Wheeler Walker Jr. doesn’t waste time when it comes to making an album.
The “F**k This Job” singer stopped by the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast to break down why now is the right time for him to retire (with all of the AI and algorithms running rampant and what not), why he wouldn’t mind having his own bar on Broadway just to tick people off, how he views his music as truth telling while everyone else in the industry tip toes around what they really want to say, and how he’s felt misunderstood throughout much of his career.
Walker Jr. also gave quite the warning to Florida Georgia Line and their comeback, discussed how he prioritizes making country music and not “laptop music,” why he doesn’t mess with collabs (and how one with Maren Morris really backfired), and how fitting he believes it is that he’ll play his final show at the Ryman Auditorium.
He’s wrapping up quite the career with the release of Pullin’ Out and its corresponding Pullin’ Out: The Farewell Tour. After 10 years of incredible music and telling it like it is, Walker Jr. is riding off into the sunset. Though his presence will be missed in the country music world when he steps away, he left fans with plenty of albums and anthems that will undoubtedly stand the test of time.
Wheeler’s biggest album was his first – Redneck Shit. The Dave Cobb-produced record climbed all the way to No. 9 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and very comfortably took the No. 1 spot on the Top Comedy Albums list. He followed that one up with plenty of other stellar albums, like Sex, Drugs & Country Music or 2024’s Ram.
And there’s two things that have stayed constant throughout his decade of music making: Dave Cobb, and a short time frame needed for actually recording the album. Walker Jr. praised Cobb for keeping things simple, and knows what he wants and not wasting any one’s time:
“I’ve got buddies that take six months to make an album. Every one of my albums has taken five days. And that’s with all the over dubs and everything. We have a finished album in five days. We record three songs a day. Here’s where I’m telling you the music industry is changing for the worst. And this is what Cobb’s great at. You know how we make our albums? Cobb was, ‘One, two, three, four’ and the band plays, and we take the best take.”
Like they did it in the good old days.
Walker Jr. might be seen as a comedic country artist, but he clearly takes the process very seriously. He prides himself in putting forth quality recordings, and his north star is always making country music rather than… well, whatever the heck else a lot of modern day artists are doing:
“You can’t fake that with AI. It’s four guys, maybe five, in a room, playing live. (Some bands are) building tracks. They’re putting electronic drums, electronic guitar, they’re making beats… I don’t make laptop music. I make country music.”
@whiskeyriff #whiskeyriff #wheelerwalkerjr #davecobb ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff
Mic drop line from Wheeler Walker Jr. right there.
And later in the interview, the “Pullin’ Out” singer made sure to clarify something about his “every album in five days” statement. He says it was Dave Cobb that actually set out to make each and every album in less than a week, and Wheeler was hesitant at first. But once they got to working together… they’d sometime finish even faster:
“For the first album… day four of my first record, (Cobb) is like, ‘Want to go to the record store?’ I was like, ‘Yeah.’ Then day five we went to the guitar store. We were done in three days. We did four tracks a day, and then we were done. I do my harmony overdubs. Do a little pedal steel overdub.
Maybe occasionally like a tambourine or a harmonica. Then we’re done. (Dave) is the king of not overthinking it. It’s a very simple thing. Get the best players you can, go in a room, record the best songs you can, take the best take.”
You can hear about all of that and a whole lot more from Wheeler Walker Jr. by checking out the interview on YouTube or making sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or by clicking here.
We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts.
Cheers, y’all.
