Ep. 03: Jumping in the Driver's Seat with The Wildcards
In Ep. 03 of Happiest Hour, my guests are Ashley Gearing and Andrea Young -- collectively known as the critically acclaimed duo, The Wildcards. You've heard about this electric duo through American Songwriter, CMT and on stages opening for superstars like Joe Nichols and Chris Lane. We chat about how they are taking control of the creative process, why they jumped into the producer seat for their latest music releases and so much more!
Ep. 03 Jumping in the Driver’s Seat with The Wildcards
Welcome to Episode 03 of Happiest Hour! My guests are Ashley Gearing and Andrea Young -- collectively known as the critically acclaimed duo, The Wildcards.
You've heard about this electric duo through American Songwriter, CMT and on stages opening for superstars like Joe Nichols and Chris Lane. In today's episode, we chat about how they are taking control of the creative process and why they jumped into the producer seat for their latest music releases.
We also cover:
• Creating the ✨ "Friday Night Feeling" ✨ for their fans
• What it's like being a part of Fox's new hit drama, Monarch
• Why it's so important to be a good hang on the road
🍹 We paired this episode with a Merry Margarita -- the traditional tequila classic you love with a little extra “jingle jangle.”
Don't forget to check out our easy weekend side dish: Cowboy Caviar! It's the perfect companion to that margarita. My college roommates and I used to make this all the time, so when Ashley suggested it, I was excited! We put our own spin on this super simple dip.
Get your recipes below!
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Catch The Wildcards' good vibes by following them on Instagram and listening to their music on Spotify.
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The Happiest Hour theme song was written and performed by... me! If you'd like to hear more of my music, click here!
Don’t Forget the Recipes!
We paired two delicious recipes with this episode. Get them below.
Cheers!
Merry Margarita
Cowboy Caviar Dip
More Happiest Hour…
Ep. 02: The Importance of Keeping it Super Real - Jenny Gill
In episode 2 of Happiest Hour, my guest is film director, recording artist, and daughter of country music royalty, Jenny Gill. Jenny is one of the most hilarious and authentic people I know. Listen in as she talks about forging her own path in TV and film, finding work/life/mom balance and why she thinks it so important to keep her social media super real.
Jenny Gill could make anyone laugh — and usually does.
In Episode 2, my guest is film director, recording artist, wife and mother of two, Jenny Gill. She might as well add “comedian” to her bio because she is one of the most hilarious people you’ll ever meet. In this world of highlight reels and social media, she is determined to keep her humor and authenticity front and center.
Jenny and I chat about why it’s so important to her to keep her social media, and her life, super real. We also cover:
• What being the daughter of country music royalty has taught her
• Finding her own path in life
• How to balance career, friendship and motherhood… or not.
Follow along Jenny’s hilarious Instagram feed and enjoy her music on Spotify.
Don’t Forget the Recipes!
We paired two delicious recipes with this episode. Get them below.
Cheers!
Bourbon Cowboy Twist
Bourbon Vanilla Apple Cider Donuts
More Happiest Hour…
Ep. 01: The Power of Persistence - Whitney Duncan
In this inaugural episode of Happiest Hour, my guest is recording artist, songwriter and reality TV star, Whitney Duncan. You may recognize Whitney from her single, “Skinny Dippin’” or from her appearances on Survivor, Nashville Star and The Amazing Race!
Ep. 01 The Power of Persistence - Whitney Duncan
In this inaugural episode of Happiest Hour, my guest is recording artist, songwriter and reality TV star, Whitney Duncan. You may recognize Whitney from her single, “Skinny Dippin’” or from her appearances on Survivor, Nashville Star and The Amazing Race!
Whitney shares about the power of persistence in both her personal and work life. We also cover:
• Being multi-passionate and finding balance between a variety of interests
• How to navigate the different career phases of a professional musician
• We unexpectedly took a deep dive into our family planning stories — including IVF struggles and pregnancy loss.
If you watch the live video of this episode on YouTube, you’ll notice that Whitney is pregnant! Her little bundle of joy came a few weeks early and she is now living the full-on mom life!
Follow along Whitney’s journey on her Instagram and listen to her music on Spotify.
Don’t Forget the Recipes!
We paired two delicious recipes with this episode. Grab them below. Cheers!
Hack for Super Creamy Hot Chocolate
Classic Roasted Root Vegetables - Perfect for your holiday table!
More Happiest Hour…
How the Happiest Hour was Born
How “taking over” Living with Landyn’s Instagram feed for a day planted the seed for the Happiest Hour Podcast and why shining a spotlight on the inspirational people in my life feels so important.
Catch the Trailer…
Over the summer, I had the opportunity to “take over” the Instagram page of one of my favorite lifestyle entrepreneur’s, Landyn Hutchinson of Living with Landyn. For one day, I shared what it’s like in a day-in-the-life of a professional singer/songwriter, my favorite life hacks, recipes, books, and most importantly (to me), inspirational people and organizations that have transformed my life.
I received a bunch of DM’s on my Instagram page asking me for more information and recommendations. I mean… what?! I’m a working singer/songwriter mom having a little fun playing “Landyn” for a day. I did NOT expect people to turn to me for advice on life or lipgloss.
One of the most popular questions I received from that day was: how do you foster such a strong sense of community in your life as an adult, and how can I find ways to transform my own life?
Sometimes social media can feel super gross and self-indulgent to me, but it felt so comfortable and fun to shine a spotlight on other people in my life. Then to go a step further and realize that by sharing about who and what inspired me was actually helping other people… whew! That felt fulfilling!
That’s when it hit me.
I took inventory about what was so meaningful to me about that Instagram takeover day. Authentic connection, fostering community, fun, food, drinks… well, heck. That sounds like one of my favorite things: happy hour!
“But better,” I thought to myself. What’s better than happy hour?
The Happiest Hour!
The idea for the Happiest Hour was conceived.
Lauren Lucas with her first guest, recording artist and reality TV star, Whitney Duncan.
I hope you enjoy this inaugural season of the Happiest Hour. It’s a space to find inspiration and feel authentically connected with the world around you. I interview the most inspiring people in my life in the fields of music, film, wellness, and creative entrepreneurship. You’ll find a shot of humor and a dash of down-to-earth grit in each episode. My guests and I don’t shy away from real talk! Plus, we pair a delicious beverage and an easy weekend recipe with each episode. You can find the recipes and more information about my guests right here on my website.
Find the Happiest Hour on your favorite podcast platform or watch the live interview on YouTube.
The trailer is available NOW! Click the buttons below to enjoy. ↓
The Best of Happiest Hour
3 Things Every Songwriter Should Know About Using Imagery
As I'm preparing to teach my songwriting class at Belmont University, I'm reminded of something my friend Jamie Floyd shared with the audience about songwriting at our recent show at the Bluebird Cafe: the more detailed and personal the lyrics, the more universal the message for the listener. It seems counterintuitive, but it's true. In fact, the text we use for our songwriting class begins with this very lesson. Read on to learn 3 things to remember when using imagery in your lyrics…
Read on and you’ll see what I mean. Here are 3 things songwriters should remember about using imagery in their lyrics:
The other day, I was preparing for the next lesson in my songwriting class at Belmont University. The lesson was about using description and imagery. I was reminded of something my friend, Jamie Floyd, shared with the audience at the Bluebird Cafe about songwriting at our recent show together: the more detailed and personal the lyrics, the more universal the message for the listener. That might sound counterintuitive, but it's true.
Image by my friend and former band mate, Clint McKoy!
One way to make a song’s message universal is by using imagery. Read on and you’ll see what I mean. Here are 3 things songwriters should remember about using imagery in their lyrics:
Make the details personal: The steady “tap tap tap” sound of summer rain dripping out of the gutter is the backbeat of my backyard. Water pools in this one little dip of our flagstone patio. It doesn’t stand a chance. High-pitched squeals and the faint smell of rubber come crashing through the backdoor as my toddler’s yellow boots aim right for the puddle: splat!
In my head, I am seeing exactly the way my backyard looks after it rains. I see where the gutter hangs on the corner of my house, and where my son’s favorite puddle forms on our back patio.
You have no clue what my backyard looks like, and you don’t have to in order to make a connection to that image. While I’m describing my backyard after a summer rain, your brain is likely envisioning an experience you’ve had about summer rain. When we draw from details in our own lives, our experiences transfer to the mind’s eye of our listener. Our audience inputs imagery from their own life or imagination.
Use poetic license: In Pat Pattison’s book, Writing Better Lyrics, he warns songwriters not to let reality get in the way of the truth. Yes, drawing from our own lives can help us jumpstart a song idea, but we don’t have to tell every detail exactly the way it happened. The truth lives in the universal emotion of our human stories. Allow your imagination to wander. Have some fun! If it’s better for the song to make the car a little red Rodeo with Texas plates (who caught my 90’s Collin Raye reference?! 🙋🏻♀️), but in reality, it was a Honda Civic, go with the candy apple red Rodeo!
You can train your brain: My mom recently reminded me that one of my greatest music teachers growing up, Dr. Dick Goodwin, told her years ago that people think songwriting is an innate talent, but in fact, it is absolutely a learned skill. You can get better at using imagery in your writing simply by practicing. Here’s an idea: after you wake up and get your first cup of coffee, set a timer for 5 minutes. Think of a childhood memory and describe it in as much detail as possible. Allow your language to show rather than tell. When time is up, stop writing. The next morning, choose a different childhood memory and do it again. Then do it again the next day. And again the next. And the next. Pretty soon, your brain will become accustomed to looking for the details more quickly and with greater ease.
As listeners, we all know that incredible feeling when a song speaks directly to us; like somehow the songwriter must have jumped in our skin and lived our life when we weren’t looking. As songwriters, we yearn to write songs that make people feel that way. Keeping your imagery detailed and personal is a great way to aim at the heart of your listener.
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