Cheddar Peppers Perspective on The Legend of the Scarecrow

Hi, my name is Tim and I write songs.  I live with my wife and kids just outside of Little Rock, Arkansas.  I am currently working on music for two of my projects, Cheddar Peppers (country music) and Rebelstökk (rock).  My music is not backed by any record label or media company (no lawyers, managers, promoters, publicists or anyone else).  With that being said, your support is greatly appreciated.  If you like what you hear, you can help by sharing my music with all of your friends and followers on social media.

TiM HiLL

www.TimWritesSongs.com

My father was a huge Johnny Cash fan.  Johnny was part of my family. Everywhere we went, his music went with us.  Family vacations to the beach, Johnny would serenade us along the way.  Raking up leaves in the backyard, he was there keeping us entertained as we worked.  He was in our living room on tv via a massive stack of VHS tapes my father had compiled.  Every aspect of my childhood, Johnny Cash was always close by.  Here in Arkansas there’s no bigger star... we all love you Johnny Cash!

My dad was my introduction into the country music world.  A lot of what he shared and the artists I know he loved, are forever embedded deep inside of me.  Growing up, I began to explore on my own and find other sounds and styles that appealed to me personally.  Here are a few of the artists that have been an influence on me, in regards to country music.

Alabama, Aaron Tippin, Alan Jackson, Anne Murray, Bellamy Brothers, Billy Dean, Billy Rader, BlackHawk, Bobby Bare, Brooks & Dunn, Buck Owens, Carl Perkins, The Charlie Daniels Band, Charley Pride, Charlie Rich, Chet Atkins, Chris LeDoux, Clint Black, Collin Raye, Conway Twitty, Dan Seals, Dave Dudley, David Ball, David Frizzell, Del Reeves, Dennis 'Moonshine' Rader, Dolly Parton, Don Williams, Doug Stone, Doug Supernaw, Dwight Yoakam, Earl Thomas Conley, Eddie Rabbitt, Eddy Raven, Garth Brooks, Gatlin Brothers, Gene Autry, George Jones, George Strait, Glen Campbell, Grandpa Jones, Hank Snow, Hank Williams Jr., Jerry Lee Lewis, Jerry Reed, Jim Stafford, Jimmy Buffett, Jimmy Dean, Joe Diffie, John Anderson, John Conlee, John Denver, John Michael Montgomery, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, Johnny Paycheck, K.T. Oslin, Kathy Mattea, Kenny Rogers, Keith Whitley, The Kentucky Headhunters, Kris Kristofferson, Lee Greenwood, Lionel Cartwright, Lonestar, Mac Davis, Mac McAnally, Mark Chesnutt, Marty Robbins, Marty Stuart, The Mavericks, Mel McDaniel, Mel Tillis, Merle Haggard, Mickey Gilley, Mike Snider, Neal McCoy, New Grass Revival, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Oak Ridge Boys, Patty Loveless, Poco, The Rader Family, Randy Travis, Ray Stevens, Restless Heart, Roger Miller, Ronnie Milsap, Roy Acuff, Roy Clark, Roy Rogers, Sammy Kershaw, Sawyer Brown, Shel Silverstein, Shenandoah, The Statler Brothers, Steve Wariner, Suzy Bogguss, Sylvia, T.G. Sheppard, Toby Keith, Tom T. Hall, Travis Tritt, Waylon Jennings, Wayne Rader, Willie Nelson.

TiM HiLL

www.TimWritesSongs.com

I have been in love with music my entire life.  Music is a critical part of my existence.  I like to think I am one of the most diverse music lovers you will ever meet.  Sometimes I hear people say, "I like Rock but I don't like Country" or "I love Pop but hate Rap".  And that's perfectly fine.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.  But strangely, I have never heard people talk about books or movies that way ("I enjoy watching Drama's but hate watching Comedies").  Why should music be any different?  I can't imagine what my life would be like if all I had to listen to was the same genre of music, over and over.  For me, diversity is a good thing.  I could go on and on about my favorite rock bands, from soft rock to heavy metal.  I am like a walking Wikipedia when it comes to '80s pop music.  I love listening to Native American flute music.  I like classical (Edvard Grieg is my favorite).  I can go from listening to Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells to Rage Against the Machine's eponymous debut album in a matter of minutes.  I listen to whatever my mood is at that very moment in time.  I have been writing songs, as far back as I can remember.  I have played in numerous bands and over the years I have accumulated notebooks full of songs I have written.  Some of them country, some that are rock and many of which do not fit any particular genre.  Music is an escape for me, and that is exactly why I love writing it.

Each and everyone of us are comprised of many different layers that form and shape us into the people we are.  Brick by brick, one stacked on top of the other.  Like the Great Pyramids in Egypt, there are countless stones not exposed on the outside vital to the overall structure.  Without those unseen stones, the outside would be nothing more than a giant pile of rocks.  We all have our own unique complex design that set us apart from one another.  Within my personal pyramid, family plays a huge component.  Travelling about and experiencing new places opens my eyes to new things.  Eating great food makes me happy.  Watching my favorite comedy movies over and over invites laughter.  Riding my motorcycle relaxes my brain.  I love sleeping, but can never seem to get enough of it.  Then there is music.  Music takes up an abundant amount of space within my own personal pyramid.  It has always played a huge and extraordinary role in my life.  I can't imagine my world without it.  Thank you MUSIC and to all the incredible artists that are a part of the foundation that helps make me, me.

TiM HiLL

www.TimWritesSongs.com

I would define Cheddar Peppers music as Southern Rock.  Growing up, I had always admired artists like Charlie Daniels and John Anderson.  They are both great storytellers and a lot of their music was somewhere between country and rock.  I’ve always loved the song, The Legend of Wooley Swamp.  The words still keep me captivated, and the music is just freakin’ awesome.  I wanted my songs to have that same rough edge.  I wanted more than just your standard four-piece band.  I needed a Banjo, Fiddle, Harmonica and anything else that would make the sound explode.  I wanted my music to be happy and upbeat.  The kind  of music that would make people want to rise up out of their seats and dance.  I believe each instrument should be equally as important as the words coming out of the singers mouth.  To me, it seems like many people allow the music to act as some backdrop to the singer.  I want the listener to be just as engaged in the music, as I hope they will be with my lyrics.

I dedicated my song 'Summer Lovin' Good Time' in honor of Charlie Daniels, being that it was released just less than one month of his passing.  There's a lot of good fiddle parts in that song, so it seemed appropriate to give a little nod to the man that inspired me to include a fiddle in my songs in the first place.  I would like to once again honor him by dedicating 'The Legend of the Scarecrow' in his memory, as well.  Charlie was a great storyteller.  Not only was I inspired by him as a musician, but he also had a huge influence on me as a lyricist.  When it comes to writing words for my country songs, no other one person inspired me more than he did.  Thank you, Charlie for all the years you have captivated me with your extraordinary talent.

TiM HiLL

www.TimWritesSongs.com

I was born and raised in the city, but both my mom and dad grew up in the country.  So, I had plenty of aunts, uncles and other relatives that exposed me to the country lifestyle.  I used to help one of my uncles on his farm, from time to time, when I was a kid.  I will never forget helping him dig rice levee gates.  That was extremely hard work (all hand dug, no machinery).  After a while, it felt like my back was going to break.  Every muscle in my body would quiver and my hands and fingers were on fire from gripping the shovel handle all day.  We had mosquitoes back home in the city, but they were nothing like the ones out in the country.  I'm not sure what the world record for the biggest mosquito on the planet is, but I'm guessing the ones at my uncle's were pretty darn close.  Years later, I remember donating blood at the American Red Cross and the nurse asked me if it was my first time to donate blood.  I remember telling her no and that there were probably a few hundred mosquitoes flying around my uncle's farm that were still surviving off several pints of blood that I had donated years ago.  Those things were huge!  And if swatting hummingbird sized mosquitoes wasn't enough, you had to keep an eye out for snakes.  Usually, by the end of the day, I was physically and mentally exhausted.  But I made a lot of good memories.  My favorite time to help Uncle J.V. was during the fall when we got to burn off the fields.  He would hook a chain around an old tire and set it on fire.  I would then drag the thing around while riding a 3-wheeler through the fields.  Then later, we would set on the back of his tailgate and watch the whole thing burn through the night while kicking back cold bottles of Coca-Cola under a starry sky.  It was a beautiful sight to behold.  My appreciation for the moon and stars started all those years ago, right there on my uncle's farm.  I cherish those memories of bonding with him, listening to his stories and learning what I could about him and his life.    

Even though I was born and raised in the city, I always felt as though I was a country boy at heart.  As a youngster, I loved fishing, being outdoors and visiting with my relatives who lived out in the country.  Once a year my mom, dad, sisters and I would make a trip to the Arkansas State Fair.  The rides and the food out on the midway were always a big hit with the crowds, but for me, the rodeo was the star attraction.  I enjoyed walking through the stables and seeing all the prize winning livestock.  And now, every fall my wife and I load up the kids and take a short one hour drive just to get lost inside a giant corn maze and spend some quality family time making a few memories together on a quaint country farm.  It's all of those years of accumulated memories that spark my imagination to write songs like this.

TiM HiLL

www.TimWritesSongs.com

TiM HiLL

www.TimWritesSongs.com

More than five years have passed since Coleman Cooler (With a Yeti Sticker) was first released as a single, back in the summer of 2019.  To celebrate the release of the album, Southern Homegrown Countrified Music (released on June 14, 2024), I decided to make a little music video to commemorate the occasion.  Since releasing both the music video and the album, I was amazed to learn that Coleman Cooler (With a Yeti Sticker) had broken into iTunes Top 100 Country Music Songs.  Later, after hearing that I suddenly had a Top 40 hit, I was blown away.  Then, to watch it climb the charts into the Top 10… I was totally speechless.  Seeing it pass names on the way up, such as Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, Post Malone, Zach Bryan and other big stars, was truly bizarre to witness.  I am beyond thrilled to have a song that started out in my shower, make its way into the charts and to peak at #6!  The excitement ended amost as quickly as it started, but it was fun while it lasted.

TiM HiLL

www.TimWritesSongs.com