Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe - Chase McDaniel | A Miracle Saved His Life—Now His Music Is Saving Others!
Episode Date: October 23, 2025#887. Country artist Chase McDaniel doesn’t just sing about pain—he’s lived it. In this raw and emotional episode, Chase opens up to Kaitlyn about the night he nearly ended his life and... the miracle that pulled him back. He shares the loss of his father to addiction and the weightlifting accident that sent him to the hospital with no memory of who he was.But this isn’t a story of tragedy—it’s a story of comeback! From being down to his last $12 and ready to walk away from music… to climbing the charts with his debut single and preparing to open for Jason Aldean, Chase reveals how he turned pain into purpose and built a movement for the “Lost Ones” who feel alone.This episode will take you on an emotional journey and leave you believing in miracles, redemption, and the power of not giving up.If you’re LOVING this podcast, please follow and leave a rating and review below! PLUS, FOLLOW OUR PODCAST INSTAGRAM HERE!Thank you to our Sponsors! Check out these deals!Boll & Branch: For a limited time get 20% off Bed Bundles, plus free shipping and returns, at BollAndBranch.com/vine15.Bombas: Head over to Bombas.com/vine and use code vine for 20% off your first purchase.Hers: Visit FORHERS.com/VINE to get a personalized perimenopause treatment plan that’s right for you.Microperfumes: Find your scent soulmate today and get up to 60% off at MicroPerfumes.com/VINE. Macy’s: Shop Macy’s Fall fashion guide online at Macys.com or in store now!Wayfair: Get organized, refreshed, and ready for the holidays for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home!EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: (10:40) - Chase shares the moment he was down to his last $12 during the pandemic and questioned if he should give up on music.(19:17) Chase opens up about his suicide attempt and the angel who physically pulled him back from ending his life.(28:59) Chase reveals losing his father to addiction and then suffering a traumatic head injury.(55:50) From ready to quit to opening for Jason Aldean—Chase reflects on living a dream beyond what he ever imagined possible!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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You're listening to Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow.
Hey, Vino's, real quick, if you are listening right now, which obviously you are or you
wouldn't be hearing this, can you hit the subscribe or follow button on?
whatever platform you're on. Please, that one simple thing helps more than you even realize
it allows me to keep growing on this podcast and making these episodes the best they can possibly
be obviously for you. That's the only favorite I'm going to ever ask, okay? It truly means
the world to me. Thank you. Now let's get into it. Trigger warning. This podcast discusses
suicide. Listeners who find this content distressing may wish to proceed with caution or avoid
it altogether. Resources for support are available. Hey everybody. Welcome to Off the Vine. I'm
your host, Caitlin Bristow. And today we have someone really, really special on the podcast.
I was just like in awe of his story when I did my research about him. I thought I had to get him
on the podcast. And he was so vulnerable and open about all of the things he's gone through in his life.
His name is Chase McDaniel. He's an incredible singer, songwriter, who has really been turning
his trauma into purpose. His debut album, Lost Ones, dropped this past September during National
Suicide Prevention Month, which he has.
first-hand experience with, and he's really making waves. His music is really turning his past
into his purpose, and it is really beautiful. His single Burn Down Heaven is heating up at country
radio, and his journey is as raw and inspiring as he is. So please welcome Chase McDaniel. So I was just
thinking about when I performed on stage the other night for the first time. Wait, like singing?
Yeah. That's awesome. Okay. Okay, it was, okay, I shouldn't say my first time. I did perform at
whiskey row one night.
Yeah.
So a lot of people get their started here.
Yes.
And it was my friend Brett Kissel was performing and he asked me to sing because I wrote a song
once and he asked me to sing with him up there and I was like, yeah, right.
I'm like I'm never singing live.
Like I know, I know my what I bring to the table.
I know my strengths.
And it's like it takes me a full hour, hour and a half to like start feeling comfortable
singing on a mic and they're like because I recorded the song and it was like an hour
and a half in, the producer was like, okay, now we're recorded. Now you're warmed up. And I was
like, yeah, I sucked when I walked in here because I get so nervous and I'm in my head and I don't
sing every day. And like, I grew up doing theater. So it's like I can sing, but it's not like
my thing. It's like this stepbrother scene. And he's like, this room is not. I had a
throw it for three months. Yeah. Not an acoustic room for me. Yeah. That is me. I'll make every
excuse. So my girlfriend ran this whole festival called Lady World. Yeah. And they had like live podcasts and
90s music like Sugar Ray was performing and like O-Town all these 90s bands how old are you 30
okay am I no I'm 31 oh my god yeah I think after that one I was just like I can't remember birthdays
anymore that yeah I'll remember mine now because I just turned 40 but all my 30s I was like
what am I 39 I was like I know I'm 39 because I'm almost 40 but yeah it was so crazy so then
they were like I really believe in you you can do a live podcast and then you can sing two songs
and I was like okay and then they're like and people magazine's going to be there to
interview about it and us weekly is gonna be there to film it and I was like oh my god I'm gonna go
viral for sucking and I had to like mentally prepare for that but I actually did pretty good
I did better than I thought I was gonna do it was really fun you have to have good friends that
records you without you knowing you know what I mean on those instances because you want to know
like how it went well and you can't trust people because they'll just be like yeah it was great
and you're like that's that's what I did I had my friend record me in the sound check and I'm so
glad because I heard it back and I was like, oh, I need to do this here and this here and that
was so helpful to hear it, but I'm glad I didn't know she was recording because I would have
got in my head. Do you get in your head when you perform?
100%. Well, it depends. It's like something like that. Like you know, it's like a high pressure
situation. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I've had like performance anxiety aside from just like general
anxiety, but like ever since I was a kid. Yeah. Isn't that interesting the career path you're on?
Yeah. Well, I mean, the first time that I sang in church, I was like 11 and people could visibly see my
knees like hitting each other. Yeah, yeah. And yeah, and my heart would just raise. My hands would get sweaty. It would be just like I'd be out of
breath up there. It's hard to say when you're nervous too. Oh yeah. You're like you, it makes you very audibly worse.
It does. That was what I, that was my fear because I was like when I'm nervous, I sound like shit. Yeah. It's,
it happens. But so you started off in church singing is that like, okay, so let's rewind. I feel like you have one heck of a story. And I feel like people will love getting to know you better on this podcast as well.
So you grew up in Kentucky, we're going way back, raised by your grandparents.
What was it like because I feel like, you know how certain generations are so specific about how they parent?
Like our generation is like doing the soft parent or the like, whatever they're called.
I don't even know what they're calling it, but like just different generations believe in a different way of parenting.
And so you skipped a generation of parents.
So your grandparents raised you.
What was that like?
What was that generation like of them parenting?
Well, it was a mix, you know, because I was with my, you know, my mom and my dad for a while when I was
you know, real young.
And, you know, when they took me in, it was just, it was, you know, very different.
But also it was, they were my grandparents.
So, like, I think that they approached it from a way of like, yeah, we're raising him,
but also we are still his grandparents.
Okay.
Like, some of it, they tried to be softer just knowing the situation.
But yeah, there was like, I woke up, I think it was my 16 birthday.
And my papal, like, drug me out of bed through a uniform at me.
He's like, you're late for your job.
I was like, what are you talking about?
He's like, I got you a job of Burger King and you're late.
And this was my birth.
Like, I just turned 16.
I couldn't even, you know, and I was like, I just got my permit or whatever. And he's like,
I'll ride with you. We're going to go. And so, so it was, you know, like work ethic. All of that
was instilled to me, like very young. Like there was, you know, there were rules. And I could tell
that I've always kind of felt like part of me is 70 years old. That makes any sense. Like I'm good
around old folks because that was just so much in my life. Do you think you have an old soul? Or do you
do? Yeah. Because I don't think I have an old soul, but I like old people and babies because they can't
hurt me and dogs. So I'm like, I thrive around old people and babies and dogs. But I'm not an
old soul. But you're not, you think you're an old soul. I feel like musicians a lot of times are.
Yeah. I think there's a part of me that like feels like I like, you know, like morphed into this
time or something, I guess. Yeah. That's, I have friends like that who think they belonged in like the
20s and stuff. And I'm like, but you're a woman. You would have. Why would you want to exist?
Not a great time. But that's so funny. So, okay, so you were raised my
your grandparents, that makes a lot of sense actually about like they still took the role as
like grandparents because they didn't want to try and be your parents. What is your first
memory of music? Oh, that's good. So my papal was a bass singer. Pappaw? Yeah, yeah. I think that's
a Kentucky, maybe Tennessee thing, but yeah, it's Mammaw and Pappaw. I called my grandpa Pop. Do you? Yeah. We're
from Canada. Yeah. Is that a normal thing up there? I don't know. Yeah. I guess, and we got several. I
know people that call him Nana. But yeah, so he was a bass singer and a gospel quartet.
Oh, cool. And so I was like, I remember being like four years old and riding in the back
of a 15 passenger van, you know, going through these churches with my mamma and pap ball.
Oh, that's cool. And he was singing the low notes. And so I feel in love with that like
low Josh Turner type sound. Oh, fascinating. I love that. My grandpa was a musician too.
And I never got to experience it because he died before I was born. But my dad talks about it all
the time about it and shows me like he he was just like honored in Canada somewhere still for like
the work he did as a musician yeah it's really cool um I just love the history of like I feel like
a lot of people are like oh my trauma from this but I'm starting to learn like generational trauma
yeah yeah yeah yeah that is such a real thing but it also comes with a lot of beautiful things like
being able to sing and perform and do music and now people say that you can pass down memories that
you don't even you know I've heard I don't know I'm not I believe it I believe apparently can go through your
DNA or something. It's crazy. I believe that. It's, I feel like the more we learn, the more I'm just
like, wow. Wow. So at that age, like, if you're young, you're seeing your grandpa and you're
falling in love with certain things, when were you like, I'm going to chase this as a dream? Like,
this is what I'm going to do. I'm still very young. I think that I had to still kind of rebel in it
a little bit. They were very against it being a job, being a career. You know what I mean? I think
they would have been much happier. Like, so here's something actually really interesting is that
my grandpa got his Ph.D. when he was 70 years old.
70?
70? Yeah. So I watched him, like, as he was going through the whole process and everything.
And, of course, you know, we grew up very poor. And so, like, my pap ball was like, we don't have
money for the gown and whatever. My mom was like, no. And, like, she insists. And so, like,
there's a picture of my papaw in his gown and the regalia, whatever you call it. And so, like,
I got to watch him chase his dream, you know? And he grew up, you know, with two parents that
didn't have a third grade education. I think there was that pressure for me to, you know, go to
school and, you know, get my Ph.D. or my manager or whatever. And truthfully, that just never
was my dream. I had always loved music. Music was kind of how I connected with people and with him
and with myself. And it was always an escape for me. And so I pressed for the music thing. They
didn't like it. I think they'd rather me poured concrete, but, you know, came down here and they taught
me to chase my dream. Yeah. This wouldn't have been their first choice for me, I think.
Right. You said you had anxiety at 11 years old. Did you know it was anxiety? Because I
two had, yeah, I had severe anxiety. I remember in the third grade every day, I would convince
myself that I was sick. And I'd go to school and I would tell the teachers I was sick and I would
just like get in my head and then I'd make myself sick. And then I'd see other kids if we had to
get like shots. Like I remember we had to get hepatitis A or something, shots or B. And I was like,
oh God, I'm going to, I'm going to faint and I started seeing stars and I would convince myself.
All these things like, I had the worst anxiety. And you had that too as a kid.
mine was I think at the time it was more OCD which wasn't like I think people think that it's like
cleaning your room and stuff like that wasn't that it was like count to a million or you'd go home
your mom's dead kind of thing whoa and um they were like making sure that like everything is a
certain way or like you know certain superstitions and and then it takes on certain themes that are
just it's really disturbing yeah I had the same thing I literally would if I didn't have the same
amount of layers on top than I did on the bottom. I would start freaking out. My mom would send me
to school and like if we had to put on snow pants in Canada, I like couldn't fathom having more
layers on the bottom than top. Like I totally understand that. Yeah. Yeah. That's my mom was like looking
back, I think it was OCD. I'm like yeah, but I think it was also anxiety. Yeah. I think the lines get
blurred. Yeah. So much like I just know that it sucked. Like like. Yeah, I just know it sucked. Yeah.
It wasn't fun. Yeah. No, I feel that. And then so you're starting out, you're chasing your
the pandemic hits, right as you're starting out, you're jobless, down to your last 12 bucks,
was it, $12?
11, something.
11, even worse.
Can you walk us through the moment of how you kept going?
Because I think a lot of people, I've talked about it a lot on this podcast, a lot of
people either do give up, which I did actually at one point in my life with my dance career.
I gave up, but I always knew there's something more for me, but a lot of people, if they
push through that point of almost giving up, they always have this beautiful story of the
outcome.
Yeah, yeah. So what was yours? Well, I mean, that story particularly was it was the middle of the
pandemic. You know, I've always worked two-three jobs. I grew up poor, came to town poor and
haven't really any connections in the industry. Did you have financial anxiety or were you like
really? This is just how it's always been. Yeah, yeah, I didn't, I didn't really think of it
like that. And I think something about money and having some kind of security, like I think
everyone has this like fantasy or imagination of what it might be like all the problems are going
to go away. To me, all it does is remove the stress of not having the money you need. Like,
that's all that money has ever been or done for me is it's just there's either stress or there's
not. But I didn't really think of it as anxiety. But yeah, I mean, we were having a party
at my house one night. I'd already put in, you know, 50 job applications. Nobody hit back. And it was
a pandemic. I mean, you know, you couldn't get a serving job at the time. And my-
this was here in Nashville. This was here in Nashville. And I'd been in town five, six years
at that point. Yeah, I had a couple buddies that were in from out of town. One was in from Kansas
city. And my GMC out in the driveway, like had to check engine light on. I mean, it was, you know,
like it was dark times and um i was ready to you know call it quits and move back home i couldn't
pay rent that month couldn't afford groceries and a buddy of mine found me out in my car on the phone
with my mom like asking her she had a bet for me to come back home too and um i'd been you know
around a bonfire plant some songs that night or whatever and this was the friend from kansas city
and yeah he lent me some money to um to stay a couple more weeks and and i fought him on it of course
i'm not the kind of guy that likes to help or anything but i got a job probably a week and a half
later really yeah it was crazy well
What was the job at the time?
It was waiting tables.
Oh, it was, yeah.
It was waiting tables.
I feel like that's like the move.
Like when you move to Nashville to try to be a musician, when you move to L.A.
to try to be an actor.
You moved to New York to try and be a model.
That's because it has the flexible schedule.
And honestly, that was my second time trying that because I didn't realize that.
You know, I came to town and I did all the like blue collar type stuff first.
Right.
It took me years to realize, oh, wait, you can have a flexible schedule with the restaurant industry.
And that was the best thing could happen to me.
What was your favorite and least favorite part of serving tables?
Well, my favorite part.
was bugging my manager to let me become a bartender that eventually did work out,
you know, like three or four months in.
It was kind of controlling your income, I think, like the ability to, like, if you work hard
enough, you will make more money.
That's just that direct line.
And least favorite, just shitty people.
Oh, God, I know.
You learn that, yeah.
That's how I was in that industry for 11 years, and I was such a bitch on year 11.
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you were two jobs didn't you or double shifts is that what it was so the doubles there were like
17 hour shifts you know it was like going in at nine you leave at three kind of thing and uh in the
morning and so honestly it was what saved me funny and why i was able to stay in town during the
pandemic yeah but then you're only sleeping like four hours a night and writing music at the same
time like yeah because and substances not great you know my body was just destroyed
by the end of that, you know. Oh, for sure. And, you know, so I was. I was going to studio to
write and not sleep in and all that stuff. You got to find ways to be entertaining to all the
bachelor's party's coming into town. Yeah. So it like, it helps to a certain extent until it takes
over your life, you know. Well, I was going to say, did you suffer burnout? Did you have a moment
where you're like, I can't do this either? Oh, like the restaurant industry? Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Oh, those last six months I was probably hell to be at work with. Yeah. Because I was doing both at that point
too. Like I was, you know, working the double shifts and then also playing gigs on the weekend
trying to figure that out. So, yeah, I mean, it was just crazy busy. Yeah. Oh my gosh. I can't
even, it's just like that that toll it takes like on you mentally to be working a double,
then working in between to try and make it as a musician. Yeah. Lack of sleep is like, to me,
the like worst form of torture. I'm like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's just a lot. But it was that
desperation, I think, that honestly made it happen. Really? Like, yeah, it was, it was, I'm,
old Travis Tristlong, I'm going to be somebody someday.
You know, it's just like that, that's whatever it was in me, that blind belief,
because I had no reason to believe in it, but it was just, it was just there.
Delusional confidence, always, but it works.
Yeah, I can't explain that.
Yeah.
And at the same time, like, self-hatred.
Yes, been there.
Delusional confidence and, like, I suck.
Yeah.
How did you work through that?
Like, did you?
I don't know.
Still working through it, I think.
Yeah, me too, actually.
Sam'sies, samesies.
I feel like your life has obviously not been easy.
You are open about like obviously feeling depression, anxiety and even a suicide attempt at age 20.
First of all, like, thank you for being open about that because when I was telling somebody downstairs before you got here, I was like, I love how people come together from your story.
And like you have built such a solid community because of being so vulnerable.
So thank you for doing that.
Thanks for saying that.
And I just was thinking about like what I would ask you about that.
And I was like, maybe if somebody's struggling out there that's listening or watching, when you were feeling that way, what is something that you wished people had asked or understood about what you were going through?
I think first it was impossible for anyone to know.
Yeah.
I think like growing up, you know, as a man in the South, I mean, you could be pretend to be or literally made a steal.
And I think when some things happen, your body will shut down for you.
You know, I refused to feel things.
I was decidedly numb.
And, like, for all of my life, you know, I ran from everything that ever happened to me.
And I think that, like, literally just cortisol.
Like, the stress will shut your heart muscle down.
We'll shut your brain down.
And so it wasn't just the things that I lost.
It was I lost my mind, too.
I lost myself, too, you know, and so.
And how old were you, 20?
Yeah, probably, 20 or 21 when I was on the bridge.
I can't remember exactly that.
Probably, it was definitely one of those years.
Do you mean, like, physically on a bridge?
Yeah, absolutely.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
Yeah.
God pulled me back over,
concrete ledge,
yeah,
yeah.
I want to cry.
Yeah.
I,
I had been fighting my mind for,
for years.
Like,
I mean,
I was,
I was suicidal for years.
Like,
I was,
I was depressed.
I was dealing with things
that I didn't even know
were diagnosable at the time.
I just,
you know,
growing up where I grew up,
there was no such thing
as resources for mental health.
There wasn't something like,
I was like,
if this is what depression,
if this is what anxiety is,
if this is what any of it,
like,
holy shit.
Like,
it was just it was unspeakable darkness but my mind wasn't a safe place i was definitely you know
threats myself i was in and out of the hospital and yeah i think at some point like i was just like
you know decided to take the leap you know i was ready to do it and it's hard to know like what
what i would say because i think everybody's situation is different usually if you're in that
spot like i didn't want to die yeah like i truthfully never i was afraid to die
I was so miserable, I didn't want to feel like that anymore.
And so I thought it was the only way to escape the feeling.
It was the only way to escape the circumstances.
And so I think a lot of people that I've talked to that have also been the same boat,
that's how it is.
It's like you don't necessarily want to die.
It's just I don't want to feel like this anymore.
And this might be the only way that that seems like a solution.
When I was pulled back over, it was like the first time being seen, you know?
Wow.
Was it somebody physically that pulled you back over?
There was somebody physically pulled me back over.
Yeah, yeah.
Wow.
Yeah, it was.
And they didn't know you.
obviously. No, they did. Yeah, yeah. It's a friend of mine. Okay. Wow. And we're still
friends, by the way. I was just in Charlotte a couple months ago. And he probably knew something
was wrong. I don't know how to what extent. Like, you know, I don't think at that point I had
told anybody, but we're talking two or three in the morning. You know, I'm downtown the city
of Louisville. I had just been, I had climbed this fire escape and I'm looking out over the city,
just trying to think of beautiful things, trying to be like, no, there's one reason to
hold on and I'm on literally on top of this building like looking out over the city I'm like there's
nothing I can't find a damn thing to and uh climbed down I found a bridge and um solid concrete
underneath it and uh I was sitting there not sitting there I was standing over the ledge
and I was just like you know let's see can I get my toes over can I get half my foot over
can I get you know how close and I got to the point where I'm like having a conversation with God
like where at this point I don't even have to take a step my like just the wind could blow me
you know and um literally like saying god i don't i don't even believe in you anymore like i don't
believe in anything and but i think if if you are there i'm about to meet you and i'm sorry for that
but i just don't see any other way god and um so if if you are real please forgive me for this
you know and looking back it feels like eternity it could have been milliseconds it could have been
five minutes but no words were said i just feel these two arms come up from underneath me
and all of a sudden i'm horizontal over this you know probably
like three and a half foot ledge pull back over gives me a hug totally silent until uh you know
i'm like i think i'm just kind of out of it like i don't really realize what's happened yet i remember
in the moment in the moment like because i'm totally in another world i was like is this an angel
yeah yeah it is yeah but i get what you're saying yeah and um look up this is tall guys
my friend you know he's um how did he know to come there we had been out that night
A little earlier, I think he was on a date with a girl, we'd split up.
I don't know if it was just having, like, we were in the park at the same time.
I think even from that distance, he couldn't have known it was me.
Yeah, yeah.
Like he's like, it was a silhouette, you know, of a guy standing over a bridge, probably
a quarter mile away, and he just takes off from him.
I don't know exactly.
I've talked to him about his experience recently, and I think something that hurt me about
it was he didn't feel like what he did was as miraculous as I thought it was.
Really?
I was like, man, that's the most miraculous thing
that's ever happened to me.
And I think, but I understood it because I think that, like,
you know, I'm out here on a journey to help people now, too.
And I'm out here trying to do whatever I can
and take this story and make it mean something.
But we probably do stuff every day for somebody else
that might be miraculous to them
because we don't know what kind of place
that they're in in their lives.
Yeah.
And we don't get to feel that, like, what we did.
And he literally saved my life.
Yeah.
Like, I mean, I wouldn't be talking to you right now.
I wouldn't have signed a record.
deal wouldn't be putting out music travel in the country like selling out crazy tours like none of it
none of it and and so to go back to your question truthfully i think what i would say would be
imagine a life where you don't feel like this anymore not because you're dead but because you won
yeah yeah because you beat it like because if i were at that moment to try to imagine where i meant
it just wouldn't make any sense but like you're crazy right yeah nobody can see light at the end of that
tunnel.
Yeah.
It's like that feels like the impossible, but you're obviously here to tell people
it is possible.
Absolutely.
Your brain doesn't allow you to accept love in that place.
It doesn't allow you to accept possibilities in that place.
It doesn't allow you to accept the fact that this is a human experience.
Like, I mean, it can get worse.
It can stay the same.
It can also get better.
Right.
And throughout this journey, I mean, that was, you know, 10 years ago.
It wasn't all roses.
Like it hurt like hell for a while.
It was horrible, like trying to heal.
was so painful. There were so many things that I had to feel for the first time.
Well, yeah, you're, you're, because that would be obviously part of a healing journey is
digging really deep and starting to unleash those inner demons and like the shadows and all
the stuff you've put away in this closet for so long. Yeah. Did you do like lots of therapy? Was it
through songwriting and like, how did you heal? So many different things. And I know you're still on a
journey because we all are. Yeah. Honestly, all of it. I've just, I think what I would say to anybody is just
stay curious because the answer is going to be different for everyone because what happened to me
isn't what happened to you right and what you're what i went through isn't necessarily what you're going
through and there's some people who may have gone through the exact same thing yeah i know that mine was
you know my brain felt so sick i didn't think i could ever feel normal again just all the wires
got crossed and you know between daily panic attacks and you know just the constant dread and depression
and a mix of you know a lot of big words that i don't still understand yet but um yeah i did
therapy. I took medication for a long time. I, uh, I, uh, I wasn't out of the hospital for a while.
Like I, you know, that's a part of my story that I hate to admit. But, um, I just kept trying.
Yeah. No, that's. I'm really glad you did. Yeah. Yeah. Cause I mean, I'm not ever trying to
compare stories. I'm just trying to relate to like, I remember just like awful. I had to go on medication
as well because I was just like in such a dark place. Daily panic attacks too. Like I really went
through it. Medication, I swear, save my life now therapy and like everything like that. But I like can't
even believe because 10 years goes by so fast. But the amount that you can like evolve and heal and
grow in 10 years is like insane. But people think that's like, oh, that's such a long time. But it's all
these, I always call it micro shifts in like the 10 years that you don't even realize sometimes
what you're doing to heal yourself. And being able to look back on those this last decade must just,
you must feel like really proud of yourself too.
unbelievably. Yeah. Yeah. It's two totally different people. And thank you for sharing that part
of you. It always helps you know you're talking to somebody that. I think the hardest thing,
like one of the hardest things when you're in that space is like when you share a tiny bit
of information for the first time, you just get hit back with a blank stare.
Like somebody's like, what the hell are you talking about? And you're just like, oh, I am crazy.
Yeah. You're validating me. This is bad. And I think I am glad that it's so much, so much easier
to talk about now. I feel like people do talk about it more. People do talk about it more. And I feel like
because you're probably seeing on such a, like, greater platform, you're hearing other people's
stories, which must feel heavy and, like, liberating at the same time because, like, somebody
just wrote me a letter when I was at the show and she handed it to me. And reading it
backstage, I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, what a beautiful thing to read. And I take on a lot.
Like, I carried that with me. And I was just, like, so grateful for her sharing that with me.
But it's like you probably get those hourly. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, get a lot of.
messages online.
Yeah.
And then, you know, there's the letters in person that are just, or the silent hugs even
or like somebody wrote me something on a napkin.
Like you saved my life and it's just like, what?
Like I, it's crazy.
Yeah.
But I get it at the same time.
Yeah.
Because when you're in that place, you just need somebody to tell you that it's going to be all right,
you know?
Especially through music.
I feel like I said this when I was on stage the other night in Florida.
I was like, I just always think like music creates so much connection and like,
everybody's just in this one big area, just feeling the same music, you know, like,
and what you write might mean something to this person that might mean something different
to that person, and it's like, but everyone's feeling the same emotions.
Isn't that crazy?
It's so cool.
And it's just like, it's such a, like, powerful thing to think of because, like, how big is
the biggest stadium you've ever played?
I don't know about the stadium, but the most amount of people we played, it was probably 10, 15,000.
Like, that's crazy if you think about that.
Like, that many people, I mean, even let's say Taylor Swift, too, sold out like a 70,000,
thousand. If you think about that many people all in the same area, feeling like joy, feeling
sadness, feeling this all the same time. Like, that's so cool. Isn't that crazy? It is. I just love music
so much. I think it's so, so crazy. And I mean, beyond that, you've also, like you, your father passed
from addiction. And then right after dealing with your loss of your father, you suffer a head
injury in college that lost your scholarship. Like that is all a lot of things that's like not,
I always call it big tea and small tea trauma. Like that is like all big tea trauma that you're going through.
What time was that around?
It was all around the same time.
Oh, my gosh.
Yeah, so Dad Odeed, it was like my first week in college.
Like, I think I had just turned 18.
Gosh.
And my whole family, this is what we did.
We strength trained.
That's just like, so like.
Yeah, I was going to ask you about that too.
And I feel like a lot of this, you know, I talk, it seems like it feels like I'm talking about my dad a lot.
But when he was sober, he was awesome.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
And I think that's what was so confusing is like, you know, growing up, it was dad's good.
dad relapsed. Dad's good. Dad's good. Dad relapsed. And so, you know, and there were a lot of
violent things that happened in between. But, you know, when he OD'd, I think it changed something
in me like faith-wise, like a fundamental belief that like the universe was in my favor or something
and like all of a sudden it wasn't. And then, yeah, so we had always done strength training.
Like my dad was this massive, like six foot two, 300 pounds. Just muscle. That's where that came in.
Okay. And so my pap ball was an Olympic weight lift. My dad was a power.
power lifter and then I was too.
So like, I mean, we just strength.
That's what we did.
Like in seventh grade, I was benching 225.
Like, I mean, I was in the gym as a kid, like four years old.
And so go to high school, Wednesday, you know, pound for pound, strongest kid in the
state.
I'm getting these offers to go to colleges that joined their Olympic weightlifting programs.
And I ended up going to the University of Louisville because I was in love.
I had to cut my high school sweetheart.
And I was like, well, if we go the same school, we'll be together forever.
Didn't happen.
Never does.
But yeah.
So I was in my first year there when I,
I did a cleaning jerk and I passed out of the top, hit my head, woke up in a casketing machine.
I saw the video. Oh, you did? Oh, shit. You know, yeah.
I saw the video and I, like, I got secondhand anxiety. Like, I was like, am I going to fall over?
Yeah, yeah. Oh, my gosh. Yeah, that was how, you were like standing straight up too. And you fell completely backwards.
That was panic attack?
No, I just passed out.
You just passed out.
I just passed out.
Like, I think at that point in my life, I don't know if I'd ever have a, had a full panic attack.
Oh.
Like, I definitely had, like, anxiety when I was a kid, but, like, the panic attacks didn't start
probably saw after that accident.
And I didn't know, like, there's probably so much that I experienced that was probably
a reaction to the concussion that I had.
Absolutely.
Like, and, but it was a small town hospital, like, gave me drugs, put me to neck brace,
kind of sent me on my way.
There wasn't a lot of, like, follow-up care.
And so there was a, there was a,
year there that like I have almost no memory of. Well, yeah. And also are they just handing out like
pain pills? Like no. I don't know what they gave me. It was probably anxiety. It was probably like
colonopin or something, which I've taken since then. It's incredible. You know, got to be careful
with it. But it's also saved my life. Yes, exactly. It's an interesting relationship.
But yeah, I don't remember exactly what I was taking, but I remember my head hurt a lot. I remember
I had trouble remembering things. Well, that's, I mean, look at all the
athletes out there that who injure their head too many times and suffer like really bad mental
health and depression and like don't sometimes they I mean now they have people like studying that
kind of thing but back then like you didn't know why I had no clue I had no when I woke up I didn't
know who I was I didn't know who my family was I didn't yeah like just no no recollection of
humanity yeah I mean I woke in a casket machine with you know the the lights and everything and
when I went home I was terrified for
my grandparents to find out. And I remember like when I woke up, I had them call my girlfriend
and my old buddies to come pick me up from the hospital. And I'm just whacked out of my mind
on drugs at the time. And so like I'm like flirting with the nurses in front of my girlfriend.
Like I mean, it's bad. Like yeah. And they're like, he's on drugs. He's on drugs. And but I get
home to my grandparents' house eventually and, you know, my mom's like, well, we probably just
need some food. Yeah. Taking a waffle house or everything. They're like, no, this is actually
something that happened. And then, of course,
showed him the video.
And I think my pat-balls reaction was the most gut-wrenching.
Like, this was, you got to remember that weightlifting was something we had done together
all of my life.
He was my coach,
he was my trainer.
We won nationals together.
Like, he was always with me.
And he watched the video, and he said, you're done.
And I was like, what do you mean?
He's like, I'm not burying another son.
And he's like, you know, you're lucky to be alive.
And so my grandparents, they lost two sons.
It was my Uncle Ricky and my dad.
Oh, God.
And so my whole life, like growing up with them is just, you know, I'm in a house bombarded
with grief.
Like, they had just been through hell and back.
I mean, they always see, like, their parents and grandparents aren't supposed to
bury their kids.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so I think I was just like carrying a lot of shit that I just wasn't able to talk about.
No kidding.
No kidding.
The big T stuff.
The big T stuff.
Really, really big T stuff.
Yeah.
That's, and then because of that, though, you vowed to work your way back up to bench press
250.
which I also saw that video by the time of the album release.
This album release?
Yeah.
Was it this one?
Oh my gosh.
So obviously it's like symbolic to you and a personal milestone and you achieved it,
which congratulations.
Thank you.
That was awesome.
I was like cheering for you watching the video and then you snuck in that fall when I was like,
not again.
That was awful.
But that explains why that is so personal and important to you that you did that.
I mean, that's already a huge accomplishment, but because of what you've went through
And, you know, even anxiety to go back to a gym, I would feel like.
Yeah, I had a panic attack every time I walked into a gym for 10 years.
And I didn't get that.
Yeah, you hear those stories of like somebody got in a dirt bike accident and they can't get on dirt bike.
And you're like, really?
Like, come on.
Like, that was how I grew up.
Like, you always get back on the horse.
Right, right.
And this was one thing.
We're getting back on the horse.
This wasn't a thing, you know.
And, yeah, doing the two feet.
It was a full circle moment for me because I had to totally reinvent myself after that.
Well, I think people get really crippled with anxiety and panic attacks.
What is something that you do to work?
through those. If you can, like, show up to the gym and get, you have a panic attack every time
or you're having anxiety every time. What do you do to walk through that? How do you help yourself?
It's a great question. And I want to, I've just been thinking about this last few days. I want to say
why, how important that question is and like why is that like, I'm a grown man. And when it
hijacks my brain, it's almost impossible. And so I think there's so many teenagers and kids and
young people that are going through this now. Yeah. That may have little to know resources.
And are like, and I know how bad it can be because I was one of them.
but it's like man imagine going through this with no clue what it is right imagine going through
this again with no idea of what's happening to you yeah and so now it's like I have all of the
knowledge like I've been through eight years of therapy I've taken all the drugs I've I've done
everything right and I still sometimes go through it yeah and so I've just been thinking about man
what can I do to help the people who have no clue like what might be happening like how do you
stop that hijack and you know for me it's it's different every time but it's a lot of times it's
it's just feeling safe in your body.
If you got to remember that the panic started here,
call it out what it is.
Like, hey, this is anxiety.
It's not actual imminent death.
It feels like I'm going to die right now.
There's nothing I can do about it.
But that's not what it is.
It's actually your brain lying to you.
And it's believing it that it's causing the fear dump,
the adrenaline dump.
And so the heart beating, the hand sweating,
the brain spinning, you're crazy.
That's all an evolutionary response.
You know, that's your body saying,
no, we got to stay alive, whatever it takes.
Protection, yeah.
But it's, you might have just had to.
send a scary email. You know what I mean? That's my favorite thought when I have anxiety is that I'm like
I always say my brain's supposed to be on the same team as me but right now it's not. It's lying to me
but that's a comforting thought to me to know that that's a lie. And if we don't believe that like
we lie to ourselves all the time about bad things. So of course like that's yeah, that's a real thing
that our brain does that to us. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. But that's I guess just knowing like this is what
it is. Call it out. Call it out. I'm safe. Trying to, you know,
yeah I feel safe like I'll stretch I'll take deep breaths it just depends on the on the scenario
I'll go play with my dog a lot of times it's getting back into the real world you know doing something
that feels like crazy like with dipping your hand in cold water facing cold water something that's like
what can I do immediately to create a stronger sensation than my heart beating out of my chest you know
I get it really bad in the middle of the night I get really bad intrusive thoughts and I'll stand up
and shake my whole body just to like get out of it which is probably what your body wants to do
yeah yeah but like we're talking like no that
That's crazy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Like, if I were to get up and shake, that makes me insane.
Like, no.
The guy that was sleeping next to me was like, you're okay?
I'm like, go back to bed.
Hey, but isn't it cool?
Like, if you can find somebody who's like, you can be like, yeah, I'm just having anxiety.
And they're like, oh, okay, I get it.
You know what I mean?
Yes.
I think that is important because I'm like, I don't think mine's going away.
It's definitely gotten better, but I don't think it's going away.
So whoever is sleeping next me might have to know about my, the tricks to the trade of having anxiety.
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Because of everything you've been through, you've said that your music is obviously about giving hope and breaking stigmas around mental health, which I was thinking about like, what other musician does that?
I haven't heard of anyone.
So I love that you're doing that.
And obviously people's response has been amazing to it.
Appreciate you saying that.
I think there's been some trailblazers.
You know, I think someone like Jelly Roll, obviously, has a bit of a different story.
I've never been behind bars.
I probably should have a couple times.
But like, you know, he's such a light to people who have needed a second chance.
Yeah.
You know, and I think what's interesting about that too is like, you know, his story was, I see my dad in his story.
You know, it's like my dad was in and out all growing up and there was this, you know, violence and all that.
And so, like, I think mine is the impacts of the kid who grew up in that environment and the things that I've had to deal with and also substance abuse issues as well in my avoidance process of all the things I was going through.
But it is amazing to hear the stories of people connecting with it because I hate being vulnerable.
Like, honestly, like...
That's crazy.
I can't stand it.
It's like my body feels like I'm on fire when I'm talking about, like, stuff.
And, but I just have this motivation that is relentless.
that it is the reason I'm alive to do this.
Like I was in a very unfortunate position to where I had to deal with a brain
that felt like it was on fire.
And I was saved from that.
A lot of people aren't.
And I got to experience something really, really positive on the other side of that.
And so if I think it's almost like a responsibility to go out and be like, hey, hey, hey, hold up.
Don't do that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, you're doing it.
And tell us about the Lost Ones Club.
What is your vision for that community?
So something that happened for me when I sort of released in music that I didn't expect was exactly what we talked about, is that, you know, you go through this life thinking, you might go through some things that you might think I'm the only person in the world who has ever felt this bad, who has ever felt like this particular way.
And so I wrote music about that.
And then you see people connect with it from all over the world.
And they're coming with their own experiences, but a lot of similar and familiar experiences.
And I just had so many of those silent hugs in the meet and green lines where I'm like, I know exactly what they're trying to say.
They don't have the words for it yet, but I know what they're feeling because I felt that too.
And so what was healing for me was the proof that I wasn't alone because I feel like you're not alone that gets thrown out a lot.
It feels like a bumper sticker.
A lot of guys particularly like I don't know what that means.
Like it how do you prove that to somebody?
How do you go out and prove what does you're not alone really mean?
Yeah.
And so someone that was healing for me was that my grief had a witness with all these people out here.
And so my goal is with the Lawson's Club is to give those folks a witness to what they've been through and to have their stories be shared because they're important too.
Yeah.
And let them feel the healing power of not being alone.
Because it's interesting that you kind of said this, but like your story might not look like my story.
And it's, but everyone has that same dark feeling.
Like everyone can relate to the feeling, maybe not the same story, but the same feeling.
Yeah. Yeah. And I remember hearing you say something on a video, too, where you were confusing excitement with, was that the workout video? Yeah. Yeah, it was. Yeah. Confusing excitement with anxiety, I think happens to a lot of people too. Thanks for doing, like, like seeing my stuff. I really appreciate that. That's amazing. Thank you. I was going to tell you, by the way, my girlfriend is a massive fan of you. Is she really? So the first, the first season of The Bachelor, I think that she ever watched was your season. And then she watched the one, I think you were on another season, right? When you were the actually the person. Yes. Yes. She won.
Yeah, she wanted to tell you that.
Oh, she was a big fan.
You'll have to tell me her Instagram after I'll DM her because that's so sweet.
She would love that.
She'd freak out.
So your debut album, Lost Ones, released in September, every track co-written by you.
How did creating this album feel?
Because, like, you say you get anxiety feeling vulnerable, but the album's so vulnerable.
So how did you work through that?
Was that kind of therapeutic for you?
People ask how I write the songs, like, is it like just this crazy dark room?
I'm like, no, like we're laughing the whole time.
It's almost impossible for me to get that vulnerable in that deep in a room where we're talking
about my story the whole time because like even right now, there's no way I could write a song
right now. It's so heavy. Oh my God. Pino's helping. This is amazing. Thank you so much. You know,
you know that I was having trouble. Thank you. Yeah. I swear he does that when people are like talking
about things where I'm like, how did you know how to do that? Yeah. That's freaking awesome.
Yeah. You need one of those in your writing room. Well, so my German Shepherd, he'll do that. He'll lay on top of
I'm like, this is the best, like, anxiety blanket you could have.
It truly.
That's just the weight of the babies on me.
I'm like, yes.
And what's crazy is like, I had not had a lick of responsibility in my adult life until we found him.
Really?
Yeah, yeah.
And then he just kind of came along and.
You know, you're in the shot.
Save me.
Writing, like, even for me, just journaling.
Yeah.
Or co-writing a song that I've done.
Like anything, I feel like I'm always so in my head at the beginning.
And then five hours later, I'm like, I don't want to stop.
I want to keep going.
This is amazing.
But it does, like, I also like, laughter and dark.
times so I feel like that just naturally happens because I feel like musicians can go there too
you know like you can you can say how you're feeling you can laugh about certain dark things
and you can move forward and write about it and you know move to the next thing yeah my favorite
thing to do like in my off time is stand-up comedy like not me personally but like to watch it
so like we'll go to zanis a couple times a month when I'm off the road like I'll fall asleep to
stand-up comedy on TV oh funny so yeah it's like just dark since humor yeah I've guided me through
most of my life I am the same I am the same way my mom is always like
Who made you like that?
Like, I love dark humor.
She's like, she does another time.
Your single Burned Down Heaven is obviously climbing country radio charts, which is so exciting.
What is that song about?
Why is it doing so well?
Well, it's about breaking somebody's heart and what that feels like.
I think after that year of my life, like when everything kind of came crashing down,
I was so desperate for anyone to love me.
Yeah.
And I put myself in some really shitty positions with people that I shouldn't have.
And it's horrible.
Like having to break somebody's heart
It's one of the worst feelings I want
Nobody prepared me for that
Like I tried doing it 30 times
On national television
Yeah there you go
I didn't think about that
Yeah that sucks
Yeah I'm sorry for you
That sucks
Actually I only think like
You really got heartbroken
The rest we're like
See you
Dude I almost always rather
Get my heart broke
Than then have to go
I ask that to people sometimes
Like would you rather be loved
And never be loved in return
Or love and with the opposite
Well it if it's with your identity
Like how you think about yourself
Because like if you
If you're the one constantly doing the break
than you think I'm broken like I I it's impossible for me to love to experience what it
feels like to love somebody I think that's how I felt like I was like is my heart like yeah messed up
like am I not capable and so uh yeah is and so you know when you hurt somebody like that and
just even just ending something that you know breaking somebody's heart it I thought I was thinking
about you know when in my life have I felt like I did the worst thing imaginable like you know
burning down to heaven like that's a terrible thing to do you know God and angels pointing their finger at you
you know, I got all these flashbacks of really that year of my life when, you know, I walked
away from somebody after, really, my own mental health struggle has gotten away, just couldn't do it.
Well, that'll happen.
But that person was devastated, and I couldn't even let them know how devastated I was because
that would make it worse.
Right.
You're like, let me make it about me.
Yeah, exactly.
Like, hey, I know that you're hurting.
Let me talk more about me right now.
Like, let me write a number one hit song about it.
But that's where all the good songs come from, you know?
Yeah.
Yeah, it must feel so cool to see it doing so well, though.
I'm proud of it that, like, I think what more so that I'm proud of is that I have worked so hard to take big emotions and turn it into words.
Because I think for so long, I didn't even know what I was feeling.
I just had a cavern in my chest.
I didn't know why.
And so, like, this whole process of, like, learning about who I am, why I feel the way that I feel and identifying feelings is, like, it's been really hard.
Yeah.
I know that sounds so simple, but, like, the way that I grew up, the way that I was raised and things that I went through, it was just not, that wasn't easily accessible for me.
okay let's take a moment to talk about the fact that fall is already here and that just happens to be my favorite season for fashion now as you know macy's makes it ridiculously easy to figure out your fall vibe because they have all the latest trends and the best brands all in one place so whether you're feeling romantic or you're feeling a little edgy they've got you covered i'm really eyeing this faux fur bomber jacket from carlagerfield paris going to be in heavy rotation and maybe some sam edelbleb
leather boots to finish it off. I think every girl needs a pair of leather knee high boots.
I'm already imagining like layering these romantic sheer tops, maybe adding like a little wild
animal print here there, maybe a belt, sprinkling in some jewelry for a little extra oomph.
Now Macy's fall fashion guide, as you know, makes it super easy to just pull together all of these
looks that just feel fresh, that feels elevated and totally you. Shop online at Macy's.com or in
store and just have some fun with your style this season.
All right, you guys, you know it. You know the holidays are coming up and I don't know about you,
but I love making my home feel festive and cozy if you haven't got it by now.
Without losing my mind on the process, by the way, and that's why I'm obsessed with Wayfair.
So whether it's refreshing my guest room, new bedding, new throat pillows, sprucing up the kitchen
with cookware that actually wows, or adding holiday touches like trees, wreaths, and even yard
inflatables. Yes, I do. Wayfair has everything you need for your home this season.
And I recently grabbed a few accent chairs and cozy throw blankets.
And honestly, it made my living room just feel like a whole new space.
Again, it's so easy.
And then the delivery, obviously fast, free, which is always a total lifesaver.
It's why I rely on Wayfair.
And the best part is Wayfair is something for every style and every budget.
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holidays for way less, head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R.com,
Wayfair, every style, every home.
And your EP, Blame It All on country music has sold out shows across the country. What's your
favorite performance memory? Because that's pretty freaking cool. Favorite performance memory.
But not to mention, what is Grammy.com named you like a rising star featured on Billboard people?
Hell yeah. That's great. Is that this week? Let's go. Come on. How do you have all to like press and attention? You're like, I don't really know what's happening. There's a lot of the moves. I mean, you know, people ask you like, are you taking it in? You take it in. It's kind of impossible to take it in. I think when you start doing this for a job and because you dream about this when you're a kid, you know, like I used to lay in my bed at night and just think about what I would do with my future in my life. I think already like I'm kind of past some of the things. Because you grew up poor in the middle of Kentucky. You think that will never be me.
dream. Yeah, that's not going to actually happen. And now that you're here, just kind of, I don't want to say
that your brain gets calloused. Honestly, and I hate to say this, I think that a lot of the big T stuff I went
through, I love that you say that, um, calloused my brain in some ways to make me prepared for,
humbled, I'm sure, too. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like I, I don't get the big head about that stuff.
Yeah, that's good. I can't, I can't imagine going home and bragging to my little brother and sister about like,
like I like that's their time like I yeah I'm so blessed to get to do this for a job like this is
such a bullshit thing to call a job everybody that I know and I mean that with sincerity like
everybody that I know like do I work hard yes absolutely do I work sometimes 16 18 hours a day
absolutely do I sometimes not sleep yes but at the end of the day it doesn't even feel like work
yeah it's it's a dream job and I don't think most people get the opportunity to say that and so like a lot
but a lot of people work hard yeah and there's still so much like you've worked through so much so
I'm like, I love that you didn't give up in many different ways.
You didn't give up when you had $11 in your account.
You didn't give up when you wanted to give up on life.
You fought through so many battles to get here too, which is a big part of like your success.
And honestly, I'm kind of seeing that like now.
Like my brain has shifted so much this year here in the songs that I wrote.
Also 30 is a big year for men's brains to shift.
Is it?
Okay.
Have you experienced that?
Like 29 into 30 is when, yeah.
you're only going to get better from here too.
You think so?
All right.
That's good.
Especially with your story and your humble, what is the word?
Humility.
That is the word I was looking for.
I appreciate that.
Yeah.
I want to get better.
I hope I get better.
You will.
You will because you want to.
Yeah.
Well, I want to have a family.
Like I think honestly like more than anything, like is the career the, what's crazy is
like when I met my girlfriend.
I actually had this conversation with her when we first got to get.
I was like, nobody will ever get in the way of my career.
career. And if you ever think that somebody will take, like step into place of that, like,
it's not going to happen. And like, along behold, there are other things that take priorities for me
now. And like, I find myself daydreaming about settling down and having a family. And like, those were
things that I didn't even think about. Isn't that crazy? Yes. That's wild. Welcome to your 30s.
Yeah. It's like, oh, what is this? Priorities to change. Love and empathy in my chest, you know.
Yes. But I think the biggest piece of that is like I want to be a good dad, you know, like I find myself afraid of
not being a man that is prepared to do all of the things that are required for that.
And it's like, okay, if that's my goal, if that's what I'm working towards, then let's take
the steps to do that, you know, obviously my career is one of those steps.
Totally.
And that can also, like, what a fun life, too, if you get to be like a traveling musician
and bring your kid on the road and to show your child, especially, like, the impact that
you're making through music.
It's not just music.
You're not just touring around, not that other artists are not making it.
impact but like that's your whole purpose yeah is seeing and then being able to see people come up to you
and you're like they're going to be like that's my dad yeah that'd be cool yeah I uh yeah I don't know
and what's crazy like you hear stories about kids that grow up and having bad relations of people who
have like you know quote unquote celebrity parents but like I think just being a safe person
you know is like kind of the goal like yes like people that can trust you depend on you and
well isn't it cool that you're you're growing into the person
that you needed as a kid.
Yeah.
That's such a cool thought
because you really are.
Yeah.
I feel like the people
that are doing the work
that go through hard stuff
and that want to be better
are always becoming the person
they needed when they were younger.
Yeah, I think you're right.
Which, that's a cool thought.
And then last but not least,
you're just going to open
for Jason Aldeen in October.
What?
Like, that's,
how excited are you for the road?
Do you like the road?
I love it, honestly.
And honestly, that's a scary thing.
It's like, I truly, truly love it.
Like, I mean,
mean, I think it was 2023. We did. We were gone all year. Yeah. And it still wasn't enough. Like,
really? I, I sleep well. You're born for this. Yeah. I sleep well when I'm busy. I can't explain
that. But like, when my mind is so tired that it can't have those intrusive thoughts at night.
It has no other option, but to shut off. I'm my best self. When I'm in fifth year, I'm my best self. And I'll be
interested to see how that like evolves. Yeah. But like, I genuinely enjoy what I do. Like, I can't imagine a life not
performing, not singing, not writing songs.
It is, it's everything I've ever wanted.
Yeah.
So it's, yeah.
You're doing it.
You're literally opening for Jason Aldine.
That's like the biggest country star.
First stadium show of my life.
Whoa.
And that's October.
October 10th.
So like tomorrow.
Yeah.
So where can people find tour dates?
Where can people find you?
Where can people find your music?
All that good stuff.
Chase medallium music.com.
Wait, say that slower.
Yeah, I was bad.
And I was like, Chase, one, what I don't say, well.
Yeah.
A little speech and better.
That's southern draw.
Pledge of it.
Chase McDaniel Music.com.
Yeah.
And then Chase McDaniel
anywhere else, I guess.
Awesome.
Well, it's really cool.
When we were talking about having you on the pod,
I listened and just went through like your Instagram
and obviously was doing my research.
And I was like,
it's really cool what you're doing.
Thank you so much.
Yeah, and you're very talented.
You're obviously born to do this
and tell your girlfriend, I say I love her.
I sure will.
Okay.
Thank you so much for having me on.
Yeah, of course.
This October, fear is free on Pluto TV with horror movie collections from paranormal activity, The Ring.
You will die in seven days.
Scream.
And from dusk till dawn.
This is my kind of place.
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There's something in the blood.
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I'm Justin Sylvester
And I'm Blakely Thornton
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