Brad Paisley Is Proving That His ‘Truck Still Works’ [Interview]

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Brad Paisley. Photo: Jim Shea

With instantly recognizable hits such as “Whiskey Lullaby,” “She’s Everything,” “I’m Gonna Miss Her” and many more, it’s easy to say Brad Paisley has cemented himself as a country music legend. With a career spanning more than 25 years, some would have hung up the cowboy hat by now, but Paisley recently spoke to MusicRow about how he doesn’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.

Today (Sept. 27), Paisley released his newest single “Truck Still Works,” after premiering it at the People’s Choice Country Awards last night live from the Grand Ole Opry. Written by Paisley, Chris Dubois, Will Bundy, Hunter Phelps and Rodney Clawson, with production from Luke Wooten and Paisley, the new tune serves as a precursor for the Opry member’s next era.

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At first listen, fans will recognize the ode to one of Paisley’s biggest hits “Mud On The Tires.” Co-written with Dubois, the track became a No. 1 single in 2005. There are little easter eggs hidden throughout “Truck Still Works,” including the same guitar licks and the beloved lyric, “how ‘bout a little test drive down by the lake.”

“‘Truck Still Works’ feels like we did something brand new and also feels like a return to certain themes. But more than that, it’s the feeling of way back when I first started,” Paisley says.

Co-writers Bundy, Phelps and Clawson already had the idea for “Truck Still Works” in hand when the A&R team at UMPG heard it and suggested the writers bring Paisley and Dubois in. That’s where the ode to “Mud On The Tires” came to life.

“I don’t know whether or not they were trying to stay off of ‘Mud On The Tires’ at all with what they were doing, but once we were involved, it was like, ‘No, let’s say it,'” he says, recalling how the writes balanced what to add in from the 2005 hit and what to leave out. 

One of the first people to recognize the connection to Paisley’s older hit was his youngest son, who was away at summer camp while Paisley was writing and recording the song.

“He hadn’t heard any incarnation of it prior. We got in the car and I hit play and didn’t tell him about it. He turned to me and said, ‘Dad, while I was at camp you wrote the sequel.'” 

With the release of the new single, Paisley is giving a glimpse into what fans can expect from his new music moving forward.

“There’s plenty of heavy topics [to talk about right now]. Just watch the news. I wanted to do something here that really exists for feeling good,” Paisley says. “Turn this thing up in whatever vehicle you’re driving. It should sound really good and it should take you away from some of those things. More than that, it’s a return. It’s nostalgia. I love things that evoke good memories, and that’s what this did for me.”

While making his new music, Paisley recorded and wrote for Post Malone‘s F-1 Trillion album, which included co-writes with Ernest and Lainey Wilson. He says that though the modern country hitmakers were excited to work with him, he had questions for them as well.

“What’s funny is when we sat down to write together, they had a lot of questions. But for me, it was the same thing. I wanted to know what the new guys that are doing so well would think of a [song] like this” he shares.

Gearing up to kick off the new era, Paisley got the call to debut the song at the People’s Choice Country Awards. It was a no-brainer decision for him. When discussing the opportunity with the show’s producers, Paisley recalls how the idea came up to not only live debut “Truck Still Works,” but also how he was going to integrate “Mud On The Tires.” The performance was also a way for Paisley to show that he’s still here to make an impact on the country genre.

“It’s a nice way to check back in and [for everyone to] see what I’m up to—’cause I’m not retired yet.”

Paisley is excited to show the world what he has been working on, and says that he genuinely loves what he is going to be sharing with everyone.

“I’m really excited because I like what I’m doing,” he sums. “It’s so much fun to bring you great memories and nostalgia, but it also sonically sounds new for me.”

Madison Hahnen
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