Neal McCoy: I heard a guy the other day. We played “The Last of a Dying Breed.” We went to a corporate kind of a thing that we played the video for and nobody’d seen it yet. It was just a couple of nights ago. And the main guy that runs the radio stations and news stations and all that said “My people are going to play that.” He said, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with this, but it doesn’t talk about drinking and it doesn’t talk about Jesus. But I think that’s were a lot of things are leaning right now. Either the religious side or the honky tonk bar side, which there’s nothing wrong with because we just came off a honky tonk bar song. But he really was impressed that it had a great message but didn’t talk about either one of those.
HostJolene: You do tour a lot. Are you still doing a heavy tour schedule all over?
Neal McCoy: We work a lot. I wouldn’t say as much as anybody, there are new acts out there that are slaving away, like we used to do, but we still do work a bunch. And I think the reason we’re still able to that is the strength of our shows and the way we’ve treated people in the past. People like to have us back.
HostJolene: How about USO tours. Do you still do those?
Neal McCoy: Yes Ma’am, I haven’t been overseas in about a year but I’ve been to different bases here in the states. Last time I was to Iraq has been about a year ago. I will continue to do those as long as we have soldiers.
HostJolene: I know they appreciate seeing you.
Neal McCoy: We appreciate being able to go. I know they appreciate us because they tell us.
HostJolene: Last time we talked, you hadn’t recorded with anyone. Since then you have recorded with Charley Pride. What was that like?
Neal McCoy: It was fantastic! You know Charley was the one that got me started in country music years ago and again one of the advantages of being your own boss…you know when I was with one of the major labels, to record a duet with Charley Pride I would have had to ask this person who would have turned and asked this person and everybody would have had to run up the chain. This way it was as simple as me calling Charley and saying “Hey Charley I’m recording one of your songs would you like to sing on it?” and him saying “Yeah.” And that’s all there was too it. There wasn’t weeks of people trying to get in touch with people and that is the beauty of this thing. And it’s a fun song and Charley and I had a lot of fun doing it. And we have known each other for years but that was the first time we’ve sung together and recorded together.
HostJolene: And you were together, it wasn’t recorded all separate like they do so often now with duets?
Neal McCoy: *laughing* No, we were together. We did cut the music here in Nashville but we went to his studio in Dallas and sang.
HostJolene: Anybody else you’d like to record with now that you have a little more freedom?
Neal McCoy: Gosh, there are a lot of people I’d like to record with. I just don’t know if they would record with me. There are even people outside of country music. I’d love to sing with Harry Connick, Jr. or Michael Bublé. I really enjoy that kind of music and I really like those guys. I’d still like to sing with Barry Manilow. I was fortunate enough a few years ago I got to do a TV show with him and sing a couple of songs with him, but I’d love to record with him. I love that kind of music. Just something different, you know, show people another side.
