October 17, 2023 • 8 mins
Country singer and songwritter Phill Vassar is coming home to Virginia! Performing live at the Amherst County Fair, Saturday October 21st! Tickets and information available here. Scott Stevens talks to Phil about what he has been up to lately and about his upcoming show. You can hear the interview that origionally aired on Scott's radio show on Tuesday October 17th following 2 of Phil's number one hits. To listen, press the play (>) button below.
Tickets and information here.
Tickets and information here.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
One O seven nine Wild wid Hey, it's Scott Stevens. And that is
two in a row from Phil Vasser. That was in a Real Love before
that just Another Day in Paradise.Both number one hits for Phil Vasser.
Both were songs that I played whenthey were brand new, and I'm proud
of that. And I'm also proudto say that Phil is coming home this
(00:21):
weekend the Amherst County Fair. He'splaying Saturday night in the best part of
all Right, now, we've gothim on the phone with us. How
you doing, Phil, Well,I'm doing great. Ho the heck are
you doing? I'm doing good,man, just hanging out here in the
wyy D studios talking to you,and Man, everybody's excited that you're coming
back home to perform for us thisweekend. Yeah. I am excited too,
(00:43):
Man, I'm really really pumped up. You see my mother and my
sisters, and it's it's gonna beIt's gonna be great, and I'm ready
to rock the house too. It'sgonna be great, no doubt about it.
And a few thousand of your closestfriends up here, and I know
that you and Jeff, the wholeband everybody's excited when you get to come
back to Virginia. I know it'sgonna be Uh, it's gonna be great.
(01:04):
It's it's spent a few years sinceI've been up there, and man,
it's just been you know, somuch is going on and we're just
we're just rocking it and uh we'rehaving fun and uh, you know we're
Vegas today and we're coming home.That's awesome. I was just about to
say, as you talk to meright now recording this interview, you're actually
in Las Vegas performing what's been goingon out there? Man, everything's good.
(01:29):
We got here last night and we'replaying a big show out here,
and then uh, we are headinghome. I mean we were you know,
going straight to Richmond and Alexandria.Then uh then I'll be at Amber
so on Saturday. So it's ayou know, crazy week, but man,
it's uh, it's it's just sogreat to be coming home and uh
seeing all my friends and family anduh, you know, it's been been
(01:52):
a while year, no doubt aboutit. I mean, you've been doing
a lot more songwriting. How's thatcoming along? You know what, it's
going great, and you know I'malways writing and working on new things and
and and that's one thing I loveabout what I do. And and you
know, performing is you know,as a pinnacle of the whole view.
You know, you just love gettingout in front of folks and playing your
(02:13):
songs. And but you know,it's it's always great to get in a
room and write them. It's justsomething I've always loved to do. And
and I just I'm still rocking along, so you know, it's still trying
to, you know, write thenext big hit. That's what you're always
doing and in search of no doubtabout it. So you are you've probably
lived in Nashville now longer than youwere ever in Virginia. You still taught
(02:36):
Nashville home. Isn't it crazy?We know Virginia is always going to be
home. Let's break my home,you know. And it's where I grew
up and you know, went tohigh school and then went to JMU and
then I then I moved to Nashville. I mean, just on a whim
and didn't really I don't know whatI was doing, but you know it.
It took me a few years tofigure it out and then finally did.
(02:58):
And I do love Nashville. Man, it's it's you know. The
one thing is it's gotten so big. You know, it's really changed from
you know, when I moved therein the eighties. You know. Yeah,
it's no doubt. Yeah, Iknow. For me to fly in
there every now and then for somethinglike country radio seminar, I'm like,
you know, I can I canfigure my way. And of course downtown
(03:19):
it's the same. But anywhere outsideof downtown. I get lost. When
I'm in Nashville. It's just insanehow much building's going on. And you
know that's progress, you know,but uh, you know, I can't
complain about that. I mean,I've been there, you know, since
it was when you could have boughta building downtown for nothing. You know.
Now it's like the crime real estatein the country, you know,
(03:42):
And so it's it's fun to seesomething grow like that. But it's you
know, it's kind of crazy.It was. It's just gonna slow down
a little bit, but it doesn'tlook like it. Shore's many kids of
that, Yeah, no doubt.In all these artists, the newer artists,
it seems like they all want tohave their own bar these days.
When did that start? Well,I don't know. I mean I had
(04:03):
my own bar a long time ago, and I figured out that was enough.
Once it was enough, I hada good time. And you know
that's how I you know, Ihad my own audience and my own crowd,
and and uh, and it wasit was great to be able to
do that, you know. AndI tried out new songs and and then
you know, a lot of mybuddies, you know, Joe d.
Chamb or whoever, would come inand they say, hey, man,
(04:24):
I like that song. Who wrotethat? Well, I wrote it to
cut it, so he did.So it was it was kind of a
fun time. And and uh.But you know, nationals change as you
know, city foods that are growing, and it's just fun to see it.
You know. I went downtown acouple of nights ago and then man,
it was one of my buddies upin the restaurant down there, and
(04:45):
it was in I'm like, wheream I? You know what happened?
Yeah, it does. That's theway it works. I was in Memphis
last week. The listeners know,I was there for Saint Jude for our
Country care seminar, and just rightfrom the time I got off the plane
in Memphis. I was like,what the heck are the airport in Memphis.
Used to get off the plane andit was like a hallway, it
(05:06):
was like going through a high school. There was nothing to it at all.
And now it's like you've gotten offin Atlanta. All of a sudden
there's this great, big, wideopen wag and you're like, when did
this get here? And then allover Memphis everything is just like that.
It's so different. It's grown up. And Saint Jude, I'm also glad
to say, has grown up.They bought all those neighborhoods that were adjacent
(05:27):
to it and that's now all partof the Saint Jude campus. So amazing
changes all over the South. Well, it's it's amazing what Saint Jude has
done. And you know we've beenpart of that, as you know,
you have done it for years too, and it's it's amazing with something like
that grows for the good, youknow, for the good and and and
it's a beautiful place and I've seenmiracles happen there, you know, because
(05:48):
I've had friends that have sent theirkids there and they're grown up and going
to school, going to college.So it's it's a real blessing, man,
it really is. It is indeed, and it's a real blass to
have you coming to perform at theAmherst County Fair coming up this weekend.
Hey folks, if you signed upfor tickets on our website, go check
your email. We sent a bunchout and a special congratulations to Amy Corbin
(06:12):
who not only won ticket, shewon backstage meet and greet, So she's
gonna get to come back and meetyou Phil at the show coming up Saturday.
Well, I wait, that wuldbe so much fun. Yeah,
no doubt about it. And everybodyneeds to plan to come support live music
in Lynchburg. You know, foryears we had Phase two and a couple
other venues that closed up during COVID, and you know we got to support
(06:32):
live music in Lynchburg. I meanwe got in Ronoke, we got Berglan
Center and several other places. Butwe need more live music in Lynchburg.
So come out and support Phil thisSaturday night. And I know you want
to see everybody, Amen, mybrother, It's it's such a it's such
a great time. I mean,I love Lynchburg and it's a great place
to be from. And and youknow we can use more music there.
(06:54):
You know. It's you just can'tget enough of that. And music is
good for the soul, and youknow, it's uh, it's it's nice
to you know, be able tocome home and see all the stuff going
on. You know. But Ibut I want more and more music venues,
man. I want to get homeand play more and and and hopefully
we can make that happen, youknow, no doubt about it. If
(07:15):
I if I hit that power ballone of these days, I'll reopen phase
too. Well, we'll call itcattle Annies again. How about that.
There you go. It was ait was a great place to play.
Man. COVID really messed up alot of things. Yeah, and we're
still seeing seeing seeing a lot ofthe uh, you know, all that
stuff happened. It it was soweird and so sudden, you know.
(07:35):
And and it's just all of asudden, so many things closed and never
reopened. But you know, itlooks like it's kind of coming back now
finally, and uh, and hopefullyit'll do the same with this break.
Yeah, yeah, we we surehope so and hope somebody buys that fine
venue and we start bringing music backthere and other places too. All right,
well, Phil, we'll see youSaturday, buddy. I appreciate your
(07:56):
time to chat with us, andI good to talk to you, my
friend. I can't wait to seewhen I get home. All right,
sounds good? All right, thankyou sir. I'll get that on the
radio right away. Yeah, andI'll also put it up as a podcast
so that anybody sees it online theycan grab it too. Well. Thank
you so much for having me,brother, And if you need anything,
this is my number. You justcall me and let me know. That
sounds great. I'll see you Saturday, okay, Betty, Thanks Scott. I'
One O seven nine Wild wid Hey, it's Scott Stevens. And that is
two in a row from Phil Vasser. That was in a Real Love before
that just Another Day in Paradise.Both number one hits for Phil Vasser.
Both were songs that I played whenthey were brand new, and I'm proud
of that. And I'm also proudto say that Phil is coming home this
(00:21):
weekend the Amherst County Fair. He'splaying Saturday night in the best part of
all Right, now, we've gothim on the phone with us. How
you doing, Phil, Well,I'm doing great. Ho the heck are
you doing? I'm doing good,man, just hanging out here in the
wyy D studios talking to you,and Man, everybody's excited that you're coming
back home to perform for us thisweekend. Yeah. I am excited too,
(00:43):
Man, I'm really really pumped up. You see my mother and my
sisters, and it's it's gonna beIt's gonna be great, and I'm ready
to rock the house too. It'sgonna be great, no doubt about it.
And a few thousand of your closestfriends up here, and I know
that you and Jeff, the wholeband everybody's excited when you get to come
back to Virginia. I know it'sgonna be Uh, it's gonna be great.
(01:04):
It's it's spent a few years sinceI've been up there, and man,
it's just been you know, somuch is going on and we're just
we're just rocking it and uh we'rehaving fun and uh, you know we're
Vegas today and we're coming home.That's awesome. I was just about to
say, as you talk to meright now recording this interview, you're actually
in Las Vegas performing what's been goingon out there? Man, everything's good.
(01:29):
We got here last night and we'replaying a big show out here,
and then uh, we are headinghome. I mean we were you know,
going straight to Richmond and Alexandria.Then uh then I'll be at Amber
so on Saturday. So it's ayou know, crazy week, but man,
it's uh, it's it's just sogreat to be coming home and uh
seeing all my friends and family anduh, you know, it's been been
(01:52):
a while year, no doubt aboutit. I mean, you've been doing
a lot more songwriting. How's thatcoming along? You know what, it's
going great, and you know I'malways writing and working on new things and
and and that's one thing I loveabout what I do. And and you
know, performing is you know,as a pinnacle of the whole view.
You know, you just love gettingout in front of folks and playing your
(02:13):
songs. And but you know,it's it's always great to get in a
room and write them. It's justsomething I've always loved to do. And
and I just I'm still rocking along, so you know, it's still trying
to, you know, write thenext big hit. That's what you're always
doing and in search of no doubtabout it. So you are you've probably
lived in Nashville now longer than youwere ever in Virginia. You still taught
(02:36):
Nashville home. Isn't it crazy?We know Virginia is always going to be
home. Let's break my home,you know. And it's where I grew
up and you know, went tohigh school and then went to JMU and
then I then I moved to Nashville. I mean, just on a whim
and didn't really I don't know whatI was doing, but you know it.
It took me a few years tofigure it out and then finally did.
(02:58):
And I do love Nashville. Man, it's it's you know. The
one thing is it's gotten so big. You know, it's really changed from
you know, when I moved therein the eighties. You know. Yeah,
it's no doubt. Yeah, Iknow. For me to fly in
there every now and then for somethinglike country radio seminar, I'm like,
you know, I can I canfigure my way. And of course downtown
(03:19):
it's the same. But anywhere outsideof downtown. I get lost. When
I'm in Nashville. It's just insanehow much building's going on. And you
know that's progress, you know,but uh, you know, I can't
complain about that. I mean,I've been there, you know, since
it was when you could have boughta building downtown for nothing. You know.
Now it's like the crime real estatein the country, you know,
(03:42):
And so it's it's fun to seesomething grow like that. But it's you
know, it's kind of crazy.It was. It's just gonna slow down
a little bit, but it doesn'tlook like it. Shore's many kids of
that, Yeah, no doubt.In all these artists, the newer artists,
it seems like they all want tohave their own bar these days.
When did that start? Well,I don't know. I mean I had
(04:03):
my own bar a long time ago, and I figured out that was enough.
Once it was enough, I hada good time. And you know
that's how I you know, Ihad my own audience and my own crowd,
and and uh, and it wasit was great to be able to
do that, you know. AndI tried out new songs and and then
you know, a lot of mybuddies, you know, Joe d.
Chamb or whoever, would come inand they say, hey, man,
(04:24):
I like that song. Who wrotethat? Well, I wrote it to
cut it, so he did.So it was it was kind of a
fun time. And and uh.But you know, nationals change as you
know, city foods that are growing, and it's just fun to see it.
You know. I went downtown acouple of nights ago and then man,
it was one of my buddies upin the restaurant down there, and
(04:45):
it was in I'm like, wheream I? You know what happened?
Yeah, it does. That's theway it works. I was in Memphis
last week. The listeners know,I was there for Saint Jude for our
Country care seminar, and just rightfrom the time I got off the plane
in Memphis. I was like,what the heck are the airport in Memphis.
Used to get off the plane andit was like a hallway, it
(05:06):
was like going through a high school. There was nothing to it at all.
And now it's like you've gotten offin Atlanta. All of a sudden
there's this great, big, wideopen wag and you're like, when did
this get here? And then allover Memphis everything is just like that.
It's so different. It's grown up. And Saint Jude, I'm also glad
to say, has grown up.They bought all those neighborhoods that were adjacent
(05:27):
to it and that's now all partof the Saint Jude campus. So amazing
changes all over the South. Well, it's it's amazing what Saint Jude has
done. And you know we've beenpart of that, as you know,
you have done it for years too, and it's it's amazing with something like
that grows for the good, youknow, for the good and and and
it's a beautiful place and I've seenmiracles happen there, you know, because
(05:48):
I've had friends that have sent theirkids there and they're grown up and going
to school, going to college.So it's it's a real blessing, man,
it really is. It is indeed, and it's a real blass to
have you coming to perform at theAmherst County Fair coming up this weekend.
Hey folks, if you signed upfor tickets on our website, go check
your email. We sent a bunchout and a special congratulations to Amy Corbin
(06:12):
who not only won ticket, shewon backstage meet and greet, So she's
gonna get to come back and meetyou Phil at the show coming up Saturday.
Well, I wait, that wuldbe so much fun. Yeah,
no doubt about it. And everybodyneeds to plan to come support live music
in Lynchburg. You know, foryears we had Phase two and a couple
other venues that closed up during COVID, and you know we got to support
(06:32):
live music in Lynchburg. I meanwe got in Ronoke, we got Berglan
Center and several other places. Butwe need more live music in Lynchburg.
So come out and support Phil thisSaturday night. And I know you want
to see everybody, Amen, mybrother, It's it's such a it's such
a great time. I mean,I love Lynchburg and it's a great place
to be from. And and youknow we can use more music there.
(06:54):
You know. It's you just can'tget enough of that. And music is
good for the soul, and youknow, it's uh, it's it's nice
to you know, be able tocome home and see all the stuff going
on. You know. But Ibut I want more and more music venues,
man. I want to get homeand play more and and and hopefully
we can make that happen, youknow, no doubt about it. If
(07:15):
I if I hit that power ballone of these days, I'll reopen phase
too. Well, we'll call itcattle Annies again. How about that.
There you go. It was ait was a great place to play.
Man. COVID really messed up alot of things. Yeah, and we're
still seeing seeing seeing a lot ofthe uh, you know, all that
stuff happened. It it was soweird and so sudden, you know.
(07:35):
And and it's just all of asudden, so many things closed and never
reopened. But you know, itlooks like it's kind of coming back now
finally, and uh, and hopefullyit'll do the same with this break.
Yeah, yeah, we we surehope so and hope somebody buys that fine
venue and we start bringing music backthere and other places too. All right,
well, Phil, we'll see youSaturday, buddy. I appreciate your
(07:56):
time to chat with us, andI good to talk to you, my
friend. I can't wait to seewhen I get home. All right,
sounds good? All right, thankyou sir. I'll get that on the
radio right away. Yeah, andI'll also put it up as a podcast
so that anybody sees it online theycan grab it too. Well. Thank
you so much for having me,brother, And if you need anything,
this is my number. You justcall me and let me know. That
sounds great. I'll see you Saturday, okay, Betty, Thanks Scott. I'
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