm excited for
all those folks. And yeah, I think that I've either
mets or have hung out with all of these people.
So I'm excited to see him again and keep building
those relationships. And that makes it even more fun on
stage when you know you can cut up because you
know a little bit about each other backstage.

Speaker 1 (07:28):
Man, it's awesome. We could not be more excited to
have you as a rising star, brother, and also I
appreciate you giving us so much of your time. Obviously
a busy guy and it's a busy time in your life,
but we're pumped to support you, man, and we like
to get in early, and we can't wait to watch
your journey.

Speaker 2 (07:42):
Man, y'all have been so fantastic. Thank you so much
for resporting me, thanks so much for reporting the album,
and just again, thank you all from the bottom my heart.
It means the world to me.

Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah, man, Well, we'll see you at seven pm at
Kyoti Joe's on October sixteenth for our Rising Stars Concert.
Chase McDaniel, everybody.

Speaker 2 (07:58):
Let's go. Y'all come out,