The Bobby Bones Show - BOBBYCAST #615 - Vanessa Carlton on Why She Opens Concerts with ‘A Thousand Miles,’ Performing with Drake & Her Career Journey

Episode Date: May 28, 2026

Vanessa Carlton sits down with Bobby to look back on the moments that shaped her career, from the lasting impact of “A Thousand Miles” to why she still chooses to open her concerts with it. She also shares what it was like performing with Drake, rates her memorable first pitch performance, and tells the story of how a man in a castle helped launch her music career. Vanessa also talks about life on the road, why she tours with a fan, and how her relationship with her biggest song has evolved over the years. Watch The BobbyCast on Netflix! Follow on Instagram: @TheBobbyCast Follow on TikTok: @TheBobbyCastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Open your free IHeart Radio app. Search Joy 101 and listen now. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotopje is presented by CVS. There was no anything inside those eyes. They turned black. It scared the hell out of me. Evil, wake up. I'm the one that saw the murder take place by Krivac and DePippo.

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Our podcast is called Hey Jonas. We've here since everyone has a podcast, we want it to as well. And we've had some incredible guests so far. And now our good friend, Nile Horn, is joining the show. How's it going, boys? Hey, Niall. It was the same thing with Slow Hands. Slow Hands is not about anything else, really, is it?

You know, or taste so good can't be about food. You do the same, Nick, with some of the stuff that you've done. You too, Joe. Drop what you're doing and listen to Hey Jonas on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Everyone sees me as a football player. But before anything else, I'm human. Every single day, I'm still learning how to live with problems, mistakes, relationships, emotions ever since I was born. This isn't a normal podcast.

Everything here is spontaneous, real and genuine, just honest conversations about what it means to be alive. I'm Javier El Chicharito Hernandez and listen to Learning to Be Human on IHard Radio, Apple Podcasts, or whatever you get your podcast. His manager reached out to my manager and said, Will you come and sing at my show?

Did you? I was in rehearsal for a show. It was the same day as a show. I like Drake. Like, this would be fun and cool, but I can't do it. Today's guest is Vanessa Carlton. A thousand miles. That song rocks,

but her career goes way beyond that. back in the day, she started playing piano at two years old, spent the last two decades, constantly evolving, moving from pop success and more personal indie records, performing on Broadway, even scoring film. She has a new album out called Vails that is out now. She's been on the road with Stevie Nix. She is currently on her spring 2026 U.S. tour, and she's playing in the UK this summer. Big fan. I love Ordinary Day. I love 1,000 miles.

Here she is. It's the first time I've met her, Vanessa Carlton. How many new songs do you play? A lot of new songs, actually. Because I just was, you know, you get sick of your songs and you want to make it. You want to, you're presenting some, you're presenting an experience. You know what your, you know what your people want. And I've, it's just like, I don't want to let people down, you know, and I don't tour very often, too.

So I like, I know what they, there's so many different. types of people in my audience that I feel like as long as I get hit certain marks, I can do whatever I want. And they're like, they're with me, you know, and it's just me in the piano. So I just, for me too, you know, I don't want to get bored because if I'm not bored, I'm in it, I put on a better show, show for everybody. What are the marks that you feel like you have to hit? For them? Just the ones that I know are like fan favorites. Of course, a thousand miles. And I open with that. That's funny. So you can be done with it. Well, it's, it's not. just that it's also like because I've enjoyed singing that song recently I don't

know how that happened but you know what it is it's just I think understanding the reflection back from the world and what it means to other people and I it's like so I've been I've actually I really enjoyed singing it but the people that are coming just to check me out that have no idea who I am or whatever or just wanted to come and get a clip of something it's like releasing that like You got it. You don't have to stick. Like, you know, it's like I want to know that people are there because they want the experience of the show.

Can I make a judgment off of something that you just did? Sure. That's what we do. When you said a thousand miles, you kind of roll dries up. I rolled my eyes up. Yeah, you said. A thousand miles. Well, like this, like this.

When I do it, a thousand miles. Oh, my God. Did you get that on camera? I was looking at the light. I wasn't, I rolled my eyes at it. It was just kind of like a flutter up. That's ridiculous. I just wonder what you were.

So what is your, because of that, I give you a quick story. I was talking to Kenny Chesney recently and he has a song from beginning of his career. And he's like, I stopped playing it. I couldn't take it anymore. But then he's falling in love with it again, he said, because he hadn't played it in so long. Yeah. So I heard you say that and it felt a little bit like that. Yeah.

Is that what it is? Yeah, because I don't play it unless I'm on stage. But this is why I'm scared now of this podcast. Well, not this is all podcast because people, this is the problem with nowadays. No one has attention spans. they're going to come in and clip Vanessa. I won't clip your eye.

I won't clip your eye. And such a spoiled little cunt. She doesn't like her big song. Look at her. And you'll have like 90,000 people. Don't do it wrong. I'll clip this. You may say people are going to say this.

Yeah. Not true. That's what you clip. Yeah. Because people don't care. The context, people don't have time for context anymore. Have you noticed? I have noticed, yeah.

But life, it's all about context. We're storytellers. It's all about the full story. And we are living just like in flashes. So I'm complaining about the phones again, sorry. But anyway, Kenny Chesney. No, it's just the same thing you said. I think that's a familiar.

Yeah. I think it's a familiar version or season of an artist's career when they have something that blows up. love oh my god you know what not so bad possibly love again well because you have to go through this whole process of like oh my god i'm so lucky this happened we're human beings so we have a multitude of feelings about it it's just like what do you choose to share with the world and what do you keep private you know sometimes i'm an overshare which i've learned but also a relationship with music or anything we're doing is constantly involved

It's like, you know, we're changing. We're just, we're getting older. So I feel like the way that we look at everything we do is changing as you get older, you know? I think it's so fun that you played at the beginning, though, for that reason. Everybody can get it. They're not waiting by their phone. They're not even, well, we have a phone policy too, which we don't have, we're not like super hardcore.

We don't have like an envelope. But I do, in your, I have been to, I went to Amy Schumer's show and I went to Amy Schumer's show and I loved to end. They had the envelope, and it was a relief. It feels like a relief. So we don't offer that, but we do say, you know, please don't bring your phone out or whatever. Do you still see people sneaking it?

Do you look at them? I also see people. Sometimes you look up and you just see people like on their phones. I'm like, how much did you pay for this ticket? Like it doesn't. But then they'll be like the most enthusiastic at the signing and they wanted to be. but they weren't even, they don't even know they weren't even there. Or maybe you just put on a bad show and they're like, I cannot look at that.

You know, I don't know, but it's like, it's so curious to me. Do you like your crowd to be lit or dark? Dark. Because it sounds like you notice what's happening out there. I like my crowd to be so dark. I don't want to see them. There were times before I would go on and do my stand-up. If I could see them, I would go back to the lighting guy.

I'd be like, I want it totally. Totally down. I can't see anything. Right. Because I will make judgments about my sense. based on unfair. Right. Unfair movements or actions in the crowd.

They may love it, but it doesn't look like they love it. So I think they hate it. So then I start to get neurotic about it. Unfair movements. Exactly. It feels like an unfair movement. It's like you need the abyss. I want the abyss.

I do. And I think they like it better too because it's in a way more formal. If you can't see what other. You get too distracted by what someone's doing next to you too. And we have a decline in manners in general at the moment. So I think it's better if it's just we're dark, you know. I was lucky that we were able to say we were, I was doing stand up to do a special because I did a special so I could say no recording.

Because I don't want anything online because I don't want people like a joke can only be heard once. But that's right. That's it. And then it's not funny anymore. Oh my God. So it would be like no phones out for that reason because if you record it, I can't use it anymore. Exactly. So that part was great.

I love that. And there aren't little fireballs being lit up out there. That's what a phone is when it's dark. It's like, you ever go to a movie and people are on their phones? It's so rude. Have you been to a movie recently at all?

I saw, the last movie I saw was Avatar. One? Sydney. Avatar 1? M.A. of M.1. I could,

I started crying at the whales. I can't deal with the whales and Sydney was like laughing at me. I was like, I can't, I can't really go to the movies anymore. It's like overly emotional. But yes, I did see someone open their phone

and it's like a wowser. Wow, like a month ago, the guy was on the phone the whole time and it's just a big light in the room. Get out of here. Get out of here. Once a person was on a phone and was talking. I don't know about looking at me if you can tell him. I'm not much of a fighter. I know.

You mean an outward fighter? Like physical, right? Oh. But this dude would not stop on his phone and talking. And so I was like, shh. You're like, I'm going to punch you. And then he kept on and I was like, be quiet. So I said this.

thinking it's fully dark. They don't even know where be quiet's coming from. Wait, were you in the movie theater? Yeah. Yeah. So I'm like, be quiet. And so then I get a little nervous that I'm going to get beat up after the movie. But I was, I had a little rage in me because it's like you're being so rude to everybody. And also I thought it was hidden as to where I was, where it was coming from. So like three times, I'm like, quiet. Light comes on. I was yelling at like a seven-year-old girl the whole time. You were sounding like a seven-year-old girl? No, the person I was yelling was like a seven-year-old girl.

Oh, you were yelling at an adult man. Yeah. Got it. I was never going to get beat up, but then I was also yelling at a seven-year-old girl, and that was embarrassing. Was she with her dad? It wasn't her dad, though. It was her.

No, but she was with. This is exactly what I'm talking about. This is exactly what I'm talking about. Yeah. Anyway, I could complain about phones all day, so you don't. But we share this. If you play new music, how much new music you play when I mean, that was the original question here.

Like on this record, are you going to play? How many songs from the record would you play if you're doing a show? Well, it's interesting because I sort of have to relearn the songs in a manner that works for piano vocal. So I wrote them all on the piano, and then we arranged them. Dave and John and I, I worked with Dave Friedman on this record, who is a great producer and he's a great studio in Ferdonia. And he's, like, people know him most for, first of all, he's in Mercury Rev, great band. And he produced all the Flaming Lips Records. And then most recently, like MGMT.

And then he's a bunch of newer stuff, but I'm so out of it that I don't. So, but we arrange and create all these melodies and layers in the studio. And then I have to go back if I'm going to touring, just me in the piano. It's like I have to relearn the song in a manner that's incorporating some of the stuff that we create, we did in the studio. You know, so for me, it's like what works best like that from the record. But I play like Agony of the Flower. I play Vails. I play I'm Not Dead.

I play Woke Up High. I play animal. I play a lot of stuff from veils and everyone seems to like it. So what is your favorite song to play period right now? Great House. Why? I think just emotionally. hits me the most, I think of my grandfather. It's like it's, it's, it's, it's, that's the song for me right now.

Does it make any emotional think about it? Yeah, it is emotional. And it's like, I don't know, maybe it's just this time in my life, mid 40s that when I reflect on childhood and what form, what, what, what forms us, like the experiences that form us, it's, it's, it's really emotional. to go back and see how this all works. I want to ask a really self-indulgent question that I didn't even think about until right now because you and I were talking about counting crows before we started this, my favorite band ever.

Great band. On, I think, the Hard Candy album, you were on the extra track at the end. Oh, right. I forgot about that. And when that record first came out, you had to hold the CD down to get it to skip through because it was the secret track, the Joni Mitchell.

Oh, my God. See, I miss... Well, you didn't have to hold it down. You could wait. Okay, if you don't wait 12 minutes in silence. 12 minutes? Yeah, whatever it was. Yeah, it was very...

They didn't like that. I don't know. 12 minutes? Whatever it was. It could not have been. The last song ends and five minutes goes by and then it starts to play. I think it's 60 seconds. I would bet you it's longer than that.

That's a bet I would take. We'll have to ask Adam. He'd be like, what? What are you talking about? But then that song became like a... single on a hit. Was that not going to be a single? Yeah, I don't know. They just asked me to sing on it.

Did you like singing on that one? You ever play that one? It was like, no, and it was, I sang it on the road in Florida and I never got to meet them. I didn't meet them until after. I didn't meet Adam until after. You sang in a studio on the road? Yeah. How'd you

feel about it? Good? I was so excited to be asked to sing with the cat and crows. Are you kidding? August and everything after, I was like, I couldn't believe it. It was really cool. But even in the video, I never got to admit. It was all done separate. Adam said the same thing.

I was like, I don't know. Like, it would be nice to meet him someday, you know, like. So. But then we did me and we're friends. He's just, I mean, years have gone by where I haven't spoken to him, but he's just, he's a good guy. Let's take a quick pause for a message from our sponsor. And we're back on the Bobbycast. I've been listened to your record the last, at least the last week with you coming in.

I want to ask a question. This is not going to be, everybody watching, just listen for one second. They have to listen. Do you use a lot of synth? Is it more synth than normal? Yeah. When I was listening to this record, especially if you just start from track one, I didn't hit Jumble, I just hit from down. It felt like a lot of synth early on.

Does you use more synth than this than your last records? Oh my God. I'm trying to remember the name of her. I love the sound. what is it? It's something bones. It's something bones. That's the name of the synth sound and it's on the Nord. Oh my God. But I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy, right? Like a significant amount of synth. I like the sound of this record. It's keys. It's like just changing the tone of the keys. I saw Ben Folds play a whole concert with those little synth player. It was one of the best concepts I've ever seen. What did he play? Which is like a keyboard. Yeah. Keyboard. Yes. But one of those very small. small. I don't. Oh, okay. That's, um, it's probably like a very authentic synthesizer. Like the Nord,

when I talk about the Nord, it's, it's mimicking the sounds of like those, you know, 80s synth sounds. Is it like a banjo? It's not really a banjo, but it's a guitar with the, so it sounds like a banjo. No. No. So it's, but it doesn't, yeah. If you go so deep, I don't know, like you lost me with that description. But I, I, I did? Yeah, a little bit. When you, you, I just thought it sounded very synthy. I'm not a very tech person either, so that's like probably the threshold of what I know. But I know there's real synthesizers. I mean, these are real, but this is now the math side of things, you know, the more tech side of things.

So I'm with you. Are you able to hear something and like see it and then play it back? My wife has the ability to hear a word and see it in her head backward and she can spell everything backward. and then I have some friends musically that can hear stuff, but they see either numbers or colors. Do you have anything like that? No. But if I, my memory works in a way where, like, my strongest memory is melody. Hear it.

You remember it for a long time. I remember it. I'll remember it over someone telling a story. Like, you know, it's just my strongest point of memory is, um, melodic. Would you ever remember stuff in school and put a melody to things so you could remember it? That would have been helpful.

That would have. I didn't think of that. Like sing. I'll do that for young kids. Don't they sing? Well, think about the alphabet. Yeah. And they just changed that recently.

Did you know that? They changed the melody of it. They changed the melody of the alphabet? Of ABC. Yeah. To what? Because it used to be element O-P. Yeah.

And now... Element. They kids think it's elemento as a word. So they've changed it up. They've changed it up. I want to see your first pitch. Why would they change it up? Just explain what it is.

I'm upset about this if this is real. Okay, let's see. Okay, watch. Are you watching him watch my first pitch? Vanessa Carlton. Are you filming this, him? First, yes. Pitch.

See what AI says. Okay. Singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton throughout the ceremonial first pitch. May 1st, 2026. Oh, you just did this recently. Yes. You still got it then.

The event took place in Bush Stadium. I still got it. Yes. It coincided with her Vails, Eastern U.S. tour. Social media coverage. Noted that her throw was well received when Carlton herself expressed that she exceeded her own expectations. What?

I did not say that. Oh, yeah, maybe I did say something like that. No, what did I say? I don't know. Did I exceed my own expectations? Did you play ball as a kid at all? Yes. I did exceed my own expectations, but I didn't say that.

So what I'm saying is AI changed what the social media said every single time because I'm testing. I'm watching it. I tested the overview. Oh, here we go. Okay. You didn't even bounce it. You didn't hear what he said. Wait, listen to what he said about me.

Did you hear what he said about me? I couldn't believe. Wow. And you were back on the mound. Yeah. Like you didn't even take the cheap way out. I hit what one calls a, I mean I hit. Oh no, you lost credit right?

When did I ever have it? I threw what one calls a moon ball according to Google. I didn't think it was very moony. I thought it was good. Oh, is that, is moon bad? No, it just means it up high. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, no.

Well, because my godson is a really good baseball player, and he's like eight. And he just, I was like, Sebastian, how do I not embarrass myself? Like, what do I do? He's like, just go for the arc. Yeah, most people balance it because they think it's shorter than it is. Why did you agree to do that? Had you ever done that before? I don't know.

I just was like, I thought it was a cool thing to do. And I thought, I think I was an idiot because after I did it, I was like, wow, this could have been so much more embarrassing than I ever thought. First pitches. It wasn't. Because I've thrown out a few. There's really no gain from them, but there's always a lot of shame if you don't hit it.

Because they get played on the internet forever. I have friends that were sing the national anthem, and they say, listen, they love the country, but they don't like singing the national anthem because if you nail it, there's no massive benefit. People aren't celebrating you, but if you mess it up, you're tortured. That is a perfect analogy. It's just like the national anthem.

So wait, how is your throes? How are your pitches? There we go. Am I losing credibility? because I'm saying throws? No. Okay. No.

You threw it really well. All I can, thank you. All I can say is after leaving that field, I was like, under no circumstance, do I ever want any of these guys to throw a ball at me? Never. Because. I will throw a ball at them. You watched them throw? Yeah.

That's scary. Yeah. You got to get out of there. Did you play sports as a kid? Soccer. I was really into ballet. So, but I wanted, I liked soccer and I played a little softball, but then I got an injury when I was playing soccer and I was like getting in the way of my ballet classes. So I just, I dropped it. How long did you dance?

I danced from when, like, I could start moving until I sort of quit the School of American Ballet when I graduated at 17. You dance until 17? And then I took, I still took open classes, but. I never dance professionally. Wow. But I just, that's what I went to school for ballet, so. I've only danced one time. One day?

Nope. One time. I danced one day. Oh, well, I danced in high school a little bit. Can you waltz? I won dancing with the stars. You won dancing with the stars? Like six seasons ago.

I've never danced before. I don't watch, so. No, I never watched it either, but I'm saying I did it. That's incredible. Yeah, I've never danced. So my waltzing, it was crash course. Right. Oh my God, respect. Were you so sore? Yeah, it was bad. There was a woman that's going on this season, and I saw an interview with her.

She said she was going to be a blank slate. She didn't want to learn anything. And I understood that, but I made a little video kind of responding to it. I said, hey, if you know the fundamentals, I didn't even know what an eight count was. So I knew nothing. And I'm a good shape, but there's a difference in dancing shape and good shape. That is correct. Because you can only learn it so much as your body takes. And doing that show, my count. calves, my back, they would kill me. Good for you. Yeah, it was a wild trip.

And you won? I won. Well, aren't you, you're a musician, so you would know. It's all, it's all about what you hear. You would think. That's how you move. You would think. I'm going to check, I'm going to Google that one.

I would encourage you not to. As much as I watched you first pitch. What was the song? I danced for, it was three months. No, but what was the winning? Oh, I don't know how it works. Okay, so how it works. is, I think there are like maybe 10 weeks of competition and every week they kick somebody off.

Yeah. And so I, my first dance was a jive, which was a very, a very athletic type dance. I didn't know much about the jive. A jive. A jive. A jubing. It was as much of like kicks. Oh, oh, like a jitter. Like the, like a little bit of a swing dance. Is that right or no? Okay. Yeah, sure. My only dance experience is like that 12 weeks on the show. Oh my God. Bobby, that's crazy. Thank you. I learned how to waltz.

Good. I learned how to... I like to hear that. The final song was from the greatest showman that we did was like the big. And it was pretty cool. I threw my hat into the crowd. I wore a full white suit because there was three of us in the finals, maybe four. But at the end, I was so excited.

I threw my hat into the crowd. And when that show started, they put the odds out. You could bet I was last. I had the worst odds. There were like 70-year-olds, had higher odds in me. That's probably why you won. You're like, all right, mother, can we can't. Say whatever you want.

You can? Okay. I was going to say fuck her. You did. Yeah, you got it. And then I threw my hat into the crowd, and whomever caught the hat, mailed it back to me like three months and said, I think you'll want this. You won the show. I saved it.

And they mailed it back to me. I don't know who it was, but how amazing was that gesture? That is amazing. That's actually stunning what you just said. I thought it was super nice, too. Who was your partner? Her name is Sharna. She was a pro dancer.

She's from Australia. and she's a drill sergeant. Yes, she was. It's what I needed because I knew nothing. I love it. I love this. Yeah. And so you dance until 17.

Yes. Do you ever dance now? Like, do you have it in you still? I have danced in my house. But I was just talking. I talk about this in my shows lately because it's like I can't tell if people have like really significantly stopped dancing. I feel like people don't dance.

People don't feel as free in public anymore because everyone has their phones. So, you know, back in the 1900s, when I was born, it's like we just, we felt free. It's 1980. So no one's watching you except the people in the room and you could dance. Like, you know, I don't know. That's why I love Nashville too. I don't know if it's affected Nashville out because I don't live here anymore. But I wonder if people dance as much here too.

You know, not for the phones. Like just, you know what I mean? It's funny to watch the old festivals in the 90s because it'll pop up my algorithm because I love the music. But what you notice first off is not phone. And I'm not a phone hater per se. I'm really not. But you definitely noticed a difference where it's not everybody doing this. It's people just like watching the show.

Yeah. I think it will come back. It will temper off. I'm hoping. What's the word? I mean, I just, I hope it like corrects it. Like people correct it as a social movement. Like they know,

does everybody start noticing that they're a little bit less happy or a little bit less engaged with like the present moment? I don't, I feel like we're so social. I feel like we're going to correct ourselves. Is that optimistic? Because we get so fatigued of it? I think so. I think it's, it will be fatigue, actually.

There are certain things like the Masters Golf Tournament. they don't allow phones and people that go to that actually love it. Exactly. Now, they're not saying they wouldn't use their phones if they had them, but they love being told you can't use your phones because there's something freeing about it. We didn't have phones at our wedding. Great. Yeah, we put them in bags.

And I think everybody loved it. Great. But you have to take them or people aren't going to do it. That's where we're at. But people like it. They're like, take it. I think there's probably something for like a bar or restaurant, no phone bar or restaurant. like you can't have it out of like you check it in i think that would be something that

people would like to go to because then people will start organically dating again because i you know i know we're here to talk about other things but i'm just saying like dating apps i this is way after my time like i never would have i don't think i ever would have done it anyway hypothetically but this was people would just talk to each other like there was no apping for dating is apping a word i don't know it is it is I wish that dating apping had like full background checks on it, though. See, this is crazy. How can you know so much about someone before saying hello?

There's like so much judgment before you even say hi or like go up to someone. Be like, what's up, you know? I was talking to a friend that just got on an app and I've been married now for almost five years. So it's been a long time since I've been on the apps. But she was saying that it's wild to her. She's been married for probably 10 years or so. And so she's single again. she's back on the app.

She said it's wild how people will just stop talking and ghost. Like you have these conversations and all of a sudden the person just goes away. Oh no. And it's like super ghost. Yeah. And it's all typed. It's all texting. Yeah.

Because I, you know, I remember the days where a guy would come over and like drop his number on a little ripped white piece of paper and you were supposed to just call a stranger, which I never did. But I had respect for whoever did that, you know, and I had an answering. machine. That's a tough part about being a guy. But this is important. I think this is important.

That's really, it's courageous. That's a hard part about being a dude. The expectation of doing the cold calling on saying hi to the girl. Terrifying now. Extra terror now. Right? It's so easy though.

You got this guys. You got this. You can DM anybody now. DM? Mm-hmm. I know. I know about DMs. That's not how I met my husband.

You don't have. to date to have no DMs. Direct message, that means direct. Your husband didn't DM you? No. How did you guys mean? Oh, actually. Well, there is a Twitter component to the story. But it's irrelevant, really.

It's like sort of relevant. I had just figured out my Twitter because I'm very anti. Like, I don't like my phone. I wouldn't say hate either, but I really just, so distracting to me. I've lived too long a life without it. I don't like. I mean, there's things I do like about it. So I was figuring out my Twitter and I was looking through a Twitter, like people at me, you know, when they at you. What is it? Interaction. And it was from the Deer Tick account. And my husband's in a band in Deer Tick, my now husband. And I had remit, it was like, hey,

VC, let's get a beer or something. And I was, I actually thought I had met. someone in that band at Newport Folk because I had just been there the weekend before. And so I called my friend Patrick, who was there partying with him. He's the drummer in my morning jacket. And I was like, do we meet somebody in Deer Tick last weekend? And he was like, no, but I know John from Deer Tick. And I was like, oh, cool. Like, I don't know who this is, but can you find out, like, who this is?

And he was like, well, the only person I know in Deer Tick is John. And I don't know him very well, but I know that I will know him forever. And so I was like, oh, well, I don't know. Just so anyway, cut two. I was introduced to John through Patrick. And that's the beginning and the end of the story. But it is through Twitter because you wouldn't have known had you not got a DM. Well, it wasn't a DM.

It was an interaction. At reply. It was an at reply. Yeah. But I would have met him through Patrick, I think, or that band because they were all, I don't know. Maybe you're right. Maybe you're right. But you really had specific interest in you from that at reply.

You may not have known that had you met him otherwise and the situation wasn't right. I'm not trying to say your marriage is based on Twitter. I'm just saying. Because I don't want to think that. Then don't. We can just move off of it. I don't want to think. I don't think so.

I don't think so either. Because my point is, it's through friends. I think people meet people. people best through friends? I met my wife through a friend. See? Sort of. You're very 1900s.

Yeah, we did meet organically. How did you meet her? Well, I was on American Idol for four years as like the main mentor for all the contestants. Nice. And so I got to know my PR person really well because I'm from Arkansas. She's from Oklahoma. And we were just like two hillbillies in L.A. And so we became really good friends.

And then when I went to do dancing, with the stars. I won and I came back the next season. And she's like, I have a friend here that I knew from college in Oklahoma. And so I met her through my friend. And so we met like real people. And she saw you dance, all those dances? No, it was, I went back the next season. No, she would never marry me. No. Did you ask her if she saw you dance? She did not. She didn't watch the show. You know that for show. Okay. Yeah, I know. My wife doesn't like, doesn't watch TV, really. Okay. No, I get it. I understand her. I understand her. Yeah, she didn't. And I'm glad. she didn't, but I met through a real

life person. Because I tried the apps. I think it's real life people. Mm-hmm. I just want to... I'm with you. In my opinion. The Bobbycast, we'll be right back. This is the Bobbycast. Do you live on a farm or something? No. But I love donkeys.

Well, no, I have a hog, a big, like, copper hog in there. That's a havelina. Right. It's a razor bag. Yeah. They smell. That one doesn't smell. And I said, as a joke, you can take a picture with the hog and you said, no, I see them all the time. Did you say hog?

Oh, I thought you said have. You were doing, I thought you were doing a. The pig in there. I thought you knew havelina so well that you call it a half. Well, I think it is a havelina. It's a razor bag. What's a razor bag? What's a havalina?

Let me tell you, they smell so bad. But so anyway, I. I've been going to this ranch since I was two years old. I was just telling Casey about this because my father's a pilot. And since I was very young, he has to go renew his license in Tucson, Arizona, every year, sometimes twice a year. And my mom, who at this point had, like, multiple children, she was like, I cannot stay in this hotel while my husband is in class all day, just sitting with these children in this hotel. And so she found this ranch nearby where we could learn to ride. and it's called the Tanky Verde Ranch.

So I've been going there since I was two years old. I'm actually, and now I take my daughter. I'll be going back there in October. But whenever they have the cookouts, the havelina's come. And they're scavengers, but they're really, and the moms are so territorial too. So you need to stay away. And they smell like urine.

I don't know if that was a havelina or not. It's a haval. I'm pretty sure that is a male. I actually don't know if it's not. male or female, but that is a large havelina. Would you Google if a razorback, same thing in the havelina mic? Yeah, I want to know what razorback is.

Well, I have probably havelina. So I'm from Arkansas with the razorbacks, so that's our mascot. Oh. Yeah. So you see those a lot. The odd thing is we don't have them in Arkansas. I know.

We were originally the Cardinals, and then we were told you guys played like a bunch of crazy like razorbacks. So they changed our school mascot. So that's a compliment, though. Crazy Razorback. No, they're different things. Do they look different?

They look similar. Now I need to see the picture of Haval. I might have a Havillena and think I have a Razzie Bina. And you're the one that told me. I don't. We both have brought bad news to each other today. And we confirm. Look how close they look.

No, the one on the left is a Havillina. I think he will confirm when I leave. Don't because I don't want to not. I don't want to know that's the wrong hog. It'll do me bad. Really? Yeah. I will just find out for myself and I'm not going to tell you.

I'm never going to look it up. Casey and I will find out. Well, you said that so a matter of fact, like you were a hog expert. Well, I just, I really know Havalena. I'm not a hog expert at all. So you ride horses. I do ride horses. Well?

Well enough. I could run. I can. We can go fast. You're falling off a horse. I have. I got a clothes line. I was on my uncle's land.

He had a bunch of horses. And we would ride bearback. We'd just jump on him. And went under a clothesline. Oh my God. But you're bareback? I've never done bear back. It's not because.

No, it's not respect. It's like, let's just get on the horses. No, but I love that. And the horses are like, get the fuck off. Yeah. It's literally what they were. Right. I'm just going to run until something pulls him off.

Yeah. I got it. I respect that. You've fallen off a horse before? Yeah. And gotten thrown. No, I thought I broke my back one day. But I woke up fine.

I was so happy that morning. Oh, my God. That you were fine? I was fine. Yeah. I think riding horses is one of my most favorite things. Like, I love horses. I love them.

I also love donkeys. No, this is what's interesting about the donkey thing. This is like sort of a social media thing. Okay. I feel like I have relationships because I'm not on Instagram anymore, but I've like I've filled my, what's it called? I filled my cup. But I had a number of donkeys that I would follow. Like people that have farms, like rescue farms and they're like mini donkey.

And they're just, I just love their faces and the crazy sound that they make. So, you know, that's weird. Like, that's just something that I discovered through my phone. Like, I've never, you know, I don't even think I've met a donkey. Have you met a donkey? Yes. Okay. I don't know if you actually meet a donkey.

I've never met a donkey. Because there's no donkeys at the ranch. Yeah, lots of donkeys, lots of mules. Do you know the difference? Yes. There are some mules. Mules, a half horse, half donkey? That's different.

Crazy those two animals can mate, even though they're very close. Well, they're sort of similar-ish enough. I can see it. Yeah. Do you think we talk about donkeys on the podcast today? We are talking about don't know. Do you think that would be where we go at all? Oh, I don't know.

Wait, so you're not on... I don't know what's happening. How do you get your donkey filled then if you're not on Instagram anymore? Well, that's why I said I want a donkey. The thing is, well, yeah, I have seen... I do look them up still sometimes. Are you on TikTok at all? No.

I don't like it. Not even. I don't like it, buddy. Do you have people, though, do your stuff for you? Yes. Sorry, I keep interrupting you. What if you get like a really cool DM from somebody that's like, I'm a big fan? A DM?

Yeah. You wouldn't, they wouldn't tell you? No. Don't DM me. Then how is someone supposed to get a-oh? What? How's someone supposed to get a hold of you then? Through, I don't, through, who's somebody?

You mean like a- Let's say Drake. is like... That's the manager. Reach is a manager. That's like the 1900s. That's always how it is. Right?

Drake did hit her up? Drake did hit you up, really? Yeah. Oh, I didn't know that. I literally was just picking somebody out of the air. Did you think I knew that? I guess, yeah. No, no, I just thin air, Drake.

I was like, who's the biggest... It'd be weird to see him and saying I'm a fan. It's his manager reached out to my manager. And said? Do you want to... Will you come and sing? at my show. Did you?

I did in the end. I actually couldn't do it. And then he, and I was in rehearsal for a show. Like, it was the same day as his show. So I was like, this is like cool. I like Drake. Like this would be fun and cool, but I can't do it. And then they asked a few more times.

Non-DM. They send the plane, though. Does it make a lot of you here? No, they did not send a plane. But they did do a nice airline seat. Very nice. And I slept. Very nice.

Was it at Drake's show? Drake's show. Like you came out and played during his show? Yeah. That's cool. It was cool. Do you play with ears or without ears when you do something like that? That's a great question.

So I'm so, I'm really a classical. I come from more of the classical world of music, really, even though I love rock and roll. I love singer-songwriters. I love, but much more acoustic world. And so inter-rears for me, it's like, it's a little bit like hell. I have to get used to it. But for something like that, you have to do inter-ears, you know. I just did another thing with inner ears. What did I do? I saw you with Teddy Swims. That was inter-ears too.

Oh my God. And like the first 30 seconds, I'm like, I can't get my head around the sound or what's happening and the and the the the the hair I thought was going to go my you know I'm like I'm just not but if I have monitors I'm like I know what's going on you know so it's it's it's my I have to like learn it re-learn it monitors feel real like like the time time's real I like I'll do comedy with music like I'll play comedy and if I do inner ears like if I have a bigger band behind me and I'm having to do ears in comedy it's not the same because I need the timing of the laughs to so it's hard ears it's a whole it's almost like a different animal

completely well exactly because you're not getting the react you're not getting when you perform it's such a it's all cause and effect like you're constantly being affected by the reaction to what you're doing whether you know it or not and it's just even just that sound is like I'm here with you all like and so when that's covered up it's like pretend it it's just a skill but it you know yeah even when we would mic the crowd like we play festivals we Mike the crowd. It's a half second delay, which does, again, affect everything. I know. You're like, that wasn't that funny. Oh, it was funny. Yeah, I'm already in the second joke. I'm like, oh, I guess it was. Oh, God. I hate myself for a half second. I know. Like that bombed. Yes. It's the timing.

What do we do? Do you know how to tune a piano? No, I don't. I hire tuners. I only ask that because I know how to tune a guitar, but to play a guitar, you have to learn how to tune a guitar. Otherwise, you're traveling around going like, I don't know how to tune this guitar. Correct. Piano. You don't know how to tune a piano. Have you ever thought about learning that? I've asked, because I'm very curious about their different techniques because tuners

have different techniques. Some use like this rhythm, like this metronome to like measure the waves of the tone of the note. That was Misha. He's such a great tuner. He's in New York. And then Larry, he's all by ear. He's my tuner in Rhode Island.

but they have different, it's an art. It's an art. You know your tuners by name. Of course. That means you really respect the tuning. Oh my God. Well, I'm nothing without them. You are nothing without a piano tuner.

I am something. I don't need a piano tuner. You are something without a piano tuner. You say that like you were telling me, I'm like, love. I am nothing without a piano tuner. It's funny that you give them probably their flowers in the way that I give a book editor flowers because until I started writing books, I didn't know how to write. I just started writing books.

And I didn't know the art of an editor. Right. It's wild. I need to read one of your books. Again, it's like the dance stuff. Now I'm going to read it. It's like the dance stuff. You're good.

But I didn't know. And I'm going to watch the dances. Watch the dance while reading the book. It'll really fill your cup. That's too hard for me. But I will. I didn't know what an editor really did. I thought maybe they just told you there's a typo.

But there is an art. Yes. Something that I, until I'm nothing without my editors. Yeah. Until I started doing it that I didn't appreciate. And now I get it. Do they like, it's like a, not a captain, but they shape, they help you shape it. And they redirect you at times.

Right. You're like, don't go down this path. This is a bad path for you. We need to come back to this. More it's like more of this or less of this is what she would do a lot of times. Because I had never written a book and. And so when I had signed my first deal, I was so scared to even take the money. Oh, my, I understand.

I understand that. And I didn't for a while. And I said, instead of giving me the advance, because I think it was like $100,000 or something in my first book, I said. It's a lot. It's a lot. It's a lot. I said, I don't feel like you're going to like this. So I'm going to write half of what.

And then if you still want it, I will take the money. Good for you. And so I wrote that much. And they said, we still want it. This is weird, what they said, but we still want it. And then she stepped in and it was like, love this, expand, expand. And I was like, man, there's a real art to this. I love this.

And I thought, this is like a piano tuner. And you wanted that band, but you wanted them to know you first. I wanted them to not be disappointed in who you are. Yeah. Wild insecurities involved there, obviously. No, but it makes so much sense because we are all being interpreted by other people. So you never know. Does anyone really know who we are?

You know, the people close to us do, but people that are coming and offering you something are wanting to work with you that don't know you. They are interpreting you in their way. And you're just never really sure what they think of you, you know? And I did know that was a pretty hefty advance for someone who had never written a book. And you're like, you're giving me too much money. Yeah. I was like, I don't want to make sure it's worth it to you guys.

And so that's what we did. But then I really learned the value of having a book editor. Yeah, your tuner. My tune. So you get it. Would you ever tour? Do you tour the tuner? Or do you just go somewhere of the new piano everywhere?

New piano. Excuse me. And they get a tuner every day. Your piano gets tuned every day? Like before the show. Yeah. Yeah. It has to be tuned.

You don't want me. You don't want to play an out of tune piano. And look, I love like parlor granny pianos. Like the pianos, the uprights have so much character and they're like twangy and stuff. But those are still tuned. Like, you know, you don't want an attitude piano. Just saying. If you see a piano, do you ever just sit down and play in a public place?

Depends on what. it is. But yeah, I feel a draw. Would you ever sit down and go like just a day? No. Oh, you'd never do like a hit? Of course I'm not going to do that. I'm working on, you're working on other things.

Yeah, I know. That was also written in the 1900s. Yeah, I think I'd go back to the world. Sometimes I'd just get in the middle of them all and dance. Even my thing. Do you really, though? Never. No, but I'm not good.

like a skill of mine. I'm not good. I can, yeah. What? Well, I just think, you know, not to like bring this conversation into having to be about mushrooms, but I also think that sometimes people, when they eat mushrooms, like, they will do the thing that they actually, like, deep down want to do, but feel like they can't. So I was just, when you said I wouldn't dance in the mall, I thought, you know what? Immediately I thought, I think if Bobby, like, ate a little, some little bit of mushrooms.

I bet he would dance in the mall. But I have no idea what I'm talking about because I don't really know. I've really wanted to try LSD or like a halute, like, because I'm so regimented. Yeah. Hyper regimented. Like I in hearing people talk about how it's just, or I have friends that have been ketamine. And I want, I can't do that. And they just talk about what, like, what a break it is.

And at the same time, like how in touch you get with yourself. Right. And I get jealous of them just being able to be free enough to try that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because, well, I ate a little peyote once many years ago. And I do think, maybe it's in my head. I can't, I don't know. But I think it's affected.

When I feel joy, it's always, it's like deeper. It's like a deeper sense of joy. Maybe it wore off, though. I don't know. But I was visiting my friend in Mexico and like she has, like this medicine man that like comes down from the mountain. She's like, there's some cool stuff we need to try,

Vanessa. And I was, you know, so I'm down to, like, in a natural setting like that, like, you know,

foraging, like something that's not going to kill you or make you throw up. Like, I'll try it. It's disgusting. And then I felt like real, it was sort of amazing,

an amazing experience. And I was like, okay, that was cool. I'm good with that. I can move on. Like, you know.

With laughing gas. I'm not joking. Because I've never tried alcohol or anything. and so when I do laughing gas at the dentist, I'm not exaggerating. Oh, right. That's where I felt like I felt like I understood love for the first time. Yeah.

I was so high on laughing gas. That's what I'm talking about. The earth was black. It was black? I felt like I was floating, but I couldn't see anything. But I was like, oh, love is all that matters. Right. And like I had that feeling while at the dentist.

And that's the only one ever had it like that. I'm so happy for you. Yeah, it was a really a great thing. When I came back, I was very sore. But while it was happening, it was awesome. Right. That's what a contradiction. Life is a contradiction.

That's so cool that that happened for you. But that's exactly what I mean. Like people will have that moment. People don't need anything to have that moment sometimes. Maybe they're just that enlightened. But I think some of us need a little boost sometimes. And I'm not encouraging drugs. Sorry, but, you know, it's a natural.

He had it at the dentist. You had it at the dentist. Yeah. You eat peyote? Yeah. Is it like a plant? It's like a brown. It was like a chunky brown.

Is it? I don't know what it is. I don't know what it is. But it wasn't like a pie. No, it wasn't a pie. Yeah. Yeah, that would be fun. I just feel like I got on, I was taking sleeping pills at one point in my life.

I had some real security things. I got like jumped at work. I had held gunpoint. It was a whole thing. So I had a few things in a row. And so I was really having trouble sleeping. And I tried a lot of stuff. And my doctor was like, we can try sleeping pills.

And I tried them for a bit, but I would not remember things. Like I would take them and maybe not fall asleep on time. And then I would look at my phone. And I was like DM and FaceTiming people. That's what happened to me. I drove off with a gas pump in my car once, just like where you drive off it. You can't take that. No, I was like, no, I stopped.

I had to stop. Bobby, you cannot date. I would take it on planes and you'll get arrested. I know, I thought I was going to be in jail and they'd be like, what did you do? You pooped in the aisle. I was like, oh my God. That's what I thought would happen. No, I didn't know.

That's not what you would have done. No matter what, you wouldn't have done that. Did you take sleeping bills? I did. I took Ami in for some time too. I went through a really hard time and it was not good. for me. I remember waking up with an enormous bruise on my back. I'm like, what the fuck did I do? What did happen? I don't know. I stood up and like hit my mirror somehow. Like you just, but we're just

turning into like walking zombie weirdos. You know, I had to learn how to go to sleep the right way. It's like that's a sleep, it's called sleep hygiene. You know, I'm sure you know. Sleep hygiene for me is again so regimented that if I'm outside, because Alex, allergies are so bad. I have to go take a full shower. Really? Mm-hmm. Like this... Because it's landed all over the body. Yep. And I have to, it has to be perfect for me to fall asleep.

I'm so neurotic. I understand. I'm so neurotic and anxious and... So what about the sound? Do you do a brown... What do you... How do you... What do you like the... It's the room to sound like when you... Because, look, we're trying... I'm in different hotels. Like, I'm saving my friend now, so I just feel so good. than like in her little Casita.

But like, what's the soundscape? You're not going to like it. What is it? I listen to a podcast and put an AirPod in one ear. That's how you fall asleep? If I have silence, I go, my mind goes crazy. I see, I see. And so I don't go to sleep.

So the only thing that I can do is almost fatigue myself to sleep. So I listen to a podcast every night and I have a schedule. And then I put one in cue in case I'm still awake at the second one. I start to worry halfway through the first one that I'm going to be awake when it ends and have to go to my phone. So I put a second one in Q so it fires off. I see. Because you have worries. We all have worries.

I understand. Is it in the ear? See, that would start to be sore. You get used to it. It is at first. But you have to always clean it with a cue tip because it pushes the wax in there. Okay. What is your sound at night?

It just I need like, my favorite way to sleep is a, um, box fan in the window when it's just like a nice breeze outside a box fan in the window no AC like you just sleep so well just listening to that fan with outside night air coming in that's 1900s that's 1900s but also but if obviously if the season is you can't do that we i have an air purifier like blower sound which i would like and if i'm traveling hotels i just travel like an infant baby i i I have a dome, a large circular fan that you plug in for the babies. It's the best sound. You have it on you?

Yeah, I travel with it. You don't get dry, though? You don't get dry though in your nose and throat and it hurt you to sing? No, it's a tiny little fan. Yeah, where do they blow on? It's just blowing within the thing. It's like just the perfect sound. Oh, it's a real fan.

It's just for sound only. It's not for air. Yeah, it's just for sleep sound. So that's how I'm touring. That's how I survive on the road. Let's take a quick pause for a message from our sponsor.

And we're back on the Bobbycast. Who did you listen to as a kid that you liked, like in the pop popular music? Right. Popular music. Well... Because with your background, I would assume you're going to say

some people I don't know. Well, because I listened to a lot of classical music because I was also so into ballet. And I was, my mom is a classical pianist and she would, but she would have us do Top of the Pops books too, which I think is key for young pianists. Like you learn your favorite theme song from the TV show that are like the popular TV show. She was so good at incorporating that stuff or like Neil Young's Harvest Moon. Like you, you know, so she was good at weaving in pop culture for the kids.

But yeah, mostly a lot of classical stuff. I like love Aaron Copeland. You know, it's like one of my favorites, Debussy. But then I had my, you know, my cassette tape of, I had Madonna. I had Michael Jackson. I had, I listened to on vinyl, Carol King, Fleetwood Mac. Super Tramp. My dad was really in this band called Super Tramp that I was so into.

Yes, the band Yes. So I guess it's a mix of like super pop, Prague, classical, you know, like Tiffany. Yeah, I think we're alone now. Yeah, that's a good song. That's a good song. Yeah, I remember the Full House episode.

Do you ever watch Full House? I have watched it. But it wasn't like a regular for you? Not really. Man, me, TGIF. Oh, yeah, TGIF. Crushed it. Yeah, two hours of, that's four shows.

Yes, and it changed a little bit over the years, but Full House, Family Matters, dinosaurs for a while, step by step. Yeah. The same guy I like saying all the theme songs for those. Oh, really? For full house, family matters, step by step. I love theme songs.

I am obsessed. Me too. I am obsessed. Different though. Theme songs or like, what do they call them? Show tunes. Those are different. Oh, very different.

Okay. But my favorite music for a TV show of all time is Golden Girls. And that is also my favorite show. The best. When I play the office. That's my walkout song. Thank you for being a friend. That's good.

Andrew Gold, right? I want to see your show. You don't. It's fine, but it's not. I want to see your show. It's this. Well, so because my, I think comedy is the hardest craft. I think comedy is the most heady art, in my opinion, socially, especially socially speaking.

So, I mean, I'm like, I'm in awe of comedians, and a lot of it is the courage that they have, too. But when you're a good comedian, I just, I can't even believe it. Though they're sort of can be miserable to hang out with because they're just like, just so sad and just watching you. Yeah. They're just watching you. The difficult part about that. Oh, look at her. Lane is you never know if anything's good until you present it.

Like, if I were to play, let's say I wrote a. funny song. I can play it and learn the chords and I can get pretty good at playing it before I go out. I can't, I don't know if the joke is good or how it's going to work until I literally try it. It's super exciting, but it's also the most nerve-wracking. So I had a question for you because we're talking about radio before we started. So when you started on radio, did you get to choose what songs you wanted to play? Or I don't know what station you started on. So I don't know what the So my brief, a very, very brief history, when I was a teenager, I started, I was doing pop radio. And then I was literally like talking between songs.

Now it's definitely changed. But I've done pop radio. I've done alternative. I had a hip-hop record. I was a rapper for a little bit. I had a record deal there. So it's been a weird Forrest Gump type career. Love it.

But no, never. Never got to pick songs ever, ever, ever. Now, if I choose to, I can. But we talk so much now. It's a podcast and a content show for the most part. But if I want to play a song or two on the national show, I can. But I don't want to have the pressure of doing that. I don't want to be the person that's like picking music because then everybody wants you to pick their music.

So I will just highlight stuff that I like and then get away for a minute. But never early. Early in my current, never. Yeah. They fire you. But people don't. I think literally a lot of younger folks, too. I mean, I don't know.

I feel like they don't realize that. radio let DJs used to pick the songs back way before me like the 60s 70s yes so but they'd get paid they were curating music so the cure where are the the curators the curation has changed like where is that where that's coming from discovery is completely changed yeah how do you yeah everything is so fractioned right right it's so hard to get noticed doing anything right somebody can be super famous to one person and not even be known by another. Right, right. Gatekeepers are dead.

Like, yeah, it's amazing and it's also like a tragedy at the same time. Because the fact that there are no gatekeepers is awesome for art. But at the same time, it's hard for large art to exist because nothing is large anymore. Like collective pop culture, really. Yeah, and more negative stuff, I think, is taken over the collective stuff. all negative stuff. But I hope that, I have hope. I think it will swing the other way.

I think we'll all start to realize how fragmented everything is. I think, I think people are smart. I have hope for our species. Yeah. You ever see the Mike Judge movie, Idiocracy? Yeah. Yes, it's like, yeah. It's today.

You know. And tomorrow. But I love being able to just walk in anywhere and just, talk to anybody. You know, I think that's really important. Do you get recognized in a random Walmart or wherever you are?

I don't think so. I don't think so. I just wonder if people would be like, are you Vanessa Carlton? People do that at the airport. Is that what they say? Are you Vanessa Galton? And I'm like, this is my ID. They're looking at my ID. They're like, are you the Vanessa Galton? They're like, are you that Vanessa Carlton?

All that. So they're like, are you that Vanessa Carlton? That is correct. Oh. I think there's only one of us, actually. I wonder if there's another Vanessa Carlton. Did you ever have people get tattooed of your face? Did you ever see any fans to do that?

Of my face on their body? No. Okay, have you ever signed anybody? Yes, a lot of tattoos. Well, and I have one of my favorite artists did the artwork for my record, Rabbits on the Run that came out 2011, and a lot of people have the rabbits. And I love those rabbits.

So that's a good tattoo. But it's high pressure. If someone asks you to sign their skin and they're like, they're going to tattoo it. I'm like, oh, my way. I know. This has to be good. Yes, that's it. Like, it'll be the one time I suck signed my own name.

This has to be good. Yeah. I have three final questions. You have what? How many? Three. Okay. By the way, how's your podcast experience been?

My what? Your podcast experience. This is nice. I don't, this is my last. This is. Okay. You've said it's going to be your last one. This is not it.

You're not retiring after this one. I'm not, what do you mean retiring? I'm not even, it's, this is it. Okay. I appreciate that. It's very kind of you. Three questions. Question number one.

When you did Broadway, Carol King, what kind of grind is that? It's similar to the ballet world, like that hard. But, you know, way almost harder. because singing and acting too. And that's actually a role where I'm not even dancing, so it's not. But I think in terms of the grind, as you say, it's one of the hardest, if not the hardest thing I've ever done. Why? The amount of shows per week, that particular role, the amount of time I was on stage.

And by the way, Bridget Berger, who was my acting coach here in Nashville, I train for that for months learning that script and learning how to act with Bridget. She was absolutely amazing because the role itself, I'm like 12 costume changes in onstage almost the entire show. Did you feel the pressure? Because I'm assuming you had a really great understudy as well that knew everything, but because the show was you were on the press. It was starring Vanessa Carlton, Carol King.

Like did you feel the pressure to never be sick? Yes. Oh, my God. I have stories. But also, just to go back to your story about the book deal and how you didn't want to take the money because you're like, you don't know if I'm good or not, that's how I felt about being offered that role. And I was like, they need to audition me. I need to really earn this. I cannot just be given. This would be the most embarrassing moment, worse than the first pitch, way worse than the first pitch. And I have such respect for theater and the Broadway worlds and how. And how hard everybody works. I'm not walsing in there and fucking that up. Like, it needs to be really good. I want it to be really good. And I love Carol. And I so relate to her story in certain ways, like, not that I'm Carol King, but just understanding her relationship with her mother and, you know, how she learned piano and how she's writing her songs. And so, um, so number one,

it's like, I wanted to feel like I really earned it and they really wanted me there rather than like, we need to get a name in here to like maybe bring more tickets in. I'm like, I'm not the name that's going to bring. I don't know how that works. And then second, people pay so much money for those tickets. It's, yeah, the pressure's on. Like, it's got to be a great show. And then third, yeah, like, you don't want to, like, diarrhea your pants on Broadway.

Or throw up in the way. Like, throwing up is better. But, like, you don't. want to be sick. What I found extremely useful that I did not know until I was touring a lot was the power of a steroid shot because I would be getting sick

and then a few hours, I'm on, I'm freaking cool that night, but the next day I felt terrible. Like, I mean, it's, but it saved my life more than a couple times. Like going to a minute clinic and Wichita Kansas and getting a steroid shot

because I was getting sick. It will help you. Are you going to clip the diarrhea apart? I will not if you don't want me to. Yeah. We live clip. No. So, but.

Do you want me to clip the diary report? Are you saying to clip it? Are you begging me to clip it or don't clip it? See? Because I don't even know what I just said, but I'm sure it's really, people want to clip it. How do you know about clipping so much if you're never on social media? It's on the new, it's headlines. Like literally, you just read headlines now.

Well, we're not a, we're not a gotcha clip show. No, I know. We do clip, but our whole thing isn't to only. That's why I'm here. Okay. But I am saying some really flashy things. So I was just, but the steroids will get you, your hips. The steroids will literally rot your hips if you do a lot of steroids.

I don't get one every day. I'm not doing it for weights. I'm doing, I was doing it because I was like sick in Mississippi. Trying to survive. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. But Broadway, it was incredible. It really, and I was so proud of myself that I was able to pull it off.

But I did get sick at the end of my run. I had a stomach infection. It was an absolute nightmare. You know, I was like all dressed ready to go out. And I was like, I can't do this. I can't believe I can't do this. And yeah, you're right. The understudy hops in and she's amazing.

And I can't even believe she can pull that off without doing the show for like many weeks in advance. Like they're incredible. So she had to jump in for you at some point? Yeah. I missed like, I want to say four shows. and I had a three-month run, I believe, or maybe it was two and a half months. It was pretty cool.

Let's take a quick pause for a message from our sponsor. And we're back on the Bobbycast. All right, two questions left. How do you know when it's time to do any record? Well, I don't really know, but I know that my rhythm has been every four years, and now it seems to have expanded to six years. Do you start to feel like an itch?

Or are you always creating and then you just kind of take what your creations and, you know, latch them together? Like, how does that work? This record, did you have songs from a long time ago or did you write them all around the same time or what? I'm not dead. Instrumental was pretty old. Everything else is new. But I honestly, I would say, like, because I've gotten really into gardening and I don't know

what I'm doing. And I spend just so much time pitter-pattering around like my yard. and so many melodies come to me, ideas come to me when I'm doing that. So I think I really started writing this record when I started building my garden. And then, but I'm very informal. Like I'm very, I'm not very ambitious.

So I think without Rishan, who's my manager, who it's taken me a long time to find a great manager. Part of it is me not being very easily manageable. and he's it's it's a collaboration it's like vinesse what are you doing like or Dave friedman my producer he's like so what's going on where the new songs like I just I have so many wonderful people behind me that are like what are you doing what's going on I'm like I don't know and then I'll put together a idea and said it and then it sparks the next thing and it's like you know it's it's a group effort I think for me because I'm a I'm technically a solo artist but oh my god there's so

many people with me that are helping me all the time, you know. Final question. What question do people ask you the most? Because I probably didn't ask it. And people are going to be like, you didn't ask whatever. What's the number one question you get asked in interviews? Oh, it's just, no, the number one question that everybody asks because they are, they don't care is how would you describe your, it's always, you know what it is. It's like, how is this

record different from the, how would you describe your record? What does this, what does it mean? I'm like, I don't know. It's, it, it, it, those are the questions that kill me, because I'm like, I know why you're asking this. Because I feel like a lot of, the art of the interview and the art of me journalism is like, I don't know. It's not really. it's rare to find people that really care, you know. Does that answer the question? That was a little curmudgyny. But I just get annoyed.

I'm like, I don't know. It's so easy for me to just be like, I have no idea what it means. It's just, it's happening. This is happening. And I'll ask me in five years. I'll know in five years. Well, I was just like, is there more scent on there? I like that.

Okay. That's specific. And you were correct. Correct. Well, that was my first thought. It was like, oh, this is very simply. I like it. I like how it made me feel, right?

Cool. So I was like, I'm going to ask if that was like purposeful. Like, was it a through line? Or was it, I don't know. Well, just to add to that, though, I feel like people, going back to attention span, like I don't even think people really take the time to listen. You don't have to listen. Then we don't have to do the interview.

Like, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm. I did listen, though. You did listen. Yeah. No, I'm a fan. I listen to it. I'm a fan. I listen to it and then I, but I was also on the radio when you were on the radio.

So we have that, like it just feels like a time like when I was just like struggling. When you, early 2000? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Rough times. Struggling. But also the best times in my life at the same time. Because the only thing I had was doors wide open. You just got to run through them.

They made you. Yeah. And so. Yeah. that's my relationship with Fong, just a day, just that. See, that's the waltz.

So that song really quickly, that was one of the first songs I ever wrote. It was a waltz because I love waltzes because I was a dancer. And Amit Erdogan. So I made a little cassette tape of like four songs

when I first started writing music when I was still at ballet school. And my dad, who's a pilot, was flying a client. this very wealthy Italian man with a castle. That's all I knew. And because he's a private, he's a private pilot. So he flies like wealthy clients that are chartering jets.

And he gave this guy my demo. The castle guy? He gave the castle got the castle, the Italian man with the castle, my demo. And the guy, his name is Emilio, Joya. His name is Emilio Joya. he not only listened to my little dinky demo, but when Ordinary Day was on it, but he gave it to his friend who happened to be Amit Erdogan, who is, for those that don't know, he's the founder of Atlantic Records, signed Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, and, and Amid listened to it. And I'm still, I think I'm like 17 at this point. And I come up from ballet class one day, and I have a message on the message. board and it says Omad called.

And I called, and I don't know I do who that is. I call the number. It's Atlantic Records receptionist. That was the beginning of my career. Your dad gave a tape to an Italian dude with a castle. Correct. And that's how your career started? Yes.

I would draw it back to that moment. Because then Amit started coming to my shows. My shows, I don't know what I'm doing. Like you're figuring out how to even improve. perform. Like, what do we say in between, like, you know? And he was dressed to the nines. Oh, my God. This guy was like, is amazing. He would come to beautiful, gorgeous women on either arm to the bitter end, you know. And people would start, like, there was like what they call it, the buzz. This is the 1900s. Remember in 1990s? This is the, so there was just like a buzz,

which is called like word of mouth talking to each other. Gull. I guess and people will come to my shows like people in the industry I'm like what you know because omit was going you know he was like he's an influencer for the day the tastemaker he was the influencer yeah he was the early influencer and I didn't end up signing with Atlantic but because they never offered in the end he at that point I think he was like more of a figurehead it was like in a way he was so cool he was just such a music music lover too. But I don't think at that point he was like signing people.

I don't know. But I didn't end up signing with Atlantic, but it didn't matter. What songs were on that tape? Ordinary Day. A song called Little Mary. A song called Devil's Dance. And a song called Twilight. That's wild.

I don't know you wrote Ordinary Day way, way early. I just know I like it. Omit liked it. could use more sense other than that. It could. It has zero cent. Yes. I hope Vales does everything that you want it to do for you.

You're so sweet. Thank you. I really appreciate you coming. I'm a big fan, so I really appreciate you coming in. And I hope, since this is your last podcast ever, I hope that you're really, your cup is full from it. It's full. Thank you, Bobbi. Yeah.

It's so full. Thank you. Let's go look at that Havillina. Thanks for listening to a Bobbycast production. Joy is essential and it's also elusive. But now, there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence. Joy 101. It's a new podcast hosted by me, Hoda Kotby.

If you're craving inspiration to maximize your joy, tune into these candid, uplifting, and moving on-air chats. Open your free IHeart Radio app. Search Joy 101 and listen now. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotby is presented by CVS. There was no anything inside those eyes. They turned black. It scared the hell out of me. Evil, wake up.

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The Jonas Brothers here. Our podcast is called, Hey Jonas. We've here, since everyone has a podcast, we want it to as well. And we've had some incredible guests so far. And now our good friend, Nile Horn, is joining the show. How's it going, boys? Hey, Niall. It's the same thing with Slow Hands.

Slow Hands is not about anything else, really, is it? You know, or taste so good can't be about food. You do the same, Nick, with some of the stuff that you've done. You too, Joe. Drop what you're doing and listen to. to hate Jonas on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Everyone sees me as a football player, but before anything else, I'm human. Every single day, I'm still learning how to live with problems, mistakes, relationships,

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