SkiP HappEns Podcast
Skip Clark is a dynamic and captivating podcast host and radio personality who has left an indelible mark on the world of broadcasting. With a voice that can command attention and a personality that oozes charm, Skip has become a beloved figure in the world of entertainment. His passion for storytelling and his ability to connect with his audience shine through in every episode of his podcast and every moment on the airwaves.
Skip’s journey in radio began decades ago, and he has since evolved into a seasoned professional who effortlessly navigates the waves of the media industry. His deep knowledge of music, pop culture, and current events keeps his listeners engaged and coming back for more. Skip Clark's enthusiasm and authenticity make him a trusted voice in the world of podcasting and radio. His dedication to his craft and his commitment to providing quality content continue to make him a standout in the world of broadcasting.
SkiP HappEns Podcast
From Israel to Nashville: Omer Netzer's Unyielding Musical Journey
What happens when a celebrated pop and rock star from Israel decides to pursue his country music dreams in Nashville? This episode takes you through the extraordinary journey of Omer Netzer, who swapped his life in Israel for the musical heartland of the U.S. Hear about his transformative experience of opening for Bon Jovi, a pivotal moment that steered his path towards songwriting and a new musical ambition. We delve into Omer's courageous service as a combat medic and police officer, reflecting on the emotional toll of tragic events, including the harrowing impact of October 7th.
Discover the profound resilience and healing power of music as Omer shares the deeply personal story behind his song, "God Works in Mysterious Ways," inspired by a friend's dying note. Learn how music provided him with a lifeline during times of loss and how his performances across Europe and the U.S. have helped him bridge cultural divides. Omer's story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the unifying power of country music.
Join us as we explore the cultural richness of Israel and the indomitable spirit of an artist who continues to rise in the music industry. Omer talks about his dream collaborations, his travels across the U.S., and the unwavering support of his family. This episode is a celebration of dreams, perseverance, and the incredible journey of a musician who refuses to be defined by borders. Tune in to be inspired by Omer Netzer's story and his unwavering commitment to his art.
Thanks for listening! Follow us at youtube.com/c/skiphappens
now live. Hello everybody, welcome to skip happens, the podcast where we dive deep into the heart of country music and, of course, I'm your host, skip clark. And each week we sit down with some of the hottest names in country music the past, the present, the future. And tonight's going to be a great story, because not only this story, but we're going to talk about the journey, the journey that has put olmeir right here on my screen. I guess so it's going to be about the journey, the journey that has put Omer right here on my screen. I guess it's going to be pretty cool. When you hear this story, you're just going to go holy crap, what has this guy been through? What is he doing? Well, I know what he's doing. He's making it work, but Omer Netzer is with me. Omer, how are you? Omer? See, I told you I would mess it up.
Speaker 3:Omer, the first time was perfect.
Speaker 1:I know Well, that's why this is called Skip Happens, because names suck. I mean it doesn't matter where you're from or whatever Any name is like it's hard so Omer, omer.
Speaker 3:Yes, perfect.
Speaker 1:Omer Netzer Right, I got it right. Yes, uh, you are israeli, but you're a country music singer, and all right. Where are you right now? Um franklin tennessee awesome right outside nashville I love that now, how long have you actually been in Nashville?
Speaker 3:So I'm officially relocated six months ago.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:But I'm here almost four years after opening, pro Bon Jovi and I got a show. I got a chance to represent Israel at the International Blues Fest in Memphis. The first time I got into Nashvilleashville, memphis, the nashville I met bon jovi manager back then and so he told me that I need, he told me that I need to write songs. So that's so, that's. That's what I've been doing for a few years back and forth.
Speaker 1:Um, that's cool and been doing for a few years back and forth. Um, that's cool and yeah, to hook up with somebody from like bon jovi I mean it's just to get into that camp it's got to be pretty awesome. Now you open up for bon jovi in israel or here in the states israel, israel.
Speaker 3:What's special? Because today I had a meeting with the couple who owned the bar, the Bon Jovi bar in Nashville, which is like everything's come together these days for me.
Speaker 1:It's cool, it's all coming together for you, but it's taken a lot to get to this point. Let's talk about that story a little bit, because you came over here to go country. Now you correct me if I'm wrong, omer you were a big star in Israel. You were doing pop, you were doing rock, but you wanted to do country. And you said if I'm going to do country, I need to go to Nashville in the United States of America, correct? So you get over here and you start doing your thing, and we all know what happened on October 7th. Now, let me, let me back up a little bit. You were, I guess I was told that everybody there has to be in like, has to serve their country. Is that true?
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, men, and women, yes, at the age of 18, male need to serve three years and females two years. And I, I, I had, and I was a combat medic. Combat medic yes, that's what I had At the age of 18, I served, I, you know, spend my time and and then I do during my career music career I decided that the one I want more. So I joined the police force, so it kind of was a volunteering for me because, um, because I wanted to do, I wanted to do more for my country, and so that that's what I've been doing for four years. Okay.
Speaker 1:Um, was that after October 7th that you more or less reenlisted, or no? It was this. No, it was four years, four years.
Speaker 3:Oh, okay, then you were done. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I was. I was there back and forth.
Speaker 1:I got you.
Speaker 3:With my team and when October 7 happened I went back with that team at the police force for four months. I fought there for four months at the police force with my team you're on the lines yeah and yeah and I lost everyone.
Speaker 3:Everyone lost someone. And it's not, it's not again, it's not about me. There is thousands of heroes from that day and everyone lost someone. But I lost three of my best friends and and actually last week I went, I went over my wedding album. My wife made an album for my wedding and I went over the the album and then I saw beautiful picture. I was so happy on that moment. But on the back of that picture I saw three people.
Speaker 3:Two of them are gone, just one of them left, and he actually my god, he's gonna yeah, so so nothing, nothing is happy anymore, like like, like used to be, and so so, basically, my story is that all those four months when I was there, we did, we did great missions and we did, we did good for for, for everything that we believe in, you know, and it's it's literally good against uh the evil it's literally that it's no doubt black and white and and, and, because we did those missions, um, they offered me a job.
Speaker 3:Uh, the police force, and uh, and uh, I told him yes. I told him yes because I didn't realize what's the point of doing music anymore. Uh, everything for me, everything went black, because everything was gone. Yes, yes, absolutely yes. So all right, and then I went to my wife and I told her that that's it, that's it the music. I don't want to do music anymore.
Speaker 3:It was, it was too much. Even even even you know music business it's, it's, sometimes it's too much. And then you went there and you saw what's, you know I, and every day, it was, it was, it wasn't, it wasn't just one mission, it was few missions every day. And you know, it was, it was a lot. And and, uh, I told her that I don't want to do music anymore. And and she said, no, no, you have to give it more, one more chance. And but we didn't have the money to buy flight tickets to all of us. So we gathered what we had and we bought only one flight ticket just for me, for three weeks to be here yes to be here.
Speaker 1:That had to be knowing that. You got hamas right there, the evil I call him the evil right there with you, yes, um, and you're fighting for your country and you come over here and your wife and daughter there are there. Dude, I, I, wow, I, I just, you know, I don't even I'm lost for words, and it's very rare that I'm lost for words. Sometimes I say a lot and it doesn't make any sense, but this has got me totally, totally, totally, like blown away and my heart goes out to you, my heart goes out to your family, my heart goes out to you.
Speaker 3:Still have friends there and I'm sure there's probably family members there that, yeah, my mom, my mom, you know, I'm only right now care about my mom because she I was born and raised in a small town called nahariya and and it's less than two miles from the lebanon border and uh and uh, you know, it's not easy to live there these days, like yesterday they had a drone attack, like literally next next to her house, and now I'm working. I'm working on on, you know. Let's get her over here yes, that's the mission.
Speaker 1:That's the mission. How can we do that before we get into your music? What can we do?
Speaker 1:to help to get you, get your mom over here. And what can we do? Is there a place that? Because it's got to be very hard for you to come over here and try to live your dream of being a country music artist now, knowing that, yes, your wife and daughter are here outside of nashville now, but still you, you have many loved ones still in israel and many loved ones that are being exposed to the danger that you know, here. Here I'm living in the great united states of america, but I watch the news every night and I just, you know, and there isn't a night that goes by where there isn't something going on because of the evil forces, you know, killing innocent people, the children. It, just it tears my heart out and I can see it. I can see it in your face, I can see it in your eyes that. But we need to get your mom over here.
Speaker 1:We need to get the rest of those over here and I'm going to do what I can do. Is there a um, is there like a? Do you have like a go fund me page or something to help out? And I'll make sure they get posted on here, because we all know you're not, you know you're not a millionaire by any, by any means.
Speaker 1:I mean you're, you're struggling, You're just like you, just like, like you know, we're the same here. We're just making enough to pay our bills and and do what we love and but when you have, when you have your loved ones there, we need to get them out of there. We need to get them out of there it's such a beautiful country, but you got to do something.
Speaker 3:So yes, first of all. First of all, thank you, sir, for that and I appreciate you so much. And uh, you you said before about me having tried to, you know, accomplish my dream to be a country artist. But just wanna, just wanna say to you, that's my, my dream. Now it's, it's not, it's not, it's not just about me anymore.
Speaker 3:First, first, uh, um, first and foremost is uh, one of my best friends who died was, he was at a swAT team in Israel and and he would let you know before he died, and I took that note, translated to English and make a song out of it. So, first, it's not, it's not just about me, because there is a lot of heroes that I wanna I want to speak for them. And second, I realized on those six months that God has a bigger purpose for me here and it's to be preached that bridge between people, that I can bring people together. Because how three weeks became six months? Right, and you know I can't answer that, but I can tell you the fact, which was I released a song called God Works in Mysterious Rays.
Speaker 1:I was going to ask you about that.
Speaker 3:That's what I was listening to.
Speaker 1:When you chimed in we were getting ready to go on, I had it on and I was like oh my God, this is so good.
Speaker 3:That song saved my life. That song gave me a second chance. Let's see if I can bring it up here for a minute.
Speaker 1:Hang on, let's listen to a little bit of this. Let's see what we can bring it up here for a minute. Hang on, let's listen to a little bit of this. Let's see what we can do here. It is just give this a listen. You let me know what you think. If you're viewing this right now, I know chrissy is on there and says prayers to your mom, prayers to your family, and uh, thank you, chrissy, for that as well.
Speaker 2:Here we go walk through the fire, been through him. Through him, I've loved and I've lost. I've been down on myself. The day that I met you, everything changed and God works in a mysterious way. Instead of holding the bottle, I'm holding your hand. I'm reading the Bible To be a better man. When you walk through the shadow, it's how you learn how to face. God works in mysterious ways.
Speaker 1:Dude, that is just wow. Thank you and those watching this or listening. You pretty much get the gist of that right there and I'm sure we'll tell you how to get your hands on that here in a little bit. But wow, so that and that, actually actually that song your publicist was telling me, that song pretty much saved your life yes, exactly so I will.
Speaker 3:I released that song after two weeks and I just, you know, just got here and I, you know, I was so rookie, I just got here from the war, I didn't know what to do. I was like I was all over the place in that song. I released that song and then I got to play. There is an organization called o7c, october 7th coalition. There there there are a christian organization that basically took me and called me hey, we're going to tour the churches in the united states and that's what I've been doing, and and and and.
Speaker 3:Then I start playing wheelchair bases here and, and, you know, and that organization, with, with the churches, raise money for, for flight tickets to my family, my wife and my daughter, because imagine that again, it's not about me anymore, because there is a lot of heroes there but I left Emily, my daughter, when she was five months and I didn't saw her for four months and then I was here two months, so it was a long period of time that I didn't saw my family and they helped me to bring them here. So, and it's all because of that song. Wow, I know, oh, uh, oh go ahead.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry yeah, no, no, please no no, no, I see, um, I know jacob smalley. He's an artist in nashville and I see he commented already fantastic writing, dude, you really you've got a lot going for you. But that does uh. Songs like god works in mysterious ways. It saves your life. I get that, I understand that wholeheartedly. But does this take away a lot of the pain when you think about what your music and when you sing and you perform these songs? Does it take away from the pain of knowing that you lost some of your friends, some your best friends, some of your loved ones? Um, it must, right, it helps you yeah, yeah, of course.
Speaker 3:I mean, you're never gonna know right right, yeah, I know it, it helps me and and you know, I know that I can help other now and I know sometimes you teach you, especially in the night, and hit you and I, you know you go over your text messages with your friends and you know you wish you can send them and hey, I got you know, I wish I, you know, when I got the cma I got the chance to play the cma this year. Yes and uh, yes and uh. I just wanted to, you know, send those texts because you know it's, it's a big achievement for me and I'm the first Israeli ever doing those stuff here. And you want to send them a text but you can't, they're gone.
Speaker 1:So that's when they hit you, that's when it hits me when you want to tell them and you can't. But you know what, think about it. They know it and they see it and, believe me, they're smiling in heaven and they're heroes. So you know and they know what you're doing. There's no doubt in my mind, no doubt in my mind, and I'm going to say something here. You know what? I want to have a beer with you. Seriously, I want to go and have some. I just, you're just. There's some. You know, I feel like we've known each other for such a long time now and now though it's been what?
Speaker 1:15 minutes. But it's like just this story is remarkable and you're such a strong man you wrote that right. God works in mysterious ways. You wrote that. But now, if whiskey was a friend, I saw that one on there as well. Tell us about that a little bit actually.
Speaker 3:So you know my writing been changed a lot. So and that song if whiskey was a friend I wrote before the war and I just, I just want to, I just wanted to share with the world. Actually I said I call right this the song with Trevin Harvey and Stephen Hanley which Stephen Hanley is one of my best friends in Nashville and my co-writer and I sat in the room and I told them hey guys, I don't think I have a whiskey song yet and I called myself a country artist. This does not make sense. So that's basically the story. Yeah, that's basically the story of that song. I didn't have a whiskey song and I thought, hey, I want to do something else. And if whiskey was a friend, you know, a friend wouldn't tell you, call your ex.
Speaker 1:You know 3 am and it's all about that, basically, I call my ex at 3 am. Well, I can't do that now. I'm married, but I'm just saying Never mind Never mind She'd have cops banging on my door.
Speaker 2:Do you?
Speaker 1:drink whiskey.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:What's your flavor? What kind do you like? Are you a Jack guy?
Speaker 3:Yeah, if it's like before shows and bars, I'll do Jack.
Speaker 1:Have you been welcomed into the community? I mean with open arms, because obviously you don't sound like every other country singer. You've got your Israeli accent and all that. The music is phenomenal, love the raspiness in your voice and all that. But have you been welcomed with open arms, I would.
Speaker 3:Yeah, actually. Yeah, it's been totally a blessing for me and you know when I'm talking. You can hear my accent right.
Speaker 2:But when I'm singing?
Speaker 3:yes, and that's one of the reasons when you know, when I'm asking myself why I believe that God has a purpose for me here, because he took my accent when I'm singing.
Speaker 1:Right there. He has a purpose. You and I are talking right here and that's part of that purpose, and to get your message out Absolutely yes, 100%.
Speaker 3:So yeah, nashville is my home, home and it's been a blessing, and the CMA and the CRS and the small achievement which is big for me, and all the meetings that I have here in Nashville. It's going to be amazing. I can feel it.
Speaker 1:I've been going to CRS for a lot of years.
Speaker 3:Excuse me, been goings for a lot of years excuse me, been going there for a lot of years, um, and you were at the last one.
Speaker 2:Yeah it, just it, just yeah, it happened two weeks after it happened.
Speaker 3:It happened two weeks after I I forgot here, which, which was crazy because I didn't realize everyone, everyone is like signing up like a year in advance and I was, I was just, I was just there and I didn't know what to do. So I went into into the hotel and I just, you know, with my hr, went up, went over there like the security guys and said like like I'm, you know, one of the guys, and I just got into the you know the whatever room with all the oh yeah interviews and just went into into you know, hey, what's up? My name is omri. I think you want to hear that story and what's up on that?
Speaker 3:uh you know, I love it, I love it.
Speaker 1:I love it, but the thing that pisses me off is I should have met you but apparently jeff galko had uh, he was hiding you from me, because I see jeff all the time everywhere we go.
Speaker 1:But now he's, he says matter of fact I don't know if you can see the notes on there he says I'm here eating dinner at a place and I'm in tears listening to you both. So he's, you know I'm going to say this. I've known Jeff for a long time and I know a lot of people have come and go gone with him. You know when he does his thing for them. But he speaks very highly and really takes care of the people that he works for. Absolutely so I just you know what I'm saying. He's he's a good man to have with you, one of the best, and, uh, and he's funny.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh yeah we'll have to tell you stories, I, I love that.
Speaker 1:So, uh, how long did it take you to learn english? Or have you known english all your life?
Speaker 3:is that I think on my life, you know. So I didn't, I didn't, we didn't talk about the beginning, and, and the beginning is that I, uh, so I was born, raised in aria, a small town in israel, and my parents, they, they own a music store. Yes, so that's how everything began. So I think music taught me how to sing, how to talk, and so you know what's funny. So my first instrument was drums when I was six, and when I was 10, I got my first guitar, and when I was 11, I started playing Johnny Cash. I love it, and it's really, really, really rare in Israel. It's not coming on the radio, it's like you know. So, and it's really, really, really rare in Israel. It's not coming on the radio, it's like you know, right, right.
Speaker 1:So how did you find out about Johnny Cash? Then the music store, the music.
Speaker 3:Oh, that makes sense yeah, yeah, yeah, like I was listening to everything like the country, the old swan blues and rock and roll and everything. That's how I grew up, you know it wasn't like when I. You know it wasn't like youtube or something like that. I was just cds or finals. That's what we had.
Speaker 1:So you were. You're saying that you listened to the music and that's how you learned a lot of English.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and just kind of on a different level, I can understand what you're saying because we're a big baseball family here. We used to house the players, washington Nationals players lived with us and we had a lot of the Latino players here Speak no English, but I would come home from work and they'd have the television on and they'd have to scroll on the bottom. They'd have it in Spanish, you know, but then scroll was in English and I said, adrian, what's that? He goes, that's how we learn English, that's how. So he's watching the scroll, as you know, whatever they're saying in Spanish. So it's just kind of like. It's almost like the same thing you listen to the records to learn some english. Yeah, yeah, they were watching the scroll on the television to learn english.
Speaker 1:So that's cool. That's cool. It's the um the record store. So you had in that record store. You had all sorts of music from the united states as well as, obviously, uh, israel, yeah, so you had it all. You had it all.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like the first. The first the first floor was like CDs, vinyls you know everything you can hear. And the second floor was instruments guitars and piano and drums, and the third floor was like DJ stuff. So I wasn't it's not my thing, this deal this is the real deal.
Speaker 1:It's like three floors. That is so cool. Can I ask, is it still there?
Speaker 3:uh, it's still there, but it's like right now it's a ghost town, yeah, so it's. It's really, really, really crazy what's going on right now. And, uh, you know people are scared and you know you can, you can go, you know I woke up and uh, I can grab a coffee wherever I want, but then you can't you can't you just? Can't, you can, you can go to. You're scared to go, to go like to go buy groceries.
Speaker 1:It's, it's really scary and let's just be real it's kind of scary to leave the house here now once every once in a while. So I'm just saying you know, I mean we laugh about it, but it's you know when you think about it the way. You know we have our issues here. Nothing like there by any means, but still you know we're reading about different things, we're seeing it on the news, things happening in every city across the United States. You know.
Speaker 3:So what happened in Chicago?
Speaker 1:Oh things happening in every city across the united states. You know so what happened in chicago, oh my god yeah, yeah, they got the. Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy. We are so divided as a country although thank nothing here again what you guys, we can't even come close to that but, um, we're so divided. But music like what you do, the songs that you sing, that's the type of music that's going to bring us back together.
Speaker 3:We need more of that, omer. We need that. That's my dream. That's my dream because, you know, and I believe that music can bring people together. I really believe. I saw it happen every day here. I saw it happen every day here and you know, we just need to find ourselves and we need to find each other, because that's all we have. We have one world and we need to, you know, embrace it and love it. We are all brothers and sisters, we are, we are 100%.
Speaker 3:Yes, you know and I believe because what I saw and the things I experienced, you know, and and I and I believe because, because, while I saw and the things I I experienced, it it's that's uh, you know, uh, the world is tough, but you need, you know, you need to look on a positive side.
Speaker 1:That's all you need to to see, yeah, was it hard, though I mean you wanted to, and I'm sorry if I repeat myself, but was it hard when you? You came over here because you wanted to do country music but, dude, you were kicking ass over there doing pop and rock. I mean, was it hard to leave that environment to come here, or is this? You were like nope, this is what we're gonna do.
Speaker 3:So yeah, I just want to get so me as a you want to know, but still so first me as a person. I want to get better in every aspect. I want to be a good father. I want to be a better. I want to get better in every aspect. I want to be a good father. I want to be a better husband.
Speaker 3:I want to be a better musician, better writer, better everything and better friend and you know, I think that over the last three years I've become a better writer and a better musician, and it's all because of Nashville and the musicians that I so you're hanging around with a group a good bunch, I would assume you're.
Speaker 1:You've got a group of guys that you hang with, that you write with.
Speaker 3:Do you get out to writers nights and kind of do things and like that, yeah, and because, and and again, because of my experiences and, uh, you know all the big stages that I've been playing, uh, in europe, and you know, all over the place, I had my experience. And which is different, because I told you and you know, sometimes, when I said, when I'm saying, uh, the writers around that their writer next to me just want to be a star and it's not my goal. I know that it come with, uh, you know, with what I'm going to accomplish, but it's not my dream. My dream is totally different. I had those big stages. I don't know how I'll be playing it again, those big stages, but I just want to be out there, inspired other people. That's all I want to do it's other.
Speaker 1:That's basically what I was asking, because, knowing a little bit about your past and performing in Israel, being on the big stages, being a big star over there, now you're starting over, but you know what it's not like. You know, let me just put it you are a star, you are a hero, you are everything that goes along with that, but you're here and it's not like I don't think you have the feeling like I got to be on that big stage again and I need to be on there soon. No, no, you're doing it a step at a time and you're just trying to get better at everything you do and whatever it takes to get that done, you're going to do so. Very cool, oh my God.
Speaker 1:See you're so humble and it just that's just something to be said. So, and there's not a lot of well, I shouldn't say that there are a lot of people that are humble, but still just everything about you uh over in Israel. Now, obviously, I've never been there, Never, ever been there. I see it on the news.
Speaker 3:I've seen some beautiful, beautiful beaches, beautiful we will go together, I promise you yeah, okay, yes, okay, but not right now, not right now, but tel aviv, like it's a beautiful city and and and and yeah, the beach, and you know bars and restaurants. The food is great, the coffee is great.
Speaker 3:I know you love coffee, but oh yeah, that's like you know, and I've been in rome and italy, I've been all over italy and it doesn't compare really, yeah, there is, you know, it's just really good coffee I don't know how to explain it and and uh, and of uh, and, of course, jerusalem, the cultures, the churches, you know everything, uh, the, the, the Red Sea, um, and it's a really, really, really beautiful country and you know, we need, we need to protect that country.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Have you um, where they did that whole attack on October 7th? Were you 7th? Have you been actually where that happened, have you? It was a music festival and then that's where they attacked.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, which was special for me on September 5th there is a Nova exhibit in LA and they invited me to play in that exhibit, which it's a big deal for me. I get it September 5th, the Nova exhibit in LA. I'm going to play there.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, in LA you said yes, yeah.
Speaker 3:Everything stayed the same in israel, where was the nova music festival? And you know it's uh, people, people went. People went to have a, have a good time, dance, party and listen to music and 6 30 am they find themselves.
Speaker 1:They're self-like and what. What is their whole objective? Why? Why, though, I just don't get it? Why? Why can't I? I, I don't know, I don't want to get into a lot of those details, but just somebody that you know being here where I am and you watch, you know a lot of our news and stuff is a man for, and just I just go, what the hell?
Speaker 3:why? You know what you just hate, just hate. Let's, let's see like that. Just hate state yeah that's stupid, but you're gonna fix one all of us, all your music's definitely helping out if somebody wanted to omar.
Speaker 1:Uh, if somebody want omar, good thing. I'm not putting a quarter in a jar every time I say it the wrong way. You know um a funny story. So, uh, today of course I was talking to jeff and he told me, no, it's omar. I said, okay, all right. I said I'm gonna mess it up, don't worry. But, uh, but today at work we I have a good friend of mine is Jewish and I said okay, here's the name. He goes no, it's Omer, it's Omer. I go okay, all right, I got it, I got it.
Speaker 3:Steve. Okay, apologize, my friend. I apologize, it's not just you, but you know I almost got you know, when I got here it was a few issues, but I almost got to change my name. Really, you don't want to change your name? I won't and I'll never.
Speaker 1:No don't.
Speaker 3:I was born with that name, I fought with that name and I will die with that name, that name. I fought with that name and I was that with that name and but you know, and so I thought about it and, uh, you know, it's been a month or so, I was like thought about it and then steven henley, my friend and my, the one who broke with me if whiskey was a friend uh, told me, you know, omer, if I can say omer netzer, and I'm Redneck from Knoxville everyone, everyone everyone can say that name, which is like funny.
Speaker 2:I love it.
Speaker 3:That helped me, you know yeah.
Speaker 1:Have you ever been to the Northeast at all? Like we're located in Syracuse, new York, so we're upstate New York.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Have you been like to New York City, which is obviously way down street state? Yeah, but yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would love to come and visit you.
Speaker 1:I would love to have you come. I put you in front of listeners, I would definitely, and you've got a story that needs to be heard and be told and I would definitely do that. So we'll we'll have to talk about that. I'll see what I can do on my end. Have you been to other places in the United States? You've been to the West Coast, la, and all that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, okay, I showed in LA yesterday, came back from Harbor Spring, michigan, which was one of the beautiful places I've ever been I don't know. Yeah, like the sand and then like the lake, which is like an ocean, which is the houses on the lake, and yeah, I was playing there for one of the Christian organizations that I'm involved with and it was. You know, it was really, really, really, it really touched me because I saw a lot of people that inspired by the story and by the music and and, yeah, it's, I told you I'm, that's my dream and I'm living my dream, I can tell.
Speaker 1:I can tell you are living it and it's it's not going to end anytime soon. You just keep going, keep taking those forward steps, my friend. Um, so if you could, uh, do collaborate with anybody you said you opened up for bon jovi, but if you could actually collaborate with anybody, who, who would you like to do that with? You? Have anybody that could, I, I could, your voices would go pretty awesome together yeah, I think we can, I think yeah, why not?
Speaker 1:Stapleton's been quite the writer and now performer. I mean just selling out stadiums, why not right? That's pretty cool, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 3:It will happen. It will happen.
Speaker 1:It will happen, I know it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know that.
Speaker 1:There's no doubt in my mind. It's going to happen If you weren't doing music what do you think you'd be doing, detective? Yeah, I could see you doing that. You're into police work I, because obviously you joined the police force or they hired you over in israel.
Speaker 1:I get that yeah but yeah, but I have a lot of friends that are police officers here. It's pretty unique and it's interesting. Do you watch a lot of those crime shows on television and all that? I lived it. Yeah, you lived it. You don't need to watch it. No, trust me, I know. See, that's me speaking before. I think I'm just saying what do you drive?
Speaker 3:I'm sorry about it.
Speaker 1:I always like to ask questions that nobody else asks.
Speaker 2:It's like Omer, what do you drive?
Speaker 3:Just ask what's my dream car. Know what I'm driving now. What's your dream car?
Speaker 2:Not what I'm driving now. What's your dream car?
Speaker 1:Well, I'm driving a Kia and I'm a country boy.
Speaker 3:We got a Honda because that's it's good on gas. Yeah, yeah, yeah. One of the organizations that I'm working with actually bought me that car.
Speaker 1:Oh, they got you.
Speaker 3:That's right, Jeff you tell me that I should. They got you, that's right.
Speaker 1:Jeff tell me that I should have spoken without thinking.
Speaker 3:But my dream car is a Raptor. That's what I really want.
Speaker 1:Oh, dude, those are nice. Ford Raptor, yeah, yeah, I don't. Oh, yeah, you know what? You just keep going, you're going to get it, you're going to get. You just keep going, you're gonna get it, you're gonna get it. Thank you, yeah, and uh, I know a lot of labels have been looking at you, from what I understand. I know when you were at crs I heard that big loud was expressed a little bit of interest in what you're doing and uh, it's a great label. I got a lot of friends there, so that's that's cool.
Speaker 3:I just, I just want to say that sarah, from from that company, she's an amazing, amazing, amazing person, loyal and honest, and you know, that's that's what I need in my life. She's the light. You know, I'm looking, I'm looking for the light now and I'm that's what I'm searching in my life.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Do you think you'll go back to Israel at all? I mean probably just a visit? I would say.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'll go, I'll go. I'll go have a small trip and visit, that's I'd be scared.
Speaker 1:Absolutely I'd be scared, don't mess dude you're awesome if somebody wanted to find out more about you. Omer, I had a pause, omer, um, thank you. How can they, um, how can they find out more about you? Do you have your own website?
Speaker 3:Yeah, omer, netzercom.
Speaker 1:It's that easy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, omer netzer fish show and like on the Instagram. And yeah, I was going to ask about the socials.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah.
Speaker 3:I was going to ask about the socials.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, I got you and that's pretty cool. You know, omer, this has been quite the story and it's more than a story, it's true, it's life, it's what just somebody like you has gone through. And now, here you are, and now we have the goal and the mission is to get your mom and any other loved ones over here where they can be safe. You know now, every time I see the news, I'm gonna go oh my god, I gotta call omer I got. That's how I'm gonna feel. So it's like god, I hope you know I can only pray every time I see that they never show anything good on the news.
Speaker 1:You know that's going to be all.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's all the bad bad stuff.
Speaker 1:So thank you, sir. Yeah, well, it's been a pleasure chatting with you same.
Speaker 3:Thank you for having me. I really really appreciate it and like the question and everything it's, I really I'm really waiting for our beer so, oh dude, I'm serious.
Speaker 1:You're the type of guy where I'm going to say put the guitar down, come on, we're gonna go have a beer we're gonna go and we're gonna. We're gonna talk. I want to hear more about you and and and all that. We'll do it at CRS. I promise you and it's on me, so I promise I'll have a good time, jeff. Jeff, if you're listening and watching, make sure it happens. I'm just saying that's going to be good. What can I ask? What is your wife's name? Osher?
Speaker 3:Osher name. Oh sure, oh sure, that's how you say it. Oh sure, yeah, but it means happiness in hebrew and my and emily, of course.
Speaker 1:So we're cool, yeah, and your little one, what's her name? Emily, emily, yeah, just like emily yes, just like that well I expected another, I don't know Like.
Speaker 3:Omer Orser, no, emily.
Speaker 1:Emily, emily, I love it. Omer, thank you. Thank you for being here, thank you for being who you are, thank you for everything that you've done for your country. Thank you for everything you're doing here for us the great music hoping to bring people together. You know, like you say in your song, god works in mysterious ways and he does and he does. And here you are, and there's a reason for that. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to talk to you. Jacob Smalley just said just followed you, brother, fantastic story, can't wait to meet you. He's a musician out there, so that's pretty cool. That's pretty cool. So he's a musician out there. That's pretty cool. We're making new friends. You know what it is. It's one friend at a time.
Speaker 3:One friend at a time.
Speaker 1:It's a whole world. It's going to be a crazy question. All of a sudden, these thoughts come into my mind Bam, there it is. Have you ever seen snow? Yeah, oh okay. Was that a stupid snow? Yeah, oh okay, was that a stupid question? No, you can say yes, no.
Speaker 3:No, I don't know, but when I drove to Harbor Spring I saw like this is like winter there. It's like a real winter.
Speaker 1:Oh, this is the real winter. Yeah, when you get up there, yeah, yeah yeah, so I'll try.
Speaker 3:I'll try to drive there at a winter time it can be fun, just yeah careful for me, yeah, yeah for me, yeah.
Speaker 1:So what is, uh? What is the weather like in israel?
Speaker 3:hot, it's like summer, summer, summer summer. Two days of winter, summer, summer, so summer summer, really, that's all.
Speaker 1:Yes, non-stop. Wow, that's great. Well, now you get some seasons anyways, but we've been getting a lot Nashville, you get a little bit of a. You've been getting what the tornadoes and the thunderstorms and all that crap. So, yeah, we have two in the Northeast and we never used to get them. So, all right, uh, omer, you are awesome. God bless you, my friend. Uh, thank you for coming on. Skip happens tonight. Um, just a great, great, great conversation. You know, I love what you do. You're a hero, there's no doubt. You're not only a musician, you're a hero, and thank you for standing up for your country. That's what, that's what matters, and God bless you and your wife and your little girl, emily, and uh, you know, I hope to see you soon.
Speaker 1:Thank you, sir. All right, there you have it. It's omar said. No, omar netzer, and you know jeff's gonna yell at me. But omar netzer, and make sure you look him up online, become a fan. If you don't, you're crazy. I telling you this guy is good and he's got a great story and he's a hero. So thank you for joining us here on Skip Happens tonight. Omer, have a great night, hang on, we're going to talk in just a moment. There you go, dude. Yeah.
