The Bobby Bones Show - Getting Real with Drew Baldridge: The Farmer’s Mentality That Built a Music Career 

Episode Date: September 5, 2026

Raised on a farm surrounded by multiple generations of family, including his farmer grandfather, Drew Baldridge learned early that hard work, grit, and persistence matter. When Nashville wouldn’t book him or sign him, he created his own path—playing backyard concerts and building his fanbase from the ground up. That farmer mentality took him from backyard shows to chart-topping success and tours with Jelly Roll and Luke Bryan. Now a husband and father of two, Drew is celebrating the values that shaped him with his new album, Farm Faith Family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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you're mine. She's getting real, not afraid to feel. Take a soul to soul. Just let her flow. No one can do it quite. All right. We're here with Drew Baldridge. Hey, hey, how's it going?

What's up? Glad to be here. Thanks for having me. I mean, last time I saw you was at the puffy muffin. Oh, love the puffy muffin. I've kind of turned that into a weekly routine with my three-year-old. Stop it. We go, like, for breakfast, like, once a week when I'm,

home like a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday from the road. And he always gets a cookie. We get the same thing. We don't even have to look at the, he gets. He always gets like whatever is made that day. Like this week was a fox. So he got a little fox. Oh, like the cookies. Whatever cookies. Whatever cookies made that day. Then like last week he got back to school. It was like a number one, even though he doesn't go to school. All his friends, you know, are excited about it. So he got back to school. So yeah, we've kind of turned it for the last month, kind of into like a weekly thing. I really like that place because it reminds me of, it feels very on brand for you, Drew. Very home-style.

It's like actually like you walk in there and like they call you honey when they bring your coffee. Oh, it's my favorite thing. Yes. You can sit there for hours. You see all these like old elderly people sitting there just like having a lovely breakfast or lunch on some peach. And they got the best, it's a bakery too.

So they got like the best cookies and cakes and all that stuff. It's my vibe for sure. But I do believe Katie was pregnant. I don't think you had your second second. No, now he's four months old now. It's crazy to think about how fast time goes. But we are. So you have a three-year-old and a four-month-old?

We got a three-year-old and a four-month-old. We are in it. Katie, you know, right now I'm torn so much. She's really, really in it. So we've been trying to find people come like every weekend when I'm gone. Because you're gone all the time. Gone a lot. You're like tearing up the roads.

Right now we're, you know, three or four days a week, sometimes more. Every week. Every week. Until I think like Thanksgiving is kind of the goal. I said after Thanksgiving, I want to be done this year. Are you the one behind booking all these shows or someone else driving? Like who's driving this Drew Waldron's ship? Because it's rocking.

I think, you know, we had some, you know, a couple years ago, she's somebody's daughter did its thing and it was such a blessing. Okay, let's not just like whiz past that. You made that do its thing because she's somebody's daughter is such an amazing song. you for saying that you were on a label you thought you're going to go in and have like this really profound meeting where they're like really about to like invest in you and give you the push that you always knew was coming and instead you got dropped i got dropped 100% yeah dropped brutal it was so brutal and it was like you know where do i go from here where do you go from there and it was like do i just move home did you feel desperate i felt defeated i felt defeated

I felt defeated. Defeated. And like, we traded a little bit by the town. And I just felt like I was making music that was just as good as my peers. And I had this song that was obviously doing very well. So it was doing well. And luckily for me and my wife, like, we were, that was the best, you know, money-wise we've ever done because we were seeing it. But for me, I didn't get into this for money.

Like, don't get me wrong. Like, I love being able to provide to my family. We need the money. money, but that's not why you got in for it. Yeah, I just, I love playing music and I love being in front of people and I want my music to mean something and I want my music to be heard by people that need it. And I felt like she's somebody's daughter was such that song to, for girls, you know, and for guys. Like, you know, I have two little boys now and to know that this song will one day be theirs. Like, I can pass it down to them. It's about their mom and, hey, how to treat a woman.

Yeah, which is kind of a big theme with you. Yeah, it is. You have another song out right now about that. Yes, we do. And I think, you know, and I think, you know, you know, for me, that's the kind of messages that I want to put out in the world. And so when we got dropped, I felt defeated that our music wasn't going to be able to be heard by the people that had deserved to be heard by. And so when we started our own thing, you know, I never dreamed it would turn into all this. But you started it too. You were doing backyard shows, which I freaking admire and commend you for because you were like, let's get creative.

How are we going to do this? So how did you do that? You just like would, how did you people even know, to hire you for their backyard parties. But that turned into a thing, right? It really did. It turned into a huge thing for us. I'm so impressed with that. It actually came, you know, 2019, 2020 hit. I had this song called Senior Year.

And I wrote it in 20, it came out, I think, in 2019. And the hooks had never thought it would disappear senior year. And I just meant, at the time when I wrote, I was like, live it up. It's going to go by fast. And well, 2020 hit all these kids' senior year did disappear. And that's when TikTok really started becoming a thing. So these kids started using it in their video. So it kind of went viral.

And I just decided to post and said, hey, I'll do Zoom concerts for every class of 2020. And so I was doing like seven or eight Zoom concerts a day from my living room. And then that turned into, hey, will you come play our drive-through graduation? Our drive-thru? I forgot about that. Yeah. Our drive-thuguration. And so I went and I played through the drive-thru graduations.

And I started doing more, like some other schools started asking. And like in a crazy way, it'd be like a. graduation on August 18th in New York somewhere. And I would look up what other schools had graduations around there. And I would just cold call their front office. And I'd just be like, hey, I see your graduations August 17th. I got this song. I'll come play it. And would be, no. No one paid you. They would be like, hey, we'll cover your experience. A lot of people like, you're a creep hang up on them. You know, honestly. A lot of them are like, don't call back to the school with our kids. Hang up. But someone will be like, oh my goodness, this is actually our class song like this year. And so please

come. We'll, you know, cover your flight here and give you a room. Were you just trying to build momentum and keep it going? Yeah, I was just trying to keep it going. And that's what really started the backyard conversation when I got back. And at that time, me and my wife, we were just engaged. And she was like, this is really cool, but like we need to make money somehow. We can't just volunteer for the rest of our lives. Yeah, you can't just volunteer yourself for the rest of your life. Which don't you feel like as a musician, sometimes you're like, I'm literally volunteering my whole life away. Yeah. And you're giving everything you have and it's so grueling and exhausting. It is. Bricks your spirit, but yet, you're signing me up for free. Here I am. Sign me up for free. And I think, you know, everybody, every musician should go through

that a little bit because this is. How long must we go through it, Drew? Not forever. Not forever. But I think it really, when I went and did these, when I did that school thing, yes, it was very difficult, but my cup was so full because I was. It was actually your impacting. It was, I was impacting. And I saw it in people's eyes and I could see it in these kids and I could give commencement speeches and it was felt like why I was built felt like why I was making music it wasn't just for trying to make a single for Nashville it wasn't just like making something that sounded like the radio it's actually like really affecting people's lives and when I got back home and you know at that time my fiancee now my wife she was like that's cool you need to make money she's like what if we just took this and went to backyards

like what you're doing on social media and doing zooms what if you just posted and said hey I don't have a record deal, an agent anymore. Everybody dropped me. Like, maybe these people would want you to play in their backyards and just go do what they'll pay you. Like, just go do it. And, and so I posted and it, well, like, like 20,000 messages. Like, it just went crazy. Like, crazy, crazy. You couldn't get to the show's fast enough. I couldn't keep, and it was just DMs. Like, I would just say, DMs. Like, I would just say DM me or comment. And then I would pick out a Saturday in Virginia. And then I would go through every message. Were you making good money kind of? And I was, by the end, of it, you know, I think we were doing like 2K a night is what we needed to come.

That's great. But we would bring our people, you know, we'd bring a tour manager in the sound system ourselves. And I think the best thing was, was we made, we called it the Baldridge and Bonfire tour. And so we made shirts that said Baldrige and Bonfire. And all these little towns had their own name on a shirt. And so that was cool, like selling the merch and being able to sign it.

And for me, I mean, there were some nights we started out like, hey, do whatever. like we'll 750 bucks and there'd be like the little girl's birthday and that was her birthday present and she really wanted an iPad and be like okay hey here take some money back go get this little girl her iPad or iPod or whatever and so we were yeah it was just like we wanted to I felt like so excited that we got to be in these yards and feel like I was doing what I was meant to do and kind of rejuvenated me in music because I was I was in Nashville at that time for 10 years and as you know I mean, you have a husband in this too. I mean, it can beat you up and you can feel like, what am I doing?

Drew, my spirit's so broken. I don't even know where it is anymore. Just kidding. No, you know what I've done? I surrendered it fully to God. Amen, sister. It'll break you so far down. You got nothing left to do, but pray about it.

Pray about it. And so I just think for me when I was there in their backyards and I was seeing it and I was watching them, how happy it made them. And I wasn't pulling up to a club where every other artist has played in the last 20 years and the club person's mad at you. Nobody cares. Nobody really cares. They might have bought tickets, but, but this, we were pulling up and they'd have signs and they'd be like, you know, the little kids would be like, Drew's in our yard. Like, thanks for coming. And it just made like a whole difference in my heart and my character. And it gave me a purpose to be there. And so

as much of these people felt like Drew's doing this for us, it was really, they were doing it for me and filling my cup and made me realize like, hey. That's the win-win. That's when you're in that sweet magical spot of music. When you feel it. Yes, you feel it. And that really catapulted us into, you know, starting our own thing, sending daughter to radio.

And now, you know, we've been touring so heavy the last two years because, you know, you feel like you have this window that you want to lose your momentum. You don't want to lose the momentum. And you want to also capitalize on the momentum that daughter had. And, and that's where we're at right now is capitalizing on that,

playing fairs and festivals. And we're so blessed. But what we decided to do, and I'm sure you saw it, but like the album's called Farm Faith Family. And so we're taking it back to these private, intimate backyard. So wait, you're going back to the backyards? Stop it.

I'm going back. How did you decide to go back to the backyard? Because I always wanted to do it again. I love it. I love it so much. And so much, Drew. And so what we did, um, you love chatting with the people too, don't you? I love it.

I can feel this in your bones. Like you like need to be with the people. I love it. You need to feel that. My wife, it drives me. my wife nuts. She's like, you're relaxing is being around other people. And just feeling their hearts and connecting through the music.

Yeah. Okay. And I want to hear their stories. And then you light up. That's how you kind of like. Yes, I light up and being able to speak into them. And so I think what we decided was, I was talking to my manager and I was like, how do we do this? And it makes sense where it's not just like going backwards. Like, hey, we're playing backyards again. So what we decided for Farm, Faith, Family. And when does that album come out soon? comes out the 18th of September.

Oh my gosh. Are we excited? Yeah, under a month. I am so excited. Okay, so we're taking it back for the album release. Yeah, we're taking it back for the album release. What I decided is I'm going to play three farms for farm. I'm going to play three churches for faith and I'm going to play three weddings for family.

And so we're just giving them away. People can just post. Oh, you can do like giveaways? Yeah, 100% free. We're just going to go. And let people like try to like win it? Yeah, they just sign up. They can go to the link in my bio and you can sign up and we're just going to go.

and we're going to pick three of each of these. And while we're out on tour, just stop in and play these for people, which I'm just so excited about. It's been the coolest experience of my touring. Now, don't get me wrong. Like, playing some big shows with, like, Luke Ryan was, like, amazing. That's somebody I really looked up to. And you're kind of like friends, right?

Yeah, I mean, everybody thinks for brothers. Kind of remind me of each other. Everybody thinks we're like, I could go out and do his meet and greets, you know. You're really good. But he's, he's so cool, man. I know. It has been such a blessing to open for him. And for how long were you opening?

Like all, what was the tour? Well, we just kind of did this summer. Okay. That's a great summer tour. Sporadic dates, you know? It's like he has, I think like 12 openers. And so you get, you do sporadic dates throughout the year. I appreciate that about Luke Brian.

Yes. That he's like, he's always looking out for the next one too. He really is. And he's just the kindest soul, you know. And I think one of the coolest things about him is, you know, he has three artists. and that open, and we all rotate every night what position we're in. Stop. So some nights were first, and some nights were right in front of them.

Some nights were direct support. Some nights were in the middle. He's so intentional. And so you have every night that you can do this. And, you know, I think, like even last week, one of the coolest things, I mean, I don't even know if I'm allowed to say this, but like, we went up to Oregon and Washington. We had these shows. Bend, right?

Bend. Yeah, we played in Bend. Best City. Beautiful. Oh, my gosh. Well, the next two nights we were supposed to play in Washington outside of Seattle and outside of Spokane and the fires were so bad and they were messing with our voice and there was people's houses and homes being devastated and um we decided that we're just going to

reschedule those for October this is your personal tour this is Luke's tour this is Luke's tour okay we played in Bend I was opening for Luke okay he was like came off stage and he's like man this is so I don't smoke so bad so bad but also just terrifying for the communities to come out to a country concert, you know, when there's fires raging. Fires going on and stuff. And so we rescheduled and flew all my guys back. And for me, it's like, that's a big hit. Yeah.

You fly out there, all the things. And my agent called and said, hey, Luke paid you in full for both those shows. And I don't want to cry. And that is like the kindest thing. That brings tears to my eyes. It just makes you the way that he's treating me. It's like, go back and like, hey, I want to remember this, you know. Because it means so much.

It means so much. It means so much. You know, he didn't have to do that because. Because he's a big star. He's a big star. He doesn't have to care. But he does care because he was where I was. You know, and he knows what that's like to fly 10 guys out and try to put on a show.

And, you know, for us to fly those back and all these things. And he was like, hey, we got you. We're going to pay you for both those shows and come back out and play again. We're going to pay you again. And so he didn't have to do that. Man. Super kind human. And like him rotating the openers, too.

Like, he doesn't have to do that. He doesn't. Truly, like, yes, he's a superstar and he's rocking in his life, but he's also like, I want you to rock. I want you to have a great experience. I want you to win. Totally. That is, that is a, that is a, that's the separation for me. Like when someone is like that, when they are at that level, I'm like, okay, that, whatever that is, that is, that is what we all need to aspire to be.

Yeah, it's 100%. That's what you start sitting back and you're like, man, God's giving him that such that, that spotlight because that's a human that he is and makes you want to, to do better and give back. more and all those things to younger artists and things like that as they're on their way up and be supportive for them and you know people that are out on tour with you like when we have chase right out on tour with us now and trying to treat him it's such a smaller scale chase right chase right yeah okay so there's a chase rice and a chase right there is yes yeah i love that country music has so many similar names sometimes i'm like wait what what i know so many um he's a great artist too and he's independent right now. And so just trying to be what people are to you. And you see that and you're

like, man, I want to make sure to give back in that way and make sure that they're taken care of. And it's been a really cool tour. And that's the ripple effect too. You know, it matters. It really makes a difference. It does. And, you know, the last year we've been so blessed, we were out with Cody Johnson opening for him. And he's just, why is he the best? He's so good. And we were out with Bailey, Zimmerman. And he's also so great. Yeah. We grew up 20 minutes from each other. Did you know each other going up? Not growing up. Not growing up. up, but funny enough, like, when I got a message in like 20, 21 probably, right when I was playing people's yards and stuff. And back home, we were such a, somehow, they are the ones that

kept me going. Like back home, we're like, oh, he's our, you know, small town famous guy. And I got a message from somebody back there. Wait, Bailey was or you were? We were at the, yeah, you were the small town famous. Because you grew up in a town of 600, right? Yes, so small. So small. So small. Okay. And Bailey's town's about the same. And we would like play, other in basketball. Like I was, I was a few years older than him, but people that he knows I played in ball with. His brother, actually, me and him were the same age. And so we played ball against each other. So you knew his brother. I knew his brother. Yeah. And so I got a message that said, hey, there's another kid that's trying to do it in Louisville, Louisville, Illinois. Louisville,

sorry, there's so many Louisville. We call it Louisville, Illinois. That's not correct. It's Louisville, right it's Louisville Kentucky but it's Louisville Illinois okay it's how they say yeah it right okay Louisville and I was like you know I knew nobody when I moved to Nashville like zero people I messaged some people that were from here at that time and nobody got back to me and I said you know I'm just going to message this kid I don't know something's telling me I need to and I just messaged him and I said hey if you want to come to Nashville and you really want to do this here's my number call me anytime and it wasn't two minutes I get a phone call oh my goodness I can't believe I'm talking dream modern. It's the coolest thing in the world, man. You're a legend. And I was like,

yeah, dude. Like, I just saw your video. You got a cool voice. Do you really want to do this? And he was like, 100% I want to do this. He's always that fired up, isn't it? Always. He's got so much energy. I wish I had half that energy. And so I was like, come down. Let's start writing songs. So we just started writing songs in my living room. And it was this really cool thing, but also so hard. And like, for me, I was, I lost my deal. And I was trying to get a new deal. he was on this amazing climb where he was viral right massively like what happened he was yeah something took off his first song he ever wrote he just got his braces off where he could sing pretty much and he his first he was like i was on snapchat and i sang a couple and girls were like hey you should try

posting a video and he said i posted this a verse chorus that i ever first ever wrote and it went viral oh my gosh and then from there on it just kept everything he did just kept going viral some people are just got that mightest touch And he was just call him. It was so fun to like navigate with him. Like he would call me like, hey, there's this guy. He wants to manage me. But this label, Warner wants to be my label. I can't have a manager and a label, can I?

That's wrong. And I was like, no, you totally need a manager and a label. So just being a part of that journey and watching it and kind of being in his ear a little bit. Like there was this deal in Miami that these guys tried to give him and like saying, don't do that. You know, that's horrible. Get here to Nashville. more. And it was just fun being a part of his ride and then sitting in the crowd when he played

for the ACMs the first time and like him coming off stage and being able to hug him and just being like, man, this is so cool. Behind every night spent making the kids lunches, there's a lot of suspense. Will they finally eat the veggies? Will the pastos survive the first bite? Will the lunchbox come home empty, half full, or come home at all? And will you finish episode eight before you're done slicing the cucumbers? Get Bell Pure Fiber Internet with Craved Netflix and Disney Plus from $94 a month. Price guaranteed for two years on internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for details and to check availability.

Bell, connection is everything. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and held captive for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the survivor files. I just remember this low, taunting voice. next to my ear saying shut up. Don't say anything. Every week, I'm with survivors

who live through the unthinkable. I knew if he woke up, without a doubt, he was going to hurt me. I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming. They are abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced.

But these aren't stories about what's taken from them. There's stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality,

welcome home. This is Prose Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks Pride and Prejudice and Love Island deserve the same level of discourse. I'm Eli Rallo, and every single,

week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. I'm going to have to look up this story. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. From bestselling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table. It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, then that is a Trojan horse. Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to pro society on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

See you between the pages. On the new podcast Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinero, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say, without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita,

trading the pity for possibility. Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people, and they were like, you smiled at us, not a lot of people smile around here. It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is

and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind, or wake up to a new version of yourself. So whether you're not, a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip. I hope you listen to Solita on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, everybody, Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes here from the Amy and T.J. podcast. Yes, we cover

the biggest news stories of the day every day, but we also love diving into relationships and the conversations everyone seems to be having around them. Yeah, sometimes the biggest news stories of the day are about relationships, not secretly but still openly rooting for Jailo and Ben. Yes, but whether it's the latest with Jailo and Ben, or Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey's in Day and Tom Holland, or you know what, even those Love Island couples after the villa, we are here to discuss all of life's relationship questions, and there are always a plenty. And so many new relationship titles, we have names and phrases for different. types of relationships these days. Yeah, so I'll stay away from the trends. I'm not exactly dating

these days, but listen to us on Amy and T.J on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Obviously, I'll ask you to be on tour together. Then he took you on tour? He took me on tour. Okay, so you said you had to navigate because he was rising at the same time you were like losing your deal. Was that emotionally hard? It was emotionally hard like for me. Yeah. And I think in keeping myself in check a little bit of like, hey, this is life. This is just what it is. This is what it is. You know, I've been here for a long time. I've been here for 10 or 11 years, and a lot of my friends around me,

things happen quicker for them than it did for me. Or, you know, for them, I got a record deal first, and it didn't really do anything. And they saw that. And so I just think all of us are kind of sitting around. We can play the compare game if we want to. Not even worth it. It's not worth it. Well, and everybody gets hit in different ways at different times and in different areas of their life.

100%. And, like, someone may be totally throughout. Like Luke Bryan, for instance. But then all the tragedy he's had to experience with, like, losing family members. You know, it's like nobody just gets this perfect. There's nothing perfect. No. Everybody's struggling.

You know, everybody's going through something. And we, I think being a part of his story, that's when I learned, though, for me in this business, you can sit back and you can pout for yourself and you can say, poor me, you can say, poor me, they're getting this, they're getting that. Or you can go out and be a part of people's stories. Or you can go out and root for people. And you can feel, you can. you can go out and feel included.

You know, you can feel, be a part of it. And that for me was the first perspective. Yes. You don't have to be in it at this certain angle. You can just be in it a different way. Yeah, totally. And also, like, for me, it just, it filled my cuff so much watching him win. And it was really cool that he called and asked me to be on the tour.

And we got to do, you know, amphitheaters together for the first time. And that was, that was really special. And now to watch him in arenas and doing what he's doing. So being a part of that tour was, was really special. And then right after that, we went to Australia with Jelly Roll for a couple weeks, which was wild. Yeah. What's Jelly Roll like on tour? He's such a good storyteller. Like most of the time after the show, I've never seen so many people just wherever we go, there's just people. Like with him? Yes. There's always just like when we were in Australia,

we'd get off stage and there would just be like all these influencers, like all the time just around They just want to be around them. They just want to be around them. Because it would be like after the show you'd end up sitting in a big circle chatting and everybody would just be sitting there listening to jelly tell stories. He can just tell a story. He can. He can. He can just tell stories. He can't. He can just tell stories. He can't just tell stories. He can't. He can't just remind me of like, in a very different way, but sitting at like deer camp growing up and you'd just sit and be like, you know, one of my best friends was so good telling stories. So he would just tell story after story and just sitting there and here and you're like, man, is this real? Like is this really happen? Are you putting some extra little umfinite? You don't even care. You don't care. It's funny. It's great. You know. And so that's what it reminded me of afterwards, after shows, everybody would just go in and sit down and the green room. So he just welcomed everyone in. So welcome. He was not like, leave me alone. I need my space. Not at all. You know, especially after shows, he'd be like, come in, sit down. You know, hey, get a drink. Do this. You know, very welcoming, very open and was always welcoming to me. I mean, there was times on stage would he be like, hey, during his set, he's like, Drew, take it. I'm going to go, I'm going to go take a break for five minutes. He would just like sing his song? I would just jump up. We would sing Friends in Little Places or should have been a cowboy or whatever. And he'd be like, he'd just look at me and just go like this. And I'd be on this stage.

In an arena. Yeah. I mean, 20,000 people. And it would just be. I love how casual that is. Oh, it's amazing. Or he would be like one night, I'll never forget. We were playing the biggest show.

It was an outdoor, I think like soccer stadium. There had to be 20,000 people. It was in Townsville. And we got on stage and he said, all right, this guitar player is about to play this intro. He says, I have a wad of, I have a wad of hundreds in my pocket. And he pulls it out. And it's like this big. He said it's like $3,000. I don't know what it was. It was way more than that. And he was like, if you guys know this intro that he plays, Drew's going to come down to the front row and he's going to pass out $100 bills to kids. And I was like, I was sitting there. I was like, I'm so in on this, but I love how random this is. Like I didn't, he didn't tell me this was going to happen. I just walk up there. He hands me this cash. And of course, it's, you know, know, da-da-da-da, it's friends in low places. So everybody's going to know it. And so every- So he wanted everyone to win it. So the whole crowd goes crazy. And I'm down here, you know, he hands me this, he said it was a couple thousand. I'm for the whole song,

I'm handing out hundreds. You can't pass them out enough. I can't pass out fast enough. And all these kids are like waving. I'm just handing out $100 bills, $100. And I'm trying to, and I'm trying to sing. Like I got the like, blah on my roots, like Mike and my armpit. And I probably screwed the words. I think I did screw the words up that night. I don't think he was paying attention to the words at that point. No, it was just such a cool moment, but that's just the kind of person he is. He's giving, but also, like, you never know. You got to be on your toes when you're on stage with Jelly, because he could just be like,

say something random and you're doing something. It was never the same every night. The whole course of the night has shifted. Yeah, has shifted in that moment, which is cool. And that's why I think people enjoy going out to shows. You never know what you're going to get. You know you're going to get preached to, which is awesome. I do appreciate that.

But, like, just show quality. The show was like at Bridgestone and Snoop was there and everyone was just smoking weed too. I don't know, do they do that at all the show? I'm like, but like nobody cares. Like security doesn't care. No, they just let it happen. People's lighting up everywhere. Yeah, they just let it happen.

Rock and roll, jelly. They're a bunch of loving people. Yeah. A bunch of wheat smoking, having a good time. I mean, I was like, you know, I appreciate that about jelly roll because he just like shows you all the extremes of life and it all comes back to God. It does. And I'm like, that's very, that's very comforting to see. someone like that in a leadership position.

Well, he is what he is. And so many of us are so flawed, but yet we're ashamed of it. And he's like, here it always. Here I am. Here I am. You know, I'm open-handed. This is me. You're going to love me or you're going to hate me. You know, I think that's such a refreshing trait that we can, you know, a lot of us behind

closed doors want to hide what this is or that is. And he's just like, nah, this is me. You love it. You hate it. God judges me. That's it. Yeah. And I think that's pretty.

But to believe that in your soul is powerful. That's powerful. Very powerful. Man. Okay. Okay, so farm, faith, and family. Yes. That is you.

100%. That is just who you are. Well, it was, I've had this idea for a long time that I wanted to put out kind of an album that had three ties to it. Because I got known as she's somebody's daughter guy. And don't get me wrong. Like, I love that. And it's still, most people know me for that song. But I wanted people to know more of me.

I'm more than just that. And so I had this concept at first. It was called Real Life Country. And I was going to put out real songs. life songs about my family and then like country barn burner honky tonk kind of stuff and when I first sat down with my manager who I'm you know I was meeting managers at the time right when daughter went number one I was alone I didn't have a manager I was just by myself and so that's kind of aren't you like the wasn't like the highest uh something very impressive about being

an independent number one yeah it was the first ever first ever independent self-funded first number one yeah which is crazy so you self-funded that whole thing I did it yeah Was that really stressful? Oh my gosh. I can't even begin to... Did you get any gray hairs? Yes, I got a couple in my beard now. I saw it the other day and I was like, oh my gosh.

And probably in the middle of it. You're like, what am I doing? Well, at that time, too, I had a six-month-old. Oh, you're putting everything on the line. It's putting everything on the line. My wife was... We just got married, literally, bet the farm on it. We talk about it all the time and it was just like every month we prayed that daughter

would stream enough to pay the staff because I had a staff. That was working this record. Yeah, promotion staff? Promotion staff. But they did it. They got it. They got it. Yeah. And it was, you know, although... A lot of independent promotion staffs don't get number one. Well, when I started looking into this, you know, it got to the point where it was like, oh, this is an independent staff, this is an independent staff. And I decided to just pick my own. And so...

So you handpicked them? I handpicked them. Each regional? Each regional. Yeah. I called all my radio friends and said, I'm going to do this. You know, labels are restructuring right now. A lot of people are out of jobs. Who's your favorite that's out? So you called the PDs. Called the PDs. The radio. Yeah. And then the PDs were like, this is my favorite person. You should hire them. You're a little detective.

Well, I didn't know, I didn't know anybody. I didn't know how else to connect them. You're going to pay so you want to pick the right people. The right people. And I was really close. I was really close with a lot of radio people. You've probably been on radio tour for a while. For years.

Years. You know everyone well. I knew everybody very well. You know what people love when you ask them advice. Like when someone knows something well, they want to help you. And it was also like I was five years since I had a single or radio. I wasn't. asking them for radio play. You're asking them for advice on digital. I was asked, hey, I'm going to do this.

I want you to know that. I'm going to send a song to radio. And they're like, you're crazy, but we like the song. That's what made me do it. Everybody's like, you're crazy, but we like it. We see what it's doing. And so I was like, well, who would you hire? And you know, and I got all these people. And I just started calling me like, hey, I'm going to do this. And so I just hired my own staff handpicked. I kind of love that, though, because they're more invested. It's not you're hiring just like a blanket of people. Yeah. And they're going to hopefully, you know, make it work. These are people are invested. You are calling them. You are telling them your story. This is what we're doing. It's intentional. We're doing this together. I'm going to be in this with you. Like, I'm going to,

I'm going to be on every radio call. I went and did all these radio shows. This is my own money. My own money. So like, I always said, we're not traveling. What's that? Did you like mortgage your house? I didn't mortgage the house. Luckily, like I said, she, she's somebody's daughter was streaming so much. Okay, so you could pay for it off that. I paid for it off that. Wow. I just didn't keep any money. You just put it right back in, invest it. had reinvested back in it. But it was some months, you're like, oh my goodness. Like, I would travel. But also that's the good news of being independent. You actually got to keep your money off of streaming. I did. Yeah. And when it streams, I mean, I didn't know that that really existed until we, you know,

daughters started streaming. I was like, wow, this is what labels are making. This is insane. Yeah. This is a blessing for us and our family, but this is crazy. They are making more money now than they've ever had. Oh, yeah. And that's, that's great for them. Like an artist, if you own, and it's been really cool, I think artists are getting better deals now, all these things. You probably are strategic when you got your deal. Yes, very. You're not just going to sign a deal because you're grateful for a writer deal.

It's like, hey, we did this without you all. We want you to be a part of this. Let's be partners. Let's do this together. But make it a win, win. Yeah, everybody win. Everybody win in this situation. And so I think when we started working daughter and I was seeing this, like,

I would just go and do every radio meeting alone because I couldn't afford to fly my team in. So I would just go to like Phoenix and I would sit down across the place from the radio guy and be like, hey man, what's it going to, what do I got to do? So you were your own regional? I was my own regional for yourself as an artist. Yes, it was so awkward sometimes. It's so cool. You'd walk in and you're like, oh, I'm Drew Baldritch representing Drew Baldritch. 100% because I couldn't afford to fly people.

I love this. And just, and I was just real with them. They've got to appreciate that. Yeah. And I think a lot of them did of like, so most people were like, you're doing. this without and you're on the chart and nobody there's nobody else i was like you got some determination this is just me this is like i flew here today on my dime to meet with you and just to say hey this song is working here's the bullet points of it and that's good it actually was working it was working you

weren't having to say please help me make this work it's actually working and i would fly in and be like hey it's top five in dallas research hey it's it's number one in baker's field oh i was on every call with the radio team and driving it. I mean, we were, honestly, very involved. It's very impressive, though, because, like, when you are forced to take over your whole business or else it's not going to be a business, you learn it all. And now you can do all the hats. Like, you can't, nobody can mess with you. And it's, it's been so cool because I've kept that promo team. And now, and now, and now we're actually working Brandon Lake, which is really cool. And so we were, the Christian artist? Yeah. And he's like crushing it. So he's coming over to country space. And so we just

put out. And you're with Broken Boe now, right? I'm with Broken Boe for my artistry. And But you brought your staff. I brought my staff with me. It's separate. So Lyric Ridge is the name of my staff and my label. That is, we worked hard fought, hallelujah with Brandon and Jelly. We got it top 25, which is really cool.

And we've just been working the Cody Johnson and Brandon Lake record, and we're about to, Brandon's about to put out a whole project. Is this your label under Brokebo? So this is my promo staff is what I would say. So Broken Bow is its own thing. They don't pay. my promo staff. My promo staff is like an independent promo team.

So we have an imprint in a way. It's just lyric ridge. It's just we can work whatever we want to work. So you're free. I'm free. I can do whatever I want. Other artists can come. We work Julia Cole for radio. It's kind of like a record deal. Yeah. I mean, you could come in and, you know, we could talk about what that looks like. Obviously, you know, I have this staff to pay. So it's sometimes it's like, hey, if we're a label services people, you can come in and we can, hey, we need X that I have to pay this. staff to work a song to radio. Yeah.

You know, and we can come in and we can work a song to radio. So it's been really cool. We have some artists, too. I love Julia Cole. She's come on here. She's awesome. She's great. And we had the chance to work with her on her first single and get her introduced to radio.

And there's some other artists. I've had an artist named Dylan Wolf that I just had under my own label, too, and just put out some songs on him. And if something pops, it's cool because we've got our radio team. And so, yeah, it's a small own little label. But, you know, that is, it's in a good spot where it can kind of run itself and things. and I can focus on me as an artist and putting out this album, obviously. But it's fun to have both brains and know what it takes now to send a song to radio,

to do all those things. When I go into these label meetings now with like Farm Faith Family or whatever, it's like to have these ideas and strategies and be like, hey, this is what worked for me on this. Can we talk about that, you know, and being real partners with them? And still having my staff, if we want to include them to work the single, I was like, hey, I got my other team over here that can also make calls. So it's pretty cool.

You're just like a whole little empire, Drew. Are you tired? I am tired, yes. I'm tired. But it's also excites me. I love, as much as I love making music and love writing songs, I love the business. I've learned so much in the last year. And I've loved the business and helping out other independent artists.

Like on this tour, it's called the Farm Faith Family Tour. In between Luke, we're out on our own dates. And, you know, we were just talking like, some nights you go and it's great. Some nights you go, and it's like, I've never been to this city. this is not so good, you know. But what I did was, I made this post where I was like, hey, we're going on tour, Farm Faith Family Tour. If you're an independent artist in this market,

I'm going to give you a spot in my set. It's called The Spotlight Moment. And so every night that we play our own headline shows over this summer, I've picked a local independent artist that has jumped up in the middle of our set and got to sing an original song for the crowd. And it's one of the coolest moments. All the people love it because it's their local person to El Dorado, Arkansas, or wherever they may be, you know, they're from there and from that state.

And it's really cool because a lot of people I'm seeing now that are doing this are like, yeah, we moved to Nashville like four months ago. We're really trying to make a swing at it. And it's been cool to pick these people that are trying to do it. But also this was maybe some of the biggest shows they've ever played in front of and given them a chance. Because I was an independent artist. I know what that feels like. You're a real sensitive guy, aren't you?

I'm sensitive. Yeah, I am sensitive. You have a big old heart there, Drew. I do. I do. I love it. Yeah. That's really sweet.

Yeah. That's what matters to you. You really, really want to make connection. I do. Yeah, I really want to help people. I feel like I had this moment of 10, 12 years in Nashville where it wasn't working for me. And when it started working, it was a connective moment. And I feel like God has given me this chance.

And the music that he wants me to make means something. And this album Farm Faith Family, you know, it is those three words. It is very faith-based. It is very country. small town, but it's also a lot about my family. Tell me about your family. And you also have Maker's Mark with Ann Wilson. I freaking love Ann Wilson.

She's so good. That song is so good. And it's not about the alcohol. Yes. I think when people read that, they're like, oh, it's got to be about alcohol. And you hear it. And it's like, you don't even hear alcohol in it at all. And I, you know, it was interesting.

I sat down last week and I played these songs for Spotify and Apple and Sirius XM. And we played it for, you know, going to play it for radio. And it's interesting because, you know, where we're at in country music right now, was really cool and I love it, but it's a lot of heartbreak songs. It's a lot of whiskey. It's a lot of I'm over you. It's all these things. And this album doesn't have any of that.

I love that. Which is scary a little bit. What are the themes? We got foreign faith family. Yeah, exactly. The one that's out right now, Amanda don't. Amanda. That's your single, right?

That is. Yeah, right now we just put it out. And this song is very much came from, you know, I found out somebody that me and my wife both knew was unfaithful in their marriage. And I was talking my wife about it. It was a weird spot we were in. and she was like, you know, a man just don't do those things. Because that's what boys do in high school.

And that just rang true with me for like a week. And I wrote that song the following week of just about like, you know, it doesn't make you a man to shoot the biggest buck in your town. It doesn't make you a man to drink all the whiskey. You know, there's a lot of things that are manly, you know, but at the end of the day, it's being a leader in your house. It's loving your wife, being a great role model for your kids. And there's a lot of things that are men qualities that I think country music hasn't hit.

on or talked about. That matter? That matter. The other ones really aren't. You know what I mean? Yeah. And so I think what I live without the other ones, to be honest with you. Yeah. I mean, I kind of like shooting deer. I love all these things. You know, I love all. I do love being manly. And I think that's one thing. But I think, you know, being manly is more than just that. And so it's interesting. A lot of people said, like when she's somebody's daughter came on the radio or a playlist, I don't know if they had a hard time finding a place to put it in country radio because it's like this song could be talking about going out and doing these things or a wild night and all these things are like, oh, here's she's somebody's daughter.

Or hey, here's a man don't do those things. What we just talked about happened. Right. So it's kind of like a sharp. It's a contrast to what was just played. Yeah, it's a contrast. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that because, you know, I do love country music and I love all these songs, but our record's just not that.

And so it's very different. You think of a man don't. You think of Maker's Mark that's talking about, I just want to leave my Maker's Mark on this earth when I'm gone. But we do have diesel and dirt was a song we put out first and kind of talks about farm life and where I grew up. And we have another song on here called Farmland that I love so much. Kind of talks about building a house out in the country, which me and my wife, you know,

where I grew up in Illinois, it's farm. My grandpa left me acres. We put water in up there. We want to build a cabin up there. And so there's a lot of these songs that are just, you know, bigger, bigger messages. We have a song that talks about domestic violence on here. Where did that come from? How did you get inspired to do that?

I was right. One of my co-writers went through it growing up and we were talking about it. And I was like, hey, I'll be that voice. You know, I would love to, you know, highlight that. The song's called Him for Her. It's going to be, you know, obviously out then. We have another song on there called People Can Change. That talks about one of my best friends in high school went through drugs and went through

alcohol and a bunch of things and found God. And now it's a great dad and changes his life around. And this song talks about no matter how far away you are, you can still change. And there's a lot of big messages on here. There's a song about suicide awareness. It's called Flowers on a Stone. It's one of my favorites. Did you have someone in your life that dealt out there was.

There was Ben Vaughn who passed away here as a publisher. I was really close with one of his, my publisher was very close to them. And he called me one night and just had a long conversation and tears to me about it. And it really rang true to me. It was. Very, very. If everyone listening to Ben Vaughn was like a very important person. It was at Warner Chapel.

Warner Chapel. Yeah. And nobody knew he was suffering silently. Nobody knew. Nobody knew. And the song, it's called Flowers on a Stone, it talks about, you know, that night, I remember my friend just kept telling me, like, I'd much rather, he should have just called. I wish he would have just called.

I know. And sometimes I think man to man is hard to do that and say, I'm struggling, dude. Especially when so many people are counting on you. So many people are counting on you or you're in this big industry, you're in this spot. That's him. He's in a big job where he's a lot of eyes are on him and to say, I'm in the spot would be a moment of weakness, I guess. You could view it as.

And so this song talks about how one of somebody's best friend is there for them. And it's like, you can call me anytime. Like I'm here, I'd much rather pick up this phone than find out anything else. And so that song, I think, is really special and powerful that I think can save lives. And it can really, you know, nobody's too, nobody's weak. You know, we're here. We're all human. We're all struggling.

It's all so hard. Yes. For everyone. It is. It's all so hard for everybody. And you might just open up to somebody and they might meet you there. Hey, I'm here with you. You know, I'm struggling too.

And that's what I love about this song says, hey, man, you think you're talking crazy or not. Like, you're not going to go through this alone. I'm going to be here. And it just talks about a guy leaving his house and meeting that guy wherever he's at. So this is kind of a ministry for you. In your heart, like you feel called to this in a ministry sort of way. I do. I feel that in the way you, I can just feel that on you.

I do. I really find ministry in this. And obviously, you know, I love the country. I mean, I'm not going to be a Christian artist. I do have faith. But it's, these songs are more than just, you know, when you say the word faith, obviously faith in our Lord, but faith in people. Faith in yourself.

I have a song on here called Cool Enough Now. It talks about our journey of sending a song to radio alone. But faith in other people. And so, yes, this is very much a big ministry to me to just feel like music can heal. Yeah. And I think I want people when they hear this album of, yes, to have fun with the farm songs if you grew up in a small town. But maybe these songs can meet you where you're at in your life right now. Behind every night spent making the kids' lunches, there's a lot of suspense.

Will they finally eat the veggies? Will the pastos survive the first bite? Will the lunchbox come home empty, half full, or come home at all? And will you finish episode 8 before you're done slicing the cucumbers? Get Bell Pure Fiber Internet with Craved Netflix and Disney Plus from $94 a month. Price guaranteed for two years on internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.za for details and to check availability. Bell, connection is everything.

When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and held captive for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the Survivor Files. I just remember this low, taunting voice next to my ear saying, shut up, don't say anything. Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable. I knew if he woke up, without a doubt, he was going to hurt me. I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming. They are abducted.

stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. But these aren't stories about what's taken from them. There's stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the Survivor Files with Elizabeth Smart on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If your bookshelf and your For You page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. This is Prose Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thoughts, daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks pride and prejudice and love island deserve the same level of discourse. I'm Eli Rallo and every week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. I'm going to have to look up

this story. I'm obsessed. So I'm obsessed. From bestselling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table. It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, then that is a very, Trojan horse. Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to Pro Society on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you between the pages. On the new podcast Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman.

I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinero, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita, trading the pity for possibility. Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people, and they were like, you smiled at us. Not a lot of people smile around here. It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind, or wake up to a new version of yourself.

So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, everybody, Amy Roboc and TJ Holmes here from the Amy and TJ podcast. A lot of times, the story of the day is what we're all talking about. And yes, sometimes it's Love Island and sometimes it's Serena Robes. Coming back to the U.S. Open, sometimes it's obsession, Odyssey, and Spider-Man making box office history. Oh, yeah, House of the Dragon finale, we were there for it. And yes, whether or not Bryce is finally going to ask Trinity to be his girlfriend, we want to know.

Yes, these things matter. Of course, we're not suggesting that the Love Island reunion, which is at 9 o'clock Eastern on Monday, August 31st, is as important as the war in Iran, but hopefully, Rose, people get our point. So join us every day on the Amy and T.J. podcast where we're talking about what you're talking about. Listen to Amy and T.J. on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Don't you kind of feel like growing up in a small town? Like, I feel like growing up, now everyone's trying to get back to that small town route. You know, because we all wanted to get, well, at least me, I grew up in kind of a small town. I want to get to the big city, get to all the flash, get to all the excitement.

And now it's like, okay, we know it. Actually, can we go back to, like, where you have family, where you have values, where your whole community shows up for you, you know, where you can call your neighbor, you have a home cook meal, you have, like, a crew of people who care and look out for you. You don't have to be perfect. I loved my town. I would have never left if it wasn't for music. Really?

I did not want to leave. Oh, how sweet. I loved it. My, you know, my family's been there for over 100. years. They farmed the same ground. My brother still farms the same ground that my grandpa did, his grandpa did. And so it's very rooted in that, in that place. That must have been very hard to leave. It was very hard. I was the black sheep. I was the guy that was slinging hay bales and singing baby locked the doors and turn the lights down low. And they'd be like, shut up. Oh, yeah, you did love

Josh Turner. Was he like your number one in the beginning? Yes, number one. Yeah, I mean, every record. Have you toured with him or like something? We have played some shows. Yes. I mean, the first time we played the opera, he came, I played your man. He came out on stage and surprised me. Was that a big deal for you? It was such a big deal. I cried. You cried?

Yeah, it was so awesome. Do you like to cry? I do. I'm a sensitive human. Like, only if like big mom. I'm not one that's like, I got to hold it back. Yeah. I guess like, hey, this is what it is.

I feel this. I'm going to let it flow. You know? And so that was like a very special moment. This was my childhood hero coming out, you know, and surprise me. That's a big deal. Dreams coming true is a big deal. Yeah, big Josh Turner fan.

And so my cousins were so annoyed with me always. I was also the baby of all the cousins. They were like... Did you just grow up outside with the cousins? Oh, yeah, it was like, if you slept in till seven, you'd be lights on in the room, like, friggin' lazy? What are you doing?

Like, Grandpa needs your help. Come on, get out. So it was very hard work. And I also think... But also, you knew where you were needed. It's nice to know that you're needed and that you're an essential part of a group. Yeah, it was...

It was cool to be like learning to drive on a tractor. I remember my brother took me out there and, like, set me in the field and said, pick up all these bales. This is forward. This is backward. This is how, you know, this works. This is how that works.

Go figure it out. And it'd be like, I'm going to sit here and watch you. And yeah, I just saw my own and figure it out. Now I had time to teach you because you actually had to get the job done. You had to get it done. And so, but also now in music, I look at farming and it's very similar. And so that's one of the reasons why I called it farm, faith and family is, you know, whatever you put in, you write these songs, you never know what it's going to yield. No.

You never know what, you know, I put in a farm faith and family is, you know, you know, you know, I put in a a lot of songs that yielded zero. I put in a lot of time. You plan a field and you get a back drop. You get nothing. You get nothing, you know. Being a farmer does he too patience. My grandpa had the trashiest, junkiest tractors.

And I mean, every year we'd freak and break down. I mean, every year something would break. I remember watching him in his old gleaner combine, which people are like, Gleener, if you're a farm, you know that that's the worst combine you could have. And I remember watching him, we were harvesting wheat. And it was so dry that day. And this old gleaner was throwing sparks out. out the top. And I would be like, and I told him, I was like, Grandpa, you're throwing spark.

It's all right. Don't worry about it. It's working. It's getting her done. Can it catch on fire? The whole field caught on fire. And I remember running up behind him, waving my arms like, it's on fire behind. He didn't know. I mean, it was, he was just, everything behind him was a trail of fire. And I was waving my arms and then the freaking, here comes the, you know, all the firefighters. And we were close to my uncle's house. I was taking buckets out of the pool, running down there trying to put out this fire. But yeah, I mean, That was just every year some crap would break. And so for my music career, I don't know how many times I was on the side of the road with a broken sprinter van or a freaking trailer broke and trying to fix it.

And it just really reminds me of farming of like, hey, we have good years. We have hard years. We pray about it. We figure it out. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes it doesn't. And for me, all that matters is that you showed up. You work hard.

Yep. You put in the work. And you don't complain about it. You don't complain. You figure it out. You figure it out. That's a great way to say it. You figure it out.

You have to. You have to figure it out. Yeah. And maybe it's a lot like entrepreneurship. I mean, anybody out who that's listening to this is a business owner and has tried to build something, you show up. 90% is showing up and figuring it out. And so for me, waking up at 7 a.m. when I was in seventh grade or eighth grade, I look back a lot right now and I have to think my grandpa in the weirdest way. Like he didn't play a single note.

He didn't know how to sing any music at all. but man, he taught me so much in music and in this industry, how hard it is to show up, even when it was 100 degrees, even when we knew the beans sucked that year. You know, and we knew we planted beans seven times in the same field. We're still not yielding anything. You know, I mean, it was just like, taught me a lot. That's really beautiful and profound. Yeah, I know that sounds crazy.

No, it doesn't. It's actually like, even though I'm sure like it's miserable when it's not working and it's hot and all the things, It's like you look back on your life and that's some of the sweetest spots. Oh, totally. And I think about that now, too, like what I would do to go back to sitting on the old, Yeah, or sitting on the old Buick, even though crap was bad and like eating a bologna sandwich and some chips that grandma made and just talking to them and laughing about crap breaking. You know? And so now me and my base player's been with me for 13 years and we're riding on a bus and we're getting to do these things.

But I remember last year standing on Bridgestone stage, opening for Cody Johnson, and him putting his arm around me and being like, look what we did. You know, even though so much crap broke, like he could have left. There's so many things he could have played with so many other artists. He was there and we looked and we're like, hey, our hard work, we're here. Yes, it was the most unorthodox way of getting here. There was so many broken roads, but look at this. I used to play at rippies across the street.

I did rippies for two and a half years of just on my acoustic and the people would come over after the show and we're making tips tonight. But seeing Bridgestone and dreaming of that and being like, hey, we're here. That was a tear moment for us. You know, that was like, hey, brother, yeah, we did it. I mean, one day, hopefully now we get the headline one day and we're so far away from that. We got a lot of work to do. But it was just that moment of that little reward of like, man, we're here. But also, do you remember when the freaking we lost the trailer on the way to the,

show last, you know, wherever that was, and he was driving. You know, it just, those came off. Oh, yeah. I mean, ended up in the median. Wait, the trailer disconnected from the van. The van? Yeah, ended up in the median. Nobody got hurt.

No, crazy. Like, on all our stuff was okay. The trailer was destroyed. Nothing was broke. Crazy. But they were just. Can you imagine driving down the highway and a trailer coming at you? Yeah, I can't imagine.

Well, I was, if I told him, I was like, I don't know how nobody got hurt. And he was just like driving. He was like, yeah, lost the, trailer. Were you on the highway? Yeah, I had to get off on the other exit. But how did you like reattach it in the middle of like a four-way? Oh, we didn't. We didn't. We had to call a tow truck. You have to like stop traffic. We just had to, we got out and got over and checked everything inside. And it was in a lane or where was it? No, it was in the middle, middle, like broke through the guardrail, went down. At least it was in the middle. Yeah. It didn't like end up in the road, but it like

skirt it over, didn't flip. But there was just all, all kinds of crap like that. And that kind of happens all the time or like you know the everything just so many things going on I mean pulling over leaving our trailer up in the northeast because you know the whole axle broke I mean there's just there for a while it was constant breakdowns it's so much work to put on a show like so much physical work

it is to haul so much stuff and just to get there just to get there is the hardest thing I mean just your body being in a van or even a bus just sitting for hours Well, for me now, like, we get done with shows and sometimes we get like after show pizza or whatever now. And I'm sitting there eating it. That is like some of my highest highs. And I know that sounds so small. I feel you.

But like, I just got done a show. I'm eating a pizza. On a bus. I mean. I look around. I tell my guys like every night, I was like, how blessed are we? Amen. Like, yes, we don't have 10 buses like Luke.

But we're on a freaking bus. We're eating after show pizza. We just played for 7,000 people. That's as good as it gets. This is as good as it gets. I'm not driving tonight. No. You're going to sleep in your bun.

I'm going to sleep in there. You can watch a movie if you want to. I remember too, like the generator going out and me opening it up and looking at it and being like, well, the oil filter is bad, but guess what? Call the driver. Like, I don't have to fix it. You know, like, that is an amazing thing. Like we are so. And I think, too, going through all your crap that you went through, all your breakdowns, all your things of like losing deals, losing this, you know, getting your heart broke when the win wins.

Oh, there is nothing better because you know how hard it was to get to that moment. And like being, didn't get in a bus for 13 years. I was in a van. And so. And you're a tall guy, so your knees must hurt. Michael's always hurt. Oh, he's way taller than me, though. He's a big dude.

But I mean, you're just like sore. You're cramping your body in there. Everything's hurting. I've slept so many times in a van. And so then to get this bus, it was like, oh my goodness, I've hit the jackpot. You have. And it's like, if nothing. goes further than this.

Yep. I've done it. You have. You know, I've been so blessed to live a life of music. And your dreams coming true. And my dreams coming true and helping people along the way and being able to be that 18-year-old kid. And, you know, if I would look back now where I was when I moved here and saying, like, hey,

you did what you tried to do when you moved here. And you got to help people out on the way you put music out that made something. And so I'm really, really excited. Obviously, we want to headline and sell out every arena in the whole. entire world, but I'm very happy with what we've done. And you should be. Like I said, when you have those wins now, all the struggles, the wind's a little sweeter. It is. I know. When you're in the middle of all the struggles that you're like, why, why, why, why, why? What is this going to end? But then it does. And it's so sweet. And sometimes, too, I think God lets a struggle. Oh, he always lets a struggle.

The way that I view that was like, when I had that small independent record deal for four years and I struggled and had four failed singles at radio and like why why is this and then when we started our own record label I had all those relationships all those failed moments I had I could pull out my phone and call any radio guy and have all these connections with when I was my had to be my own booking agent I had my phone full of promoters that I could just call and be like hey man I'll cut you a deal like I'm I don't have an agent right now but I'll play for you if you stack five shows I'll give you so much off everything And just like looking back, like I wouldn't have those moments without the failures and the sweeter wins and to be able to do it alone and open so many other doors for independent artists now of, hey, you can't start your own thing. You can have a hit at radio.

You don't need a machine. If you just play your cards right and figure it out, yes, it's a lot of work. But we opened the gate for you that now people are more receptive to this. And that's really a blessing. And if we had to go through all those struggles again to do that, I would do it because I just think it's a little sweeter. I love that, Drew. I'm so happy for you. Oh, thank you.

You're very inspiring. This is a great story. You know, you've got a great story too. You know, you're a great. Now you've got a great story to tell your whole life. My whole life. People are going to get tired of that story. Everybody's like, oh, here he comes.

Here comes the guy about the radio single. You never get tired of a good win like that in a hard-bought battle. I mean, that's what gives people hope, you know, because everyone's fighting their own battles. And to see a good guy win too, you know, you got a great heart and you got God at the center and faith family. Wait, wait. Farm faith family, baby. Farmed faith family at the center. I mean, you got to appreciate that. Yeah, I think so. And I think too, like, I remember growing up and everybody always say good guys struggle, you know, like it doesn't always get the girl. Doesn't always do that. And it's like, hey, you can't. You can't. I wouldn't say I got it all, but I would say that you can't. You can't. Good guys can win. And I think right now I'm still, you know, we all are still struggling. Like, you think of this record. compared to something else that's out there that's really streaming and doing stuff, it's very different. It's going to be very, you know, for the country space, when you think of radio singles and all that stuff,

it's like we hope that this music can live right next to it, but it's going to be very different of standout or something. Maybe it shifts the energy. You know, like when Bro Country hit and everything shifted to Bro Country, I feel like now we're in a season and it's like, we do need some faith. We do need things that make us feel rooted and grounded and something bigger and not just like, let's get a cheap fix.

Let's get a real fix. Let's get a real fix. I love that. I love that. And I think for me, that's how I feel right now in my life of where I'm at my stage of having two boys. And, you know, I think when I was eight, I tried to always put myself in like when I was 16 driving down the road. And if I heard a man don't or she's somebody's daughter, you know, I would be like, oh, man, this is different. Like, I do need to be a man. Like, I am changing.

I am 16 now. You know, I'm coming on 18. This is, I don't know if they. They'd want to hear that message right now, but I hope when they do, they hear that. And they're like, you know, I do need to treat a woman right. I do need to step up. I do need to be a man in this situation. I need to not lie.

I need to not cheat. I need to do these things. And so that's what excites me is to meet somebody, you know, with the song. And hopefully they hear it and the right people hear it where they need to. And when you get done with a show and you're doing a meet and greet and somebody comes up, we have this song called Tough People. Yeah. It's about little girl fighting cancer, you know, somebody struggling in their health or whatever.

And they come up and they're like, man, that whole song got me through this part of my life. You know, I had somebody sent me a message that he was a radio guy this last week, sent me a video. And he's like, hey, I'm here at a St. Jude's event. There's a hundred kids here. I'm DJing the night. And this little girl just came up and talked to me. Tell him what you said. And she said, you know, every night when I was in my hospital bed,

she goes, I play tough people because that kept me strong. And that, like, that's everything. You know, that is like super special and why we go through the struggles, why your husband goes through the struggles and why we all play music and it's a hard life to be on the road. And one of those stories can keep you going for years and years and years to come. And it's a calling. I will say this over and over again.

someone like yourself and my husband and all these artists who are just in this life, you are called to it. You can't survive it if it's not your calling. I don't personally think. No, I agree. And it's a, you've got to have a good spouse in your life. So you're a good, you're a good spouse. I am a great spouse. I am a wonderful spouse. It takes a special. I will go ahead and give myself a five-star review. I am a great spouse. I am a good artist spouse. No, and that is, that is, you have to have that in this business and especially if you're if your relationship's going to work and it's going to be um balanced correctly i mean we're still working on balance of tour life and dad and it's hard it's hard to find the balance and as soon as you find the balance it shifts it shifts yeah

because you know at the end of the day this this world of artistry is really you're up against a great marriage i mean it's it's not built for this it's not built to have a wife and a kids because you're all over the world there's a lot of temptation in front of you all the time and you have to You have to know that. You have to be very open with yourself and to your spouse of like, hey, this is what I'm struggling with. This is where I'm at. Support both sides. You know, hey, what she's doing is so difficult.

We have two boys. She's in the throes of it too. And also the postpartum, like the hormones, all the things. All the things. Just all of it. It's so much. Yeah. And you think, hey, if I'm playing Saturdays, the rest, this is what really gets me.

If I'm playing weekend shows and my boy has baseball games and stuff, like, Don't worry about it yet. Don't do it yet. It's all going to work out, Drew. You can't even, don't even, don't even yet. Don't go there yet. No, I'm not going to go there yet, but I think about it a lot because we're playing baseball in the yard or when I leave and my wife FaceTime's me and she's like, hey, he's right here, buddy. And, you know, he's starting to get to that age where he knows Dad's leaving and he's crying on FaceTime.

He's like, Dad, where'd you go? Well, that's just brutal. Yeah. Navigating that is hard. That is very hard because your heart's ripped out. Your heart's ripped out. It's in two places. You want to go out and give this music and this show to people.

You know you have to. You have to. That's your calling. I feel like, you know, and that's why I tell my wife, and it's like, this is my calling. We put these songs out and all the things. But also like, hey, I signed up to be a dad too. I know. You're a leader in that space.

And so just navigating that. We're always going to be figuring it out, but it is a hard one in our business. But the good news is you really care. Yes. So that's great. Yes, I do care. But it's just also, I think, sometimes when you care, it just hurts a little more both ways.

It does, because if you don't care, then you just go out and do whatever. I'm good. But honestly, you're more dead inside. Yeah, that's true. Yeah. It can only cover up for so long. So it's better just to go ahead and care all the way. Well, Drew, I am just inspired by you.

I'm excited for you. Well, thank you. I can feel that you're just in your purpose and you are following God's plan for you, honestly. Like, it's just, it's really inspiring to see. Well, thank you. Thank you for your time. be blessed and your family be blessed. Hey, you too. You be blessed. I love your hat too. Pray about it. I have to. Every day. Every day all day. Have too many things to stress me out and I can go down a rabbit

hole so fast. Just stop and pray about it. Just be like, Jesus, God, help me. Because I cannot do this by myself. I always wrap up with leave your light. And it's just open-ended. What do you want people to know? Drop some inspiration. Oh, my goodness. Leave your light. Man, we've talked about so many inspiring things already. Just you can do a little tagline. Leave your light, y'all, leave your light pretty much wherever you go. I think, you know, what we talked about in our songmakers mark. Be an open door, be a welcome sign, love people, treat them. I mean, the golden rule.

I know that sounds cheesy, but I always go back to that. Be a light. Leave your makers mark. When you're up in heaven one day and you're looking down, what do you want to be remembered? Let that stick with you. Amen. Amen. Okay, and a man don't is out now.

That's right. All right. Thank you, Drew Baldridge. Bye. Bye. On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinero, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita, trading the pity.

for possibility. Listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Self-care September is your reminder to slow down, check in with yourself, get off your phone, and maybe ask, why am I like this? I'm Jemisbeg, host of the Psychology of Your 20s podcast, and this month we're helping you make sense of the person that you are becoming, from setting boundaries and navigating friendships to understanding anxiety, confidence, relationships, and attachment. Sometimes our biggest decisions, without us even realizing it, aren't driven by what we truly want, but by what will prevent us from feeling lonely or being alone. Listen to the psychology of your 20s on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get

your podcasts. What up? This Jay Valentine, co-host of the R&B Money Podcasts alongside my brother, R&B legend, tank. Together, we've built a space for artists, executives, and fans of R&B music to reminisce and tell the real stories behind the music. I have no money. I was hood famous. They think you're going to get everybody out. We lived in a project. Real love came out.

They're hearing the music and we had nothing. From Smokey Robinson to Mary J. Blige, B2K to Jill Scott. If you're a super dedicated R&B fan, this is where you belong. Listen to R&B money from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This season on my podcast, Here's the Thing. I talk to actor, Stephen Root. I'm a people watcher. You see that guy going down the ring and go, yeah, I can use that. And Open Igloo co-founder, Alia Mohamed.

I love staying on top of what is going on in our city, what is on renter's minds and taking all of that knowledge to build a platform that hopefully is going to make New York City better in the long run. Listen to Here's the Thing on the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts

or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? I'm Tony Gonzalez. And I'm October Gonzalez. but you can call me Toby. We want you to join us on our new podcast, No Safe Words with October and Tony Gonzalez. We get real about marriage, parenthood, sex, divorce, and all the nitty-gritty stuff we all think about,

but just don't say out loud. You're probably just going to be some rich guy and he's going to whisk you away. Oh, this is awkward. Listen to No Safe Words with October and Tony Gonzalez on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.

Guaranteed Human. Thank you.