November 28, 2024 • 19 mins
Blake Shelton dropped a brand new song, "Texas," and to celebrate, he stopped by to catch up with Wayne D! Blake is feeling all new again in his career and who he gives the credit to may shock you!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I've got the give makeup.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Neon sign back here, I've got the hairs YouTube whatever
that is.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Back there.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm in Gwen's Zoom studio here, so listen before we dive,
before we dive into you got new music, You got
a new team behind you, which is so exciting.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
I gotta say, I've done radio for over twenty years,
country radio full time since twenty seventeen. This is the
first time I've got to interview you, and I've been
a fan for so long, so I was looking forward
to this.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Man, my god, thank you.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Man. Well you're so busy.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
I'm happy to be here. Man, good to meet you.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
What has that relationship been like for you on a
professional level, because obviously you've been massively successful doing your thing,
Gwen massively successful doing her thing. But has like crazy
inspiration come from that relationship or maybe thinking musically creative
differently that maybe you and have with eug Winn in
(01:01):
your life.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Uh, you know, it's it's kind of changed over the years.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
It's it's it blows my mind when and I have
been together close to ten years now, and and it
just that time just flew by.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
For us, you know, And.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I don't even remember what the conversations used to be
about music. To be honest with you, I know that
that lately it's they've.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Turned into more.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Conversations of, hey, you think I should you think I
should keep doing this? Or do I look stupid now
if I keep trying to make records or you know
what I'm saying, It is like when when is it?
Speaker 1 (01:42):
When is it time to go?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I don't know you know how honest artists are on
a show like this, but man, I'll tell you that.
You know, at this point you start saying to friends
around you, uh, you know when you see artists doing
things that you go, oh my god, that's a little
bit cringey. Please don't ever let me do that. Please,
(02:05):
for the love of God, if you ever see me
get on stage and do this or that. And so
Gwen is my person and I try to be that
for her too, although she's timeless. But for me, it's like, hey, man,
if you ever if it ever starts looking pathetic, or
if I'm completely out in left field and nobody gets it,
(02:28):
will you please be the voice that says Blake, it's hey,
let's you should just go fishing from here on out.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
That the music's not happening anymore, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
So that's the kind of conversations I swear that at
least I have with her. You know, she's been really encouraging,
especially you know, the last eight months or a year,
because after I've retired from the Voice, I just kind
of I have been kind of out of no man's
(02:58):
land and and lost a little bit as far as
what I want to do next, or if I even
want to do anything next, you know, which, of course
I do.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
It just took some time.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
To to just have a breather and and just clear
my mind for a while.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
The Voice was a lot.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
It was the greatest thing I've ever gotten to do
from a career standpoint, but it also takes a lot
out of you when you do it as long as
I did, you know, two seasons of years for twelve years.
It just kind of sucks it out of you, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Was that tough to Well? First, let me say we
got to see you and Gwen, my co host Tay
and I were some of the behind the scenes hosts
of CMA Fest. So it's awesome to see you guys
kind of doing your thing, and and she, my co host,
never has an embarrassing moment. But as Gwenn and y'all
rolled by on your golf cart after the show and
(03:56):
she yells you're an icon, and I'm like, don't yell
stuff at art crazy pants over here. But obviously you
were there with Post before we dive into the new song,
and I want to talk more on where you're at
career wise. This Post Malone relationship with country music has
been so unique because there's people that have dipped their
(04:19):
toe in, right and I'm not and nobody specific, but
there's people that have dipped their toe in and then
Posts didn't want to put out a country record his way.
He wanted to put out a country record. He came
to Nashville, He's met with the artists, He's created these
relationships which really look like more friendships and brotherhoods and
sisterhoods and anything. Why in your eyes, has the way
(04:42):
Post Malone approach country music been made it successful for him?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Well? I think.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
In the case of Post Malone, the guy has absolutely
worked his ass off to show his appreciation for the genre, uh,
the the industry itself, the artists, the songwriters that and
he's proven that he's willing to put.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
The work in, you know, and and and.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
As easy as it would be to go, you know,
his album's out now, he's had two number one hits,
and and he's the it's done, it's he won, you know,
and the guy it's still This last weekend was UH
in Nashville. I saw him at the Country Music Hall
of Fame helping UH induct Toby Keith with me. You
(05:35):
know what I mean, he doesn't he's still putting in.
I wouldn't even call it the work. I think he's
just doing what he wants to do. I truly think
that post Malone isn't isn't trying to do country music.
I think he's finally getting to do country music, which
(05:55):
is which is probably what he's always wanted to do,
or other thing that he's always wanted to do. It's
not just a side project. I personally think the guys
here to stay. I mean he's never said that.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
To me, but.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I mean he he's an absolute fan of of country music.
And there's there's no questioning that anybody that questions that
they're not paying attention.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
You had mentioned a couple of minutes ago in our
chat here you were in a spot UH career wise,
you know, you had wrapped up the voice you were
you were like, man, this has been a lot. Uh
you did you weren't sure what you wanted to do musically?
What was the defining point like, Okay, here's the piece
I was missing to say, yeah, I'm ready to get
(06:47):
back on the horse.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Well I credit Post for for that a lot, you know,
as far as not not exactly the the missing piece,
but definitely the jolt I needed and the reminder. You know,
it's you start wondering, you know, how relevant you even
are anymore?
Speaker 1 (07:09):
I mean, as an.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Artist, you can't help but go through these things, you know.
And and when I got the call to that postwarted
me to come sing on the record, it was like,
oh wow, I can't even believe he thought of me,
you know. And then when the song came out and
was a big record, and it was just such a
(07:31):
fun thing to be a part of and not having
to put the work in.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
You know, he's doing all the work.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
So I just get to be a tag along and
watch this thing go up the charts. And but by
doing that, though, it helped me take in what was happening.
You know, you know, when you're in the grind, and man,
I was for twenty years where you're just you can't
take time to look up and enjoy the moment when
(07:59):
you have boys around here and you're still a role
doing these records and they're coming and going because you're
on to the next.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
One before you know, before you know it.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And so being able to kind of take a back
seat and watch that song do what it did and
get text messages from friends and family and said, man,
what the hell you know? H It was fun to
take that in for once, you know, and it really
did kind of a lot of fire under me again
and made me want to, you know, stick my neck
(08:33):
out again and make another record and see what I
could come up with.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Well, I tell you, country radio has missed you, and
we're excited for this new song.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Man. Thank you, man, thank you absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
And I got to tell you as a as a
country music fan, and then obviously I get to work
in the country radio side of things. You have a
very strong team that believes in their people behind you.
So it's I can't wait to see what y'all do together.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Me too, Man, I'm this chapter is.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I told Gwen, she goes you seem different. I go,
I feel like a new artist again for some reason.
You know, it's the only way I know to describe it.
So I appreciate you saying that.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Man, we get the new song to country radio coming
up on the fifteenth of November. It's called Texas. Give
us the backstory on the song, and I'd imagine you
have more than this song sitting there, So backstory on
the song, and then what made this the one that
you're like, yeah, this will be my I don't want
to call it a reintroduction, but like, you know, my,
(09:33):
that's fair.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
I actually like I like how that sounds a reintroduction.
You know, the song is totally different than That's probably
not true.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Since I've started, I've tried every album. I don't think
I've ever had an album that sounded like the last album,
and that's been by design.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
I've kind of been all over the map just because
I've wanted to be. But Texas is another step up
in a different direction. I guess if there was anything
you could kind of compare it to would be Sangria
that I had out years ago.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
But I really don't think so.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
I mean, I've heard people say that, but I feel
like it's it's quite a bit different than Sangria, but
I just feel like melodically and the story, you know,
it's it's your typical the dude got dumped and has
no clue where he's a girl went kind of country song,
but melodically and rhythmically, it's it's just totally different than
(10:31):
anything I've done. And it's just all about fun. You know,
this song is truly just a fun song. I love
all the George Strait references in this in this song
because you know that you can't brag on the King enough.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Hey man, absolutely, obviously this this will be the latest
song that we've gotten from you in a while. And
I heard an interview you did. I mean, I want
to say it might have been right around the pandemic
a little before a little after, but you had mentioned
that you're enjoying making a song and putting it out,
making a song and putting it out versus like focus
(11:09):
focusing on a full project. Are you Are you in
a different place mentally? Are you looking forward to a
full project or is it like now I'm gonna make
a song, put it out. I'll give you another one
in a couple of months.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Put it out.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Well, no, I mean, look, I would love to do that.
I don't think from a from a record company standpoint
that they're interested in doing that.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
So I think they.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
They're like, hey, if we're doing all this, we need
a whole record, which is understandable. You know, I've been
recording now for you know, throughout this journey.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
And and if they told me next week, hey, we.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Need you to turn in the album, I mean, I
have enough music recorded now to put an album together.
I would like to keep going for a few more
months here and see what else we can come up with.
I I want to make this record right up until
they say, hey, time's up. We gotta we got to
start printing these things and do a photo shoot and
(12:10):
stuff and get it out, you know. So I'm gonna
work on it until then. But man, I've got I've got,
you know, a lot of stuff that I'm super proud of.
And and when I went in and had this meeting
with with bn G Records and told them, you know that,
I think I want to take another hard swing at
this thing. I played them, I think I only played
(12:32):
them three songs, and and they seem pretty excited about
all all three of them, you know, and and uh
so it's that's exciting to hear Texas is one of
the songs. But I have several things that I've cut
that I'm if they would have said, no, we want
to put this other one out first, you know, I
would have been pretty excited about that too. So it's
(12:55):
it's just a good, good overall feeling, and I feel
fire up again.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
I really do.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
I love talking to artists, especially artists as established as
you are with the I mean, you could do you
got your Vegas residency coming up, right, Like you could
just literally bang out the hits and then head up
to the penthouse and go to bed, right. So it's
awesome that you continue to make new music. But with
those big hits, I love getting stories about songs that
(13:23):
you didn't believe in or maybe somebody else push you
got to do this and it worked. So what are
those What is that song or songs for you that
you're like, man, I can't believe y'all like this one,
but okay, here it is.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
I think probably the best examples of that for me,
we're both on my first album one I Believe It
or Not.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Austin was a song that the label.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Debbies Avidson, who worked at Giant Records at the time,
signed me. And she played me Austin and I kind
of thought, well, that's a cool story song, but I
just don't think anybody's gonna care. I mean, you know,
it's like the song just every chorus is different, and
are people.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Gonna follow along?
Speaker 2 (14:08):
And I just had a hard time believing anyone would
pay that close attention to a lyric and man, was
I wrong.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
But you know, she.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Kept after me, and finally she's The demo that I
had of the song was a piano like a piano vocal,
and it felt very dramatic, and she said, why don't
you just take the song and learn it your way
and make it yours, learn it on guitar, make it
more of a guitar song. And so I did, and
(14:39):
I'll never forget. I called my sister back in the
day and I just laid the phone down. This is
back in probably not two thousand or nineteen ninety nine,
somewhere in there, and and I just laid the phone
down and I played her Austen with my guitar, and
I picked up the phone and she was like freaking out.
She said I'm oh my god, that's the best song
(15:01):
you've ever done, Like, I can't believe you.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
That's your song. And I was like, oh my god.
Debbie was right, you know. And then the flip side
of that was.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Was old Red, which at the time that was also
on my first album, and Austin had come out and
was a big record, and it was a shocker to
all of us really because I was on a record
company called Giant Records and the label folded and Austin
kind of withstood a lot of turmoil and became this
(15:31):
big hit anyway. And so the label at that time
was Warner Records, inherited me from Giant when they closed,
and we put out another single called all.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Over Me that didn't do that well.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
And I went into the label and I said, I
think we should put out this song, Oldred, because as
people by the album and they come to my shows,
that is the other song people want to hear you,
Austin and old Red. Like I'm hearing a lot about it.
People are throwing stuffed animals of dogs on stage, you
know when I sing and and I had to talk
(16:07):
them into it, and then I had to beg them
to do a video, and they just didn't want to
spend the money and they just weren't sure. You know,
it's just a prison song, you know, like a dog
in a prison like that. We're just at a time
when country radio was very positive and love songs, you know,
and very upbeat pop sound and music. I was trying
(16:30):
to put out Old Red, but and honestly, it didn't
do that well on radio. People are always surprised to
know Old Red wasn't even a top ten song at radio,
but it went on to be made arguably one of
my bigger, you know, signature songs, and and and it
definitely you know, sold a lot of records and so
(16:52):
it did.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
It accomplished what we hoped it would.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
So I know, I got a rap here. I wanted
to ask one more thing as well about music, and
I love the stories. Is there a song you passed
on or somebody offered you and it ended up massive
for somebody else? And I love to ask if because
you bring up George Straight, and I always tell this story.
But as I asked this question, Kenny Chesney was offered
check yes or no first, and he passed. And obviously
(17:15):
that's massive George Straight song. Jacohen passed on Big Green Tractor,
one of Eldan's staple songs. So is there a song
like that for you that just didn't fit where you
were at that You're like, I'm good, thanks, but you
heard at six months later as one of the biggest
songs in the country.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Warren, I got to tell you, it's happened so many times.
It's happened probably twenty times in my career. And I
don't think I'm exaggerating now. They didn't always go on
to be the biggest hits, but it's happened so many
times where these songs that go on to be hits,
but not many of them do.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
I regret because I.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
You know, just because the song goes on to be
a hit for somebody else doesn't necessarily mean I don't
want to be the one singing it every night.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Now if it would have been the difference.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Maker, uh, you know that that would be painful.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
And there are a few of those, you know.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
The one I think that hurts the most was and
I keep going back to my first album, but uh,
Bobby Braddock, who produced my first album, wrote wrote a
rap song for me because I was always coming in
the studio singing these stupid raps that I would make up,
just gross stuff, you know, and he said, he go, oh,
(18:32):
you want to be a rapper, And he wrote me
this song and I recorded it and we played it
for Giant Records, and it did not go over well
at all, and then so badly that they said, we
don't even want that on your record.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
It's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
And so Bobby said, well, if you're cool with it,
then I'm just going to go pitch it to other artists.
And the first artist he played it for was Toby
Keith and the song was called I Want to Talk
about Me.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Oh and so, but.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
You know, it's funny because Austin came out and was
a hit, and I think the very next song, or
the next song that Toby put out was I want
to talk about Me, And you know, we would have
had these two Monster records in a row, and I
had to watch Toby sing my rap song that Bobby
that Bobby wrote, but.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
It all worked out.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
So Toby, Toby does the song better than I did anyway,
So it all worked out.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Hey Blake, I know you're tight on time, man. Welcome
back to country radio. And it was an absolute pleasure
to get to chat with you for the first time
here man to many more.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Everboddy, I look forward to doing it again man.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Thank you Blake, take care brother, enjoyed the day.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Thank you, Buddy.
I've got the give makeup.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Neon sign back here, I've got the hairs YouTube whatever
that is.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Back there.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I'm in Gwen's Zoom studio here, so listen before we dive,
before we dive into you got new music, You got
a new team behind you, which is so exciting.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
I gotta say, I've done radio for over twenty years,
country radio full time since twenty seventeen. This is the
first time I've got to interview you, and I've been
a fan for so long, so I was looking forward
to this.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Man, my god, thank you.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Man. Well you're so busy.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
I'm happy to be here. Man, good to meet you.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
What has that relationship been like for you on a
professional level, because obviously you've been massively successful doing your thing,
Gwen massively successful doing her thing. But has like crazy
inspiration come from that relationship or maybe thinking musically creative
differently that maybe you and have with eug Winn in
(01:01):
your life.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Uh, you know, it's it's kind of changed over the years.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
It's it's it blows my mind when and I have
been together close to ten years now, and and it
just that time just flew by.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
For us, you know, And.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I don't even remember what the conversations used to be
about music. To be honest with you, I know that
that lately it's they've.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Turned into more.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Conversations of, hey, you think I should you think I
should keep doing this? Or do I look stupid now
if I keep trying to make records or you know
what I'm saying, It is like when when is it?
Speaker 1 (01:42):
When is it time to go?
Speaker 2 (01:44):
I don't know you know how honest artists are on
a show like this, but man, I'll tell you that.
You know, at this point you start saying to friends
around you, uh, you know when you see artists doing
things that you go, oh my god, that's a little
bit cringey. Please don't ever let me do that. Please,
(02:05):
for the love of God, if you ever see me
get on stage and do this or that. And so
Gwen is my person and I try to be that
for her too, although she's timeless. But for me, it's like, hey, man,
if you ever if it ever starts looking pathetic, or
if I'm completely out in left field and nobody gets it,
(02:28):
will you please be the voice that says Blake, it's hey,
let's you should just go fishing from here on out.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
That the music's not happening anymore, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
So that's the kind of conversations I swear that at
least I have with her. You know, she's been really encouraging,
especially you know, the last eight months or a year,
because after I've retired from the Voice, I just kind
of I have been kind of out of no man's
(02:58):
land and and lost a little bit as far as
what I want to do next, or if I even
want to do anything next, you know, which, of course
I do.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
It just took some time.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
To to just have a breather and and just clear
my mind for a while.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
The Voice was a lot.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
It was the greatest thing I've ever gotten to do
from a career standpoint, but it also takes a lot
out of you when you do it as long as
I did, you know, two seasons of years for twelve years.
It just kind of sucks it out of you, you know.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Was that tough to Well? First, let me say we
got to see you and Gwen, my co host Tay
and I were some of the behind the scenes hosts
of CMA Fest. So it's awesome to see you guys
kind of doing your thing, and and she, my co host,
never has an embarrassing moment. But as Gwenn and y'all
rolled by on your golf cart after the show and
(03:56):
she yells you're an icon, and I'm like, don't yell
stuff at art crazy pants over here. But obviously you
were there with Post before we dive into the new song,
and I want to talk more on where you're at
career wise. This Post Malone relationship with country music has
been so unique because there's people that have dipped their
(04:19):
toe in, right and I'm not and nobody specific, but
there's people that have dipped their toe in and then
Posts didn't want to put out a country record his way.
He wanted to put out a country record. He came
to Nashville, He's met with the artists, He's created these
relationships which really look like more friendships and brotherhoods and
sisterhoods and anything. Why in your eyes, has the way
(04:42):
Post Malone approach country music been made it successful for him?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Well? I think.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
In the case of Post Malone, the guy has absolutely
worked his ass off to show his appreciation for the genre, uh,
the the industry itself, the artists, the songwriters that and
he's proven that he's willing to put.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
The work in, you know, and and and.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
As easy as it would be to go, you know,
his album's out now, he's had two number one hits,
and and he's the it's done, it's he won, you know,
and the guy it's still This last weekend was UH
in Nashville. I saw him at the Country Music Hall
of Fame helping UH induct Toby Keith with me. You
(05:35):
know what I mean, he doesn't he's still putting in.
I wouldn't even call it the work. I think he's
just doing what he wants to do. I truly think
that post Malone isn't isn't trying to do country music.
I think he's finally getting to do country music, which
(05:55):
is which is probably what he's always wanted to do,
or other thing that he's always wanted to do. It's
not just a side project. I personally think the guys
here to stay. I mean he's never said that.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
To me, but.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I mean he he's an absolute fan of of country music.
And there's there's no questioning that anybody that questions that
they're not paying attention.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
You had mentioned a couple of minutes ago in our
chat here you were in a spot UH career wise,
you know, you had wrapped up the voice you were
you were like, man, this has been a lot. Uh
you did you weren't sure what you wanted to do musically?
What was the defining point like, Okay, here's the piece
I was missing to say, yeah, I'm ready to get
(06:47):
back on the horse.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Well I credit Post for for that a lot, you know,
as far as not not exactly the the missing piece,
but definitely the jolt I needed and the reminder. You know,
it's you start wondering, you know, how relevant you even
are anymore?
Speaker 1 (07:09):
I mean, as an.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Artist, you can't help but go through these things, you know.
And and when I got the call to that postwarted
me to come sing on the record, it was like,
oh wow, I can't even believe he thought of me,
you know. And then when the song came out and
was a big record, and it was just such a
(07:31):
fun thing to be a part of and not having
to put the work in.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
You know, he's doing all the work.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
So I just get to be a tag along and
watch this thing go up the charts. And but by
doing that, though, it helped me take in what was happening.
You know, you know, when you're in the grind, and man,
I was for twenty years where you're just you can't
take time to look up and enjoy the moment when
(07:59):
you have boys around here and you're still a role
doing these records and they're coming and going because you're
on to the next.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
One before you know, before you know it.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And so being able to kind of take a back
seat and watch that song do what it did and
get text messages from friends and family and said, man,
what the hell you know? H It was fun to
take that in for once, you know, and it really
did kind of a lot of fire under me again
and made me want to, you know, stick my neck
(08:33):
out again and make another record and see what I
could come up with.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Well, I tell you, country radio has missed you, and
we're excited for this new song.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Man. Thank you, man, thank you absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
And I got to tell you as a as a
country music fan, and then obviously I get to work
in the country radio side of things. You have a
very strong team that believes in their people behind you.
So it's I can't wait to see what y'all do together.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Me too, Man, I'm this chapter is.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I told Gwen, she goes you seem different. I go,
I feel like a new artist again for some reason.
You know, it's the only way I know to describe it.
So I appreciate you saying that.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Man, we get the new song to country radio coming
up on the fifteenth of November. It's called Texas. Give
us the backstory on the song, and I'd imagine you
have more than this song sitting there, So backstory on
the song, and then what made this the one that
you're like, yeah, this will be my I don't want
to call it a reintroduction, but like, you know, my,
(09:33):
that's fair.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
I actually like I like how that sounds a reintroduction.
You know, the song is totally different than That's probably
not true.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Since I've started, I've tried every album. I don't think
I've ever had an album that sounded like the last album,
and that's been by design.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
I've kind of been all over the map just because
I've wanted to be. But Texas is another step up
in a different direction. I guess if there was anything
you could kind of compare it to would be Sangria
that I had out years ago.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
But I really don't think so.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
I mean, I've heard people say that, but I feel
like it's it's quite a bit different than Sangria, but
I just feel like melodically and the story, you know,
it's it's your typical the dude got dumped and has
no clue where he's a girl went kind of country song,
but melodically and rhythmically, it's it's just totally different than
(10:31):
anything I've done. And it's just all about fun. You know,
this song is truly just a fun song. I love
all the George Strait references in this in this song
because you know that you can't brag on the King enough.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Hey man, absolutely, obviously this this will be the latest
song that we've gotten from you in a while. And
I heard an interview you did. I mean, I want
to say it might have been right around the pandemic
a little before a little after, but you had mentioned
that you're enjoying making a song and putting it out,
making a song and putting it out versus like focus
(11:09):
focusing on a full project. Are you Are you in
a different place mentally? Are you looking forward to a
full project or is it like now I'm gonna make
a song, put it out. I'll give you another one
in a couple of months.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Put it out.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Well, no, I mean, look, I would love to do that.
I don't think from a from a record company standpoint
that they're interested in doing that.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
So I think they.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
They're like, hey, if we're doing all this, we need
a whole record, which is understandable. You know, I've been
recording now for you know, throughout this journey.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
And and if they told me next week, hey, we.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Need you to turn in the album, I mean, I
have enough music recorded now to put an album together.
I would like to keep going for a few more
months here and see what else we can come up with.
I I want to make this record right up until
they say, hey, time's up. We gotta we got to
start printing these things and do a photo shoot and
(12:10):
stuff and get it out, you know. So I'm gonna
work on it until then. But man, I've got I've got,
you know, a lot of stuff that I'm super proud of.
And and when I went in and had this meeting
with with bn G Records and told them, you know that,
I think I want to take another hard swing at
this thing. I played them, I think I only played
(12:32):
them three songs, and and they seem pretty excited about
all all three of them, you know, and and uh
so it's that's exciting to hear Texas is one of
the songs. But I have several things that I've cut
that I'm if they would have said, no, we want
to put this other one out first, you know, I
would have been pretty excited about that too. So it's
(12:55):
it's just a good, good overall feeling, and I feel
fire up again.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
I really do.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
I love talking to artists, especially artists as established as
you are with the I mean, you could do you
got your Vegas residency coming up, right, Like you could
just literally bang out the hits and then head up
to the penthouse and go to bed, right. So it's
awesome that you continue to make new music. But with
those big hits, I love getting stories about songs that
(13:23):
you didn't believe in or maybe somebody else push you
got to do this and it worked. So what are
those What is that song or songs for you that
you're like, man, I can't believe y'all like this one,
but okay, here it is.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
I think probably the best examples of that for me,
we're both on my first album one I Believe It
or Not.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Austin was a song that the label.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Debbies Avidson, who worked at Giant Records at the time,
signed me. And she played me Austin and I kind
of thought, well, that's a cool story song, but I
just don't think anybody's gonna care. I mean, you know,
it's like the song just every chorus is different, and
are people.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Gonna follow along?
Speaker 2 (14:08):
And I just had a hard time believing anyone would
pay that close attention to a lyric and man, was
I wrong.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
But you know, she.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Kept after me, and finally she's The demo that I
had of the song was a piano like a piano vocal,
and it felt very dramatic, and she said, why don't
you just take the song and learn it your way
and make it yours, learn it on guitar, make it
more of a guitar song. And so I did, and
(14:39):
I'll never forget. I called my sister back in the
day and I just laid the phone down. This is
back in probably not two thousand or nineteen ninety nine,
somewhere in there, and and I just laid the phone
down and I played her Austen with my guitar, and
I picked up the phone and she was like freaking out.
She said I'm oh my god, that's the best song
(15:01):
you've ever done, Like, I can't believe you.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
That's your song. And I was like, oh my god.
Debbie was right, you know. And then the flip side
of that was.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Was old Red, which at the time that was also
on my first album, and Austin had come out and
was a big record, and it was a shocker to
all of us really because I was on a record
company called Giant Records and the label folded and Austin
kind of withstood a lot of turmoil and became this
(15:31):
big hit anyway. And so the label at that time
was Warner Records, inherited me from Giant when they closed,
and we put out another single called all.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Over Me that didn't do that well.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
And I went into the label and I said, I
think we should put out this song, Oldred, because as
people by the album and they come to my shows,
that is the other song people want to hear you,
Austin and old Red. Like I'm hearing a lot about it.
People are throwing stuffed animals of dogs on stage, you
know when I sing and and I had to talk
(16:07):
them into it, and then I had to beg them
to do a video, and they just didn't want to
spend the money and they just weren't sure. You know,
it's just a prison song, you know, like a dog
in a prison like that. We're just at a time
when country radio was very positive and love songs, you know,
and very upbeat pop sound and music. I was trying
(16:30):
to put out Old Red, but and honestly, it didn't
do that well on radio. People are always surprised to
know Old Red wasn't even a top ten song at radio,
but it went on to be made arguably one of
my bigger, you know, signature songs, and and and it
definitely you know, sold a lot of records and so
(16:52):
it did.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
It accomplished what we hoped it would.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
So I know, I got a rap here. I wanted
to ask one more thing as well about music, and
I love the stories. Is there a song you passed
on or somebody offered you and it ended up massive
for somebody else? And I love to ask if because
you bring up George Straight, and I always tell this story.
But as I asked this question, Kenny Chesney was offered
check yes or no first, and he passed. And obviously
(17:15):
that's massive George Straight song. Jacohen passed on Big Green Tractor,
one of Eldan's staple songs. So is there a song
like that for you that just didn't fit where you
were at that You're like, I'm good, thanks, but you
heard at six months later as one of the biggest
songs in the country.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Warren, I got to tell you, it's happened so many times.
It's happened probably twenty times in my career. And I
don't think I'm exaggerating now. They didn't always go on
to be the biggest hits, but it's happened so many
times where these songs that go on to be hits,
but not many of them do.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
I regret because I.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
You know, just because the song goes on to be
a hit for somebody else doesn't necessarily mean I don't
want to be the one singing it every night.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Now if it would have been the difference.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Maker, uh, you know that that would be painful.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
And there are a few of those, you know.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
The one I think that hurts the most was and
I keep going back to my first album, but uh,
Bobby Braddock, who produced my first album, wrote wrote a
rap song for me because I was always coming in
the studio singing these stupid raps that I would make up,
just gross stuff, you know, and he said, he go, oh,
(18:32):
you want to be a rapper, And he wrote me
this song and I recorded it and we played it
for Giant Records, and it did not go over well
at all, and then so badly that they said, we
don't even want that on your record.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
It's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
And so Bobby said, well, if you're cool with it,
then I'm just going to go pitch it to other artists.
And the first artist he played it for was Toby
Keith and the song was called I Want to Talk
about Me.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
Oh and so, but.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
You know, it's funny because Austin came out and was
a hit, and I think the very next song, or
the next song that Toby put out was I want
to talk about Me, And you know, we would have
had these two Monster records in a row, and I
had to watch Toby sing my rap song that Bobby
that Bobby wrote, but.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
It all worked out.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
So Toby, Toby does the song better than I did anyway,
So it all worked out.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Hey Blake, I know you're tight on time, man. Welcome
back to country radio. And it was an absolute pleasure
to get to chat with you for the first time
here man to many more.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Everboddy, I look forward to doing it again man.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
Thank you Blake, take care brother, enjoyed the day.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
Thank you, Buddy.
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