SkiP HappEns Podcast

Backwoods Beginnings: From Pre-Med to Nashville's Rising Star

• Skip Clark

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Speaker 1:

Hi everybody. It is Skip Clark. How are you? Look at that, we're at a ballpark tonight, hey, hey, what's up? Man, you're listening to Skip Happens. Of course I'm your host, skip Clark, and tonight I am coming to you live. You can let me get a good shot here. Oh, that's Reese, he's with us, but look at this. Nope, look at that, that's the ballpark. Better shot, there we go. Yeah, that's cool, isn't that cool? Yes, sir, we are live at mbt bank stadium and, uh, you know what? This is going to be great. Uh, you know, I love shining the light on these rising stars and country music, and tonight's guest is no exception. He's a small town guy. He's got a big sound. He's born and raised in the backwoods of orlando, florida. Well, I found out now it was actually a little bit of buffalo, right, right, yes, sir, yeah, okay, we'll talk about that With a story that's going to knock your boots off. A pre-mix biology degree? Yes, sir, pre-med, yes, sir, and you're doing music.

Speaker 2:

All right, We'll talk about that too. We'll get into that.

Speaker 1:

And all the noise in the background. Did you did four years of college basketball?

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, and who did you play for? I played for Houghton College, a little bit south of.

Speaker 1:

Buffalo. I love that. I love that, and you could have gone in so many different directions, but music pulled you in and thank God it did. I just want you all to say hi to my new friend, it's Reese. I keep looking down, but the camera's right over there. How are you, brother?

Speaker 2:

It's are you brother, it's good to see you.

Speaker 1:

Good, good to see you too. I'm happy to be here. You know, when you come on, skip happens. I gotta tell you it's an experience all right, is it? I mean, look, look where you are, look, I'm ready for it.

Speaker 2:

Look at, look at that, view the ballpark and all that. We don't get this every day.

Speaker 1:

This is cool how many other places have you been that somebody has actually done this in the ball? Never, this is the first. This is the first I love that groundbreaking today?

Speaker 2:

absolutely, so tell me a little bit about you. Yes, sir, so, like you mentioned, I'm from Orlando, florida, okay, and I went to school, up here about an hour south of Buffalo, played basketball, like you mentioned, graduated with my degree in biology. Obviously, I'm not doing anything with biology right now. I was supposed to be a dentist. Actually, really, I'm not cleaning teeth, I'm sorry, but I think that's gross.

Speaker 1:

I don't know how people do that I mean I brush my teeth and floss every day.

Speaker 2:

For some reason I've always been like a teeth guy. First thing, I like, yeah, I'm always looking at teeth, but yeah, so I graduated supposed to be a dentist and didn't work out. I didn't get into any school so I took a gap year and I started playing small bars up in New York. Actually, I started in New York, okay, and then moved down to Florida, started playing in Florida a little bit solo and then started the band thing. We've been traveling ever since. It's been a blast, I've been really enjoying it.

Speaker 1:

But you're in Orlando now, right? Yes, sir, yeah, based in.

Speaker 2:

Orlando, but I haven't been home in probably a month, really.

Speaker 1:

Well, you've been on what they call a radio tour. Yes, sir, yes, sir and uh, how has this been? Is it early morning, so you have to?

Speaker 2:

go in and do morning shows. Yes, sir, yes, sir. Actually this morning it was a 3 am. We got up and started driving, so it's been early morning, but it's worth it. I mean, I enjoy it. It's awesome talking to people like you. It's an awesome time, so you know well, it's a pleasure but there's nobody like you.

Speaker 1:

There's nobody like you. Nobody is going to put you in a ballpark like this, that's right, nothing like this. Yeah, I know that's what we're going to do and that's why it's always an experience. Yes, sir, what did music look like in your life growing up in Orlando? Yes, sir.

Speaker 2:

So I actually started when I was about five years old. My grandma forced me to take piano lessons and I got kicked out of every piano teacher's class that I ever took because I couldn't read music and I wanted to only play by ear. And then I took lessons till I was about nine ten and I didn't really do much with music outside of like a couple of things in high school. And then I picked it back up when I was a senior in college and started playing piano, kind of as like a party trick, and then from then I picked up guitar off YouTube and kind of went from there.

Speaker 1:

I love it. So you know, I'm still kind of stuck on this biology thing. Yes, sir. How did you went from biology to basketball? Yes, sir, and how did you land on country music as the dream that you wanted to chase?

Speaker 2:

go after. Yeah, so I've always grown up listening to country music. Things like Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson, those are kind of some big influences, so country music has always been there. I never really saw myself as being an artist in any means. I was always nervous to sing in front of people at all until about right when I was about to graduate college, really, and so, yeah, so always played sports growing up. Actually, my dad's here today with us. He's standing over there. He was my coach growing up played basketball played basketball football, a little bit of baseball.

Speaker 2:

Did you play a forward Because you're tall? No, I actually played guard In college.

Speaker 1:

I actually wasn't as tall.

Speaker 2:

It's the boots. The boots are lying right now.

Speaker 1:

They're making me taller than.

Speaker 2:

I am. I played college basketball, high school basketball. I actually won a state championship my senior year, so that was a good time. Basketball has always been a big thing in my life as well. I Big thing in my life as well. I love it. You still play today, yeah.

Speaker 1:

I dabble, I mean probably not as much as I should. I like getting out there with my buddies. Tell me about if I was to go to a Reese show. Yes sir, how would that be? What would be my experience? You're having an experience here tonight and I'm going to keep saying that, yes, sir, but if I went to your show, your experience?

Speaker 2:

for a lot of energy. We have a lot of fun up on stage, like kind of like we're doing right now. We're just kind of off the cuff and we have a lot of a lot of fun up on stage. The guys I travel with are awesome. I actually traveled with my brother as well, so that's kind of a cool dynamic there. Uh, he plays with me. He actually just graduated from a school uh not too far from here, in alfred, new york.

Speaker 1:

Oh, yeah, very my um, my, my son-in-law, is a football coach.

Speaker 2:

No way, yeah, yeah. So yeah, my brother graduated from Alfred State over there and then yeah, so it's a lot of energy. I would say, Every place we go, we try to make it our best show yet and just keep improving everywhere we go and just have a lot of fun. It's all you can do.

Speaker 1:

You know, when they talk about Reese, they talk about new country. Yes, sir, and what? What makes new country different?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think it's just the incorporation of some of like the newer styles. Like a lot of my songs have some 808s in them, which is kind of different from a lot of different traditional country.

Speaker 1:

I would say what do?

Speaker 2:

you mean by 808? So like, like it's kind of the heavier hip hop kind of beat yeah. So, some of that. Not all my songs have that, but I think truly it is. I think it's always evolving. That's what makes country so cool Like even the 90s stuff is coming back with the Zach Tops and that kind of stuff. So I think country music is always evolving. I think there's always room for different niches inside of country music.

Speaker 1:

I love Zach Tops, by the way. Yeah, yeah, that style and the way it's all going around, it's all coming back. Yes, sir, there's also an artist, caitlin Butts.

Speaker 2:

Oh, yeah, yeah, she's going viral right now on social media. You don't have to die to be dead. Yeah, exactly, we actually play that on the Wolf. Oh, there you go, all right.

Speaker 1:

We just started with that because it's huge. So you're talking about New Country, but all right. So your songwriting as it pertains to new country tell me a little bit about that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean a lot of the stuff I write about I would say probably 95% of what I write about is just experiences that I've had growing up, like especially the root song, just growing up back home in Florida, getting in trouble with my brother probably more than I should. So stuff, yeah, stuff, yeah, just experiences. And honestly, a lot of times, like the hooks, a lot of people say this, like a lot of writers, but people will be talking in conversation like this and I'll hear something I'll be like, hey, that could be a country song right there. So I think, yeah, I get a lot of different influences just from my family and friends and whatnot.

Speaker 1:

It's all about life that's what country music is. I mean, you can be driving down the road and there it is. That's country music. Yes, sir, Absolutely, Absolutely. But your love loss or late night bonfires is that what inspires your songwriting?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, a lot of bonfires back home. I had a couple of relationships in the past. Maybe that has some influence.

Speaker 1:

That's kind of where I was going.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I had some relationships in the past Definitely have some influence in some of my sad, my sad songs. Um, but yeah, the bonfires with my buddies, that's kind of where I get a lot of inspiration too, just the talks out there that we have my family and my friends back home and even up here I have a lot of friends up here still um. So actually I just met with my buddy for dinner. He uh shout out to mike, he uh goes to, oh my gosh, the medical school up here upstate.

Speaker 1:

No, no upstate medical university. Upstate Medical University yeah, that might be it actually yeah, and we you know, it's one of the best countries.

Speaker 2:

That's awesome. Yeah, he's going. He's going to med school up here and I'm super proud of him. So, yeah, he was one of my college buddies, so Is he saying like you should have stuck with the other major. Yeah, oh, yeah, yeah, I mean he's happy for me, and he's sticking it out too. I mean, I think there's pros and cons to both. He's like dude, you're out there living it and I was like, yeah, sometimes I'm like, yeah, I kind of miss the schooling part of it, yeah, but you know what?

Speaker 1:

You're young. You told me you were 24. Yes, sir, so you're still young enough. You're giving this a go because you have a lot of passion and you're dedicated to it. Doesn't work out. At least you got something else to fall back on.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, yeah, I got that piece of paper, that's what I always have to say I try to convince my mom like I always got that piece of paper.

Speaker 1:

What's mom think about all this?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean Shout out to mom, by the way. Yeah, shout out to mom. I think she's watching. Both of my parents are super supportive. I don't want to go to dental school, by the way.

Speaker 1:

After all, that money Right.

Speaker 2:

But yeah, it's been good so far.

Speaker 1:

I love that. I love that your live performance, your audience connection. How does that work for you? Do you connect with everybody that's watching? You that's listening to you.

Speaker 2:

We talked about earlier. Just like, what do you expect to come to my show? I think just the high energy and trying to make it whether how big the room is or whatever you want it to make it as intimate as possible, and I think that's a big thing for us. Yeah, I think it's a big focal point is just trying to make it a connection. That's what it is at the end of the day. You're just trying to connect to whether it's one person or 50 people, or 100 people or a thousand people.

Speaker 2:

You're just trying to make that connection, Tell me about some of the other artists that you've had the opportunity to share the stage with yes sir, yeah, I mean, it's been a wide variety, so the first people that we opened for is actually Sister Hazel sister hazel, so that's kind of Christian sister hazel.

Speaker 1:

So no, no, no, no. But did they do a song? I'm maybe I'm thinking it's somebody else. Nevermind, go ahead before your time.

Speaker 2:

Go ahead all right, so we open for sister hazel they were kind of in the 90s, and then we've actually had the chance to be in the same festival as Eric Church and whoa whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Eric Church, eric Church, same festival there, church, no cajon. So that was cool. We put on a little side stage and it was.

Speaker 1:

And whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Eric Church Eric Church same festival as Eric Church in Oklahoma, and so that was cool. We put on a little side stage and it was it was, yeah, it was awesome experience Really there.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, yes sir, we were like like holy crap, I'm really doing yeah, I mean to make that first post about it, kind of telling my family, and I'm like, yeah, that's pretty cool. And then we're actually opening for Joe Nichols next month, Actually August.

Speaker 1:

Love Joe, by the way. Yeah, we've had him here for a couple of shows. That's awesome, Never a bad time yeah.

Speaker 2:

I'm super excited about that. We're playing at the Grizzly Rose out there in Colorado, so that would be a great time, so a great time. So I'm super excited about that getting out there. So how do you stay grounded? I would say just having the support system around me that I have. Like my parents, they're super supportive and they've always kind of just whether it's kept me in check or lifting me up when I need to lift it up. I think that's important to my brother. Like I said, he travels with me and I think having that family support system around you and the band mates I travel with are great kids. They're great kids and I feel like we make each other better every time we go out there and play. I think that's the most important thing. I love that.

Speaker 1:

I looked online and I saw that you had a tour bus. Yes, sir, I do have a tour bus. You bought a tour bus.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, it's an older model. It is an older model and I love it because it kind of some character to it. That's what I like to say a whole lot of character. Yes, sir, yes sir. So we, I, we bought that out of, or I bought that out of, houston uh, it was a fixer-upper, had a lot of water damage, so we brought it back, fixed it up and it's got a cheap that's just right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I got it pretty cheap, got it pretty cheap out of houston and, uh, we worked on it for about two months, me, my dad and a couple of my buddies actually one of my best buds back home, cole, he he's an electrician, so that helped out a lot. So so we had we had some, some people here and there that helped us out. Um, but yeah, it's on the road and we we travel in it almost full time. Who drives it? Mostly my dad, uh, and a little bit of me, so I see him sitting over there I think he's listening, he's listening all of it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, like is he focused on the phone?

Speaker 2:

yeah, once, once, he, once he gets to this part, he's gonna be like yep, yep yep, yep.

Speaker 1:

I know, because of the delay part, he's going to be like yep, yep, yep, yep.

Speaker 2:

I know because of the delay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he's going to get to us.

Speaker 1:

I see that he's not even paying attention right now he's locked in. He's locked in, he's locked in. He's a good man to be with you, you know.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1:

He's a good man.

Speaker 2:

I mean all the time I would say Alan Jackson. He's not touring anymore, but I love Alan Jackson. Oh my gosh, one of my favorites.

Speaker 1:

What's?

Speaker 2:

that sound. Yes, yes, sir, I know it's 90s and a lot of my songs don't kind of reflect the 90s stuff, but that's what I grew up on and I think he's like an idol of mine. Kind of to the newer side, I would say probably a Morgan Wallen or Bailey Zimmerman, some guys that I kind of like to model my newer country sound after, and I mean they're both making it big right now and they're doing it the right way and you know what I like.

Speaker 1:

I listened to your music and what I really like about that is the fact it's you. You're not sounding like somebody else. This is Reese. Yes, sir, you want Reese. This is what you're going to get. Yes, sir, you don't sound like a Luke Combs or anybody like that there's a lot of other artists out there that have that similar sound. I don't really think that's a good thing. I appreciate that. How often are you in?

Speaker 2:

Nashville. We go there about once a month, sometimes more. We do a lot of the original showcases. We had the chance to play Whiskey Jam, which is an awesome opportunity. We played that twice now. We played at Category 10. We played at luke cohen's bar. Uh, last time we were in town we played losers. That's always a fun one. So we try to do like the original showcases. Every once in a while I'll pick up a gig on broadway, do the aldeans thing, but I try to stay off of broadway. Uh, I don't know. I feel like we travel enough, playing some, some of those kind of shows. So, and you can only play save a horse, ride a cowboy.

Speaker 1:

So many times so many times. You can only see so many bachelorette parties asking for the same oh my god, right last time my wife and I were in nashville, you know we did whatever we had to do during during the day and it was like went back to the hotel and said, come on, hey, we're gonna take, we're gonna take a walk down there, right, we'll go to broadway. Mistake, yeah, it's always a mistake, you're like oh, come on, you know don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing it.

Speaker 1:

And it just there were so many people, so many bachelorette parties lines to get in every bar.

Speaker 2:

You know, it was just crazy. It was just crazy. We like to go to Nashville for like two, three days max. Yeah, we're like yeah, we're in Nashville now for a little bit and then we'll come back.

Speaker 1:

What's it?

Speaker 2:

like you said, you played some of requests, a lot of the same songs, tip jar, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot of tips, a lot. It's a good time, regardless. You're getting to play in front of people. The good thing about playing on Broadway is you see a lot of new faces. So I will say that it's always like transient people coming through and you're making a following. That way, there's always a way to build your brand, I guess.

Speaker 1:

You know, I have to ask you, how do you handle your social media?

Speaker 2:

I've been actually getting a lot better at that. When I first started I was kind of like not anti-social media, but Dude you realize that's where everything is right. No, I completely agree, it's crazy. Yes, sir, yeah, so I've actually I'm pretty active on my socials, especially in the past year when I first started. I just didn't know any better. Like I started out with music and I was like I don't really know how to kind of operate.

Speaker 1:

And now I'm not bashing websites, because I have one as well, and I know you do too but how many people really go to a website now, right, as opposed to going to their Facebook or Tik TOK?

Speaker 2:

or their Insta. I agree. A lot of times they're going to the website from the social media.

Speaker 1:

So yeah, exactly that's crazy. You do it all yourself, though.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir Wow do that throughout the day. I mean, you're on the road, yes, sir, and luckily all my shows are kind of towards the weekend, so we're playing thursday, friday, saturday usually. So it's, uh, during the week like my monday, tuesday, wednesday it's time to sit down and kind of lock in and be like here's, you know, I mean, plan it out, get some content out taco man's up.

Speaker 1:

You can hear it in the background exactly now if he uh, by the way, if he strikes, strikes out, we all get free tacos at Taco Bell. Oh yeah, so you get a free beef taco. You got 48 hours to redeem it, but you're heading out tonight.

Speaker 2:

What's up here?

Speaker 1:

I'll get it, yeah, so everybody's going taco, but that's what it's about.

Speaker 2:

But it's the fun of being at a ballpark. Yeah, this is awesome, this is cool.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I keep going at the shot with that other camera. That's what it looks like. It looks like there's very little people here, but the parking lot is full.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, there's a lot of people here.

Speaker 1:

We were walking around.

Speaker 2:

We were agreeing with my dad and I. We were like this is one of the better, probably one of the best, minor league stadiums that we've ever been in, for sure.

Speaker 1:

So tell. So tell me about minor league baseball. I mean, you, you're a sports guy, you played sports guy basketball. I get that, but do you get to go to some of your minor league baseball games?

Speaker 2:

I don't get to go to a whole lot of baseball games. I actually went to my grandma back home in orlando. She's a huge magic fan, so we try to go to some magic games. We actually went to the game right before they went to the playoff, so that was pretty cool to take her to those. Um, so I'm a Magic fan. I'm a Bucs fan as well as a Bills fan. I know that's kind of hard, but they're in different divisions. Wait a minute. Wait, bills is in. Yeah, I know, I know here's what I like to say. I say if the Bucs aren't playing the Bills, I'm rooting for the Bills, if not, I'm rooting for the Bucs. Huge hockey fan. But I did follow him actually in the playoffs. It's pretty cool. We actually play a lot down in Fort Lauderdale Delray area down there in Florida. Huge following down there, so that's awesome.

Speaker 1:

So you're talking about being in Orlando as well as Nashville, but being in Orlando, are you close to? Disney, I am or is everywhere close to Disney.

Speaker 2:

Everywhere is close to Disney. Actually that's a conflict of interest, though. My mom works at Universal. The other day before it opened, kind of like a VIP treatment of some sorts, but yeah, so we grew up going to Universal a lot. I've been to Disney a couple times so I mean it's hard to miss it. It's like right there, like you said, everything's close. Right there, everything's there.

Speaker 1:

Universal Disney, epcot, universal Disney Everything's right there. Yes, sir, it's been a while since I've been there. You've to. The weather's like that here now. It is nice. It feels like florida right now. I know it's in the humidity and all. Yeah, this is florida. Yes, this is definitely florida. If you weren't doing what you're doing, what do you think you would be doing?

Speaker 2:

I mean, I know you've got those degrees, outside of dentistry, I guess, because that's probably the easy easy answer that's the easy answer. Yeah, um, you know that's a good question. I would still say probably something in music if I wasn't doing something dentistry-wise. I just love being around the music and the people involved with it, so maybe like an agent of some sort.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's cool, yeah, I just love the music industry, especially being in it. Now I can kind of see the people are great, no matter where you go, and meet a lot of new people, which is cool.

Speaker 1:

And the radio tour that you're on. How has that been?

Speaker 2:

Good, it's definitely been like an adjustment. I'm not like I said. This is kind of I think this is my sixth or seventh one that I've done so, but every single one, you know. I feel like I'm getting a little bit more comfortable.

Speaker 1:

Seventh radio station. Yes sir, oh wow, we're early on. Yes sir, yes sir, With the experience.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, this is awesome. Yeah, it's going to be hard to top this.

Speaker 1:

I'm not going to lie to you, well you know, the whole idea is, of course I have a pod zone and my plan was to have you over into my own studio. We would have done it there. But you know we follow the Mets and we are the AAA affiliate of the New York Mets. So I said you know what can I do? I want to be at the game.

Speaker 2:

The light went off, bell went off I said we're gonna do it at the ones down.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so you know, obviously I have a. I have a little bit of a connection here and I said jason, can I? And he said absolutely that's awesome.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm glad. I'm glad we made it out here. This is awesome. I appreciate you having me absolutely 100, can you?

Speaker 1:

um, what about some crazy times, something you know? You get up on stage and this happened and you can't believe that happened. Or maybe you're on your own little bus and you're I shouldn't call it little, it's pretty big, um, but you're doing your thing and uh, just something, something stick out in your mind yeah, I mean, I feel like every show has.

Speaker 2:

You know, there's something that happens, um, trying to think uh well, the other day we were playing a show and they were making, for some reason, there was a balloon animal artist in the venue we were playing, so they were making balloon animals and so people were wearing balloon animals on their heads and they were giving them to us. So we were wearing balloon animals and I'm like what is going on? Right now I'm up on stage playing and people are like put, this giraffe on your head.

Speaker 2:

I'm like I don't know if I want to do that.

Speaker 1:

There's some crazy stuff that goes on. Yeah, I know Things you will always remember. Yeah for sure, absolutely.

Speaker 2:

It doesn't matter how far you go, but the people I travel with, like I said, are awesome, so it just makes it well worthwhile.

Speaker 1:

So let me bet, maybe I already mentioned this, but when did you actually start playing again? How long ago was it? Because you're 24 now.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, so it was. I think my first show ever was March of 2023.

Speaker 1:

Wow, yes sir, and you were a wreck.

Speaker 2:

I was very nervous. Yes, I'll tell you that. So actually I filled in. Funny enough, I filled in for one of my friends who plays in the western New York area and she was like hey, I have a sore throat and I can't sing. I need you to come fill in for three hours. And I was like I've never sang in front of anybody in my life and you want me to get up there and sing for three hours. I was like, uh, I don't know. So I started calling everybody. I knew I was like dad, mom, do you think I should get up there and sing? They're like do it exactly, all right. So so I told her I was like you know, I'll do it. I'll muster up three hours with the song, do you?

Speaker 1:

remember who that was, who I covered for who?

Speaker 2:

you were covering. Yeah, brianna blankenship. Okay, yes, yes and also Claudia Heuser.

Speaker 1:

Do you know, claudia? Yes, exactly, that's why I was asking I know them both.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, they're awesome Both awesome people, absolutely. Brianna is a good friend of mine and she was like, yeah, come up and play. So since then we've had a great friendship and, yes, sir, it's been awesome.

Speaker 1:

Awesome. I'm watching somebody walk behind us. Let's see if we can get him on camera.

Speaker 2:

There he is, there he is back of his head he's going to save us from.

Speaker 1:

You're going to do a little play by play and he is looking to the right and oh, what does he see here? He walked right behind. What do you?

Speaker 2:

think his name is jack jack. Are you have insight? Do you know it's your?

Speaker 1:

name jack what's your name? What's your name? What's your name, what's your name?

Speaker 2:

Zik, it's far from Jack.

Speaker 1:

Sorry, we thought you were a Jack and Zik, so anyways, well, zik's enjoying the game there he is Now. We got the full shot. There he is, hello.

Speaker 2:

There you go, let's go Mets. You're right, that's what it's about.

Speaker 1:

We're going to make you a Mets fan, by the way.

Speaker 2:

All right by the end of this, I probably will be.

Speaker 1:

So tell me, what do you do for fun? I know you got sports, got all that. You fish, you hunt.

Speaker 2:

A lot of boating. I love to be on the lake boating Florida. Yes sir, yeah, I know we get it like 11 months out of the months no two or three weeks.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's right. Yeah, and we're in the middle of it right now yes, sir, yes sir.

Speaker 2:

So I actually worked at a marina for three years up here while I was in school. So I actually didn't go home for like five years, dude, uh, but it was always awesome. It was a great summer job, um, and so I learned a lot more about boats than I probably needed to know, uh, but I was always on the lake and I kind of love it. I've always loved being on the lake and hanging out with my family and friends.

Speaker 1:

Tell me about the single. What are you pushing to radio right now? Tell me all about that.

Speaker 2:

I'm pushing Roots right now. I know we talked a little bit about just growing up in Florida. Yeah, I think it sounds different than anything I've ever done. I actually think it sounds different than a lot of stuff that's on radio right now, which I think is a big sticking point. I like to push, really proud of it, the first thing I've ever really promoted. So definitely super proud of it.

Speaker 1:

Have you heard it on the radio?

Speaker 2:

I actually heard it for the first time on the radio today and what happened? My eyes lit up because I'm like it sounds different on the radio. Everybody says that they're like it sounds different on the radio. I was like nah, nah, and I listened on the radio Like it does. Sound produced version Maybe that's, maybe, yeah, or maybe it's just like coming from something other than just your phone. Maybe that's what it is, I don't know. It's just something different, like somebody else is playing it, not you.

Speaker 1:

I've talked to other artists and I'd be like so what was it like? When you first heard your song played on the radio, I screamed. I slammed crying. I called my mom.

Speaker 2:

Yeah it was about that my dad was in the car and he was actually recording it. He was like this is awesome. I was like this is awesome. So it was a cool experience to have it with my dad and in the car and he was kind of a part of it.

Speaker 1:

So yes, sir, very, very, very cool. So what's next?

Speaker 2:

working on some new music, writing some new music. Actually, we were talking a little bit before this. I wrote with CJ solar a couple weeks ago and yes, great guy CJ, yes, he's been on, he's been on, skip happens but, here we go.

Speaker 1:

He's never had this experience that's right you know other other artists are going to see this, because I talked to a lot of them and they're going to go.

Speaker 2:

I want to do that, that's right. I feel special right now. I appreciate it well, you are special.

Speaker 1:

You made the trip just to come in and say hello and be on the podcast, and so I could find out a little more about you as well, which, which is all a plus.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, that's. Cool, I love it.

Speaker 1:

I love it, dude. So what do you drive at home when you're not driving the bus? I know you don't drive the bus.

Speaker 2:

I got a Jeep. I got a Jeep Wrangler Nice, sitting at home right now waiting for me to get back. I bet you do. Do you pop to top? Yes to do that. Uh, especially in the afternoons it gets real nice. Not too sunny, I think.

Speaker 2:

In the middle of the day it might get a little hot, but you have to worry about gators out cutting the grass what grass you have or not, I mean, there are gators in orlando, not kind of not necessarily where we're at, but yeah, there are a lot of gators down there, a lot of wildlife, I would say a lot of snakes and that kind of things of that nature, a lot of spiders down there, but so you got roots coming out, but but is there an EP that's going to be with that?

Speaker 1:

Is it just a single? What are we doing?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, as of right now, that's just a single I'm actually thinking about. I wrote my first song ever I wrote was called Mama's Boy. I wrote it for my mom and I released it on Mother's Day. But I didn't really know what I was doing at the time. I was kind of on my laptop with a cheap life, so I'd like to re-release that.

Speaker 1:

Tell me about the fam. Are you the youngest?

Speaker 2:

I am the oldest, it's just me and my brother. I have a big little brother. He's like 6'6".

Speaker 1:

Where, if you mess up, he kicks the crap out of you, not anymore.

Speaker 2:

No, I still got him. I still got on that. He just graduated from Alfred State. Very cool yes sir, he travels with us, which is definitely a plus, and I love having him with us and my parents, my dad. He actually restores vintage cars for a living, very cool. So, yes, sir, what's the coolest vehicle he's got? I think the last one he just did. He just restored a Scout, an International Scout. Really I think it was an 80s model Scout Dude you've in the video it actually is in the video yeah, is it yeah, yeah, it's coming out next.

Speaker 1:

Uh, actually, this friday it's coming out tomorrow because that would be the perfect vehicle for that yeah, it's in the video multiple times. So cool, yes, very cool how was it making the video? That was obviously your first one, yeah, actually first like real produced one.

Speaker 2:

I had like a small one that I had my buddy help with, um, and then actually this was the first real produced one. It was really cool, definitely different, definitely different. Because I feel like on camera it's so hard to be animated like that. You think you're going over the top, but then if you're not doing that, then you look like a dud. You know what I mean. So I think that was the hardest thing to overcome. I'm on camera and I'm doing this.

Speaker 1:

I always wondered how you know when I see the music videos. And we have a scottish band coming down now.

Speaker 2:

Look at this. There's all things, see, this is it's an experience now we got the uh scottish band over here.

Speaker 1:

But uh, I see uh different artists. You know they're trying to be happy, trying like that. They're really doing the real thing when it's like, all right, no, we got to do it over again.

Speaker 2:

And then you know it's hard to stay in that frame of mind yeah, I will say I think, like this music video is super authentic just because it was all my friends and family that were in it. Like my brother was in it, my best buddies were in it back home and we were doing stuff that we normally do riding atvs and just cruising in the truck, and I think that we went on the boat in the video. So I think there's all things that I just do um that that naturally. So from that aspect I think it was really easy to accomplish and my buddy Tom back home in Florida shout out to Tom he did a great job producing the video.

Speaker 1:

God, I love it, I love it. Yes, sir, it's so cool, so cool. What other vehicles does dad have?

Speaker 2:

A lot of Scouts. He actually just bought a Peterbilt truck, a 70s Peterbilt truck that he's looking to restore.

Speaker 1:

So he used to be in the heavy haul business when I was growing up he was in the heavy haul business.

Speaker 2:

He's always been around trucks. My grandfather he was always big into the semis and stuff that's always been in our family. He actually just got one to restore. That's kind of cool.

Speaker 1:

Do you help him do all that?

Speaker 2:

Every once in a while, my brother is more mechanically inclined than I am. I'm not going to lie. Yes, sir. I go out there and help them when I can. Yes, sir.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. You know, reese, I'm just reading, oh, shannon, by the way, from Grassroots Loving the podcast at the stadium Great night for baseball. Hi, skip, yeah. So this is only on one of my channels, but with them all together there's plenty of people watching, and this is something we haven't done before. Here we can just give another little view of the ballpark. Look at that.

Speaker 2:

Isn't that cool. If we get a homer on our way, I'm catching it. It's mine, I don't know. We're right in the middle.

Speaker 1:

Let me just put it this way, we don't hit many homers. That's why I don't know what's going to happen.

Speaker 2:

Hey, we got great. It is the fans, yeah, very unique, very dedicated, very passionate.

Speaker 1:

They love country music. There we go, and a good example you know, I went up here to the bar a little bit ago to get a couple of waters and a young lady comes over and you know we're talking and I said, yeah, I'm going to interview a Nashville artist, country artist, who's that? I go Reese. She goes Reese from Florida.

Speaker 2:

I'm like dude.

Speaker 1:

You know what that means. Already you've got that footprint. Already You've got people beginning to follow you.

Speaker 2:

That was awesome.

Speaker 1:

That's got to be such a good feeling. Yeah, it is Absolutely yes, sir.

Speaker 2:

We'll have to get a picture after this.

Speaker 1:

I do want to say thank you. Thank you for coming by and thank you for hanging out and if somebody wanted to get a hold of your music how can they do that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm on all streaming platforms at Reese, r-e-e-c-e, and then on social media I'm on as Reese Gus Music, reese with a C, g-u-s Music, the.

Speaker 1:

Gus is part of your reel.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, my last name is Gus of Sin, but that's why I just go by Reese.

Speaker 1:

I would never be able to say that right.

Speaker 2:

Exactly, that's why I just go by Reese.

Speaker 1:

Good move, absolutely. I keep mine short, clark.

Speaker 2:

There you go. Whether I'm here or not, skip's a cool name, though I wish my name was Skip. That's cool.

Speaker 1:

You know, okay, that's a cool name, that's an awesome name. My brother's name is just two letters.

Speaker 2:

My brother's name is just T-Y, t-y, ty For Tyler. Nope, just Ty, just Ty. We had to make it easy so he could spell it no.

Speaker 1:

I'm kidding. I'm kidding, if you watch that, I'm kidding.

Speaker 2:

No, are you kidding? No, he's a smart kid. He's smarter than more than I, but he's actually, like I said, he's traveling with us doing some music stuff, so I'm glad he's still doing that. But he got his piece of paper too, so I can always fall back on that. Somebody needs to fix the bus if it breaks down. There you go.

Speaker 1:

Is Tammy, your mom.

Speaker 2:

Tammy is my mom.

Speaker 1:

Love it, Reese Love mom, oh, there it says I don't know you, tammy, but you've got a great son and your husband's over there. I think he's sleeping on the picnic table.

Speaker 2:

No, he's just about. He's watching. He's locked in right now.

Speaker 1:

Is he locked?

Speaker 2:

in watching us, or is he watching a movie? He's got the delay on it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I know I'm waiting for him to turn around again, but he ain't. But you know, reese, you made the trip. We thank you for making the trip to Syracuse. Thank you for having me. Like I said, skip Happens is an experience, you know. Just tell your friends about it too, because Skip Happens is available for anybody at any time. Yes, sir, I definitely will. This has been awesome. I appreciate you having me. I appreciate you coming by. If you're watching this, I want you to subscribe to Skip Happens. I want you to look Reese up on all his socials, get the music, support this artist. It's not easy. It's not easy Staying independent. You're with Grassroots. Grassroots is the best.

Speaker 2:

I'm not just saying that.

Speaker 1:

I know a lot of people in Nashville. I know a lot of really good promotions type people and companies. Grassroots is right up there with the others.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, they've been awesome to me, so I appreciate that.

Speaker 1:

Yep, and of course Shannon was checking in earlier, so that's kind of cool.

Speaker 2:

Yes, sir, yeah, it's awesome.

Speaker 1:

And hopefully she'll tell what we got, nancy Tunick, and the gang too, you know, but thank you for being here. Yes, sir, thank you, it happens.

Speaker 2:

It is an experience. This has been awesome.

Speaker 1:

There's a sign behind me. I don't know, I'm going to try to point it to it. It says watch for thrown or batted balls. And what are we doing? Our back is to the field.

Speaker 2:

We're not listening to that sign right now. That's why we got the camera. It looks a little lag. We can catch it if we need it.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, try it. And yeah, they're not hitting many out here today, but it is a Mets game. But it is also the Skip Happens podcast. Support Reese, follow Reese, do what you got to do. He's here in Syracuse. He's going to be leaving. He's heading back home here in a little bit Appreciate you making the trip. Thank you so much for having me. Thank you for being on Skip Happens yes sir. Thank you Absolutely.

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Skip Clark

Host