>>From the second floo of the Orlando Public Library.

Welcome to Melrose in the Mix.

Our series of live recording sessions from here at the Melrose Center.

Hi everyone.

I'm Jim Myers.

Today's session features singer songwriter Joey Rodriguez.

Joey picked up a guitar at a young age inspired by classic rock and blues.

He's been part of a band, but more recently he's been gigging frequently at a number of Central Florida venues as a one man outfit.

We also have a chance to talk with Joey about those classic musicians that helped inform his own style, his songwriting process, and more.

>>My name is Joey Rodriguez.

I've been playing guitar for about 15 years.

I've been gigging full time for about four.

I started playing music because fell in love with 60s classic rock and the blues.

I got my first gig playing with, this girl named Casey Joe, who was already in the scene.

And, I played in a band with her for a little while, and, she introduced me to someone else named Layla Brisebois.

I guess they saw something that I didn't really see, you know, like, I knew I love playing music, but, I didn't know that you could do it full time or, like, you know, make a living out of it.

They kind of just like they opened the door for me.

And that's just been the way that it's been since.

I've found something so delightful.

And I can't help but smile.

Stay with me forever.

Stay with me even if all the stars die.

Oh I, Oh I, Oh I Oh, I don't want to open my eyes unless I'm seeing you.

Oh I, Oh I, Oh I, Oh I don't want to feel unless I'm holding you.

I remember every time I thought I was in love.

None of it compares to what we have.

No.

I know that you get scared sometimes.

You've been scarred from your past.

If it ever gets too dark, I'll turn the light on.

Cause I, Oh I, Oh I, Oh, I don't want to open my eyes unless I'm seeing you.

Oh I, Oh I, Oh I, Oh I don't wanna feel unless I'm holding you.

♪♪ >>Sometimes I find it hard to be myself.

Even though I know there's no one else I can be.

I don't know why I care so muc about what other people think.

When I got nothing but love inside of me.

But it all still gets in my head when I'm out or laying in bed.

Was I listening enough?

I didn't mean to brush you off.

Cause I'm just here.

Taking it day by day like you my friend.

Oh I'm just here.

Taking it day by day like you my friend.

Don't you hat when you get inside your head.

Start thinking of all the worst things that can come to be.

Sometimes your mind can play tricks on you.

Even though things aren't as bad as they seem.

But it all still gets in my hea when I'm out or laying in bed.

Was I listening enough?

I didn't mean to brush you off.

Cause I'm just here.

Taking it day by day like you my friend.

Oh I'm just here.

Taking it day by day like you my friend.

♪♪ Taking it day by day like you.

Taking it day by day like you.

Taking it day by day like you.

Taking it day by day like you.

I'm Puerto Rican, so I listen to, like, a lot of, like, sals music and reggaeton growing up.

And, one day I was at a Best Buy, and, the Beatles Rock Band had just came out, and I remember hearing it in the distance and I was just like, what the heck is that?

And they were singing I Feel Fine.

And, so I run over to the, the game section and I'm checking it out, and it's just these guys with long hair and doing the whole thing, you know?

And, Yeah, it turned me on.

I was like, this is crazy, you know?

Like, what even is this?

I didn't have a computer, so I had to wait until I went to school the next day.

And when I had the chance, I, went on YouTube, and I looked it up, and I went down this rabbit hole.

I got into, like, the other 60s musicians, like the Rolling Stones and The Who, and there was, like a "rockumentary" or whatever it's called.

About Brian Brian Jones, I think it's his name.

And, the opening son was Little Red Rooster, I think.

Or maybe it was Something Inside Me.

Either way, it was, Elmore James.

He was playing the song.

It was blues.

And again, I was like, what the heck is this?

I, you know, I want to I want to do this.

I want to play this, you know?

And, yeah, I'd say that's kind of what started it all.

And then I got my first guita at 12 and I never put it down.

And here I am now.

I've been talking to the moon about how you're not ready and hopes that when you look up, it gives you signs that you're needing.

Last time we saw the sun rise and you couldn't believe it.

I know.

I've been doing everything right.

And you say that's not what's wrong.

We're at different points in life and that's just such a scary thought.

You say it's so easy but we keep on holding yourself back.

You don't want to hurt me, but me waiting will have the same effect.

Because I'll go waiting for a lifetime.

You know?

You're a solar eclipse that I don't want to miss.

I'm obsessed with how bright you glow, yeah.

♪♪ Now I'm going backwards, taking steps I didn't want to take.

No more Good Morning text or asking you How was your day?

I can't keep pretending like I don't want to know these things.

Cause you don't want to hurt me.

But me waiting will have the same effect.

Cause I'll go waiting for a lifetime.

You know.

You're a solar eclipse that I don't want to miss.

I'm obsessed with how bright you glow.

Yeah.

Oh, I've been waiting so long.

Will you ever come along?

Are you still unsure.

Tell me what you're looking for.

Say it.

Say it, I'll find it right away.

Say it, say it.

I'll find another way.

Say it, say it.

Look what I've done.

Say it, say it.

Say I'm the one for you.

♪♪ It's time to clean off all the dust on my desk.

It's time to sit down and get back to it.

I've gone too far along doing less than my best.

Get on with it, kid.

Life is too precious.

Quit thinking Oh I'm too tired I'll do it later.

Whoa.

I got other things to do.

Yeah.

Oh, I'll come back and do it later.

When I got the time to do the one thing I love to do, yeah.

♪♪ It's so easy to fall far behind.

When money's worrying your mind.

Now you got yourself working overtime to keep yourself up barely alive.

Quit thinking Oh, I'm too tired.

I'll do it later.

Oh, I got other things to do.

Oh, I'll come back and do it later.

Yeah.

When I got the time to do the one thing I love to do.

Oh, I keep falling back into the same trap.

Yeah.

When will I ever learn?

Don't keep moving too fast.

Sometimes we gotta wait.

We're bound to make mistakes.

Just keep moving.

It's not too late.

Oh, I'm too tired I'll do it later.

Whoa.

I got other things to do.

Oh, I come back and do it later.

When I got the time to do the one thing I love to do.

♪♪ My songwriting process is, You know, it's it's definitely, definitely not like the smoke and mirrors thing.

You know, I, everybody goes through stuff in life, and, some people go to therapy, and I just choose to, you know, talk about it, if that makes sense.

Not to the T, you know, like, my most of my songs are not literal, but, like, you know, they are based on, like, how I'm feeling at the time.

Yeah.

I just kind of I sit down and I start writing or trying to write almost, and, whatever comes out, you know, if it sounds cool, I keep it.

And then the longer you sit there, the more you make edits and stuff.

But, Oh, my God, there's, Natasha Bedingfield.

Natasha, she does the song, unwritten, and the, pre-chorus is like staring at the blank page before you open up the dirty window.

Let the sun illuminate the words that you cannot find.

Right.

And it's like it doesn' get any more literal than that.

You know, it does sound kind of like magic, but, yeah, you just sit there and you, you know, you think about how you fee or think about what's going on, or sometimes you can just write about what you see and and it sounds cool.

I don't know.

♪♪ How often does it feel like you don't know where you're going?

Said how often does it feel like you don't know where you're going.

Oh, I'm not trying to criticize.

Rather tell you what's been on my mind.

Forgetting all your blessings.

When you're caught up in the moment.

Oh forgetting all your blessings when you're caught up in the moment.

Oh I'm not trying to criticize, but rather tell you what's been on my mind.

♪♪ Whoa.

You can't always keep what you have.

You can't take everything you want.

Said you can't always keep what you have.

Yeah.

And you might not get everything you want.

>>I'm not trying to criticize.

Rathe tell you what's been on my mind.

♪♪ I still sleep on my left side.

With my face looking to the right.

And when I wake up in the middle of the night.

My arm is num like when you'd spend the night.

And I don't.

Oh, I'm all alone.

This memory foam won't let you go.

♪♪ I don't know why I miss you as much as I do.

Because now I'm doing everything that I wanted to do.

You know, it's a shame, cause I wanted you to stay.

But we had different visions and went our separate ways.

And now you're gone.

And I'm all alone.

This memory from I won't let you go.

And now you're gone.

I'm all alone.

This memory foam won't let you go.

♪♪ This memory foam won't let you go.

Now you don't.

Oh, I'm all alone.

This memory foam.

Won't let you go.

This memory foam.

Won't let you go.

This memory foam.

Won't let you go.