THE TROUBADOUR PODCAST

Welcome to episode #112 of The Troubadour.

We’ve got a great episode for you today featuring Ryan Humbert and Emily Bates of a great band I’ve become a huge fan of called The Shootouts.

The Shootouts can be described and equal parts vintage Nashville and Texas Swing with a healthy helping of Bakersfield bravado.

Their 2019 debut album, Quick Draw, was recently followed up by their newest record, Bullseye, produced by former BR-549 frontman, Chuck Mead. 

If you are a fan of good lyrics and strong stage presence, Humbert won’t let you down as the frontman of the group.  Add in the harmony vocals of Bates along with a rhythm section made up of Ryan McDermott on the bass and Dylan Gomez on the drum kit.  Finally, if you are a fan of incredible guitar work like I am, The Shootouts lead guitarist Brian Poston just might leave you a bit spellbound.  I immediately heard similarities in Brian’s playing to my favorite guitarist and past guest on the podcast, The Chicken Pickin’ King, Johnny Hiland.

You can find out more at www.shootoutsmusic.com, including all their social links.  And for you fans of vinyl out there, this group has some of the coolest vinyl record designs we’ve ever seen.

So here comes episode #112 of the podcast with Ryan Humbert and Emily Bates of The Shootouts! 

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

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Hey Everybody!

Welcome to Episode #111 of The Troubadour.

Long ago when I had the idea for this podcast, I knew we’d be interviewing lots of musical artists and songwriters.  But from the beginning I always had the desire to interview other people who make up a huge unseen chunk of this business.  Well, today along with you, Carly and I are going to get another interesting behind the scenes look at things through the eyes of one of the unsung heroes of touring musicians:  The Merch Man.

Monty Peliti has slung cotton for some of the biggest names in Red Dirt and Texas Country Music including such notables as Jason Boland and The Stragglers as well as Casey Donahew.  I think of merch guys as some of the most important members of a traveling band even though they often get little to no notoriety.

I think all of you would be surprised as to just how important T-shirt, ball cap, and in this day and age, vinyl record sales can be for a band needing gas money just to make it to the next gig.

So, on today’s episode we’ll take a look at just what being a merch man means to a band and just how many other hats they often have to wear to keep a band on the road and making music.

So, through the eyes of Monty Peliti, “merch man to the stars”, here comes episode #111 of The Troubadour!

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean

Today’s guest is Michael Kelton.

Michael has created an intimate live concert series called the Sideman Song Swap.  The concerts are taking place in some very cool venues around Texas, so for out Texas listeners I encourage you to go to the Sideman Song Swap page on Facebook to find out when and where these events are taking place.  https://www.facebook.com/SidemanSongSwap/

So, what is a Sideman Song Swap concert.  Well, as the name implies, backing band members, or “sidemen” of some of our favorite artists in the scene, take the stage with Michael to play their original tunes and tell stories from the road.  So, just how does Michael know all of these “sidemen”?  Well, Michael is a journeyman drummer in the scene and currently plays the drum kit for Pat Green.  Over his career he’s also toured with many other notable names in the business as you’ll hear throughout the episode.

Michael has also started to have success as a songwriter in his own right and has cuts on Pat’s next record.  Pretty cool right?

Michael also has a very cool business with his wife called More Than Music Creations that actually repurposes things like guitar strings into jewelry and also pairs younger folks with music mentors.  Check it out at: https://www.morethanmusiccreations.com/

So here comes episode #110 of the podcast with singer, songwriter, drummer and creator of the Sideman Song Swap concert series, Mr. Michael Kelton!

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean

Welcome to episode #109 of The Troubadour featuring a country music duo I’m gonna go out on a limb and say is THE MOST AUTHENTIC COUNTRY MUSIC ACT I’ve seen in over a decade!  Bold statement eh? 

Well, if you want to debate this then, I ask you to research them, listen to their music, listen to their delivery and album production, examine their “look”, but MOST IMPORTANTLY: I challenge you to observe and FEEL their conviction about what country music IS; what it’s supposed to look like, sound like, and make you feel as a listener. At the end of all of those questions and research, you’re gonna find two brothers, Matt & Cole Reeves.

I’m not going to spend the rest of this blog post continuing to describe them and their journey in music.  Hell, I kinda think that’s what the actual podcast is supposed to be for, right?

I’m just going to ask you to listen and then go to www.thereevesbrothers.com  to check out more.  Follow them on Facebook too.  They are still doing some Facebook Lives now and then that are worth stopping your scrolling for.  Without besmirching all the other acts I know that are still doing FB Lives, these guys are the ones I still stop and listen to if I have the time.

So, do yourself a favor: start following The Reeves Brothers and what they are doing.  Buy their records.  If you truly want to support an artist who is about as true to authentic Country Music as you can get in 2021, The Reeves Brothers are a good place to start.

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean

Hey Troubadour Faithful.  Welcome to this week’s episode of The Troubadour.

This week we’re visiting with an artist who’s the real deal.  Jordan Robert Kirk was born with a voice that simply must be heard to be appreciated.

With his new record, Western Holler in his pocket, the singer/songwriter and honest to goodness cotton farmer and cattle rancher, is ready for the country to be past the pandemic so he can perform his new tunes.

If this podcast had an “artist to watch” list, Jordan would definitely be on it.  So, kick back and enjoy our latest bit of content here on The Troubadour featuring west texan, Jordan Robert Kirk.

Go to www.jordanrobertkirk.com  to check out more.

 How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean

Josh Crutchmer – Author of The Red Dirt Book

            Author Josh Crutchmer is our guest on this episode of the Troubadour.  Josh has written the quintessential book on the history of Red Dirt Music and all of the people that made the scene what it is and was.

            Josh has had a long career in journalism which started at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK which also coincided with his baptism in Red Dirt Music.  He’s currently an editor at the New York Times.

            To pick up you copy of his book by going to www.reddirtbook.com .

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean

Let’s talk a little bit about one of the most important instruments giving country music it’s signature sound: the pedal steel guitar.

It’s a contraption with so many moving parts, whatcha-ma -call-its, and strings that even a fairly decent guitar player like myself can look at it with total wonderment and intimidation.  Very few folks actually play this instrument and even fewer can be called experts.  But on today’s show, we have one of the experts.

Steve Palousek is a very accomplished steel guitar player who spent a lot of his career on the road with artists like Ray Price, Gene Watson, Gary Stewart and more.

After leaving the road as a steel player he opened his own recording studio, now located in the little town of Holland, TX and has worked with many familiar names in Red Dirt and Texas Country including, Cross Canadian Ragweed, LeeAnn Womack, Mike McClure and others, including yours truly.

To contact Steve about recording at his studio or having him add some steel to your tracks, email him at:  [email protected]

So here we go with episode #106 of the Troubadour with this week’s guest,  steel guitar hero and recording studio owner, Steve Palousek.

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean

Welcome to Episode #105 of The Troubadour. 

This episode is another one in our unofficial series affectionately known as “the sidemen.”  Our guest today is good dude, who showed up here complete with his own sound effects you’ll hear sprinkled throughout the episode; His name is Michael Tarabay.

Tbay has made quite a career in the music business.  It all starts way back when Pat Green took the Texas Music scene by storm and was looking for a bass player.  Tbay came on board as one of the core members of Pat’s first band and in the interview, you’ll hear him recount some of those early days and their rocket ship accension as Pat’s career took off. 

He’s played with several other acts throughout his career and recorded with countless more.

Over the last few years, he and recording engineer wizard, Adam Odor, now even produce their own podcast which is pretty damn entertaining if I do say so myself.  It’s a bit more intermittent than this show but still worth the listen.  Go check out The Bad Truth Podcast anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

So here we go with episode #105 of the Troubadour with this week’s guest, fellow podcaster and bassist, Michael Tarabay.

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean

I’m sure we have quite a few successful and up and coming artists who listen to our podcast, so for all of you imagine this:  Your very first quote, unquote gig is opening for Toby Keith…well, that was reality for today’s guest Jared LoStracco.  You’ll hear all about how that happened in today’s episode.

Jared LoStracco’s career as a musician wasn’t that of a lot of the guests we have.  He’s a graduate of the US Naval Academy and was a Naval officer for 6 years.  However, if it hadn’t been for his time in the military and especially that day he spent on a rocky beach at Guantanamo Bay barbequing, which ultimately led to the gig with Toby Keith, we might not even be talking to him today.

Eventually finding success in a few songwriting contests and invitations to one of the biggest songwriter festivals in the states, he’s gone on to record a record that’s available through his website, www.longwayhome.com . 

So, let’s get rolling with our first episode of 2021 with singer/songwriter Jared LaStracoo!

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean

Welcome to Episode #103 of The Troubadour.  We are honored to have another great songwriter on the show today.

Bernie Nelson is a prolific writer and has had several hits including the #1 song, “Daddy Never Was The Cadillac Kind” for Confederate Railroad.  His songs have sold over 25 million copies on artists such as Conway Twitty, Kenny Chesney, Wynonna, Kris Kristofferson and more.

And as you’ll hear in this episode, a young upstart artist many years ago named Garth Brooks once sold him a pair of boots.

And did I mention, he’s also a published author?

Bernie also mentors other songwriters through his “Weekend at Bernie’s” songwriter workshops.  More info on these events and Bernie’s body of work can by found by going to www.bernienelson.com.  

So let’s get right to it.  Here’s our conversation with the great Bernie Nelson!

How YOU can support the podcast!

If you’re interested in supporting the podcast and helping us FREE CARLY from the bondage of editing every episode CLICK HERE and help us hand off this part of the process to a third party!

There’s another way to support the podcast AND ALSO earn some free swag in the process.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

You can listen to our wonderful podcast by clicking on any of the following links:

The Troubadour Podcast Website, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean