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The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Ever wonder what really goes on at a small-town morning radio show?
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett and Best Friends is your daily dose of real callers, big laughs, and unforgettable characters straight from QCountry 925 in Show Low, Arizona.
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Could’ve Been Her: Chandler James’ Country Climb & White Mountain Fun
Today’s Morning Brew kicks off with our Country Climb Star of the Week, Chandler James, the rising Nashville artist from North Carolina whose soulful country sound is turning heads. Chandler opens up about his journey from Motown karaoke sessions to the legendary Bluebird Café, and we premiere his brand-new single “Could’ve Been Her.”
But that’s just the start — Brian from Pinedale calls in to remind us that Chris Bennett Comedy’s Best of Phoenix Comedy Showcase hits the Pinedale Community Center in just 15 days (and tickets are already 50% sold out at chrisbennettcomedy.com). Tony from Snowflake returns with a health update and a hilarious round of Trash or Treasure, Jineane Ford shares what’s happening around the White Mountains, and Paul from Beaumont checks in with stories from training RD and his patriotic single “Left Behind.”
It’s the perfect mix of new music, small-town fun, and community connection.
From the Horn Auto Center Studios, Chris.
Speaker 2:Bennett's.
Speaker 1:Country Climb. Star of the Week.
Speaker 2:Originally from North Carolina, now kicking butt in Nashville, tennessee. Today's Country Climb Star of the Week is Chandler James Woo, how you doing, best friend.
Speaker 3:Good man, how are you?
Speaker 2:I'm doing great. We are so excited to learn more about you and also play one of your songs. Could have been her coming up in a little bit. But before we get to the nitty gritty, I like to start every interview with some rapid fire questions. Are you ready? I'll try my best. All right, north Carolina barbecue or Nashville chicken.
Speaker 3:North Carolina barbecue for sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're originally from North Carolina. What part of North Carolina are you from?
Speaker 3:Nashville, just like Tennessee.
Speaker 2:Oh, holy moly, and you also got your start with karaoke. Do you prefer Motown karaoke or a country ballad sing-along karaoke?
Speaker 3:It's tough man, If I can sing those Motown songs, I'd rather do that, but some of those things are hard to hit.
Speaker 2:What's your go-to karaoke song?
Speaker 3:Oh man, I don't know. It's either between Tennessee Whiskey or I'd Rather Go Blonde by Etta James. So it's a hard choice.
Speaker 2:First job growing up? Chick-fil-a oh really, oh heck, yeah Sweet. Oh heck, yes, sweet. I'll ask you the hardest question you'll get asked today. Then If you had one country song to request for the rest of your life, what country song are you requesting and why?
Speaker 3:Oh man, these are hard questions. Probably it's not, I guess, southern Rock, but Melissa by the Allman Brothers Band, because there's so much space for people to do it differently. But it'd still be good, so I like doing that one.
Speaker 2:We had a little fun with some rapid-fire questions. Now I want to find out about your country climb. When did you start doing music and when did music grab a hold of you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, so music grabbed a hold of me early on in life. Obviously my grandma was a big Motown fan and soul fan so I grew up listening to all that stuff and then my parents kind of trickled in country and Southern rock and everything else hip hop, whatever. But I started playing music when I was 17. My first day, second day of senior year in high school, I dropped AP psychology and started taking guitar lessons the second day. So that was fun. But yeah, I've been playing ever since.
Speaker 2:And what did your parents think when you told them you were going to drop an AP class and learn the guitar?
Speaker 3:Well, my mom knows me pretty well. She knows I probably wasn't going to pass that class anyway, she was all right.
Speaker 2:So you start basically in high school, you go to community college and then when do you decide to move to Nashville? Are you performing country music full time now?
Speaker 3:Yes, sir, I'm full time. I've been full time for about two years, but I went to community college and I was ready to move, but my mom refused to let me move until I got my two-year degree. So I had to finish my two-year degree. So I had to finish my two-year degree, which took me three years, because of COVID and I was playing music full time, going to school full time and working a full-time job. Um, so it took me three years to get my two-year degree. But and then she let me move.
Speaker 2:So I was 21 when I finally moved to Nashville we are back With Chandler James, today's Country Climb Star of the Week. His song Could have Been Her is coming up in a little bit, but first we have musician questions for a musician Chandler, what was the first album you ever bought?
Speaker 3:First album I ever bought. Oh, I don't know, man, I'm younger so I didn't really have to buy albums. I was streaming music, but probably something Brooks and Dunn.
Speaker 2:Heck yeah. What's the first concert you ever attended?
Speaker 3:Toby Keith with Chris Jansen opening.
Speaker 2:Who are your top three musical influences?
Speaker 3:American Aquarium, which is also a band from North Carolina. Chris Tableton, which is kind of cliche, but how can he not be. And then the Allman.
Speaker 2:Brothers, what has been your biggest pinch me moment in Nashville so far?
Speaker 3:So I'm good friends with a major songwriter in town named Steve Dorff. It really didn't have anything to me, but I got to watch him perform from backstage at the Opry. That was pretty crazy.
Speaker 2:What is your? What is your dream venue to play the rhyming?
Speaker 3:oh heck, yes, and the last live show that blew your mind like my show, or just a show that I went, just a show you saw, um, probably it was probably a turnpike troubadours show, which I'm actually going to see them in kansas city on th night.
Speaker 2:And last question do you have a worst gig ever?
Speaker 3:story I have a few, so I have two that stand out. When I was in Nashville I got the chance to play at the Bluebird and it didn't go bad or anything, but I totally blacked out when I got on stage, and not from drinking or anything, I just nerves. I don't remember being on stage at all, um, I don't even. I didn't even remember what song I played, until my friends that went with me told me afterwards. But it must've went all right, because the lady met me in the parking lot and said that it was her favorite song of the night. So, but uh, so yeah, just pure nerve, I just don't remember any of it. I guess they got the best of me. And then I played my high school graduation, which was pretty crazy because I had only been playing guitar for you know eight months and, um I, that was the biggest show I had for a long time because there were you know a thousand people at our graduation. So yeah, I blacked out then.
Speaker 2:Then too, from nerves well, this has been musician questions for a musician, and hopefully you didn't black out on this one, chandler. It's now time to play a new song that you released last week. Tell us what is the song, how did it come about and give us a little background about it.
Speaker 3:So I was at my parents' house in Nashville, north Carolina, and I just had the idea for the hook, which, honestly, I can't remember what the hook was. It wasn't the title of the song at the time and I wrote it by myself. It is a solo write and I finished it in about I don't know, probably an hour all in, but it's not about any particular girl. I guess it's a little bit about all of them and a little bit about none of them. I try to write in a space of like just kind of anybody could relate to. So I mean, I feel like everybody can relate to this song in some way, shape or form. It's about like missing out on a relationship that you were in but you kind of messed it up.
Speaker 2:Well, let's play it right now. Have you played this in Arizona? Has any Arizona radio station played this yet that you're aware of?
Speaker 3:No, has any Arizona radio station played?
Speaker 2:this yet that you're aware of? No, sir, first time. Heck, yes, we're the bad boys of radio baby, bringing you the freshest and hottest country music from Nashville. And a big shout out to our friend Austin Burke and the Playlisted Podcast for sending you our way. And let's play your new song right now.
Speaker 4:This is Chandler James with. Could have Been Her on Q Country 92.5. Should have brought flowers to guide that door. Took you dancing on a hardwood floor Instead of sitting here all alone drinking. Could have picked you up, drove all night, got to the beach to watch the sunrise instead of laying in my bed at home thinking. Could have been her the girl I saw in a dream I had all night long a few years ago. I just didn't know the meaning. I messed up. She's moved on. I'm laying in this bed alone. Could or would, I should have thought, staring at the ceiling. If I was smart, I would have done things different. Here I go again, wishing I would have stayed up all night long, talk to you till the break of dawn instead of wasting all our time sleeping. I told my friends they have to wait, don't need to be out so late, cause I got an angel laying at home with me.
Speaker 4:Could have been her, the girl I saw in a dream I had all night long A few years ago. I just didn't know the meaning. I messed up. She's moved on. I'm laying in this bed alone. Coulda, woulda, shoulda thought, staring at the ceiling. If I was smart, I could or would have, should have thought staring at the ceiling, if I was smart, I would have done things different. Here I go again, wishing guitar solo Could have been her, the girl I saw In a dream I had all night long A few years ago. I just didn't know the meaning. I messed up. She's moved on. I'm laying in this bed alone. Coulda woulda shoulda thought staring at the ceiling, if I was smart, I woulda done things different. I wouldn't be laying here all alone, missing. Here I go again, wishing. Here I go again, wishing.
Speaker 2:Heck yeah, that was Chandler James. Today's Country Climb Star of the Week with his new song Could have Been Her. Make sure you download that on all your favorite streaming platforms today. That song's amazing, it's a hit.
Speaker 5:It's a hit in my opinion we love it here on Q Country in the morning?
Speaker 2:brew man way to go. What's next for Chandler James? What can we expect from you?
Speaker 3:I've got another song coming out on September 26th and then just shows man and I'm sure I'll be putting out, you know, two or three more songs this year and get back in the recording studio and do some more.
Speaker 2:And we can follow you. To support Chandler, make sure you go to his socials and follow him. It's at Chandler James Music. Yes, sir, there you go and you'll be kept up to date with all his new songs. Make sure you download all his music. And, chandler, thank you so much for sharing your music with us and sharing your country climb, and you have a home on arizona radio here at q country. So whenever you have new songs that you'd like to share with our audience, let us know. You have a direct line.
Speaker 2:We'll get it done all right, yes, sir, thank you, I appreciate it heck yeah, this has been our country climb star of the week, chandler James. Good morning, it's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this? Good morning Champion? Chris Bennett. Heck yeah, it's Brian from Pinedale. He's great. How are you doing on this Friday morning?
Speaker 6:TGIF, heck, yeah, yeehaw.
Speaker 2:What are you doing this weekend?
Speaker 6:Moving wood to get ready for winter. Oh man, yeah, I got a neighbor cutting trees down so I'm taking them, but I called in we got 15 days.
Speaker 2:15 days and we're over 50% sold out for Chris Bennett Comedy Productions Presents stand-up comedy at the Pinedale Community Center with the Best of Phoenix Comedy Showcase. We have some of the best stand-up comedians in the Phoenix comedy scene coming up. Some of them are already favorites up here on the mountain. New ones are Sari Belyak she's a star of stage and page. She wrote for the satirical newspaper the Onion. Zach Allen, who's originally from Montana but now living in Phoenix, recently opened up for Steve-O at the Tempe Improv. And then we have Lamar Mitchell Jr, who's been up before, who everyone loves, and Cricket Gill, who was up for my birthday bash and if you missed her, you don't want to miss her again. Nah, we don't want to miss her. No, no, no. So it is going to be Saturday, september 20th. Doors Alberto's Food Truck open up at 5. Show starts at 6.30 pm. And yeah, there's food there. You guys will have light refreshments, but there's no alcohol served. But it is 21 and over and you can BYOB.
Speaker 2:There you go Get your tickets today at chrisbennettcomedycom $25. Get them before it's too late.
Speaker 6:Get them while they're gone.
Speaker 2:Get them while they're not gone. That's what it's called Awesome Good morning. It's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this? Oh no, it's Mr B Heck. Yeah, it's Tony from Snowflake. He's great. It's been a while since we've heard from you. Go ahead, give us a health and overall update on Tony from Snowflake.
Speaker 6:Well, I'm six feet above, so it's a great day, there we go. I'm headed to Flagstaff to get injections in my right shoulder because I have a torn rotator cuff and muscle in my shoulder and it's not torn in half, they just kind of tore a little bit. So they're hoping the injections work without having to do surgery.
Speaker 2:Oh man, and so you're still not back at work, huh.
Speaker 6:No, still not back at work, still fighting the insurance company. So if you have UnitedHe Health, I am really sorry. I mean, I'm having to jump through all kinds of hoops to get the injections in my neck that I need to be able to function properly and yeah, I'm still fighting that. But you know it's another day. You know what are you gonna do.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, I'm sorry you're dealing with that, buddy. I know it's been a while you've been in the trash biz, but I thought we'd do a special trash or treasure with Tony. I'm going to name four items found in the trash. You tell me which one is actually the treasure you ready? Yes, a vintage Funyun bag from 2003. Okay, a dusty copy of David Bowie's original Diamond Dogs LP artwork, unedited. Polly Pocket, peter Pan play set pre-Mattel. Or a single old Christmas ornament from 1830s, germany. Or a Saddle Ridge Horde A Saddle Ridge Horde? I don't know what that is.
Speaker 6:I'm going to have to go with a Christmas ornament from 1830s, as long as it was in mint condition. If not, I'm going to have to go with the David Bowie album.
Speaker 2:Well, all of these are really treasures. It was kind of a trick, but yeah. The Christmas Ornament from Germany, those could be worth hundreds of dollars. The Saddle Ridge Horge, which I guess, is just like a bag that someone found walking their dog in California it contained 1,427 gold coins valued at $10 million. So that was the true treasure. The Polly Pocket Peter Pan play set that could be worth $531 on eBay. The David Bowie's original, unedited artwork that could be worth over $3,000. And the Funyun bags. Believe it or not, it's worth nothing.
Speaker 6:Oh, no way what's happening hot stuff.
Speaker 2:Janine, you there? Yes, I am Heck. Yeah, it's Friday. I was wondering if you wanted to find out what's happening. Yeah, yes, in the White Mountains. You want me to go first? Go ahead. Awesome, there is a fun event happening tomorrow, september 6th, 4 pm to 7 pm at the Linden Valley Arena. Janine, it is. Linden Elementary PTO presents their fifth annual Cougar Cub Horseless Rodeo. This is a lot of fun. They'll have horses on sticks. Any child doesn't matter. If you don't go to Linden Elementary, you could go to any school. Any child eighth grade and under is allowed to enter, and they have belt buckles that are up for grabs. It's $10 to enter each event and the cool thing about this Horseless Rodeo, janine, is 100% of the proceeds are going back to the teachers at Linden Elementary, so they're going to divvy it up and all the teachers are going to be able to use this money to buy supplies for their classroom.
Speaker 5:Oh, that is awesome.
Speaker 2:So they don't have to dip into their own pockets. There's going to be barrel racing, pole bending, keg race, dummy roping, boot scramble money, calf, grocery race, winner, winner, chicken dinner, and I'm going to be there at 4 to help kick things off.
Speaker 1:Very nice. It's going to be a lot of fun On stick horses.
Speaker 2:Hey, listen, I don't have to worry about getting kicked in the calf by a stick horse. Hey, there you go.
Speaker 1:I know I would have been much better off that the calf by a stick horse.
Speaker 2:Hey, there you go. I know I would have been much better off, that's for sure. Yeah, stick to stick to stick horses you'll be safe.
Speaker 1:I have to tell you something too it looks like linden because that's in linden, at the linden uh rodeo grounds, which is an amazing place. This one I'm going to tell you about is also in linden. So this is the place to be this weekend. It's, uh, the new, it's for the new hope christian fellowship, okay, and they're going to be in their parking lot and this is going to be a great auction and fundraiser. Because what happened is they built on and they built a big thing onto the church and the Christian Fellowship Center and what happened is then they were told whoops, you need a big, elaborate sprinkler system. Oh, it's expensive. So that's the thing they need to get this money raised for their sprinkler systems.
Speaker 1:They're going to have a car show, barbecue entertainment, raffle, great silent auction items. There's going to be three guns in their raffle and the silent auction items. There's some that are valued at more than $4,000. So this is really awesome. It's going to be at 989 Cheney Ranch Loop in Linden 989 Cheney Ranch Loop. So, hey, guys, head out to Linden for the you know, horseless Rodeo and the great New Hope Christian Fellowship fundraiser tomorrow and when is the New Hope fundraiser?
Speaker 1:10 to 3 pm tomorrow, 10 to 3. Holy moly, 10 to 3 tomorrow A full day.
Speaker 2:Go to the New Hope event from 10 to 3. Help them raise money and then go to the Linden Valley Arena for a horseless rodeo from 4 to 7. Bring your stick horses.
Speaker 1:There you go. I know Monica's the great little place to eat here in. Michelle, they have stick horses for sale on the front usually. Cute little handmade stick horses.
Speaker 2:Alright, janine, we love you. I hope you have a great day. Best friend, love you too.
Speaker 1:Have a great weekend, Chris.
Speaker 2:You too, bye Okay bye-bye Woo.
Speaker 6:That's my blog.
Speaker 2:Paul from Beaumont said so, yee-yee, yee-yee, holy moly, it's Paul from Beaumont, everyone's favorite redneck. You have been MIA, you, the new guy, still with you. Yeah, oh, is that? Yeah, he's here. Oh, let me RD say hi. Hey, what's up? Dude, rd and Paul, paul, don't you think RD sounds a lot like you?
Speaker 6:No, he don't look like me either. I'm better looking than he is. He's older and bald RD how have you been liking driving around, miss Daisy? Oh, I love Miss Daisy, but it's time for her to go.
Speaker 2:Well, hopefully you get your own truck next week and then you guys will. You know what he just mumbled. I'm just kidding. Yeah, well, awesome. Well, paul, did you hear our Country Climb Artist of the Week, chandler James. Yeah, man, I was listening to that man. He sounds pretty good, dude. He sounds real good. I think he'd sound real good singing your song Left Behind.
Speaker 6:That's what I'm thinking, man. Look here. Man, hold your ears, let me know what you think. Holler back at me.
Speaker 2:All right, you know what we're going to do a special double patriotic song of the day. This song is written by our friend Paul from Beaumont, and I know RD didn't believe you that you had a song that was being spun on the radio, but here you go, rd, eat your heart out. This is Paul from Beaumont with his song Left Behind on Q Country 92.5. Paul, hope you have a great weekend and, rd, it was great getting to meet you, best friend.
Speaker 6:Yes, sir, talk to you later. No, you won't.
Speaker 2:No, you won't, okay, no you're not Alright, buddy, here's your song. We love you. Have a good day, bye.
Speaker 5:You were sitting at the edge of the bar Just having a beer or two. I walked in with my head hung low and I didn't know what to do, flashbacks coming every which way, and I knew things had to change. This problem was bigger than me, so I tried to drink it away. Won't somebody save me? I can't do this on my own. The pain's too real, the cut's too deep. My mind won't let me sleep. I still think it should have been me that left the earth that day, but God had a different plan in mind. That's why God had a different plan in mind. That's why he left me behind. I look back to where I was and I see how far I've come.
Speaker 5:This once lost boy had no idea About the life he owned A lovely wife, beautiful kids and a growing family. God knew just what he was doing when he left me here that day. Won't somebody save me? I can't do this on my own. The pain's too real, the cut's too deep. My mind won't let me sleep. I still think it should have been me that left the earth that day, but God had a different plan in mind. That's why he left me behind. Won't somebody save me? I can't do this on my own. My pain's too real, my gut's too deep, my mind won't let me sleep. I still think it should have been me that left the earth that day. But God had a different plan in mind. God had a different plan in mind Faith, grace and trusting in His time. That's why he left me behind. He left me behind.
