Daring to Suck: A Grace Askew Podcast
Host Grace Askew dives into the life of a veteran artist. Her 15+ years of living and breathing music have left her with plenty triumphs and disasters and lessons (mostly learned the hard way) to share for all levels of creatives. From the songwriting process, to life on the road, to stories-behind-the songs, to interviews with fellow creatives on their own journey to finishing (or not finishing) songs, "Daring to Suck" is a place for musicians/artists to glean some guidance for their own path.
Daring to Suck: A Grace Askew Podcast
S2E4: Nature, Creativity, and Navigating the Music Industry: A Conversation with Tiffany Goss
Have you ever wondered what it's like to work with the greats of the music industry, or how nature can inspire creativity? Join us for a lively conversation with the talented Tiffany Goss as we explore her journey to Nashville and her experiences in the music industry. From working at Warner Brothers Records and EMI Music Publishing to signing with Curb, Tiffany has rubbed elbows with some of the greats like Faith Hill and Dwight Yocum.
Discover how Tiffany's connection to nature has become her spiritual experience and source of inspiration. We chat about her song 'Church Anywhere', written with the late Kyle Jacobs, and the beauty of nature's lessons in grace and resilience. Hear about Tiffany's upcoming trip to Alaska, her lifelong dream of writing songs in Nashville, and how self-knowledge can be gained through adventures and taking risks out of our comfort zones.
Tiffany also shares her thoughts on persevering in the face of challenges and the ever-changing music industry. Learn how she's taken care of her mental health, navigated the music industry, and celebrated her successes - even if they don't come in the form of a big hit or number one. We wrap up our conversation by discussing the importance of being grateful, respecting the history of the music industry, and learning from those who have come before you. Tune in to hear Tiffany's insights and experiences that you won't want to miss!
Follow Tiffany on IG! @tifftycent
*"Sad People, Pretty Houses" was actually written with Karley Scott Colling and Brian Bunn
Outside of these inspiring interviews, Grace offers further artistic growth opportunities through semi-annual songwriting retreats held in Memphis, TN and 1:1 Zoom coaching! All details can be found at her website: GraceAskew.com
Let's see. All right y'all, it's time for episode four of season two. I can't believe I'm already in episode four, but I'm like I put my foot down and I was like all right, i need to do this damn podcast again. It took me two years to get back to it, but here we are And I'm so, so excited and honored to have Ms Tiffany Goss today on episode four.
Speaker 2:I said your last name right.
Speaker 1:Is that right Goss?
Speaker 2:Yes, but it's been said a bunch of different ways all my life. In fact, my dad's nickname in high school was Goose, oh, so I've been called Goose a lot too, so that's well, that's cute, i like that.
Speaker 1:Well, i know you're super busy, so I appreciate you doing this.
Speaker 2:No, you asked me and I was like Sunday afternoon, that is perfect. Good, and I'm excited because we've spent a little bit of time together over the last couple of months and I'm excited. I wish you lived closer, but I'm inviting myself to your house one day.
Speaker 1:Oh, absolutely, there you go time with Grace. Yeah, we have a place in Eads and it's idyllic with the pool and we can ride out by the pool, So anytime. But what this Wait hold?
Speaker 2:on. I gotta stop this interview already. Did you say Eads Tennessee? Yeah, my favorite ex-boyfriend? No way. Yes, yeah, he was born and grown right there in Eads Tennessee. Amazing, he was very sweet. There's something in the. There's something in the water. I cannot believe that. Oh, yay, i probably drove by where you live.
Speaker 1:Probably. Yeah, that's so funny. Well, fun memories then You should come on by. Well, what this the second season kind of unintentionally has become, is kind of like the road to Nashville, because I've gotten to know the likes of you and Ken Hart and Adam Bratter and Daniel Etheridge, so they've been the past guests and obviously they're all writers that have met through Curb. Love them, because, yes, yeah, adam just was singing your praises the other day, but I just would love to hear for our listeners, especially to hear your personal story of where you got started, where you're from and then how did you end up as a signed Curb writer, as you are right?
Speaker 2:now. Well, it's funny. The question you ask is the road to Nashville. It has been more of like a map. Yeah, And I love maps. We can get into that later if we have time on topography. I love maps anything to do with?
Speaker 1:hiking.
Speaker 2:And that's kind of what my journey is look like. It's not just a road, it's been many, some of them paved, some of them full of dirt and debris, yeah, so it's kind of taken me a long time to get to where I am, but I think that it hasn't been boring, that's for sure.
Speaker 1:I believe that, knowing your personality, i'm sure it's not going to be boring?
Speaker 2:No, it hasn't been boring. It's been a lot of things, but boring is not one of them. I moved here in 1997 after graduating from Troy University out in South Alabama, Go Trojans. I loved it. Oh, and I do not want to show my nails today because they look like I've been juggling. It looks like I've been juggling chainsaws, but I'm actually, as soon as we get done, I'm going to get a manicure.
Speaker 1:Oh, I'm jealous Good for you.
Speaker 2:But yeah, so I graduated Troy in 97 and moved up here and started working at Warner Brothers Records at the front desk, which was awesome because I got to meet so many people, so many songwriters, artists We had Dwight Yocum at the time, faith Hill, we had a I mean Faith Hill came out with this kiss while I was at the front desk. She was always so kind and sweet to me and even gave me a platinum plaque. She was always so kind and Dwight was very funny And I've always been a big fan of his. But so I was there at the front desk for about a couple of years and worked in Publicity a little bit there, but my heart was always where the songs were And I was secretly writing terrible songs at home. And a job came open as the creative assistant over at EMI Music Publishing And they had like a staff of what. This will tell you how much has changed The staff writers at EMI. When I got the job as creative assistant over there there were 72 writers on staff And you know that just doesn't happen anymore. The numbers have seriously dwindled over the last couple of years. But that was. That was like a greenhouse of being in the hallway I was assistant to five creative guys that were pitching songs, working with all these writers.
Speaker 2:Bruce Burch was one of them that actually started the music business program at University of Georgia, kind of took me under his little Georgia wing and he worked with Christofferson and Mika Newberry and all those guys in the 70s which I kind of wish I had been there back then. There were all these old real-to-reels And he had a room. It was full of real-to-reels and printed out lyrics Which, oh, i know it was amazing And actually that was one of my jobs was typing out lyrics. So I was typing out all these names and Christofferson lyrics And Guy Clark was there. He would stand at my desk and smoke a cigarette and ash on my desk.
Speaker 1:It was like oh.
Speaker 2:Yes, i loved it And I've been a huge Guy Clark fan And so I'm like ash away, son Ash away. That's awesome. He was amazing. Nothing, yeah. So I was there for a good amount of time and messed around and was writing with some of the writers and ended up getting a Brooks and Dunk cut, which ended up eventually getting me signed through the Zavitsons and then signed at EMI, where I was actually working at the time. So, and after a year of no hits, they dropped me, which was great, because then I got the opportunity to write for Buddy Killon, who the circle where the naked people are Oh, he was the best, and always dressed to the nines, were snakeskin boots, and he was. He was awesome, and I actually lived in the office for a little while while I was for him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was great. I'd wake up early, make coffee, make sure that the office was clean, and that started my cleaning career. So, which, thankfully, is now over, except for the house I'm sitting in, i still clean. I'm at my best friend's house there overseas right now. So when you hear pitter-patter of little puppy feet, that's my three legged dog And her two four legged dogs. So that's a plus, that's 11 legs and three hearts. That's what got going on here.
Speaker 2:I love it But yeah, wrote for Buddy until he passed away, then in 2007, signed at Kerr. but I've been there ever since. So there's, there's the quick story.
Speaker 1:I love it. Wow, i mean just to be surrounded by that. those kind of that level of artistry from the get goes incredible.
Speaker 2:Amazing. And this brings us to Joe Leathers. Joe Leathers had was very instrumental and Kyle Jacobs to instrumental in getting me in over at Kerr. Really, oh yeah, because Joe at the time had a house in Rosemary Beach. Yeah, he told me about that. We would, oh, it was awesome, we'd go down there and ride bikes and write songs, and that's kind of how I incorporated into the Kerr world and Okay, and our who sadly passed away a couple about a year and a half ago, signed me there, but it was because of Joe and Kyle and those guys bringing me in And so I'm very always I'll love me some Joe Leathers. I'm very thankful for him.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, i know you are too.
Speaker 2:I am.
Speaker 1:I am such a Joe Leathers Just I look up to him.
Speaker 2:So much for sure I'm very grateful for him, did you?
Speaker 1:know we'd be in Memphis. We did, but not until like 2020,.
Speaker 2:I wanna say No, it was actually 2018.
Speaker 1:I met his daughter and his wife before. I met him randomly, like you're welcome with me.
Speaker 2:Which is so wild.
Speaker 1:But yeah, so it's like I'm getting to know the whole fam slowly but surely. They're amazing.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's awesome. Yep, great family.
Speaker 1:I mean, they're amazing Yeah yeah, i would love to dig a little deeper with you, and I ask every guest this question because I find it usually it's an interesting answer. but what is your kind of deeper why that, maybe before you even got to Nashville? like, did you find yourself writing songs before then, were you playing guitar already And like, what was that why that you needed to express yourself?
Speaker 2:I feel like I had a really sweet childhood. My parents just celebrated their 55th anniversary, right, norman and Portia. They got married, bought a house to live there in Montgomery Alabama, and I was an only child and I'm still an only child In a way. Didn't feel like it because I had lots of cousins and aunts and uncles that I'm super close to, but I think that kind of forced me to be creative. I was never bored. I was either making up dance routines, ended up being a cheerleader. That's my dog, that's three-legged when barking. Now It might happen a little bit. Sorry about that. No, it's really fine, but I started writing poems.
Speaker 1:Terrible little you know just silly little journals, Everybody parts somewhere.
Speaker 2:I mean stacks of them. I started playing guitar when I was about 13. I was probably better at 15 than I am now because I played so much and writing songs And I just you know, growing up, growing up singing in church, it was always kind of something that was always on my heart and had the regular life of being a cheerleader, dancing, you know all that stuff. But then I would come home and I really didn't share it with too many friends, like in junior high and high school. I just kind of messed around. But when I got to college, the guys in my fraternity that I was the sweetheart of at Troy SAE, they were awesome, they were very sweet to me. I was an Alpha Gamma at Troy and I still talk to all those girls.
Speaker 2:But I started really opening up and like playing at the fraternity house and writing some terrible songs And so I always knew I think I knew like early on in college that I would move to Nashville, yeah. And then, moving here, it was like the greenhouse effect. I'm like, oh my gosh. It was kind of the ugly duckling Like, oh, this is my pond. And I know everybody kind of feels that way when they get here because there's so much creativity going on and my creativity growing up was kind of hidden a little bit in the fact that I just did normal things. So I loved my friends and cheering and all that and dancing in college And so I was very excited to get here and still feel that way. I sit down and write roms down all the time and ideas, just like we all do. We have our little journal set aside. I've actually got a new one right here sitting beside me, so yeah, It's exciting when you get a new notebook.
Speaker 1:I'm always like I'm gonna.
Speaker 2:Can I show you this? Yes, i wanna see it. So what? I was so excited. I just took my parents on their 55th anniversary trip to a new Hampshire in Vermont And I was in this bookstore. I love bookstores And I also love National Parks. And I found this journal. Oh my gosh, i love it National Parks 2024. But guess what? It starts in July of this year. Oh, i'm so excited. It has all kinds of facts. It has facts about the parks and places to write and quotes from John Muir and all kinds of people that started our National Parks. So yeah, i get real nerdy about maps and stickers and patches. And I've got my little passport, my National Park passport. Oh my gosh, i'll just almost cry when I get that thing stamped.
Speaker 1:Well, that's a perfect segue to my next question for you, because I noticed you're hiking and you're outdoors and you're camping by yourself all the time, which is just I love. I envy you. I'm not in that season of my life right now. I can't with two babies at home. I can't do that.
Speaker 2:But we can take them with us.
Speaker 1:I wonder, like maybe he's three and she's one, so it's like slightly too young.
Speaker 2:Maybe a couple of years getting them out. Yeah, i'm planning on upgrading my camping and tent equipment in the next couple of years so we can set them up a little. oh, it'll be too much.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I really wanna get them out.
Speaker 2:They can learn about bugs and trees and leaves dirt and oh, it'll be good.
Speaker 1:Well, i really wanna get the new Steve Rinella book. I'm a huge Steve Rinella fanatic. It's number one in the New York Times bestseller list right now for kids, so I would love to get them that It's outdoor activities book. but anyway, i was just wondering your connection to nature seems really strong and is it kind of a sense of it's cross-training your creativity in a weird way? Because for me it's a spiritual experience. I feel really close to God when I'm in nature of always, because I grew up playing in the woods so I felt like that was my church growing up and I see that in you a little bit.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and it's so funny I know I'm so weird, but I got chills, you saying that, because, yeah, it's kind of my church too. It's funny Kyle Jacobs, our dear friend, who left us in February. We wrote a song together with Caitlin Smith, called and I had forgotten about it until Kyle passed away but it was called Church Anywhere and it was about going into nature and finding God. So, yeah, that's kind of where I have to go now and there's a piece there. There's something about how nature it doesn't matter what comes along summer fall, cold, winter, spring it comes back alive, it doesn't fight change and it is okay with not being in control. Yes, and trees they'll bend, they'll break, they'll lay down when it's time. Yeah, and actually it was hiking the other day at Rhydener and I saw this tree that had fallen down but it was still so beautiful and it looked happy. I know that sounds weird, but it was like man, there's just beauty and grace with just being okay with what's happening and what happens as happened, and what's to come. I learned all kinds of things out there And I started getting super adventurous probably about 10 years ago.
Speaker 2:I've always had a heart for the national parks and just kind of being able to travel a little bit, going out west and finally doing my first 100 mile hike down into the Grand Canyon and in Southern Utah. And, man, i love going overseas, which I haven't done since I was young and it's definitely on my list. But there's so much to see here. We have 63 national parks and I don't even know how many I've been to. I don't have a count, but I'm about to go to Alaska here in less than a month, so I'm so excited. There's a bunch of beauty up there, lots of grizzly bears during salmon season. I'm so glad.
Speaker 2:But I feel like with our job in writing songs, which I absolutely love, it is non-negotiable for me to have to get out into nature and by myself to fill up my heart and my soul, to look for ideas or not, to just be out there in whatever new. I love a new trail shoot so much I just got some new ones a few weeks ago. I love the altars. In case y'all are wondering, i spend a lot of time at REI, but I feel like that's where I get my heart and soul and head prepared to be able to come back and write and deal with the nose that we get in our business because we get a lot of those developing thick skin And also, i think for a long period of time I was on a negative spiral of trying to control what was happening with my song.
Speaker 2:Like, oh, i've written 3,500 songs. When am I gonna get that big number one? And I feel like, instead of just being grateful for the opportunity to sit in rooms with friends and artists and instead of soaking that in and really celebrating, hey, i wrote a great song today, or even a crappy one, which happens. Yeah, you gotta write a lot of crap songs, because you should be writing all the time, but I feel like it. let me open up my hands and be out in control of that and just appreciate being grateful for having the opportunity to even do this, because who gets to do their dream?
Speaker 2:My dream was to come to Nashville and write songs, and it's exactly what I'm doing. And instead of taking it apart and comparing and going, oh, someone says I had 10 number ones. It's like my number ones. I've gotten a lot of them, but they just look different. Yeah, they look like celebrating having a deal at Curb since 2007. They look like having the opportunity and opportunities to go and have retreats with incredibly talented artists and hearing the voices and the talent and the words that come out of people like you and Michael Farron and all the artists and writers I've come to love and respect, and so I feel like now I love writing, i love adventure and I feel like adventure is tied to my love for music now because I learned so much from it and they're kind of what do you say? not mutually It's mutual manner.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, mutually Mutually, for sure, yeah.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I feel like I can't have one without the other, and the peace and the clarity that I get from hiking and getting out there, that I really get that Everything. To me, i think it's like you get it Like.
Speaker 1:I think part of the artist's job is having as much self-knowledge as he possibly can, and the way you get to self-knowledge is through doing all of these adventures out of your comfort zone, and a majority of human beings are not comfortable with doing things that scare them, but that's what songwriters do every single day, with creating something from the unknown or, for instance, going on trail hike by yourself, like stuff like that is just part of the job description that nobody really talks about, but it's huge.
Speaker 2:I think I might be a lifetime section hiker. I don't know where I'll come up with 10 grand in six months, because that's about how long it takes to hike the Appalachian Trail, but I do. Every year I do several section hikes, yeah, and I still get sometimes get a little bit scared. There was a stabbing the last time I was there on the trail, which does not happen often, so I did not sleep in the woods. I got a cute little place called Paint Rock Farm. It's at a through town called Hot Springs, north Carolina, north of Asheville. So I got a greened in cabin corn crib and stayed there. That had a lock on the door, so I hope you're packing.
Speaker 2:By the way, i still, you know as much as I can. Safety Second, i guess. First adventure, second safety, but I always have mace with me. Yeah, so, and eight pounds of pressure pop out eyeballs. So if somebody gets close enough to you, just go nuts on their eyeballs and pop them out, And there you go Call the cops. Okay, girl. I haven't learned that tactic, yet I just got my yesterday for carrying.
Speaker 1:I'm like, okay, now I'm not gonna carry it yet I'm not comfortable enough. but yeah, that's gonna take a long time. They absolutely.
Speaker 2:One thing that I want to get. They have a mace gun that looks exactly like a gun.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:And it's like it can shoot like 12 feet or something like that. So I'm gonna order one of those. That's what I'm gonna order for, So I feel a little more powerful when I'm out there on the trail.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I would love to hear about, like, when you're not in these national co-right situations, what is your process of like? and you kind of touched on it earlier what does it look like when you're just by yourself at home? Do you have a process that you like to approach your writing with, or I?
Speaker 2:think. So far as just songwriting, yeah, okay, i'll come up with some melodies. I'm not the best guitar player. I actually having a few lessons is probably on my list of things to do, but I'll sit down and just free flow, right, i'll write down ideas.
Speaker 2:I don't have a telepathy set at my house For you, which I didn't make the decision to, but I moved in February of 21. And I was I'd gotten rid of my old TV because I'm like, well, i'm gonna get a new one, this one's old, i'm gonna get a bigger, better one. And I moved into my new place And about a month later I was like, oh my gosh, i don't have a television. And I'm like, wait, i have felt very peaceful lately. I've been listening to records, i've been reading more, yeah, something to this. So I just went, you know I'll save money by not getting cable, and so, yeah, now that just kind of happened. So my home feels very creative because I read a lot more than I used to. Oh, yeah, and I look at a lot of old records And, of course, through hiking and stuff, and then coming home, i kind of like free flow right.
Speaker 2:But I think also what helps me with that is. I have a serious routine in the morning and at night And I used to think discipline was kind of a bad word, yeah, and I realized that there's a lot of freedom in it, oh yeah. So in the morning I have a serious routine with my skincare routine that I did not have in my 20s. I do my gratitude journal, i do my workout journal, i read, do a little devotion, and then at night I do the same thing and that's kind of non-negotiable. So every morning I spend probably about 30 minutes doing that And I feel like through the structure of discipline, it's freed me up and it's been freeing where I can think more clearly during my co-writes and be more present. And so I feel like all of that, combined with working out to that orange very, i feel like doing all that has really helped my creativity And also put it away too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, i mean I think there needs to be some sort of I struggle with putting work down. You know, i feel like as an ideal workers. We're constantly thinking about ideas. Obviously You can't just like shut that part of your brain off. So it's a struggle, but I love that you're so disciplined with your mornings and evenings. I miss, i kind of miss that, because it's hard with kids sometimes. I kind of have to be Yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh, i'm sure. Well, i mean Grace. it's funny. It's like I was a mess before I started doing this routine process. I realized how much it would change my life. And when I started my gratitude journal a little over a year ago, i kind of started it like I think I got out my pen. It's like, what are you grateful for? And I'm like nothing, okay. And then now it's like honestly running out of room on the pages and little things, it's not.
Speaker 2:You know. I honestly wrote down the other day that I was grateful for finding this journal you know, it's stuff like that. And then I went even further and I was like, oh my gosh, this is a year and a half And I started thinking about it And I was looking ahead at 2024 and I was like, oh my gosh, i know how awesome the last few years have been And I'm like what kind of awesome things are going to happen in that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Yeah, exactly. It definitely is a good reminder. I've seen some hack of like keep right down what you're grateful for. that has happened within the past 24 hours. I feel like that's an even more powerful way to do it Somehow. it's more powerful feeling, to me at least, cause it's like it keeps you really on with like what just happened yesterday.
Speaker 2:Yes, in fact I don't have it near me, it's in another room. But that gratitude journal I use. It has a spot for the morning and a spot for the evening And that's one of the ones I do every day And it's like what can you do to make this day awesome? And then you do your review of yourself. I used to just do it like on my birthday, and now I check in every morning and every night like, okay, so if you really need to work on this or and usually drinking more water comes up about once a week, cause I need to remind myself you're not drinking enough water, yeah, oh, it's tough.
Speaker 1:No, it's good for hydration. I know it's tough. Girlfriend, i hear you Was there any sort of takeaway cause you've seen so many artists come and go through the hallways of the buildings that you worked in and you've written so many songs for other artists. Is there a kind of one big takeaway piece of advice for our listeners that you would say, like what sustains a truly great career for an artist? What's like the overall message? Oh gosh.
Speaker 2:Well, if I knew that, wouldn't I have me a big old corner office, what, what, y'all.
Speaker 2:But I have seen you have the ones that you're like, oh my goodness, there is no way this person is not going to be absolutely huge And then it dissolves and you never hear their name again. Or the people you're like, oh, they might want to sell insurance And then they end up huge. So I feel like the different for everyone And you just got to know I think there's a lot of luck in it too. Yeah, It's right time, Right crew of folks around you, And even as writers, I think some people just get I mean, you know the nose we get every single day And I feel like it's just being consistent and not stopping Gosh And I don't know if there's one thing that connects everyone that's been what we would call successful, but I guess just not stopping.
Speaker 2:And I know some of the artists that have been on curb were there for years and years before they even went on tour or had a big hit, but they stayed with them. Dylan Scott is one who was on our roster for a long, long time And now he's had a few hits. So I don't know, I guess it's just not stopping and not giving up And or knowing when it's time to put it down And I've seen this happen too. I mean, even with me, where I'm like gosh, I need a big break, And then you come back refreshed and kind of like get enough going on that you keep going. And I feel like even with my gratitude, if I get a little cut or write a good song or have a great retreat, sometimes that keeps me motivated to keep going, I guess.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it worries me sometimes And I've heard several people just friends from ThruCurb talk about like they'll sign these artists who are really young and up and coming and they've got all. They check all the boxes But one thing that happens is they'll send them out in these big tours because they're singles, taken off and they've never toured in their life And all of a sudden they're like this is way more of a workload than I've ever experienced, and certainly addiction comes into the picture. You know just not being able to be responsible enough to handle that amount of a schedule.
Speaker 2:Have you seen that? Oh, the mental stuff that they're not prepared for that I wasn't prepared for that. really nobody is, unless they've done a crap ton of therapy. But what I've noticed is usually you're not thrown into therapy until after you needed And I never realized that my life and my body and my head and my heart were like my car. I'm like what do you do? every few months You take your car in and you get full change.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But you take care of your car. But when you think about therapy or working on yourself or growing or dealing with your issues, that suck and you're not doing that which. I'm saying that because I didn't do it for years And I broke down on the side of the road and was a mess And it wasn't until then where it's like okay, oh, wow, maybe I should try therapy, yeah. So I think all changes are non-negotiable for me as well.
Speaker 1:So Yeah, absolutely. That's good advice, This kind of tops into the next question. but and I ask everybody this is like have you ever wanted to quit And what was the thought that kept you going?
Speaker 2:When have I not wanted to quit, Especially when I was on my downward spiral. I had a few tough years there And I kind of touched on this a minute ago. There was always something, whether it was those days that I wanted to quit, Cause it's frustrating you get a single and then they pull it. Or you get the next single and an artist and they get dropped or get a cut and it doesn't make the record. Or you 50 songs, 60 songs deep in with an artist and they go into cut and you don't get one on there. So I mean, you know all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2:But I think what's kept me going is the fact that I've put so much time in that I think at this point it would be very dumb to quit And I've used this analogy before. But it's kind of like building a house You got your foundation, you've got the walls up and you've been working on this house for a long, long time And it's still not ready to move in. But you will have hope that one day you can move into it. So and then also fun and like being okay that my number ones look different, And I used to say I haven't had a hit, I haven't had a number one, I haven't had this and that, and focused on what I didn't have and with the gratitude journey and really celebrating successes that aren't behind plated glass hanging on my wall, That made all the difference.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i certainly think as a success and super, you know, super inspiring for sure. You know we need some more estrogen around. you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 2:And I feel like, too, with my mindset, that I've gotten now, even if and I love the, even if I love those words together, even if I never have the big number one, wow, i'm so okay with that. And so anything else is just so exciting to think about and celebrating, like doing this podcast with you, celebrating a song with you, and that's not like, oh, head in the clouds. You know that I'm not, you know, aware of what's going on. It's not that at all. But like when you wrote a song the other day with and I'd had this idea, this is kind of you'll, like this, i'd had this idea for a while. I have always wanted one of those Broncos, the new Broncos. I will have one one day, but every time I see one I'm like, oh my gosh, they're just awesome. And you know, that's kind of like a dream goal. I'd love to have one one day And I'll actually use it for the purpose of camping. And yes, ma'am you will.
Speaker 2:Getting it muddy. But I was at a red light about two months ago And I saw my Bronco Kat Disgray and had the top off And there was a girl in it and she looked absolutely miserable. Just either she wasn't having a good day or she just who knows what was going on in her life. But I was in my Honda Accord. That's paid for. It's kind of old now but it looks fine once it has a bath. But I was just having the best day I had. The wind is down.
Speaker 2:I was listening to that new Louis Capaldi record, which is so good, and I was just real happy And I was actually smiling. Probably people thought I was crazy by myself at a red light And I looked over she's in my dream car and she just looked like she had had a really hard day or life like what in good. And so then I was driving home back to Franklin through Brentwood and huge houses, big old houses, and there was a lady going to her mailbox who also looked miserable And I was like gosh, what is up today? There's a lot going on. And so I said gosh, sad people, pretty houses, and ended up with a song with I'll send it to you when we? I want to hear it. But this artist, carly Scott Collins I had never met her before And Kurt Gibbs, one of my sweet favorite producer and friends at curb. I wrote the song and it was turned out a good song, it was turned out exactly like I wanted it.
Speaker 2:But all that to say that, man, you can have everything you want, and we all know this. This is not a new splash, but it's the whole thing. If you're not happy right now with what you have, if you're waiting to be happy until this, i won't be happy until I have a number one. Do you know how long I'd have to be unhappy for and serve the present sentence of being miserable, which I've done before for lots of periods of time? I'm like man, i just got an old change, i've got a full tank, my car is clean How awesome, that's exciting. And just being happy with what you have, grateful. And if I ever do get the opportunity to have a Bronco, i'm going to really, really be thankful. But it wouldn't make me one bit happier, maybe for a second.
Speaker 1:But it's just the gospel right there.
Speaker 2:I love that. That was a lesson Yeah.
Speaker 1:I think that I've 100% been there so many times where I resented my own gifts because they weren't giving me the level of happiness that I was expecting it to give me, because my version of success whatever the hell that means, it wasn't happening. So I love that message so much Yeah me too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm going to send you that song, Remind Me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they do. Well, I think you've covered so much ground And I would love to ask you just one more question. For our listeners who are up and coming and who want to take that route to Nashville And I'm sure they're already so inspired by your story What would you say, what is, what's some advice you would give them for handling co-writing?
Speaker 2:Okay, how about this? Let's start off with this. I was bad about this in my 20s. I'm sorry co-writers, be on time. Yes, just be on time. And I don't mean like you got to show up 15 minutes early and bring cupcakes, but I've noticed lately there's a few artists that if they go up they'll be 30 minutes late. No apology, and not that I'm somebody huge. You got to roll out a red carpet and letter of apology. It's not that at all, but it just some. I had a co-writer call me out one time in my 20s and said when you're late, it shows that you think your time is more important than anyone else's. Yep, i would say too with canceling. I don't ever cancel for the most part, unless sick or something. If you cancel the morning of for a valid reason, totally fine, but when it's second, third time, yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm out. I don't have your Elvis. So I would say, show up on time. Maybe, like I don't mean, respect your elders that have been here forever. but I definitely don't know everything And I want to learn from my co-writers, even if it's their first co-write. I feel like you can learn a ton from people. but maybe just respect the history of the business and who's come before you. And I know when I was working at Warner Brothers I was studying up on all the old songwriters, the hits they'd had, their stories of how they got to town and how they made it work. So I think that and oh, i know this is a good one.
Speaker 2:You would think it would go without saying. but maybe You have some kind of idea of what you want, which I know can sometimes be a little clouded, because a lot of times artists get signed because of what they do and as soon as they get that deal, the people that they're working with change what they do. Oh well, actually we really wanted you to do this, because I write with artists sometimes and you're like what do you want? What do you like? What are you listening to, what's missing on your record? And they're like I don't know So, but I've written with a bunch of artists that come in like a bull in a china shop. This is what I want to say, this is who I am, and that's always so refreshing. and not that you have a blueprint and know everything, but at least like, like. even if you don't come in with ideas, that doesn't bother me, we can always write into something. but yeah, maybe, just hey, act like you're excited to be there.
Speaker 1:Yes, please, that's always nice too. Don't be on your cell phone, you know, just scrolling through.
Speaker 2:Yeah, ordering boots over there, Yeah, yeah, so that would be it. And one last thing which I think this might tie into it, which ties into you this morning I was that's oh, that's another thing I have. I have my to-do list that I write every morning. Yeah, oh, my journal stack is this thing. But this morning I wrote you're going to like this too. I wrote I was writing down okay, orange Theory, all my morning stuff that I had to do today. And then I put time with Grace.
Speaker 2:I love that And I was like, oh, wow, ooh, like, and I just started having Grace with myself through my shortcomings and about the things about me that suck, that I've had to work on, man, and I feel like having some Grace with yourself and these artists that I'm talking about. This show up late. I don't mean go home and beat yourself up, but, like, just have Grace for yourself when you've messed up.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Forgive yourself, catch yourself when you're going into negative spirals, turn it around, and if that takes help, if that takes therapy, if that takes reading, if that takes spending some time with friends and having hard conversations, do that. But I feel like I've just found that Grace with myself in the last year where I've forgiven myself for past mistakes, where I'm looking forward and doing stuff that takes care of me in my head, which I'm happy like not limited to, but lots of hiking and lots of writing and lots of saying, yes, go into the gym when I don't want to. You know that kind of thing. But time with Grace, what about that?
Speaker 1:Oh, we need to write a song about that. There was a sermon. Part of the sermon this morning at church was, like he called it, uncomfortable Grace, which I kind of like Ooh, ooh yeah. Yeah, I lived that for sure, yeah, i love that so much. Well, i am just so inspired by you and I know my listeners will be too, so your episode goes live tomorrow and I'm just so pumped to launch it. Thank you so so much. I know you're busy, so I really appreciate your time.
Speaker 2:Well, i can't. you know what I want to do. I want to spend some quality time with you. I mean, obviously, writing too, but I just think you're awesome. Yeah, love all this stuff that you're doing and that you're taking your time out of your Sunday to do these podcasts, and you know, i think it's awesome. I think the world of you, especially now that I know you're in AIDS.
Speaker 1:Oh yes, ma'am. Well, we're in the city, unfortunately right now, but that's where we want to end up again. But I was raised in there. But yeah, come visit, for sure.
Speaker 2:I will, and holler at me when you're in town. I want to see your face.
Speaker 1:I will. Let's book a co-write girlfriend. I want to see your face, Grace. Yes, ma'am, I'll talk to you soon. Okay, love Bye.
