Sue Bonzell:
He has opened for Parker McCollum and Randy Houser and Hank Williams Jr. But not only that, those are very important guys, he’s also the son of John Michael Montgomery, you may have heard of him. He’s also the nephew of Eddie Montgomery from Montgomery Gentry, which is a lot of Montgomery’s. It’s Walker Montgomery. Hey, Walker.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah. Yeah.
Walker Montgomery:
How you doing? Yeah, you’re right. That is a lot of Montgomery’s right there. We bred a lot, I guess. I don’t know.
Sue Bonzell:
I mean, I can see the resemblance. I see it. I see it. I like it.
Walker Montgomery:
It’s the dimple. Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
It is the dimples. That’s dang cute. It’s dang cute.
Walker Montgomery:
Aw, thank you. Thank you.
Sue Bonzell:
So now you are currently in route to where?
Walker Montgomery:
Yep. Ridgeland, South Carolina. We’re doing a show with Joe Nichols for veterans in Ridgeland.
Sue Bonzell:
Oh, awesome.
Walker Montgomery:
So I’m really excited for this. We’ve been on the road a lot, but a show like this is definitely a special one.
Sue Bonzell:
Oh, absolutely. Well, it’s nice when it has even more of a purpose. So that’s pretty cool.
Walker Montgomery:
Yep.
Sue Bonzell:
And Joe Nichols, I mean, what a cool guy. What a cool guy.
Walker Montgomery:
Oh, yeah. I’ve opened up for him a couple of times before and he just seems to keep on cranking out good stuff. And he’s always been nice to me, so I’ve always appreciated him. But it’s going to be good to be back with him.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s awesome. So you are currently in the coach, you’re cruising.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Who else is there with you?
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Anybody else there with you?
Walker Montgomery:
My band’s here. Everybody wave.
Speaker 3:
Hey.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Hi guys.
Walker Montgomery:
This is our home away from home.
Sue Bonzell:
I love it.
Walker Montgomery:
But this is our home away from home.
Sue Bonzell:
That is so fun.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
So now I found you online. I’ve seen your stuff and I’m like, okay, this is so cool with your family history and all of that. Does that ever get in the way of being successful and people kind of being like, “Well you are a Montgomery.”
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah. I don’t know if it gets in the way. I mean, it just might make me work harder because some people are like that. I mean, I’m blessed to have my dad. He’s a great dad. And our relationship, really which kind of surprises people, isn’t very music-driven. He’s just dad. And same thing with Uncle Eddie. But they’ve let me do it on my own and figure out everything on my own, make mistakes and have triumphs and learn from the mistakes and everything. But I wouldn’t say it’s been a necessary roadblock.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay. That’s good to hear. Because I always wonder about that, where it’s like people kind of go, “Oh, it must’ve been easy for you.” Or that kind of thing. And I mean, what a great resource to have in the family where you’re like, “Look, I need help with something.” Because I’m sure this isn’t easy doing what you’re doing.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah. Well, obviously the business has changed a lot since they were really rocking and rolling in it, but there’s still some elements of it that are the same. And so if I need some advice, whether it’s in music, business or just life, I know that they’re going to be there for it.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s really cool. Now are you opening for, you’ve been playing with Parker McCollum.
Walker Montgomery:
Yep.
Sue Bonzell:
Are you still on tour with him?
Walker Montgomery:
We’re doing a few shows with him. We had a stretch in September where we did, I think, maybe six shows with him. And we have the same manager, Enzo DeVincenzo. So, that’s how we got hooked up with that. But he’s a great guy. He’s doing some really cool stuff right now. He’s got some really good songs out and I’m excited to see where his career goes because I think the sky’s the limit for him.
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah. I’m a big fan as well. So I think that’s so cool that you’re getting to tour with him.
Walker Montgomery:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Sue Bonzell:
He’s pretty amazing. So now you have a current single out, Out of Nowhere. Is that correct?
Walker Montgomery:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Sue Bonzell:
New single out? Okay.
Walker Montgomery:
Yep. Yeah. That’s the current one.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s the current one. And I-
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah. It’s been doing… Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
No, no, I want to hear about it. Go ahead.
Walker Montgomery:
It’s been doing really well. And yeah, it’s a good time song and I was needing the upbeat song. And I was actually on my way to the studio to cut a couple of songs. And I got sent that song-
Sue Bonzell:
Nice.
Walker Montgomery:
… By my boss, Dallas Davidson. And as soon as I heard it, I was like, “Yep, I’m cutting it.”
Sue Bonzell:
That’s it.
Walker Montgomery:
But it’s been doing really well. The crowd has responded to it. It’s our show closer now. And I just love singing it every night.
Sue Bonzell:
That is so fun. Okay, so now did I see a video of you doing Guess That Beer?
Walker Montgomery:
Oh, God. Oh, yes. I was so bad. I was very disappointed in myself. And I did a bourbon one too. And being from Kentucky, that’s supposed to be my thing. And the thing is, we did the beer one first so by the end of… But my team kind of set me up for failure on that. So I’m going to blame them on that. We did it in the same day. We did the beer first, and by the end of that I was feeling pretty good. And then once the bourbon came around, it just all kind of tasted the same.
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah, exactly. It’s harder than you think to do those blind tastings.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Have you done it with wine yet?
Walker Montgomery:
It was fun.
Sue Bonzell:
Oh, definitely fun.
Walker Montgomery:
I have not. I’m not a big wine guy because I’ve had wine hangovers before and I’m like, I don’t know. Yeah. The hair of the dog that bit me on that one ain’t going to happen again.
Sue Bonzell:
So I’m going to give you a suggestion straight from wine country, which is where we are.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
And my suggestion is, you got to get some really good wine. Really good.
Walker Montgomery:
Okay.
Sue Bonzell:
And then you usually don’t have the hang… I mean, unless you drink a couple of bottles of it. But I mean, wouldn’t know anything about that, but.
Walker Montgomery:
No, of course not.
Sue Bonzell:
No.
Walker Montgomery:
Of course not. No.
Sue Bonzell:
Oh, no. No.
Walker Montgomery:
Okay. Noted. Get good wine. I’ll put it on the card.
Sue Bonzell:
Get good wine.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Exactly. Exactly. So now I want to play a little game with you, you up for it?
Walker Montgomery:
I’m up for it.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay.
Walker Montgomery:
I’m scared, but yeah, I’m up for it. Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Oh, this is easy. I’m nice. It’s okay, I’m nice. We’re going to play-
Walker Montgomery:
Good. I can tell.
Sue Bonzell:
We’re going to play a round of firsts. Okay?
Walker Montgomery:
Okay.
Sue Bonzell:
It’s going to be super easy. You ready? Okay.
Walker Montgomery:
Okay.
Sue Bonzell:
Let’s see. How old were you the first time you had a beer?
Walker Montgomery:
Oh, man. 16, 17 I think.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s about right.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah. But the only reason that it was that is because my sister did… I think her first beer was when she was like 18. So we went to the same high school and we all had the same friend group and they snuck some beer in and I was like, “Well, yeah, I’ll try it.”
Sue Bonzell:
And the rest is history, right?
Walker Montgomery:
And the rest is history, yeah. Yeah. I’m on the seltzer kick right now.
Sue Bonzell:
Oh. What do you got there?
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
We’ll do a little product placement, what do you got?
Walker Montgomery:
This is Smirnoff Seltzer Limited Edition, Red, White & Berry.
Sue Bonzell:
Nice.
Walker Montgomery:
But, I don’t know. I still feel like I’m 16, because I’ll go back home when my dad has all the beer in the walk-in cooler and I just still steal it.
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah. You’re like, “I’ll take that. Thank you very much.”
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Yep. Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Walker Montgomery:
Yep. Yeah. Thanks, daddy. Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay. How old were you when you had your first kiss?
Walker Montgomery:
Oh, I was in seventh grade. So however old that is. Is that 14?
Sue Bonzell:
That’s like-
Walker Montgomery:
13? I don’t know.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s like 12, 13. Something like that.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah. I was in seventh grade in South Carolina, where I’m going right now, actually.
Sue Bonzell:
Ooh, memories. We’re going to go down memory lane there.
Walker Montgomery:
Memories.
Sue Bonzell:
Memories.
Walker Montgomery:
Going down memory lane.
Sue Bonzell:
And how long did that relationship last?
Walker Montgomery:
About as long as a seventh grade relationship usually lasts. So probably like a month, something like that.
Sue Bonzell:
That’s perfect.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay. Okay. This is a good one based on who your family is.
Walker Montgomery:
Okay.
Sue Bonzell:
How old were you the first time you sang on stage?
Walker Montgomery:
Oh, man. Really the first time I sang on stage, I think I was a sophomore in high school, so 16. I remember I just got my driver’s license. So, yeah. Willie’s, locally known, it’s like a little bar. I don’t even think it’s there anymore to be honest with you. It’s a little bar-restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky. And that was the first time. But before that, I’d been in choir and stuff like that. But that was the first time I’d sang on stage by myself.
Sue Bonzell:
That is cool. And how did it-
Walker Montgomery:
And it was terrible. Oh my God.
Sue Bonzell:
Come on. It couldn’t have been that bad.
Walker Montgomery:
I don’t think my voice had changed yet. So I was (singing), but.
Sue Bonzell:
You’re killing me. This is great. Okay. I’m going to guess that this happened to you. I’m just guessing.
Walker Montgomery:
All right.
Sue Bonzell:
How old were you the first time you got stitches?
Walker Montgomery:
I was in first grade. Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
First grade? What did you do?
Walker Montgomery:
I was in first grade. Okay, so it was Easter Sunday. And we were at my grandparents house in Nicholasville, Kentucky. And they had a little playroom for us, right? And there was a loft. And I was running and I guess I’d grown more than I thought I had, so I hit my head on the bottom of the loft. And then I had some friends over and their mom was a nurse and she was like, “Oh, you don’t need stitches.” It’s bleeding everywhere. So then dad and I went and played 18 holes of golf.
Sue Bonzell:
Oh my goodness.
Walker Montgomery:
And by the time we got back, I was like, “Yeah, we need stitches.”
Sue Bonzell:
Wow. Oh my gosh. See?
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
That was a good guess, right? I’m like, I know he’s had stitches.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
I know it.
Walker Montgomery:
Oh you know it. Bad.
Sue Bonzell:
Only one time? How many times have you had stitches?
Walker Montgomery:
There’s probably been a handful when I was playing football, and basketball, and stuff. Eyebrows and ears and stuff like that. But there’s been a couple of times, I will say that.
Sue Bonzell:
Any good scars? Good scars?
Walker Montgomery:
Maybe on my eyebrow. But I think it’s kind of grown over, which is good. But I’ve got some on my hands. I’ve broken fingers and stuff like that. But there’s a few scars and probably some where I can’t show you, but.
Sue Bonzell:
Well, it’s a different kind of show. We won’t go there. So, yeah.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s a more entertaining show.
Sue Bonzell:
We’re working on it. We’re working on it.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay. All right. This is another one I’m going to guess. This is just a guess, I don’t know.
Walker Montgomery:
Okay. Hit me with it.
Sue Bonzell:
How old were you when you got your first tattoo?
Walker Montgomery:
I don’t have any. Don’t have a tattoo.
Sue Bonzell:
No tattoos. Okay.
Walker Montgomery:
Zero tattoos.
Sue Bonzell:
We have revealing information right now about Walker Montgomery. Okay. No tattoos.
Walker Montgomery:
Yep.
Sue Bonzell:
He’s got beautiful virgin skin, perfect.
Walker Montgomery:
Yes, I do. I would definitely call it that. That’s exactly what I would call it.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay. And one last, first question.
Walker Montgomery:
Okay.
Sue Bonzell:
Who was your first celebrity crush?
Walker Montgomery:
Probably Jennifer Aniston, and I think she still might be. See ages like fine Californian wine. There you go.
Sue Bonzell:
I think I agree with you.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
If I was into girls she would be at the top of my list too. So I’m totally with you.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Totally with you.
Walker Montgomery:
No, as soon as I saw Friends, I was like, that’s the one. I know she’s like 30 years older than me, but that’s the one.
Sue Bonzell:
Doesn’t matter.
Walker Montgomery:
Yep.
Sue Bonzell:
Age is just a number, right?
Walker Montgomery:
Yep. Yeah. Especially when you look like Jennifer Aniston.
Sue Bonzell:
Exactly. Exactly.
Walker Montgomery:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
I totally agree. Totally agree. Well, that was fun. We found out all kinds of good stuff about you.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah. That was good. That was good. That was very revealing.
Sue Bonzell:
It was very revealing, I know.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay. So you got the new song, you’re out on tour. Is this song on an EP?
Walker Montgomery:
This song will be on a EP.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay.
Walker Montgomery:
We’re probably going to release the EP early next year once all the Christmas songs and stuff are over. But right now it’s just a single, you can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, whatever you use. Amazon. We’re in the top 100. I think I’m 40 now, but we were top 25 on-
Sue Bonzell:
Nice.
Walker Montgomery:
… That song on Amazon Music.
Sue Bonzell:
Perfect.
Walker Montgomery:
So it’s been good.
Sue Bonzell:
Well I’m so excited for you and your success. And it’s so great to meet you. I am hoping someday I’ll get to meet you in person, maybe in Nashville. You never know. It’s possible.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah. Come on. I like to come out of California.
Sue Bonzell:
Okay. Well right. I like that idea too, so.
Walker Montgomery:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
And then I can show you some of the good wine.
Walker Montgomery:
Show me some good wine out there.
Sue Bonzell:
There you go. And we’ll try to get you a wine hangover. It’s an experiment, right?
Walker Montgomery:
Oh, God. Yeah. Well, it won’t be hard. I will say that.
Sue Bonzell:
Well, awesome. I want to thank you so much for taking time. You’re out on the road there with all the guys. Thank you to the guys. They were so quiet, the church mouse back there. Bye guys. Awesome. Thank you so much. And we’ll hopefully get to see you soon.
Walker Montgomery:
No doubt. Thank you so much for having me on.
Sue Bonzell:
You bet. Thanks for tuning in to Up N Country where we have new episodes every Tuesday. And be sure to visit upncountry.com for all of the episodes and information about our VIP Club, where you’re going to get exclusive backstage access. And if you’re on Instagram or TikTok make sure to follow me, Sue Bonzell. I’ll see you next week.
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