We are blessed to have an in-studio guest again today.
That is Sarah Harrelson. How you doing, Sarah?
I'm good. How are you, Phil?
I'm doing wonderful.
You join us from Knoxville, Tennessee? Is that your original?
That's my original hometown in Knoxville, Tennessee.
And then I've been in Nashville about 11 years now.
You've been kicking around.
You don't look old enough to be around 11 years here
in the music business.
Well, I'm glad to hear that.
I went to Belmont University after I graduated high school
and just have been in Nashville ever since.
Okay. Belmont is a great place for a lot of musicians.
It's wonderful. Yeah. I knew I wanted to pursue music in Nashville.
So I majored in music business with a minor in production at Belmont.
And that was just a great way for me to learn more about the business side
of the industry for my artist career.
And because of my production minor,
I'm able to produce my own music now as well.
Wow. So you're kind of a jack of all trades, aren't you?
Yeah, I like to wear many hats in my last album.
I produced a lot of the songs on it.
Okay. So do you collaborate a lot when you're writing, Sarah?
I do. If I'm not writing by myself,
I'll co-write with other people,
my new single, Denna, my co-wrote with my,
Synapse Publishing and Entertainment Labelmate Delaney Ann.
And I just love collaborating with other people,
whether it's writing or in the studio,
just to get ideas off of them and make just music to its full potential.
You're a world traveler, aren't you?
I am, yes.
So I've always been touring in the States,
but last year I actually got the opportunity to tour in Eastern Europe.
A place I never thought music would bring me to,
especially in country music.
When I think of country music in Europe,
I think more of Western Europe instead of Eastern Europe.
But how that came about is a Bulgarian musician
hired me to record vocals on a Bulgarian hit.
Hello, my friend.
It was popular in the 90s.
And he wanted to make it a country-English version.
So I recorded my vocals at home and sent them over to him.
I didn't hear much back after the song was done.
And then a few months later, he called me and said,
would you like to do some interviews with Bulgarian news outlets?
And then I find out he is also a mayor of a town in Bulgaria
and knows the America for Bulgaria Foundation,
which helps Bulgarians in need.
And they were having their annual festival
and wanted me to come out to Bulgaria
to perform the song with him with an international symphony
and do a tour with him.
So my husband and I got to come out there.
He plays drums.
And we did a whole tour in Eastern Europe.
What was that like to have a whole orchestra behind you?
It was amazing.
That was my first time playing with a full symphony.
And it was an international symphony.
And it was just so amazing to even be able, besides that song,
I got to play some of my own music with the symphony.
And it was just beautiful to hear my music with a live orchestra.
Awesome.
Well, you have guitar in hand, Sarah.
And would you do a song for us?
Would you be so kind?
I would love to.
Yeah.
I'm going to play one off of my last album outside the lines,
which you can find on saraharlson.com wherever you get your music.
This is called Red Handed.
I got this last cigarette in my pocket, I crave it so bad,
but I'm too scared to smoke it.
So I've been learning so many times, running out just don't feel right.
I'm bound to my last lovely strike, staring at an MC pack, praying for another way.
I hate the cat and slow down too fast, try not to push you away.
I don't want to be the girl who steals your lonely heart,
like a pig in the night, robbing you blind, leaving you broken door,
no right where I'm standing.
Red Handed.
This bottle of bourbon is down to one last shot,
but I ain't going to take it just because it's all I've got.
I need something stronger, I can't let that be you.
And I wonder if you feel it too.
Staring at an MC glass, praying for another way.
I hate the cat and slow down too fast, try not to push you away.
I don't want to be the girl who steals your lonely heart,
like a pig in the night, robbing you blind, leaving you broken door,
no right where I'm standing.
Red Handed.
Red Handed.
Staring at an MC glass, praying for another way.
I hate the cat and slow down too fast, try not to push you away.
Don't want to be the girl who steals your lonely heart,
like a pig in the night, robbing you blind, leaving you broken door,
no right where I'm standing.
Red Handed.
Red Handed.
Red Handed.
Red Handed.
Oh, wonderful, I like it.
You just put your head back and close your eyes and make it look so effortless.
It just takes me to a different place when I play.
It does, that's awesome.
Inspiration for songs, where do you find that typically?
Yeah, how I fell in love with country music, I grew up around all sorts of music.
My granddad was a bluegrass musician, my mom would listen to pop,
dad would listen to country, but I fell in love with country music the most
because of the storytelling aspect of it.
So, a lot of inspiration I get from my own songs comes from my true experiences
that I've gone through in life, and that's what I love about country music.
It's so relatable, it's all about the story.
So, even when I'm collaborating with other people,
when they tell me about their stories, I try to find a way I've related to it in my life,
and then I like to write my songs in a way where other people can relate
with their own life experiences.
Do you remember the first song you learned on guitar back in the day?
Yes, it was actually take it easy by the Eagles.
Yeah, I started playing piano, that's the first instrument I learned,
and then from that I was able to teach myself guitar,
and that's an easier song to learn on guitar, so I just started with that one.
Indeed, wow, so the Eagles are a great influence as well.
Absolutely, I love Eagles.
I noticed too that you worked with denim, you worked with a couple of rock people as well.
Dale Penner?
Yeah, Dale Penner's the producer on denim.
He's produced music for Leverboy and Nickelback, so he kind of puts his rock edge
a little bit in music, but keeps it country, and I loved working with him on this song.
Okay, anything else you can tell us about denim before we play it?
Yeah, as I mentioned, I corroded it with my label mate Delaney Ann.
She is a single out now called this in Country Club, and when we wrote it,
it's just a fun song about the ever-trendy fabric,
and it's about a girl's ex who used to wear denim,
but now he's with someone new who's trying to dress him up in suits
and tell him what to wear, and she's just saying,
honey, you need to get back to your roots.
Get back in denim where you look best.
Have you told your husband that before?
No, but I do tell him, like, you need to have more than one pair of jeans.
All right, Sarah Harrelson on the story with us, and here's that new song.
I ain't never seen you like that, got your hair all cold and slicked back.
And you didn't ask, but it's not your style.
I ain't never seen you so stressed out here, like, trying to win best dressed.
Did you teach you how to tie on the tie?
And she's women, she's pearls, she's diamonds and curls.
Baby, I'm wrangler, timeless.
Ain't no world, she could find me, so I'm plastic, I'm trendy.
She pulled me away and now you missed me.
She can try all she wants, but you're in a vassal.
But baby, I'm thin and I look good on you.
I look good on you.
Boy, I wish she could see you when you're wearing those jeans.
I bet she don't even own a single pair.
It don't look like you can breathe, back it up, getting to me.
You've changed so much, time out to stay.
Baby, I'm wrangler, timeless.
Ain't no world, she could find me, so I'm plastic, I'm trendy.
She pulled me away and now you missed me.
She can try all she wants, but you're in a vassal.
But baby, I'm thin and I look good on you.
Trust me, trust me, I know you'll come back soon.
When you realize you missed those Levi's now.
Dress me up, dress me down when you get tired of the sound.
I've heard ten you, where she's got picked up.
Baby, I'm wrangler, timeless.
Ain't no world, she could find me, so I'm plastic, I'm trendy.
You pulled me away and now you missed me.
She can try all she wants, but you're in a vassal.
But baby, I'm thin and I look good on you.
You, you, you, I look good on you.
That's Sarah Harrelson, denim in the studio with us today.
We're going to talk more to Sarah when we continue right after these words.
Sarah Harrelson is in the studio with us today on WRCOs.
Live music thanks to grassroots promotions for sending her our way.
Sarah, you're involved in a really neat thing.
Tell me about the hospital visits that you've done over the years.
Yeah, so I've been a volunteer musician for an organization called Musicians on Call for almost ten years now.
And what they do is they bring live music to the hospital.
So I will go in room to room and play for patients who want to hear music.
And it's just a great way to give hospital patients music when they can't really get out of their beds.
And I was able to receive an award this year alongside Kelsey Ballerini for my volunteer work with them.
I've been able to perform for 19,000 hospital patients in person and virtually.
And it's been the most rewarding gig.
I can't imagine there that that has to go well.
Music has such healing powers, doesn't it?
It is. I absolutely believe that music heals.
And my mission has always been to provide healing music to people in one way or another,
whether that helps them get through an experience in their life or just gives them joy for a few minutes.
I'm told that what a wonderful world is one of your favorites to perform.
Would you do that for us today?
I would love to. This is one of my favorites to play in the hospitals because everyone knows it.
And it's just such a good song with a good message.
I see trees of green.
Red rose is true.
I see them bloom for me and for you.
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue.
Clouds that are white.
The bright best day, dark sacred night.
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
The colors of the rainbow are so pretty in the sky.
I also want the faces of people walking by.
I see friends shaking hands saying, how do you do?
They're really saying, I love you.
I hear babies laughing.
I watch them grow.
They learn much more than I'll ever know.
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
Oh, yes, I think to myself what a wonderful world.
Oh, my goodness.
If that doesn't motivate somebody to get up and put one foot forward, I don't know what does.
Absolutely.
Just a good message that there's still greatness in the world and positive energy out there.
We need to hear that song right now.
I think that was perfect.
I think so too.
Yeah, perfect.
Sarah Harrelson, you're on WRC Radio.
Where to next then, more radio tour?
Yes, we've been up in Wisconsin.
I've been down in Tennessee where I'm from Alabama and Georgia promoting denim.
And we're off to Prairie Dushi next.
So it's been such a fun time.
Toring was constant.
I've only been to Milwaukee before.
So I love seeing Wisconsin this time of year.
Got to visit Lambo Field the other day just to pass by and see it.
So that was very cool.
Hooray.
Did they convert you from being a Titans fan or not?
You know, the Titans are bad.
And I've always grown up around college football.
And then my husband is a Baltimore Ravens fan.
So I usually cheer on the Ravens with them.
And they're doing well.
They're doing very well.
And I have a lot of Packers friends and Wisconsin friends.
And you know, I always say even if you're not a Packers fan,
there's just so much respect for the community and their stadium
and just the great fan community that they've built there.
Yeah, it's most definitely.
Have you ever had a chance to sing the National Anthem before a game?
Not before a game.
I recently sang it for some veterans at a hospital for musicians on call.
But yeah, we'd love to perform it at a stadium.
Okay.
Maybe someday a Packer game.
That'd be pretty darn cool.
Yeah, I will be a cheesehead for the day to sing it there.
I understand you've written a children's book.
I did.
Yes, I released a children's book called Turtle Tears this January.
And I never intended on writing a children's book.
It just kind of came naturally to me.
I lost my mom almost a couple years ago to cancer.
And through that experience, one of her favorite things was turtles.
And a few months after I lost her, a story came on the news.
And it was about the symbiotic relationship between a turtle and a butterfly.
And if you didn't know, turtles excrete salt out of their glands.
It looks like they're crying.
And so butterflies are thirsty.
And they'll drink the salt from the turtles to get rid of their tears or salt.
And I thought it was such a cute idea for a children's book.
And so when I wrote the book, it's about an unlikely friendship between a turtle and a butterfly.
And the butterfly helps the turtle get through his sadness.
And it was a great way for me to get through my grief of losing my mom
and for any kids who are going through a time of sadness or loneliness in their life.
It's a great way for them to see that friendships can help them through hard times.
So you can find turtles tears at my website, saraharrowson.com.
If you want to sign a copy or Amazon and Barnes and Noble online.
Where do you find the time to write songs and write books?
You know, somehow I always find the time.
I feel like I'm so busy and never have time.
But especially like in the winter when I'm not touring.
That's when I have more time to write more music and do other creative endeavors.
I did a podcast this year too called Mind Your Music Business.
That you can find wherever you get your podcast.
And I interview different people in the music industry.
So everyone can learn about all the moving parts of the music industry.
For someone getting into music, I'm guessing that's really helpful.
And you don't want to discourage them, but there are a lot of hurdles to jump through.
Absolutely.
And that was one thing I really loved about my experience at Belmont University was to learn about the business side of the industry,
which has been helpful in my artist career as a creative.
And it's a great way for other creatives to learn more about the business.
Or if someone wants to get in the music industry, but didn't know that job existed for them.
Such as radio or even doing like taxes for musicians or music attorney.
There's just unlimited jobs in the music business.
Fascinating stuff.
I think maybe we can get you to sing one more song.
We'll take a time out and come back if that's all right.
I would love to.
All right.
Sarah Harrelson is joining us at WRC Radio on this our middle of the week Wednesday get together.
Well, we're having a great time in the studio with Sarah Harrelson.
We've educated her on what ski soda poppies now.
So now you know, you're enlightened.
Yeah, apparently it's made in Knoxville where I'm from.
So I'll have to bring some up here.
You'll have to.
Now I'll get you hooked on it.
You know, and you'll have to thank me later.
So of your accomplishments, you won some awards through the years.
Is there one that you're most proud of, Sarah?
Yeah, the most I'm proud of is, as I mentioned, I won an award.
This may from musicians on call for my volunteer work with them.
And that was in a great accomplishment.
I was invited to be a member of the recording Academy a couple years ago.
So I can't see.
Wait to see what's next with the awards.
I want a songwriting competition for a song I co-wrote with my friend James Tristan.
Reading, it's called Angels on Broadway.
I think you can find it on YouTube.
And been nominated for some awards as well.
Awesome.
And you're going to be a part of a documentary coming up as well, aren't you?
Yeah.
So that's in the pre-production phase right now.
It's called Women Behind the Learix.
And it's about four women from different backgrounds on the road.
Touring who mostly live in Nashville.
And we go on the road next October.
And it's just about women in the music industry kind of finding their way.
When you get back home, when the radio tour is done and everything,
what do you like to do?
We look forward to the most about getting home for a couple of days.
Yeah, mostly seeing my husband and my cat when I haven't seen them in a while.
Yeah, a comfort food that you have as well.
Usually Mexican food is my favorite.
But this time of year when it's nice and cold, I love to do crockpot recipes,
make some homemade chili and watch them football while I'm home.
Sounds like heaven right there.
Well, I know you get to get on the road to some other places.
Would you sing us a song before you leave?
I would love to.
First, I want to give a shout out to Marvin Ford.
He sent me a message on Facebook this morning.
He's listening in from Richland Center.
And I think he's tuning in now.
So thank you for listening to Denham.
And I'm going to play a song off my album Whiskey History.
You can find my music wherever you listen and right here on WRCO.
But this is called Bottom of the Glass.
One more sip than I'm done.
Last one should have been the last one.
Miss calls all night.
I ain't giving in this time I'll drink.
This till it's dry, then I'm leaving.
You'll be high at the bottom of the glass.
Sure came pretty fast.
I'm thinking I'm done thinking about going back.
The way it's going down, I can take another round
of this brink of bombs I'm breaking over you right now.
One more sip and just like that, we're at the bottom of the glass.
You cut off close tab.
You ain't ever coming back to this bar.
For my heart I'd rather be sober than one and more.
I tried to make this last.
But this more has run its path to the bottom of the glass.
Sure came pretty fast.
I'm thinking I'm done thinking about going back.
The way it's going down, I can take another round
of this brink of bombs I'm breaking over you right now.
One more sip and just like that, we're at the bottom of the glass.
And I'm switching to something new.
Something that won't bring me back to you.
To the bottom of the glass.
The bottom of the glass.
Sure came pretty fast.
I'm thinking I'm done thinking about going back.
The way it's going down, I can take another round of this brink of bombs I'm breaking over you right now.
One more sip and just like that, we're at the bottom of the glass.
The bottom of the glass.
The bottom of the glass.
Sarah Harrelson, hey, thank you so much for coming in.
Thank you for having me, Phil.
It's one of the pleasures of this job is meeting people like you and hearing that talent.
And we appreciate nothing but success.
Just the only thing I ask is bring back a gold record the next time you come in so we can put it on the wall then.
You know what I'll bring back a gold record and some ski soda for you.
Sounds good.
Safe travels to you.
Sarah Harrelson, the new record is denim.
You'll hear that again on WRC a little bit later and we have more coming up here on Wednesday morning.