May 26, 2026 • 17 mins
Wayne D catches up with one of country music’s most consistent hitmakers, Jordan Davis—and the timing couldn’t be better. Fresh off another No. 1 song at country radio (“Bar None,” his ninth chart-topper), Jordan reflects on what these milestones mean at this stage of his career and why the wins feel even sweeter now. [countryswag.com], [countrynow.com] The conversation goes beyond the charts, though, as Jordan opens up about one of the most important relationships in his life and career—his friendship with Thomas Rhett. What started as a collaboration has turned into something much deeper. Jordan shares how the two talk regularly, often about life, family, and the realities of balancing a growing career with being a husband and dad. In fact, he jokes that Thomas Rhett has become something like a “therapist,” someone he leans on for perspective when life gets overwhelming. [yahoo.com], [southernil...oisnow.com] He also explains how that friendship has impacted him professionally—having someone who’s “been there” helps him stay grounded and focused on what really matters. Whether it’s navigating success, raising kids, or just stepping away from the business side of music, Jordan says Rhett is the kind of friend who brings him back to center. [southernil...oisnow.com] Wayne D keeps it real and conversational, digging into the stories behind the music, the friendships that fuel it, and the perspective Jordan’s gained along the way. From celebrating another No. 1 to opening up about life off stage, this episode gives fans a genuine look at the man behind the hits—and the friendships that help shape them.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'll tell you. You know, I rewind a few years.
I think, Man, I had this one friend I talked
to all the time, and then he became super famous
and popular. Oh gosh, and he and then if and
then he would go home and hang out with his wife,
and you could tell what they did when they hung out,
because all that happened when kids starts showing up. Uh,
(00:22):
you know, you guys can like go for a walk
to sometimes.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well I'm out, dude, I am out?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Man?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Is that it?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
We talked. He's like, I think she legit wants a
small soccer team.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
She did, but she's done.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Too now she's yeah, she's like I don't want any
more kids.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
That's it.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
So and I was like, hey, I was good with three. Yeah,
like four was a four was a surprise. So uh
but yeah, there they will be. There will be no more,
hopefully no more.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
That's yeah, there's steps to take, but we'll talk about
that after. We'll talk after this. Yeah, how was life
going for honestly? Because you you are a guy who
literally you don't stop right because if anyone checks out,
social is such a window to your world. But you're
either on tour or writing, yeah, or you're on or
you're writing, or you're on tour, and then obviously, you
(01:18):
you know, once once the plane lands, you have to
be bad again and find time to be a husband again. Like,
how are things going.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It's it's good, I.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Mean, just because this year we're not as busy road wise,
so not playing as many shows.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
And it's been.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Cool because like I'm excited to like ride again, you know,
I feel like it's not that I haven't always been
excited to write, but it's like, you know, I've just
feel like I'm in a good groove now and it
just excited to start making a new project.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
But it's it has it's still busy, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
I mean I feel like, as you know, as the
kids get older, there's more t ball, more soccer, more
horse riding and all this stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
So the personal side has gotten busier.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
But you know, fortunately we hit a year where it's
not as busy show wise, so it's been good riding.
I'll do my daughters eat up with it. Man, once
the horse do.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
You know, do we have horses? Are we like riding
other people's horse? Now?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Other people realize that's coming though, right well, so luckily
in Nashville you can lease a horse, which I've never
known that this is a thing.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
His tax bracket is way different than yours. Pump the brakes, but.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
No, like I have never I've never heard of like that.
So like, uh, I have a friend that leases a horse.
So I's all right, this is perfect. I can get
down with leasing a horse. Because my daughter is like, hey,
we should you know, She's like, Dad, I want a horse.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I want a horse.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
And I'm like, you're six, Like you might not want
you you might not care about horses in three years.
But as much as she's into him now, I think
we're I think we're going to be a horse fan,
so which I'm cool with.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
But yeah, would rather not buy a horse right now.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Do you have a pool at your house? No? Because
I was gonna say, I feel like kids are either
I want a pool or I want a pony. There's
not both.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
We don't have a pool.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
So they went, they went pony, they went pony.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
How How how tough can it be? Because we've obviously
been close with your wife as well, and she's such
a sweetheart. How tough is it? Because I see on
her social media you miss out on stuff right like
you miss out on trips you miss out on They
were at the beach a while back, right, Uh Is
that tough or is it also like I have to
(03:38):
do it. I have to do for them to enjoy
stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Well, you know, it's funny, we were just kind of
talking about that.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
There's the uh and I'll probably butcher the saying, but
it's like, you know, striving to give your kid a
better life, uh, and sometimes hinder your kid being a
good person.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Uh. So, like that's been.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Something that I've kind of tried to look into and
and and being like, man, you know, yeah, that's the goal,
is you you want to give all your kids, you know,
more than what you had and and all the opportunities,
but at the same time, your number one goal is
to make sure you're raising good humans.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
And and that's.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Been a that's been a thing where I'm kind of like,
all right, you know, and and and a lot of
that just looks like me bringing the kids out. You know,
this year, we're gonna try to have them out on
the road more, you know, so I don't miss out
on those things. And they enjoy being out, you know,
they enjoy going to the shows, and you know, we
are a road family. So my band knows them, like
(04:38):
they're close with all my band and crew guys. Yeah,
so it feels like a mini vacation. But yeah, it's
a it's a that's a fun. That's a balance that
you got to strike when.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I worked in Vegas, and I haven't slowed down a ton,
but when I worked in Vegas, I was a guy
that I respected a ton And as as I think
as a man and as a dad, you get unsolicited
advice all the time. Yeah, rarely sticks for me. I
don't know if you feel the same, but it's like
everybody's got the answer. But he said something that like
(05:10):
really resonated with me, and that is, at some point,
what you sacrifice for is what you're sacrificing, Right, So
if you're like trying to make money, trying to do
at some point it's like you're it's almost the opposite effect.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Yeah, it's it's a u and.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
You know, I mean it's I've talked with artists and
people that I kind of mentor me on that end
of it where it is kind of that.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
It's just it's the balance.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Is the hardest thing because man, we are like we're
living a dream right now, Like we work in music,
it's like the thing that everybody wants to come and do,
and then when you finally land it, you're kind of like, well, dude,
why would I not give everything I have to do this?
This is a dream job. So you kind of got
a snap out of that and be like, okay, yeah,
(05:59):
dreams job, but like here's my here's number one that
I needed to take care of. And but I'm getting
better at that. I am getting better at it.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
You were talking about things are slower than normal right
now for you? Do you need that to reset? And
I'm gonna say that because regardless of what job you have,
and this is this can be such a tricky thing
for you to say because you have so many fans
and they're like, oh, how lucky is he? How like
everybody's job at some point feels like a job and
(06:29):
you feel burnt out and you lose motivation. I feel
that way. Tas that way almost every day, and so
we She's like, I love how that.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
It was met with silence like okay, yeah, go ahead,
go ahead.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
But but but it's the same for you. At some
point we're on the damn bus again. Okay, we got
five more sos this week? How do you keep it
so you can when you do hit the stage, when
you do get in the studio, it's not like God,
I just got to get this over with.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Well, I mean, I think the good thing now is
like I have never felt that going into a show now.
The other twenty two and a half hours, you know,
twenty three and a half hours that you're waiting for
that to happen, those can get grindy where you're kind
of like, all right, I'm missing out on this stuff,
(07:19):
and then you're like, all right, hey, we're five minutes out.
That will always be to me the mecha of touring,
and I will never not have fun going out there
and performing and playing the show, because the second I
stop having fun, then what am I doing. I still
feel the same way in the writing room. It still
fires me up to wake up every morning and go
(07:41):
try to create something and try to write the best
song you've ever written. But in order to do that,
I do have to carve out the time to be
creative and think and you know, come up with ideas
for songs. You know, just be alone and and think
(08:01):
about what this next project might be, or what this
next song might be.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
About h So that is where.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I wish I had a little bit more time of
that to kind of sneak away and and luckily, you know,
we you know, can I can get away and go
out in the woods and hang out for a little
bit by myself and and kind of feed that creative vein.
But yeah, it's just a it's just a battle of
finding that time between family and work.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Uh, something that I I don't. I don't throw hold
things over people's head very often.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Oh gosh, I'm getting beat up today.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Don't. And I knew she'd make a face of spy.
You sat down here just over Oh no, probably a
little under a year ago, and you're like, l S
you win the whole damn thing.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Oh A, boy, was I wrong.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
So so I'm hoping that we catch up, you know,
before the end of summer. But in case we don't,
how you know, you you're an elite college football mind.
Or maybe I shouldn't say.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
That after that, you know, you know it's not My
answer is not.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Going to change. LSU win the whole damn thing.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Undefeated SEC champions national championship. That's how like, why would
I say anything different?
Speaker 1 (09:16):
That's as a fan. Listen, I'm a Timberwolves fan. We're
gonna beat We're gonna beat the Spurs in six.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Games and go on and win it all.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
We're going to sweep Okay, see and then it's us
first the Knicks. Don't look at me like that. I'll
save your beer. Dude, don't play me, don't play me.
What do you ever have to sip like a little
realism as a sports fan, because that's hard. It's so hard.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Last year was all right.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
So the first game we went to LSU Clemson. You know,
I'm watching the game. We we win on the road
at Clemson, and I was like, oh my god, dude,
we beat club Nick, we beat this Clemson team dabbo
at Clemson at night and I'm just like, dude, this
is We're the best team in the country. This might
be the best college football team that ever existed. You
(10:05):
didn't say this on Pat McAfee show, did you, Because
you did mcafeel.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
I probably did.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I probably did, And I was like, I was like, dude,
there's no doubt. Like we went to Clemson, took care
of business, and then you see Clemson the next week,
You're like, oh, that's not a great team. And then
you see us a couple of weeks later, you're like,
that's not a great team. Not that it's not a
great team, but like you know, nuts was hurt, like
we had some injuries. But like this year, you know
(10:29):
there's new blood, Kiffin's there. We're gonna score points. We
got a lot of guys out of the portal.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
You know, our.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Quarterback is supposed to be the real deal, and you
know we're gonna have athletes on defense. So there's no
reason for me to not be like, yeah, undefeated national champions.
Let's go until I'm proven wrong. Just like the te Wolves,
You're gonna sweep the thunder and whinever, So we go
running the damn table.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Let's go for where you're at again. I've known you
for a long time and it's been so cool to
watch you and obviously, like any newer artists to now,
you've taken lumps along the way. What has been the
most important lesson that came from a failure? And I
don't mean failure in the definition of like true failing,
but like there are things that you have fallen short
(11:15):
of as an artist that you had goals? Yeah, that's
a lump. What's been the biggest lump that you're like, Damn,
that wasn't that bad And it actually taught me something?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I mean I think there's always, you know, shows that
you look back on being like, you know, you wish
wish this show would have gone a little bit better.
I wish you would have sold a few more tickets,
wish this single would have done a little better than
what it did. And I mean, I think the thing
I've learned is to not base your success on any
(11:48):
of that stuff. So it's like, man, I'm gonna make
the best record I can put the best song out,
and it doesn't matter if there's a thousand people or
ten thousand people out there getting everything I got for
an hour and a half. And I think for a
while I was kind of like, man, you know, rough show,
and maybe not as many people out there as I
(12:09):
want it to be. I would let that kind of
get in my head and do that's just not fair
to the fans that are there. And I've really like
kind of learned, and that's through talking through other artists,
because you know, and then then you're thinking, like, dude,
am I the only person that thinks this way, like
is there only am I the only artist that goes
out there? And you know, wishes we could have sold
(12:29):
a couple more and call to sell out, But then
you're like, wait a second, there's still a lot of
people here that want to hear this music. Uh, And
you realize that, like everybody's kind of like that, and
and that's been something that it's humbling and and it's
taken a lot of pressure off me to just be like, dude,
it doesn't matter who's out there, man, give them, give
them all you got, present the best show you can.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
We talked to Thomas right now that long ago, and
he had the nicest things to say about you and
and and your friendship away from even just amuse, what
is that friendship meant to you professionally and personally?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Well, I mean a.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Lot of everything I just said came from you know, Thomas,
and uh, you know it's just a guy that not
only like have I used him a lot in just
the music side of it to be like, hey man,
how did you do this? Like how do you approach this?
And you know, how do you approach making records? How
do you do all that? And he helps a ton
on that. But man, seriously, from the from a personal side,
(13:26):
to just be able to have somebody to bounce bounce
stuff off, to be like, hey, man, am I being
crazy here? Like is this like something like how do
you know? Should I think this way? And he knows
my wife and and there can be some personal things
where he can be like and I love the dude
to death enough for him to be like, yeah, dude,
(13:46):
you're wrong there, Like you're you're approaching that wrong. You
shouldn't have done that, like uh. And to have somebody
that you look up to, like I look up to
Thomas that there will kind of call me out when
I'm kind of getting in my own way, man, it
means a lot.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
That's so cool, man, you're on the verge of doing
it again. Number one songs, where do they?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Day one?
Speaker 1 (14:08):
When we met you, a number one song would have
been your whole world. That's all where you sit now
knowing that they're nice, right, but they don't fulfill you.
They don't validate the fact that you are supposed to you.
You are where you're supposed to be. So now that
you look at that from a little bit different of
a lens than five plus years ago, what does number
one mean to you?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I mean it still means, you know, for me, I
think you know number ones as from a songwriter, man,
their world changing, so like I don't think of that
just from myself anymore. And I think one of the
coolest things that changed that was my last two number
ones that were both outside songs. I had nothing to
(14:50):
do in the writing process of them, and both of
those songs were one of the writer's first number ones.
And to be able to make that phone call to
kind of relive that first that singles you up. For me, man,
that has just been one of the coolest things I've
(15:11):
been able to do. And you know, music's tough, man,
And I still like, they still do mean a lot
to me. And I think it's because when I first
moved to town, I was a songwriter and I knew
that's that's all I wanted, and I just wanted one
because I thought if I had to think anything past that,
I'm just kind of being a jerk. So they really
(15:31):
are something that.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
I'm a country radio kid man, I grew up on it.
My dad loved it, my uncle made a living off
of it. And there's still just as special today as
they were in twenty eighteen whenever we got singles you
up there, So it still doesn't mean a lot to me.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
And I'm gonna rap.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I want to ask one more thing though. You brought
up country radio.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Country radio is such a unique.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Space because there's playlists all over the place, there's streaming,
there's watching the videos online and whatnot. But there's something
special about the relationship between an artist and their song
and it getting discovered on country radio. What is that
relationship and how powerful is that for you still to
this day?
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Well, I mean, I still think it goes beyond even
the music side of it. And like the first time
we met it was twenty sixteen and here we are
ten years later and we're still a still getting to
be able to say our job is in music. But
for me, that was how I found music. You had
(16:30):
to hear it on the radio. So when it came
on the radio, everybody rushed to it, and it's like, hey,
here's that dude, here's that George Strait song. I don't
think that'll ever I'll never lose that.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
But also too, like.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Yourself, my team, so many other people in country radio,
that it wasn't you had to believe in me, Like
you know, some of those early songs were like, man,
there's a lot of great songs out why would we
give this new kid a shot?
Speaker 2 (17:00):
You guys did.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
And I think that's something that I'll never I never
take that for granted. And and I'm I'm always grateful
for the for guys like you that that gave me
those early chances. And and it still means a lot
to see my name on those on those radio charts.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Dude, massive congrats.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Thanks brother, You're the man. Dude, thank you for loving
the song.
I'll tell you. You know, I rewind a few years.
I think, Man, I had this one friend I talked
to all the time, and then he became super famous
and popular. Oh gosh, and he and then if and
then he would go home and hang out with his wife,
and you could tell what they did when they hung out,
because all that happened when kids starts showing up. Uh,
(00:22):
you know, you guys can like go for a walk
to sometimes.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Well I'm out, dude, I am out?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Man?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Is that it?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
We talked. He's like, I think she legit wants a
small soccer team.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
She did, but she's done.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Too now she's yeah, she's like I don't want any
more kids.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
That's it.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
So and I was like, hey, I was good with three. Yeah,
like four was a four was a surprise. So uh
but yeah, there they will be. There will be no more,
hopefully no more.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
That's yeah, there's steps to take, but we'll talk about
that after. We'll talk after this. Yeah, how was life
going for honestly? Because you you are a guy who
literally you don't stop right because if anyone checks out,
social is such a window to your world. But you're
either on tour or writing, yeah, or you're on or
you're writing, or you're on tour, and then obviously, you
(01:18):
you know, once once the plane lands, you have to
be bad again and find time to be a husband again. Like,
how are things going.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It's it's good, I.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Mean, just because this year we're not as busy road wise,
so not playing as many shows.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
And it's been.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Cool because like I'm excited to like ride again, you know,
I feel like it's not that I haven't always been
excited to write, but it's like, you know, I've just
feel like I'm in a good groove now and it
just excited to start making a new project.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
But it's it has it's still busy, you know.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
I mean I feel like, as you know, as the
kids get older, there's more t ball, more soccer, more
horse riding and all this stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
So the personal side has gotten busier.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
But you know, fortunately we hit a year where it's
not as busy show wise, so it's been good riding.
I'll do my daughters eat up with it. Man, once
the horse do.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
You know, do we have horses? Are we like riding
other people's horse? Now?
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Other people realize that's coming though, right well, so luckily
in Nashville you can lease a horse, which I've never
known that this is a thing.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
His tax bracket is way different than yours. Pump the brakes, but.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
No, like I have never I've never heard of like that.
So like, uh, I have a friend that leases a horse.
So I's all right, this is perfect. I can get
down with leasing a horse. Because my daughter is like, hey,
we should you know, She's like, Dad, I want a horse.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I want a horse.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
And I'm like, you're six, Like you might not want
you you might not care about horses in three years.
But as much as she's into him now, I think
we're I think we're going to be a horse fan,
so which I'm cool with.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
But yeah, would rather not buy a horse right now.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Do you have a pool at your house? No? Because
I was gonna say, I feel like kids are either
I want a pool or I want a pony. There's
not both.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
We don't have a pool.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
So they went, they went pony, they went pony.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
How How how tough can it be? Because we've obviously
been close with your wife as well, and she's such
a sweetheart. How tough is it? Because I see on
her social media you miss out on stuff right like
you miss out on trips you miss out on They
were at the beach a while back, right, Uh Is
that tough or is it also like I have to
(03:38):
do it. I have to do for them to enjoy
stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Well, you know, it's funny, we were just kind of
talking about that.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
There's the uh and I'll probably butcher the saying, but
it's like, you know, striving to give your kid a
better life, uh, and sometimes hinder your kid being a
good person.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Uh. So, like that's been.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Something that I've kind of tried to look into and
and and being like, man, you know, yeah, that's the goal,
is you you want to give all your kids, you know,
more than what you had and and all the opportunities,
but at the same time, your number one goal is
to make sure you're raising good humans.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
And and that's.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Been a that's been a thing where I'm kind of like,
all right, you know, and and and a lot of
that just looks like me bringing the kids out. You know,
this year, we're gonna try to have them out on
the road more, you know, so I don't miss out
on those things. And they enjoy being out, you know,
they enjoy going to the shows, and you know, we
are a road family. So my band knows them, like
(04:38):
they're close with all my band and crew guys. Yeah,
so it feels like a mini vacation. But yeah, it's
a it's a that's a fun. That's a balance that
you got to strike when.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
I worked in Vegas, and I haven't slowed down a ton,
but when I worked in Vegas, I was a guy
that I respected a ton And as as I think
as a man and as a dad, you get unsolicited
advice all the time. Yeah, rarely sticks for me. I
don't know if you feel the same, but it's like
everybody's got the answer. But he said something that like
(05:10):
really resonated with me, and that is, at some point,
what you sacrifice for is what you're sacrificing, Right, So
if you're like trying to make money, trying to do
at some point it's like you're it's almost the opposite effect.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Yeah, it's it's a u and.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
You know, I mean it's I've talked with artists and
people that I kind of mentor me on that end
of it where it is kind of that.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
It's just it's the balance.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Is the hardest thing because man, we are like we're
living a dream right now, Like we work in music,
it's like the thing that everybody wants to come and do,
and then when you finally land it, you're kind of like, well, dude,
why would I not give everything I have to do this?
This is a dream job. So you kind of got
a snap out of that and be like, okay, yeah,
(05:59):
dreams job, but like here's my here's number one that
I needed to take care of. And but I'm getting
better at that. I am getting better at it.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
You were talking about things are slower than normal right
now for you? Do you need that to reset? And
I'm gonna say that because regardless of what job you have,
and this is this can be such a tricky thing
for you to say because you have so many fans
and they're like, oh, how lucky is he? How like
everybody's job at some point feels like a job and
(06:29):
you feel burnt out and you lose motivation. I feel
that way. Tas that way almost every day, and so
we She's like, I love how that.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
It was met with silence like okay, yeah, go ahead,
go ahead.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
But but but it's the same for you. At some
point we're on the damn bus again. Okay, we got
five more sos this week? How do you keep it
so you can when you do hit the stage, when
you do get in the studio, it's not like God,
I just got to get this over with.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Well, I mean, I think the good thing now is
like I have never felt that going into a show now.
The other twenty two and a half hours, you know,
twenty three and a half hours that you're waiting for
that to happen, those can get grindy where you're kind
of like, all right, I'm missing out on this stuff,
(07:19):
and then you're like, all right, hey, we're five minutes out.
That will always be to me the mecha of touring,
and I will never not have fun going out there
and performing and playing the show, because the second I
stop having fun, then what am I doing. I still
feel the same way in the writing room. It still
fires me up to wake up every morning and go
(07:41):
try to create something and try to write the best
song you've ever written. But in order to do that,
I do have to carve out the time to be
creative and think and you know, come up with ideas
for songs. You know, just be alone and and think
(08:01):
about what this next project might be, or what this
next song might be.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
About h So that is where.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
I wish I had a little bit more time of
that to kind of sneak away and and luckily, you know,
we you know, can I can get away and go
out in the woods and hang out for a little
bit by myself and and kind of feed that creative vein.
But yeah, it's just a it's just a battle of
finding that time between family and work.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Uh, something that I I don't. I don't throw hold
things over people's head very often.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Oh gosh, I'm getting beat up today.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Don't. And I knew she'd make a face of spy.
You sat down here just over Oh no, probably a
little under a year ago, and you're like, l S
you win the whole damn thing.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Oh A, boy, was I wrong.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
So so I'm hoping that we catch up, you know,
before the end of summer. But in case we don't,
how you know, you you're an elite college football mind.
Or maybe I shouldn't say.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
That after that, you know, you know it's not My
answer is not.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Going to change. LSU win the whole damn thing.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Undefeated SEC champions national championship. That's how like, why would
I say anything different?
Speaker 1 (09:16):
That's as a fan. Listen, I'm a Timberwolves fan. We're
gonna beat We're gonna beat the Spurs in six.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Games and go on and win it all.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
We're going to sweep Okay, see and then it's us
first the Knicks. Don't look at me like that. I'll
save your beer. Dude, don't play me, don't play me.
What do you ever have to sip like a little
realism as a sports fan, because that's hard. It's so hard.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Last year was all right.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
So the first game we went to LSU Clemson. You know,
I'm watching the game. We we win on the road
at Clemson, and I was like, oh my god, dude,
we beat club Nick, we beat this Clemson team dabbo
at Clemson at night and I'm just like, dude, this
is We're the best team in the country. This might
be the best college football team that ever existed. You
(10:05):
didn't say this on Pat McAfee show, did you, Because
you did mcafeel.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
I probably did.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
I probably did, And I was like, I was like, dude,
there's no doubt. Like we went to Clemson, took care
of business, and then you see Clemson the next week,
You're like, oh, that's not a great team. And then
you see us a couple of weeks later, you're like,
that's not a great team. Not that it's not a
great team, but like you know, nuts was hurt, like
we had some injuries. But like this year, you know
(10:29):
there's new blood, Kiffin's there. We're gonna score points. We
got a lot of guys out of the portal.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
You know, our.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Quarterback is supposed to be the real deal, and you
know we're gonna have athletes on defense. So there's no
reason for me to not be like, yeah, undefeated national champions.
Let's go until I'm proven wrong. Just like the te Wolves,
You're gonna sweep the thunder and whinever, So we go
running the damn table.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Let's go for where you're at again. I've known you
for a long time and it's been so cool to
watch you and obviously, like any newer artists to now,
you've taken lumps along the way. What has been the
most important lesson that came from a failure? And I
don't mean failure in the definition of like true failing,
but like there are things that you have fallen short
(11:15):
of as an artist that you had goals? Yeah, that's
a lump. What's been the biggest lump that you're like, Damn,
that wasn't that bad And it actually taught me something?
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
I mean I think there's always, you know, shows that
you look back on being like, you know, you wish
wish this show would have gone a little bit better.
I wish you would have sold a few more tickets,
wish this single would have done a little better than
what it did. And I mean, I think the thing
I've learned is to not base your success on any
(11:48):
of that stuff. So it's like, man, I'm gonna make
the best record I can put the best song out,
and it doesn't matter if there's a thousand people or
ten thousand people out there getting everything I got for
an hour and a half. And I think for a
while I was kind of like, man, you know, rough show,
and maybe not as many people out there as I
(12:09):
want it to be. I would let that kind of
get in my head and do that's just not fair
to the fans that are there. And I've really like
kind of learned, and that's through talking through other artists,
because you know, and then then you're thinking, like, dude,
am I the only person that thinks this way, like
is there only am I the only artist that goes
out there? And you know, wishes we could have sold
(12:29):
a couple more and call to sell out, But then
you're like, wait a second, there's still a lot of
people here that want to hear this music. Uh, And
you realize that, like everybody's kind of like that, and
and that's been something that it's humbling and and it's
taken a lot of pressure off me to just be like, dude,
it doesn't matter who's out there, man, give them, give
them all you got, present the best show you can.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
We talked to Thomas right now that long ago, and
he had the nicest things to say about you and
and and your friendship away from even just amuse, what
is that friendship meant to you professionally and personally?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Well, I mean a.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Lot of everything I just said came from you know, Thomas,
and uh, you know it's just a guy that not
only like have I used him a lot in just
the music side of it to be like, hey man,
how did you do this? Like how do you approach this?
And you know, how do you approach making records? How
do you do all that? And he helps a ton
on that. But man, seriously, from the from a personal side,
(13:26):
to just be able to have somebody to bounce bounce
stuff off, to be like, hey, man, am I being
crazy here? Like is this like something like how do
you know? Should I think this way? And he knows
my wife and and there can be some personal things
where he can be like and I love the dude
to death enough for him to be like, yeah, dude,
(13:46):
you're wrong there, Like you're you're approaching that wrong. You
shouldn't have done that, like uh. And to have somebody
that you look up to, like I look up to
Thomas that there will kind of call me out when
I'm kind of getting in my own way, man, it
means a lot.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
That's so cool, man, you're on the verge of doing
it again. Number one songs, where do they?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Day one?
Speaker 1 (14:08):
When we met you, a number one song would have
been your whole world. That's all where you sit now
knowing that they're nice, right, but they don't fulfill you.
They don't validate the fact that you are supposed to you.
You are where you're supposed to be. So now that
you look at that from a little bit different of
a lens than five plus years ago, what does number
one mean to you?
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I mean it still means, you know, for me, I
think you know number ones as from a songwriter, man,
their world changing, so like I don't think of that
just from myself anymore. And I think one of the
coolest things that changed that was my last two number
ones that were both outside songs. I had nothing to
(14:50):
do in the writing process of them, and both of
those songs were one of the writer's first number ones.
And to be able to make that phone call to
kind of relive that first that singles you up. For me, man,
that has just been one of the coolest things I've
(15:11):
been able to do. And you know, music's tough, man,
And I still like, they still do mean a lot
to me. And I think it's because when I first
moved to town, I was a songwriter and I knew
that's that's all I wanted, and I just wanted one
because I thought if I had to think anything past that,
I'm just kind of being a jerk. So they really
(15:31):
are something that.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
I mean.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
I'm a country radio kid man, I grew up on it.
My dad loved it, my uncle made a living off
of it. And there's still just as special today as
they were in twenty eighteen whenever we got singles you
up there, So it still doesn't mean a lot to me.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
And I'm gonna rap.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
I want to ask one more thing though. You brought
up country radio.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Country radio is such a unique.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Space because there's playlists all over the place, there's streaming,
there's watching the videos online and whatnot. But there's something
special about the relationship between an artist and their song
and it getting discovered on country radio. What is that
relationship and how powerful is that for you still to
this day?
Speaker 3 (16:10):
Well, I mean, I still think it goes beyond even
the music side of it. And like the first time
we met it was twenty sixteen and here we are
ten years later and we're still a still getting to
be able to say our job is in music. But
for me, that was how I found music. You had
(16:30):
to hear it on the radio. So when it came
on the radio, everybody rushed to it, and it's like, hey,
here's that dude, here's that George Strait song. I don't
think that'll ever I'll never lose that.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
But also too, like.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Yourself, my team, so many other people in country radio,
that it wasn't you had to believe in me, Like
you know, some of those early songs were like, man,
there's a lot of great songs out why would we
give this new kid a shot?
Speaker 2 (17:00):
You guys did.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
And I think that's something that I'll never I never
take that for granted. And and I'm I'm always grateful
for the for guys like you that that gave me
those early chances. And and it still means a lot
to see my name on those on those radio charts.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Dude, massive congrats.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
Thanks brother, You're the man. Dude, thank you for loving
the song.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com