(bright music) (energetic music) - [MC] Check, check, check.

♪ Ooh, ah ♪ ♪ Ooh, ah ♪ ♪ Ooh, ah ♪ ♪ Ooh, ah, ah, ah ♪ ♪ Ha, ah ♪ ♪ Ha, ah ♪ -[Nick] We just started playing music as kids.

I think we just stumbled upon dad's vinyl collection.

He had this old acoustic guitar we found in the basement.

We grew up in Nebraska, spent, oh man, we were there for what, 20 years or so?

And ventured out to Portland, Oregon.

(audience cheers) -[Ty] I'm in Imperial, Nebraska, our hometown.

Just moved there really recently.

It's been nice.

It's quiet.

Kind of different than what we're used to on tour.

When we moved out to the Northwest, I think we were kind of a new sound out there.

(rustic music) So everyone was super excited.

And we were like, "Well we've been doing this the whole time."

You know, mandolins, suspenders, whatever was happening during that time.

- Yeah, you did have a suspender phase.

- I dunno why, but.

- It's easier than a belt sometimes, you know.

- It just, all the timing of that was perfect.

(warm rustic music) ♪ One more kiss before I go ♪ ♪ It's a hell of a drive, you see ♪ ♪ From Nebraska to Tennessee ♪ ♪ I was hooked at hello ♪ ♪ White line fever's in my bones ♪ ♪ Being gone is all I know ♪ ♪ My, oh my ♪ ♪ Looks like we started a fire ♪ ♪ Baby hold on tight ♪ ♪ And dance with me ♪ ♪ I get lost in the lights ♪ ♪ But they don't get any brighter ♪ ♪ Than your love ♪ ♪ Light me up like kerosene ♪ ♪ Forgive me if I'm moving fast now ♪ ♪ I'm from a town out in the sticks ♪ ♪ And I'm just not used to this ♪ ♪ Shot my heart ♪ ♪ Right through the armor ♪ ♪ Now, I'm all yours ♪ ♪ My, oh my ♪ ♪ Looks like we started a fire ♪ ♪ Baby, hold on tight ♪ ♪ And dance with me ♪ ♪ Oh, I get lost in the lights ♪ ♪ But they don't get any brighter ♪ ♪ Than your love ♪ ♪ Light me up like kerosene ♪ ♪ I'm coming home tonight ♪ ♪ Bring me whiskey and you can have your wine ♪ ♪ I'm gonna show you ♪ ♪ What's been on my mind ♪ ♪ My, oh my ♪ ♪ Looks like we started a fire ♪ ♪ Baby, hold on tight ♪ ♪ And dance with me ♪ ♪ Oh, I get lost in the lights ♪ ♪ But they don't get any brighter ♪ ♪ Than your love ♪ ♪ Light me up like kerosene ♪ ♪ With your love ♪ ♪ Light me up like kerosene ♪ ♪ With your love ♪ ♪ Light me up like kerosene ♪ (gentle music) -[Ty] I think we definitely had our roots in country and maybe even some folk.

A lot of artists we saw from western Nebraska were like folk artists touring through.

So a big exposure we had to live music was that like Americana folk.

- A lot of country bands come through play the fair.

- How's everybody doing tonight?

(audience cheering) -[Ty] What Nick and I had always sang, like that harmony we're doing a lot of times is, not to get nerdy about it, but Nick, since he sings lower than me, you could probably sing as high, but you just don't.

But he sings down that fourth and when those move together, there's a space there.

Your brain is trying to fill in a third, but the fourth is a note away.

And really what it does is creates this kind of hollow, eerie sound.

- Yeah.

We didn't even try to do that.

I think it just came out naturally.

We just, as brothers, I think singing kind of whatever felt right, just was what happened.

I guess it just came out like that.

(subdued folksy music) (soft drifting music) (soft drifting music) (soft drifting music) ♪ Rivers winding 'round words in my head ♪ ♪ Shivering pines say that summer is dead ♪ ♪ Chest feels hollow and my hands are numb ♪ ♪ Do my best to swallow all the things I've done ♪ ♪ When you break your back but you still don't have bread ♪ ♪ You won't go back on the things that you said ♪ ♪ You bleed your heart out and it takes every drop ♪ ♪ You've come too far now to ever stop ♪ ♪ Wash me in the water and I'll never go back ♪ ♪ Even when I'm walking through Deadman Pass ♪ ♪ You can't trust a man 'cause he'll just let you down ♪ ♪ Crooked and twisted we grow from the ground ♪ ♪ From dust we came and dust we shall return ♪ ♪ From dust we came and dust we shall return ♪ ♪ Wash me in the water and I'll never go back ♪ ♪ Even when I'm walking through Deadman Pass ♪ ♪ Wash me in the water and I'll never go back ♪ ♪ Even when I'm walking through Deadman Pass ♪ ♪ Wash me in the water and I'll never go back ♪ ♪ Even when I'm walking through Deadman Pass ♪ (driving dusty music) (driving dusty music) (driving dusty music) -[Nick] We have an entire lifetime of experiences behind us, so, you know, how to push each other's buttons as brothers.

We've been doing that our whole lives.

- I like these acoustic sets 'cause Nick and I have little arguments in between every song about which song we're gonna do.

And he just won, for the record, he'd liked me to tell you.

- It's 'cause I'm older.

Or there's times where we fight over the set list, you know, and one of us will just start playing the song we wanna play and then it's too late to change it.

- Yeah.

That's the trick.

- That's the trick.

- If we're arguing it's just whoever starts, And then you have to, yeah.

- You have to play that song.

Y'all give it up for my little brother Ty on the guitar tonight.

(audience cheering) The joy of it is an important piece to keep in mind.

I think it can get pretty dark and pretty hard when you don't have that at the center of what you're doing.

- This wasn't on a set list either, but...

It is a challenge to be together all the time.

It kind of forged our friendship in fire, I think.

- Yeah.

- We were able to talk to each other about everything and we protect each other in all the ways that we can and- - Well, that goes all the way back to when we were kids.

-You know, it's like- - Yeah.

- you get in a fight down the street somewhere when you're Seven or eight years old and- - The brother doesn't ask any questions, he just starts.

- Yeah.

You just get their back no matter what, you know?

And then you're like, "Oh, he was actually wrong."

It doesn't matter.

I'm his brother, so.

And I think keeping that mentality has been good for us.

(earnest music) ♪ Packed some bags and we headed west ♪ ♪ Thought that it might be the best thing for us ♪ ♪ But I was thinking about me ♪ ♪ All the things that you leave behind ♪ ♪ Family and a peace of mind ♪ ♪ But I ♪ ♪ I got you ♪ ♪ I'm gonna love you til the stars go out ♪ ♪ Shelter up above you till they all fall down ♪ ♪ We ain't got a lot, we got love ♪ ♪ We ain't got a lot, we got love ♪ ♪ Floating like feathers in the heavy rain ♪ ♪ Two of us together can weather any change ♪ ♪ That comes our way ♪ ♪ Nothing here really feels like home ♪ ♪ Home is who you're with ♪ ♪ When you don't feel alone any more ♪ ♪ I am gonna love you till these stars go out ♪ ♪ Shelter up above you till they all fall down ♪ ♪ We ain't got a lot, we got love ♪ ♪ We ain't got a lot, we got love ♪ (earnest music) ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ A--ooh ♪ ♪ I am gonna love you till the stars go out ♪ ♪ Shelter up above you til they all fall down ♪ ♪ We ain't got a lot, we got love ♪ ♪ We ain't got a lot, we got love ♪ ♪ I said we ain't got a lot, we got love ♪ ♪ We ain't got a lot, we got love ♪ -[Ty] I never have to worry about him, all right, my brother.

I always know that he's gonna change when I change.

And I think that's one of the reasons why I love playing as a duo so much is sort of this unspoken thing that we have on stage.

♪ Never know why I was born to go ♪ - He is an excellent guitar player.

Best complimenting vocals I've ever had.

I've sang with other singers, but there's something about the way he sings that rounds out what I do.

♪ Crash into your walls ♪ -[Ty] It almost completes it in a way.

-[Nick] I think one of the most incredible things to witness for me working with Ty is his ability to take any size audience, any size room, and just have 'em in the palm of his hand.

- We never played on a rooftop before.

We're working with that building and these beams.

It's bouncing off of Nick's body.

So big.

-[Nick] It's a challenge and it's kind of like you're wrangling this wild animal and there's this moment that happens at every show.

We kinda look over at each other and it's like, "All right, we got 'em," you know?

Maybe it's still the encore sometimes, but you always get 'em.

(heartfelt music) ♪ I've always been ♪ ♪ The way I am ♪ ♪ So hard to hold ♪ ♪ A one-track mind ♪ ♪ Running all the time ♪ ♪ Shut off and cold ♪ ♪ I don't know why I make this ♪ ♪ So hard ♪ ♪ When all you wanna do ♪ ♪ Is give me that easy ♪ ♪ Kind of love ♪ ♪ All you wanna do ♪ ♪ Is give me that easy ♪ ♪ Kind of love ♪ ♪ You're a wildflower ♪ ♪ You hold the power ♪ ♪ In all your little ways ♪ ♪ Like a steady stream ♪ ♪ Like a Sunday morning ♪ ♪ Honey, my soul's been saved ♪ ♪ I don't know why I make this ♪ ♪ So hard ♪ ♪ When all you wanna do ♪ ♪ Is give me that easy ♪ ♪ Kind of love ♪ ♪ Yeah, all you wanna do ♪ ♪ Is give me that easy ♪ ♪ Kind of love ♪ ♪ Tell me ♪ ♪ That you want me, yeah ♪ ♪ And I need you now ♪ ♪ When the storm comes ♪ ♪ And I can't hang on, yeah ♪ ♪ You hold me down ♪ ♪ And I don't know why I make this ♪ ♪ So hard ♪ ♪ When all you wanna do ♪ ♪ Is give me that easy ♪ ♪ Kind of love ♪ ♪ I could let you ♪ ♪ I could let you ♪ ♪ I could let you ♪ ♪ You can give me that easy ♪ ♪ Kind of love ♪ -[Nick] The part where we have the most fun is the live show.

It's the experience that you have with everybody.

-[Ty] I'm gonna have you clap in a little bit.

I don't want to start it too early.

'cause there becomes this commitment, you know, and now your hands hurt and you're like, "When do we stop?

At the verse?

I don't know."

We're gonna get to you.

-[Nick] We try to make it as intimate as possible, no matter how many people are there and you're all just hanging out, you know, singing songs together and it's kind of an escape for a little bit.

♪ I never thought I would be the one ♪ -[Nick] The really cool part is we can play the same song over and over, but every time we play it, it's a different experience and it's never the same.

♪ All this heavy love ♪ -[Nick] We love to create that atmosphere and just kind of be, just kind of be a part of it.

(energetic music) -[Ty] One thing we always say at the shows as a joke, is we want to run people through all of their emotions.

So what we want to do now for the rest of the night, we have this formula, but we get sad a little bit for just a little bit and then we send you home very happy.

Okay.

That's the point.

I just always want people to get home after a show like I do with some of my favorite artists and I'm just like, (exhales).

Like I felt everything and now I can just sleep.

Like I thought about all these memories or a past relationship or anything like that and you kind of... - Changes you in a way.

Gives you something, gives you hope, inspires you in a way.

It just reaches you to a place, you know, that you don't get just in your ordinary day.

And to be able to be a part of that is, it's an amazing thing.

♪ Loaded everything I own ♪ ♪ Headed out to the west coast ♪ ♪ Am I the picture of the man I wanna be ♪ ♪ She put me out like a cigarette ♪ ♪ And I don't blame her for doing it ♪ ♪ But she's still deep inside my lungs ♪ ♪ Whoa, oh, oh ♪ ♪ I can't seem to let her go ♪ ♪ Whoa, oh, oh ♪ ♪ I wonder if she knows ♪ ♪ I drive by in the middle of the night ♪ ♪ Wondering if she's home ♪ ♪ When I wanna hear her voice I still call her phone ♪ ♪ Voicemail ♪ ♪ "Leave a message" ♪ ♪ I won't mess with ♪ ♪ Her new life ♪ ♪ 'Cause I know ♪ ♪ She's better off ♪ ♪ And happy ♪ ♪ Without me ♪ ♪ Mile mark 126 ♪ ♪ Never thought it'd feel like this ♪ ♪ Some things don't last the way they should ♪ ♪ She was the girl I always wanted ♪ ♪ Most days I was too haunted ♪ ♪ To be the man she needed me to be ♪ ♪ Whoa, oh, oh ♪ ♪ I can't seem to let her go ♪ ♪ Whoa, oh, oh ♪ ♪ I wonder if she knows ♪ ♪ I drive by in the middle of the night ♪ ♪ Wondering if she's home ♪ ♪ When I wanna hear her voice I still call her phone ♪ ♪ Voicemail ♪ ♪ "Leave a message" ♪ ♪ I won't mess with ♪ ♪ Her new life ♪ ♪ 'Cause I know ♪ ♪ She's better off ♪ ♪ And happy ♪ ♪ Without me ♪ ♪ She's the letter by my bed ♪ ♪ She wrote me when she left ♪ ♪ She's the words in red I read ♪ ♪ A prayer not answered yet ♪ ♪ And there's no way to know ♪ ♪ Does she drive by in the middle of the night ♪ ♪ Wondering if I'm home ♪ ♪ When she wants to hear my voice ♪ ♪ Does she still call my phone ♪ ♪ "Leave a message" ♪ ♪ I won't mess with ♪ ♪ Her new life ♪ ♪ 'Cause I know ♪ ♪ She's better off ♪ ♪ And happy ♪ ♪ Without me ♪ ♪ Loaded everything I own ♪ ♪ Headed out to the west coast ♪ -[Ty] We've talked about in the last few years that we've wanted to be more vulnerable with the lyrics.

♪ In your arms, everything's alright ♪ - We also kind of realized that we wanted to sing about things that were really affecting us, that we finally felt kind of comfortable to share even though it was a little bit vulnerable.

(lively music) I think, "Is It Always Gonna Be This Way?"

definitely was about Nick and I's cumulative experiences on the road.

(upbeat music) -[Nick] Yeah, you know, that song came after a panic attack in the middle of the night was kind of when that song was born.

And it kind of was a way to, like you said, accept the moment of just realizing, like, if you're doing what you love with who you love, then that's enough.

- We worked on the chords together and we helped- - And we finished the bridge and the verse, we got, yeah, you added a mandolin to it, which was, and the harmonica just kind of give it this eerie sorta, you know, the way the harmonies fit in that song, it's kind of got this dark eerie vibe to it.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

I feel like you kind of feel like a cowboy when you listen to that song.

- I always feel like a cowboy.

- Okay.

(driving dusty music) ♪ Two a.m.

I woke up in a cold sweat ♪ ♪ Heartbeat like a train that won't slow down ♪ ♪ In times like these I used to talk to Jesus ♪ ♪ But lately I feel like He's not around ♪ ♪ I try to hold the picture of her smile ♪ ♪ But the smoke trail from this guilt won't go away ♪ ♪ Bloody knuckles white with every mile ♪ ♪ My grief and love can't find a place to stay ♪ ♪ I can't let go ♪ ♪ Of all this pain ♪ ♪ Tell me, is it always ♪ ♪ Always gonna be this way ♪ ♪ It takes a lot of time to kill a memory ♪ ♪ But it takes a whole lot more to knock me down ♪ ♪ I spent all night dancing with the devil ♪ ♪ He don't scare me none 'cause I've been to his town ♪ ♪ He came to me when I was in Chicago ♪ ♪ In a black dress on a barstool with a drink ♪ ♪ And at home when I was pulling from the bottle ♪ ♪ Gettin' fall down drunk in the mirror above the sink ♪ ♪ I can't let go ♪ ♪ Of all this pain ♪ ♪ Tell me, is it always ♪ ♪ Always gonna be this way ♪ (driving dusty music) ♪ I can't let go ♪ ♪ Of all this pain ♪ ♪ Tell me, is it always ♪ ♪ Always gonna be this way ♪