| Are you member of the Muzik Mafia? |
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I resigned from the Muzik Mafia in December, 2005. I wish the folks in the Mafia nothing but the best. |
| Do you like country music? |
| I love all kinds of music. I can see why people ask me that. It's usually after I sing my song, If You Play Another Country Song (I'm Gonna Have to Kick Your Ass!). It is really a stone cold country song. I got the title for that song based on a true story. I was in a bar in south Texas when this guy got mad at me for playing some rock 'n roll on the jukebox. He got a whole roll of quarters from the bar and started putting them in the jukebox. I thought "Cool, free music!" Well, he played Your Cheatin Heart 40 times in a row! He was trying to run me off short of kicking my ass. |
| How did you get a song and a part in The Last Castle? |
| Sheer luck! It was a number of things combined I think. I heard about the movie from a friend. A friend got me an audition. I didn't get the part but they asked me to be an extra. The director remembered me from the audition. He created a character for me and gave me a few lines with Robert Redford. The key grip saw me at a NASCAR race and brought out a bunch of folks from the production crew to Rivalry's. The director got wind I played music (and he saw a guy playing "Shed My Skin" on a plane trip) so he asked me for a CD. I had already written several songs based on the movie during my downtime in the trailer. Next thing you know I'm a movie star AND a rock star!:) (Maybe I stretched that last one a bit) Dean who? |
| What kind of music do you like? |
| I like all kinds of music. I always lean towards good songwriting and guitar playing. |
| dean hall |
| When is the next CD coming out? |
| I'm working on one now. I'll be in the studio in a few weeks. I'm really happy with this new project because I think I've taken my songwriting to a new level. Plus, I learned from my first two. My plan is to go with a major label on this one. |
| dean hall |
| Are you going to play NASCAR again and what happened? |
| I'd love to come back and play and btw, thanks for the e-mails that I still get from you guys asking me to come back! However, as you know, Winston terminated their sponsorship of NASCAR so that ended our tour. They were slowly slashing programs leading up to the Winston Cup/Nextel transition. It was great while it lasted and I made lots and lots of friends all over the country. |
| dean hall |
| I saw you on "Gretchen Wilson Undressed". Did you write "Kicked by a Mule"? |
| I wrote that song a few years back. I loved the after-show jams with Gretchen and the band. After the show we weren't ready to stop playing. We always "kicked the mule" at the jams and they stuck it in the CMT special. With all those instruments on hand, "Kicked By a Mule" turned into a bluegrass song which was all good. Different than the original but very cool too. Gretchen sings great bluegrass harmony on that song. |
| Is Tom T. Hall your dad? |
| Yep. His wife, Dixie, is my stepmother. My mother passed away when I was 23. |
| dean hall |
| Do you have any brothers or sisters? |
| No. And Dad and Dixie don't have any kids either. I suppose I was enough. |
| What was it like being raised with a famous father? |
| I was raised by my mom back in eastern Kentucky. My parents divorced when I was less than one year old. I didn't even know my dad was so well known until I was in Jr. High. The only country music I listened to back then was Johnny Cash. There was a talent contest and one of the students sang "Harper Valley P.T. A". The teacher leaned over and told me my dad wrote that song. It was very strange to me that other people seemed to know more about him than I did so I came to Nashville after my first year in college to get to know him. We've become very good friends. I've learned a lot from him. He's a very wise man. |
| You've lost a lot of weight. Are you sick? |
| I get this all the time! Man are you OK? It's true. I lost about 100 pounds over the last few years and I feel great. No I'm not sick. I got into shape when I was the Jackman for Jimmy Spencer on the Winston Cup team. That got me started. I just kept going. When I got to Los Angeles I went to Gold's Gym in Venice every day and started eating low carb. I drink gallons of water each day. |
| dean hall |
| How come I can't find your CD's in the stores? |
| They're not in the stores now because we don't have major distribution. But that's what we hope to change with this new CD. You can order them at CD Baby. |
| dean hall |
| Are you bald or do you shave your head? |
| I shave my head. My hair always bothered me because it was straight, grew forward and didn't really do much of anything. And then when I'd play on stage I'd get so hot and sweaty that it'd be all in my face and drove me nuts. So at my 35th b'day bash, about 5 guys jumped up on stage with me, someone had some poodle shears and we all shaved our heads right then and there. It felt so good that I kept it that way. My wife, Carol, about had a heart attack as she watched me do it but not much of anything surprises her anymore. She just shakes her head and goes with the flow. |
| How tall are you? |
| 6'3". |
| How long have you been playing guitar? Do you play any other instruments? |
| My mom bought me my first guitar when I was 5 years old. I still have it. I'd sit around all day listening to B.B. King, Johnny Cash, and any old 45 I could find. I've almost always had a guitar in my hand. The first time I heard Jimi Hendrix on the radio, I knew that was what I wanted to do with my life. I've played drums since I was 3 years old. (If what I was doing at 3 was actually playing) I also play bass, some banjo and keys. |
| Will you be playing in my area any time soon? |
| I'm
not touring right now. I'm working on my album, concentrating on songwriting
and scoring a vampire movie. But check back! ...and you can always sign up for the e-blasts so we can keep you posted on where we'll be. |
| Where or how can I get tickets to your show? |
| Most of the time you can get tickets at the door. If not, we'll let you know either via the e-mail blasts or the website. |
| Why don't you have a record deal yet? |
| I own Python Records which is to release my own CD's. It's been hard to find a home for my style of music. Major labels are nervous about investing huge sums of money in something that they're not use to marketing. My music has always been on the edge of everything. Five years ago Nashville wouldn't have known what to do with my music but with the new movement in country music today I may find a home yet. I'm just going to keep doing what I do. |
| What's next? |
|
I'm no longer touring with Gretchen Wilson; I'm pursuing my own thing. In addition to producing and doing a lot of sessions, I've been writing for other artists lately. Gretchen and I co-wrote 4 songs for her "One of the Boys" album (the fourth is a bonus track sold online exclusively at Circuit City) and I just got another cut from a major act that I'll share more about later as it progresses. Very soon I start music scoring and writing songs for a vampire movie. I'm really looking forward to that! |