Before his song You Ain’t Pretty hit the Top 40 on the Billboard country charts, Nate Barnes was clocking in at a nuclear power plant in Michigan. In this revealing interview, Nate shares his journey from small-town South Haven to Nashville’s country music scene—and how faith, family, and trades work shaped every step.
In This Episode:
Links:
Website: https://www.natebarnesmusic.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natebarnesmusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natebarnesmusic
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@natebarnesmusic
Music Platforms: Available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music
Mentioned in this episode:
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We got to top 40 on the Billboard country charts.
2
:The, the, oh yeah.
3
:Let, let alone just being on the
billboard charts, was insane.
4
:Or being on the radio was
insane, Coming from just leaving
5
:a power plant in my life.
6
:and that, yeah, that song
really changed my life.
7
:We just want to write a
positive song for women.
8
:And a positive message
for people out there.
9
:It just, it just really
changed my life forever.
10
:Cliff Duvernois: Hello everyone and
welcome back to Total Michigan, where
11
:we interview ordinary Michiganders
doing extraordinary things.
12
:I'm your host Cliff DuVernois.
13
:Country music is kind of a thing.
14
:And I have to say, it's awesome that
Michigan seems to be the birthplace of
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:some really talented people that are
coming up in the country music industry.
16
:And with that being said, uh,
we're talking to one of those
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:artists today whose album.
18
:It's just dropped, and that would
be Holding You and you should
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:definitely go and check it out.
20
:It's definitely worth the ear time
that you would spend on it, but
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:the, uh, the artist, the singer,
the composer, the entertainer for
22
:this is a gentleman by the name of
Nate Barnes, and he's with us today.
23
:Nate, how are you?
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:I'm good.
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:Good, Cliff.
26
:How are you?
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:I'm doing awesome.
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:Thank you for asking.
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:So why don't you tell us a
little bit about where you're
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:from and where did you grow up?
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:Nate Barnes: Yeah, well, uh, we're
here pretty much, uh, where I'm from.
32
:I'm from South Haven, Michigan.
33
:Grew, grew up here my whole life.
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:small town, guy, country, dude,
just, you know, big family kind
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:of was in music my whole life.
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:kind of led me, there's so much in, within
from when I was a kid to where I'm at,
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:to now, but it all really led me to this
moment in my life and this album that
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:just came out singing country music.
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:So, which is exciting.
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:So thanks for having me.
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:Appreciate it.
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:Cliff Duvernois: So you said you're,
you're from, the South Haven area?
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:Yeah.
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:At what point.
45
:Did you actually get
exposed to country music?
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:Nate Barnes: Country music?
47
:my whole life was, I had
country music in my life.
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:blues.
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:I grew up, blues, a lot of blues,
Motown, all sorts of music.
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:I got exposed to so much music
but country to, to be honest.
51
:And, and it never really hit,
Me until I, I was an adult,
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:until I was, I was 21 years old.
53
:is when I knew I wanted
to do country music.
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:I, I knew, I, I, without a doubt, I had
to be a part of country music in some way.
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:and, but prior to that, I mean,
I was in rock bands, death metal
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:bands, blues bands, everything
you can think of, punk bands.
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:As a drummer, I.
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:Oh, wow, okay.
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:as a drummer for my whole life.
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:something kept leading me to
keep writing music on the side
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:and doing this other thing.
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:And, and, and when I was 21, it was
like, that's, I, it's, I found it.
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:It was like, I've been, I've been
missing, this is what I've been
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:missing my whole life, right?
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:This is who I really am.
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:my buddy, Dennis Hartman, and we're.
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:This is my, this is where I
stay at, and this is his barn.
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:And he came into my life and he
reintroduced country music to me.
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:And when he did that, and it was during
a time of my life that I was searching
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:a deeper meaning of, of God in my life.
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:Deeper meaning of who I am as a
man what I really want outta life.
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:And then he, he
reintroduced country music.
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:And it was like.
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:Prior to that I was
running from the truth.
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:And then when I got to
that age, I was seeking it.
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:Yeah.
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:And then country music is like
it, all it does is tell the truth.
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:You know?
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:And that's what I think I had a trouble
with connecting with country music before.
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:'cause I didn't want to feel those.
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:I didn't want to.
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:I didn't want to feel that.
83
:'cause I was trying to, I
didn't want to go there yet.
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:Right.
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:I wasn't ready.
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:That's when country music
came into my life for real.
87
:Cliff Duvernois: So you said you
were a drummer in a number of bands.
88
:So is your family, is it like musicians?
89
:Did you
90
:Nate Barnes: Yeah, yeah.
91
:We, you know, we were all like singers.
92
:Like growing up with my family was,
was really, amazing in a lot of ways.
93
:one was music.
94
:Is what brought us together.
95
:Music and food and gatherings.
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:But music was such a big deal for us.
97
:my grandma would play piano all the time
and we would go around a piano and sing
98
:and a lot of singers, a lot of people
in the marching band, stuff like that.
99
:And no one knew that I was
gonna be the kid that really.
100
:Took it over.
101
:Right.
102
:You know, really, you know, I was, my
first band was in like fifth grade.
103
:I was in, I was gigging by
the time I was 12 years old.
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:Oh, nice.
105
:Like in bars by the time I was like
14, playing in bars and in venues.
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:And
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:Cliff Duvernois: Did you have to convince
anyone that you were 18 or anything?
108
:Nate Barnes: Yeah, I, I was a great liar.
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:Yeah.
110
:But then my mom would come, my mom would,
my mom would drop me off these places
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:and hey, I'm, he can be in here and.
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:Oh, that's hilarious.
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:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
114
:So you really got, it was everything
bit by the, the stage bug.
115
:It was everything.
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:Like early, well here too, a
lot of people don't know, like
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:Southwest Michigan, during that time
growing up, we all were musicians.
118
:The who I, when I grew up, there were
so many incredible singers and musicians
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:and artists and people and bands.
120
:We, everybody was in a band.
121
:A lot of us were.
122
:And so it was, uh, very common to,
not only in your home life, but
123
:like in your school life was, Hey,
after practice, let's get to my
124
:house and let's start rehearsing.
125
:Let's start thinking about the
biggest dreams that we have as a band.
126
:You know?
127
:Yeah.
128
:It was like, it was very normal.
129
:Very normal.
130
:And it was in very incredible
musicians around around me that
131
:really inspired me to really,
grab a hold of wanting to do this.
132
:It was just, it was, to me,
it was like a mini Nashville.
133
:Like young kids setting up gigs
at, at a venue, right, until
134
:one in the morning playing.
135
:As teenagers.
136
:It's pretty odd, and, but a lot of
us doing it and, uh, doing it good.
137
:I mean, there was some, some incredible
guys, so it was pretty easy for me.
138
:But I, I knew even before that, like when
I was a kid, My granddad who passed away,
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:he grew up with a guy named BB King.
140
:Yeah.
141
:In Tupelo, and, well, as he grew up,
my granddad in Tupelo, Mississippi.
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:Him and BB uh, became really
good childhood friends.
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:Cliff Duvernois: Oh, cool.
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:Nate Barnes: And they grew up together.
145
:Anyways, he was, uh, a kind of a
part of our family, and we were
146
:had a lot of ties to him as well.
147
:My granddad knew a lot about music.
148
:Knew, and he was very, very
knowledgeable about it.
149
:And his life was insane.
150
:My granddad was an incredible man.
151
:But his, the life he lived was
bizarre and, and very, very wild.
152
:And he would sit with us
kids and tell stories.
153
:And the way he told stories, it
was the best storyteller I ever
154
:met in my life, When he would do
that, he would always have records
155
:on and, and, and listen to music.
156
:That as a kid, I was a
really, really young guy.
157
:I knew right then that I
wanted to tell stories.
158
:I wanted to be involved in music.
159
:I knew that, and as a young age,
right, because I wanted to tell
160
:stories like my granddad, he was,
and touch people's lives in that way.
161
:I just knew.
162
:I just knew that.
163
:But he breathed that
and he never sat down.
164
:Nate, I want you to
play the guitar, right?
165
:I want you to go play drums.
166
:He just, the way he told stories and
how he did it, the conviction and the
167
:life he lived really touched, me, my
heart, and, as a really small kid.
168
:And then from then on it was just, you
didn't, nobody needed to do anything.
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:I just did it.
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:IFI found whatever it took
to get instruments, whatever
171
:it took, it didn't matter.
172
:Whatever it took to go
play somewhere, perform.
173
:I, I, I was gonna figure it out.
174
:We were gonna, and, uh, it was just this
burning desire to, to wanna do this.
175
:Right.
176
:Cliff Duvernois: You
started off on the drums.
177
:Yeah.
178
:So talk to us about that transition
there, because like with the drums
179
:and stuff, you can kind of hide
yourself a little bit in the back.
180
:But now you're up front.
181
:Spotlight's on you.
182
:So how did you make that transition?
183
:Or when did you realize, you know
what, I actually have a set of pipes.
184
:I can sing.
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:Nate Barnes: I never thought I had
a set of pipes and I could sing.
186
:Never did.
187
:I never did.
188
:In fact, like it, I mean, I
grew, I played, I started playing
189
:piano, started playing guitar.
190
:but my, I really was a drummer.
191
:I really, that's what I was gonna,
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:Cliff Duvernois: in your
heart, you're a drummer.
193
:Nate Barnes: I was gonna hang
my hat in my future on being a
194
:drummer, and all I wanted to do was
be the best musician in the world.
195
:Yeah.
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:Or the best musician I
could be backing somebody.
197
:Banking is superstar, right?
198
:That's all I wanted.
199
:Give, and I didn't wanna be up there.
200
:I wanted to be back here doing
my thing in the background.
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:Now if you talk to other people,
I, you know, I loved attention.
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:I was always wanting attention.
203
:But that transition was really,
um, around middle school.
204
:When I was in middle school,
in the, late middle school, I.
205
:because I, I was, I would
write songs on tape recorders.
206
:Oh, cool.
207
:I would write songs on tape
recorders and, and it was terrible.
208
:I couldn't sing.
209
:I tried to sing like Johnny Lane.
210
:I don't know if you know who
the old b old, uh, blues guy.
211
:I tried to sing like
everybody behind closed doors.
212
:But it was like, man, I can't, I.
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:I can't sing good.
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:Right.
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:And I can't write songs good.
216
:But I like it, so I'll keep trying it.
217
:And I was at church one day because
I used to play in a lot of churches
218
:and youth groups and stuff.
219
:I, I wasn't playing that day.
220
:I was in the, Uh, watching the
service and something told me,
221
:it was like deep in my, my heart.
222
:Yeah.
223
:I was like, Nate, and it's, it was like,
Nate, you need to, you need to sing.
224
:There, there were people
were singing up there.
225
:And I just started crying
like they were singing.
226
:And it really, they really
like, and I heard this thing.
227
:It's like, that's what I want you to do.
228
:I want you to do that.
229
:And I was like, oh my God.
230
:Then I really dug into trying
to be, an en I was already an
231
:entertainer, but like a front guy.
232
:And then that's when I started
doing solo stuff, getting a
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:band and doing my own thing.
234
:And figuring that out.
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:But that's how that transition.
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:And I never was, I hated my voice.
237
:I never liked it.
238
:It was, it was horrible.
239
:Cliff.
240
:Horrible.
241
:And it took a lot, a lot, a lot of
years and a lot of, a lot of work.
242
:I, I was always the guy that.
243
:Anything I did in my life, I had to
work 10 times harder than anybody else.
244
:Nothing came easy for me.
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:It may have looked like it did, but
nothing really came easy for me.
246
:Right.
247
:Nothing.
248
:I mean, I had talent, in, in some
ways, but I worked my butt off for, a
249
:lot and got lucky on certain things,
So, yeah, singing was one of those.
250
:Cliff Duvernois: I do wanna make
sure that we talk about this because
251
:it wasn't just all of a sudden, you
know, you're turning 18 and, and
252
:your music career is taking off.
253
:You actually had a few interesting jobs.
254
:Along the way to support yourself.
255
:So talk to us about the decision to
just to get a job to support you.
256
:Nate Barnes: Well, there's a
lot that, that kind of happened
257
:throughout that time, but the main
thing is, is I had a buddy that
258
:told me, a dear friend of mine that.
259
:He would tell me, he is like, Nate,
you always gotta go after dreams.
260
:And like we were talking about before
this, uh, we started, I got really lucky
261
:being around the people, the men and
women I got to be around growing up.
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:They saw life in a way
that I needed to hear it.
263
:Like they, they saw it in
such a bigger way, right?
264
:Than I could even think about.
265
:And they really stretched me in a sense
of, going after, these just crazy dreams.
266
:But they were, they were.
267
:They weren't just, they would show me.
268
:They wouldn't tell me.
269
:And so with that, he, he, he
told me one time he sat me down.
270
:He is like, I know you want to go
live your dream, and that's important.
271
:You have to do that.
272
:But you need to learn how
to make a living first.
273
:He says, if you don't know how to
do that, and I want, and you need
274
:to not only make a living, you
need to be the best at what you do.
275
:Yes.
276
:Making a living and
give everything you got.
277
:And where you're so valuable.
278
:If you leave, it's, it's not a good thing.
279
:Learn how to do that and make a big life
in that first, and of course, be working
280
:on your dream and, but until you really
go, and I was so glad that he did that.
281
:He said that, 'cause that's, I did that
right and I knew what he meant afterwards.
282
:It was like, he show me what you
got here because if you can't even
283
:do this, Not saying that this isn't
nothing, but if you can't do this,
284
:what's what it's gonna take to do this?
285
:You ain't gonna have it
in here or in here, right?
286
:There's a lot of things you need to learn
here first before you go do this fairytale
287
:thing I, I took that serious and I did.
288
:So I, I, I, uh, I started
working at nuclear power plants.
289
:I, I got, I was a trades guy.
290
:I got in the unions.
291
:and then, uh, for over a decade, I worked
in nuclear power plants and did all I mean
292
:there, nuclear power plants, coal plants.
293
:I mean, I did so many
different crazy, amazing jobs.
294
:And then I ended up working
at a, uh, the Palisades.
295
:Nuclear power plant here in culvert.
296
:That's just now opening up, thank God.
297
:I worked at the mechanical maintenance
department there and, uh, and I loved it.
298
:I loved, I, I loved working
at that power plant so much.
299
:It taught me so much.
300
:I got to do so much It gave
me a really great life.
301
:Yeah.
302
:It was really good to my family.
303
:My stepfather, worked there for 45 years.
304
:Oh, wow.
305
:Yeah.
306
:and so it was a big part of our family.
307
:Mm-hmm.
308
:I actually got to work with them hand
in hand, uh, in the same department.
309
:which was a huge honor, a
really big honor for me.
310
:It led me to that and then to
led me to this, you know, kind of
311
:God moment of going to Nashville.
312
:And during that time I'm gigging too.
313
:I'm, I'm working, this is not a job.
314
:It's a real career.
315
:worked my butt off for
a lot of years for that.
316
:But, outside I would,
I would be gigging too.
317
:I'd be.
318
:Hustle and gigging doing everything.
319
:I good.
320
:Yes.
321
:so yeah, and then it led me to, uh, this
opportunity to Nashville to leave it all.
322
:And, and I did.
323
:But,
324
:Cliff Duvernois: For our audience,
we're gonna take a quick break and
325
:take our sponsors when we come back.
326
:we're gonna continue our conversation
with, uh, Nate Barnes, and we're gonna
327
:dive a lot more into his, uh, new album
Holding You, available and all the
328
:major platforms that are out there.
329
:So make sure to check that out.
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:But yeah, we'll see you after the break.
331
:Are you enjoying this episode?
332
:Well, I can tell you
there's a lot more to come.
333
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334
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337
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340
:Hello everyone, and welcome back to
Total Michigan, where we interview
341
:ordinary Michiganders doing some
pretty extraordinary things.
342
:I'm your host Cliff DuVernois.
343
:Today we're talking with country music
singer Nate Barnes, and the release of
344
:his album Holding You and, uh, Nate.
345
:What I'd like to do is, I would
like to talk about that moment that
346
:came to you when you were like,
holy cow, I can actually do this.
347
:Nate Barnes: I was, just getting out of a
relationship with the gal and, uh, at that
348
:time I saw my whole life, I, I knew what
my whole life was gonna be and I didn't
349
:think music was gonna be a part of that.
350
:It was gonna be a power plant family.
351
:Oh, okay.
352
:This.
353
:I was very committed to that.
354
:I was like, this is where God has me.
355
:This is what's supposed to
be I'll, I'm gonna do that.
356
:well that didn't work out.
357
:And I'm sitting in the house is
the empty house and, uh, all alone.
358
:And I was, I was sitting in
this chair and I was like, well,
359
:God, I did what you asked me.
360
:I saw that whole thing through.
361
:I thought that's what it was.
362
:I gave up this whole other dream.
363
:Now what?
364
:And I was like, what do
you want me to do now?
365
:And this thing, I've never had it like
this before, but it was like, and I
366
:was there all alone and it was like, I
heard this voice and, I swear to God I
367
:heard this like voice deep inside of me.
368
:He was like, Nate.
369
:You can't run anymore.
370
:I called you to do this.
371
:You're the one that's been running and
it was like, you can't hide anymore.
372
:It's time.
373
:And I was like, well,
374
:Cliff Duvernois: I got goosebumps.
375
:What?
376
:Nate Barnes: And it was clear.
377
:And I was like, in, it was, you was right.
378
:You was right.
379
:I was running from it.
380
:I did not all the way do it.
381
:And I was like, okay.
382
:I'm gonna give everything I got.
383
:It's time.
384
:And then from that day on, literally
from that day on, every single day,
385
:people would call me, that people that
I didn't talk to for 10 years would
386
:call me Nate, I'm thinking about you.
387
:You need to go call this person.
388
:All these doors would open
yes and every day, every day.
389
:And it wouldn't stop.
390
:And it kept getting crazier
and crazier to all the way to,
391
:A record deal in Nashville.
392
:And then it, you know, led me
to, to Nashville for a stay.
393
:And that's when I met, people
that, that gave me a record deal.
394
:And it was like, oh my God.
395
:And it just would not stop.
396
:And it was like, so I gotta
leave the power plant.
397
:I gotta leave this.
398
:I gotta move in.
399
:I moved into a hotel room
for a year and a half.
400
:Yeah.
401
:With me and my dog.
402
:So that's, see that right
there is a country song.
403
:Cliff Duvernois: Yeah.
404
:Oh yeah.
405
:So that's, that's how, okay.
406
:Oh man, I wish we had more time.
407
:There's so much there to unpack
a little Yeah, but I, I know.
408
:So what I wanna do is, so let's
talk about that breakout song.
409
:I.
410
:Right.
411
:The one that really made Nate Barnes.
412
:Nate Barnes.
413
:Right.
414
:And it's, you ain't pretty.
415
:You ain't pretty.
416
:Nate Barnes: Yeah.
417
:Cliff Duvernois: Yes.
418
:Which by the way, for our
audience, please go to YouTube.
419
:Check it out.
420
:Nate Barnes: Please check it out.
421
:Cliff Duvernois: Please check it out.
422
:'cause it's, it's a great
song and it's a great video.
423
:But Nate, talk to us about that.
424
:Nate Barnes: Yeah.
425
:Yeah.
426
:That was my first ever single, to
radio and, first song that I, I,
427
:I, uh, came out with my producers,
Mickey, Jack Cos and Derek George
428
:and my, team back in Nashville.
429
:And we got to top 40 on the
Billboard country charts.
430
:The, the, oh yeah.
431
:Let, let alone just being on the
billboard charts, was insane.
432
:Or being on the radio was
insane, Coming from just leaving
433
:a power plant in my life.
434
:and that, yeah, that song
really changed my life.
435
:And, you know, the writers, Jason
Sellers and Jimmy Yie, big name writers
436
:on there that, You know, we just want
to write a positive song for women.
437
:And a positive message
for people out there.
438
:It just, it just really
changed my life forever.
439
:Yeah.
440
:It's pretty cool.
441
:Crazy.
442
:Never would've thought.
443
:I mean, you know, you do stuff,
but it's still like, holy
444
:crap, this is actually working.
445
:Keep going.
446
:You know?
447
:Exactly.
448
:Keep going.
449
:Cliff Duvernois: So now
you're at the point where your
450
:first album is dropping Yes.
451
:Holding You.
452
:Yep.
453
:the song Holding You, the
debut song from the album.
454
:Where did that come from?
455
:did you write that?
456
:Where did the ideas come from?
457
:Nate Barnes: I wrote that with Buddy, uh,
Jason, Massey and, and, uh, Sarah Hayes.
458
:At that time, I kept having these
weird dreams of my granddad's hands.
459
:I would wake up with images of my,
and he had these like really massive,
460
:just manly hands and, You could tell
a lot about a person by looking at.
461
:The, their hands, you know?
462
:Yes.
463
:he, they tell a lot of stories,
you know, about who they are.
464
:Anyway, so we're sitting there and
we're just like, I really want to share
465
:that story about my granddad's hands.
466
:And then we're like, you know what?
467
:let's do something better.
468
:Let's talk about a man that, really,
that really, uh, could fix anything
469
:in the world, but he can't fix
this, this broken relationship.
470
:Yes.
471
:How can this guy that can do
anything, he can build anything,
472
:break anything, do whatever.
473
:But he can't, heal this relationship.
474
:He can't save this girl.
475
:it's like it's worthless.
476
:So it's, what's the point?
477
:So.
478
:And that's how we wrote that song.
479
:It's, it's one of my favorite
songs I ever wrote, in my
480
:whole life, in the production,
everything, it just, it's turned
481
:out everything I could ever imagine.
482
:I'm really proud of that, this song
and, and, I can't wait to see what,
483
:how people are, are gonna love it.
484
:Cliff Duvernois: when you're
recording it, because now there's
485
:a very personal element, right?
486
:'cause you're talking about
your grandfather's hands.
487
:Nate Barnes: Yeah.
488
:Cliff Duvernois: So you write the song,
you go in and you record it Uhhuh.
489
:Right?
490
:how does it feel knowing that
the song is so personal to you?
491
:Nate Barnes: It always,
it just feels good.
492
:It feels good.
493
:You know, a lot, a lot of times you,
you write songs sometimes, you can be
494
:selfish and you write 'em for yourself.
495
:And then a lot of times, or at least
you try to put yourself or who you
496
:are in those songs, It feels good to,
to see somebody else connect to it.
497
:I think that's, that's really amazing
to see somebody and to see how they
498
:connect to it in their own way.
499
:It, it's just, uh, growing up I didn't
know how to this, that's kind of weird
500
:thing to talk about, but I didn't
know how to communicate with people.
501
:I was really bad at talking with people.
502
:I didn't know how to connect with people.
503
:The only way I found how to
really connect with people was,
504
:telling my story through songs.
505
:And then telling my experience, telling
my life journey and seeing if other
506
:people can understand that right.
507
:And then when they do,
it's just like, ugh.
508
:It, it's, it does, it's, it's a very
personal thing and it feels good
509
:Cliff Duvernois: How much your life
in skilled trades has now had an
510
:influence on the music that you write.
511
:Nate Barnes: Oh, a lot, a lot I would,
I would say, being in the trades and
512
:stuff I got to experience, in tho that
line of work really just taught me more
513
:about the being a, a honest person,
honest individual, and having integrity
514
:of what you do and being re and being,
and going and going the extra mile.
515
:And that's kind of how I look
at the music and writing music,
516
:taking the time to really does
this, do I really believe this?
517
:Do I really believe this?
518
:Oh, that's cool.
519
:And if I don't really believe
this, how the hell is somebody
520
:else gonna believe it?
521
:Yes.
522
:So that's, that's where I start with
and, and be because of, the line of
523
:work I used to do that you, You had
to be fully, you had to be a hundred
524
:percent in, or you can get yourself in
trouble, hurt or somebody else in hurt
525
:or possibly killed if you ain't in all
the way and if you ain't paying attention
526
:and if you ain't doing the right thing.
527
:I gotta believe it.
528
:I gotta feel it.
529
:And that's what I want.
530
:I want people to feel something,
feel something real, and
531
:that's how I, I look at music.
532
:When I listen to music.
533
:I listen to it and immediately know
if I, I love it or not immediately.
534
:I know that's like, I believe it.
535
:I buy it.
536
:I know exactly.
537
:I feel every word you're saying.
538
:I've either lived it or
I can, I can, I get it.
539
:So that's what I like
540
:Cliff Duvernois: When you say I lived
it, I was thinking that this right here
541
:has gotta be a beautiful way for you
to really connect with your audience,
542
:because like you said before, this is
something that you've had to work for.
543
:Nate Barnes: Yeah.
544
:Cliff Duvernois: Right.
545
:And you, you didn't start off as a singer.
546
:You had to like, you had
to earn your chops Right.
547
:To get there.
548
:Yeah.
549
:And to develop your voice in
the meantime with you working.
550
:You're just like, you're
just like the audience.
551
:A lot of these, people that come
out and see you are working nine
552
:to five jobs, they're working 12
hours a day, swinging hammers.
553
:So you're on stage.
554
:You know what that's like.
555
:Yeah.
556
:Right?
557
:Yeah.
558
:You weren't discovered as a prodigy when
you were six years old and started singing
559
:and all of a sudden you're on stage.
560
:So that's gotta give you a
beautiful way to really be able to
561
:connect with your audience to say.
562
:I know what you're going through.
563
:Yeah, I know what you
experience every day.
564
:Nate Barnes: Yeah, that's right.
565
:Yeah.
566
:Yeah.
567
:I'm just a normal, regular
old dude, you know?
568
:Oh, I doubt that highly.
569
:And, and, and, uh,
570
:and just got lucky and, or I was, you
know, I just got blessed with the, just
571
:a, a great thing to go do in my life
that I've been, dreaming about, but.
572
:I got to live a lot of real life.
573
:I got to experience a lot of things in
my life and, yes, it does feel good.
574
:because it is just like you get,
you see what you get, ain't nothing,
575
:ain't no, smoke and mirrors.
576
:It's like I don't know how to
be any, anything else but me.
577
:which is makes it easier for
me because I don't gotta lie.
578
:I don't gotta lie about nothing, right?
579
:It's, it's just, it's me.
580
:I'm singing the songs.
581
:I love to sing.
582
:I'm being real.
583
:And, and now I get to share music
with the people that, you know,
584
:that, kind of made me, you know.
585
:So hell yeah.
586
:Cliff Duvernois: Nate, if somebody
is listening to this and they
587
:want to check you out Yeah.
588
:Which you should by the way.
589
:Um, they wanna check you out.
590
:They wanna listen to your music,
they want to get your album.
591
:Where's the best place for them to go?
592
:I.
593
:Nate Barnes: Go, uh, anywhere online.
594
:Uh, check out my website, my
Instagram, Nate Barnes music
595
:and, uh, TikTok, Facebook.
596
:And then anywhere that you stream music,
check, check out Nate Barnes, music my
597
:album Holding You is out and, uh, it's,
I've been working for two and a half
598
:years on this album, so it's a big deal.
599
:Big deal for me, and I
hope you guys love it.
600
:Awesome.
601
:Cliff Duvernois: Yes, definitely
make sure that you take the
602
:time to check out the album.
603
:Nate.
604
:Man, I wish we, I wish we had more time.
605
:I know, me too, Nate.
606
:it's been wonderful
having you on the show.
607
:We'll have to have you back again.
608
:Yeah.
609
:But, thanks for coming on today.
610
:Nate Barnes: Thank you, Cliff.
611
:Thanks for having me.
612
:Cliff Duvernois: And for our audience,
you can roll on over to Total Michigan.com
613
:and click on Nate's interview and get
all the links that he mentioned above.
614
:We'll catch you next time when we
talk to another Michigander, doing
615
:some pretty extraordinary things.
616
:We'll see you then.