December 23, 2024 • 39 mins
On episode three of the third season of the Between Bites podcast, Nina Compton and Larry Miller are joined by Grammy Award-winning artist/songwriter/producer PJ Morton.
Morton discusses the challenges and rewards of writing his autobiography, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, as the process turned into a form of therapy, helping him uncover hidden themes and connections in his journey.
PJ shares stories from his upbringing as a preacher's kid in New Orleans and highlights the influence that the city's rich musical culture had on his multifaceted career.
Morton reflects on his journey to earning five Grammy awards and how being nominated alongside legends like Stevie Wonder inspired him. He shares stories about Stevie’s mentorship and how their friendship has influenced his music and advocacy.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:15):
All right, Merry Christmas to you guys. Welcome to another
edition Between Bites with Nina Compton and Larry Miller. Your
present for this season is our next guest, p J.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Morton.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Yay, welcome, Welcome. It's a pleasure to uh, for us
to get to meet a lot of great New Orleanians
and creative folks. You if you had a business card,
it would be printed on legal papers. Singer, songwriter, musician,
community activist, multi Grammy Award winner and author.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, that's right. Book, it's exciting.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Adding an autobiography. Now we have experienced at home the
pain of writing a cookbook. Well I didn't, Nina did it,
but I got to observe the pain. How was it
writing in autobiography? It's Saturday night, Sunday morning, that's right.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, No, it was. I mean it was daunting. You know.
It was. I am a person who tends not to
look back a whole bunch, you know, I'm like, all right,
what's next? What are we doing? And that that that
I had to really look back and remember and and
you know, uh, gets all of these things that I
haven't thought about in so long. But then eventually, as
(01:33):
I got into it, It became sort of like therapy,
you know, because I started to connect some dots that
I didn't even know existed in my life, and some
themes in my life that I didn't know existed that
that have been, you know, a thread throughout the whole thing.
And so I started to embrace it then. But it
definitely was like it was, it took some work. It
(01:55):
can be great and challenge, sure, exactly exactly because you
got to dig deep.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah, And how did it come about that you said
all right, I'm gonna write this book?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah, I mean, great question because you know memoirs like
when when do you write that? Exactly? You know, I
feel like I do have a lot of life to
live still, But people started to ask questions, you know,
like how are you doing this, you know, independently winning
five Grammys. I don't think it's just winning the Grammys,
(02:24):
but it's like, oh, you're not even on a major
label necessarily. But also you're from New Orleans and you
were a young songwriter, your pastor's kid and grew up
in Goswell, how did you end up in Maroon five?
You know, how how did you sign the Little Wayne?
Like just my life is all you know, people know
me from different things. So I thought, instead of speaking
(02:46):
through the music, which I'm most comfortable doing, let me
just you know, let people into my story a bit.
And uh and so you know someone was interested as well,
you know, a publisher and ha shit, and was all right,
let's do this.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You know, that's very cool. How tough was it? Two?
And I guess you guys both as musicians as a chef,
you have this idea in your head and you want
to keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going. How
do you know when it's done?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:14):
How hard was it writing a memoir and autobiography just
saying this thing is actually it could be forty plus years?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah? Material?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
How do I get it down to a book size?
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah? Well, I mean I always think from from a
fan perspective or from from the reader's perspective, and what
was important at the moment, you know, because it is
certain things I didn't talk about maybe you know that
just didn't it didn't It didn't matter to whatout the
point we were trying to get across and what we
were trying to share with people. So I think it
was it was just trial and error in that sense
(03:47):
of like all right, this is important. You know this
point is important, that's not And and like finding an
endpoint was really because I got I think I got
the Disney thing, like right in the midst of it,
and I was like, well, we got to include Disney. Yeah,
you know, sure, And then I decided out of nowhere
to go to Africa for thirty days and make an album,
and I was like, we got to include Africa, and
(04:10):
so that was right at the end. But yeah, that
was just trial and errow. I didn't know exactly when
that was going to be, what the endpoint was going
to be initially, but we we naturally got to it.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Do you love it enough that twenty years later we'll
get volume two?
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Oh? Man, I don't want to hear a book.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I feel the same way. People always ask like, oh,
do you have a book, and I'm like, this is
my first and last book. It's so much work. Yeah,
And I went through a process of I don't want
to do this book anymore because it was just You're
putting all your energy into it. And sure, you start
to you know, have these these stories of your childhood,
(04:50):
and then you just want to scrap everything and start
all over again. And it's it's a very personal thing
and once it's out, you can't take.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
It by Oh man, that was me. I was like, wait,
why did I do this again? You know, once it
was out, I'm like letting people lend to my story.
I'm kind of a private person, you know, So it
was like what if why did I do this? Exactly?
But ultimately is it to me is to inspire and
like help people, you know, And that was the motivation.
But for a while, I do not want to hear
(05:20):
book or publisher or you know. But but there is
I think the independence, because that is a theme through
the book. But I think I do want to give
people even more of a blueprint of how just just
specifically on independence. But but it might be a while. Yeah,
that got some music to make.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
That's fair. And tell us about your childhood, because you
have a very deep rooted you know, in the church
with your father, so tell me and your mom as well.
So just tell us a little bit about growing up.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, we're born and raised in New Orleans, and the
first church was was Central City, you know, like right
in the heart of New Orleans, Simon Boulevard, like right there.
And so I had the mixture of New Orleans as
a backdrop, but also being a preacher's kid that was
heavily into music. Now, my dad was from Windsor, Ontario, Canada,
(06:19):
and moved to New Orleans without knowing anybody. I mean
just said God told him to move to New Orleans
and he just happened to live across the street from
Greater Saint Stephen, which he eventually ended up pastoring for
thirty three years. He just walked in and it was like,
this is the place for me. My mother's grandmother, my
(06:42):
great grandmother, was a founder of Greater Saint Steve's, so
she was already there as a kid, you know, and
they eventually met there at the church. But this was
a big basis for my life. And just because he
was from Windsor, which is right across the tunnel from Detroit.
My uncle played on my Town records and you know,
so you had that musical influence which was different from
(07:05):
New Orleans musical influence. So it was a mixture for me. Always.
I was always into all different types of things. But
we walk out of church, you know, super Sunday, and
we got to stay there because like the streets are
blocked off for the second line. You know. So I
had all these different types of things that I see
now influence me heavily. I mean, of course the gospel
(07:28):
music and with that got me, how that got me
to soul music, but New Orleans music and and how
that inspired me as well, and just to take the
music seriously. I realized early on that you know, there's
a standard, you know, if you're if you're to be
great here, it's you got you know, it's like you
(07:48):
got weights on. You know, it's like you gotta be
really good. And so I respected it from from from
an early age and and just grew in that. But
one thing that was different about me, which is this
this church thing versus uh New Orleans you know, jazz
and musicians, is that my father prayed over my hands
(08:09):
and I had a natural gift for this. You know,
I didn't read music. My mom really tried. She was
born and raised in New Orleans. Yeah, born and raised
in New Orleans. Wanted me to be a classical musician,
and uh, I just didn't have the discipline. I was
already playing songs on the radio. I'm like, you want
me to go back to I'm already playing the cool stuff.
(08:31):
My friends liked this already, and so I resisted.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
I just rebellious.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
I was right. I was yes, I said no, it's
not happening learning right. And my dad was actually kind
of behind me. He's like, look, he's got it because
that's what he came from, my uncle and everybody else
who he knew that played all played by ear, you know,
and and and uh and so that was kind of
(08:57):
a place where I was lost. I mean, uh, you know,
Ellis Marcellis saw me play at a very young age,
wanted me to go to Tinoka, and that didn't work
out for me because I really wanted to go to
Saint All. I really wanted to be with the March
one hundred and everything, and so that was like a
thing I was more interested in that. I was like,
(09:17):
I always treated the music as a gift as opposed
to something that I was learning. You know, it was like,
now whatever comes naturally to me, which obviously you know,
it worked out. I mean, as a.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Kid, you think about those times you're you know, in
a free throw competition or playing horse with your dad.
Now you look at it as a musical, as a
musical love either mom or dad, both of them are
very talented musicians. For yourself, when did you get to
the point that I think I can take him?
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah, I mean, you know, he was the one pushing me,
my dad, and I mean he was the main musician.
He was the main singer. My mom is a great singer,
she never claimed to be the the musician, but my
dad was. I mean, he could have had a I mean,
he did have a recording career, but he could have
only done that, you know, without even being a pastor.
(10:07):
But for me, around fourteen, I was very nervous to sing.
You know. I started writing songs secretly and I would
let them hear it in the house, you know, But
I wasn't trying to let everybody hear this. It's like
I'm just and my Dad's like, man, can you sing
from my anniversary? Or can you do this? Here was
the one pushing me, and it was like I didn't
(10:27):
want to do it, but I wanted to do it.
And if he didn't kind of nudge me, I don't
know that I ever would have faced those fears of
being so nervous to sing in front of people. And
so about fourteen, though, was when I really was like Okay,
I can do this. I started doing gigs around the city.
I remember me and Ed, who's still my drummer. Now,
(10:48):
we started a band when I was twelve. But we
used to play the Sunday brunch for some gospel acts
and stuff at the House of Blues, and that was
my first gig. I was like, oh, I'm missing church.
I'm getting a check, you know. I'm like, oh man,
this is this is wild. So that's that's when it
started for me where I felt like I could I
could really do this, you know. Yeah. And my dad
(11:11):
could play just a little bit. I mean as a singer,
he's still one of the best to me, but he
could only play a little bit. But as a kid,
I thought he could really play. So I'm like, Dad,
teach me. And then I saw myself passing him up
at fourteen. It's like, well, I can't teach you anything,
like you know, you got it.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Yeah, And then you went to did a bounce album.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Oh yeah, yeah. I mean that was you know, much
much later on when I when I left home. So yeah.
So I started my professional music career at sixteen and
wrote wrote a song for this this gospel group men
a standard and that's really really where I got my
first check as a songwriter and all this. I mean,
I had to bring the CD to Saint Oh because
(11:53):
they didn't believe. They didn't believe that I actually wrote this.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Ye showing the.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
It's true. It's true. They were like, what do you
mean you wrote? I was like, man, look my name.
I actually wrote it. So that started that and then
I moved to Atlanta. I went to more House and
and met Indy. I read my sophomore year and that
album Want to Grammy. It was just my My life
started to change when I got to Atlanta, which is
why I wanted to go to Atlanta. But after Bouncing
(12:24):
Soul was after Maroon five and everything, I decided to
move back home to New Orleans after being gone for
about ten years, ten to twelve years. And when I
got home, I said, I want to do something that
is purely home, you know, and that that was Bouncing
Soul with Juvenile and Lil Wayne Ye Manny Fresh, that's
(12:46):
the one to go to. Man.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
I just called it an album again.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Now it is I still say album album.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah, I'm trying to Oh man.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
It was amazing because it was just like these are
my heroes, you know, juven Out and many many fresh
as a producer, it was like that was one of
the first producers I saw that I could see with
my own eyes, you know, And so it was just
an honor for those guys to be a part of it.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Do you have a pin on?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
You do have a pen? Yes, I'm supposed to more Man,
You're right, it's in the car though my bag's in
the car. Yes. I felt that. I was like, oh,
it's a more House I was supposed to. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
A couple of my dear friends I grew up in Atlanta,
dear friends to Morehouse and it's a good always thinking
out for for the rest of their life. Find out
the first time you got a call letting you know.
Now for Grammy Awards, First of all, back up, Yes,
you have been nominated at least nominated one multiple times,
(13:45):
but since twenty thirteen except for one year.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yes, so yeah, So I wasn't officially nominated for the
India re Album. So twenty thirteen was the first year
I was nominated, which I think Maroon five was nominated
that same year, but it was my first solo nomination.
I've since been nominated twenty times.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
It's crazy but what's that first call?
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Like, yeah, I really just I couldn't believe it. And
it was for a song that Stevie Wonder was on
called Only One, So it was it was almost too
much for me. It's like, wait, Stevie's on this, you know,
on this song with me, I'm finally nominated as a
solo act, not for something I wrote or produced only
you know, but my own stuff. And man, yeah, I
(14:30):
just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. It was like,
not quite as crazy as that first win, but man,
I just was like, yeah, it blew my mind.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Do you do you pencil it in in the calendar now?
Like you don't do anything that agree gonna.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Be there a man, I'm chilling this. I'm chilling this year.
But yeah, but seven years, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, seven
years in a row. We've we've been nominated and and
won five of those. I of those seven years, and man,
I listen, this is more than I ever dream. When
I think of five Grammys, I think of my heroes.
(15:07):
I mean, I think of the guys I looked up to.
I never quite thought that, you know, I dreamed it,
but I didn't know that I could have five G
twenty nominations. It sounds crazy even saying it, but it
really just humbles me. Man, It's just like, wow, this
is actually worked. This actually worked, you know, like I really,
I really did figure it out.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
They're all at the house.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yes, all the Grammys are at the house.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Do you rearrange them or do they get ranked your favorite?
Speaker 2 (15:36):
You know, I got it. I'm thinking about bringing one
to the studio once we uh, you know, just to
have one there. I wanted to inspire people. So but
I'm trying to figure which one. It's not going to
be the first one and it's not going to be
say so best R and B song that was a
big one for me, and so we're going to figure
out with the other three what lives there? But we
(15:57):
move on.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
So I have a question, what is your or if
you had to have a dream collaboration with somebody, who
would it be.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Yeah, that is a funny question now because I used
to get asked that all the time, right, and then
it was always Stevie. It's always Steve. And it's like
it's like, who do you go to after Stevie? So
I'm kind of going to my my, my, contemporaries, you know,
like Kendrick Lamar or something, or working with Pharrell uh
DeAngelo is somebody. Yeah, he's He's a hero of mine
(16:28):
as well. But yeah, it was always Stevie for me.
And now that you know, we formed like a friendship.
You know, we've worked on multiple things now together. That
was the top of my top. It's almost like you
got a dream bigger, you know.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
And has he given you any advice?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
So much advice. I save his voicemails, you know, when
I don't catch him. When I do catch him, I
show everybody Stevie Wonders College to be clear, Yeah, every
buddy take it easy, you know, Stevie's calling. But he's
given me music. I mean, you know, there are times
I've wanted to give up or not sure that I'm
(17:07):
on the right path, and he's like, man, you're necessary,
you know, like what you do is so important. But
he's given me advice, even dealing with how balancing you know,
political things in that was such a big part of
what he did. And so even putting what I believe
into certain into music and not just using my music
career for music alone, but to inspire people and to
(17:31):
build community. He's really big on that, and so I'm
just so grateful that I can even you know, talk
to him. Yeah, you know, seriously, it's I mean, I
have since calmed down for his sake because he's like,
we're friends. Don't treat me like Stevie, you know. But
so I've chilled out and I try to be as
(17:52):
regular as I can around him now. But but but
for me, it's like, man, you don't understand, like you're
the reason. You know, You're a big reason why I'm
why I'm even doing this right.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Right, That's that's very special. Yeah, so tell us about
your album, Gumbo Gumbo.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Man. So it was bouncing soul is what got me
out of my got me out of my funk. That's
why it's so fun. It was me not worrying about anything.
Let's just do the music I grew up on, you know,
parties we went to as a kid, and and and uh,
you know, elementary school up to high school like you know,
and so but but I was planning on you know,
(18:31):
the reason I moved back to New Orleans is because
I was kind of kind of down on music. I
was kind of over it at that point, and I
was going to come to New Orleans and open up
a sneaker store. I wasn't like I was. I was
getting out of it. Yeah yeah, and I probably will, yeah,
I probably will. But that was the plan. And and
(18:51):
what happened when I got home. People were looking to me.
They're like, well, first of all, what are you doing
back here? What'd you do? Did you come back here?
But also you have the answers to a lot of
stuff that we were, you know, And so I started
to look at myself more as a leader. You know,
nobody gives you a blueprint to say, Okay, now is
your time to be the leader? Right. I'm used to
(19:13):
being the baby, you know, like I was always the
young one, and then they're now looking asking me. And
so I did bout and Soul just as I'm like,
you know something I don't have to think heavily about.
Let's just have fun. And Gumbo was supposed to be
my very last album. I was like, man, forget the business.
I'm gonna do exactly what I want to do. It's
the first album I actually made home, you know, because
(19:34):
my music career started outside of New Orleans really and
at school and morehouse. And then when I went to
LA and in New York. Uh, but but we locked
in and really I made it without caring about anybody's opinions,
without caring about marketing, radio and what do you know. Like,
you know, it's easier said than done to just not care,
(19:59):
but that is the to actually getting to the thing
that you want to get to. It's not caring. It's scary.
But so then it ended up being you know, break
like reinvigorating my career more than any album. And that
made me proud to be in New Orleans and to
let New Orleans see that I made this here and
we're you know, and so we got two Grammy that's
(20:22):
when those started. That's when that whole run, the seven
year run started. Yeah, and we didn't win that year.
I knew I wasn't gonna win. I was against Bruno
Mars and I was like, you know, let's just go
and have a good time at the Grammys. But it
set me up to do this album called Gumbo Unplugged
that weekend Grammy weekend. I recorded it in New York.
(20:43):
It was the fiftieth or sixtieth anniversary. And then that
album went crazier than the regular Gumbo and got me
three Grammy nominations that next year, and then I finally
got my first win, and man, it was like a
weight off my and it was like years and years
of doing this. I mean, you know, we talked about
(21:05):
how early I started, and finally getting to that point
then was just I mean, I still can feel it.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
And it's beautiful too. That the beautiful because we love
food music. But yes, the title of the album being
Gumbo sure, all the different ingredients and influences that came together.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yes, just like that was it. That was it, and
that's my I mean, you know, that's home for me
when I think of Gumbo, and so it was layered
for me. It was me moving home making this in
New Orleans. But also it was prior to that, I
mostly talked about love. You know, love songs is still
one of my main things. I mean, it's what I
(21:45):
love most. But I said, you know, I think I
want to talk about more than that. I want to
talk about how, you know, encouraging people and songs that
are just not love songs. Much like when Marvin went
from you know, love songs and then he made us
going on because he felt like it was heavy. It
was too heavy to just be talking about love right now.
(22:05):
And for me, that was what the gumbo was. I'm
gonna throw all of this different subject matter in the
pot and make some beautiful, beautiful dish out of it.
And man, I'm so proud of that.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
What inspires you? That's a very bad.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
But yeah, I'm inspired by life. Though. I feel like
I'm kind of like a bystander that just watches people's lives,
you know, just I'm a people watcher in a way,
and I'm inspired by people's love stories, by their life stories,
whether good or bad. You know, it's like pulling from that.
I like to think that writing songs is the gift
(22:47):
to put these heavy life subjects and big idea. I mean,
love is such a big thing, you know, life is
such a big thing. But I put it into these
three minutes and it allows people to say, oh man,
and that's that's exactly how it was feeling. You know,
I couldn't have said that in three minutes. But and
so it inspires me to see people go through their lives.
(23:09):
You know, you you being in what you're in, your
love for what you do as a chef. You know
that that can inspire me. I can write about anything,
you know, when I had just had to do this
Disney thing for Tiana's By You Adventure and.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
We're inc if you go to Disney now, yeah and
rite Tianas By Your Adventures.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Yeah, both at Disney Worldland Disneyland. What do you hear? Yeah,
well you hear music that I've curated. You hear a
bunch of New Orleans musicians. I mean I got John
Battis's plan, I got Trumbone Shorty plan, I've got John
Cleary plan. Shoot New Orleans. Uh no, Joe is on there.
I mean I got all of New Orleans and Louisiana
(23:50):
on it. But the breaking thing was that the first
black composer to to write an original song for a
Disney attraction, and I had to write a song. I
wrote a song called Special Spice, which is talking about
that they told me to think about Gumbo. Gumbo is
actually in the lyrics. But that's what made me think
(24:12):
of Disney because I was inspired by that. They were like, Okay,
you know Princess Tiana's story from the original movie, but
this is her continuation. Now she's married to the to
the Prince, and now she has her own restaurant, and
she's trying to bring these musicians together who are all
kind of different. You know, there's a gator and there's
(24:33):
so we're bringing them all together to make this one
special sound. And that inspired me. I'm like, okay, well
let me think of what that is. So I just
love stories, you know, And now.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
What the listeners could not see when you pulled out
your hand like a piece of paper and wrote on
it with your other hand. Yeah, do you write out
the music before you start going now? Or do you play?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Yeah? Yeah, I still can't read or write the music.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is insane. I had to have
someone to transcribe it for me. I mean there's technology
now that can transcribe it for you. Thank god, you know,
the world caught up. Yeah, but I still can. I
still can't read or write. So no, I just wrote
the song from by ear and we started there. We
(25:23):
started there, and eventually when we had to transcribe it
for musicians, and you know, Disney's very particular, so I
mean the song book, they needed it in written form.
I got friends of mine to transcribe it for me.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Yeah, that's that's so special. So being from Newords, what
is your go to if you are like craving something
to eat to eat?
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Yes, my go to it changes, right, but I mean
like around the holidays right now, I need my wife
to make gumbo, like you know, like that's important. It's
like that can that can solve all. Well, she's allergic
to shellfish, so I'm heavy on the sausage, you know,
but she'll make she'll make the chicken and sausage gumbo,
(26:09):
but she'll she'll make another batch, you know, with seafood
in there for because I love some crab in there
and some shrimping there as well. But for me, like
when I'm just hungry and I just it's it's a
hot sausage po boy or a shrimp po boy from
where uh yeah, yeah, there there are few there are
(26:29):
my studio. So so some of this is how close
it is Broadview is close to my studio and consistent,
you know. I mean they make that shrimp right but yeah, yeah,
when I live further uptown, guys, shrimp po boy was
one was one of those ones for me as well.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah, yeah, me too.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
I think I'm gonna get one today.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
It's always a good day.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Yeah, it's a good day, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
So what's next for you? What is twenty twenty five
is about to be rung in what you have? Like,
what are you most excited about, what you're looking forward to?
Speaker 2 (27:05):
What you Yeah, I'm looking forward to because we've been
on a I've been on a mission. It seems, you know,
whatever I had to prove to myself or to others,
I mean it's been proven. You know, say you just
kept putting further that piece, you know. But what's inspiring
me now is the same creative spirit, but for development
(27:29):
and like creating places. You know, hospitality is a big
passion of mine. Just creating amazing spaces for people. I've
a part owner and do drop in. You know, We're
going to start doing some things there. There's so much
history there. I've just purchased a studio and twenty acres
of land in Buggaloosa, Luisiana that I'm going to develop
(27:52):
and eventually do a festival and things like that. On
some things in Africa as well that I'm going to
be doing and u and so I'm really excited about that.
Heavily leaning into because when you tour as much as
I do, you don't get to work on these a
lot of projects that you'd like to work on. So
as a producer, I've had to say no to so much,
(28:13):
so much stuff where I will lean into my production
a lot more this year next year and working with
different artists. That's really exciting to me.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
How do you say no? I mean, it's when you
only have so much time. Yeah, and yes, I would
love to do this song with you, Nina, but I
just don't have any time.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Yeah. I've had to get really great at saying no.
You know, it's tough. Yeah, it is tough, and I
was you know, I'm recovering. I'm a recovering not being
able to say no person. You know, I don't like
I like to please people, you know, I don't like
to disappoint people. So I try to say yes as
much as I can, but for my own sanity and
and really a friend of mine who's an artist helped
(28:56):
me with that because he's like, you're doing a disservice
to them. Actually, if you can and give one hundred
percent to certain things, you know, you should want to
be able to give all you can to it. So
saying yes sometimes is a disservice when you know you
can't fully be into it, and that kind of freed
me on that. But yeah, I've just had to be
selective and really pick the things that, you know, and
I'm grateful at some point in my career early on,
(29:19):
I had to say yes to everything, right, But now
I can and choose things that it's like, I really
care about these things and really give my full self
to them.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
So you travel a lot, what do you do for
self care? Like, what's a treat? Is it a massage?
Is it sleeping in? What is it?
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Yeah? I love sleep, you know, contrary to popular belief,
I do love sleep. You know sometimes that I'm not
able to get it as much as I like, but
I think that's important. I just really use those hours
that I have in the day. You know, I'm not
sleep when you're dead type person. No, I'm asleep while
(29:56):
I'm alive, you know, and be really effective in the day.
But yeah, try to do massages sometimes when we're on
the road. Not right now because my achilles is down.
But playing basketball it's one of those things for me.
It's really a love of mine, you know, playing ball
and like just and that's also community for me because
(30:17):
it's my band. We're all playing, so we're hanging with
each other and that's like downtime. So it's really that.
But on the road, I mean, I'm blessed to have
my friends, my actual friends on the road with me.
So movies, I mean, will go out, we hang and
we eat, eat eating. Being from New Orleans eating is
uh you know, that's that that is a form of
(30:38):
therapy for us. So so being able to travel all
around the world. I mean just this year we did Australia,
New Zealand, Europe, Africa, you know, and so we get
to experience all these different types of food. I just
was just in India a few days ago actually with
Maron five. Wow. And and so so I've found that
(31:02):
experiencing new foods in different places and hanging out is
is therapy as well.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
For you mentally on tour as fronting your solo act
versus being with Maroon five, is there a different mentality
goes into Definitely, like it's a total party when you're
with the Bank with Maroon five, and then.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
I'm not a big partier in general, right, but you know,
but no, there is a distinct difference for me because
when I'm out on my own. It every all roads
lead to me. I mean, if I stop, it stops,
you know. And uh, And I just mean that in general,
it's just like, you know that it runs and I'm
getting the questions and I'm having to make sure these
(31:43):
things are happening. So I won't say it's more stressful,
but it's it's definitely more work. You know. When I'm
with Maroon, I get to be the keyboard player, you know,
I get to it's on you, Adam, you know, yeah, no,
But seriously, I mean the brunt of it. I mean
the interviews, the things I have to do. You know,
when my band is chilling at the hotel and I'm
(32:04):
at the radio stage site and I'm doing this podcast
or I'm doing these zooms in the hotel room, I
don't really have to do those with Maroon, and it
is I mean, I feel like I have the most
blessed career ever, you know, because I get to have
both of these things. And usually when I'm a little
burnt out from my thing, it's time to go out
with Maroon and I get to still be working, but
(32:26):
like just not at the same level. And I embrace it.
I love that I have these two different roles. I
don't try to be more than I am in Maroon.
It's like, I love I love my place in the band.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
That's an interesting way that they're not a majority of
people who could as artists. I would imagine who could
have that mentality to be able to bounce back and forth.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Yeah, I'm great, very healthy. Also, you know, I mean
not at this point, but there was a point where
I was on a six you know, sixteen passenger van
on my tour and driving it and then hopping on
a private plane when I'm with Maroon, So there was
such a gap, you know. But now, I mean, of
course we're doing We're doing better on my side now,
(33:10):
but I'm still not at the level as Maroon too.
So it is refreshing. It's like seeing this but also,
you know, wasn't necessarily willing to be all I had
to be to be there. You know. It also gave
me an opportunity to look under the hood and say,
oh wow, I'm at the top. I mean, we're in
the top two percent. We're playing the super Bowl, Like,
(33:31):
oh I want some of this, I don't want all
of it, you know, And so you know, that's great.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
It's cool the way you described it, because it made
me think about eating. We'd love to go get great
fancy meals, but then there's a time you just want
that at your favorite chop where you feel comfortable.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
And it's a balance that I feel like I'm just
I mean, you know, I don't say lucky all the time,
but like, it's just a balance that just man, I know,
not many people have, and the fact that they've also
you know, been secure enough to allow me to fully
lock into my solo career and through that stuff. I mean,
(34:10):
I've done double duty on tour where I've opened up
it's PJ Moore closed with Maroon five, you know. I mean,
I still fully perform one of my own songs in
the Maroon five set, and so that also is not
is rare. You know, it's usually like, hey man, you're
here to do Maroon like you know, and so I
mean in the Grammys, you know, it's like, hey, well
(34:32):
you're passing us up to you know, we joke about
that now, you know, Maroon having three Grammys, me having
five joke I said, look we got eight. But but
but even that, I mean that takes security, you know,
And so I'm grateful. I'm grateful that I'm able to
be my full self, you know.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
So so yeah, so you said you're a sneak ahead
top five sneakers of all time.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Wow, that's a tough one.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
Yeah, top five it's high too, but I will say,
I mean, I'm a Jordan guy, so I mean three
of those would have to be ones. Uh, ones, threes
and fours for me are are big for me. I'm
the type of sneaker head that wears my sneakers. You know,
I'm not like a collector. Yeah yeah, yeah, I like,
(35:24):
I like to wear my sneakers, but I just love sneakers.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
How me shoes do you have?
Speaker 2 (35:29):
I cannot too many? Ask my wife. Yeah no, no,
too many. She's saying, we need to throw some of
these out. Yeah yeah yeah, but dunks I mean yeah, yeah, sneakers.
I mean they're they're they're a way to my heart.
Speaker 3 (35:47):
Yeah, yeah for sure, all right, I love that. I
love that.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Well, PJ, we can't thank you enough for you're busy
schedule talking to you.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
But then talk about his Christmas album.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Ooh oh it's a good one.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Tell us about that because I Yeah, so I'm from
the Caribbean and Christmas time is besides, Carnival is like
a really big time. People fix the houses up and
they think about family. So Christmas for me is like
it really speaks to me. So tell me about your album.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Yeah, well yeah, I'll started my childhood because Christmas was
when all my family from Canada and Detroit and Atlanta,
they all our house was the Christmas House. And so
like I said, everybody in my family can sing something
or play something, so they became these big concerts in
the house. Wow. My dad started video in Christmas since
(36:40):
like nineteen eighty two one, so we see the progression.
So he we had to do a talent portion every year.
So you see me go Netflix. You see me going
from drums to try and guitar whoa eventually settling on keyboard,
you know, and you see me get better every year.
My dad was somewhat of a genius. We used to
(37:02):
hate it, like waking us up early in the morning
Marry Christmas. We like Dad, Okay, you know, but now
I love that footage, you know. So Christmas was a
big deal. But for me in my career, I wanted
to do a Christmas album, Like at the beginning. But
it's like people have to kind of care about you
first to even care about a Christmas album. So it
was right after Gumbo and stuff, right where I'm like,
(37:23):
now I can finally do a Christmas album. And I
didn't want a Christmas album. There's no sleigh bell in sight,
you know, but I love Christmas music. I mean, those songs.
The reason they're still around now, you know, one hundred
years later is because they were so well written. You
can't beat them hardly, you know, is why they still exist.
And so, yeah, I set out to make my dream
(37:46):
Christmas album. It's actually like I don't like to listen
to myself, you know, but it's like one of my
favorite albums of mine. And I got to even get
some bounce in there. What haw sizzle. We remade Donnie
Hathaway's This Christmas and did a bounce beat to it.
But it's very soulful, and yeah, I get a lot
of love on.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
The Christmas album Open Presents, Christmas Eve, Christmas Morning we.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
Usually do Christmas Morning. Yeah, we do Christmas Morning like
that anticipation like normal, well I like to shake minded, Yeah,
anticipation like you want to know and you wait for
that Christmas morning. It's like you can hardly sleep, you know.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
Yeah, favorite kind of dressing, favorite kind of dressing for
like the holidays.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Dressing like food or yeah, dressing like food dressing.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Well you mean like cornbred dress, yeah, corn bread?
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Or do you do like stuff peppers?
Speaker 2 (38:40):
What do you Oh? I mean there's always both of those. Yeah,
both of those exists. My grandmother, I mean rest in peace.
She's been going for a little while now. But yeah,
her stuff peppers were and my grandmother was a chef
as well. Yeah, she used to work at Commander's amazing,
but her stuff peppers were, I mean they were top
(39:01):
not Yeah, yeah, for sure. PJ.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
We can't thank you enough for being with us today.
You're an amazing gentleman.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
To talk to man, great to talk to you.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and we'll try not to
get exhausted just keeping up with you all the wonderful things.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure of talking
to you guys, this easy conversation, so I appreciated. Merry
Christmas to everybody, and happy holidays, thank you.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Yeah, Merry Christmas, big wait for the.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
Great Big
Speaker 2 (39:46):
Everybody
All right, Merry Christmas to you guys. Welcome to another
edition Between Bites with Nina Compton and Larry Miller. Your
present for this season is our next guest, p J.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Morton.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Yay, welcome, Welcome. It's a pleasure to uh, for us
to get to meet a lot of great New Orleanians
and creative folks. You if you had a business card,
it would be printed on legal papers. Singer, songwriter, musician,
community activist, multi Grammy Award winner and author.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, that's right. Book, it's exciting.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Adding an autobiography. Now we have experienced at home the
pain of writing a cookbook. Well I didn't, Nina did it,
but I got to observe the pain. How was it
writing in autobiography? It's Saturday night, Sunday morning, that's right.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, No, it was. I mean it was daunting. You know.
It was. I am a person who tends not to
look back a whole bunch, you know, I'm like, all right,
what's next? What are we doing? And that that that
I had to really look back and remember and and
you know, uh, gets all of these things that I
haven't thought about in so long. But then eventually, as
(01:33):
I got into it, It became sort of like therapy,
you know, because I started to connect some dots that
I didn't even know existed in my life, and some
themes in my life that I didn't know existed that
that have been, you know, a thread throughout the whole thing.
And so I started to embrace it then. But it
definitely was like it was, it took some work. It
(01:55):
can be great and challenge, sure, exactly exactly because you
got to dig deep.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah, And how did it come about that you said
all right, I'm gonna write this book?
Speaker 2 (02:03):
Yeah, I mean, great question because you know memoirs like
when when do you write that? Exactly? You know, I
feel like I do have a lot of life to
live still, But people started to ask questions, you know,
like how are you doing this, you know, independently winning
five Grammys. I don't think it's just winning the Grammys,
(02:24):
but it's like, oh, you're not even on a major
label necessarily. But also you're from New Orleans and you
were a young songwriter, your pastor's kid and grew up
in Goswell, how did you end up in Maroon five?
You know, how how did you sign the Little Wayne?
Like just my life is all you know, people know
me from different things. So I thought, instead of speaking
(02:46):
through the music, which I'm most comfortable doing, let me
just you know, let people into my story a bit.
And uh and so you know someone was interested as well,
you know, a publisher and ha shit, and was all right,
let's do this.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
You know, that's very cool. How tough was it? Two?
And I guess you guys both as musicians as a chef,
you have this idea in your head and you want
to keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going. How
do you know when it's done?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:14):
How hard was it writing a memoir and autobiography just
saying this thing is actually it could be forty plus years?
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah? Material?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
How do I get it down to a book size?
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah? Well, I mean I always think from from a
fan perspective or from from the reader's perspective, and what
was important at the moment, you know, because it is
certain things I didn't talk about maybe you know that
just didn't it didn't It didn't matter to whatout the
point we were trying to get across and what we
were trying to share with people. So I think it
was it was just trial and error in that sense
(03:47):
of like all right, this is important. You know this
point is important, that's not And and like finding an
endpoint was really because I got I think I got
the Disney thing, like right in the midst of it,
and I was like, well, we got to include Disney. Yeah,
you know, sure, And then I decided out of nowhere
to go to Africa for thirty days and make an album,
and I was like, we got to include Africa, and
(04:10):
so that was right at the end. But yeah, that
was just trial and errow. I didn't know exactly when
that was going to be, what the endpoint was going
to be initially, but we we naturally got to it.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Do you love it enough that twenty years later we'll
get volume two?
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Oh? Man, I don't want to hear a book.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I feel the same way. People always ask like, oh,
do you have a book, and I'm like, this is
my first and last book. It's so much work. Yeah,
And I went through a process of I don't want
to do this book anymore because it was just You're
putting all your energy into it. And sure, you start
to you know, have these these stories of your childhood,
(04:50):
and then you just want to scrap everything and start
all over again. And it's it's a very personal thing
and once it's out, you can't take.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
It by Oh man, that was me. I was like, wait,
why did I do this again? You know, once it
was out, I'm like letting people lend to my story.
I'm kind of a private person, you know, So it
was like what if why did I do this? Exactly?
But ultimately is it to me is to inspire and
like help people, you know, And that was the motivation.
But for a while, I do not want to hear
(05:20):
book or publisher or you know. But but there is
I think the independence, because that is a theme through
the book. But I think I do want to give
people even more of a blueprint of how just just
specifically on independence. But but it might be a while. Yeah,
that got some music to make.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
That's fair. And tell us about your childhood, because you
have a very deep rooted you know, in the church
with your father, so tell me and your mom as well.
So just tell us a little bit about growing up.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, we're born and raised in New Orleans, and the
first church was was Central City, you know, like right
in the heart of New Orleans, Simon Boulevard, like right there.
And so I had the mixture of New Orleans as
a backdrop, but also being a preacher's kid that was
heavily into music. Now, my dad was from Windsor, Ontario, Canada,
(06:19):
and moved to New Orleans without knowing anybody. I mean
just said God told him to move to New Orleans
and he just happened to live across the street from
Greater Saint Stephen, which he eventually ended up pastoring for
thirty three years. He just walked in and it was like,
this is the place for me. My mother's grandmother, my
(06:42):
great grandmother, was a founder of Greater Saint Steve's, so
she was already there as a kid, you know, and
they eventually met there at the church. But this was
a big basis for my life. And just because he
was from Windsor, which is right across the tunnel from Detroit.
My uncle played on my Town records and you know,
so you had that musical influence which was different from
(07:05):
New Orleans musical influence. So it was a mixture for me. Always.
I was always into all different types of things. But
we walk out of church, you know, super Sunday, and
we got to stay there because like the streets are
blocked off for the second line. You know. So I
had all these different types of things that I see
now influence me heavily. I mean, of course the gospel
(07:28):
music and with that got me, how that got me
to soul music, but New Orleans music and and how
that inspired me as well, and just to take the
music seriously. I realized early on that you know, there's
a standard, you know, if you're if you're to be
great here, it's you got you know, it's like you
(07:48):
got weights on. You know, it's like you gotta be
really good. And so I respected it from from from
an early age and and just grew in that. But
one thing that was different about me, which is this
this church thing versus uh New Orleans you know, jazz
and musicians, is that my father prayed over my hands
(08:09):
and I had a natural gift for this. You know,
I didn't read music. My mom really tried. She was
born and raised in New Orleans. Yeah, born and raised
in New Orleans. Wanted me to be a classical musician,
and uh, I just didn't have the discipline. I was
already playing songs on the radio. I'm like, you want
me to go back to I'm already playing the cool stuff.
(08:31):
My friends liked this already, and so I resisted.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
I just rebellious.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
I was right. I was yes, I said no, it's
not happening learning right. And my dad was actually kind
of behind me. He's like, look, he's got it because
that's what he came from, my uncle and everybody else
who he knew that played all played by ear, you know,
and and and uh and so that was kind of
(08:57):
a place where I was lost. I mean, uh, you know,
Ellis Marcellis saw me play at a very young age,
wanted me to go to Tinoka, and that didn't work
out for me because I really wanted to go to
Saint All. I really wanted to be with the March
one hundred and everything, and so that was like a
thing I was more interested in that. I was like,
(09:17):
I always treated the music as a gift as opposed
to something that I was learning. You know, it was like,
now whatever comes naturally to me, which obviously you know,
it worked out. I mean, as a.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Kid, you think about those times you're you know, in
a free throw competition or playing horse with your dad.
Now you look at it as a musical, as a
musical love either mom or dad, both of them are
very talented musicians. For yourself, when did you get to
the point that I think I can take him?
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah, I mean, you know, he was the one pushing me,
my dad, and I mean he was the main musician.
He was the main singer. My mom is a great singer,
she never claimed to be the the musician, but my
dad was. I mean, he could have had a I mean,
he did have a recording career, but he could have
only done that, you know, without even being a pastor.
(10:07):
But for me, around fourteen, I was very nervous to sing.
You know. I started writing songs secretly and I would
let them hear it in the house, you know, But
I wasn't trying to let everybody hear this. It's like
I'm just and my Dad's like, man, can you sing
from my anniversary? Or can you do this? Here was
the one pushing me, and it was like I didn't
(10:27):
want to do it, but I wanted to do it.
And if he didn't kind of nudge me, I don't
know that I ever would have faced those fears of
being so nervous to sing in front of people. And
so about fourteen, though, was when I really was like Okay,
I can do this. I started doing gigs around the city.
I remember me and Ed, who's still my drummer. Now,
(10:48):
we started a band when I was twelve. But we
used to play the Sunday brunch for some gospel acts
and stuff at the House of Blues, and that was
my first gig. I was like, oh, I'm missing church.
I'm getting a check, you know. I'm like, oh man,
this is this is wild. So that's that's when it
started for me where I felt like I could I
could really do this, you know. Yeah. And my dad
(11:11):
could play just a little bit. I mean as a singer,
he's still one of the best to me, but he
could only play a little bit. But as a kid,
I thought he could really play. So I'm like, Dad,
teach me. And then I saw myself passing him up
at fourteen. It's like, well, I can't teach you anything,
like you know, you got it.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Yeah, And then you went to did a bounce album.
Speaker 2 (11:30):
Oh yeah, yeah. I mean that was you know, much
much later on when I when I left home. So yeah.
So I started my professional music career at sixteen and
wrote wrote a song for this this gospel group men
a standard and that's really really where I got my
first check as a songwriter and all this. I mean,
I had to bring the CD to Saint Oh because
(11:53):
they didn't believe. They didn't believe that I actually wrote this.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Ye showing the.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
It's true. It's true. They were like, what do you
mean you wrote? I was like, man, look my name.
I actually wrote it. So that started that and then
I moved to Atlanta. I went to more House and
and met Indy. I read my sophomore year and that
album Want to Grammy. It was just my My life
started to change when I got to Atlanta, which is
why I wanted to go to Atlanta. But after Bouncing
(12:24):
Soul was after Maroon five and everything, I decided to
move back home to New Orleans after being gone for
about ten years, ten to twelve years. And when I
got home, I said, I want to do something that
is purely home, you know, and that that was Bouncing
Soul with Juvenile and Lil Wayne Ye Manny Fresh, that's
(12:46):
the one to go to. Man.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
I just called it an album again.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Now it is I still say album album.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah, I'm trying to Oh man.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
It was amazing because it was just like these are
my heroes, you know, juven Out and many many fresh
as a producer, it was like that was one of
the first producers I saw that I could see with
my own eyes, you know, And so it was just
an honor for those guys to be a part of it.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Do you have a pin on?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
You do have a pen? Yes, I'm supposed to more Man,
You're right, it's in the car though my bag's in
the car. Yes. I felt that. I was like, oh,
it's a more House I was supposed to. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
A couple of my dear friends I grew up in Atlanta,
dear friends to Morehouse and it's a good always thinking
out for for the rest of their life. Find out
the first time you got a call letting you know.
Now for Grammy Awards, First of all, back up, Yes,
you have been nominated at least nominated one multiple times,
(13:45):
but since twenty thirteen except for one year.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yes, so yeah, So I wasn't officially nominated for the
India re Album. So twenty thirteen was the first year
I was nominated, which I think Maroon five was nominated
that same year, but it was my first solo nomination.
I've since been nominated twenty times.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
It's crazy but what's that first call?
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Like, yeah, I really just I couldn't believe it. And
it was for a song that Stevie Wonder was on
called Only One, So it was it was almost too
much for me. It's like, wait, Stevie's on this, you know,
on this song with me, I'm finally nominated as a
solo act, not for something I wrote or produced only
you know, but my own stuff. And man, yeah, I
(14:30):
just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. It was like,
not quite as crazy as that first win, but man,
I just was like, yeah, it blew my mind.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Do you do you pencil it in in the calendar now?
Like you don't do anything that agree gonna.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Be there a man, I'm chilling this. I'm chilling this year.
But yeah, but seven years, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, seven
years in a row. We've we've been nominated and and
won five of those. I of those seven years, and man,
I listen, this is more than I ever dream. When
I think of five Grammys, I think of my heroes.
(15:07):
I mean, I think of the guys I looked up to.
I never quite thought that, you know, I dreamed it,
but I didn't know that I could have five G
twenty nominations. It sounds crazy even saying it, but it
really just humbles me. Man, It's just like, wow, this
is actually worked. This actually worked, you know, like I really,
I really did figure it out.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
They're all at the house.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yes, all the Grammys are at the house.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Do you rearrange them or do they get ranked your favorite?
Speaker 2 (15:36):
You know, I got it. I'm thinking about bringing one
to the studio once we uh, you know, just to
have one there. I wanted to inspire people. So but
I'm trying to figure which one. It's not going to
be the first one and it's not going to be
say so best R and B song that was a
big one for me, and so we're going to figure
out with the other three what lives there? But we
(15:57):
move on.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
So I have a question, what is your or if
you had to have a dream collaboration with somebody, who
would it be.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Yeah, that is a funny question now because I used
to get asked that all the time, right, and then
it was always Stevie. It's always Steve. And it's like
it's like, who do you go to after Stevie? So
I'm kind of going to my my, my, contemporaries, you know,
like Kendrick Lamar or something, or working with Pharrell uh
DeAngelo is somebody. Yeah, he's He's a hero of mine
(16:28):
as well. But yeah, it was always Stevie for me.
And now that you know, we formed like a friendship.
You know, we've worked on multiple things now together. That
was the top of my top. It's almost like you
got a dream bigger, you know.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
And has he given you any advice?
Speaker 2 (16:46):
So much advice. I save his voicemails, you know, when
I don't catch him. When I do catch him, I
show everybody Stevie Wonders College to be clear, Yeah, every
buddy take it easy, you know, Stevie's calling. But he's
given me music. I mean, you know, there are times
I've wanted to give up or not sure that I'm
(17:07):
on the right path, and he's like, man, you're necessary,
you know, like what you do is so important. But
he's given me advice, even dealing with how balancing you know,
political things in that was such a big part of
what he did. And so even putting what I believe
into certain into music and not just using my music
career for music alone, but to inspire people and to
(17:31):
build community. He's really big on that, and so I'm
just so grateful that I can even you know, talk
to him. Yeah, you know, seriously, it's I mean, I
have since calmed down for his sake because he's like,
we're friends. Don't treat me like Stevie, you know. But
so I've chilled out and I try to be as
(17:52):
regular as I can around him now. But but but
for me, it's like, man, you don't understand, like you're
the reason. You know, You're a big reason why I'm
why I'm even doing this right.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Right, That's that's very special. Yeah, so tell us about
your album, Gumbo Gumbo.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Man. So it was bouncing soul is what got me
out of my got me out of my funk. That's
why it's so fun. It was me not worrying about anything.
Let's just do the music I grew up on, you know,
parties we went to as a kid, and and and uh,
you know, elementary school up to high school like you know,
and so but but I was planning on you know,
(18:31):
the reason I moved back to New Orleans is because
I was kind of kind of down on music. I
was kind of over it at that point, and I
was going to come to New Orleans and open up
a sneaker store. I wasn't like I was. I was
getting out of it. Yeah yeah, and I probably will, yeah,
I probably will. But that was the plan. And and
(18:51):
what happened when I got home. People were looking to me.
They're like, well, first of all, what are you doing
back here? What'd you do? Did you come back here?
But also you have the answers to a lot of
stuff that we were, you know, And so I started
to look at myself more as a leader. You know,
nobody gives you a blueprint to say, Okay, now is
your time to be the leader? Right. I'm used to
(19:13):
being the baby, you know, like I was always the
young one, and then they're now looking asking me. And
so I did bout and Soul just as I'm like,
you know something I don't have to think heavily about.
Let's just have fun. And Gumbo was supposed to be
my very last album. I was like, man, forget the business.
I'm gonna do exactly what I want to do. It's
the first album I actually made home, you know, because
(19:34):
my music career started outside of New Orleans really and
at school and morehouse. And then when I went to
LA and in New York. Uh, but but we locked
in and really I made it without caring about anybody's opinions,
without caring about marketing, radio and what do you know. Like,
you know, it's easier said than done to just not care,
(19:59):
but that is the to actually getting to the thing
that you want to get to. It's not caring. It's scary.
But so then it ended up being you know, break
like reinvigorating my career more than any album. And that
made me proud to be in New Orleans and to
let New Orleans see that I made this here and
we're you know, and so we got two Grammy that's
(20:22):
when those started. That's when that whole run, the seven
year run started. Yeah, and we didn't win that year.
I knew I wasn't gonna win. I was against Bruno
Mars and I was like, you know, let's just go
and have a good time at the Grammys. But it
set me up to do this album called Gumbo Unplugged
that weekend Grammy weekend. I recorded it in New York.
(20:43):
It was the fiftieth or sixtieth anniversary. And then that
album went crazier than the regular Gumbo and got me
three Grammy nominations that next year, and then I finally
got my first win, and man, it was like a
weight off my and it was like years and years
of doing this. I mean, you know, we talked about
(21:05):
how early I started, and finally getting to that point
then was just I mean, I still can feel it.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
And it's beautiful too. That the beautiful because we love
food music. But yes, the title of the album being
Gumbo sure, all the different ingredients and influences that came together.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
Yes, just like that was it. That was it, and
that's my I mean, you know, that's home for me
when I think of Gumbo, and so it was layered
for me. It was me moving home making this in
New Orleans. But also it was prior to that, I
mostly talked about love. You know, love songs is still
one of my main things. I mean, it's what I
(21:45):
love most. But I said, you know, I think I
want to talk about more than that. I want to
talk about how, you know, encouraging people and songs that
are just not love songs. Much like when Marvin went
from you know, love songs and then he made us
going on because he felt like it was heavy. It
was too heavy to just be talking about love right now.
(22:05):
And for me, that was what the gumbo was. I'm
gonna throw all of this different subject matter in the
pot and make some beautiful, beautiful dish out of it.
And man, I'm so proud of that.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
What inspires you? That's a very bad.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
But yeah, I'm inspired by life. Though. I feel like
I'm kind of like a bystander that just watches people's lives,
you know, just I'm a people watcher in a way,
and I'm inspired by people's love stories, by their life stories,
whether good or bad. You know, it's like pulling from that.
I like to think that writing songs is the gift
(22:47):
to put these heavy life subjects and big idea. I mean,
love is such a big thing, you know, life is
such a big thing. But I put it into these
three minutes and it allows people to say, oh man,
and that's that's exactly how it was feeling. You know,
I couldn't have said that in three minutes. But and
so it inspires me to see people go through their lives.
(23:09):
You know, you you being in what you're in, your
love for what you do as a chef. You know
that that can inspire me. I can write about anything,
you know, when I had just had to do this
Disney thing for Tiana's By You Adventure and.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
We're inc if you go to Disney now, yeah and
rite Tianas By Your Adventures.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
Yeah, both at Disney Worldland Disneyland. What do you hear? Yeah,
well you hear music that I've curated. You hear a
bunch of New Orleans musicians. I mean I got John
Battis's plan, I got Trumbone Shorty plan, I've got John
Cleary plan. Shoot New Orleans. Uh no, Joe is on there.
I mean I got all of New Orleans and Louisiana
(23:50):
on it. But the breaking thing was that the first
black composer to to write an original song for a
Disney attraction, and I had to write a song. I
wrote a song called Special Spice, which is talking about
that they told me to think about Gumbo. Gumbo is
actually in the lyrics. But that's what made me think
(24:12):
of Disney because I was inspired by that. They were like, Okay,
you know Princess Tiana's story from the original movie, but
this is her continuation. Now she's married to the to
the Prince, and now she has her own restaurant, and
she's trying to bring these musicians together who are all
kind of different. You know, there's a gator and there's
(24:33):
so we're bringing them all together to make this one
special sound. And that inspired me. I'm like, okay, well
let me think of what that is. So I just
love stories, you know, And now.
Speaker 1 (24:43):
What the listeners could not see when you pulled out
your hand like a piece of paper and wrote on
it with your other hand. Yeah, do you write out
the music before you start going now? Or do you play?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Yeah? Yeah, I still can't read or write the music.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is insane. I had to have
someone to transcribe it for me. I mean there's technology
now that can transcribe it for you. Thank god, you know,
the world caught up. Yeah, but I still can. I
still can't read or write. So no, I just wrote
the song from by ear and we started there. We
(25:23):
started there, and eventually when we had to transcribe it
for musicians, and you know, Disney's very particular, so I
mean the song book, they needed it in written form.
I got friends of mine to transcribe it for me.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
Yeah, that's that's so special. So being from Newords, what
is your go to if you are like craving something
to eat to eat?
Speaker 2 (25:47):
Yes, my go to it changes, right, but I mean
like around the holidays right now, I need my wife
to make gumbo, like you know, like that's important. It's
like that can that can solve all. Well, she's allergic
to shellfish, so I'm heavy on the sausage, you know,
but she'll make she'll make the chicken and sausage gumbo,
(26:09):
but she'll she'll make another batch, you know, with seafood
in there for because I love some crab in there
and some shrimping there as well. But for me, like
when I'm just hungry and I just it's it's a
hot sausage po boy or a shrimp po boy from
where uh yeah, yeah, there there are few there are
(26:29):
my studio. So so some of this is how close
it is Broadview is close to my studio and consistent,
you know. I mean they make that shrimp right but yeah, yeah,
when I live further uptown, guys, shrimp po boy was
one was one of those ones for me as well.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah, yeah, me too.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
I think I'm gonna get one today.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
It's always a good day.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
Yeah, it's a good day, no doubt.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
So what's next for you? What is twenty twenty five
is about to be rung in what you have? Like,
what are you most excited about, what you're looking forward to?
Speaker 2 (27:05):
What you Yeah, I'm looking forward to because we've been
on a I've been on a mission. It seems, you know,
whatever I had to prove to myself or to others,
I mean it's been proven. You know, say you just
kept putting further that piece, you know. But what's inspiring
me now is the same creative spirit, but for development
(27:29):
and like creating places. You know, hospitality is a big
passion of mine. Just creating amazing spaces for people. I've
a part owner and do drop in. You know, We're
going to start doing some things there. There's so much
history there. I've just purchased a studio and twenty acres
of land in Buggaloosa, Luisiana that I'm going to develop
(27:52):
and eventually do a festival and things like that. On
some things in Africa as well that I'm going to
be doing and u and so I'm really excited about that.
Heavily leaning into because when you tour as much as
I do, you don't get to work on these a
lot of projects that you'd like to work on. So
as a producer, I've had to say no to so much,
(28:13):
so much stuff where I will lean into my production
a lot more this year next year and working with
different artists. That's really exciting to me.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
How do you say no? I mean, it's when you
only have so much time. Yeah, and yes, I would
love to do this song with you, Nina, but I
just don't have any time.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Yeah. I've had to get really great at saying no.
You know, it's tough. Yeah, it is tough, and I
was you know, I'm recovering. I'm a recovering not being
able to say no person. You know, I don't like
I like to please people, you know, I don't like
to disappoint people. So I try to say yes as
much as I can, but for my own sanity and
and really a friend of mine who's an artist helped
(28:56):
me with that because he's like, you're doing a disservice
to them. Actually, if you can and give one hundred
percent to certain things, you know, you should want to
be able to give all you can to it. So
saying yes sometimes is a disservice when you know you
can't fully be into it, and that kind of freed
me on that. But yeah, I've just had to be
selective and really pick the things that, you know, and
I'm grateful at some point in my career early on,
(29:19):
I had to say yes to everything, right, But now
I can and choose things that it's like, I really
care about these things and really give my full self
to them.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
So you travel a lot, what do you do for
self care? Like, what's a treat? Is it a massage?
Is it sleeping in? What is it?
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Yeah? I love sleep, you know, contrary to popular belief,
I do love sleep. You know sometimes that I'm not
able to get it as much as I like, but
I think that's important. I just really use those hours
that I have in the day. You know, I'm not
sleep when you're dead type person. No, I'm asleep while
(29:56):
I'm alive, you know, and be really effective in the day.
But yeah, try to do massages sometimes when we're on
the road. Not right now because my achilles is down.
But playing basketball it's one of those things for me.
It's really a love of mine, you know, playing ball
and like just and that's also community for me because
(30:17):
it's my band. We're all playing, so we're hanging with
each other and that's like downtime. So it's really that.
But on the road, I mean, I'm blessed to have
my friends, my actual friends on the road with me.
So movies, I mean, will go out, we hang and
we eat, eat eating. Being from New Orleans eating is
uh you know, that's that that is a form of
(30:38):
therapy for us. So so being able to travel all
around the world. I mean just this year we did Australia,
New Zealand, Europe, Africa, you know, and so we get
to experience all these different types of food. I just
was just in India a few days ago actually with
Maron five. Wow. And and so so I've found that
(31:02):
experiencing new foods in different places and hanging out is
is therapy as well.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
For you mentally on tour as fronting your solo act
versus being with Maroon five, is there a different mentality
goes into Definitely, like it's a total party when you're
with the Bank with Maroon five, and then.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
I'm not a big partier in general, right, but you know,
but no, there is a distinct difference for me because
when I'm out on my own. It every all roads
lead to me. I mean, if I stop, it stops,
you know. And uh, And I just mean that in general,
it's just like, you know that it runs and I'm
getting the questions and I'm having to make sure these
(31:43):
things are happening. So I won't say it's more stressful,
but it's it's definitely more work. You know. When I'm
with Maroon, I get to be the keyboard player, you know,
I get to it's on you, Adam, you know, yeah, no,
But seriously, I mean the brunt of it. I mean
the interviews, the things I have to do. You know,
when my band is chilling at the hotel and I'm
(32:04):
at the radio stage site and I'm doing this podcast
or I'm doing these zooms in the hotel room, I
don't really have to do those with Maroon, and it
is I mean, I feel like I have the most
blessed career ever, you know, because I get to have
both of these things. And usually when I'm a little
burnt out from my thing, it's time to go out
with Maroon and I get to still be working, but
(32:26):
like just not at the same level. And I embrace it.
I love that I have these two different roles. I
don't try to be more than I am in Maroon.
It's like, I love I love my place in the band.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
That's an interesting way that they're not a majority of
people who could as artists. I would imagine who could
have that mentality to be able to bounce back and forth.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Yeah, I'm great, very healthy. Also, you know, I mean
not at this point, but there was a point where
I was on a six you know, sixteen passenger van
on my tour and driving it and then hopping on
a private plane when I'm with Maroon, So there was
such a gap, you know. But now, I mean, of
course we're doing We're doing better on my side now,
(33:10):
but I'm still not at the level as Maroon too.
So it is refreshing. It's like seeing this but also,
you know, wasn't necessarily willing to be all I had
to be to be there. You know. It also gave
me an opportunity to look under the hood and say,
oh wow, I'm at the top. I mean, we're in
the top two percent. We're playing the super Bowl, Like,
(33:31):
oh I want some of this, I don't want all
of it, you know, And so you know, that's great.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
It's cool the way you described it, because it made
me think about eating. We'd love to go get great
fancy meals, but then there's a time you just want
that at your favorite chop where you feel comfortable.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
And it's a balance that I feel like I'm just
I mean, you know, I don't say lucky all the time,
but like, it's just a balance that just man, I know,
not many people have, and the fact that they've also
you know, been secure enough to allow me to fully
lock into my solo career and through that stuff. I mean,
(34:10):
I've done double duty on tour where I've opened up
it's PJ Moore closed with Maroon five, you know. I mean,
I still fully perform one of my own songs in
the Maroon five set, and so that also is not
is rare. You know, it's usually like, hey man, you're
here to do Maroon like you know, and so I
mean in the Grammys, you know, it's like, hey, well
(34:32):
you're passing us up to you know, we joke about
that now, you know, Maroon having three Grammys, me having
five joke I said, look we got eight. But but
but even that, I mean that takes security, you know,
And so I'm grateful. I'm grateful that I'm able to
be my full self, you know.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
So so yeah, so you said you're a sneak ahead
top five sneakers of all time.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Wow, that's a tough one.
Speaker 3 (35:00):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
Yeah, top five it's high too, but I will say,
I mean, I'm a Jordan guy, so I mean three
of those would have to be ones. Uh, ones, threes
and fours for me are are big for me. I'm
the type of sneaker head that wears my sneakers. You know,
I'm not like a collector. Yeah yeah, yeah, I like,
(35:24):
I like to wear my sneakers, but I just love sneakers.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
How me shoes do you have?
Speaker 2 (35:29):
I cannot too many? Ask my wife. Yeah no, no,
too many. She's saying, we need to throw some of
these out. Yeah yeah yeah, but dunks I mean yeah, yeah, sneakers.
I mean they're they're they're a way to my heart.
Speaker 3 (35:47):
Yeah, yeah for sure, all right, I love that. I
love that.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Well, PJ, we can't thank you enough for you're busy
schedule talking to you.
Speaker 3 (35:58):
But then talk about his Christmas album.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
Ooh oh it's a good one.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Tell us about that because I Yeah, so I'm from
the Caribbean and Christmas time is besides, Carnival is like
a really big time. People fix the houses up and
they think about family. So Christmas for me is like
it really speaks to me. So tell me about your album.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Yeah, well yeah, I'll started my childhood because Christmas was
when all my family from Canada and Detroit and Atlanta,
they all our house was the Christmas House. And so
like I said, everybody in my family can sing something
or play something, so they became these big concerts in
the house. Wow. My dad started video in Christmas since
(36:40):
like nineteen eighty two one, so we see the progression.
So he we had to do a talent portion every year.
So you see me go Netflix. You see me going
from drums to try and guitar whoa eventually settling on keyboard,
you know, and you see me get better every year.
My dad was somewhat of a genius. We used to
(37:02):
hate it, like waking us up early in the morning
Marry Christmas. We like Dad, Okay, you know, but now
I love that footage, you know. So Christmas was a
big deal. But for me in my career, I wanted
to do a Christmas album, Like at the beginning. But
it's like people have to kind of care about you
first to even care about a Christmas album. So it
was right after Gumbo and stuff, right where I'm like,
(37:23):
now I can finally do a Christmas album. And I
didn't want a Christmas album. There's no sleigh bell in sight,
you know, but I love Christmas music. I mean, those songs.
The reason they're still around now, you know, one hundred
years later is because they were so well written. You
can't beat them hardly, you know, is why they still exist.
And so, yeah, I set out to make my dream
(37:46):
Christmas album. It's actually like I don't like to listen
to myself, you know, but it's like one of my
favorite albums of mine. And I got to even get
some bounce in there. What haw sizzle. We remade Donnie
Hathaway's This Christmas and did a bounce beat to it.
But it's very soulful, and yeah, I get a lot
of love on.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
The Christmas album Open Presents, Christmas Eve, Christmas Morning we.
Speaker 2 (38:09):
Usually do Christmas Morning. Yeah, we do Christmas Morning like
that anticipation like normal, well I like to shake minded, Yeah,
anticipation like you want to know and you wait for
that Christmas morning. It's like you can hardly sleep, you know.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
Yeah, favorite kind of dressing, favorite kind of dressing for
like the holidays.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Dressing like food or yeah, dressing like food dressing.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
Well you mean like cornbred dress, yeah, corn bread?
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Or do you do like stuff peppers?
Speaker 2 (38:40):
What do you Oh? I mean there's always both of those. Yeah,
both of those exists. My grandmother, I mean rest in peace.
She's been going for a little while now. But yeah,
her stuff peppers were and my grandmother was a chef
as well. Yeah, she used to work at Commander's amazing,
but her stuff peppers were, I mean they were top
(39:01):
not Yeah, yeah, for sure. PJ.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
We can't thank you enough for being with us today.
You're an amazing gentleman.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
To talk to man, great to talk to you.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and we'll try not to
get exhausted just keeping up with you all the wonderful things.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure of talking
to you guys, this easy conversation, so I appreciated. Merry
Christmas to everybody, and happy holidays, thank you.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
Yeah, Merry Christmas, big wait for the.
Speaker 3 (39:36):
Great Big
Speaker 2 (39:46):
Everybody
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