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HOW BEING IRRESISTIBLY HONEST LED TO AN OUTSTANDING MUSIC CAREER - #42
What’s been annoying you this week?
Richard Lynch is an American country music singer/songwriter with a successful career that has lasted over three decades
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Richard Lynch, Indecent HALL OF FAME Inductee joins ASG to spread some of the wisdom he has gained through an unbelievable 30+ year career.
Expect to learn about why Richard doesn't like "Modern Country Music", How he learned to be himself, How he found his way from a lost place, The effect staying blue collared has had on his career and How he handled his Fame.
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Peace.
01) So tell me, who's Richard Lynch?
Richard Lynch (00:04) Well, Richard Lynch is a country boy from southwestern Ohio, a little town called Waynesville, Ohio, who grew up in a country music household. And by that, mean my dad was an incredible country music singer. And I was fortunate enough to grow up in that time zone, in that era where traditional country music was king. And my dad being an incredible artist, I learned from him. So Richard Lynch is a guy that loves real deal traditional country music.
ASG (00:37) What's annoying you this week, Richard?
Richard Lynch (00:41) Well, I love the fact that I can share with the world that I love. And I love the fact there's a huge market for real traditional country music, probably more now than maybe ever. Maybe it used to be not that long ago that, you know, you would turn the radio on and you would hear George Jones and Murl Haggard and Conway Twitty and all those other folks that, you know, were so huge. And then a little... you know, time goes by and Alan Jackson and George Strait and Travis Tripp, you know, they were, they were pretty keeping the real traditional sound alive. And nowadays it's getting harder and harder to find that traditional sound, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's not loved. A lot of people still like to hear that sound in there. And once they find an artist that they hitch their wagon with, or they become friends with or become acquainted with, The next thing you know, thanks to people like you and the internet, have, having endured and created a huge worldwide audience right now. This is a for the fact that people are trying to find their music that they're, that they're accustomed to. love the steel guitar. They love the three-part harmony. They love the music. It has three chords and the truth. So we're about keeping the real traditional sound alive.
ASG (02:03) When you hear the country pop genre that's really taking over at the moment, do you still hear elements of real, like pure country involved in it or is it kind of going more mainstream?
Richard Lynch (02:18) Well, I'd be honest with you, the modern country music, I don't listen to it anymore. I just have such a... I'll just put it you this way. There was a time when I lived to see the CMA Awards come on TV. And there's nothing country on there anymore, very little, I should say. And it seems like they celebrate everything other than that. true country genre. They've kept the name and changed the music. So, you know, the pop scene really doesn't do anything for me. And I'm not bad mouthing them. They got room to do their thing and they can, you know, I wish all the luck in the world to them. But they should kind of change their name to be either pop country or... because the real country artists are still out there. believe me, there are some... There are some really good, you know, new independent artists that's really keeping our genre quite well. mean, they're recording and writing great traditional country music and it's heartwarming to see friends and, you know, make acquaintances with these folks as we go around the country. And I just love the fact that there is still a need for that traditional sound.
ASG (03:43) Yeah, traditional country to me is always, it's like a really cool way of telling stories. It's almost like it's blue collar people talking blue collar relatable stories, but it's in a way that you can, you can sing along with it and it makes you feel like you're involved in some way. Do you see that that is maybe what separates real country from country pop?
Richard Lynch (04:09) I agree. In my music, I just throw my heart on my sleeve. And you know, I grew up from a time when, you know, people like Chris Christopherson would sing, you know, Why Me Lord, wasn't afraid to, you know, to share their values with the Lord. And then people would people like Merle Haggard would say, I'm on the fighting side of me. You would see a genuine tone and a genuine feel for the country based on the traditional country music. And the country music would replicate the feelings of our country, whether it was a political thing they're trying to say, or if there was some kind of an event that country music was never afraid to tackle that particular event. And now so, you know, you've... You don't really necessarily hear that emotion side of the music. It's all upbeat and all tempoed and all happy and that's really not, I mean, that's fine, but it's not real life. Real traditional Crouchy Music speaks in their songs as if people would say, I've had people tell me, Richard, I heard your brand new song you wrote and it's almost as if you wrote this song for me. And I want to touch on that because to me country music is supposed to replicate the feelings that we have all encountered, whether it's happy, whether it's sad, whether it's a breakup, whether it's jubilance, whatever that feeling is, country music has always been a thermostat or a threshold to those real genuine feelings.
ASG (05:59) Yeah, Bill Abernathy was on the show and he talked about how when he sits down he literally writes down everything he's feeling and just finds a way to make it into a song because it is a good point he made of you can tell when an artist is speaking for the truth from the heart and when they're, I wouldn't say faking it but they're making it a little bit more artistic-y and you can tell the difference. Have you noticed that whenever you put out songs it's true and real about things that's going on your life at the moment, they are responded to better by the people listening to it.
Richard Lynch (06:32) yes. You know, I'm going to be honest with you. You know, we just went through a huge election here in the United States and I'm a big time pro-Trump-er. I mean, I promote him and I support him and because he represents my values of the American dream, the American way. And so I wrote a song called God and Trump. You know, people took that Whoever didn't like Trump sure as heck didn't want to hear Richard Lynch sing about God and Trump. But I knew that there's a whole world of people out there that do support him and do support our values and want to see our traditional values. So I took it upon myself to put it out there how I was feeling, knowing that I'm going to get ridiculed and knowing that I'm going to get backlash. And at my stage in my life. I decided, you know, that's okay. I'm going to put the real feelings out there and connect with people. And someone told me recently, and I thought, well, I've got to repeat this on a podcast. You know, one of these days, we're all going to meet our maker and he's going to ask us, Richard, what'd you do with that talent I gave you? And I'm going to be proud to say. Lord, I sang for you and I wanted to make sure I represented my values for my country. And I wrote a song that meant what I felt about our country and I put it out there for the heart, for the world to see right or wrong. So I just realized that, you know, it ain't necessarily about me. Put my emotions out there and let the people decide what they want to hear.
ASG (08:22) Yeah, you can tell you still got a true passion for songwriting and things like that whenever I listen to you speak now and I've I've listened to a few of your songs to get an idea of who you are but this was the first thing that came to my head when I was listening to some of your songs. You've had like we mentioned we were talking earlier probably a near enough of 40 year career. How do you stay so passionate after 40 years because usually the flame runs out by now.
Richard Lynch (08:48) Well, I've learned, I remember my dad saying something as a youngster, Richard, you've got two ears and one mouth. And I didn't necessarily knew what he meant back then. But as I've gotten older, I realized that if we listen to people, sometimes you can get inspired by people who, by a conversation. I just was lucky enough to be at a... little old community, there's a little town where I grew up here and they have a little donut shop down there and every morning there's several old folks that I've known for a long, long time and they'll go in there and get their coffee and their breakfast every morning. And I'm painting you a picture of most any little town, you know, you can see folks that will gravitate and associate around a particular restaurant or a donut shop or what have you. And this particular morning there was a two gentleman that that I've known forever sitting there and they're getting on close to 90 years old. And they just want people to talk with them and visit with them a minute, you know. So I have my cup of coffee in my hand and a bag of donuts and was going on about my business and one of them yelled out, Hey Richard, how you doing? So I went over and talked with them for just a few minutes and I got ready to go. And I said, now you fellas have a good day. And just as innocent as I possibly could, Ellis, the older gentleman that I've known a long time, grabbed my hand. said, Richard, every day is a good day, but some days are better than others. And man, my emotion and my head just exploded. said, fellas, I gotta go. I gotta write this song. So just from a normal conversation, you never know.
ASG (10:38) Hahaha
Richard Lynch (10:44) where that inspiration for that song will come. And I'm fortunate and I'm grateful that I've learned to listen to people and let their words and let their years of life shine a little bit. And I've learned to listen to them to where I can get inspired by people, just having a simple conversation. And I'm thankful that I can do that.
ASG (11:14) That's a skill a lot of people really don't master because I remember one of my like first jobs I got my boss would always be like giving out words of wisdom thinking he's like Gandhi or something but he would always say if you listen to someone for long enough they'll eventually either drop crucial knowledge or they'll reveal who they really are and that's something that I think most people don't really take on board and especially artists because you can tell a lot of artists who they repeat the same morals and story over and over again in different words, but they never really tell true stories people will actually understand. Like you mentioned about hearing that statement in a coffee shop, someone else would probably never have heard that because they'd be too ignorant to go up and speak to them.
Richard Lynch (11:59) Well, you're exactly right. you know, for me, I've heard that, sign, that statement before, you know, some, you know, some days are better than others. And it just so happened that that particular moment struck me. Maybe it was the fact that I knew the older gentlemen and maybe it was the fact that, I was in an environment where, you know, they were. they were resonating with me. was connecting what they were saying. And how you get the song across is by being genuine. And I've come to realize that as much as I love Vince Gill, I can't be Vince Gill, as much as I love George Strait or Alan Jackson or Conway Twitty, I can't be any of those guys. I have to be Richard Lynch. And I've realized that, you know, just put my heart and put my emotions and put my feelings in my music. And it's it's really actually an ongoing thing because I'm continually learning how to write and I'm continually feeling like I'm getting better at it. And I'm continually... wanting to improve and make that connection with my music where people can connect with it with their life.
ASG (13:36) There's an important lesson there I think that could help everybody and not just music in general because you mentioned that you need to learn how to be Richard Lynch. I think a lot of people in life in general struggle understanding who they need to be like how they become themselves almost in a way. Do you have any advice on how you navigated that because in the country saying there's a lot of people you could try and replicate.
Richard Lynch (14:01) Well, here's what I've come to realize. You have to surround yourself with people that want to see you succeed, people that believe in you. If you're around people that just kind of work with you for a particular reason, maybe you're paying them pretty good, but they really don't want to see you succeed, or they really don't care whether you have a success in a... in that particular genre, you know, you need to move on. If you're in a relationship that somehow your actual artist is a conflict with somebody that you're in a relationship with, ultimately that's not going to work for you. So you have to find yourself people, surround yourself with people that believe in you, support you, and want to be part of your success. Otherwise you can get tore down pretty quick and be beat down pretty quick. And, you know, you lose your inspiration. You lose your ability to be who you are because you're, you know, not necessarily around people that want to see you succeed. And it took me a long time to really realize that. And anymore, you know, I just, I just shoot from the hip and if people like me great, if they don't, well, that's okay too.
ASG (15:27) I was talking to someone a few days ago who listens to this podcast and it branches me from my newsletter and they said like what's the most common thing that you've learned about people who are who have been successful in their own right and you nailed it because the episode that comes out next week we I spoke with this guy who used to be CFO for Morgan Stanley and he had the exact same answers you had about watch your environment, see who's around you. And I had a guy on from Finland who's like the top podcaster in Finland, exact same answer, watch your environment. So it's so funny to me hearing this, because I would never have heard of this, like from where I grew up and stuff. Like there's not a lot of people you could ask about who are like hyper successful. But now after I'm speaking to these people that are successful, you hear...
Richard Lynch (15:57) Really?
ASG (16:20) How much your environment matters just blows my mind every time because you've almost rehearsed it.
Richard Lynch (16:27) Well, you know, you can see a lot of people are, you know, they can, they claim to be something and they're really not. And you can see through, or believe me, the public can see through something that's not genuine. There, you know, you got to give everybody credit. If you're trying to be something you're not, you might fool a few people. Ultimately, your, your fans, the public can see whether you're, less than genuine or not. And, you know, I come from a farm, I was raised by on an old horse farm, we worked every day. I lived the values how I was raised. you know, like me or not, I still have those values that I was raised with. And the music is as, you know, as pure and genuine as I can put it, because I want to sing from the heart, write from the heart, put it out there that other people can connect with, because I was told a long time ago, If you write it from an emotion, other people are going to feel that emotion and there's where your connection is through your music and the people that say, Hey, I live very similar to this and I can't fake that. It's real.
ASG (17:43) How much did your childhood play into your songwriting because you were raised on a farm, your father was a country singer as well and you still now live on a farm and you're raising your kids on a farm. How much did that play into your songwriting and your music career as a whole?
Richard Lynch (18:01) Well, you know, I would say there is a certain percentage of, you know, the agricultural way of life that I love would probably be a part of the music that I write. And I don't necessarily think it's consciously, but once again, it's what I am. And sometimes I find myself going to a line in the song where I'll be singing about a fence row or I'll be singing about some hay or I'll be singing a line about how he was hoeing weeds out of the garden. But yeah, it's really, it's probably what I am. It's what I've, what I've grown up doing and I'll write songs that have different directions, but I find myself when I'm just getting an inspiration, something will come to me that's based around my farm way of life or the horses or the... You know, there's a lot of responsibility that comes from being on a farm. And, you know, I think all of those different aspects and all those different things that I live on a day-to-day basis ultimately plays a part of my music.
ASG (19:21) Does that responsibility of knowing you have to take care of the farm and you have jobs to do around the farm, does that help stabilize your ego when you have songs that end up charting or you win awards or you're mentioned in these categories with some amazing artist? Does that help control you a little bit and keep you grounded?
Richard Lynch (19:43) Well, I'd like to think I'm pretty grounded. I I love the fact that I've acquired this success in music. But people that know me all my life know me, I'm just Richard. I don't try to be anything I'm not. I love the fact that I can walk up to a crowd and stick my hand out and shake people's hand, hug their neck. I'm a people person and I I Learned a long time ago you can You can fall a whole lot farther than ever faster than you ever did starting, you know becoming successful So I just learned to be appreciative I've been I've been Nominated here recently for a song that went into movie I was asked to write a song about a movie in a year ago and it went into a movie called Kim Kahana the man that changed Hollywood and I was asked to write a theme song about that to which we did and ultimately we just got nominated for a song a songwriter in Hollywood and I was up against people like Miley Cyrus and other folks that you know that wrote songs for this year I didn't win But I was tickled that I could be around or have my songs be considered for something from Hollywood. And I'm saying all that to tell you this, whether I'm a country star on the radio, whether they're putting my songs in Hollywood, or whether I'm stacking a load of hay in the back of the pickup truck, I'm just Richard. And I'm thankful that I get to be and get to do what I love to do.
ASG (21:41) What was the feeling like when you officially got inducted into the independent country hall of fame?
Richard Lynch (21:48) Ain't that neat? got actually inducted into the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame, I think it was in 2019. to sit back and let that sink in for just a second, you know, there's lots and lots and lots of people from the state of Ohio that's contributed so much to country music. Earl Thomas Connelly, know, Diamond Rio. Bobby Bear, Johnny Paycheck, and I'm just scratching the surface. And for someone to think enough of me to nominate and then actually be inducted into the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame, that is absolutely so flattering. I'm so grateful that I can say that. And then I got inducted a few years ago into the Independent Country Music Hall of Fame. And once again, someone thought enough of me to nominate me and I'm just grateful. I'm thankful. I'm blessed beyond belief. And I get to do cool things like have conversations with you and other folks that want to share the music and keep the traditional music alive and well. So I realize how fortunate I am and I'm thankful.
ASG (23:11) Yeah the independent country one is crazy because there's so many independent country artists like to know that you're one of the... well officially technically one of the greats that's incredible but have you noticed independent country has kind of been declining they're almost people are trying to go for labels and management now instead of running their own ship
Richard Lynch (23:35) Well, I have seen that and I don't oppose that if that's what they want to do. ultimately if you're owned or signed to a major label, you're the property of that label. And if they decide that they want you to record whatever songs in order to get airtime or whatever to fulfill their contract, you're going to do what they want to do. And that really don't fit with me. I want to keep the tradition sound alive. I want to be able to have an interview with some folks that share my values. We get fans usually one or two at a time and I'm okay with that. But I don't want to be in a position where... I'm told I have to do this or I told I have to do that. I just want my natural projection of my music to shine and if my trajectory of a country star continues, I just want it to be on my terms.
ASG (24:48) So this may be a little bit of an idiot question but I'm no involvement in music at all. I've barely listened to it be honest but speaking of these like artists and stuff now I'm trying to like start to build a base of knowledge. When you get signed to a label do you technically give up a little bit of your of control over what you put out?
Richard Lynch (25:11) Yes, you know, that's where you have music attorneys and contracts and a multitude of people that ultimately they, become an item. It'd be like, well, I'm trying to sell, you know, a can of green beans, but this is, they're selling a can of country music. That's what you become. You're now a commodity. And of course that the label is that business that has to promote you out there to get you heard or whatever in order to sell that commodity. So if you're in a situation where you're striving to be on a label, know, for me, it would not allow me to be genuine anymore. I would have to put what I feel aside in order to fulfill what that particular label wants me to do. you know, never say never, but for me, it's not a direction that I'm comfortable with.
ASG (26:21) I've always heard these like label managers and stuff they can be a little bit shady it's quite hard to find a real good one and I know from speaking to like MMA fighters and boxers and some of their contracts there's like hidden terms it's like things they're allowed to do are not allowed to do or things they need permission for and you mentioned earlier about you like having the freedom to do your own interviews or interviews with whoever you want so if you were assigned to a label and you were their property technically would you need to pass
Richard Lynch (26:34) Hmm
ASG (26:50) everything you're doing music-wise or public-wise with them before you could do it.
Richard Lynch (26:58) I would say yes. I would have to have some kind of a past where, hey, listen, because you know, it, you lose your creativity for me. And now it may be a situation and I'm speculating that I would be an environment where some house writers or some house artists, maybe you would hitch their wagon or hitch your wagon with them. And that would probably be something acceptable for me. But I'm speculating because I've never been on a label. But I know folks that have. And I hear people say things like, you know, I would like to release this country song, but you know, the label feels it's not pop enough or it's not whatever enough for this particular time. And therefore you lose the ability to control yourself as an artist. I don't want to lose that. You know, I'm really okay with just being, just being traditional and letting the natural involve, evolve of the artists, you know, get out there. Like I say, one, one at a time or a station at a time or a TV station at a time, but let it naturally evolve to where you're becoming successful over time. You know, if you get signed to a label, you might be a mega star overnight, but you might be gone in two months. You know, what, you know, somebody else comes along just a little bit better or someone else with a more money. Now you were here today, but you're gone tomorrow. And, know, I'm throwing it out there. The scenarios that I have heard is basically what I'm saying.
ASG (28:42) Yeah, I've heard a lot of things somewhere and I can see why people go to labels. It probably, it gets rid of a lot of the admin for you and they, they're experts. They know how to get your music out there better than ours. But yeah, that needing to get things passed and technically being proper, it just doesn't sit well with me. Another thing that I've heard about is you kind of have no control over when you go, when you have to be on stage. Like they could just ring you one time and say, here we've booked like, six weeks of dates you need to just go and you could have something in the middle there where a wedding or something you need to attend and they'll just be like listen you've signed the contract you can't get out of it now.
Richard Lynch (29:23) Well, yeah, listen, I really, if I book a show, I've only been in one situation where I had to cancel in 40 some years. I completely lost my voice about three months ago. the two day, a day before I was supposed to perform at a big casino and I had no way around it. I had to cancel it. And that was the first time I'd ever done that. But you know, they wouldn't want to be there anyhow because nothing was coming out. So, you know, you have to be, you have to want to perform. other words, if I sign a contract, I'm going to do everything on my power and I've always been there and I got a five or six piece band that travels with me or I will book a traveling bunch of musicians. that will meet me there that I've performed with before. But yeah, know, the contract thing, it's definitely, it's a good thing to have. But you know, if you're ill, there's no way around getting out of that. But you know, some things happen, we just don't have no control over, you know.
ASG (30:43) Yeah, you do a lot of shows from what I've done my research on and I don't know, we've spoke before about what country music is like in Ireland and you I've used to it being a lot heavily in bars and stuff like that but you mentioned about performing in casino. Do you have to alter how you perform to these different venues or is it just kind of they'll accept me for what I know no matter what?
Richard Lynch (31:10) Well, I'm glad you said that because I've been playing, you know, the bar scene since back in the late seventies, early eighties up until, you know, within the last couple of years. And, know, you can't get away with just performing traditional country music. If you're in a bar scene or if you're in a nightclub or if you're in a casino, you have to be able to, you know, do some dance music and you know, a little bit more variety in order to be inclusive to get a big crowd. And I've learned to work the crowd, but my heart is with traditional country music and I definitely play at every show. But now if, if I'm doing a casino and there's a wide array of folks out there, we'll do a little bit of Southern rock and roll. We'll do a little bit of old, old time dance music. And then we'll turn it right around and do a George Jones song or a traditional song of mine. But we've learned to be diverse enough to where we are acceptable in the casinos and nightclubs. But now if we are booked on a country music show and it's a opera show, whatever, we can give you 90 minutes of just pure, traditional, heartfelt country music. And I'm certainly okay with that too, but you have to know your audience.
ASG (32:39) Yeah, it's interesting you've ended that with knowing your audience because something I've noticed anyway I don't know this worldwide but younger people are really starting to get into country music. Are you surprised by how young some of these people are getting into country music now? It seems to be kind of taken over
Richard Lynch (32:57) I'm tickled to death because, know, a lot of folks, myself, I've been playing since 1978 and I've seen, you know, I've seen the days of Randy Travis where he was as traditional as they get and he reached the pinnacle. And then, you know, the late nineties come around and early two thousands.
ASG (32:58) Hahaha.
Richard Lynch (33:25) and the music goes the other way, which is as far from traditional as it gets. And I'm saying that to tell you this. I think young people, when they hear or they're around traditional country music, they can make a connection. you know, they can see through what we talked about earlier, how you can see through a certain feeling or whatever. They want to make a connection that's real. And if you listen to traditional country music, there are some young folks today that I know that are writing good country songs with an intent that maybe they'll get signed. There's a young fellow that I've known named Wyatt McCubbin, I think he's 22 or 23 years old now. He's in Nashville. He's from our area, wrote songs, been writing songs since he was, you know, just a teenager. And the music he's writing is really traditional sounding. music and he's getting some cuts and the fact that there's somebody young and they're getting some attention and the fact that they're keeping it traditional gives me hope that maybe someday mainstream country music will be more country again.
ASG (34:40) Do think people like him and those young country artists are in a similar situation to how you were whenever you first started? They grew up around the country scene and country singers or they grew up on a farm. Do you think that's maybe that's all they know? So they think it is maybe just the best route to go.
Richard Lynch (35:00) Well, it's hard to say, but I think people have a, they have to get out and experience different things, especially a young artist. You know, it takes a little bit of time to come to terms with what you really are. And if you really love traditional music, you're going to get pulled a few different directions before you ultimately come to terms with yourself. I was fortunate enough to be around A lot of folks, when country music was king. so those people like Buck Owens and George Jones and aren't there anymore. But what I'm seeing, a lot of folks, younger folks have the access and the ability to go to YouTube or have some connection with a older artist, not as mentioned a couple there, but there's a lot of other folks that young folks are connecting with. and they hear it for the first time and they think it's brand new music and they're hearing that traditional sound for the first time and relating with it and it does my heart good to see them gravitate more towards the traditional sound and I'd like to think that it will be more mainstream at some point.
ASG (36:20) Do you consider yourself famous?
Richard Lynch (36:23) maybe infamous. You know, I get people saying that saying things like, you know, Richard, we've seen you here. We've seen you there. We watched you this. We watched you that. And I'm flattered. I guess maybe. But, know, there's I still think there's a whole lot more room to.
ASG (36:27) A-ha, they ask.
Richard Lynch (36:50) become more of a household name. And I'd love to be able to say, you know, I did a show with George Strigart or I did a show with Alan Jackson. And that may or may not ever happen. But yeah, I feel like I'm becoming more more famous just for the fact that I'm throwing my music out there and people are accepting me.
ASG (37:12) How does the film come to terms with that? Because a lot of people say that when they do get to the point where... I don't know if idolize is the right word but in and around that area where people are looking at them and taking inspiration or they're really connecting with what they're doing they say they have a weird moment of processing that, that there's people out there that truly love it. Like have you ever had a moment where you've walked by someone and they're playing your music in the car in a shop and you kind of take yourself aback and pinch yourself a little?
Richard Lynch (37:41) Well, believe it or not, I'm somewhere and I hear my music on the radio, I'm like, wow, that's me. That's old Richard. So I'm still grateful. I'm still thankful. I never want to get to the point where I expect anything. If anybody wants me to be a part of their program, I'm appreciative. If somebody wants to do it, put me on a
ASG (37:43) hehe
Richard Lynch (38:10) a package show, I'm appreciative. If somebody wants to book me and pick a place USA or Ireland or what have you, I am certainly appreciative. I never want to be to the point where I expect something because I've been doing this all my life. I don't never want to be there. I want to be there because people want me there and I want to go do my music. just love the fact that people are finally accepting what I do and they're gravitating toward it and I'm thankful because of it.
ASG (38:44) Now that you're starting to build and design barns, have you ever shown up to a project and someone's recognized you and thought, why is Richard Lynch Country Singer building my barn?
Richard Lynch (38:55) Well, every now and then I do, but I don't build a whole lot anymore like I used to. I do a few things still because I love doing it. I was the oldest of six kids growing up on a farm and out of necessity, I had to help my dad with barn repairs and farm repairs and fence repairs and a multitude of responsibilities growing up. And I enjoy that work. And I'm thankful that I was raised to where I can, you know, learn and understand those needs. I consider myself fortunate that I grew up then and can still do that because I have a huge appreciation to see, you know, maybe an old barn that needs some help or starting to be dilapidated. If I can help somebody or be around somebody and help give that old barn some new life, it's heart warming to me that I just helped that old barn get another 50, 60, 70, 80 years of life again. And I was part of that. It just, feels good to be able to do that kind
ASG (40:08) What music have you got out now and what's in the coming future? What's the plan to put out?
Richard Lynch (40:15) in the future? Well, believe it or not, we just released two full-length albums, Nashville recorded albums in 2024. And early, right before Easter, we're going to release another inspirational album, 13 songs, 10 of which I have written. Three of them will be familiar. country gospel spiritual songs that will be coming on early part of 2025. I'm excited about that more than anything because you know, I get to get out there and I want to see people connect with our maker. I want to see people reconnect with the Lord. I love country music and I love the fact that I can do that, but I also want to take my country music in a direction that says, hey Lord, thank you for what this gift you've given me called life. And thank you for this opportunity to meet wonderful people and share my music. So this inspirational album is the first one I've ever done. And I'm really excited about getting that out there right now. It doesn't mean I'm going to stop playing country music, but it's a little different direction and it's kind of more heartfelt. if you know what I'm coming from on the inspirational side of things.
ASG (41:44) One last thing first to talk about and I'm not gonna do so much answering to this question it's gonna be all you because you've dropped some wisdom in this episode and I think you might be one of the better people to ask this to but I put out a tweet a few weeks ago asking people what is the most common question they have in their mind and it was always what do I do in life they always seem to be lost people always seem to just not know where they're going or what they're doing and you've touched on a lot and the process you had of figuring out who you were and where you stand in the country. If you could give some advice to someone who's a little bit lost in life, what would it be?
Richard Lynch (42:22) Well, I'll say this. If you're in a situation where you're not sure, confide with somebody. Confide with somebody that cares about you, whether it would be a parent, a grandparent, whether it would be a friend. And we touched a little bit about it. If those people, they typically want to see you successful and they've lived and maybe made some mistakes. And maybe if you just listen to somebody that's made some mistakes or not, and they can see you heading down a bad path or a wrong path, don't be afraid to listen to somebody. Maybe they can save you some heartache because they genuinely want to see you succeed and they genuinely want to help you. So be willing to listen to people. Ultimately, it will help you become a better person.