Dustin Lynch. Photo: The Dwyers
A few weeks back, Broken Bow Records star Dustin Lynch released his fifth studio album Blue In The Sky.
The project contains 12 upbeat tracks, five of which Lynch co-wrote, including his 6-week No. 1 with MacKenzie Porter, “Thinking ‘Bout You.” Blue In The Sky also features his new single, “Party Mode,” which marked his biggest add week and highest career debut when it impacted radio last week.
Since his debut in 2012 with “Cowboys and Angels,” Lynch has become a serious country hitmaker. He’s achieved eight No. 1 country songs, four top 5 albums, eight Gold and Platinum singles, and over 3 billion global on-demand streams.
Lynch recently spoke with MusicRow about the last 10 years, his hopes for the future, and lessons learned along the way.
MusicRow: When you were releasing “Cowboys and Angels” in 2012, what were your goals for the song? What were you thinking then?
I didn’t expect it would do anything, to be honest with you. I knew it felt special to me, but I didn’t know why. I didn’t expect it to go on and rack up the accolades that it did.
In hindsight, I wish I would’ve asked more questions or at least attempted to contact other artists to ask, “Hey, if this happens, what do I do? What shouldn’t I do?” But I’ve learned a lot along the way, too. I was scared to death because I was afraid that maybe I couldn’t follow [“Cowboys and Angels”] up or handle the success that it brought on.
If you could go back, what would you tell yourself then?
I would definitely tell myself to trust your gut when it comes to your artistry. I was listening to a lot of outside influences back then. I should have been standing up for myself. I think everybody probably has regrets creatively along the way, like, “Dang it! We should have done that,” or “I should have gone back in and rerecorded that.”
Throughout the years, it’s become easier. I’ve become a better communicator in the studio, and I’ve become a better communicator to my team. I’ve assembled a team around me that that will stand up for me and believes in our long term goals. So we’re in a really good spot right now and I think that’s all part of the journey.
Dustin Lynch celebrates his new album release at iHeartCountry party. Photo: Wes And Alex For iHeartRadio
What is a piece of advice you’ve garnered along the way that you would share with newer artists?
Keep playing cover gigs so you can make some money. (laughs) I remember going back home after “Cowboy and Angels” was a hit and all of my friends growing up thought I had millions of dollars because I had a hit on the radio and I was on the CMT Music Awards performing. But what they didn’t realize is I was literally sleeping on my parents’ couch at the time and living out of a hotel room. I went from having a very successful run of cover shows, and also playing originals, at a lot of college campuses, frat parties, sorority parties, and wedding receptions—and making a great living! All that goes away and you start playing free shows [while promoting] the first few singles.
Keep believing in yourself and save your money, because you’re not guaranteed much early on. Keep believing, save up, and stay frugal.
You recently signed with Warner Chappell. Why was that the right move for you?
[When making that decision] I looked back on who has been helping me these past few years, who’s given me opportunities, who’s believed in me, who’s pushed me and challenged me to become a better writer… And it was the Warner Chappell team.
It just felt like home. I love doing business with people that I like to do life with. Ben Vaughn has been there since before I could write a song worth a crap, he’s championed me. He was on my radio tour video as a guy that was endorsing me early on, so he’s been a believer since day one. Ryan Beuschel has become a great buddy of mine. It’s fun to create with those guys that I like hanging out with off the clock.
What about your songwriting has changed over the last 10 years?
My songwriting has gotten a little bit more efficient because I know what I want to say and what I want to do in my live show. I’m not just casting into the wind anymore. There’s purpose behind every cast. For me, in the writing room, I’m always steering the ship with my live show in mind.
I’ve seen myself click with certain writers along the way. Tim Nichols was an early believer, [as well as] Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, and Ashley Gorley. I was an early believer in Zach Crowell, believe it or not. I think I took him on his first bus trip ever. Fast forward to “Small Town Boy,” he had gotten his foot under him as a producer with the Montevallo record with Sam [Hunt]. He raised his hand and said, “Man, let me produce ‘Small Town Boy.’ I just feel really passionate about that song.” So we let him swing the bat and the rest is history.
Speaking of Zach Crowell, he produced your new album Blue In The Sky. What did you want this record to sound like?
There weren’t lines in the sand of, “It’s gotta be this or it’s not making [the album].” It was just about how I was living life, I let that steer it. A lot of that was just being off the road, being with friends, being on the water, and having a buzz. When we’re on the lake, we are always either drinking a beer or mixing tequila, so listening to music in that head space is a great spot to be.
Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter. Photo: Brennon Williamson
You’ve had a lot of success recently with MacKenzie Porter on “Thinking ‘Bout You.” What has it been like to bring a new artist up with you on this one?
When we start seeing those indicators [that the song was going to be a hit], Mackenzie was texting me weekly. “Is this good?” I was like, “Mackenzie, no, this is great!” It was a fun ride. No kidding, I woke up early this morning and the first song I started singing in my head was Mackenzie’s next single. She’s got a great future ahead and it’s been a blessing [working with her].
What are some of your goals for the next 10 years? What are you shooting for at this point?
Just to continue to live in the moment and be present. The next 10 years are going to be about enjoying the moment of creativity; to create and have fun.
The next 10 years for us as a team, we have goals to continue to grow the fan base and grow our tickets. I know we can hang with the best of ’em. We just got to headline down at Crash My Playa with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. Getting to do that at that level, to hold that crowd and feel that energy for the entire set, that lets us know we’re ready.
For the next 10 years, we are just going to see where that takes us. I’ve got 10 years until I’m as old as Luke Bryan, so I’ve got many more beers until I reach his level. (laughs) We’re going to continue to enjoy life and put on the best shows we can.
Sara Evans, Justin Moore Among Lineup For Amp At Dant Crossing 2022 Season
/by Lorie HollabaughSara Evans & Justin Moore
Sara Evans and Justin Moore have been announced as part of the lineup for The Amp at Dant Crossing’s 2022 season.
Just south of Lexington and Louisville, Kentucky, the Amp at Dant Crossing is ramping up to be one of Kentucky’s premier music and event venues. The 2,000-seat amphitheater kicked off its grand opening in summer of 2021 with a sold-out show by Little Big Town ,and featured shows from Better Than Ezra, Phil Vassar, Mark Wills and more through the season.
The Amp will continue to announce talent for its upcoming summer lineup. To purchase tickets, click here.
The Amp at Dant Crossing 2022 Lineup:
May 13 – Sara Evans
Aug. 26 – Justin Moore
Walker Montgomery Slates New ‘Rust’ EP For March
/by Lorie HollabaughWalker Montgomery. Photo: David McClister
Walker Montgomery is gearing up for the release of his sophomore Play It Again Entertainment EP, Rust, on March 25. The project’s debut track, “Blue Eyed Blue Jean Gone,” is available now.
Written by Jameson Rodgers, Ben Hayslip and Jessi Alexander, the newest track follows the releases of “Out of Nowhere,” “She Don’t Know,” and the feel-good “Bad Day To Be A Beer.”
The new project was produced by multi-award-winning hit songwriters The Peach Pickers (Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, Hayslip) who have nearly 80 No. 1s between them and multiple songwriting awards.
“I am beyond excited for everyone to hear this new music,” shares Montgomery. “We have been working for almost two years now to get just the right songs together for this EP, and I cannot wait for everyone to hear how my music has grown and evolved over these past few years. Getting to record and include a song like ‘Blue Eyed Blue Jean Gone’ on this EP, written by some of the best songwriters in Nashville like Jameson, Ben and Jessi, is a big honor.”
1) Rust – Written by: Ashley Gorley, Nicolle Galyon, Brandon Lay
2) My Hometowns Fault – Written By: Rhett Akins, Jessi Alexander, Jameson Rodgers, Warren Haynes
3) Blue Eyed Blue Jean Gone – Written by: Jameson Rodgers, Ben Hayslip, Jessi Alexander
4) She Don’t Know – Written By: Dallas Davidson, Kyle Fishman, Michael Ray
5) Out Of Nowhere – Written by: Corey Crowder, Jared Mullens, Morgan Wallen, Joey Hyde
6) Bad Day To Be A Beer – Written by: Brock Berryhill, Cole Taylor, Dallas Davidson, Ray Fulcher
J.T. Harding: ‘This Is The Book I Wish I Had When I Tried To Get Into The Music Business’ [Interview]
/by Lydia FarthingJ.T. Harding. Photo: Fred Hayes
Hit country songwriter J.T. Harding has celebrated his fair share of successes, with seven No. 1s under his belt, including “Somewhere In My Car” (Keith Urban), “Somewhere With You” (Kenny Chesney), “Sangria” (Blake Shelton), “Alone With You” (Jake Owen), “Beers and Sunshine” (Darius Rucker), “Smile” (Uncle Kracker), and “Different For Girls” (Dierks Bentley).
With quite the wild story to tell and plenty of experience as a songwriter in the country music industry, the accomplished tunesmith has put it all to paper in his new book, Party Like A Rockstar: The Crazy, Coincidental, Hard-Luck, and Harmonious Life of a Songwriter. The engaging page-turner is available everywhere books are sold today (Feb. 22).
Described as a memoir, a self-help book, and a how-to guide for aspiring songwriters, Party Like A Rockstar chronicles Harding’s life from being adopted at a young age, growing up in southern Detroit in a family of sports fanatics, and discovering his love for music.
“Like most kids, I was jumping around to the radio and putting KISS makeup on while listening to my KISS and Journey records,” Harding shares with MusicRow. “One day, like an alien landing, MTV came blasting into my living room and I felt like Dorothy going from black and white Kansas to technicolor Oz. I could not believe MTV. I wanted to crawl inside the TV and get into that world.”
J.T. and his band. Photo: Courtesy of J.T. Harding
Soon after in middle school, Harding put a band together with some of his friends. Together they entered into Battle of the Bands competitions, but Harding had a hunch that the only way to truly succeed was for them to write their own songs.
“I’ve always tried to write my own songs. I didn’t want to end up playing cover songs in a Holiday Inn with the smell of stale beer and full ashtrays. Which is funny because that’s where I met Uncle Kracker, at a Holiday Inn lobby,” he quips. “Regardless, I just knew that I wanted to [write songs]. I looked on the back of all my CDs, and they all said Sunset Boulevard. That’s where all the record companies were, so I went out to LA and lived in the most unglamorous corner of Sunset Boulevard for years. It was awful, but I made it through.”
Throughout its pages, Party Like A Rockstar shares some of the many playful stories of Harding’s life, including how he cleverly distributed his first demo. “I was living in LA and I didn’t know where to take my demo. I couldn’t get meetings with anybody, so I borrowed a FedEx jacket from someone I knew. Like Obi-Wan Kenobi just walking into the Death Star, I walked past every security gate, every A&R guy, and I put my demo in every single mailbox.”
The book also shares the stories behind Harding’s many country hits, including how he and his co-writers came up with titles, lyrics, and the thoughts that went into them. Party Like A Rockstar also takes readers through Harding’s worldwide travels with modern day rockstars like Linkin Park, and how he made his way to Music City to write for some of today’s biggest country acts.
“I hope people will be inspired that [even though] you do get turned down over and over again, along the way you’ll find people that encourage you. You have to write a lot of bad songs before you get to some of those good ones, so just keep writing.”
Within the book, Harding also shares some of his hard-learned lessons and advice for budding songwriters.
“If you’re looking to do country music, to be a songwriter in the country genre, or to be discovered in the country world, I truly believe you have to get to Nashville. It’s a full contact sport here,” Harding sums. “Even though we have the internet and there’s people getting discovered on TikTok, I can’t think of any country star or hit country songwriter that isn’t [in Nashville] pretty much all the time.
“The second piece of advice is something that I did and something everyone here does,” he continues. “We first come to town and we all think, ‘If I can just write a song with someone that’s already having hits, then I’ll be good to go.’ I wanted to write with Hillary Lindsey, who wrote ‘Jesus, Take The Wheel’ and Craig Wiseman, who had 20 No. 1 hits [at the time], but that’s not how it happens. You meet your own tribe—people that are at your same level—and you rise together.”
Harding adds, “There’s so much value in the way that a new writer sees the world and the music that they’re influenced by. Find your tribe and come up together. Make a noise so loud that I’m begging to write with you.”
J.T. Harding dons a special version of his book, Party Like A ROWstar, with MusicRow‘s Lydia Farthing.
Aiming to serve up plenty of entertainment and laughs along the way, Harding also hopes that people find relatability and inspiration through Party Like A Rockstar, and that readers walk away with the confidence that they can find their way through the music industry, too.
“People should buy this book because I truly think it’s better than a backstage pass,” he explains simply. “More so than ever, people are interested in how songs get written. Songland was gigantic on NBC, and now everyone’s talking about the Beatles documentary on Disney+. They see these guys sitting around writing songs. That’s how it happens, and now you could have it in your hands!”
To celebrate the release of Party Like A Rockstar, Harding will host a book release show at The Listening Room at 1 p.m. on Feb. 26. With every ticket, attendees will receive a copy of the book.
Party Like A Rockstar: The Crazy, Coincidental, Hard-Luck, and Harmonious Life of a Songwriter is available everywhere now.
Tune In To Learn The 2022 CountryBreakout Award Winners Tomorrow
/by Lydia FarthingIn place of the annual Country Radio Meet & Greet and CountryBreakout Awards, MusicRow will announce the winners of the 20th annual CountryBreakout Awards virtually starting at 9:00 a.m. TOMORROW (Feb. 23).
Now in its 20th year, the MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards celebrate those who have dominated country radio’s secondary market. Winners in eight categories are determined by spins on the secondary market stations that report to the MusicRow CountryBreakout Radio Chart panel each week.
Winners will be revealed on all MusicRow online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter on Feb. 23.
MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards Schedule of Announcements:
9:00 a.m.: Reporter of the Year
9:30 a.m.: Songwriter of the Year
10:00 a.m.: Label of the Year
10:30 a.m.: Independent Artist of the Year
11:00 a.m.: Breakout Artist of the Year
11:30 a.m.: Group/Duo of the Year
12:00 p.m.: Female Artist of the Year
12:30 p.m.: Male Artist of the Year
Each winner will be featured in MusicRow‘s Country Radio & Streaming issue, out Wednesday (Feb. 23).
Kerry Wolfe Named Director Of Promotion At Stone Country Records
/by Lorie HollabaughKerry Wolfe
Veteran radio executive Kerry Wolfe has joined Stone Country Records as Director of Promotion for the label, effective March 1. He will report directly to Stone Country Records VP of Promotion & Marketing Matt Galvin.
Over the course of his four decade career, Wolfe has spent over 30 years with iHeartMedia (Milwaukee), rising to Senior VP of Programming where he oversaw stations across multiple formats. He led iHeartMedia’s six-station cluster to consistent ratings success, most recently commanding a combined 33% share of audience in the 2020 Nielsen ratings.
Wolfe’s leadership efforts have resulted in his stations receiving five CMA Awards, an ACM Award, and multiple Country Aircheck Large Market Station of the Year awards. Wolfe has been named one of Radio Ink’s Top 25 Country Program Directors, as well as a Country Aircheck Large Market Programmer of the Year multiple times.
“What’s unique about Kerry joining the Stone Country Records team is that both Matt Galvin and I previously worked as midwest reps for other labels,” shares SVP of Promotion & Marketing April Rider. “Like many other reps, Matt and I just adored Kerry as a PD and so appreciated his passion for our artists and their music. The fact that Kerry was always accessible to us even when we weren’t VPs really meant the most to us! We are thrilled to work with him as he starts this new chapter of his career on our side of the fence.”
“I can’t wait to get going! I look forward to working with all of our great radio partners and the incredible artists on the label,” adds Wolfe. “This is going to be fun!”
Wolfe can be reached at Kerry@stonecountryrecords.com.
Triple Tigers Regional Promotion Managers Add Some Stripes
/by Lorie HollabaughPictured (L-R): Annie Brooks, Parker Fowler, Julianna Vaughn
Triple Tigers Records regional promotion managers Annie Brooks, Parker Fowler, and Julianna Vaughn have all been promoted to Directors at the indie label.
The trio of executives have been with Triple Tigers since the label’s creation in 2016 and have led the company’s radio-driven success, including eight No. 1 singles.
Brooks represents Triple Tigers in the west from her base in Portland, Oregon. Prior to joining the label, she was the Marketing and Promotion Director for KWJJ. She is a graduate of Washington State University with a degree in Applied Intercultural Communication.
Fowler covers the southeast region from the Nashville hub. He has a degree from Auburn University in Radio, TV and Film. Before joining Triple Tigers, he started his career as an intern at Sony Nashville where he was promoted to RCA Promotion Specialist.
Vaughn is also based in Nashville, where she covers the southwest region. A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in the Recording Industry and Music Business, she got her start as the Promotions Coordinator at MCA Nashville.
“These three individuals are radio promo warriors,” says SVP Promotion Kevin Herring, “They, along with the rest of our promotion staff, are dedicated to super serving all of country radio–in large markets and small, for big companies and mom & pops. Our focus on a smaller roster with compelling music will continue to drive our success.”
The Triple Tigers roster includes Scotty McCreery, Russell Dickerson, Jordan Fletcher, and Cam, who joined the label in a partnership with RCA Records New York.
Get Engaged Digital Marketing Agency Opens Nashville Office [Exclusive]
/by Lydia FarthingPictured (L-R, top row): Nashville office employees Mac Hereford, Kyle Jonas, and Solomon Puryear; (L-R, bottom row): Nashville office employee Bailey Dombroski, Get Engaged Co-Founder Cameron Fordham, and Nashville office employee Marco Sawaf
Digital marketing agency Get Engaged has opened a Nashville office in the Gulch-based Terrazzo building, expanding from its Los Angeles hub and Atlanta home office.
Employees for the new Nashville office include Mac Hereford, Kyle Jonas, Solomon Puryear, Bailey Dombroski, and Marco Sawaf.
The expansion continues to build on current client relations at UMG Nashville, Sony Nashville, and other labels in Music City. The firm also works closely with brands like Raising Cane’s, T-Mobile, NASCAR, MLS, JC Penney, Crocs, Kendra Scott, Vita Coco, Logan’s Roadhouse, Netflix and others. They are currently planning to integrate innovative brand campaigns for artists and companies in the Nashville community.
“We’ve been fortunate to work with many Nashville-based clients over the past few years, and are excited to finally expand into the Nashville community,” says Cameron Fordham, co-founder of Get Engaged. “We love working with the talent and fans this city has to offer and can’t wait to continue doing so. We have a team who can offer a unique perspective, and we are ready to implement and showcase the range of possibilities.”
Named one of the Top 20 Entrepreneurs in 2020 by Yahoo, the firm works with a range of talent, including Kane Brown, Lee Brice, Parker McCollum, Jennifer Lopez, The Weeknd, Halle Berry, Swedish House Mafia, David Solomon (Goldman Sachs CEO), Doja Cat, and more.
Focused on brand and music influencer marketing, the agency also serves to assist with social media, content creation, digital consulting, brand partnerships, affiliate marketing and more. Over the past year, Get Engaged has grown over 300% and now has more than 75 employees.
For more information contact office@getengagedmedia.com or click here.
Gorley, Hardy & Church Take Top 3 On MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart
/by LB CantrellAshley Gorley
For the fourth consecutive week, Ashley Gorley takes the top spot on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
Gorley is a co-writer on “New Truck” (Dylan Scott), “You Should Probably Leave” (Chris Stapleton), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “Beers On Me” (Dierks Bently, Hardy & Breland), “Slow Down Summer” (Thomas Rhett), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “Steal My Love” (Dan + Shay), and “Take My Name” (Parmalee).
Michael Hardy remains at No. 2 this week, with the charting songs “New Truck” (Dylan Scott), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “Beers On Me” (Dierks Bently, Hardy & Breland), “Come Back As A Country Boy” (Blake Shelton), and his own “Give Heaven Some Hell.”
Eric Church moves up one to No. 3 on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart. His only charting song, “Heart On Fire,” is a solo write, which allows for all the available points for that song to go solely to him.
The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.
Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.
National Museum Of African American Music Looks Back On First Year Of Operation
/by Lydia FarthingThe National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) recently celebrated its first year of accomplishments, partnerships and milestones. NMAAM opened its doors on MLK Day, Jan. 18, 2021, in Nashville.
In the museum’s year-in-review highlight video, President and CEO of NMAAM, Henry Beecher Hicks, III spoke to the organization that has welcomed over 100,000 visitors, including many world-renowned recording artists such as Earth Wind & Fire, H.E.R., Bobby Brown, Garth Brooks and more, since it opened. In 2021, the museum also served over 43,000 students across the country through online programming.
NMAAM also hosted its inaugural Black Music Month celebration on June 19, or Juneteenth weekend in 2021. Members and guests experienced a museum dedication, Black Music Summit and seventh annual Celebration of Legends event honoring Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson and The Fisk Jubilee Singers.
Throughout the video, Hicks shed light on the Nissan-sponsored NMAAM free days, which opens the doors free of charge to guests every Wednesday in February for Black History Month. He also addressed future programming for Historically Black College and University students, such as Fine Tuning: Masterclass Series for Aspiring Artists and a Black Music Business Certification Program.
NMAAM serves as the premier global destination for music lovers of all generations to learn, inspire and educate people on the many contributions Black artists have made to American culture and music.
Dustin Lynch Looks Back On The Last 10 Years, Celebrates New Album Release [Interview]
/by LB CantrellDustin Lynch. Photo: The Dwyers
A few weeks back, Broken Bow Records star Dustin Lynch released his fifth studio album Blue In The Sky.
The project contains 12 upbeat tracks, five of which Lynch co-wrote, including his 6-week No. 1 with MacKenzie Porter, “Thinking ‘Bout You.” Blue In The Sky also features his new single, “Party Mode,” which marked his biggest add week and highest career debut when it impacted radio last week.
Since his debut in 2012 with “Cowboys and Angels,” Lynch has become a serious country hitmaker. He’s achieved eight No. 1 country songs, four top 5 albums, eight Gold and Platinum singles, and over 3 billion global on-demand streams.
Lynch recently spoke with MusicRow about the last 10 years, his hopes for the future, and lessons learned along the way.
MusicRow: When you were releasing “Cowboys and Angels” in 2012, what were your goals for the song? What were you thinking then?
I didn’t expect it would do anything, to be honest with you. I knew it felt special to me, but I didn’t know why. I didn’t expect it to go on and rack up the accolades that it did.
In hindsight, I wish I would’ve asked more questions or at least attempted to contact other artists to ask, “Hey, if this happens, what do I do? What shouldn’t I do?” But I’ve learned a lot along the way, too. I was scared to death because I was afraid that maybe I couldn’t follow [“Cowboys and Angels”] up or handle the success that it brought on.
If you could go back, what would you tell yourself then?
I would definitely tell myself to trust your gut when it comes to your artistry. I was listening to a lot of outside influences back then. I should have been standing up for myself. I think everybody probably has regrets creatively along the way, like, “Dang it! We should have done that,” or “I should have gone back in and rerecorded that.”
Throughout the years, it’s become easier. I’ve become a better communicator in the studio, and I’ve become a better communicator to my team. I’ve assembled a team around me that that will stand up for me and believes in our long term goals. So we’re in a really good spot right now and I think that’s all part of the journey.
Dustin Lynch celebrates his new album release at iHeartCountry party. Photo: Wes And Alex For iHeartRadio
What is a piece of advice you’ve garnered along the way that you would share with newer artists?
Keep playing cover gigs so you can make some money. (laughs) I remember going back home after “Cowboy and Angels” was a hit and all of my friends growing up thought I had millions of dollars because I had a hit on the radio and I was on the CMT Music Awards performing. But what they didn’t realize is I was literally sleeping on my parents’ couch at the time and living out of a hotel room. I went from having a very successful run of cover shows, and also playing originals, at a lot of college campuses, frat parties, sorority parties, and wedding receptions—and making a great living! All that goes away and you start playing free shows [while promoting] the first few singles.
Keep believing in yourself and save your money, because you’re not guaranteed much early on. Keep believing, save up, and stay frugal.
You recently signed with Warner Chappell. Why was that the right move for you?
[When making that decision] I looked back on who has been helping me these past few years, who’s given me opportunities, who’s believed in me, who’s pushed me and challenged me to become a better writer… And it was the Warner Chappell team.
It just felt like home. I love doing business with people that I like to do life with. Ben Vaughn has been there since before I could write a song worth a crap, he’s championed me. He was on my radio tour video as a guy that was endorsing me early on, so he’s been a believer since day one. Ryan Beuschel has become a great buddy of mine. It’s fun to create with those guys that I like hanging out with off the clock.
What about your songwriting has changed over the last 10 years?
My songwriting has gotten a little bit more efficient because I know what I want to say and what I want to do in my live show. I’m not just casting into the wind anymore. There’s purpose behind every cast. For me, in the writing room, I’m always steering the ship with my live show in mind.
I’ve seen myself click with certain writers along the way. Tim Nichols was an early believer, [as well as] Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, and Ashley Gorley. I was an early believer in Zach Crowell, believe it or not. I think I took him on his first bus trip ever. Fast forward to “Small Town Boy,” he had gotten his foot under him as a producer with the Montevallo record with Sam [Hunt]. He raised his hand and said, “Man, let me produce ‘Small Town Boy.’ I just feel really passionate about that song.” So we let him swing the bat and the rest is history.
Speaking of Zach Crowell, he produced your new album Blue In The Sky. What did you want this record to sound like?
There weren’t lines in the sand of, “It’s gotta be this or it’s not making [the album].” It was just about how I was living life, I let that steer it. A lot of that was just being off the road, being with friends, being on the water, and having a buzz. When we’re on the lake, we are always either drinking a beer or mixing tequila, so listening to music in that head space is a great spot to be.
Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter. Photo: Brennon Williamson
You’ve had a lot of success recently with MacKenzie Porter on “Thinking ‘Bout You.” What has it been like to bring a new artist up with you on this one?
When we start seeing those indicators [that the song was going to be a hit], Mackenzie was texting me weekly. “Is this good?” I was like, “Mackenzie, no, this is great!” It was a fun ride. No kidding, I woke up early this morning and the first song I started singing in my head was Mackenzie’s next single. She’s got a great future ahead and it’s been a blessing [working with her].
What are some of your goals for the next 10 years? What are you shooting for at this point?
Just to continue to live in the moment and be present. The next 10 years are going to be about enjoying the moment of creativity; to create and have fun.
The next 10 years for us as a team, we have goals to continue to grow the fan base and grow our tickets. I know we can hang with the best of ’em. We just got to headline down at Crash My Playa with Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. Getting to do that at that level, to hold that crowd and feel that energy for the entire set, that lets us know we’re ready.
For the next 10 years, we are just going to see where that takes us. I’ve got 10 years until I’m as old as Luke Bryan, so I’ve got many more beers until I reach his level. (laughs) We’re going to continue to enjoy life and put on the best shows we can.