Try That in a Small Town Podcast
In 2023, Jason Aldean's groundbreaking song and video "Try That In A Small Town" resonated with a resurgence of conservative values in America. The writers of the song, Kurt, Neil, Tully, and Kelley, took the opportunity to launch the Try That In A Small Town Podcast. This platform allows them to reveal the true inspiration behind the song and discuss the importance of common-sense values. With a lineup of influential guests, the hosts will entertain you with the stories behind their music, while also addressing challenging topics affecting our communities and country.
Try That in a Small Town Podcast
From Hunger Games to Country Music: Alexander Ludwig's Creative Journey
Ever wondered what happens when Hollywood meets Nashville? Actor Alexander Ludwig joins us for a fascinating conversation about navigating two of entertainment's most challenging industries with genuine passion and remarkable humility.
The star of blockbuster franchises like Hunger Games and Bad Boys, whose films have collectively grossed over $2 billion worldwide, opens up about his unexpected journey into country music. What began as a chance encounter with songwriter Tully Kennedy on a flight has blossomed into a serious musical career with BBR Records. Ludwig shares how authenticity remains his north star in both worlds: "If you're trying to chase trends, you're going to lose. But if you're original and true to you, those are the ones that stick out."
Ludwig takes us behind the scenes of his acting journey, from landing his first major role at 13 to the pivotal moment when being rejected for the Hunger Games lead role became "the gift of gifts" that shaped his entire career. His insights on persistence reveal a refreshing perspective on success: "The people who win in anything are the ones who just stick around long enough for a shot."
As a father of young children balancing demanding creative careers, Ludwig offers wisdom about maintaining relationships while pursuing dreams: "If you say no to the dream, you will be miserable and won't be the person that person fell in love with." This philosophy extends to his approach in every aspect of life, from the 90% diet/10% exercise rule he follows for film roles to his musical choices where authenticity trumps commercial calculation.
Whether you're a fan of his on-screen performances, curious about his country music, or simply looking for inspiration in pursuing your own creative path, Ludwig's genuine passion and down-to-earth perspective offer valuable lessons about staying true to yourself while navigating the entertainment industry's complex landscape.
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Neil is a scratch golfer, so we've got this challenge going on where we're all going to take him on the three of us best ball against him. He's an amazing golfer. He's a little better than us. He's a little better than us. He did miss a putt today.
Speaker 2:I missed a four-footer. I was playing in match play at our club today, Dude.
Speaker 3:I heard about this. No, you didn't.
Speaker 5:Yeah, I did. It's already made it out to the.
Speaker 3:West. Coast.
Speaker 2:You're. Neil. That's amazing. You're, neil, the Shitty Scratch Goldberg.
Speaker 6:What an absolute joke, right.
Speaker 7:You know, when you're hearing an AI song, I'm sure like maybe it'll get super, super good, but I just there's something about. There's something about the human connection and that's so important to to audiences. They need to know that what they are hearing isn't just another human, but it was written by another human. So tully's son keller, who you guys know, phenomenal actor right, and he's going through this right now and like I'm here, like whenever he needs to chat about any of this because, like, the kind of thickness you need to have in terms of your skin is so insane, it's so insane. And if you have an ego, like it's actually amazing to me when I meet people in my business we've had success who still have egos, you know, or have the biggest egos I've ever met, cause I'm like, how, like, how.
Speaker 5:The Try that In A Small Town Podcast begins now.
Speaker 1:All right, welcome back. This is the Try that in a Small Town Podcast coming to you from the Patriot Mobile Studios. Tk is very close to me. We got K-Lo, we got Thrash and I think this is a first for us tonight. This is going to be cool. This is a big time, really big, really big movie star, tv star. I think. I looked this up, so it must be true. His movies have grossed over $2 billion. That's what they be billion dollars. Could have seen him in Hunger Games, bad Boys, vikings, heels, but kind of most importantly to us, he is a BBR recording artist. Alexander Ludlow.
Speaker 5:Country singer. He's a country singer.
Speaker 7:That's a hell of an intro, guys.
Speaker 1:I love you, Dude is two billion real Because you're rich.
Speaker 7:Right yeah, and you would know right, like, when you write all these hit songs, all the money comes to you, right. And it's the same thing in my business when you make billions of dollars, you keep it all.
Speaker 3:It's so good to see you, man.
Speaker 5:It's so good to see you.
Speaker 6:I miss you guys so much, yeah, language, you're the best.
Speaker 3:I'm kidding I'm kidding he's kidding I'm so I'm so sorry me and kurt were talking about, about how we met, which I still love this story. You know I'll keep it short, but so we're trying to figure out. Was it 2018 or 2019 when we met?
Speaker 1:2019, right, that sound right I'm bad at that game too. I hate that game.
Speaker 3:I think it's it was before covid it was.
Speaker 7:it was definitely before covid because I was. I was driving from atlanta when I was shooting heels to Nashville to work with you guys, and that was during COVID, so it had to have been just before.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because I remember the label meeting was right before COVID hit.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, so tell people the story? No, I got to know. That was my question. I have to know how the three of you guys hooked up.
Speaker 3:it's yeah one of my favorite stories, so so we're all on tinder right here we go, of course no, it's actually amazing.
Speaker 3:We were out doing with aldine, we were doing, uh, some tv show in la and we're flying home in the morning or early afternoon, whenever that was. And I'm walking past a Dunkin' Donuts and I look at Kurt and I said, dude, that is that guy from Lone Survivor, which Lone Survivor is one of my favorite movies. If you guys haven't seen it, oh yeah, and I watched it 50 times. So I recognized Alexander right away and I'm like God, should I go say hello to him or how should this work? And we didn't.
Speaker 3:And then we get to, like you know, the gate or wherever, and he's sitting there with a guitar with his headphones on and a computer working on some tracks and I said, okay, he's fine in nashville, I'm gonna bother him, I have to bother him. So I walked up to him and I and I said I can't remember what I said, I was, I was like kind of a big fan. So I was, you know, I was like man, I don't want to bother you, but huge fan lone survivor. And he instantly started talking about country music, like within first 10 seconds, like you you know it was. It was pretty cool. And then, from that point on like we got we set alo, boarded the plane and we end up sitting like right next to each other.
Speaker 1:So and it was just awesome, sorry alexander, give your perspective of, uh, that encounter and tully approaching you. Well, he was obviously very starstruck.
Speaker 7:Oh yeah, must have been okay, so, so tully actually all of you, you guys all were wearing black tully had his sunglasses on and I was like these guys are for sure a band like they have to be.
Speaker 7:These guys are rock stars. Um, and the second he came up to me and said uh, I'm a big fan of lone survivor. Like, obviously, I love when people come up and I especially love when people come up to me about that movie because that's one of my favorites I've ever done, if not my favorite I just for so many reasons, but mostly because it was a true story and it meant so much to the. I really felt like we did right by that community. And then when we started talking, the craziest thing was Tully goes.
Speaker 7:Oh, and I play for Jason Aldean and I'm like who the hell is that? You know, like Jason Hicktown was like one of the first records I ever like binged, you know, loving country music. It was so crazy. Like it's like Jason and Dierks were like the two guys I would listen to on repeat. Uh, two guys I would listen to on repeat growing up, Like I love. And in Canada, where I'm from, like there's a huge country music scene and if you play hockey, more often than not you're listening to country music in the locker room as well.
Speaker 7:People love country music where I'm from, so obviously instantly knew who Tully and Kurt were, and then you know talk about the fact that they wrote. You know some of my favorite country music songs of of all time wait, wait, wait, wait, wait a minute.
Speaker 2:What's your favorite jason aldean song?
Speaker 6:he's putting you on the spot, alexander.
Speaker 7:Here I'm gonna send you five titles, real quick um, you know it's funny because it's like he's got, I mean what, how many number ones to chase and have like 30 30, but who's counting?
Speaker 7:it's, it's crazy. I mean so like they all mean something different to me, like there's ones that stick out. I'm like hicktown obviously sticks out in my head, um, as being or okay, she's country. This is like we talk a lot about she's country, right. Like she she's country at the time. Like nobody was doing acd, acdc for country music, right, and it was like this first kind of banger track. So to me, like that was a huge one I loved amarillo sky.
Speaker 7:Um, I loved, I mean I loved big green tractor, because it's just such a so far.
Speaker 1:You're failing, alexander. You need to understand the question. Neil is fishing for one of his songs. So do you not like flyover states? Oh.
Speaker 7:I mean, I love flyover states. I actually love it. I didn't realize you wrote that, neil, I love that. I actually love that song.
Speaker 1:What about tattoos on this town that was unfair.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, that was unfair, I'm sorry.
Speaker 3:Wait, did you write touches on this town. Yes, fuck dude, you crushed that.
Speaker 7:I mean, I love that like also, that's such, that's just such a good hook like touches on this town. It's just I mean I I could go on and on. I'm a big fan of all you guys and like I what. But the crazy thing the backstory here is like for me was I had been traveling to Nashville after I shot a show I did called Vikings for like six years of my life and I had this break and I was like you know what, like if I don't go now, I don't want to look like I'm a.
Speaker 7:I'm one of those people that I think that people's biggest regrets, um, they're usually ones of omission. You know I should have done that. You know, usually if you do something and you like wish you hadn't, it's like, you know, usually if you do something and you like wish you had, and it's like you can look back and you can find a silver lining in it. But I should have done that. That's one that haunts me my whole life. So country music for me is like one of those things where I was like I'm not going to have that in the back of my head, like I want to go to nashville, I want to write with the greats and I want to. I want to learn about this community, you know, because they speak to everything that I love and I grew up loving. Um, and then, just by some crazy coincidence, tully ends up sitting how I remember it was right in front of me.
Speaker 5:So like.
Speaker 7:I was right behind you and we were talking through this space in the seats, like the whole flight, and then I ended up sending you these demos. I had made um in Vancouver with a with a friend of mine who at the time was playing guitar. He's an incredible guitarist named Jesse Tucker. He was playing guitar for Brad Eldridge, who became a very close friend of mine. So it was just this crazy coincidence. And then, of course, I get a call and they go we got to work together and we start cutting some songs just totally independently, releasing them still to date some of our to work together. And we start cutting some songs just totally independently, releasing them Still to date some of our most successful stuff.
Speaker 7:And then, through that, you know, bmg signed us and the day I had the meeting with BMG was the day of a crazy tornado in Nashville and the sirens were going off and everything and I was like I don't know if we're going to do this. Obviously, at the end of the day, it's like who cares about a meeting? I mean, people's homes are being destroyed. But at the same time I was like this was a big deal for me. So I was hoping I would be able to do it and luckily it still went through. And there we were, and we've been lovers ever since.
Speaker 1:You know, alexander, because when you were coming to Nashville you were writing a lot with Michael Delaney, who was one of Neil's all-time writing partners.
Speaker 2:Been writing with Michael since the mid-'90s.
Speaker 7:Dude. He's got such a way with words, man, and I love that guy so much he is like I mean, he's a dude's dude.
Speaker 2:Now wait a minute. We're supposed to throw him under the bus, we're not supposed to. I'm just saying.
Speaker 3:There's so much. I mean there's so much to talk about, and I mean even before we get to your acting career, which is incredible and what you've done, you know. But I was so impressed when we started talking and about you know, getting a deal and let's make a record your knowledge of country music and what your influences were, what you liked and who you knew, like you knew who you were as an artist, which you know is crazy because that's like the hardest thing to do sometimes, you know, but we had so much fun and and we're going to do it again. You know we're going to do it again, but it's crazy, like looking back on it now and it's. I remember telling you you know it's, it's not easy, you know, and it's. It's a frustrating thing, especially balancing two careers. You know which man that's a lot You're. You know acting and music and the whole thing's crazy. But I don't even know where to go from here, but you know it's.
Speaker 6:Can I ask something while? You're there, yeah, yeah yeah, because first off, honored to have you here and meet you, you're an amazing and huge fan and researching you was very difficult because you've done so freaking much you know usually it's like it's like, oh, I've got an hour and a half I can get. I can, you know, pull your name up.
Speaker 6:My sweet mother, god, he's done everything so I'm making, making my nose stuff, but, um, I guess I would say like and just as a fan and and seeing and reading about everything that you've done, and to me you've killed it in one of the hardest occupations you could possibly choose or choose you whichever one and succeeded at such a high level. Why in God's name would you pick another one?
Speaker 6:that is so incredibly hard. Like what made you say, now that I've been punished and rewarded here, I want to be punished and rewarded. Like what? What in your mind makes you want to do that?
Speaker 7:Fear. Like just just, I have this ungodly fear that I'll be 80 years old one day and regret something that I didn't do in my life and that just pushes me to like insane. But honestly I can't take credit for you know, and I it's funny like the more like successful people I meet in any line of work you guys include it Like I think everybody would agree. Like to me, I'm not a believer of, like the best wins. I think the people who win in anything are the ones who just stick around long enough for a shot. So the only thing I can really take credit for is just persistence. But like I had to get lucky like the next guy, and I still got to get lucky, you know. And with country music, like you guys see it all the time, like you know somebody can come in and the next day release a song and be the biggest thing in the world and some guys and most stories I know that you know, you know is at least 10 years. You know it's a 10 year town and I just had a crazy moment yesterday because I mean I love this. I was rooting for this guy so much because he was a little bit like ahead of me when I first came to Nashville and then he obviously continued as I went and did my main career acting, which, like, pays the bills and it's something that I absolutely obviously love to do as well is is John Morgan. You know, john has been in Nashville and he's such a talented writer and singer and love the guy so much and I'm so pissed off because I took a photo right when it switched. But I was listening to the highway and John's name came up and I'm like God, this shit is real. Like I am sure he was kicking himself at the beginning of like when are we going to get a chance? But like, there he is, like there's his song, like let's go, john, let's go, you know, and I went to take, I went to take a photo and it just like right in time it changed. So I was like God, I'll get it next time. But, um, that's that's how I feel about everything, like the amount of success that people have in anything.
Speaker 7:I think that I think people saw, you know, since the beginning of time I've been trying to deconstruct you know why somebody is, you know, at a certain level, or why someone is, but the only thing I've ever come back to is like it comes from a pure love and this insane competition with oneself. It's like I just want to get better for me. I'm doing this because I love it. Um, you know, if I wanted a sure thing, I certainly wouldn't be in like the two hardest businesses in the world to catch a break in, you know.
Speaker 7:But I also think that the thing about country music that I'm actually really excited about, especially with working with Tully and Kurt, is like the the reason behind why I'm doing it is is different, of course. Like you want people to love your stuff and you want to build a community, but like, if your goal is to just be rich and famous, I think you're going to be miserable miserable no matter how successful you get Right. But if the goal is to be the best musician or best writer you can be, I think that that is already success. And it's, it's corny and it's said a lot, but it is true. Like the journey is the destination, you know. It's like that is that's what it's about, and I'm just so grateful that I've been able to do, you know, the two things that I love more than anything, you know, short of my friends and family and, and, and make a living doing it, you know so uh, you're way too smart.
Speaker 3:Way too smart, and you're also one of those guys that you're. You're pretty great at everything you do.
Speaker 1:You're frustrated I know, it.
Speaker 2:I hate having guys that have their shit together on our show. We're supposed to help people.
Speaker 3:After I met you about Lone Survivor, I started watching Vikings. Dude, such a great actor. I remember texting you like dude, you're so great, this is crazy, you're awesome. Then we get you in the studio and you've never really done. He comes in nationalities, you've. We get you in the studio and you've never really done. He comes in national he's. You've cut some stuff in the past, but you haven't been to town and the way we do it and he jumps in kills the game.
Speaker 2:It it's yeah, but here's the problem how do you know he was?
Speaker 1:he wasn't acting well, but neil so this is actually a great question. This is actually a great question because it is a real thing. You, you have a business in hollywood where you are paid to act and pretend to be somebody else, but especially country music is dependent on you being genuine to who you are. It's's a complete opposite, and the fact that you were able to handle that and show your vulnerability as an artist, I mean, I think it blew both Tully and I in a way. Was there any struggle with that? Or did you think I want to be this kind of artist so I'm going to portray this, or was it always just from the heart and you knew that's the way it had to go?
Speaker 7:No, there was totally an identity crisis and a struggle, for sure, and it happened when I was in the writers' rooms with people who didn't know me, because now we're talking about things that I didn't grow up doing. Listen, I love fishing. My dad didn't take me out to fish every weekend. We went skiing. You know what I mean. I grew up in Canada, so there's certain things.
Speaker 7:Hunting has never been something that I did religiously, so there's certain things about how I grew up that aren't authentic and for me, I know that the only way especially if you've had success in another career, because I do think it can help and hurt you, especially in country music, where I agree like authenticity is is everything like what you don't want is like here's this actor, you know, showing up to town expecting the world Right. So the only way around that, I think, is just like do you guys ever watch eight mile? There's a great scene in that, in that where they're about to do a rap battle. It's him and Anthony Mackie and Eminem raps about himself and basically dishes it all out. He basically just shits on himself and just goes this is me. And then the other guy has nothing to say.
Speaker 7:And I think authenticity is just like your only chance and also like it'd be miserable. And I see it in my business all the time. I mean, I'm seeing it right now. It's crazy with some people that I know, but like people who have people who I've known for a long time, loosely, that totally craft a character that isn't who they are to achieve the dream they thought they wanted, and it can work. But I also just think that that's just, you know, kind of a sad way to live. You know, just pretending to be somebody that you're not for for so long, you know, um, and I've tried that before, especially on the golf course, I've been like, okay, you're tiger woods man, you're tiger woods.
Speaker 4:Like let's go it just like never works for me. Yeah, me either.
Speaker 2:We're not, we're not going, we're not talking about golf today, sorry.
Speaker 6:Yeah, Neil got humiliated on the golf course today. There you go he did. He was terrible. It was awful I wasn't there to see it, but I heard all about it.
Speaker 2:At least you're honest. It's just the shame of it.
Speaker 7:Wait, wait, wait, wait. What golf course was this?
Speaker 1:Well, hold on, alexander, you have to understand. Well, hold on, alexander, you have to understand. We're kidding because Neil is a scratch golfer. So we've got this challenge going on where we're all going to take him on the three of us best ball against him. He's an amazing golfer. He's a little better than us. He's a little better than us. He did miss a putt today.
Speaker 2:I missed a four-footer. I was playing in match play at our club today.
Speaker 7:Dude, I heard about this. No, you didn't. Yeah, I did.
Speaker 5:It's already made it out to the West Coast. You're Neil. That's amazing. You're.
Speaker 6:Neil the shitty scratch-gold. What an absolute joke right. It's crazy, it's hilarious, oh my God.
Speaker 2:Next subject please, Thank you.
Speaker 3:I tell you what one thing I love. You know, when we start making, when we start making music together, the passion you have for it is it's so incredible and and you know it's your drive, it, it, it's amazing and but the backup your like everything you've done. There's so much you've done. When did you know, as an actor, that you, that you thought, okay, I made it over the first hill, I made it over the hump? You know, I mean, you'd hunger games was a big thing, huge, you know, and I I know like it's a constant battle and struggle to keep getting those any roles at that point. But it feels like the last couple of years you've really. I mean Vikings was huge. Bad boys yes, they were huge. Do you feel that you've? You've made it?
Speaker 7:Yes, Something's definitely changed, but but in no way shape or form. Like so telly's son keller, who you guys know, phenomenal actor, right, and he's going through this right now and like I'm here, like whenever he needs to chat about any of this, because, like I've been there, like it's the thick. This, the kind of thickness you need to have in terms of your skin, is so insane. It's so insane. And if you have an ego, like it's actually amazing to me when I meet people in my business who've had success, who still have egos, you know, or have the biggest egos I ever met, cause I'm like how, like teach me it's like it and beaten down and I, it's just this like it.
Speaker 7:It can't be that dissimilar from like entrepreneurship, but it's like. It is worse because it's more personal, because it's you, you know, and you say you're playing another character and all this, but it is you, it is personal, right, and it's like you know it. I I'll tell you there's a few milestones in my career that I can point out to that where things are, are like, were really big for me. I mean the first one I was 13 years old. It was a movie you probably never saw, called the Seeker. The Dark is Rising. It was a big um Fox, supposed to be a big Fox franchise, but imagine being like a 13 year old kid booking the role of your dreams.
Speaker 7:Within a week of getting that, I got shipped off to Romania with my mom and we spent three and a half months there and it was the most wild and incredible experience. And, of course, the movie turned out horribly and but that was such a pivotal moment in my life because I was able to get an agent in the United States from that and I'm from Canada, right, so like it, that's a big deal in LA because of that movie. And after that I booked Race to Witch Mountain with the Rock and I was like, okay, this is great. And then dead, nothing, absolutely nothing. I'm like holy shit, I'm not booking anything. And then it was like I guess I'll go to college as a student and then that will get me to la and then I can audition while I'm there.
Speaker 7:So, um, I got into usc through the theater program. I never would have gotten in through anything else like my grades were horrible, um, until the very last year and um, and then that summer I booked the hunger Games and, to be sure, you've been a sophomore at USC. When the biggest movie on the planet comes out, it's an experience in its own. In a way, it was incredible, and also, in another way, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, but it was a total trip and this was a huge lesson in my life. And that was that. This was a huge lesson in my life. And I and at the time when I did the hunger games, I was up for the lead role opposite Jen Lawrence. So Josh Hutcherson, myself and one other actor were the top three guys.
Speaker 7:We all auditioned with Jen Gary Ross, with the director he directed like Seabiscuit and some other things. He's a great director and we were like and I felt really good about it. And then I was told I wasn't getting the part. And I was like, oh damn this, like it broke me, cause I was like, just, I love the books and I really felt like this was mine. Why I'm bringing this up is, you know, I thought Josh did an amazing job and he was the right choice for that, for the movie, of course, and randomly saw him not too long ago and he's still the sweetest guy ever.
Speaker 7:But the reason I bring this up is that at the time it seemed like what was my biggest loss was actually going to turn out to be like the gift of gifts, because then they offered me the bad guy in the Hunger Games and I was like, okay, I'm obviously doing this. That's amazing. And then the movie was a huge hit. Um, so I was. I was able to like use that as my calling card, but I wasn't a household name, which meant that like I still had to prove myself as an actor. I wasn't just getting offered everything. Um, and little did I know at the time like that would be the greatest thing that ever happened to me, because I'm not gonna lie. Like after that came out, I was just like what are you talking about? I'm not offered everything now. Like doesn't that mean like I've got I made it right, like it's done?
Speaker 7:and then it's like no, like you're still gonna have to audition I'm like what I will not, and it's and it's funny because, like what I've learned, this is something I never knew getting into this job. But I would have realized, and, by the way, like, if you have an ego, this is a problem, if you don't, then it's not a problem. You're an actor, you should read for stuff. Like you should audition for directors if that's what they need from you. Like, honestly, I'd prefer not to, it's just less work, but like they need me to, I will.
Speaker 7:Uh, but I just did a movie, or not too long ago, called the covenant, with jake gyllenhaal, and guy richie directed that and jake and I talked about this and I remember telling him like damn, like I I'm so jealous of you because I felt like you were making films, like you kind of broke into the business when they were making real movies that people would show up to like movie theaters to see. You know, like I'm pretty sure, like, um, like maybe somebody would go see Donnie Darko in theaters, maybe not, I don't know, but like you know, brokeback Mountain's definitely streaming now. Like I don't think that anybody's showing up to the theaters to watch that. Or, like you know, brokeback Mountain's definitely streaming now. Like I don't think that anybody's showing up to the theaters to watch that or, like you know, southpaw's probably going to be. I mean, yeah, it's a toss-up, but regardless, a lot has changed in the business, and then we started talking about. You know just how the fight is just so much more than I ever thought it could be.
Speaker 7:And then way more than that. And Jake was like, yeah, man, like you know I, you know I still got to, I still got to fight. You know it doesn't just it's not. And of course he still gets amazing, amazing, you know, offers and all of this stuff, but like it doesn't mean you get when you get to a certain part in your career, nor should it that you get everything you want forever. You know, somewhere along the line the group gets smaller, but it's always going to be this and that's kind of the fun of it.
Speaker 7:Like it wouldn't be fun if you got everything right. It's like that's, that's the chase chase, and if it's meant to be, it's meant to be and you just got to kind of let it go and just trust the universe. And I think it's the same with music. It's like you don't. I mean, I know you feel like you have a hit hit and if the right artist sings it it can be a hit. But you know I'm sure you've had other songs that you thought you know could be and didn't. And it's kind of like there's something so much bigger than us that we got to just trust and just be like this is the plan yeah, and I mean just because you have it.
Speaker 1:If we write a hit song, it doesn't give you any uh leeway to have the next hit. I mean, it's just you have to keep grinding, keep grinding, keep grinding, yeah my name is Glenn Story.
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Speaker 1:Join our original glory family and help ignite that original glory spirit. Hey, what I think is interesting is that you know hunger games.
Speaker 7:You were, how old uh, I guess I was.
Speaker 1:I was either 19 or 20, I was maybe okay so, okay, you're a little older than I thought, but you started as a I guess, a child actor uh earlier than that, which in a lot of cases, it seems like you know you're a child actor and then that's kind of all. You are making the transition to an adult actor and having those roles seems like it's pretty hard for some people, but you were able to. Did you see it as an advantage or a disadvantage that people uh knew you as a child actor?
Speaker 7:it, it was an, and this is something I talked to Keller a lot about too. It's a. I mean it's a. It's. It's a huge advantage because starting early is great, and it's a huge disadvantage because, if you're you know, you know Tom Holland was a kid actor. He did impossible with uh, is it Naomi Watts or Nicole? Yeah, it was Naomi Watts, and he's managed to have an amazing career, right, but, like you, don't associate Tom Holland with that movie.
Speaker 7:And I got very lucky because, though the movie was and the series was so big, I was only in the first film, right. So it was like I did my thing, that was my role for that movie and I'm out, right. And then it was like I did my thing, that was my role for that movie and I'm out, right. And then it was like vikings. And this was strategic, to be honest, because viking is like I knew what was going to happen in success with that character, like we knew that bjorn ironside was going to be a child and then he was going to be a man and then he was going to be a warrior and a legend and a father and king, um, and it was like I saw this and I think you know we had had discussions, my team and I like just about like when that offer came in, like is this the right move? And remember it sounds crazy now to have said no to that. But like this was some small show on the history channel, like I watched the history channel for world war two documentaries and that alone, like that was it. Like I'm like you know so it was. You know it was a. It wasn't just like a quick, like an easy, let's go do this, um. It very well couldn't have had the effect on my career that it did Um, but even after that, you know it's still like you know it. It never ends like. It certainly gets easier.
Speaker 7:Like I will say that like over time, vikings was the, the next big milestone, I would say after hunger games. Like hunger games was great, like lone survivor was a was just a cool thing to be a part of. That I obviously loved. It meant the world to me like grown-ups was, like you, just so much fun. There's like fun stuff along the way, but there's like milestones in your career. Like hunger games is a huge one. Vikings was a huge one for me, right, and now after that, like I think that, um, bad boys was, is another big one because, um, it's just such a big scope and scale and a very successful franchise to be a part of which I'm super grateful, um, for um and and I have noticed a shift, um, that I mean, listen, you get offered more stuff. That also doesn't that also doesn't mean that it's the right stuff, right?
Speaker 7:So every once in a while, like I got offered an amazing show called Heels right, that just came out of nowhere. They were like we want you to do this. I read the script. I was like, holy shit, this character is amazing and we did that.
Speaker 7:But sometimes I'll be offered stuff that I know I can't take, even if I want to, even if I want to work, even if it's an attractive offer, it doesn't matter, because I always made a promise to myself as a kid that and it's harder when you have children to be honest but, like, I just know this is the right way to do. This. Is that, like, of course, we want to be fine and set up financially, but it can never be about just money. Like it just can't. Like it's never be about just money. Like it just can't. Like it's got to be about the work. Um, like, I'm an actor and an artist first and foremost. It's got to be about that and the rest, you know, all that stuff will follow and hopefully I'll be able to tell more stories and and do more stuff. But, like I always said that to myself from the beginning and I've stayed true to that, um ever since is, like you know, if it ain't on the page, like it's just not, I'm not doing it. You know that's amazing.
Speaker 6:It is amazing, I wanted that. Did you have a follow-up? No, go ahead I wanted to ask you, or so many things I want to ask you. But like um, on the kid, the kids movies, things, um was it, was it kind of the same. Like, like you're, you're all kids and whether it's out of the sandlot or whatever is there, and you're on your first one, whatever. Instead I don't know if you noticed my, my shirt you know you're killing me smalls that's so good, dude, I got that for you, but my question, my question I played poker.
Speaker 7:I played poker with that guy when I was a kid. Doing so much Did you really?
Speaker 6:Yeah, that's so awesome.
Speaker 7:It was amazing.
Speaker 6:That's so awesome. I was curious, even at that level, at that age. Were there star kids who were like oh, you can't go over there to that trailer, that's so-and-so, you can't do that, and they'd keep them protected or anything like that.
Speaker 7:Or were you just normal kids and like, hey, this is really cool, let's go out and act, and then we play ping pong or whatever. What was it like I was? I was the, I was the latter right, like my family, I'll tell you, and tully and kurt know my, my family, and like you know they're, they're salt of the earth, people like they're just the greatest and and you know they've they've raised me with the same values, which, just to me, it's not even a thing. But it's like you treat the waiter the same way you treat a ceo, the same way you would treat a janitor, same way you would treat a famous person. It doesn't, doesn't matter, like it just we're human beings, right, um. But I experienced the reverse of that right, where you're on, like certain sets and you meet other actors who are, uh, in and around your, and you meet other actors who are in and around your. You know who are on your job, you know who expect certain stuff, right, like.
Speaker 7:I get off on the fact that, like you know, I love, that I'm a fun guy to work with and that you know that the crew feels like I'm one of them because I am Like my performance is so fucked if I don't have their support, like I'm so screwed, like they.
Speaker 7:They they're everything it's like you know it's like it's like being on, being on the rope, right, if you, if you don't have a great crew behind you, you know you get a terrible sound technician. It's like it's going to sound horrible. It's the same way with with us. So, um, but yeah, I mean, I've come across that version of of it too, where, especially as children, I think it's um, it's even worse because, um, listen, there, there are certain parents especially that have to be on set Right and, and some of them, um, think that's how it's supposed to be, because they read people magazine, they think, oh, like my kids in stranger things. So I'm just using this as an example, by the way, so, so, so you know, he only drinks ice matchas and don't talk to him. You know what I mean. Like, there's that version and I do think it's worth it.
Speaker 7:As you grow up, you just kind of like, don't um, you know, I mean, I I haven't had a problem ever in my life, I've just seen it. But like I've never actually had a problem working with, with anyone, I think that, um, I've been warned about certain people and, uh, I've always been able to find some, find some sort of, you know, commonality and uh, yeah, cool, let's get back to your golf game. It's horrific, dude. I don't think I've ever broken 90 in my life.
Speaker 2:But you love the game, you have a passion for it, right?
Speaker 7:Yeah, I mean, I have a passion for romantic walks on a green field with four guys, of course a green field with four guys, of course.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right, alexander is one of those people that he's good at everything which is just so irritating it's unbelievable. Um, hey, I want to ask because you know things are different for you now. You're married, you're a dad, um, we're in businesses that almost require you to be selfish, and you have to. You know we're gone a lot, we are looking out for ourselves a lot, you have to go the extra mile a lot, which sometimes can neglect your family. How do you balance that now, especially, uh, in this new chapter of your life?
Speaker 7:It's a really good question, you know, and, and for me it's it's straight up communication, right, like it's it's just I over communicate, right. So it's like you know, when I'm home I try I don't always succeed, but I try to to do the brunt of the caretaking.
Speaker 1:Hold on, hold on. Don't make us look bad Scratch that question.
Speaker 4:We'll edit that out. Let's go to the next. We're going to edit that out. Hey, I got two more tickets. The word from our sponsor.
Speaker 7:Keep in mind, I have a one-year-old and a two-year-old. This is very different, but for me, where I can, I try to go out of my way to just go a little bit more, only because I know that, for example, in about a week I'm off to Montreal for three weeks. And it's like my wife, like Lauren you guys know and obviously love her, All of our wives, they're know and obviously love her. Like our wives, all of our wives, they're superheroes. Man, it's like, it's incredible and, and you know, without her making that sacrifice, I won't be able to live my dreams. At the same time and this sounds pretty brutal. This is something that I actually brought up Like the one thing I would also say to any young person looking to get married, to like, if they have a dream, like like, would you pick the dream or me, Right?
Speaker 7:There's always that question Would you pick the dream or me, Right? Some people always. It's always the dream, and I'll tell you why. If you say no to the dream, you will be miserable and you won't be the person that that person fell in love with. And Lauren has never asked me to compromise on on what I love to do, because she knows it fills my soul, Um, and of course there's stressful times, but I think that, um, for us it's it's just been about just communicating and being like, hey, I'm going to be gone for these three weeks, I think, because it's only three weeks, just communicating and being like, hey, I'm going to be gone for these two weeks, I think, because it's only three weeks and not like three months. Kids should probably stay in Austin. I'll try to make it back and forth if I can, or you come out this time. You know, and we're still getting the hang of it. I think it's like a. You know it is a, it's a learning experience, for sure.
Speaker 3:So what do you do? What are you working on in Montreal? What's the new thing? Can you tell us? It's a secret, is it really? Yeah, you're going to say that?
Speaker 7:Just because they haven't announced it yet, so it's cool though.
Speaker 2:You're going to like it. That's bullshit. That's bullshit, Alexander.
Speaker 6:That's bullshit, bub.
Speaker 6:Well, maybe something you could help us out with, because I mean, you can probably tell we're all fitness buffs, it's okay, you don't have to laugh so hard, but with you being such a beautiful man and the only guest I know of, or at least especially this table, the only one that has abs, tell us about the training stuff. Like for some of those roles that you play and you're jacked and ripped just normally, but like like workout routines are, are they have to be insane? Is it? Is it 90% percent dieting, like everybody says? Is it 50, 50? It does drive you crazy, like some of the stunts and things that you did to turn a back flips and things like that. Just all the stuff.
Speaker 7:I mean back flips and things like that, just all the stuff. I mean, I saw so much that blew me away. I felt like such a lesser human after researching you the back flips, the back flips.
Speaker 7:Actually, I actually grew up um competing in freestyle skiing where I grew up so that's like this so, but, that's how I felt, felt comfortable doing that, so I did have some like I didn't have to learn that like right away. But but I will say um, in terms of, in terms of the training, um, without question, like it's not even it's, it's, it's not even a discussion, it is 90% diet and and anybody who says you otherwise is wrong, and it's it's true because you're saying damn it, you know, in your gut, because it's so shitty, because I love to eat, I love to eat. But the truth is it's impossible to outwork a bad diet. It's scientifically impossible. And the problem is we are all so ignorant, including myself, about how many calories are actually in our foods and what foods, and you'd be surprised because there's some foods that you would think would have a ton of calories and don't. So I think the it's once like, I use this thing, so this is like. Next, I think you can get a little carried away with this, but when I'm trying to get ready for something, I have a thing called my fitness pal, which is like an app on my phone and you can type in like the food you're eating and the food you make, and it will, it will actually tell you how many calories are in that thing, Right, and then I have a food scale at home, right, and I'll actually like weigh. It's's annoying, but it's like this is what I have to do.
Speaker 7:For me it's not even for my job like I genuinely just like when I'm feeling my best, I do my best work. So I'm just trying to to be able to keep up with what I expected myself and, um, that's I honestly like I just look back on like how I used to eat. I was just like damn, like I just learned so much about nutrition. That being said, like there are certain things for sure. Um, it's like for heels. Heels was, I think, the hardest working out I've ever done for anything, because I had to be, um, a really like really talented, um like small town wrestler that could go pro um, so I was like, yeah, it was, I was, I mean, it was savage, like we had a trainer for that and it was like very heavy lifting your basic training regimen, but then we would also do a wrestling training session, so there was like a workout part of it and there was a wrestling part of it.
Speaker 7:And the workout part was even more intense because James Harrison, super Bowl winner and notoriously one of the most feared men in the NFL at the time when he played for the Steelers James is also in heels with me and James, he designed the entire gym. So it was like this unbelievable, like paradise, and no, we definitely went after it, and I hate putting on that much weight Like, um, no, we, we, we definitely went after it, and I hate putting on that much weight. Like it's. I don't feel good.
Speaker 7:You know, you're eating a lot, um, I had to do something similar for bad boys and it's just like it's a lot of eating, um, and a lot of heavy lifting.
Speaker 7:Um, if you want to look like, you know, if you want to look slimmer and more toned and like more shredded, then it's like a lot of um, lifting is like the best thing you can do and then just eating in a calorie deficit because that's the simplest thing, right, you just want to eat less than then you want to expend more calories each day than you take in, right? So, on average. So for me, like, if I'm trying to lose weight, um, the the rule of thumb is two pounds a week is usually like the most manageable, and if you try to go too intense you actually end up ruining um your diet, which I do all the time because I try to go too fast and then I'm like super hungry on the third day and by by like midnight I'm just eating all the ice cream in the fridge. And I do this so much, guys, it's like I'm not a pro at this at all it's amazing, it's amazing how, how similar, yeah, yeah I agree that that that uh program is to songwriting program.
Speaker 2:It's amazing how similar it is. I'm'm shocked.
Speaker 1:Alexander, I just thought of something you know and Caleb brought it up. You've always got these roles where you're shredded and you're in shape.
Speaker 2:Will you ever? Would you ever take a role like Brendan Frazier in the Whale and gain like 100 pounds? Yes, would you do it? Great question, I want to see it, yeah.
Speaker 7:I would. I would hate it, though, like I would obviously like, if scorsese is like yeah, right, like we need you put on 100 pounds.
Speaker 6:I don't know, dude, a hundred pounds would be tough if they're like, it'd be kind of fun though for a little bit it's kind of fun, yeah, but russell crowe talked about this like he had to put on weight for something and he says he's never recovered from it ever.
Speaker 7:Really, yeah, yeah, because it's like I mean your body's like I I don't know what that does, um, but yeah, like, honestly, I I would it, but it would have to be the right thing and I would pretty much do everything I possibly could to not do it. So, like if I could wear a fat suit, you know, and like figure out the other way, um, you know, like I don't really subscribe to, especially as I get older and stuff, and like I'm just kind of like I don't really subscribe to the the whole. Like you know, destroy your body for for a role.
Speaker 3:If, if, uh, if it doesn't if you don't need to. You know what I mean. Like Christian Bale has done that a bunch of times.
Speaker 7:He's the person I'm thinking about as I'm saying this and like he's one of my idols and, like you know, it's funny Cause, like, even when I judge, a lot of times I I try to look at roles, sometimes like through the eyes of somebody like him, like when things are offered to me, like, obviously, like there's I can only I only get to do so much, but I always look to him as somebody who I really admire in his career and like what choices he's made in his career. That being said, like I you know I mean I did just see a video of him in his new film. I can't remember what film he's about to do, but he, he looks like a totally different person. I just think now, with like all the technology, it's like, do you do you have to or do you have to for you, the actor? Do you have to or is it? Are you doing this for the publicity or are you doing I'm not saying christian bale, I think he's 100 like just full actor through and through.
Speaker 7:He's doing this because he, he wants to be there and I respect that so much. But, um, yeah, I think when it comes to like actually affecting your health, I think that's a different question. You know, like what? What the long-term implications would be about doing something like that?
Speaker 2:That's one place that, yeah, that's one place that AI has stepped in.
Speaker 7:We don't have to write songs anymore. It's so funny, it's funny.
Speaker 7:We're all going through that like experience together in a funny way right now. You know actors, songwriters, musicians, writers I always go back to this and this is just my analogy in uh with ai like ai ain't writing south park, it just never would happen. Like it just never would happen. You know, it's only writing what it, what it like it. It's politically incorrect, it's, it's offensive, it's genius, it's all of these things. I just don't ever see that. And in the same way with songwriting, it's like you know, when you're hearing an AI song and sure like maybe it'll get super, super good, but I just there's something about it, there's something about the human connection and that's so important to to audiences. They need to know that what they are hearing isn't just another human, but it was written by another human. I think it would just ruin. I wouldn't be listening to it. It just wouldn't feel right, it just wouldn't hit me the same way. There's no way that any AI could ever understand what it's like to be a human being.
Speaker 3:You know, to this extent really can't wait to get you back to town and start writing, recording, getting that training rolling again, which is we knew it would be challenging because your career, you, you got, you're so busy, which is amazing because we've always talked about it. Remember it was like, okay, look, we know this is going to happen, but the acting career will help the music career and I can't wait to get you back. What are you liking right now musically, like any anybody that you're like listening to right now that you're just digging that you weren't three, four years ago wow, that's a really good question.
Speaker 7:I mean that you weren't three, four years ago. Wow, that's a really good question. I mean, yeah, I mean it's hard, dude, because like music is funny, Like I feel like so much of this stuff, so much of the songs that you love, I think are also because they're important points of time that you love Right, so like I'll always have this like crazy love for nineties country and anything that doesn't sound just like that to me isn't really country anymore, Right, Right, I swear to God. I heard a song on country radio the other day that was like this is not country at all, Like this is a straight up pop song. It is not country in the slightest. I can't even believe it's being played.
Speaker 2:What was it? I don't want to, no, no no, it's just us, it's just us here. Nope, you gotta say it.
Speaker 7:I can't even remember actually.
Speaker 1:That's how you know he's a good actor, perfect.
Speaker 7:I'm actually a terrible liar, obviously, but yeah, I can't remember honestly. But regardless, I think that there's this. It's strange to me because I feel like, okay, here's somebody who I think is doing a really amazing job. I'm loving the stuff that Riley Green is putting out. I think he's putting out really, really great. Mississippi and Me is an amazing song. I know that was a while, a couple, maybe a while back, and he put out a more recent one that I really liked. Maybe a while back he put out a more recent one that I really liked.
Speaker 7:By the way, that's not to say that I don't love. I love a lot of Hardy stuff too. I think Hardy's super talented. There's an argument that you could say some of his stuff is in this. I love his writing and I love Wallen's stuff. I got to say I am so blown away by Luke Combs because I feel like how he's writing this is just like um. He's so authentically himself and like I you know I love like um South on you Like I love that song. I listened to that song all the time. You know, I, even I, even though like listen to a song that Keith Urban did with um. Breland called like throw it back and like listen. That's got like a trap track on it and I still have a blast listening to it. So I'm not saying that like I don't. I don't love that too. Um, but to me like like 90s dirks in like the heyday where I heard like a little bluegrass influence in in like a mainstream country hit or like tip it on back like there we go.
Speaker 7:yeah, but that was like one of my favorite songs ever and like and like these guys wrote it and it's like crazy. Uh, true, and I'm not just saying that, that's just so true and uh, it was such a big part of my life and I love, like eric church just released another song recently that I actually just heard today and I and I really liked it. So I got to say also, you know, like the women are kind of coming up really strong too, like there's some really cool new female artists who I actually can't name, but I'm liking a lot of the songs.
Speaker 7:I'm hearing we just had this conversation.
Speaker 2:Thank you, keep saying that, yes, yes.
Speaker 6:We literally just had this conversation.
Speaker 2:I know we did.
Speaker 7:But here's a woman who I think is just killing it in her lane and just I'm loving it is is laney, and laney played at um. There's this we actually had to sign an nda for this. I don't know if I'm allowed to talk about what this thing is called, but all I'm going to say is in austin texas there's this like backyard music festival and like there's like maybe 90 people there and this like uber billionaire guy throws it um, and he invited me and lauren, so we went uh, and laney was playing. So I texted laney and I was like you're not gonna believe this, like I'm here and went backstage and hung out with her and she's just like I'm, I just feel like she's doing it so well and she just with such grace and I just I love her and I just want to see her continue to just fly, because she deserves all of it and it was just so nice to spend that time with her. So I think there's still really great music out there and I think people I like I love when people take risks, like I do love that.
Speaker 7:I just I am missing a little bit of like I don't know there's something. I'm just I'm missing, like you know, like I love, like that earlier Chesney stuff too, and like I, you know, I wish I heard a little bit more of the summer bangers. You know that aren't just. I just wish there was a little bit more. I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something. There's just something like that I'm missing and jason, to his credit, is always jason and I love that because it's like this is the same guy I grew up listening to. And artists are supposed to evolve, of course, and like every artist evolves in their own way. But, like you know, I just think that there's an authenticity to him, that that is why he's been able to have and what telly and kurt and collectively all of them have been able to have such long, incredible careers. It's just like this authenticity to who, to who you are, and now there's also just so much noise.
Speaker 7:So it's hard. It's really it is hard for artists and for me, the only reason I get so excited is like my goal in country music, above everything is, is going to be to just keep doing it. Like that's what I want to do, like whatever comes of it, like I just want to keep. I want to go back to nashville, be with telly and curtain recording studio, like that's like so much fun to me. And like writing, like that's that is the win for me, right? So, um, and I do miss playing like festivals. I will say like playing, like I played watershed festival and it was like, oh, it was the biggest adrenaline hit I've ever had in my entire life. It was so cool yeah well, you know what's interesting.
Speaker 3:I was thinking about the journey, the musical journey of your career and I look back on it and I don't know why I didn't think about this before. But you know, we we start making a record right before COVID. Okay, had a game plan, covid happens, and then the whole landscape changes the way. The way it's done.
Speaker 3:Like we were right in the middle of when that was happening. So it went from like, let's make, the middle of when that was happening. So it went from like let's make a you know album, go on a radio tour, attack it. This way that stops. It goes to all streaming, which is weird.
Speaker 3:It felt like a you know mostly streaming and right, and it kind of came on us right at that point and we were kind of a victim of a couple things where it's like we the first album, like I'd say, most, most of that, most little songs were really authentic to you, you know, and kind of get stalled. And then I kind of think like we're all. We're like kind of chasing, okay, what should we do now? Because then things change. Like zach bry came around, remember, it's got real acoustic heavy. It was like, okay, what are we missing? Do we got to change what we're doing? And looking back on it, what we did to start with was really you. The first batch of songs was, I mean, that is you. It's just crazy how, when COVID happened I didn't realize it before, but it was right when we were really starting to focus on your sound. You know, it's tricky, you know when, when things change like that. It went from radio tour to what will stream. You know there's a whole other element to this that I needed this.
Speaker 7:Like you know this, this was a I'm very great, like, like, because, like, also right after this, like I had kids, right, so like, and then my work was like crazy, I had the busiest year of my life last year. So, like for me, like I, it was kind of the perfect storm for us, uh, from a music standpoint, because, like, I really got a chance to step back and, like, look at this from like a distance and what I, what I came back with is is you and we've always said this, this is so funny, we were never wrong it's like you just cannot chase trends. You just can't, and and like it's so much, it's like surfing man, it's like if you want to catch the wave, you wait for the wave, right, and, and you just and you position yourself in that spot, but you don't try to chase a wave that's already passed or that's going to pass. You know, and it's like for me and again, that's if you want to have some sort of success, right, or if that's even your goal like my whole perception of country music has changed, even with this time being away, because I'm like, when I come back, the songs that we're going to pick are not going to be, because we think, um, this is a number one at country radio. We're going to pick the best songs that we want to listen to, right, and it's like I think, if that's the, the motto you go into, it's like we, and that's what we did with our first album. Right, it was like these are the, and everybody who listened to it, who I talked to, are just like, they love it because it reminds them of that kind of music.
Speaker 7:Right, and it's like this is, you know, and I'm so proud that we did that and we stuck to our guns, because the one thing I never expected in music and this is a little different from like my, my business in acting is like is is navigating, um, all the things that don't have anything to do with music, like the business side of things. Right, because there are so many people and there's a similarity here when it comes to movies. But it's like there's no way anybody will ever really figure it out, because you have executives in a movie studio who love movies Like they. They got into this business because they genuinely love movies Like they. They aren't some corporate like they love movies. Similarly that you have people at the label who love music, like that's true.
Speaker 7:At the same time, in in my world you're, this studio is a publicly traded company and they need to answer to their investors, which means they need to make money right and their job is to find things that make money. Best case scenario you get to tell your art and make money. How do you do that? Well, to me, what I've realized is that if you're trying to chase trends over and over again, you're probably going to lose. But if you're original and you're true to you, and the same with filmmaking those are usually the ones that stick out and I think it's no scenario that, like Zach Bryan, to your point that you mentioned like stuck out.
Speaker 7:I also think it's like a time and place. It was at a time where those we weren't hearing a lot of that right, like there wasn't a lot of like that kind of like acoustic. You know, like folk music was like I love folk music, right, so much, and I felt like it was a breath of fresh air for audiences and I think that probably really helped. And yeah, I mean I'm just excited to get back. Guys, I really miss you and like I can't wait to be back in Nashville. I love it there and I love the people there and I just it's such a special place and the country music community to me is unlike anything else in the world. It's it's one of the few businesses where I've seen most people want everyone to win Like. It's an amazing community of like people just rooting for each other because they all love this one thing.
Speaker 6:Well, alexander, I've never heard you sing or anything like that, uh, but I would love to get in the room and spend time with you writing, just because the guy that you are, just this last hour, that we've talked, because you can just tell you're just an amazing guy just comes out of you and, like you were talking about the, you know fitness, you know 90% being diet or what you're eating. You know, and I've always thought this, I don't know if it's 90% or not, but a high percentage is just being likable, you know on a set or in a writing room or wherever there's just a lot of success comes from just simply being likable.
Speaker 2:I'm not giving up my Cool.
Speaker 5:Ranch Doritos. Well, that's a whole different thing. I'm not doing it. I'm just not doing it.
Speaker 7:I don't care what Alex says Dude, you're a scratch golfer, You're killing it dude.
Speaker 6:He's doing fine.
Speaker 1:But you're right, kalo and Tully and I have known this for a while now and you know, hopefully our listeners if they didn't know any of alexander uh, behind the scenes, it shows him he's a good human being, he's just a solid human being. We're lucky to be friends with you, buddy, we're proud of you and, like you said, we can't wait till you get back to nashville too.
Speaker 2:We got work to do. Yeah, when you. Hey, when are you moving to nashville, aren't you gonna move to nashville? Also, I just wanted to say, like I got work to do hey, when are you moving to Nashville, aren't you going to move to Nashville?
Speaker 7:Also, I just wanted to say like I so want to pick you up on that. I would love to be there. And, moving to Nashville, it's a really good thing that you brought up so it's funny. So for the time, for like what we for our life, Austin made a lot of sense just in the time that happened. I think if I was 25, like I would have been in Nashville in a heartbeat at that time. But I think right now it'll be back and forth until, listen, if things like are really busy and it's like I need to be there, like we'll figure that out. And I was funny. I was just talking to my wife today. I was like we could totally live in Nashville, Like I love Nashville, Like it's amazing, you know, yeah, but I would love to hang out with you guys and I'd love to watch you golf. I don't know if I'm a good Not today, you wouldn't.
Speaker 6:You could help us out. It's all us against him, you know? Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3:Oh man, it's so great having you on dude like it really appreciate it. And you know we love you and you always talk about it like we haven't seen you in way too long now. But yeah, you know, we always jump right back into where we left off, you know, and we'll get back in the studio and crank it up, you know so absolutely, alexander.
Speaker 1:We love you, my friend uh, next time we see you. We need it not on a tv screen or movie screen, we need you right here in the room with us yeah, when we, when we cut, when we cut the sides, we'll do it again.
Speaker 3:We'll come in and hang out.
Speaker 2:Be great yeah oh, hey, I already got. I already got like three song titles from you, so you're not going to be a part of it until you get here. Change your word, get a third I'll be there we
Speaker 6:made a career out of it. You know all right.
Speaker 5:We thank you for being here.
Speaker 1:We thank everybody for watching through it.
Speaker 5:I love you, guys love.
Speaker 3:Love you, buddy.
Speaker 5:Love you buddy. All right, this is the.
Speaker 3:Try that Small Town.
Speaker 1:Podcast, and that's Alexander Ludwig.
Speaker 5:Subscribe, share rate and check out our merch at trythatinasmalltowncom.