Lost Dog Street Band

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[00:01:03] Hi, this is Shelby and Quinn backstage at the Grand Ole Opry with Benjamin Todd and Ashley May of Lost Dog Street Band.

[00:01:10] And you guys have the saddest songs that I've ever heard.

[00:01:14] Specifically you, and I'm so excited to hear you sing this song.

[00:01:18] It's called Lost Dog Street Band.

[00:01:20] And I'm so excited to hear you sing this song.

[00:01:22] It's called Lost Dog Street Band.

[00:01:24] And I'm so excited to hear you sing this song.

[00:01:26] It's called Lost Dog Street Band.

[00:01:28] And you guys have the saddest songs that I've ever heard.

[00:01:32] Specifically you, Benjamin.

[00:01:34] I heard some of your songs and it cut me to my core.

[00:01:38] But at Whiskey Riff, we're known for loving sad country music.

[00:01:40] So it is definitely our kind of music that we love.

[00:01:44] So I will move it forward with this question for you, Ben.

[00:01:48] You've got your solo career, of course.

[00:01:50] And then you also have the Lost Dog Street Band.

[00:01:54] So is there any sort of way that you differentiate between the two or do you kind of see them as two different things?

[00:02:00] But you're doing them at once if that makes sense.

[00:02:04] Upon the inception of both, yes, there was a difference.

[00:02:09] Benjamin Todd kind of came out of me and her separated

[00:02:13] for a couple years in 2017

[00:02:16] because I was a terrible person and I deserved that but

[00:02:19] but about a year and a half, two years later we started kind of rebuilding

[00:02:24] and that's when I Will Rise came out of sort of me rebuilding my life.

[00:02:31] And originally Benjamin Todd project was set to be pretty strictly solo, just me and a guitar

[00:02:37] and then Lost Dog continued through and both were kind of processing records at the same time

[00:02:44] or you know one half a year, one half a year.

[00:02:47] Now I've recorded a honky-tonk record for Benjamin Todd so I don't really know what the general difference is.

[00:02:55] I think it's kind of a feeling, Lost Dog has a feeling.

[00:02:59] I know a song is meant for Lost Dog when I write it, it's not something that I can express why.

[00:03:06] It's kind of like the difference between, I don't know, I always use the analogy,

[00:03:10] porn and art. You don't really, you can't describe the difference but like

[00:03:14] you know it when you see the difference.

[00:03:16] It's like okay well that's art, that's it.

[00:03:18] Gotcha.

[00:03:19] Now is the writing process different?

[00:03:21] Are you actually, do you go by Ashley or Ashley May?

[00:03:23] He is.

[00:03:24] Okay. Do you help write any of the music for Lost Dog?

[00:03:27] Nope, I'm not.

[00:03:27] Nice. You just mentioned the honky-tonk record, is that, you said it's set to be released this fall.

[00:03:33] Is there anything else that you can really share about it?

[00:03:36] I don't know, okay.

[00:03:37] I wrote that record where each individual song is from a different production era in country

[00:03:44] music history, spanning from the mid-50s to the mid-90s.

[00:03:48] And obviously it has the bias of what I particularly like in country music.

[00:03:52] Different production eras set between particular artists, like you know this tune,

[00:03:59] the production style is a late 80s Randy Travis western swing.

[00:04:02] This one's an early or a mid-70s Mara Haggard waltz, kind of sad country tune.

[00:04:09] So it was incredible to make and it was kind of actually the honky-tonk record was recorded

[00:04:15] before this Lost Dog record.

[00:04:18] And honestly without the honky-tonk record I don't know if Lost Dog record would have

[00:04:23] happened because I was kind of on, I was psychologically on the verge of going into

[00:04:29] Actually this album, Survived, has been booming everywhere.

[00:04:33] Do you feel a difference between this album and your other albums that have been put out

[00:04:36] for Lost Dog?

[00:04:37] Yeah I feel a lot more emotionally connected to this album and I'm just more proud of this

[00:04:44] album in general and everything that went into it because I feel like it's a really

[00:04:48] good album.

[00:04:49] I feel like it's a really good album.

[00:04:51] I feel like it's a really good album.

[00:04:52] I feel like it's a really good album.

[00:04:53] I'm just more proud of this album in general and everything that went into it, the musicianship,

[00:04:58] the fact that Lost Dog may not have made it and lived to record another album is very

[00:05:04] special to me.

[00:05:05] And now I'm going to bring it back to you Benjamin.

[00:05:08] You're from Tennessee, born and raised in Nashville, is that correct?

[00:05:11] Yep.

[00:05:12] But now you live in Kentucky.

[00:05:13] Yes.

[00:05:13] Okay so not to get too personal on my side but I'm the opposite.

[00:05:17] I'm born and raised in Kentucky and now I live here in Nashville.

[00:05:21] Do you kind of have different vibes?

[00:05:23] Of course you're from Nashville so anytime you come back I'm sure you kind of feel at

[00:05:26] home but Kentucky is where you really have your roots, right?

[00:05:31] Technically I was born in Sumner County and I was raised in Sumner County.

[00:05:35] I was born and raised essentially trapped between Kentucky and Nashville and I think

[00:05:41] that that really encapsulates who I am in a metaphysical sense and a literal sense between

[00:05:49] the culture and the heritage of both of the states of Kentucky and Tennessee.

[00:05:55] But in particular I think Tennessee has more of a gentleness about it that Kentucky is

[00:06:02] slightly more gritty.

[00:06:03] I always use the analogy, Tennessee's the type of place where a stranger rolls through

[00:06:09] town, a house will open their door, say, oh come in stay however long you want.

[00:06:13] In Kentucky it's more they'll meet you at the door, they'll give you a full plate of

[00:06:17] food, $100 bill and say well get the hell off my property before dark.

[00:06:22] I can agree with that.

[00:06:24] My spirit matches Kentucky more because I'm a little more assertive of a person,

[00:06:32] more disagreeable person.

[00:06:35] I love Tennessee and Nashville, I guess one of the sayings I have is a part of Nashville

[00:06:40] always comes with me and a part of me is always left in Nashville where I go or what I do.

[00:06:45] And speaking of your spirit, of course a huge part of that is the music that you create.

[00:06:49] And now that you've been in the Nashville area or at least close to it, you said stuck

[00:06:55] between Kentucky and Nashville, now you're at the Grand Ole Opry and you're making your

[00:06:59] Grand Ole Opry debut.

[00:07:01] So do you feel like this is going to be a moment in your career that you're always going

[00:07:06] to remember making your Grand Ole Opry debut?

[00:07:09] Easy question.

[00:07:10] Softball, hit it out of the park there?

[00:07:13] I mean it's special for a lot of reasons.

[00:07:17] I watched this town the way that it shaped now, how it became this way.

[00:07:21] I have a lot of insight other people don't.

[00:07:23] It's like this mall here next to the Grand Ole Opry used to be an amusement park.

[00:07:29] It used to have very particular features.

[00:07:32] Used to have the roller coaster, the hangman and I never got old enough to ride that but

[00:07:37] I guess I got old enough to play the Grand Ole Opry so it's all right.

[00:07:42] Ashley, did you ever think that you'd be making your Grand Ole Opry debut?

[00:07:45] Oh no, there's no way I could have ever conceived of this.

[00:07:48] Going back to how we began just playing on the streets, this is like inconceivable and

[00:07:54] wonderful and very surprising.

[00:07:58] Benjamin, before you've said that you have to be careful what you put into your songs

[00:08:02] because it comes to fruition, can you give a couple of examples of what that has looked

[00:08:07] like?

[00:08:07] I don't know if I legally can.

[00:08:09] There's nothing that I could say that it would not be irredeemably, tragically, miserably

[00:08:15] sad or things that I don't want people to know or things that I can't legally talk

[00:08:22] about in the state of Tennessee.

[00:08:24] We will leave it at that.

[00:08:27] I'll move past it and point out that on your social media, it's clear that you're huge

[00:08:35] into deer hunting or maybe other types of hunting as well.

[00:08:38] But the deer hunting is definitely one thing that you've been open about.

[00:08:41] Would you say that's one of your main hobbies away from music that you like to spend time

[00:08:46] doing?

[00:08:47] Not really anymore.

[00:08:48] Okay.

[00:08:49] I just hunt deer to pack the freezer really now.

[00:08:52] I try to get a good buck every year.

[00:08:55] As far as the hunting community is concerned, I'm not the person that likes...

[00:09:01] I'm not a neurotic nerd about hunting anymore.

[00:09:06] So I feel out of pocket being like...

[00:09:09] Because there are people that are avid, crazy hunters.

[00:09:12] It's like I hunt the first two weeks of bow and then I wait for rifle.

[00:09:17] I'm pretty lazy with it at this point in my life.

[00:09:19] It's not a huge part of my identity or who I am necessarily anymore.

[00:09:24] You've got plenty of other things taking up your time.

[00:09:27] The trucks and the diesel and the hydraulic cylinders and the seals and all that,

[00:09:34] that's probably more where I'm at.

[00:09:37] I've got 25 trucks and 15 different pieces of heavy equipment and trailers and rusty crap

[00:09:43] everywhere.

[00:09:44] Basically a mechanic for fun.

[00:09:47] Volunteer mechanic?

[00:09:48] I'm not.

[00:09:48] It's not fun.

[00:09:50] No, but it is...

[00:09:51] You're always doing it though.

[00:09:53] It is enjoyable, but I would say that that is probably more of my general passion.

[00:09:59] But I guess my philosophy in general in life is more that I'm a servant of where I need to be

[00:10:06] and whatever I should be doing regardless of what I want.

[00:10:10] And in an ideal world, we would all find our sacred purpose and we would do what we should

[00:10:15] be doing at all times rather than what we want to be doing.

[00:10:18] That's the ideal vision of the world from an ancient sacred space.

[00:10:23] Well, it's beautifully put.

[00:10:24] I feel like it should be on one of those posters that you see with a beautiful landscape in the

[00:10:28] background.

[00:10:29] What you just said, pop it on a quote.

[00:10:31] It's very inspirational.

[00:10:32] Who are your best friends in the industry?

[00:10:35] Both of you.

[00:10:35] My best friends in contemporaries?

[00:10:38] Any.

[00:10:39] Anyone that would know.

[00:10:40] In this industry?

[00:10:40] Yes.

[00:10:42] Not the truck restoration industry.

[00:10:44] Correct.

[00:10:45] In the country folk, Americana.

[00:10:47] Matt Heckler.

[00:10:48] Jesse Daniel.

[00:10:49] Sierra's one of our oldest friends.

[00:10:53] It's gone back and forth for years.

[00:10:54] You know, we've been at each other's throats and not talked to each other for years and

[00:10:58] it's come back around the last few years and it is special.

[00:11:02] It's special to have someone that's kind of going through a similar part of the process

[00:11:05] and who came from a similar place.

[00:11:08] Trying to think.

[00:11:08] Hayden Karchmer.

[00:11:10] The Hill Country Devil.

[00:11:11] Cole Chaney is a good one.

[00:11:12] I'm trying to think.

[00:11:13] I'm going to feel really embarrassed.

[00:11:15] I'm going to forget someone very particular.

[00:11:17] The people that we tour with, Resident Rogues, Jason Day West.

[00:11:21] We'll leave that with a disclaimer that there may be more.

[00:11:24] And do you have any friends that are Packers fans?

[00:11:27] Because you're a Green Bay Packer fan through and through, correct?

[00:11:30] Yeah.

[00:11:31] So the Resident Rogues and Jason Day West are both Packers fans.

[00:11:34] They're both Wisconsinites.

[00:11:36] Her whole family, half her family's Packers.

[00:11:38] Half are Broncos.

[00:11:40] And how did you end up as a Packer fan being from...

[00:11:42] I'm in a similar place.

[00:11:43] I've never even been in the state of Minnesota.

[00:11:45] I love the Minnesota Vikings.

[00:11:46] So I might be similar to you in that fashion.

[00:11:49] Okay.

[00:11:49] Well, I grew up in Gallatin, Tennessee, if you're familiar at all.

[00:11:53] Their logo is the Packers G.

[00:11:56] So from a very early age, growing up, age of five, six,

[00:11:59] as soon as I started watching sports, the whole town was a green G.

[00:12:04] And that just kind of translated.

[00:12:05] And that's when Brett Favre was tearing through the NFL.

[00:12:09] I remember watching him lose to Elway.

[00:12:13] I think it was 98.

[00:12:14] Can't remember.

[00:12:14] But then Aaron Rodgers came and the legacy just continued.

[00:12:19] And seem to be in good hands now too, as well with Jordan Love.

[00:12:22] Fingers crossed, right?

[00:12:23] A miracle.

[00:12:24] We could talk for a long time about that off the podcast if you want to.

[00:12:28] And I'm also a Packers fan.

[00:12:30] And I'm from California, so it doesn't make sense either.

[00:12:33] Well, it is the greatest sports franchise in the history of the world.

[00:12:35] It's the only co-operated 13 World Championship.

[00:12:37] Yeah, my brother had a teacher that was a Packers fan.

[00:12:40] It just stayed in the family since then.

[00:12:42] Um, now it's hard to look at you guys and not see all the tattoos.

[00:12:46] I also have a ton.

[00:12:46] Do you guys know how many tattoos you actually have?

[00:12:49] No.

[00:12:50] Any estimate?

[00:12:51] No.

[00:12:52] No, I had to do this in jail a couple of times and they got mad at me.

[00:12:55] When was that?

[00:12:56] When I was selling blood.

[00:12:57] Oh, I was selling blood one time.

[00:12:58] I forgot about some tattoos and they got really upset and I couldn't sell the blood.

[00:13:02] So I didn't get high for that day.

[00:13:04] And then yes, that happened.

[00:13:05] That's happened in jail a couple of times where they've like through a screening.

[00:13:09] This is completely irrelevant information.

[00:13:11] But I have no idea.

[00:13:12] But I will say this.

[00:13:14] If I did not have tattoos, I would not get any tattoos now.

[00:13:17] Okay.

[00:13:17] I can agree with that.

[00:13:19] Yeah, like because I got this one.

[00:13:21] Well, which one was my first?

[00:13:22] I think it was somewhere here when I was 13 or 14.

[00:13:26] And then I had a tattoo gun and I just destroyed myself.

[00:13:28] So then I spent from 18 to probably 20, 21 kind of trying to fix everything.

[00:13:35] Like most of my tattoos are cover up of much worse stuff.

[00:13:38] But yeah, I still end up getting one once a year because I get talked into it.

[00:13:41] I think the last time I got a farting fox, which is my spirit animal.

[00:13:46] Where's that at?

[00:13:47] It's on my stomach.

[00:13:48] It's just flying through the air and farting.

[00:13:51] So we're going...

[00:13:52] We only have a couple more minutes left with you guys.

[00:13:54] So we're going to switch to some rapid fire questions.

[00:13:56] So these are just real quick.

[00:13:58] First thing that comes to mind.

[00:13:59] What's something still on your bucket list?

[00:14:01] The Opry is a big one.

[00:14:03] So...

[00:14:03] The Opry.

[00:14:04] There we go.

[00:14:05] No, well, it's off your bucket list now.

[00:14:06] It's not.

[00:14:08] Not yet.

[00:14:08] I've made it out of stage.

[00:14:09] I can walk out of here any second.

[00:14:11] That's fair.

[00:14:12] What is your favorite sad country song?

[00:14:14] Probably 20 Years and 5, George Jones.

[00:14:16] Probably one of my favorite.

[00:14:17] Well, I guess it kind of turns around good.

[00:14:20] Reasons I Cheat, Randy Travis.

[00:14:22] Ones that are really close to my heart.

[00:14:24] What's the song that you're most proud of?

[00:14:25] Could be your solo stuff, could be with the Lost Dog Street Band.

[00:14:30] I would still say Survive right now just because it's rapid fire.

[00:14:33] I could sit and dwell on it.

[00:14:34] We're just...

[00:14:34] We're really thoughtful people.

[00:14:36] So it's really hard.

[00:14:37] This is really hard for us.

[00:14:38] To just say one word answers.

[00:14:39] We really try to do a good job.

[00:14:41] How do you feel about the surge of pop artists coming into country music?

[00:14:46] I don't really care because I'm coming from where we come from.

[00:14:49] We've never been a part of the establishment anyway.

[00:14:51] We've been working from the outside and it's funny now.

[00:14:54] The very particular type of country music that we have been grinding on for years

[00:15:00] is now becoming popular.

[00:15:03] Look at archetypes like Zach Brian, White Flores who are songwriters with country inflections

[00:15:09] that are more or less pop music.

[00:15:11] I mean, that's the majority of Lost Dog.

[00:15:13] Also the production.

[00:15:15] Some of the production on these new records, I'm like, this sounds like crap, but it's good.

[00:15:20] People really like it.

[00:15:21] They're selling millions of records.

[00:15:23] I'm like, anyone pay attention to what we were doing 10 years ago?

[00:15:26] Pop music is popular.

[00:15:28] Yeah.

[00:15:29] But it's like a sound like using the relative minor and walking the relative major.

[00:15:33] From a music theory perspective, it's very archetypally what we've been doing for years.

[00:15:39] I was talking earlier today, I'm like in 2017, the three albums of Benjamin Todd,

[00:15:43] if that were released today in today's market, those three albums in succession, it's like,

[00:15:48] yeah, it would be big.

[00:15:51] It just so happened that it was five years before its time.

[00:15:54] And that's why Lost Dog Street Band is having a moment now.

[00:15:57] There we go.

[00:15:58] And we'll wrap it up with who is someone that is up and coming that you're a huge fan of?

[00:16:03] Jesse Daniel.

[00:16:04] He's just, he is a killer.

[00:16:06] He is.

[00:16:07] His show's awesome.

[00:16:09] It's insane.

[00:16:10] I'm a real big fan of Sam Barber.

[00:16:11] Of course, I'm biased because he covers some of our tunes.

[00:16:15] But I love the spirit of all these younger cats who are coming in.

[00:16:19] It's so familiar to me and my process and how I came up.

[00:16:23] I don't know.

[00:16:24] It's exciting.

[00:16:25] There's so much good art.

[00:16:26] Yeah, if you'd have told me five years ago, anything like that was happening, well,

[00:16:28] hey, I would have been too bitter to appreciate it.

[00:16:31] But I wouldn't have believed it.

[00:16:32] Yeah, I feel like popular country is actually good or at least better than the way it used

[00:16:36] to be.

[00:16:37] So we're happy about that as well.

[00:16:38] We just want to say congratulations on your Grand Ole Opry debut.

[00:16:41] Congratulations on the new album.

[00:16:42] And we'll be looking forward to that Honky Tonk album later this year.

[00:16:46] Hopefully.

[00:16:46] Thanks so much.

[00:16:47] Hopefully.

[00:16:48] Thank you.