Skip Happens Podcast - Every Boot Has a Story!
🎙️ Welcome to the Skip Happens Podcast – Your Backstage Pass to Country Music 🎶
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Skip Happens Podcast - Every Boot Has a Story!
Backwoods Beginnings: From Pre-Med to Nashville's Rising Star
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Intro at the Ballpark
Speaker 1Hi everybody . It is Skip Clark . How are you ? Look at that , we're at a ballpark tonight , hey , hey , what's up ? Man , you're listening to Skip Happens . Of course I'm your host , skip Clark , and tonight I am coming to you live . You can let me get a good shot here . Oh , that's Reese , he's with us , but look at this . Nope , look at that , that's the ballpark . Better shot , there we go . Yeah , that's cool , isn't that cool ? Yes , sir , we are live at mbt bank stadium and , uh , you know what ? This is going to be great . Uh , you know , I love shining the light on these rising stars and country music , and tonight's guest is no exception
Meet Country Artist Reese
Speaker 1. He's a small town guy . He's got a big sound . He's born and raised in the backwoods of orlando , florida . Well , I found out now it was actually a little bit of buffalo , right , right , yes , sir , yeah , okay , we'll talk about that With a story that's going to knock your boots off . A pre-mix biology degree ? Yes , sir , pre-med , yes , sir , and you're doing music .
Speaker 2All right , We'll talk about that too . We'll get into that .
Speaker 1And all the noise in the background . Did you did four years of college basketball ?
Speaker 2Yes , sir , and who did you play for ? I played for Houghton College , a little bit south of .
Speaker 1Buffalo . I love that . I love that , and you could have gone in so many different directions , but music pulled you in and thank God it did . I just want you all to say hi to my new friend , it's Reese . I keep looking down , but the camera's right over there . How are you , brother ?
Speaker 2It's are you brother , it's good to see you .
Speaker 1Good , good to see you too . I'm happy to be here . You know , when you come on , skip happens . I gotta tell you it's an experience all right , is it ? I mean , look , look where you are , look , I'm ready for it .
Speaker 2Look at , look at that , view the ballpark and all that . We don't get this every day .
Speaker 1This is cool how many other places have you been that somebody has actually done this in the ball ? Never , this is the first . This is the first I love that groundbreaking today ?
Speaker 2absolutely , so tell me a little bit about you . Yes , sir , so , like you mentioned , I'm from Orlando , florida , okay , and I went to school , up here about an hour south of Buffalo , played basketball , like you mentioned , graduated with my degree in biology . Obviously , I'm not doing anything with biology right now . I was supposed to be a dentist . Actually , really , I'm not cleaning teeth , I'm sorry , but I think that's gross .
Speaker 1I don't know how people do that I mean I brush my teeth and floss every day .
Speaker 2For some reason I've always been like a teeth guy . First thing , I like , yeah , I'm always looking at teeth , but yeah , so I graduated supposed to be a dentist and didn't work out . I didn't get into any school so I took a gap year and I started playing small bars up in New York . Actually , I started in New York , okay , and then moved down to Florida , started playing in Florida a little bit solo and then started the band thing . We've been traveling ever since . It's been a blast , I've been really enjoying it .
Speaker 1But you're in Orlando now , right ? Yes , sir , yeah , based in .
Speaker 2Orlando , but I haven't been home in probably a month , really .
Speaker 1Well , you've been on what they call a radio tour . Yes , sir , yes , sir and uh , how has this been ? Is it early morning , so you have to ?
Speaker 2go in and do morning shows . Yes , sir , yes , sir . Actually this morning it was a 3 am . We got up and started driving , so it's been early morning , but it's worth it . I mean , I enjoy it . It's awesome talking to people like you . It's an awesome time , so you know well , it's a pleasure but there's nobody like you .
Speaker 1There's nobody like you . Nobody is going to put you in a ballpark like this , that's right , nothing like this . Yeah , I know that's what we're going to do and that's why it's always an experience . Yes , sir , what did music look like in your life growing up in Orlando ? Yes , sir .
Speaker 2So I actually started when I was about five years old . My grandma forced me to take piano lessons and I got kicked out of every piano teacher's class that I ever took because I couldn't read music and I wanted to only play by ear . And then I took lessons till I was about nine ten and I didn't really do much with music outside of like a couple of things in high school . And then I picked it back up when I was a senior in college and started playing piano , kind of as like a party trick , and then from then I picked up guitar off YouTube and kind of went from there .
Speaker 1I love it . So you know , I'm still
From Basketball to Music
Speaker 1kind of stuck on this biology thing . Yes , sir . How did you went from biology to basketball ? Yes , sir , and how did you land on country music as the dream that you wanted to chase ?
Speaker 2go after . Yeah , so I've always grown up listening to country music . Things like Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson , those are kind of some big influences , so country music has always been there . I never really saw myself as being an artist in any means . I was always nervous to sing in front of people at all until about right when I was about to graduate college , really , and so , yeah , so always played sports growing up . Actually , my dad's here today with us . He's standing over there . He was my coach growing up played basketball played basketball football , a little bit of baseball .
Speaker 2Did you play a forward Because you're tall ? No , I actually played guard In college .
Speaker 1I actually wasn't as tall .
Speaker 2It's the boots . The boots are lying right now .
Speaker 1They're making me taller than .
Speaker 2I am . I played college basketball , high school basketball . I actually won a state championship my senior year , so that was a good time . Basketball has always been a big thing in my life as well . I Big thing in my life as well . I love it . You still play today , yeah .
Speaker 1I dabble , I mean probably not as much as I should . I like getting out there with my buddies . Tell me about if I was to go to a Reese show . Yes sir , how would that be ? What would be my experience ? You're having an experience here tonight and I'm going to keep saying that , yes , sir , but if I went to your show , your experience ?
Speaker 2for a lot of energy . We have a lot of fun up on stage , like kind of like we're doing right now . We're just kind of off the cuff and we have a lot of a lot of fun up on stage . The guys I travel with are awesome . I actually traveled with my brother as well , so that's kind of a cool dynamic there . Uh , he plays with me . He actually just graduated from a school uh not too far from here , in alfred , new york .
Speaker 1Oh , yeah , very my um , my , my son-in-law , is a football coach .
Speaker 2No way , yeah , yeah . So yeah , my brother graduated from Alfred State over there and then yeah , so it's a lot of energy . I would say , Every place we go , we try to make it our best show yet and just keep improving everywhere we go and
New Country Sound and Style
Speaker 2just have a lot of fun . It's all you can do .
Speaker 1You know , when they talk about Reese , they talk about new country . Yes , sir , and what ? What makes new country different ?
Speaker 2Yeah , I think it's just the incorporation of some of like the newer styles . Like a lot of my songs have some 808s in them , which is kind of different from a lot of different traditional country .
Speaker 1I would say what do ?
Speaker 2you mean by 808 ? So like , like it's kind of the heavier hip hop kind of beat yeah . So , some of that . Not all my songs have that , but I think truly it is . I think it's always evolving . That's what makes country so cool Like even the 90s stuff is coming back with the Zach Tops and that kind of stuff . So I think country music is always evolving . I think there's always room for different niches inside of country music .
Speaker 1I love Zach Tops , by the way . Yeah , yeah , that style and the way it's all going around , it's all coming back . Yes , sir , there's also an artist , caitlin Butts .
Speaker 2Oh , yeah , yeah , she's going viral right now on social media . You don't have to die to be dead . Yeah , exactly , we actually play that on the Wolf . Oh , there you go , all right .
Speaker 1We just started with that because it's huge . So you're talking about New Country , but all right . So your songwriting as it pertains to new country tell me a little bit about that .
Speaker 2Yeah , I mean a lot of the stuff I write about I would say probably 95% of what I write about is just experiences that I've had growing up , like especially the root song , just growing up back home in Florida , getting in trouble with my brother probably more than I should . So stuff , yeah , stuff , yeah , just experiences . And honestly , a lot of times , like the hooks , a lot of people say this , like a lot of writers , but people will be talking in conversation like this and I'll hear something I'll be like , hey , that could be a country song right there . So I think , yeah , I get a lot of different influences just from my family and friends and whatnot .
Speaker 1It's all about life that's what country music is . I mean , you can be driving down the road and there it is . That's country music . Yes , sir , Absolutely , Absolutely . But your love loss or late night bonfires is that what inspires your songwriting ?
Speaker 2Yeah , a lot of bonfires back home . I had a couple of relationships in the past . Maybe that has some influence .
Speaker 1That's kind of where I was going .
Speaker 2Yeah , I had some relationships in the past Definitely have some influence in some of my sad , my sad songs . Um , but yeah , the bonfires with my buddies , that's kind of where I get a lot of inspiration too , just the talks out there that we have my family and my friends back home and even up here I have a lot of friends up here still um . So actually I just met with my buddy for dinner . He uh shout out to mike , he uh goes to , oh my gosh , the medical school up here upstate .
Speaker 1No , no upstate medical university . Upstate Medical University yeah , that might be it actually yeah , and we you know , it's one of the best countries .
Speaker 2That's awesome . Yeah , he's going . He's going to med school up here and I'm super proud of him . So , yeah , he was one of my college buddies , so Is he saying like you should have stuck with the other major . Yeah , oh , yeah , yeah , I mean he's happy for me , and he's sticking it out too . I mean , I think there's pros and cons to both . He's like dude , you're out there living it and I was like , yeah , sometimes I'm like , yeah , I kind of miss the schooling part of it , yeah , but you know what ?
Speaker 1You're young . You told me you were 24 . Yes , sir , so you're still young enough . You're giving this a go because you have a lot of passion and you're dedicated to it . Doesn't work out . At least you got something else to fall back on .
Speaker 2Yes , sir , yeah , I got that piece of paper , that's what I always have to say I try to convince my mom like I always got that piece of paper .
Speaker 1What's mom think about all this ?
Speaker 2Yeah , I mean Shout out to mom , by the way . Yeah , shout out to mom . I think she's watching . Both of my parents are super supportive . I don't want to go to dental school , by the way .
Speaker 1After all , that money Right .
Speaker 2But yeah , it's been good so far .
Speaker 1I love that . I love that your live performance , your audience connection . How does that work for you ? Do you connect with everybody that's watching ? You that's listening to you .
Speaker 2We talked about earlier . Just like , what do you expect to come to my show ? I think just the high energy and trying to make it whether how big the room is or whatever you want it to make it as intimate as possible , and I think that's a big thing for us . Yeah , I think it's a big focal point is just trying to make it a connection . That's what it is at the end of the day . You're just trying to connect to whether it's one person or 50 people , or 100 people or a thousand people .
Speaker 2You're just trying to make that connection , Tell me about some of the other artists that you've had the opportunity to share the stage with yes sir , yeah , I mean , it's been a wide variety , so the first people that we opened for is actually Sister Hazel sister hazel , so that's kind of Christian sister hazel .
Speaker 1So no , no , no , no . But did they do a song ? I'm maybe I'm thinking it's somebody else . Nevermind , go ahead before your time .
Speaker 2Go ahead all right , so we open for sister hazel they were kind of in the 90s , and then we've actually had the chance to be in the same festival as Eric Church and whoa whoa , whoa , whoa , whoa . Eric Church
Tour Bus Tales and Family Support
Speaker 2, eric Church , same festival there , church , no cajon . So that was cool . We put on a little side stage and it was .
Speaker 1And whoa , whoa , whoa , whoa , whoa . Eric Church Eric Church same festival as Eric Church in Oklahoma , and so that was cool . We put on a little side stage and it was it was , yeah , it was awesome experience Really there .
Speaker 2Yes , sir , yes sir , we were like like holy crap , I'm really doing yeah , I mean to make that first post about it , kind of telling my family , and I'm like , yeah , that's pretty cool . And then we're actually opening for Joe Nichols next month , Actually August .
Speaker 1Love Joe , by the way . Yeah , we've had him here for a couple of shows . That's awesome , Never a bad time yeah .
Speaker 2I'm super excited about that . We're playing at the Grizzly Rose out there in Colorado , so that would be a great time , so a great time . So I'm super excited about that getting out there . So how do you stay grounded ? I would say just having the support system around me that I have . Like my parents , they're super supportive and they've always kind of just whether it's kept me in check or lifting me up when I need to lift it up . I think that's important to my brother . Like I said , he travels with me and I think having that family support system around you and the band mates I travel with are great kids . They're great kids and I feel like we make each other better every time we go out there and play . I think that's the most important thing . I love that .
Speaker 1I looked online and I saw that you had a tour bus . Yes , sir , I do have a tour bus . You bought a tour bus .
Speaker 2Yes , sir , it's an older model . It is an older model and I love it because it kind of some character to it . That's what I like to say a whole lot of character . Yes , sir , yes sir . So we , I , we bought that out of , or I bought that out of , houston uh , it was a fixer-upper , had a lot of water damage , so we brought it back , fixed it up and it's got a cheap that's just right .
Speaker 2Yeah , I got it pretty cheap , got it pretty cheap out of houston and , uh , we worked on it for about two months , me , my dad and a couple of my buddies actually one of my best buds back home , cole , he he's an electrician , so that helped out a lot . So so we had we had some , some people here and there that helped us out . Um , but yeah , it's on the road and we we travel in it almost full time . Who drives it ? Mostly my dad , uh , and a little bit of me , so I see him sitting over there I think he's listening , he's listening all of it .
Speaker 1Yeah , like is he focused on the phone ?
Speaker 2yeah , once , once , he , once he gets to this part , he's gonna be like yep , yep yep , yep .
Speaker 1I know , because of the delay part , he's going to be like yep , yep , yep , yep .
Speaker 2I know because of the delay . Yeah , yeah , yeah , he's going to get to us .
Speaker 1I see that he's not even paying attention right now he's locked in . He's locked in , he's locked in . He's a good man to be with you , you know .
Speaker 2Yes , sir .
Speaker 1He's a good man .
Musical Influences and Nashville Scene
Speaker 2I mean all the time I would say Alan Jackson . He's not touring anymore , but I love Alan Jackson . Oh my gosh , one of my favorites .
Speaker 1What's ?
Speaker 2that sound . Yes , yes , sir , I know it's 90s and a lot of my songs don't kind of reflect the 90s stuff , but that's what I grew up on and I think he's like an idol of mine . Kind of to the newer side , I would say probably a Morgan Wallen or Bailey Zimmerman , some guys that I kind of like to model my newer country sound after , and I mean they're both making it big right now and they're doing it the right way and you know what I like .
Speaker 1I listened to your music and what I really like about that is the fact it's you . You're not sounding like somebody else . This is Reese . Yes , sir , you want Reese . This is what you're going to get . Yes , sir , you don't sound like a Luke Combs or anybody like that there's a lot of other artists out there that have that similar sound . I don't really think that's a good thing . I appreciate that . How often are you in ?
Speaker 2Nashville . We go there about once a month , sometimes more . We do a lot of the original showcases . We had the chance to play Whiskey Jam , which is an awesome opportunity . We played that twice now . We played at Category 10 . We played at luke cohen's bar . Uh , last time we were in town we played losers . That's always a fun one . So we try to do like the original showcases . Every once in a while I'll pick up a gig on broadway , do the aldeans thing , but I try to stay off of broadway . Uh , I don't know . I feel like we travel enough , playing some , some of those kind of shows . So , and you can only play save a horse , ride a cowboy .
Speaker 1So many times so many times . You can only see so many bachelorette parties asking for the same oh my god , right last time my wife and I were in nashville , you know we did whatever we had to do during during the day and it was like went back to the hotel and said , come on , hey , we're gonna take , we're gonna take a walk down there , right , we'll go to broadway . Mistake , yeah , it's always a mistake , you're like oh , come on , you know don't get me wrong , I'm not bashing it .
Speaker 1And it just there were so many people , so many bachelorette parties lines to get in every bar .
Speaker 2You know , it was just crazy . It was just crazy . We like to go to Nashville for like two , three days max . Yeah , we're like yeah , we're in Nashville now for a little bit and then we'll come back .
Speaker 1What's it ?
Speaker 2like you said , you played some of requests , a lot of the same songs , tip jar , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot of tips , a lot . It's a good time , regardless . You're getting to play in front of people . The good thing about playing on Broadway is you see a lot of new faces . So I will say that it's always like transient people coming through and you're making a following . That way , there's always a way to build your brand , I guess .
Speaker 1You know , I have to ask you , how do you handle your social media ?
Speaker 2I've been actually getting a lot better at that . When I first started I was kind of like not anti-social media , but Dude you realize that's where everything is right . No , I completely agree , it's crazy . Yes , sir , yeah , so I've actually I'm pretty active on my socials , especially in the past year when I first started . I just didn't know any better . Like I started out with music and I was like I don't really know how to kind of operate .
Speaker 1And now I'm not bashing websites , because I have one as well , and I know you do too but how many people really go to a website now , right , as opposed to going to their Facebook or Tik TOK ?
Speaker 2or their Insta . I agree . A lot of times they're going to the website from the social media .
Speaker 1So yeah , exactly that's crazy . You do it all yourself , though .
Speaker 2Yes , sir Wow do that throughout the day . I mean , you're on the road , yes , sir , and luckily all my shows are kind of towards the weekend , so we're playing thursday , friday , saturday usually . So it's , uh , during the week like my monday , tuesday , wednesday it's time to sit down and kind of lock in and be like here's , you know , I mean , plan it out , get some content out taco man's up .
Speaker 1You can hear it in the background exactly now if he uh , by the way , if he strikes , strikes out , we all get free tacos at Taco Bell . Oh yeah , so you get a free beef taco . You got 48 hours to redeem it , but you're heading out tonight .
Speaker 2What's up here ?
Speaker 1I'll get it , yeah , so everybody's going taco , but that's what it's about .
Speaker 2But it's the fun of being at a ballpark . Yeah , this is awesome , this is cool .
Speaker 1Yeah , I keep going at the shot with that other camera . That's what it looks like . It looks like there's very little people here , but the parking lot is full .
Speaker 2Yeah , there's a lot of people here .
Speaker 1We were walking around .
Speaker 2We were agreeing with my dad and I . We were like this is one of the better , probably one of the best , minor league stadiums that we've ever been in , for sure .
Speaker 1So tell . So tell me about minor league baseball . I mean , you , you're a sports guy , you played sports guy basketball . I get that , but do you get to go to some of your minor league baseball games ?
Speaker 2I don't get to go to a whole lot of baseball games . I actually went to my grandma back home in orlando . She's a huge magic fan , so we try to go to some magic games . We actually went to the game right before they went to the playoff , so that was pretty cool to take her to those . Um , so I'm a Magic fan . I'm a Bucs fan as well as a Bills fan . I know that's kind of hard , but they're in different divisions . Wait a minute . Wait , bills is in . Yeah , I know , I know here's what I like to say . I say if the Bucs aren't playing the Bills , I'm rooting for the Bills , if not , I'm rooting for the Bucs . Huge hockey fan . But I did follow him actually in the playoffs . It's pretty cool . We actually play a lot down in Fort Lauderdale Delray area down there in Florida . Huge following down there , so that's awesome .
Speaker 1So you're talking about being in Orlando as well as Nashville , but being in Orlando , are you close to ? Disney , I am or is everywhere close to Disney .
Speaker 2Everywhere is close to Disney . Actually that's a conflict of interest , though . My mom works at Universal . The other day before it opened , kind of like a VIP treatment of some sorts , but yeah , so we grew up going to Universal a lot . I've been to Disney a couple times so I mean it's hard to miss it . It's like right there , like you said , everything's close . Right there , everything's there .
Speaker 1Universal Disney , epcot , universal Disney Everything's right there . Yes , sir , it's been a while since I've been there . You've to . The weather's like that here now . It is nice . It feels like florida right now . I know it's in the humidity and all . Yeah , this is florida . Yes , this is definitely florida . If you weren't doing what you're doing , what do you think you would be doing ?
Speaker 2I mean , I know you've got those degrees , outside of dentistry , I guess , because that's probably the easy easy answer that's the easy answer . Yeah , um , you know that's a good question . I would still say probably something in music if I wasn't doing something dentistry-wise . I just love being around the music and the people involved with it , so maybe like an agent of some sort .
Speaker 2Oh , that's cool , yeah , I just love the music industry , especially being in it . Now I can kind of see the people are great , no matter where you go , and meet a lot of new people , which is cool .
Speaker 1And the radio tour that you're on . How has that been ?
Speaker 2Good , it's definitely been like an adjustment . I'm not like I said . This is kind of I think this is my sixth or seventh one that I've done so , but every single one , you know . I feel like I'm getting a little bit more comfortable .
Speaker 1Seventh radio station . Yes sir , oh wow , we're early on . Yes sir , yes sir , With the experience .
Speaker 2Yes , sir , this is awesome . Yeah , it's going to be hard to top this .
Speaker 1I'm not going to lie to you , well you know , the whole idea is , of course I have a pod zone and my plan was to have you over into my own studio . We would have done it there . But you know we follow the Mets and we are the AAA affiliate of the New York Mets . So I said you know what can I do ? I want to be at the game .
Speaker 2The light went off , bell went off I said we're gonna do it at the ones down .
Speaker 1Yeah , so you know , obviously I have a . I have a little bit of a connection here and I said jason , can I ? And he said absolutely that's awesome .
Speaker 2Yeah , I'm glad . I'm glad we made it out here . This is awesome . I appreciate you having me absolutely 100 , can you ?
Speaker 1um , what about some crazy times , something you know ? You get up on stage and this happened and you can't believe that happened . Or maybe you're on your own little bus and you're I shouldn't call it little , it's pretty big , um , but you're doing your thing and uh , just something , something stick out in your mind yeah , I mean , I feel like every show has .
Speaker 2You know , there's something that happens , um , trying to think uh well , the other day we were playing a show and they were making , for some reason , there was a balloon animal artist in the venue we were playing , so they were making balloon animals and so people were wearing balloon animals on their heads and they were giving them to us . So we were wearing balloon animals and I'm like what is going on ? Right now I'm up on stage playing and people are like put , this giraffe on your head .
Speaker 2I'm like I don't know if I want to do that .
Speaker 1There's some crazy stuff that goes on . Yeah , I know Things you will always remember . Yeah for sure , absolutely .
Speaker 2It doesn't matter how far you go , but the people I travel with , like I said , are awesome , so it just makes it well worthwhile .
Speaker 1So let me bet , maybe I already mentioned this , but when did you actually start playing again ? How long ago was it ? Because you're
"Roots" Single and New Music
Speaker 124 now .
Speaker 2Yes , sir , so it was . I think my first show ever was March of 2023 .
Speaker 1Wow , yes sir , and you were a wreck .
Speaker 2I was very nervous . Yes , I'll tell you that . So actually I filled in . Funny enough , I filled in for one of my friends who plays in the western New York area and she was like hey , I have a sore throat and I can't sing . I need you to come fill in for three hours . And I was like I've never sang in front of anybody in my life and you want me to get up there and sing for three hours . I was like , uh , I don't know . So I started calling everybody . I knew I was like dad , mom , do you think I should get up there and sing ? They're like do it exactly , all right . So so I told her I was like you know , I'll do it . I'll muster up three hours with the song , do you ?
Speaker 1remember who that was , who I covered for who ?
Speaker 2you were covering . Yeah , brianna blankenship . Okay , yes , yes and also Claudia Heuser .
Speaker 1Do you know , claudia ? Yes , exactly , that's why I was asking I know them both .
Speaker 2Yeah , they're awesome Both awesome people , absolutely . Brianna is a good friend of mine and she was like , yeah , come up and play . So since then we've had a great friendship and , yes , sir , it's been awesome .
Speaker 1Awesome . I'm watching somebody walk behind us . Let's see if we can get him on camera .
Speaker 2There he is , there he is back of his head he's going to save us from .
Speaker 1You're going to do a little play by play and he is looking to the right and oh , what does he see here ? He walked right behind . What do you ?
Speaker 2think his name is jack jack . Are you have insight ? Do you know it's your ?
Speaker 1name jack what's your name ? What's your name ? What's your name , what's your name ?
Speaker 2Zik , it's far from Jack .
Speaker 1Sorry , we thought you were a Jack and Zik , so anyways , well , zik's enjoying the game there he is Now . We got the full shot . There he is , hello .
Speaker 2There you go , let's go Mets . You're right , that's what it's about .
Speaker 1We're going to make you a Mets fan , by the way .
Speaker 2All right by the end of this , I probably will be .
Speaker 1So tell me , what do you do for fun ? I know you got sports , got all that . You fish , you hunt .
Speaker 2A lot of boating . I love to be on the lake boating Florida . Yes sir , yeah , I know we get it like 11 months out of the months no two or three weeks .
Speaker 1Yeah , that's right . Yeah , and we're in the middle of it right now yes , sir , yes sir .
Speaker 2So I actually worked at a marina for three years up here while I was in school . So I actually didn't go home for like five years , dude , uh , but it was always awesome . It was a great summer job , um , and so I learned a lot more about boats than I probably needed to know , uh , but I was always on the lake and I kind of love it . I've always loved being on the lake and hanging out with my family and friends .
Speaker 1Tell me about the single . What are you pushing to radio right now ? Tell me all about that .
Speaker 2I'm pushing Roots right now . I know we talked a little bit about just growing up in Florida . Yeah , I think it sounds different than anything I've ever done . I actually think it sounds different than a lot of stuff that's on radio right now , which I think is a big sticking point . I like to push , really proud of it , the first thing I've ever really promoted . So definitely super proud of it .
Speaker 1Have you heard it on the radio ?
Speaker 2I actually heard it for the first time on the radio today and what happened ? My eyes lit up because I'm like it sounds different on the radio . Everybody says that they're like it sounds different on the radio . I was like nah , nah , and I listened on the radio Like it does . Sound produced version Maybe that's , maybe , yeah , or maybe it's just like coming from something other than just your phone . Maybe that's what it is , I don't know . It's just something different , like somebody else is playing it , not you .
Speaker 1I've talked to other artists and I'd be like so what was it like ? When you first heard your song played on the radio , I screamed . I slammed crying . I called my mom .
Speaker 2Yeah it was about that my dad was in the car and he was actually recording it . He was like this is awesome . I was like this is awesome . So it was a cool experience to have it with my dad and in the car and he was kind of a part of it .
Speaker 1So yes , sir , very , very , very cool . So what's next ?
Speaker 2working on some new music , writing some new music . Actually , we were talking a little bit before this . I wrote with CJ solar a couple weeks ago and yes , great guy CJ , yes , he's been on , he's been on , skip happens but , here we go .
Speaker 1He's never had this experience that's right you know other other artists are going to see this , because I talked to a lot of them and they're going to go .
Speaker 2I want to do that , that's right . I feel special right now . I appreciate it well , you are special .
Speaker 1You made the trip just to come in and say hello and be on the podcast , and so I could find out a little more about you as well , which , which is all a plus .
Speaker 2Yes , sir , that's . Cool , I love it .
Speaker 1I love it , dude . So what do you drive at home when you're not driving the bus ? I know you don't drive the bus .
Speaker 2I got a Jeep . I got a Jeep Wrangler Nice , sitting at home right now waiting for me to get back . I bet you do . Do you pop to top ? Yes to do that . Uh , especially in the afternoons it gets real nice . Not too sunny , I think .
Speaker 2In the middle of the day it might get a little hot , but you have to worry about gators out cutting the grass what grass you have or not , I mean , there are gators in orlando , not kind of not necessarily where we're at , but yeah , there are a lot of gators down there , a lot of wildlife , I would say a lot of snakes and that kind of things of that nature , a lot of spiders down there , but so you got roots coming out , but but is there an EP that's going to be with that ?
Speaker 1Is it just a single ? What are we doing ?
Speaker 2Yeah , as of right now , that's just a single I'm actually thinking about . I wrote my first song ever I wrote was called Mama's Boy . I wrote it for my mom and I released it on Mother's Day . But I didn't really know what I was doing at the time . I was kind of on my laptop with a cheap life , so I'd like to re-release that .
Speaker 1Tell me about the fam . Are you the youngest ?
Speaker 2I am the oldest , it's just me and my brother . I have a big little brother . He's like 6'6" .
Speaker 1Where , if you mess up , he kicks the crap out of you , not anymore .
Speaker 2No , I still got him . I still got on that . He just graduated from Alfred State . Very cool yes sir , he travels with us , which is definitely a plus , and I love having him with us and my parents , my dad . He actually restores vintage cars for a living , very cool . So , yes , sir , what's the coolest vehicle he's got ? I think the last one he just did . He just restored a Scout , an International Scout . Really I think it was an 80s model Scout Dude you've in the video it actually is in the video yeah , is it yeah , yeah , it's coming out next .
Speaker 1Uh , actually , this friday it's coming out tomorrow because that would be the perfect vehicle for that yeah , it's in the video multiple times . So cool , yes , very cool how was it making the video ? That was obviously your first one , yeah , actually first like real produced one .
Speaker 2I had like a small one that I had my buddy help with , um , and then actually this was the first real produced one . It was really cool , definitely different , definitely different . Because I feel like on camera it's so hard to be animated like that . You think you're going over the top , but then if you're not doing that , then you look like a dud . You know what I mean . So I think that was the hardest thing to overcome . I'm on camera and I'm doing this .
Speaker 1I always wondered how you know when I see the music videos . And we have a scottish band coming down now .
Speaker 2Look at this . There's all things , see , this is it's an experience now we got the uh scottish band over here .
Speaker 1But uh , I see uh different artists . You know they're trying to be happy , trying like that . They're really doing the real thing when it's like , all right , no , we got to do it over again .
Speaker 2And then you know it's hard to stay in that frame of mind yeah , I will say I think , like this music video is super authentic just because it was all my friends and family that were in it . Like my brother was in it , my best buddies were in it back home and we were doing stuff that we normally do riding atvs and just cruising in the truck , and I think that we went on the boat in the video . So I think there's all things that I just do um that that naturally . So from that aspect I think it was really easy to accomplish and my buddy Tom back home in Florida shout out to Tom he did a great job producing the video .
Speaker 1God , I love it , I love it . Yes , sir , it's so cool , so cool . What other vehicles does dad have ?
Speaker 2A lot of Scouts . He actually just bought a Peterbilt truck , a 70s Peterbilt truck
Family, Florida, and Future Plans
Speaker 2that he's looking to restore .
Speaker 1So he used to be in the heavy haul business when I was growing up he was in the heavy haul business .
Speaker 2He's always been around trucks . My grandfather he was always big into the semis and stuff that's always been in our family . He actually just got one to restore . That's kind of cool .
Speaker 1Do you help him do all that ?
Speaker 2Every once in a while , my brother is more mechanically inclined than I am . I'm not going to lie . Yes , sir . I go out there and help them when I can . Yes , sir .
Speaker 1That's awesome . You know , reese , I'm just reading , oh , shannon , by the way , from Grassroots Loving the podcast at the stadium Great night for baseball . Hi , skip , yeah . So this is only on one of my channels , but with them all together there's plenty of people watching , and this is something we haven't done before . Here we can just give another little view of the ballpark . Look at that .
Speaker 2Isn't that cool . If we get a homer on our way , I'm catching it . It's mine , I don't know . We're right in the middle .
Speaker 1Let me just put it this way , we don't hit many homers . That's why I don't know what's going to happen .
Speaker 2Hey , we got great . It is the fans , yeah , very unique , very dedicated , very passionate .
Speaker 1They love country music . There we go , and a good example you know , I went up here to the bar a little bit ago to get a couple of waters and a young lady comes over and you know we're talking and I said , yeah , I'm going to interview a Nashville artist , country artist , who's that ? I go Reese . She goes Reese from Florida .
Speaker 2I'm like dude .
Speaker 1You know what that means . Already you've got that footprint . Already You've got people beginning to follow you .
Speaker 2That was awesome .
Speaker 1That's got to be such a good feeling . Yeah , it is Absolutely yes , sir .
Speaker 2We'll have to get a picture after this .
Speaker 1I do want to say thank you . Thank you for coming by and thank you for hanging out and if somebody wanted to get a hold of your music how can they do that ?
Speaker 2Yeah , I'm on all streaming platforms at Reese , r-e-e-c-e , and then on social media I'm on as Reese Gus Music , reese with a C , g-u-s Music , the .
Speaker 1Gus is part of your reel .
Speaker 2Yeah , my last name is Gus of Sin , but that's why I just go by Reese .
Speaker 1I would never be able to say that right .
Speaker 2Exactly , that's why I just go by Reese .
Speaker 1Good move , absolutely . I keep mine short , clark .
Speaker 2There you go . Whether I'm here or not , skip's a cool name , though I wish my name was Skip . That's cool .
Speaker 1You know , okay , that's a cool name , that's an awesome name . My brother's name is just two letters .
Speaker 2My brother's name is just T-Y , t-y , ty For Tyler . Nope , just Ty , just Ty . We had to make it easy so he could spell it no .
Speaker 1I'm kidding . I'm kidding , if you watch that , I'm kidding .
Speaker 2No , are you kidding ? No , he's a smart kid . He's smarter than more than I , but he's actually , like I said , he's traveling with us doing some music stuff , so I'm glad he's still doing that . But he got his piece of paper too , so I can always fall back on that . Somebody needs to fix the bus if it breaks down . There you go .
Speaker 1Is Tammy , your mom .
Speaker 2Tammy is my mom .
Speaker 1Love it , Reese Love mom , oh , there it says I don't know you , tammy , but you've got a great son and your husband's over there . I think he's sleeping on the picnic table .
Speaker 2No , he's just about . He's watching . He's locked in right now .
Speaker 1Is he locked ?
Speaker 2in watching us , or is he watching a movie ? He's got the delay on it .
Speaker 1Yeah , I know
Closing Thoughts and Appreciation
Speaker 1I'm waiting for him to turn around again , but he ain't . But you know , reese , you made the trip . We thank you for making the trip to Syracuse . Thank you for having me . Like I said , skip Happens is an experience , you know . Just tell your friends about it too , because Skip Happens is available for anybody at any time . Yes , sir , I definitely will . This has been awesome . I appreciate you having me . I appreciate you coming by . If you're watching this , I want you to subscribe to Skip Happens . I want you to look Reese up on all his socials , get the music , support this artist . It's not easy . It's not easy Staying independent . You're with Grassroots . Grassroots is the best .
Speaker 2I'm not just saying that .
Speaker 1I know a lot of people in Nashville . I know a lot of really good promotions type people and companies . Grassroots is right up there with the others .
Speaker 2Yes , sir , they've been awesome to me , so I appreciate that .
Speaker 1Yep , and of course Shannon was checking in earlier , so that's kind of cool .
Speaker 2Yes , sir , yeah , it's awesome .
Speaker 1And hopefully she'll tell what we got , nancy Tunick , and the gang too , you know , but thank you for being here . Yes , sir , thank you , it happens .
Speaker 2It is an experience . This has been awesome .
Speaker 1There's a sign behind me . I don't know , I'm going to try to point it to it . It says watch for thrown or batted balls . And what are we doing ? Our back is to the field .
Speaker 2We're not listening to that sign right now . That's why we got the camera . It looks a little lag . We can catch it if we need it .
Speaker 1Yeah , try it . And yeah , they're not hitting many out here today , but it is a Mets game . But it is also the Skip Happens podcast . Support Reese , follow Reese , do what you got to do . He's here in Syracuse . He's going to be leaving . He's heading back home here in a little bit Appreciate you making the trip . Thank you so much for having me . Thank you for being on Skip Happens yes sir . Thank you Absolutely .
