Parker McCollum: Not His First Rodeo
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Hey guys, I need to ask you a question. I want to know why in the hell are you not on Patreon? I don't think you guys even realize how much content we have on Patreon. Let me break it down for you. We have the BunnyXO show. We have Meet the D-Fords. We have propaganda. We have more shows that we're adding. And not to mention, we have the visuals of this.

I know. We're striking out, man. It's all good. I don't love you any less.

Hey, back at you. I feel the same way. Come by if you can, baby. We're going to start filming in a minute. I'm going to try to squeeze by. I got to go do that thing with the mayor and I'm finishing the session with Alex. Okay, I love you. Of course he does. He said love you. That thing with the mayor. Well, so he's getting a pardon, we think. We've been working on this for a really long time, but he's trying to get a pardon from the mayor or something like that, right? Certainly he's going to do it. It's as much good as he does for troubled youth and...

All the correctional stuff he does, like, I mean, come on, you'd think you'd earn it by now. The whole point of that entire system is so people end up like Jelly Roll. Yeah, no, exactly. Like, he is a successful product of that system. 100%, yeah. Bunny XO. Bunny XO. Bunny XO. Bunny XO. Bunny XO. Bunny XO.

Is this thing on? Hi, babies. Welcome to another episode of Dumb Blonde. Ladies, today we have a special guest that you guys have been asking and begging for, and now he is here, Mr. Parker McCollum, baby. The dumbest blonde of all. Are you a natural blonde? Not really. I kind of like a little strawberry blonde when I was little. My brother always swore I was a ginger, but I mean, I think he just, I was a little brother. He was trying to give me a hard time. It's not true.

And the carpet don't match the curtain. So I think it all has to match to be a true ginger. I love that. I love that so much. You are always talking about your brother. Is that Tyler? Yes, ma'am. Okay. You're always talking about him. I love the relationship that you guys have with each other. Who's older? He's older than me. Six years older than

Oh, okay. Well, that's amazing. His birthday's in like two days. Aw, well, happy birthday, Tyler. Happy birthday, Tyler. That's amazing, though, that you guys are so far apart in age. Like six years, that's me and my sister, too. And you guys are close. Very close. Always were. You know, our parents split when we were really young. So I think, you know, me and my siblings just kind of really, you know, I think that just makes that bond a lot tighter over a lot of times it can. And so for us, that was kind of the case. And we have a sister that's between us, Michael. Yeah.

And she's three, four years older than me, a couple years younger than Tyler. And I mean, we've always been really close. So my brother, he's just a great songwriter. He's the reason that, you know, I've said this a million times, but I'm like, the reason that I play music is because that's what my older brother did when I was really little. So he was always writing songs into songwriters and stuff when he was, you know, pretty young. And I'm six years younger. So I was, you know, in like fourth and fifth grade.

Wanting to, you know, be like big brother. And so I've always said he could have been ice skating and I'd probably still be trying to ice skate. So it just so happened to be that it was songwriting and playing guitar. I love that. So you're from Texas. I'm from Texas. Wait, you are from Texas? I'm from Houston. Mm-hmm.

No way. So I lived in Texas till I was five and then I ended up moving to Vegas. But when I found out that you were from Conroe, I was so happy because, okay, don't you feel like as Texans, we just have a different set of like pride. And the sun shines brighter there. Yeah. If anybody notices that. Yeah. No, like Texas is like its own. It is its own thing. Its own thing. And people that are from there just love tech. Like we are so proud to be from Texas. Yes.

I lived here for two years in Nashville and moved right back to Texas. And I liked it here a lot. I just think, especially coming down here today, I was like, we used to live close down here. And I was like, you forget how, I mean, it's gorgeous out here. Like the landscape, the topography is beautiful. Oh,

But I've never one second since I've been back home in Texas. Missed it. Missed it. Not one minute. Which is okay, yeah. I just, my, I don't know, it's just, you know, I mean, it's probably pretty simple. Mother Nature or something there, just why humans like being what's familiar, or around what's familiar. But I don't know, when I'm, even when we play, like when we're on tour, we just did a festival in South Texas in Gonzales this past weekend. Yeah.

And, uh, just, I rode my bus from my house. Like I never do that anymore. You know, um, back in the day I would get in the van or get on the bus or whatever. And we were playing Texas and Oklahoma stuff. You're always coming home. Very rare that you do that now. And, uh,

I don't know. I just, I told the crowd, I was like, when we play here, I just said a little more pep in my step. It's just, you know, you're, these are, those are your people. So, um, it's just that Texas pride thing. Um, so let's take it back to Conroe, Texas. I hear you talk about your family a lot. And for the listeners at home, let's, let's kind of give them a little bit of your backstory, which I found to be really cool. Yeah.

Your mom was a barrel racer? She was in high school, yes ma'am. Yeah, that's awesome. That's not an easy feat. No, my granddad, her dad was, I mean, I've always said he's one of the greatest cowboys to ever live with. Just old school, I mean, just red, white, and blue American Texas cowboy. That's Mr. Bobby Yancey, right? Bobby Yancey. And I've got his initials tattooed right here. But he, just a great, great man. And yeah.

So my mom and her siblings, my uncles rode rough stock. My mom and her sister rode race barrels. And then my dad's side of the family, they all went to one high school in my hometown. So all of my mom and her siblings and my dad and his siblings all went to high school together. Aw. And so it's just... Like some small town lore. I love that. It is. I've tried to explain it to people sometimes and they're just like, wait, wait, what? This person, who was married to who? But I kind of had these two...

very different worlds. My dad's family was mostly in the car business and super, super crazy hardworking. My mom's side of the family is the same way, but it was more like my mom's side of the family owned a concrete company. My dad's side of the family, they sold cars. And so two very different worlds, but I just kind of

in between those two things for my entire childhood. So it's my, I think my background is underwhelming, but I guess it could be interesting to somebody. No, I don't think it is. I actually found out a couple of things about you and we'll talk about a little bit more down the line too, that I was like, okay, Parker, like it was really cool. Okay, we'll talk about it right now. I was actually, the fact that you smoke weed and have done DMT and like mushrooms. How did you know this? How did you know this? I was like, he's one of us.

Like, I was so happy whenever I saw you talking about it in an interview. And I even told Jay, I was like, have you guys got to smoke weed together yet? Have you got to smoke? I think we have at some point or another. But, you know, I never really drank. Alcohol was never my thing. There was times, I think, when I was younger and going pretty hard on the road and stuff that I would just because...

That was kind of just what you do. But I never really liked alcohol. And I always enjoy it. And I always just sit there and weigh the benefits and which one's worse for you and which one can ruin your life and which one's not going to ruin your life. Right. Weed has always been the lesser of the two. And I just, I don't know, some of the best songs I've ever written in my career are

I wrote just, you know, after taking a little hit and just kind of letting it go. It just, it sparks, you know, some of the greatest records of all time are written stoned.

DMT is some heavy shit, though. That was crazy. That's one thing that I'm scared of. How old were you when you did the DMT? Oh, I don't know. Probably 21. And you were just like, where were you at? Like a party and everybody's passing around a DMT? This is crazy. I was living in Austin, and I was living on the University of Texas's campus, what they call West Campus, but I never went to the University of Texas. And I went to community college for like a couple weeks. But I was just living there, and that's where I wrote that record, The Limestone Kid. But there was this...

a kid that we'd gone to high school. I didn't know him in high school, but my buddy did. He had gone to a high school and he was going to University of Texas and he was a chemist, I think. And he was like making it in his telling this now. I'm like, this is terrible that I, this is why it was on like a Monday morning and on like the second story of this like co-op he was living in. So this dude was making DMT just in his house.

in his, like a co-op, like they lived like, she had like random people that lived all in one house. You're a brave soul. I was just, you know, I was, I don't know. I was living. I,

I love that, though. Back then, I was really, really living. I love that, though. You've got to live life to the fullest. And what was it like whenever you took a hit of the DMT? It just, you know, it was really strange. And it sounds really honestly like a lie, like I'm making it up, but I'm not. He had a fire escape outside of his window, so I was like sitting on the fire escape outside the window and just saw, like, my mom used to take us to like this bar

bed and breakfast for like summer vacation for a few days in the summertime in the hill country in Fredericksburg on the river. And like, I saw that I like out on the street and it didn't last very long. Yeah. It was pretty quick. It felt longer than it really was. I think it was, you know, maybe less than a couple minutes. Um, but it wasn't anything like, you know, I wasn't, I didn't feel like I was tripping out, like going crazy. It was just, and then afterwards I was extremely calm and

Kind of rejuvenated, felt crazy clarity mentally. Yeah. Would you do it again? I think so. Yeah? From the same chemist or would you want to get it from somebody else? I don't know. You know, I just, I went hard for a long time. Yeah. And it kind of got out of hand there for a little while at one point. And I just, you know, I didn't like go to rehab or like go do anything crazy. I just kind of, I was my...

I didn't want to disappoint my family. I was like, you know, my career was going really well. And I was like, man, I'm not the kind that can hold all this together while living like this. Like I have to get it. I got to get my shit together. Do you think that was just a part of like being young possibly? A hundred percent. Yeah. And like growing up in like, you know, these songwriters and these artists that I, that I admired and just thought walked on water. I wanted to be like these guys, like most of them lived very hard and lived the songs that they wrote. And I like was,

was like fully convicted on that. And I was like, I've got to live the songs that I'm writing. So I think I just had a list when I said that live the songs that I'm writing. And, uh, it just, you know, I was so into that and then it just kind of got to the point where... Like being that outlaw, just want to be like an outlaw cowboy. I was never, I was never a good outlaw if I would, if I would ever be referred to as one, but, uh, I just, I don't know. I was, I was really, really into that. And I thought I had to go do that to write the kind of songs I wanted to write. And I, and I'd,

You know, those songs changed my life. They gave me the career I have now. And so I don't regret any of it. I'm just like, you know, I don't know how entirely necessary it probably was. Which, you know, hindsight's 20-20, but...

It, uh, you know, there were good times. It's not, it wasn't bad. Yeah. I mean, memories, you can, memories are priceless. My memories are good. I'm grateful that my memories in life are good. Memories are priceless. Do you feel like you still need to be under the influence to write music now? Or do you write it completely sober? Not really. You know, like that song, uh, rest of my life that I wrote, um, during COVID, um,

I was dead sober when I wrote that song like nine o'clock in the morning got out of the shower had the melody in my head from the night before and had gone pretty hard the night before and was kind of at that was really really close to being like this is like you're gonna blow it you know you're gonna blow it and uh and I didn't want to do that like I really always wanted to make my family very proud and I just never wanted to like embarrass them or go do you know I just I felt a lot of pressure to like kind of clean it up and and handle it the right way and I didn't want to

get to be like 40 and 50 years old one day and be like, oh man, he was doing it for a little while. You know? Yeah. He really had it. And so I just kind of became super aware of that kind of stuff. And it just, that's a long winded way of saying not really, but you know, like I'll take an Adderall to write songs sometimes and that gets me super into it. Because you can focus. Yeah. And just, it makes me emotional and super and just passionate and engaged about a melody that I've created on the guitar. And I will just,

I mean, I'll be by myself. I mean, just singing at the top of my lungs, ripping on guitar, trying to write this song. But I've also done it stone cold sober. Stone cold sober, yeah. My husband prefers to be under the influence when he's writing, which I feel like as an artist, you guys always have some sort of an angst that needs to get out anyways. And I feel like whenever you're under the influence, whether it's weed or alcohol, or when I say under the influence, it means like any range of things.

I feel like it helps with the creative with you guys because you guys do have so much emotion inside. There has to be something to it because I just I've seen firsthand how many times it's worked for me. But, you know, I just there's there's just like anything else, Bunny. I mean, it's moderation. Yeah. And especially when you're young and you're doing it and you're trying to go to these places, basically self-sabotage to go write these songs.

You know, it can just get out of hand and you can start abusing that. And all of a sudden you're not being creative and you're not writing and you're really just can be counterproductive. Yes. And, uh, and so I just kind of noticed when that started to happen and I was like,

All right. What do you really have if you can't do it without it? But the self-awareness is amazing because some people don't have that, you know? So the fact that you were able to have that introspect of yourself is. And it's weird because I always knew like the whole time I was like aware that I shouldn't be doing that.

It just took a little while for me to be like, all right. Well, it's also because you were raised with morals and the way your family raised you. And you get older. Like, you know, when you're in your 30s, it's not as cool to be messed up all the time. No, it's not a party if it happens every day. When you're 24 and you're a songwriter and it's going really well and you're selling out bars in Texas and it's, you know, it's like, it's just kind of expected and accepted. And so once like, and like Hallie Rae, like I'm married now. I have a child, like major, my son. It's like,

What am I going to do? You know, there'll be self-sabotage, sad dad songwriter. Like, yes, just only for every now and then for about a week at a time. Let's dial it back to when you fell in love with George Strait, Amarillo by morning, you have pretty much credited George and your brother for your love of music. Take me back to when you knew that, when did you write your first song?

I mean, I was trying to write songs when I was like probably 12 years old, 12, 13, something like that. And then I had never really, you know, I just didn't know anything. I didn't know, like I wasn't learning how to play other singer songs. Like I was just playing guitar and trying to write. And then, so once I started to kind of learn to play like a George Strait song or a Chris Knight song was the first song I ever learned to play on guitar and sing at the same time.

And so I'd like, once I started doing that, then I really started like learning how to formulate a song. And, and it's, I write, I write songs now the exact same way I did then. Just sit down and just make some shit up until something sounds cool or sounds pretty or, you know, move something in you or, you know, is an earworm for yourself or whatever. And, and I've done that since, I mean, even when I was 12, 13, trying to write like a song called West Texas Lover.

At 12 or 13? Yeah, I was like 12 or 13 years old. And my grandma, my dad's mom, she's 90. And she still asked me to play that song. I don't think she knows any of my other songs. I think that's the only one she knows. Where did the inspiration at 12 or 13 come from that? A girl I was dating. And I got dating when you're 12, I guess. My girlfriend. Had a crush on. Yeah, in like fifth grade, fourth grade, whatever it was. So, yeah.

I don't know. I was just super aware when I was really young. Like I was, I was very aware of the Texas scene, the Pat Greens, the Randy Rogers, the cross Canadian ragweeds, um, you know, the, and then like the, you know, Steve Earl and Rodney Crowell and, and Hayes Carl and all these just incredibly like raw, real songwriters. I was very aware of like what they were doing and, um,

what they looked like and how they dressed and how they toured. And when I was very young. And so I just kind of started to, I was like, those are the guys I want to be like, would you ever release West Texas lover? I don't think so. No, it's not like name drops, like Stoney LaRue, Todd Snyder. It's very bad. It's, it's, it's, yeah, I can't remember all the words. I could probably remember most of them, but it's, uh,

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Then full price plan options available, taxes and extra fees. Seam it mobile for details. Do you always feel like you've been more of a cowboy at heart or more of like a crooner at heart? Because you do write such like just romance, like romance songs and like love songs. I just love sad songs. Like I love evoking that emotion singing. I like to sing those kind of songs and just like, I mean, just romantic.

on a sad, beautiful melody. Like it just does it for me. Yeah. Yeah.

But I worked for my granddad several summers in my childhood, and he was old school. It was the real deal. It was cowboying to the fullest extent. But I've never ran around and been like, I'm a cowboy. I don't think I would enjoy it if I had to do it for a living. Right. I mean, that's tough. But the fact that I get to do it in my spare time, even just ranching or mowing my grass at my house, if I had to do it every week of my life...

I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much as I do when I have time to do it. Right. Does that make sense? So that's kind of my relationship with that. But it was just such a part of my childhood and such a mass. It's just ingrained in the DNA of my family. You know, I'll raise Major that way. Like he'll grow up the same way. But I don't know. I've never I've never really known what I was or who I was supposed to be of like at times knowing who I wanted to be.

And I mean that like in my music career, you know, at the house by myself. Like, I'm like, I don't know what I want to do or how I want to be. I just always, just literally been winging it my entire life. You strike me as somebody who doesn't put labels on themselves. Like you kind of just like... I just don't really care. You know, like I'm just like, you know, I really, really...

try to focus on like, am I working hard? You know, are my intentions pure? And, you know, how's my relationship with Hallie Ray? How's my relationship with my, with my family and the people that I work with? Like, am I being a pleasant, hardworking, non-complaining human being? If yes, you know, the other stuff is, you know, you're not going to get it all right. You can't, you know, as much as I want to. And I think about it, I'm super hard on myself with that stuff, but

No, it's, I just, I don't know. I don't worry a ton. Yeah, absolutely. If you were not singing now and, you know, touring and being who you are, being Parker McCollum, what would you have done? Would you have gone into ranching or? I don't know. You know, I actually wonder that all the time. I really don't know. I don't know if I might've gone and sold cars and tried to do the car business thing. That sounds crazy.

like it would have been a possibility. I don't think I would have enjoyed that. I could not see you as a car salesman. No, I don't think I would have enjoyed that. It's just, it's really, really hard to say because I've been doing this. You know, I graduated high school. Ten days later, I moved to Austin. I went to community college for like, you know, I think a month in that summer. And then I've just been doing this ever since. And my first album, I won that songwriter competition in Stephenville, Texas when I was like 21, 22, like right after I'd put out my first album. And the radio station in Fort Worth started playing Meet You in the Middle. And then

We started selling tickets and it's just been doing this ever since. And I just don't remember, you know. Anything else. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I have no idea. I don't remember what it was like before this, really. You've always seemed to have been musically inclined, though, because you were playing the violin and guitar. And what else were you playing? There was another instrument. Harmonica. Harmonica. When I was really little, but...

Like, I mean, people always like, I think my Wikipedia page, someone sent it to me one time. It says I'm a multi-instrumentalist, which is not exactly accurate. Because, like, I play harmonica a little bit, and I played the violin in the orchestra in, like, fifth and sixth grade. Yeah. And I was second to last. I played the viola. Yes. Well, there was only two, right? Right. And I was second to last chair. But I really, like, I really liked it. I just didn't keep doing it because it wasn't cool in seventh grade. And I wanted to play football and stuff. And so I just, you know, and then I think...

You know, my my when my parents divorced, my dad lived on the other side of the country for for a while. And so like when I was junior high and stuff, I was just in high school. I just kind of floated and did kind of whatever I wanted and didn't really want to, you know, kind of got lazy, didn't want to play ball, whatever.

you know, just was kind of smoking weed and, you know, like hanging out and didn't really have, I wasn't going to go to college. I was just, it was like playing guitar and singing songs. Do you feel like your parents' divorce maybe put you in a little bit of a depression? No, I've never been depressed in my entire life ever to any degree whatsoever. Um,

But I think it just affects you more than you realize until you're older. Nowadays, I'll be like, I think that may be part of the reason why I am the way I am in this aspect. But no, I mean, look, my childhood was incredible. Both sides of my family are as good as God makes them. Absolutely. Top notch. And the older I get, I just become so much more grateful for that year after year.

I just, you know, everything, every, I don't blame anybody but myself for any of my shortcomings. You know what I mean? Like, I'm very serious about that. Like I a hundred percent am very hard on myself. Like I know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. And, uh, I don't ever really, I'm never like, I don't blame anything other than myself. Right. Like genuinely. Absolutely. Probably to like, to a, to a fault. It's probably a,

a little overkill with it. No, you are very, very, very self-aware. And I think it might be a little too self-aware because you take so much accountability for everything that you don't want to put the blame on anybody else. And when I asked the question about the parents, I was just asking because, you know, that's heavy to watch your parents split because my parents were divorced too. It's heavy to watch your parents split. And sometimes as a kid, you just automatically go into survival mode and you don't realize like, hey, maybe this really affected me like this, you know? So...

And it's all, you know, you know, it's like when you're a kid, you don't know any different. And then you get older and like you start analyzing it. And then you just kind of get to the point where you're like, yeah, there's like what has happened has happened. Like you're, it's so cliche, but like, you know, all you have is tomorrow. And like, that is the mentality I always try to have. But I, I say that. And then like my, my addiction to nostalgia is like crippling. Oh, I'm always romanticizing the past. I know. I got, I got a song on this new record called sunny days. And, uh,

It's like I've been trying to write that song for so long. But I just, I don't know. It's like I have this weird, crazy, sad part of my brain that I go to at least once a day where I'm like, those days are never coming back. They're so gone. They're so gone. I 100% relate. I'm always yearning for a time that's never going to... Never coming back. Never going to come back. Have you ever had like an extreme heartbreak? I mean...

Not that wasn't my fault. There's a self-awareness again. Or as terrible as it is to say somewhat intentional to go to that place and write those songs. Right. What would you say your biggest green flag is? Biggest green flag? Yeah. Oh, golly. Let's talk good about yourself. I think I'm extremely easygoing. Yeah. I think very, like I just, you know, if somebody invites me to their birthday party, thank you. If you don't.

Also, thank you. Like just I'm not I'm not ever tripping about anything like that. And part of that, I think, is because for so long I've been so busy. And so the less things you have to go to in life. But I would say that's probably my my biggest green flag. Well, I think that's weird to pick a thing. Yeah. What would you say your biggest red flag is? Pretty inconsistent.

And that's one thing I just envy so much about Holly Rae. She's the same exact person every day, and I'm so jealous of that. Yeah, pretty inconsistent. All over the place. Probably 31 different people a day. You're a Gemini, so that's expected. Split personalities, but it's been split. We're raising a Gemini. Exponential personalities.

Our daughter is a Gemini, so I 100% understand everything that you're saying. We never know which one we're going to get when she wakes up in the morning. Yeah. And I think Hallie Ray probably says that the same day or says that same thing every day. I'm just, but I'm like, golly, I don't know. I mean, I, and I think about it every day.

I mean, I'm constantly just like, man, I want, I don't want to be 31 different people every day. But a lot of it's self-inflicted. Like in, you know, I think it's the way that I handle a lot of the stuff that this business and this thing that I do in, in, in music business and being a songwriter and being a touring artist, like it just wear you out, you know? And you, you kind of, I'll, I just, sometimes I don't make the best decisions and I, instead of, you know,

I don't know. It's like I don't ever learn my lesson. You know, I'm always just making the same mistakes over again. I have witnessed my husband, you know, touring. You guys have to wear so many different hats that you actually have to be different people to whoever's coming in. You live two lives. Yeah. Like I literally, I'm in constant limbo between being, you know, dad and husband and

Still out here chasing this thing that I've been chasing since I was 12. I see it every day with my husband. It'll wear your ass out. No, it's exhausting, especially because everybody wants a piece of you. So when you're out on the road, you're literally giving pieces of yourself to everybody around you. And then when you come home, everybody wants a piece of you and you have to give, you know, and it's a very, very thin line, fine line that you guys have to walk. And nobody really can relate. Mm-mm.

Like they can understand and they can sympathize. And that's the other side of it. It's like it's not anything to sympathize because the life you're living is just not real life. It's unbelievable. So it's like nobody really wants to hear how tired you are of this and that, you know, because all you've been doing is –

Just the craziest every day. It's an incredible blessing. But that's still not fair because it is very exhausting. I've seen my husband literally be in two different countries in 24 hours and still have to show up and put a smile on his face and tell the same old story. But it's a lot easier if you're taking care of yourself and you're sober and you are doing what you know you're supposed to do.

And sometimes I'm very good at that, and other times I'm not good at that. And that's what I mean about the inconsistent thing. You're human. It's like I can't seem to do it 365 days out of the year. You're human, Parker. I hope you know that. You're not a machine. You're not a robot. I feel like one a lot, though. Aw, you need a break. When was the last time you had a break? Because you've been touring since. We've kind of had one. It's been pretty light in March. We did a five-week winter tour January, February, and then –

March we only played two shows but like I got a new album coming out so I'm about to just go absolutely it's all about to start again and like I can feel it it's like it's like out there every day like behind me looking over my shoulder just like here I come you know you better get ready and I'm like do you still get excited about it or do you have to like gear yourself up for it I'm as excited about this album as I've ever been it's the only record I've ever recorded that I didn't immediately say now I know what I want to do hmm

It's the first time. Like when I left the studio, we recorded this whole album in New York back in October in seven days. Wow. And when I left, I was like, yes. What makes this album so different? Let's talk about it. I think I just was able to kind of

out of pure luck, like rope the best version of myself at the right time. Wow. And I flew from the last, we'd been on tour all year, the burn it down tour. And I flew from the last show of the tour and I think we're in South Lake Tahoe and flew to New York on a Sunday. And for the next seven days we cut that album. And, uh, so I was just like, but I'd been, I'd,

I showed up with like this crazy, I just was as focused and as bought in and as just prepared, but also had no idea what I was doing. Just had this perfect storm of the scenario when we recorded this record. And it's like really hard for me to like get that version of myself every time I cut a record.

Cause I do tour a lot and I tour hard and I liked, I like to work hard. I like to earn it. You know, I never wanted anybody to say I didn't earn every single thing. And, and I still am that way. Still always say, still trying to make it. Um, but I just, when I got to New York, I was, you know, I was just dialed in. Yes. For the first time, probably ever. What's the sound like on this album? I don't know.

Yeah. I have no idea what it sounds like. Do you, cause you, you know, cause you listen to it so much. It's hard. It like bleeds. Like you, I know how that goes. Cause when Jay, but I've never known who I sounded like, you know, like even like, I've never made a record that I was like, this sounds like this. Cause I would always be like,

you know, say dumb stuff and be like, what if Ryan Bingham and Kings of Leon got together and made a record? What would that be like? And then it'd be incredible, right? But I can't, like, that was a, it was dumb for me to probably say at the time because not capable of pulling that off. But, you know, I just, and this is, this is also the first album that I was like, you know, I just didn't give a shit anymore. I was like, man, I'm so,

I'm tired of just kind of making an album and just tour, you know, and just like being like, Oh, we got to cut a record. Let's go cut a record and put a record out. Like this one, I was like, no, we're going to New York, but like we are at, we are doing this like this and we went and we did it and yeah,

I don't know. It just, it was worth it. It worked. You just had a game plan and you literally just went in and executed it. We had a game plan. And at the same time we had zero game plan whatsoever. Right. You knew what you wanted to do, just not how to do it. Yes. And I had the songs I wanted to cut and we just, we literally went in and the band had not heard any of them. And we just started playing them until they were all recorded. And we all had a take of one that, you know, we thought was good enough. So yeah.

It, uh, I don't know, Frank Liddell produced it. Eric Massey was the engineer and they just, I've enjoyed working with them so much. I was just with them. I was just in the studio with them this morning. And, uh,

I don't know. It just, I've been doing it for so long and it's like, I always wondered if I was good enough to make this kind of record. And it's the, it's the one I always wondered if I was good enough to make, like, do I have what it takes to go there and do it like that? And I think we pulled it off. I can't wait to hear it. When does it drop?

June 27th. June 27th. I'm excited. Do you have a single? We recorded in October. I feel like it's been 10 years since we recorded it. So hopefully, you know, the next, what is that, three months? Yep. April, May, and most of June. Do you have any singles coming off the record before it drops? We have a single on the radar right now, What Kind of Man. And then, I don't know. I have no idea.

What song would be the next single? I don't know if there is one. It's different. I think people are going to hear it and think for a split second they're going to go, what the hell did he do? And then I think they're going to get it. I love that. I love that you're just like, you know what? I'm going to put it in the universe and whatever happens, happens. I've always been trying to be...

It's like, I want to be this. I want to be that. I want, you know, I want to, you know, and, and I finally was just like, fuck it. I'm just going to go do whatever it is that I am.

We were going to find out what it is on this record and we found out. I can't wait. But I have no idea what it is still. But I know what it sounds like now. I can't wait to hear the whole album. Do you think you lean more towards like country pop or like the traditional Texas country? I don't think either. Either? Which is really what kind of screws me up so much is because like I need, I like I have to have like a reason for everything like.

I have to have some sort of answer. And it's like the biggest thing in my life, in my career, is I don't have an answer for it. Like I don't know what to call it. I don't know what it sounds like. I don't know who you would, I have no idea. Okay, let's be real. I've had a love-hate relationship with push-up bras for years. Either they'd gap at the top, dig into my sides, or give that weird, stiff, unnatural lift that felt like armor instead of underwear. Half the time, I'd end up adjusting it all day or straight up taking it off the minute I got home.

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I feel like country is so different now too, though. Like, you know, when I was growing up, it was like Dwight Yoakam, the Judds, and like, you know, it was, you know, Ronnie Millsap and like, you know, Trisha Yearwood. And I don't sound like any of those people. And I don't sound like any of, you know, what's going on right now and what country music has become. So I'm like,

So like I said recently, I was like, I don't know if I'm a country singer. And like, I think people took it as like, I was going to quit playing music, but no, I just, I just don't think. I don't think country is country right now. Country. Okay. Let me, how do I rephrase this? Country isn't what like a traditional country, like before it used to be the twang and the guitars and what it was when I wanted to be a country singer. Exactly. It's way different. And like Ed Sherhan just did an interview where he said he's coming into the country music and it's just kind of like,

I think country singers right now are having a hard time grasping what sound is their sound because country isn't what country used to be. Yeah, and I just don't think you can worry about it. Like, I think, you know, and that's like the realization I came to is I was like, man, I just don't sound like any country singer when I'm singing. I don't think I do. I'm like, I don't sing and be like, I sound like this person. Right.

Which is great. You don't want to sound like somebody else. Correct. Yeah. And I think that's, you know, it's like, that's, that's a massive blessing, but it's like, I just got to a point where I was like, I just got to go sing the songs that I write and record them and quit trying to, you know, be something that may not be a thing anymore. Maybe you just never were like, I'm like, you know, you can be, you can be as big of a country music fan as I am.

and write songs and be an artist and not sound that way. It's okay. So, you know, if they don't want to call it country music, that's fine. It's not, it's, it's, this record's incredibly raw. I mean, there's not a single, nothing that was not a real instrument being played in real time or a real vocal being sang in real time. There's scratch vocals on this record, some of them. So, yeah.

I don't know. I just... I feel like country is such a huge genre now that there's... It's just not near as narrow as it used to be. Right. It's just kind of... It's more of like a club in a way. It's like the cool kids club right now. Yes. Everybody wants to be a country singer. And the criteria is not incredibly specific. Right. So... I mean, we got Beyonce doing country albums. And I'm like, you know... Post Malone is country now. I know. So... And then I don't feel like...

I sound like any of that and I don't sound like any of what country music used to be. So I'm like, where am I? What am I supposed to do? You know? Well, you know, the fans will tell you when the album drops. Yeah. You know, the fans will tell you whenever the album drops. So let's talk at, let's dial it back a little bit and let's talk about, um, 2020 was kind of a big year for you. I'm sorry. 2019 was kind of a big year for you. You had, um,

signed with Universal in 2019. And isn't that when you and your beautiful wifey met? We did sometime around then. It was, I want to say it was 2019. Because I think we broke up. She broke up with me at the end of 2020. And we broke up for like four months. Then we got back together and got engaged right away. Why did she break up with you? I don't really remember. And she doesn't either. I just remember she had gotten upset about something.

Somebody had told her something and it was 100% not true. And I was just like, I mean, that's not true. So do what you got to do, you know, and then.

I broke up for like four months and then I called her one day and I was actually in Nashville and she flew to Nashville and got engaged like two months later, three months later. When you know, you know. She's, she's one of one of one. No question. Let's talk about her because I really love the story that, um, I've heard you tell is that, um, you loved her name and a friend introduced you. Like, can we talk about that? It was a true story. I was, uh, as my buddy Gus West, good cowboy from West Texas. Um,

And I was playing this little, it's like the oldest rodeo in Texas, I think, way out in West Texas. And he had told me about her like one night after we played. And he was like, man, you got to meet this girl, Hallie Ray Lott. I went to Oklahoma State with her. He went there for like a semester, I think. What a perfect name though. She is like such a ray of light too. And I said, I was like, that name's got to go in a song. So like I kind of started thinking about that and whatever. And then

She was going to Oklahoma State and we actually played in Stillwater one night and Gus was there and her and some other girls came out to the show. I think it was my first or second night ever on a tour bus. We'd gotten out of a van and gotten into tours. We had no record deal yet. It was going really well for us, kind of in the Texas red dirt scene. She came out to the show. I think she was there like 10 minutes and she was on the bus and

you know, she didn't like the way I was behaving. So she left. And, uh, we love that. A woman who doesn't put up with your shit. We love that. But I, I immediately started like really kind of getting my shit together. And I really started, you know, just, I would just send like dumb messages to her. Like really looking back now, I'm like, this is terrible, but I would just be like, Hey, you know, like when you're ready for the real deal, let me know. And, uh, I think she had a boyfriend at the time or something. And yeah, so at the time it was money. And, uh,

She probably thought I was an idiot. But it just, it was like probably nine months, ten months later. I think she came to another show and we hung out all night and then she came to another show and we started dating like on our first date. We like went to dinner in like the steakhouse in the casino that I was playing and I had like four or five beers, got a little buzz and asked her to be my girlfriend and then

We've been together ever since. Did you ever end up writing the song? I did. I recorded it on Gold Chain Cowboy. It's on the first record I put out on Universal. But I kind of wrote the album as she was avoiding me. And so if you listen to the song, it kind of, you know, that's why at the end it says, goodbye, Halle Ray Light. But I never really said goodbye. Oh.

Yeah, that's kind of like you were manifesting her. A little bit. And now I look back, I'm like, man, it kind of sounds pretty weird now that I think about it. No, I think all girls love stuff like that. You could write a girl a song and an album and just be able to. I don't think she wanted to like date a singer. I think she was probably just, you know, she's like, that's trouble. But I really like, I cleaned it up a lot once her and I met and really got to know each other. I feel like a good woman always puts a great man on the right track. Yes, she is.

She's a good one. She's beautiful. As good as God makes them. She's so gorgeous. I remember the first time I met her, I was like, who is this? She's so beautiful. She's gorgeous. Wonderful. The most pleasant person.

easy person I've ever met in my life. And I could not be more of the opposite. So God bless her. Yeah. I love that. I love love. Um, you seem like a hopeless romantic at heart too. So, you know, I, I don't know, maybe a little bit, but it's, uh, it's kind of funny. Like, you know, her and I are, she's, she's me forever, you know? Um,

But I'm still trying to write. I'm always trying to write the sad, terrible, heartbreak songs about it all going terribly wrong. That's my husband, too. He's always sad about something. I'm like, what is going on? But you're like the most jovial man in the world. A lot of it's the nostalgia stuff. That stuff kind of breaks my heart sometimes when I really get into that mood and think about it. And that's when I write songs about it. Yeah.

She's for a while. She was like, can you just write a song about it going right? Like about, about the love ending well. Yeah. Which there's, there's a couple on this new record that kind of do that. Yeah. Sort of. Talk to me about being a dad now. What was that like just on that whole journey with you guys? It's just the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life. It really is. And he's, he just turned eight months old and, uh,

I don't know. It's just, I'm like, yeah, I guess I always want you. There was a long time where like, you know, I've always been a huge John Mayer fan and I knew he never got married and had kids. And I always kind of was really aware of that and always kind of said the same thing. I was like, man, I'm going to go, you know, be a songwriter and a touring artist for the rest of my life, not getting married and had kids. And Hallie obviously changed that. And, uh, and so a certain time came where I kind of started realizing, I was like, man, there's,

You're getting older and you're like, it's time. This stuff's about to start. And then it does start, being married and having a kid. You're in the middle of the day and you're like, damn, it's not coming. It's here. It has arrived. He is here and he is not going anywhere. But it's just been...

I don't know. It's, uh, it's like the cliche thing. Everybody says it's, you know, it's like the best thing in the world is having kids and you're a kid. And like, I, I understand that now it's, uh, and it's just getting better. Like he's, you know, like when he was born, he has these two perfect dimples and they were just ripping. He came out screaming, crying, flew up in the air, like four feet. It was wild. I was up by the shoulders. Um,

Damn, he came out swinging. He came out swinging and just hollering. Cowboy. I mean, it's the wildest thing. I look at him, I'm like, I am your dad. You are my son. And my dad is my best friend in the world. I mean, he is the man. Me and him are incredibly close. And so I'm like, it's just wild. Now it's my time to...

to be in that role, you know? So it's just been, I don't know, my brain still doesn't really know what to think of at all. Yeah. I see the smile on your face, though, when you talk about it. It's just...

Fucking wild to have a kid and be like, I mean, me and her sitting there, it's like, we're his parents. Yeah. And then it broke my heart one day. It was like a month after he was born and we were doing like change his diaper or something. And she's like, isn't it? She just said it so nonchalant. She's like, isn't it weird to think we won't be here for his whole life? Oh. And I was just like,

holy shit. Like, I mean, even saying that right now, I'm like, that just shatters my, it just, I'm like, no, that can't be how it is. But it's, I don't know, being a dad is, and like, when they're eight months old and before, or even like for the next few months, like, you know, being a dad is, you're not really,

showing him or teaching him anything yet. So I think when that gets here, like I'll really be good at that. I haven't been very good at the baby stuff. I don't feel like any men are good during the infant stages, but when they start talking and like able to communicate. And he said, dad, dad, the other day. And I was just like, I was like, dude, like the way I felt, I didn't even like it. I was like, I was like, I feel weak right now, you know? But it was just, I was just like, he was just big. Then we've got this big ass blue eyes. He just looked at me over and over dad, dad, dad. And I'm like,

He's a son of a bitch. Like, you know, you got me. You're just in love with him. And I'll never quit him. And he's got me for life. You know, like he's good. So it's, and he will have impeccable manners. And there will be no exception made to that rule. He will have perfect. He may not be very smart if he's like me, but he will have impeccable manners. I think he's going to be amazing with you and Holly being, you know, his parents. How did you guys come up with his name Major?

I was watching, uh, so my middle name is Yancy. That's my mom's side of the family. And, uh, I really wanted to name him Yancy Tyler after my middle name and, and, uh, my older brother. And, uh, I couldn't talk her into it. Well, I just, they're, they're just, I'm so lucky. I don't know. And you don't really start to realize that to its fullest extent until you get older. But I just loved the name Yancy Tyler. And, uh,

And so I was trying to, for like a year, I was trying to talk Hallie into, and he would go by Yancey Tyler. Like that would be his name. Like that's baller. Like if he plays ball, if he's riding dirt bikes, like if he's roping, if he's a singer, like Yancey Tyler's good for all of those. And, uh, but she never really a hundred percent got on board with it. And then I was watching the major Applewhite, the highlight on YouTube one night and I was like, major McCollum. And she was like, ah,

So I tried to talk her out of it, but it was done. For like months, we went on with other names, and I knew the whole time. I was like, I know she's not going to get off a major. Yeah, it just sucked. And she met me in the middle. Now it's Major Yancey Tyler McCollum. I love that. I saw a clip of you guys whenever you pulled him up for the rodeo, and you could just see the love that you have for her. That was cool. Yeah, that was really awesome. I told Hallie, I was like, that photo one day is going to be –

Like it just, I don't know, my boy on stage with me, 70,000 people. His first rodeo. Houston, Texas, his first rodeo. He has no idea what anything is or what's happening, where he is or who he is. But like that photo will be so cool. And it just, I don't know. It's like you, I was never really that way about stuff. And now I'm like,

- Yeah. - Just a whole another side. - It's in the middle. - Yes, a whole another side of your personality you didn't know existed. It's just evoked immediately. - Yeah, well, lucky that they get that side of you and that's why you preserved it for so long was to keep it just sacred just for just them. So I love that. So let's talk about touring. I need to hear some crazy backstage moments because I know that you have toured with Ko Wetzel, which we've heard some crazy backstage stories with him, but

We always had a good time. Coe is great. I freaking love Coe. We toured with Coe, too. And, I mean, he's... He's pure. He is so... I think what people don't realize about Coe is that he really, genuinely, beneath the wild facade, he's just a sweet man. And he's funnier than all get out. I mean, like, I don't think people know that either. Like, he is hysterical. We were hunting together a couple months ago. And it was the first time we'd kicked it in a pretty good while. And I just...

I don't know. He's one, he is, I would take a bullet for him. I, uh, I've, I've leaned on him in some good times and, uh, or in, in some really bad times. And, uh, he's just a, I don't know, man, he's, he's as good as East Texas has ever made him. You got, you guys kind of came up together too, didn't you? We did. We, uh, he actually messaged me on Twitter in probably 2015, 14, 15. And, uh, and then I'd met this guy at that songwriter competition that I ended up winning. Uh,

And he was really good buddies with Coe, and he kind of started driving my van, became my first tour manager, and he was one of my best friends in the entire world. And I remember him being like, hey, you've got to check out my buddy Coe Wetzel. And I was like, you know, people say that all the time. Nobody's ever good, you know. And we ended up going to – we went fishing together one time, and he went to sleep, me and Coe stayed up in the living room just playing guitars, and he started singing, and I was just like –

He's special. Yeah, I was like, oh, wow. You know, he was just immediate. And you know when someone opens their mouth to sing a song instantaneously, you know whether you buy it or you don't. And he had me hook, line, and sinker. But...

Yeah, he was just, you know, and they didn't know what they were doing. I was already kind of selling some tickets and playing some shows and had a band and a van and stuff. And so when it was Coe Wetzel and the Convicts, like, you know, like he was really like kind of leaning on me a little bit, just figuring out, you know, what do you do about an agent or whatever.

you know, touring and all this stuff. And so like we kind of learned all of that together. And we were like the last few, like us and Flatland and a couple others were like the last ones that really like got in a van and went and toured really hard before you could do like the viral thing on TikTok and social media and stuff. So like we kind of had our first good run very, very young and like right before,

All of that stuff became what it is now. Like we had social media, but... Yeah, no, I get it. It was not what it is now. No, Jay and I, we had to come up from the 18 passenger van. It's just... And he says the same thing. He wouldn't have it any other way. Like we're really grateful to have gotten to do it that way. I feel like it's kind of the easy way out now because you can go so viral so fast. And it's like you don't...

Not that you don't appreciate it as much, but it's like it's not the blood, sweat and tears as it was before. Yeah. And people are going to have success and probably there will be some of you that do it that way and have very big, long, successful careers. And there'll be a lot of them that don't. You know, there may be a flash in the pan or whatever. But, you know, I don't know. I always just liked the I never really liked the idea of like, you know.

Just blowing up. I always just kind of wanted to just keep doing it and keep doing it and keep doing it. And you get one day and you're set and you're taken care of and you've built a great career. It just always seemed like a nice place to end up. Slow and steady. Yes. And I always really genuinely thought about it that way. And so I think a lot of that comes from I was kind of forced to do it that way. And I'm really grateful for that now. But he's...

That boy's one in a million. Yeah, he is one in a million. He's good people. So besides Coe, because I know you guys have some wild stories, tell me what is one of the craziest backstage moments, fan interaction, or tour story that you can think of? Oh, golly. There was one night. I actually wasn't technically a part of this. I kind of walked into it. I was on the bus asleep, and I heard it was after the show. We were playing this rodeo in the middle of nowhere, and I was like,

Damn, I can't believe I'm going to tell this, but I'm going to. And I won't name who it was in the band, but there were some girls who had stayed after the show, and they were all having a good time. And I had already gotten in my bunk and gone. So this was back when we were on one bus. We had like two crew guys, just a few guys in the band. And anyways, I heard a bunch of noise outside the bus, and so I got up. I think I was in my boxers, and I just opened the door, and there was a girl with a...

what's the firework that she, uh, a bottle rocket. Yes. Um, and her, in her butt. And, uh, and, and, and like the girl, like the other girls that were there, like one of the girls has the lighter. She's trying to lie that all the guys are like trying other lighters, trying to light it. And she's like letting them shoot the bottle rocket out of there. And, uh,

And that's not the craziest. That's just like one that I think back on often. I'm like, I wonder where she is now. Where did she go the next day and where is she now? Does she ever tell that story on her own? Yeah, I wonder. I wonder that same thing. But the bottle rocket never lit. I was just standing there like on the bottom step of the bus just like.

What is going on? It's something that's just so crazy to just wake up and have to feast your eyes on. So I could only imagine the imprint that it left in your mind. And just, you know, that's probably the most appropriate story I could tell from back in those days. It was just, it was so, none of us knew what we were doing back then. And it was just so wild and free. And like we call it like,

Even before we were on that bus, our first tour bus, we were just in a van, and then we got a Sprinter van a few years later. We had no responsibilities. We plugged our own guitars in. I had a little DeWalt tool bag with a tuner and a cable and a DI, I think, in it. That's what I would take out of the van, and we'd set our stuff up. We were doing that, but we were selling these bars out. We were selling 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 guitars.

bars out a night. Wow. And Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, like it was just, it was so, so, so fun. Yeah. Do you ever miss those days? All the time. Yeah, we do too. I don't think I'd want to go back to them.

But I do I just think about them all the time and how different it looks nowadays and that but I enjoy Feeling really good all the time on the road like I never felt good back then on the road like I was you were always just ruined all the time on the road and so like you would get like this bad taste in your mouth and

from it because you're like man i don't want to go out and feel like that again so once i like really started kind of being a little more focused and a little more calculated with like my approach to it which i think is really good to do for your fans too like they deserve a good product every night like you want to go out and put on a good show and sound good and remember all of the words and be entertaining and you know play those songs

To where they feel they're happy that they came and heard the songs that they love live, you know. But back then, we just, we weren't thinking about that stuff. We were just ripping it. Have you ever forgotten a song on stage? All the time I did at the rodeo. Were you faded? But you were sober, right? 100% sober. And they have these screens around the arena, around the stadium that

you know, it's like saying it's the lyrics to the song are like being typed. They're not teleprompters. It's like for the crowd. And, you know, I'm sure if someone's, you know, deaf or something for, for that kind of thing. And, and, but they're delayed, they're really delayed. And so I just, you know, that stage is rotating and like just came time for the second verse of why Indiana. And I was reading, um,

I just so happen to look at that thing and it's like, it hasn't even, we're already through the chorus. It's like just now putting the words to the chorus up and I just, you just make up words in that moment. You just freestyle until you get back to the chorus and then hope you remember those words. But yeah, it happens all the time. At least one song a night. I'll just, you know, it's like, and they just turn around the band's just like, wow,

Because they know you messed up. And it's all being recorded and there's video of it all. It's like you get to go back and look after and it's pretty funny. But yeah, I do that all the time. We had a little blurb that happened at the Houston Rodeo that my husband calls me up on stage all the time. And I always cuss. I'm like, what's up, motherfuckers? And nobody told me. Oh, they probably didn't like that at Rodeo. Right. So nobody told me.

me that you're not supposed to cuss on the stage. Right? So I get up there and I don't think I'm going to say anything. He hands me the microphones and I'm like, what's up? And you could see my husband go,

And just like walks away. And as he hugs me, he's like, you're not supposed to cuss on stage. Surely they were cool about it. Oh, they were so cool about it. Cause I wrote, I did a TikTok about it and I was like, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. You know, I was like, please. And that's really good for their marketing too. Yeah. Yeah. No, it was huge. It went viral. It's very good for the brand of rodeo Houston. It's like, you know, that's good for business. They are serious about that. No, they're super serious. But I was like, yeah, you could have told me that before I got on there.

Can we talk about your gold chains? Because I don't see your gold chains on right now. I've only got one. My diamond chain caught on my towel last week. I was getting a shower in the morning and it just ripped in half. What is it with the chains? Because I heard that you said you would rather forget your guitar than forget your chains. No, I don't know if I ever said that. If I did, it probably sounded a lot cooler at the time. It certainly doesn't now hearing it out loud.

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That's freeprints.com or download the FreePrints app directly from Google Play or the App Store. But, no, I don't know. You know, I think as much as I was into country music and Americana songwriters as a kid, like I was really also very in tune with like kind of the, I guess back then it really wasn't the underground Houston rap scene. It was a pretty big deal back then, especially when I was really young. My brother was in high school, but...

I don't know. I mean, we were always listening to Zero and Slim Thug and Big Mo and Lil' Kiki and Birdman. Like just so, just, you know, and a lot of people don't know about those artists. And I still listen to those guys to this day. I listen to them in the gym in the morning. I listen to them when I'm driving. You know, we're always, you know, I just, that was like, I always thought those guys were really cool too. And that's another, well, somewhat earlier, like I'd never known like

what I really was or what I was supposed to be because like I'd see John Mayer and I'd be like that's incredible I want to be like him and I'd see George Strait and be like that's incredible I want to be like him and then I would see you know Zero or maybe not even the Houston Rap 50 Cent and I'd be like he's badass I want to be like him would you ever collab with a rapper

I just don't think you would believe it if I did it. I don't think it would be believable. I think it would. I mean, Morgan has pulled it off. My dad's pulled it off. My dad. My husband has pulled it off. I was going to say daddy, but I always call him daddy. That's good. Jay has pulled it off. I think that you would totally be able to pull it off. You know...

I can't even believe I'm going to admit this, but, um, you have such a, like a, a college fan base too. They would eat that up. Maybe. I don't know. I think people really, really expect the, the level of the songwriting for me to be very high. And when it's not, I, I can hear them. Um, and, and, and, and I recognize that. And I want the same thing. Like, I really want to write songs. I could stand the test of time and be, you know, like do something for somebody. So I don't think I could get that across collabing with a rapper, but yeah,

There will always be a small part of me that wishes I was a rapper. Have you ever rapped? I freestyle every single day of my life. No way. That's how I write songs. Wow. When I'm playing guitar, I'm just freestyling. I mean, I can freestyle without missing a rhyme for as long as you want to go. Wow. Always been able to do that. And so that's just how I've always written songs.

Whether it's hell of a year or whatever, it's just, you know, I'm just sitting there just making shit up as I'm just spitting it out. Like Lori McKenna, what a great songwriter I write with. She's all, she's like learned that that's how I write songs. And she's just like,

just go. She's like, just start. And I'll just start singing lines and rhyming lines and describing things and just, you know, and I can do it for a long time without ever missing a rhyme. And you do a freestyle for us right now. Absolutely not. Hell no. No, I had to try. It doesn't look cool. It doesn't look cool and it doesn't sound cool. Um, but I, I can do it for a long time and, and,

and, you know, fall off the beat and fall back on the beat and kind of slide around the beat and just melodies and hooks and...

And I just, I do it all the time. Like if I'm driving by myself, I'm probably freestyling and I'm just going and going. And like when I leave voicemails for my buddies, like I'll freestyle for like a minute and a half. I love that. And they'll just call me and they'll be like, you realize nobody knows you can do that? And I'm like, yeah, we need to keep it that way too. It's like a hidden talent, Parker. But it's not, it's not very cool, you know? I am able to like,

freestyle and rhyme a lot for a long time. But when it's me doing it, I just feel like people are like, I don't want to see him do that. Okay, so what if you collabed with a rapper but you sang a hook and let them rap? I would love to do that. Would you do that? I would love to do that. Who would you want to do that with? Let's manifest it right now. Oh, I don't know. I think it'd be really cool to do it with Jack Harlow. Yeah. I would really...

50 Cent, obviously. I know, you know, he's just, when I was a kid, he was the man. He's like the soundtrack to our lives. Would love to do it with Lil Wayne. You know, there's, yeah, but I just, you know, I would be super honest. I'd be like, hey, yo, this sucks. And if we could get it right, yeah, it'd be cool. But, you know, it's just...

You don't want to see me do that. I don't think. I'm looking forward to it. I don't think it would look very cool. You guys want to see it, don't you? Yeah. I don't think it would look very cool. I think it would be awesome.

Parker, thank you so much for coming by. No, thank you. I am so happy to have you sit here on the couch and please come by anytime you want. Next time you come by, bring, bring the hot wifey too. I absolutely will. She, everybody meets her and they like her a lot more. So I think you guys are a beautiful couple. You guys both compliment each other. So thank you. Thank you so much for coming. Yes, ma'am. Thanks bunny. Thank you. Thank you guys for listening to another episode of dumb blonde. I'll see you guys next week. Bye. I didn't know. Such a good title for a podcast. What is it?

Dumb Blonde. Dumb Blonde is such a good title for a podcast. Starting your own business can be intimidating. You end up wearing every hat. Marketing, shipping, customer service, it gets overwhelming and lonely fast. When I started this podcast, we were figuring everything out

I wish we'd had Shopify back then. It's like having a business partner that actually knows what they're doing, helping you sell, manage, and grow all in one place. If you have an idea, Shopify makes it easier to start and stick with it. Shopify is the commerce platform behind newsletters,

millions of businesses around the world, and 10% of all e-commerce in the U.S., join the BunnyXO fam today. Your closet will thank you. Shop BunnyXO.com to get all my merch. Get started with your own design studio with hundreds of ready-to-use templates. Shopify helps you build a beautiful online store to match your brand style.

and accelerate your content creation. Shopify is packed with helpful AI tools that write product descriptions, page headlines, and even enhance your product photography. Get the word out like you have a marketing team behind you. Easily create email and social media campaigns wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling. And best yet, Shopify is your commerce expert with world-class expertise in everything from managing inventory to international shipping to processing returns and beyond.

If you're ready to sell, you're ready for Shopify. Turn your big business idea into cha-ching with Shopify on your side. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash bunny. Go to shopify.com slash bunny. B-U-N-N-I-E.