You'll Never Believe Who Chris Janson is Friends With

It's a BIG week for Chris Janson & his team! He put out a new album in 2023 and with that, sent the song, "All i Need I You," to counrty radio. As of this past weekend, that song has officially gone #1! He shares how special that is to him and which famous friends have been the biggest influences to his life and career. You'll never believe the names he uses...we're still stunned.

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Episode Transcript

(00:01):
When the album came out, Iwas lucky enough to be with this guy
and his lovely family in LA tocelebrate the iHeart Country album release party.
It was really fun the Outlaws sideof me. Before we talk about the
single, we got Chris Jansen inhis studio with us. How are you
feeling now that fans have been ableto like wrap their arms around this album?
Really good? Really good? Actually, uh, you know can the

(00:24):
time old thing is you can alwaystell when you play it live if people
like it or not, you know, And so there are certain songs they
absolutely go more bonkers over than others, which that's every album. Yeah,
so you know, you you quicklysee your A side dominance and your B
sides album cuts quickly, so likeyou know, of course, the single
All I Need Issue being a popularhit is one of the highlights of it,

(00:48):
of course, but you know,there's some some surprises on there,
like Days in the Field, popularone Outlast side of Me, people like
that one. Hank the hell Haveof the Honky Tonk They like that one.
So it's it's been really good manthat We're just kind of cranking up
tour again for twenty four so wewere getting so anxious over the holiday.
I mean it was really you know, it's okay, great, Thanksgivings here,
awesome, Christmas is here, awesome, Let's go back to work,

(01:11):
you know, and we've just beengetting bored to tears. So it's been
really great to be back on theroad and and sort of you know,
regaining that momentum again. When itcomes to you you kind of said,
like, you know, songs thatyou're performing live. When it comes to
the album, obviously you put it. You put it together, right,
Like obviously your your wife and yourteam are like, hey, actually put

(01:33):
it together out that's the kitchen table. And when it comes like the track
list, Yeah, you had mentionedthat, right, what are the songs
that people as you perform these live, you're like, damn, they really
like that one. Yeah. Imean, like I said, obviously,
all I Need is You that wasa before it was a hit though.
They liked that one. So thatwas I think that was a good indicator
for being the first single, youknow, and Thanks panned out. But

(01:55):
Hank the hell out of Honky Tong'sprobably the biggest outside of that off of
the outa side of the album thatpeople really they just I don't know.
They just really like it, youknow. That's the one I did with
Brantley. I did to do itwith Branley on and so I don't have
Branley's voice on it every night,but because we don't play it to a
track or anything, but we getout there and rock and roll it and
it's it's sort of reminiscent of youknow, mid eighties hating Junior kind of
music, and it's sort of atip of the hat to that. So

(02:17):
people enjoy doing it and sometimes I'msplice in a little bit with it.
Since the first time I met you, you are the artist, right you
are? You are you, butyou do an awesome job of including like
it's it's Chris Jansen's career public facing, right, yes, but like your
wife is always by your side,obviously she's part of your team. Now

(02:39):
your son is backup vocals slash.I mean, it's like, who needs
Dan and Shay when when you gotChris and Jesse and our sons are buddies,
which I'm really proud of thanks tosay. Yeah, yeah, Jesse's
a he's a rare breed man.He is a rare breed. All four
of my kids as I always say, are really great, and they're all
really talented, and they're all veryspecial in there uncertain way. But Jesse

(03:00):
has a he's got an anomaly typething going on, you know. You
just it's a once in a lifetimesort of talent, and it's a once
in a lifetime sort of attitude.I think even that supersedes the talent part
of it. He uh, hedoesn't care what anyone thinks in a good
way. Yeah, Like he getslike he's respectful, he's so respectful.

(03:21):
But he but I but I say, he's got that same kind of spirit
that I do. We're just ona bachelor ourselves and we don't really care
if you like it or don't likeit, you know what I mean.
And Jesse is just that way naturally. I didn't even I didn't try to
impress that upon him or teach himthat or And musically, he just has
that thing. He just has it. That's it, and uh it.
You know it's funny, man ifif a guy like me hits an off

(03:44):
key, or somebody in the limelighthits an off key, we get chastised
for it. Jesse can do itall day long. People like he is
so awesome. He's a great singer. But I'm saying, you know,
everybody had everybody has their moments,you know, learning new songs. But
I just love it that he's ahuge Hank Junior and skinnered fan. I
mean he's you know, he's chipoff the old block. Something that I
love about you too is how youanything you do, you do it out

(04:09):
loud right, so like thank you. Sure you're a dad, but if
somebody checks your social media, it'snot just like here's Chris Jansen on stage
and like his kid isn't around,He isn't like everything is. You're like
an open window when it comes tothat thinking with that, has your son
been like, hey, I wantto write a song with you. Hey,
let's write let's have our own song. No, I've written Actually I've

(04:30):
only written a song. I wrotea song with my older daughter years ago,
Shell because she wanted to do that. And then she's kind of found
her niche in life too, soand it wasn't songwriting. She's really talented
other things, and she's really goodat helping people, which is the most
She's actually really incredible gift she hasand skills she has almost therapeutic psychological therapeutic.

(04:53):
But anyway, then I wrote onewith Georgia, my youngest daughter,
because she wanted to write a song. It's actually to get song. We
wrote that in in Florida in theKeys, and then Jesse he does not
have any interest in that at thispoint. He also doesn't really care about
playing instruments that much. He justlikes getting up on stage and being a

(05:14):
star, you know, and uh, scary, man, it's a scary
thing. It's a scary thing.I think the fearlessness. You know,
it's probably people have probably looked atme before and been like, oh god,
it's the fearlessness. But man,nice seeing it from my eyes to
him, you know, he uh, he loves getting on stage. But
he also likes, you know,he likes UFC fighting and and h and

(05:34):
bull riding and things of that nature. And so he's you know, I'm
like, let's put you in somemartial arts classes, you know, to
learn the tech. And he's like, I don't need martial arts, dude.
I have to win. That's allI gotta do. And I'm like,
oh god, we are in reallywe're in real trouble. He's like,
I don't need techniques we are inreal trouble. I mean really,
you know, he's like, he'slike Sean Strickley man, He's like,
I don't need technique, I justneed to win. So he's ready to

(05:55):
get in there and just and justcrush it. So but anyway, I'm
proud of you know, as youknow I'm proud of my kids. Yeah,
we are an open book. Imean what you see is what you
get with me and Kelly, anduh, that's it, you know when
it comes to the collaborative nature oflike you're the artist, she's handling everything
else she is and a mom yeah, yeah everything. Have there any Have

(06:16):
there been any I told you somoments from her to you, whether it's
a song or a show or what'swhat's What's a song? That she's like,
I told you. We have toldyou some moments all the time in
a good way if you I mean, I would hate to not have some
told you some moments just because Ithink we're both First, let me say
that we're both so strong willed.That strong will people are bound to they're

(06:38):
bound to butt heads. But thegood news is is that when we butt
heads, we're butting someone else's head. It's like we come together and we're
like knocking on somebody else's door,which is real. It can get real
tasty sometimes in a great way,you know, but we're one and the
same. Like that. Man,someone once at a record label a long
time ago, they were like theywere complimenting us. They were like,
man, I guarantee, I betyou you. They're like, you're wearing

(07:00):
us out in a good way,I bet you. At the Jansen house
is like a lightning rod comes outof the sky and there's console electricity,
and we do have her Christmas lightsup still, so that would make sense
because we're real rednecks. But anyway, you know, it's like you got
to tell people your redneck. You'reprobably not, but all you have to
do is come by our house andyou can see that we pretty much are
so. But no, man,we we don't really have conflicting interest is

(07:24):
the good news. We see howto eye on a lot of things.
But I'm proud of those told yousome moments had have had she never said
told you so after the fact,I'm buying me a boat, you know,
buy me a boat would have neverhappened. So if we go back
to that, remember that the originalartwork was a was a cell phone picture
that she took on like an iPhonetwo, and I was so mad.

(07:46):
I would not look at the camerabecause I hate posing for pictures and I
also hate like not wearing a hat. And she at that point she was
like, your hair looks sexy,you can't wear a hat. And I
didn't have a best produce. Ireally have a reason to wear a hat.
So I just turned my head sidewayand wouldn't look at the camera.
That was the original artwork. Thatwas I told you so moment. Because
the very next day when it came, you know, when it came out
and did what it did, andit just blew up and changed our whole

(08:07):
life and course of our whole career. That was told you so moment.
But I'm really proud of that.I'm glad to take it on the chin,
you know, because it only helpsus and that's the good news.
And so it's all in good fun. And there's been lots of those kinds
of things. I'm actually usually musicallyspeaking, I'm actually the one who she
gets to be the one to saytold you so. But you know,

(08:30):
in other things in life, probablythere's certain things that maybe I would be
that person, but now I'm notkeeping score. She's my best friend.
You have ah, let me,I got a serious question. We're gonna
I'll get to that in a second, because I don't want to leave the
Christmas lights thing. And I andI asked this. I don't mean this
as crass as the question sounds.But Chris Jansen's Christmas lights are still up?

(08:54):
Yeah? Is it because you're festiveor lazy? Both? It's also
because the roofline said them until Ican't reach it. So and I'm not
putting those Christmas lights up. Likelook, man, like when I used
to live in a trailer and stuff, you know, you put your Christmas
lights up because like this is whatyou do. And like most people put
their Christmas lights up. We don'thave time to put our Christmas lights up

(09:15):
for real. Yeah, oh andso you know, and so we hire
a great local company that comes andputs our Christmas lights up. But we're
not. Let me be real clear, We're not like bougie pretentious people that
like, oh, we only payfor our Christmas lights to go up.
I mean we put up everything else. I mean, actually I don't.
Killy does. And the kids do. But I'm just a part of it.
You know. I drag I dragstuff up the stairs and complain the

(09:37):
whole time, and then I loveit when it's up, you know that
kind of thing. So that's youknow, we just a little very as
you know, like we're just avery normal household. I mean, your
kid's been on my house. Likeyour kid is so awesome, by the
way, and your kids both plural, are so awesome. But you know,
little boys spend a lot of timewith Jesse and stuff, and like
we're just normal folks. We're justnormal folks and we do normal things.
And and but that roofline is reallytall, and I can't get those lights

(09:58):
up. I quite frankly love tohave Christmas up. Actually, we kept
our Christmas tree in our room likecause I don't know, we just we
just right cal We just like it. We just like our Christmas tree.
That's it, and it makes usfeel good. Like I even turned the
TV's onto. Uh. I geton like Prime and turn on the fireplaces,
you know, yeah seriously, andso uh. And also I turn

(10:20):
on the fireplaces and then like atnighttime, I turn on like rainstorms and
stuff. You know. Oh,I didn't know what had to that.
Oh dude, it's so it's sokiller, that's sick. It's crazy,
man. It's like you get todream and you feel like you're in a
real rainstorm. But anyway, Iwoke up this morning and that rain to
turn to snow like legitimately, whichmakes me again whant to move. So
you're like, why are we notdown on the beach right Christmas lights with

(10:43):
it? Yeah? Uh, youhave. I feel like you have gone.
The music has stayed consistent and stayedgood and thank you, and but
with that, behind the scenes,there's been a lot of change for you.
Yeah, you have. I don'tknow about like your internal team obviously
outside of your wife, but you'vegone to a different record label. Yes,
you've had different things happened that havethat have forced you to maybe think

(11:07):
differently on the next project. Yes, absolutely, And it's also been the
greatest some of the may I saysome of the greatest moves of my career.
I'm just happier now than I've everbeen, and I'm not just saying
that. So I've had a fantasticfirst year with Big Machine, and it's
been really wonderful In conjunction with myown label, Harvest sixty, which has

(11:28):
been quite successful. And yeah,we just I'm so proud to say that
over the last year I've been ableto get back with my last two years
now it's time flies with my originalagent, the guy who Lance Roberts,
the guy who signed on to bemy agent very in the very beginning,
back like when I had songs likebetter I Don't and things like that,
when I never had a hit,really, you know, a big hit,

(11:50):
And so proud to say that wework together and I will work with
him until the day that I die. And it's just an amazing pleasure,
you know, and my and andit's just it just boosted my confidence going
with Big Machine and now here weare, you know, topping the chart
again with a song, first singleoff of a new record deal. It
doesn't happen to everybody, especially whenyou've been through two record deals like I

(12:13):
have. So I'm so proud tosay that, you know, and I'm
having greater success now than I've everhad in my life. And we're on
television all the time and these thingslike you know, I have had,
you know, random bits of coolmoments throughout my career, and they've been
really good and all uplifting. Butman, like we as you know,
we've been on like we've been onmajor network television almost every month, a

(12:33):
couple times a month for the lastsix months really statistically, and then you
know, get into be here withyou and get into be on the radio
in a big way. Again.It's such a humbling thing. I don't
know, it just it's it's justfabulous. So with with the change though,
with because that would shake a lotof people, whether a label drops

(12:54):
you, or you from a labelor I asked Lee. That's the good
news. I don't get shaken.I just do what I want to do.
But what are those experiences teach youthat that puts you where you're at
today? Oh? Man, well, I think the greatest thing is I
was comfortable asking off of a recordlabel. I've done that twice in my
career. I've never been dropped.I've always asked off if things are not

(13:16):
if things are not going the waythat I think they should be going artistically,
then it's time to move on.And usually ninety nine percent of the
time in anything in life, ifyou're not feeling it that strongly in your
gut. There's probably somebody else who'snot feeling it too, and that's okay.
By the way, it's nothing personal, which and asking out doesn't mean
it's like a football player wanting outof a cut because the owner are the

(13:37):
team has an idea here, butyour idea is here. It's just okay,
it's just a different artistic direction.What is that taught me? Though?
Man, It's just taught me sucha great sense of humility, and
it gave me a really sense ofpeace in my heart, and that's a
god thing. That's something you canonly get from the Lord. So honestly,
we prayed our way through at bigTime, and I did not have

(13:58):
It wasn't like I had something linedup when I left my last record label.
Okay, seriously, you can't,it's illegal. So I just said,
we're going to take a leap offaith here. And I was at
real peace about it, and sois Kelly and whatever, you know.
And I think that that's where thehumbleness comes in, That's where the grounding
comes in, because when you getto a place where you're comfortable without anything,

(14:20):
then you can make the best decisionsfor your life. Right Yeah.
And I was just really comfortable beingwho I am, and then the right
record Deill fell in place, andnow look where we are again. We're
in a really good place with them, and they're fabulous. I mean,
the coolest thing about where we arein my journey musically is that finally I
don't feel like either side. Andwhat I mean by that is artist record

(14:41):
label is trying to impress each other. We just work together so good that
they do their thing and we dotheir thing, and everybody stays of each
other's hair, fans out the window. I know we were in like the
fish bowl effect. It's wonderful.Sorry to break code, but that's another
thing I've learned. I will tellyou that not to get off subject,
but in the last eight months havebeen so fabulous because I have taken the

(15:07):
time to be more Brett Michaels,Like, now, what does that mean?
When you spend time around Brett Michaels, you will learn the greatest humility
of life. To take one ofthe biggest rock stars in the world,
and to second that, to bemore Dwayne the Rock Johnson, Like,
who's another friend of mine. Proudto say, if you can take two
of the biggest stars in the world. Hang one second, is it If

(15:33):
you can take two of the biggeststars in the world and be around them
and they make you feel like you'renot as humble as you should be,
then you got some change in todo. And I felt like I was
doing pretty good. But after Igot around those guys, who are way
bigger stars than anybody that I know, in both of their respects, it
made me change my ways. Likeso the other night after the show,

(15:54):
we had this huge, big turnoutin Georgia. And I'm not bragging on
myself here, I'm just saying,just for example, that after the show,
you know, some they people lineup back by the buses outside these
barricades as a lot of security,and you know, rightfully, so they're
standby, stand back. I justbroke code. I said, no,
no, no, we don't.Nobody has to stand back. It's okay.
And I went out and signed autographsfor an hour and a half,
which I haven't done in forever.But it just made me feel really good,

(16:15):
because the better you treat people,the more tenfold good things come back
to you. And and I'm actuallypersonally, I'm just at a place where
I'm just really comfortable being that guyfinally in full, not just kind of
or little, you know, seventypercent or ninety percent, like in full.
So I just try to treat peoplereally nice and I've just noticed that
it works in such a big way. And I'm not doing it for that.

(16:37):
I'm just doing it because it's onmy heart and I feel like this
where God's leading me, and that'sthat's it. You were talking about the
TV appearances, which again feels likeyou have always put out good music.
You've always been a good performer.The streaming is there, the radio success
is there, thank you. Butthere's something about about and maybe it came
around the time the record deal did. But you're on TV all the time.

(17:00):
One of those times is coming upwith Dolly. We were just talking
about before the interview started. Sotell me what you can about this Dolly
special and how does that come about? Well, first, I like to
make public too, you know,on the air and stuff, even like
even if they don't get to hearme say this, I like to make
public my team, as you heardme mention obviously Kelly all the time.
And you hear me mention Lance,my agent and stuff and my record label
like Ryan, Jimmy, Julian.It's got like the whole team. I

(17:23):
mean, there's a whole bunch ofmy team, but like they're really great.
My promo staff, Andy, Liz, Della Thowen, great, great,
great people, people that we reallylove and appreciate. And there's another
one on that list. Marcel,who's my publicist, has come on board.
Like I never I've had some whateversuccessful publicists, but I never had

(17:44):
one that really cared about us,like big time, right, like comes
over the house and it's like thathe's we're close with him, okay,
and he's he's been a real bigattributor to getting me on television in a
big way because he cares, heexpends the time to do it. He
puts the work in, you know, and so man, it's just and
fabulous and and so he he said, Hey, would you like to be
and in conjunction with Julian Raymond atmy label, would you like to be

(18:07):
a part of this special with DollyParton coming up for her dog clothing line,
which I think is hilarious and awesomeat the same time, Like she's
so cool and of course she hasa dog clothing line, right, Like
she why not. She has bakedgoods and everything else. He's Dolly Parton's
the biggest star in the world.And so there's another humble one. By
the way, you've obviously met her, yeah, numerous times. Yeah,
she's been really good to us.She's been really kind to Kelly and I.

(18:30):
You know, we did the notonly did we do on this album
twenty one Forever, the duet featuringSlash from Guns, but you know,
over the years, I did,like her fiftieth anniversary that being an opera
member, I did her Smoky MountainRelief benefit. So it's been spaced out
like strategically and so and don't thinkfor a second she doesn't have a hand
in saying yes or no. Onewho plays these things right. Absolutely,

(18:51):
So it's like me and Landy Wilsonand Carly Pearson and just a very small
group of us doing it. Butso I got to say, I'm super
excited about it, and I'm bringingmy own it's because it's featuring around canines
as well. I'm bringing my owndog, Willy, my bloodhound. Your
dog is so sweet. Well,thanks, we'll see how it goes.
I told the producer of the show, is like he's like, thanks so

(19:14):
much for having Willy, Like they'rereally getting into it right, and I'm
like, I'm like, I justwant to let you know I accept no
liability for what he made. Chewup what Like, he's a good dog.
But you know what I'm saying.I mean, he is bound to
pee on a guitar for real,and he don't care how much it costs.
So I mean, you know whatI'm saying, as long as you
don't be on Dollary's shoes or nothing, so we're gonna be good. But

(19:34):
he's a he's a great dog,and it'll be fun. And so I'm
doing that and I'm having like twoor three performances on there and it's just,
uh, it's just been a realdream come true. I mean to
say that it's not would i'd belying. And the cool thing is,
it's like another thing I want toI want to say for people out there
listening, like we sometimes we inthe media and public stuff, we we

(19:56):
start talking about ourselves so much weforget to talk to the listener of actually
what makes us go round? Rightand the fans, And I want to
say that you're so good at that, you're so good to your fans,
and as I tried to be tomine, and so here together, I
want to say that as anybody outthere listenings wants a dream big to win
big, I think the best adviceAnd I get this question a lot,
what what's the best advice should giveme for success in this or that?

(20:18):
Quit caring so much? Man careenough, but don't care so much that
that it's just it becomes your godand your idol. Like the minute you
drop all that side of it,then the minute you start finding this great
success, and then when you getthat moment to have that success, it's
so much funner because you can haveso much fun with it, which is
why I look excited about the Dollything, because I'm excited about doing it.

(20:38):
You know, we were in NorthGeorgia playing that show, and then
we spent the day with my inlaws and and my aunt and uncle.
We had a great day. Andwe flew in early for this first rehearsal
and I hate rehearsing and I don'treally rehearse and they kind of knew that
and whatever, But I'm glad Ishowed up because it was really it was
just a great camaraderie thing with Dolly'sband, you know, and and so

(21:00):
it's just great. I don't know, it's a lot of fun. Man,
It's crazy she picked me. Shecould have picked anybody. When you
well, it's well deserved. Imean, thanks, Uh, you're on
the cusp of another career number one. Thank you? Uh? How important?
And I always word this question carefullybecause I get it doesn't validate you
or an artist like Chris Stapleton oror anybody else for that matter. Right,

(21:25):
I say Chris because obviously he justgrabbed a number one. Yeah,
but when it comes to a numberone, what does it do for you?
And how and how important? Nownot saying it validates you or anything
like that, but it's still it'san important achievement that validates a career.
Like yeah, I'll take it asvalidation points. Then you take anything you
can get in this business. Youknow what I'm saying. It's like,

(21:45):
it's not like it comes easy.I mean, you know, getting somebody
to say something nice about you,it doesn't come easy. So I'm so
grateful for it. And I mean, I just say I won't I'm going
to tell you the answer that I'vesaid since the beginning of my career.
And I mean it. This isbecause it's true. I've never on this
dude. The number one thing Iever cared about was having hit songs on
the radio. That's why I movedhere, That's why I asked for a

(22:07):
Gigatuzis across the street. Because Iwanted to be on the radio. That's
it. I wanted to be aradio star. And then then so I'm
getting to live my dreams. Itis not like some small thing for me.
I don't I don't care. Ifyou come to my man room,
which you've been to right at myat my main residence where I got like
cool collectibles and all my guy stuffor whatever, you won't see musical accolades

(22:30):
on the wall. Right what doyou see? See pictures my kids,
like deer pictures and hunting adventure picturesand stories and cool things like that.
And what I'm getting at is notthat music awards and things don't matter.
They do, and I appreciate it. But what trump's small in music is
having number one songs for me onthe radio. I really it's really all

(22:51):
I ever wanted and I'm getting todo it. So it has opened up
so many doors for me without andI'm being understand I'm being so serious and
I'm speaking to everybody in radio,and I say this, okay, it
just happens to be on your show. Hopefully love you. But like with
country radio changed our life when noone else was like, uh, whatever
about me? Through the years,country radio always stood very firm with me,

(23:12):
always played me, always had avery solid listenership, and always you
know, my the track record showsI've I've had a string of hits now
thanks to country radio. Just Iwon't ever forget that, man. I
always I will always stand firm onthat rock, no matter what. I'm
not budging off of it. Didyou knowing that the change that just happened

(23:32):
with changing the label, you gotyour original agent back with you, Yeah,
putting out a new album, whichwe talked when the album came out.
This is the if I remember right, you said the first album that
like you created start to finish likethis was yeah all you right? Pretty
much well Julian Julian produced it,which I'm so thankful of Julian Raymond.

(23:56):
But I mean, yeah, Istarted Rule organically at our kitchen table because
it's how we started listening to songs. But with all of that change,
do you think you needed this songto be number one more than anything else
in your career? Well, Ithink that I think yes, And no.
I mean, it sure feels betterhaving a hit than not having a

(24:17):
hit. They having a pseudo hitas opposed to a real hit, and
we have a real hit with thislabel. So yeah, I think there
was a certain extent to say likemaybe had something to prove, I think,
And that's great for everybody, notjust me, because it really it
really gives a bit more valid backto the word validation, it gives a
bit of validation and something to reallywork for and achieve as a whole,

(24:37):
the company included, you know,And I think it gives somebody that gives
us as a team, and meincluded on that team, something to really
look forward to, aspire to,and take a lot of pride in.
And and that I feel that I'veI got to tell you, like,
I'm so grateful for my radio promotionstaff because they not only have they work
their butts off for us, butthey really care about making this song a

(25:00):
hit and being a part of somethinggreater than themselves for the moment, and
and it's like, it's so humbling. I'm really grateful for that. It's
it's it's inspiring to see. Actually, when it comes to what you have
the rest of the year, obviouslythere'll be this song will go number one,
and like any other song cycle,there will be something else common and

(25:21):
you And I'm not gonna ask toomuch because nothing's been shared, but there
is. I'm gonna tell you quitea bit, in a real nutshell,
be terrible, because I'm not gonnado anything I'll get I'll get in.
I'm not gonna do anything stupid orin trouble. But here's the here's the
exciting thing. Here's the exciting thing. Not to cut you off. And
I knew you were going so look, here's the thing. In my whole
career, I can say this.I've never had a single go number one

(25:44):
and then had a single coming outlike two weeks later. And this is
the first time in my career I'vebeen waiting on this moment. I've been
waiting on a moment like this mywhole career in country music, to be
at a place to where everyone aroundyou collectively is comfortable enough to be like
Bam, smash it. We gotanother one down the pike. Boom,
here it is. And I I'vealways been so envious telling the truth,

(26:08):
so ammuous about other people who havehad those opportunities, and I'm finally about
to have that opportunity with the nextsingle. We just recorded it. It's
brand new, So no, it'snot on the album, No You.
I've only played it one time andI did that in rehearsal and and then
I sang it. Oh I technicallytwice because I sing it in the in
the in the studio. Now wemay put it back like deluxe style on

(26:32):
the outlast side of my album.I'm not sure yet. That's for I
don't that's for the other people abovemy pay grade to figure out. I
don't really care. But but thepoint is this that I have never felt
and this is like even superseds,all I need is you being top of
the chart, right. I've neverfelt more confident and excited about a song
in my whole life, in mywhole life. Wow. And and I'm

(26:56):
just so proud of it. That'sit. I'm just so proud of it.
And when you hear it, you'regonna to go, oh my god,
Like I know, Chris Jansen andthis is so much him. So
let me. I'm gonna ask usa couple of questions that will not incriminate
anybody. That's a fine. I'llanswer tempo like mid of tempo, slow
song. No, no, it'sit is. I'm telling you. It's

(27:18):
like you teeter her on the vergeof sounding kacky, and which I hope
you know. I don't mean tosound that way, but I'm saying that
it will be the anthem of twentytwenty four summer, if not one of
the anthems of twenty two. Okay, uh do I believe that do it?
Or no? So solo? Justyou Okay, I wouldn't kick that

(27:38):
out. I wouldn't kick that ideaout of bit. I mean, you
know Kelly wants to sing on it. I guess she can. I'm kidding,
I'm joking. I mean for real. I mean that is for real,
but she would never so she's like, I see the money you make,
I'll keep my job. No nolike like no like. I mean
if a buddy like, if acool dude like listen, if I mean,

(28:00):
seriously, you know, if likeone of my friends out there are
somebody that I'm not even that closeto but we're you know, we're sort
of friends through the If Morgan Wallenor Riley or somebody wanted to jump on
it, I would not be opposedto it. So so we're gonna clip
that and we're gonna post that,and we're gonna tag hell out of some
people. No worries, man,and we're gonna try and make a collab
happen, and then Tay and Iwill get credit on the Actually, I

(28:22):
would if you actually, I woulddo that. I don't even care I
would do that. I would.I gotta tell you too. One of
the greatest things about this, andyou can put this out there too,
is that what's one thing people knowabout me. They've always known that I'm
super gung ho and sort of havesomething to prove personally with my whole I
write every song and I start everysong. This is how I do it
and whatever. I let my guarddown a little bit and let the rains

(28:45):
down a little bit, and I'mglad I did for the first time in
my career. You'd mentioned you didthat with Darius. Yeah, when Darius
stepped into cut, Yeah, youwere like, yeah, I don't want
you to do me I'm wanting todo you right, But it was a
song that I had started from fromfrom nothing. I did not start the
song from nothing. Tyler Hubber andfriends did. And uh, and here's
here's what's really cool about it.My label president called Scott Boorsha, head

(29:10):
of the Big Machine Records founder.Hey, man, I got this idea
right, calls Kelly first actually andpretty cool. And I thought that was
so respectful how they went about it, and apparently quick story. But Tyler
was like, hey, I thinkChris Jansen would crush this and I would
love him to be a part ofit, like what la la la.

(29:30):
I was like, pretty blown awayby that man, you know, because
I love BKA and I love Tylertoo, and and of course who doesn't
love Florida Georgia line And so tohave another artist is what I'm getting at,
say something kind about you or thinkabout you, you know, as
far as music's concerned, that's reallybig deal. And so Tyler and his
and his crew of friends were coolenough to let me live with it a

(29:53):
little bit, see if I couldbecome a part of something greater than myself
for the moment, and uh,and I did, and we did,
and they could not have been kinderand so proud to say that. You
know, there's some there's some artistcollaborative efforts in the in the push for
this next single. So the questionis when can we get it so we
can play it on the show.Well, thank you. I do believe

(30:14):
that it comes out the same dayas the as the television special with Dolly,
which is like the twenty first Ibelieve so literally, like February twenty
first is you know what two weeksafter we would officially go number one,
hopefully this week. And that's freakingfast man. And we here's the cool
thing about it, We're going wewent back to let me say this.
People are always like, well,what is it reminiscent of of what you

(30:37):
do? Because you know, likeyou said, you have a distinct style.
I know it's you when you comeon the radio. You're definitely going
to know it's me for sure,no doubt about it. If it's reminiscent
of anything that I've done in thepast, it would be so reminiscent.
I'm talking about, like ninety ninepercent reminiscent of buying me a boat.
If you like that era of ChrisJansen Music. You're going to love this.
God, dang, I'm telling you. I'm amped telling you, in

(31:00):
the words of in the words ofa the record label president, lightning Rod.
You can have normal number one songs, you can have normal hit songs,
so you can have lightning rods.I'll tell you, I'll take lightning
rods any day of the week,and especially when somebody above my pay grade
knows what a lightning rod is.I'm down. I'm down for it,
man, I'm here for it.And uh, things have been going so

(31:22):
good. Why in the world wouldyou not listen to a team effort?
Because when the team is that good, the team is this good, and
they are They're that good. I'mstoked. I really am. Rehearsed it
with Dolly's band in preparation for thisthing. Is first time I actually played
it with a band live, youknow, and uh, it even blew
my doors off. And that's nottake me out of it, yeah,

(31:44):
take me out of As we wrap, I want to ask you one one
more time. Let's go back toall I need is you, Uh song,
rings, rings the bell or hitsthe whatever you want to call it,
right, it gets that number onespot top of the mountain. How
do you celebrate because this is somuch bigger, because this is so much
bigger than just the number one,right, this is like the big step

(32:07):
in a new journey of like thealbum, the label, you know,
so it's it's bigger than the normalnumber one. It is, it is.
I think the first thing that wedo is we celebrate together. We're
pretty simple folks, you know.You don't have to say more than that.
I get it. No, Like, I don't know. We celebrate
that like every day. But that'snot even about music. She's like,
she's like, it can't because it'snot long enough for a song. Yeah,

(32:30):
I don't know. I'm sorry,we don't. The good news is,
Wayne is we don't focus on songs. We focus on albums. And
this is the best comeback I everhad. That was I'm very proud of
you that that was the best comebackI ever had. Right there? Okay,
no pun and uh on the comeback. So anyway, we'll probably go

(32:52):
to je Alexander's and you started andon me Xanders and do our deal,
which do our deal means eat somefood. Actually, I she'll eat and
I'll watch or eat, probably becauseI just like, how many times can
you have the same meal? Butanyway, I'll have a glass of water
and probably a crabcake. But anyway, then I'm gonna get right to the

(33:13):
to the real nuts and bolts.I'm gonna start thanking people who deserve a
thank you, because people don't getthank that often anymore. They just don't
get thanked enough. It's truly myopinion, and that's also a fact I
believe, and so I want tomake sure that I thank people, whether
it be face to face over thephone, not just stupid text messages.
Oh thanks for another number one that'sgood, hopefully good another one like,

(33:34):
I mean, really thank you,you know, starting with you, thank
you, and I think it's heyguys, I think they can't hear me.
But anyway, I think it's soimportant to say thank you to people.
So that's I'm going to do athank you victory lap, not about
me, but thanking people man,my team, the fans, and everybody
in radio who has continued to believein me. You know, it's like
it's a dream come true. Everybodyin our business who's believed and got behind

(33:58):
my career and stuff. I justwant to say thank you. That's it.
That's really the way I'm gonna celebrate. Dude. Well, thanks for
taking the time to chat. Mal. I appreciate you. I appreciate I
love you man like you're you're mybuddy and in and outside of music,
and I appreciate you too. Andit's just a it's like such a blessing
to see you doing good, andit's a blessing to be doing good myself.
And it's like for those people outthere, remembering when you're listening out

(34:22):
there, don't ever forget man,that just every time you get a chance
to bless somebody, try to blessthem, man, just by being nice.
It starts with just being nice andsmiling and telling somebody thank you.
And and that's it. It's kindof where I'm at today. It's where
I'm at. Where's our plan tobe the rest of my life? That's
awesome. Thanks brother, appreciate it. Thank you make an album.