Teddy and the Rough Riders' Ryan Jennings - That Down Home Sound
The Down Home Americana Journey with Ryan Jennings of Teddy and the Rough Riders
Ready for an unforgettable ride through the heart of Americana? In this episode, we’re joined by Ryan Jennings, co-founder of Teddy and the Rough Riders, as he reveals the stories behind their unique twist on Americana music.
From attic jam sessions in Knoxville to the stage, Ryan brings us along on a journey of friendship, creativity, and collaboration that’s as refreshing as it is nostalgic.
Get ready to dive into the band's fusion of country, rock, and a dash of psychedelia, all captured in their latest album Down Home. Ryan gives us a peek behind the curtain of their band name—a nod to the dynamic duo spirit he shares with bandmate Jack—and sheds light on the deeper meaning behind their “honky tonk meets rock” vibe. Along the way, Rye's humor and honest reflections bring to life the trials and triumphs of navigating today’s music scene, especially in the wake of the pandemic.
With stories of late-night songwriting sessions, the grit of being named Austin’s best honky tonk group, and the unbreakable bond they’ve built through music, this episode is packed with the spirit of Americana that fans crave. Whether you’re a die-hard country fan or new to the genre, this conversation is a heartfelt invitation to explore the sounds and stories that shape the soul of American music.
You'll also Discover:
Where Country and Rock Meet Psychedelia.
The Band's Alter Ego in Harmony.
How They Break the Stereotypes.
Their Musical Journey.
Raw Rock Energy: Live from the Bar.
Their Songs Through Struggle & The Band’s Creative Dedication.
Learn more about Teddy and the Rough Riders here: https://teddyandtheroughriders.com/
AND follow Americana Curious on Instagram for the latest interviews and the behind-the-scenes with your favorite artists! https://www.instagram.com/americanacurious
Transcript
I was born.
Speaker B:I guess there's just the classic country misconception where a lot of people are like, oh, you guys must be so right wing and only do this country thing and have a thick southern accent.
Speaker B:I want to try to bridge that.
Speaker B:Country fans are just open about it all and I really want to be able to say that all we can with our songs, keep listening and we got so much more music to share.
Speaker C:Americana music transforms the world and unfortunately, too many are unaware of its profound impact.
Speaker C:Americana musicians are the unsung heroes and here you'll join us in exploring these passionate artists and how they offer inspiration and hope for the future.
Speaker C:This show makes it happen in a fun and entertaining way.
Speaker C:You'll discover new music that you'll love.
Speaker C:Hard earned Lessons, Lessons from the road, the story behind favorite songs, a big dose of inspiration for you and your friends, and a good laugh along the way.
Speaker C:I'm Ben Fanink and my co host is Zach Schultz.
Speaker C:It's time to get Americana Curious.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker D:Welcome back to Americana Curious.
Speaker D:Get ready for a fantastic ride because today we're joined by Riot Jennings from the sensational band Teddy and the Rough Riders.
Speaker D:Hailing from the heart of Nashville, Teddy.
Speaker C:And the Rough Riders are redefining music with their irresistible blend of country, rock and psychedelic sounds.
Speaker D:With Rye on vocals and bass and Jack Quiggins on guitar and vocals, this band is a powerhouse of talent and creativity.
Speaker D:From childhood friends navigating the DIY rock.
Speaker C: Explosion of the late: Speaker D:Jack have crafted a sound that's both nostalgic and fresh.
Speaker D:Their music is a nod to the 70s while firmly rooted in the present, earning them the title of best honky.
Speaker C: Tonk group at the: Speaker D:And they've shared the stage with some irresistible artists.
Speaker D:Think Marco Price, Orville Peek, Aaron Ray.
Speaker D:And now they're ready to take you.
Speaker C:On a musical journey with their latest album, Down Home.
Speaker D:This album isn't just a collection of songs.
Speaker C:It's a vibrant experience that will have you reaching for the volume knob.
Speaker D:Take it from Zach and I.
Speaker D:You're going to want to turn it up and soak in every note.
Speaker D:Curious about who Teddy really is.
Speaker C:We'll buckle up because we're diving into.
Speaker D:The cosmic world of Americana with Rye today and you don't want to miss it.
Speaker D:Ry, welcome to Americana Curious.
Speaker B:Hey, thanks for having me.
Speaker E:Yeah, this is awesome.
Speaker E:Thanks, Ry.
Speaker E:So I'm going to get right into it.
Speaker E:Who is Teddy?
Speaker E:Tell me about that.
Speaker B:That's our most asked question for sure.
Speaker E:Yes.
Speaker B:So Teddy is.
Speaker B:It's both me and Jack.
Speaker B:We both write the songs and both shared the kind of lead role, so we thought it would be funny to kind of distract everyone as our.
Speaker B:As our kind of, you know, ultimate form together is Teddy.
Speaker B:So we both share the writing role and the singing role.
Speaker B:So it's like a duo leadership thing.
Speaker B:So having Teddy is kind of can take all the blame and we can.
Speaker B:We can put him as the leader, but it's kind of both of our, like, alter egos in some way.
Speaker E:Ooh.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:I've never quite heard it like that.
Speaker D:But together, it's sort of like you're like the Voltron of Americana.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker D:Together as Teddy.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And we.
Speaker B:And we have so many.
Speaker B:So many other players too, that play with us.
Speaker B:We've had a great new drummer for years named Tim Curris and playing with a bunch of pedal steel players.
Speaker B:And so it's.
Speaker B:We kind of.
Speaker B:We have a whole different crew, but the Teddy that remains the same is me and Jack together.
Speaker B:So we kind of consider ourselves the Teddy.
Speaker B:And then the band is the Rough Riders.
Speaker E:So how did you land on the name Teddy?
Speaker E:Just curious.
Speaker E:Instead of Bill or Bob.
Speaker B:Well, yeah, I mean, me and Jack are both history fans.
Speaker B:We were living in Knoxville, Tennessee, and I was studying history and we both liked the name.
Speaker B:It's Teddy Roosevelt.
Speaker B:And it was like a little.
Speaker B: e formed of volunteers in the: Speaker B:So it was just a name that we took, but we really liked it and thought it be a perfect band name.
Speaker E:Oh, nice.
Speaker D:I remember that from the history books.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:The Rough Riders were Teddy Roosevelt's crew that he was cruising through national parks with.
Speaker B:And yeah, true, it was.
Speaker B:He went.
Speaker B:He got a crew of volunteers together to go fight in Cuba to liberate Cuba from the Spanish army at the time of the Spanish American War.
Speaker B:But it wasn't like a.
Speaker B:It wasn't like they were kind of a failure too, but.
Speaker B:But it was just an interesting history tidbit that.
Speaker B:I love the name too, so I love it.
Speaker D:So.
Speaker D:So take us back to the early days when you were getting together with.
Speaker D:With your partner in crime there.
Speaker D:Can you share with me a memorable moment you had at one of those early jam sessions?
Speaker B:Yeah, so I was saying we formed it.
Speaker B:We're both.
Speaker B:Me and Jack are born and raised in Nashville and we formed it, though, and when a bunch of people were going to school in Knoxville and I transferred there after a couple years.
Speaker B:But we were both living in Knoxville together, and probably the earliest memory of Teddy is like we lived in a cheap old house and would jam and the attic and all our neighbors loved it.
Speaker B:But we would do this thing where we would buy the certain brand of whiskey called George Dickel whiskey.
Speaker B:And we would buy big, big, huge handles of George Dickel because that's what we prefer over Jack Daniels as well and of our Tennessee whiskey flavors.
Speaker D:Julie noted, note the nil opportunity with Teddy and the Rob writer.
Speaker D:That's your new show tour sponsor.
Speaker B:We're trying to get the Dickel sponsorship, but.
Speaker B:But it was being some.
Speaker B:Some of the best memories, I think, was a big snow day or something, and we got a whole bunch of whiskey and would write songs in the attic and run around to the different snow.
Speaker B:Snow hills to go sledding when we were in college.
Speaker B:And that was probably some of the most freeing times.
Speaker B:There was just right in the inception point between me and Jack and starting of Teddy's there.
Speaker E:So.
Speaker E:So how did you come to form this kind of.
Speaker E:When Ben texted me about.
Speaker E:We were discussing the music, I said something about, like, kind of reminded me of this late 70s Eagles vibe, but there's new instruments and spins on it.
Speaker E:So how did you come up with this signature sound, the two of you?
Speaker E:Yeah, and plus more, of course.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean, I guess we.
Speaker B:We're big fan.
Speaker B:We're big fans of, like, the 70s 60s and 70s psych movement and experimental music of that time and in the States and overseas as well.
Speaker B:So it's like that was a big influence, was like, garage rock.
Speaker B:So kind of coming at it from like, the original garage rock style, which is like, a little more raw, a little like, you know, listening to Beau Diddley, but to hit that, I mean, we've always loved Graham Parsons.
Speaker B:That's kind of a given these days.
Speaker B:Like, you know, the Burrito Brothers.
Speaker B:That is maybe.
Speaker B:Maybe what we hit on a lot of our sounds, but we also.
Speaker B:It's like the New Riders of the Purple Sage and, you know, Mike Nesmith, his stuff.
Speaker B:It's like, it's a bigger world of the stuff that's similar to, like, the Flying Burrito Brothers, but it's such a bigger world.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:Yeah, like the Eagles and, like the Birds, Gene Clark.
Speaker B:Like, so we were big fans of that, but just getting into, like, the slicker 70s Nashville music stuff as well.
Speaker B:Like, like all those bands.
Speaker D:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker D:What.
Speaker D:What's it like trying to pull that sound off in a live environment?
Speaker D:Because, like.
Speaker D:Like, when I hear it, that it Comes to me too.
Speaker D:The heavy heavy has a.
Speaker D:A throwback 70 sound too, where it's kind of layered in that like you have all this instrumentation.
Speaker D:And we're.
Speaker D:We're hoping to weave in some of your amazing music into this episode.
Speaker D:But like you hear the Americana instrumentation and then your voices singing together in harmony come together.
Speaker D:But it somehow got some kind of interesting production.
Speaker D:I think that's where I hear the birds.
Speaker D:I hear the heavy heavy.
Speaker D:I hear like a little bit of Father John Misty in it as it's coming through.
Speaker D:So how do you.
Speaker D:How does that translate to the.
Speaker D:To the stage environment?
Speaker B:I mean, I've.
Speaker B:I guess it always comes out like we.
Speaker B:However much we love Burrito Brothers or you know, Mike Nesbitt, like come out way more original.
Speaker B:It always comes out our own way.
Speaker B:And so with playing live, you know, we usually do a four piece, so just pedal steel, electric guitar, bass and drums and two vocals.
Speaker B:And so like that in general, it just has a little more of a raw rock and sound and like it's more for like a bar, live bar environment and a little more just like fun party style instead of like focusing on bunch of instrumentation.
Speaker B:I mean, it takes a while to kind of hone the riffs together, but I think it comes out a little more like we're just having fun and playing.
Speaker B:We play country covers, so we.
Speaker B:We do sometimes, you know, two hour shows where just covers to a dining audience or a bar audience.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:So it's like a lot of that comes to our favor is just as far as the performance of the music or a certain sound coming out like it is.
Speaker B:People want to hear a little fun bar band as well.
Speaker B:And I'd love to upgrade it and like bring in a bunch more instruments.
Speaker B:But where we're at right now, it just like kind of have to be easier and quick and like in and out to perform a gig.
Speaker E:Yeah, well, you did bring in.
Speaker E:There's an instrument in that first song that you wrote, Bullet.
Speaker E:On the new album.
Speaker E:I was like, is that an organ or what the heck is this thing?
Speaker E:And I love kind of the different sounds throughout the album.
Speaker E:But we can get more into that later.
Speaker E:But tell me about that song.
Speaker E:Bullet.
Speaker B:Yeah, so I mean, Bullet, like I love.
Speaker B:We love Doug Psalm, the San Antonio native, and Sir Douglas Quintet.
Speaker B:And he played with a bunch of people and was such a great voice and songwriter.
Speaker B:But the Douglas, Sir Douglas Quintet, they have.
Speaker B:I think it's a VOX organ that they use, but it's just a classic 60s sound.
Speaker B:Is the Electric organ, these, these little things that would plug into amps.
Speaker B:But the one that I have is called a Farfisa.
Speaker B:And it's, it's the kind that Pink Floyd used.
Speaker B:It's like specific 60s sound, but it's a very nice like piercing organ sound that like sounds like garage rock to me.
Speaker B:But yeah, I have an old 60s Farfisa organ that.
Speaker B:A compact one.
Speaker B:And so that sound is like a really great garage rock trope to me.
Speaker B:And I love to put that in.
Speaker B:And Bullet was one that we used it on.
Speaker E:Love it.
Speaker A:Well, I'm gonna sing through your window at night I'm gonna break the glass and I'm gonna win every fight at the starting line Baby, can't you see I want you to make a bullet out of me.
Speaker D:So what.
Speaker D:What's been one of the more memorable or unexpected experiences that you guys have had while touring or performing?
Speaker B:I mean, memorable because we just did.
Speaker B:We're also in a backing band for a singer, Emily Nenney.
Speaker B:And so we're her back in band and she's blowing up as well.
Speaker B:So it's like been working a lot with her.
Speaker B: d it made me think Back to in: Speaker B:And just thinking back on some of those was.
Speaker B:Was such a blast.
Speaker B:Like we played sold out Las Vegas show and like got to go to this private club upstairs on like the 30th floor of Mandalay Bay.
Speaker B:And it was like my first time ever seeing getting like bottle service.
Speaker E:Yeah, big time.
Speaker D:Never forget it.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:But it was like what was the bottle?
Speaker D:Was it pickle?
Speaker B:It was the cheapest, cheapest tequila.
Speaker B:I think it was just, it was one bottle service because we weren't going, we weren't trying to spend too much money.
Speaker E:And you, you bring up going out with Orville and I know you guys were previously supposed to.
Speaker E:Well, when Covid hit, weren't you supposed to go out with him and then have a record and it got shelved.
Speaker E:So coming out of that experience, how did you find the inspiration to kind of just keep going?
Speaker E:Because I mean, just love of music I suppose, but that was a bad, bad time for, for everybody.
Speaker B:Yeah, I felt especially hit for us because we were trying to make a name for ourselves still.
Speaker B:So it's like a lot of people had already had successful music careers that were going on so they could kind of afford to take a Little break and can take it.
Speaker B: a very important year for us,: Speaker B:And I really thought that that was going to help us get the album out in a different way.
Speaker B:So I think the way we dealt with that was to go in and record Down Home.
Speaker B:That was the one that was only coming out now because it's taken two years.
Speaker B:But that really was our.
Speaker B:We were like, this is what we can do.
Speaker B:We can make full new music with friends and like, get it still.
Speaker B:Dude put the work in and like, we were masked up and like testing as much as we could.
Speaker B:But that's kind of how went to work.
Speaker B:Yeah, we went to work and it actually really paid out, I thought.
Speaker B:I mean, in one way because we ended up getting like 20 something shows with Orville to make up for those dates.
Speaker B:So that was like more fun and like a bigger.
Speaker B:We got to play the Ryman instead.
Speaker B:So it ended up being like way more important thing after as far as the Orville relationship came.
Speaker B:So that it wasn't still was.
Speaker B:I still think it was a big hit for us, but we did the best we could and Down Home was a part of that.
Speaker D:Yeah, it really goes to show your dedication to your craft, to your music.
Speaker D:You didn't just hang it up, right.
Speaker D:You found a way.
Speaker D:And I love it.
Speaker D:Reminds me of the harder you work, the luckier you get.
Speaker D:Bj, American Aquarium.
Speaker D:Bj.
Speaker D:BJ was like, we.
Speaker D:We owe to BJ a while back and he's like, hey, man, during COVID we just had to figure out a way to go harder and make music.
Speaker D:And he.
Speaker D:He released his.
Speaker D:I mean, it just, you know, work through it now.
Speaker D:I was.
Speaker D:Zach and I go to a lot of live shows and what's.
Speaker D:What's something that you wish people who came to your live shows understood?
Speaker B:I don't know because I do think that we get good fans and they.
Speaker B:I think that they people.
Speaker B:I love that people understand just to have fun and like it is like just good drinking time and like kind of let loose and like it's a fun party zone.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:What do they need to know?
Speaker B:Because we don't.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:It's not like we get that many complaints or anything.
Speaker B:Usually we just have to explain who Teddy is.
Speaker E:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker E:I was in Nashville two weeks ago for John Prine's yous Got Gold Festival and I was so bummed to miss this album release show last.
Speaker E:I think it was Saturday.
Speaker E:You guys had with JP Harris and she returns from war.
Speaker E:And a friend of mine, of course was there and had to brag about it and tell me how great it was.
Speaker E:So just tell me, tell me how that went.
Speaker E:And I mean, JP's awesome.
Speaker E:Hunter is awesome.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker E:Look like a ruckus.
Speaker E:Good time, I'll tell you that.
Speaker B:Yeah, totally.
Speaker B:And good.
Speaker B:Good friends with them.
Speaker B:So it was more of just like a fun party hang that we could.
Speaker B:We could.
Speaker B:And it was at our friend's spot that called Soft Junk.
Speaker B:And it's more of an art space than a.
Speaker B:Than a venue in its own.
Speaker B:Like there's a studio back there and it's a bunch of visual art, like a painting scenario there of like big kind of painting statues.
Speaker B:So it just has a lot of vibe there.
Speaker B:And they filmed it and they.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Onto like old VHS tapes.
Speaker B:And so it was just.
Speaker B:Just a retro.
Speaker E:Again going retro.
Speaker B:I mean, thinking of this.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:Thinking about the new album.
Speaker D:What's a song album that has a colorful story behind it?
Speaker B:A song on the album.
Speaker B:I mean, the color, the story.
Speaker B:I mean.
Speaker B:Because I would say that Golden Light is one that.
Speaker B:It's just the classic Covid song.
Speaker E:That's the one I was going to ask about as well.
Speaker E:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's.
Speaker B:It's the one that.
Speaker B:And I wrote that one.
Speaker B:And so I wrote half and Jack wrote half and Bullet and Golden Light I wrote.
Speaker B:But that one is the classic.
Speaker B:There's a silver lining of something to look forward to and like just the thought of like still playing music and still writing, like when you can't perform it.
Speaker B:When we've kind of written for performing so much and we play.
Speaker A:I don't need the money But I like to eat I just wanna play it loud Feel it down in my feet I lost my job on Monday.
Speaker A:They used to work when I couldn't play.
Speaker A:Guess I'll keep writing these songs in the weekend.
Speaker A:All dance someday golden light shining bright.
Speaker B:There'S this place, Santa's Pub in Nashville.
Speaker E:We've heard of it from a different guest on a show.
Speaker D:I believe it was Golden Everything.
Speaker D:That's where the couple from Golden Everything, they met and fell in love.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Zach and.
Speaker B:Zach and Jackie and.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:We were good friends with them.
Speaker B:But that's been.
Speaker B:That's been a spot that has.
Speaker B:How.
Speaker B:Where we cut our teeth on plan and with.
Speaker B:On plan country, good covers and learning how to just yell out the chord changes.
Speaker B:And the key of the song and hope people know a song they've never heard before.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:So that's.
Speaker B:That was a spot that we definitely missed during COVID that was like.
Speaker B:It's about.
Speaker B:You have to be close.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:It's not.
Speaker B:You can't really be masked up and in the double wide trailer bar with cigarettes.
Speaker B:It's like.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:You have to be close and it has to be like kind of like the barriers down, closeness.
Speaker B:So that's what Golden Light was a lot about.
Speaker B:Golden everything.
Speaker B:That's a good connection.
Speaker E:There you go.
Speaker D:Now you mentioned double wides and cigarettes.
Speaker D:Is that a familiar place for you to hang out sometimes or.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean.
Speaker B:I mean, Santa's.
Speaker B:Santa's became like a second home for a lot of us.
Speaker B:And our buddy Carter Brawlier started this.
Speaker B:This band there every Sunday.
Speaker B:And so.
Speaker B:And you can't smoke in Santa's anymore.
Speaker B:They stopped that last year.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:But it was like.
Speaker B:It became a very like classic spot for us to hang out and write and experience in there.
Speaker D:It sort of.
Speaker D:Sort of a tangent story.
Speaker D:My daughter growing up, we had a book about Santa and we were going through it, we were reading it to her.
Speaker D:We get to the last page.
Speaker D:It's a picture of Santa, but he was smoking a pipe and she was.
Speaker D:She freaked out.
Speaker D:Like, how does Santa smoke?
Speaker D:He stopped.
Speaker D:He stopped smoking Santa's.
Speaker B:Well, she needs to meet the real Santa.
Speaker B:Who?
Speaker B:Santa is the owner of the bar.
Speaker B:He's an ex small Santa and grew up in Nashville.
Speaker B:And he has really one lung and copd.
Speaker B:And he smokes like a chimney and.
Speaker E:Oh, geez.
Speaker B:And is a Vietnam vet and just has the best stories and is the.
Speaker B:A wonderful celebrity of a guy.
Speaker D:Can we enter?
Speaker D:We've got to get him on here.
Speaker E:We gotta get him out of here.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:So I am still not been to Santa because it has to be on a Sunday.
Speaker D:Right.
Speaker D:So you can't.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:Flying in.
Speaker D:You really can't leave until Monday.
Speaker D:And I'm assuming it's a pretty late night Sunday.
Speaker B:I mean, it's.
Speaker B:It's 7 to 9, so it's not too late.
Speaker E:Oh, that's not too bad.
Speaker B:Yeah, but it is like every other night at Santa's is karaoke.
Speaker B:And so it's still fun, but it gets crazy.
Speaker B:There's.
Speaker E:Yeah, but I'm like, yeah, you know, it sounds like Santas.
Speaker E:And if I go to Nashville, I stay pretty much as far away from Broadway as I can.
Speaker E:Except for Roberts, Western World and the Ryman.
Speaker E:But with kind of the evolving state of country music.
Speaker E:I appreciate where you guys are staying, like bringing it true.
Speaker E:Staying true to what?
Speaker E:The genre with also.
Speaker E:But you're also experimenting.
Speaker E:But there's a lot of stuff down there that is not country music.
Speaker B:So I mean that's.
Speaker B:That's more of like a karaoke scene down there too.
Speaker B:It's like just general popular music and people.
Speaker B:People are just trying to drink and have fun.
Speaker B:So it's not.
Speaker B:It's not original place for original music downtown.
Speaker D:Whenever Teddy comes on the stage at.
Speaker D:At Santa's or any other place and you're about to do a show and you're.
Speaker D:And you're basically forming your Americana Voltron right there.
Speaker D:Do you have any pre show or post show rituals you guys like to do?
Speaker B:Not really.
Speaker B:I mean, whatever.
Speaker B:Two or three drinks.
Speaker B:It's about how it goes.
Speaker E:Yeah.
Speaker D:Is it Dickel every time.
Speaker D:Are you that true to the.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:See, I mean, we've moved jacket now.
Speaker B:Drinks Maker's Mark specifically.
Speaker D:Okay.
Speaker D:He's upgraded.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:Some people might not say it's an upgrade.
Speaker B:It's an upgrade in price, but I drink tequila soda and so I'm kind of down with most tequilas.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:But no.
Speaker B:I mean, no.
Speaker B:No little chants or.
Speaker B:Or songs.
Speaker B:We like to warm up.
Speaker B:So I.
Speaker B:I play mandolin too.
Speaker B:And we do like some like bluegrass songs to warm up with.
Speaker B:And me and Jack have this big like Leuven Brothers fandom so that we do a bunch of Leuven Brothers.
Speaker B:So that's probably the best thing that we can do before a show is like sing some cool bluegrass and practice our singing to get warm.
Speaker E:Yeah.
Speaker D:Wow.
Speaker E:The Americana music.
Speaker E:Sorry, I was just gonna say you're the Americana.
Speaker E:The thing we love about Americana is the collaborations.
Speaker E:And you collaborate with any.
Speaker E:I mean, a lot of people got a dream collaboration.
Speaker B:I mean, I would love to squeeze one in with Willie.
Speaker B:Just.
Speaker B:We were just in ACL and saw Orville sing with Willie and that was really great.
Speaker E:I saw that video.
Speaker E:It was so good.
Speaker B:So good.
Speaker B:Me and my girlfriend were there and we teared up.
Speaker B:It was really beautiful.
Speaker B:But hear that, Willie.
Speaker E:Willie.
Speaker B:Yeah, but other than that, Neil Young is kicking.
Speaker B:We just saw Neil Young play.
Speaker B:Would love to.
Speaker B:I mean, that's.
Speaker B:That's an ultimate thing.
Speaker B:Yeah, there's.
Speaker B:There's a whole bunch.
Speaker B:I mean, there's.
Speaker B:There's heroes all around town.
Speaker B:I mean, I don't have the chops, but Marty Stewart is a hero.
Speaker B:Someone like Vince Gill or.
Speaker B:Yeah, any.
Speaker B:Anybody.
Speaker B:I would.
Speaker B:Another goal.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:To play The Opry again.
Speaker B:We got to play it with Emily Nenny, but would love to do that with Teddy.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:What.
Speaker D:What's a family conception people have about your music?
Speaker B:I mean, I guess there's just the classic country misconception where a lot of people are like, it's still like, oh, you guys must be like, so right wing and only do this or only do this country thing and have a thick Southern accent only.
Speaker B:And, you know.
Speaker B:But I really do feel like we fit in just as much with, like, rock bands.
Speaker B:I guess I'm talking about people in, like, the rock scene that they don't.
Speaker B:It's hard to.
Speaker B:I want to try to bridge that.
Speaker B:The groups, because country fans, like, are just open about it all and love rock as much as country.
Speaker B:And so it's not just you can only be country and then you're like pop country immediately.
Speaker B:It's like a little more of this blending of fans.
Speaker B:And the rock scene is very similar.
Speaker B:The indie rock scene is very similar to, like, the growing country scene and Americana scene.
Speaker E:Yeah, no, I like that quote that Margo Price said about you guys, where you're one of her favorite bands and you're.
Speaker E:I'm going to.
Speaker E:I wrote it down.
Speaker E:You're bringing together the hippies and the cowboys and the bikers and the stoners.
Speaker E:So there's.
Speaker E:There's not one person that can listen to Teddy and the Rough Riders.
Speaker E:I'll tell you.
Speaker B:That's what we're trying to do.
Speaker B:I really, like.
Speaker B:I really want to bring together, like, people that are just psych fans and, like, stoner rock fans and show them that country is like, you can be everything.
Speaker B:It can be like epic metal vibe, if that's what you want.
Speaker B:It can be like good songwriting vibe.
Speaker B:It can be calm folk.
Speaker B:It can be like, you know, so much.
Speaker B:So that's.
Speaker B:That's mainly what I would say.
Speaker E:It can also be emotional because you wrote Love After Life and that's a heavy song, my man.
Speaker E:Yeah, that was what I gather.
Speaker E:Tell me about that one.
Speaker B:That was one of the first ones I wrote for Teddy.
Speaker B:So that's.
Speaker B:That's maybe like a seven or eight year old song that I had a demo for but had not recorded it.
Speaker B:And yeah, that was just in a lonely point, so in a low point.
Speaker B:So I just thought, like, you know, having trouble finding a partner, which I don't have that trouble right now, but Congratulations.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Did y'all meet at Santa's Publishing and it's not that what he wanted Wasn't.
Speaker B:Anything my body wouldn't like but if.
Speaker A:I'll be alone I guess I'll love after love after life.
Speaker B:We actually met at the American Legion.
Speaker B:The Honky Tonk Tuesday is another.
Speaker E:I've heard a lot about that, too.
Speaker E:That.
Speaker E:That American Legion.
Speaker E:Somebody else just mentioned it to us.
Speaker E:Ben.
Speaker E:I think it was Avery.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So the Honky Tonk Tuesday has also been going around for almost 10 years now, too.
Speaker B:But it's just a great dance night that a bunch of people go there, and it's way more room than Santa's, so people can just, like, really dance a lot and two step, and so it brings out.
Speaker B:And they just moved, actually.
Speaker B:So look up Honky Tonk Tuesday.
Speaker B:And they moved to the east side Bowl.
Speaker B:It's a bigger venue, but it's like a really good open spot for, like, new country fans to learn how to two step and to, like, learn the ins and outs of how a country.
Speaker B:A real country scene goes and.
Speaker E:Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker D:So.
Speaker D:So how do we plan the ultimate music week in Nashville where we're not going to see, like, okay, the Ryman.
Speaker D:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker D:Like, we know Ryman.
Speaker D:We know there's giant things, but what do we need to do to create, like, a truly magical small venue week?
Speaker B:I mean.
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean, I guess you.
Speaker B:I would say do the.
Speaker B:Do the normal weekend, right?
Speaker B:Like, any.
Speaker B:You can go see a big show at Bridgestone or Ryman or something, but Sunday you go to Santa's.
Speaker B:Monday morning you.
Speaker B:You wake up and you go to Arnold's Country Kitchen.
Speaker E:Went there the last time I was there.
Speaker E:Yeah.
Speaker D:Okay.
Speaker E:Place.
Speaker D:Arnold's Country Kitchen.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And Monday they have the fried chicken, and it's really good.
Speaker B:But John Prine would go there for the meatloaf on Thursdays or Wednesday.
Speaker D:Okay.
Speaker E:Yeah.
Speaker E:That's why I went.
Speaker B:I was like.
Speaker B:Arnold was like a part of his writing process.
Speaker B:He would go take a break, but it is.
Speaker B:You got to plan a nap after it.
Speaker E:But it's like a little shrine of John Brian in there, too.
Speaker E:It's so great.
Speaker E:It's so great.
Speaker B:So many.
Speaker B:Yeah, there's like, country pictures on the wall, musicians.
Speaker B:But I would say you go to Arnold's.
Speaker B:Maybe you can go to Dee's country cocktail Lounge that night.
Speaker B:And then Tuesday you go to the Honky Tonk Tuesday dance night.
Speaker B:Wednesday you can go to the American Legion.
Speaker B:There's a bluegrass jam there.
Speaker B:It's a bunch of stuff.
Speaker B:And that's what I prefer to do.
Speaker B:Little, like, homegrown.
Speaker B:Weekly things instead of like.
Speaker B:I mean I still go to big shows, but Broadway is a silly place.
Speaker B:I mean, go to Roberts.
Speaker E:Roberts is great.
Speaker E:The rest of it I.
Speaker E:From an outsider.
Speaker B:We play this spot called Acme and it's right.
Speaker E:Oh, the Feed and Seed.
Speaker B:Right, Feed and Seed.
Speaker B:And that's.
Speaker E:Yeah, that place is pretty cool.
Speaker B:Yeah, that's a place where.
Speaker B:It's probably the only place on Broadway that pays people to play original music.
Speaker B:And so it's so like they'll.
Speaker B:They'll pay Teddy's to go in and do a set, but we can do covers.
Speaker B:But we're appreciated for playing all of our original stuff too.
Speaker B:And it's just.
Speaker B:They want it just as much like.
Speaker B:Yeah, but it's tough.
Speaker B:You just have the competition of all these name named bars now.
Speaker B:It's just a funny scene down there.
Speaker B:But yeah, you got to see it to see it to understand it.
Speaker D:Well, what did you do to earn best honky tonk group in Austin?
Speaker B:I mean, I'm not sure.
Speaker B:I think Emily Nene helped us.
Speaker B:Like she has been a part of the maripolitan scene way more than we have.
Speaker B:I think she's.
Speaker B:She's destined to win something next year.
Speaker B:But I was, I was surprised.
Speaker B:This was my first time ever going to any award show or anything, so I didn't expect.
Speaker B:I just was glad to be there and.
Speaker B:But maybe just because we've been playing on the road so much, we've.
Speaker B:We've already done like approaching 200 shows this year.
Speaker D:Wow.
Speaker B:So it's like been a whole lot.
Speaker D:Yeah, man.
Speaker E:What did you have to do?
Speaker E:You have to write a speech or give a speech?
Speaker B:Yeah, I mean we tried to.
Speaker B:We all, me and Jack were a little too drunk I think to really realize what was going on.
Speaker B:We were just trying to have fun.
Speaker B:Didn't realize we got a performer say something in front of people.
Speaker B:But I mean, I think I'm blaming Emily Nene as the.
Speaker B:As the help we needed to get some.
Speaker B:Get the metropolitan push.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker D:It'S cool because it's really true to the Americana collaboration thing that you guys prioritize and have created.
Speaker D:And two terms that come to mind that may be newer, I mean they're not so new, but may have a question about defining it.
Speaker D:How would you define honky tonk?
Speaker D:And how would you define a Mara Politan?
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:Honky tonk I think is like the better term for old school country that is now it's like, it's bar music, it's fun covers, but specifically it's like late 40s to mid-60s to the end of the 60s, like classic country sounds.
Speaker B:So it is just a specific older genre I think honky tonk is.
Speaker B:But it's also just a vibe.
Speaker B:It's like a bar.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:It's like bar rock and something, but it's for country.
Speaker B:So to me that's what the honky tonk is.
Speaker B:A metropolitan I think is just some.
Speaker B:It's just another word.
Speaker B:Just like Americana is just like a genre word.
Speaker B:But I think a metropolitan includes way more of like rockabilly, Dale Watson style rockabilly stuff and a little more like.
Speaker B:Yeah, I guess a little more of that like country.
Speaker B:Politan was some 60s term, I guess that was used in Nashville.
Speaker B:So I think it's a little play on that as well.
Speaker B:But yeah, I think it fits in a little more of like rockabilly and like that style of music and just rock.
Speaker B:And so that's why I loved it.
Speaker B:It was in including everything.
Speaker B:And obviously we're not some strict honky tonk band here.
Speaker B:We kind of play whatever we want.
Speaker B:But I do like that it fits in.
Speaker B:I want, I want the term, the award.
Speaker E:So what do we.
Speaker E:Besides touring, continuing the tour, which you guys do.
Speaker E:Relentless.
Speaker E:What do we have next for Teddy?
Speaker B:Teddy, we're going in.
Speaker B:Me and Jack just write all the time.
Speaker B:So we have already maybe another a 20 song album that we're going to go in and solidify and get it going this winter, hopefully start recording.
Speaker B:We record with our friend Jake Davis who grew up with us in Nashville and he, he engineers a bunch of stuff.
Speaker B:Emily, Nanny and a bunch of other bands in town.
Speaker B:So it's like gonna, gonna demo some with Jack and then like bring in our drummer Tim and we'll like start really workshopping them and then plan some studio time.
Speaker B:But yeah, I'm stoked to record and I want to get.
Speaker B:I wanna be able to record and get music out quicker.
Speaker B:I want to just get it right off and be able to.
Speaker B:If that's self releasing, that's what it's going to be.
Speaker B:But yeah, we just have too much music pent up and so that's the next on the Teddy list is to relax.
Speaker B:We got a month off to relax and start solidifying some music and not having to wait two years to release it would be great.
Speaker E:I love that that you said you have too much music.
Speaker E:That makes me happy.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker B:We're writers.
Speaker B:Me and Jack are songwriters and I really want to hone that more and, and so I have different concept albums that I have planned.
Speaker B:We got a whole bluegrass album written that we want to do.
Speaker B:We got this, like, other one that's a little more like, studio Don Williams style that we're going to try to do.
Speaker E:Feel free to send some of those demos over to Americana Curious.
Speaker E:We'd love to have a little.
Speaker E:We'd love to hear those.
Speaker E:Right, Ben?
Speaker D:That's right.
Speaker D:Bring it on.
Speaker D:A little listening party over here.
Speaker D:So is y'all.
Speaker D:One thing is clear, listeners.
Speaker D:Americana Curious nation.
Speaker D:The future is bright for Teddy and the Rough Riders.
Speaker D:Turn it back over to Uri.
Speaker D:What do you think?
Speaker D:The legacy or what would you like the legacy of Teddy and the Rough Riders to be one day, man, I.
Speaker B:Just want to get the music out.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:So much.
Speaker B:I want.
Speaker B:I want quantity and quality, but I think the quality comes with it.
Speaker B:So I.
Speaker B:I really want to, like, be able to say that all we can with our songs and continue to songwrite and just have a.
Speaker B:We just have a bunch of different angles we want to hit.
Speaker B:So it's going to take time to release, but I just think keep listening, and we got so much more music to share.
Speaker B:That's awesome.
Speaker D:Well, I'll tell you what.
Speaker D:This has been a funny one.
Speaker D:A funny and fun one.
Speaker D:Right?
Speaker D:And you know what?
Speaker D:I learned a lot about Santa's, too.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker E:Yeah.
Speaker D:I cannot wait upon my week now.
Speaker D:Hopefully you're gonna hang with us if you're in.
Speaker D:Yeah, please.
Speaker D:We're gonna get way more out of it if we're there with you.
Speaker D:And our cool points will be much higher, too.
Speaker B:Another.
Speaker B:Another spot.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Another spot y'all go to is near where I live is Brown's Diner and Brown.
Speaker E:Another John Prine.
Speaker B:The John prime tour.
Speaker B:Yeah, But Brown is like, you know, the.
Speaker B:One of the most classic venues.
Speaker B:The first.
Speaker B:My first ever show was there.
Speaker B:My first time playing live was there outside of church, but.
Speaker D:Oh, man, how cool.
Speaker D:Yeah.
Speaker D:You growing up in Nashville, being in Nashville.
Speaker D:I mean, you are bathed in the Nashville experience.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker D:And I love how you're bringing so much originality.
Speaker D:Yes.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker D:You've kind of filtered it through your own artistic vision and creating a special sound, so can't wait.
Speaker B:Thank you so much.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:No, I love that.
Speaker B:I really want it to be, like, you know, original.
Speaker B:I'm trying to make it modern, not trying to do exact honky tonk recreation stuff, but.
Speaker B:And I think it just comes out naturally our own way.
Speaker D:Thanks for coming on Americana Curious.
Speaker B:Thanks for having us make some time.
Speaker A:To see your loving family Buckle up and eat a Georgia peach Write a song, sing a little bitty Spend all summer at the beach I was there when I was just a baby Acting like I just don't care Now I.
Speaker B:Know how much of that the top.
Speaker A:Me and I'm going to go back.
Speaker D:Thanks for joining Zach and I for.
Speaker C:This episode of Americana Curious.
Speaker C:Subscribe where you listen to your podcast so you are notified when a new episode is released.
Speaker C:I've been fanning and it's been great sharing these artists and music with you.
Speaker C:Until next time, stay Americana Curious.
