Dumb Blonde - Taylor Austin Dye: Bible Belts and Bluegrass

Episode Date: August 23, 2023

From a small town in Kentucky to the screens and stage of millions, Taylor Austin Dye emerges. Bunnie and Jelly both love the voice and lyrics behind this rising star, and this week she's her...e to share her story. Taylor talks about growing up on a farm and how you can hear the real and raw story behind it in her music and lyrics today. She shares how she made it in Nashville and got a residency at Margaritaville, auditioning at American Idol, and the connection to her songs on her debut album "Out of these Hills". Then, Taylor treats us to a live performance of one of Bunnie's new favorite songs, the beautiful (and sometimes controversial) 'Bible Belt'. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 All right, guys, it's a new year. And you know what that means. Out with the old, in with the new. But I do gotta say one thing. I will be bringing old with me into the new year. Lume whole body deodorant is the bee's knees, baby. I know when I go out on New Year's Eve and I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off,
Starting point is 00:00:17 I don't have to worry about sweating or smelling. Because why? I got Lume on. Clinically proven to block odor all day and control odor for up to 72 hours. All Lume products are baking soda free, paraben free, and pH balanced for safe use below the waist. As a special offer, new customers get 15% off. All Lume products with our exclusive code.
Starting point is 00:00:38 Use code BUNNYXO at LumeDeodorant.com. That's L-U-M-E-D-E-O-D-O-R-A-N-T.com. Lume's solid deodorant stick is formulated and powered by mandelic acid to stop odor before it starts. It also provides 72-hour odor and sweat control for pits, privates, and beyond. Lume's starter pack is perfect for new customers. It comes with a solid stick deodorant, cream tube deodorant, two free products of your choice like a mini body wash and deodorant wipes, and free shipping. Once again, as a special offer for listeners, new customers get 15% off all Lumi products with our exclusive code. And if you combine the 15% off with the already discounted starter pack, that equals over 40% off their starter pack.
Starting point is 00:01:19 That's code bunny XO at L U M E D E O DA-N-T dot com for 15% off your first purchase. Please support our show and tell them we sent you. Smell fresher, stay drier, and boost your confidence from head to toe with Lumi. If saving more and spending less is one of your top goals for 2025, why are you still paying insane amounts of money every month for your wireless? Switching to Mint Mobile is the easiest way to save this year. As the first company to sell premium wireless service online only, Mint Mobile lets you maximize your savings with plans starting at $15 a month when you purchase a three-month plan. Listen guys, I know if you're anything like me, I love to save a doll hair,
Starting point is 00:02:00 all right? So Mint Mobile, $15 a month when you purchase a three-month plan. How can you go wrong with that? Say bye-bye to your overpriced wireless plans, jaw-dropping monthly bills, and unexpected overages. All plans come with high-speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. Use your own phone with any Mint Mobile plan and bring your phone number along with all your existing contacts. To get this new customer offer and your new three-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com slash bunny. B-U-N-N-I-E. That's mintmobile.com slash bunny. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile. slash bunny $45 upfront payment required equivalent to $15 a month new customers on first three month plan only speed slower above 40 gigabytes on unlimited plan
Starting point is 00:02:52 additional taxes fees and restrictions apply see mint mobile for details what's up guys don't forget to sub to patreon so that you can see the visuals because not only do we have episodes of the podcast we have exclusive content that nobody else sees on any other apps behind the scenes photo shoots and we're dropping a whole bunch of surprising stuff this year so if you guys don't want to miss out and you want to be the first to know go over to our patreon www.dumbblondunrated.com love ya is this thing on bonnie who used to be a former sex worker and now hosts the podcast dumb blonde most little girls grow up wanting to be doctors and lawyers and shit and i was like i want to be super hot make a lot of fucking money and be a rock star's
Starting point is 00:03:34 that was my goal as a child and here we are what's up you sexy motherfuckers welcome to another episode of dumb blonde today i have an internet sensation i don't know about that you don't know what i is i think that you are an internet sensation thank you well that's all that matters to me the reason why i taylor austin died by the way guys before we you know deep dive uh dive deep in um i think you're an internet sensation because my husband pointed you out to me. He was like, I really like this girl. And I was like, yeah, she's cool. You know, I didn't really think anything of it because I had seen you on TikTok and stuff like that. And then when you dropped Bible Belt, I was like, oh, this girl is speaking my language.
Starting point is 00:04:19 We're talking about hookers and trying to get out of the industry and put our clothes on and all this stuff. And I was like, this is amazing. So I went down the wormhole and I was just like, oh, my God, I love this girl. I have to get her on the podcast. Thank you. It was crazy because when I posted Bible Belt, I just like had so many people that were tagging him in the comments and everything. And I just never thought that he would see it or anything like that.
Starting point is 00:04:40 But, you know, I mean, I get on TikTok and I use it just like scrolling through just like anybody else. I'm sure he does, too. But it was crazy to see like how everyone was tagging him. And eventually he commented on it. Yeah. And let me know. So now he's a fan. Yeah, he's totally a fan. And he he he put me on to you. So I have to thank my husband for that. So, OK, let's start from the beginning. Where are you from? I'm from southeast Kentucky little town middle of nowhere called Boonville and it's got population like 111 I guess 110 now that I'm going um the whole county's got like 4700 in it closest Walmart's about an hour away depending on where you live
Starting point is 00:05:18 in town so no chain restaurants no you know like we got a dollar store that's it we got one stoplight in a dollar store so very small town in eastern Kentucky I'm from the city and I never knew what like I knew what dollar generals were but I didn't know the meaning really behind them of like how much the south really relies on those until I moved out here to Nashville and I was like holy shit you guys really have like a thing for the dollar generals. Like, if there's nothing else in a small town, there's probably gonna be a dollar general somewhere. It's like a town mascot, like just dollar general, the town mascot. So growing up in a small town, what is that like? Like, how do you are you thankful for growing up in a small town? Oh, yeah. I mean, I love where I come from. I mean, I grew up on a backer farm. My grandparents had a backer farm and I stayed with them a lot.
Starting point is 00:06:07 And, you know, we farmed everything like corn, beans, tomato, potato. We canned everything. You know, it was really just that country life. And I'm super thankful that I got brought up like that. You know, it was go outside and play, take your cousin, you know, go up the creek and we'd kill snakes and you know whatever my papa had a wood shop so we were always up there helping him and it was just a good way to I think be brought up like that and I couldn't imagine anything else I heard you say that you you were raised by your grandparents well um I know I live with my mom and dad but my mom and dad and my uncle
Starting point is 00:06:41 had a gas station like the only gas station in town. And so they all three just ran it. And then I would stay with my grand, my nan and papa is what I called them. Um, pretty much the whole time while they worked and then they'd come and pick me up. So I spent the days on the tractor with my papa. Oh, I love that. That's like a storybook. I love that so much. I was always so thankful for people who have like cool childhoods. Cause I did not have a cool childhood. So when I hear stories like this, I'm always so thankful for people who have like cool childhoods because I did not have a cool childhood. So when I hear stories like this, I'm like, why can't I have something like that? It was cool, but also like no cell service up there, no Wi-Fi. My grandparents never had cell phones up until they died and no computers, anything like that.
Starting point is 00:07:19 So, you know, when we all started to get older, it was like, oh, we're going up in the holler. There ain't no service. You better get your last text out at the head of the holler before we go up in there you know that's amazing so take me on this journey you're growing up in a small town were you always into music oh yeah I ever since before I could talk I was just so like enamored by just any kind of any kind of music my mom was a big ACDC fan so she always had me listen to that love her she loved hank jr so my first favorite song was a hank jr song and she said that i would literally just sit in my car seat and you know kick my legs back and forth when i would hear kalijah which is like my all-time favorite song by the way um so even before i could talk i knew i loved it
Starting point is 00:07:59 and then eventually when i turned five and went into kindergarten, I had like horrible social anxiety. Like I was connected to my mom's hip. And I cried every day in school until about lunchtime. And finally, I found a guy that was teaching music at the school and he came and pulled me out of class and will give me a lesson. So that kind of gave me a reason to want to go to school every day. So I credit that, you know, just always being interested in it. So I stuck with it, obviously, up until now. Do you still battle with social anxiety? Oh, yeah. I got on some new meds, though. So I'm feeling pretty good right now. I love that you're very open about it. Because, you know, a lot of people hide it. And I'm very vocal about I have severe anxiety. I literally have panic attacks all the time. So to hear that
Starting point is 00:08:43 you were suffering from that as a child is huge because there could be people who are dealing with their children going through it. And, you know, for you to talk about it just probably creates like a safe space for everybody. And music was my outlet. I mean, I truly struggled hard, you know, for years going to school. And then when I finally found that I could go and I could have my lesson during the day, it gave me that thing to look forward to. And even I got put on anxiety medicine in high school. And you know, I've been on it
Starting point is 00:09:09 ever since on and off. So it's just something I've always struggled with. But, you know, a lot of people think that because I'm on stage, and I see a lot of people and I meet a lot of people that that's not what gives me the anxiety, right? That's what that's what brings me down from it. Like, that's my happy place and my safe place from it. So, yeah. So you started, you know, doing music at a young age, you're in high school. When did you decide that, Hey, this is what I want to pursue as my passion and just go for it. I never really had a backup plan. Um, ever since I started playing, I took, started taking fiddle lessons when I was five and then I picked up mandolin guitar piano just you know I always knew that I wanted to and even when I was like 12 years old I had a band and we would go around and play at all these little
Starting point is 00:09:54 festivals and fairs you know in eastern Kentucky and all over Kentucky actually and so I just always wanted to do that I always I always said I wanted to be a rock star. If anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. And, um, so I went actually was a first year college student and went and graduated with a music degree. So here we are now in Nashville, you know, all these years later, just still chasing it. So your life has pretty much revolved around music. I mean, to even just go to college and your degree is in music, that's just shows that you have such a passion for that I think I read somewhere that you did American Idol when you were 15 take me on that journey oh gosh so the first the first year they lowered the age so it used to always be 16 and then they
Starting point is 00:10:37 lowered it to 15 and that first year they lowered it was the year I turned 15 so I begged my mom and dad to take me down to New Orleans. And on the way down to New Orleans, we hit a deer in Kentucky, totaled my mom's car. Oh my goodness. It was horrible. So we go back, change vehicles. We borrowed someone's vehicle because we didn't have one that could make it down to New Orleans. So we borrowed a vehicle and drove down there. What great parents though, I just want to interject, what great parents that they were like, no, we're getting to this audition. We're not playing around. It was very sad. I was kind of traumatized from that. The beer was all kind of still alive. Anyway, we don't talk about that. So anyway, we go down there audition and I sang Gunpowder and Lead by Miranda Lambert.
Starting point is 00:11:25 big one where it's just the stadium there's 20,000 people in there and they would make you step forward sing and if that five at a time and they would just cut your bracelet and tell you to go home if you didn't make it and it was kind of like nerve-wracking so I'd never done anything like that before and eventually I got down there and I made it through like the first three rounds which like you don't see on tv you know it's like oh here's the celebrities. And I didn't even see the celebrities till months after the audition process. But it was interesting. You know, that was my first foray into like reality TV. And I didn't I was naive, I guess. And I didn't realize that nothing is as it seems.
Starting point is 00:11:59 Reality is not reality. So eventually when I got to the celebrity judges and audition, JLo was one of the judges at that time. She said I was sexy. I was like, I'm still holding on to that high. That's a compliment coming from JLo. Right. And then she asked me to clog. Are you familiar with clogging?
Starting point is 00:12:14 Of course. Yeah. She asked me to clog right before my audition. So I was like all out of breath and winded and everything. Are you a clogger? Yeah. Oh, my God. That is amazing.
Starting point is 00:12:22 I've always been fascinated. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was like one of my favorite movies growing up I don't know if you've ever seen it and there's a part where they clog and like dance in there and I've always just loved it it's an art I started clogging when I was probably 10 years old and actually we formed a clogging group we went to like nationals a few times and it was fun I still love to do that's my like party trick when I get real fucked up you know I'm like all right let me cut a rug oh my god we gotta she has to come out on tour I need a clog session dude Jay would fucking lose his mind he would love that that would be so awesome so J-Lo made me clog right before I had to sing anyway I sang again gunpowder and lead that was
Starting point is 00:12:59 the one they wanted me to sing and I ended up making it but when I like burst out the door and saw Ryan Seacrest and everything they made me do it like 10 times because I wasn't excited enough oh gosh and I was like don't you hate that like reality tv sucks um but it was a good experience I got to Hollywood I made it to like the top 300 and just getting to see all the ins and outs of the industry and everything kind of prepared me I think at a young age to be doing what I'm doing now when was the last time you needed to go to a doctor but you pushed it off made the excuse of and outs of the industry and everything kind of prepared me, I think, at a young age to be doing what I'm doing now. When was the last time you needed to go to a doctor, but you pushed it off, made the excuse of I'm too busy.
Starting point is 00:13:30 It'll heal on its own. I don't need help. I think we've all been there. Booking a doctor appointment can just feel so daunting. But thanks to ZocDoc, there's no reason to delay. They make it so easy to find and book a doctor who's right for you. ZocDoc is a free app and website where you can search and compare high quality in-network doctors and click to instantly book an appointment. We're talking about booking in-network appointments with more than 100,000 doctors across every specialty.
Starting point is 00:13:57 From mental health to dental health, primary care to urgent care and more. I don't know about you guys, but when I'm sick, the last thing I want to do is get dressed, get in my car and drive to a doctor. If I can do it from the comfort of my own home, which is what I do, you bet your buttons I'm going to do it. Stop putting off those doctor's appointments and go to ZocDoc.com slash bunny to find and instantly book a top rated doctor today. That's Z-O-C-D-O-C.com slash bunny. B-U-N-N-I-E. Zocdoc.com slash bunny. It's a new year, new you, new business. Okay. Don't put it off another year. I want you to manifest, put action behind it and thrive, baby. The best time to start your new business is this year right now. Shopify makes it simple
Starting point is 00:14:45 to create your brand open for business and get your first sale. Their powerful social media tools let you connect all your channels and create shoppable posts and help you sell everywhere people scroll. Shopify makes it easy to manage your growing business. They help with the details like shipping taxes and payments from one single dashboard and help you focus on the important stuff like growing your business. With Shopify, your first sale is closer than you think. Start today, baby. Established in 2025 has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Sign up for your $1 per month trial period at shopify.com slash bunny, B-U-N-N-I-E, all lowercase. Go to shopify.com slash bunny to start selling with Shopify today.
Starting point is 00:15:27 Shopify.com slash bunny. So when did you, so have you always like written music and you said you played numerous instruments? I mean, I think I heard you say the mandolin. Like that's crazy. Like who just picks up the fucking mandolin? I was in bluegrass band. A lot of people don't know that when I was in middle school, I actually played mandolin and was a singer for a bluegrass band and we got to open for Ralph Stanley, like the whole thing. So bluegrass is where my heart actually started. I love that so much. So when you decided to come to Nashville, how old were you? I came here in 2018. I think I was 23 at the time or about to turn 23. But after I graduated college,
Starting point is 00:16:05 I worked for a year and a half in radio, which a lot of people don't know that. I had my own radio show in central Kentucky. It was like a drive time show. It's called Songbird Radio. And I would like take requests and I had regulars that would call in. That is my dream. It was really fun. That's my dream. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be like a DJ and just take calls and play music. It was literally all, I mean, I had some creepy old guys that would call in every day, but we ended up being friends. And Taylor, will you play this Ted Nugent song? It's always the creepy old guys who show the most love all the time.
Starting point is 00:16:40 Listen every day. Hey, baby. Sound like they smoked a pack of pale males before they called in. But no, it was so fun. And I moved to Nashville after a year and a half of doing that. What made you get into radio? Because I mean, music has been like your life this whole time. So where how did the radio get intertwined? radio station at one of my shows and he had he was running sound and doing all the audio and he said hey we've got a spot um we're looking to fill a three-hour drive time show um if you want to come in and do that and at that time I didn't I knew I always wanted to move to Nashville but I was still living at home I was married at the time right um and then you were married at the time yes okay um from like let's see gosh that's a whole other story 20 what year was that 2015 to 2019 I guess but anyway um I went in for the interview and they're like you're perfect we want to have you and it just met him through doing music so I ended up
Starting point is 00:17:40 I love that job though it was so fun just like I don't know I got to control the playlist and you know it was just like my own little world yeah for like you know however long you did it for that's amazing so let's rewind back so are we allowed to talk about the marriage oh yeah okay so um you went to college and were you married before you went to college or take me on that journey so I had been dating my high school boyfriend since I was 14 and we went through high school and college together and we got married after I graduated college so we were together for like 11 years total but I moved down here and just kind of wanted different things you know I like I said I wanted to be a rock star and he's just really satisfied with his life in Kentucky and at home with his family and everything. He's a small town boy.
Starting point is 00:18:25 You know, he was. And it didn't work out. Got nothing but love for him and the family. But it was just a separation of ways. Now I'm remarried. I'm really on number two by 28. It's all right, girl. What am I doing?
Starting point is 00:18:39 I've got a few under my belt, too. It happens. We all know about it here. We talk about it all the time. Okay, so your first day in Nashville, you come to Nashville, what are you doing? How are you feeling? Who are you with? Paint that picture for me. When I first came to Nashville, I started playing at Margaritaville. There was a contest called the Indie Music Channel Talent Show or something like that. called the Indie Music Channel Talent Show or something like that.
Starting point is 00:19:06 And I went up and I auditioned for it. And I ended up getting like second place. And the manager of Margaritaville, the person that did the scheduling, was just like happened to be up there on the top floor and heard me sing. And after I got done, they offered me like a residency to keep coming to play at Margaritaville. So first move down here, I was literally playing at Margaritaville on Broadway like every day. They knew talent when they saw it. Thank you. It was unexpected. And I was just tickled to death because like, that's what I always wanted to do. I've been coming to Nashville since I was young. And I would walk down Broadway and just see all those bands.
Starting point is 00:19:37 And just I knew that was something that I had to do. And so they offered me that and I was just tickled to death with it. You know, I sat down in the window I met so many people I really got my chops up it helped me learn how to interact with the crowd and because you know if you're not interacting with the crowd you're not getting tips yeah if you're not getting tips you're not paying their rent you know I feel like that's like like literally the best schooling that you could get like before you like actually go on tour and like have to deal with huge crowds and stuff like that like working in the bars on Broadway especially just probably like really showed you and people are ruthless too you know it's like they're in
Starting point is 00:20:14 your face screaming wagon wheel like two hours a day and I'm just like okay so eventually from there what's your most what was your most requested song wagon wheel lord i thought it would be journey don't stop believing i will get that one sometimes yeah um someone paid me like 100 bucks for free bird one time oh god the longest song in america i was like all right if you want all 10 minutes of it i'll give it to you baby that's i mean we can do it but then um what was the other one that i would oh margaritaville because i played margaritaville so it was like salt salt salt, salt all day long. Just dealing with drunk people all day long too. You know, and there was a point where I was playing like 10 to 12,
Starting point is 00:20:54 four-hour gigs a week down there, and that was my full-time job. I've been blessed to never actually have to work a real job, as some people like to say. I've always done music, so I was really just busting my ass down there on Broadway seven days a week and that's hard people I don't think people understand what really goes into being a musician it's not easy like yeah it's beautiful to watch from afar but all the logistics the the entire business the industry like there's a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that people don't get to see and that was five years ago ago. I've had a lot of people recently like, where'd you come from?
Starting point is 00:21:26 You just popped up all of a sudden. I'm like, no, I've been here. I've been busting my ass. And it's been, you know, all worth it, of course. Yeah. It's just so much goes into it before you actually start to get noticed by anyone. And it's just crazy. So after Margaritaville, take me on that journey.
Starting point is 00:21:44 What happened? So I eventually started playing on pretty much all the bars on Broadway, you know, Jason Aldean's, Keela Cowboy, Florida Georgia Line. Some of them are even closed down now. But after that, obviously, I did that for a couple years and then COVID happened. Right. I did that for a couple years and then COVID happened. Right. Which was horrible for musicians. I had literally nothing to do. I was just kind of getting by.
Starting point is 00:22:11 My husband of now, he's a nurse. So he was an essential worker. Take me on that journey. Where did you meet him and how did you guys meet? We actually met through music too. He was a drummer and tour manager for a band that I grew up really close with in Kentucky called Halfway to Hazard. And they had some success in like the 2000s. And so I just grew up opening for them when they would come to Eastern Kentucky, I would go and open wherever they were at. And so I met Ben through playing with them. And then eventually when I moved to Nashville,
Starting point is 00:22:39 we kind of reconnected in that way. So got together, I guess, in 2020. And then that was right before COVID. So then COVID hit. Oh, so you guys got to know each other really fast. So we Yeah, we really were in close quarters. You know, for a lot of that, but when it's meant to be, it's meant to be though, you know, it all ended up how it was supposed to. So he was kind of keeping me afloat while I was starting TikTok. And that's kind of where my TikTok journey started. Yeah. Let's talk about TikTok because we all have all have a TikTok journey. And what an amazing platform for as toxic as that place is.
Starting point is 00:23:15 There's so much good that comes out of it just with exposure. I mean, it made my podcast go through the roof. So, oh, I mean, it's incredible. It's amazing. And it's free. Yes. Everyone can have it. I think that's the appeal to it but so I started back in 2020 obviously I had no gigs I was cleaning airbnbs um through 2020 to try to make money that's a regular job yeah so you have had a regular job technically during covid I cleaned airbnbs you could tell people
Starting point is 00:23:40 that yeah you're a housekeeper all right who that was that was a job i could only imagine the shit you found oh god what can do you have a story besides all the like pecker paraphernalia from bachelorette parties and the white boots that got left over everywhere feathers glitter a lot of puke oh a lot of um questionable bed sheets oh I picked up a sock one time and it just stood straight up. Crunchy sock. Those are the worst. I've seen it all at the Airbnb in Queens. I don't care what anybody says. It doesn't matter what time of year it is. I never get tired of online shopping, especially during the holidays. Here's the thing. It's kind of gross out. Even those of us that embrace the chilly weather need something to break up long winter nights. Something I love to do is treat myself to a little something, but I don't want to spend a fortune on my winter blues. That's where Quince comes in. I'm absolutely obsessed
Starting point is 00:24:35 with my Quince luggages. I took them on tour. I brought them home and they're still like brand new. I'm pretty much obsessed with this brand, but there is something else that everyone needs in their closet, in my opinion. Quince's iconic Mongolian cashmere sweaters, which start at $50. Or if you want to really up the lux factor, check out their Italian leather handbags, washable silk skirts, and European linen sheet sets. Whatever you're looking for, all Quince items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. Quince only works with factories that use safe, ethical, and responsible manufacturing practices. Treat yourself this winter without the luxury price tag. Go to quince.com slash B-U-N-N-I-E for 365 day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E dot com slash bunny, B-u-n-n-i-e. To get free shipping and 365 day returns.
Starting point is 00:25:27 Quince.com slash bunny. So yeah. I can't believe people are that rude. Oh. I could never leave an Airbnb like that. And the worst thing was it was always, most of the time it was the girls. Like the bachelorette parties I went to. So nasty.
Starting point is 00:25:42 Nasty. I couldn't. You bitches are nasty. I'm the type of person that like, I'm making up the bed at the hotel as we leave you know I'm like yeah me too I will clean before my housekeepers come to our house every week and my husband's like what are you doing I'm like I'm cleaning what does it look like I'm doing it just I I will never understand it but that's awesome shit yeah I could imagine um so then after or 2020, that's when I started TikTok back to that. I posted, like the first video I posted got like half a million views. And I was like, oh, okay.
Starting point is 00:26:12 It was a Fleetwood Mac cover. Yeah. And I was like, okay, I'm going to keep making these videos. And then they just kept going. And then eventually I posted my first original song on there. And it kind of blew up. And people were like, release this, release this. So I ended up
Starting point is 00:26:25 cutting it and it was the first song that ever like charted on the country charts for me CMT picked up the video so which song was this good time girl good time girl it's an older one and so that was kind of my first introduction into that whole world and it opened up so many doors for me just like meeting people and people asked me to come be on their podcast or be on on this program or do this song right around and I just met so many people that were doing the same kind of thing so I mean TikTok has opened up since then so many doors I feel like what sets you apart from all the other people on TikTok and this isn't me throwing shade or talking shit this is what made me drawn to you was that you are like my husband. You talk about the gritty
Starting point is 00:27:06 stuff. You talk about the stuff that's not beautiful and frilly and gorgeous. You know, like I think the Bible belt has the lyrics that, um, drew me in or get out of these hills, get, get out of these hills, get off these pills and pay them bills with our clothes on. Cause that's literally what I've done my whole life as I was in the industry. And this year I finally got to retire because I make more money now with my clothes on so when I heard those lyrics I was like oh lord Jesus she wrote me a song I was so happy I was like this is amazing you know so I think that's what kind of sets you apart from everybody else is that you're willing to talk about shit that most people don't want to talk about and you know how hard it was to find someone to write that song with me because I had this idea forever yeah i had taken it to several rights and
Starting point is 00:27:49 everyone was like nope the radio never played that and i was like i don't give a fuck right i don't care if the radio picks this song i don't care if anyone listens to this song i want to write this song because this is something that i have grown up with i've seen it was from the poorest county in the nation i mean this is what I grew up in and it's real and it's raw and that's what people want and that's what people need like we crave that we want to be able to relate to somebody like I relate to that entire song truly because it was my life too you know so it's like other people want that too we don't care about you know all the the fancy stuff I don't want to
Starting point is 00:28:25 say stuff because then it zeroes in on certain artists and stuff like that. But we we want to hear about the rough side of life because not all of us grew up privileged and were able to are able to like sing about that. And I think that's you brought that up. That's either why people love me or hate me is because I do not like tiptoe that line. I'm all the, I'm all or nothing. Like I don't care to talk about it. And people were so up in arms because I said, this song was about a hooker and they were just, everyone just came and attacked me. And you know, it just, everybody was tagging me in it. They're like, buddy, you gotta listen to this song. And I was like, oh, this is amazing. The hooker has arrived. Um, so let's go back to the first one that you dropped
Starting point is 00:29:05 you said good girl gone good time girl good good time girl um that one charted as soon as you dropped it that's amazing because most people yeah yeah most people can't achieve that it got to like 20 something 22 or something like that so and that was the first you know thing that i dropped since i moved to nashville i was just i was sickled to death with it yeah and then from there you know i've released single after single. And then I really caught up some more speed when I released Rest in Peace, which was kind of my most recent viral one, aside from Bible Belt. And, of course, that one is about domestic abuse,
Starting point is 00:29:38 which also has been kind of controversial in, you know, wanting to pick it up and you know, saying, Oh, we can't deal with that. That's too sensitive. That's too touchy of a subject. Yeah. I don't think people realize how and I say this all the time, I how censored Nashville is like, I'm from the West Coast. So we're all more liberal out there, I guess you could say and we you know, touch on taboo subjects such as what you're talking about. So when I came out here and I realized how censored everybody was, I couldn't believe it. I was like, this is crazy. Like, how do people live like this?
Starting point is 00:30:13 Babble about that. Yeah. No, for real. Like, it's insane. So take me on this journey. You're just on this snowball ride of dropping. I think it said you dropped like nine. You've dropped like nine singles.
Starting point is 00:30:24 I mean, that's a lot of work. You're putting in work in between 2020 to now yeah that's a lot of work yeah it's it's been crazy but honestly um I'm about to drop a full album I've not really said that on social media yet so first person exclusive um so yeah I'm dropping a full album in a couple months and do you have a title for it yet? I don't think so. I have a really strong idea, but I don't want to say it just in case we change it. Right. The lyrics do come from Bible Belt, so you'll recognize it when you see it, if we go with that one.
Starting point is 00:30:58 But I'm going to have, I think, 10 songs on it. And it's just stuff that I've really been working hard on, true things that I've been writing about, and stuff that I'm pretty proud of. So I'm excited to put it out. I'm excited for you. Are you still independent or are you signed with anybody now? So I'm signed to an independent label called LMG Records. And then I am with a booking agency called UTA.
Starting point is 00:31:19 Oh, we know UTA. That's Leo's. Yeah. I'm signed with W. Who am I signed with? WME. I always forget. Yeah, no, I'm always like, what am I doing? Well, who am I signed with? Um, okay. Yeah. WME. And then my husband signed with CAA, but I'm really curious about hers. We need to look into their agency.
Starting point is 00:31:38 They're awesome. Love those. Sorry, Sloan. I love you. I know. Kidding Sloan. I'm just kidding. Hey Alex. Yeah. Right. Um, so when, who came to you, like, when did they come to you after you had started dropping these singles? Like, was it like after the third or fourth one? And they were like, finally like, yeah, this girl has talent. And like, you started getting the attention that you deserved. When do you feel like that took a turn? No, I didn't sign anything or really do anything like that until this year wow um so it had been a long time coming i just kept working i was completely independent up until like the beginning of this year and i just been like i said busting my balls like playing the gigs
Starting point is 00:32:16 booking myself um we me and my husband we did a little acoustic tour all through 2022 we just went all over the eastern us actually some places in the West as well. And he plays drums for me and I sing. So we took off in Maquia Soul and just made it happen. What a wild ride, though. That's that reminds me so much of Jay and I when we first got together seven years ago. I literally hopped on in a minivan with him and we just hit the road, did like 200 shows in a year it was exhausting but at the same time it was the closest we ever were because it was like you know you are in you know the huckleback with each other you're in the trenches when you're out like that really
Starting point is 00:32:56 touring with your partner is not for the week it is absolutely not because you see every side of them and we want to kill each other about half the time oh no for sure it's so hard but in the end you guys are gonna look back at these times when you're like fucking you know just super stardom you're gonna look back these times and be like i wish i could go back there i already kind of miss it because now we're in a tour van with a trailer and we've got you know our band guys our content girl merch with us you guys are doing the damn thing i'm really proud of you guys. It's all just happened kind of quickly and it's kind of scary,
Starting point is 00:33:28 but I'm pumped. I mean, it's all good stuff. Yeah, no, for sure. So what's next? Because I see that you just were doing shows a couple days ago, correct? Yeah, we were just in Georgia with Corey Smith, a sold out show. Yeah. Incredible.
Starting point is 00:33:41 This weekend we go to Alabama and Georgia again. Then I think we're in Iowa with Ned Ledoux. And no, no, no, Kansas with Ned Ledoux in Iowa with like Chase Matthew and a few kids. Shout out Chase. Oh, yeah, we love Chase. We love kid, but we love Chase too. Yeah, totally. So when are you going to embark on like your own headlining tour? Do you think that's coming up next? So that's something I've always wanted to do. Like live music, you can ask anybody. Like that's where my heart is for sure. Like I love just the energy from being on stage and the crowd and everything.
Starting point is 00:34:14 So we're really trying to build like this act that can be a headlining act, you know. And I've already been doing kind of that in a way where you know in the eastern part of the U.S. but we're looking into expanding it yeah and so I think over the next definitely next year this year we're doing a lot of opening stuff so I'm very excited about that but I think next year we can expect a little bit of headline and action maybe I can drop your name in daddy's ear we can get you on the next tour we literally head out on a fucking four month tour on thursday and i'm just like it's my first time having my own tour but tear i did it she says cheer all the time and i it's my first time having my first tour bus i don't know why i said tear it's because i'm always
Starting point is 00:34:57 making fun of her um and i'm nervous because i'm like what am i supposed to do i saw your bus on insta that's the cutest thing ever. Thank you. Did you design it? I'm sure you did. Yeah, I have to come with a razzle dazzle. Listen, if I'm going to be locked in something, it's got to be, you know, it's got to have bunny written all over it.
Starting point is 00:35:14 I absolutely love it. So what's next for you? Like, you know, if you could look ahead to 2024, what do you want to accomplish? Well, like I said, definitely a headlining tour. And we're trying to get over into Europe because I have a huge fan base over there. I just found out that Bible Belt is still like number three in Switzerland. Wow. It's crazy to me.
Starting point is 00:35:33 So I have so many fans over there. We're really hoping to get overseas next year. Obviously put out more music and just keep on with the live stuff. It's my goal. Yeah. So you brought your guitar here correct i did can is it can we do a live thing of i didn't even tell me we were gonna do this but sorry would you would you feel okay doing a live performance of bible belt so that the listeners can hear it
Starting point is 00:35:58 all right i'm excited she's a star you guys like she really is she has star quality it's crazy I've called it every time to my husband too like normally I'm are we recording oh sorry because I'm twisting over here I've told every time I've told my husband this person's gonna make it they always do but technically my husband came to me so I have to give him the credit but I want to take the credit for it like the wife you know I have to always just take the credit all right you guys she's gonna sing Bible Belt for us and I am so excited my butthole is puckered right now you guys have no idea I'm just gonna stare in awe so here we go Lipstick on a map, cold coffee cup Backseat watchin' mama get all dolled up Countin' change, sittin' at the pump
Starting point is 00:36:50 Till the sun comes up, she'll be handin' out love Too young to stay by myself at home Old enough to know what's goin' on Sleepin' with somebody new Just doin' what she's gotta do And I hope that he's a nice man and one day we can get out of these hills get off of these pills and pay them bills with all our clothes on and one day I won't feel wrong born into this fire I don't want to die here I just want someone to see me No, I didn't choose my family
Starting point is 00:37:28 Everybody's talking, everybody's watching The whole town's going straight to hell Everybody's talking, everybody's watching Put another notch in the revival bell. Mama kept her men written in a book. Sometimes I'd sit and thumb it through. See the mayor, my preacher, my teachers. At any hour of the night they could reach her. Police came and tried to take me.
Starting point is 00:38:02 But Mama cried she needed her baby. It's like heaven's door is shut. Mama cried she needed her baby. It's like heaven's door is shut. It's so corrupt. Are prayers enough to get out of these hills, get off of these pills, and pay them bills with all our clothes on? And one day I won't feel wrong. won't feel wrong. Born into this fire, I don't want to die here. I just want someone to see me. No, I didn't choose my family. Everybody's talking, everybody's watching. The whole town's going straight to hell. Everybody's talking, everybody's watching. Put another notch in the Bible. Oh, yeah. Country prison. Single white cell.
Starting point is 00:39:04 If God's still listening, I'm praying like hell we get out of these hills get off of these pills and pay the bills with all our clothes on and one day I won't feel wrong born into this fire I don't want to die I just want someone
Starting point is 00:39:21 to see me no I didn't choose my family. Everybody's talking, everybody's watching. The whole town's going straight to him. Everybody's talking, everybody's watching. Put another notch in the Bible bell. Bible bell. Bible bell. Babu Bell Babu Bell Babu Bell So good. Do you make her sing you to sleep at night? Because I would. I totally would.
Starting point is 00:40:09 You are so good, mama. I just, I love it. You have so much conviction in your voice when you sing too. Just makes me like invoke so many emotions. I just want to like start bawling over here. Just rocking back and forth. All the trauma I've had as a child just comes up. I think it's amazing what you're doing.
Starting point is 00:40:25 I'm so proud of you and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you. Thank you. I'm excited. I'm excited too. Why don't you tell people where they can find you? I'm Taylor Austin Dye everywhere. Try to keep it simple. Dye with a Y, not with an I.
Starting point is 00:40:40 Spotify, iTunes, Taylor Austin Dye, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Farmers Only, Christian Mingle, whatever. Love it. Thank you so much for coming on. You got to promise me you're going to come back next year because I want to see where you're at next year. I'll be right here. All right. Thank you so much. And thank you guys for tuning in to another episode of Dumb Blonde. I will see you guys next week. Bye.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.