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
Cody Ross Smith: The Authentic Voice of Independent Country
And we're live. Let's do it. Hello everybody, and welcome back to another episode of Skip Happens, where we bring you the stories that inspire and connect. I'm your host, skip Clark, you know that, and we have a true rising star in the world of independent country music, and I love this. He's been turning heads with his raw, authentic sound and his deeply personal lyrics. He's been turning heads with his raw, authentic sound and his deeply personal lyrics From his early influences to his evolution as an artist. Cody has carved out his own path in the ever-changing landscape of country music and now tonight we're going to be diving into his journey. We're going to talk everything from what first drew him into the genre and then how he's built such a strong connection. And let's say hello to Cody. Welcome to Skip Happens, my friend. How are you?
Speaker 2:Good man Good. How are you doing?
Speaker 1:We're doing good, a little bit late tonight, I apologize.
Speaker 2:Hey, it's all good, Stuff happens. Skip, stuff happens.
Speaker 1:Well, we call it Skip Happens.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, that's a pretty good name for it. You never know, it's all technology, but we've now connected, which is really good. Uh, cody, tell me a little bit about where are you right now? Where in the world is Cody?
Speaker 2:Um so I am in Middletown.
Speaker 1:Pennsylvania. I actually just finished playing a show in Middletown, yeah so you know what I mentioned, that you're going to be on Skip Happens tonight, and somebody immediately posted he's our Harrisburg boy that is yes, that's pretty close to where you are correct.
Speaker 2:Yes, so yeah, probably, from where I'm at right here, probably not even 10 minutes from where. I live from where I live, actually like 25, 30 minutes maybe, so yeah, Now you've 25, 30 minutes maybe.
Speaker 1:So yeah, now you've Cody. Early on, you've been recognized as an emerging talent in independent country music. What first drew you to the genre and how did you know that country music was your calling?
Speaker 2:Oh, man, you know I grew up. I grew up on 90s country. I'm a 90s country baby, but at the same time I can also say that I grew up on classic rock. I mainly had two stations growing up listening to, and my mom was the country radio station and my dad was the classic rock station.
Speaker 1:I kind of figured that's the way it would be.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So you know whoever I was riding around with if it was mom, I was hearing all the great 90s country, and if it was a dad, I was hearing all the great classic rock and that's what I grew up listening to. Um, that's that's what I grew up listening to. And you know what really drew me to country? Um and I, I will say I played a lot of rock and roll and like heavy metal in high school and, um, shortly out of high school.
Speaker 2:And then I always, I always had a soft spot for country, but I never, I never played it, I never performed it out or anything. I just I was too much in love with heavy rock and roll and metal and stuff. But then, about I don't know 20, when I was probably like 22, started going out to the open mics in the area, uh, playing country and bluegrass, and just shifted, shifted gears, you know, right then. And there I decided that you know the the country scene is is where I want to be and I still, I still have a deep love for all rock and roll or heavy metal, just so everybody knows and definitely would like to, and actually I think you might be able to hear it in some of the stuff that I do. I try to incorporate a bit of a southern rock vibe or a rock vibe in general into the stuff that I'm doing.
Speaker 1:I love that You're writing as well, correct? Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:And tell me about your songwriting process. Man, it is as abstract as it could possibly, as any person could possibly write songs Like um I I. I try not to force right. I try not to sit down and, you know, be like I need to write a new song. I try not to do that. I try to get genuine. You know, inspiration when it comes as it comes and um it built build. Off of that, I mean I could be. You know, I could be sitting here right now and just kind of have a liner, you know, like a line or two pop into my head, that's kind of catchy and I'll jump to my phone and go into my notes and just get it down as quick as I can and and then I'll I'll go back and revisit it when I do have time to sit down and try to get something together. It's yeah, man, there is no method to what I have created so far at all.
Speaker 1:I swear to God. Maybe that's a good thing. I mean, you know it could be. It's something different. Do you take your personal experiences and turn them into lyrics? Most definitely yeah.
Speaker 2:Most definitely I try. You know, there's a lot of people, a lot of awesome songwriters, that are so good at talking to someone and like pulling ideas from someone else's experiences, you know, or stories. I have not developed, uh, that kind of talent yet. I can only write about personal uh. You know how I'm, how I'm feeling personally, or or something that's happened in my life so do you get um?
Speaker 1:do you get any help from your hometown radio stations?
Speaker 2:I do actually, um, honestly, the first station to ever play any of my stuff would have been a station called red. One or two, three, uh out of carlisle, okay, um, and the program director it's and it's funny, you, you brought that up the program director there, uh, rick, uh, he actually just retired, um, like two weeks ago maybe, and he has been with that station for I want to say, oh my God, probably at least 20 years, if not more. I feel bad. I should know that number. He's, he's been at that station forever. Um, so I give him, I give him a huge debt of gratitude for um putting my music on.
Speaker 2:Um, they, they had a thing called Sunday night center stage and I'm sure they're, I'm sure they're still going to do it, but it was a Sunday night showcase of a local country talent. A sunday night showcase of, uh, local country talent. Yeah, they would do like three to four artists um, every sunday afternoon slash evening and showcase, like you know, uh, however many songs they could fit into the program or whatever, but yeah for sure, uh, I got rick stenn red one, 1023. And now, more recently, I have to say that Bigfoot Country, I think it's 92.5 out of Lewistown, pennsylvania Bigfoot Pete. I got to give him a huge shout out. He has been playing a lot of my music. Actually, everybody at the station up there has been playing. See how cool is that.
Speaker 1:It's serious. They get the hometown love.
Speaker 2:That's there's nothing better and like. So I gotta say lewistown is like lewistown's like an hour, I think it's an hour away from where I'm at, from where I live, um, so for them to just be willing to con, to consistently like it's um, some of my songs are consistently in rotation, you know, on the daily. It's not, uh, it's not so much just like a, a specified you know showcase or you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:it's actually in a rotation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I'm so I'm beyond grateful, man beyond grateful absolutely it's.
Speaker 1:It's great to have that connection. It's hometown, it's local, that's, and we need to see a lot more of that. We kind of got away from that and now we need to bring it back home with everything that's going back, that's going on. What, um, tell us a little bit. I mean music it's, it's your love, it's your passion. Correct me if I'm wrong. I was reading you've been doing it since 2021, just a few years ago, I mean, or what did I?
Speaker 2:so, no, no, no, that's you. You probably read it correctly. Uh, 2021 is when I decided to start on a solo, on a yeah, on a solo career. Prior, prior to 2021, I was in, uh, like two or three different bands over a span of 10 years yeah, 10 years. I think. I started playing out live in 2012.
Speaker 1:All right, cool. Oh my God, how old were you then? Well, it's like all right, you don't have to say it.
Speaker 2:Okay, oh my God, how old were you then? Um well, it's like oh, you don't have to say okay, All right, but listen before I, before I divulge my age you don't have to dude if you don't want to no, I absolutely will.
Speaker 2:I absolutely will, but I it's. You know, I still get compliments. Uh, I take them as compliments. People like all the time they're like, how old are you, how old are you? And I tell them as compliments. People like all the time they're like how old are you, how old are you? And I tell them and they're like, well, you don't look your age. And I'm like, well, that's a good thing and I hope it stays that way. I hope you know um, but now so, uh, 2012, I was 12, I was 20. Uh, all right, that's good we get 20 couple.
Speaker 1:I was 20, all right, yeah, yeah, that's, that's good enough, dude. I mean I don't know, you've waited a while, you, you do have a full-time gig and uh, we were talking before we went out in the air with the lights and the cameras and all that good stuff, but you have a full-time gig. Uh, you're doing like construction, road construction, storm sewers, catch basins. I did that too and I hate it. I hated it. It was like it was. It was a lot of work, dude, unless I was running the backhoe or maybe I had the cat dozer or something like that, or the great all digging the ditch. I mean, if I had to go in that ditch, I hated it.
Speaker 2:But you know, you know I work with a lot of awesome guys and I can honestly say I've been with uh. I've been with other companies where they're not so awesome and I really uh, I've I've seen both sides like I've been miserable and I've also been, you know, had some of the uh I wouldn't say best days, but like way, way better than than than uh past experiences at different companies. You know what I mean. I'm really, but like way, way better than than than past experiences at different companies. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:I'm really, I really do?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I really do enjoy the company I work for now and the guys. I get to work with.
Speaker 1:Cool, Get them. I was going to say yeah, and the name of the company. We can have them endorse. The skip happens podcast. I'm just kidding, that's all good. But so now I have to ask well, you're doing a job, Maybe you're laying some 12-inch corrugated pipe steel. I don't know. How is that? See, I still remember. But do you have the radio on and does your song come on and everybody kind of stop and go. Holy crap, that's Cody and go.
Speaker 2:Holy crap, that's Cody. So that specific scenario has not happened, but I can say that my general foreman, he rocks my sticker on the back of his work truck, my sticker on the back of his work truck. So, uh, that's a huge um, I, I, I, I highly uh, thank him like constantly, like thank you for putting my sticker on the back of one of the work trucks, like yeah, no kidding, that's yeah.
Speaker 1:You never know where that truck's gonna be. It's kind of cool yeah, right yeah, so tell us about the song you just dropped the song that is out. Matter of fact, I'm going to play a little bit of it. Here it is. It's cody ross smith. I'm playing back to, back to that. Let's give me a little taste here we go, it's cody we go.
Speaker 2:It's cody. There's an old dirt road that takes me home, a sweet southern song that saves my soul, a honky-tonk town where I grew up and a damned old turn where I wrecked my truck with no trespassing signs and no stoplights, where everybody works hard and the fish are gonna bite and take it on the chin or take it to the bank Can party all night and sing a little hank. These are my stomping grounds from the harbor to the city.
Speaker 1:We'll cut your fried roots and a little bit of hippie my stomping grounds. Yeah, we blue-collar proud, Keep shining side up, get dirty side down.
Speaker 2:It's 5 o'clock around here. All the time Everybody's kicking back where the moon's gonna shine.
Speaker 1:My stomping grounds, dude, that rocks and I can hear a little bit of your rock influence in that song. I hear that guitar riff. I mean that is cool. That is cool, Thank you so? Much you know, and that would be. You know, I hear a lot of music, but that would be one of those songs. If I was cruising down the road man in my hometown, I'd be cranking that. It's just. That's what I'm about. That's what I'm about.
Speaker 2:And I can see. That's what you did there. That's what you're about. So did you really rock the truck on the curve? I did, I did um, but so so it was actually. It was actually my mom's truck that I wrecked um. It wasn't my truck, but she let let me, she let me drive it Um and.
Speaker 2:I wrecked it and, um, I can tell you. So listen, just, I I feel terrible about it. I still feel terrible about it to this day, cause I, I messed the rim up, I rest, I messed the front bumper, like it was. It was pretty bad. But to top it off, I had my little brother riding, shotgun and and I had our dog bow in the back seat and, uh, freaking, I felt so bad, like I was just all I was trying to do was just goof around a little bit and, and you, you know, do a little dukes of hazard maneuver and, uh, it didn't pan out the way I wanted it to and long, long story short, uh, my brother pretty well, bashed his face off the dash and our dog our, our dog bow.
Speaker 2:Oh man, our dog bow flew up through in between the seats and smacked into, smack into the dash too. Now nobody, nobody was hurt, nobody was seriously hurt.
Speaker 1:Okay, I was laughing before. Now I feel bad. If somebody got hurt, that wouldn't be the wow, I'm sorry but can you hear me?
Speaker 2:yeah, I hear you so everybody, everybody was fine, um, but I just you know what I mean I felt genuinely terrible.
Speaker 1:But yes, I did.
Speaker 2:That part of the song is most definitely true.
Speaker 1:I guess that's an example. What I was trying to get at is when somebody like you, you sit down to write a song, you think about what's going on in your life. That happened. Now it's a part of a song and there's probably more than you can imagine that guys that would be listening and going yeah, I did that. Yeah, I did that. Yeah, I messed up there too, so you know that's way good. I'm just reading one of the comments here. Jonathan says hi, skip COVID has kidnapped my wife. Oh boy, yeah, well, we hope everything's okay.
Speaker 2:My mom. My mom tested positive this week.
Speaker 1:She's been. You know it's, it's. I think there's more than we, we really know. I think there's a lot of that going on. So I think it's just like you get the flu, it doesn't matter, you get the flu, it doesn't matter, you get the flu, you take care of yourself, you're going to be OK. So yeah, I don't get into. You know all that whole whole thing about it. So yeah, absolutely. So I mean you get up every day, you go to work. What's your day like? I imagine you're in the ditch at 7 o'clock or doing what you do with the construction work that you do, and then you probably work to 3.30, 4 o'clock, get home, clean up and go play a gig. How does that work for you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're pretty well, spot on. I typically, you know, shows up my way are primarily Friday, saturday nights. Oh, I got you Now tonight, today's Thursday, which is kind of a one-off for me, um, which is kind of a one-off for me, um, I, I pick them up when I can, but they're they're few and far between, uh, venues that'll have live music, um, on like through the week, you know, not on the weekends, um, but yeah, you're, uh, I know. So I actually I just got off a layoff this week, like I, I just came back to work.
Speaker 2:I've been laid off since about christmas, oh, wow, um, yeah, which is which is typical, because you know winter roll, yeah, winter rolls around and um, you, just you know you, you, just you, nobody, nobody wants to be out there freezing their butts off.
Speaker 1:So, um, no, exactly right, I totally get that, totally get that. But as a musician, uh, did you get an opportunity during the layoff maybe to make a trip to nashville or maybe put some tracks down? Were you able to do that?
Speaker 2:I, I did, I did and actually I was down. I went down in november, um, I was still working at the time, um, but then I did end up. I went back down just in february for, more specifically, for uh, crs, um, oh, which is, yeah, country radio seminar yeah and that was my.
Speaker 2:I think that was my third year. It's even my third or fourth year, um, going to that, but the difference, the difference this year, is that I actually, um, actually participated in a lot more as to, as to, like, how the whole thing functions, the event itself, Right, I probably saw you and just didn't realize it.
Speaker 1:I mean, I've been doing that for well over 20 years, really. Were you there, oh I was there.
Speaker 2:Oh dude, oh man.
Speaker 1:No, I know, and it's like I was talking to an artist the other night and it's like dude, were you there? Yeah, I was there. Were you at bar lines? Yeah, I was at bar lines. Hey, were you hanging out in the lobby by kitchen notes? Yeah, I was down there too. Yeah, oh yeah, just you know well, definitely next year, man.
Speaker 1:Next year, now that you know, now that we know each other for sure 100 100 there's, you know it's um I I did meet a lot of the artists that I've had on Skip Happens. It's just nice to put a face I mean you see them anyways, like you and I here but to actually go up and say hello and have a beer or hang out or shake hands. It was nice to catch up with a lot of those people. I look forward to it again. Know, for example, I mean we got a whole year now.
Speaker 1:I think next year it's later in march, so I I think I saw that yeah, did you um, did you perform?
Speaker 2:I did not. I well not not at um, not at bar lines or not at, you know yeah yeah, now, I did have, um, I did have two writers rounds. I think that I did Okay. Uh, yeah, I did. Yeah, I had two writers rounds in town, uh, while I was there and uh, I actually I kinda I kinda lied, I did get to play a suite.
Speaker 1:Uh, showcase for um did get to play a suite.
Speaker 2:Uh showcase for um oh my god, nashville music, god, nash music, god, oh okay, okay, yeah, I did get to do that that was in the omni, correct.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, yes, okay, there, you know. They have the sweet things going on everywhere. B-dubs got his suite. All the big labels have their yes, there's so many.
Speaker 2:Like, anybody with a suite is probably having music. They're probably having musicians play.
Speaker 1:But it's a good opportunity for somebody like you, if somebody's watching this, just to be at that event, because pretty much anybody that's anybody will be there at least for one day out of the three, if not all three. And it's good to well networking, Because you and I both know sometimes it's who you know and not necessarily anything else.
Speaker 2:Most definitely.
Speaker 1:It kind of sucks that it's that way sometimes, but it works out, it works out. Hey, cody, is there one song from your catalog that kind of holds a special place in your heart and if there is, could you share the story or inspiration behind it?
Speaker 2:oh man, um. So probably, as far as songs that are released, the most sentimental to me, uh is definitely my grandpa's song. Uh, it's called that's my grandpa, um and uh, yeah, he, uh, he was. So I lost my first grandfather in 2012. I lost my uh last grandfather, uh, 2019 and um. So I wrote I wrote that's my grandpa. More specifically, about my uh last grandfather passed away in 2019 and I think I put that out uh, I want to say 2021, I think um and uh, you know it's um, it's definitely it's. It's the most sentimental song uh to me and I actually had.
Speaker 2:I had somebody come up to me at a show and they came to see me from out of state, which really, that, really um, struck a nerve with me. You know like I was. I was like holy cow. You know somebody's, somebody's willing to bring their family uh to come see me from out of state, and they specifically, they specifically said uh, and it was a, it was a younger guy, he was like man. You know, I brought my wife, my daughter, my mom and dad up to see you because, uh, your song that's my grandpa means like so much to me. It's such a good song and I was like holy cow, like you know, that's, that's one of them. Um, that's one of those like full circle moments, you know what I mean, where you know it's like who, who really? You know, I could sit here and be like man who's really listening to my music and whatever, and then that happened and it was like you, you never know and you never know um who your music is touching and what it means to them, and that was just.
Speaker 1:It was just such a good moment, um, it made me feel good, you know, absolutely, but um yeah you know, I love hearing that. Um, you know, shout out to jacob smalley, who's watching as well.
Speaker 2:He y'all you know, jake, yeah, yeah yeah, let me go there.
Speaker 1:It is. I don't know if you can see that or not, but what's up?
Speaker 2:yes, yeah what's up, jake?
Speaker 1:I've had jake on the podcast and I need to get him back on again.
Speaker 2:It's been a while so yes sir people yeah man, his, uh, he, I, I think his last song he just dropped not too long ago. Sober, I don't know if you've heard it yet or not, I'm just saying you need to hear it if you haven't heard it you see jacob at uh crs.
Speaker 1:Yes, sir, yes sir we were hanging a little bit. See, I don't know where you were, dude, yeah, yeah next year, man next year we'll have some fun, absolutely, um. So let me just get back here a little bit. What direction, uh, do you hope to take with your music, and are are there any new sounds or themes that you're eager to explore, maybe in your upcoming projects? It's kind of a crazy question, I guess, but you know, just keep doing what you're doing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, cause, you know, I, I don't have, uh, I I'm a hundred percent independent. And when I say that, like, like, I have no management, I have no booking agent, I have, you know, it's 100% me. So I don't really have anybody to push or suggest new ideas on stuff. Even the guy that I mainly have recorded most of the music that's out there, he's not even. He's not even. Okay, let me, he doesn't consider himself a producer. You know what I mean. Like he, he pretty well expects the artist to know exactly what kind of sound or what they want to get out of him. Exactly what kind of sound, um, or what they want to get out of him, um, you know he, he doesn't really, uh, he doesn't really, um, put his own two cents into your song. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Like he right, you, you pretty well have it figured out, but by the time you go and take it to them, Exactly. So, um, I don't really know that I have a, an agenda or or, like you know, a real direction to try new things. Like I feel like, um, I feel like I would still like to sort of focus on, like you know, the the country slash Southern rock type vibe. Um, you know, I really I really dig, uh, travis denning's new stuff yes, specifically he just.
Speaker 2:He just dropped a song not too long ago. I think it's actually called southern rock. Uh, with hardy, I think hardy's in on it.
Speaker 1:Oh, I wouldn't doubt that. Hardy seems to be just about everywhere now, not only songwriting, but, uh, you know, it seems to be collaborating with a lot of different artists.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's cool, yeah, that's, but um, yeah, to answer your question, skip, I don't really you know, I think I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, um and um, cool, maybe, maybe record some more. I did cut a track in Nashville when I was down for CRS. I did cut an acoustic track down there. Um, and my goal, honestly, my goal is to record more in town and uh, just see, uh see, see where the see, where the studio guys down there can take me, you know See what happens.
Speaker 1:So you're pretty much you're committed to staying true in the roots of country music. But with that being said, what do you think the future holds for the genre? And you know the rise of all these new artists and shifts in the musical taste. I mean there's so much of that going on. I mean, morgan Wallen's going to drop another double album here not too far out. He's got a couple of songs coming out on Friday and the way I look at that, it's great, I get it.
Speaker 1:But you know it's people like yourself that need to be heard and get on those charts. And there's so many radio stations there that are going to go. We're going to play the Morgan and, and you know, nobody knows who this guy is. It's not giving you an opportunity and I believe that all these artists need an opportunity. And you did mention, you know, the radio station doing a special thing on sundays, but still, it's just it's got to make it so difficult yeah, um, definitely, um, I mean, as, as you probably know, stomping Grounds, the song that you played a little bit of a couple minutes ago.
Speaker 2:Yep, no, you're good, you're good. So I'm trying to push that song to country radio and see how it gets accepted and see what happens. So far I think it's doing pretty good. You know I'm I've. This is the first time, this is the first time in song that that that I'm trying to make an attempt at having, you know, a bigger or yeah, oh my gosh, having country radio, sending it to country radio and seeing what kind of reaction I can get. So yeah, we'll see what happens, man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I think it's a good thing. And if you could get radio stations, something I do is I'll take a song like this and I'll do a little competition in the afternoon. I'll let the listeners decide, just to give me an idea what they're liking, you know. And also it gives an artist like yourself a little bit of airplay, which is cool. Yeah, what you're seeking to get, and, of course, you're doing it with grassroots who couldn't you couldn't get anybody better. They are awesome, just so you know. Yes, sir, definitely do their thing and they do it right yeah, I'm super.
Speaker 2:I will say I'm super happy with uh, with uh working with them. So far, they they're like every day I'm getting emails, you know, um, about what's going on, um, who's playing it, how many times they're playing it. They're who's playing it, how many times they're playing it. They're very communication. In my opinion, so far, communication is just awesome. Yeah, and they will continue to do that.
Speaker 1:I've never heard anybody say different and I've been doing this for a long time. So Nancy Tunick and that whole staff is just Teresa. Everybody is phenomenal, everybody. Yeah, you know, and I tell everybody this too, the cool thing about grassroots is that they know music. They're not just somebody out there trying to make a buck, they know music. They've got radio people that work for them now, and also they are musicians. So I mean you've got the best of both worlds. You know going after what you want, which is good Right, helping you get to where you need to be.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know that's really cool. So your truck battery is not going to go dead, is it?
Speaker 2:I hope not.
Speaker 1:What do you got for a truck? What is it?
Speaker 2:Toyota Tundra.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, you liking it yeah, absolutely, absolutely uh what year? What year?
Speaker 2:uh, this is a 19 okay, I get it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've heard good things about them. I've got a brand new chevy colorado. I downsized a little bit, but it's the trail boss, so yeah, yeah, love it, I love it.
Speaker 2:Listen, I might be, might soon be behind the wheel of a Chevy not a truck, though, uh, looking at a bourbon. Um dude. Listen, we need more room, we need more room. The family's growing. I actually have a baby that's due in April.
Speaker 1:Oh, congrats, that's cool, thank, actually have a baby that's due in April. Oh, congrats, that's cool.
Speaker 2:Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:Which number, how many?
Speaker 2:That would be number four.
Speaker 1:Oof dude. So you got two boys two girls, three girls, one boy. What do you got?
Speaker 2:I have three boys, and this last, this last one, is a baby girl, and that that is quits.
Speaker 1:that's dunzo, we're done um, I have to ask, when you heard it was going to be a girl, what was the reaction?
Speaker 2:because he had the three boys everybody listen, everybody was team girl, everybody. So um I was, I was the wife was happy. The other boys are happy, like Grammy's happy, like everybody's happy.
Speaker 1:That's cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's cool, it's going to not what age for the boys.
Speaker 1:You get the three boys now. What are the ages?
Speaker 2:So I have a, I have a 12 and an 11 year old.
Speaker 1:Oh boy.
Speaker 2:And yeah, yeah, tell me about it. Um, pre pre dude, preteen years, like I know, I uh, um, I'm, I'm struggling Some days, I struggle some, I don't know, but anyhow, um, so yeah, 12 and 12 and 11. And then there's a pretty big gap there to a two-year-old and then baby girls coming in April.
Speaker 1:Yep, you know, there's nothing. You love all your kids, I get it. I have three daughters from my previous marriage. They're all grown. They've given me eight grandkids. Nice, my wife, I know, and I love that. Oh my God, there's nothing like it. You wait, you'll see it someday. And um, my wife Nancy and I now we have a son who's down syndrome, who's 24, and it's just, it's so awesome. But with my daughters, there is something about that bond between a father and his daughter and I'm gonna tell, I walked my three daughters down the aisle, I bawled my eyes out. It's just, it's. There's that bond I mean, it's just like no other, and you'll see what I mean Someday. You're going to go. Skip was right, this is so cool, this is the best thing that ever happened to me and you love it.
Speaker 2:I get it, but the daughter wow, yeah, I have no doubt that you're absolutely right and I like everybody, everybody keeps saying well, she's gonna be a daddy's girl, she's gonna be a daddy's girl and I'm sitting here like I mean, I hope she is, you know, but like I, I, I, I hope that, uh, that that the brothers, that the older brothers you know, just do their do their job and help dad out looking out for looking out for baby sister. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:They will, and that's the other thing. I just know that you know the older or the yeah, yeah, the brothers are gonna watch out for her. They're gonna watch over her. Nobody's gonna mess with her as she grows up, because these brothers will kick the shit out of anybody that I'm just telling you I've seen it, I've seen it all and that's a good thing. Now how does your wife and the kids you being an independent artist, I mean what do they think of dad doing what he's doing?
Speaker 2:I mean, they support it. Um, you know it's it gets, it gets difficult, I'm not gonna lie, and they would tell you the same thing. Uh, it's a lot of late nights and you know, weekends, um, but I try to. Well, there goes my truck lights again.
Speaker 1:I try to tell them that actually looked kind of cool, Cause you could just. It was like I'm watching a movie. I can just see your face when the light went out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's kind of cool, but anyways go ahead, so let me know if I lose you. Can you still hear me?
Speaker 1:All loud and clear.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:We're good, phone's gonna go dead. Oh, there, it went. Okay, you got me. Yep, I can hear you. Uh, you sound different now, but that's all right. Oh no, there you go.
Speaker 2:Gotcha, there we go okay, so um, back to playing shows or wait. Was that the question?
Speaker 1:I'm sorry no, I forgot about it. Well, I asked about how how the family reacts to you being an independent musician doing what you're doing, and then we just kind of drifted off. But sorry about that I know I was getting I was.
Speaker 2:I was going to go into something um it'll come to you.
Speaker 1:It'll come to you. Do you have pets?
Speaker 2:yes, okay, probably too many.
Speaker 1:So yeah, three, three dogs okay, three dogs and a cat three dogs and a cat and that's, that's down.
Speaker 2:We actually just lost a cat. Uh, oh god. Um, last it was in the fall. It was in the fall. We had to put one down. Um, so, yeah, we're down. We were three dogs and two cats and now it's three dogs in one cap gotcha gotcha like.
Speaker 1:We have labradors. What, what, what do you have gotcha labrador like?
Speaker 2:we have labradors. What, what, what do you have man? We're a. We're a mixture of everything. We're a house of mutts and mixes and yeah, uh, no, that's okay, we rescue, we rescue dogs, so that's yeah, so my wife had, um, she had two rescue dogs, uh, or she rescued two dogs, a blue healer and a jack russell uh, border collie mix very nice and then a couple couple years ago, we we made a decision to get another dog and we got a red bone.
Speaker 2:How a female red bone hound oh wow, yep wow, yep, uh, she was not a rescue, she was, um, you know she was a puppy, but we picked up uh, and I love to hate that dog so much. Um, she sees the biggest sweetheart and she just the biggest pain in the ass at the same time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's how our. We have a yellow lab that's doing that now. Well, usually we have two dogs. We're down to one right right at the moment, but uh, rossi, he's like six, but he's very well. This is gonna sound crazy. He's very well behaved, but then he's not. It's like don't leave anything laying around. Uh, the you know, make sure you put the dirty clothes in the clothes hamper, or else they're gonna end up all over the house. Um, it's just whatever. If he can get his mouth on it, he will grab it, and the thing is, he'll bring it to you, but you won't like to take it out of his mouth. It's like look at me. Yeah, it's a beautiful thing, though. I mean, I love it, but it pisses me off.
Speaker 2:Yep, no doubt.
Speaker 1:All right, I got you, bro. So what's next for you, cody? Where do you see yourself in five years? Where do you want to see yourself in five years?
Speaker 2:Oh, man, uh, you know I'm a, I'm a realist and just the goal and and I'm sure any musician would tell you this, but like, the goal is to just be able to make a living, um, a solid living, being a musician and playing music, that's happy, yeah, that's just just just doing what you genuinely love to do as your profession, you know, or as your as your job. Right, and you know, I, I keep telling people like, like I don't, I don't need to be on tv, I don't need to be winning awards, I don't need any of on TV, I don't need to be winning awards, I don't need any of that, I just want to be able to, uh, I just want to be able to do what I love and provide for, provide for my family, uh, in doing so, so, um, you know, in five years, if you ask, um, I, I just, I just saw a, uh, a spiritual medium the other day, okay, and I don't know if you believe in any of that or not.
Speaker 1:I get it.
Speaker 2:I had a different. I didn't really go, I didn't really have this, uh, this um session or whatever, to like find out my future or anything like that it was. I had a different motive for it, but she, um, she proceeded to tell me that in the next couple years, more specifically like when I'm 40 I think she said 41 there's going to be a big change, uh, and and she kept saying about, she kept telling me, like move west, move west.
Speaker 2:And she did the whole card thing yeah she did the whole card thing and uh, there was like two different references to being west. One, uh, something to do with the Pacific ocean, but but she reiterated, like listen, west just means West from where we are. So that could be, you know, ohio, you know, let's just you know, it's a little bit further South West, but still.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it could. Yeah, you know Montana, wyoming, texas, like you know anywhere West from Pennsylvania, um, so you know to to answer your question in five years, I would, I would really hope to, uh, just to be happy, you know, be happy and uh, potentially hopefully be in the situation that I just described, just being able to have music, um, make a living for the family.
Speaker 2:Cause you know, as hard as I'm pushing and as hard as I've been pushing the last three years, I kind of told myself that, like when I um, uh, when I kind of hit a, a certain age that you know I'm not going to be able to keep pushing as hard as what I'm doing right now. Um, you know, and I hate to, I hate to say that cause it's like you know, you're kind of giving up or quitting, but I'm, I'm not necessarily, it's, it's just Right, no, I get it.
Speaker 2:There's a there's a certain amount of effort and time. You know that that I'm, that I'm putting in consistently now that in five years from now, I don't know if I'm going to be, if I'm going to be as driven as I am right now.
Speaker 1:Right. I think that's hard to predict, though it all depends it, you know.
Speaker 2:so, like I, I like to, I like to think of it, I like to think of everything as having a step right or or wrong on a ladder, like every um, every, every good step forward or up Right. So you know, every year, for the last three years, I have tried to essentially one up uh, each year, you know whatever that may be you know um. Last year I played the barefoot country festival and still no idea, no idea no idea how I got on that.
Speaker 2:You know, I'm grateful, I'm beyond grateful for that, um, and now this year I'm probably getting into stuff that you're gonna ask me.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry no, no, go ahead, because it makes my job easy so, you know, that was a.
Speaker 2:That was an awesome step forward, um, an opportunity for last year. Now this this year, um, I'm getting to play the Carolina country festival, um, which is amazing. And um, I'm also, you know, trying to push this song to radio now, um, and who knows, you know, who knows what else could happen this year. I don't know, but I already feel like what my 2025 is pretty well scheduled for already, is already a step ahead of last year yeah, it already is, there's no doubt, and what you have scheduled is it's just going to make it even better.
Speaker 1:Uh, and how did you get on those festivals? That's one of. You must have been noticed somewhere. People know who you are and said you know what this guy needs to come on on this stage. We need to get them in this, this festival.
Speaker 2:Honestly, man, I think, and I think genuinely this is how it happened, because I never asked um the. I never asked the contact, uh, that I have. How did you ever hear about me? It's just something that I didn't.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:The conversation just has never, you know, come up. But what I can tell you is and this is how I think it happened and actually, if you go to the Carolina Facebook, the Carolina Country Fest Facebook right now Facebook, the Carolina Country Fest Facebook, right now, they are accepting um, their um I can't think of the right word, but uh, I'll say applications, essentially um. For now they're, I think they're looking for local um local artists.
Speaker 2:Yeah, local artists to uh, to put on uh down there. You know, and I think that's how I ended up getting on barefoot last year. Uh, I submitted, you know, I submitted whatever and um, yeah, it all, it all worked out. And, trust me, I so I'll get a little personal with you. I so I'll get a little personal with you.
Speaker 1:I actually I, I had a heart attack last year, that's right. No, I, I read that in your bio. Wow, yeah, so I had a heart attack for that.
Speaker 2:I, I know, I know, um, a lot of different, uh, a lot of different factors, just a lot, okay, but anyhow so had a heart attack. It was the day after Cinco de Mayo, may 6th, and the day that I got out of the hospital. I was in for two or three days, I think it was three days, and I get out of the hospital and I'm obviously on all kinds of new medication, you know. So I'm like, I'm like really, I'm really out of it and just you know, it's just not with it. Well, I opened my phone and I started going through emails as I'm leaving the hospital and one of the emails was from a barefoot country and I, like I had to reread that email like three or four times to fully understand what it was. Cause I you know what I mean, I get, I get a lot of emails asking, you know, to play certain benefits and you know other other, smaller, you know smaller festivals and stuff, um, and nothing, absolutely no, nothing against them at all.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean, but like no I, I, I open this one up and I read through it and I'm like oh, okay, then I read through it again. I was like wait a minute. Then I read through it a third time and I was like holy, okay, um yeah, and you had another heart attack because of the email and you went back.
Speaker 1:No, I'm just kidding, no, it had to be such a good feeling I mean to get that. I mean, there, you are, dude, well-deserved, so that's cool.
Speaker 2:Oh man, without a doubt, I'm still there. I'm still um there there. Words, honestly, like words cannot describe how genuinely happy and, uh, just blessed. Quite honestly, like I survived a heart attack and I get to play um one of the biggest country music festivals on the East coast. You know what I mean. Like it's absolutely that's somebody has a bigger plan, I think somebody's watching you?
Speaker 1:there's no doubt my friend, there's no doubt, and uh, I know, uh, lisa is on here and says gonna check you out on my itunes and download a few. So that's great, thank you. Yes, absolutely, that's. Uh, your music's all though on the socials and all that right which they could. For example, if Lisa wanted to log on, she can get the music.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes.
Speaker 1:Awesome, very cool. Pay $1.29 for the single. I don't know what it is now. Yeah, I don't know either. But that's pretty cool Whereabouts I would expect you to be on all the social media. You probably TikTok, Insta and all that Correct.
Speaker 2:Yes, yep, all of yes.
Speaker 1:And the website.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah. But so just to just to clarify, the website is not, it's not just like Cody Ross Smith dot com, it is a. It's it just like Cody Ross smithcom? Um, it is a it's. It's more of a business profile. Um, it's through a company. It's through a company called dot.
Speaker 1:Um, but um yeah. Cool, very cool. What's that? What's wrong? Somebody in the back seat?
Speaker 2:No, no, I was actually. I actually I was looking um. My phone looks like it's gonna die okay well, you know what we.
Speaker 1:It's about time to wrap it up anyways, so I'll hold you much longer, but uh, it's, it's been a lot of fun chatting with you, finding out about you, you know, getting to know you a little bit and, uh, getting to know your music and we. We go into the backstory and it's interesting. You are just a cool guy, interesting guy, still working a full-time gig all day, working your ass off, and you go out and you play at night and you write songs in between, and I think you're thinking right that, uh, you know you're happy doing what you're doing and if you can make a living at it, you're going to be. That's going to be fine. You don't need to be a superstar, you know, and don't just be yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, yeah, 100%.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, you're not that far away. We're in Syracuse, you're in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 2:That's right, I forgot that yeah, and your roads suck.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, no, I know I know, all kidding aside, but, uh, we drive to the outer banks every year and of course you know it's like pennsylvania is the longest state ever, takes you forever to get through it and the roads are not the best. So, but no, I think they're getting better.
Speaker 2:I think they're getting better, so it's okay yeah, without a doubt you would think, for as much construction as we have going on um that, our roads would be beautiful, pristine, uh, no potholes.
Speaker 1:But it's the same here. I was just messing around.
Speaker 2:It's the same here no, I know I messing around. It's the same here. No, I know, I know, I know.
Speaker 1:All right, very cool, cody. Thanks for coming on. Skip Happens tonight, getting to know you a little bit, looking everything. All right, it's your, I got you, I know. Oh, now I can't hear you. There we go, yep. Airpod fell out, sorry, there we go, yep.
Speaker 2:AirPod fell out. Sorry, that's all.
Speaker 1:No, no, no problem at all. I just want to thank you for coming on, skip Happen. It's been great to get to know you a little bit. Hopefully, people will see this, viewers will see this, listeners will see this and they'll be able to go on and download some of your music and maybe call some of the radio stations and request your music and get them to play it. Um, to be a cool thing and, like I said, you're with good people. You got a great team with grassroots, so it's just a lot of work for you to do yourself and, frankly, I don't understand how you do it all. I mean, like I said, working full-time gig and doing all this.
Speaker 2:so it's kind of cool yeah, yeah yeah, for sure, yeah, I skip. Thank you so much for having me on um, I'm great greatly appreciated and I look forward to hanging out with you at crs next year, for sure, oh that'll be a lot of fun and hopefully, hopefully the people with uh, with grassroots, to hopefully get to hang out with some of them yeah, did you.
Speaker 1:Uh, real quickly did you? You go to the dinner, the grassroots dinner.
Speaker 2:I did not, no, Okay.
Speaker 1:I did, but I was just. If you were there, then that would have been another spot that we were like, probably pretty much next to each other.
Speaker 1:Right right, yeah, but it's all good. It's all good. All right, my friend, cody Ross Smith, and check him out online, download the music, buy the music and just tell everybody about him. He's cool. He's been on Skip Happens. That means a lot to me, so it's pretty cool. All right, everybody, have a great night, Cody, stay right there. Have a great night everybody. Thank you for watching Skip Happens. Make sure you give us a like, subscribe on YouTube and uh, and if you have a YouTube page make sure I do.
Speaker 2:I do not. I'm working on it. I'm working on it.
Speaker 1:Just keep an eye out for it, because once he does, then make sure you subscribe. So, cody, thanks for joining us tonight.
Speaker 2:Thanks, skip. Thank you, man.
