Summer Dean – The Queen of Texas Country

When you lose your [Applause] love, crashing, hearts get broke, tables turn, you lose, you learn. Welcome to the Rugged Revival podcast. We are the home of the UK's country, Americana, and Roots Music community. I'm here, your host, TJ, and I'm here again with Rugged Ronnie, who's losing his voice. So, I'm going to steal the limelight of this show for a change and I might actually get a word in as usual. Um, but on today's show, we have a very special guest. We have the reigning queen of Texas country music, Miss Summer Dean. And, uh, how are you? How are you doing? I'm great. April is a beautiful time to be in Texas. The weather is great. You know, we get about like uh it turns hot in May, so April is the only month that it's actually real pretty outside. So, it's a good time to be to be a Texan. Oh, fantastic. I'm always jealous of your weather. Yeah. I mean, English weather is a bit funny this time of year. Uh, it was raining yesterday. It was sunny today. Not funny at all. It's miserable. Well, yeah, it's hilarious. Yeah, it's hilarious. Yeah. Absolutely nothing nothing good about. Anyway, uh so welcome to the Rugged Revival. Really appreciate you coming on. Uh, and I think a good way to kick things off, we ask everyone that that comes on the show is perhaps if you introduce yourself and tell the listeners how you would describe your music. Okay. Uh, I'm Summer Dean. I'm a seventh generation Texan. Um, my music is country music in its most uh, not its most, I would say country under the subg genre of honky tonk and songwriter. And um we play Texas and we uh a lot and we play in the we tour the nation a lot. We've been to England and the UK and um it was amazing. And um um my country music is um for adults. Not in that it's like triple X or anything like that. and that I, you know, I'm not like a man hater that's going to talk about keying some guy's car because he cheated on me or something, you know. It's a little more a little more authentic and vulnerable in that, you know, it's a you know, for women, not girls, you know. Good to hear. Yeah. Is that good? Perfect. Yeah, that's fantastic. And um we we mentioned you are the reigning queen of Texas country music. So, we've had a few nicknames on the the show already with previous guests. We've had the mountain mama, the queen of Appalachia, and we had Presley Hail on the other week, and we coined her Texas bell. So, I'm I'm so glad we didn't say she was the queen of uh Texas. You know, these things get said these things get said in articles and then our PR people love it and so it sticks, you know. But there are a lot of queens of country music out here. There's a lot of uh there's a lot of really great female Texas singers. So, I hate claiming the queen thing. I mean, I'll take it, but I'll just I'll just tell you I ain't the only one. I was going to say the um the only names that our PR people have got a hold of for me and TJ, we can't repeat. Um so, you know, it's it's Hey, there's some people that'll call me those names, too. And they can suck it, you know. Yeah, exactly. That's going to be on our bio, I think. So, they can suck it. Have that. Yeah. Well, that's a good segue to hand over to Ronnie to start. Thank you very much. Uh your majesty as the reigning queen of Texas. It's lovely to meet you. Honestly, uh I cannot tell you what an absolute privilege it is to uh to interview you today. Um I although I'm losing my voice uh and I feel a little bit under the weather, I wouldn't miss it for the world. So uh thank you so much for joining. Um, I would love to start off tonight's show with asking you some questions around your personal family life if you wouldn't mind. So, um, Summer, can you tell us please where was Summer's first steps? Um, and take us onto the journey into your teenage years if you don't mind sharing that with us. I have no idea where my first steps were. You're the only one that said that. Like, I had to set an alarm to tell me what time to take pills. like I don't know when my first steps were. I'm in perry menopause like you know uh um but you know as a teenager so I grew up a agriculturally uh um my family's been running cattle since the 30s and uh so I was I you know I was a little country kid and and uh but I also um played I lived in a little town so it there weren't a lot of sports available for people to play but I just was a regular bluecollar American neighborhood kid. Road boxed with my friends and I did play music. My mom played piano in a Baptist church for almost 40 years. And so, uh, I was just kind of into all of it. Uh, emotionally, like what I talked to my therapist about, and I'll keep it chill, I was an achiever, you know, like I was the kind of person that like wanted to win and achieve and be great at everything, which also does does you good, but also does you bad, too. So that's the kind of teenager I was and I like to perform. I still do. And and uh I was just kind of that's pretty normal to me, you know. And what did you what did you sort of listen to when you were when you were younger? Is there anybody in particular that you listen to music-wise? Is there any sort of genre? Yeah, you know, back then, see, I was a teenager in the 90s, and so uh we didn't have their only way to hear music was what was on the radio. Mhm. You know, and there weren't like Spotify in the internet where you can dig down deep and find stuff that you like, you know, it was just uh lighter notes and the radio. So, I loved the Juds and Reeba and um and then on the other side, New Kids on the Block and MC Hammer because that's the time. Yeah. You know, but I really my first concert ever was Reeba and um Oh, I love I love to sleep at the wheel and uh I used to roller skate in the driveway all that stuff and I can't believe that I sing it on stage now in my 40s. It's crazy. Where does life live go? Oh, nobody's ever asked these questions. These are neat questions. Oh, really? Yeah. By the way, for sore throat, um my friend is an auctioneer at cattle markets, right? And he told me about these cough drop or lossenes, I guess, called fisherman's friend. Do you all have those? We got them over here. We've got them over here. And I've never They're really good, are they? I drop them down into hot water with lemon. What a great idea. And I'm gonna They're super English. No, I love it. They taste absolutely disgusting. So, yeah. I'll get you a packet. I'm I need to go and get something for um for tomorrow because we've got another one tomorrow. There we are. Um anyway, but uh I will take that note and I'll go and get myself some. Um but no, I'm I'm I can't believe no one's asked them actually. Uh because we like to we like to go from the start. I'm waffling now, but we're going to the start to where you've come from, what you've done all the way through. Um and actually it was a it was a sort of memory you brought up from when you said uh you know in the '9s when it was just the radio to listen to or I used to rifle through my mom's CD drawer or tapes. It used to be the little the little tapes and listen to Buck Owens, uh Dwight Yokum, Reeba, um and Charlie Pride actually. Uh and George Jones obviously. So anyway, um yeah, but no. Great. Um and uh and is when was there a certain point where you said, "Do you know what? I think um I think music might be my thing. I think I think I'd like to do something with music." Did you have that snap point or did it take a while after that or did you kind of I had two of them. So, uh, in college, I went to college at Texas Tech in Leach in West Texas. And, um, there's a lot of country music history there. Um, Texas country music history. So, probably then is when I started like playing out and writing songs and stuff like that. and I loved it and it felt comfortable and felt easy, but I was also a college kid and and drawing back to the only way to really hear music was what was on the radio. I didn't uh look or sound or write songs like those people on the radio. And so it didn't seem like a realistic thing for me. It also didn't seem like what a woman like me does. I still had the vision for myself that I'd get married and have babies and go back to the ranch. And uh so I I guess I didn't take it seriously, you know. I always kind of stayed in it since then. Um and so then I spent the next 15 20 years just kind of floating around. I kept friends in the industry and might sing harmony and stuff every once in a while, but I never just took it seriously. And then a friend was like, "Hey, why don't you sing this duo stuff with me, covers, like background music at restaurants and stuff." And I was like, "Yeah, that'd be fun. Sure." And so I got that going and then I started feeling that little bubble again, you know, and I got tired of doing covers and and then just laid all the way down into it and uh to the point where it kept growing and growing and I couldn't do lots of different projects morphed into other projects and so on. And then I couldn't I was a school teacher and I couldn't do both anymore. I was taking naps underneath my desk while the kids were at their computer class or whatever, you know. Yeah. And I was 39 and I was just like, screw it. I got to I got to just try and and um because I'm an adult and I was raised right and made sure my finances would kind of be taken care of. But without kids or a husband, it really it's amazing what you don't need. Yeah. You know, so uh kind of got things in order. Got a credit card opened before I quit my job. That was smart. And um small folk good. Now I was like they're like are you still making this income? And I just delete. Not answering. Not answering. But um uh and then just went for it. And that was five years ago. So I'm still sustaining myself which in my version is is success. Like if I can sustain myself doing this for a job. So I had one in college where I felt it bubble. It just felt so natural and it felt like the most me. And then I'm glad I lived through a lot of things in life because if I had kept doing it then I probably would have messed it up you know and become uh not the person I am which I'm proud of now you know. Absolutely. And and thank God you did you did do all that uh because we've got the opportunity to listen to you and and speak to you doing this now. Um and I think uh you know one one of the one of the things you just mentioned that you you started teaching um I thought I was going to be really smart then to come up with a question and say now somebody told me that you used to teach but you've already said it. So um I I just wanted to I wanted to ask what was your what was your sort of favorite subjects? What did you teach? Was it was it general everything or was it Yeah, I mean kind of I mainly taught math but like to third graders so don't think I'm like smart like it's third grade math. Um, but I I I never I mean I might have been good at it, you know, and people were kind of upset that I didn't care for it because, oh, but you're so good at it. And I'm like, look, I'm really good at mopping the floor. I don't do that for a living, you know, like just because you're good at it, it doesn't mean it feels right. It never felt right. But I got my teach I didn't major in I majored in a communications and animal sc uh I mean a communications and like a stuff, you know. Yeah. So, I just became a teacher because I thought that would be a good job for a wife and a mom because you can do it anywhere in Texas, you know, like I was literally setting myself up to be this person, which is a wonderful life, but it just never felt uh comfortable for me. I always It just wasn't summer. It was and I couldn't figure it out. For a long time, I thought that maybe there was something a matter with me because I wasn't lining up the way I was supposed to. And I wrote a lot of songs about that. Uh, but I've, you know, we've come come through it now and now I've now now I'm landed there. But I mainly taught math to little kids and they comment on YouTube. That's my math teacher. You know, it's cute. That's brilliant. I'll ask you some questions about uh you can give us some gossip later because we love some gossip on this show, Summer. So, um I I'll make some uh let's start some rumors. Yeah, please. Yeah. Yeah. Just rumors and Yeah, why not? Um there is there was a comment I wanted to um I wanted to come back to when I saw you being interviewed uh a while back now. Um and I I thought is an an epic comment. Um and you said I'll quit my 9 to5 to work 24/7. Um and and then you said, you know, when you when you you were doing your introduction there, this isn't chick country, this is woman country. And I just that stuck with me for the whole time after listening to that um that interview that was done. Uh I think it was on YouTube. Um it really stuck out to me. But I just love that part of equipment 9 to5 to work 24/7 and you're like yes exactly. Yeah. Well, it consumes you you know anytime you jump off as an entrepreneur in any business uh you know uh it consumes you especially like not you know especially being single with no kids. It's really like that's where I put 95% of my energy and my thought process, my conscience, you know, all of it goes towards this career. And so, yeah, I if I'm not doing, I'm thinking about it all the time. And so, I write everything off on my taxes. Everything. I'm like, when am I not working? You know, so everything is written off. That's brilliant. Um before I hand over to TJ because I know I've been taking so much of your time up already. I've got so much to ask. Um but I I wanted to ask you um do you think your sort of upbringing uh and what you've been through and what you've done because I know some of your songs that you've you've talked about you've quite openly talked about um which is one I'll come on to later. But in your songwriting, do you think that your upbringing, what your your experiences, little things that have happened throughout your journey, do you do you think that's influenced your your songw writing and put that into the songs that you're playing today? Yeah, 100%. Especially at the beginning. Um, you know, like they say, write about what you know. And even if a song I kind of look at it as even uh mental exercises uh some songs are almost 100% autobiographical in my brain or my experience and then some of them I consider my existence and my conscience like and there's all these little spokes and paths coming out of it and I will connect to one little thing and then like open in that room and just go all the way in it. So everything starts really I have to connect to something in it. Yeah. You know uh and so everything starts there and so yeah usually you know I yeah it's it's all autobiographical. I may take poetic license and and exaggerate or extend or like I have a song um she's in his arms but I'm in the palm of her hand and it's this story about being in San Antonio and seeing this magic woman and uh going into her thing and and she's telling me about this relationship that I had that ought not be in and that's the story and the the real life thing is like it wasn't in San Antonio. I just uh was feeling that kind of text vibe and when I wrote it, I don't know, maybe I just had a show in San Antonio that I liked or something. I don't know. Uh and I and and I did see a magic woman, like a medium person, but she wasn't in San Antonio and she wasn't on, you know. So, like it's all kind of true, but then you make it a story and uh but that's just songwriting, storytelling. Yeah. you know, and I I think I mentioned it um to one of the artists before. I love listening to um singers, songwriters that um you can really follow them on that journey. No matter what happens, there's always and if you can connect with some of the songs um which I'll again I don't want to steal the limelight, but um some of the songs that I'll mention later, you can really follow that on a journey. You think, "Yeah, that means" and you can picture it and it's like it's like you just said, storytelling. You can picture it in your head. you're you're wear with that you're there with that singer. Um so thank you for sharing that with me. I'm gonna show I like that you say that you picture it. To me that's the difference in elevated songwriting. Yeah. You know not every you can only break the rules if you know the rules. So some some songs completely follow the rules and they're great like Chattahuchi. like that song follows the rules and it's a great song, right? And then there and then on not a higher or lower but on another level. Uh Willie does it great like he can freeze moments and you visualize the entire thing and he just said like three words like but you know what's going like you can relate to it and and I I I kind of think of it as full circle and I try to talk to fresh songwriters about it. Uh, like if you want to if you're if you want to if you're writing in that kind of vibe, like more of a poetic vibe, like you think about what you want to say, go on the under other end of it and say it so that they picture that. Like don't say there's a girl in a red dress. Like maybe you can, you know, you want them to picture the girl in the red dress, but what can you say to make them picture that versus saying it? And but I I think that's fun. So, I'm glad you're talking about visualizing because I do I do try to do that, you know. It's fun and it's also a bit magical and I love it. So fun to write, too. You've got to have that that skill. You've got to have that and people can follow you on the journey. So, um right over to uh over to TJ. I'm going to shut up now. Thank you so much. Don't shut up. Our job is to talk right now, right? We're not very good at it though, me and Ronny. But, uh we we'll give it a bash. Um I completely agree with Ronnie. We we weren't actually speaking about this earlier, but I was in the car listening to your music. Um, just just doing a bit of research and like you say, it's very clever songwriting and I I completely get the imagery. Um, for me it was quite cinematic some of the songs and I could picture myself in certain places or certain times and, you know, I think music is um, like I say, really clever when you can you can do those sort of things. Um, and it's country music for grown-ups like you say. Um, which is fantastic because uh I'm getting old now and it's great to to hear that type of music and um for me it's um it's interesting to look at your career, you know, super interesting because you you say you started out as a elementary school teacher and then playing the honky tonks at night and what a career you've had, you know, to start relatively late on uh and to to to get success so quickly. I know there's lots of people out there still grinding and and still putting in, you know, the the the time. So, it's an incredible achievement. Um, how did you go about it? What what's your secret? If you can tell people what your secret might be. Well, if there was one way to be to do it, everybody would do it. Like, it's not there's no secret, you know? I uh I got really lucky. Um, I got really lucky in that my first main single to come out was a duet with Coulter and that I think uh allowed me to uh make a big leap at the beginning uh because uh I don't think I without that I don't think I would have been able to uh climb whatever ladder like it's weird to think of me as success uccessful for myself because I'm constantly trying to keep going and keep going, you know, and so it's good to think back and be like, yeah, but I I got really lucky with that first song with Cultter. And I know 100% that's what allowed me to go a little faster at the beginning. And uh I will forever be grateful to my friend for doing that with me. You know, before it came out, uh I called him and was like, "I got to say something to you before this comes out, so it's not on my conscience for the rest of my career." Like, you're a big deal and no one knows me and they're about to know me because of you. So, I am using you. I have to say that to you. I'm using your name. Like, I am piggybacking off you and you know, you need to know that I'm aware of that and you can tell me to cut it off and I'll shut it off right now. You know, if you're not comfortable with that cuz that's what it's going to be. It may not be that way in our hearts and we actually wrote a song together that we liked and we had a good time doing it. Like there wasn't like, "Hey Coulter, can you do me a favor?" That wasn't out there. We just were honestly enjoying it. Um, and he was like, "No, we wrote a good song. Forget about it. Put it out." You know, that just he's a man with great character, so I appreciate that and I'll forever be deaded to him. So that was my uh luck. Yeah, that was my luck. like you just need C to Wall on uh your album and uh things will be good. Easy, easy, I guess. Yeah, you got to keep it going after that, you know, but uh but he definitely put his hand out and pulled me up uh with that song and I appreciate it. Fantastic. So, how did you get to know Coulter originally? We uh um we met at a festival that we played in Austin at a green room and um weren't really familiar with each other. Just kind of hit it off as buddies that um uh that are lovers of the land and cattle and cowboy way of life and stuff like that and just became friends that way. and then um kept getting back together, finding ourselves in the same on the same project and things like that. And so um yeah, we just my friend did a uh soundtrack for a movie. We both had songs on and so it just kind of kept lining up, you know, and so we just became friends through the scene, through the cowboy music scene, I guess. Fantastic. He he seems like a really laid-back dude and uh yeah, a real likable guy. Yeah, he's a good standup guy. Yeah. Fantastic. So, let's delve into your music then, um Summer. So, like you said, we we we started with your debut EP uh in 2016. So, relatively, you know, uh recent still, and you've just been on fire since. So, 2016, 2021 was your your first album where uh your track of Coulter was on. uh and then 2023 and 2025. Um you've just been smashing loads of amazing uh records out. So tell us what that journey's been like. You know, what what uh kind of reception did you get at the beginning? And yeah, up to now, you know, how how's it been for you? Well, the first one in 20 2016 had no like purpose. I was just playing songs out around town and uh you know three and four hour gigs at a burger joint type stuff and um I had I was writing songs and at the merch booth I didn't I didn't have anything to sell anybody or you know I had some free sticker you know so I just called a friend and said uh how do you make an album like how do you record music? I know I I mean I'd know anything. I didn't know how to book shows. I just I don't know. I would just talk to people I know and ask questions and show up and think, "Well, I'll handle it." Whatever it is, you know. And uh uh so I called him and said, "How do you make a record?" And he's like, "I can help you do that." And I was like, he goes, "You need to get about six songs." That's and we'll make an EP. I'm like, "What's an EP?" Like I didn't know anything. And uh so yeah, we went down to Austin and he got it all together and uh held I mean I asked every dumb question like and I remember I did the first day I ever did vocals on my first ever album and like I didn't know gosh I just think back how much I didn't know you know and and I was crying cuz I was like this is so much stress singing and like hearing myself and not knowing what I'm doing and I don't like I hate it. I hate it. I was really stressing out, overthinking everything because I didn't know what I was doing. And he said, I keep repeating that, but he goes, "Hey, Dean, Dean, kind of bro," he talks like that. Will bro, look, Dean, this is the worst it's ever going to be. He's like, "These are your these are you're doing vocals on your first song on your first album ever. Like, this is the worst it's ever going to be, Dean, and you're rocking it. Don't worry about it." So, so I was like, "All right, all right." And I can't believe that we still play a song or two from that album in our set. Like I can't believe that those random songs are still holding up. That's cra that's crazy. So I mean it was just being able to say yes, being able just to be like I don't know. I don't know how to do this, but I'll try. I think that's the key to a lot of people being successful. Like you don't have to understand how anything is going to happen. You just have to be the kind of person to say yes and figure it out, you know? And uh that's with anything. I'm still that kind of person. Like I have no idea how like Facebook ads and and Tik Tok things work. I have no idea. And I'm like I don't know. I guess I'll just film this and put it out. Like so that's a whole gosh this in the industry has changed so much. And I don't know if I don't want to say it's for the better, but I'm not going to say it's for the worse either, you know, but it's just no longer is it an invisible art. Like it is really like branding is way more important than it ever was before. And uh the image of yourself and what your brand is like this 10 times version of a little piece of you like you take one little piece of you as a human and you multiply that little piece 10 times and that's your brand. And as authentic as that is, it's really uh not as well. So it it's it's it's wild. It's wild out here, but we're doing it. The wild west. Yeah, absolutely. It's uh So, do you do your own kind of marketing and branding or do you have people that kind of work with you to to do that? Yeah, I I mean I basic Yeah, I do. I do. when when there's a whole album to put out, you hire like a a publicist to help you get the story out and and you hire the right team as in management and like album art and photographer, but all of those people that that kind of join together. You have a big team sometimes and sometimes you have a small team. depends on like what's happening in your career, but all of them are helping your vision come out. So yeah, every every artist pretty much does it on my at my size. It it comes from your own conscious. It comes with this image that you have in your head, the narrative that you've put behind the songs or behind the vibe. Uh all all that you do yourself. But there are I can't there are people that help you know but uh it's all comes from some something in my existence you know praise I've just got to go back to something that you mentioned earlier when we were talking and you described it absolutely right you you knocked the nail on the head when you said it's about being an entrepreneur uh and you have to think of everything you know from from you know merch what you've just said there, merch or how you're getting your vision put into pieces into, you know, into pictures, what you're doing here, how you're going to, you know, and that's it was the it was the best way to describe it. Um, and and even when you were saying, you know, you've just recording your first album back in 2016. Um, saying that, you know, you're asking all the dumb questions. That's what you have to do, right? That's what you have to you have to know the inside and out. And this is, you know, again, you know, TJ's TJ's been down the same route. We're we're doing the same thing, you know, it's all about, it's all about that. But yeah, sorry. Yeah. Yeah. Like Dolly says, you got to take the you got to take the like you win and you learn, you don't lose. You got to take those like unsuccessful things and think like, all right, well, this was successful. What's the difference in these two things? And try to make it all work. The hardest thing to me is navigating choices that are going to be successful with choices that feel right artistically. Like that's a weird balance to do all the time, especially when it comes to just writing songs. Like you want to write a song that's going to sell, you know? You want to write a song that's going to hit, but you also don't want to force a song out. You want it to be natural. And that's a weird game that I I work on every day, you know? Yeah, it's staying authentic, isn't it? You know, to true to to what why why you went into it in the first place. So, it's a interesting kind of perspective from from that point of view. Um, fantastic. And I was listening to your your latest release, Somebody's Knocking, uh, which is a cover, isn't it? I think of of an 80s song. Uh, really like that one. It's got some cool vibes to that. So, how do you go about choosing which songs you want to cover? Is that kind of going to be a more kind of prevalent thing in in what you're doing? Yeah. Bruce Robinson, a songwriter that I really respect, told me that um you know, your career can be made on a cover. And if you look back on it, a lot of careers are made on covers. And so, as much of a songwriter as I am, like I have no shame in covering um a great song. That's been a tradition in country music for a long time. back in the day. I mean, there would be several versions of the same song out at once, you know, but um I mean, you try to look at songs that fit your vibe and fit your brand, but then are on the fringe of it a little bit, you know, cuz I can write songs that sound just like me. I can't write a song like somebody's knocking. That is not in my that doesn't come out of me when I write for some reason. I wish it did, but um that particular that particular cover, our bass player brought it up and was like, "Hey, you I heard this song the other day on the radio. You'd sound really good doing it." I was like, "Oh, I remember that song." And so we we all were like, "Yeah, let's let's work it up." So we we're playing it live a little bit. And then the fans kept being like, "Oh, I love that song." And then uh it was either people saying they remember that song and they haven't heard it in a long time or younger crowd that have never heard it uh but but liked it. So we just kept getting good feedback so we just recorded it. Like it was really organic that one. And I didn't put a lot of money behind it or anything like that. We just had a great time with it. It's it's a blast. I wish I had a whole album of that. Uh I'm working on it. I wish I did, but I just I gotta find more songs uh originals that are in that vibe because it that's so fun. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we talked earlier about the the songs that you were listening to growing up. So, perhaps you could do an MC Hammer cover. I think that would uh be amazing. I love I have been thinking like what are some 80s songs that I can turn country, you know? I I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. There's some we've tried. I'm like that sounds ridiculous. We stop. We're forcing Stop, you know. Yeah. Uh, awesome. And then, you know, we we did some deep diving on summer earlier. Um, sounds exciting, doesn't it? Um, and we we looked at the accolades you've got as well. So, 2023, the Honky Tonk Female of the Year Award. That that sounds like an impressive award to receive. So, how did that come about? That's an Aropolitan Award. Um, they have four categories. Outlaw and I I won that in 2018. But um they have four categories of a maritan awards. Outlaw, western swing, rockabilly, and honky tonk. And they have male, female, and group categories within each category. And um I'm I'm grateful for that to win an award with the word honky tonk and female. And then you know that's that's cool. and that I I dedicate it that to every other I dedicated that when I want it to every girl that's out there putting on their eyelashes on in the van and like it's a it's a weird world out there on the road as a as a a middle of the run artist, you know? We're not in buses. We don't have teams doing our makeup. We don't have production or light. It's just a like I have some lights and a fan but like they're they're from the tractor supply store that I put up myself every you know like it's a weird thing you changing in a hot van and and it's a crazy world out there when the guys I notice on the road you know the guys put on a different shirt and pants and ready for the show and it's a whole thing uh for us girls it's a whole different thing and so I was really honored to be uh representing all the other girls out there that are doing that all the time, you know. Superb. And um you kind of touched upon your experiences of the kind of Texas music scene and being on the road. What is it like in your experience? I love to ask this question because I think the Texas scene is one of my favorites with you know Fort Worth and places like that and the ranch radio and we big fans of you know that that particular scene. So what has it been like for you particularly as a woman as well? Has it been difficult? Um or has there been any additional challenges for you? What what's it been like? Uh well, to answer the Texas part, um there's it's easy and hard. Like it's easy being in the Texas scene in that you can never cross the straight state line and make a really good damn career and make good money. We have we have our own system down here in Texas that can support an artist on its own. So that is awesome. There's lots of places to play. Lots of people can come hear it. The hard part about being a Texas artist in the Texas scene is that there's a ton of us. There are a lot of us and there's new ones all the time. And everybody's good because it's in our blood. It's in the dirt that we were raised on, you know, and there's a lot of good singer songwriters out there. we come I mean it's in our lineage to be storytellers and uh um and there's so that there being a lot means there's a lot of subg genres just within Texas and to the way people dance to what they drink to what bands they like to the sound like from from like a text mix to a folky bluegrass to like a pa style to a dance hall there's all these little subg genres in Texas. And so it's cool that we have our own basic music ecosystem. Uh but but also that's it's competitive, you know, not in a competition like against each other. It's just that there's, you know, a lot of people trying to get the same slots. Now, as far as being a woman in it, I'm not a feminist uh in the way of uh a lot of people, a lot of females don't like me saying that, but I just don't think I am. I don't think that complaining and yelling about stuff gets us anywhere. I think you should just be badass and show up. And I love being a woman in the scene. I think it's an advantage. Like I get to run around on stage with a fan in my hair and tight pants singing songs that I wrote. Like, hell yeah, dude. This great being a woman out here, you know? And uh like there's tons of men doing it. So like it's cool being uh you know, a woman doing it and kicking ass. And I think that's the best way to prove what a woman can do in this industry is just freaking own it. Like shut up and be badass, you know? And uh I don't know if that's a feminist of me or not, but that's just the way I see it, you know? I don't think there's anybody saying, "Let's not hire women." Like I don't think there's any groups being like, "Let's not hire women." They're just groups are hiring people that will make money. this is a music business, you know, so in instead of complaining about it, I just see it as my job is to uh make sure that more make help women be the ones making money so that we do get the bills. you know, it's that's that's all it is to me is I just see it as a challenge to rise up on, not necessarily uh, you know, a problem, but I have gotten yelled at by some women for for for behaving that way. I I don't know. I'm just trying to be natural with my own thoughts. I think some of it was I was raised around a lot of really strong women and that we didn't even see ourselves as being any different than anybody else. We just there was a job to do and we did it. That's it. And uh so that I think that's why some reason I don't connect with a complete feminist point of view is it didn't matter. There wouldn't be a time to figure it out, you know, so you just had to do it no matter what. Solve the problem. Superb. No, that's that's a great insight in into that from you. So, thank you for that. Please know that's just mine. I I don't know if I can speak for other women on there. No, no, absolutely. It's it's your your truth, isn't it? So, uh it's fantastic. And we've seen a lot of your videos and we love your style. Uh I think Ronnie would love uh to get into a a pair of tight leather pants. I don't think you're uh you're able to do that anymore, are you, mate? I just wear those. Where has this come from? I mean, yeah, if you want me to, you know. Yeah, absolutely. I just make it up on the fly. You get all sweaty. You get all sweaty and you can bar and you can barely get them on and off. That's the problem. I If I got up on stage wearing a pair of them, I think I make everybody sick, to be honest. Hey, that's man. You're doing something. You're getting a reaction. You're doing something, you know. Exactly. Yeah. I'm just getting sick thinking about it, to be honest. Let's move on to the next question. move on. In fact, I mean, this is uh actually know I wanted to talk a little bit about your tour schedule because it just seems insane, you know, since you released all of this music and and you're doing what you're doing. Um some of your tours over in 2023, um when you were touring Texas, you went over to Australia and then you come over to the UK all in one year. That's uh you must have been extremely busy. Um so yeah, tell us a little bit about that. Where were you? That was a while. That was a wild year. Uh yeah, that was a wild year. I kind of uh I kind of see touring and like and career stuff in cycles. Like uh there's times you're going forward and it's like push push and there's times you go back and grab stuff to go forward. And so on the year that in my mind on the year you release an album, uh that's when it's just go go go. Yes. Yes. Yes. You've got that publicist putting your name out everywhere. or your team's working hard, you know, that's when the all all engines are pumping and so your name is uh your name is in the air more and so you're going and saying yes and doing and doing and then there's seasons like I feel like I have now which other artists would be like oh she's so busy and I feel like I've had like a a chill year you know this year we're playing Texas a lot more and not not touring for a month or two at a time just like seven to 10 days at a time. So, nothing like nothing crazy. And so, I consider, you know, this year I'm going to stay home, not spend as much, write more, record more, uh, think about the next five years. And because, like I said, while ago, you know, I feel like even though there's a team that gets it done, it starts from my artistic conscience and where do I see this going? So, that's what I've been dealing with this year is just kind of uh I feel like I'm on the back side of the circle gathering and building and then then you have this product and you push on the other side and you just keep going like this. And that's why you can't compare yourself to other artists that are like doing badass things is because they just might be in another spot in their circle that's going around in their career, you know, another phase of it. So, uh, but, um, but yeah, last year was crazy and wild and I got I acred a ton of credit card debt and a great, but I don't care. It's a great experience, you know, I gained weight. It was freaking awesome because all that meant I was having a great time and um, it was really cool going over to the UK and playing those songs. It's bizarre touring overseas because you're just like, "What in the world are y'all doing here?" Like, how do y'all even know what I'm doing? And it's just it's just the neatest thing to be so connected to a to a group but but you're just so not you know uh and on it's it's a weird thing to you know to get all stoned and think about but it that that's what it felt like touring overseas to me is like this weird distant yet connected thing and like you're finding your people but they're not your people you It's a weird It's kind of It's like a you know when you get a new car and you know how to drive and you know how to work the radio but there's all new buttons and you know it takes you a minute to do like wait I'm doing the same thing I always do. I just need to figure out how this works. That's what I feel like when I'm touring. Like I'm doing what I do every time. I'm just I've got to deal with it in a different car and learn how this system works. But man, the UK is the best about buying merch. I always sell a ton of merch to you guys. Trucker hats. I cannot keep trucker hats. Yeah, absolutely. When I go over there, which is great because I don't want to bring that [ __ ] back. I said I don't want to bring any of that back. I remember London was the last show last time and I'm like, I'm selling everything tonight. Like, y'all have no idea what deals y'all are going to get because I want to sell all of it. I love it. I hope I come back soon because it was a blast. You have to come back soon because we missed you. Um I can't believe we missed there. because we got to like uh I went around with eggs connally and uh he drove me around and and uh and so I got that's the first time you usually we're just city to city and we we don't really get to see uh what it's life like there on the road like on the road but with a we got to drive from town to town and from city to city and so we would it was really neat just to see what life as a touring musician was really like over there it was Awesome. What was your favorite place in the UK if you can remember? Well, London, of course, was the one that showed up the biggest. Um, it's got to be London, tell you. I mean, but also I I don't know. There were probably different ones and I can't even I had to look at the list. I'd have to look at the list and like remember the places, you know what I mean? Like, oh, that was this place, that was this place. Um, I probably am drawn to the places where I had more time to like walk around and meet the people and and talk to the fans more. Because when you just show up and go to the green room and play your show and then talk to people at merch and go to the hotel like that's not any different than anywhere else, you know? So, I enjoyed when we got to play the smaller places and and hang out. But I don't I don't even remember not for a lack of not caring, just for a lack of and having brain fog. I'd have to look at the list. Yeah. Brilliant. Well, when you come back over, me and Ronnie will have to take you to some special places. There there's so many nice venues, but also nice uh rural places that we have out here. So, uh for sure we'll uh go ahead. So, yeah, for sure. We'll have to give you the guided tour. I would love that. You know, there's a big difference uh like a conceptual difference in the one one thing y'all do there that's different than ours. here. Um, the venues are the ones that put on the show and promote the show. And I noticed there and in Australia too, sorry about my allergy, spring season here, you know. Um, there the venues are just the house that the promoters or whatever put on the show. And so that would that's a significant difference over here than over there that like I would go to the venue and they'd be like, "Yeah, we don't know anything about it, but the promoter will show up in a minute. It's in that room." I was like, "Oh, okay." So, but yeah, the venues that do it here. Yeah, we've got some quirks quirks over here to say the least. Oh, I don't think there's a right and wrong way. There's just different ways, you Yeah, I know Ronny's been itching to to get into this subject, so I will stop talking now. And uh if Ronny's voice still holds up, then uh over to you, mate. Yes. Um actually, I've done what I did a few times uh a few episodes ago where I completely lost my place um because I was so um engaged into listening to you talking. Actually, I have a tendency to wander too. Yeah. So, I've I've just gone Yeah. Tell us more about that. As if we're in the front room. Anyway, um so December 6th December 2024, um I take my hat off to you making your debut at the Grand Old Opry. Um and then, uh I don't know if you remember doing this or not, but I remember listening to a promo video that you done. It was about six years ago. Uh and you said, "One day, um it's good. Don't worry." Yeah, it's all right. one one day I dreamed to play at the Grand Old Opry. Um and then after that he said, "I've never felt more like Summer Dean ever." Um but not only did you make your debut on the 6th of December 2024, you are playing there again on the 15th of May 2025. Uh and it's for the Opri Country Classics. Is that right? Mhm. Yeah. I cannot wait for that. Uh cuz I am all over the Grand Opry. Um and I look at their Facebook, their live live uh streaming that they do. Um, so what's it like feeling like Summer Dean now when you've done the Grand Old Opry? I just feel like I could quit and be fine, you know? Like everybody's like, "Well, what now?" And I'm like, "I don't care." You know, I did the Opry. Like I I like I really would like if it if if it all ended for whatever reason, uh I don't feel pressure to keep going just because I because I did what I never thought I would do. Not in that never thought my career would be that way, but just as a human and as a little girl loving country music, but not sounding like Trisha Yearwood, you know, and not sounding like Reeba. I just never thought and and again, not being petite and, you know, so many things that I didn't think I fit into. I didn't think it would ever even be possible, you know, and so the fact that we did make it to the opery, you know, it's just crazy. And then we get to go back within five months. Like, shut up. That's crazy. And uh it it's just beyond. I think that's probably why I feel really chill these days because I'm like, I already did it. I already did it. Like I don't care. Yeah. I did the main thing like the only thing I think not the only thing but you know there's some things that like if they happened I'd be like oh you know holy [ __ ] is like like like a working working with some artists like working with Reeba or working with something like that I'd be like oh my god what am I doing here you know but there's a funny story about the opera thing I'm I'm going to walk you with me because I should have plugged my computer in but now you're going to see my house um there's a funny story by the opery. So, it's been my dream for so long that um I used to do this joke on stage and I would be like, "Well, I would like to announce that I finally booked my first set on the Grand Ori." And everybody would be like, "Oh my god, that's amazing." And then I'd say, "Well, like I said, I would like to announce that." Like, it's not true, but I would like to announce it. And um and it was just a joke. And so one time I did that joke um and my booking agent was in the audience and uh did I have this on? Just making sure I don't lose you. Hold on. Yeah. And uh and he came up to me after the show, the booking agent. He was like, "I'm going to get you on the Opry." He's like, "It may take me a long time, but you watch. I'm going to get you there." And I was like, "Okay, [ __ ] Whatever, dude. Whatever. I'm just I'm just singing songs in my overalls like shut up, you know. And um so uh year and a half goes by and every time my agent calls me, which we talk almost every day, you know, every time he calls me, for those people listening, the agent's the one that books your shows, not your manager. Well, manager does too, but the agent's job is to book your shows. And um he would my agent would call me and he'd be like, "Do you uh you want some good news?" this. I'm like, "Is it the Opry?" He'd be like, "No, but it's this." You know, and every time, "You want some good news? Is it the Opry?" "No, Summer, it's not." And I one day he said, "You want the good news?" Like, "Yeah, is it the opery?" And he goes, "No." And I said, "One of these days, Chris, one of these days I'm going to ask you this and you're going to say yes, dude. The next morning." And he knew it at that time, too. He just couldn't tell me at the moment because contracts weren't like completely set. Yeah. Yeah. The next morning, he called me like 7:30, way earlier than we normally talk. I was like, "Uh oh, something something's going down. There's a problem." You know, I answered. He goes, "Do you want some good news?" And I was like, "Oh my god." I go, "Is it the oprey?" And he said, "Yes." And y'all, I fell to my knees, bald like a baby. Oh yeah. And he's like, "Gather," he cried, too, you know. He's like, "Gather yourself. Gather yourself and I'll call you back." I was like, "Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. I just can't believe. And uh cuz I I've never I I hadn't celebrated anything in my life yet. I hadn't gotten married. I hadn't had kids like this. I It was crazy. So called my mom, didn't answer. Called my dad, didn't answer. Called my brother. And I was crying so hard I couldn't even talk. I was like, "I booked the grand opery." my brother screams and he yelled it out to his uh he he owns a meep company and he yelled it out to everybody to come. My sister's going to be on the grand opery and I was like well I need to tell you it's a secret and I can't tell anybody yet but whatever your office knows. You just tell me now. Yeah. And and uh so since so since that day I just considered it my wedding and that I was marrying country music. I already had in my heart but that was my wedding. And so my friends got me a bouquet and and they all came and they wore red and I wore red. So it was my my marriage to country music that night and we celebrated so hard. Like I bet there were 150 Texans that flew up because it was during Christmas and so a lot of people used it as like a little vacation to Nashville and and it we we partied hard. There was even a fight after. Like it was it was magic and it was just the best night. It was the best night. And then the fact that they invited me back, it's just this time I'm going with just me and and a and like a my tour manager. This time I want to be quiet and take it in and uh and uh instead of such a big celebration and a entourage with me everywhere, this time I just kind of want to take it in and uh listen listen more this time, you know? So I'm excited. That was just an epic story and the way you've just described that to say uh it was your marriage to country music has just made my year let me tell you it was that is absolutely awesome. Um, yeah. Is there anything from being there for the first time? Is there anything that really sticks out in your mind that you saw that you can share with us that we would normal people wouldn't normal people wouldn't see behind stage or? Yeah, there's a couple of things that a normie wouldn't uh would never get to experience or understand, I guess, unless somebody told you. So, when you debut on the opera, you get two songs and maybe three depending on the schedule, like what hap what how things line up. And um they're so professional, they don't need to do too many things in advance, you know, everything's done. Everything kind of starts hitting it hard uh two two or three weeks before that's it. And um and dealing with them, but you get two songs. And I wrestled with what two songs for? Gosh, I I couldn't decide at all. I asked all these people uh everybody's different opinions on what I should play. Finally, I only really listened to um two friends. I listened to Caitlyn Buts and Brennan Lee because they had just they're my Tinder girlfriends and they had just debuted within a year and they all said only pick two songs that like screw everybody else. Screw the crowd. screw like anything you need to prove and just pick two songs that you wrote that you love that like if some major person was in the audience, you want them to see what you do best, you know? And so it's like you're right. So, I just picked two songs that I thought were well written and different from each other that I could sing in my sleep so I can be incredibly nervous and still not screw it up because it just is automatic for me, you know. And um then another thing the Opry does is they only let you bring two players. So, there's an Opry band, which is which is incredibly better than any band I'll ever play with, you know. Uh, but you get to bring two players. Well, at the time my band was three players and me. We were just a four piece piece. So, what am I going to do? Leave one person out? So, okay. So, when we booked it, uh, that she emailed back, but my agent emailed back, "Can Summer bring her full band? It's a fourpiece. And, can you book her on a night when Connie Smith is there because she's my hero." Mhm. And they're like, "We have no idea about Conniey's schedule. Can't guarantee anything." And I don't know about the full band. We just do two players. I don't know. And uh so I emailed her and I was like, "Look, I know it's just two players, but these guys have been with me for seven years. I'm just asking for one more player. They're the reason I sound the way. I owe it to them to ask you one more time if I could bring three players instead of two." And she said, "Sure." So, I got to bring my whole band. Amazing. And all of it was just so And then Connie Smith was there and I got to meet her and I ugly cried. And she's she's my our picture is on my phone. Me and Connie. Oh, that's incredible. And uh and then every debut is in the same Another thing normies might not know is no matter who you are, if it's your debut night, you're in the first room backstage. There's like a little hallway and you're in the first room back. That's the debut room. No matter if you're a big deal or a little deal, you're in the debut room. And all these quotes are on the wall that other people said the night they debuted that became famous, you know. Yeah. And so at the end of the night, they give you a piece of paper to write down what your quote will be if you ever get famous if they put yours on the wall. So that was pretty cool. That normies may not know exists, you know, that goes on back there. Yeah. Pretty neat. That is It just sounds like an absolute dream and and you know you're going to do it again um in May, next month actually. Less than a month away few weeks. Yeah. Um and we wish you all the very best with that. Um and that's about your country. That's the country classics, isn't it? Yeah. So I'm going to do somebody's knocking cuz that's a cover night. Yeah. So they called my can't believe words. The opy called my agent and was like can Summer come back? I just heard her cover of Somebody's Knocking. That'd be great for classic cover country night or whatever. He's like, "Yeah, I don't even need to ask her. Just Yes, she'll she'll do it, you know." So, it's cool. I may do another song. I'm not I'm not sure yet. They haven't let me know. Okay. Yeah. Let's hope they do. Let's hope I do. I'm so excited to watch it. Uh we can't wait. Uh, I'll be I'll be like a uh a weird fan by the TV screaming, shaking, and waving. I know her. Yeah. Anyway, anyway, so as we do on the rug revival, um, we we do a bit like I don't know if we've got a leaf out the Grand Opry's book actually, but um, we've started our own playlist and it's exclusive for our podcast guests and artists that we meet on the road. Um, can you tell us two songs you'd like added to that playlist that reflects your work so our listeners can check you out more? Yes. And I'm gonna And is it as good as a grand off? I mean, yeah. I mean, okay. So, there's there's a guy I'm gonna add to your playlist uh on Spotify, right? Or Okay. um that does not play outside of Texas, but he is the goat of Texas dance hall music. That's living. The original goats are unfortunately at the forever dance hall in heaven. But there's a guy named Jake Hooker. H O K R. Jake Hooker. And he is the king of the Texas dance hall down here. And he I mean thousands of people come out no matter where he's playing. And there even like the Texas country people that are Texas country like we're talking subg genre of subg genre. His name is Jake Hooker and he's so so good. Uh so I would like to add a song of his on there and I'd like to add one called Rodeo Man. Jake Hooker Rodeo Man. I'd like to add that one. Go ahead. And then because there's no way if a lot of your listeners are in the UK, there's no way they would have ever heard of Jake Hooker. So I'm glad to start them down that line. And then I'll give you a Texas female that maybe would never come over there that you would never hear because she didn't play outside Texas either. Uh her name is Amber Digby. D I GB Y. And why don't of Amber um let's put in um uh anyone ought to know. She covered Haggard's Anyone Ot u Gta. Uh Amber Digby's version of Anyone Otu Know is fantastic. And those are two artists and two songs that you're that could I hope open a door for I hope when they listen to that song either one of those they click on radio you know and listen to other people that are like that because it's just expanding this sub sub genre in Texas that's so great. Yeah. And that's you know we we've tried to do that with some of the artists that we've interviewed. It's one of our questions that we ask all the time is um you know around emerging artists and um is there anything that we can do to help them and you've just you know shouted them both out Jay Cooker that's a great idea and they don't really care about playing outside Texas they ain't trying to do anything other than what they're doing because they're they're making a living here and it's just so great but it's great uh I I think it's great that we can we've got the opportunity to really promote these people and give them a bit of a shout out and just say look you know we'll get in touch. Well, whatever we can do to help out, please just reach out. Um, so I'm I'm going to go back to um to you in about two seconds, but I want to know about the emerging artists you've just mentioned. What advice would you give them starting out if you haven't already? Well, I need to say these are not emerging artists. These are very established artists and they're not like uh trying to get anywhere other than where they are. They're very established in what they're doing. Uh so uh anyway, what what I would advice what advice I would give an emerging artist though is different than probably what it would have been two years ago. Um, I guess one of the main advices I would give is um I have two pieces I guess is like treat it like a business and work hard to make decisions based on your business which goes goes with the other part of it. Um, you make those decisions for your business based on the artist you want to be next year. And so where I see a lot of people level out and not like tour outside locally if they want to and stuff like that. It's because they didn't set theirel up to do that. You know this saying um dress for the job you want, not the job you have. It's a little bit like that. Don't take gigs like once you've established how to do what you're doing. Like don't take gigs that don't align with the artist you want to be. Like there's no reason you need to play some piece of crap bar on a Tuesday night for four hours. Like don't set yourself up to need that hundred bucks. you know, yeah, don't quit your job until you are established of where you want to be and what kind of artist you want to be. That way, you're not dependent on every $100 you can get. Because if you try to if you think, "Oh, I really want to be this big deal national touring artist," but you're only playing locally, then you're not aligning yourself to. So, only take gigs that align to what you want to do. That's really hard. meaning you you're not going to make as much money doing it at the beginning. So don't set yourself up to have to have that income. Uh like work it as a business. Be the art to make decisions and make the only way to be a big deal is to be a big deal. So sometimes you got to put your own fan out there. You got to put your own lights on stage. You've got to make your own walk up music. you know, like be the artist that you want to be instead of just thinking like somebody's going to walk into some no-name bar on a Tuesday and sign you cuz it's not going to happen, you know, and uh that will not happen. So, don't think like, oh, I'm going to put this album out and I really hope a label signs me. No, it's not going to happen. Just act like it's not going to happen. I'm not saying don't manifest that and all that, but like you can't treat your daily work decisions based on that. You got to just uh be the artist you want to be. Labels, management groups, all those people, they want to see what you can do on your own before they're going to invest in you. And so there are anomalies to this, but we can't like they're they're breaking the rules, you know? So, uh, to to me it's like you really set yourself up in as in a five-year plan and make decisions based on that next artist and become that person now. And uh I think that's not really an artistic decision, but I think that that has helped me uh skip over some things that would have been a waste of time. Yeah. Yeah. That's kind of a serious answer, but it's a real answer. That's that is real. That is a real answer. And and it's very it's good sound advice, you know, for people that want to want to be where you are, want to want to get to, you know, the the top heights. They want to they want to go and do it. You know, we we speak to people all over the place, you know, UK artists, American artists, all over. Um and, you know, there's a lot of people struggling out there as well, um to try and make uh you know, to try and make their their next career move. Um, and just being able to put all the advice that we've asked artists like yourself. Um, you know, just putting that advice together and saying, you know, take some notes, take some notes from this, you know, because they've done it, you know, you've done it, flown a flag and won a t-shirt, you know. Well, you know, we talk about this in the van because people ask us all the time that people come to our shows and be like, "You have any advice?" And and notice I said once you've learned how to do what you're doing, there was a there's some there's some really young on especially in the world of Tik Tok where people can just get picked up and discovered, you know, that's not longevity. If it is longevity, you're really lucky, you know. But um I think a major rule that you can't do and you can't treat it like a business until you've done this actually is uh like I said to to break the rules, you have to know the rules. So, you need to study everything about the genre that you're doing and know who played on what, know why, know their styles, know the songs, like know know all the go way down deep. Study and cover and rewrite songs and like learn the formula of your thing. Then you find your version of that. But some people skip that learning your formula and just do what they want and it doesn't have any longevity because there's no legs. It's just like this thing floating around on its own. Everything has to have roots to grow and if you don't learn the rules then you're it you can't break any of them in the smart way, you know. Yeah, sound advice. Thank you for showing up with us. Yeah. Um TJ's got his own views. I I don't want to get him started on Tik Tok, but he's got his own disagree. He's got no He's got his own views on Tik Tok, but we we don't we stop mentioning it on here now. It's no use. It's no use fighting it. It's no use fighting it. I know. Yeah. Good lord. Yeah. Um so, just coming back to you, Summer, I wanted to know um two two songs from your from your songs. What would you put to the onto the playlist? Um, well, my favorites, I guess, are She Ain't Me off The Biggest Life album. I really love that song. And, um, that's I'm not going to give you the sad one. Um, oh, there's a positive song. Um, Sun's Going to Rise Again. That's a real positive song. We do it last in our show because it lift up. We play it. We play everything so much faster on stage. Like on it's it bangs on stage on the album. It's pretty chill. Um, but yeah, She Ain't Me and Sun's Go to Rise Again. Those are two uh different um angles of writing for me. One's a real happy like You got this song and the other one's a you know, a a sad sad song. So, that's two different versions of how I write. So, those two be great. Brilliant. Thank you very much. Yeah. Um I uh I I was hoping you might have said one of my favorite songs of uh Queen of the Clowns. Um Oh, I love that one, too. Yeah. I I feel like that every day. Um working with TJ. Uh no, no, I wrote that song. Um Waiting on a Date. Yes, you did. Yeah. I was just I was listening to some of the things that you said in there. But what a great story that is with with that. So, um I I love it. And then uh and one of the one of the comments you said afterwards, this is why I just love your unique. You've just got such a unique style. Um is where you read I was just waiting around and I was like, I'm Summer Dean. Does he not know does he not know who he is? Oh yeah. What am I doing? Oh, wait. I was like, wait, what? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, there you go. Um right. Um, so I've only got two or three more questions that I want to ask you because I know I've uh I've taken far too much of your time up and TJ's. No, it's so a bit of an odd one really. Um, but we normally do themes on this uh on this shows. We've had Christmas, Easter, um, other themes. St. Patrick's Day, uh, all that sort of stuff. So, we've missed out on a theme today. I was going to get a little crown for, um, my mate over here in the background. Um, uh, because we're interviewing the queen. Um, but I've decided to go for a bit of a strange question. So, if you could take a celebrity to dinner, it could be anybody that you wanted. Could be a songwriter, could be music, could be anybody, actor, the lot. Um, what would who would that be first of all? And what is the one question you'd love to ask him? Ah, see I know the answer to this question when it's a group you know but one person goodness because there's lot like in my mind I've put together the perfect like six-seated round table of a group to talk about but just one um I Guess there's so many. There's not a wrong answer here. You know, you want to you want to like take your chance and do it right, but there's not a wrong answer. One of the 15 that popped in my head just now. I mean, as a Texan and as a songwriter, you will Willie, you know, amazing. And um and I'd like to talk to Willie about um like his uh well I would ask him uh to fund a next record but like would you please make my record? Uh, but I mean, yeah, I probably talked to him about um letting songs go versus hanging on to them. Like, um, I think a lot about these songs and I and I get these ideas and I and I start walking down the path and I feel like I'm forcing it and then I stop and then I So, I think a lot about am I self-conscious or or is this time to stop? I struggle weekly. I write a song every week and I struggle all the time with like am I going somewhere or just screw this and walk somewhere else and I'd like to talk to him about uh yeah like how how far do you force it and because there's no one better in the world at it to me. Dolly is great but I feel like we have a little more insight into Dolly, you know. So, I I feel like we know her better than we know Willie. Willie has somehow remained elusive as far as like his writing. So, I'd like to ask him about that. I mean, I've seen him four or five times being a Texan down here, you know, but I've never gotten to sit and talk to him about writing, like really writing, but yeah, I mean, probably that. Not really an exciting answer, but No. What an amazing answer. No. Great choice. Um, I'm going to make this my last question uh because I know that TJ's spitting feathers at the moment. Um, so, uh, I have asked quite a few artists before, um, and I'm going to go back to your goals. Could you give us your top three goals? And it could be 3, 6, 9 months, 12 months, could be for the rest of your career, whatever. Just your top three goals, summer. Yeah. Um, I mean, I have some really boring goals. I there there's a number in my head that I would like to play anywhere in the States and have have a lot of people at my show no matter where I am, you know. I I have to work to sell tickets, you know, and I always will, but I'd like to get to the point in my career business-wise where I don't have to really worry about that, where I know that I'm going to sell tickets no matter where I am. That would be awesome. That would take a lot of stress off everybody in my team. Um, I'd like to put out another album within uh within a year, which I think we're going to, but um or at least have it announced and started within a year. Um, and I would like it to be uh I've never put out an album of bangers. Like, I really want to put out just a barn burner bangers. I've never done that. I've always been kind of a sad honky tonk girl and I'd like to put one out that's just like middle fingers up. Not in a mean way, but like it gives you that feeling like, "Yeah, here's country music. Oh, by the way, there's a chick doing this, you know." And then uh thirdly, uh I'd like to uh pay my credit card off with music. I'd like to do that. Uh that's that's major. Uh, and by doing that, I would love to get my songs in some movies and things like that, some sync licensing. Those are realistic goals. Those aren't goals that fans like to hear, but that's an those are honest business answers that artists think about. Yeah, absolutely right. We wanted honest goals. And again, thank you for sharing that with us because I know it's personal, but listen, it's great. TJ, over to you. I know. Well, you forgot to ask your most favorite question about uh Well, I didn't want to take any more time. A whole lot. I'll take your hammer, you know. I am I'm asking all my questions cuz I want to know. Ronnie wants to get on the show. Yeah. Well, that's it. And and normally you ask about gossip, you know. Is there anything you can reveal to to me and Ronny on this show about any projects or collaborations that you haven't revealed to other people because obviously we're special here in the Rugged Revival. It'd be a gossip. A gossip. Well, I don't keep a lot of secrets. Uh like people are like, "Hey, I'm going to tell you something. You can't tell anybody else." I'm like, "Oh, God, don't tell me." Because I like I talk a lot and I don't think about it. So, I'm not one to tell secrets to. That's gonna be That would be a great song. I should write that. I'm not one to tell secrets to. Doesn't that sound good? I'll write that tomorrow. I write one every Wednesday. Like, I'll write that tomorrow. Uh we get a credit on that. Yeah. Okay. Uh I'll give you I'll give you I'll give you a you know, piece of the pennies that I get, you know. Yeah. Um, I'll let you in on something. Let you in on something. Um, okay. I know it doesn't have anything to do with me, but it has to do with my posi. I know two women that are making albums right now u in genres that women haven't touched yet. And uh and I'm I think that's thrilling. That's got nothing to do with me, but you know what's good for the goose is the gander type situation. You know, one like the tide one tide floats all ships. I know two women that are going to come out with albums later this year um that are uh in genres that are really interesting within country music, subg genres of country music and and uh I'm excited. So pay attention to Texas women this year because there's some things coming out that are really interesting. Yeah. Oh, we have to guess what genre it is, you know. Is it like a drill rap country album? No, no, no [ __ ] Just making things up in your head now. No, it's not that. It's not that. Not even close, are we? No. Well, I don't even consider them. They're not even in my mind. Okay. Well, me and Ronnie, um, I don't know how we've managed to to get permission off the wives. You keep me in this. I don't I'm going to lump you in. I always worry when you do that all the time. I know. Yeah. It's how I do things. But we've got a hall pass from the wives to go to America next year hopefully. And uh a question I'd like to ask um our guests now is where would you recommend we go and why in America? Yeah. So the idea is to to go to the places where we've had the podcast. So Texas, um Georgia, Kentucky, and places like that. Being from Texas, where in Texas would you recommend we go? Okay. Now, you need to remember Texas like like just one state is like one country over there, you know? It's huge. You can be going 85 miles an hour and not get across it in an hour and like it it takes days to to get anywhere. So, but you're definitely going to go to Austin and you need to and you need to go to this you need to go to Sagebrush in Austin and uh one of your videos is from there, isn't it? Sage Brush. Yeah. Well, yeah, probably. There's a lot. There's a lot. There's a lot. Yeah. Uh uh you need to go to Sage Brush in Austin and uh see the dancers and see that. Um, and then if you go up to Fort Worth, go up 35 to Fort Worth. Be careful on 35, but everybody drives. It's the Wild West. Everybody drives fast and wild. Hold on. Um, and go up to Fort Worth. Go up I 35 to Fort Worth. You got to see Billy Bombs. Go to the stockyards. Um, and uh see where you know the that's a major part of American history, American West. Um, well, yeah, but then on the other side of Austin though with San Antonio, you got to go to San Antonio. I think I would I think I would start in Texas at Austin at the Sage Brush and then Fort Worth at the Stockyards. I wouldn't worry too much about like if you Dallas and Houston, there's there's pockets there, but they're so big and cityike. You won't feel you don't feel um organic Texas. It is. It is. I don't want anybody that from Houston or Dallas to think that they ain't any less Texas than anybody else. But in uh at in Austin and Fort Worth, you're going to get a little more of the feel. Yeah. The casualness. the casual and you know there's not as many especially in Fort Worth there's not as many um uh people that have come in you'll get a lot of people from there you know worth it is I think we need more than two weeks by the sounds of it Ronnie so uh I wonder if we can we also need somewhere to stay we've got the plane tickets cool well what else have people said I mean you you're gonna you got two weeks in America is what you're How exciting. I know. I can't believe we've been given permission, but uh what are we going to do with ourselves? That's amazing. That's really exciting. I hope you all document all that. That's so cool. Oh, we will. Oh, yeah. The rugged revival on tour. There we go. Uh I don't know how much trouble we can get into in two weeks, but I'm sure we can we can we can do a bit. Um that's when did you say that is when you're doing it? We haven't booked it yet. So, we we were just getting some ideas of where to go to start with. And I think I think we need to do Texas first. So, yeah. Now, pay attention. In Texas, it's hot like biblically hot between June and September. Okay. So, just know like it's hotter that as as hot as you're thinking right now, it's hotter than that. Okay. So, just so you know, like you don't we just like we don't get the cold. like we just don't get it. Like you don't get the heat like it it so just know like like this time next year would be a great time to come. But if you go to the when you go to the sage brush or the spoke but especially sage brush in Austin, make sure you tell them that I sent you and maybe you'll get a free Lone Star or something. I love that place. That's my home. Yeah. Amazing. So extra sun cream for our pasty British complexion is what basically what you're saying. Yeah. Yeah. You're not going to want to wear any clothes. You're going to be like, "How do y'all live like this?" Like, "You just melt. You just do. You just melt." Oh god. I hope to God that TJ People say that's why we have a draw because we're just like overheated, you know? A Well, it's been incredible having you on, Summer. Um, we've answered so many questions and you've given us so many great answers and it's been a a real pleasure. Um, but is there any kind of closing remarks that you want to make? anything perhaps that you want to plug in terms of what what's coming up for you? What's going on for the rest of the year? Um, we're sticking around the state. Um, and I am getting in the studio and working on new songs. Um, but mainly I just want to um say that I'm grateful and uh and that any band nowadays um buying tickets ahead of the show is what can really help your band because since co we're in a cancel culture, you know, and if pre-sales don't happen, then venues get scared and they start cancelling shows. So, the best thing you can do to help any band is to buy the tickets ahead of time to show the venue that you're excited about this band coming and that they deserve the money. So, that's kind of my platform right now is telling telling the concert goers, we can't do it without you. So, nobody can. The venues can't and the artists can't. So, if if you're if you're a live music go, then what you can do is buy ahead of time to prove everybody that like it's worth it, you know? Yeah. I don't think anyone's actually said that before. So, another great piece of advice of how we can support people. So, fantastic. Thank you so much. Um, Ronnie, because you're so good at it, I'm going to hand over to you to close off the show because he never messes up Summer by the way. But, uh, we'll see. Right. So, Summer, I wanted to end as I do with some of the artists that I pick up on comments on my trolling through just doing some research about you and I always pick up on people's comments. I always look at what people say about your videos and what about your posts and all that sort of stuff. Um, and they are they are notable comments and I I wanted to um I wanted to share some of them with you just to just to finish off the show. Um, and one of them especially is around the fact that you've done so much for the female country music singers. Um, and you should be so proud of that. Um, and and all of the comments talk about that. I'm just trying to get the um I'm just trying to bring it up now. was 2 seconds cuz I've taken some photos of it. Sure. Um because I just thought you had to I had to finish on there. So, some of the comments were the fact that she's the real deal, an artist who doesn't just sing country music, she lives it. Every lyric feels like it's been lived in and every note rings with honesty. Uh in a world full of polished personas, Summer Dean stands out as refreshingly genuine. Uh and then I've got her voice feels like home, honest, raw, and full of heart. She doesn't just perform songs, she tells stories that stay with you long after the music stops. Um, and then I've got another one here is around Summer Dean is proof that real country is alive and well. No filters, no fluff, just grit, grace, and damn good music. And you know what, Summer, you are a beacon of support. You're a beacon of positivity. It's been an absolute pleasure speaking to you today. Thank you so much for taking the time uh with us um and and talking to us. And I'm going to ask you if you can if you've got a drink handy somewhere. Um I do got a rambler. I haven't got a drink. I'm stuck to water tonight to save my voice. Um so I'm going to raise a toast to the grit, the grind, and to the revival. Cheers to everyone for listening. Thank you so much on sum up for joining us. Really appreciate it. Thank you so much. Cheers. The Texas forever.

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