Your Dark Companion Podcast

In this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner welcomes Dallas music staple Chad Stockslager — better known as Mr. Chad — for a wide-ranging, funny, and deeply musical conversation about a life spent chasing the right notes.
Chad traces his journey from a childhood epiphany sparked by The Wizard of Oz to becoming one of the most in-demand keyboard players in North Texas. He shares stories from his early Terrell and Deep Ellum days, tribute projects like Buick Six, and playing legendary Dallas rooms including the newly revived Longhorn Ballroom.
Along the way, Chad reflects on the giants who shaped him — Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Floyd Cramer, Nicky Hopkins — and explains why vintage soul and 50s rock still live inside his playing. He tells the unforgettable story of Booker T. Jones sitting in on his slightly “well-loved” keyboard rig, the technical dance of modern MIDI programming, and what it takes to replicate classic piano tones without hauling a 900-pound instrument.
There’s also talk of Dallas’ ever-evolving music scene, Pedigo’s Magic Pilsner, Bastards of Soul, soul nights at the Longhorn, and the unpredictable joy of song swaps at the All Good Café.
It’s a conversation about craft, community, and the strange beauty of being “everyone’s go-to keyboard player.”
And yes — the magical musical thing makes an appearance.
⏱️ Chapters
00:43 – Introducing Mr. Chad04:50 – The Buick Six and playing Dylan like the records09:08 – The “Magical Musical Thing” origin story16:07 – From Terrell to Deep Ellum22:00 – Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis & early influences26:54 – Rediscovering the Longhorn Ballroom33:15 – Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit & Grant Halliburton Foundation34:42 – CBD House of Healing sponsor read37:24 – Valentine’s Song Swap at All Good Café42:12 – The evolution of keyboard technology46:02 – Booker T plays Chad’s “well-worn” rig49:08 – Pedigo’s Magic Pilsner & future projects51:07 – Pandemic variety shows & creative survival
#YourDarkCompanion #MrChad #DallasMusic #LonghornBallroom #TexasSoul #DeepEllum #LiveMusic
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The Old Grey Wolf: X: https://x.com/TheOldGreyWolfIG: https://www.instagram.com/theoldgreywolf16/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikerhyner579
To reach out email us at: Info@Stolenwatermedia.com
IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourdarkcompanion/X: https://x.com/YDC_DfwTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yourdarkcompanionFB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559876685445
The Old Grey Wolf: X: https://x.com/TheOldGreyWolfIG: https://www.instagram.com/theoldgreywolf16/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikerhyner579
To reach out email us at: Info@Stolenwatermedia.com
#YourDarkCompanion #MikeRhyner#DanaLarson #SportsBroadcasting#DallasSports #SportsMedia#LongFormPodcast #SportsJournalism

Show Notes

In this episode of Your Dark Companion, Mike Rhyner welcomes Dallas music staple Chad Stockslager — better known as Mr. Chad — for a wide-ranging, funny, and deeply musical conversation about a life spent chasing the right notes.

Chad traces his journey from a childhood epiphany sparked by The Wizard of Oz to becoming one of the most in-demand keyboard players in North Texas. He shares stories from his early Terrell and Deep Ellum days, tribute projects like Buick Six, and playing legendary Dallas rooms including the newly revived Longhorn Ballroom.

Along the way, Chad reflects on the giants who shaped him — Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Floyd Cramer, Nicky Hopkins — and explains why vintage soul and 50s rock still live inside his playing. He tells the unforgettable story of Booker T. Jones sitting in on his slightly “well-loved” keyboard rig, the technical dance of modern MIDI programming, and what it takes to replicate classic piano tones without hauling a 900-pound instrument.

There’s also talk of Dallas’ ever-evolving music scene, Pedigo’s Magic Pilsner, Bastards of Soul, soul nights at the Longhorn, and the unpredictable joy of song swaps at the All Good Café.

It’s a conversation about craft, community, and the strange beauty of being “everyone’s go-to keyboard player.”

And yes — the magical musical thing makes an appearance.

⏱️ Chapters

00:43 – Introducing Mr. Chad
04:50 – The Buick Six and playing Dylan like the records
09:08 – The “Magical Musical Thing” origin story
16:07 – From Terrell to Deep Ellum
22:00 – Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis & early influences
26:54 – Rediscovering the Longhorn Ballroom
33:15 – Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit & Grant Halliburton Foundation
34:42 – CBD House of Healing sponsor read
37:24 – Valentine’s Song Swap at All Good Café
42:12 – The evolution of keyboard technology
46:02 – Booker T plays Chad’s “well-worn” rig
49:08 – Pedigo’s Magic Pilsner & future projects
51:07 – Pandemic variety shows & creative survival

#YourDarkCompanion #MrChad #DallasMusic #LonghornBallroom #TexasSoul #DeepEllum #LiveMusic


IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourdarkcompanion/
X: https://x.com/YDC_Dfw
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yourdarkcompanion
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559876685445

The Old Grey Wolf: 
X: https://x.com/TheOldGreyWolf
IG: https://www.instagram.com/theoldgreywolf16/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikerhyner579

To reach out email us at: Info@Stolenwatermedia.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourdarkcompanion/
X: https://x.com/YDC_Dfw
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yourdarkcompanion
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559876685445

The Old Grey Wolf: 
X: https://x.com/TheOldGreyWolf
IG: https://www.instagram.com/theoldgreywolf16/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mikerhyner579

To reach out email us at: Info@Stolenwatermedia.com

#YourDarkCompanion #MikeRhyner
#DanaLarson #SportsBroadcasting
#DallasSports #SportsMedia
#LongFormPodcast #SportsJournalism

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Creators and Guests

Host
Mike Rhyner
Mike Rhyner… "a little on the bumpy side, but rather likable"…so stated famously by a grade school teacher in Oak Cliff, where Mike grew up. A complicated guy, yet a guy who can do long division and remember call strike three to A Rod. Probably best left unattended. Don't expect assistance from him if a medical situation arises.

What is Your Dark Companion Podcast?

"Whatever I want it to be about on a given day; is what it is." Your Dark Companion couples your familiar friends from radio, Mike and Grubes! Mike brings his classic interviews that draw you in, and Grubes—The Devil—drops…well the drops, and throws the occasional grenade. Mike likes to draw on his fascinating acquaintances and friends allowing them to tell their stories as you've never heard them. But he also goes outside his network, sharing Grubes' network, and often outside of both, to bring you those they don't know, but believe have a story that will make you laugh, make you think, think differently, or just entertain you…"that's what we are trying to do here."