Hello everybody. My name is Britt Jones and you were listening to throw back country music this week is a great week for you to listen to this show because we are going to dive into the career of Restless Heart. I interviewed Larry Stewart the lead singer and it was phenomenal do us a huge favor right where you are, please hit that subscribe button. It takes one second of your time. Time and it really helps us grow tremendously. Thank you so much for that. I really appreciate it. Thank you for downloading this particular episode as well. Now you can visit us on the web at throwback country music podcast.com or visit us on Facebook at Brit Jones music. That's one t Britt Jones music also on Twitter and Instagram with that same name Brett Jones music follow us like us hang out with us. Send me comments questions to me who you would like to hear on the No, thank you so much for doing that. I really appreciate it. Also, I want to wish you a happy New Year a happy. Happy New Year. I hope this year is filled with so much success and love and peace and happiness for you and yours and I believe it's going to be it's going to be one of the best years ever 2019. Here we come. I know that throwback country music our podcast has so much in store for you. So so many guests are lined up for this year and I can't wait to share all that with you coming up soon. So without further Ado check out this interview with Restless Heart the lead singer Larry Stewart. Well everyone I'm so excited about today's guest. He is the lead singer of the legendary country music band Restless Heart. Mr. Larry Stewart, Larry. Thank you for being on the show. Thanks for having me. We're excited about it, man. I want to just start off talking about this new solo album that you got a lot of fans need to realize that, you know, you do solo stuff as well and it's really good. Shifting gears. How did that album come about and what's going on? Well, you know, I got the opportunity. Came from my boss at five West Media Group. Yeah, and we do a lot of stuff by production a lot of videos and what projects and they came to me and said hey Larry, you need to make a record. You should be making music and I said really, I don't know. Well, you know long story short. I took them up on their offer, right? I haven't done a solo record and 20 years. Yeah, it's just it's a unique situation for usually a band that's together, you know still together. We're celebrating our 35th Anniversary together. Usually, you know, there's a lot of so loud like I'm kind of thinking but you know, we're not in the studio recording anything. And so I recorded shifting gears and got my college friend Gordon Smith is a world-class guitar player and prevents reproduced Ricky Skaggs Mosaic album and co-wrote change the world for Eric Clapton and his amazing talent. Well, we recorded the album and I'm so proud of it. So I yeah, it's called shifting gears for a single off of it is what's that cowgirl seeing me? - I'm fine with it. Now y'all making a music video to that song Larry. Oh, yeah, but I just matter of fact it's out. Okay, there is a big video to that song. Check it out on YouTube. Oh sweet so you to what's that cowgirl seen me Larry Stewart man it so with that being said Larry are you doing any do you have time to do any solo gigs or well? Yeah. I have done a few but most of mine. Larry Stewart games have come in the form of the frontman of country. Oh, yeah, we myself and and Richard McDonald Lonestar cameras low voice to the Texas along with a u.s. Army combat veteran dining resource world-class violence animated and we've been doing some shows this until we get about a couple of handfuls of shows this year and we're going to do more 2019. So I do those I'm going to do a few solos, but you know, we're we're pretty much in the midst of 35th Anniversary to us was hard. Yeah, pretty busy doing that and doing some Christmas shows right now. That's a big deal man, 30 35 years. That's that's huge. And you know, some of my in a lot of people's soundtrack to their childhood is Restless Heart, you know, my absolute all-time favorite. I probably got a tie between of course Bluest Eyes and then I'll still be loving you those two songs right there, you know, some songs like you I'm sure with You take you back to a certain time in life and those songs do man and that speaks volumes for a band like y'all. All right, I appreciate hearing that night. We hear that more and more, you know together so long and then fans, you know have a chance to to to have to think back on that soundtrack. And those are the two songs that we hear the most. Oh well for some reason Man, we're just so blessed of songs Just struck a chord in a Time whether you know, they were a little different for country music at the time. You know, we released our music during a very traditional time. We got started same time as Randy Travis friends or hot and Ricky Skaggs was you know, it's just more traditional that yeah, just come these Five Guys with mullets coming. Contemporary sound as very contemporary at the time. Of course now people call us mainstream country. Yeah, that's kind of all changed, but it's really cool to hear even young people talk about how he heard our music growing up and make sure they continue to put it on the playlist and you know, the parents or whatever, you know, even you know people today from college students coming up to his room and you're our College music more your music and college low. And that's so cool. That is cool. The Bev Bev availability of old music now, I'm smart phones and you know streaming and stuff, you know as much as it's wrecked the music industry sure have given the ability to people all over the world of all ages two to go and investigate and find music and find classes final music that they want to put on the playlist and it's really cool to be a part of man. That's cool and you Brought up something to just triggered my thoughts here. You know when y'all first came out like you said. And people you know that the Nashville traditionalist probably some of them I guess maybe turn their back on your they didn't they didn't just Embrace y'all but yeah, and so today's country, you know, there's a lot of traditionalists 90s fans, especially that may not Embrace. What's today? So what do you mean you got any thoughts on that? Yeah, that's that's exactly what's happening. You know probably happens in a lot of you know, it happens in politics as time goes on the politics changed, as you know, as music goes on, you know, all kinds of genres changes. There's other aspects. I'm sure but when we came out being the traditional time that it was the establishment did not like us so far. Well, I'll be May award solder the you know, all that just didn't radio stations played our music. I mean out of the box for some reason it just struck a chord and thank goodness for for radio. Yeah before playing the music today, you know, we hear from not only radio station folks, but from fans on you know that you know Louis I As in Texas Restless Heart that that's real country music. It may be effective only prepared for 30 years ago. When when Music Row really shunned us. Yeah, and now again, I you have artists and people and you know in the industry that just really look at that era as a very important era and accepted in the country and Country Music circles just How it changed like that and now really people that like our music don't like today's companies. Yeah, they all say it's not country, you know in 20 years they'll say to is going to be as mainstream, you know, it'll all change. Yeah said it now it's a really bummed us out at the time because we you know, you always want to be exact accepted by you. You know your industry by your peers and I guess we were accepted by our peers just wasn't the establishments just just had a hard time with the different sound coming out of Restless Heart and and it just really wasn't the mainstream of the time right? Maybe it was so well that mean one reason I think radio played y'all so much was because it was unique and y'all sound was different and today if you turn on Radio and hear Restless Hearts on you you made Italy? No, that's Restless Heart. You don't have to second. Guess all that could be or that so and so, you know, so that's a test for do you? Well, you know, I'm partial to this and still around. I mean, you know when when you know and Diamond Rio comes on the radio, you know, that's Diamond Rio making Castle on the radio, you know, that's what you know on and on. You know and Garth Brooks just know the Sun and Reba McEntire and Randy on of Alabama to be one of the great forces while time with the style of music will sound and just just you know, the style. I love the fact that you know, who that is immediately and g'day don't always know everything kind of sounds the same. Sometimes it's a you know, I had Lorrie Morgan on the And she said this Larry and you'll get it she was talking to someone after a show one of her another musician and he was a bass player and he said well, I got to get home and lay down a track, you know, and she goes lay down a track. What are you talking about? And he said, you know, I just laid down the track and I emailed it to the producer and you know, they don't go to the studio anymore and get that raw organic sound up, you know, and that's kind of the recording process has changed. Although you can still you can still capture that if you know at the producer knows what he's doing right and but you know, there's nothing like a magical five wall class position sitting in a studio recording a track. That's that's that's fun. Yeah, and you will always remember that time y'all sit around and recorded that track. Yeah boy. We spend a lot of Restless Hearts and a lot of In the studio recording our stuff just just to get the vocals the way we want them because you know that was before Pro Tools and that was before all those, you know, tuning how important your stuff we had to sing a ride. Yeah ready to ride. And took a lot of time man. Well going back to your latest stuff. I listen to this song I guess about three months ago. I first time I heard it and I fell in love with it. It's if it wasn't for the radio and man that's just it's very catchy and I just love the way it was produced. And can you tell us a little bit about that? Yeah. Well, the one for the radio is actually the frontman of country. I was speaking. About yeah, Ricky McDonald. I'm too much low and you know someone who works with us brought us the song guys. This is really really cool the way, you know, the way it kind of reaches back in history and talks about how the radio you know, I've affected us all because honestly the radio brought us all Nashville, right? And and that's what the song is about. And so it was really great that I could put you know, the Ritchie and Kim with me on that and and I just love the way blind later produced it. He's our producer on that one track and that the guys allowed me to put on my albums love. I love green rigor. I love that song. What do y'all play it live when you do the front mentor? Um, we we don't always but you know, if we have time we throw it on there put it in there. It's you know, sometimes it is specially if we can rehearse it, you know, but while we're out there doing sound check and learn it but yeah, yeah, we love the song know with with you three is it? Tougher do you have to change it up? But as far as your like say Larry Stewart setlist, you try to hit the bigger hits or because I'm sure you can't fit everything into the show or do you or how does that work? Yeah, it's it's tough because you know, we we all have to Hitch that we got a proper role of the fans will be upset. Yeah, but you know, we like to touch on on new thing here and there yeah time but it's really what the frontman get together. It's really stored behind. Where the hits came from you know, why was written by was recorded or or you know, what a song did a story about a fancy and what the song after people and and it's just really an intimate setting. Yeah the front we had State and so it's not a lot of new stuff. We're really going back in time and then that Series yeah and I'm sure the fans love that. It's kind of like the blue the Bluebird Cafe on tour. Well kind of yeah, you're right. Yeah, it kind of is exactly the were up on stage and aligned and we go down the line and you know, we you know, there's 30 number one hits between the three of us. Well, you know, we can barely have a couple things here and there, you know, we don't really have a set list. That's incredibly honest with you. I mean, we don't go And that like that it's just off the cuff. We have final joke around, you know, we can make the body and soul laughs. Mmm people walking away a tear from a story and a song and it's just a it's just a roller coaster of emotions for for 90 minutes to two hours and it's a special every time me and you got me wanting to go to go to one next year. That sounds how your house can those Kind of intimate concert. Sorry. I love them. I love them. I saw Mark Chesnutt Joe Diffie with just their Acoustics. They did a little tour together up here where I'm at in Georgia, and I loved it. You know you just you hear the the song. I'm sure like Bluest Eyes you hear it in acoustic version and Pete. It's just something about that intimate version that just draws the audience in well, we can all go to a concert get excited and have fun as well. Out lock in and then that's fine. Yeah, but you know the cool thing about country music are the songs are just so well written in us and cooking music about real lives. Yeah that gives us in country music and doing those songs a chance to go just with a guitar or a couple of guitars and your buddy playing guitar and piano and and just in the Raw sharing that song you can't do that in every time I'm just you know, and pop music, you know, you got to have all the problems, you know around it, you know, yeah, you know not always there's some great songs and other zombies not wrapped, but that's the beauty of country music. Yeah that you know, the song is a song is a song country music is about the song. That's right. That's good. And then there's something about that for me, I guess around 85 to about 98 99. Just something about the artists in the songs the stories. It's just it stands out. It's almost like it's become its own genre of music. Now, you know people still kids teenagers no 90s country. They know who Restless Heart Is the judge they know who Deana Carter is and said, so that's that's a testament to you guys that made the music back then you know, it still resonates today. I think that's the coolest part. You know. You know anywhere from teenagers to grandparents out in the audience, you know, cuz they want to hear that music and then the talk to him and now that it's just it's really cool how that era of songwriting that era of songs that era of of singers. Bands and talent are still here as strong as they are today. Yeah, I just got this thing. That's really really cool. And you know, it's just a testament of country music's just still you know, Muse up songs or so still important to people. Yeah. And is it true that the country country fans are very unique they are they are loyal to the bands is that you still have some of your loyal fans Well, absolutely. That's why we're still here. Yeah, I mean we have fans that come to 15 shows a year when all those hours and hours all the time. There's a great they're so great country music fans are pray. That's that's we are so lucky. Yeah to have that kind of loyalty as you say. It's very unique we country music fans are just like family. Yeah, you know, And I know other genres are the same way. I mean just that that's the cool thing though about music. Yeah music is powerful song is powerful. I mean it moves people and I mean, we're in an industry. That's very that that that really affects people's day, you know something about a moment. I mean, it's just it's really it's really cool to be able to feel do this after all these years. Yeah, man. Well, we're going to play in just a second. We'll play rapid fire. We did this with Marty Raven as well. But first off when Restless Heart took off when y'all had a few singles out on the radio, and it was getting played and people started knowing who you were. Is it just a blur now looking back or was it just a some kind of rocket ship that just took off? That's a good question. That's kind of above. It was a blur. Yes, because when we got started and then you know started having number one songs, we want to or we be gone for seven weeks at a time. Well, you know just gone families and home and stuff and you know, and then we were walking and being pulled and tugged at so many different ways and trying to survive trying to get along, you know. I think it's trying to get your song up, you know waiting for Monday to see if your son was on keep going. It was nerve-wracking all the same time. It was it was it was different back then. I mean, I wouldn't you know, if that was an important time. I mean that was so important because that's why we're here, but honestly, it's more fun now than it was back behind even though we were doing the lien has an opening for the greatest acts in the jury of country music go even beyond that. It was you know, it was it was really something to be able to look back and remember what all we did, but it wasn't a time that That we I can only speak for myself in Restless Heart enjoyed. We had to grow up a little and get a whoopin and get us firmly planted on the ground and and and move past all that there. We kind of shut it down there in the 90s for a while before we all got back together and there wasn't that was important for us to do and that you know, everything happens for a reason. Even yeah radio was so good to us and you know country music fans have been loyal and and we're still doing it. So it's a lot of fun and it's all smooth and speaking of the Triple Threat tour. It's a Restless Heart Shenandoah and Black Hawk gets it man that that just I don't know. They that excites me because I'm such a huge, you know fan of that. Music now when you guys get start the start back up the tour is it I mean having three three bands is it hard to as far as set changes? I mean how I mean it seems like that's a lot going on. We're in production with that. Right yet. threat about four years ago five years ago. Yes, six years ago, maybe. But we did with a little Texas and all went together and you know, we kind of went through Growing Pains that it was like, you know, I'm an artist, you know, one of the Bands open and did 40 minutes and then you had a sex change. We're working it out where it's more seamless. Yeah. You know where One Bank comes out then really, you know, we kind of jump in on the second act comes in and jumps in there pretty quick. And so so we're figuring out how we can you know, mingle our instrumentation and our technology and everything to where it's you know, it'll be a little more fun for the audience in that's just one, you know the little more, you know together so Working on that mail or production teams are together. We'll figure that out and everybody's great to work with we all love working together will be fun. That's exciting man that I was just curious about that because I love the behind-the-scenes stuff and that's really neat. Well, let's play rapid fire with Larry Stewart of Restless Heart and what we're going to do, I'll give you a statement or a name or question. You just tell us what you what comes to your mind. For instance. I let's do the first one favorite hit song too. Play live. Versailles context a career highlight that stands out in your mind. Playing on his Grammy stage in front of Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. Well, that's awesome. Do you remember what year that was? That was when 1987 or 88 when I still be loving you was nominated song in here and we got to perform a little bit of evidence Radio City Music Hall in New York and I walked out on stage singing and I didn't realize it until I got to the microphone and 12 feet away from me was Stevie Wonder Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. Stand up I was shaking in my boots man. Obviously. I'm at that time and I was I was I did not have a sense of securely singer at the time and I was there was some it was sometime. I forget that there's a lot of highlights. No, I'm sure that that was a rapid fire. Fire. Yeah, that's it. Let's see favorite. You have a favorite Concert Experience when y'all been on the road anything that stands out gosh favorite concert on the road. Well, hello or favorite fan experience that someone did out in the audience. No, hey, that's not remember any of it. Okay opening for Glenn Frey. That was the highlight of the Eagles. I'm such a big fan of the Eagles. That's cool. Um touring with Alabama see we got the two with some of the you know, to whom with be between the Vince Gill: you know, we have some great. An answer. Yeah, you know, there's too many a bid Alabama when you have some great memories of Turin with I mean that that's awesome Alabama tour. Well, yeah. Yeah, I know and you know and rainy own was the very first fuck man. Yeah answering with me and Richie uh-huh Ross. That was a lot of fun to do that. Well, I am ready for with yourself. Well, that's very cool. Larry. If as every guest is just about if there were a Mount Rushmore of country music who are the four you would put on the mount and we can do this we can do males and then we'll do females and it can be groups as well. So we'll start with males if they think it's a good question Mount Rushmore, who would you put on Are for males or bands? well But they hands would be I'm gonna get myself in trouble. Yeah, Laura Morgan said the same thing I know so so the full right? Yeah. Hit the Alabama Restless Heart. Diamond Rio I just won't stop that's good. How about that Miss? Oh my God. Well, I guess I should go Merle Haggard George Jones Garth Brooks. Yeah and George Strait. Oh, that's good, man. That's a good class right there. I love that. How about females Reba? Yep. Dolly Parton mmm your choice I've gone blank. Well, some of the other guests have said Tammy Wynette Patsy Cline. Yeah, Loretta. Yeah, and of course the Red Land and all that but yeah, it's tough. That is a 10. Female because she didn't want to get in trouble. That's fun. It's fun. Just to hear that's really cool. Well, Larry you nervous. Yeah, that concludes that that's that's awesome man. Thanks for playing. Yeah. Well, thanks for being on the show Larry. This has been fun. Oh, thanks for having me. Yeah, and I appreciate your time and appreciate you inviting me to do it. Yeah, we can go to Restless Heart.com or Larry Stewart.com to check out his solo projects anything expeditionary Stewart. Music Coco, Larry Stewart music.com and you can check out shifting gears right there and you won't be disappointed. Left side. I'll send you a phone wallet using shifting gears shifting gears on it. No, you know Merry Christmas. Yeah, Merry Christmas, man. That's great. Be sure guys to check out the triple threat torn 2019. That's something I'm going to try to do and that's exciting. If you are a fan of 80s and 90s country. Well Restless Heart Larry Stewart. Thank you for being on the show and and we will hopefully talk to you soon, man. All right. Goodbye. What a great interview. That was I'm so glad that you were able to check that out. Be sure you visit visit Restless Heart online on their website check out their upcoming tour dates and go check them out live in concert and I am for sure for sure going to check out the big tour with them Shenandoah and Blackhawk the triple threat toward this year in 2019. It's going to be awesome and I hope you check it out as well. I mean, what better? Classic country. Can you find those? I mean those three together? Wow, I mean, I'm so excited just thinking about it because those three bands right there are three of my favorites and so what great music those three bands put together in the millions of albums and the number one hits that they've combined together and sold and and it's just it's just awesome. So I'm excited about that. Also, Larry Stewart has his solo stuff be sure you check out Larry Stewart online as well and check. Check out what he's up to and what he's the music that he's putting out. You'll enjoy it as you'll definitely enjoy it. So visit us again throwback country music podcast.com. You can also listen there as well. You can just click on that button that says click here to listen and you can check out the archives. We've had many shows already and you can if you haven't heard the other guests like Lorrie Morgan John Berry, Jeannie Seely, and so many more you can go to our archives and just go to our Website and check it check out those episodes. When you have time A lot of people listen to podcast to and from work on their lunch break cleaning house on vacation driving long trips, you know podcasts are so cool. Because it's Radio On Demand. You can listen to them anytime anywhere you want to anywhere in the world, but we really appreciate you subscribing to this show and you guys are in girls. You are the ones that make this show possible. Isabel the more people that we get more people each week listening and I'm so excited about that. So have a great week and I will see you in February because season one is now complete but we will not start back until the first week of February. So stay tuned for that and have a great first of the new year be blessed be kind of everybody love on each other and just show the world that You know, what country music is the best. All right. God bless you.
Restless Heart lead singer Larry Stewart can remember the exact moment and place his life began to change forever. “I was driving east on I-40 from West Nashville into town to an appointment,” he recalls. “Back then, I was listening to what we were doing in my Jeep Cherokee every day. I had turned the radio on, and ‘Let The Heartache Ride’ was right in the middle of the acapella intro.” Stewart had been living with the song for a while, and hearing it through his car speakers wasn’t that big of a deal – until he looked at the stereo and saw the numbers 97.9. “It didn’t sink in because I had it in the tape deck for days, then I realized ‘That’s the radio. It’s WSIX.’ I pulled over on the shoulder around White Bridge Road and sat there with my car idling. It was like yesterday.” ‘Yesterday’ has come full circle for Restless Heart. Then one of Nashville’s newest acts, the band is celebrating their 30th Anniversary in 2013, and Dave Innis enjoys the musical ride as much as ever. “I think it’s been an amazing legacy, and it’s been such an honor to have been part of an organization that is still together doing it after thirty years with the same five original guys, and it’s more fun than ever.” John Dittrich, Greg Jennings, Paul Gregg, Dave Innis, and Larry Stewart – the men who make up Restless Heart have enjoyed one of the most successful careers in Country Music history, placing over 25 singles on the charts – with six consecutive #1 hits, four of their albums have been certified Gold by the RIAA, and they have won a wide range of awards from many organizations – including the Academy of Country Music’s Top Vocal Group trophy. Those stats aside, Innis feels that their career goes much deeper than that. “In the past few years, we have really started to branch out in the community, particularly our work with the Nashville Rescue Mission. We have hosted an event called Restless Heart & Friends – Music With A Mission that we do at the Schermerhorn Center with the Nashville Symphony. We invite a lot of our friends in the industry across all genres to join us, and all of the money we raise goes to the Nashville Rescue Mission. The other thing that stands out is the tours we have done in support of the men and women of the Armed Forces. We did some tours with the Air Force, going all over the world.” Those audiences have sung along with their record-shattering string of hits, such as “I’ll Still Be Loving You,” “Fast Movin’ Train” and “When She Cries.” Stewart says it’s humbling to know Restless Heart has made an impact. “I’m proud of the fact that we get to hear stories from young artists and musicians that we might have made an impression or inspiring them to come to town – having number one records, and hearing the stories of what they meant to people. To know that you have been a part of something that made a difference, the power of music, the power of a song. To be a part of something that made a mark. However big or small of a mark Restless Heart made, it’s still a mark. To be able to appreciate and feel blessed that we got lucky enough to get together. I feel like it was something that was meant to be.” And, the story is far from over, as Stewart says Restless Heart still has a lot of history to make. “We are still at the top of our game when it comes to singing and playing together. We’ve got some projects we’re working on, and we want to put the Restless Heart brand out to music fans again – to let them know we’re still here and making good music. We’re really looking forward, not trying to rest on our past laurels, we really want to do some new music. We have some fun things we’re considering to celebrate the moment, which we’re trying to put together, and reintroduce ourselves to the world, and take another stab at something.” www.throwbackcountrymusicpodcast.com Please help and hit the subscribe the button. 