Ken is a singer songwriter from Birmingham who spent 20 years in Nashville writing songs. Some of the artists to record Ken's songs include Craig Morgan, Kid Rock, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, and Chris Janson. Ken and Gritman discuss his career and the changes that have occurred in the music industry which led him to his current endeavor, performing children's music with his wife as Huck & Lilly(@huckandlilly).

Towards the end of the episode, Ken performs an original song inspired by Gritman's relationship with his late Grandpa. We think it is a hit.

Grit Principles in this Episode:

Special Thanks to Mathew Cooper for hosting us at his studio. Check out his amazing story at www.defendingvision.com

Sponsors:

Poncho Outdoors

Turtle Box Audio

Contact: [email protected]

Leonard Botello, Sr. aka "Big" is one of the founders of Truth BBQ with locations in Brenham and Houston, TX. He joins the show to share his families gritty journey into the BBQ business.

Topics Covered:

-Qualities he looks for when sourcing a BBQ pit

-Learning to cook brisket in their backyard

-What their goal was when they started (spoiler alert: TX Monthly Top 50)

-Why they named the restaurant Truth

-Pros & Cons of working with family

-What they look for when interviewing potential employees

-Where they source their meat from

-Prep Work/ Cooking cycle to prepare for the next day

-How he instilled work ethic in his sons

-Best way to get your kids to work hard

-What he hopes people experience when they come to Truth

-Most popular order by customers

-Secret to making a passion your job

A big thank you to Leonard for taking the time to come on our show. Please visit either Truth location and tell Leonard Sr. and Jr. the Gritmen Show sent you.

Visit Truth BBQ for more information.

Sponsors:

Poncho Outdoors

Turtle Box Audio

Jack Burke Jr. is a legend in the game of golf. Burke won 16 PGA tour events between 1950 and 1963. He won two major titles, the Masters and PGA Championship, both in 1956. He was on five successive American Ryder Cup teams and won 7 of his 8 career matches. In 1957, Burke and Jimmy Demaret founded Champions Golf Club in Houston.

Jackie passed away on January 19, 2024 just 10 days shy of his 101st birthday. This interview was recorded back on December 1, 2021 when he was 98 years old. This was one of the last interviews that he appeared in. The audio is mostly unedited to capture Burke's authenticity and memories over a life well lived.

Topics covered:

Be sure to listen to the end when Jackie discusses winning the Masters and what he specifically told his caddie.

Thank you to Dean Burke and Champions Golf Club for hosting us.

Sponsors:

Jay Blasi is a golf course designer that recently finished the redesign at Lakeside Country Club in Houston, Texas. Jay shares his story and how he was able to win the project despite a few hurdles to get over. Bigger is not always better and who is doing the work is important. Gritman and Jay explore the following topics:

Lance Stancik is the owner of the Pintail Hunting Club, one of the premier waterfowl hunting destinations in the world. Based in Garwood, Texas, Lance and his team own over 30,000 acres of private agricultural land that is prime habitat for migratory waterfowl. 

The main duck season is only 74 days, but Lance and his team work year round to make sure their guests have an unforgettable experience. 

Knowledgeable guides, sound management practices and professionally engineered duck ponds help make the hunting at the Pintail a success. When you couple that with a welcoming atmosphere and a staff that treats people right, you get a truly special duck club. 

It takes grit to be a duck guide and sustained success doesn’t happen by accident. In this conversation we cover the following topics:

-How to create habitat for ducks 

-Engineered duck ponds 

-Waterfowl migration patterns 

-Proper decoy configuration 

-Taking kids hunting 

-When to call and when to be quiet 

-Dogs: can they hunt and be a pet too? -Puppy vs started or finished dog 

-Polaris vs CanAm

-Hunting dry fields in Canada

-Banded birds

-Is the Spoonbill(Northern Shoveler) reputation warranted?

-Best month to shoot a bird to get mounted 

-Favorite shot size for ducks 

-Why scouting is important 

-Hunters safety 

-Future challenges for waterfowl hunters 

I really enjoyed my visit with Lance and appreciate how generous he was with sharing his time and expertise…especially right before duck season kicked off. Enjoy!

Sponsors:

Turtle Box Audio

Poncho Outdoors 

Email Gritman with feedback on this episode or suggestions for future guests: [email protected]

Gritman explains the farming journey that him and his son Coy have begun. While spending quality time together and getting a little dirt under their nails are their primary goals, Gritman becomes increasingly curious about how the heck anyone makes money farming. He reaches out to his John Deere dealer and asks if they can introduce him to a real farmer and they connect him with Dean Hanson. Dean is one of the larger corn and cotton producers in Wharton and Matagorda Counties. 

Dean did not inherit a farm, rather built his operation from scratch, increasing his acreage over time. Gritman and Dean discuss the challenges associated with farming and why a farmer must have a lot of grit to survive.  

Show topics:

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Shoppa’s John Deere 

Season Sponsors:

Outdoor Shirt Provider: Poncho Outdoors 

Loud Music Provider: Turtle Box Audio

Craft Beer Provider: Karbach 

Gritmen Show

Comments/Guest Recommendations/Partnerships:

Email Chris: [email protected]

Gritman continues his conversation with Lance Berkman and they discuss:

-More hilarious Coach Graham stories

-The story behind Lance's nicknames (Blue Dart, Big Puma & Fat Elvis)

-How fat guys that can flat out hit are a dying breed

-Whether or not Lance is fat

-The strikeout becoming so prevalent in the pro game

-Lance's two strike approach to hitting

-Why most major leaguers should not coach

-Finding his purpose after retiring

Episode Sponsor: Gordy & Sons 

"If you go to Gordy & Sons and don't find something you want or need, that is a sign you need to get your grit checked" -Gritman

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