GLENNFebruary 24, 2017

Aaron Watson: One of the Greatest American Entrepreneurs Alive Today

Country music sensation Aaron Watson made it the old fashioned way: through hard work, grit and determination. The only recording artist to make it without a record label, Watson credits his parents for teaching him about hard work and never giving up. He treasures one story, in particular, about the heartbreaking day a record producer told him he didn't have the right stuff.

"After he said we didn't have what it takes, I went back home, and I was pretty heart broke," Watson said. "And I told my dad, 'They don't like my songs.' And he said, 'That's alright. They said the same thing to Willie.' And then dad said, 'When Willie turned 45 years old, he made it.'"

At the time, Watson was 21 years old.

"I'm thinking, 'Whoa, dad, so are you saying that it's going to take me 24 years to make it?' He said 'Yeah, if you want it bad enough.'" Watson recalled.

Eighteen years, 13 albums and 2,500 shows later, Watson is at the top of his game.

"I just applied all the principles that my mom and dad taught me growing up of being all heart, all hustle, giving God all the glory, and I used all of those things they taught me. My business model is very simple: Faith, Family and Fans," Watson said.

Enjoy the complimentary clip above or read the transcript below for details.

GLENN: Hello, America. It is Friday. And I know there's a ton going on today. And we're going to get to it but this hour, I want to introduce you to a guy that I believe is one of the greatest American entrepreneurs alive today. How you can apply what he has learned to your life and rock the world. Aaron Watson joins us right now.

Aaron Watson is here. Aaron, in case you don't know. In case you're not a country music fan, Aaron Watson put out an album called the under dog a couple of years ago and was a guy who walked in to -- can I say what company?

AARON: We walked into all the companies.

GLENN: All the companies. And he is a Texas-born guy, and he just knows who he is and walked into all of the record companies and all of them said "You ain't got it, kid."

He decided to go and do it on his own, and you are the very first artist of any format, if I'm not mistaken, that has been independent. No record label, nobody, and you've made it to number one.

AARON: It's incredible. I mean, such a blessing. I mean, it was two years ago pretty much this week, and it's still hard for me to believe. We have an exhibit at the country music Hall of Fame.

GLENN: That he was amazing.

AARON: It's exciting because I get this a lot. I'm up and coming. 18 years, 13 albums, and 2,500 shows later, I'm still up and coming. They introduced me as up and coming as this big radio get together in Nashville, and he said, yes, I'm up and coming 18 years, 13 albums, 2,500 shows later, and I'm flattered that you still find me young and fresh, you know?

So we have fun with it. But it's just -- we've been so blessed. It's incredible.

GLENN: I will tell you. I can't wait -- because Pat doesn't really know anything about you and I am so excited to have the audience get to know you because you're one of the most genuine people that I know.

AARON: Thank you.

GLENN: And one of the really truly good guys. You're -- the way you run your business alone speaks volumes. You have three principles.

AARON: Faith, family, and fans.

GLENN: Explain.

AARON: Well, that's my brand. I mean, that's my manifesto. And in everything I do, I ask myself am I staying truth to my faith, my family, and my fans?

I mean, just like you said, we've been turned down, rejected by every record label there is. And at some point, I just was, like, I'm going to do this. They can't tell me that I can't do this. Like, I believe in myself. I'm willing to put in the hard work and, you know, the greatest thing now is that now that we've divide the system, it gives me this wonderful platform to tell all these people, these other people that are shooting for their dreams, like, listen, I don't care what career path you want. If you want it, you go get it. Don't you dare let somebody discourage you from your dreams. No one has the right to discourage you from your dreams.

GLENN: Would you guys just play a little of -- is it outcast? No, underdog.

AARON: Underdog. Yeah, we can play. So much part are you talking about?

GLENN: Isn't that the one with the --

AARON: Oh, you're talking about my fence post. You're talking about my --

GLENN: You're not changing anything.

AARON: Oh, you're talking about this one. Oh, absolutely. So I was driving back from Austin.

LENN: Okay.

AARON: And I was just -- it's in the middle of us recording the underdog. And we were almost finished with it, and I got to thinking about my career path and how things were starting to take off, and I was, like, man, we've got -- I've got to share my story more on the underdog. So I went in, and I wrote this song. And my producer didn't even know I was putting it on the record. I mean, I'm paying him out of pocket, so it doesn't matter at the end of the day. We did two takes of it on a little SM58 mic just like this. And I told the kid that was engineering it just pick the best take of the two. I'm only going to sing it twice. I want this to feel like I'm singing this song on my back porch.

And we haven't sang this song in forever so, you know, nothing quite like not rehearsing a song in front of Mr. Glenn Beck.

STU: Now you know how our day is every day. Every day we deal with this.

AARON: And I wrote this song for that record executive that sent me back home. And what's interesting is that when I went -- after he said we didn't have what it takes, I went back home, and I was pretty heart broke. And I told my dad they don't like my songs. And he said that's all right. They said the same thing to Willie. And then dad said "When Willie turned 45 years old, he made it."

And at the time I was, like, 21. And I'm thinking whoa, dad. So are you saying that it's going to take me 24 years to make it?

He said "Yeah, if you want it bad enough."

And that changed the way I was thinking. I realized then I was going to have to be a go-getter. I was not going to be able to run that dream down sitting on my can. I was going to have to go after it, go get it. And really, I just applied all the principles that my mom and dad taught me growing up of being all heart, all hustle, giving God all the glory, and I used all of those things they taught me. My business model is very simple. People are, like, what's your musical background? And I'm, like, I grew up listening to Willie and Waley on my dad's vinyl records and my mom would thump me on the head not singing in church. Those are my musical influences, but that's everything I am today.

Everything my mom and dad surrounded me with are loving, supportive, it was all heart and all soul. And I have a story. Remind me to tell you this story about what changed me. It happened at 10 years old and what made me who I am today. But I'll sing this. I wrote this for that ol' boy at the record label.

He said some don't get offended by about what I'm about to say. I can see you have a passion for the songs you write and play. You like what we all call commercial milk. We just don't have what it takes to make it here in Nashville. Ouch.

Well, my heartfelt like a train wreck, but I wore a smile on my face. I said thank you for your time, sir, and I'll put this old guitar back in its case. Well, our little conversation was like a revelation redirecting my dreams because God knows I would never sell my soul to rock 'n' roll or rap or wear those tight fitting skinny genes.

Yeah, you know I pray the prayer of my own song up on a string. I wear what I want to wear. I'm going to sing what I want to sing. Heaven knows all I need is my faith, my fans, my friends, and my family. Besides, I rather be an old fence post in Texas than the king of Tennessee.

[Applause]

GLENN: And explains everything. And now what excites me about you so much is that you are progressive that the old model isn't even necessary.

AARON: Absolutely. I mean, absolutely. It's not necessary, and it's one of those things I'm honored to be, like, the poster boy for hard work. Persistence. The grind. I mean --

GLENN: Nobody's willing. It seems as though nobody's willing to do that anymore. They want the instant YouTube hit and just be a star tomorrow.

AARON: You know, so I was telling you about my dad. So a defining moment in my childhood, my dad's 100 percent disabled from serving the country in the Vietnam war. My dad's my hero. My dad has made so many sacrifices not just for this country but for my family. And I am who I am today because of my dad. And my dad was a custodian. And one summer, all of my friends were swimming at the swimming pool across the street from the church that dad was cleaning, and I wanted to go over there, and I wanted to be with my buddies, and I wanted to swim. I mean, I'm 10, 11 years old, I just want to be with my buddies naturally. And my dad was, like, well, I would really like you to help me out. And of course I'm 10, so I'm complaining about it. And we were cleaning the men's bathroom, and my dad was in one stall, and I'm in the next, and I can remember those big, yellow gloves, and we're cleaning away. And I'm just griping. I'm just complaining about having to clean toilets and not getting to swim with my buddies.

And my dad looks around the stall, and he's on his knees, and he's got on yellow gloves too. And he said "Hey, do you think that I like cleaning toilets?"

And I said "No, sir."

He said "But God's blessed me with a job. Because of this job, I'm able to take care of my family. So I show up here every day, and I make these the cleanest toilets in Amarillo, Texas."

And that hit me because my dad's my hero, and he's a custodian, and it kind of goes back to that Martin Luther King Jr. street sweeper comment where he says to the street sweeper "Clean those streets. Make them so clean that if Jesus walks down those streets, he says"Man, these are some clean straights.

And that instilled in me work ethical for me to be the best that I can be. And I'm not half the man my dad is. So, for me, I'm pushing myself to be the best that I can be because I just had that role model in my life. And my mom's amazing too. I'm a total mama's boy. If I don't bring up my mom in this, I can't go back home to Buffalo Gap, Texas.

But that instilled in me work ethic. If you want it, go get it. And I'm so proud not just of -- I'm not really -- well, really, I'm not really that proud of my accomplishments. I mean, I'm proud for my guys who work with me. I'm proud for my fans who have stuck with me. I mean, I got asked by rolling stone magazine how in the world does some west Texas boy with no record label outsell mainstream major label artists? And I said "It's simple. God has blessed me with the best fans in the whole wide world."

And I mean that. They take care of me.

GLENN: Between god and all the fans in this program, that's how everything that has been built has been built.

AARON: Absolutely.

GLENN: When you are loyal to your fans, and you're loyal to yourself, your fans see that. And then you're loyal to them, they're loyal to you, it is the greatest. I know people who despise their fans.

AARON: I'll never understand that.

GLENN: I don't understand that.

AARON: I'll never understand that. After every show -- you know, it's midnight. It's 1:00 a.m. I'm tired. I mean, I'm an old married man at this point with kids, you know? It's, like, I would like to go to bed. I would like to get in that bunk on the bus. But I have people lined up at my merchandise booth at every show. So I say, hey, after the show, I'll meet you at the merchandise booth. Hugs and selfies are free tonight.

And I spend time with the fans, and I let them know how much I love them. And when I'm too tired to get out there, I think about my daddy with those yellow gloves on cleaning toilets.

GLENN: His name is Aaron Watson. The name of the CD is Vaquero. He's going to play some stuff with us and talk about how to disrupt whatever industry you're in. He's proof positive, and I also want to tell you I have an ulterior motivate to have him on. And it's for his benefit. I really believe that this man and his group are a source of inspiration for anybody who is -- about to give up on their dream, about to give up and say, man, nobody's getting it. Don't. Look to Aaron Watson.

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Meet the pro-Intifada candidate NYC Democrats just elected

New York City Democrats just elected 33-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a "socialist Muslim", as the Party's candidate for mayor. But Glenn Beck argues that his radical beliefs are actually communist and Islamist.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

VOICE: Z10852. Something weird is going on. The World Trade Center is on fire.

VOICE: Seriously the top of the building. We're trying to get information.

VOICE: Top level of one of the --

VOICE: To unfold from New York City.

VOICE: A plane crashed just --

VOICE: My sister is in that believe. I hope she's okay. I have to come to New York.

VOICE: It's pandemonium.

VOICE: It's raining papers.

VOICE: Wait a minute! Stop just a second. Why are we -- why are we -- I've got breaking news. Breaking news, yesterday. New York City just elected as their mayoral candidate for the left. And the Democrats, a -- a Muslim radical, who is also a communist!

So, you know, it only took you 25 years. It only took you 25 years, New York, to go completely insane.

Somebody who is -- well, I mean, if I might quote Michael malice today. I am old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.

But you've got a -- you've got a communist jihadist apologist now.

Who was -- you know, well, CAIR put $100,000 behind his bid for New York City mayor.

So you have somebody who is endorsed by CAIR. That's really good.

He also was somebody who said, you know, he was -- he was for the shooting of the United Health Care CEO.

Said he was looking forward to driving down magnum Joan avenue. I don't know. Sounds like supporting people in the streets. Maybe it's just me.

Then he also said that he was going to globalize the intifada, which I think that's -- maybe -- maybe that's just me.

I mean, what do I know?

Tim Miller who is a podcaster. Asked him a few weeks ago. Asked him about his pro Palestinian slogan. Globalized the intifada. And he said, for me, ultimately, what I hear in so many, is a desperate desire for equality and equal rights, in standing up for Palistinian human rights. Oh, is that what you hear, Mr. CAIR?

Really? Huh, that's interesting.

Right. So globalize the intifada.

I mean, I mean, sure, that's -- I mean well, let me go on.

Because I don't want to take him out of context.

He then delved into the semantics of the intifada, citing the United States Holocaust memorial museum's use of a word for a translation for uprising, in an Arabic version of an article, a museum published about the Warsaw ghetto.

Oh!

So this is just a comparison, about the -- the armed rebellion against the Nazis!

I don't know if that makes me feel better!

I mean, if we're globalizing that.

We're the Nazis in this scenario.

Because I don't think it's the Palestinians.

I certainly don't think it's anybody who is like, hey.

Global jihad. I don't think it's those guys.

Or the Nazis. Who are the Nazis in that?

And it seems, if that's what you mean, then it's not just a harmless kind of slogan about human rights. It is a call for violence on the streets.

Because I don't know if you know, that's what happened when the Jews had their uprising against the Nazis.

I'm just saying!

But, hey, hey, free Palestine.

Oh, that's not what that means, gang. That is not what that means, but don't worry about it. He's just going to be possibly the new mayor.

And that's great. By the way, the Columbia faculty members signed a letter defending Hamas.

They were also among the donors to his mayoral campaign.

So, you know, you don't have anything to worry about.

And his father, who used to work at Columbia. Do you know, Stu?

Is his Dad -- is he still a professor at Columbia University?

He said that -- this violent terror thing of Islam, is not a part of Islam. Now, I've read the Koran, and much of the hadith.

And I'm pretty sure the violence is a part of that. But no.

No. This is something entirely new.

And his father while at Columbia university, wanted everybody to know, that this is actually -- this is something that came out of America!

America is really responsible for this.

And, you know, it really started with the Reagan administration, you know, when he started -- when he started with his very religious terms, to finish the war against the evil empire.

So, you know, that's where -- that's where 9/11 came from.

Is what -- don't worry about it! Don't worry about it!

Because who am I? I'm clearly just -- am I an anti-Semite today, or am I an Islamophobic? I can't remember which one.

Oh, it's probably both. Anyway, Islamophobia. Let me just explain Islamophobia. I haven't even gotten to the Communist part of it. Which is really, really -- New York, you're in one for hell of a ride. Buckle up.

It will be a fun rollercoaster for you. My gosh, I've never been happier that I've been away are if New York.

Anyway, I just want I to know, there is Islam. And then there is Islamists. Now, an Islamist is somebody who really wants Sharia law.

That's political Islam!

That's not a faith. That's political Islam.

Now, let me make really -- something really clear. Criticizing Islamism, is not Islamophobia. Pointing out the dangers of, oh. I don't know.

Political Islam. The ideology that seeks to use the tools of democracy, ultimately to destroy democracy, is not an attack on Muslims.

No. Uh-uh.

You know why?

Because Muslims are often the first people in line.

The first victims of the ideology.

So let's draw a bright, bright line between Islam as a faith, millions of people can practice that faithfully and peacefully.

It's mostly peaceful, okay?

Then there's the Islamism.

Islamism is something entirely -- that's a political project.

A theocratic political -- oh. Left loves theocracies. They love it.

Of course, you never see a problem with it.

See it when an Islamist is touting it. Anyway, it's not about prayer. It's not about fasting. It's not about spiritual life.

It's all about power. It's about merging of mosque and state. It's about implementing Sharia, not as a personal code of conduct. But as a governing legal system.

And it's -- it's supremacy.

Absolutely. Faith.

Religion.

It's -- there's one thing that's supreme.

It's misogynistic.

Deeply intolerant of all kinds of things.

Descent. Secularism. Other faiths. Even competing interpretations from inside the faith itself.

It will behead them too.

So let's -- let's be honest here for a second.

You know, CAIR should be labeled an international terror organization.

In my opinion. In my opinion.

Oh, does that make me -- that makes me an Islamophobe. I'm sure. I'm sure they will start a campaign against me on being an Islamophobe.

Stand in line, guys. You've been doing it since 2001, okay?

I don't really care. And I don't think the American people. I think that record, all the grooves are worn-out on that one, okay?

This is not a religion we're talking about. When we're talking about Sharia law. And we're talking about globalize the intifada. What does that mean, actually, to globalize it?

Does that mean we now want to do what is happening to Israel? All over the world?

Has the Palestinian plight become our plight you now, as Americans?

That there has to be an intifada here!

Because it's the kind of the same. You know. It's kind of the same over, you know, with what the Palestinians are going through.

Well, it's very much like what the Jews went through with the Nazis.

That's a weird one. That one makes my head hurt. It's very much the same as that. And very much the same as the fight against Donald Trump.

Oh, this is going to be fun. It's fun!

Really fun. You know, the irony here is, the ones that will scream Islamophobia the most, are the ones in the progressive left, the champions of feminism, LGBTQ rights. And secularism.

They're going to -- no. You want -- they're going to stand with the people, who want to kill them first.

See, this is how smart they are!

This is why it's going to work out well, in New York City.

Let me just say. If you have an ounce of common sense, you run a business, you have an ounce of wealth. And I don't mean wealth like, you know, hey, Lovey.

Let's get on the boat for a three-hour tour with a suitcase full of cash. I mean you saved anything, anything, get the hell out of New York City.

I mean, this is about survival. This is about free speech. This is about women's rights.
Religious pluralism. Secular legal systems. Liberal democracy.

But it's also about failed principles of Communism. Okay?

First, you have to call out political Islam for what it is. Okay?

And we have to do it with the clarity that we call out white nationalism.

Got to do it with that. Got to -- you know, the Klan. Really bad people.

Really bad people.

Anybody who is shouting for globalized intifada?

Pretty bad. Pretty bad people.

Okay?

Now, let's get to communism.

Because that's another cool, cool angle of the new Democratic candidate for -- for mayor of New York City.

That I just -- I think is cuddly and cute. Sure, it led to 100 million deaths. But this time, New York is going to be radically different. Oh, did I use the word radical?

I didn't mean to use that. What's radical about this guy?

Nothing. He's just like you!

Well, not exactly.

But let's talk about communism, next!

Now, the new mayoral candidate that's running there in New York City. That so many young people rushed to defend and vote for. He's promising free buses.

That's going to work out.

Where are you going to get the money for free buses.

It's free!

City-run grocery stores.

Oh, rent freezes. And finally somebody has done it. A 30-dollar minimum wage.

So under the banner of equity. And, you know, we will tax the wealthy. And the corporations. You know, we're going to squeeze another $10 billion out of them.

Really?

Because they're going to call a U-Haul.

You know, they will call something like U-Haul. There will be a lot of -- there will be a lot of movers that are like, how do I get the truck back from Texas or Florida back up to New York? Nobody is moving up there.

But he's going to do it.

Now, his vision isn't really new. You know, just -- just tax people, so we could have city-run grocery stores. You know, I remember -- I'm old enough to remember those city-run grocery stores in Moscow.

They were great.

The shelves were empty.

But that's just Moscow.

It worked out completely different in Venezuela.

Where, oh, no.

It didn't. That's right. The grocery store.

They were eating the zoo animals.

But it will be different in New York.

Because they have rent controls too.

And that will just choke the housing supply, but don't worry. As a young family.

You know, you voted for it.

You know better.

It will work this time.

So, you know, I like building ideas, I just don't like usually building on the graves of 100 million people.

But, you know, why not? Why not?

You know, use this dogma.

And this time, it will be different. It's not like it was in China. Where the great leap forward, was a gross -- a gross parody of progress. Venezuela, which was oil rich. One of the richest nations in the hemisphere now sees 90 percent of its population in poverty!

Yeah. Darn it. You know what they did?

They decided to take state control of things.

You know, like grocery stores. And it worked out well. How is that free busing working out in Venezuela?

I just want to -- I just want to know.

Anyway, then you've got the globalize the intifada. Which is going to drop a little violence in, and anti-Semitism in with your communism.

Which is weird!

Because violence and anti-Semitism, always happen. When it -- when it comes to -- when it comes to communism.

This is weird!

I've got to play something for you. Because this has talked about on me earlier this morning.

Oh, wow.

Wait a minute. This is -- this is the whole coalition coming together here.

So this is going to be good. New York, this is going to be great.

It's going to be great for you.

No. He's going to uplift you. Then the social fabric of New York City is just going to be -- just one.

It's going to be fantastic. Don't worry about your 120 billion dollars in debt. Or your 10 billion-dollar deficit that you have right now.

You are going to charge the rich more taxes, and they will stay right there.

They will be like, you know what, that 46 percent in taxes that I'm paying, this is just not enough. It's just not enough.

I need to pay 60 or 70 percent to be able to pay my fair share. So that's good. That's good. That's good.

You know, they're not risking 100 million people. It's just 8 million people.

This time, it's just 8 million people.

But, hey. For those of you in upstate New York. That aren't going to be part of this experiment.

Don't worry, you get to pay for it. Because they'll kick it up to the state. The state will have to subsidize everything. And don't you love it?

Really, don't you want to subsidize the really crazy ideas of New York City?

I mean, why don't you have a -- why don't you have a democratic socialist. A/k/a communist mayor.

Why haven't you done that? Are you not progressive enough? Are you not looking into the future?

Are you stuck in the past?

I don't know. I don't know. The graveyard is pretty big. I have a hard time getting past that one. You know, yeah, so I'm stuck in the past. Because I can't seem to pass that graveyard, and get to be down the path with you. But it's going to be a paradise.

Forget arithmetic. You know, or human nature. This time, it's going to work. It's going to work. So all right!

Wish I lived in this morning.

No wait. Nope. I don't. Nope, I don't.

And Ted Cruz, stop it. Stop writing, hey, come to Texas. No. No. Don't come to Texas. Don't come to Florida. Go to California. It's beautiful this time of year. Go there. Go there.

Glenn's Show Prep