The Bobby Bones Show - THE UPLOAD - Drew Baldridge: Choosing Faith Over Culture, Raising Godly Men & Leaving His Maker's Mark

Episode Date: October 11, 2026

Country artist Drew Baldridge is back on The Upload—making him Brooke Taylor and Pastor Mark Evans’ first-ever returning guest. And a lot has changed since his first conversation with Brooke. After years of navigating the music industry independently, Drew now has a major-label deal, a No. 1 song with “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” two young boys at home, and a new album that might be his most personal yet: Farm Faith Family. Drew shares how the three pillars behind the album—farm, faith and family—tell the story of where he came from and who he wants to be. Growing up on a farm in Southern Illinois taught him that a music career isn’t all that different from farming: you plant seeds, endure droughts, weather the storms and trust that something will eventually grow. He gets emotional remembering the season when he was struggling to pay rent in Nashville and his grandfather quietly sold a load of wheat to help keep his dream alive. The conversation turns to what it means to be a godly man in a culture that often celebrates something very different. Drew shares the story behind “A Man Don’t,” a song inspired by learning that someone he knew had been unfaithful in his marriage. Now raising two boys of his own, Drew says he wants them to grow up knowing what a biblical man looks like: someone who stays, leads, takes responsibility, loves his family and is willing to be called higher when he gets it wrong. Drew also gets honest about the tension of making message-driven country music in an industry where those songs don’t always fit neatly into the mold. He shares the discouragement of being told by a major country platform that his music didn’t fit its messaging—and the questions that can creep in when choosing songs about faith, commitment and family instead of simply chasing what seems most commercially successful. For Drew, the answer keeps coming back to the same thing: stay rooted in truth and keep using the gift God gave him. That perspective inspired another song on the album, “Maker’s Mark.” After the success of “She’s Somebody’s Daughter,” Drew found himself wondering what any of the accomplishments would actually mean when he one day stands before God. A No. 1 song, money and career success won't be what matters. The question he wants to be able to answer is: Where did I leave my Maker’s mark? Brooke, Mark and Drew unpack what it means to steward whatever gift God has given you—whether that gift puts you on a stage or simply allows you to show up for someone who needs help. They talk about surrounding yourself with people who will sharpen you, opening up when you’re struggling, saying no to the things culture tells you are normal, and viewing your everyday work as an act of worship. And in one of the most personal moments of the episode, Drew talks about the tension he feels between a career he believes is a ministry and the family he desperately wants to be present for. Now that his oldest son understands when Daddy is leaving for the road, those goodbyes hit differently. When Brooke asks what he hopes his boys will one day say mattered most to their dad, Drew’s answer is simple: “He tried to walk like Jesus did.” 🎧 If you’ve ever wrestled with ambition, comparison, family, or how to stay faithful to who God called you to be when the world is pulling you somewhere else, this conversation is a reminder that success isn’t just about what you accomplish—it’s about what you do with what God gave you. Follow The Upload:📸 Instagram — @theuploadpodcast🎥 TikTok — @theuploadpodcast🔗 Listen on iHeartRadio — The UploadSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Hard Rock Beck Casino app is here, Ontario. Real with us. Must be 19 years of age or older to play. Ontario only. Responsibly. Concerned about your gambling or that of someone close to you, visit connectsonterio. com. Hey, y'all, this is Drew Baldridge. I found out a family friend was unfaithful in their marriage. Man doesn't do that. That's boy stuff. What am I going to do? Get to God one day and say, I had number one song. When you go up there and you meet him face to face and you're going to say,

well, guess how many zeros I had in my bank account? Where did you leave my mark on the earth? The one that put the heart in your chest, the heart to love, the heart to be a light. And this is the upload. I think this is our first repeat guest on the upload. It is. Yeah, I was talking about that on the way end to my manager. I was like, I think I did one of the first ones of the upload. Yeah, that was just me back in the day.

Mark wasn't even a part of that episode. Yeah, when I walked in, you said my partner, Mark, and I was like, Dad, Gumb, you got, you're moving on up. We're just two of you now. We're just, co-host, all the things. But yeah, I'm Brooke Taylor, Mark Evans on The Upload. And of course, you know our guest as just an amazing country artist, tough people, somebody's daughter, she's somebody's daughter,

just two of my absolute favorite songs, just lyrically, I think, are just unbelievable. Drew Baldritch is back on the upload, y'all. Hey, guys. How's it going? Man, I feel like last time we talked about just so much perseverance in your career. We talked about, you know, things that let you down, you know, just getting through that, just faith, what it looks like to trust God and seasons that you're just not sure of. But I'm excited about it because you go back and listen to that, by the way, if you haven't heard or listened to that. episode because it was such a good conversation because I feel like we talked about some of life's

greatest setbacks are God's like greatest setups for just where you're going and buddy you got a new album out we got a new album out y'all and our first ever major label release like we partnered with an awesome major label and you know at that time I'm pretty sure like I was figuring it out I was alone and had a independent I don't even know if we you know where she's somebody's daughter was on the chart at that time on what we were doing, but I was an independent artist, and I was navigating those waters. And so what a, uh, a blessing this has been to have a team to help and like not funded alone, you know, like those things are hard being a musician, be like, well, I got to make sure all the team's paid for and then you make money after all that. So like navigating that.

And so, man, to have a team and our first ever major label release, and I'm so proud of this record. I work so hard on it and it's it's uh I think sometimes we can as creators sit and chase things and you know if you look at the chart especially the country music chart right now a lot of the titles that are number ones are whiskey and heartbreak and you know one nights and having fun and all that stuff and don't get me wrong I love that but I sat back and I was listening to it one day I was like this record has none of that you know and it's like oh crap but it's also like oh crap like I'm really proud of myself, you know, and it is, it's called Farm Faith family, and it's kind of the three pillars that built my life and where I come from. And the record is structured like that. If you

listen to it, top to bottom, the first third is all farm songs and the middle's faith and the end is family. And so I'm really proud of it. We work super hard on it. And I hope when people hear it, they can, you know, find themselves in it somewhere. Talk about that farm part because I remember vaguely you telling this story about it was your granddaddy, I think, who sold a bunch of wheat. Wheat. Wheat. Yeah. I sold a bunch of weed made it happen.

Yeah. He was a farmer of that stuff. No, no, he sold a bunch of wheat. No, I was raised on a farm in southern Illinois. And so, funny enough, like, I always tell everybody, like, how close music is to farming in a very unique way of, of, like, hey, you put songs out into the world. world, just like you plant a seed. You never know what's, what's going to grow, what's going to yield from it. There's going to be droughts. There's going to be, there's going to be rain that really

maybe too much rain, you know, there's going to be all these things that my music career, when we were farming, back in the day, we had old tractors that always broke down every harvest, and you're like just trying to get stuff out. And, man, I can't count how many breakdowns I've had along this music journey of, I mean, physical, with vans, you know, like, but also just mentally and heart and all those things. And so it's very, in a funny way, similar lifestyle. And you're just not in a field every day. You're out amongst people planting and sewing and all those things. And so the farm life, this farm part of the record is, we have a song on there called Diesel and Dirt and another song called Farmland that is really,

I have some acreage back home where I want to, me and my wife are talking about putting a spot up there, putting a house up there where we can go back. And when we were up there at our album release party this weekend, we went there and sit with their boys and watch them run. And it's like, man, and it's the farmland that's been in our family for over 100 years. And so it's definitely close to me. And I remember there was times the story that you were talking about when I was, you know, trying to pay rent, make rent here. And when we were growing up, you didn't get paid to our. It was just like, hey, grandma's going to make a good lunch.

You know, if you want to invite some buddies over, no, they ain't getting paid either. They can eat some good lunch, you know. And so I remember being here and just struggling to pay rent. And my mom, she worked at the bank in town. And she called me one time. And she was like, hey, your grandpa came in and he just gave you a whole load of wheat that he took up. Just wanted to make sure that you'd be good for the next couple months with your rent. Every time I talk about that, I get a little emotional because it was just like he didn't understand music at all.

nobody in my family did like he would call me so let me get this straight you're just down there writing songs every day not going out working nothing you're just writing songs on that guitar and like yeah that's it all right well we'll see how it turns out you know and so um that was a big moment that was like wow look at this he's supporting me but also making sure i'm taking care of in a great way so i love that that whole scenario of your grandpa sending you money is literally farm faith and family all in one sentence like oh man i never thought of it that way yeah that that makes me more emotional too dadgum stop it i'm a sissy everybody i'm a sissy far faith family means you're emotional all right no but i i do want to talk about emotions in men specifically you've got a song on

this album and i'm going to read the lyrics a man don't leave a man don't run a man don't cheat or lie or even think twice about sorry rolling off his tongue. I'm listening to this song and I'm thinking about a book that my husband just read that's called Stand Ferman, Act Like Men. And I feel like, you know, you having two little boys and raising up these men in the world. You know, the world right now celebrates, you do you, boo-boo. Like, don't worry about it. There's so many, I have a friend who literally texted me last week about a guy just ghosting her.

They went on like three or four dates and then just stopped responding. And I feel like that's just not. to dog men right now, but I feel like there's no accountability in a lot of young men right now. But the Bible calls us and calls men to lead spiritually to have courage, have strength, have self-control. And I feel like this song specifically is such an important message right now in the world because truly a man, a godly man, that version of masculinity is so important in this world. And I feel like it gets hidden so much. So having a song like this in a world right now that doesn't necessarily celebrate staying.

Yeah. Or celebrate, you know. It does. It's, you're so right. And thank you for recognizing that. And I think for me, and I think every man, we have these moments where we can feel like the world wants you to be this way or that way. And this song, honestly, it came from, I found out a family friend was unfaithful in their marriage. and weird spot to be in, right? And I was talking to my wife about it one night,

and she looked at me and she said, you know, a man don't do that. A man doesn't do that. That's boy stuff. That's what high schoolers do. That's what, you know, especially a godly man, you know, and I wrote it down on my phone, and the next week I wrote this song.

And I think every night when I sing this now, it's on the stage. we pretty much just say what you said. It's like, hey guys, men are leaders in their house. Men are role models for their, and I think about my boys, you know, and I want to be a role model for them. I want them to grow up and put this record on and be like, dang, that's my dad. You know, he wrote a song called she's somebody's daughter for my mama, you know, and everybody's like, you have to have a daughter.

It's like, no, I have boys, but I want them to know this. I want them to know what a man is. I want them to know what a godly man is, a biblical. man, you know, and I think that's so important and had somebody else tell me one time, it's like, man, when I listen to that song, it makes, as I feel like you're calling me out. And I'm like,

good. Well, maybe you need called out, bro. Calling hire for sure. Maybe you need, maybe, and I think that's the way that I want people to hear this is not like, no judgment. Yeah. There's no judgment in this. Like, if a buddy came up to me and said, hey man, how you're walking. is a little different than how I feel like the Bible says you should be walking or how you've walked in the past, I don't think my buddy's judging me. It's a call of like, hey, you're right.

I need to step up. And we're all human. That's the other thing, too. We're all going to drop balls. We're all going to fall. And that's what I tell everybody in this song is like, hey, I'm not, there's no judgment in this song. It's just to keep us trying to walk straight.

Yeah. And so much love in calling people higher, you know, it's not, it's not comfortable. It's not easy. And I think, thank you. I think that calling out, you know, is judgmental, but calling higher is love. Oh, I love that. You know, and it's like, there is a fine line, you know, I think, but there's also a fine on how I receive it. So I try and take responsibility of like, when someone, when someone hits me up and point something out like that, I'm like, I choose to receive that as calling higher.

and I choose to receive it as love because it took courage for you to front me and say, hey man, like, how are you doing in this area? Like, let's lift, let's rise, you know, you've got more in you than just what you're settling for at that standard. And I love that, that, that tone, that spirit, that DNA of this song and this album is calling higher. And what I love about country music so much, bro, and your music and writing is, celebrating the simple things like consistency staying like the front porch like i think society celebrates all

the like highlight reels and and you celebrate like the ordinary like is amazing you know and i think like that's lost and so what would you say to just like how do you stay in that zone of way it's not just always the next thing the bigger thing but it's like man i just i'm content because i think There's so much restlessness in our world. Yeah. It's hard. It's hard. I mean, if I was sit here to tell you I'm content, I would be a liar, you know, and trying to find that contentment.

And don't get me wrong, I'm content in a lot of areas of my life. Just probably musically, we're always trying to reach for more and do for more. And, you know, as I've gotten older, there's definitely more contentment on where I'm at and blessed to be where I'm at. And lucky to have an amazing wife that walks. with me. But yeah, finding that contentment is a hard thing. And there's days where I'm like, oh, man, I got it. I'm in the zone. And then there's days like that you're on social media and you can run down a rabbit hole. Why does this person have this and I don't have this? Or why do they have that and I don't have this? Which is the worst thing to do on the planet and not to chase that.

But I think the best, honestly, is just opening your Bible up and spending more time there. And I have this year more than ever spent more time in my Bible. I got to five-month-old and was off the road for three, four months waiting on him to come. And, man, I was reading it so, so, so much and had so many little nuggets happen in that time of being in it. And, you know, life's gotten busy now, and I'm running. And the last couple months, I haven't spent as much time in it. And I can feel myself, like, wanting to be pulled in a way that I shouldn't be pulled.

in a way that I shouldn't be being pulled, you know? Isn't it funny when you're like scrolling through social media? Like you can tell when you're feeding yourself crap versus when you're feeding yourself truth. You can. It's insane. You can. Very much so.

It's real easy. I mean my wife talk about that all the time too. Like, hey, you can tell when you're, the way your emotions and your life and style and all those things when you start feeding from the world. The hard rock back casino app is here, Ontario. With exclusive games like hard rock and reels, hard rock collectum and hard rock gold blitz.

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because I feel like you said in this country music world or just the music world in general, it's so, it's so tough. And, you know, a lot of fans don't get to see the behind the scenes grind of like, you're not just in a room writing songs, recording an album and then playing them live. Like, those are the fun things about your job. But there's, you know, streaming numbers and, you know, budgets and all these things and, like, the time that you spend away from your family and the time that, you know, you're putting into this craft.

to like there's just so much that goes into it so truly like making sure that you're equipped with the word and that truth is so important because I don't know that people get through it in a good way without it yeah very true and it's nice too I think as a as an artist to surround you with guys on the road that are going to be lock in hand step and wanting to do a Bible study out on the road or talk about that or you know hey man this is you shouldn't be doing that or being open to it and having good good guys around you that build you up too because it's definitely iron sharpens iron is a real thing and you see it more as more days you spend on this earth you see it and and i think it's really important to who's around you i agree daniel one is one of my favorite chapters in the

Bible and it talks about Daniel being 10 times more of a standout than anybody else, like 10 times, which is huge. That's like, that's the goal. It's like, I want to be set apart to the point of the secret to it. And I think the danger of it in the earlier in the chapter, it says the king just wanted them to eat his food. Just from a diet perspective, just have, you know, it's not bad. It's good. It's fine.

It was royal food. but his no and he says he says he refused to defile himself with the king's food and his no to culture allowed god's yes that was 10 times better and i think like man when the when the chicken and the roast and the steak is sitting in front of you it's like that's a hard no that's a hard no it's a hard no and it's like it's not a it's not a hard no that comes out of my mouth it's a it's a tough no to you say like and so often I just I just think so many times that message needs to stay in front of my eyes like I need to stay put it to my head it's like bro the the 10x you know call of God anointing on your life to stand out it's like so often predicated on the no to defile ourselves with culture which

is fine for everybody else but Daniel said it's not fine for me because I got a different path yeah and I choose the 10x path the narrow road the nose you know that seems to be everywhere And so just to encourage you, bro, just to keep like, thanks, man. I want to like get behind that no, brother in your world. And just, yeah, it's good. Well, it's funny that you mentioned too, like having good men out on the road with you because I feel like men need men, right? Like, I feel like a lot of times, sometimes you can, you know, be content with just your spouse or, you know, just, you know, whoever. But you got you, you need each other to help.

you know, go through things. Like, we have a small group and it's just like, the wives will separate and then the men will separate and sometimes, sometimes the wall be together. But it's just like, sometimes the guys just need to talk about guy things and like what their struggles are going to be way different than like what women's struggles are. And I feel like, you know, in the beginning of the Bible, God talks about how it's not good for a man to be alone, period. Yeah. Like, and then in proverbs, whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire, he breaks against all sound judgment. So being in isolation and not surrounded by community, I love that you, brought that up because I feel like as a godly man, somebody who's walking with the Lord and doing

his best every single day, having that community and choosing that is some of the best because out on the road, you're faced with so much more, I'll say it again, crap in the world. There's so much temptation or just, you know, whatever it is, like having those good guys around you and making sure that you guys are staying, you know, equipped to fight the battle. That's a real thing. And, you know, I think just guys being in because sometimes too we're we're a little tougher than what we like to act like you know i mean like we don't want to bring up some stuff sometimes and i think it's okay and you know on this album we have a song called flowers on a stone and um and it's it talks about mental health and a guy being almost scared to call his friend and say i'm struggling or whatever

that is and and uh you know not exactly to your point of what you're talking about, but I think as men, we struggle to open up sometimes. We are, I know I am, if that's my finances with another friend that is doing all okay or, you know, my heart with somebody else that I feel like, man, their marriage is awesome and or vice versa, you know, and I think it's slowly learning that it's okay. Your buddy, if they're your real friend, they're going to have your back and open up and talk about that is only going to help. you out in a bigger way but also have a friend that is going to be there and say bro i got your back and in this song we even it even talks about you're not alone you're not alone i'm here with you

you know i'll be there at 3 a.m i'm kind of there you know i'll i'll run to the truck right now kind of there you know and i think that's important to have people like that in your life yeah 100 what's the most important thing that you want to hear is there something when you share with someone and open up and you ring that 3 a.m. friend. Is it like just that they're there? Or is there, is there something? Because I always struggle with this. I'm like, why would I tell them?

Because I don't even know what I want to hear. I mean, like, what's going to make it okay right now? I don't know. Probably nothing. Like, but is there something that you look for when you open up and confide in? I don't know. I think it's, uh, I'm very blessed. I have some good friends.

And at different times, I'll probably call different friends for different things. and I'll probably call the ones that I know have been where I'm at. And to hear them say, I've been there too, or, hey, man, this is what I did in that situation. And this is what I did. This is how I did it or vice, you know, all those things. And so I think sometimes for me having friends that have experience in life of either, A, they're where you're at in life, which is nice to have friends. in that area of where, you know, sometimes, hey, if I'm a married man and I have kids,

yes, I do have friends that are younger than me, but there's no reason for me to be with them on Friday nights in bars. You know what I mean? Like, there's, I'm not in the same area of life as, as you are in that. I'm not, I'm not single. There's no reason why I should, unless we're celebrating an album or whatever, there's no reason really for me to be in that ball. on Friday night at midnight with a bunch of single people

and asking him advice on dating. You know what I mean? I think everybody, sometimes I find those people where I'm at that is like, hey, man, you're married, you have these kids. We're in this. We're in the same walk of life. Let's talk about this.

I feel like I saw this analogy once about how you're supposed to have this five people in your circle. And it's just like somebody who's like at the end of their road and lived the life that you want to have lived, people who are like 10 years ahead of you, people who are right there with you, people who are right behind you and then people who are like, you know, getting to where they're starting their life, they're looking for their spouse. And I think it's so important to have those different people in your life, but kind of like you pointed out to realize too that like some of my best friends

are single and love going to Broadway. But I am never going to Broadway. Yeah, and they know that and they're fine with that. Exactly. And I think that it's just, it's important that you're allowed to have, you know, all these different areas of life. But how cool is God to equip you as well with like a scenario that you've gone through, something hard that you've gone through? And then a buddy calling you at 3 o'clock in the morning being like, hey, man, this is what I'm going through. And you can say, hey, I've been there.

It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. Yeah. It's good. One of the things I loved so much about she's somebody's daughter and that whole journey is the billboard that you put up. That was just so like it stuck with me, dude. And I just, every time I think about you, I think about that song, that, that intentionality and strategy of like, right where there's a whole other message that means something else.

But here's a song that has this message that's so beautiful and so needed in our society. And you're just like, right where the enemy plastered up a whole different message, I'm going to plaster up God's message in a modern parable way. And just she's somebody's daughter just lives there. And I love that. That kind of strategy that I saw in you and thinking and like intentionality, shifting to a major, have you felt like that's elevated that? Have you felt like challenge with, do you feel like, man, I'm kind of on the, like, in the machine now?

Or do you still feel like you've got the ability to be who you are, which is really intentional, really like strategic? Yeah. And I'm very thankful, you know, my label is really, hey, you've done this. These are your songs. Go Chase the Path and the brand that you are. They're not changing that, which is nice. You know, there is a lot more opinions on songs that you're turning in and all that.

But at the end of the day, it's my choice on what I put out. And I think when people listen to this album, they'll sit back and be like, man, this is, this is, oh, here's another message song from Drew Baldridge. Because there's a bunch of them on here. But I think sometimes it's hard when you hear like, comments of like oh just like what I just said oh here's another message song from Drew Baller do we really need that do we really need the

we have another song on this record called deserve her and it just talks about like hey men step up you got to deserve the person that you're with you got to go the extra mile sometimes you got to give 90 when they're giving 10 and vice versa for the ladies you know and and I think it's it's very different for country radio and I had

some people tell me this of like when we're playing and I and I love being on country radio so much they've been the best to me and having that number one song of daughter is amazing but i think what the journey was was more hard to get there was that on this side the the song that they were playing before it was probably something that wasn't as nice to daughters and the song after it was probably talking about a one-night stand or whatever that is and so it was a very different message sandwiched between a lot of stuff and i love all those i'll jamming my truck too I'm not saying anything bad about them,

but I think just messaging of that was very different at a time, you know, and so I'm, like I said, I sometimes sit back and be like scared of, will people hear this? Will it get, will people hear these songs and this album?

Because it's not going to get the playlisting that I think that it deserves because maybe it's too, it's not country enough. You know, I even had one of the blogs, the major blogs, that is like a big, big blog, not that I'm going to sit here and call them out, but said, Drew doesn't fit our country. Blog, the messaging that we put out. And part of me is like, oh, okay, maybe because it's too much light, you know, or is it or am I, and then the other part is like, maybe I'm putting out too sissified stuff, you know, and you're like, no, no, I'm putting out real things.

real calls of the action that's maybe question people are like oh man sorry that probably was a round way of trying not to call anybody out or do anything that's good because i feel like that's just christianity in a nutshell right like there's so much world out there that says this is who you're supposed to be you can do whatever you want it doesn't matter all these things and then you have one somebody on instagram it's like you scroll through 55 reels and one of them somebody's being like encouraging or like, you know, speaking actual truth. And it's just like, we want to listen to everything that the world has to say. And it hurts. Like I'm sure reading that blog, you probably were like, that sucks. I hate that. Yeah, especially because it's one of the biggest out there and all

they do is promote every album that comes out and new music and all that thing. And then they won't, they won't promote mine because it's not enough of whatever they're promoting. And it was just kind of, yeah, it kind of sucked in that moment. Right. Well, I just, I have to remember. remind you to just listen to truth, dude. Like your, your lyrics, your, your message, your words that you say and that you sing and just who you are matters in country music. It matters in his world. And it matters in just day-to-day life.

Like, shout out to your wife and your kids because they've got a good one. And, you know, God has blessed them. And I'm just grateful for you stepping out in faith and saying, you know what? Farm Faith family is important to me. And I'm going to sing about it. And I don't care who. tries to take me down because it doesn't matter. And let's get behind light.

Like that's awesome. Like let's get behind hope and let's get behind family and let's get behind faith and let's get behind like. And I think there's just such a time right now and that we should raise families up. Family, it's like, you know, it's okay to be in a happy marriage. It is an amazing thing to be in a happy marriage and raise that up. You don't have to be the hottest thing on social media. You don't, like I tell my wife that all the time, and she's chasing what everybody's looking like and these other females and all these things.

And she gets down. And I'm like, you're beautifully created. Like, you're a beautiful woman that I just love so much, you know. And it's heartbreaking to see that. And I know other women are struggling in that, too, of like, well, these women are out and they look like this or probably even AI in some of it to, look some ways. And I'm like, hey, you don't need to do that. You're married, you're beautiful. You have a great family here. And I think that that's one of the reasons why I'm so happy that family is in the title of this record is that we need to raise families up. They need to be supported. They need to be

talked into of like, hey, just because one thing is wrong in your marriage or a couple of things, it can be fixed and you can work on it together if you guys want it to work, you know? And it's like you said, there are, there's all this music. music that like listen I love a breakup song I love it you know like no don't get me wrong I do too I love it all so many different I'll be like I'm a happily married woman and I'm screaming Kelsey ballerini is you know like her baggage like songs and I'm like this is insane this is so good but it's also like why aren't we screaming songs that are like my family is healthy my family is great I'm happy where I am the grass isn't always greener everywhere else is greener actually where you water it like

That's the important stuff too. That there has to be, like you said, like let's scream. Let's make light exciting and like happy again because it belongs. It can exist with everything else. It can. We have a song on this record called Maker's Mark. And I absolutely love it. People hear it.

They're like, all the whiskey, you know. But it kind of came to me at a time when we had success with daughter. It went number one. We were very blessed in that. and, you know, came with some success financially in that space. And I sat back with my wife one day and I was just sitting there and I was just like, man, what am I going to do? Get to God one day and say, I had number one song.

You know me from she's somebody's daughter, Jesus. You know, there's so much like when you go up there and you meet him face to face and you're going to say, well, guess how many zeros I had in my bank? account? Well, guess what? I drove a Cadillac. What do you think of that? Yeah. You know, and it's like, does any of that, does that make you, that's funny? It's crazy. It's crazy. And so this song, I wrote it with my friends and Allison Veltz, Laura Veltz, Walo, and it was actually Allison's idea. And we got to talking about just how I felt that in that moment. And like, man, there's God going to say, okay, did you love people?

where did you leave my mark on the earth where did you leave Jesus's mark? Maker's mark. That's a killer double entendre. You know, where did you leave the one that put the heart in your chest? The heart to love, the heart to be a light, the heart to be a welcome door to anybody that comes knocking on your door, are you going to open it and say, what can I do for you? And that's so awesome to be on stage and be like, hey, you know, there's people in this crowd. That needs your light.

there's people outside those streets in those streets right now that that need help and you could do it and what would what would jesus do you know and that's this songmaker's mark i just i love it so much and the uh dude that's so good bro like i just want to just again just say we need to get audiences need to understand when a steak that is so good for you is sitting on the table you can go to macdonalds all you want but like i just want to champion this kind of music because these message songs, bro, and whatever discouragement around that, like, rebuke in Jesus' name. Yeah.

Like, just straight up, just as simple as that. Because, dude, that's just like the healthiest piece of steak. The eternal perspective of what is anything going to matter in 100 years. Like, all the things that we want, all the things that we make life about, all the things we wake up on Monday chasing, what does it mean in 100 years? Nothing. What is the maker's mark and the mark that you are called and made for? mean in a hundred years everything oh man and so like dude i just think how can you like i i just want to be

i want to to champion that and and yell that but it's like how can people your fans bro your audience if you're listening you need to get behind someone and just and get that and just get behind these message songs because this is gold and the world needs it so desperately and um you are setting on a journey, you're embarking on a journey to change the diet and appetite of a generation. Oh, wow. And that mission, bro, is huge. And so I just, I just wanted to articulate it in such a way that as we're talking, I'm like, man, the mission as a songwriter and an artist to like to step in to say,

hey, this is good for you, like to change an appetite of a whole generation. Man, that's profound. And I just can't wait to dive in. to the hearty steak, the meatiness, the healthiness of this album and these messages. So good. Thanks, man. And I love that you also just talked about, you know, I'm not going to get to heaven and you'd be like, hey, Jesus, you know me from that number one song, right?

Like, that's not what you're going to say because we, back in August, my pastor was going through this series and he asked us two questions at the beginning of a sermon. and he was just like, you're in heaven, right? And the Lord asks you, what did you do with Jesus? And I was just like sitting there, like chewing on this, and I'm like, I don't know how to answer this. And it was like, your first response should be, I followed him, I trusted him, and I put my faith in him.

And then the second question was, what did you do with what I gave you? And it was. I made a difference, and I was faithful in my finances. I was faithful with my family. I was faithful with my job. And like this album is farm faith family. That's you being faithful with your family, with your finances, with your job, and who, all these things that God has given you.

So like when you do get to heaven, well done, my good and faithful servant. Well, that's what we hope for. And, you know, I think we're all, everybody's listening to this podcast too. We're all given gifts. You know, everybody. Mark, you have a gift speaking the Lord like I've, never heard before. You know, hearing you talk, man, is just such a gift. Brooke, you have such a gift on, on radio speaking to people and being so honest and hearing you talk brings tears to my

eyes. And everybody's listening, you have a gift that you're given that can be used for God in such a powerful way. And that's what I always tell everybody to. My gift, I just sing. And I have, and I want to be able to give that back, you know, in such a way. And I hope that people that are listening, none of what we are doing on this podcast is any better than the gift that you have and the gift that can bring more people to heaven one day, people that you can sit next to and have a moment of saying, hey, my gift of cleaning that person's house brought them closer to God because maybe I just showed up and cleaned it when they were sick. My gift of hospitality, my gift, My wife has a gift like I've never seen before of giving.

Like she will tell me or checking on people of like, hey, so-and-so is going through a hard time. You remember that? And I was like, no, not at all. You need to call them and check on them. There's so many gifts out there that people have. And like Shelly over here, my record rep, she has the gift of just being a light wherever she's at. I mean, literal joy. I mean, literal joy.

When she comes in, it changes your day, you know? And so I just think, I just want everybody to know that. It's not just about sitting in this room and talking about music. Whatever you are in right now, your gift is meant for you and it can be spread, spread it. The Hard Rock Bet Casino app is here, Ontario. And with a name like Hard Rock,

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close to you, visit connectsonterio.ca. And if you don't know what that gift is or you're confused, ask the Lord to shine light on it for you. Ask him to help you steward your gift whatever he's given you. I love that. It is, like you said, when you hone in on a gift and you actually walk in step with Jesus and your gift, the world changes in such a tangible way. You walk into a room. You sit down and at a table you have conversation that just isn't planned like we don't have questions on this paper there's scripture and stuff but like it's so cool how the holy spirit just like dives in the room and it's just like let's just break down some walls today and like you know get emotional together and be real and that's what this podcast is about just well you just preach in Romans 12 I'm going to

read it is that all right because I just think but we talked about the Bible let's let's that's that's your gift man you know that thing back the front I don't know about that I just As you're talking, I'm just like, dude, this has been staring in my heart so much. It says this, I love to read, like, in reverse sometimes, and this is one of those moments where verse six of Romans 12 says, we have different gifts, which is what you're saying, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, prophesy, serving, serve, teaching, teach, encourage, then give encouragement, which is what we're doing. If it's giving, then give generously. My wife has a gift of giving too. I have to just be like, calm down.

I try to wrestle with that sometimes. Not all of it. Not all of it. But it says this on the top. So it's like, we have all different gifts, but then this is what it says. And this brings context.

Because I've read this 100 times and I'm like, you get the depth of it when you understand what we've been talking about. Therefore, I urge you, I urge you,

brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy to offer yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship. Our true and proper worship, worship is everything we do, the gifts we're being given who we are and really like offer yourself

your bodies. It says your work, everything of your labor, the cleaning, the how I show up at a label. Like every single thing, like that is a living sacrifice of like, yeah, okay, okay, Lauren, give it all then, I guess. But whatever it is, it's like that's, because that's what I would say about if it's serving, yeah, serve with all of your heart, you know, encourage with all of you. hold nothing back when you encourage, you know? And so this is your true and proper worship. And so we're just like, yeah, worship's like, yeah, 20 minutes on a Sunday, that's, that's worship.

Nah, actually, this is your true and proper worship. That's amazing, Mark. I love that so much. It's funny that you're like emphasizing the word all right now too because I was watching a message this morning where the pastor was talking about a certain verse. I don't remember which it was, but it was talking about in the Bible when it says the word all. It was just like, in this language, all means all.

In this language, all means all. Like the word all in every language means all. So it's cool to like, here you put that emphasis on that word because it means all, like everything. Yeah. And I was watching a sermon the other day. I was talking about how, you know, if you're using your gift wrong, you know, that is something that has graciously given to you. That is a scary thing to walk down, you know, like just, I just want to. to put that out there too of like, hey, whatever gift that you have and you feel like,

oh, man, I could be using this for something better. Maybe it's the gift you're using is not giving back. Just be, just think about that a little bit, you know? Check yourself. Check yourself. Yeah, use it wisely, man. Amen. It's real. It's good. It's so good. Um, uh, we're going to wrap up here in a second, but I was just curious, you know, we talked about your boys a little bit ago here, um, on the podcast as we started. And, you know, I feel like this is such a loaded question because my husband, we, we talk about this with our girls and just like the legacy that like we want to leave with our kids.

And, you know, when your boys someday ask what mattered most to their dad, what do you want them to respond with? Man, that's a loaded question right there to think of in 10 seconds. Yeah. You know, what mattered most of their dad? I hope they say family and us and God, you know, and I think obviously this album kind of says that when they sit back and look at it. But I hope walking the way that Jesus did is what I hope they say matters most. And there's more loving their mama, right?

You know, I could probably say here and just name a bunch of things that I think that matters most. But I probably say he tried to walk like Jesus did. And I think that is the answer to all those questions. You know, it's tough. You get into music, if you're just going to sit and be honest, and you don't think about a family. It's your number one love other than God and you're walking. That is like the top.

And then you find a girl or some girls find guys that are artists, that are females, they find a guy. And that becomes a love too. you know and then it's a fight then it's a balance then it's okay do i go on the road it's her birthday okay what where are we going to be at can she come and then you have kids and then you leave and they cry and you cry all the way to the bus and that just started happening to me a month ago and so it is just like a weird balance of love and I love what I do so much.

I do. I love being an artist. I love being on stage. I love being able to use my gift that I feel like God's given me. That's what I always tell you. She's like, when do you slow down a little bit? And I was like,

I feel like our music's a ministry. Like it's so special to be up there and help people heal and go through everything. And there's also this love of my boys and my wife and all of that. So I don't know why I'm speaking about this, probably because just in the last month, really hit me hard of just like that balance of love for my career and love for helping people and I and the love of my boys and my wife and trying to bring them into what I do and somebody

was saying it the other day like we had our album release party on Saturday and my kids were my boy was ripping around I mean just crazy backstage and he's flipping over stuff and I'm holding my five month old and we're backstage and we're doing it and the person just comes I think they're getting on everybody's nerves. She comes up to me, and she was just like, hey, bring them into whatever you're, whatever you go, bring them with you. And it's okay. And sometimes I lose thought of like, my dad was my basketball coach and I'm never,

if it keeps going the way, how do we do that? How do I, how do I go to games? God will figure it out. We'll figure that part of. I watch Lou, we're on tour with Luke Bryan right now. And he doesn't miss a football game of his boys. He flies home and he figures it out and he makes it work and he'll, pay an extra flight to fly out to come up to play the show that night and get there to walk on

stage but he didn't miss his boys game and and there's just like figuring it out as you go of like hey our life might be a little different but it's okay to bring them to and that's what i'm learning as i get through this and i'm still going to be learning a lot but sorry that was a long-winded question that's just really on my heart today of the last month of leaving has been very difficult when my boy no daddy leave no daddy leave and you're like oh that's all and there's a lot of dads that work on I mean I grew up in a pipeline town where you worked all over the country and a lot of my buddy's dads were out of town and you got to provide for your family you have to do those things but it's just yeah it's just I'm sure a balance that I will struggle struggle with my whole life

what I just have to say shout out to your wife too because being on the other side of like my husband isn't an artist but he works like you know he's a he works in touring so he's on the road a bunch and so you know he leaves on a wednesday night comes on on a sunday right and it's like wednesday comes and the girls my kids like my youngest she's too she doesn't understand but she kind of does but my five-year-old knows now like when daddy's gone like he's not going to be back for a couple days and that weight of a wife of being at home listening to the babies cry like no, daddy, where's my daddy or at bedtime where it's just like, where's,

I want my dad at every night. And it's just like, so I just want to give a shout out to your wife. Because that strength of a mother and having to carry that weight too, like I just know from my heart and how it hurts when, you know, my husband leaves. I know she probably feels the same way on a different level because, you know, you're much more in the spotlight,

but just, I just want to speak courage and, you know, strengthen to her because that is hard and that is tough and I mean any spouse that has somebody who travels like whether it's a you know an office job or whatever it is whoever's listening like that stuff's tough and it doesn't get easier but like stewarding that and like we always just pray you know a hedge of protection over daddy as he's traveling and like all that stuff so man I'm sure yes it is tough it's tough and my wife is a rock star and it's hard and you know we got a five month old and a three-year-old, and as you know,

you're about to have another one too. Crazy. It is definitely something that is, uh, weighs on her, you know,

and I can tell, and she's just a light to, to go with it and know that it's our life too, but, you know, she makes sure to keep me in check of that question that you just asked me right there. I hear that a lot.

You know, your calendar shows, you know, and, and it's like, hey, that's real. And if you're listening and,

and you're feeling a lot, man, how can I, like my heart goes out to the Baldridge family how can I help him and his wife and his family and kids and dad and leave no well you support

his music so we can have another family bus that's there you go that's right we just need to get you a family bus that's just family bus converted back lounge everyone comes yes we talk about that all the time I always say once we get two buses you guys can come out all the time because

I mean my guys are so awesome and we have you know when we're on the road normally It's 10. So when my family comes, it's 13. And because there's, you know, now three. And I can't, I do have a bed in the back. But when they come, I can't fit on it. So I sleep in a bunk.

And so we're maxed out. So they all sleep in the back on the bed. And then I sleep in the bunk. And I'm like, man, if we could just get a family bus, that'd be everything. Thanks, Mark. No, that's what it means. From Mark right there, family bus. Buy that new album, all right?

Y'all, buy some merch at a show. That's where we need you to buy. Okay. Go to the merch booth. Love it. That's awesome. Love that. Well, as we wrap up, we always end in prayer. So how can we cover you and your family in prayer right now? Oh, man. Just pray for all the things we were just talking about, you know, being that what matters most.

And, you know, this album that it annoys people and touches people and as a ministry and that we get that freaking family bus, y'all. Let's go. Let's go. We're speaking it right now in the name of Jesus. All right, I'm going to pray us out. Heavenly Father Lord, just thank you for Drew and his heart on this podcast, Lord. We thank you for his new album, God, and we just ask you to bless it beyond measure. We just ask you to put it in the hands of people who need to hear it, Lord. Put it in the speakers of people who need to hear it. And that not just they hear the music, but they actually hear the words that he's speaking in these songs, Lord. And we just pray that family bus over him and his family, God, that he is able to bring them out to more shows.

And they're able to do this, you know, long term. and as they do embark on, you know, this next level of artistry, God. We just, we pray over Drew in his heart, Lord, that you would just keep him aligned with your word. Lord, that he would honor the nose that he says, Lord, that he wouldn't feel bad about saying no, that, you know, he's on this path of just increase. I just see so much increase in Drew's future, God. And I just pray that you would just allow him to say the hard nose, that the hard nose would come out easily for him, Lord.

and that the doors would shut that are supposed to shut, the ones that are open would just swing wide open, that no man could even shut them closed, Lord. And over his family in this next season too, Lord, I just pray over his wife for supernatural strength, supernatural confidence in this season, Lord, that there would be no comparison of other women, God, that she just knows that she is beautifully and she is wonderfully made God

and that you made her who she is called to be God and that she steps into that, Lord. And over his boys, that you would just help them to just be mighty men of God, Lord, that Drew and his wife would just be able to continue to steward them as just good parents and that they would all just produce good fruit, Lord, in this next season. We just love you and we honor you and your son's holy name we pray. Amen. Thanks, bro. Dad gone. Amen. You're welcome. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.