Transforming Country Music: DJ Silver's Unforgettable Journey, Touring with Jason Aldean, and Surviving Adversity 01:07:21

You know, I've played Atlantic City 10,000 times. I've played Miami 10,000 times. Let me tell you, if it's tropical and I'm off, let's go. If it's in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, I'm expensive as shit and I am busy. I got a story that almost ended my career, if you want to hear it. Let's go. Well, tonight, we've got the hardest working man in show business. James Brown? He has to be. From Nashville to Vegas and everywhere in between, DJ Silver. Let's go. Oh, my God. Come on.

This is the best crowd we've had yet. We've never had a gallery clap like how much for them to just travel with me. Thank you, studio audience. Thank you. This is loud. That was impressive. You are the hardest worker. You are. Thanks for coming on. Thank you. I'd love to be here. Thank you so much. So, DJ Silver, how many years have you been out with us on the road now? This is 2010. 2010. Yeah. Let me do my math.

I left one year and went with Paisley and came right back. Let's just get right to it. There's a love connection. I want to hear some Paisley stories tonight. Wish I had any. Just kick me off stage every night. He's made fun of me and Hauser being fat for two hours and we just stopped going on stage. It's great. All right, so let's come back to that. No.

Let's get right to it. No, I know, but I think we need, let's let our listeners know what DJ does. He is a DJ, but it's a completely different thing. Remix artist, right? So give us a little bit for the listeners so we'll know what you're... So I've been blessed enough, man, I've toured this world several times. I've been a professional DJ for almost 25 years now. I know you can't tell by, I look 12, but whatever. But, you know, I've toured with Nelly. I've toured with, I was with Jackass for six years and

caught up and we you know and I've started doing this thing where we just remix country music everybody made fun of me it's like never gonna happen and I remember two DJs I asked I was like any advice how to go the next level how not to be that guy he goes I'm a rock guy he's a you know he's a hip-hop guy who are you and I was like bro I'm a redneck from Texas bro he goes good luck with that so when is this this is like 2000 yeah like 2000 2001 so I put out the first country mashup

CD, mixtape. And at the time, there was nowhere to house. It wasn't a subgenre. So I was pushing hashtag DJS country, DJ Silver country. And now it's a subgenre in country music because of DJ's country. They think it means DJs. It's DJ Silver. Where did the silver come from? Well, I was DJ Quicksilver for a while. Quicksilver threatened to sue me. So it was either Quickie or Silver, and you got it. That's where we're at.

That's where we landed. So yeah, we met you back in 2010, you said. We actually met the night of 2009 when Al Dean won his first award in Vegas. That's what I was going to say. It was in Vegas. Do you remember? And I think through Kevin Neal. Kevin Neal. Yeah. I did a mashup remix of She's Country and Country Grammar. And it just kind of like before social media just caught wind. Like Brooks and Dunn had it in their pre-roll. Just kind of stuff I didn't know.

And I met Kevin at a Wild Horse. He actually walked to stage while I was playing. He goes, who did that? I said, I just did this on the plane and handed it to me. It was awful. It wasn't mixed mastered. And it kind of did whatever. So fast forward to December of that year, I was playing at Taboo Ultra Lounge, which was my Sunday, monthly Sunday. And I had the front table by the DJ booth. And they said, there's a country guy named Jason Aldean coming in. Can he have your table? I'm like, yeah, man, whatever.

came in we just partied all night then uh kevin was like do you want to go on tour i said yeah he goes don't call me i'll call you i was like sure cowboy you know two weeks later i got our 2010 schedule so and at that time right nobody nobody was doing i think keith urban tried it the guy got fired like the first night is that right that's what i mean i don't know that story for real i know keith tried it but it didn't work and but i mean to your point i mean for record ours almost didn't work you put my fat ass on a scissor lift

And it went up and that joker's doing this. Hey, we fixed that. We strengthened it. Yeah, I threatened to quit. Like 12 seconds later, I was like, if this is my resignation, buddy, I can get a plane back to Texas. They put me on that scissor list. My chunky ass is just doing this all the way up. No more than five degrees around. White knuckling this thing. White knuckling this thing.

But it was awesome because nobody, you know, nobody was doing the thing in between people said, you have the opener, then there's 20 minutes of dead space. Lights are on. You're just, you just for going liquor sales, merch sales, excitement. The, my goal every time I walk on that stage is when Aldine walks on to a hot stage. Yeah. They've already worked out their weird neighbor stuff. They know each other. They're already partying, they're drinking and they just turn up. They're ready to go. They don't have to get ready with the, if you stay ready.

And to be fair, when you came out, they said there's going to be a DJ playing before. And we're like, what in the hell? What kind of shit show is this going to be? Then you saw me walking to catering smelling like sex and candy. Straight up candy. I've been to Vegas four days before the first show. I was cross-eyed. But fast forward though.

and we couldn't give enough of you. Oh, thank you. You know, and it was amazing, like the family environment. It was great. Well, you're very funny. Hey, but Silver, give me your first impressions because we're a... Y'all didn't talk to me. What? I ain't by myself. No. You're kidding me. We didn't know. Jake's like, that's the DJ. And I was like...

And I just, and I'll tell you during the introduction, we all know we're screwed, right? It's not like warm. Hey buddy, pull up a chair, bring some, Hey, it's DJ dog. She's taken. I'll tell you, listen, I know my way around a buffet. So I was just fine. I ate, I sat at my table and just did my thing. We like the new kid at school. Nobody's talking. I was never, never the cool kid right off the bat. I had to work at it. Well, it's too, and to be fair, like we've been a band since the nineties. Yeah. So the, the circle, uh,

It's tight. It's tight. Yeah. And we were nice though, right? I mean, you weren't upset with me. I want to know. I wasn't going to Christmas dinner with you. We were, it was, hey, what's your name? Cool. I was like, John. You know what I mean? But it was cool. I didn't overstep my bounds. I understand the circle. I understand like fellowship. And I wasn't trying to step in the middle of the dressing room, you know? Yeah. But yeah, I mean, I just feel like it's going to work out. It's going to work out.

Hey, you mentioned your government name. Yeah. How many people call you by your... My mama and my lawyer. Neither one of them want to call after 9 p.m. Your wife, what does she call you? Babe. Babe. I just don't think she remembers my name. Babe, honey, American Express. What's your password, homie? That's about it. My daughter calls me John, which is weird. Davis. Hi, John. Oh, God.

Well, like, so I know just based on kind of researching a little bit, because I've seen you do your thing, very gifted at what you do and all that stuff. People are always interested. It seemed like you started the remix stuff in college, which was cool. But I was kind of curious, like when you were a kid, like, did you have that? Was rap part of your thing? No. Was that a... Never. I...

I'll just tell you the truth, man. I went to college to be a secondary education teacher, play baseball, because you know I'm great at baseball. I always wondered how that happened. Yeah, right? God bless me with a thunderbolt for right arm, Tully. And they told me what I was going to make teaching high school, and I got up and walked out. I was like, I can sell weed and do this, you know what I mean? And I started at a nightclub at a door. Best episode ever. And I started at a door, working at a door, just trying to figure my life out, and it

And I heard this DJ play. I was like, man, I want to do this. And one night he got real drunk or something, so he let me take over. It was awful, but I had the best time of my life. And there was it. That was it. But you're great at what you do, though. Because, I mean, you know, and we joke around a lot. We do...

But you really are great at what you do. Like, you get the crowd going. Like, it's... You're really good at it. We talk about it all the time. Oh, thank you, man. We're like, that damn silver is pretty good. Do you... Thank you. Like, what you doing out with us? I was waiting for the punchline. I said, thanks. I was like, sorry. No, listen. We...

You really are the hardest working man we know. I mean, this guy does not stop. He works year round, whether it's in Vegas, overseas, he's doing the Super Bowl party just at the College World Series. He's doing everything. It's crazy. So is, do you have to cater what you do to the crowd that you're, Yeah.

You got to do your market research. Like if you go to play in Oakland or San Francisco, you don't play New York music. Try that on a small town. Play baby. I don't know about that one. But hey, I do play it. Trust me. But you go to Alabama last week or Kentucky. I know what you got to break out what they know. And once you give them and they have faith in you, I can take back and give them what I want. And we win.

So like the first part of my set, I get in, I get their attention. I build up sing-alongs. In the last few minutes, I play straight to you guys. If you know this rock, it's sing-along stuff you got. Old man music. You old people are back there. Yeah, man. Man. Sweet Caroline. But so that's the honest thing. He does play that. Yeah. You just get it. All you got to do is every song I feel like has a memory. And you got to trigger that memory. And the minute you trigger that memory, you've got a friend for life. How many days you gone this year? Oof.

I've already done 150 some shows. Right now, October's off. It's not going to stay that way, but right now, October's off. But I'll do $250, $275. What's your fee? I mean, I got a daughter getting married August 25th. I didn't know what your fee was. I don't think you can afford him. I am expensive thrashing. I have a bug. No, let me tell you. If it's tropical and I'm off, let's go. If it's in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, I'm expensive as shit, and I am busy. Okay.

I just did a wedding in Cabo last week with Heath Warren. You guys know Heath? Yeah. It was amazing. It was great. I don't know what her daddy does for a living. Yeah, it was great. Yeah, you think you're successful when you see this guy. Yeah, I'll just stay over here at the hotel bar. But it was great. It was really great. Then I flew straight there to Mobile.

i mean that's a direct flight you're working now what's over here what is it tell us about this oh it's uh turn it this way right i'm not saying because they sponsor me but as some of the best reposado tequila it's al bandito yankee tequila owned by jim bob morris and chris chelios chris chelios uh-huh really yeah and so they uh kind enough to sponsor me and you'll see a lot more in the tour we're gonna do like ticket giveaways well you know silver

We're all looking for other sponsors. Well, let's talk about our first one, though. We've got Original Glory. It's pretty good, isn't it? Pre-TS. It's great. Oh, yeah. Give me that. Oh, you're going to take a hit? He noticed, he has no problem drinking after me. No, that is...

Good. Glory, glory, hallelujah. That is awesome that somebody took a chance to sponsor you because you're going to look back on this. I'm being serious with you. You cracked the first level of sponsorship and fight, fight, fight. The first one throws you a nugget and you prove your way. I mean, this year we're pushing just on the DJ side. I mean, not talking numbers, but half a million bucks sponsors by first quarter.

We're in the wrong business, guys. Wow. And that's just because you get out and you show people you know how to push a brand and build a brand. You are now a new partner of the Try That in Small Town podcast. 75% ownership. I just heard it. I mean, yeah, you'll sponsor our podcast, won't you? Yeah, absolutely. Because this thing's grassroots, bro. Buddy, listen. It's talked about what's needed to talk about. I'll watch it. You're missing one

Piece at a time. No, absolutely. Hey, talk about, you know, you were talking about 2010, you came out with us. It was kind of an interesting first part of the ride. But you fast forward, you and Aldine, I mean, you guys are really close. Your families are really close. You guys do a lot together. Talk about how that friendship kind of came to be and how you guys hit it off together. Yeah, we just, I mean, immediately just kind of,

struck a nerve or a cord however whoever you ask might be different but it's just we just you know it was like uh it was it was cool he gave me a chance and i'm thankful i shook a man's hand 14 years ago and i still stuck to the word today and i look forward to getting back to our normal does that make sense yes instead of seeing six or seven airports this week we're gonna get on a bus and i don't have to worry about missing a flight or getting home yeah and it's just hanging with people you love because when i travel it's just me it's it's funny too we talk about this um

We're doing a lot of shows right now that are just one show here, one show there, festivals. And for creatures of habit, when we're out of that routine, of the touring routine, which is four days on, whatever that is, man, it's rough. Well, my habit is 7 p.m. to Vegas on Thursday, play 1 to 4, 6 a.m. to Miami, play to 7 a.m.,

830 to New York. I mean, whatever it is, it's yeah. And it's so just to have some kind of something I can control some part of instead of just, man, it flies late. I'm missing this or, but what bus are you running on this year? By the way, I'm probably the same. One of those guys that do the audio and light, I think.

Jay, come on, dog. You can get an RV, right? But I figured Silver would have his own jet by now. All I ever wanted to do is travel this world, play my music in my bus, and I got the bill for that bus, and I just want to ride with Aldine and play music. Smart man, though. Facts. I fired everybody. I don't have a manager, tour manager, agent. I fired them all. Time for Daddy to eat. I'm winning.

I mean, I love that, though. Yeah, I'm the one seeing 200 cities a year getting killed, you know? Don't call me on Tuesday because I've got to pay you. Book a hotel room. Let him go. I didn't know that, by the way. Lone Wolf. Started my own agency. Put 30 of the biggest DJs underneath me. Really? Called Blackout Artists. We moved it all down to Vegas, Nashville. We had New York, Vegas, Nashville, L.A.

And so, yeah, I just, it's a, I've started an agency for agencies. Most major agencies hate it because if you need to make 15 grand, I pay you 15 grand and I have them pay the commission. Man, you're smart, man. I had, I had you wrong all these years. You just thought I was pretty. I always told you he was smart. Yeah.

Don't let it in, man. It's like getting married. If you put the Christmas tree up right the first year, you're doing that joke for the rest of your life. You have got to mess that Christmas tree up the first time. Or every Tuesday, honey, it's your turn for the Christmas tree. That's why I make bad coffee. Make it once and you ain't got to make it again. That's all you got to do. Mess it up one good time. Yep. So you were on tour with Brad Paisley for a year. Me and Hauser. How was that? Good.

I was glad to get back to Jason. It was a mean house or became dear friends. It was great. Yeah. It was a, I mean, you know, uh, no, speak the truth. It's just, uh, it's just us four. I was, I was a square peg. They treated me really nice. Uh, I was a square peg in that. Yeah. But you know, I'm a latte and I'm a loud mouth, good looking dude from Texas. I roll it into a camp that has been together for 30 years. I feel right. Right. Daddy's the manager and Brad was super nice to me. And,

I've become close with Brad and his kids and everything. I never got to be my full me because everything was pulled back. Oh, wow. You're full of this. Not a lot of people can handle that, dog. What's your favorite Brad Paisley song? I don't know if you know that K-Lo is a lot. Did you write Tix? I was a co-writer on Tix. He did write Tix. That's the one I know.

Thank you. I mean, serious. Do you do a mix to ticks? No. I would spend the first 30 minutes of my life explaining to people not from the South what a tick is. This is a tick in California. Kayla wrote probably most of that set. What's the summer song?

I did a remix of that. I think that's Luke Laird also and Brad and someone else. But I will say about Brad, man, it's undeniable what he did and how he included me in that show was great. I don't know if you've seen it, but every show he wouldn't let me tell him what songs I'd play, but he'd put us on two pedestals and I would play guitar riffs and he'd just match it.

I was like dang you know what I mean it was cool am I supposed to let you win Globetrotters how deep we going this is true so get up there playing and I was like I got you tonight I play it nope he hit it I play Jimi Hendrix as a layup he goes really I said you're the hillbilly Jimi Hendrix you don't know this Kendall Carter pulls me aside the next day he goes hey don't do that again I was like

I couldn't have laid up easier. I mean, I just opened the lane for you. Oh, wow. Wow. They were great. But it was so cool. And I still get, I mean, the Clipshure, if the viral was a thing, it probably went viral. I would pull up on two risers and I'd play and Paisley would just rip it. He's amazing at that guitar, obviously. Oh, yeah. But I could play any song from Michael Jackson beat it to Frozen and he's just...

Anything with guitar rip, whether he's heard it or not, except Jeremy Hendricks. Interesting. That's really weird. It's cool what you do, because I was reading a lot of the things that you've said and everything. We always try to correlate our guests with what we're doing and everything, and to try that in Small Town, song and movement and Aldine and everything.

And you're very much like us because you are, you know, you'd said, hey, my job, it's not the DJ Silver show. It's not my show, yeah. Like if it's for Aldine, you're trying to get the guy in the cowboy hat ready to go. That's it. Right? And so, which is a very selfless thing, which is as writers, you know, we are always looking out for the artist and what would be good for them? What's the next good movement? What makes them look the best? Right. You know, so we kind of draw similarities. Everybody's got... I thought that was a very cool...

Everybody's got a place. Yeah. And my place at that time is a set up man between acts. And that's it. Yeah. And then you go to Vegas, then that is your show. And it's a whole different. I'm the guy with the writer then. Right. Hey, so what's your thing in Vegas? How often are you in Vegas? And you've got the thing Roadhouse now. So tell us a little bit about. So Vegas has been two thirds of my life up to this year. This is the first year I didn't take a residency in Vegas.

I was burned out a little bit on it. And by the way, so people know, there is a DJ Silver Day. Take that, Tiesto. In Vegas. Are you serious? In Vegas. I am dead serious. Take that, Tiesto. Not to be confused with April 14th, DJ Silver Appreciation Day, thanks to Carol Goodman. That's all right. Okay, but go with the Roadhouse English. So, yeah. So, it just got to a part. You know, it's the first time in my life I don't have...

this is where I'm playing 40 times a year in Vegas. Cause I took the last three years at Zoot before that we were at Hawks on Jewel Omnia. And, uh, I just, you know, I don't know if it's ego, maybe I think too much of myself, but I was always the 10 o'clock DJ. That's not what I did my whole life for. And I can create to the biggest DJs in the world are playing after us. And it's an honor to share, but I was like, I'm just gonna, I don't want to buckle myself down here when I can go play all the venues. So that's kind of what we did. And, um,

And so it's work, thank God, right? But we start back full-time in December in Vegas. Okay, so, you know, Caleb and I were talking about this. So we were looking at the...

The Researcher Roadhouse. Is that the dude from The Bachelorette? Yeah, yeah. I mean, I may or may not have watched that. So I'll tell you the story. Yeah, yeah. What is it? Please tell me. DVR, sit. So, but he was on The Bachelorette. So I'll tell you The Bachelorette. I went to Brian O'Connell one day and I said... Brian O'Connell's Live Nation. I mean, pretty much everyone in this room has...

Thank you to Brian O'Connell. So he, my first day on tour with Al Dean, I went out cause that's what I do. And you, they said, bus call at two o'clock. I get there at one 30 and there's not a bus in the parking lot except BOCs. And that's how I met him. And I rode to Lubbock, Texas with him. That's how I met him. And so, uh, so back up, I called BOC and I said, man, I am thankful for who I am and where we are. How do I make more money?

how do I here work less, less bigger shows? He goes, you show me how to make you sell more tickets and you sell me more stuff and I'll show you how. So came back. You remember we started the tour off a couple of years back at Mohican sun, maybe three years ago. Okay. Yeah. Probably five. Well, it was long as pre pandemic. So I called a BOCS and I got the concept. I want to tell you about it. It's big room. Edia remix country called roadhouse.

This is six years ago. And he was like, I like it. Put it together. So I put it all together. We signed to a record label somehow.

And I got a guy named DJ Icon, one of my dear friends from Las Vegas. Icon, he's a legend in Vegas. We're going, we're releasing records, we're playing all over. And he calls one day and says, I got to quit. I'm like, bro, I'm just getting started. I mean, good Lord, you know? And he goes, no, I have liver disease. They're thinking I'm going to chance of dying. I have to stop. And I was like, oh, I feel bad now. Okay. So I had to shelf it for a minute. Then so I came back and we went to a show in Vegas with Kane Brown.

And I met Blake, the bachelor. And I was like, I got this concept. I can get you to be a good DJ. He wanted to be a DJ. Okay. So he had no experience? Or some experience. He wasn't going out headlining. Right. Okay. But I said, come on, let's work together. Now he's great. And now I don't hesitate to leave him.

And I had this concept roadhouse. And I said, you're just going to have to trust me. I'm going to treat this like Swedish House Mafia. We're only doing Stagecoach, Coachella, Super Bowl, World Series. We're not at Joe's Bar in Chicago. We're going to slow play this until we catch on. You know what I mean? And, you know, going on this year, we've done World Series, Super Bowls, Waste Management Open, Indianapolis 500. It's catching on. It's really taking on. Sounds like it. And we just played EDC Las Vegas. Yeah. And it's 521,000 single-day tickets sold for that.

And so we put the mix out live from EDC. It's the number one mix in all genres in the entire world right now. And it's all remix country music. Wow. Yeah. And next, I don't know when this comes out, but July 9th, I'm taking over Diplo's radio station. It's the same thing. That's amazing. And it's all mixes that we made. That's amazing. Congratulations. Thank you. So I feel like we're making headway, and I just...

I just, I feel like every few years, not so much reinvent yourself, but you, I don't know, have a strike of fire. You know, I've played Atlantic City 10,000 times. I've played Miami 10,000 times. From Philadelphia to San Francisco, LA, I've played them all. But with Roadhouse, it's like Roadhouse first time in Cleveland tonight, first time in Chicago, first time. It's cool to be the first, but

then it's kind of an ego check being your first because you're like, oh, what do you mean? We're going on 11 o'clock. I play one o'clock every time I play towel Chicago, you know? But it's like, uh, it's cool to do it and it's cool to see it catching on. And, uh, in the country remix world is exploding now. Yeah. GDM. Yeah. That's what they call it. But it's, uh, and it's just stuff that I've grown up on. You're a pioneer, bro. Yeah, sure. Now silver.

I've been known to hop up in the DJ booth with you. What? Oh, yeah, this is true. Shall I take this story or shall you take it? It's not a story, but I'm asking how my skills are. I feel pretty good about myself. What are you talking about? I'll tell you what I'm talking about. I'm talking about TK hopping up in the DJ booth. That's my favorite picture of the two of us. And doing what?

I don't really know. Can we start the whole story? Are you doing like the whole, like... John, can we just start the whole story? Start the story. Instead of let's dance, I'll just say the truth. ACOs, Florida Georgia Line was a new group. Kevin Neal, the whole crew was there. It was like day ones. Thomas Rhett was there. Everybody was there. Everybody was big.

My man TK in the DJ booth with me, smiling bottle of Jameson. We just have a good time. Foundation, right? Yeah. I lose TK for a while. He comes back smiling ear to ear. I guess he got thrown out for throwing up. He snuck back in the club. Something happened. I don't know what happened. Please tell me you got roofied. I'm sure he did. I'm actually very sure I did. I remember getting very sick over the balcony somewhere. But...

I got back on that horse, bro. Yeah, I mean, you throw up off the balcony of the foundation. That's a hate crime by the time it hits the ground. That's 72 floors up. I think so. I got back on that horse and went back in that booth. Smiling. I didn't know any different. I did it. Green. I was like, my man's back. I was good. I felt great. Your color was good. Oh, yeah. I will say this. TK doesn't go down easy. No.

No. No, no. Except for that time that you beat him up. Y'all just write a song called Puke and Rally already and just get it over with. That's a false story. It's not a false story. It happened. He did. He took you down, right? No. Threw me down. In anger. Katie, Texas. Moe's. Katie, Texas. Moe's. Moe's. I got to know what he does behind the booth. I do. What's his job? What's his job? I get the crowd going. Yeah, he's a hype man. He's a hype man.

Did they know who you were when you were up there? What did you just say? Did they know who you were when you were up there? Did you have your stage clothes on? Ladies and gentlemen of Las Vegas, please welcome Grammy-nominated bass player, the Jason Aldean Band, Tully Kennedy. Of course they know. Neil, that was the funniest thing ever. Did you have your stage clothes on? Of course I had my stage clothes on. Did you have your Vegas black shirt on? I had mine on. Oh.

I'll pretend you didn't say that to me, Neil. Whatever. Hey, so silver cracks me up because you guys might not be as old as me, but

But back in the day, there was like, do you guys remember hearing six degrees of Kevin Bacon? How you could relate any actor to Kevin Bacon within a certain amount of steps. Silver's got him beat. You can name anybody in the industry. And I swear. I got a story. You've got, no, you've got a connection. Oh yeah. You've got a connection. It'd be like,

Neil, you were talking about whatever. It would be great to have Nick Saban on. I do have a funny Nick Saban story. You want it? We were doing the Shot of Glory this year's Waste Management Open. Shot of Glory. Original Glory. That's right. Original Glory. Segway.

And he's sitting next to me, and I know Brittany, Jason's wife, is a big Alabama fan. Yeah. And he just kept changing his name to Satan. I kind of feel the same way, but I put it, take, save it. I said, Coach, every time I type your name, it says Satan. He goes, I hear that a lot. I was like, damn, sorry, Michael Phelps. Oh, jeez. Wow. But it was like, I hear that a lot.

And that was your interaction. Of course he does. That's all I needed. Yeah. That's all I got. But you can name off any celebrity, any person in the music industry, and you've got a connection to them. I swear. I just feel like being good people, people will like good people. That's why I try to be good people. Silver. One of our common threads, which I love, the love for Star Wars. I grew up with that movie. I had every action figure.

Man, you... What I've learned, though, you have me beat. Well, you're saying love for Star Wars. Guys, it's not actually a love. It's a weird, abnormal... There's nothing weird about Star Wars. If I didn't have a really hot white belt pushing me. But I'm just saying, you've taken it to the next level. Oh, God. It became cool to a thing. I mean, you have a room of...

that you know about. It has a room of collectibles. It is. I mean, that side of my house is probably worth a good quarter million, 300 grand. Oh, wow. Oh, God. Yeah, but... Star Wars... Hey, don't let them do this to you. I don't even feel guilty. No, I love Star Wars. I'm going to lie to my wife the way she lies about me, and I act like I believe her about how much those Louis Vuitton bags cost. I get it.

What is Star Wars exactly? Are we kidding? Oh my gosh. I remember my daddy taking me to the drive-in in Dallas watching Star Wars. It changed my life. We couldn't afford to go in, so I just watched it and didn't even hear. You had a daddy? Yeah. Braggart. Braggart. We don't brag about things on this show. It changed my life. It's something that...

We all grew up, so it's not a whatever story. No, listen. It is something because back in those days, I remember waiting in line with my mom. Yes, for a 99 cent action figure. For those kids out there today, there was a day where you waited in line. Yeah. And there was a magic to that. Sure. I remember that. Same thing as buying an album. I was fishing. I still do. I remember. See it on TV. But you know what I mean, though? I still do. It's called May the 4th.

They released the Star Wars guys. Action figures. I am the guy with 38 virgins, 12 unicorns, and three cat lovers in line. I'm the only employed dude in that line. When did you actually start the collection? When did you start the collection? I always had little things, but it's kind of... When I started getting a little extra money, I'd start shopping here or there. And the next thing I know, I know the guy from the Star Wars place over there. I know the guy running Comic-Con New York. And it just kind of built up to where...

I don't have ass anything. Like, if we do it, we do it. I have four of the original 1977 action figures. I have them all now. Good. Wow. Favorite moment, Star Wars. I appreciate that. And I just reenacted it. What? Yes. Oh, you pervert. Give me a second. We just came back from Lake Como in Clone Wars when Anakin got married at that castle. Wait. Hold on. Wait. I'm going to call foul.

Where is it? Video proof. I'm going with DJ. No. I don't think you can go past the first three films. You can't go... Oh, no, no. I would say you asked personal. No, no. Oh, okay. You can't go... I misunderstood the question. You hurt my heart. No, no, no. I'll go back. You're too close for that. I'll go back. I think...

I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed. I think my favorite ever was when Yoda just kind of hobbles up. Hobbles up. And you piss this little midget off and he jumps up, starts doing flips and killing everybody with that lightsaber. That's not the original three. That's what...

Oh, absolutely it is. When they're in the jungle, when the X-Wings broke down, the Skywalkers out there. I remember that. He's on the back of Skywalker, though. But when you go in and he's got a fight, I don't know which one. Now you're making me second guess myself. But whichever one. He should be second. I've seen him on so many times. No, no, no. Telly, stop badgering our guest. No, this is important.

I've always been a bad guy. This is our debate. I'll go all the way back. The first time Boba Fett showed up, he wasn't even an actor in the movie. He was in a parade and got so much attention. Boba Fett, Django Fett, they're my favorite. Wow.

We've had our first argument. I have a full collection of Django Boba and Mandalorian's mouse. You did throw out a number. Is that accurate? The money or the value of your... Oh, at least in that room. Yeah. Does it get passed down? You're passing it down and...

Stay in the family. It's going to get buried with him. You could also... I'm trying to sell it. You could sell some of that and get a set. You can sell it and either maybe you can sponsor this podcast or help us with that RV we need so bad. I like it. So listen, I'm going to avoid that question, but listen. Wait a minute. Wait, wait. What if we put DJ Silver...

Oh, Sex Cell. Try that in a small town podcast. I mean, what just... I can see it now. Try that in a small town podcast. Rolling down the interstate. Seen by Tiff. In a silver featuring DJ Silver. Seen by dozens, liked by few. Don't you just demean our guests. So, I get a call. You're going to love all this. I know you sold your collection. Yes, that's how I moved to Nashville. So...

What? Four? Oh, yeah. I don't want to know. Go. No, no, no. It's a super sad story. And my mom feels bad about this. Maybe she should. God damn, I didn't know this was touching here. I thought it was a common story. No, it's not. Sorry, dog. This is all brand new to me. I'm going to make you laugh when he's done killing our body. It's a very sensitive subject. Okay. Yeah. It is. I'm sorry. I sold all my Star Wars stuff for $250. What?

That was a down payment on the house? To move to Nashville. Oh, oh, oh. With a bass guitar. Good for you. One bass guitar, one amp. Skywalker would want you to change your case. But I had everything. I had the Darth Vader case, dude, that opened up. With all the guys in it. I have a few. They're amazing. See, he's rubbing it in now. I'll bring it back. I'll give you one.

You really? I have several. You have several. I don't just half-ass things here, buddy. You're kidding me. That was my... I have the 77 Boba Fett rocket firing guy. All right, so story. I get a call. Phone. My phone's connected to Jenna's truck. Rings. I said, Silver, I said, yeah, what's up, man? He goes, I'm going to leave some names out because I don't know if people know the show's fake. We're going to shoot a pseudo episode of us buying your storage unit for our store. For our store. For our store.

Were you interested? I said, no, I'm out. Completely out. Thanks, though. Hang up. Jenna goes, you got a storage unit? I was like, oh, God. Oh, yeah. So we're over in Cool Springs on our way to J. Alexander's. And Jenna goes, take me to the storage unit. I said, well, it's right here. Open the door. No, dude, no. Mediocre 10 by 10. She goes, mother. And it is stacked. Might as well be dead bodies. Stacked. It might as well be dead $100 bills of mine for my wife at this point. She was like.

So not only do you have collectibles in your house, you have a 10 by 10 storage unit. Oh, it gets better. So soon as we get back in the car, Jenna drops off. She hadn't spoke to me in hours. I called Dustin Black. Dustin, what's up, dude? He goes, hey, can I get that black tie moving truck tomorrow? I move storage units the next day. Say something, Jenna.

What? And so I sent a picture to Kurt today rolling in like four tubs of collectibles to my storage unit today. How does somebody leave that behind? They don't leave it behind. Man, I go, ain't nobody getting in that thing. I can't even believe that. It is. If you ever want to find it in your heart to donate, I'll get you one. I want to get you a complete set, though.

I don't want Boba Fett getting pulled out. I saw one, the storage where the guy, it was full of vintage amps and guitars. Yeah, I saw that too. Did you see that? No, I haven't. Dude. Can we go back to my story for a second? Okay. Yes. I just wanted to bring Kurt in for a second. DJ, DJ.

DJ is our guest. So, everybody has the one ticket item on your rider. Just throw it out and see if anybody gets it. Mine was a life-size Yoda. Ed Worm got it for me first time I played Joe's Bar. And that's every laminate, everything we've had on it since. You're going to have to. Give it to him.

Right here. Right here. I love that. Right here. Can Zach do that? So that's a life-size Yoda with everything from iHeart to MTV Awards to our first tour passes to. We'll put that up. Yeah, I'll text it to you. And the next one, if you want to see what a divorce cost. All right. I told you. I told you it was free. Life-size Boba Fett. Wow. Lights up and everything.

And to this day, my wife thought I was a virgin when I met her. And I get it. I get it. I get it. I get it.

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Now, you're also our right fielder on our softball squad. I'm a stud. Well, Neil and Kalo. Dude, I got this down, boys. Oh, my gosh. So, you know, on the road, you're looking for things to pass some time and have some fun. Because we got to get to a 7 o'clock show at 6 in the morning.

So we decided to form a softball team. The Jack Aces. We were called the Jack Aces. Some people call this other things. So Silver, first of all, he's a unique and amazing right fielder. That's amazing. But even better, he's a

When the other team is up to bat, all he does is talk shit to the other team. He makes fun of whoever's at bat. Here's my thought process. They're going to have to run their fat ass to the right field. They're going to be out of gas when they get to me. I can take it.

I mean, I got a gift to gab all I need that day. They, we had a PA system. Y'all wouldn't let me have it. Oh, that was the Lord giving me a chance. Let me take it. Well, so for example, let's say that, that Tully wasn't on your team and he was up to bat. Like what were some things would you say to Raz him? Ah, we wouldn't be friends. I don't know. We needed them. Cause we, we were short on talent. Oh, still short. Uh, uh,

Yeah. I just love how much confidence they had in me. I remember this group text thread. It said, I want you to understand, I played college baseball. I played a lot of baseball. I just really don't. I love softball. I love my dudes. But I was just telling you, that ball goes anywhere between right and right center. That ain't my problem. No, no. Do you remember the day? If it's not right here, that's your issue, dog. Yeah.

One of my favorite memories. I think we were in Salt Lake City. And you're in right field. And that ball was hit a mile high right to you. And Brittany is playing center. And it's right to Silver. And the next thing I hear is, It's yours, Brittany! Ha ha ha!

I was just, come on, girl. You got it. You got it. I'll get out of the way when you get here. You got it. But with that being said, it was all the master plan. Who's the designated hitter now, boys? Yeah. All I got to do is hit it over the fence and go straight to the dugout. And you were there for our basketball phase. Oh, yeah. You got the finger to prove it. Totally Kennedy free throw.

Should have got that fixed. What happened? I mean, Wilt Chamberlain over here shot a free throw and I could plow off the rim. It broke my finger. And here it is. I continue to play. I mean, this is Joker. I mean, this is what it looked like. And he just kept throwing the ball so hard at me. I'm like, oh, shit. It looked like that. I went back to the doctor and fighting for my life. And the guy was like, pretty sure you broke that. And I was like, you think? Well, we had to survive. I mean, I'm 5'7".

on a really good day. I mean, I'm doing all I can out there. I get it. Sorry. I mean, I'm one man light here. I mean, yeah. That's where the Lord wanted it. And you joined in our pickleball phase. I can still do that too. I played a celebrity pickleball tournament this year. I got second.

You've heard about their challenge, right? With Kelsey and Mahomes? Yeah, you know about it. It's going down. It's a fried pickleball challenge. Everybody knows. Everybody knows. I'm in. They're ducking us right now. I can play some pickleball. They're ducking us right now. I will tell you, they're ducking us. I lose in pickleball, I'm like, cool. This joker loses in pickleball, I got to give you a minute. Silver, you can do better. There's a 48-mile-an-hour win in Montana, Coley. Give me a second.

Get out of the kitchen, Silver. They've been talking. They've been talking big. They've been talking big. Yeah, they can play. He stands on stage and plays a bass. He's not in shape. They can play pickleball, though. He takes one stance on stage. They work out. They work out and stuff. I got pictures here to prove it. Yeah. That's his spot.

There's no calisthenics at all. He's got some good bend in those legs. I got bend. Yeah, they do some bend. Then we play and they try to hurt me. They hit it at me as hard as they can. I got ninja reflexes. I'm a different kind of teammate. I'm a teammate who uses... You're a teammate you want on the other side.

I tend to use motivation in different ways. Yeah. You suck. Jesus. Yeah. Negative motivation. That's what I try. Well, you guys mentioned Aaron Tippin, so Thea Tippin, his now wife. I was interning years ago at Starstruck, which is Reba McIntyre's.

And so I'd not been there but three or four weeks, and they needed some softball players. They had a softball team. And I played when I was younger and was decent and everything. But I got up there, and it was the first time I'd ever played. And I got up there to bat, and Thea was pitching. She's a really good pitcher, very athletic and everything.

And she threw this like the second pitch, and I swung, and again, it was like in slow motion. It was the purest ball I'd ever hit in my life, and the thing screamed off the bat and went directly at her on a line shot, hit her in the meat of the thigh. Oh.

And she went down like a wounded calf. Good thing she got two of them. And she dropped immediately, and I just stopped. And then I started running. I said, do I run? I'm not sure. I'm an intern. Do interns run? You can talk shit out of their face, bro. So anyway, we get done with that, and I'm over there. I said, I hope you're okay. And she's just crying and everything, and everybody's around her. And I thought, I've got it, man. That's it. And then I looked over, and then Aaron Tippin is walking up, and you hear the gravel with his boots. Yeah.

I think Aaron Tiffin's coming. He's going to kill me. It's so jacked and everything.

And he's looking over there and he didn't know what was happening. I think I should leave. He was looking for a cigarette. But I mainly thought, well, that's it. My career's over. Nobody even knows I'm a songwriter yet. And that was it. But that was devastating for me. That was a very emotional blow. I got a story that almost ended my career, if you want to hear it. Let's go. Oh, yeah. Remember the first time we played Fiddleway Park? Yeah. Thomas Rhett, Miranda, and Jason played House of Blues on Lanes Down. Yeah. So I went over.

Put that out of stuff. And Jason walked in. It was the four of us somehow walked in. And this old lady crawls out of the crowd. Black sweatpants, hair pulled back in a ponytail.

And you know Aldine long enough, if you don't know, he cuts up a little bit. You know what I mean? And I hear, Silver, get her off stage. I'm like, all right. I'm about to junior say hi to this chick, right? I'm just making my exit plan. I get about right here in Virginia, Thomas Rhett's manager. Silver, no, it's Patty Loveless. I'm about off the third row going after this woman, right?

Yeah. I was like, oh, God. That would have been so bad. So we go upstairs, right? And upstairs at the House of Blues is Miranda and Patty were sitting there. I said, Miss Patty, happy to see you. She goes, honey. You call her Miss Patty? What do you say to a woman you about-tackle, Tolly? I don't know. I've never met this woman. She looked like a different human. She didn't have her day, her show studs, whatever. And we were upstairs, and I said, Miss Patty. She goes, honey, I'm going to tell you something.

you'd have touched me. I'd have messed you up. I said, yes, ma'am. I felt that. That's how my country career almost ended. Wow. I didn't know that story. Yeah. I was going in head on numbers, just like daddy taught me. She was going down. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Let me ask you this. So you're not shy about your beliefs and your thoughts at all. And

All of us appreciate that about you. You always speak your mind. Your wife as well. Yep. And let me ask you this, because we're in a different situation, but do you, you do so many corporate events. Yeah. Do you ever get people that say, or you don't get gigs maybe because of, is this? Absolutely. Really? You know, unfortunately I live in a very,

say nicely left side sided world in the pop DJ culture. Yeah. People are afraid to speak out. People are okay. And listen, man, I've been this way. I'm a self-employed white dude from Texas. You know what I mean? I was how I was raised. And if flying that flag is offensive to you, I don't need you in my life. And, and I have always been God, family, country. And, and it's,

And it's to the, this country is to the part where as if you don't stand for it, you will fall for everything and you have to stand for you. And we're raising kids in this scares the shit out of me to raise kids in this world. Well, I've got to put a kid to private school. So cause some little girl identified as a cat, she's pissing in the litter box. What's wrong with this world? You know, I'm still telling my kid that you're going to bed. Davis opens the door with the force. She's not going to tell me she wants to be a boy. You know, call me when you're 18. You want to scare off with you. But it's like,

In this world, and I think I've always been this way, but I felt very stronger when I had a child, when I had more to lose than just me. I'll do it. I've had A-list celebrities from top to bottom, which I won't name, but have come up to me and just said, thank you, because I can't talk. But it has hindered me. It's hindered me in places. Yeah, because you, I mean, more than us, I mean, we're obviously a summer as you get older.

We're in a, we talk about it all the time. I mean, the industry and most entertainment industries are left leaning, but you know, and you guys do this a lot with songwriter events where you're doing corporate stuff and it can be an issue. Yeah. But you, I mean, I was just thinking about you because you deal with these people all the time, but I mean, luckily you,

I just have a few, I believe, and I'm not sure it's reciprocated, but I believe that you have the right to believe and do whatever you're going to do. And I'm not going to, but I'm going to believe the way I'm going to believe. And there are certain places that I'm not ever going to get to play again. And it's, and this is only the last eight years. They've always known I was this way. Now it's, and it's fine with me. You know, wait, they posted a picture from our house and over there. Um,

With my wife, Trump, and Kid Rock photobombing it. John Daly took the picture. I mean, this gets no more American than this. I lost almost 5,000 Instagram followers. Now I got a message and I'll leave the guy's name out in Las Vegas. He goes, hey, please take that down. I'm like, no. What's wrong with this picture? He's the president of the United States.

very honored i i've met presidents before and it's like i respect your office i may not agree with what you're doing but yes sir no sir and thank you very much well a hundred percent i mean yeah but i'm not gonna unfollow you because you like joe biden i might judge the shit out of you but i'm not gonna unfollow you we had we we just had the the uh the live golf yeah tournament here and it was a three-day deal and there was 40 000 people here yes uh and uh

I'm not one to, I mean, I'll fly American flags and do it. I'm not a, I mean, I don't, I just don't.

Fly Trump stuff and stuff. I'm a total Trump supporter, but I'm just kind of, you know, you kind of did fly Trump. No, I'm getting to it. I'm sorry. I'm totally getting to it. I seem disingenuous. Sorry. So we wound up, it went from congrats DeChambeau or congrats Bryson for winning the U.S. Open out here to Trump DeChambeau 2024 across the back of the house. I love it.

And it was unbelievable. Yeah, it made TikToks. It made us seen it. It was unbelievable. There was every person that came by, was stopping, coming up to our gate, posing. And we're inviting them up to come up. It was crazy. People are tired of where this is at, this world's at. I mean, if you're not tired of it, tell anybody. If you're not tired of it, buy gas, go to the grocery store, and tell me you feel safe putting your kid on an airplane. True. I mean, there was kids like...

I remember as a child, they'd put us on an airplane to go fly somewhere by ourself. There's not a world we live in right now. I'm putting Wake Purdue on a flight to go to Tampa, Florida tomorrow. No. And it sucks. That's interesting. I was just talking about that. My niece used to come visit us all the time and my sister would send her. I mean, she was eight years old and they would, she would fly by herself to come see us. And I'm thinking you wouldn't put Levi on a plane by itself right now.

Not a chance. No shot. Not a chance. With all these sick pedophiles walking around. It's not even... I mean, you look at Justin Timberlake got a DWI. We've heard more about that than the list on the Epstein trial. And that's... That is a messed up world. They're going to come after you if you're even talking about it. Yeah, they tried. Kid Rock says cancel this. I know. No, and that's one of the reasons I think why, you know, we respect you so much too. It's like you're in our boat where it's like, look, if, you know,

If you want to believe something, that's great, but you should have the right to as well. And you were out there with us all last summer and saw magic every time the song dropped, getting our back, you know, and, um, we talk about it a lot on here that it's, it's, if you, if we're in a world where only one side can speak, then we've already, we've already, it's called Cuba. Yeah. I mean,

It shouldn't be that way. Yeah. You know, and unfortunately it's the loud voices are all you hear on these fake news and all of them included. There's not one separated. But that's the truth. And they just, then the media did their job on Trump. Yeah. And that's, they, they did what they were,

Facebooks, what the Instagrams, what the social media. I mean, how many times were y'all shadow banned on Instagram? I was months and just zero. Just flat. It's the greatest time of my life. Yeah. I love it. I always say, when I'm done and I don't have to do social media, I'm out.

you know, my contracts, I have to do X amount. And like, I was hanging with Hauser. I couldn't wait to post that picture. It's cool to see Hauser, you know, love that dude. But it's, uh, it's just, I don't know. It's just, if we don't do something to change this, we're in a lot of trouble. Our kids are in trouble. We're not gonna pay for it today. We're going to pay for it in 20 years. Just being able to speak about it. That's, you know, it feels like it's like, you know, for a while it was like, Oh, you can't, it was a silent majority, right? It's like, don't say you,

Don't do that. And now it's just like, I mean, we just want to be able to have an opinion. Yeah. The opinion you're entitled to have. Yeah. It doesn't have... Absolutely. I don't have to agree with your opinion, but I agree that you should have that opinion. Yeah. And it's not reciprocated. You know, idiot, racist. Hey, buddy. I want to ask you about this. And...

You know, we've kind of brushed this topic a little bit, and we're going to dedicate an episode that's to it. But, you know, we were, Tonya and I, obviously were on stage during the Vegas shooting, and you were out there as well. You had probably the most emotional moment for all of us, and I'd love for you, if you could share your story, it's...

Your son was there, and how old was Wake at the time? One. It was his first reason he was there because we'd been on the West Coast for three weeks, and I missed his birthday. Yeah. So tell people the story of what happened that night a little bit. So at the time I was working for MGM, so it was nothing for me to go to Vegas and stay a couple weeks or whatever. So we did the Sacramento, the Mountain Views, the Norcows, Oakland's, L.A.'s.

And we were going to Route 91 in Vegas. And that's my time. I still have a 702 phone number.

And I called Jenna. I was like, come on through. We're going to pull Vegas. I called my friend Rodney Flanagan. I said, can you put us up in two suites at the Delano? It was at the hotel at the time. Right. Oh, he calls me the night before and said, hey, hotel's filled. Can I put you at Mandalay Bay? I'll put you on a secure floor. I said, yeah, absolutely. So puts us up there and we have to set up connected. We have two rooms. All the other rooms are taken. He said by somebody, this one guy. So I think he's just a big week blocking it off.

And we were across the hall. Well, it was the shooter. Right. And yeah. And so. And so, you know, and to kind of help you with this story a little bit, you know, we were there that night. You were doing your set. We were obviously on stage at the time. Your wife was here watching the show or they're watching the show with us. And you had somebody obviously watching wake in the hotel. We had our babysitter upstairs. So while we're playing, the shooting happens obviously. And there's mayhem and chaos and chaos.

And Silver and his wife are like, oh my God, our baby's up in this hotel. I was telling Jenna, because me and Brittany and Jenna were backstage, and I just sat down because I just finished, because I've been playing three shows a day every day. And I was like, I'm just tired. Let's sit for a second and get a drink. Before we go to stage, we heard the first crack. We didn't know what it was. And obviously, you know what happened. And Jenna was freaking out. And I said, babe, our kid is in the safest place in the world right now. Just, he's good. Not knowing left from right, you know? And...

And our world changed in those 11 minutes. And then I remember us all ending up on your bus. Yeah. And I get a text message saying, are you in your room? I said, who is this? And they said, Manly security. I said, I'm not, my son is, he goes shooters on the floor. I didn't tell my wife till we found a way. So, and I, you know, kind of, you know, I don't want to fast forward through the moment, but so there, you know, everything happens maybe a few hours later, uh,

We finally get the van ride to where we're able to... So we were at Thomas and Mac. We walked into Thomas and Mac, the airport that he took us. That's why I was tearing through every bus. I heard they evacuated the Mandalay Bay. Every bus. I was like looking at nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Band picks us up. We get in and...

Jenna had somebody's phone or somebody had Jenna's. My phone was dead. And they found Mary texts and said, we're on the corner of something and something in town square in Las Vegas. And I remember leaning back, said, fellas, can I get my kid? Yeah. And Jenna was like, what do you mean? Can we get our kid? And I remember it like it was yesterday. They cops wouldn't let us go out. And that driver got out, talked her way into it.

I just remember picking that kid up. And they brought Wake Out to you. Yeah. And we got back in, and it was just, I don't know. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't talk about it. Yeah. Because I sent one text message. Cody Click had the phone charging in Rich's bunk. I screenshot that text message, sent it to Cody, said, I'm not being selfish. Can I have that charger? And he turned his Peliger shirt and sent me the charger.

And we got awake, and we held him to daylight that morning. We went to that house. Thanks to Chris Baldazon for getting us a place to stay. Yeah, absolutely. But it was – yeah, I had to stay for four days. I don't know if you know that. You stayed there even after we came home? Our rooms were connected and FBI, Homeland Security. I did not know that about you and that you and your family went through that until I saw the documentary. Yeah, that's the first time Aldine and I spoke about that. It was amazing. I was watching the documentary, and I was like –

That was tough. What? I had no idea. I can't imagine. You went through that. My face was all swole up. I'm trying not to cry. Yeah. Well, I called Jason. I said, are you doing this documentary? He goes, if this is the one, this is the one we do. Yeah. So Jason shot at his house, and I shot at Marathon Music Works downtown. And Anthony DiVincenzo, my manager, was with me at the time. And he goes, you ever get upset or need me to step in, just signal me.

And just, and I, there's a lot of things that I asked them to put off limits. Wake being one of them. Yeah. I wouldn't give them any videos. And if you've seen the documentary episode four says wake, and it's all videos from my Instagram. It was hard to watch me. Wow. And I heard stories about this, of body cam footage and all this. And I kind of, I kind of didn't want to see it. But when I saw that it was, I remember sitting in my studio, just couldn't get lower in the, in the, in the,

the crotch of the couch and just pitch black, just watching this. And it's just every emotion coming through. And, um, yeah. Well, I'm telling, I talk about, you know, this at times and it's, and I know you probably feel this way as well. It's like, it's, it's almost impossible to talk about it with other people, but you know, the, the brotherhood that we have, and we talk about band of brothers and you're very much a part of that. And it's like, I feel like,

we kind of lean on each other through that and through those times. And it was like, it only makes obviously our bonds stronger as we go forward. I mean, we're brothers, right? We're family and we're always, we see our, we see each other more of our families. Yeah. Yeah. And that's the sad part about being on the road is that, you know, it's, it's an awesome thing that we have you guys as family and we have each other as family and

you almost say that and people don't understand it. It's like we do see each other more than our family. I'll go weeks at a time without seeing my kids. Right. And it goes back to how hard you work, but you're trying to provide, right? You're trying to be the right. It makes you even more thankful when you think about the people that lost loved ones at that event. I'll tell you one that stuck me. I mean, it took me a while to get over. They were doing a CNN interview and the lady said, we came here to see DJ Silver and he got shot.

And I remember making eye contact with them in front of me the whole time. You know, hold up signs. We love wake and all that. It just, man, it took me a minute to get it. And it's a, and you know, but how many people that day come up to you guys and said, dude, sorry, I should have been there with you. I got, I got a, had a hangover was late or couldn't make it that I've might. That was just God keeping them out of the way. I feel, you know, my buddy Sid in Vegas is always with me. He wasn't there. I mean, I can count Cape Cain. They left early. Yeah. And it was like,

Yeah. So that's a, yeah. And you know, and I, and I feel like every story, I feel like you've got to take a silver lining out of a story. Right. So fast forward that year, I did the NASCAR awards in Vegas and this lady walks up and goes, there's somebody from, uh, wants to speak to you. And I look over and this guy, bigger dude, obviously he's, he was military, whatever, sobbing friends, holding him up.

I was like, oh, God, what happened? You know, you all right? And he was like, I saw your interview saying that you'll probably never get to see the person who grabbed your kid out of that hotel room that you'd like to thank. And he goes, my name's Officer William. What? Oh, my gosh. Are you serious? So I stay in contact with him, obviously. When I come to Nashville, I put him in hotels. So I did a few of the Gwen Stefani dates in Vegas. Jenna loved Gwen Stefani. So she came out, and we have dinner. And there are four chairs. Jenna's...

little hungover, you know, who are the, I don't feel like meeting people today. And I'm like, babe, relax, please. You know what I mean? And he walks up and I sat down and she's like, who are these people? I said, Jen, I want to introduce you to officer William. He's the one that grabbed awake. And it was just, it was just such a somber moment. And to this day, I still talk to the guy and it's just, uh,

Yeah. And, and it put a little closure to a story that, you know, no one ever wants to speak about. We got new family members that day. Yeah. Right. And if, you know, if you looked at the windows that were busted up in the Mandalay Bay, the two holes, my kid was five feet from this one in a crib. And a lot of, a lot of things could have went left and we wouldn't be here talking about it. Right. Thank God we're all here. And,

you had a close one. God put his hand out in front of a, well, it totally says that a lot, right? It's like, God, no. And like Kurt said, we'll, we're going to have a full thing to talk about all this, but there's no doubt in my mind that an angel just moved me around. That's right. And all, really all of us around, the fact that none of us got shot, killed is a miracle. Yeah.

You have a bullet in a base that we're going to talk about one day. It's an amazing story. That's just God telling you you're here for a reason. That's right. I think as more time passes by, I think it's been good to crack that open a little bit. We didn't talk about it for so long. I went to that counselor they brought out. I was more confused when I left that lady. For me, I always had a hard time

talking to someone about it who had never been through anything like it, I always had more luck talking to some of our Navy SEAL friends. I remember one of them called me and said, man, you guys aren't equipped to handle this. You can't process it. But talking to a counselor who...

has never been through it. For me personally, I'm not saying it's not good. I'm just saying for me personally, when I went, I just felt like she was judging me the whole time using words I don't even know what they meant. I'm over here Googling what, did she just call me fat? And I remember I walked out, Aldine's like, you go, tell me how it is. I was like,

Yeah. All right. So I walk in, he goes, how was it? I go, I don't really know, dude. Make sure there's no, and he was like, I was like, dude, if you want, bro, I don't know what just happened. I'm still like processing these 18 syllable words. This lady's calling me. Yeah. But that's what makes it. We do have that bond, which, you know, and our kids and, and you know, I got it for those of you out there who silver, like my kids,

like they look up to you so much. Like you're so good with kids and, and it's such a family atmosphere that, that we have now with everybody. We have kids are getting older, but my kids like they're, you know, they can't wait to see DJ Silver. That's my guy, Keller. And I love that dude. Silver is one of the best human beings we know. Like seriously, I mean, we've, you can tell that he's quick-witted and funny and we have a lot of, uh, stories and fun, uh,

But he's just one of the most giving individuals we know. He's a solid human being. And like Tully said, he takes care of everybody's kids. He wants to make sure everybody's happy. I'd rather hang out with those kids than most humans. And he brings good tequila. That's right. He does. God, did we ever do a shot of that? Maybe we should figure out how to end this thing with a shot. I will tell you my favorite Delaney story. You want to hear it? Okay, what was it? She was, I mean, however tall they are, two or three. She walks up, she goes.

would you hug me? And I was like, girl, your feet will not hit the ground. I carried her for hours. That is my girl, man. And just like Levi, man, what a good, I mean, Jenna talk all the time. Just good kids, man. We're blessed with good kids. And, uh,

But it's, believe me, it's they, like Tully said, they look up to you and the way you treat the kids. I enjoy when they're out. I mean, I hung with Keller all night and Mobile the other night. Neil, what is this? Hey, blame him. Yeah.

Rachel will not like this. Yeah, or maybe she will. Yeah, good point. Zach, turn the camera off. I'm bringing the thunder of God tonight, girl. Hey, it's for the sponsors. Thank you so much. Love you guys. You have to come back on. I love it. Absolutely. Cheers. Absolutely. Appreciate you guys. Cheers. Love you, my man. Thanks for being here. That was amazing.

Okay, so it was really fun, right? Yeah. Silver is amazing. He's funny. There was a lot of touching moments in there, too. Yeah. It's pretty... He's just a great guy. He's a great guy. And I love his work ethic. Yeah. Because he, you know, he grinds. Yeah. He grinds, and that's... And listen, we busted his balls for a long time, right? It's like, oh, you're a DJ, it's whatever. Yeah.

Man, that guy works. He works hard. He's providing for his family. I told you I said this. Man, he's really good to our kids. He's a good individual. There's not a birthday that comes up in my kids that he doesn't send something or text them. He's the kind of guy that you want to have in your family. He really is. He's genuine. Yeah. And I can tell that he still colors his hair. I can't believe we didn't bring this up. Silver...

is a fire redhead. What? Yes! He's redheaded? Redheaded. Bro. And he would have said this. He would have told you. He dyes his hair. Red or brown? Like once a week. He grew up redhead. I like the name DJ Red better, actually. Not bad. Not bad. If he ever wants to go there and invent himself again, DJ Red...

I'm just saying. Or gray. I'm just saying. That's mine. As time goes on. That's mine. But he's like the best. His family is best. His wife is amazing. His two kids are just like incredible. He's, like Tully said, he's just one of the good guys. And he's gone. Like, you know, we always talk about how in the first six, seven years, and we were gone so much, like 300 days a year. I mean, seriously. He's still doing it.

He never got to get out of it, so he's still gone. If you look at him on Instagram, you should follow Silver because he's great. But he's always gone, and he's only home once every couple weeks for a day and a half or two days. It is, and I say this to people all the time. There's a window, and there's a window with our gig with Al Dean, and there's a window with songwriting, and you have this...

finite amount of time you just don't know how long it is but it's going to end at some time and he i think realizes that as well and he is pushing it while he's got the window open and i applaud him for that he's a hard worker he's making the most of what he's doing and he's a good friend yeah he's a great sliver is a kind of guy um

There's a couple of friends. We've got a friend named Steve Dakin. Dakin, if you're listening. Oh, my God. You just made his day. Steve Dakin, if you're listening, we love you. But he's like Dakin. I always tell Kurt, if I called Silver at 3 in the morning and was in trouble or had broken down somewhere or needed something, if he was in town, or even if he wasn't, he would find a way to help you. All right, guys. You sound great doing this. That was a lot of fun tonight.

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