Bailey Zimmerman joins Katie Neal at our brand new studios inside the Hard Rock in the heart of Nashville!
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00:00Back to keep us company this week with his soon to be fifth number one in three, less than three years. Bailey Zimmerman, our ACM nominee. Welcome back. Hey, thanks for having me back. Is it wild to like hear that like fifth single in less than three years? Yeah, man. Honestly, everything in life right now is insane. Yeah, it's hard. Yeah, it's hard to even comprehend being here talking to you. It's crazy.
00:29Right? Or just like think about how different your life is in probably like what four years total? Oh, yeah. Like when you look back to you, like, is there like, do you ever think like if I could tell myself what the world would be like now? Is there any chance that Bailey like four or five years ago even believes that's possible? Yes. Because I was like, super. I remember I remember it all the time. I think back to like being like, Oh, yeah, I just got to keep working hard. I just got to keep grinding. I just got to keep going. And
00:59he would probably be like, we really like we did it. And I'm like, yeah, we did everything that you thought you're going to do. And it's like, no way. And like, yeah, and we even did this and this and you don't even know about that. And yeah, it's so crazy. Yeah, I feel like you're in a similar position. Jelly Roll always talks about this. Like, I got to start dreaming bigger because every all my dreams keep coming true that like I almost can't like move the goalpost far enough to like think about what I want to do next.
01:22Which is fun too. Because sometimes stuff you can't even like, I would say not only this, you know, Luke Combs collab, but also the big X collab. Yeah. That was like out of the blue. And I never thought I'd be able to do something like that, you know, and for sure. Now, like, I'm just like, what else can I dream up? Like, what else can we do, baby?
01:49I know, right? I want to talk more about both of those things. But first, let's talk about Holy Smokes. Currently in the top 10. By the time this airs, it'll be much closer to number one.
01:57Yes, yes. Talk about the day that you guys wrote this song and kind of like, what was the inspiration for it? How it came about?
02:03So I didn't write this one. It was. Oh, gosh, I got ADHD so bad. Hold on. Give me a sec. Michael Tyler, Ben Stennis, Laura Alexander.
02:19Pretty sure.
02:20That sounds right.
02:21That sounds right.
02:22Yeah.
02:23We'll edit it. We'll make sure it's right.
02:25Okay. But that sounds right. So, yeah. Ben Stennis, Laura Alexander, and Michael Tyler. And they sent it to me. And they were like, yo, what do you think of this song?
02:38And first listen, I was like, dude, oh, yeah. Because the first reason being, it related to me so much. It was scary. It was like, this song is so my life and exactly how things went that I could have wrote this song.
02:55And that's how I felt. Like, I knew it was like, this is my song. I got to sing this song. And then when I put my vocal on it for the first time, I was like, this song is so easy to sing for me. It's like, it's like my song. And then, yeah, to see it. Oh, man. It's so nice. It's so cool.
03:10It's like the best feeling in the world when you see something that you believed in work like it is. It's just like, let's freaking go. Let's go.
03:19It's really exciting. How do you handle, because I feel like probably a lot of times now, everybody's sending you songs. Like, hey, we wrote this. It sounds like you. We had you in mind. That's got to both be flattering and I'm sure overwhelming sometimes, getting stuff like that.
03:32Actually, it's like my favorite thing. I actually love listening to songs for hours and hours and hours. I'll listen to like, I'll stop what I'm doing to go listen to a song somebody sends me just because it's like the most excited, exciting thing ever.
03:48Like, this could be my next thing. Yeah, you know, this could be my next song that I put out, you know, so let's go freaking listen to this thing. Yeah. And, you know, nine times out of 10, it's like something that you're not looking for.
04:00Or sounds too close to this or that. But man, I've never appreciated songwriters more than really I do now. Like, just they've had such a massive part of my career and helping me tell my story.
04:15Because it's hard. It is hard for me to, like, be on the road and be thinking about just all these creative things around albums and the show itself and just like writing songs.
04:29So when I can give them an idea that I have and they can go write that, it's so nice because they're like helping me tell my story.
04:36So yeah, shout out freaking songwriters. But yeah, man, it's, it's, yeah. So yeah, I'll listen to songs all day, every day. It's my favorite thing to do.
04:50For sure. And it's kind of like you probably are at the point now where you understand why people have to like schedule time in their calendar to take off to write.
04:57Because if you don't like just spend time living, like it is hard when you're like on the road and all these things and you're tired all the time.
05:02Like you don't like, you're not having the same kind of inspiration you would in everyday life.
05:07Yeah. You're kind of just pushing yourself a little like over the edge, trying to like do everything all at once.
05:13And that's, that's, yeah, it's, it just gets to where you're not writing with the same intensity and passion that you should be writing with.
05:22And that's, you know, I took the last, I didn't put out a record last year because I thought I'm going to write more for this one.
05:29And I have some songs that I really want to write and that I'm close to, but I don't want to put them out this year.
05:34I'm going to put them out next year and I'm going to put out all this stuff that I've got next year because I'm going to keep working.
05:38And I'm so glad I did that because it gave me the time to write with passion and gave me time to really hone in on what am I trying to say out of this album?
05:47What do these songs mean to me?
05:48And why are they on the album and why are they placed where they're at?
05:51And so, yeah, you definitely need allotted time to let yourself not only calm down from the road and calm down from all like these not real life days and nights, but, and then you can start getting back into like, okay,
06:08I can start clearly thinking about this idea and what I want it to be and really lock into that, you know?
06:13So yeah, super important and shout out songwriters.
06:16Thank you for helping me tell my story because I wouldn't be here without you.
06:20Exactly.
06:21All right.
06:21Let's talk about the Luke Combs collab.
06:23By the time this airs, that will officially have dropped.
06:26Yep.
06:26So tell me, like, how did this happen?
06:28Who wrote this song?
06:29How did it come down?
06:30I want to know everything.
06:31It's insane.
06:32So I had the song Backup Plan in my notes for a long time before I sent it to Luke.
06:43And so the writers of it are Tucker Bethard and Jimmy Bell.
06:56Okay.
06:56Sorry, dude, ADHD.
06:58It's, it's awful.
06:59It's so awful.
07:00We've got so many writers on this album.
07:02Yeah.
07:02But, okay.
07:03So Backup Plan was written by Tucker Bethard and Jimmy Bell.
07:08And Tucker Bethard sent me the song and was like, hey man, this is just a cool song.
07:14And when I first got it, it was like a kind of like a, it was a little chiller than what
07:20everybody's hearing now.
07:21A mid-tempo.
07:22Yeah, it was like chiller.
07:23It was like more swampy, like chill.
07:26But then we were like, nah, this song needs to be big.
07:29So I cut it in the studio immediately and was like, dude, I love this song.
07:34And when I first got the first like rough vocal back of my vocal, all I could hear was
07:40Luke Combs being on the second verse.
07:42I was like, dude, this would be sick.
07:44But I didn't know Luke.
07:45I didn't have his number.
07:47And to me, it means something when you have a relationship with the artist you want to
07:51do a song with.
07:51So I was like, okay, I'm just going to keep this in my back pocket.
07:55And if I ever meet Luke and I feel like, you know, I should show him a song, I'm going
07:59to do it.
08:00So then Luke ended up inviting me to the concert for Carolina.
08:05And we hung out like a bunch during the day.
08:10And the guy was like so nice.
08:12And we kind of like kicked it off.
08:13And then we ended up doing a song that night and hanging out.
08:16And he gave me his number.
08:19And I didn't show him the song that day.
08:22And I didn't text it to him for a long time after that, too, because I was like super nervous.
08:27Yeah.
08:27Because I was like, man, is this the song?
08:30Is this the right one?
08:31Is it?
08:31You know, all these things, just questioning.
08:34And then finally one day I was like, dude, screw it.
08:37Just send him the song.
08:38You know, like if he says no, that's fine.
08:41But just send it and you'll never know if you don't.
08:43So send it.
08:44And yeah, he didn't respond for like a month.
08:51It took him a month to hit me back.
08:54And it was fine.
08:55No, but you had to have been like 48 hours after sending that text.
08:58Oh, yeah, the suspense was unreal.
08:59The suspense was unreal.
09:02And, you know, we had some people around him that was like, hey, yo, it's not a no from Luke.
09:07You know, he's really been jamming this song.
09:10He's been showing people this song.
09:11So just hold out.
09:12Like he acts like he doesn't do a lot of collabs.
09:15He doesn't do a lot of things, you know.
09:17And so, you know, give him time on this.
09:19And I'm like, OK, OK, like, you know, no pressure.
09:22Yeah, don't don't worry.
09:24And then all of a sudden one day he texts me and he says, this song rips.
09:28I'm in period.
09:30And I'm like the most anti-climatic, you know, like climactic, like climatic.
09:36Like, like the suspense had been building forever with me.
09:42And then all of a sudden it's like just I'm in and like I was like silent, like super freaking pumped in my studio.
09:49You know, and yeah.
09:51And then now we have a song together and we did videos together and doing all the content with him was so fun.
09:57And man, playing it with him as stagecoach was so lit.
10:02And yeah, it's just a dream come true for me, a full circle moment, because my first full band show I ever played was in 2021, I believe.
10:13And it was at Rock the South and Luke Combs was headlining that night.
10:16But I played it 2 p.m.
10:19And I watched the set that night.
10:22And then to go all the way back around, my first big country collab is with Luke now.
10:27And that's just so crazy to me.
10:29It's like the testimony, it's like the testament of the song, you know, the testimony is like, man, there's so many times that I've had in the last, not only the last year, but in the last four years of my being a country artist, like falling on my face in front of a lot of people and disappointing a lot of people a lot.
10:47And, you know, learning from that is like the testament of backup plan is like, yo, I could have quit.
10:55There's a lot of people that are telling me you should, but I did it.
10:57And I'd have never known, man.
10:59I'd have never had the song with Big X.
11:01I'd have never had the song with Luke.
11:03It's like, man, yeah, you got to keep going.
11:06You got to have no backup plan.
11:08And when people are telling you that you should quit, that's more of a reason to not quit.
11:11Don't quit.
11:12Keep freaking going.
11:13So, yeah, it's just a full circle moment and such a testimony to everything we're talking about.
11:19It's just like, gosh dang, keep freaking going, you know.
11:21This is awesome.
11:22I love that because when I saw the title of it, I was like, I wonder what this is going
11:26to be about.
11:27And I wasn't expecting it to be such a like heartfelt message of like, there isn't like the backup
11:31plan is like, you just get back up.
11:33Yeah.
11:33Which is like, you know what I mean?
11:34Like, I can't like think of another song to even compare that to, which is like, you know,
11:38as songwriters and people listening to music, you're like, how many times can somebody write
11:41something that's a sentiment that I haven't heard before?
11:43But I think it's just such a great anthem and I love how big you guys made it.
11:48I know you said you've been spending some more time with Luke.
11:50What have you like learned about Luke spending time with him or learned to like really appreciate
11:54about like how he works on stuff?
11:56He's a really good idol to have.
11:59Like my biggest goal in life is to have like a wife and kids.
12:04Like that's, you know, I'm always like, oh, I'm single, but I'm like, for real, like
12:07I actually do want kids and a farm and like 10 golden retrievers and a wife.
12:12And that's like my ultimate goal.
12:13And just seeing Luke, how he, you know, really makes his kids and his wife like such a priority
12:20and his family such a priority, man, I don't know.
12:23I just really respect him a lot.
12:24And I still get nervous around the guy because I respect him so much because I'm just like,
12:29dude, not only are you just an insane artist that has done it all right, but gosh, as a
12:35family man, you're just crushing it.
12:37It's like, yeah, I look up to him so much.
12:39So yeah, I would say, yeah, he's just, oh gosh, such a great guy.
12:44That's such an interesting thing that you say that because I feel like, yeah, you can
12:47get starstruck around anybody and that kind of like wears off in this business.
12:50But when you have so much respect for someone, you're almost like, there's so many things
12:53I want to ask you because like, I really do look up to you.
12:56That's a whole different feeling.
12:58Oh yeah.
12:59Yeah.
12:59When you really respect somebody, you're like, dude, you're impressive.
13:03Like you impress me and you're like, whoa, I aspire to be something like you.
13:07Like, yeah.
13:08So, oh yeah.
13:10I'm still like, whoa.
13:11Yeah.
13:12Luke Ohms, bro.
13:13Amazing.
13:14All right.
13:14So this is the first of really like the new music that we're hearing off of this new project
13:18that you're talking about, that you've been working on.
13:19And we were talking before we turned the mics on just about how like crazy it is that religiously
13:22came out two years ago.
13:23Like in my mind, it was just last year.
13:25Yeah.
13:26May 2023.
13:27So we're coming up literally on two years.
13:28So like, what can you say about this next project?
13:31Like what you wanted to say with it, what the message is, why these songs?
13:36Oh, there's so much.
13:39It is two years of like going, I love this song.
13:44I hate this song.
13:45I love this song.
13:46I hate this song.
13:46It's so two years of like questioning and trying to make everything right and make it to
13:52where I love it and just put like my all into like every single song, put my all into the
13:59creative around it.
14:00I really, I really want to show people that I'm a real artist.
14:04Like I'm a real country artist.
14:06Not even that I'm a real artist.
14:08I do, I can do anything.
14:09I'm doing everything.
14:10And I want to show like my growth and how hard I've been working on to get my voice better
14:15and my production better.
14:17And like, you know, knowing what production is and how to do it.
14:21You know, I've, I've, this whole record, I helped do almost everything in the studio
14:26and just, I just want people to see my growth as an artist.
14:30And I want people to see like, yo, I'm here to stay.
14:33I'm here to like put my name here.
14:35And like, I've got a lot to say.
14:37And yeah, this is just, this new album is just the last two years of my life.
14:43And really, I would say the album itself is where I'm at now.
14:51But it also jumps back to how I used to feel.
14:55Some of the feelings that I didn't get to say on Religiously the album are on this album.
15:01And there's a couple stories from, you know, back in like 2018 that I wrote about that I
15:09always wanted to say, but can never do it.
15:10And then I finally wrote the song that I loved.
15:13And so, yeah, I would say it's a new era of me and it's an, it's, but it's, I would say
15:22it's taken all of everything I've done and combining it.
15:25And it's like this new thing.
15:27There's things that go a little bit out there that are like experimental songs, a couple of
15:32them.
15:33But then you still have these really sad, emotional songs that mean a lot to me.
15:39And then I've got this new sound that I'm really going after that I, that's just something
15:44I haven't done quite before, I guess.
15:46Like I haven't done it.
15:47Like I'm doing it on this new record.
15:49So how would you describe it?
15:50Like who knew how?
15:52Oh man, I don't even know.
15:53It's just something that I've never heard before personally.
15:55And then I'm like super stoked to be chasing.
15:58And it's like, um, I would say it brings more of the country out of me without being
16:04like, oh, that just sounds like you did a country song.
16:07It's like, I'm like, I've, the last two years I've really focused on a few of these songs
16:12and making sure they sound not like anything else, but they feel like they fit in, in the,
16:19in the space, I guess.
16:21The genre, the genre, I guess.
16:24But it's like, it's, I call it, it's not just BZ trying to do Western.
16:31It's like BZ Western small town, like who I really am.
16:36And I'd say I'm trying to portray that too.
16:38Like who I really am is like, I don't know.
16:45The easiest way I would say is like who I am is I was born and raised in a small ass
16:51town and where we farmed and I drank beer on Friday nights.
16:56Well, we drank beer every night and we threw parties and there was nothing to do.
17:00So we made something to do.
17:02And, you know, like I grew up just like every other small town country ass kid, but I didn't
17:08wear boots.
17:09I wore like sneakers and like flat bill hats and I didn't really like boot cut jeans.
17:14I liked more skinny jeans.
17:15Like, so I would say I'm just trying to like portray who I really am.
17:19So nobody gets it, you know, gets it mixed up.
17:22And I guess just show like my growth as an artist and yeah.
17:27And to tell more stories, you know, I feel like these stories on this new record are just
17:31like stuff I haven't really said before, but it's still going to like scratch that itch,
17:36you know, I guess.
17:37So I could talk about it forever.
17:39Like I said, it's been two years in the making, but yeah, man, I'm so frigging excited for
17:46people to hear all this stuff.
17:47Yeah.
17:47It's so funny that you, as you were talking about that, I was like, that sounds so much
17:50like where I grew up, but I forget like we both grew up in Illinois.
17:53I grew up like central Illinois, you a little bit more Southern, but that is exactly how I
17:56grew up.
17:57Like grew up surrounded by farms.
17:58I didn't farm.
17:59My family didn't farm and I feel I've always felt like, you know, people like there's this
18:04constant argument right now about like what country music is and all these things.
18:08And I'm like, I mean, I feel like I grew up country, but if you'd asked me growing up,
18:13I would, I'd be like, we're not in the country.
18:15Like I'll drive you out to the country and show you that.
18:17But like still it was the soundtrack to our life.
18:20And I think that like, you know, that's still like, that's a lot of people in America that
18:24grew up like that.
18:25And I just, I don't know, hearing you talk about that, I feel like you're just, you've had
18:28a crazy couple of years.
18:30But what I'm hearing from you is like, you're finding your footing and like really finding
18:33your sound.
18:33And that's what like people struggle with in their sophomore album.
18:36So the fact that you're there, like kudos to you, dude.
18:38Thanks.
18:39Thanks.
18:39It's a good place to be.
18:40No, it's crazy to even be here because it's taken up until now to get there.
18:46If that makes sense.
18:47It's like, there was a long time, like there was a year and a half of like being like,
18:54I have no idea what's going on and I don't know.
18:57I'm still trying to figure this song out and that song out and this production is not right
19:01and all these things aren't right and it's not aligning.
19:03And then all of a sudden everything started like pieced together and started sounding right.
19:08And I got this song right and I got that song right.
19:10And I just like, yeah, so it was like, man, a rough, I'm so glad.
19:19I almost put the album out last year.
19:21Really?
19:22I almost put it out.
19:23I was close to, I was going to put it out.
19:25And then something in me, I prayed about it a lot.
19:28I was like, man, I don't feel great about this.
19:31I don't love the way these songs are right now.
19:33I want them better and I want this better.
19:35And I don't like how, I just didn't like anything.
19:37And I went to everybody and I was like, I'm not putting the album out.
19:41And they were like, what?
19:43And I'm like, no, I can't.
19:45Like, I just can't.
19:46I'm not going to be happy with it.
19:47And that's just not fair to anybody.
19:49Like, it's not fair to me.
19:50That's not fair to the fans.
19:51It's not fair to anybody.
19:52I need to really focus up on this.
19:55I'm not focused right now.
19:56I'm not locked in and I need to get locked in.
19:58And, you know, I was going through like a rough time in life too at that.
20:02Just like, you know, I, we were like, really, we had been on the Morgan tour and like, it
20:09was crazy and I hadn't really like processed any of that.
20:12And I was still trying to live life too and be normal and me.
20:15And I didn't even know who me was and all these things.
20:19And then I started finding who I was and started being okay with who I am and loving myself and
20:25started to, and that's when everything started to come together was like, man, I got out of
20:30this slump, I found happiness again.
20:33I was happy.
20:34I was excited about music and about everything.
20:37And then it all just started to piece together.
20:39And now it's finally all together and everything feels so, so good.
20:45And I'm so freaking excited about this new record.
20:48So yeah, yeah.
20:50I'd say I've found my sound and I really hope people dig it and like, just feel all the
20:57hard work because I put a freaking lot of hard work into this one.
21:00So I think people always know when an artist starts making the art that is the most genuine
21:05to them.
21:05And that's when things like get another level.
21:08And so I know, I know that fans are going to be so excited for you.
21:11I also want to talk about your big ACM nomination for new male artists of the year.
21:15What was your reaction to that?
21:16Were you awake for the news?
21:18Oh yeah.
21:18Okay.
21:18You were.
21:19Of course I am.
21:20So many people like sleep through that news because we don't, a lot of times we don't get
21:23a heads up before it's like, well, I don't, I don't be sleeping.
21:26I don't sleep that much.
21:27I'm like wired.
21:29Like at 7am, it's like, I can't wait to bounce out of bed.
21:33You strike me as someone who like eyes open and you're like immediately.
21:36Yeah.
21:36That's what I'm saying.
21:36It's like, it's like I wake up and as soon as I see like Marley and pie and they're like
21:43kind of ready for the day already, like waiting on me to wake up.
21:45I'm like already like ready to play with them.
21:48So we'll like run downstairs and we'll throw the ball on God's side.
21:51And so I'm like already, so I was up and I saw it.
21:54I'm like, no freaking way.
21:57Let's freaking go baby.
21:58And then we went and golfed and I was so stoked that I broke my driver in half.
22:04But like, how did you break it in half?
22:07Well, so over your knee?
22:09The real story.
22:10No, no, no.
22:10So the real story was I was having such a great day and I was golfing one of my favorite
22:15courses.
22:15So I was like just having fun and goofing off and messing around.
22:19And I wanted to try to hit the golf ball like a baseball, like, like the golf club was
22:24a baseball bat, but, and I did, but I hit it right in the middle of the, like in the
22:31shaft, not with the head of the golf club.
22:33So I just broke in half.
22:35Oh my God.
22:36Well, at least you'll remember that for sure.
22:39Oh yeah.
22:40Now that you've got like a couple award shows under your belt and like we go into these,
22:44like, do you still get nervous to go to award shows?
22:48Do you feel like you, like it's walking the red carpet?
22:50Like still, are you like, oh my God, this is crazy.
22:52Oh yeah.
22:53Well, usually because I'm in like clothes that like, I don't really love, you know, and
22:58I'm like not comfy in because no one's comfortable in those clothes.
23:01Who loves to get into a suit?
23:02Not me.
23:03I'm like, give me a freaking t-shirt.
23:05So I'll put, let's petition for like red carpets to not be, you know, Hey, let me show up
23:11with a baseball cap if I want to.
23:12Anyways, you know, different, different thing for a different day.
23:17But yes, I do get nervous because you have to go talk to people and for some reason they've
23:24always made me nervous.
23:25Yeah.
23:26I mean, it's nerve wracking, like the energy is just kind of a lot.
23:28And you're trying to match energy too.
23:30Do you know yet if you might get a performance?
23:33I don't know.
23:34I was like, I'm unsure.
23:35There's a Luke thing that feels like that would be a fun time to get to do that.
23:38But yeah, I'm, I don't know if I'm even able to go.
23:44Womp, womp, womp, womp, womp, womp, womp, this is what always happens is like you guys
23:49make your schedules like a year and a half out and we don't know when this stuff is going
23:52to be.
23:52All right.
23:53Well, we won't, hopefully that will all work out.
23:55Hopefully it works out.
23:56We'll be good.
23:57Something else I wanted to ask you about was the big X collab.
24:00Talk about how this like came together because like you and I, like growing up, like, you
24:04know, we've lived through a lot of like country hip hop collaborations and this always feels
24:09like it goes so well to me.
24:11Some people don't think that, but I love it.
24:13Yeah.
24:13I mean, it was always, when I heard big X was doing a country album, I was like kind
24:21of bummed because I was like, oh man, he didn't like hit me up.
24:24Like, I wish he'd hit me up because I really want to do a song with him because I know all
24:28of his songs.
24:29So like, and where I'm from, we bump everything.
24:33We bump rap on our 12 inch subs in the back more than we do like country.
24:38So like, I was like, grew up listening to like Drake and like, you know, a lot of rapper
24:45Lil Wayne was a huge one.
24:47But like, so when, when I heard of big X, I just had always loved his flow.
24:54And then when I heard he was doing the record, I was like, dang, how cool would that be?
24:59And then all of a sudden one day he just sent me the song and he was like, Hey man, what
25:03do you think of this song?
25:03And I was like, holy freaking crap, dude, this song is like freaking badass, dude.
25:08And then he was like, yeah, you should cut it and you should do it.
25:11I mean, I'm like, dude, rock and roll.
25:13Let's go.
25:13And then I cut it for the first time.
25:15And then, yeah, we like FaceTime and he was like, bro, this song, man.
25:20I'm like, I know, like this song is sick.
25:22And then, yeah.
25:26It's awesome.
25:26It's really exciting.
25:28Yeah.
25:28I got a freaking song with big X.
25:29Just like add it to the list of like cool things that I feel like keep happening to you.
25:32So we've got, the song's going to come out, ACMs, then you are launching into tour and
25:37like album time.
25:39Talk about the new to country tour.
25:40I know you're bringing out Dylan and Drew, which is going to be so fun.
25:44Love both of those guys.
25:45Talk about taking them on the road with you.
25:46Oh man.
25:48It's so fun because, you know, last year I got to tour with Josh Ross and Brandon Wisham
25:54and that was so much fun.
25:56But, Drew has been a buddy since I started and such a champion of mine since I, before
26:05I even had a song out.
26:07So, getting to, you know, it's kind of like a hometown thing.
26:10It's like, you know.
26:11Yeah, another Illinois guy.
26:12Yeah.
26:12Yeah.
26:12What up?
26:13You know?
26:14And so that's, I think it's just going to be so much fun getting to go out with him.
26:18And then I've been a fan of Dylan for, ah, man, since, since I moved to town, since I
26:26moved to Nashville, I used to put his stories on, or his songs on my story and be like,
26:31dude, Dylan Marlowe is like the move, dude.
26:33Like if you're not listening to him, he's the move.
26:36And so it's so cool to see all of his success and like getting to bring him out on the road
26:41because we're like, we get along so well and me and Drew get along so, and we all get
26:46along so well.
26:47So like, we've already got all these like, you know, dates planned to like go mountain
26:51biking and go do all this crazy stuff.
26:54And, oh yeah, the tour is going to be insane.
26:58And getting to tour with your friends is just like cherry on top, right?
27:02Like you get to tour with your freaking best buds and go mountain freaking bike riding
27:08and all this crazy stuff and play, we're playing Red Rocks, which is going to be so insane.
27:13And yeah, so man, I could go on and on.
27:18Oh yeah, we're going to have an insane time.
27:20For sure.
27:20And then last question before we wrap up, you added another fur baby.
27:23You were talking about Pi and Marley.
27:25What is the story behind Pi's name?
27:27So, in 2023, when we were on the Morgan tour for the first year, after our set, my guitar
27:35player, his name is Brendan Orchard.
27:38We call him Brindo.
27:39He would go to catering and he would get a pie, an apple pie.
27:44So, he would go on the bus.
27:46At the time, we were on one bus.
27:48So, everybody was on one bus.
27:51And when he would sit down to eat his pie, he would like put it on his knees and Marley
27:58would come up and lay her head on his leg and just be like, you know, hey, you're going
28:03to give me some of that pie or, you know.
28:04And he would go, I know you want this pie, but you can't have this pie because this is
28:13my pie.
28:14And then we started calling her Miss Pie.
28:16You can't have this pie.
28:18Like, you know, like whatever.
28:20So, then Marley got the nickname Miss Pie because she just loved pie and really wanted
28:25Brendan to give her the pie.
28:26Anyway, and so, Marley was Miss Pie for a long time, like two years until I got, when
28:37I found pie, she was like on the side of the road, like for sale on the side of the road.
28:42So, I'm like, oh my gosh.
28:44And so, when I picked her up, we just like, I was like, this is pie.
28:49So, yeah.
28:50And I thought, okay, if I call them pie, they'll both come running to me because she's known
28:56as Miss Pie, but then this is going to be Little Miss Pie.
28:59And then that's how pie is pie.
29:01Oh my God.
29:02Yeah.
29:02This is so cute.
29:02So, I just thought it'd be cool if they both ran.
29:04It would be easy to get them both to come if I just yelled pie and they would both come
29:09running.
29:09They both show up.
29:10Oh my gosh.
29:10But now, they both run to when I just yell girls.
29:12Yeah, yeah, yeah.
29:13It's pretty cute.
29:13They're so adorable.
29:15When I saw you got another golden.
29:16I'm like, I'm getting a golden this summer, so I'm very excited.
29:20I'm like, I've wanted to do this for literally the last 10 years.
29:23It's going to change your life.
29:24I'm so excited.
29:25My life is like a dream.
29:27Every morning, you just have these happy ass dogs.
29:30I mean, they are the happiest dogs.
29:33Happiest.
29:34Ever.
29:34And they're so excited.
29:35Also, there's no cuter puppy in the world than a golden retriever puppy.
29:38You can't convince me.
29:40Oh, yeah.
29:40No.
29:41That's why I had been wanting a puppy before I got pie.
29:45And I was like, man, it's got to be one of those moments though.
29:50It can't just be like, oh, I'm going to go buy a puppy.
29:52I'm going to like, it's going to be a calling from God.
29:55Like, you need this dog.
29:57Because I'd wanted to get Marley a friend.
30:00Because I'm like, man, she's about to be four years old.
30:02She needs like, she just like mopes around all day.
30:04And, you know, just like, so she needs somebody to play with.
30:06And so then pie being on the side of the road was just like, perfect.
30:13Perfect.
30:13Oh, my God.
30:14Freaking pie.
30:14Let's go.
30:15And, yeah, I never regret it.
30:17I was like, this is so perfect.
30:19I can't believe this happened.
30:20Yeah.
30:20Wait.
30:20That's so perfect.
30:21So you'll never regret it.
30:22Get a freaking golden retriever.
30:24I know.
30:24I'm going to.
30:25I also, I'm going to address this in case anybody can hear it.
30:28So while we've been sitting here, have you heard how Miles on it is playing downstairs over
30:31and over again?
30:32Do you hear this?
30:33Well, I love Miles on it.
30:34No, I know you do.
30:35But you're going to die when I tell you what it is.
30:37The Chippendales are setting our presidency on the second floor.
30:39So the Chippendale strippers are downstairs practicing right now to Miles on it.
30:44Chippendale strippers.
30:45Yes.
30:45I like.
30:48But not about that.
30:49Right.
30:50So they were doing this last week and I was like, who is playing Miles on it over and over
30:54again?
30:54It's so loud.
30:54I couldn't record.
30:55So I sent my producer down and he comes up back up and he's like cackling.
30:58He's like, you're going to die.
30:59It's the Chippendales.
30:59I was like, I'm going down there.
31:01What are the Chippendales strippers?
31:02What?
31:02What are they?
31:03You don't know what the Chippendales, they're like male strippers.
31:07Did you think that way?
31:08Oh my God.
31:09You don't know what the Chippendales, they're like male strippers.
31:11They wear like a bow tie and like black pants and that's like, that's their whole shtick.
31:15No way.
31:16Oh my God.
31:17I'm dead.
31:17Do you think there were like female strippers downstairs right now?
31:20I was so confused.
31:22I'm like, dude, this is insane right now.
31:24Like, honestly, Katie and company is the littest right now.
31:28Well, it is going to be the littest the Chippendales strippers are downstairs, but oh my God.
31:32So funny.
31:33Listen, thank you for coming in and for talking about this collab, your soon to be number one
31:38song, the ACM new album.
31:39I'm so excited for you.
31:40Thank you so much.
31:41You really do.
31:41See, I would like just from like in the two years since we first talked, like you have
31:44grown so much and you should be really proud of that.
31:46Thanks.
31:46No, thank you.
31:47I've been working on it.
31:48So it means a lot.
31:49You're doing good, bud.
31:50For you to say that.
31:50Thanks.
31:51Yes.
31:51Of course.
31:51Thanks.
31:51Thanks.
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32:20Thanks.