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KUDZU : MUSIC

Arlo McKinley back in action doing Ohio proud.

GemsOnVHS | July 12, 2026



Arlo McKinley is a real one. Recently, one of my very good friends was in a car wreck. He was drunk, rear ended someone and totaled his car. He didn’t realize that if you put someone in your iPhone as an “emergency contact”, it sends out a SOS location ping to that person when it detects a crash. I didn’t realize that either. Kind of spooky. I drove down to the site to try and help. The cops didn’t even give him a DUI, they just let him go. I’ve never seen this in my entire life. Normally you’re in danger of getting a DUI even if you’re sober. My friend took this as a wake up call, a second chance. Last Sunday, I went with this friend to his first AA meeting. Arlo, and his sponsor Logan, took us.

All that to say, Arlo is a real one. He didn’t know my friend from Adam (the first man), and he took the opportunity to help us. He knows what its like to hit rock bottom and look for a hand out of that pit. You can hear it in his songs, which is why so many people can relate to them (and enjoy listening to them). Arlo is on his own journey at the moment, hitting some sobriety “milestones”, and grinding away at this music thing in a much slower, more controlled manner.

Here we talk about that sobriety, Healing Appalachia, about the Ohio culture he loves, his musical influences and Jason Molina love. I’m sorry for the Nashville slander y’all, but i’ve lived here almost my entire life so I guess i’ve earned the privilege of talking a little shit.

Check out more from my guy Arlo here;
https://www.arlomckinley.com/about

Shout-out to my Hawaii brotha Alex Gray Baird for the “Style Wars” tape. You have been a supporter for a long time, I see you and appreciate it bro. I was so glad Arlo picked this tape. Actually, a ton of artists have mentioned it since we added it to the collection lol.

00:00 – Movie Choice
00:35 – “i dont mind”
03:48 – interview, sobering!
06:05 – “song 2”
8:33 – interview, OHIO RULES.
11:30 – “i wish i”
16:03 – closing remarks!

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Written by GemsOnVHS

Comments

This post currently has 22 comments.

  1. @BruhChromerDude

    July 12, 2026 at 7:12 am

    Not trying to sound like a ex emo kid but, I’ve cried more to Arlo’s music by myself and they weren’t sad tears.

    The realizations that have appeared to me by his music has made such an everlasting impact on my life.

    8 years clean, 0 minutes sober. 💕

  2. @kapitolking

    July 12, 2026 at 7:12 am

    . I've struggled with sobriety since I was 14 or 15, I'm 37 now. Music like this is what gives me hope when I'm back on the wagon. It gives me hope when I fall off again.

  3. @Spam.i.am.304

    July 12, 2026 at 7:12 am

    This is awesome! I love Arlo. My kids got to stand between the barrier and stage at the Healing after show. They sang every word to every song in the set and watching him look down and smile felt amazing, then getting to tell him how his music found me right before I got off of fent and stayed with me through it all while trying to not choke and cry felt even greater

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