Peach Jam Podcast: The Waymores

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The Waymores on the Peach Jam Podcast

Credit: GPB

 

Jeremy Powell: My very first job in radio was pushing buttons for country gold Saturday night at South 107 in Rome, Ga. And you're right, the country music you play is the classic variety of country music. Why?

Willie Heath Neal: It's because we make country music. It comes out that way. We don't. We consider — We all like to say that we're country artists because we make music. It comes out country. We, you know, we didn't go "I want to be a country act" because there's a lot of that going on, these days.

Kira Annalise: I don't really relate to a lot of the more modern country that you hear now. I think it's kind of cookie cutter a little bit. I mean, there are some songs that are good, I'm sure, I just haven't heard them yet. But it's very formulated and I think the classic country is more like storytelling kind of country. And like he said, when we write, it kind of comes out like we're just talking to somebody and telling a story.

Willie Heath Neal: The country that we love and grew up on, you know, was about, you know, you know, no money, you know, cheating on your woman, your woman cheating on you or, you know, bad job or, you know, something that the common man could relate to. You know, there's nothing about today's music, country music, that comforts me or moves me in any way. And I'm not putting it down, to people that enjoy that. I just don't relate to it.

Kira Annalise: It's because we're older. He's older.

 

Kira Annalise: I wanted everything on that stage. I wanted him. I wanted the music. I wanted to be on that stage. I wanted to be next to him. I wanted to travel the world.

Willie Heath Neal: Which she would start. You know, I was like, "Wow, that is a great song that you just wrote for your first song ever. I'm a little jealous." And then I would challenge her, I would say, "Hey, you should try to write a song that's a waltz, or you should try to write a song with only two chords in it" and stuff. And she would take the challenge and come back, stump me every time. I was like, That is incredible, you know? You're a natural songwriter.

Kira Annalise: And I'd finish the song and go "Date me." And every time he would still say no.

 

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Peach Jam Podcast host Jeremy Powell and The Waymores

Credit: GPB

Jeremy Powell: Have you missed out on anything because music came first?

Willie Heath Neal: Yes, a lot of things.

Jeremy Powell: Like what?

Willie Heath Neal: I mean, I could have been, you know, could have been in my daughter's life a lot more. I mean, we have a good relationship and I've been in her life every day. There isn't a day that goes by, you know, that we don't talk.

Kira Annalise: He'd have been physically present a lot more.

Willie Heath Neal: But I wasn't.

Kira Annalise: Yeah, same with me. I could have been physically present for my son a lot more.

Willie Heath Neal: But, you know, my — my art came first. It is my — it's my religion, it's my reason, my purpose for being here, you know? A lot of people — it's funny, like when you go back to your hometown and play, you know, and you see your people, your friends that you went to high school with that are now, you know, working at the factory or whatever, They're in town, you know, And they're like, "Man, I'm so jealous. You're living the dream. You know, you're living your life." And it's like, man, oh, man, you know, you don't know the sacrifice that that's taken. You know, I was like, "Look at you and your big house and your nice job" and your big happy, you know, family that you're, you know, it's like you have that. And I you know, I've scraped by for years and years, you know, struggled for my art.

 

The Peach Jam podcast from GPB features songs and stories from a variety of the incredibly talented and diverse bands and artists who call the Peach State home.

Recorded live in our GPB studios, you get a front row seat for the intimate musical performances and free-flowing conversation from a truly eclectic variety of Georgia musicians. You can find more at GPB.org/PeachJamPodcast — please download and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform as well.