Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:02 Smokes all the good old days.
Speaker 1 00:00:09 It's, Yeah. Inside of you. You met out on a Friday night
Speaker 0 00:00:23 And some people might the wrong around here. You just, Right. It's called Raised Route.
Speaker 2 00:00:31 Yes. Anyway, Keller, welcome to the Raise Rowdy podcast buddy. Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:00:36 Welcome. Hey, thanks for having me. I'm super stoked to be here. Hell
Speaker 2 00:00:39 Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:00:40 All the way from Texas, right?
Speaker 3 00:00:42 Texas all the way from Dallas, Texas.
Speaker 4 00:00:44 Have you lived there your, How long have you lived in
Speaker 3 00:00:47 Dallas for? Two months. Two
Speaker 4 00:00:48 Months. Oh, what a
Speaker 3 00:00:50 Blessing. I'm from Houston, so, Okay. Same, same thing. Different city kind. Well, people would be offended, but yeah, it's, it's big city's big city, so,
Speaker 4 00:00:58 Okay. That's, yeah, that's a, that's, the cities are the same. They're just different. And people talk a little stranger, you know what I mean? No matter where you're at.
Speaker 2 00:01:06 Uh, I'll tell a story about why Keller's on the podcast. Obviously you're an artist and a singer songwriter. Um, but I met Keller because he was selling merch for Flatland when I played with him in College Station. Oh,
Speaker 4 00:01:17 Hell yeah.
Speaker 3 00:01:18 I, And I knew Fernando, That's how I got that gig. I met him at Chili Fest. I don't know if you've ever heard of I have. I heard of Chili before. Smoke Texas Chili Fest.
Speaker 4 00:01:27 No Beans in Chili in Texas.
Speaker 3 00:01:29 There's, well, there's no beans and there's also no chili at Chili Fest. Oh, it is just a beer slinging. Yeah. I don't, I don't think I've ever seen chili at Chili Fest.
Speaker 2 00:01:37 What? Wal also like the hate on the beans. I'm such a bean guy,
Speaker 4 00:01:40 Obviously they have beans there. They just call it chili beans
Speaker 3 00:01:44 If there's beans. No, don't put beans in the chili. I'm a no beans
Speaker 2 00:01:47 In. Yeah. I'm like, don't put be my beans. But I know that's a whole different podcast
Speaker 3 00:01:51 For sure. So I meet Fernando, I'm just, I worked at, at, uh, Chili Fest so I could, so I could get in free and see Flatland play. I meet Fernando, we become friends. I hadn't had any music recorded. Anyways, Flash forward like two years when I'm recording music, I was like, Hey, can you take my photos? And he's like, Sure, I'll do it. You know, whatever. And he was like, Hey, we have these three shows in College Station. You should come hang out. And I was like, I didn't wanna be like the hangout guy. Like, Hey, I'm here to hang out this weekend. I was like, Can I work or something? And anyways, they needed a merch guy for all three shows and I had nothing going on. So I was like, All right, I'm in. And then that's perfect. I meet Kirk. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:02:28 Oh yeah. And you guys have the same manager?
Speaker 3 00:02:30 Yep. Crazy. I, and I, I, it was so crazy that weekend he, Dylan had lined up all the openers to potentially, I guess scout or manager, whatever. And then there was the merch guy and I found out I did music. And so it was like at the end of the week weekend, he was like, Hey, I have a spot for you. And I was like, Cool, cool. And then I like, you know, we all went home and it was Sunday night and I was laying in my bed and I was like, I have a spot for you. What does it even mean? I don't even know, <laugh>. And I texted him, I was like, Can we talk tomorrow? I don't know what this means. And it was just, the rest is history.
Speaker 2 00:02:59 So that's like when you first start talking to a girl, like in like middle school or something and you're like, I don't know what to do. I've never done this before. Or something. <laugh>.
Speaker 3 00:03:07 It was a crazy, it was a crazy weekend, but
Speaker 2 00:03:10 Yes man, that seems like forever ago, but it really was only like 2020. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:03:14 Right. I think January, 2020.
Speaker 2 00:03:16 So, um, so what have you had going on since then? Hey,
Speaker 4 00:03:20 You got some music out now?
Speaker 3 00:03:22 Music Out. I'm married. Yes. I graduated. I have a college degree. Awesome. So there's so many things I feel like that have been going on. Um, but I, Kurt and I, we were sharing, uh, what was the place called? The, the Vegan Injunction. Oh,
Speaker 2 00:03:35 We went to Beehive. Oh,
Speaker 4 00:03:36 I love the beehive. So good. What a blessing.
Speaker 3 00:03:39 It really is.
Speaker 3 00:03:40 It all the time. Mind blown. But we were, we were talking about this and it was really Covid that kind of like, opened up the opportunity to do music. Cuz I was so involved at a and m and so busy all the time. Yeah. I was telling Kurt the, the thing I was involved in, we did like 300 events a year, but then Covid happened and it shut everything down. And I had these songs and I was like, well shoot, now's like, you know, I'm not just gonna sit here and do nothing. So I, it opened up a spot to
Speaker 2 00:04:03 Go. That's what I did. But yeah, <laugh>,
Speaker 3 00:04:05 But well, no, come to find out, I mean, y'all started doing this more, right? Yeah. Hey, that's true. So we're sitting here today cuz, but it's, it's just crazy. You know? You don't wanna be thankful for something that was so like, almost like traumatic and like catastrophic. But then at the same time, like, uh, like you can find good. Yes. In, in, in the midst of craziness and, and bad things. You know, the,
Speaker 4 00:04:24 There's people who took that time to like recharge and rejuvenate and then there's people that took that time to like double down like, like you did. Like Hey, I have time to do this now. Like, let's actually do it. You know? And for me, I moved to Nashville in that time. So like, yeah, that's when like couple months before that is when I got to town.
Speaker 3 00:04:42 Where were you originally? I was in Pittsburgh. Okay, Wow.
Speaker 4 00:04:45 Yeah. So I'd been running race, rowdy from there, had the podcast running, like doing it in green rooms and stuff. Or when I
Speaker 3 00:04:52 Travel, by the way, I didn't know
Speaker 4 00:04:53 The internet. Like all people meet, you know,
Speaker 2 00:04:55 Nicky and I met the same way. Colleen, my girlfriend and I met is in dms of Instagram. Yeah. This
Speaker 3 00:05:00 Is, That's amazing. Last
Speaker 2 00:05:01 Place
Speaker 4 00:05:01 I saw him, I was like, spoken scars. I'm like, Dude, you like cigars, like me too. Let me send you some sticks. And so I send him,
Speaker 3 00:05:08 That's the rest is history. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:05:09 Friends.
Speaker 3 00:05:11 That's incredible.
Speaker 4 00:05:12 Yeah. And then when I came down, I moved down and I mean I had a day job, but my day job at that time, like got done at like three 30 cuz I was working on East Coast time, so I would just like go to Kurt. So we would sit on the porch and smoke cigars, <laugh>, you know. Dang. So it got to be like, we were friends I'd say before, but like, for sure. Yeah. It was just like we became way better buddies then.
Speaker 2 00:05:31 That's awesome. He was like, Hey, gimme your address and I'll mail you some sticks. He sent me like two dozen tawas. I was like, Oh my God. Hell yes. I love this guy. We can
Speaker 3 00:05:39 Be maybe you. He just loves you for
Speaker 2 00:05:41 The good sticks. Yeah,
Speaker 4 00:05:43 Yeah. Well now uh, we are sponsored by Crown Heads, so
Speaker 2 00:05:46 Who I love even more than Nick loving Crown heads
Speaker 4 00:05:49 <laugh>. Um, so like, we basically have unlimited cigars now. Right. Um, it's funny because like yesterday for the writers around, we had, if you, were you in town yesterday? No. Wasn't. I was gonna say we should word if so. Damn.
Speaker 3 00:06:01 I flew in super early. Okay. This morning.
Speaker 4 00:06:03 Um, yeah, we had a writers around last night. That's why I'm slightly hungover and <laugh>. But, uh, I was like, Kurt, I forgot cigars. Like, can I swap you a box that you have of crown head cigars? Cuz like Kurt will do photo photos and stuff too. So they like pay him in swag kind of and like, you know, give him money, but also like, here's more cigars, you know? Yeah. And then, uh, so I knew he had
Speaker 3 00:06:24 From a currency. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:06:25 <laugh>. So I'm like, alright, uh, give me that box and I'll trade you this box of mild Ds that we have. And he's like, hell yeah. There you go. What was out being Santa Claus at the round yesterday? Just handing out some I don't Candy. Yeah. <laugh>. I was like, you like cigars? Here you go. You like cigars. Here you go. That's awesome. But yeah, man, that's what like, our sponsorship kind of deal with them is like, they hook us up with like cigars and like crown heads merch. So like, at least when you come play, you like, you get a little bit of swag, you get some raised rowdy gear, you get some crown heads gear, you get some cigars. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:06:55 I still have my raised rowdy key chain. Oh, a key fob. Yeah. With the old, I don't know what car it is on it, but it's the plastic one and the sunset kind of thing.
Speaker 4 00:07:02 It's a 1978 Ford Pinto cruise wagon. Shoot.
Speaker 3 00:07:05 Shame on me.
Speaker 2 00:07:06 How did not know
Speaker 3 00:07:07 That? Tar it. I'm just gonna leave now.
Speaker 2 00:07:10 That's like Nikki's dream car
Speaker 3 00:07:11 Test.
Speaker 4 00:07:11 Well that was a, that's a trailer that looks very much like the trailer that my parents had that they lived in before they moved in the house where I grew up. Um, and then my dad, my favorite car he ever had was that cruiser wagon.
Speaker 3 00:07:22 There you go.
Speaker 4 00:07:23 Yeah. I love that thing. One day I'll own a cruiser wagon. It probably won't run, but I'll have one.
Speaker 2 00:07:28 Oh yeah. <laugh>, like, you just towed behind a truck and you just camping it? Nah, I
Speaker 4 00:07:32 Just, I just put it in the yard like you're cheapest <laugh>. Oh dude.
Speaker 2 00:07:37 I never thought I would be that person that has just like garbage in their yard. But I've had that Jeep in my backyard not running for years now.
Speaker 4 00:07:46 It takes good pictures
Speaker 2 00:07:47 Though. I know. I, um, some dude hit me up on Instagram and he's like one of our bus drivers and he's like, Hey man, like I gotta shop. Like he works on Prevo buses and all that. He's like, How much you want for that Jeep? I'm like, man, I kind of like have this thing where like in the back of my head some, there's some timeline where I get it running again. And he's like, We'll just have a towed out here and we'll get it going. I'm like, I never did it. But he said like, Let me know after August. I'm like, cool. So maybe that will happen. Yeah, it's
Speaker 3 00:08:13 After August.
Speaker 2 00:08:14 Yeah, I
Speaker 4 00:08:14 Know. We're officially there now. I get paid tomorrow. I'm super stoked. I like money. It's cool.
Speaker 2 00:08:19 Yeah. Yeah. That's great. Yeah. Same.
Speaker 4 00:08:23 Um, so <laugh>, so who, uh, who's producing your stuff? Has it been the same guy since you started dropping like the first ep?
Speaker 3 00:08:30 Yeah. So all, all everything that's out right now is, um, Corby Shop. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I don't know if you know, So he was Ryan Bingham's first guitar or guitar player. So when Ryan Bingham became Ryan Bingham Corby shop, if you search up any, I think he's on on a lot of the stuff. Um, but yeah, I found him. I didn't know what I was doing. Like, like when you, I don't think anyone does. I still dunno what I'm doing, but, um, I have a little bit more of a clue now. But someone told me some, some guy was like, Well if you, I was like, How do you get music produced? Like what do you, what is what it all goes into that, you know mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And he was like, Well, just find someone you like their sound and see who produced like, just Google search. Who produced this album? Hello?
Speaker 4 00:09:07 Rick Rubin <laugh>. Yeah. My
Speaker 3 00:09:08 Name's Kelly. Yeah. Um, and I, I was like, you know, love Flatland, but Love Park McCollum. And I just searched up like, who produced Parker's Limestone Kid and it was Corby shop. So I just literally start of covid like, I think it was March. I just emailed, you know, Howie, my name's Keller, I've got this music, da, I don't know what I'm doing. Send, He goes and he hit me back like the next day and was like, Hey, send me some tunes. And then yeah, Corby's produced everything up to this point. So, um, and we've become great friends and he's, he's a cool guy. He's played shows. He's got two kids and a wife. But whenever there was a, a need to play shows, Corey was my, my guy. He's Oh, that's awesome. He's cool, dude. Cool.
Speaker 4 00:09:45 Cool. What, uh, part of Texas is he in?
Speaker 3 00:09:46 He is in Austin, Texas. Okay. Um, a little bit north Austin, and then we recorded in Dripping Springs. Cool. Um, but yeah, so
Speaker 4 00:09:54 It's, uh, it's interesting how all that goes together. It's funny too because like in the ra row world, we have like a lot of folks that are like new to town or just like new to the music industry in general sometimes that like, are in our world. So there's stuff where it's like, people don't know how soon you have to put a song out so that someone will look at it to playlist. You know, it's like you have to give it so many weeks in advance for that to even happen. But then you also have to have people that like, talk to the people that might help put it
Speaker 3 00:10:19 On a playlist. It's like an education. The whole, like learning everything. Like people are like, How, how's that going? I'm like, well, it's like a, I've learned so much. You just, like, the first time I ever put music out, like by myself, like, you know, you put it through and you have to like IRC codes and all these different things and like, you mess up something. I think I put the MP3 versus the Wave file and I was like freaking out. I was like, what have I done wrong? You know? And it's just like, you learn like, like all like, it's just by experience that you just, all right, here you go.
Speaker 4 00:10:45 Like
Speaker 3 00:10:46 Yeah. And then two years later you're like, Wow, I've learned a lot. And
Speaker 4 00:10:49 Like, and then you could help someone else that doesn't know that, know
Speaker 3 00:10:52 What I mean? Exactly. You become
Speaker 4 00:10:53 A little bit of information. That's why I told like one artist that was like, Let me, let's sit down and chat. I'll tell you the 20% of the things that I do now. You know, like, I don't know a lot, you
Speaker 3 00:11:02 Know. But I think that's the weirdest thing too, these days. Like we, we played a show in Kansas, Um, I got to open for flatland. Yeah. Like, I guess a month ago back in July or two months ago. Time flies. But anyways, this kid comes up and goes, Man, how do you do it? And I was like, I don't know. I I I was you like yesterday <laugh>. You know? But like, it's like, it's crazy. Yeah. It's how you, you
Speaker 4 00:11:23 Know. Well man, like even just industry terminology and stuff, like, it's like, it's a whole different language. You know? Like it's, it's definitely a learning experience. Me coming from a world where I'm not a musician, you know, and just overhearing terms and you know, like first it was business terms and then it's music terms and it's like now it's like, Oh, I'm learning all these marketing terms and things like that. Like formal marketing Yeah. Stuff that I like, know what they're talking about, but I didn't know was called that. You know what I mean? It's like, Yeah. It's kind of goes like that. But I think that's the cool part about it is like, you're learning your business as you're learning to be a better musician and to write better songs. It's, it's all part of the growth.
Speaker 2 00:12:02 Yeah. I think artists nowadays have so many hats that they have to wear just at a necessity. And I've never been an artist back in the day or now, but, um, especially like people that are newer to the game, like Keller, it's like you have to be like a video editor and then, you know, like a photographer and a promo. Oh yeah.
Speaker 3 00:12:22 Everything. So wild
Speaker 3 00:12:24 Merch. I'm the merch guy. I'm the TM driver. I'm the driver. Yeah. Um, I'm the social media. Yep. And it's cool though because, and Dylan and I, my manager, talk about this. Like, I get to learn all these things and then one day when someone's doing it, I can have done it. Like I've done it before, you know, and I, I know maybe how I want it done or how I don't want it done. And I, I don't know, when you, when someone talks to you and they've never done what you're doing before, it's like, well then why are you telling me what to do if you've never done this? Yeah. But then it's like, you know, if this is my business, you know, I have my hand on every part of it right now as it's starting. Well,
Speaker 4 00:13:00 And that's, that's how you have to do it. But yeah, you learn, you, you be get a very wide frame from which to build your pyramid. Yeah. Of success.
Speaker 3 00:13:07 It's funny though. So I just got married Yeah. In June Congrat. And when we Thank you so much and when I went like was talking to my fiance about going full-time music, she's an accountant and she's like, Well what are you gonna do during the week? You know, that's a question like, from the outside looking in, what do you do when you're not playing shows now that we live together? Drugs.
Speaker 2 00:13:25 <laugh>.
Speaker 3 00:13:25 Natalie only lived cuz she's like, Oh. So that's what you do because it's just, it's like by the time you get to the show you're like, Wow, I get to play music. That's fun. Yeah. Because like the whole time leading up to it, it's emails, it's counting me, it's restocking. It's this phone call. It's this
Speaker 2 00:13:41 TikTok dancing. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:13:43 <laugh>. Lots of TikTok dancing. So I still,
Speaker 2 00:13:45 Sorry, you're from Texas though. TikTok two stepping obviously.
Speaker 3 00:13:48 I guess so. Anyways. Crazy. It's a business.
Speaker 4 00:13:51 No, it is man. And that's like, that's what people don't really understand. Like people come to town and they're like, I like to play music. And I'm like, that's not it. That's not how works
Speaker 3 00:14:00 <laugh>. No. That's a fraction of it. Yeah. Which is so wild. Yeah. I mean it is about the music. If you don't have the music that
Speaker 4 00:14:05 Has to be there, that's
Speaker 3 00:14:06 Yeah. Yeah. I guess you can't have the music and you can still, but it is at the, at the end of the day, it's about the song you know and about.
Speaker 4 00:14:13 But it's like when you get a label, they have all of those departments that are taking care of all the things that you're doing yourself. Right. But until you have that team behind you and it's like, it's a manager but it's a booking agent and it's, you know, it's marketing folks and it's creative people that are designing graphics and, you know what I mean? It's like someone that made your website. It's like, it's all that stuff. Yeah. So you can kind of all do all that yourself. You just have to figure it out. You know,
Speaker 3 00:14:37 F fi figure
Speaker 4 00:14:38 It out. It
Speaker 2 00:14:38 Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 00:14:40 I do that all the time. It's like our flyers aren't the best looking flyers, but I also don't have money to pay for them to be the best looking
Speaker 3 00:14:45 Flyers. Yeah. I've learned that to be like, you know what? It doesn't, it's just a flyer. Yeah. Or it's just a show announcement and to hold things loosely. Cuz I, I'm very perfectionist. Like I want it to be, but it's like, do I wanna spend a hundred dollars for it to be perfect or would I rather just get it out there and a hundred dollars, it's only gonna exist for, you know, a week really. You know? Yep. Okay. Let's just let it slide. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:15:07 And that's it. Like the a hundred dollars is the friend price it so much money For
Speaker 3 00:15:12 Sure. No, I've, Yeah,
Speaker 4 00:15:14 That's the crazy part. You
Speaker 2 00:15:15 Know, and we have like show posters with Luke, like for every show and each one is as cool as the next, like they're awesome.
Speaker 4 00:15:22 Yeah. But you have cool artists that are Right.
Speaker 2 00:15:25 And
Speaker 4 00:15:25 Doing that,
Speaker 2 00:15:26 You know, $30 or whatever. I
Speaker 3 00:15:28 Thought you did those Kurt.
Speaker 2 00:15:29 Yeah. I wish
Speaker 4 00:15:30 <laugh>. That would
Speaker 2 00:15:31 Be cool. That would be very cool. They would all just be photos of like Jake or something. <laugh>
Speaker 4 00:15:36 All be different photos of Jake with really white eyes. Yeah. <laugh>.
Speaker 3 00:15:40 Oh my gosh.
Speaker 4 00:15:41 It would just be like, Jake's left eyeball, Jake's red eyeball and it turned into a big poster Jake's head.
Speaker 2 00:15:47 Hell yeah. Um, so Kelly, you just signed a booking deal too, right?
Speaker 3 00:15:51 Yes. All the new terms. Yes. Booking. Yes. Booking deal.
Speaker 2 00:15:54 So what is a booking deal for people that don't have booking deals like Nick? Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:15:59 Basically a booking deal is a way to not worry about where your next show is. Well you still worry about where your show's coming from, but it's someone else's is taking on that responsibility. A booking show, a booking the show, which is very like almost a relief. But then it's been interesting cuz it's like kind of a, I don't know, you still have to like share which direction you want to go. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, it's not just like, Oh here you go, take a, like, you have to, as the artist, you have to say, well these are the some people I'd hope to get the chance to open up for. Um, but yeah, we just signed a book deal with Waserman Entertainment. Oh yeah. Um, and yeah.
Speaker 4 00:16:32 Who else do they have on their roster? That
Speaker 3 00:16:34 Man, they have. It's, it's so interesting cuz you're learning like, I mean, supposed like George Strait. Oh yeah. I think Kenny Chassis's on there. I think. Dang. I mean there's some big names on there, but that's not who like my agent, you know? Right, right, right. But it's like, whoa, there's some cool names under there. Yeah. There's Little Keller
Speaker 4 00:16:51 <laugh>. Well, yeah. A big one day Way
Speaker 3 00:16:53 Behind the ears Keller. So, um, but it is very exciting. It's, it's very like, I don't know, and it makes you appreciate, you know, all the, all the times that I was emailing or you know, is any, any chance, you know, you're DMing in hopes of you get the chance to open up some show or you're playing whatever open mic that you hit to do, you know, and it's like, whoa, this is kind of nice. You know,
Speaker 4 00:17:15 Everyone I talk to is like, booking's the worst. Like, trying to book for yourself is harder than if you have like a booking person that books 10 people. Cuz they'll call the venue and they'll be like, Hey, we have these 10 people with these available dates. You know what I mean? And they're like, What, what lot can we get ke in? You know? It's a
Speaker 3 00:17:29 Lot of it, it was a lot of like, the way I got a lot of gigs in College Station was getting to know the venue person Yep. From that flatland thing. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> by the way. So there you go. Um, it was like a month after that, but I got to play my first full band show. Hell yeah. Ever. So,
Speaker 4 00:17:43 So
Speaker 3 00:17:43 Crazy, crazy man. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:17:45 So how often do you get to write? Are you like a couple times a week writer or you someone that just like goes in batches? Or what's your process for that?
Speaker 3 00:17:53 Um, so I write every day. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, Um, I'll write like three pages a day of just like thoughts. Like, so just college rule notebook paper. Um, I learned it from this book, it's called The Artist Way. Um, and so I write like every day, but it, it's not a song. Right. So I really, I feel like my best like songwriting has, has come from like a time where I needed to process something and, and a song was the way I was going to process that. Cool. Um, but I love, like, I've just gotten into co-writing. Like this week we have two co-writes and that's fun because it's not like, you know, cuz then maybe you have an experience that you like, you're like, you have something that you need to write about, you know, or you have something that happened and then I can, you know, I feel like songwriting is a gift, you know, it's, or it's a skill that you practice and work on.
Speaker 3 00:18:41 And, but sometimes I think inspiration is the biggest thing. And if that's the cool thing about a co-writer, you might not be inspired, but you still have the, the skill. Yeah. You know, so then you can, you can be the skill to someone else's inspiration or you just freaking pull a word off the wall and here we go. Let's, But, um, I don't know. I think my best writing though is, is in moments when I, I just need to, like, everything you hear on Spotify is not like, Oh, I hope I I wanna write a song about a bad experience I had or a, or a love. Like it's all, it's, it's, you're getting Keller Cox, like if you listen to it, there's no hiding. There's, it's, it's all there. Um, so I think it's, it's, it's kind of weird too though because you write in spurts almost cuz then it's like, there's not always something to write about, you know? Right. Yeah. But then, then it's like, well, this is your job. So there needs to be always something to write about. And it's kind of this tiptoe back and forth kind of thing.
Speaker 4 00:19:28 I think that's the key right. Is like trying to figure out a of course. Like if you have something happen in your life that's a major milestone or major up, major down either way, that's of course gonna bring some topics to your mind. Right. But I think it's finding the details and the little stuff. Right. And that's like the things that you find that you'll see, like hit songwriters, the, the, just the way they wordplay things. Just little details on every
Speaker 3 00:19:54 Thing. Yeah. It's like a very observed life. Yeah. Or very just like, I don't know, it's Yeah. Like you said, the details, you
Speaker 4 00:20:00 Know. Yeah. Yeah. It's poetry, you know, I mean, really is song songs are poetry.
Speaker 2 00:20:03 Yeah. Like if we're listening like, Handle on You by Park McComb today, you know, it's like maybe some writer was like at a grocery store and was like buying the handle liquor for a party or something. And it wasn't anything more than that. They're like, All right, well handle on you. You know? That's probably how that came about. It could be, You never know. It could be like any small thing that happens during the day, you know, your daily buying a handle of liquor that could <laugh>.
Speaker 4 00:20:30 Hopefully not. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:20:32 I was in. But it's, I've become more inspired as I've like, began to write more or like, I don't know, just, I read this book The Artist Way. Yeah. I was gonna ask you that. Shameless plug. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:20:41 Tell us more about, I'm curious about that.
Speaker 3 00:20:42 It's very, it's so cool. The, the, the author is Julia Cameron. It's like a 12 week course on creativity. And her thesis that's awesome. Is like, everyone is creative. Like the people who say I'm not creative her, her thesis. No. Like, we're all like, we're from a creator. Everyone's creative in their own way. Yeah. Um, and so anyways, it's like the thing called Morning Page is like a mind dump every day. You like, I'm frustrated at so and so because they did this to me. And then you just write like, or, or like, that was one other thing you have to write every day. Take yourself on a date. Like, it was like a real course. I took it like this this last semester, um, this spring. I had one class at a and m and then I did the artist's way as like a, that's, I'm gonna do this course.
Speaker 3 00:21:20 But I began to like, slow down and I began to notice things. I began to, like when I went to the grocery store, Like, like, oh, there's flowers, smell flowers. Which is, sounds so weird, but like, like to really stop and like take in like the little things, you know? And it's really changed a lot of the way I, I look at things, if that makes sense. I've started to write cursive, which has been cool. Cuz when you have three pages to write, some days it's like, how in the world? And I'm going, am I going to write three pages?
Speaker 2 00:21:46 You just double space <laugh>
Speaker 3 00:21:48 Double space. So there are, there are days that I'll write, I am done with this and I just write on the whole page. But I started write cursive poetry. I started to write poetry out of the blue. It's just like, Oh, I'm writing, and then here we go. So it's, it was a very cool experience. Um,
Speaker 2 00:22:03 I have noticed that like, since I picked up photography and, um, and I'm, if I just carry a camera everywhere, I just appreciate the way things look more as I just walk around. I thought that's the way, like today when we were driving, it was raining and there's this gold mirrored building and it was, the sun was hitting it, but the sky, it was raining and dark and the dark blue behind it, like, oh, the orange blue looked really cool together. Like, that'd be a cool photo or something like that. So
Speaker 3 00:22:29 It's like beauty, it's like, I feel like when you're deep, like when you're like into it, like you're, you're full on in, then you start, like you said, like you start to notice other things or other things. It's not just photography, but it's like, I don't know, I begin to cook more like, like, and like hands on stuff. Like that was one of the requirements. Like, do things with your hands. So I begin like to cook, like, instead of buying the pre chopped mushrooms mm-hmm. <affirmative>, No. Buy the ones that you have to chop yourself. I don't know, it's just different things like that. It's like that open up your mind, I guess.
Speaker 2 00:22:59 Man, I wanna do this now. I know.
Speaker 4 00:23:00 That's super cool. That's
Speaker 3 00:23:02 Inspiring. I'm telling you. It's, it's very, it's
Speaker 4 00:23:03 Is it just a book or is it like audio tapes or
Speaker 3 00:23:06 It's a book. It could be an audio tape too, I think. Yeah. Yeah. But, uh, it's, it was like, I don't wanna say like, Oh is life changing, you know, But it was like, whoa. Like I, I will always write I think every day. Um, I
Speaker 4 00:23:16 Think that's great, man. And I think like, like you're talking about, it just gives you, you, your mind is so powerful. Right. But you need things that help you take a step back. Right. I, I try to do that. Like, and of course when I was younger, I don't, and if I get too busy, I stop doing it. But I always like try to take a second to like, step back and observe the bigger landscape. Right. Like, okay, what's happening? Like, yes, I'm getting through my day. Yes, I'm doing stuff like I'm getting my tasks done, but like, am I doing doing it the most effective way? Is there anything that I'm like really killing myself over that I could take out of this, you know, an equation. Like Yeah. And that's like, I've never did that when I was young. Right. So I'm better at it. And I think like, as a songwriter or as an artist, like that's it. It's the details, the devils and the details for
Speaker 2 00:24:03 Sure.
Speaker 3 00:24:03 And the beauty. Yeah. Both the devil and the beauty.
Speaker 4 00:24:05 Absolutely. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:24:06 No doubt, man. That's really inspiring and cool. And now whenever I listen to any of your music, it's gonna be, I'll be thinking about that. Yeah. I wonder if he started this out of a, on an airplane flying in Nashville, just kind of doing word vomit, like you said, or whatever. <laugh>.
Speaker 3 00:24:21 Yeah. I word vomited this morning. Oh yeah. 30,000 feet above. There you go. I can't even, And it's funny, you don't even like go back and read it. I don't even know what I wrote this morning. It'd be fun. Maybe I'll go back after this and read what I wrote. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:24:33 I had an ex that had a journal and she was like, Oh, I'm journaling now. I'm like, Oh, like, what is your write today? She's like, Oh, like my, like, I can't tell you. And I'm like, Well, am I <laugh>? Like, am I in it? Yes. She's like, Well, I'm like, Alright, I gotta see
Speaker 3 00:24:49 What's in there. I told my wife Sarah the other day, I was like, Look, if something were to ever happen, you can read. But I'm just letting you know it's all there. Like, it's all like, like I'm upset at, you know, Sarah, or you know, like, like it's all like, when you're brutally honest mm-hmm. <affirmative> like, it's all, so I'm like, well, you can read 'em, but like, I'm just letting you know one day when you read 'em, it's, it's all there. And I love you, but there you go. It's all, um,
Speaker 4 00:25:13 Well, I think there's something to that too, Dude. It, it's getting it off your chest, Right. Because that's when you blow up is when you don't have a way to express that. Yeah. You know? So express
Speaker 3 00:25:23 Yourself. Express
Speaker 2 00:25:24 Yourself. Yeah. That's so funny, man. Like, what a weird thought. I guess. So what, do you just have piles of these books with scribbles in 'em that you Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:25:31 I go to like Office Depot and buy like the, I went the other day to get a new one and it's like 2 0 4, like $2 and 4 cents to buy this crappy 100, like 70 page sheet. But I just have like a stack of them that's sick. Um, Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:25:44 I love that though, man. Again, I think that's something that's kind of cool that you can look back on, dude, think about yourself two years from now. Right. And like, where you're at in your own head space, right? Like, it's like listening. Like if you, when you go back in two years and listen to this podcast and think about where you were in your life, Right? You go back two years and look in those notebooks and see where your head was and like, oh, this is the stuff that was important to Keller in 2022, you know? Yeah. And in 2032 you're like, geez. Oh, that was silly. You know, or Oh yeah. That helped when
Speaker 3 00:26:15 There like, that helped me 150.
Speaker 4 00:26:17 Yeah. Books,
Speaker 3 00:26:18 Crappy notebooks stacked in my, Yeah. That's crazy. But
Speaker 4 00:26:22 Yeah, I mean, I think that's a, a cool thing. Like we actually had a Grady Sackman who's a producer here in town, we had him on the podcast, um, it was like 2018. And he was like, it was so cool, like going back and listening to that. He's like, what I thought was important or like what I thought was like, where my life was gonna go back then, you know? And I think, think it's neat that you're gonna have that for everything. You know what I mean? Like Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:26:47 Terrifying every
Speaker 4 00:26:48 Day too. Yeah. But, but super cool, you know, like you can, you can look back at that stuff and maybe you'll get a songwriting idea in three years.
Speaker 3 00:26:56 Oh, who knows. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:26:57 By looking back in one of those books of just what is happening in your life. Especially like, you'll hear a lot of people that say like, Oh, I can't write about this stuff because it's not my life anymore. Right. Like, if you start to get super famous, you're like, I'm not drinking beer on the couch with my buddies anymore. Like, and, and worrying about where we're getting our next paycheck. Like, so like you'll have that to go back to this point in your life and like, kind of like, Oh yeah, I remember that. And you can, Yeah. I feel like that's gonna be a wealth of information for you and, and a very good for your songwriting.
Speaker 2 00:27:28 That's cool there. Yeah. When you, when you write, um, either like with, you know, co-writers or by yourself, do you hand write or do you use a computer?
Speaker 3 00:27:36 Um, I, I always used to hand write. Um, and then I actually learn from cla cordero of switching to a computer, mid co-write. Um, like that was something that like, and it was honestly, I think it was like one of my first co-writes was with cla, uh, or like, like one. That's awesome. Which is wild. I was like, you know, felt like I was in, I was the T-Ball kid going into the major leagues. <laugh>. Yeah. Um, with my, you know, big league chew. And
Speaker 2 00:28:02 I wrote with Ray and Luke Holmes one time and it felt exactly like that. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:28:07 But No, but tell me, tell me.
Speaker 2 00:28:10 Oh, I was, I was just gonna say, I was trying to keep up with ideas and they were just shooting out things better than I could ever think of at five times the rate. And then we finished the song in an hour or something. They're like, All right, cool. See you. I'm like, What just happened?
Speaker 3 00:28:23 Yeah. <laugh>. But no, anyways, so I mean, I, I start to switch now cuz he, he taught me like, it gives you a different perspective. Like I'm seeing it on a page, but then I'm, I have to type it in and then I have to like, see it on the screen and it really, like midway through I usually say like, Hey, can we pause? And I can switch this to computer one. It documents. I mean, I feel like one day hopefully if a publishing deals in the book, like you have to have everything. You might as well do it while you're there, you know? Yeah. Switch it. But then also I, I've found it a helpful way. Like, you know, you have a verse and maybe a chorus and then you put it on the screen. It's like, Oh, I can see better where we're going now with this. You know, it's not scribbled on the, because I feel like when you're in a co-write, it's like, like you're just like super fast. And, um, but yeah, so I do both, I guess. That's super cool.
Speaker 2 00:29:07 I like writing the computer better because if you want to move a line around, you know, like if you have a good line, but maybe that's second verse, or maybe it's, you know, part of the course or something. Yes. Then it's easier just to fly it around than it is to like, use like an eraser and a pencil. Which maybe that's good. Maybe that's bad. You know, just on
Speaker 3 00:29:28 Your words. I've heard of both ways. I was listening to a pod speaking of podcast, I was listening to a podcast with, uh, William Beckman. Have you heard of William Beckman? Yeah, It was great. I supposedly, he uses a typewriter. Okay. Because you can't delete, which I, I think that's kind of cool too. So like a, I don't know, that's opposite of your point. He, he uses like, Oh, I don't wanna delete. Cuz then I, it would be gone.
Speaker 2 00:29:47 Well, he's written a lot better things than I ever have. So,
Speaker 3 00:29:50 I don't know. I think it's both, both ways though. I, I agree with you. I sometimes it's like, Oh, cut paste, go to the other, you know? So Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:29:58 I don't think there's any right or wrong way. It's just like, what you get your best Yeah. Work from, you know? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I don't know. You're
Speaker 2 00:30:05 Being consistent. You do you. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:30:07 Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:30:08 I think just like having some sort of way you're doing it, I guess and being consistent with anything.
Speaker 4 00:30:14 Yeah. Or, or move around and see what works best and then be
Speaker 2 00:30:18 Consistent. Songwriting is kind of like black magic sometimes <laugh>. And then I guess we don't really understand it as people, but,
Speaker 4 00:30:24 Well, you hear so many people that are like, uh, this song kind of just came to us. You know, it's like, especially Corate, you
Speaker 3 00:30:30 Know? I think that's a, Yeah. I've had one experience like that where it's like you look at each other and you're like, what did we, what just happened? Yeah. Like, you know, kind of thing. But I think a song comes out of the air, you know, Nothing is new under the sun. Like it's all existed. Right. You know, I, I'm a huge believer in that, so, but yeah, I think I, I don't know. I feel like I, I always like to say, you know, let's go catch a tune, you know? Yeah. Like, we're not, we're not riding this. We're catching it. We're we're, we're catching. I'm capturing a moment, you know? Yeah. Um, who
Speaker 4 00:30:59 Are you writing with this week?
Speaker 3 00:31:00 Uh, Andrew Beon and Cameron Newby. Cool. Um, just some friends that I've gotten to know. Um, we've done one co-write before. It's super cool. Totally. I feel like I'm the Texas country kid, you know, and they're like the more Nashville. And so it was like, like, I was like, well that's Friday more like, you know, this Nashville kind of thing. And we totally did. I think it might make the next record, which is gonna be crazy for people to be like, What is this? Like, where's Keller going? But it is more of that more upbeat like, kind of thing. Um, and then Thursday, this guy named Mike Dunton, he's a guitar player and then a senior songwriter. He, he plays guitar for, uh, Ross Cooper. Yeah. This is great. But we, I met him in Lubbock and we like a week ago and I was like, didn't have anything on Thursday. I was like, Hey man, you wanna write? He's like, Sure. So that's awesome. It'll be cool. We've never, we've never like gotten to know each other, like besides meeting each other at the Blue Light life in Lubbock. So
Speaker 4 00:31:50 Sometimes there's magic in those first rights. Man. I like, I've had so many people that are like, this is our first time I wrote with this person. And it's just like a crazy song comes out of it.
Speaker 3 00:32:00 You know? I'm super, super stoked. I'm like so pumped to, to be in that like a room again, you know? And like, let's see. But then also, like on the plane today, I had to do my homework. Like I was re like listening through all my voicemails, you know, to not show up empty handed. Right. And it's funny, listening to old voicemails, it's like, Geez, dude, what were you thinking there? Like, what is that? And then, then I found one this morning, I was like, Huh. I kind of totally forgot that happened, you know? And so I wrote it down like, so I'll hopefully have something to pitch, you know, going into the right instead of just being like, What did you guys bring today? Yeah. So
Speaker 4 00:32:31 I think that's a super cool part too, is like, you'll have a hook or a line or something and you'll say it to a hundred people and they don't want to write it. But then a one time when someone does, it's like,
Speaker 2 00:32:39 Yeah, Luke, Luke said, um, not to tell a bunch of Luke stories, but of course I will. Um, he had a, a title and he like pitched it to a bunch of people and they're like, No, like I'm good on that. And then he wrote it with Laney Wilson was that song Share if you want to. Yeah. I'm like, I would've written anything you wanted <laugh>. Even this was back in the revival days, but like, Yeah. Still. I'm like, come you, It was a fun song. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:33:05 Yeah,
Speaker 4 00:33:05 Dude. And it's, uh, it's, it's interesting just hearing different stuff and like getting to hear like, uh, podcasts from like Texas artists that don't as often co-write, you know? Yeah. Cause that's a different process.
Speaker 3 00:33:18 Dude, here's a funny story with co-writing. The first time I did a co-write in Nashville, it's with Cameron and, and Andrew. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and anyways, um, basically they, they did a demo, like a rough demo. I didn't know what a double like doubled on the course. I didn't know it was a thing. Like you double like, you know, the like the vocals. Yeah. I had never knew that existed. I was like, what do you mean double the course? Like I was like, you sing over what you just sang before, like me the Texas kid. We just do. I was like, we don't do doubles in Texas, we just do singles. Like, you know, I was just like mind blown or whatever. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. Crazy.
Speaker 4 00:33:53 Just different way of doing things, man. That's what it's about. It's like there's no right or wrong way. It's just different, you know, It's like you hear a song and you kind of can tell regionally when it's from. Sometimes even timestamp wise it's not as easy now, but cuz like people are going like vintage with stuff. But, um,
Speaker 3 00:34:11 We were talking about that earlier too. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. Let's put this cool vintage filter on this.
Speaker 2 00:34:15 Yeah, yeah. No doubt. Well
Speaker 4 00:34:17 That's, I mean, old is new again and I think part of that's Covid. I think the, the big nostalgia craze that everyone's in right now. It started during Covid cuz it was like you were like going back to the good old days kind of
Speaker 3 00:34:31 Thing. Did I do miss the good old days and I'm a 24 year old. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:34:35 <laugh>. Well I was thinking, I was having a really interesting conversation with buddy of mine. I think that when times are tough is when people are more nostalgic. Yeah. And then when things are good is when people are more hopeful. Yeah. Future, uh, you know, a global pandemic and people being outta work will make you more nosalgic for the days when you could go to a show and be ask the elbows with all your buddies and Yep. Hear a good, good band player or whatever.
Speaker 4 00:35:01 Yeah. I mean, just as my life as a music fan, like I didn't realize how much music meant to my life just as a person that enjoys going to shows and listening to music, you know? So like, not having that during the pandemic like left a big hole in my life and I was like, damn, am I doing this thing right. You know, like, is my life like doing this
Speaker 3 00:35:22 Thing like life?
Speaker 4 00:35:23 Right? Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.
Speaker 3 00:35:25 A deep, deep question.
Speaker 4 00:35:26 Yeah, for sure. It is man. Yeah. And but that's where I was and I like, uh, I got kind of like weirded out a little bit and then I was like, once it came back I'm like, Yeah, I am doing this thing right. You know,
Speaker 2 00:35:38 Like of the big sad during Covid. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:35:40 Mass. Massive sad. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:35:42 Yeah. The big sad <laugh>. Yeah. I didn't, uh, but then when I got to go back to that like first show, you know, that was like not small capacity, like a real show. Well,
Speaker 2 00:35:56 What was it? Do you
Speaker 4 00:35:57 Remember? Yeah, it was Slid and Rod, Trey Lewis. It
Speaker 2 00:36:00 Was Oh yeah, I remember that. Hager.
Speaker 4 00:36:02 Dude, it's so great. <laugh>. It was like, like when you weren't really supposed to be having shows at full capacity.
Speaker 3 00:36:08 I felt rebellious, dude.
Speaker 4 00:36:09 Yeah, it
Speaker 3 00:36:10 Did. Was it in Texas or was it in Tennessee? It
Speaker 4 00:36:12 Was in Tennessee. It was a venue that, funny enough that the guy that runs the place slid a ride. His name's DJ Pooky and he was at the round last night. Was
Speaker 2 00:36:21 He really?
Speaker 3 00:36:21 Yeah, DJ was, was, I don't know, this was Tennessee during Covid. Like was it like, like everyone follow like the guidelines
Speaker 4 00:36:29 In Nashville? Pretty much, Yeah. Like there was some stuff that was like, so
Speaker 3 00:36:33 I feel like Texas was totally like, screw all this. Like, let's, let's
Speaker 4 00:36:37 Outside of town. I feel like it was a lot more like that here. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But in Nashville it was pretty,
Speaker 2 00:36:43 Yeah. Pretty on par I would say. Not like New York
Speaker 4 00:36:46 City or something, but No, no. Yeah. But Slide and Ride was like the first show back and Trey is like a buddy of mine, you know, I've known for a few years. Like we were premiering a songs when, you know, 500 people would listen to it on our page, you know? Yeah. And uh, so like we went to that show and it was like, you know, it's asses to elbows and like $3 beer night and I'm just like, Yes, we're back. You know? Yeah. I was just so happy. I was like, this is so great. I literally bought a case of beer from the bar and I was just carrying it around and I was just like, Here, anyone here. Cause we had a bunch of buddies
Speaker 3 00:37:21 There, you know? That's amazing. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:37:22 That sounds like a good time. It
Speaker 4 00:37:24 Was a real good time. But like, it's like, that's the stuff that makes your life cool, right? Like as a fan. Yeah. Like as a music fan, you know, for you it's getting to go out and do those shows and get that dopamine of like, people like know your song, or at least they enjoy it if they that
Speaker 3 00:37:39 That's been the weirdest thing. Yeah. It's like going to far away places and, and not expecting someone to know the song. And just like, we were like, so we're in Kansas and this kid came and he like drove four hours to watch me open acoustic and I was like, what? I didn't under, And then we're in like, uh, Lotus the other day, Texas North San Antonio. And we're, you know, as I'm young artists, I'm, I'm selling merch, I'm meeting, you know, that's, I'm gonna be doing that as long as I can, you know? Um, and these two guys said, We flew from Atlanta to watch you play. I was like, Atlanta, Georgia. Wow. And, and they were like, I was like, I wouldn't fly from Atlanta to watch me play <laugh>. Like, you know, But I was just like, like it's like what in the world? That's my first. I mean, I've never had those experiences before. It's been crazy. Like mm-hmm. <affirmative>, there's mine. It's like, well, it's all worth it, you know? You, you, you do all the work during the week that we were talking about earlier. Yeah. And it's like, oh man, this is kind of like, you know, then you get the hive of like, be on stage, you know? But then like you, you have moments like that and you're like, Oh, this is it. This is, this is why I'm doing this kind
Speaker 4 00:38:38 Of thing. Yeah. One fan at a time, man. That's how it works, you know? Super cool.
Speaker 2 00:38:43 Yeah. What a great feeling, man. I definitely remember, like, obviously I'm not an artist, but playing for newer artists and having them have that reaction. Like, we played in San Antonio with Jan when I was in her band and got, the boy had just been on radio and, and it was the first time we played and someone sang it back to her. I remember just how elated she was and like, almost in tears because the crowd sang that last course and she's like, Oh my
Speaker 3 00:39:07 God, you almost feel like you owe them something. That's how I felt when those people came. Like, it's like, like how do I, you know, I feel like I, I'm like, I'm in debt to you almost, You know,
Speaker 2 00:39:17 Do a good job and it'll be squared.
Speaker 4 00:39:19 Yeah. Well and what you did made them feel well, like you acknowledged that it was a big thing for them to come do that, right? Yeah. So like, and they, in that little bit of being your fan or on that road with you, you know, they want to see you grow, right? Yeah. Cause they enjoy what you're doing and they like that thing. So like you hanging out at that merge table, meeting them and saying, Man, that's so cool that you guys did that is like, is that for them? Yeah. You know, like as a fan it's super cool. Like, I was at a Old Dominion show, it's CMA Fest, it was a, in that little HGTV stage, you know what I'm talking about? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 00:39:56 I've played that before.
Speaker 4 00:39:57 Yeah. And so like, it's just this little stage with bands that are too big to be there, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But it's during CMA Fest, it's like you have to win tickets or whatever to get, And uh, I was there one year and then my buddy won tickets to go back and was all Dominion again and it had a meet and greet and Matt, the lead singer was like, You were here last year for this, weren't you to me? And I was like, Yeah. He's like, I remember you singing every word last year. He's like, super cool that you came back. And I was like, Holy crap. You know what I mean? That's
Speaker 2 00:40:23 Awesome. Yeah. That's
Speaker 4 00:40:24 Super cool. You know what I mean? Look, I'm like, how did he remember last year at CMA Fest? He's had 200 shows since then. Yeah. You know? Yeah. But he's like, I remember you knew every word to every song you were singing them all, you know? And I'm like, that's
Speaker 2 00:40:38 Cool. They're hard to do with old do minion songs,
Speaker 4 00:40:40 Dude. That are so good. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:40:41 You're unforgettable.
Speaker 4 00:40:42 Yeah. Well, yeah, I mean, I'm great looking to that.
Speaker 2 00:40:45 That's probably it. You unforgettable <laugh>.
Speaker 4 00:40:47 But it was super cool, like for me being a fan to get that like, wait, you remembered me. You know? And if you see those guys again and you remember like, Oh, hey, what's up? They will eat that up, dude. You know, like that's from the fans' perspective, like that's what makes things super cool. Like you feel like you're a little piece of that artist's story, you know? Which is neat.
Speaker 2 00:41:09 Yeah. I definitely have people all the time are like, Man, I saw Luke back in the day was $5 that Eddie's attic or, you know, whatever. And they love telling that story, so
Speaker 4 00:41:19 Dude, that's, that's how you do it.
Speaker 2 00:41:21 So we just gotta start making more, some more of those fans, you know? Yeah,
Speaker 4 00:41:25 Yeah. More fans. Every show, even if it's just a couple, you know. So, uh, how many dates are, are you have the booking agent now, like how many, many dates, uh, are you like trying to get out on the road?
Speaker 3 00:41:35 There's many, there's not a, there's not one event on the calendar till the end of the year that it's like, like booked off for like something personal. Yeah. So every date is open. Like, I'm taking everything like, like, you know, the other day was Lubbock show on Friday, Houston Show Saturday. That's like an eight hour drive. Yeah. And I was like, I'm in I Yes, yes. Book it like I'm, I'm there like, I like open acoustic and then go to Houston. Yes. Like, like whatever. We're doing it all. So I love that. Um, I mean right now, like starting this next weekend, there's like one, one or two maybe a weekend, but it's usually like one, so it's like shows are open, like Yeah. Shameless plug, like yeah, I'm playing anything, you know? Yeah. If there's one person two, I've played in front of two people. That's crazy. That's a fun experience. Um, we've played just sold out table one time. That's so great.
Speaker 4 00:42:25 Sold out table.
Speaker 3 00:42:26 Yeah, that's a great one. Yeah, I mean I'm playing as many shows I can. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:42:31 I just saw a post by Cody Jinx and he was like, I had a $300 acoustic gig and there was literally no one there. And the bar manager was like, I'll give you 200 bucks to not play. And he was like, I need that extra a hundred bucks. So he played in no one, like literally just the staff, you know? Now look where he is. Yeah.
Speaker 2 00:42:48 You know, playing save
Speaker 3 00:42:49 Shows. I got a $5 tip one time and I still have the $5 bill. Hell yeah. Uh, it was like a C gig or whatever. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and there was more than one version there, but I guess maybe it was my younger days when I was not, uh, not very, uh, impressive or still Yeah,
Speaker 2 00:43:04 Still practicing.
Speaker 3 00:43:05 Yep. Yep. The $5 bill. So,
Speaker 4 00:43:07 Hey man, there's nothing wrong with that. I think it's cool too that like the Texas scene is so into like original music, right? Like coming from somewhere like Nashville where like the whole touristy area, all of Broadway is mostly covers, right? Yeah, you get that up and if you go into the other parts of town, you'll get original songs. But I just love how like that Texas Red Dirt scene really embraces original
Speaker 3 00:43:30 Songs, Dude. Yeah. I didn't know it until I went to college. Yeah. I grew up on the Nashville like, or I feel like George Straits Texas. But like, I grew up on like Kenny Chesney, Allen Jackson, uh, Toby Keith. And then when I went to a and m, believe it or not, like a lot of people in Texas, their first exposure is like Robert Earl Keen, or you know, Jerry, Jeff Walker. My first exposure to Texas country was Flatland Cavalry. I was in the ROTC at a and m I had a bald head, and I was like, as a freshman, you're like, everything like, like, like at attention or whatever. And this upperclassman walked in and said, Hey, you need to listen to this song. And it was Traveler song by Flatline Cavalry. But I mean, obviously I'm like, That's awesome. Terrified. Like, I'm sitting there. But then when I actually listened to it, right, like, I was like, What is this? I was like, what is this? Like, it's a story. It's like, it's not, you know, the the, the normal thing. I was like, Whoa. And then it changed. It's why I'm doing this, you know? Yeah. Which is wild, full, like full circle, you know? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. Um,
Speaker 2 00:44:26 Yeah. I mean that's happened to, I mean, like, I was a kid. I was listening to like, like Cisco and like all this like terrible music, right? And my mom bought me the black album by Metallica and I was like, Oh my God, this is awesome. <laugh>. And I started playing guitar, you know, and someone in Luke's dorm was like, Hey, listen to this record. His name's Eric Church, you know? And it's like, there's always that moment, you know, where you're like, you first get really into music Yeah. And it just sinks its claws into you.
Speaker 4 00:44:53 Yeah. Or like, like you said, with Flat Land. And um, I was at a show where I was at, I was going to Chicago to visit friends, and we were going to an outdoor hockey game. Um, Penguins were playing the Blackhawks, and we got there and we were like, Oh, I've been to shows at Joe's on Weed Street. Let's see who's playing. Maybe we'll go to that the night before. Well, it was Turnpike in American Aquarium.
Speaker 2 00:45:17 <laugh>. That's
Speaker 3 00:45:18 Crazy.
Speaker 4 00:45:18 So like, I didn't know Turnpike at that point. This was maybe 2015.
Speaker 3 00:45:22 Oh my gosh. What did the exposure, Yeah. What like
Speaker 4 00:45:25 A treat. I know, dude. And so I like looked up their music and I was like, Holy crap. You know, like before we got there I was like, This is amazing. And then I looked up American Aquarium and I'm like, Holy crap. Like this is gonna be an awesome show. And then I went down that rabbit hole, you know, of like all the Texas stuff. But like, and then like, when I first heard Flatland, I was like, this is like, kind of like turnpike. You could, you could hear that there's influences from that same thing, you know? It's like super freaking cool. Um, and it's like, this is very different than what I had been listening to, which was mainstream country music, you know? And it went from like, Okay, here's mainstream country music to like, what else is out there? That's when streaming was like starting to come in 2015. It was like you could find stuff, you know, without having to really look for it. You just like, Oh, this artist is similar to this. Okay, let's tr see what that
Speaker 3 00:46:15 Is. That's so crazy.
Speaker 4 00:46:16 Yeah. And it just really opened up the world for me. And that was like, I went down the rabbit hole, Texas country. And then I even went further when I had a buddy that was in like the Americana world as a singer songwriter. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And he was just super into like the red dirt scene, like even on a deeper level than I was, you know? So like, he would be like, Do you know this person, this person, this person? I'm like, No. You know? So I got like, even more of that opened up. But like, I would've loved to be down there and just like, see it in person and experience it, You know what I mean? Yeah. It was, Once you saw off Flat Land, then where did you go from there?
Speaker 3 00:46:50 Um, man. Yeah. I kind of went, I mean, I, I'd always like heard like, I, I guess Turnpike was next, I guess. Like that was a rabbit hole park. McCullum was a rabbit hole. Yeah. Um, who else was on that? I'm trying to think. Those are like my three, Those are like the three, like, I don't know. Um, but I've always been like John Mayer was a rabbit hole, but it's not Texas country, but still like, becoming in love with music. Yeah. Then you start, like, I I, I was showing Kurt earlier this band called Camp. Mm-hmm <affirmative>. They're from Ohio. They're a folk band. Yeah. I went down that rabbit hole.
Speaker 4 00:47:21 I know camp. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:47:21 Dude, I love camp. Um, that was a rabbit hole I went down. So I just, all these different, like
Speaker 2 00:47:26 That's such a great name for a band too. It
Speaker 4 00:47:27 Is. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:47:28 Oh, camp or Rabbit Hole?
Speaker 2 00:47:29 No, Camp <laugh> Rabbit Hole too. Probably
Speaker 3 00:47:32 Actually no camp with two A's I don't, I still don't know why the two a's maybe there's another band is easier
Speaker 2 00:47:36 To trademark.
Speaker 4 00:47:37 That's probably it.
Speaker 3 00:47:38 I dunno. I to ask them, maybe they come hunt us down.
Speaker 2 00:47:40 Well, when they're on our podcast, then we'll ask <laugh>,
Speaker 3 00:47:43 Dude, I would, Yeah, they're,
Speaker 4 00:47:44 We'll have you back to help. There's
Speaker 3 00:47:46 A lot of different, you know, And then now I feel like I, or there's this guy named Adam Carol Storyteller, like crazy storyteller. But like, I became more in love with like listening to something for what? It's like A to Z, not like I'm gonna pick one song, Your top song and listen to it. Like more of like an album listener. Like, like as I became an artist, it was like, Oh, this album might be telling a story. Like, this person may be picked this track to be after this track. And so then I began like to start listening to things like A to Z like all the way through at one time for what it's worth. And that was like a cool, That's been a cool thing. Experience. Yeah. Um,
Speaker 4 00:48:23 You consume it differently. That's neat. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:48:25 It's a drug.
Speaker 4 00:48:27 It's a good drug though.
Speaker 2 00:48:28 Oh yeah. The best one. Best. Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:48:31 <laugh>. Well, um, so you got some shows coming up and hopefully more if you are booking in Texas area or maybe even anywhere. Yes. No
Speaker 3 00:48:40 Killer. Got some Texas shows coming up.
Speaker 4 00:48:42 Are you, uh, are you working on any more music? Yes,
Speaker 3 00:48:45 I have 15 tunes. Hell yeah. That I'd sing to you, but I don't know, I don't think all 15 will be recorded. Yeah. I think like we will either, we're gonna pitch to, you know, produce and say like, Hey, what do you like, You know, at the end of the day you put the song in the middle of the room, the song wins. So it could be an ep it could be three singles. But I, I think I like, you know, I'd say we've got some new music hopefully coming soon. I would say top of 2023. Sweet. Go back to the studio this fall. Awesome. Um, so, and then I think hopefully like the stars will align. Like, you know, you start touring for the first time. Really? Yeah. Like I'm a full-time musician as of like, Mays so cool. So start touring and like, you know, start getting meeting those fans and those people are already have fallen in love or the people who are like, came to see another show and you're just the guy that is on the bill.
Speaker 3 00:49:29 And then like, like your experience at Turnpike, start making those fans and then, then have some new music, which I think is going to be next level. I'm already excited about the writing, but just like, I think that's to be better. You know? I feel like I'm a competitive person, but not like towards the other person. Like, I don't ever wanna be like, try to be better than Flatland, but if I can be better than Keller on the last project, then that's winning to me. Cause I feel like, I don't know, I hate when people are like, like, I don't know, like, we're all doing this together. The goal is good music, you know? Right. Like, everyone's stay in your lane and running your lane and be the best person that you can be. I love that. But I would say the old keer, I, I mean kick his butt. Oh
Speaker 4 00:50:07 Yeah. I love
Speaker 3 00:50:08 That. So
Speaker 2 00:50:09 Let's pick a tune man. Yeah, yeah. Let's put on
Speaker 3 00:50:12 Come.
Speaker 4 00:50:13 Let's, let's go. I will listen. So good.
Speaker 2 00:50:15 Yeah, you will.
Speaker 4 00:50:16 <laugh> Well guys, uh, it's been a pleasure having you guys listen to the podcast and thank you Kelly for dude on.
Speaker 3 00:50:22 It's been a treat.
Speaker 2 00:50:23 Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 00:50:24 Thank y'all so much. This
Speaker 4 00:50:25 Was a great one. I'm Nick
Speaker 1 00:50:26 T I'm Carlos. And we'll see in the front row old.
