Eric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb
Platinum-selling, Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Eric Paslay has been a familiar face in the Nashville songwriter and artist community for many years.
Since his first No. 1, Jake Owen‘s “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” topped the charts in 2011, Paslay has had a hand in writing some of Nashville’s biggest hits, including Eli Young Band‘s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” Charles Kelley‘s “The Driver,” Rascal Flatts‘ “Rewind,” Love & Theft‘s “Angel Eyes,” and Keith Urban‘s “Wild Hearts,” among countless others. He’s also had success as an artist with songs such as 2014’s “Friday Night” and “She Don’t Love You.”
Now, as an independent artist, Paslay is putting his own spin on some of his biggest hits as he releases the third and final installment of Even If It Breaks Your Barefoot Friday Night. The project marks the first time he has recorded many of the songs made famous by his contemporaries, and also features some of his own tunes revisited.
With a busy spring ahead of him as he gears up for a trek across the UK with The Shires and the third release in his cutting-edge NFT series, Paslay recently caught up with MusicRow to discuss his new projects, upcoming plans, and his outlook on being a true singer-songwriter.
MusicRow: How did you first get into writing? When did you know that’s what you wanted to do professionally?
I grew up in Texas loving music and I’ve always been drawn to songs. I always thought that every singer wrote what they sang, so if I wanted to be a singer, I thought I needed to write songs. At 15, I got my first guitar and started writing, which led people to say, “Oh, you can sing and you can write songs? You could pull a Willie Nelson and have other people record your music.”
To me, though, I just pictured being a singer and a writer as the same thing. From the moment I started creating music, playing and performing, I’ve just written and have gotten really lucky that other people have recorded my songs.
When did you first get to Nashville and really immerse yourself into the songwriting world?
I moved to Murfreesboro in 2003 and finished up school for music business at MTSU. Brian Gowen was a guy that lived in my hometown that had a deal on Curb and his wife worked for DreamWorks. They were my inside look into realizing that this is a hard business, but [they told me] that I was really good at singing and writing. They encouraged me to find a reason to stick around.
Eric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb
I went to school for music business so that way if I was on the creative side, that’s great, but if I’m not, then I would still be working with music. I was trying to find any way that I could stick around and it worked out that I got to sing and write.
A fun thing that people don’t know is that I actually had a record deal before I ever had a cut. I was signed to Capitol before I ever had a song recorded, which is crazy. “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” went No. 1 before I had “Friday Night” go No. 1. Most people think I rode the coattails of being a songwriter, but I actually had a record deal first.
You’re about to release the third installment of Even If It Breaks Your Barefoot Friday Night. What made you want to embark on this project and put your own spin on these songs?
Thanks to Jake [Owen], Eli Young Band, Rascal Flatts, Love & Theft and Charles [Kelley], I know how much goes into getting a song to No. 1. It takes hard work, luck, the stars, God, and everything else lining up at once—and a pocket book.
I get to play five No. 1s every night, and fans of mine have always asked, “Why don’t you record a studio version of ‘Barefoot’ or ‘Breaks Your Heart’?” I just decided to do it. The timing was now and I was able to legally re-record songs that I’ve recorded in the past. It sounded like a challenge, too. I play those songs the same way every night so I wanted to see if I could change it up a little bit. Mitch Furr, who produced the album, did amazing. He’s incredibly talented. I love him, I love the project, and I love how all the songs turned out. We didn’t recreate them too much but we didn’t copy them exactly either.
Do you consider yourself an artist or a songwriter first?
I’ve never considered them separate. I feel like I can get stuck in the, “You’re such a great songwriter. Oh, you sing too? That’s great! Anyway, what about your songs?” I’ve had hits as a singer, but I’ve always considered being a songwriter and being an artist the same thing. If you’re a singer, you’ve got to have something to sing, and I definitely put my time into trying to be as good of a writer as I can be.
People ask, “Man, why didn’t you cut ‘Barefoot?’” But the reality is that even if I did, and I recorded the exact same way with the exact same voice, it still might not have been heard because the stars didn’t line up. Maybe the team wouldn’t have been right or who knows. I mean, Lady A cut “Friday Night” and that was never singled, but I did and it worked out.
You’ve started releasing your own series of NFTs, the last of which comes out April 20. What do you think the future of that endeavor looks like?
It’s been really cool learning about that. With blockchain technology, the most simple way I can say it is that it’s an undeniable receipt. In the world of music, with ticket sales and all of that, I’m looking at mine as the never ending ticket.
With the first one, there were 100 of them. It’s $25 for private concerts from me. It’s the cheapest, best ticket I’ve ever sold. In a way, they’re a fan club. I’m trying to add never ending value to that and, hopefully, it’s worth a whole lot of money someday but no one will ever want to sell it because it’s too much fun to be in the club.
For the second one that we did, I built 10 lights out of antique string ball holders and used the black walnut base from a tree that fell from a tornado that hit us a couple years back. I actually gave one of them away and auctioned off the other nine.
Eric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb
With the third NFT drop, which is ridiculous and I’m probably way ahead of legal things and losing a fortune, I’ll be the first country artist to ever sell parts of my album. We’re auctioning off 10% of the net profits from the album. There’ll be 10 of those so people are literally getting an album with five guaranteed No. 1, two Grammy-nominated songs, a couple of CMA nominated ones and a couple ACM nominated ones.
Are there any plans for new music from you as an artist in the works? Is that something you’re interested in?
We’re already working on music before this one’s even been released. I’m definitely in the mindset of create, create, release, release while I’m able to do that independently. I don’t have a deal on a major right now, but if that occurs, I know that it’s more difficult to put out music, so right now I’m building a catalog of released music.
It’s fun because I keep my head down, write, and go perform. Last week I wrote with Charles and Dave [Haywood] from Lady A and Corey Crowder. We wrote an amazing song. That day I was writing with Lady A in mind, but if they don’t want to record it, then maybe I’ll record it someday or [someone else will.] That’s where the magic is. I love being able to create because there’s endless possibilities for a song. It has forever to be heard. In 200 years some kid on Mars might hear my song and go, “Wow, what an amazing song.” I love music because of that. I love getting to create it, whether I’m recording it or writing it.
Larry Fleet Plots ‘One For The Road Tour’ For Fall
/by Lorie HollabaughLarry Fleet. Photo: Matt Paskert
Larry Fleet is set to launch his first-ever headline run with his “One For The Road Tour” on Sept. 15. He hits the road this fall with a rotation of country newcomers opening, including Nate Smith, Tyler Booth, and Megan Moroney on select dates.
Presented by Black Buffalo, the “One For The Road Tour” will visit 18 cities nationwide, with stops at New York City’s Gramercy Theatre, Chicago’s Joe’s on Weed, and a hometown show for Fleet at Chattanooga’s The Signal. Tickets for the dates go on sale beginning April 22.
“It’s been amazing playing sold-out arenas every night, and to be able to announce my own headlining tour while doing it is a blessing,” Fleet says. “I’m fired up to get on the road this fall to travel across the country doing what I love, and I hope everyone makes it out to join in on the party. Thankful for Nate, Tyler, and Megan for lending their talents on the tour and adding to the shows.”
Garth Takes Show ‘Off The Rails’ At Nissan Stadium
/by Sherod RobertsonGarth Brooks returns to Nissan Stadium on Friday, April 15, 2022. Photo: MusicRow
Garth Brooks returned to Nashville this weekend after his original July 31 stop at Nissan Stadium was postponed due to bad weather and then later, cancelled due to the rise of Covid-19 cases at that time.
His return to Nashville included two shows, packing the stadium each night, on Friday (4/15) and Saturday (4/16) with the Friday night show only being announced three weeks ago.
On Friday night, Brooks was quick to confess he was taking this show “off the rails” with an unplanned and unscripted show. And in a way that only Brooks can do, he was able to immediately connect with fans on a one-on-one and personal level despite performing a stadium show.
Early into Friday’s performance, Brooks talked directly to people in the audience who were holding up signs and messages for the iconic singer. He added, “This is like request night. I like this!”
In March 2019, he launched The Stadium Tour, which has consistently broken stadium attendance records. Brooks confessed that the night was about being grateful and shared that the 2-night visit to Music City was bringing a record 71,000 fans together that weekend.
Garth Brooks returns to Nissan Stadium on Friday, April 15, 2022. Photo: MusicRow
“We’re going to treat this less like a concert and more like a party,” proclaimed Brooks and the fans were there for it.
Among his many hits played during his two-hour set, he performed many fan-favorites including Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Fishin’ in the Dark,” Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love,” “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” “The Thunder Rolls,” “Rodeo,” “The River,” and many others.
An emotionally charged Brooks professed, “This will be a night I never forget,” before performing his Billy Joel penned tune, “Shameless.” The thunderous ovation led him to praise the Friday night crowd by instructing them to tell anyone they knew that was coming to the next day’s show, “They better pack their fucking lunch if they’re going to beat this crowd here!”
That fueled the exuberant fans to an even higher escalation confirming Brooks wasn’t lying.
Garth Brooks returns to Nissan Stadium on Friday, April 15, 2022. Photo: MusicRow
Earlier this month, Brooks announced he will open a new entertainment concept and bar in Nashville at 411 Broadway and will take over a 3-story, 40,000+ square foot property that he purchased in December of last year. He gave a subtle nod to that announcement on Friday by introducing his 1990 hit, “Friends in Low Places,” saying, “Let’s see if we can play a song that may be the name of a bar.”
He played his proclaimed favorite song “The Dance,” written by Tony Arata, which is from his self-titled debut album, before offering an acoustic encore with just him and a guitar. During the encore, he sought out fans holding signs asking him to play particular songs and spoke directly to them before performing it.
He then made reference to a very young kid holding up a sign that read, “Shallow.”
After singing the first verse of the song, originally performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper from the movie A Star Is Born, the full band returned to the stage, and so did his wife and country music artist Trisha Yearwood to join him on the duet. The enthusiastic crowd convinced her to stay for another song and she did, with a flawless performance of “Walkaway Joe.”
Brooks is the first and only artist in history to receive nine Diamond Awards for the now nine Diamond-certified albums at over 10 million album sales each. And this night was evidence of why he remains the No. 1 selling solo artist in U.S. history, certified by the RIAA with over 157 million album sales.
For the last song of the evening, the country superstar performed “Standing Outside The Fire,” which perhaps embodies the inspiration we all needed to hear that night after having come through the storms of a pandemic… life is not tried, it is merely survived, if you’re standing outside the fire.
Garth Brooks returns to Nissan Stadium on Friday, April 15, 2022. Photo: MusicRow
The following evening, Brooks created an Opry celebration to open his Saturday (4/16) Nissan Stadium show.
Opry members Lauren Alaina, Larry Gatlin, Jeannie Seely, Trisha Yearwood, Chris Young, and special guest Chase Rice all performed, and WSM Radio personality Bill Cody served as announcer.
Young opened the show with his hit “Gettin’ You Home” before stepping into a host role and welcoming Rice to the stage for two songs. Yearwood performed her smash debut single “She’s in Love with The Boy” and was joined by Alaina, who she officially inducted into the Opry in February.
Young and Brooks collaborated on Brooks’ smash “Papa Loved Mama” before everyone including, Gatlin and Seely, gathered on stage to sing the Opry anthem “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.”
As the performers took the stage at Nissan Stadium, the Grand Ole Opry simultaneously took place at the Opry House and was heard around the world on WSM Radio and online with performances by Opry members John Conlee, Carrie Underwood, Sam Williams, and more.
Carly Pearce Gives Back To Kentucky Communities Through Music Has Value Fund
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Kristen Rencher (Director of Business Development, Strategic Initiatives, and Student Programs), Carly Pearce, David Graham (Kentucky Music Educators Association President), Scott Borchetta (Big Machine Label Group Chairman and CEO). Photo: Alexa Campbell
Carly Pearce found a way to give back to her home state through her recent one-night-only concert event, “Inside 29: Written In Stone Live From Music City,” held at Marathon Music Works in Nashville on April 6.
The special show was filmed for release later in the year, but local fans experienced the taping first-hand and enjoyed the songs of love, loss and truth Pearce lived through on her acclaimed album, 29: Written In Stone.
Pearce made a special donation through the Music Has Value Fund to the Kentucky Music Educators Association in partnership with National Association for Music Education. The devastation from recent tornadoes across the area hit home for the Taylor Mill native, and specifically, for the family of her bass player Phil Noel in Mayfield.
“I am grateful to have had the support of my strong Kentucky lineage and embrace from true lovers of Country music so it’s an honor to help give back to the community that raised me. This donation from the Music Has Value Fund is a way to uplift some other dreamers in the face of chaos,” Pearce shares. “I wrote this album out of survival, and it ended up being the most beautiful season of my life. My hope is that we all find healing in our heartaches.”
“Carly Pearce, thank you for being the voice for those who suffered losses during tornadoes in Kentucky,” says NAfME Southern Division President Sonja Z.M. Williams. “Thank you for giving back to the community that helped shape you at a young age. We applaud you and the Music Has Value Fund for choosing to support underserved schools. Those students need to have every opportunity to make music, aspire to make music, and access and appreciate music without any obstacles. I know the members of the Kentucky Music Educators Association, led by David Graham, are ecstatic to be on the receiving end of this initiative. We look forward to hearing how the funding positively impacts the schools!”
“The Music Has Value Fund is happy to assist the Kentucky Music Educators Association in supporting music programs in Mayfield. Rebuilding the schools will take time. Our hope is that music programs will be in place and ready when the schools are ready. Our thoughts and prayers continue for the families and all music educators affected by Kentucky tornadoes,” adds Big Machine Label Group EVP Creative Sandi Spika Borchetta.
Darius Rucker Announces Summer Tour With Ryan Hurd, Tenille Townes, More As Special Guests
/by Lorie HollabaughDarius Rucker. Photo: Keith Griner
Darius Rucker has announced a run of 14 dates across the U.S. and Canada this summer from July through September.
He’ll bring along a bevy of rising Nashville stars on the shows, including Tyler Booth, Daves Highway, Larry Fleet, Caylee Hammack, Ryan Hurd, Jameson Rodgers, Elvie Shane and Tenille Townes.
Rucker make three Nashville appearances this summer, with his “Darius And Friends” benefit at the Ryman on June 6, a CMA Fest appearance on June 9, and a Bridgestone Arena show as part of the “Brooks & Dunn Reboot Tour” on June 18.
Tickets to most newly-announced dates go on sale to the public beginning April 22 at 10 a.m. local time via DariusRucker.com.
Darius Rucker Tour Dates:
June 6 – Nashville, Tenn. | Ryman Auditorium (Darius and Friends)
June 9 – Nashville, Tenn. | Nissan Stadium (CMA Fest)
June 18 – Nashville, Tenn. | Bridgestone Arena (Brooks & Dunn Reboot Tour 2022)
June 23 – Cleveland, Ohio | Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica (with Tyler Booth)*
June 24 – Huber Heights, Ohio | Rose Music Center at The Heights (with Tyler Booth)*
June 25 – Interlochen, Mich. | Interlochen Center for the Arts (with Tyler Booth)
June 29 – Anchorage, Alaska | Backyard Country BBQ
July 8 – Cavendish, P.E.I. | Cavendish Beach Music Festival
July 15 – Memphis, Tenn. | venue TBA#
July 16 – Rogers, Ark. | Walmart AMP (with Ryan Hurd & Elvie Shane)*
July 21 – Paso Robles, Calif. | California Mid-State Fair (with Lindsay Ell)
July 22 – Phoenix, Ariz. | Arizona Federal Theatre (with Caylee Hammack)*
July 28 – Bend, Ore. | Hayden Homes Amphitheater (with Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack)*
July 30 – Cowichan, B.C. | Sunset Music Festival
July 31 – Merritt, B.C. | Rockin’ River Music Festival
August 25 – Tryon, N.C. | Night in the Country Carolinas
August 26 – Wilmington, N.C. | Live Oak Bank Pavilion (with Larry Fleet & Tyler Booth)*
August 27 – Doswell, Va. | Meadow Event Park (with Larry Fleet & Tyler Booth)*
September 2 – Bridgeport, Conn. | Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater (with Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane)*
September 3 – Bethel, N.Y. | Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (with Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane)*
September 4 – Gilford, N.H. | Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion (with Jameson Rodgers & Elvie Shane)*
September 9 – Tulsa, Okla. | Paradise Cove at River Spirit Casino Resort (with Tyler Booth)^
September 10 – Camdenton, Mo. | Lake Ozarks Amphitheater (with Tyler Booth)^
*On sale April 22
^On sale May 6
#On sale information TBA
Trace Adkins Celebrates 3x Platinum Status At Sold Out Ryman Show
/by Lydia FarthingTrace Adkins. Photo: Emma Delevante
Multi-Platinum entertainer Trace Adkins brought his “The Way I Wanna Go Tour” to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Friday, April 8 to a sold-out crowd.
The show, which marked Adkins first Ryman visit since 2012, was full of heartfelt emotion, baritone vocals and the playful spirit which has attributed to so much of his success. Throughout the night, Adkins was surprised when Terri Clark interrupted the show to share the news that his monster 2005 hit, “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” has officially been certified triple-Platinum by the RIAA.
Pictured (L-R): Cameo Carlson, Mtheory; Trace Adkins; Mickey Jack Cones, Verge Records; Terri Clark. Photo: Catherine Powell
“Performing at the Ryman is always a highlight, but a sold-out crowd made it even more special,” explains Adkins. “Then, my good friend, Terri Clark, walked on stage and caught me totally off guard. Hell, I didn’t know what she was up to! Am I supposed to be singing a song with her? Is she going to slap me? Surprising me with news of the certification on the Ryman stage was a moment I will cherish.”
To celebrate the momentous honor, Adkins has released a special EP, Honky Tonk Badonkadonk: The Remixes, which reimagines the anthem in five new ways–from “Country Club” to “‘70s Groove” and more.
Live streamed via Mandolin, the show also served as the kickoff to a new leg of “The Way I Wanna Go Tour,” which now continues through October. The Grammy-nominated vocalist will make his way across the US, Canada and Mexico, as he continues to follow up his acclaimed 25th anniversary album, The Way I Wanna Go. For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.
In De Goot Entertainment Expands To Nashville
/by LB CantrellBill McGathy. Photo: Jennie McGathy
Artist management company In De Goot Entertainment, home to many successful rock and alternative artists such as Shinedown and Halestorm, has announced their expansion to Nashville. The company also counts Big Machine/John Varvatos Records artist Ayron Jones as part of their roster.
In De Goot Entertainment, led by President, Owner and industry veteran Bill McGathy, is headquartered in New York, and has a presence in St. Louis, Los Angeles, Detroit, London, and now, Music City.
Additionally, In De Goot has announced promotions for several staff members. Of those in the Nashville office, Michael Iurato has been elevated to President of A&R and Artist Development, and Adam Lebensfeld to President of Promotion.
“This is an exciting time for In De Goot. We are positioned to bring the legacies of our established acts to new heights and to break emerging and exciting talent. Our recent staff promotions are well deserved, and our team has made so many important contributions to growing the company and guiding our artists to success. We look forward to an incredible upcoming year of new music and live entertainment, and this is just the beginning of elevating our entire In De Goot team,” says McGathy.
Wade Bowen & Friends Raise $500,000 For Texas Nonprofits
/by LB CantrellPictured (L to R): Laura Houle, William Clark Green, John Michael Whitby, Sean Sankey, Nick Gardner, Josh Abbott, Lee Roy Parnell, Wade Bowen, Deana Carter, Jamie Lin Wilson, Geoff Queen, Todd Laningham, Caleb Jones). Photo: Todd Purify
Wade Bowen recently celebrated the return of his annual charity concert, “Bowen Musicfest,” and raised more than $500,000 to benefit local nonprofits in Texas.
Taking place at Baylor University’s McClane Stadium Touchdown Alley, Bowen performed alongside some of his friends. Performing alongside the popular singer-songwriter were ACM New Male Artist of the Year and fellow Texan Parker McCollum, multi-Platinum songstress Deana Carter, reigning ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year winner Lainey Wilson, and Grammy Award-winning band Shenandoah. The event closed with the ever-popular “Wade Bowen & Friends All-Star Jam” featuring Carter, Josh Abbott, William Clark Green, Casey Donahew, Stoney LaRue, Jamie Lin Wilson, Lee Roy Parnell and Randy Rogers, plus surprise guests Cledus T. Judd, William Beckmann and Cody Jinks.
“When we launched our annual ‘Bowen Musicfest’ and Bowen Classic golf tournament, I never dreamed that we’d still be at it twenty years and millions of dollars later,” shares Bowen. “I’m so proud of the way my family, friends and hometown continue to step up with hearts and hands to help make Waco a better place. At the Bowen Family Foundation, we believe that Music Heals and I can’t wait to see the good we can do for the community with the funds raised thanks to this incredible group of musicians.”
To date, the annual “Bowen Musicfest” has allowed the Bowen Family Foundation to help children and families in and around Waco by raising a total of more than $6 million for beneficiaries including March of Dimes Waco, CASA of McLennan & Hill Counties, City of West Disaster Relief, Boys & Girls Clubs of Waco, Inspiración, The Mentoring Alliance and more.
Bowen just released his six-song EP, Where Phones Don’t Work, which continues to impress fans and critics alike.
Stephanie Quayle Reflects On Her Past & Looks Forward To The Future On Upcoming Album
/by Lydia FarthingStephanie Quayle. Photo: Audrey Hall
Big Sky Music Group recording artist Stephanie Quayle will release her self-titled album on April 22.
This collection of music, including singles “By Heart,” “Wild Frontier” and “I Want The World For You,” along with brand new material such as “Hang My Hat,” serve as a reflection of where the singer-songwriter is at this point in her life as she sets the stage for her next chapter.
“As many of us know, 2020 and 2021 changed the course of our live music experiences. Now in 2022, we have so much catching up to do with our fan family. This album is for them,” says Quayle. “It was requested by them and made with them in mind. This collection of music includes some songs they’ve heard, and a few they haven’t. It’s those new songs that really complete this chapter, and sets up what comes next. I hope each listener finds a piece of themselves in this album and the songs become the soundtrack to new memories and moments in their lives.”
In addition to her upcoming album release, Quayle has also announced a new line of boots in partnership with Lucchese Bootmaker. Growing up in Montana, Quayle brings the western spirit to her new collection, which includes styles such as the Buford, Rider, Dreamer and a revamped version of a classic-style boot, Quayle. The collection will be available beginning April 21.
She will also once again partner with Lucchese for their special concert series, the “Lucchese Listener Lounge Series.” In her second headlining series, kicking off in May, Quayle will visit Lucchese locations in Austin, Fort Worth and Willow Park, Texas with additional dates to be announced.
Matthew West To Release New Book, ‘The God Who Stays,’ This Fall
/by Lydia FarthingMatthew West. Photo: Sean Hagwell
Five-time Grammy nominated artist Matthew West has unveiled his sixth book, The God Who Stays, will be released on Sept. 6.
Published by W. Publishing Group, an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, the new book is his most personal to date. West was inspired by the events of 2020 to go on a journey of rediscovery and revival inspired by the words of his hit song “The God Who Stays.”
West’s single, “Me On Your Mind,” is sitting at No. 17 on the Billboard Christian Airplay Chart and has surpassed 3 million streams across all digital streaming platforms. He has had 8 No. 1 singles as an artist, including his most recent multi-week No. 1 song “What If.” It followed back-to-back No. 1 hits with “The God Who Stays” and “Truth Be Told,” which he later recorded a duet version with country superstar Carly Pearce.
West is the reigning ASCAP Christian Songwriter of the Year, which is his fourth time with this honor in his career. In addition to his several RIAA Gold-certified and Platinum singles, he is currently traveling the country on his “Brand New Tour.” For a full list of upcoming dates, click here.
Eric Paslay: ‘I’ve Always Considered Being A Songwriter & Being An Artist The Same Thing’ [Interview]
/by Lydia FarthingEric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb
Platinum-selling, Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Eric Paslay has been a familiar face in the Nashville songwriter and artist community for many years.
Since his first No. 1, Jake Owen‘s “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” topped the charts in 2011, Paslay has had a hand in writing some of Nashville’s biggest hits, including Eli Young Band‘s “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” Charles Kelley‘s “The Driver,” Rascal Flatts‘ “Rewind,” Love & Theft‘s “Angel Eyes,” and Keith Urban‘s “Wild Hearts,” among countless others. He’s also had success as an artist with songs such as 2014’s “Friday Night” and “She Don’t Love You.”
With a busy spring ahead of him as he gears up for a trek across the UK with The Shires and the third release in his cutting-edge NFT series, Paslay recently caught up with MusicRow to discuss his new projects, upcoming plans, and his outlook on being a true singer-songwriter.
MusicRow: How did you first get into writing? When did you know that’s what you wanted to do professionally?
I grew up in Texas loving music and I’ve always been drawn to songs. I always thought that every singer wrote what they sang, so if I wanted to be a singer, I thought I needed to write songs. At 15, I got my first guitar and started writing, which led people to say, “Oh, you can sing and you can write songs? You could pull a Willie Nelson and have other people record your music.”
To me, though, I just pictured being a singer and a writer as the same thing. From the moment I started creating music, playing and performing, I’ve just written and have gotten really lucky that other people have recorded my songs.
When did you first get to Nashville and really immerse yourself into the songwriting world?
I moved to Murfreesboro in 2003 and finished up school for music business at MTSU. Brian Gowen was a guy that lived in my hometown that had a deal on Curb and his wife worked for DreamWorks. They were my inside look into realizing that this is a hard business, but [they told me] that I was really good at singing and writing. They encouraged me to find a reason to stick around.
Eric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb
I went to school for music business so that way if I was on the creative side, that’s great, but if I’m not, then I would still be working with music. I was trying to find any way that I could stick around and it worked out that I got to sing and write.
A fun thing that people don’t know is that I actually had a record deal before I ever had a cut. I was signed to Capitol before I ever had a song recorded, which is crazy. “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” went No. 1 before I had “Friday Night” go No. 1. Most people think I rode the coattails of being a songwriter, but I actually had a record deal first.
You’re about to release the third installment of Even If It Breaks Your Barefoot Friday Night. What made you want to embark on this project and put your own spin on these songs?
Thanks to Jake [Owen], Eli Young Band, Rascal Flatts, Love & Theft and Charles [Kelley], I know how much goes into getting a song to No. 1. It takes hard work, luck, the stars, God, and everything else lining up at once—and a pocket book.
I get to play five No. 1s every night, and fans of mine have always asked, “Why don’t you record a studio version of ‘Barefoot’ or ‘Breaks Your Heart’?” I just decided to do it. The timing was now and I was able to legally re-record songs that I’ve recorded in the past. It sounded like a challenge, too. I play those songs the same way every night so I wanted to see if I could change it up a little bit. Mitch Furr, who produced the album, did amazing. He’s incredibly talented. I love him, I love the project, and I love how all the songs turned out. We didn’t recreate them too much but we didn’t copy them exactly either.
Do you consider yourself an artist or a songwriter first?
I’ve never considered them separate. I feel like I can get stuck in the, “You’re such a great songwriter. Oh, you sing too? That’s great! Anyway, what about your songs?” I’ve had hits as a singer, but I’ve always considered being a songwriter and being an artist the same thing. If you’re a singer, you’ve got to have something to sing, and I definitely put my time into trying to be as good of a writer as I can be.
People ask, “Man, why didn’t you cut ‘Barefoot?’” But the reality is that even if I did, and I recorded the exact same way with the exact same voice, it still might not have been heard because the stars didn’t line up. Maybe the team wouldn’t have been right or who knows. I mean, Lady A cut “Friday Night” and that was never singled, but I did and it worked out.
You’ve started releasing your own series of NFTs, the last of which comes out April 20. What do you think the future of that endeavor looks like?
It’s been really cool learning about that. With blockchain technology, the most simple way I can say it is that it’s an undeniable receipt. In the world of music, with ticket sales and all of that, I’m looking at mine as the never ending ticket.
With the first one, there were 100 of them. It’s $25 for private concerts from me. It’s the cheapest, best ticket I’ve ever sold. In a way, they’re a fan club. I’m trying to add never ending value to that and, hopefully, it’s worth a whole lot of money someday but no one will ever want to sell it because it’s too much fun to be in the club.
For the second one that we did, I built 10 lights out of antique string ball holders and used the black walnut base from a tree that fell from a tornado that hit us a couple years back. I actually gave one of them away and auctioned off the other nine.
Eric Paslay. Photo: Rachel Deeb
With the third NFT drop, which is ridiculous and I’m probably way ahead of legal things and losing a fortune, I’ll be the first country artist to ever sell parts of my album. We’re auctioning off 10% of the net profits from the album. There’ll be 10 of those so people are literally getting an album with five guaranteed No. 1, two Grammy-nominated songs, a couple of CMA nominated ones and a couple ACM nominated ones.
Are there any plans for new music from you as an artist in the works? Is that something you’re interested in?
We’re already working on music before this one’s even been released. I’m definitely in the mindset of create, create, release, release while I’m able to do that independently. I don’t have a deal on a major right now, but if that occurs, I know that it’s more difficult to put out music, so right now I’m building a catalog of released music.
It’s fun because I keep my head down, write, and go perform. Last week I wrote with Charles and Dave [Haywood] from Lady A and Corey Crowder. We wrote an amazing song. That day I was writing with Lady A in mind, but if they don’t want to record it, then maybe I’ll record it someday or [someone else will.] That’s where the magic is. I love being able to create because there’s endless possibilities for a song. It has forever to be heard. In 200 years some kid on Mars might hear my song and go, “Wow, what an amazing song.” I love music because of that. I love getting to create it, whether I’m recording it or writing it.