- 6 months ago
Bailey Zimmerman joins Katie Neal to talk about his new album, 'Different Night Same Rodeo,' and more during the 'Superstar Power Hour.;
Category
🎵
MusicTranscript
00:00I'm Katie Neal and my co-host is Bailey Zimmerman. How are you?
00:04Amazing. Hey, thanks for having me today. How are you?
00:06I'm doing so good. How's your summer going so far?
00:08You've been out on your headlining tour, which has looked amazing.
00:11Oh yeah, it's insane. Crazy, if you would. Yeah, it's been awesome.
00:17Your current hit is Backup Plan, which you debuted at Stagecoach with Luke Combs.
00:22A little bit different than your first trip to Stagecoach, right?
00:25Talk about this.
00:26Yeah, it was a little different. But man, I'm so grateful. It was so cool to, I mean,
00:34Luke Combs doing the song with me is already like such a crazy thing. But then him asking
00:41me to come shoot the music video at his Stagecoach headline performance, it's like, dude, pinch
00:49me. I'm like in a movie, man. It's got to be a dream. And when I got out there, it was
00:53definitely not a dream. There definitely was like 60,000 people. And it was insane.
00:59Talk about nerve wracking. Like if this is the first time you perform this song together
01:03live in front of this many people and you're shooting a music video for us. You've got
01:06one take to get it right.
01:08Yeah. No, the pressure was definitely there. And I felt it. But then I was just like, you
01:13know what? It's okay. We're going to crush this because this is what we do because we're
01:18professionals. Okay. That's what I kept telling myself all day. You're a professional. You're
01:23good at this. You're going to sing great. I just kept saying those things and then it
01:26worked out and it was great. But I'm not going to lie. I didn't practice the song before I
01:32got on the stage. We had never sang it together before right then. And I think that's where
01:37the magic came from.
01:38Oh, for sure. This is now your fastest rising single. How much of this song do you feel like
01:45is your own story? Man, all of it. All the song. And I think it's true to Luke as well
01:53because the way we grew up, my dad was always telling me like, don't listen to what anybody
02:01has to say and don't care about what they think of you because they don't know what you're
02:07trying to do and they've never done what you're doing. And he would always say, usually when
02:12we were like, you know, picking up sticks or, you know, mowing the yard or whatever, he'd
02:15always be like, well, if you're just going to half ass all this, then you might as well
02:19just go in the house. Cause if you ain't going to put your hundred towards something, then
02:23don't do it at all. And first time I heard this song, I just kept thinking about my dad
02:28screaming at me being like, give me your 100% every single time. And that just, I don't
02:34know. I think him yelling that at me all the time and saying that to me all the time really
02:40has made me the man I am today. And within just, you know, every single thing I do, I
02:45give it a hundred percent or usually like 110%. And, um, that's what I think this song
02:50is all about is, you know, not giving up, giving a hundred percent at what you believe
02:54in and not listening to what anybody else has to say. Cause they're going to try to talk
02:59you out of it, but can't let them. So can't let them. And then it was, this a song, I can't
03:04remember. Did you originally like, were you looking for a song to do with Luke or did that
03:11come after the fact?
03:13No, I got the song. Um, so Tucker Bethard Sherwood and Jimmy Bell wrote backup plan and
03:23they sent it to me and they were like, Hey man, like, do you think they actually said,
03:28do you think this is cheesy? And I was like, no, bro, this song is insane. Like I can't believe
03:34like, dude, this is an insanely written song. And it was demo at the time, acoustic, but
03:41I could hear all the production around it. And the first time I listened to it, I called
03:44him. I'm like, you know who would crush this? Luke freaking Combs, dude. And they're like,
03:48Oh dude, you're so right. Luke Combs would crush this. And I'm like, yeah, but that'll never
03:52happen because I don't have his number and I don't know him. So, you know, we'll just,
03:56but I'm definitely putting it on the record. And then voila, Luke Combs. Yeah. So it was,
04:04I always thought, man, Luke would crush this from the first listen. And then now I think
04:08it's pretty freaking wild that he's on the song and it's top 10 and doing all this crazy
04:13stuff on radio. Whoa. And I know that when you, when you did get his, finally get his number
04:18and text him to be on this song, it took him like a month or two to text you back. I saw
04:21him last week and he was like, I feel so bad about that. He really did. No, he like, he's
04:28like, I'm sorry, man. I was doing, I'm like, dude, you're literally Luke Combs. It's totally
04:33fine. You're like superstar dad, superstar country star. You have a wife and you know,
04:38stuff. So totally get it, man. Don't be sorry. Thank you for getting on my song. Yeah,
04:44absolutely. And now it is the new theme song for the sec 2025 season, which is wild. That
04:50hype video is insane. It's so crazy. And the first time I saw that video, I was like, I
04:55was hyped up and I'm not even a huge football guy, but I was like, Oh, I'm watching. Let's
05:00go. We got to watch this. Yeah. So fun. Your second album, different night, same rodeo
05:06was just released. Let's talk about that. So lots of pressure to follow up religiously
05:11like this album did really well. And I got 18 new songs, several guests. Talk about
05:15that. It was for me a lot more exciting than it was nerves. Um, I was just excited to see
05:23if I could do it again, you know, and see if I could create another album. And if I'm being
05:28completely honest, when I created religiously the album, I didn't really know what I was
05:35doing. I had no idea. It was my first time putting an album together. I had, you know,
05:38it was my first time really touring, being an artist, singing, let, you know, let alone
05:42I'm trying to learn guitar. I'm learning all this stuff. And now I'm 25 and I just learned
05:50so much from that record. So it kind of gave me a lot of confidence having to like, you
05:56know, I guess back religiously up with this new album because I was like, no, I can do
06:02it. Now I'm even smarter. And I know even more now. And I know who I want to be, what
06:07I want to say, the production, what I want to sound like. And so, yeah, I would say I was
06:13just really excited to get it out. And I'm so, so thankful it's out now because wow, holding
06:20it close to my chest sucked. I was so ready to give it to everybody because I'd worked
06:24so hard on it. So yeah.
06:26Talk about why these 18 songs?
06:29They just make sense. They make sense with what I'm trying to say. They make sense with
06:35how my life has been the last, you know, couple of years, two, three, four years.
06:39Um, and it's just me. Every song is just really me. Even if I didn't write the song,
06:46the reason I chose the songs that I didn't write is because it felt like I could have
06:50written those songs because they, I relate so much to them. So yeah, it's just relatable.
06:57Definitely. You've got a couple of collaborations on here, one with Kid Leroy and then one with
07:01Diplo. And then Diplo was also in your music video. Talk about getting to work with him.
07:05Oh, he's been the best. Um, it's been kind of a, a goal of mine. I would not say kind
07:12of, I would say it has been a big goal of mine to work with Diplo because not only Diplo,
07:19but then heartless Morgan Wallen Diplo just really locked me in, you know? And first day
07:26we got together again, it was just, man, ripped it right off the rip. We were just having fun.
07:31I could tell he was really like me and a lot of ways and just a down to earth, really good dude,
07:37just wanting to have fun. And I feel like that's what our collab is too. It's like,
07:42it's this, this story about this girl that won't leave me alone, but she's also got a boyfriend
07:49out in LA and it's, she's trying to be an actor and it just, you know, and we, we thought it was
07:54so fun because the production makes it lighthearted. But in reality, it's kind of like, you know,
08:00you're like cheating on your boyfriend with me. You probably shouldn't be doing this,
08:03you know? But yeah, so it's like right off the rip, we, we just like wanted to have fun,
08:09wanted to do something sick. And then when we got ashes, I was like, dude, would you want to come
08:17be in the music video for the title track to the album? Because I think it'd be so cool to have a
08:22cameo. And he was like, Oh dude, of course I'll fly there. Of course. And again, right when we got on
08:27set, he was just so much fun. Like in the video, he's like keg stands and drinking beers and
08:33bartending and riding the bull. He's just like so much fun. And, and then, yeah, now that we got
08:39ashes out together, it's just, it's just cool to have that goal of wanting to, you know, do something
08:44with Diplo to him being a cameo. Um, I got to go out on, um, uh, with, with him at stage coach.
08:51He had D Joe's, you know, like the DJ party barn thing. And so, yeah, we've became really good
08:57buddies and now we have a song out. It's, it's just so cool. That's amazing. Is there a song on
09:03the album that has a crazy story behind it? Like the one that got added at the last minute or the
09:08one that's been around town for 10 years or so? I feel like there's always one like that on an album.
09:13Um, yeah, there's a pretty crazy story, um, about a song called Chevy Silverado. And so Chevy Silverado,
09:21I started writing that myself, me and a guitar in 2022, I think. And I just slowly kept working
09:31on it, but it was such an idea that I had all planned out that I knew I had to get the words
09:36right because I wanted to write a song about my first truck that I bought when I was 16, but not just
09:42any other song about your first truck. I wanted it to be like really specific about my 2005 Chevy
09:49Silverado that I fell in love in. I got my heart broke in it. It was my grandpa's before,
09:57before I bought it. I had to borrow money from the bank, all the stories that that truck could tell.
10:03I just wanted to say that through this song. So it's taken me three years to write this song
10:09and I finally, after getting it all mapped out, called all my professional writer friends and was
10:18like, okay, it's time to get some professionals in here and help me say what I'm trying to say.
10:23And that night was magical. We got in, um, and man, we just started ripping on it. And
10:30when we came out with Chevy Silverado at the end, it was like, holy crap, three freaking years.
10:39And this is, it's the most personal song in the album to me. It is truly about me and my life and
10:46my experience and, you know, my love for my first truck. And the moral of the song is buy a Chevy
10:55Silverado. Don't get a girlfriend because your Chevy won't leave you. Your girlfriend will.
11:01So it's kind of like, it's so funny, but then it's also so deep and has so many stories rooted
11:07within just, you know, heartbreak, love, the truck itself. Yeah, everything. So yeah, that's,
11:16it's took a long time, three years and it took a lot of rewriting, but I'm so glad that it's out now
11:23and, uh, people are enjoying it. Yeah. It's got to feel so good to have worked on something for
11:27that long. Like how satisfying. Oh, it's insane. I, even down to all the production, I had all these
11:33ideas and inspirations from all these other songs. I'm like, I really want this in here. And you know,
11:38you'll hear a little, um, little thing about the beginning of Chevy Silverado. There's this like,
11:45like this guitar, but it sounds like an alarm clock. Oh, I like that. Because the first country
11:56song I ever got into was wake up loving you by Craig Morgan. So in the beginning of Craig Morgan's
12:04wake up loving you is the alarm clock. So then I just, I really wanted to put that on the front
12:11because just an O to my roots and country and my love for Craig Morgan and that song. And
12:17yeah. So it's just got a lot of little Easter eggs in it. A lot of stuff, a lot of thought went
12:22into it and that's why it's, it's a, it's the cool story of the album. Yeah. I love that. That's
12:27very special. You are out on your new country tour and Drew Baldrige is on this tour with you. He's
12:34from our home state of Illinois. What, what a great guy. If you don't support Drew Baldrige,
12:40then you're a red flag because Drew Baldrige is all green frags. It's insane.
12:45He is. He really is the sweetest. I'm sure the two of you also have been having so much fun
12:49out on tour together. We got it together in town. He was the first dude that hit me up.
12:53He helped me through everything. He, man, he wrote songs to me and it was, uh, we actually had a song,
13:00um, a cut on my first album too. And so we've just always been around each other, always supported
13:07each other. And he's just always been that guy that just like was there for me when I needed it.
13:12And so when we were talking about who are we bringing out on this tour, the new to country
13:19tour that talks about how I was raised and where I come from, got to have Drew Baldrige, man. I got
13:24a, it's like full circle moment. I've got, I knew I was like, I got to have Drew out here.
13:28And then, yeah, Dylan Marlowe is also out with us as well. And we're just three peas in a pod.
13:34When we get together, we're running every morning. We're going to get breakfast together.
13:38We're playing wiffle ball in the lawns before, you know, doors open, man. It's, it's, uh, it's
13:44definitely a special tour this year. And, and I'm, I, uh, I really hope to get to do it again
13:48someday with these boys. But yeah, having Drew on the road has been such a blessing because we get to
13:53have his wife out there. We get to have his son Lyric out there. So yeah, it's really, really cool.
13:59It's funny. You mentioned Dylan Marlowe. That's another name that I wanted to talk to you about.
14:02Dylan's about your age from a similar background on tour with you. What do you feel like you and
14:07Dylan have bonded over? We're just one in the same the way we grew up in the way we look at life is
14:13really the same. And yeah, that's why I think that's why we just became buddies. So it quick and
14:20really, I was such a fan of him when I came to town, when I moved to Nashville,
14:25he was what I was bumping on my radio. Like I just love Dylan Marlowe. And cause I was so into the
14:31Tik TOK and the social media, but I kind of knew all the young artists underground. I still do to
14:37this day, but Dylan was just like that guy that I just loved his voice, loved his songwriting.
14:43And then it was really cool. He got that number one with John party, which was really, really cool.
14:47And then, you know, he's just had so much success. I was like, dude, like, it's really cool. You've
14:55like earned this brick by brick. You've done all the right things and you're a great human. You've
15:00got a wife. You love God. I mean, everything about you is just like me. We got to go on tour together.
15:05Yeah. So, yep. Very special. And then Luke Bryan, you were at Luke's crash, my playa for two years.
15:13Can you confirm or deny if you had your shirt off the entire time? I will confirm that if I'm
15:17honestly anywhere, I've got my shirt off and that's just how it's got to go, especially in Cancun.
15:24Yeah. That was a lot of fun. That was a crazy moment in my life. We had a little bit of mishap at the
15:31whole crash, my playa, but that is one thing about Luke Bryan. I'd like to say is, so I thought,
15:37you know, man, I just messed up the show. Not great stuff, you know, been drinking too much that
15:43day. And I thought, dude, Luke hates me. Like Luke's got to hate me right now. Like I just messed
15:49that up. Like everybody's mad at me and stuff. And he calls me. He's like, Hey, come over to the
15:55main stage. Cause I was supposed to come play with him. Then I, he said, come over to the main
15:59stage. I was like, okay. So I went over there. I'm like, dude, are you mad at me? He's like,
16:04no, why would I be mad at you? You just having fun. And I'm like, Oh dude, wait right off my
16:08shoulders. I'm like, okay. And he's like, but man, drink after the show. You can't be drinking
16:14before the shows. You got to learn that, but you're young. So you'll learn that, but you got
16:17to listen to what I'm saying. Don't drink before the shows. I'm like, okay, deal. And then same thing.
16:21Jason Aldean said, dude, have a couple beers after the show. Don't drink before the show. It's going to
16:27bite you in the butt every single time. And honestly, it was a big turning for me. I just
16:32like, after that, I was like, yeah, you're right. Dang. I can't do this anymore. And then now I
16:37don't, but he was, instead of being so like mad at me, he was like, no, I love you, buddy. I love
16:44you, buddy. And we all love you around here. We want to see you succeed, man. You just can't be
16:47drinking before the shows drink after the show, not before the show. I was like, thank you, Luke
16:52Brian for not hating me and thank you for the advice. I'm definitely going to take that. And
16:57since then I have. Good job. And life's really good. Yeah. I know that you posted about that
17:01also. And I was curious how that was going for you and like when the turning point for
17:05that was. Yeah, it was definitely crash my playa because I, I, I don't need to drink to
17:12have fun. I just, where I'm from and where I'm raised, that's what you do to have fun.
17:18Same. So, you know, you know, yes. So I just kind of got caught up in the moment and drank
17:24too much, but then seeing it kind of made me realize like, man, you're, you're, you don't
17:31know it, but you're taking, you're taking this for granted by drinking before the shows.
17:36And cause that's, you're not giving them a hundred percent. You're not giving them all
17:40you've got because you've been drinking and that's going to take away energy. That's going
17:43to take away so much stuff from you, you know? And then I just realized like,
17:48God is giving me an opportunity right now. This didn't ruin my career. So God's giving
17:55me an opportunity. You need to listen to him and you need to get your stuff together.
17:58And why are you drinking anyways? I don't even need to drink. I have so much fun just
18:03being me. So yeah, I don't, I haven't just quit drinking. I still like to drink with my
18:09boys and you know, I love a good twisted tea every now and again, but I've definitely cut
18:15it off, you know, 80%. And definitely when I'm out on the road and playing shows, I'm
18:21just really more worried about my health now. And just like, okay, we can have fun, but we
18:26don't need to get blackout drunk. Okay. So yeah, it was a big turning point for me. And
18:31my life has been so good since my relationship with my mom, my family is just way better.
18:37I, I take more time to like care about others. And you know, my relationship with God has
18:43just been way insane, just way better. So yeah, definitely 10 out of 10 would recommend
18:49not drinking all the time. Don't be an alcoholic, just kind of sometimes.
18:54Another person we were talking about when you walked in is Tyler Hubbard. You just spent
18:58some time with him recently.
18:59Yeah. Oh, I love that guy. I, so me and Tyler, uh, played country thunder, Saskatchewan
19:08this past weekend. Well, we played it however long ago. So when we were there, I was a little
19:17nervous to go up to him because he was opening up for me, which is really weird. Super, super
19:23weird. I still can't wrap my head around it because that's like Tyler Hubbard. I grew up
19:27on FGL. I grew up, I still have grown up on Tyler's music as well as solo project. And
19:34I just thought it was really, really weird. So I'm like, dude, can I go up to him and,
19:39and, and hang out with him because you're my idol, but you're opening up for me. This
19:44is really weird. So I just finally just worked up the nerve and was like, yep, I got to go
19:48over. And he was the nicest guy. So he started kicking it off, just talking, hanging. And I'm
19:54like, Holy freaking crap, dude. Like freaking Tyler Hubbard, bro. And I'm like geeking out
19:59and I'm like, finally at the end, I go, I got to say it, bro. This is weird. This is
20:06weird for me having you open it up for me. And I just want to make sure that it's cool
20:12because I, I don't ever like, I, I love you, bro. And he was like, no, man, come on. I'm
20:19honored to be out here with you, man. Like you've been killing it. You've been crushing it.
20:22Like, this is how it goes, man. And I'm just, I'm just honored to be here with you. And
20:25it, we just hung out all night and then he invited me up to do cruise and 12 year old
20:32me is like freaking out. Like I'm going to go up with Tyler Hubbard and sing cruise.
20:36This is going to be the craziest moment in my life, you know? And yeah. So I just wanted
20:42to shout out Tyler because he was really nice to me and really made me feel welcomed. And
20:48that's all I asked for in a person. So freaking love you, Tyler.
20:53Eric Church is another one. You were performing at Eric's field and stream festival in October.
20:57You're going to be his direct support. And I know that you're a big fan. Have you spent
21:01much time with Eric yet?
21:03No, I have never even got to meet Eric, but I want to.
21:08You're going to, but you know, he's so quiet and I'm so loud. So I wonder how it's going to
21:14work. I've been a little nervous about it. Cause I'm like, dude, should I just go in there
21:17and be chill like he is? Or should I go in there and be like, what's up, Eric? Dude,
21:23I'm such a fan. Like you're so lit. You know? So I've been thinking about that.
21:27Yeah. Like what do you say to Eric Church when you meet him?
21:30No, literally it's like, dude, do you like me? Are you cool with me? You know, like,
21:38I don't know. But his songs, I mean, just are insane. And I grew up on all the, all the records
21:44from basically 2000 when I was born to now, like everything, even the latest record. I'm
21:50like, this is so fire. Like everything is so fire. So very excited to meet him. Hopefully
21:56invites me up to do a song or something. That'd be fricking cool. But yeah, I've been looking
22:01forward to that one.
22:02I feel like everyone has an Eric Church song. What is your church song?
22:06I would say, um, round here, buzz or homeboy. Oh yeah. Two very good ones. Yep. Morgan Wallen,
22:17you did two stadium tours with him. How do you feel like that experience affects your headlining
22:23show now? Um, it affects it. I mean, it kind of built it. Um, cause like I said, four years ago,
22:32I'd never sang before or played guitar or even thought about even any of this stuff ever. So
22:39getting to go out on the road with Morgan really just, he just showed me how to be an entertainer
22:46and how to do it at the highest level and getting to watch that every single night, watching Hardy,
22:50watching Ernest as well. All those guys watching Parker McCollum, Luke Bryan, all these people,
22:55right? They just kind of helped more for my show because I was like, Oh, I really liked that. So
23:00I'm going to try to do that. And Oh, I, I don't, I don't know if I like that. So I'm just, I'm just
23:04going to do it my way this way. And, but having all those, I guess, inspos from, you know, watching
23:12them and being able to be out with them, especially Morgan. I mean, we were together a lot. Um,
23:19yeah, just molded my live show molded me and who I am as an entertainer. Yeah.
23:23And I'm sure it's got you excited to headline your own stadiums one day.
23:26I hope so. That would be the freaking the sickest. Um, but man, I'm just grateful to be where I'm at
23:31now. I really, you know, lately I've tried to quit focusing on the future and just focus on the now
23:37and be, be here right now because I don't know if I'm going to get to stadiums, but I've got a sold
23:42out amphitheater tour right now. So let's be here right now and enjoy this. And we'll worry about the
23:47stadiums and arenas when they come. I think that's very important. You mentioned Hardy. You toured with
23:52him a few times. He's back with favorite country song. What's something you feel like
23:56you either learned from or about Hardy and touring with him?
24:00My favorite thing I ever learned actually was from Hardy. Um, Hardy said, Hey man,
24:06I got some advice for you. You have a jet pack on your back right now that they've strapped on you
24:12and they've made it go, but they are not going to tell you to shut it off and chill out.
24:17And eventually that motor is going to burn out. So you don't want to do that. Make sure you know
24:22when to shut the jet pack off and chill out for a little bit and take time for you. Basically
24:26you're on a rocket ship and everybody's going to want you to keep going. And when you feel like you
24:33shouldn't and you need time, take the time because that's going to affect your future and everything.
24:39And ever since I heard that, I was like, no, if Hardy tells me to do this, I'm going to do that.
24:45Like I would probably jump off a bridge if Hardy told me to, I guess, but especially in this,
24:51you know, form of, of just like, yo, take time for yourself. That was a big, big thing for me
24:57because at the end of the day, I'm still human and you know, I got feelings, I got things going
25:03on in real life and yeah. So taking time off for yourself, shutting the jet pack off for a little
25:10while and chilling out is, is something I learned from Hardy and I will probably always remember that.
25:14It's fantastic advice. Josh Ross, you toured with him last year. Now he's on his way to his first
25:20number one. You spent with Josh. Oh man. I call him Joshy Rashi. This guy, man, he's just down to
25:29earth. Um, Canadian. So classic, right? I mean, all Canadians are so nice. Um, but yeah, the first
25:37time we met, it was just like kicked it right off. Love this guy. Love his voice. It's so unique.
25:43And then getting to tour it with him was just something different. Getting to watch his live
25:48show was really fun and just see how much hard work he puts into it and inspired me to work even
25:54harder because that guy works his freaking butt off. So yeah, I hope to get to tour with him again
26:01one day and man, congrats to him. First number one, it's going to be crazy. I'm sure we're going to
26:07celebrate. I'd imagine I'll be with him.
26:09Absolutely. And then Nate Smith, you've toured with him. I know you're good buddies. You're
26:13managed by the same person. When I asked him about you, this is what he had to say.
26:17He's like a little brother to me, wild and crazy, a little annoying, but I love him, you know, like
26:21all the things, you know, like, and just, I've just really grown to really respect him a lot. And
26:26I've seen him grow so much as a human being and just become a really great businessman, you know,
26:31and, and, and also just a great human being, you know, he already had all that, but he's just,
26:36I don't know. He's just really becoming quite a role model. You know, I'm, I really look up to
26:40him a lot.
26:41Oh, Nate.
26:43Andy called you a businessman.
26:45I, me and my Crocs right now, a businessman.
26:50No, it's so sweet of him. Dang. And that's how it's always felt with Nate. Just like little
26:54brother, big brother vibes. And, but it is fun, you know, we'll get together and cause we love watches.
26:59And that's one thing we really bond on is watches and cars. And, uh, he's always back, dude, look at
27:05this new watch I bought. I'm like, dude, look at this new one I bought. And then that'll usually
27:09transform into talking about just business, what we're going to do next, what our next moves are,
27:14you know, just like what the boys do. And yeah, so we really, really relate to each other on that
27:19level of just like, what do you think I could be doing better? And you know, what do you think,
27:24you know, you could be doing better? Like, you know, kind of hitting off of each other. So he's a big
27:28inspiration to me and definitely a role model. I remember when I met Nate, we, I just signed with
27:33the core management and they set up a Topgolf hang at Topgolf and all the artists were going to come.
27:41And I was like, yo chief, um, is Nate Smith going to be here tonight? And he's like, oh yeah,
27:46Nate'll be there. And I'm like, dude, I think I'm literally going to crap my pants. This guy is
27:51one of my biggest idols and his voice is dead. Everything about him is just unreal. I'm going
27:58to freaking meet him tonight. And then when I met him, he was so shocked that I like cared that much.
28:02I'm like, oh bro, I know like every one of your songs, dude. He's like, really? You want to drink
28:07a beer? And I was like, I will drink a beer with you, Nate Smith. Yes, I will.
28:11Nate, he is so precious. And then I wanted to talk to you about being out on this headlining tour.
28:16What have been, you know, the challenges going from opening for others to headlining your own
28:22show? Like, what do you feel the differences are? What do you like? What do you not like?
28:27Well, I would say that
28:29building a headline show is hard. It's really hard to be the headliner. And I guess some people can go
28:40up there and just sing and just stand there and sing and play guitar, but I can't do that.
28:44But my thing is jumping around, moving, energy. I like content on the screens. I like pyro. I like
28:52flames and smoke. I like making it a whole thing. You're seeing so much. I'm dancing. The things are
29:00going off. Boom. Bang. I like all this stuff. And that was really hard to put together and make it
29:06look good and feel good all together and smoothly and make it like a headline show. So that was,
29:11you know, it was fun and I enjoyed doing it, but it was hard to do. And I would say that's a little
29:17bit of a difference is, you know, when you're going out and, you know, open up for Morgan,
29:21you only get so much space and so much time that you just go out there and you just get dance and
29:26you, you know, sing. And I just sing and dance and there's no content. There's no booms. There's
29:31no pyro, nothing like that. So I think doing that was easier. Yes. But I wouldn't trade it
29:38for my headline show because the show I've built now is just unreal, honestly. And I'm not even
29:43trying to toot my own horn. My frigging show is awesome. I pop up out of a toaster, swing over
29:49max while there's, you know, flames flying at me and booms. And then all of a sudden we're like
29:55dancing and then all of a sudden we're crying. Then all of a sudden there's more booms and crashes
30:00and bangs and confetti, you know, you're just having a great, just having a great time. It's
30:07if you have ADHD, it's the show for you to come to for sure. Because there is a lot going on
30:12planned by someone with ADHD. Yes. So new to country tour ends in September. Then album is
30:18currently out. What are you looking forward to for the rest of this year and into the fall?
30:22Uh, I'm not ready for the new to country tour to be over yet. Um, but I do have some plans. We we've,
30:29we're putting out the new record. We could be putting out a new tour here soon, probably.
30:36Um, and yeah, other than that, I'm going to spend a lot of time with my mom. I'm gonna
30:41probably go home, see my boys as well. A lot of time with my dogs in the pool. Um,
30:50man, what else am I going to do? Probably continue to write songs for this new album. But you know,
30:57we, we spent so much time on this last album that I think I'm going to take a little time for myself
31:02to just enjoy all the hard work and then success over the last, you know, few years and just take
31:08some time, see my friends, see my family, hang out with my dogs, make sure everybody's doing okay.
31:13And then after that, it's going to be on in the studio. We're going to keep writing,
31:18keep recording and, uh, just keep doing the thing.
31:21It's so important to take that time to go out and live because otherwise you try to go write
31:25songs and you're like completely creatively tapped out. So I'm glad that you're going to do that.
31:29It's funny. I had somebody tell me the other day, they go, dude, it's really hard writing songs
31:35about something I've never been through. And I'm like, I know, tell me about it. It's,
31:40it's damn near impossible. Like you've got it. I've got to go out and live and experience real life
31:47to write songs about what I'm going through in real life. Cause if I just talk about,
31:52yep, I was on tour this weekend and yep, I'm in meetings all this week.
31:56And then, yep, I'm going to write more songs. I'm going to start writing songs about writing songs.
32:02Exactly. About being in meetings or being on planes and things that aren't relatable to everyone.
32:08So you got, I got to get out there and be a real person, see my friends, live real life.
32:13So I'm very, very excited for that.
32:15Bailey Zimmerman, thank you so much for the time today.
32:17It is great to see you as always. So happy to see this song doing well,
32:19the album coming out. Appreciate your time.
32:22Thank you so much. Love you. Bye.
Comments