Race Ricketts - Exploring Texas Culture & Music | Rugged Revival
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When the world shut down in 2020, Race Ricketts found himself in possession of something unexpected: time, and a backlog of songs he'd been quietly writing throughout his college years. He wasn't supposed to become a musician. The plan was New York, Broadway, the full theatrical dream. But COVID had other ideas, and what emerged from those lockdown sessions with a friend would reshape his entire trajectory.
Ricketts is a creature of Texas through and through—born and raised in Allie, a small town in North Texas that sits closer to the Oklahoma border than anywhere else, caught between the flat redness of West Texas and the creeping sprawl of the DFW metroplex. His background is decidedly unglamorous: his father worked in an aluminum mill, his mother was an elementary school teacher, his brother became a firefighter for Fort Worth Fire Department. None of them were musicians. But somewhere along the way, young Race picked up a guitar around seventh or eighth grade and discovered something that stuck.
I was training to be an actor and the plan was to move to New York, and then the world shut down.
— Race Ricketts
What makes Ricketts' story compelling isn't just the pivot from acting to music—it's how authentically rooted both pursuits remain in his Texas identity. Speaking on the latest episode of the Rugged Revival Podcast, he speaks with genuine pride about his hometown, about the specific texture of growing up in that particular corner of Texas, about the way those experiences have crystallized into his songwriting. There's no posturing here, no reinvention narrative. This is a guy who was trained as a song-and-dance man from childhood, who spent his final semester of college hitting every open mic and cheap gig he could find up and down I-35, testing whether these songs he'd been sitting on actually resonated with anyone beyond himself.
What emerges from that description is a musician shaped by scarcity and necessity rather than privilege. Ricketts didn't have a family pushing him toward music, didn't grow up in a household where songwriting was the default creative outlet. He stumbled into it almost accidentally—as therapy, as something to do, as a way to process the absurdity of a world that had suddenly stopped. And when he started playing those songs live, something clicked. The people listening weren't hearing a polished product manufactured by the industry; they were hearing something raw and immediate, rooted in the particular experience of being from a small Texas town, of working-class origins, of discovering your voice when the traditional path suddenly became impossible.
I grew up in a very small town sandwiched between the flat redness of West Texas and the slightly greener parts of the DFW area.
— Race Ricketts
The podcast conversation with TJ reveals someone thoughtful about his place in the roots music ecosystem. Ricketts isn't making excuses or stories about struggle—he's simply reporting facts. His upbringing, his detour through performance training, the pandemic pivot, the relentless gigging across two states to find an audience. These aren't talking points; they're the genuine conditions that shaped his artistry. When he talks about Texas, there's specificity in it. Not the mythology of Texas, but the actual lived experience of it—the rain that came to North Texas on the morning of the interview, the character of different regions, the people who made the place what it is.
What distinguishes Ricketts in an increasingly crowded independent music landscape is that alignment between origin story and artistic output. Too many musicians perform their biography; Ricketts simply lives his and lets the songs follow. The COVID chapter that could have been a tragedy—the death of a Broadway dream—became a liberation. Forced to sit with himself and his guitar, he discovered he had something to say. Forced to test those songs in bars and small venues across Texas and Oklahoma, he proved it mattered to people beyond himself.
For anyone interested in the actual roots of Americana music, in how artists are genuinely made rather than manufactured, the full episode is essential listening. Ricketts represents something increasingly rare: a musician without an alternative persona, without a curated mythology, simply doing the work of turning lived experience into honest songs.
lose your love. Hearts get broke, tables turn you. This is the Rugged Revival podcast. We are your go-to platform for championing independent artists and amplifying authentic music. Ronnie isn't here this week. Uh, thank God for that. Um, I'm only joking. We obviously miss him when he's not here. Um, sometimes, so we like to guess what he might be up to. Um, last time it was a penis enlargement um, that went wrong. So, this time, you know, I'm going to ask our guest, you know, uh, Race Ricketts is our guest this week. Race, what do you think Ronnie might be up to this week? >> I don't know. If I had to guess, maybe he's got hung up at like a robbery at a Gregs. I don't know. You know, you know what? That's actually believable cuz he spends his life in Greg's, mate. So, uh >> I love that. I love that. That's going to ruined the introduction anyway for for my part. Anyway, look, Ronny, he can't be here obviously. Um he's gutted mainly because he is a massive fan uh of you, Race Ricketts. Uh the man from the 940, Mr. Texas. Mr. Ricketts, how are you doing, mate? You're okay? >> Doing well. Can't complain. >> Yeah, you were saying earlier that uh it's raining in Texas for a change. Well, maybe not. >> Little bit. Yeah. Well, at least the part I'm in right now. Yeah. I was uh driving up this morning uh to North Texas where my my folks live and it rained on me the whole way here. So, this might be the last little bit of rain before it starts getting >> I say cold. Cold for Texas anyway. But >> you might put a hoodie on maybe and keep your shorts on. Yeah, at least a long sleeve shirt if nothing else. >> See, I'm in my house. It's uh I say -7 Fahrenheit here, which is like 0 degrees in England. Uh freezing cold, literally. Uh I've got the radiator is on and I've still got like my outdoor clothes on in the house. So, it's uh it's horrendous, mate. So, uh yeah, stick to Texas, dude. It's uh it's much more pleasant, put it that way. But, uh look, I appreciate you coming on the show. We wanted to talk to you for a long time. We've got a lot to cover. Um, and a lot of questions that I want to ask you, man. Um, so yeah, I think in homage to to Ronny because he's he's a nosy gear and he normally likes to delve into like the family personal background. So, I'm going to try and uh be professional like he is and uh try and do his opening segment. So, yeah, man. Want to kind of find out a bit about your, you know, your family history, your upbringing in Texas, you know, what was that like, mate? >> Yeah, for sure. Uh, I'm from a I mean, everybody, you know, of course says they're from a small town, and I guess I'm no exception to that either. Um, from a very small town in North Texas, kind of sandwiched in between the the flat redness of West Texas and the slightly greener parts of the DFW area. I grew up in a town called Ali that's closer to the Texas Oklahoma border than anywhere else. But um uh grew up there in AliE. went to high school here. Didn't leave until I uh you know went to college, but kind of didn't come really from a musical family. I mean uh my dad worked in a uh still works in a like an aluminum mill. My mom was a elementary school teacher for whole her whole career. My brother's a a firefighter now for Fort Worth Fire Department where y'all were not too long ago. And uh and I was uh the one that, you know, took to the artistic side of things, I guess, and learned how to pick guitar when I was about seventh, 8th grade, you know, 12, 13 years old, somewhere around there. Um in alongside that uh I was uh I got into acting at a very young age like I was a song and dance man did plays and musicals since you know I was a kid and that's uh that's what I went to college for. Uh, I was training to be an actor and, uh, if COVID never happened, uh, the plan initially was to move with my old roommates to to New York and try and make a hand of it up there. And then, uh, of course, the world shut down. And I had all of these songs in my back pocket that I had just been sitting on throughout my time in school that I had never done anything with. It was just a fun, good, therapeutic outlet. like I think a lot of people start writing songs and uh had nothing else to do when the world shut down except sit inside with my best friend at the time and just record songs and write and see what happens. And then when things started loosening up in the states a little bit, uh my entire final semester of college, I was just looking for any open mic uh little cheap free gig up and down I35 that stretches uh all the way up and down Oklahoma, Texas, and even further north and south. just finding any place that I could play a few songs or play for an hour just to see uh if there was anything there, you know, if I had anything good that people wanted to hear or enjoyed or, you know, whether I needed to stick to find a day job. Uh, and so I just kind of bummed around Oklahoma and Texas until I finally moved back uh to Texas and finally uh made the switch to making it full-time after I worked the the day job for a year. And so >> so just yeah went from picking singing on a you know sometimes in makeup, sometimes with a guitar and then uh instead of going to the big lights of New York, I landed for the much the smaller stage lights of the Texas, you know, southern music scene. So, uh, it's a it's been a pretty fun kind of a weird turn of events, uh, and how things worked out, but I think it worked out exactly the way it was supposed to. You know, >> it was fate, mate. And, um, it's funny you say that. We we speak to so many artists and how co and that that time kind of affected their trajectory, you know, the plans that they had in their mind and how things have changed. But like you say, you know, on the positive side, it's changed things for a really a really good way in terms of what you're doing on the music. And, you know, it's um it's really cool to see, you know, from that respect. >> Absolutely. >> So, we we bumped into you guys um at Stocktober. You know, we haven't stopped talking about Stocktober. Always think we need like a mic with a a reverb on it to give it some justice. >> There you go. >> But I I loved it. I wish we were in Fort Worth for a little bit longer. Uh it was at the Ryan Stone Saloon. Uh a really cool venue I found just at the top of Fort Worth, I believe. Um talk as if I know where things are, but I don't. I just make it up. Um but you you guys were certainly on our top of our list. So when Tobo sent us the poster and the flyer as to who was going, we're like, "Holy [ __ ] Race is going, Presley's going, you know, a whole bunch of other people are going that we are just huge fans of." So we we made a beline to to kind of hints, but we'd love to come. And you know, thank God we had that opportunity and thank god we got such good friends that kind of put us up and and let us come along uh to that. Um so there weren't just regular fans there. I found it a very odd venue cuz we don't have that sort of um event uh regularly in the UK where you've got industry people, regular fans, a whole bunch of artists in one room, you know, playing songs, swapping songs, and oh, it was just such a an incredible and fun uh night. So, you know, loads of you guys were the people we wanted to see mainly. Um, was there anyone there that you wanted to kind of see particularly that or perhaps even speak today that you haven't had a chance to to catch up with? >> Yeah, there was a a lot of folks that I mean, kind of like y'all. I mean, that we've only ever really interacted with over, you know, a phone or through social media, this that and the other. And so, I mean, we didn't uh I mean, we showed up. I mean, we didn't even bring instruments. We just kind of showed up with the intention of just kind of hanging out, seeing what was going on, saying hello to some folks we hadn't seen in a while. And so, um, it was cool to kindly, you know, put faces to names that we'd been liking posts or, you know, saying hell yeah to songs on people's Instagram and Facebook. So, it it was nice to, you know, see a lot of make a lot of new friends and then see a bunch of old ones, too. uh you know as well as uh you know Patrick with you know the country versus metal podcast of course Scott you know Talbo's always been real good to us and done some photos for us in the past and uh getting to meet you guys you know y'all y'all looked like y'all were just having a blast which I mean >> the alcohol was well mate >> so much fun to see and on top of it I mean it was Nick's Nick's birthday that night it was his 40th so I mean everyone was in high spirits spirits and quite literally high spirits having a good time. Uh yeah, that was a really fun night. It was one of those where everyone was on the way home and looking at each other like, "Wow, it's uh 2:00 a.m. We didn't expect We didn't know we were going to be here this long. We didn't know kind of We didn't know. It was our first time going, so we didn't know exactly what to expect." And it turned out to be a really fun night, you know. >> Be great. Yeah, absolutely. And um yeah, we had so much fun, man. And it was interesting to see everybody go up. So you had Mint Steel kick the kick things off with a night and man, they were awesome. And then Zach Wilkerson, I think, was straight after. But I think a lot of people were talking about you guys going up. And um I think mainly was like I I don't want to follow uh you know, race and Presley and Nick and Niles as well. And they were like, who's going to be the person? And we were sat with Alex Rogers. He was staying with us that week as well. and Alex, I think Steve might have uh done him done him a solid I think because you know the crowd were high after seeing you guys and then Alex went on and you know had a great time and yeah it was just interesting to see how the dynamics in that in that kind of room kind of shifted as as certain people went up >> for sure. But we we certainly wanted to catch up with you guys. Like you say, we we speak to a lot of people on Instagram or socials and we leave comments and DMs just to be friendly and to see people in person cuz we typically do things like this, you know, it's uh seeing people on a flat screen. It's weird to see three-dimensional people when you go out, you know, and try and converse. So I said to Ronnie, I said, "We've got to go and speak to the guys before they leave. Um you know, I think it would be gutted if if we left Texas and hadn't, you know, at least said hello." So we're glad we did. Um, I think by the time we got round to seeing you, um, we'd had I'd certainly had a few bourbons and beers by that point. >> So, my conversation wasn't flowing as freely, but it's interesting you said it was Nick's birthday. That makes sense now cuz I think he was quite quiet about that. Um, so I made a beline to stand next to Nick cuz I thought he looked pretty drunk. So, if I stand next to Nick, I'm going to look less drunk. That was my tactic anyway. >> Yeah. Once midnight hit, I remember less and less as, you know, because uh I I I had gone out with the because I was I was behaving relatively well in the in the week up to that point. You know, I was, you know, you know, clean, healthy living. And then that night happened, you know, forgot it was Nick's birthday up until the day before. I said, "Well, there's only one way this can go." Sure enough, it did. Uh, but yeah, I think you caught us. Everybody kind of went outside, out back around behind the stage because you could somewhat hear a little bit more and, you know, stretch your legs a little bit. there weren't as many people. But uh uh but yeah, if standing next to Nick when you're feeling a little uh off your rocker uh can uh especially if he's in a very talkative mood, he can make you feel right at home. Nick's very very adept at that. >> Yeah, he was a great conversationalist and uh we had a lot of fun talking to you guys. Really? Yeah. Um we we I say we went home, we were talking about it for weeks on end. Uh we'd love to come back next year. We've we've heard there might be certain people going that we'd love to see. Um so yeah, it just depends on whether Talbo wants us back or not. I think we probably annoyed him by at the end of the week. Couple of British guys following around like, you know, kids in Disneyland as we were told it was like. Um so, but there you go. You know, I I absolutely love Texas. First time ever being there. Really first time properly in the States. I I went when I was quite young chasing girls back then, so I didn't really see much. Uh >> but now I'm an old man going back and actually sightseeing and doing stuff. It was cool. So, you know, exploring the various towns, cities, you know, we were talking about Green Hall, uh, New Bronfells, and, you know, Hill Country and all these amazing places. And, you know, I loved the food, uh, as you can tell. Um, the culture, the people, uh, and obviously the music, but, um, and I was reliably informed that the Dallas Cowboys apparently are the best football team in the world. >> Man, don't don't bring it up, Josh. It's that sore subject. Uh, it's it's I would say yes, but I mean the soreness it's it's more of a numb subject, you know? It's just one of those uh I mean they've never been good as long as I've been alive. So, you just kind of learn to keep your expectations low. >> You know, I'm sure there's uh, you know, football teams over there that, you know, you just >> reluctantly are fans of that you just learn to never get your hopes up and you'll never be disappointed. That's about how it is with the Cowboys. >> Yeah, I understand completely. I'm a Man United fan here for for soccer over here. And uh we had it good when I was young. We won absolutely everything for years. And then when my two boys came along, um my my oldest is 12 now. And uh yeah, we've gone terrible. You know, it's been like a decade or more of just trash. And he's like, "You had all a good time." So I was like, "You know, it's one of So my expectations have definitely gone down." But yeah, we we were fortunate enough to catch a game on the first day that we arrived and it was at this place called Cosm, I think, which was uh really unique. It was like the Las Vegas sphere bowl type thing. And uh Okay. >> So, it was projected all around the entire kind of building. Uh so it felt like you were actually at the game. >> Wow. >> Um don't ask me who was playing. I was just like overwhelmed with >> what was going on and trying to figure out Yeah. what what American football was like. But I had a good time. Beers were flowing. So were the food. and we watch some footy. So, uh, it was all good. So, what are your sort of favorite hangout spots in Texas and kind of things to do, mate? >> Man, I think my favorite like I could him and Haw on it all day. One that I always go back to in recent memory, it was uh, as uh, of course you mentioned Niles, good good another good friend of mine and songwriter. He's out of San Marcus, Texas. So, not too far from where y'all were at in New Bron Falls, just north of there is San Marcus, Texas, where Niles lives. And uh there's a bar on just off the square called Chances R. Uh Chances and then just the letter R. Just Chances Are is the name of this place. And I think they've got one in Lok. And uh but the original I say it's the original. I could be totally wrong, but I think it's there in San Marcus. And it's just a super divy uh you know bar where any musician in the area that may have had a show that night. Every one and it's a lot of the artists kind of end up at this one bar by the end of the night. You know, not you know, it's never announced. It's just you always kind of see a bunch of those bands and songwriters down there. And it's always been just a blast. It's always been a good time. It's small, you know, even when it's crowded, you don't mind. And there's very few places where, you know, I can stand that. And it's, uh, it's always felt really nice. And, uh, I think Niles is a big part of that, too. I, you know, we have such a good time, uh, when we get to hang out and work together. But, Chances is a great place. Um, Melody Mountain Ranch. Uh, it's a place outside of Stephvenville, kind of just southwest of Fort Worth. It's a big piece of property where Larry Joe Taylor throws his music festival uh in April every year. And they do events throughout the year that we'll get invited out to come pick and sing on. And uh, it's just a really special place to me. a lot of great music, Texas music history from that place. And uh Larry's always been super kind and good to us. Uh as well, those are that's another great one. Uh those are probably always like my top two right now. I don't I I don't know if y'all ever stopped in a little Fort Worth gym that's there in the stockyards. Uh White Elephant. The White Elephant Saloon is >> It didn't get that far down, mate. No. Um, yeah, we we would have loved to have spent more time down there because we wanted to do the stockyards, the c, you know, all the touristy stuff, but uh, yeah, unfortunately not. That I've heard good stuff about like the white elephant and the other bars, man. But, uh, yeah, we're going to keep a list, I think, for next time we come back and, you know, go to the places that you guys tell us to go and >> sometimes off the beaten track. I think they're the best ones to kind of uh, >> there you go. Go by the the locals advice. There you go. >> Definitely, mate. Absolutely. We stick out like a sore thumb when we go anywhere anyway in in the states. So, uh it's funny it's funny to go out there. But I suppose as a Texan, you know, yourself, we're honorary Texans now. Um but I want to ask a fellow Texan, what's special about the state to you and what does it mean to be a Texan? >> Man, I think I that you know the easy answer is it it certainly is. I mean, I can see how from an outsers's perspective, uh, uh, especially within the states itself, it can be it can look very, uh, cultish, uh, with the it it's a pride thing for sure. It's one of those things where growing up, uh, you're instilled from a very young age that it's a very special place. It's a place where people have a lot of pride being from. uh the music, especially being lucky enough to grow up listening to this kind of music, it only further instilled that kind of mindset. Uh and you know, as cheesy as it sounds, there's really no other place like it in the States. I mean, it's a it's so massive that you could split it up into five different states. you catch, you know, three or four completely different climates, uh, and, you know, weather biomes where depending on what part of the state you're in. I mean, it it really is kind of, uh, a miracle of how the lines got drawn where they did, and how it's able to be this big and survive this long, uh, with that kind of pride and mindset. Uh, I don't know. It's uh uh I do know it's instilled from a very young age that uh and even folks that have moved away that I you know I have friends that live all over the country now you know and all your big hot spots you know LA, Chicago, New York uh Atlanta and uh and every time we talk you know uh their accent slips back into conversation and uh And you know, I'll mention a place I was at or and they'll start talking about home and you know, it it's just a it quite literally gets in your blood and uh it's a hard thing to shake if at all once it's in you. And I think that goes for a lot of places, you know. Uh I just got lucky enough that I got to be from here, you know. So, uh and uh and with that said, welcome to the fold as as honorary Texans yourselves. Thank you. Yeah, appreciate that, sir. It's uh Yeah, I I loved it particularly and I I love the kind of proud, you know, aspect of of how people wanted to talk about the state, show you the the places to go and, you know, we we don't often have that. You know, I'm like that for England. I love England, you know, born obviously bred here and, you know, from London particularly and, you know, I think you should be proud of where you come from and you try and instill that into the youth. I think it's kind of got lost in the the younger kind of generation. I'm saying like an old grandpa now, but uh >> for sure. Well, and and I think, you know, we live in such turbulent times and it it it can get very hard to find uh bits and pieces of hope and positivity uh you know, in you know, the certain time that we live in. And that's kind of just a little piece of that uh that pride that you know sit up straight kind of being proud of where you're from is just one little thing to kind of hold on to to uh lift spirits you know in a way and I think that's important to have. Completely agree mate and uh I think if anyone was to listen to your your music particularly you can hear you know conversations about Texas happening throughout your various songs. So I I I love that particularly and you know 940 is obviously uh one of the biggest hits that you've you've got. Um would you mind if we play a little bit just um >> sure >> just for the listeners. So I think um if we start there and and start kind of going into the music. So, let's uh I'll try not to blast your ears too much, but uh let's give it a give it a >> Yeah, it's calling mama talking trash. Finish what you start to boot and wrangler jeans and sleeves where you wear your heart. There ain't no stranger they don't call friend. Always take care of their own. They'll love you from partner to palen boys from the 940. >> Yeah. Who doesn't want to hang out the boys from the 940, man? So, what obviously that that song's about your kind of home home area, isn't it? >> For sure. Um, yeah. I I it's a quite unromantic story of, you know, how it got written. Uh I was still living in uh Oklahoma at the time right as I had graduated from college and uh you know just another night of songwriting. I can't remember it might have just been a collection of songs I was listening to. I couldn't tell you what spurred me wanting to write something about my home neck of the woods of Texas. But there's so many songs about Texas. So, it's one of those it's really hard to make a good one if there's nothing quite new to say or a different way to say it. Uh, you know, as songwriters, that's what we're chasing all the time is trying to find a new way to say the same thing everybody said over and over. And, um, there was never quite a dedicated song to my part of the state where I'm from. there's so many West Texas songs and you know songs about little border towns and you know Austin and I was like well I there's cool songs but I mean I can't relate you know I you know I I want one for me I want one you know for my people and uh just wrote that song and uh uh a lot of it's based on you know my brother primarily just you know I kind of wrote it with him as the the main character almost in mind and uh yeah, wrote that song and uh it ended up being the one people wanted to hear at shows and I finally had a really good opportunity to go record it and have just some some of the best musicians in the state uh get to come play on it and it just became kind of an anthem for my little corner of uh Texas. And you know, even folks that have heard that song that really don't have any idea where it's at or where it's from, uh, you know, it's it's relatable. You know, it's something, you know, replace that number or counties or towns with, you know, wherever they're at. And it's all speaking the same language. And, you know, I think that's what people really glean toward and really take from that song, which, you know, it's cool. I'm gl I'm glad they kind of are able to understand what I'm talking about without ever having any, you know, real information or recognition of where we're at. So, you know, that's a cool thing. That's just how music is able to speak this, you know, speak the same language, you know, to different people. >> Absolutely, mate. And, uh, like you say, you were talking about having kind of the best, um, musicians play on that. Uh the fiddle part is amazing. Uh the opening part and throughout it's incredible man. >> That's uh Heather Stalling uh of that plays uh she play her and her husband Max Stalling. They are uh also just two fixtures of Texas music. Uh Max is an amazing songwriter and uh when him and Heather play together it is I mean eyes glued to the TV set the entire time they're playing. Uh they're they're two I would certainly recommend go checking out Max's music. He's a he's one of the the OGs as you would say as the kids would say. But uh but yeah, Heather played fiddle on that. Lloyd Mains uh played steel on it. Uh just really got lucky with uh some of the players on that track, but it turned out really nice. So, I'm glad you glad you're enjoying it. >> Yeah, definitely, mate. And um yeah, you mentioned like um I suppose dialing it back slightly. Um you mentioned kind of acting right at the beginning and kind of crossing over with music. So, what what came first? Was it was it music or was it acting or was it kind of running concurrent? >> I would say acting started slightly earlier. I mean, I had been starting it since I was 10 years old, probably. Uh, it was one summer I can't I couldn't tell you where I was at in school, but it was a summer and my mom uh signed me up to go audition for this musical called The Sound of Music uh at this local theater and I was like, I don't want to do this. Like I there bunch of people I don't know. I was like, I'd rather be, you know, at home running around with my friends, riding bikes, you know, just being a kid. And uh and then very quickly I fell in love with uh you know the stage and all through high school and it wasn't until about maybe threeish years later when I started kind of learning how to play guitar. So it came slightly before but once that three year gap from about 10 to 13 caught up it was at the same time. uh uh playing guitar. I didn't start writing until I got to college, though. I was I was never too forgiving with myself at a young age with trying to write music. It either I'd get two lines in, tell myself it wasn't very good or realize I was just trying to write a song that already existed by one of my favorite artists. So, I I really didn't have that I didn't really flex that muscle or, you know, hone that skill until uh I got to college uh while both worlds were happening at the same time. And so songwriting and I think the music, you know, Texas music, country music, whatever you want to call it, uh, was kind of a good tether to home while I was in school because a lot of the friends that I met while I was there. I mean, you know, you're hanging out with a bunch of art school kids from these major cities that, you know, they have no idea who Jerry Jeff Walker is or, you know, they they they don't know who they don't care who Guy Clark is or who the Turnpike Trouidors are. And so, uh, they were kind of that the music was always my tether to home. And songwriting always kind of kept me grounded, you know, in a world that, uh, I didn't get that from. I didn't get that part of, you know, the art I love so much from. Um, and so yeah, I and then so by day I'm in Shakespeare class trying to scan and go over the the text and by night I was, you know, my freshman year at the 11th story of a big dorm room, you know, trying to write a song about some girl that did me wrong. And it was horrible. I remember the first song that I ever kind of got through and uh I think it's still sitting somewhere in my voice memos on my phone that gosh, it was horrible. >> Play it. >> For whatever reason, it was I I found a certain uh catharsis in it. You know, it was a lot of fun. Uh you know, free therapy in a way. And so uh and then shortly after it was one of those like happy accidents. you finish the song. And I didn't absolutely hate it. So, I kept it and just well, if we can do it once, surely we can do it again and just kept going and going and going and uh till it became comfortable. And uh I was I learned to be more forgiving with myself. And I think if I had never figured out how to uh let bad art exist, uh I don't think I would have ever quite figured out the formula that worked for me. So >> yeah, >> there's a there's a lot of uh people like you in in those positions back then. And you know, you can't be Bob Dylan at the age of 10 or 13. There's some freaks out there that you know maybe are. But uh yeah, I I think it's cool to have those voice memos still and to look back and think, yeah, you know, at least at least you were doing it, you know. I think that's the main thing. Just do it. A lot of people don't do it. Um for the fear, like you say, just fear of rejection or fear that people will hate it. And I think at least you're creating something. And the more you do things, the better you get. >> And I think I think part of that too came like the more like as I continued acting in college. I mean, between audition processes and a rehearsal process and making wrong choices trying to find character, uh, you're wrong all the time until you're not and until something finally clicks and you figure things out. And I think that helped a lot with the songwriting process is uh was that world of acting that I was in kind of allowed it just it it followed over into the songwriting world and both I mean I it you know still affects how I enjoy writing songs and the music I enjoy listening to. You know how you're either telling a story or you're painting a picture. You got one of two. Those are, at least in my head, that's where I go when I want to try to put something on pen to paper. It's you're either painting a picture that someone else can look at in their heads or you're trying to tell a story. And, you know, that's where I always at least try to approach it from. and you know acting for that long it it really helped shape and craft that in a way that uh I still enjoy and I still approach songwriting from. So uh I guess in a way you do it that much you can't help it. So it's it's just kind of there at this point. But >> yeah, that's very cool, mate. And uh you know, you I think maybe your kind of the dates that you're talking about your trajectory with the songwriting um and and the expansion of how good you've got went um quite rapid and I think it was 2022 uh the Larry Joe's uh Taylor songwriters uh showcase. >> Was that the year that you won it? I >> think so. Yeah, 2022. Uh >> yeah, >> that's where uh you know, going back to the sports conversation, you know, if you kept your expectations low, you'll never be disappointed. Uh I I went in when I got in and got to go play it. You know, my only thinking was I I'm just getting started back in Texas as a musician. And I really know nobody when it came to the music. I had no real connections. And this was a really good first opportunity to just go meet people and find a certain community uh kind of there close to Stephenville where I end up living now and just go in, play your songs, meet some really cool people and you know see what happens. And sure enough we saw what happened and uh ended up winning. But you know out of that more than anything I met you know collaborators, songwriters, people that you know band members that I met through that entire process. You know I met Presley Hail was my I think she was the runner up that year. That's how I met Presley who we still work very close together nowadays. Nick Brumley, uh, her partner. He met him. He won the year previous, you know, met Nick through that entire process. He plays bass with me now when I go to play full band shows. Niles won it the year before Nick did. So, I mean, met all of these people that, you know, I consider my best friends and uh colleagues, you know, through that showcase that otherwise, you know, uh I would still I don't know. I I owe a lot to that initial group and community that Larry fostered. And I think Larry Joe that when I think of him, you know, more so than the music, it's just how much he's given to young writers and the next guy up, you know, the next band up. He's always been so good of just cultivating a community and lending those opportunities to, you know, find your springboard. And yeah, that that that was kind of the real first initial spark that got me uh you know, more than just a foot in the door, you know, just let me kind of slide in, close it behind me, and just shut up and mind your business. But uh but yeah, I I can't explain just how awesome I need that was for me and how much I think I needed at at the time looking back. Uh yeah, >> but yeah, met awesome people through that. >> That's fantastic. And you know, I think when people hear uh the songs that you guys work on together, and I think it's quite a unique thing. Um some people describe you as a super group, you know, almost I know labels could be quite quite a funny thing. Um but you know what I I like to see is, you know, just how kind of the friendship between all of you kind of comes out in a positive way in the music. seeing you guys, you know, just conversing with everyone at night, you know, it's you're such a cool bunch of people, you know, in general. Um, >> and also very, I mean, just so different. I mean, if it weren't for the music, it's one of those where I don't know if any of us if we were just people with regular jobs out in the world. I don't I couldn't pin if we would have ever found our way to each other or would have ever been friends if it weren't for the music. And uh because I mean I mean you know Presley, she's been on the show. I mean, she's she's very sweet and, you know, just uh just bright and you know, Nick is I mean, Nick Nick's just kind kind of going with the flow and Niles is very sharp, very quick witted and you know, he's kind of the eyes and ears that knows everything that's going on in a room at any given time and he's still got a smile on his face and I'm just kind of the I'm just kind of here. uh just kind of the long-haired hippie that can know and then can throw out a big word every now and again. So yeah, it's a it's a really cool thing. We we love going to the studio together regardless of whose project it is we're working on. We've never done anything together uh as a you know concentrated effort, all four of us making one project. It's always been for someone's individual >> song or you know record. But uh it's because everyone's mind ticks so differently. The the things and ideas we've able to uh come up with in a studio setting have been pretty cool that you know I don't think any one person would have thought of on their own. So, there's been some really cool moments that uh I think we all just complement each other's minds really well and that just carries over into the music and uh thankfully we all understand each other when it comes to the music and I think that's just why it works so well, you know, it's it's easy >> at this point. It's just so easy. Yeah, it's I love the way you describe everyone's personality because that was going to be one of my questions and I thought, you know, everyone's different and, you know, even spending a week in Texas with Ronnie, that's probably the longest I've ever spent with Ronny and, you know, I think he wanted to kill me at the end of it. Um cuz he's quite military precision and, you know, he's on the ball. He wants to know everything before we do it. I like to go with the flow. I just kind of ghost around the place and you know he said it's organized chaos from you and you know he gets really annoyed with me but uh yeah everyone's different in that respect you know and I think that's why it works if you're all the same it's boring and uh you're not coming up with these ideas but as a group then mate is there any plans to kind of release a song as a group or will it be kind of contributing to individual projects? >> It's I mean I I'm sure it'll happen eventually. We've never we we know it will at some point. We've never just said we're going to go in do this song uh yet. Um you know I think Presley's we we've all said I mean this has been the talk for gosh over a year I guess at this point. Everyone's just gotten so busy. But, uh, once Presley gets like a her second EP out, I think Niles has got, uh, a record or another EP that's coming out either by the end of the year or early next year. I've got an album that'll be out, you know, end of January, early February. So, everyone's kind of crossing tees and dotting eyes on their own projects right now, just trying to put the bow on it. And, uh, you know, we all, it's always, oh, we'll do it. Hey, when we'll do it in the spring when everyone's, you know, got their stuff done and the spring becomes, oh, in the summer when everyone's Yeah. So, >> it'll happen at some point. You know, we've all had kind of ideas of what that would look like and what would be done for it. Uh, but so, short answer, yes. Uh, uh, also short answer, I have no idea when. Uh, but it it's it's certainly on everyone's mind and it's on the list. So, it'll it'll happen eventually when >> I mean, we can't wait to see, mate. I was trying to squeeze some gossip out of you, but you you kind of gave in a little bit. So, uh, yeah, thanks for indulging me. >> Yeah, it's I mean, you you've been smashing it this year particularly, but I suppose, you know, working your way back through kind of your Spotify music collection. You know, you've been releasing since 2022. I think uh the 940 album came out last year. Um there's one song in particular I was listening to today that made me laugh is the the Texas barbecue uh song. >> Yeah. >> And I was like, "Yeah, man. I I I'm with you on that." I say we that was the first thing we ever ate when we came over to Texas. It was Texas barbecue. And I love the fact you're professing your love of it while simultaneously [ __ ] on other states who claim that their cuisine is the best in a nice way. >> Oh yeah. It's uh you know I mean a song like that doesn't exist. You know Guy Clark like a lot of people I'm sure you've had on here. He's one of my favorite artists and he's got a he's got a bunch of really good food songs. Uh another great artist you know William Clark Green he's got a a really good chili song and you know there's I mean there's so many good songs about food. I couldn't tell you again why I decided to write it but I think just man I there's a lot of really cool food songs out there. I want one. So, I wrote one and uh and and that's what came out. And uh uh funny enough, I didn't know until well after the fact that uh Robert Earl Keen uh has a barbecue song as well. Uh they couldn't be more different, you know, messages, but I mean, you know, the the focal point was kind of the same. Uh but yeah, that's a that's always a really fun song to play, especially with the band. It's one of those uh I've got to play early in the set because if the night is going well and everyone's having a good time, there's a lot of words that I need to be in a >> clear and sober mind for if I want to remember them. Uh there's been times where >> I I'll forget to play it. You know, if I'm just by myself, someone will shout out Texas Barbecue and I'm like, uh, give me about 15 minutes to remember the words and I'll see if I can get back to you on it. But, uh, >> that'll be me anytime I come to your gigs, mate. I'll be waiting till the end. Texas barbecue. Well, if if if I see you at one, uh, in in the future, I'll make sure to do it first thing. That way, we all we all get a good experience out of it. >> We all win. Oh mate, it it was a funny listen and um well I was told cuz we went to say we did the barbecue thing on the first day. I wish we had more of it. Um cuz I could eat that every day, man. Um but apparently I committed a crime of of dipping my meat into the sauce and apparently that's not a Texan thing. I don't >> I mean there's a time and place, you know? I mean, there's there's certainly been times where you get just like a really dry piece of brisket or just not the best meat in the world and it at a certain point it's just well, we paid for it. You whatever it takes to get it down and make it taste somewhat good or somewhat better. You know, there's a there's a certain time and place for it. I've I I know Texas doesn't really put a big emphasis as much on it. you know, there's uh other parts of the country that do sauces really well, and that's kind of what they are like known for. Uh, and >> you know, in a certain way, I'm kind of jealous of that because, you know, they're able to that, you know, they figured out the sauce game, you know, I would say more than anybody. But, um, but yeah, I mean, I won't hold it against you. I mean, I won't hold it against another Texan, you know, for >> I was going to say you're not going to strip me of my title hopefully uh from that. I would love to do like a series where maybe me and you go out and we try and find the best barbecue or sausage joints uh around Texas. >> We could certainly do it. It's such a It's such a culture that people realize there's so much money to be made on it now. And people it's it's it's in such high demand where uh you know I'll see videos all the time of some of the best in the state that people are in line at 7 8:00 in the morning just trying to get it before it sells out for the day. I mean it's that like people take it that seriously. Uh I've never taken it that seriously. I mean I'm not I mean I like barbecue as much as the next guy but you know we got things to do. I'm not standing outside 8:00 a.m., >> you know, for, you know, a pound of brisket. But, uh, but yeah, that would be fun. I There's some really good, uh, hole-in-the-wall places that, uh, >> you know, little bit of driving has to be done, but we can take you to some really good spots. Do you Where did y'all eat when you got here? >> That's a good question, mate. It was near I'm trying to Frisco sort of way, I believe. Um, >> okay. >> I'm not entirely sure. We we got whisked away from the airport quite quickly into a car and everything was just new to us. So I had no clue where we were where we went. Um we went to see some friends and like a handdrawn records first. So I think that must must have been like Frisco way. Um either way it it was wonderful mate. You know we had a lovely beer with it. Um some sides as well which was interesting because the sides were like um Brussels sprouts and stuff which over here no one wants to eat Brussels sprouts. They smelled disgusting. But this was amazing. I think cuz it was like cooked in bacon and >> Oh, I I was going to say it's, you know, America doing what it does best. You know, just put it in, you know, cook it in bacon grease, throw some brown sugar on it, and, you know, >> Oh, man. Yeah. >> Nick Brumley of all people really makes some good Brussels sprouts like that. Like bacon and maple. He's a He's quite the cook. So, >> he's the man. If you ever find yourself on the road trip again when you're out and about, I'm sure he'd be happy to happy to host because he loves cooking for people. He loves hosting. Uh but but I'm glad you enjoyed it. >> Yes, absolutely, mate. Um yeah, but there we go. Anyway, mate, I'm I'm digressing from talking about your music cuz I I got hungry and started thinking about barbecue, but uh I think it was your song. In fact, I blame you. But there you go. But in 2025, mate, this year, um, been killing it, you know. I think I counted nine releases so far. So, I'm I'm guessing that's going to be part of the overall album that you're talking about for January, Feb time. >> Yeah, I it was a I can't even It's nine or 10 at this point. I'll take your word for it. It It was a song a month since January and uh I think the final record has totaled out to 13 or 14 songs. I can't remember. It's, you know, slightly longer than the standard 10, but uh, you know, I don't have anybody telling me I can't do it, so I, you know, whatever. It's going to happen anyway. So, uh, but yeah, it's all going to There's about four or five that will come out when the whole album releases, you know, early next year that also good songs that I really enjoy, man. It's It's all just been a bunch of really really cool songs that uh kind of go all over the place uh thematically. Uh which don't all quite tell the same story, but at some they're all a story in their own way. There's so many just little vignettes where you're dropped into a time and place and uh and that's those are most of the songs I love anyways are, you know, >> yeah, songs that drop you into a time and place and really >> make your imagination work. And uh >> and you know, the band has so much fun with these songs as well, getting to play them live, you know. Uh, I mean, even still, I mean, there's a single we put out in I think it was July called Definitely Maybe that, uh, still none of us have gotten tired of playing together. It's fun every single time we get to play it. Uh, my drummer Casey is just in love with that song. Uh, uh, but, uh, but yeah, it's, uh, it's a really cool collection of stuff. Uh, you know, I'm you could I mean, like I say, like you say, I mean, you can find about twothirds of it out there already in singles. Um, but, uh, but the ones that are that we're saving are, >> uh, mixed bag, a little all over the place. So, uh, I say all over the place, but, you know, >> if there's organized chaos, maybe we use that. >> Absolutely. Ronnie would love it. Ronnie's going to love it. >> I mean, one of the two. >> No, he he loves it, mate. And and funny enough, you know, we were talking cuz we we got a little team in a rugged revival. So, we got me and Ronnie and uh we got a couple of guys out in Virginia Way and Kenzie over in Kentucky. So, she she contributes a lot to what we do. And we were talking, we're like, you know, we should put out a post in terms of what our favorite songs or artists are this year. And we got around the table and um Kenzie said, I'm really digging this race guys. Have have you heard of him? You know, I love Mr. Eisenhower. I said that was only what last week she said that and I was like funny enough uh I'm speaking to him next week. >> Yeah. >> So, uh I thought that was really cool because um we don't talk a lot as a group as much as we should about favorite songs. I thought because it's the end of the year, let's try and do something. So, she really loves that song. Is it right if we play a little bit of that just for for context? >> One of my favorites. Thank you for the highway system. There's a girl that I've been missing. Means the world to me. She's where my road dead ends. My exit sign. My sweet old friend. >> Yeah. So, another cool song, man. So, what what's the kind of story to Mr. Eisenhower? >> Yeah. I mean, I I I really enjoyed the framing device of a love song centered around the idea of like uh 34th president of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. I said, "This is just strange enough that uh it it would work." And um I wrote that in my camper uh that I live in out at my uncle's place and it was right as the uh uh the wild flowers it was in Texas were really starting to to be in bloom you know about you know midappril early May when the weather was really starting to take a turn for the nice again and uh yeah just you know it was kind of you know in that lane of just a really sweet you know kind of blaze foley Guy Clark, you know, just simple little love song. Not to uh quote my friend Niles's song at all, but yeah, it's it's just a really sweet little song with like a really interesting framing device uh with, you know, instead of just saying all these sweet things about a girl, you know, it's, you know, talking to the, you know, the ghost of a dead president for his contribution to the highway system and creating the interstates in the US. So, um, it was one of those like, aha, I can I can be a smart songwriter every once in a while when I want to be. Uh, uh, but yeah, that's that's kind of where that comes from. Uh again, I I couldn't tell you the the the initial light bulb moment, but uh I don't know that, you know, that's just one of those little flash in the pan beauties of songwriting that uh was up in the air. You just got to reach down and grab it, you know? So, yeah, that's one of my favorites. It's a new song. >> She's she's very much into her her lyrics. It's funny because they they take the the piss out me slightly because I I put out a post recently to say I I really struggle with lyrics sometimes and songs. >> I think I saw that. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's um it's more common than I realized. I thought it was just me because um uh back in the day, back in my younger days, I was a DJ so I was listening to a lot of instrumental stuff, you know, old house and I think that was the problem. And you never had to listen to lyrics, but obviously being so much into country and and Americana, all the stuff that we're into now, it's it's a songwriting or or lyrical genre. Uh there's a story to be told and I I don't want to miss it. So, I have been, you know, like today looking through the lyrics on Spotify. Uh, if it's uploaded, if it's not, then I'm kind of screwed. I've got to listen intently, >> really focus. Yeah. >> Yeah, definitely. But she she she is particularly into her lyrics and and the storytelling, and that was her favorite. So, uh, just want to shout out Kenzie and kind of put that to you because I thought that was a cool story that she, you know, >> put to me, man. >> Well, thank you, Kenzie. I appreciate that. >> There you go. I'll keep happy for a bit. So, I mean, you talk about um you know, some social media stuff as well, and I I love to go through people's social media and kind of see how they interact and play with that. And you you're doing kind of the songs from the trailer, and you're barefoot. I always thought, you know, you got to be careful, race, because there's some foot fetish people out. >> See, I I it never occurred to me until last week. A friend told me, she said, "Hey, all these videos you're doing are awesome." like from the from the trailer, but uh you got to put some shoes on. I was like, "What are you talking about?" She's like, "You can't just be showing the dogs for free, you know." I said, "Oh man, I didn't even think about it." I said, "Now, now I got to now that's the joke." Like, in all these trying times when when you know people need a little bit of hope, you know, race is just giving out, you know, free feet picks. So, some someone's got to do it. Someone's got to take the bullet and be the hero, you know. So, if that's my cross to bear, then >> you're kind, mate. You're kind. And if uh things get hard up, mate, you know, you can always kind of do only feet or only fans, whatever you want to call it. It's >> Yeah, I didn't know. Apparently, they also told me that there's a website called Featfinder that is specifically dedicated for that kind of premonition. So, um, Featfinder, if you're looking for people to sponsor, uh, >> this episode is sponsored by >> Oh, man. Where are we going with this podcast now? But there was a reason why I said that, honestly. Um, no, I say I just love going through people's social media because it it it's hilarious some of it. Some of it's great and some of it's just straight up good music and, you know, I just love to share it. But in terms of like looking after yourself and as an artist we always like to ask about mental health and and things like that and you know it's it's a tough industry to kind of crack and if you don't have good people around you you know it it can feel a bit lonely I suppose. So I suppose from your point of view mate um how do you keep yourself on the straight and narrow and kind of positive? >> 100%. Um, I think about that quite a bit and have come to the conclusion that if you take care of yourself in just the life avenue of things, you know, out outside of work and music, you know, if you just take care of yourself on the, you know, on the family front, you know, call your family, go home, visit people, you know, do things that you enjoy. I mean, for the longest time, music was a hobby until it wasn't. And so, I had to find other things to do. Um, you know, I I enjoy going to the gym. You know, one of my favorite things to do is I love going to the movies by myself. You know, if I have a day off, just go escape. Go sit in a dark room and eat some popcorn. And, you know, I don't care what's on. It's just nice to kind of escape for a little bit. you know, uh, you know, I love, you know, calling my brothers and say, you know, let's let's go let's go find something. You know, it's it's deer season in in Texas. So, I mean, that's a another thing this part of the year that's a a nice thing to do to just go disappear out into the quiet for a little bit. It's it's the it's the life things that if you take care of yourself there um it becomes easier stepping back into that creative artistic brain. Um and you end up coming back with a lot of really good things to write about on top of it, you know. Um you know, cuz like I said, I I live out at uh my uncle's place out in the camper and you know, there's no neighbors. It's nice and quiet, which I really enjoy that part. But, you know, it can be very easy to um, you know, accidentally, you know, selfisolate. you know, I go to town maybe once or twice a week to go get groceries and then uh if I don't schedule a rehearsal or, you know, make make the intentional decision to go be with your people, you know, do things that take care of your body and mind, then uh uh it can be very easy to just kind of backslide and, you know, find yourself in this weird slump of why do I feel this way? And then uh then you start facing the truth that you don't ever no one ever really wants to and you go, "Oh, well, there's this, this, this, this, that, and the other that you could fix and be doing better for yourself." And, uh, um, I I fall victim to that every once in a while, but, you know, once you figure it out, gets easier to do over time. So, um, yeah, it's just take care of the life things and then it makes makes the work makes the art easier to step in and out of, you know. >> Yeah. >> It's it's that question of if the music all went away tomorrow, >> you know, what do you have? >> Yeah. >> And and and that's something that, >> you know, if it did, you know, what do you spend your time doing? What do you spend your time occupying your energy with? And um and that's a question that keeps me in check a lot of times and just taking care of myself, taking care of my people and uh yeah, keep keeps you sane, keeps you healthy. >> Great advice, mate. And yeah, I think if anyone's listening out there, like you say, just reach out to people, you know, speak to family and yeah, I think that's really cool advice. And it's interesting to find what works for people um in different ways. And you know, it's funny when we were going around kind of our our tour of Texas with Tobo. Um that's a good title that is. Um he said, "Oh, there's this really cool thing called floating, I believe it's called, and I think that would help my mental health." Yeah. >> Oh, you would. >> You would love that. Oh, yeah. Ne next next time y'all come down, I would make a point to uh take a day and go do that. That would that'll that'll cure whatever's wrong with you if you have something wrong with you. There's a there was there another fun Niles story for you. There was about a two week stretch that uh I was I you know was staying in Niles's guest room there in San Marcus and you know just short of paying rent you know as long as I was there. And uh we would write, you know, go play a show, go see a show somewhere during the day, you know, have way too much fun in the evenings, you know, be detrimental to our health. And then there's the San Marcus River that runs right through the middle of town. That was probably one of the best cure all hangover cures. Just go jump in the cool river. It stays like 70° year round, even in the middle of winter. I said, "Well, that's that's a miracle." And so, just about every day we'd spend an hour just go down to the >> down to the river, jump in, you know, cool your jets, and then do it all over again. And so, it it's a it's a medicinal in more ways than not, for sure. >> Yeah. It might have been somewhere that we were close to because we we I think we're on our way to Green Hall that day and you know, Talba was giving us the kind of the tour guide thing as we went over certain bridges and the river was there and he goes, "Yeah, that that's uh something me and Ronnie would be into just tying to each other to a a freaking uh was it like a lil or a rubber ring? Um getting a pack of beers out, getting your getting our fat bellies out and just floating down the river getting pissed." I thought that sounds like heaven to me, mate. >> Yeah, that's that's it's another one of those, you know, you ask the question, you know, what makes Texas so special? It's it's it's the little it's those little things like that that not everywhere >> is easy to find. But yeah, the Guadalupy River was right there behind Green Hall where y'all were where a lot of people float. A lot of people float right down that stretch >> uh where y'all were at. So, >> it's hilarious, man. I'd love all that stuff. So, yeah, that's that's another thing to add to the list for when we come back, man. But, uh, there you go. Um, so in terms of, you know, we we we dialing it back to like a bit earlier. We were talking about people we should be listening to, people that we recommend. And we love to ask everyone that comes on the podcast, you know, what is the best album or the best single, not ever, because I think that's kind of a cliche question, but I think there's so much good music being released now and in the last five, even 10 years. So, let's go back 5 years um within this time scale. What is the best album or single that you've personally listened to that you enjoy and people should give it a listen? What was my what was the time frame you gave? >> So the last five years, let's say. Yeah, >> man. That's tough. I I'm I catch some new stuff. My ear to the scanner when it comes to new music is not as tuned as it used to be. Uh single or album? Man, that's a good that's a great question. put you on the spot now. >> I mean, I really do love I mean, and I think part of it is a little bit of bias, but when I, you know, full projects, I love what Nick Brumley did last year when he released Circus. I think it is such a really cool songwriter record uh with a bunch of really cool sounds and instruments that would not have been, you know, what I first thought of when I heard the songs in their earliest form. I think that's I I love that record so much. Um, I think part of it too, my opinion is shaped because I got to see about half of it being worked on and was in the room watching it being created. And, you know, and I and I hate that that shapes my opinion, but gosh, I really do think that's a a really special project that I know Nick doesn't give himself enough credit for that. That's really special. Uh, another good one I I tell you recently another good one that uh came out uh like brand new just came out uh Luke Bell uh had a a record of a b you know the late bell had a aostumous record come out of some old songs that he had recorded that are just really good and just really special. Uh, man. Let me see if I got one more good example. uh something to chew on or you know and and sometimes this does some people um when when I put you on the spot but is there any like new upand cominging artists that you think should be getting more recognized you know with with the Rugged Revival we're a bit of a community and we try and platform new people and and and just get that spotlight sometimes So, you know, on on the road when you're playing with people, any openers or any anyone that you've seen personally would think actually they're [ __ ] awesome and they need more exposure. >> Yeah. Uh there's a band, they're actually opening for us in uh uh tomorrow night. Uh they're a band called Tiny Joy. They're an indie alternative. They're not really country at all. I mean, they're they're like an indie rock group uh from from Witchaw Falls, from my part of Texas that uh that uh is just super different. And I and it's hard for that kind of music or harder I should say for that kind of music to really thrive in a in a state and a a listener base that is so predominantly focused on what's going on in the country and Americana or whatever you want to call it. that realm and the sound they're making is super cool and different that I think a lot of people from this uh part of the state and this state in general uh you know that you you don't find unless you go to a Dallas or an Austin and they're based out of you know small town North Texas that I I think they've got some and they're they're young I think they're I think they're around my age if I had to guess around you know mid to early 20s I think. Um, but I'm I've been really enjoying their stuff right now. Uh, and excited to hear them open things up tomorrow night for us. >> Awesome. So, that's Tiny Tiny Joy. >> Tiny Joy. Yeah. >> Yeah. We'll check them out, man. It's It's always fun because there's there's lots of names that pop up that we've not heard of and others may not. And we we go down the rabbit hole and you think actually they become your new favorite brand sometimes. It's really cool. Another one. They're not I wouldn't say they're up and coming, uh, but they're one of my favorite bands. They're from Denton, uh, just north of Fort Worth. It's a band called Slobber Bone. Uh they were one of the acts that ran around a lot with, you know, the drive by truckers, uh Whiskey Town, uh the bottle rockets, kind of the mid to late 90s, early 2000s alternative country scene, uh before people really knew what to do with it. Uh the Midwest, you know, like Wisconsin, Illinois, they were on to it before Texas ever really figured it out or really embraced it. Um, and it's it's it's like country music meets punk rock and it's Brent Best uh is the front man and songwriter of that band. And uh I love that group so much. They've been you know kicking ass since uh you know the '9s with that band. And they're one of my absolute favorites. And again they're a band from my part of the world uh you know from my corner of Texas. So, I love getting to shout them out. There's actually a song of theirs uh called Lumber Lung that we cut uh that I cut and putting on the record that'll be out uh early next year that I'm that I just adore. Um so, that that's another band that, you know, Yeah. not a young dog in the game, but one of my absolute favorites. >> Well, no, I appreciate you sharing that, mate. It's it's another lot I have not personally heard of. So, yeah, it's interesting. like you say with the story that you you're doing some bits with that next year. So >> fantastic mate. We'll uh we'll give that a spin too. So add that to our long list of uh of new music. So it keeps us busy. >> So in the future mate, you know, let's say in the future, so like um you know, a bit weird then, but uh in your head, have you got some kind of plans in the next three to five years in terms of any particular goals or anything that you want to achieve? >> Yeah. Uh, and I hope it's sooner rather than later. I mean, we've been hunting for I say we I've been hunting for a van, you know, that's kind of our next step. I've got the trailer. All I need is a van that I can put the band in and we can go just about anywhere cuz I I'd want to I want to go out and tour. I know uh more than just our little, you know, three to four state area and local haunts that we play pretty regularly. Uh I know we'll get the van within the next year. That opens us up to a lot more places being able to go. Um you know, for the most part, I'm still independent. You know, booking everything, all the shows myself. uh basically playing the role of manager booking and I'm at the point now where uh uh thankfully that it's it's getting to be its own full-time job in its own right and there's a lot that I end up missing um because of the volume of how much there is to do on the booking side >> and that's it we're looking for help you know management on that end and we're you know talking to some folks trying to get that sorted out um really just you know I this year I started the LLC to finally you know you know also kind of hold me accountable now that it's an official like it's a you know company more or less at least on paper in the eyes of the state of Texas >> but um it's really just how do we further legitimize and spread uh you know the gospel if you will of these songs that we that we really believe in. Um, you know, I I I want I just want to road dog it. I really just want to hit the road and take these songs to places we've never played them before. Um, because, you know, social media is all well and good. I mean, it helps so much. You know, it's never been easier to find people and really good music. Um, but, you know, hitting the road, making new fans in person, you know, you'll never beat that. That's never going to go away. Um, you know, and so, uh, that's what I really want. And kind of looking back, you know, it's it's funny, you know, it's so easy to to get down and go, man, I wish, uh, I wish I was, you know, why am I not further on than where I am right now? And I look back at, you know, when I just graduated college, wanting to do this full-time, uh, everything that I wanted 5 years ago, just starting out or thinking I wanted, I have now. You know, I'm in that position now. And so everything Race wanted, you know, you know, you know, that long ago, he has now. And so that's, you know, that's a win. >> And so it's just the that mindset of keep doing what you're doing. And uh as long as you're seeing some sort of growth and exponential growth to where you can look back in five years and go, do I have everything I thought I wanted or wanted 5 years ago? Do I have it now? Whether all of them or some of them, you know, as long as you can check some of those boxes off, you know, that's growth. That's a win. And so, uh, but yeah, we're just van hunting, trying to get the road show as best as we can because I I just want to I want to take it want to take it to places we haven't we haven't hit yet. >> Hell yeah, man. That that sounds really exciting. And I hope you get your van. So, anyone listening, Yeah. sort race out with a van cuz uh he's got fans in Kentucky with Kenzie. So, uh with places to play, so it sounds uh sounds like you've got uh so much going on, mate. And you know, I I hope that it all comes true for you. Absolutely. And you know, once you get the the other states sorted, you know, we want you to come to the UK as well. There's any, >> you know, any anything on that scale that you can do. >> Maybe a Stocktoberfest happens in y'all's y'all's neighborhood one of these years. I've all man I've I've told Nick and Presley this so many times that it'd be so cool to go over there and you know with the contacts that we we have now you know through y'all and some other friends to finally do a UK run and just go you know do some pub sessions and sit down and uh I I can't remember if I if it was y'all I was talking to about it or not but I didn't learn until recently that uh you know all the pubs and the bars closed down at uh like 11 11:00 p.m. uh over there, which is, you know, so different from over here to where, you know, >> you know, sometimes we don't even show up to a place to have a good time until 11:00 p.m., you know, when you leave at 2 3:00 in the morning. But uh uh no, that's the UK's always been on on our list, you know, cuz even before meeting y'all, I mean, we understood that there was a presence and a and a pretty niche, but you know, well reppresented demand for the kind of music and sound that's going on over here, uh that they would appreciate and that y'all appreciate, you know, across the pond. So, uh we know it's there, we know there's rooms for it. We just we just need to buy the plane ticket, I guess. >> Hell yeah. Well, let's do it. Let's uh let's do a Stocktober. I I probably can't, you know, steal Tao's name. He might be done for copyright, but uh yeah, we'll call it something else. The the Grand Old Revival is what we wanted to call our festival here. >> There we go. >> That's our pipe dream, mate. You know, the Grand Old Revival, and we we'll have definitely you guys come over. And yeah, like you say, the scene's a bit strange here in the UK. It's um you know, we do have pub venues. We do have proper venues as well. Um but yeah, the the kind of nightlife scene suffered significantly the last I don't know 10 15 years and you know with with the closing time with the price of alcohol price of admission you know places are struggling. Um so where where we've tried to kind of help others come over it's been it's been great. I think it's drawn the crowds in and it it's got so many new kind of listens and and and new kind of fans of, you know, the Kentucky scene and the Kentucky guys that have come over in the last year or two. They've absolutely loved it. Um, so yeah, I I would love to get the Texas scene here cuz there's definitely a place and definitely fans here. So, let's do it, mate. Let's add that to our our list of things once you got your van, obviously, to to go. >> There we go. Oh, yeah. >> We we'll start off with one thing at a time. Um, so that's cool. So, so what have you got planned for the rest of the year, mate? How, how are you wrapping things up? And, you know, what you doing for Thanksgiving? >> Yeah. Uh, what am I doing for Thanksgiving? Uh, so I'll probably kick it up to my hometown where only where my mom and dad and my grandmother still live. And uh I use Thanksgiving as a kind of a a work day nowadays. As in, you know, I'll show up to my grandmother's house, hang her Christmas lights, and get all her stuff down for her, you know, cuz I mean, I'm one of those I can't can't just sit still for too too long, you know? I got to be doing something. And so I'll go home for a little bit, but then next Saturday, you know, after Thanksgiving, uh myself, Nick Brumley, Presley Hail, and Niles is with us now. We we've been doing a yearly, uh we call it the house show at a at one of our favorite venues, uh called Haiko Hall. Um, it's a used to be a big old cotton seed mill uh that they bought basically kept all the original stone and woodwork and machines in it and turned it into a a venue. They do weddings, concerts. It's a it's a really neat place and we turn the stage into some it looks like somebody's like living room. Like we put couches, you know, deer heads. We turned the sta we turned the stage into you know like it you're playing into someone's home and make it you know super cozy and it it you know not on purpose but it happened to just fall in line with the whole kind of week of Thanksgiving and how you know homey and cozy everyone's already feeling or not feeling you know depending on how much people enjoy being around their families. But uh um that's a show we've been doing for the past 3 years that we we always look forward to that we get to end our Thanksgiving week with. But other than that, we just got a a handful of more shows with the band that I have and uh some little pickup solo gigs around. You know, get a little bit of pocket change for Christmas presents and things of that nature. But uh um and other than that, that's pretty much it. It's just a foot race to the end of the year now. We've got all the the albums done, finished, pretty much done. So, we're just sitting and waiting now. Waiting to strike. >> You've done the hard work, mate. And now it's time to kind of uh kick back uh perhaps for the rest. So, that's awesome, mate. You know, I hope you have a a great Thanksgiving and and Christmas. You know, that I can't believe that's crept up on us already almost. I was talking like it's now, but yeah, it's like a month's time and I'm not prepared for it at all. >> I'm not either. I'm so behind. >> I've got my kids and my wife on me go, "Yeah, well, have you sort everything out? Have you bought all the No, I have done nothing." So, uh, you know, hopefully not listening to this, but there you go. But look, dude, it it's been a real pleasure having you on. Um, you're a true gentleman, mate. Um, thanks for indulging me. you're an incredible musician and you know we can't wait to see your career flourish even more uh than it has done so far and you know is there anything that I've missed that perhaps you want to plug or or get out there for for people that can perhaps support you uh and help you along the way mate I mean we covered a lot of it you know I mean just new records coming out early next year uh we talked if you want to see any of those free feet videos it's all on Instagram and Tik Tok at race ricketetts music. So, >> drop me a tip at least. Come on. >> Yeah, at least send send me something. But, uh, from my troubles. Uh, but yeah, that's that's really it. Just follow along and just listen. And the biggest thing is just, you know, pop the music on a playlist and uh, you know, I'm not going to I'm never one to just say when people say, "Hey," and just listen to the music. That's the biggest thing, you know, uh, just put it on a playlist. If it comes on, you know, listen to the first 30 seconds. So, I get the I get the stream out of it, you know, you know, but uh but yeah, >> the pre-save as well. I think that helps a lot. So, yeah, let's let's get them up and we'll we'll we'll share as much as we can. We've we've got a playlist that we update each week and you know, we try and follow as many artists that we have on the podcast and just friends and you know, we just we try and do our bit. So, I think if everyone out there does the same, let's uh let's boost and let's all have a good time. But, uh I don't know if you've got a drink handy, mate. Uh if not, you know, we'll just do a a quick toast. There you go. There you go. Um so what we do at the end of the show is just a very quick toast to say to the grit, to the grind, and to the revival. Thanks everyone for listening and thank you Race. >> See y'all. I appreciate you. This man.
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