The Bobby Bones Show - BONUS EPISODE: Hannah Ellis Interview

Episode Date: July 8, 2024

Bobby and Eddie spent time with singer-songwriter Hannah Ellis, and they did a deep dive into her path as an artist. They explored Hannah's journey from Campbellsville, Kentucky to Nashville, where she pursued her dream of becoming a musician. Hannah discussed the roots of her passion for music, how Hannah Montana sparked her ambition to pursue her dream, her experiences performing at local venues, the evolution of her songwriting career, and more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. We're in the curb record studio and we're doing a podcast. You know what we should do? Because Eddie's here as well. We should do like they do the beginning of football games. Okay. I'll go first.

By bones, six foot one, maybe six foot and a half. 175 pounds. Doctor at University of Arkansas. Nice. Already lying. Great. Love it. There was no lie.

There was no lie. Sorry, honorary. Doctor at University of Arkansas. Go ahead. Producer Eddie. Sam Houston State University, 6 foot, zero. You're not 6 foot. 180 pounds, all muscle.

Okay. Okay. That's good. It's good. Hannah Ellis, about 5'4. No, that wasn't a trick to get her to say a high weight. I was not going to announce to anyone what my weight was. 100 pounds even.

I graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree. There you go. She's die-hard Kentucky. You know Bobby's a diehardt, Arkansas. We discussed this, yeah. We drove around in the Hyundai for like 15 minutes, and they were like, talk about, just driving around the Hyundai, talk about like journey and we're like, Coach Cal! It was very real. Basketball.

So that's really all we talked about what we're talking about. Honestly, that's the footage they have. Sorry, God. Why did you go to Kentucky? There was only one option for me, honestly. No, but I really, I always loved the University of Kentucky. I grew up, big Kentucky fan. And I did a program in high school called GSP.

and basically if you completed the program and had certain testing scores, ACT scores, they would give you a full ride academic scholarship. You got a full ride to Kentucky? I did. What did you get on your ACT? I'll tell you what I got on mine. 29. I got 28.

Oh my God. Well, I got a 30. You got 29? I was so mad. I wanted a 30 so bad. I took it like four times. But then, you know how like eventually it just starts going down? I was like, all right, we're going to call this.

We're good here. So this is called Bronze Metal Syndrome. What just happened? Okay. So they say that at the Olympics, people that win the bronze medal are so much happier than people that win the silver medal. Because people that win the silver medal are like, I was so close to the gold where bronze was like, oh, man, yeah, I got it. So I had the bronze medal there because I scored a 28 and I was like, oh, I got school paid for it wherever. That's right.

I was pretty happy with that. And then you went, I scored 29. I hated it. And she hit me with the silver medal. That's right. 30 was the goal. You're so right. I wanted, but then, you know, like you said,

free school is free school. Math was my worst. That's it. I literally, to this day, it's like a joke with my band where anything I do wrong, I'll just say, yeah, I'm just really bad at math. Because that's how bad at math I am. You probably made like a 25 on your... No, I won't even tell you.

It's actually very low. But it can't be that low if... It doesn't matter. Great job, 29. We're over here doing the math on how you get the ACT scores you get. I'm the only one that looks like a. nerd, though. Like, I wouldn't think she was a nerd. Well, this was a journey, okay? This was a journey, okay? And I guess I'm still at the beginning of mine. I'm being honest. This journey, we're just starting on the

wagon trail. That's right. Your hometown. Campbellsville, Kentucky. About two, a little over two hours northeast of here. It's two hours if I'm driving it. But yeah, real small, but not as small as yours quite. Yeah, we had 700 people in Mountain Pine. What about your town population? Do you have a sign? I would say, I would say now it's probably actually closer like 10,000 because Big City, dang, Wall Street. Big City. We crazy. Wall Street. Because we have a college there.

And I think that's had like a super big impact on just like people moving in and jobs and all that stuff. But still got that small town vibe. And it's definitely how I grew up, you know. Musically, what was happening around your house that made you want to get in? Where did the love of music come from? Oh, gosh, from my parents big time. So they are both actually really good singers. they would sing at weddings on the weekend.

And they would, I always say that I was singing before I was talking because I couldn't hardly form sentences. But my dad would be like, all right, now harmonize with your sister. I was like three. So we came up very musical in my house, singing in church, singing in contests. So it was always in the ball. No, no, no. I mean, it's just funny because like you don't, you only know what you know, right?

I didn't know. I don't think I knew where songs came from. I guess I assumed the song or the song. the artists wrote them. But then I didn't even get into that side of it until I was older because, yeah, there was no instruments. It was just singing. What were you listening to, like, at that young age? What were you really into?

Okay. So when I was, like, really young, we were pretty much like Christian music only house, right? Like the other music, it was called secular music. My first secular CD was a Martina McBride CD. Which was probably... Did your parents know you bought that? No, yes. My mom bought it for me.

She was, like, loved Martina. My dad was always a diehard country music fan. But back in the 90s, I mean, there was a lot of like cheating and drinking. And my mom was like, no, no, we're not listening to that up in here. And then Martina came out and she was like, okay, now this I can get down with. But yeah, so, I mean, tons of like Kathy Tricoli. She's like kind of a gospel singer back then. Now we did the Gatlin brothers, though.

That was mom approved as well. But kind of came up in that Christian world and then lots of country once I figured it out. The first time you came to Nashville, how old were you? you? Little. We came to Opryland for like a vacation. So like Opryland had rides and stuff. I don't think people even know that about Nashville now.

And of course, you know my sister and I are dressed the same because hashtag 90s. But yeah, we're in our like cowboy hats going to Opry land. And that was, I was probably six maybe, you know, really little. When did you think that you could actually sing and make a life? Was it before college? Because, you know, why do you go to college? Yeah. So I feel like there was a moment when I was in like 13, 14 where it was like my dad and some

were kind of like, wait, she's really good. And that was when like Leanne Rhyms was kind of happening. And I guess had happened. And I think there was like a moment where that was like, oh, maybe that. And then it was like, oh, wait, never mind. We're not going to do that. She's too young. We're going to let her make her own life choices.

And then it's actually weird. but funny story. I took my little sister to the Hannah Montana movie when I was about three months from graduating. I already had my scholarship to college. So you wanted to go to the movie,

you just needed a reason to say you wanted to go. No, no. So you took your sister to the Hannah Montana movie. She was like a diehard, okay? She was a diehard. And I took her to the movie and I swear it was just like my come-to-Jesus moment.

I was like bawling by the time I leave. And I'm like, oh, I feel like this is what I'm supposed to do. I feel like I'm supposed to be this. The climb. It's the climb. I knew it. And I go home, I'm, like, crying. I tell my mom, I'm like, I think I'm supposed to, like, be a singer. I think that's what I was supposed to do. And she's like, let's call your dad. And so we called dad and he's like, listen, miss, I start and quit a sport every year.

This is a commitment of, this is, like, different than that. He said, I'll come over in the morning and we'll talk about it. So we did. And I was very much like, let's go to Nashville. Let's move. And they were kind of like, you have free school. And we just like, we need to, like, get you. We need you to like suss that out. And they're like, but absolutely we will do everything we can to help you chase your music dreams. And they did.

Did you sing in school? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I was in show choir. I always did the contest in the small towns. You know, like I won a couple of those where I would go to like the regional or even the state. So I was in FFA and I got to go to like the national of that. They had singing in Future Farmers of America?

Yes. It's why I stayed in it for four years. I didn't know that. Yeah. So they did a singing contest. and I got to sing at Konseco Fieldhouse up in Indy and it was like 30,000 people and I was like, ooh, I'm way too comfortable doing this. I was like 18.

I was like, yeah. And when you're in college, do you go and sing like at any bar or that you do? Oh, yeah, like the four hour shows. How do your parents feel about you singing at a bar though at 18? Oh, they were there. Oh, they were there. Oh, they were like, let's go, yeah. Oh, yeah.

It was totally different at that point because it was just like, oh, this is a lot. like, oh, this is helping her in her life and in her career. And Eddie Montgomery had a steakhouse. I was like right outside of Lexington, Kentucky at the time. So I would go there and play those like four-hour cover slash, please listen to this song I wrote shows, you know. What did your friends think when you were in college doing this? Because like when I was in a band too when I met Bobby and I'd make Bobby go to the show.

A lot of times it was just Bobby and a couple other friends. That's it. So my friends thought it was cool because I was coming back and forth to Nashville. So they were like, oh, this is like legit. She's really trying to do this. Like, sometimes my friends would make me, like, stand on a table at one of the parties and sing to prove to some other person that I was a good singer. And I was, like, happily obliged. Say less.

But, no, I mean, they were really supportive. I mean, I played the tin roof up there, and they would all come out in droves. I mean, it was a blast. It really was. When you finished school, how long until you packed up and moved? Not long. So I actually graduated early because I knew I wanted to come to Nashville. So I, like, finished all my classes in three and a half years.

graduated in December and then moved here in February. So I went home for like a month, like Christmas, do it, and then I was here. And when you come to a town like Nashville, because there are different places that you can play. How do you played at all in town? Was there a place that you had called us? Hey, I'm coming to town. Can I get on stage? Does that happen at all?

Yeah. So, I mean, definitely the listening room. I was like emailing anybody. I was getting a lot of bouncebacks at the time. But I tried to get in there. I played. I played at maybe Tequila Cowboy, one or two, the Broadway things, but that wasn't really ever my thing, and I knew that wasn't going to kind of be my end.

I would say when I really got here, I was trying to get in the songwriter community. Which is why the listening room is probably. Exactly, exactly, because that was still really early in my like, oh, songwriting, co-writing, that's how you develop artistry. And also there's kind of this idea, which is not wrong in Nashville. that like the way to a record deal is through a publishing deal. And that was definitely the thing when I moved here back in 2013. Like everybody kind of, that was like the trajectory.

You know, now it's so different. But so that was really the big focus. So when you move here and you want to be a songwriter and, you know, yeah, it used to be a town of get a publishing deal. Right. Then maybe you can write enough songs that are good songs for yourself. Yeah. So where do you go?

Who do you talk to? Is there a group here that as a new writer you can go? kind of be like, hey, I'm new here. What do I do? Yes, absolutely. I mean, my first stop and the first stop I tell anybody that's trying to come to town is NSAI. It's the National Songwriter Association. And they're just super helpful in, like, connecting you with people that are where you are, right? Like other new writers in town, other publishers that are willing to take a meeting with someone that's really, really green and just kind of coach you along. and they were hugely influential in my early days here.

When you moved to town and you see that everybody else in this whole town is really good, is that intimidating? Oh, absolutely. I mean, you immediately get the, what is the fish thing, right? It's like a big fish in a small pond. You are a very, very small fish in a big pond. I mean, when I first moved here and I went to some shows, I thought everyone was famous because they were so good.

I was like, obviously, I just don't know who they are because I don't know what's up. But, like, I'm sending videos every night to my friends and family being like, have you ever heard of this person? You know? And they were just, like, as green as I was, they were just really good, you know? But it was fun. Did that make you, I don't know, to challenge you to get better, did it intimidate you to do both?

Both, both. I'm super competitive naturally. And so anytime I see the bar, I'm like, okay, well, that's at least I have to hit that or above. And also, I was just saying, you know, I was just saying, out and when I would realize, that was before I knew the way to, oh, you can't go up and ask people. I would just like, beeline it right after the show. Hi, well, you write with me. You know, that was so me.

But you know what? It worked a lot in those early days because we were all young and trying to figure it out. I mean, it was so funny. The second show I ever went to in Nashville, the one where I'm taking all the videos of the people I thought was famous. It's the night I met Lainee Wilson. We both had the same boots on. And so we just sat down and she was super new to town as well. And so it's like, then we would just attack people together.

It's less weird, you know. How do you find your style in a town like this when you look and like, oh, my gosh, everyone has their own thing going? Like, I got to be different than everyone else. Yeah, I think that that was actually a bit of an issue for me on the early days because I was, like I said, so competitive that I was just trying to do what was already working. And so I wasn't chasing what is Hannah Ellis. I was like, okay, Taylor Swift's doing it this way.

Okay, Carrie Underwood's doing it this way. And so I was more like emulating them, you know, for probably those first couple years. And then it was like, okay, well, I'm not doing, that's not working. And then you do finally get to this place where you're like, oh, if I just do what I do naturally, people seem to gravitate towards that a lot more. So I think it's just a learned art, unfortunately. To get a publishing deal, what were the steps that you went through to take a while? And what happens after you get a publishing deal to get paid to write songs?

Yeah, so I would say, yeah, I mean, again, I was just like I would write two and three times a day, like just as much as possible. And trying to kind of keep those connections I had made in the early days. And I would just send them songs no matter what position, if they were A&R somewhere or if they were, because I interned at Big Machine in the A&R department when I was in college. And so I kept all those relationships. And so I just kind of send songs periodically and just say, you can tell me if they suck. Just help me. And so music kind of just got passed from one friend to the same. the other like, hey, keep an eye on this girl. Go see a show of hers. And Janine Appleton was at

Word Country. Word Entertainment started like a little country arm. And she was who called me and was like, hey, I like your writing, but I also like that you write for men because so many women were only writing girl songs in like, this is like mid-2000s. I mean, there wasn't a lot of places for those to go. And so we started chatting and I got my publishing deal. 2015 and and it was funny because at that time I would never say there was a moment where I wasn't an artist but I would say I did have like okay I'm a songwriter and then an artist in those moments because I was being paid to get songs cut so I focused on that a lot in 2016 got some cuts with like Carly Daniel Bradbury Russell Dickerson and then I was like okay now back to me is there

an expectation that okay I'm gonna write a song somebody's gonna put it on hold right it's gonna be good, then they're going to cut it. I mean, like, what's the success rate of that? So, I'm 0.01. I think at first, you definitely think, song on hold means song cut. And then it's like there's song on hold. Then there's song on hold by the artist. Then there's song that's cut by the artist. Then there's a song that makes it on the record. Like, because, I mean, we had a huge heartbreak. That's all, yeah. It's like, we had a huge heartbreak song where, like, actually wrote it with my husband, Nick. And And Josh Kerr, where Keith Urban cut it.

And, I mean, we were young songwriters and we were all freaking out. Then, like, we didn't even know until, like, we knew we'd cut it because we'd heard the cut of it. Then the record comes out. It's not on the record. Heartbreak. Turn around.

Tim and Faith cut it. So everybody's like, oh, they're going to use it on their tour, right? So in the promo video that the, you remember they did this big show at the Rhyman? In the promo video, it's like the name of that song is on there. You can see it. You can see them singing it. Didn't make the record. And it was just like, that is the most classic Nashville story.

Of course, my husband Nick was like, fine, I'm putting it out myself. So he ended up putting it out. He did. Yeah, yeah. He's like, forget it. But, I mean, it was just such a crazy Nashville story because that's like really common, actually. What's the money situation at this point? Like, are you banking on these to get cut?

On these two? Are you kind of like, all right, I make enough now to kind of just do this and see what happens? Or are you just kind of like, we need this? No, I would say when I signed my deal, I was still working multiple jobs because, like, you're trying to take, like, the lowest pay possible just to get the deal to, like, get your foot in the door. So it wasn't enough to, like, live on. I was a nanny, and I would work for my dad's window company. And that was not good.

She was not a window and door salesman. But, yeah, I would say the money thing was definitely interesting because your draw, is whatever you agreed to. So it was a lot of odd jobs for a while. What was the next step? So you have a publishing duo, you have songs that... What was your first song that was cut on a record? I think the first one was...

I don't remember if it was the Cassidy Pope's song. Or I think it was Daniel Bribery, Messi. It was on, like, her record a couple records ago. And then I had one that I wrote with Russell Dickerson, around the same time called Would You Love Me? Those two came out. I think those were the first of that, like, group of artists that I got cuts with. So when they put it on hold, then when they cut it, then when it makes the record,

then you're like, are you just waiting for them to go, it could be the single? Oh, yeah. And of course, everyone says that. Like someone puts that bug in your ear, whether they said that ever or not. I don't know if it's publisher or friend. You're like, but maybe it's like the slowest ballot of all time. And they're like, I don't know. That's funny.

When did you reshift, and I won't say your focus, but when did you kind of move more emphasis over to now you want to be an artist who writes instead of a writer who's also an artist? Yeah, I feel like that happened. End of 2016 is when I went to Janine and was like, hi, so here's these five songs that I would be devastated if anybody else cut because they feel so me and so like my artistry. And to your point earlier about finding yourself, without me knowing it, when I was focused on writing for these other artists, that was actually where I found myself because all of a sudden I'd write a song and I would be like, no, I will die if someone sings this. And it's not me. Like that was kind of how I found it was more, oh, I couldn't share that. It has to come from me. That's my voice, not only voice, but like how I speak, how I say things. And so I came to her at the end of 2016 with like a batch of songs and was like, I want to do an EP. It can be self-recorded, but as my publisher, she was like, let me just see how I can help you on this journey. Do you still have the Keith Urban version of the song you wrote somewhere? Someone has it. That's awesome.

I bet Josh Kerr has it. You go ask him. So how'd the record deal come about? You know, I was signed at Word Country. Then it got bought by Curbs. So my publishing kind of got swallowed up in that to where I became a curb writer, right? So I'm in the building and then they moved the record label over to where the. the publishing is. So I still had the same publisher, Janine. She got, she kind of got swallowed up in that

whole thing as well. And she was so, she was so amazing to where she was like, I don't want to send stuff too early. But whenever we both feel like you're ready, I'm just going to email it upstairs and see what happens. And so somewhere around 2018, she started doing that. And RJ Meacham, he was the, or he's the head of promo over there. And he was like, oh, wait, this girl's amazing and curb was actively looking to sign a female and they were taking meetings kind of outside of the building and he was kind of the one that was like um this girl's already here she's in the building we could just make all of her money uh but but no so i kind of started taking meetings and then laurel kittleson came over and she was actually my boss when i was an intern over at

big machine so it was kind of this just like perfect storm and you know i took a couple other label meetings at that time. But the curb family really is a family and I was already signed there. And I just felt really invested in as a songwriter and as an artist. And I knew that I'd be a priority, which I still feel like I am there. And not to speak for anybody else's journey, I know that's not how it always is. And so it was just like the perfect fit for me. You keep saying meetings. Is this where you go into an office with a guitar and like play for people? Oh yeah. What's that like? It's awful. It's awful. It's awful. It's awful. I would not put in with that.

No, it's literally like, well, it's like you guys know Nashville. They're not smiling at you. They're not cheering after the song. They're just looking at you. And then you finish it and they're like, what's not about? I'm like, well, you heard it. And you kind of should know. You tell me.

I like that. You know, it's like, but it was just those. And then you'd leave and then like half the time it'd just be radio silence. And you're like, just say no. Would you ever feel like you crushed it? Oh, yeah. And the worst thing is like, there was a label actually that I met with and they were really, really sweet and they were like,

we really, really love you, but we actually feel like we're too far down the line with this other female artist. And, you know, we just feel like we've got to see this through instead. And of course, you can only have one girl. By the way, for everybody out there, she's being facetious. Casey didn't notice. Thank you. Did you ever take it too far?

Like, you sing or like do a little bit too much. Oh, no. You take this one. No, maybe I should have. Honestly, maybe I should have just like. Put your hands up in the end. Right, right. No, I feel like that I've always been kind of this person.

Like, you know, I'm going to be as much as the room needs. But also, like, if you're not into it, I'm not going to like beg you to love it. The last couple years. Or maybe I will. What are the last couple years been like? Because we got out of the pandemic. Yeah. And so everything got kind of got back to normal.

So I feel like now everything's back in whatever groove it's in. Right. But it kind of set everything. back. How did that timing work with your career with the pandemic and then now? So insane. So I actually signed my record deal March 3rd, which was the day after the tornado hit Nashville, March 3rd of 2020. So we were supposed to have this big party that night, which we canceled obviously because there was like devastation everywhere. But we did go ahead and have that morning signing party and thank God because the world shut down the next week.

So there was never a party or anything. I had a record deal. And then it was like, all right, we'll see you when we see you so i mean i didn't even get in the studio till like way later that year cut some songs tried to put something out to radio but then the world shut down again and it was just this a lot of back and forth that kind of was just weird and terrible timing but then in the end i mean like you said we're back to whatever this new version of everything is and the music industry changed a lot in that time frame and so i definitely think there was a level of catch-up that I was playing at the end of 2020 because I'm like, okay, there's like a new normal that we're trying to figure out.

But then I feel like around 21, end of 21 and 22, it's like that was when it really felt like we were off to the races. We started having some success at radio. We started getting back to playing tons of shows. And, you know, I mean, this year I got nominated for an ACM award. So, I mean, it's been fine. It all worked out, you know. Three final questions.

I think the first time that we met, it was during the pandemic. It wasn't. It was January of 2020. Is it right before the pandemic? Yeah, right before. I mean, that was like one of the last things that we did was come see you. Not me and you. Yeah, no.

Me and Nick. Yeah, sorry. Clarify. My husband. She's being facetious. Yes. So I'll give the story. So there was a song that J.P. Saxon, Julia Michaels did.

if the word was in and you get over right And so we listened to it But then I found you guys a song And everybody does covers of everything But I was like man this version is so good So I already said that I said that like four years ago So you're and say thanks again

We're all good And I was like hey come up and play And so you guys came up And that's how we met That was right before the pandemic Yeah literally it was the last thing that we did That was like musically artistic And then they were like

Stay home Yeah When you hear a song on the radio For the first time? Oh It's insane It's really insane I mean, so the first time that I heard it just like not like going to visit a radio station or something.

Like I was truly just out living my life was. Where were you going? Nick and I went to get, we were picking up lunch because we were hungover. And so obviously it looked wonderful. And I get out of the car. I go grab the food. We get back in and I thought I've like left my phone plugged in or something. And I was like, but why would I be playing my own song?

And then I was like, oh my gosh, that is actually playing on the radio. And so we like turn it up or we're trying to film it. And it was a song that Nick and I had written together. So it was like, oh, it was insane. It was so incredible. That's the funniest first time on the radio song. And I would have thought, too, like, oh, my phone's on there. I'm playing my phone.

And then I was like, wait, why would I have my own song? Well, that's not Lint Biscuit. That's my phone. That's right. That's weird. Exactly. So we've kind of walked through your journey until today. But let's say there's someone that, a young girl or a young boy now teenager.

that's thinking about making the move, they want to be an artist, they want to be a songwriter. What advice would you give them before they decide to travel to Nashville either temporarily or full time to be, well, what you are? Yeah, I would just say authenticity over everything.

I think I did lose some time in those early years trying to chase down whatever was working. And I mean, you still see it in today's market. Someone will pop off and then there's four of those that come along. And I think I did that for a minute. And I think that if I could give anyone

any advice. It's truly just lean into what comes naturally to you, how you talk, how you sing, how you create, like the community that you create. And then also just like get involved in the town. I think it's such a relational and such a community-driven town. Someone once said

to me, you must be present to win. And I thought that was such a great word for Nashville because it's true. No, they didn't say that was in the back of every cereal box. Or lottery ticket or... Right. That's right. Yeah, no, that wasn't a person that said that. It was fine. It's called find He didn't come up with that.

Yeah, no, yeah, yeah, yeah. But no, it's so applicable to Nashville because I think being in the community is one of the best things that you can do for your career. Yeah, someone wants it to me shake before serving. Really? Yeah, but then I realized it was orange juice. It was the back of an orange juice box. Oh, Lord. Yeah, it's the whole thing.

Thank you for hanging out. Heck, yeah. That's so fun. I know we're going to go and check out some cool places that we talked about inside of this podcast. But, yeah, good to see you. Oh, yeah. And congratulations on everything. and the Keith Urban, Tim McGraw,

that story is super funny. That's probably number two or three on the list. The story about the own song. That was a good one. There are a lot of nuggets from this that I'm just like, man, that's A-plus. And then the fact that she credited a friend of hers with coming up with something like... Oh, it wasn't the first time I heard it. No, no, we hear, yeah.

Oh, Kentucky, what are you going to do? She's like, and he had this great advice. Turn around, don't drown. That's like, no, no, that's what they say when it rains. Everybody says that. Okay, for podcast-wise, great to see you. But we're going to head off now. You good?

Let's go. All right. Get your Bobby bones on. Bobby bones.