- [Presenter] Welcome to "Peach Jam," recorded live in our GPB Studios in Midtown Atlanta, featuring songs and stories from a sampling of the truly diverse and incredibly talented musicians who call the Peach State home.

(funky upbeat music) On this episode, we'll meet a duo from East Cobb, who are living out the lyrics to a classic country song.

- I decided that night that I wanted to date Willie.

And I knew a way to do that was to become a musician, and just try to woo him.

- [Presenter] An alternative band from LaGrange, who uses their music as therapy.

♪ This is a habit I can't break ♪ ♪ Feelings off, brain gone mad ♪ ♪ Renting hearts as a punching bag ♪ - [Presenter] And we'll talk to a man who started his musical journey at two years old.

- Just play the piano, sing these songs, and she would say, "Okay, I want you to sing it back to me."

- [Presenter] First up, Keeyen Martin.

(mellow music) (Keeyen vocalizing) ♪ Tell me what we're doing ♪ ♪ Another crossroad, neither of us moving ♪ ♪ Gridlocked, our love is stuck in traffic ♪ ♪ When it's bad, it's bad, you can't imagine ♪ ♪ I'm kinda feeling like I'm losing ♪ ♪ Yeah, I wanna give you up and choose me ♪ ♪ You know, you know, when you gotta let it go ♪ ♪ It's not that I never cared ♪ ♪ Right now my heart's ♪ ♪ Not there ♪ ♪ My heart's not there ♪ ♪ There with you, yeah ♪ ♪ I just want you to know ♪ ♪ Before I let you go ♪ ♪ I want you to know, I gave the best I had ♪ ♪ I gave you the best ♪ ♪ Don't take it personal ♪ ♪ But I'm choosing me first from now on ♪ - I'm Keeyen Martin, I am from Atlanta, Georgia, by way of Charlotte, North Carolina, and I play R and B soul music.

- And you were just about to tell me a story that your dream was to come to Atlanta.

So, why from Charlotte to Atlanta?

- Oh, absolutely, so, Atlanta, as young as I remember, maybe even around, like, kindergarten, first grade-ish, it was just the music, like, from R and B music, to pop music, to you name it, we were always listening to artists in Atlanta.

And I remember, TLC, Usher, Outkast, I mean, the list goes on, was played in my household.

I was like, "I gotta get outta here, (chuckling) and get to Atlanta, so I can be a part of that culture."

And it was further perpetuated by my family would always take vacations to Atlanta, 'cause it was the nearest bigger city.

And that planted the seed that I eventually, you know, experienced growing into, now that I live in Atlanta, so.

♪ Let it go, let it go ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ Don't take it personal ♪ ♪ I gotta let you go ♪ ♪ Oh-whoa-oh ♪ ♪ Don't take it personal ♪ ♪ No, no, no, no ♪ ♪ One last time ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Don't take it ♪ ♪ Personal ♪ - Take me back to when you were little, because it's my understanding that you were singing around the house when you were, like, a little-bitty kid.

- Yeah, so, there are tons of videos that every time my mom always likes to, like, bring them up, whether it's a family vacation, or a cookout, or something, I'm like, "Oh, goodness, please don't show this again."

(Jeremy chuckling) But I was literally about two years old, and my grandmother, she would sit me in a chair, she would sit at the piano, and she would just play the piano, sing these songs, and she would say, "Okay, I want you to sing it back to me."

(mellow music) Sometimes when you're in love, it feels like paradise.

Anybody wanna go to paradise?

(mellow music continues) ♪ We were supposed to be friends ♪ ♪ This wasn't part of it ♪ ♪ Damaged and brokenhearted ♪ ♪ A beautiful tragedy ♪ ♪ We can cut the air like I Ginsu ♪ ♪ I know you want me like I want you ♪ ♪ Looking for a love I can run to ♪ ♪ See, I been looking for you ♪ ♪ You light my life up like a firefly ♪ ♪ So please don't play cool, no ♪ ♪ Let's ride this high and go to paradise ♪ - When you think about it now, how old are you?

- Right now, I'm 29, yeah.

- Okay, you're 29 years old.

Think about the idea of seeing a two-year-old child, and thinking, "Now that kid's got it."

- Mm-hm, yeah.

- Like, it's a little silly, to think about that.

- Oh yeah.

- But they saw that in you, and then were able to, not necessarily push you, but encourage you, - Absolutely.

- from two years old.

- From two years old.

- So, what did you do throughout your, you know, I dunno, from two on, - Right!

- what did you do?

- So, I remember, because my, so, my dad pastors, and he was a big local musician.

He and my uncle, they played piano, organ, they wrote songs, and sang as well.

My mom was a singer, she was a part of, I remember it was like a church gospel ensemble.

So I just remember being drug to rehearsals every day, church services every day.

And then, in school, I started to jump into talent shows.

People are like, "Oh, you have talent, you should do this."

And it became very fun because I've always been a very artsy, energetic, extroverted, you know, kid, and I always found that the arts, they felt like a superpower.

They felt like I could just, you know, thrive, and be the best version of myself.

So, every school year, I was doing talent shows, plays, musicals, church rehearsals, church solos.

And before I realized it, by the time I remember getting to high school, I had already kinda built up a rapport, locally, where people were like, "Oh my goodness, we wanna have you audition for this program, or for this role."

And I was like, "How do these people know about me?"

They were like, "You're the kid that, you sang at this, you know, musical a few years ago."

And so, I started to already kind of learn about what a network was, if you will.

- Mm-hm, mm-hm.

- And all of those, I think, lessons, they really, really, I find myself applying them, you know, now.

It's like I'm pulling from those childhood experiences, from those rehearsals, from being tired, from wanting to do something else, but I learned about discipline, commitment, dedication, and it's exciting to see how all the dots, you know, eventually connect.

♪ See, yeah-eah-eah-eah, oh, bo, bo, bo, yeah ♪ You got it.

Come on, put your hands together as you help us sing this.

♪ Hey, yeah ♪ ♪ So you gon' be ♪ ♪ Living out of my suitcase ♪ ♪ Living out your suitcase ♪ ♪ See, I'ma live it, you gon' live it ♪ ♪ And we can never dream it ♪ ♪ Living out of my suitcase ♪ ♪ No matter who you are, you can live your dreams ♪ ♪ And change this world ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, ooh, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Living out of my suitcase ♪ ♪ Yeah, so you can live your dreams ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm gonna live my dreams ♪ ♪ Ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Living out of my suitcase ♪ ♪ If you believe in your dreams like me, sing ♪ ♪ Living out of my suitcase ♪ ♪ If you believe in your dream like me, sing it ♪ ♪ Living out of my suitcase ♪ ♪ I'ma live my ♪ - [Presenter] Coming up, rediscover the classic country sound, with a couple from Marietta.

♪ We should be after greener pastures ♪ - [Presenter] But first, a humble and grateful alt rock band from LaGrange, Georgia, Thoughts Are Nuclear.

♪ 'Fraid of the same thing ♪ (uplifting music) (dramatic music begins) - [Peter] GPB News has a daily podcast, bringing you compelling stories in our in-depth reporting that you won't hear anywhere else.

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(dramatic music) (dark rock music begins) ♪ Reach a point, where you don't know if there is one ♪ ♪ Hold hands, 'til the elbow bends and you're arm wrestling ♪ ♪ Romance, pretty little word for infatuation ♪ ♪ When it wears off, no estimation of how long it'll last ♪ ♪ This is a habit I can't break ♪ ♪ Feelings off, brain gone bad ♪ ♪ Renting hearts as a punching bag ♪ ♪ All I need is another fix ♪ ♪ For my libido ♪ ♪ Love is a placebo ♪ ♪ Plah-ah-ah-ah-ah-cee-bo ♪ ♪ Plah-ah-ah-ah-ah-cee-bo ♪ ♪ Kiss lips ♪ - Hey, I'm Gordon.

I play the bass.

- I'm Allen.

I play the drums.

- I'm Josh.

I sing and play guitar.

- I'm Matt.

I play lead guitar and keys.

- And we are Thoughts Are Nucular.

- Thoughts Are Nuclear.

- I say Thoughts Are Nucular.

- Drums.

- Okay.

- I say Thoughts Are Nucular.

- (laughs) Well, go ahead and say it.

- Thoughts Are Nuclear.

- Thoughts Are Nuclear.

- Thoughts Are Nucular.

- Nucular.

- Nuclear!

- Nuclear.

- Nuclear.

- There ya go!

- Nuclear.

Nuclear.

- Nucular.

- Nucular.

- And what kind of music do you play?

- Alt rock, riff rock.

- Rock alternative.

- Rocky rock.

- Rocky roads.

- Armored with hard rock too.

- Drums.

- Yeah.

- That's my thing.

- It is... - It's got a '90s flair, right?

- It's got our own little flavor, oh, absolutely.

- But it's got a '90s flare.

- Absolutely.

- Like, we'll call a spade a spade.

Like, it sounds like '90s alternative, and it's awesome.

- Absolutely.

- Thank you.

- Heck yeah.

(fast-paced alternative rock music) ♪ This is a habit I can't break ♪ ♪ Feelings off, brain gone mad ♪ ♪ Renting hearts as a punching bag ♪ ♪ All I need is another fix ♪ ♪ For my libido ♪ ♪ Love is a placebo ♪ ♪ Love, love, love ♪ ♪ Love, love ♪ ♪ Love is a placebo ♪ ♪ Love, love ♪ ♪ Love, love ♪ ♪ Love is a placebo ♪ ♪ Plah-ah-ah-ah-ah-cee-bo ♪ ♪ Plah-ah-ah-ah-ah-cee-bo ♪ ♪ Plah-ah-ah-ah-ah-cee-bo ♪ - Lyrics, sometimes they come out quick, sometimes they take time.

You just have to let 'em sit, and let 'em finish developing and such.

You'll get a verse, chorus, and you just gotta step back for a week, two weeks, a month, two months.

And, sooner or later, there it is.

There's the second verse.

- Where's the pain come from, to write?

You said it's your therapy.

- I would say it started, my dad, he wasn't the best of dads, family issues and stuff.

And my parents, they fought a lot.

So, music was my escape for that.

Like, I would, they would start to fight, and I'd hear my dad get loud, I would go out with my headphones and a Walkman, CD Walkman, put it in, and swing, whatever time.

It could be late, it could be early, like 5:00 AM, 6:00 AM.

Put the headphones in, listen, and just, people probably thought I was crazy, but I didn't realize how loud I was singing.

I was singing with the volume all the way up.

And that was my escape for that.

A little bit of happiness, if there wasn't any in the moment, and I wanted to be that for other people, or just make 'em feel happy, or know that someone else is feeling that, or whatever it is, it just made me want to do the same thing.

♪ Both broken, but I'm finding jagged edges connect ♪ ♪ We connect ♪ ♪ Both guarded, but the walls are turning hollow and frail ♪ ♪ Our hearts fell ♪ ♪ Honestly, I wasn't hesitating ♪ ♪ On expressing this all ♪ ♪ Not at all ♪ ♪ But words are worn out syllables ♪ ♪ I'll try to be clever ♪ ♪ You're my high when I feel low ♪ ♪ Rhyme when there's no flow ♪ ♪ Brand new banger on the radio ♪ ♪ You are light to my dark soul ♪ ♪ Full flush right before the fold ♪ ♪ Still can't describe what I feel inside ♪ ♪ When you're next to me ♪ (mellow rock music) ♪ Both guarded, there's no white flag ♪ ♪ Just a battle ax, tit for tat ♪ ♪ Slowly learning we are both on the same team ♪ ♪ Chase the same dream, 'fraid of the same thing ♪ ♪ Honestly, I wasn't hesitating ♪ ♪ On expressing this all ♪ ♪ Not at all ♪ - So, what I'm hearing, I'm hearing that you guys are dedicated family men, you're dedicated, honorable people, you're dedicated to each other, you're humble, and you just wanna put some good out into the world, and you're willing to work for it, whether it happens or not.

- Absolutely.

- Yes, yes.

- I'll die trying.

- Same.

Couldn't say it, yeah.

Couldn't pick another word.

- I'll probably die some day.

- You probably will, maybe.

I dunno.

- It's like, you know, we're getting older in age, you know, you start to feel your body, you know, parts of your body you didn't know you paid attention.

Like, you push past every little sore back, neck.

- I feel great.

- Yeah.

- Speak for yourself.

- In a band, I mean, you always, you know, whatever, and- - You always complainin' 'bout being hungry.

You ain't pushing 20.

- Oh yeah.

Yeah, hungry, or- - Old gimme-a-sandwich Matt.

"I need something to eat, man."

- But, I think one thing I've learned, the older, I think they'll all agree, the older we get, we are trying to shoot towards something greater than this, but just stopping and appreciating things like this.

- Oh yeah!

- And just realizing, the goal sometimes is just enjoying where you're at, - Yeah.

- and not be so quickly to look towards the next thing.

- Yeah.

- [Presenter] And now, country music of the classic variety, the Waymores on "Peach Jam."

(uplifting guitar music) ♪ You've got me under your spell again ♪ ♪ Saying those things again ♪ ♪ Making me believe that you're just mine ♪ ♪ You've got me dreaming those dreams again ♪ ♪ Thinking those things again ♪ ♪ I've gotta take you back just one more time ♪ ♪ Well, I swore the last time that you let me down ♪ ♪ That I wouldn't see you if you came around ♪ ♪ But I can't tell my heart what's right or wrong ♪ ♪ And I've been so lonesome since you've been gone ♪ - I'm Willie Heath Neal.

- I'm Kira Annalise, and we are The Waymores.

- And we play country music, the classic variety.

- (chuckling) And we're from Atlanta, Georgia.

- Oh, yeah.

(both chuckle) And we're from Atlanta, Georgia.

- But you're not just from Atlanta.

Atlanta's a big city, made up of smaller communities.

Y'all are from Marietta.

- Yep.

- We are from Marietta.

- In East Cobb, and full disclosure, we found out that y'all live, like, 3 1/2 miles from me.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- And on the same street as one of the guys working here on the cameras.

- Yes.

- It's a small world.

- I know!

- It's a very small world.

- And not only are we neighbors now, but you and I grew up in the same Georgia town.

- We sure did, yeah.

Willie is from Rome, Georgia, and so am I.

You went to Coosa High School in Rome?

- I went to Coosa High School, yep.

- And, (chuckles) we worked at the same radio station.

- At the same radio station.

- That's so wild.

That is really wild.

- One of the first things I wanted to do with this - Yep.

- velvety awesome voice I have was to be a disc jockey.

And then, in 1989, I worked at 1470 WRGA.

I remember it was '89 'cause that's the year- - Did you say it like that, though?

- I did.

You had to.

1470 WRGA.

- Okay.

- That's the year Dwight Yoakam broke, and Travis Tritt, the class of '89, Randy Travis, all those guys broke that year.

- I was four, (Willie and Jeremy laugh) just so everyone knows.

- Lord.

♪ Well, everybody tells me that I'm fool ♪ ♪ And that I should have never put my faith in you ♪ ♪ But way down deep inside, I guess I know it's true ♪ ♪ That no one else can make me feel the way you do ♪ ♪ You've got me under your spell again ♪ ♪ Saying those things again ♪ ♪ Making me believe that you're just mine ♪ ♪ You've got me dreaming those dreams again ♪ ♪ Thinking those things again ♪ ♪ I've gotta take you back just one more time ♪ - I met Willie one night, and decided that I wanted to be a musician.

I learned how to play guitar.

- She didn't play.

- I started writing songs.

- She sang, but she didn't play.

- And I, well, really, in actuality, it was, I decided that night that I wanted to date Willie.

(Willie chuckles) And I knew a way to do that was to become a musician, and just try to woo him that way.

So, I got a guitar, and I learned three chords, and I went home and wrote a song.

For a long time, I lied to everyone, and told everyone that it was not about Willie.

100%, that song was about Willie.

But it was also about the relationship that I was leaving at home.

I was married when I met Willie, and it was a failing marriage.

And when I saw him on stage in some dive bar in Marietta, which I won't mention the name of, 'cause I hate it, (Jeremy and Kira laugh) it just has some really bad memories.

I can't imagine what they were.

No.

- So it's a fine establishment.

- It's a fine establishment.

- Okay.

- The song was called, "We Had Nothing," - The song was called, "We Had Nothing," - 'cause it was my initials.

- 'cause it was his initials.

- WHN, I was like, "You sneaky."

- So I was, like, trying to sneak it in there.

So I really wrote it about my failing marriage, but it was, I titled it "We Had Nothing" because I wrote it, really, for Willie.

- Yeah.

- And it was just about me kinda leaving that, and starting anew, and starting a new life, and really kinda giving up everything that I had known, just to be with him, and be on a stage.

And it was a really scary time, to leave a family.

And, you know, I was a stay-at-home mom.

I didn't know, I had never written a song.

And then I was just like, "Oh, watch this."

And then we were performing, and I couldn't get it out of my brain.

I just had to do it all the time, so.

- Your entire relationship is a classic country song.

- It is.

- That's what I hear.

- Little bit.

- That's fantastic.

It really is.

- Yeah, it's fitting, right?

- Yes, it is!

- Yeah.

- It's a Lifetime movie type thing.

- Yeah.

(chuckling) - Like, this is fun.

- The burning bed.

- I know the best two people to play it.

(all chuckling) Someone call Michael Shannon immediately.

- Is he gonna play you?

- Yeah.

(both chuckle) ♪ You and me, we'll ride in style ♪ ♪ My old Chevrolet, mile after mile ♪ ♪ Well, I'll navigate, and we'll go faster ♪ ♪ Let's get after greener pastures ♪ ♪ This old town, what a damn disaster ♪ ♪ We should be after greener pastures ♪ ♪ Yeah, let's get after greener pastures ♪ - Music is my religion, man, and I've put music first, over everything, since the day I made that promise to myself.

Music comes first, over everything, over family, over everything, which is a selfish view, I guess, but more people, man, we have friends all the time that ask us, you know, it's like, "How do you do it?

How do you play music and make a living at it," you know?

And it's like, "Man, you are"- - And we say we don't know.

- Yeah, I was like, "I don't know.

Am I making a living?"

(Kira chuckling) You know, I was like, "Man, you are never going to do it unless you just do it.

It's got to be the first thing."

And I'm not saying you can't have a side hustle, or a job on the side, 'cause lots of people do it, but if you can't go on tour because of your job, then you're not, you don't have your priorities right.

You know, the only way you're gonna do it is to do it.

- Have you missed out on anything because music came first?

- Yes, a lot of things.

- Oh, yes.

- Like what?

- I mean, I could've been a, you know, I could've been in my daughter's life a lot more.

I mean, we have a good relationship, and I've been in her life every day.

There isn't a day that goes by, you know, that we don't talk.

- You would've been physically present a lot more.

- But I wasn't, yeah.

- Same with me.

I could've been physically present for my son a lot more.

- But, you know, my art came first.

It is my religion, it's my reason, my purpose for being here, you know?

And it's, I got this voice in my head that just said, "Every day, play music, and everything will be okay.

Play music, everything will be okay."

If you have a problem, if a trouble comes your way, are you gonna die, are you gonna go to jail?

No.

Calm down, play music, everything will be fine.

And all I could think was, you know, "Hell must be laying on your deathbed, wondering, 'What if.

What if I had gone and played music, and to see if I could do it, instead of climbing this corporate ladder,'" you know?

And it's like, I'm not gonna do, I'm gonna do this.

- My voice just says to stay with him.

And that's playing music.

(gentle guitar music begins) ♪ If you had a heart, this song would break it ♪ ♪ But you don't, so I pretend, I pretend we'll make it ♪ ♪ And if you had eyes, you would see me achin' ♪ ♪ But you don't, so I pretend my heart isn't breakin' ♪ ♪ And being together is like being alone ♪ ♪ Ain't much of you left, and I'm mostly gone ♪ ♪ One's always right, and one's always wrong ♪ ♪ Half of a heart don't make much of a song ♪ - One of the beautiful things about country music, to me, was that it always, you know, the reason I love to hear Hank Williams is 'cause, in times where my heart was broken, and I listen to Hank Williams, it sounded like that guy's heart was broken a lot harder than mine, and it comforted me.

You know, there's nothing about today's music, country music, that comforts me, or moves me in any way.

And I'm not putting it down to people that enjoy that.

I just don't relate to it.

- It's 'cause we're older.

He's older.

(all chuckle) - I am.

♪ You had ears, you would hear me cryin' ♪ ♪ But you don't, and you can't hear our love dyin' ♪ ♪ And being together is like being alone ♪ ♪ Ain't much of you left, and I'm mostly gone ♪ ♪ One's always right, and one's always wrong ♪ - [Presenter] Do you wanna hear more songs and stories?

Check out our podcast at GPB.org/PeachJam.

♪ If I had a heart, this song would break it ♪ ♪ But I don't ♪ - [Presenter] Thanks for watching "Peach Jam."

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