00:00Hi, I'm Katie Neal, and right now we are backstage inside the Hard Rock Artist Lounge at Stars and
00:08Strings with one of our most recent Odyssey launch artists, Hudson Westbrook. How are you?
00:13I'm doing good. I'm in Florida and at a casino.
00:16We are having a nice day. I heard you had a very nice time at the casino last night.
00:20It started out really good, and then maybe...
00:22It didn't end bad, but it didn't end as good as it could have been.
00:25Definitely. Well, I was just thinking, like, since the last time you and I talked,
00:28you have had your debut album, Texas Forever, come out.
00:32Also, House Again is in the top 15 on the charts.
00:35Your merch is in Buc-ee's. I mean, like, does life get better than that?
00:38I was thinking, like, what has probably been the highlight of the year for you,
00:42or, like, what are you most proud of?
00:44I'd say, honestly, two things.
00:48Getting the merch in Buc-ee's, like, walking in and seeing that.
00:51And then I got to cut a brisket and got to, like, meet all the people that really make everything happen at Buc-ee's,
00:57which is really cool.
00:58And I don't know. I never thought my clothes would be in a gas station.
01:02It's like a gas station slash, like, Walmart.
01:04I was trying to explain to someone what Buc-ee's was that had never been, and it's really difficult.
01:08You're like, it's a gas station, and it's cool.
01:10It's like the Bass Pro of gas stations.
01:12Yes, exactly.
01:13But, no, yeah, that was really crazy, and my mom got to see it with me.
01:18And she still does my merch, so that's a really cool thing.
01:20Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:21Oh, that's really fun, Hudson.
01:23But when it all started, like, it was, like, a last-minute thing.
01:26She just printed it real quick, and now it's actually ended up sticking.
01:29And we're selling it every night now, and we're selling it in Buc-ee's.
01:32But second thing is we're selling out, or we sold out Toyota Music Factor, and we play it tomorrow.
01:38And it's just kind of, like, a highlight because last year we were one of three with Midland in, like, September, and we played there.
01:46And now we're headlining it, and so that's really cool.
01:48It puts it into perspective, you know?
01:50That's, like, the first, like, comparison thing I've really been able to see.
01:53It's crazy how much can change in a year, especially having a song on the radio and the top 15 right now.
01:59What has that been like for you, seeing House Again just, like, do so well?
02:03Yeah, I think, you know, radio isn't, like, one of those things you, like, instantly see.
02:07Yeah.
02:08You know, sometimes it does take time.
02:11My song is doing great.
02:13But at the same time, like, it's cool to see them show up at the shows because of radio.
02:19So, and, like, we've had so many people come, and they're, like, hey, all I heard was House Again on the radio, but, like, I want to hear all your other music.
02:27And they show up to the show, buy merch, come to VIP.
02:30And so for radio, for me, that's been the coolest part.
02:33And then also, like, reaching a whole different crowd, you know?
02:36I feel like it takes it to a whole other level.
02:38Like, I think that's the difference between arenas and bars, you know, is radio.
02:44So, but I'm just happy to have a song on radio.
02:47Yeah, it's really exciting.
02:48And we're so excited to have you here in South Florida with us tonight.
02:52You're going to be sharing the stage tonight with Dasha and Nate Smith.
02:55Have you spent any time with either of them before?
02:57I've spent a little bit of time with Dasha.
02:59I've never met Nate yet.
03:02I've got to go say what's up to him after this.
03:04Yeah, I feel like this is, guitar poles are always my favorite because it's my favorite way to see live music.
03:07But also, it's where I feel like artists, like, really form friendships and, like, fun stuff happens.
03:11Well, you've got to communicate with people you don't even sometimes know.
03:15And then if it's your buddy up there, then it's fun.
03:17But, no, yeah, I'm super excited.
03:19And then Dasha and me hung out a little bit.
03:21We've played some radio things together.
03:23Yeah, she's amazing.
03:23And all that stuff.
03:24Yeah, she's awesome.
03:24You are going to wrap up the Texas Forever Tour here in Florida later this month.
03:28And then 2026, already some really big gigs on the calendar, Stagecoach, and then the Morgan Wallen Tour.
03:34Yeah, that's crazy.
03:35What was your reaction to finding out that that, like, was booked happening?
03:39I think, I didn't really think it was going to happen.
03:42I was going to say, did you even know until it was booked?
03:44And then I was like, you know, this is cool, but, like, I have no idea if this is going to follow through.
03:50I hate to get my hopes up and stuff.
03:51And then it followed through.
03:52We're playing Philly and Michigan and so many other places, or two other places with Morgan.
03:57But I don't know.
03:59I mean, that's as big as it gets, you know?
04:01Yeah.
04:01I was talking to my mom about it and my girlfriend.
04:04And they were like, dude, it doesn't get much bigger than that.
04:07Yeah.
04:08And opening for Morgan until you try to be Morgan at that point.
04:13What do you feel like, what are you hoping to walk away with after those shows?
04:16Because I'm sure you just, like, want to be a sponge and soak it all up.
04:18Yeah, so we're doing the Bailey Zimmerman Tour and the Morgan Tour next year.
04:22And so, like, I think getting ready for that level of whatever that might look like,
04:27like, just seeing how they run their lights and how they set up this and how they run their camp
04:31and the way they organize things, like, that's what I mainly, and stage presence.
04:35Like, you've got to watch other artists to be good at what you do, you know?
04:38Yeah.
04:38And going from, like, bars, clubs, arenas, even, like, stadium is, like, completely different volume.
04:44I don't know.
04:44We're about to figure it out.
04:45Yeah, you're about to figure it out.
04:46Now you're freaking me out.
04:47No, no, no, no.
04:48You're going to be fantastic.
04:49And when we were talking about, like, how much can change in a year,
04:51I'm so excited to sit down with you again a year from now
04:53and talk about all the amazing things that have happened.
04:55Yeah, well, thank you all.
04:55We're going to be like, Hudson Westbrook, can you believe you played Stars and Strings?
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