Worth The Wait (feat. Matt & Scott Thomas of Parmalee)

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Worth The Wait"

Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley
PodcastOne | June 23, 2026
Guests: Matt & Scott Thomas of Parmalee

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Episode Overview

In this heartfelt episode, Savannah Chrisley sits down with Matt and Scott Thomas, brothers and founding members of the chart-topping country band Parmalee. Over a candid, engaging conversation, they discuss the band’s 15-year journey to national success—covering humble small-town beginnings, family sacrifices, a near-tragic robbery, music industry struggles, and the stories behind some of their biggest hits. The episode is a deep dive into perseverance, family bonds, faith, and the gratitude that shapes the band’s approach to making music and living life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Parmalee’s Origin & Nashville Journey

[01:56–04:04]

• Parmalee was formed in 2001 by Matt and Scott (brothers), their cousin, and a best friend—still the original four.
• They started out playing clubs around Parme, North Carolina, for a decade before moving to Nashville in 2011.
• Their move was spurred by a fellow artist wanting to record their song “Carolina.”
• Success didn’t come easy: they lived out of an RV in Nashville and hustled for years before landing a deal.

"We started Parmalee in 2001… kicked around for 10 years doing the local club scene, finally came out to Nashville in 2011... got our record deal off that song ['Carolina']." — Matt Thomas [02:22]

2. Family, Hard Work, and Band Dynamics

[04:04–05:41]

• Working as brothers and with family wasn’t new—they’d farmed, logged, and run construction jobs together.
• Family tensions do exist, but clear roles and determination for the music always brought harmony.
• “Carolina” was their first #1 hit in December 2013—a culmination of 12 years’ grind, hustling with day jobs, and credit card debt.

"We were so determined to get this... We've done everything together, it's crazy." — Matt Thomas [04:27]

3. The Tough Road to First Success

[05:43–07:33]

• Early years were filled with self-booked shows, no connections, and lots of financial struggle:

“We’re from eastern North Carolina… more happens in Nashville in a month than happened there in 10 years.” — Matt Thomas [06:05]

• Rejection from labels for not fitting the country mold; being told to try Nashville when they tried NY and LA.
• They recognized they’d “have flown out an intern from Sony if it would have helped.” [06:37]

4. Birth of ‘Carolina’ & Family Sacrifice

[07:40–10:28]

• The inspiration for “Carolina” was homesickness after touring and a record label setback.
• Rick Beato (now a famed YouTuber) helped co-write and produce "Carolina."
• The band faced a major setback when a recording check bounced; Matt’s single mother took out a second mortgage on her house to loan them $11,000.

“She took a second mortgage out… never asked to hear one song or anything.” — Matt Thomas [09:44]
“But Mama got a brand new car, she got her house paid off, she’s retired now. She’s doing all right.” — Matt Thomas [10:16]

5. Triumph, Gratitude, and Giving Back

[10:28–12:16]

• The most meaningful moment in their career was giving plaques to those who supported them, not just achieving #1.

“Giving all of them the plaques... that was always the moment of like, okay.” — Matt Thomas [10:49]

• They talk about the unseen struggles, family sacrifices, and being proud to have paid it all back.

6. From #1 Hits to “Take My Name” and Fame

[16:50–20:56]

• “Take My Name” became Billboard’s most-played country song in 2022, a staple at weddings.
• The band never expected to become “the wedding guys” and were blown away by fan reactions (like surprise wedding performances).
• They remain grounded, never turning off their songs on radio and always appreciating what they’ve achieved:

"If our song ever comes on the radio, you can never turn it. You have to turn it up no matter where we're at." — Matt Thomas [20:21]

7. Never Forgetting Where They Came From

[21:16–24:07]

• Parmalee only quit their day jobs after moving to Nashville; the first deal netted just a $5,000 signing bonus split four ways.

"It wasn't like we got a big check, 100 grand or nothing. We can give you guys 5,000, move to Nashville." — Matt Thomas [22:33]

• Money was first used to clear debts, not for lavish living, keeping them humble and empathetic towards “everyone out there working.”

8. Surviving a Life-Changing Robbery

[28:30–34:07]

• In 2010, just as they secured a music production deal, Matt and Scott were victims of a robbery at gunpoint on their RV.
• Scott, a concealed carrier, defended them but was shot three times. He was in a coma for ten days and had a 5% chance of living.

"All I remember is... gives me [expletive] cash, fires the gun right by my head... gunfight happened right in the little hallway... Scott got shot three times." — Matt Thomas [31:09]

• The experience deepened their bond, outlook, and purpose — and was later channeled into the music video for “You.”
• Their local community rallied around them, which reinforced their sense of purpose and gratitude.

"We must have really impacted people... gave a crap about us and cared." — Matt Thomas [34:07]

9. Healing, Therapy, and Faith

[35:30–39:39]

• Filming the “You” music video, which recreated the hospital/healing experience, brought trauma to the surface and made them reconsider mental health.
• They admit to delaying therapy, reflecting generational resistance but ultimately embracing it, especially through Nashville’s Porter’s Call organization.
• Savannah points out, “my generation has normalized it’s okay to not be okay.”

10. Faith, Recovery, and Songs of Hope

[39:50–42:14]

• “God Knew Better” (newest song at the time) is deeply inspired by the band’s sense of divine timing and purpose.

“You make mistakes… end up on the wrong path… then you realize this is God’s plan. Like, this wouldn’t have happened if He didn’t.” — Matt Thomas [40:26]

• Past songs (“Just the Way”, “The Way”, etc.) also focus on positive and uplifting messages, especially vital during the pandemic.

11. New Music and Legacy

[42:15–45:19]

• Upcoming release “Let The Country Music Play” with LOCASH incorporates classic references and fun, capturing a lighter side of the band.
• It went viral even prior to release, with over 8.5 million pre-release views.

“We dropped the teaser and it just starts going like crazy… people must dig it.” — Matt Thomas [44:54]

12. Advice for Aspiring Musicians

[46:18–47:19]

• Hardship and persistence defines their story:

“10 years, four vans, trailers getting shot, couple bullets, about $75,000 worth of credit card debt… if you haven’t got there yet, it doesn’t come easy.” — Scott Thomas [46:35]

• Emphasize staying true to yourself and not chasing trends:

"Be yourself. Do your thing. Don’t focus on what everybody else is doing… you have to be authentic to who you are. That’s the only way to cut through.” — Matt Thomas [47:01]

13. Lightning Round: Song Meanings

[47:52–49:26]

• Matt and Scott rapidly describe the real meaning behind Parmalee’s major hits:
  • “Carolina” — being home wherever your loved ones are
  • “Just the Way” — loving someone as they are
  • “Take My Name” — a unique wedding proposal
  • “Girl In Mine” — playful love interest
  • “Gonna Love You” — unconditional love through adversity
  • “Cowgirl” — fun, party song about chasing cowgirls
  • “God Knew Better” — destiny and finding “the one”
  • “How Do I Let You Go” — loss and remembrance

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “She took a second mortgage out on that house and loaned us $11,000—never asked to hear one song or anything… Mama got a brand new car, her house paid off. She’s retired now. She’s doing all right.” — Matt Thomas [09:44, 10:16]
• “If our song ever comes on the radio, you can never turn it. You have to turn it up no matter where we're at.” — Matt Thomas [20:21]
• “Everybody’s just appreciating everything so much. And I don't want to stop doing that. Even just being here with you… It's just the little things.” — Scott Thomas [35:19]
• “That night, obviously, he kept us around. For me, I mean, how I didn't get shot?... That… to me, is crazy how he lived through a 5% chance of living.” — Matt Thomas [40:46, 40:56]
• “Be yourself. Do your thing. Don’t focus on what everybody else is doing… you have to be authentic to who you are.” — Matt Thomas [47:01]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:56–04:04] — Parmalee’s origins and move to Nashville
• [07:40–10:28] — Story behind “Carolina” and family sacrifice
• [16:50–20:56] — “Take My Name” and fan impact
• [28:30–34:07] — RV robbery and Scott’s recovery
• [35:30–39:39] — Dealing with trauma, therapy, mental health in music
• [39:50–42:14] — Writing songs of faith and hope
• [42:15–45:19] — “Let The Country Music Play” and viral success
• [46:18–47:19] — Advice for aspiring artists
• [47:52–49:26] — Lightning round: what their songs truly mean

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Tone & Language

The episode is friendly, warm, and candid—reflecting both Savannah’s open, supportive interview style and Parmalee’s down-to-earth, story-driven manner. There’s plenty of Southern humility, humor, and encouragement throughout, along with vivid storytelling around life’s highs and lows.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the grit behind what appears to be overnight success. Parmalee’s story is about patience, family, faith, and authenticity—and serves as a reminder that good things are truly “worth the wait.”

Transcript

[Harrison Prentice]

Hey, I'm Harrison Prentice. And for years I kept putting my dream of making music on the back burner. Then I decided it was time to stop waiting and go all in. That journey inspired my new song, Monsters. It's about confronting the fears, doubts, and inner battles that we all face. So if you've ever felt like you were carrying something heavy that no one else could see, this song is for you. Check out Monsters wherever you listen to your music and follow me on social media. HarrisonPrintisMusic.

[Matt Thomas]

Thanks for listening.

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[Podcast Host]

Welcome back to this week's episode of Unlocked. I am super excited for our guest today. You guys know we have been doing all things health and wellness lifestyle and you know, I have a special place in my heart for the country music world. We've had so many different people on. We had Nate Smith on and a few others. And today we have the guys from Parmale on. So welcome.

[Scott Thomas]

Thanks for having us. I know.

[Podcast Host]

I'm so excited. So Matt and Scott Thomas, this is, I feel like obviously too. Nashville's such a small town. Right. And you guys have been around for what seems like forever and the success really hasn't stopped.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. We got here this year will be 15 years ago.

[Podcast Host]

Holy cow.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Does that make you feel old?

[Matt Thomas]

Of course.

[Podcast Host]

No.

[Commercial Announcer 3]

See, no.

[Podcast Host]

Of course.

[Scott Thomas]

It goes by so quick. How long have you been here?

[Podcast Host]

I've been here 11 years. Yeah, 11 or 12 years, which is crazy. So it really does go by fast. Yeah. So Yalls. Yalls career, I mean, it has been insane. Obviously. We had Covid, which really screwed up a lot for people, I feel like. Yeah. But can you kind of take us back to how Yalls career started and your band, it's pretty awesome. I mean, your cousin, right?

[Matt Thomas]

Is it your band? Our best friend. We. We had a whole career before we even got to Nashville. Not a career. We just had a whole band thing because we started Parmalee in 2001.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Matt Thomas]

Me and Scott were brothers. We're 13 months apart. Our first cousin and our best friend. Same four guys are still in the band. And so we started in a little small town called Parme, North Carolina, and kicked around for 10 years doing the local club scene and the regional stuff, and finally came out to Nashville in 2011 is when we got our record deal. So we had a whole life in a band before that. And then we got out here, and then.

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy.

[Matt Thomas]

That's just been crazy.

[Podcast Host]

What made y' all take that leap to, like, come to Nashville? What was your final like, all right, we need to do this.

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, I could go on. This is a long story. I'll try to condense it. So we had our song. Carolina was out. We wrote it back in, like, 2007 or 8 and had it out regionally. And this. This artist, this guy was gonna do a country version of it back in 2009 or 10. And so we came out on the coattails of that. Of him doing it. Parked our RV and it crossed from the tin roof when it was a park.

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

Lived out here for, like a month. And then we met. We met some people that are actually still on our team now. And the. The. The label folded that the guy was on, and so we kind of got the song back, and. And we re recorded it and took it to the label. And that's kind of. That's kind of how we can't got to Nashville. Eventually, about a year later, we got a record deal off that song and another song called Must have Had a Good Time. So it's just. It's crazy. We just came out on the coattails of somebody else in that song. But that so us out here.

[Podcast Host]

Wow. And so, obviously, as brothers in a band together, what would you say is harder? Like, working with your brother, you know, to. Every single day or, you know, some people are like, hey, I sit at a dinner table with my brother, and it's extremely difficult. So can't, like, you know, you work together every day.

[Commercial Announcer 3]

Is.

[Podcast Host]

Have you found that to be a challenge at any point?

[Matt Thomas]

We work together our whole lives, whether it was in tobacco, growing up on the farm. We also were loggers for a little bit. We worked together in that, and we always. We've done everything together. It's crazy.

[Scott Thomas]

So, yeah, we've always worked with family. Our dad, my granddad.

[Podcast Host]

So, I mean, it's great and all, but let's be real. There are times where you're like, it's hard to separate work and family.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. I mean, we just figured out how to make it work. We were so Determined to get this. To do the music thing. We did whatever it took. That was our focus. And I mean, even the guys in the band, we all work together on, like, construction jobs and doing whatever we could to, you know, play music for a living. So we. We've all figured out how. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's gotten tough sometimes, but we figured out how to, you know, make it work.

[Scott Thomas]

Everybody has their own space.

[Podcast Host]

Yes.

[Scott Thomas]

They know where to go.

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Once you learn your kind of roles, it makes it a lot easier. And so Your first number one was December 2013, right?

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And was that with Carolina?

[Matt Thomas]

Carolina, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. And you were like, you were grinding to get there. Oh, I mean, took what you started in 2001.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. So a little over 10 years, 12 years before we finally had that. That success, before we finally got paid to do anything.

[Scott Thomas]

A lot of van and trailers.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

What did those years look like?

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, it was a struggle. I mean, it really was because we're working day jobs and we're playing on the weekends, and we're making nothing, and we're putting all the band expenses on credit cards, and we're just booking our own shows and just trying to make things happen. And, you know, we're from eastern North Carolina, and the music scene is not really a music scene there.

[Podcast Host]

No.

[Matt Thomas]

And more happens in Nashville in a month, and it happened there in 10 years. So we were just trying to figure it out. We didn't have any guidance. We didn't have anybody that we knew in the music industry. We didn't really have anybody, a cousin or uncle that could shoe us in or, you know, or have access to all the songwriters.

[Podcast Host]

And that's what people don't realize, too, is, as you guys know, this town is full of connections. So it's like if you're a cousin or a best friend's son or daughter or whoever, you'll get your in a lot easier than anyone else.

[Matt Thomas]

I always say, like, if we found out that an intern that worked at Sony Publishing was going to come see us, we would have taken our credit card, we would have flown them out, we would have put them up, we would have winding down and just anything to meet. That would have been the end. You know, we just didn't have really any end to it. And. But we figured it out. It took a while, but we. But we wrote Carolina in those days, so we had that. It just.

[GoFundMe Narrator]

We.

[Matt Thomas]

We had it out on. On a cd, and we were kind of regionally doing some things, catching a buzz And. And then it just never happened. We could not get a record deal that they wouldn't sign us because we were like more rock and not enough country. And it was just like, they couldn't just like, place us in anything.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

We had been to New York, tried to get a deal. We've been to L. A and the LA department said, we think you need to be in Nashville.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Scott Thomas]

Nashville.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

And this is, you know, 2006 or 6, 7, 8. We're like, really?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

And they said. And they were right.

[Podcast Host]

And so where did. Obviously, Carolina was your first number one. Where did that song come from? What's the inspiration behind it?

[Matt Thomas]

Well, we were. We had actually been out to California and we got back to North Carolina. We'd been out there for like a month trying to make it happen. And we got back to back home and I just had this thought of we, you know, we were always gone. We missed all the birthdays, the family reunions, whether it was regionally touring, but we were always gone. And I just got back home and I was like, man, you know, I feel like I'm home. It feels like Carolina in here. But I was like, it looks like California, feels like Carolina, looks like California. And I had that thought and we had a song started and we did a showcase for this record label guy in Charlotte one night. And that was going to be our big. We're going to get us a deal, you know. And he came to the show, we wind him down and we had the party there for him. We played everything. We had the best songs. And at the end of the night, I knew he wasn't going to sign, but I went up to and asked him, I said, hey, I said, if you signed us tomorrow, what's the first thing you would do with us as a band? He said, that's easy. I'd send you down to Atlanta to work with this guy named Rick Beato, who's now a famous YouTuber. We didn't know that back then. He hadn't done it started that back then. So we went, I think the next week and called him up and said, hey, man, this guy told us we should work with you. He's like, come on down. We played him some songs that we had and we played him a snippet of Carolina and he's like, what is that? And I was like, you want to finish it with us? And so we came back and we finished. Carolina wrote. Co wrote it with him in the studio. And, you know, I always tell the story on stage.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah, Tell the good part, but about it.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah, this is crazy. So we record it. We had, it was $11,000 for the recording of those three songs, which is

[Scott Thomas]

a lot now, but it was a whole lot, really a lot.

[Matt Thomas]

Back then we didn't have it, but we had a buddy who was putting some money in the band, so he wrote us a check, you know, for, you know, percentage of it, which is all fair. It's great. Went down there, record it, got back home. I remember playing the song for the guys. I was like, finally, like, this is our sound. This is, this is what we've been waiting for. And then we get a phone call from Rick. He's like, hey, y. That check bounce. Y' all owe me $11,000.

[Podcast Host]

Stop.

[Matt Thomas]

And so, you know, our heart sank. You're like, oh, what are we going to do now? And so I, I, I didn't know what else to do. We were flat broke. Our credit cards are max. I went to my mom and I said, hey, like, we owe this guy $11,000. But I really think we have. This is the stuff we need. And she's a single mom before raises in a three bedroom house. She took a second mortgage out on that house and loaned us $11,000.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

No.

[Matt Thomas]

Never asked to hear one song or anything.

[Podcast Host]

And that. It makes you emotional,

[Matt Thomas]

you know, but to always say, I always say, you know, she knew we were going to pay her back. And I always tell on stage. It took us a minute, but Mama got a brand new car, she got her house paid off. She's retired now. She's doing all right.

[Podcast Host]

I love that. So was that your first thing, like, when that song went number one? Were you like, all right, that's gotta take care of Mama?

[Matt Thomas]

Well, that was like when we invited everybody to the, to BMI to get the plaques. Like, if everybody says, what's the moment? You knew, like the biggest moment in your career. I was like giving all of them the plaques.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

Because they were, you know, they, they were worrying about us. They were, you know, putting. They would loan us money. They would, they would see us struggling, seeing the struggles, you know, for a long time. And so that was always the moment of like, okay,

[Podcast Host]

yeah, that's amazing. And I think too, it's amazing to, for those people to have that little bit of recognition, you know, always. I still say, I don't even know if I've ever said this, but when Matt Stowell, I did his music video. Prayed for your. Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, yeah, that sounds great. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So I did the music video for him O. And when that song, like, went number one and he got his platinum whatever it was, he, like, had a plaque made out to me because he was like, this would have never gotten to where it needed to get to without, like, you being in the video and the visual and all that. And I was like, wow. Like, you didn't have to do that, you know, but it was really cool that that's crazy about your mother. Oh, yeah. And those are the stories, too, that, like, people don't know. Right. And I think, too, as a single mother struggling. I mean, first off, as a single mother, your mom, dad, caregiver, you're everything. So to be able to, you know, give $11,000 to your child for something that you don't know is going to work.

[Matt Thomas]

I know she believed in us the whole time she had our back, But, I mean, I'm sure the ladies at church were still asking, when the boys gonna make it? Are they ever gonna do anything in music?

[Commercial Announcer 1]

Stop.

[Podcast Host]

That is hilarious.

[Matt Thomas]

Cause, you know, small town, if they don't see you on the voice of Blake Shelton, then you ain't made it.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And trust me, you don't want to be on shows like that. That is. That's funny. Holy cow.

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[Podcast Host]

That also leads me to one of your next songs, which was Take my name.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So that was Billboard's most played country song in 2022. And I guarantee you, tons of my listeners have used that song as their wedding song. How does it feel to know that you created such a beautiful piece of art that now people are using to, like, set off their marriages?

[Matt Thomas]

I would have never thought when we started this band, hey, guys, we're gonna be like the wedding guys.

[Scott Thomas]

And the demo was. He played it for us, and it was just a little keyboard, easy demo sound. But it just sounded such a. Like a hit. It was just like.

[Matt Thomas]

He called it, we're in the bus riding it.

[Scott Thomas]

I don't know what this song is, but it sounds like a hit. You better do it.

[Matt Thomas]

And who would have thought that that'd be the most placed song of the year? That's the thing about songwriting. Or just take an opportunity. Some days you might write a song. Most days you write songs and nothing ever happens. But some days you could just by chance be in a room and you come out with the most placed song of the year. It's like mining for gold. You never know.

[Podcast Host]

And was there a moment that you were like, holy cow. Was there a wedding video that was sent to you? Or is there something you remember about that song in particular? Like a moment someone used it that really stuck with you?

[Matt Thomas]

Well, we got invited to do it. We crashed a wedding.

[Scott Thomas]

Crashed a wedding.

[Matt Thomas]

We didn't get here in Nashville.

[Podcast Host]

Stop it. Yeah, please tell me about that.

[Matt Thomas]

It's kind of like the Maroon 5 video for. What was the song they had where they. They. Nobody knew we were going to be there.

[Podcast Host]

Yes.

[Matt Thomas]

Had, like, a house band. And all I remember was I was freaking out. I was like, please.

[Scott Thomas]

The groom knew, but the bride didn't. So, you know, you can ruin the fries moment. You can ruin.

[Commercial Announcer 2]

We were freaking.

[Scott Thomas]

We were nervous.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

But once they figured out who we were and we started playing and then take my name was their song, it worked out great.

[Podcast Host]

But, wow, that had to have been nerve wracking.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah. Because it wasn't like we practiced, and we just. We took over the wedding band, so it wasn't, like, rehearsed or Anything.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And you also don't know what kind of wedding band you're getting either.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah. We're like, can we play? Can I play your drums? Yeah. And they're like, cool, cool. Let's go. But it worked out great.

[Podcast Host]

Holy cow. That's amazing.

[Scott Thomas]

We hear stories every. At every show, and you're just blown away when somebody says you don't really know what to say. You're just, like, amazed.

[Podcast Host]

That's awesome.

[Scott Thomas]

If they use your song for anything.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. So in 2022, when you heard that this was, like, the most played country music song on Billboard, what was going through your head?

[Scott Thomas]

It still don't resonate for me.

[Matt Thomas]

My OCD was like, all right, what's next? We gotta keep this going.

[Julie (Hospice Nurse Podcast Host)]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

You know, I've always been that way, but it was. I don't know. It's cool because you never would have seen that coming, especially knowing Carolina happened in 2013.

[Podcast Host]

Well, that's the thing. It's like, 2013, that happened. It took you 12 years to get that first number one. Then this happened in 2022, and you've had, what, six number ones with over 1.6 billion streams?

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

It's crazy.

[Podcast Host]

And that's absolutely insane. I mean, to know that you've touched that many people. What does it feel like from the inside? You know, like, knowing. Do you get immune to it at times? Do you think maybe you, like, take. Take it for granted? It just becomes your new normal. Like, I know people all the time, like, will be like, I'm like, oh, well, I have to go to D.C. and I have to go to this White House event, or I have to do this. And I'm. They're like, you do realize that's not normal? Like, you kind of get complacent with it. Of like, oh, I have to do this now.

[Matt Thomas]

Well, one thing we have a rule is if our song ever comes on the radio, you can never turn it. You have to turn it up no matter where we're at. But also, I think coming from all the struggles that we had to get here, we really appreciate it, but we still have to kick each other, like, yo, this is pretty cool. You get to do this for a living and travel and do all this cool stuff. It's a great job. It's really cool. I always say we get to travel the country and parts of the world. That would never have. We would never have been able to do without music. Yeah, but that's what we were always. That was our focus. That's what we Wanted to do.

[Podcast Host]

And what is there a number one in particular that you would say hits different than any other one?

[Matt Thomas]

Well, obviously Carolina's gonna be the goal because that saved us from, you know, our day jobs.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, and saved you from your day jobs. When did you quit your day jobs?

[Matt Thomas]

When I say, oh, we quit them when we moved to Nashville in November of 2011. We were working up into that point day jobs, hustling. Their hurricane had come through North Carolina and us being loggers and having chainsaws and equipment, we were able to get like that last hustle, that last day job hustle before we came to Nashville. But that was it. That was the last time we had day job.

[Scott Thomas]

Coming to Nashville was nerve wracking because we just all four, which Josh was married, still rented a house, no furniture laid on the floor. I remember throwing a mattress down, saying, here we are. And I wasn't spring chicken either, you know, in our 30s, we're in our

[Podcast Host]

30s that don't realize that's old for the country musical.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah. Or anything in your career, you know.

[Commercial Announcer 3]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Because, because there's, it's like I will never forget, my dad always told me growing up, he's like, you better remember there's always someone younger, someone hotter, someone more successful, someone more talented. It's all about how hard you're willing to work.

[Scott Thomas]

That's. That's what we did and that's, that's how we're here.

[Commercial Announcer 3]

Yeah. So.

[Scott Thomas]

But yeah, I mean, we just right before Carolina came out, so we didn't know you still weren't making money. Signed a record deal. That's it.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

Five thousand dollar signing bonus, by the way. Divided by four.

[Scott Thomas]

Divided by four.

[Pluto TV Announcer]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

So it wasn't like, oh well, like

[Matt Thomas]

we got like, got a big check, 100 grand or nothing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

We can give you guys 5,000, move to Nashville.

[Scott Thomas]

Two years later is when you just started generating.

[Podcast Host]

And so when you started seeing actual money, was it kind of a. Were you shocked? Because, I mean, it really wasn't how you grew up. Right. Like you said, came from a single mom.

[Scott Thomas]

I was shocked. I didn't want to pay that credit card bill.

[Podcast Host]

Isn't that the worst? It's like you get the money, they're

[Scott Thomas]

like, you need to pay this off and be done with it. And I was like, you're like, can't

[Podcast Host]

you just pay the minimum?

[Scott Thomas]

I know I did it. That was a big. To me, it was a lot. But I mean that, that, that was a big moment though.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

To be kind of debt Free a

[Matt Thomas]

little bit and make a living playing music. That was really the goal. But it's still in the back of my mind. Every day when I go by the gas station, I see the boys coming out of the truck. You know, I know they're working hard.

[Scott Thomas]

It doesn't leave us. I think about everybody out here working. It doesn't leave me either or him. So we always got this chip on

[Podcast Host]

our back, like, because also, it' just like you got. It can also be taken away from you. You know, y' all seen how this industry works. So it's like you can never think. You can never get too comfortable.

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, I know we've been through it,

[Scott Thomas]

but always remember where you came from, and then you won't. You know, you can deal with it. Yeah, some people can't deal with it.

[Podcast Host]

No, some people can't. Once you've been there, it's like, you know what you want out of life. If you have to go back, you know how to deal with it. Like, you're no better than anyone else than to have to stop. That's just. Just the reality of it. The problem is when you think you're too good to have to suffer, then God will really step in.

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

Quick.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, Exactly. And so when it comes to y' all songs, you gonna love you, right? That was another number one. And that definitely feels different than the rest of your catalog, kind of.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Now, where. Where did that song come from?

[Grainger Commercial Announcer]

We.

[Matt Thomas]

I was just thinking, like, we want a global message. We want like a. You know, I guess that was the word I was using when I was getting.

[Scott Thomas]

They love using that love something that's not like, driving tracks.

[Matt Thomas]

So definitely love is global, you know, And. And we wrote the song, and we were. You know, we were thinking about a music video treatment. And. We'll get to this in a second. I know this leads up to it, but the incident we went through before we got a record deal, and you

[Podcast Host]

could talk about whatever you want to talk about or whatever you don't want to talk about. So don't feel.

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, no. We'll tell the whole story. But that that song ended up being a music video for what we went through. Music video for that song.

[Scott Thomas]

We loved the song because we knew it was strong and we'd been playing it live. And then we started thinking about a music video and all of our song. The videos are kind of the same. The love story.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

So we're like, how can we switch this up? Yeah, because it's a love song. Believe it or Not. Yeah, but the video doesn't make it look like it changes, you know, the way you think of the song. But we talked it over and we would. We were like, do you think we can do this? You think this song leans toward. Toward the incident that happened to us?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

And everybody agreed, like, we'll do it. It was hard, but we did it.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

But yeah, we.

[Matt Thomas]

So, yeah. Explaining if you haven't watched the video, everybody please go watch the video because it's. It explains this story in detail for the most part.

[Commercial Announcer 3]

And again, the reason I left that

[Podcast Host]

question open ended is because I know

[Commercial Announcer 3]

you've said in other interviews you're tired

[Podcast Host]

of basically talking about it. So I don't want to, you know, relive something that you.

[Matt Thomas]

It's fine.

[Scott Thomas]

Well, when we first got here, I think we didn't want to talk about it because we were new and we didn't want every interview to be about.

[Podcast Host]

To be about. You want it to be about your craft.

[Scott Thomas]

And then now, since that video and the song, that. And then everything's. It actually helped us release and.

[Podcast Host]

Well, I think it was very therapeutic, right?

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah, it was hard.

[Matt Thomas]

Except filming it. That was horrible.

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[Podcast Host]

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[Podcast Host]

So going back to that story, if you're comfortable in sharing, obviously to explain what the music video is.

[Matt Thomas]

What? Yeah. So this is before we had a record deal. This was in 2010. This is crazy.

[Scott Thomas]

Go back because you like details. So go back to rick beato.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

2006, we do Carolina. We got our own version. And that just leads us around the Carolinas. Just a little local band for about two or three years.

[Matt Thomas]

Yep.

[Scott Thomas]

Then we come here to Nashville. The country artist wants to use our song Carolina. We're like, cool. We can.

[Julie (Hospice Nurse Podcast Host)]

We get.

[Scott Thomas]

We're getting the song on country radio.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

Well, he didn't use it. We re recorded it right here in Nashville. Right. Right here on Music Row. And we're so excited because we recorded the song. We got this version. We know it's one of our best songs ever. We might get a record deal. All this has happened this 2010 in July. Right.

[Matt Thomas]

It's like July 2010. Granted, we've been a band for nine years up to this point.

[Scott Thomas]

Broke or longer?

[Matt Thomas]

Just. Yeah, yeah, longer we say. And so we finally had. We got a production deal, meaning that we had this production company record two songs and they were going to shop it to labels. So finally, after all those years, something promising as a band and we were just so pumped.

[Scott Thomas]

We're getting a record deal.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah, we're getting a record deal. So we, we record it in July. Must have had a good time. And Carolina, we had two songs. The idea was we're going to come out to Nashville in October and we're going to do showcases and probably get us a record deal off those two songs.

[Scott Thomas]

People know what a showcase is. That's when you play five or six songs in front of a record label or say they want to sign you or not.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

It happens a lot.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. And so we were excited. We were going out, kind of rehearsing, playing some new songs, getting ready, doing as many shows as we could. Played this club on a Monday night in Rock Hill, South Carolina. I think maybe 20 people showed up. But we're outside the club after the show. Me and Scott are on our rv, not a tour. Bus. Rv.

[Scott Thomas]

It was a tour bus to us. Yeah, we're very proud of this rv.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. But small inside of it, you know? And me and Scott are in. In the rv. Josh and Barry are rolling cables in the club, and we get a knock on the door. I'm assuming it's Barry and Josh, but it's a gun at my head. Two guys in bandanas give me effing cash. So, you know, they push their way up in the rv. Scott's in the back of the RV in the bed section, and he comes and has a gun on my head and give me effing cash. And fires the gun right by my head because he meant business. And I said, scott, I need some help. And so him being. He had. He had his firearm. He was a concealed carrier. He came out from the back, and then a gunfight happened right in the little hallway area.

[Scott Thomas]

Small area, too.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. He engaged both the guys, Took out one guy. Took out both guys, actually, but he got shot three times in the middle of it, and it was just pure hell right there in the rv. And next thing I know, he's laying on the couch, bleeding out, and they got me. And then Josh and Barry come in because they heard all the commotion. So they had the. Luckily, I'll say this, There was a police officer at the McDonald's right beside it, and he heard it all going on. He showed up quick. And then the first responders were there, so they got him out, airlifted him to Charlotte. Me and Josh and Barry just in there, just totally confused.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, and probably in such shock.

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, yeah, Totally in shock. And anyway, he. He was flown there. And I remember once we finally got there, which was like, three in the morning, we had no idea where he was going, how to find him. All of a sudden, all this happens, and it's me, Barry, and Josh driving this little Ford Ranger an hour and a half to Charlotte to go to the hospital to find out where he's at. And we go in there, and the doctors, like, looks at us. He's like, I'm just gonna tell you. He's like. Most people with these injuries have a 5% chance of living.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Matt Thomas]

So you want to tell them where you. You were hit and what happened?

[Scott Thomas]

I got hit in the chip right here in the heart. One through my abs, and one clipped my artery in my butt. The forest gump shot. But it was a bad one. It clipped my artery. So they saved my leg, my life, everything. Yeah, that is.

[Matt Thomas]

It was.

[Podcast Host]

And how long was that recovery?

[Scott Thomas]

I was in coma for 10 days, 40 in the hospitality, some in the hospital.

[Matt Thomas]

And then, wow.

[Scott Thomas]

The timeline was September 21st, because that's my second birthday now I have two birthdays. Say September.

[Podcast Host]

I love that.

[Scott Thomas]

And then maybe February.

[Matt Thomas]

It was February when we came back.

[Pluto TV Announcer]

February.

[Scott Thomas]

We came back. We downplayed how bad I was to

[Matt Thomas]

the lady, and he almost like, it was.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, there's no way. I mean, I don't get how you make it through that.

[Scott Thomas]

It wasn't as much social media either. So you could downplay a lot.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, you could downplay a lot back then.

[Scott Thomas]

So we came back in February, which is, what, six months later? Not even six months later. I hobbled on stage, played six songs, and the owner of the label came up and said, y' all passed the test. Let's do a record deal.

[Podcast Host]

Wow. I mean, if that's not God, I don't know what is.

[Scott Thomas]

Oh, I had a lot of prayers.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, what did. And this had to have been hard for you, too, right? Like, watching him and watching your brother in that situation and that healing journey. What would you say that taught you throughout that experience?

[Matt Thomas]

Well, obviously, we had a lot of people praying and a lot of people that donated money and helped us kind of pay our bills and everything. So that first thing was like, wow, we must have really support team. Yeah, we had. We must have impacted people, whether it's on a personal level or music. All the above. To where they gave a crap about us and cared. Local bands doing shows, people putting together benefits. It was awesome. And so that was like. It gave us a boost of like, okay, this is.

[Podcast Host]

This.

[Matt Thomas]

Maybe this is our purpose. It's like, we got to keep this going. And.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

And.

[Matt Thomas]

And, you know, that was our focus was like, we got to get back to Nashville.

[Harrison Prentice]

We.

[Matt Thomas]

We were playing songs in the. While he was in a coma. We're playing music, and we're like, we got to get back. We got to go do this. We have to. And so I think that was a. A big driving force. And then also realizing that, you know, God stepped in that night and, like, yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

And we all knew life was short, but that's the part that comes in that. Do y' all argue a lot of this? We've been through so much. You've been through the whole band's like, whatever.

[Podcast Host]

When you experience something like that, everything else is so minuscule that it's like, why are we even going to fight about this? Or why are we going to have words like, life is so short?

[Scott Thomas]

And I think in the Past probably since the pandemic. Everybody's just appreciating everything so much. And I don't want to stop doing that. Even just being here with you. Just. It's just the little things.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And so that, you know, that experience obviously led you to the music video. And you said filming that was extremely difficult.

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, it was horrible. We were in that hospital.

[Podcast Host]

Oh.

[Matt Thomas]

I mean, he was in the. He would. So this is a. Is a hospital that's been shut down for like 20 years in Nashville.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Matt Thomas]

But I mean, the room was identical. And he's laying in the bed the whole time, and we're just laying around him. And it was like right back into.

[Scott Thomas]

I was weird. I was like in a trance. I don't know. It was weird, but definitely affected me for it for a year because I've had some bad dreams.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

So I really. You probably all your fans and everybody freak out. It's like, we. We didn't go to therapy even up till then. Never. Well, also, one time.

[Podcast Host]

That one. But also, let's face it, like, therapy really took hold the past five years.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

You know, maybe you're right.

[Podcast Host]

And I think my generation has done. My generation's done a lot of screwed up stuff. Okay. I'm just gonna put it there. But. But one thing my generation has done good is, like, normalizing. It's okay to not be okay.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It's okay to go and get therapy. It's cool to go and get therapy. And it hasn't been that way. Like, I know. Like my parents, Right. They're like. They were.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Oh.

[Scott Thomas]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Especially men from the south. Like, that's just. It's weak. It's.

[Scott Thomas]

Push it down.

[Podcast Host]

What are you carrying to help me? You know, you just carry on.

[Scott Thomas]

Booze it down.

[Grainger Commercial Announcer]

Right?

[Podcast Host]

Exactly. And have y' all gone to therapy since?

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah. So that started my journey, really.

[Matt Thomas]

We went. Talk about the first time we went. This was right after.

[Scott Thomas]

Oh, this was.

[Matt Thomas]

So this was. Me and him went together. They're like, y' all probably need to go to therapy. And so we went to see and

[Scott Thomas]

everybody said, you know, this is a traumatic. And we're like, okay. And we're fresh and new. We're not. We're. This is like probably six, seven months after, right?

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah, like six or seven months after we go see.

[Scott Thomas]

So we both go together. Which. That's even better because we can talk to the guy.

[Matt Thomas]

He did tell us the one thing he said. He's like, yeah, you guys are living this wide open lifestyle, which we Were we. We would hang out with anybody. We had parties.

[Julie (Hospice Nurse Podcast Host)]

We.

[Matt Thomas]

You know, we were good time people.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

He's like, your. Your circle just went from here to here, so you're gonna close in. And that was true. But then he said, you know.

[Scott Thomas]

Well, he said he knew we were. We told him we were musicians.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

Because he knew the incident and all that. He said, well, you know, I just came out of the closet.

[Podcast Host]

Stop.

[Scott Thomas]

And we were like, oh, man. What are we supposed to say?

[Podcast Host]

Why is your therapist telling you that?

[Scott Thomas]

They said I was a closet bass player. Swear to God. And it tripped us out. We were like, okay, okay, we can handle this. We just thought he was gonna throw something on us that we didn't know what to handle. But we thought that was fun. He broke the ice there. We were. We would. I don't think he was trying to be funny there, but it was funny.

[Podcast Host]

That's hilarious. So y' all did one therapy session,

[Scott Thomas]

and then you said, that's good. We're good.

[Matt Thomas]

We're good. Like, everybody go by, what, 15 years?

[Scott Thomas]

Well, I think. I think for me, I came here and we were so busy from the time we signed a record deal that it took me about five years. And I could say that through any incident you go through in life where I was like, oh, I almost died.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Scott Thomas]

It just. I think it was. We stopped and we weren't. It was.

[Podcast Host]

You had been so busy, you didn't have time to think about it. And then when you finally stop, everything hits you. And it's like, there's a book called the Body Keeps the Score. And it's like, it doesn't matter how much time has passed. Your body stores that trauma, and it's going to come out at some point.

[Scott Thomas]

That's what happened to me. And then this video definitely did something. So my. There's a place called Porter's Call right here in Nashville. It's all for us. Musicians, touring artists, anybody in the music industry, period. Yeah, it's nonprofit, so I go there, and I love them, and I recommend all our. You know, anybody in this area needs anything.

[Podcast Host]

I love that. That's amazing. And so, like, you know, we've talked about just all of your music, and it's kind of all across the board. Right. And you've got a song, God Knew Better.

[Harrison Prentice]

Yep.

[Podcast Host]

And I think that one. That one's huge. I feel like a lot of my audience is, like, searching for something to believe in. And especially after the pandemic, it's like you're seeing A surge and. And faith and God. And Where. Where did that song come from?

[Matt Thomas]

It was actually. We had some. Some buddies of ours that pitched us the idea and had kind of started it. And I was like. We heard it one time, and I was like, this. This song's got something because it's just basically talking about going through life and, you know, as most of us do, we make mistakes and.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

You know, end up down the wrong path a lot of times. And then you find that. That person, that. Or that incident or whatever it is that put you back on track, and then you realize, like, this is God's plan. Like, this wouldn't have happened if he didn't.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

In God's time.

[Scott Thomas]

In God's plan. You know, we've all heard it and we say it, but it's just. Stuff happens that way.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. I mean, that. That night, obviously, he kept us around. For me, I mean, how I didn't get shot. It's crazy that.

[Podcast Host]

That, to me, is crazy how he

[Matt Thomas]

lived through a 5% chance of living. You know, how we were also.

[Scott Thomas]

The songs and just us grinding and how things keep happening for us.

[Matt Thomas]

You know, I mean, just the Way was a song that came out during the pandemic. We recorded it right before the pandemic. And at that point in time, we were on a. You know, we were struggling. We had had our success. And I think that's, like, when it all hit him, things kind of slowed down. We were searching. We put some songs out that didn't work. And, you know, my mind, I'm, like, trying to figure it all out. And then the song just. We find a song that I was writing one day randomly, just something told me I needed to be songwriting that day, and went and wrote this song, and it completely turned our whole career around. And the message is positive and just away. Yeah. And then Covid hit. Right as that song came out, we were shut down. But honestly, it was the message everybody needed to hear at that time. That's what I still need to hear.

[Podcast Host]

Exactly. That's. During that time, everyone needed a message of hope. They needed them. Sorry, they didn't need a song about a tractor and beer. Like, they just didn't. They needed something to grab onto, something to make them feel better about their life, to make sense of their life. So that it's, again, kind of that message right where it feels like things are falling apart, but really it's falling exactly into place.

[Harrison Prentice]

Yeah.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And so that now leads me to your next. Next song that's coming out yeah. Let the country music play with low cash.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And by the time people hear this, the song will be out. So go listen to it wherever you get your music. Apple, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube, wherever. Yeah, but tell, tell me about that song.

[Scott Thomas]

I think there's two parts of Parmalee and, well, location. We got the serious part, you know, and then we got the fun part. Now we're back to the fun part.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Why do I feel like you're more of the serious guy and you're more of like the.

[Matt Thomas]

Not completely opposite?

[Podcast Host]

Really? Really?

[Scott Thomas]

Maybe.

[Matt Thomas]

I don't know. We've always been like, like I said, good time people. We love throwing parties and entertaining people. Always have been. I've always been like hardcore, we gotta get this done music kind of guy. But we always love to have a good time.

[Scott Thomas]

Now we always, all of us have a good time, especially the whole band, of course.

[Podcast Host]

So this song, it drops tomorrow, which again, when people listen, it will already have dropped. But it's had 8.5 million plus pre release views.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Already. Which is huge.

[Matt Thomas]

I love that you're like, I read that.

[Podcast Host]

Yes.

[Scott Thomas]

I mean, we, we literally.

[Matt Thomas]

Here's the thing, it's another one of like timing and weird stuff to happen because we had that song about three years ago and I wrote it with a couple buddies of mine. And it was just one of those songs that it was so much fun. We just needed like a real country artists to do the verses because we knew we could sing the choruses kind of thing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

And we just happened to play a show with those guys about a month ago.

[Scott Thomas]

And yep.

[Matt Thomas]

Scott, out of nowhere was like, like a light bulb.

[Scott Thomas]

I remember I looked at Chris and I was sitting outside just talking. I said, they need to hear this song. They can sing it. The low cast boys can sing it. And we played it for him on the bus. They heard the verse and didn't even make it through the course. We want it. We want it now. We're going to record it. We're going to record it tomorrow. This has all happened in less than a month.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Scott Thomas]

They've already recorded it. We went in the studio, we cut it, they sang the vocals.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. And. But the cool thing was Key West Songwriters Festival was the next week. And so they're like, we're gonna be in Key West. Can y' all fly down? We'll shoot some content. And so we just said, yeah, let's do it. So we all, all four of us went down to Key west for like one day. We're just walking on Content. And then next thing you know, they. We plopped the video out. Little teaser of the course, and it just starts going like crazy. And then we popped another one out and then that started taking off more than the first. And we're like, what's happening here? People must dig it. They must like it.

[Podcast Host]

So that's huge. I mean, 8.5 million pre release views is insane.

[Scott Thomas]

I didn't know that.

[Podcast Host]

Your face, when I said that was pretty iconic. It was amazing. I feel like country music is having its moment right now.

[Matt Thomas]

You know, want something fun. And I think it's been real serious and real, like.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

A lot of melancholy stuff out.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

And I just think people just want to have fun.

[Podcast Host]

You think this is the new summer song?

[Scott Thomas]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

It's gotta be, for sure.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

Here's the thing. It's already a hit because it's. It's an interpolation of the Pina Colada song by Richard Holmes. Everybody loves that song.

[Podcast Host]

Exactly.

[Scott Thomas]

Yeah.

[Matt Thomas]

And so we just mapped that into talking about old country music. And. And we did all the references of all our favorite country music artists. And. And it's just fun. I. I don't know how.

[Scott Thomas]

It's just a game to play. How many country music artists did we miss?

[Matt Thomas]

Like 18 in there.

[Podcast Host]

Holy cow. That's fun.

[Matt Thomas]

References.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that's fun. And so now with, you know, where you're at in your career, what is next?

[Matt Thomas]

Just trying to have as much fun as we can doing this and not be stressed out about things and enjoy our, you know, what we worked hard for and play shows and have fun and. But we're obviously continuing to write and record and do as much as we can, but really it is about that. It's about everybody, you know, just chilling,

[Scott Thomas]

having fun, connecting to more. More people.

[Podcast Host]

Connecting to more people. And what. So what was. What's. What's a piece of advice you would give to someone who is in like that 2, 3, 4, 5 year mark, trying to make it in this industry to where they feel like it's never going to happen.

[Scott Thomas]

So I'd say 10 years, four vans,

[Matt Thomas]

trailers getting shot, couple bullets, about 75,000 worth of credit card debt, a lot of credit card debt, if you haven't got there yet.

[Scott Thomas]

And just.

[Podcast Host]

It doesn't come easy.

[Scott Thomas]

No, that's. That's the whole thing.

[Podcast Host]

Like you're gonna be told no, you're. More times than you can count, but all it takes is one. Yes.

[Matt Thomas]

Yeah. And be yourself. Do your thing. Don't focus on what everybody else is doing don't.

[Scott Thomas]

Which is hard to do.

[Matt Thomas]

It's hard. Don't chase what's out there.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

I'm.

[Matt Thomas]

We're guilty of it, too.

[Podcast Host]

Well, yeah. You see what's hitting right now, and you're like, all right, maybe we need this kind of song, or maybe we need that versus actually just being authentic to who you are.

[Matt Thomas]

You have to be authentic to who you are. That's the only way to cut through all.

[Scott Thomas]

And you were right. You know, you're gonna hear no a lot and just take that and then roll with it. That's what we did. We would take advice. If they say, you need to do this, you need to do that. We would listen to it and accept it and try to do something better.

[Podcast Host]

Well, before we wrap up, I want to play just a little game. Okay. It's just like a little rapid fire game. So I'm gonna read out a Parmalee song title, and you have roughly 20 seconds to tell my audience what the song is really about.

[Matt Thomas]

Okay?

[Podcast Host]

All right.

[Scott Thomas]

Can we do it together?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Ronald, you. You do the first one. You do the second one.

[Scott Thomas]

Okay?

[Podcast Host]

All right. Okay. I was saying Parmalee. That's not a song title. That's you. Okay. Number one, Carolina.

[Matt Thomas]

It's about how the people you love make you feel like you're at home when you're with them no matter where you're at.

[Podcast Host]

Just the way with Blanco Brown.

[Scott Thomas]

Just the way God made you. It's just telling the girl or the guy that you love them the way they were made.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, Take my name.

[Matt Thomas]

Wedding song. You know, will you marry me? A different way of saying will you marry me?

[Podcast Host]

Will you marry me?

[Scott Thomas]

It is easy way.

[Matt Thomas]

Yes, Easy way.

[Podcast Host]

All right. Girl and girl and mine.

[Scott Thomas]

Girl and mine. She's that one you love flirting with. That's just your. Your baby doll, your boo.

[Matt Thomas]

That's your baby doll. That's right.

[Podcast Host]

Gon you.

[Matt Thomas]

That's just about. You know you're gonna love somebody. No matter what you're going through, even the world's against you, you're gonna still love them.

[Podcast Host]

That's right, cowgirl.

[Scott Thomas]

Oh, cowgirl. That's just fun. That's just like going out in Broadway chasing those cowgirls.

[Podcast Host]

God knew better.

[Matt Thomas]

Finding that right person that puts you back on track and fixes. Fixes things.

[Podcast Host]

And last but not least, how do I let you go?

[Scott Thomas]

Oh, that's a good one. That hits home. Just missing that person that's passed away in your life, that's a hard one. That's a tough one. But that's those ones that influenced you.

[Additional Guest or Commentator]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, so of those, which one is one that, when you hear on the radio, you're still surprised that, like, that's your song?

[Matt Thomas]

Oh, man.

[Scott Thomas]

All of them. That was not the question.

[Matt Thomas]

No, it's like. Because it's like out of all the years you worked, out of all the songs you wrote, out of everything, we've

[Podcast Host]

written hundreds of songs.

[Matt Thomas]

Hundreds, Thousands. And it's all condensed down for the radio hits. It's these songs. So it's like, wow, out of all those, like, how. Why couldn't we have just written those out the gate? Those first six?

[Podcast Host]

Exactly. Couldn't we have just gotten six in a row and then, like, that would have been easy. Well, guys, thank you so much for coming on. And just a reminder for everyone listening, let the country music play with. Lokat is out now, so go listen. And where can people find you guys on social media?

[Matt Thomas]

At Parmalee Music.

[Scott Thomas]

Yep.

[Podcast Host]

At Parmalee Music. Well, thank you. This was a blast.

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