Jon Pardi

Summary

On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer: Jon Pardi Episode Summary

Episode Title: Jon Pardi
Release Date: January 9, 2024
Host: Troy Vollhoffer, Owner and Founder of Country Thunder Music Festival
Guest: Jon Pardi, Renowned Country Artist

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of "On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer," host Troy Vollhoffer welcomes the acclaimed country artist Jon Pardi for an in-depth conversation. The episode offers listeners a behind-the-scenes look at Jon's career, his roots, his ventures beyond music, and his experiences touring both in the United States and internationally.

Music Career and Collaborations

The conversation kicks off with an intriguing discussion about a potential collaboration with Metallica. Jon shares insights into how Country Thunder engaged Metallica to partake in celebrating the anniversary of their iconic "Black Album."

"Metallica reached out to be a part of their 50th anniversary of the Black Album... we kind of merged the heavy metal and country music together." [01:32]

Jon elaborates on blending different genres, highlighting how this fusion has added a unique dimension to his performances, particularly emphasizing the use of riffs and energy infused into his sets.

Roots and Move to Nashville

Jon delves into his upbringing in Dixon, California, just outside Sacramento, and his journey to Nashville, Tennessee—a pivotal move at the age of 22 that significantly shaped his music career.

"I grew up listening to country music, singing country music... I moved to Nashville because of the radio, of reading CDs, and then I met some songwriters." [02:57]

He reflects on the cultural shift from rural California to the vibrant music hub of Nashville, appreciating the deep-rooted country traditions that influenced his artistic development.

Evolution of Nashville

The hosts discuss the transformation of Nashville over the years. Jon reminisces about iconic venues and the city's growing reputation as a culinary destination alongside its musical legacy.

"It used to be like the Longhorn. Midtown by losers... now we have all these restaurants, all the restaurant tours town." [04:34]

Jon's favorite spot, Jeff Ruby's, serves as a nostalgic touchstone for him, providing a sense of home away from home.

"Jeff Ruby is my spot. They treat me like, of course they got Pardi on the menu... it's just nice to have." [05:03]

Entrepreneurship: Whiskey Business

Transitioning from music, Jon discusses his foray into the whiskey business. Initially hesitant, he was persuaded by the quality of the product and the support from his fans.

"Once I told them what I liked in the recipe, and they really knocked it out enough to where I was like, this is actually really good." [06:05]

Jon emphasizes authenticity and passion in his business ventures, viewing his whiskey as a meaningful extension of his brand rather than just another merchandise line.

ACM Nomination and Recognition

A significant highlight of the episode is Jon's heartfelt acknowledgment of his ACM (Academy of Country Music) nomination. He expresses immense pride and gratitude, attributing his success to the supportive Nashville community.

"If you can get Nashville behind you to give you this whole kind of backing system... it's something I take pride in because I love that town." [06:36]

He underscores the importance of community and collaboration in achieving recognition within the industry.

Touring and International Presence

Jon provides an overview of his touring schedule, focusing on the upcoming Craven Country Thunder festival in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He reflects on his strong fanbase in Canada and shares anecdotes from past tours.

"Canadians and everybody in North America, they love country music... I have a big following in Canada." [12:50]

He discusses the logistics and experiences of performing in different climates, contrasting the harsh Canadian winters with the warm summers.

Heritage and Connection to Canada

A deeply personal segment reveals Jon's heritage ties to Canada. He traces his lineage to the Mi'kmaq tribe of Newfoundland, sharing stories passed down from his grandmother about his great-great-grandfather, a respected leader in the tribe.

"My great-great-grandfather was the chief of the tribe and was, like, straight up, like, Indian—really, like, a mountain man." [13:00]

This connection fuels his passion for performing in Canada and honoring his family's legacy through his music.

Anecdotes from Touring

Jon recounts memorable moments from his tours, including a challenging experience during a cold Canadian winter where his bus broke down, leaving him to brave the elements while ensuring the show went on.

"I had to sleep in the back because it was too cold... It was adventurous." [16:42]

These stories highlight his resilience and dedication to his craft, showcasing the behind-the-scenes realities of life on the road.

Upcoming Plans and Shows

Looking ahead, Jon expresses excitement about performing at prestigious venues like Calgary's Inner City Festival. He praises the city's authentic cowboy spirit and anticipates delivering memorable performances.

"Calgary is a great city. Inner city fest, which is fantastic. It's real cowboy town." [18:20]

Troy and Jon also discuss the meticulous planning involved in organizing performances, particularly in iconic locations steeped in country music history.

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with Troy urging listeners to attend Jon Pardi's upcoming shows, emphasizing the electrifying and authentic experiences he provides on stage.

"Make sure you come out and see Jon Pardi at the Country Thunders or anywhere you can see Jon Pardi because it's a kick-ass show and he's going to rock your ass off." [19:10]

Jon reciprocates the gratitude, appreciating the opportunity to connect with fans through the podcast and live performances.

"Cheers. Time for shower time." [19:31]

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer" offers a comprehensive look into Jon Pardi's life, blending personal anecdotes with professional insights. From his roots in California to his impactful presence in Nashville and Canada, Jon's story is one of passion, heritage, and unwavering dedication to country music. Listeners gain valuable perspectives on the music industry, the importance of community, and the balance between artistry and entrepreneurship.

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For those who haven't listened yet, this episode is a must to understand the multifaceted journey of one of country music's standout artists.

Transcript

[PJ Vogt]

Hi, I'm PJ Vogt, here to tell you about my new podcast, Search Engine. On Search Engine, we tackle the kinds of questions that keep you up at night, like, why are drug dealers putting fentanyl in everything? Should we be worried that Elon Musk believes that we're living in a simulation? And for the love of God, is it actually unsafe to drink the coffee on airplanes? On Search Engine, no question is too big and no question is too small. Listen and follow Search Engine with PJ Vogt and Odysee podcast, available now on the Odysee app or. Or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Welcome back. I'm Troy Balhoffer, and you're on the bus at Country Thunder. We're coming at you with backstage stories from the six annual Country Thunder music festivals held across North America. Get ready for real talk about the state of the music industry with thoughts, insights, and stories from some of the biggest stars, executives, and professionals in the music business. On this episode, John Pardi. Hey, I'm Troy Volhoffer. Here we are at Country Thunder on the Bus. A very special guest today. We got John Party. John, how are you, man?

[John Party]

Good.

[Troy Volhoffer]

We're in the desert.

[John Party]

We're in the desert. The wind is getting me prepared, man. Thank you.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Wizards subsiding and the wind subsiding now, which is fantastic and great, though. Yeah. So what we were talking about a little bit earlier, before we went on air, the Metallica thing, man, I heard in the sound check, I was like, totally blown away. I was like, holy smokes.

[John Party]

Yeah, we. Metallica reached out to be a part of their 50th or not 25 anniversary of the Black Album. And there was like 55 songs on them, but we recorded wherever I made Rome. Big Metallica fan. Like, I mean, if you play guitar and you didn't learn in or Sandman like, you. You don't play guitar, you know, like, it's just for like. And I didn't want to do any Sandman, but I love Wherever I May Roam. Kind of sound like a western theme. And we kind of merged the heavy metal and country music together. And it's been a very part of our set that's very eye opening. Like, like, basically like what, the fiddle.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Plays the ref, right?

[John Party]

Well, everybody does. Okay, that in true Metallica form, everybody plays the riff. The riff is the size, the riff, you know, and so it's. It's very fun. And it's just like we. We don't do the whole six minutes, right? Because we did six minutes on the record but you just can't do. I mean, unless you're Metallica, you play. We kind of just throw it in there and gets a little spark, energy.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Look, California action there a little bond in there. So you're. So you were born in. Just outside of Sacramento, in Dixon, right?

[John Party]

Yep.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Tell me about that. Tell me your upbringing. How do you get. How the hell did you end up in Nashville, Tennessee? And tell me that story. Tell me.

[John Party]

Well, I mean, I guess ended up in Nashville. I mean, I grew up listening to country music, singing country music. So I was like two. And you know, there's a bunch of agriculture there, construction, all blue collar rednecks, farmers, cowboys. And aside, there's a side of California that people really don't see. And that's basically where I'm from. And. And my wife Summer, she's from another Clovis, California, which is great. I mean, it's great California. You know, it just. You got to go out and see it. And like being close to Napa and the hills and country music was a part of life and country was just what it is. Like, you don't. I always say, you don't know what you got until like you move to Nashville. Yeah, you're like, man, I used to live so close to Napa, you know, Now I'm like missing sunshine. It rains all the damn time, you know, But. But I moved to Nashville because of the radio of, of reading. I mean, reading CDs, dude. I mean, you open a little booklet and see you. Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee. And you know, it was always Nashville and then you get the writing. And then I met some songwriters and. And I went to Nashville for my 18th birthday. Realized that I should probably move when I'm legal to drink and move to 22 and been there ever since, almost half my life now.

[Troy Volhoffer]

That's wild, man. It's crazy, you know, and we've seen Nashville change so many and so many different places. So if you've been there since 22, I mean, you've seen so many different.

[John Party]

I've been there since 08.08, man.

[Troy Volhoffer]

So that's a lot of changing in musical content of different styles and different restaurants.

[John Party]

Let's get this. Oh, it used to be like the Longhorn. Midtown. Midtown by losers.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Absolutely. I. I came to Nashville in 93. I'm in my hockey career in Nashville. And the Longhorn was the place to go.

[John Party]

It was the place, man.

[Troy Volhoffer]

And now we have all these restaurants, all the restaurant tours town, right? It's like food town.

[John Party]

Like, oh, man, they every there's like, oh, man, you gotta try this. It's like, I forget what's like Il Carne or something, like some weird name, but it's really good. But I like Jeff Rubies. Jeff Ruby is my spot. I love Jeff Rubies. And it's just a good. Like, you talk about small town California, like Jeff Ruby's it. It's like that. I know it seems like it's a big, big restaurant, but when I go in there, they treat me like, of course they got party batch on the menu. They got. I mean, but it's. It was that not just because they have my whiskey. I've been going there a long time and it just feels like home. Every time I go in there and goes, hey, John, how you doing? Blah, blah. It's just, it's just nice to have.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Let's talk about your whiskey. Like, how did you get into the whiskey business? How'd that come about?

[John Party]

Well, I mean, they kept approaching me to be a part of the, this whiskey thing and hell, I was. I didn't want to be a part of the whiskey thing, really. Like, I basically, in my mind, I was like, everybody's got a liquor, sure, yeah, but I mean, Dwayne Johnson's got. He gonna compete with Dwayne Johnson.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Metallica's gonna block it.

[John Party]

But I know Metallica got what I mean, everybody, but. And so once, once I told him what I liked in the recipe, and they really knocked the part to enough to where I was like, this is actually really good. And that's the only reason I did it. Because it's good. Not because I'm trying to sell money. It doesn't really help me.

[Troy Volhoffer]

But you like it?

[John Party]

Yeah, it's good. I mean, it's fun. It and it's fun. And then I realized, like, fans like it because it's just like buying a T shirt. But you get to drink it and get a pretty good buzz.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I mean, that's what it's all about. Hey, man, I congratulate you on your ACM nomination today. I mean, thank you. That's a big deal, right?

[John Party]

Yeah, no, I mean, it's. It's a big deal. It's always a big deal because, you know, town votes it and the, the industry, as we'd say. And I, I put my time in, in Nashville and, and when I say, I put my time and I make sure that I work with everybody in that town. And I respect the town. I respect the songwriters, the pluggers, the publishers. And as an artist, you know, if you can get Nashville behind you to give you this whole kind of backing system. As an established artist, it's. It's something I take pride in because I. I love that town. I love the everybody's love of music. So when you get nominated like that, it's a big deal.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I mean, that's a big honor. And I mean. And, you know, it's really interesting because, you know, you look at all the different artists and. And then you look at the artists have been left out on the side who are like, formal artists that aren't getting, you know, but it mean it truly is an honor. And I, you know, I took my glass.

[John Party]

Hey, most of the time, I'm the artist that's left out. I'm not gonna lie. I got a little lucky on this one, I guess.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I'll drink to that, brother. Absolutely. Cheers.

[John Party]

On the sidelines waiting to go in the game.

[PJ Vogt]

Hi, I'm PJ Vogt, here to tell you about my new podcast, Search Engine. On Search Engine, we tackle the kinds of questions that keep you up at night, like, why are drug dealers putting fentanyl in everything? Should we be worried that Elon Musk believes that we're living in a simulation? And for the love of God, is it actually unsafe to drink the coffee on airplanes? On Search Engine, no question is too big and no question is too small. Listen and follow search engine with PJVote and Odysee Podcast, available now on the Odysee app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Too funny. That's too funny. So. So how many dates of the year do you do? Like, how many dates are you out there touring and.

[John Party]

I don't know. I really don't take count, but I know we're going hard in July. Yeah. But we're doing, like, it's been really a really nice schedule. Like, we just kind of do Friday, Saturday.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah.

[John Party]

And then we'll go really hard in July, like I said. But doing some festivals and, you know, got a bunch of country thunders.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Well, so my deal thunder all year this year. I know. It's great. And so I so appreciate that. And the team does that you accepted these dates. And I mean, it's not taken for granted. I mean, but I was sitting up in Canada one night, and I. And I had these boys on the bus, and, man, and I was like, they're like, hey, when do you bring John party out? And I'm like, it just was like, wait, how I've been so a miss than not to be able to. It was something that Slid past me. Right. And you played here, I believe, maybe 10 years ago. 5. I remember you were working out in the back of your trailer. I remember that. But you played this gig. You played this gig.

[John Party]

I remember the gig. It. It looked like. Was it in a different spot?

[Troy Volhoffer]

No, it was here. And you had your trailer. You had your gym in your trailer.

[John Party]

Yeah, we still got the trailer, which is on the gym.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah, yeah. Get that out of here.

[John Party]

Working out.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Who cares? That thing. But, yeah. And so.

[John Party]

So.

[Troy Volhoffer]

And this kid says to me, goes, man, like, everyone's asking me. And, I mean, I don't get the canon often. And, like, when's John party gonna play these gigs? And I'm like, oh, I don't know. So I called your agent immediately. The next morning I woke up, I was like, you know, I think John be interested in doing these things. And so, yeah, you put your offer, and let's see how it works out. And thank you for taking the offers.

[John Party]

Because this is a cool fest. I remember when I played was just wild. And I like that. I like wild.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah, wild's good, right?

[John Party]

Wild country festival. Yeah, and wild. You got it made.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah. You're gonna play one of the craven. The Craven Country Thunder.

[John Party]

We drink Camus.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I'm having a little silver oak.

[John Party]

That. That's okay. Silver oak. It's bold.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I like silver oak.

[John Party]

That's good.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah. Are you. Are you a chemist guy?

[John Party]

I'm a chemist guy, but only if I drink Caymas. I made the mistake of drinking 17 Coors Lights and then having cameras. Worst hangover of my life. Worst hang of my life.

[Troy Volhoffer]

No more canvas.

[John Party]

No, I love canvas. It's thick.

[Troy Volhoffer]

It's very good.

[John Party]

It's very good. I can. You can smell, you know, like that. Yeah.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I like Faust. I mean, I enjoy wine. Wine's kind of my kinds of wine's my deal, so. I really love. Love wine. You're from wine country?

[John Party]

Yeah. I like the lighter one. Jordan's really good. Yeah, I really like Jordan. You can go on and on. Even, like, chardonnay. I'm a chardonnay guy. But, you know, girls like chardonnay, like, really cold, like out of the refrigerator.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Love it. They love it cold, right?

[John Party]

Yeah. And then. But once you have it where it's supposed to be, it's way better.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah. Because the flavor actually comes.

[John Party]

Yeah, no, it's. It's.

[Troy Volhoffer]

It's crazy, but it's like having a Heineken. I mean, I like Heineken cold. Like, super cold. But when you go, you know, when you go to Holland, it. They serve it at 52 degrees, and it's like a whole different flavor thing. It's not as quenching and thirst, but I mean, that's this whole, you know, flavor portfolio that comes out of it. It tastes totally different. Totally different beer. So it's craving Gig. First country festival in North America. You're gonna play it this year. It's coming up in July, and, yeah, it's in Canada. Just us out of Regina, Saskatchewan. And everyone's played that gig. Johnny Cash has played the gig. Boxcar Willie's played the gig. Willie Nelson's played the gig. I mean, it's iconic in that regard. And it's the first country music festival in North America. It started in 1980 and has a huge history behind it. And those people are jocked to have you come up there and do their thing. You have a really big following in Canada. How did you. How did you make that happen? Or who made that happen? Or how did that all work out? Because there is a big falling for John party in Canada.

[John Party]

I just think Canadians and everybody in North America, they love country music, and they love country music.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah.

[John Party]

Not just, you know, everybody loves Morgan Wallen, but they like country country music, you know, and there's that. I think that's a different thing. And if you listen to some of the Canadian artists, like, it's similar to, like, a Texas music scene, but it's Canadian, you know? And I mean, I feel good in Texas. I feel good in Canada, but. And I also am not afraid. Like, my grandma was from Newfoundland. Okay. So Canadian. And I'm also. I have. I'm, you know, I'm Indian. It's not. I guess it's Native American, but it's the Mic Mac tribe out of Newfoundland. And my. My bloodline is, like, my great, great grandfather was the chief of the tribe and has books about him. He was, like, the biggest tracker and fisherman and tracker in Newfoundland and was, like, straight up, like, Indian. Really, like, mountain man. And I've only been told this through my family. And now when I do go to Canada, I get, like, dream catchers and stuff. And then mean Greek line, they'll bring me, you know, some native stuff. And it's pretty cool. So I don't, like, hold back. Like. Yeah. I mean, my grandma always talked about Newfoundland.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Really?

[John Party]

And now there's. There's a country festival there. But. And when you're talking about, have you.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Played that gig yet?

[John Party]

I have not. If we do, I mean, crazy. But they just love country Music. And. And they love music in general. And that's. My grandma got me into music, so she was the one that.

[Troy Volhoffer]

So your grandma was like your biggest influence?

[John Party]

Yeah, I mean, from like a really young age, like 1 years old, you know, like listening to George Straight and Al Jackson and so. But she was from. She was from Newland.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Wow, man. That's pretty neat. I had no idea.

[John Party]

Yeah. No. I mean, I'm walking around like a Canadian. I'm American. Goddamn. But I love. I love Canada and all the states. Like, Dirk's always made fun of me because, you know, there's. There's different parts of Canada.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Oh, absolutely. Oh, yeah. It's totally different. Yeah.

[John Party]

Right. He goes party. Just thinks he's in Canada. Like, that's it. Like, I'm in Canada. We may be a part of this. Where. Here. Here. I would just say I'm in Canada.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah.

[John Party]

Dirk's like, no, you're not, dude. You're not in Canada. But no, I'm excited for. For Canada and that. The festival. We're playing there and we're playing a bunch of other, like, little arenas there for the first time.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah. That's fantastic. No, you have a big following up there. That's super cool. Because, I mean, sometimes, you know, you have artists that, you know, really resonate in America, and they're. They're totally, you know, crushing it in the US and they're like a couple. There's a. There's a time span of. Of. Of an artist making it in Canada. It seems like they're a little bit behind the curve. Not that they are, but musically, sometimes just how the record's released or however it's done, it seems like, you know, you. Someone who's like, massive in America is not yet quite that place in Canada. And now when your career. Absolutely 100%. I mean, you're fucking slamming it up there, and it's fantastic.

[John Party]

Well, I mean, it was always like that. Know, we played. We don't. We go up there and open up for Dirks and everything, and people don't know who it was, but, you know, to.

[Troy Volhoffer]

The Dirks had pretty good running. Pretty good run in Canada.

[John Party]

Yeah. In January.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah. Yeah. That's a lot of sound.

[John Party]

I mean, that was the stone cold, coldest of the beautiful, but cold. I'm like, let's go to Canada in July and August.

[Troy Volhoffer]

You know, that was set up. You know, that was set up back in the early 90s. A promoter, infamous printer Ron Sakamoto, came up with this idea, and he was a Brilliant. He's still alive. He's a brilliant guy. And he's a friend of mine and he's my godfather. Right. And he's. And he's. He came up with this idea like after Christmas he put us acts, country acts through western Canada because they buy them for Christmas presents and then the bands have to come up there. I was on a tour with Sawyer Brown and Diamond Rio and Blackhawk and every bus froze up. They were sitting on the side that we were sitting on the side of the road because I mean the fuel gelled up. It was a minus 60 degrees.

[John Party]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I mean, yeah.

[John Party]

I had to sleep in the back.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Of my bus because it was too cold.

[John Party]

Right. Wedge broke down. Oh. No heat. But I had my Q. U. Gear. But I was in full. I was in my full gear sleeping like down coat, just. But I mean it's adventurous. But I feel like, you know, in January in Canada you just see snow, but when you really go like in August and July, it's beautiful. It's gorgeous. Absolutely. And it's hot as hell in states.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah.

[John Party]

And you get up there, you're like, oh yeah. It's like you want to take a shirt off.

[Troy Volhoffer]

No humidity, nothing great. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So no, man, this can be cool. We got in Calgary and I believe we have you in Craven and.

[John Party]

Love Calgary.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Calgary is a great city. Inner city.

[John Party]

Thanks for telling me where I'm going.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah. And it's Inner city fest, which is fantastic. So it's right downtown Calgary. Some great steakhouse down there that. That serves some great wine.

[John Party]

That's cowboy town.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah, it's real cowboy town. It's the real deal, man. It's like that there's no there. Like that's the real deal.

[John Party]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhoffer]

So no. So anyways, looking forward to tonight's show and man, I gotta thank you for coming out and doing this because I know that you have a very busy schedule and.

[John Party]

And Matt, that's honestly a Scott shower.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I love it. But man, it's a pain in your ass to come and do a podcast of 6:00 in the afternoon before you get ready to go do a show. And I know the prep and all that.

[John Party]

Yeah. But I mean the way I look at things like this is like you just never know who's gonna listen.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Yeah. Oh no. And we really appreciate it, man. And thank you very much. And we're have a blast this summer. And hey listeners, make sure you come out and see John Party at the Country Thunders or anywhere you can see John Party because It's a kick ass show and he's going to rock your ass off.

[John Party]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhoffer]

So thank you very much, John, and thank you, sir. Have a great show tonight.

[John Party]

Cheers. Cheers. Everybody listening?

[Troy Volhoffer]

Cheers.

[John Party]

Time for shower time.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Thank you to our guests on this episode. Don't forget to, like, subscribe and leave a review whenever you listen. Until next time. I'm Troy Volhoffer and you're on the bus at Country Thunder.

[PJ Vogt]

Hi, I'm PJ Vogt, here to tell you about my new podcast, Search Engine. On Search Engine, we tackle the kinds of questions that keep you up at night, like why are drug dealers putting fentanyl in and everything? Should we be worried that Elon Musk believes that we're living in a simulation? And for the love of God, is it actually unsafe to drink the coffee on airplanes? On Search Engine, no question is too big and no question is too small. Listen and follow Search Engine with PJ Vogt and Odyssey podcast, available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.