193: Hannah Dasher

On Episode 193, I'm joined by country artist Hannah Dasher. In early July, Dasher released her infectious and charming debut The Half Record.  We talk about her debut, navigating the songwriting world of Nashville, finding her voice as an artist, hear some stories behind the songs, and her hit TikTok cooking show Stand By Your Pan.

This episode's presenting partner is Desert Door Texas Sotol, The Blue Light Live, and Charlie Stout Photography.

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*Pre-Order The Lubbock Way, the debut book by Thomas Mooney, here.

Transcript

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Thomas Mooney  0:01  
Hey y'all Welcome back to New slang. I'm your host Thomas Mooney and you're listening to Episode 193. We're closing out the week being joined by the wonderful Ms. Hannah Dasher. It's been about a month and a half now since Hannah released the excellent and charming the half the record her proper debut. I'm telling you, she packs a lot in this five song collection. It's infectious hooks and insightful lyrics. It's smart, clever and fun. And we don't talk enough about things being fun. That's important as well. Obviously, top 40 radio doesn't have to leave a bad taste in your mouth or sound generic and bland. It used to not and if you're not picking up what I'm throwing down by now, what I'm saying is folks like Hannah, they ought to be on the radio shows that you can be bold, fun and serious when you need to be all the while holding a semblance of pop sins and ear candy to light. This right here with Hannah was just incredible. We talked about songwriting and recording and finding her way as a writer and artist. Today's presenting partner is our pals over at Desert door, Texas SoTL. If you've been listening to new slang for really any amount of time, you'll know that desert door is one of my all time favorite premium, high quality spirits. If you haven't, or aren't sure what exactly a sotol is. I'm going to let you in on a little secret that's going to up the game on your liquor cabinet. For starters, the best reference point that I can point you to is to think about a tequila or a scowl. Do you feel that Western desert that text is ruggedness? Okay, Soto is like that, but a little bit more refined, smooth and fragrant. It intrigues the palate and offers these hints of vanilla and citrus, there's an earthiness that often sends me right back to my trans Pecos some Far West Texas roots. There's plenty to love about desert door. For me, it all starts right there. a close second is just how versatile desert door really is. You can go full highbrow and experiment with concocting a variety of cocktails that call for muddling fresh fruit sprigs of time sticks of cinnamon, it's perfect for that world. If you're a little bit more down home, if you've just rolled up sleeves up your denim Wrangler button up, it's perfect for that as well. If you just design something that short and sweet, it hits the mark every time does adore is genuine and authentically West Texan. It's inherently West Texan. They harvest Soto plants out in the wild and are knowledgeable conservationists at heart. That's obviously something incredibly important to me. They shine a light on what makes West Texas special and unique and worth preserving and keeping it safe from exploitation. Right now, you can find desert door all over Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, and there's budding numbers in places like New Mexico, Arizona, California and Georgia. Best thing you can do is to check out desert door.com to find where desert door is locally. Again, that's desert door.com. I promise we'll get into the conversation with Hannah here one second. But first, I have to plug this new book of mine. It's been one week since I announced it and I really couldn't be happier with the response. As most of y'all know. I live here in Lubbock, Texas, and I've spent my entire life living out here in West Texas. And this debut book of mine is called the loving way. And it's a short collection of stories and insight about the Lubbock music scene, specifically circa 2015 to 2017 right now you can pre order the Lubbock way a collection of wallflower vignettes over in the merch store, subscribe to new slang wherever you listen to podcasts, follow me on Instagram Twitter and Facebook to that's all greatly appreciated. And of course all those links they will be in the episodes show notes. Alright enough of all this let's get into it. Here is Hannah Dasher

has noticed noticing today like you know, it's been one month since half a record came out. And yeah, you know, like, I don't like we don't necessarily always look at just those little time you know, those those stamps of time as far as like when a when a records out by the month necessarily. But you know, it's been out a month now. Do you feel? What do you feel about like, I guess I guess now that that it's been the response. Yeah. And there's a little bit of, you know, you can you can get a little bit of a judgment off of something like that.

Hannah Dasher  4:48  
I absolutely. Um, I mean, people have been I mean, it's all been positive for sure. Considering that I'm not on a major Spotify playlist yet. It's streaming well, Apple has given me a lot I love apple and Amazon Amazon put me on the Billboard here in Canada that was awesome and and was the riser country Roger the week last week for Apple and with the ward counter show and so I appreciate the love that I'm getting there and and on Tick Tock and on my Instagram Stories people are really really love it and I just, but I still feel like it's I still feel like the half record is a Cadillac in the woods behind behind some trees, and I just need just need someone to come come in and cut those trees down so the rest of the world can know that it's there.

Thomas Mooney  5:33  
Yeah, the it's such an interesting thing. As far as I like, obviously, I've never released a record. But, you know, with this being your first half a record, I know you don't like the the EP Phil it's a little bit.

Hannah Dasher  5:48  
Oh, record girl, I wanted to put out the whole record. That was the that was the plan. But uh, you know, it's expensive. And I was under a time crunch. And we had to get I wanted to get some music fans are waiting on some music. As you know, we've already got these five done, let's, let's give them a cluster of what's to come. And so there we are. It's just and it also indicates that the whole record is on its way, which it is.

Thomas Mooney  6:11  
Yeah, well, that's, that's what I guess I was going to point to you right there is that, you know, with it being something that is your first release, essentially, right, your first collection of songs, not just a single, you know, I'm assuming like with any kind of release, there's those, there's that moment of like, are people gonna like it, you're just kind of worried about it, maybe what I kind of call, like lost in the woods, where maybe you're so into that project, you're not sure exactly what it is? Because, you know, you not heard the feedback, I guess. Other folks, and, you know, with this past year being the way it was, do you feel like there was like some added pressure, some added like, you know, for sure it is attached to to releasing something especially being your debut, especially being you know, a year of where there's so much uncertainty attached to that. What was that like, as far as you know, prepping and getting these these five songs together and figuring out like, Oh, this is this is what it needs to be and we need to, you know, kind of get all of the things lined up. I guess

Hannah Dasher  7:24  
that's a loaded question there. But but a good one. I'm a, I'm not a one dimensional artist. So it's hard for me to, it's hard to pigeonhole me into just into one lane, or into like, two one type of a song like because I mean, I've got plans, I want to collaborate with Snoop Dogg I want to collaborate with Bruno with Justin and jack why I there's so much that I want to do, but I'm to the core, I am country. And, but there is a there's a certain way I'm learning there's a, there's a way that you got to package it, so that it can reach more audiences. And sometimes that means playing ball, but you got to do it without losing who you are. And so that was probably the biggest challenge of me was, I mean, you know, with the exception of girls call the shots I've written every song I'm only half record. And like shoes, for example, was a song that I didn't even turn in to my publisher. Well, I didn't know my publisher, because I have to make quota song quota, but I was going through a breakup. I just started writing that course here at the house, I was in your shoes, I come running back to me and I brought it to my buddy Jake rose and girlfriend, Trey Anderson and, and we wrote that song that day and they loved it. And you know, by the time the publisher has not heard it, I was pretty much over the gap. You know, I was I was ready to move on from that but the label but my publisher sent me the label and because I wasn't even going to turn it into the record label cuz I just didn't you know, I wasn't in love with the song, but affected so many people. And they were so passionate about it. And I just got so much feedback from it. I knew that it's this is this whole this whole thing is about more than just me and what I want like you know, because it was up to me I put out you're gonna love me kind of songs the title of but one of the tracks in the record. I put out stuff like that all day long. But I think fans deserve a variety and and I think I deserve to meet new fans and new people and to try to reach other audiences and so I think putting songs like that on the record is a great way to do that. Sounds like lead this bar it did well on tik tok. And again, I'm just if I'm, if I'm entertaining, I want to I want to entertain.

Thomas Mooney  9:45  
Right? Yeah, that's so interesting. And that's probably something I've not really thought about nearly as much being from Texas where, you know, if you're an up and coming artist and you're not signed on where you're you know, sending in songs to your publisher, you know, there's maybe less of that filter as far as like, you know, oh, I'm writing 12 songs, 15 songs, and I'm gonna cut 10 of those songs where we're maybe like, you know, obviously with, if you're in Nashville, and you're at least attached to the Nashville scene, and you have that publishing deal, you have a lot more writing opportunities and a lot more songs that you have to turn in. And that's, I find that fascinating, right there. As far as you, you know, writing that writing shoes being really, you know, invested in the moment of that song, but then, you know, obviously, with anything, you know, you can have those feelings fade from a song. But then it being something that, you know, other people gravitated towards, and you kind of have maybe, like, find that magic again in it, or finding those redeeming qualities of why it's a song that I should still cut.

Hannah Dasher  10:57  
Well, I mean, I cut for I could I write for a live show. And, but but as a commercial songwriter, I have to write for radio, too. But I'm a believer that songs can be both. But there is no difference. But there has to be a good mix of that. If you're going to be a commercial artist. And whether or not you like what's on radio. It's it's still what drives the needle. It's still what puts an act like me out there. And I always say, you know, what? is almost like wrapping, wrapping your dog's medicine, wrapping the pill and a little bit of cheese, so he'll swallow it like, he might. He might be dragging some of the cheese, but he's definitely getting the pill. So whatever, whatever gets me out there, that provides a way for me to do what I do. Because I mean, my stuff is genuinely me. And, and it's it's country. It is country. There's on the show, but there's still guitar left, right. And anyway, I just think that I'm a part of a bigger team like Sony Music Nashville that I've gotten to play, play ball with a little bit. And I've honestly, I felt about putting shoes on the record and laid this bar. I was a little bit I love singing birthday songs. They're really, really fun to sing. But I mean, there were some other songs that I thought had a little more personality to them. But that arguably aren't necessarily meant for radio like I'm gonna whip your redneck as that song does. So well live everybody wants to hear I feel like it was streaming well, but the label you know, and team obviously wanted me to present you know, the most radio ask potentials as possible. And but and I wrote the song with one of my country music songwriter Hall of Fame heroes, Mr. Ken Nichols. He wrote ever you've Keith Whitley, and he's written hundreds of other great songs that we all know. So but yeah, there's there's a lot of people call it politics, because there's a lot that goes in. But um, but again, I just whatever I put out, it's got to be genuinely me. And and, yeah, what were your favorites? Or what if you have more than one? What What's your favorite?

Thomas Mooney  13:15  
Well, I was gonna bring up leave this bar because of Tim Nichols. And I really do love that song. You mentioned him like, you know, writing, um, over you the the classic Keith Whitley song. I feel like you're one of those people who, much like me, just, you know, devoured the the liner notes of all the CDs, or that you got and yeah, obviously, like, that's a name that pops up. I don't know, like, this is maybe projecting on you a little bit. But I feel like you are someone who you have that large personality, that charismatic touch. I feel like maybe you don't get maybe intimidating, intimidated by people walking into a room like that. But what was it like, you know, writing with someone who you have looked up to someone like,

Hannah Dasher  14:03  
oh, gosh, it but it's, it's inspiring to be in the room with guys like that. And I and honestly, I, I tend to, especially the first first couple of times that that I write with guys like that. It's either either I hold back just a little bit because I'm, I'm a sponge, especially in those cases, and I really want to learn from them. And I want to, you know, I'm always like, Well, I mean, I'll shoot my line out here, but of course they do and you're just gonna be a whole lot better than mine, or, I don't know, but I had to, I had to work through some of that. It's not necessarily an insecurity. It's just a reverence for the talent and a respect for, for the shoes that I've got to feel. And, and I think I owe it to we as creators owe it to our audience, to not give them watered down bullshit, but to give them a piece of art that's going to be timeless, that that's going to cure it. Going through some, I don't know, some hard breakup or some, you know party or anything like we got a, we got to make these people escape for three minutes and I'm doing my best not to water it down. But I think things sometimes don't need to be deep and heavy they need to be light and just find a saying and you know, my girlfriend's that are like my doggy Cole that are into pop music and all she loves with this bar like, that's her favorite again and I'm all my boys because the majority of my listening audience is actually male. You know, they're all about left right left right. And you're gonna love me and so I just aspect there's definitely something for everybody on this half record and and I'm gonna try to do the same with the whole record.

Thomas Mooney  15:44  
right that's like that's something right there that's I find maybe funny that you'll see on on social media or talking with people in general is the the that like pop music or like pop sensibilities is like a bad thing? And it's like, you know, Hank Williams had pop sensibilities you know, Georgia you know, like all like all the the classics that everyone loves. There's the one of the main reasons why they love them is because of those pop sensibilities. Pop is short for popular. And I find it like is this weird? Like, I don't know. Some kind of like people think you get some kind of metal for liking something that maybe doesn't sound smooth or something like that. I don't know. It's you know what I'm saying? Like you kind of get like you earn a stripe for for liking something hard to listen to. And it's just like well, you know, there's room for a lot of music and if it sounds good like sometimes like that's the thing that that is the The Harbinger the that leads you to the deeper stuff so I find it like you're one of the things that I went when I was reading through some press releases that I gravitated towards when you said was with left right with you wanting to channel like Beyonce and Roger Miller and somehow like that sounds so weird but also at the same time listening to that song you kind of go Yeah, that it works like you can tell what you're talking about. Yeah, what like what what do you as far as

Hannah Dasher  17:25  
I did I didn't want a channel that's just that's just what happened I mean it just that's just where my my head went. Sorry to interrupt you go ahead.

Thomas Mooney  17:32  
No, no, go ahead. Like that's what I'm assuming you didn't walk in the room going today. I'm gonna run a Beyonce roger miller song but it's the fact that you kind of go it this is where maybe this is headed.

Hannah Dasher  17:45  
Well, they say you create well under pressure and Brandon and hood and Brandon produced the half record. And he and I disagree a lot about rhythm section. He likes really straight drums and I like the witch someone arguably pop I'm not you know, it's not popped To me it's more just swaggy feel good head Bob while you're Morgan Wallen hardy Eric church, like I'm into the swag he hit by the rhythm section. And that can get a little too left to center to Brandon. And he is trying to you know, merge my swag with his commercial and that's why it works. But anyway, so we had some disagreement the night before and anyway, he wound up anyway it was so funny but he so he came in that morning and the teachers were had I just wait that I mean elbowed him just to say I love you everything's cool and he had this great title left right I just I love short titles like that we had no idea what what the idea would be but he just said left right and out of the sky and it always falls in the same place when it's one of those God given rare moments like I the left side of him and it just comes into the left side of my brain out of the mouth but the click go and left right left right left brain that came out immediately and then all of a sudden if you own it you better put a ring on her left right now came right this right to me too and and he was like oh my god write that down and and when horrible. He was on a potty break he came back he said hey oh yeah, what are your What are y'all got started and anyway. Is that too honest for you? But when is when really helped craft those verses in his wind verbal way. I mean, you're hot and cold. You say then you go your Ying and Yang is showing and that's when verbal craft that's when verbal mastery. That Yeah. And I had just recently had my friends over for dinner if you're a Dylan Carmichael fan. Those of you listening please check out his music he's great but he and his girlfriend Shayla wherever for supper, and she was she's one of those that was is after ordering. They've been dating for years and years and it's time for a ring and I've got a few girlfriends who are really hot to get married. I'm not one of those But, but I've just lately I've have heard a lot of our girlfriends complaining they won't rings. And anyway, so that was on my mind. And so that was the subject matter. I wouldn't again, if you're listening to the song, I'm not the one who's hard to get married. I'm just talking. I'm just a storyteller, talking to the boys saying, hey, if you got a good one, you might want to lock put it on walk. Yeah, they don't come around often. So if you want it, you better put a ring on her left right now. Anyway, so I said, I said that work type I said the demo to deal with and he said, Have you read my mails? Like why? Because I just bought a ray. Anyways, and he proposed to her a week later and so we all laugh about that.

Thomas Mooney  20:39  
This episode of new slang is brought to you by the blue light live here in Lubbock, Texas. Blue Light has long been the heart and soul of the Lubbock singer songwriter scene, and has been a home away from home for some of Texas Americana, country and rock'n'roll is finest over the years. Talk with 99.9% of the Songwriters who have come out of Lubbock and the panhandle at large over the past 20 years. And they'll point to just how integral and necessary the blue light is, with live music and touring slowly but surely coming back spots, like the blue light are getting back to their usual ways as well. That means music every night of the week. Do you want to see that schedule? Well, I've got a few options for you. One, go to their socials and give them a follow that is at blue light live on Twitter, at the blue light live on Instagram. And of course, by just searching the blue light live on Facebook, they're consistently posting that week's lineup of shows, as well as those heavy hitters that ought to be on your calendar that are coming up on the horizon. To check out blue light lubbock.com as well. There, they have the full schedule, the cover charges, time, any of those specials that may be happening while they're go check out their merge page, they have a wide range of hats, koozies, hoodies, sweaters, beanies, jackets, and so much more. You can of course, get all of your merchant age, when you go see your favorite band, take the stage at blue light, just ask the bartender and they will get you all set. Speaking of which, that's another great way of seeing who's playing there. Just go to the blue light. It's at 1806 Buddy Holly Avenue here in Lubbock, Texas. And of course, again, that is blue light, loving, calm. I'll throw a link into the show notes to maybe I'll see you there. Okay, let's get back to the show. It's always, I don't know, like it, I love just like the serendipity of, of a song like that, as far as just kind of, you know, being right for the moment. It just kind of coming out of a spot and at and, and a lot of ways, right? Where I think sometimes we think of you as the songwriter is like, you know, just always writing down ideas, which of course, I'm sure you do, I'm sure you have that notebook on your or that note on your phone. I'm just trying to

Hannah Dasher  23:09  
hide his hopes and ideas. Honestly, no, I'm, I'm so busy with my tech talk and whatnot that I honestly, like I'm not writing as much as I, as I used to, or as much as I felt like I need to I'm starting to write more, you know, now, but ideas, good ideas are rare. They're hard to come by. And that's why I'm so thankful to to have collaborators because for years and years, I was the one bringing the ideas to the room. And honestly, I wish that I would say some of them because I had some great ideas that that I feel like were necessarily right for the writers in the room, and nothing against their capabilities. But anyway, all that to say the more established you've become here in town, the bigger rooms you're able to get into and which has been hard to do that as a woman. I'm not complaining at all. I'm very thankful. And I love that challenge. And I'm thankful to be a woman and I'm glad to be working in this industry and because I feel like I'm different than most and said I'm rambling.

Thomas Mooney  24:09  
No, no, but I think there's what I guess what I was gonna say is like, about how, you know, you come across that idea just without never maybe having the pressure of trying to find that. of that idea. It just kind of came up out of out of nowhere. Yeah, well,

Hannah Dasher  24:27  
Brandon brown Yeah, he had that great title. Yeah, but that's where great things come from. I mean, you know, I freestyle too. So like, you know, Oscar or like they asked Wilson or I don't know just uh, if a track a track guy is that's industry talk for like a guy that as a songwriter that sits at the computer and plays the guitars or like puts together like a really cool drum track or like, starts a song out or has it brings in a really cool guitar riff. Anyway, that kind of that builds the demo that becomes the record. Anyway, the track guy and they start setting that's really cool and swaggy like Neil Mason, who's the drummer for the Cadillac three, he had something like that storage for 99 is heartbreak. And looking back, it sounded kind of like learning to fly. He's a huge Tom Petty fan, so am I, anyhow, but at the time, I wasn't hearing learning to fly, I heard what the song that became 1990s heartbreak. And we just basically freestyle over that. And I just think great music or great ideas lead to those magical moments where it falls out of heaven, and it kind of writes itself. But you always have to work at it, it always takes a little work.

Thomas Mooney  25:42  
What is it? What do you have to do, I guess, like, to kind of balance that. That hard work as far as like, you know, being doing your due diligence on writing something, plucking out those songs, ideas, those titles, those one liners, and then also like not putting too much pressure on on a song because I feel like sometimes you can over hype yourself. And like think like, Oh, I needed this, this is too good of an idea. Don't let it pass up. And then like you end up, it ends up falling flat, because you've maybe put too much pressure on it. Where do you I guess, like find that balance? And

Hannah Dasher  26:22  
here you're talking like a real songwriter? Man, I love it. And I bet you are, I can't wait to hear more about you. But, you know, that's that is why I think that's why that's why this is gonna be so controversial. But that's why God gave us the marijuana plant, honestly, you know, or whatever, whatever, allows you to Zan and relax and some of the most creative songwriters, creators that I know. Like, take gummies or they, you know, they some some hyped up on coffee and some smoke cigarettes, and do both or some just allow themselves to kind of relax, they have a gum here sitting in like an indica strain, that, that just allows you to relax. And that kind of breaks those creative walls down to break those walls down and allows the creativity to flow. because like you said, we can put so much pressure and I do this often I put so much pressure on song and so much pressure on a hook or the idea that, that it honestly, that it keeps stuff from from flowing. And it's just it's a constant battle and that I'm having to learn to do as a professional songwriter, and how not to get in my own way. And, and also how not to get in the way of another person in the room who who might be on a, they might be on a on a wave. And you got to stay out of their way when if God's given them, you know, the lyrics or melody or something that's, that's, that's magical. I mean, you got to let it be what it is. But again, as the artist in the room, it's my job to drive it in the direction that that I would go. And to say it how I would want to say it.

Thomas Mooney  28:07  
Right. Yeah, that's, I guess, like, you know, one of the Hemingway quotes is about, you know, right, drunk, but edit sober. Because like, yeah, there is something too.

Hannah Dasher  28:19  
I love that. I've never heard that. And I think that is absolutely brilliant. Yeah, well,

Thomas Mooney  28:24  
like, I'm not a songwriter, but like just writing any, you know, thing. As far as articles go, where I always found, or I get in trouble is like when you're trying to edit while writing. And like, that's what is like those walls that end up being put up. And I feel like sometimes, like, young songwriters can do that, where they're trying to edit as they go along. Or going, Oh, that's a stupid line. I shouldn't say that. And they hesitate on saying, especially in those co Writing Situations, they fear saying something stupid, because they don't want to be like, you know, the other person thinking that they're saying something stupid. Or you know what I'm saying? And sometimes you have to get out of your own way to allow yourself to say something that that gets you on to the next line or the right line, even

Hannah Dasher  29:18  
No, absolutely. No, I have no pride in the writing room. In fact, I'm trying to learn honestly to say less. I felt like I talked too much, which I do, but but I'm so afraid that I missed. It's no pride for me in the songwriting room, my co writers, I tell him like, okay, thank you for yourself as a colander. Right? So you just keep keep, keep keep what's great and what's not. But that's the beauty of of add, I've learned to embrace my, my add is that when one idea leads to another and as it comes, you know, and we just, you know, it's like a lot of times we just hit record, so that we can go back and catch that was good there. Ooh, that was good. So I mean, I think everybody's got their own process. Um, I don't have one in particular. But, uh, but again, I just, I'm just grateful when the ideas come and I'm grateful to get to do this for a living.

Thomas Mooney  30:13  
Yeah, you you mentioned how, you know, if you're, if you're the artist in the room, you kind of have to at least guide guide the song to where it's going to fit you. What what happens, like when you're in a room where like, maybe like another songwriter? Who, or another songwriter who's an artist, I'm thinking like, you know, you've had some co writes with someone like in mon sick or Laney, where those songs are going toward those. The two songs I'm thinking of ended up being on their record, what do you do as far as like, maybe whenever you're not necessarily taking the backseat? But like, you know, maybe those two songs specifically, we're going to end up bid on their records? Or is it a little bit more mixed up in that little bit?

Hannah Dasher  31:05  
That's more than that. And I love them to pieces I do. We wrote that with Billy Montana, what an awesome amazing guy and songwriter. But we had George Strait was cutting at the time. And so we honestly had George Strait in mind, when we were writing it this is before he was like, making a record and, and was really tight in the artist thing. And it was several years ago. Anyways, and then, but he wanted to cut it. And you know, Billy and I taught we're like, Well, I mean, do do we do we pitch this to buddy cannon? Or do we take a risk on this young guy? Like was Facebook is really huge. And, you know, and so and Billy was like, yeah, we need to let him have this song. And, and so we're like, in, you know, take, take it and and I'm so glad because I just you know, I love what he's done with it. He is has his own sound. And you know, and he and Karolina really done a great thing. And, you know, is he's building an empire. And, you know, he's just got a really strong team behind him. And he'll George straits manager is managing him. So, you know, with Caroline, and then with lightning, this, that's actually how we met. The publishing company told me about they just signed her Sony publishing, and they're like, we got this new app, we're not really sure what direction she's gonna go in yet we know it's going to be popular pop country, or, you know, we're not really sure. But, you know, we really wanted to write with you, you know, so I'm like, of course, and I came in with the first verse and chorus of the song LA, anyhow, and they wound up branding her EP and off of a redneck Hollywood is what it was called. But they were on it branding that her first release, you know, kind of offer that verse and all and it's, uh, that that's kind of a slippery slope, because as an artist, you know, you're my publisher is supposed to be protective of me and in my career, but at the same time, I feel like God has given me my talent. And I feel like there's plenty to go around, you know what I mean, and more songs will come and, and I'm thankful that, that she found something in that that she could build upon. And I just pray that she continues to pay her own line. You know, she and I both rock our bell bottoms, because they're wonderful. And there's no rule that says you can't wear him. Anyhow, but you know, lady's got that boho kind of thing going on. And I've got that more vintage rock'n'roll kind of, kind of going, you know, we just kind of agreed early on to say in our own lane, and, and I'm definitely holding up my end of that, that deal.

Thomas Mooney  33:34  
This episode is, in part brought to you by Charlie stout photography, Charlie stout has long been a great buddy of mine. And for as long as I've known him, he's always had a good eye, a good eye for ideas for lines and a song. And notably, an eye for what makes a great photograph. Yes, we're gonna roll with that tried and true cliche about a great photographer, having a good eye. But it's cliche for a reason. More often than not means it's true. Right now, I want y'all to head on over to Charlie stout.com. To get an idea of what I'm talking about. While you're at it, go give him a follow on Instagram and Twitter at Troy stout. Right now he has about 50 photographs for sale on Charlie style.com with a vast majority of those being landscapes and sky shots of West Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, the American Southwest, if you will, a lot of cacti and clouds, windmills and open roads, sunsets and stardust. he captures a lot of what I love about West Texas and these dry arid climates. That's mainly that vast emptiness that can really make you feel small, the depth and the way and the intensity. It's all in there. Right now he's doing a special on his prints. Each week he releases a new photo and for one week only that photograph is at a special introductory rate for just $25 You'll get an eight and a half by 11. That's just about half off the regular price. For 75, you can get a 13 by 19. And for 110, you can get a 17 by 22. After the week, they go back to regular prices, which are still an absolute Still, if you ask me. Also just a pro tip, keep an watchful eye out on his Twitter. He's consistently posting one offs, errors and randoms on there that are for sale that are in the flash sale variety. Again, that is at Charlie stout for Twitter and Instagram. Head on over to Charlie stout, calm, grab a signed print, buy a record, get yourself some major sounds and some nature shots. Alright, let's get back to the episode.

Yeah, I think so too. I've I've had Lainey on and I've had Ian on last year on the slang and I just think like their last records are just incredible. What I what I love so much about you know, a lot of these artists that are coming out of out right now in the country world is you do your I think we're getting back to like a lot of artists having specifically interesting vocals and personality and not being

Hannah Dasher  36:24  
Oh, yeah, he's got a range on her knee and he has got a very unique voice.

Thomas Mooney  36:29  
Yeah, well, like I think for a minute there we were kind of going into this homogenized just general Southern voice and I feel like right now we're getting in a in a way of going back to where a lot of songwriters and artists are having distinct personalities and are allowed to have like unique voices my go to example this is like you know, someone like Reba McIntyre sounds like Reba McIntyre right. And that's forever gonna if you ever even you can just hear her a little Hey, hey, kind of thing. And no, that's exactly her. I think like now we're kind of getting back into these these moments where artists are allowed to, to have like their own specific unique voices like you sound like yourself. I'm thinking of like Haley Witters sounding specifically like Haley

Hannah Dasher  37:21  
or McKenna che. But I mean, I think I think we tend to sock our influences like look at Clint black, Clint black, arguably sounds lucky on Laurel haggard. It means Sammy Kershaw has the nuances of George Jones showdown Jackson. And a lot of people will accuse me of so my high notes sound like Dolly, or Lorrie Morgan or, I don't know, in my mind if I could sound like anybody. I wanted to be Aretha Franklin. But, but I was I'm so thankful to have been exposed to such great music like mother made sure I had Aretha Franklin and Motown and soul. And, and for sheer wood and Patsy Cline and Elvis and, and I have to credit Hank Jr. Daddy made sure I had the Hank in the Kansas and the southern rock and roll and all that good stuff, too. So I just I feel like I'm a product of everything that I that I love. And that is what makes me unique. Just like you are you just like Ian. I mean, no one sounds like him and, and he is a product of everything that he loves. But that bluegrass that Fitzalan? You know and all the great, like pop pop music that he loves, like, that's uniquely him. And there's his own line.

Thomas Mooney  38:35  
Yeah, I think like, what what it is, is like, a lot of these artists right now are they're not scared to sound like themselves. You know, like, there's something very comforting as as a consumer of music of that, like, Oh, you know, like, I can just get these pockets of these artists who sound like where they're from, or like, what their background is. And, you know, aren't scared to sound like themselves. And I appreciate Yeah.

Hannah Dasher  39:05  
Give me more of those artists because a lot of people I'm hearing, saying, Well, those fake accents, and I don't I don't. That's not my thing about the accident. So you're like you don't talk like are you British? Or what is that accident? I don't really know. Yeah,

Thomas Mooney  39:20  
there's plenty of folks in Yeah, insane that there's plenty of folks. I know who I've talked to him on the phone. And then it's like, well, this is where the recording starts. And then you can just feel like that accent Come on. So yeah, all

Hannah Dasher  39:36  
right. Yeah. Well, that and there's plenty of there's plenty of access to guys and girls didn't like to I mean, I had a manager she'd be sitting here. Elbow amazing. Don't say that. But I mean, you know, but again, I think that's what makes that's what makes some of us unique. Is that no, we're not afraid. I'm not afraid to sound like me. I'm not afraid to dress like me too. I've been stuffing my bras since I was seven years old. I've always worn big boobs. I couldn't wait to go brush up and I couldn't wait to, you know, to start to try on makeup and stuff. But how long I'm thinking about making them my songs because that doesn't turn me on, you know? So. And again, that makes me different as a woman artist here.

Thomas Mooney  40:15  
Yeah, no, let's go back for a second as far as like, when you move to Nashville. I always think that, you know, being down here in Texas, like there's this like, weird stigma against Nashville for some reason, as far as establishment and you know that there's nothing, I guess organic or real that comes out of Nashville or something like that. But I think if you talk to anyone who's legit. Well, I think if you talk with anyone who's legitimate, like who's spent time in Nashville, legitimately spent time and understands that a lot of these Texas artists, they they're cutting records up in Nashville, and they're writing in Nashville. I guess, like my point of all this is that, you know, you go to Nashville, and I think there's something to the whole iron sharpens iron, as far as you know, you get into these places where you are writing at a much more rapid rate. How How was that, like, you know, when you first moved there, and kind of just jumping on the treadmill, if you will, and getting into these rooms and like trying to like having to like navigate the, these these rooms and and I guess you know, sharpen those early skills and kind of maybe I think everyone has to probably do some self analyzing, going, Oh, I gotta get a whole lot better. What were those early days? Like?

Hannah Dasher  41:41  
Oh, my gosh, well, I mean, I'm still, like I said earlier, I'm, I'm still trying to learn and trying to improve my craft. But the I've always been like a, I'm a deep thinker, and I'm a deep writer. And I guess that's why I'm taking so much to like Eric church and his music because it is d Casey bethard. And, you know, Jeremy Spillman and gehad and guys like that Michael Heaney, like, they are brilliant minds. And, and, and they're deep thinkers. And that's what I, I like to listen to a song that I can get something different from each time I listen to it, you know, am I hearing the same thing over again, and kind of like a movie, or like a movie, you can always get something new from it. But I have to realize I had as I grew into my professional songwriting career, and I'm still growing as a professional songwriter, I have to realize that I'm writing, I'm writing for more people than myself. I'm writing for that. You know, that guy who's got a bunch of kids in the back here of lesson whose head to the grocery store with a main things on his mind, and he just needs he just needs three minutes of something that's going to get him away. Seven that he doesn't have to think about too hard. Or I could still hear a conversation in the background. You know, he needs sounds like that too. And just like the Eagles peaceful, easy feeling, I think hit at a time they said where people kind of needed that affirmation, and they needed that escape. And I think people still need things like that. So there's got to be a balance. I think you got your deep cuts, but I think you've got your songs that are that are lighter. I think there's a there's a place for that. Even though I don't know I try to do both.

Thomas Mooney  43:28  
Yeah, like that, that the escapism of music is very important and I think you know, sometimes we we forget about that. Like my go to example is Toby Keith with should have been a cowboy you know, like the people were listening to those music or to should have been a cowboy probably aren't like real cowboys or not like you know, working on ranches in in like on the front here or something like that. But you know, it's the it's the necessary escapism the that five minute break for people as they're going to Walmart or you know, or picking up the kids from school. Right?

Hannah Dasher  44:09  
Well, and most of the world isn't, most of us aren't cowboys. So I should have been one you know, works and I think we can all relate to that girl. What a brilliant song. What a great songwriter. He's great.

Thomas Mooney  44:21  
Yeah, the I know you like you're a 90s country fan. I'm a big 90s country fan. I always like I think Toby Kenny will get shit for for stuff but a lot of those 90 songs are just just classic of his like and

Hannah Dasher  44:36  
is amazing. I when Travis tritt tribes trade I don't think gets the credit that he deserves. I think he ought to be in the Hall of Fame Personally, I think he is. I would say one of my but the older I get the more I just respect him and his craft and his talent as a guitar player but especially as a songwriter vocalist, because I mean, you know, I'm a country rock and roller and, and he and he popularized that like As did Hank Hank jr before him and Hanks obviously one of my number ones

Thomas Mooney  45:07  
right like the I don't know I just love like the 90 stuff as far as having those pockets of music I don't know I keep on returning to that thing or that theme right there oh yeah well as far as like even like the 90s goes you know the you're mentioning and kind of like the more rockin blazing stuff or like you know you have like the the pocket of like the the California country the Bakersfield sound Yeah, we're dwight yoakam is kind of bringing that the resurgence of that in the 90s are you mentioned Clint black. killin time is probably like in my top 10 records of all time I just think that record Oh, perfect record

Hannah Dasher  45:51  
my guy walking away. I so sad to leave the factory whatever it nothing to do today. I got the cassette tape sitting over here. So when the dust on it, I hear you it is one of my top 10 records from childhood for sure. You got good taste.

Thomas Mooney  46:09  
I just think like me, the I don't like the tone of all those guitars and the pedal still is just specifically like, I don't know, I can feel like if you put that on. I don't know I can visualize like the smoke coming into my room and then like just getting put back in like as a kid and like the the cab of my dad's truck or something like that. It's just I don't know, it's still so fucking perfect.

Hannah Dasher  46:35  
Dwight Yoakam that's more 80s but I didn't really notice there's so much effort and aljs with so much effort, and money. And time and talent went into making those records down to down to every, every detail of like, like, I can't tell you song. solos instrument solos nowadays, but on but I had every sailor memorized in my mind of songs that I grew up listening to because they were like, every detail of the song was, was crafted. And you know, I'm trying to say I just think everything was just everything mattered. And it wasn't as much of a process. It was like, let's get product out. But again, I'm sure people could argue both sides. There's some great stuff out there today. And I'm very thankful to be an early up and coming part of of the of this generation.

Thomas Mooney  47:28  
Yeah, what I? Oh, go ahead. No, no ego what I was gonna say is like, I got a buddy here in Lubbock, Randall King, who was Yeah, he's up. he's a he's, he's one of these guys who is not. One of the early things I I described him with was with was a NEO traditional revivalist. And like, that's, I think, like, what, what's happening big time right now. At least these pockets, it feels maybe maybe that's one of those things. If you're, if you're focusing on it, that's what you see. But I really love like that we're kind of getting these. These, these throwbacks for a time you mentioned Dylan Carmichael. I mean, that's another guy who's really, you know, drawn from from that 90s country. Well,

Hannah Dasher  48:22  
I said blood and I say, I mean, it's john Michaels. Did our nephew is an animal groomers. I mean, it gets me absolutely what I call swindled told me a long time ago. He's like, you got this 90s country thing about your voice history said don't ever lose it. And I was like, I don't know what I'm doing. I just seem like I've, I mean, he'll, I'm just like I mentioned earlier, I'm just a product of my influences, but but I've told Brandon, that we were going into cut all these songs. I was like, you know, Bruce Barton is playing steel guitar. And he you know, he toured with Garth and Trisha and Brooks and Dunn, and he was born of Brooks and Dunn's career from the beginning and I did a lot with Reba. And so you'll hear a lot of that, like, there, there'll be times I'm hearing like, a part of a song and I'm like, Oh, that reminds me of like an old song or Oh, that reminds me of, you know, surround jack. So it reminds me of it's you know, we Brandon and I agree that there was a way to commercial to bring back the 90s country you know sound like I just I wanted people to feel at home I wonder to be sitting in very familiar about it because I'm very throwback hills the way I live my Lord. I'm dressed like I walk out in 1980 right now and walk around my house with my vintage high waisted Wranglers on in my little roughly top but looking at my 1954 sofa, so that I feel like there is something new and fresh that I can't put my finger on but it's just you know, Brandon found a way to embrace the HANA in it too. And to package it in such a way that that is fresh. Yeah. Go ahead.

Thomas Mooney  50:02  
When it when it comes to those conversations with Brandon, as far as him being a producer, you being the artist, and in trying to form what that sound is going to be for a record. You know, I think a lot of people like me, we probably don't have like the vocabulary, the language to tell them. This is what I want to sound like, this is what? So do you bring reference points of previous records or old records that you're kind of going, I feel like the song has this kind of feel one of those conversations, like I guess,

Hannah Dasher  50:33  
sometimes I will bring a reference track. Or, or a tempo and I mean, it could be alt j. Or it could be, you know, it could be a jack right thing, or it could be a Justin Timberlake thing. Well, rarely, but I love him. But I was like, as a whole, we didn't, we didn't want to necessarily package it and force anything to be what it wasn't. I just think every song just is uniquely me. And that's why it has this continuous vein, you know, going like this, it has a backbone that still similar, it's still, it's still all works together. And it's something that takes like it took me years, like as an artist, I guess to, to, I don't know, I mean, I have I have songs that are all over the place in a good way. But I just think that you can't, as an appetizer, you can't you can't give them the main course just yet, you got to give them a little something to chew on, give him a little bit, a little bit of that, some nibblers. And, and then and then you break them in, and then you fade on the main course.

Thomas Mooney  51:44  
Speaking of appetizers, and main courses, stand by your pan like I I love the that series. I love that, like you mentioned, you know how you're not just the that one dimensional person. That's one of those things, I really actually, I'm gonna go off on a sidebar here, a tangent here, as far as artists go. I love that. Like, I think for a long time, we've gotten the idea of like, if you're a guitar player, you're just a guitar player, if you're a songwriter, you're just a songwriter, if you're a singer, you're just a singer. And we need to like kind of scrape away that idea, that impression of the artist, because the artist is just kind of, you know, if you can be the songwriter or the player, you can be a painter or a sculptor or, you know, a writer in general. And I feel I feel like this past year we've with the quarantine, or I guess it was technically last year, I think a lot of artists, they started going and finding those other things that they were interested in artists wise, art wise, and then re embracing them. You with with, you know, the cooking side of things. I'm assuming you're obviously that's something that that's always been a part of you that that you've always loved. But at what point did you feel like that was something that you could curate and make into, you know, a show a because that's essentially even if it's on Tick Tock? It's a show, you know, hello. Yeah, so like, I guess like, what, at what point did you did you figure that like, that was something that you needed to embrace and show off and, and share?

Hannah Dasher  53:25  
Well, we were obviously in quarantine. And I kept hearing everyone talk about how they were spending 1000 bucks a month on their grocery bills. And because you know, what do you do when you're shut in, in the wintertime? You cook, right? And my mother had the funny idea. She said it as a joke years ago, stand by your pan, because I'm a fan obviously. And we all love to cook and my family loved to cook. But I hurried over to my lawyer's office when I got to Nashville, and I trademarked it and just set it aside because I thought we had maybe one day I can host like a late night comedy and he's like Jimmy Fallon meets quality and cooking show where I host my musical guests. Again, that's after Hannah is established as a country artist, because that is Goal number one. But I had this Tick Tock platform that I knew I needed to figure out and my dear friend Johnny clarity told me that he knew tik tok, he told me about two years ago that he knew that this Tick Tock platform was really going to take off and I needed to try to use it to my advantage to showcase my personality. And so it took me a little while, it took me about a year to figure out how to use it. But now it's my preferred it's not preferred vessel for editing video making video, but But yeah, I just knew that there's more to me than just my music and that, you know, I wasn't I'm under contract. So I couldn't release music unless the label to give him permission to do that. And I was like, well, the world needs more of me. How do I showcase me So anyway, I just started don't take talk and there we go. There we go, the recipes took off. I had no idea it would do that. But it was really humbling Thomas, because it just introduced me to an audience of people that were shut in. And just it was like there I say it's like they're there. 30 seconds or 50 seconds of joy for the day and, and it really humbled me and it really made me realize that this shifts a whole lot bigger than me. And it's not about me at all, but it's really about, like, furthering like this like, like further and God's kingdom and bringing joy and love to others. And, you know, like, I'm literally a tool that's here to entertain and to help people escape. I know I said it like four times. But anyway, it just really, ultimately, it just it started this like, emotional, spiritual revelation within me talking like a hippie because I am one. But yeah, but it just, it's really been good for me. And I know I can't go to the grocery store without taking a picture of somebody or to the airport or, I mean walking, I was walking to the sound booth that country concert festival with john party was playing and it was like a, it was like a wave of like, had they had to have like three security guards escort me at the thing. I was like, you know, like, I'm not Elvis. at all, but, but the outreach that the app has had, um, it's just wild and I'm just dying to get out there on the road and, and, and on the radio.

Thomas Mooney  56:22  
Yeah, I think it's a good thing. I'm gonna throw you a softball here because I think I already know the answer. But, you know, the, I guess like songwriters never worry about, you know, running out of songs, do you you're never gonna, like worry about like running out of recipes or anything like that.

Hannah Dasher  56:44  
That's funny, you say that, um, honestly, I just kind of pull them out of my behind anyway. And I looked at people to eight and, and I posted enough content on there. I feel like I can repeat some things if I need to. And I have repeated some recipes, but I'll put a new twist on it. Because I don't want to feed people the same more content. I'm trying to give them something fresh and honest. But uh, but Heck, no, I don't think around the recipes. But I tend I tend to stick the I kind of like the same things. And yeah, but I didn't try new stuff.

Thomas Mooney  57:21  
Yeah, I'm assuming like, you know, you'll you'll have I didn't actually even look this up. But like, a cookbook or something in the works or something?

Hannah Dasher  57:32  
Yes, yes. Yes, that's a project we had to put off to next year, but I've got my booking agency working on that and helping me with that so that I can try to get that out. And I've got some sandbagger pain merch out there. I'm wanting to add to my merge line. If you saved your money going on retreat somewhere, please let me know. But the labels will say good about you know, my clothes and all that good stuff and help me with what comes out my wallet. Let's Who are we kidding? Eventually But anyway, but uh, but yeah, just there's a there's a lot that I want to do. And and I'm growing my team right now so that I can be able to do things like that and but yeah, I've got the recipes digitally written down and I'm always adding to that and I got some fun ideas about that. So I kill but it'll be next year, probably around Christmas time.

Thomas Mooney  58:24  
We'll see that's that's like the perfect time for for something like that. So let's go Yeah. I'll get it for for every one of my family. So we'll do

Hannah Dasher  58:37  
I stand by Europe and buy your band to man. Sir, are you are you a musician? Thomas? I mean obviously like Yo, right?

Thomas Mooney  58:46  
I'm not a musician and I can't play anything. I can maybe hit a chord if you give me like five minutes of prep time beforehand on the guitar But no, I do not play nothing I not a songwriter or anything like that. But just a I guess I've been around it a little bit enough to more than anything I'm just a good listener and so just pick up on what other people are saying and kind of rehash it and for my own theories on on what's happening in music

Hannah Dasher  59:21  
well having you're very you're very well read obviously and well researched and I'm I can't thank you enough for being so thorough and making time for my for my little country but when my butt's not little, but you know what amazes in the scheme of things I am I am small and I am new and so I appreciate you giving me the voice or shedding light on what it is that I do. I appreciate it. I can literally feel the frustration on my read all my fans comments, and they're all it's all like, what are you gonna do the radio like watching the radio yet when you hear the radio and it's just all those things take time and so we're we're just, we're just trying to Get the gun loaded. Before we hit that way. We definitely will.

Thomas Mooney  1:00:05  
Absolutely, yeah. I've enjoyed listening to what you've had out. And you've kind of been one of those names on on one of these long lists of, of spreadsheets that I have, because I'm one of those people who have like spreadsheets when records are supposed to be coming out and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, I've been wanting to have you on for a minute now. And yeah, I've thoroughly enjoyed having you. You know, take a little bit of time for this conversation.

Hannah Dasher  1:00:36  
Thank you for making time for me got a copy of whatever it is that I'm talking about myself this whole time. But still, it's like I'm just a storyteller. To show that

Thomas Mooney  1:01:03  
okay, that is it for this episode. Go check out the half record by Hannah Dasher, stop over and visit our pals over at Desert dork. The blue light live in Charlie stout photography, go pre order the Lubbock way, a collection of wallflower vignettes by yours truly, out next month. And yeah, thanks for listening. And I'll see you all next week for more loose lines.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai