Q: Why release an album now?
A: I wanted to release the album shortly after the inspiration for it, which was the flood in August of 2016. I didn't want people to forget before the album came out since we have such short attention spans these days.
Q: Are you surprised that people don't know that you've had a long music career?
A: I'm always shocked when people say they didn't know I sang. Peoples Choice, Academy Awards for number one songs and 15 albums? In fact, we are going to call the tour the ‘I didn't know you sang’ tour!"
Q: What inspired you to create this record?
A: The second flood of 2016 and the devastation that it left in my area was the initial inspiration. However, I did see that the flood actually cleansed some of the hatred that was growing in our diverse population just prior to it. Also this is the first album where I actually live the songs that I helped create. These are more than songs. These are individual truths; truths that I somehow survived.
Q: I know Johnny Cash influenced you spiritually but did he do so musically as well?
A: John inspired me in many ways. Not the least of which was he was a Christian man who didn't feel the need to be nicer than Jesus! He brought his scars and flaws with him and wore them more like a badge of courage than a scarlet letter.
Q: Do you have a favorite Cash record?
A: My favorite Johnny Cash record will always be A Boy Named Sue because it was the first song I learned to play on the guitar. Also I am told that he and I are the only two people to ever sing that song at the Ryman Auditorium. Further, I'm told I'm the only one of those two people that did not use cue cards!
Q: How has moving to Louisiana inspired your music and your film work?
A: Louisiana is a real can-do state. Wonderful workforce and very creative. They also know how to stop working which is very important if you are a creative person yourself. It's during the times when I'm not working that I am most inspired by the people, attitudes and passions around me. I love me some Louisiana!
Q: Tell me about your studio
A: John SCHNEIDER STUDIOS is 60 acres with two soundstages, 10 various outbuildings to editing facilities, a lake or river, the swamp, a bamboo forest and unlimited potential for anyone with an imagination. The key to filming on a budget is to not have to change locations very often. The magic at my studio is that you can film location after location without ever having to move very far away from the coffee pot.
Q: How have you adjusted to the social media era? How would your life have been different if Twitter and Facebook had been around when you broke into the business?
A: I don't know that I could've handled Twitter or Facebook when Dukes of Hazzard was first on. Life was invasive enough as it was without being so readily available to everyone and everything. I think, in retrospect, that I may have self-destructed if they existed at that point. Truth be known, I don't think I'm the only one who would've done so. Now that I'm older I find them to be great communication tools. Wonderful publicity tools. And the single best way to build a relationship between the customers, the fan base and the studio that has ever existed. I came from a time when I would send mail blindly out to people I didn't know through mailing lists I had to purchase. That was a very, very, very difficult and extremely unsuccessful. I love the day we live in now!
Q: You've had a great run on OWN. How did that come about?
A: I'm actually still having a great run on OWN. The Haves And Have-nots enters its sixth and seventh season this summer. We have an order for 44 shows. This is the single largest order I've ever had of any show I've ever done. I'm involved because I auditioned, knocked it out of the park and got the role. This is a role I would've fought for! This role to me is what Dallas was to Larry Hagman.
Q: Which are you best known for: being Superman's dad or Bo Duke?
A: Whether people know me from the Dukes or Smallville really depends upon them. I find that very few young people and people over 30 know me from Dukes. However, I find that the 20 to 30 year old demographics are far more likely to know me from Smallville. Then there's a whole other demographic that knows The Haves And the Have-not's. I have no preference. As a wise man once said "as long as they spell your name right!"
Q: Where can people buy your music?
A: "Ruffled Skirts" is available on iTunes and also at my studio store at johnschneiderofficial.com