Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
It is characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors.
Although autism is becoming more widely recognized, there is still a lack of understanding and awareness surrounding the condition.
As a result, many individuals and families affected by autism struggle to find the support and resources they need.
Why Not Me The World podcast aims to bridge that gap by providing valuable information and insights into autism, fostering empathy and understanding, and promoting acceptance and inclusion.
Nashville based Music Producer Tony Mantor explores the remarkable impact his guests make by empowering their voices in spreading awareness about autism and helping break down the barriers of understanding.
Join Mantor and his guests as they delve into the world of autism and mental health to explore topics such as diagnosis, treatment, research, and personal stories.
Together, we can create a more informed and compassionate society for individuals with autism.
Tony Mantor: Why Not Me the World
Country Music Meets Compassion: How Artists Are Making a Difference for Autism
Tony Mantor hosts a special remote podcast from Nashville Palace supporting "An Acoustic Evening for Autism." Country music artists Daryl Worley and Dillon Massengale share their personal connections to autism awareness and how music has become a platform for making a difference.
• Daryl Worley explains how friends with an autistic child inspired his commitment to the cause
• Worley discusses establishing his foundation and the challenges of fundraising for charitable causes
• Finding purpose through helping others becomes a central theme of Worley's career journey
• Dillon Massengale shares his story of being diagnosed with high-functioning autism at age four
• Despite doctors' predictions of limitations, Dillon became a professional musician
• Dillon credits his success to proper treatment, family support, and his faith
• Comes from a musical family with deep roots in Branson, Missouri
• Has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and worked with notable country music artists
Tell everyone everywhere about Why Not Me? The World, the conversations we're having and the inspiration our guests give to everyone everywhere that you are not alone in this world.
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intro/outro music bed written by T. Wild
Why Not Me the World music published by Mantor Music (BMI)
Welcome to why Not Me, the World Podcast, hosted by Tony Mantor, broadcasting from Music City, usa, nashville, tennessee. Join us as our guests tell us their stories. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry. Their stories some will make you laugh, some will make you cry real-life people who will inspire and show that you are not alone in this world. Hopefully, you gain more awareness, acceptance and a better understanding for autism around the world Understanding for Autism Around the World.
Speaker 1:Hi, I'm Tony Mantor and welcome to today's episode of why Not Me, the World. We're recording live at the Nashville Palace for a special, remote podcast, unscripted, unedited and full of heart. Tonight's episode supports an acoustic evening for autism, a show happening right here this evening. We're thrilled to bring you this country experience and I hope you enjoy it as much as we're enjoying sharing it with you. We've got two fantastic guests joining us tonight. This is week number two out of three that I'll be featuring two guests per episode to dive into everything we're covering right here tonight. Thanks for tuning in. Okay, I'm here with Darrell Worley. Thanks for coming on.
Speaker 2:Man, yeah, I'm glad to be on here and to hear what all the good work you're doing.
Speaker 1:that's awesome well, I appreciate it. So we're here at the um nashville palace and we're going to do a concert tonight for autism. What led you to be part of this?
Speaker 2:oh, years ago we had a couple of of uh friends and and they had a child that was born autistic and that kind of started the whole thing for me. So anything that came along not too long after that, I wound up doing this show down on Broadway every year at one of the bars down there, and we would have this big benefit show and bring in all kinds of artists and songwriters for cystic fibrosis oh, okay, and because we had a family member who died with that disease and so it was always close to our hearts and I did that for years and I thought to myself, you know, because we had seen how other lives were affected by autism, autism that if I ever had a chance to do something along those lines, that I would jump right in there, and that's how this started.
Speaker 2:So I think I've been doing this for several years.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's great. You know we are unfortunately a country of if it doesn't affect our family, we don't get involved country, or if it doesn't affect our family, we don't get involved, you know. And learning about autism and how it affects people, you know it's something that needs to get out there for people to learn and understand that. That is something that we all need to help absolutely.
Speaker 2:I think, uh, and you know we've mentioned cystic fibrosis and autism, and there's a thousand other things that people are, and some of them I mean I've just I've been close to people with muscular dystrophy and MS, and it goes on and on. And you know, to be perfectly honest with you, none of this stuff we're talking about is for the faint of heart. It's a difficult thing to deal with and in some instances some are not as bad as others, but it's still a challenge for every person that's involved. And so you know, whatever we can do to help at the end of the day that's why we're put here is to love one another and to help out Exactly.
Speaker 1:You know I found that when I first started this podcast about autism I didn't know anything about it and now, over the last year and a half, I've learned so much and it's just those things that the stories that you hear from people that have that are living it, that go through all the challenges and you sit back and go. You know we complain sometimes every day, but we don't have to deal with some things, so it's good that we can help out when we can.
Speaker 2:Well, I, I just feel like you know people have always, uh, even made jokes about that. I used to. They used to call me benefit Daryl because, because I would just do any body's benefit. That came along and you know, growing up in music you got people used you like that a lot. They'd say hey, can you guys come out?
Speaker 2:Which I'm not saying in a bad way, I'm saying we were thankful to be used in that way, Right. And then I got to a different level and started doing this on a national scale and you know, all of a sudden I'm like, oh my gosh, this is bigger than I ever dreamed it could be with my career and stuff.
Speaker 1:Sure.
Speaker 2:And the first thing that occurred to me is man, I'm really going to be able to help people now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know that was going to be my next question. For you is this one thing when you're doing bars and clubs and across the country, but then when you elevate yourself with hit records and get to the point of where you can go out and do concerts, then all of a sudden your platform can help so many people just by using your voice, by just telling people you need to help people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean we do that in a lot of different ways. I have help people. Yeah, I mean we do that in a lot of different ways. I have my own foundation, the daryl worley foundation is is alive well and active. I mean we are, we are, we are really, really making a difference in in our region, which would be like west tennessee, right uh, south, uh, north mississippi, north alabama, all there, but but we help people all over the country and, oh, it has really grown.
Speaker 1:And we've been so blessed.
Speaker 2:And we look for other smaller startups that we know are doing good work and we try to donate to them and help them figure it out, because we went through a lot of time when it was not easy.
Speaker 2:those first few years I'm like, oh my gosh I'm gonna wind up being in debt yeah, so it's a whole different world when you get into helping people like that because, because people don't understand the challenges that you have to go through in order to help well, and the bottom line is you, you've just got to come up with free money somehow, yeah, and and when you say free money, people go what is that exactly, and that's well. Where are you give me money to help people?
Speaker 1:yeah, exactly for us it's free money for those people.
Speaker 2:It's free money but but it doesn't come free it. There's a lot of work that goes into it, yeah, but every bit of it's worth it. It's probably, you know, I look back on it all and I I think my travels to the war zones and entertaining our troops and doing all that stuff that's going to be huge on the highlight reel, but leaving the foundation behind it's a work that will continue long after I'm gone. I know it will, because good people are involved.
Speaker 1:Good people want to be involved in things like that and I think we're about to start maybe getting some sponsors on the corporate level oh nice, that'll be huge for us yeah, and then the good news is is we'll do the right thing with it yeah, you know, the one great thing about doing this is when I'm in the studio doing production work and everything. I finish it up, I feel good that, oh man, this is good. But when I finish an episode on my podcast and I'm talking with autistic people and the challenges and I finish it editing, it feels like I've accomplished something.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, well, that's because you're helping somebody. Yeah, I mean you know I can sit here and harp on it all day long, but you know, I'm a spiritual person and I'm a born-again Christian. I love Jesus Christ. I don't preach to people. That was my daddy's job. He's really good at it, but I said I don't think that's going to work for me. Right, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that man my convict convictions in this area are very, very strong.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but that's how each of us was designed, whether we know it or not yet. Yeah, we may not, you may not know it yet, but that's how you were designed, and you won't feel real accomplishment, you won't feel real, uh, effectiveness in your life until you've done that helping someone else yeah that you didn't have to help.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 2:Someone that that you just thought that person needs help. I'm going to step in.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Whether it be stopping on the side of the road and helping some old lady that's changing a tire.
Speaker 1:I don't care what it is.
Speaker 2:Those acts of kindness and acts that you do out of your heart, that you do not have. That's the good stuff. Absolutely and that's what kind of thing my mother always said.
Speaker 1:Those are the things that put the silver lining on the clouds yeah, yeah, absolutely well, I tell you, I really appreciate you coming on. I'm looking forward to show tonight and thank you, and I'll have to get you back to on my on my real project get you come talk about autism, oh my yeah, yeah, I'd love to sounds like life with Darryl Worley.
Speaker 2:You love it, man oh, I love it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, well, I appreciate it, thank you all right. Okay, we're here with Dylan Massengale. Thanks for coming on.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1:So tell me a little bit about your story and how you came to be doing this show tonight.
Speaker 3:Well, about four and a half years old, I was diagnosed with high-functioning autism. How bad. And doctors told my parents and my family and my friends, telling me that I would never be able to get to perform, never be able to carry a conversation, never be able to carry a job, not to be able to do anything. But with the right treatments and the right detox and with my mom helping me out so much. I would not be doing this if it wasn't for her and thanking my good Lord and Savior for everything that they've done for me.
Speaker 1:Good, good. Now where are you originally from?
Speaker 3:I'm originally from Missouri, out of the southwest Missouri area.
Speaker 1:Okay, what made you decide to move to Nashville?
Speaker 3:Well, I actually, I mean, I come to visit Nashville.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:I actually am currently living in Branson, missouri, okay, sure, but I actually come to Nashville about once or twice a year. Okay, and I've been a part of this great cause of this show. I was a part of it, the first one, last year oh nice, at the Troubadour Nashville, and I was nominated last year for the Josie Music Awards.
Speaker 1:It's held in Tennessee. That's held in Tennessee. That's held at the Grand Ole Opry.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but yeah, I make a lot of trips to Nashville and it's good to see a lot of great friends out here.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So now, what are you doing musically?
Speaker 3:Well, musically, I'm a bass player, I get to play bass, and the rest of my family, I mean I could play guitar, but it's not really really good, okay. But I mean my brother, he's a drummer himself, nice. And my dad, he is a fiddle player Okay, and my mom is a singer and a fiddle player and acoustic guitar player as well, okay.
Speaker 1:That's all in the family.
Speaker 3:I grew up in a musical family. My dad actually has been in this business now going on for 45 years in Ozark Mountain Country there in Branson. He actually started a show what was the third founding show in Branson called the Plumber Family Country Visit Show. That was found. And then after that he made the move and he got to tour five years and even got to spend his time here in Nashville with the late, late great mr roy clark from out of tulsa and uh played the grand olabri and played, uh, the last three seasons of hee haw. Okay, and uh. After that he made the move to branson's. He's been there ever since and my mom she actually um, both of my parents were born and raised in the state of arkansas. Okay, they were born out of arkansas.
Speaker 3:My mom was originally born from out of Des Arc, arkansas, on the east part, closer towards Memphis, to the state.
Speaker 3:She actually made the move to Branson about I would say about early 1990, I think at the time she made the move and she worked with a group called the Texas Gold Miners that was based out of Fort Worth, texas, and they made the move to Br. She worked with a group called the Texas Gold Miners they were Texas and they made the move to France and they did a show. Then, after that, she worked with different names. She worked with names like Barbara Fairchild, mickey Gilley. She worked with the late great Mr Joe Diffie as well.
Speaker 3:She's been a part of so many different shows, including a guy that's actually written some songs for the late great, mr george jones, by the name of mr billy yates that she's worked with, but my brother, on the other hand, he has actually worked with a bunch of different artists. He has worked with the names like martin wills, yeah, ronna vincent genie, seeley mo bandy, just to name a few. And, uh, he has been. He's been playing drums professionally at the age of 14 years old and now he's 24 years old and he recently was just awarded from the Terry Music Awards there in Missouri for 2020 Forge Rover of the Year over the last year.
Speaker 3:And I couldn't ask him more. I am talented and I'm so blessed to be with my family.
Speaker 1:That's great To be where I'm at. So so how many songs are you doing tonight? I am doing two songs tonight.
Speaker 3:Okay, all right. Your own songs. I'm actually doing some covers tonight. Oh, okay, I'm actually pulling out a Buck Owens song. But my favorite artists who ever did it but they actually did a CD release party here years ago and he played here many times was the late great Daryl Singletary.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Daryl Singletary. He did Love's Gonna Live here, and then I'm on to another cut of what he did, but it was a cover, but it was called I Never Go Around Mirrors Tonight.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's great. Well, good, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do, and we're going to have to get you on to my normal podcast and get a full episode in for you, absolutely.
Speaker 3:I would love to be on there and I'm so grateful for the opportunities that my Lord and Savior has given to me, my family and a special thank you to the artists who have supported me all through these years. Special thank you to Rhonda Vincent. She was the one that actually made my debut at the Grand Ole Opry a couple years ago Nice nice Special thank you to her Junior Brown.
Speaker 3:Yeah, let's see. Leona Williams, jimmy Fortune from the Statler Brothers and other names like T Green Brown and even I've known for the longest, but Miss Allison Krauss, yeah. I'm privileged to know her. Well, great, but it's been a fun ride. Yeah, I'm enjoying every minute of it that I love.
Speaker 1:Well, you need to, and I appreciate you coming on.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much for having me All right Thanks, thank you.
Speaker 1:Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to listen to our show today. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. If you know anyone that would like to tell us their story, send them to TonyMantorcom Contact then they can give us their information so one day they may be a guest on our show. One more thing we ask tell everyone everywhere about why Not Me? The world, the conversations we're having and the inspiration our guests give to everyone everywhere that you are not alone in this world.