Nancy Ryan & Hunter Root

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Welcome to the Central Pennsylvania Music Podcast Tonight Nancy Ryan and Hunter Root.
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This episode is sponsored by Englewood Brewing.
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And now your hosts, daniel Kime and Alan McCutcheon.
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Welcome to another episode of the Central Pennsylvania Music Podcast.
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I'm your host, daniel, and I'm your co-host Alan.
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Today's first guest is one of the most well-known country music radio personalities on air Nancy Ryan, and our second guest is local recent breakout musician Hunter Root.
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Let's get right to it.
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We are here with Nancy Ryan.
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And our second guest is local recent breakout musician Hunter Root.
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Let's get right to it.
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We are here with Nancy Ryan.
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Nancy, thank you so much for coming out and joining us on the show today.
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Yes, thank you.
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It's a real pleasure, and normally Newman would be with me, so it's just not about Nancy Ryan today.
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Today, I think it's going to be about Nancy Ryan.
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I think it's going to be about Nancy.
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Ryan, nancy, you have quite the name for yourself in this area and I mean that in the best way.
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I mean you are known for everything that you do radio-wise.
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I mean you have relationships with top country artists.
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You're also responsible for helping emerging country artists, the whole reason you're here.
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We want to know who's Nancy?
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What makes Nancy?
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Where did Nancy start.
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Nancy started in Charleston, west Virginia, and this is so funny.
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I was the paper girl for the general manager of the radio station, like the big radio station in town.
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I was, you know, 14, 15 years old and when I turned 16, he said why don't you come down to the radio station?
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You've got your driver's license.
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We'd love to have you be like the road person you know out on the road chasing down.
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You know people that have the bumper sticker on their car and a prize, like prize patrol kind of thing, okay, yeah.
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And then, by the time I was a senior in high school, I got to do the all night shift.
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The only thing I had to do was promise them that I would graduate from high school because I would work all night and then go drag my butt into school, into class.
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Oh my gosh, that's dedication it was and even I learned early on that the sacrifices that you make for something that you love and I.
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I went to my prom and my program director said I'll stay on the air till two in the morning for you because I do the all night shift.
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And he stayed and I had fun at the prom and I went to work.
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Wait, so you got done at prom and then went to work.
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Yes, isn Done at prom and then went to work.
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Yes, isn't that crazy you really love this industry, don't you?
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Oh?
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my gosh, there's nothing like it, just like with the podcasting, you have to really love it to be able to show up on a random Saturday afternoon and do it.
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It's something we love to do.
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It's great because we get to meet awesome people like you and the musicians that come on here and just talk to people about our special community here in central Pennsylvania, which actually kind of leads me back to what we were talking about.
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So you started in Virginia, then you moved to Pennsylvania.
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Yes, west Virginia, west by God.
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Sorry, west Virginia, sorry, don't disrespect her.
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Do not disrespect her, sorry.
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Difference yes, so you moved to Pennsylvania and you got into radio up here as well.
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Then, yes, yes, awesome, and you got into radio up here as well.
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Then, yes, yes, awesome Radio has been my only love, my only career path.
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That's all I've ever done and from the moment I started I never needed a resume to get a job and really it was funny.
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I went from Capital City in Charleston, west Virginia, to Capital City, harrisburg.
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For a short time I worked with a guy named Todd and we went out to Columbus, ohio, and it was okay out there.
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Then we came back.
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It came back, but it's funny though the going away party.
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When we left to go to Columbus, ohio, I met my husband and then I'm like I thought I'd tortured every guy in this town when I was single, you know, and I'm like, well, I've got Columbus to try now.
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And then I was dating my husband, brad, and I moved back a year and a half later and then we got married a year later, and you know the radio station that I was on for many years, um, and then Newman came along to work with me.
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Uh, todd went away and Newman came on and it was a dream partnership because we didn't we didn't interview each other.
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They opened up the door and kicked him in and said let's make this work and it was the best thing ever.
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Yeah, my gosh, and that's how the nancy and newman show came to be.
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Yes, so just for some of our listeners, they might recognize the name.
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They might be thinking there's a connection.
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So you were formerly with nine bob 94.9 yes, correct, and now you have moved over to Froggy.
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Correct, Froggy 100.1.
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100.1.
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Yes.
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So how is that going?
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What is the difference here?
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What's the dynamic?
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How would you explain or how would you describe your experience here?
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on Froggy it's a great family.
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It really is.
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It's like the Froggy Valley family.
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My Froggy Valley is the app where you go to get us because we're located physically in Lebanon and so it's Lebanon Valley, but they have their sites on central Pennsylvania as well, so kind of including it all.
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So instead of it being Lebanon Valley and central Pennsylvania, it's Froggy Valley.
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And it's really a lot of fun.
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That's awesome, okay, yeah.
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And so I was out of radio for three years.
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Only three years.
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Three years was.
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I thought I would never get back into radio, Really.
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I really thought, wow, I wanted to live here, I love central Pennsylvania.
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And when I got kind of kicked to the curb at the end of 2020, which 2020 sucked enough.
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Yeah 2020 was enough.
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Yeah, 2020 was rough.
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And we made it through to December 8th and that's the day I got let go and they let.
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They pushed Numa to the afternoon, brought in a syndicated morning show.
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So it's not.
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You know this is a low.
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You guys know this is a local town.
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People love their local personalities, their local air, talent.
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People don't like change.
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They don't.
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I mean, it was seriously like taking people's favorite cup of coffee, taking it away and giving lemon juice.
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That's what it was like.
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That's the way I felt in my heart.
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Yeah, but I have to say, guys, because I was embarrassed when I got let go, because I never got let go in my life- you know, and you always get back what you give to a community.
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And I worked for LB Smith and did endorsements for their, their cars and trucks and they asked me if I continue working for them as a social media person doing their commercials, things like that.
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And I thought I went home and I said to my husband I think we're going to be okay.
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And then Linda Johnston from Renewal by Anderson, the window company.
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That's how you're going?
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Oh, that's how I think I know you yeah so Linda asked me.
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Yeah, linda asked me.
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She said would you want to come do commercials with me?
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And I said hell yes.
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And then another company, and so these are people that I've worked with for the past three years.
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Home to Stay is a nursing company.
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Patty fife and her daughter abby own it.
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Shout out to them, because those are the people that, like, gave me a purpose back that's awesome and it was immediate.
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and the great thing is when, uh, seven mountains media came sniffing around because they bought the lebanon stations, newman and I stayed friends, like he's my brother, truly my brother, and we started doing facebook lives together.
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Because, brother, truly my brother and we started doing Facebook Lives together because we weren't finished doing what we love to do.
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You guys had a chemistry that you knew worked.
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Oh yeah, definitely.
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And the nice thing is it didn't die in three years.
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You just think that's an eternity, yeah.
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Yeah it is and he loved the company that he works for.
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He's right over the Pennsylvania border in Olean, new York, and he's on a station.
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He's the operations manager and the station is the big pig sizzling country and he looks like Porky Pig which is hysterical.
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And he kept telling me about a great company he worked for and then they bought the Lebanon stations and they wanted Newman on.
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And this was just last year, in 2023.
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And he said well, if I go on, just because people know me, they're going to say where's Nancy?
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Nancy and Newman's always that.
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And they said well, let's talk to Nancy Literally just this fall, and it just happened that quickly.
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And the first thing I did was talk to Linda, because we do so much community work here with.
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Renewal.
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I said would you be cool with me doing that?
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Like I can do everything that I've done, but I'll just get up a little bit earlier in the morning.
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And she, she loves Newman.
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Yeah, and we announced it on January 8th.
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We went on on January 15th and it was like when social media, when Newman went on the air after they let me go in 2020 and we've always been transparent.
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We shared our lives with people like they shared their lives with us, and it went crazy on the internet Like I couldn't believe social media.
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People were like what are you saying?
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You're taking our family away from us?
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Yeah, and then all of a sudden, three years later, was like everything's right with the world.
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People believe in Santa Claus again.
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I mean it's ridiculous, Up is up and down is down.
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But literally, guys, that's the comment that we got and I can't believe it.
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And even Newman's wife said I look over at him sometimes and he's just smiling for no reason.
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It's because we got back together.
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Isn't that crazy, that's beautiful.
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I know that is awesome, like 100% I know.
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So now that we know, like we know that journey, I gotta ask I'm gonna dive more into the music side.
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You've been doing radio for so long your entire lives.
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Both of you not combined, but both of you for sure.
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Yes, what?
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has the experience been like from when you started to now, like that's got to be such a huge difference when I got started it was in adult contemporary radio.
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When I was started, it was in uh adult contemporary radio when I was in west virginia and I remember telling my parents because they loved country music.
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I was like I will never work in country music.
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Uh, how'd that shoe taste?
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that's what my dad always said and you know the first people I met that came to charleston, that they.
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The am station was a country station and I met Randy Owen from Alabama.
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He's a lead singer which, by the way, they're coming to Giant Center.
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Okay, they are, yep and then I met Charlie Daniels.
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Oh my god right, yeah and I didn't have anything to do interviewing them, I just was in awe of how kind they were.
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We never met pop artists.
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Pop artists don't do the tour, yeah, they don't do anything like that.
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And then, um, I moved up to uh, pennsylvania and you know, we went, I was with wrkz for z107, with todd, and then we went away to columbus, ohio, and then came back and day, media was the family.
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They said we had this new station coming on the air the day after christmas in 1996 and we wanted they wanted todd and nancy on, and that's how that started, yeah, and then things, um, things didn't work out with him.
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Um, and then they brought newman on and I tell you, the artists are, you know, country artists come around to radio stations.
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Yeah, yeah, they do.
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I mean name.
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Who do you think's the biggest country artist right now?
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morgan wallen.
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Uh, yeah, uh, probably him.
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Or like Zach Bryan, right now he's blowing up.
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Are we talking like current the most popular, or like the most popular overall?
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Are we talking up and?
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coming or like.
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Name a few of them Keith Urban, keith.
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Urban yeah.
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Toby Keith, garth Brooks.
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Yep, yeah, okay, we know them all, yeah.
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And we, okay, we know them all.
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Yeah, and we knew them all from when they first came through the door.
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Morgan wallen, we're like he's.
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He's the sweetest kid.
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I think he was, maybe on the voice he was, he came in.
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He had his long hair and we always said he was like boom hauser from that was one of the king of the yeah because he mumbled all the time.
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We're like morgan, you gotta open your mouth up.
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And then he like he would call me.
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He's like listen, nancy, I'm opening up for Florida Georgia Line at the stadium.
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I'm like I'm sorry, morgan, I was going somewhere.
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I mean I had plans.
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I would have gone because I wanted to see him on a big stage, but to think we had dinner with them.
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Yeah, I was going to say can we pause?
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Yeah, pause.
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Morgan Wallen was calling your phone saying, hey, come see me.
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Oh, he's texting me.
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I still have his number.
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Oh my God, you're kidding.
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Is that crazy?
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No, that's awesome, I'm not kidding.
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He's played to like sold out theaters and everything oh right, dude, he's like probably the biggest country star right now, like dude.
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Okay, this was a few years ago, I'm going to say I'm trying to think how old my daughter is and he was playing at a place called the Rusty Rudder in Rehead with Beach.
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Okay, and we go to Rehead with Beach all the time and he called me and said hey, we're going to be there in March.
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Can you come to the show?
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So it's going to be a smaller show and we always went to the off season.
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I'm like nobody's going to go to this show.
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I started feeling bad.
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So I get my daughter, her best friend, so there may be 16.
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I get one of our former interns, brandy, and I said we're coming, morgan, let's go to dinner beforehand, because I'm like nobody's going to be at this show.
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I felt really bad.
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So we go to dinner.
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My dinner, my daughter and her friend bella are, you know, sitting right across from him.
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He's such a nice guy and they didn't know who he was because he wasn't he wasn't the morgan wallen you know now exactly and then he said something about writing with post malone or somebody like that, and the girls went what you know post malone?
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oh yeah, because he's an amazing songwriter morgan wallen, morgan wallen, but obviously postman I mean, just look at his album that he just dropped with like 23 songs, and I remember someone asked him like why wouldn't you split that up into like two albums, because that's a lot to drop on one.
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And he was like, oh, he's like, I'm not worried about it.
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He's got a ton more.
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He has so many songs written already, yeah.
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So yeah, I just love, love, love, love love him.
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He's a super guy.
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That is awesome.
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I know he was getting a bad rap for a while.
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Super huge fan right now like I'm just like he's, honestly he's the, he's the country artist that got me into country.
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I'm not gonna I mean I know I sound like a stereotypical dude like I never liked country.
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Yeah, um, I was always metal.
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I was always like heavy metal, like that kind of I'm never gonna listen to country.
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And then I heard morgan wallen and I think it's just.
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I think he just does something perfect because he has that old-timey twang to his voice but his instrumental is so new, it's such new country and like he does like rapping too, like on so many songs like Broadway Girls.
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I love that song, broadway.
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Girls it's so good and it works.
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And I was like I was like dude.
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I was like, forget it.
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I was like Morgan Wallen made me a country fan.
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I was like, and from then I branched out to yeah.
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Alan came in here one day and was like hey, you guys heard of this guy, morgan Wallen.
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Next thing you know, you had cowboy boots on.
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It was crazy.
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Oh yes, absolutely yeah.
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Okay, so Morgan Wallen, you obviously know him.
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That's cool.
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We're going to talk more about that off camera.
00:14:14.423 --> 00:14:15.166
Okay, that's fine.
00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:22.328
But moving on from there, I mean so we got to ask because we always especially someone that has the radio personality.
00:14:22.328 --> 00:14:34.750
You've been deep-dived into the music industry for a while and you've also been in the radio industry in multiple different areas, but there is something about Central Pennsylvania that there is just never-ending talent.
00:14:34.750 --> 00:14:42.370
I mean you have an endless name of artists bands, musicians, solo artists, whatever you have that just comes from Central PA.
00:14:42.370 --> 00:14:44.206
What is your opinion?
00:14:44.206 --> 00:14:50.309
What do you think makes central pennsylvania so special in your own opinion, from your perspective?
00:14:51.552 --> 00:14:53.625
what makes central pennsylvania so special?
00:14:53.625 --> 00:15:05.044
About the music, the music that comes out like how we just have such a music presence I don't know what it is, I just know it is you know, I love that answer I mean, but but truly like jess zimmerman olivia.
00:15:05.044 --> 00:15:07.110
Faribault, ben Gallagher.
00:15:07.110 --> 00:15:09.508
I've known Ben Gallagher since he was a kid.
00:15:09.508 --> 00:15:11.221
His mom and I are friends, you know.
00:15:11.221 --> 00:15:18.793
I saw him come up through high school and I remember the first time I saw him on stage, because he plays the guitar like shredding.
00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:24.933
You know, he's got this new song called Stomp and it started because he was just stomping to the beat and then he had to write a song to go with it because it was catching on.
00:15:24.933 --> 00:15:26.586
You know it was like a viral sensation.
00:15:26.586 --> 00:15:36.589
But I remember seeing him up there and I looked at Newman and I said if Brad Paisley and Keith Urban had a kid, it would be Ben Gallagher.
00:15:36.589 --> 00:15:37.471
Yeah, wow.
00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:49.020
That's a great way.
00:15:49.020 --> 00:15:50.486
God, nancy, I, I, just I, I want, I want another 15 minutes with you.
00:15:50.486 --> 00:15:51.169
Oh my god, um, but that's crazy.
00:15:51.169 --> 00:16:02.467
So I mean, I, I love the, the honesty though of that, because, like there, sometimes people just don't know, but like it's true, like there is, there just is there is something special about central pa and whatever it is, we just hope it doesn't stop.
00:16:02.467 --> 00:16:06.989
I don't think it's going to I don't think it's going to I think the artists encourage each other so much.
00:16:08.403 --> 00:16:09.648
I mean, we had Ben on with us.
00:16:09.648 --> 00:16:11.566
I think it was our first week.
00:16:11.566 --> 00:16:13.586
We've only been on the air a few weeks.
00:16:13.586 --> 00:16:18.345
It already seems like almost a lifetime that we're catching back.
00:16:18.345 --> 00:16:24.451
January 29th was our 20th anniversary of working together with a three-year little layover.
00:16:24.552 --> 00:16:25.393
Yeah, that's awesome.
00:16:25.413 --> 00:16:32.229
But to be able to celebrate that was really awesome, but to have we love our local artists and we love when they start winning awards.
00:16:32.229 --> 00:16:34.268
You know, Olivia and her husband moved down to Nashville.
00:16:34.701 --> 00:16:36.046
Jess is not far behind.
00:16:36.046 --> 00:16:36.548
No, she's not.
00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:38.390
You know, I mean Jillian Smith.
00:16:38.673 --> 00:16:40.760
I mean, oh my gosh, she's awesome, and what?
00:16:40.780 --> 00:16:50.254
I really love are these strong women that are finding their way, because in 2023, I think Lainey Wilson was about the only female that was really getting the hits.
00:16:50.254 --> 00:16:52.528
I'm not sure what happened with Maren Morris.
00:16:52.528 --> 00:17:04.355
She went off the rails and she doesn't want to be in country music anymore, which is a shame, because when you're hungry for it, the country fans are the best fans you'll ever have in the world.
00:17:04.681 --> 00:17:05.067
I have noticed that.
00:17:05.067 --> 00:17:05.818
I have noticed that.
00:17:05.818 --> 00:17:13.064
I have noticed that between the different genres, like the country fans are just, they're like a different breed, and I mean that like in a good way.
00:17:13.064 --> 00:17:13.465
Oh sure.
00:17:13.586 --> 00:17:18.489
They're very country music fans are so devoted, no matter what I mean.
00:17:18.489 --> 00:17:24.329
We saw that they could have easily the listeners here in our area could have easily gone off and found something else.
00:17:24.329 --> 00:17:35.789
And some of them were saying you know what, I'm getting rid of Sirius Radio, like they were so disappointed about what happened, just like we were that they just went and found something else to do, and now they're saying oh my God, she's back.
00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:37.025
The world is spinning again.
00:17:37.025 --> 00:17:40.942
So where did you fall in love with country music?
00:17:40.942 --> 00:17:45.488
Because you said before, like you told your parents, like, oh yeah, I would never work in country music.
00:17:45.648 --> 00:17:49.251
Right, it's pretty obvious now that you've fallen in love with it.
00:17:49.251 --> 00:17:50.053
Yeah, it's the artist.
00:17:50.133 --> 00:17:50.473
It's just the.
00:17:50.473 --> 00:17:51.054
It's just the art.
00:17:51.094 --> 00:18:02.451
Well, not just, but it's the art, it is the artist but, that I mean when you meet them, and it's funny time If you play that game with us.
00:18:02.451 --> 00:18:09.801
We know each other so well and somebody asked us who was the most impressive person that we ever met that we got to interview, and it was Kenny Rogers.
00:18:09.981 --> 00:18:16.201
Oh, my goodness, that's awesome when he came walking up to us and he was so they're all so kind.
00:18:16.201 --> 00:18:22.093
You know, vince Gill came walking around the corner and, hey y'all, let's, let's chat.
00:18:22.093 --> 00:18:27.246
We saw Darius Rutger at the Palm in Nashville and he came walking out.
00:18:27.246 --> 00:18:31.566
He had met us one time but I think because we were a tag team, people would recognize us together.
00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:37.644
And he's like man, how you guys doing, and even if they don't remember your name, they remember your face.
00:18:37.644 --> 00:18:39.105
They remember a conversation that you had.
00:18:39.105 --> 00:18:40.009
That's awesome.
00:18:40.009 --> 00:18:42.008
You know it's crazy.
00:18:42.008 --> 00:18:51.505
And Keith Urban we had at a birthday and he came on and blew us away.
00:18:51.605 --> 00:18:52.869
Keith Urban when was this?
00:18:53.299 --> 00:18:57.069
Like 2021.
00:18:57.069 --> 00:18:58.031
2021?
00:18:58.031 --> 00:18:59.856
Wow, no 21.
00:18:59.856 --> 00:19:00.818
I'm sorry, 2001.
00:19:00.818 --> 00:19:01.240
2001.
00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:04.430
I was going to say so this is like right around, like Golden Road era.
00:19:04.430 --> 00:19:04.961
Yeah.
00:19:04.961 --> 00:19:07.229
I was like what, wow yeah 2001.
00:19:07.249 --> 00:19:14.730
Yes, because that's when my daughter was born and Eric Church he came.
00:19:14.730 --> 00:19:22.511
He was one of the first guys on when people were coming through the doors and I remember he was up in my face saying my music is going to be so amazing.
00:19:22.511 --> 00:19:25.367
I'm like space here, relax.
00:19:25.387 --> 00:19:26.009
Come to the breaks.
00:19:26.009 --> 00:19:26.892
Buddy, Turn it down a notch.
00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:29.846
But right there I mean, yeah, it's really crazy.
00:19:32.205 --> 00:19:33.669
Have you ever met Trace Atkins?
00:19:34.009 --> 00:19:34.250
Oh my.
00:19:34.290 --> 00:19:34.972
God, yes.
00:19:34.972 --> 00:19:37.028
So so I personally met him.
00:19:37.028 --> 00:19:42.048
I saw his Christmas special at the Gaylord Grand Old Opry in Nashville.
00:19:42.048 --> 00:19:44.092
Amazing, he's a big man.
00:19:44.092 --> 00:19:45.815
Oh, yes, yes, he is.
00:19:46.662 --> 00:19:57.539
And he's so sweet and our daughter was little when one of the first times he came around and I remember telling him that she had fallen off the horse.
00:19:57.539 --> 00:20:04.409
He has all girls and we had not bought her a horse yet and Newman's like she needs to buy a horse.
00:20:04.409 --> 00:20:05.191
They need to get her a horse.
00:20:05.191 --> 00:20:10.932
And he said what you need to do is wait till she's about 15 or 16, when the boys come sniffing around.
00:20:10.932 --> 00:20:13.163
He said then buy her a horse and she won't have time.
00:20:13.163 --> 00:20:14.707
That's what we did.
00:20:14.707 --> 00:20:15.367
Boys come sniffing around.
00:20:15.407 --> 00:20:16.549
He said then buy her a horse and she won't have time.
00:20:16.589 --> 00:20:17.131
That's what we did Right.
00:20:17.131 --> 00:20:18.113
Brilliant, I know it's the truth.
00:20:18.113 --> 00:20:20.317
Oh my gosh, you got parenting advice from Trace Atkins.
00:20:20.356 --> 00:20:21.378
That's another level.
00:20:21.378 --> 00:20:23.924
That is amazing, yeah, girl, dad advice.
00:20:24.365 --> 00:20:26.151
Yes, that's amazing.
00:20:26.380 --> 00:20:26.660
Nancy.
00:20:27.101 --> 00:20:31.347
I got to say I really wish we could have another 15 minutes with you.
00:20:31.347 --> 00:20:33.090
It's okay, You've got to make room for Hunter.
00:20:33.090 --> 00:20:34.933
We do got to make room for Hunter.
00:20:34.933 --> 00:20:39.467
But, Nancy, thank you so much for taking the time sitting down with us.
00:20:39.467 --> 00:20:42.864
I want to have you on again.
00:20:43.025 --> 00:20:44.301
We're going to have you on again.
00:20:44.301 --> 00:20:45.266
Bring Newman with you too.
00:20:45.425 --> 00:20:48.040
Yes, and bring Newman, We'll make it a special or something.
00:20:48.040 --> 00:20:50.984
We'll do something just to they're back.
00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:55.842
Can I tell you one story because it's awesome.
00:20:55.842 --> 00:21:00.353
Absolutely time's ticking, I know, but um, garth brooks had been around since we got started when the radio station went on the air.
00:21:00.353 --> 00:21:02.183
Yeah, never met him, never met him, never met him.
00:21:02.183 --> 00:21:05.151
It was 2010, I think, and never met him.
00:21:05.171 --> 00:21:14.744
He was kind of doing his comeback yeah and he flew me and newman and a couple of other morning shows from around the country to dallas and we got to broadcast.
00:21:14.744 --> 00:21:20.633
We did from the 50 yard line of the Cowboys stadium, right, I hadn't met him, I'd never met Garth.
00:21:20.633 --> 00:21:21.515
We talked to him on the phone.
00:21:21.515 --> 00:21:23.544
Every time I talked to him I'd say I have never met you.
00:21:23.544 --> 00:21:24.467
And he said we got to fix that.
00:21:24.467 --> 00:21:28.288
We got to fix that and we had a couple of drinks because we were waiting.
00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:43.292
We were in box, you know, like his, which is a like a restaurant, you know, and Newman and I are going up to say hi to Garth Newman.
00:21:43.292 --> 00:21:46.337
I had already met him and I said hello and I started crying.
00:21:46.337 --> 00:21:50.226
I was so overwhelmed and he's like oh darling, that's okay, you know.
00:21:50.226 --> 00:21:54.182
And then I like got my act together and it was great, we had a nice conversation.
00:21:54.182 --> 00:21:55.488
And then the next morning he comes down.
00:21:55.488 --> 00:22:01.422
We're broadcasting from the 50 yard line of the Cowboy Stadium and he says you're not going to cry, are you like?
00:22:01.422 --> 00:22:02.001
You're okay.
00:22:02.042 --> 00:22:04.542
You're over that and I'm like dude, sit your butt down, let's go.
00:22:04.542 --> 00:22:06.064
I'm a strong, independent woman.
00:22:06.064 --> 00:22:10.286
That was I just had to tell you that.
00:22:10.286 --> 00:22:11.846
That is awesome.
00:22:12.287 --> 00:22:12.807
It's amazing.
00:22:12.807 --> 00:22:13.626
Thank you for sharing.
00:22:13.626 --> 00:22:15.008
Oh, yes, Thank you.
00:22:15.208 --> 00:22:18.209
I've had a blessed life and we're back.
00:22:18.209 --> 00:22:19.489
That's why I can't believe we're back.
00:22:19.489 --> 00:22:20.650
It's the most exciting thing.
00:22:21.109 --> 00:22:25.932
So I'm just going to need to live vicariously through you a couple other times off camera.
00:22:25.951 --> 00:22:29.833
But, nancy, thank you so much for taking the time and sitting down with us.
00:22:30.034 --> 00:22:31.534
Yes, it was incredible.
00:22:31.534 --> 00:22:33.115
Thank you Coming up.
00:22:33.115 --> 00:22:34.835
We got Hunter Root.
00:22:35.336 --> 00:22:39.156
Wait, alan, I think you would agree that was a great conversation we had with Nancy.
00:22:39.396 --> 00:22:44.538
Oh my God, From all the celebrities she's met to just her personality, I would love to sit down and talk with her again.
00:22:44.659 --> 00:22:45.019
Oh my God.
00:22:45.019 --> 00:22:48.651
Yeah, I mean just the amount of work she's done and helped out our local community.
00:22:54.859 --> 00:22:57.105
It was great to have the opportunity to sit and speak with her, 100% and without further ado.
00:22:57.105 --> 00:22:58.990
Let's sit down with Hunter Root and we're sitting down with Hunter Root.
00:22:58.990 --> 00:23:03.065
Hunter, thank you so much for taking the time coming out here sitting down with us.
00:23:03.065 --> 00:23:05.131
We just want to know your story, man.
00:23:05.131 --> 00:23:08.665
I mean, you're involved in Medusa's Disco.
00:23:08.665 --> 00:23:12.053
We just recently found out you have your own podcast as well.
00:23:12.053 --> 00:23:14.203
I mean, dude, just hit us from the beginning.
00:23:14.203 --> 00:23:15.406
Did hunter start?
00:23:15.907 --> 00:23:18.432
yeah, first off, thanks for having me, guys appreciate it of course, thank you.
00:23:18.432 --> 00:23:32.961
Um, yeah, so I started playing guitar and drums when I was 12, um, because my older brother played, and then, um, we, we played in school a little bit, but, um, it wasn't until 18 until I started playing out.
00:23:32.961 --> 00:23:34.306
Okay, and that was with.
00:23:34.306 --> 00:23:36.905
The band was called Seeds at the time.
00:23:36.905 --> 00:23:38.185
Now it's called Medusa's Disco.
00:23:39.400 --> 00:23:41.154
Kind of has a pretty big following behind that name.
00:23:41.154 --> 00:23:41.759
Yeah, yeah.
00:23:42.101 --> 00:23:44.469
Like we've done well locally and like regionally.
00:23:44.469 --> 00:23:47.906
So I got most of my chops in that band.
00:23:47.906 --> 00:23:51.906
That band still exists, so it's been like 10 years strong.
00:23:51.906 --> 00:23:59.619
And like in the middle of that, um, I started also started releasing solo music Okay, I think that was 2018.
00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:07.392
Um, and I always kind of had like a like an acoustic, um, like bedroom feel, I would call it.
00:24:07.392 --> 00:24:07.893
I don't know.
00:24:08.114 --> 00:24:10.084
All right, I like that it's like a singer songwriter thing, you know.
00:24:10.365 --> 00:24:14.375
Um, but it it just it wasn't coming out in the psychedelic rock band.
00:24:14.375 --> 00:24:17.403
That was medusa's disco, yeah it is um.
00:24:17.403 --> 00:24:23.260
So, yeah, I started releasing um solo music and then um, in just this past year, um, it took off.
00:24:23.260 --> 00:24:32.857
So now that's what I'm focusing on now, the solo stuff, awesome, man, and that's pretty much where I am now and you, you really took off this yeah yeah, uh, your your one song.
00:24:32.998 --> 00:24:34.281
Oh, my goodness, I'm gonna mess.
00:24:34.281 --> 00:24:35.263
What was the song that went viral?
00:24:35.284 --> 00:24:36.025
Town Rat Heathen.
00:24:36.065 --> 00:24:38.590
Town Rat Heathen I had the words, didn't have them in order.
00:24:38.611 --> 00:24:40.054
Yeah, people will mix up the order a lot.
00:24:40.621 --> 00:24:44.086
It's kind of like a mouthful, but in a good way, though it's very easy to jumble it up.
00:24:44.086 --> 00:24:49.847
It's three words, you probably.
00:24:49.847 --> 00:24:50.489
How did that start?
00:24:50.489 --> 00:24:52.872
What, what, what town route, heathen?
00:24:52.872 --> 00:24:54.034
How did that explode?
00:24:54.034 --> 00:24:55.035
What happened there?
00:24:55.300 --> 00:25:18.711
yeah, um, so I would say like it, the the pre-meditation, for it was like a frustration with not being as far as I wanted to be in music, okay, so I started like grinding online with tiktok and then, like two years in, well, so I was just like shooting like originals, kind of just like playing to the camera with the lyrics, just like seeing what other artists were doing.
00:25:18.911 --> 00:25:26.451
Yep, um so, um, that was probably like who knows, just a rough estimate, maybe the 40th song, 50th song I just like threw at tiktok.
00:25:26.451 --> 00:25:33.641
Um, it was like a 20 second like verse of the first verse of town right, he's in and that got like 500 000 views.
00:25:33.641 --> 00:25:39.967
Um, what was that like waking up and seeing that it was like that, yeah, because I would of the first verse of Town of Heathen, and that got like 500,000 views.
00:25:39.967 --> 00:25:44.230
What was that like waking up and seeing that it was like that, yeah, because I would do something Joe Rogan calls it posting and ghosting, so I would post and not look at it.
00:25:44.230 --> 00:25:45.272
So I'd just wait until the next day.
00:25:45.272 --> 00:25:48.915
Yeah, I woke up the next day and it had like 250,000 views.
00:25:49.155 --> 00:25:49.676
Oh, my God.
00:25:50.339 --> 00:26:04.989
And I was like you, literally like I would do the same thing every day, just like before I opened the app and just like praying, it's the one every time, every time it's the one, and it literally was, and I was like I'm dying, that's awesome.
00:26:04.989 --> 00:26:06.452
My brain melted, um.
00:26:06.452 --> 00:26:10.584
And then, um, you know, I just watched it for like the next few days.
00:26:10.584 --> 00:26:16.265
And then, um, I just started recording it right then and there, luckily, I had the song finished already.
00:26:16.786 --> 00:26:29.952
Um, so you had the song I could play through it by myself yeah and then so I was like I can record it now, recorded it in a few days and released it in like I think it took a couple weeks, and then it came out and then slowly got.
00:26:29.952 --> 00:26:37.510
I think it started out like a thousand plays a day, and then it was like 10,000 plays a day, and then now it's up to like 3 million streams on Spotify.
00:26:37.590 --> 00:26:40.161
Oh my God, yeah, oh my God.
00:26:40.161 --> 00:26:47.769
You released this on TikTok without the whole song being recorded, yeah, so you probably had hundreds of thousands of people in the comments like, where do I find this song?
00:26:47.869 --> 00:26:48.130
right now.
00:26:48.130 --> 00:26:48.652
Yeah, I did, yeah.
00:26:48.652 --> 00:27:00.974
So was it a grind trying to get that song out the way you wanted it, but in time to strike while the iron's hot.
00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:04.130
Yeah, exactly, thankfully like I do all the recording and instrumentation myself, so I could, I could like recorded it in like four days, you're like okay, I gotta do this now.
00:27:04.035 --> 00:27:08.605
Yeah, do not disturb on the phone and just focus right.
00:27:08.665 --> 00:27:15.410
Yeah, exactly it was like the best time, because you like just knowing it was going to be released to more people than I'd ever released music to.
00:27:15.410 --> 00:27:18.076
Yes, that's awesome.
00:27:18.096 --> 00:27:20.501
What's that feeling like knowing you've reached that many people?
00:27:20.623 --> 00:27:22.872
yeah, it's, it's literally can't put it into words.
00:27:22.872 --> 00:27:29.529
It's just the ultimate satisfaction like I always think of, like it's satisfying your 12 year old self.
00:27:29.529 --> 00:27:44.992
Yeah, like it's the only way I can put it yeah, the things that you dreamed about, yeah, like oh yeah, it's happening yeah, and even if it's not like the whole entire thing, like you know, I'm not playing on like, I'm not on conan or anything, but like the amount of like, um, what's the word?
00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:54.126
it's not coming exposure, exposure, but it's validation yeah sure it's like, as much as you don't want to admit it, you're like out there to get some validation.
00:27:54.126 --> 00:27:55.770
You want people to like your music Absolutely.
00:27:55.790 --> 00:27:56.090
You know what?
00:27:56.131 --> 00:28:00.105
I mean so the the amount of validation is overwhelming as hell.
00:28:00.746 --> 00:28:01.487
It's so overwhelming.
00:28:01.487 --> 00:28:02.909
Yeah, yeah, in the best way.
00:28:02.909 --> 00:28:05.974
So where do we, where do we go from here, man, what, what's next?
00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:08.281
So when's this podcast come out?
00:28:08.281 --> 00:28:10.704
Uh, a couple weeks from now.
00:28:10.724 --> 00:28:11.605
Okay, yeah, yeah, a couple weeks from now.
00:28:11.625 --> 00:28:12.046
Yeah, cool.
00:28:12.046 --> 00:28:27.943
So, like literally, just like this past week, I, I, um, I guess I, yeah, I signed a deal and I really didn't sign it technically yet, but, um, I finally landed a booking agent, um Wasserman I don't know if anybody knows them, they're freaking huge.
00:28:27.943 --> 00:28:44.623
They're have like every name you can imagine um like, just like the bigger names are like cage, the elephant drake, oh, my god jay um tyler childers um bill strings um, sam barber, I don't know, like every all kinds of names.
00:28:44.923 --> 00:28:46.367
They're huge, absolutely huge.
00:28:46.367 --> 00:28:47.451
I think they're based out of london.
00:28:47.451 --> 00:28:50.449
So yeah, I I just landed that.
00:28:50.449 --> 00:28:56.481
So up until now I've been literally the whole time I've been booking by myself, and it's such a drag.
00:28:56.481 --> 00:29:04.382
Oh my god, but now it's like I'm hopefully gonna get like real tours, like with real good looks so Hunter Root is hitting the road.
00:29:04.442 --> 00:29:06.028
Yeah, like for real, like for real.
00:29:06.987 --> 00:29:10.704
Like we're getting Hunter Root before you turn into Hunter Root.
00:29:10.704 --> 00:29:11.307
I think so.
00:29:11.346 --> 00:29:18.227
I hope so, Dude that's dope man, that's awesome man dude, congratulations, yeah, seriously congratulations yeah that's awesome.
00:29:18.387 --> 00:29:21.703
Yeah, you guys caught me at like a the most exciting time, dude.
00:29:21.904 --> 00:29:25.532
I'm, I'm excited through you, yeah, like that's awesome.
00:29:25.532 --> 00:29:27.605
Oh my god, we'll definitely have to come out and catch a show then.
00:29:27.605 --> 00:29:29.691
Absolutely, yeah, that's awesome.
00:29:29.711 --> 00:29:30.601
So I mean that that's.
00:29:30.601 --> 00:29:36.893
I mean, that's not just like a door that's opened, that's a floodgate of opportunity that has opened for you.
00:29:37.074 --> 00:29:37.294
Yeah.
00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:39.546
How are you navigating that?
00:29:39.546 --> 00:29:42.148
Like what's going through your mind right now, like what is your goal?
00:29:42.148 --> 00:29:54.307
I mean, if you don't want to say specifics because in case they listen, that's fine, but like, how are you navigating this right now, man, yeah, I mean thankfully, like right before this, I also got managers for the first time.
00:29:55.230 --> 00:29:57.133
Um, ed and matt.
00:29:57.133 --> 00:30:09.471
Shout out to ed and matt um, um, so like they're like the best and like all they want to do is make they just try to remove everything from my plate so I can just be a musician.
00:30:09.471 --> 00:30:22.664
That's awesome, which, like I've never experienced in my life yeah, like you know, this day and age like I'm sure you guys, even doing the podcast, like anybody doing any business by themselves, knows like they have to wear like a million hats to do it.
00:30:22.664 --> 00:30:22.961
What?
00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:24.425
you see, is 10% of the real.
00:30:24.445 --> 00:30:27.067
Yeah, exactly, you're seeing the tip of the iceberg right now.
00:30:27.086 --> 00:30:33.915
Yes, so like I'm slowly taking off the hats because of the managers and like even though stuff is like filling my plate, it doesn't.
00:30:34.637 --> 00:30:54.548
It's just not like overwhelming to the point where it's like I have to figure out the logistics, you know yeah, so I'm just, that's what can burn you out real quick, yeah, exactly so, like I mean it, like it's also really fresh and it just happened a few days ago, so it's like still sinking in, yeah, but right now it just yeah, I feel, I feel good about it, like my head's still above the water, I'm just excited.
00:30:54.990 --> 00:30:58.784
Yeah, dude, yeah and looking forward to the tours.
00:30:58.784 --> 00:30:59.125
That's amazing.
00:30:59.125 --> 00:31:02.972
On the tour coming up, you're going to be pushing the new album, arkansas, right yeah yeah, it's going to be focused.
00:31:03.461 --> 00:31:12.587
The whole tour is going to be focused on a relaunch of Arkansas, because I didn't get to do it with any PR.
00:31:12.587 --> 00:31:15.453
Now I have a PR guy, so I'm like paying for that and stuff.
00:31:15.473 --> 00:31:15.693
Yeah.
00:31:15.693 --> 00:31:18.999
So, like the whole team, is that weird to say yeah, it's so weird.
00:31:19.038 --> 00:31:21.910
Yeah, I have a PR guy now, what's that about?
00:31:21.970 --> 00:31:26.646
I don't know, but I have one yeah exactly, it's a true statement dude, yeah, yeah.
00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:37.105
But yeah it, so I won't be launching it myself and hopefully I'll get legitimate press.
00:31:37.125 --> 00:31:38.048
That's awesome, man, probably, probably.
00:31:38.048 --> 00:31:39.030
We hope I'm paying for it.
00:31:39.030 --> 00:31:40.685
I better see results.
00:31:40.685 --> 00:31:42.307
I better see results, damn it.
00:31:43.182 --> 00:31:43.765
No, I'm sure it will.
00:31:43.765 --> 00:31:46.767
Everyone I'm working with the managers and stuff.
00:31:46.767 --> 00:31:53.891
They all are psyched to jump on it because it's in its infancy and it's doing so well.
00:31:54.050 --> 00:31:54.311
Yes.
00:31:54.681 --> 00:31:56.843
Everyone's blown away by that, so I got to ask then.
00:31:56.903 --> 00:31:58.729
I mean, the floodgates are open?
00:31:58.729 --> 00:32:00.586
Yeah so all the possibilities are there.
00:32:00.586 --> 00:32:04.641
Yeah, If you had your choice, who would your first tour be Like?
00:32:04.641 --> 00:32:05.484
If you Dream Sheet?
00:32:05.685 --> 00:32:05.946
Oh yeah.
00:32:06.422 --> 00:32:07.547
Who would your Dream Sheet tour be?
00:32:07.547 --> 00:32:09.988
So like to open with or open for.
00:32:09.988 --> 00:32:13.030
Open for dude, dude, if we're talking dream sheet.
00:32:13.030 --> 00:32:13.692
Open for you.
00:32:14.112 --> 00:32:25.746
Oh, either one, whichever way you want to go oh yeah, I know I was thinking about who, like yeah, I keep dreaming about who I'm going to be opening for because I think that's like what the next step of my career is sure absolutely um and like.
00:32:25.746 --> 00:32:26.508
To me it's not.
00:32:26.528 --> 00:32:36.202
It doesn't have to be like I'm not like looking for the biggest artist necessarily maybe like a happy medium, a big artist who I love and that's pretty obvious to me um, definitely tyler childers.
00:32:36.202 --> 00:32:37.689
Okay, yeah, he's my man.
00:32:37.689 --> 00:32:54.366
Yeah, he's the dude who got me well, actually, billy strings got me into country music, but I know he doesn't have openers okay, yeah, but um, tyler childers is kind of I think he might be a slightly better fit anyway, because billy's more bluegrass, yeah, but uh, I know tyler's on the same agency and stuff.
00:32:54.366 --> 00:32:58.579
So I'm hoping that that's my dream man that would be amazing.
00:32:58.599 --> 00:32:59.857
Yeah, that would be awesome.
00:32:59.857 --> 00:33:01.684
Man, yeah, I think that's within the realms.
00:33:01.684 --> 00:33:02.728
Yeah, I'm excited.
00:33:02.728 --> 00:33:03.711
I have goosebumps right now.
00:33:03.730 --> 00:33:05.305
Nice, that's awesome dude.
00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:06.983
I'm excited for you, Can I?
00:33:07.023 --> 00:33:07.384
come with.
00:33:07.384 --> 00:33:10.073
We'll be your merch guys.
00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:16.087
We'll be your merch guy dude.
00:33:16.087 --> 00:33:16.798
Check out our podcast, check out his podcast, check out all the podcasts.
00:33:16.798 --> 00:33:17.036
Here's a t-shirt.
00:33:17.036 --> 00:33:20.167
Take a sticker for the road like no, that dude, that's.
00:33:20.167 --> 00:33:21.352
That is awesome.
00:33:21.352 --> 00:33:26.848
Man, I mean really you are like on the cusp of like dude, like the world's your oyster right now the sky's the limit, man.
00:33:26.888 --> 00:33:27.170
Yeah, yeah.
00:33:27.170 --> 00:33:36.509
So, and I guess another question kind of tying into that is yeah, is there any venues out there that you're like, you're dead set on, you're like I want to play this, this venue, someday.
00:33:36.549 --> 00:33:40.055
Yeah, um, immediately, red rocks popped in my head.
00:33:40.055 --> 00:33:41.942
I feel like that one's obvious.
00:33:41.942 --> 00:33:42.904
I don't know.
00:33:42.904 --> 00:33:45.451
Yeah, yeah, I, yeah, I want to see a show there.
00:33:45.451 --> 00:33:46.381
I want to play a show there.
00:33:46.381 --> 00:33:51.861
Um, I'm trying to think if there's any other ones that that jump out um, that's the one, that's that, it's the.
00:33:52.121 --> 00:33:54.625
it's like in the canyons, right, yeah, the canyons surround.
00:33:54.625 --> 00:33:55.306
It's at what?
00:33:55.306 --> 00:33:56.548
New Mexico, arizona, what is it?
00:33:56.548 --> 00:33:57.189
Colorado?
00:33:57.210 --> 00:33:58.151
Colorado, that's what it is.
00:33:58.151 --> 00:33:58.892
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:33:58.912 --> 00:34:00.855
That's awesome, yeah, so beautiful.
00:34:05.945 --> 00:34:12.373
I've only ever seen pictures yeah, amphitheater, yeah, yeah, yeah, do an amphitheater here, I mean not like an all-natural.
00:34:13.072 --> 00:34:15.755
I went to one in DC actually this past summer.
00:34:15.755 --> 00:34:18.161
It was awesome.
00:34:18.161 --> 00:34:19.833
I just set one up in a park right on a creek and they built it.
00:34:19.833 --> 00:34:20.402
It was beautiful.
00:34:20.402 --> 00:34:22.481
We need something like that out here yeah.
00:34:23.003 --> 00:34:26.985
We did a Medusa, did the dam show or dam stock, I think it was called.
00:34:26.985 --> 00:34:29.106
Then it's in Austin, pa.
00:34:29.106 --> 00:34:31.762
Okay, where the Austin Dam was that broke.
00:34:32.483 --> 00:34:33.204
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:34:33.204 --> 00:34:34.507
Okay, I remember hearing about that, yeah.
00:34:34.606 --> 00:34:38.914
The big dam is still there and they do a show there, like down in the valley.
00:34:38.914 --> 00:34:40.094
Oh, that's awesome.
00:34:40.094 --> 00:34:42.525
The acoustics have got to be insane.
00:34:42.525 --> 00:34:44.612
That's wild, that's cool yeah.
00:34:47.385 --> 00:34:48.550
Dude, I'm like floored right now.
00:34:48.550 --> 00:34:50.827
Dude, I knew who you were.
00:34:50.827 --> 00:34:52.641
I knew you were obviously having some success right now.
00:34:52.641 --> 00:34:53.182
But I knew who you were.
00:34:53.182 --> 00:34:56.367
I knew you're obviously having some success right now, but I didn't know the extent.
00:34:56.427 --> 00:35:02.894
So it's still kind of hitting me that I'm sitting here with you, like you said, in the exact moment that's happening for you, so that's just like I can be prepped.
00:35:03.454 --> 00:35:08.018
but I'm not prepped for that when that information's laid on me, so I'm just like okay this is just.
00:35:08.780 --> 00:35:11.068
There's so many questions flooding through my head right now.
00:35:11.068 --> 00:35:16.405
That's like flooding through my head right now that's fair.
00:35:16.425 --> 00:35:17.891
Me too, he's like I don't know what to do with my hands right now.
00:35:17.891 --> 00:35:19.960
I'm really bobbing right now like, yeah, it's such, yeah, it's all up in the air.
00:35:20.121 --> 00:35:24.523
Oh my god, I know right and kind of like what you were saying, with, like the floodgates being wide open now.
00:35:24.523 --> 00:35:30.742
Now seeing this open realm of opportunity, does the sky just feel limitless at this point, or do you?
00:35:30.742 --> 00:35:33.065
See, like you know, the next stepping stones you want to take.
00:35:33.065 --> 00:35:41.510
Of course, we've talked about, you know, the band you want to open for but, like you know, now that you see, wow, this is real, it's in front of me, it's, it's tangible, what are you thinking now?
00:35:41.690 --> 00:35:47.532
next, you know, good question, man um, that kind of reminds me of what we're talking about before we started rolling.
00:35:47.532 --> 00:36:13.947
I think, um, I want to like protect the ownership of my music for sure, going forward and then like so, like when, like when I project myself, when I'm like 50 years from now, that's what I'm thinking about is, like I want to own my music and, um, I think that, like before that, I just really wanted to make it in music, like do music and, uh, not have to work.
00:36:13.947 --> 00:36:17.722
I didn't, yeah, I didn't, I didn't need to be as successful as I am now.
00:36:18.043 --> 00:36:21.800
Even yeah, I just wanted to be able to play music and not have to work a regular job.
00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:30.568
Um, now I think I'm past that point, so, like my, my mind started dreaming slightly bigger it's like okay, you can open up now you had to adapt, yeah, so I'd adapt.
00:36:30.608 --> 00:36:31.210
So, yeah now.
00:36:31.210 --> 00:36:44.786
So now I was like, and like when I first went viral, I had like wow, I flew out to uh la, and like with atlantic, okay, and everybody thought I had signed with atlantic or that was a rumor, but I ended up not doing that.
00:36:44.786 --> 00:36:47.672
Um, I never saw a deal actually.
00:36:47.672 --> 00:36:56.503
It was never on on the table actually, okay, um, so we're clearing up rumors, right yeah, exactly, just so everybody knows yeah um, I'm not gonna pretend like I had a deal or anything.
00:36:56.523 --> 00:36:57.327
There was never a deal.
00:36:57.327 --> 00:37:08.172
They were just like I think they just wanted to know like where I was at with things and I like went and talked to him and I was just like, hey, it's just me, and then I don't think high atlantic records yeah, I'm hunter.
00:37:08.193 --> 00:37:09.322
They were like what's the team like?
00:37:09.322 --> 00:37:12.106
And I'm like, uh, and then I'm looking at.
00:37:12.106 --> 00:37:32.170
Yeah, I think they kind of wanted, waited for the thing to develop more, okay so, yeah, so, like that leads, that led me into like I like kind of chased them a little bit and then I regretted that, fell back into doing my own thing again and then all this started happening with, like, the managers and the booking agency.
00:37:32.170 --> 00:37:39.811
Now the thing has opened, um, not going insane?
00:37:41.173 --> 00:37:54.550
yeah, valid, yeah, yeah like now that I know I think it's gonna happen, I just want to uh like, not say yes to everything or just be smart about it and I think the way you said it the first time is very smart.
00:37:54.550 --> 00:38:08.827
Yeah, not saying yes to everything, because yeah yeah, yeah, so like, and then, um, which is kind of goes along with like not falling into like a record deal I don't want to do, or just like anything like that to just not just get like memorized by the whole thing.
00:38:09.409 --> 00:38:12.155
Like really, I just like want to step to the simplicity of like.
00:38:12.155 --> 00:38:17.394
I just want to make music for the rest of my life and like sustain myself and like be comfortable.
00:38:17.394 --> 00:38:22.659
I don't want to deal with bullshit, with labels and owning and like music.
00:38:22.659 --> 00:38:23.945
I want to keep that to a minimum.
00:38:23.945 --> 00:38:36.152
So I just like I think I'm really just focused on like being really successful without like getting lost in the sauce yeah, just kind of a simple man, honestly stick
00:38:36.172 --> 00:38:37.224
to the simple man aspect.
00:38:37.224 --> 00:38:43.492
I feel like, dude, as long as you stick to that, like as long as you stick to true to who you are, I think you're going to be fine.
00:38:43.492 --> 00:38:45.331
But I already think you.
00:38:45.331 --> 00:38:54.369
I mean, we're not anywhere close to the situation that you're at right now, but my opinion is the fact that you already took off the rose-colored glasses.
00:38:54.369 --> 00:39:00.911
Immediately you looked through them, you're like holy crap, this looks awesome and you took them off immediately to keep yourself grounded.
00:39:00.911 --> 00:39:03.911
Looks awesome and you took them off immediately to keep yourself grounded.
00:39:03.911 --> 00:39:04.512
That was a very smart move.
00:39:04.512 --> 00:39:06.882
Yeah, like looking at it strategically and analytically is very smart.
00:39:06.882 --> 00:39:15.672
And just staying true to you and dude, I I hope the best for you, man like that is I don't think you really need my hope but still, I appreciate it absolutely.
00:39:15.692 --> 00:39:22.777
Everyone's out of support here, man, I mean seriously, it's so great to see musicians like yourself being humble and true to themselves and not jumping on the first thing that appears in front of them.
00:39:22.777 --> 00:39:23.724
You know, it's really good to see musicians like yourself being humble and true to themselves and not jumping on the first thing that appears in front of them.
00:39:23.724 --> 00:39:30.117
You know it's really good to stay true to yourself and, man, if you're already going this far right now, I can't wait to see what's in the future for you.
00:39:30.117 --> 00:39:31.369
You know that's so exciting.
00:39:31.369 --> 00:39:32.414
I got to ask this question.
00:39:32.885 --> 00:39:38.873
I mean, I know we're out of time right now, but I don't know if we're ever going to have this specific, like we say on every guest.
00:39:38.873 --> 00:39:44.061
We like to ask every guest what do they think is special about Central PA and the music scene regarding it?
00:39:44.061 --> 00:39:52.559
And we're sitting down with one of the local musicians that is currently, I would safely say, you're going through your breakthrough moment.
00:39:52.559 --> 00:39:55.313
I don't know if we're ever going to have that moment again.
00:39:55.313 --> 00:40:00.918
So, as a breakthrough artist right now that's currently going through it, what do you think is special about this area?
00:40:00.918 --> 00:40:02.648
What do you think makes it special?
00:40:02.648 --> 00:40:06.697
And there is no wrong answer.
00:40:07.099 --> 00:40:43.811
I we just want to pick your brain, yeah, yeah um, I think, uh, just from my personal experience, I think, like the, the longevity of being in a band, like being in a band for a local band for 10 years, is hard you know, and especially if it's not, um, it's just it's hard to see it if it's going anywhere sometimes, and the community here kind of makes it feel like it's being seen all the whole time, even if it's not being seen by the whole world.
00:40:44.233 --> 00:40:44.766
You know what I mean?
00:40:44.766 --> 00:40:59.231
Yeah, there's like so the community is, is like vibrant enough that, as a musician you like, as personally I, just even through the ups and downs, I think this scene is just, it's there enough that it carries you.
00:40:59.231 --> 00:41:04.407
If you, if you feel like playing music, this scene is there for you yeah you know what I mean?
00:41:04.407 --> 00:41:05.251
That's all I can say.
00:41:05.251 --> 00:41:08.967
So, like you don't have to go anywhere else, you can just be here.
00:41:08.967 --> 00:41:11.012
I don't, I don't think every place has that.
00:41:11.012 --> 00:41:12.677
So, yeah, that's a valid point, man.
00:41:12.804 --> 00:41:15.436
Yeah, and just to clarify, go ahead, man.
00:41:15.436 --> 00:41:19.186
Just to clarify, you are up for central pennsylvania music award nominations as well, correct?
00:41:19.186 --> 00:41:20.409
Yeah, yeah, dude, hit them.
00:41:20.409 --> 00:41:22.552
Let the, let the fans know what you're nominated for.
00:41:22.731 --> 00:41:28.541
Oh shoot um what is it uh there's so many, I think it's, I think it's three or four.
00:41:28.541 --> 00:41:33.556
It's a song of the year, town route, heathen and uh, album of the year for arkansas.
00:41:33.556 --> 00:41:36.331
Okay, I know medusa has rock band of the year.
00:41:36.331 --> 00:41:40.005
And then there's one other other solo one, I forget singer songwriter.
00:41:40.306 --> 00:41:41.710
Maybe it's singer songwriter.
00:41:41.710 --> 00:41:42.452
I think that sounds right.
00:41:45.724 --> 00:41:47.833
Dude, you're just hitting all the marks, man.
00:41:47.833 --> 00:41:50.427
All the marks, dude, I'm excited.
00:41:50.427 --> 00:41:52.956
Danny, I'll let you take the next part here.
00:41:53.056 --> 00:41:54.929
That's actually what I wanted to ask, Hunter.
00:41:54.929 --> 00:41:57.028
Thank you so much for your time, man.
00:41:57.068 --> 00:41:58.313
I hope we covered all the bases.
00:42:00.306 --> 00:42:04.851
We could talk with you for hours, but I hear we have a live performance coming up from you here next right, yes, sir.
00:42:04.851 --> 00:42:06.771
Yes, we are so excited for that.
00:42:06.771 --> 00:42:10.045
Everybody, stay tuned for a live performance from Hunter Root and Hunter.
00:42:10.045 --> 00:42:11.108
Thank you so much.
00:42:11.248 --> 00:42:11.990
Thank you guys, thank you man.
00:42:11.990 --> 00:42:13.094
It was a real pleasure, awesome.
00:42:13.094 --> 00:42:13.856
Thank you, thank you.
00:42:34.818 --> 00:42:39.380
My name is Hunter Root, called Town Route Heathen beer ought to set me straight.
00:42:39.380 --> 00:42:44.992
Young and carefree as a boy could be whiskey smokes and LSD.
00:42:46.068 --> 00:42:51.835
Railroad tracks run along the creek, walk them up and down in the summer heat.
00:42:51.835 --> 00:42:55.172
Same old boy, changing like the seasons.
00:42:55.172 --> 00:42:58.188
Country kid turning to a town, right he.
00:42:58.188 --> 00:43:04.288
Then country kid turning to a town, right here.
00:43:04.288 --> 00:43:22.894
Then Daddy's in jail for a DUI, brothers in rehab, a second time, fucked up on salts and spices of all kinds Legal drugs, doing double damage to your mind.
00:43:22.894 --> 00:43:29.052
There must be greater forces at play, too big to see and impossible to say.
00:43:29.052 --> 00:43:32.112
No one alive makes it out unscathed.
00:43:32.614 --> 00:43:33.978
Hicks and Scars.
00:43:33.978 --> 00:43:37.070
Hey, hicks and Scars.
00:43:37.070 --> 00:43:40.014
Hey, hicks and Scars.
00:43:40.014 --> 00:43:43.150
Hey, hicks and Scars.
00:43:43.150 --> 00:43:45.056
Now I think we're even.
00:43:45.056 --> 00:43:59.670
Country kid turning to a town, right, heathen Getting high by the covered bridge.
00:43:59.670 --> 00:44:02.818
Granny find out gonna flip her lid.
00:44:02.818 --> 00:44:06.094
Never did call to a high school dance.
00:44:06.094 --> 00:44:09.215
I was in love with a bad romance.
00:44:09.215 --> 00:44:12.313
Now I'm 28 with these aches and pains.
00:44:12.313 --> 00:44:15.375
Break to the devil now with each complaint.
00:44:15.375 --> 00:44:18.414
No one alive makes it out unscathed.
00:44:18.414 --> 00:44:20.231
Hicks and scars.
00:44:20.231 --> 00:44:22.148
Hey, hicks and scars.
00:44:22.148 --> 00:44:22.731
Hey, hicks and Scars.
00:44:22.731 --> 00:44:23.577
Hicks and Scars.
00:44:23.577 --> 00:44:29.434
Hicks and Scars, hicks and Scars.
00:44:29.434 --> 00:44:41.594
Hicks and Scars, hicks and Scars, hicks and Scars, hicks and Scars.
00:44:41.594 --> 00:44:43.713
Now I think we're even.
00:44:43.713 --> 00:44:49.775
Country kid turned into a town rat heathen.
00:44:49.775 --> 00:45:01.211
Country kid turned into a town rat heathen Country kid turned into a town rat.
00:45:01.211 --> 00:45:02.655
He's in.
00:45:16.077 --> 00:45:23.534
I gotta say, danny, we've said it many times and I'll say it again the talking voice did not match the singing voice, but I am not disappointed.
00:45:23.735 --> 00:45:24.938
No man Blown away.
00:45:24.938 --> 00:45:27.494
A Hunter Rue is man Bar none.
00:45:27.494 --> 00:45:36.813
I dude is an incredible musician and I'm so blessed that we had the opportunity to sit down and speak with them and get a live performance and he's doing so many great things.
00:45:36.885 --> 00:45:43.918
He has big things coming his way and we here at the Central Pennsylvania Music Podcast only wish him the best of luck, all the love and you know what.
00:45:43.918 --> 00:45:47.590
You always know where to find the next artist right here on our podcast.
00:45:47.590 --> 00:45:48.795
Until next time.
00:45:49.164 --> 00:46:15.099
Stay tuned, we'll see you next time.