"It’s a fire, yeah…a campfire”.

The original title for “Toe Roaster” was “Cod Roaster” as some of you may already know. Bryan has re-named the play out of ‘respect’ for all of those that are not of the cowboy persuasion.

While working on a farm west of Nashville Tennessee, Bryan Kennedy first encountered the phrase ‘cod roaster’. His boss, Terry Davis, had Bryan blowing straw over acres and acres of land that Terry was in charge of clearing. Terry would pile up the brush in huge piles and burn them. Later they would meet back at the barn at the days end. Not knowing each other at all Bryan was waiting for his last orders of the day when Terry said ‘we gonna’ have us a cod roaster tonight, you wanta come’?

Just like many of you Bryan’s first reaction was…”a what?" Well, Bryan gets that question a lot these days, and he answers it like his former boss Terry. “It’s a fire, yeah…a campfire….you know… a cod roaster”. Bryan laughed, and still does.

Well it’s safe to say the Bryan’s life has been changed since that day. He found himself sitting around the campfire many nights with Terry. He soaked in every experience that comes from those that sit and stare into a good cod roaster; he now calls a ‘Toe Roaster’.

One day Terry’s brother Rick stopped Bryan on the farm in the front pasture and called him over to his truck. Rick looked up at Bryan and said “you got your guitar?” Bryan looking at his watch and seeing that it was 9:30 am replied “no, I’m working”. Rick said “well, you’re fired”. Bryan was shocked but happy to see Rick snicker. Rick said, “Boy don’t you know that it’s part of your job description to have your guitar with you at all times!” From that day forward Bryan carried his guitar to work and afterward they would sit around a toe roaster. Bryan says now that it changed his life. He began to bring many of his friends to sit around the fire, and one of those being Garth Brooks. Bryan says ‘you talk about jokes, that guy knows more jokes than anyone in the world’. They all spent dozens of nights laughing, talking, and singing around a toe roaster. Those nights inspired Garth to try something new for his World Tour. Why not take a little piece of home out on the road, and share it with the World? So, he asked Bryan Kennedy and Dan Roberts to open his 1996 and 1997 World tour. He had a campfire set center stage, and for 20 minuets a night they would have the opportunity of a life time to share their songs with thousands around the campfire. When Bryan left the tour in 1998 he returned home to Nashville and continued sitting around campfires. It was not until October 2002 that Todd White approached Bryan concerning some of his songs. Bryan informed Todd that he was hanging up writing, and was moving on. Todd would not accept that from Bryan, and told him, “man, you can’t quit, you gotta do something”. “What is it you ‘want’ to do?” Bryan said with no hesitation, “I want to write a play, a musical”. Todd asked “what’s it about?” Bryan said it’s about three guys sitting around a campfire. Without a blink Todd said “sounds great, I’d like to read it”. So, Bryan went home and began writing Toe Roaster.

He had in his mind two buddies he wanted to ‘star’ in his project. Wynn Varble and Troy Jones. Bryan is a huge fan of both writers. Being the son of a studio musician, record producer, and a true song man, Jerry Kennedy, Bryan saw what he calls a ‘genius talent’ in both Wynn and Troy. You would really have to tell Bryan to shut up when he starts talking about the talent of those two writers. “Not only are they gifted writers, they have brought many other gifts to myself and others. They are true friends, good people. They make me proud to be associated with them.” Bryan says it is fun to just be in the same room with Wynn and Troy. He says they bring a different angle to every situation, and usually with a tremendous sense of humor. “I am truly blessed that God has put so many wonderful people in my life, from Terry and Rick Davis, to Garth Brooks, to Wynn Varble and Troy Jones.” “How lucky I have been to sit around a toe roaster with each and every one of them.”

“World Peace”.