You're listening to the Dan time podcast. I'm
your host Dan McArdle 48 weeks so far of this
project We've come a long way and there's a long
way still to go So I appreciate you joining me
for this ride across the Daniverse. I hope it's
been fun That's what it's supposed to be fun.
You can find the show across the socials at Dan
time pod Please subscribe on your favorite podcast
platform. You'll get things like bonus episodes
that nobody else is going to hear about because
I'm not going to promote them. And that's a special
treat to subscribers of the show. Be sure to
check out the Dantime Podcast YouTube channel
over the coming weeks. I will be releasing some
never before seen videos from previous Dantime
episodes. Last week, my guest was Danielle Cosby.
songstress out of Nashville, Tennessee. Her new
single, You, is available everywhere this Friday,
July 12th. We're keeping it in the Music City
today, welcoming back one of my favorite singer
-songwriter guests who originally appeared way
back on episode number nine, Dan Harrison. Not
only have I been listening to Dan's songs since
last October, my little boys have latched on.
They've got their favorites. I can't tell you
how many times I've asked them, what do you guys
want to hear? And they reply from the back seat,
we went south. We went south. On the interstate,
heading straight for that small town. The town.
So that's Wyatt singing his favorite song, We
Went South. I remember driving home from T -ball
practice with Lauren this past spring, and we
listened to Alameda. On his request, no fewer
than about 10 times in a row. On this episode,
Dan's promoting the current single, Talkin' Dirty,
downloaded on all platforms. Dan's music, at
least for me, is just perfect riding around music.
It takes you places, gets you thinking, makes
you reminisce, makes you wonder about what's
possible. The choruses get stuck in your head,
the riffs, the solos. and all the other accents
that make these songs uniquely Dan Harrison.
This is pro quality. Dan Harrison is a thinking
man's songwriter. He's a music fan. He was also
a double major at Wake Forest and speaks fluent
Spanish. Dan knows the elements of a great song.
He knows how to connect with the listener on
an emotional level and he surrounds himself with
talented people in the industry. When he's not
writing his own songs, Dan is also out there
on stage performing with other musicians. Go
to danharrisonmusic .com, sign up for updates,
follow him on the socials, Dan Harrison Music.
Okay, enough said, let's get to the conversation.
It is Dan Harrison time. Dan Harrison time. I've
name dropped him at least a couple times on previous
episodes since the first one. And he's released
four singles if I'm keeping count in 2024. A
lot to catch up on today. The new single, Talkin'
Dirty. Can't wait to talk about, can't wait to
talk dirty with Dan. I actually didn't think,
that wasn't in my notes, but yeah. Dan there
for you. I would have said it if you But a big
deal here the first return singer -songwriter
musician on the show Dan Harrison, how you doing
today, man? Well, thank you so much for having
me Dan as always and I'm doing good. I just I'm
honored you had me come back. You must have run
out of interesting people to have to bring me
back Before you before you hit the 52 mark, but
I it's an it's an honor to be back. I do appreciate
it um good yeah well it's been quite a busy year
and just to think that 2024 we're at the halfway
mark and man you've really uh been pedaled to
the metal i think since we wrapped up in what
would have been maybe september of 23 we were
talking some we went south and i don't think
uh the duet with sophie lin had quite that had
not been released so far so good the music just
kept coming and coming as we rolled into january
february march Uh, folks, if you've missed some
of these releases, please go back, hit pause
on this podcast and get on your favorite platform,
Spotify, Apple music, wherever you stream music
and catch up on where you've missed. I've got
my favorites and I'll drop those in, but we're
going to talk about the, the here and now for
Dan Harrison, what's going on. And, uh, I understand
you just played a show today that was not scheduled,
but how'd that go? This this gig was a was actually
a little bit different. It wasn't my gig. I was
playing guitar for a buddy of mine I do I play
guitar for a bunch of different artists friends
of mine as well as my own gigs, but either way
It's just always fun to get the call and go out
and it was for a festival in downtown Nashville
today And that's always fun to play especially
in the summer just everyone's out like good spirits
good vibes and that that never gets old and I
just love to be out in the in the in the Sun
and and playing some tunes. Although, the sun
is pretty hot today. It's been pretty hot. I
don't know, you guys having that heat wave too?
Because, man, it is rough here. It has been rough.
Yeah, you know, you just try to get close to
the water down here. Because if it's that hot,
the breeze makes a little bit of difference,
but yeah. Oh, it does. But Dan, how are the,
when you get to play a set, now sometimes you're
playing, it's just you and the acoustic guitar.
and sometimes you got some guys behind you. Are
you still dusting off some of the old ones, like
running out of radio when you get to play with
a full band? How are those sets drawn up? It
kind of depends on the show, and that's a callback
for sure, running out of radio. It depends on
the show, depends on how many originals, because
sometimes it leans more playing covers versus
original, but obviously we're talking about more
original shows. It really kind of just depends
on the show. I'm trying to lean more into the
newer stuff for sure, just because that's the
stuff I'm trying to promote and put, you know,
currently putting out and is fresher. And frankly,
I think it's, you know, better. I like the stuff
that I put out when I first moved to town. But,
you know, I would hope the stuff that I'm putting
out after being in town six years is better than
the stuff when I first moved here. Otherwise,
that's not a progression you want to be on the
other way around. So, yeah, I definitely lean
more towards new stuff. And but but every now
and then I'll throw in especially if I'm like
if it's a lot of originals if it's like like
I'm playing a show this coming week actually
out of town a full band show out in Norfolk,
Virginia. I'm playing a long a long show there.
So that one I'm definitely doing some older originals
because I just have a lot of set time to fill.
So that and that's fun. It's fun to be able to
get to break them out because kind of putting
them next to the new ones and just kind of. It's
kind of like going back in time for three minutes
and like, oh, I remember this song and I'm here
now. Wow. So yeah. Yeah. I could see where some
of the older songs, like you said, you've moved,
moved along as far as production and you probably
hear certain things that you did in the studio.
You're like, I would have done that a little
differently now, but when you get to play it
live, you can put your current twist and experience
on it. The growth. Exactly. A hundred percent.
Yeah. I mean, John Mayer said this I don't even
know if I said this in our first podcast. I probably
have said it in every interview I've ever done,
just because I love it so much. But he talks
about how songs are like time capsules, and they're
capturing a moment in time. Because he's been
asked about like, oh, does he ever still play
like Body as a Wonderland or any of those ones?
He still liked those songs. It's like, well,
he's like 20 years plus older than he was when
he wrote them. He's in a different stage of life.
And he's like, you know, I might not relate to
those songs now, but there was a time that was
me. So it's still valid for me to play it. And
it takes me back to that moment. So I feel the
same about my song. I think any songwriter, artist,
anyone who creates will tell you whatever thing
that they're creating, it's capturing that moment
in time as much as anything else in their life
relative to them. So whether it's seeing an old
painting or listening back to an old song you
wrote, it's going to take you back to the circumstances
in which you created it as well, for sure. Dan,
I want to jump right into Talking Dirty here.
I want, I was thinking about this today. I've
been listening to the song a lot. The word play
has always been characteristic of your writing
style. And beyond that, Dan, I also like how
you kind of pair up phrases and you don't see
this in everybody's songwriting. Like you'll
talk about rather kick it back 30 rack instead
room for two, me and you messing up a short bed,
getting our hands a little less than clean. Actually,
that wasn't the one I'm looking here at the lyrics.
Yeah, sinking in some fresh mud stripping down
cleaning up out in the creek and the way that
rolls out like that That's all Dan Harrison when
people hear this It's not gonna remind them of
somebody else because those and I know you got
some writing partners as well but it's like characteristic
of your sound the wordplay and I think and we
went south the 09 Jeep reference Saved up some
green like you just no one else is gonna write
that that's your line But I appreciate I appreciate
that. I definitely obviously have to give credit
to co -writers. I think, I mean, they've certainly
helped me develop that sensibility that I have.
There was a time when I wasn't coming up with
those kinds of lines, but after having it rubbed
off on me for so long, that's definitely, that's
the thing, the kind of things that I gravitate
to. I just say hooks, like, because there's like
the main hook of the song, like the title, there's
guitar hooks, there's even hooks within lines,
like any kind of like... inner rhyme or alliteration,
stuff that just makes the line pop a little bit
more and more memorable, like those ones you
just referenced in those two songs. So I really
appreciate that. And that's certainly. So this
is another I forget who said this, but I was
seeing a show, another songwriter said something
like this or maybe it was a publisher and a publisher.
I don't I don't know. It all blurs together,
but something about songwriting. This is this
is what I have come to. This is what I aspire
for my songwriting to be in my songs in general.
They talk about how great songwriting is you
come from the melody and you stay for the lyric.
So the melody and the music captures your attention.
And it's great, no doubt. And it has to be great
because we're talking about music. So we want
the music to be there. But the lyric having being
really crafted is important to me. Not overdone,
hopefully, or overwritten, but really well crafted
and perfectly fit for the song and the sentiment
that you're trying to express. then it can have
layers and it's a listening experience. So people,
it captures people's attention like, oh, this
song is cool. And then they start actually listening
to the words like, oh, wait a minute, there's
something, there's more going on here. Like I
need to listen to this again. Like I don't want,
I don't want songs to be not just one hit wonders.
I want to be one and done. I want to, I want
people to re -listen. Like I, my favorite, I
still, I still listen back to my favorite records
all the time, like just uncovering pieces. And
obviously, cause they also bring me back there,
their comfort, like they bring me back to certain
things, but they were crafted and so well done.
It's like figuring out all the nuances, lyrically,
production -wise. So I really try as much as
I can, sometimes to the annoyance of my collaborators,
because I'm just like, no, this line's not right
yet. Like, they're all just trying to be done
and go home. They're like, no, we're close. And
so I can sometimes maybe be a little bit too
much. And I have to learn when to pull back and
like, hey, just let say the thing. You don't
have to overthink it. But I definitely try. say
it as freshly and in a unique way as possible,
because I think that's ultimately what distinguishes
an artist beyond their actual singing voice is
their lyrical phrasing and flow and how they
say things. Because I mean, you know the way
Springsteen is going to say something, the way
Dylan is going to say something, the way even
in the country music, like the way Morgan Wall
would say something versus Hardy versus Eric
Church. I know Eric Church is phrasing just as
well, if not better than his lyrical style. hear
a song like oh that's such an Eric Church line
even if he didn't write it or not but like it's
the kind of thing he would have written or then
I find out that he actually did and someone else
cut it but his phrasing is so unique and and
really inimitable and and that's another piece
of it that I think is really important so you
kind of hit it on the head there yeah real quick
talking about Eric Church and we'll touch on
the the single that preceded this one I go to
church loved that one you know some people fell
in love with Eric Church then there's been this
huge wave of new artists and kind of a new era
and Man, you'd go check back into some of those
albums and some of those singles that really
lit your world on fire They're still gonna do
it. I was listening to Eric Church last night
and Gosh, I mean just taking that song Springsteen.
I don't know that there's a better Crafted song
in the genre. It's in the top three. I think
since it was released. I mean, it's yeah, I agree
I've talked about this to many people and I might
have even have mentioned it on my social media,
on Instagram or something, but if I had to pinpoint
a song that really was the life -changing song
for me, it was that song because it was the song
that bridged the gap for me with the music I
grew up with, you know, classic rock and all
these other things with country music. And that
sort of nexus point showed me, hey, okay, if
I'm going to do music someday, like, I got to
go where this guy is and do it and do what he
does because that it just really hit me like
obvious I hadn't had that exact experience that
he had but it just hit that emotion and obviously
just the references it all just like connected
the dots for me and then it's you know like you
said with my song from the prior single sort
of a full circle moment of me then doing that
same kind of referential song about him that
he did about spring scene although it's it's
more concretely about him than uh springsteen
lyrically was like how the songs are tied in
with the memories of that relationship. So slightly
different, but similar concept of using the references.
So it really, yeah. No, I mean, I couldn't agree
with you more either. I mean, I could go on about
Eric's catalog. I mean, so many songs. That wasn't
the first of his that I heard, but that was the
one that really like blew the doors open for
me. it's when I started to understand what songwriting
was because you know I grew up singing and playing
guitar but we start off imitating before we start
before we start creating and so that was when
the doors started or the light started to flicker
on like okay this is this is something I need
to follow where this is going absolutely Dan
I think you do a great job and this latest single
is no exception of bringing in memorable guitar
solos. None of the solos in your songs feel like
throw away or just filler. It's like, well, it's
just a good place to just drop one in. It's like,
well, that was pretty cool. Like they all kind
of have that quality. I think you work with,
in my notes here, Alan Schoenfeld, Sol Littlefield.
When you guys get to that part where you're trying
to craft that solo for that song, is that some
pretty tense moments in the studio where you're...
Hey, let's hammer that out again. Let's do another
take No, I mean, it's Adam is Adam and Saul are
just absolute professionals. I mean they they
play on every hit record of the last like 20
years they've been a part of at least Adam has
assaults a little bit younger, but they saw played
on all of Luke combs and stuff played he's a
guitar and beer never broke my heart and working
with those guys really was an incredible experience
because You know, I've always been a guitar player
and I played all the guitars on my earliest records.
And I play guitar on a lot of these songs too,
but it was a new experience kind of going to
the studio with a band and actually tracking,
because that's what we did for a lot of these
songs. We kind of track them together. Since
I'd already had them written, I had these demos
done that I made. And that was part of the project
too, was to try and help me develop and find
my own sound. I built out these demos myself
with my producer's help, but really figured out
like what kind of... direction I wanted to go
sonically, where I wanted certain parts, the
kinds of parts I wanted. And to be honest, a
lot of the records are pretty close, at least
arrangement -wise, to what the demos were. Any
differences are what those guys came in and their
professional level brought up another 5 -10 %
and made it the difference between a good -sounding
demo versus a damn good, like a hit record. Those
guys, they just are pros. There's no issue, no
tension. In Talking Dirty specifically, the only
thing I knew that I wanted was a talk box. If
you know what a talk box is, like that's the
Peter Frampton, Do You Feel Like We Do, and all
that stuff. Just because of the song, I thought
it was a call to, like a cool little reference
to the fact the song's called Talking Dirty,
that the solo used a talk box. And that's like,
anytime you hear that, like kind of what, like
vocally kind of sound in the song, like there's
licks throughout the song that happen too, like
a wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah. I just let Adam
go nuts because he like had the thing he got
it and he was just doing it and I didn't even
need to because a lot of these songs I went in
later like they track the like meat and potatoes
the rhythm guitars I also got a shout out Devin
Malone too because he did all the acoustic and
banjo and all that stuff and he's an excellent
player all around electric and everything too
but he's really amazing at the acoustic and he's
played on all of Sam Hunt's records and everything
so it was really cool honestly to work with all
these guys these are the guys that played on
the stuff that made me want to move to town in
the first place so it was a really really cool
full circle moment For that, but yeah, I mean,
I'm used to playing guitar on all my records
and to let kind of let these guys come in and
let the pros do their work. It really forced
me to kick it up a notch. It's like, Hey, like,
do I really need to play on this song? Like I'm
going to play it live all the time. Like, and
I'll learn the part. It's not a mat. Like Keith
Urban doesn't play on every play guitar in every
single song that he. he might like do like a
signature lick or a solo but he's not like doing
every single rhythm part and every like he first
of all he doesn't have time he's on the road
all the time like he's Keith but I learned from
that experience it's like hey these guys do it
every day let them elevate the song and then
I can put my flavor in it where I need it to
and this song in particular I think I might have
played like a band guitar part in the in the
verse of the pre -chorus but I didn't actually
I don't think I actually played any guitar on
this track but I will say the demo was very much
informed with what they did. And there were some
other songs that are coming out soon, which you
don't even know about yet, where we even took,
because the parts were just right from the demo
and we were in the same key in the same tempo,
that we literally just took the track that I
did from the demo and put it in the final record
because it just was right. It was interesting.
Every track was a different experience. We completely
redid everything and it was still... informed
by the demo but some I didn't play on at all
some I played a lot of stuff on still like we
went back and overdubbed later and others it
was kind of a mix so long -winded answer as mine
tend to be but yeah I don't there was no issue
with those guys because they're pros and I'd
also put in a lot of work beforehand putting
together these demos a lot of times in the studio
you know artists or the songs come in just as
work tapes like just an acoustic guitar and a
voice so it's really up to them like these band
guys are like kind of almost producing at the
same time too, along with the producer and engineer,
like coming up with parts, trying to come up
with the vibe. And that's hard. That's obviously
harder and takes a lot more legwork. So I tried
to make it as easy for them as possible and just
like, Hey, here are fully built demos for all
of them. Like just take them and elevate them.
And that's what they did. I mean, just, it sounds
fantastic. It sounds like that. You do have some
pros behind you, but again, this is, this is
the brainchild of Dan Harrison. If you go back
to Hangover Here and that... I'm probably not
singing it just right, but is that something
that came to you one day and you're like, do
you kind of get these melodies in your head and
then pair them with some lyrics you've already
been writing? Or how does it usually happen?
It's happened always I remember specifically
with the hangover here if that was a riff that
I made on the demo I remember that and they they
retracted themselves because they when they were
in the studio, but I remember that riff It all
depends. I mean hangover here We'd had written
for a long time and we we did like actually two
different demos because the first one we did
just like wasn't Wasn't right and it was when
me and my my friend Elise we were just like so
much newer to town and newer to the recording
process so we just it wasn't right. So when I
was doing it, when I knew I wanted to cut it
for this project, I redid my own version of it.
And that riff came along just in that process.
But the song had already existed for a long time.
So sometimes it can just come along later. I
could literally be in the shower. A lot of times
I feel like when I'm doing things where, or like
when my brain has time to wander, like if I'm
half asleep or if I'm driving or if I'm on an
airplane, any time that my brain isn't busy with
an immediate task at hand, that's sort of when
things like that you know, just come into my
head. But a lot of what I do is pairing melodies
or vibes or chord progressions or whatever with
another lyric or title idea that I had separately.
It's just like playing puzzle pieces or Tetris,
like kind of just matching them together. Sometimes
though, it all comes at once. Like there's a
song I have coming out, the last song I'm putting
out this year. I very much remember at least
like the chorus melody in the hook concept. That
all came at once like one night like just the
met lead the melody was so tied to how that that
they were just tied together like the way I heard
when I first thought of that hook it just was
like Like immediately it's so sometimes there's
no there's no Hard and fast rule. It's happened
all kinds of ways for me and I'm sure any any
creative would say the same Dan I love during
the time a few months ago when hangover here
was the new single and some of the social media
posts and particularly, I mean, I still laugh
about this, Dan, the, the one you did where it's
like, okay, hangover at 21 and you just spring
right up, you grab a Gatorade and off you go,
hangover at 31. And folks, if you, if you miss
this one, go back and watch it. Dan's acting
chops are pretty solid there with the hand shaking,
trying to pour the glass of water. I mean, we've
all been there and my gosh, you know, if you
make it to 41, when you make it, that sounded
bad, but it doesn't get any easier. So I thought
that was hilarious, Dan, and the way that you
guys crafted the video, because again, there's
a lot of songs that address the party, the after
party, but what about the next, what about 7
.45 the next morning, you're running late for
work or you're not running late for work, but
you just realize, oh my gosh, what was that all
about last night? And I'm paying for it big time.
Oh yeah, absolutely. I appreciate that. That
was one of my favorite posts from that video.
That was just, I knew when I was putting that
thought, sometimes it's hard to figure out, it's
hard to plan content for certain songs. I don't
really know what to do here, but that song really
lent itself to just like, oh, there's so many
ideas we can do around drinking and hangovers
and that's always fun when. And I try and have
songs like that too that have like a whole kind
of world or a universe in them that like we can
extrapolate and exploit in other forms like that.
So yeah, that was a lot of fun. I go to church
with someone too. There's just so much to work
with because it's obviously all song references.
So different, different thing obviously, but
yeah, that was funny. And it's true. I mean,
I feel like I don't drink that much anymore anyway,
just cause like. I don't know. I mean, I will
certainly if someone is giving me a drink I will
rarely turn it down. But man, I just can't the
hangovers they last like a day plus now I can't
I Literally, I mean you I'm sure you remember
too. It was like two hours in the Gatorade and
I'm good. Oh Yeah, there's not Yeah, and then
halfway, you know through the next day, you'd
have you've gotten through If it's your workday
or whatever and you're 22 or 24 years old and
you're already thinking about that night You're
ready to go again. Um, it's 31 you need another
day Yeah, it makes me sick just thinking about
being like that back then So but uh different
yeah different era for sure what about just um
on that note do you feel like that there's Is
there much pressure out there living in nashville?
maybe not just the circles that you run in but
the places and events that you commit to and
then kind of afterwards is it is there pressure
to to hang out and And drink or do people mostly
respect if you're you're not drinking Oh, I mean,
there's definitely I don't know pressure is not
the right word but it's just definitely something
you're confronted with all the time like Press
not pressure to drink. There's definitely like
You feel I think at least I feel it, you know
a pressure to like be places like being a part
of the scene, showing up, supporting people,
having to support yourself, whether or not you're
playing, keeping running into people, because
that's how you get on people's radar, whether
it's through they keep seeing you play or you
keep running into them at the same place. So
absolutely, there's definitely that sort of dynamic.
And within that, drinking is obviously a big
part of the culture of the town. And obviously,
we lionize it in country music. Drinking is such
a... Lauded thing but we obviously we you know,
there's plenty of songs that talk about addiction
as well because it is and I have plenty of friends
here that you know, I've moved to town with me
around the same time and the drip, you know the
drinking they let the drinking kind of get the
better of them like Everyone's out here to have
a good time and even when we're quote working
and we can all have fun But it's kind of like
they don't really tell you like you got to figure
out your own limits and like what works for you
and like and that and that's true in terms of
drinking and just and hanging out like There
might be, usually there's like three or four
events going on almost every night in Nashville.
Like I need to like, oh, I should show face at
one of them. And there are some nights where
I try and hit all of them and for, you know,
30 minutes to 45 minutes each. And there's some
nights I only hit one or two. And then there's
some nights where I'm like, man, there's just
so much going on and I have so much on my plate.
And I'm just so mentally exhausted that I wouldn't
be my best if I'm there. and then that's not
serving you well. If you're not able to take
advantage of the situation there and be present,
that's something that we all struggle with. I've
struggled with immensely. So in those kind of
moments, I try and just take a step back, sort
of what we were talking about before we started
the podcast, like finding, trying to find that
balance, you know, because it's so easy to just
be go, go, go. I always got, I have a million
recording things I'm working on for myself and
for other people. And then at that same time
trying to show up to the places to meet the right
people and be in the right spot at the right
time and to create opportunities. And so it's
a never ending kind of balance and struggle.
And that's, you know, part of it is some people
relish that and it can be fun, but it can also
be overwhelming. So definitely there is a pressure,
whether it's external or internal, some mixture
of both, certainly to be present and hang out.
and there's just alcohol is there. I mean, there's
plenty of people that don't drink anymore. And
that I know, like I said, that, you know, went
to a bad place with it and kind of came back.
So I don't think anyone's really pressuring anybody.
It's just like, you're just surrounded by it.
You have to have your own strength of will. Well
said. Me personally, sometimes I'm fine drinking
the water if I don't want to drink, but club
soda with lime. I'll just throw that out there.
It looks like you're enjoying the beverage. If
you're flashing the grin and you're hanging out,
it's 11 o 'clock and you're in a bar. People
think that's a gin and tonic. I'll have a Coke
or a ginger ale. They don't know. They probably
think it's Jack. Who cares? Right. You know?
Yeah. And honestly, I still get hungover anyway,
even if I don't drink. If I'm out late enough
and at those bars and we're like, I still feel
terrible the next day. Yeah. You know, it's it's
alcohol is not going to make any better for sure.
But. Yeah, no, it's and you gotta How about some
of the things that you have? Where you've taken
the music like Key West Songwriters Festival
Back in May. How was that experience? Oh It was
a blast it always is and that definitely kind
of what you're What we were just talking about
with you know in terms of being there and then
that there's more That that one's harder to resist
in terms of drinking but that's just because
you know, we're all we're all down there at the
beach like That's a bit of a different situation.
That's spring break for Nashville. But it was
awesome. It's always a great time. That was probably
my fourth time going since I moved here. And
it's a great time. It's always a place that I
make a lot of new friends that I might have already
known in town, but I didn't really spend any
time with. But you kind of get to know people
in a different setting. It's well more than worth
the price of how expensive it is to go and stay
there in Key West for a week, right? And and
I always kind of treat it as like a work vacation
so to speak, but it's a lot of fun and But definitely
have to pace yourself just like within this town
and industry in general you just it's a really
good microcosmic microcosm and metaphor for Nashville
in general, you know five days of Non -stop drinking
and partying and playing shows like you you you'll
kill yourself real quickly if you're not careful
And I've I've had those years. I learned it the
hard way. So I've gotten a lot better at I'm
knowing how to pace myself at least there. So
Yeah, but it was a great time. It always is just
recently this this a few weeks ago the Carolina
Country Music Fest Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Yeah. Yeah, I played a couple smaller stages
there. That was a lot of fun and I went to Myrtle
Beach in college a number of times on, you know,
spring break and post exams trips. And so it
was funny to be back there. That was just a quick
same day in and out kind of thing. I didn't really
get to enjoy the festival as much as I wanted
to. Saw a few other artists there and some other
friends that I know too that were playing. But
it was cool. It's always nice to be, any excuse
to be by the beach is okay with me. So I definitely
broke out a few of the beach songs because, you
know, when it went in Rome, as they say. Yeah,
what do you like to what are there some? Kind
of island covers of some of the Kenny Chesney
Jimmy Buffett variety songs that you like to
play in certain certain locales Yeah, I mean
definitely Jack Brown stuff like knee -deep.
I mean margaritaville is always a classic I mean,
I'm a big Jake big Jake Owen fan. So I like a
lot of his stuff He has a bunch of beach songs.
Obviously Kenny does too beer in Mexico is a
good one I have an original that I love that
I played out a lot I haven't recorded it, but
I would like to maybe someday, but I also think
it very much could be a song that a guy like
Kenny Chesney or Jake Owen or one of those guys
could do and it would be really, really awesome
if they did. It's a beach song. I have a lot
of beach songs, weirdly enough, but this one
is one of my favorites called To Beach Their
Own. And it's just, you know, kind of... Kind
of what it sounds like, you know, we all we all
have our beaches that we like and that's okay
to beach their own But it's it's it's a fun one
and people people always seem to like it. So
yeah, that's it. That's a fun one Yeah, I could
um in some of those songs you named I mean, I
love Bama Breeze. We were talking about that
before we got started here Great. Yeah, I actually
don't know that I've ever played that I've seen
the writer who wrote one of the writers who wrote
that marker when I've seen him play it many a
time here in town and He tells a story about
it and it's always really cool Just like how
it got to Jimmy and all that and but I don't
know that I actually ever played that myself
I should I should add it to the set because it's
a great one Jimmy Buffett is I mean Of course
when he passed away there was a groundswell support
and everyone posting their their thoughts and
their favorite songs man I still think about
Jimmy Buffett love his music and His loss. I
think is still felt across genres The way absolutely
there's just like so many ways to carve it up
the legacy the fun that he had on stage Everyone
remembers that the smile he's hopping around
barefoot. He's just having the time of his life
There was so much more more depth to Jimmy Buffett
that I think people realize I mean the guy was
I want to talk about Speaking of well -spoken
Dan Harrison. I don't think we covered it on
the first episode That you graduated from Wake
Forest, but but a double major Want to touch
on that in a couple minutes here, but but yeah
your thoughts on on Jimmy Buffett and what he
meant to you You know, I can't say that I would
like I grew up die like Springsteen Queen Van
Halen Who else might think of like John Mayer?
guys like that so I I certainly loved Jimmy and
loved his stuff, but I wasn't as Familiar with
his stuff until a little bit later. It's honestly
coming to Nashville My respect for him has grown
immensely and I really do love a lot of his songs
and he was a great songwriter as well as song
picker, we like to say. He chose great songs
to record whether or not he wrote them, which
is a skill. I mean, all the best guys here in
town, Kenny, Lee Bryce, Garth Brooks, I mean,
they are all great songwriters themselves who
have hits to their name, and they had to be that
good to know how to pick great songs. So Jimmy,
I think the more that I've come to, the more
that I've listen to and learn about Jimmy. I
think he really feel good music is just all that
comes to mind. I think the stuff that we just
think of as cliche that is kind of like that
island sounding thing, that didn't exist before
him. It's because he made it so ubiquitous and
popular. And I think we take that for granted.
He's the perfect example of music that's just
made to make people feel good and bring people
together. There's no agenda behind it. There
can be a message, but it's simple messages. And
it really, I think, is the purest and most honest,
one of the purest and most honest artists and
catalogs out there in that sense. I think he
really, he's an artist that I, you know, I think
you could say just as much as anyone really,
like, left a mark on the world with their music.
Because just think about it, I mean, the Margaritaville
brand, everything that's an extension of Jimmy
Buffett, he was a billionaire. He built these
incredible brands. I didn't even know he had
retirement communities for Margaritaville. He
created this lifestyle. I think another good
way to look about it is his fans, his die -hard
fans are called Parrotheads and you have Deadheads.
It's that level of dedication and fandom. It
wasn't just fans of the music. It inspired a
culture and a way of life. You know what I'm
talking about? I can't even imagine my music
having that kind of effect and effect. I would
love it to, positively, certainly. Just him being
able to figure that out is really, really incredible.
So he's just, yeah, there's really few artists
like him. And it was, I also didn't know that
he came to Nashville originally and it was like
him having, it was him leaving Nashville and
going to Key West and finding that that's where
he found his niche. But Nashville is still always
a part of his story and close to his heart. So
I always thought that was cool, too. I really
like your thoughts there on Jimmy. Again, if
there's no Jimmy Buffett, there's probably, you
know, who knows where Kenny Chesney. Right. Which
direction his career turns. I apologize for people
listening or watching. You can hear the daddy
daddy in the background. Oh, I actually get that.
So that's one of your fans there, Dan. Yeah,
I got to mention before we before I forget. I
mean my boys love dan harrison They and it's
weird like why it is the we went south guy and
warren. My oldest is the alameda guy And they
are latched onto the those are their jams Wow,
that's that's that's special. I uh I I really
yeah That's that's really cool But I just wanted
you know what you're saying there Some of your
songs also have that quality where it's I don't
know if you'd call it escapism, but People feel
better. I think when they listen to some of these
songs I will always associate we went south with
the fall the onset of fall For some reason for
me football season. I know you're playing a tailgate
in September back at Wake Forest I saw that on
the website September 14th. Yeah I don't know
if that's announced yet, but I mean, I put it
on the website, obviously. I don't know, but
it hasn't been, I don't know if it's been officially
announced by weight, but yeah, I'm playing the
homecoming tailgate there. We're playing Ole
Miss actually. So that'll be a lot of fun. Yeah.
I'm excited for that. That'll be a, that'll be
a perfect place to play. We went south for sure.
And Dan, I got to say this real quick. Alameda
is a really special song to me. I feel like this
is one and folks, if you missed it, it was released
the top of the year, January, 2024. You really
flourished on this song, Dan. I think that it's
almost like you're, well, I don't think you're
just coming out and saying, look, I could do
this all day long. I could write songs just like
this, and this could be all I do. But it's kind
of showing people, hey, I could do this. If I
wanted to just write these really deep songs
where your curiosity really shines through, I
think you hit one out of the park. I was talking
to an FM DJ friend. I call him a friend. He's
a contact in Fort Walton Beach. Said you got
to listen to this. I'm not telling you got to
put it in a rotation, but check it out Hope he
doesn't mind me name dropping here Bo Reynolds
Highway 98 country said I'll say this Dan It's
a beautiful song very well written and the production
is pro level now I didn't stick around to see
if you put in rotation or not, but Yeah, I'll
have to check my ASCAP statements if you did
Yeah, but that's awesome. And actually a good
buddy of mine who's actually one of the funny
connection there One of my good buddies from
college, who's one of the people that really
introduced me to Eric Church, is actually from
Fort Walden Beach. So kind of a funny small,
small circle world there. He's getting, he lives
in Louisiana now. He's getting married next year.
I'm going to go to his wedding. So I appreciate
that. I don't know if we, I guess we haven't
spoken since Alameda. Yeah. I don't know if I
told you or you probably saw online, but yeah,
that song was about my grandma, my mom's mom,
because she passed sometime during COVID and
she was from Alameda. That's where she was born.
and it was just you know I realized after she
passed like obviously she'd been alive for most
of my life she was almost 94 like you know lived
a long time but last couple years were not not
great but I just realized there wasn't that much
that I actually knew about her life before certainly
before I was born and definitely before my mom
was born like I knew like where she was born
her parents if she had siblings etc like because
some of her I think her brother's still alive
but Yeah, I just realized there wasn't that much
I know. And about all my grandparents, and even
my parents to a certain extent, it's just like
things we just take for granted or don't think
about. And so that was kind of that song was
like, man, I wish you were still here. I'd ask
you all this stuff. And hopefully someday I get
to. And I think we've all had that feeling with
someone. So I really appreciate that though.
That means a lot. Yeah, I took down this in my
notes too. This may have been on one of your
One of the reels when that song was released
the experience of this song has made me want
to be more vocal in my relationships It's kind
of like the Cody Johnson song till you can't
You can only talk to someone about their life
and experiences until you can't so I just Really
love that damn Sure. Um, it's true But super
excited for you here. What's coming next the
music that's coming out next folks. Check it
out talking dirty We probably didn't talk enough
about this song. Let's let's bookend it here
on talking dirty the video I don't think I mentioned
this Andrew I'm probably gonna mispronounce this.
I think I said Alan Schoenfeld. That's Adam Adam
Adam. Yeah Andrew Capra Yes, produce the video
No, he's the he produced the rep the song the
record the video by Grayson Green Yeah, he's
done. He does a lot of work. He's a great great
video guy does a lot of great work in town and
I'm very lucky to work with him so yeah we did
that was a fun little video that was like just
a really simple concept we just went like way
out like 30 miles west of town and found this
like dirt road and it just like had all the trappings
of like a country song that you could want like
visually like there was a cornfield there was
like water there was dirt roads and we were trying
to figure out like a simple concept and we're
like Well, I'm just kind of walking down this
road and that's cool, but it's just also kind
of boring. Why don't we do it once, like where
I'm completely clean. And then I just got really
dirty and took my shirt off and like rubbed it
in the mud and put mud all over my face and everything.
And so we like kind of the full video, which
isn't out yet, but like it kind of just cuts
between the clean takes and the dirty takes.
And we just, we did the exact same thing like
twice and just had a lot. It was, so that was
a lot of fun. So. Very very also dirty And even
in this song it kind of sounds like you know,
it's a subject in the song if the girl starts
talking to you Hey, all you got to do is start
talking dirty But you really still drop in that
Dan Harrison curiosity in the song. You're still
interested in in her But yeah, I love the chorus.
The chorus is gonna stick in your head folks
play the song after your after you wrap up This
episode. I'm only talking dirty like a dirt road
out where no one else goes nothing, but the pines
far as we can see You're gonna love it and I
tell this to all my listeners because I have
I've had guests on the show that Daniel Moralia
blues artist Dana Wiley from Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada I'm sure that place is about to erupt
if they can pull off this upset against the Stanley
Cup finals That would be crazy. I was actually
in Canada earlier this week And it was game five
and they, and they say, and I've just was in
a random bar and they were, yeah, that was, that
was crazy. It was time in Canada during the Stanley
cup and they're like, do or die game five. Yeah.
But I, I try to cover as many genres as I can.
I've got some outreach out there that I've, I'm
still, it's still pending on an R and B guest,
but I've had Americana folk. I had a metal drummer.
We've got another indie pop artist coming up.
But if my guest on any given week, it's like
not in your wheelhouse. I guarantee you that
you know somebody who's going to love this sound.
So keep an open mind, even if you don't think
that this is your thing. If you've been listening
to the show, I haven't steered you the wrong
way yet. So check out Dan Harrison, put it in
a playlist and wait, especially with football
season coming up, wait for someone to ask you,
who is this? Because they're going to do it.
Mix it in with some Eric Pasley, Eric Church,
and just drop in Dan Harrison in the middle of
the playlist. Everyone's gonna hear the songs
they know, and then they're gonna hear a song
they're like, I feel like I should know this.
That's just my commentary, Dan. I really appreciate
it, Dan, as well. Like that really, that's very
kind of you. And I mean, if I had, if I had a
thousand people that, you know, that you probably
heard of that, a thousand true fans. If I had
999 other guys, or let's say 997 because you've
got your sons. So, um, 997 other folks like you,
I'd be, I'd be doing pretty well. So I really,
really appreciate it. Well, you got great things
ahead and, um, love to have you back to talk,
you know, Dan Harrison, part three, we'll check
in in 2025, who knows when, but maybe, I mean,
there's, could be another, some more stories
and some more singles to talk about. Can't wait
to watch as your music evolves here, Dan. Appreciate
it man any time any time absolutely All right.
Well, that's it for this episode folks. We got
a they always got to come to an end and as you
can tell I Don't like to do that Because I want
these episodes to continue on but anyway, thanks
Dan for being here and folks check it out Dan
Harrison go to danharrisonmusic .com and Same
social media handle. Is that correct? Correct.
Yeah, Dan Harrison music on all socials except
for twitter slash x it's dn harrison music dan
would have the a would have been one character
too many unfortunately maybe we'll change that
someday all right man well you guys have a great
week and we'll see you next sunday on the dan
time podcast thank you so much dan thank you
So Warren, what's your favorite Dan Harrison
song? Alameda. Why do you like Alameda? Because...
You like the story? Yes.