Navigating Work, Life, and Creating Music in the Margins with Anse Rigby
Casey Combest: Hello everyone. And welcome to the Blue Sky Studios Podcast, where we speak with real people that are playing their music every day, like Anse Rigby. Anse! How are you today, man?
Anse Rigby: Man, I'm doing wonderful. It's so good to be here with you.
Casey Combest: Yeah, no doubt. I'm glad we're getting do this in person. A lot of these interviews are virtual, so it's good to be here in the studio. Take a moment and tell the listeners a little bit about yourself personally, family or stuff like that. And then a little about your music.
Anse Rigby: Sure. So, Anse Rigby, uh, born and raised Forest, Mississippi. Uh, I have lived in the Brandon area for the past 12-13 years. I am a nurse practitioner, uh, here locally. And, uh, my wife and I have been married for almost 11 years.
We have two little girls, an eight year old Ella Bea and a five year old Charlie. And so, uh, like I said, we live in the, uh, Brandon area. And, um, go to church over Madison. So that's kind of our, um, little bit of my backstory kind of upbringing, what I do, family life.
Casey Combest: And what about your music?
Anse Rigby: So as far as my music goes, I started, um, playing music. When I was a senior in high school. I got a guitar for, uh, Christmas one year and a buddy of mine across the road. Taught me how to play a G, C, D and E minor. I think my first song was, uh, free falling, where it was pretty much just staying in the D formation and the, the hammer on of the Estring there and just kind of figuring out strumming and that sort of thing. And so on into my senior year. I really feel like it was that, uh, that spring is when I wrote my first song. So the spring of 2005, after I figured out a couple chords and, um, that I could put my capo on, um, three and I was just, uh, I was like blown away. Huh? Blown away. I was really, uh, it's just coming back to me.
I was gonna write a, I was gonna do an album with songs. Uh, capo three songs is in the whole album.
Casey Combest: That's awesome.
Anse Rigby: It just came back to me talking that album that's okay. But, uh, yeah, so, um-
Casey Combest: It's not too late, man. We can still do that. No, we can still make that happen. Yeah. Uh, so now you and I have had the pleasure of working on this is we're finishing up the third album. If I'm not mistaken, uh, in the, I guess the last five years, something like that. And, uh, man, it's been fun. Just getting to see your music come to life. I love, uh, hearing your music and I love hanging out with you. It's been a blast. Um, I sound like I'm about to break up with you.
Anse Rigby: This is, and this is, this is where I just kind of tell you, I just a couple things that-
Casey Combest: I'm too big of a producer for you now-
Anse Rigby: um, and so I'm moving on to bigger and better things.
Casey Combest: -it does sound like I'm about to say that, but I'm. See, uh, some really neat moments unfold like doling the Duling Hall moment, uh, the band form around you, and then just people respond to your music. But in, in your own words, what have been some of your favorite moments over the past few years of take, taking that step forward with your music and it not being something that you just do at church or at home?
Anse Rigby: I mean, you said it, man. I think that we've had enough conversations through the years to kind of know where my success has kind of been with this. I mean, Dolen hall for sure was just something, a dream come true that I never thought would happen. I mean, a, just the fact of getting to play it and, um, just being able to have so many people come out and support and for us to be able to do full band and then the friendship really that. Just, I mean, you, you kind of put that together. I mean, honestly, I mean-
Casey Combest: Define the Duling Hall. We didn't, you didn't really say it.
Anse Rigby: Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, Duling- Duling Hall. I remember you and I Duling Hall. I remember you and I having a discussion here, um, back in we'll call this studio negative one. So-
Casey Combest: That's probably more accurate.
Anse Rigby: Just where everything was done, but I remember us having a conversation. You were like, what do you wanna do? And I was like, man, you know, I think it would be really cool to have. Release show at Duling Hall and, um, or no, I think I said, I think I said, I wanna play Duling Hall.
That's what I said. And you were like, dude, freaking do your release show of the first album at Duling Hall. And I was like, do my release show there. What are you talking about? You're like, yeah, freaking do your release show at Duling Hall. And I was like, okay. Oh my gosh. And so in my mind from there, I was just. I would love to, you know, see 75 people there. I was just like, all right, I want 75 tickets sold. I think maybe honestly, that's being a little false, humble. I think I wanted a hundred people there for some reason that was just in my head number. Yeah. And so, uh, the, the weeks kind of come along. I've like, I remember the picture and everything that I used on Facebook kind of to create an event to kind of push things to it.
I was releasing the first album getting some cool traction. Um, with the songs off the first album. Good response. And, um, you know, I remember watching the ticket count towards the end of that week. And I don't say this to brag by any means, because when I tell you that I wanted a hundred people there, it was like the farthest thing.
I was just like, man, if I can get there, that's kind of like the goal that you put way out in front of you. Like I 100 people to get there. And like at the end of the night when it's done and you didn't get a hundred people, you're like, oh man, well still 50 people came. Yeah. , you know, but, uh, re I mean, even.
End of the week where a Duling Hall kind of setting up. I remember one of the guys coming to me and he was like, dude, we're gonna have to move these tables out of here. Uh, we're gonna have to rearrange these chairs because it's sold out, you know, you, you sold tickets out. And so now granted standing room only Duling Hall. I don't know what that number would be, but I remember that being like 260 tickets that we saw. And I remember there being a couple of guys. Uh, sent me some hate text messages afterwards of like, they would not let me in the doors. And I mean, I was almost one of those people.
I like, I think I got the LA second to last ticket.
Yeah. So.
S nuts, man, just nuts that that happened. And just such an, I mean, a, that would have never happened. Had I not decided to take a step to say, Hey, what could something different further in my music be like that, that that moment would not have happened. And
that's a great takeaway for people listening, like take, take those chances, take those gambles that you really never know what's gonna come
out of it.
Sure. Absolutely. And then I think along those same lines, I think the whole, uh, the friendships with, uh, with you, I mean, with the other guys who studio musicians that came in kind of on the first project, I just, you know, tied in really close with. And, um, uh, I feel like that's just been those friendships.
Over the past six years again, I would not have had, had I not taken a step. And I mean, those are the guys that I thoroughly enjoy making music with. I mean, you know, I kinda write the songs and bring 'em in on acoustic or whatever. And then we just kind of go from there. Of creating what the final product, you know, really is.
And, um, you didn't ask this, but, um, that's one thing over the past couple months I've really been trying to do more of is taking mental notes of what successes have happened. In my music realm, because I feel like so often, and this is something honestly, that just recently came out of like how metrics and all this kind of stuff.
But this is something that artists I think have been feeling for a really long time, as far as the, the being disheartened about results, metrics, all that kind of stuff. I'm just saying that because just recently in social media, that's blown up even more so, or I just saw a big post about it. But over the past three months, one of the things that I've.
Kind of to do is like a lot of things that I'm posting on social media. I'll, I'll just kind of tag in, um, hashtag success, just kind of, for myself of, um, Hey, you know, these friendships that I've made, Hey, the fact that we're working on this third record, I mean, those things, I think so often just get dismissed because you're looking for how many views, how many streams.
How many shares, uh, what's the next big thing. And while I feel like all those things, like in and of themself are fine and, and really kind of serve a good purpose because I feel like there's. Um, PLA, um, like a, it's a resume kind of for who you are, what you have been working on and doing, but at the same time, if your eyesight's only there, man, it's like a lonely road because I mean, nothing's good enough.
No, no amount of, I mean, okay. So sold out dual haul locally. Some people who have not done that would think like, man, that's it. That's not it. You know, have your album. Be number one, singer songwriter chart. I mean, looking back now, it's like, that's not even really much of a thing. It was still pretty cool then.
Yeah, it was, it was freaking awesome at the time. It's like how in the world did this happen? But. I'm just saying like in the big scheme of things like that has done zero. Yeah. For my like, oh my gosh. Did you hear about Anse? He, nobody cares. Yeah. You know what I mean? And that's fine. I'm I'm I didn't lose sleep over.
I hadn't lost sleep over, but what I'm saying is like all those different things that you think are really, really important. Sure. You can give him, you know, toss 'em a bone, but at the same time, like, I feel like the major successes are the ones that I'm really trying to tie into of. Our friendship, the fact that we've made, we're working on our finishing up our third full length album here.
I mean, I would hope, I mean, I can't count your successes for you, but I would hope that that's like a success for you. And I mean, I know that that's a success for me, just like personally of, you know, what that's really cool that you've written enough songs like to have three full length albums mm-hmm um, and not to brag that, but just like to.
Again, kind of sit back and just say, Anse, that is a success, man. You've gotta give that like credit that's do some credit, you know? Um, and
it feels like where you're like to some. The last few minutes up, like you're talking about contentment in a lot of ways. Absolutely. Um, absolutely. Well now I do have something I want to get to that might be a little longer, but let's unpack that for a second because I've felt, and I, I think I've even talked about this on the podcast before you can kind of swing in this pendulum if contentment and complacency reside on one side and drive and ambition reside on the other.
Uh, so. That contentment and complacency do come hand in hand. Uh, how do you balance might not be the right word, but how do you hold those in hold contentment in your left hand and thankfulness, but also hold like, Hey, I do want to keep growing. I do want to keep pushing in your right hand. And then how do you wear a hat while you're holding both of those in both hands?
Yeah. Uh, I was recently having this conversation with somebody it's like, um, Just the whole R and roll of all of it. It's like, you just feel like it's this rat race, right. You feel like it's this constant, you know, strive for this to try to pursue, you know, you're pursuing this pursue, pursue pursuit, then maybe you catch up to it.
Are you almost kid up to it? And then it's like, it doesn't bring any type of contentment fulfillment that you think it's gonna bring. the only thing that I know there of just like, I just feel like priorities, trying to shift priorities into line with all of it. I think balance really is a, a great word for it.
I mean, that may be a boring answer, but I, I really just feel like there's got to be, I feel like there's kind of gotta be this drive underlying drive to. Just of personal goals of personal things that you want to achieve. Uh, but at the same time, like just. Telling yourself, you know, that the process, the, I don't, I'm not even gonna say it.
The use of the journey is, you know, that's so lame and so overused and whatever, but it is so true because it's, it's those things, it's those things of the friendships, the conversations, the, all of those different, um, markers along the way. Um, I feel like that have been. You know, successful for me. So to an, to try to come back around a, along the, that pendulum of like contentment versus drive and such, I mean, I just feel like it's a lot of just self check.
Mm. I just feel like it's a lot of just, uh, introspective, like, uh, just, you know, just kind of sitting back and saying, you know, evaluating things at the end of the week, evaluating things. Whenever, um, Hey, have you done this with your writing for me? Hey, have you done this with your writing or, you know, that kind of stuff is constantly in my mind of like Anse, have you written your last song?
You know, I say that kind of stuff to myself. Have you written your last song? And then so like this morning I was like, all right, I need to finish the two that I kind of have on the shelf, like a version, a course of right in the middle of a podcast. It's completely cool. So, uh, I've got these two songs pretty much that, uh, I know that I've gotta get back to, I've got a verse and a Chos on those.
And I just know that I, I mean, so it's almost like little small. I'm gonna finish these up. Yeah. You know, I'm gonna finish this song, gonna finish this course before I can push onto the next thing. And then whenever that, whenever that next thing is here, instead of like constantly seeking out what that next thing is, I don't know if that's anything, but it's just kind of how I feel right
Casey Combest: now.
Well, I think, you know, some of this conversation is quite literally what we spend our lives. Trying to discover is how do we stay content and thankful and, and also ambitious, um, and continuing to grow. So switching gears just a little bit hands, uh, you have a wonderful job. You're a nurse practitioner at, um, M C uh, you also lead worship on Sundays at your church and you play musical on the side.
You're a busy guy and you got a family. You're a great dad. Great husband.
Anse Rigby: Would you ask my wife, okay. I will call her
Casey Combest: you can say her email now. So exactly to verify that information, how have you dealt with the tension of, and this is, I guess not switching gears too much, but the tension of wanting to be at a certain point with your music, but also having responsibilities in real life and wanting to take care of your family and steward that well, Yeah.
What, what has that been like? Um, cause I know there have been a few different moments that you and I have talked about that feeling, what to do with it, that sort of thing. And for me, and I don't, I don't mean this blowing smoke. Like I you're one of the best writers I've ever heard. Like, I, I feel like you should be famous.
You know, I feel like this should be something you're you're doing all the time, but talk, talk us through a little bit about. maybe the phases of that journey where you are today, that kind of thing. Um, does that question make sense? Yeah, it,
Anse Rigby: it does. So basically just how you're, you're kind of pulling in marriage, family life and my pursuits.
And like, if you throw all that in a blender and, um, how you take that down with a straw? I think, um, it really, it, so my wife does not nag. My wife does not nag. I, I won't say that that's, uh, that's just not something that she does. I am more of a, um, I nag her about things, honestly. So as far as music and kind of my pursuits there, I mean, she's never been one to say, you know, Hey, you're not doing that.
I mean, I think at the beginning of this month, as I was kind of like sending out a text messages, like, wow, that's a lot, you know, of just some different things that were lining up throughout the week. And. I think she knows that I love it. And I think that she knows that, um, it means a lot to me to be able to do those things.
But I mean, like I had a phone call with her. I played in Oxford this past week. First time to ever play in Oxford. I was excited about going up and playing proud Larry's with full band. I mean, a buddy of mine, Brennan, you know, drove down from Nashville. We took four of us in a minivan up to Oxford. It was great.
Just laughs all just wonderful. But this feeling that you're talking about hit me about, we're supposed to play at nine o'clock on a Wednesday night, 8 48 40. I'm calling my wife and I said, and I I'm just saying. What am I doing? Why am I in Oxford at eight 30, about to play an hour's worth of music? Like have I lost my mind?
I mean, just I'm pacing. I'm pacing outside on the sidewalk. And I just say Courtney, like, what am I doing? Nobody up here cares. What music I'm about to play nobody. I mean, nobody cares. I mean, but kind of before that I was kind of amping myself up, like, Hey, it's really cool. , you know, we're, we're playing an Oxford new place, but I don't know.
That was just kind of a moment for me of it just, I mean, I feel like those kind of things are gonna continue, you know, they'll continually happen, but I think the balance of it is just like, you know, having that head on your shoulders. What are you doing? Like, again, kind of going back to the priorities, like, this is nothing in comparison of like, you know, your kids and your family and such, but at the same time, like once that first chord that you start to play, like settles in, like you're hooked, you know, you're like you're hooked on the drug for the next hour, you know?
So I think it's just like keeping your head about yourself. I mean now granted that conversation with Courtney kind of started off from like a, like a depressed place of like, just like, you know, when you, you would think somebody from the outside would be like, so jacked to be there. I don't know, kind of wrapped that up in a bow, you know, I'm terrible at explaining stuff, but she was like, what she said on the phone.
She's like Anse, you know, you love playing music, you're in a new place. You're playing music with your buddies. So, I mean, it was like those kind of things of like, you know what that is. That is what I'm most excited about is being up here with my friends, that and playing music. I mean, they know my music better than I know my music and that's really cool.
And so anyway, I, I, but there has to be, I mean, we have a Google calendar. , there's more practical ways of it. We have a Google calendar of like, Hey, this is going on this time. I, you know, and also I think it's just saying, no, I know this has run long. I'm sorry. Figuring out things that you have to say. No. Um, and I think that that's difficult with all the hats that I wear, uh, not in a bragging way, but just I lead worship.
A lot of people reach out to me for different events and, you know, I have to kind of take a moment. I sit back and I pray about something before I respond to it of like, Hey, should I at, you know, should I say yes, I can be at this mid. Somewhere else. I mean, because that puts a strain on work that puts a strain on people that are helping take care of my kids that puts a strain on when I'm gonna be home.
And the, you know, what I'm dealing with with my oldest, like, dad, why are you playing music tonight? Where you know, that kind of stuff, just like it sits in the tame man. And so, um, not to say that, I only say yes to things that are about my personal music, cuz that's not the case, but it's just like I have learned, I've tried to do better about.
What I say yes to. And I think that that's another huge factor of the balance of all of it is like just being, you know, not saying yes to every little thing. So
Casey Combest: someone listening right now S and they are comparing their story. Of their music to yours or a big artist fill in that blank. What would you tell that person when they kind of go in that space mentally and they start to think, well, I want to be here, but I'm not, or I wish I was doing this, but I'm not.
Uh, how have you dealt with that? And what would you encourage them with? Just go back
Anse Rigby: to things that you're good at. I think the things that, you know, you can control. You know, I feel like I'm a good songwriter of sad songs. I mean, and I say sad, tough songs. And so honestly, when I kind of feel like I'm in a place where I don't wanna use self pity, I don't want to use that word.
Um, because that, that's not exactly the picture, but I think maybe, you know, I think that honestly, that's a little bit of drive of like kind of a kicking the butt of like, Hey, go and do something that you're good at. Um, I don't know if that's my body kind of like fight or flight, almost type telling me what to do, but to tell somebody, to give somebody some advice is that, um, man, you just, you just gotta, hold on.
We used to have this saying we'd play poker, um, and just grab the root. You just gotta grab the root and hold on, you know, because those, those things are gonna come in waves. You're gonna deal with that. Like, You're not good enough. Why are you wasting your time? Like, why are people, nobody cares. Nobody's listening.
And so honestly you have to do a lot of this whole self preservation or self. Uh, is that a word? Let me look that up. I'm gonna Google self preservation. I don't think that's a terrible, uh, phrase there I, that self-motivation yeah, that type stuff.
Casey Combest: Um, and, and we're winding down here a little bit, but why, why do you do it?
What's your, why? Let's say you're having that court, that conversation with Courtney last week or week before last, where did you land? Like what was the, this is why. Yeah, I
Anse Rigby: think the land was, um, I have such a fun time playing my music. Um, I have such a fun time. Thinking about the fact that we created these different songs.
So what kind of got me just to take a step and going on into proud layers of the night was the fact that people were there. People were feeling a table. People were feeling a, you know, a bar stool, uh, to listen to good music. And I was there to kind of get to give them a show of. And I wasn't by myself. I was with buddies who had just laughed with me for three hours on the way up.
So I think that, um, that aspect of just the, I mean, sounds so cliche, just that it's about the music, but I really feel like that's the, that's the case. That's awesome,
Casey Combest: man. Yeah. I mean, I thought I love the simplicity in them's music it's
Anse Rigby: but I don't wanna, I don't want it to, I don't want it to, to sound.
Like that, but I think that that's really what kind of got me. Yeah. That's great. Um, kind of got me outta my head space. Yeah. Was, uh, you know, you do a good job at this Anse and like not being afraid to kind of tell yourself. That. And I think so often you, um, are so often I just, I dismiss those self compliments.
what is it with the self, the self thing. Self-awareness you're rolling on it, man. I am
Casey Combest: well it's before we let you go, uh, give everybody your, uh, best songwriting tip.
Anse Rigby: Oh man. Best songwriting tip. Um, you know, I feel like there's two ways for me. One's a concept I sit down and I'm trying to write this story from a concept.
Um, My other is just drumming, pretty chords and. Mumbling. That's my songwriting tip you mumble and you come across the word and then you're like, all right, is this line that just came out of my mouth? Um, is this a, is this a verse line or is this a Cho line? And then whenever you settle there, then you kind of build.
And so that that's pretty much, um, how it happens.
Casey Combest: So practically, do you, when you're- you get these ideas and you're like, maybe you have a, a line, do you record it to remember it or do you just keep writing?
Anse Rigby: So, um, I, I think that, it, it just kind of depends. So if I'm driving in the, down the road, uh, voice memo, if I'm walking into an elevator at the hospital, um, I gotta send, I gotta send this to like, you know, into a, into my phone or, uh, if I'm at home and I'm just strumming the guitar, I think it's just, you know, that melody line and then start kind of building it. Yeah, I just, I just try to build around it. So I'll have a note section and in my phone or a voice memo, and then I'll just try to come back to it. You know, sometimes I finish them. Know, pretty quick. Sometimes I sit on 'em for a little while. So those are my two solid take a concept, sit down, come and try to tell a story about that concept. My other thing is mumble your way through it.
Casey Combest: (laughter and overlapping speech) Know that's gonna be the title-
Anse Rigby: Just mumble be the title mumble for your start mumble for your start.
Casey Combest: That'll be the title of this episode. Mumble your way through it.
Anse Rigby: That's great Anse. Thanks so much for being with us today. Uh, where can people find out more about your music?
Casey Combest: Yeah, so I love posting on Instagram. aUm, think that's my favorite platform to post on. Uh, so just Anse Rigby, A N S E R I G B Y on Instagram or Anse Rigby Music on, uh, Facebook. So Anse Rigby, A N S E R I G B Y is how you find. I've got merch on my website, and you can find all my music by searching my name.
Cool. Well, thanks so much for being with us today.
Anse Rigby: I love you, Casey.
Casey Combest: Love you too, man. And thank you guys for listening to another episode of the Blue Sky Studios Podcast. Have a great day, everyone.