Melodies N' Memories: Music Media
Hosts Jillianne & Aaron R. Shriver are proud to bring their Music Interview & Positivity podcast to listeners and viewers alike. Aaron started the podcast in 2019, inspired by his long-time love for Eric Church and being a proud member of his fan club, "The Church Choir”. Through the show, he wanted to show appreciation for music and artistry, as well as create a platform for those with a positive attitude to share their stories. Over the course of the podcast, Aaron has become friends with a few guests, all of whom come on to discuss their experiences, share stories and even perform some of their own music. As the show grows, so too have the related projects - these now include concert reviews, Live Music Photography & Videos, and a positivity-focused blog. Every Monday at 7 pm Central, tune into Melodies N' Memories: Music Media on Facebook and YouTube and it'll be available on all streaming services the following day. Join Jillianne and Aaron to hear from a new guest every week!
Melodies N' Memories: Music Media
Greylan James | Singer/Songwriter
We had the honor of sitting down with country music sensation Greylan James on this week's episode of Melodies N' Memories podcast. Are you ready to learn about his humble beginnings in Knoxville, Tennessee, and how meeting Kenny Chesney at age 11 shaped his journey to signing a global publishing deal and a major record deal? Greylan bares all - from the challenges of self-producing his EP and showcasing his multi-instrumental skills to the emotional stories behind his hit songs.
In a world where songwriting is a constant balance between pleasing the audience and staying true to oneself, Greylan opens up about the tension he faced. How did he manage to choose the five songs for his EP, and what's the heartfelt story behind "Next Thing You Know"? We also dive into Greylan's incredible performance with Peyton Manning at Red Rocks and the moving inspiration for his song "Young Man."
As we explore the wild world of artist riders and Greylan's unique requests, you'll get a glimpse into his dedication to his craft and his love for country music. Tune in to this unforgettable episode and celebrate Greylan James.
I got a gift from God. Hey y'all, this is Drew Green, and you were streaming the Melodies and Memories podcast with Jillian and Aaron Shriver.
Speaker 3:Welcome to the Melodies and Memories podcast with Jillian and Aaron Shriver, brought to you by Arlo Revolution. Each week, they connect melodies and memories with fans and singer songwriters from all genres of life. When all else in life is gone, music will be left to leave the legacy of life's adventures. Please welcome your hosts of the Melodies and Memories podcast, jillian and Aaron Shriver.
Speaker 2:Hello and welcome everyone to season seven of Melodies and Memories podcast. I'm your co-host, jillian Shriver.
Speaker 1:I'm your host, aaron Shriver.
Speaker 2:And our mission tonight is to provide a platform for motivated singer, songwriters, passionate fans or someone who's making a difference in and around the music community. We hope everyone listening leaves inspired with a positive outlook and begins connecting their own melodies to memories. Tonight we're presented by our good friends at Arlo Revolution cinematic wedding films, music videos and promos. Find them at ArloRevolutioncom. One Tree Planted for every 1000 downloads of the show. We planted tree with One Tree Planted.
Speaker 2:Download the show on your favorite podcast app And Poddex. Poddex are the hottest tool to get your next great interview, unique interview questions in the palm of your hand. Our on-screen sponsors are Art on a Higher Wire by Joelle Original and custom artwork inspired by your life moments, treasured photos and memories. Looking for ways to support and sponsor melodies and memories music media? then head on over to our Patreon page where tiers start at just $1 a month. The next best way to support the show is to like share review on all podcast platforms. Remember, you can join us live every Monday night at 7pm central on Facebook and YouTube, where you can interact with the show, ask questions or join in on the live chat with your favorite guests. Visit our website, melodiesandmemoriescom for music news, concert reviews, photos, playlists and more.
Speaker 1:Alright, i'm ready for tonight, you're ready for tonight.
Speaker 2:I'm excited, let's go So this one.
Speaker 1:I gotta give you a little backstory. This show tonight goes back what? 11 years, 12 years or so, pre-kids that's for sure.
Speaker 2:So before Joelle and I had kids, we used to.
Speaker 1:We lived right between Chicago and Milwaukee. We were like 45 minutes north of Chicago, 45 minutes south of Milwaukee. And so we had a good friend in Nashville and she'd bring some artists through the town. We always put up, let me say, at the house. Cook them a nice meal or something, give them a nice place.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know about a nice meal. I cook food. Well, it's probably mostly we just ordered out or something.
Speaker 1:But it was like Louis Price and Jacob Stiefel. We've had them on the podcast. And there was a third one we had come through one time and I'm like one day I want to have them on the podcast. And a couple years ago, when we started the show, i'm like man. That name came around again.
Speaker 2:Well, we've had everybody on the show except for him. I think Emily. Yeah, he's the one.
Speaker 1:But I just kind of wanted to wait because I saw him start doing some big things. I'm like, dude, give him a couple more years, this guy's gonna have something. Now he has probably like my top six favorite song I've ever heard in my life. He is covering on And we're gonna talk a little bit about that song. But, guys, tonight it's gonna be a long intro, but I'm just gonna let you know. now we welcome in Grayland James for episode 166.
Speaker 1:We watch his career grow over the last 11 years and his dedication and passion for country music has always been apparent. From his humble beginnings in Knoxville, tennessee, to signing a global publishing deal And, just recently, a major record deal, grayland has become one of the most promising talents in the country music scene. He's written songs for some of the biggest names in the industry, including Chris Young, blake Shelton and Chris Jansen. They even received a call from his hometown hero, kenny Chesney, letting him know that he's cutting one of Grayland's songs. Grayland started releasing his own music in 2021, and shows no signs of slowing down his passion, dedication unlike anything we've ever seen and saying. We are honored to discuss the melodies and memories that make up his journey. Let's welcome Grayland on What's up, buddy? What's?
Speaker 5:going on.
Speaker 1:Hello.
Speaker 6:Wendy.
Speaker 1:I was like oh, i got a breather. That one.
Speaker 6:That's a good intro, though I think I'm gonna be fired up Dude.
Speaker 1:Like I said, i've been waiting for this show for a while and I was gonna reach out a couple of years ago when we first kicked this thing off. I'm like, no, let's wait, let's wait. So perfect time to have you on dude CMA Fest week. You got a big week going on.
Speaker 6:Big week, dude. I'm trying to get stressed, dude, And it's just, it's a lot, man. I got some family coming in town. We're about to be tourists for the week And it's gonna be fun, man. It's gonna be busy, a lot of country music And I'm excited, man. I'm nervous but I'm excited.
Speaker 1:I love that you still get nervous because you've been doing this for so long, dude. This is how I love about it. So we went through this way back and kind of get your earliest music memory dude, just kind of what was playing around the house growing up. I know you started young, so just kind of tell us what your parents were listening to.
Speaker 6:Yeah, man, i grew up in Knoxville, tennessee, and it's just kind of like the hotbed for country music, man. I mean all the way back to Chet Atkins and Roy A Cuff and Dolly Parton. Man, i mean it goes back a long ways And even to now. You know we got Morgan Wallin and Kelsey Ballerini And it's just something in the water out there. Just country music is always around. And even if you're in a Mexican restaurant, bro, they ain't playing nothing. Mariachi, bro, they're playing country music in there. It's just, it's a place that country music was always around me.
Speaker 6:So growing up, i mean that was that's what we grilled hot dogs to, that's what we watched the Super Bowl to. We didn't have the sound, we were listening to country. So I just I always was around country music. My family loved it, so any and all kinds the stuff that was on the radio at the time. But my papo had Waylon Jennings on and took me and my brother to school listening to Waylon and Willie and some of the greatest hits of those guys. So I got a. I got a good lesson on country.
Speaker 1:Oh man, I love that He gets your first guitar too, when you're about five, right.
Speaker 6:He did, man, When I was, yeah, when I was five years old, for Christmas he bought me a like a 30 or $45 guitar by Walmart And it was supposed to be just like another little toy you bought for bought for a kid, you know, was like buying a plastic drum set But I just I took it too far, man. I was obsessed with it. And when I I that's one of my first like core memories I have as a kid was looking at that thing Like this is my instrument for the rest of my life And and it was, and I remember I took it in my bunk bed That made my brother share and I played it to my fingers, as my family likes to tell about it.
Speaker 6:I did, man. I played to my fingers blood and I was just like this is it. And really ever since that night, my, my, what I'm going to do, never really changed. And yeah, it kind of all started with that little guitar.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's awesome because you and bro I mean just talking about it where you were one point was it like the top top guitarist under age of 21? Was it what? was it Guitar magazine or Guitar World magazine or something like that Or what?
Speaker 6:Yeah, Yeah, guitar Center.
Speaker 1:Guitar, Center.
Speaker 6:Yeah Yeah, they found me on YouTube like playing, just stuff that I had learned in my.
Speaker 6:I learned in my bedroom. But again, you know, i took that, that toy guitar, way too far. I've never been one to do things halfway Man. If I'm going to eat a, if I'm going to eat a donut, i mean the whole thing. So I, i just I wanted to be good at it. I don't like being bad at something. And so I just I started taking guitar lessons and my guitar teacher didn't want to teach me Brad Paisley songs And I was like I'm quitting, dude, i'm going to be seeing myself in my house. And I just I learned every note that I heard on the radio And before I knew it, there was people reaching out saying that hey, you're actually good at the whole guitar playing thing. And I was like am, I that's crazy.
Speaker 1:Did you use YouTube at all or anything to lean on? Oh?
Speaker 6:yeah, youtube. I was Googling everything on how to play stuff And I mean I was on my my parents like desktop computer at the house downstairs And I was just pressing like play rewind, play rewind.
Speaker 1:I still remember learning on tab with your books back in like the mid 90s.
Speaker 6:Oh, yes, yeah I never learned to read tabs. It's things like I never learned to read tabs or like read music. I just I just watched guys fingers and was like okay, how are they playing that, how are they playing that? And yeah, before I knew it I was like I actually kind of knew what I was doing And I still don't know, like when it clicked. but it clicked one day and I went from being just really terrible to a guitar center magazine It was. it was pretty crazy.
Speaker 1:I love that dude. So we always ask also what was your first concert and what kind of experience did you just take away from that? What did you remember and kind of really could take your experience from it?
Speaker 6:Man, it's actually a fun story. I was actually on a not to spoil like the later talking points, but I was. I was on the bus with Kenny Chesney a couple weeks ago and I had a show cancel and I was like let's just go to Kenny show in Evansville, It's close to.
Speaker 6:Nashville, it's like two hours north here, and I was like let's just surprise Kenny. So texted him. He's like, yeah, come up. And I was just sitting on the bus He was playing me a couple couple new songs And somehow we got on. The talking point of everybody was on the bus What's your first concert? And going around the room and there was a couple people from his label that were like you know really cool stories like Led Zeppelin or something, and then it was like it was bad And it was like Dolly Parton, kenny Rogers and all these amazing people And then Kenny looked at me and was like what was?
Speaker 6:your first concert And I was like you were my guy, He was like no, when I was like when I was seven years old at Nieland Stadium in Knoxville, tennessee, and I think it was like 2004. And, yeah, 2004. And he was, he's playing the hometown stadium And he brought Peyton Manning on stage, brought Uncle Cracker on stage, kid rock Yeah, that was my first, my first concert. He didn't believe me And I was like bro, i got the picture.
Speaker 2:I got the full circle moment.
Speaker 6:Yeah, I got the extra small tank top to prove it.
Speaker 1:And it's cool That's like one of his biggest shows that he plays to that stadium because hometown man Yeah.
Speaker 6:Oh, it was bro. And he was like you're gonna want to play one day, aren't you? I'm like yes, that is the goals.
Speaker 1:That'll probably be one of our questions later. And we get a thing when we do the hot seat. The last question we always ask the kind of a goal, so I'll probably that'll probably pop up again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, cool, cool But that's cool.
Speaker 1:We just going into that a little bit. I have you got to meet Kenny Chesney when you're younger, right, and he kind of is that one. You got to meet him that time, or no, it wasn't.
Speaker 6:You know, that was my first time seeing him.
Speaker 1:Okay, we're in deep seats, man, I mean because then he'd tell you to stay in school once because you got like a seat or something, your dad kind of raged you out against him.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah. Well, i was in a bluegrass band because where I was taking guitar lessons was a little backwards East Tennessee guitar store And they had a all the guys that worked there and the guy that owned the store, they had a little little band, little bluegrass band. I was one of the guitar players, man on players in that little group And we just play like a little corporate events, little tomato festivals, any kind of fruit festivals around the area. And then we got hired to play this brewery for like this private party And it was for Anheuser Bush. And so we show up, we're just playing, you know, like the bluegrass classics, and all of a sudden, like in the back and I was a little fellow, i was like three foot tall, i was 11.
Speaker 6:And I saw in the back of the crowd there was like everybody huddled up in this one little area And I got a glimpse of it was Kenny Chesney walking in And I, just that was my guy. You know, i think at the time I was probably wearing pukashell necklaces, because Kenny Chesney wore pukashells And I was just I mean, i was trying to, i probably peed in my jeans, i just couldn't believe it. And you know, everybody's trying to talk to him after we got the plan And my dad kind of weasel away or back in there. And a couple days before that show I got my first C in science class. I was always like a straight.
Speaker 6:A kind of kid. But I got my first C because of slack and just you know, learning guitar to try to get in magazines and stuff And my, i remember I told my dad I was like you know, it's not a big deal that I got to see I'm going to be a country music star. So I didn't know what a mitochondria is Like, who needs that, and he's like he needs stay in school. So he he got me back to Kenny and of all things to ask Kenny like advice on the music business, anything. My dad asked him like, hey, this is my son Grayland. He wants to be a country music singer but he just got his first C in class. Like he wants to be at home school. Like what, what? what do you think? And Kenny was like, all right, stay in school and learn how to write songs. And then he just turned to start talking to the next person And that was pretty much it And that was the last I talked to him until he, yeah, But did.
Speaker 1:Did you know anything about songwriting before that, before, like he said that to you, you know like songwriters existed or anything like that.
Speaker 6:Oh no, not at all. Yeah, i just learned my first. You know G chord, c chord. A. So I I was just kind of getting a dabble of you know playing shows and being in a band a band.
Speaker 6:But you know it, it was kind of just all, it all kind of happened fast for me. But you know, right after that, you know my, my grandmother, who was also at that show, she was kind of who got me started in like singing lessons, And besides me she was the one taking my dream seriously And she, she passed away a couple months later after I met Kenny, and that was the first song I ever wrote and You know, without that that interaction with Kenny, I don't know if I would have ever thought about writing songs and putting my thoughts to chords and music, but They kind of just all happen, yeah, the way it's supposed to how old are you when you wrote that song?
Speaker 1:11 11, 11 years. Well, in those 11 years from when the time you met Kays, you wrote that song. Did you kind of do any poetry, a journaling, anything like that?
Speaker 6:No other than just writing about the times that I've been rejected by girls.
Speaker 1:I feel that's all my high school, like journals or just like all my breakups.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah. You know, i just was always like I Always thought that was gonna do this. I mean, this, this all kind of feels like the way it was supposed to happen. So even back then I was like you know, i'll write this song like that girl doesn't know, but it's gonna be a hit one day. And Even I was 13, you know, right in right in stupid songs. But Yeah, i mean, i always was kind of looking around and being like I could be a song, that could be a song after, after that first song I wrote.
Speaker 1:So when did you finally jump from Knoxville to Nashville and finally make the move?
Speaker 6:Yeah, you know, i was always telling my parents like, hey, you know, you can, my dad's a restaurant designer. I'm like you, you could always design restaurants in Nashville. They make restaurants in Nashville too. Like we should move, just always trying to convince them. But uh, you know, really, when I was 18 I moved officially.
Speaker 6:When I was 18 or 19, and You know, i was trying to decide between college and working at Home Depot. I didn't know what was happening because, you know, like I said, i always thought this was what I was gonna do, but it wasn't really happening. You know, i was playing shows and I had some cool things happen in my life, but Nothing that ever kind of like got the ball rolling in the sense of actually doing it and actually be on the radio or All the things in Nashville was a missing piece. And so, coincidentally, when I was about to have to start applying for colleges, i got reached out to by a publishing company, which is basically just a Company that signs songwriters to write songs for a living and tries to get them recorded by bigger artists on the radio. And they heard some of my songs on YouTube and reached out to my dad at the right time.
Speaker 6:It was a summer of like 2014 or 15, and they got in touch and brought me to Nashville like the next day and offered me a publishing deal. I had no idea what that was. I never written songs with anybody else besides myself in my bedroom, and They're talking all this stuff about co-writing. I'm like, what is that? You know, and and they just took a chance on me, and it for $12,000 a year less than people were working at McDonald's make I moved here and started writing songs and That kind of got the ball rolling.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, dude, I'm flipping through some pictures. I just found the flyer from when you played Dukes and Kenosha over here.
Speaker 3:I'm trying to figure out what data.
Speaker 1:Is it just a 16 year old Nashville artist on it? So I'm trying to figure out what the year was. But there's no year on. It Just says June 20th. But, dude, that was fun when you came up here and played up here And that's kind of when we first There's swings at the bar, the bar.
Speaker 2:They do the. What is the?
Speaker 1:There's a wheel.
Speaker 2:They have the wheel, they have the bell like they would ring the ball of that's like, if you like, get iced or whatever Iced thank you like the smear-off ice you I get down.
Speaker 6:I think that's what it was, my brother was with me and we were like, what is happening Yeah?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah, yeah, you had Phil with you from Ingram Hill too, right, yeah, i think he was out there. That was. That was a fun time for sure. Then we were gonna have you. What was my 30th birthday? I think we were gonna have you, but that that fell through at the last minute like, all right, that's what you're, you're gonna come up your dad's like now, no, that's me drinking, They're me partying. I think I was Bryson. Jacob came and played that night. I was like, all right, we'll do that. It was fun, dude. And like even then I know you probably don't talk about that single much, but if I was like Elvis, but that's something that kind of launched your career. I was when your first singles a actually really you put out there. Wasn't it that you kind of like said, hey, this is who I am is one day view, even though you're only what 16, 17 when that came out, or Yeah, yeah, i mean, yeah, yeah, i think I was, i think it was 15 or 16 and Yeah, that was definitely.
Speaker 6:That was the song that somebody Nashville heard on YouTube and That was. That was kind of the song that got this whole thing started. If I had to trace it back to what, what got me here Directly would be that that song. So, yeah, even even now, just people that show the shows and They're like you didn't play that song. I'm like no kidding.
Speaker 1:That's all been pulled off Spotify. Everything Good song, though. Back then, man, it was awesome. It was just cool, like just like to see like we started off and kind of like how you percent of yourself like that back then is this. It was cool, man, just to see we start growing and Crossing paths, and it was pretty cool, let's see your career at that point.
Speaker 1:So, um, so yeah, tell me a little bit about You got. You got just recently, got signed by big machine, but this dates back for a while you've been. You wrote a letter to Rashad at one time. Tell me a little bit about this and how you went about doing that.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah, you know, i keep saying it, you know I was. It never wavered that I was gonna do this and I was gonna do it. What I do, whatever it takes to get to this point. And I, i was opening for this duo called steel magnolia the.
Speaker 6:Tennessee Valley fair in like 2012 or 2013, and I Remember it was like the first time I'd open for somebody. We got to talk to somebody that had a record deal. You know I'd heard about that elusive thing called a record deal, for you know, since I was a baby, since I was five, you know that was like the thing that I, when I would Google, had to get a song on the radio. He has a record deal and And so I open for this. This duo at the fair that I played every year and I Got to talk to him for a brief moment. They were the first, like headliner that I'd gotten to talk to and have conversation with and I'm gonna just flat out asking like how did you get to this point? You're on a tour bus. Like you got a song on the radio that I know like what was like the thing? Like don't tell me how you moved to Nashville. Like what was it like? what got you here? and You know they kept talking about the scoppor Shadda guy, like scoppor.
Speaker 6:Shadda scoppor Shadda and I remember googling them and around around the same time. You know, this young girl, taylor Swift, was like popping off and and just a handful of things that like kept getting linked back to scoppor Shadda. And Every time I Google like how to move to Nashville, like scoppor Shadda would pop up and He's just everywhere that I use the man.
Speaker 1:I was here always. He was the man. Yeah, I was like alright, where's this guy?
Speaker 6:live dude, and And and so I was like I'm gonna write on the letter and put my demo in the letter and. This is, this is gonna be the moment, and it felt like very storybook, and so I wrote him a letter with, like it was basically a one sheet of everything I'd ever done in my life, which shouldn't have been like as long as it was this, like this big letter like that.
Speaker 6:I hadn't done anything enough to fill up an entire page, but I Did and gave him my phone number. I was like you'll call me if you want to sign me and I I guess he never got the letter. But yeah, he Just recently many he heard some music, him and his team, and Connected the dots and I guess the letter got lost in transit or something. Yeah, finally signed me to a record deal.
Speaker 1:That's cool because I did. I've run letters. I remember one that was guy from capital, mike Duncan, back when church was signed to him.
Speaker 1:I'm like, dude, why the hell are you promoting these people over here at church, bitch and but whatever? but it's always cool, Those letters always get lost for a while. But uh, dude, it was cool to hear that though, because it's kind of like just talking about full circle moments with Kenny and then coming back to this one, it's just really cool because you sent out this letter and you're like, you're determined, and that's where your determination showed I ended up is taking you to finally sign this deal. So I got asked were you working on some new music? Yeah, it's been what since 2000? what 22 or so last year when you put out the EP. So you got anything coming out.
Speaker 6:Absolutely dude. We're actually going to the studio in a couple weeks to do the first major label recording session, and so I've actually never done that. everything that I put out to this point has been just stuff I did in my bedroom and and at my house, and so Getting to go like do the full thing, like I've dreamed up since I was a kid, going into the studio and being with producer and Musicians and the label there at the same time, it's gonna be. it's gonna be super exciting. So you know, we've got a Yeah, new music coming out, yeah, yeah, really.
Speaker 1:So the EP we were talking about, you kind of did almost everything a little bit of yourself, because you put multiple instruments on it. You all songs are covered in by you. You did yourself produce it as well, so I did Dude, i'm really cheap.
Speaker 6:I'd say that was, that was a lot of it.
Speaker 2:You're resourceful, you know. You know how to utilize your resources. I'm a big. I'm a big Tucker.
Speaker 1:Bethard fan and Tucker Tucker released that one one time and I saw he played guitar drums. Now you go, i go, dude, you play almost every instrument. Why He goes? man, i'm broke. I was like all right.
Speaker 6:I got a mortgage now Yeah. I got a lot of stuff.
Speaker 1:He's like you were to be a musician quick. Yeah, exactly, That's impressive as hell.
Speaker 6:Yeah, I just kind of stuff is done as I wanted to get it done And it was cool and it got me to this point, but I'm I'm excited to to let people hear what what it sounds like at the next level.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, now, since that won't, that EP was self produced. What was it hard kind of picking what songs you finalized on it, cause only had five songs or so on it. Yeah, was it hard to narrow it down to those Cause you you've been writing since you said 11 and you're finally going to be out of EP. I mean five songs since 11. It's like damn 100%.
Speaker 6:Well, i think a lot of it was you know, I've had a lot of songs recorded by big artists that have, you know, a lot bigger fan bases and that could get the songs heard by a lot more people than I can, a lot faster than I can, and so a lot of the battle was you know, we've got great songs. but you know, we'd been talks with with record labels and we were like, okay, like let's, let's put stuff out to kind of like just get my name out there, but let's not put our best stuff out. You know, let's, let's kind of put great songs out, but not the, not the best ones that you know we're kind of sitting on. So those are kind of just like the teasers and kind of like the intro of kind of where things are going and we're about to finally open the book.
Speaker 1:Well, now, over the last few years that you started becoming an artist, is it hard, when you write these really good songs, letting them go and like getting them held by other artists or something like that, cause you're like dude. Now I'm starting to do this. I want these songs Like is it really hard, or like what's been the hardest one to let go.
Speaker 6:Yeah, it wasn't really hard until you know I got a record deal, because before that, you know I was, i was making a business decision of like, okay, you know so and so can get the song on the radio, you know, next month, you know.
Speaker 6:Or for me, you know, i'm still trying to get a record deal and trying to get the the correct distribution to kind of get the song actually heard by millions of people. And you know I didn't, i didn't have that reach at the time And so it was a little easier, you know, especially if there was a big artist involved and that wanted the song that I written. But now it's definitely getting a lot more tricky because it seems like every song that I write now, you know right, probably five or six songs a week it feels like every, every song or every other song is kind of getting in that predicament of somebody else wanting it and they try to decide like yo, is this, someone want to sing the rest of my life, like running by the label, running by management, publishing, and then there isn't. It's just it's a lot more political than I imagine writing songs would be, but it's a good problem to have to be the the other way around. You know where nobody likes anything. True, very true. I love it.
Speaker 1:And speaking of kind of writing some songs, i mentioned a little bit in the intro like probably one of my top five, six songs ever, dude. Next thing, you know, dude, where did that song come from? man? Because the first time we heard it I think we were you and I were both in tears, like I think we were driving down the road somewhere. I don't know where we were going, we were, it was something. We were already kind of probably emotional, anyways, i think something was going on And we heard that song.
Speaker 1:We're emotional, No no, that's why I'm trying to figure out what was going on when we first heard it. But like I don't know, it was around my birthday last year, my turn 40 or whenever it was. but we heard this song, dude, and we both looked at each other and just tears are coming out of our faces.
Speaker 3:Holy shit, where did this song come from?
Speaker 1:But dude, where did? this come from Where was it for you?
Speaker 6:We know we wrote the song in the. This is my writing studio in here at a first hole publishing in Nashville And it's one of the first songs I'd written when I moved in this office.
Speaker 6:And it was crazy man, it was like it was perfectly teed up you know that that week I think it was, it was around the time last year we were actually wrote it on my. My pap always one of the guys that got really got me started in music And he had passed away that that that January and and in June it was his first birthday in heaven. I remember like June 14th was his birthday. And I remember June 14th was coming up and I was like, oh, that's, that's going to be a, that's going to be a tough day. And then my publisher called me and they're like Hey, jordan Davis is going into cut on June 18th, which is my birthday. And he was like you know, he's only got, he wants to write one more song and he's got a slot open and they need a hit, like they need a smash. Like can you do you want to write with with Jordan and a couple of these other guys? And I was like obviously yeah. And I was June 14th. And so we showed up that day and it was me, chase McGill and Josh Osborn, which are, you know, incredible songwriters and have ever written way more hits than I have, and great dudes. And we got here and Jordan, we're like did it get miscommunicated? Jordan showed up like 50 minutes late. 50 minutes late. We're like, should we get a lunch? Like what do we do? And again, you know we're supposed to write a hit today, you know. And then Jordan shows up and he's like y'all got to leave at at 1 30 and he got there like noon And so we're like, oh God, you know, we got, we got a hustle on this, and so we got down here and started talking and you know it was his son's birthday, jordan's son's birthday, like the Sunday before we wrote the song.
Speaker 6:And you know he was just talking about how life was just kind of getting away from him and time was getting away from him And he was like you know, i can see how fast like 17 of these things can go by, you know birthdays And and he just wanted to, it was, it was heavy on his heart And you know he said that title next thing. You know, and Chase McGill kind of started like talking about that verse and just talking about how, let's just say that title. You know, like in a conversational sense, and before we knew it we were writing a song about just the progression of life and Josh Osborn's over on this couch just crying, and Jason McGill had tears and I'm not even in bed, you know, and I'm even like getting tears in my eyes and like I don't have kids to be sad about, you know, and it was just a special song and it happened fast because it was just right about life. You know, we got to the, we got to the last chorus and talked about, you know, grandparents and it just it felt fitting because, you know, my, my, my grandfather was heavy on my heart that day and it just felt like one of those songs that was meant to be.
Speaker 6:But it never felt like it was supposed to be a hit, like we were supposed to write that day, because everybody told us we need to write a hit today. That's what Jordan needs. And we wrote this ballad that never repeated the chorus and I never I've not heard one of those songs on the radio and since I've been alive, that never repeats a chorus and I thought we messed up. We wrote a really cool song but I thought we messed up and Two weeks later the song was out, it was blowing up and we were like, oh god, we wrote something special and people made it a hit and It's pretty crazy to see the, the effect of a song and the power can have Regent people for sure.
Speaker 1:It's insane, because it's funny, because, like when I, that's on the minute I heard it, the line where he goes How you doing their dad, like yeah, i remember this text. Like right after I became a dad for the first time I had a picture of me holding my son, probably minutes after he was born. I sent a text, my dad, and he replied call me dad. And I was first time ever heard that. I was like dude. And the minute I heard that line it took me right back to that text message. I have a freaking lost it. I'm done.
Speaker 6:But that lines are getting thrown around and You know the funny white hat, that's definitely like the line that. That got all of us choked up and yeah, remember, i remember how it came up, but it was definitely one of those.
Speaker 1:We looked around like that because I was there in scrubs. I was, i mean even in the picture down off the Sunday that pictures, or that picture, that text on time. They're holding the baby with the scrubs on that. Well, the pie had the white hat on everything and then minutes, that lyric came on Like dude, it's pretty wow.
Speaker 6:It's cool man Yeah.
Speaker 1:I love that. It was cool because then, like the first thing I did the minute after I heard that line, i looked up on Spotify. I always hit song credits to look and dude, i saw your name. I looked at Jillian.
Speaker 2:I said oh my god, oh my god, oh.
Speaker 1:You gotta be kidding me.
Speaker 2:I was like this is really in song and she's like are you serious?
Speaker 1:Yeah, dude, honestly, now was like another moment being proud, definitely come by like damn to this guy is doing something. All right this guy's just came through a couple times. That was fun times We still have. We're gonna have to frame it now because after all these years We still have things like an e-by-ten or 11 by 12 post. Poster of the. If I was Elvis poster.
Speaker 1:Oh you know like thanks for let me crash your and signed it. Yeah, i was like that. I still got that summer down here. Yeah, i'm like I got framed that put on the ball now. So one of the coolest stories for me. Just cuz I'm Chicago guy, if I watch basketball, i like watching Chicago Bulls a little bit. Do you wrote with Jimmy Butler and not maybe will know he's a songwriter, he's a hell of a basketball player too. But tell me a little bit about writing with Jimmy Butler man, and that's how that came to be.
Speaker 6:Oh, It's crazy, bro, like again he was in the studio and you can't tell here. But these, these ceilings are really small for for five nine guy They're perfect man, they make you feel tall, but for somebody is, yeah, six, eight, six, nine, they definitely shrink on you and he was having to walk down with his head down and and get in here. But That was wild. Like I was just chilling at the house on a like a Sunday afternoon and a buddy of mine, ben Hayslop, taxing me, is like hey, do you want to write with Jimmy Butler tomorrow? and I was like it's just like a new Country artist in town or it's like another Jimmy Butler. You know, we got like Jordan.
Speaker 6:Davis you know There's another Jordan Davis in the NFL. I thought was one of those situations but I Was like the NBA player and he's like, yeah, you know he's heard a few of your songs, He loves that.
Speaker 6:That Kenny Chessing song you wrote and he wants to write and I'm like I Even just to meet him, even if we don't write a song, like I thought they just like meet him and just say that I've met him And so I got here, dude, and he shows up with like just a bunch of dudes with them. That is just kind of his, his crew of guys that we help him train like make sure his hair looks good.
Speaker 2:Like a posse.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah, like five or six, seven people with him and They just came in and cramped in this little studio with me, ben Hayslop and Jesse Alexander, and We sat down and you know we were talking about songs and he had song titles that were awesome and It was just a normal, just four people getting together right in the song and Roll a couple songs, one of which I put out and it's pretty awesome.
Speaker 6:You know, through the playoffs I've texted them and you know I told him I keep it going, bro, you're, you're crushing it right now and not that that's gonna power him up for the playoffs. But He takes me back. He's like, yeah, i'm gonna win one for you, bro, it's pretty, it's pretty sick, you know, especially like you know talking to like hometown buddies that you know It's. It's cool to know Kenny Chess and he's cool to know some other people, but it's really cool to know NBA player.
Speaker 6:So, it's, it's a flex. No, he's. He's hooked me up with tickets and, and you know as much as you know I'm entertained by what he does for a living. He's, he's equally as entertained by what we do. And you know I can. I can write songs with him. I cannot play basketball with another. That's not, uh, not gonna happen.
Speaker 1:Have you got the shooting hoops with them yet at all? No, that'd be cool.
Speaker 6:Yeah, you know what He invited me to pick up game. Yeah, and so when? and I was like, i strategically did not wear basketball shoes, it's like you know, i want to see what the vibes like they were over at Lipscomb University and, and so they were at the gym over there just playing a pickup game and he's, like you know, come out like play some hoops and shit.
Speaker 6:I was like alright, you know I'll come out and I Went, but I was wearing my boots because, like you know, that's a good excuse to not check in if it's if it's too intense. And I got there and he was like it's just a couple buddies, you know, like you probably won't know any of them, And I got there. It's like Parker McCollum came brown. Like which that list just sounds like famous people. But it's not just famous people's tall, famous people.
Speaker 2:And again, you know, it's bringing it back.
Speaker 6:I'm five nine, you know, and I'm like, oh god, no, you know, like Sam will box me out in the heartbeat dude, no, i'll shrink really fast. So I Did not do it. I was like more of the coach, you know. I was like drawing up plays, but I did not check in bro.
Speaker 1:I did not Love that. Well, man, we talked a little about, about new music. You're working on stuff. What was the rest of your summer look like to you? It's like I don't even wow with old meme and all over the place You're gonna be up here in Milwaukee at summer fest coming up soon. Yeah, dude, what else? What are you going on this summer?
Speaker 6:We got a lot of dude. We got a yeah, we got see may fest this week, which is it's pretty hectic. We're playing in a Myrtle Beach for Carolina Country Fest this Friday night, and so Got a lot of that going on. And then, yeah, we've got some of the minion shows left. We got a lake Tahoe and some shows up in the Northeast with old dominion and then, yeah, late summer, early fall, go out with on tour with Colson L and Jordan Davis speaking of, and so, and Chris Lane is another one that we're doing some tour dates with.
Speaker 6:So we're we're busy and Can be more excited. It's gonna be fun.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, yeah, we got Jordan Davis coming here, I think next week, or he's helping Milwaukee at the Raven walk. Have you ever been to have any yet? You're gonna get a chance. You got to check out this creepy pool in the basement. You probably heard about it here in there But, dude, it's crazy. So we gotta get you back to Chicago. I know you already played Joe's on Weed Street again. We gotta get you back over there. So. But, or, carol's pub is our place in Chicago. That's been booked, and same guy looks out Joe's on Weed books, carol's man. Yeah, that'd be a great place for you. That'd be awesome.
Speaker 4:I'll come through sometime, yeah this episode is powered by Poddex. Poddex are unique interview questions and episode starting prompts in the palm of your hand. So whether you're a new podcaster or an existing broadcaster looking to take your Interviews and podcasts episodes to the next level, you're gonna want to check out Poddex. Visit poddexcom to get your Poddex today.
Speaker 1:Well, man, we're gonna move on to a couple fun parts of the night. Well, first our our sponsored part of the night. Powered by Poddex, i pulled a couple cards earlier. What's the disadvantage of playing things safe in your career? Oh?
Speaker 6:Man, I've never been one to play things safe. Yeah, I think taking risk definitely sets you apart. You know there's a I've learned. You know, if you go to California Pizza Kitchen in Nashville Do you like that, that waiter taking your order Mac and like sing, every run in the book He's a talented dude. So Everybody is talented in Nashville. It's just like you know professional sports, everybody's talented. It's the it's up, What's up here, And you know that's a lot of it's risk-taking and doing things a little bit different that stands you apart.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i love that, so this is really a fun. While it's kind of going through these second cards, it's kind of get cards against humanity type type of thing these the sponsors, so it's kind of fun. But I pulled out this card and it was a fun one. If you could put something wacky on your rider, like no green M&Ms or something it'll always be fulfilled What would it be?
Speaker 6:Oh, God you know what like recently I was at a casino in Denver, colorado, actually in black Hawk, colorado, west of Denver, and I've always wanted to try a martini and I've never had a martini in my life and I finally did it. I ordered martini at this casino and I'm obsessed, and so On my rider. At the moment It's just like vodka and red bull. I'm thinking about changing it to like some martini ingredients. Dude, i loved it. I loved a martini. Everybody told me I hate it. I love Bart martini's for my house. So like whatever it's called, vermouth or something.
Speaker 6:Yeah that's not what it is.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, yeah, it's like drive for mooth or whatever. I probably got something behind the bar over here. I haven't drank in almost four years.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah. So yeah for mooth, that would be on my rider for sure, all right, that's cool.
Speaker 1:I used to work at a theater and I did hospitality and we had some some strange rider rider requests. I think the strangest I ever saw was b-52s. They just had some wild stuff on there. I was like all right, i don't know what they're doing in the dress room.
Speaker 2:I'm just gonna let them be. I'm not right.
Speaker 1:This is the wildest one with the weirdest band. I was like all right, whatever. so All right, well, this next one is gonna be a little fun dude. So I kind of why I was researching for this show. I kind of pick four songs, um, i'm gonna play five seconds each song, um, just kind of that I think you might have a connection with. So the first thing when you hear the song, the first thing comes to mind We'll talk about real quick Uh, hit that yellow one, babe. I had throw some Morgan wallow in there. So the way I talk, morgan wallow man, when you hear that song, where's it take you?
Speaker 6:Uh, Tennessee ball, I'll see it. It takes me to uh, Alabama. I get to be by Tennessee this past year because it's uh, it's a lot of when I'm chewing on the volunteers, bro In the verse.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I love that. I I know because, man, you're giving me one of those next greats coming from Knoxville. Do you got ken? You got.
Speaker 3:Morgan.
Speaker 1:Now here comes Graylin, come out to you Hit that green one So I had to throw a Brad Paisley song in there, man, because, honestly, your guitar skills, his guitar skills are just unlike anything I've ever seen. But you, when you hear letter to me by Brad Paisley, where does that take you?
Speaker 6:Oh, it definitely takes me to like learning every single note on the Brad Paisley play album, which was an instrumental record that he did Uh, i think around like 2008 or not, and I learned every single note on that thing. There was a reason I didn't have friends that summer because I was in the house learning every note on that album.
Speaker 1:All right, and this next one I had throw on. We just had the songwriter of this song on not too long ago, but I I'm like I have to throw a Kenny song on here. Well, but all the Kenny songs, there's one that I connect to the most. I was like I want to see if Graylin has a story behind this one.
Speaker 5:Yeah, hit the yellow.
Speaker 1:The grandpa told me so okay, chezzy man, where does that song take, you buddy?
Speaker 6:Oh my gosh dude. Well, it takes me to my grandfather, obviously, but uh, just takes me to like, yeah, i mean Kenny just having such a long career, bro, and uh, and he had ups and downs, man, i think that was one of his first record deals and uh, especially going into my first, you know it feels like a do or die thing to make it work, but uh, kenny had a couple record deals before he became the Kenny Chesney. so uh, it takes me back in time to my, my childhood, but also takes me to, you know, kenny just persevering and uh, do whatever it took to To be a country music star.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, we had Mark Allen springer on and we tried to get him to sing that song. He's like, yeah, i've been saying that song in years. I was like dude, come on. No, that was like one of the songs after I lost my grandfather in 2000. That just connected with me, do you know? I just roll with that. And shortly after he released it too, so it was a badass song.
Speaker 6:But yeah, yeah, all right, this next one.
Speaker 1:I think you're gonna like this one green, so turn it home. David, nail dude, when you hear that song, where's it take you?
Speaker 6:Oh, two places, dude, that's. That's another Kenny Chesney thing, so like uh.
Speaker 6:That song. You know, i think it was that trip man, when I came to see y'all, um, i heard that song and You know I just got homeschooled and I just started like really touring, um, i was 15, 16, 17 and It was just, it was hitting me hard. You know, not being with my buddies, that I grew up with since I was a little kid and so I remember Just listening to that song over and over and thinking of Knoxville and um and where I'm from, and just wanting to get back and uh And be with my buddies. But you know, what's funny is like I I've loved that song since you know like.
Speaker 2:I've.
Speaker 6:Just saying you for almost a decade now and, um, when I was with Kenny a couple weeks ago, i I only brought it up to him because he wrote that song- He wrote that song Um.
Speaker 1:And KAs are here. I mean just that many songs that KAs co-wrote on.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah, you know, i finally brought it up to him. I was like, bro, that was just a great song. And uh, i was like why didn't you cut it? and a lot of it was he couldn't sing like David Nail could. Um, david just wanted to put his vocal on it and um, and then Kenny's like that's your song, my guy. And uh, it just became a David Nail song, but it's. It's pretty crazy to hear what Kenny wrote it about, and he wrote about Knoxville, and so I think a lot of what was hitting me so hard It was because Two guys use good though It was Travis Hill who wrote that song with Kenny. They're both from Knoxville and so That's.
Speaker 6:It's crazy. You know how songs find the right ears and, uh, that song definitely did.
Speaker 1:Dude, i love that. Yeah, Yeah. Well, i saw that song kind of was in connection with you. I was like, dude, i kind of love David Nail. We got to interview him, wow, six months or so ago and he's nice dude, i ever just cooled down to earth. I loved it, man.
Speaker 6:Great dude Yeah.
Speaker 1:All right. So we're gonna put you on the hot seat real quick, 60 seconds. We're gonna try to do these questions and 10 quick questions, first thing that comes to mind. Just Go ahead and spit it out, all right, the first CD, vinyl or CD or vinyl you ever purchased?
Speaker 6:Oh lord, it was Brad Paisley, american saturday night.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, Where's your happy place like? if you're, you're gonna get some time off where you going.
Speaker 6:Oh, you know what?
Speaker 1:north lake or lake Tahoe, um, although those two places, was the best pizza you ever had on tour or out on about who has the best pizza.
Speaker 6:Oh, dude, this is gonna be controversial with two boots. I love two boots in Nashville.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, all right. What's your wallpaper on your phone?
Speaker 6:Oh, it's me, my girlfriend Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there you go. What's the movie that can always make you laugh?
Speaker 6:Oh, dude, towel day and nights.
Speaker 1:What was your first job?
Speaker 6:Oh lord, I worked at a guitar store. That was my first like real job worth at a guitar store. So guitars.
Speaker 1:What's the oldest thing you own?
Speaker 6:Oh, lord, this guitar dude uh. 1968 Gibson heritage Nice.
Speaker 1:What chore do you not like doing?
Speaker 6:Oh dude, any kind of chore Yeah.
Speaker 1:I feel that what was your favorite childhood television show to watch?
Speaker 6:Mmm, oh, dude, uh, let's go sponge bob.
Speaker 1:Really All right. And the last one we kind of mentioned earlier. You're talking about kind of like bucket list things, but uh, what's something that's still on your bucket list? man, you got to do some really cool stuff. Did you just recently play red rocks too?
Speaker 6:I played red rocks. I would like to do uh, i'd like to do one of the The big venues in Knoxville, either Thompson bowling or, uh, newland stadium. I'd like to play one of those.
Speaker 1:Hell yeah, dude. How was walking on stage at red rocks and seeing that with a crowd full of people, dude It was crazy.
Speaker 6:I still haven't processed it. You know it's just this last week, but uh yeah.
Speaker 6:I still haven't like processed it, you know. And uh, just adding on top of that, you know, being a Tennessee ball fan, bro, like the second night, you know, i started hearing rumblings around the backstage area that paid manning was fair. Yeah, the backstage is not big, and um, i was like where you can't miss them, and uh, it was the danis thing. And then somebody came up to me and my manager, who's also old dominions manager, he's like hey, did they run it by you? that you're? you're singing on stage with Peyton and I was like Oh, nope, failed to mention that Yeah.
Speaker 6:I would definitely remember. Somebody told me that, um and it was just That was it was already a crazy experience to just be at red rocks, but, um, yeah, adding Peyton Manning to the fold definitely got me weak in these and um, and so before, before we got on the stage, man, uh, my one of my managers took me back to To talk to Peyton and introduce me to him. And you know, luckily, um, kenny had kind of already teamed me up with Peyton.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 6:Uh, and they're, they were already really close and all dominions been on tour with Kenny for a long time and so uh, peyton already kind of knew my team, that I that I work with, and uh, so it wasn't super awkward. But uh, as soon as we started talking on, he saw my inter monitors which have a power tea on and he's like easton oxville and you know we started kind of talking a little bit and uh, before we knew it, you know we're seeing in little pink houses on stage and I just knew, ain't that America? and that was pretty much all I knew. I just heard it on like a, a Chevy commercial or something.
Speaker 5:That's all I knew about that song and I told Peyton I was like I'm gonna be honest with you, dude.
Speaker 6:I really don't know that song He's like. I'll be honest with you either. I don't know what either? We were just, we were just side stage, just like, and he had The lyrics pulled up on his phone and we're just like don't do it. And I was, and we were like going this like ain't that America something to see? ain't that America? you know, you and me The hand motions, like we felt like we were setting for a test, and so I love it.
Speaker 5:You know, at the end of the night.
Speaker 6:He asked me for a picture. He's like, well, let's see a picture real fast, you know, since Kenny and I'm like dude, you're asking me for one brah. So It just it went from a really like intimidating moment to, uh, just everything I wanted to be. So, um, to answer your question, red rocks was just More than I expected it to be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was a nuts in our level at school. We're working out there one of these days. We haven't been to the venue yet, but one of these days we're gonna go see somebody. I asked me something special. I don't know if it's the next time Eric church plays out there or something. We'll figure it out, all right, man. Well, hey, before we let you go quick, we get you to play one out.
Speaker 6:Absolutely dude.
Speaker 1:I'm about to just kind of kind of let us know a little bit about it and we'll give you the stage, buddy.
Speaker 6:Absolutely, you know what I'm gonna do. I wonder what new song? um, this song has kind of been uh popping off on social media and uh, it's pretty cool to watch, because this is uh a song that I wrote about my grandfather, who I've talked a lot about with y'all and. Feels fitting, so it's called young man. Yeah, i love it.
Speaker 2:Let's do it.
Speaker 5:Next thing. I know we've shooting more than Jack. I said, boy, do you don't act your age? And he leaned back and left. I said, young man, don't nobody gotta grow up. Man, don't be afraid to look dumb man, it's worth it, cause only one man's been perfect. I said young man, take it from an old man If it ain't good for your soul Telling where to go. Man Made crazy friends, fallen crazy love, cause that's the stuff that keeps you young man, young man if it gets you drunk man, drunk man so get in like some man, some man watcha, keep you young man.
Speaker 5:Young man, about five before midnight The woman he called baby showed up. The forty years he talked about Looked like a brand new love. See, every time she kissing like it was just salmon roll. I know you dance along to type 40 songs. I never said I was 22.
Speaker 5:I said, young man, don't nobody gotta grow up man, don't be afraid to look dumb man, it's worth it, cause only one man's been perfect. I said, young man, take it from an old man If it ain't good for your soul. Telling where to go. Man Made crazy friends, fallen crazy love. That's the stuff that keeps you young man. Young man if it gets you drunk man, drunk man. So get in like some man. Some man watcha. Keep you young man. Young man. Yeah, i've got good advice from preachers, teachers and a bunch from my old coach, but the best I ever got was from a 73 year old young man.
Speaker 5:See, young man, don't nobody gotta grow up man, don't be afraid to look dumb man, it's worth it, cause only one man's been perfect. See, young man, take it from an old man If it ain't good for your soul. Telling where to go. Man Made crazy friends, fallen crazy love. That's the stuff that keeps you young man. Young man if it gets you drunk man, drunk man. So get in like some man. Some man watcha. Keep you young man, young man, damn dude, I don't know, how you do it, man.
Speaker 2:That is awesome dude, i love that.
Speaker 1:I love that dude. Did you write a lot with your grandfather when he was still around, or did you get a chance to?
Speaker 6:You know what I didn't do, but he was the one that caught me in my first chords And picked up a sixth string, so a lot to him.
Speaker 1:I bet you that song means a lot to you Cause you got to sit down and write that with him. That's cool, dude. Thank you so much for tonight And spending some time. I know we ran a little bit over tonight. I appreciate it. Dude, this has been awesome. Long time coming and it was awesome Absolutely bro, i appreciate y'all.
Speaker 6:Thank y'all so much And congrats on the podcast man. Y'all crushing it.
Speaker 1:Appreciate it, dude, anytime you get anything new coming out, we'll be pushing the hell out of it for you And make sure people can hear it, dude Cause, honestly, we've been waving that flag for a while And we're gonna continue waving it, dude.
Speaker 6:Let's go, please, dude. Thank you.
Speaker 1:Alright, brother, have a good CMA Festival. See you soon, man.
Speaker 6:Appreciate y'all. Thank y'all so much. Have a good one.
Speaker 1:Bye, take care, have a good one. That was cool, that was so cool Dude. I love that kid.
Speaker 2:I'm always gonna call him a kid, like I don't care if I'm like Yeah, he's a man, though He's not a kid anymore.
Speaker 1:Like he was what 16, 17 when we first met him Had to be. I'm trying to figure it out Because that's when I wanted to know the date on that thing I don't remember. The poster said 16 year old, so I wonder if he was 16 the first time we met him.
Speaker 2:I had to be Cause.
Speaker 1:The first time was my 30th birthday And 2012.
Speaker 2:That was the first time you met him.
Speaker 1:No, i didn't meet him then Because he was supposed to play, but he didn't play the house, right, right, we went and got Matt Meyer.
Speaker 2:Matt Meyer played for us After that. That's true.
Speaker 1:It was shortly after that is when we met him, So yeah, maybe it's 11 years now. The crazy ride, crazy ride. So yeah, let's go back. I wanna ask we always go back and re-circle on these Poddeck questions that we ask And just manage playing things safe No, if you had a rider.
Speaker 2:That's a good question.
Speaker 1:If you had a rider, if you were on a tour And you had to fill out everything I wanted in my dressing room, what would be? something you'd put on there? You'd want every single night?
Speaker 2:That's a really good question. I don't know, like food or like anything, anything.
Speaker 1:Because, like honestly, when I worked at the theater in Waukegan, i mean you could, there would be anything on someone's rider, Like you would see some things and you're like, oh, what is that?
Speaker 2:This is some crazy stuff. I don't know. I can't even think of anything. Water, oh come on. Cherry Coke or Dr Pepper.
Speaker 1:You just asked for a case of Dr Pepper. I mean, that's terrible to say but maybe bearded. Bearded bad pretzels I was trying to get you. I'm sure you'd probably.
Speaker 2:Yeah, i'm sure that's why you'd be asking for a bearded beard. I might go make some bearded tonight.
Speaker 1:The funniest thing, though if you guys want a little insider information, we'll throw out there. Artist riders are weird things. It's what an artist uses to request. Requests, whatever they need alcohol, food, anything They might need a bigger show One of the coolest things. I think it's cool. Now, some people think it's crazy. They always request socks and underwear And you're gonna be like why are they asking for socks and underwear?
Speaker 2:I said that when you saw me I was like what I was like, that's so weird.
Speaker 1:But if you think about it, they're not around laundry mats Or washers and dryers a lot. They're on a tour bus And they're in backstage of an area The theater and walkie-gain.
Speaker 2:And the two most important things that you need to change Is your socks and your underwear.
Speaker 1:They have laundry there, but a lot of venues don't have laundry Where you could do your laundry at the venue, So they just take their socks under off after a show Or whatever, put the new ones on. They throw them away. So if it's always on the rider, they always have A bag of underwear or whatever every week, So they have disposable socks under?
Speaker 2:Didn't your mama always teach you never leave house without clean underwear and clean socks?
Speaker 1:Oh my god, I mean It's hard to even get our kid to put underwear on to leave the house.
Speaker 2:Yeah, our kids, shh don't. He'll be so embarrassed. Don't tell that story. I didn't say which kid.
Speaker 1:But speaking of kids, were you over there texting this whole damn show, or what's going on with that?
Speaker 2:No, just the last five minutes. Jackson texted me that it was extremely important that he didn't leave me.
Speaker 1:He didn't burn none in the house, did he? No, and I said what's up?
Speaker 2:I said what do you need help with? He said I need help cooking chicken This is our nine year old I'm like what do you need to cook your chicken? So I walked him through it and he cooked his. He, sorry, microwaved his leftover chicken And he got his own dinner tonight.
Speaker 1:So where did the chicken come from?
Speaker 2:I'm super proud of him.
Speaker 1:Where did the chicken come from?
Speaker 2:From yesterday, our leftovers.
Speaker 1:What do we have yesterday? Oh, culvers, Yeah, culvers, leftover culvers chicken. He said he wanted 16 chicken tenders.
Speaker 2:So, of course we had leftover chicken Because he didn't eat 16 chicken tenders. But anyway, I'm so proud of him. I was super impressed and he sent me a picture. He set the microwave and sent me a picture of the timer To make sure that it was set correctly. That gets crazy I told him we're going to teach him how to make mac and cheese.
Speaker 1:Next, In the microwave or on the stove?
Speaker 2:Probably in the microwave.
Speaker 1:He doesn't eat microwave mac and cheese, only on the stove.
Speaker 2:What if he's hungry? you will.
Speaker 1:Yeah, at least he didn't burn the house diamond.
Speaker 2:I'm super proud of him.
Speaker 1:You're the notorious one for lighting microwaves on fire.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, Been there down that stove.
Speaker 1:Just recently in the hotel too, in Mississippi.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I did, didn't.
Speaker 1:I.
Speaker 2:I was so scared.
Speaker 1:The further department was going to Burnin' down the house.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know what happened there.
Speaker 1:I've been trying to stall it. I don't know what I put on my writer, because I gotta circle back to that question now. I don't know what. I put on there.
Speaker 2:I would put I don't know. I would like blankets and pillows and like comfortable, like I'm, like a cozy person, i know why A heating pad, i know why I put on there, hmm, thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next video. A new pair of flip flops that ever he locates.
Speaker 1:Somebody throws away their shirt or their underwear and their boxers.
Speaker 2:Do you want new pair of shoes?
Speaker 1:I want new pair of shoes like once a week, because, hey man, these flip flops are like 40 bucks on Amazon. They're perfect. I wear them in the middle winter. I wear them all over. You ever see me out on bout? I'm wearing these flip flops. Probably They're my favorite things. So you know, i got to kind of wear other things, but I love my flip flops. I think I'll probably put my flip flops on there for sure, my beat-up pair of flip flops. No, guys, this has been an awesome night. We had a lot of fun.
Speaker 1:Like I said, we, the very first day I ever thought up in this podcast, we started interviewing members of the Eric Church's Church Choir for the first I don't know 20, 30 shows or so. And then the pandemic happened and we started singing or getting singer-songwriters on the show and kind of went a different direction after that And I was thinking I'm like I got to get Grayland on one day. But then I kind of dug into him, saw all the songs he was writing, everything he was doing. I was like, no, we got to wait because there's going to be a day where it's just going to happen. And then I started reaching out and try to try to get a hold of him to do it And it took a little longer than he got signed And I'm like, damn, i'm not going to get Grayland on now. There it goes. I'm like we won't get him on, but man, i'm so happy he was able to do it. I know we have, but you never know man.
Speaker 2:He was super excited And he was so great.
Speaker 1:It was really cool to be able to meet him when he was a kid and going out Man, he would try on that guitar. He played the guitar all the time.
Speaker 2:I guess I totally had forgotten that he was the. What was the top whatever 121?.
Speaker 1:Like top guitarist in the world or in the US under 21 for guitar.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was crazy. I remember that now but like I had totally forgot about that Watching the videos on YouTube all of his YouTube videos, and stuff back then.
Speaker 1:So that was this.
Speaker 3:It was this crazy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we had a. We said I mean we haven't talked to, i got to reach out. We had a mutual friend, ashley. I've been said.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she's still in Nashville. She lived here in Chicago.
Speaker 1:She moved down to Nashville. I think she's moved into well. She does a lot of music but she's she's a member of the yacht club now.
Speaker 2:So she's doing her thing on the boat when that's awesome.
Speaker 1:But yeah, very proud of her too. If you guys were around about I think it's Ash Evans or Ashley L Evans entertainers something she's always. It's probably like 615 started by her in Nashville And that's something she did a long time ago And she's always donating. It was kind of donating to a different charity here and there. It was kind of inspiring because whenever we do our writers rounds, we donate to St Jude all the time. So it's just something we do And we just pride ourselves in.
Speaker 1:But hey, like I said, tonight was a long time coming. We're so happy we were able to have Graylin on and share his journey with everybody. We're incredibly grateful to have Graylin James with us this evening. His passion and dedication to the art of music are evident And we were honored to witness it firsthand. We have no doubt that this is just the beginning of a successful career And we wish him the best of luck as he continues to work hard towards his goals in 2023 and beyond. With his dedication and determination, we have no doubt that he will continue to grow and find success in his music career. We thank you guys for joining tonight. We hope everyone enjoyed the episodes as much as we did. Don't forget to catch up on everything you missed from tonight and past episodes at Melodiesandmemoriescom, and we will see you, guys, next Monday night. We'll have another show. We soon know who the guest is yet, but we'll not fin out soon. So have a good night, guys, and we'll see you next week.
Speaker 3:On the Melodiesandmemories podcast with Jillian and Erin Shriver.