Music Saved Me. I'm Lynn Hoffman. Welcome to the Music Saved Me podcast. I have a question. What of the thing that almost broke you became the thing that defined you? Well, today's guest spent nearly two decades rebuilding his life one road mile at a time. And now under a new name and with a new sound, he's sharing the most honest music of his entire career. There are artists who make music and then there are artists whose music makes meaning out of the wreckage. And today's guest is the second kind. You may know him as Trey Lewis, but on this episode of Music Saved Me, we're welcoming him as Thomason, the name on his birth certificate, the name on his new white van EP, and the name he says represents the most soul-bearing work of his life. Nearly 20 years sober, hundreds of small rooms with empty tip jars, a journey shaped by redemption roots, and the kind of hard-earned clarity that only comes with time. The white van EP is four songs, but it carries a lifetime with it. I'm gonna quote him, I'm the last of my bloodline, and it's important to me that I share my story. I'm so excited. Trey Lewis, Thomason will share that story, starting next on Music Saved Me. Don't go anywhere. This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Music Saved Me. Thomason, welcome to Music Saved Me. It's great to have you on the show. It really is. I mean, I followed you. Thank you for having me. I'm grateful to be here today. Well, you've been known as Trey Lewis, and you have quite a large fan base with that name, and now you're stepping in to a new role, and it's Thomason, which is your last name, which was your given last name. What does that shift mean to you personally? It's just really cool. I feel like, as a creator, it's really given me another... So when I had my big viral moment and everything just kind of went haywire, I signed this publishing deal at Sony Music Publishing, and I started to really write songs every day, not just when the inspiration hit, or when I first moved into Asheville, I was just meeting people and trying to book my own rights and stuff, but when I signed a piece of paper that was like, hey, you're gonna write songs for us, for a living, I really started writing every single day and having to force the creativity and do... And in doing that, I wrote a lot of serious songs because you can't just write a funny song every day because you're not in a funny mood every day. And the more and more I wrote songs, I realized I was like, man, I have like 100 serious songs here in this file. What am I supposed to do with these? I will say too. It's also become like, it's like a creatively freeing thing because one day I do wanna write a silly song for my Trekkie Lewis stuff, I can, and then if I wanna write something serious, something that's a little more important to me, I can tap into that as well. I think that's genius, by the way. Thank you, thank you. My manager, it was something, the Thomason thing is something that I thought about a lot, just laying in bed, dreaming at night. And one morning my manager called me and was like, man, I was having a conversation with our new distributor today. And we were just kind of talking about the different things you do as an artist and how sometimes it's a little bit of a branding issue and whatnot. And he said that they had mentioned, almost makes sense if Tre had two different artist pages. And then like as soon as he said that, I was like, dude, this is something that I thought about doing a million times. I just didn't wanna say anything because I didn't wanna like, cause it has a lot of work. It's double the releases, double the social media posting in a world where everything is like, you're trying to create so much content to like, even just to keep up, think about doing double is just absolutely the crazy, but luckily. Well, it is 2026, Thomason. We could actually clone you at some point, I'm sure. You can have 10. Right, he's an AR here. No, but that's really, really unique and fun. And it is a lot of work, but it's work that you seem to be up to the challenge with. And you've had some obstacles in life to get where you are and to be willing to share the funny side of you, but also the serious side, which is where you're at right now, really putting it all out there. Your last album you did that with sort of, it was sort of the in between moments. But is this sort of a reinvention or is it more like arriving at who you were supposed to always be? I think it's more of a arriving of where I was always supposed to be. I feel like before I had a, you know, even as Tray Lewis, before I had a song to viral, the kind of music that I'm putting out with Thomason right now is kind of the music that I was doing before that happened. It was a hell of a detour, you know? And it was fun and I had a great time. But I feel like now I'm just kind of like getting back to more of who I was. And I would say the hard work in middle class musician, like that kind of type of stuff. Absolutely. I mean, when you're doing things that are authentic to who you are, it should be easy. It should flow. So it sounds like it has been so far for you. I mean, you've described this work sort of as your most proud work to date. And that's a big statement, especially for someone with your catalog, that I definitely want to get into. What makes White Van feel different this time before everything that came before it? Well, I had put two singles out before White Van, a song called Lucky One, that I wrote about my best friend Tripp that passed away when I was about three years sober. And then I put out another song called A.A., which is a song about how, you know, I got sober. So I feel like those two songs were kind of like the interruption and then the EP is kind of like, okay, I'm here, here's four songs that, you know, save what this whole deal is about. But I just feel like it's just ideas or like songs that some of them are very old, you know, some of them have had sitting in the pile. White Van was actually an idea that I came up with in 2021, right after I had first moved to Nashville. And I remember back then I was like, man, I don't know how to write this song right now. I wasn't the songwriter that I am now back then. I was like, I'm just gonna hold on to this idea until I get a little bit better and get some reps in. And I had a write with Nate Kenyon and Farron Rachel. So when we sat down and we wrote it like an hour and a half and I was like, this is what I'm talking about. So. Yeah, yeah. Well, like you said, you shelved that song for so long and then it flowed because you pulled it right in. But I'd love to know the significance. Can you walk us through the track? Does it have to do with the treatment facility that you entered when you were young, maybe? Yeah, so in 2007, I went to treatment for a drug and alcohol addiction. I was there for six months. I know I was there for two weeks and then I got out of there and I went to live in a halfway house for six months. And I did everything they told me to do. They told me to get a sponsor, go to 12-step meetings, pray, meditate, read the book, all those things. And I did all those things. And honestly, it saved my life and changed my life. And once I was like sober and, you know, I started sponsoring other people and doing things like that, I went back, because I dropped out of high school, I went back, I got my GED and then I got a job working at the treatment center that I was once a patient at. And I worked there for six years. And while I was working there, I was also playing gigs, but I didn't get a guitar until I got sober. So I started playing little gigs at little bars and stuff like that. So I would do that four nights a week and then I would work at the treatment center three nights a week and I would drive the van and I would play my guitar for the patients. And it was such a real, it was a really cool job to have. And I really enjoyed it. And I was really good at it because I had the experience of being in that position before. And so I worked there. And then when I moved to Nashville and quit my job and decided to be full-time musician and I started touring a lot. And when I moved up here, I was like, okay, well, I'm gonna be touring a lot. I can't be doing it in this old SUV. So I went and bought a white van. And it's funny because like, you know, when I was like working in a treatment center, I was driving this white van and then I like moved to Nashville to chase my dream and I'm driving a white van there. So that's kind of like- You're manifesting all of this stuff. Yeah, I've spent so much time in a white van and it's not like a white van with candy, you know? Right. But I feel like the song does a good job of kind of, like I remember one of the first times I played the song for my publisher, we listened to it again after I turned it in. And she was like, this song's awesome. I was like, yeah, you know, I used to work at a treatment center. She was like, no, I had no idea. It's even better now. Well, yeah, the stories behind the songs, especially when they're connected to the artist seem to be extremely, they resonate with people. Is it surprising to you how many people resonate, not only with the comedy side of you, but with the seriousness of all of this and what you shared? Yeah, it's been really cool. I mean, just the, so like I wrote this song called Three Feet Tall that an artist, Coles Wendell put out a couple of years ago. And when I wrote that song and then it came out, it was my first major label cut, I was super pumped. I got a bunch of texts from like people in the town, in the industry, like, you know, different songwriters, things like that. And that made me feel good, you know? And it's like, and that's how I knew that like I had written something good enough, you know, to earn the respect of my peers, if that makes sense. Yeah. And, but I've been getting the same kind of messages with this project and the things that I've put out. I would say it feels really good because I'm just being my true authentic self. I don't have to really try really hard to create these songs, to put playlist together of like, what songs I may wanna drop next, like you were saying, it all just kind of flows really easy because it's all just 100% me. My whole goal with this was like, I don't care if, you know, three people listen to it, I like it, I'm proud of it, I'm happy, I like the work, and I'm just gonna do this. So it's been really cool to get that positive feedback. I bet, and you do it really well. Hill I Dion opens the EP with a celebration of home and family and simplicity, which I love. After everything that you've been through, how did you arrive at the clarity that the simple things are the things that really matter in life? I think that life has its way of just, I don't wanna say beating you down, but, you know, life's hard and it's not easy. And I think that in the, especially in the social media world we live in and the self comparison world we live in, it's like, if you do that enough, you're either gonna get really depressed or you're gonna get to a point where you're like, okay, well, and that's the point I reached. I was like, I just got to a point where I was like, you know, death scrolling in my bed, I'm just like, well, why isn't my life like this? I must be a loser, you know, or like whatever. Now, I finally just reached a point in my life where I was like, you know what, like, I might not have the biggest record out there or I might not have the biggest name out there, but, you know, I do have fans and I do play shows and I do make the living doing what I love. All that other stuff is just noise. And the things that matter, am I a good brother? Am I a good son? Am I a good fiancee? You know, am I a good friend? And those are, you know, just, it just takes you back to keeping it simple like they, like I've learned in AA. And that's just kind of how I arrived at that point. Keep it stupid simple. Someone taught me that. I think that was Keith Fitzgerald said that to me. Yeah, it's the kiss method. Yeah, keep it simple, stupid. Yeah, it's a wonderful, and congratulations on the recent engagement. That's exciting stuff. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Very exciting. And your recent move to Nashville. I want to talk about another song on this, Almost Kings. It's a tribute to a close friend that you kind of mentioned lightly up front and your former guitar player. The Long Drives, the empty tip jars you spoke of playing in those small venues. What do you want people to feel when they hear that song? I mean, I think what I want people to feel is maybe, you know, I've had a couple of people reach out to me and they're like, man, this is my favorite thing you've ever done. It reminds me of my buddy when I was young. We don't talk anymore, but like it just reminds me of all the stuff that we used to get into together. And I think that's cool. Like I don't ever like want somebody to listen to my song and interpret it the way that I do, you know what I mean? I want them to have their own experience, if that makes sense. Cause songs can just mean so many different things to me. But when I wrote that song, that was an idea that I'd kind of fixated on for a while. And I wrote it with one of my favorite co-writers in the world, Matt McKinney. And we just got together at his house and we wrote it. And it was one of those ones that just fell out on the page. Just because he's seen that whole friendship and that whole dynamic, not from start to end, but towards more towards the end of it. And I would say the coolest thing about that song was right after I wrote it, I sent it to Terry Adams, the guy that the song is about. And his response was, he said, man, this is so good, it got me emotional, you know? Now this is your former guitar player. Former guitar player, yeah. And ultimately in the end, you know, he just had to walk away and go and raise kids and, you know. So mad respect for that. That, you know, he knew what his limits were and what his calling was, what he needed to do for himself. And he did it and for you to support it as opposed to it ripping things apart and you've both, you know, continued to lift each other up. That's so special. Right. It's not an easy relationship to find in life. I mean, that's a forever friendship. Yeah, for sure. I mean, we're always, like I said a million times, me and him are always brothers. I think when you spend, you know, 12 years on the road with somebody, you spend more time with them than you do your own family because you're just playing shows and you're just traveling all the time. So we ain't blood, but I think we'll always be brothers. We'll be right back with more of the Music Saved Me podcast. Welcome back to the Music Saved Me podcast. Family name, another song. It hits particularly hard because you describe yourself as the last of your bloodline. I read, I think I just read, I can't remember where it was, but what's the weight of that reality? How did that bring any peace around that decision? Yeah, I would say family name's probably the heaviest lyric info in the entire thing because it might rote some people. I don't think everybody feels that way with the family name stuff, you know? But that's just a personal choice. You know, I think that fundamentally, deep down every single one of us is like, I think everybody wants to have kids and stuff like that when they're younger, but it's like the life that I lived, I've lived and the older I get, I just, you know, kind of made that decision that I don't want to have kids. You know yourself. Right. So... My mom's still alive, but my dad passed away when I was 26. And my dad was like my best friend and he was a great father, you know, he was at every single baseball game, dance recital for my sister, like he was always there. And I just know that if I had a son, I would miss a lot of things because I would be on the road doing my, you know, doing my thing. So that's, see, that's kind of like one of them. I wouldn't be able to be the dad that my dad was. And that was kind of like one of the reasons, but it's just a personal choice, you know, and then my fiance, she doesn't want kids, so it just kind of worked out great. Well, I can share a little something with you. I don't have kids. Nice. And I knew the same thing that you knew. I love children. I love all the children in my family and all my friends' kids, but I made a decision when I was younger and I hooked up with someone who had the same. We didn't know, but we knew what we wanted to do. And it always felt really weird, kind of like I could tell, I could sense that your whole body language changed when you wanted to talk about it. Because it is strange to talk about that. You don't talk about that a lot with people, especially that. So I just wanted to share with you to let you know that I understand exactly what you're putting down. Like telling somebody you don't vote, you know what I mean? You don't really just don't talk about it. Yeah, whatever it is. You're just being honest and you're just being you. And you're allowed to be whoever you want to be. And if someone doesn't agree with it, that's not your problem. Right. What other people think isn't your business anyway, right? Yeah, you're right. As long as they like your music. Yeah, that's right. That's right. As long as they listen to a couple of times. No, no, I love it. You said you've always wanted to create music that your family would be proud of. I did read that. When you finally listened back to this EP, all put together and completed, do you feel like you've gotten there? I really do. I really do. Not that I don't think, you know, Dick Down and Dallas, like my dad probably think that's hilarious, that that's the song that changed my life, you know? And my mom has been super supportive through all of it. My grandfather, when he was here, he was super supportive of it. But I really just want to like make records that they could play for somebody that needed something, you know, other than a laugh, you know, or whatever. Somebody that needed something, a little more concrete to hold onto, could play for them and be like, yo, this is my son, this is my, you know, my grandson or this is my nephew or like whatever, you know? Me and my dad, we saw Jason Isabel seven times in concert together, you know? And his music's a little more serious. And I just wanted to make records that I was influenced by and also to something that my family would be proud of. And I think that I've done that and I've got more in the tank to, you know, to keep doing that. Well thank goodness. Yeah. You better. You know, something else I read about you was how, there was this point in your life where you got to, I mean, you were young too. So you were really obviously listening to something because being that young to think that you would have to look inward what you needed to change about you as opposed to all the troubles and the problems in the world being your problem, really. And I just thought that that was so, that was such an old soul way to look at things. Do you need to share that with people that, you know, they should look inward for, to fix their problems as opposed to always blaming outwardly? I feel like, yeah, I mean, I feel like that's the deal, right? Like people should know that it's hard to do that. It's very uncomfortable to look at that. But I feel like I didn't know any of that stuff when I got sober, you know? I didn't know that that's for us, but I learned really quick that the only way that I'm gonna change my situation is to look inward and look at my faults because I can't change you, I can't change this person, I can't change this situation. All I can really change is my perception. Okay, well, how do I do that? You know, and then once I did that and then got some freedom from it or, you know, some happiness, I was like, okay, well, that's what I have to keep doing. And then I'd be a little hard headed and I'd be like, oh yeah, I gotta go do this thing. I gotta go be honest with myself about a situation. Damn it, I don't want to, but here I go again. That's what the 12 Step Fellowships gave me. I mean, I accredit it wholeheartedly to that. And that's just kind of how I've lived my life for the last 20 years and it helps me grow up, but it's definitely not something that's comfortable at all times. I know that in 2020, 2021, I started to go see a therapist again. I've done therapy throughout my entire recovery, but like I said earlier, I had from age 21 to, oh, from about 26 to 29, I lost like probably seven people really close to me, one being my dad and my grandmother and a close friend. And I'd went through a divorce and I'd just been through so much. I was like, it's time, it's time to just go get what I like to call butt naked honest and just tell the truth. And I started seeing a therapist and that really helped me kind of clear the waters and look inward and that's, I mean, I feel like doing that and continuing to grow spiritually has really just made me the person that I am today. Was music a part of that therapy? Always, always. I know a lot of people like to write songs about stories that aren't really them, but I feel like I'll never run out of material. Well, for someone out there right now who's listening to this in the middle of their own difficulties or trying to get that extra oomph to look inward, what's one thing you would want them to take away from your story? I would just like to say, not everybody's like me, but I am, I'm a redneck from Alabama and I was raised to not share emotions. I used to have the attitude of I could get myself in, I got myself in this, I can get myself out and all the things that I learned to become better mentally, physically, emotionally are things that I learned later on in life. It wasn't something that was taught to me. I had to reverse some stuff. So all I'm saying is is that I'm a high school dropout and I didn't, a lot of people didn't think that I would live to be past 21 and I'm still here and my message is if I can do it, then anybody can. And I mean, am I so, but you can do it. I know, there's another T-shirt. Every time I hear a good saying, I'm like, it might suck, but you can do it. You can do it. Oh my gosh, Trey Lewis, also known as Thomason, thank you for coming on the show, sharing your extremely important story and for your inspiring music that you continue to put out and I'm gonna end also with a quote. Oh, of course you need to get the white van EP. Thomason white van EP. Was it just dropped this week? Two weeks ago, right? Yeah, or two weeks ago. Oh, but I also wanna end this with a quote from a magazine called The Boot by Kelly Grush. She wrote this beautiful article about you just last week and at the very end it said, if Trey Lewis is the version the world met first, Thomason is the one that stayed when the noise died down. White van lives in the space between them, not choosing sides, just telling the truth as it comes one mile at a time. Thomason, thank you so much for coming on Music Save Me and sharing your story and for all of your wisdom and good luck with the wedding and the new life moving forward and everything you're doing and I have a feeling our paths will cross again. Awesome, well thank you for having me on, I really appreciate it. I'm Buzz Knight and thanks for listening to Lynn Hoffman and the Music Save Me podcast produced by Buzz Knight Media Productions. Please check out our other shows, Taken a Walk Nashville, hosted by Sarah Harrelson, Comedy Save Me, hosted by Lynn Hoffman and Taken a Walk hosted by yours truly. All shows are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and are part of the iHeart podcast network.
