Will McCranie, Musician, Entrepreneur, Big Dill

Will 0:00

They do require a blood sacrifice.

Robb 0:10

Welcome to another episode of Chewing the Fat. I'm your host, Big Robb. Thank you so much for tuning in, downloading the podcast. I certainly do appreciate that. And of course, to the folks who have supported me by buying me a coffee at ChewingTheFatBR.com. Thank you. Thank you so much for helping the pod keep going to be able to tell these beautiful, messy human stories. Joining me right now in studio, please welcome Will McCranie. Will.

Will 0:35

Hey brother.

Robb 0:35

Hey how are you? I'm good. How are you doing?

Will 0:37

I'm doing great. Thank you so much for having me today.

Robb 0:39

Man, uh this is this is a treat for me to have you here. Um, Will is uh I I know Will is a local musician here in the Augusta area, but he has some so many more facets than that. Um an entrepreneur, um the the uh king of pickles, he's uh uh and just and just a a genuine good, good dude. Um so thank you for for coming and and sitting in and uh chewing the fat with me today. I really appreciate it.

Will 1:09

Will absolutely been looking forward to this call for years.

Robb 1:11

Yeah. Uh now I feel bad I hadn't called you earlier. Uh huh so Will uh you're in Augusta now. Has Augusta always been home to you?

Will 1:22

Yeah, born and raised here. I did spend most of my 20s uh in uh New York City, uh uh sunny side Queens for the most part, but uh Augusta's home. Uh I've uh I was gone for uh right at eight years and I've been home for about 10. So I mean it's uh it's it's definitely it's a it's a place that you know while I'm from here, I definitely I've I've chosen this and you know I wanna I want to leave a better community for uh for for my kids and for the next generation. And uh so I'm just I'm really trying to to dive in and make a point to you know do my part for whatever that's worth.

Robb 1:54

So I love that. I love that. So when you were when you were growing up here, uh like I said, I know you as a as a musician, where it was were you into music and that type of stuff uh at a young age?

Will 2:07

Well, I I was obsessed with the Braves. It was also it was the 90s at the time. And so uh, you know, to to have them uh win a win a ship while uh I I was in elementary school, that was a pretty formidable thing. I did, however, realize pretty quick that uh I was not quite the varsity athlete type. And uh that's okay. Yeah. Um and I I got bit by the music bug and I I was pretty, pretty, you know, sold on on that path, uh, pretty much out of the gate. I didn't know I would still be doing it at this point, but uh I I I knew it was something that I loved and just it it had a mystique to it that knew I had to chase.

Robb 2:43

Yeah, yeah. And where where'd you go to where'd you go to high school?

Will 2:45

Sure. Uh I I went to West Side my freshman year, got to do drum line for that and uh marching the the the peach bowl parade and uh on the the 50 yard line at the uh um the the old uh um stadium there uh in Atlanta and the old Turner Field? No, no, um the um the the Falcons uh stadium prior to Mercedes-Benz and I'm completely spacing on it. Um the Georgia Dome? Yes, that one. Oh wow, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so uh got to be a part of that. And then I had an opportunity come up where I was able to audition for Davidson um going into my sophomore year. I actually did I did drumline camp uh going into my sophomore year for West Side, went to two days of school and there was a note sitting on um the passenger seat of my mom's car that said, uh you're going to Davidson tomorrow. And uh, you know, I was horrified and I was like, what have I done? And showed up in my uh my letterman jacket for for band because uh and uh realized I was not nearly as cool or as good as I thought I was at the time. But that was uh that was a wonderful learning experience to go somewhere where you know everyone's invested. Yeah and being a creative and um you know just kind of being that weird art school kid. And that was that was that was fun. Uh get kind of thrown into that.

Robb 4:02

Yeah, that's uh it's uh interesting experience that even in your own, you know, your hometown, you can be that big fish in a little pond, but then you move to a a different pond in your hometown and you're like, oh, I am not as big a fish as I thought I was, but it's great for growth, I think.

Will 4:19

I think everyone needs to get their ass kicked once in a while. And and like I I really I I recommend it. I mean, I I think, you know, um I'm a big advocate for know your weight class and and just punch the hell out of it. But I'm I'm also once in a while, you need to step off in the deep end and see like how good or not am I. And that's okay. No, not everyone, everyone does not need to be some, you know, stratospheric level success. I mean, you know, and and and I don't I don't mean that in, you know, getting up going to work or volunteering or raising your kids, that is a success. There's nothing, you know, it's it's it's all personal perspective. And and you know, if if you can get out of bed in the morning, that might be all you needed to do. And and I I I've gotta I've gotta respect that. And uh, you know, this is sort of what I'm doing right now is kind of a you know a reframe on you know my whole life and what I thought I should be doing or shouldn't be doing. And yeah, uh yeah, I I think it's uh I think it's good to explore that.

Robb 5:15

Yeah. So when you when you left uh left Augusta, went to go to college?

Will 5:20

I went to college, uh I I did three years at it was still Augusta State University, Go Jags. Um and then I did my last two uh at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville.

Robb 5:30

Okay.

Will 5:31

Um no slight on on ASU. I actually I I came back, I ended up getting uh my MBA from from AU and and I I worked for both the College of Nursing as well as um AU Health prior to the Well Star. Uh so I spent almost a decade. I I absolutely love Augusta. It was just at the time I needed a change of scenery.

Robb 5:48

Yeah.

Will 5:48

And um, you know, it was uh so that it was it was more about that than I think it was necessarily the school itself, though. I I did I really enjoyed a lot of my capstone professors at at Georgia College. Um uh and you know that was I I needed to get out, not not be in my mom's basement. Um, you know, that that whole deal. And um so that was a learning experience. But then uh, you know, came back uh to Augusta for about a year. I was on uh uh 95 Rock uh doing uh weekends uh for for them. I did the the Friday, Saturday night, and then the Sunday uh afternoon shift, and I was working as a pharmacy assistant and I did that for about 10 months, and you know, but I I knew that was gonna be a short-lived. I needed to go find some kind of adventure. And yeah uh the New York thing came up and uh it it was a move. People took bets on how long would I be there. Oh wow. Uh I think Jordan Zay had one that was about two weeks, and so as a um it feels good to beat Jordan in a bet. So you're gonna do it. Well, I mean, once once in a while you just gotta do it. Yeah. So uh but I was it I I absolutely I I I love that guy and um that whole 95 Rock team from from you know Chuck and Michelle and uh Cosmo on down. I mean, they they were just so kind to me. So um, you know, uh I I appreciated that they would poke fun at me about about things like that. But uh no, I uh I I'm one of those, if you tell me I can't do something, I'm I'm typically that's the best motivator for me.

Robb 7:13

Yeah.

Will 7:13

So uh, you know, I didn't know it was gonna be, you know, eight years later that I I came back, but uh it was a it was a fun ride.

Robb 7:20

So the the college route, it sounds like you were going more medical, so not even business or music, but medical?

Will 7:27

No, I was uh I was a um uh marketing major. Uh I so my uh my entire family was pretty much medical. Um my dad was a surgeon, uh, mom's a nurse, stepmom was a nurse, uh, stepdad's a dentist. Um made sense that I was gonna be that. My grandmother also said um that I I could choose one of three careers. Uh I could be a doctor or a lawyer or an interior decorator.

Robb 7:49

Oh.

Will 7:49

And she said those were those were always needed professions. And I don't know exactly what she was saying about me with the uh the third option, but uh, you know, I could I got to I got to thinking about it and I was like, you know, that all those seem somewhat recession proof. Um so but uh that really wasn't my calling. I ended up working for the College of Nursing and for uh AU Health, and that was part of that was a kind of a tribute to my family uh in some ways, because uh I see blood and I I want to pass out, unless it's of course in like a scream movie or something like that. But you know, I'm I'm all I'm all about that life, but like you you cut my finger in front of me and you know I start seeing the the white spots and you know getting the the the the cotton feeling in the top of your head and yeah uh things get a little squirrely. So uh it that was not my calling, but I wanted to support it. And um and I felt right at home doing that. Uh and you know, there was something really fun about being just on an academic campus, and even on the the the healthcare side, it was it it was a learning facility, so uh or teaching facility. So um, you know, something something very inspiring about that on a day-to-day basis and just feeling like you were part of something bigger.

Robb 8:55

So I love that.

Will 8:56

So that was that was very cool.

Robb 8:58

So then what was the siren call of uh the big apple?

Will 9:01

Um well I I read the book Into the Wild on uh we went uh to New York for my grandparents' 50th anniversary. And I I just I I bought the book in the airport in Atlanta and I burned through it over the four days we were there, and I finished it on the ride back, and on on the the plane ride back, I uh I leaned over to um to my mom and I was like, I think I'm gonna move here. And to my surprise, her response was okay, let's figure it out. Um, because she and I used to go up to New York a lot, uh, do a lot of Broadway stuff. Um, you know, as I got a little older and started finding bands that I liked, we'd sneak a show on to something like that. And yeah, um so I mean, New York was a special thing for me and my mom, and I I think she she knew that I was comfortable there. And um so I I I had I had a bunch of friends from uh from Davidson that were all living there. Um uh a few of the the the girls I graduated with were cocktail waitressing at a um uh comedy club uh down in the village. So uh I don't know, that just seemed kind of glamorous. Yeah. And and then there was just something that was, you know, I mean, it was 2007 and we're watching, you know, Entourage and and all that, and you you're seeing the boys from Queens, and you know, while while that show hasn't aged well, that was very inspiring at the time of uh you know, it it it again it just seemed it seemed like an adventure. I thought the uh I didn't really want to go um die in Alaska and the West Coast seemed too far, but New York seemed just sustainable enough because I knew worst case scenario that was a 12-hour drive.

Robb 10:36

Yeah, there you go.

Will 10:37

And I was like, I can knock this out in a day. So if I'm if I'm really if I'm that scared, it's just far enough away where I can't run home. But you know, there there is that kind of rip forward aspect to it. And uh, you know, just just dove into it. And that place is delightfully weird. Um, it's it's kind of deceptive because I remember the first year I was there, I was living in the East Village, and I realized at a certain point it had been a month that I hadn't traveled more than 20 blocks.

Robb 11:00

Oh, wow.

Will 11:01

And I was like, I don't think I've been outside of a square mile in in that amount of time. And that's that's trippy.

Robb 11:07

Yeah.

Will 11:08

Uh to to think about that, because it's just perspective of how big the world is and how small you are, and and uh, you know, we can we can go down a long rabbit hole with that, because if you think this world's big, then you know you know, uh extrapolate that out into the the universe or and whatever you believe in for for afterlife type things beyond that. And it's it's very humbling.

Robb 11:26

Yeah. Yeah. So what what were you doing while you were there then?

Will 11:33

Um my so my mom gave me the the test. She's like, I'll I'll get you uh get you a plane ticket up. Uh you can stay with uh your aunt and uncle for for a couple days. Um I also you know asked, I was like, I'd like to go stay with one of my friends for a couple days too, just to not be in that kind of parental family right of just like, okay, this is what it's gonna be like to kind of be out here on my own in the middle of this. Um so she they they fully supported. They were like, okay, go up there if you can find a job and you can find a place to live. So that was my that was my task. Um and the job I found, if you've ever been to a big city and you've seen one of the kids on the street that walks up and just shoves their hand in your face and like, hi, can I talk to you about child poverty today? It's the crappiest job on the planet.

Robb 12:18

Oh wow.

Will 12:18

Uh again, cloaked in the idea of doing something very good. Um, but you know, when you move there on leap day, uh so February 28th, still very cold up there, and you start this job and you're from Georgia, and it's 28 degrees, and doing this slurry of snow and rain, and you basically have walking pneumonia and you're outside. Uh, it's it's rough. And and that was where I thought I was like, man, somebody's gonna cash in on this this short bet. Um and I sent in um I sent an email to a Craigslist ad uh for a guy wanting to sell ads for an online wedding planning service. I thought he was just a wedding photographer that was, you know, looking for for and it was a guy named James Nord, uh, he's from Atlanta, and he was like, I saw this boy from Georgia, and I I saw what was you were doing, and I just couldn't let you do it. He was like, at a minimum, I had to buy you a beer and tell you it was gonna be okay. Um, and I don't know why he was, you know, had that that thought to maybe he was bored. Um, but uh that was one of those guys in the moments that changed my life. And I I I worked for them for about two and a half years where I was trying to find um you know open mics to play and things like that. And and it was it was hard. I mean, being up there, I I I went up because I wanted to play music um and I I did a lot of uh sales and marketing things over the course of it, but you know, having a having a steady base in a town that's that expensive to just breathe in uh is uh a necessary evil. And uh you know, but it was uh it it was good. So I I started with that and I I ended up kind of selling pretty much any kind of new marketing avenue. Um I was with one of a group that we were quantifying social media management in 2010 when the average phone call was my kids are on Facebook. And um, and really for that, like the test case was uh a TGI Friday's owner that he had he had about 10 locations, and his bar managers were running their Facebook pages, bar managers would get fired or quit, then they owned it, and we're just spewing all kinds of crap on there. And so we really sold it as almost an insurance policy of you've got an outside third party that is gonna be your voice of continuity, you know, make sure that your brand is protected. So uh it's funny to see how that's evolved into this influencer culture. Um, but but you know, did that, uh paid search, some some events and and things like that, and uh, you know, and and so that that really that started my whole marketing thing was I was selling it, even though I went to school for being the practitioner of it.

Robb 14:57

Yeah.

Will 14:57

Um I I became more the consultant side and which was uh uh cool to kind of flip it on the other end later because I had just enough working knowledge of all these avenues to have kind of a holistic look. And um I've always said marketing is as much kind of jazz as it is science, and and there's and there's some of my my colleagues in that that can do all these you know attribution models that'll make your head spin, and it's just it almost looks like the matrix when they're they're running all these data points. And you know, I while I I appreciate that and it it works really well for one part of my brain, the other side is just like, did that move you? Did that was that exciting? Because I think there's such a kind of um an intrinsic loyalty thing that you're trying or excitement that you're you're trying to um you know nurture that um and that's not always as quantifiable.

Robb 15:46

Yeah. So yeah. Uh I mean that's a lot uh it's it's it's a lot of faith involved in that. Yeah. Yeah, because it because like you say, it's not instantly.

Will 15:56

It's not it's not instant gratification.

Robb 15:58

Not instant gratification, it's like, oh, I've caused somebody to be reflective, and then you know, in a couple of days they may decide to reach back out or whatever.

Will 16:06

And and the running joke was, well, if if the marketing team is really working, it must be because the sales team is that awesome. And if if things aren't selling, it must be because the marketing team sucks.

Robb 16:16

Yeah.

Will 16:16

And that's I don't take offense to that, but it it it is it's a true statement. But again, the sales aspect is so much more it's cut and dry of you cost X number of dollars to be here, you brought in X number of dollars. Yeah. Does that ratio make sense? We give you bonuses if you're above a certain amount of thing, uh, commission, whatever you want to call it. But well, with marketing, it's so much more of a it's kind of a feeling. And if everything's going great, then everything's great. And if everything's not, it must be your fault.

Robb 16:42

Yeah. Believe me, I know that from from the years I worked in radio, there's there's always the um the sales versus production battle because sales will tell you, well, you have a salary because we sold, blah, blah, blah, blah. And production will tell you, if we were not here, you would have nothing to sell.

Will 17:02

Correct.

Robb 17:03

And that is literally the the that's it. That's the where it comes to a head.

Will 17:06

And I also get why both of them are sitting there like, yeah, you know, but but hey, I'm the one that's driving and and truly they should be best friends because it's like it's like, hey man, I don't have anything to do without you. I don't have the funding to do the fun stuff we do without you. Um, that's how you'd hope it would be.

Robb 17:22

But it never usually is. It always comes down to that, you know, if if it weren't for us, you wouldn't have a product. Well, if it weren't for us, you wouldn't have a salary. You know what I mean? It's it's yeah. Yeah. And it's in every industry that has those two types of teams, the creatives and the and the sales. Always. Yeah.

Will 17:40

In television and radio and marketing, it's always I've seen everything from from fights between senior pastors and music ministers to the chef versus the bar lead and a restaurant, you know, on down. So it's it's really, you know, um it's it's just always it's interesting to see who wants to take the credit and who's just happy to sit back and be like, I have a paycheck and I'm gonna go home.

Robb 18:03

Yeah. So it's really interesting.

Will 18:06

Gosh.

Robb 18:07

So then you well, which which is great that sets you up for great perspective on your own business that you have going on now. Um so New York, eight years back in Augusta. I know you did some other marketing jobs and things like that with some venture capitalist places, some uh nonprofits, things like that. Um where did Will's Dills come into play?

Will 18:33

Well, to to to really do that, you gotta go back um to New York. So this this was again around 2010 was a very um there there was a fever dream of this uh Brooklyn stay-at-home dad thing, and you saw it on TV shows. Um you know, and it was everything from uh bored to death to girls, it was a very kind of romanticized view of the sort of wandering artisan, you know, male almost flipped in. Not to say that that was what I wanted to be, but but there was this sense of if you could make it at home, why would you possibly go to a store to buy it?

Robb 19:11

Oh yeah.

Will 19:12

So uh thriftiness, I guess, was was being encouraged at the time, um, which you could probably go back and unpack the fact that we were at the top of the recession falling off a cliff, and no one realized that in the moment that was actually you know fighting to live in a one-bedroom apartment in in Queens or Brooklyn. But anyways, we were we were gonna have a bloody merry party, and it was a uh a big brunch thing, and everyone was making all this stuff from you know uh quishes to you know bloody merry mixes and on down. And uh me and my buddy Noah decided we were gonna make pickles. So we're like, how hard could this be?

Robb 19:45

And so cucumbers and vinegar.

Will 19:47

I mean, yeah, I mean, worst case scenario, cucumber, salt, vinegar, yeah, problem solved.

Robb 19:51

Yeah.

Will 19:51

Um and so I I I looked online and I was like, well, how do you do this? Because and I I realized that these refrigerator pickles were pretty much an exaggerated version of my grandmother's um marinated cucumber salad.

Robb 20:04

Yeah.

Will 20:05

And uh and I was like, okay, Bloody Mary Party, what do we want? You know, I was I was in the you know, spicy everything mode. So I was like, no, we gotta have a lot of garlic, because I mean, you know, gotta go over the top with with some aspect of it. Um we ended up toasting the coriander. I don't know why that was an idea, but um that just became kind of a signature of it. And then I added um uh I scored a habanero and put it down in the pint. And so that, and so I had one jar that was just labeled pickles, and the other uh had triple X on it. And and it was just like the old moonshine or the the porno movie or whatever you want to call it. Um but it was uh that was really the start of it all, and those were my favorites. Um, and they actually evolved into our devil deals, which we're currently still doing. Long story short, this just became a party trick that anytime I would go home, anytime I would get invited to a Friendsgiving or something, people were like, You bring in your pickles?

Robb 20:57

Bring your pickles, yeah.

Will 20:58

And um, and and that was just the thing. And then fast forward to you know, the COVID shutdown, I had just started dating uh my my now wife Lindsay, and we were out at Boondock Farms in Jackson, and the Acostas were showing us around, and um, you know, everything was lovely, and uh, you know, tomato pies and you know, all these snacks and and and goodies, and then we finally got these pickles. And I I I looked at Laura and I was like, Oh, did you make these? And she was like, No, I and I was like, Well, they kind of suck. And I'm sorry, I said what I said in the moment, yeah. And um, you know, and she was like, What do you make pickles? And I was like, Well, actually, yeah. And Lindsay looked at me and she hadn't known me for that long. She was like, Do what?

Robb 21:41

And she didn't know the pickle side.

Will 21:43

No, she did not know that game. So uh so we, you know, we were sitting there talking, and it turned into a really kind of fun, you know, um bannering back and forth with it. And um Laura invited me. She was like, Hey, we're having this open vendor fair in uh I think it was like two weeks, and she was like, Why don't you make a make a batch of pickles? See, see how they do. She's like, put your money where your mouth is. And so I didn't think a whole lot of it, but um, Lindsay being the the um motivator she's always been, and um also the graphic design and uh branded merch part of it did not hurt anything. Um, she shows up in my apartment with a bunch of mason jars and some stickers with labels and a design logo and a bag of cucumbers and some vinegar, and she's like, get to it, big boy. Show me your stuff. And I was like, Oh sheesh. So we we we made your bluff. She did, she did. So um we made 40 or 50 uh pints, and that was that was the largest batch I'd ever even fathomed of making. And I thought I want to say I don't even think we had a mandolin. I think I was literally cutting every cucumber with a knife, um, and making pickled chips no less. So I mean that was a that was a a to-do. Um so made these sold out in like an hour and a half.

Robb 22:59

Wow.

Will 23:00

And I was like, okay. Um, you know, not one to not one to overassume or you know, or or get too cocky off the rip, but I was like, all right, let's see what happens.

Robb 23:11

Could be lightning in bottle, you don't know. Could be just a one-time thing.

Will 23:14

So I put out a post on Facebook and I was like, hey, if I make another batch of pickles, you know, um for for pickup next week, who would who would want them? I had a hundred orders in about an hour.

Robb 23:22

Yeah.

Will 23:23

And that was when I was like, oh my sheesh, what have I done? Um so I called, I called um two of my my best friends, um, Josh Mason and Alex Wanziger. Um they they had both basically been running the whiskey bar kitchen um at that point. And so they came to my apartment and we set up a couple card tables in the middle, and we knocked out a hundred pints and my refrigerator. I mean, we we were giving food away to my my neighbors at my loft. And because this was this was a you know, thousand square foot just open loft above Eubora uh in downtown. Uh and so we didn't know anything about this. And and it was anyways, we we pulled it off and then we did it again the next week and then the next week, and then we we asked, you know, I I I went and I called um have ushery and I was like, man, what what have I done? And he's like, Sounds like you need a kitchen. And I was like, Well, where do I find one of those? And he's like, You got any problems with coming in at night? And I said, No. Uh, and he basically tossed me a key to to Fat Man's and was like, We're done, we're done by five o'clock. Come in anytime after six, you know.

Robb 24:34

Clean up, clean up and turn the lights.

Will 24:36

He said, just don't let me know you've been here. Yeah, you know, and they they carved out some refrigerator space, and you know, it was just kind of off of the races. And we started um, we started selling them out of uh Southern Salad at that point. And again, it was just a thing that was going and going and going and going. And suddenly I was the pickle guy. I tried to, I tried to play music in this town for 25 years, and I meant pickles for a day, and that's that's what people are asking about. And then, you know, COVID, I guess, resolved whatever you want to call it, fizzled out and ran its whatever. Um, you know, I wanted to get back out there and play music. And, you know, honestly, that was a business that had been built up for, you know, 20 something years at that point. So, you know, we just kind of were like, okay, I'm not quitting my job to do pickles. And it just kind of happened that it was just further and further apart from making batches. And so it just kind of fizzled out. And then about four years after that, I was really just running into some soul searching with like, what am I doing for a living? Um, and you know, I I'd gotten some I'd been very fortunate. I I've had some great bosses, I've worked from some great places. Um, the the last being um the the local August C SRA Habitat for Humanity. And, you know, everything was great. Um, and but I just still I had this itch in me that I need to do something and that it needed to be more creative and you know, kind of start to finish. I I just I I think that was more the artist side in me that I needed to make something. And so I just I hit a wall one day and I've got to give it to Timmy Boss at Habitat. She she kind of she called me out and um but she did me a favor, she she's like, Well, I need you to figure out what you want to do. But she's like, I've got a I've got a sneaking suspicion this is not it. And she's like, not not kicking out the door once you hear all um, you know, because I I'd really excelled at that job in a lot of ways. And um and about a I this is where the I have this I have this weird issue of I've got a an MBA brain on one side and I've got the the musician squirrel on the other that are competing. But uh a spreadsheet has always been kind of my friend for when I need to answer like a like a real just cut and dry numbers question. So I just I I I busted out a spreadsheet and you know, the numbers for what I needed to do to make pickles some semblance of a job. I'm not talking about an empire, I'm not talking about a you know, of uh a career, but I was like, what would it take to just kind of be able to keep doing what I'm doing right this second, but do it off of this project? It really wasn't it wasn't crazy. I was like, if we're if we're smart and we're um you know very careful to you know control you know quality and deliver a very honest and to the point product, I was like, the numbers don't have to be crazy. And um I uh I also one thing I've always loved about Augusta is we love local. And I mean, and to the point that you know, I think that sometimes gets us in trouble because we're so hell-bent on local that you know sometimes we look past some other things. But uh, you know, I I was like, I think I'm gonna take a bet on this. And I I I ran it by uh I ran it by Lindsay and I ran it by my mom and then uh ran it by Lindsay's dad, who's uh a CPA, and um and they were like, Well, you're kind of crazy, but this is doable. Right, but it's not it's not stupid. Yeah, you know, yeah, and you know, kind of the the the overarching thing was, you know, if you've got this bug, you need to go try it because and they're like, worst case, get another job in two years. Yeah, you know, I mean what's the worst thing that happens? You fall on your face, you admit it, you hopefully learn something from it, and you move on. Said best case scenario, you don't work for anyone other than yourself, yeah, you know, from this point. And there's um that's its own bag of crazy. Uh, but it's also it's it's really rewarding. And you know, I so I I went in there and I I had said in my head, I was like, worst case scenario, I am by myself with nothing but me and a a mandolin, which if anyone's ever used one of those, they they do require a blood sacrifice, yeah. Uh like here and there.

Robb 28:40

But uh 30th cucumber, I'm sure.

Will 28:43

Yeah. Um, but I was like, I might have to make 20,000 pints by myself this first year. And that was daunting.

Robb 28:51

Because I mean that's a that's a that's a big old elephant to try and eat.

Will 28:55

Yeah. Um, but you do that one bite at a time. Exactly. Um, and so we we started off and it's it's honestly it's it's it's it's been great. I mean, it we uh in the first real month and a half of going out there, I was able to get about a dozen retailers locally, and I've intentionally have kind of pumped the brakes on on that because I want to make sure that I'm able to sustain that and see what did those places turn into in terms of their run rates. Um you know, the the Augusta Green Jackets have picked them up. I mean, they're using them on every burger at SRP Park for the season. Uh Second City has done a pickle cocktail at the distillery. Whiskey Bar did a burger of the month with that. Sheans has been running them as fried pickles and on their burger. Um you know, Arsenal uh has done a pickle special. I mean, it's a lot of these places have just they just stepped up and it's been awesome.

Robb 29:49

And um, and then you've got like the the what is it, Good Earth? Because I've I've seen more there.

Will 29:55

Good Earth. Um uh and I've got to give it uh to to Paige over there. I mean, they have been absolutely a dream to work with. And um, you know, telling me you know what I'm doing right, they're like, hey, maybe try this, not this. Um, you know, it was their idea. They asked about the pimento cheese. Oh wow. And funny enough, while it's not outselling pickles as a whole, um, that's the single highest selling item. And I I introduced that about mid midstream uh over there uh at that location. And that's that's wild. And that was just a happy accident because I let the brine cool before I let it see the the veg because I I'm really this is where you get into the nerdy, like the science of it. Yeah. Um I I just I want that to be such a crisp, kind of fresh thing that I don't want it to to wilt from one hot. So I realized there was about an hour and a half that was in between. I started just making pimento cheese in there. I was I was just thinking, oh, well, this'll pay for the cost of the cucumbers for the day, and I can do it in the time that I need to let it rest anyway. So it was purely, it wasn't something I mean, I I enjoyed the pino cheese and always made it as a gag around uh, you know, tournol week, tournament week the tournament week. Um and you know, I didn't mean for it to be a thing, but that's that's almost become a potential business in and of itself, which is is wild. And uh I I just I I feel really fortunate that you know, I mean, there there have been roadblocks, and you know, I've I had one vendor that was like, our people just don't like your your pickles. I was like, cool. Okay, yeah. I and and there's no harm no foul in that. Uh it's like this is the beautiful thing about food, about music, about anything else, is some people love it, some people hate it. And honestly, if you're kind of liked by everyone, it's probably boring. I mean, think about that for a second. Kenny G is the most non-offensive thing on the planet, but no one's really putting them up there as his the favorite artist that's ever happened. And I say that as uh, you know, with with all respect to someone who has made an absolute killing off of being a very talented but very um I I would say uh risk-averse artist. Yes. Safe artist, yeah. Right. Um, and there's nothing wrong with that. I love it. Oh, absolutely. No harm, no foul. Yeah. I mean royalties. Congratulations. Yeah. I mean, it's it's like people that want to get mad because Taylor Swift did something. I'm like, what what did that poor girl do to hurt you?

Robb 32:15

Yeah.

Will 32:15

You know, yeah. Other than she she plays guitar, wrote a bunch of songs. She's honestly, in my opinion, she's been doing such wonders for people like Bonnyvar and the National and all these, you know, indie hipster bands that I adore, but is now putting them on the the the royalties they're probably getting from co-writes on this are probably eclipsing anything they've ever done in their own careers. Right. So I'm like, she it's not like she's not helping the industry as a whole. She's almost, I mean, outside of Jack White, single-handedly revive the vinyl industry. Right. So I mean you know, but it it's just funny. I I feel like people just want to complain about anyone that's doing anything that it's human nature.

Robb 32:53

I think there's a there's a part of everybody that just wants to complain about something. You know what I mean? Because maybe they had the idea for wheel steels, but they didn't put they didn't put the you know, the one foot in front of the other to actually start start down that path.

Will 33:05

Aaron Powell Oh, I tell people all the time there's nothing magical about what I'm doing.

Robb 33:09

Yeah.

Will 33:10

Other than just at a certain point I said, Hey, this is my job. That's that's literally that's the only difference.

Robb 33:19

Yeah.

Will 33:20

You know?

Robb 33:20

And then I mean there's there's taking ownership of it that way to say, this is my job, this is what I'm doing, this is how I'm providing for my family. Or if you don't have family providing for myself, and I don't have to clock into a job that I that really didn't set me on fire. This is something that I can literally pour my my heart, sweat, blood into and enjoy.

Will 33:45

Absolutely. And I mean, my I've got I've got two daughters now, and I mean the oldest is she's just turned two, and you know, I want to have something that I can leave for them or that, you know, is is maybe an example of, you know, if you got a you got a dream or something you care about, or just something you happen to be good at that doesn't aggravate the ever loving hell out of you. Yeah. And, you know, do it.

Robb 34:06

Yeah.

Will 34:06

You know, you you only get a finite amount of time, you know, on on this planet. So do something you care about, preferably do it with people you care about, and you know, the rest will take care of itself.

Robb 34:17

Yeah.

Will 34:17

Um, and so I I just I I really want to, you know, I want them to see that. I want them to, you know, again, hopefully it's something that they can have. And, you know, that'd be that'd be great. Um, but it but if nothing else, I just I I really believe like there's no sense in being miserable for the sake of because I've seen a lot of very rich people that are very miserable. You know, because for every way you can find and make a dollar, someone's gonna find a way for you to spend two of them.

Robb 34:42

Yeah.

Will 34:42

So um, you know, take that for what you will.

Robb 34:45

Yeah. No, no, I I absolutely agree. And and and beside that, there is the you know, and it's not even something that I don't know if you even realize, but there is that kind of altruistic thing of creating food. It's something that is going to I mean, it's pickles. There is a certain amount of nourishment, sustenance in a pickle. Nobody's going to survive solely on pickles. But you are feeding people. You are meeting people at a place that that is uh something that they that we need to survive, and it maybe elevates that experience.

Will 35:21

Oh, I mean, you know, I I think back to the first time I saw the the Food Network when I was at um at at school in Milledgeville, and I would sit there and just play guitar while I'd watch Emerald for hours on end. And I I just I didn't realize there was something just so fascinating about it. And then I also I I was marveled at my grandmother in her kitchen.

Robb 35:40

Yeah.

Will 35:40

And when I was in New York, I got to be friends with some some chefs there, and I realized I was like, man, these folks are absolute rock stars. But it's in something to your point. People meet, they they either celebrate the best days of their life or you know, kind of wallow in the worst days of their life, but they do it around food. And it's either a comforting or a joyous or uh, you know, um, and it can be taken to you know extremes and um, you know, things like that. But I I think there's something just fairly just wholesome about food for for better words. And and you know, heaven help you if you're not putting a bunch of you know things you can't pronounce into it.

Robb 36:18

Yeah.

Will 36:19

Um you know, I'm one thing I'm proud to say is that the the most damning item that I put in there is a salt variant, and it's because it helps with the crunch, but it's not some weird, you know, 14 syllable compound that no one can can can describe. And it's it's just like that, that to me is very cool.

Robb 36:39

Yeah.

Will 36:39

Um you know, and uh I don't know. I I just but but to your point, it's it's doing something that typically people are gonna enjoy. Um and I just think it's fun because it's such a small idea. Because I mean people open restaurants all the time, but you know, I just wanted to be this little piece.

Robb 36:55

Exactly.

Will 36:56

You know, exactly. And it's like, man, I need a sandwich. Sandwich sounds boring. What if I had a really good pickle?

Robb 37:01

Yeah.

Will 37:01

You know, and I don't know. That's just it's it it's sure, it's it's whimsical, it's you know, maybe a a little bit too dreamer for you know most people's tastes, but for me it makes sense.

Robb 37:13

And you know and you had the perfect name to go with the word dill.

Will 37:17

So it that was a blessing.

Robb 37:19

Yeah. Um thanks, mom.

Will 37:21

Yeah, shout out Tammy.

Robb 37:25

Yeah. So, Will, uh aside from your pickle making, um, what's bringing you joy now?

Will 37:34

Um, my my my girls are um that that gives me something more than just you know the need to get through the day. And um, I will say it makes me want to work harder. And I find myself working more than I, you know, had prior to that. But um, you know, I it it it also gives a perspective of I I want a certain amount of bandwidth and a certain amount of downtime um to just be around. And um I feel like I just kind of talked out of both sides of my mouth with that, but but it it's I I think you appreciate time a little more. Um and so again, just trying to trying to just show them that you know, go do something you care about. And um I I'm working on opening a a little cocktail bar and music venue downtown, and that's been a really fun project to put together. I mean, I I just I I I like creating things uh for and for a long time it was writing songs, and you know, I'm definitely much more reformer than a writer at this point, though I still think it's in me. I just I don't really have anything to complain about right now, other than you know, the price of gas. So and I'm I'm not gonna, you know, go off on uh I d I don't I don't think being a political writer is is in me so much. Um but uh you know it's I'm just I'm just kind of enjoying life right now. And uh and it's it's it's a different different space, but but really just kind of doing things on my terms and um has has been a lot of fun. And you know, you still gotta uh end of the day, you gotta pay a mortgage or a rent or anything like that. And so you gotta figure out how to make that math math. But you know, at other times it's just you know, let's let's go make something today and let's just try and do something positive today. So I love that. Yeah. Maybe that's uh maybe that's a little uh esoteric or hippie or whatever you want to call it, but it's it's working for me at the moment.

Robb 39:24

Yeah, no, I think it's I think that's what we all strive for somewhere within us is just to to be a good person, to take care of the people that you love, to make a positive impact on the world around you.

Will 39:43

Oh, and also just acknowledging everything doesn't have to be so damn serious all the time. You know, I think there's something healthy about that. You know, uh of just you know, I mean, there's there's a time and a place of like, hey, it's go time. I gotta really, you know, put on my big boy pants and make this happen. And then there's other times like, is that really worth, you know, spending any kind of effort, even if it's just complaining about what what what did that accomplish? Go do something else. Just put a pickle on it. Sure.

Robb 40:16

All right. Well, this is the second segment of the show. This is where we dive a little bit deeper into your mental health uh journey. I definitely believe the more we can uh talk about these things, these days that we all have, these down days, uh everybody goes to them. The easier it is for us all to get to them because then we realize we're not alone. So, for you, how do you keep the darkness at bay?

Will 40:39

Well, um I went I I went to therapy for a long time, and I highly recommend that for anyone that just needs a sounding board that is not your group of friends or the wall or your cat or otherwise. I think it's a wonderful thing. Um, I I learned um and I had more than one tell me this. I am horrified of sitting still, which is why I typically have so many projects in the air, which is why I'm, you know, even when I was, you know, working a full-time, you know, senior or whatever type job, I was still playing 60, 75 gigs a year, which for me was a very low number at that point. But, you know, I just I didn't know how to stop. But some of that is I have a hard time sitting still, and that's something I'm actively working on, especially with my daughters, is you know, just sometimes just being there is a big thing. But uh again, as I as I mentioned before, it's I I think acknowledging that not everything has to be that serious. Um, but also I think there's a certain level of, you know, when you start taking ownership of your your own actions and the consequences of your decisions, good, bad, or otherwise. Um, I think when you can get your head wrapped around that, I I think it's less of a I don't know, any of that. I I feel like there's a big temptation right now with social media to come from a very victim mentality standpoint. And there you look, there's there's bad stuff that happens to everyone. And there's, you know, I mean, whether it's, you know, coworkers, air quotes, friends, you know, romantic relationships, family, you know, other other pressures. I mean, you talk about, you know, um government decisions that are affecting individuals. Um, you know, again, and it's it just depends on what side of the coin you're looking at as to whether it's deemed a good thing or it's could be almost deemed as oppressive. But certain point, it's just taking ownership of this is me, this is what I do, these are the actions I've made, I'm here, and I'm gonna to go forward with it. Um, and then also just little things from, and I've picked it up from both my mom, from from you know, church. Otherwise, it's just been, you know, everyone's got a job to do. It's your decision to decide whether you want to do it joyfully. And, you know, I mean, work sucks anyway you cut it. I I'm I I'm I'm literally making pickles with one of my best friends. I'm I'm working on opening a bar with, you know, a guy who's become one of my dearest friends that I I respect. And it's still, there's days of that that are and and I I get to go play music. And typically for people that are having a good time, they've got good food, good drinks around, that thankfully at this point in what I'm doing, I'm able to also participate in. And there's still days that I'm like, man, I would rather be anywhere other than right here.

Robb 43:15

Yeah.

Will 43:15

But, you know, I there's that just nagging sense of like, okay, I I I chose this, I I signed up for this, so I'm gonna I'm gonna do a hell of a job. And I I think just trying to stay motivated even when you don't want to. I mean, and and I've expanded that a little further to, you know, I've started just doing and part of it was I got served a bunch of ads for it and I didn't want to do it. But like, you know, the thing of just I'm gonna do 60 push-ups today doesn't mean I'm I'm thinking I'm gonna go to the gym and get swole because I don't have the time or the patience for that. And I certainly I I've tried to do that and I can't eat enough for it. Um, but you know, it's little things like that. And just deciding, hey, I'm gonna do this. Or, you know, hey, maybe I need A minute, just go take a drive somewhere, or or go have a quiet moment somewhere, or you know, I'm gonna go play drums for 20 minutes and just make some noise. I mean, there's just something that's not not a part of it. And I I think it's just you know, you gotta stay stimulated creatively and you know, things that feed your soul. But I get I I think you can choose to at least have the intention of having a good day. And it doesn't mean they all work out. And I mean some of them, I mean, some of them are gonna suck. I'm gonna come home just, you know, cussing at everything, including the you know temperature of the air. Yeah. But um but I I think you can I think you can choose to go into it with, you know, uh, and and and we use this, this is kind of the running motto for my family is we're doing great. And take that for however you you want to. I mean, it could be, you know, sometimes it's a little pandering and it's kind of a kind of a sly joke between me and Lindsay of like, you know, the world's on fire, but we're we're doing great. Right, right. Um, but but I I think I think people can take that, you know, and and kind of apply it to, you know, I think I think we're blessed to do these things. And I I I see musicians that get frustrated because they don't get the gig they want or anything like that. And I'm like, man, even at the crappiest of situations, you're making $50 plus dollars an hour to play guitar and drink beer. What is so hard about that?

Robb 45:16

Yeah.

Will 45:17

And you know, it's no, there's nothing glamorous about it. Those gigs suck. And I mean, but you're again, you're getting to play guitar and someone's paying you for it.

Robb 45:26

Right.

Will 45:27

And I mean, I would have killed for that when I was 16.

Robb 45:30

Yeah.

Will 45:31

And so I I think it's just a perspective thing.

Robb 45:33

Yeah.

Will 45:34

And and really pushing for that. But I mean, you know, I've lost friends to um, you know, suicide to drugs, to just other bad decisions, and you know, those just those seem so permanent and you know, um, you know, it's just uh I don't know. I I I I just I have to believe there's always gonna be a better day, but you know, acknowledging that means you also have to acknowledge that there are gonna be some days that are not gonna be so fun.

Robb 46:01

Yeah.

Will 46:01

And uh and I I I think just uh just having that sense of awareness about it and you know, um you know, I mean, you could do the Yoda thing, the do or do not, there's no try.

Robb 46:13

Yeah.

Will 46:13

Um, and you know, that's everyone doesn't have those kind of decisions to make or just choices to to decide to do that, but I think there's always something that you can be doing to, you know, better your situation, even if it's just your perspective of the situation.

Robb 46:29

Yeah, yeah. I mean they say, you know, you you control the things that you can control. You can't control those those outside things, or you can't control somebody saying that your pickles suck and they don't want nobody likes them or whatever. But you can control how you respond to that. You can control the things that you can control. You can't influence somebody else to like a pickle that they don't like pickles or whatever or whatever it is.

Will 46:52

Or I'm sure there are people who've had a job for 10, 20 years, they've had a spouse for 10, 20 years, and they're like, I'm so bored with this and so whatever. I'm like, but shouldn't you be grateful that you've had anything that puts up with you and you put up with for that amount of time? Because I mean, think about the like the bandwidth on that, of what that takes off your plate. I mean, and and that's that's just a pragmatic. There's yeah, there's no emotion involved in that. That's just a oh, you know, if you if you look at it like that, it's like you know, having having this job piece, which most people, that's a huge portion of what they're concerned about. I mean, money is the root of most, you know, personal disagreements, you know, spouse disagreements, family disagreements, you know, just general stressors on the planet. But, you know, let's say you got that piece sorted out. You might hate it, but you've got that. Then think of what's all the other stuff I can do because I've got, I I, I know, I know how the lights are going to stay on in this house. I I just think of, I mean, that's that might that's probably oversimplifying, and I'm not trying to doctor fill someone, but no, you know, but I I think I think sometimes we just need to kind of look and be like, what do I have going for me? You know, and I think that would really change a lot of people's perspectives. And I'm not I'm not suggesting you get into like journaling of what's my daily gratification, you know, whatever, but something to be said for that. Yeah. I mean, there, you know, I I I've gone all these these gamuts of diving into, you know, exercise, clean living, um you know, the the um meditation apps on your phone, you know, reading motivational books. I think they're all great. Go to a concert, do anything.

Robb 48:24

I mean, yeah, something that can can refocus your, you know, your your bad day or whatever that's that's weighing on your mind, and you can add focus into something else, especially something that can feel more positive to you. And whether that positivity is you getting lost in a workout, or going hitting balls at a batting cage, or going to the golf course, or going to a concert for your favorite band, or or finding a new band, or going some to some restaurant that you've never had food at before and trying something that just kind of jars your brain into a different mode, uh, I think is very important.

Will 49:06

Um I mean, I I think I think what I'm trying to get at is just open yourself to the possibility of being inspired.

Robb 49:11

Yeah.

Will 49:12

And you know, that that doesn't mean you're gonna, you know, magically have some life-change moment, but I think it I think it might change your day-to-day. And I mean, you know, your perspective is I mean, that's your reality. So um and again, I think some of that can be self-framed, and you know, because you know, people going back to the music thing. I mean, people talk about, oh, I want to record in the greatest studio on the planet with the best, you know, best mics, best, best guitars, best vintage amplifiers. And I'm like, well, do you have a good song? You know, start there. And and I think some of that again started with just intention. Because it's, you know, crap in is crap out, even if you've, you know, you know, I mean, you can make chicken salad out of it, but uh but you know, whereas good in typically is gonna be pretty good on the other side of it.

Robb 50:04

I mean No matter if you're no matter what that that microphone or piece of equipment or whatever it is, it's if it's if it's within you and it's good and you put it because again, that's always the hardest step, is that first step. It's easy to put those blockers of, oh, well, I need this microphone, I need this studio, I need this guitar, or I need, you know, the perfect inspiration and sunset to to paint this and blah, blah, blah, or whatever.

Will 50:27

And I've made the mistake of, you know, hey, I'm gonna go buy a $2,000 amplifier for a $200 gig, but it was because it was gonna make me feel better about it. Again, that's that's silly, and I was blessed to be in the position to do that at that point. But, you know, I mean, I I was reading a thing earlier where it was it was a home studio group on on Facebook and they were talking about all these preamps and everything. Someone chimed in and they were like, You you know that uh Adele did her first single on an SM58, which is a $99 microphone that has been probably used for as a as a hammer as much as it's been used, you know, actually to to address a public audience. Uh but you know, it's and I mean, and and that same microphone, uh uh Brandon Boyd from Incubus was was famous for that's that's what he used in the studio because that's what he used live, and he didn't know how to sing any other kind of way. And you know, again, it's it's it's it's a bunch of oversimplifications, but I I think it's just do what makes sense to you and you know do some, you know, put a little gusto behind it.

Robb 51:29

So it is time now, we'll for the third segment of the show. It's time now for the fast five, the fast five. It's time now for the fast five. Fast. Sorry, I'm still working on that theme song.

Will 51:46

Is Vin Diesel coming through the door?

Robb 51:48

Uh no, it's not the Fast and Five Furious, Family. Fast and Furious Five, Framley. Uh The Fast Five is powered by Pod Dex. It's an app created by my friend Travis Brown. If you go to ChewingTheFatBR.com/slash poddex, you can get a link to download it on your own favorite device. Uh it's made for podcasters, but it's really great uh icebreaker questions and stuff like that. Uh definitely should check it out. But the the rule is it's the first thing that comes to the top of your head. You there's no wrong answers, it's just whatever whatever the whatever the question leads you into your answer.

Will 52:22

I feel like this is me getting recruited for uh improv at La Chatte.

Robb 52:26

I mean, you know, you you see how you think on your feet. All right, you're you're ready? Here we go. Question number one. You can choose anyone in the world to become friends with. Who would you choose?

Will 52:39

Ooh, Chris Thhiely.

Robb 52:41

Oh.

Will 52:42

Yeah. Oh I just want to see what goes on in that bluegrass caffeine adult mind of his.

Robb 52:46

Yeah.

Will 52:47

Yeah.

Robb 52:47

Yeah. It's uh um, and he's a mandolin player.

Will 52:51

Uh Punch Brothers, Nickel Creek, Nickel Creek, yeah, uh, Goat Rodeo. He's he's had a bunch.

Robb 52:57

Yeah, yeah. Great. And he yeah, and he didn't he host uh Prairie Home Companion for a while on tour.

Will 53:04

He did. Uh he uh he had that running until uh until the funding finally ran out, but um that was a very cool era of that. Yeah, and really even more mu music focus, you know, collaborations with you know everyone from Corey Wong on down. That uh a whole lot of fun there.

Robb 53:18

Yeah, and he did uh and he did one with uh uh Yo-Yo Ma uh as well. Yeah, yeah.

Will 53:24

Yeah, that was one of his bandmates from the goat radio. Yeah, yeah.

Robb 53:26

Yeah, I love that. Love that. Love that. That's awesome. All right, question number two. What's the best compliment you ever received?

Will 53:37

Ooh, um, you know, it's I I I think it's funny. I had the first time I had someone tell me that I was a decent singer because for as much as I've always put myself out there um, you know, singing in front of people, I I've always been much more of a I'm a guitar player that happens to sing because I don't know anything, you know, better to do. And um, but it was uh I I think that was a that was a pretty cool moment because I I I truly I I think I probably performed in public presenting myself as a singer for 20 years before I actually thought I was halfway okay at it. And so and I I still know I've got a very unique, I don't think it's a traditionally good or great or anything in that kind of voice, but figured out how to make it work. And anyways, that was just a that was a cool moment.

Robb 54:23

Yeah. I love that. I love that. Question number three. What is your greatest fear and how do you manage it?

Will 54:34

Uh again, sitting still uh is probably my my truly biggest thing. Um, you know, there there's some some more like existential, you know, sides of that of, you know, I want to make sure I'm still here to see my uh my daughters get married or you know, figure out who they are. Um and I know I can't control that, but uh again, some of that is just accepting what you've got control over and um you know, just just trying to work the best you can with that and uh again, just that that positive framework. Um you know, I I it's it's tough because I mean there there's another side of me that I get so frustrated with people that can't do it, and I'm like, I'm now being frustrated, and it's the same thing that I'm trying to tell people not to do, which is so you know, I I think just be your best cheerleader, you know, I think is is a good way to to be and to give you give yourself some grace too.

Robb 55:28

Yeah.

Will 55:29

Because sometimes you just gotta like you gotta wave the white flag for a day and be like, nah, this ain't gonna work. I need a need a moment of zen.

Robb 55:34

Yeah. So I love that. I love that. Question number four. So do you like to plan things out in detail or be more spontaneous?

Will 55:45

Uh combination of the two. Um so uh one of my favorite bosses of all time, uh, he he realized something about me that was I need freedom within a framework. And that's a lot of like I need to know where the guardrails are, um, but I also need to be kind of given the uh given the autonomy to, you know, have a little jazz about how do I get around to it. Um and and that's that goes back to even, you know, whatever my prowess is in a kitchen is I can't bake to save my life because I can't follow something. I can, but it bores me to tears.

Robb 56:18

Right.

Will 56:19

But um, you know, if there's okay, I know where I'm going, I know what the ingredients are to some degree, but it's gonna be a little jazz of how do I get here. Yeah. That seems to work for me. Yeah.

Robb 56:28

Um pinch of this, splash of that.

Will 56:30

Right. And I I feel the same way most of the time, you know, with with music, I'm most at home when it's very well rehearsed, but then when we also kind of all agree, like, cool, we're walking on stage and you know, screw the rules. Yeah, you know, we're just gonna let's see what happens.

Robb 56:45

I love it. So I love it. And question number five. Name one thing on your bucket list.

Will 56:53

I still want to jump out of a plane. Oh. Um parachute included or not? Yeah, oh yeah, yeah. Absolutely. No, I I I'm I'm hoping it's the the first of numerous times doing it, but uh I I will also say there's a certain sense of having kids that I'm like, do I really need to do that? Um you know, and and I've actually um Lindsay has given me a gift certificate to do it. Wow. Never, never have ever done that. And so it's it's not that it hasn't been offered, talked about, um, but sometimes you just gotta get get to the edge. Yeah. Um, you know, I I also said I would never get my ear pierced, which I I it was not a great look for me, but you know, it I had that for a while, and I also said I'd never get a tattoo, and then one day there I was, yeah, sitting in a chair. And um, you know, so I'm I'm not saying never, but uh, you know, I I I gotta wrap my head around that and kind of reframe that a little bit. But uh honestly, I think, you know, if if it was something a little more, I guess, pragmatic, which probably isn't the the the really the focus of a bucket list item, is just getting to a point where I can, you know, kind of just enjoy the day-to-day a little more versus like you know, checking off what do I have to do, which I guess means I just need to make it long enough to retire. So you know, and hopefully young enough where I can still walk around.

Robb 58:12

Yeah. Yeah. So I love that. All right. Side questions in that. What's the tattoo? What was the first tattoo?

Will 58:18

Uh I it's my one and only. Um, and that's uh that's little uh broken compass uh pork chop Zimmerman drew it. Oh wow and uh I got it shortly after um our our pal Philip Lee died. Um because we had always said that um he wanted to take me to go get one and I never did it. So um again, I don't know that I would if you asked me today if I would have gotten it, probably not, but you know, it's there and uh my mom doesn't quite want to stab me as much as you know the first time she saw it. So we've got that going for us.

Robb 58:50

That's good. That's good. And also I was gonna say is as far as jumping out of the plane, you know, they have like that indoor skydiving thing, and there's a place in Atlanta you could do that just to just to get a taste of it. Just to get a taste. It's not it's not the plane, but it's you know, you get the feel of the rush of the wind. I'm just saying it's an option. And the kids could go too. Not at this age that they are, but I'm pretty sure but when you when they get a little older, maybe.

Will 59:10

Yeah, but I could also watch a fish show on TV. I'd rather actually be in the pit.

Robb 59:14

Well, I mean, you're jumping into the wind. It's just not out of the plane yet. Yeah. I'm just saying baby steps. That's all okay. I'm just saying baby steps. You know, that's something Lindsay could do with you as well. Just be like, hey, we go do some tandem wind tunnel diving. I don't know what you call that thing.

Will 59:29

Floating.

Robb 59:29

Yeah. There you go. How romantic. Yeah. It's like it's like Tinkerbell. Sweeper off her feet. All right. Will that's our fast five, and that's the show, buddy. Thank you so much for being here.

Will 59:40

This was a treat.

Robb 59:41

No, this this was awesome. Uh, if folks want to keep up with you and you personally, your music or Will's Dills, what's the best way they can do that?

Will 59:48

Um sure. For for music, it's just willmaccranie.com. Uh for the pickles, it's I lovewilsdills.com.

Robb 59:55

Okay.

Will 59:55

And then uh if you want to know about the uh the barn venue, that is off the recordagusta.com.

Robb 1:00:00

Okay.

Will 1:00:01

And that's got links to all the socials and all those good things. But if you can find one, you can probably find the other.

Robb 1:00:05

Okay. Awesome. Well, I'll make sure I put those in the show notes again. Thank you so much for being here, buddy. Uh, I I love you. I love everything you got coming uh to you and that you're doing. And I mean, I really do I love your dills, bud. I mean, I really do. I really do. And yeah, thank you so much for being here.

Will 1:00:21

Absolutely.

Robb 1:00:22

And if you would like to support this podcast, I'd appreciate it if you bought me a coffee at chewing the fatbr.com. But until next time, I look forward to the chance we have to sit a spell and chew the fat.