[Music] [Applause] get broke tables turn you learn. This is the Rugger Revival podcast. We're your official trademarked home of the UK's country Americana and Roots music community. I'm your host, Ronnie, and I'm so privileged to be opening the show tonight. Uh, I've taken the controls out of the cold, dead hands of TJ. Um, and he's, uh, he's let me open it tonight. So, uh, thank you very much, TJ. So, as I've already mentioned, I'm already joined by TJ, our pain, sickly looking TJ. Bless him. Uh, only because I've been away bronzing myself for a week. Um anyway, so uh we spent so much time together recently that when I was away for a week, TJ said that he missed me and that he'd been making t-shirts and knitting t-shirts, making designs for t-shirts cuz he missed me so much. So, let me just show you a few of them. Few of the designs, right? Cuz I know how much he loves this. Here's one. Very good. Oh, I love that one. Yeah, this one's another one. Oh, look. Look at it. Oh, there might be a release of information there. I don't know why that one's in it, but we're going to show it anyway. Don't know why that one's in it. And then we've got this one, which is my favorite one. That's one of our artists. That looks nothing. Obviously a suave looking chap there. There we go. Damn Ronnie. Uh, and I don't know why that one's in it, but anyway. So, uh, TJ, um, TJ said he missed me too much, so I just wanted to check you all right, TJ. Are you okay? And how have you been? Well, firstly, I never said those words, just for the record. And uh all those artwork that I made is is handdrawn. So, you know, it's pretty impressive for somebody. Oh, he's such a lawyer. Usually when somebody misses me, I tell them that they just need to aim better. That's what my wife says. How did Yeah. Anyway, uh it's nice to see you. So, uh enough of that rubbish and enough of our crap jokes. Uh I have the absolute pleasure of introducing on tonight's guest uh friend and mentor the one and the only Mr. Lance Rogers. How are you Lance? Hey, I'm good. Thank you. Thanks for having me on. Mentor. Good. It's such a pleasure. Yeah, you mentor us. Well, you mentor TJ and then TJ tries to mentor me, but yeah. um years, but honestly you are uh it's such a pleasure to have you on and it is uh I know we've been talking long long time uh on on socials and whatever else. So um absolutely pleasure to have you on uh and nice see you. So um for anyone that's been living in the hole that doesn't know you, could you describe who you are and what your music style is? Who am I? Lance Rogers. Who are you? I was born in Berea, Kentucky in 1977 to some workingass people and uh in a working-ass neighborhood and ended up getting a lot of stories out of that that I carry with me through the years and um you know I started writing songs when I was 38. So, I kind of got into it late and uh you know, going on nine 10 years of of doing the thing and um I guess you could call my music kind of Americana, but you know, I'm kind of leaning into a little bit the older I get, the more I'm getting into more of my roots of like the grunge kind of style of music. Um mixed with like classic country. Uh so, I don't know what you'd officially call the genre. I think Americanas gold is kind of that's what we're going to call it. We're going to call it gold. I like to have Yeah, we could do that. Yeah. Thank you. Again, I think that things are evolving still. I'll just put it that way. Yeah, life is ever evolving. You can you can choose where you like. Just go with it. Run with it. Um Lance, great to have you. Um thank you very much for joining us. So, as you well know, uh you've listened to podcast uh a few times. Uh, so I do all the personal deep bits first of all and I know you mentioned about some of your stories growing up. Can you please share with us some of the stories about where you grew up, what you were doing, who who you were influenced by, all that sort of stuff. If you mind sharing that with us? Yeah, my hometown of Berea is a um it's the arts and crafts capital of of the state of Kentucky. So I was around the arts from the time I was a little kid. Uh there was always good music around town. We're going to a lot of square dances when I was a kid. Uh there was just always a you know environment of of creation even from the time I was in kindergarten all the way up. Uh Berea is kind of in the foothills of the Appalachin Mountains. Uh we're in the in the Knobs region. So that's right when that right when the mountains first start. So we're kind of in a a beautiful plains uh mixed with some rolling hills leading up into the mountains. Uh so it's it was a very very pristine kind of beautiful place to to be raised. Um some of the things that influenced me along the way uh I was raised in a very strict religion and so we had a very uh regimented way of living. Um we were we were the kind we were we knock on people's doors all the time. I'll just put it that way. And and so, you know, living in that lifestyle, you know, it I had the mindset that I was right about everything and the rest of the world was wrong and it was my job to save everybody. And so, when you're in that structured way of living, you know, it does affect you. And, you know, I didn't start um I didn't start changing my the way that I see things until I was in my mid mid30s and I started waking up to the fact that like, you know what, this there's more to it than what I believe. And so I had to start unwinding from all that. I still respect the way that I was raised. I did learn a lot from it. I did learn you know the golden rule and um you know treating people with compassion and kindness and and love and hopefully that those kind of things make an an impact. Uh and there is good and evil in this world. I do realize that. So when I started when I realized like I can kind of I can kind of build a life the way that I want to I want to build it instead of being pre-manufactured for me to fit into. I felt like I was kind of behind a little bit you know when I was um to kind of look back and and realize like I what do I want out of life? you know, I was married, had kids, wonderful family, but you know, my relationship with my wife was starting to fracture and we ended up getting a divorce. And so there was just a lot of turbulence in in those in that range of years for me. And so songwriting was one thing that I I kind of deep dived into out of a therapy almost. Um, it it kind of saved my life, honestly. Like the the world that it put me into, the new friends that I was meeting, um, it the the excitement about putting a song out and just seeing how people react to it and and getting their impact from it. All those things matter to me and I I don't know that I would be a songwriter if it weren't for that upheaval in my personal world that happened. I don't know that I would have done this. But this was a this was the path that I chose and and you know it's a nothing easy about it honestly. It's it's it's a lot of worry and it's a lot of pain that you go through and you know wondering if if you're being heard all those things are a part of it. Um and now now that I understand that I understand who I am as an artist doesn't worry me as much as it used to. But those are a few things. Thanks. Thanks for sharing that with us. I know that um later on we we'll talk about some some subjects related to that if you don't mind. Um and if you wouldn't mind sharing that with us cuz it's about people's coping mechanism mechanisms and and things that you've just said there, you know, how strong you were to say look, you know, in the in that sort of age bracket in that age range of the 30s, people are usually settling down by then and you know, they've got that's it. they they they think that's their that's what they're going to do. That's their path and actually you've gone no this this isn't for me. So um it's incredible. So thank thanks to answer for sharing that. What what point did you think was there certain musical influences that you had or is there was there any any moment that you thought you know what because this is influencing my music I'm going to write it like this and I'm music's my thing. Is there any sort of moment that you thought right that's what I'm going to do? I did, you know, when I was growing up, my I there was a music in the house all the time. My parents had a really good record collection. Uh my mom sang all the time in the house. She loved singing the Juds. Um and she she sang kind of an oporadic style when she sang, so it kind of drove me nuts. But um I love I love it now thinking about it. My dad, he was always a Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash fan. So he always played them and and he actually had a good voice too and he would sing in the car and that's about the only time he would ever sing. Uh I just noticed that about his voice. Um influences as I got older. I mean I was through high school I was really into uh classic rock and and grunge music. Um that kind of stuck with me through my my 20s. my 20s, it it changed a little bit because I started I started hanging out with some some guys that were listening to a different kind of music and it was more of the more like rootsy kind of stuff. I'd go on these fishing trips and and we listen to some Robert El Keen or or Chris Knight, things like that later on and and that kind of opened my my whole world up to what I you know what I listen what turns into what I listen to now. Um, you know, Robert Earl Keane, Chris Knight, Jason Isbel, Turnpike Trouidors, um, Cross Canadian Ragweed, those were all very influential in what I started doing. That's brilliant. Thank you very much. Thanks for thanks for sharing that with us. I'm going to uh I'm going to stop waffling and give over to TJ. He's got loads of questions to asking. Yeah, it's an it's an odd feeling having you on the podcast finally, mate. Um I was saying to Ronnie earlier, I think I speak to you more than I speak to my wife. I don't know if that's a good thing for for you or for my wife, to be honest with you. Uh so yeah, don't start any rumors between me and Lance just based on that, but uh you're the only person who's kind enough to respond to my DMs as well. So I I'll sit on the evening. I've got all of these ideas and all these thoughts kind of buzzing around my head. Oh, good. Normally after a few beers as well, uh, a few blue moons as we we like to share. And, um, yeah, thank you for responding. Uh, and I love the fact that anything that I I throw your way, you're like, I'm in. I'm like, sure. I wake up next day, think, did I really say that to Lance? He's like, then I scroll down, think he's in. So, you you're committed now. So, we're going to do a naked podcast based on what we going to do. I think it was just a naked podcast. I didn't get to the rest of it. I have been I go I've been going back to the gym so I I could probably do that. TJ most definitely hasn't up to a double D cup right now. So good god. But no, look, it's it's incredible and I love the new stories and new tidbits that that we hear about you because we whilst we talk a lot, there's some bits about your past and your family and and growing up and your religion as well that that we I I certainly didn't know. So thanks for sharing that mate. Um it's really interesting. Um but yeah, I find it incredible still and I I suppose you get this on all the podcasts you go on, you know, starting I suppose a professional music career at the age of 38. It's it's um it's amazing in such a small amount of time to to kind of put yourself as a singer, songwriter, producer, um podcast host, um doing your stuff with Faller Love of Appalachia and being our carer/ mentor in the background, you know, it's uh where do you find the time for all this, mate? You must be the busiest dude in the world and having a a job in the background as well. Yeah, it's so It definitely keeps me busy. Um, I'm getting better at saying no these days. And I I realize sometimes that I I overcommit to things that I I probably don't have the time for because I still have to, you know, I still have to pay my bills and things like that. And and and right now the music world doesn't pay that much. Uh, so I still do, you know, I have my own heating and air refrigeration business that I run. It's a oneman show. Um, I I I do jobs as they come in. And so some days I'm very busy. Other other days, like today, I can kind of schedule what I want to. Um, but it's because of that freedom of having that job, it opens my world up to to um do some things with music and do some things that are exciting to me. If I worked a 9 to5, work for somebody else, there's no way I would be able to do all this stuff. And so I keep my life pretty simple. I don't have I I keep a very low overhead on everything that I have. I'm not super materialistic about things. So, I drive an old van that has almost 500,000 miles on it and because I don't have a payment on it and it gives me more freedom. So, with with all the other things that I'm doing, I really find enjoyment and I I wish it paid more. I really did do, you know, with music. I love playing uh all the the other side projects that I'm doing like the the podcast is just another form of therapy for me honestly. I get in my pickup truck, do an interview, I talk about random stuff. I do cigar reviews and I'm trying to get back into the the acting world too. I've I've done several commercials and a couple movies and I've got I landed a role in a movie that's coming up and we're doing a table read tomorrow uh with with all the all the uh cast on it. So, it's just one thing after another. But I but literally well I think when you put yourself into a creative mindset and get out there and meet people and talk, you're you naturally walk through open doors when they're supposed to. Definitely. It's um it's it's interesting and you know I' I've seen some of the bits where you were you're putting out your acting stuff. I thought wow that that's an incredible angle to go into too. Do you It's unreal. Are you are you tell us a little bit more about that or is that something still in the kind of pipeline? This movie is it's a short film. Uh but we're hoping to get you know once the once the short film is complete um we're hoping to do a feature length film. It's the the the the feature leak's already written. So, we're going to be going to Ohio in October filming with Evan Mains. And it's a it's a movie called Transfigurations. And so, it almost feels like he kind of wrote this role for me because he's like it's about a guy. He kind of his family's kind of in a cult and he starts waking up to the fact that he's in a cult and then but all this stuff happens and uh you know it's kind of a little bit sci-fi a little bit horror movie umesque. There's it's not it's not graphic by any means but it's it's kind of a on your edge of your seat kind of thing where you don't know exactly what's going on but you know something crazy's happening. Um it's it's something like that and I'm looking forward to to getting up there and filming it. is we're going to we're going to film the short in about 2 or 3 days and he's very quick with his turnaround getting it getting the product done. I've looked at other things that he's produced and it's very top quality stuff. He just did a a commercial for Red Bull um Red Bull near Cincinnati and um so I'm excited about that. I I really look forward to getting up there and getting involved with it. I can't wait to see it. It's going to be Have you um have you done any training at all? Like actor training, any drama classes, schools? Just drama in high school. We uh I was part of a It's unbelievable. A team that we we ended up going to a national competition and for a one act play. It was a it's written by Eddie Kennedy who was my my drama coach at the time. And it was the I think back in the in the 80s after he wrote it, it was like the number one one act play in the country for a while and it was called The Quiet Place. But um we went to yeah national competition in Norfolk, Virginia and we didn't we didn't win anything. The uh the play that actually won that year was this this epic kind of like major creation. It's like all this glow-in-the-dark stuff and it was more of a a theater kind of thing than a play. Uh but anyway, it's I've had some training. Other other parts of it, you just kind of as you read the script, you kind of feel things that you just feel as a normal human being. And yeah, the the the trick with um with being on the camera is like subtle moves. It's like just subtle movements can show emotion. Whereas if you're on a play on a stage in a, you know, in an auditorium, you have to have bigger dramatic moves to show that emotion. So I do like the I like being on a film way better. Wow. Well, we look forward to seeing some of that, mates. Um I think dialing it back slightly, mate. So we we probably skipped a lot of your um earlier kind of music career. So we we talked about you starting at a 38 and kind of going into things kind of full speed from that point, but be interesting to know kind of what were you doing in your 20s and leading up to that? Were you were you kind of playing music just for yourself? Were you just writing and then decided at that age that you know the world needs to hear what you're doing? I didn't really pick up a guitar. I I had a guitar around the house but I never played it. Never learned how to play it. And I wasn't writing music at all in my 20s. Uh it wasn't until I I was 30 probably 36 or 37 when I I started writing my first song. But so in my 20s I was I was still working. I was I was doing electrical work um raising a family, you know, I got four kids, so I was busy all the time with that. And you know in the in the religion I was kind of uh I was kind of doing everything that I needed to do at that time cuz I I was having a lot of responsibilities within the church. I was kind of I I had volunteered my time. I took a bow of poverty for two years and uh went to the the world headquarters and volunteered my time for two years. And so I was kind of like I don't know the poster child for the religion. And so, and my family had been in it for five generations. My family was actually friends with the guy that founded the whole thing. And so, I I came from this background where when you decide to do something, you just do it. And it doesn't matter that you're going against the flow. Doesn't matter that your your ideas don't match everybody else that's around you. Because that was kind of the fabric of my family was like, it takes a big leap of faith to join a religion that's so far out of everybody's norm. and especially to start one and or to help start one. And uh so I don't know that leading up to the the point where I was writing music, it was part of that upheaval in my personal life. You know, kind of leaving that situation was a big deal cuz it meant that my family was going to cut me off. It meant that my all my friends were going to stop talking to me and it it was a big it was a huge change in my life. And um communicating that through song was something I had to be careful with too because even even at the very beginning of me writing my songs, I was still in officially still in the church. And so if you listen to a song called these words, it was on my first album. It's about a guy that he is changing the sign in front of the church. you know, he it was his job to change the sign up in front of the church, and he's wondering why why it couldn't just stay the same. And you could feel the pressure that would that the religion was putting on him to put this sign up cuz he's very clever with words and he could he could make the sign uh attract more people to it to come into the church. And so one day decides to take all those letters and put them in a box and throw them in the river. And that's what the whole song's about. But that I wrote that song while I was still kind of in the religion and I was I was starting to wake up and I was like I don't know how much more I could take of this because I saw I saw some major hypocrisy in my you know my time there especially with in my in my 20s. Um some of the the friends that I was hanging out with they were saying they were living their lifestyle one way and they were completely the other way and it was all a facade. And uh I saw how some people would get um the book thrown at them if they did something wrong. Other people got away with it. And it was just this but ultimately, you know, it's not something that's just in in churches. It's something that you you know, you see in daily life. And I'm not sure I'm pretty sure that's human nature. But the way that I I was feeling it was that some people were getting away with things that and other people were were suffering for. And um those were things that I I wanted to I wanted to lean into and I wrote and I I kind of had to write some things and you know kind of camouflage in a way. Now I'm completely out of it and have been for a while now and uh have endured the consequences of that to the point where they don't really have much an effect on me anymore. So now I I just write whatever I want to write now and um I don't know kind of leaning into what what's next. I mean, this next project with Golden Hour, it's going to be it's the leadoff single and the entire project is going to be kind of the that same feel, that same sound, and you know, it's just one more one more uh step in the journey. I was lucky enough to uh capture just a bit of golden hour when you guys came over to Stafford, England uh in around February. Um, so I was just there watching you um at that venue and I I got my phone out and I thought, "This is an awesome track." And, you know, to see it kind of evolve from, you know, an acoustic number to that full-on production. And like you say, it's it's quite a grungy number, isn't it? It's it's it's very different to a lot of the other stuff that you've written. It is. Golden Hour is one one of these songs where, you know, I wrote it pretty quick. I wrote it pretty pretty damn quick. And then uh when I started putting a melody to it, you know, I always like minors. I like the especially E minor, A minor combination. Um when I started doing the melody, I was like, this is a this is a grunge tune. And I didn't want to just I didn't want to just produce like a grunge song, you know? I didn't want to go straight straight into like a grunge rock number. So, but I did like the grunginess of it. And I I told my producer, Zach McCord, I told him that kind of my idea for it is to do a grunge country mix and to have pedal steel in there. And but I I think the I think the melody overall, the melody and the and the, you know, the buildup and the vocals, it kind of helps with that whole grunge kind of feel. But that that kind of thing is taken back off again. I mean, it's always been something that I've I've always listened to, you know, especially since high school. And it's going to have an influence one way or the other. Just kind of like when I first I put my first album out, my influences were different at the time. I was listening to a lot of, you know, Culture Wall and Charles Wesley Godwin and those kind of guys that were kind of up and coming at that time. Um, and I think that's natural. I think it's always going to be that way, especially, you know, in the atmosphere where so many different genres are kind of blending together. You know, I may put a blues album out one day. Who knows? You know, actually, I want to do I want to do an album full of sea shanties at some point for sure. Like, that's no joke. Uh me and uh me and Hunter and Daniel and and Greg, we were we sang a bunch of songs like we'd walk we were walking around like 3:00 a.m. in the middle of some town like walking down the street just we we made up the sea shanty and I can't even sing it because it's it's pretty it's pretty bad. But I'll I'll send you I'll send you a link. But it's uh but what I'm saying is like there's no there's no there's no rules when you when you put an album out, there's no rules. It's just music. And that's why it's like we we as artists, we we strive to put songs out because you never know who's going to what this song is going to do for somebody, who's going to, you know, who's going to hear that song and be inspired to write something else. And that's why that's why this is always a constant um it's a constantly flowing river and it's always changing. Yeah, man. It's uh I think that's one of the benefits of being independent, isn't it? That you're not you're not kind of under the behest of a a label to say, well, no, you're not doing that because it probably won't make us money. You know, you're going to go down this this line and and that's your image and we'll kind of manage that to an extent. But like you say, if you want to put a C shanty album out, you can do that. I've got one condition with that. Can me and Ronnie do backing vocals? That would be 100%. 100%. We also I've also got to get you to do a rendition of uh of some Irish songs like Dirty Old Town or The Red Rose Cafe. I'll send you a link for them. You can listen. You'll definitely learn some of those. Smash it. Amazing. Love it. Yeah. Well, we had a bit of a taste of the sea shanty when uh we we did that recording in the back of Shanty. Shanty. I know it sounds shanty. That's the that's the English coming out there, but when we were sat in the back of that that uh pub/n nightclub in Stafford and we were we hit record. We'd had a few beers by that point and I think that's how you guys kicked it off by just maybe that was one of the ones that you you made up. It was uh it was pretty funny. So perhaps go and check that out on YouTube and uh you'll get a flavor. That one is um that's actually one that I started writing and we made up like two more verses on the fly on the trip and but it's uh yeah, I'm hoping that we actually were talking about all getting together and recording that at some point and I don't know if that's going to happen or not cuz it you know everybody got real busy all of a sudden. So, but if we do record it, maybe we do it out there. Yes. In the UK. Yes. Yeah, definitely. We will do a a grit sessions just dedicated to uh sea shanties. You know what would be fun is to uh get all your sound equipment and go to like a local pub. Yeah. And teach everybody the the chorus. Yeah. And so we sing the we sing the verses and we have the whole bar singing the verses. Let's do it, mate. We know some good places where we can uh we can get that done and uh for sure we'll put that out, mate. But um that that kind of kind of leads us into a nice segue um in terms of for the love of Appalachia. One of the hardest things that Ronny's ever said in his life, he still somehow messes up uh that title, but um so it's really interesting. You know, we talked about, you know, the Stafford gig and we were talking about Hunter and and Daniel Kane and your buddies and you know, that that was um that was kind of the second trip, wasn't it? But uh before that, I think you came out on your own the year before in 2024 to kick For the Love of Appalachia off kind of officially. So, do you want to talk us a little bit about that particular venture and and where that's heading? Yeah, For the Love of Appalachia was uh Cat Deeds and I having a conversation about that tour, that first tour. Cat had booked had booked it for me. I said that I wanted to come out and she made arrangements for me to stay at her place with uh her and her husband James. And she booked me four or five shows and I got I called up Jack Browning cuz Jack Browning and I had been friends on Facebook for a long time and I was like, "Jack, I'm going to be over there in the UK finally. Uh, let's get together and do some shows." And he's like, "Yeah, let's make it happen." So, we made that first tour happen. That was not a a For the Love of Appalachia tour. It was just like kind of a one-off. And so after the success of that tour, that's when, you know, every every night Cat and I would talk about the shows and um you know, kind of like what what was good about them, what was what we could change about them. And then realized like more and more artists from my my neck of the woods would want to come out. And so that's when she's like, "Let's just do it." So we we formed that up for the love of Appalachia. Cat is doing uh Katie Music Media, which is she it's her own little booking thing that she's doing right now and building that up. Uh she's booking artists from she just booked an artist yesterday from Colorado that's going to be coming out there next year. And um so we kind of work together on the on on For the Love of Appalachia and you know bringing more and more artists out. We've got we've had uh Josh Mitchum's come out on a you know for a run of shows. He's going to be coming out again I guess fairly soon and then but what what the what the thing is with For the Love of Appalachia they are sponsored tour. So the the artists are coming over and not have to worry about their their accommodations and their travel. Some artists are choosing to self pay um they don't have to necessarily go through for the love of Appalachia. they can cat can book them on a tour, get them some shows and they just come over and got the shows ready to go. So, if you're a sponsored artist on the For the Love of Appalachia tour, you know, it's a um just like Joe Clark and Cody Lee came over, you we took care of their their plane tickets and their accommodations and their and their travel. And that was one thing that it kind of relieves the artist of of having that extra stress and that extra burden. And they're they're making they're making their gig money, too. So, they're they're going home with some money in their pocket. And, you know, the more the more and more artists uh sponsorships we get, the more and more uh sponsorships and donations we get, the more artists that we can bring over. And that's ultimately the goal. We're not we're not making any money off this. It's it's it's really something that we feel strongly about because it you know just like Cody Lee me said man it changed it ch he said it changed my life and um it really does and that's what I felt when I first went over there to go into to go into a a small listening room environment in another country where you don't know anybody and they sit and they listen to your stuff and it it just does something to you. It really shows you how we're all the same. No matter where we go in the world, we're all the same. And you know, a good story rings true. Doesn't matter who's singing it. It's like if you got a good story, you know, sing it. And um you know, that's one one of the main motivations is it's for the love. It's for the love. It's it's the love of what we do. and playing music and listening to music, uh, supporting it, um, encouraging artists to to write their song, play their song. Uh, all these are the reasons we do it. Definitely. No, we appreciate you kind of letting us into that world too as a rugged revival and, you know, working as as a sort of partnership on that. So, we got to see a little bit of that world. Well, Ronny with Ronny picking Cody, Christian, and Gavin Adcock up from the airport. Um I think they were impressed with that sign that you put out on the car he um yeah just seeing what it was like to you know just driving around going on the road for a little bit uh going to Wales seeing them in action as well that that's something that we want to see more of. So we we went to the obviously this the Safford show, caught Josh Mitchum earlier that year, but um yeah, Joe and Cody are absolutely incredible. Selling out on the first night, you know, is testament to to those guys, but also for you to set that up um in a little strange town in Wales as well. It was wonderful kind of getting there and kind of releasing Joe and Cody out into the wild as they look and uh you know go meet the locals, go and speak to people and and it was amazing and and you know Barer is a listening room for sure. It's a small venue. You can fit quite a lot of people in as you know but it's uh it really is an intimate show and the crowd absolutely loved it. That show in Bala at Story, I can tell you how that that show came about. The very first time we that first tour that I I went on with Cat, I had traced my family tree back to my eighth great-grandfather who came from a place in Wales. He he was born in a place in Wales called Kiltogarth. And so we we we had a day off. And so I I told Cat the story and she's like, "Let's go see if we can find it." And so we we plugged in the GPS and the name came up and so we just started driving into the wealth countryside and found the town. It and it wasn't actually a town. We the town was Bala. So Kiligarth was an estate up in the mountains in right up, you know, from the town of Bala. And so we drive down this big driveway uh stone lawn driveway and there's a a stone house on top of the hill. And we go up, we knock on the door, and an older lady came up, and she's like, "Can I help you?" And I I said, "I know this is going to sound weird, but eighth great grandfather was born here somewhere on this property, and um she's like, "Come on in." Made us tea. We got to know them, uh, invited us back. So, every time we go back, we we stop and visit and, um, they were the ones that were friends with the people that owned Story and set that that first gig up. And so we we went to story with um with Hunter Flynn and Daniel Kaine and myself. We ended up, you know, making lifelong friends right there. But it was so strange because, you know, even though he was my my eighth great-grandfather was born like 1680 something or 16 in the 1600s in the late 1600s and he came over to Philadelphia region and his his son John was born in in this country and that's how I got my name Rogers. His name my eighth great-grandfather's name was Roger of Robert and so his son was named John. So, John of Roger, John Rogers, and that's how I got my last name, Rogers. So, it's just crazy how it all, but that it was a it became a small world at that moment. I was like, man, looking out that audience in story and seeing people that were like, I don't know, it just felt like a a family kind of thing. It felt like a I felt like this is a a something that other people need to feel. And so far, everybody else that's played there has felt that same thing. And and they just love it. I think eventually we'll probably have to move. We'll probably always have something there at Story, but I think there's a bigger venue there in town we'll probably end up moving to eventually cuz it sells out pretty quick and they have to turn people away at every show when when we're fired up. Yeah. Yeah. It's exactly what happened on the night. There was a few people that had to be turned away and some of them were the business owners of that street. So, it was uh a bit disappointing for them, but it was just, you know, amazing that so many people turned up and, you know, we we managed to get ourselves a seat and and, you know, enjoy enjoy the show. Um, so what what's coming up, you know, for the rest of this year and going into next year for Fuller Love Appalachia? Is there, you know, we mentioned Josh Mitchum perhaps coming over in November, whether that's part of that that gig or not. Um, and, you know, I'm sure there's others that are lined up. I believe we've got uh Jeremy Zeller is going to be coming over. Uh Dboon Pitman is coming over. And then we have uh Drake White that he ended up winning the competition that we had as a fundraiser at the Burl in Lexington. He ended up winning that. So, he's going to be coming over next year some at some point. Uh we're in talks with um Julie Cross who runs the Crossover Festival and I think we're going to be working with her on something there with having some artists there at that festival next next year, next May. And um got a lot of a lot of other artists that are wanting to come over and they want to they want to pay their own way. They just want to have some shows booked for them. So cats warping with them directly and you know it's just something that is something that's ongoing and developing. We have you know what what we're in need of are people you know a a great corporate sponsor would be great. somebody that that sees the vision of what we're doing and sees the the importance of it and because you know I personally I I personally hate asking people for help in general and if at some point if I can sponsor the whole thing myself I'll take care of it but until that day comes we had many many hands make the load light and so that's where we're trying to develop other ideas of of ways to to raise funds to send artists And so we're going to be developing a merch line. We're going to have um we got some other ideas maybe including Patreon. Um so, you know, stay tuned. It's one of those one of those kind of deals. Definitely. I I just love the fact it's a, you know, a bridging opportunity between US artists and UK artists as well. And um it'll be interesting to see how that takes off. And yeah, for any kind of rich entrepreneurs out there, Lance doesn't like asking, but I do. So, I've got no uh I've got no qums about it. Get in touch. It's for a good cause. Like you say, we we're not making well, you're not making any money out of it. It's literally for the love of the music, the scene, and the people involved. And it's it's something special, something unique um between us and and UK people. And u you know, it's fantastic. I think Daniel Kane described you as the the Daniel Boone um of the country music world and I thought that's a good that's a good analogy. Um so we we'll keep that. Um fantastic. So moving on slightly mate as we say you're involved in pretty much anything and everything. I love watching Falling Forward. So Fo R apostrophe D. Um you can find it on YouTube. Is that on Spotify and all those places too, mate? Not yet. It's just there on on YouTube for now. So tell us about Falling Forward. You know, what what type of people have you had on? What what the discussions about? I love the fact it's got cigars in it because that's mine and Ronnie's favorite pastime, too. So that it kind of hits a lot of marks. But yeah, go over to you, mate. I I do the cigar reviews because it just gives me something else to do if I if I lose my train of thought. And so I'm like I can always focus on the cigar, be like, "Hey, what what do you think about this one?" While I'm thinking about like, "Okay, what am I going to say next?" Uh, one of my favorite parts about the whole thing is just the interview process with my friends and um and people that I thought I knew, you know, from social media and then you get their their actual story and and what they go through in their daily life and what made them them. Getting that kind of that kind of thing in in the in the cab of my truck is has been, you know, life-changing to me, honestly. And the more and more people that I I have on, the more I have reach out to me directly and be like, "Hey, I want to get on your show." Um, but it started off with me and my buddies, you know, I just I I went to the lowest hanging fruit, you know, the guys that were right around me and um, and also they have help. They got great stories and so I started there. It's also a truck restoration. So, it's in a 75 Ford F250 highboy pickup truck that's very rusty and it just needs a lot of a lot of work. And so, part of the show is me making repairs on the on the truck. And probably in the I'll get through the winter. I might do a project this winter. Um, but going into next year, I want to take the bed off. I got a bunch of rust, you know, restoration work I got to do. been talking with Sean Thatcher who has Thatcher's Barbecue and also Fab That Inc. he's a great metal worker and also has you know the podcast that he does um you know on on he does a YouTube channel also called Fab that Inc. But it's uh he kind of documents what he does in a shop all the time. So, we're going to get together and do some work together on the truck and you know, it's just one of these efforts like, you know, like joining with you guys and it's kind of we find we find people with the same kind of mindset and the same kind of dreams and and uh you know, before you know it, you built something brand new and that's kind of what Falling Forward started out as. And I don't know what it's going to turn into eventually, but for right now, it's just a very basic YouTube show. And uh I'm just having fun with it. Yeah, it's a lot of fun to watch. And I suppose a little bit like what we're doing, we we like to have the artists on, but we like to have industry people on too because kind of a peak behind the scenes of of how things are made or how things got put together. And one of my favorite episodes was John Grace from Laurel Cove Music Festival, which is one of the, you know, one of the biggest festivals out in Kentucky right now, um with with some fantastic artists each year. Um, but it's interesting, you know, listening to his perspective of how that got started, his kind of dreams, aspirations and and whatnot. And, you know, showing people that side of it, you know, and some of the things he was saying about, you know, lot lots of people want to do what he's doing, but don't perhaps realize how hard it is, you know, the the kind of graph that you have to put in. And, you know, Ronny and I had our dreams and aspirations about, you know, what what did we call it? The grand old revival, having something similar in the UK. And when I listened to John, I thought we'll put that on the back burner perhaps for for a little bit. Um, so it's interesting, you know, that you've got industry people too. Um, we had somebody recently, uh, Dave, uh, David Cole from the Truthful Sessions because I'm obsessed with these sessions videos now. Uh, we're trying to do what we're doing with the grit sessions and, you know, hearing people's perspectives of when they've got, you know, successful festival, successful um, sessions videos and finding out, you know, tips for people really. And it's they're so generous in the way that they they just open up and say, "Well, this is how it's done. You know, this is, you know, the the good parts of it, the bad parts of it." And, you know, I think for people interested in getting involved, however creative you might be, to kind of see that side of it. So, um, yeah, it's it's a fantastic show you got, mate. I I encourage everyone to go over to your your YouTube and subscribe to that. I appreciate it. You guys, when you come to Kentucky, you got to get on it. Definitely. We could do it on the back of your flatbed once that's all cleaned up. You know, we're quite big. I don't know if me and Ronnie will fit in in the same cab. You guys could uh one of you guys or both of you can buy an old old pickup truck and do like falling forward, you know, UK edition. UK style. Yeah. Funny enough, I did see an old pickup truck, an old Dodge Ram. Uh I think it was 97 plate Dodge Ram um around the corner completely falling to pieces and I thought I wonder if I could get that. I've got nowhere to put it. Yeah, it would be a great idea to do it, but that's like rare as hens teeth over there, man. Like an old truck like there there's a lot of small like newer compact cars over there, but very few like old rusted gas guzzlers, you know? Yeah. But yeah, it wouldn't be the same doing it in in the back of an old uh Volkswagen Polo. Wouldn't have the same 500 vibe to it. No. Um so that's awesome. And something you know I I love to see you do also anyone I speak to in Kentucky or or you know in in the scene in general that speaks to us always have fantastic words about you how you've helped them how how you're so giving in that respect and I love to see what you're doing at the minute with uh that young lad uh Dalton Daly who just seems to be blowing up at the minute and I can see that you're you're working with him. I think you produced um some of the tracks on his new EP. So yeah talk us a little bit around that mate. Yeah. Uh, Dalton Dailyaly was he was a kid that, you know, I was walking into a a a gig that I had at the train station in Corbin, Kentucky. And I I see this kid playing a little, you know, a few chords on a guitar, and I could hear his voice off in the distance, and I could tell it was a good voice. And I was talking with a buddy of mine named Tim, who's now Dalton's manager, Tim Bransetter. And Tim was like, "Yeah, I'm working with him, trying to teach him how to play guitar. Kids got a great voice." And and so I was like, yeah, I could hear him playing that one song. So I texted Tim on while I was up on the stage as we're doing a writer. I was like, "Hey man, I got one song left. You think this kid would want to come up sing it?" And so he's like, "Yeah." So I he made it happen. So he Dalton got up there on stage and sang sang a song. That was his first time on stage at all. And the kid blew it out of the water. He he did he didn't sing it like a song you would imagine a kid singing. He sang a friend of his had written a song. Brock Burton had written a song that he covered. So he's singing original song. And so long story short, I had a I had a t-shirt that I created that said, "Play your song on the front." And after I sold the last of the t-shirts, which was at that show, the the money, the profits of the t-shirt sales was going to go to putting somebody in the studio for the very first time. And so it all seemed to work out to where Dalton got it. So I gave uh I used the profits from that to pay for his first EP. And so he's got a three song EP that came out. Um and it really captures what he's doing right now as a kid. He's only 14 years old. I didn't want to come in with a fully produced something that didn't sound like him at all. We got him with an acoustic guitar. Captured his vocals great. And I brought a buddy of mine in. um uh Tristan Lambert on Dough Bro and just added the right amount of Doro to that song the songs and it set it off. So I don't know he Yeah, there's uh he's got a very bright future ahead of him. I can say that he's got another buddy um named Will Finley um Smith Will Smith that is going to be going in the studio too. I'm putting his first EP out. Got to produce it. And the kid's like a, you know, kind of a Keith Whitley, Zack Top kind of voice. And so I believe, you know, I believe in just if you if you can do something, do it. You know, if you can do it. And if you can help somebody out, you know, it can change somebody's life. And you know, I'm like, uh, I don't know if if if I want to become a a music producer at all, but I I can at least be in the studio and help guide the sound. And, you know, Dwayne King was actually the the guy on, you know, doing the actual recordings and all that kind of thing. So, he does he goes on the road with the band Exile, if you ever heard of band Exile, and he does all their sound for them. And so, got him involved. So, he's going to be recording Wills out as his EP as well. He actually recorded my EP that I put out not too long ago called um Cold of the Desert Wind. Dwayne did that one. And I told him I wanted something I wanted something you could hear like if it wasn't a cassette tape, you know, stick it in your old pickup truck driving through the desert. That's what I wanted that that to sound like. And so, I don't know. He's he's really good at what he does and getting these kids involved. The future's bright. You know, I'm I'll be the old man, maybe sitting in the in the stands watching them one day at their, you know, when they're selling out an arena, but who knows? No, you're still a young dude, mate. You're about our age, so um don't make us feel old, will you? Lance, for Christ's sake. No, I think I think the this up and cominging generation, you know, there's a lot of hope and uh a lot of talent and it's it's so cool to see. So, I'm I'm intrigued to see how Dorton progresses with that with your kind of uh guidance with the other guys as well. And yeah, excited to see you. You called him is it Drake White or Walker White? I was getting confused with his name. The guy that um won recently at the Bur. It's Walker White. I said Drake, didn't I? Yeah. I I don't know if that was like a middle name or something, but Walker White. I keep saying Walter White. That's the guy of Breaking Bad. So, it's definitely not him, too. So, yeah. Who's Drake White? There's There's another artist named Drake White, I believe. Yeah. So, it's uh Walker White. Sorry. And that that was a cool show. That was it was at the first time you put something like that on at at the bell. Um I know Kenzie from our team attended. She she got some interviews and documented what was going on and it it just looked incredible. Yeah, it was the first time the first one. It was a it was a competition that we started on Facebook to where people had to, you know, nominate their favorite artists. It was doing original music. um and whittleled it down to the five top five and they ended up doing that show. Uh a lot of people turned out and I don't think that the burl was anticipating that many people being there but it was a a very very good turnout. We we had 300 people there and um it kind of it was surprising but it turned out to be great cuz all that money that we made was put into the pot that's going to put that puts artists over to the UK. And so we're we don't want to we don't want to over overdo that that type of fundraiser. We want to keep that like every so often because I think it can burn people out a little bit. Um but I it is something that we were extremely happy that it was so successful and the burl was happy with it too and a very good outcome. Yeah, it it looked superb. So I I think we got some bits and pieces out on YouTube just capturing some of the interviews and I know on your your um your socials there was some videos of the night and it just looked Yeah, I didn't realize there was 300 people there. That's um that's amazing. That's an amazing turnout. So yeah, intrigued to see how that progresses. I've got one more well say question one more statement because I've been talking for a long time and Ronny's been kind of itching to to say his piece as as he normally does but uh something else you know with the rugged revival we we are you know trying to do as many things as you are at the minute um but we've got the roster and we we're so glad that you joined us on the roster um with Jonathan Payton again we're not we try not to overdo that because you know it's a lot of time in the background and we want to dedicate our time to to guys like you that supporting so many people and I suppose if if you're not familiar with the roster for people listening, you know, we set this up not too long ago as kind of our way to to give back too. So, you know, we have a lot of help in the industry when we set the podcast up and what we're doing. A lot of people reached out and just lended, you know, their help, their guidance and support. And for us, it was just a way of saying, well, you know, we've got some skills here. You we've got some connections that we've built up. Um, we we I'm I'm a bit of a tech geek. So, if people need help with EPKs or just reaching out or writing some social stuff that you just don't have the time for, that's kind of the things that we're offering. So, we're not a a manager. We're not a record label. It's none of that. There's no contract. It's just, you know, people helping people. And, you know, it's an honor to have you on board, Lance. I I appreciate that. And, you know, I don't know if that was one of my my late night drunken requests to say, "Come and join us." But, uh, you know, we're glad you that we you did, mate. I I'm I'm glad to be partners with y'all. And, um, you know, the future is is wide open and you kind of you make it what you want. And anything that you that you look at that's a success that you look up to. Started off probably a little bit looser than what the way you you guys are starting off. you guys are very well put together, very professional, great sound equipment, a great uh concept. Um, it's going to be successful. You know, I know sometimes we look, the numbers are our worst enemy at some points to be a creative person. And if you look at some of the podcast numbers on, you know, they're not that big, but it will come. And I I think with, you know, being versatile and having having the mindset of like, you know, you can multitask. So, not only doing the podcast, doing the the the grit sessions, you got artists on roster that there's no telling what what all this could turn into, but I think the the vision is it doesn't have to be fine-tuned right now. It's kind of a a wider catch, but you know, sometimes one thing will take off and you focus on that a little bit, the other thing will take off and you focus on it. And so, my opinion is like the the grit sessions, like the videos and the audio mix, that is what's going to be what's going to catch people's eyes at the first. And then once they see that, oh yeah, these guys, they're not only they're not only doing these videos, but they're also interviewing their artists and they're also doing this at shows and um it's going to be something that it's going to be it's going to be great. It's already great, but it's going to be it's going to get big. I appreciate your kind words, mate. It's it's helpful. Like you say, sometimes don't look at the numbers, but um yeah, we we loved doing the grit sessions. I think that was one of our favorite things to do, Ronnie, wasn't it? at uh you know going out to to Lake Barlor and uh you know sitting there with with Joe and Cody to to record that was our first ever time. So we're glad you like it. Um we just wanted the audio to be good good enough to put out there and and do the artist a good service. Um yeah, unfortunately my camera skills do need a bit of work. Um but listen, it was the it was the first time we're doing it. You know that that's the that's the whole difference. It's you know we're not seasoned professionals this. We're not doing it 20 times in a week to to go out, you know, this is this is just the extra. But just, you know, being able to troll that with with people that were so warm into it as well. Um just makes such a difference and and it shows in the videos that have been put out. Um and working with some incredible artists. Um Hangover wasn't so great that day, but um didn't have to mention that. I did have to mention that, but yeah. Um but the uh yeah it was it was just I mean I just wanted to cover a few bits Lance if that's all right just to say that actually from being exposed to that to what you do um from such a such a distance and then people coming over TJ's already mentioned it no one's got a bad word to say about you and actually it's truly inspirational listening to these artists coming over talking about you how you've helped them you know and for the love of Appalachia uh got it right this time. Um I managed to say that word. Uh and it really is if I could if I could swap places with someone just to see for people going on tour just to see just 5 minutes 10 minutes of seeing these artists blossoming in in these venues in the UK who have never left the US before have come over and and just done it. It's incredible. and and you've you know as a you as a as a person but also working as a wider wider group have been able to do that for him and anything we can help with then it'll be great but truly inspirational and he's a pleasure to be talking to you. Thanks man. You know I've I've had a lot of travel experience from from when I was a kid cuz I used to go on trips with my uncle and my cousin. My uncle was a is a very a well-known businessman and he is a a very rich guy and he used to take me on trips because my cousin was a little bit wild and I had this calming effect on him and so by me going on the trips it could kind of help the whole family out because I would calm I would calm my cousin down. And so I got to go on all these badass trips with them everywhere and until I got to be about 18 years old. But my I I always told my uncle, I was like, is how can I repay you? Like I'm getting to I'm getting I'm getting to see all these amazingly beautiful things. I'm getting to be put in these situations that I can't even believe I'm seeing. Um, and he's like, Lance, if you can do that, if you can do something like this for a kid one day, do it and that'll be payment enough. So, in in some way, in some in some, you know, stretch of the imagination, I am in a way helping the way that he helped me to see the world. I'm helping others to see that, too. And it it's a having a teammate like Cat Deeds is making it possible. Um, having teammates like you guys is making it possible. Like we we're all in this together and it's like we, you know, it's something very important and it can change the entire future for some people. You know, you think about like some of these small towns and villages that we're going to. Maybe they're seeing a singer songwriter from Kentucky for the first time. Maybe something they they hear in a song inspires them to write. it can change the entire music scene in a country just by doing these small little things here and there. And so, yeah, I guess when it's all said and done, you know, I hope that I had some kind of contribution to that and whatever is developing. And I, you know, I feel like it's just it's part of what I'm supposed to do in a way, part of my path. Absolutely. Agreed. Superb. Ro Ronnie, over to you. Might as well carry on, mate. Is it me? Sorry, sorry. I'm so so invested in this. Um, Lance, I just wanted to cover off some things that we you you kindly shared with us, some bits about your past, um, and where you started off and what you went through. And I think we have talked a lot about mental health on the rug revival. is such a huge part of people's day-to-day lives, how they look after each other, how they what they do to to cope with certain things in life that comes up. Sometimes people can't can't really see a way out of it. Um, and I don't know if you know, but it's it's approaching um World Mental Health Day and also men's um mental health awareness month. Uh, and I just wanted to to bring some of the conversations up about with your such a busy schedule with everything that you do, how do you keep yourself grounded? How do you keep yourself in that good mindset of, you know, is there certain things you do? I know you talked about the podcast, but is there other things that you do to keep you grounded and and and help you throughout that whole time? I just think I think keeping conversations rolling helps me a lot with uh you know and not not focusing on the past. There's nothing we can do about it. Um and really enjoying the moments that that we have that happen all around us. And sometimes we we kind of it's easily to it's easy to discard a compliment or it's easy to discard a something beautiful that happens in your life and and then we ruminate on the bad stuff. It's like man this one person they said this and I wonder what they meant by it and oh this this guy cut me off in traffic flipped me off. It was his fault. like and we just it just changes our whole day and it's like the faster we realize like we need to reverse the discard all that other all the bad stuff and focus on the good stuff and I you know I I still I'm not perfect at that I don't I don't claim to be you know I still have the same stresses and problems we all have that we deal with as human beings but um overall that's really helped you know surround yourself with people that they can tell you things that you need to work on because they love you, not because they're they're jealous or they or they don't like you. Um, people that build you up, people that sharpen you. You know, iron sharpens iron. So, it's like keep around strong, secure people that you can count on. And those kind of things help me um big time. Communicate with my kids, you know, like I I don't get to see them all the time like I used to. And so but just keeping those conversations rolling really really helps and not Thank you. Thank you know, not focusing on again, you know, in a you know, we have so many great things that can happen from the, you know, that the song Golden Hour is a reminder of that a little bit because it's a you know, it there's a couple negative things that happen in the song early on and that golden hour is a is that moment where you you just appreciate it's a moment of reflection and gratitude. U things do change in life. There's it's it's ever changing and sometimes very rapid change. There's a there's a reference to 9/11 in that song that in the bridge um the tower's falling and there and also there's a a a reference to rapid change and a goko tree, you know, and a ginko tree in the fall, it will drop all of its leaves at one time. It's a very rapid thing. It's very beautiful to watch, but that's the way life is. It's a there's no guarantees. There's seasons, there are moments where everything looks beautiful and and then all of a sudden it changes. And you know, we just have to keep in mind that it, you know, it can be for a reason, you know, sometimes. And it can be that we learn lessons along the way. And sometimes that, you know, the tough the toughest part about life is the is loss. and um but turning those losses into a collective win in the fact that we learned so many lessons from the things that that we don't have anymore. Absolutely. And I think just as a on a side note for that, you know, we we as a community, we've talked about being a community here before. Um we are always open to anybody that wants to message or just drop us a note, whatever. I'm very lucky. I know I take the piss a lot and I I laugh and joke about it and I take the mickey, but I'm very lucky cuz I do have TJ on the other side and we talk about things and stuff that's gone on and unfortunately we spend lots of time together on the road sometimes when we're we're following the artist. But actually, you know, we are very lucky and we're all very lucky in our position. Um, so yeah, don't forget if you do need to reach out to anybody, we're all here. Um, and thanks for sharing that, Lance. It's much appreciated. I think the other way of me coping is listening to your album Too Late for Flowers because I think it's never too late for Flowers. Um but one of the one of the special songs for me is Fire and Flame. Um I have played that at top volume. Um even when I was blasting through Wales when we were on the way back, TJ's in the car with me. I love that song. It's just it's just a bit of me that song. It's just fantastic. So if you haven't listened to it, go and listen to Two Labor Flowers um uh by Lawrence Rogers and um you'll love it. That was 2024, wasn't it? That would come out last year at some time. Yeah, it was last year. Yeah, I had that album is is basically recorded in two in two parts. I um I recorded the first uh I think five or six songs with Dwayne Lundy in Lexington and I recorded the last of the songs with uh Sam Rogers out in Slade, Kentucky. So, I think if I put the if I actually put vinyl of that album out, it's going to be one producer on one side, the other producer on the other. But I don't know. I don't have any that's kind of a bucket list thing for me to do is put a record out in an vinyl, an actual physical vinyl record. We'll display with pride on the back on the back wall. It' be when you do do that. We'll display that with pride on the back wall here. Yeah. Or TJ's. It be amazing. Um, so I there's a couple of questions I just wanted to ask you and I I asked them to um Nicholas Jameson last time he was on actually. It's a bit of a random question, but I want to know what makes Lance Rogers tick. I want to know why you go and play to crowds, why do you do shows, why do you play music? Why do you want to play to people? What is it that you hear from that? It's some kind of strange force. Honestly, it's like a a little bit related to an addiction, I think. And I, you know, I or a gambling habit, you know. Uh I do it because I, you know, I love doing it. But there's a there's this uh once you start, it's hard to get out of it, honestly, because there's always this like what if moment. And I I don't want to be that guy at 80 years old that's sitting around being like, man, if I would have just stuck with it a little bit longer, you know, or whatever. And I that's why I keep I keep doing it because I'm like I I want to be successful. I want to be successful at this. I want to be known as a great songwriter and in the state of Kentucky. And you don't you don't get that way by stopping. And so, uh, you know, I I feel like I feel like everything that I every project that I do is is a little bit better and I I'm I'm excited to see what comes out 20 years from now. And so th those are the kind of things that keep me keep me going. You know, the the shows can be a grind, honestly. The travel, it's it's not the easiest thing to do. Sometimes the crowd is not responsive. they don't they don't care that you're you're there and things like that. So, those kind of things can be tough to deal with. Plus, people's personalities. There are there are people that come in and out of your life based on what they think they can get out of you. And um I I don't know those are the toughest things for me honestly about being in music. Uh but ultimately, I have made sacrifices before to be where I'm at. um would I have done that? Would I have made those same sacrifices now? You know, is it's it's a tough call because it would have changed my entire where I'm at now. But I I can say this that moving forward, I'm I'm analyzing what what kind of sacrifices I'm making for music. And it's not going to involve it's not going to involve relationships. I I intend on keeping all my relationships strong. Um, and you know, life on the road is is hard. Takes you away from your family. It puts you in environments that, you know, I was kind of I was kind of wild and out after I left a very strict religion. I kind of did things that, you know, lived a certain life that I'm like I never had lived before. And so, I was trying a little bit of everything here and there, you know, and I realized that wasn't good for me either. And so I I feel like it feel like I needed that in a way to kind of narrow down chisel out what I what I needed to find my in in life to make me happy. But but ultimately I feel like I'm finally it it's the picture is coming together as far as who I am and what I want to do for in for the future and in the future. But yeah, those kind of things keep me keep me going. I think it's so interesting when when we get to we get to see the inside or hit the inside story because there's a lot of people that think it's just all, you know, glitz and bright lights and going to get drunk and all that sort of stuff and actually there's so much work. There's so much stuff behind it. I mean, look every look of everything that you do um you know, even even to get this up and running, you know, there's there's so much stuff that goes on behind the scenes um that I you know, it's good for people to hear that. It's good to see that it's not just it's not just a joke. You don't just turn up one day and then, you know, start singing or start playing a guitar or whatever, you know, it's just it's it's serious stuff that comes with it and and it does have a serious effect um on on home life. So, um thank you again for for sharing that. So, um, if people have only just started coming across your music, uh, if they've been living, as I said earlier, in a hole for their entire life and they've never heard Lance Rogers, um, two of your songs, which two of your songs would you choose to put on a playlist for our listeners? Outside the lines is is my it's kind of my go-to. It's one of the It's my first one that I ever put out and to this day it's us it's usually the one people bring up because of the opening line. It took a long slow draw off of Paul Maul and that song um and I I've got to put I got to put golden hour on there too. And so my first song and my latest song my two favorites. Brilliant. Thank you very much. TJ's made note of them and I haven't asked for a third one, but I'll get my way. Fire and flame will be the third one. I'll let you have your third one, seeing as I did that last time. So, uh, thank you. Yeah, that's great. Thank you. Stop moaning there. Um, normally normally I talk about uh the fact that Rugged Revival is a community, but we've talked enough about all of us being a community. Um, and we've talked about uh the fact that we've got emerging artists. So, Dorton, uh, Dorton Dailyaly, um, Walker White or whatever you want to call them. Um, it's we've mentioned them already and, uh, we will definitely, definitely give them a shout out and definitely, um, everybody who's listening to this, please just go and have a listen, go and have a look, um, and and see the inside bits uh, of them. Uh, and then I think I've completely lost my place cuz I throw I can see you waffling and I thought, he don't know what he's talking about now, does he? He doesn't know what he's doing here. Yeah. He has no idea, does he? Um, now see if you had a cigar. Yeah. And that's it. Cut to the cigar. Yeah, exactly. So, what do you think about this then? Anyway, I think we've got the game now. And if you want to play a game, do you want to play a game? Um, that's a saw in it. Some shall I It's over to you, TJ. Whatever it is, cuz I've I've done my bit. You've done your bit, have you? Where you going? I've I've even No, I've talked a lot um about about that. I thought you were just going to get off your chair and walk away then. But uh Yeah. Right. That's it. Well, seeing seeing as we're playing a game. So So Lance, if you've listened to our last few episodes, then um you you'll see that halfway through the show or most of the way through the show. Uh we have a little game. I I don't know what Ronnie comes up with. This is the one task that I give him I trust in him to do. Uh so it comes to Well, no, not really. I don't trust you. Um so we play a little game. Uh and it's normally the Rugged Revival versus artist. And it's me. Yes. versus you, Lance. So, I I don't know what he's got in store. We'll play the opener. So, play the game. Let's play it. [Music] Buckaroo. I always forget to press play. Um, yeah, we have to wait here for 10 minutes waiting for you to sort your life out. So, uh, it is the Ruger Revival. True or false? Hold on. Hold on. DJ loves these ones. I'm going to win this week and this is why. Oh, see I I had in my intro, you threw me off my intro. So, he was wearing these glasses when you before you turned up, Lance, and I said I started laughing, which wasn't very nice. Uh, and I said, "You look like um Do you remember the the cartoon character Mterrey Jack? He just looks like Montterrey Jack with glasses on. Why does he have to be fat? Anyway, so he put me off my introduction. That's why I was messing around. I couldn't remember what I was going to say. But anyway, so we've got true or false um on the rug revival. Uh whereas I get to ask some questions. I then I'll go to Lance first. Uh you'll answer the true or false and then I'll go to TJ. Uh and then I'll mark it up at the end. Lance will probably win. TJ will probably lose. So uh first question. In Texas, it's illegal to sell your eye. True or TJ, I think Texas lets you do anything you want. That's That's the hope anyway when we go out there. Yeah. I'm going to say false. Oh, how them glasses are helping you. Um, question number two. Bananas are technically berries. Lance, true or false? Oh, I said true. TJ, I think I read that somewhere soon. Um, true. Interesting. Question number three. Kentucky is the only US state that starts with the letter K. True or false, Lance? False. Yes. False. TJ for Kansas. Is it Is that state? Yes. I'm on it this week, mate. I'm on it. I'm not going to let You're not answering. You're not asking questions. You're answering yes or no or true or false. Sorry. All right. Okay. You don't ask questions here. Fine, Monty. Um, question four. The average cloud weighs about 500 lb. True or false, Lance? The average plow? Cloud. Cloud. Yeah. 500 lb. Uh, that's got to weigh more than 500 lb. I'd say that's false. TJ £500. So what's that in stone? That's about you. That's about the size of you, Ronnie, I believe. Um, I'd say that's true. I'm going to say true. Okay. Um, question number five. Shane Smith and the Saints once played on Yellowstone. True or false? Lance? True. Shane Smith and the [ __ ] Saints is what they uh were referred to, I believe. So, yeah. True. Oh, that was a bit of an easy one. Question number six. Dolly Parton once entered a Dolly Parton lookalike contest and lost. Lance, true or false? That sounds crazy enough that it's true. I'm going to say true. TJ, I'm going to say false. It was somebody else, I believe. Not Dolly Parton. I think it was like Michael Jackson or someone. So, I'm going to go with false. Question number seven. There's a town in Norway where it's illegal to die. Illegal to die. Just to clarify. Illegal to die. True or false? Lance. Yeah, I'll say false on that one. TJ, uh, true sounds a bit weird. So, yeah, I'll go for true. I'm going to do this as the last question cuz the other two um, for some reason it's got something about the Dockland's light railway in here, which I have no idea about. So, anyway, um, well, you might do, but I'll ask it. So, uh, question number eight and the final question. Cows have best friends and get stressed when they're separated. Is that true or is it false? Lance, I think it's true. I've seen that play out before in my backyard. Interesting. TJ, have you seen it play out in your backyard? You You've seen my backyard, mate. And, uh, there certainly no cows out there. Um, I'm going to go false. just to mix it up a little bit. Well, I can tell you. One, two, three, four, five, six. One, two, three. So, Lance, you absolutely trampled TJ and you won the game of true and false. The Rugger Revival. So, I'll just quickly run through the answers. In Texas, it's illegal to sell your eye. True. Bananas are technically technically berries, which is true. Kentucky is the only US state that starts with the letter K, which is true. Uh, the average cloud weighs about £500. Uh, this is false. It can be over a million pounds. Um, so the size of TJ. Uh, Shane Smith from the Saints once played on Yellowstone. True. Dolly Parton once entered a Dolly Parton lookalike contest and lost, which is true. I didn't believe that, but there we go. Uh, there's a town in Norway where it's illegal to die, which is true. And cows have best friends and get stressed when separated. And Lance, you're absolutely right. It was true. So, congratulations. Well done, Lance. I got more. You've won yourself absolutely nothing. Um, play the music, TJ. Nice to see you. To see you guys after that. Nice to see you. To see you, [Applause] Lance. That was a game show in the 80s and 90s with someone called Bruce Force. And if you've never seen him before, you need to look at him. It might be on YouTube somewhere to see you. Yeah. Anyway, thank you for playing that game. Um TJ, we going on to your one now. Yeah, why not? It's um you know, I was doing the scores in my head then and you gave me three points and I I certainly got more than that. So, I think you're cheating every single week here. Yeah, that doesn't mean anything. There was a couple there was a couple questions in there that I I thought that you were asking the other the other way around. Like maybe that's why I got some of them right, like with the uh the state. No, no, you you were right. You won. Congratulations. I accept the win. He's just trying to be kind to me. Thank you, Lance. I appreciate it, mate. Oh, yeah. I didn't understand what you're saying. So, TJ's definitely right. He's wrong. He's wrong. He'll always be wrong. Yeah. All right. Fair enough. Look, mate. Um Oh, it's been it's been great talking to you and I I think what we like can't even speak now. I'll put me teeth back in. What we like to do kind of towards the final segment is to talk about what's next. And you know, looking at the socials and obviously speaking to you, we know what you're doing. Um, you played Ramble at the Randall last Friday, which is on our bucket list of venues to to go to to see our good friend Josh Mitchum. Anyway, uh, but you were there last Friday. How was that? You know, what what was it like? It was incredible. I I'd been there once before, uh, but never played at the show. Uh, the the acoustics in the room are great. It's a hundred-y old barn that's like um well, you've seen pictures. It's just incredibly beautiful on the inside. And got to meet Philip Bowen. Um which, you know, he's an amazing artist out of West Virginia, plays a fiddle and sings like he's a great songwriter. Uh he he had a couple he had a drummer and a fiddle player. Um and then, you know, we just had a we had an incredible time. Rich Henderson was there from Alabama. Rich and I, we've been friends for a long time. And he's he's working directly with a um a producer down there. They have a business called the Alabama Sound. And that's where Josh is recording this new album right now with um with, you know, Rich and his producer. His the his producer was there. I'm trying to remember his name again. Is it Brett Robinson, I believe. Brett Robin? Yes. I was blanking out on that. Brett Robinson. He was there at the show, too. Got to meet him in person. Um, overall, such a great time. Um, we had a good turnout. Beautiful. And, um, it must be good because you you've chosen that as your your venue for the most special day next year, haven't you? Yeah, we were, uh, Wendy and I were were there and we're just walking around thinking how great it would be to to get get married there. And then Josh, we got there very early and brought it up to Josh was like, "Yeah, that date's available." So, we went ahead and booked it for Wow. May the end of May. So, we're going to Congratulations. Yeah, it's going to be fun. Absolutely. So, I think I'm going to set up a I think I'm going to set up a a PA system at the wedding, too, and have some, you know, who my friends will get up there and sing a song or two, whatever they want to do. Can we come to the bachelor party? That's uh our one request. Come on out, man. It' be fun. Superb, man. And um you've got some amazing things coming up as well. You've got a a show with Black Breeze Smoke, who are an incredible band, and you've got a a unique connection with with that band, haven't you? Yeah, Charlie Star is my cousin, the lead singer, and I'm pretty sure that helped with getting the gig, honestly. But, um yeah, he's my he's a cousin of mine through on my mom's side of the family. and uh we're both related to Buford Abner. Buford Abner was a a legendary songwriter. He was a a singer back in the day, like western swing bands. And then it's with a a band called the Swany River Boys. They they did a lot of gospel stuff that hit big back in the day. He wrote the song Long White Line that Sergil Simpson covers. Oh, cool. Yeah. And so Charlie and myself are are both directly related to Beford Abner as a great uncle. And so and that's how we actually found out that we that he and I were cousins was through that story. Amazing. So you got you got that coming up. And Emily Jameson's in support with you, too. And she's she's fantastic also, isn't she? Absolutely. Yeah. She's going to be up there. I'm going to bring a fourpiece band with me. I got Chris Bentley on Coahone, Logan Henry on lead guitar, Samuel Lockach on fiddle, and those guys are going to be here any second to do do some rehearsal at the house. That show with Blackberry Smoke is coming up this Friday, so we got one one rehearsal to get in before then. Awesome, man. Well, we won't keep you too long. We've got a couple more questions and then uh you can jam out as uh as long as you want, dude. Um, so I suppose the last question from me is we we need you back in the UK. Uh, we want to see you. We want to share a beer with you. When when are you thinking of uh perhaps coming back over? I was I was initially going to try to get back there in May, but since we're doing the wedding in May, it may be too challenging to to do all that together. And so may may not be till the summertime of next year unless I can figure out a way to get over there sooner, you know, maybe through the winter or something like that. But you guys will be the first ones to know. But uh yeah, looking forward to getting back out there. Um I'm talking with a buddy of mine that's doing a bunch of shows in Germany and Scandinavia and he's wanting to get into the UK. uh Zeb South. I don't know if you know Zeb, but uh still we're still in talks about how that how how that's going to happen, but I I might join him on some shows in the UK and then go up to Scandinavia because I've always wanted to play there. I've traveled there back in my 20s, but I've been wanting to get back there ever since. So, we're going to try to work something out that would probably be in the summertime, like June, July, something like that if that happens. But um be working with Cat Deeds on that, getting it all planned out. Legend. All right, mate. Well, um definitely come and do grit sessions with us. We'll uh we'll book you in to do that and we'll we'll go somewhere nice, somewhere unique, and uh do do a few songs, mate. Sounds really good. Look forward to that. Fantastic. Well, Ronnie, you you're so good at wrapping up the show, mate. I say this every single episode that we do. You do. I would love to hand over to you to to to wrap things up. Well, Lance, um I normally go through comments that people have left you, but I've got my own comments for you this time. Uh and it's from TJ and I. Uh just to say that, um you are a truly inspirational person. Uh it's been an absolute pleasure speaking to you. Um a genuine, caring, soulful person. Um and for all the work and for all the help you give everybody uh to get their foot on the ladder. um just to get them out um putting everybody else first uh more than yourself. Um thank you on behalf of all of us and the entire community. Uh and like we've already discussed around for the love of Appalachia and then you missed out then for the love of Appalachia. Um please, you know, anybody who's listening to this, go and visit, go and give your money, go and do what you can do to sponsor um these these people going out and about. Um but Lance truly truly inspirational. So, thank you very much. An absolute pleasure talking to you, sir. And I will see you very soon, hopefully. So, we're going to wrap up and say, can we raise a toast to the grit, to the grind, and to the revival. Cheers for listening, everyone. Thank you.
