This week on The Morse Code Podcast I got to sit down with my old friend Jake Etheridge. Some of you might know Jake from his work on the TV show Nashville (as both a songwriter and actor), or maybe you caught him touring Europe with The Common Linnets. For years he was one of those steadily working indie guys — writing, collaborating, grinding it out. Then he wrote a little song on a whim with his wife Mackenzie Porter called “Happy Ever After You,” and practically overnight everything changed.
We talked about what it feels like to have your career suddenly flipped on its head: waking up to a million views, landing a record deal a week later, and hearing your name come out of the mouths of people like John Mayer and Brandi Carlile. But we also dug into the stuff underneath — the doubts, the weirdness of success when you’ve been at it a long time, and how to keep your feet on the ground when the ground itself is shifting.
One of my favorite parts of this conversation was hearing Jake open up about the Nashville creative scene — the ways it pushes you, the ways it wears on you, and why it’s still worth chasing the spark even when the odds aren’t exactly friendly. I think there’s something here for anyone who’s ever tried to build a life around making things, or who simply wants to see what happens when someone’s entire trajectory shifts in a moment.
At the end of our talk, Jake pulled out his guitar and played a new song he wrote with another of my favorite songwriters Donovan Woods, called “Raked Flat.” It’s one of those songs that hangs around long after the last chord fades. I’ve posted the video of that live performance below. Hope it gives you a little something to carry into your own creative week, or weekend!
P.S. Thanks for being here. I’m taking a break from the podcast for the rest of the summer to focus on a book project and move the Morse Code TV show closer to the finish line (we are going to sell this show!). In the interim we’ll be continuing to film new episodes — we have some really exciting guests lined up for when we return in September.
Thanks for being part of this journey. I wish you many creative surprises. More soon. ~ Korby
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