July 31, 2018 • 29 mins
The REAL story of how it got going for Jake in Nashville.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, this is Jake Owen and this is Good Company Company.
Welcome to Good Company, a podcast where we talk about
everything under the sun, friends, good times company. Now here's
your host. What's up, y'all, It's Jake. We are back
(00:24):
to Good Company. As you know, every other Tuesday, we
come at you with some really interesting individual that I
have happened to come across in my life and share
great stories that are positive and make people smile and
happy and also kind of shed some light in the
inside of my life, um that you might not get
(00:44):
to see out on the road. So, uh, this week,
I've been waiting for this day for a very long
time to introduce you to someone that I have mentioned
throughout my career. But I'm going to introduce you to
the beautiful miss Becky mclwayne. Becky, how are you today?
I am ideal. Listen to that. She's got two bottles
of water in front of her. She is ready to go,
(01:05):
just in case she's a little parched. I think she's
wearing a beautiful um floral outfit today, and uh is
this typical bank attire? Some days we are a little
bit more casual. Um, we did the business casual thing
going on. But I've got some appointments today. So you
didn't just dress up for the podcast. Can you see
(01:27):
how much I dressed up for the podcast? He looked
pretty awesome, very laid back. So this is Becky mcawayne.
She is, Uh, she's my banker. I guess can I
say that? I guess that's what it is. She's my banker. Um.
I My story throughout the years has been that I
met Becky. I came to town in two thousand and four,
(01:50):
I believe it was, and I had not I didn't
really have any money, that much money. I just had
a little bit that I had enough to start a
bank account. And um, I thought to myself, well, if
I'm gonna start a bank account, I might as well
start one on music Row, because maybe if I go
to somewhere on music Row, they'll they'll know other people
in the music business, because at the time I didn't
(02:11):
know anyone. And uh, luckily enough, I'll remember pulling up
in my Toyota four Runner that I drove to town
in off of Seventeenth Avenue at the am South building
and I walked in and uh, that's where I met you, Becky.
And there's been a lot of misconcept. You know, the
story has been misconstrued throughout the years as to kind
(02:31):
of how my life started in Nashville. But I have
to go ahead and give you of the credit as
to getting the ball rolling for me. Well, I think
I was just fortunate enough to be in the right
place at the right time, and or I was fortunate
to be in the right place at the right time. Well,
(02:52):
I mean, the person who finds somebody that is potentially
going to make it in the business is also lucky
because it's one in a million. I mean, you see
people come and go all the time, and it's like
everybody's got a story, everybody's got a song to pitch,
(03:16):
everybody's got a guitar to play, everybody's got their gig.
And so you take your time and you listen to everybody,
and you know, some people you're just like, yeah, keep
working at it. You know, you don't tell them that,
but you're thinking it and you wish them well. But
(03:37):
then every once in a while you just find somebody
and you're like wow. And well, that day I came
in and I remember you asking what I was in
town for it, and I had mentioned that I was
just um, you know, trying to make it music business,
probably just like anyone else around. And you asked if
I had a happen to have a CD or something
with me, And sure enough, I happen to have one.
(04:00):
Uh So I ran out to the car and brought
it back. And and as the story goes, um it wasn't.
But about a day or two later you called me
and said, hey, Jake, it's Becky from the bank. Um,
I hope you don't mind. I'll never forget this, this
this phone call from you. You said, I hope you
don't mind. But I passed along the CD you gave
(04:21):
me to someone at One or Chapel Music Publishing, and
I hope that's okay. And I couldn't believe it. I
was blown away, so blown away that when we hung
up the phone. I don't know if I've ever told
you this or not, but I literally picked up the
phone and called my mom and dad. I was like,
Mom and Dad, you're not gonna believe this, like I've
made it like somebody found me and uh and and
(04:41):
and that's not exactly what happened, but but you did.
You passed it along, And do you remember is it
is that kind of how it went. Yes, I mean,
because that music I gave you was terrible. It was not.
I mean I feel like it was. Yeah, I wish
I still had the demo. I'm kind of ticked off
that I never got it back because I asked for it,
but I never got it back because I'd really like
(05:02):
to literally gave him the copy. So you don't even
have a copy of No, I don't even have it anymore. Um.
I do remember the eight second ride was on there. Yeah,
And I believe I wrote that song when I was
eighteen in college nineteen. Actually, I was on a bar
stool sitting there playing at pop Billy's and my brother
(05:24):
would give me a hard time about always writing songs. Um.
There was also a song on that album I Believe
that I gave to you. It's called all of Me,
and I wrote this. It's like a very lovey dovey
song about I'm gonna give you all of me. You know,
I'm not the greatest man in the world, but I'll
give you everything I've got. And my brother used to
give me a hard time about. Man, I'm tired of
you writing all these songs all the time. They are
these mushy girls songs. It's like, you gotta write one
(05:46):
for our for the guys. And at the time I
had written the eight second Ride song because Jared spit
tobacco all the time. Mom and Dad are listening to this,
they're probably not too proud of that. And it's not
that they don't know, because he still does it now.
But he would always getting his jeep that he had
at the time and he would always say, Jake, watch
out for the for the cup there man. Then I
left with the spin and I want you knocking it
(06:07):
over and it was just so nasty. So in that
song I said, climb on up, but honey, watched the
cup that I've been spitting my dip inside, which people
have also misconstrued that many many times. But back to
your story, Becky mackawayne Baker. So that song is on
the album and when you actually released that, the lyrics
(06:28):
were changed. Yeah, I had to change them. What people
thought they were hearing, right, isn't that interesting? And one
of the lyrics in there was she dosy dot across
the floor. I did use the word dosy dough and
then you changed it. Yeah, I think at the time
when it came out, people were done dosy doing? Yeah,
they were done. They were done, so they were too
step in or they were just walking in the door,
(06:49):
I think. Yeah. So anyway, that night, when I left work,
I said, let me just pop this in CD player
and listen to it on the way home. I'm always
see what this guy's got, lucky me. So I was
listening to it, and then when I got home, I
talked to my husband. I'm like, yes, my husband, Rick said, man,
(07:11):
you gotta listen to this, And I think I went
home and put it in the stereo for him to
listen to. I can't remember for sure if I played
everything on there for him, but I'm like, do you
have a margarita while while you're listening? No? No, I
was driving. Well, I mean when you got home though,
when you got home with with Rick, I know you
like Margarita's. That's why I was asking. No, I didn't know. No,
(07:33):
I was probably getting ready to cook dinner. So I
just popped in the player and went around the house
getting dinner ready. Whatever. But I was like, I gotta
call somebody tomorrow. And so the next day when I
got to work, I was making phone calls and that
was I think. Actually the very next day I delivered
(07:54):
the c D over too, And that's what's so crazy it.
I cannot thank you enough. I know I've told you
this a million times, but I wanted everyone out there
because people don't believe me when I tell them that.
They're like, wait a second, So your story you went
to a bank and gave up, And at that I
think people are like, say, like it was a bank
teller or something. I'm like, no, I was starting this
(08:14):
and I told them the story, and people don't believe me.
So I was so excited to have you in today
to kind of tell this this your your version of
this story. Um, and it's really wild. I remember. So
that happened. So the guy from Warner Chapel calls me
literally three days after she told me someone might call me,
and he asked me to come over and start playing
(08:34):
him some songs. And really and truly, that is how
the ball started rolling for me in Nashville. I mean
the other if that hadn't happened, there's a good chance
I could still be like trying to knock on people's
doors right now and getting people to give me a chance.
Probably not probably but here we are, sitting here on
a Monday morning. How crazy is this? How ironic is
(08:55):
it that here we are the Monday morning that my
song is number one in the country. It's my seventh
number one, Lucky number seven. And I got Lucky Becky
in here today too, So this is like, this is serendipitous.
That is so crazy. That is awesome, though, I mean,
(09:16):
are you not me? I mean, I mean, I knew
that I wanted to do this, but I was never
I never knew that it would happen the way it did.
And I think that's like most people's lives, I mean,
and getting back to yours. You, how long have you been?
I mean, how long have you been in the banking business?
Oh gosh, you didn't even want to know. It's over
five years. So in that amount of time, I'm sure
(09:38):
you've met quite a few other people that are singer songwriters, producers,
anybody that comes to you that starts starts a bank accounting. Yeah,
what's your advice? That was something I want to ask
to me because I know that I could I could
kind of pull from what I've learned from you and
what you've kind of told me through the years. But
for all the people that you meet are people to
(09:59):
listen inning right now that moved to Nashville to try
to make something of themselves. I mean, I don't think
it's as easy as just going to your bank and
given out a CD. It doesn't happen that easily. But
what is there anything that you've seen consistently throughout the
years that you kind of can point a finger out
and say, I think this is maybe something that you
can do. Or keep your nose clean. That's the biggest thing.
(10:22):
If you're going to go out there and you're gonna
work hard, you've got to kind of keep your nose
clean and stay. If you're going to be in the
party crowd, don't be the party like. You know. If
you keep your nose clean and you're out there and
you're working hard and you're doing your thing. I like
to party, and well I know you do, but you
(10:44):
keep your nose clean. You know. Yeah, I know what
you're saying. I don't think people realize that, and that
is the truth. You know. It is is large of
a town that Nashville has become. It's also a very
tight knit small town, which is evident with the that
you were able to make a quick phone call to
someone at Warner Chapel that it knew that and you
(11:06):
know your your opinion was valid, and so they thought, well,
let's call this kid Jake. And that's kind of how
my world started. But as you said, if you can,
there's I've seen it a hundred times where some friends
of mine had moved to town. They just kind of
get caught up in the wrong circles. And the same
way that you can go down a good path with
someone helping you can also got quite a negative one. Right.
You gotta surround yourself with the good people. It's, you know,
(11:29):
like good company. You've got to have yourself surrounded by
good people. Hey, that's a good shout out for us.
I did good with that, didn't you did. That's actually
really good PR. That's right. So I'm not just a banker.
I can do PR. So but what's interesting I think
for Becky is she's seen throughout the years. So when
I came to town, I don't really have anything, and
(11:50):
I'll never forget when I got to come to you
and tell you that I had a record deal, and
she was so excited at the time you had switched
from Ance Am South over to Pinnacle and you had
a new office right there in the in the roundabout.
I guess right that one was still End South, that
was yeah, okay. And then when you left for Pinnacle,
Oh that's when you went over to West End. All right? Um,
(12:13):
but yeah, I remember sitting in that office because you
were you told me stories about I think, like, uh,
was it Tim? You had a Tim mcgrawl or faith
Hill poster on your on your wall, and I remember,
I remember when I went in there seeing it on
her wall. I thought you worked with Tim mcgrawl on
Faith Hill, you know, and so, and you told me
stories about I guess that. And I felt like I
found like like I wasn't messing around anymore, you know.
(12:37):
I felt like she gave me an opportunity. But when
I'd go sit in that office and see that she
had a poster of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill on
the wall, she mustn't know what she's talking about. I
can fake it really good. No, you have though. You've
helped me so much throughout throughout the years. And whether
you're at am South Bank or Pinnacle Bank or We're
(13:00):
a Good Company Bank, no matter where you go, that's
that's where I'm going, Becky, because you are a good company,
and that's why that's why we have you on here.
And um, and I've thought about that so much. I'll
think about that driving down here this morning, about how
much my life has changed since you gave me that opportunity.
And and I'm driving it down town here today in
my nice car. And not that that's what it's about,
(13:22):
but I I've thought about by maintaining a clean nose,
as you mentioned, and being smart and surrounding myself with
the right people. Um, I've been able to really work
hard and focus with the great folks around me to
help me get to this point in life that I
mean you you helped me with my with my first
loan for buying. I'll never forget when I bought my
town house. Um, I was super nervous. Like you know,
(13:45):
I come from a family. You've met my mother and father,
and and my dad's really strict and stern and he's
always taught me, you know, hard work, ethic and being
frugal and things. But I was really nervous, I mean
at the time to buy that first town house. And
and uh, and you've just seen me go through all
these phases of being the new kid, to getting a
record deal, to to remember like buying my first truck.
(14:08):
When I got my record deal, was so excited I
bought this stupid, jacked up white truck. And I've always
wondered that about Becky because she does get to see
the stuff that I waste my money on or not
or make investments. You do sit there and you're like, really,
you were laughing at me the other day when I
came in to get something notarized from you, because Becky
(14:29):
was explaining, I'll let you in your own words. She
said that I tend in the early days to lose
things quite often, so I would come to her like
every weekend and need a new debit card. Listen, is
his wallet a little bit? But it's okay. Yeah, I
tell people a lot that I can. Ever, I don't
ever remember where my wallet is, but I can remember
(14:50):
every word like a Snoop Dogg song. That's a musician
for you. It is, who are so creative? Don't remember
the details? What made you? What got you into too banking?
I mean, what what got you to Not only I know,
but you sit there and you shake your head as
if that's not something that's that's it's exciting or anything,
(15:13):
but it really is. I mean, what you I don't
think you give yourself enough credit for doing what you do,
not just for me, but for anyone else in this town.
That I mean, at the end of the day, money
for people is really what they're working for to support
their families and and to be able to have confidence
and trust in someone like yourself. That I literally can
go to Banke and and see you and talk to you,
(15:34):
and you helped me out the same way you're helping
I'm sure hundreds of other people. What that's gotta that's
gotta be fulfilling for you. Well, I have kind of
a weird story. I was actually going to get to
paralegal school and tested for it, got really hot scores.
They were like, yeah, we want to Oh I'm really
(15:56):
good typer. But I was, and I'm a good researcher.
And then I suddenly one day was like, I don't
want to be sitting here doing all this work and
then some attorney gets all the credit for it. So
I said, now I'm not going to do that. So
I'll just go work temporary for a little while, and
then I'll figure out what I'm gonna do about college
and all that stuff. We'll started making money and I'm like, wow,
(16:20):
it's pretty good money. And my dad told me once
upon a time that if I ever got a bank job,
that I would make good money and have a career
for the rest of my life. So I started in
the very back office of a bank. I wasn't doing
the mail room or anything, but I was doing data entry,
and so that was like next to the lowest job
(16:42):
you could do at the bank. And I started just
working my way up from there. And I was at
a bank called First American here in Nashville, and on
Memorial Day weekend, we sold to am self one year
and we came in on Monday morning. Before the bank
(17:03):
could tell us we had been sold to am South,
it came across all the news media that we had
been sold. So we all came into work and we're like, Okay,
what's gonna happen to our jobs. So one of my friends,
while I was still working in the back office, I
was in a loan office at that time. Um so
I was doing loan documentation and stuff like that. A
(17:27):
friend of mine, who was working on music row called
and said, Hey, if you're in one of the groups
that needs a place to go out in the offices,
call me. I've got a spot for you. And so
I made the move out into the offices at the
Music Row branch and started my music industry career there
and stayed there until I moved to Pinnacles. So I
(17:49):
was with, how long had you been at am South
Bank when I walked in and met you in that position? Um,
in that position, I had been about five years, so yeah, dang, yeah,
so not very long. I was still considered a newbie
in the industry because five years isn't very long, right. Yeah.
(18:11):
So I had done all the back office work, and
I could tell you how to do anything in the
back side of the bank easily. And I had learned
everything in the office world too. But I had been
learning all of the industry stuff and went to all
of the nightly parties and events and things like that.
(18:31):
So yeah, it was it was good times. Yeah. So
you we're talking to Becky mcawaine, who helped me basically
start my career in Nashville. Um. I mentioned earlier that
I gave her a CD when I first met her,
and she handed it off to someone else and that's
what got the ball roll. And so I'm just telling
us now about her her years in the banking business. So, uh,
(18:54):
you're you're married to a great man, Rick. I've got
to know Rick over the years. So because you're a
bank or um? Is that is that? Do you? I mean,
do you are you? You're like you've got to be
like the head of the household when it comes to
like dealing with money. I'm assuming I'm assuming Rick's probably like,
you just deal with it, That's what I would do. Yeah,
he pretty much just hands me all the money and
(19:15):
said you take care of it. Like he has an
account that he maintains for himself, and you know, he
just takes care of it the best he can and
he and he fixes up his race cars with it. Yeah.
He Actually, he doesn't use any of our own money
to do his race cars. He really works out of
his race car shop and takes care of building go
(19:36):
cards and things like that to supplement his racing. Yes.
So Rick, Uh, this is a really cool story too.
So getting to know Rick and Becky throughout the years.
Rick is a police officer here in Nashville, and so
throughout the years. Rick is a huge NASCAR fan, like
absolutely huge. And before the whole Kevin Howard situation, who
is ricks guy? Bill Elliott, Bill Elliott, Okay, Bill Eli.
(20:00):
It from Georgia, correct, dawson Ville, Georgia. His his his
son Chase now is a great driver that I've got
to know pretty well. But it was really cool for
for what Becky did for me in my life and career.
I was always looking for ways to try to repay
what she did for me. Well. When I found out
that Rick was such a big NASCAR fan. Throughout the years,
(20:21):
I've become great friends with Kevin Harvick. I'll never forget
when I told you guys, y'all were going up to
the race. I believe it was in Charlotte or something.
You'll were going and UM called Kevin and the guys
and and they took them all back in the pits
and took Karen. Becky said that Rick was just so
excited to be back there around all these I mean,
he was like a kid in a candy store. He
was so excited. I wish I could have been there
(20:44):
to see that, because those are the kind of things,
like I said, I mean, there's nothing that I could
ever do, Becky to repay you for what you've what
you've brought to my life. And I feel and it's
not just the music, it's not just the way that
I got a record deal with I hadn't probably taken
this path in life, and I would have never gotten
to the point where I um met my hex wife,
(21:04):
which is which is okay because my ex wife is
the person that that gave you my child. And now
like the most important thing in my life, which is Pearl,
stemmed from the decision that I made to move to
Nashville and make this a career and you're a huge
part of that. And I just there's been, like I said,
there's been so many different stories throughout the years as
(21:26):
to how I got to where I am, and it
definitely begins with walking in that bank and am south
on Seventeenth Avenue in Music Row and you you sing
hello to me. So I just I cannot thank you
enough for that. And I was really excited today to
share that story with everybody of how that happened. So
(21:46):
it means the world to me. Help you know that
I do, and I'm just glad that I could be
a part of it. Because at least it's been such
a good road for you that you've gotten to you
experience this piece of life that so many people don't
get the opportunity to see the good side of. You're right,
(22:09):
and I think too is great as the things that
we're talking about. You've also seen me throughout the years
go through the ups and downs of it as well,
because that's always going to be there in any sort
of business, but especially in this business um and that
things aren't And you guys know this, John Anthony, Keith Coufman,
that are here every week when it's doing this, but
y'all know, I mean it's Nashville. As we've talked to
Jimmy Allen last last week, We've talked to Larry Fleets,
(22:30):
some other artists I've had in here talking to them
about what life is going to be like for them
throughout the years and and there's going to be the
ups and downs and the and so I think coming
from your perspective too, as a banker, like it's not
just you would get a record deal and become rich. No,
that doesn't happen because my business manager, Jackie um Deal
(22:52):
calls and talks to you a lot but it's not
just it's not just personal stuff for me that that
Becky's helping us out with. I mean, we're paying for busses, trucks, trailers,
bus drivers, salaries for guys in the band. And then
I'm always constantly thinking about, as you mentioned earlier, trying
to keep my nose clean, you know, and stay of
do the right thing, because at the end of the day,
(23:13):
I have a huge responsibility at this point. Now I
was just when I met you. I was just a
kid that didn't have any responsibility other than to myself,
And now I have a responsibility to maintain this career
so I can help the guys in my crew and
band feed their families and feed my own daughter. And
and that's a lot that comes along with somebody just
(23:33):
giving a CD to somebody else. And and people don't
think about that when they come to town with the dream.
They're like, Oh, I want to go sing and be
a star, and I want to write songs, and I
want to do this and that, And then when it
hits they're like, oh, crap, what do I do now.
And if people don't have a good business manager and
(23:55):
a good banker and a good PR person, and all
of these people to help them do it. Then you
know they can crash and burn fast. And I'm sure
you deal with a lot of people coming to town
and that me you just I mean, since you've met me,
and have you dealt with any other artists singer songwriters
have come that you've you've watched grow in the same
way I have, Um, not to the extent that you
(24:20):
have grown. But there are some who are out there
who are slowly moving up through the ranks that we see,
and that's got to be exciting for you to yes, yes, um,
because when you see them and they're they're starting to
grow and they're they're getting their feet wet, and then
they're starting to see that taste of success and they're like, ah,
(24:42):
this is it, and you're like, well, there they go,
and you can just watch them and you're like, look,
they came to town, they had their dream and they're
finally seeing the fruits of their labor. And because they
come in and lots of them, they hit it so hard.
But then you have some who are maybe these YouTube
(25:06):
sensations that come in and they're like all of a sudden,
boom boom, boom boom, boom. They're going through there and
everything is so fast they don't have time to think,
which is why it goes back to what you said.
You're highly recommend having people around you that can keep
things in check for you, whether it be business manager,
a good banker. Yes, get to have all of these
(25:30):
people to help you keep you centered and on the
right path, or you can get off that path really
fast and you can go from overnight YouTube sensation to nothing,
which is a scary thing, or when you hit wondered
to nothing. Right. If you if you've come in here
(25:50):
and you've put in all the time, you definitely want
to stay as long as you can stay because you
want the income you make to be able to supplement
you for as many years as you can. And when
you're young, you want to do it as long as
you can. You want to be somebody who's going to
be around for thirty years career, right, because you don't
(26:14):
want to be the one hit wonder. You want to
be the career person. Yeah, and I've I can I
can say um very thankfully that I'm really proud of
the career that that I've put together with UM. I
put a tweet in an Instagram post yesterday out about
this this song going number one, and as I mentioned earlier,
it's my seventh number one. It's kind of crazy to
think that, but I've had a record deal since I
(26:37):
was that year old kid that walked in and met
you at the bank. And to think that, um, thirty
six now I was twelve years ago. Um, it's funny.
I had this conversation earlier with with my manager, will
be probably bad that I'm throwing him under the bus.
I'm not throwing him under the bus. It's just something
to really talk about because I'm proud of it. He said,
you know, man, we might be careful sometimes about always
talking about that you've been doing this for twelve years,
(26:59):
because maybe that that that might make you sound old.
And I told him, I said, you know, man, I
see where he's coming from. But I'm really proud of
what I've done in those twelve years. Because not every
year of these last twelve years has been a number
one song. It's been there's been moments where you know,
I was going through a divorce and didn't know what
was going to happen in my life and career, and
(27:20):
it was everything is starting to go downhill. And there
are moments where I had songs that I released that
didn't go number one quite freakly didn't even get into
the thirties. But it's in those moments when things aren't
going well that you that you really have to buckle
down and find your purpose and what brought you here
in the first place and for some reason. And I
can know those reasons knowing people like yourself, Becky, having
(27:42):
a having a family like I have, having people around
me that are constantly I can look at them and go, well,
they're not giving up. They're working hard for me too.
It's a team effort. And I said that in my
in my Instagram and tweet yesterday, I said, even though
I moved here on my own, there's absolutely no way
that one man can do this by himself. It takes
a team and an army of people to help. And
so with that said, I appreciate you being on my team, Becky,
(28:06):
and the same way that John and Keith are And um,
I'm so fortunate throughout the years to find people like
yourselves to help surround myself with that constantly reminds me
of things that I need to be doing or or
they applaud me on things that I have done. Um
and because that's what that's what real people are around you.
And UM, thank you again for taking time out of
(28:26):
your dad. I will tell you my piece of advice
to anybody moving to town is is you go to
Pinnacle Bank and you go see Becky Becky mcawain, and
uh go see everybody over at Pinnacle Bank, because I
really mean that too, outside of even yourself, Becky, everyone
ever Pinnacle has been nothing but great. And um, I
would highly recommend anybody coming to town itself feels a
little lost or just need some answers as to work
(28:46):
how to start to go see you guys. So you
are good company, Becky, and we love you and you
always have a place anywhere we are. And uh, thanks
for taking time out of your day to come come
and see us. Thanks for letting me be a part
of this today. It has been an absolute blast. Well thanks,
I'm gonna try to round up that old demo tape
and see if I can get you a copy of it.
(29:06):
I think I've burned all of them because they were
so bad. Well that's Becky Magawaene, my banker that got
it all started for me. We appreciate you guys for
always tuning in. We love you. We'll catch you in
a couple of weeks. On another Tuesday, I'm Jake and
we'll play you
Hey, this is Jake Owen and this is Good Company Company.
Welcome to Good Company, a podcast where we talk about
everything under the sun, friends, good times company. Now here's
your host. What's up, y'all, It's Jake. We are back
(00:24):
to Good Company. As you know, every other Tuesday, we
come at you with some really interesting individual that I
have happened to come across in my life and share
great stories that are positive and make people smile and
happy and also kind of shed some light in the
inside of my life, um that you might not get
(00:44):
to see out on the road. So, uh, this week,
I've been waiting for this day for a very long
time to introduce you to someone that I have mentioned
throughout my career. But I'm going to introduce you to
the beautiful miss Becky mclwayne. Becky, how are you today?
I am ideal. Listen to that. She's got two bottles
of water in front of her. She is ready to go,
(01:05):
just in case she's a little parched. I think she's
wearing a beautiful um floral outfit today, and uh is
this typical bank attire? Some days we are a little
bit more casual. Um, we did the business casual thing
going on. But I've got some appointments today. So you
didn't just dress up for the podcast. Can you see
(01:27):
how much I dressed up for the podcast? He looked
pretty awesome, very laid back. So this is Becky mcawayne.
She is, Uh, she's my banker. I guess can I
say that? I guess that's what it is. She's my banker. Um.
I My story throughout the years has been that I
met Becky. I came to town in two thousand and four,
(01:50):
I believe it was, and I had not I didn't
really have any money, that much money. I just had
a little bit that I had enough to start a
bank account. And um, I thought to myself, well, if
I'm gonna start a bank account, I might as well
start one on music Row, because maybe if I go
to somewhere on music Row, they'll they'll know other people
in the music business, because at the time I didn't
(02:11):
know anyone. And uh, luckily enough, I'll remember pulling up
in my Toyota four Runner that I drove to town
in off of Seventeenth Avenue at the am South building
and I walked in and uh, that's where I met you, Becky.
And there's been a lot of misconcept. You know, the
story has been misconstrued throughout the years as to kind
(02:31):
of how my life started in Nashville. But I have
to go ahead and give you of the credit as
to getting the ball rolling for me. Well, I think
I was just fortunate enough to be in the right
place at the right time, and or I was fortunate
to be in the right place at the right time. Well,
(02:52):
I mean, the person who finds somebody that is potentially
going to make it in the business is also lucky
because it's one in a million. I mean, you see
people come and go all the time, and it's like
everybody's got a story, everybody's got a song to pitch,
(03:16):
everybody's got a guitar to play, everybody's got their gig.
And so you take your time and you listen to everybody,
and you know, some people you're just like, yeah, keep
working at it. You know, you don't tell them that,
but you're thinking it and you wish them well. But
(03:37):
then every once in a while you just find somebody
and you're like wow. And well, that day I came
in and I remember you asking what I was in
town for it, and I had mentioned that I was
just um, you know, trying to make it music business,
probably just like anyone else around. And you asked if
I had a happen to have a CD or something
with me, And sure enough, I happen to have one.
(04:00):
Uh So I ran out to the car and brought
it back. And and as the story goes, um it wasn't.
But about a day or two later you called me
and said, hey, Jake, it's Becky from the bank. Um,
I hope you don't mind. I'll never forget this, this
this phone call from you. You said, I hope you
don't mind. But I passed along the CD you gave
(04:21):
me to someone at One or Chapel Music Publishing, and
I hope that's okay. And I couldn't believe it. I
was blown away, so blown away that when we hung
up the phone. I don't know if I've ever told
you this or not, but I literally picked up the
phone and called my mom and dad. I was like,
Mom and Dad, you're not gonna believe this, like I've
made it like somebody found me and uh and and
(04:41):
and that's not exactly what happened, but but you did.
You passed it along, And do you remember is it
is that kind of how it went. Yes, I mean,
because that music I gave you was terrible. It was not.
I mean I feel like it was. Yeah, I wish
I still had the demo. I'm kind of ticked off
that I never got it back because I asked for it,
but I never got it back because I'd really like
(05:02):
to literally gave him the copy. So you don't even
have a copy of No, I don't even have it anymore. Um.
I do remember the eight second ride was on there. Yeah,
And I believe I wrote that song when I was
eighteen in college nineteen. Actually, I was on a bar
stool sitting there playing at pop Billy's and my brother
(05:24):
would give me a hard time about always writing songs. Um.
There was also a song on that album I Believe
that I gave to you. It's called all of Me,
and I wrote this. It's like a very lovey dovey
song about I'm gonna give you all of me. You know,
I'm not the greatest man in the world, but I'll
give you everything I've got. And my brother used to
give me a hard time about. Man, I'm tired of
you writing all these songs all the time. They are
these mushy girls songs. It's like, you gotta write one
(05:46):
for our for the guys. And at the time I
had written the eight second Ride song because Jared spit
tobacco all the time. Mom and Dad are listening to this,
they're probably not too proud of that. And it's not
that they don't know, because he still does it now.
But he would always getting his jeep that he had
at the time and he would always say, Jake, watch
out for the for the cup there man. Then I
left with the spin and I want you knocking it
(06:07):
over and it was just so nasty. So in that
song I said, climb on up, but honey, watched the
cup that I've been spitting my dip inside, which people
have also misconstrued that many many times. But back to
your story, Becky mackawayne Baker. So that song is on
the album and when you actually released that, the lyrics
(06:28):
were changed. Yeah, I had to change them. What people
thought they were hearing, right, isn't that interesting? And one
of the lyrics in there was she dosy dot across
the floor. I did use the word dosy dough and
then you changed it. Yeah, I think at the time
when it came out, people were done dosy doing? Yeah,
they were done. They were done, so they were too
step in or they were just walking in the door,
(06:49):
I think. Yeah. So anyway, that night, when I left work,
I said, let me just pop this in CD player
and listen to it on the way home. I'm always
see what this guy's got, lucky me. So I was
listening to it, and then when I got home, I
talked to my husband. I'm like, yes, my husband, Rick said, man,
(07:11):
you gotta listen to this, And I think I went
home and put it in the stereo for him to
listen to. I can't remember for sure if I played
everything on there for him, but I'm like, do you
have a margarita while while you're listening? No? No, I
was driving. Well, I mean when you got home though,
when you got home with with Rick, I know you
like Margarita's. That's why I was asking. No, I didn't know. No,
(07:33):
I was probably getting ready to cook dinner. So I
just popped in the player and went around the house
getting dinner ready. Whatever. But I was like, I gotta
call somebody tomorrow. And so the next day when I
got to work, I was making phone calls and that
was I think. Actually the very next day I delivered
(07:54):
the c D over too, And that's what's so crazy it.
I cannot thank you enough. I know I've told you
this a million times, but I wanted everyone out there
because people don't believe me when I tell them that.
They're like, wait a second, So your story you went
to a bank and gave up, And at that I
think people are like, say, like it was a bank
teller or something. I'm like, no, I was starting this
(08:14):
and I told them the story, and people don't believe me.
So I was so excited to have you in today
to kind of tell this this your your version of
this story. Um, and it's really wild. I remember. So
that happened. So the guy from Warner Chapel calls me
literally three days after she told me someone might call me,
and he asked me to come over and start playing
(08:34):
him some songs. And really and truly, that is how
the ball started rolling for me in Nashville. I mean
the other if that hadn't happened, there's a good chance
I could still be like trying to knock on people's
doors right now and getting people to give me a chance.
Probably not probably but here we are, sitting here on
a Monday morning. How crazy is this? How ironic is
(08:55):
it that here we are the Monday morning that my
song is number one in the country. It's my seventh
number one, Lucky number seven. And I got Lucky Becky
in here today too, So this is like, this is serendipitous.
That is so crazy. That is awesome, though, I mean,
(09:16):
are you not me? I mean, I mean, I knew
that I wanted to do this, but I was never
I never knew that it would happen the way it did.
And I think that's like most people's lives, I mean,
and getting back to yours. You, how long have you been?
I mean, how long have you been in the banking business?
Oh gosh, you didn't even want to know. It's over
five years. So in that amount of time, I'm sure
(09:38):
you've met quite a few other people that are singer songwriters, producers,
anybody that comes to you that starts starts a bank accounting. Yeah,
what's your advice? That was something I want to ask
to me because I know that I could I could
kind of pull from what I've learned from you and
what you've kind of told me through the years. But
for all the people that you meet are people to
(09:59):
listen inning right now that moved to Nashville to try
to make something of themselves. I mean, I don't think
it's as easy as just going to your bank and
given out a CD. It doesn't happen that easily. But
what is there anything that you've seen consistently throughout the
years that you kind of can point a finger out
and say, I think this is maybe something that you
can do. Or keep your nose clean. That's the biggest thing.
(10:22):
If you're going to go out there and you're gonna
work hard, you've got to kind of keep your nose
clean and stay. If you're going to be in the
party crowd, don't be the party like. You know. If
you keep your nose clean and you're out there and
you're working hard and you're doing your thing. I like
to party, and well I know you do, but you
(10:44):
keep your nose clean. You know. Yeah, I know what
you're saying. I don't think people realize that, and that
is the truth. You know. It is is large of
a town that Nashville has become. It's also a very
tight knit small town, which is evident with the that
you were able to make a quick phone call to
someone at Warner Chapel that it knew that and you
(11:06):
know your your opinion was valid, and so they thought, well,
let's call this kid Jake. And that's kind of how
my world started. But as you said, if you can,
there's I've seen it a hundred times where some friends
of mine had moved to town. They just kind of
get caught up in the wrong circles. And the same
way that you can go down a good path with
someone helping you can also got quite a negative one. Right.
You gotta surround yourself with the good people. It's, you know,
(11:29):
like good company. You've got to have yourself surrounded by
good people. Hey, that's a good shout out for us.
I did good with that, didn't you did. That's actually
really good PR. That's right. So I'm not just a banker.
I can do PR. So but what's interesting I think
for Becky is she's seen throughout the years. So when
I came to town, I don't really have anything, and
(11:50):
I'll never forget when I got to come to you
and tell you that I had a record deal, and
she was so excited at the time you had switched
from Ance Am South over to Pinnacle and you had
a new office right there in the in the roundabout.
I guess right that one was still End South, that
was yeah, okay. And then when you left for Pinnacle,
Oh that's when you went over to West End. All right? Um,
(12:13):
but yeah, I remember sitting in that office because you
were you told me stories about I think, like, uh,
was it Tim? You had a Tim mcgrawl or faith
Hill poster on your on your wall, and I remember,
I remember when I went in there seeing it on
her wall. I thought you worked with Tim mcgrawl on
Faith Hill, you know, and so, and you told me
stories about I guess that. And I felt like I
found like like I wasn't messing around anymore, you know.
(12:37):
I felt like she gave me an opportunity. But when
I'd go sit in that office and see that she
had a poster of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill on
the wall, she mustn't know what she's talking about. I
can fake it really good. No, you have though. You've
helped me so much throughout throughout the years. And whether
you're at am South Bank or Pinnacle Bank or We're
(13:00):
a Good Company Bank, no matter where you go, that's
that's where I'm going, Becky, because you are a good company,
and that's why that's why we have you on here.
And um, and I've thought about that so much. I'll
think about that driving down here this morning, about how
much my life has changed since you gave me that opportunity.
And and I'm driving it down town here today in
my nice car. And not that that's what it's about,
(13:22):
but I I've thought about by maintaining a clean nose,
as you mentioned, and being smart and surrounding myself with
the right people. Um, I've been able to really work
hard and focus with the great folks around me to
help me get to this point in life that I
mean you you helped me with my with my first
loan for buying. I'll never forget when I bought my
town house. Um, I was super nervous. Like you know,
(13:45):
I come from a family. You've met my mother and father,
and and my dad's really strict and stern and he's
always taught me, you know, hard work, ethic and being
frugal and things. But I was really nervous, I mean
at the time to buy that first town house. And
and uh, and you've just seen me go through all
these phases of being the new kid, to getting a
record deal, to to remember like buying my first truck.
(14:08):
When I got my record deal, was so excited I
bought this stupid, jacked up white truck. And I've always
wondered that about Becky because she does get to see
the stuff that I waste my money on or not
or make investments. You do sit there and you're like, really,
you were laughing at me the other day when I
came in to get something notarized from you, because Becky
(14:29):
was explaining, I'll let you in your own words. She
said that I tend in the early days to lose
things quite often, so I would come to her like
every weekend and need a new debit card. Listen, is
his wallet a little bit? But it's okay. Yeah, I
tell people a lot that I can. Ever, I don't
ever remember where my wallet is, but I can remember
(14:50):
every word like a Snoop Dogg song. That's a musician
for you. It is, who are so creative? Don't remember
the details? What made you? What got you into too banking?
I mean, what what got you to Not only I know,
but you sit there and you shake your head as
if that's not something that's that's it's exciting or anything,
(15:13):
but it really is. I mean, what you I don't
think you give yourself enough credit for doing what you do,
not just for me, but for anyone else in this town.
That I mean, at the end of the day, money
for people is really what they're working for to support
their families and and to be able to have confidence
and trust in someone like yourself. That I literally can
go to Banke and and see you and talk to you,
(15:34):
and you helped me out the same way you're helping
I'm sure hundreds of other people. What that's gotta that's
gotta be fulfilling for you. Well, I have kind of
a weird story. I was actually going to get to
paralegal school and tested for it, got really hot scores.
They were like, yeah, we want to Oh I'm really
(15:56):
good typer. But I was, and I'm a good researcher.
And then I suddenly one day was like, I don't
want to be sitting here doing all this work and
then some attorney gets all the credit for it. So
I said, now I'm not going to do that. So
I'll just go work temporary for a little while, and
then I'll figure out what I'm gonna do about college
and all that stuff. We'll started making money and I'm like, wow,
(16:20):
it's pretty good money. And my dad told me once
upon a time that if I ever got a bank job,
that I would make good money and have a career
for the rest of my life. So I started in
the very back office of a bank. I wasn't doing
the mail room or anything, but I was doing data entry,
and so that was like next to the lowest job
(16:42):
you could do at the bank. And I started just
working my way up from there. And I was at
a bank called First American here in Nashville, and on
Memorial Day weekend, we sold to am self one year
and we came in on Monday morning. Before the bank
(17:03):
could tell us we had been sold to am South,
it came across all the news media that we had
been sold. So we all came into work and we're like, Okay,
what's gonna happen to our jobs. So one of my friends,
while I was still working in the back office, I
was in a loan office at that time. Um so
I was doing loan documentation and stuff like that. A
(17:27):
friend of mine, who was working on music row called
and said, Hey, if you're in one of the groups
that needs a place to go out in the offices,
call me. I've got a spot for you. And so
I made the move out into the offices at the
Music Row branch and started my music industry career there
and stayed there until I moved to Pinnacles. So I
(17:49):
was with, how long had you been at am South
Bank when I walked in and met you in that position? Um,
in that position, I had been about five years, so yeah, dang, yeah,
so not very long. I was still considered a newbie
in the industry because five years isn't very long, right. Yeah.
(18:11):
So I had done all the back office work, and
I could tell you how to do anything in the
back side of the bank easily. And I had learned
everything in the office world too. But I had been
learning all of the industry stuff and went to all
of the nightly parties and events and things like that.
(18:31):
So yeah, it was it was good times. Yeah. So
you we're talking to Becky mcawaine, who helped me basically
start my career in Nashville. Um. I mentioned earlier that
I gave her a CD when I first met her,
and she handed it off to someone else and that's
what got the ball roll. And so I'm just telling
us now about her her years in the banking business. So, uh,
(18:54):
you're you're married to a great man, Rick. I've got
to know Rick over the years. So because you're a
bank or um? Is that is that? Do you? I mean,
do you are you? You're like you've got to be
like the head of the household when it comes to
like dealing with money. I'm assuming I'm assuming Rick's probably like,
you just deal with it, That's what I would do. Yeah,
he pretty much just hands me all the money and
(19:15):
said you take care of it. Like he has an
account that he maintains for himself, and you know, he
just takes care of it the best he can and
he and he fixes up his race cars with it. Yeah.
He Actually, he doesn't use any of our own money
to do his race cars. He really works out of
his race car shop and takes care of building go
(19:36):
cards and things like that to supplement his racing. Yes.
So Rick, Uh, this is a really cool story too.
So getting to know Rick and Becky throughout the years.
Rick is a police officer here in Nashville, and so
throughout the years. Rick is a huge NASCAR fan, like
absolutely huge. And before the whole Kevin Howard situation, who
is ricks guy? Bill Elliott, Bill Elliott, Okay, Bill Eli.
(20:00):
It from Georgia, correct, dawson Ville, Georgia. His his his
son Chase now is a great driver that I've got
to know pretty well. But it was really cool for
for what Becky did for me in my life and career.
I was always looking for ways to try to repay
what she did for me. Well. When I found out
that Rick was such a big NASCAR fan. Throughout the years,
(20:21):
I've become great friends with Kevin Harvick. I'll never forget
when I told you guys, y'all were going up to
the race. I believe it was in Charlotte or something.
You'll were going and UM called Kevin and the guys
and and they took them all back in the pits
and took Karen. Becky said that Rick was just so
excited to be back there around all these I mean,
he was like a kid in a candy store. He
was so excited. I wish I could have been there
(20:44):
to see that, because those are the kind of things,
like I said, I mean, there's nothing that I could
ever do, Becky to repay you for what you've what
you've brought to my life. And I feel and it's
not just the music, it's not just the way that
I got a record deal with I hadn't probably taken
this path in life, and I would have never gotten
to the point where I um met my hex wife,
(21:04):
which is which is okay because my ex wife is
the person that that gave you my child. And now
like the most important thing in my life, which is Pearl,
stemmed from the decision that I made to move to
Nashville and make this a career and you're a huge
part of that. And I just there's been, like I said,
there's been so many different stories throughout the years as
(21:26):
to how I got to where I am, and it
definitely begins with walking in that bank and am south
on Seventeenth Avenue in Music Row and you you sing
hello to me. So I just I cannot thank you
enough for that. And I was really excited today to
share that story with everybody of how that happened. So
(21:46):
it means the world to me. Help you know that
I do, and I'm just glad that I could be
a part of it. Because at least it's been such
a good road for you that you've gotten to you
experience this piece of life that so many people don't
get the opportunity to see the good side of. You're right,
(22:09):
and I think too is great as the things that
we're talking about. You've also seen me throughout the years
go through the ups and downs of it as well,
because that's always going to be there in any sort
of business, but especially in this business um and that
things aren't And you guys know this, John Anthony, Keith Coufman,
that are here every week when it's doing this, but
y'all know, I mean it's Nashville. As we've talked to
Jimmy Allen last last week, We've talked to Larry Fleets,
(22:30):
some other artists I've had in here talking to them
about what life is going to be like for them
throughout the years and and there's going to be the
ups and downs and the and so I think coming
from your perspective too, as a banker, like it's not
just you would get a record deal and become rich. No,
that doesn't happen because my business manager, Jackie um Deal
(22:52):
calls and talks to you a lot but it's not
just it's not just personal stuff for me that that
Becky's helping us out with. I mean, we're paying for busses, trucks, trailers,
bus drivers, salaries for guys in the band. And then
I'm always constantly thinking about, as you mentioned earlier, trying
to keep my nose clean, you know, and stay of
do the right thing, because at the end of the day,
(23:13):
I have a huge responsibility at this point. Now I
was just when I met you. I was just a
kid that didn't have any responsibility other than to myself,
And now I have a responsibility to maintain this career
so I can help the guys in my crew and
band feed their families and feed my own daughter. And
and that's a lot that comes along with somebody just
(23:33):
giving a CD to somebody else. And and people don't
think about that when they come to town with the dream.
They're like, Oh, I want to go sing and be
a star, and I want to write songs, and I
want to do this and that, And then when it
hits they're like, oh, crap, what do I do now.
And if people don't have a good business manager and
(23:55):
a good banker and a good PR person, and all
of these people to help them do it. Then you
know they can crash and burn fast. And I'm sure
you deal with a lot of people coming to town
and that me you just I mean, since you've met me,
and have you dealt with any other artists singer songwriters
have come that you've you've watched grow in the same
way I have, Um, not to the extent that you
(24:20):
have grown. But there are some who are out there
who are slowly moving up through the ranks that we see,
and that's got to be exciting for you to yes, yes, um,
because when you see them and they're they're starting to
grow and they're they're getting their feet wet, and then
they're starting to see that taste of success and they're like, ah,
(24:42):
this is it, and you're like, well, there they go,
and you can just watch them and you're like, look,
they came to town, they had their dream and they're
finally seeing the fruits of their labor. And because they
come in and lots of them, they hit it so hard.
But then you have some who are maybe these YouTube
(25:06):
sensations that come in and they're like all of a sudden,
boom boom, boom boom, boom. They're going through there and
everything is so fast they don't have time to think,
which is why it goes back to what you said.
You're highly recommend having people around you that can keep
things in check for you, whether it be business manager,
a good banker. Yes, get to have all of these
(25:30):
people to help you keep you centered and on the
right path, or you can get off that path really
fast and you can go from overnight YouTube sensation to nothing,
which is a scary thing, or when you hit wondered
to nothing. Right. If you if you've come in here
(25:50):
and you've put in all the time, you definitely want
to stay as long as you can stay because you
want the income you make to be able to supplement
you for as many years as you can. And when
you're young, you want to do it as long as
you can. You want to be somebody who's going to
be around for thirty years career, right, because you don't
(26:14):
want to be the one hit wonder. You want to
be the career person. Yeah, and I've I can I
can say um very thankfully that I'm really proud of
the career that that I've put together with UM. I
put a tweet in an Instagram post yesterday out about
this this song going number one, and as I mentioned earlier,
it's my seventh number one. It's kind of crazy to
think that, but I've had a record deal since I
(26:37):
was that year old kid that walked in and met
you at the bank. And to think that, um, thirty
six now I was twelve years ago. Um, it's funny.
I had this conversation earlier with with my manager, will
be probably bad that I'm throwing him under the bus.
I'm not throwing him under the bus. It's just something
to really talk about because I'm proud of it. He said,
you know, man, we might be careful sometimes about always
talking about that you've been doing this for twelve years,
(26:59):
because maybe that that that might make you sound old.
And I told him, I said, you know, man, I
see where he's coming from. But I'm really proud of
what I've done in those twelve years. Because not every
year of these last twelve years has been a number
one song. It's been there's been moments where you know,
I was going through a divorce and didn't know what
was going to happen in my life and career, and
(27:20):
it was everything is starting to go downhill. And there
are moments where I had songs that I released that
didn't go number one quite freakly didn't even get into
the thirties. But it's in those moments when things aren't
going well that you that you really have to buckle
down and find your purpose and what brought you here
in the first place and for some reason. And I
can know those reasons knowing people like yourself, Becky, having
(27:42):
a having a family like I have, having people around
me that are constantly I can look at them and go, well,
they're not giving up. They're working hard for me too.
It's a team effort. And I said that in my
in my Instagram and tweet yesterday, I said, even though
I moved here on my own, there's absolutely no way
that one man can do this by himself. It takes
a team and an army of people to help. And
so with that said, I appreciate you being on my team, Becky,
(28:06):
and the same way that John and Keith are And um,
I'm so fortunate throughout the years to find people like
yourselves to help surround myself with that constantly reminds me
of things that I need to be doing or or
they applaud me on things that I have done. Um
and because that's what that's what real people are around you.
And UM, thank you again for taking time out of
(28:26):
your dad. I will tell you my piece of advice
to anybody moving to town is is you go to
Pinnacle Bank and you go see Becky Becky mcawain, and
uh go see everybody over at Pinnacle Bank, because I
really mean that too, outside of even yourself, Becky, everyone
ever Pinnacle has been nothing but great. And um, I
would highly recommend anybody coming to town itself feels a
little lost or just need some answers as to work
(28:46):
how to start to go see you guys. So you
are good company, Becky, and we love you and you
always have a place anywhere we are. And uh, thanks
for taking time out of your day to come come
and see us. Thanks for letting me be a part
of this today. It has been an absolute blast. Well thanks,
I'm gonna try to round up that old demo tape
and see if I can get you a copy of it.
(29:06):
I think I've burned all of them because they were
so bad. Well that's Becky Magawaene, my banker that got
it all started for me. We appreciate you guys for
always tuning in. We love you. We'll catch you in
a couple of weeks. On another Tuesday, I'm Jake and
we'll play you
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