S2: E17: Bri Bagwell - In Tow With Whiskey & a Martin

Bri Bagwell Multitrack Master Mixdown

Thu, 5/12 5:45PM • 1:29:19

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

play, song, people, record, music, write, guitar, bagwell, thought, backstage pass, artist, spotify, years, day, money, band, songwriter, cough drop, radio, piano, Whiskey the Dog, Bri, Bri Bagwell, Bri Bagwell Music, Randy, Hulsey, Randy Hulsey, Randy Hulsey Music, Music, Interview, Podcast, Best Podcast, #1 podcast, Randy Hulsey Podcast, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, Bri Bagwell, Adam Gordon

Randy Hulsey  00:00

If you're looking to find out more on your favorite artists, you're in the right spot. Hey everyone, it's Randy Hulsey here with backstage pass radio. My guest today hails from New Mexico, but she now calls the hill country home. She is an established singer, songwriter and guitarist with at least seven number one songs to her credit. She is a staple in the Texas music scene. And as a returning artist for some of the largest festivals that take place around the country. Stick around because I will have the lovely music maker brought back well right here in the crystal vision studios when we come back.

Adam Gordon  00:32

This is backstage pass radio, the podcast that's designed for the music junkie with a thirst for musical knowledge. Hi, this is Adam Gordon. And I want to thank you all for joining us today. Make sure you like subscribe and turn alerts on for this and all upcoming podcasts. And now here's your host of backstage pass radio, Randy Halsey.

Randy Hulsey  01:01

Hi, Bree, and Welcome to my humble abode here in Cypress, Texas.

Bri Bagwell  01:06

It is very nice.

Randy Hulsey  01:07

Thank you. Thanks for being here.

Bri Bagwell  01:09

Thank you for having me. There's like a pool out there. I was waiting for the margarita machine to come out. But I haven't.

Randy Hulsey  01:15

It's coming. Don't worry. Don't worry. And you brought your baby with you to

Bri Bagwell  01:19

I did she. She loves to be on podcasts. And yeah, for those of you who don't know me, and those of you who do know me, they of course know that we're talking about my dog whiskey.

Randy Hulsey  01:31

She's sweet. She brought her bed end up so the beds here the water bowls ready to go. She has a big yard in the back and a pool. So I think she's probably set for an hour. So

Bri Bagwell  01:42

yeah, she went from rescue to Princess and 2.5. She loves it. She lives her best life and I dog mom real hard.

Randy Hulsey  01:49

Yeah, I was gonna say she's, she's got a good mama for sure. Yeah. Well, so how's life? I mean, we're coming out of pandemic, I was talking to my wife yesterday. And it's like, you know, what have? I haven't even heard anybody say anything about COVID. And like, several weeks, it's like weird. It went from 100 miles an hour to like, zero. And I know it's still out there. I mean, don't get me wrong. But how are things for you coming kind of out of COVID? Are you seeing the show's pickup? Are you getting busier? Or you never slowed down during COVID? Talk to the listeners a little bit about that.

Bri Bagwell  02:26

Yeah, I mean, we're still in a strange adjustment phase right now. We canceled over, I stopped counting at 100 shows that we cancelled. And I never added up the money because I didn't even want to know. But yeah, like I was telling you last night I actually had a show cancel that was kind of COVID related. So but I think like you said, we're at the end of that. And for me now. As soon as we could get back on the road when it opened up for the first time. I guess that was June of last year. We went we did like 15 shows right away. And I was like, Oh my gosh, I probably should not have jumped back in full force. I didn't give myself time to like, adjust for me. Yeah, yeah. So now I think we're still doing like less shows that Oh, that was a yawn. Sorry. That was my dog yawning. So now we're doing less shows than we were doing. But we're trying to take like quality over quantity right now until we get back in the swing of things.

Randy Hulsey  03:23

Yeah. It seems like even when I'm down for two weeks, and I don't play a show it I feel like there's cobwebs. So I could only imagine going on this. However long hiatus where you're just not playing, not playing, not playing. I talked to Doug Johnson, the keyboard player for the 80s band Loverboy on my show not too long ago. And he's like, we haven't played in two years. And I'm like, I said, are you gonna like rehearse before you because they're going out on the road with REO Speedwagon and sticks. He's like, you know, we're hoping that it's like riding a bike. We're just gonna, like, get together for one rehearsal. We'll meet somewhere in the middle rehearse once and it'll be like, we never missed a beat but even still, you know, you have to you have to shake the cobwebs off a little bit, you know, when you're down that long.

Bri Bagwell  04:11

Yeah, totally. And I mean, even things like at first I was losing my voice. Because I was out of your voice as a muscle. So like, sure you come back out singing 90 minutes sets and you haven't done that in a year. It definitely, I didn't expect that to happen. I thought, Oh, my voice will be well rested. And in fact, it was like, you know, yeah, out of shape. flabby in there. Sure. So that's been that's been a big deal for me is so now like I said, we we kind of did this thing where I raised my prices a little. I'm loving being home. I'm in the middle of record, I'm building a house. I mean, I'm sure we might talk about all those things, but I'm just trying to trying to do what's important right now. And we'll have to look at the bank account. And the body. Yep.

Randy Hulsey  04:53

Well, and you know, the older you get the boys just kind of wears out. It's not like a guitar where you can just put new strings is on and it sounds as beautiful. In fact, the Martin that you have sitting over there, a lot of people don't understand the the porosity of tonewood is that over time that tonewood will open up. And it'll sound better 20 years from now than it did the day you bought it. And a lot of people don't understand that about a good acoustic guitar. But the voice is different. You know, it gets worse as probably time goes on, you know, you lose some range, probably. And there's other challenges, but you know, you have to you have to take care of it. For sure.

Bri Bagwell  05:31

Yeah. And I, there was something weird about like, being young and like, kind of feeling invincible. And like, you know, I never warmed up and I was like, I don't need to warm up like I've never warmed. I've never had a voice lesson in my life. Like, like, that was a cool thing. And then now that I'm older, I'm like, what an idiot. And I, I've been on some TV shows where, like, they give you a voice coach. And it was really eye opening for me. And now I warm up for every show pretty religiously, and try to cool down a little bit after the show even and take better care of my instrument. Yeah, yeah, I wish I would have done that more early on. But

Randy Hulsey  06:09

I'm probably a little guilty about that, too. Like, if I'm going into a show, what I'll do is just queue up a few songs on my Spotify and just kind of I'll hum some and falsetto or hum some, you know, just to kind of get the voice warm before I get there. So I don't have to, you know, I'm not standing over in the corner going well, you know, doing all that kind of stuff. But I just kind of sing along with the with the Spotify or the music on my Spotify accounts.

Bri Bagwell  06:35

Yeah, I do all the weird weird ones. Oh, do you know that? Yeah, the band makes fun of me. But listen, you know. And I also sing with a cough drop in my mouth, which is really strange, but I'm not sure if that's mental. Or if it actually works. But if I don't have one, like I will 100% cough in the middle of a song really super strange. And so now I've been recording and my producer is like, Do you have a candy in your mouth? Because I'll be singing a little Clank on my site and stuff, you know, things that you hear in a in a vocal booth that you wouldn't hear live. But yeah, it's pretty funny. It's pretty funny, I guess until somebody on Twitter thought that I sing with a dip in my mouth. No, I do not.

Randy Hulsey  07:16

You kind of look like a dip and shit. I wasn't gonna say it when you walk down. But yeah, now that I'm thinking? Well, a couple of things come to mind about the whole cough drop thing is number one, you could like go to catch a big breath and and actually suck that down your windpipe, which is a little scary, but I'm not your dad. I'm not gonna tell you how to do that. I'm sure you know you have another set of parents. But I always found like if I was coming off of a sinus infection or something, and I was trying to get through a show. And for the same reason I didn't want to cough during the song I would like on my break, I would put a cough drop in my mouth, but I found that it drives me it drives my mouth out really bad to where maybe it has the opposite effect that it has for you. But once the call drop is gone, it's like I'm up there like I've eaten crackers or something. So it's it's weird. So I try not to do the cough drop thing. So it's interesting when you said that you always have one in your mouth. I've never heard of that

Bri Bagwell  08:15

before. But yeah, Sonny Sweeney's things with Governor mouth.

Randy Hulsey  08:18

I've seen that. I mean, that's probably a little more normal, but the cough drop thing. I've never heard of that.

Bri Bagwell  08:23

Yeah. Halls make these little tiny ones that are like half the size of a normal coughed. Okay. And I'm talking about this because they're so expensive halls needs to send me a year of the tiny little tiny hauls. They're like perfect at the flavor. I like they're wonderful. And they're like three times the cost of the giant ones. Wow. Anyway, I'm just saying halls. I got I got a decent social media following. We can work something out.

Randy Hulsey  08:50

Well, halls you heard at first right here on backstage pass radio. So you guys get in contact with Bree. That's right. I didn't even know they had little baby Bree cough drops, like Yeah, I mean, I'm learning something totally new her on my own puck.

Bri Bagwell  09:04

So to me, that's the trick of how to get a girl to buy anything. Just make it make it cute and tiny. Absolutely go. I need this little hairspray.

Randy Hulsey  09:12

Absolutely. So if we go back a little bit in time, my understanding is you started playing music on an old piano maybe share the story about the piano?

Bri Bagwell  09:25

Yeah, my parents and my whole family is all they're all pretty musical. And my aunt can play piano and guitar and harmonica and they all play by ear and they all sing Bookman just for fun, mostly, but my brothers started playing guitar and drums and they were younger. And then I started kind of picking out my parents had this dusty keyboard in the garage and I was learning to sight reading choir. You know, in middle school, you kind of learn how to read notes and putting them along to the keyboard and then everything just kind of clicked and I just taught myself how to play the piano. And even to this day, it makes much more sent to me as an instrument and guitar, I have no real desire to like understand it. piano is like very mathematical and later I guess guitar is too apparently. But that's just not how my brain works. So that was my first instrument. And then I got pretty good at it, I guess well enough to my parents, they went to an auction bought my first piano, real piano, which was an upright, you know, old, old church piano. And that's still my favorite one to write songs on and play.

Randy Hulsey  10:27

Well, I understand that. You started writing points in the early years. When was it that you figured out that you could pair words with a melody on the piano? Like, was it like, what age did that come around? Do you remember back that far?

Bri Bagwell  10:46

I mean, the first time I remember writing, I was 13. I think it was either 13 or 14. So right around there is the first song that I ever wrote and started playing live. And, but yeah, poems. I've been writing poems ever since I was little my mom's like, you can never show people these poems because they like, sounds like I have this terrible childhood, you know, real dark and deep and, and diabolical. Yeah. And I it's like, I found out about the Holocaust, and, like, locked myself in my room and like, wrote a poem about it. Like, it's like, I was very emotional from a young age. And so then it was kind of a natural progression from that to melodies and stuff. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  11:25

that's interesting. I had what what you just said about writing poems made me think of an interview that I just recently had with crit Fisher, out of your neck of the woods. And he's like, man, you know, dude, I've been writing since I was a young kid. And I just, I wrote these points and this and that I love writing poems. And I said, so. So you must have been good at I mean, did you love writing? You know, in school, an English class, you said, I fucking suck.

Bri Bagwell  11:56

At sounds exactly like I create fissures.

Randy Hulsey  12:00

And I just cracked up because I would have thought that, I mean, you'd like writing poetry and points and all this, you must have been okay at English. And he's like, my worst subject ever. So just the opposite of what I what I thought

Bri Bagwell  12:13

I was, I was a total nerd and all subjects. So that doesn't, that's not always the case. I Yeah. loved school. I still do. I wish I could get paid to go to school. That would be my job.

Randy Hulsey  12:26

I had a friend that, that I graduated from high school with, and she never married. And I think she's a professor in Mississippi now. But she's got like three PhDs. And she just made school part of her life. That was that was what she did, like a lot of people, you know, go out and dig a ditch for a living or play a guitar for a living. She studied and got degrees and teachers. So I guess it's for some people, for sure. So when you say, if I could get paid to go to school, that's kind of, I guess that's kind of what she did, right?

Bri Bagwell  12:57

Yeah. For that out of state tuition, though to UT my dad's bro, like, No, you're done. That's enough. Yeah, I graduated with a marketing degree. But I told my parents I market myself every day. I'm using it except back when I was in college, and marketing and management, there was no social media. So I learned all of these things that Yeah, I can't imagine taking a marketing class. Now. It's a completely different world. Well, I

Randy Hulsey  13:24

think the general knowledge of the courses that you took bull, are you I mean, you're probably several steps ahead of the typical person that never took marketing classes.

Bri Bagwell  13:33

I hope so. I like to think so. Yeah. The end justifies the cost of going to school, I guess.

Randy Hulsey  13:38

Absolutely. Now, did you write your first songs with the aid of the piano? Or did the first songs not come along? Like I'm trying to understand the chronological order of where the your first songs written on the piano or had the guitar already been introduced to you at that time? Or did the guitar come much later in life?

Bri Bagwell  14:00

Yeah, guitar came later, my brother plays guitar, both of my brothers play guitar, actually. But when we had our first band, I was 14. They were 21. And, and I didn't have as much time to practice so I could always look at his fingers and tell what chords he was playing. So I had four boy neighbors, my freshman year of college, and they bought a guitar and they wanted to learn a guitar to pick up chicks. And so I said, Well, I can show you what I know, based on watching my brother's fingers, and I was like, I can kind of do this. So all my first songs were all piano up until the age of 18. And then, my cousin who lives in Nashville, cousin blue, he actually played still guitar for Kenny Chesney for nine years. I told him, man, I can play guitar, I think and he mailed me guitar to my dorm room. And that was my first guitar in college.

Randy Hulsey  14:50

Okay, so it was college that it came around. So you had already written some songs. Well before the college.

Bri Bagwell  14:55

Yeah, they weren't good, but they, but you wrote songs. I wrote songs and I think that First one was like a total like love song like 14 year old loves, you know, just missed the Taylor Swift window right there.

Randy Hulsey  15:06

Exactly. Did the the performances in your early teen years feature original music? Or was it more cover stuff? Or was it maybe a hybrid of, of both.

Bri Bagwell  15:21

It was mostly cover stuff early on. And we had another lead singer, a male, so we would switch off. So I was also doing a lot of harmonies and, you know, playing keyboards in the background or whatever. And we played in the bar, we Thursday night in our hometown, and, you know, college night, so we were playing Sweet Home, Alabama, and I love rock and roll and we were doing all those things. But then we I did get to play a couple of originals during the set. And that was I think that's what hooked me because it was like, I couldn't wait. I remember like, I can't wait to play the songs. Yeah. But I was so young. I mean, I was 14 Playing in the in the bars, like the bar owners didn't even know what to do with me, because so I had to have a bouncer like, escort me to the bathroom. And by the time we got done with it, like, through a few years, I would just like, jump on his back and he would give me a piggyback ride to the bathroom. And I'm like, Mom, I'm going to the bathroom, like over the microphone. You know, it was kind of a mess. And then I get up and be a volleyball practice at 730. The next day, well, Honky Tonk and no sleep from an early age.

Randy Hulsey  16:22

Do you find that the crowds? I know a lot of times like the bar owners or the restaurant owners, they may not want to hear people that do original music, like I see it both ways. But do you find that the crowd is more receptive to cover stuff? Or do they really love the original stuff too? Or do you see it both ways? Or? I mean, now you're an established artist that has your own songs, of course, they've grown to love your music, but go back to coming up, like when you're building your brand, right, and you're still making a name for yourself? Were they receptive to your originals?

Bri Bagwell  17:07

I think I think it varies from venue to venue and place to place and gig to gig, you know, and then, looking back 10 years ago, I was like, I'm not playing any covers, you know, you get kind of real headstrong, and then the older you get, the more you're like, Okay, I need to assess my audience and change my setlist depending on because I think I will say the people that don't know my music, if we play four or five, and then we'll play a Merle Haggard or something that I really enjoy. You kind of see the audience like, Oh, I know this, I can relate to this a little bit. And I think it gives them their brain a break maybe or whatever, I don't know. But there are shows I'll go to those who don't play 90 minutes originals. But then I played in a theater in New Mexico, that it's my home state and stuff. But I played a lot of like, older classics. And I think that the audience appreciated that. I don't think there's I don't I guess my point is I don't I don't view it as much as like a, you know, you can't. I'm playing all originals, and I'm firm on that. I don't really do that anymore. I think it's it's fun to sprinkling covers. Yeah. But very cool that in Texas, you are also allowed to just play all originals too. And that's not like frowned upon either. Sure. I also have a cover, like a little side cover project that I do. And that's all covers. And I never thought I would do that. And no kidding blast. It's a blast.

Randy Hulsey  18:26

Interesting. Yeah. I think I think to remain popular. I mean, you have to write good songs as an original artist, but playing to that crowd could build a fan base by you know, if you if you think that they would like the covers, right, and you sprinkle in a couple, I think you just gain that many more followers. Oh, breeze great. She writes great stuff. But man show like throw in a version of whatever. Right? And I think that that's cool. And I think I saw Kid Rock years ago, he comes out and he plays all of his own stuff. And then he goes into played some Leonard Skinner and he played AC DC. And I left there and I knew he was talented all along, but I said, That guy's a badass. Like he played the drums. He played the guitar. He sang, he ran around stage, he played other people's songs. And it was just an experience that I never forgot that right? So he could have done all Kid Rock songs. And I would have been perfectly fine with that. But just that little extra touch. That was 15 years ago, I think that I saw I'm out at Cynthia woods. Right and I haven't forgot it to this day. You're

Bri Bagwell  19:30

still talking about it. Yeah, I mean, there's many ways to do it too. I think like we I have a song called my boots and then in the middle of my boots we do these boots are made for walking. Okay, so we'd like put a cover and an original or whatever. I think there's like ways to be creative around it. And then during like the acoustic break, I might play like The Little Mermaid or like we play Selena. I just I think it's it's, like you said giving the audience something to kind of like, oh my gosh, she played the little I remember you played the Little Mermaid And then whatever. And that might be the one thing that that people come up to me at March. It's always Selena and whatever I played on the piano, like that's their biggest. And those are usually those are covers. Yeah. It's interesting that is interesting kind of kind of listened to your, the feedback of the audience, sometimes it's hard to here and sometimes they're wrong. Sometimes they're right, but just try to take it as aggregate like, Okay, everyone likes this, for the most

Randy Hulsey  20:25

part. Absolutely. I was playing with my Duo partner, Chris Hughes yesterday out at Lone pipe brewery, in Magnolia. And this little boy walked up on stage. And I always worry, you know, you're gonna, like, trip over a chord or whatever, you know, like, and, and the dad was watching him, and I didn't have the heart to say, you know, get, you know, you have to get down and talk to me from down there or whatever. So, he walked right up. And he's like, Well, you played DuckTales. And I sing it. Like, how do you even respond to that? First of all, I don't even know what duck tails. I mean, of course, I know. It's like a movie or cartoon or something. But like, how do you tell a little boy no, like, I don't know. I don't know. That's. So when you said the Little Mermaid. It made me think of my duck tell story yesterday from the show that I played in Magnolia. It's like, you never know what you're gonna get at the shows.

Bri Bagwell  21:17

And it right. And you know, I want to be able to play covers and like surprise people or whatever. But I also don't want people coming up. And all of a sudden thinking that I'm a cover band that they can you know, yeah. Hey, will you play this now? That's not really what we're right. That's not what we do. Even with my 90s band, you know, we're not incredibly flexible in because we're so busy. It's like, we know, two hours of songs. But we don't know every 90 song like and so we got asked to play a wedding two days ago and I I passed it was great money, but I was like, there are people that do this wonderfully. And I'm not that person. Yes. And I wish I would have learned that about myself. Like because you see dollar signs and you're like, okay, and then you're then you go and you're I'm not a wedding band. Yep.

Randy Hulsey  22:03

What what music was influenced in you in the teenage years? Like what was brave Bagwell? Like, I don't know how, how old you are, I was gonna say spinnin records, or I'm not gonna pigeonhole you and, like the format of what you are listening to, but in your teen years, let's just say, you know, that 13 Through 17, the formidable years of the teenage life, what was influencing you? What were you into?

Bri Bagwell  22:31

Yeah, well, I mean, I loved I've always loved country music. So that's easy. Like, you know, there was like Shanaya and Dixie Chicks, and then skill die. Yogam like, we love Dwight Yoakam, and that skill that's like our family favorites. But I was when I think of teenage years, I think of also like, Vanessa Carlton and Michelle Branch, and three doors down. Okay. You know, like, I also had that alternative, side by side and there and then my parents like, we're always like on Sundays they would always Blair like Fleetwood Mac or BJ Thomas and Ricky van Shelton. I mean, so I think there's just such a wide range, but I got really into the singer songwriter tree. Yeah, Michelle Branch records. And Kelly Clarkson's first record, I remember loving that one. And yeah, yeah, so a lot of different things.

Randy Hulsey  23:23

It so it was very eclectic. Like, it was all over the map much like my growing up and then my kids live in here in this house. They're, they're pretty much all grown now. But, you know, we listened to everything from Anne Marie to the BGS to, you know, slip not to, I mean, it was just like, there was no rhyme or reason to what that listen to hear. Because I I love it all, you know, good for you. Yeah. I think that this is all over the map.

Bri Bagwell  23:53

I kind of like, you know, country hippyish parents from that era. And then of Johnny Cash and my grandma. Were second cousins. So we have like blood there. And I feel like like that era of country music is just so influential because we just loved on a cash so much and, and to my blood. I like I love Jesus, but I drink a little you know, like that kind of Yes. Yes, that kind of thing.

Randy Hulsey  24:22

For sure. Now, you mentioned something earlier about, you know, you have some brothers, but you you have a twin brother. Well, they are twins. They're okay. They're twins. Okay. Both of them are musicians are just one of them.

Bri Bagwell  24:36

Both of them. Okay. One plays drums and guitar and sings and the other one just plays guitar and sings and they're great. But they so they started a band when they were 21 That was like the cool thing to do. So I was like the 14 year old little sister that was playing in the band with my brothers and then that's how we all got started. Okay, so

Randy Hulsey  24:55

they they were in their early 20s You were still a young teenager then. So are both of the brothers still active musicians or not so much anymore? They were smart.

Bri Bagwell  25:05

And one one's an accountant with my dad. And the other one works for Edward Jones. And they both have three kids each and beautiful families. And we of course, Christmases and stuff are really fun. We all sit around and sing and play and so it's it's still a thing. I'm actually playing for the Edward Jones conference in New Mexico. My for my brother's company, and I'm going a day early and we're going to just jam with my brothers. It's

Randy Hulsey  25:35

awesome. Cool. Yeah. So I'm taking their the family still back into Mexico.

Bri Bagwell  25:40

Yeah, entire family and extended family. And yeah, I just played a show down there. And we got everybody up on stage. You can see it on my Instagram. I'm like, everybody who's blood related to me, like, get up here and whatever. And the whole entire day, it was like 70 people or something crazy. I got a giant family. That's cool.

Randy Hulsey  25:56

Yeah, it's real fun now. What kind of songs were you guys playing in that band? Oh,

Bri Bagwell  26:03

I mean, we played like, oh, AR okay. And like, like I said, we did play like THE ROCK COVERS at the end like the standard cover songs at the end. But I don't know some some of the cool music at the time. It's like hard to even remember I played Ice Ice Baby. And I guess I played it so many times that like when we were in Steamboat, my bass player, just like, you know, done on on. And I was like, I can I got this. And I did that did it. So now that happens that shows people have seen it on YouTube or whatever. I'm like, Oh, great. What have I done?

Randy Hulsey  26:38

So you're transplanted from New Mexico, you're now a New Braunfels based artist. Where New Mexico was it that you grew up?

Bri Bagwell  26:48

Las Cruces is right by a paso. And so it's real close about 40 minutes from the Texas border and the Mexico border. And so I southern New Mexico is everything about southern New Mexico is like in my roots and in my brain. And now in my music. I love the culture down there. I love the weather. I love the people. It's yeah, so I love Texas, too. I've been here 1514 years or something crazy. But New Mexico will always be home of course. Sure.

Randy Hulsey  27:17

Well, my next question was going to be at, you know, what age did you leave? But if I asked you that now, it would give away how old you are. So I have to pass on that question. Because you already told me how long you you've been here. So we're gonna

Bri Bagwell  27:32

do the math. So well, it's fine. Got it?

Randy Hulsey  27:35

Yeah. So I spoke earlier about you know, doing the interview with Crete, Fisher, who's originally from Odessa, transplant transplanted to New Braunfels. And I'll ask you the same question. Why and how New Braunfels of all places in the world you could go. Love The Hill Country. I'm not saying I'm not asking that in a way that why in the world that place, right, it's not like that. But it's small town. Right. So what is the draw for you?

Bri Bagwell  28:04

It's booming right now I'm sad because everybody found out how great it is. But how it happened really is I lived in Austin for a long time. After I graduated, I moved to College Station lived there for a while I got a deal with Sony in Nashville when I moved to Nashville live there for a while. Move back to Buda. And then I think like that whole Austin area and then back to Austin actually for a little bit. But that whole Austin area got so unbelievably expensive that it kind of pushed us all out, unfortunately. And all a lot of my friends lived in New Braunfels. And I was like interesting, I should go here and then It's so insane because as soon as I moved there it was like, what I mean Josh Crider, Cody, Canada, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, you know, like a ton of Bagram will all my music friends are down there. So it's actually like a dangerous place to live if you want to get anything done, because people are always texting me and going out and you see, like, I see Randy Rogers, a guy's his band old at HEB. And it's really fun. It's such a fun place to live. We live right on the river. So we get to go to the river all the time and but you can pop down to San Antonio can pop up to Austin. So we got really lucky and my boyfriend was on a run like who does that? And he found it for sale by owner sign. The property was nowhere on the internet, which is probably won't have hadn't sold so we bought 1.3 acres last year. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  29:36

Well, I have a friend that I went to school with years ago and they lived in Smithson Valley for a while. And then they just recently bought I don't know how many acres it seems like like over 200 acres and Pipe Creek, which is not too far from Bandera, but I know the land has got to be

Bri Bagwell  29:57

yes, yeah. I mean people like that. People have come up and offered us cash over our you know, all the time we can we get an offer a week over what we paid. But we're holding on to it. And of course we're not going to do that. But it's tempting. Yeah. It's crazy. It's gone up so much, but you can't sell because you can't afford to buy right now either, right. But we're gonna build we're building we just got up. We got a poll, we have electricity. Now he said, that's the first step.

Randy Hulsey  30:23

What about running water?

Bri Bagwell  30:24

We're gonna do rainwater. Yeah. And then well, next to septic, which is, there's just so many, you know, I know more about septic systems and I've ever wanted than I ever cared to know. But yeah, so we're in that

Randy Hulsey  30:37

phase, we'll kind of where I was going with that is that Mary Mary had said, my friend's name was Mary that has the property out in Pipe Creek. But she's like, you know, 20 years ago, when we moved out here, nobody knew about anything out here, right. And now it's like, you know, might as well move back to Houston now. Because now there's traffic everywhere. And, you know, line for this or traffic jam for that. And that wasn't the case. 1015 years ago, right. So

Bri Bagwell  31:07

I don't even like to think about it. Because if I would have bought a house when I moved to Austin, I mean, or even after I graduate, or just at any point, but I just didn't know that where I wanted my roots. And I kind of felt like I would know, when I knew you know, I didn't know if I was gonna be Nashville. I didn't know if it's gonna be. But yeah, I would be a very rich lady today. If I hadn't had my

Randy Hulsey  31:30

wishes were fishes. Right? Yeah.

Bri Bagwell  31:32

But we're trying to take the attitude of like, it's not too late. I mean, my boyfriend has three rental houses, actually. So we're starting to really dabble in the real estate thing. And we're gonna build an a rental place on our property. Yeah. So it's kind of like after COVID To you realize we both are musicians, and that's our main source of income. And so if that goes away, ever, like we had, no, we have no money. So we're, we're diversifying our portfolio. I

Randy Hulsey  31:59

guess you could say, Wow, uh, trying let's pick words that are buried diversifying the portfolio

Bri Bagwell  32:04

growing up, you know?

Randy Hulsey  32:07

Well, you did say you have Yeah, anyway. No, I mean, real estate is a great investment. Right. I mean, I think that's the, you know, if you're gonna if you have the money to put into it, you know, there should be some return on it. I would think, you know, yeah, building up equity in it and whatnot. But we've

Bri Bagwell  32:23

had just really great luck with like, how we found the property and how we're building the house, and it just feels like, you know, the puzzle pieces fall into place, and when it's the right thing, I think that that's how things happen.

Randy Hulsey  32:33

Yeah, I agree. I wanted to talk about your your music real quick, kind of from a discography perspective, so you had and you can correct me if any of the dates are wrong, so 2011 You had banned from Santa Fe? You had self titled album, Bree Bagwell in 2013. When a heartbreaks was 2015 That's right, right. Yep. And then you had in my defense in 2018. And there was a song off of that record. And I saw a beautiful Martin guitar that you brought and I was wondering if you'd maybe play if you were a cowboy off of that record?

Bri Bagwell  33:17

Oh, yeah. Okay, let's do it. Cool. Cool.

33:34

When I first saw you with your five o'clock shadow, you were staring off into the sun. And you Russia to me as you took a shot Who is he like an outlaw on the run? So we didn't take me by surprise when you walked up and asked me to dance like a desert. So closerie guy I knew didn't stand a chance. If you had us on your boots, calm has passed down your roots. Man I would fall for you.

34:11

If you cow three reining in your blood. You You just ran off. If you heard cowboy just a big city boy wearing turquoise rings in your $100 ripped up jeans. Smoking marble labs

34:40

in the bar every night they get a password grid Billy means if you had this on your boots is passed down from your roots. I would fall for you. If you cowboy I need you to pick me up. You just write off with my love if you were a cowboy

35:23

if you are a cowboy if you were a cowboy I need a man who's raised up to the con all against Rob back. If you were a cowboy the cowboy is passed down roots fall for you if you are a cowboy. A cowboy Oh.

Randy Hulsey  36:31

So it was interesting. We were talking earlier about that song. And that was actually one of the songs on the record that you didn't write? Correct?

Bri Bagwell  36:41

Yeah, I think I've maybe recorded two outside songs my entire life. And that that was one of them. But my producer was a co writer on that song. And she said, I got this song. You know, people are always like, pitching you songs. They're like, You got to record this song. It's perfect for you. And most of the time, when you listen to it, you're like, that is not something I would sing at. All right? And so my producer was like, I have this song, you have to hear it. And or no, she was like, more reserved about it. Like, I have this song. I don't know, tell me, you know, to go away. If you hate it, I don't care. And then she played that. And I go, I gotta have that song. I have to have it. That's. And so forever. When I was introducing that song, I'd always tell everybody, she wrote it or whatever. And she was like, stop it. Like, that's your song now. Yeah. And I love playing it live. It's the last time we played or in the set. It's a total blast.

Randy Hulsey  37:28

I love it. It's a great song. And you sound a really fantastic playing. I'm kind of a sucker for acoustic music anyway. So yeah, it's easy to get my attention with it. The songwriting come easy for you.

Bri Bagwell  37:44

Me now, I would say yes. But I've been writing a song every single week or every two weeks, for years now, religiously. So I think there's so much like, it's the best thing that I've ever done is get to be a part of the songwriting grew up, my producer started me in it, where, you know, it's like, where you get a word or a phrase. And then you have to go write a song by yourself and turn it in by, you know, midnight on Thursday, or one to midnight on Thursday? And yeah, I think it's just made me such a better songwriter. And instead of just waiting for inspiration, you know, yeah, forcing myself to do it. I think songwriting is a muscle, the more you do it, the better you get at it. I think so. And I'm able to, like crank out a song in 30 minutes if I have to, it's not always going to be good. And I can do it.

Randy Hulsey  38:30

Yeah. I guess you probably go through blocks too. Like, a lot of people do, you know, the, the writer's block were just sometimes it's more of a challenge to things like that didn't go with that. You can't think of something? I guess you do go through those times. Right? As a songwriter.

Bri Bagwell  38:51

Yeah, I think but that's why I think this songwriting game, we call it song game, but that's why I think it's so wonderful is because you might have that writer's block. But the song is about you know, that you might have to put like, chocolate chip cookie in a song or something, and it makes you write it makes your brain do this crazy thing. Every song on my new record is from one of those prompts. And so it's really crazy. The things that I've written songs about, you know, this this last week was power lines. And then the week before that with Hemingway, and it's just it sparks something in your brain. So I would say sometimes writing songs is harder than other times, but it it really helps you because when you sit down to write a song, and you don't have an idea, it feels overwhelming. Yes. You can literally write anything in the world. And that's an overwhelming feeling. Yes. So this helps me like, specific, you know, specific. Yeah, totally.

Randy Hulsey  39:42

Yep. Now there, there was another song, off the record of the 2018 release, in my defense, and it's a song called cheat on me. And it was a song that popped for me, and I was wondering if you'd play that one as well?

Bri Bagwell  39:58

Yeah. I love too are you gonna play that song with me?

Randy Hulsey  40:02

I don't know maybe you can play it

Bri Bagwell  40:05

okay I thought there was rumors of you playing it but okay

Randy Hulsey  40:09

yeah, I mean I could play it but it you know sometimes it's as you play that first song My intention was to play it and I still can but I guess it's nice being on this side of the microphone sometimes to like you know, I I'm enjoying your play and so I'm gonna let you play I love

Bri Bagwell  40:27

this honor with this with my friend Courtney Patton awesome

40:40

wish you would cheat on me I wish I could catch you I wish you would call me lead me down and listen to me cry wish you would break my heart now wish you Google me in to me there's the other woman and just him me goodbye then I'll save that ever so you

41:22

can make you feel better then I could to livery watches would we be history? I wish you would cheat on me I

41:47

wish this could be we shot asleep in our we shed and ate my cells when you just don't feel right we use there was a tad we do is skiing we should get down on your knees begging Baby please it was just fun ever saw you it would be to say then I can make you feel bad because then I could to livery watches good you we be history. I wish you would cheat on me ever done being wrong Oh, bro, go through those you love me still. Don't make me say I've ever saw you again. It would be to your mama I know that I should run because you're in love, though. That you deserve to be. I don't want you to hate me. Don't make me do this baby. I wish you would cheat on me I wish you would cheat on me

Randy Hulsey  43:56

great job on that song. I love that song. You know, I was listening to your stuff before of course today. And there's a lot of great songs. But that one for some reason popped for me. I've really enjoyed it. I worked on it a few days. And I think the more I play it, the more I like it and it's really nice to see you do it. Live it. I don't know it always has more feeling and more meaning. When you see somebody performed live with just the acoustic guitar. There's something about the wrongness of that. Yeah, that's That's amazing, but

Bri Bagwell  44:32

I can't remember the last time I did that. Well, that was fun for me. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  44:35

I was gonna ask you like when you play live shows. I have to assume that that song gets thrown in your sets and but you're doing it with the whole band, right?

Bri Bagwell  44:44

Yeah, we're doing a lot of whole full band stuff. And then if I play acoustic I play with my guitar player with my boyfriend who plays guitar, so I just, I rarely play my songs. Just by myself. I'm usually Writing. So it was kind of it was really fun. Thank you for letting me do that.

Randy Hulsey  45:02

As much as I love the band setting and the here in a band. I, I don't know, it's there's just something about the singer songwriter thing, right? Just the voice and the guitar. There's nothing better to me than hearing that. So great job. Where do you pull? Or where did you pull inspiration for that song?

Bri Bagwell  45:26

Yet, this is real messed up because I was praying to praying to God that my boyfriend would cheat on me. And I was like, okay, that's not things that you should pray for. But I'm like, really non confrontational. And so I just thought it would be so much easier if he cheated on me. And then it would all be his fault. And we could break up because I knew that breaking up was going to, you know, be really hard and for both of us and really upset him a lot. And so I just thought that would be a good outlet. For me. It was not a good prayer, but maybe it would make for a good song. So it was really cool, because I had those verses for a long time, but I never could get a chorus. And then Courtney sat down and said, you know, then I'd say if I never saw you again, it would be too soon. I was like, Well, okay,

Randy Hulsey  46:14

that's it interesting at

Bri Bagwell  46:15

first, you know, that popped out of my mouth. And yeah, it's one of those one of those that I had for a long time, and I knew it was gonna be special. But I didn't want to, you know, you don't want to take your idea to the wrong person or whatever. Even if you take it to a great songwriter, sometimes it doesn't turn out so that I was so happy that she just completed that one with me.

Randy Hulsey  46:33

Well, that's a little dark berry. That's kind of like what you were telling me earlier, as a kid growing up, you're writing all these dark, it's carried over into your adult years, you realize this, right? Yeah, well, I think you have a problem.

Bri Bagwell  46:44

I know. I say, I have so many problems. But that's not the only one.

Randy Hulsey  46:48

That's another podcast. That's that's version two.

Bri Bagwell  46:52

But yeah, I always say to whenever I'm happy and feeling great. I want to go drink beer on a patio. And when I'm sad, I want to write songs. So that's kind of like why there's this imbalance. But on my new record, you will be happy to hear that there are some left songs on there. So I'm happy, happy stuff. Good. Lots of dark stuff do but Yeah, happy stuff. Do

Randy Hulsey  47:14

you know you have to I think that some of the best music is melancholy. Like, you know, Terry, my wife always tells me like, are you really gonna play that song tonight, I might add, because it's kind of how I feel today. It's like, it's kind of a downer. So like, not everything in life is happy. You know what I'm saying? Sometimes things just come from the heart. And some of the best songs are the saddest songs in the world in the in the most depressing songs, but they're they resignate. So that I mean, they cut deep as what I'm saying, like, it's life, it's, you get it. You're a songwriter. Right? And some of your some of your best stuff is not always jovial and happy some of its dark, right?

Bri Bagwell  47:54

Yeah. And I think that that's okay. I mean, but yeah, that's, you know, me and all my friends are like, give us the sad songs all day long we live for even when we're happy, we want the sad songs. But I understand that that's not everybody. Because sometimes people want to go to a concert is like an escape from their sad life. So I think that may be why pop country is as successful as it is because it's kind of mindless. And do you know what I mean? It's all very similar. And it might be just like an escape from, whereas I am not ever trying to escape my sadness. I'm like, trying to dive in. Yeah, because that's how we write songs is like, figuring out why we're sad. And putting it like really getting in there and then putting it like out for the world. I don't know. It's, it's very fun to me, well,

Randy Hulsey  48:38

it, but you would be doing a disservice to yourself, if you didn't write from the heart songs, right? If if you are having depressed days or bad days or dark days, but you are trying to write happy. That's not from the heart, you know what I'm saying? An authentic and yeah, it's fabricated, a little fabricated at that. Yeah, at that time, right. Do you? I don't know if you mentioned this earlier. But do you have certain times of the day that you kind of scheduled to sit down and write or do you just allow that a song to take place organically, just like just when it happens or you get that feeling? You know, you're sitting out by the pool, and you're like, I got something you go get a piece of paper or record whatever you do, or do you force it because and here's the reason I asked. I was speaking with Michael Sweet, the lead singer for striper and sang with Boston for six years. And he is structured to where he sits down every day at a certain time. And he writes, that's great. It works for some people, but I didn't know I wanted to ask you kind of the same question. Is it structured or unstructured for you?

Bri Bagwell  49:44

It's it's most always structured now. Okay. And my boyfriend and I are big on time blocking. So we try to time block our whole day. I mean, it's it's really hard because we're not home that often and so it's really fun to just This sounds crazy meant to just like, unpack my suitcase and do laundry and go to the grocery store and like unstructured the floor and just be home. Oh, yeah, yeah. And enjoy normal life things. So I have to schedule it. But I'm, I'm always glad when I do. I'm always glad when I schedule it, and it the other day, Sarah Hobbs and I wrote a song and she came over and, and we had to, like make ourselves because even with my music friends, it's like we never write because we have such a good time hanging out. We have to schedule that tour. Because it is work. I think I it is hard. It's like putting together a really hard puzzle. And it can be really frustrating. And so it's not just like, oh, some writing is fun and easy. It's like it's really trying and then and then maybe you're also discovering how you're actually feeling about something. So it's like going to therapy. Oh, no, like there's a Freudian slip or whatever. Like added? Oh, you're right. Yeah, right.

Randy Hulsey  50:59

As far as accolades go for Brie Bagwell, you've had at least seven number one songs on the Texas music charts. What does this mean, for an artist to have their song go to number one? Talk to me about that.

Bri Bagwell  51:21

It's really fun. I mean, some people were trying to like, dole the awards for me the other day, like via Twitter, you know, like trying to make them less important or whatever. Because you can have a number one song and it could mean nothing, it could mean that you don't sell any tickets. Or it could mean you have no Spotify followers. And that's so true. But it could also like, I don't know, I don't think you should be taking away the little wins. Like this business is so hard. So the radio is playing and the radio is so important. I think everything matters. Like I just think it all adds up. And so, you know, when I'm, I remember getting my first number one song, and I played a show outside and it was freezing cold. And there was nobody there. And I had a number one set my first number one song on the radio. So it's, uh, I don't even know why I'm even. It should the answer should be it's freaking cool. Yeah, because it is. And it's it just, it has to be coupled with more things. Do you know what I mean? It doesn't just mean that you're great. And you're gonna sell a bunch of tickets now. Yeah, but it is fun to have number one. Love it and driving along and hearing your song and living in New Braunfels or in Austin when they were playing it. And you know, nothing cooler than hearing your own song on the radio. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  52:41

That is cool. Yeah, thanks. And do you have like, when you're writing? Do you ever have that gut feeling? That a song will ultimately be a charting song? Or, or do you just never know?

Bri Bagwell  52:57

Yeah, I mean, I, I had one that I thought was going to be great. And it wasn't. But I did change promoters, though. There's just like, there's so much that goes into a song. And it's it's timing. It's luck. It's money. It's like, all the things have to align. But yeah, I think, I think when I write something that I know, like, I thought as soon as I wrote cheat on me, I was like, I think that's a, I think that's a hit. And that if you're a cowboy, I thought, once we recorded it, I was like, that's, that's a hit. And that was number number one. But yeah, the whole radio thing is really hard right now, because streaming is so important. But radio is still important. So now, you know, Facebook was important, but then Instagram was important. Now tick tock is important. So all of these things are all important. But nothing's getting taken away. It's just like it's adding. Yeah. And there's no subtracting, right? So kind of where where I wake up every day is like, I would love to send a song out to radio, it's expensive. But people are like, No, it doesn't matter. And I'm like, I think it still matters. And a lot of people think it still matters. But it's like, where do you spend your time? And where do you spend your money is every day for me?

Randy Hulsey  54:06

But do you? Do you have a team of people that help you make those business decisions? Or is Bree making all of those decisions on our own?

Bri Bagwell  54:15

I'm actually like, kind of in a weird place right now because I have an entire team, but no manager. So like, I have a great PR team. They're amazing. They're out in Nashville, Richmond group, they're incredible. I have a great book, an agent a nationally and a great radio promoter Dave and so I have all of these people, but I have no like overseer of these people. So I feel like I'm having to you know, run the ship and ultimate and ultimately make all the decisions but yeah, it's a it's a lot but it's I kind of love it. I mean, I've done a lot of it myself. For so long. Yeah. I definitely have great help right now. I'm, I'm blessed. Yeah. But it's a lot of decisions and I'm making a new record. And it's like, like, after I put this one out in 2018, I told myself, I would never put out a record again, because it's so much work. And it's so hard and it's so expensive. And here I am making another

Randy Hulsey  55:13

record. But did you really mean that? No, I

Bri Bagwell  55:15

didn't mean it. Yeah, I really can't do anything else. I think that's how we all we just can't do anything else. We have no other options. You're

Randy Hulsey  55:23

not multi-dimensional Or you

Bri Bagwell  55:25

this is this is my life for the rest of my life. But that's okay. Because

Randy Hulsey  55:29

you're good at it. Right. And I think that, I think that we all have our forte, and I've been in technology. That's how I've made a living all of these years, and I've often thought about that. What will you do when you retire? You know, if I if I change jobs now what I mean, what, what would I do all I've known as technology since I left college, right? And that's what we've spent our life doing you behind a guitar me behind a keyboard, right? And it's kind of a scary thought. Because you always say, what if I burn out? You know, what if? What if I don't want to write a record anymore? What the hell am I going to do? What else do I know how to do right? Do am I going to quilt? Am I gonna you know, you know what I'm saying? Am I am I going to dog sit? You just it's it's a crazy thought. So I would say don't don't quit making records. I mean, I think that that that's, that's your wheelhouse and you have to, but there also has to be a love still, there has to be a fire that burned there to want to do that. You know, and we all go through burnout stages, right? And we don't want to do those things. So

Bri Bagwell  56:38

I always still want to play live. Like I feel like there might be a day that comes where I'm like, Okay, I don't want to get on stage. And when that day comes in, I will reevaluate. But like I never don't want to play yeah, like I'm always and recording and making an eye and writing songs is and making records is really just the most fun thing. But when when we're talking about people are saying records don't matter anymore. And it's all about singles and streaming and the business is changing so fast. And then the cost of making record if has not gone down, if anything, it's gone up and then but what we're making is gone down. And so we're having to pivot and I'm having to place importance and things like sponsorships and which is great and life changing. But it's like you really to have the artistic side, you just really have to have so much of the business side to to pay for the artistic side. It's very

Randy Hulsey  57:29

expensive, sir, sir much truth. And you know, your many years ago, and I date myself a little bit, but is there any truth to So back in the day, artists made a lot of their money on record sales. I mean, there was no streaming media 25 years ago, right? They were killing it with record sales. platinum records sold a million blah, blah, blah, right? And that's how they made the money has it has the business shifted to where there's no money and record sales and everything is merch related? Does that question make sense? I'm not sure if I'm asking it the correct way. But my point being like, you have to have like, what 326 streams on Spotify to make $1 or something? It's some stupid, you know, so I didn't know like, can you still make good money? Producing a record and selling the record itself? Or does the money come from tour and merch?

Bri Bagwell  58:30

Yeah, well, we're about to find out. No, I think there are ways to do it. But I'm making a ton of vinyls, you have one sitting right here. Yeah, vinyl records are my biggest profit. Now. I still do sell CDs. But yeah, that was the thing because you can make a CD for $1.26 or whatever. Okay, that's what I pay and you sell them for 10 bucks back in the day. Oh, there's dollar. That's, that's what it is. Oh, there's,

Randy Hulsey  58:55

my son was gonna come down. Come on.

Bri Bagwell  58:58

Okay, let's go back to that. The profit margin was just like so giant. And so back in the day when you even when you are a songwriter, if you got a cut on George straits record, you got a song that was never on the radio, you were a millionaire, you're selling records or $18 or whatever, and you got one song on there that nobody heard on the radio, you are a millionaire and now now unless you have the hit single, that gets millions of Spotify streams, you're not making anything and and so it's and I love when people were like really want to go down the math or whatever I'm like, I will I will gladly give you the math on this because for my whole up until when a heartbreaks Sony owns half of all my publishing to so by the time you know if I write a song with somebody else, and that gets half done then if then Sony takes the half of this and then they own all my publishing. It's like it's just really hard to make make money on music. So the answer is of course, touring live. Yeah, T shirts, hats. That's why like if you want to support an artist, I think that's the best way okay, but I'm not I'm not even sure I'm gonna print CDs for this new right Record like, Isn't that crazy? Like,

Randy Hulsey  1:00:02

what would you do in lieu? I mean, would you do vinyl? Or would you? Okay?

Bri Bagwell  1:00:06

But there's a year wait to make vinyls because there's so popular. So, I'm gonna do vinyls and then maybe like USB drives. A lot of you and maybe a few CDs, but it's it's really, really, really different. It's all in in people's phones. Now. It's all about getting on a playlist. Yeah, and all of that is very complicated. And there's people that you can hire to help you do that. But once again, you're paying more money. It's crazy.

Randy Hulsey  1:00:32

You know, it's funny that you say, I never thought about getting a stick with music on it, right? And pre vinyl, I just started collecting Vinyl, probably, maybe let's call it a year ago. And I never gave it much thought digital was the way to go. It's Spotify. It's you know, mp3 is blah, blah, blah. And then I put the first piece of vinyl in my hand, and it took me back to my childhood days. And it was it almost made the hair on the back of my neck stand up because I was a junkie when it comes to reading when it came to reading the liner notes. Like the first thing I would do before I wouldn't listen to the music was read the liner notes. That's why I started the show because I'm so into why did you write that song Bri? What was the meaning behind that song? I like to be inside the song right as a as a singer songwriter myself. So there was a magic by touching that vinyl. So I don't you know, when you say I'm thinking about putting it on a stick and selling it? I would say certainly sell it any way you can sell it. But there's something magical about the vinyl. Yeah, you know that. Even CDs didn't have tattoos. It was cover art. It was the the jacket inside for the like it was the whole experience of it, I guess is my point. So it's really coming. It seems to be very popular right now more so than ever.

Bri Bagwell  1:01:55

Yeah, well, like, like I said, it's like a year to get them printed. So I'm waiting on my masters and artwork. I mean, I haven't done any of that. So it's like I'm having to pay to get my place in line to eventually print. It's really it's really crazy. But I'm happy because I love that people are still buying a hardcopy, the music, it gives you something to sign. Yes. You know, when people had CDs, you could always sign that. And now it's like, you can't sign a Spotify. It's really crazy, actually personal, right? People are taking photos or screenshots of their Spotify and I'm signing the phone with my finger. I mean, it's just the whole thing has changed. And I've watched it change and what I made off of my first record, paid for itself. And so for me to pay for this record that I'm doing right now, I mean, it's gonna have to be like millions and millions of streams. Yeah, it's so you never know. If those streams are turning into ticket sales, that's the goal. And you're turning into somebody buying a hat off the website or whatever.

Randy Hulsey  1:02:50

Well, you know, the show is now heard in 30 countries My show is and you know, is that is that big or small? I don't know. Like, I have no way to judge that. But my goal here is if I get 10 new listeners to listen to Bree Bagwell, that's 10 more that you didn't have yesterday that's maybe buying merch, or that's streaming or whatever the case may be right. That's how I look at it. Now you've been awarded Female Vocalist of the Year multiple times. What are your thoughts around that specific accolade? Like, I think that's pretty cool. Like, I don't know who's voting on these things. But I think that if these are your peers that are voting, I would think that that would mean a lot to you, as a as a vocalist, like, share your thoughts around such an accolade.

Bri Bagwell  1:03:41

It I think it means the world I love. I love the award shows are so fun. It's a chance to see all of our buddies, but the only hard part is obviously like, when you when there's four other females up there that should also win. Like, I think every female on the road deserves that award, because it's the hardest thing in the whole world. And I don't know. But yeah, winning, winning it is just, it's great and hearing people congratulated or say you deserve it or whatever. It's just, it's the thing that kind of keeps you keeps you in the fight on a bad day or whatever. It's really

Randy Hulsey  1:04:18

I guess the other part of that I just thought about this. The other part of that question would could also be if there were no accolades to receive, would it matter to you as an artist, or would you just keep plugging away?

Bri Bagwell  1:04:32

I don't even matter it's, it's hard. It's hard to lose them. It's hard to win them. It's hard to win one and have them be little that's hard. I don't like competing against other artists. I think it's apples and oranges. You know what I mean? Like we're all different or it's definitely not why we're here. It's not for the awards for sure. Mine are actually all in a closet. So it's not I don't look at it every day or anything. Right? It's it's just an a nice book. Bonus, maybe? Yes, yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:05:02

Well, I think everybody, whether you're, whether you bold, you know, a bowler for a living or your whatever, I think it's nice to be noticed and recognized. That's That's what keeps the fire lit like you say to write the next song or the next record. So that's the encouragement that's the carrot at the end of the stick, I guess

Bri Bagwell  1:05:21

how they are now. Now it's turned into probably last Monday at the award show like 10 girls that I've never met, that are attending the word show just to network and they're starting to play music, and they come up and tell me that, you know, I'm their inspiration in Texas country. And then I've paved the way you know, there's just saying all these things that I'm like what you know, that's it's very strange to make that turn from like, grinding and beginning and finding your way to like, now being the example or something, whether I whether I think that or whether you think that or not, I don't know, but somebody thinks that that's really neat. Yep.

Randy Hulsey  1:05:57

I agree to me. You, I guess, in the past and current have shared the stage with, you know, for lack of better term music, royalty, I mean, you played with a lot of big name acts, share with the listeners, maybe some shows that stick out in or a show that sticks out in your mind with a notable artist. Is there is there one that just sits in your head like, Oh, I remember this one show that I played with, so and so that was like, the coolest experience ever. Do you have one of those to share? Yeah, I got to can't say Randy Hulsey. But somebody other than

Bri Bagwell  1:06:36

we have yet to take over the spot. No, um, I got to open for Willie Nelson in El Paso, um, Valentine's Day, a few years back, and he came out and I met a sister too. She was so nice. And she just passed away. I'm just sad. But he came out and shook my hand. I wasn't sure I was gonna get to meet him. And he signed my guitar. And he asked me to sing with him. So I got to get up and sing. I'll fly away with Willie Nelson, which was like, super cool. Just absolutely unbelievable. Like, truly unbelievable. And that guitar. I keep I told you it's like, now it's like hanging on the wall, please. Like it keeps breaking on purpose. Because it's like, needs to be retired. So I did. It's um, it's off the road now on my wall.

Randy Hulsey  1:07:24

That's the Martin that you were talking about? My baby.

Bri Bagwell  1:07:28

Yeah, so that was a nice show. And my family was there. Yeah. So it was great,

Randy Hulsey  1:07:32

which makes it even cooler. Talk about the music festival Steamboat Springs. So I'll tell you why I'm asking this question. I think season one, episode three. I think Robin was my first guest. So Robin Shane was my first guest out of Austin. Our third guest, I should say, we had talked about Steamboat Springs. And I went out to the website and I'm like, Okay, this looks like the coolest thing ever. Not only is it a cool venue or venues, but it's I guess during the winter time, it's snowing, you can snow ski, and then you get to see every artist in the world. They're like, what, what better, right? So I was wondering, give me your take on the show, and share that with the listeners because I'd really like to be somebody that's in the crowd watching that maybe next year. I think COVID kind of wreck that for a little while. But I'm interested in the show specifically. So

Bri Bagwell  1:08:33

it was an amazing year this year, it was my 10th year to play. So I got like a plaque like John Dixon came and gave me a little speech and a little plaque. But it's just so neat, because it's like 50 bands or something crazy. And it's all your best friends. And you haven't seen each other in forever and then it's in the mountains and it's gorgeous SEMA it's absolutely gorgeous. And I actually didn't have time to ski this year because I was real busy but I I've played all I got to play the big 10 this year and I've played outside a few years in the cold and it's there's really nothing like it. It's really fun. There's just the hardest thing about it is you're like five people are playing right now that I want to see.

Randy Hulsey  1:09:14

Yeah, it's it's unbelievable. Can't see all of them, right? No way.

Bri Bagwell  1:09:18

No, you can't. And then there's also like the late night jams. Everyone gets together in the hotel rooms and passes guitars around and stuff. So there's also that and just, I don't know, a good start to the year you know, a bad start for your liver, but a good start.

Randy Hulsey  1:09:36

But well worth like the the music fan. Paying to go out there. You know, traveling is not cheap, you know? And with COVID A lot of people were out of work but well worth the money. I'm sure

Bri Bagwell  1:09:50

1,000% Yeah. And then you're like going to the bot like you go down to the bar and there's Kevin Fowler and Willie Braun and you know, like, you just get I'd like to see all your favorites. Yeah. In person, whatever. It's really fun.

Randy Hulsey  1:10:05

Yeah, I the website was like I was itching to go and then. And then I think they shut it down the year that I was considering going out there. But when I was kind of doing my homework and things that I wanted to talk to you about, that's one of the things that popped up like,

Bri Bagwell  1:10:21

it's incredible. It's a really good time. Yeah, you definitely gotta you definitely got to do it. It's a it's a marathon, not a sprint. Just remember that. And I think absolutely the last time I couldn't go out until the last night because my voice, I lose my voice. So by the time I went out the last night, a couple years ago, there was nobody in the artists room. Nobody. Everyone was tired, you know, dead tired and hungover or whatever. So I went up to the security guard, and I was like, Hi, do you want to drink whiskey with me? Because nobody will do it. Like everyone was just dead. It was so funny. So

Randy Hulsey  1:10:55

yeah, when you just have to find random strangers to drink

Bri Bagwell  1:11:00

during free whiskey. And he was like, Yep, yeah, he

Randy Hulsey  1:11:04

did. Friend for lunch. That's right. So as far as upcoming shows, and new music, you mentioned earlier kind of tongue in cheek that you you said at one time, you may never make another record, but it's my understanding that you do have something new coming out in fall. Is that correct? Is that when it's slated to come out? Or do I have my information?

Bri Bagwell  1:11:28

Now that is correct. But we are going to do the Spotify thing and release a song a month probably okay, leading up. So probably starting in June, May or June, we're going to start releasing songs from it. And then the whole record will come out in September. And Rachel always producing it. And I was like going on, she produced my last record too. But I was like, you know, people don't care about records anymore. And I really want to make a record now of all the songs and then gone on and on. She was like, did like, let's make a record. You don't have to explain to me why like, you should never have to justify that you want to make a record. I'm like, I know. You're right. I don't even know I feel like that. But yeah, so we're where we're at. We have one more day of vocals on Wednesday. And then I'm done with vocals. And then it goes to mixing.

Randy Hulsey  1:12:15

Where is the material being recorded?

Bri Bagwell  1:12:18

We recorded at the sound emporium and in Nashville. We did two days of tracking so 11 songs in two days, but just for financial reasons. I did five and then we did all the vocals and stuff. And then then we did six more so split it into two sessions, basically. But yeah, it was in Nashville. And it was actually really cool because I walked out and ran right into Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, really, and they were there recording. And he we just started chatting and he really liked my bandana and my boyfriend was like, You're not gonna give him your bandana. And so I walk back and he's like, Man, I love that bandana. And I said I'm trying to make a record like we can work something out. But yeah, I'm not giving you this bandana. You can buy it anyway, he laughed. But so I took a picture in front of sound emporium and he came in photo bombed my picture, which I thought was really neat.

Randy Hulsey  1:13:12

I can think of worst people to run into. Like, in fact, like this, this right here. The Hermit is from Led Zeppelin for writes, I've always been a huge inspiration for me, let's upland so

Bri Bagwell  1:13:26

he was very kind and I thought that was really cool. Yeah, for sure.

Randy Hulsey  1:13:29

Now I know that you I think average probably somewhere around 150 shows a year. Was that pre COVID? Or was that kind of what you were playing before the whole COVID thing came around? Is that a good number for you yearly?

Bri Bagwell  1:13:45

Yeah, I was doing. I mean, I'd say at least 70 It was crazy. And now I don't know how I was doing that. I think I think we have like eight shows in April or something. So that's pretty good. You know, that's a good amount when I was doing 1520 Sometimes it's great. That's it's crazy.

Randy Hulsey  1:14:03

I would have thought that it might have been more for you being a full time musician. And here's the reason I say that. So working full time. And of course I wouldn't do in the podcast then. But pre COVID I was playing I think one in 19 I played 130 shows as a part time musician, which I look back now and say that was stupid like I mean that's a lot like when you're trying to work 40 hours a week or whatever right and you're going out you're playing two or three times a week. So I think now it's probably more like I've cut that way back to 60 or 70 Because this is a time suck right here like all the editing the marketing. I mean you get it you get it like I'm doing something a little different but you know there's a lot that behind the scenes that goes in to do to do in the podcast, so that was cut way back. But would taking on more shows for you That would be a big load, like over 150 like you. Do you feel like you couldn't manage over 150

Bri Bagwell  1:15:07

I think that's too many. Okay. I personally like as far as like balancing. I mean, as I as it is right now, I really barely have time to get home, unpack, repack, get back out on the road. And then, I mean, people I think also don't, when, when I go on radio tour, it's like I play Thursday, Friday, Saturday, drive somewhere Sunday, do radio Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then head out straight for the road again. So show number isn't really indicative of days on the road. No, that's true. Do you know? And then also, I do. I was doing one week, a month in Nashville, writing meetings, all of that gone. So I think as far as work and amount of work days, it's more like 300 or whatever, you know, Oh, yeah. Yeah. But show days. Yeah. I wouldn't want to do more than that. It's a lot on your voice. Ideally. I mean, ideally, I'd love to do like, like have a big guys do like a summer tour, and then they're off the rest of the year. Yeah. Because when I'm making my record, you know, like, like I said, I'm in the studio on Wednesday. And then I leave Thursday for shows I think so it's like, I have to also get in studio time. Absolutely. And writing time and songwriting retreat time and somewhere in there. My boyfriend and I take we like to vacate when we can but that's, that's where

Randy Hulsey  1:16:27

like to have some time for yourself. Yeah, he's

Bri Bagwell  1:16:29

been gone for three weeks. He gets home tomorrow, and I get home tomorrow after my show tomorrow. So you know, he hasn't been home in three weeks. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:16:38

Is he who does he play for?

Bri Bagwell  1:16:40

He plays for a band called the Wilder blue. I've heard of the band. My gosh, there is like the Eagles harmonies just earlier incredible. Zane Williams is the lead singer. And yeah, his name is Polly's and he has his own solo stuff, but, and he played for Kevin Fowler. He played guitar for him for a long time and then went to start this band was 18. And they're doing great. Interesting.

Randy Hulsey  1:17:02

I'll have to look him up. I've seen the I've seen the name but I don't know that I've heard any of their stuff. So you won't be disappointed. They're fantastic. Maybe a guest on my show sometime, right? Absolutely. Yeah, you'll hit me up right. Hey, I got that's my I got you. That's my girl. Where can the listeners find you on social media?

Bri Bagwell  1:17:24

Bri Bagwell, b r i Bagwell, I we were talking about this earlier, I do have a team that helps with a lot of things, but I am always the one posting my own stuff. And I'm also now on Snapchat and Tik Tok and reals and whatever is next. I will be on that too. At the request of my PR team who's there right there, right. But that's a full I mean, social media is like another full time job. Sure. There is Patreon not petroleum, Patreon. When needed, right, yeah. It's if you go search my name on there, you can sign up. And it's $5 a month, minimum. But you can donate more, if you would like to do more, that'd be great. And it's all it's access to all of my music before anyone else. I released work tapes that like I was saying, I write so many songs. So I've released a bunch of songs up there just me and a guitar with the reason why I wrote that song or the prompt, just explaining how I wrote the song, exclusive pictures and meet and greets and stuff. And so that's actually how I'm paying for my new record. It's, it's been it's paid for my new record so far. So that's incredible. That's really

Randy Hulsey  1:18:40

cool that you have that platform to do such a thing. Like, I mean, how else could you raise money and you're treating the fan base to a little something more than just going out and getting a piece of vinyl or, or whatever, that's cool. But I mean, when you're sending special notes and doing special videos, and blah, blah, blah, I mean, it becomes that personal touch. And a lot of people don't, don't have that business acumen. They don't understand that those simple things like that are what sell more widgets. Yeah, right. So

Bri Bagwell  1:19:15

it's been it's been, I mean, I can't even tell you how amazing it is to get so I get a monthly payment basically, and, and people don't realize, you know, it's gonna be 1000s and 1000s of dollars just to mix the record. I mean, that's not including anything else. Like just mixing is 1000s and 1000s of dollars. So it's like without that extra help, and we make money on the road, of course, but like the van, the trailer, the merch, the guitar at all, it's just such an expensive business to be in and get now gas. We do a show in New Mexico and $1,000 a gallon, right. I mean, it was $600 in diesel for the weekend. So and I didn't take any shows on the way up there because my family was out there. So I wanted to just hang out and I booked The show you know a year ago because I didn't know diesel is gonna be through the roof Absolutely. I got back and like 600 ollar diesel bill it's

Randy Hulsey  1:20:06

just a lost money honest.

Bri Bagwell  1:20:09

But what do you do? Anything gig you know get so expensive Autozone but it's okay.

Randy Hulsey  1:20:14

Well, that's good. So you guys make sure to check out I think it's Bri Bagwell Ford slash Patreon or patreon.com forward slash free bag.

Bri Bagwell  1:20:23

Right so there's also ombria.com There's a link to it.

Randy Hulsey  1:20:26

Okay, good to know, real quick. I'm gonna cut this quickfire question short and respect for time. But from a quickfire question perspective, how does Bree Bagwell starter days

Bri Bagwell  1:20:43

by complaining was my first thought you know, you should like always go with your gut. I'm like I can play.

Randy Hulsey  1:20:50

I here's the wrong answer.

Bri Bagwell  1:20:51

I have the greatest man in the world. And he brings me coffee because I have to have coffee. Well, he's been gone for three weeks. So instead of coffee, I've replaced it with just complaining. And it's not working. So he's got to come back home because I just I have to have coffee in the mornings. It's my first thing. You're

Randy Hulsey  1:21:08

kind of fufu aren't you? Just enough?

Bri Bagwell  1:21:11

I got a little Doug and I need my coffee. But I asked I mean, I asked I do write in a gratitude journal religiously. I believe in that even and when I don't you can tell. Yeah, but I rarely miss a day. So

Randy Hulsey  1:21:25

what would you say? Your best feature is

Bri Bagwell  1:21:28

about myself. Think I have just like, a lot of grit. Like, there's no quit it me and it's like, I will figure out like, I will figure out a way to make it work whether, you know, it's me unhooking and unloading the trailer by myself. It's like, I think this business is just like super hard. And you have to just, it just takes a lot of it's not a really attractive quality, but it's,

Randy Hulsey  1:21:58

well, you're not afraid to roll up your sleeves right as what you're saying?

Bri Bagwell  1:22:01

I think so. If you're gonna cite this a hard, hard question to answer about yourself. Yeah. Yeah, I think it's just the the never ending will to try.

Randy Hulsey  1:22:13

Yeah. I've seen some of your posts where you're on the road, you have a flat tire or something. And you're like, reporting on it.

Bri Bagwell  1:22:22

Yeah, the news reporter thing is my, my PR team was like, you have to do this. Yeah. And I'm like, well, it was funny until I had to do it. Now I have to do it. Thank you, I'm gonna go make a new reporter video just for you.

Randy Hulsey  1:22:36

Thank you. Yeah, appreciate that. I enjoyed it. What scares you?

Bri Bagwell  1:22:43

Like, the only thing I think that like really scares me is that, and I didn't really ever feel like this in my life until COVID. I just am so scared that one day, I'm gonna feel like none of it mattered. Like after COVID, we kind of all started from ground zero, it was crazy. And the bars had no money. Of course, we're taking deals we would never take. And it was like, I did this for 12 years to start over. Like, I just felt like none of it. None of it mattered or whatever. Sure. So I think that's my my biggest fear. And, and when I put out this record, his last record, I really thought it was just going to change my life, because I was I believed in the record so much in my life did not significantly change. So like, with this new record, it's like, I don't want to put it out and have it just not matter. Yeah, but everything does matter. But it's it's still a fear.

Randy Hulsey  1:23:37

That makes sense. Last question, what advice would you give to someone wanting to make a living playing music

Bri Bagwell  1:23:47

down to run the other direction? I mean, like we've been talking about, it's like, I have negotiated partnerships, sponsorships, partnerships, whatever they want to call them. I've found Patreon I've done Kickstarters. I've played private parties. I think that it's not as simple as just playing music. You just have to remember like the 90 minutes on stage or whatever. It's just the easy parts. And then the rest is really tough. But if you love it, man, I'm so glad that I I went all in as soon as I graduated, I had a day job for three months. And I was like now and so there are ways to make it work. It's just it's just going to be very hard.

Randy Hulsey  1:24:36

I'm glad you said that. And I'm glad to ask that question. I've seen so many artists, posting pictures and whatnot on Instagram. And this is just kind of the outsider looking in but you know specifics to or specifically some some female artists and it seems like everything they post are like, like glamour shots of themselves. but yet they're you never see any music or anything. But they're aspiring artists. It's like, okay, so when do we get to hear the music? Like there's other aspects to the business? Other than looking beautiful, right? You, okay? You've got that part down, we see that. But there's, it's a whole business that you have to run, right? You know, you have to record the music, you have to go out on the road, you have to do the social media, you have to hire people. There's all it's not just glamour all the time. Right. And I think that there's this facade that some of the artists, I don't know, maybe I'm just ranting a little bit, but it's frustrating to see so much effort put into likes on social media and not what's going to make money in that business. Does that make sense? So there's a there's a whole other facet to it. And you just said it, playing shows and being in the limelight is the easy part, right? It's all the other stuff that you have to do changing the tire on the van when it breaks down when you're going to the show and things like that, right?

Bri Bagwell  1:26:01

Well, the boys did that I took pictures. But I have a two

Randy Hulsey  1:26:05

part you had a part. And I have. Yeah.

Bri Bagwell  1:26:10

But I also have done it. And I think the other thing I will say is that like, I have so many talented friends and especially when I was living in Nashville, just like the best singers, the best songwriters that never did anything. So I think it's important to point out that, like, this business is just so strange and weird and tout, just because you have talent, and you have hard work and you have even money. It doesn't necessarily mean you will like, quote unquote, make it which what is making it anyway. But it's like, I just think it's important to point out like in any other business, really, if you're really good at what you do, you will rise and music, you could be really, really good at what you do and not rise. So strange. So just don't take it personally. Because we're all you know, my boyfriend starting and brand new band, and he's one of the best guitar players in the scene and beyond. He's amazing. And he's starting all over. Yeah. And killing it. But

Randy Hulsey  1:27:12

that's awesome. Yeah, well, I'll definitely look into them. Thanks for that recommendation.

Bri Bagwell  1:27:17

You better give me a recommendation back. Right.

Randy Hulsey  1:27:19

Right. Well, we'll see if we can line him up and we'll see if he plugs you like you plug him better see if he reciprocates Bree, thanks so much for coming into the studio today and chatting with me. I know that we were supposed to get together in the hill country that kind of didn't work out. But I'm glad that you're here today. And then I got the chat with you. It's been a pleasure. I want to remind the listeners to follow Bree on all of her social media Bri bagwell.com And then again on patreon.com Ford slash Bri Bagwell, and as she mentioned earlier, there's a link off that main site, Bri bagwell.com. That will get them to the Patreon account. Correct. That is right on the merch. Awesome. Awesome. Yeah. And don't forget that. That's how, as Brad mentioned that earlier as well, that that's one of the best ways that that you guys can support the artist is by purchasing the CDs and purchasing the, the hats and all of that. So make sure that you take care of the artists. I also want to thank you guys for tuning in again. And as a reminder, you can follow the show on Facebook at backstage pass radio podcast on Instagram, at backstage pass radio, Twitter at backstage pass PC and on the website at backstage pass. radio.com You guys stay safe and healthy and take care of each other. And thank you again for tuning in to Backstage Pass radio.

Adam Gordon  1:28:45

Thanks so much for joining us. We hope you enjoyed today's episode of backstage pass radio. Make sure to follow Randy on Facebook and Instagram at Randy Halsey music and on Twitter at our Halsey music. Also make sure to like subscribe and turn on alerts for upcoming podcasts. If you enjoyed the podcast, make sure to share the link with a friend and tell them backstage pass radio is the best show on the web for everything music. We'll see you next time right here on backstage pass radio