Bonus Episode – Meet Rugged Ronnie!
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After three episodes of hosting some genuinely talented artists, it finally felt time for the Rugged Revival to pull back the curtain and introduce itself properly. Enter Rugged Ronnie—or Dan, if you're being formal—the driving force behind what's become a refreshingly honest corner of the UK country music landscape. This bonus episode strips away the interview format entirely, instead offering an intimate conversation between co-hosts that reveals far more about the show's ethos than any artist bio ever could.
What becomes immediately clear listening to Ronnie talk about his approach is a fierce commitment to authenticity in a genre that, frankly, doesn't always prioritize it. While UK country radio tends to lean heavily on covers and pop-country crossovers, Ronnie has deliberately chosen a different path. He's seeking out the indie artists, the traditionalists, the ones making music that might not fit neatly into a Radio 2 playlist but lands with genuine weight when you hear it live. It's a curator's instinct—the same one that led him to Jack Browning through Instagram artwork before he even knew the painter made music, and subsequently to Nashville-based Anna Scott, whose performances clearly left Ronnie mesmerized in ways he's still processing.
I've gone out my way to pick people I want to speak to—people that want to be around our table.
— Rugged Ronnie
The first three episodes have already revealed something valuable: the show works best when it operates as a genuine conversation between people who actually want to be in the room together. Ronnie speaks to this explicitly, explaining how he's deliberately chosen guests who either supported the Rugged Revival from day one or had already earned his respect through previous connections. There's no obligation booking here, no obligatory industry nod. This is curation as friendship, which somehow feels revolutionary in podcast culture.
What's particularly striking is how Ronnie discusses the female perspective in country music. His decision to have Anna Scott on wasn't about tokenism or checking boxes—it was about wanting to understand what it actually looks like for a young female artist to chase the Nashville dream, to work those brutal three or four-hour pub shifts while building something real. He contrasts this with his own woeful attempt at karaoke (where even finding the Wi-Fi nearly defeated him), underlining how serious these musicians truly are. Anna's interview has already outperformed both previous episodes in the analytics, something Ronnie notes with genuine curiosity rather than defensiveness.
I just forgot I was actually on the podcast when she was doing it, I was just clapping away like a seal.
— Rugged Ronnie
The conversation also hints at exciting things on the horizon for the podcast itself. Jack Browning's artwork—those stunning paintings of classic country legends—has apparently sparked talk of collaborative projects and special editions. There's an ease to how these ideas are being floated, a sense that the Rugged Revival isn't trying to become anything other than what it is: a gathering place for music that matters, presented without pretense.
What makes Ronnie's voice particularly valuable in current UK country discourse is his refusal to be a snob about it. He's not dismissive of pop country or mainstream efforts—he simply knows what he loves, and he's honest about seeking out the deeper cuts, the more challenging material, the artists working in genuine country and Americana traditions. It's an approach that feels increasingly necessary at a moment when the line between country and pop has become so blurred that the genre itself risks losing its identity.
For anyone who's felt slightly alienated by UK country radio or who suspected there was something more authentic lurking beneath the surface of the scene, this episode offers genuine hope. The Rugged Revival isn't just a podcast; it's evidence that there's an audience for real country music, for intimate conversations, for curation that actually means something. Listen to hear Ronnie discuss where the show's going next—and more importantly, why what he's building actually matters.
[Music] yeah I wish I had a CO I problems I don't have yet leave the tears before the pillows wet yeah I wish I had a COR if I don't know way back when everything I so here we are episode four which is a bonus track I think uh or a bonus piece we're here with TJ and the co-host with the 90-year old immune system as you said last time so uh this is me this is rugged Ronnie or Dan uh TJ nice to see you how we doing mate all right where have you been I'm very good Here There and Everywhere been all my life C everywhere except for on the podcast yeah thank you for that pleasure so um you've been doing three episodes so far with some incredible artists um how's it been well can you believe we're on the third episode already it's um it's been a wild ride shall we say uh for them wondering who this Geyer is that is talking after nonsense them no it's been really good you know and and you know I from the last conversation I had with Josh I said look you know much like him I've gone out my way to pick people I want to speak to people that want to be around our table and and people have actually supported us from the very beginning or recently so you know we reached out to to Jack uh Browning uh Jack I've spoke to for a long time through Instagram um weirdly uh through his artwork to begin with because he painted pictures of you know classic country artists and you uh of me I'm hoping you'll do one of me that'll be good that be very good because him and Josh apparently doing a picture I don't know if it's of each other I did ask towards the end and I think I had a few beers by that point and um I said oh you going to draw each other nude um and then he went along with it and said yeah maybe fig leaves so maybe they are doing that so that's how I knew Jack anyway and then his music kind of came along through the Instagram and he he said to be fair a lot of people mentioned the same thing to him that they kind of didn't realize he did mus and then when you actually look into his music It's amazing And it's quite different to a lot of what the UK country artists are doing so the UK country people are are doing a lot of covers they're doing the kind of pop country stuff which I'm not really into um you know I said there's always a place for that type of thing and it's very mainstream but I like to seek out the more Indie stuff and the more um kind of um traditional stuff so Jack's doing a lot of that he's been touring uh Holland lately um as I've seen for his Instagram and then we moved on I thought you know let's mix it up slightly so then we had Anna Scott on all the way from nville oh she was fantastic I mean they're both incredible but listening to that that first sort of uh yeah that that that piece that she did for you was it was incredible so yeah um I wish and this is no slot on Jack I didn't actually ask him to do one because the idea came after and I thought B I should have um asked Jack so Jack if you're listening mate um yeah I would have asked you if the idea come sooner so maybe you could do a a retrospective G for the rugged Revival just a bit of an extra we'll do a bit of an extra one like a like a l Lounge but a special yeah it makes it more special um but no she was fantastic she it just feels um incredible to actually watch somebody that good in front of you in such an intimate moment doing a a onetoone podcast I just forgot I was actually on the podcast when she was doing I was just clapping away like a seal in I was like je this this is great so um it wasn't just for me it was for everybody and I like the fact that Anna came on because you know whil pop country isn't my thing and she's not just doing that to be fair to she's doing a lot of um different types of tracks you know it was trying to find the perspective of a young female artist or Entertainer going out to Nashville and all of the kind of challenges that they face because there if you look at the kind of particularly the UK country groups they're all desperate to get out to Nashville and I think it's interesting to hear from somebody who's been out there she's been out there for what four years I think she said since she was quite young and to hear you know the stuff that she's having to do and the fact she tells me she's doing regularly 3 four hour shifts um you know that that is stamina and that is just ridiculous he's unreal I mean I get naked of the singing two two karaoke songs in a pub you got switching your computer on did yeah I was trying to get the Wi-Fi working it was just disaster just you know running up down the stairs I was knackered terrible so so I really enjoyed Anna's um Anna's interview and if I look at the analytics actually at the minute Anna is is um ahead of both Jack and Josh interestingly so it's interesting to see what kind of demographics are perhaps listening to the show watching on YouTube or the fact that she's just got a big family and her mom and dad and everyone else are watching it either way way I don't okay it's good and then um Josh I've been speaking to for for a while not not as long as um as Jack uh Josh I mentioned at the beginning of the podcast he'd sent me his album little fires which he did not too long ago and as I said you know we'll try and listen to as many tracks or albums that you put out and if you want us you know specifically to listen to it I think it's an honor that you've reached out and said you know have a listen I think it's good and I think you'll like it so you you know I made a conscious effort of going through that um and then feeding back to Josh and you know these are I love these particular tracks little fires and between the bottle and me I think it was called which is actually one of his earlier albums and then you just kind of go in a bit of a rabbit hole and that that's where we started get talking and that's what I said to him as well you're probably pissed off with me now because I'll just bug the [ __ ] out of you until hey you come on I'll show you join our Facebook group you're one of us so um not not just the fact that uh you know you've pissed him off on messages but you've you've also pissed him off by calling him old as soon as you soon as you went into the soon pretty funny chicken yourself oh yeah TJ I know I know I think they're touched the nerve with him to be fair but U I did say I'm about the same age so it's acceptable for me to call him old but listen it was it was great to to hear you know all the three artists and and listen to them and their experiences and what they've done and where they want to be where they go in so far I mean even even speaking about the you know the barn idea you know we were talking about it earlier you know off of this we were talking about earlier saying you know trying to get some people over trying to get some people to the UK some really good upand cominging artists you know get them all together in one place you know it' be incredible um and we don't have that opportunity over here a lot of the time so you know it's no you kind of um and it's no slight on what's going on at the minute when I look at some of the festivals it's it's kind of again generically kind of pop country I'm going to piss a load of people off probably all right I'll stop it but you know I'm well I'm just biased because I want I'm I like the Kentucky scene I like the Appalachia Mountain Music which is why I follow a lot of those type of guys they're so talented but I don't see any of them or hardly any of them over in the UK so to be able to do how how do we call it the Grand Old rival I'm sure get great idea great idea yeah copyright it Grand Revival and say you took name sounds similar to something but I'm not sure what that might be I haven't just said that anyway um yeah so I I think like you you know we don't know what we're doing but the fact that Josh said you know just just to to you off I have no idea what I'm doing just to make that quite clear from the start sure I told him that I'm sure even whiskey that was it that's how I do it I I get them drunk and then they'll greet to anything well not anything so so I I think that that's a good one in the cards to to perhaps have a look at next year to see if we can make something happen even on a a small scale and then we build it up I think you know if we got enough interested people let say Josh if we can get Nick Jameson you know I'm such a Fanboy of that dude um you know people like that who are just just in you know not just Independent Artists but people that are established um I'd love that um it's a pip dream mate isn't it it is but listen if we if we don't push for it if we don't I mean like this you you've pushed so much to to get this going uh and look how it's taken off you know this three episodes on here now the little bonus track uh today but you know three episodes of of having three incredible artists on um but look how it's taken off you know there's so much more interest there's so many people that that want to get involved that want to follow you that want to see it um it's just incredible you know to see that that uptake so very very quickly um and long way that continue you know let's you got I'm surprised there's anyone else to be honest with because I remember waking up and I think I text you and said I'm going to do a podcast you're like really what do you know about podcast I know nothing but then when I sent the message out on Instagram and the group I was like oh man I've committed now I need to do it so that was great that you have because you've had so much really positive feedback from everybody that's that has been on um and people talking in the groups and and people being involved in that you've had so much really good feedback so you know cheers to that no definitely cheers to that mate it's um I we've got some really kind people in the group and and our contacts and Instagram they've sent messages of support and you know I'm I'm I'm chuffed with that because every time I go on or just before I go on to these podcast I'm actually [ __ ] my pants you know like me tonight like you tonight because u i mean particularly the first one I think I must have been you know messing around for an hour just making sure everything was there I probably had five pages of notes I mean it's calming down a little bit now now I've done the third or fourth one um so you know Stripes yeah bad podcasting so um so no I think long may let continue and I you know like you I've got a list of people that I'd love to see a lot of them is just like they're never going to come on the show but if you don't ask you don't know um exactly exactly and if you don't ask you don't get so you know and I think we've got I mean when you said about that you know just going back to your your original thing saying that you you text me saying I'm gonna go I'm going to go and do a podcast text uh not WhatsApp but uh you know saying that you're going to go and do a podcast um do you do you think you want to get involved do you want to do you want to you know have a piece of that do you want to you know come on do you want to be a co-host and I was like absolutely 100% I mean I I only very recently I realized that you liked country music I've Loved country music since I was very very young um and I was like the rare one to to love country music and to to hear someone else that is so passionate about it uh but not the pop not the you know the usual sort of stuff it's it's great to hear so I don't mind a bit of Pop don't get me wrong um you know when people you're back tracking now stop about Luke Bryan and stuff like I thought yeah there is a place for that and sometimes you just want to stick on a b of luk briyan um you know and I get it and I get why people like it but yeah not for me and it's interesting because you know you talked about your love of country you're from a different kind of backround of country cuz your dads were Irish and you know he played in those sort of fiddle bands [Laughter] iddle so but then you you're all more into and you've got a better grounding and understanding of like classic country and seeing your picture in the background of I've got to get the name right George Jones and you know this is where I get slated because my my knowledge on in of classic country isn't there cuz I didn't grow up on that I grew up on Rock classic rock and I I found country Through The Years through listening to Classic Rock but southern rock because one of my favorite ever bands is Leonard skinnard and the Eagles and when you kind of navigate through that stuff you find country and i' I properly started listening to country I don't know six seven years ago and then it seems quite early I've always listened to it but perhaps not realized ing it but then the newer stuff that came out that really kind of set me on a on a passion or you know on not obsession with it was like the Tyler Childers stuff the Flatland Calvary and you know like I said it's it's it's quite recent stuff and I think there's been a real Resurgence of particularly new and as Josh put it the hillbilly you know States or or the S of the music have been kicking ass for for a good few years now and they have been you know they their music is bloody incredible and I wish I could listen to more on the radio and I would never have found it if I had not randomly gone on Spotify and I think it was Ethan or Alfie one of my boys was asleep on me and I couldn't touch the phone I literally couldn't touch it so it just went on some random tangent on Spotify it could have come up with anything you know yeah some stupid crap but um but it didn't it came up with like this new country stuff a new sound I was like not sure about it but I like it and um I went with it so I never stopped since then and I think that's why we've got we've got such a a different background you know from it it works really well because you like that that sort of stuff I like it as well but I'm very grounded into my old school old school country if you want to call that you know around your George Jones your Charlie Pride um you know so many different artists then and I mean I grew up on that with you know my mom listening to it on a CD or a tape actually in the car in my c i beefer with my mom yeah with the g c i beefer ready to you know going to BS of fors to Watford and whatever else shopping listening to that the country music Vibe and it was it meant something to me because it was all the it was the background music behind it it was the words they were using but it was always it was never a it was never a thing really in you know coming into school people wouldn't say oh they they would always listen to usual hip-hop R&B and all that sort of stuff where it's for me yeah like handing out spy scales postcards and there's me with a picture of George Jones you know I've got a signed copy I've got Charlie priz new CD you know it was all about it was all about that so we've got a good mix on you didn't get bu at all at school didn't they no no I didn't know that's another story we haven't got enough time for [Laughter] that but again you know from my you you mentioned my dad saying about you know the Irish bands that was involved with my dad was in a band uh many many years ago in the 60s I think it was 6070s or early' 70s where um it was more of like an Irish Country Band if you like sent me a link for him once I don't know if it was on YouTube or Spotify but they were they were an established band and done some recording what were they called so they were called the Islanders uh and uh not to be confused with The Dubliners to be fair so uh the Islanders and they they've got two songs which are currently on YouTube uh which is one is country warning uh and the other one is called four walls and window and my dad was the uh drummer and lead singer um in in that band which is really rare you know it's really rare to have a the drummer who's a lead singer um and I sort of I was so proud of that you know knowing at when I was a kid I wasn't so much proud of it because it was like my dad's singing how embarrassing but um but my my dad singing you know them songs being out and about and then you know he transitioned into the sort of early 90s when I was growing up um when he was doing sort of on the road into London in the Watford areas in the home counties uh he he was in a band called Misty and it was him and my my best mate's Granddad uh my best mate's Granddad was on the keyboards used to have two keyboards playing away uh and I'd sing all the Irish songs all the Irish country songs it was just it was that old school get together you know on a Saturday night all the lot they'll be queing out the doors with a silver knees up yeah yeah yeah but everybody you know you'd see all these couples coming out because they want to dance on a Saturday night it was the dance of the Saturday night uh and coming out listening to it having a proper dance and you know just having a good time and I think for me in my head I always wanted to continue that I wanted to continue that sort of um you know get together everybody just goes out on one night everybody has a good time there's no problems there's no drama everybody has a good time has a few drinks goes home really happy and and it's a live band you've just been listening to um whereas I think now it's very I think it's very commercialized like there's no I I think like the tickets for example I mean I was looking at a um an event coming up I won't say who but I was looking at event coming up tell us the name tell us the name what's your message um I was looking at the the tickets and the ticket prices were like ridiculous it was like 150150 for a ticket or 200 for a ticket and you think the beginning because I I I've witnessed it for the last few years and it's been obscene prices and I just wondered was it like it was never like that before I mean if you think about it in the in the early 90s when my dad was playing when we used to turn up uh with my dad uh and it was like a family thing we would go and help him put out the gear and all that sort of stuff um and it would be like a couple of quid to get in to go and have a good night the drinks were ridiculously cheap um and everybody was just there from like 6 7:00 drinking all night up until 1 2 in the morning till you fell over why my my school years weren't exactly the best being out till 2 o'clock in the morning sleeping on the sofas and not there was any child neglect or anything else but you know it a good time that's what it used to be like you know it's cult yeah you doing it but now you know I I can't imagine how people can afford to go out and see their bands to go and see some of the stuff they're doing like the the the good bands that have got a name and have got a reputation because there's a lot of companies that are commercializing it and and c I think it's a shame you know seen obviously Chris Stapleton been playing um is it I forget what day it is but um I'm sure he's been playing over the last couple of days or at least this week yes he was playing yesterday the O2 and um I can imagine those tickets are really expensive and it just takes a fun out of it for me I think I'd love to see Chris steton but I'm not really interesting in seeing him from you know 300 yards away with a telescope um you know the sound will be great obviously but you I could sit and watch him on YouTube and just have a a good old time and people are probably like ah it's the experience you go for and uh yeah I prefer smaller intimate gigs I'm making them I do yeah I think for next year and this is we need to do is is go and see more live bands in more intimate settings you know like Browning's doing the I forget the name the grace theater I think it's called in in London um I I would much rather pay my money to go and see Jack in smaller places and you know you you get more for your money and they good bands and I'd rather support those and Chris doesn't need our money you know he's he's sure he's made a few cor steady steady and and you're right and I I think you know from my point of view I went to Country to Country a few years back now don't get me wrong nothing against it it's it's a big you know it's a big event they want to you know want to get so many people involved it's a real good push in the UK for country music having country music artists coming over and playing but don't charge2 200 a ticket you know and and if you're going to you know even even people are traveling halfway across the UK to come these country music artist what do you get for that the very Basics I mean VIP is is ridiculous amounts money I can't remember off the top of my head um is it is it a weekend pass it's no it's not a weekend pass so you you buy different days um and you get accepted into to different places depending on who you want to see who the headliners are that day um but I think even people that are traveling across the you okay you know they they're coming down they're having to come into London to the O2 uh and then they've got to pay for hotels on top of that and train travel and whatever else and you're looking at some of the some of the costs for the hotels are like 400 a night I mean it's just you know don't people you know there just there just no need for it and and you're absolutely right we should do you know we should do the more intimate events we should go to and forget about your londons your birminghams you know go to the home counties go to the to the you know the outskirts because they don't get enough support I think there's a lot of local artists that go to local pubs they go to local areas where it could be quite busy they're incredible talent but people won't travel there because it's not advertised right or you know what have you but it's not in the cool places like should we say you know London Manchester do those sort of um you know Arenas but um but no I I agree and and mainly because I hate going into London and I'm lazy and if I can go somewhere local I much prefer that um but we've got um and she's pied me completely on Instagram so I keep wanting to say Sydney swee this isn't the one that you got called a [ __ ] on what did Josh say call me a wuss or a [ __ ] I don't know because I think I had a few whiskies by that point I said right I'm going to message Sunny Sweeney let me get it right Sunny Sweeney not Sydney Sweeney if I've messaged on Sweeney that's my fault and Sydney is never going to reply to be fair so good old Jeff sweee sede yeah that old classic one um so she's playing uh there was a point why I said that um she's playing very close to me in in some marinas around Shrewsbury and uh kind of the Birmingham region so you know I think it's great that she's come all the way over I think she's a Texas based artist and you know she's on the the playlist and someone that I've been following for a while through some of the online radio show so I like her stuff and I think it's great that she's actually coming and playing some I would say proper gigs rather than you know these soulless kind of we're going to never going to get invited to these places now we just slagged it off no no but that's the teally I haven't named any places no I have so anyway I won't be getting an invite you'll be doing the rest of the episodes by yourself as [Laughter] usual but according to your comment and that will probably be the way that I do because I'll be sick as a immune system of a 90-year old female apparently um anyway uh but I I think you know for from what you were going back to what you were saying earlier around messaging these people messaging the artists messaging them you know building up the the focus on the ruggy Revival um because people want to listen to that and if you want to get involved just get involved you know it's just we want to hear you we want to be able to interact with you and you know see what you're doing you know there's a lot of artists that aren't out there that don't get advertised so much um but this is the place for them to come you know this is the place for them to come and talk about it I think so and I think well what's the point in being on social media if you're not prepared to talk to people and I think it's it's been it's been brilliant you mean you mean me exactly yeah I've just by the way I've just started my social media Trend and I've just I've just started my instag Google or Instagram uh you know page whatever you want to call it and because I was always being rabbish with social media so now you got to be it I'm starting off starting to get it built up and you know it's you haven't got a [ __ ] clue yeah no no I got well if you're out there and listening anyone um there might be people um can you help Dan and perhaps just give him a follow we just look like some random weird account that's called rugged Ronnie yeah don't forget rugged Ronny I got it right and at the rugy Revival right yeah doing it some other guy called rugged Ronnie is gonna get a hell of a lot of yeah who who is one or two something like that but no I I think it's been great you know and and to be fair everyone I've messaged is you know come back to me and they've never said no they've either just ignored me completely which is I take that as a no or maybe I say as a maybe they haven't read it yet yeah or come back said I would love to join your Facebook group which has been brilliant and even he's kind of bigger artists I'm F Tube face tube um and I've joined that and they've uh you put me off my flow now you prick so [Laughter] I'm new I don't I saying so yeah know we've joined a group and um they've agreed to come on the podcast if if I've asked them obviously um some of them just don't reply and I get it because I think a lot of the agents the handlers or whatever if they if they're biggest stars shall we say they're not going to perhaps be looking at every message and they must get hundreds or thousands you know each day um mine should still take presidents because we're important people um don't they know abely VIP now that you've done three episodes and you're massive select know who I yeah so so just going on that I want to ask you obviously I I said to you earlier I was really nervous about coming on I was really nervous about it I was you know really you know really excited about doing it um what has been so I know you said about your nerves earlier but what has been your sort of highlight moment so far or a couple of highlight moments good or bad you mean both both and indifferent let's go for three good bad and indifferent um well the good one is is kicking off the show I think that's always going to be a moment I'll remember sort of because I had a few you know as it were but I remember most of it um I think it was really good and Jack was s such a a good guest and the fact he had so many stories that were really interesting yeah you know I I really you know um I'm grateful that he came on to do the first show I think actually Josh was meant to be first so Jack stole his funer and I can't remember why it's probably because he's a big diva and he just wanted to be on the thir show that's I'm going to put it down is um no he's a good guy and I really enjoyed it so for me that was a a definite highlight speaking of Josh obviously was a highlight because I'm just so engrossed with that scene and the what he's doing at um ramble at the Randall I always have trouble saying that um you know is is amazing and and the scene he's got going there and you know it's just incredible um so I've loved that I've LED danna's insight and and she was the first one to perform on the show live and you know unfortunately the audio that we've got at a minute maybe we'll get better with with this as as we invest and you know expand on do but the the how she came across on that I just think it was incredible cost aune I know yeah you've spent 80 quid it's not me is it it's the it's the artist it's not me that you know that anybody's worried about so no nobody wants to listen from you it's uh exactly just how I've kind of planned these shows is like I want to do as least talking as possible a because I'm boring but um be you know people want to hear from oh know yeah thanks for that and you'll learn you know when you when you actually come on the podcast actually quite boring when you that are boring you think Bloody oh I am really boror oh my God nothing with my life Jesus CHR you know yeah I'm GNA start a podcast all right yeah I've done that 10 years ago and a million other things so yeah welcome to the party but um so yeah I can't remember what I was talking about so yeah over back to you mate so I I think the biggest thing for me uh of listening to the podcast so far um I know I asked you about your highlights but I think for me it really it really um so I've always had this dream of country music one of my bucket list I want to go to Nashville I want to go and enjoy it I want to be where the real country is I want to go to the Grand o opery I want to go to you know go and experience Nashville and I've had all my dreams shattered um but they've the the feedback that we have from the artists is around how hard it is to not just you know it's not like the days where you turn up in a bar and you just start playing there be's like oh my God he's going to be a star or she's going to be a star or whatever um and I think I was I was surprised of how commercial Nashville is am I surprised probably yeah no I am I am surprised about that we see it from afar though don't we yeah and we see it like for me I see it of listening to these people on YouTube if they put some videos on there I see it from people that have played in bars and stuff and they're getting to that point where they're just starting to be successful um whereas I haven't actually seen like the Raw Talent going into Nashville and thinking you know like Anna was was saying that you know what she's playing and how many hours she's got to do and she's got to go around visiting different places it's really hard I mean it's it's so difficult I'm not saying that you know it wouldn't be hard cuz it's got music but it's it's trying to establish yourself first in this sort of it it it sort of reminds me of like a Hollywood style it's the Hollywood of country music you know it's just Madness well the amount of people and and I know you mocked me for it might grip the grind in the Revival but it it does hark back you say that now when we're on air a whiskey but um but no and that's what I really admire from all of the people I speak to is just a sheer kind of grp underg grind that they're doing and you know I spoke to somebody recently called um Eli Kane um his stuff is amazing I think he's taking off quite well at the minute so Eli Kane and the 503s I think they called his backing band um I'm sorry if I got that wrong Eli but um you know his his stuff's amazing and I think in a day he's a um house painter and I think I'm sure he's still house painting and at the weekend he's going off supporting the costellos you know in the uh awesome venues and it's like you know he's still grinding out there until he's making it and I love that sort of thing and you know it's the same for Anna going out to Nashville as a young girl you know think back to what we were doing when we were 24 years old I think I don't want to really bad certainly wasn't trying to make it in Nashville it was trying to make it and I failed at that so or trying to get to I be as a trying to be cool um exactly so you know you could see it and even then you know just not like I said with Josh you know when when he joined it's like he he's had a different gind he's gone through various kind of phases in his career with um Jericho woods and you know starting all over again and you know and finding his own space in with with the bond and stuff like that and it's like you know love the fact that everyone's willing to work for it it's not like we were talking about this overnight stardom with viral Sensations and you know it's great if people can do that but for me it doesn't kind of represent the true kind of the reality no of of what should be happening should it no it doesn't and and I I I think I I look at some artists that I've I've seen recently um and it's only because you know on a sort of Friday night I have I have some beers I'll probably have a lot of whiskey um and I will watch YouTube My thing is like going on to YouTube and seeing finding all these videos that people have just posted and they'll do like their own personal videos or um there's videos that have yeah yeah um and I love that I love that raw sense fit and they're just trying to put themselves out there to say look this is me but then you've got the other side of of the commercialized thing that I was talking about earlier I'm I'm obsessed with commercialization it's ridiculous um but listening to like America's Got Talent for example I don't think and I could be completely wrong I don't watch uh Britain's Got Talent America's Got Talent all that sort of you know shows on a Saturday night but you get some of the videos that come up on YouTube um and you see some of this Talent which you think my God you know they're unreal their first audition they're really nervous and they smashed it uh and there was one I was watching recently a com remember his name but I was watching recently really really good but in the UK is that because it's not wanted at that time they know it's not going to be it's not a big market for the UK uh to be country music they they sort of push it aside and you see a lot of the UK artists going to audition in America uh to try and get their their sort of standing to say look this is us this is what we're doing um so hard actually it's good point you raise America's Got Talent or or one of those Simon cow type shows because you had that's how Morgan WM um came to be I believe yeah through one of those and then I was talking to a guy recently called Donnie vanle who's actually I believe he's in our group unless he's left it Donnie um who I think he did quite well on on that sort of show format and you know he's a great artist actually I posted some of his music recently um after his Jeep got nicked by some horrible people um and he wrote a song about it so um you know I posted that cuz I liked it what inspiration yeah exactly and I don't what inspiring story but U I thought it was a good song and then I dug into his background I like I had no idea you in you know America's Got Talent or whatever you know that sort of thing so it's so interesting to hear people's Back stories and you know how people kind of navigate their way through this this weird world of you know music and what they end up but you know for me music is music and good is good I'll listen to it if it's crap um yeah I won't tell me I'll give it to you i' say you'd say oh go and listen to this it's brilliant this is amazing I think you know from people's live story I I listen to you know going back to the original things that we were talking about about the artists that I listened to when I was growing up and the artists that I still listen to you know I'm still obsessed by it and uh listening to the words and how they got together and how they got to the place they did so for example I was listening to George Jones um and about his life story and where he come from and it was just like a completely different world like a completely different what a hard hard ass background that was um to get where he wanted to be to do something that he's so passionate about uh and for me you know there's a lot of stuff or a lot of old school country you know artists that I listen to I think my God you know you you fought all the way through just to get that one moment and they were found by then a record label you know it was just and then all of a sudden all these song has come out um and not to push him too much because I keep talking about George Jones all the time but he is the greatest country music singer of all time so I need to listen to more of his stuff you do yeah I'm gonna send you some things later I did create you a cover of George Jones that probably was yeah I love it we might share it it you are my Loretta to my Conway my June to my Johnny um but yeah uh it's uh it's it's really it's great to see how country music has how far it's come and how much involvement people have got and I I have the opportunity to come on you know as a co-host three episodes in to to sort of talk about that side of things from the old school and you've got that side and you know and listen to these incredible artists that have managed to you know you've managed to get them on to do their own performance in here which I think is nuts is it's it's just great so if if you ask it's really hard to say no then isn't it any chance you could um yeah two other people have done it already so it feels like if you don't do it then uh yeah exactly it should be really awkward for no I always say if it's anything that we do is completely optional a if you want to come on the show is optional sort of um and then be it's optional it's also optional if you want me to be if you if you want certainly op and then no I always say look if if you don't want to do a performance I have no issue with that it's just you know be great if you do don't get me wrong and um we'll trying our best to record and edit that as best as we can given the limitations that we have at the moment it's always difficult because I think if you listen to other podcast they're typically in the same room which is easier to record and to edit and you know we're doing this you know we we're speaking to people from Kentucky for example or Nashville they're six hours behind us they're over a team call so you know I think the the spoken audio comes through quite well but sometimes the music audio so you know try not to judge us too much please um you know we we do our best to well I do my best to edit even though I have no clue what I'm doing I don't because I just point and thumb things and do whatever but um you know you've done an incred job in what you've done so far and and the material that's come out so well done TJ and that's the last time I'm going to congratulate you on something yeah thank yeah take it but I I I think you know we've got to remember I don't come from this background you don't come from that background it's just something that we just want to get everybody involved in let's talk about it let's have a drink let's talk about it enjoy it and push it out I think so and um you know just building on that I think in terms of um future guests maybe we can do some not reveals but we can do some you know types of people that we're talking to um to kind of keep some Intrigue maybe um yeah and I I think you know there's a couple of guests that I I said to you before I've been trying to get a couple of guests uh I've messaged them and said look you know come and get involved uh this is this is very much uh you want to come into the UK there's a lot of people that are going around Europe but they've been trying to get into the UK for so long you know this is an opportunity this is just you know let people hear you let people see hear what you do um and come and enjoy it and they are very much like the old school um country music sound but I think we should have a mix I think we should have a mix why not because I think You' be very selfish oh yeah I sent you a long list I want to show Maybe maybe put one or two and then I'll think about it um but no I think that one that you mentioned was really intriguing like you say they're from Europe um and you put me on and it's not just one it's a band it's proper old school stuff as well it's not like your normal stuff so um I'm excited if if um if we can get him on then um yes I will uh well um once we posted this because I've got I've got no confidence in all these people that all the all the people that are messaging uh they're sort of saying you've got like two followers um and you haven't been on the show yet so uh let not responding to I'm saying as if I've got any credibility whatsoever maybe let me have a few whiskies and then just like squ Sweeny I will message them yeah and absolutely a do that we'll do that after and then um you know there's some more from Appalachia and you know stuff I want to dig right into that stuff because there's a guy and I won't say it's now in a minute because he's kind of semic committed to it and he he's like your typical artist quite flighty quite quite cool and you know he he's reminded me to get back to him tomorrow because he'll probably forget and you know but he said it'll be well up for it and he's he's absolutely awesome he's a real uh he's quite a young fellow um but he's amazing you know I'll um I'll send you some YouTube clips anyway in the meantime yeah do yeah you can see what what I'm kind of trying to get on the show and then we've got one confirmed cont I know my sneaky contacts sneaky cont late night contacts wait late late night whiskey contacts anyone gets a message from me past 12 o' IGN please that's what I do I I just anything between everything between 11: and 5 in the morning I'll just ignore so I'm probably four whiskies deep and [ __ ] yeah listen talking about whiskies um I did actually there a little bit of a has a little bit of a treat what a treat what a treat on the show a segue a little segue a little seg see I had two gifts from you this week I had this bloody thing so it's skull's head Terry I realized that picked it up she's like why did Dan send you this See No Evil Hear no evil speak no evil um it's Halloween it's Halloween so celebrate it okay fair enough thank you um and the other little present that I got you so um is a little Trio a little Trio uh of red breast um so I thought we could try that and it's traditional Irish whiskey I say traditional I don't know but just Irish whiskey um and I had a little try of this when he was in a in a hotel far away in Europe somewhere Hotel um and uh and it was very nice but it cost far too much money and I ended up re in my house so tell me how much it cost and I need fainted again but um but no I did put a call out to the group a wild back because I was like you know I've tried you know every Scotch going I'm a bourbon guy by heart um and I wanted to try some Irish whiskers cuz you put me on to it and everyone kept coming back saying red breast was red breast was the best I should write the slogans from maybe we should do a slogans episode or that just should or [ __ ] band episode like I put up [ __ ] B episode yeah like when uh my captions rent wrong for one of the episodes the short and it like schuma for Sora I thought that'd be an awesome band day was it yeah it's just disappointing so which one were we trying well what one do you want to go for red orange or green I'm not going to bother reading it out you can do that because you're a whiskey boy but we do that yeah I do love me whiskey and these are Irish whiskies so single pot steel all of them red breast we got um 12 years uh or we've got the L this is where my pronunciations are terrible in yeah I was going to say Sherry car or 15 years so normally the older it is the more uh revered it is um but I don't know if that's the case here I'm you know I'm not a whiskey expert I'm a whiskey fan so I have no clue basically should we do should we try let's try the I want to go for the middle one let's go for the orange or do you want to do something different is it because you like Sherry uh little Tipple of Sherry on a Saturday night old woman yeah you know what interesting smells nice it's like a Christmasy smell isn't it oh don't talk about that nearly Christmas M it's nearly Christmas right that's actually cool you got any ice no I don't do ice I have my whiskey KN who was that song by don't if you if you sung it properly probably be to know I didn't sing it in tune or ins time so that's the first one so why don't you do your toast so far to where we are so we're a little bit of time in actually but um yeah so we normally end the show um as a celebration to everyone to say to the grit to the grind and to the Revival to the Revival and thanks everyone for listening cheers we're not finished yet that's why I Stood Still that like remember got questions to ask remember police squad with leg Nelson they just stand at the end that [Laughter] do I need to get a little slogan when I sign off mind you there's a lot of people that probably won't want be on again but uh we'll do a little uh I'll try and find a little slogan anyway cheers slant that's nice that's that's really nice that tastes I really like that this is like the worst uh the worst whiskey that's really nice that's really nice it's should try it you like yeah terrible whiskey this is why we should never have a whiskey podcast I did think about doing it I'm just going to drink it another pipe dream another pipe dream no that is nice I like see whiskey can hold its own I believe yeah I've got to say I have a I do have a a cube of ice in it and I think that's from the uh the either the ice or the water is more of like a is it a Scottish thing for the water maybe an ice thing for the Irish I don't know maybe for a friend it was um you get some whiskies that are I can't remember the terminology but they're quite strong so sometimes the water itself kind of opens up the flavor but not particularly for the stuff I drink because I'm a cheap bastard so you know I'm buying [ __ ] you know um cheap bourbon it's not going to open up any Flav not saying that L's bad but you know there's no said name as well but have you seen that YouTube video of the uh of the Scottish the Scottish chap who takes in a glass and throws it away then and then fills it up again because he wants to get all the tannins out of the glass and like youve just wasted a glass of whiskey maybe that's a thing I don't know maybe um and then he's got the biggest nose I've ever seen to be honest uh and sticks his in the glass and I yeah it's not ready for me did he did he offer it to somebody else after that cuz no he's on his own and he does a YouTube video or whatever video is on advising people how to do whiskey uh which I think is a bit ridiculous anyway um so I want to ask you a question TJ oh okay ask away what inspired you to make the rugged Revival dude ask me that what inspire last time when we done a little tester remember because we're about 16 me down um but when I asked you last time you waffled a lot and um and no i' still don't know to this day I know I know why but every time I talk to you it's after a couple of whiskies so uh not me you uh but what inspired you TJ I'm not a very good orator as you know which is why I interview people and they don't interview me because I just [ __ ] for a long time that's why I wanted to do it well weirdly I mean it it started off not as a rugged driver but as car and canvas and it was like I wanted to do something I enjoyed doing it was like drinking whiskey so I thought I'm going to do whiskey reviews but no nobody wanted to listen to me or watch me do whiskey reviews or something they can get down Audi or Tesco yeah I thought yeah great that um but no it was always going to come back to music because my my history in music is is so you know weird wide and so varied yeah varied because you know back in the day when I was growing up I was into hip hop and R&B you know early on and then for a long time I I was into my house music my trance music for for a long time I still am to be fair I love that stuff um but you know it's always you know growing up in pubs and growing up around bikers and older people and and things like that you know uh that that sort of thing come about so always gonna be part of it I've got I've got to bring it up because little birdie told me that you used to do a lot of DJing oh DJ Costa Del DJ DJ Costa Del in the pubs areen oh I love it but listen it's what you enjoyed it's what you enjoyed it's what you loved you know you done it there you know I I I love IB for I love the IB for scen it's changed a lot since I was young you know let's face it since we were both young Daniel um don't put me don't put me in the same bracket as you well me the went back with the kids um this year and the last time we went back it was prek kids so you know 10 12 years ago and uh even in that time it's changed an awful lot but no it was it was my childhood you know growing up in you later high school years I was into my judge Jewels uh fer Corston my my son's middle name is Corston funny enough um really because for some reason I thought you gonna say Judge Judy and I was like Jud Judy controversial Judge Judy's uh one of the best house DJs out there absolutely just on De right now all of the millions anyway go yeah you know Mimi mates did some pirate DJing back in the day shall we say in almost like a people just do nothing you know if anyone in England watching only people in England is going to watch this crap but yeah people just do nothing that's that's kind of the stuff that we did back in the day but it was uh I I think I remember you know sitting sitting my group of friends somewhere and we've just got like a CB radio CB radios are like all the thing it's got like a a re thing for from like a regeneration from the 70s or the you know whatever um and you're like oh my God everybody was trying to get the police channels oh I've picked up the police I picked up the police no you haven't it's it's a taxi it's a taxi vot taxi D or some farmer and then we managed to get we managed to get the the illegal radio station so all be raving to it was awesome though they were the best Radio St it was raw gluten shout out s of big up the raar FM and luten I don't think they're going anymore everyone's probably uh you know retired or whatever um but no that that's you know and I I've just love all types of music like I said if it's good it's good uh I love listening to it I'm not one of these people that's like um you know I'm into country so I'll just listen to country and that's it I think it's a bit boring you know you got to listen to Dad Rock You got to listen to Classic Rock You got to listen to metal LM biscuit I want to go see them you know that's part of my childhood as well you know Limp Biscuit I want to go see them so I said we weren't end of it we're ending it now um no I I I mean I've I've got to say my my my base music my Crocs music is country very much a country boy uh Irish music very much an Irish boy very proud of it um and I've dabbled a little bit you know going to going to IA listen to the house Tunes listening to all the raving Tunes loved it um but my go-to is always going to be country music love it if you know when I when I get on before these podcasts I'll let you into a secret you know I try and get myself pumped up like The Ultimate Warrior and I put some tunes on it's always country Tunes though you know maybe a bit of Brian Adams you know can't these things I can't even sing that but um you know bit Shane Smith and the Saints you know I'll stick a bit of that on and it it just gets me in the mood for talking to you you know what before we come on here tonight um I was just I so I was just looking at my my recently played my recently played tunes on Alexa and and apple um and and actually it's Billy Jo Spears blanket on the ground listen and just you know just just to get me in a Vibe of the country music so need to listen to that I was going to say what what and I I asked some of the uh guests sometimes like what is the you know what has been on your playlist recently that people probably wouldn't expect cuz everyone wants to be cool every wants to be you know hip but what's on new right I'll tell you what let me just bring this up two seconds let me just bring it up and I will tell you typing something Co goodness gracious me so I've got so today I've got Buck Owens okay do you not know bu Owens no I I just did okay cuz Street of Bakerfield I've got a tiger by its tail you've got to listen to that because don't insult me um and then I've got Charlie Pride then I've actually got Adam Hood the shape of things of major Adam Hood T will should we tell people why we've been listening to Adam Hood lately I mean it's out out the b you've just asked me you've just asked me about a playlist you can't cut me off like that I need to tell you it's all about me um and then I've got back to the blue side by the country side of harmonica Sam uh and then there's only a couple more that I'll tell you about leaving it all out now um Pickup Man now the only reason I've played Pickup Man uh so it's a sort of mix with hick tape and Joe DIY Joe DIY is incredible singer by the way or was an incredible singer anyway um so uh I think I've got that I haven't confused him with someone else but um so apologies if I've just if I just said is completely correct um but pickup man because I bought a pickup truck talk about Countryside honestly I bought pick you have to listen to a guy called pickup man just because you bought it's it's the law you bought have to um it's a it's an Isuzu dmax um and it's one of the best because I've got two big dogs obviously and I live in the middle of the town so so there's no need for me to have it whatsoever apart from the fact I've got two big dogs so I have to have a pickup truck so I move from a 4x4 a usual make um which was just being rid all your problems so I'm not going to say the make um and cost me a fortune uh but I bought a pickup truck I've always wanted one and I thought you know what I'm going to get one uh my cars uh ready to renew so I thought I'm going to get one and then I thought I would um clearly today and yesterday I thought I'd play a bit of I us the lover um by the saw doctors bit of Irish uh and then the last one is in fact there's two so heart takes by the number uh which is Dwight yoken have you ever I've heard of Dwight y to be fair I want to listen to more it because a lot of people said that's their inspiration hly is incredible honestly is is just what you need for Friday Saturday night brilliant really I think this is a good thing about you know the podcast that we're doing and the thing that we're doing you know we're not going to admit that we know bloody everyone um so it's a journey to go okay I've heard of him but let's kind of delve into it so it's it's no shame in saying this is me justifying myself now you know it's no shame in know not knowing all these people you can't know everyone um so yeah I think and that's why you know also so we get on this is why we got two sides of it we've got two sides of you know your experience my experience and I know all these singers I know all the music they play because I've listened to them for for years and years and years and now it's just you know you're giving me examples to to listen to I'm giving you examples and it's just it's building our knowledge it is you know and I like finding Indie artists so like I said and i' i' I've kind of slammed his name down a few times um but yeah we got people like Brennan Edwards in the minute I've sent you details for and Nathan Bess is one I probably mentioned 300 million times they're just awesome people and I think why more people listening to them honestly they're just so they're just that good so this is why for me you know I get to listen to them now I get to you know you've identified these people let's listen to him let's get them on let's do what we can to to come and speak to him and you know reach out and maybe they'll talk to us well who knows we'll see they won't talk to you but maybe oh it's not g Who BS everybody um so he talked about have we have we had that conversation about what inspired you I can't remember now don't know you all meant to be interviewing me for once it's my first one it's my first one please I'm a novice's your notes okay so so you said about your best moments you said about the inspiration so when you when you turn 50 in January um what what are you looking forward to so where do you where do you see the rugged Revival next year what what do you want to do what's your inspiration what's your you talked about it what's your pipe dreams well first of all I'll start by saying I'll be 40 in January as you can see from these this beautiful it's good light is it well was on this camera I tell you spring chicken you no it's it's it's it's odd to you know try and put it into context you know we've done so much in so little time with the podcast and me just coming up random things going I want to do that and um that's what I really enjoyed talking to Josh because he's very similar to me but way more successful and way more contacts and but you know he's and and that's why you talked about his song little fires and that was funny enough about all of these bloody projects going on and and seeing where where it burns and where it goes to and I love that so for me I I would definitely love to continue the podcast and get some cool people on and you know bore the [ __ ] out of them and ask him weird questions that'd be funny uh I think that' be good uh the grand old Revival we'll probably have to change the name grand old Revival people know what we're we're not changing that name we not changing that name we Chang their name yeah exactly um Josh promised me actually just go on sorry just on that I um when I posted my introduction video actually um I was in my pickup and that exact day it was the grand old opry's uh anniversary and that day they announced that the Grand old Opry is coming to uh to London uh to I think it's a Royal Albert um I'd have to check it but I I definitely think it's a Royal Albert Hall um and that is in 2025 so I'm hoping that we can get some tickets for that at the Royal Albert Hall that'll good because as soon as they're released then I'll get on that straight away because we might be able to get to see our our favorite people and really experience the country music in the UK so um but anyway so that was no that'll be good I think um we're quite important people so for anyone from the reach out to us what did you what did you call it the other day Blue Tick wankers or something I was referring to myself yeah oh oh okay yeah yourself yeah so we're important people reach out and uh we might attend we'll see might be busy if we're um you know not washing the hair that night or not dressing up in ston or you know exactly Filson for me right I'll stop talking [ __ ] but um no I think um for next year certainly I mean I'd love to do that grand old Revival thing um that be incredible if if people want to know you know it's like a festival or a a concert for people that we're friends with or people that that we admire online uh the Indie artists the definely doesn't have to be just Indie artists but establish artists that kind of believe in what we're doing come over to the ukuk um we'll have a venue this is where I'm going to promise stuff that I can't deliver have venue it's going to be brilliant a Sound Stage there's going to be you know food truns there's going to be cameras there's going to be there going to be people doing the floor there's going to be buffets where it's GNA be a rugged Revival that's what it's going to be it will be the rugged Revival and I think it's going to be awesome um so so I'd love to get that underway we need to go visit the US you know like I said um you know Josh promised me and I haven't forgotten that I might have been maybe he was as well but uh you know he said come out to the Kentucky Derby come out and see the barn go see some you know bands play Live uh even do a podcast because he's got Jr Miller playing at the next mble at the Randle and that's the guy that we saw warm up for Tyler chers at incredible he was is amazing um so I'd love to actually go out there and to to do the things that we're talking about um and then you know the usual things like build on the network it's still early days you know we've got a really good network of people um in the group itself and the Facebook group not just of you know fans of the music but actual artists and people involved in the industry you know real good mix and I think it's not about how many people we can get to know it's about how many quality people that we can get engaging if it just sticks at a certain number I'm fine I'm cool you know it's not about you know how many people you get involved it's it's the quality of it sorry I I was gonna say something and you carried on talking sorry I was like you know start breathing um but just going back to what you're saying it's about enjoying it it's not about commercializing it it's not about you know earning money out of it it's not about you know all this stuff that you get with a normal with the usual sort of events it's about enjoying it and meeting people more and more you know to to building up our friends to our to building up the people that want to view this the people that want to hear it you know it's it's an opportunity just to get together to have a good to have a good time and a whiskey yeah and we're talking about that you know we got Chris Williams in the group um just a regular dude that lives not actually far for me and it's it's great you know he's not a famous person he's not you know in the industry or anything he's just somebody that supported what we've been doing right from the early doors and I love speaking to him I love the fact that he engages with all of the people that comes into the group and that's what it's about for me it's not about like say commercializing it it's um that's what I want I've I've seen a lot of um I've I've seen a lot of posts from is it Camden oh Camden from Washington I believe yeah incredible I mean some of the places that he's been some of the um you know some of the some of the stuff that he's been involved in I I just think it's brilliant I I love I've seen it on the group um I don't know how to like it I don't know how to share it I don't know how to do anything uh so shout out to anybody who can help me with that I thought you just being quite unsociable by not doing any of those things to be fair it's because I have no idea what I'm doing but I'll learn you know this is all about learning this is learning for you you know you need a lot of learning but um there's learning for you about about editing about getting this out and getting people involved and I just I love the fact we've got this little Community you know this little community that maybe this is a Shameless plug to say look you know I'm trying my very best I'm I'm doing all the audio editing the video editing I'm doing anything anything that you see online is just me practic it is you yeah in my spare time so if anyone's got some you know deep expertise any this I'll never say no to saying you know help me out I'd love that absolutely want to make it look as best as it can yeah and if anybody wants to take up my social media and to do it for me or or anybody wants to deal with my stuff then feel free feel free to duck that I'll just be like yeah like that yeah do that share that yeah copy me in or you know it's not copy it's tag or whatever that rubbish but um honestly it's uh it'll be a great it'll be a great time we'll do everything we can you know we we talked about earlier off off here um we'll do everything we can to organize you know venue we'll try and get some sponsors whatever you you know just to make it happen because it's it's got to happen it's got to to be the grand old Revival and it will be yeah and I think it's a good time to probably sign off there mate isn't it I think you're absolutely right we've bored people long enough thank you for joining us and I'm GNA make him say it I'm gonna make you say it are you ready raise a toast go on I'm gonna raise a toast to the grit the grind and the Revival I've been rugged rodnie give the rugged Revival follow and that's TJ you know TJ anyway cheers
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Anna Victoria
Inside North Carolina's Appalachian Music Scene | Anna Victoria
Anna Victoria joins Camden for an honest conversation about growing up in the mountains of North Carolina, discovering her voice as a songwriter and navigating life as an independent Country and Americana artist. We talk about learning to perform live, protecting her voice, finding confidence on stage, the influence of Appalachian music and artists such as Luke Combs, Sierra Ferrell and Dolly Parton, balancing music with motherhood, and the challenge of staying creative in a world driven by social media. It's a thoughtful conversation about music, family, creativity and staying true to yourself while building a career in independent music. Chapters 00:00 – Introductions, Weaverville, childhood. 02:00 – Singing, vocal health and beginning her musical journey. 06:00 – The pandemic, booking gigs and developing as a live performer. 09:00 – Coping with distractions, confidence and performing. 12:00 – Appalachian influences, Luke Combs, Sierra Ferrell, Dolly Parton and mountain songwriting. 15:00 – Family life, being a stay-at-home mum, social media and balancing music with everyday life. #lukecombs #sierraferrell #dollyparton Subscribe to The Rugged Revival. Share it with your friends. Support independent music! Listen to the full podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wnHcgA73o1aiiKaz882vH?si=30aabdaa220a4628 Follow The Rugged Revival: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theruggedrevival/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theruggedrevival Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094507520679 Website: www.theruggedrevival.com Email: ruggedrevival@hotmail.com

Ben Morrison
The Brothers Comatose: Ben Morrison on 18 Years of Music, Family & Touring
Ben Morrison of The Brothers Comatose joins the Rugged Revival Podcast for an honest conversation about nearly two decades ...

Pat Reedy
Pat Reedy on Busking, Nashville & Building a Country Music Career
Pat Reedy joins Camden to discuss leaving construction behind for country music, busking in New Orleans, life in Nashville, ...

Mike Tod
Keeping Traditional Folk Music Alive in Nashville | Mike Tod Podcast
Mike Tod joins Camden to discuss traditional folk music, Canadian roots, life in Nashville, forgotten songs, unusual instruments and why preserving musical history still matters today.Originally from Canada and now based in Nashville, Mike explores the stories behind traditional songs, the connections between folk music around the world and how old music continues to influence modern artists. We also discuss his unique "Crankenstein" instrument, musical curiosity, collecting songs from the past and the importance of keeping traditions alive for future generations.Chapters00:00 Introduction00:00:30 Growing Up in Canada00:02:20 Discovering Music & The Crankenstein00:04:10 The Story Behind The Crankenstein00:05:20 Drones, Folk Traditions & Ancient Music00:08:10 Learning Guitar & Performing Original Songs00:09:40 Accessing Traditional Music in the Digital Age00:11:20 Researching Music History00:12:10 Playing The Crankenstein Live00:14:00 Creating Atmospheric Sounds & Live Performance00:16:00 Traditional Songs & Musical Origins00:17:50 The Artists Influencing Mike Today00:19:20 Studying Philosophy & Creative Thinking00:22:00 Horror, Heavy Music & Folk Culture00:24:00 Scottish Heritage & Family History00:27:10 Final ThoughtsSubscribe to The Rugged Revival. Share it with your friends. Support independent music!Listen to the full podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wnHcgA73o1aiiKaz882vH?si=30aabdaa220a4628Follow The Rugged Revival:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theruggedrevival/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theruggedrevivalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094507520679Website: www.theruggedrevival.comEmail: ruggedrevival@hotmail.com