From Substations to Stages: Zachary Levison's Musical Journey

Transcript

Meeting Zachary Levison

Speaker 1 0:00

Hello everybody and welcome to another edition of Skip Happens the podcast that features everything from major national acts to the vibrant music scene right here in the 315. And whether you're here for big name hits or fresh local talent, I bring you the artists who are shaping sound and culture across all scales. And tonight, no different we're turning the spotlight on kind of a new friend. Got to know him at a showcase here not too long ago Zachary Levison, a true central New York native, his music blends roots in innovation, authenticity and ambition. That sounded pretty good, didn't it?

Speaker 2 0:35

That was pretty good Born and raised right here in the heart of New York. I love this.

Speaker 1 0:41

Zachary channels local stories and personal experiences into a sound that is very deeply authentic. On this episode man, I'm reading a lot. This thing's longer than I thought. On this episode, we'll explore how Central New York has shaped his creative identity, dive into his songwriting and hear what it takes to build a passionate music career right here in the 315. Although he does have a full-time gig all day, and he's working on this a little bit on the side. So, whether you're an aspiring musician, a fan of the local scene or someone in search of meaningful music, this is a conversation you do not want to miss. Love it.

Speaker 1 1:19

I know that was like what the hell did I write?

Speaker 2 1:21

That's crazy, it's crazy, but zachary, how are you, my friends? Good to see you, good to see you too, welcome welcome to the pod zone.

Speaker 1 1:28

This place is great. Yeah, tell everybody that.

Speaker 2 1:31

I mean if people come I mean I love this, I, I want one of these, like I really do is no, this is cool dude.

Speaker 1 1:37

No, thank you, I appreciate that uh you know, this was always a dream. You know, I've been doing the radio thing for a long time and doing all that. But as I get older I said, what am I going to do someday when I retire? What's going to happen? And now you walked into the pod zone. I got the pod zone, the podcast area, I got the voiceover studio, I got a booth in the other room there. I mean, this is all.

Speaker 3 1:57

And you got the Skip Happens Mugs.

Musical Beginnings and Inspiration

Speaker 1 1:59

Look at you, you get the cup, you take it home with you. Man, I tell you we get you all hooked up. But again, uh, just want to say welcome. It's good to see you. My friend, um, tell me a little bit about yourself, and how did you get started playing music?

Speaker 2 2:14

um well, first of all, I was born and raised in watertown, adam center, new york, moved here oh dude, you shoveled a lot of snow in your day, didn't you?

Speaker 1 2:24

Oh, yeah, yeah, right in the middle of it.

Speaker 2 2:26

But yeah, no, moved here when. I was about 13. The guitar part my dad plays guitar. Oh cool so.

Speaker 1 2:37

Is he in a band or?

Speaker 3 2:38

anything like that?

Speaker 2 2:39

No, he's never been in a band. I think at one point he just jammed out with his brothers. Yeah, he just enjoyed it, except a guitar in place. But um, yeah, uh started playing when I was 13 and kind of just went from there. Didn't really put myself out there until about like four years ago you know playing live and where do you live now um right in fairmount, fairmount camillus area. Yes, yeah, kind of I uh right behind azles, which I love Azles, by the way. Oh, wait a minute, You'll like this.

Speaker 1 3:08

Lisa Azles, that's. Yeah, I know that's the old bowling alley.

Speaker 2 3:13

Maybe you don't remember that it used to be.

Speaker 1 3:15

Fairmount bowling alleys used to be back there. This is in Fairmount right.

Speaker 3 3:20

You said okay and Tampa Drive.

Speaker 1 3:27

Yeah, okay, right, yeah, okay and champ drive and yeah, okay, yep, I grew up like two blocks from there, yeah, but uh, yeah, how cool, cool, camilla's guy god um west chennessee west jenny, yeah, oh three. Yeah, oh three, oh three. You don't want to know mine 74 um you know what's cool, you know what?

Speaker 2 3:40

just not to change the subject no, it's cool my nephew had his graduation at Wildcat.

Speaker 1 3:44

Oh yeah, what's up Dan? Yeah, shout out to Dan Tome, One of the best he had it at Wildcat this past Saturday and he embarrassed me.

Speaker 2 3:54

He went over. I didn't know that they had a rack with all the old yearbooks.

Speaker 1 3:58

Oh, they got the yearbooks.

Speaker 2 3:59

Yes, and he goes over and I see him showing everyone my picture and I'm laughing and I'm like what? And he goes yeah, he just brought it over to me. He's like they have all the older yearbooks. I'm like that's a genius idea, I know I know, of course, obviously I'm a little bit older.

Speaker 1 4:16

My daughters went to West Tennessee and they played lacrosse and all that. So their picture's on the wall, my picture's in one of those yearbooks. I brought it out a couple of shows ago. We did there and showed a few people.

Speaker 2 4:29

Dude, that's you Very cool.

Speaker 1 4:31

Now, what a great idea. That is as well. It's just brilliant. Just everything that Dan does there is so brilliant and great wings, by the way.

Speaker 2 4:42

Yeah.

Speaker 1 4:43

When did you realize that? Uh, that music. You wanted music to be more of a hobby for you. Um, because I know you got the full-time gig, but I know what you're thinking too. You're going this is cool if I can go out and get these gigs, and even if you stay local, it's still there's money in it and it's a talent and you're being creative yeah, well, so a lot of it.

Speaker 2 5:06

A lot of it doesn't have to do with the money, it's a lot of it has to do with just the love of doing it, and I was starting off doing it for kind of a therapy, kind of thing.

Speaker 3 5:15

You know what I mean.

Speaker 2 5:17

Like a mental thing. But then I started realizing I had feedback from people saying hey, man, we just go to camp and I jam out and sing and whatever, and uh, yeah, at one point a few years ago I'm like I'm getting new equipment and I'm gonna start doing this and it's turning out great I love that you know.

Speaker 1 5:36

You mentioned the fact about therapy, though. I mean, I think I've been through a lot of what you've been through, maybe just at a different point in our lives, yeah, but but music is that therapy that everybody needs and really, really helps when you're down and out. I mean we were just talking before we went out with the lights and the camera that there's times if I'm not in a good mood or I just need to break away from everything, I come down here to my pod zone, I go over to my computer on the other side of the room and I'll crank some tunes and I'll see what else is going on and that that'll change my mood and it'll lift it'll lift me up.

Speaker 2 6:10

So yeah, very cool yeah, and that's the thing with me too a lot of, uh, basically all the cover songs they learn um, they mean something to me, right, they? The reason I'm learning them is because they I you know, I feel them right so but yeah, they, I, you know I feel them Right.

Life at National Grid

Speaker 1 6:26

So, but yeah, there you go. Can I ask what else do you do? I mean, you have a full-time gig, can you? Can you say what that is.

Speaker 2 6:34

Yeah, I don't see why not.

Speaker 1 6:35

It's on my Facebook, oh then everybody knows Never mind that it's on my Facebook.

Speaker 2 6:44

Oh, no, yeah, no, yeah, no. So I've been at National Grid for 15 years. Good for you Substation maintenance.

Speaker 1 6:53

So maintenance means you play with the wires, yeah. Or anything that has to be done in the substation, yeah. You play with a lot of things. Dude, that's so dangerous.

Speaker 2 7:03

Well, my least favorite is playing with oil. It's not my, I'm not a fan of it.

Speaker 1 7:07

I know we want to talk about your music, but I know a little bit about that. I was a fireman for a bunch of years. Okay, there's oil inside these components, so to speak, transformers.

Speaker 3 7:19

A lot of them. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 7:20

Wow, and when lightning hits a substation, it's not a pretty thing. Uh, no, it's not. Nope, is that when you get called and say hey, zach, we need you to come into work? Yeah, there's, there's call outs.

Speaker 2 7:31

Yeah, yeah, there, yeah, yeah, that's cool so I mean, do you have?

Speaker 1 7:36

uh, I here again, I want to talk about the music, but I find this very interesting is the um like? Is it substations anywhere? I know there's a substation very close to me here.

Speaker 2 7:47

So there's different divisions right, so there's north east, west, and we're central, but we cover, I think, a whole lot of areas it's like 140 stations in central alone, like between far south is courtland, and as north as like southern fulton area.

Speaker 1 8:10

Okay, do you get called to go and help other areas? Have you been on any of those? Well, yeah, that does happen.

Speaker 2 8:15

Yeah, you know, when it's a disaster strikes and, for instance, uh, when the tornado went through, um, what was it? Rome last year? Yes, yeah, yep. So you know we had a lot of crews. We'd send crews there to help. And, uh, you know we deliver ice and all that stuff. And you know it as a good company, they do help when they can, you know, but I love yeah, I love that.

Speaker 1 8:40

So are you songwriting as well? I mean, do you? Are you just pretty much stick with the covers, or you know, as a little bit as you go?

Speaker 2 8:48

well, the writing part is a challenge for me I don't know why like I'll sit there, but but I I get into my own head. You know what I mean there. I I'm sure other people would think they're good, but I don't personally. But I did write one song when I was 20 that I usually play out. Okay, all right, mostly covers.

Speaker 1 9:11

All right, all right. Do you remember the first song you ever played out in front of the public?

Speaker 2 9:15

Yeah, what was that? And it's still one of my favorites Hootie and the Blowfish. Oh, let her cry.

Speaker 1 9:20

Let her cry, yeah, yeah, and if you heard the Hold my Hand with Scotty.

Speaker 2 9:25

Yeah, Scotty, and I love it.

Speaker 1 9:27

Oh my God, that song is huge Bottle Rock.

Speaker 2 9:29

I heard it on the way here.

Speaker 1 9:30

I'm sure Probably on the Wolf.

Speaker 2 9:32

Yes, just saying I think right when you got off air.

First Performance: "Better Together"

Speaker 1 9:41

Yeah, exactly. No, no, actually. Yeah, I guess. Are you working on any other projects right now? Are you just kind of practicing your craft, just going with it? How often do you pick up the guitar? Do you do it every day when you get home?

Speaker 2 9:54

I try to every day, just before bed or just whatever, If I'm bored I'll pick it up. That's cool, that's cool.

Speaker 1 10:02

Yeah, so you get out and you play. I know I remember the day I reached out to you and said hey, I want you to come and play. Yeah, because it's one thing that I believe in is local artists like yourself, that's. You know. It doesn't I don't care who you are. If you want that opportunity, come on, we're going to give you that opportunity. You know, and, uh, it went over very well yeah um, it was a lot of fun and uh, let's see. Do you remember the artist we had?

Speaker 2 10:28

that, yeah, it was uh john morgan oh, he was huge baby I don't know like he was really good.

Speaker 1 10:33

Yeah, john morgan's got it. You know, his song went all the way to number one yeah yeah and uh, he writes with jason eldeen, and those guys. So yeah that was uh, that I was very honored for that and thank you. No, absolutely, it was a lot of fun, like you, know the other way I look at it and again, this isn't about me, but I mean with the radio station and being locally owned and operated and we pay our national grid bill.

Speaker 2 10:55

No, just no. No, that's great, no, that's perfect.

Speaker 1 10:58

Just thought I'd throw it in there uh, but um, we believe, I believe in artists like yourself, that the local artists Just let people hear you. You need to be heard, you need to be seen, and you don't get that opportunity unless somebody does like what we did, and it gives you, as the artist, the opportunity. For example, you opened up for John Morden. You got to hang out with him a little bit, you got to talk with him, you got some tips from him, and here's a guy that's put out a number one song and he's already got another one coming out. So it's pretty cool. And anybody that's watching this my door is always open with the podcast you want to come in and talk I mean, just like I have Zach here today talk about you, talk about your music. That opportunity is there as well. So that's pretty cool. No, that's awesome Skip.

Speaker 1 11:47

Yeah, no, like I said, it's not. Please don't. I don't want anybody to think it's about me. It is not. I'm not trying to, but I'm just saying it's an opportunity for artists like yourself that are local and you know to get in here. How do you do shows on online at all, like facebook, well?

Speaker 2 12:08

I did during the c word. You know kobe.

Speaker 1 12:09

You know it's kind of where I yeah, but maybe that got you known a little bit right, you know people would find you and they would come out.

Speaker 2 12:14

That's cool no, it did um, but really what, what, what kind of? And I really just do play local like it's not. Yeah, I don't play up up in watertown every once in a while, or watertown.

Speaker 1 12:28

What yeah, except in the winter?

Speaker 2 12:30

yeah, there you go, but um, but yeah, I don't usually go live you know on facebook, but and can I?

Speaker 1 12:39

ask why not?

Speaker 2 12:41

I don't know but see it gives it opens up so many doors for you. It really does. And look at a lot of the artists that you are hearing on the radio now, and I did read something I don't know who it was, but I did read something from a musician, like a high-up musician saying if you post a song a day, you're going to get somewhere so.

Speaker 1 13:03

I read that a while ago. Yeah, no, probably, but then again you're working a full-time gig. There you go, you may be putting in a 16-hour day, for whatever reason, and now you get home and it's like I just want to go to bed. I don't. You know, I've had a long day. But they're right, though, you've got to stay after it.

Speaker 3 13:20

You've got to stay on top of it the best you can.

Speaker 1 13:23

And you're right, COVID.

Speaker 2 13:24

COVID did a lot for artists, good and bad it did, it really did and that whole live thing was a lot of fun. You know, you have your computer set up. You see, everyone that tunes in you know saying hey, zach, or hey, you sound great, blah know, I love that While they can't do anything.

Speaker 1 13:45

Oh, look it. So, don Newman, you know Don.

Speaker 3 13:48

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2 13:48

Hey Don.

Speaker 1 13:49

Don not looking like Class of 74, skip. Oh, you have no idea you met her at the John Morgan. Did I?

Speaker 2 13:58

Oh, that's cool, I don't know if you remember the bald guy Dustin.

Speaker 1 14:00

Yes, no, I do. Yeah, that's his wife. Oh, okay, well, give Dustin a shout out as well, so excited to watch this live. Well, thank you for tuning in. I know that's only one, but we get quite a few, so it's pretty cool. Is there anything that you'd like to do different with what you do, or where?

Speaker 2 14:20

With you know you're playing guitar.

Speaker 1 14:22

I mean any opportunities you would like to, at least have.

Speaker 2 14:27

I mean I'd like to try to get. Maybe I shouldn't say this, because downtown is not the best right now. But I'd like to get downtown.

Speaker 1 14:33

Yeah, I mean, why not?

Speaker 2 14:35

No, I would love to Right Right. That's been one of my goals, but I'm more on, like the outskirts. You.

Speaker 3 14:42

That's been one of my goals.

Speaker 1 14:42

But, I'm more on like the outskirts you know what I mean of the city, but I'd like to get down there. What are your hobbies? I mean when you're not thinking about fixing a substation.

Speaker 2 14:51

I don't know if that's a hobby or work, but still. Well, basically just this. Play hockey every once in a while and I have two gorgeous little girls who are probably watching right now.

Speaker 1 15:01

What are their names?

Speaker 2 15:05

Bria and Elena, little girls are probably watching right now.

Speaker 1 15:06

What are their?

Speaker 2 15:07

names rhea and elena. Oh cuties, sweet, sweet. But yeah, so those are my hobbies. Yeah well, I have three daughters. I now have eight grandkids, so I'm just saying that it's you know yeah yeah, I have my three daughters.

Speaker 1 15:15

It's just I know having girls yeah yeah you know, and we all went through certain life changes.

Speaker 3 15:20

So that's yeah.

Speaker 1 15:22

So it happened, but you know. So you played hockey. Tell me about, did you? Well, camilla's and I mentioned I used to run a Zamboni at the ice rink in Shove.

Speaker 2 15:30

Park, that's awesome. That was news to me and it was great. I used to live at that place. Yeah, Well then I'm sure that our paths Well, I don't know, maybe 15.

Speaker 1 15:40

No 15. How long ago would that have been, though?

Speaker 2 15:44

I'm going to be 40. So that was over 21 years ago. Okay, I don't know if I was still there then.

Speaker 1 15:52

I don't know. Yeah, because I was doing the radio and then the radio even moved into more and then I had to give that up.

Speaker 2 15:58

Yeah.

Speaker 1 15:59

Yeah, exactly, wow, so what?

Speaker 2 16:03

position. Did you play Defense, and I loved it. Did you play for Genesee? I didn't play for Genesee, just Camillus Youth. Oh yeah, okay, my grandkids play for Camillus Youth. Yeah, yeah, my nephew just got done. He just graduated, so it was his last year, this year, but I had the honor of coaching assistant coach for a year. Oh how cool, what level. Midgets, midgets, big boys, the big boys, yeah that's when they want to check, and they're out there, they're ready yeah.

Speaker 1 16:33

I know One of my grandkids is just starting. He's not midget yet, but he's at that point where, yeah, they get a little rough.

Speaker 3 16:40

Oh yeah, yeah, just you know and then the parents get rough and it's like yeah.

Speaker 2 16:44

Then they yell at the coaches yeah, and the coaches have to be the mediators like chill out.

Speaker 1 16:49

It's a game your kids are playing. Stop, yeah. Yeah, that's crazy. That's kind of cool. I did not know that about you, so that's pretty awesome. Yeah, I even have a little model zamboni here somewhere, I don't know. I'm looking at all my gadgets on the wall, but I know there's, I don't know there is one here somewhere. It's a little. Maybe it's in the other room, I don't know. I don't know. So you got your guitar.

Speaker 2 17:10

Yeah.

Speaker 1 17:10

What do you want? Let's hear what Zachary Levison has. You know, anything you want to play, I leave it open to you.

Speaker 2 17:19

Yeah, no, I mean obviously it's going to be cover.

Speaker 1 17:23

It's a cover. That's cool. That's cool. So this is Zachary Levison. If you just joined, thank you for doing that. This is Skip Happens. Not only do we interview you know all the big stars and all that but I like to reach out locally. And Zach, he did one of our radio showcases and I'm going to get him back on those here soon. Jack, he did one of our radio showcases and I'm going to get him back on those here soon at least another one or two and he's in the studio. He actually watched a podcast the other night. He said dude, I'm bored, but this is freaking awesome.

Speaker 1 17:54

Yeah, this is great, not bored with the podcast. You were bored just because you were sitting home. Yeah, I know, I get it, I totally get it. But all right, what do you?

Music as Therapy

Speaker 2 18:02

got for us. I guess I'll do a Luke Combs tune. Okay, it's called Better Together, better Together.

Speaker 3 18:13

I got a .48 Speed Johnson on a flat bottom metal bow, cold cans and BB guns by wiring an old fence post, eight point bucks. In autumn, a freshly cut cornfield, one arm out the window and one hand on the wheel. Some things they just go better together. And probably always will Like a cup of coffee and a sunrise.

Speaker 1 18:47

Sunday drives and time to kill. What's the?

Speaker 3 18:50

point of this old guitar If it ain't got no strings you pour your heart out into a song.

Speaker 1 18:59

That you ain't gonna sing.

Speaker 3 19:01

It's a match made up in heaven, like good old boys and beer and me. As long as you're right here, your license in my wallet. When we go out downtown, lipstick stains every coffee cup.

Speaker 3 19:25

That I've got in this house. The way you say I love you too Is like rain on an old tin roof and your hand fits right into mine Like a needle in a groove. Some things, they just go better together and probably always will. Like a cup of coffee and a sunrise, sunday drives and time to kill. What's the point of this old guitar if it ain't got no strings?

Speaker 3 19:56

You pour your heart out into a song that you ain't gonna sing. It's a match made up in heaven Like good old boys and beer, and me as long as you're right here, and me as long as you're right here.

Speaker 1 20:19

Oh man, wait a minute, we can do this, you know, hang on. Yeah, that's awesome, dude.

Speaker 2 20:24

That's awesome. Hey, this is more nerve-wracking than in front of a crowd at a bar. Man Come on Dude why, no, I'm all good I just had to get one out of me, no but it sounded great, oh, thank you. I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 20:38

It sounded great. I mean, how hard is it to learn? And how do you learn to do the covers? Just by listening? So I'm more like a by ear, Okay which is not out of the ordinary I get it.

Speaker 2 20:51

A lot of artists are by ear and I'm telling you, if you're that way, it helps so much with pitch and just guitar playing in general.

Speaker 1 21:01

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, as you know, we've talked to a lot of artists and they'll say well, I go to YouTube, I'll watch the videos on YouTube.

Speaker 2 21:10

I'll do that every once in a while myself just to check it out and see. But a lot of them. I don't play them the exact way. You know what I mean. I make them kind of like my own. You should yeah, Bit of advice Make it your own.

Speaker 1 21:24

It's a cover, but still it's Zachary Levison doing his own thing.

Speaker 2 21:28

Exactly. That's the cool part about it. That's what's going to stick out. Yeah, yeah, it's a lot of fun.

Speaker 1 21:33

We talk to a lot of different artists, and that's, I got to make it mine. I got to make the song mine. If it's covered somehow, I got to make it mine. Yep, it could be a little bit of a different sound, or Just an octave higher.

Speaker 2 21:48

Oh yeah, or whatever, yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1 21:50

Is that the only guitar you have?

Speaker 2 21:53

No, I have another Taylor Nice, and I have a Martin Nice.

Speaker 1 21:57

Wow, that's cool yeah that's cool, yeah, that's cool.

Speaker 2 22:05

I always ask because I know you, you have to have more yeah I mean, I actually have a ton of guitars but I don't.

Speaker 3 22:08

Some are not like no name brand.

Speaker 2 22:09

I kept every garage yeah, oh yeah, yeah, you're not wrong no, you're not wrong.

Speaker 1 22:14

You should mount them on the wall, like I've got a couple behind us here.

Speaker 2 22:17

That's my plan, uh for the basement, but I got some work to do in the basement.

Speaker 1 22:21

Well, amazon has those little hangers. You get two for like $10. So you know, I'm just saying so Mike is Mike, your brother, mike Levison.

Speaker 2 22:31

No, that's Uncle oh. Yep, that's Uncle Mike. Okay, I'm sorry.

Speaker 1 22:36

I know everybody's chiming in Sounded as great as always, hugh Palmer.

Speaker 2 22:41

Hughie, what's up?

Second Performance: "Let Her Cry"

Speaker 1 22:42

Hughie there, he is right there. Oh, there's Hughie. Okay, let's see what else. Here's a good point. He says YouTube is so hard, so much talent lost in the crowd of trash I guess everybody's on YouTube. You're going to have a lot of really good and you're going gonna have some that probably really suck. Yeah, so, yeah, yeah, no, that's a good point. That's a good point. How about tom? Oh my god, you got the whole fam watching. I don't hear. Let me see if I can. Uh, here we go, here we go there. It is beauty sack sounds great. Oh, that's my nephew, that's.

Speaker 2 23:19

That's the one I found. The uh wait is that a genesee uh yeah, he played football for genesee.

Speaker 1 23:23

Yeah, no, kidding yeah, good way to go. Tom is tom. Is tom a musician at all?

Speaker 2 23:28

is no, not after you. His uncle, I don't think.

Speaker 1 23:30

Maybe I'll try to make him sing, I don't think I'm going for that have you had the opportunity to?

Speaker 2 23:36

um, maybe, uh like, guys ask you to play in their band or anything like that yeah yeah, um so I have never played in a full band and I don't know if it's my own personal thing because I just love the sound of straight up acoustic okay and a voice. So any, any song that a band would ever play, I would always look up the acoustic version and love it more. I don't know what it is, it's just the calmness of the sound. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1 24:06

No, I totally get that. I totally get that. But most artists will not only know, if they're playing in the full band, how that goes.

Speaker 3 24:14

But they also can play it acoustically.

Speaker 1 24:16

A lot of people that come in from nashville and say, oh, yeah, I'll play my hit. Yeah, and it's like, well, I'm used to hearing it with a, with a full band, but it's always a little different when it's acoustic.

Speaker 2 24:24

So, yeah, I've never had the chance to play with a full band, so maybe that's something that I should do a step just to try, you know. But let's see shelly and Shelly.

Speaker 1 24:37

Yeah, we need you back. She's up in Norwood. Norwood, new York.

Speaker 2 24:40

Norwood up past Potsdam.

Speaker 3 24:43

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2 24:44

Just damn, that's a drive yeah.

Speaker 1 24:46

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a drive. Well, shelly, thank you for tuning in. Yeah, give us a subscribe, skip happens and we can do a lot more of this, which is pretty cool, and I'm running out of space here. There we go. I don't know why that's like that, but uh, so, uh, where would you like to see yourself in five years, retired and maybe playing a guitar? Uh, that would be something now.

Speaker 2 25:09

Wait a minute, you're you're 40 or gonna be. I'm gonna be 40 the 31st, just July 31st, god you're just a baby dude.

Speaker 1 25:17

I didn't even know. My daughter is 40. A little bit older, actually 42, 41, 42. That's my oldest. So cool, I don't know when do you see yourself, maybe getting a band together?

Speaker 2 25:30

I don't know when it comes to this guy, I would love to do more with it. I'm trying to advertise it more like yeah, for instance, like, um, next weekend I'm playing at uh johnson park in liverpool. Liverpool, yeah, they have. Is that uh the? Uh cosmic? Uh, what is it? Uh, cauldron I saw.

Speaker 1 25:50

I saw something advertised. Yeah, saw something mentioned, it's all it's all like a local vendor that's cool.

Speaker 2 25:54

They set up tents and they have a nice stage there which I went and checked out the other day?

Speaker 1 25:58

Oh, they do. It's a really nice stage. When they do the Music in the Parks series, they do one at Johnson Park and that stage is really nice yeah.

Speaker 2 26:05

I've never been there before, never seen it. Yeah, yeah, oh, that's cool, that's cool.

Speaker 1 26:09

What about and do an acoustic set. I think it was Elbridge once, wildwood, wildwood. Yes, that place is awesome. I mean they're all awesome, don't?

Speaker 2 26:21

get me wrong, but Wildwood. It's a gorgeous place for any kind of event, weddings, anything. It's set out in the middle of nowhere. And there's like a little swamp off to the side. It's just a very nice vibe.

Speaker 1 26:41

But do you get? Let me me ask, do you get all nervous when you know family is watching or family is there or anything like that? Um, because that's how I am. If I get on stage or I'm doing an event, yeah, and I say holy shit, I mean, yeah, I know that person, I know that person. I didn't, I'm afraid I'm gonna mess up, yeah.

Speaker 2 26:54

So well, no, this is more nerve-wracking for me than that. Like dude, there's nobody.

Speaker 1 26:59

No, I know, but there's nobody over there but yeah, there's cameras everywhere you know, I know, but yeah no I know, but no when it comes to the family, no when after.

Speaker 2 27:08

You know I'm nervous off the bat but after like one or two songs, that goes but used to be different, don't get me wrong, but yeah it just goes away.

Speaker 1 27:15

Oh, dad says jam out, no, no, that's tom, oh, that's tom, that's tom so oh, oh, he's saying.

Speaker 2 27:24

My dad says jam out all right well, we will.

Speaker 1 27:30

Uh, yeah, you will, you will.

Speaker 2 27:32

I don't know what else there's, man there's a me and skip are gonna do a duet. We are.

Speaker 1 27:38

No, I'm kidding. I thank you. I may be the radio guy, but I cannot sing uh let's hear another song, let's do another one. Oh okay, all right. Would you say? Um, when it comes to an acoustic, is there a particular artist that you prefer over another?

Speaker 2 27:55

um when it comes to the playing yeah, I playing, singing vocals. No, I mean chris.

Speaker 1 28:03

I'm obsessed with chris staples voice, I mean oh yeah, have you heard the new one with miranda just did today. Yeah, I just did today. Yep, that's out.

Speaker 2 28:12

But but yeah, no guitar playing. I mean, I don't know I'm I don really get too too into like that, like my favorites or whatever, I just play.

Speaker 1 28:24

I love it. I'm trying to see Chucky Kovac. He's trying to see what he's writing here. There you go, it's painless. Oh, he's talking about hit, like because it helps the algorithm. Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. All right, see, I learn all this stuff too. If I need to do something online, I'll call my son and you'll meet him afterwards. Zach is 24. He's down syndrome, but anything with the computers, numbers, anything like that. Zach, you've got to show me this and he'll go Dad, and he'll do it.

Speaker 2 28:55

It's just amazing.

Speaker 1 28:56

All right, what are we going to do, oh?

Speaker 2 28:58

I'm still thinking, okay, still thinking.

Speaker 1 29:05

What am I in the mood for? Move the capo. There you go, good job. Do you ever take your guitar to work with you?

Speaker 2 29:11

No, I never have. I did on a storm once when I went to Watertown. That's about because we're staying in hotel yeah, but that was it.

Speaker 1 29:17

No. No, but the guys don't like at lunchtime. Hey, zach pull out the guitar. Let's hear a song now we have to listen to them all day. We don't need to hear yeah, there you go no no, I hear you man oh, that's funny.

Speaker 2 29:29

All right, what was I gonna? Oh, my god here. Okay, why not do hootie? Yes, yes, let's do hootie.

Speaker 1 29:36

Yes, yes, let's do Hootie.

Speaker 2 29:38

First song I ever learned.

Speaker 1 29:39

Okay.

Speaker 3 29:51

Okay, sister's the one I love the most, that stripes down far behind. She never lets me in, only tells me where she's been when she's had too much to drink, said that I don't care, I just run my hands Through her dark hair. Then I pray to God you gotta help me, fly away and let her cry If the tears fall down like rain. Let her sing. If it eases all her pain, let her go, let her walk right out on me.

Speaker 3 30:50

The sun comes up tomorrow, let her be. Oh, let her be, oh, let her be. This morning I woke up alone, found a note standing by the phone Saying maybe, maybe I'll be back someday. I wanted to look for you. You walked in. I didn't know just what I should do, so I sat back down and I had a beer and felt sorry for myself, Saying let her cry If the tears fall down like rain, let her sing If it eases all the pain, let her go. Let her walk right out on me. If the sun comes up tomorrow, let her be. Oh, let her be. Just let her be. Yeah, yeah. Well, last night I tried to leave, cried so hard I could not believe she was the same girl I fell in love with long ago. She went in the back to get high. I sat down on my couch and cried, yelling oh mama, won't you please just hold my hand and let her cry If the tears fall?

Speaker 3 32:34

down like rain, Let her sing. If it eases all the pain. If the tears fall down like rain, let her sing. If it eases all the pain, let her go. Let her walk right out on me If the sun comes up tomorrow let her be, oh, let her be.

Speaker 2 32:53

Wow, little Hootie, little Hootie, little Hootie. I love it. I love that song, you know anything?

Speaker 1 33:03

Hootie is I love it too.

Speaker 2 33:05

I love Darius, I love his voice.

Speaker 1 33:06

You know, like we mentioned a few minutes ago, scotty McCurry out with oh geez, I just had a brain fart, but with Hootie holding my hand in the background.

Speaker 3 33:16

Oh yeah, Bottle.

Speaker 1 33:17

Rockets.

Speaker 3 33:21

That's a great song.

Speaker 1 33:21

Yeah, that's definitely. Yeah, you said I played it. I was getting off the air at seven. So, yeah, well, thanks for listening. By the way, um, what is your youtube channel? I don't have one? Okay, well, we need to get you one. Yeah, well, I don't. I don't know how you do that. You sign up, okay, yeah. And and by the way, um tom the tomison said no, I'm dad.

Speaker 3 33:38

Oh, that was dad.

Speaker 2 33:39

So his dad is on there Then it said, where it says Thomas Levison.

Speaker 1 33:44

Thomas is, tom is grandpa, with me as his picture.

Growing as a Local Artist

Speaker 2 33:49

This account is your nephew? Well, yeah, because, dad, you have the same picture as Thomas. That's why it's confusing. No, wait a minute, let me pull this over here.

Speaker 1 33:59

Let's take a look at this, right? Oh no, so that's still him, but he has Thomas.

Speaker 2 34:05

Yeah, yeah, okay, you got a big-ass family dude. You want to?

Speaker 1 34:09

hear about it, tell me about it. They're baby boomers, oh Jesus. One after another, after another.

Speaker 2 34:16

Well, let's just say, what is it? I think it's. My mom has nine brothers and sisters.

Speaker 1 34:23

Holy crap my dad has nine brothers and sisters. So what's it like when everybody gets together? Oh, it's a party. It is, I mean, everybody. They like to drink, they like to have a good time. And they ask you, Zachary, to pull out your guitar.

Speaker 2 34:37

Pretty much, yeah like to have a good time, you know, and they ask you, zachary, to pull out your guitar pretty much.

Speaker 1 34:40

Yeah, that's really yeah. Do you do like, when you have a christmas get together and do you know?

Speaker 2 34:42

we don't know, no, you don't know, like that all right.

Speaker 1 34:45

Well, I know because my wife is. I'm from a just, I was gonna say normal family. But is any family normal? Um probably not but I. There's myself and three siblings, but my wife comes from a family like eight or nine. Yeah, it's crazy.

Speaker 3 35:02

A lot of cousins.

Speaker 1 35:03

Yep, yep, when everybody gets together for the holidays, it turns into a party. Yes, it does it usually, does it? Gets loud, it gets obnoxious and all that good stuff. Are you a NASCAR watcher? I am not Okay. You don't like watching cars just turn left, do you?

Speaker 2 35:18

Usually I watch golf or NASCAR Golf Scheffler.

Speaker 1 35:22

Yeah, wow, he just won big. Right, he won big. Yeah. Yeah, I saw it on the news tonight. His daughter, I think, was trying to get up to him on the green. It was adorable. It was adorable. That's after he had one, and then, yeah, yeah, that was. What do you think is?

Speaker 2 35:42

your biggest challenge as a local artist? Um biggest challenge is it getting gigs? Uh, I'd say getting gigs because I mean I actually just two weeks ago I just printed out cards, like I just got you know, I used to have them two years ago, but then I, so getting gigs is definitely I. I've noticed that you have to go out in person because I would be the I'm the type that'll like message them or something you know.

Speaker 1 36:05

Okay, okay, but it doesn't hurt to go and shake a hand and no, and that's what I'm learning.

Speaker 2 36:10

You know, that's what I'm starting to learn just to go there and give them a card and say, hey, this is me yeah, you go to.

Speaker 1 36:16

Just I know a lot of people that run these different venues and it's just you showing up to have a beer or something and just kind of hey you know you're looking for somebody to play. I'd love to come in here and do it for you.

Speaker 3 36:25

Yeah, you know.

Speaker 1 36:27

Yeah, that'd be good to get you out even more.

Speaker 2 36:29

Yeah.

Speaker 1 36:30

Get you out even more. So that's cool. See, I'm a little because I have two screens, two screens here. I can't what a setup this is great, all right, keep talking because I'm busy, you're fine. No, I'm trying to. Okay, we're Tom Tom, there's Thomas. Okay, there you go. Goodbye, all right. So, uh, yeah, it's cool. So that's what you need to do. You need to get out to the uh, to the different venues, get yourself known. I mean, you get a little gas money, why not?

Speaker 2 37:02

Yeah.

Speaker 1 37:02

And now with the podcast here, hopefully we can help out a little bit as well.

Speaker 2 37:06

Yeah, you know, what's really hard to get into is the fair. I filled out applications for the fair and it's really difficult to get in there, man. Your best bet. Three years in a row, I put them in. Okay, well through, the state, well through. You've got to apply for it through the state you do Well.

Speaker 1 37:23

The state has a promoter that they use for all the big shows. Got it All right. So the Suburban Park and we're talking about Chevy Court- those stages are all the big promoters.

Speaker 2 37:32

Oh, of course, there's no way. I'm talking about just like the even for the little ones. Yeah, you know what I mean.

Speaker 1 37:38

Like the smaller ones, you should like like there's a good friend of mine, Danny Bosco, and they have Bosco's in the family and they have bands all the time. The thing to do there would be just go and talk to Danny. Talk to them and try to go that route and say I'd like to perform it at the fair.

Speaker 2 38:01

Can I get a night or two? Yeah, I was talking to the wrong person. Well, you got to apply and I'm applying for, like, chevy core or something, could you imagine? Yeah, no problem, we'll get you up there.

Speaker 1 38:08

Yeah, no, okay, um, yeah, you know a lot of the uh, the different venues uh that are there that do local acts, I mean that's what?

Speaker 2 38:15

yeah, okay, hit them so that's kind of cool. I'm just trying to help you, dude?

Speaker 1 38:18

Yeah, we're going to get you out there. Great info. We'll get you out there. Love it Plus. We'll get you in front of another showcase. Now we got some stuff coming up, but the next one I have Stephen Calley. Yep, stephen, great artist, he's a good one to him on, you know, facebook message yeah, oh, he is so good, yeah, uh brian michael is another one. Uh, we just we try to.

Speaker 2 38:41

Actually, I just joe van drieser. I just met brian um. I played a gig at harvey's garden, yeah, a couple weeks ago, and he was actually right after me it was like a little country.

Speaker 3 38:51

Yeah, yeah, that's kind of thing they had, yep yep, exactly.

Speaker 2 38:54

Yeah, I got to meet him too.

Breaking Into the Local Scene

Speaker 1 38:55

Exactly so. Do you have anything? You have Facebook. Yeah, zachary Levison. So anybody watching this that doesn't know how to get a hold of you, they can go to Facebook and message you. Yeah, but you don't have a website yet.

Speaker 2 39:09

I don't have a website that's coming. I have an Instagram.

Speaker 1 39:13

But you know what One thing I've learned with and anybody watching this may agree, may disagree, but websites aren't what they used to be. They're not.

Speaker 2 39:23

Yeah.

Speaker 1 39:23

If you're on X, insta, instagram, any of those a lot more effective.

Speaker 2 39:30

See, I don't have my music on X, maybe I should try.

Speaker 3 39:34

Do you do TikTok.

Speaker 2 39:36

I do, but I'm not tiktok I know it's hard.

Speaker 1 39:39

It's difficult because we're a little bit older. Yeah, yeah, yeah but still, when you look at what that, the exposure that something like tiktok would give you, that's true, I do have a tiktok account.

Speaker 2 39:49

But no, yeah, I know, I'm just saying all right, hey, no, keep going, man, I love it, I love it.

Speaker 1 39:55

you know anything we can do to help out. Somebody wants to get a hold of you. The the best thing would be go to Facebook right now and Zachary Levison Correct, and then they can message you and get you to come out and play and you can work out whatever you need to work out. That's cool. Yeah, that's very cool. Anything else you'd like to add? It's been great, got, great, got to know you a little bit.

Speaker 2 40:14

No, I love it, Skip this is awesome.

Speaker 1 40:16

So next time I have a power issue, I can call you Directly.

Speaker 2 40:20

You can call me directly.

Speaker 1 40:21

You know, I will say one thing the other day, nothing to do with you, but National Grid. It was funny. I got this message saying we have a power outage at my address, this and that, and the power should be restored in three and a half hours. So this and that, and the power should be restored in three and a half hours. So I call my wife. I go honey, what's going on? She's like what are you talking about? I said power is out. She goes, we haven't lost power, everything's fine. So yeah, she goes. But I did see a national grid truck down at the end of the street. I said well, maybe it's just in the area then or something, or maybe somebody had a problem or the substation.

Speaker 2 40:54

There you go. Well, I have dad calling me all the time from Adam Center Like, oh my power went out.

Speaker 1 41:00

Well, it does when it snows up there.

Speaker 2 41:02

Oh, yeah, his goes out all the time?

Speaker 1 41:03

Can you find him in the winter?

Speaker 2 41:06

I've driven down so you know where Old McDonald's Farm is.

Speaker 1 41:10

No, In Adam Center. Do you know where Sackett's is? I know where Adam's Center is. Do you know where Sackett's is? Yes, so Old.

Speaker 2 41:16

McDonald's is between 81 and Sackett's.

Speaker 3 41:19

It's just like a petting zoo farm kind of thing. He lives right down the road from there.

Speaker 2 41:23

But I've driven through there times where it just looks like you're driving through a tunnel.

Speaker 3 41:29

There's snow on each side of the road.

Speaker 2 41:31

It's like 15 feet up. It's crazy, it's nuts, it's crazy, you know it's crazy, no, it's crazy.

Speaker 1 41:36

Wow, why does he live there? Sorry?

Speaker 3 41:39

dad, I'm just saying he likes the work.

Speaker 2 41:42

I haven't seen my kids since uh, since November. He likes the challenge. I think it's you know it's home.

Speaker 1 41:49

It's home, that's what it's about. And you've put up with it.

Speaker 2 42:00

You're used. You know, even here we get a lot. So yeah, yeah, it's crazy. Zachary Levison, you know you're cool dude, hey, thanks this is pretty awesome.

Speaker 1 42:03

Well, you did it, yeah. Yeah, he's still like scared shitless but that's all right, no, it's all good.

Speaker 2 42:08

Uh, skip happens like. Yeah, like I said, this is more nerve-wracking than playing in front of a bunch of people do you ever have?

Speaker 1 42:14

I'd get used to it do you ever have any sort of skip happen when you've been playing, like speaker falls over or fall off the stool.

Speaker 2 42:24

Well, I had a speaker.

Speaker 1 42:25

I mean cut out just at last at Harvey's Garden but I don't think that's ever happened. I'm just wondering that's a story you know. Once that happens, you'll never forget it. Just want to say thanks for hanging man. It's been great. Now you've experienced Skip Happens Great and the real deal. And for those of you watching please, and the Levison family, subscribe, hit the like. It works with the algorithm, so we like that, but also keep an eye out because I have a lot of the big stars on as well, and we make it happen.

Speaker 1 43:01

So you're sitting in one of the stars. Come in and they sit in that chair. Dude, love it. Yeah, dude, all right, zachary Levison, thank you so much for joining us on Skip Happens Tonight. It's good to see you. I think there's my mouse.

Speaker 2 43:14

Skip, thank you very.