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Soundcheck with Chase and Mini with Rocky Allen! 6-7-26
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Check out the latest episode of Soundcheck with Chase and Mini where we sit down with South Williamsport musician, Rocky Allen! We play 7 of his original songs including 3 BRAND NEW Singles. The only place in Central PA where we deliver your rising country musicians to your living room! Check out the one and only Soundcheck with Chase and Mini right now!
It's Sunday night and Froggy Valley 100.1 is spotlighting the best local, regional, and national up-and-coming recording artists. This is Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie Hopper on WFBY 11 in Hershey, Harrisburg, Froggy Valley 100.1.
SPEAKER_06And we're about to get rolling here with another Sunday night party where we deliver your local, regional, and national rising country musicians right to your living room. Welcome to Soundcheck. I am Chase.
SPEAKER_01Hey y'all, I'm Minnie. Welcome to the show. Tonight we'll have a country singer-songwriter that grew up in South Williamsport. Some of his influences were Jason Aldean and Garth Brooks. Rocky Allen will be joining us here on Soundcheck coming up. Grab those concert drinks and snacks, and we are kicking off the show with Rocky Allen and Tuff on the one and only Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie on Froggy Valley 100.1 and the My Froggy Valley outpower by Radio Novo.
SPEAKER_14Wake up at the crack of dawn. Always making that coffee strong. He hit it our worst, even if the roll was rough. And he worked in our days and he never said no and he never complained. Cause he always had a good job. And I was good enough. Like it's older boo. That all for dust. They don't make them updates. They don't make them too You can tell by his countless hands That it looks like it's been through hell and again Cause he never lost his grip, he never gave it up to working, man You do the best that you can For your pride for the water Like it's all the boot I can't stay a job Take it all to take it up it's a job stay on the job that all the job stay on the top it's on the boost The game single like the walls it's five for the style state stop in the drive That old They don't make them like they used to They don't bacon like they used to They don't beckon like they used to They don't make 'em too That was Rocky Allen with Tough here on Soundcheck with Chason Minnie on Froggy Valley 100.1 and of course that my Froggy Valley app, all powered by Radio Novo.
SPEAKER_06Stream us anywhere here in the world with that app. Download it today. Welcome you inside the Froggy Studios, and we are joined by Rising Country musician Rocky Allen. Uh thanks for spending your Sunday night with us here.
SPEAKER_05Hey man, thanks for having me. I do appreciate it. Uh thanks for playing my song, too. That that's that's pretty awesome. So uh yeah, just can't wait. Whole hour here with you guys, so it's gonna be awesome.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, man. 60 minutes all about Rocky Allen. Uh it's great to finally meet you. I have heard a ton about you. You already have the name to be a country music star, man, with a name like Rocky Allen.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, man. Actually, um Rocky comes from my middle name, and Allen is actually my dad's middle name. When I first started playing music, I'm like, dude, I I need to think of something really quick here. So I took my dad's middle name and it just kind of kind of flowed well with everyone. And I was like, all right, let's let's just go with that for a while and see what that does. So it's been pretty cool, man.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it definitely's got a uh catchy name here in that country music world. Before we get into that amazing music of yours, though, me and many, both huge baseball fans, we noticed in some of those posts of yours, you're wearing the wrong P on your hat.
SPEAKER_05I don't know how many times we get that, because my parents are Phillies fans. Like my old parents are Phillies fans. And I just wore the hat. I think it was like 10 years ago I wore the hat just just because it was cheap or something, and I was like, oh, I'll just get that hat. And everyone's like, man, that P looks good on you. So I just never changed it. Like my parents watch Phillies like every night and talk about them every night. So it's a little and all my cousins are Phillies fans too, so they're like, you need to you really need to change that pee soon. And we play in Jersey and stuff, and they're always like, you need to change that hat.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, absolutely. I think in addition to when we send you the soundcheck with Jason mini hat, we'll have to throw in a Phillies extra hat in there for you to.
SPEAKER_05If it's a black hat, I might I might wear it for you guys. If it's black with like a white P or something, I might wear that. Just for you guys to have to do that.
SPEAKER_06Well, well, at least you admitted that you're not necessarily a pirates fan. So we're gonna be able to do that.
SPEAKER_05So we're back on the diehard. Actually, um I'm a buff a big Buffalo Bills fan. Okay, believe it or not. So the Bills mafia, huh? I know, man. Like, and it's funny, my whole like uh some of the fan members are big Bills fans too, which is really weird in like like Humming County for us to come together and and all be Bills fans.
SPEAKER_06Talk about uh Rocky, where this all kind of started for you. From what I've read, Jason Aldean had a little bit to do with you starting your career.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. Uh I was in, I was going to Penn State, Altuna, and um I was kind of at that like funk where I really didn't know what I was gonna do. And I don't know. My sister was up, my sister lived in Tennessee for a little while. She came back up, and um, it was Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan, was his opening act at the time at the Bryce Jordan Center, and this was 2010, and she's like, Do you want to go to this concert? And I'm like, Yeah, of course. And I didn't play any music before that. Like, we didn't know how to play guitar or anything, and I went to that concert, and I was just like, Man, that looks that looks pretty cool. So I I quit college the next week, and uh my parents bought me a guitar, and um I did my first show in like three or four months. I just sat in my bedroom and uh taught myself all the cords. I like wrote out the chords on pieces of paper on my wall. Just really taught myself how to play guitar, and yeah, it just kind of came naturally to me and been going at it ever since.
SPEAKER_01What was it about watching Jason Al Dean on stage? Was it any one thing that made you want to become a country musician?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I think um he did a acoustic song. He has a song um from one of his early albums called Assball Cowboy, and like there was a lot of band, you know, a lot of band songs and stuff, but he did that song, the acoustic song, and just how he how he really resonated with the audience, and everyone was just quiet listening to him sing that song. And I just thought that was just just so different that he could grab the whole Bryce Jordan center with an acoustic song like that. Yeah, I think it was that song that kind of I was like, whoa.
SPEAKER_06We have a lot of great songs here to play from Rocky Allen, including some unreleased songs that we're gonna get to later on that we're gonna debut here on Soundtrack with Chase and Minnie. That is on the way, but Rocky, describe your style of country music and what are some words that you would use to actually describe that music.
SPEAKER_05Ooh, that's a tough that's a good one there. Um, you know, I I really write when I write my songs, I really I don't make too much stuff up. I really just write from my heart and you know, have experiences that I've had. Um nothing, nothing too crazy. I mean, I'm very mainstream with my country music. Um definitely heartfelt, I'd say. Like when I write, like I really I really try to get through that side of the songwriting. Just really write from stuff that people can really relate to more than anything. Um but I mean, when I put out Atlanta the Free, that was more of a considered a patriotic song in a sense, but it was just kind of a feel-good song. Like I I want people to feel good, but um, you know, I'll throw some songs in there that I want, you know, if you see people cry in an audience, I mean that's one of the best reactions you could ever have as an artist. Yeah, they're just they're all they all have their own their own story to them. And um I try to put out different stuff and and just kind of do different things each time I write. Um that's what this when we went down to Nashville to record those five songs, we we picked five songs that were kind of totally different, you know. Um just feel good stuff, and then there's a heartbreak song, and then there's a very uh there's a party song, and then there's um there's one that's uh very sentimental. So um yeah, I just try I'm just trying to do a different self with each of each of my songs that I write.
SPEAKER_06So note to self there, Minnie, when we go to a Rocky Allen show, bring the bring the tissues with. He doesn't want to he doesn't want to see you up dancing, he just wants the tears.
SPEAKER_07I'll bring the tissues.
SPEAKER_14You're the best up and coming artists every Sunday night with Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie Hopper on Froggy Valley 100.1 I'll singin' that we could maybe Drive off and do something crazy What is up to you And we can go Downtown or on a back row Oh yeah, just get on in Windows down and the radio up O'Lear, full of love kinda spark that I've been dreaming of time on our side, but I'm on your And all this time what I've been loving for is me with your eyes looking back at me, watching your hair rolling in the bridge Oh in my hand In the passenger's team It's starting dry Out of town at night Oh yeah then we popped the truck Wheels down to the radio up Fool up, pull up kind of that I've been dreaming of time on all time, but I'm on your own All this time what I've been up to your eyes looking back at me Watching your hair blowing in the breeze holding my hands just on all the time, but I'm on your And all this time what I've been looking for is you With your eyes looking back at me Watching your hair blowing in the bridge Holding my hand In the passenger seat In the passenger scene down in the radio world This is Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie Hopper on Froggy Valley 100.1 and on the My Froggy Valley app, powered by Radio Novo I grew up in a small town Everybody knows your name And they all know who your parents are And reminisce on glory days I need to get out of here Travel on stable stay Mine in a broke on the side of the whole road But that's a chance I'm willing to take Cause I wanna go down to Texas to see a real rodeo I wanna go down to Nevada to see a real Vegas show I wanna go down to Florida Lay on the beach But I wanna see America Yeah the land of the free land of the free Say goodbye to my family Just cashed in on my change Hopefully that will pay for some gas And most of my food on the way I got all my favorite music This truck only plays consists My windows down cause it ain't seen broke and I hate spending money on that Cause I wanna go down to Texas to see a real rodeo I wanna go out to Nevada to see a real big show I wanna go down to Florida beach I wanna see America Yeah I wanna go down to Texas to see no real rodeo I wanna go out to Nevada to see the real bigger show I wanna go down to Florida on the bean to see America's country of AMO Yeah, the land of the free land of the free We are back with Rocky Allen.
SPEAKER_06Awesome to have him joining us here on this Sunday night for sound check on Froggy Valley 100.1. Also on that My Froggy Valley app.
SPEAKER_01Your debut single, Land of the Free, received a lot of attention. Talk about the story behind that song. Just a really good country song, especially with Memorial Day just happening, and the 4th of July coming up here in a couple of weeks.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, well thank you, Minnie. Um that song I just you know, because I was still in a small town and everything, and I thought how how cool it'd be to write a song about just getting out and just exploring the whole United States. And um that song got picked up on quite a few Spotify playlists. Uh that was my first song that actually got picked up on the radio, officially. And um it's getting played, you know, all over Pennsylvania, New York region, but um it's getting played out, you know, in the Midwest and a couple states out there, and it's just it's been really cool. Um, you know, I recorded that in Nashville with my producer Daniel Dennis. We had a guy come in on a fiddle, and he did some really cool licks on that, and a couple other players, uh Lee Turner played on the keys, and it was just uh just a very good vibe the whole time we were recording that song down there. And uh I was so happy how it turned out. It's actually still mentioned Memorial Day. It's uh I think I had 5,000 streams over this past weekend on Spotify. And um it's just it keeps like those weekends, man. Um I think last July I had like 15,000 over July 4th. So it's it's still in it's still on those playlists that whatever got picked off on, and it's just been it's been really cool, and you know, some artists tell me like a song will take a couple years to really pop off, and yeah, it's it's still doing very well.
SPEAKER_06It's one thing, I guess, to to write like a patriotic song, but then it's another thing to write a really good patriotic song that folks can really relate to, and I think that's what you did with that song.
SPEAKER_05Oh, for sure, I appreciate that. Uh yeah, because it's not it's on the patriotic playlist, but it's not, you know, it's just a feel it's just a feel good, and like you just want to explore and and just see see the country, and you know, it's uh I did a show with Daryl Worley last year. I forget the song that he was playing, but he says a line in it, he says land of the free in his in his song, and I was in the audience, and he said that line, and he goes, Rocky Allen, where you at? And I was just like, how cool is that, you know? That is so cool. That was so cool. That made the night for me when he did that.
SPEAKER_01We are coming right back with more rising country music and Rocky Allen music and also coming up. We will have many hopping time where we have three random questions, and we'll see how Rocky handles them. It is all on the way on the one and only sound check with mini on Froggy Valley 100.1 and the My Froggy Valley at the power by Radio Novo.
SPEAKER_10We will be back with Sound Check with Chase and Minnie on Froggy Valley 100.1. And the by Froggy Valley.
SPEAKER_04This is Nancy and Newman. My wife, with the mustard and ketchup, she squirted that on the bun first and then placed the hot dog in the bed of the bun with all the condiments underneath. And I said, Well, I want to put the hot dog on the naked bun and then put the condiments on top of it. She said, You're weird. She's just figuring that out, or has have you changed your style? No, but when you do the condiments on the bun, then it all soaks into the bun and you have a soggy bun. And then she was complaining that her bun was soggy, and I was like, Who's weird now?
SPEAKER_03Nancy and Newman, waking the fun up on Froggy Valley 100.1.
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SPEAKER_13It's sound check with Chase and Minnie on Froggy Valley 100.1.
SPEAKER_12Froggy Valley 100.1 It's Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie on Froggy Valley 100.1 Froggy Valley 100.
SPEAKER_14I just got in a town. Trip was on, but I'm safe and sound. The place that I'm out here is really close. Other downtown bars. I can just walk to a show. Hopin' that I'll get to meet some. You will take the time to listen to my songs. I got a list of all the open minds. You never know much of Maybe I'm against a mama dad. I'm open on me. I'm hoping I'll be a bottom and stage. You alone in the crowd. I hope I'll make you proud. Not a dry baby. I'm not good enough. Not a drain really nine. Laughing up. It's in the dream. I think that'll be okay. I gotta get in this Friday night down away. I'll be staying in with the band pretending too Maybe you can come and visit soon With D Mum Dan I hope you're not bad at me putting this cloud on the line The chase in a dream I hope I'm day I'll be up on that stage See you alone in a crown D Mom Dan I hope I'm making crown Of the songs that you have put out so far, Rocky, which one is your favorite that you wrote and which one is your favorite to perform on stage?
SPEAKER_05Um the favorite that I wrote, I mean, I think Land of the Free is my favorite to perform on stage right now. Just because a lot of people do know that song. And um a lot of people do sing that in the crowd. Even uh when we play out of state and stuff, which we just did a show in New Jersey a couple weeks ago and people were singing Land of the Free.
SPEAKER_06So it was just uh I think that's my favorite song to perform on stage. Yeah, it is an absolute amazing song, and and like many said, with the Fourth of July coming up. I mean, what was the crazy number that I just saw? You're averaging like what 1,300 monthly listeners on Spotify song.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I think that I think it jumped up to almost 4,000 after that weekend. Um so yeah, and you know, Fourth of July coming up and a couple other big shows, and I think I think that song's just gonna keep rolling and rolling no matter what. So it's it's really cool. I'm I'm just just blessed to have that, you know, out there and um still getting played on the radio. I get you know BMI numbers and stuff for it, and to see that, you know, commercial radio plays, it's like, man, that's so cool. You know? Tough Tough is definitely like the top two uh favorite songs that I wrote because it's it's about my dad and and his truck and my grandfather's truck, and um, but uh yeah, it's it's just uh yeah, that's that's definitely my favorite one that we recorded just because of how it turned out, and I wasn't expecting it to turn out like that. So it it's been pretty cool.
SPEAKER_06And one one thing about you too, Rocky, your fan base has really just started to take off. What do you think the key is to building that fan base as an independent musician?
SPEAKER_05I think um, you know, you can play locally and stuff and and that's cool, but um, you know, I do I'm very regional now. And and I think just really expanding to different venues and just keep going and going and take any gig you can. Um yeah, I it just helps, you know, because I I play in a lot on the East Coast and I do go down to Nashville and play, and um, but I just think really just play every weekend as much as you can, because you just you know, you're gonna get more followers, you're gonna get more fans, you're gonna get more people listening to your music, and and um, you know, social media is a big part of that now, you know, with TikTok and all the reels and stuff. I just you know, you just gotta keep you almost can't take a day off, essentially. You know, I just I just know it to just uh make sure every day I'm doing something.
SPEAKER_06That's the life of being an independent musician, right, man? 24-7.
SPEAKER_05You're having at it. Yeah, it is, it is too. I mean, it is a grind. And you know, I I've heard some pretty pretty bad stories of guys, you know, signing deals and stuff. So, you know, independent is I feel like a lot more people are going independent now, which is which is pretty wild to see. Um, you know, obviously the record labels are huge and a lot of people are switching to independent, which is which is kind of crazy.
SPEAKER_06If you're just catching us here tonight on SoundChack, we're joined by, of course, Central PA native from South Williamsport, Rocky Allen here on the show. So glad that he is aboard here on Froggy Valley 100.1. Of course, you can listen anywhere here in the world as well. Stream us on the My Froggy Valley app. It is all powered by Radio Novo.
SPEAKER_01The other side of building that fan base is of course social media. How has social media changed the way you attract your fans and get your music out there?
SPEAKER_05Well, I think I think it helps now that um when you have songs and you make those videos, you can put your songs on them. And then people can, you know, click the song that you're playing over the videos. Um you know, I have TikTok, but I've seen, you know, I'm in my mid-30s, so I don't do like dances and stuff like that. You know, so um but I mean I'll I'll post reels and and put my songs over them, and a lot of people will click that and go right right to my Spotify, and you know, that helps a lot. And you know, now they have things like you can boost your video, and it's just there's there's just so much on social media. It's it's just it's crazy.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, social media has certainly gotten a little bit crazy here the past couple of years, and for musicians like yourself, uh it certainly has helped them uh in the process from back in the day, say 10, 15 years ago. Uh let's talk about Dear Mom and Dad. Really great song. You wrote that one basically from the heart. Personal experience as well. Talk a little bit about that one.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, so I was I lived in Nashville for a little while, and um I was I think it was like 2016 or 2017 that I was down there. When you go to Nashville, I mean it's it's so competitive, regardless of where you are in your career. It's just everyone's trying to do the same thing. And I was just getting my butt kicked down there. A lot of you know, doors closing and you know, waiting for a gig and stuff like that. I sat in the corner of my bedroom and just I wrote that song because you know, I quit my job, you know, kind of put everything on the line, and I was just like, I just hope my parents aren't disappointed with what I'm doing, you know. And yeah, I think I think I wrote that song like 20 minutes, that's all. So yeah, that was that was prime my most like heartfelt one. And you know, that's that's my experience in Nashville too when I was trying trying to get a gig and and we ended up getting a couple gigs down there, and yeah, the rest is kind of history in there. So but yeah, that that was the one that that's one of those songs, man, just came out, you know, just kind of crying out loud in a sense.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it's it's definitely one of those songs too that you know you you have your parents and then uh you know what they would like you to do in your future career, but you also gotta chase those dreams of what you actually want to do, and and that's kind of what that song is all about.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, man, and your parents worry about you, they they want the best for you. And um, my parents have been extremely supportive of it, but I just I just didn't know what they really thought because you know you grow up and everyone's like go to college, get a job, and stuff, and you know, you have a handful of dreamers in your area that are trying this thing, and and um yeah, that song just came out, and you know, I I that's one of the songs I meant every single word in that one. Yeah, I played that. I actually let people listen to a recording of it at one of my shows, and they were just all balling. So I was like, that's that's that might be a good one to release this year for sure. So you hit your target, yeah. Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03Never pay a cover to hear the best up and comers. It's Froggy Valley 100.1 sound check with Chase and Minnie Hopper.
SPEAKER_14Let's go on Froggy Valley 100.1 Every time a dog comes, it's time to check in for tip. That's the feel, it's a creep. Some people call it a creep. Here we do things what we do We don't quit to the job stone And when we see the whole spot around the bed you can find out where I'm from I got a cut I drink a body coffee with the birds in the deer And when the day's been off work is all done I can crack and I scope creepin' and tumps on me and we get it till our favorites drop Race and Locust on the dog's tail toast crop About a rib spot, that's body I got the free Quicker that's funny No we can ring his belly I got a lot of things on the booty I got a little bump folly Cause I'm a little more conscious about I'm a little more conscious about course is Rocky Allen with one of his brand new songs not released as of yet, coming out here in the next few months.
SPEAKER_06That one's called Country. Loving that one there. We got Rocky Allen, of course, here in studio with us here tonight on Soundcheck with Chase and also with Minnie here on Froggy Valley 100.1. Thanks for being here.
SPEAKER_01What is the key to writing a perfect song?
SPEAKER_06Is there such a thing? I don't know.
SPEAKER_05I I know like I know like people went to like school for songwriting, and you know, a lot of people go by structures and stuff, but in in hindsight, I think that you just gotta just write from your heart and how it ever turns out is how it's gonna turn out. And that's just kind of what I do with it. But I did hear one time a producer told me a perfect song is around three minutes and thirty-three seconds. So I heard that one one time and um that's always in the back of my mind when we record, but it you know, they all turn out a little different.
SPEAKER_06Now, when you do sit down and write that actual music there, Rocky, what do you think the biggest challenge is to writing a song?
SPEAKER_05Well, I usually I usually start with um I usually start with the chorus, is what I and I always I always get caught up on my second verse. Every time I write, no matter what it is, um you know I I rent with some some other people. My sister and me wrote a couple songs. Um she's actually a co-writer on Whiskey and Waves. And um I just like I couldn't find out. Like that was one of the songs I was just a little stumped on. And Whisky and Waves is actually a totally different song before we finished it. It went a whole different direction. And we tackled that one, and it turned out really cool. But I I really think just um yeah, usually for me personally, it's always the second verse. I can do the first verse and the choruses and the bridge, but that second verse always stops me every time.
SPEAKER_12Yea! Get ready for it! Sound check with Chase and Minnie. It's Minnie's Hopping Good Time.
SPEAKER_02We're asking your favorite stars three questions totally random every time.
SPEAKER_11So get ready to jump on in for Minnie's Hopping Good Time on Froggy Valley 100.1.
SPEAKER_01That time of Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie, where we test our musicians with three random questions, usually not about music, to get to know them outside of their music career. Here we go with Minnie's hopping good time.
SPEAKER_06Let me let me just say Rocky first. Good luck. I don't think I'm ready for this.
SPEAKER_01Question number one. We all know you're a baseball fan, and there is no doubt in my mind that the Philly fanatic is the best mascot in all of the sports. So, who is your favorite mascot?
SPEAKER_05Oh man. Favorite mascot. You know, my sister, I will say this. My sister sends me um videos of uh what's uh Flyer's mascot? Oh Gritty. Gritty. He's pretty funny. I will say, I'll I'll give Gritty that because my sister goes to Flyers games because they live down in Philly, and uh she always sends me videos, and he's hilarious. So I want to pick him. Yeah, for sure. At least he stayed in the Philadelphia market.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah. Question number two. With summertime coming up here, what is your favorite grilled food?
SPEAKER_05Um I'd say uh a cheeseburger on the grill is my favorite. A lot of people like hot dogs, but I'm a big burger guy. I love cheeseburgers on the grill.
SPEAKER_06No, no, you don't want that cheeseburger up with anything? Like putting any like onion rings on top, any like fried onions, you know, anything? Anything good on top of that?
SPEAKER_05I'm pretty basic. Uh I just do a little ketchup mustard, a little lettuce tomato. But like when I go to restaurants and stuff, I'm I'm pretty leery of what I eat. Like, I I usually just get like chicken fingers. Sometimes when I eat is you never know what you're getting, right? I know, I know. And yeah, for sure, for sure.
SPEAKER_01We love our cheesesteaks.
SPEAKER_05Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01Cheesesteaks are really good. Our third and final question what is your favorite hangout place in Williamsport?
SPEAKER_05There's a couple. Um we me and my wife like to go to the Riverside Roadhouse. Um they have they actually have really good cheeseburgers there. Um Amy's Dockside in South Waysport um has really good food, and that's you know my hometown, so we try to go over there once in a while. But uh the brickyard, I mean we go to the brickyard a little bit. Uh that's right downtown Waysport. They they have really good food.
SPEAKER_06I I I believe Rocky passed the test there, Minnie.
SPEAKER_05I'm glad because uh I was nervous here when you started, so we're good now.
SPEAKER_03Country music from local, regional, and national up and comers. If it's Sunday night, it's Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie on Froggy Valley 100.1.
SPEAKER_02Start your day the Nancy and Newman way. Well, that sounds very good to me. On Froggy Valley 100.1.
SPEAKER_00Hope you enjoy the weekend. Next time we get together, it'll be National Best Friends Day, Newman. Woo!
SPEAKER_04Gil King, we're looking at you and your friend. All right. Also, the highest paying jobs that teenagers can get this summer. We'll run down a list and get your kids out of the house and away from the Xbox for a change. See you Monday on Froggy Valley 100.1.
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SPEAKER_03Froggy Valley 100.1 is bringing you the best local, regional, and national up-and-comers. Right to your radio every week. This is Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie Hopper.
SPEAKER_14Drinking even out the song went down. Turn it to a dark and walking room. Cause there's a devil on my shoulder when it's whiskey on my breath. There's a Bible on the dresser that I never read. There's enough in my home and dad that said, Don't give up on your dream. You will find your way if you just pray and believe. How Jesus wants me to be. If you just pray and believe I guess I'll put that Bible down and I'll start to read How Jesus wants me to be I ended up somewhere that I didn't know. But I said a prayer last night to give me off this dark and wine and roll. Cause there's a devil on my shoulder with his whiskey on my breath. There's a Bible on the dresser that I ain't ever read. There's enough for my mom and dad that's it. Don't give up on your dream. You'll find your way if you just pray and believe. I put that bottle down and I'll start to read how Jesus wants me to be.
SPEAKER_06That's Rocky Allen with a brand new song, acoustic version right there of Jesus Wants Me to Be. We are back here on Soundcheck with Jason Minnie on Froggy Valley 100.1. Of course, you can stream us anywhere here in the world. Download that My Froggy Valley app.
SPEAKER_01Country Music has a rich tradition of storytelling. Talk about keeping that tradition alive with putting your own modern twist into it.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I mean, uh country music is is definitely known for being storytelling. And um, you know, it it has evolved over the years, and people used to joke around like country music just is about what what they say, like trucks and dogs and stuff like that. Yeah, I mean trackers. Oh, I'll tell you, I'll tell you a story about drinking. Let me tell you a story quick. This is really funny. Um, I was opening up for uh Tyler Reese Tritt, Travis Tritt's daughter, and I was doing a show with her in Pittsburgh. A lot of my songs, like my other original songs, are about drinking. Because essentially, like we do a lot of country stuff, but we're not considered like Southern, you know. So um, I was doing a show in this and I got off stage. I did like a 40-minute set. It was it was her security guard or something, and he came up to me, he's like, Hey man, you sound great. He goes, but you might want to check into AA or something because you say a lot of songs about drinking up there. But yeah, I think just staying true to you know everyday storytelling. I mean, you know, all my songs are you know true experiences and and just putting that out, you know. Everyone goes through a lot of the same stuff.
SPEAKER_06Playing the barefoot country music fest here in a couple of weeks. Wildwood, New Jersey, tons of major acts, tons of fans pack the beach for this festival. Talk about being a part of it and what that means to you to play a festival like that.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely uh amazing. Uh, you know, you you pray for moments like that, you know, as an independent artist, and because you know, I don't have a booking person, a manager or nothing. So to get on that bill was just uh I actually thought when I got the message uh it was a joke, like on my Instagram, because they they DM. Yeah, like I and I came, I I went walked around with my wife, I'm like, this has to be a joke. And then I clicked their profile and they had like 90,000 followers. I'm like, oh my gosh, this this is this is real. Um, but yeah, to just be, you know, on the bill, you know, with like post Malone and Tucker Wetmore. It's just uh I don't know, it's just it's just so cool. Uh, you know, you work so hard for moments like that. And I think they average like 35 to 45,000 people a day. So um, you know, that's definitely gonna be our biggest crowd if they're all there at that time.
SPEAKER_06So now now talk about too when you're at a festival like that. Do you ever switch it up like with a bigger crowd versus when you go to play at like a club or a bar? How how much of a challenge is that to adjust to a bigger crowd like that?
SPEAKER_05Yeah, well, you know, we're still we're still talking about our set list because um, you know, we do have uh original songs, but we don't know if the crowd will resonate with them well because they don't know them. You know what I mean? So we're trying to figure out if we if we want to do, you know, maybe half covers, half originals. Um, but you you know, you also have to thank, you know, those other bands that are on the on the discover stage, you know, if they're gonna be playing the same songs too. So it's pretty challenging, but I I do know one song we're gonna do is um is tattoos on the sound by Jason Aldean, because that that's my favorite country song. I do know we're doing that one, so that that'll be pretty cool to do that.
SPEAKER_06Whiskey and Waves. That is one of your new songs. Not coming out here until June the 12th. We're gonna debut it here tonight. Really good song. It's one of three songs that we are going to debut tonight on Soundcheck with Jason Minnie. Talk about whiskey and waves.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, so it was just uh the when I wrote it before, the chorus was different. And um, I had the verses down and uh had a little part of the second verse down, and uh me and my sister, my sister lived down in Nashville, she went to Belmont down there, and um she's a very talented songwriter, and we were writing, and it just like it just turned into a beachy vibe when we were just messing with it, and um, you know, she came up with a line like the song around the rim, just very she's very good at like just very being very descriptive with with her lyrics, and but yeah, originally our song when it was totally different, and um, you know, we finished it, we did the first two first two verses in the choruses, and then and then I wrote the bridge to it. And um yeah, actually, that song was the quickest song we recorded too. That took like three hours to do in the studio because we had one more day, and we're like, should we do one more? And we're like, Yeah, let's try with just one more, and and I'm I'm really glad we did because uh we've been doing like little teasers and uh little snippets of songs, and that song actually has been the fan favorite so far out of all these all these songs we recorded. Yeah, and I gotta tell you, we love a beachy vibe too, Rocky. Yeah, for sure. Oh yeah, yeah, you guys do. And another thing, we're releasing that in um the next week we're playing at uh Barefoot Country Music Fest. So um I think the timing of that to release is is uh pretty cool.
SPEAKER_14Going through some weird draw Not talking about drugs and a sure, ain't talking about alcohol Cause I'm still ripping shot, y'all. And I can't decide tonight if I wanna keep drinking damage down here.
SPEAKER_01You have a really fun group of guys behind you when you take that stage. Talk about those guys and the mix that y'all have.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, they're I tell you what, uh, I've been playing with a lot of musicians over the years, and uh th those guys are uh probably the best I've I've been on stage with. Um uh Alex Kramer, my guitarist, his parents, I've been real good friends with his parents for for quite a few years, and um I actually didn't even know Alex played guitar. And um, they do a little family band, and they're like, come out to a show and watch. And I went out and I I almost couldn't believe he was that good on guitar. And uh I went up to Matthew and I'm like, Would you ever play country music? He's like, Yeah, I I give it a shot, and um you know he started playing with me, and then um my drummer Nate Lowsell, he was actually doing sound for us at a show. I needed a drummer at the time, and I'm like, dude, could you just like fill in? He's like, All right, but you know, I I can't commit. And he did a couple he did a couple shows with us, and he's like, Alright, I'm in. So, and then um Lucas Cole's uh the bassist and um him and Nader are like best friends, and he's like, Hey, you know, I I have a I have a bassist who's you know wants to try to get to the next step with music, and and uh it would it just all kind of just just gelled together last year and early this year, and um you know those those guys like the they're so good at working on their craft too. When we're not um rehearsing and stuff, you know, they'll they'll zoom in FaceTime to go over songs on the set list, which it's it's hard to find dedicated guys like that. And uh, you know, we're we're just really excited for the future. And uh I I think uh we got a good thing going here and we're yearing up for next year already, so it's it's just gonna be really cool.
SPEAKER_06All right, Rocky, did you ever dream of being a radio DJ at all? No, no, I haven't, no. Uh, we are up to you giving us your top three mainstream country songs here on Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie. We always start at number three, work our way front. What is your third favorite mainstream country song and why?
SPEAKER_05Alright, my third favorite one is Wind Up Missing You by Tucker Wetmore. I I heard that the first time when I was in Nashville, and they were playing it all over the place, and it just stuck in my head for so long, and it just really never left. Like, I st I still think it's a great song. Um, I think the structure of it is great, just a feel-good vibe, and uh, I just really like that song. I think it's so it's so uh unique in its own way for sure.
SPEAKER_01What is song number two?
SPEAKER_05Alright, song number two is Stay a Little Longer by Brothers Osborne. It's a good one. Yeah, it's I I think that song personally is one of one of the best songs I've heard. Uh the lyrics, how um I believe their producer's name is Jay Joyce. Um how he produced that I thought was extremely, extremely awesome. And uh the guitar solos in it are just are phenomenal. We actually saw um we saw John Osborne when we were eating lunch down in Nashville. He was just standing there. I'm like, what's up, man? He's like a normal person, right? Yeah. Like no one and that's Nashville though. Like they're they were just standing there. I'm like, oh that's cool. You know.
SPEAKER_06Alright, let's let's add a drum roll here, Rocky! What is song number one on the Rocky Allen mainstream country playlist?
SPEAKER_05My favorite song of all time is Tattoos on This Town by Jason Aldean. We knew it had to be a Jason Aldean song. Yeah. He opened he opened this concert with that song when I first saw him at Bryce Jordan Center, and yeah, we've been playing that ever since. And I just just the sound of it, the lyrics, everything is in my in my opinion, you know, it's you know, I know it's not other people's opinion or anything, but in my opinion, it's it's it's my favorite song. So I I just always love that song. Love to play it, uh, love to listen to it. Uh the music video is really cool, and uh his live version of it's really awesome too.
SPEAKER_06Such an awesome playlist there. Rocky Allen, we can't thank you enough for hanging out with us here on Soundcheck with Chase and Minnie. Best of luck with your music career, and we cannot wait to see where it takes you from here on out.
SPEAKER_05Hey, thank you guys so much. I I really appreciate you having me on and uh and doing this for uh upcoming artists too. You guys are doing a great thing, and uh, I really do appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01Gotta say a big thank you to our friends down at Words Candies in downtown Lebanon for the best Carmelhorn anywhere. Go check them out across from Hack. Check out their hours on their Facebook page and over at wordscandies.com, a staple here in Central PA for 95 years.
SPEAKER_06And let me say, Rocky, we are sending you that Carmel Corn in the mail up there at the corner. I appreciate that. Next week on Soundcheck with Jason Minnie, we will have in studio a central PA musician that specializes in that black dirt country music. His latest album, Tusk Aurora, is out. And he has his sights set on a brand new album here soon. We will have Cody Tyler in studio next Sunday night. Time to turn off the lights here, Minnie, and lock the doors for the night. You know how we do this in country music.
SPEAKER_01Unless it's homegrown country music. We can't wait to see you next Sunday night starting at eight o'clock. Thanks for tuning in to Sound Check with Chase and Minnie. And remember, you can stream all of the back shows over at myfroggyvalley.com or on the MyFroggy Valley app. Have a great week, y'all.
SPEAKER_03Are you an up-and-coming artist trying to make it big? If so, we want to hear from you. Submit your demo to Chase at sevenmountainsmedia.com. That's Chase, the number seven mountainsmedia.com. Thanks for spending your night with Froggy Valley 100.1's sound check with Chase and Minnie Hopper.
SPEAKER_09Wouldn't find me as a heartbreaker, but I've said a few goodbyes. I'd make a promise, but I know later. I'm about to change my Dependin' on the weather I'm old, baby, no, baby, no different and a different one.