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On Thursday morning I had a quick chat with northern Alberta local, and also famous country music star, Aaron Goodvin. Take a listen!

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Hey, it's river Country, is this Aaron?

 Hey, Robert. 

Hi. How's it going?

 Good. How are you, bud?

 I'm fantastic. Awesome. Well, thank you for joining me. Thanks for calling me. How's your morning going so far?

No problem. Just fine. Just dandy

Awesome. Do you want to just get right into it then? 

Let's hear it

well, I guess the first question. I'm kind of curious, what have you been up to? For the past year and a bit? Was this a productive year for you? Or maybe not so much?

You know, it's hard to look at. I haven't, you know, I feel like life has went on a little bit. In some ways, I've been way busier than I would be if I was playing shows, you know? I often say it'd be nice to get back on the road so I can get a break. There's, just been a ton of online stuff. And, you know, me being based just outside of Nashville, I'm constantly going on radio tours. And, you know, we're promoting Lonely Drum down here in the US. So, you know, it's like you never know, when you gotta be up and gone somewhere. So it's been, it's productive as it can be, I guess, you know, and things just kind of keep moving. And I've certainly missed Canada. 

Oh, for sure. I was gonna actually ask you about that. You're from up here in beautiful northern Alberta spirit River. Have you been home to visit lately?

No, I have not been back in Canada. Since January of 2020.

It's been a minute then. Wow. 

It's been a while. Yeah. 

Is there anything out here that maybe you'd like to see again, or like a spot that you want to visit that you haven't been in a while?

I really want to see my family, my nieces and nephew. That's about the gist of it. You know, I have a feeling we'll get back to all the places that I love in Canada at some point. But, you know, at this point it is just like, you know, that, yeah, I just want to be able to see them. I've missed them growing up quite a bit, I feel. And so it's that part kind of hurts a little bit. But other than that, you know, we've got some time scoped out here that we're actually coming back to Canada next week. It blows my mind. So I'm super, super excited. I'm not gonna believe it until I see it, you know. But, I'm excited about it. 

Yeah, for sure. It's super excited to be back in Canada, we're excited to have you back in Canada gonna be playing Stampede, how's it feel to be back out there playing shows again?

It's so great. I've been very lucky here in the US to still kind of be able to play shows here and there through COVID. And a lot more towards the end of COVID. And, you know, I think it's over here in the US. There's not a lot of hesitancy at all. It feels like a lot of the population is vaccinated. Everybody, it's just kind of right back to normal. So that part has been nice. Obviously, I'm a lot more well known in Canada than I am here in the US. So, you know, that's kind of the part that I missed the most, and everybody knows your songs, and you just can't feel at home. So I definitely missed that. but yeah, I'm so excited. I came in, put my words together. I just hope that it all goes smoothly.

Yeah, I mean, we're very excited. We're like, kind of brand new open here in Alberta. And so this will be for a lot of people. I think the first big party that we're going to get in a while is the stampede and be excited to see you out there.

You betcha and I'm just so happy that it's Stampede. That was always a big thing for me. Growing up, I played Stampede. I think the first time I played I was 14, and I was doing the Nashville north rising star stage or something like that. So it's, it's, you know, this is, this is a really exciting time, and I've never played the wild horse before. So I'm super excited about that. And I just can't wait to see everybody.

Awesome. So a little bit changing a topic, you got a new song out last month. Boy like me just dropped. It's a wonderful track. I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about how that song maybe came into existence, maybe about your kind of creative process in general?

Yeah, over the years, all the shows that we played, you know, it became very evident that, our live shows (were) kind of going in a more, you know, energetic direction, and we really wanted to have more songs that we can slide in there that were sing alongs but still kind of had a real life kind of layer to it. I feel like I've hung my hat on a lot as an artist. So I just went in when COVID kind of hit, I went in and wrote a bunch of songs, you know, because at that time, it was only going to be a couple of weeks or a month that we were going to be off the road. You know, I went in and wrote a bunch of songs that I thought would be great for the live show and had real lyrics. And that one's just kind of stuck out like a sore thumb. You know, it just kind of felt like a big old Smash. And so when we got into the studio it was pretty evident that this is going to be the single number one off a new EP. And so yeah, we're super excited about it.

Yeah. And you kind of touched on something there that I I've actually I've always been kind of personally curious in which is, is kind of designed for like a setlist? Is that something that you're thinking about as you're making music? Like, how do you actually decide the setlist that you're going to do for a show?

You know, it's something that my bandleader and I constantly talk about, you know, we've pretty much almost always done, I mean, even during COVID, we've talked about it a few times when we weren't playing shows. And so it's something that's kind of always on our mind on where to put what songs and yeah, definitely, I mean, the live show, really is kind of the reason we do everything. It's the reason I write songs, it's the reason you know, that. So it's a big part of what we do. And I think to not think about what it what it would go over like live is kind of, you know, that's kind of something that I'm always thinking about when I'm writing that, which is before I was just trying to write a great song.I wasn't too concerned about I wasn't playing many shows, when I first started, as a staff songwriter in Nashville, I was just concerned about writing the best song that I could write, and then you start playing all these shows, and then you're like, oh, man, I really need to like, and then you go and watch a few other artists playing, you're like, Oh, this is a great live song, I get why they recorded it. So it's definitely been a new aspect for me over the past three or four years. And, you know, being so blessed to be able to play big shows up in Canada and have people you know, listening to the music, it just kind of, yeah, I think I think this next EP is really going to be evident and what, what's gonna go over great lies. And so, it's definitely something we consider all the time.

So people should I get out there so they can hear the music as it's meant to be heard

Correct! exactly!

I was asking our listeners here at River Country,  asking them if they had any questions for you. So Cindy's got a question: How has being a northern Alberta boy influenced your music? And how has it influenced your career path?

I'm definitely a product of where I came from. And I feel like being from up in Canada, in the northern part of Alberta, was a huge influence on me. I mean, the music that I listened to growing up was my aunt and uncle's and mom and dad, and everybody playing these country songs around the campfire. You know, that was my introduction to music. I think I was nine or 10, when I found out not everybody loves country music and I was heartbroken. Because that's, that's what I grew up on! And I think that that's a big, big part of where I come from, it's how I write songs. And from that perspective, you know, so I always tell people I wouldn't ever even dream of being from anywhere else, you know, I feel like it's, I feel like it's served me in Nashville. All the people that live here are, most of them aren't from Nashville, and most of them are from smaller towns, you know, and especially when I first moved here, that was a big, that was a big thing, you know, even though, like, I grew up in spirit river, and kind of that Peace country area. And, you know, there's a lot of great little small towns in there, you know, Peace River included. We used to go to Peace River all the time. So that's kind of exactly where I'm from, and that has served me in the music industry. And I'm glad it did, because if everybody was from a big city, I'd probably stick out, like, even more like a sore thumb. and I already do. So. You know, it's a huge part. I mean, I, it's a hard question to answer because it's like, yes! It's like, absolutely! You know, that's exactly it! and I'm very blessed to be where I'm from. I tell everyone, but I'm so happy to not only be from northern Alberta, but to have been lucky enough to spend 20 years there in the first part of my life.

yeah, we're lucky to have you out there representing us getting their name out there. Another listener question. Maureen asked if you had any advice for any other young Albertan boys who have a similar dream that maybe you had once upon a time?

Yeah. Oh, I've got a ton. I should write a book, honestly, 

you should write a book! I would buy it. 

I think that the biggest thing for me in my career, you can't let the word “No” stop you. I had a lot of challenges as I was growing up and I think I started pursuing a career at, you know, like I said, 13, or 14. So, I started really early. Some of the best advice that has helped me through as my dad always told me, to basically just outlast everybody else. And I feel like that's been a thing, you know, kind of a common theme in my life, is I just outlasted everybody, and everybody else gave up and went home, I just kept going. And so I mean, that's my advice. And play as much as you can, write as much as you can. And just, it's, it's, it's a never ending learning process. So there's still co-writes that I go into where, you know, I'm learning, I'm still learning, and there's still shows that I'm playing where I'm learning. And so I think it's just like this. Just Just try to outlast everybody. That would be the title of my book is “Outlast”. I think, But, yeah, that's the best advice I can give, you know, play as much as you can play as many shows as you can

just get the name out there eh?

absolutely 

awesome. So what are maybe your plans for the remainder of the year, other than apparently writing a book? Whatcha got maybe queued up?

We were, we're working. We're, we're now we're working on this brand new record. And I believe we're looking at a Christmas song. So we're excited about that. And then we have just playing as many shows as again, you know, as as often as they'll let us and we got a lot on the on the table or on a you know, on plate right now, we're promoting Lonely Drum in the US, like I said, you know, so there's just, it's, it's a never ending thing, you know. And so yeah, we just got a ton going on. But hopefully, we can play as many shows as possible and get up there as much as possible. 

Yeah, hopefully, we can see you out there as much as possible.

 All right, I got one last question for you. This is one that I like to kind of ask to everybody, which is in as much detail as possible. What is the correct way to assemble a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

Oh, you gotta toast. It's got to be toasted heavily to I would say almost black. And then you need some butter on there. And then it's peanut butter and then some jam. A lot of peanutbutter and they're just like a touch of jam.

How many utensils are we talking about in a situation?

Oh, God, many as it takes. You've got to be a separate knife for everything

And you have to get all the corners. That's what my mom always taught me. I just can't stand when people don't paint in the corners. You gotta paint cool.

Well, that's interesting. I've never heard anybody putting butter on a peanut butter jelly sandwich, but

Oh, yeah. Amazing. I'm tellin ya. That's probably a bad health risk or something. But that's always how I made it.

Beautiful. Okay. Well, thank you so much for joining me. I look forward to seeing at the stampede. You have a wonderful rest of your morning. 

Thank you so much.

 All right. Bye.

I had the lovely opportunity to chat with Brett Kissel last week. One of the bouncier country stars I've ever had the pleasure of interviewing for sure!

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River Country, is this Brett?

yes, it is sorry for my delay.

No worries How you doing this morning?

Honestly really good, really good. It's great to be back in the saddle and doing press and talking about all the shows that are coming up, obviously (promoting) make a life not a living. It's really, really great. Like I said, just be back in the saddle, you know, and how are you?

I'm doing terrific. I mean, better now. I guess let's just get right into it. How was your year? You were very productive. Tell me how your year went?

Well, it’s a different one, I'll tell you that for free. I mean, it's so crazy to think about the things that we ended up doing and the stuff that we did accomplish. You know, in the last 12 to 18 months. our drive-in shows were amazing, some of the best memories I've ever had in my life, getting a chance to bring live music back in that way. But now that we see light at the end of the tunnel, or here in Alberta, I think we're obviously experiencing some of the sunshine and the freedoms that we've been missing out on. I'm so so happy that the Calgary Stampede is back and we get to play. I'm so excited to be talking to my agent on a regular basis about “Okay, looks like we've got these upcoming dates. So it looks like we've got a tour that is going to be planned and looks like we've got all of these great, great things.” So I mean, you've got a very, very happy country singer on the phone with you right now. Because it looks like things are truly looking up.

Yeah, I can tell you sound very happy, you're gonna be hitting the main stage in my beautiful hometown of Calgary, Alberta. But what does it mean for you personally, to be out there hitting the stage again?

it's emotional, it's really difficult to put it into words, because it's something that I've been waiting for for so long. But I know that everybody who's got a ticket for the show, everybody's going to be waiting in line, everybody's going to experience what I am going to bring on stage. I know that they feel the exact same way, in terms of the excitement, the anticipation, all of those feelings are going to come flooding back to everybody. And so there's going to be this very, very healthy, I'll call a competition between me and my crowd at the Calgary Stampede, where every ounce of energy and excitement that I'm going to give to the crowd, I know they're going to give back to me double! so then it's going to be important for me to one up them again. And then I think the more energy that I give them, the more energy they're going to give me back until I truly believe we're going to blow the roof off of the Nashville North tent.

Yeah, I think it's gonna be incredible. We're getting back out here and open people are very excited to be partying I think a lot of people their first party back might be might be with you and Nashville 

Yeah. And it's gonna be epic.

 Well, I wanted to ask you a little bit change a topic? Where is home these days? Are you back in Nashville? Are you still hanging out in Canada?

No, I've not been back to Nashville. We've really enjoyed our time here in Canada. At the same time, it's very interesting, because as things were going on in the United States at the later part of 2020, especially around the election, I was so so happy to be in Canada, because I thought you know what, in the United States really gotta get their stuff together. Like it's, they got to get it together down there. And then, as things have been so delayed in Canada, and the lockdowns have continued. And I believe that so many of us have been wanting to just get back to normal life, yet we haven't been able to do it. And there's been so much hypocrisy in government, there's been so many challenges that have happened, you know, in so many things that a lot of us are raising our eyebrows on. just good Alberta people and thinking, this doesn't make sense! I'm thinking to myself as I'm watching my buddies in the United States play concerts, and I'm watching my friends in the United States go out and eat dinner and golf and have fun and, and have parties and I'm thinking to myself, here in Canada, we need to get it together. So it's crazy how things have flipped flopped. That being said, the question was, where am I? I'm in Alberta and spending a lot of time on my ranch, my family ranch up in St. Paul area. So it has been great to at least be in a spot where there's a lot of freedom when you've got a farm. And so I can go out on my four wheeler, I can go out on my Quad to go check out, I can go fishing, I can go hunting, I could just be with nature and be out in the bush. And I know a lot of people in the Peace Country get the opportunity to live that lifestyle. So we're definitely got a lot in common for sure.

Awesome. Well, I'm glad to hear that you're out back home hanging out. Actually on that topic, I was asking the listeners here for some questions if they had anything to ask you. And Cindy wanted to ask is: how has being an albertan boy influenced you in your music and your career path?

Well, that's a great question from Cindy and I would talk a lot about the work ethic because I’m very proud of the landscape, and I'm very proud of the lifestyle I've been able to live here in Alberta. And being an Albertan, obviously does come through in my music. But as far as an artist and entrepreneur and an entertainer is concerned, I'm very proud of the work ethic that was instilled in me by a lot of my families that have worked in, you know, oil and gas and the energy sector. You know, my grandparents and my dad, who were cattle ranchers, and farmers. where everything that we ever got in our lives was because we worked hard. If we didn't work hard, we didn't eat, if we didn't work hard, we didn't get paid. So I'm very, very grateful to have those types of people to look up to. And I try to take the same approach to my music, to be a hard worker to be somebody who has a lot of gratitude, but knows that if I want to be successful in this business, it's not going to come from somebody else giving me a handout, it's going to come from me waking up early in the morning, and get into work. So I believe a lot of people, if not everybody in our province has that type of attitude, which is why I'm very proud of, you know, all of my family, all of my friends, and all of my fellow Albertans.

Awesome. Well, I'm glad to hear it, we're proud to have you. a little bit a Change of topic here. Newest album, What Is Life, it's been out for a couple months now. Covers a large range of topics inside that bigger one that's like right there in the name. Now that it's been stewing out there for a little bit. Do you feel like you're maybe closer to an answer to that question?

Every time I think that I'm closer to finding the answer to the question, “What is life?” Every time I think I get closer, I realize actually how far away I am. And that's the beauty of it. is the quest, the journey, asking the questions that lead to even more questions, getting an opportunity to sit down with a lot of people, you know, that are my elders, my grandparents and ask them about the olden days. Ask them about what they believe the secret to life is now that they're in their 80s. Or get an opportunity to ask somebody who's young and innocent. And, you know, maybe hasn't been able to be jaded by you know, some of the frustrations that you can experience in this world and get a chance to ask my kids, especially my daughter, Mila, who's five years old and asked her what is life. And she talks about joy, she talks about happiness, and family and friends and love and hugs and kisses. And it's crazy. As a five year old, she may have the answer. It is all of those things.

Yeah, that's beautiful. I like that a lot. 

Do you have any plans for the remainder of the year?

Oh my god, so many plans, you know, at all of the things that we wanted to do in 2019 and 2020, that, you know, we didn't get a chance to do or we planned in 2019 that were going to happen, you know, at the beginning of the pandemic, which obviously got taken away. Well, now we've had an opportunity to just think about these things. plan now for 18 extra months, and now I get a chance to go out and hit the road. So we've got a lot of great shows that are going to be coming up and a lot of big ideas that I probably can't share right now. But if you stay close to my social media, a lot of big announcements are going to be coming up on Instagram

Something bigs cooking! Hopefully.

I'll maybe just ask a few quick questions. I was told I was informed that you are a fellow funky sock wearer. What you're rocking today in the sock department?

Great question. I got little crabs. Little Red crabs. I got these socks in Florida. My daughter picked them out at a little gift shop. So little red crabs are crawling all over my feet today.

Awesome. Do you have any exciting new ones they got recently for birthday or something?

You know I got two sock drawers which is crazy. I get so many and I get so many from fans too, because they know that so I'm also predicting that during the Calgary Stampede when I play, a lot of people are going to get me like rodeo inspired socks and horses and horseshoes and Chuck wagons and I don't know probably whiskey bottles and cowboy hats and stuff like that I think i've got probably one of the most extraordinary sock collections of anybody you may know.

 It might even rival mine perhaps

 what and what did you have some? I mean, depending on the weather, you might be in flip flops, but what you got on your feet today?

today, I got some various animals who are dressed up as astronauts.

 Yeah, it's the more random the better for me. 

Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. A little bit of customization. 

Alright, last question. This is one that I asked everybody just because I like hearing the answers for it. What is, in as much detail as possible, the correct process for making a peanut butter jelly sandwich?

Well, for me first you got to toast the bread. I don't like a soggy sandwich. So I like good crisp. So I like toasting good bread. My wife is Incredible at making homemade bread. So I've got her homemade bread, thinly sliced, not too sick but thinly sliced, put it in the toaster on about, if it's on a scale of one to 10, like a three or a four, so not super dark, crispy, but enough for a crunch. Then I actually like to butter the bread so I get a little bit of that saltiness. Then I put in the peanut butter and I like crunchy peanut butter. So I've got the peanuts. Then I use homemade jam or homemade jelly. I don't like to store bought stuff anymore. My wife makes incredible homemade jam. So I'm big into some of the unique flavors like rhubarb, or something like a blackberry or Saskatoon Berry. Lately, I made one the other day, Saskatoon berry on top of the peanuts, and then you put your you know, obviously your second slice of toast on top. Now you get that crisp like it's gourmet. 

If you're just the guy who just gets two slices of bread, peanut butter, jelly, and slaps it together in 20 seconds, you're doing yourself a disservice because you can take it across the finish line in a much more extravagant way. So that's how I would describe the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I'm very glad that you had a thought out answer. And I you know, I never heard of people putting butter on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But would you believe Aaron Goodman told me the exact same thing not an hour ago?

Did he really?

it must be an Alberta thing. It must be your we're both from up north. I'm from the northeast. He's from the northwest. And he's a good guy. And he's a smart guy. So he even went up an extra notch in my books because obviously, we like the same things.

Wow. So two for two I'm putting butter in PB and J's you heard it here first. 

Do you have anything else that you want to say to our river country listeners before I let you go?

Well(...) when I do come back up to the area, which I will. We're working on an opportunity to play very soon. When that happens. And tickets go on sale. The way the tickets have been selling in Calgary or my shows in Ontario or Quebec. Like they go fast. So when that happens, don't delay. Don't be on the fence about it. Don't be like oh, I don't know. Maybe we'll see. make the choice. Get the tickets. Let's party together and let's make up for lost time. That's probably the only thing I want to say.

Awesome. I look forward to seeing you up here. Once again. I look forward to seeing you in the stampede as well. 

You betcha. Well, thank you for this. Hope you have a good one. 

Yes. Have a wonderful rest of your day. 

You betcha. See ya buddy!

In this week's podcast our boys elegantly dance around the fact that they're talking about capital punishment for nearly 6 straight minutes and then just ruthlessly dunk on the flag of Peace River. But seriously look at this thing. It's hideous. You can't put this on a bumper sticker or a t-shirt! Let's do better, folks.

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