July 14, 2025 • 35 mins
In this episode, Caroline throws it back to her first podcast ever...Almost 10 years ago! And her first guest was Darius Rucker!
Front man of Hootie & the Blowfish, and Country Superstar, Darius explains his musical journey. He conquered both Pop/Rock and Country radio, selling over 30 million albums. Darius couldn’t be more down-to-earth and hilarious as we talk, career, love, marriage, life, The Grand ole Opry, and everything in between.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I am going back to the beginning because it's just time.
I have been podcasting for close to ten years now.
I cannot even believe it. When I started podcasting, I
was a nervous wreck. I had no idea how to
do it.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
I was scared to ask people to come on my podcast.
But my very first guest was Darius Rucker. The Darius Rucker,
the lead singer of Hoodi and the Blowfush, the huge
country star, Darius Rucker, the sweetest heart ever.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
And my husband Michael was touring with him and his band.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Michael's band is a Thousand Horses, and they were opening
for Darius, and I just got super courageous and I
asked Darius to come on my podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
And he was the very first episode that I ever had.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
So I am throwing it back to the first episode
I have ever done for my podcast, and it's with
the one and only Darius Rucker. So let's go back
down memory lane and check it out.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
Carl Line, she's a queen of talking.
Speaker 5 (01:06):
Hey with sown you live.
Speaker 6 (01:09):
She's on the inside. She got the snoop on the
walls to watch on the lawns aside. No one can
do win, quiet.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Die cal line, carral Line, no one can do Win
Quiet Die call Line.
Speaker 7 (01:27):
It's Tiple Caroline.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Hey, y'all, welcome to Hyper Caroline Hobby.
Speaker 7 (01:32):
I'm your host, Caroline Hobby, and I am so excited
that you're here with me. This is my first podcast,
in my first episode, Yay. Before I get into the interview,
I want to give you a quick background onto who
I am. I am a Texas native born and raised.
Moved to Nashville when I was nineteen to become a
country music star. I got hooked up with two awesome girls,
(01:54):
Jennifer Wayne and Taylor Lynn, and we formed a trio
called Stealing Angels. I was in that trio for about
seven years. We toured the country.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
On a tour bus.
Speaker 7 (02:02):
We had two songs in the top fifty on the
charts on the Country charts, and we even got to
play Madison Square Garden open up for Tim McGraw, Rascal Flats,
Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
It was such a wild ride.
Speaker 7 (02:14):
It eventually fell apart, which was really sad and disheartening
and kind of broke my heart a little bit. But
just like when one thing falls apart, another thing comes
together and Jen and I got asked to do the
Amazing Race, which is the reality show which takes you
around the world.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
It was so fun. It's such an incredible experience.
Speaker 7 (02:33):
We got fourth place on season twenty two, and then
if that wasn't cool enough, just to race once, we
got asked back to race again on the All Star
season and we ended up coming in second place. We
lost the whole race by four seconds. Those were really
expensive seconds because you win a million dollars if you win,
but the experience was priceless. Because of Amazing Race. We
(02:55):
got to go to like twenty different countries, which is
just crazy. And when I finished that, when I finished
the second time racing on Amazing Race, I came back
to Nashville and I was like, what do I really love?
And I realized I love getting to know people, and
I love getting to know people's stories and figuring out
their drive and how people stay inspired. Because this industry,
this entertainment industry, is crazy and it can break your
(03:17):
heart and it can tear you down, and you have
to really have a vision, and you have to have
a focus, and you have to have a drive. And
it's not for the week, for sure, It's not for
the faint of heart, and so I definitely was curious
about how people stay motivated. And I've collected a ton
of interesting friends after living in Nashville for over ten years,
and I'm like, you know what, I'm going to interview
these people and I'm going to get to know what's
(03:40):
going on in their brains and see why they wake
up every morning and get hyper about their career and
get hyper about their dreams.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
So that is why hyper Caroline Hobby was born.
Speaker 7 (03:50):
And I hope that you enjoy hearing from all these
incredible people, because it has been a blast so far
getting to talk to some of the coolest people I
know in Nashville. The first person that we're interviewing is
Darius Rucker. What He's from Hooty and the Blowfish. He
sold thirty million albums with Hooty and the Blowfish. And
if that wasn't crazy enough and cool enough, he then
(04:11):
started all the way back over in country music and
climbed his way back from the just the starting ground
all the way to the top of the charts and
country music. He didn't take any freebies. He didn't come
in as a superstar. He started off like any other
newbie and country music and worked his way all the
way up to the top. And his story is incredible,
It's inspiring. He's probably one of the most hard working,
(04:32):
driven men I've ever met. He's hilarious and it was
a super big privilege to get to interview him. So
please welcome Darius Rucker to Hyper Caroline Hobby.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Hi, Darius Rucker.
Speaker 6 (04:46):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I'm fabulous? How are you doing?
Speaker 6 (04:49):
Oh good?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Are you enjoying this snow?
Speaker 6 (04:52):
A big snow guy? But you know it's okay?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Ah, I know, well you don't. You don't live in Nashville,
do you No, I don't live in Nashville and Charleston.
Speaker 6 (04:59):
We never get snow.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
So you know, when I came here yesterday and it
was crazy, I hadn't stopped as I woke up.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
I think you brought it with you because it started yesterday.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
You know.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Oh sorry, you know I got to bring something. How
come you don't want to come to ashe I'm banded.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
That's very true. Yeah, absolutely, Okay.
Speaker 7 (05:15):
So you started off and I was like, in nineteen
eighty six is when this whole thing started for you.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
I was a.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Sophomore in college and met this guy who uh was
a guitar player. And he asked me if he heard
me singing in the shower.
Speaker 6 (05:32):
Yeah, you heard me singing a Billy Joel song.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
And you always singing the shower?
Speaker 6 (05:35):
I used to. I don't.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I don't think I do much anymore, but I used
to all the time. Yeah, because this was like we
had community showers, you know. It wasn't like like you
know now they have all these new, these great showers
and these dorms, but ours was just four six shower heads.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
In one open room one one open room.
Speaker 6 (05:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
And I have a shower in the afternoon and no
one was in there, and I'm singing and I walk
out and he goes, man, was that you?
Speaker 6 (05:53):
I was like, yeah, He's like, wow.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
You know I play guitar and that, and I said really,
I was like, you know, he said, want you come
out later see we be doing the same song.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
And I did. And butter Man, ever since.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Did you have intentions to be a singer?
Speaker 5 (06:04):
I always wanted to be. That's all I ever wanted, really,
since I was four, that's all I ever wanted to be.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Really.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
Yeah, you know, but you get older and you realize
that's never going to happen and you got to get
a real job.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Are you going to do the real job thing?
Speaker 6 (06:14):
Yeah? I want to.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
I wanted to work in sports, something to sports, either
radio or television or something.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
We have a great voice for it, like a voice.
Speaker 6 (06:22):
Yeah. I still I still want to have a sports
talk show some day.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Sports I want to do that someday I retire.
Speaker 6 (06:28):
I like them. I like all, you know, the three
majors we have here, But football I live for it.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
It's sometimes it's really why I get out of bed
and in the morning because.
Speaker 6 (06:35):
Football is on that day.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Were you stoked about the Super Bowl?
Speaker 6 (06:39):
I wis shouldn't have been a better game? I was? Uh,
I was.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
I'm always stoked py super Bowl because it's the it's
the championship of my favorite league. But then around two
minutes left in the fourth court, I get really sad
because I realized it's normal football till like September augusta
and and that's always a sad time for me.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
I barely even knew who was playing in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 6 (06:59):
Probably only one team really played.
Speaker 7 (07:01):
Cle's okay, okay, I want to start off with some
rapid fire.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Okay, Ready, are your morning or a night person.
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Morning?
Speaker 5 (07:09):
What I've become. I used to be a night person.
But in my but you can hang, I can hang,
but I get up. I'm up every morning at six,
six thirty no matter what I do, and I play
all four. You don't getting the kids in school or whatever.
But I'm I'm a morning person.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So you're just not really a sleep person.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
Not lately. No, I don't. I don't. I don't need
eight that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
You don't need eight. No, what can you function on?
Speaker 5 (07:28):
I'm going on about I'm seriously going on about nine
hours in the last four days right now.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
So does that make you like irritable?
Speaker 6 (07:36):
I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
You're always so pleasant.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
I try to be.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
When I get tired, I get irritable, not you.
Speaker 5 (07:41):
Yeah, Now, when I get tired, I just get ain't quiet.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
When I get tired, I think.
Speaker 7 (07:46):
Okay, okay, so morning. If you had to be the
pet cat to any celebrity, who would it be?
Speaker 3 (07:52):
And why?
Speaker 5 (07:55):
If I have to be a cat for any celebrity,
I would be a cat for Paula Kartney.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Okay, So I can hang out with him.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
You're number one.
Speaker 6 (08:05):
Oh, he's my buddy.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
He's one of the few things on my bucket list
is to sit and have a beer with He's my
absolutely Al Green's my absolute idol.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
Al Green is the guy who made me want to sing.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Really, you know, but I've been lucky, fortunate enough to
actually hang out with a couple of times.
Speaker 6 (08:18):
Great. He's just a great human being.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
And you live up the hope you had.
Speaker 6 (08:22):
Absolutely, he was great to be nice and and it
was awesome.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
And but you know, Paul's is a close second. I
just you know, I love Paul mcarty.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Okay, okay, so he'd be his cat sitting.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
It stroked me rubbing up against his leg, absolutely, okay.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Any tattoos or piercings.
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Three tattoos. Tattoos I got too. I'm getting a third one.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
What are you going to get?
Speaker 6 (08:47):
I want to find.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Somebody to And I was gonna not cheesy, but in
Elvis writing is from a from the Lord of the rings.
I want my three kids names.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
I love that. Where do you want to put it?
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Probably?
Speaker 3 (08:59):
And do you have another one on your own?
Speaker 5 (09:01):
I got a I thought it was a peace flag,
and uh, this is flag I have my arm. It's red,
golden green, and uh. And in the corner where the
stars are. I put a piece sign and one day
I get out of the shower and my wife goes this, Honey,
I thought you said you got the peace flag.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
I said this.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
He said, no, you didn't. You get the Mercedes flag.
And I looked at it and I realized they didn't put
the line down the middle. So I do have the Mercedes.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Bens drive a Mercedes. She does, you might want get
free Mercedes if you put it on your arm.
Speaker 6 (09:30):
Agree.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
I agree, that's amazing. Okay, what do you consider your
greatest achievement?
Speaker 6 (09:36):
Oh, my grace. Achievements are my kids?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Really? That's awesome?
Speaker 6 (09:39):
Yeah, I mean it's you know Carrie who's in college now.
I'm so proud of her.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
She struggled through a lot of hard times in school
and now she's blossoming in such a wonderful, beautiful being
in college and just enjoying herself. And my other you know,
Danny and Jack are just such great kids that they're
definitely my my that's the.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
Best thing I've ever done.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Awesome. Did you always know you wanted kids too?
Speaker 6 (09:58):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Was it hard to have kids touring?
Speaker 5 (10:02):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (10:02):
It wasn't hard. I mean it wasn't hard.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
It was hard with carry, to be honest with you,
because who do you be? Toured so different than country
guys did. Like I'd go for six months and I'd
go for seriously, I'd go for a month without coming home,
and then you come home and you know, you're home.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
For three days.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Yeah, and then you're back out for three weeks and
you know, we don't do that in country, thank goodness.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
But uh, it's tough. Then now it's just great.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
I mean, you know, I play tour in the summer
and on the weekends, and you know, if the kids
want to go, my sons and you know, as you know,
it was with me the whole time. Yeah, they come
out and they come out with me. So that's always fun.
Speaker 7 (10:31):
Okay, So country touring is a little more family absolutely oriented.
Speaker 6 (10:34):
Absolutely no doubt about that.
Speaker 7 (10:36):
Oh yeah, okay, okay, So you met in the shower,
but your band were they actually in the shower with you?
Speaker 5 (10:42):
No, I was just meaning to say. I came out
of the bathroom and he was staying. His door just
happened to be right by the shower, and I came
out of the bathroom.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
He was standing in this door, and yeah, that's what
he said. You know, well you singing man.
Speaker 7 (10:51):
Yeah, so then y'all wrote together all your man y'all
are like a unit.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
You'll always right together.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
We're man. Yeah, we always uh you know, beat, we
do pretty much everything.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. And in nineteen it was a
nice nightey four, Here comes Cracker, are you yeah? Did
you see that coming?
Speaker 6 (11:08):
No? Still don't believe it.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Sixteen million albums, Still don't believe it.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
I mean it has to do in the highest selling
albums of all times.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
It's up there.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
We uh, you know, we had been a band for
nine years, eight years eight nine years. We've been a
band before we had a record deal, and we had
seen it going from being, you know, the biggest band
in my dorm room, to be in the biggest band
in our dorm, to be in the biggest band in
our college, then.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
The biggest play your college.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
Yeah, oh, you play frat parties all time in the
clubs and everything and all that stuff, and then you know,
then the biggest band in Columbia, then the biggest band
in South Carolina, and then we were the biggest band
in the southeast. Didn't have a record deal, and so
we'd watched our careers climb, so we got a record deal.
We just thought, you know, okay, this is just another
step in our career. But then all of a sudden,
the David Letiman Show happened, and we we went to
(11:51):
bed that night, we went to bed being hooting the Blowfish,
and the next day we woke up about to be
one of the biggest.
Speaker 6 (11:57):
Bands in the world. Was crazy.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
How did that? How do you handle that? Were you
ready for it?
Speaker 6 (12:02):
Oh? I don't. I don't think we have to be.
We didn't. We were lucky.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
We had four guys who were so close and so
on each other, so on top of each other, that
nobody could get a big at or get you know,
I mean we we I remember when a Dean put
on a black T shirt for the first time. I
think he took five hours of us just killing him.
Speaker 6 (12:21):
Oh you're a rock star now. Oh you know your
cool black T shirt. You're golf now.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
And so there was no time and and for us,
we were on the road so much, there was no time.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
We we didn't see the record sales going crazy.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
We saw our record at number one every week in
the Billboard, but we didn't see it. I mean, the
money was going in the bank and we were just
on the road. All we knew was these shows a
getting bigger and this is aweso. Yeah, that's all we knew.
And that's that was great.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
So off that record, you had hold my Hand, only
want to be with You. I got to say that
was my theme song.
Speaker 7 (12:51):
I loved that song the best, let Her Cry and
Time were those of four singles off huge songs.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Yeah records, right, I mean yeah, I mean a couple
of those songs were probably and you know, there an
American songbook, you know, to be around for a while,
and and uh, you know, I was a great feeling
watching those and we came along in such a perfect time.
It was timing more than do you think that's yeah,
the record was good, but it wasn't sixty and and
uh and you know, grunge was big, and you know,
(13:23):
record sales were dipping and nobody was you know, and
grunge was out and everybody was tired of being sad
and pissed off.
Speaker 6 (13:29):
And we came out and said hold my Hand, and yeah,
the world said.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Okay, weldn So what inspired you to write that?
Speaker 5 (13:35):
Sony, our drummer, actually brought that one. He wrote that one.
That's that's a good story. He uh he uh. We
were we our first drummer was leaving and we were
auditioning drummers and Sony came by the house and uh
he played with us, auditioned and then he said, I
got the song on what you guys did because I
want to start doing the mid original music and he
played old my hand.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
We were like, you're the drummer.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
That's amazing. Okay, So you guys going to do five albums.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
I don't know how you did, but five sounds about right.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
I really don't amazing. Okay.
Speaker 7 (14:16):
After that happens, you guys going to tour forever. Then
you're like, I'm gonna just pull a Hoodini and go
country because I'm such a badass, Like why not just
start from the bottom again.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
In nineteen eighty nine, Radney Foster came In nineteen ninety,
Radney Foster came out with his first soulo record called
Del Rio Texas nineteen fifty nine amazing and I'll never
forget the first time I heard that record. The first
time I heard that record, I said, Man, I want
sing cunty someday because I thought the record was so great,
and I mean I had been a fan growing up.
Speaker 6 (14:45):
I was a big Kenny Rogers guy.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
And you know, the opry was all you know, we
listened to it on the week, you know, because it
was for me. It was a lot of music and
I always wanted to hear a love music and you
could find you know, it was AM radio guy.
Speaker 6 (14:55):
That's how old I am. I was an AM radio guy.
Just love it.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
And you I know all the history of Offrey too.
Speaker 6 (15:00):
Yeah I do. I know, I try to study some
of that stuff. But uh, then I just.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
And then we toured every year and one day Sony,
our drummer, said, I just don't want to tour ever.
You I don't want to be a touring band like
that anymore. And yeah, he got tired of it. And
so for us, I was like, Okay, I guess I'm
gonna try to make a record country record.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
What's the rest of the band fine with it?
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Yeah, I mean we weren't gonna play okay, well we
were taking time off.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
So yeah, everybody go do whatever you want to do.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
And you're like, I'm still ready to do this.
Speaker 6 (15:27):
Yeah I was.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
I had always felt and like I'd even said it
to my account a few times. I'd always said, I
don't think my career is over. You know, I don't
think we're done. I don't think I'm done. And and uh,
you know McGhee, being the great manager they are, they
got me a record deal with Capitol. Because I say
it all the time, I wouldn't give me a record
deal because who's going to give the black lead singer
(15:48):
of a once huge band who's now they're still doing great.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
You know, they're still doing great touring business. But you know,
nobody's putting.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
Their records on the radio anymore, any new records on
the radio anymore. You know, they they've had that run.
And why would you give the black lead singer of
that band of dealing country music when there hasn't been
a black man with a hitting country music in twenty
five years.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
But you said, this is in my heart of doing it.
Speaker 6 (16:10):
Yeah, I said, but they gave me a deal.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
I still and I still say thank you to Mike
Dungon all the time, because he he said he went
into UH the day the night he decided to give
me a deal, he went into his offices and he
pulled his all his VPS and his main staff and
and he they all sat in the room and he said,
I want you guys to know that I think I
want to sign it there ex Trucker and one of
the guys said, Hudie and everybody in that room told
(16:35):
him it was the worst idea.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
You'd ever had, But it feels like a great idea.
Speaker 6 (16:38):
It wasn't the end, but I think on this and
I understood why this.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
It's it's it's amazing because even when I started a
radio tour and stuff, I had guys who are now
my friends really say I thought I'd never play you
because I just didn't think my audience would accept an
African American country singer.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
It's crazy.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
So had you written country songs before you started the
country process?
Speaker 5 (17:00):
This is some of the Hootie records, and all those
country songs are mine. I brought all those songs in,
you know.
Speaker 7 (17:06):
Yeah, So when you started the country process, had you
started the songwriting process for the album?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
No, So this was just like I.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
Came in and just let's start writing. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:14):
And did you get hooked up in the community with
the writers or have you found people you loved right with?
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (17:18):
I love writing with so many other guys, you know Rivers, Ruther,
Tim James, actually Gorley, you know, Kristi Bogg. I'm leaving
session to start the name of names because there's there's
probably thirty guys in town that could call me anytime
and say let's write, and I will make I'll clear
my schedule to go work with them because they say
it's great guys and great writers.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
So you agreed to start back at the bottom.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
That was actually that was my idea.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
How are you just like the biggest star on earth
alsold sixteen million records and now you're going to start
back at the bottom in country music and had to
prove yourself.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
Actually went into the office for my first meeting and
I told them I want to do a radio tour,
which shocked them. They didn't think I would because it
was you know, because you know, you just said. I
didn't think I would get.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
In a car and drive around the four radio stations
a day'rontwork.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
And I said I want to be And I even
told the guys that booked me, and I said, look,
I want to be a babyman. I don't want you
guys to go out and say, you know, he should
headline or where he's be in the middle because of
who you both said.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
No, I said, I'll take baby ban money and first,
and my first tour was first. My first tour was
I was first. It was Dirks, then Brad that.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Was my first You were first.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes. Absolutely, But I wanted to do that.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
I wanted to do I wanted Nashville to see that
I wasn't coming in here as a star. I was
coming in here as the new guy, and I was
going to work my way up. I wasn't expecting them
to give me anything. I was going to earn everything
I got.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
And where does that mentality come from?
Speaker 6 (18:46):
Growing up where I did? Did?
Speaker 5 (18:48):
I grew up with nothing, you know, and I don't
want anybody to give me anything because when you work
for it, it's.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
It's not better.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
So you wanted to prove it.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
Oh yeah, I want to touch me to know that first.
I want to know this wasn't a one off and.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
I wasn't coming in just a carpet bag and have
a couple and go back to the pop. And you know,
I wanted to come here and be part of country music.
And so I felt the way to do that was
to start from the bottom. I mean, go in the
bottom and humble yourself and then lose money. Because I
wasn't gonna fire fire my crew. I was gonna keep
the same creuse. So I was gonna have to lose
money to do this. But it was like, let's work
(19:19):
at us, work from the bottom up, and in the
long run, I think it'll be better.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
And you, like I said earlier, you know the grand
old operas. So you got accepted. How is that one
of the.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
Things when I got here, I told I told my management,
I said, I really want to play the opera as
much I can't, cassuo do. We tried to play operate,
We asked several times, and I said no because we
were rock bad and we understood that, and but we
really want and we never got to play it. And
so I really told him I want to play the
opery as much as I can. And that day I'll
never forget that day. I was, you know, you go
just another day at the opera for me, which I love.
(19:50):
It's always real out there and.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
And you know, they before I walked out, they said,
we're gonna have a question and answer period. After you,
you know, in the middle of your set. And I thought, so,
I've never seen that, that's never happened. Yeah, I was like,
that's never had a number. But if you guys want
to do it, cool, Okay. So I get out there
and the lady gets up and ask me a question
and ask it, and then another lady asked me a
question to answer, and then Brad Paisley stands up and
(20:13):
I thought I thought it was a practical joke because
I thought, I was like, it does he old me?
Because I think I might be one up on him?
And I think you and I'm really said, I'm thinking
this is gonna be funny. I'm about to get got
And when he said, uh.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
Emotional right now, when he said do you want to
be a part of the Grand o Arpery? That was huge.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
So what were the waves of emotions?
Speaker 6 (20:38):
It was?
Speaker 3 (20:39):
It was like and how crazy because you to with him?
Speaker 5 (20:41):
Yeah, and and and he he at the time and
so now he was probably my best friend in the
business really yeah, you know, and we talk all the
time and text all time. And it was one of
those things where if they had asked me why I
wanted to do that, it would have been Brad Paisley
and for him to be doing that and for me
to becoming a member of the opera, that was just
huge for me.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
That was huge. It was such a there.
Speaker 7 (21:01):
Could you believe at that moment what you had accomplished
your work ethic and your determination.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Yeah, like you started over.
Speaker 7 (21:08):
In a genre, you conquered rock, you started over in
a genre, and now you're accepted into the most prestigious
club and country music.
Speaker 6 (21:14):
Yeah, pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
That's unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
It was, it was and it still is, and it's
it's one of those things where you know, as I
always tell my kids, you know, you got to work
for it, and and that's that's That's just a great
example of it, because I think some people if they'd
come if they were me and they'd come over the country,
they would come over with a different attitude, like, you know,
I've already proved myself. I sold thirty minion records. Yeah,
you know, come on, you know, you guys just need
(21:38):
to let me in play, you know. But that wasn't
who I was because these people didn't have to play me.
I mean, I could have come and put out two
records and not had a top twenty.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
You had three number ones right off there.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
The number ones off the first record that was crazy
number one, uh, let me see, one was un thing,
I don't think about it.
Speaker 6 (21:55):
It was it won't be just for long. And the
other one was all right yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
And then you also a History of the.
Speaker 6 (22:00):
History that was on there too, and that was the
top five number three.
Speaker 7 (22:03):
So you've basically had four number ones. You came in,
started at the bottom, got four number ones.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Were you like, holy shit?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
Yes, I'm still like holy shit, you know, I mean seriously,
for me, it's when don't think I went to number one.
It was like, are you because that's just not what
I just didn't That wasn't what my thinking.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
I was thinking. I was really thinking, you know, let's
get this.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
If we can get this in the top twenty, maybe
in the top ten, don't let me make another record.
And you know, that's great. I got somebody paying for
my records. I don't have to make it myself. That's
that's awesome, And that's what I'm thinking. And then all
of a sudden gets the number one, and I'm like,
you know, you're you're freaking out. And then it's the
two week number one your Oh my goodness, and then
you know, then the other songs keep going up the
charts and all everything starts happening, and then you know,
(22:45):
I get the get the Rascal Flats Tour and there
and going out and doing that and yeah, it was,
it was.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
It was a fun run.
Speaker 7 (23:00):
So you had three number ones? What drives you? What
is your motto? Where does this come from? Like you said,
where you're from? Hard work? But like what is your do?
You just have like a vision board and you're like,
I'm going to accomplish this.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
I don't not a vision board.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
It's more like it's more like, once I decide I'm
gonna do it, you're going to I'm gonna If I
don't stock because I didn't work for it, Okay, you know,
if I don't get something, if it's not gonna because
I didn't work as hard as I could to get it,
it's gonna be just because I couldn't get it.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
But you gave everything.
Speaker 6 (23:31):
I get everything. I U.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
It took a toll on my life, took a toll
on the home life because I was I was working
so much and we don't live here, but I have
to be here all the time. You know, always coming
to Nashville, always doing this, and it was it was
hard work, but you know now it's so worth it.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Do you have to do music?
Speaker 6 (23:49):
I don't think so anymore.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
I did for a long time in my life, but uh,
you know, I'm getting up there now. You know it's
Charles Kelly said the most perfect thing.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
It was.
Speaker 5 (23:59):
It was years ago, a couple of years ago, and
when George straight announced that he was going to retire,
and Charles and I were sitting around having a beer
and he says, Darris, you're the oldest guy in the format.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
You're not.
Speaker 6 (24:10):
I am.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
I don't think I am, can't be.
Speaker 6 (24:13):
I am. I'm older Tim McGraw, I'm old.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
All we look younger than he's got in the format.
Speaker 6 (24:17):
And that was funny. That was funny.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
That's kind of nice. You're the patriarchic country music.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
I don't know what. I'm the granddad. I'm the old
dude in the corner in the real tair.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
So after you after you just hit you in the making,
now you've done.
Speaker 7 (24:33):
Is this your fourth year on the fourth country, So
you've almost had as long of a country career as
you have of a rocker.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
Did you ever think that would happen.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
No, No, I My goal was to get to let
me make two the second record after after I got
my record deal.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
That's really what I told myself.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Let's go work up on off and let me make
another record because I loved it.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
It was fun.
Speaker 5 (24:55):
I met Frank Rogers, I loved working with him. Things
were great, you know, And and so it was. It
was when it all started, when when I told myself
earlier and I wasn't going to get into the number.
I didn't want to get into the number this game
because when you're when you're watching charts and everything that sucks,
it's because it moved.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
They moved so slow and you're watching the charts. So
I told myselone to get into that and didn't. I didn't.
Speaker 5 (25:16):
And and so when I mean people that you could
have to come up with me and go, you know,
you've got a top ten record again, I was like, cool,
I didn't know, you know, And I don't think I
ever saw a number one.
Speaker 6 (25:26):
It was always somebody called me going number one this week? Cool?
Speaker 7 (25:29):
Do you set your expectations at zero? You work hard,
but do you have or do you set your expectations?
Speaker 5 (25:35):
I think something if it's a different situation. I think
in this situation, I set my expect expectations so low
because if you looked at the picture, it just seemed
like to want seven eight number ones and say I'm
going to do this and have four number one records
that would have that just didn't seem to be really feasible. Yeah,
(25:56):
the way this landscape of the whole the whole play was,
it just doesn't seem like feasible. So I just wanted
to be a small part of the community. Like you said,
get somebody to pay.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
For my records.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
That's all I wanted on a team.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
Yeah, absolutely, I want somebody to pay for my records.
And you know it turned into more than that.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
So what's the difference between rock, the rock genre and
the country.
Speaker 5 (26:18):
What's the one thing about when rock do you can
you can say anything you know? Rock and pop you
can say anything you want. Doesn't have to make sense.
What do you mean, who let dogs out?
Speaker 3 (26:29):
What does that even mean?
Speaker 6 (26:31):
My point exactly, huge song?
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Who let the Dogs out?
Speaker 5 (26:33):
Number one song? Huge song meant nothing? Didn't no meaning?
In country music, that'un. In country music, you always have
to have your song has to have a story.
Speaker 6 (26:42):
It has to mean something.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
I mean, I listened to even the songs that you
think are just you know, throw away songs or songs
that are or nothing because they're they're so popular whatever,
if you listen to the words, the words are so
great and the story is so great, and they're talking
about something and I love that. And and you always
hear about the fan loyalty, and I'll tell you that's true.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
Yeah, it's it's it's it's unbelievable. Country music. I always say,
pop and rock is always.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
Looking for the big the the next big thing, and
country music wants the next big thing, but they also
want that blanket that's on their bed that's been keeping
them warm for three years.
Speaker 6 (27:16):
Yeah, you know I love that.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Who are your greatest? Who do you admire?
Speaker 5 (27:22):
And country the biggest idol? Every time I opened my mouth,
I'm trying to be Radney Foster. No, you haven't written
a few songs together. We've done some shows together. He's
a friend, and he's that, he's a he's such, he's
when you talk about meeting the guy.
Speaker 6 (27:35):
Him being the way you wanted to be. Radney Foster
was the.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
Way I wanted to be he was the nicest human being,
so so humble, and the first time we met, I
told the story. I told him the story, and uh
he I want to see him play when he was
in Foster and Lloyd in this club and I showed
up Blate because I was working selling records and I
had to close the store down. I showed up and
I missed by three songs, three four songs.
Speaker 6 (27:57):
And I get there.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
And of course, you know, bars packed. I'm the only
black at the bar, and you know, make my way
up to the front. I mean, I get there late,
and I make my way up to the front because
it's Foster and Lloyd night, missing it and I'm up
there and it's about after about ten songs. I'm starting
to get little buzz, you know, and I'm start yelling,
you know, play you can come crying to me. You know,
they're not you know, they're ignoring me. And so they
(28:19):
go away, and they do, they do. They're coming back
for the encore. And when I come back to the encore,
sure there's that jerk again in the front row. You know,
play you can come crying to me. So Radney being
a nice guy who has looked over at me, and said,
hey man, I think you came in kind of late,
because you know, we played that early in the show.
And I looked at him and say, hey man, I'm
the only black dude in this place, and you mean
to tell me you can't play the one song I'm
(28:39):
asking you to play. And Bill looked at him, goes
he is and they played it again. They did yeah,
and uh I told him that story and he couldn't
He couldn't believe that was me.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
He's like, that was you. So he said, I told
that story a million times. I didn't know that was your. Yeah,
that was me.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
No, we had met, I had made it. I mean
who he had me at this time. We were still
a club band at the time. Yeah, we were clubbing
it when when all that went down, and so he
was like, wow, I can't believe that was you.
Speaker 6 (29:07):
I told that story a million times. It was like, dude,
that was me.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Full circle, full circle. I mean that comes back around absolutely.
Speaker 7 (29:13):
And that's kind of interesting that Radney Foster is the
one you pick because he's more obscure.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
He's not like mainstream country. Do you like that kind
of Yeah?
Speaker 6 (29:20):
I think the people I love I don't mind. I
like me not.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
I don't mind that I like mainstream country. But the
guys that I love, I love. I love it Nancy Griffith,
I love Dwight Yoakum, I love Radney Foster and Lloyd
you know those Doc Watson country records, like the Portrait
and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (29:37):
Those are the records that I love.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
I just when I was just engulfed in that stuff,
I wasn't listening.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
To a lot of country because I was listening to
all those records.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
You're a lyric, yeah, always. What do you like to
write about?
Speaker 6 (29:49):
Oh? I like to write about everything. You know.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
It seems like in the first records, I was always
writing about life, you know, my life and what was
going on. And you know, later on you start think
he's write about stuff that happen before or where you
are now.
Speaker 6 (30:01):
But I just I'm just like to write a long
the lyric is good. I like to write it.
Speaker 7 (30:05):
And then you cut an outside song that was yeah,
which I had always loved.
Speaker 6 (30:10):
Yeah, I had too, but I never thought about cutting it.
How did you?
Speaker 3 (30:13):
How did that come about?
Speaker 5 (30:14):
Oh, this is a cool story. I was my oldest daughter, Carrie.
She was in a high school talent show, and so
I went to see it. And I was in the
middle of making my record and I went to see it,
and I'm sitting there and, uh, the faculty band I'm
talking about two janitors and like four teachers get up
their band and they and they start playing wagon Wheel
and they playing it really country with drums and everything.
(30:37):
And I'm sitting there going, I never heard wagon witheel
like that. I always thot it was such a bluegrass song.
I'd never heard the country and they're playing it in
the middle of the second verse. I'm texting my texting
Frank Rogers, my producer, going, dude, you remember that wagon
Wheel song. I was like, yeah, you know, I don't
think we should cut. A lot of people cut it,
I said, dude, it all the way ISA were cutting it,
and we cut it, and that that thing took when
(31:00):
we put lady A on it is when I when
we first kind of I went cool, great last song
on the record, it would be awesome, never thought it'd
be a single, and then we put lady A on
it and they just went.
Speaker 6 (31:08):
To a new level.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Okay, So was that one of your biggest songs?
Speaker 6 (31:12):
That was a big song? I hadn't cut your music.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
Yeah, yeah, okay, what else have you've been married to
the same woman, Bethy, she's beautiful. You have given me
some marriage advice. Do you have any marriage advice? Like?
Speaker 3 (31:26):
How? Because she's been through the whole hooting the.
Speaker 6 (31:28):
Book, she's been we've been together seventeen years.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
How what is the secret?
Speaker 6 (31:35):
You can't.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
First, of course, love is a secret, is one of
the secrets. But you have to make time for each other.
And I mean from us, so you know it is.
And we're on the road so much. And now when
you have a kid, it's not like she can just
pack us on the road with me when the kids
got school and everything. So we gotta make time for
each other. I think our secret is we've both just
(31:56):
decided that we're gonna say together.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
I mean, I'm sure if you asked both of us,
we could say, yeah. We've both given each other reasons
we could leave. Well, we can, you know, but we've
decided to stay together. And and it's come in and
we work. We work on our marriage. It's not easy
by any stretched imagination.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
People who don't work on the dage. You have to
work on yourriage like anything else.
Speaker 5 (32:17):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, And I think that's and then and
I think for me, it took me a while to
get that becoming dude, you know, and I thought, I'm
providing everything's good.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
You know.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
We have a great life, you know, and and no,
we had to make it a great life. Les would
be great just because we can live where everyone go
where it was got to be great because I want
to talk to you, you know a little sit on
the beach and have a conversation. I want to settle
the back porch and have a conversation. Yeah, and that's
those are the things that are that.
Speaker 6 (32:40):
That keep it together.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
I love that. So I'm looking at your watch.
Speaker 7 (32:45):
You get my husband and a thousand horses first off, Graham,
and you have a little gras.
Speaker 5 (32:52):
My bro's the most important member of the band.
Speaker 7 (32:56):
Yes, Like the last night of tour when they tore
to all last year, Darius is like.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Here's the band, a thousand horses, and here's great feat
the only one that matters. You actually have such a bruman.
You bought him some shoes.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
He wears those things with so much pride. Yeah, because
they're they're beautiful.
Speaker 6 (33:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
I have this great company called Old Old Star out
in California that makes a handmakes these And I remember
we were hanging out with the horses just when they
just got.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
The love you so much.
Speaker 6 (33:26):
I know I love them too.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Isn't a beautful love?
Speaker 6 (33:28):
Absolutely?
Speaker 5 (33:29):
That's why I was so disappointed when they end the
last year, because I knew we had been on tour
for almost two years together. Yeah, and you know there
were boys, yeah, and you know, and I'm so proud,
so proud of so proud of me doing great.
Speaker 7 (33:39):
I love those guys they are Yeah, so you got Yeah,
And it was.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
This thing where I started, and I started with I
started it with Graham, the first guy in the band
who mentioned my boots.
Speaker 6 (33:50):
I gave a pair.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
And so Graham was the first guy who said, uh,
hey man, I love your boots.
Speaker 6 (33:56):
You are what size you wear?
Speaker 5 (33:57):
And he told me and I don't think you thought
I was serious. And then the next my song, I
wanted up there, man, there's your boots. And that's now
a ritual with me, like really, with Dan and Jay,
the first one of those guys that go, hey, man,
I love your boots.
Speaker 6 (34:07):
They're gonna get a pair of boots.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
That's awesome, that's amazing.
Speaker 7 (34:11):
Okay, I'm gonna wrap it up because I know you
got to go do the grand off. Yes, but I
like to end each episode with a little segment called
leave your Light.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Okay, so like, leave me some inspiration, leave.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
You some uh. You know, I'm looking looking around at
the world and everything has happened. I was talking about
this last night. So many, so many disasters and so
many bad things happen, and you know, I just I
think the more you can be nice it would be
good to one person at a time, the better the
world is going to be. There's so many people go
(34:48):
through life, go through a day not once doing something
nice for somebody else. And I think every day, try
to do one good thing. If it's just you know,
if it's just shake off somebody's hand, or pat some
one in the back, or you know that's somebody you
know you have a good day today, Do something nice
for somebody every day at least once.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
I love that. Will you actually have ruputation to be
one of the nicest men in country music? Oh, thank you, yeah, thank.
Speaker 7 (35:14):
You, thank you, Darius, thank you, thank.
Speaker 6 (35:16):
You, Carl.
Speaker 4 (35:20):
She's the Queen of talking.
Speaker 6 (35:21):
He was sown
I am going back to the beginning because it's just time.
I have been podcasting for close to ten years now.
I cannot even believe it. When I started podcasting, I
was a nervous wreck. I had no idea how to
do it.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
I was scared to ask people to come on my podcast.
But my very first guest was Darius Rucker. The Darius Rucker,
the lead singer of Hoodi and the Blowfush, the huge
country star, Darius Rucker, the sweetest heart ever.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
And my husband Michael was touring with him and his band.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Michael's band is a Thousand Horses, and they were opening
for Darius, and I just got super courageous and I
asked Darius to come on my podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
And he was the very first episode that I ever had.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
So I am throwing it back to the first episode
I have ever done for my podcast, and it's with
the one and only Darius Rucker. So let's go back
down memory lane and check it out.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
Carl Line, she's a queen of talking.
Speaker 5 (01:06):
Hey with sown you live.
Speaker 6 (01:09):
She's on the inside. She got the snoop on the
walls to watch on the lawns aside. No one can
do win, quiet.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Die cal line, carral Line, no one can do Win
Quiet Die call Line.
Speaker 7 (01:27):
It's Tiple Caroline.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Hey, y'all, welcome to Hyper Caroline Hobby.
Speaker 7 (01:32):
I'm your host, Caroline Hobby, and I am so excited
that you're here with me. This is my first podcast,
in my first episode, Yay. Before I get into the interview,
I want to give you a quick background onto who
I am. I am a Texas native born and raised.
Moved to Nashville when I was nineteen to become a
country music star. I got hooked up with two awesome girls,
(01:54):
Jennifer Wayne and Taylor Lynn, and we formed a trio
called Stealing Angels. I was in that trio for about
seven years. We toured the country.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
On a tour bus.
Speaker 7 (02:02):
We had two songs in the top fifty on the
charts on the Country charts, and we even got to
play Madison Square Garden open up for Tim McGraw, Rascal Flats,
Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
It was such a wild ride.
Speaker 7 (02:14):
It eventually fell apart, which was really sad and disheartening
and kind of broke my heart a little bit. But
just like when one thing falls apart, another thing comes
together and Jen and I got asked to do the
Amazing Race, which is the reality show which takes you
around the world.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
It was so fun. It's such an incredible experience.
Speaker 7 (02:33):
We got fourth place on season twenty two, and then
if that wasn't cool enough, just to race once, we
got asked back to race again on the All Star
season and we ended up coming in second place. We
lost the whole race by four seconds. Those were really
expensive seconds because you win a million dollars if you win,
but the experience was priceless. Because of Amazing Race. We
(02:55):
got to go to like twenty different countries, which is
just crazy. And when I finished that, when I finished
the second time racing on Amazing Race, I came back
to Nashville and I was like, what do I really love?
And I realized I love getting to know people, and
I love getting to know people's stories and figuring out
their drive and how people stay inspired. Because this industry,
this entertainment industry, is crazy and it can break your
(03:17):
heart and it can tear you down, and you have
to really have a vision, and you have to have
a focus, and you have to have a drive. And
it's not for the week, for sure, It's not for
the faint of heart, and so I definitely was curious
about how people stay motivated. And I've collected a ton
of interesting friends after living in Nashville for over ten years,
and I'm like, you know what, I'm going to interview
these people and I'm going to get to know what's
(03:40):
going on in their brains and see why they wake
up every morning and get hyper about their career and
get hyper about their dreams.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
So that is why hyper Caroline Hobby was born.
Speaker 7 (03:50):
And I hope that you enjoy hearing from all these
incredible people, because it has been a blast so far
getting to talk to some of the coolest people I
know in Nashville. The first person that we're interviewing is
Darius Rucker. What He's from Hooty and the Blowfish. He
sold thirty million albums with Hooty and the Blowfish. And
if that wasn't crazy enough and cool enough, he then
(04:11):
started all the way back over in country music and
climbed his way back from the just the starting ground
all the way to the top of the charts and
country music. He didn't take any freebies. He didn't come
in as a superstar. He started off like any other
newbie and country music and worked his way all the
way up to the top. And his story is incredible,
It's inspiring. He's probably one of the most hard working,
(04:32):
driven men I've ever met. He's hilarious and it was
a super big privilege to get to interview him. So
please welcome Darius Rucker to Hyper Caroline Hobby.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Hi, Darius Rucker.
Speaker 6 (04:46):
How are you?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I'm fabulous? How are you doing?
Speaker 6 (04:49):
Oh good?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Are you enjoying this snow?
Speaker 6 (04:52):
A big snow guy? But you know it's okay?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Ah, I know, well you don't. You don't live in Nashville,
do you No, I don't live in Nashville and Charleston.
Speaker 6 (04:59):
We never get snow.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
So you know, when I came here yesterday and it
was crazy, I hadn't stopped as I woke up.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
I think you brought it with you because it started yesterday.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
You know.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Oh sorry, you know I got to bring something. How
come you don't want to come to ashe I'm banded.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
That's very true. Yeah, absolutely, Okay.
Speaker 7 (05:15):
So you started off and I was like, in nineteen
eighty six is when this whole thing started for you.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
I was a.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Sophomore in college and met this guy who uh was
a guitar player. And he asked me if he heard
me singing in the shower.
Speaker 6 (05:32):
Yeah, you heard me singing a Billy Joel song.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
And you always singing the shower?
Speaker 6 (05:35):
I used to. I don't.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I don't think I do much anymore, but I used
to all the time. Yeah, because this was like we
had community showers, you know. It wasn't like like you
know now they have all these new, these great showers
and these dorms, but ours was just four six shower heads.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
In one open room one one open room.
Speaker 6 (05:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
And I have a shower in the afternoon and no
one was in there, and I'm singing and I walk
out and he goes, man, was that you?
Speaker 6 (05:53):
I was like, yeah, He's like, wow.
Speaker 5 (05:55):
You know I play guitar and that, and I said really,
I was like, you know, he said, want you come
out later see we be doing the same song.
Speaker 6 (06:00):
And I did. And butter Man, ever since.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Did you have intentions to be a singer?
Speaker 5 (06:04):
I always wanted to be. That's all I ever wanted, really,
since I was four, that's all I ever wanted to be.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Really.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
Yeah, you know, but you get older and you realize
that's never going to happen and you got to get
a real job.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Are you going to do the real job thing?
Speaker 6 (06:14):
Yeah? I want to.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
I wanted to work in sports, something to sports, either
radio or television or something.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
We have a great voice for it, like a voice.
Speaker 6 (06:22):
Yeah. I still I still want to have a sports
talk show some day.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Sports I want to do that someday I retire.
Speaker 6 (06:28):
I like them. I like all, you know, the three
majors we have here, But football I live for it.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
It's sometimes it's really why I get out of bed
and in the morning because.
Speaker 6 (06:35):
Football is on that day.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Were you stoked about the Super Bowl?
Speaker 6 (06:39):
I wis shouldn't have been a better game? I was? Uh,
I was.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
I'm always stoked py super Bowl because it's the it's
the championship of my favorite league. But then around two
minutes left in the fourth court, I get really sad
because I realized it's normal football till like September augusta
and and that's always a sad time for me.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
I barely even knew who was playing in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 6 (06:59):
Probably only one team really played.
Speaker 7 (07:01):
Cle's okay, okay, I want to start off with some
rapid fire.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Okay, Ready, are your morning or a night person.
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Morning?
Speaker 5 (07:09):
What I've become. I used to be a night person.
But in my but you can hang, I can hang,
but I get up. I'm up every morning at six,
six thirty no matter what I do, and I play
all four. You don't getting the kids in school or whatever.
But I'm I'm a morning person.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So you're just not really a sleep person.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
Not lately. No, I don't. I don't. I don't need
eight that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
You don't need eight. No, what can you function on?
Speaker 5 (07:28):
I'm going on about I'm seriously going on about nine
hours in the last four days right now.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
So does that make you like irritable?
Speaker 6 (07:36):
I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
You're always so pleasant.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
I try to be.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
When I get tired, I get irritable, not you.
Speaker 5 (07:41):
Yeah, Now, when I get tired, I just get ain't quiet.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
When I get tired, I think.
Speaker 7 (07:46):
Okay, okay, so morning. If you had to be the
pet cat to any celebrity, who would it be?
Speaker 3 (07:52):
And why?
Speaker 5 (07:55):
If I have to be a cat for any celebrity,
I would be a cat for Paula Kartney.
Speaker 6 (08:00):
Okay, So I can hang out with him.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
You're number one.
Speaker 6 (08:05):
Oh, he's my buddy.
Speaker 5 (08:06):
He's one of the few things on my bucket list
is to sit and have a beer with He's my
absolutely Al Green's my absolute idol.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
Al Green is the guy who made me want to sing.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Really, you know, but I've been lucky, fortunate enough to
actually hang out with a couple of times.
Speaker 6 (08:18):
Great. He's just a great human being.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
And you live up the hope you had.
Speaker 6 (08:22):
Absolutely, he was great to be nice and and it
was awesome.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
And but you know, Paul's is a close second. I
just you know, I love Paul mcarty.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
Okay, okay, so he'd be his cat sitting.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
It stroked me rubbing up against his leg, absolutely, okay.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Any tattoos or piercings.
Speaker 6 (08:42):
Three tattoos. Tattoos I got too. I'm getting a third one.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
What are you going to get?
Speaker 6 (08:47):
I want to find.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Somebody to And I was gonna not cheesy, but in
Elvis writing is from a from the Lord of the rings.
I want my three kids names.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
I love that. Where do you want to put it?
Speaker 6 (08:58):
Probably?
Speaker 3 (08:59):
And do you have another one on your own?
Speaker 5 (09:01):
I got a I thought it was a peace flag,
and uh, this is flag I have my arm. It's red,
golden green, and uh. And in the corner where the
stars are. I put a piece sign and one day
I get out of the shower and my wife goes this, Honey,
I thought you said you got the peace flag.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
I said this.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
He said, no, you didn't. You get the Mercedes flag.
And I looked at it and I realized they didn't put
the line down the middle. So I do have the Mercedes.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Bens drive a Mercedes. She does, you might want get
free Mercedes if you put it on your arm.
Speaker 6 (09:30):
Agree.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
I agree, that's amazing. Okay, what do you consider your
greatest achievement?
Speaker 6 (09:36):
Oh, my grace. Achievements are my kids?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Really? That's awesome?
Speaker 6 (09:39):
Yeah, I mean it's you know Carrie who's in college now.
I'm so proud of her.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
She struggled through a lot of hard times in school
and now she's blossoming in such a wonderful, beautiful being
in college and just enjoying herself. And my other you know,
Danny and Jack are just such great kids that they're
definitely my my that's the.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
Best thing I've ever done.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
Awesome. Did you always know you wanted kids too?
Speaker 6 (09:58):
Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Was it hard to have kids touring?
Speaker 5 (10:02):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (10:02):
It wasn't hard. I mean it wasn't hard.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
It was hard with carry, to be honest with you,
because who do you be? Toured so different than country
guys did. Like I'd go for six months and I'd
go for seriously, I'd go for a month without coming home,
and then you come home and you know, you're home.
Speaker 6 (10:14):
For three days.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Yeah, and then you're back out for three weeks and
you know, we don't do that in country, thank goodness.
Speaker 6 (10:19):
But uh, it's tough. Then now it's just great.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
I mean, you know, I play tour in the summer
and on the weekends, and you know, if the kids
want to go, my sons and you know, as you know,
it was with me the whole time. Yeah, they come
out and they come out with me. So that's always fun.
Speaker 7 (10:31):
Okay, So country touring is a little more family absolutely oriented.
Speaker 6 (10:34):
Absolutely no doubt about that.
Speaker 7 (10:36):
Oh yeah, okay, okay, So you met in the shower,
but your band were they actually in the shower with you?
Speaker 5 (10:42):
No, I was just meaning to say. I came out
of the bathroom and he was staying. His door just
happened to be right by the shower, and I came
out of the bathroom.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
He was standing in this door, and yeah, that's what
he said. You know, well you singing man.
Speaker 7 (10:51):
Yeah, so then y'all wrote together all your man y'all
are like a unit.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
You'll always right together.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
We're man. Yeah, we always uh you know, beat, we
do pretty much everything.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
Yeah, yeah, that's amazing. And in nineteen it was a
nice nightey four, Here comes Cracker, are you yeah? Did
you see that coming?
Speaker 6 (11:08):
No? Still don't believe it.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
Sixteen million albums, Still don't believe it.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
I mean it has to do in the highest selling
albums of all times.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
It's up there.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
We uh, you know, we had been a band for
nine years, eight years eight nine years. We've been a
band before we had a record deal, and we had
seen it going from being, you know, the biggest band
in my dorm room, to be in the biggest band
in our dorm, to be in the biggest band in
our college, then.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
The biggest play your college.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
Yeah, oh, you play frat parties all time in the
clubs and everything and all that stuff, and then you know,
then the biggest band in Columbia, then the biggest band
in South Carolina, and then we were the biggest band
in the southeast. Didn't have a record deal, and so
we'd watched our careers climb, so we got a record deal.
We just thought, you know, okay, this is just another
step in our career. But then all of a sudden,
the David Letiman Show happened, and we we went to
(11:51):
bed that night, we went to bed being hooting the Blowfish,
and the next day we woke up about to be
one of the biggest.
Speaker 6 (11:57):
Bands in the world. Was crazy.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
How did that? How do you handle that? Were you
ready for it?
Speaker 6 (12:02):
Oh? I don't. I don't think we have to be.
We didn't. We were lucky.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
We had four guys who were so close and so
on each other, so on top of each other, that
nobody could get a big at or get you know,
I mean we we I remember when a Dean put
on a black T shirt for the first time. I
think he took five hours of us just killing him.
Speaker 6 (12:21):
Oh you're a rock star now. Oh you know your
cool black T shirt. You're golf now.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
And so there was no time and and for us,
we were on the road so much, there was no time.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
We we didn't see the record sales going crazy.
Speaker 5 (12:35):
We saw our record at number one every week in
the Billboard, but we didn't see it. I mean, the
money was going in the bank and we were just
on the road. All we knew was these shows a
getting bigger and this is aweso. Yeah, that's all we knew.
And that's that was great.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
So off that record, you had hold my Hand, only
want to be with You. I got to say that
was my theme song.
Speaker 7 (12:51):
I loved that song the best, let Her Cry and
Time were those of four singles off huge songs.
Speaker 5 (12:59):
Yeah records, right, I mean yeah, I mean a couple
of those songs were probably and you know, there an
American songbook, you know, to be around for a while,
and and uh, you know, I was a great feeling
watching those and we came along in such a perfect time.
It was timing more than do you think that's yeah,
the record was good, but it wasn't sixty and and
uh and you know, grunge was big, and you know,
(13:23):
record sales were dipping and nobody was you know, and
grunge was out and everybody was tired of being sad
and pissed off.
Speaker 6 (13:29):
And we came out and said hold my Hand, and yeah,
the world said.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Okay, weldn So what inspired you to write that?
Speaker 5 (13:35):
Sony, our drummer, actually brought that one. He wrote that one.
That's that's a good story. He uh he uh. We
were we our first drummer was leaving and we were
auditioning drummers and Sony came by the house and uh
he played with us, auditioned and then he said, I
got the song on what you guys did because I
want to start doing the mid original music and he
played old my hand.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
We were like, you're the drummer.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
That's amazing. Okay, So you guys going to do five albums.
Speaker 6 (14:10):
I don't know how you did, but five sounds about right.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
I really don't amazing. Okay.
Speaker 7 (14:16):
After that happens, you guys going to tour forever. Then
you're like, I'm gonna just pull a Hoodini and go
country because I'm such a badass, Like why not just
start from the bottom again.
Speaker 5 (14:29):
In nineteen eighty nine, Radney Foster came In nineteen ninety,
Radney Foster came out with his first soulo record called
Del Rio Texas nineteen fifty nine amazing and I'll never
forget the first time I heard that record. The first
time I heard that record, I said, Man, I want
sing cunty someday because I thought the record was so great,
and I mean I had been a fan growing up.
Speaker 6 (14:45):
I was a big Kenny Rogers guy.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
And you know, the opry was all you know, we
listened to it on the week, you know, because it
was for me. It was a lot of music and
I always wanted to hear a love music and you
could find you know, it was AM radio guy.
Speaker 6 (14:55):
That's how old I am. I was an AM radio guy.
Just love it.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
And you I know all the history of Offrey too.
Speaker 6 (15:00):
Yeah I do. I know, I try to study some
of that stuff. But uh, then I just.
Speaker 5 (15:05):
And then we toured every year and one day Sony,
our drummer, said, I just don't want to tour ever.
You I don't want to be a touring band like
that anymore. And yeah, he got tired of it. And
so for us, I was like, Okay, I guess I'm
gonna try to make a record country record.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
What's the rest of the band fine with it?
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Yeah, I mean we weren't gonna play okay, well we
were taking time off.
Speaker 6 (15:24):
So yeah, everybody go do whatever you want to do.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
And you're like, I'm still ready to do this.
Speaker 6 (15:27):
Yeah I was.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
I had always felt and like I'd even said it
to my account a few times. I'd always said, I
don't think my career is over. You know, I don't
think we're done. I don't think I'm done. And and uh,
you know McGhee, being the great manager they are, they
got me a record deal with Capitol. Because I say
it all the time, I wouldn't give me a record
deal because who's going to give the black lead singer
(15:48):
of a once huge band who's now they're still doing great.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
You know, they're still doing great touring business. But you know,
nobody's putting.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
Their records on the radio anymore, any new records on
the radio anymore. You know, they they've had that run.
And why would you give the black lead singer of
that band of dealing country music when there hasn't been
a black man with a hitting country music in twenty
five years.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
But you said, this is in my heart of doing it.
Speaker 6 (16:10):
Yeah, I said, but they gave me a deal.
Speaker 5 (16:13):
I still and I still say thank you to Mike
Dungon all the time, because he he said he went
into UH the day the night he decided to give
me a deal, he went into his offices and he
pulled his all his VPS and his main staff and
and he they all sat in the room and he said,
I want you guys to know that I think I
want to sign it there ex Trucker and one of
the guys said, Hudie and everybody in that room told
(16:35):
him it was the worst idea.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
You'd ever had, But it feels like a great idea.
Speaker 6 (16:38):
It wasn't the end, but I think on this and
I understood why this.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
It's it's it's amazing because even when I started a
radio tour and stuff, I had guys who are now
my friends really say I thought I'd never play you
because I just didn't think my audience would accept an
African American country singer.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
It's crazy.
Speaker 7 (16:55):
So had you written country songs before you started the
country process?
Speaker 5 (17:00):
This is some of the Hootie records, and all those
country songs are mine. I brought all those songs in,
you know.
Speaker 7 (17:06):
Yeah, So when you started the country process, had you
started the songwriting process for the album?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
No, So this was just like I.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
Came in and just let's start writing. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:14):
And did you get hooked up in the community with
the writers or have you found people you loved right with?
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (17:18):
I love writing with so many other guys, you know Rivers, Ruther,
Tim James, actually Gorley, you know, Kristi Bogg. I'm leaving
session to start the name of names because there's there's
probably thirty guys in town that could call me anytime
and say let's write, and I will make I'll clear
my schedule to go work with them because they say
it's great guys and great writers.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
So you agreed to start back at the bottom.
Speaker 6 (17:42):
That was actually that was my idea.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
How are you just like the biggest star on earth
alsold sixteen million records and now you're going to start
back at the bottom in country music and had to
prove yourself.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
Actually went into the office for my first meeting and
I told them I want to do a radio tour,
which shocked them. They didn't think I would because it
was you know, because you know, you just said. I
didn't think I would get.
Speaker 6 (18:02):
In a car and drive around the four radio stations
a day'rontwork.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
And I said I want to be And I even
told the guys that booked me, and I said, look,
I want to be a babyman. I don't want you
guys to go out and say, you know, he should
headline or where he's be in the middle because of
who you both said.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
No, I said, I'll take baby ban money and first,
and my first tour was first. My first tour was
I was first. It was Dirks, then Brad that.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Was my first You were first.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes. Absolutely, But I wanted to do that.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
I wanted to do I wanted Nashville to see that
I wasn't coming in here as a star. I was
coming in here as the new guy, and I was
going to work my way up. I wasn't expecting them
to give me anything. I was going to earn everything
I got.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
And where does that mentality come from?
Speaker 6 (18:46):
Growing up where I did? Did?
Speaker 5 (18:48):
I grew up with nothing, you know, and I don't
want anybody to give me anything because when you work
for it, it's.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
It's not better.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
So you wanted to prove it.
Speaker 6 (18:54):
Oh yeah, I want to touch me to know that first.
I want to know this wasn't a one off and.
Speaker 5 (18:57):
I wasn't coming in just a carpet bag and have
a couple and go back to the pop. And you know,
I wanted to come here and be part of country music.
And so I felt the way to do that was
to start from the bottom. I mean, go in the
bottom and humble yourself and then lose money. Because I
wasn't gonna fire fire my crew. I was gonna keep
the same creuse. So I was gonna have to lose
money to do this. But it was like, let's work
(19:19):
at us, work from the bottom up, and in the
long run, I think it'll be better.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
And you, like I said earlier, you know the grand
old operas. So you got accepted. How is that one
of the.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
Things when I got here, I told I told my management,
I said, I really want to play the opera as
much I can't, cassuo do. We tried to play operate,
We asked several times, and I said no because we
were rock bad and we understood that, and but we
really want and we never got to play it. And
so I really told him I want to play the
opery as much as I can. And that day I'll
never forget that day. I was, you know, you go
just another day at the opera for me, which I love.
(19:50):
It's always real out there and.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (19:52):
And you know, they before I walked out, they said,
we're gonna have a question and answer period. After you,
you know, in the middle of your set. And I thought, so,
I've never seen that, that's never happened. Yeah, I was like,
that's never had a number. But if you guys want
to do it, cool, Okay. So I get out there
and the lady gets up and ask me a question
and ask it, and then another lady asked me a
question to answer, and then Brad Paisley stands up and
(20:13):
I thought I thought it was a practical joke because
I thought, I was like, it does he old me?
Because I think I might be one up on him?
And I think you and I'm really said, I'm thinking
this is gonna be funny. I'm about to get got
And when he said, uh.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
Emotional right now, when he said do you want to
be a part of the Grand o Arpery? That was huge.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
So what were the waves of emotions?
Speaker 6 (20:38):
It was?
Speaker 3 (20:39):
It was like and how crazy because you to with him?
Speaker 5 (20:41):
Yeah, and and and he he at the time and
so now he was probably my best friend in the
business really yeah, you know, and we talk all the
time and text all time. And it was one of
those things where if they had asked me why I
wanted to do that, it would have been Brad Paisley
and for him to be doing that and for me
to becoming a member of the opera, that was just
huge for me.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
That was huge. It was such a there.
Speaker 7 (21:01):
Could you believe at that moment what you had accomplished
your work ethic and your determination.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Yeah, like you started over.
Speaker 7 (21:08):
In a genre, you conquered rock, you started over in
a genre, and now you're accepted into the most prestigious
club and country music.
Speaker 6 (21:14):
Yeah, pretty crazy.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
That's unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
It was, it was and it still is, and it's
it's one of those things where you know, as I
always tell my kids, you know, you got to work
for it, and and that's that's That's just a great
example of it, because I think some people if they'd
come if they were me and they'd come over the country,
they would come over with a different attitude, like, you know,
I've already proved myself. I sold thirty minion records. Yeah,
you know, come on, you know, you guys just need
(21:38):
to let me in play, you know. But that wasn't
who I was because these people didn't have to play me.
I mean, I could have come and put out two
records and not had a top twenty.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
You had three number ones right off there.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
The number ones off the first record that was crazy
number one, uh, let me see, one was un thing,
I don't think about it.
Speaker 6 (21:55):
It was it won't be just for long. And the
other one was all right yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:59):
And then you also a History of the.
Speaker 6 (22:00):
History that was on there too, and that was the
top five number three.
Speaker 7 (22:03):
So you've basically had four number ones. You came in,
started at the bottom, got four number ones.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Were you like, holy shit?
Speaker 5 (22:10):
Yes, I'm still like holy shit, you know, I mean seriously,
for me, it's when don't think I went to number one.
It was like, are you because that's just not what
I just didn't That wasn't what my thinking.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
I was thinking. I was really thinking, you know, let's
get this.
Speaker 5 (22:23):
If we can get this in the top twenty, maybe
in the top ten, don't let me make another record.
And you know, that's great. I got somebody paying for
my records. I don't have to make it myself. That's
that's awesome, And that's what I'm thinking. And then all
of a sudden gets the number one, and I'm like,
you know, you're you're freaking out. And then it's the
two week number one your Oh my goodness, and then
you know, then the other songs keep going up the
charts and all everything starts happening, and then you know,
(22:45):
I get the get the Rascal Flats Tour and there
and going out and doing that and yeah, it was,
it was.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
It was a fun run.
Speaker 7 (23:00):
So you had three number ones? What drives you? What
is your motto? Where does this come from? Like you said,
where you're from? Hard work? But like what is your do?
You just have like a vision board and you're like,
I'm going to accomplish this.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
I don't not a vision board.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
It's more like it's more like, once I decide I'm
gonna do it, you're going to I'm gonna If I
don't stock because I didn't work for it, Okay, you know,
if I don't get something, if it's not gonna because
I didn't work as hard as I could to get it,
it's gonna be just because I couldn't get it.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
But you gave everything.
Speaker 6 (23:31):
I get everything. I U.
Speaker 5 (23:33):
It took a toll on my life, took a toll
on the home life because I was I was working
so much and we don't live here, but I have
to be here all the time. You know, always coming
to Nashville, always doing this, and it was it was
hard work, but you know now it's so worth it.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
Do you have to do music?
Speaker 6 (23:49):
I don't think so anymore.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
I did for a long time in my life, but uh,
you know, I'm getting up there now. You know it's
Charles Kelly said the most perfect thing.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
It was.
Speaker 5 (23:59):
It was years ago, a couple of years ago, and
when George straight announced that he was going to retire,
and Charles and I were sitting around having a beer
and he says, Darris, you're the oldest guy in the format.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
You're not.
Speaker 6 (24:10):
I am.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
I don't think I am, can't be.
Speaker 6 (24:13):
I am. I'm older Tim McGraw, I'm old.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
All we look younger than he's got in the format.
Speaker 6 (24:17):
And that was funny. That was funny.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
That's kind of nice. You're the patriarchic country music.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
I don't know what. I'm the granddad. I'm the old
dude in the corner in the real tair.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
So after you after you just hit you in the making,
now you've done.
Speaker 7 (24:33):
Is this your fourth year on the fourth country, So
you've almost had as long of a country career as
you have of a rocker.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
Did you ever think that would happen.
Speaker 5 (24:41):
No, No, I My goal was to get to let
me make two the second record after after I got
my record deal.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
That's really what I told myself.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Let's go work up on off and let me make
another record because I loved it.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
It was fun.
Speaker 5 (24:55):
I met Frank Rogers, I loved working with him. Things
were great, you know, And and so it was. It
was when it all started, when when I told myself
earlier and I wasn't going to get into the number.
I didn't want to get into the number this game
because when you're when you're watching charts and everything that sucks,
it's because it moved.
Speaker 6 (25:12):
They moved so slow and you're watching the charts. So
I told myselone to get into that and didn't. I didn't.
Speaker 5 (25:16):
And and so when I mean people that you could
have to come up with me and go, you know,
you've got a top ten record again, I was like, cool,
I didn't know, you know, And I don't think I
ever saw a number one.
Speaker 6 (25:26):
It was always somebody called me going number one this week? Cool?
Speaker 7 (25:29):
Do you set your expectations at zero? You work hard,
but do you have or do you set your expectations?
Speaker 5 (25:35):
I think something if it's a different situation. I think
in this situation, I set my expect expectations so low
because if you looked at the picture, it just seemed
like to want seven eight number ones and say I'm
going to do this and have four number one records
that would have that just didn't seem to be really feasible. Yeah,
(25:56):
the way this landscape of the whole the whole play was,
it just doesn't seem like feasible. So I just wanted
to be a small part of the community. Like you said,
get somebody to pay.
Speaker 6 (26:06):
For my records.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
That's all I wanted on a team.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
Yeah, absolutely, I want somebody to pay for my records.
And you know it turned into more than that.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
So what's the difference between rock, the rock genre and
the country.
Speaker 5 (26:18):
What's the one thing about when rock do you can
you can say anything you know? Rock and pop you
can say anything you want. Doesn't have to make sense.
What do you mean, who let dogs out?
Speaker 3 (26:29):
What does that even mean?
Speaker 6 (26:31):
My point exactly, huge song?
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Who let the Dogs out?
Speaker 5 (26:33):
Number one song? Huge song meant nothing? Didn't no meaning?
In country music, that'un. In country music, you always have
to have your song has to have a story.
Speaker 6 (26:42):
It has to mean something.
Speaker 5 (26:43):
I mean, I listened to even the songs that you
think are just you know, throw away songs or songs
that are or nothing because they're they're so popular whatever,
if you listen to the words, the words are so
great and the story is so great, and they're talking
about something and I love that. And and you always
hear about the fan loyalty, and I'll tell you that's true.
Speaker 6 (27:00):
Yeah, it's it's it's it's unbelievable. Country music. I always say,
pop and rock is always.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
Looking for the big the the next big thing, and
country music wants the next big thing, but they also
want that blanket that's on their bed that's been keeping
them warm for three years.
Speaker 6 (27:16):
Yeah, you know I love that.
Speaker 3 (27:20):
Who are your greatest? Who do you admire?
Speaker 5 (27:22):
And country the biggest idol? Every time I opened my mouth,
I'm trying to be Radney Foster. No, you haven't written
a few songs together. We've done some shows together. He's
a friend, and he's that, he's a he's such, he's
when you talk about meeting the guy.
Speaker 6 (27:35):
Him being the way you wanted to be. Radney Foster
was the.
Speaker 5 (27:38):
Way I wanted to be he was the nicest human being,
so so humble, and the first time we met, I
told the story. I told him the story, and uh
he I want to see him play when he was
in Foster and Lloyd in this club and I showed
up Blate because I was working selling records and I
had to close the store down. I showed up and
I missed by three songs, three four songs.
Speaker 6 (27:57):
And I get there.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
And of course, you know, bars packed. I'm the only
black at the bar, and you know, make my way
up to the front. I mean, I get there late,
and I make my way up to the front because
it's Foster and Lloyd night, missing it and I'm up
there and it's about after about ten songs. I'm starting
to get little buzz, you know, and I'm start yelling,
you know, play you can come crying to me. You know,
they're not you know, they're ignoring me. And so they
(28:19):
go away, and they do, they do. They're coming back
for the encore. And when I come back to the encore,
sure there's that jerk again in the front row. You know,
play you can come crying to me. So Radney being
a nice guy who has looked over at me, and said,
hey man, I think you came in kind of late,
because you know, we played that early in the show.
And I looked at him and say, hey man, I'm
the only black dude in this place, and you mean
to tell me you can't play the one song I'm
(28:39):
asking you to play. And Bill looked at him, goes
he is and they played it again. They did yeah,
and uh I told him that story and he couldn't
He couldn't believe that was me.
Speaker 6 (28:50):
He's like, that was you. So he said, I told
that story a million times. I didn't know that was your. Yeah,
that was me.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
No, we had met, I had made it. I mean
who he had me at this time. We were still
a club band at the time. Yeah, we were clubbing
it when when all that went down, and so he
was like, wow, I can't believe that was you.
Speaker 6 (29:07):
I told that story a million times. It was like, dude,
that was me.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Full circle, full circle. I mean that comes back around absolutely.
Speaker 7 (29:13):
And that's kind of interesting that Radney Foster is the
one you pick because he's more obscure.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
He's not like mainstream country. Do you like that kind
of Yeah?
Speaker 6 (29:20):
I think the people I love I don't mind. I
like me not.
Speaker 5 (29:23):
I don't mind that I like mainstream country. But the
guys that I love, I love. I love it Nancy Griffith,
I love Dwight Yoakum, I love Radney Foster and Lloyd
you know those Doc Watson country records, like the Portrait
and stuff like that.
Speaker 6 (29:37):
Those are the records that I love.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
I just when I was just engulfed in that stuff,
I wasn't listening.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
To a lot of country because I was listening to
all those records.
Speaker 3 (29:44):
You're a lyric, yeah, always. What do you like to
write about?
Speaker 6 (29:49):
Oh? I like to write about everything. You know.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
It seems like in the first records, I was always
writing about life, you know, my life and what was
going on. And you know, later on you start think
he's write about stuff that happen before or where you
are now.
Speaker 6 (30:01):
But I just I'm just like to write a long
the lyric is good. I like to write it.
Speaker 7 (30:05):
And then you cut an outside song that was yeah,
which I had always loved.
Speaker 6 (30:10):
Yeah, I had too, but I never thought about cutting it.
How did you?
Speaker 3 (30:13):
How did that come about?
Speaker 5 (30:14):
Oh, this is a cool story. I was my oldest daughter, Carrie.
She was in a high school talent show, and so
I went to see it. And I was in the
middle of making my record and I went to see it,
and I'm sitting there and, uh, the faculty band I'm
talking about two janitors and like four teachers get up
their band and they and they start playing wagon Wheel
and they playing it really country with drums and everything.
(30:37):
And I'm sitting there going, I never heard wagon witheel
like that. I always thot it was such a bluegrass song.
I'd never heard the country and they're playing it in
the middle of the second verse. I'm texting my texting
Frank Rogers, my producer, going, dude, you remember that wagon
Wheel song. I was like, yeah, you know, I don't
think we should cut. A lot of people cut it,
I said, dude, it all the way ISA were cutting it,
and we cut it, and that that thing took when
(31:00):
we put lady A on it is when I when
we first kind of I went cool, great last song
on the record, it would be awesome, never thought it'd
be a single, and then we put lady A on
it and they just went.
Speaker 6 (31:08):
To a new level.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
Okay, So was that one of your biggest songs?
Speaker 6 (31:12):
That was a big song? I hadn't cut your music.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
Yeah, yeah, okay, what else have you've been married to
the same woman, Bethy, she's beautiful. You have given me
some marriage advice. Do you have any marriage advice? Like?
Speaker 3 (31:26):
How? Because she's been through the whole hooting the.
Speaker 6 (31:28):
Book, she's been we've been together seventeen years.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
How what is the secret?
Speaker 6 (31:35):
You can't.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
First, of course, love is a secret, is one of
the secrets. But you have to make time for each other.
And I mean from us, so you know it is.
And we're on the road so much. And now when
you have a kid, it's not like she can just
pack us on the road with me when the kids
got school and everything. So we gotta make time for
each other. I think our secret is we've both just
(31:56):
decided that we're gonna say together.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
I mean, I'm sure if you asked both of us,
we could say, yeah. We've both given each other reasons
we could leave. Well, we can, you know, but we've
decided to stay together. And and it's come in and
we work. We work on our marriage. It's not easy
by any stretched imagination.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
People who don't work on the dage. You have to
work on yourriage like anything else.
Speaker 5 (32:17):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, And I think that's and then and
I think for me, it took me a while to
get that becoming dude, you know, and I thought, I'm
providing everything's good.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
You know.
Speaker 5 (32:25):
We have a great life, you know, and and no,
we had to make it a great life. Les would
be great just because we can live where everyone go
where it was got to be great because I want
to talk to you, you know a little sit on
the beach and have a conversation. I want to settle
the back porch and have a conversation. Yeah, and that's
those are the things that are that.
Speaker 6 (32:40):
That keep it together.
Speaker 3 (32:41):
I love that. So I'm looking at your watch.
Speaker 7 (32:45):
You get my husband and a thousand horses first off, Graham,
and you have a little gras.
Speaker 5 (32:52):
My bro's the most important member of the band.
Speaker 7 (32:56):
Yes, Like the last night of tour when they tore
to all last year, Darius is like.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Here's the band, a thousand horses, and here's great feat
the only one that matters. You actually have such a bruman.
You bought him some shoes.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
He wears those things with so much pride. Yeah, because
they're they're beautiful.
Speaker 6 (33:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (33:17):
I have this great company called Old Old Star out
in California that makes a handmakes these And I remember
we were hanging out with the horses just when they
just got.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
The love you so much.
Speaker 6 (33:26):
I know I love them too.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
Isn't a beautful love?
Speaker 6 (33:28):
Absolutely?
Speaker 5 (33:29):
That's why I was so disappointed when they end the
last year, because I knew we had been on tour
for almost two years together. Yeah, and you know there
were boys, yeah, and you know, and I'm so proud,
so proud of so proud of me doing great.
Speaker 7 (33:39):
I love those guys they are Yeah, so you got Yeah,
And it was.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
This thing where I started, and I started with I
started it with Graham, the first guy in the band
who mentioned my boots.
Speaker 6 (33:50):
I gave a pair.
Speaker 5 (33:52):
And so Graham was the first guy who said, uh,
hey man, I love your boots.
Speaker 6 (33:56):
You are what size you wear?
Speaker 5 (33:57):
And he told me and I don't think you thought
I was serious. And then the next my song, I
wanted up there, man, there's your boots. And that's now
a ritual with me, like really, with Dan and Jay,
the first one of those guys that go, hey, man,
I love your boots.
Speaker 6 (34:07):
They're gonna get a pair of boots.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
That's awesome, that's amazing.
Speaker 7 (34:11):
Okay, I'm gonna wrap it up because I know you
got to go do the grand off. Yes, but I
like to end each episode with a little segment called
leave your Light.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
Okay, so like, leave me some inspiration, leave.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
You some uh. You know, I'm looking looking around at
the world and everything has happened. I was talking about
this last night. So many, so many disasters and so
many bad things happen, and you know, I just I
think the more you can be nice it would be
good to one person at a time, the better the
world is going to be. There's so many people go
(34:48):
through life, go through a day not once doing something
nice for somebody else. And I think every day, try
to do one good thing. If it's just you know,
if it's just shake off somebody's hand, or pat some
one in the back, or you know that's somebody you
know you have a good day today, Do something nice
for somebody every day at least once.
Speaker 3 (35:07):
I love that. Will you actually have ruputation to be
one of the nicest men in country music? Oh, thank you, yeah, thank.
Speaker 7 (35:14):
You, thank you, Darius, thank you, thank.
Speaker 6 (35:16):
You, Carl.
Speaker 4 (35:20):
She's the Queen of talking.
Speaker 6 (35:21):
He was sown
Host
Caroline Hobby
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