#359 - Jonathan Singleton on Writing ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’ and Starting A Publishing Company with Luke Combs + His Guitar Heroes and How he ‘Insults’ Vince Gill + His Punk Covers of Country Songs - Bobbycast

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Episode three sixty nine. Jonathan Singleton one of the funniest,
easiest guys to talked to. I mean I always kind
of get into a groove or we're just hanging out.
It's awesome. So Jonathan Singleton music if you want to
follow him. His last three number ones as a songwriter,
Maddie and Tay Die from a Broken Heart, Beings, A

(00:21):
Man Out of Note, Laney Wilson, Ye, Same Boat, Zach
Brown Band, We're all in. He's co owner of fifty Egg,
which is his publishing company, and Luke Holmes is the
other co owner, so you know they're paying people to
write awesome songs. He's from Jackson, Tennessee. Drove to Nashville

(00:43):
every chance he could during college to write, got a
publishing deal to write songs, and he was an artist
for a while. Still a great singer. He's the whole thing.
He's funny, engaging. After five years, he's back. Here we go.
Jonathan Singleton on the Bobby Cast. Tell me about rural
eats and how you're half kidding, mostly kidding, but I

(01:04):
think there's Yeah, you have a brilliant mind. So how
why would rural eats be different than uber eats. What
rurally is going to happen? Well, it would be in
the country. No, No, I get that. I don't rule
means I'm saying, would it only be certain types of food?
Would it be delivered to you in a covered wagon?

(01:24):
I mean I think they would. It would be homemade,
you know, they would it at their house. It's unsafe,
but it's interesting. I mean, or you know, there's the
Mennonite grocery store wherever that is. It would be like
a blowny sandwich or fried. So so we're disregarding all
the rules about food and making food. I don't know
if the Menas do that. Can we say that? I

(01:45):
think they might be. I'm not even speaking I'm talking
in general. With Rural Eats as a brand. It sounds like,
you know, it's a gamble. Yeah, it's a gamble like
move into the country. Yeah. I like it in concept, Yeah, yeah,
I have another idea also, country artist named Keith Rural.
All my ideas are kind of based around the word

(02:06):
rural or rural urban versus rural. Um. That's all I
got that. That's that's a lot. Unpack that for an hour.
Rural If you say it like three times, it starts
to feel funny. It does. It's hard to put in
a song. Rural How do you say, have you put
it in a song? They said, We say, we use

(02:27):
a rural route a lot rural route. We went on
the rural out. It just even feels weird to sit
on down a rural route road, because you know how
we like to rural route. I guess you say, I
don't know. I would just go. If I were saying
a fast rural route, rural rout from Arkansas would be
the rural the rule. It's it's the rural rout rule.

(02:52):
It's not gonna be in the title. I don't think.
How did you get a Grammy nominated? I mean, I mean,
this is a loving way. How does he get a
Grammy nomination? Um? We were trying to write a pop
song that day. No, I mean like, how did you
get a gram Yeah? I was like, how did you?
Oh yeah, I know it's you know, I don't know.
We were trying to write a pop song. We took

(03:14):
a break and wrote a and wrote a like a
real song. I'm being very for real, So I like this.
So you were trying to write a pop song. I
think at the time, I shouldn't say pop song. I
think at the time Rascal Flats were cutting. That was
a long time ago. Rascal Flats were cutting and we
were like, hey, it was me and Barry Dean and
Luke Layird just go hey, man, wait, we really need

(03:34):
to get something in here. They're looking for a single.
So we were worked on that and worked on it
and worked on it, and we this is true story.
We were jokingly writing funny country songs. Uh, there was
a lot of dirty things that happened, and we were
just kind of clearing our minds, I think for a minute,
and then I think Luke Laird's joking lyric was diamond

(03:57):
rings and bars being beary with that weight. That's that's
pretty good. And I think Barry has the recording of
that song is about forty minutes. It took us to
write that song, and then we went back to our
other song that we've never nothing ever happened to and yeah,
so we got a Grammy nomination with that thing, but
the same Grammys, Uhlri McKennon was nominated for Girl Crush.

(04:20):
So I just didn't even go, Yeah, you didn't want it.
You haven't even checked. Probably you haven't even checked the result.
I don't think we want So you're you're like naturally funny.
I mean I would assume are you married? Yes? Okay,
I would assume why it drives your life crazy because
you probably know you're funny and you think you're funny.
Does she still laugh at year? She's pretty funny too,

(04:42):
like but she gets my weird she does? She ever
go Okay, I get enough? Uh? Because my wife, I
don't stop, you don't stop, and I'm always trying stuff
on her and she's she's funnier than I am, which
drives me absolutely bananas. And she is like, okay, enough
enough jokes because because I won't stop, I will try.

(05:02):
Does that happen? Are you trying them as in like
for stand up purposes or with her? And I'm curious
that the dynamic with with your wife is where I'm
getting to this. I'll give you an exact example. On
the notes I was playing the I was doing the
opery and they're like, okay, you I have twelve minutes.
And I was just doing straight stand up because I
was getting ready for a couple of shows that I

(05:23):
was doing here stand up shows. And I went out
and had a few new jokes, and at the Opery
you can't really launch your full arsenal of jokes. I'm clean,
but most people they are older and they're not gonna
get pop culture references or even said Michael. I mean,
they're just it's tough. You gotta be right down the middle.
And when I told this joke and I got pretty

(05:43):
good laugh at the Opery, and I was like, I
feeling pretty good as my wife and I were driving off,
and I know if I asked her, she's gonna give
me her real answer. I don't have to agree with it,
but she's going to give me her authenticames. And I said, yeah,
that's pretty good. And I said, for me to really
feel good about the Opery, pull them off before you head.
For me to feel good about the Opery like that,

(06:04):
that's that's rare. I said, I really killed and she goes, yeah, yeah,
it's good. She was that one joke you did the
new one here, you could actually make that better. I
was so offended. I was hurt. I was I was
deeply hurt, like someone took a nut stabbed in my
stern and I'm say like, and I was like, you
don't know what you're talking about? Yeah, how do you
do you know about jokes? And she's like, oh, I mean,
I guess nothing. But she was like I was sitting
there and I didn't laugh. Yeah, and she was like

(06:26):
you know what I mean? And I was like, okay, fine, okay,
so you feel better. How would you change the joke?
And she was like, well, when you're talking about um
us talking about something serious, uh, and you could say
it this way instead of that way. And I was like,
you don't know what you were talking about. I went home.
I thought about it, like, God, she's right. So I
went out the next time I did it how she
said it freaking rock the place? Is it? Though? Yes

(06:48):
it is, it is, But I was hurt. Well, it's
nice to have somebody sitting absolutely that well that you know,
is going to say here's maybe it's a that. Yeah.
I just I'm so weak. If one of these guys
it said, you know, Bobby, you could make that joke better,
that probably wouldn't have win. So yeah, that we'd have
a different body in those seats. Um. Now my wife's

(07:09):
but her a little bit. It was difficult for me
that I'm pretty good with it now I'm not always great,
but she's really good at that. And you say your
wife is funny, Um, how is she with not only
your humor but what you do for a living? Does
she have fantastic Yeah, well she doesn't. She doesn't love
country music. That's not her first I thought, a lot

(07:31):
of things will be on the radio and show you know,
it'll be creeping up the top ten, and I'll play
it in the house. She'd be like, oh, I love that.
When did you do that? And it's like, what it's
you know? Um, But that's super helpful too, and it's
easy to in the same way I think I bounce
those things off her to go and and we go

(07:52):
too far? Is this too whatever? You want to call it?
Too country? Too on the nose? To kitchi? Or there
was one one time we were driving on the road
and I had gotten a demo back and I played
it for and she full laughed. When it got to
the courus, she laughed, it's not it wasn't a funny song. Oh.
I thought it was not a funny song at all,

(08:13):
And she laughed and I kind of paused because I
was enjoying. I was like, man, there this thing is
this demo sounds great, you know, and and she laughed
and I was like, wait what and she was like, well,
it's you know, it's pretty stupid. You know. It was
really honest answer that I don't think I was prepared
for it that time. Did you feel offended when she

(08:33):
still brings it up when you know, somebody says, oh, John,
you know Jonathan wrote some song and she's like, oh,
really also wrote this song. I didn't. I don't. I
didn't react in a way I'm proud of I did it.
That's why I brought it up. I was like, how
did you did too? It was your outward action, you know.
I don't remember I think two or three minutes after,
you know, a logical conversation about the hook and the

(08:55):
way that it fell, and that I agreed with her.
But I think initially I was I was pretty offended
and or my feelings were hurt a little bit of
like I thought this was great, Like I thought we
were doing grant and I knew at that moment. Also
because she's just a person that listens to the radio,
she's not a songwriter or a that there's no way
we're getting that song on a record either. You know,
so that hurt a little bit too, because it's awesome

(09:17):
you have it that though it's awesome, do you do
you have that oh? No, that if you don't go
to the well all the time, if you need to
go to the well, do you feel like she's going
to give you her honest opinion? And also she doesn't
have We've been man, we've just had our eight winning
anniversary and we've been together for twenty So I don't
even really have to ask if I just put it
on in the living room. If she doesn't pay attention,

(09:38):
I know I've kind of missed a little bit because
and I know that's not the the target audience most
of the time. You know, if it was Meet Math
or somebody like that, she would be in. But is
she begin to Christian artist, big Christian music? He said, know,
is that Christian man? Yeah, that's why I thought that

(09:59):
was like me Math too. Yeah, they're great. No, it's
it's kind of indie stuff. And she likes a lot
of She loves Casey Musgrave, she loves you know, there's
there's quite a few country out she loves too. But
that's not the first choice. I can tell that she's
being nice to me if she puts on seventies and
eighties country, you know what I mean, you don't really
care about that seventies and eighties. I'm having Crook and
Chase over in a couple of weeks together, and that

(10:22):
to me of you know, urban will come by, Rural
Keith Keith, Rural will come by, Keith Rules, arch Nemesis,
Keith thurt and will come by or yourself prominent songwriter, producer.
But like Crook and Chase, that's awesome, that's pretty awesome.
They were a huge man, That's what everybody watched. And

(10:42):
I was explaining to my wife and she was like,
I'm not I don't know. She's Maklamba, but she's twelve
years younger than I am. So she's thirty. And she
was like, I I must have missed Crook and Chase.
I said, you I think he did. Yeah, I think
he missed Crooking Chase. I listened to him every weekend
the Countdown Listen. We should watch him on TV. I
would tell, like Jimmy Westbrock from Little Big Town, like
that's how I discovered them, was they were on Crooking
Chase on their new Yeah and so because at that time.

(11:05):
I was in Arkansas, but I had gone into like
pop and alternative music when I was on the radio.
But they're gonna come over. And that's really awesome to
me because I was such a massive fan. And with
what you do, you get to either write with a mingo,
hang out who is it for you that you got
to meet when you're like, that's freaking awesome, Like personally,

(11:25):
that's freaking awesome, oh man, because you have so many
I mean, and you write and you have had big
artists cover and I don't mean people that have prominence,
but like that's to your own heart, like this is
so cool. Yeah, um, you know we cut the first
things I ever cut in town was that Steve Crawford studio,
who was the guitar player for you know, A Thousand

(11:49):
Things session Guy and Rope sitting on the dock of
the bay and he's the guitar player and Blues travel
I mean, I'm not Blues Traveler Blues Blues Brothers movie.
He's the guitar political and uh I literally one day
he was somebody was in the back of the studio
and the engineer said, hey, man, go go see if
go see who that is and when I opened the door,
like my guys standing there, you know, Steve Cropper. That

(12:11):
was pretty big, you know. Uh. I went to the
studio one day with Keith Urban Uh to finish, I
had to write a bridge. They were like, hey, Kee's
cutting this song. And he didn't really like the the
the bridge that much. Can you just come over here
and write one, like, no pressure? And so I did.
He ended up not cutting it. Uh. Uh. Ronnie Donn
was in the machine one day when we were over there,

(12:33):
and he was so sweet, He was so nice, he guy.
I had two songs on Ronnie's last I think it
was his last record, uh, the one j De Marcus did. Uh,
he just put one out, so probably one before the
one before, I guess him. Um. And I talked to
him about it, and he talked about the melody and
the lyrics and stuff like that. It was real gracious
and nice and sweet and and uh that was pretty great. Um.

(12:55):
Ronnie's one for me too, Yeah, because again I think
we probably have since musical same sensibilities Brooks and Dunn
massive just in. I mean, I remember where I was
in specific parts of my life when those specific songs
were on the radio. Like that's how and Ronnie and
I became well. People always warned me about Ronnie. First

(13:17):
of all, I had heard the same thing, and they
were like, hmm, he's a tough one. And I'm like, wait,
I saw am I. So either we're gonna hate each
other or we're gonna be best of friends. And he
got into like some sort of fight with like one
of the at the time Clear Channel guys, and I
just I think moved here and I didn't know what
it was. So I was always like, I need to
keep one eye opened for all Ronnie done. And so

(13:40):
I was doing comedy as an intro to Reba at
the Kennedy Center Arts on CBS, and so I went
up and I was doing a few minutes of comedy
and Brooks and Dune were performing that night in Christian
Chennew it was all the Reba getting the honor and so,
but I hadn't met them, and I was like, oh,
I love them, but how do I tell him that
without like being a nerd If I didn't, I just

(14:03):
went to I saw them and said, hey, it kicks
his like life at the party, you mean kicks nice, welcome,
being big hug, great to meet all that and RUnni
was like, hey, man, how are you? It was a
good walked away so cool. Um. I saw him again,
talked a little bit and we just kind of struck
up a conversation. I went and did some photo stuff
with them. We didn't heere anything together, and then we
became like friends and we're like texting and it's I

(14:26):
think he thought, hey, Bob school and I was like,
I would we get a text and be like, look
at my phone. That's wrong. He doesn't texting. He's sang
it at our wedding, Helen's wedding, and not as like
hey would you my management asking man, I was just like,
are you gonna be here? Neon Moon? Like as a
sad song, but like my wife met my wife as
a big song. We sang it all the time. He's like, yeah,
I'm singing for you and I was like, what wife

(14:47):
is this? And it's got to be the same for you.
At times in the first story you told because I
don't know that guitar that that they I don't know absolutely,
so I gotta think that is so freaking cool. It
was way cool. And then especially if they're cool, yes,
and I assume he was he was very cool. Absolutely, yes, yes,

(15:07):
you have been cool. If he wasn't, yeh know, it's great. Uh.
Warren Haynes, I do the same thing with Warren Haynes.
He was the guitar player for Government People and played
with all my brothers when you know some guys. I
wrote with him one day, which is pretty awesome. Do
you remember when Kevin Costner had a record deal. I
wasn't here, I don't think. So he was on Universal
South and I was too many many moons ago. Is

(15:30):
that Johnson singles in the Grove? Yeah, it was on
We're on Universal South. So he was doing that. He
did this record which was pretty great man. And and
uh uh and I think he donated all the money
that he made on this record to some charity. But nonetheless,
so it's me and Randy Hauser and there was elam
Band and a couple of guys playing this show and
Kevin Costumers can play. When we're all on the back

(15:51):
in this room green room, getting ready to we're all
talking and having to drinks. Some's never talking real loud,
and all of a sudden, Kevin Costamboston door and he
just got deathly wide and it was like very what,
and you could tell he knew. Like I said, he
heard the rumbling coming down the hall and then it
was kind of stop, you know. And so he got
up and walked over to everybody, and I was aware

(16:13):
of everybody's music and who was playing with and and
and really really nice man and tried his best to
make us not be weirdos. But I have a picture
with with me and Kevin Costner, and my mom still
brings it up. She's like, yeah, but I could be like,
you know, I got nominated for Grammars. But remember that
time he met Kevin cost pretty it will never top

(16:38):
it because she loves was dancing the wolves, that's all
she sees. And I was like, oh my god, the
postman's in here. What are we gonna do? It was
pretty day. He was pretty great and his band was fantastic. Man,
it's a good record. What's It's a weird question because
you have to say to the positive and you probably
mean it. But Kevin Costner as an artist, as a singer,

(16:58):
compare him to sell one. Because I'm not gonna say
is he good or not? That puts you in a
weird position. Compare Kevin Costner as a singer to something.
I mean, I wouldn't say he's a Christapleton singer, you
know what I mean. It's probably that kind of what
do they call that, like a stylist kind of thing,
like here's the song, and I'm gonna take it and

(17:19):
do what I can do with it, you know. Uh.
I mean, I don't remember him being a bad singer,
but I also don't remember being a great singer. Now,
I can't say an artist that. It's like if he
was if you went into a place and he he
wasn't Kevin Costner, who's that same guy though, singing and
it was like a Nashville bar downtown, would you be like, oh,

(17:41):
I guess, I guess pretty good. He like, you wouldn't
think anything, so yeah, yeah, yeah, I don't think that
I would because his show was different because it was
all kind of opportunities for photos, is what it was.
You know, he would like you kind of pause, and
he knew what his game was. But he was also
making money for charity at that time too, so you
know he's like, um, but yeah, I would think it

(18:02):
was good. His band was fantastic, and I remember going
specifically to talk to those guys and meet them because
I thought they were great players, you know, So he
was aware of of of those guys, or or had
a friend who was aware that they were great players,
at least feed it to him in his ear beforehand.
So much has happened for you since the last time
we saw each other, not in this room, but on

(18:24):
this show. Sure, let's talk about the Luke Holms stuff. First, congratulations,
by the way, thank you man, I mean just thank you.
I mean you produced the cold as you and I'm
going from memory here so be the back of the
deluxe of the last record and this whole record. But
I'm thinking of the songs though it went number one,

(18:45):
because after all, that's it, that's forever, after all, was
the one? Um, how did you get on with in
the Luke Holmbs this team? Because Luke has his people,
and he has his people, it's hard to break into
something like that. Yeah, I'm I didn't when he was
air quote Luke Combs. I did early on, and I

(19:05):
signed Luke to a publishing deal. So you have a history. Yeah, yeah,
I've been. I've been on you know as in no
way whatsoever take credit for anything he's done, because he's
just great and He's a great guy and a great
singer and a great songwriter and all those things. But
I was there. I saw him at Tin Roof. How
many years ago is that now? Five years ago? Six

(19:26):
years ago? I saw a thing today posted on Instagram.
It was like five years ago. And it was a
tour when he was just playing parts five years ago. Uh,
and we became bodies. We started going hunting and hanging out,
and I just thought, what a great songwriter. I didn't
think I thought anything about his artist thing, because I
really wasn't aware of that. We were it was a
songwriter show. We were playing the Tin Roof for Babel. Uh. So, yeah,

(19:52):
it feels like so long ago, and it wasn't really
actually isn't. I know. I guess he's done so much
if it makes it feel like we've been kind of
marathon and since all of that started. So we did
a little publishing deal and we wrote a bunch of songs.
I think the first song I wrote with Luke was uh, Texas, Uh, Houston,
we got a problem. Uh. And then we kept writing

(20:15):
after that and uh Me and Randy Montana were writing
with him. He was playing some club in Missouri. We
were out on the road with him. We didn't realize
how good it was going. You know what I mean
is like we weren't at the shows. We were at
these couples that we went to, and he said, well,
I gotta have a like a big song because I'm
gonna do uh uh when I play stadiums. You know,
I'm gonna need this big song. So when he left,

(20:36):
the bus man Randy were like, this guy, dude, he
he's gonna play stadiums soon. You know what I mean
was that, whatever, let's pass by this guy, Let's try
to write this song. So we wrote being Never Broke
My Heart was the first like big song that I
had on this on this stuff. And then as you
kind of moved down the page, we had and we
had talked about, you know, production stuff, and we had

(20:58):
done a bunch of demos together, like his first demo
session I did with him, and it's just kind of like, uh,
in the room, in in the conversation of most of
those things that were happening. And then when Scott kind
of went away for one ever reason, uh, you know,
I specifically remember Luke going, well, hey man, you're gonna
have to help me produce these records, and I was like,

(21:18):
oh no, I'll not like you should call him back
and and and and talk to him again, and uh
and I think he actually did, and then it ended
up being me and Chip Matthews. It's just been fantastic,
and Luke's gotten so good at it in the and
the relatively short amount of time I mean in in
in success musical success years. He's been out for twenty years,

(21:41):
you know, but but in real time, I mean it's
a short amount of time to get as good as
he is at knowing what his crowd wants and wants
on the records and wants live. So it might be
the easiest job in town. Man. I mean, I'm not
gonna wood say this point to what I mean, Like,
you're right with Luke early because you saw you heard

(22:03):
something in his songwriting. Sure, man, those songs were just great.
I mean, now you yes, he can sing anything and
make it great, but he wasn't doing that. I mean,
he was purposefully pouring over over lines and he still does.
It's very specific of what because he was such a
fan of country artists, and especially three or four that

(22:24):
you know, Eric Church, thing is that he was gonna
like quit bringing up Eric Church. Dude, I love Eric too,
but uh, he was very shortly removed from being the
fan in the front row of those shows. So he
knows what those people want and he's still he's still
that guy. It's hard to stay that way, but he has.

(22:49):
When you guys wrote beer Never Broke My Heart, what
I love about that song is how forceful that freaking
chorus hits you like in the face. Was there ever
It is gonna be a really impossible question to answer
because you may not remember, but was the melody ever different? No,
So it was just immediately I mean boom, well me

(23:11):
and Randy too. You know, Randy Montana had a record
deal in town. Two is a really good singer, and uh,
we get very excited when somebody can sing. I was like, oh,
I'm a dude, he can sing these things like let's
do it, like we can't. You can't wait too to
be able to do that. A lot of times we're
kind of maneuvering maladies for artists, you know, to kind
of oh, well, he kind of does this thing or whatever.

(23:32):
But Luke, we were not scared at all. We're not
to remember that being the to us. It didn't matter
what the verses were. As a matter of fact, I
think they were mostly kind of afterthought, you know, like
once the chorus was set and I remember Luke beginning
to start being being really busy at that time, excuse me,

(23:53):
and uh he had to leave when way, And he
tells the story too, like we kind of wrote the
course and we kind of had a base of what
the verses would be, like it's like knock on the doors, like,
hey man, we forgot this radio thing. You gotta go
to this thing, and he's like, all right, I'll be
back and uh. But once we had the course, it
didn't matter, Like I don't it didn't matter what the
I'm not saying they're not good. I'm just saying, yes,

(24:15):
the course was the thing, and we knew he could
do that. The course is the thing. It's the thing. Yeah,
Like if you like sing that song, it's just that.
And also he's sang it three ft from me and
it's it's it's scary because he's so oh. I mean,
you're like, oh my god, like a bear growling violent. Yes,
it is. It's like violently perfect. Though, So if you

(24:37):
okay when you're writing that, I mean obviously you had
long but would you sing it? That's strong? I tried to.
I was singing the notes, but it's not no way
I mean his Um, I don't think I'm a band singer.
You're a good singer. No, you actually are really good.
When I was sat next to him a bunch of

(24:57):
times and when um, and he knows it too, you
know what I mean? He uh, he was very aware
of my you know, history as artists and stuff like that,
and was and so he knows it too. And when
we so when we do do stuff together, he you
can tell he's in the very nicest Luke Home's way,

(25:19):
just trying to outdo me just a little bit, which
is so much fun. But his, the mine is his
is so guttural, in such a blessing like voice from
somewhere else, you know. Oh yeah, I was singing the note,
but not like Luke sings the note. Loose things. There's
it's it's gross and awesome and dirty and beautiful and amazing. Yes,

(25:43):
there's all. There's only been a couple of people, and
you will probably lend more than this than I ever could.
There's only been a couple of people that I've either
performed with or beside or sat next to as they perform.
So I'll put that in that close range that are
violent good singers. I've been able to do a lot
of cool things, a lot of great singers. Shay Carry

(26:05):
flawless like the end, perfect and strong, but like violent
and Luke Party, John Party violent like he's beating that
microphone with his mouth when he sings. Who Stapleton gets
pretty violent at times, but not always. His is is
bizarre and that you would think he was screaming those notes,

(26:26):
but they're so controlled. I agree. That's why I say
not always, because you're like but only sometimes to seek
it to that but it's like he perfectly, Yeah, lays
off of it for a little bit. And if you were,
I were going to do that, you would have to
like rive up, you'd have to run to the microphone
from ten feet away to make that noise, would I can?
I can even run the microphone. But he yeah, there's

(26:47):
some you know, uh Drake Watt does it? Yeah, you know,
Greg does it where it's that whoa like yeah, maybe
too much there is what it feels like, you know
what I mean, like with they're selling it too and
it's that confidence of that thing I've going like, it's
it's they're going for it. Ah. I wondered. I've wondered

(27:08):
a much times, like do they know they're gonna hit
that note? Or is it just like I'm gonna do
everything I can to it was like two football players?
Or do they hard to hit it perfect? I don't know.
I don't either. I don't know. I don't either. When
I look back at and I I'll talk about Landy
in a second, because won the Aper Song of the
Year in Landy and I've I've been to Landing for
a while, which is awesome to see her actually doing

(27:29):
really well. Um. But when you go back to the
beginning of kind of your catalog at the songs that
you wrote, and you and Jim Biebers wrote together some
some big hits watching Airplanes, Billy Currington, Don't why don't
We just dance? Um? Similarly funny in a room you
and Jim Oh, Jim Oh, no doubt. Man, he's a

(27:51):
really really funny guy. He did the Triple Play Awards
this year, Uh, which I dread. I don't want to
talk in front of anybody. I drink a b You're
just to come over here. Um Jim made that thing
so great man, and it's always he can always find
humor in any situation. He's very funny guy. I interrupted,

(28:12):
you go, no, I like it because that's what I'm uh.
You guys are similar in that you just made me laugh.
And so Jim would go out on the road with
me when I'm doing stand up and I put a
little music in my stand up and I didn't know that.
Oh yeah. And so Jim has written. Jim and I've
written a lot of songs together that are funny songs,
like comedy songs, and you know, and they're all very kitchy.
Fannie Pack, you know, had a song like that. We

(28:34):
got I saw my grandmother naked. We got all of
that that. If um Ray Stevens was starting right now,
that probably more of his right, but more of his brand.
But Jim going, hey, I'm right now. Every day, I'm grinding,
every day, I'm trying to you know, he's writing with brothers,
but he's doing everybody's trying to find their own spot now,

(28:55):
and he's like that. Sometimes I just burnt out. I
would like to write comedy because I like comedy. That's amazing.
He'd be great. He's great at it, and so and
we did. We we have a lot, and I just
wonder for you, do you ever go all right? I'm
writing up producing, I'm doing country all the time, Like
I just want to do something that's a little different,
little shot, because you're so talented, and when it comes
to funny, do you absolutely you know? I haven't. I

(29:17):
didn't put any of those things out, you know, over covid.
I got a buddy of mine, Rob Snyder, bought me
this as a gift, which was so sweet. This uh
Steve i Ibanan's guitar. And about that same time, this
new drum pack came out on Superior Drummer, and I
did a punk record where I do like I Drive

(29:38):
a Truck as a punk song and Girl in the
Country Song as a punk song, and just and it
felt it felt so fun to spend five or six
days on those things. Uh. And I'm also done uh
in the barn at the house, I get some guys
over and it's like, hey, let's do uh songs that
I have written, and let's just do them as funky

(29:59):
as we can do them. Because we grew up doing that.
Were in between Memphis and Nashville in Jackson, Tennessee, and
and we played blue stuff and funky music all the time,
and uh, those have been fun I wish I had
a thing that was not musical. I don't I don't
even know right for funny. Because you're again, I'm gonna
I'm gonna start calling any so this is this is it.

(30:20):
I'm gonna talking about more you stuff. But I've stopped
at the compliments because I'll have some comedy questions here
to mind. I got the one being interviews anyway, So
do you ever just go I want to have a
funny idea. I wanna write a funny comedy original song.
If I do, I write a little bit of him.
And I sent him to Jim Bavers. I have done that.
You should do that to me. Okay, I'll put them out.

(30:42):
I put them. Jim thought a couple of my ideas
were good. Me and Jim did write. Uh uh. There
was a song called you had Me at Man's It
was it was a YouTube thing, and so I was
we were writing one day and I was telling him
this deer hunting story and I was like, yeah, and
so the deer comes by and uh, you know, pull

(31:03):
my bow back and I just like that and he
was like, wait, you did what And I was like, oh,
that's what you That's how you make the deer stop.
You make a deer sound. And he said, and somehow
we got to we should write a song called you
had Me at Mad? You know. Anyway, we did and
in the video there's a deer Planet video. There's a
video video. Jim went full, he went full on it

(31:26):
and uh, and then we also wrote I never can
think of the guy's name. Uh. They did the funny
songs at not Ray Stevens, but after him that had
all the huge hitty did the sin I Tween songs
and these Rascal Flat songs. Um. Yes, yeah. We wrote
a song after we wrote podestly parodies. Mostly so we

(31:48):
wrote after we had written watching Airplanes. Uh. Me and
Jim were righting one day and Jim said, wouldn't it
be really funny if we rewrote that song? And we
were the ones pody and we did our wrote our
own parody. And he texts clear to teach and he said, hey, man,
what if we write washing airplanes like this guy is.
That's what he does for a living. He washes airplanes.
And I'm just sitting out here washing airplanes, and Clia said,

(32:11):
if you write that, send it to me and I'll
cut it next week. And he did, and I think
we had the worst song on the record, which there
was some great songs, yes, which didn't feel as weird.
But I've never done that because Jim is so good
at it, and I've written with him so much, and
he's so fast, he's so quick on those things, and

(32:33):
I never can. I want still want to make them
good songs. And that's not what you're I mean, I'm
not saying that. You know. I started getting mad, no, no no, no,
but Jim and he has he's stopped me. Is that, well,
you're you're you're thinking about this too much. Man, we're
just giving, like getting on the page. It's funny. It's
not it's not a hard thing or you know what

(32:54):
I mean, or you're not trying to get a point.
It's just funny. You don't he I'm doing uh again,
a show to this will come out like a week later.
But I'm doing a show tomorrow and Saturday night, and
I would just tore and do stand up. I take
Jim out him my guitar, play a few songs, and
I said, I'm gonna do because I do some motivational
speaking to I do some like keynote stuff and combine

(33:17):
all because you and I have somewhat similar backgrounds and
how we grew up and you grew up in a
trailer park along. I mean, you know, I didn't have
a lot of money. Yes, that situation probably secretly cousins
or something. There's a lot of things which I have
the same blood in some way. And so I did
my first two. I'm doing two more this week. But
Jim came out and watched and I just I'm like,
come look at it like that watching me do this

(33:40):
and then look at it because I want to know
what I can do. And so I'm gonna take that
and flip it over a little bit though into like
who now will you go, hey, look at this, listen
to this and help me do what I do a
little better with with a fresh perspective, fresh ears. Who
do I do? Now? You? Who? Oh my god? Everybody

(34:01):
like I'm not a you get one person though? Who's
who do you? Who is the trust person that you're
gonna text something to and go I just wrote this.
I don't know if it's right or not because it's
a little different. Put your ears on it, let me
know your thoughts. But and they're not gonna go hey man,
it's great, They're gonna go this part. I like this
part is kind of weird. You you're gonna trust good
and bad? Well, that's that's a real hard question because

(34:24):
it depends on what it was a hit song? Is
that what we're talking about. I mean, it would be
it was well, I know, I mean, I know who
would be. The weird thing is it's she's not a songwriter.
I mean Tally uh Johns Canterbury. That works with us
and and and I only kind of do that with her.

(34:44):
I do with my wife too, I think, um, but
Tally runs everything for us. So I I feel like
I kind of know, like lyrically musically, if that's right.
The thing I don't know a lot of times if
is if that fits in the whatever version of country
radio or or whatever DSPs or whatever's hot. I don't

(35:06):
know if it fits in that thing. And she does
know that, so I do do that with her. That
would be where you need perspective the scope of what
is being picked as popular. Now. Yeah, I'm purposefully not
trying to listen to current uh country radio country songs
shouldn't have said country radio. I forgot where I was.

(35:29):
And but I'm you're purposely not trying to do it
because you feel like you're chasing something that's too late.
If you're on that, if you're on that train and
you go, oh man, I love and I love Morgan Wallin,
I love John Party, I love those things, and I wait,
I'm just now on Morgan Wallin's to you know, records
ago because it's too late for me to try to

(35:52):
chase anything that he was doing on that in that time.
Uh And and a lot of guys are the same way.
So I try to not listen to those, and I'm
afraid it'll get in my brain. I'm a little scared
that I'll be like, oh man, that thing because you
kind of know how to do it. It's like if
you know a little bit of magic, you know, like
here's a magic track. We all I gotta do is
just hold a cigarette behind my finger for a little
bit longer. If we do that in the rhyting room too,

(36:14):
you know, it's like, oh, I see how they got there,
But I've gotta wait ten years to do that. And
then I'll bring yeah exactly. Yeah, you have any rhymes
that you look back now and go, I kind of
regret put that rhyme in song because it was oh yeah,
that thousands of them. Yeah, or you hear it and
you're kind of cringe. You're like, I don't mean know,
I'm on and gone. It's so easy you say the

(36:35):
same word. Is that you don't even realize you said
the same word. What comes to mind first when I
asked that question doesn't even have to be and and
if you go, you know what, I'd rather than not
because I may implicate another person. I completely understand. But
I and as you think about it, I have things
that I have done or written and I'm like, and
that have done pretty well, but I'm like, oh, I

(36:55):
can't even well. There are certain rhymes we always make
fun of me, so rhyters like true and blue, and
sometimes you can't help, Like it's you know, we always
need to look up in the rhyming dictionary, and it's
like I can't believe that I'm looking up the word
truck in being rhymes again, Like I'm doing it again.
I know I shouldn't know everything this day, True and
blue truck and up love and truck hold on. So

(37:20):
the depends on how country the artist is. If they
can pull that off dirt and shirt. It's like the
what does they call it? Redneck nursery rhymes to you know,
like when they feel that way, Uh, that's when I
get a little bit, like kind of cringe a little bit.
But they also work. You know we've heard those rhymes

(37:41):
a million times because they work, and no one else
is thinking about that rhyme like you are, who lives
in it and does it every single day. Right, They
probably like, did ain't that work? That's a People love
Dr Seuss books. Many love them, you know what I mean?
Feels so good? Publish a company of the epp Now
I'm intrigued for a couple of reasons. So fifty egg
which is why why is it called eggs? Uh? Cool
hand reference? I never seen Luke, You've never seen that.

(38:07):
It's like a referenson. Know, Paul Newman? That same person
to me, I'll be honest with you for a long time,
Selena go and who's the one that Ziker? Who's one
like Selena Gomez? Uh? The Botto they were the same
person to me, Like they could beat to me, Yeah,
I know either one of those people, so that those
two people are the same person to me. So one

(38:27):
drove race car? Who I don't know, Paul Newman, did
you drop race car? Uh? In real life? Yeah? Oh
I don't know. Did he? And that who you're talking about? Though,
you should know everything about him if you're referencing something
about him, right? Is this so fifty eggs? How did
you guys come up with that? Well? I love that's
my favorite movie, cool Hand. Look, I love it. I

(38:48):
think it's great. Um, I've seen it's okay, let's let's
rewind what the guess cal hand Luke about hand Luke,
he's a guy that loses in a small town. He's
but we're kind of smart guys lives in small towns
and board and so he gets drunk and he cuts
the heads off of um parking meters. So catchman put
him in jail. Oh, and so he's in I think

(39:10):
it's miss about you've heard phrases. Uh, what we have
here is a failure to communicate. That's from the movie. Yeah, yeah,
So it's in this jail and the warden guy, it's
kind of like, hey, it's the same guy kind of
that's in Oh brotherwere aren't that with the glasses and
the thing and the dark kind of figure that's supposed

(39:31):
to be the devil and anyway, So in jail, he
kind of does things to just pass the time. You know.
He said, he'll try to break out, or he'll do
something funny, or they play cards. And then there's one
time he's playing cards and he bets all the money
in camp and and then they win and all this stuff. Anyway,
so he bets that he can eat fifty eggs, and

(39:52):
that's the uh, like the big kind of pinnacle of
the movie where it starts. Does he does he he's
fifty eggs? Yeah? Yes, spoiler alert? Does he everywhere? Like?
He doesn't? He can't vombit. I can't bombit in the
in the in the movie, he that that was a
rule that they had said to things. So he eats
fifty eggs, and I can't remember what happened. Uh, I
think he gets killed. He just escapes prison. He gets killed.

(40:14):
That's how that movie ends. Inside ends. I mean, it
was a long time ago. Dang, I did not think
that's one I was going. We just ruined that movie
for everybody. I came out twenty seven or something, right,
I don't know. Yeah, So anyway, in the movie he
also said, you know, he said, well, why would you
do something like why don't you fit the eggs? Like that?
He was like, I don't something to do? And I
K yeah, I know that. Yeah. I kind of felt

(40:36):
the same way about about a published company. Uh, you know.
And I've been working with Tally on that thing. And
and so our first signing was was Luke Holmes and
then uh read his boat that steal rights with me.
And look, so now the company is me and Tally
and Luke all together, and we got great people, and
it's turning it away more than something to do. It's

(40:58):
really great and fun and seems like a way to help.
It seems like a way to help for Luke. Uh
to kind of uh, you know, that's the front lines
of Nashville to us, I think is new songwriter comes
to town. What do I do? You know, I'm good
enough to go play some gigs and and have some
people hear me, and now I've got I'm needing them,

(41:20):
gonna get a little bit of money, and that's gonna
help me do X y Z, you know, or where's
the x y Z like C d E, you know
at least, so it's fun doing that. And we've had
a lot of people come out of that thing in
Ashton Craft signed up to a big loud and Tyler
Braden's in that pile, and and uh why I'm a
coming Gray Robinson, she's so great, you know, it's still

(41:45):
slightly green, but the right amount of green for today
to take that next big step. And her songs too,
and then and all the pace uff. We we kind
of like it's mostly it's songwriters, you know, and that
it's songwriters plus I think is what we're doing. But
a song routing is so interesting to me. And I've
sat and written with her and it's like, for there's

(42:05):
a few artists in town where it's like, oh, I
should just shut up for a minute, And she's that
way because I'm not my my my perspective doesn't fit
into her song. Most of the time. You're just kind
of helping, And I like doing that more than writing
a song for somebody. You're just kind of helping Gray
because she kind of knows where she's going to. Her language,

(42:26):
the way she gets two things is so interesting. That's
like an advanced emotional quirkiness when she and not just
listening not listening to her sing because I like her
as a performer two, but her songwriting. You're just like, oh,
that's an interesting way to say that. Oh, and that's
what you're like. Oh, and by the end of you're like, oh,
I get it. I never would have thought to even

(42:47):
say it like that Damsel Damsel in this Dress song.
I mean, I'm gonna love it, and there's no way
I can write that song. So it feels like I'm
not working in that room, you know what I mean.
I didn't write that song with her. I wish I had.
And then the Fireworks song and I saw the title
and I was like, oh, yeah, yeah. I was like, oh,
it's almost worthed you like, I know, I get it,

(43:08):
you know. And then I heard the song and I
was like, holy crap, that's what I said there. When
you finished it, I was like yeah, I was like wait,
what that's how I expected that to. Oh man, me
either Tally text me the song and it said fireworks
on it and I was like okay, and uh, oh man,
when it was over, I was like, okay, no, you
got me, Like isn't that at this stage of your

(43:30):
success where you've had so much and you are now
really succeeding in other parts of the industry, not just
writing songs. But is that like fulfilling to you to
be a part of that, like that next generation, and
not feel like you have to put your fingerprint on
it exactly, but be there for them in a way
that makes them better. And I think that's how you
stay excited. Like we've got guys and girls coming in

(43:54):
there every day who are so excited to be there
and they're rotting with hes like are you're rotting with
And do they say a name? It is like I
don't even know who that is, you know, saying of course,
But their excitement excites me, you know, and I love
I still like beating them too. I like to beat them,
you know, and in the nicest way ever, I like to,

(44:14):
you know, destroy their dreams. Now. It is exciting that
as they get better and better and better, that it
drives you to stay better and better and better too.
And that's the only way you can stay that way,
I think, you know, by hearing what the new people,
because how many times can we true and blue and
dirt and shirt and love and truck, you know, and
they're finding new ways to do it, which is amazing

(44:36):
to me. I thought, me and Jim and derrek Orten
and Jesse as we always like, but this has gotta
be the end. There's no way new people can come
in and find new ways to do this, and they can.
It's amazing. So what do you spend most of your
days now? I write nearly every day. I love Writing's

(45:02):
still every just sitting down and four five days a
week I'll do and it's mostly artists these days, you know. Uh,
but I still love it and I feel like, and
I've heard a million times, you know, the more creative
you are, the more creative you are. So I don't
want to stop doing that. I'm not sure what I
would do, you know. Otherwise I would still be whatever

(45:23):
I was doing. I would still be writing a song
in my head. I think. I still love doing that.
And I love when artists come in and they and
you're solving the problem for him, you know, and we
need up tempo single, or we need about or we
need whatever, or helping them work on their idea. So
I write every day. Tally runs everything in the office, Uh,
and then I will, you know, pop out to get

(45:45):
water and she's be like, hey, Jonathan, you know what
about this thing's happening, this thing, But okay, cool, we'll
talk about it this afternoon. And she's got it. She's
got good at it and and and smart and I
kind of I'm aware of everything that's going on. Um,
but she's she's driving. For sure, you're writing songs. You're
managing a bit, right, I mean it sounds like you

(46:07):
have personality you have to manage a little bit at
like for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, in that way managing, Yeah,
I mean, that's it. It's definitely a different, different part
of the brain. What about the itch to perform because
and you're but you're really good, and you were really good. Obviously,
maybe people don't know that version of you at this
point if they've only been here eight years, six years,
so they wouldn't. But it did exist for a long time,

(46:31):
it did it. His head died before I got here,
I think, you know, we played bars since I was
fifteen or sixteen years old. It died, huh, you know,
in the way of what made that fun? You know,
once I kind of met my wife and I didn't
want to you know, drink too many beers or hang
out and watch the sun come up? Is you know,

(46:52):
it's like, okay, well what am I? What am I doing? Then?
It never was it was It never was to me
about the crowd and them me feeding off the crowd.
We played too many bars for that. It was you
had to find another thing that was interesting in that
little bar where nobody was paying attention to you. And
for me, that was the guys I was playing with,

(47:12):
you know, and I still play with those guys, and
I have at my house a little we called the
party Barn, and I have a stage and I have
gear set up, and once ever, you know, two or
three months, we'll get together. My guitar players now out
on the road with Luke Combs, and then my drummers
with Eric Church and uh, the other guys are playing

(47:32):
around town and stuff like that. So we'll kind of
set a time, you know, a bunch of old guys
have set a time and we'll just go play. Yeah,
we'll go play. And and we did it. What was
that three or four weeks ago? We played a little
bit and hung out and just you know, hey, you'll
remember this song. Let's play some song, and that feeds
my inch because that was the thing I loved, is
hearing this guy play the song that I was singing,

(47:55):
or that this drummer play the song that I was singing.
Uh So I have no desire to go. I like
playing songwriter nights. You know sometimes, what about playing guitar though,
just itself? You're a big guitar guy, do it every day?
You do you sit? Do you sit at home and
just play by yourself? Ever? No, I mean because I'm

(48:15):
playing on guitar all day, writing the song. And but
if you're writing the song and playing, that's not to me.
You're yes, you're playing guitar, it's not. But do you
still enjoy playing the instrument of the guitar? Yes? And
I get to do that in the studio a lot.
I have a studio at the house, and I do
a lot of stuff at home, and I I play
drums and bass and all that stuff. So I'll play

(48:38):
I'll play acoustic on something, then I'll play drums, and
I've been doing that for ten or fifteen years, and
then I'll play everything and the thing. So I get
to play, you know, guitar solos, and I get to
do that thing. But I've never been a great guitar player.
I love guitar players. I love songwriters too. I'm still
not sure I'm great. I'm great at that, but I
love guitar players and I love tones, and I love

(48:59):
this guy here's this this way, and this guy hears
it that way. But I've never been great at it.
I have become pretty damn good editor, So I can,
I can. I know what I want to hear. I
know what I think Vince Gill would play on guitar,
So I'll just chop it up and I can kind
of make that happen in pro tools, you know, to Vince, don't,

(49:21):
I don't not compare my ye heard it. That's the headline.
But that's the headline thanks to Vince Gil and Salt
s Gille. Yeah, that's what it is, and I want
to this is what I want to play here U.
You were talking about it, and I just like hearing
you talked about I don't gonna stop you while you're
talking about it. But here is, um I drive your
truck punk version. Here you go. You have to drive

(49:43):
you town up. Damn. That's awesome, that's dam that's fun.

(50:08):
That's awesome chicken Fried. Here you go. You know I
like my chicken fried on Friday nine damage just fine
in the radio it's her and then when it rains
of pores, here you go. Sunday morning. She will do

(50:30):
this with the jam first, like I love this one.
They're green Day bass behind it. He got to Mike Dirt.
It's almost like long View with like just slightly turned
down with a better vocal, and it's just I want
to just give it respect and say how much I
love the baseline in this. Thank you as you play
it again. Go ahead. Sunday morning. She will do fine

(50:50):
man a bit in the morning on about the time
and my too stay you said that girl's good is kind.
Then Thursday came round. I was away long it's not
it's it's and I get to why this it's not

(51:13):
even funny, it's awesome. It's so good. It's and I
know you're sick. You say, like scratching some mixture something different,
and I was like, it's just awesome. It's so good.
It shouldn't be that good hearing them like that. I
should be like, that's hilarious, right, But it's it's that
those are so strong. Thank you man, thank you. There's
a there's a band called Me First and the Gimmy Gimmeys.

(51:34):
That was that that did that years ago, and I
forget the name of that record, Um, how do you
like our country or something like that, and they did,
uh let the Dixie Chick song my Earl, Goodbye, Goodbye Earl,
and it just it changed my whole life. I love, love,
love pump music, and that is kind of my escape

(51:56):
from because it's still got to be musical, right, So
on my way home, if my brain is fried, I
put on no Effects, or I put on for Gods,
or I put on bad religion, or me first thing
to give me gime Eiser or even Weezer can do
that for me. Or I love Ever Clear Secret super
ever Clear Fan. But I loved those and it makes
you feel something different. It doesn't feel like you're working.

(52:17):
But I thought, how funny would it be if I
just did? And I called I thought maybe I drive
a truck was too far because I was like, because
it is kind of funny, you know, And I was like, well,
that's not really funny song. So I called Jesse. I
was and I was like, hey, I'm doing this stupid
punk man thing. Can I can I do I drive
her trun? She was like, oh, please please do that.
But it was an escape. It was so fun. And

(52:39):
where did y'all get that from? What about it? Don't
We don't know. We don't tell our sources one reporters. Basically, Yeah,
it's just excellent, Thank you man, that's fun. I do
talk about Laney Lanny Wilson. I love her, and I
mean I knew Landy before just before, you know, and
so the same person today. Uh as then, no doubt.

(53:02):
I just think it would for it would be so
cool to help somebody that you like, really like get
their first number one, and that with Laney, I mean
it changed her life, you know. And Jason Nixon was
in that too, it's the first number one for him
to That was amazing and Laney, you know, we did
that number one party for the thing, and so that

(53:22):
was the first time, you know, from It takes a
long time for those songs to come out, So I
don't remember when we wrote that song, but it had
to be a year before that. It was early early
on and uh and seeing her as an artist then,
which was fantastic, but then you're now she's doing press
like we're doing a number one party, and it's like

(53:43):
there's press and there's things, and she has to look
and smell and feel and do everything right, you know
what I mean. And she just so flawless at it,
you know what I mean. And her personality is such
a in a in a Dolly parting kind of way
where you just, how do you not like us? You're
a real piece of trash if you don't like Landy
Wilson and um and also a great song and a

(54:06):
beautiful song. And I love that song. Uh, and it
was wonderful to write it with her. I don't think
we thought that was that would be a single because
it was let's play a little him like I know
a few things of mind autumno, how to know how

(54:27):
to stage? I don't know, you're missing up a good thing. Again,
You're probably not drawn to that as a single. Tempo,
it's pretty slow. Jay Joyce did the record and it
breaks in the middle of a bunch and it's like
that feels that's like a no No on country radio.

(54:48):
I mean, yeah, there was a lot of reasons for
it not to be. It's funny those songs where there's
a lot of reason for it not to be successful
when the occasional one, and that's what it takes it
does become successful. It's it happened such a big way
because it's definitely and when they see him song of
the Year like and and launched her career. So it's
cool that the label took a chance. I'm making it

(55:08):
a single and you guys wrote it like that, and yeah,
Laney is just the lifeful we me and I haven't
we haven't put it out yet, but I don't care
if people hear this. But I we wrote a song
called opening Act. We're open up for Garth Brooks. Garth
and called and said, hey, I'm playing Razorback Stadium with
eight thousand people. It sold out. We don't need to
any tickets, just come and be the the act right
before me. And I was like, oh man, I don't

(55:30):
know about that. How many people. I just felt like
people were Then we're gonna understand that we're a comedy
group and we're eight thousand people. And so my wife's like,
you will I'm from market. So I said, you would
kill yourself if you don't do this, and I was like,
So I accepted it and ago and we played this song.
It's nobody cares about the opening act and I we
wrote it about us, and so I called Landy. I said, hey,

(55:50):
we're gonna do this version with other artists that no
really the grind to be an opening act. I said, so,
we we've written this song. We put an on TikTok
and had like a million views right playing a live
it's great. And I was like, do you want to
be on the verse? You want to do a verse?
And I was like, wow, you know, I ain't done
a lot of comedy ritting. But she goes what you

(56:11):
just said, Yeah, I just right right, whatever you feel,
it doesn't have to be funny. Oh you got her
to ride it? Oh yeah, okay. I we sent her.
I sent her the whole song, but I sent her
an empty verse that wasn't even in the song. So
she killed. She came in with two verses. She came in,
she was how about this one? And she sings it
and she's like, Dad, do you have it? Okay because
we haven't released it. You I haven't even said that

(56:33):
we were doing it together. But then she was like,
because that's my first one, how about this one? And
then she sings that and I'm like, I think that's
even funnier than the first one. And she's like, do
you mind if I change melody a little bit. I
was like, no, this is what this is. Do whatever,
and then she changes the melody just a little bit,
and she's so even again as a writer or even
writing comedy for us, which is something she was a

(56:53):
comfortable in. She was so authentically uncomfortably awesome. It just works,
and that's kind of her personality, Like she just is authentic. Yeah,
and you're gonna like her or you're gonna go like, wow,
I can't believe you said that. But I like it
that she said that, even though make you feel slightly uncomfortable,
and so it's really cool that you were able to
be a part of that because I like, you want

(57:13):
to like her, and that's a win for me. It
was wonderful, wonderful. I love that song. I'm still so
proud of that song. We're gonna wrap in a second,
but the last couple of things that went, we've done
an hour. I could literally do two hours with you,
but I can't because I got I got like important
stuff to do, bigger things. I have an idea for

(57:36):
a song. I got a couple of The first one
is called plural rural murals. Yeah, wait a minute, plural
rural murals. So there's more than one yes in the
rural and you inspired. I thought of that's why we
were talking. So there's more than one at rural murals.
So there's more than out in the country murals. But

(58:00):
so murals would be like graffiti on them. But it's
not honor tower thing right in her bridge. Sure a mural.
It's like a lot of you know, it's a different things. Rural. Yeah,
I'm just gonna say, let's get Laney to do that
because she can't even say those three parks. You don't
even need the song. You just need a recording of

(58:22):
her trying to say say it fast three times. Yeah.
Uh so that's my first song idea. I love that
plural mural tang it plural rural murals or plural mural rules.
That doesn't work though, I thought that too, But you
need that. You had this before, so I thought that's
why you were telling me about the word rural. And
I was like, that's a funny song idea. It's a

(58:43):
comedy songs. The plural rural mural. It's even hard to say.
And then you get the crowd to sing it back
on the second one and they can't say it either.
This is you, So introduce your song because you know
I'll do it. Let's try it right now, let's go.
It's my Keith Urban. Okay, I have no melody. But
it's like you're um no, I mean like you're on

(59:04):
the radio show. No, I don't care about that. That.
That's a whole different I want to hear that though.
Here's my latest song. It's a song about seeing art
in the country and then you see another piece of art.
It's so unexpected. It's plural rural murals. It's hard to say,
it's hard to get the crowd to sing back, and
everybody has a good laugh. You know, you're driving down
the dart road. Maybe it's slow, a slow song, pluraloral.

(59:30):
Then then you can spread it out, you know, Yeah,
you don't wan spread that lose the comedy factor. If
you can say it easily, everybody would say it is true.
Oh I didn't know. It's a funny song. It has
to be funny, okay, yeah, because it's funny. So that's it.
You drive into the country, and you see some art
and you're like, why is there art out here? I'm
in the country. And then you see another piece of
art and you're like, holy cow, that's that's some plural
ural murals out here right right right? Tell me that

(59:51):
ain't a comedy hit the crosses over? I love it? Okay, Okay,
let me see what else I hear it, because I like,
do you keep a listening your phone and things? Do?
I got some funny ones. You don't have to you
can even do real ones. Don't share anything that you're
super precious about because people will for sure steal them.
I don't care, okay. Um. I have a song called
small Pepmobile. Now here's the thing about small Pepmobile, okay,

(01:00:12):
and why I'm nervous about sharing it with you. You're
a big, big truck. Yeah, and it's a kind of
that sounds kind of about that I got you. Yeah,
it's like, yeah, you know, why why your tires so big?
You know? I love that? And you're you're driving your
small pep mobile, pepe small peep mobile, you know people
from here, Yeah, playing leaner. It could also be like

(01:00:35):
a children's toy thing that's a small pep mobill like
if they got atka. Yeah your truck, yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, okay,
I gave you too, matching I had, I had one
car and I've played this for jim uh country credit
card like a yeah. So he's he's out of money
on his country credit card and he's a new artist

(01:00:57):
in town and you've gotta have, you know, a Philson
jacket and some and some boots. So he's calling his
dad and said, dad, can you put some money on
my country credit card? Ah? That was it. That was
the whole idea. Interesting. I still I'm going with small people.
People will still well my title was bad. Yeah yeah, yeah.
I thought it was gonna be like your country credit card,
Like in the country, your credit card is a little

(01:01:19):
different than what it would be in the city. You know,
he's like buying country crib though. You see what I'm saying.
I do now, Okay, yeah, I didn't deliver. You know,
people don't know if your storytelling. So let's move on
to something else. Okay, how about I'll beat your little spoon.
But I'm a dude singing it to a girl. I
love that. Now I'll be your little spoon. You're in

(01:01:40):
the front. Yeah, I love that it's sensitive. You know
the times it's perfect for that. Maybe you make it
non what is that called? Like you don't do boys,
you don't do girls or manner? It's just what is
that called? It's not like they's all the general neutral

(01:02:00):
gender neutral. Some When I go to sleep at night,
I mean we we go when I look into the
sky and see the moon. Oh be a little spoon.
That's not really it, but you know who knows. Yeah,
I guess I got three there. That's those are hits.
Um howon and spoon is also another rhyme that I
was That's hard for me to get to it, Like
that was a lot of bending and rhyman to get
that one there. Um and then as if there's anything, Okay,

(01:02:21):
I just gave you three excellent ideas. Do not steal them.
Um if you do, if you want to Grammy, I
will play this back. Um all right, but I think
rural mural lural rural murals, there's alwaly something to them. Yeah,
I have recently switched. I got more song ideas. I
don't have any of my funny ones in here. Um,
so some of my lines for a small people bill

(01:02:41):
does he having a midlife crisis or does he just
hate the environment? I love that. I love that. Um
so that that's just one line I wrote for that one. Okay, well, yeah,
I thought I had more lines to that, but that
I guess that was just the only line I had there.
Um well, listen, you are one of my favorite people,

(01:03:01):
like always, but were so good at this. We did
easily an hour. I'm it's so cool to see you're
publishing company thriving, and I the fact that you've been
able to do it at a high level for so
long and you're still going. I don't have it down
because there's no such thing as having it down. I

(01:03:22):
gotta keep chasing what's coming at us like that. That
is that's inspiring you. I would not say that down,
but you could. But with that many number one songs,
I mean, I think just number one four. You have
so many number ones aside from the producing, aside from
you could just go I'm the best. I mean, I'm great.

(01:03:42):
I've written thirteen number massive songs too, not just songs
they hit number one and people forget about them because
they rang the bell and the label pushed it up.
But chasing airplanes and why don't we just dance beer?
Never Broke My Heart? Those songs are massive and are
going to be around for ten, twelve, fifteen, twenty years played. Yeah,
I hope. So it's awesome. So it's really cool that

(01:04:04):
you know, die from a Broken Heart. By the way,
from Maddie and Tay, I told them that song was
like their song to me too. I love that one.
In the new version of Maddie and Tay, you know
what was the first one that girl in the Country's great?
But again it was that, Okay, these girls are older, Now,
how do we do this? How do we this? Love

(01:04:24):
that problem? I love that problem and trying to trying
to help them figure it out. I love them so much.
They're wonderful. I want to leave with this and you
can leave a little serious. And I get for people
listening because we have a lot of songwriters that listen
to this, because I spent an hour with people who
we were able to break down the craft a little
more than you would in an eight minute second. Right, um,
And you're talking about publishing and these writers that you're
signing as a songwriter. If somebody's listening and they're going, man,

(01:04:48):
I think I'm good enough for a publishing deal, and
they sit there sending stuff out. They're not feeling like
they're being heard. It's a very difficult talent to actually
be heard, be listened to. What does sell one do? Who?
How do they start being a songwriter for a living
or getting with someone at the published company to listen. Oh,

(01:05:09):
it's it's it's different now, and it used to because
we have social media, we have, you know, so many
ways of getting getting to those things. Does someone get
to you with the song? Yeah, with the four or
five songs they feel super passionate about how do they
get to you? That's a good question. I mean, we're

(01:05:29):
usually going to people because we have so many of
us have thirteen twelve thirteen writers that are great songwriters.
So we're not like actively looking until something pops up,
you know what I mean. But we're not looking in
the same places that they are. I mean, it's it
was it's a lot of like teen Room Provivable, it's
a lot of those things, their songwriter Nights in Town.

(01:05:50):
We're still doing those. We're still kind of scour those things.
And and uh, two guys with it we've signed are
off of off of Instagram, you know, um, uh, that's
still happening, and it's not tag you and stuff possible
ten is annoying. Don't do that. Go to your house
to play outside, John Cusackle the bux do. We get

(01:06:11):
a lot of you know, hashtag FITZI egg thing and
I think somebody probably looks at those. It's not me.
I mean, I don't know that I'm on there anymore.
You know, I'm I would like to hang out with
my kids, you know. But yeah, I mean it's probably
song right, It's a lot of word of mouth. So
if you're not, it's still the same old game at
that's go out and meet more songwriters and meet more songwriters,

(01:06:33):
and you got you get better when you do that.
And if you're not regimenting songwriting then and you have
a backup plan, that's probably not gonna happen anyway. You know,
you gotta sit down and write those things and study
and study and study the guys that you love. Uh,
and that's what you do. I mean, I know that's
what the new guys are doing. And and uh, we

(01:06:54):
got a new guy over there. Why am I coming in?
It's just one of my favorite songwriters and every body's
doing it in a different way. He's not crazy on
TikTok or Instagram or doing those things, and and and
but it was a lot of times. It's like the
people that we love and songwriters in town that don't
have publishing companies. You know, we're in a great position,
me and a few other guys Ashley Gourley and Dallas

(01:07:17):
Davidson of people going other songwriters that are in town
and going, oh my god, have you heard this guy?
And I get those a lot now, which is great.
So that's the way to do it is work like
anything else you would work. It's nothing nobody's I'm gonna
call you and go, hey, man, you've got any songs.
There's too many people here. They're great, and they're working
their busts off to try to get them heard, you know. Yeah,

(01:07:37):
and it's not knocking on doors anymore. They still but
they still do that. By the way, what lest I
know what's gonna happen. So I'm gonna make it not
awkward here. I'm not going to accept the publishing deal
from you guys. I know you've heard three guld ideas.
That's all you needed here to know. I mean, I
came up with those all we're sitting here for two
of them. I care, well, I'm sitting here with you one.
I already had small people and going, um, but I'm
gonna pass on this deal. Okay, but maybe next time

(01:08:00):
around and I could get you in touch with some
people who don't want to be in touch with anybody
man in touch with me. I'm all good on touch
until you're just gonna keep your Yeah, I'm gonna keep
it with my other jobs. Yeah, we're doing okay right now.
So but anyway, so you get to keep her publishing too,
which is you know, that's a good thing. Yeah, I'm
really rich off that. But you should really mate, you know,
I can't even think I'm not gonna throw anybody out

(01:08:20):
of the bus. Look, you are awesome, and I could
compliment you. I just like hanging out with you. Thank
you for coming over, really, man, I appreciate it to
This is fun. There he is. That's a guy right there,
Luke Combs. All right, everybody will see you next time.

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#359 - Jonathan Singleton on Writing ‘Beer Never Broke My Heart’ and Starting A Publishing Company with Luke Combs + His Guitar Heroes and How he ‘Insults’ Vince Gill + His Punk Covers of Country Songs

Episode Transcript

Host

Bobby Bones

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