How Cody Hibbard Went From Oil Fields to The Road with Keith Urban

Country artist Cody Hibbard joins That Nashville Girl to talk about life before music, going viral online, and how he ended up on Keith Urban’s CBS show The Road.

Before national TV and nearly a million monthly listeners, Cody was working in the oil and gas industry, hauling trash with his family in Oklahoma, and playing songs in a small Texas bar after someone told him, “You don’t sound like you look.”

In this episode, Cody opens up about:

•  His journey from the oil fields to country music 
•  Being adopted from South Korea and growing up in Oklahoma 
•  Why he almost turned down The Road
•  The song for his daughter that stopped audiences in their tracks 
•  Social media fame and his hilarious online videos 
•  Addiction, recovery, fatherhood, and starting over 
•  Building a loyal fanbase without chasing Nashville trends 
•  Working with John Daly 
•  The real work ethic behind making it in country music 

Plus, Cody performs “Had I Been a Boy” and his new song “Barrel Gone Bad” live in studio.

If you love real stories, country music, and artists who do things their own way, this episode is for you.

Follow Cody Hibbard everywhere and stream his latest music now.

Don't forget: new episodes drop every Tuesday! Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to make sure you never miss a minute!

Connect with Amanda on That Nashville Girl Instagram, Amanda's Instagram, and YouTube.

Transcript

SPEAKER_07 0:00

You went from oil and gas to national TV. How does this happen?

SPEAKER_04 0:05

I'd actually said no the first time because I was coming out of a publishing deal and was kind of pissed off at the machine and all that kind of stuff, I guess.

SPEAKER_07 0:13

And then at some point in there you said, I'm gonna give this singer, songwriter, artist thing a go. How'd you decide to do that?

SPEAKER_04 0:19

I didn't. I never planned on being a singer, songwriter, or any of this stuff. You changed your life. A couple times now, it seems like.

SPEAKER_07 0:25

You were born in South Korea?

SPEAKER_04 0:26

Adopted when I was 13 months old.

SPEAKER_07 0:28

Which is why you sound like you sound. You look like you look.

SPEAKER_04 0:31

But if I put that out there, people go, what is he supposed to sound like? And it's like, I don't know. You guys are the ones saying I'm not supposed to sound like this. You don't want to get in like a uh piston match with me because I'll make you cry. If somebody says something to me, it is not going to derail me off of any path that I've ever done. And when you look the way I do, sometimes the first image always is like, if I can tell my story, if I can get people to understand, like, hey, this is what's your real American story.

SPEAKER_07 0:57

You've never taken any chance to say that didn't work out for me because I'm dot dot dot. Like you don't live like that.

SPEAKER_04 1:04

No. Again, I'm probably gonna piss some people off. I I I don't. It's not that I didn't want to win and wasn't gonna turn down a four million dollars in a record deal and all that. I had my own goals.

SPEAKER_07 1:14

My main goal was Okay, listen though, you dropped a name a minute ago that we gotta go back to. Okay. Okay, John Daly.

SPEAKER_04 1:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 1:21

Okay, so you and John Daly. Cody Hibbert.

SPEAKER_03 1:29

Howdy.

SPEAKER_07 1:30

It's real nice to have a guy from Adair, Oklahoma here in Nashville with us.

SPEAKER_03 1:34

Yeah, it's good to be here.

SPEAKER_07 1:35

So um, let's just I you gotta start it off with what you do best.

SPEAKER_04 1:40

Oh, I don't know if this is what I do best, but we'll uh let's hear some music. Um I gotta play this because I play it I try to play it everywhere I go, and it's a song for my daughter. And uh, if you watch the road, you know, there was uh there was an episode there that um I kind of definitely was telling people that, you know, I was addicted to pills. I went to the Naval Academy, and um, when I have a surgery, I got addicted to uh prescription pills and didn't know it's something you can get addicted to, and and my daughter's the reason why I quit. So here we go.

SPEAKER_00 2:18

Had I been a boy, my hands might have been shaking so bad, staring at my future through that glass with no one looking back. Had I been a boy, I'd have known exactly what I'm supposed to do. I'd have raised them up to follow in my boots, I've known all the roots, but had I been a boy, I would've never learned how to take a minute and slow down, put a flower in a halo brain, look at everything a different way. I woulda never learned to talk sweet, or live up to what she sees in me. Pink and blue would have been my pride and joy, but I wouldn't be the man I am, had I been a boy, I'd proud, but still be thinking I was tough, not looking at her, smiling, tearing up. But thank God, cause had I been a boy, I would've never learned how to take a minute and slow down, put a flower in a halo brain. Look at everything in a different way. I would've never learned to talk sweet, or live up to what she sees in me. Pink or blue would have been my pride and joy, but I wouldn't be the man I am. Had it been a boy, yeah, I wouldn't sit here and dread the day. She's walking down the aisle with a rose bouquet, saying, Daddy, it'll be okay. But had it been a boy, I would've never learned how to take a minute and slow down. Cause she's the reason that I learned to pray, straighten up and change my ways. I would've never learned to talk sweet, or live up to what she sees in me. Pink or blue would've been my pride and joy, but I wouldn't be the man I am had it been a boy. Yeah, hadn't been a boy.

SPEAKER_07 4:51

Oh, I love that song. Thank you. Appreciate it. Man, that's a good one.

SPEAKER_04 4:55

Thanks so much. I don't know if that's the best one to kick off the podcast, but here we are.

SPEAKER_07 5:00

I I think that's a great one to kick off the podcast because it's who you are. I mean, well, you're multifaceted. If anybody follows you on Instagram, we're gonna get into that too, because you are hilarious. But I okay, I watched The Road a little bit, I have to tell you. Um, I didn't watch it all because you weren't on it all. I kind of stopped.

SPEAKER_04 5:19

Well, I hate to say it in CBS and Paramount's probably gonna see this. I didn't watch it all either. Yeah, in fact, they kept getting mad at me because uh I kept making the joke, well, I don't have Paramount Plus or CBS. And they were like, Really? And I'm like, yeah, I don't watch. So I I literally borrowed my parents to watch it Paramount Plus uh login to watch it, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 5:39

Well, it was a great show, and it was so fun to discover you as an artist on that show. So I remember I was like, who is this Cody Hibbard guy from Oklahoma? And you know, I'm originally from Arkansas, so I was like, you're not that far down the road. And but I remember when you played that song, oh my gosh. Yeah, everybody loved it, and we loved your story because I don't think a lot of people can do that. You changed your life.

SPEAKER_04 6:04

Yeah, I've changed it a couple times now, seems like. Um yeah, I um you know, like I said, I was I mean, I was if you watch the show, um, I was in the oil gas industry. And uh I never plan on being a singer, songwriter, or any of this stuff, and um, you know, whatever. I'm six years into it now, and and uh to be on a national TV show. I am very thankful for it. Um and uh it was it was good, it was a good experience, and and uh still you know, I'm not the guy to be behind in front of a camera a lot of times, but uh I'm getting better at it, and that definitely helped out.

SPEAKER_07 6:35

So but uh that was a lot of you went from oil and gas to national TV. How does this happen?

SPEAKER_04 6:42

Uh really just I don't know. I mean, it's just uh just working hard, I guess, because you know, that's the good thing about the road is that they reached out to a bunch of artists. Uh I think it was like I heard four or five hundred. I don't know if that's true or not, but um, and they'd asked, you know, hey, we're just putting this TV show together. Um, really would like to uh showcase um what it's like being on the road and all this kind of stuff. And I'd actually said no way the first time because I was coming out of a publishing deal and I was kind of pissed off at the machine and all that kind of stuff, I guess. And uh, you know, I just wanted to be home. My grandparents passed, and and um, you know, I'm the only boy on the Hibbert side, um, my dad with my dad, and so it was just kind of, you know, we're taking care of cattle and everything, and it was just good to be feel, I guess, country again for a little while. And then I was just again, I was kind of a little bit irritated, and you know, I just I don't know, I just was kind of debating, like, man, you've been pretty good and done well on in everything you've done. Like, is this but is this what you want to keep battling? Like, and so um yeah, I kind of was like, Yeah, I was very hesitant of it, but uh you know, my wife talks to me about it and she's like, You don't get opportunities like this, and you are blessed, and you um I know you're kind of down right now and things like that. She said so is everybody else, and and so you know, I'm thankful for her, and and uh, you know, when they reached back out asking, hey, you know, you know, would you do it? And I said, Yeah, let's just see what happens. So yeah, it's uh you know, it's just all these little blessings that uh keep coming into my life and the good people that I'm surrounded by that that open my eyes to uh to just being able to see them.

SPEAKER_07 8:15

That's amazing. When you okay, rewind with me for a minute. So when you decided to make the switch from oil and gas, I mean you've always had the farm, right? You've got a zillion cattle. I don't understand how many cattle a zillion cattle is, but you've got that many, right?

SPEAKER_04 8:29

I don't have that many. How many do you want to do? I wish I had that many with the way cattle prices are right now. Yeah, no kidding. I think we're sitting about 130 head right now.

SPEAKER_07 8:36

130 head is does that mean 130 cows? Yeah, okay, thanks.

SPEAKER_04 8:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 8:41

My my Arkansas family is shaking their heads right now.

SPEAKER_04 8:44

It's okay. Yeah. Next time you come over, it's only an hour from Fayeville, so you can just Oh, I'll come.

SPEAKER_07 8:49

Yeah, I'm in. Let's do it. Um, but you you've had the farm, family farm, you guys are always working that. Then you've got the oil and gas part of your life. And then at some point in there you said, I'm gonna give this singer, songwriter, artist thing a go. How'd you decide to do that?

SPEAKER_04 9:04

Uh I I didn't. It was again another like kind of blessing um that that happened. And I guess some days I'll sit here and think, it was it a blessing? It is a blessing. But um, no, I uh I was headed down to Conroe, Texas to to uh take another job uh at welding and stuff, and uh stopped off in a little Tex-Mex bar out in Crockett, Texas to eat with a buddy of mine. And my waiter goes, Man, I don't want to offend you, but you don't sound how you look. And this is 20, 2019, and my buddy, for some reason, he was just like, Man, you think that's weird y'all hear him sing? And uh, you know, I'd only had a guitar, I mean, I'd had a guitar pretty much all my life, but I never really played it. Um, and I only knew three songs, and uh, so I played them, whatever. And the bar manager said, Do you do shows? And I said, No, I said, I just played you everything I know right here. And uh, she goes, Well, if you learn a few more, like come out and we like having little local artists or whatever and stuff. And so I bought a whole PA system, figured out what an XLR cable was, all that good stuff, and uh took her up on that offer and went out there and was just hooked. And a guy was like, Man, you should start writing. Like apparently, you know, your buddy says you got a story and all kinds of stuff. So I started writing music and and then just one thing led to another, and you know, uh COVID happened and all that, but uh you know, just kind of just again, I'm just all I know what to do is work. So gosh, worked at it and yeah, ended up here.

SPEAKER_07 10:32

So, what were those three songs? They f they knew, or at least give me one of them.

SPEAKER_04 10:36

Uh Fishing in the Dark, Tennessee Whiskey, the Chris Stablin version, and uh Don't Close Your Eyes, Keith Wheelie.

SPEAKER_07 10:43

Those are some good songs. Those are good songs to know.

SPEAKER_04 10:46

Like, I'm the worst. Like, if you ride me, my guitar player hates it. Like, we'll get through the first verse in chorus and then I'll change it because I get bored real quick. And uh, and so I probably knew a lot more. I just didn't know if I knew the second verse lyrics. So yeah, I'm real bad about changing a song on you. Do not give me the ox.

SPEAKER_07 11:05

Yeah, it's hilarious. Don't give him the ox. Road trip rolls with Cody. So, and you mentioned this, you said that they said you don't sound like you look. Yeah, and so for anyone who's not watching this on YouTube, if you're listening in your car and you didn't watch The Road, then Drumroll. Drumroll, Cody has blonde hair. No, this is a lie. He has a hat on.

SPEAKER_03 11:27

That's my son.

SPEAKER_07 11:28

Oh, that's your son. Does he have blonde hair?

SPEAKER_04 11:29

My uh second and youngest uh has blonde hair, blue eyes. And my middle, he has brown hair and like grayish eyes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 11:39

This is so funny. See, genetics, genetics are funny. But you were adopted.

SPEAKER_04 11:44

I was.

SPEAKER_07 11:44

And so you were born in South Korea?

SPEAKER_04 11:47

I was. Yeah. Soul, South Korea. I was born there and adopted when I was 13 months old.

SPEAKER_07 11:52

And then you grew up in Oklahoma.

SPEAKER_04 11:54

Yeah, Northeast Oklahoma, and which is why you sound like you sound. That is why I sound like you sound like you look. But if I put that out there, I still the people go, oh, what is he supposed to sound like? And it's like, I don't know. You guys are the ones saying I'm not supposed to sound like this.

SPEAKER_07 12:10

Yeah, I mean, this is such a hard conversation, and I think you know, you and I've talked about this a little bit, but it's like we're all scared to say things these days. And I I said this to you. I said, You put, I mean, you honestly put some of the funniest videos on Instagram. And sometimes I don't know if I'm really supposed to laugh or not laugh.

SPEAKER_04 12:27

You could you can laugh.

SPEAKER_07 12:28

You're like, we can laugh. We're kind of all taking life too seriously a little bit.

SPEAKER_04 12:32

100%. That's what I see. I mean, I people get so mad at me, like, and it's not a lot of them, like, and there was a lot of comments on there saying like Ruke Bryan and and uh uh well uh Morgan, my favorite was Morgan Wonton and stuff like that. And it was hilarious because like if I comment back and clap back because I'm really good, like my wife says all the time, you don't want to get in like a uh pissing match with me because I'll make you cry. Like, I will find something that it's just it's one of those things, like if I'd clap back, it wasn't even clapping back, it's like like I told one dude, I said, Why are your eyes more slanted than mine? And he he's like, dude, I he said that you beat me. He goes, I love the song, whatever. Like, they're talking good fun a lot of times. The people that I've come across, I can't even think of anyone I've really come across that just wished me ill will because I'm Asian, yeah. You know what I mean? And and so many people get all upset and in their feels about what I do sometimes. I'm like, one, I'm having fun, two, like, yeah, I did an Asian voice, I'm Asian. But you know, if we go to any law and nail salons or something like that, like that's what we sound like, you know, when we come across the country, just like nobody gets mad if somebody impersonates a German accent or an Australian accent, you know what I mean? So why is it it just it just You're just like lighten up, guys?

SPEAKER_07 13:44

We're having fun.

SPEAKER_04 13:45

100% lighten up, like, and that's what I even got in this music to industry kind of to like before I kind of got into like the further end of the what the labels and all that kind of were like. Like I got into it because one, it was fun, but two, it was like I was having some success and my kids were seeing it. And it's like, hey, like I'm putting myself out there, like I'm not there's not hardly any country music Asians.

SPEAKER_07 14:07

Um, are there any that are doing this?

SPEAKER_04 14:10

Neil McCoy was is half Filipino.

SPEAKER_07 14:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 14:13

Um, but I don't think unless you just dig into it, like I don't think most people know. Um, Gabe Lee, who's a buddy of mine, he does really well in town. I mean just a fantastic songwriter. Um, and there's there's a lot more. Um, you know, Slim, I forgot all about we just seen Mark Chestnut the other day, and Slim, who plays steel guitar for Mark Chestnut for 30 plus years.

SPEAKER_07 14:33

I forgot about Slim. Slim is good.

SPEAKER_04 14:34

Yeah, he's really good. So uh there's a lot of us in there, like um, but yeah, it's just one of those things where it's like, hey, lighten up, like just have some fun. Like when you guys get so serious about everything. If somebody says something to me, it is not going to derail me off of any path that I've ever been on. So it's just, you know.

SPEAKER_07 14:55

You're just having fun. And so you go back to this town in Texas where you're having fun. Now you're playing shows that you learned more than three songs.

SPEAKER_04 15:03

I did, yes.

SPEAKER_07 15:04

And it starts picking up.

SPEAKER_04 15:06

Yeah. Uh yeah, I uh I was still working um down at automated welding systems shop down in Conroe, and uh and COVID had hit. So there wasn't a lot of field work going on. Um, you know, and it was just one of those things where I was writing and I'd went and recorded my first song out there in Tyler and and uh and then recorded a whole EP. Um and then yeah, just things kind of took off. Booking agencies had reached out, and and so I put a band together and and just start kind of doing those things. And it was uh that was a rough time in 2020 for a lot of industries, and and uh I think it kind of again as bad as it sounds, it kind of was a little blessing for me because it was one of those like all right, is this the roadmap? Where it's like, you know, you can stay doing this, but you're not making no money right now doing this because there's no work or and I knew and it picked it's picked back up, life goes on, we would have figured it out. But also this oper this door has opened up and things are happening here. Um, and so yeah, I I was like, you know what, let's just jump, which is a hard thing to do when you're making a lot of money in the oil and gas industry. But uh, you know, I've been I've been very fortunate, been very blessed, been able to make a really good living.

SPEAKER_07 16:17

So and you jumped, you had how many kids at home at that point? You had five now, three. So you had three kids and your wife, I mean, she sounds incredible. She was like, Let's go, or did she think you were in?

SPEAKER_04 16:28

This was my ex-wife now, okay.

SPEAKER_07 16:30

But uh oh, so that one was not so interesting. Right.

SPEAKER_04 16:33

I was gonna say, what you know, but uh no, she was supportive too, and and we're great friends. Like she uh she's actually an Arkansas girl, also we pick two weeks, yeah. And so she uh lives in the Conway area uh with the three elders during the school year, and so uh, you know, it was she was I I I wouldn't say I don't think anybody's ever on board on anything in any career. Like, I mean, I'm sure like if I told somebody, I was like, oh, I'm gonna start, you know, a podcast or sell my feet picks or whatever. You like it's always like, you know, it's kind of like my mom. Like, I I say some things and do some things that we wasn't really raised to do, but she'll text me, be like, hey, I don't condone it, but it sounds like a hit, good job, whatever. You know, it's kind of one of those things where it's like, hopefully you we can just find what we're we're supposed to do and and find that path where it's we're still good people. And and um, but yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say she was fully on board, but she never stopped me from doing it.

SPEAKER_07 17:29

Yeah, which you're right, actually, in the sense that you had a good career, and now after singing at a restaurant bar in the middle of Texas, you're like, hey, I think I'm gonna do this. I mean, that's why I you would maybe say, Hey, Cody, are you sure?

SPEAKER_04 17:48

Yeah. No, it was uh, I mean, I I remember mom talking to me about it, I remember her talking to me about it, and and uh and I was really good actually for you know the first let's see, I did my last job in 2021. So there was about almost two years there where I was balancing both. Wow, and uh, and so and we had seen what could possibly happen. And a lot of people don't know. I mean, I was eight listeners away from a million monthly listeners in 2023 and just doing the Texas thing.

SPEAKER_07 18:18

It's incredible.

SPEAKER_04 18:19

Um, and so I was making a lot of money down there off streaming, and I say a lot of money, I was making good money off streaming and doing a lot of shows, and so and if you manage your money right on the you know, I tell every young artist to keep merch merch, keep your streaming, streaming, and keep your live shows for your band gas, all that good stuff.

SPEAKER_07 18:37

So wait, that's really smart, and you should say it again because we do have a lot of music people listening to this show. Say it again and and make because y'all, that's good, that's really good life advice.

SPEAKER_04 18:49

Um, you know, off your streaming, I mean, a lot and when you first start, you're not you're not gonna make nothing. I mean, it just it's kind of how it is, unless you just go viral beforehand. And uh, but your streaming ought to, you know, I mean, if you on a good business model, um, you know, you ought to take that streaming and put it into future recordings or gas money to get to Nashville to ride or whatever you right, anything that could possibly involve getting back out there. Like um, if you're making good money, music videos, stuff like that, you know, um uh for merch, I'll or we'll say touring first. You know, your touring is probably gonna make the most money, but you know, but pay out your band, take care of your band. Um take care of the people who take care of you. That's that's number one. Um, you know, gas, hotels, whatever, cover all that, and then merch. Merch is gonna make you probably the most profit, is what I've seen. Um, so take that money, invest back into get more merch. And then if and honestly, I tell everybody try to save that profit off the merch and roll that into a rainy day fund. Like if say if we made 250 bucks for this show, man, I gotta pay my band. Here we go. Um, and then on top of that, like you're not a rock star when you start. Like, I still do other stuff on the side that people don't know about to make some money. Um, just how I am, you know, the farming and all that kind of stuff. But uh yeah, you're you're not a rock star when you start. Um, so it's okay to have another job. I've come across that a lot uh with other musicians and and artists. They're like, oh well, I you know, I do this and I devote my time to just like yeah, you do. But guess what? There's a lot of time in the day. And guess what? A lot of the people that have been very successful, they didn't get a lot of sleep at the beginning. Like, wake up early, go to bed late, figure out what you gotta do to keep the train and the wheels rolling. So that's always my advice.

SPEAKER_07 20:34

That's such good advice. Did you grow up in a family that I mean it sounds like work ethic goes strong?

SPEAKER_04 20:41

Yes, very much so. Yeah, I remember uh one of my earliest, and it's kind of sounds stupid, but I remember the one of the earliest times mom like I think she pretty much was about to send me back Korea. Like, um, I had got I had gotten this little mood where I just didn't want to do the chores, you know, whatever it may be. And and uh I can remember her tearing me a new one in the bathroom or their bathroom. And uh and I remember her really saying, like, hey, your dad goes to work at 3:30 in the morning, comes home, doesn't complain, goes straight to the barn to finish up whatever we gotta do here at the farm. Mom's, you know, she was uh uh by the tight time she she was the the homemaker and all that stuff, and she she explained what she does, and she goes, You got the same last name as us, pull your weight. Like, I don't care if you're six, five, six years old, like pull your weight.

SPEAKER_07 21:30

Yeah, how old do you think you were?

SPEAKER_04 21:31

Probably five or six.

SPEAKER_07 21:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:32

Like I and it was probably something as simple as like, hey, bring me the trash out of the bathroom, you know, something a little like that. And I remember I was just kind of probably on a no phase. And so yeah, I mean, it was one of those things, like it made sense to me then, and I just don't remember it to this day, you know, however many years later. And and uh yeah, you didn't complain about it, you just did it. Like plus I didn't like mom and dad pissed off at me, so it was just one of those they were really good at like really good at like uh teaching a lesson. So uh Um, yeah, I was up walking chicken houses at five o'clock in the morning to working cows to helping my dad on well, he had a trash route. Um, you know, he'd bought a trash route from my grandparents. That's what they all my family did was haul trash. And uh so I hauled trash in the summertime is my dad. We'd wake up at three o'clock, three thirty and go out to Tulston, start that. Um so yeah, work's always been uh it's one of those things where it's ingrained in my head so much that I just don't realize when I'm like I'm I guess I'm doing it too much.

SPEAKER_07 22:30

So but I tell you that will serve you well because and it has served you well. I mean, I think that's what sets you apart from other people because this is not this is not an easy road to pick this career. And I think for people who go to shows, right? You go to show and you see the show and it's fun. That two hours or whatever it is that we're at a concert and you're playing some, you got an opener or whatever, maybe sometimes you're the opener. I mean, that's what most people see. Yeah, so they're not seeing all of this, which everything you just described is you know, insert new words and it's the same drive that you gotta have. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 23:07

No, it's uh that's a hundred percent. And and you know, they'll see the pick the social media or other things. It's like, man, you don't see the struggle, and so much, you know. My mom, I think now she's gonna kill me, but uh I think I was having a conversation literally like last week with my mom about I was complaining about something about um something about this this industry, and uh, and she doesn't get it because like I said, that we grew up on manual hard labor, work with you. I mean, you can see the callus is still on my hands, like I still yeah. Um, like it's uh it's one of those things where I guess she doesn't quite get sometimes the uh switch out the manual labor for um I guess the uh what they call that, the people when you have to talk and do more of that. And that that's a skill that's absolutely terrible with me because I like to be the guy kind of in the back corner and you do? Oh yeah. Like I am just I when I'm in a room and I don't know nobody, like if if me and you walked in as something, yeah, we'd probably talk all night and whatever, hang out and yeah, you introduce you, whoever, whatever. But yeah, if it's just me and I'm it's some random BMI party, right? I'm in the back over there just watching the music, being like, Man, that's cool. Then out of there. So, but it's one of those things that with my mom, like I have to try to explain to her, like, yes, this physically is the least demanding job that I have to do. Like, sleep-wise, I still don't sleep a lot, but um as far as like dealing with people, like that's that's where it's the difference. That's the difference maker, you know.

SPEAKER_07 24:42

So which has its own, it's tiring in its own way.

SPEAKER_04 24:46

I think it's more tiring, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_07 24:48

Are you an introverted person? You don't seem like it.

SPEAKER_04 24:51

Uh, it just depends on the situation. I I'm really weird. Like, I I don't know. I mean, I'm super outgoing in some moments, yeah. And then I'm just moody. I'm a moody old man. Like, it's just one of those.

SPEAKER_07 25:01

I understand. I'm moody too, so I get that. Yeah, I mean, but I do think it takes a lot of energy to be people person, and you're on, you've chosen a career that now kind of when you leave your house, you have to be on.

SPEAKER_04 25:14

I tell every person, like, they're like, What will set what again? I found success. If if it we're talking about success as in like selling out stadiums, no, have not found that.

SPEAKER_07 25:24

Not yet.

SPEAKER_04 25:25

No, well, we'll see. I'm working towards it, right? But um, if we're talking like again, almost a million monthly listeners, uh, being able to quit the oil fields and do this, doing this while having kids, yeah. Um, publishing deals, stuff like that. Then yeah, I've found success doing it. And I have to tell, and people are like, well, what kind of um well, what's different? I'm like, well, obviously, but I tell everybody, it's like, go watch the CMA awards and look at each artist that comes up and plays or del or gives an award or wins an award, like what set them apart? Cody Johnson, authentic bull rider, uh, Morgan Wallen won't say what he did. Uh yeah. Sorry, I'll just spit it everywhere. Uh, you know, Laney Wilson had the butt stuff, they're all super talented, and that is not taking away from any of their jelly roll, right? It's jelly roll, right? There's nobody else like them. Like, so yes, it helps that this sets sets me apart. And um, and so I always tell all of them, like, you almost have to be like a WWE character. Like, and when you walk out that door, you have to remember because that's my hardest thing. I don't see myself as anything other than just a dude that's here. Like, so I when I walk out that door, I'm always having to be like, Oh yeah, people know you, and people like look at you in a different light than what you look at yourself, and so yeah, that's kind of and and uh so again that might be part of the reason why I'm very kind of off to myself sometimes.

SPEAKER_07 26:48

Yeah, give me a little break. Yeah, how did that change after The Road? I mean, because that's a huge show, a huge platform. You're all of a sudden on a TV show with Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Gretchen Wilson, and some incredible artists in their own right. I mean, you guys had a great cast.

SPEAKER_05 27:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 27:09

So how did that change how you then leave into the world and people they notice you?

SPEAKER_04 27:14

Uh, it took a little bit. I'm I'm bad about, I mean, I'm the first one to admit like when I'm wrong, when I'm something's off, when I'm bad, like I just uh, you know, it was the pain pill thing. Like I held that in for so freaking long. Like, and then all of a sudden it was like, what it probably wouldn't have cried and all this other crazy stuff, or like been depressed and stuff, you just let it out, yeah. So, but uh so like I'm the worst uh being in the moment, and so when we were recording and all this stuff, like I was still having fun, you know. That's one thing chanting like kind of tells me is like he wish, you know, and we all do, we kind of wish that they'd put more of the fun of me like joking around. Like when we met Gretchen for the first time, like I was sitting there making Cassidy and Billy Joe dying laughing. What were you saying? Oh, I was doing the uh the Billy Bob Thornton sling blade. I kept going, I think that old Gretchen Wilson girl's gonna come out here and say something. Like I'm not even good at it, but I was just kept doing it, and they kept dying laughing. Then she walked out. Of course, me, I don't care, so I just kept doing it. And Cassid kept hitting me. She was like, Stop, the cameras are rolling. I'm like, okay.

SPEAKER_07 28:20

Oh, I can just see Cassidy just dying.

SPEAKER_04 28:21

Oh, yeah. She's been I knew Cassie, I knew a lot of them before the show. So Cassidy's like my little sister. So um, but yeah, anyway, it was just uh, but in that moment, like I was still being myself, but I just didn't really, I guess, understand the the uh how big the moment was, right? And so even when I got home, you know, it didn't air till that fall. So yeah, the whole time from spring to fall in the summertime, and everybody's like, oh, you know, let's get ready. And I'm like, I'm working cows, like so. It was just one of those things where it still took me a while because I was still kind of um, I think it's just now, honestly, and it's hate to say it, it's a whole year since we filmed.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 29:00

Like I got voted off in Memphis sometime this month, last year. Like I just when I drove through Memphis, it dawned on me. I was like, Oh yeah, like um, and so like it's almost taken a whole year for me to realize uh and after the show aired, it's like, yeah, people see you a little bit different. You can't go out. Like, we were a fish store the other day in Tulsa. There's only one other guy in there, and he kept going like this, and I was like, and I looked at him, he goes, You that guy? I guarantee I take like well, you know, however many photos a week. Like, and again, it's like, okay, yes, you know, you have to remember the who you are, what you do, what how people see you.

SPEAKER_07 29:39

So Yeah. I want to talk about that getting voted off. Because okay, so you started saying you maybe don't even want to be on the show, and then you you get on the show, you say yes, which I think great decision, PS. And then you get on the show and you're giving it all you got. And so for people who didn't watch the show, it you guys are going on the road, you're going to venues, you all sing a couple of songs, and the fans are voting, right? People that are in the venue, yeah, are voting on what? Whether they liked you?

SPEAKER_04 30:12

Yeah, it was like a one to ten scale. You played your uh minute and a half of the cover and the minute and a half of the original, and then they voted on you.

SPEAKER_07 30:21

So three minutes, yeah. And a group of random people are saying, I liked that one better than this one tonight. And so crazy subjectivity. So you're you're doing this. You guys did Little Rock, Dallas.

SPEAKER_04 30:36

Yeah, starting at Fort Worth, went to Dallas, the big jump from Dallas to Fort Worth.

SPEAKER_07 30:40

Um yeah, that made me laugh. Y'all were on a bus.

SPEAKER_04 30:43

My dad did too. He texts him and goes, Oh, that big jump. And he never said he never talks crap about nobody or nothing. And not that he was talking crap, but he was like, Oh, y'all really hit that big jump, didn't you?

SPEAKER_07 30:53

It was really hilarious, but I gotta tell you, we think it's funny because we're from that area. Yeah, and so and I was watching that episode with a friend who's from Missouri. Yeah, and honestly, that other people don't know. Yeah, so it's fair, you know, it could have played either way, but for those of us who grew up going to Dallas, Fort Worth, and we're like, well, that was a long bus ride.

SPEAKER_04 31:15

We'll see most of my fan base is in Texas, so of course, all of them I like, you know, why would you play both? It's like, listen, guys, I didn't make the rules, I just I'm here.

SPEAKER_07 31:24

So another producer of the show, yeah. And it was cool, you got two good venues right back to back.

SPEAKER_04 31:28

And it was, yeah. So it's not, you know, yeah, we're not talking crap, CVS Paramount. Right. We're not talking Paramount. Hey, listen, both of us would still take a TV show deal with CVS Paramount right now.

SPEAKER_07 31:38

If you're looking, we're here.

SPEAKER_04 31:39

Put me on to Alsa King.

SPEAKER_07 31:40

Uh me too.

SPEAKER_04 31:42

Yeah, put both of us on. I'm in. Let's go.

SPEAKER_07 31:44

Yeah. Okay. So anyway, we're not talking crap. Everybody calm down. But it was funny, it was really funny. We were like, wait, y'all, because you're in the bus, like, y'all are bunking up for the night. Oh, yeah. You were not. Um, okay, so you do those shows, and then for you, you get to Memphis.

SPEAKER_03 31:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 32:00

And had you been in the bottom at this point? Had you even had any recol, like, was there any moment that you thought maybe I'm not in the top of this thing?

SPEAKER_04 32:10

Uh, I knew that Ralph, for real. And I think people there, I've seen some fans of mine from again, because you know, I've toured heavy. Like, I've been on what, three different booking agents sees, and you know, I've all that's I've always prided ourselves and try to do a good live show because that's it's how you keep fans. You gain fans through songs, you keep fans through live show. And so, you know, and again, I keep bringing up Chan because me and Chan talk probably most, or Cassidy. Like, even they were like, even the night I got voted off in Memphis, people were wearing my shirt and they didn't even know I was on this TV show. When I went to the bathroom in Tulsa, I was over there taking a leak, and this guy goes, Cody. And I like looked over as I'm peeing, he's like, What are you doing here? And I was like, Oh, I just came to see what all the fuss was about over here at Kane's ballroom. And he just looked at me and goes, Mmm, okay. And he walked back out there and he messaged me later. He goes, I told my wife, he said, I think Cody's on this TV show. You know, because I had so I I did, I had fans at every single show. Yeah, like um, people were yelling out. Uh, I think one of them, oh, it's the Had It Been a Boy. Like, you can still go listen to it on Spotify. Before I play Had It Been a Boy, you can hear a guy go yell out like Armor Dangerous or Dying Breed. Like, yeah, that was every single night. Like, it was so it was it was awesome. It really was cool that you know the hard work had had reached because we'd played Memphis with Clint Black. Like it was, it was cool. Um, but you get into a competition, and that's what I wasn't the biggest fan on, and that's kind of why I was saying no, because vocally, I know where I'm at, I know what I'm good at, I know what I like. People are like, oh, well, you're you do this, and I'm like, no, this is what I do, this is what I like. I'm a good songwriter. Yeah, I like I pick out good songs. I don't, you know, bear baber.

SPEAKER_07 33:54

Um, but uh I'm Barrett write some good songs.

SPEAKER_04 33:57

Barrett writes some really good songs. Shout out, yeah, Arkansas, another Arkansas.

SPEAKER_07 34:01

I know, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:03

Um, but I am not a four-octave Gretchen Wilson, Cassie Daniels, not a uh well run around all the stage for 90 minutes, Adam Sanders. Uh, I am just I am what you get, and there's still fans that that cling on to that, and I'm good with that, right? But when you get in the competition aspect on that first night, and I already knew I'd already told my wife when we flew out to LA for callbacks, they finally showed kind of who was in the running for being on the show, and Cassidy's face popped up, and she was in the shower, and I would like held my phone over top of the shower and she said, What are you doing? I said, You see this redheaded girl? And she's like, Yeah. I go, She ends up on this show and I end up on this show. I said, I'm not winning this thing.

SPEAKER_07 34:47

Listen, I think that's a really fair assessment of that. Because Cassidy, for anyone who watched that, we were like, Who is this firecracker? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 34:56

She opened up for me in Alabama before all this. I love it. And that's how we've always, you know, she and she's just been such a but I've always told her since the first time I heard her sing, like, you are a generational talent. Because not only are you a fan, like incredible singer, great singer, but you do like the influencing side or whatever you the social media being able to cling on to other stuff, she does it. She does it. It's just natural for her. And she's so it was one of those again, when you get on the show and you see that and chanting's there, and and uh, you know, there's just so much talent. It's not that I didn't want to win, like I never had I wasn't gonna turn down a quarter million dollars and record deal and all, you know. I mean, yeah, but I had my own goals, and and my main goal was to play my song for my daughter because I don't always get to see her. And I knew that she's 11? Yeah, and I just for me, it was I want her to see that on national TV that daddy cares. This is why I do this, this is why like I'm gone, and this hopefully puts two and two together. Like, dad's on TV, that's kind of cool. Like, and it was like her she her and her my son, you know, oldest son, they were like, Our teachers, we're talking about it. Like so um, but my my second goal was to get my story out there to get people to understand because this is the easiest industry um for people to misconstrue who you are. Um and I that is one thing that I've always said I like rock music. I like if you listen to my music, I've always said it's a blend of kind of classic rock, uh rock, 2000s rock, and Christian music. Heavy drums, heavies guitars, heavy bass-ish, depending in the mix, uh over top or with country music lyrics that I've lived over the top of it. Uh that's that's what I like. I can't help it. Don't get me wrong, I listen to Keith Willie all night. Yeah, there's a Zach Top out there to play that for me. You know what I mean? So um and when you put out songs sometimes like that, people are like, oh well, and you know when you look the way I do, sometimes the first image always is like, uh, you know, and and I get it. I get it. I'm not mad about it, and I'm not saying that anybody's wrong for it. Sometimes they're just like, I don't know about right. But if I can tell my story, if I can get people to understand, like, hey, this is the true real American story. Yeah, this is what everybody strives to do. A guy that graduated from a small town, 700 people, went to United States Naval Academy. Um, I think there was only 11 people from Oklahoma that went there that year. Um, got hurt, got addictive pills, got, you know, got sent home, uh, started a pipeline career in a 99%, again, not to bring up race, but they bring up race. So I'm over here defending it. In a 99% white dominated industry, blue-collar industry. Guess what? Every single one of them I worked for, they paid me well, they kept me on jobs for a long time. They called me brother, get you know, would give me the shirt off my back, off their back, right? It's not always what the news says. Um, and then be able to jump over here in the music industry and do what I've done. Um, you know, and again, it's just uh whatever you define your level of success. But um, yeah, that's that's what I wanted to tell. Like, and so they got a lot of things in there, and I get you only get so much in an hour episode, but that's why we do podcasts afterwards. That's why we talk. I know, and it's so fun.

SPEAKER_07 38:14

Yeah, I like hearing this team, and it's so interesting. I I think you have such a good perspective on life. And I hear you say that you know, you people were great to work with, and they gave you these good and they supported you. And I love this because I do believe that that says something about the people. I think it says a lot about you too. Because I think it's really cool that you have not you've never taken any chance to say, well, that that didn't work out for me because I'm dot dot dot. Like you don't live like that.

SPEAKER_04 38:46

No, and I I'm spilling tea again, but uh and this spill it again. I'm probably gonna piss some people off. I I I don't care. I mean, I'm I'm I am who I am, and I'm been able to do what I can because of who I am. But you know, when you get on one of those shows, and I get it, it's their baby, you know, those producers are like this is gonna change y'all's lives, this, this, and that, blah, blah, blah. And it does to an extent. Um, but I've also got a lot of friends who've won or done very been very successful on the voice. Um, you know, Barrett, um, American Idol. And don't get me wrong, they got fans off of that. Sundance Head is another good friend of mine that really one of the best voices I've ever heard.

SPEAKER_07 39:29

Amazing, right?

SPEAKER_04 39:31

Doesn't always translate to success. And that's what I would tell a lot of the other casting crew while we were there is like, hey, listen to it to an extent, but only listen to it where this is just a stepping stone for the next thing. And I think I'm, you know, there's a few of us on there that I think um that really took that and was like, hey, all right, when I get off the show, we need to go record songs, we need to get it going. Um, the John Daly thing. Um, like I wanted people to see me in another light than just like, and when it aired, I'm glad it happened because it was like, huh, they kind of made you look like a boring, you know, a-hole. But for me, it was like, all right, well, cool. Now here's the challenge. Now to show people that I'm not just a you know okay.

SPEAKER_07 40:13

I didn't think that. Okay, well for the record, for everyone listening, we did not know each other. We I knew nothing of you before that show. Now it's cool that now we've kind of had these connections that we're like, oh, cool, we both know Barrett and whatnot. But um, we didn't know each other at all. And so I was watching that really with the lens that CBS gives us.

SPEAKER_05 40:33

Right.

SPEAKER_07 40:33

And I did not think you were boring or did not think you were an asshole. Yeah, neither of those things. I'm curious what people will say if I was wrong, but I didn't take that at all. I thought you were fantastic. You had a real story.

SPEAKER_01 40:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 40:45

And like you said, it's the real American story of grit and hard work and just like pulling yourself up and saying this is how we we work hard to get what we want and where we want. And that's all I saw.

SPEAKER_04 41:00

Yeah. Well, that's that was the point. That was my point. And I'm glad that it related to that moment. Um, I guess I take it for me, it's a lot of times, again, for all the stuff like the touring and stuff in the past. Like, if you come out to a live show, there may be some Asian jokes, there may be some, you know, some stuff like that. Like, there's just it's just for me, concert and music is to get away from the real world. Yeah, it's like to have a little fun. Like, and so, you know, and I kind of touched on a little bit when I said, Hey, I don't sound like I look, you know, and Blake had kind of and I and I again, I get it. This is not dissing, I am not talking crap on nobody. Um, it's it's uh they can only do so much when you're on a network TV that big.

SPEAKER_05 41:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:42

Um, and so, but there was a lot of again, like the joking around Casty and and uh I think uh I uh there lava been doing uh uh talking to Tori Cruz here in town. And I guess and she messaged me and she said, uh, I heard you were the one that just kept everybody laughing all the time. It's like yeah, I said I do that, I tried to.

SPEAKER_07 42:02

And we didn't see that. That's a good point. That's the only thing we didn't see that at all.

SPEAKER_04 42:05

And I guess I'm trying to get at too is that you know, I'm the one that's like there's a there's a switch. Yeah, and Cody Johnson has been one of the best I've ever seen at doing it, and I think it just comes from that blue-collar, kind of gritty, and I say blue collar, it just comes from that being able to that work ethic, you know, and because I got it, but I don't have it as good as him. But there's that switch where it's off and I'm having fun and we're joking and it's trying to keep the mood because I know morale is what leads into um whether that performance is gonna be good or not. And that's for everybody.

SPEAKER_07 42:37

And we pick up on your energy as fans, yeah. You know, what you bring onto that stage is what we feel 100%. Okay, listen though, you dropped a name a minute ago that we gotta go back to. Okay. Okay, John Daly.

SPEAKER_05 42:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 42:50

Okay, so you and John Daly, it just I'm just gonna stop there and let you tell the story because this is hilarious to me.

SPEAKER_04 42:59

Well, you know, um Barrett, who we were talking about, who actually, you know, I was looking for some songs to finish up this record that I'm currently dropping singles for. And uh me and Barrett happened to be at the local, and uh I just love his writing, you know, and it's one of those I told him I said that night, I said, hey, I know you're working on some stuff. You got some songs that you didn't cut. I said, I'm looking for a couple more that just kind of just you know, round out this album, at least hear some stuff. And so he'd sent me a couple of them, and there's a song on there called Go Down Drinking a Beer, and I loved it. I absolutely loved it. Jay Brunswick is another writer who Jay's a, you know, another writer on Dying Breed, and and I've wrote with Jay, and I just absolutely love these guys, right? And so uh we it was kind of in that last uh we were in that last pre pro where it's like, is it what's making the cut and what's not? And I kind of made the joke it's like, I really don't want to sing a I really don't drink that much. I'm not a Not really a drinker, like everybody thinks I'm the ice cold therapy guy, but I wrote that song about a welder that I used to help.

SPEAKER_07 44:06

Like, um ice cold therapy is such a great line, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 44:10

And he used to say it all the time. So there ain't no better therapy than ice cold therapy. So I wrote you wrote the song. Right. Um, and uh, but anyway, um, you know, go back to go down drinking a beer, and I was like, I said, I just don't. I said, I like it. I said it's great. I said, I mean, it's fantastic. I'd already cut another song of Barrett's, and um and uh said, but I don't know. I said it'd be cool as a duet. I said, but I want to sing with another country artist. So I want like an international celebrity. I said, it sounds like a John Daly song. That's all I said, right? We were just more just talking out my ass. And um well, my producer, uh, I forgot at the time Nick Autry was producing John, and Nick, me and hims wrote quite a bit. So he texted Nick, Nick texted Phil, and Phil texts me and goes, John says he's in. And I'm like, What? And so you know, it went by a little bit, and John goes down to Florida during the winter times, and and uh and it got to the part where we need to cut his vocals, and John he was like, Hey, y'all come down to Florida, and and uh so we did cut his vocal, he sounded great. Um is absolutely wild. Like because uh he's a legend, but he is one of the most nicest guys that he's another one that it's like he knows who he is, um but you would never know it just talking to him. He is the nicest caring person I love hearing that that that I mean we were talking on that because I'm headed up to his charity event. That's what I'm here for this week. And uh I mean the whole time he's just I thank you for doing this. Thank you for coming. I was like, John, thank you for inviting me. Like, I'm more than honored. I'll go pick up trash for you. Like, if that's what you if you need help with your charity. Um, and of course, he's like, No, so you're getting up here and singing and playing golf.

SPEAKER_07 46:01

And and uh is he gonna sing with you?

SPEAKER_04 46:03

Oh, I'm sure we're gonna figure out something to do.

SPEAKER_07 46:06

Yeah, gosh, stay tuned, y'all, because uh by the time this is airing, this will have happened. But you may have to sneak in as your roadie tonight. There we go. I mean, I can haul a guitar. I don't know anything about XLR cables, but I can haul a guitar. Um, well, I I love that. And by the way, that's the power of just putting stuff out there. It is and showing up. I love that you you were at the local, which is such an awesome place to network. So for people who are in town or you're coming to town, like if you are listening to this and you want to do what Cody's doing, first of all, it's a hard road. So you gotta be able to work hard. But I do think that's a cool place to go meet people, hear good songwriters.

SPEAKER_04 46:46

I tell everybody, go local. You know, and I mean, I think that's most of my buddies and people I know are a lot like me. I can't be downtown, I can't be in Broadway. I just it's hard enough for me if the local's packed, you know. Yeah, um it does get packed. It does get packed. Shout out, Jeff. Um I know, awesome. But I tell everybody, I said, man, if you want to go see some good songwriting and some of the best, like I love when uh Will Jones and Sam Banks does their uh you know, 90s cover night or old school country night uh on a Monday. I think it's Mondays. Um you know, and there's a million Porsche Light Pickers. I've done that, riders around out there. Uh there's a lot of good stuff at the local. I think that's one of my favorites, of course the listening room. Um and then there's some good stuff in Midtown, and that's about as far as I venture out too sometimes.

SPEAKER_07 47:35

But um well, now we know your neighborhoods. I mean, we all have to be able to do that. You know where to find me. That's where we find you. Midtown, maybe the local, probably. The local, probably. All right. So if you guys are big fans and you're in Nashville, the chicken strips. The chicken strips. That's the way to go. There you go. That's the way to go.

SPEAKER_03 47:53

Love it.

SPEAKER_07 47:54

Okay, so I love that you started us with a good song that we if we know you, we know. Because that song is so, so good. But you have been working on new music.

SPEAKER_01 48:04

No, I have been.

SPEAKER_07 48:05

So you're gonna leave us with one uh new one? Yeah, yeah, let's do it. That time, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 48:10

So this actually uh this song right here drops May 1st called one of my favorites called Barrel Gone Bad In movies scenes and country songs.

SPEAKER_00 48:28

They say it helps with moving on. The way she left, left made no choice but to find a way to drown out the noise. So I went and bought a few black label lady proofs to see the damage it could do. So I keep shooting doubles, aiming at a memory. God knows. I've been trying everything, I should feel better by now. But damn, I'm starting to down. Cause it's just made a long nine, last a little longer. We shy, we're slipping something stronger. Every bottle tastes like on her back. Guess I'm drinking from a barrel gone bad. It's just my luck. I found this patch, it goes down smooth, but way too fast. It tastes alright, but something's wrong. It should numb me up, but shouldn't take this long. So I keep shooting the bubbles, aiming at a memory. God knows. I've been trying everything, I should feel better by now. Damn, I'm starting to down. This is just made a long night, last a little longer with shot. Sippin' something stronger. Everybody tastes like wanting her back. Yes, I'm drinking from a barrel gone back. So I went and bought a few black label lady bruise to see the damage it could do. So I keep shooting dumbbells, aiming at a memory, God knows. I've been trying everything, and I should feel better by now. Damn I'm starting to doubt. Cause it's just made a long nine. Last a little longer wish. I'm drinking from a barrel gum band.

SPEAKER_07 51:07

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 51:09

Thank you.

SPEAKER_07 51:11

All right, I think everybody in the studio agrees that's a hit.

SPEAKER_01 51:13

I that's what we keep thinking.

SPEAKER_07 51:15

That's a hit.

SPEAKER_01 51:17

I uh we will see.

SPEAKER_07 51:18

I was ready to sing along. I didn't want to mess it up, though. I've been known to do that. I love that song. Who wrote that?

SPEAKER_04 51:24

That one was uh Joe Lasher, Philip Mosley, and I think D-Ray. Uh D-Ray writes a lot for Jelly Roll and all of them.

SPEAKER_07 51:32

So good.

SPEAKER_04 51:34

Yeah, that was uh again, it's just you know, it's one of those things that I mean, not to keep talking too much about it, but it's like we get as country music fans, because I'm a country music fan first, it's like we get so in our feels about like, oh you should write if you're gonna be country. It's like, but y'all love George Strait. Yeah, you know what I mean? And it's just like so me, it's you know, I love that I've built my career on yes, I've got some like you know, cut a song that Hardy wrote, or Jamison Rogers, stuff like that, but most of the songs I've cut have all been off buddies. I love that, you know, like Matt McKinney and and Philip Mosley and and uh D-Ray and Joe Lasher, Barrett Baber, Jay Brown, I go down the list, Heath Sanders, like all this is like buddies that I've wanted to build my career on. Like guys that I see grinding that have great songs that you know that may not see may or may not see the light of day, but I would love to give it a shot to let it be me do it, you know. So um, yeah, I love outside cuts, man. It's like Christmas. You hear some stuff that you didn't write, it's like, you know.

SPEAKER_07 52:39

Yeah. And how did they get that one to you? They just said, hey, we think this is a good cut.

SPEAKER_04 52:43

You know what's crazy is it was after the show, me, Joe, Lasher, and uh Channing and a buddy of mine named Johnny Woods were writing right after the show. And we were writing for Johnny, and uh and Joe was in the room and Joe was like, Hey, I got this song, and he goes, I've actually cut it. He goes, but man, I would be honored if you would rather do it. And so he'd actually send it to me. So you know, big props to big thanks to Joe Lasher, because he's an incredible hell of a songwriter, just which I love his voice, so I mean it's just one of those things, but yeah, and Phil um produces me. So Phil Mozzie produces me. So it was cool to get my producer in on it too.

SPEAKER_07 53:22

So I love it. You got a talented group on this album. I'm so excited. Everything's sounded so good. Um, this has been so fun. So I'm so happy that you're here. Thank you for doing this. It was fun to get some good inside scoop.

SPEAKER_01 53:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 53:36

And I mean, listen, I love how you measure success because you're measuring it the real way and the way that makes sense for you. You're not listening to what everybody else says. But I just hope you keep getting more of it because it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

SPEAKER_04 53:48

Well, I appreciate it. I mean, it's it's kind of a slow route sometimes, but again, people won't be surprised whenever you know I I think that's kind of what the problem is. We rush some of these artists into success. And then something happens. Um, and they're like, oh, that's not what we follow. But for me, it's like I'm gonna be 100% transparent the whole way there.

SPEAKER_07 54:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 54:09

I am not always your cup of tea, probably every single day, but most of the days.

SPEAKER_07 54:13

We know who you are.

SPEAKER_04 54:14

Just think about like your spouse. Like my wife pisses me off, I piss her off, but I still love her at the end of the day. Let me be your country music, whatever.

SPEAKER_07 54:23

Yeah, our country music spouse. There you go.

SPEAKER_04 54:26

Yeah, you're married to an Asian.

SPEAKER_07 54:27

Yeah. Well, I love it. I'm here for it. Um, thank you so much for being here. And um, yeah, we'll just follow along for more jokes, more good songs. But y'all, seriously, you might be the funniest guy on Instagram.

SPEAKER_03 54:45

So appreciate that.

SPEAKER_07 54:46

You got music and comedy all in one.

SPEAKER_03 54:48

People finally going, Are you Cody off TikTok? And I'm like, well, I got songs too, but sure. Well I love it.

SPEAKER_06 54:54

All right, thanks so much. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 54:56

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_06 54:57

Sometimes a girl's gotta find a way on a room, free to room and make mistakes.