Getting Real with Drew Baldridge: The Farmer’s Mentality That Built a Music Career

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2:05network, I Heart. Follow Dirty Rush and start listening on the free I Heart Radio app today. On August 4th, 1962, Marilyn Monroe died. Then the rumors started, and she died again. And now, we're going to set the record straight and learn about the way Marilyn Monroe actually died, the third way. I'm Jake Brennan, and on my podcast, Hollywood Land, I revisit some of the biggest stories from Hollywood history, separating the myths people want to believe from the reality underneath them. Hollywood Land is part of the exactly right network. Listen to new episodes every Monday on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, Woo! Hey, Woo! Hey, Woo! Caroline, she's a queen of talking, and you will stone your mind. She's getting rid of not afraid to feel the time. So the soul just let it flow.

3:06No one can do it quietly, Caroline. It's time for Caroline. Alright, we're here with Drew Baldridge. Hey, hey, how's it going? What's up? Glad to be here. Thanks for having me. I mean, last time I saw you was at the Puffy muffin. Oh, love the Puffy muffin. I've kind of turned that into a weekly routine with my three-year-old. We go every- Stop it! We go, like, for breakfast, like, once a week when I'm home, like a Monday Tuesday or Wednesday from the road, and he always gets a cookie. I get the same thing. We don't even have to look at the, he gets. He always gets, like, whatever is made that day, like, this week was a fox. So he got a little, a little fox. Oh, like a cookie, whatever cookies was made that day. Whatever cookies made that day. Then, like, last week he got back to school. It was like a number one, even though he doesn't go to school. All his friends, you know, are excited about it. So he got back to school. So yeah, we've kind of turned it for the last month, kind of like a weekly thing. I really like that place because it reminds me of,

4:07it feels very on brand for you, Drew. Very, very, very small town. It's like actually like you walk in there and like, they call you honey when they bring you to your coffee. Oh, it's my favorite thing. Yes. You can sit there for hours. You see all these like old elderly people sitting there just like having a lovely breakfast or lunch on some peach. And they got the best, it's a bakery too. So they got like the best cookies and cakes and all that stuff. It's my vibe for sure. But I do believe Katie was pregnant. I don't think you'd had your second. No, now we're, now he's four months old now. It's crazy to think about how fast time goes. But we are. So you're a three year old and a four month old. We got a three year old and a four month old. We are in it. Katie, you know, right now I'm torn so much. She's really, really in it. So we've been trying to find people come like every weekend when I'm gone. Because you're gone all the time. Gone a lot. You're like tearing up the roads. Right now we're, you know, three or four days a week. Sometimes more every week. Every week until I think like Thanksgiving is kind of the goal.

5:10I said after Thanksgiving I want to be done this year. Are you the one behind booking all these shows or someone else driving? Like who's driving this Drew Baldritch ship? Well, I think, you know, we had some, you know, a couple of years ago she's somebody's daughter did its thing. It was such a blessing. Okay, let's not just like, whiz past that. You made that do its thing because she's somebody's daughter. It's such an amazing song. Thank you for saying that. You were on a label. You thought you're going to go in and have like this really profound meeting where they're like really about to like invest in you and give you the push that you always knew was coming. Yeah. Instead you got dropped. I got dropped. 100%. Yeah, dropped. Brutal. Brutal. Brutal. And it was like, you know, where do I go from here? Where do you go from there? And it was like, do I just move home? Did you feel desperate? I felt defeated. Betrayed. I felt defeated. And like, we trade a little bit by the town and I just felt like I was making music that was just as good as my peers and I had this song that was obviously doing very well.

6:12So it was doing well. And luckily for me and my wife, like we were, that was the best, you know, money wise we've ever done because we were seeing it. But for me, I didn't get into this for money. Like don't get me wrong. Like I love being able to buy to my family. We need the money. We need the money, but that's not why you got it for it. Yeah, I just, I love playing music and I love being in front of people and I want my music to mean something. And I want my music to be heard by people that need it. And I felt like she's somebody's daughter with such that song for girls, you know, and for guys. Like, you know, I have two little boys now and know that this song will one day be theirs. Like I can pass it down to them. It's about their mom and hey, how to treat a woman. Yeah, which is a kind of a big theme with you. Yeah, it is. You have another song out right now about that. Yes, we do. And I think, you know, for me, that's the kind of messages that I want to put out in the world. And so when we got dropped, I felt defeated that our music wasn't going to be able to be heard by the people that had deserved to be heard by. And so when we started our own, our own thing, you know, I never dreamed it would, it would turn into all this, but.

7:17But you started it too. You were doing backyard shows, which I freaking admire and commend you for because you're like, let's get creative. How are we going to do this? So how did you do that? You just like, what, how did you people even know to hire you for their backyard parties? That turned into a thing, right? It really did. It turned into a huge thing for us. I was so impressed with that. It actually came, you know, 2019, 2020 hit. I had this song called Senior Year. And I wrote it in 20, it came out, I think in 2019. And the hook said never thought it would disappear senior year. And I just meant, at the time I wrote, I was like, live it up. It's going to go by fast. And, well, 2020 hit all these kids this senior year did disappear. And that's when TikTok really started becoming a thing. So these kids started using it in their videos. And I went viral. And I just decided to post and said, hey, I'll do Zoom concerts for every class of 2020. And so I was doing like seven or eight Zoom concerts a day from my living room. And then that turned into, hey, will you come play our drive-through graduation?

8:17I've drive through, I forgot about that. I've drive through graduation. And so I went and I played through the drive-through graduations. And I started doing more, like some other school started asking in like, in a crazy way it'd be like a graduation on August 18th in New York somewhere. And I would look up what other schools had graduations around there. And I would just call their front office. And I'd just be like, hey, I see your graduations all 17th. I got this song. I'll come play it. What did he pay you? No, like no one paid you. They would be like, hey, we'll cover your, a lot of people back here creep and hang up on them. You know, honestly, a lot of people like, don't call back to the school with our kids. Hang up. But some of them would be like, oh my goodness, this is actually our class song. Like this year. And so please come. We'll, you know, cover your flight here and get in the room. Were you just trying to build my minimum and keep it going? Yeah, I was just trying to keep it going. And that's what really started the backyard conversation when I got back. And at that time, in my wife, we were just engaged. And she was like, this is really cool.

9:18But like, we need to make money somehow. You can't just volunteer for the rest of our lives. Yeah, you can't just volunteer yourself for the rest of your life. And I feel like as a musician, sometimes you're like, I'm literally volunteering my whole life away. And you're giving everything you have. And it's so grueling and exhausting. It is. It breaks your spirit. But yet, here I am. Here I am. Sign me up for free. And I think, you know, everybody, every musician should go through that a little bit. Because this is. I don't know how long must we go through it, true? Not forever. Not forever. But I think it really, when I went and did these back, when I did that school thing, yes, it was very difficult. But my cup was so full because I was. It was actually your impacting. It was, I was impacting. And I saw it in people's eyes. And I could see it in these kids. And I could give commencement speeches. And it was felt like why I was built. It felt like why I was making music. It wasn't just for trying to make a single for Nashville. It wasn't just like making something that sounded like the radio. It was actually like really affecting people's lives. It was really affecting people's lives. And when I got back home, you know, at that time, my fiance, now my wife, she was like, that's cool. You need to make money. She's like, what if we just took this and went to backyards? Like what you're doing on social media and doing zooms?

10:19What if you just posted and said, hey, I don't have a record deal on agent anymore. Everybody dropped me. Like maybe these people would want you to play in their backyards and just go do what they'll pay you. Like just go do it. And so I posted and it will like, like 20,000 messages. Like it just went crazy. Like crazy, crazy. You couldn't get to the show fast enough. I couldn't keep, and it was just DMs. Like I would just say DM me or comment. And then I would pick out a Saturday in Virginia. And then I would go through every message. Were you making good money, kind of? And I was, by the end of it, you know, I think we were doing like 2K a night is what we needed to come. That's great. But we would bring our people. You know, we'd bring a tour manager in the sound system ourselves. And I think the best thing was was we made, we called it the Baldur Jambon Fire Tour. And so we made shirts that said Baldur Jambon Fire. And all these little towns had their own name on a shirt. And so that was cool. Like sell on the merch and being able to sign it. And for me, I mean, there were some nights we started out like, hey, do whatever. Like we'll 750 bucks.

11:20And there'd be like the little girls birthday. And that was her birthday present. She really wanted an iPad and be like, okay, hey, here, take some money back. Go get this little girl her iPad or iPod or whatever. And so we were, yeah, it was just like, we wanted to, I felt like so excited that we got to be in these yards and feel like I was doing what I was meant to do. And kind of rejuvenated me and music was going to be like, I was in Nashville at that time for 10 years. And as you know, I mean, you have a husband in this too. I mean, it can beat you up and you can feel like, what am I doing? True. My spirit's so broken. I don't even know where it is anymore. You know, I'm surrounded it fully to God. Amen, sister. So far down, you got nothing left to do, but pray about it. Pray about it. And so I just think for me when I was there in their backyards and I was seeing it and I was watching them, how happy it made them. And I wasn't pulling up to a club where every other artist has played in the last 20 years and the club persons mad at you.

12:22Nobody cares. Nobody really cares. They might have bought tickets, but this will be pulling up and they'd have signs and they'd be like, you know, the little kids would be like, Drew's in our yard. Like, thanks for coming. And it just made like a whole difference in my heart and my character. Yeah. And it gave me a purpose to be there. And so as much of these people felt like Drew's doing this for us. It was really, they were doing it for me and filling my cup. And made me realize like, hey. But that's the win-win. That's when you're in that sweet, magical spot of music. We're going to feel it when you feel it. Yes, you feel it. And that really catapulted us into, you know, starting our own thing, sending daughter to radio. And now, you know, we've been touring so heavy the last two years. Because, you know, you feel like you have this window that you want to... You don't want to lose your momentum. You don't want to lose the momentum. And you want to also capitalize on the momentum that daughter had. And that's where we're at right now is capitalizing on that, playing fairs and festivals and we're so blessed. But what we decided to do, and I'm sure you saw it, but like the album is called Farm Faith Family. And so we're taking it back to these private intimate backyard.

13:26So... Wait, you're going back to the backyard? Going back. Yeah, going back. How did you decide to go back to the backyard? I always wanted to do it again. This is your thing. I love it. I love it so much. And so what we did... You loved chatting with the people, too. I love it. You just loved it. I can feel this in your bones. Like, you like need to be with the people. I love it. You need to feel that. It drives my wife nuts. She's like, your relaxing is being around other people. And I'm like... And just feeling their heart... Yeah, talking to the music. Yeah. And I want to hear their stories. And then you light up. That's how you feel. Yes. I light up and being able to speak into them. And so I think what we decided was... I was talking to my manager and I was like, how do we do this? And it makes sense where it's not just like going backwards. Like, hey, we're playing backyard again. We're playing with it. So what we decided for Farm Faith Family... And was that album come out soon? Comes out the 18th of September. Oh gosh. Are we... Yeah, under a month. I am so excited. Okay, so we're taking it back for the album. Yeah, we're taking it back for the album release. What I decided was I'm going to play three farms for farm.

14:28I'm going to play three churches for faith. And I'm going to play three weddings for family. And so we're just giving them away. People can just post. Oh, you can do like giveaways? Yeah, 100% free. We're just going to go on. And let people try to win it. Yeah, they just sign up. They can go to the link in my bio and you can sign up. And we're just going to go. Oh gosh. And we're going to pick three of each of these. And why we're out on tour? Just stop in and play these for people. Which I'm just so excited about. It's been the coolest experience of my touring life. And now don't get me wrong. I'm like, playing some big shows with like Luke Bryan. Luke Bryan. That's what is like amazing. That's somebody I really looked up to. You are kind of like friends, right? Yeah, I mean, everybody thinks about brothers. How do you remind me of each other? Yeah, everybody thinks we're like, I could go out into his meet and greet. You know? You're really good. But he's, he's so cool man. I know. It has been such a blessing to open for him. For how long were you opening? Like all what we just kind of did this summer. Okay, that's a great summer tour. And sporadic dates. You know, it's like, he has, I think like 12 openers. And so you get, you do sporadic dates throughout the year.

15:28I appreciate that about Luke Bryan. Yes. That he's like, he's always looking out for the next one too. He really is. And he's just the kindest soul, you know? And I think one of the coolest things about him is, you know, he has three artists and that open and we all rotate every night what position we're in. Stop. So some nights were first and some nights were right in front of him. Some nights were direct support. Some nights were in the middle. We're so intentional. So you have every night that you can do this. And, you know, I think like even last week, one of the coolest things, I mean, I don't even know if I'm allowed to say this. But like, we went up to Oregon and Washington. We had these shows. Bend, right? Bend. Yeah, we played in Bend. Best city. Beautiful. Oh my gosh. Well, the next two nights we were supposed to play in Washington outside of Seattle and outside of Spokane. And the fires were so bad. And they were messing with our voice. And there's people's houses and homes being devastated. And we decided that we were just going to reschedule those for October. This is your personal tour. This is Luke's tour. This is Luke's tour.

16:28Luke's tour. Okay. We played in Bend. I was opening for Luke. Okay. He was like, came off stage and he's like, man, this is so... Is this smoke going so bad? It's so bad. It's terrifying. But also just terrifying for the communities to come out to a country concert. You know, when... There's fires going on and stuff. And so we rescheduled. And I flew all my guys back. And for me, it's like, that's a big hit. Yeah. And you fly out there, all the things. And my agent called and said, hey, Luke paid you in full for both those shows. And... But I don't want to cry. And that is like the kindest thing. That really scares my eyes. It just makes you the way that he's treating me. It makes you like, go back and like, hey, I want to remember this. You know, and ever... Because it means so much. It means so much. It means so much. You know, he didn't have to do that because... Because he's a big star. He's a big star. He doesn't have to care. He doesn't have to care. But he does care because he was where I was. And he knows what that's like to fly 10 guys out and try to put on a show. And for us to fly those back and all these things. And he was like, hey, we got you.

17:28We're going to pay for both those shows and come back out and play again. And we're going to pay you again. And so he didn't have to do that. Man. Super kind human. And like him rotating the openers too. Like he doesn't have to do that. He's truly like, yes, he's a superstar and he's rocking in his life. But he's also like, I want you to rock. I want you to have a great experience. Totally. Like you to win. Totally. And that is a, that is a, that's the separation for me. Like when someone is like that when they are at that level, I'm like, okay, that, whatever that is, that is what we all need to do. Yeah, it's 100%. That's what you start sitting back. You're like, man, God's giving him that such a, that spotlight because that's a human that he is. And it makes you want to do better and get back more and all those things to, to younger artists and things like that. That is their, they're on their way up and be supportive for them. You know, people that are out on tour with you. Like when we have Chase Wright out on tour with us now and trying to treat him as such a small or scale. What is this? Chase Wright. Chase Wright. Yeah. Okay.

18:28I said, so there's a Chase Rice and a Chase Wright. There is. Yes. Country music has some similar names sometimes. I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I know so many. Okay. He's a great artist too and he's independent right now. And so just trying to be what people are to you. And you see that and you're like, man, I want to make sure to give back in that way and make sure that they're taking care of. It's been a really cool tour. And that's the ripple effect too, you know? Yeah. It matters. It really makes a difference. It does. And the last, the last year we've been so blessed, we're out with Cody Johnson, opening for him. And he's just, why is he the best? He's so good and we're out with Bailey Zimmerman. And he's also so great. Yeah. We grew up 20 minutes from each other. Did you know each other growing up? Not growing up, but funny enough, like when I got a message in like 2021 probably, right when I was playing people's yards and stuff. And back home, we were such a somehow, they are the ones that kept me going. Like back home, we're like, oh, he's our, you know, small town famous guy. And I got a message from somebody back there. Wait, Bailey was or you were? We were at, yeah, yeah.

19:28You were the small town famous. Yeah. Yeah. And if you grew up in like a town of 600, right? Yes. So small. Okay. And we were about the same. Okay. We would like play each other and basketball. Like I was, I was a few years older than him, but people that he knows I played ball with his brother actually me and him were the same age. Okay. And so we played ball against each other. So you knew him as brother. I knew his brother. Yeah. And so I got a message that said, hey, there's another kid that's trying to do it and Louisville, Louisville, Louisville. Sorry, there's so many Louisville. We call it Louisville, Illinois. Okay, that's not correct. Louisville, right? It's Louisville, Kentucky, but it's Louisville, Illinois. Okay. That's how they say it. Yeah. Yeah. Louisville. And I was like, you know, I knew nobody when I moved to Nashville, like zero people. I messaged some people that were from here at that time and nobody got back to me. And I said, you know, I'm just going to message this kid. I don't know. Something's telling me I need to and I just messaged him and I said, hey, if you want to come to Nashville and you really want to do this, here's my number. Call me anytime. And it wasn't two minutes.

20:28I get a phone call. Oh my goodness. I can't believe I'm talking to Dreambotters. It's the coolest thing in the world, man. It's a legend. And I was like, yeah, dude, like I just saw your video. You got a cool voice. Do you really want to do this? And he was like, 100% I want to do this. I want to do this. He's always that fired up as an always. He's got so much energy. I wish I had half that energy. And so I was like, come down. Let's start writing songs. We just start writing songs in my living room. Okay. It was this really cool thing, but also so hard. And like for me, I was, I lost my deal. And I was trying to get a new deal. And he was on this amazing climb where he was massively. What happened? He was something took off. He was in that. His first song he ever wrote. He just got his braces off where he could sing pretty much. And his first, he was like, I was on Snapchat and I sang a couple of and girls were like, hey, you should try posting a video. And he said, I posted this a verse chorus that I ever first ever wrote. And it went viral. Oh my God. And then from there on, it just kept everything he could do. It did just kept going viral.

21:28Some people just got that might as touch. And he was just calling. It was so fun to like navigate with him. Like he would call me back. Hey, there's this guy. He wants to manage me. But this label, Warner wants to be my label. I can't have a manager and a label, can I? That's wrong. And I was like, no, you totally need a manager and a label. So just being a part of that journey and watching it and kind of being in his ear a little bit, like there was this deal in Miami that these guys tried to give him. And like saying don't do that, you know, that's horrible. You get here to Nashville more. And it was just fun being a part of his ride and then sitting in the crowd when he played for the ACM's the first time. And like him coming off stage and being able to hug him and just being like, man, this is so cool. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and health captive for nine months. I survived. And I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart and these are the survivor files.

22:31I just remember this low taunting voice next to my ear saying shut up, don't say anything. Every week I'm with survivors who lived through the unthinkable. I knew if he woke up without a doubt he was going to hurt me. I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed and I just started screaming. They are abducted, stalked, controlled and nearly silenced. But these aren't stories about what's taken from them. Their story is about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the survivor files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I choose option B. I'm Julie Beniero and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without

23:34asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita, trading the pity for possibility. Every time I try to be alone, I kept meeting people and they were like, you smile to us, not a lot of people smile around here. It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind or wake up to a new version of yourself. So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. That call was really pivotal for me. Hey, it's Emily Tish Sussman and this season on She Pivots, the podcast where women share bold career moves and personal turning points that changed everything. I sit down with culture shifting women who share their pivots like Para Olympian Alley Truett. I was like, I'm on out from a shark attack.

24:34There's no way in 11 months I'm making the very long text. Advocate Elizabeth Smart. I still feel that drive that I can still make a difference, so I'm going to keep going. Celebrity chef Carla Hall was that scary to walk away from such a stable career after just two years? No, I was more afraid of being unhappy than I was broke and in a dead and job that I didn't enjoy. And feminist legend, Gloria Steinem. All of us were trying to express women's real lives. We need a meeting place of our own and if I can contribute to that, I'd like to maintain that and leave this house for that purpose. Listen to sheep pivots on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. Self-care September is here, which means it's time to rethink what self-care actually means. Yes, self-care can be a long walk. It can be an everything shower. It can be putting your phone on, do not disturb. But sometimes it's actually about sitting with the uncomfortable stuff. And understanding your patterns, your boundaries. Finally figuring out while you keep doing things that you swore you would never do again.

25:36I'm Gemis Begg, the host of the Psychology of Your 20s podcast. And each week we unpack the psychology behind the experiences that shape your 20s. From relationships and friendships to money, anxiety, confidence, attachment, just becoming more comfortable with who you are. Unlike the quarter life crisis which is depicted as the collapse, the quarter life reinvention is the expansion and growth of something. When we develop the ability to be happy by ourselves, nobody else can take that from you. And this self-care September, don't just take care of yourself, get to know yourself as well. Listen to the psychology of your 20s on the iHot Radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Bobby Beans. Join me in former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday on our podcast, lots to say with me, Bobby Beans and Matt Castle. We also bring in friends, they're mostly match friends who are current or former NFL players, some of the biggest names in music and entertainment. And we have some really great conversations that can pretty much go anywhere. The great.

26:37Pac-Man Jones. After the game, the whole national task force for police officers was at the stadium. Like, hey, buddy, yeah, you out of… come on. And one of my favorite segments we do is called situational awareness. Where Bobby and I give each other real life situations and figure out what we'd actually do. You're in training camp and the rookie quarterback has one good throwing session in front of the media. Suddenly everybody online says he should start over a week one. You just go back out to practice the next day and wait for him to mess up. Listen to lots to say with Bobby Beans and Matt Castle on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And then obviously all last year to be on tour together. And then he took me on tour. Okay, so you said you had to navigate because he was rising at the same time you were losing your deal with that emotionally hard? It was emotionally hard, like for me. And I think in keeping myself in check a little bit of like, hey, this is life.

27:38This is just what it is. This is what it is. I've been here for a long time. I've been here for 10 or 11 years and a lot of my friends around me, things happen quicker for them than it did for me or for them. I got a record deal first and it didn't really do anything and they saw that. And so I just think all of us are kind of sitting around and we can play the compare game if we want to. Not even worth it. It's not worth it. Everybody gets hit in different ways at different times and in different areas of their life. 100%. And like, if someone may be totally threat, like Luke Bryan for instance, but then like all the tragedy he's had to experience is like losing family members. You know, it's like nobody just gets this perfect. There's nothing perfect. No, everybody's struggling. Yeah. Everybody's going through something and we. Yes. I think being a part of his story, that's when I learned though, for me in this business, you can sit back and you can pout for yourself and you can say poor me. They're getting this. They're getting that or you can go out and be a part of people's stories or you can go out and root for people and you can feel you can go out and feel included.

28:40You know, you can feel be a part of it and that from me was the perspective that's like you don't have to be in at this certain angle. You can just be in it in a different way. Yeah, totally. And also like for me, it just it filled my cup so much watching him win and and it was really cool that he called and asked me to be on the tour and we got to do, you know, and put the eaters together for the first time. That was really special. And now to watch him in arenas and doing what he's doing. So being a part of that tour was really special. And then right after that, we went to Australia with Jelly Roll for a couple of weeks, which was wild. Yeah. What's Jelly Roll like on tour? He's such a good storyteller. Like most of the time after after the show, I've never seen so many people just wherever we go, there's just people like with him. Yes. Like when we were in Australia, we'd get off stage and there would just be like all these influencers, like all the time just around. They just want to be around them because it would be like after the show, you end up setting in a big circle, chatting and everybody would just be sitting there listening to

29:44Jelly Tell Stories. He can just tell a story. He can't. He can. He can just tell stories. And he has so many. It just reminded me of like, and in a very different way, but sitting at like deer camp growing up and you just sit and be like, you know, one of my best friends was so good to tell in store. So he would just tell story after story and just sitting there and hearing you're like, man, is this real? Like is this really happening? Are you putting some extra little on for me? You don't care. It's funny. It's great. And so that's what a remind me of afterwards after shows, everybody would just go in and sit down and be like, so he just welcomed everyone in. So welcome. He was not like, leave me alone. I need my space. Not at all. You know, especially after shows, he'd be like, come in, sit down. You know, hey, get a drink. Do this. You know, very welcoming, very open and was always welcoming to me. I mean, there was times on stage when he'd be like, hey, during his set, he's like, Drew take it. I want to go take a break for five minutes. You just like seeing his song? I would just come up. He would sing friends in little places or should have been a cowboy or whatever. And he'd be like, just look at me and just go like this. And I'd be on this stage in a arena.

30:45Yeah. I mean, 20,000 people. And it would just be, I love how casual that is. Oh, it's amazing. Or he would be like, one night, I'll never forget. We were playing the biggest show. It was an outdoor. It was like soccer stadium. There had to be 20,000 people. It was in Townsville. And we got on stage and he said, all right, this guitar player is about to play this intro. He says, I have a wad of, I have a wad of hundreds in my pocket and he pulls it out. And it's like this big. He said, it's like $3,000. I don't know what it was. It was way more than that. And he was like, if you guys know this intro that he plays, Drew's going to come down at the front row and he's going to pass out $100 bills to kids. And I was like, I'm so in on this, but I love how random this is. Like, he didn't tell me this was going to happen. I just walk up there. He hands me this cash. And of course, it's, you know, da da da da da. It's friends in the places. So everybody's going to know it. And so he wanted everyone to win it. He wanted everybody to win it. So the whole crowd goes crazy. And I'm down here, you know, he hands me this. He said it was a couple thousand.

31:46I'm for the whole song. I'm handing out hundreds. You can't pass them out enough. I can't pass out fast enough. And all these kids are like waving. And I'm just handing out $100 bills, $100. And I'm trying to sing like I got there like, but all my roots, like Mike and my armpit. And I probably screwed the words. I think I did screw the words up that. I don't think he was paying attention to the words at that point. No, it was just such a cool moment. But that's just the kind of person he is. He's giving, but also like, you never know. You got to be on your toes when you're on stage with jelly. Because he could just be like, say something random and you're doing. It was never the same every night. He's the whole course of the night. Just yeah, has shifted in that moment. Which is cool. And that's why I think people enjoy going out to shows. It's you never know what you're going to get. You know, you're going to get preached too, which is awesome. I do appreciate that. But like just show. I was one of the shows when it was like at Bridgestone and Snoop was there. And everyone was just smoking wheat too. I don't know, do they do that? It's awesome. I'm like, but like nobody cares. Like security doesn't care. No, they just let it happen. People is lighting up everywhere. Yeah, they just let it happen. Rock and roll jelly.

32:47They're bunch of lovin' people. Yeah. A bunch of wheat smoke and having a good time. I mean, I was like, you know, I appreciate that about Jelly Roll because he just like shows you all the extremes of life and it all comes back to God. It does. And I'm like, that's very comforting to see someone like that in a leadership position. Well, he is what he is. And so many of us are so flawed, but yet we're ashamed of it. And he's like, here it all. Here I am. Here I am. I'm open-handed. This is me. You're going to love me or you're going to hate me. I think that's such a refreshing trait that we can, you know, a lot of us behind closed doors and want to hide what this is or that is. And he's just like, nah, this is me. You love it. You hate it. God judges me. That's it. Yeah, I think that's pretty good. But just believe that in your soul is powerful. That's powerful, you know? Very powerful. Yeah. Okay, so farm, faith, and family, that is you. 100%. That is just who you are. Well, it was, I've had this idea for a long time that I wanted to put out kind of an album that had three ties to it because I got known as she's somebody's daughter guy. And don't get me wrong.

33:48I love that. And it's still, most people know me for that song. But I wanted people to know more of me. I'm more than just that. And so I had this concept at first. It was called real life country. And I was going to put out real songs, life songs about my family. And then like country, bar and burner, honky-tonk kind of stuff. And when I first sat down with my manager, who I'm, you know, I was meeting managers at the time, right when daughter went number one, I was alone. I didn't have a manager. I was just by myself. That's kind of, weren't you like the, it wasn't like the highest, something very impressive about being an independent number one. Yeah, it was the first ever. First ever independent self-funded first number one. Yeah, which is crazy. So you self-funded that whole thing? I did it. Yeah. Was that really stressful? Oh my gosh. I can't even begin to. Did you get any gray hairs? Yes, I got a couple in my beard now. I saw it all the other day. I was like, oh my gosh. And probably in the middle of it, you're like, what am I doing? Well, at that time too, I had a six month old. You're putting everything on the line. I just put everything on the line. My wife was, we just got married literally.

34:50We got the farm on it. We talk about it all the time. And it was just like every month we prayed, that daughter would stream enough to pay the staff. Because I had a staff. That was working this way. Yeah, promotion staff. Promotion staff. But they did it. They got it. They got it. Yeah. And it was, you know, all the, A lot of independent promotions, I don't get the one. Well, when I started looking into this, you know, it got to the point where it was like, oh, this is an independent staff. This is an independent staff. And I decided to just pick my own. And so I hand picked them. Each regional. Each regional. Okay. I called all my radio friends and said, I'm gonna do this, you know, labels are restructuring. Right now, a lot of people are out of jobs. Who's your favorite that's out? So you called the PDs? You called the PDs. The radio. Yeah. And then the PDs have got, this is my favorite person. You should hire them. You're a little detective. Well, I didn't know anybody. I didn't know how I was taking that. You're gonna pay so you wanna I can pick the right people. The right people when I was really close. I was really close with a lot of radio people. You probably been on radio tour for a while. For years. Years, you know.

35:50You know, I knew everybody very well. And it was, People love when you ask them advice. Like when someone knows something well, they wanna help you. And it was also like, I was five years since I had a single radio. I wasn't asking them for radio play. You're asking them for advice on radio. I was asked, hey, I'm gonna do this. I want you to know that. I'm gonna send a song to radio. And they're like, you're crazy, but we like the song. That's what made me do it. Everybody's like, you're crazy, but we like it. We see what it's doing. And so I was like, well, who would you hire? And I got all these people and I just started calling them. Like, hey, I'm gonna do this. And so I just hired my own staff handpicked. I kind of love that though, because they're more invested. It's like you're hiring just like a blanket of people. And they're gonna hopefully make it work. These are people who are invested. You are calling them. You are telling them your story. This is what we're doing. And we're doing this together. Very intentional. I'm gonna be in this with you. Like I'm gonna be on every radio call. I went and did all these radio shows. This is my own money. My own money. So like I would say we're not traveling. What's that? I didn't mortgage the house.

36:50Luckily, like I said, she, she somebody's daughter was streaming so much. Okay, so you could pay for it off that. I paid for it off that. Wow. I just didn't keep any money. Yeah, just put it right back in. invested, reinvested back in it. And but it was some months, you're like, oh my goodness. Like I would travel. But also that's the good news of being independent. You actually got to keep your money off of streaming. I did, yeah. And when it streams, I mean, I didn't know that that really existed until we, you know, daughter started streaming. I was like, wow, this is what labels are making. This is insane. Yeah. This is a blessing for us and our family. But this is crazy. They are making more money now than they've ever had. Oh, yeah. And that's great for them. Like an artist, if you own, and it's been really cool because I think artists are getting better deals now. All these things, like real partnerships. You're quite abstract when you get when you got your deal. I'm for real. Yes, very. And I'm just gonna sign a deal because you're grateful for a brand deal. Yeah, it's like, hey, we did this without you all. We want you to be a part of this. Let's be partners. Let's do this together. Let's make it a win, win. Yeah, everybody win. Everybody win in this situation. And so I think when we started working daughter and I was seeing this, like, I would just go

37:54and do every radio meeting alone because I couldn't afford to fly my team in. So I would just go to like Phoenix and I would sit down across those place from the radio guy and be like, hey man, what's it gonna, what do I gotta do to like? So you were your own regional for yourself, my own regional. Yes, it was so awkward sometimes. It's so cool. You'd walk in and you're like, oh, I'm Drew Baldur representing Drew Baldur, I just. 100% because I couldn't afford to fly people. I love this. And just, and I was just real with them. I think I got to appreciate that. Yeah, and I think a lot of them did of like, so most people were like, you're doing this without, and you're on the chart and nobody else, there's nobody else. I was like, no. You have to determination, Drew. This is just me. This is like, I flew here today on my dime to meet with you. And just to say, hey, this song is working. Here's the bullet points of it. And that's gonna actually was working. It was working. You weren't having to say, please help me make this work. It's actually working. And I would fly in and be like, hey, it's top five in Dallas research. Hey, it's, it's number one in bankruptcy. You do all your sex.

38:54Oh, I was on every call with the radio team and driving it. I mean, we were very involved. It's very impressive though, because like when you are forced to take over your whole business or else it's not gonna be a business, you learn it all. And now you can do all the hats. Like you, nobody can mess with you. And it's been so cool because I've kept that promo team. And now, and now we're actually working Brandon Lake, which is really cool. And so we work, the Christian artist, yeah. And he's like crushing it. So he's coming over to country space. And so we just put out, and you're with Broken Boat now, right? I'm with Broken Boat for my artistry and my songs. But with your, you brought your staff. I brought my staff with me. It's separate. So Lyric Ridge is the name of my staff and my label. Okay. That is, we worked hard fought Hallelujah with Brandon and Jelly. We got it top 25, which is really cool. And they, we've just been working the Cody Johnson and Brandon Lake record. And we're about to, Brandon's about to put out a whole project. So this is your label under Brokabo? So this is my promo staff is what I would say. So Broken Bo is its own thing.

39:55They don't pay my promo staff. My promo staff is like an independent promo team. Okay. We have an imprint anyway. It's just Lyric Ridge. It's just, we can work whatever we want to work. And I'm free. I'm free. I want other artists can come. We work Julia Cole for Radio. It's kind of like a record deal. Yeah. I mean, you could come in and, you know, we could talk about what that looks like. Obviously, you know, I have this staff to pay. So it's sometimes it's like, hey, if we're a label services people, you can come in and we can, hey, we need X that I have to pay this staff to work a song to radio. Yeah. You know, and we can come in and we can work a song to radio. So it's been really cool. And we have some artists too that love Julia Cole. She's come on here. She's awesome. Yeah. I'm going to work with her on her first single and get her introduced to radio. And there's some other artists. I've had an artist named Dylan Wolf that I just had under my own label too and just put out some songs on him. And if something pops, it's cool because we got our radio team. And so, yeah, it's a small, own little label. But, you know, that is, it's in a good spot where it can kind of run itself and things. And I can focus on me as an artist and put out this album, obviously.

40:59But it's fun to have both brains and know what it takes now to send a song to radio to do all those things. When I go into these label meetings now with like Farm Faith family or whatever, it's like to have these ideas and strategies and be like, Hey, this is what worked for me on this. Can we talk about that? You know, and being real partners with them and still having my staff if we want to include them to work the single is like, Hey, I got my other team over here that can also make calls. So it's pretty cool. You just got a whole little empire drew. Are you tired? I am tired. Yes. I'm tired. But it's also exciting to me. As much as I love making music and love writing songs, I love the business. I've learned, I've learned so much in the last year and I've loved the business and helping out other independent artists like on this tour, it's called the Farm Faith Family Tour. In between Luke, we're out on our own dates and you know, we were just talking like some nights you go and it's great. Some nights you go and it's like, I've never been to this city. This is not so good. You know, but what I did was I made this post where I was like, Hey, we're going on

42:00tour, Farm Faith Family Tour. If you're an independent artist in this market, I'm going to give you a spot in my set. It's called a spotlight moment. And so every night that we play our own headline shows over the summer, I've picked a local independent artist that has jumped up in the middle of our set and got to sing an original song for the crowd. And it's one of the coolest moments. All the people love it because it's their local person to El Dorado, Arkansas or wherever they may be. You know, they're from there and from that state and there, it's really cool because a lot of people I'm seeing now that are doing this. They're like, yeah, we moved to Nashville like four months ago. We're really trying to make a swing at it. And it's been cool to pick these people that are trying to do it. But also this was maybe some of the biggest shows they've ever played in front of and given them, given them a chance because I was an independent artist. I know what that feels like. You're a real sensitive guy, aren't you? I'm sensitive. Yeah. I'm sensitive. I'm sensitive. I'm sensitive. You're a real dude. I love it. Yeah. That's really sweet. Yeah. That's what matters to you. Yeah. I really want to, I want to help people.

43:01I feel like I had this moment of 10, 12 years in Nashville where it wasn't working for me. And when it started working, it was a connective moment. And I feel like God has given me this chance. And the music that he wants me to make means something. And this album Farm Faith Family, you know, it is those three words. It is very faith-based. It is very country, small town. But it's also a lot about my family. Tell me about your family. And you also have Makers Mark with Ann Wilson. I freaking love Ann Wilson. She's so good. That song is so good. Thank you. It's not about the alcohol, which I think I think. I think when people read that, they're like, oh, it's got to be about alcohol. And you hear it. You don't even hear alcohol in it at all. And I, you know, it was interesting I sit down last week and I played these songs for Spotify and Apple and in Series XM. And we played it for, you know, going to play it for radio. And it's interesting because, you know, we're, we're at country music right now. It's really cool. And I love it. It's a heartbreak songs. It's a lot of whiskey. It's a lot of, I'm over you. It's all these things. And this album doesn't have any of that.

44:02I love that. Which is scary a little bit. What are the themes? We got Farm Faith Family. Yeah, exactly. The one that's out right now, I mean, don't. That's just in the low, right? That is, yeah, right now we just put it out. And this song is very much came from, you know, I found out somebody that me and my wife both knew was, it was unfaithful in their marriage. And I was talking to my wife about it. It was a weird spot we were in. And she was like, you know, a man just don't do those things. It was that's what boys do in high school. And I, that's just rang true with me for like a week. And I wrote that song the following week of just about like, you know, it doesn't make you a man to shoot the biggest buck in your town. It doesn't make you a man to drink all the whiskey. You know, there's a lot of things that are manly, you know, but at the end of the day, it's being a leader in your house. It's loving your wife, being a great role model for your kids. And there's a lot of things that are man qualities that I think country music hasn't hit on or talked about. That actually are that matter, that matter. That other one's really hard. You know what I mean? Yeah. And so I think what I love without the other one to be honest with you. Yeah. I mean, I kind of like shooting here.

45:03I love all these things. You know, I love all, I do love being manly. And I think that's one thing. But I think, you know, being manly is more than just that. And so it's interesting. A lot of people said like when she somebody's daughter came on the radio or a playlist, I don't know if they had a hard time finding a place to put it in country radio because it's like this song could be talking about going out and doing these things or a wild night and all these things are like, oh, here's somebody's daughter. Or hey, here's a man don't do those things. What we just talked about happened. Right. So it's kind of like a short, it's a contrast of what was just played. Yeah, it's a contrast. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that because, you know, I do love country music and I love all these songs. But our record's just not that. And so it's very different. You think of a man don't. You think of makers mark that's talking about, I just want to leave my makers mark on this earth when I'm gone. But we do have diesel and dirt was a song we put out first and kind of talks about farm life and where I grew up. And we have another song on here called Farmland that I love so much. Kind of talks about building a house out in the country, which me and my wife, you know, where I grew up in Illinois, it's farm, my grandpa left me acres.

46:04We put water in up there. We want to build a cabin up there. And so there's a lot of these songs that are just, you know, bigger, bigger messages. We have a song that talks about domestic violence on here. We have a song. How did you get inspired to do that? I was right. One of my co-writers was went through it growing up and we were talking about it. And I was like, hey, I'll be that voice. You know, I would love to highlight that. The song's called Him for Her. It's going to be, you know, obviously out then. We have another song on there called People Can Change that talks about one of my best friends in high school, went through drugs and went through alcohol and a bunch of things and found God. And now it's a great dad and changes life around. And this song talks about, no matter how far away you are, you can still change. And there's a lot of big messages on here. There's a song about suicide awareness. It's called Flowers on a Stone. It's one of my favorites. Do you have someone in your life that don't have a gun? There was a Ben Vaughan who passed away here as a publisher. I was really close with one of his.

47:05My publisher was very close to them and he called me one night and just had a long conversation and tears to me about it. And it really brings me. That was really heartbreaking. It was very, very, very. The environment listening to Ben Vaughan was like a very important person. It was at Warner Chapel. Warner Chapel. Nobody knew who was suffering silently. Nobody knew. Nobody knew. And the song, it's called Flowers on a Stone. It talks about, you know, that night I remember my friend just kept telling me like, I'd much rather, he should have just called. I wish he would have just called. And sometimes I think man to man is hard to do that and say I'm struggling, dude. Like. Especially when some of you people are counting on you. So many people are counting on you or you're in this big industry. You're in this spot. It's him. He's in a big job where he's a lot of eyes are on him. And to say I'm in this spot would be a moment of weakness, I guess. You could view it as. And so this song talks about how one of somebody's best friend is there for them. And it's like, you can call me any time. Like I'm here, I'd much rather pick up this phone than find out anything else.

48:07And so that song I think is really special and powerful that I think can save lives. And it can really, nobody's, you know, nobody's to, nobody's weak, you know, we're here. We're all human. We're all human. We're all struggling. We're all so hard for everyone. It is. It's also hard for everybody. And you might just open up to somebody and they might be me, to there. Hey, I'm here with you. You know, I'm struggling too. And that's what I love about this. This song says, Hey man, you think you're talking crazy or not? Like I, I, you're not going to go through this alone. I'm going to be here and just talks about a guy leaving his house and meeting that guy wherever he's at. So this is kind of a ministry for you. It is. Like in your heart, like you feel called to this in a ministry sort of way. I do. I feel that in the way you, I can just feel that on you. I do. I really, I really find ministry in this. And obviously, you know, I love the country. I mean, I'm not going to be a Christian artist. I do have faith, but it's, these songs are more than just, you know, when you say the

49:07word faith, obviously faith in our Lord, but faith in people, faith in yourself. I have a song on here called Cool enough now. It talks about our journey of sending a song to radio alone, but faith in other people. And so yes, this is very much a big ministry to me to, to just feel like I'm music can heal. And I think when, when I want people when they hear this album of yes to have fun with the farm songs, if you grew up in a small town, but maybe these songs can meet you where you're at in your life right now. When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and health captive for nine months. I survived and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart and these are the survivor files. I just remember this low taunting voice next to my ear saying shut up, don't say anything. Every week I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable.

50:09I knew if he woke up without a doubt, he was going to hurt me. I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed and I just started screaming. They are abducted, stalked, controlled and nearly silenced, but these aren't stories about what's taken from them. Their stories about what it takes to make it out alive, listen to the survivor files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I choose option B. I'm Julie Pinierro and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita, trading the pity for possibility. Every time I try to be alone I kept meeting people and they were like, you smiled at us,

51:13not a lot of people smile around here. It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind or wake up to a new version of yourself. So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. That call was really pivotal for me. Hey, it's Emily Tish Sussman and this season on She Pivots, the podcast where women share bold career moves and personal turning points that changed everything. I sit down with culture shifting women who share their pivots like Para Olympian Alley Truett. I was like, I'm on out from a shark attack. There's no way in 11 months I'm making the very long text advocate Elizabeth Smart. I still feel that drive that I can still make a difference. So I'm going to keep going. Celebrity chef Carla Hall was that scary to walk away from such a stable career after just two years?

52:13No, I was more afraid of being unhappy than I was broke and in a dead and job that I didn't enjoy. And feminist legend, Gloria Steinem. All of us were trying to express women's real lives. We need a meeting place of our own and if I can contribute to that, I'd like to maintain that and leave this house for that purpose. Listen to She Pivots on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Self-care September is here, which means it's time to rethink what self-care actually means. Yes, self-care can be a long walk, it can be an everything shower, it can be putting your phone on, do not disturb. But sometimes it's actually about sitting with the uncomfortable stuff and understanding your patterns, your boundaries, finally figuring out why you keep doing things that you swore you would never do again. I'm Gemma Speg, the host of the Psychology of Your 20s podcast. And each week we unpack the psychology behind the experiences that shape your 20s from relationships and friendships to money, anxiety, confidence, attachment,

53:15just becoming more comfortable with who you are. Unlike the quarter-life crisis which is depicted as the collapse, the quarter-life reinvention is the expansion and the growth of something. When we develop the ability to be happy by ourselves, nobody else can take that from you. So this self-care September, don't just take care of yourself, get to know yourself as well. Listen to the psychology of your 20s on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday. On our podcast, lots to say with me, Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. We also bring in friends, they're mostly match friends, who are current or former NFL players, some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, and then we have some really great conversations that can pretty much go anywhere. The great. Pac-Man Jones. After the game of the whole national task force for police officers was at the stadium. Like, hey, buddy, yeah, you out of... Come on. And one of my favorite segments we do is called situational awareness. Where Bobby and I give each other real life situations and figure out what we'd actually do.

54:19You're in training camp and the rookie quarterback has one good throwing session in front of the media. Suddenly, everybody online says he should start over you week one. How do you handle this? You just go back out to practice the next day and wait for him to mess up. Listen to lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey! Some of you. Don't you feel like growing up in a small town? Like, I feel like growing up now, everyone's trying to get back to that small town route. Yeah. Because we all wanted to get... Well, at least for me, I grew up in kind of a small town. I wanted to get to the big city, get to all the flash, get to all the excitement, and now it's like, okay, we know it. That's actually... That's pretty much. Can we go back to like where you have family, where you have values, where your whole community shows up for you? Yeah. Where you can call your neighbor, you have a home cook meal, you have like a crew of people who care. Who cares so much. I don't have to be perfect. I loved my town.

55:20I would have never left if it wasn't from music. Like, I did not want to leave. Oh, how sweet. I loved it. My family's been there for over 100 years. They farmed the same ground. No way! My brother still farms the same ground that my grandpa did. It's so hot. The big grandpa did. And so it's very rooted in that place. That's been very hard to leave. It was very hard. I was the black sheep. I was the guy that was slinging hay bales and singing baby lock to doors and turn the lights. And they were like, shut up. You just love Josh Turner. Oh, love Josh Turner. Was he like your number one in the beginning? Yes, number one. Yeah, I mean, every record. Have you toured of him or like, said it? We have played some shows. Yeah. Do you know how to love him? Yes. I mean, the first time we played the opera, he came, I played your man. And he came out on stage and surprised me. Was that a big deal for you? It was such a big deal. I cried. Are you right? Yeah, it was so awesome. Do you like to cry? I do. I'm a sensitive human. Like, only if like big moment, I'm not one that's like, I got to hold it back. Yeah. I guess like, hey, this is what it is. I feel this. I'm going to let it flow. Good. And so that was like a very special moment too. This was my childhood hero coming out, you know,

56:21and surprised me. That's a big deal. Dreams coming true is a big deal. Yeah, big Josh Turner fan. And so my cousins were so annoyed with me always. I was also the baby of all the cousins. They were like, did you just grow up, grow up outside with the cousins from your own? Oh, yeah, I was like, if you slept until seven, you'd be a lights on in the room. Like, friggin' lazy. What are you doing? Like, grandpa needs your help. Come on, get out. So it was very hard work and I also think. But also you knew where you're needed. It's nice to know that you're needed and that you're an essential part of a group. Yeah, it was cool to be like learning to drive on a tractor. I remember my brother took me out there and like, set me in the field and said, pick up all these bales. This is forward. This is backwards. This is how, you know, this works. This is how that works. Go figure it out. And I'd be like, he's going to stay here and watch you. And yeah, I just saw my own figure it out. That's my time to teach you because you actually had to get the job done. Yeah, to get it done. And so, but also now in music, I look at farming. And it's very similar. And so that's one of the reasons why I called it farm,

57:21faith and family is, you know, whatever you put in, you write these songs. You never know what it's going to yield. No. You never know what, you know, I put in a lot of songs that yielded zero. I put in a lot of time. You plan a field and you get a bathroom? You get nothing. You get nothing, you know. I think a farmer does need you. Or like my grandpa had the trashiest junkiest tractors. And I mean, every year we'd freaking break down. I mean, every year something would break. I remember watching him in his old Gleaner combine, which people are like Gleaner. If you're a farmer, you know that that's the worst combine you could have. And I remember watching him, we were harvesting wheat. And it was so dry that day. And this old Gleaner was throwing sparks out the top. And I would be like, and I told him, I was like, Grandpa, your throwing sparks, it's all right. Don't worry about it. It's working. Can it catch on fire? The whole field caught on fire. And I remember running up behind him, waving my arms like, it's on fire behind. It's on fire. He didn't know. I mean, it was, he was just, everything behind him was a trail of fire. And I was waving my arms and then the freaking, here comes the, you know, all the firefighters.

58:22And we were close to my uncle's house. I was taking buckets out of the pool, running down there trying to put out this fire. But yeah, I mean, that was just every year something crap would break. And so for my music career, I don't know how many times I was on the side of the road with the broken Sprinter van or a freaking trailer broken, trying to fix it. And it just really reminds me of, of, of farming of like, hey, we have good years, we have hard years, we pray about it, we figure it out. Sometimes it rains, sometimes it doesn't, you know, and for me, all that matters that you showed up, you work hard. Yep. You put in the work and, and, and, and you don't complain about it, you don't complain. You figure it out. That's a great way to say it. You figure it out. You have to. You have to figure it out. Yeah. And maybe it's a lot like entrepreneurship. I mean, anybody out here that's listening to this, it's a business owner and has tried to build something, you show up. 90% is showing up and figuring it out. And so for me, waking up at 7 a.m. when I was in seventh grade or eighth grade, I look back a lot right now and I, I have to think my grandpa in the weirdest way,

59:24like he didn't play a single note. He didn't know how to sing any music at all, but man, he taught me so much in music. And, and this industry how hard it is to show up, even when it was 100 degrees, even when we knew the beans sucked that year. You know, and we knew we planted beans seven times in the same field. We're still not yielding any of that. You know what I mean? It was just like taught me a lot. That's really beautiful and profound. Yeah, I know that sounds crazy, but. You know, it doesn't. It's actually like, even though I'm sure like it's miserable when it's not working and it's hot and all the things, it's like you look back on your life and that's some of the sweetest spots. Oh, totally. And I think about that now too, like what I would do to go back to sitting on the old, yeah, or sitting on the old Buick, even though crap was bad and like eating a baloney sandwich and some chips at grandma made and just talking to them and laughing about crap breaking. You know, and so now me and my, my bass player has been with me for 13 years. And we're riding on a bus and we're getting to do these things.

1:00:25But I remember last year standing on Bridge Stone stage, opening for Cody Johnson and him putting his arm around me and being like, look what we did. You know, even though I so much crap broke, like he could have left. There's so many things he could have played with so many other artists. He was there and we looked and we're like, hey, our hard work, we're here. Yes, it was the most unorthodox way of getting here. There were so many broken roads, but look at this. We're playing, I used to play at rippies across the street. I did rippies for two and a half years of just, oh my, who's taking it? People would come over after the show or making tips tonight, but seeing Bridge Stone and dreaming of that and being like, hey, we're here. That was a tear moment for us. That was like, hey brother, yeah, we did it. I mean, one day, hopefully now we get to headline one day and we're so far away from that. We got a lot of work to do, but it was just that moment of that little reward of like, man, we're here, but also do you remember when the freaking, we lost the trailer on the way to the show last year?

1:01:25You know, wherever that was and he was driving. You know, it just came off. Oh, yeah, I mean, ended up in the median. Wait, the trailer disconnected from the van. The van? Yeah, ended up in the median. Nobody got hurt. No, crazy. Like, all our stuff was okay. The trailer was destroyed, nothing was broke. Crazy, but they were just, Can you imagine driving down the highway in a trailer coming at you? It's just passing you. Yeah, I can't imagine. Well, I was told him I was like, I don't know how nobody got hurt and he was just like driving and he's like, how'd you go back and get lost? The trailer. Were you on the highway? Yeah, I could off on the other exit. I could have reattached it in the middle of like a four-wheel-plane highway. We did, we had to call a tow truck and- You just like stopped traffic. We just had to, we got out and got over and checked everything inside. And it was in a lane or where was it? No, it was in the middle, like in the grass, like broke through the guard rail went down. That's the way, at least it was in the middle. Yeah, it didn't like end up in the road but it like skirted over, didn't flip. But there was just all kinds of crap like that. Not because it happens all the time. Or like, you know, the, everything, just so many things thrown on.

1:02:25I mean, pulling over. How many of errors? We're leaving our trailer up in the Northeast because, you know, the whole axle broke. I mean, there's just, there for a while it was constant breakdowns. It's so much work to put on a show. Like, so physical work. You need to haul so much stuff. And just to get there. Just to get there. It's the hardest thing. I mean, just your body being in a van or even a bus to sitting for hours. Well, for me now, like, we get down with shows and sometimes we get like after-show pizza or whatever now. And I'm sitting there eating a- That is like some of my highest highs. And I know that sounds so small. I feel you. But like, I just got down a show. I'm eating the pizza. On a bus. On a bus. I look around, I tell my guys like every night. It doesn't get better. How blessed are we? Like, yes, we don't have 10 buses like Luke. But we're on a freaking bus. Eating after-show pizza. After-show pizza. We just played for 7,000 people. That's good as it gets. This is as good as it gets. That's good as it gets. I'm not driving tonight. No. You know? You're gonna sleep in your bum. I'm gonna sleep in there. I watch a movie if you want to. I remember too, like the generator going out

1:03:25and me opening it up and looking at it and me like, well, the oil filter's bad. But guess what? Call the driver. Like, I don't have to fix it. You know, like, that is an amazing thing. Like, we are so- We're so thankful. And I think too, going through all your crap that you went through, all your breakdowns, all your things of like losing deals, losing this, you know, getting your heart broke, when the wind winds. Oh, there is nothing better. Because you know how hard it was to get to that moment. And like, being, didn't get in a bus for 13 years, I was in a van. And so- And you're a tall guy, so your knees must hurt. I couldn't even- I couldn't even- Oh, he's way taller than me though. He's a big dude. But I mean, you're just like soaring. You're soaring. Everything's hurting. I've slept so many times in a van. And so then, to get this bus, it was like, oh my goodness, I've hit the jackpot. You have. And it's like, if nothing goes further than this. Yeah. I've done it. You have. Yes. Been so blessed to live a life of music. And- And your dreams coming true.

1:04:26And my dreams coming true and helping people along the way and being able to be that 18-year-old kid. And you know, if I would look back now, where I was when I moved here and saying, like, hey, you did what you tried to do when you moved here. And you've- you got to help people out on the way. You put music out that made something. And so I'm really, really excited. Obviously, we want to headline and sell out every arena in the whole entire world. But I'm very happy with what we've done. And- You should be. Very, like I said, when you have those wins now, all the struggles, the wins a little sweeter. It is. I know. When you're in the middle of all the struggles, they're like, why, why, why, why, why? What is this going to end? But then it does. Yeah. And sometimes too, I think God lets us struggle. Oh, I mean, I always let us. The way that I view that was like, when I had that small independent record deal for four years and I struggled and had four failed singles at radio. And like, why, why is this? And then when we started our own record label, I had all those relationships. All those failed moments.

1:05:28I could pull out my phone and call any radio guy and have all these connections with- When I was my- had to be my own booking agent. I had my phone full of promoters that I could just call and be like, hey, man, I'll cut you a deal. Like, I don't have an agent right now, but I'll play for you. If you stack five shows, I'll give you so much off everything. And just like looking back, like I wouldn't have those moments without the failures and the sweeter wins and to be able to do it alone and open so many other doors for independent artists now of, hey, you can't start your own thing. Yep. You can't have a hit at radio. You don't need a machine. Yep. If you just play your cards right and figure it out, yes, it's a lot of work. But we did that. We opened the gate for you that now people are more receptive to this. And that's really a blessing. If we had to go through all those struggles again, to do that, I would do it. Cause I just think it's a little sweeter. I love that Drew. I'm so happy for you. You're very inspiring. This is a great story. You know, you got a great story too. You know, you're great. And now you got a great story to tell your whole life. My whole life.

1:06:29People are going to get tired of that story. Everybody's like, oh, here you come. Here comes the guy about the radio single. You never get tired of a good win like that in a hard cut battle. I mean, that's what gives people hope, you know, cause everyone's fighting their own battles. And then like to see, they are. To see a good guy win too. You know, you got a great heart and you got God of the center. Faith family. Farm faith family. Farm faith family at the center. I mean, you got to appreciate that. Yeah, I think so. And I think too, like I remember growing up and everybody always say good guys struggle, you know, like doesn't always get the girl. Doesn't always do that. And it's like, hey, you can't, you can't. I wouldn't say I got it all, but I would say that you can. You good guys can win. And I think right now I'm still, you know, we all are still struggling. Like you think of this record compared to something else that's out there that's really streaming and doing stuff. It's very different. It's going to be very, you know, for the country space when you think of radio singles and all that stuff, it's like, we hope that this music can live right next to it, but it's going to be very different of standout. Maybe it starts shifts the energy. You know, like when bro country hit and everything

1:07:30shifted to bro country, I feel like now we're in a season where it's like, we do need some faith. We do need things that make us feel rooted and grounded and something bigger and not just like, let's get a cheap fix. Let's get a real fix. Get a real fix. I love it. I love that. And I think for me, that's how I feel right now in my life of where I'm at my stage of having two boys. And, you know, I think when I was, I try to always put myself in like when I was 16 driving down the road. And if I heard a man don't or she's somebody's daughter, you know, I would be like, oh man, this is different. Like I do need to be a man. Like I'm changing. I am 16 now. You know, I'm coming on 18. This is, I don't know if they'd want to hear that message right now, but I hope when they do, they hear that. And they were like, you know, I do need to not, I do need to treat a woman right. I do need to step up. I do need to be a man in this situation. I need to not lie. I need to not cheat. I need to do these things. And so that's what excites me is to meet somebody, you know, with the song and hopefully they hear it

1:08:30and the right people here where they need to. And when you get done with the show and you're doing a meet and greet and somebody comes up, we have this song called Tough People. And it's about a little girl fighting cancer. You know, somebody's struggling in their health or whatever. And they come up and they're like, man, that whole song got me through this part of my life. You know, I had somebody sent me a message that he was a radio guy this last week sent me a video. And he's like, hey, I'm here at a St. Jude's event. There's a hundred kids here. I'm DJing the night. And this little girl just came up and talked to me. Tell them what he, tell them what you said. And she said, you know, every night when I was in my hospital bed, she goes, I played Tough People because that kept me strong. And that like, that's everything. You know, that is like super special and why we go through the struggles, why your husband goes through the struggles and why we all play music. And it's a hard life to be on the road.

1:09:31And one of those stories can keep you going for years and years. And it's a calling. I will say this over and over again, someone like yourself and my husband and all these artists who are just in this light, you are called to it. You can't survive it if it's not your calling. I don't personally think so. Yeah, no, I agree. And it's a, you got to have a good spouse in your life. So you're a good, you're a great spouse. You're a great spouse because it takes a special, it takes a special. I will go ahead and give myself a five star review. I am a great spouse. Yeah, I'm a good artist spouse. No, and that is, you have to have that. You have to. And this business. And especially if your relationships going to work and it's going to be balanced correctly, I mean, we're still working on balance of tour life and dad. That's hard. Well, how do you, it's hard to find the balance. And as soon as you find the balance, it shifts. It shifts. Yeah, because you know, at the end of the day, this, this world of artistry is really, you're up against a great name. I mean, it's, it's not built for this. It's not built to have a wife and a kid's. Yeah. Because you're all over the world.

1:10:31There's a lot of temptation in front of you all the time. And you have to, you have to know that. You have to be very open with yourself and to your spouse of like, hey, this is what I'm struggling with. This is where I'm at. Support both sides. You know, hey, what she's doing is so difficult. We have two boys and she's in the throes of it too. And also the most part of them, like the hormones, all the things, all the things, all of it. It's so much. Yeah. And you think, hey, if I'm playing Saturdays, the rest, this is what really gets me. If I'm playing, we can chose. My boy has baseball games and stuff. Like, don't worry about it yet. Don't do it yet. It's all going to work out, Drew. You can't even don't even don't even yet. Don't go there yet. No, I'm not going to go there yet. But I think about it a lot. I know. We're playing baseball in the yard or when I leave and my wife FaceTime's me and she's like, hey, he's right here, buddy. And you know, he's starting to get to age where he knows Dad's leaving. He's crying on FaceTime. He's like, Dad, where'd you go? Well, that's just brutal. Yeah. Navigating that is hard and.

1:11:32That is very hard because your heart's ripped out. Your heart's ripped out. It's in two places. You want to go out and give this music and this show to people. You know, you have to. You have to. That you're calling. Yeah. I feel like, you know, and that's why I tell my wife. And it's like, this is my calling. We put these songs out and all the things. But also like, hey, I signed up to be a dad too. I know. And I'm a reader in that space. And so just navigating that. We're always going to be figuring it out. But it is a hard one in our business. But the good news is you really care. Yes. That's great. Yes. I do care. But it's just also, I think sometimes when you care, it just hurts a little more both ways. It does because if you don't care, then you just go and do it. I'm good. But honestly, you're more dead inside. Yeah. That's true. Yeah. It's just, it's like, it can like cover up for so long. So it's better just to go ahead and care all the way. Well, Drew, I am just inspired by you. I'm excited for you. Well, thank you. I can feel that you're just in your purpose and you are following God's plan for you. Honestly, like, it's just, it's really inspiring to see. Well, thank you.

1:12:32Thank you for your time. You're going to sleep, be blessed and your family will be blessed. Hey, you too. You'll be blessed. I love your hat too. Pray about it. Have to every day. Yes. Every day all day. Have too many things. It's trust me out. I can go down a rabbit hole so fast. Stop and pray about it. Jesus God. Help me. I did not do this. But what's up? I always wrap up with leave your light. And it's just open-ended. What do you want people to know? Drop some inspiration. Oh my goodness. Leave your light. Man, we've talked about so many inspiring things already. I know. Does he can do a little tagline? Leave your light. Y'all, leave your light pretty much wherever you go. I think, you know, we talked about in our song, Makers Mark. Be a, be an open door. Be a welcome sign. Love people. Treat them. I mean, the golden rule. I know that sounds cheesy, but I always go back to that. Be a light. Leave your Makers Mark. When you're up and having one day and you're looking down, what do you want to be? Remember. A testic with you. Amen. Okay, and a man don't is out now. That's right. Thank you.

1:13:32All right. Thank you, Drew Baldur. Thank you. Bye. Hey, it's Bobby Beans. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday. On our podcast, lots to say with me, Bobby Beans and Matt Castle. You're in training camp and the rookie quarterback has one good throwing session in front of the media. Suddenly, everybody online says he should start over you week one. How do you handle this? You just go back out to practice the next day and wait for him to mess up. Listen to lots to say with Bobby Beans and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? I'm Tony Gonzalez. And I'm October Gonzalez. But you can call me Toby.

1:14:32We want you to join us on our new podcast, No Safe Words with October and Tony Gonzalez. Where we get real about marriage, parenthood, sex, divorce, and all the nitty gritty stuff we all think about. But just don't say out loud. You're probably just going to be from rich guy and he's going to whisk you away. Listen to No Safe Words with October and Tony Gonzalez on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. It's the US Open, which means the tennis world is about to lose its mind. And I'm here for every second of it. Join me, Renee Stubbs on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast as I break it all down. The matches that matter, the drama that doesn't, and the stories everyone's talking about. No cliches, no sugarcoding, just host analysts, from someone who's actually been there. Coco, looking real good, her surf looks so much smoother than it has in the past. I was really happy to see Yiga back to what she looked like a couple of years ago and she was winning dominantly. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

1:15:34Let's go! The countdown is on to the most talked about music festival on the planet. Let's go crazy! Oh, iHeartRadio Music Festival. Presented by Capital One September 18th and 19th at T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas. 15 artists, two nights, one stage. Listen on iHeartRadio stations across the country and stream it live on Disney Plus and Google. BTS. Benson Boone. Cardi B. Sierra. Gugudal. Kenny Chesby. Ariel. Lini Wilson. Lissera Phim. Me Julezer. Snoop Dogg. The Smashing Pumpkins. Weezer. Sarah Larson. A special performance by Breakouts star Stella Lefty. And never seen before artist collaborations, you'll never see again. One wild weekend, are you ready? Buy your tickets now at access.com.

1:16:35It's everybody's favorite time of year. Girls all over America are spending thousands of dollars at Kendra Scott, Lulu Lemon and going crazy on Revolve. No seriously guys, it is time for Sorority Rush. You'll learn about the sex lives of Sorority Girls. Plus, we'll reveal what Frappoy's really about Sorority Girls. Listen to Dirty Rush on America's number one podcast network, I Heart. Follow Dirty Rush and start listening on the free I Heart Radio app today. This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human.