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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Starting point is 00:00:00 This episode of Off the Vine is brought to you by Boland Branch. For limited time, get 20% off bed bundles, plus free shipping and returns at bollandbranch.com slash vine 15. Bombas, head over to bombas.com slash vine and use code Vine for 20% off your first purchase. Hers, visit for hers, f-O-H-E-R-S dot com slash vine to get a personalized pre-menopause treatment plan that's right for you. Microperfumes, find your scent soulmate today and get up to 60% on. off at microperfumes.com slash vine.
Starting point is 00:00:33 Macy's shop Macy's fall fashion guide online or in store now and Wayfair. Get organized, refreshed, and ready for the holidays for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now and shop all things home. 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
Starting point is 00:01:10 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
Starting point is 00:01:50 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.
Starting point is 00:02:29 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.
Starting point is 00:02:46 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
Starting point is 00:03:23 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
Starting point is 00:04:03 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
Starting point is 00:04:35 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.
Starting point is 00:05:25 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
Starting point is 00:05:50 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.
Starting point is 00:06:10 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
Starting point is 00:06:28 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
Starting point is 00:07:08 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.
Starting point is 00:07:49 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
Starting point is 00:08:27 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
Starting point is 00:09:03 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
Starting point is 00:09:34 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
Starting point is 00:10:14 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
Starting point is 00:10:52 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
Starting point is 00:11:34 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
Starting point is 00:11:59 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
Starting point is 00:12:28 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,
Starting point is 00:13:00 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?
Starting point is 00:13:32 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.
Starting point is 00:13:43 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,
Starting point is 00:14:05 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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Starting point is 00:16:32 So for every item that you buy, they donate one to someone experiencing homelessness, like over 150 million items so far. So if you're ready to be cozy and do some good, head on over to Bombas.com slash Vine and use Code Vine for 20% off your first purchase. That's B-O-M-B-A-S dot com slash Vine. Code Vine at checkout. 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
Starting point is 00:17:09 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.
Starting point is 00:17:46 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.
Starting point is 00:18:23 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.
Starting point is 00:18:44 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.
Starting point is 00:18:54 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.
Starting point is 00:19:32 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.
Starting point is 00:19:58 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.
Starting point is 00:20:12 Do you mean, like, physically on a bridge? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. God pulled me back over,
Starting point is 00:20:18 concrete ledge, yeah, yeah. I want to cry. Yeah. I, I had been fighting my mind for, for years.
Starting point is 00:20:26 Like, I mean, I was, I was suicidal for years. Like, I was, I was depressed. I was dealing with things
Starting point is 00:20:33 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,
Starting point is 00:20:42 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
Starting point is 00:20:52 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,
Starting point is 00:21:24 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.
Starting point is 00:21:39 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
Starting point is 00:22:02 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
Starting point is 00:22:42 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
Starting point is 00:23:23 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
Starting point is 00:23:59 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,
Starting point is 00:24:18 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.
Starting point is 00:24:31 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
Starting point is 00:24:59 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.
Starting point is 00:25:22 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.
Starting point is 00:25:37 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
Starting point is 00:26:09 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.
Starting point is 00:26:49 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,
Starting point is 00:27:35 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
Starting point is 00:28:07 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.
Starting point is 00:28:39 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,
Starting point is 00:28:56 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?
Starting point is 00:29:19 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
Starting point is 00:29:46 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.
Starting point is 00:30:13 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.
Starting point is 00:30:31 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.
Starting point is 00:31:03 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.
Starting point is 00:31:19 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,
Starting point is 00:31:36 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.
Starting point is 00:32:00 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,
Starting point is 00:32:22 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
Starting point is 00:32:52 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
Starting point is 00:33:31 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.
Starting point is 00:34:02 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?
Starting point is 00:34:16 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.
Starting point is 00:34:34 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.
Starting point is 00:34:48 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.
Starting point is 00:35:00 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.
Starting point is 00:35:16 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?
Starting point is 00:35:38 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.
Starting point is 00:35:47 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
Starting point is 00:36:18 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
Starting point is 00:36:54 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.
Starting point is 00:37:06 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.
Starting point is 00:37:21 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,
Starting point is 00:37:54 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.
Starting point is 00:38:24 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.
Starting point is 00:38:38 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. Okay, this could not be more relatable to me right now. have you guys noticed changes in your sleep, your mood, your cycle, your sex drive, and wondered if it's maybe more than just stress?
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Starting point is 00:40:46 restrictions. All right, have you ever dropped $150 on a bottle of perfume, only to realize that you hate it? It's painful. And that's why I'm obsessed with micro perfumes. It is quite literally the easiest way to try a luxury fragrance without committing to a full bottle. So here's how it works. Microperfumes lets you sample designer scents like Dior, Tom Ford, Creed, Prada, YSL, all in these cute little pocket size vials. So I love YSL black opium and Versacee bright cream. crystal. Oh my gosh, they're so good. Both of them. I've actually been wearing both of those off and on for years. Actually, I switch between like four perfumes. But the best part is I can try them all before deciding which one is actually me. So no dupes, no knockoffs, actually the real deal. And shipping
Starting point is 00:41:30 is super fast. So I just keep a few in my bag for travel or nights out. And honestly, it is perfect for tossing in your carry-on. So you can switch sense on the go. Your fragrance literally introduces you before you even say a word, confidence, nostalgia, or bold energy all in a little vile. So why commit blind to a $200 bottle? Find your scent soulmate today and get up to 60% off at microperfumes.com slash vine. That's microperfumes.com slash vine for up to 60% off. 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.
Starting point is 00:42:15 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.
Starting point is 00:42:34 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.
Starting point is 00:43:06 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.
Starting point is 00:43:34 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.
Starting point is 00:44:02 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.
Starting point is 00:44:35 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.
Starting point is 00:45:04 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.
Starting point is 00:45:50 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
Starting point is 00:46:15 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.
Starting point is 00:46:44 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.
Starting point is 00:46:55 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
Starting point is 00:47:13 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.
Starting point is 00:47:41 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.
Starting point is 00:48:01 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
Starting point is 00:48:15 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
Starting point is 00:48:21 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
Starting point is 00:48:35 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
Starting point is 00:49:04 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.
Starting point is 00:49:26 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.
Starting point is 00:49:47 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.
Starting point is 00:50:41 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.
Starting point is 00:51:20 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.
Starting point is 00:51:50 And the best part is Wayfair is something for every style and every budget. It's all in one place. So whether you're hosting your family, decorating your kids' rooms, or just making your space feel festive, it's so easy to tackle your home goals without the stress. So get organized, refreshed, and ready for the hot. 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
Starting point is 00:52:25 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,
Starting point is 00:53:33 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.
Starting point is 00:54:07 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?
Starting point is 00:54:27 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.
Starting point is 00:54:41 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.
Starting point is 00:54:49 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.
Starting point is 00:55:19 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
Starting point is 00:55:53 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
Starting point is 00:56:26 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
Starting point is 00:56:35 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
Starting point is 00:56:46 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.
Starting point is 00:56:59 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.
Starting point is 00:57:33 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.
Starting point is 00:57:42 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.
Starting point is 00:57:52 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.
Starting point is 00:58:02 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.
Starting point is 00:58:13 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.
Starting point is 00:58:21 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. And don't miss the man-made nightmares in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or the world-ending chaos in 28 days later.
Starting point is 00:58:51 There's something in the blood. All the scares. All for free. Pluto TV. Stream now, pay never I'm Justin Sylvester And I'm Blakely Thornton Join us for yestergays The podcast where we break down
Starting point is 00:59:07 The most pivotal pop culture moments in history And give them the queer love that they deserve The things that got us riled up during dial-up Those makeouts that should have been breakouts And the drops that were cemented in pop I'm talking Benefer Tyra versus Naomi Tom Cruise jumping on that couch
Starting point is 00:59:24 And so much more So please rate us Subscribe to us on on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get audio-related content. We also take Memo and Cash App. A-C-H? Or credit card number as well. We're malleable.
Starting point is 00:59:37 Yeah, we're gay today.

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