November 3, 2025 • 50 mins
Colt Ford flatlined — twice. In that thin moment between here and Heaven, he swears he saw Toby Keith smiling at him. But God wasn’t done. Now he’s back, grateful, grounded, and louder than ever. Little Out There is the sound of a man who lived to tell it — a warrior with angels in scrubs, a new grandson named Boone, a new lease on life, and zero plans to slow down. The setback ain’t as good as the get-back.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
A car line.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
She's a queen and talking, and so she's getting really
not afraid to feed this episode soul. Just let it flow.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
No one can do we quiet car line, it's sound
of Caroline. Okay, well this is quite an exciting day
for me. I have cult Ford with me, Caroline, the
legend cult Ford. I don't know about legend, but you
are a legend. Put ROUSSI this booming voice.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Sorry, can you hear me?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
You are like a booming, powerful voice.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
To be I can't. That's why I always got in
trouble in school for talking.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Were you a loud talker?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah? I couldn't whisper. I'm not a good whisperer.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You can't whisper. Whisper you're doing it, mama.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Lema whisper. Sorry, straight to Yin yang twins immediately.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Have you always been funny Colt?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
I don't know. You've known me a long time, you've
known me twenty years. I know it's funny. They say that.
They're like, okay, we want you to we want you
to write a book with all your funny sayings. And
I said, well, I don't know what. I don't remember
until something happens. And then I say it, and they said, well,
we'll record you twenty four hours a day, and I said,
absolutely not.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Someone's going to record you twenty four hours.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
They're not going to record me twenty Yeah, they one
hundred percent. I'm not going to let that.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Happen because you know all the other things are going
to say.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Exactly So, yeah, that wouldn't be good for anybody.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
But I don't believe you'd ever get canceled. You're too pure.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Part I am uncancellable.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
You are uncanceable. Why do you say that?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I don't know how I say it, but I mean,
I just you know, they won't play me on the radio.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So why would they play you on the radio.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
It was funny somebody they didn't. They didn't realize another
artist from mine the other day and they were like,
how many number ones you had? I was like that,
I've written a few, but.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
You one for a Jason Brandley four.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
But I mean, but I didn't. I've never had a
song in the top forty. They said, well, you sold
five million records and I was like, oh, yeah, never
had a song. I've never had a song on the
country music chart.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Never never, So where'd you get your big fan base.
How'd they all find you?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
How'd they grow getting out there and playing? Just playing
hundreds and thousands of shows? You just got them shaking him.
I meant, like, when I first came, I I met
you within the first probably month of coming.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
O okay, because you moved to Nashville, what year, like
h O seven O seven okay? And then we met
immediately because you knew Jeremy Popupp.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, I need you.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
It's actually the godfather to my child Sonny. I love
Jeremy pop Off.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Me too, me too.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
So I met he was at the time dating my
bandmate Jen Wayne. Absolutely, and so I met you right away.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, and so early on it was right away. I meant, uh,
my first song right in town was me Jeremy pop
Off and Jamie Johnson.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Way to start off.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, that's not a bad starting point, is it. No.
I meant people always ask about jam and they're like,
I don't under It's like, Jamie's one of my closest friends,
has been from day one.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
He's such a mysterious dude.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
He is, but he I always I say, he's a
quandary wrapped in and a enigma. Explain what, Yeah, exactly
exactly exactly. Nod.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, you can't quite understand it.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Didn't understand it. He's absolutely brill but.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
You get him.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
He's brilliant.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
How do y'all like when y'all hang out? What are
y'all doing? Y'all just talking in metaphors?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Yeah, there's a lot of funny things being said and
a lot of probably inappropriate things, And yeah, for sure
that's what's happening. But at the same time, Jamie's always
been I met, you've known him as long as I have.
He's always been a He's measured with what he says.
I mean, he doesn't he didn't get people. I'm like,
he's not people like, he's just old country. No, he's not.
(03:46):
Jamie Johnson is a smart, smart guy. Oh yeah, I mean,
you don't write the songs. He brilliant. Yeah, absolutely brilliant.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
I know.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I mean. So he's always been told me some of
my you know, good advice in music business, and it's
been a good thing.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Okay, So you came to town, you had no fan base,
know nothing. You were like a professional golfer though, right,
was that your job beforehand?
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah? Before music, I played the played professional golf for
ten years. Most people think male model. They don't even
realize like that.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
So could you make a living playing professional golf?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I did? Yeah for ten years. That was you had
a only force of income.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
You had a fun life.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I have lived two guys, dream locks, music and golf.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Yeah, I mean, and now music goes with golf.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Yeah, and now more than ever. But uh, you know,
it's not as much golf for me now these days.
I haven't really been played since the accident. So okay,
I gotta I gotta get through that and see if
I can get back to it.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
So we got to get to your accident. But before
we get there, I want to keep talking about the
pre years, because, like we were talking about, you've lived
a hundred lives and you should have died. I did
you did die?
Speaker 2 (04:48):
I did twice.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, did you go to the other side? Did you
see God?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
I'll tell you what I saw. So I didn't remember anything.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
You're on stage, I know.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I just walked off stage and sat down on the bus.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
So you played a full show.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Just played a sold out show. Took my ears off
and my crew guy said, I looked at it and said, boy,
I'm getting too old for this ship. And normally I
go to the back of my bus, but I didn't.
I sit in the front lounge and he walked off
the bus and I just fell over.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Were you just by yourself? So nobody saw it?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Nobody saw it. They found me.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
How long were you there?
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, that was the thing. That was a hard thing.
Nobody knew. They didn't know. They didn't know the time frame. Yees.
So my wife, who is a nurse, has a nursing degree.
He was like, well, how long was he out? And
they're like, well, no more than ten minutes. She's like,
ten minutes? Is there is no cult left at ten minutes?
I meant. So it was. It was just a lot
of weird.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
So what happened? You passed out from a heart attack.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Too?
Speaker 2 (05:49):
We're to make her heart attacks.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
So once they found you, you went straight to the hospital.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, I met. They worked on me there. They brought
me back there on my bus.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
It brought you back to life on your bus.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yeah, and then they got me ambulance and they took
me to one hospital and they operated on me for
ten hours?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Ten hours? Were they thinking you might have brain damage?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Oh? Yeah, that's what I'm saying. They didn't know it
was ten hours. It was twenty hours surgery total, ten
leaders of blood. I mean it was. It was pretty horrific.
They couldn't do any more for me. They got me turned,
they got the Mayo Clinic came over and got me in.
They had a miss. They have a machine called ECHMO,
(06:27):
which is the ICU. Nurses call it circle in the
drain like that.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Is that's your last hope?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's not you. They say, somebody
at forty years old and perfect shape has a thirty
percent chance of surviving echmo for three days. I was
fifty four, not in the best of shape as you know. Uh,
and uh, you know I was on it for seven days.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
What is emo?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It just runs your entire body for you, my heart, my.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Living runs your body.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, you had They don't. It's not in every hospital.
It's only in certain place. Is because you have to
have multiple people to run it like it's it's a
big deal, and it's that was That was the only
way I survived really. Uh. Brantley Gilbert was out there
at the time, you know, and we're basically brothers. And
so the first hospital couldn't do anymore. The the guy
(07:17):
came out with blood all over him, and Brantley they
wouldn't They didn't want to tell him what was going
on because nobody's related to me.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Oh right, So he was in the hospital with you.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
No, he was out he was there. He was out there.
He was out there playing a show as well. Coach
thunder was going on and so, uh yeah, he just
they wouldn't tell them anything. And you know, you've you've
known Brantley a long guy. He's not really good at
being told that. Yeah, I told that, especially when you're
talking about somebody that's family for him. And he'd then
(07:49):
made up his mind. He's like, I'm going to jail,
and then he called his wife jail. Oh no, he wasn't.
I mean, I'm like, y'all don't know how serious he was.
He took his rolegs off, told cayled Amber said, if
they don't tell me what's going on, cold and get
him over to Mayo Clinic where they can try to
help him, I'm going to jail. He told it. Doctor.
He said, if you don't fix that, you're going back
in as a patient, not as a doctor.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
I'm so that's of true blue friend right there.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Oh man, he did and there does he get you
to Mayo? They got me over to Mayo?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Is that because of his persistence?
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah, no, so he kind of saved your life too, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
In more ways than one. Yeah, because when I came
back after everything was said and done and I survived
or whatever, and then I wasn't sure if I'd ever
do this again. I didn't know. I mean, it created
I've known you twenty years, I've scared or anxiety. It's
not anything I've ever had. And then all of a
sudden it was overpowering for me. And I didn't know he.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Had debilitating anxiety. Yeah, about what it would happen again.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, just being back on stage. The first time I
went to step on my bus, I was like, wait,
last time I was on here, you carried me off
of here dead. Basically I meant like, you don't think
about things like that until it started happening to me.
And when I brantly wanted me to go back out
on tour with him, but I couldn't commit to the
tour because we have to book so far in advance.
(09:06):
I didn't know when I could come back, because you do,
I don't know that.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
In April twenty twenty four. Yeah, and you really didn't
get cleared until December twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Right, No, well, I didn't leave. I didn't leave. I
was in the hospital for two months in Arizona. And
that's another thing. When you get sick and you're somewhere else. I'ment.
Youre thousands of miles from home. My parents are old,
they couldn't get there. It was just so hard on
a lot of people. And so I'm just really really
(09:35):
lucky to be here. But when I say Brantley saved
me more than once is I wasn't sure if I
was getting back on stage, and so he said, here's
what we do for two weeks. You're going to come
out with me on tour. And he brought me out
in the middle of his show and let me do
fifteen minutes in the middle of his show. It's his tour,
(09:58):
he's the star, and he let me stand there and
be the star for fifteen minutes, his band playing there,
his band playing, and it was just it was and
it made me go, Okay, this is is all right,
I'm not The first show of my MIC was just
trimmed and you know, and yeah, that that that made
(10:21):
me think it was all right to come back and
do it. It was a big deal. And most artists,
you know, you've been around this industry, yourself, your your husband,
I meant like to step aside of the spotlight for
somebody else. I mean, when it's your deal is most
don't or won't do that. And he just was not
(10:43):
gonna have it any other way.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
So you guys, I mean, that's like you started together.
That's brotherhood right there. Like he couldn't bear to see
you not be you. No, he needed you to be back.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
He wasn't gonna you know, there's some people.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
In your life though that you have to have them.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
My microphone's standing for a long time as a shotgun
with an American flag rafter on and it's always been
my thing. And so from that moment at the hospital,
like this he even had when my band and crew
got over there, he already had his TM and manager
had they'd already got in his jack, his security had
got my guy's full breakfast brought in and everything, Like
(11:20):
it's just unbelievable. Like I said, so me being able
to go back out with him do that. I didn't
have any expense, I didn't have any stress I just
rode his bus. It was a big deal. And uh
that let me think, okay, I can I I'm okay,
maybe I can go do this a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
So, so on like the spiritual emotional side, what did you?
What was made of? Where to you after coming out
of this other side? Like that? Like that You're so loved,
you're so wanted like so.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Then that leads me back to you, ask what happened?
So you know, Toby and I were very close Toby Keith, Yeah,
and we had just buried him not long before that,
and it was awful. I hated it. He was so
good to me and just we were close. Our wives
and trists are friend. I mean, we did play golf,
we traveled, we did all kinds of things together. And
(12:21):
he used called me little dog Daddy because you know,
he's big dog daddy. And and I tell people, I'm like,
you know, as an artist, when you're an Alpha two,
you're like, but it's Toby Keith, you know, man. So
I always thought it was cool. And that's how I
woke up. It was bright light and Toby stepped out
and said, they ain't ready for your little dog going
back down there.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Wait wait, wait wait, wait, wait, this is.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
This is how I woke up.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
He was for real, for real, not like this wasn't
like a dream you're having, Like Toby Keith was in
the hospital. No, No, that's what you saw.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
He was passed away.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I just you saw him in heaven. Yeah what Okay,
you got to say that all again. So when you
had your widow maker heart attack, you died, you went
to heaven. Toby Keith had just passed away. He was
your close friend.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Yeah, and he said they're not ready for your little
dog going back down there. And that's when I woke
up and looked around, like what's happening? Yeah, that's how
I woke up. Stop.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Yeah, but how company too to know that? Like to
see Toby again?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Meant yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:23):
And then when you came back, did you have confidence?
But you must have full confidence that you're supposed to
be here?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Well, obviously I know something God has got me. You know.
The devil was afraid, I guess, and God wasn't ready.
So I've been right. I wrote that too. Yeah, so
it's it's been a life altering experience.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Oh yeah, I've noticed that you're a big mantra guy though,
because like from the very first video that you posted
on your Instagram when you had the heart attack. You're like,
I'm not going down, Like you spoke that over yourself.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Yeah, you got to speak it into existence sometimes I meant, Uh,
I just didn't know any different, you know, my whole career.
And again, you and I have known each other the
entire time I've been in town. I was probably ten
twelve years ahead of a lot of things musically, and
so that's so you've always been they were terrified, they
(14:15):
were scared of me. You're yeah, I mean that's what
I'm saying, Like I was doing something that they were
afraid of. And now it's like I sound like Merle
Haggard compared to some of the stuff that's coming out
of here today. So I don't know, you know, I'm
just so blessed to still be able to play music.
And uh, in the face, you know, I didn't know.
You don't know if the fans are still going to
be there, Like I was worried about that. Like, I know,
(14:36):
I've worked hard to be good to my fans and
they've been good to me. But then you don't know,
like you know, how this business is. Sometimes you disappear
and they're like, where'd you go? And then and then
they go, oh look there's the squirrel. You know, look
look new guy, new girl. I meant, so it is,
I didn't know, and uh, going back out here. Plenty
of shows, they're still here, they're still hanging around, and
(14:56):
it's been again when I went out would be. I mean,
like we had what we were going to do, We
had the show set up, and then I was supposed
to walk off stage. He's got to finish, you know,
he's still got forty five minutes in this show. But
he just didn't let it. He wouldn't let it be
like that. So I go to walk off and he's like, hey,
come back out here. And then it was every night
(15:19):
was two minutes of just standing ovation in the entire
stoping Marina and he just stood back and let me
just stand up there. And yeah, it was pretty special.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
But I mean the bigger thing I'm seeing of all
this is like what a deep friendship and bond and
like how amazing to have that kind of relationship that's
beyond anything.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Yeah, I met, we I met, we came up together,
you know, I mean he was a kid. I mean
I was already grown. But he was a kid when
we started, and we've just been like brothers. I mean,
he's watched my young uns grow up. I meant. Matter
of fact, my son, who Brently's known since he was
like the same age as his son is now, was
working in Jacksonville, and this is how Brentley I mean
(16:06):
he immediately called rentolds my son and got him and
his wife first class flight and got them he brought
them to Phoenix because nobody knew. I meant he was
able to do that right away.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
So yeah, man, Colt, that's awesome. You're a great guy
that have those kind of bonds. Though you don't have
to be a good friend yourself to have good friends
like that. What is it about friendship that you value
so much?
Speaker 2 (16:28):
This business is hard on friendship. You know, you've been
around a long time, and.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
It's and it can make you good competitive as.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
It can do that, and it can I just don't
I don't know how to be any other way. Like,
we're friends, Like I've known you twenty years. We haven't
seen each other since probably that cruise, but we're still friends.
I pick right up and sit down and talk to you,
like I don't know how to be any other way
(16:57):
than that. And some of the artists sometimes they they
do know how to just go up yep, I'm on
to the next thing or to the next person. And
it caused me to feel, I'm completely honest, it caused
me to feel some kind of way for a while
because there's a lot of people I still have not
heard from. I meant not a word, and I mean
that I've known as long as I've known. I mean
(17:18):
like like no like held their kids as babies, and
I haven't heard from them. And it really made me
feel some kind of way for a while. And I'm
I'm I'm letting go of some of that. You real
people get in their own They have their own world,
their own life. They don't mean to be you know,
it just happens sometimes, but I just it's the way
(17:39):
I am. I don't I don't know, you know what
I mean, Like, I don't, I don't know any other
way like for friends than we are.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I love that. Okay, So your new album that you
just put out is very much centered around these kind
of themes though, Like after your recovery, reevaluating your life,
talk to me about how you decided you were ready
to make music again and get out there again. I
just saud you have been a road warrior before.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yeah, that's all I've ever die. I had fifteen straight
years of at least one hundred and twenty five shows
a year.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
How many albums had you put out in that time?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Ten?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
No, yeah, you put out ten albums. You put on
an album every year, yeah, or at least every other year.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Yeah. Yeah, oh my god, didn't And I didn't have
the rules because you know, yeah, independently.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Somebody would sign you either.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
No.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
No, when especially when we first met, no, I mean,
people were like they didn't know what to do with it. No,
you know my attorney Scott Safford, you know, I like,
people are like, we love this, what do we do
with this? So we don't know, you know what I meant.
So it was it was a.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
So you just said I'm gonna do it.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
I had to do it that way. I didn't, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
So you started average started to label yourself. Yeah, towards yourself.
You funded the whole thing.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Yeah, we just we just did you build? How you?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
How'd you fund it?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
But so you've met I'm sure you've met Shannon over
the years. My partner and the CEO of the label,
Jenny Spice's husband, huh her, she's the better half of
that for sure. Uh. And and one of my good
friends growing up was the CEO and the founder of
Zaxby's OK And I said, zach Man, we want to
do a record label, and he said, well, what do
we need? And me, him and Shannon formed this label
(19:09):
and it's really been one of the most truly successful
independent record later in the history of Nashville. Was there.
We don't have any affiliation with any major like, we
literally did it all every deal direct, yeah till yeah
this day.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
No, we manufacture our own stuff. We did it all
our own way, and it probably cost me some or
us some stuff in some ways, but it's been also beneficial.
There are not many fifty six year olds that can
go in and make whatever kind of record they want
to make it right now, but I can.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
So how many artists from Abershaws, Lord.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
I don't even know how many. I mean, we've got
Creed Fisher's doing really great, Brian Martin, you know, he's
killing it. Was out with Morgan. I mean, we got
a lot of Josh Miranda who's one of the best songwriters.
And I think he's Yeah. I mean, he's fantastic. So
we're just rocking and doing a lot of film and TV.
You know, we do a lot of stuff with that.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
So are you so proud of yourself? I mean, you
have done it cold like talk about like in the beginning,
like you were a professional golfer. You made that happen
that as hard as hell to do.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
It was hard.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Then you pivoted. Why did you pivot?
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Because music? Music is truly always my first love, okay,
but golf. I mean they said, well, why did you choose?
I tried to do both at first, and the schedules
do not go to go Oh, I'm sure golf is
time to get up when that's when I go to bed.
For music, they're they're way different schedules.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
So you kind of achieved the golf and you're like,
I'm gonna yeah, well I just could.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
I got had some injuries. I couldn't play on professionally anymore,
so I was like teaching and being a club pro
and stuff, and but music never would go away from me.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
It's just never was it always rapping well, yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
But I just always all kinds of just everything everything. Yeah,
I just was always just a weird kid that did that,
and I couldn't make it go away, and I just
kept going and finally I was like, well, I'm gonna
try this, and you know, here we are twenty years later.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
But I just love your persistence and I love your
determination and I love your gusto because to be an
entrepreneur and pursue such hard things like being a professional
golfer and then transitioning into music not getting signed by.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
It, I was too hard headed.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Yeah, not having anyone support you, and you say, fine,
I'm gonna do it myself, start your own record label,
make that successful. I mean, these are not hard things
that you're doing. Having a heart attack on stage and
like saying I'm coming back stronger.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
I don't know. I was just hard headed. Ma mama,
so males hard headed.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
But what is it?
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I don't know. I just don't.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
I just you're not done and you're gonna do it.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Huh No, I don't. Yeah, I'm not done. It was funny.
So my wife and I bless her heart, she.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
And you just got married, right, Yeah, I mean I was.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Married for I was married previously. Max wife Jessica shout
out to her. She's great. But my wife, Megan, when
you find your person, I film a person that's like,
I just can't. Nothing is nothing in this world old
works without her, like it just doesn't. I don't want
any of it. So she's she got a stress fracture
(22:08):
in her foot standing there talking to me for ten
hours a day while I was in a coma. And
she's not the talker. She's like, there's a She's like,
you're the one that talks. I just like to hang
out and drink wine and white claws and you know,
smoke some Marlboro lights. But she just loved the life
back in, so she wouldn't she wouldn't see it. Yeah,
(22:28):
she wouldn't see it any other way.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Had y'all gotten married before you had.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Your No, we'd been together, we had, We were supposed to.
We were actually supposed to get married October before that,
and life just got in the way. We had a
bunch of stuff going on and things like, ah, well,
well we were getting married here in natural Jamie was
marrying us.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
He's officiated a lot of wedding Jamie Johnson.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Was marrying us. Yes, I know, I mean and that
was fun to watch him getting married recently, and Randy
pursid over that.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Yeah, those are, but those are the people that we
came up.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
I know, it's a different world.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
And we all are still friends and here, yeah, like
in here like a lot of those, a lot of people,
and the even these came after us, they're not and
they don't. I mean, like I think about all that
core group that that we came up with, and Jamie
and Dallas and Rhett and Randy and you know, rib J,
(23:20):
Jared Neman. I meant Lee Brice, the Trailer Park. I mean,
like we're all still here. I know, Low Crash, Chris
and Press, We're all still friends and forever, still making music.
And it's so crazy to.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Me, isn't it crazy?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
And it's and it's so cool.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Twenty years goes by so fast. I can't believe I
can say that now is like forty two, because like
you and you're twenty. I remember the first time I
felt old was at twenty four. I'm like, oh, this
is how aging happens. And then you blink and then
all of a sudden you're forty two, and like people
talk about it, forty I.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Remember thinking when I was a kid, like what do
you do at forty golf in the woods like an
old dog and just die? Yeah, he went off in
the woods, not like now I'm fifty six and stay
like with these kids out there, I'm in but.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
You don't feel it in your head. Which is the
weird thing because like when I'm around young people, like
I have this intern who I left shout out Gabby
and Natty who does my content? Who are in their twenties,
and I'm like, in my head, I'm like, we're cool,
We're hanging and I'm like, no, I'm like old No,
But in my head, I don't feel it.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
No, I don't either, just to say that. But now
but now since the actually I feel Yeah, I've slowed
down a little bit of the travel I used to
oh that travelers could do it, no worries, and now
it's like I'm gonna have to pass on that. I've
had to pass on things that I wouldn't do before.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Have you slowed your touring down? So tell me what's
life's been like post coming out? So like December was
that kind of a turning point for you? You graduated
from cardiac Yeah, I did, my.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
I graduated my cardiac rehab, and you know, again, I
didn't know what I was gonna, I didn't know what
I was in for. I just always thought I could,
you know, walk on water and ship ice cream. I
just thought I could do whatever I want, you know.
I mean, I wasn't scared and nothing, anything and ship
and I just thought I could do whatever. And then
all of a sudden, I wake up and I can't
(25:03):
pick up a starfroam cup and feed myself ice.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
So my wife and I were scheduled to go to
the Derby last that year, sitting in the government, I
mean like it was a big deal, and she was
fired up. We had the hats, the whole deal. In
my mind, I'm laying there and I wake up. Come.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
I'm like, oh, no, we're still going because you had
the hardtack and so you're gonna be Yeah, this is
a quick little thing.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
I'm like, we're going to I said, no, we're going
to the Derby. She's like, that's cute. You will still
be sitting laying here watching the Derby in this particular bed,
and I'm like, no, no, no, no, she was right.
I was still laying there.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
When did you realize it was very serious? Did you
know right away?
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Obviously I was on a lot of things, I mean,
and it took me a while to process some of it.
But like when I can't pick up a star foam
cup and feed myself ice, I'm like this, this is
a problem. I had learned to walk, I mean, I
couldn't walk. I didn't know, I didn't know how to do.
It was a lot, It was a lot.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
What is that like? Mentally? What are what's happening in
your mind? When you can't walk and you have been
this like guy like you said, like nothing happen to you.
You've been so alpa, living your life, doing your thing,
nobody's gonna hold you down, and now a sudden you
can't walk, like what mentally happens?
Speaker 2 (26:20):
It was. I'm still dealing with it, having to learn
to give myself grace, uh and patience. I'm trying. I
keep saying this BSBP thing like be still and be patient.
I meant like I've never been that, Like I've just
been that.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
So this is your lesson your had It's had.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
To show me some things and the way to approach
some things, and uh softened my heart on some things
that I thought were I thought anxiety and stuff for
me where I the way I grew up in the
country and my dad enjoyed, like it's just like anxieties
for you're like, what are you talking about? Like yeah,
and I don't care about your feelings. I don't care
(27:01):
about now that I get you, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
Different my dad generation was phrased that way, like no
crying in baseball, like wake up and go win.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
The super Bowl, just go get after it.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Yeah, like we don't want to hear your story.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
I didn't know that, so I had to hum an
all of a sudden, I'm having to, you know, ask
people to like, hey, can you wipe my butt for me? There?
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Jim, like a random person in the hospital.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yea, yeah. Yeah. So I meant like, that's it's a
real thing.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
That's that was Is it freeing?
Speaker 2 (27:31):
On one hand?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Though, to release, I bet he.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Didn't think so. But uh, but.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
To surrender, to have to surrender and to be able
to like let people fully help you, I mean, is
that is there some freedom in that and some like something?
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Yeah? There, it definitely is, And I'm still learning how
to accept it. I think it's a journey you know,
as long as we've been around this industry, we've seen
a lot of things. You've you've done, like me, pivoted
different things, whatever we got to do to be successful
and and relevant. And and now it's like there's things
(28:08):
start to become a little clearer. What's important, what's not important?
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Uh So what's cleared up for you? What's important?
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Being present is really really important?
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Were you always looking towards the next hill like.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Big time Dreamer just chas her so.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
You couldn't even enjoy that you prayed for and achieved.
You're like looking for the next thing.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
I couldn't wait to go on to the next. And
now it's like, you know what this moment I'm in
right here with with my wife, I'm like, y'all could
have every bit of it. I'll stay right here. I
don't I don't need anything with that. And you know
the Tracy Lawrence, you find out who your friends are,
There's there's a lot of stuff to that. And again
(28:51):
it made me feel some kind of way for a while,
I'm trying to let go of it and realize like
some people don't mean to sometimes. But but you.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Also found out you got some really good friends.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Man, I did, I did. I found out.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
I mean, and you've got a really good wife. Oh man,
I mean you talk about putting your relationship through the test, Well,
you got her at.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
The same time. You got to remember at the time,
she's got a we got an eighteen year old and
her daughter's fifteen at the time, and there in Tulsa
at home. We're in Phoenix, Arizona, and she's we're there
for two months.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
That's stressful.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
We had to move our whole life out there. And
so she held it all together and makes she just
just absolute rocks. I tell people all the time, like
I'm famous, she's the star. That's I believe that. Yeah,
you know, I mean, I know, I know you're old man.
He probably say the same thing.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
I'm telling you. A lot of these country artists. I
was with Christian Brush yesterday, married to uh Press them
from Low Cash. I just have so many amazing wives
of these country artists, and I'm like, man, one thing
these artists know how to do is marry well.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Yeah, strong, it's important and you have to be it's important. Yes,
she she saved, She's we saved each other. I guess
I don't know. We just one of those things.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
So tell me about the new album. What's it called.
Tell me you're a little out there, A little out
there to get to this, I've.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Always been a little out there. I meant, yeah, but
most artists are, you know, I think you do. You
kind of got to live in that, in that space.
And uh, this album is interesting and there's a lot
of singing. For me, my voice sounds a.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Lot different, so you don't normally sing this much.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Not no, not even close. Uh. You know, there's my
publicist sitting over here and she I got a song
called truck on Fire. She's like, I don't I didn't
know you did that, Like this is really cool, Like
I just want I've always constantly tried to push it
another level every time I'm in and so or do
(31:01):
something different. And I've never I've been too stubborn or
dumb to think that I couldn't do it, you know,
I mean, I just I just did. My mom told
me i'd argue with the fence post, so I just
I just kept going and kept trying to do it.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
The are you nervous putting out an album with a
lot more singing?
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yeah, a little bit, but these songs are rocking though,
Like I know they're rocking, and uh so I'm excited.
I just hope people will dig it. You know, I've
been really blessed that people have followed along my musical journey.
They've kind of gone everywhere I've gone with me. Uh
So it's that's been cool, I think, because it's been authentic.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
So you know, if you look at like Eric Church
is a good example. Until his first number one was
drinking my hand. You gotta be kidding me that that's
his first name. I like, yeah, there, I can I
name you probably ten songs that should be number one
that he cut before.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
That totally so aligne.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Right like it, but it just it and for whatever reason.
So you know, I'm just happy to still be playing music.
And so his fan base followed him along.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
If you look at Eric's beginning to I mean, he
built it by being involved with him, and so I've
I've done that. I mean I stayed after, I signed
every autograph, I took every picture, and I still do it,
and it's way harder now. I can't do it like
I used to. There ain't no doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
Well, the energy it takes.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Yeah, I can't. That's I have to physically watch what
I do now on the road. I used to, you know,
I'd play golf all day and play show and whatever
else we did all night.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
I mean, you know, you remember I have like I
like about five years ago, we what we kind of
toned it back, and I was like, and then I
really turned it back. And then I started like untangling
all of my intense energy that I used to spill,
like being on the road all the time, always pursuing
every opportunity, saying yes to everything, going everywhere. But then
I had a kid, and I changed my perspective, right,
(32:57):
and now I'm so slowed down that don't even know
how to pick it back up again.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
I don't know that I want to.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
But yeah, even at that pace, it will wear you.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
There's some of my buddies. I still look at him
and go, how are you doing? Were you still doing
that that way? I meant, like some of them doing it?
I don't. Yeah, I don't really talked about all to days. Like, man,
being sober now is so much.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Easier drinking too, Yeah, like you drinking, No, I've.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Never have, really, you never dream It's so funny they
don't realize that Justin Morrison than me. One day, he goes, wait.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
You don't drink, You've never drank?
Speaker 2 (33:29):
No, And I said, He said, how do I not
know that? We've been friends fifteen years? I said, because
you were? You were always drunk. We wn't show this
no offense. Justin he's not a drunk. I don't mean
one of my best friends.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
People just didn't realize because I just never have. Just
why not?
Speaker 2 (33:45):
I don't know, I just never did.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
You don't want to be out of control.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
I don't smoke some weed.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Yes, or take a gummy?
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Yeah? Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (33:51):
So you like that you have a series on your
Instagram that's quite hilarious.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Yeah, well, I say some I want to start a
whole nother series. I should get your text number so
I can send you some funny texts that I have
when I'm when I'm uh way up there. So you
get people when I'm high enough to peak in Jesus's window.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Yeah, so you're just gonna give.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Dying thinking fun high text.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
What does Jesus say when you're high enough to peek
in his window?
Speaker 2 (34:16):
He just shakes his head. Yeah, yeah, I mean I
just yeah, I say some weird things I try to
figure out, like color, what color is a mirror?
Speaker 3 (34:27):
What color is a mirror?
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I don't know. I need to know things like that.
You know, Mercedes three different ease, all pronounced differently? Why
is that?
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Say? How do you even know to think about these saying.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Exactly exactly that we be letting you know? I don't know.
I don't know. I think of it. But that's the
kind of things I think about.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Okay, So that's the kind of thing you think about.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
Okay, Yeah, it ain't nothing important and stuff like or
either that or I'm watching cat like voiceover animal videos
on TikTok. That's a lot of fun for me too.
I do like that.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
You know how to keep it fun cold?
Speaker 2 (35:01):
I don't. Life's too short to be any otherwise.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
So do you mind hanging out with a bunch of
people drinking? Does that bother you?
Speaker 1 (35:06):
No?
Speaker 2 (35:06):
I've always done it, you know, I mean because of
I've just never It's never bothered me, and I've always
been able to just you know, in high school, I
would be the one we had a customized van for
the Georgia Bulldogs and I would just drive fifteen people
home after a field party.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
And you never felt the peer pressure.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Well I felt it. Yeah, I was just I don't know.
I don't know why I didn't.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
I think this is wonderful.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
I want to know how I didn't do it on purpose.
My grandparents were alcoholics and I and they wouldn't stop,
and and maybe I just like I hate that, and
so I and my parents just didn't really drink. So
I just never I don't know, and then I just
didn't like the taste.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
So awesome.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Yeah, I've managed to avoid that. One kid, Rock got
me drunk one time. But I meant, I'm sure a
lot of people can say that that ain't nothing special.
Bob thanks, I know.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
But he is such he is such a great friend
when you're his friend.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Let me just tell you. So you've known Bob a
long time as well. Yeah, he all the stuff he
gets talked about is all the craziness.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
Well, because he's such a he's so big, he's not
scared for people to talk about it.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
And he's he's fine with that. I mean, right after
the bud Light thing, when he shot up the bud
Light thing. Literally the next week I'm playing here in Nashville,
and he comes to my show and gets up in
the balcony on a private balcony and stands there with
a bud light beer can in his hand for my
entire show. I'm like you, He's like, I just love
(36:36):
messing with him. I mean, he just he can't help it.
But I'll say this, he gets you know, here's all
that stuff. But I was scheduled on all the Rock
the Country.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
Shows and that's Bob's show.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
Yeah yeah, him and Jason were doing that.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Rock the Country.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Yeah, so I'm scheduled on this Isob. So they're scheduled.
I'm scheduled to be on those and you know, all
of a sudden, you know, and somebody like me that's
a touring artist, that's there's that's where money. I mean,
that's where the house note is. That's where it's all at.
Like I have to I have to work to go
(37:10):
get it and now nothing. And he made he I
was think I was on eight of the shows. He
paid me in full for every show.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
Are you serious?
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Every show?
Speaker 3 (37:20):
He is such a good dude like that, Like he
does a lot of things that people do not Walmart
and Christmas and people will have stuff on.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Layaway and put one hundred thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
By everyone's Christmas gifts, the entire and he won't tell
anybody who does it.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
No, I know, I know that he's done.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
He does stuff all the time. He is a good hearted.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
Person in but uh yeah, like he paid me for
all those shows, Like that's a that's a big deal.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
That's a big deal.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
I met like for me because it's like all of
a sudden everything is stopped for us, you know, and
the people the mortgage come to go, Man, we hate
your Hart Tech. When you're gonna send that mortgage care. Yeah,
I've been blessed to friends and a lot of I
met through music. Friends i'd met through music that I've
(38:06):
stayed in touch with did so much stuff for me
during this time. I meant like a man. The next
couple of months has covered kind of thing and you know,
and for me again, Alpham, I'm not used to I
don't know how to ask, and and and then.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
And I'm like, I don't see help me.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Well that's the other thing. Then I'm like, well you
want to get I don't know. I don't know if
I can give you this back, Like I don't I
don't know what I can do. I don't know, can
I get back to play and can I make money again?
I don't know. So what you're giving me, I don't know.
And every single one of them, like I didn't ask
for it back.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
So that's a whole new level of like you have
to be able to accept that, accept that love.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
To have some empathy again. It's it's been a journey
for me on some grace and some things that I need.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
And to say things and learning how to receive.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Yeah, I meant that's I've always been. I love giving
never never I never cared about getting gifts. I love giving.
That's what I want to do. I want to give
somebody something. If I could help with a young artists
and go, man, if you do this and this will
help you, Like I enjoyed that, and but it's made
me appreciate, you know, the help a whole lot because
(39:17):
there's some of the men I just every night at
my shows. Now, I said, I'm gonna apologize early. I'm
gonna cry probably during a show, and I know that's
not what y'all used to see. And from mister answer
to no one kind of deal, I said, And I
must say thank you a bunch because I cannot help
it if it wasn't for them fans, they just kept
sending me messages, messages, messages. Well, my mom's terrible about
(39:41):
talking to people on the internet, I think because they're
my fans. And I'm like, Mom, you can't tell these
people your home address. And I'm like, you don't know
who you're talking to me on there. She's eighty three
at eighty two, She's like, they love you. I'm like,
I know they may want to wear my skin, though
I don't know what how much. Yeah, so but she
we talked to a lady that was at the show
(40:02):
where that I played before the accident, and the lady said,
we had my husband. I was saying cold Play ten
times in the last fifteen years. The energy was incredible.
That was probably the best we'd ever heard his band
sound like. Really, it was one of those things where
it's like starting. It was really clicking. I had made
(40:22):
some changes in my band, and and she goes and
we walked out of the show and we saw all
the ambulances and stuff. We didn't know what was going on,
and then they saw the news and everything happened. This
lady goes to her church has six hundred of her
church members meet her there and they pray for me
for six hours. I don't know these people. I don't
(40:44):
know them. You think God's not really like I don't
know these people. They're just all gathered there praying for me.
So like you know how powerful special? Yeah? I meant like,
you know, it's just you really got.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
To experience heaven on earth. You got to see it.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
I'm wow. Yeah, I again.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
True hearts full of just love.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
At these shows every night, you know, you get you
did it, You've done it a long time, You've been
around it, you're still around it, and sometimes you can
get kind of numb to what's happening, and now it
all kind of feels new again. And that's that's that's pretty.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
Cool, and it's all about the connection.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
And it is and there's again they're still there. I
mean my moment of besides what I did with Brantley,
of really knowing what was happening, is Country Concert in
Ohio and Fort You've been there our last time I
played there a few years back, was main stage and
I was direct support, I think for Jason. Well, now
(41:50):
I'm two o'clock on Thursday on the stage, first act
for a long time since I've done that.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
I was terrified, what were you terrified of?
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Would anybody? Would anybody be there? I mean, like anybody
even go be at the festival? Yet at two o'clock
on Thursday, Yeah, ten thousand people there. They were standing
ten deep outside the big radio shelter. It was I
couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe And what's his name?
At variety of tractions, he's like the biggest thing we
(42:26):
could can't believe it, biggest crow we've ever had on
Thursday to start it off with. So they were still there,
you know, and they're still there. And that's that's been.
That's been pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
That's amazing, cult, What a life? What do you think
of it all?
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Lucky? Just really blessed and I and just blessed. You know.
I meant you can, you can complain whatever, you can
find something I can say, well I did this first,
how come I don't get the credit? And now, okay,
what it's not going to make a bit of difference
in anything. I finally understand of what my dad said,
(43:01):
real peace is what true happiness is when you're at
peace with what you have, and that's what I finally found.
I was always chasing what else can I do? What
else do I need to do? Where else do I
need to go? What else do you need me to play?
Another free show? Okay, well that helped me.
Speaker 3 (43:18):
Yeah, I get that body so much help me at all.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
They didn't give a shit and they still don't and
it's okay and you realize that and then you go,
But I play.
Speaker 3 (43:26):
I get to play music and you're doing it for you.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
Yeah. I get to stand on stage and play songs
and people love it. And I'm seeing somebody my age
out there with their kids and their kids. I'm gonna
seeing three generations singing along to their rood anthem. That's
pretty dank cool. You don't get that much.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
So, yeah, you really just appreciate everything now a lot more.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
I appreciate everything. I appreciate as much as I'm a
wordsmith and a songwriter. I'm a little more measured in
some of the words I say now, especially with people
with relationships. I'm I'm I'm more precise about I'm not
just I'm not just gonna say anything to you. Try
(44:09):
to be a little bit more like Jamie. You know
what I mean. And if people know Jamie if you
really know him, you'll know what I mean that. I'm like,
you don't understand. First of all, Jamie's really funny, but
also Jamie's really smart. He says things that are very
very poignant, and.
Speaker 3 (44:25):
It's like a lesson everything.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah, like if you're if you're paying attention, you will
hear that.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:29):
And so I'm trying to be more measured and tempered
with what I say to people. And if I got
something to say to you, I'm gonna say it. I mean,
I'm not gonna let it go unspoken. You know, we
need to need to say it and tell people you
love him why you can, and if you don't like them,
tell them that to at least be honest, you know,
just be honest. And you know, I don't mean you
(44:51):
got to wish nothing bad on nobody, just yeah, you
know some people don't. The vibes don't match right it sometimes.
Speaker 3 (44:56):
Totally, So I go, I love this cold, Okay, So
tell me again wherever I can find your album? You
have a song out right now? Wait, the song out
right now is country.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
A Country with j Webb.
Speaker 3 (45:08):
Yeah, that one's fun. And you also just put out Can'
Hide Country with Tyler Booth, which is so.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
Fun, which is somebody. So Jamie and I are I
think we're about to I'm about to sign Tyler Booth
the average Joe's I hope out with the JV JV
thing with Jamie. That's kind of secret information.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
But now everyone's gonna know.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
For me and Jamie to be able to do this
together with Tyler, we're working on that.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
I hope that comes fruition.
Speaker 3 (45:31):
I'm trying to speaking in for which are you regretting
that you just said it?
Speaker 2 (45:33):
No, I hope we speaking.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
Okay, bring it in.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
That's how I got here.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
That's that's exciting, Okay.
Speaker 3 (45:41):
And then your album A little out there. It's out
November seventh.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
November seventh, Yeah, same day as Jako, my buddy Jake's
album comes out at the same day.
Speaker 3 (45:48):
You're excited nervous, Yes.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
I mean, I'm excited for people to hear a few
of these things that I'm excited about to see if it,
you know, see if they dig it, and uh, you know,
I hope that I hope that they will. I hope
that they'll go, Oh, this is a little bit of
a new side for Cold so you go to you.
Speaker 3 (46:05):
Know, you just have to keep evolving as you feel it,
especially someone like you who's paved your own path and
you're so independent. Yeah, I just just do.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
What you feel, trying to make something that it feels
good to me. Then I know there's some people out
there that'll dig it too.
Speaker 3 (46:18):
Are you touring?
Speaker 2 (46:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (46:19):
Okay, so you're back out.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
I'm back out. Yeah. I can do it. I can
do full show, no problem. I don't even hollybreak sweat. Really,
it's interesting, you know, I was always you know, big guy, right, Yeah,
I mean I'm on way one ninety. I meant tala
talafar goes, that's it. I've got to kill myself. I
didn't know. I never thought you would be less than me.
Speaker 3 (46:39):
And I was like, after the heart attack, you said, yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:42):
I'm wearing one nine and wearing thirty three ways. We're
going back to high school. We're going back a long time. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:47):
So did you just decide to get healthy afterwards? Is
that what?
Speaker 2 (46:49):
I didn't have no choice? Yeah? Yeah, all that waf
house ship had to stop. Yeah, it's uh. And my
wife she's yeah, she don't and she don't. She runs things,
so she don't let that slide.
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Okay, do you feel better?
Speaker 2 (47:02):
Unbelievable. I haven't drunk a soda. I don't. I don't drink.
I'm just water and some sweet tea, which is again
where you know where I'm from. When I have to
even order unsweet taste, like, it's a lot like care
seeing on my lips. I mean that's I don't like
doing that. Oh you're oh yeah, yeah, Like I'm afraid
my mama'll find out and I'll be in trouble.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
We're going to get that sweet.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
I've changed a lot of that. Yeah, eating habits and
just a lot of habits, a lot of habits.
Speaker 3 (47:29):
You're like a new this is a new new cold Ford.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
Yeah, cold new old cold Ford.
Speaker 3 (47:34):
I love it so much. Okay, anything else we need
to know before we wrap up?
Speaker 2 (47:37):
No, I'm just I'm just I was tickled to see you.
Does my heart good to see you? I I'll say
that last time I think we saw you was a
Brandley cruise? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (47:47):
I think probably?
Speaker 2 (47:48):
I think I don't know. I mean it all, you know, I.
Speaker 3 (47:52):
Think I'm getting like my brain I forget what is
it amnesia or like I don't even want to speak
these indixists, but I have a very hard time remembering things.
Speaker 2 (48:01):
Oh lord, that's the other thing.
Speaker 3 (48:03):
Yeah, do you forget?
Speaker 2 (48:05):
Oh yeah, bad.
Speaker 3 (48:06):
It's because there's so much in here, and we've seen it.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
We've lived a lot things.
Speaker 3 (48:10):
Yeah, you've met so many people, You've been in so
many crazy situations, Like I can't keep it all straight.
And then sometimes I don't know if I've dreamed it
or if it really happened.
Speaker 2 (48:18):
Some of I wish it didn't happen. But you know,
it's just it's it's crazy, crazy industry and we're lucky
to still be doing it. I'm just glad to be
here sitting with you and see you. It's really really
good for me to do that.
Speaker 3 (48:31):
I'm so proud of you, Cold. I'm so glad you're
back out there, like with a new album, back on
the road, you're feeling good. I'm so excited to see you, Natal.
Speaker 2 (48:39):
Your band is probably as rocking as I've ever been,
and I got some younger guys, so that makes me
feel these young guys up there playing with me, and uh,
I still got my old crotchety veteran drummer, old Tam
still out there beating the Skins to death for me,
and it's just fun. Man. I'm just grateful and I'm
telling them that every night, you know, I just tell them,
thank you, thank you still being here.
Speaker 3 (49:01):
I love that. Okay. So I always drop up with
one question, and it's just how whatever comes to mind,
drop some inspiration, leave your light. What do you want
people to know?
Speaker 2 (49:11):
You know you can? My dad used to tell My
dad was a coached baseball. Everybody called coach the day that,
but he used to tell his team, you can run
around and tell people how great you are. Oh, you
want to, but when you're really great, they'll tell you.
So I'm telling you you're great, Caroline. I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (49:31):
You're great. Cold You made people feel great.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
That's what it's all about. That is I'm just trying
to leave it a little bit better than we found it.
Speaker 3 (49:38):
I love that so much. Cold Ford, thank you so
much for joining. Well you stick around for a quick
ten minute tell me more great. We're gonna do a
bonus episode where we're asking some deep, deep burning quest.
Speaker 2 (49:47):
Let's get into it.
Speaker 3 (49:47):
Okay, cold Ford, You're amazing. This is so fun.
Speaker 2 (49:50):
Glad to be here. Don
A car line.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
She's a queen and talking, and so she's getting really
not afraid to feed this episode soul. Just let it flow.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
No one can do we quiet car line, it's sound
of Caroline. Okay, well this is quite an exciting day
for me. I have cult Ford with me, Caroline, the
legend cult Ford. I don't know about legend, but you
are a legend. Put ROUSSI this booming voice.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Sorry, can you hear me?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
You are like a booming, powerful voice.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
To be I can't. That's why I always got in
trouble in school for talking.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Were you a loud talker?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah? I couldn't whisper. I'm not a good whisperer.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You can't whisper. Whisper you're doing it, mama.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Lema whisper. Sorry, straight to Yin yang twins immediately.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Have you always been funny Colt?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
I don't know. You've known me a long time, you've
known me twenty years. I know it's funny. They say that.
They're like, okay, we want you to we want you
to write a book with all your funny sayings. And
I said, well, I don't know what. I don't remember
until something happens. And then I say it, and they said, well,
we'll record you twenty four hours a day, and I said,
absolutely not.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Someone's going to record you twenty four hours.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
They're not going to record me twenty Yeah, they one
hundred percent. I'm not going to let that.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Happen because you know all the other things are going
to say.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Exactly So, yeah, that wouldn't be good for anybody.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
But I don't believe you'd ever get canceled. You're too pure.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Part I am uncancellable.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
You are uncanceable. Why do you say that?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
I don't know how I say it, but I mean,
I just you know, they won't play me on the radio.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
So why would they play you on the radio.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
It was funny somebody they didn't. They didn't realize another
artist from mine the other day and they were like,
how many number ones you had? I was like that,
I've written a few, but.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
You one for a Jason Brandley four.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
But I mean, but I didn't. I've never had a
song in the top forty. They said, well, you sold
five million records and I was like, oh, yeah, never
had a song. I've never had a song on the
country music chart.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
Never never, So where'd you get your big fan base.
How'd they all find you?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
How'd they grow getting out there and playing? Just playing
hundreds and thousands of shows? You just got them shaking him.
I meant, like, when I first came, I I met
you within the first probably month of coming.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
O okay, because you moved to Nashville, what year, like
h O seven O seven okay? And then we met
immediately because you knew Jeremy Popupp.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, I need you.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
It's actually the godfather to my child Sonny. I love
Jeremy pop Off.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Me too, me too.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
So I met he was at the time dating my
bandmate Jen Wayne. Absolutely, and so I met you right away.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Yeah, and so early on it was right away. I meant, uh,
my first song right in town was me Jeremy pop
Off and Jamie Johnson.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Way to start off.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, that's not a bad starting point, is it. No.
I meant people always ask about jam and they're like,
I don't under It's like, Jamie's one of my closest friends,
has been from day one.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
He's such a mysterious dude.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
He is, but he I always I say, he's a
quandary wrapped in and a enigma. Explain what, Yeah, exactly
exactly exactly. Nod.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, you can't quite understand it.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Didn't understand it. He's absolutely brill but.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
You get him.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
He's brilliant.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
How do y'all like when y'all hang out? What are
y'all doing? Y'all just talking in metaphors?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Yeah, there's a lot of funny things being said and
a lot of probably inappropriate things, And yeah, for sure
that's what's happening. But at the same time, Jamie's always
been I met, you've known him as long as I have.
He's always been a He's measured with what he says.
I mean, he doesn't he didn't get people. I'm like,
he's not people like, he's just old country. No, he's not.
(03:46):
Jamie Johnson is a smart, smart guy. Oh yeah, I mean,
you don't write the songs. He brilliant. Yeah, absolutely brilliant.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
I know.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I mean. So he's always been told me some of
my you know, good advice in music business, and it's
been a good thing.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Okay, So you came to town, you had no fan base,
know nothing. You were like a professional golfer though, right,
was that your job beforehand?
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah? Before music, I played the played professional golf for
ten years. Most people think male model. They don't even
realize like that.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
So could you make a living playing professional golf?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
I did? Yeah for ten years. That was you had
a only force of income.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
You had a fun life.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
I have lived two guys, dream locks, music and golf.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Yeah, I mean, and now music goes with golf.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Yeah, and now more than ever. But uh, you know,
it's not as much golf for me now these days.
I haven't really been played since the accident. So okay,
I gotta I gotta get through that and see if
I can get back to it.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
So we got to get to your accident. But before
we get there, I want to keep talking about the
pre years, because, like we were talking about, you've lived
a hundred lives and you should have died. I did
you did die?
Speaker 2 (04:48):
I did twice.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Yeah, did you go to the other side? Did you
see God?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
I'll tell you what I saw. So I didn't remember anything.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
You're on stage, I know.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I just walked off stage and sat down on the bus.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
So you played a full show.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Just played a sold out show. Took my ears off
and my crew guy said, I looked at it and said, boy,
I'm getting too old for this ship. And normally I
go to the back of my bus, but I didn't.
I sit in the front lounge and he walked off
the bus and I just fell over.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Were you just by yourself? So nobody saw it?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Nobody saw it. They found me.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
How long were you there?
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, that was the thing. That was a hard thing.
Nobody knew. They didn't know. They didn't know the time frame. Yees.
So my wife, who is a nurse, has a nursing degree.
He was like, well, how long was he out? And
they're like, well, no more than ten minutes. She's like,
ten minutes? Is there is no cult left at ten minutes?
I meant. So it was. It was just a lot
of weird.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
So what happened? You passed out from a heart attack.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
Too?
Speaker 2 (05:49):
We're to make her heart attacks.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
So once they found you, you went straight to the hospital.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, I met. They worked on me there. They brought
me back there on my bus.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
It brought you back to life on your bus.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Yeah, and then they got me ambulance and they took
me to one hospital and they operated on me for
ten hours?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Ten hours? Were they thinking you might have brain damage?
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Oh? Yeah, that's what I'm saying. They didn't know it
was ten hours. It was twenty hours surgery total, ten
leaders of blood. I mean it was. It was pretty horrific.
They couldn't do any more for me. They got me turned,
they got the Mayo Clinic came over and got me in.
They had a miss. They have a machine called ECHMO,
(06:27):
which is the ICU. Nurses call it circle in the
drain like that.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Is that's your last hope?
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's not you. They say, somebody
at forty years old and perfect shape has a thirty
percent chance of surviving echmo for three days. I was
fifty four, not in the best of shape as you know. Uh,
and uh, you know I was on it for seven days.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
What is emo?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It just runs your entire body for you, my heart, my.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Living runs your body.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, you had They don't. It's not in every hospital.
It's only in certain place. Is because you have to
have multiple people to run it like it's it's a
big deal, and it's that was That was the only
way I survived really. Uh. Brantley Gilbert was out there
at the time, you know, and we're basically brothers. And
so the first hospital couldn't do anymore. The the guy
(07:17):
came out with blood all over him, and Brantley they
wouldn't They didn't want to tell him what was going
on because nobody's related to me.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Oh right, So he was in the hospital with you.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
No, he was out he was there. He was out there.
He was out there playing a show as well. Coach
thunder was going on and so, uh yeah, he just
they wouldn't tell them anything. And you know, you've you've
known Brantley a long guy. He's not really good at
being told that. Yeah, I told that, especially when you're
talking about somebody that's family for him. And he'd then
(07:49):
made up his mind. He's like, I'm going to jail,
and then he called his wife jail. Oh no, he wasn't.
I mean, I'm like, y'all don't know how serious he was.
He took his rolegs off, told cayled Amber said, if
they don't tell me what's going on, cold and get
him over to Mayo Clinic where they can try to
help him, I'm going to jail. He told it. Doctor.
He said, if you don't fix that, you're going back
in as a patient, not as a doctor.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
I'm so that's of true blue friend right there.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Oh man, he did and there does he get you
to Mayo? They got me over to Mayo?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Is that because of his persistence?
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah, no, so he kind of saved your life too, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
In more ways than one. Yeah, because when I came
back after everything was said and done and I survived
or whatever, and then I wasn't sure if I'd ever
do this again. I didn't know. I mean, it created
I've known you twenty years, I've scared or anxiety. It's
not anything I've ever had. And then all of a
sudden it was overpowering for me. And I didn't know he.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Had debilitating anxiety. Yeah, about what it would happen again.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, just being back on stage. The first time I
went to step on my bus, I was like, wait,
last time I was on here, you carried me off
of here dead. Basically I meant like, you don't think
about things like that until it started happening to me.
And when I brantly wanted me to go back out
on tour with him, but I couldn't commit to the
tour because we have to book so far in advance.
(09:06):
I didn't know when I could come back, because you do,
I don't know that.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
In April twenty twenty four. Yeah, and you really didn't
get cleared until December twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Right, No, well, I didn't leave. I didn't leave. I
was in the hospital for two months in Arizona. And
that's another thing. When you get sick and you're somewhere else. I'ment.
Youre thousands of miles from home. My parents are old,
they couldn't get there. It was just so hard on
a lot of people. And so I'm just really really
(09:35):
lucky to be here. But when I say Brantley saved
me more than once is I wasn't sure if I
was getting back on stage, and so he said, here's
what we do for two weeks. You're going to come
out with me on tour. And he brought me out
in the middle of his show and let me do
fifteen minutes in the middle of his show. It's his tour,
(09:58):
he's the star, and he let me stand there and
be the star for fifteen minutes, his band playing there,
his band playing, and it was just it was and
it made me go, Okay, this is is all right,
I'm not The first show of my MIC was just
trimmed and you know, and yeah, that that that made
(10:21):
me think it was all right to come back and
do it. It was a big deal. And most artists,
you know, you've been around this industry, yourself, your your husband,
I meant like to step aside of the spotlight for
somebody else. I mean, when it's your deal is most
don't or won't do that. And he just was not
(10:43):
gonna have it any other way.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
So you guys, I mean, that's like you started together.
That's brotherhood right there. Like he couldn't bear to see
you not be you. No, he needed you to be back.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
He wasn't gonna you know, there's some people.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
In your life though that you have to have them.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
My microphone's standing for a long time as a shotgun
with an American flag rafter on and it's always been
my thing. And so from that moment at the hospital,
like this he even had when my band and crew
got over there, he already had his TM and manager
had they'd already got in his jack, his security had
got my guy's full breakfast brought in and everything, Like
(11:20):
it's just unbelievable. Like I said, so me being able
to go back out with him do that. I didn't
have any expense, I didn't have any stress I just
rode his bus. It was a big deal. And uh
that let me think, okay, I can I I'm okay,
maybe I can go do this a little bit more.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
So, so on like the spiritual emotional side, what did you?
What was made of? Where to you after coming out
of this other side? Like that? Like that You're so loved,
you're so wanted like so.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Then that leads me back to you, ask what happened?
So you know, Toby and I were very close Toby Keith, Yeah,
and we had just buried him not long before that,
and it was awful. I hated it. He was so
good to me and just we were close. Our wives
and trists are friend. I mean, we did play golf,
we traveled, we did all kinds of things together. And
(12:21):
he used called me little dog Daddy because you know,
he's big dog daddy. And and I tell people, I'm like,
you know, as an artist, when you're an Alpha two,
you're like, but it's Toby Keith, you know, man. So
I always thought it was cool. And that's how I
woke up. It was bright light and Toby stepped out
and said, they ain't ready for your little dog going
back down there.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Wait wait, wait wait, wait, wait, this is.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
This is how I woke up.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
He was for real, for real, not like this wasn't
like a dream you're having, Like Toby Keith was in
the hospital. No, No, that's what you saw.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
He was passed away.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I just you saw him in heaven. Yeah what Okay,
you got to say that all again. So when you
had your widow maker heart attack, you died, you went
to heaven. Toby Keith had just passed away. He was
your close friend.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
Yeah, and he said they're not ready for your little
dog going back down there. And that's when I woke
up and looked around, like what's happening? Yeah, that's how
I woke up. Stop.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Yeah, but how company too to know that? Like to
see Toby again?
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Meant yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:23):
And then when you came back, did you have confidence?
But you must have full confidence that you're supposed to
be here?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Well, obviously I know something God has got me. You know.
The devil was afraid, I guess, and God wasn't ready.
So I've been right. I wrote that too. Yeah, so
it's it's been a life altering experience.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Oh yeah, I've noticed that you're a big mantra guy though,
because like from the very first video that you posted
on your Instagram when you had the heart attack. You're like,
I'm not going down, Like you spoke that over yourself.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Yeah, you got to speak it into existence sometimes I meant, Uh,
I just didn't know any different, you know, my whole career.
And again, you and I have known each other the
entire time I've been in town. I was probably ten
twelve years ahead of a lot of things musically, and
so that's so you've always been they were terrified, they
(14:15):
were scared of me. You're yeah, I mean that's what
I'm saying, Like I was doing something that they were
afraid of. And now it's like I sound like Merle
Haggard compared to some of the stuff that's coming out
of here today. So I don't know, you know, I'm
just so blessed to still be able to play music.
And uh, in the face, you know, I didn't know.
You don't know if the fans are still going to
be there, Like I was worried about that. Like, I know,
(14:36):
I've worked hard to be good to my fans and
they've been good to me. But then you don't know,
like you know, how this business is. Sometimes you disappear
and they're like, where'd you go? And then and then
they go, oh look there's the squirrel. You know, look
look new guy, new girl. I meant, so it is,
I didn't know, and uh, going back out here. Plenty
of shows, they're still here, they're still hanging around, and
(14:56):
it's been again when I went out would be. I mean,
like we had what we were going to do, We
had the show set up, and then I was supposed
to walk off stage. He's got to finish, you know,
he's still got forty five minutes in this show. But
he just didn't let it. He wouldn't let it be
like that. So I go to walk off and he's like, hey,
come back out here. And then it was every night
(15:19):
was two minutes of just standing ovation in the entire
stoping Marina and he just stood back and let me
just stand up there. And yeah, it was pretty special.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
But I mean the bigger thing I'm seeing of all
this is like what a deep friendship and bond and
like how amazing to have that kind of relationship that's
beyond anything.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Yeah, I met, we I met, we came up together,
you know, I mean he was a kid. I mean
I was already grown. But he was a kid when
we started, and we've just been like brothers. I mean,
he's watched my young uns grow up. I meant. Matter
of fact, my son, who Brently's known since he was
like the same age as his son is now, was
working in Jacksonville, and this is how Brentley I mean
(16:06):
he immediately called rentolds my son and got him and
his wife first class flight and got them he brought
them to Phoenix because nobody knew. I meant he was
able to do that right away.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
So yeah, man, Colt, that's awesome. You're a great guy
that have those kind of bonds. Though you don't have
to be a good friend yourself to have good friends
like that. What is it about friendship that you value
so much?
Speaker 2 (16:28):
This business is hard on friendship. You know, you've been
around a long time, and.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
It's and it can make you good competitive as.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
It can do that, and it can I just don't
I don't know how to be any other way. Like,
we're friends, Like I've known you twenty years. We haven't
seen each other since probably that cruise, but we're still friends.
I pick right up and sit down and talk to you,
like I don't know how to be any other way
(16:57):
than that. And some of the artists sometimes they they
do know how to just go up yep, I'm on
to the next thing or to the next person. And
it caused me to feel, I'm completely honest, it caused
me to feel some kind of way for a while
because there's a lot of people I still have not
heard from. I meant not a word, and I mean
that I've known as long as I've known. I mean
(17:18):
like like no like held their kids as babies, and
I haven't heard from them. And it really made me
feel some kind of way for a while. And I'm
I'm I'm letting go of some of that. You real
people get in their own They have their own world,
their own life. They don't mean to be you know,
it just happens sometimes, but I just it's the way
(17:39):
I am. I don't I don't know, you know what
I mean, Like, I don't, I don't know any other
way like for friends than we are.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I love that. Okay, So your new album that you
just put out is very much centered around these kind
of themes though, Like after your recovery, reevaluating your life,
talk to me about how you decided you were ready
to make music again and get out there again. I
just saud you have been a road warrior before.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Yeah, that's all I've ever die. I had fifteen straight
years of at least one hundred and twenty five shows
a year.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
How many albums had you put out in that time?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Ten?
Speaker 3 (18:08):
No, yeah, you put out ten albums. You put on
an album every year, yeah, or at least every other year.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Yeah. Yeah, oh my god, didn't And I didn't have
the rules because you know, yeah, independently.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Somebody would sign you either.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
No.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
No, when especially when we first met, no, I mean,
people were like they didn't know what to do with it. No,
you know my attorney Scott Safford, you know, I like,
people are like, we love this, what do we do
with this? So we don't know, you know what I meant.
So it was it was a.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
So you just said I'm gonna do it.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
I had to do it that way. I didn't, you know.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
So you started average started to label yourself. Yeah, towards yourself.
You funded the whole thing.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Yeah, we just we just did you build? How you?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
How'd you fund it?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
But so you've met I'm sure you've met Shannon over
the years. My partner and the CEO of the label,
Jenny Spice's husband, huh her, she's the better half of
that for sure. Uh. And and one of my good
friends growing up was the CEO and the founder of
Zaxby's OK And I said, zach Man, we want to
do a record label, and he said, well, what do
we need? And me, him and Shannon formed this label
(19:09):
and it's really been one of the most truly successful
independent record later in the history of Nashville. Was there.
We don't have any affiliation with any major like, we
literally did it all every deal direct, yeah till yeah
this day.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
No, we manufacture our own stuff. We did it all
our own way, and it probably cost me some or
us some stuff in some ways, but it's been also beneficial.
There are not many fifty six year olds that can
go in and make whatever kind of record they want
to make it right now, but I can.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
So how many artists from Abershaws, Lord.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
I don't even know how many. I mean, we've got
Creed Fisher's doing really great, Brian Martin, you know, he's
killing it. Was out with Morgan. I mean, we got
a lot of Josh Miranda who's one of the best songwriters.
And I think he's Yeah. I mean, he's fantastic. So
we're just rocking and doing a lot of film and TV.
You know, we do a lot of stuff with that.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
So are you so proud of yourself? I mean, you
have done it cold like talk about like in the beginning,
like you were a professional golfer. You made that happen
that as hard as hell to do.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
It was hard.
Speaker 3 (20:13):
Then you pivoted. Why did you pivot?
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Because music? Music is truly always my first love, okay,
but golf. I mean they said, well, why did you choose?
I tried to do both at first, and the schedules
do not go to go Oh, I'm sure golf is
time to get up when that's when I go to bed.
For music, they're they're way different schedules.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
So you kind of achieved the golf and you're like,
I'm gonna yeah, well I just could.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
I got had some injuries. I couldn't play on professionally anymore,
so I was like teaching and being a club pro
and stuff, and but music never would go away from me.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
It's just never was it always rapping well, yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
But I just always all kinds of just everything everything. Yeah,
I just was always just a weird kid that did that,
and I couldn't make it go away, and I just
kept going and finally I was like, well, I'm gonna
try this, and you know, here we are twenty years later.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
But I just love your persistence and I love your
determination and I love your gusto because to be an
entrepreneur and pursue such hard things like being a professional
golfer and then transitioning into music not getting signed by.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
It, I was too hard headed.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Yeah, not having anyone support you, and you say, fine,
I'm gonna do it myself, start your own record label,
make that successful. I mean, these are not hard things
that you're doing. Having a heart attack on stage and
like saying I'm coming back stronger.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
I don't know. I was just hard headed. Ma mama,
so males hard headed.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
But what is it?
Speaker 2 (21:34):
I don't know. I just don't.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
I just you're not done and you're gonna do it.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Huh No, I don't. Yeah, I'm not done. It was funny.
So my wife and I bless her heart, she.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
And you just got married, right, Yeah, I mean I was.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Married for I was married previously. Max wife Jessica shout
out to her. She's great. But my wife, Megan, when
you find your person, I film a person that's like,
I just can't. Nothing is nothing in this world old
works without her, like it just doesn't. I don't want
any of it. So she's she got a stress fracture
(22:08):
in her foot standing there talking to me for ten
hours a day while I was in a coma. And
she's not the talker. She's like, there's a She's like,
you're the one that talks. I just like to hang
out and drink wine and white claws and you know,
smoke some Marlboro lights. But she just loved the life
back in, so she wouldn't she wouldn't see it. Yeah,
(22:28):
she wouldn't see it any other way.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
Had y'all gotten married before you had.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Your No, we'd been together, we had, We were supposed to.
We were actually supposed to get married October before that,
and life just got in the way. We had a
bunch of stuff going on and things like, ah, well,
well we were getting married here in natural Jamie was
marrying us.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
He's officiated a lot of wedding Jamie Johnson.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
Was marrying us. Yes, I know, I mean and that
was fun to watch him getting married recently, and Randy
pursid over that.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
Yeah, those are, but those are the people that we
came up.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
I know, it's a different world.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
And we all are still friends and here, yeah, like
in here like a lot of those, a lot of people,
and the even these came after us, they're not and
they don't. I mean, like I think about all that
core group that that we came up with, and Jamie
and Dallas and Rhett and Randy and you know, rib J,
(23:20):
Jared Neman. I meant Lee Brice, the Trailer Park. I mean,
like we're all still here. I know, Low Crash, Chris
and Press, We're all still friends and forever, still making music.
And it's so crazy to.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Me, isn't it crazy?
Speaker 2 (23:34):
And it's and it's so cool.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Twenty years goes by so fast. I can't believe I
can say that now is like forty two, because like
you and you're twenty. I remember the first time I
felt old was at twenty four. I'm like, oh, this
is how aging happens. And then you blink and then
all of a sudden you're forty two, and like people
talk about it, forty I.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Remember thinking when I was a kid, like what do
you do at forty golf in the woods like an
old dog and just die? Yeah, he went off in
the woods, not like now I'm fifty six and stay
like with these kids out there, I'm in but.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
You don't feel it in your head. Which is the
weird thing because like when I'm around young people, like
I have this intern who I left shout out Gabby
and Natty who does my content? Who are in their twenties,
and I'm like, in my head, I'm like, we're cool,
We're hanging and I'm like, no, I'm like old No,
But in my head, I don't feel it.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
No, I don't either, just to say that. But now
but now since the actually I feel Yeah, I've slowed
down a little bit of the travel I used to
oh that travelers could do it, no worries, and now
it's like I'm gonna have to pass on that. I've
had to pass on things that I wouldn't do before.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Have you slowed your touring down? So tell me what's
life's been like post coming out? So like December was
that kind of a turning point for you? You graduated
from cardiac Yeah, I did, my.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
I graduated my cardiac rehab, and you know, again, I
didn't know what I was gonna, I didn't know what
I was in for. I just always thought I could,
you know, walk on water and ship ice cream. I
just thought I could do whatever I want, you know.
I mean, I wasn't scared and nothing, anything and ship
and I just thought I could do whatever. And then
all of a sudden, I wake up and I can't
(25:03):
pick up a starfroam cup and feed myself ice.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
So my wife and I were scheduled to go to
the Derby last that year, sitting in the government, I
mean like it was a big deal, and she was
fired up. We had the hats, the whole deal. In
my mind, I'm laying there and I wake up. Come.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
I'm like, oh, no, we're still going because you had
the hardtack and so you're gonna be Yeah, this is
a quick little thing.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
I'm like, we're going to I said, no, we're going
to the Derby. She's like, that's cute. You will still
be sitting laying here watching the Derby in this particular bed,
and I'm like, no, no, no, no, she was right.
I was still laying there.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
When did you realize it was very serious? Did you
know right away?
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Obviously I was on a lot of things, I mean,
and it took me a while to process some of it.
But like when I can't pick up a star foam
cup and feed myself ice, I'm like this, this is
a problem. I had learned to walk, I mean, I
couldn't walk. I didn't know, I didn't know how to do.
It was a lot, It was a lot.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
What is that like? Mentally? What are what's happening in
your mind? When you can't walk and you have been
this like guy like you said, like nothing happen to you.
You've been so alpa, living your life, doing your thing,
nobody's gonna hold you down, and now a sudden you
can't walk, like what mentally happens?
Speaker 2 (26:20):
It was. I'm still dealing with it, having to learn
to give myself grace, uh and patience. I'm trying. I
keep saying this BSBP thing like be still and be patient.
I meant like I've never been that, Like I've just
been that.
Speaker 3 (26:37):
So this is your lesson your had It's had.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
To show me some things and the way to approach
some things, and uh softened my heart on some things
that I thought were I thought anxiety and stuff for
me where I the way I grew up in the
country and my dad enjoyed, like it's just like anxieties
for you're like, what are you talking about? Like yeah,
and I don't care about your feelings. I don't care
(27:01):
about now that I get you, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
Different my dad generation was phrased that way, like no
crying in baseball, like wake up and go win.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
The super Bowl, just go get after it.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
Yeah, like we don't want to hear your story.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
I didn't know that, so I had to hum an
all of a sudden, I'm having to, you know, ask
people to like, hey, can you wipe my butt for me? There?
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Jim, like a random person in the hospital.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Yea, yeah. Yeah. So I meant like, that's it's a
real thing.
Speaker 3 (27:29):
That's that was Is it freeing?
Speaker 2 (27:31):
On one hand?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Though, to release, I bet he.
Speaker 2 (27:34):
Didn't think so. But uh, but.
Speaker 3 (27:36):
To surrender, to have to surrender and to be able
to like let people fully help you, I mean, is
that is there some freedom in that and some like something?
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Yeah? There, it definitely is, And I'm still learning how
to accept it. I think it's a journey you know,
as long as we've been around this industry, we've seen
a lot of things. You've you've done, like me, pivoted
different things, whatever we got to do to be successful
and and relevant. And and now it's like there's things
(28:08):
start to become a little clearer. What's important, what's not important?
Speaker 3 (28:13):
Uh So what's cleared up for you? What's important?
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Being present is really really important?
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Were you always looking towards the next hill like.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Big time Dreamer just chas her so.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
You couldn't even enjoy that you prayed for and achieved.
You're like looking for the next thing.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
I couldn't wait to go on to the next. And
now it's like, you know what this moment I'm in
right here with with my wife, I'm like, y'all could
have every bit of it. I'll stay right here. I
don't I don't need anything with that. And you know
the Tracy Lawrence, you find out who your friends are,
There's there's a lot of stuff to that. And again
(28:51):
it made me feel some kind of way for a while,
I'm trying to let go of it and realize like
some people don't mean to sometimes. But but you.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Also found out you got some really good friends.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Man, I did, I did. I found out.
Speaker 3 (29:01):
I mean, and you've got a really good wife. Oh man,
I mean you talk about putting your relationship through the test, Well,
you got her at.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
The same time. You got to remember at the time,
she's got a we got an eighteen year old and
her daughter's fifteen at the time, and there in Tulsa
at home. We're in Phoenix, Arizona, and she's we're there
for two months.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
That's stressful.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
We had to move our whole life out there. And
so she held it all together and makes she just
just absolute rocks. I tell people all the time, like
I'm famous, she's the star. That's I believe that. Yeah,
you know, I mean, I know, I know you're old man.
He probably say the same thing.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
I'm telling you. A lot of these country artists. I
was with Christian Brush yesterday, married to uh Press them
from Low Cash. I just have so many amazing wives
of these country artists, and I'm like, man, one thing
these artists know how to do is marry well.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Yeah, strong, it's important and you have to be it's important. Yes,
she she saved, She's we saved each other. I guess
I don't know. We just one of those things.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
So tell me about the new album. What's it called.
Tell me you're a little out there, A little out
there to get to this, I've.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Always been a little out there. I meant, yeah, but
most artists are, you know, I think you do. You
kind of got to live in that, in that space.
And uh, this album is interesting and there's a lot
of singing. For me, my voice sounds a.
Speaker 3 (30:38):
Lot different, so you don't normally sing this much.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
Not no, not even close. Uh. You know, there's my
publicist sitting over here and she I got a song
called truck on Fire. She's like, I don't I didn't
know you did that, Like this is really cool, Like
I just want I've always constantly tried to push it
another level every time I'm in and so or do
(31:01):
something different. And I've never I've been too stubborn or
dumb to think that I couldn't do it, you know,
I mean, I just I just did. My mom told
me i'd argue with the fence post, so I just
I just kept going and kept trying to do it.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
The are you nervous putting out an album with a
lot more singing?
Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yeah, a little bit, but these songs are rocking though,
Like I know they're rocking, and uh so I'm excited.
I just hope people will dig it. You know, I've
been really blessed that people have followed along my musical journey.
They've kind of gone everywhere I've gone with me. Uh
So it's that's been cool, I think, because it's been authentic.
Speaker 3 (31:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
So you know, if you look at like Eric Church
is a good example. Until his first number one was
drinking my hand. You gotta be kidding me that that's
his first name. I like, yeah, there, I can I
name you probably ten songs that should be number one
that he cut before.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
That totally so aligne.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Right like it, but it just it and for whatever reason.
So you know, I'm just happy to still be playing music.
And so his fan base followed him along.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
If you look at Eric's beginning to I mean, he
built it by being involved with him, and so I've
I've done that. I mean I stayed after, I signed
every autograph, I took every picture, and I still do it,
and it's way harder now. I can't do it like
I used to. There ain't no doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
Well, the energy it takes.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Yeah, I can't. That's I have to physically watch what
I do now on the road. I used to, you know,
I'd play golf all day and play show and whatever
else we did all night.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
I mean, you know, you remember I have like I
like about five years ago, we what we kind of
toned it back, and I was like, and then I
really turned it back. And then I started like untangling
all of my intense energy that I used to spill,
like being on the road all the time, always pursuing
every opportunity, saying yes to everything, going everywhere. But then
I had a kid, and I changed my perspective, right,
(32:57):
and now I'm so slowed down that don't even know
how to pick it back up again.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
I don't know that I want to.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
But yeah, even at that pace, it will wear you.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
There's some of my buddies. I still look at him
and go, how are you doing? Were you still doing
that that way? I meant, like some of them doing it?
I don't. Yeah, I don't really talked about all to days. Like, man,
being sober now is so much.
Speaker 3 (33:17):
Easier drinking too, Yeah, like you drinking, No, I've.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Never have, really, you never dream It's so funny they
don't realize that Justin Morrison than me. One day, he goes, wait.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
You don't drink, You've never drank?
Speaker 2 (33:29):
No, And I said, He said, how do I not
know that? We've been friends fifteen years? I said, because
you were? You were always drunk. We wn't show this
no offense. Justin he's not a drunk. I don't mean
one of my best friends.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
People just didn't realize because I just never have. Just
why not?
Speaker 2 (33:45):
I don't know, I just never did.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
You don't want to be out of control.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
I don't smoke some weed.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Yes, or take a gummy?
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Yeah? Absolutely?
Speaker 3 (33:51):
So you like that you have a series on your
Instagram that's quite hilarious.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Yeah, well, I say some I want to start a
whole nother series. I should get your text number so
I can send you some funny texts that I have
when I'm when I'm uh way up there. So you
get people when I'm high enough to peak in Jesus's window.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Yeah, so you're just gonna give.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
Dying thinking fun high text.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
What does Jesus say when you're high enough to peek
in his window?
Speaker 2 (34:16):
He just shakes his head. Yeah, yeah, I mean I
just yeah, I say some weird things I try to
figure out, like color, what color is a mirror?
Speaker 3 (34:27):
What color is a mirror?
Speaker 2 (34:28):
I don't know. I need to know things like that.
You know, Mercedes three different ease, all pronounced differently? Why
is that?
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Say? How do you even know to think about these saying.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Exactly exactly that we be letting you know? I don't know.
I don't know. I think of it. But that's the
kind of things I think about.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Okay, So that's the kind of thing you think about.
Speaker 2 (34:50):
Okay, Yeah, it ain't nothing important and stuff like or
either that or I'm watching cat like voiceover animal videos
on TikTok. That's a lot of fun for me too.
I do like that.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
You know how to keep it fun cold?
Speaker 2 (35:01):
I don't. Life's too short to be any otherwise.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
So do you mind hanging out with a bunch of
people drinking? Does that bother you?
Speaker 1 (35:06):
No?
Speaker 2 (35:06):
I've always done it, you know, I mean because of
I've just never It's never bothered me, and I've always
been able to just you know, in high school, I
would be the one we had a customized van for
the Georgia Bulldogs and I would just drive fifteen people
home after a field party.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
And you never felt the peer pressure.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Well I felt it. Yeah, I was just I don't know.
I don't know why I didn't.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
I think this is wonderful.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
I want to know how I didn't do it on purpose.
My grandparents were alcoholics and I and they wouldn't stop,
and and maybe I just like I hate that, and
so I and my parents just didn't really drink. So
I just never I don't know, and then I just
didn't like the taste.
Speaker 3 (35:46):
So awesome.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Yeah, I've managed to avoid that. One kid, Rock got
me drunk one time. But I meant, I'm sure a
lot of people can say that that ain't nothing special.
Bob thanks, I know.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
But he is such he is such a great friend
when you're his friend.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Let me just tell you. So you've known Bob a
long time as well. Yeah, he all the stuff he
gets talked about is all the craziness.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
Well, because he's such a he's so big, he's not
scared for people to talk about it.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
And he's he's fine with that. I mean, right after
the bud Light thing, when he shot up the bud
Light thing. Literally the next week I'm playing here in Nashville,
and he comes to my show and gets up in
the balcony on a private balcony and stands there with
a bud light beer can in his hand for my
entire show. I'm like you, He's like, I just love
(36:36):
messing with him. I mean, he just he can't help it.
But I'll say this, he gets you know, here's all
that stuff. But I was scheduled on all the Rock
the Country.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
Shows and that's Bob's show.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
Yeah yeah, him and Jason were doing that.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Rock the Country.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Yeah, so I'm scheduled on this Isob. So they're scheduled.
I'm scheduled to be on those and you know, all
of a sudden, you know, and somebody like me that's
a touring artist, that's there's that's where money. I mean,
that's where the house note is. That's where it's all at.
Like I have to I have to work to go
(37:10):
get it and now nothing. And he made he I
was think I was on eight of the shows. He
paid me in full for every show.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
Are you serious?
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Every show?
Speaker 3 (37:20):
He is such a good dude like that, Like he
does a lot of things that people do not Walmart
and Christmas and people will have stuff on.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Layaway and put one hundred thousand dollars.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
By everyone's Christmas gifts, the entire and he won't tell
anybody who does it.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
No, I know, I know that he's done.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
He does stuff all the time. He is a good hearted.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
Person in but uh yeah, like he paid me for
all those shows, Like that's a that's a big deal.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
That's a big deal.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
I met like for me because it's like all of
a sudden everything is stopped for us, you know, and
the people the mortgage come to go, Man, we hate
your Hart Tech. When you're gonna send that mortgage care. Yeah,
I've been blessed to friends and a lot of I
met through music. Friends i'd met through music that I've
(38:06):
stayed in touch with did so much stuff for me
during this time. I meant like a man. The next
couple of months has covered kind of thing and you know,
and for me again, Alpham, I'm not used to I
don't know how to ask, and and and then.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
And I'm like, I don't see help me.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Well that's the other thing. Then I'm like, well you
want to get I don't know. I don't know if
I can give you this back, Like I don't I
don't know what I can do. I don't know, can
I get back to play and can I make money again?
I don't know. So what you're giving me, I don't know.
And every single one of them, like I didn't ask
for it back.
Speaker 3 (38:43):
So that's a whole new level of like you have
to be able to accept that, accept that love.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
To have some empathy again. It's it's been a journey
for me on some grace and some things that I need.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
And to say things and learning how to receive.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Yeah, I meant that's I've always been. I love giving
never never I never cared about getting gifts. I love giving.
That's what I want to do. I want to give
somebody something. If I could help with a young artists
and go, man, if you do this and this will
help you, Like I enjoyed that, and but it's made
me appreciate, you know, the help a whole lot because
(39:17):
there's some of the men I just every night at
my shows. Now, I said, I'm gonna apologize early. I'm
gonna cry probably during a show, and I know that's
not what y'all used to see. And from mister answer
to no one kind of deal, I said, And I
must say thank you a bunch because I cannot help
it if it wasn't for them fans, they just kept
sending me messages, messages, messages. Well, my mom's terrible about
(39:41):
talking to people on the internet, I think because they're
my fans. And I'm like, Mom, you can't tell these
people your home address. And I'm like, you don't know
who you're talking to me on there. She's eighty three
at eighty two, She's like, they love you. I'm like,
I know they may want to wear my skin, though
I don't know what how much. Yeah, so but she
we talked to a lady that was at the show
(40:02):
where that I played before the accident, and the lady said,
we had my husband. I was saying cold Play ten
times in the last fifteen years. The energy was incredible.
That was probably the best we'd ever heard his band
sound like. Really, it was one of those things where
it's like starting. It was really clicking. I had made
(40:22):
some changes in my band, and and she goes and
we walked out of the show and we saw all
the ambulances and stuff. We didn't know what was going on,
and then they saw the news and everything happened. This
lady goes to her church has six hundred of her
church members meet her there and they pray for me
for six hours. I don't know these people. I don't
(40:44):
know them. You think God's not really like I don't
know these people. They're just all gathered there praying for me.
So like you know how powerful special? Yeah? I meant like,
you know, it's just you really got.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
To experience heaven on earth. You got to see it.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
I'm wow. Yeah, I again.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
True hearts full of just love.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
At these shows every night, you know, you get you
did it, You've done it a long time, You've been
around it, you're still around it, and sometimes you can
get kind of numb to what's happening, and now it
all kind of feels new again. And that's that's that's pretty.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
Cool, and it's all about the connection.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
And it is and there's again they're still there. I
mean my moment of besides what I did with Brantley,
of really knowing what was happening, is Country Concert in
Ohio and Fort You've been there our last time I
played there a few years back, was main stage and
I was direct support, I think for Jason. Well, now
(41:50):
I'm two o'clock on Thursday on the stage, first act
for a long time since I've done that.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
I was terrified, what were you terrified of?
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Would anybody? Would anybody be there? I mean, like anybody
even go be at the festival? Yet at two o'clock
on Thursday, Yeah, ten thousand people there. They were standing
ten deep outside the big radio shelter. It was I
couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe And what's his name?
At variety of tractions, he's like the biggest thing we
(42:26):
could can't believe it, biggest crow we've ever had on
Thursday to start it off with. So they were still there,
you know, and they're still there. And that's that's been.
That's been pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (42:36):
That's amazing, cult, What a life? What do you think
of it all?
Speaker 2 (42:41):
Lucky? Just really blessed and I and just blessed. You know.
I meant you can, you can complain whatever, you can
find something I can say, well I did this first,
how come I don't get the credit? And now, okay,
what it's not going to make a bit of difference
in anything. I finally understand of what my dad said,
(43:01):
real peace is what true happiness is when you're at
peace with what you have, and that's what I finally found.
I was always chasing what else can I do? What
else do I need to do? Where else do I
need to go? What else do you need me to play?
Another free show? Okay, well that helped me.
Speaker 3 (43:18):
Yeah, I get that body so much help me at all.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
They didn't give a shit and they still don't and
it's okay and you realize that and then you go,
But I play.
Speaker 3 (43:26):
I get to play music and you're doing it for you.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
Yeah. I get to stand on stage and play songs
and people love it. And I'm seeing somebody my age
out there with their kids and their kids. I'm gonna
seeing three generations singing along to their rood anthem. That's
pretty dank cool. You don't get that much.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
So, yeah, you really just appreciate everything now a lot more.
Speaker 2 (43:49):
I appreciate everything. I appreciate as much as I'm a
wordsmith and a songwriter. I'm a little more measured in
some of the words I say now, especially with people
with relationships. I'm I'm I'm more precise about I'm not
just I'm not just gonna say anything to you. Try
(44:09):
to be a little bit more like Jamie. You know
what I mean. And if people know Jamie if you
really know him, you'll know what I mean that. I'm like,
you don't understand. First of all, Jamie's really funny, but
also Jamie's really smart. He says things that are very
very poignant, and.
Speaker 3 (44:25):
It's like a lesson everything.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah, like if you're if you're paying attention, you will
hear that.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:29):
And so I'm trying to be more measured and tempered
with what I say to people. And if I got
something to say to you, I'm gonna say it. I mean,
I'm not gonna let it go unspoken. You know, we
need to need to say it and tell people you
love him why you can, and if you don't like them,
tell them that to at least be honest, you know,
just be honest. And you know, I don't mean you
(44:51):
got to wish nothing bad on nobody, just yeah, you
know some people don't. The vibes don't match right it sometimes.
Speaker 3 (44:56):
Totally, So I go, I love this cold, Okay, So
tell me again wherever I can find your album? You
have a song out right now? Wait, the song out
right now is country.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
A Country with j Webb.
Speaker 3 (45:08):
Yeah, that one's fun. And you also just put out Can'
Hide Country with Tyler Booth, which is so.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
Fun, which is somebody. So Jamie and I are I
think we're about to I'm about to sign Tyler Booth
the average Joe's I hope out with the JV JV
thing with Jamie. That's kind of secret information.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
But now everyone's gonna know.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
For me and Jamie to be able to do this
together with Tyler, we're working on that.
Speaker 3 (45:29):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
I hope that comes fruition.
Speaker 3 (45:31):
I'm trying to speaking in for which are you regretting
that you just said it?
Speaker 2 (45:33):
No, I hope we speaking.
Speaker 3 (45:37):
Okay, bring it in.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
That's how I got here.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (45:40):
That's that's exciting, Okay.
Speaker 3 (45:41):
And then your album A little out there. It's out
November seventh.
Speaker 2 (45:43):
November seventh, Yeah, same day as Jako, my buddy Jake's
album comes out at the same day.
Speaker 3 (45:48):
You're excited nervous, Yes.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
I mean, I'm excited for people to hear a few
of these things that I'm excited about to see if it,
you know, see if they dig it, and uh, you know,
I hope that I hope that they will. I hope
that they'll go, Oh, this is a little bit of
a new side for Cold so you go to you.
Speaker 3 (46:05):
Know, you just have to keep evolving as you feel it,
especially someone like you who's paved your own path and
you're so independent. Yeah, I just just do.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
What you feel, trying to make something that it feels
good to me. Then I know there's some people out
there that'll dig it too.
Speaker 3 (46:18):
Are you touring?
Speaker 2 (46:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (46:19):
Okay, so you're back out.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
I'm back out. Yeah. I can do it. I can
do full show, no problem. I don't even hollybreak sweat. Really,
it's interesting, you know, I was always you know, big guy, right, Yeah,
I mean I'm on way one ninety. I meant tala
talafar goes, that's it. I've got to kill myself. I
didn't know. I never thought you would be less than me.
Speaker 3 (46:39):
And I was like, after the heart attack, you said, yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:42):
I'm wearing one nine and wearing thirty three ways. We're
going back to high school. We're going back a long time. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:47):
So did you just decide to get healthy afterwards? Is
that what?
Speaker 2 (46:49):
I didn't have no choice? Yeah? Yeah, all that waf
house ship had to stop. Yeah, it's uh. And my
wife she's yeah, she don't and she don't. She runs things,
so she don't let that slide.
Speaker 3 (47:00):
Okay, do you feel better?
Speaker 2 (47:02):
Unbelievable. I haven't drunk a soda. I don't. I don't drink.
I'm just water and some sweet tea, which is again
where you know where I'm from. When I have to
even order unsweet taste, like, it's a lot like care
seeing on my lips. I mean that's I don't like
doing that. Oh you're oh yeah, yeah, Like I'm afraid
my mama'll find out and I'll be in trouble.
Speaker 3 (47:23):
We're going to get that sweet.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
I've changed a lot of that. Yeah, eating habits and
just a lot of habits, a lot of habits.
Speaker 3 (47:29):
You're like a new this is a new new cold Ford.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
Yeah, cold new old cold Ford.
Speaker 3 (47:34):
I love it so much. Okay, anything else we need
to know before we wrap up?
Speaker 2 (47:37):
No, I'm just I'm just I was tickled to see you.
Does my heart good to see you? I I'll say
that last time I think we saw you was a
Brandley cruise? Is that right?
Speaker 3 (47:47):
I think probably?
Speaker 2 (47:48):
I think I don't know. I mean it all, you know, I.
Speaker 3 (47:52):
Think I'm getting like my brain I forget what is
it amnesia or like I don't even want to speak
these indixists, but I have a very hard time remembering things.
Speaker 2 (48:01):
Oh lord, that's the other thing.
Speaker 3 (48:03):
Yeah, do you forget?
Speaker 2 (48:05):
Oh yeah, bad.
Speaker 3 (48:06):
It's because there's so much in here, and we've seen it.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
We've lived a lot things.
Speaker 3 (48:10):
Yeah, you've met so many people, You've been in so
many crazy situations, Like I can't keep it all straight.
And then sometimes I don't know if I've dreamed it
or if it really happened.
Speaker 2 (48:18):
Some of I wish it didn't happen. But you know,
it's just it's it's crazy, crazy industry and we're lucky
to still be doing it. I'm just glad to be
here sitting with you and see you. It's really really
good for me to do that.
Speaker 3 (48:31):
I'm so proud of you, Cold. I'm so glad you're
back out there, like with a new album, back on
the road, you're feeling good. I'm so excited to see you, Natal.
Speaker 2 (48:39):
Your band is probably as rocking as I've ever been,
and I got some younger guys, so that makes me
feel these young guys up there playing with me, and uh,
I still got my old crotchety veteran drummer, old Tam
still out there beating the Skins to death for me,
and it's just fun. Man. I'm just grateful and I'm
telling them that every night, you know, I just tell them,
thank you, thank you still being here.
Speaker 3 (49:01):
I love that. Okay. So I always drop up with
one question, and it's just how whatever comes to mind,
drop some inspiration, leave your light. What do you want
people to know?
Speaker 2 (49:11):
You know you can? My dad used to tell My
dad was a coached baseball. Everybody called coach the day that,
but he used to tell his team, you can run
around and tell people how great you are. Oh, you
want to, but when you're really great, they'll tell you.
So I'm telling you you're great, Caroline. I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (49:31):
You're great. Cold You made people feel great.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
That's what it's all about. That is I'm just trying
to leave it a little bit better than we found it.
Speaker 3 (49:38):
I love that so much. Cold Ford, thank you so
much for joining. Well you stick around for a quick
ten minute tell me more great. We're gonna do a
bonus episode where we're asking some deep, deep burning quest.
Speaker 2 (49:47):
Let's get into it.
Speaker 3 (49:47):
Okay, cold Ford, You're amazing. This is so fun.
Speaker 2 (49:50):
Glad to be here. Don
Host
Caroline Hobby
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