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Joel Goldberg: Welcome into rounding the bases, the podcast about culture and leadership with a baseball twist presented by enterprise Bank and Trust together, there's no stopping you.

Enterprise Bank and Trust was founded by entrepreneurs with the core focus of serving privately owned small and medium sized businesses who have a story to tell. Enterprise bank commitment is to listen, learn and guide clients to a lifetime of financial success. My name is Joel Goldberg coming to you from the Kansas City audio visual studios, they create engaging spaces, check them out.

Joel Goldberg: At kcba.com  I’m happy to connect you with on land ever over there. I am so excited for my guests here on rounding the bases today. And so much to discuss. Ryan Kilgore is the founder and CEO of the Kilgore Music Foundation, he's been playing music professionally, since he was a kid. More than just an accomplished saxophone player. This is a saxophone player that has traveled the world with the likes of Stevie Wonder. He has been in movies, he is making a difference with his not just love but abilities in music. In terms of education what he's able to do for kids. And like so many of us, the world has changed during coven but the world also keeps going on. So I'm very excited right now to bring into rounding the bases Ryan Kilgore Scott for those that are watching on the live stream got the picture of the saxophone. Behind him. Yeah, as it should be. Ryan, how are you, 

Ryan Kilgore: I'm doing wonderful. How you doing, good to see you. 

Joel Goldberg: Good. Yeah, it's good to see you again. I know that you and I visited Mike Beier Meyer Music . And band of angels in Kansas City introduced us. I always say if Mike introduces me to someone, because he has such a big heart and he so well connected, That I want to meet that person. I didn't know. And when you and I met that I get the chance to connect with a guy that has traveled with one of my favorites. And who doesn't love Stevie Wonder. But you've had that opportunity. You know, there's so much I want to talk to you about. But I want to jump right in there too. It's got to be normal. Now sing out I've played with Stevie Wonder, but there's still has to be an element where you pinch yourself too. Right.

Ryan Kilgore: Yeah, sometimes it's when you meet people that maybe you've never met before and they reference it, and to see sometimes their reaction of how big it is to them, you know, you're like, wow, I never really looked at it from their perspective. It just kind of happened, you know, and it's along your journey going through your journey and you're looking like wow, like, okay, I'm here, but did I just do that. So it's pretty, pretty cool. 

Joel Goldberg: Yeah. And I, the way that I can relate Ryan is just that I’ll on a regular basis have people say when you met so and so baseball player or you get to talk to him and you understand that it's a big deal in the sense that it means so much to people. But the flip side of it too is that you understand that. This athlete or this musician Stevie Wonder whoever it is, and I've been lucky enough in my career to have the opportunity to interview some big time actors and musicians and celebrities and what you ultimately realizes, they're living a unique life for sure. They're people. Right. Yeah. 

Ryan Kilgore: Yeah. They are people and that's that's definitely one of the biggest things after spending time with people in after working with someone you realized you know everybody has good days and bad days, they have moments where it's really exciting. It's a lot of stuff going on and you know, you have to learn how to create that balance in your life to be able to juggle but also you see them even in spite of things, step up to the plate and really kind of like knock your socks off like wow you know he wasn't really feeling good. This morning, but he just that was one of the best shows we've done on tour. You know, you see that you're like, Okay. So those things are possible to fight through, you know. So, but, uh, but yeah, the regular people.

Joel Goldberg: There's a message there to about grinding through the tough days, right, because I always say it. In terms of television. And we saw this where we covered baseball that sheer this show goes on the show must go on. Unless it's cancelled that's going on. And so how many of us are ever at 100% you know that when you are, it's a great feeling right you know that as musician. I know if I'm locked in as a broadcaster and you can fill in the blank for any profession. When you are in that zone, there's nothing better. But you're not in the zone. Most of the time, too. And so I'm curious how that has changed here for you during the pandemic as a musician, and I think we can call you a philanthropist and educator activist, all of it. The world has changed. So how have you been able to push through this well.

 

Ryan Kilgore: For a second, you know, you have to like re evaluate kind of debrief and say, Okay, where was I hated you know, was it in does this change the direction that I was here today, you know, something like a pandemic lack of coping, you know, and so then you're like okay well I still want to help people. I still love music. I still want to make music so that hasn't changed my passion has changed. So once identified that then it's like, Okay, well, now my approach may have to be different, you know, before I was easily to have after school program.

Where you can meet with someone face to face, you know, a group of kids that you can meet with. But now, if that kid does have a computer and there's not even a viral connection there. So you're like, Okay, well, now how do I create this desire to want to be a musician. If they can't see it. They can't feel it, they can't be around it. 

 

Ryan Kilgore: So now we have the, you know, shift in the creativity of what we're trying to do. So I've been able to actually I've been working on, my producer skills, I guess. And building honest and something I've been doing for years now, but just kind of challenging myself to say okay, 

what if I was had to come up with some music for commercial. What if I had to, you know, create something and I'm on a plane and I just get this email before I get on the plane and a half an hour and a half. You know, to figure out what I'm going to present to this music supervisor, whatever. Just play these games with myself and I will just quickly. See how fast I can come up with something, whether it be from using my phone from being my saxophone from you know, whatever. I had, you know, to build on something. So that kind of grew into me more. So building into production and building the catalog of music. So during the pandemic, I was able to really focus on what kind of energy. Now can I put toward this part of my world, and from that standpoint. It really opened my eyes to see myself as more than just a sax player more than just the musician that plays with different artists, you know, there's some music that I can give to the world. So it's beautiful process to go through, you know. So now it's like, how do I make that tangent and some of those are certain steps. 

Joel Goldberg: You know, I mean, because I'm seeing so much of that too. And if we want to still be who we are. I don't mean that's a person but you know whatever our talents are, and you want to do it exactly the way you did it before, there's a good chance you're going to get left behind. Right. I mean, we hear the word pivot so much, and pivot doesn't necessarily have to mean doing a completely different thing. But I think you have to re evaluate the way we go about things. Unless you're lucky enough where you were already some form of an online business that was structured for this. You have to figure out a way to still do what you do, which is music, whether that be in an educational standpoint, whether that be making music, whether that be even playing live right there. You're not just going to turn your back on that and say, Okay, I just put in my whole life to music. I guess I'll move on to something else. Right, that's

what people think about in terms of pivot, you have to figure out what a more effectively know different Ryan than the restaurant that says I can't have people in there. But you know what

Ryan Kilgore: I have to figure out a way to get to my customers. Yeah, I do a different way. 

Joel Goldberg: So what have you heard from people during this course. I mean, here's the thing about what you do. And then I want to talk about your background because it's fascinating, but

people always love music they like the joy of music and maybe not everybody likes music. But I would say that most people have whatever it is their favorite right i mean if you like Rafi like rap. It'd be like classical you like classical jazz, whatever it is, it's almost the music. Yeah.

And it's not going away. That's been the case going to be getting attached to the good news is you have an audience, you have people that still want to feel good. And get lost in their music. But what have you learned or heard from people during these six, seven months.

Ryan Kilgore: Well, I think people. I can see from from I guess a outside looking in the inside looking out that people have a deeper appreciation, you know, for live instrumentation for lot of musicians who are going to a concert or hearing. MUSIC Someone saying someone dance you know these things have become more precious, I think. During this time, so you know, on either side. I think if we're able to come and build a bridge in that way to where when the fan comes to a concert, they give their all to that concert and if the musician comes to the concert to give their all to the concert. We all the given are all to participate in a moment. They will never have again. So it becomes a precious moment. And that's something that I do hope that we were able to get from this is taken advantage of. When you go to a concert, man. If I guarantee, and but there is the beauty in that music and survive through all of that. And it is a, it's a language that we all understand and definitely a quote from one of Stevie songs. You know, it's something that

No matter what your religion, no matter what your age, you come from, no matter what part of the world, you come from, you know, a song can touch every single one of us. And so that's the beauty of I guess the encouragement that you can get from being a musician or an artist or creative anybody that's doing when you find your passion it. 

Ryan Kilgore: I think it doesn't even matter. I think you're passionate, it's gonna it's gonna it has this GPS system that direct you to the next like you saying the pivot. Where you get there. It's like, oh, this is the next phase of where we're at. It just embrace it. Once you embrace it, then You know you're headed in a completely different direction with on the same path. That makes sense. It does. 

Joel Goldberg: And if you're lucky enough to find that passion. You got to run with it and enjoy every single moment of it. I want to talk about how you are able to get to where you are today, which will then set us up beautifully. For the Kilgore Music Foundation, so that we can really talk about what you're able to do. And for anyone that wants to learn more by the way, about the foundation, you can go to Kilgore music foundation.org this was not something that you stumbled upon LATER IN LIFE AND I THINK MOST MUSICIANS start somewhat early, but I know that you are, you are getting paid for gigs as a kid. Where did the music ability and passion come from and how early, was it, man. I think

Ryan Kilgore: I think, based on my family's history. I'm trying to think of a good metaphor I feel like, it was it was music in the world. You know, there was so much. The music was already there and I came into into music, you know, and so my father play piano and uncles that play SAX, uncles that  play drums And stuff. They were marching band cousins. THEY WENT THERE MARCHING BAND play sec, I mean it was just tons of just, Just Awesome Music. You know, just to walk into. So that's what the initial spark comes from. And then I remember seeing my uncle actually played the saxophone in the Air Force, At a concert big lights. He's been featured and it just made me feel so good. I'm so proud of him. I was probably like seven or eight years old. And I was so proud of him. You know, just like man, like I want to do that, you know, that then looks exciting and and then I got a saxophone age 10, and by the time I was 14 I was playing for weddings and I just think the natural ability to hearing the music, that language made sense to me. And so it was able saxophone gave me the voice I needed to be able to speak to people.

Joel Goldberg: What, what was it about the SAX that drew you to it over any other instrument.

Ryan Kilgore: Well, well, I started off actually playing drums in church. You know, like most kids, they're they're sitting, you know, right there by the drums, you know, like can wakes up drama gets off you know you got your own wire hangers. The ring off the car board you make your sticks and stuff. But I think the saxophone, my mom  really wanted me to be a singer. And so I was always kind of like, I don't know if I'm saying, you know, and saxophone just kind of, created an extension of the voice. I still heard the lead voice, but this was an opportunity for me to just create a different style, you know, and people love you know the saxophone. So it just kind of a fit with my desire was at the time.

Joel Goldberg: So it starts to build and build and then you end up taking it to another level in college. But correct me if I'm wrong up. I remember from our conversation,  you are getting pulled in some different directions there and maybe being encouraged to go elsewhere, you obviously made the right choice, and actually, I know that in some of your, your music. There's some fun stuff in there about basically questioning you for why you're doing what you're doing. Tell me about that because you followed that passion and it really paid off. 

Ryan Kilgore: Yeah, I just think doing some of that time they were there were people sometimes when you when you have something that's very strong you passionate about. Not everyone sees it at the beginning. And they have their doubts and it could be based on their personal experiences of what they've seen you know the music industry or whatever affect people or

those type of things, but I just always feel like I was strong enough, the people around me hit had me in a good environment in terms of me being confident. What was you know as much as possible to know that just because I played the saxophone, if I wasn't playing church.

That if I was playing in the world that I could still be functional. You know, and not lose my mind and I knew play the saxophone, because of the marching band, you know, opened my eyes to a different world to performance world, you know, being able to travel high school being the Olympics, The Macy's Parade those things, you know, it's like, oh, wow, okay. 

Ryan Kilgore: There's so many other things I can do that's not offensive. It does not disrespectful. It doesn't, you know it it enlightens me and it pulls the best out of me. You know, I want to be great at this, like, It becomes the amino you become a, like a magnetic field pools you closer into what their passion is. And then once you start seeing the possibilities. Of course you get reminded along the way. When people say that you can accomplish something or someone. Questions you know your ideology of how you're seeing things or your vision of how you've seen it.

Is that I was just me just kind of paying tribute to those people saying like, you know, even though you said that that was probably the fire that I needed, in order for me to keep going to keep pushing and saying, Okay, I'm going to be graded this like I'm going to figure out a way to make this happen. And at the same time, it's a funny little skip, you know, to put it at the beginning of a record to say you quit your job to do music, you know, because I had heard that before. You know, and it's just like yeah like I feel like, you know, once I got their first gig at 14. I was like, oh, I know I can. I can make a living doing this. I just have to do it enough to make it make sense.

Joel Goldberg: It's so interesting to me because one. I heard smaller bits of that in terms of going in TV. But look, the likelihood of making it to where I did in TV while far from a given and most people don't. Most people. I went to school with got out before it started and said I'm going to go find a marketing job or I'm going to go do this and they might have been happy. They might have not. I've heard from some that say well, I kind of regret not giving it more of a chance. With that said, and you know this with some of your gigs that you played early on, you're not making a whole lot of money and it is the passion, which keeps you going because

you're not in it at that point for the money. Not that you are now, but hopefully you're more rewarded for it, but, every step along the way people are going to tell you to take the safe route. I mean, I heard that, but more significantly, 

 

Joel Goldberg: I think, is, I hear so often from baseball players and stars that have made it that said you know when they asked us what we want to be when we grew up. Everybody said baseball player basketball player and all the teachers would say you're never going to do that. And here I am. So I always want to tell people follow that passion, 

Also, though, and importantly have other outlets and other paths and that leads me to segue into the Kilgore Music Foundation, because I know that, you're not necessarily helping craft the next Ryan Kilgore. The next Stevie Wonder. But you're also making sure that music is a part of kids lives and the statistics show that that can make it big impact. Right.

Ryan Kilgore: Absolutely, absolutely. When you think about one county may have 100,000 students music students, you know, in a particular area. That's a lot of people, you know, in the media stadium. Football Stadium holds 70 80,000 people, you know. So imagine if all those people were musicians, you know, all those people played an instrument. It helps you with discipline helps you with learning to work well with others. It teaches you about a different language opens your mind makes you think, all these different multitasking skills that you learn from being able to step at the same time. Remember the notes that you plant in all these things. It helps the development of the brain. And I think people, you know, sometimes not to get all scientific about it but, sometimes people you know disregard that aspect you know of learning music and what it does for a child's brain. And it keeps you out of trouble. You know, I didn't have a chance to think about certain things to do, or to be a part of. Because I was always trying to learn music and,  once I found that passion and it's really about the passion you know music just happened to be my my passion, but, you know kid needs to find its passion music as a way as a gateway into a skilled job market. You know, there's workforce development that needs to be attached to learning music, you know, so you understand that there's a ,I may not become Stevie Wonder, but I can be Stevie Wonder sound technician. 

Ryan Kilgore: You know, I can be his engineer. I could be his you know road manager, I could be his wardrobe stylist. There's so many other things that you know you could fall under to still be a part of whoever the next news. And just get them interested exposed their minds to see those different types of things, and that's what I learned being on tour. When I got on tour with Stevie. That was the first major tour that I had done. And so to see other people doing their jobs. Along the way, you're like, wow. He's surrounded by all these great people, but they're good at what they do across the board that makes the whole machine. So, wow, okay. So all these different paths lead us all to the same moment you know and and so to me. MUSIC, getting instruments that have been in people's basements to go Raj is there, you know, all these places where it's collecting dust, now to me the instrument represents a child reps as a student represents the senior citizen represents someone that wants to develop their brain is someone that it needs to have a different outlet, just because it's their passion because they want to play for a wedding. They want to play for the mother, you know, I've had all kinds of people that you know say, Hey, I just want to put my wife down out you know how much time. Okay, can you help. You know those types of scenarios, but the foundation. Really, it has given me the outlet to to actually give you know and to give someone else an opportunity to share my story with them to give them an opportunity to have a dream. That's what I'm most excited.

Joel Goldberg: Well, I know I mentioned our mutual friend Mike Meyer and yes you know he he talked, and he runs band of of angels and he said, there's not a better human being in the music business. Then Ryan Kilgore his heart and talent are huge and he spent three days, helping and talking with kids in KC in 2017 for band of angels, and he sent me a picture. Not everyone that's listening on iTunes Spotify and on the audio stream will will get to see this, but I'll pop it up and you could describe it, because then the reason why I wanted to ask you. This is a picture of you presenting a kid an instrument up on stage. Big smiles looks like a lot of emotion to. And I'm just wondering what that emotion for someone like you is to be able to know that you're making an impact in someone's life.

Ryan Kilgore: You know, I remember. You know, it's like when you have something that could potentially be taken away you're renting an instrument, when you get your first car when when something is that yours. You don't feel as connected to, you know, and there's a lot of people that go through life that never really get a chance to have something that belongs completely to them. And here's a student that loves to play the trumpet loves music our life is changing because of music, but she doesn't have her own issue. She's never had a brand. She's always had a used or, you know, something like that. And so to know that now someone paid attention enough to her,

to be able to you know to give her that. It's like me reliving my moment all over again. And when you see that you see the joy that you see the graduate, they go on to college and now they're you know it you already knew was going to happen, but it's just a beautiful journey to to actually watch it live to see it happen. And so when I found out about band of angels. I was like, man, I have to participate. I have to like Mike, I can't just come in, you know, just play for the game. You guys are doing an amazing job. And this is amazing to see, you know, so it was gracious for them to allow me to help set that up, to be able to visit you know with those students. I had a great time.

Joel Goldberg: So I know that that has to be part of the purpose, right, and being able to impact lives that way. And so I want to ask you one more question about the foundation before I moved to the to the baseball themed questions but how, how much is this foundation or your passion for it grown. How much is that giving you the energy because I know that you could love playing music all you want, but like you said before. You're going to have bad days you're going to have days where you don't feel it and you still have to be able to deliver, I equate that to the picture that says they don't have their best stuff, but that they actually feel more gratification for grinding through that, versus the complete game shutout because they had to dig down deeper. Those are tough days, though, too, but how much does something like the Kilgore Music Foundation, you'll you on a daily basis.

Ryan Kilgore: Well i mean it's it's definitely grow because initially, it started off with the instruments and then of course you know I'm a dreamer. I'm a visionary, and so as I traveled and I see other programs and I got a chance to kind of really fill out some different things and go to different concerts and just see different cultures. You know, you realize this is not just a problem for one community, you know, this is a this is a global, you know situation where music and music programs are being devalued a stripped away of funding. You know, kids not having though that group of people again hundred thousand people maybe one county, you know. So imagine that in different little bubbles around the world. So it's like, how do we become a global foundation. How do we become you know somewhere where we're able to tour and go and see different music programs because you know, build out you know how to revive your music program, you know, those kinds of programs. 

Ryan Kilgore: So that's definitely grown, you know, in essence,even musically. We were prepared to release next year. Our first foundation album, which I'm excited about. And this will benefit the foundation and, you know, just kind of bring awareness to what we're trying to do, you know, and how we can help each other, and that right there is the passion of being able to go to children's hospitals, go on to the prisons, go on to the subs abuse facilities, all these different places where people have forgotten about. We play music and we give free concerts and do all these different things. So it's really become like a refreshing feeling that I get a chance to get in return.You know, for doing those types of events. So it really is exciting to be a singles genuine smiles, because you play someone's favorite song. He made them. Remember when they were a kid. You know, that kind of stuff is is the payment, you know, from the foundation side. So I'm excited about continuing that after you know we get through this pandemic.

Joel Goldberg: Remind everybody that you can find out more information on all of what Ryan and the foundation are doing at Kilgoremusicfoundation.org I want to hit you with these baseball themed questions now. Time for the baseball team. Question is brought to you by kiss the construction trusted team reliable partner, check them out at kissick co.com is we're recording this right now the Atlanta Braves I know were eliminated a couple days going to load your Braves fan of being down there and I was pulling for the, by the way, because there Are some Kevin sites are short, but very entertaining team. You don't have to talk about baseball, though. My question to you is this. And if people are listening, they, they won't be able to see the pain and Ryan space as an Atlanta native. But how about for you in terms of your career musically. What's the biggest home run. You pick

Ryan Kilgore: I would say definitely and then in the Stevie Wonder again, being able to also be featured on his lab at last dvd that we filmed in London.  Beautiful story that goes with that but just excited that that was something that I can hang my hat on, to say I was a part of

Joel Goldberg: So what's the, what's the story. What's the story that went with it. 

Ryan Kilgore: Okay, so I was actually on the road touring with Tyler Perry and Stevie called and

I had to leave. I was able to leave the tour. Go to a performance with Stevie and then we toured this summer. So, so as we're doing throughout the summer. As I'm leaving on the other production with Tyler They decided to downsize. And so one of the musicians was going to get let go, but at the same time on my side, they actually go to Europe with them doing the same time frame. So this is like both tours. We're going on at September at the same time. Sounds like okay well this is an easy fix. Hey mate, go ahead and let me go, let let this gentleman, keep the job. I'm gonna go ahead and go with Stevie and then we go on tour. So we started to get on the tour. About two weeks until they say oh by the way we're going to fill in the DVD while we're here, what? How ironic is that you know that What, what does that mean, what do you mean we're filming the DVD? You know, then you go from four cameras to like 16 cameras. There's artists extra lighting and stuff going on there like, which is your wardrobe. We got to do to nice tape, man.

Ryan Kilgore: And all these things and then you still in disbelief is still just a regular show on the tour, but it's really not a regular show this is something that they're trying to sell you know, in place into the marketplace for the rest of the world to see. And so I remember being in

the next year. This is 2008 2009 I remember when it came out in a friend of mine. One of my best friend is calls. He says, Man, I'm in Best Buy and they have you guys on the big screen with the whole 20 TVs full this the we want to kind of serve haste, and I'm sitting on the couch, you know, just basically watching my boys PLAY WITH STEVIE WONDER. And it was just like

man, like how did this happened like I can't believe this happened. So that was probably one of the bigger moments you know in my career. Definitely a home run. That I was able to share, making sure something else. A friend of mine, a colleague kept his job and as well got an opportunity and not knowing that that was going to be the outcome. 

Joel Goldberg: Yeah, you made you made a choice to help somebody else up. Oh, by the way, you get a chance to end up on Stevie Wonder's DVD that people will see forever and ever. So pretty cool stuff. Okay. How about a swing and a miss. And what did you learn from it.

Ryan Kilgore: Okay, so swing and a miss I would say I had an audition for Justin Timberlake and

this guy got this call on Saturday night around 11:30pm. He says, hey, are you available for an audition on Monday. And I'm like, well, yeah, you know, cool and I live in Atlanta, and they're like, whoa auditions in LA. Okay. Oh, can you get there. I like oh, it's Saturday. Okay. And I just left my job, actually. And so we're probably a month in of me leaving my job. And I'm like, all right, well, I ended up making a few phone calls, call us with different people and I ended up going to making it to LA and actually did the audition. Only to for them to decide after audition and horn players at the home of lizard horn players that they did that, hey, you know what, we don't even need any horns and it’s  like you know, and so it's one of those times where, you know, you'd like wishing and then later on. You see them with Big Horn sections and all this kind of stuff, whatever. So, you know, it happens sometimes. You win. Sometimes, you lose.

Joel Goldberg: Maybe Timberlake will come calling again if he knows what's good for right now. It'll be great. It'll be great. If you're watching JT anyway last baseball field question small ball. What are the little things that add up to the big things.

Ryan Kilgore: Ah, I think sometimes just being consistent with something so for me, I'm looking for, like, I was talking earlier about doing production and doing for TV and film, you know, just me doing little things like every time I get on a plane, I would challenge myself doing that plane rides basically created a beat or create a track or something like that. My goal is to eventually build up my catalog, to have someone calls me into a meeting, I can say, oh, I have 30 songs right here, I can let you listen to that I worked on. And if I do that every time I want to play in here, but do it every time I was standing outside, you know, just randomly walking and taking a walk, you know, just figuring those small times to pick something out to get an idea of, you know, just consistently do that you look up and you have hundred songs you have 1000 songs 2000 songs.

And those are the things that when someone calls you get that special call and you're in a position to where you are, you have what you need, you know, and that's something that I used to do it even a practice in my saxophone just practice a little bit of time, little bit at a time to time.

Listen to a little bit of time just a little bit of time just building those habits, you know, eventually it gets to the point where it becomes second nature. And then it now you have a formula for how you can quickly do something, how you can manage something I could do it efficiently and be graded at the same time, because now it's it's second. 

Joel Goldberg: so it's that foundation Of who you are, in terms of being a part of that every day success that you have right, those little details that end up leading the so much success, For final days or fourth for final questions as we round the bases and wrap this up. The first question Ryan is going to be this that first paid gig as a musician, as a young teenager. How much did you make. 

Ryan Kilgore: I mean, hundred dollars Hahaha.

Joel Goldberg:  And that was for a wedding. 

Ryan Kilgore: Yeah, this is what wedding. So I actually was trying to decide between when I was going to be an NFL player. Privacy or a running back or something like that or if I was sort of like music and this is don't apart. We have a model basically gave me an ultimatum. She said, You get her one time. And I played football that fractured ankle in the next week was also scheduled by first wedding. And so now I'm sitting in half caste, because I fractured my ankle, and I'm playing. You are so beautiful to the bride that's coming down the house and afterwards I got $800 don't like me. So if I play football, I can't get paid until 20 at least 2122 years old but if 14 years old. So I want to just pay me $100 to play a song. I think I'm gonna be a musician and it just kind of went from there.

 

Joel Goldberg: Yeah, although some might say the pockets could probably use your help. I'm being really rude from a sports standpoint right now.

Ryan Kilgore: I just got to take it. 

Joel Goldberg: You got to take it and this is this is why sometimes I think people down mid Atlantic just prefer to watch college sports, because it's a little bit safer man oh my god is so good. Rich. Oh my god. So that was not even fair for me to go there. Okay, second question, as we round the basis. Yes, you did have the appearances any involvement in Stevie Wonder's DVD, but you are on the big screen well before that tell my audience about your movie background.

Ryan Kilgore: So I had a wonderful opportunity to attend Clark Atlanta University and I became the first freshman drum major in the school's history. During my sophomore year, we got word that 20th Century Fox was coming on campus to campus and check us out to see maybe if they want to film a movie. There were like, okay, cool, you know, and then it ends up that it's a movie about watching bands were like what. Okay, next thing you know, I've been pushed to do some auditions that I landed the role as one of the drum majors for the ANC band in the movie Drumline. And that was, I mean, such a crazy amazing experience being able to actually do what you do in real life with now on the screen. And even cooler stat for that is the be the AMT band was made up of my high school marching band and my college marching band. And both of those schools mascots, are they are the panther. And so I was able to be a path of like ultimate panther. You know me in that situation. So it was, it was really cool. It's a noun. Note, you know, meeting people later on. And they're like, man, that's my favorite movie of all time. I was really, really, really hard to dissipate them. But then later fighting cetaceans died from a black woman Country Bears Alvin and the Chipmunks for more. I mean, just a lot of different other aspects and I hope that keeps going. And, you know, as, as time moves on.

Joel Goldberg: third question, as we round the basis if it's normal relatively normal to live in Stevie Wonder's existence as you have I wonder if there is a song he plays that you all play that is a favorite, because everybody has probably not just one Stevie Wonder favorite song, either by the way, how could you only have one but you know his music. you hear certain songs and you just get that feel good going, you know, and it brings you back to whatever time period. I mean, it reminds me of sitting in class in seventh grade with a friend just humming Stevie Wonder tunes and I don't know why, then, but is there a song you play with him that just just tops the rest?

Ryan Kilgore: Man. I will say, as you were saying that I was thinking, I mean, there's so many moments so so so especially with dB is about to about two and a half hours, you know, and so of course you know with so much music. He's going down the list of hit after hit after hit after hit.

Like, you know, even as a fan. You're just like, I can't believe that this guy is this many songs. You're playing right in love and you're playing them. You know, that kind of thing. So, but also as a fan. I would say overjoyed is definitely one because there's no horn parts on overjoyed. But I'm usually still on the stage when he's performing that song so you get a chance to like really analyze the people and how they're receiving you know this song is seeing how he's given the emotion behind it and and just how it climbs as well. And then I would say the one that that's really cool or fun is definitely when we do superstition. And you know, you see. Everybody dance and and having a good time and you know he's being silly, usually on that song, that kind of thing. The singers from of Saturday's do there. Now move it around, everybody's kind of, you know, it's like this whole freedom of just having a good time, you know, don't you worried about a  thing is another good one. It's just an open flow. You know, it's just like, you just go to this whole other world. So it's definitely amazing it but it's so many it's so hard to choose. With that those a couple of that, you know, I definitely have a good time listening to.

 

Joel Goldberg:  There has  to be moments where you do pinch yourself right?

Ryan Kilgore:  oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah i mean, I would say one is we did a show in Rio. This is definitely a few years ago and, they were expected to shut the city down pretty much. And so this concert is on the beach and they have speakers lined up every so often, you know, throughout this long span of a beach and it ended up being 750,000 people on shots in the beach. And you're just looking out into the sea of people to hear this to hear music, you know, to hear this amazing artists, you know, before when you're just like, Like I've never seen anything. I never thought I would ever see anything like that in my life, you know. So those are the type of ones, maybe you're just like, This is incredible. I can't believe I'm like, Is it me, am I still here.

Joel Goldberg: That's wild and amazing. But then again, I'll remind everyone that this is what

Ryan does. And so you do have those moments, but you still have a job to do and you still need to go about your business. But so much of that enables you and gives you that platform. I know for the Kilgore Music Foundation. So my walk off question is this. We've talked a lot about it.

The kids the foundation so much information on the website for for anyone that's interested, 

what do you tell those kids when they asked you, or they say to you, hey, I want to be a professional musician. I want to be the next Ryan Kilgore. I want to be the next Stevie Wonder. I want to be the next Justin Timberlake whoever, whatever it is, as you meet all these kids and you go into the schools during normal times and you're making an impact. What do you tell them when they ask?

Ryan Kilgore: Lots of them. I give them the three P's and call that person passion purpose. So every person has a passion. Is to deal with that first like this this deal with understanding what is my passion and Abby passion has a purpose. What is the purpose of music. What is the purpose of painting. What's the purpose of dancing, you know, in every purpose has a person. 

So every time you use your passion, it leads you to your purpose. Your purpose is to use your passion to touch a person. So every time I play a song. My goal is to touch at least one person in the room that's that's it play from our hearts to the point where it touches that person that make them feel better. And once we get those three P's. I feel like everything else really starts to you, you become a magnet and you start to draw in those opportunities and those different things when you're focused on your purpose, your passion and the person that you're using it for the person that you're giving it to. And when you get those three principles, I think,you start to understand your gift has a GPS system and it just takes you around the basis as you do the home run like ever since, so he hit it. You just know. Okay, great. All right, and so that's, to me, one of the main things that I, you know, give them as a nugget. In as well. Believing in themselves, you know, understanding that before you can believe in your dream or your whatever you got up believing yourself. You have to really know that this is what I'm here for.

And if you don't have that belief, it's gonna be hard for you to believe in others, it's gonna be hard for you to, you know, really be dedicated to what you're saying you want to become you know Vegas, a lot of hours. A lot about a lot of hours. Just dedication. So things like that. Like, it's like that. 

Joel Goldberg: That right there is the walk off home run for sure for anyone that wants to learn more about Ryan about the foundation Kilgoremusicfoundation.org There's a great fact on the website that says schools with music programs have an estimated 90.2% graduation rate and 93.9% attendance rate compared to schools without music education. So I know that Ryan's big passion and purpose in helping people in life is making sure that kids have that same opportunity that he does. And so ,One checkout killer Music Foundation.  two check out Ryan's music, whatever, whatever you use to get your music. You'll find him. Trust me, I'll do it again. I jumped into the car today, to go to a speaking gig that I have a virtual getting actually later and I will make sure that I'm listening to the smooth sacks and will be some people telling you I can't believe you're going into music. But I think that all worked out really well. So And and will continue to do so to Ryan. Thanks so much for spending time today on rounding the bases continued success with the music with the foundation and let us know how we can help in any way.

Ryan Kilgore: Thank you so much. I appreciate it into Mike is enough for connecting us definitely way past the show. And I look forward to growing our relationship as well. And I just had a fun, you know, just the whole experience has been great. So thank you for having me on the show and good luck with the show. I hope it grows, you know, and grows and grows and grows to your heart's content. 

Joel Goldberg: So I appreciate it. Thank you so much. And we will continue the discussion, without a doubt, so it's great to be able to have Ryan Kilgore on the program here today. My name is Joel Goldberg again killed our music foundation.org if you want to reach me, you can do so with Joel Goldberg media.com a thanks to my sponsors enterprise Bank and Trust. #nostoppingyou. KC AV Kansas City audio visual and kissick construction that's going to do it for this episode of rounding the bases presented by enterprise Bank and Trust hope to catch you next time.

Rounding the Bases with Joel Goldberg Podcast was created to share the stories of men and women in business and entrepreneurship that are both well knowing and or hidden gems. Joel believes that everyone has a story and their story matters which is why Joel is eager to connect with individuals that are bringing value to their community through innovation, leadership, entrepreneurial journeys, and developing company culture. If you would like to be a guest on Joel's podcast please email us at joel@joelgoldbergmedia.com.

 

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