Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Nashville singer-songwriter Chris Wallin in studio to discuss the confluence between authentic country music and constitutional conservative populism.
Leahy: In studio, all-star panelist, recovering journalist Clint Brewer, and the great singer-songwriter Chris Wallin. We are going to have Gary Chapman in the next hour and a rising star in country music. Alexis Wilkins will be here.
And I wanted to talk a little bit, Clint and Chris, about what I see as the confluence between authentic country music and constitutional conservative populism. They seem to be coming together and in fact, there’s going to be this big event that you’re about to attend, Chris, out in Phoenix, Arizona, starting Saturday and continuing for a couple more days.
It’s called America Fest 2022. And there are about a dozen of the most famous, if you will, conservative folks today combined with some singers, songwriters and performers.
The folks that will be there: Charlie Kirk, Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Greg Gutfeld, Laura Ingraham, Kari Lake, Stephen K, Bannon, Newt Gingrich, and, of course, Chris Wallin. You’ll be there, right?
Wallin: Yes. They forgot to put me on the bill. (Leahy laughs) I need to talk to my agent.
Leahy: The event that you went to Michigan was a little bit like that, right? Kind of like that.
Wallin: Dana Perino was MC.
Leahy: Your best friend now?
Wallin: Well, we’re kind of best friends now. I call her Dane-Dane.
Brewer:Â I don’t think anybody’s ever called her Dane-Dane. (Laughter)
Leahy: But singer-songwriters can come up with nicknames.
Brewer: Is that how it works?
Leahy: Singer-songwriters can use language as they see fit, right?
Wallin: Exactly.
Brewer: Okay. Mike-Mike. (Laughter)
Leahy:Â Our listeners are the kind of folks that like authentic country music. Let me just say, there is sort of country music performers that sound to me like homogenized pop. LA music kind of makes me want to throw up. To be honest. I’m not naming names.
Wallin: No. But that’s the thing. Like I said before, it comes back to authenticity to me. It’s about can I believe it? I don’t mind having a loop or being a poppy production, but can I believe that person in that role that they’re singing to me from that’s the thing for me is I want to believe it through their music and know who they are through their music.
Leahy: Yes, exactly. You had an interesting story about your background. You said off the record, when you were seven years old your mother came to Nashville. You’re from East Tennessee.
Wallin: I am.
Leahy: And your mother came to Nashville. Tell us where you lived.
Wallin: When I was seven years old, me and my mom lived on top of a bar on Broadway called The Turf.
Leahy: By the way, talk about a song itself. When I was seven, I and my mother lived above a bar in Nashville so she could record a record.
Wallin: Yes, that’s exactly right. And she used to take me to all of the restaurants and bars around Nashville with a 45 record and a jukebox insert and try to get her record on all the jukeboxes in town.
Brewer: All you would need to make that a country song is something about trains, trucks and prison. (Laughter)
Wallin: I have that.
Brewer: Add those.
Wallin: That goes in the bridge.
Brewer: Mama’s in there.
Wallin: Yeah, that’s in the bridge.
Brewer: We started with Mama.
Leahy: But this whole thing about authenticity. And I think the country is crying out for authenticity.
Wallin: 100 percent. And not just country music. The country is crying out for authenticity.
Leahy: Now that you’re best pals with Dana Perino.
Wallin: We’re like best friends. Me and Dane Dane.
Leahy: When you go out to Phoenix, I think one of our next guests, Alexis Wilkins is going out there as well.
Wallin: Awesome.
Leahy: To America Fest. And I don’t know about Gary. Gary probably got an invitation, but he gets so many invitations. You know, it might not make it on his schedule, but Mike Lindell is going to be there. Kind of an interesting guy.
There’s another interesting fellow that you might want to connect with while you’re out there. Tim Pool. Do you know who Tim Pool is? Tim Cast.
Wallin: Yes.
Leahy: I had no idea who this guy was. Do you know who Tim Pool is? The Tim Cast. He’s kind of like about barely 30 years old. He’s always wearing one of these wool caps. And you would think, who is this character?
He’s very influential. He does a podcast, and he’s got kind of sort of populous leanings, but among folks who are significantly younger than I am.
Brewer: Mike, I think that’s the whole room, buddy.
Leahy: It’s the whole room.
Brewer: That’s all of us. On the air and those waiting in the wings.
Leahy: He sort of got a little Joe Rogan in him, I think.
Wallin: Interesting fact, this just happened for the last time about four days ago. I was reading up on him. He has been SWAT teamed 16 times.
Leahy: Well, of course. And the reason he’s been SWATTed…
Wallin: They’ve never got him.
Leahy: Somebody on the left sets them up, had some crimes going on here,
Wallin: 16 times.
Leahy: I don’t think I’d like that. That hasn’t happened to me yet. And I hope it doesn’t.
Wallin: Oh my God.
Listen to today’s show highlights, including this interview:
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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
Photo “Chris Wallin” by Chris Wallin.Â
