← Andy Beshear Podcast
Andy Beshear Podcast
Aaron Parnas, Walker Montgomery and Being Real Online
00:49:07
This episode is the epitome of the Andy Beshear Podcast: we're talking politics – but we're talking a lot more than that. We start out with journalist/content creator Aaron Parnas and then pivot to country music star Walker Montgomery. From online political discourse to country music, we're bringing people together.
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- [00:00]
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- [00:38]
Andy Beshear
Welcome to the Andy Beshear Podcast on location in Frankfort, Kentucky. Today we have an incredible episode for you that is two parts you might not have ever thought would be put together. First, we have Aaron Parnas, who is a political commentator. He's called the Walter Cronkite for Gen Z. He gives a very thoughtful interview about how we combat misinformation and advice he give to Democratic candidates that may have a chance of winning districts in 2026 that were harder in other times. And then we have rising country music star Walker Montgomery, a personal friend of mine and the Johns. He's just come off his father, John Michael Montgomery's father final big concert where he played to a packed Rupp Arena. He signed a new album deal. He is going to talk about some of his best performing songs and we're going to hear a little bit about them. He's going to tell us about life on the road, the things that are or are not glamorous, and even talk about his new engagement with one of the leads of Tiger Lily Gold. So you might not have ever thought that you could put politics and country music together in one episode of a podcast, but we're doing it here on the Andy Beshear Podcast. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms, but go over to YouTube and subscribe. That'll help us out a lot. And you can leave comments@andybashearpodcast. Let's get to this episode. Two great interviews, almost two different podcasts. But you know, our whole world isn't politics. We love that music. We love culture and arts and entertainment. So today, a little bit, everything. Our first guest on this episode of the Andy Beshear Podcast is Aaron Parnas. Aaron is a nationally recognized political commentator, digital strategist, and an advocate for combating misinformation. He has a background in law. In fact, he graduated from law school at 21, which makes me a slacker, but has been described as the Walter Cronkite for Gen Z. Aaron that's pretty high praise.
- [02:58]
Aaron Parnas
It's pretty, I mean, if I live up to a tenth of what Walter was like, I must do something right.
- [03:05]
Andy Beshear
So you have had a pretty incredible political journey that those that follow you, I know, know well. But some of our listeners might not tell our listeners how, you know, you've moved from originally supporting President Trump, I guess, as a first time presidential voter, to now being such a strong voice, maybe not of opposition, but of information.
- [03:32]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, for sure. So actually I wasn't old enough to vote. So my first ever vote for president was in 2020 for President Biden back in 2016. I did support Donald Trump when he was running. And part of the reason why, I mean, at the time I wasn't even 18 years old. I was in high school, college, doing a program at the same time. And when you grow up in a household and all you see on TV is Fox News, all you hear around the dinner table are Republican talking points. That's all you think, you know. And so growing up, I thought I was a Republican. I thought I was a supporter of the presidents. We would only watch his rallies essentially in the House. And so that's all I knew. And it wasn't until I got educated, really left the House and educated myself in law school, moving up to Washington D.C. that I realized that, hey, I was what Donald Trump liked to call a RINO at the time, a Republican in name only, in the fact that I was a Republican because my family were Republicans and quickly realized that, hey, maybe that's not where I stood because on the issues, I was not with the President.
- [04:37]
Andy Beshear
So take us from there to having millions of followers now, just years later, tuning in to try to get the truth or the reality at a time of such misinformation.
- [04:53]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, so it's been a wild ride. It all dates back to really February of 2022. At the time Russia was preparing to invade Ukraine. I had family in Kyiv at the time, an uncle, an aunt and a six year old cousin. And I would hear from them pretty much every single day what they were experiencing. They would tell me about tanks rolling down the street, bombings overhead. I mean, it was a very horrifying situation. And then I turned on the TV here at home and I felt as though media here in the United States was just doing a disservice to my family, the way they were portraying the war and the impending invasion. So at the time, I was about 18 months out of law school. I think, you know what, why not screw it, I'm going to pick up my phone and open up a TikTok account. I'm a bit of a boomer when it comes to technology, so it took me a little longer than most to get TikTok, and I just started sharing what my family was experiencing on the ground, and they were my firsthand source. And within a week, I had a million people following me, interested in Ukraine, and kind of the rest is history. I continue doing it, expanding just to general U.S. current events and international news, and it's really exponentially grown Since November of 2024, since the last presidential election.
- [06:01]
Andy Beshear
I think one thing that makes you unique or stand out is how much you post. I mean, you really. You really work at it. I saw you had a post about the Kentucky State University shooting. And then. And then, sadly, so many acts of violence that have occurred since then, from Brown to Sydney, Australia, on the first night of Hanukkah. I know that probably hits you especially hard as a Jewish American.
- [06:30]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, I mean, it was very difficult. Yesterday. I actually. My wife and I debated whether or not to go to the national menorah lighting here in Washington, D.C. out of fears of our safety and security. But for me, when I see anti Semitism abroad or really anywhere, I kind of have this urge to double down and explain, express my Judaism even more, being proud that I'm Jewish. And so we went. It was a great. It was a very cold, but good experience. But, yeah, I mean, I post often because I really feel as though a lot of people in the United States. The biggest problem in the United States of America is the lack, in my opinion, is the lack of civics, ethics and media literacy taught in every classroom across the country. And if I could fix that, I would. But I'm not a politician, so I can't. So what I try to do is bridge that divide through my content and educate as many people as possible, specifically young people who get their news on platforms like TikTok about what's happening in the world. And there's so much misinformation, like you said, Governor, out there, that my belief is, instead of combating misinformation by just disproving misinformation, I just want to provide as much accurate information as possible. And I really do think that that just shines through.
- [07:38]
Andy Beshear
With your skill on social media, what do you think that. That politicians get wrong? What do you think that campaigns get wrong about communication?
- [07:51]
Aaron Parnas
Y' all are so stiff. I mean, that's really the problem. I think the biggest thing is authenticity. People need to be more authentic. Don't go through 10 layers of review on a video or a tweet. Just be yourself. Like express yourself online. I think a lot of people like to say social media isn't real life, and I completely agree. But I base my content and my platform on social media being real life. The way I am online is the way I am in person is the way I'm talking to you right now. I think if politicians were like that and didn't just get on social media and drop F bombs just to drop F bombs, we'd be in a better place.
- [08:26]
Andy Beshear
So how do you think that folks in government ought to communicate? I get that they ought to be more authentic, but when you're talking about different platforms that you can have different amounts of time and what you can convey on a very complicated matter in a short period of time, that's what you do. So what advice would you have for folks on that?
- [08:50]
Aaron Parnas
Just talk to people like they're regular people. I mean, truthfully, for me, I was a lawyer before I did journalism and this content creation. And as a lawyer, I stood up in a courtroom in front of 12, six people and a jury box. Many of them weren't lawyers ever. And I had to explain really complex intellectual property issues, contracts issues, white collar issues to people who do, who are plumbers, who are teachers who know nothing about this. If I bored them and talked in legal jargon for an hour, I would lose every single time. And it's the same thing here. Talk to people like they're people.
- [09:22]
Andy Beshear
Amen. I've been been going around the country and one of the things that I've been saying to all of our candidates is that Democrats have to get back to talking like normal human beings. Yes, the advocacy speak was meant for good reasons, trying to reduce stigma. But you don't reduce stigma by changing words. But the idea that we call addiction substance use disorder, when addiction means something to us, and I think it's both sounding normal but also being normal.
- [09:55]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, no, I mean, I think that's a huge part in it. I really think people, politicians. And I will say another big problem that Democrats have and the Democratic Party has is before we try to recruit candidates, they have a high Ivy League education, US Military background, grew up in prep school. I mean, like this, like white shoe candidate. I'd rather recruit candidates who are just your average everyday people. Didn't go to college. Right. Like your Waffle House waitress knows more about her community than the member of Congress sometimes. And I think that we need to get back to amplifying regular People rather than politicians.
- [10:35]
Andy Beshear
With your audience, what do you think is motivating, especially Gen Z right now? Where do you think they're focused?
- [10:44]
Aaron Parnas
I think they're just focused in making their voices heard. It's not one specific issue. I really think that for the first time, and I tell everyone that social media has democratized journalism in a way that we've never seen before because it's allowed anyone, especially young people, to finally feel like they have a voice. They can go on TikTok, make a video about something they're seeing in front of them or they're experiencing and it can go viral overnight and they could actually change things in companies and government. They can make people really pay attention to issues just by making a video. And so I think that's really where Gen Z and even the younger generation's at. We're just excited to be able to have a voice in all of this. It's no longer we just have to listen to older folks tell us what to do and how to do it.
- [11:27]
Andy Beshear
We all as generations went through that at a certain period. When you look back, what do you think some of your most important posts were? As you look at the impact or maybe when you said it or how you said it, do you look back at a couple and say, I'm really proud of this one?
- [11:46]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, I was really proud of one that went really viral in November of 2024. It was about a month after the election. It was about a week after the Luigi Mangioni shooting in New York. And I was doing research on just health care in the health care industry in the United States. And I came across this memo from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shields for the Tri State area in New York, Connecticut. And the memo essentially said was written three weeks before the shooting, said that we're essentially going to cover surgeries based on the time we believe it takes the surgery to complete anything over that that a doctor takes, we're not going to cover it. Right. So if we think a hernia repair takes an hour, we're going to cover an hour. If a doctor takes an hour and a half, you're on the hook for that extra half hour. And that was a policy that was going into effect and I saw that and I was like, well, that's kind of crazy because that's going to incentivize doctors to complete surgeries in an arbitrary amount of time. So I made a video. Ten million views later, three days later, the policy was completely rescinded. Had I not made the video, I don't Know, if people would have ever even seen that policy. I just came across it as a stroke of luck doing my own research. So that's something that I'm very proud of. And then the other thing that I'm genuinely very proud of is the coverage over the Epstein files. I've talked to over the past six months, at least a dozen survivors and amplified their stories. And I think it's so important in this moment to amplify the stories of the survivors. And even as most of society focuses on the president or on, like, the big wealthy individuals involved, I take a survivor first approach in all of it. And I think I've been very proud of the coverage that we've done on that.
- [13:18]
Andy Beshear
As Attorney General, we created the first survivors Council in a state amazing. Where we were just getting direct input because these are the people we're supposed to serve, that we're supposed to seek justice for. And my belief was we had to make sure as much as we could that the criminal justice system wasn't re traumatizing them. And I agree with you that in all of the Epstein talk a lot on cable news, it always drives towards the political. When the first piece of this is a horrific crime repeated over and over against these individuals who still carry the scars. And I know those are the voices you were lifting up.
- [13:57]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, no, for sure. I mean, I remember, I look back to my time when I worked at the Palm Beach County State Attorney's office in South Florida and I did some sex crimes cases. And I remember the number one thing I was always taught was do not essentially re traumatize the victim. Kind of like you were saying, the survivor. And with these files that are being released, oftentimes we see very traumatic images of paraphernalia. I mean, horrific, horrific things. And as someone, a content creator, I'm never going to uplift those images. Yes, they may be news and people want to see them. They can go on the oversight Committee's website, for example, and look at them. But my job isn't to just share things, just to get the shock value out of it. And at the end of the day, those images I know for a fact were very traumatic to a lot of the survivors. And so I really think that media needs to focus less on the shock value and more on the. Let's actually help people in all of this.
- [14:45]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
All right.
- [14:46]
Andy Beshear
As somebody that corrects misinformation, the President recently had a rally in Pennsylvania where he was supposed to talk about how things are tough on American families and maybe plans to help people make more. But he instead looked at the camera and said affordability is a hoax. Can you help us dispel that misinformation?
- [15:09]
Aaron Parnas
Sure. Well, I'll give you one key example, and it's actually an example that the President loves to use. It's Thanksgiving. Donald Trump said that Thanksgiving prices were down about 25% this year because he pointed to the Walmart Thanksgiving meal that families were purchasing. Well, when you look at the data, that Walmart Thanksgiving meal this year is 25% cheaper because it has five or six less products in it and it's using great value brand rather than name brand items. So even the President, when he's pointing to his successes, he's actually lying to the American people. And it's not just him, it's his people as well. Caroline Levitt took the podium and said that inflation core CPI was at an average of 2 point. I believe it was 2.5 or 2.6% since Donald Trump took office. But when you look at core CPI over the past four or five months, it's actually increased over the past four or five months. So they're averaging it out to make it seem like it's going down from 3%, but it's actually going up and it's probably going to go above 3%. So I think the American people, and you know this, Governor, the American people are smart, they're not dumb. They go to the store, they see prices, they, they see their paychecks. Their paychecks aren't going up, prices are going up. And you see poll after poll after poll. Donald Trump's underwater because of the affordability issue. So I could talk all day about how he's lying about affordability, but ultimately I actually don't think it really matters what I say because people feel it firsthand and we're seeing it in election results and we're seeing it in polls.
- [16:38]
Andy Beshear
Do you think people are connecting tariffs and the fact that they are a tax on the American people with these challenges?
- [16:48]
Aaron Parnas
Not yet, no. And I think because if you ask the average person what a tariff is, they're going to say, I don't know what a tariff is. And that's why I don't like to talk about affordability in the sense of tariffs. I just like to say, like, look, your prices are going up. Why they're going up because of the administration's policies. When you get into tariffs and nitty gritty and stuff, no one outside of Washington D.C. really cares about that. I think the people that are being impacted by tariffs and notice that change are the businesses, the small business owners, but the actual consumer. I don't know that many of them know why prices are going up, and I don't know that they necessarily need to, because that gets really in the weeds pretty quickly.
- [17:22]
Andy Beshear
So the way I often talk about it is home ownership.
- [17:25]
Aaron Parnas
Right.
- [17:26]
Andy Beshear
It's so hard to buy a house right now. We have so many young couples that can't afford it, even though they're older than their parents were when they bought their first house. And so when I think about it, I think about the fact your hardwood floor costs more. Why? Because of a tariff. Your cabinetry costs more. Why? Because of a specific tariff. Your furniture costs more. Why? Because of an upholstery tariff. And you can almost take a picture of a house with the kitchen and the rest and say, Donald Trump has made this even more expensive when he promised to make it less. And so what I'm at least starting to see is a real sense of betrayal. This is a guy that many of my constituents voted for because he said he'd make life a little easier, and he's done anything but that.
- [18:12]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, I mean, listen, I know many young people. I talk to young people all the time. Especially, actually, a lot of young white men. And a lot of them say, yeah, I voted for Donald Trump. And they were so excited to go and vote. They thought he was this cool guy with the Adin Ross and all that jazz. And now they're coming to me and they're saying, well, I don't really know what the hell I voted for, because from a young person's perspective, we want to buy a house. We can't buy a house. We want to pay off student debt. We can't pay off student debt. The job market, I mean, is absolute, absolutely atrocious. And I actually, when I talk to people and they're like, well, the stock market's going great. The economy's going great. I'm like, an economy is not great if the stock market is great. But an average person can't afford to live in that economy. That means that the stock market is only working for the top rather than everyone else. And I think people are slowly realizing that as the administration's second term goes.
- [19:02]
Andy Beshear
On and as we move into 2026. What's your take on where the midterms are right now?
- [19:09]
Aaron Parnas
I think if the midterms were held today, it'd be a clean sweep for Democrats. I think the Senate map is very difficult. I don't know that Democrats will win the Senate Map and people get mad at me. But you got to be realistic a little bit. I think they'll take the House. I think they only need one or the other to obstruct anything Trump is going to do. But I say all of that with a big alarm bell because if the economy really does somehow turn around and is really taking off next year and people can afford things again, it's gonna be a whole different conversation because I firmly believe people, a lot of people vote based on the economy.
- [19:43]
Andy Beshear
In a very self serving question, are you watching governors races?
- [19:48]
Aaron Parnas
I am watching some governors races, yeah.
- [19:51]
Andy Beshear
So my belief is the House and the Senate are critically important and it's not taking anything away from them but a direct impact on Americans lives. The governor is so important. I also believe that if we want to change the map for 28 that we're not just fighting in a couple states with zero margin of error. Sure we need to win the House seat in Des Moines, but what we really need to do is flip the Governor's mansion in Iowa.
- [20:17]
Aaron Parnas
I mean, I agree with you because I think if a lot of people don't talk about this, but if you look at the Census shifts in 2030 when redistricting actually has to happen, you're going to have, I think even if Democrats were to win the blue wall, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, there will be enough electoral votes from Florida and Texas that Republicans will gain due to where folks are moving to that. I actually think Democrats can't win the presidency just by winning those three states. So I actually agree with you.
- [20:45]
Andy Beshear
I'm curious about some of your thoughts on redistricting because we just saw California get Prop 50 passed in November and I think that was the right thing for Governor Newsom to do because I think he had to, he didn't want to, but for the future of the country he had to. But then we just saw Indiana with a Republican Senate standing up to Donald Trump saying no, we're gonna do the right thing instead of what you want us to do.
- [21:13]
Aaron Parnas
Well, I think Republicans know that there is a real risk of the dummy mander and people don't really know that term. But in Texas for example, I actually think Republicans may have shot themselves in the foot because a lot of these seats went from R plus 13 to R plus 6 and R plus 6 seat in a 2026 type year that could flip blue. And you may actually have the opposite effect by taking by kind of redistricting at this point. I think that's what Indiana Republicans saw and they were like, why the hell would we want to go through this? At the end of the day, it's pretty stunning to see that it's pretty much a wash. I mean, we'll see what Virginia does, we'll see what Florida does, but it looks more and more likely that we're just going to be in the same place we were pre redistricting.
- [21:53]
Andy Beshear
If you were going to give advice to someone in say, a Texas +6R district for the midterms, what would it be?
- [22:02]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, I would just be. I would just say be yourself. Talk about affordability and that's it. And just be yourself. Like, truthfully, don't run on a I hate Trump message. Don't focus on Washington, D.C. truly be a politician who's like going door to door, meeting folks, saying, how can I help you? I think a lot of people forget, and what the Democratic Party forgets is that there's so much time between election cycles that we don't use, that we waste. We start using ads two months before an election and think that that's enough. We send out mailers a month before, think that that's enough. But imagine if we took all of that work and just spread it out over two years and actually in say, October of an off year, went up and started doing a massive door knocking campaign and just going door to door and be like, what can we do for you? We're the Democratic Party. We don't have too much power right now, but what can we do for you? Can we help you get a pothole fixed? Can we write some letters for you? Like, what can we do for you? And if we did that more, and if candidates did that more, they'd win and it wouldn't matter whether you have an R or D next to your name.
- [23:05]
Andy Beshear
So I think in your own words, you've said what I think are the three points for our candidates. Number one is my 8100 rule. Spend 80% of your time on things that matter to 100% of the American people.
- [23:18]
Aaron Parnas
Love it.
- [23:19]
Andy Beshear
Yeah. Jobs, roads, health care, public safety, public education. The second piece which you talked about is speak like a normal human being. But the third, I think is the core of authenticity. And I want to ask you about yours. It's that we're really good at the what, which is the policy, but we rarely talk about the why, what truly drives us as human beings. Because I believe if people understand our why, they can be supportive of us even if they don't agree with us on each and every issue. So we ask almost all of Our guests. What's your why that's gotten you here? That's behind what you do?
- [23:58]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah. I mean, for me, each of the whys, I have different points in life that I could point to, and it's like, that's a why moment for me. I think overall, the big why is I grew up a very privileged life. I went to a private school in South Florida. I was taught civics. I was taught media literacy. I saw what good education is like, and I was taught what information is, what misinformation and disinformation is. I've also been inside inner city classrooms in inner city Miami, and I've seen the complete disparities between how I grew up versus how most of Americans grow up in those classrooms. And I want to fix that, and I want to bridge that divide. So that's my why is just to educate as many people, specifically as many young people as possible. I could talk about. I have plenty of little moments in life about why my life was shaped the way it has. But truthfully, at the end of the day, all goes back to just civics education. I mean, that is my why.
- [24:52]
Andy Beshear
How do you take care of yourself? Because a lot of people feel like the way the news just hits you at a garage is tough on mental health. It's one of the reasons we started this podcast. And you leap into it every single day and react to it. How do you make sure it doesn't drag you down?
- [25:09]
Aaron Parnas
So it's funny, actually. I actually have a mild concussion at the moment. I slipped on some black ice. So taking care of myself and not working doesn't really work for me. But for me, I make sure I go to the gym one or two hours every single day. I sleep eight to nine hours a night. I have a really good relationship with my wife and a core group of friends, and that works for me. Now I'm working 100 hour weeks every week. But I love it. And when you love what you do, it doesn't really feel like work.
- [25:35]
Andy Beshear
What do you do when you want to turn it off and you and your wife want to go do something that has nothing to do with news or politics?
- [25:43]
Aaron Parnas
I don't. I haven't turned it off. The only day I've actually truly turned it off is Yom Kippur, when I had to because of religion. Otherwise, I've never been turned off. If we're in the movie theater watching Wicked and a story breaks and I gotta go run out, I'll run out and I'll come back. I've never been fully off.
- [26:00]
Andy Beshear
So you've got. I was reading. A little bit of a reputation for that. You've done videos outside of the Cheesecake Factory?
- [26:07]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, I have. In an airplane bathroom 30,000ft in the air. Everywhere and anywhere. Doesn't matter.
- [26:11]
Andy Beshear
So my question is, what did you order in the Cheesecake Factory?
- [26:15]
Aaron Parnas
Oh, so I get the fish and chips or the veggie burger. Solid. Every single time.
- [26:22]
Andy Beshear
So when you and your wife are trying to choose a restaurant, who wins?
- [26:28]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, honestly, neither. I mean, she wins every single time, but neither. Because we're both the most indecisive people, and so we almost always go back to, like, our same three restaurants every single time. Same thing with picking a show or a movie. I mean, it just. We're very in this. I got to ask you the same question, though, because maybe you have some tips for me on how to decide.
- [26:49]
Andy Beshear
Oh, no, she wins.
- [26:51]
Aaron Parnas
Oh, she wins.
- [26:53]
Andy Beshear
I try to offer different input, but she wins. But, you know, when she's happy, I'm certainly happier.
- [27:01]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah. Retweet.
- [27:03]
Andy Beshear
What series are you watching right now that you'd recommend for People, Doc?
- [27:10]
Aaron Parnas
I don't know if it's on Fox or abc. I mean, it's a really good show about this doctor who got in a traumatic car accident, lost all of her memory, and has to essentially retrain and also relive life. And it's a pretty good show.
- [27:24]
Andy Beshear
If you could go back in time and tell yourself one fashion trend not to follow, show up and say, just don't do that. What would it be?
- [27:33]
Aaron Parnas
Oh, my huge watermelon LeBron James sneakers that I thought were the coolest thing in high school. They look. I look like I was wearing a clown shoes.
- [27:45]
Andy Beshear
When you look into the future, what do you see changing on the different social media platforms? Because I get that you've got to. You got to be in the moment, checking your sources on the news so you talk about it correctly. But you've also got to keep up with an ever changing set of platforms, both the number of them and where people are migrating to.
- [28:06]
Aaron Parnas
So I think there'll be more new platforms. I think that ultimately, like, we see a new platform come up every five or six years that really takes off. TikTok was the most recent. I think there'll be something new in the future, and I also think that platforms will be much more heavily regulated. I think with the rise in AI, Congress and federal officials are finally starting to get a little scared of what's happening, and I think they're seeing it on social media because they're seeing their kids consume this AI slop. And I think they may do something. So I think we may see honestly a trend towards overregulation and then some type of balance.
- [28:42]
Andy Beshear
Yeah, I find it fascinating in Congress right now, or even with the president, that they'll be completely against regulation on one thing and then flip on another. I look at marijuana, which is being allowed to be regulated within the states. States get to choose. We just started a medical marijuana program, got the first dispensary open this last Saturday. But Congress, in the big, in the, in the, in the reopening, the government just passed a bill to fully regulate hemp. So they're not going to regulate marijuana, but they are going to fully regulate help.
- [29:22]
Aaron Parnas
It doesn't make, I mean, what the federal government does really doesn't make much sense to me these days. So that's not for me to comment on. But also, I mean, with AI as well, the Trump executive order going after states that try to regulate AI, it's same crap.
- [29:39]
Andy Beshear
When you look to the future and you say, when we turn the page on Trump, this is the type of leadership that I want to see. How do you think about that?
- [29:51]
Aaron Parnas
So a Bill Clinton style Democrat. That's not Bill Clinton. I mean, that's kind of what I'm looking for. A Democrat, or not even just a Democrat, a leader who's willing to appeal to the masses, who's willing to appeal to everyone. And I think that's what I'm looking for. I would love to see the Democratic Party put Kentucky back in play. Right? I mean, like Southern states back in play, but also just like talking to people like regular people.
- [30:16]
Andy Beshear
And that idea of a candidate that can heal the country just to hopefully push us past all this division. This idea of the enemy within. Your neighbor isn't the enemy from within. He or she is just trying to do the best they can in a challenging world.
- [30:33]
Aaron Parnas
That's why I tell everyone, everyone's like, well, how do you fix this division? I'm like, just go knock on your neighbor's door. When's the last time you've done that? Can you go knock and literally just ask them how their day is? Don't ask them what their politics are, don't ask them who they voted for, just ask them how they are. And almost everyone's like, no, I've never even spoken to my neighbor. I don't know who my neighbor is. And I'm like, well, that's why we're so divided. We're in these hyper online bubbles, everyone thinks everyone hates each other. Get out in the real world, live a little.
- [30:56]
Andy Beshear
So that's impressive. I mean, your followers are online watching you or on social media, and you're encouraging them to get out in the world and talk to somebody.
- [31:07]
Aaron Parnas
100 the most important memories. I mean, the best memories I had growing up was playing in my yard or in the community playground with kids that I met for the first time on the streets. I didn't know who they were, where they came from, didn't even know their names, but that was fun. We would play hide and seek and we would get along. Yeah, I was like 10 years old at the time. But that type of vibe where you can just get along with people because you like them rather than who they voted for, what they stand for on a certain issue, that's what we need more of in this country, in my opinion.
- [31:38]
Andy Beshear
So how can probably the one or two of the tens of thousands of listeners we have that might not follow you now, how can those one or two hear more from you?
- [31:51]
Aaron Parnas
Well, the Parnas perspective on Substack and then just my name, AaronParnas, on any other platform.
- [31:57]
Andy Beshear
And tell them a little bit about subject Substack. You've got one of the largest following on Substack.
- [32:04]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah. So twice a day in the morning and in the evening, you get a recap of all the news you missed. So all the news you missed overnight from 7pm through 9am Eastern, and then all the news you missed during the day, during the work hour, you get it literally packaged up in your email. Easy. And I do a little bit of analysis here and there on the legal stuff, but it's really just the facts.
- [32:25]
Andy Beshear
So my final question is, with the millions of followers you have, why'd you want to be on the Andy Beshear podcast?
- [32:33]
Aaron Parnas
Well, because I love what the governor is doing in Kentucky. I mean, truthfully, like, I think that I mean it when I say that we need. I like seeing a Democrat leading a Republican state. I like seeing Phil Scott leading Vermont. Right. Like, I like to see that because I like seeing that we can, in all of our divisions can come together and actually get shit done. And so that's why I'm just excited. I was excited to meet you and also have this conversation with you.
- [32:59]
Andy Beshear
Well, let's do this in person next time. Aaron, thanks for being on the podcast.
- [33:04]
Aaron Parnas
Thanks for having me.
- [33:05]
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- [34:03]
Andy Beshear
On the Andy Beshear Podcast, we talk about how this is not just a political podcast. And with our next guest, we're going to prove it. Walker Montgomery is a rising country music star from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He comes from a rich country music legacy, but he is charting his own course. He's already had a top five singles on the itunes chart. He's been recognized as a rising country music star and he's coming off playing a packed RUP arena this last weekend. Walker, welcome to the podcast.
- [34:37]
Walker Montgomery
Appreciate you having me. No, hey, we would talk about politics. That's always good for.
- [34:43]
Andy Beshear
I think we care about you too much to go there. You're coming off. We just said a big night. John Rabinowitz and I were there to, to root you on. Talk a little bit about what this, what this event at Rupp arena was and how special it was to you.
- [34:58]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah. So my dad, John Michael Montgomery, he was doing his, he retired, he was doing his final show and then he came back home to do Rupp arena for the final show and sold, he sold it out. Had the whole family there. I had my brother in law, Travis Denning, who's a country singer and a writer who's had Pulp on number one hits, writing and being an artist. Myself, Eddie Montgomery from Montgomery J, my uncle, dad's brother, and then dad closing out the show. So it was like we were talking about before we started filming. You know, it was almost like a holiday. You know, the whole family was back in town, everybody was at the house and stuff like that. But it was definitely a, it's one of those things that you kind of, you look back because you're in, you're in the moment the whole time and then you look Back you're like, man, I'm glad we had photographers and video videographers there because it's a moment that you just want to be able to. To see and look back on. I can't wait to. You know, my sister just had a kid and my little niece Charlotte stuff. And of course she doesn't know.
- [36:05]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
Listen, she was on stage as well.
- [36:06]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah. But I mean, she's. Be cool to. For her to see her granddad doing that sold out arena.
- [36:12]
Andy Beshear
You know, how much debate or argument was there over who would go where, where in the order.
- [36:18]
Walker Montgomery
Oh, well, John Michael, he. He put the hammer down on it too. So he said, you know, he said, this is what's going to happen. And it was his show. So it, you know, it, it. We didn't have much say in it.
- [36:30]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
I wonder how much time you had. I was like, he's got another 15.
- [36:34]
Aaron Parnas
I'm.
- [36:35]
Walker Montgomery
If there was one show I probably could do that, it would have been this one. I don't think they would have been too mad at me for going over my set time. But it was a, it was a good. It was a Talk about a family reunion, you know.
- [36:46]
Andy Beshear
Well, of course, John Michael Montgomery, known for L Dance, so many other big songs, but. But also coming from a family with a successful dad, I know that you're carving out your own path and. And you had some big personal news on that same day.
- [37:05]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah, yeah. So we, we are signing a. A record deal, which is, you know, the ultimate, like, goal in the industry when you're in Nashville. Right. Like, obviously the main thing is you want to have fans and have hit songs and stuff, but you got to have that partner that can really help you build that brand, for lack of better words. So we finally. It's been about. I've been a town since 2019, I guess, and just been working and working and working towards that goal and finally found a team that can, you know, that I think can really take us to the next level.
- [37:40]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
You know, Andy, I've known Walker and his family for many years and many out there might think, well, of course he has a record deal. Look who his dad is. But what I can't emphasize enough is how hard he's had to work to have this opportunity. I mean, you talk about he was what, eight years ago playing at Morgan and Morgan Gatesman party.
- [38:01]
Walker Montgomery
Yes. I was three or five.
- [38:02]
Aaron Parnas
Yeah, you.
- [38:03]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
That in every episode it was just ball on tee.
- [38:07]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah.
- [38:08]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
But we were all so excited to hear that news Friday because we know how hard it was for you to get there.
- [38:15]
Andy Beshear
Tell our listeners a little bit about that, because I think they'd be really interested in what's it like moving to Nashville and trying to break into country music.
- [38:24]
Walker Montgomery
Well, you know, everybody. It kind of goes back to that point. You know, people see dad and they think, oh, he knows everything automatically. Which is. Which was definitely not the case. I remember asking dad when I first moved, I said, you know, anybody who could, you know, just help out? He looked at me, said, son, everybody I know is dead. And. But I knew how to tour just from being on the road with that and stuff. So that was really the only leg up that I had on anybody. But when it came to writing songs, being in the industry in general, going to parties, making connections and stuff like that, I was as green as anybody else. And like, in Nashville, the kind of office space is the bars. You know, everybody goes out to Broadway or Midtown or whatever it might be, the 10 roofs, the losers, stuff like that. And as a writer, that's kind of how you make your connections. So I had to learn that pretty quick. And I was 19 when I moved to town, so I had to figure out a way to get in the. Kick it in the bars, too. But. But that's kind of how you start out. And then all of a sudden, you meet an artist or something that might take you on tour or a writer that wants to write. Me, right? Your first song that goes viral on TikTok or something. So it's always. It's kind of.
- [39:41]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
It's.
- [39:42]
Walker Montgomery
It's a blessing and a curse because you never know who you're going to meet. You never know when those connections are going to come to fruition and make something happen in your career.
- [39:51]
Andy Beshear
What was your first bit of success? You know, you're working, you're working and you have that moment where you say, all right, I might be able to do this, man.
- [40:00]
Walker Montgomery
I'll tell you what. I was still living in Kentucky, and I was a. I was going to school. I was. I wasn't going to class, but I was in school because I was playing. You know, I can go out and play. We're doing Crab Mary's, Honky Tonkin Bar, and, you know, Willie's luckily known downtown Lexington stuff. And. But I wrote a song called Simpletown, and I did it at a UK football, like, pre game party, right? And a guy named Michael Jordan, who you all know used to work for iHeart, said, hey, man, if. If. If you go down and record that song, then, you know, we'll play it on 981 bull and 97.5 up in the mould 1. I kind of looked at my mom, looked at dad and I said, I bet college is going to have to take a little. Take the back burner for now. You know, it's. But that was kind of how it all started. And I mean I was 18 years old at that time. 19. To hear my song on the hometown radio station. Yeah, it awesome. Yeah, it was a dream come true.
- [40:57]
Andy Beshear
So while you have a new record label, you've had a number of songs out there. Tell our listeners if they were, if they were going to go to Spotify, if they were going to go to Apple Music, what you recommend that they listen to.
- [41:10]
Walker Montgomery
I would recommend the first one. Listen now I'm going to give dad a shout out too. So the first one is I love the way you love me which was dad's first number one hit. And I re recorded it and it kind of took, took my career to the next level. So that's number one right there.
- [41:26]
Andy Beshear
Let's take a. A quick listen to I love the way you love me sung by Walker Montgomery.
- [41:32]
Walker Montgomery
New and br first but I love.
- [41:37]
Singer (Walker Montgomery performing)
The way you love me. Strong and wild Slow and easy Heart and soul so completely I love.
- [42:00]
Walker Montgomery
The.
- [42:00]
Singer (Walker Montgomery performing)
Way you love me.
- [42:07]
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- [42:09]
Aaron Parnas
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Aaron Parnas
Whatever says wow. This guy's great at giving gifts.
- [42:23]
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- [42:29]
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- [43:06]
Andy Beshear
We're back on the Andy Beshear podcast with Walker Montgomery, rising country music star. We just heard I love the way you love me, which he insists he sings better than his dad, talk about what inspires you in country music. Where do you go to to write these songs, man?
- [43:26]
Walker Montgomery
I'll tell you what, the number one thing that inspires me is the crowds. Because I've never been, like, a huge venue guy. You know, obviously, I want to play the Rubberinas, the Red Rocks, and stuff like that, but more than anything, I want to have a crowd out there singing my songs, having the time of their life, right? So people are coming out the shows. That's all that matters to me. So going on the road, having those experiences, that is what really drives me to keep going back to Nashville, writing songs, going to the studio, doing the industry side of things when you're in town. So I'd say going out on the road and just seeing the fans, every time you go back to another venue and you have 100 more tickets sold than you did last time, you're like, all right, I'm, you know, know I'm making these steps I need to make.
- [44:18]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
And one thing Walker's told me recently is that his trips to Texas.
- [44:22]
Micro Perfumes Advertiser
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- [44:22]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
Have been the most fun. He said, people in Texas love me.
- [44:26]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah. Yeah, man. Texas is my biggest market, and. Which is kind of odd because I'm obviously from Kentucky, and don't tell them that, but. Yeah, but I'll tell you what, they. I mean, they know it, but they love the traditional country sound, right? You know, the dance halls and they look. Stepping, which my music fits perfectly in there. Right. So we started breaking into Texas, I'd say, a couple of years ago, and it's just been the biggest blessing of all time.
- [44:51]
Andy Beshear
And they've always kind of had their own country music scene where the Pat Greens and the Robert Earl Keane's can be.
- [44:57]
Walker Montgomery
Can be big. Yeah. And, I mean, those guys, they'll sell out Billy Bob's and Green hall and stuff.
- [45:02]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
It's.
- [45:02]
Walker Montgomery
It's. It really is a cool culture down there when it comes to country music.
- [45:08]
Andy Beshear
So aside from from Texas, what's. What's your favorite tour you've done been on? Where. Where is this taking you, man?
- [45:15]
Walker Montgomery
Well, I'll tell you what, my favorite and the coolest venues that we've played is with a guy named Cody Johnson, and we did a few shows with him last year, and we had some more, but then he unfortunately blew his eardrum out. I think that he's.
- [45:26]
Andy Beshear
Which.
- [45:27]
Walker Montgomery
I couldn't imagine how painful that is. I felt for the guy, but. But we're, you know, we got rebooked on some of the shows that had to be canceled. And stuff, luckily. And so that's probably been the. Not only the biggest tour that we've been on, but the most rewarding when it comes to fans making fans selling merch. And it's just that traditional country crowd that, you know, we're. That we're into.
- [45:50]
Andy Beshear
If you were describing your music, talking about other artists, which I know is tough, who would you say you think your sound is like?
- [45:59]
Walker Montgomery
Oh, man, let's just be honest. It's probably little John Michael McGovern. The older I get, even every day I do something and I'm like, that mean.
- [46:07]
Andy Beshear
That means he's gonna have a lot of fans that are somewhere between 45 and 55.
- [46:12]
Walker Montgomery
But it's. I mean, he's my main influence. Right. I'm. And I'd say George Straight, you know, so, yes, definitely. You. You got a little bit of that 27 Texas kind of sound in there. And then you've got the big love songs that dad got really famous for. Right. I love. If I could do only love songs in my set, I would. But that would be the most boring concert of all time. Right. So you got to have a little tempo in there for him, you know.
- [46:35]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
Speaking of love songs.
- [46:36]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah, yeah.
- [46:37]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
He has some big personal news as well. You do?
- [46:40]
Walker Montgomery
Oh, yes. I just got engaged, as I call her, my super hot, wonderful fiance.
- [46:45]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
And you know, your biggest fan on Friday night.
- [46:47]
Walker Montgomery
And my biggest fan. Yeah. Krista Slayball for now, you know, for Krista Montgomery soon. But yeah, she's in a band called Tiger Lily Gold. And of course you all met. Yes, met. Met many times. But yeah, she's great. She puts up with me, man.
- [47:02]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
And.
- [47:02]
Andy Beshear
And her band's won a couple of awards.
- [47:04]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah. So they won the ACM New duo of the year, I think, two years ago. Which is funny because Montgomery Gentry, Eddie.
- [47:11]
Andy Beshear
Yes.
- [47:12]
Walker Montgomery
They won that same award about 20 years earlier. So it's kind of. I was like, well, I guess she's meant to be in the family. In the family.
- [47:19]
Andy Beshear
So. So is it ever competitive, man?
- [47:23]
Walker Montgomery
You know, I'll tell you, that's probably the number one question I get while dating a others country singer.
- [47:29]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
Right.
- [47:29]
Walker Montgomery
And I think it might. It might be if we did the same kind of country music. But our styles are so different that. And fan bases are so different as well that there's really nothing to compete about. You know, it's. Now we're competitive and everything else, whether we go out and play darks or pool or stuff, you know, stuff like that, it. But now, man, we just want each other to just. You have this crazy dream of being a country singer. Right. So we just want our wildest dreams to come true because we know how hard it is. Right. And it's. But we know exactly what each other is going through and it really kind of helps the relationship.
- [48:10]
Andy Beshear
So I think a lot sometimes in politics about what's real and what's fake. Yeah.
- [48:17]
Walker Montgomery
Right.
- [48:17]
Andy Beshear
Because a lot of the pizzazz that's around politics or government is fake. Know, you and I have stood backstage at a political event before walking out because you've helped us with my old Kentucky home and, and, and the rest. And you know that what you see on TV isn't necessarily, you know, the, the, the full reality. What, what, what would you say in country music people might not know is maybe a lot less glamorous than it looks? I mean, you've driven your own.
- [48:44]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah.
- [48:44]
Andy Beshear
Tour bus.
- [48:45]
Walker Montgomery
Oh, yeah, I drive. Hey, I drive that 45 foot bus down the road with a 28 foot trailer. You know, it's.
- [48:51]
Andy Beshear
Does that require a CDL?
- [48:53]
Walker Montgomery
It does, yeah.
- [48:54]
Andy Beshear
You have a CDL?
- [48:55]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah, we're good.
- [48:55]
Aaron Parnas
We're.
- [48:56]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
We're all good.
- [48:57]
Walker Montgomery
But yeah, if you all need any. Need. Need some, you know, systems drive we can do. Let's campaign. Yeah.
- [49:03]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
Yeah.
- [49:05]
Andy Beshear
And our driver.
- [49:06]
Walker Montgomery
Yeah. But I'll tell you what, Walker Montgomery, to answer your question, most of it.
- [49:10]
Johns (Podcast Producer or Co-host)
Yeah.
- [49:11]
Walker Montgomery
Is, you know, you see the two hours or hour and a half on stage, that is the glorious part, right? Yeah. But you don't see the 24 hour drive to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to go do the Million Dollar Cowboy bar and stuff and the setting up. You get there at 9am all the work and all the crew that. And I've got a great band of crew with me, but all the hands that are in the pot to try to make it all happen. There's so much work that goes into an hour and a half. You know, country music is like we'll, we're crazy because we'll drive 18 hours to go sing for 30 minutes and then we'll do it again the next weekend. You know, it's just the same thing over and over again.
- [49:55]
Andy Beshear
Why don't you send us out with one more song that our listeners can hear?
- [49:59]
Walker Montgomery
I'd say I'll send you out with a brand new one that just came out a couple of weeks ago. And that's called watching storms.
- [50:04]
Singer (Walker Montgomery performing)
Rolls with a cold beer in my hand While the great clouds crawl across and the lightning starts to dance. Sometimes I'm out here way past midnight and I Watch the broad headlights Hoping you'll come back again. Well, that's just the way it's been. Missing you.
- [50:31]
Andy Beshear
That's a wrap on this episode of the Andy Beshear Podcast. And while we're closing, the merch store is still open. Head to andybashirpodcast.com to order your sweatshirt, to order your mug, to order your T shirt. Because nothing says Merry Christmas or I love you like merch from the Andy Beshear Podcast. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms, but go on over to YouTube. We could use a few more subscribers there. Excited about the number of audio downloads. But come on, folks. It's the only place that you can see us live. See the Johns and I making fun of each other in video. And to see Walker Montgomery, to see Aaron Parnas. And to see not just what they're saying, but how they're saying it. We look forward to the next episode. Until then, take care of yourself.
- [51:32]
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- [51:34]
Aaron Parnas
Hi, I need a last minute gift for a secret Santa. Something thoughtful, impressive. Not a fruitcake.
- [51:40]
Walgreens Advertiser
We've got Ferrero chocolates, artisan coffees, even a spa kit. Any vibe you're going for?
- [51:45]
Andy Beshear
Whatever says, wow, this guy's great at giving gifts.
- [51:48]
Walgreens Advertiser
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- [51:54]
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Well, happy holidays, gifts, holiday decor, and more. The holiday road is long. We're with you all the way, Walgreens.