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The Soundtrack To Our Life, JR The Handler Part 2 · Tigs Bits Podcast

0:00
Welcome to part two of the interview with j.r. the Handler
0:03
on the show this week. We take a deep dive into music
0:06
from Jr.'s, start within the industry.
0:09
The early touring days, with Wayne Mills and John party.
0:12
And some of the handlers musical influences, and favorite acts,
0:17
check out Tigs B.com for all of the latest news and videos on
0:23
the show and keep it up, guys. You really been engaging with
0:26
the show on social media and it makes doing this a whole lot.
0:30
Of fun, like, subscribe, comment and share, its really helping to
0:34
grow the show. Thank you all so much for that.
0:37
Now, I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to acknowledge
0:42
the life of the last founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
0:45
Gary rossington, he is responsible for as JR.
0:49
Says, in this show the soundtrack to our life.
0:53
If you grew up in the South Lynyrd Skynyrd is ingrained in
0:58
you that sound those Is licks, absolutely.
1:02
Gimme Three Steps. Sweet Home Alabama, Tuesday's
1:06
Gone. I mean I can go on and on I'm so
1:09
grateful that I got to see him play.
1:12
Thank you so much for the Timeless memories and for some
1:16
of the sweetest. Licks, ever recorded.
1:19
The last free bird has finally flown home.
1:30
I listened to your podcast with your other guys out, you pretty
1:32
Savvy on music. A lot of music to Don't You Dig?
1:35
I love music man. Absolutely do.
1:37
I know that we we have a, I've discovered a couple of things
1:42
and doing a little research on you, besides our common, our
1:47
common denominator with bleh, see you love, Widespread Panic,
1:51
it looks like and I've heard and I heard you mention drive-by
1:54
truckers. Now I know we are paths are
1:56
going Across on every single just about.
2:00
I think we're going to hit on all cylinders but those are two.
2:04
Those are two. Two.
2:05
Biggie's for me. I'm definitely I'm bigger.
2:08
Truckers fan. I'm a big Panic felt like Panic.
2:10
I'm not as crazy as our other friends, but I'm all I'm
2:13
probably Allman Brothers if you had to do that.
2:16
But but you truckers as far as bands that changed my life, I
2:18
actually got to take a band that for a brief period.
2:21
There I work for Bank, all the decks of teens right after a
2:24
Wayne Mills and I split up and we went and did Show's opening
2:26
for the By Truckers for a few weeks and I'd already been at
2:29
these two parties in Tuscaloosa with everybody play in the 40
2:32
watt live at 40 watt DVD and it really didn't click.
2:35
I mean I thought it was cool. We were you know whatever it
2:37
didn't click but then the first night we played like the Music
2:39
Farm in Greenville South Carolina, sold-out house for our
2:43
Rock show, man, changed my life. I was like, that's how it's
2:45
American. That's just pure aggressive
2:47
American rock-and-roll. That's as good as it gets.
2:49
It can't be thought that's it. That's a good as it gets and
2:51
Shana and Jason were divorced, still in the band together and
2:54
we're backstage. So I mean, I'm getting, I'm
2:55
getting like I'm in awe. Almost Famous for a minute, you
2:58
know what I mean? It was it was trip your, but it
3:03
was a the show and the music would just change it was it, was
3:05
it changed? Because that was before that,
3:07
I'd only done really local kind of stuff and this and that
3:10
country and that was rock and roll and that was huge.
3:14
So that is my as far as modern bands.
3:16
That's probably my favorite modern band there is, but it's
3:18
and then when you go to classic, like you're talking about, heard
3:20
you say, big step, but which I love zip to.
3:23
It's one of the ones that got me down the path that led me to the
3:27
And a little feet and all the just every, you know, the Leon
3:31
Russell and I mean, even the Randy Newman in the m, i mean,
3:34
it'll go it. My it goes, It goes wild and
3:37
crazy. You know, all all over the
3:39
place, even down to like, you know, the Kershaw brothers from
3:42
Louisiana and I was listening to dr.
3:44
John earlier. And I'm gonna, and I know
3:45
Professor longhair. And you know, I mean, you know,
3:48
all that kind of stuff. So that the feud, the few, the
3:51
few genres, that I wouldn't, I I like everything but a few
3:55
genres, I wouldn't be able to keep up.
3:57
Up conversation with much would be like alternative music.
4:00
Just never I mean, I know, I was there, I remember them.
4:03
I know a lot of the names of the big bands, I'd really don't know
4:05
their stuff, early metal. Yes, later.
4:08
Metal know. And then just like, newer pop
4:11
stuff. I wouldn't know.
4:12
But, you know, as far as jazz blues country, rock and roll
4:16
back as far and as anyone will finger link off that because
4:20
even rap like, you know, except from the 90s.
4:22
So I mean that stuff, but even that I tailed off, I tailed off
4:25
later on a lot of things. Tailed off.
4:27
Like I don't listen a lot of new country or new rock and roll
4:29
because that's really to me, you know what I'm looking for is not
4:32
the out there for me. So, you know, it's just the
4:34
evolution of what I want to list.
4:35
His always tell people musics, like the soundtrack to your
4:38
life, you know, it's what's in the background while you're
4:39
doing whatever you're doing throughout your day.
4:42
So in my life just doesn't require a lot of like, heavy
4:45
aggressive news. I don't lift weights and stuff
4:47
you know, so it's like I'm more Jazz chill.
4:50
You know I'm or Miles Davis these days, you know kind of
4:53
stuff talking about music. I like it all, you know.
4:57
I said it. But and again a lot of people
4:59
pigeonhole just as country because I work in country music.
5:02
But I mean you know, I like all types of music which is
5:05
interesting that you're, you're more like, you're like, us that
5:11
you'll listen to it all to what got you to country music, like
5:15
what got you from Wayne Mills? And we haven't even discussed
5:19
this part yet, but you are the tour manager for John party for
5:23
what? Three or four years when he was,
5:25
he was starting out, I He is, of course, he's a he's a monster
5:29
now. For sure.
5:31
I just like Justin Moore is, is as well, but what got you from
5:36
Wayne Mills? And this kind of bluesy, Rocky,
5:39
southern rock kind of deal to country music.
5:44
Well, always country was always there.
5:45
I mean, I grandparents from rural Mississippi and growing up
5:49
an Eclectic, you know country right near where Hank Elijah,
5:52
the song collage is two miles from where my house was, you
5:55
know? And even then I'll wait country.
5:57
My grandparents just always one set of grandparents was country
5:59
all the time. One set of grandparents was in
6:01
PR public radio all the time. It's always like the country,
6:04
you know, they should dress me up my little, Justin Boots, my
6:06
bandana on, my will three wheeler and stuff, you know, it
6:08
was just my cut, my granddad dress, like Burt Reynolds, you
6:10
know, I still wear his belt buckle now, that's badass.
6:14
Yes, he had the Trans Am was born in 79.
6:19
So, I mean, it was the early 80s.
6:20
That was still, what shag carpet anymore.
6:22
But it was Burt Reynolds with the shirt and I was born a year
6:25
before he was born. So, you know that look,
6:28
everybody had the side birds that it wasn't afros any board
6:32
big perms but it was, you know, anyway, so I country was always
6:35
around. I always liked country.
6:37
Always sounded cool. I had the one, you know, early
6:39
on you remember, like Randy, I remember like fire, like, Randy
6:41
Travis and, you know, all that stuff.
6:43
But then the biggest thing that happened was in high school at
6:46
some point. Their mid-teens end up on a dirt
6:50
road Elmore County and somebody pass you a little brown bag and
6:55
with a brown bottle, it and then for just seems like Hank
6:57
Williams jr. Just comes out of the woods and
6:59
starts playing Country. Boy, Can Survive.
7:01
And it's like from then on it's like, you know, that whole
7:05
trajectory because Hank jr. If I had to pick one artist a
7:08
video artist, go on an island with their catalog of Records.
7:11
I'd probably pick Hank jr. Just because he's done as done.
7:16
Not a bad, he's done a. He's done so many records.
7:19
He's put out so many so much music.
7:21
You have a big catalog anyway and he's done several different
7:24
genres and stuff and his voice. Changed over the years anyway,
7:28
Hank jr. On that dirt road and it being a
7:30
big part of, you know, teenage years on back roads.
7:34
I mean, because everybody at every dirt road party with a
7:37
bonfire sang alone Hank jr. So, absolutely, that, that
7:43
that's the case. I think anywhere in the South,
7:46
that definitely happened, where I grew up and, of course, the
7:49
same time, you have to be in the same age, you had your traces of
7:53
Lawrence's and your they were coming up that night.
7:57
Annie's Country, George Strait of course, Chestnut.
7:59
At that point in time to chest that due to love Mark, Chesnutt.
8:04
All the guys that is, that is, that's my Country Jam.
8:08
So it's the stuff I grew up in and little fluorine Louisiana
8:12
that has we? I think there's three or 400
8:14
people is the population, where a little Class, B School, very
8:20
rural as it gets and that's, that is the, that's the
8:25
lifeblood. There is country music.
8:29
It's not just, it's not just a song, it's not.
8:32
It is a way of life like the songs that are made in country.
8:37
Music are the songs that are made by people that live, there
8:40
are written, are written by people that are from there, you
8:43
know? Yeah.
8:45
And when I'm in the mood for country, like, it's like I'm in
8:48
the mood for country. And I play this artist of this
8:50
artist but then there's a whole different genre where I say, I
8:53
need to play some Hank. Yeah, you know what I mean?
8:55
It's like, it ain't nothing else.
8:57
Like it and back to your point with Hank, you know?
8:59
I mean I remember being a bite like what was I 12 13 and for
9:03
Christmas. I got in my stocking I got the
9:07
Born to Boogie tape and I got my little Walkman deal take before
9:13
it was a CD Walkman and I woke up at like 3:00 in the morning
9:17
walked in there, you know, creeping around started messing
9:19
with that stock in and I found that tape and I found that that
9:23
Walkman. And I went laid my bed and I had
9:25
that thing memorized by Like when everybody woke up my 8:00
9:29
in the morning, 7:30 8:00, I've been listening to it all night
9:32
man over and over to just singing every song with it.
9:35
It's so good. That's such a memory that sticks
9:38
with me do but Hank, I mean it's Hank, you know?
9:40
I mean it's like you got rock, you got southern rock, you got
9:44
country, you got, you got Hank, you know?
9:46
I mean, he's just by himself Bocephus, he's so good, he's so
9:50
good. If you don't believe he may ask
9:51
you. Hey, yeah, sir.
9:56
Bocephus is yeah, yeah he is he is a character.
10:00
I've been lucky to be ready by handful of times and my
10:04
assistant tour manager also works for Hanks to her manager.
10:07
He were, it doesn't same roll over for Hanks Camp.
10:09
So I get some good inside stories and stuff and but yeah,
10:13
he is absolutely a rocket Roll country, music, legend and icon.
10:16
And I mean, but you think about very many like that, that were
10:20
have been a star, their entire life came from royalty.
10:23
I mean, you talk about the few rare Mega stars in our You know,
10:27
we talk about the Michael Jackson's and the these and the
10:30
that, I mean, Hank Williams, jr. Is right there.
10:34
You know, as to not to not live under his dad's thing and
10:38
actually exceed, everything is Dad dead is just and his own
10:43
way. Pretty much his old way to like
10:45
Chad said, he didn't care what he did, whatever the hell he
10:47
wanted to steal does and it's still selling out everywhere.
10:50
He goes just like he says on path.
10:53
They'll be making movies about him 50 years from now.
10:56
A hundred years from now. You know how the cycle of movies
11:00
and things like that. Go with autobiography or
11:03
biographies. All that stuff, man.
11:06
I haven't seen one on him yet. Does one example, yeah, there's
11:09
a couple, not good. There's a couple, not good ones.
11:11
Oh yeah, there's one from about the oh, oh, oh man, there's one
11:15
from early 80s. That's and I mean, it's not
11:18
great, it's just not great. That's why you don't know about
11:21
it. You don't know about it.
11:22
For a reason, I'll tell you one, you need to watch because you
11:24
like all types of music. You have you seen roadie?
11:27
Meatloaf Roadie. I have the movie called Roadie
11:29
that neither meatloaf is the star of the movie.
11:31
He's the world's greatest Roadie.
11:33
Travis W redfish. It's got Hank jr.
11:35
In it. It's got Alice Cooper's main
11:37
character. Anyway, it's crazy but it's from
11:40
the like, 80 or 81. It's called Roadie, it's about a
11:42
roadie. And anyway, it's a big anyway,
11:45
it's good, it's good. Meatloaf is the star okay that
11:48
all right. One, can you see?
11:49
All this stuff beside me? Look at you like out your
11:51
record. I like some hike.
11:52
Oh, I see it. I see it.
11:54
There's my drive-by truckers up there talk.
11:56
To me about some of this stuff. This is this is amazing.
12:01
See up there. There's my granddad up there, I
12:03
was talking about Bert. Got the guy got the tinted
12:06
glasses on it in the picture. Yeah, I'm up there at the top
12:13
just to go with it. Why not?
12:15
You know, these are just all tour laminates from over the
12:18
years. Oh man.
12:20
Yeah, anyways wanted some Wayne stuff.
12:23
John party, my buddy. I'm somehow become As with
12:27
Diamond Dallas Page, one of my heroes.
12:28
He's a real guy. He's a, he's a great dude.
12:30
That's a, yeah, I forgot about that.
12:32
Your friends media are like, buddies, like you doing his work
12:36
out. It's not a still.
12:40
Yeah, Dallas is a great human being, you know, just a good
12:44
good. Good guy.
12:45
Yep. DDP.
12:46
Yeah. Just ran.
12:47
He's country music fan. He's a music fan in general.
12:49
I follow him on his Social Media stuff.
12:51
Like he has some really amazing Tick-Tock.
12:54
Yes, you're very motivational. And doing his workout program
12:59
and stuff like that. And me He seems like he'd be a
13:01
good dude. I mean just laser-focused and
13:04
and all but he's just seems like he's a good incredible and I
13:07
can't say enough good stuff about him and it's program works
13:09
DDP. Why I did it this morning.
13:11
I did a lower back thing because I got to blown disk that's how
13:14
we got to catch it. When we first met we became
13:17
buddies and he I mean, he'll text me how you do you mean
13:19
checking in? Hey, and he updates how you
13:21
feeling. I mean, he's just a good friend.
13:23
I mean, just a really good friend and, yeah, he's 64 years
13:25
old and Better shape than what, any of our buddies.
13:29
Hey, what is that? What is that other band that you
13:31
had? So, it was after Wayne Mills,
13:34
Southern hauler was after Wayne Mills and see ya.
13:36
When I by the time I got to Troy, like we were saying
13:39
earlier after discovering Hank, junior in high school, I was
13:42
still a lot of rock and roll stuff but it was the first it
13:44
was the main songs. You knew off the radio then when
13:46
they got to Troy Got Deep Cuts, that's when I started hanging
13:49
out why Dale. And I'll be like, what's this
13:50
song he could ever wish. But was still say over, you
13:53
know, and then he and then we'd go down, long Merle, Haggard.
13:56
Roads or long deep, Hank jr. Cuts, my God.
14:00
I loved it, like, all of it. I loved it.
14:03
And I kind of got out of some during that are and got into
14:05
others, like, the jam band stuff.
14:07
And because I learned more, I learned deeper, Allman Brothers,
14:10
cuts and deeper Skynyrd, cuts through Cadwell, and how and,
14:13
you know, just different buddies.
14:15
Yeah. And then, by the time I got with
14:16
Wayne, I was pretty beat up with a lot of it.
14:18
So it didn't take much inspiration.
14:19
He liked all kinds of stuff, so, we were Hank jr.
14:22
And he was a big, you know, Guy Clark, Robert, Earl Keen John
14:25
Prine. So, I mean, I'm all in that.
14:26
But we're also I mean we would listen I mean just whatever I
14:30
mean it didn't matter everything so so that kind of led the I
14:33
mean that will that makes it makes sense of how you would
14:36
kind of you were molded in southern.
14:41
Yeah. And Southern Miss, and when
14:44
Wayne we would go on the road road, like, to Texas are off
14:47
somewhere. We were doing a lot of shows
14:48
with red dirt artists, early Red, Dirt artists like Cross
14:51
Canadian Ragweed. Jason Bohn the stragglers Kevin
14:54
Fowler Roger Krieger, you know, blue Edmondson.
14:57
We were doing shows with these acts that were that west of the
15:00
Mississippi typed and these big draws over there, and the Texas
15:04
scene. So we were doing a lot of shows
15:05
with them, so I was exposed a lot of that.
15:06
And that was kind of what's merged with country now.
15:09
It's kind of where it's at with a lot of that.
15:11
And I'll I ate it up to, I couldn't wait.
15:13
I loved all that stuff. I loved it.
15:15
So then I'm going back, listening to Robert, Earl Keen,
15:17
early stuff, and Wayne Mills, man.
15:19
So dude, so that guy like and I bring up a bad subject here, but
15:24
I mean that guy's in prison, right?
15:26
Yes. Yeah, I'm Amber watching that
15:31
following that. And what, what?
15:33
Whoa, I don't know. I miss won't go out.
15:35
But I've Chad is teased me. He and I talked about you and
15:40
like one of the first ones that we did who's just, you know,
15:43
mentioning you. And then that you had been with
15:45
Wayne Mills. Who I had not ever heard of
15:47
because I may not from Louisiana, you know?
15:50
I mean, of course not. But it sounds like if there's
15:52
albums, I want to hear it way. But we did, you know, when I was
15:55
with Wayne Mills, we played it. Intensively all through the
15:58
southeast. Yeah, we played all over Baton
15:59
Rouge. We played a tiger town before
16:01
games. Oh yeah.
16:02
We'd be it was it jails over there?
16:05
We played it when the Mellow Mushroom when Dave Bruno, and
16:08
those guys on the Mellow Mushroom down there, we used to
16:10
play there. That was kind of our circuit was
16:13
part of the, our circuit through there.
16:15
How Bruni and the high rollers one of Wayne's dear friends from
16:17
Morgan City. Scotty van matre the social
16:20
drinkers. We had a bunch of buddies from
16:21
town that were that were locals guys from around there that were
16:26
in that scene. That we ran with because that's
16:28
some of the First shows I did with wine.
16:30
That would have been like 02. 03 03.
16:33
I guess right about now was going down there to south
16:37
Louisiana and then do it shows, you know, like that.
16:41
But yeah, that was that was he was, we got around we got to end
16:44
in the music was good. I mean it was, it was just, it
16:46
was redneck. Hippie music, great, great
16:48
sound. I love it.
16:50
I love the white males but he but he, unfortunately, about 10
16:56
years ago. Now it actually will be 10 years
16:58
ago. This fall was killed
17:02
unfortunately, after hours at a party like we were talking about
17:06
like the one I met him at. It was at a bar in Nashville,
17:08
was closed for after hours for just guests only and the owner
17:12
of the bar for whatever reason shot Wayne and killed him.
17:14
And that was the night of the George Jones tribute concert.
17:19
It was after that, and a bunch of there was a bunch of, you
17:21
know, Heavy Hitters hanging out and stuff, and it was a big
17:24
thing. And it just it was kind of a big
17:26
old mess at Ours was a bunch of misinformation and this and
17:29
that. And but yeah, the Wayne past a
17:31
couple of days, you know, day or two later after that and left
17:34
behind his wife. Carol Ann who's awesome, like a
17:37
sister to me, when my best friends in the world and a son
17:41
jack who 16 now who is awesome guy.
17:45
I mean, I can't say enough about how good this kid is.
17:47
I want to hug his neck so bad right now, he's so awesome.
17:50
He he, he's a great guitar player.
17:53
Now, he's a great football player.
17:54
They live in Nolensville Tennessee's, a good ballplayer.
17:56
He's a roll. Tied guy like me but he is a yes
17:59
sir. Yes ma'am.
17:59
Good to his mama and just come out.
18:02
Great kid. Great kid just you know
18:05
everything the right way and after Wayne passed a friend of
18:08
ours Jason cope by the name, Rowdy was a guitar player for
18:13
Jamie Johnson when we first met and then end up producing some
18:16
of Wayne's records and play in some with him and went on to
18:19
play with the steel Woods rock and roll.
18:22
Southern rock band now and he he became Jack's guitar teacher.
18:27
In the Years, following the Wayne's death and got along with
18:30
some other teachers around where he's at.
18:31
But got Jack to be a really good little guitar player and he's
18:34
still, I think he's going to be great one day for sure, but then
18:37
unfortunately, during covid not due to covid, but Rowdy passed
18:42
away and he's like our age, some stuff with something, underlying
18:46
health issues. So, even through all that still,
18:50
a rock star kid. Like I said, can't say enough,
18:52
but that would have been 10 almost 10 years ago now, and
18:55
Everywhere. I Go.
18:57
Go. No Pat.
18:58
Nobody ever has a bad thing, everybody.
19:00
Misses him. He's, I'll meet random people at
19:02
bigwig Hotshot parties and bring up where I'm from and somehow to
19:06
turn on Wayne, we're talking about Wayne Mills.
19:08
I happens every weekend not one weekend on the road.
19:10
Why not be every night? But damn close to it at least
19:13
once a week. And I have a conversation with
19:14
somebody about Wayne Mills. I mean, just never fail so clay.
19:18
He was he was so connected to the music industry and I would
19:22
think if that would be why everybody he crossed paths with
19:25
everybody sounds like he was He's a grinder?
19:27
Yeah. Oh yeah, he grinded.
19:29
Oh yeah, we played. We play.
19:30
We play with the band, boys. Thursday, Friday Saturday, maybe
19:33
Sunday and then they take off back to Tuscaloosa and we'd get
19:35
in his truck or mine and go play a couple of stay there and play
19:38
a night at floor, baman and take off to making and somewhere to
19:43
somewhere to Nashville, to back to, you know, wherever Memphis
19:48
to meet the band guys on Thursday.
19:50
And then go play a frappe then go play a frat house at Ole Miss
19:53
and then go to Athens and play frat house and And go back the
19:57
floor, Batman play a Sunday afternoon.
19:59
The band would go home. We stay there.
20:02
That was that was way it was we and Wayne was just friend.
20:05
Everybody was just a sweetheart. He was a big old teddy bear.
20:07
He was just openly come hang out.
20:10
Loved hanging out with everybody.
20:12
You know, he was just awesome and taught me a lot about you
20:15
know I wouldn't I would definitely not be here today if
20:17
it wasn't for for him. And a lot of the guys, I met his
20:20
band and crew and stuff over those years.
20:22
And then after that his drummer at the time, David Gulliver, and
20:25
I started, Southern hauler, a classic rock country type, cover
20:29
band with some other guys from Tuscaloosa and then that turned
20:33
in one thing to know that lasted for several years and the final
20:37
incarnation of that and we would play a lot of place to same
20:40
thing. We would play like downtown,
20:42
Baton Rouge. See what I do is we play there
20:44
on a Friday night then Saturday, we'd have some good money gig
20:47
lined up to play Under the pmac before a basketball or football
20:50
game or something, right? When you walk in to Pee Mak, you
20:52
know, that they would Budu restaurant would set up the
20:55
thing on the top. And then we have a Age
20:56
underneath we would play that a couple times a year so I would
21:00
route. Okay, I'd rather good money date
21:02
with a couple of Club dates. Where potentially if it's good
21:04
night, we can make some money. But no matter what we're going
21:06
to go here and get enough to get there and home sure, you know,
21:08
stuff like that. But what was said, it's Southern
21:12
holler have anything to do with John.
21:13
That was like, I thought, I last incarnation of Southern hauler,
21:17
we all ended up going to work for John and that's when
21:19
Southern holler ended. We went on the road, we all work
21:21
for John. So that's how you kind of looked
21:23
up with John Parker, bass player and guitar player and met him
21:26
first. They brought me in the loop and
21:27
I had the van and actually, it's funny story first and kid.
21:32
He offered me to go to work. I turned him down because I'd
21:35
already had plans to do something with.
21:38
Well, I think it was with Grice something, his bachelor party or
21:40
something. But I'd already made some kind
21:42
of commitment or wedding or something.
21:44
I'd made some kind of commitment to where I wasn't going to go
21:47
with them that weekend and they got a friend of ours, Joe to go
21:50
who was was new to the game but he went.
21:54
Anyway, they took my van and I do Been on the road with the
21:57
band guys. Not John yet.
21:59
So after they got back, I asked them, you know how'd it go and
22:02
they say, all man, we made him do all the stuff you'd never let
22:04
us do, you know? He was an idiot.
22:06
He left all the merch one night at the gig the you know, this
22:09
all these horror stories like oh no, I was like.
22:12
So the next week sounds like you need some Jr.
22:15
Direction here ain't it handled in next week?
22:17
I went out with them and then that was it and then, you know,
22:20
he went through managers are two men and we have a manager for a
22:22
sec, but he was a baby act. We first met, but I knew the
22:24
first time I was in our old drummer.
22:26
Or how we Adams basement and heard them rehearsing.
22:29
I knew his kid was going to be as big a star as he wanted to be
22:32
barring any interruptions, which happened all the time, long as
22:36
nothing happens. He should be fine.
22:38
And it's, it was I knew in, you know, because you never know.
22:41
I mean, you just I mean, it could be Health, it could be
22:44
personal stuff, it could be just industry, I mean, you just never
22:47
know. It could be one person being
22:48
spiteful, Amy, you just never know you say the wrong thing.
22:50
I mean she had you just never know nowadays.
22:52
So bought like I said, bargain, or any interruptions, I knew he
22:55
was going to be a big old star. Then once I met John and got to
22:58
talkin realize though, he was a real cowboy and I mean he was
23:00
eat up with me. He didn't play sports growing
23:02
up, he just played karaoke, he just wanted to be George Strait.
23:05
Right? You know case always and rotten
23:07
Rope Rope stuff because George Strait did you know he's the
23:10
real deal? Well he's from he's on the
23:11
plowboys the cowboy, huh? He's from northern Cali.
23:14
I wouldn't say he's like he's like you know full, he didn't
23:17
ride rodeo and stuff growing up but that's his interest, he
23:19
wanted to sing music was his number one, which involved the
23:21
rodeo lifestyle, which he's gotten really good.
23:23
He always dabbled, he's gotten really good at all that he's
23:26
into All that, but he grew up in Northern California out on big.
23:29
I mean, big land. I didn't even know that comes
23:31
from, where we come from. I thought California was
23:33
rollerblading and bikinis on the beach, you know what I mean?
23:36
Oh, yeah. So we go up there to Northern
23:38
California and it's 9,000-acre. Dear Ranch, you know?
23:41
And I'm like, now, it's stuff. Like kind of like being out in
23:44
West Egg. Well, the most remote, it was
23:47
one of the most remote places I've ever been as far as
23:49
survival outside of being like, way down in south, Louisiana out
23:53
at alley somewhere, where you're going to hours down the bayous
23:56
to get out. Someplace to go to a camp.
23:58
That's a shack with a generator. Oh, yeah.
24:00
Because out there, we're in these, you know, we go down the,
24:02
get off the main road. We're down a gravel road for 45
24:06
minutes in word on a dirt road for, literally two hours, and
24:09
it's in these Jeeps zigzagging up these mountains with little
24:12
roads and like, there's no water, you gotta pack in and
24:16
pack out. I mean, it was, it was a while
24:18
and I thought, man. Yeah.
24:19
If you're not prepared, you're not gonna make it same with them
24:21
and Louisiana. You go out to that camp?
24:22
Yeah. If you don't have a but you're
24:23
not going home. You got swimming home, you ain't
24:25
walking home. It away to go home.
24:26
Oh, that's what happens. So it was, but it was an
24:30
eye-opening experience. Yeah, he was, he was really into
24:32
that he wasn't in the end. He didn't, you know, he likes
24:34
sports, but most of that band was kind of that way they were
24:37
alive. They were really in about the
24:39
music, they were really into it and it they were focused on.
24:42
They sounds like they knew. Yeah where they wanted to get to
24:46
and obviously it's worth. It's worked out pretty well.
24:50
Yeah, we have to Grant. We have pretty well, yeah, we
24:52
had to grind hard and it paid off and you know, that's usually
24:55
what happens for them. Man, and for you Jr.
24:58
You know, it's so funny. Back in college.
24:59
I remember after college I should say, you were generally
25:02
what you were doing and did you just stayed committed?
25:04
You were persistent. I'd see you at homecoming.
25:07
I'd see, you know, we talked, you know, once every year or two
25:10
and it was like, man, this guy is absolutely dialed in and this
25:14
is what he's doing and then do it all happen for you.
25:16
And dude, it's, it's funny. I look at people and, you know,
25:20
you get older and you have this perspective, you look back.
25:22
And it's like, you're one of those people though brother that
25:25
like, you know, I mean like, you were ER passionate, this is what
25:28
you wanted to do is set your mind to it.
25:30
And it's like I was watching that McDonald's.
25:32
What's it called? The fast food about the
25:34
McDonald's story right on Founders?
25:37
Yeah, yeah, I've seen it a few years ago and I watched it again
25:40
the other night, and it's funny. Kind of reminds me of you
25:42
though, like, in a way, like, you were just like, you, put
25:45
your head down and you're like, oh my God, this is what I'm
25:47
doing. Like you know, I mean no matter
25:49
what you were doing, you just kept him driving in and hear
25:51
your brother. I mean, you know, you've you've
25:54
arrived. I mean, you've done what I think
25:56
people. I have degrees to do what you
25:57
do, right, like in specific. Yeah, it's funny.
26:00
I've actually give, I've had to like, give I've gave a few
26:03
little talks here, there are two classes and stuff.
26:06
You know what I needed and, and zoom that you've got all the
26:10
damn lessons like, but, but I have.
26:13
But there's but I had and I got lucky too when I came in, you
26:16
know, I got to work with the class above me, you know.
26:19
And I some legends to follow under and they didn't just push,
26:22
you know, they were open instead of just you know, and I because
26:24
I came in cool, though. I always knew that, man.
26:26
You got to be cool. Cool.
26:26
As part of it, you know, just like you said, just be
26:29
persistent hang in there. Be cool.
26:31
I kind of figured something will always work out, you know,
26:33
always had a construction background but you know, it's
26:36
just it's just beyond. Is that that's just tough.
26:39
For me, I just made my dad and I are just different special, not
26:42
bad. You know, that back would not be
26:44
happy and, you know, it's just like we're saying early lean, do
26:46
you strong suits and I just kind of always knew from early on
26:48
with Wayne and them. You know, there's somebody need
26:50
to have this stuff, we'd be riding down the road, he needs
26:52
something, I just reach in the back in my bag, not already have
26:54
it. I just kind of knew, you know,
26:56
kind of Instincts. What you need to keep going?
26:58
It's kind of the same way. Had the van will travel.
27:01
Is that where the moniker of the handler comes from?
27:05
It sounds like you've ever owned.
27:07
You're Johnny on the well, you're right here, the somewhere
27:10
else. You got it, you're ready.
27:11
Some days are better than others, you know.
27:13
But when you know, if you if you set low expectations and over
27:16
deliver every now and then it makes you look good but but no.
27:22
Yeah that came from those days we had a friend in Tuscaloosa
27:25
named Sweet dog. Greg Pickering, who was the
27:27
drummer and he was calling the midnight mayor, he was just a
27:30
local Legend. There he had worked with all
27:31
those artists out of fat possum, records.
27:33
The Old Blues Guys, and he was just like music Yoda and he was
27:37
a drummer for the dexa, teens and well-respected all
27:40
throughout the indie rock type world that day but they call him
27:43
the fixer. So one day Gulliver I think our
27:46
Wayne one. So if he's the fixer your the
27:48
Handler and that's kind of where it's stuck.
27:50
That was it huh? That's perfect.
27:53
Because fixed squeak dog can fix anything and I can handle it.
27:56
So, No, but I got my Handler. Yeah, I have to plug myself
28:01
there. You know, I started that because
28:02
all my buddies said, you know, y'all have a shirt which you
28:04
logo and this and that but Jr. The Handler dot-coms.
28:07
I try to keep, I try to keep up better now, with engaging and
28:10
stuff. Look at that, I love it.
28:13
Looks good on bleh. See, it's pretty.
28:15
I don't know where it might be to Jr.
28:21
I wear this shirt at least once a week minimum.
28:24
It's in the rotation. It's in the high rotation of a
28:26
High rotation rack and I have a lower rotation rackets in the
28:28
high rotation rack. He wore it in the very first
28:31
ticks B podcast. In fact, because I'm like where
28:34
the, what the hell is this shirt about?
28:36
I love it. But what is this shirt about?
28:39
And and that's how that's how that's how you came up in our
28:42
conversations. That picture that picture was
28:44
taken out of Justin's, why we drink video, he and I were doing
28:48
a bunch of riding in a jeep that day or rocks or and somehow they
28:54
clip that out and my guide. That does t-shirts and stuff for
28:57
me in Arkansas. Put that together and made the
29:00
logo. And then I was like, I got to
29:02
use this on a shirt, you know? So it worked out pretty good.
29:04
That's where that's where that came from, was that video?
29:06
And that's you talking about John, you know, I've been in a
29:09
couple of John's music videos and I've been in a couple of
29:12
Justin's music videos, a couple of those that's always fun
29:14
Kepler's but the for memorize yeah just our John's.
29:18
Last one was tequila time or one of his last was tequila time.
29:21
That was it was at the floor Bama and then Justin's recent
29:24
one, we went up to Nashville and did it.
29:26
Do you mean whiskey that he does, what Priscilla blocks new
29:29
song we got outs in the mid 30s right now.
29:30
Talking great tune and Priscilla's.
29:32
All-Star my people you're going to know about her Priscilla's
29:35
good that she's really good. She legit is she's from North
29:37
Carolina, she Tick-Tock star whatever.
29:40
But that girl's got the right, she's got the chops.
29:41
You got stage president, XI will be a big.
29:43
Like I said again barking, No Interruption.
29:45
She'll be a big old star. So you were talking about j.r.
29:48
you were talking about music videos.
29:50
We were leaving and you were saying the most recent one you
29:53
did was with Priscilla block and Justin Moore.
29:56
And Video. Oh yeah, I had I had a sliver of
29:59
camera time in that I was the bartender in one scene and a bar
30:02
saying they're just got me hat down in the pearl snap but I
30:05
made the cut as bad. As long as I was when we did
30:09
when Justin did the home sweet home, the cover of the Motley
30:12
Crue song, we got to hang out with the crew, one day in
30:14
Nashville and do the video for that.
30:16
Same thing as Vince is going on stage.
30:18
I'm right there get like I think I give me a thumbs up and then
30:21
one other time I'm walking out of the like behind Justin and it
30:24
Clips me for like a second and they turn the camera way.
30:26
But I, I'm in there JR. We've got to slow down.
30:29
We got it. We got to slow down for a
30:31
second. Now, we've Motley Crue.
30:35
I mean, I wasn't expecting this to come up, but I mean Motley
30:39
Crew is say, as far as I'm concerned is royalty to me.
30:42
I mean, that was the that talking about the soundtrack of
30:46
your life that Motley Crew takes me back to the dr.
30:49
Feelgood album. I mean, I listen to some of
30:52
their stuff then, but, you know, I'm on the me and my buddy are
30:55
making Camcorder videos. Every song on that tape.
31:01
At the time, the tape not a CD man, I frickin love dr.
31:07
Feelgood love, and love them. I've seen Motley Crue in
31:10
concert, probably seven or eight times since since they came back
31:15
in the in the early 2000s. 2000 2003 whenever whenever that was.
31:19
But yeah. How were they like how it was
31:23
vents nice? Were they nice were though?
31:25
Yeah, holy cow. Cool could have been cooler,
31:27
man. Yeah, they totally cool vents
31:29
cool as hell. Nikki cool.
31:31
Tommy cool was meghna live now. I'm yes.
31:34
All right. Yeah, but he bad shape though,
31:37
you know, you could tell he wasn't feeling too spry.
31:39
But he did is he did what he needed to do, and they were cool
31:41
about everything. Yeah, we were outside and just
31:44
hanging, there was just normal cool.
31:45
And then, you know, throughout they were, they were fine.
31:47
They couldn't have been cooler. I said make you could tell you
31:49
didn't feel too sporty the other guys were cool.
31:50
They're like, you know when they had to do a play and saying they
31:53
get their girlfriends, you know, that we're naming their
31:55
girlfriends that were all I'm like, you know, rain and Forest
31:59
and, you know, they had 11 and they were all super cool tution.
32:04
Yeah. But they would hold there hold
32:06
some of their jewelry and stuff. While they play, they get off
32:08
with the jewelry bag with a rock star the whole time.
32:09
And it's today, I'm crew. Well, you know what I mean?
32:11
Is rock star turns out we stayed in touch because Vince came out.
32:14
Did a few spots with us at different shows, would jump on
32:18
stage and sing the song with Justin.
32:20
So we got to hang out several times with vents.
32:22
And after that, you know, my wife, she likes country.
32:25
She's more of Alan Jackson. Reba.
32:26
She likes that are, but she loves, you know, the Hair Band
32:29
stuff in the crew and that type stuff.
32:30
So when they played New Orleans, a few years ago, we were on the
32:33
road and I got her tickets and her friend to go see the crew
32:37
and the family section through vents and that's pretty cool.
32:40
So that's where country music is paying dividends.
32:42
I was most likely at that show because I had I saw them every
32:47
time they played New Orleans. So yeah.
32:50
It was it the one where Tommy went out over the crowd what the
32:54
last tour with the roller coaster last?
32:56
Yeah, I think so. It's Alice Cooper open, and she
32:59
really says like Alice Cooper's like Alice Cooper as much as
33:02
kicked ass. That's what I'm saying.
33:04
She didn't really, she wasn't really fully aware of Alice
33:06
Cooper till that night, but I was like, oh yeah, he was the,
33:09
he it's a weird world that he's a didn't build.
33:12
But yeah, like this he's Swap this they've opened for him
33:15
before. This is probably just cause he
33:17
wants to get on be done. But yeah, so it was got a great
33:19
time. So it's so that that's one, it
33:20
worked out, you know something, my I got a perk for her but
33:24
yeah, they were socially and balloon.
33:26
They're bleh. See what's happened?
33:27
That is that is some big-time egg, you know?
33:29
So they dropped these bombs about 20 miles north of me and I
33:34
dropped one the other day on the pile cap thread there.
33:37
Yeah, I don't know if y'all heard it, but it absolutely my
33:39
doors on my house. Like they come in, like, they
33:44
can, I, I can't imagine being in a war zone and he's bombs
33:48
dropping, like, it being closed and it's like 25 miles away,
33:52
right? So, yeah, I'm sure they're doing
33:53
some kind of night reconnaissance thing tonight,
33:56
prank, Is that we came over here house, you know, we get that
33:59
over here, sometimes. I know the other week, somebody
34:02
can that nobody could confirm what it was.
34:03
I had to be something like that. And you know, we do get the
34:05
because I live in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
34:07
I live down here in Mexico so we get a lot of the Sonic.
34:11
Boom from the Jets. When they hit it by and stuff,
34:13
but we had one the other week that was a definite.
34:16
Everybody thought was an earthquake.
34:17
I think it was blowing something up somewhere.
34:20
So jru you live in there. You're Affiliated in some form
34:25
or fashion with the Or Bama. Yeah, that was where Wayne
34:28
that's one of our big strongholds when I was with
34:30
Wayne and it was like home to come down to the coast and play
34:32
and they were just always it was a real artist friendly.
34:36
Commune type place at the Bama and it always has been.
34:38
I've always worked every act I've ever worked with played
34:40
there at least once and I still work there from time to time.
34:44
One of our fraternity Brothers is the general manager another
34:46
one of our brothers is the entertainment director, you
34:49
know, all the most of the Legends there.
34:51
I met through Wayne so I you know in the new guys I know
34:54
through what I do now and Of. So, it's still like second base.
34:58
I mean, I'm technically work there.
34:59
Like, I'm on the roster, I have a number to go clock in and
35:02
stuff, but I like Special Forces again, like I said, earlier, I
35:06
under under commit and over over perform, you know.
35:10
So, I'll, you know, they ain't expectin me.
35:12
But if I do show up, they're glad to see me, you know.
35:14
Yeah, I mean, it just makes sense.
35:16
You figured it wife, you know, that's what it's about, you
35:18
know. I mean, they do more National
35:20
acts and bigger stuff with the radio station.
35:22
So, it's a lot of times if it's a weekday, something and they've
35:24
got a national at Again, to do an acoustic thing or some
35:27
fundraiser, something else, I'll go over there and help
35:29
facilitate kind of some of that stuff to make sure they're all
35:33
good. That is seriously, might be the
35:35
coolest bar in America. I've been to a ton of bars,
35:38
you've been to way more and I have, but they are, but it is so
35:41
unique in the sense of like, you got people from 18 to 80, you
35:46
know, I mean, like, all hanging out the same place having the
35:49
same amount of fun and it's like just the most unique place I've
35:52
ever been in my life. And as long as you don't act
35:54
like a complete idiot, you're That's it is.
35:57
Now you can have a great long as you don't like complete idiot.
36:00
There's plenty to do you could have all day.
36:02
Great fun. Yeah it's there's not many I've
36:05
been all bunch. I've never had a bad night in
36:07
there. Never ever.
36:09
Legendary been great. So anyway, look a little plug
36:12
for the floor. Yes, God Bless.
36:13
Yeah, y'all come see me when I'm off my wife and I we hang out
36:16
there, we still do stuff. I just pop in from time time to
36:18
eat, you know, I get my employee discounts but the only place I
36:20
can 42 oysters down here is all these tourists prizes, right?
36:24
Yeah, by the way, while we're on PSAs here, Yeah.
36:26
Chitters full down here boys and girls.
36:28
That's to buy South Baldwin County.
36:31
We're good, we're good. Give it a break.
36:33
We're good. We're full up.