Adam Wright :Behind the Scenes with a Prolific Singer Songwriter

Summary

Podcast Summary: “Adam Wright: Behind the Scenes with a Prolific Singer Songwriter”

Podcast: Takin’ a Walk
Host: Buzz Knight
Guest: Adam Wright
Release Date: October 29, 2025
Duration: ~35 mins (content excluding ads)

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Overview

This episode of Takin’ a Walk features acclaimed Nashville songwriter Adam Wright, known for his skill in penning evocative, timeless country and Americana songs for major artists and for his own releases. Host Buzz Knight takes listeners behind the music, exploring Wright’s artistic process, values around imperfection, working with notable musicians, songwriting influences, and the making of his new album, Nature of Necessity.

The conversation is reflective and candid, revealing the philosophies, regrets, and humor of a seasoned craftsman who champions musical humanity over digital perfection.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Thought: The Human Element in Music

• Adam Wright’s Philosophy:
  • Adam immediately expresses the importance of authenticity in music:

    “I like to hear performances and I like to hear some humanity. And when it's not in music, I just, it's hard to get interested, man, for me at this point.” (00:01)

  • Wright reiterates this at length when discussing his recording philosophy (see section 6).

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2. Signature Opening Question: Walk with Anyone, Living or Dead

• Buzz’s question: If you could take a walk with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and where?
• Adam’s Answer:
  • He chooses James Joyce, walking around Dublin. He’s fascinated by Joyce’s leap from Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man to Ulysses:

    “...It's a perfectly good novel by a very good writer... then this radical explosion of literary inventiveness that was Ulysses. Like, I want to know what happened between this novel and this novel...” (04:57)

  • He humorously wonders if he might regret it:

    “I can almost guarantee you that I would probably regret it, but I think I'm going to go with that.” (05:52)

  • Anecdotes about Joyce and Hemingway bar brawls ensue, adding a literary/bohemian flavor. (06:35)

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3. On Regret and the Artist’s Path

• Regrets in Career:
  • Adam refrains from pointing to regrets, explaining that every misstep shapes the present:

    “You take one of those little things away and then you're not where you are anymore... I don't know if I have a lot of regrets, really.” (07:21)

• Buzz’s Regret:
  • Shares a story about passing up a shot of whiskey with Bob Dylan out of intimidation:

    “My regret is just that silly one of not doing a shot of whiskey with Bob Dylan...” (09:02)

  • Adam’s take:

    “Probably would have been worth it.” (09:08)

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4. Working with Notable Artists: Sierra Hull and “Zoom Writes”

• Writing with Sierra Hull:
  • Wright describes first writing with Sierra Hull during COVID over Zoom, and later meeting her in person at a festival.
  • Adam praises her creativity:

    “She's so bright, and she's so musically in tune with her artistry... It's like this musical cauldron is just always boiling.” (10:39)

• On Bluegrass’s Next Generation (Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, etc):
  • Adam cherishes this “phenomenal crop” of young musicians, admiring their technical skills and artistry:

    “Just these, I mean, mind blowing musicians and they're making great music... The playing fascinates me.” (11:36–13:12)
    “Selfishly, just so I can just see them play... I’m fascinated with just the mechanics, just the sheer physicality of what some of those people can do on an instrument. Like, it’s thrilling to me.” (12:54)

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5. Collaborations and Songwriting Influences

• Writing for Randy Newman with Brandy Clark:
  • Wright and Clark wrote “Bigger Boat,” performed by Brandy and Randy Newman.

    “I got to hear him sing words that I wrote, which is... good enough for me.” (13:57)

• Randy Newman’s Genius:

  “He’s on the short list of the most brilliant songwriters, no doubt.” (14:42)

• Top Songwriters List:
  • Mark Knopfler, John Prine, Roger Miller—each admired for different attributes of lyricism, wit, musicality, and “gravity.” (14:55–16:24)
  • On Leonard Cohen:

    “It’s such serious writing, and it’s so intentional... Leonard Cohen’s the hardware department. Like, you can get hurt in there. It’s pretty serious, man... I would just listen to Leonard Cohen albums and drink coffee and just wait for a way in, you know?... I still don’t think his music... is really enjoyable to listen to for me, like, but I don’t think that was the point of his music either.” (16:28–18:43)

  • Mark Knopfler, for Adam, brings emotion, musicality, and a guitar nerd’s dream to the table.

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6. Musical Serendipity & Nashville Life: John Prine Encounters

• Trying to Meet John Prine:
  • When Wright moved to Nashville, he “panhandled” by taping CDs to Prine’s office door. Later, he had a magical early experience seeing Prine play a small sports bar:

    “... John Prine's playing at this place? ...It was like, you know, 20 of us filled up the place...John Prine is playing like, this is incredible. And then it never, never happened again...But it was enough to make us stay.” (24:45–26:30)

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7. New Album: Nature of Necessity — Embracing Imperfection

• How Adam Feels About the Release:

  • Values feedback from respected peers:

    “People whose opinions I care about seem to appreciate that this record was made and is available and that means a lot.” (27:21)

  • Aspires to keep the spirit of independent craft:

    “The idea of the success of an independent release to me is the fact that you released it...You make a plan, however humble...That’s the best you can do.” (28:08)

• Artistic Process: Chasing Imperfection and Humanity:

  • Wright insists on recording live, with minimal editing, warts and all:

    “Everything had to be one pass, unedited, warts and all live with it...Once you start recording that way and listening to things that way, it's hard not to keep going down that path. The flaws are what become interesting and sometimes beautiful.” (29:50)

  • Recording with bass (Glenn Worf) and drums (Matt Chamberlain), no overdubs or fixing:

    “Nothing was coming to save us, this was it. Like, if something had to be big, we have to make it big, and that's it...” (30:49) “There are some vocal things that, you know, if we weren't recording like this, if this had not been our philosophy, I would absolutely have fixed or an engineer would have fixed without even telling me, you know, but we wanted it to be flawed. We wanted to be good...but there are things that are wrong with parts of it...And there's something about that that I like...I like to hear performances, and I like to hear some humanity. And when it's not in music, I just. Is hard to get interested, man. For me, at this point.” (30:49–32:55)

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8. “Poet Laureate” — On Songwriting and Staying Humble

• Buzz’s Question: How does it feel to be called “the poet laureate of Music Row”?
• Wright’s Response:
  • Typical self-deprecating humor:

    “My dog is the poet laureate of pooping on my floor in the middle of the night...But also, my dog is the poet laureate of pooping on the floor in the middle of the night.” (33:11–34:25)

  • But also, pride:

    “I’d be lying if I didn’t say that it felt really good...I’m flattered. But also, my dog is the poet laureate of pooping on the floor in the middle of the night.” (33:36–34:25)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You take one of those little things away and then you’re not where you are anymore.” — Adam Wright (07:21)
• “My regret is just that silly one of not doing a shot of whiskey with Bob Dylan...” — Buzz Knight (09:02)
• “It’s like this musical cauldron is just always boiling. [Sierra Hull] just seems, like, always ready to spew musical brilliance.” — Adam Wright (10:39)
• “He’s on the short list of the most brilliant songwriters, no doubt.” — Adam Wright on Randy Newman (14:42)
• “Leonard Cohen’s the hardware department. Like, you can get hurt in there. It’s pretty serious, man.” — Adam Wright (16:28)
• “It excited me...There are some vocal things that...I would absolutely have fixed...but we wanted it to be flawed. We wanted to be good...I like to hear performances and I like to hear some humanity.” — Adam Wright (30:49–32:55)
• “My dog is the poet laureate of pooping on my floor in the middle of the night.” — Adam Wright (33:36)

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Noteworthy Timestamps

• 00:01 – Adam’s opening philosophy on music’s need for humanity
• 04:57 – Adam’s literary hero and “walk with anyone” answer: James Joyce
• 07:21 – On regret and the value of every twist in the path
• 09:02 – Buzz’s story: Regrets not sharing whiskey with Bob Dylan
• 10:39 – Working with Sierra Hull; describing her creative energy
• 11:36–13:12 – Adam on the blossoming musicianship in bluegrass/country
• 13:57–14:52 – Randy Newman collaboration and the top songwriters list
• 16:28–18:43 – Dissecting Leonard Cohen’s writing and emotional impact
• 24:45–26:30 – The magical John Prine bar gig moment
• 27:21–28:08 – Reflections on “success” and releasing Nature of Necessity
• 29:50–32:55 – Embracing imperfection, live recording philosophy
• 33:11–34:25 – Humble, humorous take on being called a “poet laureate”

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Tone and Style

• The conversation is witty, honest, and peppered with self-deprecating humor—Adam is earnest but never self-serious.
• Buzz plays the role of both fan and fellow music devotee, keeping the conversation personal, engaging, and rooted in love for music’s stories.

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Final Thoughts

This episode offers a revealing look into Adam Wright’s songwriting mind: a creative who prioritizes authenticity over commercial polish, who treats imperfection as beauty, and who constantly seeks the true, human core in music. Nature of Necessity is not just an album title—it sums up Adam’s belief in art’s need to be real, personal, and lived-in. For songwriters, musicians, and fans who value soul over surface, this episode is a resonant and inspiring listen.

Transcript

[Buzz Knight]

Taking a Walk.

[Adam Wright]

I like to hear performances and I like to hear some humanity. And when it's not in music, I just, it's hard to get interested, man, for me at this point.

[Buzz Knight]

I'm Buzz Knight and welcome back to.

[Narrator/Producer]

The Taking a Walk podcast.

[Buzz Knight]

I'm your host and today I'm excited to be joined by someone whose words you've probably sung along to without even realizing it.

[Lexus Advertiser]

His name is Adam Wright.

[Buzz Knight]

He's a Nashville songwriter who's crafted some of country music's most memorable hits.

[Narrator/Producer]

With a career spanning decades.

[Buzz Knight]

Decades. Great work. His songs have this rare quality feeling both timeless and fresh. The kind of writing that makes you always want to hit repeat. And we're here to celebrate his brand new music called Nature of Necessity. So he's stepping out of the writer's.

[Narrator/Producer]

Room onto the spotlight, talking to Adam Wright.

[Buzz Knight]

Next on Taking a Walk.

[Adam Wright]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Narrator/Producer]

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[Adam Wright]

I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait.

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It feels like it's trying to divide people.

[Buzz Knight]

We got clear facts. Maybe we could calm down a little bit.

[NBC News Announcer]

NBC News brings you clear reporting.

[Adam Wright]

Let's meet at the Facts. Let's move forward from there.

[NBC News Announcer]

NBC News reporting for America.

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[Buzz Knight]

Taking a Walk Adam Wright welcome to the Taking a Walk podcast. It's so nice to have you on.

[Adam Wright]

Thanks for having me. I appreciate it. Buzz yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

So we're going to talk about Nature of Necessity, your brand new project. But first, I'm not going to let you escape our signature opening question. I hope you're strapped in and ready. If you could take a walk with somebody, living or dead, who would you take a walk with and where would you take that walk with them?

[Adam Wright]

Okay, probably. And I think I might regret it having done it, but I think I would want to take a walk with. There are so many people that'd be fascinating to walk with. I think I would take a walk with James Joyce and probably around Dublin so he could show me all the haunts. Ulysses like blew my mind. Like I read it like three times. And what blew my mind about it was the difference between Portrait of the Artist as a Young man in Ulysses, where it's a perfectly good novel by a very good writer becoming a, you know, a great novelist and a popular novelist, and then this radical explosion of literary inventiveness that was Ulysses. Like, I want to know what happened between this novel and this novel and. And just with that amount of brilliance and activity, I just wondered what it would have been like to just walk around with him. And I can almost guarantee you that I would probably regret it, but I think I'm going to go with that.

[Buzz Knight]

James Joyce, as you were saying at my furry recollection to. When I posed that question to Amanda Shires, I think that was her answer.

[Adam Wright]

Oh, no kidding?

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah, no. She perceived there could have been like a. Maybe a little bit of a drunken brawl or something that might have ensued.

[Adam Wright]

There are stories of. I don't know if they're true or not, stories of Joyce and Hemingway bar hopping around Paris. And the stories go that Joyce would be mouthing off to people until they became, you know, violent. And then he would go get Hemingway and Hemingway would squash the. Squash the violence. And then they would go to the next bar and do the same thing. I don't know. Who knows if that's true. Yeah, I think I would regret it, but I think I would. I would be remiss not to give it a shot.

[Buzz Knight]

Is there anything in your career path so far that you look back and you go, geez, I regret going down that road?

[Adam Wright]

Oh, gosh, I don't know. Regret's funny because, like, you take one of those little things away and then you're not where you are anymore. You know, there are things that I found, I guess, difficult or didn't seem useful or productive, but I don't know that you ever get to where you're going if you don't go through those things. I don't know. I don't know if I have a lot of regrets, really.

[Narrator/Producer]

Yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

I'm gonna share one that I make fun of a bit because I'm sure if I really look and reflect, there's some deeper regrets that I have. But I kid you not. One regret I have was many years ago being in the company of Bob Dylan with about nine other people. It was. It was at a. A record company, you know, event prior to a show of his. As you would have guessed, we met him. He made eye contact upon the first introduction and then proceeded to never look us in the eye after that because he was not comfortable in that situation.

[Adam Wright]

Right.

[Buzz Knight]

That was the last thing he wanted to do.

[Adam Wright]

Sure.

[Buzz Knight]

But then at one point he did say, does anybody want to do a shadow whiskey? And none of us did because we were frightened. Because, you know, this is the voice of a generation.

[Adam Wright]

Sure.

[Buzz Knight]

And so no one took him up on it. So I kiddingly. But I really do Mean it, because I'll never get that shot again.

[Adam Wright]

Right, right, Right.

[Buzz Knight]

So my regret is just that silly one of not doing a shot of whiskey with Bob Dylan, so.

[Adam Wright]

Oh, man, I get that. Probably would have been worth it.

[Buzz Knight]

What did I have to lose, Right? What did I have to lose?

[Adam Wright]

It could have turned into a bottle of whiskey, and then who knows what you're into, man. That's right.

[Buzz Knight]

Right. There's a couple people I want to corner you on that you've penned songs in particular for. First of all, one of them, who I love and we had on the podcast, was Sierra Hull. So what was. What was that process of. Of writing for Sierra?

[Adam Wright]

The first time we wrote, I think, was, like, during COVID and it was a zoom. Right. And I'd forgotten that it was a zoom, right. Because the first time I actually saw her in person was not writing. It was. We were on a show together up in North Carolina. It was like a festival thing, and I was like, oh, Sierra. And it took her a minute. She was like, wait, what? And it just took her a minute to, like, click that, you know, who I was. Because we had not really seen each other in person. So the zoom, right, Was, you know, they're a little awkward sometimes, but. But it was one of the better zoom rights I had during the Zoom writing era. That was Covid. But, man, I mean, I love writing with her in person. She's. She's so bright, and she's so musically in tune with her artistry.

[Buzz Knight]

Like.

[Adam Wright]

Like, that's just not a problem, you know? Like, if you have a. If you have a group of words or a concept or an idea, it's like this. This is like this musical cauldron is just always boiling. She just seems, like, always ready to spew musical brilliance, you know, for the sake of a song. It's. She's great, man. I just. I like her a lot. She's a great hang, and we always get good songs.

[Buzz Knight]

What is your take on this phenomenal crop of people that she is, is one of them. I consider her the other, of course, Billy Strings. We can't leave Billy Strings out, but. And then this, like, the Molly Tuttle as well, this phenomenal, you know, infusion that has happened inside country bluegrass. What's your take on the state of this? Because I think it's fascinating.

[Adam Wright]

I do, too. I'm. I'm glad to see it. Like, it felt like musicianship had sort of fallen out of fashion, like, high musicianship for a minute, and maybe I just wasn't paying Attention to things. I'm perfectly guilty of not being aware of what's going on out in the world, you know, But. But, man, I'm writing. I mean, like in the last. I don't know how many years, 10 years or so. Like, you just. They're just popping up everywhere, man. I mean, just these, I mean, mind blowing musicians and they're making great music. You know, they're cutting cool songs. They can all sing. I mean, it's. It's really cool. I love it. The playing fascinates me. Like, I mean, I started. I got into that kind of music too late to really be able to do it very well, just physically. So I'm fascinated by the musicianship of some of these flat pickers. I mean, all of them really. I mean, so I. I like hanging out with them selfishly, just so I can just see them play, which they don't want to do like that. Like, I think the one I wrote with Sierra, I don't even think she touched an instrument. I think we just wrote a song and she just watched me fumble through guitar chords, like, you know, but eventually, you know, she kind of got down on it and, you know, made something out of it. But yeah, I'm. I'm fascinated with just the mechanics, just the sheer physicality of what some of those people can do on an instrument. Like, it's thrilling to me.

[Buzz Knight]

I love it too. Yeah, I love it too. The other person that you worked with, that you wrote for is. Is Randy Newman. And some weeks back, I had Billy Joel's daughter on Alexa Ray Joel, and she professed, you know, of course, her love for her father's work, but her love and shared that her father's love also for Randy Newman was so incredibly strong. What was your experience with Randy?

[Adam Wright]

Well, I didn't. I didn't get to really have the Randy experience, except that I got to hear him sing words that I wrote, which is. That's good enough for me. But Brandy Clark and I wrote that song Bigger Boat, and she knew Randy somehow.

[Narrator/Producer]

I don't.

[Adam Wright]

I don't know that I remember how or. Or ever knew how. I don't know, but I know she knew Randy and she thought that it would be fun to see if he would sing on it.

[Buzz Knight]

And he.

[Adam Wright]

He dug the song and sang a duet with her on it. So that was the extent of my Randy experience.

[Buzz Knight]

It's kind of an unsung musical, you know, hero in many regards. Don't you think?

[Adam Wright]

Oh, man. I mean, just. I mean, he's in the you know, he's on the short list of the most brilliant songwriters, you know, no doubt.

[Buzz Knight]

Who would you put on that list additionally?

[Adam Wright]

Well, Martin, er, is like, my favorite. He just does it all for me, man. Like, I just. Just in terms of, like, character sketches and stories and just moments and pieces of snatches of history, just roots music. I mean, he does all of that. He's a fine craftsman in his playing and his writing. And sort of the penultimate for me is Martin Hoffler. John prime would belong up there. His Just the heart and wit and the way he can mix humor and gravity is special. I don't think anybody else has really done that in that way. Roger Miller, sort of for the same reason, but also just this wild brilliance. Like, you get the impression, listening to, like, the breadth of Roger Miller's writing, that he could have done anything because he did a lot of it. You know, there are a lot of very serious songs, you know, in his catalog as well. I mean, the goofy stuff is, you know, it's clever and fun, but it belies the genius writer that he was so. And then after that, I don't know. I have a tough time after those three.

[Buzz Knight]

It's a pretty good. It's a pretty good list, you know, man, you.

[Adam Wright]

You study those three, you can get a lot done. Leonard Cohen is a funny one. Like, it's so. It's such serious writing, and it's so intentional. It's like, this is the hardware department, you know, Leonard Cohen's the hardware department. Like, you can get hurt in there. It's pretty serious, man. And it took me a long time to kind of bumped my head on. On him for a long time trying to find a way into it, you know, and it was kind of resistant. And I would just. One winter, I would just get up really early and just go sit downstairs in the kitchen by the big bay window in the dark, you know, before the sun came up. And I would just listen to Leonard Cohen albums and drink coffee and just wait for a way in, you know? And I don't think, like, Hallelujah doesn't count. Like, I don't think that counts. Like, everybody gets that song and can appreciate it and feel it. You have to take that away and then get into the other stuff and then see if you can find a way into that to see if he's like one of your people. And I think it was, like, Famous Blue Raincoat or something that I'd listen to maybe the 14th time and not. Not even understanding it, but just. I don't know, appreciating it for how I was going to be able to appreciate it. And. And one, one morning, man, it just kind of hit and I was like, oh, he's kind of the best. And I still don't think his music is. It's really enjoyable to listen to for me, like, but I don't think that was the point of his music either. Which kind of brings me back to Mark Knopfler. Like he I think he has the kind of gravity and seriousness and command of the situation that somebody like Leonard Cohen has. But he's also more tuneful. To me, he's because he's such a great guitar player and I'm just a guitar nerd and he puts it together in a way that kind of just does all the stuff for me, I guess. I don't know. Sorry, I just ramble. I love it.

[Buzz Knight]

I know. I love how you're sharing the window into your mind. And, you know, being an artist and songwriter, it's fascinating to hear that that.

[NBC News Announcer]

Window we'll be right back with more of the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Narrator/Producer]

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[NBC News Announcer]

Welcome back to the Taking a Walk podcast.

[Buzz Knight]

If you want to see something real, really cool. If you haven't seen it, it's on YouTube. It's this interview with Brian Johnson from ACDC that he did with Mark Knopfler. They're out.

[Adam Wright]

I did see that.

[Narrator/Producer]

Isn't that amazing?

[Adam Wright]

It's Amazing. Yes.

[Buzz Knight]

It's. It's so fun and, you know.

[Adam Wright]

Yeah, it's fun. Yeah. Seeing the two of them hang out and talk, it really. That was really cool.

[Buzz Knight]

Yeah. Yeah, it's really, really cool. Back to John Prine. Did your world ever intersect him while he was still alive?

[Adam Wright]

No. But you know what? He used to have his office, like. Oh, boy. Used to be, like, right across the street from where I am on Music Grow. And when we first got to town, I used to go over there and, like, tape CDs to the door. Because I didn't. I didn't mean. I didn't. I don't know how to get in touch with anybody, you know, I was very ineffective as a salesperson and a promoter of my own, you know, wares. Just hopeless. And so I would. I would just go take little CDs that I made and just, like, leave them on the door. And, you know, it's like panhandling. I don't know. I think. I think I did that to, like, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawling's studio one time, too. I did end up getting to know them through a friend of a friend, and they were nice and lovely, but I did not bring up the fact that I probably left a bunch of CDs on their door. But, no, I never. I never met. Well, no, that's not true. I did meet him the first time I ever saw him play. When we first moved to town, there was. I think the bar is still there. It's a place called the Crow's Nest over in Green Hills. And it's just a little sports bar. Nothing cool about it at all, really. Sorry. Crow's Nest. And there was no stage.

[Buzz Knight]

That's part of the charm, Adam, right?

[Adam Wright]

It is part of the charm. Yeah. Maybe that's. They designed it that way, but they had all these, you know, bunch of TVs everywhere, like, you know, like, three games going at once. It's just that kind of place, a sports bar. And somebody said, hey, man, John Prine's playing at this place. And I was like, at that place? Yeah. We've just been to town, like, a week or something. And so my wife Shannon and I, we go meet whoever we met. I can't even remember who they were at the time, but we go in, it's like, just a bunch of, like, regular chairs. Like, you know, just, like, folding chairs, and we're all sitting. I mean, it was like, you know, 20 of us that kind of filled up the place. And, man, he's just standing four feet away. And I think it was Pat McLaughlin was with him. I can't remember who was playing guitar with him. I think that's who it was. And man, it was just the two of them and they played for like an hour and a half like that. That close. And I thought Nashville is the greatest place in the world. Like you could just go to a bar like this. And John prime is playing like, this is incredible. And then it never, never happened again. Like, nothing that. Nothing that cool ever happened again in the 25 years that I've been here. But it was enough to make us stay.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, that is fantastic.

[Adam Wright]

Yeah, I played with Leanne at. At a show at a. I think it was BlackBerry Farms, I think is the name of the place out in. Somewhere in Tennessee. And Leanne was playing and John was playing with his band, Dave Jakes and his accompanies too. My name escapes me at the moment, but. So I did get to meet him then and play a show with him, really. But, you know, we weren't pals. I wish we were. He seemed like a wonderful guy.

[Buzz Knight]

Oh, man, he's. He's a certainly. Certainly a soundtrack to my. My life for sure.

[Adam Wright]

Yeah.

[Buzz Knight]

Every twist and turn. So congratulations on Nature Of Necessity. It must feel really amazing putting this out to the world. Tell me how you're feeling about it, man.

[Adam Wright]

You know, I feel good about it. It's like it's well received by people whose accolades I respect and appreciate, people whose opinions I care about. Seem to appreciate that this record was made and is available and that means a lot. And, you know, we've got a small, mighty team of people over here at the Carnival Music and partnered with, you know, people like Shorefire and Empire. They've helped us quite a bit. But it's, you know, we. I think the. The idea of the success of an independent release to me is the fact that you released it sort of in the, like, not in the result of what it brings you. But so much as you made this thing, you make a plan, however humble it might be to present it and then you follow that plan and. And then that's the best you can do. And this has felt really good. It's the. I think the first time I've spent this much time trying to promote a thing that I didn't wince at myself for doing it because it doesn't feel like I'm promoting myself. It feels like I'm promoting some work I did with some people I really love. And they've all worked so hard to have this thing exist. The least that I can do is get out and work as hard or harder to make sure that people are aware of it, whoever might appreciate it. So it feels great. I'm glad. It's that it's.

[Buzz Knight]

It sounds fantastic and it's. It is getting great reviews. But go back to your. Your view of it. How does an artist and a writer deal in a world today where it's so easy to have perfection with everything and. And that perfection is so sought after, but yet when we really reflect, we know imperfection has its own beauty. So talk to me about the balance of perfection and imperfection. You know, about this project in particular, in your mind.

[Adam Wright]

Oh, that's funny, because with the idea of this record, and I've been doing this with the last few things that I've put out, a couple of EPs and then a full album called I Win, like, where I just would. Everything had to be one pass, unedited, warts and all live with it. I just. You're right. It's so easy to make things perfect. Anybody can make anything perfect now. It just gets so boring, Uninteresting, I guess. So the. Once you start recording that way and listening to things that way, it's hard not to keep going down that path. You know, the flaws are what are what become interesting and sometimes beautiful. So with this, we decided to record live. Myself playing and singing, Glenn Wharf on bass and Matt Chamberlain on drums. And the idea that nothing was coming to save us, this was it. Like, if something had to be big, we have to make it big, and that's it. And I remember telling Glenn, we were sitting in Frank's kitchen, Frank Liddell, who produced the album and is also my publisher. And I said, okay, Glenn, like, you're. You're the lead instrument, man. It's like I'm busy. Like, I'm tied up playing guitar for myself and singing. It's like if there's a solo or something has a fill to be done, like, you're the. You're the man. Like, you got to do it, man. And Matt, too. And so there are times when Glenn's just playing lead bass through, like, an entire verse and chorus of a song. And it's so unusual and exciting to me. Like, the stuff that happens musically on this record, I love it. It's so. It's so wild. It feels wild at times. Like they're just not doing things conventionally and we all just. I don't know, it excited me. I hope they're proud of it. I don't Know, they might. They might not admit that they played on him, but it excited me. And there are some vocal things that, you know, if. If we weren't recording like this, if this had not been our philosophy, I would absolutely have fixed or an engineer would have fixed without even telling me, you know, but we wanted it to be flawed. We wanted to be good. Like, we're not trying to make a bad record, but there are things that are wrong with parts of it. And, you know, it's like we got more than one shot. It's not like we just had one shot and didn't quite nail it. It's like some of these songs we did five or six times, and if that's the way it came out, then that's about as good as we can do it, and that's just gonna have to be good. And there's something about that that is that I like that I've just come to like. I like to hear performances, and I like to hear some humanity. And when it's not in music, I just. Is hard to get interested, man. For me, at this point.

[Buzz Knight]

In closing, I want to ask you, and I, you know, can't see if you'll be blushing when I say this, but you're a humble gentleman. How does it make you feel when you're referred to as the poet laureate of Music Row?

[Adam Wright]

Well, you know, part of me, the morning after I saw that thing, I woke up and got a cup of coffee downstairs, and my dog had gone to the bathroom on the floor, and I took a picture of it and I sent it, and I was like, my dog is the poet laureate of pooping on my floor in the middle of the night. I was like, I don't know, like, what is part of me it thinks like that. Like, just totally dismissive of any sort of accolades. And the other part of me is really, I don't know, proud that all of the work that went into the writing of these songs resonated with someone who appreciates the craft of words. That feels really good. I'd be lying if I didn't say that it felt really good. Now, you know, there are a lot of. Lot of people that are very good with words in this town especially. Um, so I. I don't know. It feels good. Yeah, I'm flattered. But also, my dog is the poet laureate of pooping on the floor in the middle of the night.

[Buzz Knight]

Well, it feels really good talking to you about your. Your new work nature of necessity, which I absolutely love. And I love your body of work as a songwriter. I love your work as a musician and it was amazing. Amazing to have you on Taking a Walk Adam Wright thank you so much for being here.

[Adam Wright]

Thanks for having me Buzz. I appreciate it man. I enjoy talking to you.

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[Adam Wright]

Lenovo.

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[Adam Wright]

This is an iHeart podcast.