Teddy Robb Interview – From Football to Country Music Thank goodness his football career didn’t work out and he chose country music! After years of playing in Nashville Honky Tonk’s, Teddy Robb sealed the deal with Monument Records in 2018. He has opened for Luke combs, Jordan Davis, Hardy and has performed on NBC’s Today Show. His latest single, “Pretty Things” is out now!
Sue Bonzell
He’s working on over 100 million streams. He’s been on The Today Show and he’s open for the likes of Luke combs and Jordan Davis. Teddy Robb is in the up and country studios. Welcome, Teddy.
Teddy Robb
Hey, thanks for having me.
Sue Bonzell
Um, I seriously have been following you. And I’m like, Okay, I’m very excited to have you here. And I want to hear the story of how you got into country music because that wasn’t your original plan, right?
Teddy Robb
No, I didn’t even start singing until I was like 21 years old. Really? Yeah, it was just kind of a, I guess an accident. happy accident. Okay,
Sue Bonzell
and what were you doing before that?
Teddy Robb
I grew up playing sports. So that was all I really thought about. Until, like, junior year of college, I played all through high school, football, ran track, that was kind of my main thing and went to college and just kind of fell out of love with playing sports. And my last two years of college, I was just kind of unsure of what I wanted to do. I was going to school for business. And that’s when I had an old guitar that was sitting in a closet, and I decided that I would have it as a hobby more than anything, okay. And so I picked it up as a, as you know, just something that my grandmother, she I knew she had a really great voice. I didn’t know where she passed when I was really little. But I knew that there was some sort of music in the family. And so I started playing guitar, like junior year of college, and I wasn’t very good at guitar, it was really hard to learn. It’s like, well, I know enough to where I could maybe sing along to it. And I started singing and that was when I started making like, a small amounts of good sounds. Yeah, like, Oh, if I could sound like that all the time. Okay, maybe I got something nice. That was, like 13 years
Sue Bonzell
ago. Okay. And I saw I watched some of your videos, you put up some videos of you playing football. And I was like, damn, this guy’s good. Like, I mean, that’s kind of a thing where it’s like, did you think that maybe that was gonna be the career was football.
Teddy Robb
From the time I was, like five years old until I didn’t play anymore. And it was, it was a really hard transition, because it was such an identity for me to be known as a football player. Yeah, and then when that wasn’t a thing anymore, I felt lost. I think when I did my first open mic with guitar, I was like really nervous and out on stage and like, I was horrible. But when I got off stage, I was like, that was a rush and it was the closest thing I’d ever felt to like being out on the field was being on stage and so I just started going after
Sue Bonzell
- That is that’s pretty cool. Now you also are pretty avid snowboarder, right?
Teddy Robb
I lived in the mountains for a year. I grew up snowboarding. My, my parents always, you know, took me skin growing up. And so I kind of always hoped that I would end up in the mountains. And when I was like, 25 I got the opportunity to go live in Vail and play music out there. Okay, so I was in Vail, Colorado, like Beaver Creek, Breck, and I was just like, a resort singer for a year. But what that allowed me to do I spend about 100 days on the mountain. So every morning I would get up and go snowboarding for like three hours and then in the evenings I was playing music at the resorts.
Sue Bonzell
That’s like that’s like a dream come true for like a young man. I can imagine.
Teddy Robb
It was pretty fun. Yeah, it was, um, definitely lucky to have experienced living out there. It was something that I’ll never really forget. And I always hold with me because it was it was an everyday it was an adventure. And I’ve always kind of loved adventures and going on the road and doing all that so
Sue Bonzell
And now and now you’re doing your music and everything on the road. So So tell me about the today’s show. I mean, that’s, that’s kind of a big deal.
Teddy Robb
Play the today show like right before COVID hit. So like I was doing radio tour and it was crazy busy in 2019. And 2020 was just looking to be like such an insane year. Right? And so at the end of 2019 I played the Today Show and I opened up for Luke and combs and like was just like playing, doing everything and then COVID Hit kind of right after that. But the Today Show was an experience that I still was like, you know, it was just awesome that everyone was so kind it was such a thrill. Hopefully I get to do it again someday.
Sue Bonzell
Are you pro I think you probably will probably well, so what did you spend your time doing during the pandemic?
Teddy Robb
I probably put like 3000 hours into playing guitar. I wrote songs play guitar. Yeah, tried to stay in some what kind of shape I hiked a lot started working out and then it was like, not that far into it. I I had a condo that I bought like 2016 and, you know, everybody knows what the market was doing and right. I had some property that I invested in and was like, well, maybe I’ll just sell this condo and start building a house on the property. Had a little bit of saved up and decided to build a house during the pandemics are almost done.
Sue Bonzell
You So you just came from the job the job site, right or not really the job site but the construction site. Yeah.
Teddy Robb
Yep. Just came from there. Were like maybe three weeks left. Touches right now.
Sue Bonzell
Very fine now. Okay, so let’s talk about some music here. Your new song pretty things.
Teddy Robb
Pretty things is that my life is is that song right now I’m going from moving from like an 800 square foot condo to a house that I can’t believe I’m even doing the whole song. When I think about it, I think about this house that I’m building because it’s just, you know, I designed it, I made it kind of exactly what I I’ve always wanted. So it is like, to me, building houses is my pretty things.
Sue Bonzell
I love it. And so you I’ve seen a lot of the videos that you’ve posted on your socials as well. So you guys can see the house that he’s building and he puts the song with it and everything. It’s it’s pretty dang cool. Yeah,
Teddy Robb
the video is going to be coming out soon. There’s some, some little clips that we
Sue Bonzell
are going to use clips from the from the house,
Teddy Robb
the entire, I don’t want to give too much. Okay, if you’ve seen any of my social media, I’ve teased some of the video. But the entire video is going from clips of like, where I’m living now to the house that I’m building. And this was like, we shot the video like, two or three months ago. So the house is like we’re gonna have to do another recap because it was like, still just framed in right. It wasn’t any finishing work. But now it’s painted. I was like the transformation cabinets, the bathrooms, everything’s coming to life. So it’d be cool to do like a recap on the video.
Sue Bonzell
Yeah. Oh, yeah. No, I’m excited for that. When is that coming out?
Teddy Robb
I don’t have the exact date. But we have some exciting stuff that I can’t announce yet. But
Sue Bonzell
okay, I was just gonna ask you like what’s coming in 2023 Everybody’s excited for a new year kind of feels like we’re kind of back to normal ways like, okay, full speed ahead. So anything you can tell us about your plans for 2023 2023
Teddy Robb
is already just looking to be really exciting. I’ve got music that I can tell you is coming in February. So I’ve got pretty things out right now. I’ve got another song coming in February. And kind of like, right now I’m just putting music out like every six to eight weeks. That’s Wow, that’s my plan. And I just want to keep doing that I’m having a blast. It feels like a really good rhythm for me. That amount of time in between songs, we just put our first one out from the project, which I just wanted to start with pretty things because it is like where my life’s at right now. And it’s really fun to put music out that relates to where you’re at in life, because you can just be authentic about it. I think that’s such a huge part of country music. So I just decided this year that I wanted the music that I’m putting out to relate as much as possible to my real life.
Sue Bonzell
I love it. I love it. So any plans for any collaborations next year? Or anybody you’d like to collaborate with? We
Teddy Robb
can do that. I could go down the list of people I would like to but I’m wide open on collabs. Right. Okay, I just did this project if anybody sees this on now, there you
Sue Bonzell
- So this is the one thing that I love about country music is the amount of collaborations that people do. And they’re they’re just sometimes like odd people that come together and you go wow, that’s like really cool. So I was just think it’s, it’s neat to have like, who would be on that list for you. Would it be like Luke combs or?
Teddy Robb
Oh, yeah, I would love to do that. I had the most random dream that I was friends with Luke the other day. I thought that was so
Sue Bonzell
weird. Weird dream. That’s why it’s like yeah, hey, maybe
Teddy Robb
that’ll be put into existence one day because I where I’m building is like, right by kind of where he lives. So I’m like, I drive by his place. I’m like, I wonder if I’ll be friends.
Sue Bonzell
My neighbor, Luke. You know, maybe it’s a prophetic dream. Yes. Like they’re just you just a little ahead of time and it’s coming down the road.
Teddy Robb
Yeah, I love what he does. He’s he’s definitely just you know, everybody knows he’s awesome. Who else would I like to do some stuff with? I would, I’ve always dreamed of doing something with Dirks Bentley. Oh, yeah. Somebody that I just think is cool. And I’ve met him a few times. And he’s just like, as if there was somebody in country music that I would that I admire and would aspire to be like, it would probably be Derek so it’d be cool to do a song with him some legends like George Strait, when
Sue Bonzell
I was just going to ask you about George Strait, and I read something about you hearing his song troubadour, was kind of a song that meant something to you to tell me tell me about George you and George Strait.
Teddy Robb
Well, I used to go on these like binges where I would pick an artists and I would just listen to nothing but their music for like two months. And so I’ve gone through some some Joris stuff and he’s probably one that I continue to go back to, to learn from and whether it’s like the songwriting or his vocals or whatever, and I just think he’s one of the best I saw him in Vegas. Last year. Yeah, he just was incredible. But yeah, he was one of the first times Three artists that made me want to do country music. I remember, you know, when you’re when I was 2021 I didn’t know what I wanted to be. But when I heard the song tubular troubadour, I knew what it made me feel. And that was kind of a sign for me to go like, Bob, if something could make me feel alive, feel this passionate, maybe I should learn how to do that. And I had no idea how to write a song. Well, I figured I could spend 10 years doing anything at that, you know, when when you’re young, it’s like, okay, I got the next 10 years to learn how to do anything, I might as well pick something that makes me feel alive. That was some George Strait music’s
Sue Bonzell
some life advice from Teddy Rob right here for all the young people who are listening and watching. That’s great advice. I like that. So now I have to ask you about your ice baths. How’s that going? That’s the new trend.
Teddy Robb
Oh, hey, as far as you know, if I can give some advice, if you’re having any sort of like, back pain or inflammation, I was really struggling with back pain for a couple years, I think it was, as we talked about, I spent a ton of time playing guitar. And I think I was just sitting hunched over whatever. Anyhow, I had to do something to try and figure out how to get rid of some of that low back pain. And so one of my friends, Brandon Radcliffe, he does ice baths all the time. And so he invited me over and it started off as something to help get rid of some pain, and then it’s turned into so much more, it’s now like a mental thing, okay, to where if you can, your body is going to feel that water, it’s not going to want to get in. But if if you can conquer that, it’s, it’s kind of like a little 10 minutes of letting your body know that your mind is in control. And I just I always appreciate the challenge of getting into 3540 degree water and sitting there for five or 10 minutes. And I always feel better when I’m done. I don’t know if there really is anything scientifically proven, but I know from my experience, when I do the ice bath, I always have so much energy, I feel better. I feel like it pulls inflammation out of my low back and anywhere that’s sore, it’s great for recovery. There’s just a lot of benefits that I have personally felt not recommending it to anybody really, unless, unless you’re open to new ideas. And I love going back and forth between hot and cold.
Sue Bonzell
Yeah, that’s about as fun. Okay, that’s advice. He’s not a doctor, by the way. So just you know, sort of disclaimer. Well, no, I know the dorks Bentley. The ice baths to like y’all could like, like bond on that right.
Teddy Robb
I’m ready. You’re listening. That’s a nice bat.
Sue Bonzell
That’s right. It’s okay. This this is the new thing. This is this like this like the bro the bro thing like, okay, the bros are gonna get together and we’re gonna ice bath.
Teddy Robb
Oh, yeah, that’s, that’s, that’s what we do. That’s literally what Brandon. I will do. Like I said, yeah, it was fine.
Sue Bonzell
It was hilarious. I love it. So now you have a song called Whiskey camp. Now, that was the first song I heard of yours. Oh, really? And I was like, I kept hearing it. I was like, Who is this? Like, he’s really good. And I’m excited because we actually have some whiskey here. Today. You down for that? Yeah. Okay. We also have to play a game. So we have a lot going on here. Teddy is going to play a song, his latest song for us. And you can catch that by hitting the link in the description so you can see the full performance of that song and coming up in just a little bit. We’re going to we’re going to try out some whiskey and then we’re going to play truth or truth. You’re ready for it. Okay, when we come back, it’s truth or truth. Okay, it’s time for truth or truth. And I found some truth serum. Right here. All smoky. I don’t know if you guys have been out to their tasting room tasting area here in Nashville. It’s pretty. Pretty impressive. They’ve got whiskey and they’ve got the moonshine they’ve got like, I don’t know, like 50 different flavors of moonshine is something ridiculous like that. And it’s all delicious. This one is the salty watermelon. We’re gonna give it a try. Cheers. Cheers it smells like a Jolly Rancher. Yeah, that’s what it smells like. That’s pretty good, huh? Yeah, that’s pretty smooth. Okay, all right. All smoky. That’s what we’re doing right now. That’s our truth serum. And it’s time for Teddy Rob to play the game now. You can feel it. Get a little burn there. That’s good, though. Okay, you’re ready to pick your questions. We’re gonna do three questions. Do you get to pick your own?
Teddy Robb
Can we go? What’s the best advice someone has ever given? You wow
Sue Bonzell
you’ve probably gotten a lot of advice I’m sure. Is it ever been like contradictory one person says one thing when the person says the other thing.
Teddy Robb
I think that it’s just like the I think the golden rule is, uh, probably about as good as it gets. Just treat others the way you’d like to be treated if you live life, you know, trying to be you know, treat treating people like you want to be treated. I think it’s a life worth living.
Sue Bonzell
Okay, same we get we get with the good advice today.
Teddy Robb
That’s an easy one. Advice, you know. Okay, good. Hard to beat that one. You
Sue Bonzell
know, it is hard to beat that when it’s true. It’s true. Well, that what’s the other the platinum rule is treat others the way they want to be treated. That’s the other one. Have you heard that one? No. There you go. That’s everybody’s this a little bit different. All right, go. See we got all kinds of new stuff.
Teddy Robb
What is one thing you would stand in line an hour for? I’m trying to think of the last time I’ve stood in line for an hour for something.
Sue Bonzell
I have zero patience. I don’t stand in lines. Well, I don’t do lines
Teddy Robb
very well, either. Probably to go snowboarding. I’ve waited in some serious lines to hit the slopes. Yeah. Once you’re all geared up, right. You got your snowboard on and then you get out there and there’s a huge line. You’re like, well, not going anywhere now. I guess I’m going to
Sue Bonzell
you might as well Yeah, you get gotta wait for it. Yeah, yeah, I don’t. I don’t necessarily like big stadium concerts. Just because there’s a line to get in. There’s a line at the bar. There’s a line at the bathroom. There’s a line to try to get to your seat. You got a line to get out of the place
Teddy Robb
of your VIP though.
Sue Bonzell
Now we’re talking See, this is how this is how we this is how we roll. VIP all the way.
Teddy Robb
VIP I you know I struggle, but there are artists that I would go probably wait, I would wait to see. Chris Stapleton. Oh, yeah, he’s He’s definitely one of my favorites. I would probably wait an hour
Sue Bonzell
to see it’d be worth it. It would be worth it. Okay, good. All right. He’d wait an hour for Chris Stapleton. Yeah, we’re name dropping in this show. Yeah.
Teddy Robb
What’s the most childish thing you still do? Or true? must be getting old. I can’t think of any childish things.
Sue Bonzell
Nothing chatting to a child is foods like goldfish or something? Like
Teddy Robb
yeah, holy. I mean, I’ll still eat cereal I had last night I had cereal before bed.
Sue Bonzell
Okay, that was dinner. Okay, Sarah, what kind of cereal wasn’t even for dinner.
Teddy Robb
It’s like posted Okay, cereal before and what kind Frosted Flakes.
Sue Bonzell
There you go. Frosted Flakes. We got the truth out of them with the truth serum. Well, I want to thank you so much for being here playing the game answering the questions playing the song. All the things everybody, Teddy Rob, go follow him on the socials. Thank you again and hopefully we’ll get you back here soon. Love to thank you for having me right. Thanks for watching up in country. Be sure to like and subscribe and leave us a comment. 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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