The Real Karaoke Is the Friends We Made Along the Way

The Karaoke Journey

Adam Wainwright: Hello, and welcome back to The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), the podcast that takes karaoke exactly as seriously as it should be taken. I'm your small town girl Adam Wainwright.

Ed Cunard: And I'm your city boy, born and raised, not in south Detroit Ed Cunard

Adam Wainwright: That's exactly what I was hoping. You'd say that, that you lean into the city boy thing, so we can hint at what we're going to be talking about today. I'm excited for today. How are you feeling and how are you doing? It's been a little while what's going on.

Ed Cunard: On the personal level, I finally started doing some stuff to take care of my health. So I've been exercising and that's actually felt surprisingly good. I put it off for far too long and people are actually buying our merch, which shocks, humbles and pleases me.

Adam Wainwright: Excellent. Yeah, it doesn't shock me, cause karaoke is awesome. Our merch is awesome. And everybody should just go, just check it out. You can see what awesomeness we're talking about whether you buy it or not. I'm not here to the shell merchandise, but it's there available at sungpoorly.com

Ed Cunard: the one that's been the most popular so far is the one that says songs, drinks, friends, strangers, which really encapsulates what you and I both love about karaoke.

Adam Wainwright: Yeah, that basically that's that's it. You got, you got it all in one t-shirt right there. It just the entire world and encapsulating our love of karaoke. So I love that t-shirt, and it's kind of you're right. It's, it's exciting and humbling to see people actually buying this shit.

Ed, are you not going to ask me how I've been?

Ed Cunard: I guess I should. How have you been Adam?

Adam Wainwright: This is a two way street and a podcast is a two-way street. It may be an audio two way street, but it's a two way street. But since you asked so nicely and completely unprompted Ed, let me tell you, I'm, I'm really excited. I was actually just cast in another show. I'm going to be returning to Shakespeare. And I'm going to be playing Theseus in a "Midsummer Night's Dream".

Ed Cunard: that's fantastic.

Adam Wainwright: It is. Yeah, it's going to be a, it's going to be a fun role. It's not a role I really considered. But I'm really excited because Theseus is kind of like a controversial character in a way in the grand scheme of that show.

 He can be portrayed as a real nasty piece of shit, but the direction of the director wants to take it is, portraying him almost in a, I did what I had to do in war. And now I'm trying to like make amends through kindness.

Ed Cunard: Ah, so you're not being typecast.

Adam Wainwright: No, I'm not being typecast at all. When I was going through the audition process, I said, you know, I don't want to be Egeus. Like I played Egeus before. I don't want to do Egeus. I don't want to get typecast as like the father figure or whatever it may be. And he's like, oh no, you're way too nice to be Egeus. He's like, he's a bad dude. You're too nice. So I'm like, well, this is acting, but you know, well, like. I'll take it. I'm excited to play Theseus. I'm excited to be back on stage and continue to develop some skills that I can bring back to this podcast of ours. Ed,

Ed Cunard: Well, that would be fantastic.

Adam Wainwright: you know what it really is though for me like this Midsummer thing, it's just another step on my acting journey.

Ed Cunard: Adam. That's the second journey reference you've made so far.

Adam Wainwright: I don't know, when I go on these audio journey. Sometimes I lose track of all the journey references that I make. Do you think it might have something to do with today's topic?

Ed Cunard: You know Adam, let's face it. I, I know it does.

Adam Wainwright: I know it does too. I'm just joshing with all you out there, the listening land, just joshing with ya. Yeah, of course. Today, we're going to be talking about the karaoke journey, what that means, because I think we've referenced it so often on the show where we talk about the karaoke journey, looking back and listening back, I realized we never really defined what we think this thing is, what we view as the karaoke journey.

So we're here to bring some clarification. We have a great guest coming up later. That's going to tell us all about her karaoke journey and how it's led to bigger and better things than karaoke. And so without further ado, I'm, I'm ready to go on this journey that is this episode. Ed, are you ready to go on this journey with me?

Ed Cunard: I will always go wherever you go.

Adam Wainwright: Great because where we're going, because every journey needs a great beginning. As we're going to go into this week's Karaoke Trivia Bullpen, let's go. Ed, here's what you're going to get. You're going to get five trivia questions based on journey with varying degrees of difficulty. Each question is going to be worth one point.

So the top score for any round is five points. Now, if you get stuck, you can ask for one hint per game. Even if you get all the questions wrong, you can still win all the points by answering the impossible question, get that one right and you get all five points, but remember, even if you save your hint, there are no hints for the impossible bonus.

 Are you ready for what I have prepared for you this stinger?

Ed Cunard: I'm looking forward to the stinger, but I'm afraid of the game.

Adam Wainwright: Okay Ed, here we go. Your journey starts. Okay.

Ed Cunard: Wow, Adam I'm I'm impressed. You really brought your a game with that stinger

Adam Wainwright: Was my best work yet. I think even close. Okay. Let's jump right in then out. Are you ready to go?

Ed Cunard: I am. But what w how is this going to be about the band Journey?

Adam Wainwright: Well, funny, you mentioned that because the very first question is about the band Journey, but the rest of them are not, I assure you.

Ed Cunard: Thank God. Okay.

Adam Wainwright: But every journey I feel like because the topic was "journey" I had to put a Journey question in here. So question number one, the band Journey joins James Brown in the category of instantly recognizable bands or singers that never had a number one single in the United States.

The closest journey came to achieving the milestone was in 19 81, when "Open Arms" off the album "Escape" hit number two on the charts. It actually took the band six years after its founding in 1973, to crack the Billboard top 20, the song that broke through sees Steve Perry's girlfriend having an affair with someone else, leaving him feeling broken and lonely.

Now, during the final chorus, the girl gets a taste of her own medicine. When she finds out that the guy she cheated with is now cheating on her. And the second half of the song also features a Beatles "Hey Jude" inspired nah nah nah section. Ed, name the Journey song.

Ed Cunard: "Faithfully".

Adam Wainwright: It is not "Faithfully". It is a "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'." I would've gone "Faithfully." Too. I'm not going to lie. I tried to, I tried to like lead you in by telling you the details of the lyrics of this.

Ed Cunard: I'm just not a Journey guy. So that's That's okay.

Adam Wainwright: Well, there are definitely things that I know are very much your shit and some of these questions. I don't know if it's going to happen in question two, though. So question two. Most great journeys involve walking down a long and lonesome highway that certain individuals just seem fated to walk down In 1985, the country music supergroup the Highwaymen grabbed fate by the horns and took the road recording three albums "Highwayman," "Highwayman 2," and "The Road Goes on Forever." The single "Highwayman" off their debut album reached number one in the U S country music charts, showing that sometimes the right highway can lead you on a tremendous journey to the top. To snag a point for this question name two of the four members of this country music mega group.

Ed Cunard: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings,

Adam Wainwright: That's it right there. That's two of the four. Do you know the other two?

Ed Cunard: Willie Nelson,

Adam Wainwright: That is another one of them? Yes.

Ed Cunard: Merle Haggard.

Adam Wainwright: No, the other one's Kris Kristofferson is the other one.

Ed Cunard: I got my point anyway.

Adam Wainwright: You did get your point. Good job. I'm proud of you. Okay. Now question. Before the Highwaymen took their journey, Roger Miller was steadfastly king of the road. His 1964 hit king of the road became one of the greatest country music singles of all time and has been covered by George Jones.

Dean Martin REM the proclaimers, James Brown, Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton and countless other cultural icons. . It's also continued to permeate pop culture, appearing in several movies, TV shows, and video games. I know for a fact that this is one of your go-to karaoke songs and you know, it incredibly well. Well, what you may not know is that country music singer Jodi Miller, no relation to Roger, answered roger Miller's claim in 1965 by producing a song in which she used Roger Miller's music while changing the lyrics to describe the day-to-day life of a stay at home mom. Name that song.

Ed Cunard: Queen of the double wide trailer.

Adam Wainwright: You are so close. Ed. The name of the song is "Queen of the House.".

Ed Cunard: Dammit. I could have sworn There was a song called queen of the double wide trailer.

Adam Wainwright: There may be, but it wasn't the one that Jody Miller wrote in response since capitalized on.

Ed Cunard: You know country's my weakness.

Adam Wainwright: I do, but I know what your strength is.

So, because what's a good journey without a little conflict.

 One of the most famous feuds in hip hop circled around NAS and Jay-Z. Well, there are some questions about exactly when it began most. Most signs point to the Jay-Z protege, Memphis, Bleek taking a shot at NAS on a single my mind, right? In which bleak says your lifestyle's written. So who you supposed to be?

Play your position and it's beef. I'm a CU in bank to you hang up your life alive, but here's the truth. You ain't hype the dye, but you hype the shoots. Now things began to escalate there and hit a boiling point. When Jay Z performed the freestyle at hot 97 summer jam taking jabs at NAS, this freestyle later became a polished song produced by cotton.

Now as took this hit and responded with what many believe to be one of the absolute greatest diss tracks in hip hop history to get the point named the Jay-Z song that began as a freestyle assault of Nas and named the track Nas responded with

Ed Cunard: Nas's track was "Ether."

Adam Wainwright: Yes.

 as a reminder, you have a clue.

Ed Cunard: Yeah, I'll take The clue

Adam Wainwright: The clue will be this song was produced by Kanye west and appeared on the album blueprints.

Ed Cunard: 99 problems.

Adam Wainwright: No,

Ed Cunard: I don't know.

Adam Wainwright: the takeover

Ed Cunard: Ah, that

Adam Wainwright: takeover. Yep. It's me Jehovah. It's the entire, the entire songs. It's a shot at it. It's all right, ed, you were so close. I knew you'd get ether and that's why I had to throw takeover in there because ether is too easy.

Ed Cunard: Yeah, the agreed.

Adam Wainwright: All right, ed, I don't have faith in this last one. I was hoping you'd get number four. Okay. So number five now I know you're going to know this, we're going to see how much, how well, you know this, One of the most famous American journeys you can take is down route 66, seen by many as a symbol of the American spirit. Route 66 is one of the world's most famous road trips covering 2,451 miles of historic road.

It runs from Chicago to Los Angeles, passing through eight states and three times zones, Nat king Cole with the Nat king Cole trio recorded the original. Get your kicks on route 66 in 1946. And has become an American standard that has been covered and recorded by artists ranging from big cross each of the rolling stones.

And just about everyone in between. The song's origin is tied to a cross country road trip by an American actor and songwriter and his wife, Cynthia, whom he gives credit for coining the iconic phrase, get your kicks on route 66. After he considered writing a tune about us route 40. Name the American actor, jazz pianist, singer, and songwriter who composed this American standard.

Ed Cunard: Is it Nelson Riddle?

Adam Wainwright: It is not is Bobby troupe,

Ed Cunard: Yeah.

Adam Wainwright: Bobby troupe,

Ed Cunard: Wow. One point.

Adam Wainwright: Yeah. At one point, well, you can still get it. You can still get it all on the bonus question.

Ed Cunard: Okay.

Adam Wainwright: Right. You can get it all in

the bonus.

Yeah. You got this. Yeah. You got her on the impossible bonus.

Okay. So we talked about a lot of things. So let's talk about. So a journeyman in the sports world is often an athlete that plays for a number of different teams before finding their footing and becoming successful with one of them, or just continuing to play at a high level while traveling from team to team.

Now, Kurt Warner is a great example of a journeyman CUPE that found tremendous success after going from working in a grocery store to the arena football league, and eventually becoming the super bowl champion. I consider a journeymen person in music to be someone that gets their start in the music industry or their big hit in the music industry after they turn 30.

Or 40 as is the case with the music artist SIA born in 1975. SIA had some commercial success and collaborations, but she didn't break through as a solo artist until there's six studio album, 1000 forms of fear debuted at number one on the us billboard 200 in 2016 when she was 41. to her smash single chandelier, which currently has 1.25 billion plays on Spotify. her career actually began in Adelaide, south Australia in the mid 1990s as a singer in an acid jazz band named Crisp. acid jazz is a music genre that combines funk, soul hip hop, jazz, and disco to frame this a little bit, Jim or Rockway is an example of acid jazz.

Ed Cunard: Do you mean Jamiroquai,

Adam Wainwright: That's the one, I mean, Jamiroquai Ed, that being said, and you use your smart, you know, things, um, for all five points, name, the person who coined the term acid jazz.

Ed Cunard: This is going to be wrong. Herbie Hancock.

Adam Wainwright: No, the answer clearly, as everybody knows, was Gillies Peterson, who who's a British based that broadcaster, DJ and a record label owner.

Ed Cunard: That was just ugly. I I'm sorry for letting everyone down on that round.

Adam Wainwright: That's all right. And I got a little rough with you. I think maybe. Well, I mean, some of these were a little rough. I think you let yourself down just a little bit and I was a little rough on you. So I apologize. I had maybe it was a little too hard for you this time.

Ed Cunard: Yeah. That's all right, Adam. I'll, I'll make sure to fire back next episode.

Adam Wainwright: Oh joy. I literally can't wait, but, and I feel like I've been talking for a while now. Cause I wrote books on all the questions and just wanted to work on some interesting tidbits in there. So let's tie it back and bring it back to our topic for this episode, the karaoke journey. Ed, what does that even mean?

Ed Cunard: Well, Adam, I think for people like you and I, it is an actual journey. Maybe not to the same extent as Joseph Campbell's the hero's journey, but a journey, nonetheless. We all start somewhere. There's a point where we get very invested in that karaoke quest. There are things that happen and things that change things along the way.

But there's always some level of progress and evolution.

Adam Wainwright: Do you think everybody experiences a karaoke journey? If they do karaoke, do you think that everybody hasn't journey or do you think it's only certain individuals.

Ed Cunard: I think it's only certain individuals. I mean, there are certainly people who are engaging in karaoke, the way that I did originally, where they did it as a Lark with some friends as a one-off thing. And that was it and never thought about it again, or if they did it again, it did not become a part of who they are.

Adam Wainwright: Well, what do you think sets them apart then? When does a karaoke experience and I'm going to just call what you just described the karaoke experience. Okay? When does a karaoke experience, become a karaoke journey? Like at what point do you think that happens? Cause I think this could go several different ways.

I'm curious what your thoughts are.

Ed Cunard: I think the journey really starts where you start becoming a karaoke regular. I think that's where it starts, when it becomes a pattern in your weekly life.

Adam Wainwright: I can see that. I will vary from that. I don't know if it needs to be a pattern in your weekly life, but I think it's just something that if you start placing stress on karaoke, like it may not be a weekly thing or like a monthly thing, but if you say at some point in your life where, you know, we are going to get together with friends once a month, once every two months and get together and do karaoke.

But it's like the thing that you look forward to because you, you want to be there. You love the experience of being in karaoke, loved that, and it becomes a pattern. So I think we can agree in a pattern. I don't think it necessarily needs to be a regular or weekly thing, but I think it just needs to be something where you're starting to place priority.

Ed Cunard: I think I, I would revise my answer to yours. I think you're correct.

Adam Wainwright: Okay, do you think that a karaoke journey is different than other journeys in life.

Ed Cunard: No,

 All journeys have a beginning, all journeys, move towards a destination, even if that destination is unclear.

Adam Wainwright: We've established that a karaoke journey starts somewhere, moves somewhere and we, you start placing a priority on karaoke in some way, regardless of the timeline. When you start on this road and has to lead somewhere, what do you think this road leads to? Is it something that where the friends fade apart and karaoke was not a priority in your life? Is that the end of your karaoke journey? Or do you think it's just the all consuming thing of death? Is that where your karaoke journey ends? Like, is it, are we going to be very, very like, morbid about this?

Ed Cunard: I mean, I feel like my karaoke journey ends in death,

Adam Wainwright: Oh, mine too. At this point,

like we're on the same page here.

Ed Cunard: I mean, that's a different journey. When you talk about friend groups or relationships or anything like that breaking up or ending, that's a parallel journey, but not necessarily the same journey as somebody's karaoke journey.

Adam Wainwright: Okay.

Ed Cunard: I didn't stop going to karaoke when you first moved away,

Adam Wainwright: Yeah, I didn't either. We were like two ships passing in the night. I guess

Ed Cunard: something like that.

Adam Wainwright: something like that. Two ships that maybe collided and drank a whole lot. We kind of lead a framework. I feel like now of journey and what that kind of encompasses. Ed,.

Tell me about your karaoke journey. I want to know, I know parts of it. Like I knew a large part of it. I feel like, but I don't know all of it. Fill me in. Tell me about your karaoke journey.

Ed Cunard: I mean, I feel like, you know, the majority of it, and I think we've covered some of it on the podcast before. So let me do a abridged version.

Adam Wainwright: Yeah. Tell the people then if I know, tell the people the people that are listening to your sultry voice.

Ed Cunard: I was one of those people who did karaoke as a lark. I worked at a resort growing up. I was able to get into the bar at the resort. I was able to sing karaoke with family and friends and also get served. And it was just a thing to do. It was funny. It was like, we didn't take it serious. But we had a good time.

I didn't really do karaoke for almost a decade. I started going with some of my friends in New York when I would go out for comic book shows or events at my friend's comic book shop. So, you know, shout out to Joe Rice, Brian Cronin, Alex Cox, because those guys really got me to start going to karaoke at all in the first place.

But then again, it was just when I was out with them. And then I met your goofy ass and you invited me to karaoke one night and, we never stopped going.

Adam Wainwright: Never.

Ed Cunard: You are the bad influence that got me into this whole thing, and I blame you somewhat,

Adam Wainwright: It's one of the high points of my life.

Ed Cunard: but I also thank you for it because I moved away, after you left, you know, had a very bad breakup move to a brand new town.

And I would not have made as many friends and as many close friends had karaoke, not been a thing because I would have just been going to a bar and just sitting there drinking and feeling my feelings. Karaoke, as we've talked about here before builds community and you know, lifelong friends, long-term relationships, one night stands.

The majority of all of that for me in the last God, I hate to say this decade and a half has been because of you and karaoke

Adam Wainwright: Yeah,

Ed Cunard: and then, you know, traveling for work, like I've always been somebody who knows people all over the place. I mean, I hooked you up with your wedding DJ. I would be able to, you asked me, you know, anyone who do a wedding in a central New Jersey and I'm like, no, wait, no. Yeah,

I do hold on. but karaoke has done the same thing for me. You know, whether it's like people in Florida, people in Texas, people in Georgia, I have people and a support network, nation, and global, that I wouldn't have otherwise without this crazy little thing called karaoke. What about you, Adam? What's your, journey?

Adam Wainwright: well, first that thank you for sharing all that with us. I'm a voice for the listeners right now saying thank you. We really, really appreciate it. It was great to hear about it, where you are in your karaoke journey too. Ed, where do you think you are in your karaoke journey right now? Before I jump to me, where do you think you are in the karaoke journey?

Ed Cunard: Well, I've clearly gotten a little further along with us having a podcast and blog about it.

Adam Wainwright: Oh, I guess so.

Ed Cunard: It's still my medicine. It's still my therapy. It's still my joy. None of that has changed.

Adam Wainwright: That's, that's wonderful, Ed. It really is.. let me tell you a little bit about my journey since you asked them that I interrupted. So for those of you who don't know my karaoke journey, probably the first time I can remember doing karaoke was probably about 18 or 19 years old.

I remember it was at a relay for life which is a fundraiser for breast cancer that they do, I think nationwide what's happening in Western Pennsylvania. Anyway, I was there chasing a girl. So I walk around the track like throughout the night and sang karaoke. I think I helped a friend of mine with the song "Yeah" by Usher. And that's where the karaoke journey begins with. "Yeah". By Usher. Fast forward a couple of years, but, so that was a kind of a one-off thing. When I was 21 to 23, I was serving in a program called AmeriCorps. I was living in Sacramento, California. We used to go to a dive bar named Harvey's, and they had karaoke there.

It was a place that had a maximum occupancy of 30 that was written on the wall. So it was this tiny little place we used to jam about a hundred people in there on a Friday or Saturday night. I got in good with the owner, so I established karaoke. I found out I could sing Johnny Cash at that point.

 I found out I could sing a little bit of some other stuff too, and I love that place. It was so one of my favorite karaoke spots I've ever been to because the atmosphere was awesome. I got to know the owner and anytime we wanted to karaoke, she called up the dude that did karaoke, whose name was Shrek.

And had them come down so we could do sing karaoke. it was actually a biker bar, so it was like the biker bar, the clampers with these kids that were like these young adults who were serving kids that were serving their country and doing community service. And it was just the best dynamic and didn't even serve liquor there.

Ed, they just served beer in little mini pitchers.

It was great. It was great that like, I can't describe the atmosphere is perfect and it got me started on this karaoke journey. It really did.. I learned the stuff that I was good at. I felt the atmosphere in the room when things are just right and they have the right atmosphere and it kind of set me on this path.

But when I got settled into Indiana, Pennsylvania, I invited some weird bald dude out. Well, he had a little bit of hair at that time. I'll give him credit. that was chasing an English master's degree with a bunch of other English master's degree people. And I invited him out to karaoke and, you know, we talked about it extensively.

We just did it all the time. That was the next part of mine. Ed was a great influence on me. He helped me expand my circle in an area that I didn't really know. He introduced me to people. He , helped me find a community through him because he would invite all these people out to karaoke. And that's how I got to know people that I knew in Indiana was because Ed would invite them out and Ed liked going to karaoke with me.

So, thanks ed. For that part of my journey.

Ed Cunard: You're welcome. And I'm sorry. I'm sure it both applies.

Adam Wainwright: Just a little bit. but after that it was, it's all kind of been a blur. I was there for about two years is really what the heyday, where I'm not calling it the climax yet cause we're still walking on that road. But after that I moved to Kentucky, Indiana.

 Had some experiences there. Went worldwide. So I've done karaoke in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, and everywhere I went after that, it was just something we did. It was a way to bring me closer together. Like I had some experiences with strangers that I just wouldn't have had for better or for worse without karaoke and ever since I moved to, I moved to New Jersey and New York at a weird time, I moved right before this pandemic that we're still living in happened. So I haven't really had a chance to really establish my community up here around karaoke. So I'm like in a, what I'm calling the downtimes right now on my karaoke journey.

 While I I'm glad I have this community and I found doing this podcast and the listeners and all this wonderful things. Like, I still feel like I'm going to downtime, cause I'm not doing karaoke as much as I'd like to. As things start to open up again, as the science progresses, as things become safer, I'm really hoping to start establishing that community in New York, New Jersey too, and continue my karaoke in that way

Ed Cunard: I really look forward to that for you. And I can always make some introductions.

Adam Wainwright: That's great. And you know what the best part about this podcast is it's like, you can make introductions for me, but I feel like I know a couple people in the New York city area at this point that could introduce me to people too. And then if I hit them up and like said, Hey, I'm ready to do some karaoke.

They'd be like, fuck. Yeah, come to Brooklyn. Let's go. And I'm like, Ooh, Brooklyn. That would be my response.

Ed Cunard: But you live in Queens.

Adam Wainwright: I know it's a pain in the ass to get to Brooklyn. Ed, it's a pain in the ass.

Ed Cunard: I'm so disappointed in You

Adam Wainwright: to go to Manhattan first, before you can get the Brooklyn, you have to take like, like a damn near hour to get the Brooklyn there's you should know this, that there's no better way. that lives in Queens will say the same thing.

And ABL lives in Brooklyn will say the same shit about getting the Queens.

Ed Cunard: but it's worth it versus just being in Queens.

Adam Wainwright: Oh, okay, sure. Had the different discussion for a different time. but just final thoughts. What are your final thoughts and the karaoke journey? And I feel like we've laid the groundwork. We shared a little bit about ourselves and our own personal journeys, and hopefully it gives some context to the listeners.

So as we use this moving forward and talk to different guests about the karaoke journeys, they have a clear picture of what we mean. Final thoughts.

Ed Cunard: Like any journey everyone's karaoke journey is going to be unique and you need to find your way on that path and make sure that all the choices you're making on that path are the right choices for you. There are choices that are right for me, may not be right for you. The choices that are right for you may not be right for me.

But I hope that your journey is full of love, laughter and song

Adam Wainwright: That was so poetic and beautiful Ed, that I'm not even gonna try to follow up. I feel like we should take the next step on this episode's journey and cue the guitar for our next guest.

Ed Cunard: Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. Bam. Bam.

Tabitha Ashley interview

Adam Wainwright: A lot of karaoke singers dream of stardom. A lot of us don't actually do it because of talent and drive. Singing in bars is far as we'll ever get. Some of us are okay with that. But some of us like today's guests are taking the plunge and starting to make their own music. In addition to releasing her first single our guest today is a photographer, a children's book, author, and one of the first karaoke friends we made back while we were getting seriously into karaoke.

Tabitha, Ashley, welcome to "The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly)!" It's so great to hear your voice!.

Tabitha Ashely: Thank you so much, Adam. I miss those old days when we used to get together. That was a great time. We need to do that again sometime here soon.

Ed Cunard: Absolutely. I mean, I definitely miss those days. I definitely miss the hairline I had in my late twenties. I miss seeing all of you guys.

Adam Wainwright: Yeah. there's still a great picture of actually the three of us that pops up on my timeline every now and then where Ed actually had hair. It was from when I was moving to Kentucky and Ed actually had hair back then it's just good to reminisce about those old days. I look forward to reminiscing just a little bit more, but first let's dive into some questions right now. Karaoke can be something that you just fall into. Oh, tell us a little bit about your karaoke origin story. Cause I don't know if we ever actually dug into that with you.

Tabitha Ashely: Sure. So, I mean, honestly, Around the time that we all met was really my, my first kind of experience with karaoke. Prior to that, I was actually, I used to play in a band with my family, actually, whenever I was a teenager, it was kind of corny but fun. Um, we were a rock band that kind of played locally.

So I had, you know, some involvement in music and I hadn't done it in a little while. And, I had a couple of kids by the time I met you guys. I had them pretty young. And so I was finally getting to the point where I could go out a little more. And, I just, I really found that I enjoyed the karaoke scene.

Uh, I wasn't in a band anymore, so I didn't have the opportunity to do a whole lot. So karaoke was awesome. Plus, I mean, you're drinking and you're there with friends and you're listening to good music and it didn't matter if you could sing well or you couldn't, it was still enjoyable. I just, I loved it. It was so much fun.

Ed Cunard: Tell me a little bit about what it was like back then. Like what are your biggest memories of the early days when we were all going to sing with Jammin' Jim at the Ironwood Grill?

Tabitha Ashely: I remember you and Adam rapping all the time and I just, you guys had so much fun energy. There were some people that have got up there that were a little bit backward and shy and just like, you know, kind of drunk and, and, and just pushing their ways through the songs. But you guys are awesome. You had so much energy.

And I just remember having, sometimes we had the weirdest philosophical conversations while we're waiting for the music. And then, you know, just discussing what we're going to, what we're going to play next and what we're going to sing next. And it was a lot of fun and, and I just remember you know, every time certain songs came on, like "Piano Man" was one of them.

 We just, all, sometimes we'd all line up and kind of rock back and forth. And it was just like a community thing. Like every, like the world just stood still for a period of time, we could all kind of come together, it doesn't matter what we were doing or what else was going on in our lives? It was just like something that we could use as an escape, as something fun.

And, you know, that's, that's my first memory. I don't know if you, yeah, you probably remember Anna. always came out with me. She's the one that kinda got me started. And so it was like, in the beginning it was like Anna and I and Ed and Adam. And it was just, it was a ton of fun.

Adam Wainwright: You used a word that I really love in there that I think would really describe what it was like back then. That's community. I really felt that sense of community and feel like more than any other word about that kind of time, other than slightly drunk, is very indicative of what it was like back then.

It was really like, we formed a community that we built around this crazy thing called karaoke. Well, the nature of communities, so sometimes is that they break up. I move away. Ed moved away. Where did karaoke take you after the community started to dissolve a little bit?

Tabitha Ashely: So there was a period of time where, you know, I was going to some other local places when you guys moved away. To be honest, you guys like made the whole karaoke scene. I'm telling you it was not the same without you. You guys are just you, you are karaoke. I loved it. So yeah, I really missed you guys.

I went out a little bit, but life took me through some other changes. And so my kids were starting to grow up life know was just challenging me in other ways. I would go out every now and then nothing like the days that, you know, when we were together. So it took a little bit of a break here and there.

I tried to go out and then, I moved a couple of times. I switched a couple of jobs around and things like that. So, lot of changes took place and I just wasn't going out quite as much. And then, when 2020 hit, I was like, I felt like I was cooped up in the house forever.

It sucks. Really bad. think like around then is whenever I think I had sent a message to Ed just saying, remember when we used to go out, we need to do that. And then I think we never did. I mean, I really didn't do a ton of it after you guys, you guys kind of made it, it was, it was not as fun without you.

Ed Cunard: Oh, that just kind of warms my heart right now, I'm happy you brought up the pandemic because you've done something that I think a lot of people had done throughout it. You were doing a lot of TikTok singalongs, whatnot while everything was shut down. What was that like for you?

Tabitha Ashely: I have to tell you the truth. I can barely even know what TikTok was before it was still I'm was on Facebook and I felt like I was decent at that. And I had a couple of businesses, mostly photography. So I was used to, you know, focusing on Facebook. Then the pandemic hit. And a lot of my friends were getting on TikTok and my the time was just doing everything.

And she's like, mom, you got to get on here and dance with me. You gotta do this, you gotta do that. And so it was like a way to connect with her and, you know, we had a lot of fun and I'm known as you know, the goofy mom. I have two teenagers now and. So we made up some dances together and she brought me on and her friends all were thinking that I was funny, at least, you know, they thought it was funny.

Maybe they think I was uncool, but I don't know. But I started on Tik TOK, opened my own account. mostly because I first opened it up, it was just to kind of keep an eye on her. And then I found out it was fun. And then I saw what other artists were doing and they were actually going to getting on there and, you know, celebrating the music.

It's actually a really fun platform. I've been learning a lot on it. I'm still getting a little bit more used to it, but yeah, I started just kind of getting on there out of boredom and just putting some videos out of me singing some cover songs and I got some really good feedback from it.

 You know, 2020 taught me something. That I think a lot of families probably learned during 2020. Now, I run a full-time photography business, a studio and everything. And so whenever the shutdown happened, I rent a building and I'm paying utilities and paying membership fees. If it costs a lot of money to be in business.

And when you aren't allowed to be in business couple of months, it really throws you off because not only as a business owner, do you have all of the bills at home, but you also have business bills that have to continue to be paid while you're not able to conduct business. So it was a little bit crazy for a while.

 So even though it was nerve wracking and stressful at the same time, it allowed me to take a step back again. Like I said before, I, I took some time off from karaoke. From music, which has always been a passion of mine. I took some time off and I really, really missed it. So I started, you know, getting on TikTok and, and putting things out there more.

And I realized that I finally had time to slow down. I was always working and, and pushing myself and, you know, putting time and thought into my kids and time thought into everyone else in the business and trying to figure out what to do. But it just forced me to slow down to a point where I realized what was really important in life.

And, you know, that's time with family. That's that's time enjoying things that I always had a passion for. I always had a passion for writing and music and I wasn't doing any of that. It just gave me the time to self-reflect a little bit, allow myself to be selfish for just a little bit, you know, not in a bad way, but just to start putting things out there that I always wanted to, because, when I was in my early twenties whenever I met you guys and I already had two young kids.

And so, you know, life kind of took me in all kinds of directions for awhile. And I was distracted from the things that I really loved. And so. When I got back into music, it was just something that a fire inside me again, and 2020, just really, really brought me back to the things that were important.

If I'm going to be in this life, I might as well enjoy the time that I'm here. And, I really missed that from, when we used to hang out and all that. Even when there are a lot of cares going on around us, you know, we didn't have a care in the world when we were all together.

Just kinda. Having fun singing, enjoying what we love most.

Ed Cunard: Yeah, absolutely. Now, when you mentioned like being selfish and taking time to do stuff, is that what prompted you to start writing children's books?

Tabitha Ashely: Yes it is. For my photography business, I work with children and animals primarily. That's, that's my passion. I love those kids and I love animals. And so I actually started, my first book was about a child and an animal. , I mixed my love of photography, my love of hands-on art and my love of writing together.

And I started creating children's books where I illustrate with a mix of photography. Basically. It's like compositions where I take pictures of what I want to include in my books. I include some royalty free stock images here and there, kind of put an idea together, like in Photoshop. And then I go through and I paint them digitally together.

and that's how I create my illustrations for the book. So I kind of was able to put things together that I, I already enjoyed and also put a story to it. I've always had a really wild imagination. Like when I was a teenager, my walls were full of unicorns and I was one of those kids. I was finally able to just kind of put something out there.

I learned how to do it, and I just really, really enjoyed it. And I thought well, if I can finally start writing children's books, what's, what's stopping me from writing music. I mean, it's something I've always wanted to do. That kind of began my journey of also writing lyrics and I have notebooks and notebooks of lyrics that I've written that have yet to be yet to be put with any song yet.

Adam Wainwright: Here's my followup question, all that. We've covered the fact that you're a photographer. covered the fact that you are a children's author. We covered the fact that you make music. So you have all these things that people use as they're normally used as their like creative escape but when it all starts tying together, it's something that you're consistently doing and surrounded by. Like I know sometimes I feel overwhelmed if I'm so involved with so many different creative pursuits that I need to find unique, different ways to unwind. Do you have anything outside of those things that you do to unwind anymore? Or is your life just all consumed by these things?

Tabitha Ashely: I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to gardening. So in 2020, that's another thing I actually started like before 2020. I swear I could not even. Keep a fake plant looking good. So, I mean, I, I killed everything that I touched and I was terrible, but it was because I knew nothing about it.

Again, time I didn't, I didn't take to take the time to learn. I didn't have the time to focus on it. And it was an escape for me. And I, I love gardening. I have this little area in the back that I just like I'm, I'm not crazy plant lady instead of the crazy cat lady, I just, I have plants everywhere now.

And I was so surprised. I just sat there, you know, over a few days I had nothing else to do and I watched YouTube videos on how to garden and I learned, and I learned, and I loved it. Like I, I'm definitely a gardening nerd. That's my other thing. I love plants.

Adam Wainwright: See now I have to hit you up for tips because like now that the spring's coming around we're going to my fiance and I are going to start a terrorist garden, we have this little balcony. We don't have much room. We have some pots out there. We've got some soil. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm going to hope to grow something that resembles the color green and I will consider it a huge success.

So I'm going to hit you up for some tips.

Tabitha Ashely: Yeah. And you know, what else is fun? I started this with a friend of mine. It's called drunk gardening and that's what we that's, that's our idea.

Adam Wainwright: Hold on

Tabitha Ashely: I can't tell you how many times, like wine mixes is great with gardening. It really does

Adam Wainwright: wine and gardening. Ed, this is, this is something I can get into.

Ed Cunard: We might be able to garden now.

Adam Wainwright: We may be able to garden now.

 I feel like there should be one of those nights too, where you can just like a social club just gets together at somebody's house. They open a couple of bottles of wine. Then everybody plants, different things in a plot of land Tabby.

What do you think if you could just get like a social group together to come over and just do your yard work for you?

Tabitha Ashely: That would be amazing. It was my evening thing. I'd go out. You know, when the sun started to set a little bit, it wasn't as hot. I'd go tend to my. And I have a glass of wine in hand. I mean, I think everybody probably had a glass of wine in hand, or drink of choice for a little while during the pandemic.

I used it in a good way. It was, it was so much fun and I've been, I've seriously been introducing a lot of my friends to what I call drunk gardening. You don't necessarily have to be, you know, if you're, if you're too drunk, then it doesn't really work, but it's fun.

Ed Cunard: Speaking of things that you've introduced your friends to recently a you introduced all of us to "Make Believe," your first single, which is now available on Spotify. Tell us a little bit about that process. Like how did you write it? Where did you find musicians? What was the entire thing like?

Tabitha Ashely: If there's one thing that I've learned over the course of my life and career, it is that if you don't know how to do something, find someone who does. If you're not good at something, find someone who is to help you. One thing that's always stopped me from writing my own music is not writing the lyrics.

I have so many lyrics that I've written over the years that haven't even been touched yet. It wasn't that it wasn't not being able to sing. It was just the fact that I don't play any instruments that allow me to actually write music. I don't, I mean, I could play a few chords on the guitar. I can play a few chords on the piano, just enough to get a tune, but I'm not really good at anything.

I mess with a lot of things when I was younger, but I haven't picked a guitar or anything up in years. It makes it kind of hard to write music when you don't play an instrument that you can write with. I actually found someone on Fiverr to help me write music, and I'm not ashamed of it because I am still happy with the person that I found. He actually plays the guitar and he's from Brazil. His name is Lucas and he has been so great to work with. And I love it because I was really selective. I was able to kind of go on and find a lot of different musicians, and find samples of their work and really kind of connect with someone before I even decided to work with them. And the really cool thing about it is he plays guitar and he's been doing music production, I think for about 15 years. So he has a lot of experience and we really liked the same style of music. It's so fun to bring a process to life and still be able to put music out there without knowing how to do it all I'm learning. I'm having fun learning.

I'm learning more as I'm doing it. The one thing about "Make Believe" is the only instrument that I ever really got good at was the flute. And that's not usually a rock instrument, but I played it, in the track that is the one instrument that I did play and it was so much fun.

And I, I had so much fun doing that. Not only because I play the flute and that's the only thing I can play well, but because I love, Adding a Celtic vibe to my music. I'm very Irish and I've always just loved Celtic music. And so I really wanted to mix the rock and the Celtic music together.

 And that song really kind of does that. And so I was able to work in the flute. It's a lot of fun. And then on the next song that is out called "One Eye Open", I actually hired a guy to play the bagpipe. It sounds really cool. I was really excited with the outcome so that one's out too. And then my third song that is coming out soon, I actually had a cool idea because I'm mixing in odd instruments here and there.

 I mentioned to you guys before we got on the interview that my older two kids are in Hawaii right now with their marching band. And so they're into music too. All three of my kids are into music. My youngest plays piano. My oldest daughter, she sings and she plays the trumpet and she plays the guitar.

And then my son, my older son, he plays the guitar and he plays the saxophone. So. I really wanted to be able, I wrote the song about them and I really wanted to bring them into the picture. So we're in the process of writing a song where my son is playing the saxophone. My daughter's helping me sing, play a little acoustic guitar in there.

And my youngest son, who's only 10 is playing like a nice, simple piano part in it. So I'm able to like involve them all. It's such a fun thing. It probably means way more to me than it does to them. Cause you know, my older two are teenagers and I don't know if they think sometimes they think I'm corny, but that's all right.

 it's a fun project that I'm kind of pulling together and I'm just having so much fun with all of that. But yeah, I mean "Make Believe" was my first idea and I kind of wanted to tie in my first song. What I already do, which is writing children's books and photographing children and animals.

And one of the things that I. All the time is children with a white horse and we kind of turn her into a unicorn. I mentioned a little bit ago that when I was younger, I had unicorns on my walls and all that kind of stuff. We're putting together a music video to go with that song right now, where I got on a unicorn and I dressed up in this Celtic dress and play the flute and everything like that.

 It's a lot of fun. When we released the song, that's about my kids. I'm planning on having them, in the music video as well. So it's just been a ton of fun since the beginning.

Adam Wainwright: Yeah, we can't wait to see the music video and experience this. And it's so great to hear You finding ways to make this happen. It's really kind of inspiring in a lot of ways to pull all of these things and see of have a vision and then, find the resources to make this vision come to life.

Ed Cunard: You mean kind of like when we had the vision and the purpose to design this podcast.

Adam Wainwright: Oh, yeah, we kind of, we, we did the same. We really ended up doing the same thing. This podcast is a 2020 experiment something that Ed and I kicked around doing, we talked, but we wanted to make sure we were doing it right. So we didn't know anything about podcasting.

We kind of learned on the fly and here we are talking to wonderful people like you about this wonderful thing called karaoke. With all that being said, though, Now's the time where we get cereal, like super Cereal.

about this. Okay.

Ed Cunard: Cereal.

Adam Wainwright: cereal instead of serious. I'm just rolling with it at this point.

You've been lovely to talk to. It's been so nice having you on, but now it's time to play game "Hit Me with Your Best Shot." We're going to ask you five rapid fire questions. And you're just to give us the first thing that pops into your head. You don't really have an explanation to anybody.

You don't have to quantify anything. Just give us what your answer is, and we're going to rock and roll with it. Because it's only fair since we're giving you these five questions, you get to ask us one question at the end and fire away. Do you have any questions or are you just ready to start playing

Tabitha Ashely: Just hit me with your best shot.

Adam Wainwright: What's the best thing you've seen at karaoke?

Tabitha Ashely: Somebody standing on their head.

Adam Wainwright: Hold on. Explain and elaborate on the story. Just a little bit.

Tabitha Ashely: So we were out with a bunch of friends one night and , the karaoke turned dance competition. I mean, We had a few shots before we started. And there was this dude that, I mean, I never even got his name. He was singing this awesome rap and it was years ago. I honestly can't even remember exactly what song it was. He was just in the middle of it. And all of a sudden he started break dancing and he just stood on his head. And everybody's like, whoa. And it was a really crowded bar. So everyone was like backing up to give him room and it just, it seriously turned into this dance party and it was, it was great.

That was definitely a memorable moment.

Ed Cunard: That's fantastic. I wish we would have been there to see that. Conversely, what's the you've seen at karaoke.

Tabitha Ashely: Somebody puking on the microphone.

Adam Wainwright: That is like the biggest part. I don't know. That's much worse than dropping the microphone, I think. '

Tabitha Ashely: cause nobody wanted to do it after that

Adam Wainwright: Oh yeah.

Tabitha Ashely: one too many, I think.

Adam Wainwright: think more than one to many, but

that's beside the point. What is the one song that you would love to perform at a karaoke night that you've never been able to a version of.

Tabitha Ashely: Oh, that's a tough one. I don't really know most of the songs that I've performed. I would say that I've I found at some point, um, there was, there was an AvevA song that I wanted to do one time, but that they didn't have, I don't actually remember which song it was. But that's probably my boring answer of the night..

Ed Cunard: Thanks to Frank Turner for rephrasing this question for us when we interviewed him: imagine that somebody kidnapped your family, and the only way to release them was to wow the kidnappers with a karaoke performance. What song do you sing?

Tabitha Ashely: My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. Remember you're not supposed to ask questions.

Adam Wainwright: There's no questions that are going to be asked. We're going, just going to move on to the next one. If you could magically strike one song from every karaoke playlist for ever, which song do you choose?

Tabitha Ashely: I want to say I'm sorry, but I'm just not a huge fan of, uh, country. So I'll say "Achy Breaky Heart." That's gone bad many times.

I like it to a point, but, but yeah.

Adam Wainwright: you don't have to quantify it. Billy Ray Cyrus. Get outta here.

 That was wonderful. Those were great answers. We, we really appreciate it. I especially appreciated those standing on the head answer. I think that's one of the better, the best stories we've heard so far, honestly, like I would kill to have a night like that, but now that we put you through the ringer, we hit you with our best shot.

You have a chance to fire away. Go ahead and ask us one question, Ed and I solemnly swear we will answer honestly. It can be karaoke related. It doesn't really matter whatever you're feeling. So go ahead and hit it.

Tabitha Ashely: What is the weirdest thing you've ever done on karaoke night?

Adam Wainwright: The weirdest thing I've done at a karaoke night is Ed and I were performing one. of our duets "It's Tricky.". And the worst thing you can possibly do with ed and I at a karaoke night is hand us wireless microphones. We will peacock and show off. That's something we will do. We'll we'll peacock if you give us wireless microphones and the right songs. During the song. I took the microphone and just walked right into the bathroom that was right off side and used the bathroom while not missing a beat of the song by listening to the bass of the song. Cause you couldn't actually hear it in there, but I could hear the bass hitting and walked back out, like nothing.

Didn't miss a beat blew everybody away that I didn't miss a beat while taking a piss.

Tabitha Ashely: That's awesome, but I can totally picture you doing that.

Adam Wainwright: Yeah.

Tabitha Ashely: I'm missing a beat. I totally believe it. I don't, you probably did it, you know, when we were hanging out, but I don't remember for sure. I love that. And "It's Tricky" is like the favorite song that you guys ever did. I just, I'll never forget this. I think I have some blackmail videos too,

Ed Cunard: You sent me a copy of us doing "Rapper's Delight," I remember that.

Tabitha Ashely: Yes. Yes. And you mentioned your hair then too, you know, and we talked about Adam and how he looks exactly the same, but yes, I have a, I think I have a lot of videos on my old phone of you guys.

Ed Cunard: Adam reminded me that we did talk about the time that we did the dual layer striptease to Right Said Fred at the Ironwood, where we had shirts and ties under our shirts and ties. So I won't use that story. I will use when I first moved away from all of you guys, I got roped into doing a karaoke contest.

And the only reason I did the karaoke contest is cause it was happening on a regular karaoke night. I am not a fan of karaoke contests. And I tried to lose on purpose and I came in second. I mean, I'm singing my most obnoxious songs. Like I'm working in "Punk Rock Girl" by the Dead Milkman. I'm like, no, one's gonna, and I got all the way to second place and I'm like, are you kidding me? I probably did better trying to lose than I would have if I was trying to win.

Tabitha Ashely: That is awesome. You know you're a karaoke God, when you are trying to do your worst and you still win second place in a karaoke contest.

Adam Wainwright: It's just those puppy, dog eyes. Nobody wanted to disappoint Ed by not making him finish in the top two. They saw those. I isn't like, no, we can't, we can't the Teddy bear. We can't do it.

Ed Cunard: I do have my own unique charm. Yes.

Adam Wainwright: You do. Okay. That was great. That was a great question. Got us talking and got us reminiscing about the old days, but now we're going to shut up because we're going to hand our show over to you for the next, however long.

It takes you to get, tell the people where they can find you on social media, on Spotify. Talk about anything that you've got coming up now is your chance to sell yourself, put yourself out into the world, send any messages you'd like. The floor is yours. Take it away.

Tabitha Ashely: Well, I think I've pretty much already talked about some of the things that were coming up, but my name is Tabitha Ashley on social media. So it's Tabitha Ashley Music on Facebook, Instagram, and TitTok. I use my middle name instead of my last name, which is Bowman because my children's books are out there under Tabitha Bowman and my photography stuff so that kind of helps keep it separate because when you're doing too many things, it's like, you got to change it up a little bit. I am on Spotify as Tabitha Ashley, and I'm working on recording a whole album. I can't wait until it's done. I've got three songs in the works, the fourth one is going to be coming out?

 I've got two out right now and the other two will be coming out here shortly and then within a year or so, I should have a whole album recorded and released and that's, that's pretty much it.

Adam Wainwright: Go follow all the things, check out the single on the TikToks and the Instagrams and all the social media, because you're an incredibly, incredibly, incredibly talented person. And it was just so nice to hear your voice and talk to You and reminisce a little bit about the old days. So thank you.

Tabitha Ashely: You are welcome. I'm so glad I got the chance to talk to you guys again. I've missed both of you.

Ed Cunard: And we've missed you too. And we do hope to see you singing at a screen sometime soon.

Tabitha Ashely: Definitely.

Thanks

Adam Wainwright: Hello everybody. Listen to me, One of your co-hosts on "The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly)." I'm so happy you were able to experience that karaoke joy with us, but now I need you to do something. Go ahead and follow us on social media. Either on Facebook, we have a group set up. You can follow us at sungpoorly on Twitter.

Instagram, TikTok's floating around out there. We have a website: sungpoorly.com. Do all those things. Leave a review. We love reviews. Good and bad. We prefer good, but good or bad. We love it. We do. That's all I got Ed. I don't know what the entire routine I was working right there was, but I don't feel great about it, but we should move forward anyway. Go ahead.

Ed Cunard: And don't forget one of the best ways that you can support the podcast is by visiting our merch store sungpoorly.com/store, karaoke themed t-shirts, lots of podcast themed t-shirts and you know, some other things like pint glasses, mugs, all that, and please support Ben Dumm because he gives us our theme song "Gasoline," and all of our interstitial music.

Follow him on Spotify at the Ben Dumm 3 or his previous bands, Ben Dumm and the Deviants or the Marauders.

Adam Wainwright: Good old Ben Dumm. I love some Ben Dumm. I can't wait to see that gentleman again. I really can't. You know what else I can't wait for? I can't wait for all of you to tune in in two weeks when we talked to a fantastic karaoke lover about "good people and cool things." Well, that's it. That's all there. Is there more so until next time I'm Adam Wainwright.

Ed Cunard: I'm Ed Cunard.

Adam Wainwright: And remember that singing off key is still technically singing.