LIVE FROM JACKSONVILLE! with Amadeus
99.9 Gator Country morning show host Amadeus shares stories that did not make it on the air, and he takes a deeper dive into those that did make the cut. Fans of Your Hometown Morning Show will enjoy a more behind the scenes look at what goes into the making of a country radio morning show. Listen daily for this PG-13 version of the top stories making pop culture headlines, artist interviews, and much , much more.
LIVE FROM JACKSONVILLE! with Amadeus
JACKSONVILLE'S STAR-STUDDED CONCERTS, A RISING COUNTRY STAR, AND THRILLING BULL RIDING ACTION!
Prepare to be swept off your feet as we dive into Jacksonville's electrifying entertainment scene! We're rolling out the red carpet with legendary acts like Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, and Rod Stewart lighting up stages. But that's not all—meet rising country sensation Alexandra Kay, who adds her personal flair by sharing her musical journey inspired by iconic female artists. Her stories and upcoming performance at Jacksonville's fresh venue, Decca Live, promise an experience you won't forget.
From the world of music, we shift gears to the adrenaline-charged realm of Professional Bull Riding, featuring insights from rider Mason Taylor. He shares a compelling glimpse into the grit and camaraderie that fuels this extreme sport, setting the stage for an unforgettable event at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Pencil in February 22nd and 23rd, as Jacksonville hosts a weekend packed with thrilling performances and heart-pounding action. Join us as we celebrate the passion and dedication that drive both musicians and athletes to continue inspiring audiences everywhere.
Hey, welcome back to another episode of Live from Jacksonville. If it's your first time, welcome to your first episode of Live from Jacksonville. My name's Amadeus. I don't really listen to podcasts, so I'm not really sure how they're supposed to start, but let's just jump right into it. This podcast is all about things that are coming to Jacksonville, florida, in the next few weeks Concerts, events, comedians, things like that. I work in radio in Jacksonville, as you may know, and a lot of times I'll go to shows and post something on Facebook and people will be like I didn't know that was in town. So hopefully this podcast will help people know what all is happening in this amazing town. We have seven or eight amazing venues, so it's always super busy.
Speaker 1:Just announced a couple of huge shows at the AMP St Augustine. Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo will be there Thursday, may 1st, I believe. Tickets go on sale next Friday, also at the AMP. This is going to be a great show Rick Springfield's I Want my 80s Tour with John Waite, wang Chung and John Cafferty. All acts are doing full sets. That show is Thursday, may 29th and those tickets are on sale now. Listen, I've seen all these acts before except John Cafferty, but I'm sure he's going to be great. This is going to be an amazing show. So if you're free on Thursday May 29th, get your tickets. I believe it's going to be close to a sellout and it's going to be hot, hot, hot.
Speaker 1:All right, coming up in the next couple of weeks here at the Florida Theater stays so busy. They have Chris Bode in town, tuesday, february 18th. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on Sunday, february 23rd. Robin Trower on Tuesday, the 25th. That's going to be an amazing show. Comedian Mateo Lane will be at the Florida Theater on Saturday, march 1st and Brett Young on Thursday March 6th. I think that show's getting close to selling out at least the floor seats. So get to floridatheatercom for your tickets for any of those shows.
Speaker 1:At the Amps St Augustine, in addition to those shows that were just announced Willie Nelson and Family Thursday and Friday, february 19th and 20th. Professional Bull Riders returns to the Vice Star Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday and Sunday, february 22nd and 23rd, and Rod Stewart is back at Daily's Place on Sunday, february 25th. Now there's a brand new venue in Jacksonville called Deca Live. It's right downtown on Bay Street and it is going to be the spot, I believe, for a lot of up-and-coming acts. It's just that perfect size. I think it holds about 1,000. It's so cutting edge. It's like walking into a bar in New York or Miami or maybe even LA, and there's a rising country superstar named Alexandra Kay, who's going to be there Sunday, february 23rd, and I had a chance to catch up with her a couple of days ago. Now, alexandra, I was watching some of your coffee covers on your Facebook page and they are so much fun.
Speaker 3:Thank you. It started in 2020. It's something that I did just to kind of I don't know like integrate my morning routine with singing and posting, and it went like super viral and, yeah, it's been a really cool thing and so I'll never stop doing it.
Speaker 1:The first one I watched was the new Ella Langley song and ended it with a mouthful of whipped cream and I was laughing my ass off. Yeah, yeah, I try to make them fun that was a great one, and then, um gosh, how do I live? Wow, that was amazing.
Speaker 3:Oh, thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Thank you, and I had read somewhere like people are comparing you to like Dolly Parton and Alison Krauss and Leanne Womack, so that made perfect sense when I heard that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, what a, what a comparison.
Speaker 1:Right, I know, I mean but you know what I got. To be honest, they're all very accurate. I think they're all right on point.
Speaker 3:Oh, thank you so much. That's such a great compliment. I love them all and they've all been such huge influences to me.
Speaker 1:It's so funny Like you grow up listening to things, you don't know what an influence they are until you get to this certain age and you look back and go, wow, that was a big part of my life 100%.
Speaker 3:It's like I grew up in southern Illinois just kind of listening to. The two country radio stations in the St Louis area were 92.3 and 93.7. And so my parents would just jump back and forth between those and so I just grew up listening to country music and of course it was like the early 2000s. So it was like, oh man, the good stuff for females, you know, like females were like on top. So I grew up listening to Jodi Messina, martine McBride, faith Hill, sarah Evans, leigh-anne Rimes. I mean the list goes on and on. But yeah, it's like you don't really realize in those moments that you're being influenced and that you're going to grow up looking back on this and being like, oh okay, that's how I found my sound, like unknowingly, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, it's osmosis and it's you growing and these things are happening and it's a really magical thing that happens and I love that about for me getting older, looking back on like movies or songs or you know what I, what kind of work I did, kind of led me to where I am now and it's really a magical thing.
Speaker 3:Oh for sure, yeah, it's, it's. It's so awesome to look back on how you became who you are. Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, and you started out doing commercials and voiceover work too right.
Speaker 3:I did, yeah. So I've always wanted to be in this business, like ever since I was a young girl. Um, I would, I remember, like watching Disney channel and being like how can I do that? Like, and telling my mom like I want to do that so bad, and I wanted to be acting. I wanted to be on any kind of stage, I wanted to be singing and acting and I did musical theater shows and commercials and voiceover and um, and my parents were really supportive of it and threw me into anything that that I was interested in.
Speaker 3:So I started doing that pretty young and got my first agent in high school and started landing some gigs. And then I got really, really into musical theater and I did a bunch of just like local theater stuff. So I did a lot of community theater and then I decided I wanted to go to school for it. But I was also my life is all over the place, but, like, I decided I wanted to go to school for it. But I was also a softball player and we were, like you know, one of those like bred from 12 years old to be a collegiate athlete kind of softball players Both of my sisters are as well and went on to college for scholarship and I was offered scholarships but I decided not to go with the college scholarship for softball because I wanted to be in the theater program and their seasons conflicted so I actually couldn't do both and be on scholarship.
Speaker 3:So that's when I actually decided that I was just going to take time off of school and pursue my music career. And really scary, but it ended up being the best decision I've ever made.
Speaker 1:As you're telling that story, like glee is popping into my head. So I have to ask are you a team Elphaba or team Glinda?
Speaker 3:Oh, I'm a Glinda. Yeah, nice, I'm a Glinda girl all the way. I mean, like you'll be able to tell, like when Cupid's a cowgirl, the single that I have coming out, when that rolls out in a couple of weeks, everything that I wear is pink. There's pink in my house, there's my entire closet is pink. So I'm definitely a Glinda girl, that's for sure.
Speaker 1:I saw a picture I think it was on your Instagram page and you've got this like fluffy pink jacket and like white gloves. I think you're maybe making a coffee or something and that's. But that's what made me think of the question. I'm like that looks like Galinda.
Speaker 3:Yeah, for sure, it's very coded in that, um. But yeah, I I'm such a wicked fan and I'm just really glad that you know people are very used to seeing her all dressed in pink now, so I'm not too much of a shock.
Speaker 1:Wicked's one of my top three of all time, so I love that you have that same connection.
Speaker 3:Oh my gosh, yeah, we got to see it in New York. My boyfriend, rocco, is also my music director and plays guitar in my band, and so we obviously spend a lot of time together on the road, and so we like to kind of sneak off and have our own little days alone together, and we're usually trying to find a musical theater show, a show of sorts, to go see, and so we've seen shows from community theater to off Broadway to Broadway all over the US. It's kind of our thing when we're on tour, and so when we were in New York we were like, oh my gosh, we have to go see Wicked on Broadway. We got like second row or third row seats and it was the most magical experience. It was my first time seeing it on Broadway and it was incredible.
Speaker 1:Last year I went to see Boy George in Moulin Rouge on Broadway and it was just amazing.
Speaker 3:Oh, my gosh, Incredible. I would love to see them both.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was really, really cool. Speaking of New York, now I've got to tell you about this brand new club we have here in Jacksonville, York. Now I've got to tell you about this brand new club we have here in Jacksonville. It's called Deck Alive and I think so far only two acts have played and you're going to be here February 23rd at Deck Alive.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You're going to be blown away by this place.
Speaker 3:Oh my gosh, I'm so excited, and I think that there's like 100 tickets left or something Like it's almost sold out, and so I'm really, really excited to come there. Every time I play Florida, everybody is so welcoming and wonderful. Our bass player, john, is from Florida, and so is my manager, beth, so we always have a lot of family coming out and it's always a wonderful time. So couldn't think of a better place to kick off this Cupid's a Cowgirl tour with new music. I'm going to be premiering new music from a new record for the first time in over a year Wow.
Speaker 3:So I put out All I've Ever Known in October of 2023, and I haven't put anything out since, other than some collaborations I've done here and there. And then I did a collaboration with Jelly Roll and the Twisters album, but other than that I haven't released any solo projects in over a year. So, so excited. I'm going to be playing four songs from the new record as a part of this tour and just kind of introducing everybody to this new pink lover girl kind of era that I'm entering in my music and sonically, and I can't wait to see what everybody thinks.
Speaker 1:Man, you just got me super excited. Yay Well, we cannot wait to see you here in Jacksonville Again. The date is February 23rd. It's a Sunday night. You're going to blow the roof off this place, I know it, and it's three stories high, so that's going to be a big challenge for you.
Speaker 3:Ah, I sure am. I promise we have like an incredible set, so much light production. We have like a whole stage set up. It's going to be, and I can't wait to hear everybody scream these songs.
Speaker 1:Alexandra Kay at Deca Live February 23rd. Tickets are still available. A few left at DecaLivecom. Thank you so much for your time today.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me. I'll see you guys soon.
Speaker 1:As I mentioned earlier, professional Bull Riders is coming back to Vistar Veterans Memorial Arena February 22nd and 23rd, and right now we're joined by one of those professional bull riders from Maypearl, texas, mason Taylor. How's things going for you so far this season?
Speaker 2:The last couple weeks have been pretty rough, but we'll get it turned around, because there's ups and downs in this sport and you know you just got to keep after it and keep going, because you can't ride the highs too high or the lows too low. You know, good things come and bad things come. That's just what comes with this sport.
Speaker 2:That's really a great lesson to learn early in life with this sport, because that's true of every part of life that's a big part of our sport, is that things are going to happen that are out of your control. As long as you're able to be able to take some things with a grain of salt, you'll be able to come out good on the other side of it. How long have you been riding Professionally?
Speaker 1:this will be my seventh season with PBR, but I've been riding my whole life, since I was four we always love seeing the videos of the kids riding the sheep or whatever it is and really just starting their career. Is that how you started as well?
Speaker 2:Yep, that's how I started. I started out mutton busting and went from that to calves, from calves to steers, to junior bulls and now to professional level.
Speaker 1:Was there ever a time when you were like, maybe I should be doing something else? If so, what was that thing?
Speaker 2:You know, I never really thought about doing anything else, but you know, when you're having to battle and go through injuries, yeah, it's pretty easy to think. You know, man, why do I put myself through this? But then an hour goes by and I'm just ready to do it again. You know, um, it's, it's truly what I love and it's my passion what all have you broken?
Speaker 2:as far as being a bull rider, I've been very, very fortunate. You know, I've really only broken my jaw, uh, I broke my collarbone. Got some plate and screws in it.
Speaker 1:Wait, wait, wait wait, wait, wait, wait. You said I've been very fortunate. And then you said I broke my jaw.
Speaker 2:That one. Really it sounds bad, but I never really sat out no time with that one. I broke my jaw, went and had surgery and three days later I was riding at the PBR world finals. So I really didn't. Didn't have to sit out no time with that one, um, but I did have to sit out time on my collarbone.
Speaker 1:That one wasn't no fun you guys are cut from a different cloth. I had a co-worker once who had a hangnail wouldn't come in for two days yeah, I know, if we're not riding man, we're not getting paid.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, and it's, it's how we make a living. So sometimes we have to ride with injuries that you know suck, and sometimes you're, you feel the healthiest you've been, and that's what I kind of mean when you you got to take some things with a grain of salt. You know there's guys that are riding with broken hands, broken feet, um, you know, broken legs, like there's guys that you know they're. They're just really really tough and when you see somebody face some adversity like that, it kind of fires you up and you're like man, you know I've been a little sore but I'm not having to ride with what that guy's going through, and it kind of pushes all of us to be a little better and be a little tougher.
Speaker 1:When you say somebody has ridden with broken hands and broken feet, that makes me feel like the biggest wimp in the world, because I know I couldn't do that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, you know, like just a couple weeks ago, sage Kinsey, he was showing up to the event with a walking boot on. Couldn't fit his foot in a regular boot but had a pair of lace-ups and, you know, just kept on riding. There's guys that do that all the time, you know, because, like I said, if we're sitting out we're not making no money.
Speaker 1:That's just a different kind of tough. That's just not something that most people I mean you guys. You guys are like superheroes, you're like a different breed of people.
Speaker 2:We're just normal guys, that you know. We're trying to make a living doing what we love man.
Speaker 1:And there's no better way to make a living than that. Pbr will be in Jacksonville February 22nd and 23rd. That's a Saturday and Sunday night. We are so looking forward to seeing the show come to town, Mason.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you all for having me. We can't wait to see everybody.
Speaker 1:So there's a look at what's coming to Jacksonville over the next few weeks. On next week's podcast, we'll be chatting with Bob Olson, executive director at the Thrasher Horn Center, and Larry the Cable Guy, who will be coming to the Thrasher Horn Center on March 6th, and if any other shows,