Dan Tyminski speaks with KGNU Old Grass GNU Grass DJ Neil Smart ahead of his RockyGrass 2024 performance. They discuss Dan’s new album, God Fearing Heathen, particularly the track “Ode to Jimmy,” which pays tribute to Jimmy Martin, a significant influence on Dan. Dan talks about his talented band members and his excitement to be closing out the festival (Interview date: 7/30/2024)
Neil Smart: Welcome back to KGNU’s coverage of the 52nd annual RockyGrass Festival. My name’s Neil. I am joined by the great Dan Tyminski. Good afternoon, Dan. How are you doing?
Dan Tyminski: Oh, I’m doing so great. It’s good to be here.
Neil Smart: It’s so good to see you. Folks, Dan will be closing out the 52nd RockyGrass Festival tonight and that’s a big deal.
Dan Tyminski: Oh, it’s a big deal. Happy and sad, because we don’t want to think that anything like this will come to a close, but we’re so happy to be a part of it. And we’re looking forward to tonight’s show. That is for sure.
Neil Smart: Yeah, I know you’re going to blow the roof off this place. Dan, the new record, God Fearing Heathen. Especially “Ode to Jimmy”. I love that song so much. I’ve played it probably every show I’ve done since that thing came out.
Dan Tyminski: When I wrote that song, we were having fun. We were picking on Jimmy Martin a little bit, but I wanted people to understand at the same time, he was one of my heroes. He made such an impression on me growing up. I think that song really did cover it. I think it showed all sides of the person we know and love. He was a colorful man and we tried to show it.
Neil Smart: Yes, indeed. And he was a colorful guy. The checkered cowboy hats.
Dan Tyminski: Absolutely. He was not afraid to entertain. He knew how to steer. He knew how to put the people first. He wanted to make sure the audience was having a great time. And I love that about the man. I try to do the same thing. I want to make sure the audience is engaged and having a good time with the music.
Neil Smart: Tell me about the title track of God Fearing Heathen. Where does the title come from? It’s descriptive of a lot of belief systems, I believe.
Dan Tyminski: I think it is. It’s a comment that I said in jest to my wife one night. She asked me to describe myself in the fewest possible words. I happen to be smoking a cigar and drinking a glass of whiskey simultaneously. And I look down at my hands and I look back at her and I said, I guess maybe I’m a God fearing heathen. I said it as a joke to get a laugh, and then when I thought about the implications and what it meant I had one fellow in mind, a good friend of mine that writes songs, Ira Dean. I called him up to write this song with me, and he understood exactly what I meant. It’s not about any one belief system, it just encompasses almost anyone who listens to the song. I challenge them to listen to it and say that it doesn’t apply to them.
Neil Smart: And speaking of cigars…
Dan Tyminski: Oh, speaking of cigars. I’ve jokingly said before, there are two things in this world that I love, and both of them are cigars.
Neil Smart: You had one yesterday when we ran into one another, and I looked up and went, that’s the most Tyminski thing I’ve seen all day.
Dan Tyminski: Yeah, I don’t know how that started. It started a very long time ago, though, and it’s been something that has stuck with me through decades.
Neil Smart: Yeah, and a friend of mine said I had to ask you about your foosball game. How’s it doing?
Dan Tyminski: Listen, now you’re talking about the most near and dear thing to my heart outside of bluegrass music. The game of foosball. I’m going to give props to my partner from Pinehurst, North Carolina. He lives in Southern Pines. Tag Leon. If you’re out there listening, man, he’s my fellow champion. We just won the Nashville Jam, a foosball tournament in Nashville with 16 expert teams. It was our biggest event together in 30 something years, so we’re coming off a foosball high right now. My head’s in the clouds still. We got to take some really good opponents deep and we came out on top. I’ve loved this game my whole life. I have a lot of fun playing.
Neil Smart: That’s fun. Hey, if you don’t love bluegrass music, but you love foosball, you got to love Dan Tyminski.
Dan Tyminski: I tell everyone that, yes.
Neil Smart: Oh, I think it’s probably appropriate that everybody loves Dan Tyminski.
Dan Tyminski: You’ve ever talked to my mom, that’s her stance, yeah, that’s what she thinks. We’ll go with mom’s opinion on this one.
Neil Smart: As we talked yesterday, my mom used to go see you and your brother back 150 years ago when you were just children.
Dan Tyminski: I was a little pup, I was a banjo player in those days, living my dream. I was coming up, trying to be a banjo player. I tried my whole career to be a banjo player. I still haven’t got to play banjo with any bands, full time. So we’ll see. That might be my next thing. I might chase some banjo after this. You don’t know.
Neil Smart: Hey, you’ve got a set tonight.
Dan Tyminski: I’m not going to play banjo. I got Jason Davis playing banjo with us tonight. I’m going to let that man shine. He’s the man. So I don’t step in his way.
Neil Smart: A wise choice probably.
Dan Tyminski: It’s a good choice. The guys and gals that I’m playing with right now, I do gotta give them props. I got Jason Davis, Grace Davis, Maddie Denton, Harry Clark, and Gaven Largent. They really are my favorite of the favorites of everybody out there playing music right now. I’m so lucky to get to play with them, and I’m aware of it. I’m in your camp. I stand up there. I know I’m playing, but I spend a good share of the set standing there as a fan listening to them while we’re playing. It’s the truth. Yeah, I love them.
Neil Smart: I know the RockyGrass crowd is excited to see you this evening and see the band. I’m going to let you go get a little rest before your set tonight. Thanks so much for coming by, Dan. We do appreciate it very much. Have a great time tonight.
Dan Tyminski: Completely my pleasure. We’re going to rock them out tonight. Thank you for your time.
