Robynn Shayne  - Master.Complete

Tue, 12/28 8:29AM • 1:24:14

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

play, song, flight attendant, austin, people, guitar, started, called, music, night, robin, open mic, backstage pass, record, nashville, blondie, year, favorite, musician, Shayne, Randy Hulsey, Randy Hulsey Music, podcast, Backstage Pass Radio, Backstage Pass Radio Podcast, Austin TX, Lone Star Beer, Randy Hulsey Podcast, Randy Hulsey Music

SPEAKERS

Randy Hulsey, Robynn Shayne

Randy Hulsey  00:00

A very pleasant Good evening to all the show listeners out there. I'm glad you guys join us for a very special show today. I met today's gas playing a show at thread gills I believe and Austin, Texas some years back. She is an award winning singer songwriter, a Steamboat Springs Music Festival veteran, a flight attendant and she's also sponsored by Lone Star beer, the National beer, Texas. So you guys, make sure you grab a lone star beer, put on your best set of headphones and buckle in for an exciting interview. Austin, Texas very own and mega talented Robin Shane, and she will be joining me here in the crystal vision studio right after this. 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. Hi, Robin,

Robynn Shayne  01:12

hey, yeah, we're doing really good. Good.

Randy Hulsey  01:14

Thanks for taking the time to join me in the listeners today and share some good stuff with them about

Robynn Shayne  01:20

you. My pleasure. Thanks for having me.

Randy Hulsey  01:22

Yeah. It was interesting because I started second guessing myself. I was like, I think it was thread gills that I met Robin. I was trying to remember and I'm sometimes I forget things. But so I went online and I started looking it up. And as I looked up thread gills it said that they're permanently closed now.

Robynn Shayne  01:41

They are Yeah. And that was pre COVID. Even I believe right. Didn't happen pre COVID. Yeah, I

Randy Hulsey  01:48

don't know. I didn't even know they were close. But I did read a little bit that you know, I guess they decided since COVID. That it was time to just permanent permanently closed down. But of course, since I saw you there you were playing with a male artists and I I can't remember his name for whatever reason.

Robynn Shayne  02:07

Are we on the outdoor say?

Randy Hulsey  02:10

You're inside? Oh, I

Robynn Shayne  02:11

know. Okay. Then it was Jordan. Jordan Lee.

Randy Hulsey  02:14

That's That's it. I know if you said it, I would remember it's too bad that you know, that's another another business that was affected probably by COVID. It's been a it's been a wreck.

Robynn Shayne  02:27

I mean, yeah, they did so much for the music community here in Austin. So yeah, another nother hard hit for

Randy Hulsey  02:33

sure. Yeah. And I saw something. I saw something on their website too. That said I guess Janis Joplin might have honed her craft there at thread gills in Austin. How interesting. So two legends Robin Shane and Janis Joplin played? Exactly. I thought that we would walk through maybe a little chronological order of Robin Shane, take just a minute to walk us back to Robin Shane, the youngster tell us a little bit about family upbringing. Where did you grow up? Where you originally from Austin and siblings? Just high level there.

Robynn Shayne  03:11

Okay. Yeah. So I I was raised in a little town Northwest Fort Worth by the name of Chico, Texas. We moved there I was. I was born in Oklahoma, back to Texas, very quickly, little small town about 800 people. We grew up quite poor and everybody in the town was so we fit right in there. I have had one brother growing up and he is actually deceased now and to now I just realized my name isn't changed here on this. But to give you a background of where the name Robin Shane came from Shane was actually my brother's name. So that's why I decided to use that as my stage name.

Randy Hulsey  03:51

In honor of him, so that's awesome. When you zoomed in, I saw your I guess a different name. I won't. I won't say that on the air. But anyway. Anyway, I figured that that was your brother's name. And we'll talk a little bit about him in a minute. So small town, Chico, Texas, what brought you from Chico to Austin,

Robynn Shayne  04:12

actually, so my best friend lived here for about 10 years before I moved here. And I spent a lot of weekends here. I was driving here at least once or twice a month just to visit her and her kids really just loved the city I and I still do changes and all and I just love it here. I love the people. I love the vibe. But ultimately I met my husband here he was born and raised in Austin. We started dating, he had actually lost his job and so why don't you just move up here to Fort Worth? And he was like No, absolutely not. But you know since I'm a flight attendant, I'm based there in DFW. I didn't want to commute back and forth to work but I you know, was just so drawn to the city and the music scene everything about it. I did I packed up and moved here. I've been here for about nine years now that I wouldn't change a thing. I love it.

Randy Hulsey  04:59

That's Awesome, and thanks to Jack for helping us coordinate this effort here. Wookie 300. I like that. So I was interviewing a buddy of mine who played in a very successful band based out of Houston. But they were they did the MTV thing and whatnot. And he was talking about coming through Austin back in the day, probably early, mid 80 timeframe. And see and some, you know, the Stevie Ray Vaughn's and the Eric Johnson's before those guys even were big and everybody knew everybody and it but his band is finding its way full circle back to Austin right now. So it's interesting that you that you mentioned that. So again, thanks, Jack for getting Robin and I set up tell us how long you been recording and playing professionally.

Robynn Shayne  05:45

I released my first EP in February of 2012, for self titled Four song EP for that. But so to kind of I started learning to play the guitar probably 13 ish years ago, maybe something like that. And it was really never anything I intended to do as a profession. I always kind of thought I could sing growing up. I was a very, very painfully shy child, like very paint. It's very interesting. You wouldn't you'd never know that now.

Randy Hulsey  06:17

Was it? Your mom that told you you are great sing? Or were you actually.

Robynn Shayne  06:23

So so how, you know, interestingly enough, I had gone to Six Flags, I was in the sixth grade, and my parents took me to Six Flags may have this little recording studio there. And as I mentioned earlier, we were pretty poor, but my parents was that was our vacation every year was to get to go to six live. And while we were there, I begged my parents, please let me go to the little karaoke studio that they have you sing along to a karaoke song. And my parents, you know, just like what, okay, like, you know, your brother got to play all the games. So we'll let you go in here and do this. So after you record your song, you come out and they play your songs over the loudspeaker. And I had, I chose to sing black velvet by one mile. So when they started playing it, my parents were getting kind of frustrated. They're like, When are they going to play your version? And it was my version. I was like, that is my version. And my parents were like, Oh my God, give her 20 more dollars to get back in there. And

Randy Hulsey  07:20

we'll spring 20 more dollars for another song, right?

Robynn Shayne  07:22

Yeah. Ramen noodles. So that was really the first time my parents even knew I was in sixth grade. Yeah, so even after that I never never pursued it never did anything. Fast forward to my junior year in high school. We moved to a little town called buoy Texas Well, I say little a bigger, bigger little town and Chico. lose their and our theater arts teacher, Linda Pfitzner, who is just one of the most amazing humans. She when you were in her class, you had to do something you had to perform in her yearly annual what they call a celebration. And so that year, I decided that be really brave. And I was going to I was going to sing a song in front of my entire high school that even though I'd never seen in public before, really, it was a kind of a nightmare. I I didn't know how to play an instrument at the time. And the lady that played piano for me in rehearsals got sick. And the night of the show, they brought in another lady to cover for her but she was playing the she was playing the Dolly Parton version of I'll always love you and I was trying to see and Whitney Houston virgin because it was, you know, really popular then. Right? So that scarred me because I pretty much embarrass myself in front of my entire high school, you know, but I survived. So yeah, it took me a few years to get the guts up to hit those open mics.

Randy Hulsey  08:43

Right. So if I jogged your memory a little bit, that that little recording studio, they used to have one and the Galleria in Houston and it was called, I think it was called center stage. And I and I did the same thing. It was like I was working nights at the time and I went to the gallery to eat I'm like, What's this? It's like oh, recordings. Do you mean I can pay like 10 bucks to go in and sing a song? So I went in there and I recorded a bunch of songs too and I don't know it probably wasn't the same company but the the concept was certainly the same. You know, they had here in Houston. So have have all of the recordings that you've done, laid down in Austin or have you gone other places to record your efforts?

Robynn Shayne  09:27

Yeah, so my first one I did there in Arlington with a guy named Barry sailing. That was the original Robin Shane EP, and then I did record my second FFR out total. The second one we recorded here in Austin. Then after that, I had played a songwriter Festival, the Dripping Springs songwriter festival, I think five maybe six years ago, and I met this I happened to get to share the stage with a sky Sean burn out of Nashville and just immediately was just blown away at his talent. And so we you know, we swapped CDs after we played in I got to listen to his, you know, on the ride home and just the production was fantastic. And it was just everything that I wanted my album to sound like. So I got to look in and turn out he had actually produced it himself. He had a home studio there in Nashville had his own stuff. And so I called him I said, Hey, did you really record that yourself, but because it sounds great. And so we worked with him for the last few albums. We did go up there and do originally just one song with my friend Jordan Lee, we went and did a duet. Nothing crazy about you. But mean. So that was kind of our test run to see, you know, we liked working with Sean. I mean, he just knocked it out of the park with that song. And so it's kind of an a no brainer to work with him. He he never wanted to know, knows music inside and out. He, you know, was just incredible. And yeah, so we've recorded the last two in Nashville.

Randy Hulsey  10:48

Okay. Well, I played, I played in Nashville in October. And as you drive around Music Row, you, I mean, there's certainly recording studios still there. But you wonder how much of the recording is being pulled back in the people's homes. I mean, you can see my studio behind me, I can literally do everything here that now I'm not as good as those guys. Right? I'm not gonna say that. But But I mean, I have all the high end stuff that you can do that and make a really attractive sounding recording. Did you have a band that played on those efforts with you? Or were these Hired Gun musicians that you recorded with?

Robynn Shayne  11:31

Yeah, so we did do. Shawn took care of finding the musicians, he kind of does all the great, they're the Grand Ole Opry band, some of those guys played on it on a couple of the teams. So we we kind of let Shawn take charge. As far as that rather than an assistant that I kind of learned early on when you're doing, uh, doing a recording, it pays to pay a professional to come in there and knock it out in one or two takes, rather than,

Randy Hulsey  11:57

you know, times or whatever.

Robynn Shayne  12:00

Exactly. So I haven't played the instruments on on my records that let Shawn take care of that, you know, not that I couldn't, but it just in the essence of getting it done a little bit faster, more timely fashion financially, it makes more sense for me to pay those guys to just go in there and knock it out. So yeah, so it was all the folks that Sean has worked with over the years that he knew and trusted there. And in Nashville,

Randy Hulsey  12:26

perfect. And we all know that recording studios are not like $5 an hour to get in and get the job done. Yes,

Robynn Shayne  12:35

yeah, we've scrimp and save a little bit, you know, to make it happen. So, you know, it makes more sense to just go in there and, you know, pay those guys.

Randy Hulsey  12:43

I agree. 100%. So we'll fast forward a little bit to I wouldn't say so much the the career that pays the bills, but maybe it is talk to me about the friendly skies.

Robynn Shayne  12:55

Okay, well, so I I've been a flight attendant longer than I've been playing music. I started that job when I was 21 years old. I you know, it was I was going to nursing school and then decided nursing school was not for me once I started the actual program. I was like, oh, gosh, no, no, don't

Randy Hulsey  13:12

do much school.

Robynn Shayne  13:14

Are you nurses, man, I, I just knew that really wasn't a career path that I think I was, you know, initially, I was like, Oh, I just want like a secure, you're always going to have a job if you're a nurse, which is still true. I was more just having that security. But I realized really early on that was definitely not my calling. And so I dropped out in nursing school, I finished that semester dropped out. So my parents told me that spring break, we had taken a trip to Spain, that was the first time I'd ever flown commercially, my parents stayed for a good while and we went to go visit a foreign exchange students that had lived with us my freshman year in high school, on the plane ride over there, I just thought, oh, gosh, I could do this, this would be like an awesome way to get travel and get out of the small town that I had lived in my entire life and get to really experience seeing parts of the world that I would otherwise not really ever be able to probably afford to see. Absolutely. I dropped out of nursing school in May. And then I applied with every airline and every airline turned me down. And then I reapplied with every airline whenever you're able and then I got hired with multiple and ultimately we worked for American Airlines and that's been a wonderful job obviously you know, pre COVID You know, I was there during 911 So I've been kind of in through the roller coaster you know ride all in all I mean it's it's an incredible job I've gotten to travel all over the world and get paid to do it so

Randy Hulsey  14:38

and I'm sure you meet a lot of interesting people in that role too.

Robynn Shayne  14:42

For sure No, it really is it every day is a new day and you know it's really flexible too so it it worked really well with with the music and can pretty well you know hope my weekends off for the most part and then use my weekends for playing music and songwriting In fact,

Randy Hulsey  14:59

I work. And I think the more tenured you are in the airline, flight attendant business, the better choice of scheduling you have is that myth, or is that?

Robynn Shayne  15:10

Oh, about that? Yeah, absolutely. It's all about seniority. I actually took a leave of absence in April of last year. So I haven't flown in almost a year actually go back April 1. But you know, we've laid off 8000 I think flight attendants since I've been off there recalling multiple, I think 3000 Or eat about half of our coming back this month, and then some next month as well. So I don't know what I'm coming back to when I go back in April, you know, like I said, survived through, you know, 911, and all that hardships we went through with that, yes. And I figured this is comparable to that, if not worse, honestly, you know, financially for the airline. It's been a rough been a rough last year, you know, for sure.

Randy Hulsey  15:54

Yeah, for sure. I've got probably a couple of handfuls of female friends who are flight attendants. And they've been doing it first, some of the major carriers and I haven't really talked to post, well, we're not even post COVID. Right. I mean, COVID, still in full swing, but you know, and then you talk about nursing school and being a nurse and my daughter is in nursing school actually works in a COVID unit at one of the major hospitals here in Houston. And I'm a firm believer that you're either cut out to do that kind of work, or you're not, it's not for the faint of heart. And you know, you gotta tip your hat to those people. I personally, I personally couldn't do it, you know, as the shark tank would say. And for that I'm out.

Robynn Shayne  16:44

Yeah, yeah, I have so much respect for those. For the nurses, doctors. I mean, my gosh, I mean, like I said, I survived five months of nursing school and knew immediately

Randy Hulsey  16:57

555 months too many, right?

Robynn Shayne  17:00

It was, you know, I mean, looking back at probably, I had never been sick, I'd never been in the hospital, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. It was really just what can I go get, as you know, what kind of degree can I have that I know, I'm going to always have a job, because that's kind of how I was raised. You always, you know, you work if you want something. And so I think that was my main focus. Just knowing I had a career, I could always have a job. If I had that, you know, that degree and realized really quickly. That was not, it was not going to work for me. So my mom finished nursing school, we were actually nursing school together, she finished nursing school, worked as a nurse for a couple years. And then she decided to come be a flight attendant with me. Retired from flying, she just retired this past year. But she's she's done. She's still an RN and has worked. Doing hospice over the years as well. So she's done both. And she is one of those people who is 110% cut out for that job. She's just gifted.

Randy Hulsey  18:02

They are they are a rare breed. My wife Terry is a para at a in a school district here cipher School District, and she works with special needs kids, and is phenomenal with that. And it's like you are either born to do that, or you need to go do something else. Because it's not it's not for the faint of heart. Yeah, again, hats off to, to all the people that know that for sure. I wanted you to debunk a myth, you'll laugh but I think there's this perception that flight attendants board a plane, and they service a drink and then they're done. Their their day is over with but I no different. But I want you to tell the listeners, maybe maybe the 50,000 foot view of a day in the life of a flight attendant. And I think that a lot of people don't realize that you guys are there not to serve drinks, you're there for safety measures and to ensure the safety of the passenger. But I'm gonna let you tell that story and what what a day in the life of a flight attendant is about?

Robynn Shayne  19:09

Yeah, so let's back up to like the training that we go through when once you get hired with the airline, they put you through their training program. And whatever I went through, it was six weeks it was this was only domestic at that point. You weren't domestic or international now we're combined, but six weeks at six and a half weeks and I'm not talking you know, a few hours here if you're out there. I'm talking 5am till 9pm. Monday through Sunday, like I mean it is it's intense and you are it's very stressful. You're you're learning all the ins and outs of every single aircraft, how to evacuate them all the emergency equipment on how to do you know CPR, we have to learn CPR. Yes, we are. We are taught how to serve drinks and you know the overall you know, making the passengers comfortable but so, a day in the life I can Do you like with let's say a three day trip, I'll give you a day in the life of a three day trip. And from my perspective, since I live in Austin, based in Dallas, let's say I have a trip that signs in, but starts my trips all started in in DFW. So let's say I have one that signs in at, let's say 11am. So what I would have to do is get out and catch a flight out of Austin, catch a flight to DFW. So there's a lot of commuters out of Austin, so I think like 400 of us. So it's kind of a fight to get those spare seats, because the flights are always full. So you get out maybe catch the 5am flight out of Austin to Dallas, you don't sign into 11 but you're already in Dallas because you got to make sure you're there. So you go find we have crew lounges you go find a recliner and nowhere along with everybody else in the in this random room full of you know, everybody, you get their lesbian you sign in for your trip at 11 You walk on the plane, we go through it, do all the emergency equipment, equipment checks to make sure everything's there, everything's ready to go if we need it, you know, get with the agents, all the pre flight information on you know, are we going to have air marshals are we going to have folks coming on with you know, with wheelchairs, and will we have to assist them or, you know, blind passengers, oxygen, all these things. So we coordinate that, you know, once we get all that information, once we get, you know, everything boarded, you know, we got to go in and make sure everybody's doing their part, following the rules and whatnot. Let's say we're flying from Dallas to Denver. Usually, a typical day is like we might fly Dallas to Denver, turn right around, come back to Dallas again, and then maybe go to Tampa, or something like that. So then you get to your hotel in Tampa, by the time you get there at eight or nine o'clock at night. And then you you know, get the hotel, you might have eight hours behind the door, you might have 24 hours there, you're just that's a seniority thing, you don't know what you're gonna get. But sometimes they if you see a delayed flight early in the morning, it's because the flight crew got in late that night and they have to push it back for the FAA. So then we get to max Tampa, get back to the airport the next morning, fly to Dallas and then Ontario seven in Ontario, come back. You know and let's say you get home you go back to Dallas do a pocket in turn we call Austin terminal and and you finish your trip trip around four o'clock in the evening. Well then I got to get back to Austin because I was in Austin. So then I got to sit around and hope I make you know get one of the flights to get back to Austin and might make it home. Eight 910 o'clock at night when I say you're working a three day trip. You're legit working? Don't hold three days.

Randy Hulsey  22:31

Yeah, and I do know that about the flight attendants that I might use the wrong terminology here but is it called lobbying where you where you get to the airport at a certain time and maybe not maybe a word that I made up but I do know that my friends who are flight attendants get to the airport really, really really early in the mornings. I know on their layover sometimes they'll take a friend or something with them but you know they want to go out and do things or go shopping or you know maybe go party a little bit but the flight attendants board or have to be up so early the next day it's it's hardly worth it on these layovers and like you said, some of them aren't really long layover, so I mean, they're just a matter of hours.

Robynn Shayne  23:14

You're just there long enough to get some rest and, and that really, you know, again, depends on seniority. And then what you personally prefer, I'm not a morning person, like at all.

Randy Hulsey  23:26

Musician, right?

Robynn Shayne  23:27

Yes, I am. If I could change one thing about myself for sure. It would be that I would be a morning person. I am so jealous of people who are Morning, morning.

Randy Hulsey  23:37

And you know what, I'm just the opposite. I am the morning person I get in. You know, on the weekends, I'm in my studio at six, six o'clock in the morning, just doing stuff. I think I just more productive and my brain just functions better in the early mornings versus late at night, late at night and the sun goes down. It's like my brain just says, oh, it's time to go. You know, turn the TV on or or wind down you go into this wind down mode. I'm probably the exception to the rule with musicians. I do know a few of them. But we're we're a rare breed though.

Robynn Shayne  24:10

Oh, yeah. Nighttime of my time. It was never it was dark. I'm just getting getting going. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  24:16

Tell the listeners about the Steamboat Springs Music Fest and how you got involved in that originally,

Robynn Shayne  24:23

originally, we just we went as as fans, we just you know wanted I mean, obviously I was already playing so I mean, I was already a musician. So I wanted to go to kind of you know, read some elbows and get to know some people and and see what it was all about. And that was three four years ago. And so we just we went and you know, I still got to play a few shows. I booked some of the smaller unofficial shows played those and you know, just got to chit chatting with people and just you know, it's a whole experience. I don't know if you've if you've been and done it but highly recommend it. Especially if you're Texas country you know me Regardless I mean it you get your really like usually and we pass it in the hallways high fives, you know, my five year favorite artists really intimate. And, and I just loved it. And so after we went the first year, you know, they have a couple of open mics I played and, and so the following year we my husband Jack, who, you know, there's all the dirty work the behind the scenes, he was able to get me on the official lineup that official first year did acoustic second year acoustic and you know, of course, they ended up canceling this this year. So we're hoping to bring the full band for 2022. And that's the that's the plan in the works right now.

Randy Hulsey  25:37

That's cool. And you know, to be very honest, before I started looking up some things before our interview, I hadn't heard of that music festival. I've heard of a lot of things. My head is full of music knowledge, but I had not heard of that festival. But when I started looking, I said How cool is that? I mean, Steamboat Springs Jesus Christ. It's like beautiful there. You get to see music you can snow ski you can do you can kill so many birds with one stone. How cool is that? For the artists like you? That's cool.

Robynn Shayne  26:07

It's awesome. Yeah, it really isn't. And it's nice too, because we're all always playing our own shows and doing our own thing. So rarely do I get to even go see my friends play and I don't get to go see their shows by first. But whenever you're in Steamboat, you know, it's so intimate, you get a chance to see your your friends play and it's it really is incredible. It's nice. Reunion time kinda.

Randy Hulsey  26:32

That's awesome. And you know, I'm, I'm a local artist here and out of Cypress, Texas and play all over. You know, some of the stuff that I cover are some of the people that play Steamboat Springs, you know, the Mickey in the motor cars and a lot of the Americana genre Wade Bowen. That's all great stuff to me. So that's really cool that you're right up in the mix of all that and doing your thing. Super, super awesome.

Robynn Shayne  26:58

Definitely, highly recommended if you if you ever get the opportunity to go and if you want to see then you got the best of both worlds. If you don't want to see that fine. There's plenty of whiskey and coffee.

Randy Hulsey  27:10

Exactly. Plenty of other things to do. Right? Well, I looked at it and I will definitely check into it more. That's certainly not out of the question that that would be awesome. It's finding the right my wife loves music. She always teases me because when I when I go to watch somebody I am so in tune. Like when I came to watch you I ate at thread gills that night, I still remember this. I said and I watched you, I was glued on the music because I'm a musician myself. And I'm there to hear the stories that you're telling. And a lot of people they hear music, but they don't get inside the song. They don't understand the story behind the song. And that's how I listened to it. So I'm the weird fan that really isn't.

Robynn Shayne  27:54

We love that we I mean, that's my favorite. I you know, I spent plenty of time playing, you know, being background music at restaurants. And you know, I did that for a lot of a lot of years. So that that is one thing nice about you know, steamboat is people come to listen, I mean, there's the bigger shows that are, you know, people there to party, but it's very intimate, like a very intimate setting. You really do you get to hear the stories behind the songs. And that really is just a great experience for for someone like yourself who really enjoys that. Absolutely.

Randy Hulsey  28:22

Yep. And so I'll look into that for sure. Are there any groups or individuals that play Steamboat Springs that stick out as one of your favorites? Like, do you have a favorite or

Robynn Shayne  28:37

oh, gosh, you know, really, there's so many there's so many that, that have kind of, you know, pastored the path for folks like me, of course, anytime I get to see Wade Bowen or Randy Rogers, that's always great for me. I grew up listening to those guys. Let's see, gosh, really? I can't pick any like specific ones because there's it really is a great opportunity. I'll tell you somebody I did see last year that I wasn't overly familiar with and was absolutely blown away. William Beckman, if you have not heard of, oh my gosh, that kid is going places.

Randy Hulsey  29:13

And we're in what do you what do you know about him? Like where's he from? Because that was a question I was gonna ask you probably later in the show is like, do you have artists that somebody that we should be listening to right now?

Robynn Shayne  29:24

I think it's somewhere in the Houston now. Maybe? somewhere maybe? I haven't heard I know. Let's see. He He's done a little bit of work with like Radney Foster, who is also one of my favorites. Yeah, if any Foster's telling people he's good, he's legit maybe. And then he's like 24, something I would never know. So and he's even credible that William Beckman

Randy Hulsey  29:48

still okay. Well, good to know. And it sounds like you still wet behind the ears at 24 years old. What it would be like to be that young. In general. Do you have a favorite artist or If your favorite artists that maybe has inspired what you do, or not so much Steamboat Springs artists, but just in general.

Robynn Shayne  30:10

No, I mean, of course, my all time favorite and who doesn't love Dolly Parton. I mean, she's just not even just musically an incredible person that just an incredible human. All together. She's just a lovely person. So she's definitely one been there for for many, many years. But you know, really, when I started playing, I played a lot of covers of Miranda Lambert, early on, she was, you know, kind of up and coming whenever I was learning how to play, she was kind of getting started pretty well. And I can just remember thinking to myself, like if this little, little country girl from, you know, East Texas can can do this. And then why the heck can't. So definitely a big a big part of my career influences. And then huge fan of Kacey Musgraves. Oh, yeah.

Randy Hulsey  30:58

That's interesting that you say that when when I was in Nashville, I made my first trip to the Country Music Hall of Fame. And I and I always knew that I should go to that by myself. And again, I go back to my wife teasing me because I would go in there and want to stay for six hours where she would go in and be Oh, cool. Are you ready to go? But the reason I even brought that up is because they had a lot of stuff and the Country Music Hall of Fame around Casey Musgrave. I mean, I was surprised,

Robynn Shayne  31:28

okay. Yeah, I haven't I haven't been. So it's a treat to say that I haven't. But

Randy Hulsey  31:33

it's a treat. And you know, coming up, I was a rock guy had the long hair played in the rock bands. And then you kind of fast forward when you become a solo artist. And you say, Well, I have to cross genres, right? I have to play some country, I have to play some red dirt. I have to play 70s 80s 90s Classic Rock, you just can't go in and be like, genre specific. So I had to open up to the country thing. I wasn't always a country guy. I've really fallen in love with it. The Americana genre. You know, if anybody asked me right now who my favorite was, I'd have to say Jason is bill in the 400 unit. I absolutely love them. Anyway, so we so we talked a little bit about Steamboat Springs, you're also a veteran of playing the bluebird cafe and Nashville. This is a staple venue for those that don't know, in Nashville. And when I was there, playing at Belcourt taps in October, it was my first trip to go by the bluebird cafe. And it's kind of like the Alamo, right? It's like a something that you've heard about for years. And it's this big thing in your mind. And then you get to it. And it's like, Wait, am I at the wrong place? At the wrong places, and it's like the blue awning up front is like was was tattered. And it just, it wasn't what I expected. How did you go about getting booked and the blue bird because everybody wants to play the blue bird.

Robynn Shayne  32:59

So initially, the very first time I played there, I did the open mic, which is that in and of itself is very hard to get through to be able to get on the list to be on the open mic. So that morning, they open up the phone line, but certain you know a certain time I don't even really know anymore but and then so me and my husband in my friend that was with us at breakfast, we were all just calling over and over again. And then all of a sudden I got through. Oh my God I got through Yes. Put me on the list. So it did the open mic there the first time and like you, you know, when you drive up and you see it, you're like, oh, that's That's it? Like, it is quite underwhelming from you know, the Street View. But when you walk in those doors, it is magical. I mean, yeah,

Randy Hulsey  33:43

I'm sure it reeks of magic. And we probably shouldn't have like, shattered people's dreams by telling them that that the bluebird cafe was not this grandiose. No, it's really you got to go there. It's It's beautiful. It's this huge place. No. But anyway, so what what was the experience like play in there for the first time, but there has to be a vibe in there.

Robynn Shayne  34:04

There is and you know, just that night alone, you know, they really just follow you through there with those open mics, you get to come up using one song and you get out of the way and quick turnover by man. The amount of talent that I saw that night alone was I mean, just, it was incredible. So so that was my first experience playing there. And then my producer Sean, he actually used to wash dishes there. used to work there years ago when he first moved to Nashville, I don't know 25 years ago or something. And so somehow or another he was able to get a it's you have to work your way up to different places. And I don't mean literally working there. You have to get in with people to be able to get into the songwriter night circles, and then be invited. He had called me up one afternoon and he's like, Hey, I you know, I know it's a long way You know, for you to count on me, if you if you could make your way to Nashville become a songwriter circle and be a part of it. And that that'd be really cool. I'd love to have you sit in. And I mean, I'm like, dude,

Randy Hulsey  35:14

exactly. Let me catch the bus. I'll be there.

Robynn Shayne  35:18

You didn't even have to ask me like you just did just know. So yes, I've played it twice doing the songwriter circle. And so the very first year that I played, it was just, I mean, I don't even know how to explain it. This is something I think everybody needs to take the opportunity to get tickets, which read up on how to get the tickets, because it's also not an easy thing to get tickets to get in there. But people book these like way in advance, they have no idea who they're going to see that night when they show up. They don't book specifically, well, there are nights where they do do that. But like the songwriter circles, they have no idea who they're going to see. It's people from all over the world. You know, they're very short gone, listening to the music, no talking. And so it's really nice, because you can really tell the story behind the songs and people really listen. And I think even people who aren't like, you know, huge music lovers are still I don't see how you can walk away from that. Not just, you know, patched for sure. But yeah, so the and then I got to play last year, we it was March 15. This was before we really knew how bad COVID I know. flying home. It hit us like, oh my gosh, should we have should we have taken a plane ride? Even as a flight attendant? I really didn't even know at that point. Sure. So the the we landed that afternoon that the night before the show, and they had to cancel the show the night before me on the 14 because there things are hot water heater had exploded or something? No, we're not sure. You know, we're definitely canceling tonight's show. And I was like, like, I'm not gonna get to play my show tomorrow, because I just assumed, you know, are they gonna have it fixed? Well, fortunately, they did. And we were the last show that played before they shut it down for COVID. So next night, everything was shut down for COVID. Yeah, and I think I will say this last time we were there that I think the COVID Scare was kind of in the air a little bit there. So I think everybody was having a little bit of a harder time relaxing that, you know, the close quarters and whatnot. That's it. That's how I felt having been there multiple times before, man, I can't wait to get to play that room again.

Randy Hulsey  37:30

That's, that's really awesome. I know that when I was there in October, it was still closed, there was nothing. There was nothing going on even in October. And it's interesting that you knew somebody that washed dishes there. And you know, sometimes it doesn't matter the job, you're being in the right place at the right time. And it immediately made me think of how Jon Bon Jovi got discovered he was sweeping floors in a studio, right? So sometimes just being in the right place at the right time, whether you're washing dishes or sweeping floors, it doesn't matter how you got there, it's whether you got there or not. So you have four, I think four albums out, correct me if I'm wrong, is that correct? Okay. And so is there one that you're more proud of than the other? Is there a favorite effort that you had?

Robynn Shayne  38:19

Well, it's interesting because they're all my babies. And as far as to say, I have a favorite I don't I don't necessarily think of musically, but the the second one that I put out rebel child is probably the most special that the rebel child is the song that I wrote about my brother has a machine. That particular song is on there in the album are here with me. So yes, I do actually. I've got my, my. And if you can see this,

Randy Hulsey  38:50

with this, I can. Yeah. So that's, that's you and Shane there. Correct.

Robynn Shayne  38:54

Yeah. So this was I think we were we were living in Colorado at that point of it's probably five or six, something like that. I don't know. Right before we moved to Texas. When I finally wrote that song. It was like 18 years after I lost my brother, I finally wrote that song. It was just, it was one of those things that I wanted to write something that truly represented and painted a picture of who he was and I didn't want to do it in a really sad state of mind because I didn't want to do a sad song. I wanted it to be just something that painted a picture of him for folks that had never met him. So when I when I finally wrote the song and then decided we were going to go to the studio to me it was I've asked my mom I said Are you okay if I you know, use the picture Shane and I for the album art and found that picture and just instantly was like this is the one and literally the picture that that one came from all all I had was my mom, you know, back in the day you had photo frames with the little circles in the square and the picture cut out right typically to go in. All we had was literally that picture and it was like probably Maybe it's two inch by two inch. So to get that two inch by two inch picture blown up into a quality picture of that, and so that we did it ourselves, my husband does the album art. And it was quite an adventure for him learning how to do all that. And that was in 2015. He's learned a lot since then. But yeah, so go back to your original question that that's probably my favorite to date. For that reason. Do

Randy Hulsey  40:29

you have a favorite track off of that release? Would you say it's rebel child and button by the way, I have a hand here that that I got from Jack when I was at thread gills. So I'll get you to sign that at some point in time when we when we cross paths physically, is there a song off that release? That is a favorite of yours?

Robynn Shayne  40:49

Wow, definitely a rebel child, but aside for a second in line would be it's a song called the game. Okay. It's very different from any of my other music probably. And people who actually, you know, have gone to listen, they're like, where did that song come from? Like, what, like, we didn't expect that sound, it's a little bit more, you know, a little more soul in it, and totally different vibes in the country songs that you typically hear from me. So that was a fun one to ride and really, really fun to record, just because it was so different from anything I had really done before. Yeah,

Randy Hulsey  41:25

I had a text from my brother, Brian, before we started the interview, and we were talking about pool damage and pool equipment and blah, blah, blah. And he's like, Well, I know you're busy. I'll let you get on what's going on tonight. So well, I have an interview with with Robin Shane out of Austin. He's like, Oh, okay. And so I sent him a link and I sent him the video of rebel child. So oh, she's great. What about a favorite track off of coffee days and whiskey nights? Is there one that sticks out to you that you're like, the most proud of there?

Robynn Shayne  41:58

You know, I really like hell broke loose on that one. And then also whiskey and bad decisions. That was probably the funnest, one, two, right with being bad decisions. Okay, that's a good sign when, but hell broke loose is a little on the lines of, you know, goodbye URL in the sense of you know, not musically, but yeah, those are probably two of my tops on that

Randy Hulsey  42:22

one. Okay. And then let's, let's get the show on the road is the fourth and latest release. Correct? Correct. Okay. And where was that effort recorded? Was that a Nashville recorded? Yes. Okay.

Robynn Shayne  42:36

That was a National Coffee days, whiskey nights. And let's get this show on the road. We're going to Nashville.

Randy Hulsey  42:42

I had asked you a couple of questions around favorite songs from previous releases. And I had a favorite, which is the title track off. Let's get the show on the road. And I wanted to play a clip of that for the listeners and expose them to the music for the ones that haven't heard your stuff or heard of Robin Shane. So we'll play that and then I'll ask you a couple of questions around that.

43:09

You're feeling? I can't help the way I feel. I'm spinning my wheels on top. This might be balding. I'm thinking baby, let's get this show.

Randy Hulsey  43:48

Admit that I've, I had to clip the songs. And I've heard them over and over again. And I can't get them out of I like it. We'll talk. We'll talk about that in a minute. Where were you when you wrote this song? Is this a song that came to you like a lot of people say some of the greatest songs that were ever written or songs that were written in like 10 minutes? Where was Robin Shane, when that song was written? Do you remember?

Robynn Shayne  44:12

Yeah, so I had actually joined a songwriter group where each week they would send you a word and with that word, you had to write a song. And the word that week happened to be road. And I was actually in a Fort Worth I was staying at my friend's house up there. I was on call for my job at the airline. We just take a little Bible guitar up there with me in South Sudan on call and my mom was there with me and I think she was on call as well. She lives in Oklahoma. So we were just sitting there and I said, Hey, Mom, I had to write a song with this word. And something immediately that came to me whenever the word came through that was road I said, that was something my mom used to always say to me when we were kids. She was like, Come on, kids. Let's get this show on the road. You know, we were going somewhere. Want to Walmart, you know, Come on kids, let's get this show on the road. Exactly. And so neatly I knew that was gonna be, you know, a line in the song. When I first started started songwriting, the very first song I wrote called Loverboy. Lucifer, actually wrote with my mom. But since she was there, I said, Hey, you want to you know, you want to see if we can still write songs. So my mom helped me write that song. Actually,

Randy Hulsey  45:22

that's interesting. And I had, of course, no idea of that. And it's not a question that I had for you. But if she is Mom and Dad musical or not musical, and she just happened to help you write a song, but were they instrumentalists? Tell me a little bit about?

Robynn Shayne  45:38

No, so my mom cannot carry a tune in a bucket. She has absolutely no ability to sing where she plays a little bit of piano, you know, like, you know, Crossbones or something like,

Randy Hulsey  45:51

you know, Mary had a little

Robynn Shayne  45:54

more than that. But no, so my mom, no father, who I wasn't raised in the same house, where we would see them, you know, once a month, because we live quite a ways away, we would go to their house with my birth father used to play in a band with my grandfather. They had a big TV back in the 80s. And so we would go there to visit them on the weekend. And usually, they would have a show with, they lived out kind of just east of Waco and a little town called T. So that was there but they had this little place. Round derby. I think it's gone now. I'm pretty sure it's so we that are the VFW halls. You know, we would load up and go go see my grandpa and my my dad play at the Brown Derby and VFW halls, like cover songs. So I mean, even then I I mean, that's I thought it was awesome. I thought it was cool. I just never thought it was anything I would ever do. Really was extremely intimidated by the thought of playing guitar at all. And all the Yeah, how I? Yeah. Anyway, so yeah, so yes, my dad, my mom, now.

Randy Hulsey  46:59

I have a good friend that I went to school with. And she owns a dance studio and TIG Texas. And I think probably every kid that lives in Teague, Texas probably takes dance from her because there's not many people in Teague, Texas, right. So I have to assume that the whole town takes takes dance lessons, lessons from an How long would you say that it took you to write that song? Was it a? Was it kind of an ongoing effort? Or was it a quick write? Or?

Robynn Shayne  47:28

Oh, that was a short read was a quick one? We probably had that one done in half an hour? Maybe? Okay, that's quick. Definitely just float off. It was a good one. It was one of those that just you didn't

Randy Hulsey  47:39

have to wrack your brain. Yeah. When you title an album, where does that inspiration come from? And do all the songs somehow have to tie back to that album title? What? What's your take on that? It's kind of a two part question. Or you can answer it how you want. But I didn't know you know the concept. You know, okay, I'm naming this. But do I have to write songs around the title of the album? Or do you just say this is the title, and it is what it is. And I'm writing songs and they don't have to do anything with the title of the record.

Robynn Shayne  48:14

I think that's definitely like something that I've kind of learned a little bit along the way, my first record, I recorded those four songs, because those were the only four songs I had written. I didn't have any other choices. The second one, the rebel child, we, I just kind of picked that one, I just kind of picked just my favorite song I had written at the time, you know, unfortunately, we couldn't afford to, you know, record all of them at once. So we had to, you know, say, Okay, how much was our budget? How much can we afford? You know, how many songs can we afford to do? That was originally just going to be five songs. And then I was torn whenever I had the studio musicians, and they're like, Nah, I'm torn between these two. And they were all like, maybe you got to record them both. Okay, we're gonna eat ramen noodles this week. And so we're gonna record both of these songs in there. And then did the coffee date with the nice albums. That one? Definitely, I really wanted that one to be. Contrary, I mean, country, country country. That was kind of the goal on that one, the only song that's a little bit that doesn't quite have as much of a country play on that one is Hillbrook blues. And then whenever we did the latest one, the let's get this show on the road that when we come to really put a little more thought, you know, trying to find the order of what songs you want to put them in whatever you decide to. So we've we put a little more thought into the layout because there's more songs on that one. But yeah, I say we we try to, I don't know I try to kind of give people a variety of everything on every album, and let's get the show on the road. Definitely, you know, projects that a lot, or even I put a cover song on there, which I've never done before but

Randy Hulsey  49:59

they'll stole my thunder on that we're getting we're getting to that. So are you a country so I don't want to be stereotypical right because you say I'm from Oklahoma and then I moved to a small town is robbing Shane a country girl. Do you have any rock in your in your bones? Or is it is it really are you really like that country is your thing?

Robynn Shayne  50:22

Okay, so I grew up listening to all the that's what my mom usually always had. We had, you know, oldies but then we also there was always Loretta Lynn and Merle Haggard, all of those, you know, Johnny Cash, we had all that as well. And then fast forward to high school, I had absolutely no interest in whatsoever. I it was all you know, Allison chain, Metallica, Guns and Roses, poison, six, and it was not country at all. And then after I started my job as a flight attendant, I got based in Chicago. And again, I had never left my small town. I just thought, Oh, I'm gonna go live in this big city. I'm gonna leave this 800 population 800 Chicago, I got slapped in the face really quick with with the big city, I was extremely homesick. And so I started listening to country music to soothe myself to get through, you know, when I was there and couldn't be home. And so that's really kind of how I got back into listening to country. I listened to everything. I just happened to tend to write country stuff. But I really, my Yeah, I got everything from, you know, Sierra, to, you know, a little bit of everything. Matter of fact, I just did a song I just posted on my Facebook page, I was willing to do a song, or the Jimmy Eat World song, which I used to listen to all the time years ago, middle, I have prayed them in a zillion times. And I've never really listened to the lyric. And so whatever reason I got curious and like, What is he saying in that room, like what you know, and I looked it up and I was like, these lyrics are fantastic. But you the music sort of covers up the lyrics on that one. So highly recommend going to listen to those lyrics. Go listen. And so I just got a wild hair and like a ton of backlash. I could, I could slow this down just a little bit. And people can really hear what these lyrics are. And, you know, kind of have fun. Well, that's what I did last night.

Randy Hulsey  52:32

So there's also another track that I've kind of fallen in love with it. It's very hooky to me. I'll let the listeners Take a listen to it. And then we'll we'll come back and chat just briefly about it too. So this is a song that's called hindsight. 2020

52:50

Well, I had me gave it all good. Sad is where he stole my heart. He tore it apart. And now was crying out over him till then hands 2020 2020

Randy Hulsey  53:49

So that was hindsight 2020. And that song, it sounds like a very traditional Honky Tonk sound to me, was there a certain inspiration behind that particular song?

Robynn Shayne  54:01

You know, it definitely whenever I know, I mean, I just like you said the traditional hockey sound, but that was kind of one of those songs that just kind of happened out of nowhere kind of happened really fast that I wish I had this amazing backstory for it. But it was really literally one of those that we probably wrote in a matter of 10 minutes, I'd already kind of had the, the chorus and the melody and subcon in my head. And I got together with my drummer at the time. And we we with that went out in about 20 minutes, but I think overall, like the gist of it, and I think we've all been kind of heartbroken. And then you know, you finally realize, you know what, that really wasn't that bad. So I think we've all been through that enough. I'm sure that's kind of the baseline of like, where the idea for that. I know, I've had been through, you know, plenty of heartbreaks and that was probably why it was so easy to write.

Randy Hulsey  54:54

I never had a heartbreak so I don't know what you're talking about. I'm kidding. Kudoz on the cover of one way or another, you almost stole my thunder a minute ago, and I had to draw the reins on you. Very, very nicely done. This was an old Blondie tune that if my memory serves me correctly, I think was written somewhere back in night, around 1978. And I believe it was on the parallel lines album. And it was a song that I think charted or, like 24 in the States, but it had better success in Canada. I think it got to like seven on the charts in Canada, but of all the songs to cover what why was this the one?

Robynn Shayne  55:44

I definitely wanted to show a different side of people, like, you know, I tend to write country music and but I don't, I don't know, I just I kind of wanted this. And it was a big challenge to myself, to be honest with you. I didn't know if I could sing a blondie song. And I was proud to say when we sat down to try to figure out if that was going to be the one that I think in the same key that she does. I was like, Oh, right. That was cool. We, you know, we talked about several different songs I wanted for two songs that hadn't been played a million times really overplayed. Yeah, or one that hadn't hadn't been recorded. And I'm like, you know, a million other people. So, and I definitely wanted it to be kind of more of a rock song. It was actually in the reason we were assessing it. Well, I love the song called far behind by Candlebox that's one of my all time favorite songs. And so it's kind of a toss up between those two songs. And I ultimately went with the Blondie song because I just thought it was just more you know, fun and funky and really a different vibe for for anything I'd ever recorded before. So that was cool. Well, great

Randy Hulsey  56:49

choice. And I'm glad that that's the one that you covered because it's certainly the one that I'm familiar with. I wanted to treat the listeners to a clip of that song. And I'm sure that when I cue it up, they're gonna wish that I played the the whole song but they can certainly find you on iTunes and Spotify and all of the the majors out there and get that so we'll take a quick listen to Robins rendition of one way or another by blondie.

57:25

Way or Another Amona when you own a kitchen one way to meet your meet your needs one day, maybe next week, I'm gonna need a feature

Randy Hulsey  58:01

your voice is very fitting in the song I have to tell you that. You know you have the blondies you have the Stevie Nicks. You have the Kim Carnes you have all of these somewhat gravel throated vocalist, and they're not they're not easy to pull off. You can either do it or you can't do it. And I think you did a fabulous job on that. So kudos to you. Yeah. And so was Blondie like, were you a blondie fan before this? Or I mean, was there any tie to blondie? Like, why not like something more in not that Blondie wasn't popular, but there was certainly more popular things, maybe out of that era, but I didn't know if Blondie was like an inspiration to you. And that's how you chose the song or can you tell us a little bit about her?

Robynn Shayne  58:46

No, no, not really. I mean, I listened to some of her stuff growing up. What we're trying to get to one song it just escaped me.

Randy Hulsey  58:53

So I'll tell you the one you're probably thinking of. And Miley Cyrus just did a rendition of it Heart of Glass, and she killed that song. So that's probably the most. Yeah, it's probably the most popular popular Blondie song but one way or another was a big hit for her as well.

Robynn Shayne  59:10

We know but to be the answer your question ultimately, like no, I didn't stop blondie. Like whoever was stalking her for that song. Apparently, it was never. I liked that song. And we honestly we were it was my husband and I and that producer, we were all just kind of tossing up. You know, I had a list of a few songs that I really hadn't quite figured out. Like what song honestly, it it never crossed my mind to do a blondie song because then you know, like doing a Stevie Nicks on like, it's incredibly intimidating. So it really never crossed my mind. My producer has kind of suggested he's like, What about he does this song and I was like, Man, I'm pretty love that song. But I don't think I could sing that one. But he grabs the guitar and starts playing it and I start singing it and I was like, Oh,

Randy Hulsey  59:55

maybe I can do that.

Robynn Shayne  59:57

So that's really where it came down to where we go. why we decided to do that when like soda. We had already decided we wanted to be some sort of rock song. I wanted something that hadn't been completely overplayed played to me. I mean, I knew it but you know, not one that had been reported by a bunch of different folks and we knocked that one out and it was good challenge for me vocally. You know, it was it's a definitely I've gotten to perform at once live we did a in October, a full time here at my house. With my band, they all came over. We we've never played it before live and we played it for our live stream and man, it was cool. I was I it was a full?

Randy Hulsey  1:00:41

Well, I have to. I have to say that I I don't know that I've ever heard anybody cover that song. And I've been around him. Of course, I'm a YouTube junkie. So I watch everything on YouTube. And just just seeing live bands play. I just don't see. I can't even remember anybody covering that song. So great pick. You picked a song that hasn't been walked all over? Let's talk about your gear, your music gear. Is there a guitar choice that you use? Are you a I'm a certain brand girl or do you play whatever or talk to me about the guitar specifically?

Robynn Shayne  1:01:15

Well, I'm definitely not the guru when it comes to equipment I heard was a Martin guitar. And I still to this day, love the sound that that that that guitar had just had a nice, deep, you know, just a beautiful, beautiful sound. I bought it use for my friend who had actually bought it for his mom for a gift. And she didn't want it because she wanted to keep her old timey Yamaha. And he said, Well, I've got this guitar, he just, you know, want to buy it, which I tell you that little story too, which is kind of a cool story on how I learned I ended up deciding to go ahead and learn to play the guitar. But he had this old Martin guitar and sold it to me well then whenever I started doing open mics and such, it didn't have a pickup system in it. And rather than just having one put in it, I ended up trading it in and I got a I had a tailor and nothing fancy it was it was probably the least expensive model as a Taylor I can't remember the the model number anymore but and I I liked the action on it. It played nice and easy. But after I had it for a while I realized it was a little too the sound just didn't didn't work well for my vocals. So I ended up selling that one and getting a I've got to get some now. I play hummingbird. And I also have my rifle you earlier in my dad buy in your local J 45.

Randy Hulsey  1:02:42

Oh, yeah. Nice. I like that. This guy

Robynn Shayne  1:02:45

doesn't go to shows with me because I've had a few incidents with my equipment almost being stolen. So

Randy Hulsey  1:02:54

yeah, that'd be a good one to keep it home for sure.

Robynn Shayne  1:02:57

That one is incredible. Well, although thought about switching back to Martin, okay.

Randy Hulsey  1:03:05

I work for a short time as a consultant to Martin and Taylor guitars here locally with a reseller and you can't go wrong with either brand. I on my wall on my walls that you can't completely see that I'm a Taylor player. Okay. And it again, when I was out at the Country Music Hall of Fame and you walk through this place, the number of Martin guitars that are in this place is overwhelming. So Martin is you know, it's kind of like when you think of Nashville, you think of Martin guitars and you think of Telecaster if that's the two guitars that that really pop. When you're playing acoustically. Do you have pedals that you play through? Are you just straight into the mix?

Robynn Shayne  1:03:48

i Yeah, no, I just I don't have pedals just messes my tuner. I don't, I don't know. And that's something you know, during COVID, I did start taking guitar lessons, something I'd never had before just to just improve upon that. And it because I like I learned how to play, you know, watching YouTube videos. That's how I play. So I wanted to learn a little bit more the theory aspect of it. So I haven't made it to that point of being, which is probably a good thing. I don't need to be like you don't need any more equipment. That aspect has never really been overly interesting to me. I don't know, maybe it's too intimidating at this point. But

Randy Hulsey  1:04:28

that's not a that's not a wrong answer by any means. And and I'm sure we won't go into this deeply. But what like, I'll come back to the pedal thing. What's the ratio two shows that you play with the band versus solo these days? Is it 6040 3070?

Robynn Shayne  1:04:51

I would say pre COVID. I mean, I haven't played any I haven't played a live show in almost a year now March this year. Other than sorry, other than the live stream we did here to house. So I've been doing a lot of just live stream here, my live room, living room acoustic fire chain, we were really starting to pick up and do a lot more just full band. So at that point, I would say probably like 75% full band 25% acoustic, I'm sure we'll have you know, make some adjustments once we kind of get things going. I am playing. There's the country, the regional Radio Music Awards, coming up in March. And they did ask me to play that is nominated for new Female Vocalist of the Year so definitely come and play that. So that's gonna be my first live show. There'll be over a year before I you know. Yeah.

Randy Hulsey  1:05:38

That's interesting. Yeah. And I feel fortunate because I've been playing every weekend. It's not, I don't do music for a living. I work for a consulting firm here in Houston is how I pay my mortgage. And the music thing is a hobby but as a part time, artists, I'm playing about 130 shows a year, which is a lot when you consider like you go out and actually work a full time job and you play 130 show that's, that's that's a lot. But the reason I was asking about the ratio is because when you're a solo person, you're exposed with you in the guitar. And what I found there's one pedal that I use is called a tc helicon body Rez. And when you plug a tone wood guitar like a Martin or Taylor into a PA, it strips out a lot of the nice tone Woods sound. And what that body Rez does is it puts that nice tone Woods sound back into the PA so your listeners hear the nice warmth or the nice highs and mids and lows that that a quality guitar like a Martin or Taylor deliver. So that's why I was trying to get understanding if you're just plugging into the mix or what the deal is sometimes when you're in a band, the acoustic can just kind of be undertone like and you know your lead guitarist and your bass player, the rhythm section, they're all there kind of in your face. But the the acoustic is just kind of there. So TC Yeah, it's called. It's tc helicon the pedal is called body Rez Bo D, why are easy, and it just makes all the difference in the world. I think it's like a $99 pedal. And it goes you would, you know, just basically out of your guitar into your tuner and then through the body read into the mix. And I mean, it just, it's amazing. But you could check that out. Anyway, let's talk about your late brother Shane. Was he a musician? Was he not a musician.

Robynn Shayne  1:07:35

So he never played, you know, professionally. He was 14 years old. He had asked my parents for a guitar. This isn't our guns and roses, Metallica days, he asked him for a guitar, and he got one for Christmas that year. And man, that's all he would do is just sit in his room for hours and distract on that thing. He never, you know, it's never played publicly, never saying, Actually, I don't know if you've seen or not. Yeah. So after he passed away, I inherited his guitar eventually. And I just, you know, I thought, like I said, I was super intimidated by the guitar, I would see him play it. And I'm like, There's no way I could ever do that. And I guess I just kind of had the overwhelming drive to learn how to do it just because I thought he would think it was cool. That was a big, a big reason why I decided to pick it up and try how I also, you know, ultimately, I told you earlier, I had a little story of why another reason that finally got me like, Okay, I want to do it. But I just don't know if I can do it. I was with a friend who was just an incredible bluegrass musician. And we would go to their house and hang out and his dad would you know, take we'd be picking out or they'd be picking out on the backboard playing some songs. And he's like, we'll sing some harmonies with me. I remember when you sang in that talent show in high school. And I was like, Oh God, you remember that? And the trainer I told you about earlier. He said, Yeah. He said, I remember something happened. The music got messed up, he said, but I remember you could actually sing well. And so he said some things, some harmonies with me. And I finally did I got to go set the scene. I don't know. I think we were thinking like, I remember what song now. And I think the harmonies and when we finished the song he said, and young lady who said you got to learn how to play the guitar to go with that voice. And I think that was just the extra that I needed. Like this man who is incredible. In my eyes, as a musician, says I, you know, he thinks I can do it. And you think I'm good enough. That was really another just good push that I needed. And so I bought that old guitar from him that I told you about that Martin. And in the days of, you know, dial up, we didn't have Wi Fi and you'd go dial up your favorite Miranda or Taylor Swift song and, and, you know, try to figure out the chords to go with it. And yeah,

Randy Hulsey  1:09:49

well, I was told a long time ago because I've played on stage with people who I would I would say that I would certainly say that they're far better than And I am. And I remember the first time one buddy of mine, in particular was playing a solo acoustic show. And he said, bring the guitar, you could you could put, you know, sit in and I'm like, man, there's no freakin way I'm doing that you're like light years ahead of me vocally and, you know, musically and then he said, musics not a competition. And that just resignated and from that day, it's like, you don't have to be the greatest guitarist to be good. You have a beautiful voice, even if it's simple chords. That's all you need some time. You don't have to be a flashy player to be good. And I'm, I'm preaching to the choir. I'm sure you know this by now. But I

Robynn Shayne  1:10:38

mean, I would love to be a flashy player.

Randy Hulsey  1:10:42

Wouldn't we all right, wouldn't we? Well, it sounds like Shane was an inspiration to you for a lot of different things musically, and just probably the person that that you knew him as in he did influence the song rebel child, I think we, we covered that. And that's a great song. So you guys, make sure to check that out on Spotify, and iTunes and all the different places that you can get Robin's music, there's a great video out that she did on YouTube. So make sure to check that out. What advice would you give someone coming in to the music business? Like if I said, Robin, Hey, I just learned to play the guitar. And I have a good voice. What would you tell me as a somebody that's just starting out in the music business?

Robynn Shayne  1:11:28

You know, just believe in yourself, practice, practice, and, and don't be afraid of somebody afraid of a challenge, you know, stepping out of your comfort zone, because you're gonna have to do that a lot in this business. Yeah, that's probably the biggest thing is be prepared to be get comfortable being uncomfortable. Until you're not uncomfortable anymore.

Randy Hulsey  1:11:52

That's actually great advice. And I didn't ask you that for any particular reason, just kind of in general. But it made me think of my son, Brandon, who has just started playing shows as a lead guitarist with me. And he's a and I've said it in other interviews that he's 10 times the guitarist, I am, he is the flashy player, and he's really good. But it's like he's scared to death of the stage. And you either you're either able to go and do that, or you're just scared to death of doing it. I have no problem with conversations, like, you know, I talk to you like I've known you forever. And I'm not intimidated by people or things. But I told him the very thing that you said, you have to step out of the comfort zone and just do it one time. And you'll understand that once you do it. It's like, okay, it wasn't that bad. And it gets better from there. And I had, I had a, the Tomball press do an interview with me, much like that I'm doing with you. And they said, Randy, you know, I know that you played this festival for like, 3000 people recently, were you were you intimidated or you scared by that? And I said, You know what, I think I'm more intimidated playing. Like, if I was to just play guitar to you and sing to you, I'd be frightened to death. But if you put me in front of 3000 people, it's like, it means nothing to me. It doesn't. I don't I mean, my adrenaline doesn't even get worked up. And that's weird. Like, you would think it would be the opposite one, but you're just you are you and

Robynn Shayne  1:13:25

there's all eyes on yours on you know, I totally get that my first year playing. You know, music says, you know, your music or listening. There's listening rooms, which I love to play. Now, you know, but, you know, it does take a little getting used to you know, when people are actually paying attention play for a lot of years. Nobody's paying attention, they just seem to get drunk in the background. You know? So it is a whole different whole different scenario and definitely go play a mini op you know how your son you know, go play some open mics or, you know, that's a pocket my piece I interesting story of how I really just started doing doing that I knew this kid that that ran the open mic. I didn't know him I knew of him and we happen to be my stepsister and I and a friend ran out of a bar one night and somebody like I was asked the guy that runs the open mic over at Sonos and catered I need to talk to him and see if I can see if I can play his open light you know, even though I've no time all you have to do is show up put your so like, hey, you know, I hear you run the open mic and he's like, Hey, you play guitar. And yeah, well, the bar was about close. He said what are you waiting for? I got my car, my guitar in the car. Why do you guys meet me on the personal you know if I can hear what you sound like? And I was like, okay, I can do that. Why didn't know or like, he was there with like, 1020 other friends. And they were all coming out the parking lot too.

Randy Hulsey  1:14:48

And nobody told you that part. Right?

Robynn Shayne  1:14:51

Can we get out there and I was like, Oh, I was like, I actually just thought I was gonna be like my friends and you like I didn't know there's gonna be a bunch of people. So I'm a little nervous. I don't really want to do and he's like, how are you going to play an open mind? Because you can't even do that. That's right. And I was like, that's okay. All right, I'll play it dark nobody can see how red I am how embarrassed I am and so I started playing. I played Jolene by Dolly Parton finished the song and at the end it was just dead and a no it was girls away these are all these kids barely 21 You know and young and you know can be a girl can be caddy at that age. You know Daddy, and when I finished they were all like, Oh my god. Oh my god. That was a little boost of like, Okay, well I'll do this I didn't think I was horrible like definitely coming to open mic on Tuesdays, I showed up wedding and just all get out to go do this open mic it was you know still to this day I remember how nervous I was inside and after I played my you know, two or three songs it's tough people came up and they're like, Hey, we're getting in a couple of months did you do weddings and I was like I'm never playing

Randy Hulsey  1:16:04

let's not get ahead of ourselves right

Robynn Shayne  1:16:09

your first but you know that was that was a good way to kind of kick it off but you never know you never know until you get out there and do it yeah so

Randy Hulsey  1:16:16

that's that's awesome work in the backstage pass radio listeners find you on social media if they want to follow Rob and Shane where they go

Robynn Shayne  1:16:25

Yeah, well you can you can try if you go to Robin chain calm our OB yn in Shay and he can find links to it all but it's all you know at Robin Shane on Instagram, Robin Shane on Facebook, Twitter. Yeah. All the links are there on my my website as well.

Randy Hulsey  1:16:41

You guys make sure to look Robin up. I'm gonna hit you with some quickfire questions real quick, Robin, then we'll wrap up. And so the first one is Beatles or the stones. Yeah, Van Halen or Hendrix,

Robynn Shayne  1:16:58

Van Halen

Randy Hulsey  1:16:59

summer or winter? Winter you just had a nice one there just a week ago that you got your TV TV or radio radio perfect vacation.

Robynn Shayne  1:17:16

I went to we did Salt Lake Tahoe for a big birthday of mine a few years back and it was fantastic. So there or I when I I still want to go back to Spain. Or I want to go back to Ireland. Ireland. Fantastic. I highly recommend

Randy Hulsey  1:17:34

I've always had this the Switzerland thing in my mind like that would be the place to go. But my parents have been to Tahoe and they say it's absolutely beautiful there and I haven't been I've of course been to California and whatnot that I've never made it to Tahoe, so I'll have to check that out too. acoustic or electric. already been through that. Stay in or go out?

Robynn Shayne  1:17:57

Oh, I just want to say we're I'm a very social person. I'm gonna go with go out. Okay.

Randy Hulsey  1:18:04

Rocker country.

Robynn Shayne  1:18:05

They didn't know. Oh, I can't answer it depends on the day.

Randy Hulsey  1:18:13

And you answered this one earlier. You stole my thunder early bird or night owl. Oh, definitely a night out. And you may want to plead the fifth on this one. And that's okay. Because I told the people that I've interviewed in the past like, if you wish to plead the fifth on this, I totally understand because you don't want to be partial, but the question is, favorite place to play. You don't want to you don't want to

Robynn Shayne  1:18:43

say you know being here in Austin. Playing a Saxon province is like playing the bloopers in Nashville. So if you guys have when you come to town when they're back open I highly recommend playing the saxophone in the listening room and I love that definitely top you know like places here in Austin acoustic we're folding in but it's a good place to do either or,

Randy Hulsey  1:19:03

yeah, the Saxon pub definitely is a staple in Austin. I think I saw Sturgill Simpson there some years back at the sax and her mouth saw somebody else there but yeah, you're right. Favorite song to play live?

Robynn Shayne  1:19:17

Oh cover or anything for original. That's a tough one, too. Depends on the day. We'll see depends on my mood. One of my all time favorites, still drilling down. And it capillaries I mean, it really is just like a song that I've always loved but my high school sweetheart is married to a Jolene. Even better, but they live here in Austin. They actually come to my show and she's she's actually awesome. Like, okay, you can have me you did get she's awesome.

Randy Hulsey  1:19:49

And I think you answered this one formal training or play by ear, playing by ear. The number one influential musician are banned,

Robynn Shayne  1:20:01

you know, just because she was really the main reason I started doing I'm gonna go with Miranda, just because I know a lot of reasons Small Town Country Girl Who done really well for herself and, you know, good for her.

Randy Hulsey  1:20:15

Yep, for sure. greatest song of all time.

Robynn Shayne  1:20:19

Oh, man, how much time do I have? Gosh, oh, that

Randy Hulsey  1:20:25

I could I mean, personally, I couldn't answer that. But I, I do like to see what people say to that question because there's, it's like, yeah, I would I would say the same thing. Do you have like five days to have a discussion around this?

Robynn Shayne  1:20:37

Yeah, that definitely. Gosh, yeah, that would take me it again. That's it's all about my mood, you know, what am I feeling that my husband gets back? If I wait till show data, like decide what I'm going to wear? And I'm like, I can't think I shown advance. I don't know how I'm gonna feel. I'm feeling exactly what we would use.

Randy Hulsey  1:20:56

Yeah, I had two interviews last week, and one one of the guys said, Amazing Grace, which I would have never guessed but make sense. And then the other one was Hotel California by the eagle.

Robynn Shayne  1:21:11

They really, really love and when Rana didn't write it, it's a song called the house that built me love it. I love, love, love. That's what

Randy Hulsey  1:21:21

that's that's one of those songs that if you get into the story of that song, it's very powerful to think because I've thought about that myself. Like, you go back to the old neighborhood. And you say, that's where I grew up as a little boy. And it would be so awesome to just walk through that house and because, you know, there's this the hair on the back of your neck, it's gonna, it's gonna stand up. That's, that's where you are weird. That's, that's what made you who you are. Right? And so that song is very, very, very powerful. So I that's Yeah, I agree with you on that.

Robynn Shayne  1:21:58

Yeah, another when I did the, one of the I didn't play it, but I got to go to Texas heritage songwriter, showcase. And Alan Chamberlain, who wrote that song was there and he played it. And man, talk about hair. Um, you know, the back your neck scene, and just it just to hear, you know, and listen to it. I got to see Dean Dylan. Talk about so I could go on about songwriting. I'm a huge shame. makinalari Brandon Clark fan.

Randy Hulsey  1:22:27

Yeah. Well, I'll make you a deal. I'll come back. And we'll talk again sometime. And we'll talk about songwriting. I appreciate that. And then one, one last question, greatest podcast on the internet. Well, that's the hardest question, you probably had the answer. I want to thank Robin for joining me on the show today. As always, I asked the listeners to like, share and subscribe to the podcast. If you can do a review on the show that would help the show out tremendously. And don't forget to follow Robin on all of her social media platforms. She's been a wonderful guest, amazing singer songwriter. Also if you're in the Austin and surrounding areas, make sure you support Robin in person and and tell her backstage pass radio sent. Yeah. You can find backstage pass radio on Facebook at backstage pass radio podcast on Instagram at backstage pass radio, on Twitter at backstage pass PC and the website is backstage pass. radio.com You guys stay safe out there and healthy. And thank you guys for tuning in again and listening to Backstage Pass radio. 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 Hulsey 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