Michael Jeffers Interview - On The Road Exclusive

(CSC) 1. Great to be with you here on the road. You’ve been playing for Joe Nichols since 2008! Tell us how the opportunity presented itself!

(Michael Jeffers)

Yes. Well, I was in a little band called Pinmonkey and we came out about the same time that Joe did. So, we would do a lot of radio shows together and whatnot. And then when we dissolved in 2006, I was just doing some stuff around town and I got a call saying Joe's bass player left. Would you be interested? I'm like, well yeah. And I knew Brian and Joe a little bit just in passing. And no audition, anything. I've been here for 16 years now.

(CSC) Now forgive me, is Brian the band leader?

(Michael Jeffers)

No, Brian's not the band leader, but he's been here the longest. He's been with Joe on and off for like 23 years, when Joe first got started. He’s our acoustic guitar player.

(CSC) 2. Having been with Joe for 16 years, what are some of your favorite memories and highlights from working with him?!

(Michael Jeffers)

You know, with Joe, every night's an adventure. I mean, we have a set list, but he can call anything which keeps you on your toes. And I do appreciate that. We've been fortunate enough to travel to some great places. We just got back from Norway, which was awesome. You know, we've been to Kuwait together and done a whole bunch of stuff. So, besides that Joe's got great music, you know, I mean, it'd be different if the music was bad, but Joe's music is always great!

(CSC) 3. What do you enjoy most about life on the road with your fellow bandmates?

(Michael Jeffers)

Well, I've seen a lot of them come and go over the years. You know, and 80% of this job's the hang, you know, 'cause you're only on stage for an hour and a half a day. So, you try to find some common interest with guys that also share a passion for music. We take walks together, which sounds weird, but you just got to get off the bus, get out and explore. And late-night movies and dirty jokes.

(CSC) 4. Do you have any pre show routine with the band other than the usual warm up before you take the stage?!

(Michael Jeffers)

No, Joe does the warm ups, and everybody kinda’ finds a corner or whatever and warms up a little bit, and then we say a prayer and hit the stage.

(CSC) 5. Born in Knoxville and raised in Kingsport Tennessee, you had a very musical family and performed together. Tell us about that!

(Michael Jeffers)

Well, my father was kind of like the local guy in Kingsport that would open when national acts would come through. We're talking about the late 60s, 70s. And you know, you're opening for Merle and people like Bill Anderson, Little Jimmy Dickens, you know, that kind of era. And then as Chad and I got old enough to play, he started a little family band, and we've never looked back.

(CSC) Chad’s your brother! What did your father play?

(Michael Jeffers)

My dad played acoustic guitar. And Chad started out playing the drums, and I started playing the piano, and then finally Chad played guitar and I played bass. Chad was in Pinmonkey with me and now he’s been playing with Carrie Underwood, and he’s been with her for 16 years. We’ve been fortunate!

(CSC) 6. Your father was friends with Conway Twitty! What was that like for you as a kid? Did you have the chance to be around him and Loretta (Lynn)!? Any special stories you recall?

(Michael Jeffers)

Yes. I don't know exactly how they met. This was back in the day before if you wanted a record deal, you just came to Nashville and knocked on doors. Dad would come to Nashville and knock on doors and he met Bill Anderson, and they wrote some songs together. Somehow, he got hooked up with Conway. And Conway and Loretta recorded one of Dad's songs, but it was never released. I'll need to find that and get you a copy of it! It’s really good!

(CSC) So what was it like for you as a kid? Did you get to be around Loretta? Any special things you could share?

(Michael Jeffers)

Yes! I have one memory. Like I said, we lived in Kingsport. So, Knoxville is like an hour and a half. They're playing at the Bowling Thompson arena, Conway and Loretta. And we were backstage behind the curtain and Conway walked by and spoke to my dad and me, and my brother was there but I don't remember him being there, but I remember Loretta then coming back and she was just genuine and sweet. You know, just a brief moment, but I'll never forget it. 

(CSC) 7. You and your brother Chad were in a band called Pinmonkey around 2002. Had the chance to record a song with Dolly Parton and went on tour with Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack. What a ride! Tell us about that great time in your life!

(Michael Jeffers)

Yeah, it was a good time. There was a lot of good music being made then. We got lucky and we probably shouldn't have gotten a major deal because we were a little more Americana at the time. But at that time, you could kind of do both. We got a lot of critical acclaim, which normally doesn't mean record sales, but the press really loved us. We had a big time, you know, we toured with Willie, did a lot of stuff with Vince (Gill), and we just played some cool shows with great artists. We also had Ricky Skaggs and Rusty Young from Poco play on the record. We were just lucky enough to have a lot of good guests. And then Dolly, holy cow. You know, as a kid with the family band, we actually performed at Dollywood for a summer. A few weekends a summer, you know. So that was a special connection there. It was really neat.

(CSC) Did you tour with Vince Gill?

(Michael Jeffers)

We did some shows with Vince. And, we also played the Opry like 30 times. We’d go out and do it “power acoustic” the four of us right up front across the stage. We loved the bluegrass and it was always a lot of fun. I don't listen to a lot of new country but I have noticed when I flip through, you'll hear more Dobro now and more kind of that sound I'm not saying we had anything to do with it but you know, it's kind of coming back around a little bit, which is nice. It's good to hear.

(CSC) 8. When you aren’t on the road with Joe Nichols. What do you enjoy doing most when at home!?

(Michael Jeffers)

Well, we like to cook. We do a lot of porch sitting. We've got a quiet spot about an hour outside of Nashville. And you know, it's just quiet. I like to decompress. Just read and watch. Julie's a big decorator. We watch decorating shows and home tours. You know we're pretty chill. We just kind of do our thing. Take the time to relax.

Enjoy photos from the interview below;