Joey Stuckey 0:00

Welcome once again to Stuck on Sound. I have one of my favorite people with us today, a dear friend and just an amazing talent and a true Georgia treasure, Diane Durett. And Diane, thank you so much for making time for me today, my friend.

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Oh, it's so good to hang with you, Joey Stucky.

Joey Stuckey 0:18

Yeah, it's it's it's always fun. You know, nine times out of ten when we get together, nobody goes to prison. So I feel like that's a win.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

That is a win for sure. For sure. And nobody needs to get in jail. Right.

Joey Stuckey 0:32

Oh, I would not, I would not do well there. No, either. I just would not. Um let me let me tell you, you, you know, I have uh I have had the the great pleasure to to work with you uh in in several different ways. And um, you know, one of the things that uh one of our first real quality times that we got to to spend together was hanging out with Tricky Stewart at his new uh studio in in Atlanta and working with Ed Roland of Collect His Soul and writing some music. And we we had such a blast. We wrote a tune and we recorded it and had had a lot of fun. Um and that was just a fun process. Uh it's always such a nice it's just such a nice thing when you find people that you really can relate to and you have fun with and you're creative together. And um, I just think that's such a such a special uh thing to have happen. Um just to be able to get in a room with people and just and just enjoy that. And and we did, we had such a blast. And you know, I have a few I have a few accolades. Uh uh, I don't have any Grammys and I don't have gold records, but I did get Ed Roland to make me coffee, and I feel like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

I feel like that's something that's that's something, that's for sure something.

Joey Stuckey 1:49

I feel like that's something, but of course, you're also uh in a leadership role at the Recording Academy, uh, where we both serve on the board. I'm I'm a governor, and you are in fact our president, uh, which is very exciting, and um, you know, and and and just such a fantastic leader and and and you know, really um keeps things moving, which is really nice. Um and and you have a heart for service, which I love. So, you know, we've we've done a bunch of different things together, and I know a little bit about your early life, but I always like to start these conversations on the podcast with finding out how it is that Diane Durette said, music is the life for me. So what what brought you to this to this field? And and you know, how old were you? What was the you know, what was the thing? Was there a watershed moment where you realized, hey, I I don't actually want to fly rocket ships, I want to sing? Like what's what what happened there?

SPEAKER_00 2:53

Well, um, you know, I started um my mom was a choir director, so at Second Ponce de Leon uh church on Peachtree Street, and um she was one of the choir directors, she's actually part of the children's choir director. So at a young age, I was already singing in choir, and my mom was a soloist. And it just I always enjoyed um being with, I mean, the choir and and just all the the wonderful things that music brought us. Then I ended up getting uh starting in just the new wave of contemporary Christian music, which had just started, like Mylan Lefevre and uh oh yeah they had broke, was it broken art? Um but anyway, and so you know, I we were listening to all that, and um a friend of mine, Doug Keys, who's still playing, uh he owns a uh uh a music uh uh school in Noonan and has his career has gone on, and he was my first guitar player, and we had this band. And um but we were rock and roll. I mean, he had like he had a Les Paul and Marshall Camp. And I remember us going to this church in um uh in Jonesborough, and you know, the the lady who she had her, you know, one of the beehive, you know, all the way up to the you know, how high is the the hair reached heaven, and she was our host, and you know, we're like rocking it out, you know. And uh, you know, right before us were these uh these these uh young gospel group, you know, four-part harmony, you know, and here we come with our, you know, jamming, jamming, rock and roll, um, Christian music. And um she gets on the stage after we play and she kind of looks out and she's like, well, everyone praises the Lord in their own way.

Joey Stuckey 4:58

So so it's it's it's uh I think it's safe to say you scared the natives.

SPEAKER_00 5:04

Yeah, so we that was you know, that was like the beginning, and then I um ended up going to Georgia's you know, Mercer University for a little bit. I have no idea in Atlanta. Well in Atlanta, they have a you know, and uh that's right. Started, you know, studying music there, and then I switched over to Georgia State and um, you know, ended up finishing um, but I was I was playing in bands, so I I really never left Atlanta in that time, but um just loved, kind of switched over to um kind of went through a period of doing covers and stuff like that. And and then um when I got fired from my cover band that I started uh I put my foot down and said, I'm doing my original music. And so after that, that was sort of you know the the shift and started doing um I always wanted to do, I was kind of in that it was soulful rock uh world. Um some of the you know, we kind of got pushed into southern rock a little bit. I got a chance to sing with Greg Allman on stage. Yeah. Um one of his Christmas shows at center stage, and um that was amazing. It was sold out. People are like, ah, you know, yeah. And uh actually got to sing Stormy Monday with Floyd Floyd Miles and Greg Allman. So yeah, that was a different what a bucketless moment that is. Right, totally, totally, one thing you never forget. Amazing.

Joey Stuckey 6:35

Yeah, and uh you know, and Greg was always very nice to me. I he he he said he recognized and remembered me. I I don't know that that's true, but I I he was always so kind and gracious when I encountered him. Uh I never got to sing with him, but uh, you know, we'd shake hands, that kind of thing. But yeah, he that was that's amazing.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

Yeah. So that was just, I mean, you know, just every time I thought about quitting or uh which were, you know, the times came along because the life of music is uh there's a lot of doors that get shut in your face. Well, there's a lot of crazy, and there's a lot of crazy. And uh you know, a little a little bit of crazy is all right, but a lot of crazy is not.

Joey Stuckey 7:18

I mean, I'm I mean, I look, friends, in in no way am I trying to dissuade anyone from being in the music business. But that being said, uh, you're gonna have to figure out pretty fast that there's a lot of people that are divorced from reality. And you just have to be able to like uh deal with it and move it.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Yeah, yeah.

Joey Stuckey 7:37

But it's but it's you know, it's true. I mean, I like that you say, you know, you just that that there were those moments. I think it's that that's an important thing for people to understand. In anything you do, there will come a moment where you have doubt. I mean, there's just, you know, uh because we're human. I mean, it's it's it's perfectly fine to have a little doubt. But I glibly, when people say, How long how did you stay in the music business so long? You know, you're still in it, you're still doing it, you know. Uh I'm too dumb to quit. I mean, I it just, you know, but but for I know that you and I are simpatico in the fact that uh you know, it's a spiritual thing for us. It's uh it's it's you know, I am not fully me if I'm not doing it. And that's that's the reason. I mean, it's you know and I take it I take being an artist really seriously. Now, I work mostly as a producer to pay for my habit of being an artist. I mean, that's that's kind of and you know, we all have different paths, but I I'm so fascinated um to hear, you know, some of this story I didn't know um, you know, uh about starting off with with with the with what we would call in the college like sacred music or whatever. But you know, just like playing in the church. And it's interesting as as um as I didn't start playing until late, uh uh because I was a very sick child, a sick teenager, uh brain tumor survivor, and you know, it was more about like survival and not dying. That was kind of the that was kind of the focus. Yeah, uh you know, and and you know, that's that's what it was. I mean, you guys do what you gotta do. But I tried to get involved in uh one of the local churches here and and play and be part of like the praise and worship thing, and they said to me, Who do you listen to? And I said, Oh, the the Beatles, and that was the end of that. So uh but they they they decided I was not the right person. Uh but but anyway, I I think that's so cool. I like that you made the decision to do original music, and as far as I know, uh you have not turned back from that course, right? You're just you do primarily your original stuff, right?

SPEAKER_00 9:44

That's true. I, you know, I'm I'm a singer-songwriter, so um, yeah, I just I have stayed on that path, and I would say uh it's probably a more difficult path, you know, in instead of the tribute bands and that kind of thing. But when you have the gift of writing, and um so I I you know I I think just like you were saying, the spiritual part when when you are getting like these um um creative moments, you know, it it is sort of a spiritual moment. I mean, even if it's even if it's uh something you're just going through and there's there might be some anger coming out, or there might be some, you know, it other things, but um I feel like that that is a part of um my artistry, and to deny that would be kind of like you were saying, you know, denying a part of yourself. Um plus it's fun.

SPEAKER_02 10:46

Yeah, plus it's fun.

Joey Stuckey 10:50

Over time, over time you will find your tribe, and you will find people that love you and that you love and that support you and you encourage each other, and over time you will find that collection of people. It takes a while. Um you know, uh uh in the early days. I don't know if you experienced this. I I imagine you did. Uh, I think it's probably fairly universal, but you when you're in bands and stuff, you know, there's one or two people that are pretty serious, and the rest of them really aren't. And you know, it it's it's difficult uh to be in a band that's a democracy if you've got some people that aren't serious. And and so I kind of made the decision uh you know, again, to do my music. I I well I actually never didn't. I always I always started off like the whole reason I picked up a guitar was to to write and sing and to play my stuff. And now I I played covers, don't get me wrong. But I mean I never had a never had a was never part of a like quote unquote cover band. I always was pushing for originals and you know, some of them were good and some of them weren't. But the the the thing is like you know, I I just felt like uh, well, I I'm doing all the work, uh I'm taking all the blame. Uh I I'm writing all the songs. You know what? I'm a solo artist, I ain't no more bands. Yeah. I'm tired of the drama. But but but you, I mean, you know, and and you and I have have done things where you know sometimes it's just you know me and the guitar, sometimes it's me with five or six people or something. So, you know, you put together what you need. But I I know that um what I want to clarify is you said you went to Mercer, you said you went to to uh to Georgia, uh Georgia State. Georgia State. Was that for a music degree or was that something else?

SPEAKER_00 12:34

Well, I started out doing a music degree at Mercer, and then I ended up um finishing in um radio and television production. Oh, cool. Yeah, I know that. Yeah, and so it was a communications degree, but we we took recording. Uh I I minored in commercial music and uh we took like recording classes and management classes. So it was it was kind of a combo. Uh kind of a combo, I guess.

Joey Stuckey 13:02

Yeah, how well did that serve like how well did your formal education serve you when you got out into the big bad world and tried to to to to do it full, like do music full time? Like what how how helpful was that?

SPEAKER_00 13:14

Well, I think that I think it was helpful in the way, like of course the music part was helpful, you know, the writing and to to really understand music better with theory. Um not that you know, I got thrown in with a bunch of piano piano players who had been playing since they were, you know, five, and that was they were far ahead of me, but um yeah, I was like, oh what? But but as far as like the learning about radio and television, it actually worked really well considering how it is now, how what music, how it is now, which is so media driven and social media, you know. I I learned how to make a quick commercial. I mean, those things like that. Uh known how to, you know, do a lead. What where should you where should you focus when you post something? I mean, these are all things that I actually learned in college. Yeah. Things that I didn't think I'd ever really necessarily need as a musician. But in fact, you know, I it it did had it it has helped me along the way. And even, you know, what thinking about well, what what is what is the Atlanta Constitution? What is the AJC looking for to write about? You know, things like that.

unknown 14:29

Yeah.

Joey Stuckey 14:30

Oh no, that's that's I mean, that is real helpful because you know, one of the things that's happened uh in the industry with with, you know, uh when I first started, you know, uh there were still six major record labels. And uh and you had gatekeepers that uh you know uh sort of curated what you got to hear. Uh in a way that's annoying, but in a way it's good because they used to do things called, and and the younger people will not understand what I'm saying, artist development. Where they would where they would take you and they would they would they would help you to help you become everything you needed to become. And you know, this whole thing, and then that's just that that's doesn't happen anymore. I mean from my perspective, and I and please feel free to contradict me if you have something different. Uh it it pretty much seems they they find someone they like, use them up, throw them away, and get somebody new. Uh that's just how I feel about it.

SPEAKER_00 15:24

Well, you know, I think the you know, I think artist development is is through producers, you know. Yeah, it is now. Or just going out there trial and error and doing what you do and yeah, and and you know, social media, the if you put something out and it gets some attention. I you know, I I agree it was it was better, but I also think that it was much harder. Well, certainly for women, they they did not sign women very much at all.

Joey Stuckey 15:52

I wanted to talk to you about that specifically, as a matter of fact. This is perfect segue. So uh, you know, there are a unique set of challenges uh to be a disabled person in any industry.

SPEAKER_02 16:06

Yeah.

Joey Stuckey 16:06

Um what what was it like for you uh being a woman in an industry, as you aptly say, that that really was an encouraging. Uh I mean, this is this is only recently begin to to to change in my mind. Uh so what what tell me about that experience and and how you were when you were making your way, what were what were the hurdles?

SPEAKER_00 16:29

Well, I mean, one is you know, we went up to Nashville and and we're trying to pitch an artist and uh female artist, and uh the one of the execs was like, Well, is she skirts or pants?

Joey Stuckey 16:41

Oh my god. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 16:44

Yeah, that's you're you're reduced to uh are you skirts or pants?

Joey Stuckey 16:48

Wow. That would have required a punch to the face. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

All right. And uh and I think that but uh you know, you I just the as far as like the big major labels at the time, they if you were a woman they were so worried about, oh she's gonna go have a family and then she'll be gone and we can't sign her for the next 20 years and she'll be done, so let's just stay away from the women. And that was kind of that.

Joey Stuckey 17:21

And um that never even crossed my mind.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

Yeah, they that was that was definitely a lie. If you weren't a teenager, they pretty much didn't want to sign you. They would go for the teenager as long as that lasted, and then you know, most of those didn't last very long. But that and they just they focused on men, you know, as singers and everything. I I there's very few, I think things started to change just a little bit um in the late 90s, and uh uh well of course we had um back way back as we had Hart, Pat Benitar, you know, you had your few, right? Yeah, Joe Jet, you know, uh yeah, I'm just saying that's way on back. But um of course Janice way, way, way back, but um that was before our time. But um, you know, but then it started changing when the indie artists, when those indie labels started happening. Do you remember that period where the indie of the four set was a big yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And uh that's when they started going, oh wait, we can make money off of the women too. So I don't know. There was right, there was a shift in consciousness, I think, around that time. And you know, it's I always the the good thing I did enjoy my all my bands were were were men, we're dudes, you know. I I I just I was used to working with men. It was fine, you know. Um I got put in some weird positions a couple of times. Um you know what I'm saying. The the talk is the old school talk where there's a lot of sexual uh innuendo and all that. But you know, I was kind of like I rolled with the punches, it was just the way that it was. You know, yeah, and uh, but I was really happy to see and I'm glad that I have hung in there throughout my career where it's really shifted, where women have a lot more opportunity and they've created their opportunity. And even the the younger women, they you know, they they they've uh I think they they got a lot more chances to um have a lifelong career.

Joey Stuckey 19:38

And you know, I mean they're they're uh I'm thinking right now Billy Eilish. Uh and she's just unafraid. I you know, yeah, I I love her. I uh I won't go down the rabbit hole too far, but you know, uh this year at the Grammys, you were there, I was there in the room, and she said some stuff, and I was like, preach, sister, preach. So she but she just you know, she's just out there uh doing it and just like, hey, I am a commodity and you will respect me. You know, I love it. I love it. I think that's you know, she she knows her value. And uh, you know, uh somebody else that that I have become a fan of uh is Taylor Swift because uh that's a smart woman. I mean, she she understands the business, she understands the art. Uh just I mean, but I mean she knows what she's doing and protects her brand very vigorously, and she should. Um so you know it's it's amazing to see these real powerhouse women because I mean, I don't know, for a while, like we had, I don't know, Madonna, Whitney Houston. I mean, not you know, not tons of uh institutions, you know, Dolly Parton's kind of an institution, I guess you'd say. Uh you know, but but I I I I think you're seeing it more, um, which is exciting. Um I I really like that. You you were in Atlanta for a long time, but you did go to Nashville and and and and sort of try to break that scene because you've you've got a book about this, if I recall. Yeah. Uh yeah. Uh and I want to talk about that because well you know you you sound well the the stuff I've always heard you do, let me say, is you know, bluesy, funky, cool stuff. Um and then I and you also you know played the music that was scared to everybody at the church. And uh what which which can I tell you a deep dark secret? I've always wanted to name my band something like uh I don't know, like uh the holy dove or something. Uh go into these churches, you know, and and and and then play like death metal. And uh just to see what would happen. Uh yeah, and I mean, yeah, we we could we we could keep it praise and worship, but I could keep the lyrics, you know, Jesus oriented, but just just to see what would happen. But yeah, yeah, exactly. You know, Joey and a thing. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 22:06

Well, you you might be able to get away with that in California.

Joey Stuckey 22:08

Well, we're gonna find out. But it's soon all soon.

SPEAKER_00 22:14

It's probably done.

Joey Stuckey 22:17

There's a part of me that really wants that. But I try to keep that tamp down because uh my wife says that that's not something she wants to get behind.

SPEAKER_02 22:28

You're on your own, buddy.

Joey Stuckey 22:30

Yeah, she has to drive me, so God. So anyway, but yeah, but so I mean, you were, you know, you were doing uh the rock, you were doing the the the different things. So why you know what was it that took you from Georgia uh and then up into Nashville, and how did that go for you?

SPEAKER_00 22:45

Well, you know, um as an interesting period. My friend Mark Dorminey, who was actually from South Georgia, he was um uh uh a guitar player and was working at um Polygram on Music Row, and he we had he's uh he started off, he was working at Southern Tracks, you know, over there Bill Lowry and all that.

SPEAKER_02 23:08

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 23:08

Yeah. And uh he he got a uh job in Nashville and he was like, Diane, you know, you need to come on up here and try it out. And I had kind of felt like I'd hit the ceiling, kind of, you know, let me go check it out. Uh Nashville. My my my family's actually a lot of they um are from Kentucky, so I had been through Tennessee a lot.

Joey Stuckey 23:32

Nashville adjacent, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:33

Yeah, yeah. And uh really actually not far from there, uh, right like an hour from Nashville, but it was in Kentucky. So, you know, all my life I'd been through Nashville and around Nashville. But uh when Mark was just like, come on, you know, I can get you a job here, uh, I think, and I'm like, okay, here's my chance. Let me go on, you know, got in, got in the U-Haul and uh drove it over the mountains, uh, Mont Eagle.

Joey Stuckey 24:03

Oh, we we we crossed Mongo. We know we know Monte Eagle.

SPEAKER_00 24:06

Oh yeah.

Joey Stuckey 24:10

These little things on the side of the road for these trucks if they get it.

SPEAKER_00 24:12

Right, in a U-Haul by myself, yeah with my friend. We were yeah, that was we did it, but uh, you know, moved to moved into East Nashville, which to me was very Atlanta-like at the time because I had been living over in Candler Park. So I was like, this is kind of like, but it was like Atlanta before how I when I had grew grown up, you know, when I was growing up in Atlanta, just kind of still big, you know, small city. And uh so it was I I really loved the people and and I learned a lot. I mean, I got to write with some great writers, Jim Bohanson, and he ended up being kind of my my uh uh songwriting mentor. I worked at Polygram, but what while I was working there, and and it wasn't like it was some big job, okay. I was I was typing up lyrics uh from this from the songwriters who were signed. But it was uh it's entrance level entry-level um job, but that was I really learned a lot by actually having to write, you know, type the lyrics of these pro writers. So it every little piece kind of made kind of put the puzzle together. But Polygram and MCA became uh ended up being taken over. I think Polygram went to MCA and then Universal ended up taking both over them. So while I was there, there was this big merger. So when that happened, I was out of a job. I could I would talk Universal for a minute, but I was like, you know what? I need to, I continued to being an artist at, you know, I would still tour, I would still play my shows, but I was kind of checking out the business side of it. Well, um I ended up needing a job, so I got a job as a limo driver from a company that was right there on Music Row, and um George Strait's manager owned it. So that turned out to be a pretty cool thing because since I was a radio and television journalism major, what I would do is, you know, write about my day because I'd be sitting there a lot, right? So I I got to uh uh some an interesting, you know, driving these uh and it just ended up driving a lot of country stars. Yeah. And um so I drove Vince Gill to the wedding with Amy Grant.

Joey Stuckey 26:37

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 26:38

Yeah, yeah. And I was actually at their wedding. I was about there was only about 45 people there. It was not big. Wow. So that was that was really neat. Um that is cool. Yeah, I drove uh uh I I drove Lisa Fisher and the crew to the Rolling Stones when they played there. Lisa Fisher, a fantastic singer. If you don't know who she is, check her out. She's one of the best um sang with Rolling Stone background forever. But um, you know, just to just some amazing things, I drove um Chet Atkins' sister to his funeral. And so that was a big, big day where um his his funeral was at the Ryman, you know, right there. Yeah, I'm sure everybody was there. Everybody was there.

SPEAKER_02 27:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

And it was just this um it was just this really heartwarming situation when we left the the Ryman and we were dri I was driving his sister, and of course there was a whole, you know, uh group of cars going out following um the the the casket, you know, out there to the country, and people literally pulled their cars over and took their hats off and put their hands over their hearts while he was going by. It was like something. I a tear just like came out of my, you know, rolled down my cheek. I was just it was so amazing to experience that moment. Um yeah, so I it so I ended up writing, you know, putting these little vignettes of my day in a book called Driving Music City.

Joey Stuckey 28:18

I love it.

SPEAKER_00 28:18

Is that still available, by the way? Yeah, it's on Amazon. Yeah. Okay. So go buy that. That's make your notes now. Yeah.

Joey Stuckey 28:26

Driving Music City. Oh, that's a great title. I I now, you know, it's interesting. I I got to shake Chet's head one time and just say hello. I mean, it lasted 30 seconds. Um, but uh I mean the talent of the man uh is just crazy. And you know, by all accounts, uh I mean I saw him for 30 seconds, so who knows, but it everybody says he was, you know, a pretty nice guy. And uh that always makes you happy too when you meet someone that's also kind and talented. That's that's even more exciting. Yeah, that's right. So so I mean, no, I have to ask again, because I have a certain image of you uh as a writer and as a performer, you know, what I have heard. But in Nashville at this time, I'm not sure what decade this was, but w w were you doing country? Is that what you had what what what were you right what were you writing and doing well in Nashville?

SPEAKER_00 29:20

I was still doing I I kind of did a like after that I did like a a singer-songwriter album called Chill. And it you could tell I had been living in Nashville. Yeah. You know what I mean? It's like there's a few songs, they just had, you know, some mandolin was on some stuff, you know. It was a little, but I didn't really try to be country. I think when I first moved there, I was really just open to where the spirit led me, right? I was uh, but I would say that I was really focused on being a songwriter. So of course I've always written some country. Uh even before I would just usually pitch those songs to country artists. But I definitely have the sensibility, and I think I I really this next album that I'm doing is sitting in that country soul space.

SPEAKER_02 30:13

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 30:14

Um, yeah. So I mean, I to me, soul music is, you know, I it's gotta have soul. I don't care if it's rock, country, right, you know, soul, RB, rap, whatever. But if you as long as the soul is in there, um, but uh yeah, it's kind of leans that way, and I think it's it's got some you know singer-songwriter elements, but um kind of like a Chris Tapleton type of where it's still.

Joey Stuckey 30:40

I really like that stuff. I really like that.

SPEAKER_00 30:42

Yeah, me too. Yeah.

Joey Stuckey 30:43

I think Tennessee Whiskey is just one of the greatest.

SPEAKER_00 30:46

Yeah. Right? Yeah.

Joey Stuckey 30:51

I mean I mean, grit, you know, growl and just uh we we uh you know, we we I I at some point early in my career when I was trying to make it, and and I won't say who these famous people were, but you'd know them if I told you who it was. Um they were they were big in our industry here in Georgia, they were staples, uh management and lawyers and all these guys. And you know, they're nice enough people, but they all they all said to me, uh you're too eclectic to pick a lane, you know, you're gonna be impossible to make it. And and and I and I, you know, so I I I I took it to heart because of who they were. But the thing is, like I I realized that I really couldn't do that because it would not be real. And I couldn't, and and I now believe should not uh do something that's not in my heart to do. If it, you know, I mean, could can I execute uh you know different genres? I can. I'm a session player, I do it all day long. But uh, but but I when it comes to my own stuff, I mean I don't I write what I I write what fascinates me, I write what interests me. Usually that means the chords are all jacked up, real weird chords, you know, and and that's you know, and so you know, listen to it, don't listen to it. I mean, I I just I have to do what is me. And I had a professor at Berkeley when I went to school the second time, and she's like, Stop worrying so much about market funnels and and targeting your audience. Uh but it true music fans, once they give you a shot, are gonna love it, you'll be fine. So I decided to lean into the eclecticism because really there was no other choice. So, you know, we could call what I do currently uh Progressive Americana, which is absolutely a made up name, but they're all made up, really. Um but it just means that it's sort of blues-based, and then I play weird chords. So you know, and I play I play a little, I play a little jazz uh in my leads, you know, I'm playing some diminished scales, and you know, because that's what makes me happy. So anyway, my point in saying all that was it's it's it's interesting to me that you were able to maintain who you were in a place like Nashville that kind of you know, until Shania Twain came to Nashville, yeah, you know, they were sort of anti-pop. I mean, you know, yeah. I mean how how all all I rambled all that to say, like how hard was it for you to stay Diana Rett and then and be in Nashville and like and like you know make progress?

SPEAKER_00 33:38

Well, you know, I there I definitely went through a period of being tossed about in the waves of country, you know. I mean, like, wait, do I feel like this? You know, I mean, because you're up there and everything, it really nothing was happening. This is at the you know, this is early 2000s, nothing was happening that wasn't country. I mean, you there were always other genres in Nashville, but the people that were making, you know, going on tour, getting record deals, sure, they were country. And things have definitely progressed, but I still think that's gonna be the hub. I mean, that I don't really know. I'm not living up there, they can tell you better than I can now, but you know, it's it's a country town. So um I I the way that I stayed myself was I kept playing out and leaving Nashville. Uh like I would play around the southeast, I would play in Texas. I, you know, I got out of there um to to still do my own artistry.

Joey Stuckey 34:42

I gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 34:43

Yeah, yeah.

Joey Stuckey 34:44

Now, now you you are also I would tour, is what I'm saying. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I gotcha. Yeah. So so but you are also, I mean, you're you're a fantastic songwriter. You're one of my and I don't know if you know this or not, but you're one of my favorite singers. Um and uh an incredible voice. I mean, the the the the the nuance and the texture and the subtext of all the things you communicate when you sing is absolutely brilliant. And if if people haven't heard that, uh they need to check it out. And I would submit to you, I love your albums, I really do. But I have to say seeing you live for me is uh is is is even better. Um and that's not the albums aren't good because they are, uh, but there's there's something special uh when it's when you're out there with with your guitar and you're just doing your thing. I mean, I do you know there's something special about it. So um the the the thing is like you have also, you know, at some point, I don't know when this happened, uh, but it's you've you've been a songwriter, you've been an artist, but you've also become a producer and produce projects. So how did that start? I mean, because you know, you you had some, I guess, some technical training uh at school when you were doing broadcasts. So but but you know, nowadays, you know, uh it's hard not to be a producer and engineer as well, sometimes. So I mean what when did that process start? Because that's is that is that how you make your primary living uh now, or do you still make it primarily on your own touring and own music?

SPEAKER_00 36:09

Well, I would say more producing. I it's it's a combination. It's I got you know uh several plates spinning. Yeah uh don't drop them. Yeah, right. So singing, you know, singing, um, some songwriting, royalties, um uh also producing. I also uh book a uh a concert series for the citi in the city of Stone Mountain, Georgia. Oh, I didn't know that. Okay, cool. Yeah, so that's I have a lot of those kind of and I and I teach voice and song. Oh, okay. So I have a that's kind of a combination of what I do, but yeah, kind of kind of keeps me busy.

Joey Stuckey 36:50

Well you gotta wear multiple hats in this business. I mean unless you're you know Elton John or something. I mean, right. I mean you had you have to do a lot of different things.

SPEAKER_00 36:59

So I started in uh well I realized that you know back when I wanted to do my first album that it was a hundred thousand dollars to uh to record an album at that time.

SPEAKER_02 37:12

Sure.

SPEAKER_00 37:12

Or you had a major label deal. That's what major labels were. So I was like, I need to know somebody that has a studio. I need to make some friends. So uh so I ended up working at this studio called Triclop Sound Studio. I'm familiar with it, and it was in Marietta, and it ended up being one of the hubs that was like um uh Tinsley Ellis, the Indigo Girls, um Driver Crying. And that was it. The and then it really blew up when the Smashing Pumpkins did the Siamese Dream album out of there.

Joey Stuckey 37:49

Fantastic record, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:50

Yeah, Butch Vig was the producer, and so I was there for all of that.

Joey Stuckey 37:54

Oh wow, that's cool.

SPEAKER_00 37:56

Yeah, so I was basically I went and was an intern. I mean, it they didn't call in they didn't have interns, they just I worked for free for a little while. And finally Rick, who owned the studio, was like, Yeah, we gotta pay her, you know. So I love it.

Joey Stuckey 38:13

You know, so I got just got the better of it.

SPEAKER_00 38:16

Yeah, I was like, ah, we gotta pay her. But I really only had to work for free about two weeks. But um so I worked in the office, and then at night, uh Jeff Tomey, who was a great engineer, he and I, and Mark Richardson, some, he was the other co-owner of the studio. Jeff Tomey and I would go in and he uh and and record. We would that's how I learned how to do it. And we had this flying faders knee where that was like cutting edge, the flying faders. And actually, we had John Lennon's um uh Knee in there, part of his Neave that he had and yeah, it's always like this really cool time to be a part of. Pro Tools had not, it was just coming in, okay. There at that time, you know, all the computerized was the flying faders and all that. Yeah. And the cool thing about that studio, since I get to go down a rabbit hole with you, uh, is um, and I always got used to this because they had ISO booths, I mean real ISO booths, where the drummer would be in the middle and then everybody could see each other. And this was a giant, it was a room I wish I could tell you what the you know the dimension dimensions were, but anyway, but and that's how people would cut live and be able to see each other, and you would get these great recordings out of it like that. But um, so yeah, that's I started there. Uh, we had Courtney Hull Courtney uh love with her whole project.

Joey Stuckey 39:47

Wow. Now it it uh you don't have to answer this question, but is she as crazy as I think she is?

SPEAKER_00 39:53

Well, okay, all right, all right, all right, I got a story for you. So she was in there recording, you know, and you know, and during the day, of course, I was, you know, helping and doing all that, right? Yeah, yeah. So she had been in there and um she was tired of I guess where whatever they were doing, and and she starts screaming that she's gonna put her at her cigarette out on the um on the soundboard on the on the knee if Oh no. Yeah, she's like, I'm gonna put my cigarette out on the knee if you don't take me down. Because at that time there was no internet and she wanted to go and read about what was happening with her career in the magazines. She didn't have any of the magazines, right? You had a billboard or you had to get the magazine.

Joey Stuckey 40:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 40:43

And uh she's you know, like threatening to put you know stuff out the cigarette out on the board, and uh Rick, who was the uh owner, was just like, oh God, you know, and uh, you know, so they ended up well, we somebody's gotta take her downtown because we that was Marietta. She and and she wanted to go to the bookstore in um in Buckhead. So it's like 30 minutes, right? So she's so so Rick was like, oh, you know, somebody's gotta take her down there. I was like, I'll take her down there. Oh god. What are you doing? I was like, I'll take her. And so he was like, Are you sure? And I'm like, Yeah. And so um, so a little, you know, a little bit later, she starts screaming, and so I screamed as loud as I could, and I was like, Let's roll. And Jeff Tomay was like, oh shit. Um anyway, so you know, uh, I had my cutlass supreme two-door in a television car, you know, like the and uh I know, and and I took her down there, but she ended up actually being pretty cool, you know. I took her down there. We ended up yeah, yeah. We we had it we had a good conversation, but it was just exhausting.

Joey Stuckey 42:13

I would not do well. I just you know, I just wouldn't. I told my you know, my wife, as you know, is an advanced practice nurse and a midwife. Yeah. And um uh she has recounted some tales that uh we won't put on this podcast. I mean, yeah, not I'm not ashamed of them, but it's just not not quite the right uh venue. But uh but they um oh they're gonna have because they had to do with lady parts, you know. But the thing is, it's like she's she said some stuff to me and told me some stories. Like, really, I I would I if I had been the physician or the nurse or whatever, I would have lost my license because I I would not have put up with the nonsense. I just wouldn't have. I'd be like, this is stupid, you're stupid, we're agitating this, you don't you don't need this piece. I mean, you know, we're I I would be in probably in prison. Uh but I I just don't have the temperament. Jen says that I have to stop rolling my eyes when people do something weird because she's like, people can see that. And I was like, if I can't see them, they can't see me. That's just how I feel at space. But she's has to have to stop to that. But no, I mean, you know, it's it's it is interesting. I feel like, and I may be wrong about this. You you know, I've always worked for me. I've I've always had my own studio from the get-go, and uh only in the last handful of years have I recorded somewhere else. And the reason I did that um was was you know just happenstance, really. Um I was like, well, you know, we're here. Um, so we you know, we did a record at Sun Studio and and you we booked three hours a time. Uh I took my band in that was on the road touring. I was like, well, let's just record our set and uh you know, just for fun. It's a Sun Studio. We'll use all these old mics for the 50s, and it'll be and it'll be. And I did it more just as a novelty. I got the tracks, and I was like, Yeah, that's pretty good. We should put this out. So we and so we did it. So, you know, that's the only that's the kind of things that I've done um is is you know uh by happenstance I was like oh we're on tour let's book a couple hours they'll do like a live and studio album and you know I kind of like that but yeah you know I've like I say I've always used my own space but my point is like I have I had my own crazy to deal with but I never had like the celebrity uh clients really yeah um and and do you think that sort of manic like putting up with the diva thing is is over or is that something that still goes on now what do you think oh I don't think it still goes on yeah I mean I mean it just it you know it's it's gotten quieter you know it does seem that way uh you don't hear as many like you really don't have stuff going on like it used to be that's true but maybe maybe we just don't hear it I mean yeah maybe well yeah maybe that's it and I and I think some of that was drug related you know sure uh probably a lot of it and I mean that the scene of being out of control like things were in the 70s 80s nineties you know where a lot of people were still really using and you know I think that's there's been a shift of hey we want to work with people who are doing drugs. I mean I think there's been a shift there where um they look for people or people that are doing music are are less into that as at least the the really serious attic long time yeah well I mean seems like it seems like it yeah I mean well I was talking to uh a a friend and and and a and a guest of the show Michael Beinhorn and uh he's uh he he made one of my favorite albums of all time which is super unknown by Soundgarden uh and um it's funny because I met him we became friends uh but Joey cannot read liner notes and I had no idea that the man that I had befriended and had spent some time had dinner with was one of my favorite producers and I didn't even know it. Yeah it was it was quite a shock to realize he'd done the super unknown album but he also did several records for the red hot chili peppers and you know uh at at a time when everybody was just you know just just out of their minds. Yeah and it it's interesting because I've never I don't know how you feel about it but the music's always been enough for me. I mean I I've I've never wanted the rock and roll lifestyle uh I I've never cared about flashy cars or flashy clothes or you know being coked out of my mind or yeah you know I'm I'm just not sure where the fun starts there. And the all I want to do is make records. I mean I'm honestly I mean that's it seems like such a simple goal uh all I want to do is make a record. I just want to make records. I'll make one for you I'll make one for me. I don't care who I'm making it for. I just want to make records. Make sure and and and you know and my studio has always been I don't care what you do on your time but on my time we are sober we are focused we are making records. And you know leave here and do whatever you have to do to survive. Yeah but in my sp but there's a lot of people that would put up with that kind of stuff and I just wouldn't I mean I have a real problem with stupid yeah yeah I hear you did did get when when you were working at these other studios was was that a real problem like was the crazy stuff a real problem or or what or or was it for me was it a problem?

SPEAKER_00 47:23

Yeah I mean yeah I yeah I was certainly in it I mean I you know tried tried things and stuff like that but yeah I I didn't that's that's it actually why I ended up leaving that studio that it was just getting to be too much. I was like okay that's it's part of the reason why it ended and um you know I was on their label too uh and did my first EP out of out of triclops but um yeah uh but I yeah it was it was called 50,000 volts of soul I was singing in a in a stun gun my hair's like all flying and I'm looking all like electric and yeah it's cool it was cool. Is that where you're gonna print you know what I I it is not it is I mean I I should probably make that available but yeah I think at this point yeah I could I love it it was a cool it was a cool scenario but uh it was a good cool album first album um but yeah so but as far as the I mean they were always around but I I had to get away from it. I was just didn't have I didn't want that in my life let's just say yeah no I I get yeah but it was it's it's it's been around and I've been around it and I've you know yeah I never dabbled in it to the point where I was in crisis or something like that.

Joey Stuckey 48:58

Well I just feel like blind and drunk are bad ideas and yeah you know and and then also being a brain super I have enough problems. Right exactly it's like no that's fine. I assure you I have enough problems. Yeah the uh so now when you when you think about who you are as an artist and interestingly I believe a lot of artists don't think about that enough I I think there's I think there are people who don't fully know who they are and uh because of that will have more difficulty uh when it comes time to try and find an audience but uh that's another sort of marketing conversation but when you when you think of who you are as an artist I mean what what are the essential Dianderette qualities that don't change because I think you're like me in the sense that you can be sort of uh I don't know if pliable is the right word but you're but you're flexible you're you like you like music and and you like lots of different kinds of music and you can you can borrow from from other music but but when we think about the core who is Diander Rett as the as the artist you know what what is what what does that look like to you? What do you what do you think of?

SPEAKER_00 50:10

Well lyrically I really am trying I really want to say something meaningful. Yeah you know that that matters to me whatever that message is that this the song you know telling telling a story within three minutes and and that message being important or impactful for um the listener I think that's that when I look at doing an album or putting any kind of my songs out um that's like number one. And it so surrounding that would be the music it it always like I said earlier there's a soulful quality but I have gone from I mean I love I I've got a funk song on you know a record I mean I've I've gone I love RB funk um bluesy of course you know I've I've worked a lot in the blues world and um and then there's that uh a little bit of that country soul element that's there. So the I sort of run the gamut as far as like musical. Right. But I think lyrically I'm really you know what something I it's usually catchy um uh it's not a a a hook that strikes me as either funny or uh something I can tell the story that's funny or something very heartfelt or spiritual um that's those are the things that I think um that would say me as an artist.

Joey Stuckey 51:48

And what do you I mean how much time do you spend uh every day writing? I mean what do you have a process? Do you are you disciplined and you sit down every day to like sort of slog through or do you wait till you're inspired? What's what is how does that work for you?

SPEAKER_00 52:03

I think I have more like periods where um when I have time or when I make time I I won't say I have time because you know you you do have to say okay I'm gonna write today right and sometimes those times never come if you don't do that. That's that's really I really find that yeah but as far as like writing down I'm more because since I do so many different aspects whether I'm producing or doing a show or I have to kind of carve out days but living life gives you the ideas for a song. So as I'm living and something catchy I hear or something I'm feeling I always have got my recorder going where I can put down the idea. And then there's sometimes mornings where I'll just wake up and I know I have time and I'll I'll be inspired. I'll sit down at the piano and write something or I'll I'll go no this is a guitar song and I'll I'll start like that. But if I'm co-writing or maybe I just have time to write or I've had that day that I'm like I'm gonna finish the song today then I go back and review the memos that I've made and find my favorite or how I'm feeling I listen to what what's there and then I'll start writing off of that.

Joey Stuckey 53:23

Yeah I I I have a similar process what I what I've found um is if I don't make time to write it it it it never appears. I mean you know and and I I realized and I think this is the trap that a lot of us fall into as producers and stuff is that you know um making money off your own music's hard uh making money in the music business in general is hard but it's easier to be a facilitator for somebody else yeah you know and and and you know bring your experience to to them and help them to do what they they need to do. And so you you get your head down you get in the middle of the work and then you look up you're like oh my God it's been nine months and I haven't written anything. I mean you know it's like well so so I I have recently this year you know rededicated myself to doing some of my music and I and I have had a strangely prolific uh period of late and um uh you know writing stuff all the time and and just really and and the things and they actually interest me and I had a hilarious moment uh a couple about two weeks ago where I wrote something and it was the lyrics for fun and everything and I was like you know I have no idea what this means I have no idea what I'm talking about. I wrote I I wrote a verse in a chorus and then and then I uh came back to it because I thought there was really some intriguing stuff there. And I came back to it and wrote the rest oh now I know what I'm talking about. But the the first stuff like these words just sounded good together and I don't really know what it means.

SPEAKER_00 54:58

Let me ask you this so do you feel I mean a lot of writers feel like some of those things are kind of from you know outside of themselves and these ideas are kind of dropping in your head and then you know then you they they they reveal themselves as you write them. Is that is that what you were saying? Is that what you think?

Joey Stuckey 55:19

Yeah I mean from well so you know the first thing you should know there's a hole in my brain so that that used to be full of a tumor. So there's this big hole in there and I think that uh cosmic stuff sort of filters into it. Okay. I'm being kind of silly but I know I know oh yeah but but but the truth is no I think I mean you know I think the initial inspiration I have no idea where it comes from I I mean I I do think there's some subconscious stuff there's there's things on my heart there's things on my mind and they roll around they gestate and then they they come out some you know at a at a time that's not of my choosing it just it just happens. Yeah and and then yeah and then and then and some and you know and then you're like well where did this come from and it's like I don't know uh but then what I do is I I usually usually I'll get a chorus and a verse you know or maybe two verses or whatever I get a chorus and a verse or two and and then I'll I'll put it down and I'll say I'm gonna come back to this and I I don't remember it all the way but I I have I remember the the the gin the sort of the gist of it. And then I will come back and refine it using like my my chops that I learned in music school. You know I'll come back and go well this is the this is the parallel fifth I don't want that you know just just you know I'll come back and refine it. But I do what the interesting thing from from from you like you know lyrics are really important to me too and and um but uh you know it it really is about telling a story um whether it's personal you know a lot of my stuff is autobiographical um you know I I just you know some of it's not some of this some of it's complete imagination some of it's like just a whole you know I not something I ever experienced or but maybe someone I knew did or whatever. So you know you you take inspiration from the universe around you and uh and and you I I think the thing that good writers do is uh stay open uh to receive you know yeah and and and and I just you know there are things that just you know that that interest that interest me and and I I'm so the truth is I think for me and I I would imagine you feel the same way but I don't know so I'll ask you for me I feel like I'm an explorer and um I am inquisitive so I want to know I want to know stuff I want to investigate stuff I want to experience things and from that travel uh through through our universe that is where the the the inspirations and stuff come from and I think you know getting out and living is like the the best way to be a good writer. Yeah yeah you know so I I I think it's good but I do feel that I have like I I have realized in my old age here I I have realized that I need to set time aside to do that and um and I can write on command uh you know I well once I get in the zone it's all good. Uh it's just getting off the dead center right yeah getting off dead center is the hard part. Yeah but I I find that putting the guitar in my hand uh with no agenda is like the best way for me to come because you know as a guitar player you know I've always come up with little lines and you know I'm always playing weird chords and you know I just and honestly like the weirder the better man but but it just but but when I in fairness what I'll say is if you if you take a music theory brain and look at what I'm doing it's bizarre. But I have good voice leading so it doesn't sound that strange. Like I'm right I I know how to arrange things so they're not jarring. You know but if you if you were to look at it from a theoretical perspective you're like wow that's that's gonna clash you you gotta yeah you got a five five in the bass and you know I play a lot of aug 11s and you know this stuff. So I actually played for a friend of mine a new song and I played the chords and I'm gonna let these chords ring and I want you to listen to how distant they are and how bad they sound together. And uh I'm gonna let them ring. I was like okay now I'm gonna play them these are the same chords. And I play them in such a way rhythmically uh that they sound like they belong together and they they make sense together. Yeah but it's it's all about how you fit it together. Anyway that's I didn't mean to go down that rabbit hole but I I do want to know what what happened to bring you back to Georgia when you when you were in Nashville and and we're gonna we're gonna backtrack a minute like what happened to bring you back to Georgia and and as far as I know this is where you've stayed since you came back from Nashville so yeah ah what happened well I think I just I had I don't know I was there for about five years.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:28

That's a long time it is it is and um I it never felt like home okay yeah and even though I you know it was a fun it was a good town yeah it just never and I always said you know Nashville's kind of like heaven and hell you know they would say oh don't you love Nashville? I was like great place to visit you know but but for you know sometimes for a musician it's it's heaven and hell because you've got the industry there that's uh you know at that time there was I always said you know you had to get through the eye of the needle to get a deal or anything. Oh yeah you had to be the perfect little you know teenager really as a woman almost um but um and you know it's it's changed a lot but I would say you know it's it's heaven because you've got all these great songwriters and musicians. I mean, you know it's a hub. So and all these wonderful people that I met during that time and still are friends with. But uh for me it just never felt like really like home and I was I was ready to um kind of settle back just be be back in in Atlanta and um I'm I had a I liked a faster paced life uh I would come from this sounds crazy but uh when I would come home I enjoy driving on 285 because we'd go over 80 miles an hour I was like I guess it's what you get used to even then that's amazing. I know but uh but now there's so much traffic that it's all standing still look it's a good thing I don't have a gun. Yeah but I just you know I I vibe here and um so yeah it's and it's turned out just to be um really great uh I uh and to be a part of the the it's scene in in in Georgia I think Georgia has always had great music coming out of it. Oh definitely um I mean you know really people don't even in Georgia don't even realize how much great music that if you looked at all the states of America how much really has influential music has come out of Georgia itself not being a hub like you know Nashville New York LA right so uh so I it's just it's it's soulful and it's um just great great people here. So yeah that that's what brought me back really.

Joey Stuckey 1:02:59

Well I you know I think I think that the the thing that's curious to me uh and and I I've asked uh a couple of recent guests this because of who they are and where they were um and where they where they sort of you know had their germination of of uh talent kind of thing and and you know I I was I was just saying you know I've asked a few people uh do you think you still need to live in a hub? Do you think you I mean there was a time where that was absolutely mission critical.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:32

Right.

Joey Stuckey 1:03:32

And I will tell you Jimmy Hall's an old friend of mine and uh and and wow wow yeah what a singer right and and you know great harp player and sax player and you know uh just you know generally amazing uh but but uh the you know the thing is I mean they they moved wet Willie moved from Alabama uh to Macon Georgia because this is the 70s right um because they felt like what was happening in Macon was where they needed to be to be where things were happening to be part of the scene that they needed to be a part of and they were and you know and they were they were they toured with the Alba brothers and with Marshall Tucker and Loose Change and you know all the guys all that that scene. Yeah and uh and so uh that was his you know that's what he felt like he needed to do later when wetwilly sort of disbanded and and and you know the the whole uh Capricorn thing imploded um you know then he he moved up to Nashville uh and and you know he's he still lives there so you know but but I don't know I I I've I have found lately that I have been getting more opportunities uh when I'm in LA and uh I hate that because I don't I don't like LAX I don't like the traffic I don't like the plane ride and I don't like the cost of living and uh also I have spent all my money making my studio here so I cannot leave. But but that being said you know like I'm I'm I've been you know I go up and and and I and I do stuff and and I make things happen and I've you know I've found people that uh that like me there and and want to see me you know do great things and so you know some some some thing I have to travel sometimes to where there are hubs. So for me it seems like you know you can be based anywhere you want but sometimes you have to travel to the hub uh you know for specific tasks and and stuff like that. But I mean what do you what do you think? In in your in from your perspective from your view you know what does it mat do you think it matters anymore? Do you think it do you think it it it's it's important to be you know in a Nashville or in LA or New York or London or do you think you know you think it with with the internet there Else we can we can sort of uh be wherever. Well what what is your thought on the hub?

SPEAKER_00 1:06:04

Well hmm. I I do think that going to a huh like what's happening for you, I think that that that you have to listen to that, but you don't think you have to move there. You know, it I think that's the the the message at this point because you can't you can send tracks over the internet. Oh yeah. Right. So t but but I do think that if you are finding that something is budding for you somewhere, uh a hub or any really anywhere, but but since you know but a hub that I think it's important for you to follow that and not be afraid to experience that. Um but and I and I definitely think that there are more major label opportunities in hubs because that's where they are. And you while you can continue to work in your smaller town or other space, you you should that's where maybe you build your your following online, but to to make some trips to the hubs, whichever might be the one that's calling to you, or you know, go check them all out. Try to, you know, if you're a BMI writer, if you're an ASCAP writer, go to one of their functions in a hub, you know, that kind of thing.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:38

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:39

So I I do think it's one thing that I've really loved about the recording academy and being a part of that is I've gotten to meet people all from all over the world.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:49

And to me, that's just fruitful in itself to be able to hear other people's music, other people's take on music, yeah, be influenced, influence them, you know, all of that and and the friendships that I've made through the recording academy. And um so I think, yeah, go go do.

Joey Stuckey 1:08:15

I love it. I love it. Well, I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna ask you two final questions and and uh and I appreciate all your time today. The um I I wanna I want to drill down on what you just said because uh you know you're an officer of the recording academy. Um and uh, you know, um the the it's a little bit of a uh mystery, it's a little confusing, but but the Atlanta chapter is responsible for Georgia and Alabama. Uh and there are several uh chapters that kind of roll several different states into their into their um uh structure. Uh some states don't have their own. Some states have too, like Tennessee. Um but talk to me about the importance of the recording academy and the importance of uh you know having a leadership position in in in the uh that you that you have. Like what you know what is what is your goal for that and and uh how do you think that that has informed um you know the last couple I you've been present for what two years, I think, something name like that?

SPEAKER_02 1:09:15

Or yeah.

Joey Stuckey 1:09:16

Uh yeah. So I mean what yeah, what is that what does that meant to you?

SPEAKER_00 1:09:22

Well, it's been very meaningful because of community. Um I think it's important, especially as musicians, professional musicians, that we have community because it it is a struggle a lot of times. But you it's also a community of you know, learning. Um but the recording academy has they call it three arms. There's of course the Grammy Awards. Um we have an advocacy wing, and we also have Music Cares.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:53

Yeah, I'm big fan of both of those.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:55

Yeah, me too. Uh Music Cares uh helps professional musicians in time of need. They also do like dental clinics, you know.

Joey Stuckey 1:10:04

If somebody needs to be, I think there's a hearing one too.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:06

Yeah, hearing, uh seeing, they do glasses too. Um they're uh they're just interested in helpful in helping professional musicians in that way. Uh also uh like if somebody like a friend of mine, he he had cancer, he couldn't pay for uh his his family to stay in their house, and um they paid while he was getting treatment, they they paid for his um mortgage.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:38

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:39

Yeah, so things like that. That's very important. Um also um like we'll this week we actually have Music Cares, our advocacy day for uh music cares, and we're going to a place called Helping Mamas, and uh a bunch of us from uh the chapter are gonna go and put together boxes of uh for helping mamas is a uh nonprofit that helps moms that need diapers, um, you know, formula, all that, and they have get gift boxes basically. So we're gonna be putting all those together. So that's something that happens like annually. They pick up um a nonprofit that needs help like that. Um but then we also have advocacy, which we go to Capitol Hill and meet with the senators and expla and tell them uh the needs for the music community, because a lot of times they don't understand bills that come up that that need like AI, for instance. Let's, you know, we haven't even spoken about that today. But that's my next question. That's the question. Okay, anyway. Anyway, AI, AI, AI. That's what I think. Anyway, but you know, they need to know, like, you know, our our true experience about that. And um, that's so our advocacy wing is you know very it's very important to be speaking to the lawmakers to understand what we go through. So that and then of course the Grammy Awards and those are fabulous. And the Grammys, yeah, you get to see and and they're and the Grammys are voted on by the voters, the peers that are uh part of that are doing the music. So and there's certain criteria. 13,000 members, I think, something like that. Yeah, so it's it's uh so it's really it's it's they're they're voted on by people that are actually doing music.

Joey Stuckey 1:12:32

It is fun to yeah, you discover so much new music. I mean, it it's it's it's labor intensive. Um if you do it right, if you really maximize the opportunity. Yes. But but the people you meet uh is just incredible. I I had someone reach out to me, uh and you know, the the Grammys has very specific rules about how you can approach people and how you can't, and yeah, all these things. But you're not supposed to solicit votes, essentially, which you know makes sense. Um but you can share your you can share your submission with people. Um and uh I had someone reach out to me and said, Hey, would would you be interested in listening to my submission? And I said, Well, I would, but I want you to know just to be clear that I don't vote in your category. Like, you know, so I just I just I don't. And it was a it was a video game category, and yeah, I just don't, that's not something I do. And um, and so um uh and she was like, Oh, that's that's fine. I'd love to just share it with you. And you know, if you want to share something with me, that'd be great. I just love to meet new people, hear new music. Okay, great. So I I shared her my my uh thing, and uh she wrote me, and you could tell that it was spontaneous and just you know an honest reaction to to the record I did, which was just me and the guitar. Uh I literally did the record in 45 minutes. I I I sat down, I played, I was done. And you know, that's that's that's what it was. And uh and so and so um uh she wrote this. I can't honestly remember exactly what she said, but but she wrote this glowing review, and I thought to myself, did I pay her and forget? Or like you know, but it was it was absolutely this just honest gut reaction to what I was doing, and and uh and and so I said, um awkward question. Can I have this quote from my website? And she's like, Yeah, that's you can totally have it. It's I meant it. I said, okay, great. Anyway, she won a Grammy. And so now I have Grammy winning artists, right? But but but but it all honestly, I mean, it's a fun process, and and I will tell you, I ended up buying a lot of new music that I get to hear for free just kind of looking at what's in the category, and then I go, oh my god, this is great, I must own it. Yeah, and so I go buy it. So it's it's fun. Um yeah, but you I I yeah, I think being part of the recording academy goes back to the the two things that I said uh earlier in the show, which was that you have a heart for service. Uh and the recording academy gives you some wonderful opportunities to be of service.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:20

Yeah.

Joey Stuckey 1:15:21

Uh and then, you know, we um you've probably had men mentees, I've had mentees, yeah, um, you know, all that kind of stuff. And then um, obviously, you know, the other thing is um uh it puts you where things are happening, um, so you're able to to to to you know catch a wave sometimes. Um and and let's talk about this the this is the final topic, and I set my guests up on this on purpose. I like I like to I like to push the buttons and watch them go. Uh this is I have quite strong views on artificial intelligence. I have been preaching about them for a number of years. I get a lot of hate on Facebook because of it. Uh I really do. Uh and it's it's strange to me because I I'm pretty gentle in what I have to say, but uh, but also, you know, I'm telling the truth, and so I see it. Uh so I'm not a fan of AI in the creative spaces. Uh it's not something I want. I do not need you to ask me. I I don't want the computer saying, hey, may I suggest where you start your levels in your mix? You may not. You may not suggest where I don't need that. I put in my 10,000 hours. I I don't I don't need that and I don't want it. So uh but AI does have some usages. Uh for example, if it helps you be organized, that's fine. Uh if it helps read stuff that blind people can't see, I'm all about that. Uh so where is the amazing Dianderett, uh limo driver, songwriter, uh, you know, gossip producer and scarer of old ladies in the church. Where do you come? Where do you come down on AI?

SPEAKER_00 1:17:03

Oh, well, I tell you, you know, in the first of the year, I started reading an article that talked about was just AI in general. And I it took me, I mean, it went into all the definitions, and I was just, it took me a while to get through it, and I was just like, oh my God, this is could be really wonderful when you're talking about medic medicine and talking about things like that. And it could be very scary, you know. I was like, oh my God, this is coming down, and you know, it's probably gonna be a fad just like the internet, but uh a fad just like the internet, but not a fad. No, I'm just kidding, it's not gonna be a fad.

Joey Stuckey 1:17:46

But you know, you know what? I I posted something on Facebook today because it's what somebody somebody said, yeah, and they said, Oh, you know, AI is here, get over it. Um, it's it's not going anywhere, it's the best thing that ever happened. And I said, Well, what is it that it does for you that makes you feel that way? Well what what is it bringing to the table for you? And this guy said, Well, I am uh making a lot of uh money on uh Spotify and all these things. I'm not a musician, I don't know anything about songwriting, and I'm putting out records. And I said, So one thing you should know uh if the AI is generating the content and is seen as the creator, you can't copyright that. Copyright also says, uh-uh. And I said, uh what and I said, what's what will happen for you is you will have to prove that you are the generative force and the AI isn't. And what's going to happen is you're gonna have to go to court to prove that. Uh because that is kind of where we are. Uh the the law is behind, and everything's gonna be in in in the courtroom, and you know, Suno's already been sued a bunch, and uh rightly so, in my opinion. Uh, but but anyways, like so that's you know, this is this is not where you want to be. Yeah. So I just I didn't get it.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:29

Well, you know, I was joking about you know, like a fad like the internet, because you know the internet's not a fad. It's not a fad. Right. So I know it. Okay, okay. But I I think that it's in some sense it is partially going to be a little bit like that, you know, where it's but I think I mean I think it's not gonna go away. I think that songwriters are already using it, but there may be a point where you know you say um you're gonna have to say it uh if the music is actually real or it's actually analog. We'll say analog versus AI. And there there's probably gonna be, I think you made a an absolutely fantastic point to the person who made that comment because a lot of people don't realize that. I had somebody said, I produced this, and and I do it, I did it two ways. And I'm like, oh yeah, well, did you use tuna? I mean, I produce this, yeah. All you you put in the prompts. So there's a lot of difference between putting in some prompts. Yeah, I mean, that's the difference than actually going into a studio producing mixing. And and that's you know, and I've then I also had some friends that are not in the music business or that hear music and they're like, I love this fantastic, and I feel guilty that I like it because I know it's AI.

SPEAKER_02 1:20:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:56

So I just think we're in the beginning phases of it, and it will it'll it'll all it'll all shake out one way or the other.

Joey Stuckey 1:21:05

Um I really do think well I what I was what I was gonna just sort of end with is that I I feel like you have something. I know you're being kind of tongue-in-cheek about being a fad. Yeah, but but but I think there's some truth to that because right now it's the hot new thing, everybody's obsessing over it. Yeah, uh, you know, it's like having a new car, you know. And and and at some point, uh what's gonna happen is the news gonna wear off and people are gonna go back to asking the question of what value does this bring to my life? And I think when it comes to creating art using artificial intelligence, I I believe that people will realize eventually that what they're getting is pretty beige. And uh the fact of the matter is, while it might sound good, I'm not saying it doesn't sound good. But while it might sound good when one pulls back the layers, there's there's really nothing there. And the reason I know that is because AI is not alive. And it it is it is uh an echo chamber, it it is it is a you know a very specific biased mirror, yeah, you know, garbage in, garbage out. And the thing is, it's like you know, it can't tell you anything of value because it hasn't lived. So I I think that's going to be uh something that's gonna take time. And I really feel like in the Western culture, you know, in this particular moment, we have made things so disposable, we have made things so uh cheap that uh you know the big tech companies want you to believe that instant gratification is the only thing worth pursuing. And I think I think eventually people are gonna realize, okay, it was shiny and I fell for it, but now I want something more and this won't won't give it to me. I mean, that's that's my feeling, and honestly, it's my hope, to tell you the truth.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:05

Yeah, of course, as you know, musicians that that uh we we we value so much of the experience and the community of playing to people playing with people, creating music together, that that's that's not gonna change. That's only gonna it might I I feel like there just might be two sections. You know, there's gonna be there, you know, there's gonna be AI over there and and real community and human over there.

Joey Stuckey 1:23:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:34

Human over there. I mean, it just might exist on the same, you know, we we exist in the same yeah, and and may maybe it dies out or it may it'll depend on the generation coming next. Whether it dies. Don't you think though?

Joey Stuckey 1:23:52

I do, but it scares the hell out of me.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:55

Well, you know, a lot of a lot of the generation they they love the the other mus the music that was created before you know, even before our time, right? Well, you know, there's so I think it's yeah, yeah.

Joey Stuckey 1:24:07

There's always a there's always a subset of of of kids that go, I've discovered this amazing band. Who's that? Led Zeppelin. Okay. Right, right. Yeah. But when I was a kid, I thought I discovered Led Zeppelin too. I didn't know. I mean, I when I was 15, I thought, oh my god, I've discovered this new band. Uh yeah, they've been broken up since before you were born. So so it's good, but I I do think uh, yeah, I I think that that's I I think you're right. I mean, I I you know it I I I I believe art will continue to flourish. Uh and I I guess I guess you'll have, you know, um, you know, the the smorgash board and you can pick the stuff that's you know really um rich in nutrients and you can pick the stuff that's bad for you. Uh yeah, so so so that's that's it. But I listen, I I'm gonna I'm gonna let you go because I know you have other things to do, you've got to earn a living. But is there anything that you would like to share before I let you go that we haven't talked about?

SPEAKER_00 1:25:02

Well, I'm getting ready to I just worked with uh Kabir Sigal on uh on a a few songs with the group. Um and it's it's in celebration of our uh 20 uh 250th America 250 um that's gonna be out next week. Um that's I think that's the only thing that we really didn't touch on.

Joey Stuckey 1:25:28

Tell me, tell me look the these podcasts are theoretically evergreen, and when yours drops, I won't know because I delegate that to somebody else. But what was tell me the month that it comes out so we people can look back and grab it.

SPEAKER_00 1:25:41

Well, it's gonna come out in June, but it'll be really, you know, it'll be something uh June 7th, I think. I should so early June. Early June, yes. Okay, oh 26th, just so people know.

Joey Stuckey 1:25:54

Yes. Because this podcast is gonna be so famous, and you know you never know. You know, it's gonna be people people 30 years from now be going back, listening to episodes and discovering leads of women. Yeah, so yeah. So that but that's exciting. That sounds really great.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:09

We went into Tree Studios and uh what a great great yeah, and uh just did uh uh some bluesy versions of America and My Country Tizity and Nice and then a uh a song with that we wrote called the Spirit of Freedom. And uh yeah, June Bug, Melissa Junebug played drums and uh Kabir was on bass, and uh if you JP um John Piccano, great bluesy guitar player, uh yeah, and and Rhett Huffman played the Hammond B3. So yeah, we just it was one of those things, let's just, you know, uh put this out in celebration of um America 250. So but it's definitely bluesy.

Joey Stuckey 1:26:51

It's very cool. Yeah, yeah. Well, you know, one of my favorite uh songs of yours that I was introduced to last year, uh, which I actually needed uh was uh uh It is Well. And I I really All is Well, yeah. All is well, all is well, thank you. Yes, all as well. And and it was such a great thing, and and and just to close on this and let people know, so there's something that we do uh almost every year uh called Joey Stucky Alive Day. It's the day I celebrate beating the brain tumor that was supposed to take my life as a child. And uh we uh put on a concert uh that's free to the public, um, and everybody gets paid. And you know, we don't ask musicians to play for free. Um, you know, we we we and we bring I I am very specific about who I curate for these things. They have to have they have to be talented, uh, but more importantly, they have to have the right heart and uh and to understand what the day is about. And the day is about not just the fact that you know I can celebrate, hey, I'm still alive, and that uh you know I'm I'm I didn't uh succumb, but also uh it's about everybody else celebrating their victories and and taking a moment to remember the things they're grateful for and to reconnect as neighbors, which I think is really critical. And so uh we had this wonderful event, uh, and and you were there, and that song was great. And uh I didn't really talk about it that night, but I've been having a significant amount of health trouble last year. Uh and uh sometimes, you know, with with the issues I have as a brain tumor survivor, there's bits of me that are gone, uh bits of me that don't work, and uh and so uh the eyesight thing's the easiest part to manage, honestly. Uh, but the I was I was horribly ill uh right before I went on stage. And I popped uh a bunch of nausea medicine that was too close, close together with the other nausea medicine, so I broke the rules. But I was like, I either do this or I will not be singing tonight. And so I I received that message uh and that song uh when I watched your set after I was done with mine, and uh, and yeah, and it it was a great comfort to me. And uh uh it reminded me that uh the bad times are temporary, and uh lo and behold, they uh you know, started feeling better, and uh and that was good. So I just want to tell you how much that song meant me, how much I love that song.

SPEAKER_00 1:29:14

Oh, I love that. Thank you. Yeah. All is well. Um, you know, um my mom, it the the story behind All Is Wells my mom was the first liver transplant patient in the state of Georgia back in the 80s and uh at Emory University Hospital. So that was she uh it was really a story that was to my grandmother because my grandmother was that was my mom was her only child. Right. And she would always say, When we were going through that, all is well, all was well. And a lot of times you just have to keep saying that those positive words when you're going going through that, and you know better than anybody. And uh so that really means a lot to me that that it it helped comfort you and get you in the in the space you needed to be at that moment.

Joey Stuckey 1:30:05

Well, it really did, and uh, and I I basically just keep pretending I feel well until I do. Like you just it just sounds like I'll just make it till you make it. Yeah, uh my clients don't need to know I don't feel well today. It's fine. But listen, Diane, let me just say, I uh you are a treasured dear friend and a a true remarkable powerhouse of creativity and talent in our state. So thank you for that. And thanks for joining me today. I really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:32

Well, thank you for having me. And you are an inspiration, Joey, and uh uh thank you for your friendship. And um I look forward to the next time we get to play music together.

Joey Stuckey 1:30:44

Absolutely. And in the meantime, Freds, you can check out all of our incredible guests. And I and I cannot tell you, they are absolutely all fantastic wherever you find your podcast or by going to the head to URL www.stuckonsound.com.