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Jess Balisle: It's time for SoundCheck. I'm Jess Balisle. Little Jones will be on Studio Live this Friday at noon. Made up of Bill Thomas, Jody Bilyeu, Brandon Moore, Jay Williamson and Molly Healey, the band holds a special sentimental place in many Ozarkers' hearts. Bill, Jody and Brandon stopped by the station to tell us what the band has meant to them.
(Sound of pen tapping on table)
Brandon Moore: Sorry, I won't do that. I can't help it!
Balisle: Brandon!
Moore: I touch things and that's what I do.
Balisle: Sit on your hands.
Moore: I don't mean to!
Balisle: All right, boys, Little Jones. Why? What are you doing?
Jody Bilyeu: What are we doing here? What are we even doing here?
Moore: What are we even doing here?
Bill Thomas: I'm here because Brandon said that that there might be free grilled cheese sandwiches.
Bilyeu: Um, a year or so ago, I was thinking I miss hearing Big Smith kind of music played live. Big Smith is the band that preceded Little Jones. And what is that? It's like, I don't know. Homey. It feels easy, even when it's difficult to play. It's just easy to listen to. Not easy listening, but, you know, easy to be with. And um, hillbilly? Sure. And I thought we were going to do a gig where just, I would have a rotating cast. So I started calling Big Smith members, and everybody who said yes is now in the band. And then, my brother couldn't, Mark couldn't. And so I called Brandon, and Brandon could. And instead of rotating cast after that first show, it was like, oh no, this is a band.
Balisle: So this is like purely coincidence that Mark is not in it and you are because you couldn't - Brandon - you could make it to that first gig.
Moore: Correct.
Bilyeu: And if Mark could, I guess we would have had to rebuild it.
Moore: Right. That's a good point.
Bilyeu: Yeah. As fate would have it, it was Brandon. Mark and Cindy stay so busy.
Balisle: This is true.
Bilyeu: So yeah, obviously that needed to be a band. The crowd was great and we had such a good time. And so we arranged to do it every second Sunday at Tie and Timber and then we started picking up other gigs. So that's the history.
Moore: Yeah.
Balisle: What's the what's the crowd reaction been like?
Moore: Nostalgic. I would think, you know. And it's fun because for me, I was never in Big Smith, but I've grown up with all these guys. And so I've been very close with all of them. And so when you know, we've gone down to Eureka and, and gone to other places to play, and it's so fun to talk to people that come up and just start in on me. Like I was there in the band the whole time. And so, but I'm so close, I don't spoil the vibe of the conversation and say, "Well, I wasn't ever there," but, you know, but then I kind of was in spirit, you know, and so yeah, it's been really fun.
Balisle: Bill, what's it been like for you?
Thomas: I'm super thankful for it because before Jody called me to, to ask if I wanted to do one of the shows, I had taken years off from playing all together, like maybe five years or something like that. And yeah, it was horrible. I wasn't doing well at all. I was in super reclusive mode and not in any kind of healthy way. So, my initial response to his call was to say, "Of course not, that sounds horrible." But instead I very quickly just said yes, and then because I knew I wanted to do it. So I just figured I would say yes immediately and have to come to terms with that. And I did. And then then like they say after the first show, it just felt so good. And so, we just kept going after there and it was just, uh, the best thing for me.
Balisle: Has this been, um, like very therapeutic in getting you out of the house?
Thomas: Absolutely. It's, I'm writing music again. I'm writing songs.
Bilyeu: Yeah, yeah.
Balisle: Which I have to say, fantastic work.
Thomas: Thank you so much.
Balisle: I love everything that you're doing.
Thomas: I appreciate that very much. But yeah, it's been, it's been wonderful for me, uh, on, on every level, it's been good for me. So I'm very thankful.
Balisle: Good.
Bilyeu: Likewise.
Moore: Oh, if you weren't in the band, it would be very lugubrious.
(Laughter)
Moore: For me at least. Got it in there!
Balisle: Thank you, Terry Gross.
Thomas: Good work, good work.
Moore: Thank you, Terry Gross.
Bilyeu: Thank you, Terry Gross. Thank you, Flea.
Balisle: I am absolutely leaving that in there. Bill, Jody, Brandon, thank you so much for being here in the studio today.
Moore: Thank you.
Balisle: We are really looking forward to having you on studio live this Friday at noon.
Bilyeu: Always a pleasure.
Moore: Can't wait.
Bilyeu: Looking forward to Friday.
Balisle: Thanks for tuning in to SoundCheck. I'm Jess Balisle.
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