The Rambling Gypsy
Welcome to The Rambling Gypsy Podcast, where Tiffany Foy and friends invite you to join them on their porch for a candid conversation about the quirks and adventures that make up their lives. From Tiffany's eclectic collection of animals to the chaos and joys of raising boys, there's nothing held back as they share their unfiltered perspectives.
With a refreshing honesty and a refusal to sugarcoat anything, this podcast delves into the various oddities and peculiarities that come in life's way. From hilarious anecdotes to thought-provoking discussions, they explore the everyday moments that shape their experiences.
Fortunate to be porching it, Tiffany and friends create an inviting atmosphere where authenticity thrives. They unapologetically embrace their unique journey, inviting listeners to do the same. This podcast is not for everyone, but it is for some; those who appreciate unfiltered, real-life conversations that don't shy away from the messy and imperfect aspects of living.
Join us as we gather around the virtual porch and immerse ourselves in the stories, insights, and laughter that The Rambling Gypsy Podcast brings. Whether you're a fellow animal lover or a parent navigating the rollercoaster of boyhood, this podcast will entertain, inspire, and remind you that it's okay to embrace life's imperfections.
So grab a seat, put on your headphones, and get ready for a delightful journey of laughter, reflection, and unscripted joy. Welcome to The Rambling Gypsy Podcast, where we invite you to be part of our vibrant and unfiltered world.
The Rambling Gypsy
Songwriting and Sacred Spaces
What makes a life in music truly meaningful? Dallas Burrow's story might just change your perspective on success, creativity, and purpose.
Sitting in Tiffany's "she shed" studio, Dallas opens up about growing up in New Braunfels with deep family roots that trace back to 1797. His musical journey began naturally—a father who wrote songs, a grandmother who taught piano, and his first job at the iconic Lone Star Float House at just 12 years old, where he witnessed artists like Ryan Bingham playing for tips long before fame struck.
The conversation takes a profound turn as Dallas shares his path to sobriety—a turning point after his son's birth when he realized his lifestyle wasn't sustainable for the father and husband he wanted to be. Six years clean, Dallas reflects on how quitting alcohol and drugs coincided with the most successful period of his career, challenging the stereotype that creativity requires chemical enhancement. "It's the magic bullet for anybody looking to improve their life," he says of sobriety, "Getting healthy, getting sober, finding God—they all go hand in hand."
Beyond personal transformation, Dallas reveals the inspiration behind Redbird Listening Room—a venue born from his reverence for songwriting and early experiences at songwriter circles. The intimate space offers what's increasingly rare: an environment where music isn't background noise but the central focus, where stories matter and artists connect directly with audiences.
Perhaps most thought-provoking is Dallas's perspective on music itself—that creating doesn't have to be monetized to be valuable. "Participating in the act of writing music and playing music just for the pure pleasure of doing it is enough," he insists, offering liberation to creators caught in the pressure to turn passion into profit.
Check out Dallas Burrow's music and tour dates at dallasburrow.com, and experience the magic of songwriter showcases at the Redbird Listening Room next time you're in New Braunfels. Your soul might just thank you for it.
The Rambling Gypsy podcast is a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of real Texans doing real sh*t. We're pulling back the curtains on our daily lives - and you're invited to laugh and learn along with us.
Links:
http://www.youtube.com/@TheRamblingGypsy
https://www.facebook.com/GypsyMammaTiff/
https://www.instagram.com/GypsyMammaTiff/
https://www.theramblinggypsypodcast.com/
I put a blessing on it. Too real, that's a metaphoric. We just put the I in iconic, buzzin' like I'm electronic. Ah yeah, I put a blessing on it. See me drippin' in it 24-7 on it. I'm just bein' honest. Ah, holy water drippin', drippin' from my neck to my creps.
Speaker 2:So I'm two-steppin' on it like I'm supposed to wait for, like the first what, ten minutes before I cuss Uh-huh. But, anyways, we're going to get rolling. Hey everybody, I'm Tiffany Foy. Welcome to the Ramblin' Gypsy podcast. We're going to stick with this whole fortunate to be fortunate thing because it apparently stuck and I've had a lot of guys that have.
Speaker 2:When I built my porch when I started the podcast and now we've moved it to my she shed which has been a whole full on thing, cause I swore I would never let any set of balls come into my she shed and, um, yeah, I feel like maybe we should have like a list of balls that have been in here now. Maybe a wall of balls. We should look at me just coming up with shit. Oh my God, thank God I'm laughing today. Today has been shit, absolute shit. Now there we go. I didn't even make it to the first 10 minutes of casting, anyways y'all, this is Dallas bro.
Speaker 3:Welcome. Welcome to my she shed. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was so flattered that you'd ask yes, yeah, we've been trying, we've been playing scheduled games and I mean, and then I couldn't get my shit together today, so at least I'm consistent.
Speaker 3:I tell you what this is such a beautiful day to be out on River Road it really is.
Speaker 2:It really is. The wind has kind of calmed down a little bit. It's been insane, but just such a nice drive, you know, like this time of year. Yeah, perfect, yes so tell everybody, I know Dallas Dallas musician, musician Dallas, dallas borough from.
Speaker 3:Born and raised here in New Braunfels.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, we're both locals.
Speaker 3:Yeah, my family goes way back. You know, my mom's side has been around forever. But, yeah, I grew up here. Actually, my first job was at the Float House, lone Star Float House. Okay, all right, all right, actually I was. My first job was at the float house, lone Star Float House. Okay, alright, alright, you know iconic place.
Speaker 2:You guys, if y'all are not, if y'all are visiting, you guys know I have Gypsy River Resort on the Gwad and we talk about all of our local businesses up and down because we're all one big, happy family. But Lone.
Speaker 3:Star Float House is the shit oh yeah, man, it was live music, sunday fun days it was, uh, it was, it was an experience, you know how old were you when you started there?
Speaker 3:12 solid throwing tubes oh yeah yeah, and my dad was, like you know, cooking burgers at that point and then I slowly worked into the kitchen. So I kind of you know, I had a couple of summers where I was helping out prep cooking and so you know I, you know I, I know the uh, the recipe you know all that stuff for the cheeseburger and the magic sauce.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean yeah, but I mean, of course, you know it's, it's an institution, um and uh, you know, I remember seeing like ryan bingham playing for tips down there. Hello, when I was you know that age he was still living, like you know, in. I remember seeing like Ryan Bingham playing for tips down there. Hello, when I was you know that age he was still living, like you know, in a tent.
Speaker 2:Basically, come on, look, if y'all know, we know Ryan Ryan's a friend of all of us here that are locals and to see where he has gone from literally living in a tent and everybody knows that, or not everybody. If you don't know and this is why I love having you guys on the podcast, especially you being a local is when we had Lost and Found, which is not Lost and Found anymore yeah, it's been recently sold which is literally one light minute backs up right here to my place.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So when Ryan lived there.
Speaker 3:Right, right, Big Steve oh yeah, yeah, steve, oh yeah, yeah, you know, oh yeah, yep. Totally. And then I worked at a rock and R for a couple of summers after that. Um, you know, uh, and that's you know where I first met Shiloh of course Yep, oh gee, oh yeah. Yep yeah way back.
Speaker 2:So you're, I didn't realize that your family has been here forever.
Speaker 3:Yeah, in fact so what is your mom's maiden name? I mean, I mean, so she was a layman and she is. You know, that's her maiden name. We were just talking about layman yesterday and then her, you know my maiden is secting okay, oh yeah, so we're the sectings and the skull lots which we have yeah right so and then we have the wildlife ranch.
Speaker 2:We have our whole family. Yeah, we're all related.
Speaker 3:Krause's also, of course, the Yonases, you know.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah, Stephanie, and yeah, Elroy, the whole crew, Yonases.
Speaker 3:You know, it's all kind of distant, but yeah, it's all back in there somewhere. But yeah, it's all back in there somewhere. But so, if I'm not mistaken, I haven't been able to find an older one. Anyway, the oldest grave in the graveyard over by the cemetery is Johann Krause. He was born in Germany in 1797 and buried in 1845. That's one of my direct ancestors, Wow.
Speaker 2:So yeah, early on. So I am absolutely. I will pee my pants for a scary commercial, a creepy commercial, but you stick me in a cemetery, or if we even pass and Nick and I are on the road running around all the time. But if you if. I see one, with I mean the five and six graves, the old amazing fence, the I'm all in it.
Speaker 3:I want to know the stories.
Speaker 2:Six graves the old, amazing fence. Yeah, I love that stuff, I'm all in it. I want to know the stories, I want to know the history. I just want to know. Actually, I took a friend of mine.
Speaker 3:I have a friend of mine who has a kickboxing gym out in California. He was a professional fighter at one time, so his last name is Krause, and he's a big music fan. Bryce Krause is his name.
Speaker 3:shout out to Bryce and he's like, he's showed up in Holland to see me play and just always, always shows up, you know, and uh, anyway. So he was in town this last weekend. Uh, I played at Lukenbach and my buddy, rob Linus, played at Lukenbach, and that was kind of like my first time on the big stage there, but so anyway, anyway, he was in town, so I drove him to the graveyard at like 11 pm to take him out to that show in the old grave.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:I mean because his last name is Krause too, so anyway, yeah, I dig that stuff myself.
Speaker 3:I was also traveling sometime in the last year out to New Mexico and it was just like you know same kind of deal you're talking about, but it was. I saw a sign for, like Billy the Kid's grave, gotta go see Billy the Kid's grave at midnight. Seriously, I mean wow, yeah, I dig it For sure.
Speaker 2:There was okay. So you know, in we have two Highway 46's here you got Highway 46 that takes you to 281 going Bernie side. 46's here you got Highway 46 that takes you to 281 going Barney side, and then you got the other one that takes you to Seguin, going to I-10 sure blah blah blah so where River Tree subdivision, which is on the right hand side.
Speaker 2:There's so much development that's going on over there. But I lived in a it was like a duplex condo type deal Um and there was only a couple of houses in that subdivision at the time. Um bumps up to the lake.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:And in the very back of that property like the bank had stopped wouldn't let anybody build or whatever. And so me went running around and I found a little grave area back there and the fence is that picket, like wrought iron fence type deal, like kind of that deal I have back there. But it there was maybe 15 graves in there, from little tiny ones to just a big one.
Speaker 2:Oh, it was so good, it was so good. And then Nick and I made a run. Oh shit, time just flies. A month or so ago we went. I had to deliver a horse, pick up some furniture. That's when we picked up Axel. We had to go pick. And then we went to East Texas. We just kind of boom, boom, boom and we, that's when we picked up.
Speaker 1:Axel and then we went to East Texas.
Speaker 2:We were trucking and jiving and my gosh, if we wouldn't have been on such a time crunch. We passed some good ones.
Speaker 3:You go down there in those back roads in East Texas that's where my dad's side of the family is, all east of Dallas, and then I traced it back all the way to Smith County, which is kind of out north of Houston somewhere, I guess.
Speaker 2:So did you do like one of those 23andMe deals or?
Speaker 3:whatever the hell, I have what's the other one called Ancestrycom. There it is, but I'm not sure that I fully believe in the results necessarily. Yeah, I'm skeptical.
Speaker 2:Well, for one I mean, namely because I've always just assumed that I had some native in me, you know, and it said no, and yeah, there was just yeah, first of all, I know how to.
Speaker 3:I don't know if y'all seen my rain dance, but it's legit I believe it yeah but, yeah, no, anyway, um, yeah no but, I just did some, some research on my own just to kind of try to learn more about my family history and stuff was it hard uh, no, I mean, I you know, was it recent that you did that in the last several years, but no, I was just able, able to kind of like trace the graves.
Speaker 3:Actually, there's really, yeah, yeah, like four or five generations back, um, you know all the way to like, I think, probably the first generation of my dad's family that was, uh, living in texas. Um, like four or five generations back. We were creeping on that murder case the other day and found where he was buried, remember that?
Speaker 2:oh, that's right, yes, the murderer yeah. So my youngest son was uh got called for jury duty and came back and he was like yeah, it's like this big, uh unsolved murder case, like wait what like from 40 years ago, 50 years ago or something, and of course, dna and everything has changed. And what have you?
Speaker 2:and I was all pumped and excited and I was like, okay, here's what you need to do. I know a lot of attorneys in town so when they're picking juries, shut up, be quiet, talking a bunch of things. They're gonna pick you. Of course, I was like we need to know like you got to get in there. We need to, we need no more details. It's like, mom, I can't tell. It's like, uh, you're gonna tell I don't care what happens behind our door, I need to know. And yeah, sure enough, we found and it was an old, it was two guys that had murdered a gentleman because the guy was gay, and they found him in two different states. And yeah, Wow.
Speaker 2:And the case was here in town. Wow, yeah, and I was so sad he didn't get picked. So get back in there, son. Come on, take one for the team. Come on. Yeah, he was with. So boring, so so boring I've never been called for jury duty before myself.
Speaker 3:I you know what's crazy is I I hadn't in all these years.
Speaker 2:And all of a sudden I got called. And then boom, it was not that long after that got called and the case got canceled. And then this kid he just got another one it's like huh, well, maybe this one will be something that you get picked for or whatever, I don't know. But yeah, I just thought was kind of wild that, and of course, nick and I still found the grave we found the dude because you know he comes back.
Speaker 2:Literally he's 21, he comes from the courthouse to my house. You know it's not that far. What are we talking? A couple, three, five miles, maybe seven on a bad day maybe a couple traffic lights, one or two. He gets to the house and we're like what was the guy's name? Oh, I forgot. No, no, no, no, no, no. How do you forget? We need to know, we need to know. Yeah, it's pretty wild funny man yeah so let's talk about your, your music. And how did? Where did that come from?
Speaker 3:oh, I don't know, I was, you know, always, just always been interested in it. Uh, my dad is a songwriter and so, you know, I was exposed to music, just you know, by by the nature of him being, just you know, playing around the house and stuff like that, so that did he write for people or?
Speaker 2:it was like kind of one of those it was.
Speaker 3:No, he was. He was never like a, you know, a professional musician Right. Yeah, he was just. You know, um did it for his own, his own enjoyment, I think, um. But but that was still enough to kind of plant the seed in my mind about. You know, just that was something that you did.
Speaker 2:Is it just you? Is there siblings?
Speaker 3:I have an older brother and sister. They're from my mom's first marriage. They were a good bit older than me so and we're still tight and everything. But they were, they were, they were kind of out of the house before, or I mean, like I think they were 12 and 16 when I was born. So you know, by the time I was old enough to remember much they were, you know, they were kind of off doing stuff, so yeah. But yeah, so it was just one of those things. And then my grandmother taught me some piano, then my dad taught me a few chords and then I just kind of started putting songs together when I was, by the time I was about, you know, probably 11 or 12, you know.
Speaker 2:And then yeah, so he had a guitar. It wasn't like he just came.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, no, there was, there was always a guitar, there was always guitar in the house. Yeah, for sure, yeah. And then you know, it's just uh, I started writing poetry pretty young too, and so just kind of like a natural I think, uh, you know um progression I love what you know, being from new brunfels and being in around you guys in the music scene.
Speaker 2:My entire life and and so many of you guys are family and um some that have have left here to become huge that sure we've known back when we had hastings and things like that I mean, I can tell some stories from way back when for sure and um. It's really cool that, um, because there's so many little bits and pieces like that going back to your family history and what yeah what got you to where you are now as far as the music side.
Speaker 2:But what I've really enjoyed having one-on-one conversations with you guys is the amount of songwriting that people don't really realize that you guys are actually like from the beginning to the end, from the songwriting to playing it, to doing your producing for the most part, but actually the poetry how much that comes into play.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, for sure. I mean there's a lot of wonderful songwriters around and I mean, and I think this area of Texas especially is, like you know, probably one of the highest concentrations of that anywhere in the world that you'll see, even like next to Nashville or New York or LA or any place. I mean it's different here than it is anywhere else from my experience, just because it's so like kind of grassroots and you know. I mean I don't know, but yeah there's, there's a lot of people writing songs for sure.
Speaker 2:My nephew, austin, both Tyler and Austin both, and there is not a music, nothing in our family whatsoever. I mean, we can't even play a spoon if we tried.
Speaker 3:But great lovers of music obviously right.
Speaker 2:Well they, yeah. Andler tyler just came out just loving music and it's not to say that we don't love music, we're absolutely obsessed with it but there's there's no musical talent as far as us.
Speaker 2:There was no guitars laying around the house that's what I'm trying to say so tyler came out, and at the age of four and I've told the story a couple of times, but ty Tyler came out at the age of four. I mean, he was going to play guitar. We have no idea where it came from. We went and got him the little $5 deal from Walmart and then, all of a sudden, the next thing you know, we were building pretend stages in the backyard. We made little VIP passes for the neighborhood.
Speaker 1:And it was so much fun.
Speaker 2:And they were playing air guitars and air drums and all the things and it was so much fun. But they have come obviously a long way. They're now grown and have their own children and the youngest of my nephews is Austin and they're both extremely shy Tyler and Austin, which is very common with a lot of you guys. The personality comes out when y'all hit the stage um, which so many people don't know. They think that in the outside world or in your normal day-to-day life that y'all are just bubbling loud spoken and some are and some are absolutely not.
Speaker 3:I mean, I think it runs the gamut, but probably, I mean you're probably right, in that there are a good you know a significant portion of artists who are probably kind of shy. Yes, Offstage.
Speaker 2:Well, Tyler and Austin are one of them. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Very much so.
Speaker 2:one of them Very much so, and I had introduced him to Scotty, which is who I call Summer Sandy, which is a very good friend of mine. And you know, scotty, we were just at your place when Scotty and Caleb were there Scotty Galaxy man. That's my boy. So we were all there and I brought Tyler in and it was back when we started the singer songwriter series at River Road Ice House on Tuesday evenings.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, tyler was young and Tyler had luck.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so Austin, we got got Tyler a gig, I mean, where he finally boosted his confidence, and I don't know that he's still if the confidence is boosted there. But my God, his vocals are phenomenal and his guitar playing is unreal.
Speaker 1:Those guys are great man.
Speaker 2:First gig we had at Tavern, austin played with him and Austin if you can get three words out of Austin, you are doing very, very well. But Tyler would play with his guitar flat on his lap and would never pick his head up, never look at the crowd, never nothing. I mean literally head down, guitar flat and just. I'll have to pull up some videos and they're going to be on that red laptop, the one that yeah is from 30 years ago.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's the heaviest laptop Seriously.
Speaker 3:But talk about great dudes though. Yeah, I know, austin has gone.
Speaker 2:I mean he went to Luthier School.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And now he's building guitars for Gibson.
Speaker 1:He's been there for four years.
Speaker 3:So, cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, has been there for four years. When we were in Nashville because Nick and I are working on some projects in Nashville right now we were down there and the first trip with you down there we didn't have time to spend. We went back and spent and stayed an extra day. My business partner came home and we stayed an extra day. We went and spent the day with Austin and Gibson and went and did some fun stuff. It was really cool listening to Austin talk about how much that songwriting is his gig. I don't want to play, I don't want to sit on stage, I don't want to be, I just want to sit back and write. Do you feel like you have one or the other that you prefer?
Speaker 3:I know I mean over the two. I enjoyed all, I mean my whole, I don't know. I think to me it all goes kind of hand in hand.
Speaker 2:I mean like the reason see, that's what I find so interesting, because I would think that is it hard for somebody that writes a song for you and says dallas, this is the song I, I wrote this. I I know all these musicians. I feel like you're the man, you're the guy for the song, and they hand you this song and you go. What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?
Speaker 3:oh, I mean, yeah, sure, I think probably people you know try to show you stuff sometimes that maybe, maybe, you know, isn't quite what you would do on your own, but or something, um, but in any case, as far as that goes, though, I mean, like to me, I get a lot of enjoyment out of the act of writing a song you know like.
Speaker 3:So I do that purely for the pleasure of you know it's, you know the, the song itself is reason enough to to sit down and write, I mean but then I also personally, you know, really enjoy performing the song Right, you know, whereas some people, like you're saying you probably have, you know, prefer one over the other Right or maybe have a stronger skill set for one or the other Right. But I mean, I think there's a lot of great examples, like you know I'm just off the top of my head, like Billy Joe Shaver, tom's Van Zandt, willie Nelson. Those guys all have, you know, totally different careers, but are also all people who are known for not only writing their own stuff, but yeah, but also like having other people perform their songs Um and uh. So I don't know, I think there was, there was a big point that Austin made.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah sure Was sitting back and going. Man, look what I did Totally.
Speaker 3:Look what? Yeah, but also too and I try to remind folks of this a lot is that having the songwriters not in stuff with the Redbird. To me it's not essential to even pursue music as a career. To me it's not essential to even pursue music as a career. Just I mean participating in the act of writing music and playing music just for the pure pleasure of doing it is enough. I think there's this kind of natural pressure that people feel to turn it into a job, but that's not necessarily. You don't have to do that and anyway. I mean I think anyway's something that I I always try to emphasize to folks like, like you don't have, I'm glad that you you're mentioning that.
Speaker 2:I think that's really important because that was a big struggle with tyler. So tyler went from um they, I mean, came right out of the gate and I mean it was metal, they were just wow. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I was a rock and roll kid oh yeah, and the hair band and all the things. And then things started kicking off. The voice started kicking, his balls dropped, the voice started doing the little things that it was supposed to do and then he decided he was going to all of a sudden become. I don't know. Ozzy osbourne meets george, straight shit you know, and then stops everything and was like, oh fuck, like you don't those 50 night gigs are not going to do what they need to do, and so it was a real hard.
Speaker 2:It was a real hard struggle for him and so many more that I know that, like you're saying, it's if you, if you can't just dive out and do this full time, you've got to figure out how to balance both, or to see what is going to take off.
Speaker 1:It's the well it's the luck of the draw sometimes you know right yeah I mean it's not to say.
Speaker 3:I also believe that anybody who wants to have a career in music can if they want it bad enough and they work hard enough at it, because you know there is a way.
Speaker 2:It's such a hard industry.
Speaker 3:Of course it is.
Speaker 2:A lot of industries are hard, but music is so, but it's also like the most fun.
Speaker 3:Yes. So it's like, however much you have to work to get to the place where you're having fun doing it, you know by all means it's worth it. I think, right, right, you know, but oh, I don't know. It's also anyway, I just mean music's for everybody and, and I know I know so many great songwriters and I can't expect every one of them to be, you know, on the cover of Rolling Stone, right.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean. So I just, I just think it's, it's, it's a healthy place to come from, to to you know, um, just you know consider yourself lucky if you're getting to do it for a living.
Speaker 2:How did you pick?
Speaker 3:your balance. Oh, I don't know. I mean I'm still always, you know, I time I think, but um, I mean lately especially, I've been really trying to prioritize family even more. So um just because I, you know, at the end of the day, man, it's like you know, um, that's what's most important. You know a but I, I just I feel like I know people who get married to their career and and then, like you know, and then and then, and then you're coming from a place of like I'm trying to make time for my personal life.
Speaker 2:And nah dude like, if you know, if you have a choice about it, which I you know you know who taught me in the last few years to finally I am, I'm going to be 52, right, wow, right around the corner. Hard to believe. And thank you, thank you. It's the vodka. I do like pickles and that does help. A little pickle juice and a little vinegar but yeah. With salt and lime, a little tequila but whatever. Was Kel Kel Kel oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Kel's my sidekick she's, my girl she's awesome.
Speaker 2:She finally set me down a couple years ago because I just non-stop. There's a pool in my backyard that the kids have named the Frog Pond which actually Shiloh's, the one that named it the Frog Pond.
Speaker 3:Because it wasn't getting used Exactly.
Speaker 2:Now the kids would force me to do it because she's in the medical, hospital health world. Kelly actually helped deliver our daughter. I'm pretty sure I was thinking about this earlier and I'm pretty sure that I saw your daughter before you did. Oh, yeah, because, kel, I get the pictures I was there. There was probably. Well, yeah, I should have been too. I mean, I kind of was you know.
Speaker 3:There's probably so many people in new brunfels hell. She saw my granddaughter before I did.
Speaker 2:How funny, yeah, but she did. She sent me a picture. I'll dig it up. We'll put it on the when we air this podcast and she was like look who's. I just delivered. It's dallas. Oh, she's an angel oh my gosh she is just god sent, but she was the one who taught me that, um, to finally figure out that it is okay to maybe take my boat out for just a random spin and not feel guilty about it. Sure To sit on the back patio and stick my toes in my frog pond.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, man.
Speaker 2:With a laptop in our hand is how we kind of do it from time to time, but it is taking all these years for her to literally go. You know what?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Enough is enough. I mean my gosh, yeah. I mean go, you know what? Yeah, Enough is enough.
Speaker 3:I mean my gosh. Yeah, I mean, well, you know, I don't know it's um, I think, I think it feels good to work hard. Yes, right, I mean it feels, you know, it makes you feel accomplished and it makes you feel like you know you're, I don't know um just earning your, your place, you know, in society or in the world, like you know in the world. Right, that's huge for me.
Speaker 2:I, um, I have a, a gentleman I don't know if you've seen the episode. His name is jungle, was his name is. George, but his nickname is jungle and he is a author and one of the most interesting individuals I have met and he throws things at me which I love. It's. One of my most probably favorite things is having you guys on the show is how y'all actually turn around and challenge me.
Speaker 1:And it's.
Speaker 2:It really makes me think, and it was one where he came right out. We were talking about how long do you think we should live? And he asked me let me think about that live. And he asked me one, we're just kind of the way of the world or the way is land isn't. One lives past 100. So in my mind I'm thinking why would I ever even possibly remotely think about living past the age of a hundred? Sure, and he said mine's 500, that's the 500 what the fuck you're gonna do around here for 500 years.
Speaker 2:That's a long time, and so you think about my gosh and it really I mean it hit me and I still think about it on the daily. And my gosh, this was months and months and months ago that he drew this at me and then we revisited it again and I was like I'll meet you at three, but I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do out here for 500 years, and it was just really that would be a long time to lose right?
Speaker 2:well then I had a phone call from a customer of stays at our resort, which anybody that comes and stays down there they turn into family and chase happened to call and, um, we were talking about a benefit that we're going to do for him and he said, yeah, well, I'm, I'm getting up there. You know, I'm turning 40 on sunday. I hung up the phone and I looked at nick and I was like, do you realize that I can only be on this earth for like another 20 years? She's like what? And I just start bawling. I mean just hysterically bawling. So what is wrong with you? And I was like, I mean, think about that. It's the whole dash thing, it's the whole.
Speaker 3:I've, uh, I've gone through periods of time, um, probably, where I sort of like um, thought some about um, um thought some about um, you know like um eternal life, yes, right, oh well, I mean, you know, and then, and then, as soon as I say that, of course, then, like you know, it depends on the context of how you, what you consider to be eternal life, right, which is, you know what I think ultimately, you know, please, a lot of people to like a spiritual journey, but, yeah, I mean, I think, I think the um, you know, the, the finite nature of life itself is what makes it so precious. You know, if, if we did all you know, live forever in this body, it would you know, I don't know, you'd take it for granted.
Speaker 3:Eventually, and yeah, it would just. You know, I think there's there's a time for eternal rest. You some point you put in your time my grandmother lived to be 99. No doubt, yeah, yeah, my mom's mom, that's that German?
Speaker 2:Yes, ma'am, that is that German.
Speaker 3:German clean linen. But yeah, and she was a real old school lady of the world, dressed herself and kept a very nice home up until her mid-90s, until the end there.
Speaker 2:Did she age? Oh I mean. Let me tell you what. I'm the only one in my family that ages my entire family. They don't have a wrinkle on their elbow.
Speaker 3:They don't have a wrinkle nowhere, oh, I mean You've seen Aunt Pearl.
Speaker 2:I hear you, you know my dad, I hear you, not a one of them.
Speaker 3:She stayed real sharp for a long time.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:That's for sure. But yeah, no, I think that's an interesting kind of thing to think about. But knowing that our days are numbered certainly, I think, is a motivating factor in trying to make the most of the days that we have Right.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, Do you find yourself writing about those kind of things in music?
Speaker 3:Oh sure, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean, yeah, what I love about poetry in general, you know, just writing in general, is, you know, the opportunity to kind of explore different. You know concepts and yeah, I mean, you know I dabble in a bit of existential sort of kind of pondering Am I writing something? Probably yeah.
Speaker 2:When do things like that hit you? Oh, I mean, do you stop and go? Okay, wait. I mean Do you jot it down, right, then Do you revisit it, do you sit down? I am one that when things hit me I have to sit and go stop. Don't talk to me, don't nothing, let me do.
Speaker 3:I gotta put my notes down and revisit it, because I'll forget it um, yeah, you know um I like to write for, for like really clear, kind of clean thinking. I like early morning sitting down with a clean piece of paper and just kind of with the early morning sun. You know, I feel like that's going to be inspiring to kind of get some good thoughts together, but it just depends.
Speaker 2:First of all, you just said you didn't say musician, but I'm going to go ahead and throw that in there, for you. You just said musician and early morning. Yeah, yeah, early morning, yeah, yeah. Is that carrying over from a playing a gig or that's playing a gig, taking a wee nap and then getting up with the chickens?
Speaker 3:well, I certainly uh used to pull a lot of all-nighters and and certainly wrote a couple of songs that I really like uh during those all nighters, yeah, yeah for sure so's, there's something to that.
Speaker 3:but, that being said, nowadays, you know, uh, I found, speaking of longevity and just like general, like you know, physical health and mental health and all that stuff I you know, I find it so important to try to keep, you know, um, uh, a pretty consistent schedule where you know, sleeping regular hours, getting up early in the morning and having a whole work day.
Speaker 2:Explain. A lot of people think this is really important because the music industry is rough. It's rough on your body, it's rough on your soul, it's rough on your organs, it's rough on your liver. It's rough on everything. And you are sober, yeah, and I think you should tell Explain's, let's go down that road a little bit if you don't mind. I think it's really important.
Speaker 1:I think there are so many of you guys that I know that have done that um.
Speaker 2:I'll tell you what and I feel like we're seeing it more and more which is so impressive, totally so strong, and the willpower is off the charts.
Speaker 3:I think that well, if somebody if there's a young musician. Sure.
Speaker 2:That comes up to you and I'm talking young 20s, whatever and they're hitting it, and they're hitting it hard and they look at you and say, dallas man, I just woke up in a ditch last night or this has happened, or this has happened, or whatever. I woke up and there's three women on the side, or whatever. Y'all have things dropped at your ankles at gigs, all over tours and what have you Totally, man yeah. Where was your light? What could you tell them?
Speaker 3:Sure.
Speaker 2:Let's go down that little journey.
Speaker 3:Well, just I mean just you know right off the bat. I mean, you know if I'm ever talking to anybody or if somebody asks me about this stuff, I always. You know I'm quick to encourage anybody to keep their nose clean.
Speaker 3:Yes, you know that's, you know one way to say it. But yeah, man, you know, if you can stay away from the party and are willing to work very hard, you give yourself the best chance of success in general, I think. But, um, yeah, I mean, you know, I, I, you know, having grown up around music and and and also to just you know the culture of, you know small town Texas. You know we started drinking real young, oh yeah and all that stuff.
Speaker 2:I was mixing the best bar drinks at the age of nine off my grandmother's washer and dryer.
Speaker 3:Sure man, I mean, you know it's like my dad's mom used to give him a spoonful of whiskey, you know, to sleep when they had a cold or gums, you know.
Speaker 2:Peppermint schnapps for that cough.
Speaker 3:Sure, so you know that's all old school stuff, Uh, but um, and then you know so anyway, just you know, long story short, over the years I I got you know more and more into, you know drugs and and you know harder and harder drugs and just to try to kind of like keep up with the party and um, and you know, eventually it got to where. For me it was like you know I was doing that and I wasn't doing any actual work.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, I mean, for me I had a real, a real life coming to Jesus moment and, and you know, for me, it was after my son was born and you know, when he was about a year old. I, you know, I, just I had to face the fact that what you know, the way I was living, wasn't going to work anymore. And if I wanted to, just you know, forget being a musician, or anything else, just to be a respectable father.
Speaker 2:You know, husband.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 3:That I was going to have to just you know, make a big change, a bunch of big changes. And so, you know, I um, around that time, you know, uh decided to join the gym again, start going back to church and, uh, quit drinking. And it's been over six years since I had a drink or done any you know, uh, hard drugs or anything like that. And so it's, um, you know, and in that time I've been able to kind of really rebuild my life from, you know, from you know, a serious low point, you know, and in that past six years of, you know, not partying, not drinking, I've been able to do all, you know, most of the good things that I've done in my career in that period of time. Right, and listen, I can't tell you how often and how grateful I am, how often I hear people telling me hey, man, I haven't had a drink in two months.
Speaker 3:Yes, you know like just that is the biggest reward.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:I mean, you know, just to see that people are figuring out for themselves and their own lives that, like you know, just for their own well-being, for their own sense of happiness, I think it's a challenge that if you don't think and that was me I did if you don't think that you can do it yeah I think it's one that you should just try.
Speaker 2:It's very hard in our music town, in our music community, and it's it's everywhere we go yeah, yeah um, but I did um a couple years ago and it was just one of those like let me just one. I was, I was going, I was going on a health kick. I needed to do something, because I was blowing up like a fucking buffalo and I was thinking and what is going on?
Speaker 2:here, and I just had my hysterecties. Hysterectomy hormones were doing whatever the hell they wanted to do, sure and yeah, and so I was walking around like a oompa loompa and so, and I did, and it was, I carried my big water bottle around. If we were out and about, I would have a, a water with a, with a piece of lime, with, you know, a slice of lime on there, and it wasn't. You know, you kind of think that you're going to, everybody's going to give you the whole way, you're not drinking, you're not wet ever, and it would come across from time to time.
Speaker 3:Sure.
Speaker 2:And then once you kind of get past that little hump, and you're like golly.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, no it's refreshing. It's it's very freeing, I think. And, yeah, I think there's, there's definitely, like you know, there's probably the idea that there's like the social pressures that come with everything in the world.
Speaker 3:Yeah, in the world. Yeah, not just drinking other drugs or whatever it's with everything in the world. But I, I have found, you know, um, you just gotta, you know, just show up and be yourself and people are just glad to see you regardless. And you know, the drink is kind of neither here nor there, you know was there a struggle in your relationship?
Speaker 2:I mean, obviously there had to have been.
Speaker 3:I mean, your son was a year, yeah, when you quit yeah, um, well, you, well, you know, uh, stacy and I actually didn't get married until Tex was maybe like two or three, so there was definitely, you know, um, and she actually has, um, has been sober the same amount of time as I have, and so that was something we you know, yeah, it was a journey for both of us, you know, and yeah, I mean we've had, you know, I think, all the normal kind of challenges that people have in relationships anyway, but what right now we're doing is good as we've ever been, and you know, yeah.
Speaker 3:So it was a mutual commitment for she and I both. I think it was just kind of a natural thing, like it was just sobriety was just going to have to be part of the equation for us to make it work For us to grow.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you know, I mean. You know. She was when she and I first met. She was living and working up in Dallas and you know had been like working as a cocktail waitress and I made her quit all her jobs and come. You know, move, move in with me and start that guy.
Speaker 2:Well, if I met a couple of those married ones, as a matter of fact, yeah, sure do, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Pouring sweet tea anymore. Right darling. Yeah, a lot of song coming on. Yeah, let's talk about okay, and I just think that's really important and I think it's epic, absolutely, it's impressive.
Speaker 3:Man, I just think that it's like the magic bullet for anybody. It's like the magic bullet for anybody If anybody is looking for, like you know, what can I do to improve my life, my chances or my odds, or you know my success rate? That's like the number one, obvious one to me. I mean, you know, getting healthy, getting sober, finding God I think they all go hand in hand to me.
Speaker 2:I believe, so I agree wholeheartedly. Let's tell everybody about the Redbird Listening Room.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the Redbird, let's talk about the inspiration behind that Sure. Well, I mean so the inspiration for the style of the venue really a lot of it comes from Kent Finley growing up, going to the Cheating Street Warehouse and the songwriter circle there and just experiencing that kind of like the sacred approach to songs that like you know, like and Kim was always so you know, um, you know good about that, about just you know, it didn't matter who you were if, if you showed up over there and you had and you had your own song, then you were going to, you know, have a platform to to be heard, right and uh.
Speaker 3:So that just made a big impression on me early on and uh, and so, yeah, um, and then, you know, of course, my mom is, is an incredible entrepreneur and business person, and so she, um, you know, really it was, you know, to her credit, she saw the potential in the place and then I was able to kind of just go in with my passion and just kind of having made a life out of music and paid attention over the years to all the, all the artists that I liked been able to, you know, bring in some, you know, some really incredible, um, songwriters to come play there. So it's, it's been a really incredible thing, man.
Speaker 2:It's so, it's so fun. Um, if you guys are out and about in New Braunfels, it is the Redbird listening room and we will also share a link and it is um, it's very cool, it's very, um, eclectic, it's very. It's exactly what it needs to be it's it's up close and personal.
Speaker 2:You get there and I remember um before cody jinks was was the big cody jinx sure and and one of my things and being in it and I I'm assuming I get that from being born and raised in New Braunfels, I don't know or just appreciating George being around when I, when Crystal Chandelier was here you know, I mean he was teaching at Canyon high school and yeah so back in the good old days. And so, um, you know the pat green telling everybody in hastings when you, man, I've never been up at 12 o'clock before, but I'm here right now, and I mean back in those days and um so I appreciate, appreciate the listening room and one of the first deals I'd seen.
Speaker 2:We were at um, we were at um, we were in the Keys and then we were in this backyard area and Cody was playing board and and I was standing on a um pike it was a skate turnpike whatever a half pike.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there it is. Yeah, that guy.
Speaker 2:And they had like little logs where for people to sit and it was like a prey. I mean, if you, they were like kind of handing out tickets and nobody knew who jinx was, and so um, so we were sitting back there and I lost my mind because these people were just yapping and bumping their gums and I am to this day, I will lose my fucking mind. I'm like you, disrespectful shits. Shut the hell up. I will do it at my resort at the bottom of the Gwad, in open air and I've got musicians sitting down there playing.
Speaker 3:I'm like hey, that's right.
Speaker 2:Absolutely not. I will go unplug, I will cut the wires on their radios. I will do some really. No, no, absolutely just do not do that. And I, we were laughing about it because they he, you know there's a lot of bigger people that will come down and come and hang and we and we allow them to do that write songs. We shut the gate, we don't tell them and let them be humans and let you guys you know to where people just don't, don't bug y'all.
Speaker 2:And we were all laughing about it and and I said do you remember that one time when I was standing on that deal? And I started, he was like, oh my gosh, and I was like, yup, that was me and I I just want to thank you and that is that is very impressive about your places.
Speaker 3:that it is, it's very it places that it is it's very.
Speaker 2:It's very small, it's very intimate. It is very up close and personal and it's where you get to kind of in a setting like this, where you guys get to talk to, to the, to your up and close and your people and your fans and the ones that they really want to get to know who dallas really is and who yeah, or whoever yeah, yeah, yeah, and not everybody talk about the guy that just drawn the pictures he used to be at Green forever and he still does hang out at Green.
Speaker 2:Mark Nelson he's been an old family friend forever, so he drew pictures of Scotty and Manzi. I mean Scotty with Manzi's here.
Speaker 1:Caleb.
Speaker 2:Caleb and Scotty played.
Speaker 3:We were there me and man's easier. Uh, michael caleb, caleb, caleb and scotty played.
Speaker 2:Okay there, yeah, yeah, of course, sure yeah um, yeah, kale, kale, shiloh, and so yeah, yeah man, uh, uh, mark is he's a treasure?
Speaker 3:and yeah he's. You know you'll still see him in green sometimes, but I haven't seen him in green in years oh yeah, he's sitting right next to me and I said yeah okay, I'm gonna want this one.
Speaker 2:He said, no, I'm about to fuck this one up. I said, that's definitely gonna be the one that I'm gonna want. So, yeah, it was good yeah, no, it's cool man.
Speaker 3:Um, he definitely adds a lot to the whole, I think, atmosphere of the place. But so fun. Yeah, you know, it's, uh, it's nice for people to have the chance to uh to tell their stories. You, you know, and you know I've I've heard from from a few people that you know maybe don't usually play those, those style shows. Just, you know, you know, it was kind of a a unique experience, uh, from the artist standpoint, to be able to sit and tell stories that they hadn so let's tell everybody before we wrap it up where can let's find your tour schedule.
Speaker 3:Sure yeah, so all things. Just you know, as far as the schedule and information and where to find my music and stuff, just Dallas borough dot com.
Speaker 2:We'll share that to you guys, and then also. Redbird listening room Of course it is when this hits the air. It's going to be right before summer season hits. Okay, so we will, um, let's do a summer tour schedule. We'll list everybody on there you guys are going to want to get your tickets and whatnot in advance. It is small, it's very exclusive, it's very up close and personal yeah and it is, it is definitely an experience that that you guys will absolutely enjoy. Yeah, well, I appreciate that.
Speaker 3:I appreciate you shining a light on so I just to tell a quick story. So I just want to thank you, um, for everybody to hear, for hooking me up the other day anytime, because we had anytime, we had an artist. Uh, come through and you know it's one of those things where you know I understand this from both sides. Being on the road, I know the deal.
Speaker 2:Shit happens, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Anyway, we had somebody come through who was like. I remember I reached out to their tour manager the day before to ask what they needed backstage and stuff. One of those things was a bottle of tequila. I just kind of it slipped my mind to go by the liquor store. Let's say it was Sunday and it was the day of the gig and artist arrives and you know I'm thinking no big deal, but it was like you know. Apparently you know some. Sometimes those things are important.
Speaker 2:They are very important, those green rooms. Let me tell you, yeah, I speaking of an important green room real quick. Yeah, I was down at Loretta Lynn's ranch. Wow, I was going down there was invited to go down there Cool. To help, and what have you Uh-huh? No, I was in there to organize all the musicians, all the stage things and the green room, wow. The green room was a fucking nightmare, uh-huh, and so when I go in're doing what I'm doing. So you want to talk about?
Speaker 2:yes, I know how important green rooms can be oh, yeah, do some gigs, some guys are like oh, sure, something that walking to go. The red carpet is not quite straight up.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah it's never no no, and almost. I mean, people are always usually pretty cool, but it's one of those things like you know anyways, hospitality goes a long way somebody, somebody expected some tequila. I didn't have any, and you were kind enough to say hey, it's a sunday, just come on by, I'll give you a bottle for my private stash, and it made the whole day that much cooler so for the artist, so thank you for that.
Speaker 1:I got a private stash, I hear you they're.
Speaker 2:most of them were dust collectors. It's fine, yeah.
Speaker 3:Anyway, it made everything better that day for us. I'm so glad. That makes my heart happy. See when we're talking about living on earth and doing things, those are
Speaker 2:the things that, when I know that I was able to help and do.
Speaker 3:Yeah, man, and you know back to what you were saying at the beginning about how this you know it's one big family around here. Yes, musicians, and business owners and all that stuff. Well, you're, you're a great example of that. Thank you.
Speaker 2:Likewise, likewise. You guys like share. Follow Dallas borough, the red bird listening room. We'll share all the things. Have a good summer, have a good tour. Have all the good Thanks for having me I can't wait to hear about the next yeah song release there's, there's good stuff coming, so nice well it was a good time yeah and cut.