Whether you're a longtime fan or just discovering the magic of Corduroy Brown, you won’t want to miss this heartfelt and inspiring episode celebrating local talent and community spirit.

We welcome the one and only Corduroy Brown—a beloved figure in the Tri-State music scene and beyond. From stories about growing up in Appalachia, balancing authenticity with musical trends, to the lasting impact of a near-death experience, Corduroy holds nothing back.

We learn more about Corduroy's songwriting process, his mental health journey, the ever-changing Huntington music scene, and the value of staying true to your roots. Expect plenty of laughs, vulnerability, and even some fangirling over musical collaborations.

This episode is sponsored by Alex R. White, PLLC.

If you have a memory you would want me to talk more about, just send me an email at TSTM@mail.com. Or post a comment on the Tri-State Machine FB Group page.

Welcome to the Tri-State Time Machine.

I'm your host Vanessa Hankins. This is a podcast where my guests and I share our memories and present day stories of the Tri-State Area. That's West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio.

Nothing too serious, no political views, and no ulterior motives.

We're just here to share our fun stories about this great area.

Whether you're a past resident or a current Tri-State resident, I think you're going to have fun with us.

So join in, press play on your podcast player, and welcome to the Tri-State Time Machine! 

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https://ts-time-machine.captivate.fm/episode/corduroy-brown

Copyright 2025 Vanessa Hankins

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Announcer [: 00:00:01

This is the Tri State Time Machine brought to you by Alex R. White, pllc@suedistractedriver.com each week, your host Vanessa Hankins and her guests share memories and stories about the past, the present and the future of the Tri State area. That's West Virginia, Kentucky and the Ohio areas. If you used to live here or you currently live here, you're going to catch yourself saying out loud, wow, I remember that. Now here's Vanessa.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:00:31

Hey, guys, it's Vanessa. And welcome back to Tri State Time Machine. As always, my trusty co host Jason's here. Hey, Jason.

Jason [: 00:00:38

Hello. Hello, everybody. How are you today?

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:00:41

I am. I've had a busy, busy, crazy day. We were just talking about it before we went on air about how crazy my day was. I bounced around all over the place. It's back to school. It's all the things. If you're listening at home where, you know, we're like the chaos of school starting in Cabell county and then a week later it's wayne County. So Ms.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:00:59

Vanessa has been in school mode all day today and went back into mommy mode. Full throttle for volleyball and open house.

Jason [: 00:01:06

That's right.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:01:06

It's been a day. But I'm excited to be here because we've wanted this guest on for quite some time.

Jason [: 00:01:11

Absolutely. So, ladies and gentlemen, listen, the whole Tri State. I know you're gonna know who our next guest is. You know, I want to introduce you to Corduroy Brown. How are you, sir?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:01:21

Hey, good to see you guys. Good to be here in the. In the time machine. I'm here.

Jason [: 00:01:24

We're here.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:01:26

Right?

Jason [: 00:01:27

Yeah.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:01:28

It's funny because no one at home, I don't think anyone's seen this studio. So I. Forget it. No one knows what this is.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:01:32

Let your imagination just roll.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:01:34

It's a vibe, guys. All right, I think we're just gonna jump right in. What is the story behind the name Corduroy Brown?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:01:42

I knew that was gonna be on here.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:01:44

It's always gotta be the first one.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:01:46

It is. So I don't have an answer for this yet. And I never have had a good answer for this. So I tell everyone who asked me that because that's always on the list. If you can come up with a cool story, I'll use it forever. I don't have a cool story. It just is what it is. And if anyone listening wants to message me or if you guys just get a random 2am thought your favorite pants.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:02:10

I mean, it could be, but I mean, I feel like. I feel like. No, I Mean, in the summer, it turns out that corduroy is very warm, very warm. So in the winter, I'm in great shape. Sometime wearing corduroy is a little tricky. So. But, no, I really. I mean, I need a cool story.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:02:26

So if anyone wants to send me a message and say, hey, the reason you're called Corduroy Brown is this, I will go with it because I don't have one.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:02:33

Well, and it's funny, and you guys, the reason I had to ask this question, I didn't think of the amounts of people that probably do ask you, that is I grew up knowing him as Alan Brown. He went to school with my little brother and my little sister. So it's funny for me to look at you and be like. And it's a name that I can't forget because I was married to an Alan. I think of it in that way.

Jason [: 00:02:59

So let me ask you, when did you first realize music was really going to be more than a hobby for you?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:03:04

I mean, I grew up in church a lot, and every Sunday, mom was like, all right, we're going to church. And, you know, there's not really many. There's a few musical people in my family, but it wasn't like we were all sitting around the porch picking guitars and stuff. Like, my uncle played, I think, saxophone. My mom's mom, you know, my grandma played piano, but she passed before I even got to really be old enough to, like, experience that.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:03:25

So a few musically inclined, but not the whole plan.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:03:29

It wasn't like, you know, like, you know, some people, like, oh, their granddaddy, they'd sit on the porch and play. I don't know. But I always loved music. And I'd always listen to the different parts of the harmony and the choir and always found myself gravitating towards that. And, you know, I guess to shorten up the story, because I could talk you guys off for about 48 days, but, you know, my mom got me a Fender guitar from Mac and Dave's. You know, that is no longer. No longer in business, though, Rip, we have that episode. Okay, Check it out.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:03:56

I won't say what I'm gonna. I won't say what I want to say then. But mom may have paid too much for the guitar. And they. Yeah, I'm sure there's that. So. But regardless, my mom got me a Fender CD60 guitar. It was black, and that was in, like, maybe 20.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:04:14

Gosh, 16 or 17. And music, it's like, once it bites into you, you don't. You can Never let it go. And I don't know that there is a point where I'm like, okay, we're gonna do music for money and we're gonna do. I mean, I'm not being rich off music, I promise you that. But it's. It's. I don't know, there's just something that once it's in you, it's just in you and you get to just do it and you can't stop.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:04:36

And you're always like, okay, what can I do next? And what do I want to do? And what if we did this? And, you know, you just. I don't know. I'm going on a rampant right now. But it's just like, I totally.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:04:45

And I'm like right in it with you because we just had this conversation. We went. As I said in the beginning, we went to open house tonight, and my daughter plays clarinet. So she's like, oh, da da da da. I only need to see Ms. Hall. I'm like, which one's Ms. Hall again? Choir.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:05:00

And I said, choir? You're not even in choir. She was like, the choir room mom. Because that's the previous, you know. So I was like, okay, I make the connection now. I know which one's Ms. Hall. And I said, that's the only one you want talk to. She's like, yeah, she's the only one that matters.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:05:15

So we go in and just watching their connection and her being so proud of Carly as a student and, you know, us talking and catching up, it really resonated with me when you were talking about that, because she just came by it naturally. You could give me 70 YouTube videos, a tutorial right in front of my face. I still probably couldn't make a film that makes sound. So it's just really cool that like you said, once it's in you, it's in you and it just comes naturally. And I think that's. I think it's a beautiful thing.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:05:44

Yeah.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:05:44

I'm glad you were able to take that and run.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:05:47

Thank you. And I feel so blessed that anyone cares at all. I mean, even that we're just here talking about this blows me away. And the fact that someone, even today, I was telling you someone at Walmart was like, can I get a picture with you? I'm like, really? Like, yeah, like. And that's. That's the cool part, you know, that's like the ego part of it all. It's like. That feels really good.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:06:02

But. But I mean, like, I don't know, there's. There's a music side and there's a business side and all of it. I just find myself like, I want to learn more, give me more. Let me try it, let me do this.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:06:11

Immerse yourself in it. I love it. You've cited in the public before that you like artists like Flyleaf, Saya, Dave Matthews. What's something unexpected that you've learned from these genres of music?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:06:22

Yeah, so Flyleaf was, you know, alternative rock back in the early 2000s. That's like the stuff I cut my teeth on back in the day. Turned an amp up, you know, above my parents house and was shaking the walls with, you know, being a really annoying teenager playing really loud. But I love music when people will just be unauthentically themselves. Like there's so many even now, there's so many trends. Everyone wants to be the next Tyler Childers or everyone wants to be the next whatever. And it's like bands like Paramore and Flyleaf and a band called Hound Mouth that I really love and just. I could go on.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:06:54

There are bands that just write authentically to themselves and the trends will always change. There'll always be some new fashion trend or even recycled fashion trends or music, whatever. But it's like when people write from real experiences, it's authentic. And I think I was drawn to that type of music and just anyone who felt like they weren't just doing a cookie cutter thing, like I've always been drawn to authenticity and I try to be as authentic with my own music because I mean, you have to perform those songs every night. I don't, I don't. And that's. Yeah. And like, don't get me wrong, there's a business side to music and I'm not, I don't have any one hit wonders or big songs yet, but I mean keyword yet.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:07:31

And that's. Right. There's a formula to it. And you know, you could be, you could write a formula song and be a huge pop song, but then you have to perform it for the rest of your life. You don't care about it. So I want to make sure I mean what I'm saying.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:07:43

Absolutely. I love that because. And no offense to boy bands, but I always imagine, you know, they do these, they've been doing these coming back tours and I'm just thinking, you know, these guys are now late 40s, early 50s, and they're singing Baby Ba ba.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:07:59

Ba and over again.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:08:02

How annoying that must be. So I love that. That's awesome.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:08:06

I'll go back, I'll Go a little bit deeper with that. And one of my favorite all time albums, the American Idiot album from Green Day 2004. I was listening to it only way here. By the way, that is 20 years old this year or as of last year rather.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:08:18

Yes.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:08:18

I just had my 20 year high school, really. But I went and saw them for the first time in Pittsburgh last year and they slam it just like it was just out. And that's what I'm saying. They wrote an album they felt convicted by. They're in their 50s and they are out there putting on a show and still loving it. Yeah.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:08:37

And that's the difference in like those tours that I was talking about. They look miserable. They do not look like they're having fun. They look like their bodies hurt. They don't look like it's enjoyable, you know, but yeah, I get that. I love that.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:08:50

Yeah, that's on the deeper side. At the end of the day, you know, if you get to play music and you're getting paid for it and you get to perform it for people and anyone cares, that's the win, truly. So.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:08:57

Absolutely.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:08:58

If you can care about it, that's even, even more.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:09:00

Absolutely.

Jason [: 00:09:01

So to me, your music obviously feels both nostalgic, fresh, all that kind of stuff. What role does nostalgia play in your writing?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:09:08

I mean, I'm a pro. I go 90s kid. So you're gonna hear everyone says, man, you guys sound like the Counting Crows. I hear that. That is everyone says that connection.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:09:17

But you do.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:09:18

Everyone says that. And I was like, well, that makes sense because that's what I grew up listening to, you know, Q100 on the way to daycare. You know, like listen to going to South Point Elementary School. Like, you know, listen to Battle of the Sexes and.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:09:33

You could call in on your birthday.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:09:34

Yes, like for sure. So I mean, you kind of, you grow up with whatever you hear the most. And there's. I'm kind of a product of my timeline, you know, it's going to sound like those 90s 2000s bands and I'm not mad about it.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:09:47

Maybe that's why I'm over here 40 and you're caught in the car. All I know, because it is. You fall into it and we really enjoy it. So we're thankful.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:09:57

Thank you for listening.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:09:58

Yes, you're welcome. What has been the biggest shift in your worldview since your near death experience?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:10:06

So, I mean, obviously during COVID it was pretty wild because it was just scary as a human in general with that going on. And I was working at A TV station at the time too. So you're like following it in like real time and like you're seeing every update and you don't think stuff will happen to you, but then, you know, you end up like at 30 years old, literally dead and they bring you back from a ventilator and then put on life support and all these things. And I think what I learned most is like how much time we waste. I go through this, I'm not kidding every single day where I struggle with this. Like, I mean every day. I don't want to say I struggle with it, but it's always in the back of my mind of like, okay, we're gonna die one day. Nothing matters.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:10:44

It's just, just relax. And then it's like, we're gonna die one day. Let's. Come on, what are we, what are you waiting on? What are we doing? Come on, what are you talking about? We have to do it. We have to do it. And I go back, I wrestle with that every single day. And I don't know, that's how my. I've shifted.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:10:58

Like, I guess maybe more personally than a worldview, but yeah, on a more outward level, it's like no one has anything figured out and we're chasing the wrong things, we're chasing possessions. And the only thing that you can only spend time, you don't get it back. That's the only thing you can't get back in return. And we going, we're going to take it there.

Jason [: 00:11:19

I think about, you know, me, I'm into deep thought all the time. It might be 3am and I'm thinking the same thing.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:11:25

It's just, I just wish that I don't want everyone to have to go through an experience like that because it was as grateful that I am and the amount, like it blew me away because when I got back home, there is literally a parade rail at my parents house and the news cameras were there. And you know what I mean, the amount of people that just, they raised so much money to cover hospitals, it was the most insane thing I've ever. I'm like, for me, like that blew me away.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:11:47

It's a beautiful thing that community shows up the way they do. What makes me so thankful about Appalachia?

Jason [: 00:11:53

Good people are good to people. That's what it comes down to.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:11:55

Yes.

Jason [: 00:11:56

And things like that really show you like, man, there's a lot of really good people out here, you know, because the world makes you want to try to believe something different. This is the real people. This is the real world we live in.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:12:07

Yeah. I wish we could all just do more. Do more good things. Like, there's so much to exist outside of your phone screens. And I'm bad. I mean, I have my phone sitting at me right now, and it's like, there's so much to. There's so much good in the world if you want to look for it. Just like, there's so much bad, too.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:12:24

Absolutely. Absolutely. It is. You see what you're looking for.

Jason [: 00:12:29

So kind of going off that. How do you take care of your mental health now, especially on the road during busy, creative periods? You know, that stuff gets so hectic and kind of out of control. So how do you kind of wrap that?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:12:40

Yeah, you forget to be a human. You're always looking ahead for the next thing, and not for, like, the next bigger thing, even though that's part of it, but just like, okay, we have to load in this day. We have to do this. Okay. We have to get here. We have to get to the Airbnb by this time. Blah, blah, blah, Soundcheck the next day. When you get in contact with this person, you kind of forget to breathe for a minute.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:12:58

So it does get hectic. And what I've been doing more than anything is I'm doing a whole fitness regimen of diet where I track all the stuff that I eat. I have goals I'm supposed to meet that I meet him today? No, not yet. I might have had some pizza, but it's fine. There's flexibility in there. But then also, there's a piece of gratitude in that whole app thing that I use. If I'm taking care of my body, it takes care of my head. And if I take care of my head, it takes care of my body.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:13:24

So I take medicine every single day to help me not feel like crawling under the sheets every single day. So if you take time to slow down, which is most important, to go back to your question on the road, you have to slow down and just appreciate it. And you get to do something. Your body works. Like, my lungs have air in them so that I can sing these songs. Or I met that person. They said, hey, your song really helped me get out of a dark place. You just have to slow down on the road.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:13:53

You're always on an agenda and a clock. You just gotta slow down. I'm still learning how to do that.

Jason [: 00:14:00

It's very hard.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:14:00

I was gonna say that's a battle. Yeah, it absolutely is.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:14:03

I think even just every day, I guess so.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:14:06

As our listeners can Tell those of them that are meeting you or hearing you, you know, for the first time this way. You are very well known for being very vulnerable in your music. Was that always something that you were prior to your accident or. Well, I guess not accident. Your sickness, or was that something that came following?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:14:27

No, I mean, I've always just wanted again, going back to being honest and, like, authentic in the music. Like, I didn't write songs just to be like, hey, guys, take care of your mental health. It was just like, I wrote from personal experience of like, is it my passion and the thing that I love and why do I even want to be alive? That's a song called Medicine. It was literally asking, is it my dreams and ambitions keeping me alive, or is it the medicine I have to take? Or is it anything? What's. Actually, I'm just writing because that's just what I'm doing. And everyone was like, are you going to write a Covid song? I'm like, no. Like. And the one that.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:15:02

Yeah, and the one that came from. It was like, very dark, even. So. And it's not even really. I don't even know if I want to release it, but I don't know. I mean, I feel like now I feel like I have a little bit of a platform to say I could help people, and that's all I could really hope to do. And that's what I try to do now more than anything. I feel like the universe has given me this route to say, hey, man, your music means a lot to somebody.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:15:24

Keep doing it and I'm gonna keep doing it.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:15:25

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So this is kind of out of left field, but being someone who loves to write, I'm just curious about your process. Is it a. You just can't get it off your mind kind of thing, so you put it to paper? Or does it start out as poetry and then you. Oh, this. This is kind of catchy. Let me see if I can get a hook, you know, how does that work for you?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:15:47

If you go through my phone, you will see me humming a million ideas into my phone anytime. They'll just come out of left field, Whether it's a melody or a bass line. The song Doing My Best, that bass line was the first thing that got. That came from that song. Then Doing my Best randomly just hit me. I was like, okay, that's kind of okay, whatever. I'll put it. Put it away.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:16:07

And then I'll go through. Eventually, I'll go through my phone and see if I. If I labeled anything or gave it a title or if it's anything coherent, I'll keep it and I'll just kill everything else because it's like just so many thoughts.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:16:19

Yeah.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:16:19

But sometimes the instrumentation comes first, and sometimes there's lyrics that don't have any instrumentation. It just. I don't. I don't know. There's not a formula. It's just sometimes it sticks. Yeah.

Jason [: 00:16:30

So when you're. Let's say you're stuck creatively, how do you break through that wall? What works best for you?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:16:36

I can only write when I'm happy. I can't write when I'm sad because I feel like you can look if you kind of. If you're in a deep, dark period, I'm not worth anything at that point. I'm a sack of potatoes in the.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:16:48

Bed covers on air conditioning turned as low as it'll go.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:16:51

Yep. Yep. So if I can write, I generally only write when I'm happy and I can say, oh, that's why I felt that way.

Jason [: 00:17:01

I'm sure that can help bring you out. You know, looking back on your music, you may be in a dark spot and listen to one of your songs that helps bring you back out of that and say, hey, I've been there before.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:17:10

Yeah.

Jason [: 00:17:10

Yeah, that's good stuff.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:17:11

It's interesting to hear songs when you. Like the first album, actually, when we're recording. This is four years old today, the Let Me Know album. And I saw that and I was like, holy cow. So I went back and listened to it and I was like, man, okay. I'm a different human.

Jason [: 00:17:28

Yeah, that's a trap.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:17:29

Like, that's wild to think about. And the songs that. What I wrote about then, the songs mean something completely different now.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:17:36

Resignating the same. Yeah.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:17:37

Yeah.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:17:38

That's really neat how the process works.

Jason [: 00:17:40

Just growing.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:17:41

Yeah. Just the growth. Yeah. So, and this is a really personal question, I think, in a way, how does it feel to share such. Your personal lyrics or thoughts with your whole community?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:17:55

Sometimes it scares you in a little bit because I think it scared me, like sharing with my family more than anything. Because if you're. You're sharing, like, I shared stories of self harm. And even on the new album that we're working on, I drop a big F bomb on there. And I'm known for those. This one's uncensored for sure. And it's out there. It's the first lyric of the song.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:18:18

It's the first line. And so those. I don't know, like, you get more nervous to Share with your family. I think than anything but, like, sharing it with, like, the guys and stuff. Like, they'll be like, what are you talking about when you say that? I'm like, has a bad time, fellas. But nervous to share it. Not so much. But to people who are really close to me, I feel like I owe them at least an explanation.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:18:40

I get that. Like, that makes perfect.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:18:42

Yeah. Like, don't be alarmed when you hear this. I don't feel the way that this song is out right now, so.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:18:47

Right. I get that. And that's a constant battle. Mental health is. It's a strong thought, conversation way of life in our family. So we have a lot of those deals. Talks about what. What do we owe other people as humans when we have these big feelings.

Jason [: 00:19:05

So, yeah, we bring it up a lot on here. We're very good about opening up about, you know, survival and emotion and just how things good, bad, and ugly and. Yeah, we've tried to do a good job even with one thing, men's mental health. A lot of people kind of steer from that. It's real.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:19:20

Yeah, people.

Jason [: 00:19:21

We've had a lot of guests on here. They're like, man, I'm glad you brought that up, because here's where I'm at. Yeah, it just opens it up. So it is good to talk about these things.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:19:28

Yeah, I'm an open book on that stuff. I mean, I went to therapy in 2017 for the first time and started taking medicine then still go and. Yeah, and it just makes sense. Like, luckily, like, I feel grateful to be able to afford it and everything. And I wish it was so affordable for everybody. I wish people weren't so afraid of it. Like, it's so helpful.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:19:46

Absolutely.

Jason [: 00:19:48

So what's been your favorite venue? I mean, obviously you've got to play a four years. You know that it's been major. What's been your favorite place to play in Appalachia?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:20:00

That's a great question. I have to. By default, it's in Kentucky. It's probably the burl in Kentucky.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:20:06

Because the burl is awesome.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:20:08

The burl is awesome. The burl is pretty daggone cool.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:20:11

And if you don't know where it is, you could literally blink and miss it.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:20:15

Yes.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:20:16

And that's part of what so amazing.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:20:18

There was this time in Inez, Kentucky, though, it was called the Appalachian Artist Festival. Maybe it's in Inez, which is out in the sticks.

Jason [: 00:20:25

Out in the sticks.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:20:26

Yeah. And we had. We were talking about this with the guys. We had the time of our Lives last year out in way the heck out there. Inez, Kentucky. People came to the front of the stage. We were dancing, having a blast. Half the people didn't know who we were, but they were just feeling good, and we just had.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:20:39

Man, I just love live music.

Jason [: 00:20:41

The vibe of live music.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:20:43

Yeah. It brings out that joy. And humans, it's just a wonderful.

Jason [: 00:20:47

We talk about that. We have a group. We go to the Loud all the time, and it's live, and you can just tell there's such a different feel and vibe to that compared to just, you know, going and seeing a big concert or something.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:20:56

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Jason [: 00:20:57

Just way different.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:20:58

Any. Any venue under, like, under a thousand capacity is, like, perfect.

Jason [: 00:21:03

Yeah. Yeah. For sure.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:21:05

So I'm gonna fangirl here for a minute. This isn't even written down.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:21:08

Okay.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:21:09

What was it like to work with Kindred Valley?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:21:11

Oh, Kindred Valley. My people. Yeah, they're sweeties, and they are. I truly consider them angels on the earth. And to know, like, their parents and stuff, too. It just makes so much sense. And you'll never meet a group so humble. You'll never meet a group so, like, excited and, like, they will just.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:21:28

They truly brighten. Like, there's, like, a glow around everyone in Kindred Valley. And, you know, I was like. I was kind of nervous myself. I was like, yeah, I want to get you guys on the song. What do you guys think of this? And they're like, yeah, dude. I was like, really? And they're. Yeah.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:21:42

So the song Cross yous Mind.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:21:44

Great song.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:21:45

Wanted to have Blake and Rachel Noah play banjo on it and stuff like that. And I knew that I wanted their harmonies and their, like, sweet touch, because I feel like some corduroy stuff is neat and pretty, but Kinder Valley is, like, neat and polished and beautiful. And so it helps smooth us out a little bit, because they know what they're doing, so they know what's going on.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:22:03

That's awesome.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:22:04

It was a blessing to work with them.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:22:05

That's so awesome.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:22:07

I truly think they'll be the next van from Huntington to make it gigantically big.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:22:10

We're very excited because they announced today. There's a. And I. My husband's gonna be so mad at me for this because he says I never keep up with him. But they just announced another festival at Ace and Kindred Valley. It was one of the headliners.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:22:23

Nice. That's great.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:22:23

We're really stoked. Yeah. And it's gonna be, I think, October 10th and 11th. We try to tell everybody at home about things that are going on and happening. So I'll try to on next episode. I'll make sure I get that out to you guys.

Jason [: 00:22:35

This is such a cool place. They have so much good music.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:22:38

It really is awesome. And the camping facilities are wonderful. You'll never. You'll never meet kinder people than these kind of festivals, so it's just always a good time. You guys know that we love music. So how has the Huntington music scene changed since you started performing originally? Because, you know, a lot of places have shut down. They used to have, you know, stages and, you know, the bars and stuff like that.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:23:00

Yeah. So I feel like I'm the middle child of it all. So, you know, whenever, like, Tyler and Ona and all them cats were, like, doing their rise. Yeah, I wasn't really in the music scene. Yeah. I was more of a consumer and, you know, like, supporting art. Not that I'm not supporting now, but, like, just a general fan for sure. And then, you know, they blow up and move.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:23:19

And then now I feel like I'm in. Like, I've seen bands like that. I've been around long enough in the area to see bands like that blow up, but I also get to see bands that are starting up, like Kendra Valley. I mean, they've been going for a little bit, but like. Like, holy cow. Like, the scene is. Is. I feel like it's coming back, though.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:23:37

Like, not that it ever left, but it just seems like there's this new, like, up cropping of a new breath of life. Yeah, yeah, I would agree with that. And it's just so cool to see from watching Tyler and them and all them cats, you know, I keep saying there's more than that, but it's just cool to see it from both ends. Like, the people who've made it super big and the people who are, like, grinding it out and then, like, people who are, like, coming up.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:24:00

Well, I was gonna say, and then you've got, you know, like, someone like Arlo that's, like, right on the cusp, but, like, they can't quite get the mental health stuff right and, you know, things like that. So I totally. I get that 100%.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:24:11

It's cool to see it. Huntington has a lot to offer when you go on the road. People. People like, oh, yeah, we've been trying to get to the Loud or the V Club, whatever. Like, we've been trying to play there. I'm like, yeah, you should come do it. Keep trying. We want you here.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:24:24

Yeah, absolutely. It's like one It's a fun night out. We love it.

Jason [: 00:24:27

It always is.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:24:28

So shout out to Patrick. You have a great location. We love it.

Jason [: 00:24:32

So what advice would you give to someone just kind of starting out in a small town music scene like this, or even smaller.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:24:39

Right. Like, make the sounds that you want to make. Make the. Make the noises and sounds and words and things that you want to make.

Jason [: 00:24:46

Right.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:24:47

Like the key word is you. I was telling someone the other day, like, art is good and music is good when it be not for any other reason other than it comes from you that makes it good. Like there will be. Sure. Again, going back to what we're saying. Formulaic things to get put on the radio.

Jason [: 00:25:04

That's right.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:25:04

But anyone can write those songs. And the people who are performing in like, jelly roll and stuff, he ain't writing them songs. No offense. Whatever. Do your thing. Good for you, dude. That's great.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:25:13

I like that.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:25:13

But like, realistically, let's all be real. The chances of people making it, quote, I'm air quoting big time making it big. What are the chances? So just make the music that you want to make. Enjoy it. Like, there's such a journey to be made. Like, even if we never make it huge or whatever, even I have to stop playing music tomorrow. This time that we get to spend on the road with the guys and working with other bands and meeting people and fans and whatever. It's.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:25:39

I'd be so thrilled. And it's so worth it just for that, that life experience.

Jason [: 00:25:44

Yeah.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:25:44

Just make the sound that you want to make.

Jason [: 00:25:45

I think it's like that in life, period. I think you got to take those chances. I mean, you think about the originalities and things. If those people didn't take a chance, we would have not conquered a lot of things. Music industry is very similar. I mean, that next big thing, that next new sound, and you're like, oh, my gosh, now that's real, you know?

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:26:02

Yeah.

Jason [: 00:26:02

I love that.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:26:03

Yeah, man.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:26:05

So how do you stay rooted in where you're from while still pushing yourself artistically?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:26:09

Mmm, that's a good question, actually.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:26:12

Thank you.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:26:13

It's a really good question. I think just being humble, like, because I feel like Appalachia is humble just by default. It's easy to get caught up in it all. And again, just never be too big for your own britches. Just approach everything with gratitude. And that's all you can do.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:26:31

Absolutely do that. So.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:26:33

Thank you. I really, I really. You have to make an effort to do it because you get. You're Always looking at the next big thing, and you forget to just be like, no, like the. Like the 20 people that came to your show on a Thursday night, like, that's huge. Like, that's. I don't know. You just gotta be grateful for it all, and it all just works out.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:26:54

I love that.

Jason [: 00:26:55

How do your song, your songs reflect Appalachian values? You know, family, storytelling, those kind of things.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:27:01

There's definitely some church in it, and I feel like there's a church on every block in Appalachia at some point. So, I mean, like, it's weird because I struggle with this, because you think when you think Appalachia, you think banjos and mandolins and acoustic guitars and stuff, and there's some of that in my music. But I don't know, there's. There's, like. It's weird because, like, you feel like if you're not in those circles that are making, like, more country stuff, like, you kind of get overlooked. So I guess I actually take joy in not being like. I don't want to say another. I'm gonna get bullets shot at me for this.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:27:40

I just don't want to be another country band that sounds the same as someone else. Because, I mean, I hear that so much and, you know, no shots fired, no hate, no harm, no foul. But I take joy and say, yeah, I make Appalachian rock, that is feel good music. Like, I take pride in that. And it's not going to be what you're used to hearing. That's awesome.

Jason [: 00:28:02

I love that. Yeah. I mean, you think about even the history of music rock at one point. It'll never happen. It'll never make it. It's still going pretty strong, I'm saying.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:28:10

There's a lot of people that would say otherwise. Oh, yeah, absolutely. So tell us about your latest single. What inspired it? And is it your favorite so far.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:28:22

The 4th Avenue single? I wrote it all about all the people and places and things I see downtown Huntington every single day. But I will be honest. I wrote it when I was mad at somebody and I was doing something, like, truly important to me at the time and working on this video project. And they tried to disrupt it. And I'm not gonna name names because it's dumb and they're irrelevant anyway. But, like, that's where the. Another loser on fourth Avenue came from. And it's like, that's all you had to do with yourself, is disrupt, like, my life.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:28:52

Like, you. You have a whole life to live, and you're choosing to disrupt mine just.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:28:57

To be a jerk for no reason.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:28:58

Yeah. Like, what's that? What's the point? So, yeah, 4th. I like 4th Avenue a lot. Isn't my favorites that song off the new batch of songs. Mmm. It's up there.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:29:10

I feel like. I mean, your. Your storyline for why you wrote this. The song obviously makes perfect sense, but you can. You can. You can go deeper with it. I feel like. I think that's why I'm drawn to that song.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:29:23

It's. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. Like, I think when you get older, you stop dreaming. And that's what the chorus says. I don't think I dream anymore. And. And going back to the nostalgia thing, it's like, when we were kids, we didn't even realize.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:29:37

Like, that was the good old days. We didn't even realize it.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:29:40

Yeah.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:29:40

We had no clue what we do now. And you're always. I think the older you get. I mean, I'll be 35 this year. I think the older you get, you try to find that, like, you just want a time where it's like, man, life is good and not that life is bad. We have food in our bellies and clothes.

Jason [: 00:29:57

It's a new version of good.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:29:58

Yeah.

Jason [: 00:29:59

But also new versions of bad.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:30:00

Yeah, it is.

Jason [: 00:30:01

It really is.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:30:01

You don't realize it until you're out of it and you're like, man, I want to go back. And that's what it says, you know? Oh, you know, the things I'd give to find that place again. Like, I'm just searching for that feeling again.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:30:13

That's my favorite line.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:30:14

Thank you. That's awesome.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:30:15

That's what we were talking about.

Jason [: 00:30:16

We really did. We were talking about that.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:30:20

Just some random rapid fire, lightning round kind of stuff. One song that you wish you had written.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:30:26

Oh, Lord. There's a song by a band called Hound Mouth called My Cousin Greg. I wish I could write that one. I wish I could. Or actually Let me. Let me go way past that. Human Nature by. It's.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:30:38

Toto wrote. Toto wrote Human Nature, but Michael Jackson performed it.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:30:42

Yes.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:30:42

If only I had. If only I had any of that talent. Oh, my gosh.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:30:47

Great choice.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:30:48

That's also.

Jason [: 00:30:49

So how about Dream Festival to play.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:30:53

Bonnaroo is up there. Even though I technically was on the stage at Bonnaroo, it was just like a little tiny side stage that was like, you signed up for this thing and you might have got chosen. So I technically did play at Bonnaroo, but not on the bill. Anything at Red Rocks is on the list as far as, like, A big festival. I mean, what's the big one in Lexington? That. Not Bourbon and Beyond? Rail Bird.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:31:16

Railbird, yes.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:31:17

I would love to be a part of Rail Bird.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:31:19

I could see it.

Jason [: 00:31:20

There's no doubt you'll be there. I don't believe that.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:31:22

I think as long as that continues, I think the US Will make it.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:31:26

I'm keep bugging them till they say yes.

Jason [: 00:31:28

That's right.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:31:29

We'll help you. What's something that fans would be surprised to learn about you?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:31:34

Ooh, I'm a nerd. All the band are nerds, actually. Like Dungeons and Dragons. I have video game tattoos. I'm actually gonna have to inform my.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:31:45

Son that he's a nerd. I don't know.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:31:48

I used to be heavy into competitive. It was a game called Rocket League. It's like basically soccer with cars. So that's me. Yep.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:31:56

I love it.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:31:57

That's me. I'm also a people person, but I'm also like. I'm kind of. I get nervous a lot.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:32:04

I feel that 100%, but I take medicine for that.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:32:07

There you go.

Jason [: 00:32:07

There we go. This one's a little deeper, but still rapid fire. If you could send a message back to yourself 10 years ago, what would it be?

Corduroy Brown [: 00:32:15

Oh, man. It'd be a novel. How do I say this eloquently? Don't worry about girls so much. The right one will come along and quit. Spend more time with your parents. Yeah. Don't be mad at them for trying to help you. What else? I could write a whole novel at this point.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:32:37

Try hard. Do more things. Try. Quit being so scared. Just try. Just do things. No one remembers that you failed something or don't. You know what I mean? Just do things.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:32:51

Just do stuff. You'll figure it out.

Jason [: 00:32:54

Go Mode.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:32:55

Yeah, Just go with it.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:32:56

I love it. Well, gentlemen, Church has been wonderful today. I've enjoyed every second of it.

Jason [: 00:33:04

Absolutely.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:33:05

Thank you again, Alan, for being here.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:33:07

Thank you, guys.

Jason [: 00:33:08

Thank you so much.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:33:09

And everybody at home, you have to go listen to literally every song that Mr. Corey Brown has because they're all wonderful. You'll hear in their kindred valley again. I'm fangirling. They're wonderful. The genre is wonderful. We have a good time going to all these festivals. We've been to a few that you've played at, and we're just thankful that people like you are out here doing what you do for our enjoyment.

Jason [: 00:33:33

That's right. You keep supporting and you keep pushing for us back here.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:33:36

I appreciate it more than you guys know, truly.

Jason [: 00:33:38

Thank you very much.

Vanessa Hankins [: 00:33:39

All right, guys, we are out of here.

Corduroy Brown [: 00:33:41

Thank you all.

Announcer [: 00:33:42

Thanks for listening to the Tri State Time Machine brought to you by Alex R. White, pllc@suedistractadriver.com if you have a memory you want Vanessa to talk more about, just send her an email@tstmail.com or post a comment on the Tri State Time Machine Facebook page. Did you like the episode? Be sure to share it with friends and family. It's the only way we can continue this fun work that we do. You can find a link in the Show Notes that you can use to share it, and be sure to let our sponsors know you like the podcast as well. Their contact information can be found in this episode's Show Notes.