Hunter Blalock - Georgia Songwriter on Music, Stories & Honesty

Hunter Bllelock, how are we doing, mate? >> I'm doing good, man. How are you doing? Ah, >> fantastic. It's uh it's midweek. Uh well, midweek. It's Monday. I keep forgetting what bloody day it is. It's Monday here in the UK and the sun is shining for a change. So, you know, can't complain. But look, it it's been great uh to get you on the podcast. Uh we've been talking a lot over on the DMs and uh I think it's a a great opportunity for us to talk about you, your music and everything from there. So should we should we just dive straight into things, mate? You know, for for people who don't know you, whereabouts are you from? I am from uh North Georgia over here in the uh in the big US of A. Um uh yeah, I'm a songwriter. just run around the country, run circles, playing tunes, and uh yeah, honor blowout. That's >> superb. My my geography is getting better. But uh whereabouts in Georgia are you from? What's your hometown? >> Um it's uh Sonoraville. It's where I'm from, which uh even when I tell people here that's where I'm from, they say, "Where the hell is that?" Um so I'm like an hour north of Atlanta. Oh, >> okay. Yeah, I know where Atlanta is. That's >> People usually know where Atlanta is. Yeah, we we we'll start from there and work our way upwards or or wherever we need to be. But so what what was it? What what place is it like? Is it a good place to work, to raise a family, you know? What's it been like for you? >> I think I think it's the best place, man. I um I really just love living in North Georgia. Uh, I've traveled I've been lucky enough to travel a bit and go see a lot of places and um, while everywhere is is great and beautiful and all that good stuff, uh, I don't know, there's something about North Georgia just feels like home. It's like, uh, you can be in the mountains, you can be at the beach if you want to be pretty quickly. Um, I mean, you got the flat lands. I mean, there's just you can go hunting if that's your thing. You can go to the city if that's your thing. I mean, it's just um I think it just has something for everybody. It's not It's a great place to live. >> Yeah, sounds amazing. And it's interesting when I do speak to you guys out in the States that anytime I ask that question, you're always very complimentary about where you live. I think maybe that's a difference over in the UK that we're always moaning and uh self-depreciation. >> We need some of that enthusiasm, man. >> There's some complaining to do, too. We'll save that for another day. Fair des mate. So, you know, I I suppose in in terms of where you're from in the state, who who are the kind of music icons over there? >> Um, from Georgia, there's there's a pretty good bit. I think honestly some swept on um artists. Um, I'm a huge Pony Bradshaw fan. >> Okay. >> Yeah. He's from right down the road from uh from me. And um Brent Cobb, he's from Georgia. Um, you got Jonathan and Abby, uh, of course. Um, and you got, um, let's see. I mean, going way back, you got like the Almond Brothers band. You got, uh, like, um, yeah, James Brown. Pretty sure he's from Georgia, Augusta, I think. >> Yeah, you're right. >> Yeah, there's just uh, yeah, a lot of heavy hitters coming out of this state over the years. Yeah, you've got some fantastic uh artists and I I think currently some of my favorite independent artists are coming out of Georgia right now. And you know, I think a lot of the other states get a lot of attention like Texas and perhaps even Kentucky with what they're doing over there, but uh yeah, Georgia is not one to to sleep on for sure. There's some fantastic people there. >> There really is. I mean, Texas and and like Appalachia, I mean, it's it's welld deserved the uh credit they get, but um yeah, I think people don't realize the um there's a lot of great music coming out of Georgia right now. >> Absolutely, mate. So, so for you personally, um are you have you dived straight into the world of music full-time? Do you still have a day job? What's your situation right now, Hunter? >> Um I still have straight job. Um I work for my folks, so that helps. Uh I you can call it a a regular 8 to5 but uh I am rarely there 8 to 5. I I run off and play tunes a pretty good bit. Uh I do podcast apparently midday mid morning. Uh so it has its um has its benefits. Uh it's really lended itself to um to let me kind of have one foot in both um areas. So like I I can work my regular day job and still tour and travel and play shows as as much as possible at the same time. So it's really helped. >> Yeah. No, that's great. I mean, it's um I always love asking that, you know, because independent artist, I think a lot of people, me me included, right at the beginning. Just assumed you were doing it full-time and, you know, even when we speak to likes of Jonathan uh Payton, you know, the fact that, you know, you guys go off and play big venues and then the next day you're back to the 9 to5 grind. It's it's insane. I I still find it incredibly uh strange that there still >> Oh, yeah. Sometimes you're at work on a Monday just sweating it out. You're like, you know, Saturday I had a room full of people just hang on every word. >> And there you back up. There you are back at work. So yeah, it's a it's a strange funny thing. >> Yeah, it it's something to be admired, mate. So uh no, fantastic. Um so we touched upon it very briefly at the beginning. So for somebody use never heard uh your music before, um how would you go about describing it in your own words? And you could describe it in whatever way you want. And you don't have to use like the usual kind of genre of labels. You can describe it if you like a good whiskey or a good car, you know, however you want, mate. >> Um, I guess I would probably describe it as like um I don't know, pretty emotional, therapeutic kind of or at least on my end. Um, most of my songs are really just me hollering on my problems for four minutes at a time. Um, yeah. And for some reason, people like to listen to them. Um, but yeah, I guess you could call it like Americana, I guess, was what you would call it. It's kind of a doesn't fit in one particular box, I don't think. Uh, I have pedal steel play with me a lot. So, a lot of people just call it country music >> because you got the sad machine with you. So, it's >> Yes. So, you can call it whatever you like. Uh, as far as genre, I don't particularly uh think too hard on that. I just um I don't know. I just try to be real and unfiltered and just kind of say things how they are and be honest as as honest as I can and um just let it come out how it comes out. >> Yeah, I guess so. Uh honest probably define my music the best is just honest. >> Honest. Yeah, that that's exactly how I describe it too, mate. I spent all weekend I think listening to to your tracks and like you say there's some uh >> Oh, you're probably sad as hell. >> I'm I'm depressed now, mate. Um, no, it's some fantastic music. And I think it kind of it leads us into a good segue. Before we jumped on, I said, you know, it'd be good to to start playing some tracks, I think, throughout some of the shows as much as we can get away with without, you know, big corporation coming down on me like a sledgehammer. But, um, >> so I'll give you permission. >> There you go. There you go. >> Yeah. Tell tell who whoever's coming down on us that you have all the permission. >> Thank you kindly, sir. So for for song number one mate um and and I I think the premise will be to to showcase you as an artist you know two songs and the first one being why why did you write that song and kind of what the the premise behind it. So tell us a bit about that one. >> Um the first song would I would um it's a song called Lay You Down um uh quotations axeman um because that's what everybody calls it anyway. I really screwed up naming that song. Uh even like when we write on the set list, we just write Axe Man. Um but it's a love song. I have like one love song. I think that's the minimum requirement uh to do this thing is you got to have one. So um yeah, I just uh I wrote it uh I mean years ago. Um and uh yes uh I don't really have hits, you know. I wouldn't say I have a hit songs, but um this is a song that I have to play every show where people holler at me. And um usually if there's one somebody's going to sing along to, it's this one. And um song was really written about somebody that's kind of no longer in my life, if that makes sense to you. >> And um so there's a part of of you in that situation be like, I don't really want to play this song anymore. But then you go play a show and you see a room full of people sing, you know, the song and you're like, well, this probably a song worth playing once or twice, you know. So that keep it alive, I guess. Um, just people enjoying it. >> So yeah, >> fantastic. Well, let's give that one a quick listen then. >> That river is high. Oh, so am I. And my heart burns like a barrel of kerosene. I'd call you up, baby, if I could. And I'd lay it down like an axeman lays down. I'd lay it down like an axman lay down. >> So, you know, we you talked about having one one uh love song. Um, so tell us about the rest of kind of the music that you make. You know, like I said, I had a great listen over the weekend and the first one on your Spotify is the one with Jonathan and Abigail and you know that that just sets the tone straight away. I think it's a fantastic song and you talked about not having hits. I think that's a hit, man. I think that's a fantastic song. >> Thank you. Yeah, I guess the rest of my songs I would call sad. I'm just a a sad songwriter, I guess. Um, I don't know. I just feel like, um, we have enough happy songs in the world really, I think. And, um, and there, you know, there you you got I mean, if you want to be happy, you can turn on some Beatles or something. Uh, but I just like to shine a light on um things that people may be afraid to talk about. I feel like that's important. You know, there's a place for that as well. And um that's where I always found like um music is a a um like that's how I relate to music. That's when I go searching for music is when you know there's something I'm going through or um something that I'm uh needing to help getting through. You know, I always kind of gravitate to uh songs and I feel like they can make you feel not so alone and uh realize that you're not the only, you know, as a human experience is unique to everybody. It's kind of all the same at the same time. We all go through the same things. And uh I think we forget that a lot of times. We get kind of all caught up in our own little um you know strut of life here and uh forget that we're all going through the same [ __ ] all the time. >> And um I feel like I try to um bridge that gap uh through I guess rapping and stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean a a lot of people we speak to it's like a cathartic release you know. >> Yeah. just to to to get it all out. And uh for for people like me on the other side of of the radio, shall we say, it's uh you know, it's nice for us to just kick back with a a whiskey or four in my case, uh and and listen to some songs because you know, as bloss often as we should perhaps. And uh you know, I think I think music's a way to kind of break down those barriers personally speaking anyway. Um >> for sure. For sure. >> Yeah. Yeah, I've always joked I need to sell tissues on the merch table. >> You're missing a trick there, mate. I don't think anyone's doing that correctly. >> No, untapped market. >> It's an untapped market. >> Kleenex, but hopefully they don't um misread the situation for what you're trying to say. >> Yeah, there's probably not a threat of that my shows. I don't think anybody's showing up like I think he might get naked. >> There you go. If you want to see stuff like that, go and see a Hunter Bllelock show. So, >> that's right. >> There you go. That's some good good content right there. So, in terms of like digging into your your inspirations, mate, um when you hear other artists, was it I suppose what was it one artist that you've heard uh previously that has changed the way that you kind of think about music, the way that you write music personally? Was it like one artist or one song even? >> Um yeah, there's several and um there continues to be several. I'm always being inspired by um things that I put in my ears, you know. Um other songwriters and um a big one was uh was uh BJ Bar of American Aquarium. Um I never realized he could just say things cuz I was in like a rock and roll jam band in like my early 20s and that's all about, you know, you say a couple catchy things and then let the guitar player play for 30 minutes, which was like the greatest kick in the world. I don't have to do much. But um I had all this, you know, you know, just a a fellow who doesn't talk much. So you got all this stuff inside that you're going through. And I I never realized you could just write a song and just say it and it have to be some clever, catchy way of putting it all together. You can just say what you mean. >> And uh and I really picked that up from him. I heard him and I was like, "Wow, that's it was like a whole revelation like you can just do that. Oh, that's great." So that's really um it really got me or gave me the courage to uh try writing some serious songs and um not just trying to fill the space between guitar solos and um really write stuff that could connect with folks and then um obviously like the whole Appalacha Tyler all that whole crew up there John R. Taylor. Um, even down to like Brennan Edwards. Um, just everything that's coming out of that area as well just um really uh caught my ear and all that when I found all that stuff and um like Drive by Truckers when I was really young, even when I was pointing out rock and roll band. Um I found them and I was like you can I mean it was just I couldn't stop listening to it. It was just such good storytelling and it's really just like a master class on >> commentating on what's going on through stories. And um >> is that is that the Isbel era or is that the the other stuff? >> Um I'm real big on the the Isbel era. I found Isel first um in that band and that led me Jason is man he's one of the greatest of all time. That led me down that whole rabbit hole. But I'm I'm a big Mike Culie fan as well. um the king of oneliners I call him. He's a big Mike Culie fan in that band. And um even up to like Pony Bradshaw has influenced me a lot. And um I found his music it was like um just another like realization like he can just write songs about cuz he writes a lot about like North the North Georgia area where I'm from. >> Yeah. >> And I was just I was like well I've never thought about just uh writing about here before. writing about like I've always wrote about like feelings and all that good stuff. I was like I've never really wrote about like where I'm from or the scenery or anything like that. So that was a big revelation to me that I could do that. Um that was an option. And even down to John from and Abby, they've been a big influence. And I just keep, you know, what whatever I'm listening to always kind of finds a little spot into uh what I'm doing really cuz I'm always listening and trying to learn and take in new ideas and stuff. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's really interesting. you know, the more I speak to to artists recently, you know, whereas before I think if you ask, you know, who who kind of influenced you the most, it would be, you know, artists from way back, but now it's the likes of like Tyler, Pony, Bradshaw, and more modern people. And I think there must have been a real shift in the last, you know, 10, 15 years, um, of this new kind of wave of music through Appalachia particularly, um, and elsewhere that it's, um, I think it's fantastic. You know, I think a lot of people when you go online, they go, "Oh, country music died, you know, many years ago, but they've never bothered to." And I suppose it's not their fault always, you know, because a lot of this stuff is buried and hidden. And I I >> found it. Yeah. >> Yeah. You really do. Um and this is kind of the reason why the whole Rugged Revival Network existed uh or exists still. um is the fact particularly in the UK, you know, we've got to dig a little bit deeper as well in you guys um because it's not on any mainstream radio stations. It's starting to creep in a little bit now, but um but otherwise, you know, you you have to go on to to Instagram or even Spotify and kind of keep going down. Oh, people you may also love and you know, that type of thing. Uh it's quite fun to do, but it's it's hard, you know. I don't know if it's the same for you. >> Yeah. Um, yeah, people here all the time will say like, uh, you know, there's no good music being made anymore. All the great music's from way back when. And I will give it to you. I mean, there's a long, long history of just amazing tunes from back in the day. But I think this is honestly the best time to be a music fan and especially an independent music fan or an alternative music fan, whatever you want to call it, because um, there's so much good stuff being made and I don't know. I feel like people need to uh I tell them all the time like nobody's going to spoon feed you this stuff. Like it's not going to be on the radio. They're going to have to go find it. But um like listen to your friends when they tell you somebody to listen to. >> Yeah. >> Listen, you know, like you said, go on Spotify, just scroll, find random people. Um if they have 200 followers or whatever, doesn't mean that they're not any good. >> You know, listen to them anyways because uh >> yeah, you're gonna find a lot of great stuff that way. I think a lot of great music is being made right now that a lot of people are missing out on honestly. Um, but it's coming around a lot. It's changing a lot. People the I feel like the word's getting out that there's good music out there and you just got to find it. I feel like things are starting to change a little bit with that. >> Yeah, 100% mate. I I can feel a real kind of momentum shift online and everywhere else. And you know, like like you say, um well, we're trying to spoon feed people in in a in a way. >> Yeah. >> You know, because it's like, well, if you're not going to go out there and look for it, you know, look at these artists, you know, we've got no affiliation with most of them except for the fact that we just love the music. And like you say, just because you've got less than a thousand followers, who cares? You know, a lot of the the artists that we've had on um you know, same for us really, we haven't got a a huge following in in comparison to the big mainstream media. But for me, I think the old mainstream media stuff is is dying out and new media like us is coming through uh to talk to to the people that I think need to be platformed. And in a weird way, let's that's kind of how we found people like Brennan Edwards who was on the show I think like last year. I lose track now because I was randomly doom scrolling on Instagram and he was uh busking of all places out in uh I don't know if it was Richmond or or somewhere where wherever he's from over in VA and I was like this guy is incredible. Um I've got to speak to him. I've got to listen to his music. And um you know I'm glad we did cuz now we we're kind of online friends and you know it's kind of spiraled from there and and through Brennan you find other people like Cody Christian and you know Chris Hunt Jr. and all these other guys you think it's just an infinite stream of this amazing talent that people need to to see. >> It really is. Yeah, it really is. And just like you said, you you'll find one small act and that leads to 10 other small great acts and then >> all of a sudden you just got tons of music to be listening to and it's all great. >> Yeah. >> Then you'll be complaining that you've got too much music so you know you can't win, man. But um so for you as an independent artist, mate, I like to ask uh people, you know, what's the best thing about being independent? Um, well, it's hard, but it feels like you earned it if something good happens, if that makes sense. >> Yeah. >> Um, it's very hard thing to do to balance everything and do everything yourself. But, um, you're on your own terms. Um, if you want to put out 10 songs this week, you can. Um, if you want to go play this many shows, you want to everything is just on your terms and, um, you own everything. Um, nobody's really got their hands in your pockets too much, you know. Um, and it just seems like a more straightforward connection from artist to listener a lot of times. Um, you know, no, nobody's running the Hunter boy Instagram uh or Facebook or whatever you want to get on and chat with. If you send a message, you're talking to me. If you know, you come to a show, I'm staying at the merch table. I'm selling my own merch where I'm going to shake her hand. I'm going to hang out. Um it just seems like a more authentic connection. Um which is really uh I don't it really pays off I think. >> Yeah. Really feels good. >> Yeah, definitely. And and social media we we'll go into that slightly more um in a bit. But um I find it interesting like you say we can literally slide into Hunter Bllelock's DMs and uh harass you. I'm not telling everyone to do that but uh you know like you say it's just authentic. you know, if you want to speak to you, you you are the person responding, not some strange management team. >> Yeah, it's uh >> yeah, very everybody everything's very accessible and you can make real connections and uh yeah, I just I just enjoy that part of it. I think that's the whole point of it all is to make genuine connections with with folks and um it just makes it that much easier. >> Yeah, definitely. and and equally there's got to be some annoying or challenging things. What what kind of what comes up first in your mind when you think about it? >> Uh not getting emails back when you're trying to get gigs, good gigs. And you there's there's infinite um corners of restaurants and uh corners of bars that you can kind of go stand in and play while people talk to each other and eat their spaghetti. >> Yeah. But um yeah, trying to get good gigs, trying to get gigs where people listen, trying to get on um you know, pick up some dates on a tour that's coming through. Um that stuff can kind of be frustrating cuz kind of if you don't know, you like if you don't know somebody, sometimes you can't really get through. Um but I've never been afraid of bugging people. So, uh I'll just bug you. You know, I'll just I'm not scared to ask. Um, and let me open. I'll I mean, I've went as far as I'll just comment on people stuff, but hey, let me open sometime. Send you a message. I'll I'll email your agent. I don't Yeah, I'll email the venue. I'll call you. I don't really care. Um, I'm not afraid to pester somebody. Um, because I really I mean, nobody's going to open the door for you at some point. You're just going to have to like uh whittle your way through. So, um, yeah, that's frustrating. Not getting having trying to get through to people and get better gigs is it's kind of hard. Um, trying to figure out how to get people to listen to music is kind of hard. >> Um, you put stuff out and trying to figure out how to promote it and stuff. Um, I'm not the best at that. So, >> it's really difficult, mate. Yeah. I I'm I'm finding things as we kind of navigate through our our world um in the media side of things and yeah trying to get more listens, more views, you know, if if you understand the algorithm, you've kind of struck gold. Um >> yeah, >> you know, tell tell us basically. But um yeah, it's really challenging and it's interesting to hear it from your uh perspective. But you know, we've touched upon that, you know, several times. You know, in terms of an independent artist, you're going to be wearing many different hats. Um, and I if you if you don't have a good team or a team or a bunch of good people around you, I can imagine it could be quite a lonely place for some people. So, I suppose my question for you particularly, how do you maintain kind of mental clarity, keep you on a straight and narrow? What what what do you do? >> Um, well, I have a bunch of youngans. I have a whole family of kids. I got six of them. >> Oh, wow. And uh so and it's just me. I'm just it's just me and me and the kids. So when I'm not um doing that, my mental space is pretty taken up uh by all the uh stuff that comes with raising a family and whatnot. So um that kind of I don't know get working on music is is always feels a little refreshing. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> because uh you get, you know, you're in dad mode, you're doing this, you're doing that, making sure, you know, everybody's fed and clothed and to school and to this and to that >> and uh to sit down and work on music, it's like, you know, that >> Yeah, it's like a break uh from all that. So, that probably that keeps me pretty cleared out in the noggin. Yeah, >> I never mind too bad at working at it because Yeah, it's just uh I enjoy I enjoy getting after it, I guess. I don't know. I enjoyed working on it. >> Yeah. No, it's it's a good perspective to have and you know, I I have two kids, not six, thankfully. Um I'm not sure how I'd cope like you, mate. But uh yeah, it's it's a nice distraction. So if something's annoying you in your work life or with the media stuff that we do and it can be really frustrating at times, you know, in different ways, but then you've got, you know, two two loving children um sometimes uh that can take >> sometimes they're crawling at the walls. >> Oh yeah, absolutely. Abs um so that's great to know. So let's uh let's talk about um song number two. Let's go into that right now. What what is song number two? Uh song number two is uh Moving On. Um it's a song I wrote. Um I used to not talk about it too much because I'm just uh I would sing about it a lot, but I didn't openly talk about it. But I went through a divorce a couple years ago and um it was really tough for me. That's a that's a thing I think is tough for most everybody, but I particularly took it kind of hard, I guess. And um I got a lot of great songs out of it, but uh and um yeah, just something about that. I was going through it for a while and really in a tough place and um I don't know I sat down at my kitchen table one day and it was just quiet. It's never quiet uh in my house. So um I just kind of took advantage of it. I needed some quiet at that moment. And uh this I grabbed a guitar cuz that's just what I do with my time when I'm just sitting around. And this song fell out of me and um at first it kind of scared me. I was like I can't play that song for anybody. It's it's like extremely one of the most personal songs I've ever written. Um but then uh I got to thinking like uh the whole thing is honesty and and you know unfiltered views of things and um telling how it is and if I'm going to start censoring myself then there's really no point in uh doing the whole thing. >> Yeah. myself. >> So, yeah, I started playing it for folks and and playing it out and uh I just released it on EP. Um and uh yeah, hopefully there's somebody out there that needs that song as much as I did in that moment and uh yeah, hopefully it finds who it needs and uh it helped me a lot. So, >> yeah, thanks for sharing that, mate. I appreciate it. A lot a lot of the stuff that we talk about is often personal, man. So, uh, it's, uh, it's lovely that you you open up on on stuff like that. But, uh, cool. Let's give that a a very quick listen then. I think I'm finally giving up on everything that could have been us. I blame my watering eyes on little specks of dust. I think I'm finally giving up. Swear I'd always choose you then. It all turned to sand. [Music] And I'll fold so damn hard and you slip right through my hands. swear I'd always cheese you. >> It It is great talking about being a I keep saying independent artist just just an artist in general. Um and you know we talked to a lot of different people um who were going through kind of different stages of their career you know different stages of their life even you know in terms of age um you know in terms of what you're doing and doing it from a grassroots level doing pretty much everything yourself. Have you found any cheat codes or any really efficient ways to kind of get stuff done that perhaps no one else has figured out? >> I can't say that I have. >> We need to find out for you then. >> I'm always trying to I'm always asking people why, hey, how do you do this? Um but um yeah, I don't know. I um for a while I just thought I would just work harder than everybody. I would just play and play and play and play and play out and just shake one hand at a time, two hands at a time and um really do it that way. And that's what I did for going on a decade now. Um for a while, doing over 200 shows a year and just running circles and um just really beating down the highway and trying to get out there and I didn't figure anybody was going to come to Snorville, Georgia and find me so I was going to have to go find them. Um, so I did that for a while and and um Oh, that has a way of running you down, wearing you out. >> Yeah, >> I've backed down a little bit on that. I'm still doing about a hundred a year, but I'm trying to find other avenues and trying to uh trying out different things, you know? I mean, all that time I barely put I didn't put out any music. I just now started like putting out I was like, "Yeah, I guess it would be a good idea to have something for people to listen to when I meet them." Not good stuff. I was like I was just running around the country just like, "Yeah, nice to meet you. Where can we find new music in nowhere? You just come see me again." So, um yeah, I've gotten into putting out some music now. Really trying to focus on um recording music and getting it out and um trying to find other avenues that uh yeah, that that work. Um yeah, still going to I mean it's it's admit the road dogs in me. I'm still going to play shows and cuz I mean that's I really love traveling and doing that and meeting people, but I'm trying to find a balance there. >> Yeah. >> Uh I haven't found it yet. Still looking for it. I'm figuring things out. But um yeah, that's where that's about where I'm at now. I'm trying to figure out some kind of different avenue that will aid what I'm trying to do. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's a it's a common theme when we we talk to to folk. It's uh you know, everyone's got that grind in them, that that love for the grind, you know, hitting the road, playing, you know, 100 plus times a year. It's just, you know, in them. And I don't think that will change for for you probably yourself and a lot of guys uh that just love doing it. But uh I suppose some some things that we've come across um is is is a big thing is just networking, finding good people to speak to to perhaps share some creative thoughts and cuz sometimes it could feel like you're banging the same drum trying to get a different result out of things and it's just it could be frustrating but actually when you you speak to other people from perhaps even different states or or just just a different environment altogether they're doing something completely different that you know is it surprised me sometimes in terms perhaps just so the way they approach social media. Uh perhaps they might be doing some live shows or something online exclusively. Uh and we're like, "Okay, that's something different that perhaps other people aren't doing." It's it's quite interesting once you kind of speak to this this kind of plethora of artists. >> Yeah, for sure. I've kind of learned that uh yeah, talking to people, meeting people is very valuable. Um you know, I'm I'm kind of a socially awkward fella. uh big crowd trying to talking to strangers is kind of a uh >> I know it scares me a little bit but uh I've learned that yeah go do the gig. Go do the gig that probably doesn't pay that much. Um because I've met a lot of people that really helped me out a lot at those gigs. I've made a lot of great fans at those gigs. Um always go do the thing, you know, show up. If you just keep showing up, then uh good things usually happen. >> And um >> so yeah, I learned that. Yeah, talking to people is a good thing. Meeting people, listening, and uh yeah, being friends is a good thing. I've learned that. >> Yeah, I'm I'm an introvert, believe it or not, you know, and my my when I set up the Rugged Revival, my wife's like, "Why? You don't like talking to people?" I was like, "I I like talking to people that I want to talk to, you know." I think there's a difference there, isn't it? It's just any old random person. It's different. But uh you know, when we're talking to kind of artists and other people, I you know, I suppose that's just my selfish manner as I'm interested in what you got to say, unlike uh some other people perhaps, but uh but there you go. Um so in terms of future stuff, mate, what what's coming up next for you? Have you got obviously you're talking about lots of gigs? Um what about new music or any collaborations or anything of of that kind? >> Um well, we just put out the EP. Um, last week the earbone sessions. >> That's right. Yes. >> Yeah, we we put that out. Um, I'm working I'm trying to block out some time in November, I think, in December to to cut a new record. Um, I've got a bunch of songs over the years. Uh, my first record, it took me like five years to make it. And uh, so over that time making that, I wrote just so many songs. And um, so I'm just really trying to figure out how I'm going to record them all and get them out. Uh, so hopefully we're going to cut a record. Um, playing some shows, playing with Jonathan, uh, this Saturday. I don't know when this comes out. It's probably going to be dead and gone by then. >> Um, no, it will be out midweek. So, uh, yeah. >> Oh, beautiful. Yeah. If there's anybody listening from North Georgia, me and Jonathan are playing his album release show um, Saturday. Tickets, you can get you can get tickets to that. Come see us. Um, playing some more shows with him and Abby. um North Georgia and Tennessee and uh just grinding it out, trying to hopefully cut a record pretty soon and uh try to I mean navigate all that figuring out how to put it out and get people listen to it and all that fun stuff. >> Yeah, that's part of the fun like you say, mate. And where's best for everyone to find you? What where were you kind of most active? >> Um I'm probably on Instagram the most. Um, I I enjoy photos. I like photographs. So, I probably hang out on there. Um, Spotify, you can listen to my tunes wherever. Apple Music, wherever you like, it's there. Um, I play I play a lot of shows. So, um, I always post my schedule where I'm going to be. So, that's, uh, I'm pretty pretty easy guy to find or avoid any which way you want to do it. >> No, we'll make sure people do find you. So, uh, once we upload this episode, we'll put all the links in the in the episode description, so you'll find, uh, all of, um, Hunter's socials and everything else. So, I think we'll just try and make it as easy as we can for you, mate. Um, only a few more questions, mate. Uh, it's been it's been superb talking to you, but, uh, excuse me. If um if we go away after this, if people only remember one thing about you uh uh with this conversation, what should it be? Um hopefully um that's a hard question. Hopefully that um authentic, honest. Hopefully uh that comes across in conversation and music and whatnot. That's a pretty important thing to me in my life is, you know, honesty and being authentic and true to yourself and hopefully that comes through in conversation and music and everything else in my life. Yeah. >> Yeah. And and you you certainly come across that way. In terms of like, you know, you you must do a lot of interviews, like you say, you talk to people an awful lot at the gigs. Is there any question that you feel or wish people ask you more often that just don't bother? Uh there's a lot of questions I wish they wouldn't ask me. Um I get asked a lot if I can play uh anything good. People come at requests, can you play anything good? I don't know if I can. Uh no. Uh a question that I wish people would ask me. Um I don't know. I wish people asked me what I was listening to a lot or what they should listen to, you know, besides the great tunes of Hun Waylock. Um I I I enjoy telling folks about my friends that make good music. >> Yeah. >> Um I enjoy sharing that to people and and turning people on to um to other great songs. I I enjoy that part of it. So I would say that I wish people asked more uh for more suggestions on tunes, I guess. Well, that's a perfect segue, mate. Who Who should we be listening to? >> Uh, let's see. I got a lot of great friends that make great music. Um, Tim Moore is a is a great he's one of my best pals in the world. Um, we co-write together a lot. He's like the only person I've ever co-written with. Um, I don't know. We We're just kind of on the same page, I guess. Um, but he's a great one. Uh, he writes great songs. He only has like three out right now. We're gonna change that soon. I'm putting the pressure on him. But >> yeah, I would say listen to him. Canon Tyler's another one from right here in North Georgia. He's great bluegrass picker. Um he's a good pal. Jonathan and Abigail Payton, obviously. I mean, they're incredible um incredible humans, too. Um uh Cody Balden, Tyler Lee Rush, Gypsy Outfit. I mean, I could just go on and on. >> You can list them on and on. It's um no I I do love asking that question because it gives us another avenue to go and follow him on Instagram and go down this you know like I said a rabbit hole down on Spotify uh and find new people. There's a few new names uh for us there which is great. So thanks for sharing that mate. Um cool. Okay look it's been a it's been a fantastic conversation uh with you Hunter. I'm going to end the show um by asking you uh we we're going to call this part pass the mic because uh you have no idea who I have lined up on the next podcast uh for the show. Um I have no idea either to be quite honest with you. Uh but I thought it'd be fun uh if you could ask the next guest on the podcast one question, what would it be? You can ask him anything. It could be music related or just something completely stupid. But whatever it is, I've got to ask him. So, I'm going to be the one that looks stupid. Uh, regardless. All right, let me let me think of something here. Let me think. All right, this may be they may not get this at all. Ask them what they think the Georgia Bulldogs football team is going to go this year record-wise. You think they're going to go all the way or we're just going to bottom out? Yeah, I'm a huge college football fan. I don't know if y'all if y'all are into that over there. Um, >> it's getting bigger. Yeah, it's uh I can see in some of the bars, specialist bars in like the cities around here. They play a lot of the Yeah. the college football games and and things like that. I'm yet to get into it. I'm into regular old uh what you call it soccer over there. Prop proper football, I call it over here. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you might just need to watch the Georgia Bulldogs. We might convert you over. >> Change me mind. There you go. Well, I'll I'll put it on my list of things to do as well, but I I will be asking the next guest and it'll be interesting to to see what they say. I even have a clue what the hell you're on about, but uh >> hopefully they're from the south at least. >> I'm not so sure. But there we go. L man, thanks so much for joining me today. Um everyone, go and check out Hunter's uh music. Give him a follow uh across all of his platforms. And like we said, I'm going to put all the links in the episode description just uh just to make it easy for you and spoon feed everyone as we like to do. Uh but until next time, uh keep supporting independent music. Thanks, guys. Take care. >> Thanks for having me, man. I appreciate you.

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