Hometown to Hollywood: Nikki Sparks' Musical Journey

Transcript

Meeting Nikki Sparks

Speaker 1 0:00

Hi everybody, it is Skip Clark. We are live in the Inner Harbor Media Studios with the Inner Harbor cast and I am very excited because, as you look at this the young lady to my left, you're right as you look at the screen her name is Nikki Sparks. Let me tell you something. Well, you know what. She's an artist. She moved to LA, she's in Nashville, she's making her rounds to radio. But, better yet, let me ask where are you from?

Speaker 2 0:28

I am from Syracuse, new York, yay Exactly.

Speaker 1 0:33

And of course you know the radio stations here. Being hometown proud, he chose to stop by and say hi.

Speaker 2 0:40

I did. I am just so happy to be here. Um, you know, I did. I am just so happy to be here, you know. But I have to say where I'm from. Skip is where I've lived and the experiences and the relationships I've had over the past 30 years that really have made me a musician and a writer and, more importantly, as a person.

Speaker 1 0:59

So you say Syracuse, but what in the city or suburb?

Speaker 2 1:05

Actually just outside of Syracuse. But what in the city or suburb Actually just outside of Syracuse? Liverpool, liverpool.

Speaker 1 1:09

Now, are you a graduate of Liverpool or no?

Speaker 2 1:11

I am Yay, I am the Warriors.

Speaker 1 1:15

Are they still called the Warriors though?

Speaker 2 1:17

You know what I have no idea? I know.

Speaker 1 1:19

Well, you got up and you moved. Tell us a little bit about that.

Speaker 2 1:22

Oh, my gosh about that. First.

Speaker 1 1:23

Of all tell us. You know, let's hear about your background. You wanted to be a Shania Twain impersonator.

Speaker 2 1:28

Well, yeah, I mean, let's kind of back up a little bit.

Speaker 2 1:32

Yeah. So you know, I always knew I wanted to sing and perform. I've been at this since I was 11 years old performing, writing, singing, voice lessons, and it's really funny. I convinced my mom to take this old, beaten up guitar in our house. It had like a missing string on it and I had no idea how to play the guitar. And she was like honey, you don't know how to play the guitar, I'm like, but I really want to try and play and sing, and so we went to Hyde's Hot Dogs.

Speaker 1 2:19

You've heard of Hyde's Hot Dogs, right? Who doesn't love Hyde's? And as the weather gets better, you can find me there almost at least twice a week, right? Oh my gosh, what is it famous for, their?

Speaker 2 2:27

hoffman's, hoffman's hot dogs right hoonies or conies, conies, okay we're on the same level, okay, continue.

Speaker 1 2:34

Sorry, cool.

Speaker 2 2:35

so, um, yeah, we would go there a couple times a month and, uh, I ended up convincing her to sing and play for people outside of hides and you know, at that time I was just making up stories about you know what people were wearing, or crying babies, or you know what the weather was in the parking lot in the parking lot.

Speaker 2 2:57

Yeah, and crazy enough, I actually this is like my very first experience of learning how to busk. Okay, so this man comes up to me broken down you know truck. He had all of these, basically had junk in the back of his truck. Maybe he was a junk collector, he could be, or he could be an antique collector.

Speaker 1 3:20

I know Nothing wrong with that. Nothing, hey, nothing, no, no, but go ahead. Nothing wrong with that.

Speaker 2 3:22

Nothing, hey, no, no, but go ahead.

Speaker 2 3:24

Nothing wrong with that. So he comes up to me and he's like you're doing a really great job, but do you have a tip jar? And I had no idea what a tip jar was and I was like, what's a tip jar? He's like, hold on. He literally goes back to his truck and hands me like a glass Mason jar and he was like every time you sing, you put this down next to you. And that was pretty much the first time I realized I could sing and play and make money.

Speaker 2 3:49

And he put a dollar in there for me and it was just like you still have the most amazing experience I do actually. Oh my gosh, I'm going to show it to you right now.

Speaker 1 3:58

Okay, Well, I don't know if they'll see it on the well, you can hold it up in front of the camera.

Speaker 2 4:01

Okay, I'm going to show it to all the listeners here.

Speaker 1 4:03

But you have that tip jar. So no matter where you go, that dollar, that jar is in front of you, it is yes, oh my God, yes.

Speaker 2 4:11

That's awesome, I'll put a dollar in it before you leave. Oh, sounds amazing. I love it.

Early Music Days in Syracuse

Speaker 1 4:19

Okay, you guys, this is away. Show it to me, though, let's see. Okay, there you go. Oh, the guitar.

Speaker 2 4:25

Yeah, and I don't know if you can tell it's missing a string.

Speaker 1 4:28

The E string.

Speaker 2 4:29

you said yeah, it's missing. Yeah, it's missing a string. Wow, yeah, the E string.

Speaker 1 4:42

Yeah, and we were. You found the string from that guitar, correct?

Speaker 2 4:47

No, I actually the string. The string is still missing.

Speaker 1 4:50

It's never been, not behind the couch, not under a cushion, no, no, no, I just dug up this pillow.

Speaker 2 4:56

I went back to my folks' house and I was like I want to find this guitar. You know, this is something that's always been a part of me since I was 11.

Speaker 1 5:02

But you found the guitar, so that's cool, found the guitar. Take it home with you when you go. Yes, I know.

Speaker 2 5:08

You know what I mean, or do you leave it?

Speaker 1 5:10

here when you come and visit.

Speaker 2 5:12

I think I'll probably just leave it here.

Speaker 1 5:15

And you have mom mounted. Yeah, I know, I should have her do that you can't see it here, but I have a guitar over on my right-hand side that's got a clamp to mount it on the wall.

Speaker 2 5:24

Okay, cool, you should do that. I'm going to take your advice, skip.

Speaker 1 5:26

Yeah, and you have a room in the house. Yes, you know what I mean. You grew up there, yes, so that needs to be hung on that wall.

Speaker 2 5:32

Sounds good. All right, I am on it With the name Nicky. I love that idea.

Speaker 1 5:46

Or hopefully the Country Music Hall of Fame Then they have to take the whole wall and put it into the Country Music Hall of Fame and say this is the Nicky Sparks display.

Speaker 2 5:57

There you go. Your question was about moving to LA right. What prompted me to move to LA? Fast forward 10 years. Thank you, sir, at 21.

Speaker 1 6:14

So you went out there for the, you saw an ad or something for the Shania. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 6:18

I did so remember Craigslist, craigslist.

Speaker 1 6:22

Craigslist yeah, oh my gosh, oh yeah, so went on Craigslist, Craigslist, craigslist yeah, oh my gosh, oh yeah.

Speaker 2 6:25

So went on Craigslist. There was an open call audition looking for a Shania Twain impersonator and she's my idol, love her so much. Super amazing, talented woman, trendsetter, unbelievable oh my gosh, yes. And got the call back. I flew to LA and went through elaborate hair and makeup and went through rehearsals and just being in front of the lights and the camera and it was on a TV show.

Speaker 1 6:52

And can I ask how old were you when you made that move?

Speaker 2 6:55

I was 21. 21. Young, I was a baby. Were you scared?

Speaker 1 7:00

Oh my gosh. I mean a beautiful woman making the move like that, yeah, yeah, being in an area or, you know, a city that you haven't been to before. Well, what happened was after well basically LA, no less, yeah, but go ahead.

Speaker 2 7:13

Basically that show. After that show I knew that performing was what I wanted to do and I was put on this earth to perform and entertain people. So I flew back to upstate, told my parents, you know I am moving to LA, and they were like freaked out. They were like, well, what are you thinking here? You know, you know, doe eyed girl. You know I didn't know anybody. And anyways, my friend's father owned a moving company and shipped my car out for a few hundred bucks and lo and behold, there I am in LA at 21. Um and tragically funny story.

Speaker 1 7:53

Uh, I'm afraid to hear this when you start any sentence um, but go ahead, go ahead.

Speaker 2 8:00

Tragically funny story. Um, as I was saying, I was super doe eyed and green. I didn't know that you needed to have verifiable income to get an apartment. Um, yeah, and I was actively looking for jobs and, just like the entertainment business, it was super competitive just to get a waitressing job. So I had no leads, I had nowhere to go. I, um, you know, had a few bags of clothes, um, my guitar, and I, uh, was living in a car for two months homeless.

Speaker 1 8:34

That's not uncommon, though. There's so many people that have worn those boots, so to speak, dressed like you've gone to either LA, nashville, memphis, and hoping they hit it big, but then they can't afford. You know, places aren't cheap. So you end up because you want to do it, you have the passion, you have the dedication and you say you know, I, nikki, I'm going to do this one way or the other but it's not uncommon and I've talked to so many different artists that the story is very similar.

Speaker 1 9:02

It's like I lived out of my car for two months, that the story is very similar. It's like I lived out of my car for two months. Lainey Wilson lived out of a beat-up trailer. I actually had her on my other podcast, Skip Happens.

Speaker 2 9:10

I love Lainey.

Speaker 1 9:12

She's amazing and she was telling me that the floor had fallen through the sewer was I mean not to sound disgusting, but think about it, the water, she didn't have any of that. And another artist, jimmy Allen, who we all know, jimmy Allen, outside the Y and he would actually. He got a job at the Y cleaning so he could take a shower.

Moving to LA for Opportunity

Speaker 2 9:35

Okay, so funny story so. I actually, I actually, um, I I purchased a gym membership at the Bailey's in Hollywood, and that's where I would actually shower and occasionally work out if. I had the energy because I didn't have a whole lot of money.

Speaker 1 9:49

So I was just kind of on fumes, eating like ramen noodles, or on a treadmill next to somebody that's like really famous, like I was in LA once my wife had to do a conference there Hotel I was staying at. Rod Stewart walked through the lobby. I can you know they had the what's it? The Screen Actors Guild. They had their meeting there and I see Ron Howard and I'm going wow, but in the gym, or did you see any of the-.

Speaker 2 10:14

I never really did. No, no, but I will tell you. Speaking of celebrities, so I actually was scouring places to actually live in my car and this famous place called the Rock and Roll Ralphs, which is on Sunset. It was the only place that sold booze until 2 am, but they stayed open 24 hours, so I felt safe there. A lot of celebrities again, which I never saw, but I'm sure they were there. They were there after hanging out on the Sunset Strip or wherever Tim does know. Yes, yes, they were. Hey, that's true too.

Speaker 1 10:58

He's got a lot of good stories, and we'll be talking about that some other time. It's going to be fun.

Speaker 2 11:03

So, anyways, I made nice with the security and this big black guy called Bubba, he really looked out for me and he was so cool and I told him my story and what I was going through and I'm like, look, I'm not going to be here forever, I just need a place to, you know, crash in my car and they, uh, I would give them treats every now and then, like muffins and cookies, and they just looked the other way. So, yeah, so, so tragically funny story Not really funny, but yeah, it was a really dark time for me, you know but, I, wasn't.

Speaker 1 11:35

I wasn't going to let it stop me from chasing my dream.

Speaker 2 11:38

You know, I've been relentlessly persistent at this for a long time.

Speaker 1 11:43

It's been a long journey and I'm not stopping. No ago I was in nashville and I happened to be in the omni hotel and you were on the big stage.

Speaker 2 11:53

how cool was that? Oh my gosh, I had known.

Speaker 1 11:56

I had no idea it was you. That's crazy. I want to walk by and go syracuse right seven degrees of separation.

Speaker 2 12:03

Right, yes, I go, let's go.

Speaker 1 12:04

Six degrees of separation sorry, then you would go. Who was that? By yelling, I was trying to do my set, uh, but no that. What an opportunity for you to be there it was, and for those that don't know, it's called the country radio seminar and anybody that is, anybody in the country music business, even outside of it, they're usually there yep and networking, showing off your talent, um, you know, meeting the people that really matter exactly, and you're making it and you're climbing that ladder and to be on that stage is pretty cool.

Speaker 1 12:29

Showing off your talent. You know, meeting the people that really matter. Exactly, and you making it and you're climbing that ladder and to be on that stage is pretty cool.

Speaker 2 12:38

Thank you so much.

Speaker 1 12:38

I mean your management hooked you up really well. Just a great, great opportunity.

Speaker 2 12:42

Thank you. Yeah, I was the first artist to perform for the Rising Star Series and performed my upcoming EP and yeah, it was amazing and I'm sorry we missed each other. Well, we did, but we didn't, yeah, and here I am.

Speaker 1 12:56

No, I know, I know you walked through the front door. It's like wow I love this.

Speaker 2 13:01

Tell us how god works, right?

Speaker 1 13:03

yeah, I'm loving this already uh, how would you describe your sound to somebody that's never heard your music?

Speaker 2 13:10

Well, the title of my upcoming EP is called Crockpot. When we were in the studio recording the songs In the corner. I actually cook in a crockpot as well.

Speaker 1 13:26

You can start and not go out. See, this is what I do. When I have a podcast, I usually take a turn every once in a while I just took another turn, but you cook in a crockpot. All the is what I do when I have a podcast. I usually take a turn every once in a while. I just took another turn. But you cook in a crock pot all the time I do, there's nothing better. You start that in the morning when you come home from work. It smells so good.

Speaker 2 13:42

It smells so good. What's your favorite? What?

Speaker 1 13:44

do you cook in the crock pot?

Speaker 2 13:45

I actually cook a whiskey.

Speaker 1 13:55

I actually a whiskey chicken dish, so it's like a shot of whiskey whatever whiskey you have, it doesn't matter what, what grade doesn't matter what, it doesn't matter what grade.

Speaker 2 14:00

Yeah, I was just gonna say, I currently have jack daniels okay, in our, in our, in our kitchen is it cooking now maybe, maybe I'm watching it as your home visiting, but uh, how uh, how cool, so continue.

Speaker 1 14:12

I'm sorry, I'll get back on the main highway here, no that's okay.

Speaker 2 14:15

So, um, yeah, my EP is called crock pot. Um, it's so. When we were in the studio, I was throwing around the word a lot country rock, and so when you put country and rock together, you get crock. Yes, yeah.

Speaker 1 14:28

The creativity.

Speaker 2 14:30

Thank you. Yeah, so these songs really have. They've been simmering for a couple of years now and, um, I'm just so excited to finally put you know my stamp in the country world with my brand of crock.

Speaker 1 14:43

How often do you write?

Speaker 2 14:46

I write a lot. I write a lot. Yeah, um, I, I. I started writing on a more professional level when I was in LA. I met Tim, president of Nashwood Records. Nashville meets Hollywood.

Speaker 1 15:01

Can we put those two together somehow and come up with a? I don't know. Is that what the label is? Yeah, is that what–.

Speaker 2 15:09

Nashville and Hollywood makes Nashwood.

Speaker 2 15:11

Yes yes, Nashwoodwood yeah, I think we you have something going here, that's cool, thank you, um, yeah, so he, he really, you know, I was kind of out there, you know, doing shows here and there with a band and, um, you know, we met and he really took me under his wing. Um, you know, uh, he and I just clicked right off the bat and he really took me under his wing. He and I just clicked right off the bat and he was actually one of the people to really ask me what I wanted out of my career. And we started talking about me growing up and my influences. I grew up on everything from Shania to Bon Jovi, to Faith Hill, to Journey and even Kid Rock. I mean, you know, he's an American badass. I love that guy.

Speaker 1 16:00

You know, I mean we talk about I would talk about Def Leppard. You want to go back a little bit further? I got some Zeppelin roots. I mean that's the stuff. I was like really digging and really you know, I love that. Ozzy Osbourne, black Sabbath, you know stuff like that.

Speaker 2 16:15

I'm right there with you too, man. I'm right there, yeah, I'm right there with you too, you know, and that's not unusual as well, because you're doing country now, but country rock kind of. Yes.

Speaker 1 16:25

But knowing that you know so many artists have that very same background, you know, if you were to ask and I ask a lot of artists, you know what did you listen to? And they mention these bands that you would go.

Speaker 2 16:38

really, it's like wow yeah but you're doing country now I am, you know, I feel like all of this has come full circle for me. You know um ever since I was that 11 yearyear-old girl.

Speaker 1 16:52

From Liverpool.

Speaker 2 16:53

From Alepool and, being that Shania Twain impersonator, I just feel like everything that I'm doing right now is coming full circle. So I'm mixing my country influences and my rock influences and when we were working together is when I really kind of leveled up my my songwriting. I would say Um, and we would actually perform on the sunset strip. We put a band together, sang some covers and originals and um, you know, we I was performing um at the house of blues RIP.

Speaker 1 17:27

I walked past it one day you know as I go back to the conference thing we were talking about with my wife being in LA, but KZLA, the radio station, used to be right there on Sunset Boulevard, the House of Blues.

Speaker 2 17:41

You had the Hollywood Walk of Stars, I believe was there by the theater yes, the Chinese Theater, chinese Theater. Okay, so I want to back you up here just a bit, okay, beep, beep, beep. Okay, we just backed up. Let's do it before I met tim. Going back to my busking days, I actually, I actually was busking right in front of the chinese theater I may have walked by on hollywood boulevard maybe I didn't put a dollar in, that's okay, you can get me. You can get me next time.

Speaker 1 18:09

Oh, I'll make up for it, okay.

Speaker 2 18:12

Okay, um, and it was just so funny because I would see at the time they had those characters like Spider-Man and Batman walking around and entertaining people, and so so, yeah, so my busking carried on, you know, from hides to Hollywood Boulevard, right in front of the Chinese theater Heights of Hollywood Heights of Hollywood.

Speaker 1 18:31

Yeah, just saying we're coming up with another name.

Speaker 2 18:33

I love it. I love this creativity. Yes, we're all coming together here.

Speaker 1 18:38

So now you made the move, you live in Nashville now.

Speaker 2 18:41

So I have a dual residency.

Speaker 1 18:43

Okay.

Homelessness and Persistence

Speaker 2 18:45

So, going back to where I was performing, on the Sunset Strip, besides the House of Blues, which I actually had a residency there, I, on the Sunset Strip, besides the House of Blues, which I actually had a residency there, I opened up for Steel Panther. Have you heard of Steel Panther? No, okay, you got to look them up. Just no, you've got to look them up. They are a parody 80s glam band and they're a little vulgar, so you wouldn't want to take your kids there or anything.

Speaker 1 19:08

No, no, my kids are pretty much grown up, yeah.

Speaker 2 19:10

There you go, but celebrities would actually come, like Gene Simmons, carmen Electra who's that guy that try to act like that? Tries to act like Michael Jackson with the glasses. That actor guy.

Speaker 1 19:23

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't, Corey Corey, you're putting me on a spot. Corey Feldman, corey Feldman, yes, he would show up.

Speaker 2 19:31

No offense to Corey, but yeah, he was there with the shades, looking like Michael Jackson, do you get?

Speaker 1 19:37

intimidated when you know those people are there. Do you get? When you perform in somebody like that is like watching you, do you go? Holy shit, that's. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 19:47

I mean, at first I was just like, oh, at first I was just like, oh, my gosh. But then, you know, I just went right back into like performance mode and I just wanted to give it my all and just do the best that I can do. You know what I mean? Um, so yeah, so um, that was kind of where we started um with our working relationship and uh, we, uh, like you were talking about, um about with KLOS, is it oh, kzla oh. Kzla.

Speaker 1 20:16

You're listening to.

Speaker 2 20:16

KZLA. Yeah, we were recognizing that the climate of the industry was changing. A lot of people radio stations, label people, musicians, friends of ours were flocking to Nashville of ours. We're flocking to Nashville. And you know it's funny because when I was performing in Hollywood, people will come up to me and say, man, that Judas Priest cover that you did sounds a little country Like, why aren't you in Nashville? And you know I'm just like, oh well, you know, you know, everybody thinks they know.

Speaker 1 20:50

But, being the artist, you know, and you know what you need to do a little bit better yeah, maybe a little bit less of if you're going to make that work yeah, I mean to hear that from a fan or somebody that I mean that is cool, don't get me wrong.

Speaker 2 21:03

Something was simmering something was simmering in the crock pot in hides of hollywood. Yeah, yeah so yeah, a lot of people just were moving.

Speaker 1 21:13

We're doing, it Do you remember To Nashville. We're off to Nashville.

Speaker 2 21:17

Yeah, las Vegas, yeah Las Vegas, there you go.

Speaker 1 21:19

Where there's a hotel in every corner.

Speaker 2 21:20

now, there is, you know we were talking about that.

Speaker 1 21:23

Here I go I just made another turn. But Nashville I go maybe once or twice a year. One of those is always the country radio seminar and every time I go there's another building on another corner and it's like how do they even get that building in there?

Speaker 2 21:38

I know, Seriously it's like are you kidding?

Speaker 1 21:41

me, everything's going up now.

Speaker 2 21:42

Yes, yes, it's nuts. It's nuts, but it's a great city.

Speaker 1 21:52

It's a beautiful city every other day, yeah, well going back to um the crs uh convention.

Speaker 2 22:00

um, I was just there, um in february, and, besides showcasing my ep um at the event, um, I performed at bar lines, which was inside the omni, and I performed at the famousines, which was inside the Omni, and I performed at the famous Bluebird Cafe.

Speaker 1 22:14

I was going to ask you about the Bluebirds. I hadn't gotten there yet.

Speaker 2 22:16

Yes, I performed there and yeah, it's just been an amazing journey for me. And, like you were asking me, do I live in Nashville? Well, I have a dual residency. I have a little place in Big Bear. So, from LA, moved to Big Bear, made the pit stop to Big Bear we were only going to like live in big bear for a year and then moved to nashville, but, uh, we just fell in love with it. You know, um, absolutely. And have you heard of big bear?

Speaker 1 22:48

lake. I have heard a big bear. Don't ask me much about it, but I've heard of it well it's 90 minutes outside of la in southern california.

Speaker 2 22:56

um, it's a four seasons resort town and I think, it being four seasons, really it was very close to home for me because Syracuse has the Four Seasons too, and yeah, so we just decided to make a pit stop there.

Speaker 2 23:14

Lo and behold, we've been there for a good eight, nine years now and but yeah, but we've been writing and you know I've been honing on my craft performing in the village of Big Bear at the local venues there and I actually had some really cool opening act opportunities. There's this concert hall in Big Bear. It's kind of like a house of blues Seats about maybe 500 people Very intimate.

Speaker 2 23:40

Yeah, and I had the amazing opportunity to open up for hal ketchum. Oh yeah, I know, and winona judd winona, yes legend, legend and dina carter dina.

Speaker 1 23:53

Just saw dina. You did. Yes, just saw dina. Uh, she's on tour with blake shelton oh my gosh it was craig morgan uh dina carter trace adkins oh man yeah, really smoking away, that's how I get my book but um it was. Let's see no dina, craig, blake and trace amazing amazing and uh, it's the.

Speaker 1 24:20

It's the tour that blake's on right now. The name is like I can't think of it. But what they do is they don't introduce the other artists, like one artist like, for example, blake started the concert four songs in. Craig Morgan walks out on the stage and then Blake kind of goes to the back and Craig does like four songs.

Speaker 2 24:39

Oh, wow.

Speaker 1 24:40

And then he goes to the back and Blake comes out again. Wow, so it was that type of show that's amazing. Where yeah, and it made for just an awesome time an awesome concert, so that's amazing.

Speaker 2 24:51

Pretty cool, do you?

Speaker 1 24:52

um, do you remember the first song you ever wrote?

Speaker 2 24:56

I do did it suck um, actually it's called misunderstood, okay and how?

Speaker 1 25:02

first of all, how old were you when you wrote that song?

Speaker 2 25:04

Well, when I was 11, I was writing a lot of poems.

Speaker 1 25:07

Okay.

Speaker 2 25:07

So, like I was saying, when Tim and I met is when I leveled up a lot. Oh okay. So I would say on a professional level it was Misunderstood, yeah, and I don't play that anymore, but yeah.

Speaker 1 25:24

But you know, I didn't mean anything bad by saying that it sucked. Because whenever I talk to an artist it's like, do you remember the first song that you ever wrote? And I go, oh my god, it sucked.

Speaker 2 25:32

You don't want to hear it.

Speaker 1 25:32

Oh my god, it was you know, I was in love with this boy, or I was in love with this girl and I had, or whatever. You know there's something going on. It's like yeah you know, do you ever just like pick up a guitar and play it for the hell?

Speaker 2 25:42

of it and it's like no, no, exactly. It's gone, but I remember they pretty much sucked yeah, so I didn't know anything about it. But you see, where I'm coming from. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 25:52

So yeah, that's pretty cool. Your creativity sounds pretty cool.

Speaker 2 25:56

I love it.

Speaker 1 26:04

We've been talking about how you've come up with names and the name of the label and everything. Now, yeah, hollywood, I mean this is good, you know. I'm just saying I don't know where we're going relentlessly persistent.

Speaker 2 26:10

That's all I have to say. I am uh.

Speaker 1 26:12

I'm in it for the long haul so what's your favorite part of actually being on that stage performing live?

Speaker 2 26:17

you know, I love connecting with the people, like I love looking in people's eyes and and and seeing their reaction and feeding off of their energy. That's, that's my, that's my thing as a performer, and also just being really just free. You know, it's a, it's a very free feeling, just being able to express myself however I want, and so let me ask you this so Shania gets your phone number, calls you up. Oh my God, I think I would have a heart attack.

Speaker 1 26:46

Says Nikki hey, it's Shania. I had somebody back out the other day from whatever show. I was wondering if you'd like to come and open up for me. How would you? How would you handle that? How would you? Because I know how much you love Shania?

Speaker 2 27:02

Yeah, I mean. I feel, speechless right now. I mean, I probably Would Shania be going.

Speaker 1 27:10

Nikki, nikki, hello, are you there, are you?

Speaker 2 27:13

there, I probably, I probably would collapse.

Speaker 1 27:16

Then you hear Tim going, oh crap.

Speaker 2 27:17

She's on the floor.

Discovering Her "Crock" Sound

Speaker 1 27:19

Call 911. But even if it's not her, what if it dolly? What?

Speaker 2 27:30

if it's somebody else. You know what I'm saying. Yeah, exactly, I mean I probably would be dying inside, but just really just try to yeah you know um so contain myself.

Speaker 1 27:37

You know all that being said, is there somebody that that you really would love to collaborate with, to be on stage with you? Know, I've mentioned those two people and I can, yeah, but let's put them over here let's talk about. Is there anybody else? A male, female, dead or alive?

Speaker 2 27:52

oh yeah, kid rock, kid rock baby I would love, I would love to do, uh, the picture song with him.

Speaker 1 28:00

Yeah, do you do you do that in your set?

Speaker 2 28:03

I do yeah, I do yeah.

Speaker 1 28:06

So does Tim take the other part or?

Speaker 2 28:09

Well, he does. But then sometimes I'll have people just like sing it, you know, like come on, help me out, you know what I mean. Or I'll just sing it, you know.

Speaker 1 28:16

So give me an example of a few songs.

Speaker 2 28:20

Let's say you're there with the band, yeah.

Speaker 1 28:22

Yeah, so what would we hear?

Speaker 2 28:26

Well, you, would hear a little bit of country, a little bit of classic rock, a little bit of 90s rock. I would throw in some pop in there as well. It's just like a mix.

Speaker 1 28:34

Maybe, as I look at you, maybe a Joan Jett.

Speaker 2 28:38

I hate myself for loving you.

Speaker 1 28:40

Thank you. Yeah, I don't know, I've never met before, but still, um, yeah, no, exactly no, I know that's great.

Speaker 2 28:51

That's great song, thank you. Thank you, yeah, I mean, I just try to mix it up for all ages. I even throw in some. Let it go for the little kitties from the movie frozen.

Speaker 1 28:58

Let it go Okay.

Speaker 2 28:59

Just let it go, yeah, just let it go. Just let it go, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, my son would be going nuts right now. Uh, what's something that fans would be surprised to learn about you something that they will go really gosh skip. You stumped me on that one.

Speaker 1 29:16

I'm trying to think so let me, let me throw all right before. All right what it? Let's talk about early jobs. Have you always been a singer? I mean did you well? You lived at home, I singer, I mean did you work Well?

Speaker 2 29:26

you lived at home, I lived at home and where did you work?

Speaker 1 29:27

Yes, did you have a part-time job somewhere? What did you do I?

Speaker 2 29:29

did. I actually worked at Nichols Supermarket as a cashier, the greatest supermarket. Yeah, I actually saved money to buy my first car, which was my Pontiac Sunfire that I shipped. That I shipped to.

Speaker 1 29:44

LA. Do you still have it? I don't. I got rid of it. You sold it out right.

Speaker 2 29:48

I traded it in for another Pontiac Sunfire. So my first Pontiac Sunfire was turquoise, I named her Bessie, and then I traded her in for a black Pontiac Sunfire.

Speaker 1 30:00

And you named her.

Speaker 2 30:01

I actually didn't name her. I didn't name her. Well, you need to, I know so that's what she's driving now at home.

Speaker 1 30:07

No, no.

Speaker 2 30:09

I actually was driving down the mountain of Big Bear and I hit a boulder and my car just bottomed out. And, yeah, I was on the side of the road waiting for AAA to tow the truck.

Speaker 1 30:23

How did you hit a boulder?

Speaker 2 30:25

Honestly, I was driving and there was, like this boulder in the middle of the road Because rocks are falling from, like this side of the mountain.

Speaker 1 30:32

Oh yeah, I didn't think about that.

Speaker 2 30:33

Yeah, yeah, and I couldn't get into the left lane because there was an oncoming car, so I had to go right through it.

Speaker 1 30:39

That's what you told the police anyway. Yeah, that's what you told the police anyway. Yeah, exactly, but no, no, I'm sorry that happened.

Speaker 2 30:45

Yeah, hopefully everybody was okay. So no, we drive a big four-wheel drive Lincoln. Navigator. I was going to say Liverpool Navigator.

Speaker 1 30:54

Well, you could, because it could be the Liverpool Navigator now.

Speaker 2 30:59

There you go. I mean, let's talk to Ford.

Speaker 1 31:00

I think Ford's the one. No, is that Lincoln? That's Lincoln? I don't know Either way.

Speaker 2 31:03

Or maybe GM, I'm not really sure.

Speaker 1 31:05

I don't know Dream venue, if you could play anywhere.

Speaker 2 31:12

Red Rock.

Speaker 1 31:13

I was going to ask you about Red Rocks. I have never been there, but a lot of my colleagues have.

Speaker 2 31:19

Yes, and they say you need to go to a show at the red rocks.

Speaker 1 31:25

at red rock, I watch artists perform there and I just manifest it and it's like a whole different feeling it really is even from my side of things, just to be there to watch somebody like you on stage would be just unbelievable okay, well, you have so v, front row and backstage passes.

Speaker 2 31:46

You call me when you're there, I'm going to make it a plan to be there.

Speaker 1 31:51

What's your ultimate goal? I know it's probably pretty.

Speaker 2 31:55

What's your ultimate goal out of all this. Yeah, I mean, my ultimate goal is just to tour worldwide and connect with and connect with fans um worldwide and just share my music and my love for music and that's that's that's my dream that's my dream always, has always been my. I've never had a plan b, so you're awesome.

Speaker 1 32:15

Have you had the opportunity to maybe play in the united kingdom, uk or some of those countries?

Speaker 2 32:21

I have, have not, I have not. We're manifesting it right now.

Speaker 1 32:24

Yes, I know. I know it's going to be the UK tour.

Speaker 2 32:26

I hear it already.

Speaker 1 32:28

The C2C festival I was just mentioned. C2c with Nikki. Nikki Sparks here we go.

Speaker 1 32:35

Because what I hear from so many artists that get that opportunity is there is nothing like it. They know, they know you're coming. They know every single song on your ep or album. They sing it back to you. You don't even get that here in america. I know. You know what I mean. Yeah, you've got your hits and the people will sing those back to you your fans but over there it's like they know every single song. Yeah, you know, they follow you on your socials. They do all that yeah, I actually.

Speaker 2 33:03

I actually hear that um the country music world is is expanding. It's phenomenal over there yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 33:10

And who would have thought right? Who would have thought just because, because, you know yes so, um, somebody's watching this and they go hey, I'm digging this and uh, they want to get a hold of your music. Where can they go?

Speaker 2 33:22

Well y'all for whoever's listening can check out my socials, facebook, instagram. My handle is IamNikkiSparks, and yeah.

Speaker 1 33:32

That's it. So it's just they'll find it.

Speaker 2 33:34

They will find it. Yeah, Actually, my song to my single Double Wide Paradise.

Speaker 1 33:41

Which is going to be right underneath this video okay, you all check it out it's going to be right there, I'm going to put double, you'll see it there. Uh, just click on it, give it a listen and let us know what you think too, and we love that and if you listen to the wolf, you'll hear that this afternoon as well.

Speaker 1 33:55

So well, that depends when you're watching this, but I'm just saying it could be an afternoon where I'm not going to play it, because you could be watching this a month down the road. But either way, either way, you need to check this young lady out, nikki sparks. Um, she's hometown girl y'all. She is from syracuse, liverpool, went to liverpool high school she is. She's doing what so many of you may probably. If you had a dream, a passion, yes, you go for it, you reach for it. What's the worst that could happen? You know what I mean. Maybe you make it, maybe you don't. I'm just being realistic about it. But if you don't at least give it a shot, you're going to regret that.

Nashville Success and Future Dreams

Speaker 1 34:33

And when you get you're in with some good people. I've been talking to Tim, your manager, and from the label and you know you've got a good backing you've got a good backing and I'm gonna cry. Oh, I'm gonna cry, I'm gonna cry. I'm an emotional girl. But yeah, he's been a huge. Sure, you haven't shown that at all. I'm the one over here with a box of tissues I'm feeling teary-eyed right now.

Speaker 2 34:58

It's coming over.

Speaker 1 34:59

It is all right, nikki sparks. Thank you for coming on the inner harbor cast today and being a part of the Wolf here in Syracuse. Thank you so much, Skip, for having me. Oh my gosh, I am like, I'm blown away.

Speaker 2 35:11

And.

Speaker 1 35:11

I love it when I know. Because I grew up here, I had opportunities to move on many years ago. I've been doing radio here for 45 years.

Speaker 2 35:20

Amazing. I started when I was 12.

Speaker 1 35:23

Amazing, yeah, started when I was 12. Amazing, yeah, okay, but no, it's just being a part of Syracuse and knowing that we have people like you, that you grew up here, your roots are here in town.

Speaker 2 35:34

My roots are here. My roots are here and they always will be.

Speaker 1 35:36

Yes, they will my mom is here, and now she's putting the guitar up in the room she's yep and your name under the guitar and the gold record on one side, the first single thing on the other side. You know that's all going to be cool. Then it hits the Country Music Hall of Fame, which we started talking about.

Speaker 2 35:53

We're manifesting it right now.

Speaker 1 35:54

That's where mom is going to be missing a wall, because when they put something, like that in the museum.

Speaker 2 35:58

they have to cut the whole wall out, but no, it's all good.

Speaker 1 36:04

Nikki Sparks everybody, the whole wall out. But no, no, it's all good. Nikki sparks everybody. Thank you, make sure you check her out on the socials, get her music. Uh, it was so good seeing you, so just having you stop by to say hello and unbeknownst to me seeing you in nashville, which I didn't see you, but I saw you, I was probably. I was in line to get food probably because you were outside the ballroom, and then it's like you know but the music is like wow, who is this?

Speaker 1 36:25

now I put it all together and now I'm here.

Speaker 2 36:28

We're here together and connecting, and I can't thank you enough skip. Thank you so much for your support absolutely.

Speaker 1 36:33

Thank you for being here. All right, yep, just hit stop and I'll let it out again, jesus what'd you do, tim?

Speaker 2 36:42

are you causing trouble? I'll let it.

Speaker 1 36:48

Good job.