A Puppy & Tequila – Interview with Greg Pratt (Country Artists) [2023] A couple of “firsts” at the Up N Country studio in Nashville – a puppy and tequila shots! Country artist Greg Pratt shared both with me as we chatted about his new song “Somebody Tell Memphis” and his experience sharing the stage with Lainey Wilson at the CMA Fest in 2022.
Sue Bonzell
Well, he’s got a new single out and breaking some rules here at the open country studios. He brought his puppy. Greg Pratt is here. Hey, Greg. Hey, good to see you again. It’s I’m so excited. You’re back. So Greg was my very first in person interview when we got here to Nashville in January. Now a lot has happened with you. Oh, yeah, in the last almost a year. So tell me what’s been going on.
Greg Pratt
We finally dropped that first single Del Sol. We had a lot of success with it. It’s been awesome. It’s been nonstop all year. And it’s been really cool. Because a lot of that traction did come from you being so cool. Let us come in here and good interview and it’s a I had a lot of fans from California. And I know you’re it’s a California tube in Santa Monica. But that one went great. Right off the bat and we released that was it don’t last long they were released first, which was a little bit more country leading into CMA week and, and that got some pretty good traction to and that was more kind of 90s feeling with a little bit of modern country feel on it. And then we really kind of hunkered down and needle nosed our, our direction as far as what we wanted everything to sound like from there on out. And this next one is going to be really cool because I think we finally finally really got real specific on what we want me to sound like and have the Greg Pratt sound fully formed for 2023 and 2023 is gonna be busy.
Sue Bonzell
2023 Okay, but what are the biggest plans in 2023 so far? Well, right
Greg Pratt
now we’re working to get the full band together to go on tour. We’re doing some shows in town to kind of tighten everybody up. We have some fantastic players. And for me, it’s been interesting because I’ve been doing acoustic shows for since I got here, I’ve been here for I think this is the end of the seventh year leading up leading up in I think it turns seven, my seventh Nashville aversary Is the Gallen summit in June of this year, so, but going oh, you wait, nobody can say Hey, everybody, everybody, this is rowdy. So going from just acoustic shifts, where I’m making all the music. And I’m sitting down and doing it all myself. It’s interesting working with a band because I’ve had to learn to let go and what to do to let them kind of take the music and have me focus on entertaining and connecting with an audience and it it is an adjustment, but it’s going really well and the audiences who have come out to see our shows in Nashville, so far full band have been really, really cool about the whole thing, getting up dancing and stuff. And it’s it’s a privilege to be able to play with these kind of players, because these players are all fantastic, you know, way, way beyond their years. And it’s, they all look good. So it’s I’m excited to see what 20 What happens in 2023.
Sue Bonzell
So So you know, do you need a tambourine player because I’m really good at
Greg Pratt
being weird, because you’ll see me on stage and I’ll be I’ve kind of got to where I’m not tapping the front anymore, because my manager told me, he goes, you, you’re up there, but you’re still tapping a ghost tambourine up there. And so I was kind of, it’s a little bit more natural, they start tapping my heels, I started moving around a little bit, but they don’t tell you what to do. When you get up there. You just get up there and you learn how to entertain, and you tread water and you figure out what to do. So I’m going through the whole process right now. It’s kind of cool. And we’re figuring out what works and what doesn’t. But once this thing gets completely tightened up, it’s gonna be a hell of a set of shows in 23 For sure,
Sue Bonzell
well, I’ve seen some of your videos and things and I love that you you involve the audience so much like if you’re gonna go to a Greg Pratt show, you’re most likely going to be on his social media. Absolutely. Like most likely you take videos with your crowd and photos and the whole thing and we’ll do some
Greg Pratt
crazy stuff. I know. Like we had a we had a thing going on and ticked off for all it’s like crazy fan of the week. And there’s always somebody doing some absolutely ridiculous and I love it because that’s, that’s what I want to happen in my shows for people to actually let go and have a good time. And you know, in today’s world, I think we need that more
Sue Bonzell
now. Yeah. What’s the what’s the what’s the craziest thing that anyone has done at one of your shows?
Greg Pratt
I’ll be honest, I know I had a nother interview with with Devin a while ago. And they talked about this and they kind of didn’t quarter me into it, but it came out. The feds people taking the shirts off. And I have
Sue Bonzell
women taking their shirts off. Let me clarify that’s happened.
Greg Pratt
I just have to be like, thank you. Like, is that gonna come? I don’t have like, do I have a problem with it? Absolutely. But yeah, I think the venue might have a little bit of a problem.
Sue Bonzell
Somebody’s getting kicked out. Okay. All right, we have to talk about the puppy.
Greg Pratt
All right, so um, it’s just actually last week show. There was a crew that came in that has been watching me since I played in Key West already stressful that in Key West. They found me down there because I didn’t only play the songwriters festival. I also played the Wall Street with my buddy rollin who plays a fiddle we played every night for like two weeks in the closing shift, and it was just too and these people’s only their a years ago. So they were a show last week. And they I talked On the show or in the microphone, I go, Hey, yeah, so I am actually looking for a dog, this kind of dog I’m looking for. It’s about time for this. And she comes up and she shows me a picture of this little guy who’s like, who’s on the line. I was like, that’s the one I want. She’s like, well, this litter is ready. And now, I was like, oh, okay, well,
Sue Bonzell
you know, be careful with
Greg Pratt
what happened. So we got hooked up. She was one of her childhood friends. Because you know, it’s kind of scary when you’re first doing it, because there’s a lot of puppy scams out there. But they were really cool. And they flew him in this morning. I’ve been kind of watching them with guys got him set up with his first wellness visit tomorrow. And then he’s gonna go straight to Florida with me. Wow, mom and dad to so
Sue Bonzell
he is so cute. This is rowdy and he’s stone. And I can’t help it. Now, how big is he gonna get? It’s probably a max at 11 pounds. 11 pounds. What and what kind?
Greg Pratt
He’s a mini cream Doxon. came shortly legs long boy.
Sue Bonzell
Well, when he’s when he’s awake. If he wakes up, he made me sleep through the whole thing. I mean, you know, I have that kind of voice. I just love people to sleep. He’s like, Oh, it’s so good. So good. So let’s talk about CMA Fest this year. I you’re on stage with a pretty big names fun.
Greg Pratt
I got a call. Because we were I was playing that morning anyway. I think it was a Friday. And they said, Hey, we got an opportunity for you. But you’re gonna have to emcee and you’re gonna have to play in between the x and they didn’t tell me who they were until we got there that night. And knowing the manager really helped out kind of keeping everything facilitated. But we had I got up there I started playing. It was a birthday party. For I think her name was Lisa. And we got connected with it through it with Ward Gunther and a man named Ed Warren who works up in Chicago. But I look at the list of people I’m introducing I’m like, holy crap, it’s Breeland it’s Lanie Wilson it’s it’s Larry fleet it’s it’s it was there was some fantastic saw our songwriter Ben Johnson I think was there too. Earnest got up nice. So it’s, it’s these it’s interesting to sit down there and introduce these guys. And you pump them up for this crowd who’s who’s already they’re already heavily drinking. They’re having a great time anyway. And then you watch them get up there and sound exactly like the damn record. Wow. And it’s really cool. They were all really cool about everything. It was really kind of cool to watch Laney get the success she did this year because sitting down and talking to her I know my managers known her for a long time and it was it was interesting because I came up I had to learn her songs like for so I didn’t know I was playing behind her. So I came up with like I hope I got this girl just ignore it. She’s like Greg, I’m sure you did fine. I’ve heard you records already. I love them. You’re great and it was so cool. Like it was it was you know it’s since getting here I haven’t had a lot of like you know fan kid moments but as soon as like that happened I’m like holy crap this girl Real Deal yeah so yeah real deal. Like Yellowstone to add I got sick on that show a little while ago and seeing her in
Sue Bonzell
very very cool you might be on Yellowstone next you never know
Greg Pratt
Lord. I could only hope
Sue Bonzell
now one of your videos that I saw you do you’re doing John Michael Montgomery sold. Yeah. Good sign it’s the fastest version of that song I’ve ever seen. Now you have you have the song was fastest hands, right? Because I mean you’re pretty fast guitar player. But I was impressed with the amount of speed with how you stay in that song.
Greg Pratt
Yeah. So it started with just did it regular it’s when you’re solely kind of in the you have a crowded kind of the pump them up a little bit more. And you so you play everything a little bit more fast. Your good buddy. But I said so why not? Why not add a mod in there, modulate it up a half step. I think it’s either half or full step at Armada. And at the very end, you just take it as fast as it can possibly go. And it it went over well the first time I think I probably got about 35% of the words. First time I did it, but it ended up working out
Sue Bonzell
I’m gonna say I mean I’d say I thought you were getting all the words. That’s already a fat. Practice a lot of practice. Yeah, I mean, honestly. No, but it’s really good. So um, so we got the dog here. This is a first for us here in the studio at some point I want to get this Dougie out of the bag. I don’t want to wake him up though. He’s
Greg Pratt
he’s been napping on awful days.
Sue Bonzell
He’s so so cute. And Greg my new best friend brings a puppy and tequila. This is another first for the show. Not that we haven’t had you know beverages on the show. But tequila not had not had to kill on the show. So we only can make a face when you take your face. Okay, well it’s good tequila too. So it’s good. We’ll be I think it’ll be okay. But we have a game we have to play.
Greg Pratt
Okay called. This last time,
Sue Bonzell
truth or truth. So we’re gonna have some truth serum. So we’ve got that coming up too soon first than truth or truth. And the Greg is also going to do a performance for us. And you can catch that using the link in the description. So go in the description and you can check out his performance. So, we’re gonna get all set up with some tequila right now. Let’s go. It’s truth or truth. All right, we’re back for our game of truth or truth. And it’s a first here and the up and country studios. Little tequila little truth serum for us. I’ve got a little toast for you ready? Okay. And you said anything goes right? Sure. Okay, here’s to you. Here’s to me, the best friends will always be and if we ever disagree, if you and here’s to me.
Greg Pratt
Oh, yes. That’s good.
Sue Bonzell
That’s damn good sealer out there. Okay, well, that’s our truth serum. Now we’re gonna play our little game. I’m gonna give him to you. Oh, that’s like very
Greg Pratt
little bit of vanilla and
Sue Bonzell
vanilla. That was really good. Okay, now I get to hold the puppy look at this Oh, I got a mic. I know it’s gonna lapel. Okay, let me go. Hi. Hi, Luke. It. Oh, my goodness. Good morning.
Greg Pratt
He was sleeping forever, bro. All right. So what I’m doing here so this
Sue Bonzell
is this is like all new right now this is we’ve not done this before. We’ve not had a puppy on the show. We’ve not had shots of tequila on the show. I don’t know what else we can do. This is going to be different. You ready to pick his question? Yeah, he knows you’ve been here before we went last time. We’ll see what happens. Maybe you’ll get hopefully you’ll get different ones.
Greg Pratt
Truth or truth? Or truth? What was the greatest day of your life today? Oh, yeah. Every day, every day is the greatest day of my life. I will probably say, Well, I wouldn’t call it. It’s great for a different reason. Um, so I had it’s great story here. Great Uncle. My great uncle’s name was good. He’s no longer with us. He was the uncle and great uncle in our family all from Louisiana, all his part of our family law from Louisiana. So and he’s kind of a big old guy live life to the very fullest. He’d roll up in a Porsche like a stick driven Porsche. They walk out and go grab a stick. And it sounds like well, that transmission is done. So he came in I came in I was How old was that? First they ever had a shot of of anything. Jack Daniels walk in from the beach. We’re down in Miami. And we’re all getting there for kind of a family room on mom’s side. And he goes thirsty. I was like, yeah, and they’re on the beach tops crap out there. He’s like, you want some water? Yeah. Could you some he’s like, grown up water. Like, yeah, I’m grown. I’m eight years old. So it’s like, Sure. And he pours me as like why the hell is this class so small. And he pours Jack Daniels in it. I didn’t know what it was like, Oh, just as grown with water sugar cool. coated the entire cabinet. So my mom cussed him out for like an hour. And when I when my mom at that point, my mom didn’t cuss but she like she did. She did all the all the first letter of every word. But that was a good one after that me and my uncle had a great uncle had a really good relationship. Um, whenever I went to New Orleans, they would always show me around because there they lived in Baton Rouge. And my grandma POM Pam sorry, pump him. And then we had Max who was their adopted kid. When I go to New Orleans, I hang out with Max. Have you ever seen Dave we have any Saints fans watching? There’s a guy that dresses up like that guy from Star Wars with all the paint, but it’s golden black. St. And he’s like recognized by the city is like an official mascot. That’s my cousin.
Sue Bonzell
That’s your cousin. Oh my gosh,
Greg Pratt
I wanted to meet him too, because he’s got to an English bulldog that he wants to be best friends. Okay, yeah. One of the good ones right there. That’s that’s where I’ve figured out how crazy it was going to be to be a grown man.
Sue Bonzell
Okay, the best day Alright,
Greg Pratt
so now it’s your turn. Oh, yeah. All right.
Sue Bonzell
I haven’t done this before. That’s cool. Okay, let’s do it. That’s one. Who would you want to swap lives with for a week? You know, when I’ve actually thought about this? It would probably be I’m gonna say Ryan Seacrest. Okay. Yeah, just because, I mean, I’m in media and in radio, and you know, he’s done radio and all the shows and he’s involved in producing, like, so many different he’s involved in everything. I’m like, the guy is everywhere.
Greg Pratt
So as soon as he starts talking to you as well, yeah,
Sue Bonzell
exactly. He’s recognizable. You know who he is? He’s well respected. He’s got his hands in flipping everything. I’m like, that’s who I would I would be willing to swap lives with him for a week. All right, maybe the puppy I don’t know.
Greg Pratt
I am gonna take good care of me so spoiled all my friends. Oh, all right, so let’s see. One more. No, no, you’re
Sue Bonzell
gonna do two more
Greg Pratt
truth the truth? What’s the biggest prank I’ve ever played on someone? I’m gonna twist this around. I will tell you so I was in college, we had this game that we play called. clear blue sky. Not blue clear sky. It was. We were pranksters like we would we would there was about 12 of us who go to Panama City every year and everything Spring Break this game clear blue sky. None of you ever need to play it. Don’t ever do this. Anybody don’t do it at home because it’s an awful thing. And you’re horrible people if you ever use but so in clear blue sky, you have this you have a cup of clear liquid. And you surprised someone to go there was guy and they have to look up. If they look at your eyes or they look at the liquid, they got to drink whatever is in here. And my buddy got me back eventually. But I got my buddy what started this what with a glass about this tall Everclear
Sue Bonzell
Oh my.
Greg Pratt
That’s not right. No, it was right, but I figured out how to speak to your ex that night. But he was he was not happy. And he got me back. You know the week after
Sue Bonzell
you figured out how to speak T rex
Greg Pratt
is called dinosaurs. He’s like I saw aliens. Yeah, he wasn’t one very happy.
Sue Bonzell
Okay, you got one more.
Greg Pratt
Okay, buddy. He likes you. Last one to the truth. What’s the secret you kept from your parents? I don’t know if I can if I can see this.
Sue Bonzell
Sure you can.
Okay, all right. No, no, no, not that one. Will pick a different one. Oh,
Sue Bonzell
breaking the rule.
Greg Pratt
What’s bad about it is I know he knows about it, too. I told him the story before I can’t I can’t do that. Sorry, mom. I’m gonna have to now go into the grave.
Sue Bonzell
They’re gonna ask you about that at the holidays if you like so what’s the story, Greg? Sure.
Greg Pratt
What’s one thing on your bucket list? Yes, definitely talking about not skydiving. Not scared. I’m not scared of heights scared of falling from heights.
Sue Bonzell
That’s a good idea. But very big difference.
Greg Pratt
Last time, we I think we talked about some like this, how I wanted to release more hits than George Strait. And that’s really tough to do. I would say if I wanted to get real about it. It would probably be playing a sold out show for something like I saw the what’s the Queen movie? Where they went in the end. They did that big thing for charity. Yeah. Which I love doing charity stuff. That’s awesome. We do a lot of stuff for the American Cancer Society. And St. Jude and with the marathons and stuff I was with them the other week we played in 30 degree weather if some national anthem at 7am We played two sets, and it got colder as the day went on. But I’d say that how many people were at that show? I’m doing what he did when he does the AOA Leo stuff. Having everybody a showed that big plan for that many people. I forget the number but it’s it was like, I think it was pretty much over 100,000
Sue Bonzell
or so. Yes, I think so too.
Greg Pratt
I’m playing a show like that having and having it be played by me at the best my possible possible ability, the peak performance. It’s okay if there’s mess up because there’s no sense in every show. But having something that big that people remember, be like if you were there, I remember I was there Right? Having something that big, because that’s something where people are gonna remember that for the rest of their lives. And always be able to take a stop whatever they’re doing in a day and be like, I remember that that was awesome. Playing playing something that big.
Sue Bonzell
I like it. And then and then also getting the crowd involved. Yeah, you know, where you get the crowd talking back to you and everything. I love that kind of stuff stuff. And you’re good at that on your smaller shows. So you know, you just translate it to the big stage. This cake basic cake bowl just right. Just a little bit. Well, I want to thank you so much for coming back to the up and country studios bringing bringing the tequila Oh my goodness. We’ve been so children’s we were we broke. We broke the rules. We did something completely different for this show. So I want to thank you so much. And if you haven’t seen Greg Pratt here in Nashville, see me come see a show. Download the music, all the things. Thanks a lot, Greg. Thanks for watching up in country be sure to like and subscribe and leave us a comment minute we do new episodes every Tuesday and be sure to follow up and country on Instagram Tik Tok and Facebook and you can follow me to add Sue Bonzell on instagram facebook and Tik Tok
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