Country

All The Best Country Music Playlists – Right Here

Stingray Curators — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 20:38:09 +0000

All The Best Country Music Playlists – Right Here Stingray Curators Mon, 03/07/2022

Let’s face it, sometimes only country music will do.

No disrespect, rock, pop and hip-hop, but when you’re nursing a broken heart, looking back on life or just kicking back with some cold ones, good ol’ country music is hard to beat.

These days, country music means different things to different people. You may be more Loretta Lynn than Lil Nas X; more Kenny Chesney than Kenny Rogers.

Whatever your style, you came to the right rodeo – Stingray Music has the perfect playlist just for you!

Old Country Music

Pure country is as timeless and true as a cool mountain stream. These old-school playlists are sure to slake your thirst for the real deal. Drink ‘em up, pardner!

Easy Listening Country: The ‘60s

Hot Country Songs

Today’s country stars are burning up the charts. Find all their hottest hits here:

Academy of Country Music Awards 2022

Awaiting Your Discovery

Country belongs to everyone, and it’s only growing more diverse. Explore new corners of today’s country music scene.

Alt-Country Roses

Country

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Female Artists who Crush it

Stingray — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 16:47:22 +0000

Female Artists who Crush it Stingray Wed, 02/16/2022

Female Artists who Crush it

Women in Music is March's Special Programming, and it's dedicated to all those female singers and artists who inspire us through their songs and stories. We have chosen 5 women who have pushed boundaries and inspire us to fight for our dreams.

While you read this enjoy the best of Women in Music on Stingray Music!

▶ Play

Dolly Parton

Besides from being a prolific writer, Dolly Parton has been an icon in country music for decades, paving the way for female artists. One of her first singles, "Just Because I'm a Woman", tells the story of a woman taking her emancipation over a man. Released in the late 60s, the song brought the sexual revolution to the Country Music fans. Later, her song "9 to 5" is an anthem for female office workers, besides of becoming the #1 hit in 1980. The song and film 9 to 5 -in which Dolly Parton plays the role of Doralee Rhodes, gave their titles to 9to5, an organization founded in 1973 with the aim of bringing about fair pay and equal treatment for women in the workplace.

Taylor Swift

One of the most inspiring artists of our time is of course Taylor Swift. Top writer, singer, performer and Billboard's woman of the decade are just some of her numerous achievements. She champions fellow female artists and is not afraid of denouncing the "toxic male privilege" in the music industry. Taylor Swift announced that a rerecording of one of her first albums, "Fearless," will be released in April. Fearless, indeed.

Beyonce

"The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence," once said Beyoncé. Queen B's has always been a huge supporter of different social movements and especially feminism. Her extensive repertoire contains numerous female empowering anthems: "Indepedent Women" (early days with the Destiny's Childs), "Run the World (Girls)," "Single Ladies," "Pretty Hurts" and the list goes on. Did you know that in her hit “Flawless,” Beyoncé sampled a speech entitled “We Should All Be Feminists” by the Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie? When not inspiring fellow women with her arts, Beyoncé militates in favour of gender equality support girls’ education through the association she co-founded, CHIME FOR CHANGE, and the Formation Scholars award program, which “encourages and supports young women who are bold, creative, conscious, confident, and unafraid to think outside the box.”

Cher

We couldn't talk about inspiring female artists without mentioning the most fabulous female icon, Cher. Cher is the only artist in history to rank on a Billboard chart for six consecutive decades. She has one of the most prolific careers of the music history. From the hippie-girl of “Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour” to the to the success of “Believe” at the age of 52, Cher as never stopped braking records and pushing boundaries. The "Goddess of Pop" and actress is also an activist for LGBTQ rights, and an icon for the gay community.

Lizzo

Not only Lizzo became the third female rapper to top the Hot 100 without a featured artist, but also became the first #1 Black solo female R&B singer on the Hot 100 since Rihanna's hit "Diamonds". Needless to say the Lizzo is one of the most successful artists of her generation. After struggling with body issues at an early age, Lizzo became an advocate for body positivity. She celebrates self-love in her songs ("Mirror, mirror on the wall, don't say it 'cause I know I'm cute.", lyrics from "Juice"), music videos (in the music video for "Truth Hurts," Lizzo marries herself!), her performances (her group of dancers, the Big Grrrls, is composed of plus-size dancers) and truly in anything else she does!

Stay on the pulse of the most recent news in music. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Top 10 Country Music Songs | 2021

Stingray Curators — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 18:17:43 +0000

Top 10 Country Music Songs | 2021 Stingray Curators Wed, 11/24/2021

This year, country music artists have taken their craft to the next level with hits that you can feel down to the soles of your feet. Truth be told, the country music industry is always overflowing with talent, and so it’s no surprise to see new artists gracing the charts. And on that note, let’s take a look at the top 10 country music hits in 2021.

Listen to the best of country on Stingray Music!

Best country music songs of 2021

1. “Country Again” - Thomas Rhett

It feels incredibly good to be “Country Again” with Thomas Rhett. The pop star celebrated his 18th number one single, which earned the top spot in the Canadian Country Radio stations for a whole two weeks.

2. “Famous Friends” - Chris Young & Kane Brown

Famous Friends by Chris Young and Kane Brown is an upbeat salute to the small-town folks who keep the world running. This song topped the charts over the summer and has been nominated for three CMA Awards.

3. “Next Girl” - Carly Pearce

In this song, Carly is warning the “Next Girl,” who will eventually end up with Michael Ray. Carly released this song just over two months after she called it quits with her husband Michael and, in a way, tries to address the next girl in this song.

4. “Undivided” - Tim McGraw & Tyler Hubbard

This heartfelt song brings light to the events of 2019 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tim says that this song represents the unity and faith that stirred up his soul. He was inspired by his faith in God to write this song, and it’s pretty touching.

5. “Gone” - Dierks Bentley

Dierks is back in the game with his new song, “Gone.” The music was shot in Nashville inspired by events that stretch back to decades ago. As always, Dierks shows us his country music creativity and talent in this song.

6. “Settling Down” - Miranda Lambert

Miranda blessed us with this magical new music video, and it features none other than her husband, Brendan. The whole song is about her being torn between her career and staying home with her husband.

7. “Make a Life, not a Living” - Brett Kissel

Brett Kissel’s song premiered on March 19, and it phenomenal. This song is a representation of what Bret believes we all want in life.

8. “Cold Beer Calling My Name” - Jameson Rodgers feat. Luke Combs

James released this new single after his Platinum-certified track went through the roof. This song is a collaboration between two friends. It comes from a place of real connection.

9. “Glad You Exist” - Dan + Shay

Dan + Shay delivered heartfelt gratitude with their new song, “Glad You Exist.” The duo wrote this song alongside other artists such as Tayla Parx and Ryan Lewis.

10. “Tequila Little Time” - Jon Pardi

Last on this list is this outstanding song by Jon Pardi, “Tequila Little Time.” The song was co-written with Rhett Akins, and it’s an incredible hit.

The best of country on Stingray Music

And there you have it! Listen to these songs and other great country hits on our Stingray Music mobile app. We have more than 2,000 music channels, all curated by music experts. So, what are you waiting for?

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The Best of Country Music | 2021 | Stingray Listeners Have Their Say

Stingray Curators — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 14:34:06 +0000

The Best of Country Music | 2021 | Stingray Listeners Have Their Say Stingray Curators Fri, 09/03/2021

Everybody has a little country music in them.

That’s because we’ve all had our hearts broken, had too much to drink, longed for the open road or dreamed of a life outside the city.

This is the universal stuff country thrives on. You don’t need to be a cowboy or Hank Williams fanatic to relate.

And maybe that explains the genre’s rapid rise in recent years. Country continually challenges rock, hip-hop, and pop for chart supremacy. Big pop hooks, colorful personalities, and crossover collaborations haven’t hurt either. Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus teamed up for 2019’s unexpected smash hit. This mashup trend continued with bolder, fascinating pairings this year: Keith Urban and P!nk, Miranda Lambert and Elle King, and Parmalee’s collab with rapper Blanco Brown are just a few highlights to date.

With International Country Music Day upon us (September 17), we thought it was the perfect time to look back on some of 2021’s country music highlights so far.

And who better to pick the best than Stingray listeners? You sure know your stuff!

Without further ado, we present:

The Top 10 Most Played Songs on Stingray Hot Country in 2021 (so far!)

1. “Famous Friends” - Chris Young & Kane Brown

2. “Next Girl” - Carly Pearce

3. “Undivided” - Tim McGraw & Tyler Hubbard

4. “Breaking Up Was Easy in the 90's” - Sam Hunt

5. “Gone” - Dierks Bentley

6. “Minimum Wage” - Blake Shelton

7. “Hell of a View” - Eric Church

8. “Make a Life, not a Living” - Brett Kissel

9. “Glad You Exist” - Dan + Shay

10. “Settling Down” - Miranda Lambert

And if that list puts you in a down-home, country mood, here are some Stingray playlists bound to satisfy y’all:

Today's Hot Tracks: Country

The Classic Nashville Sound

Nothin’ but Bro-country Hits

Listeners' Choice: Hot Country

Country Classics: the '50s

Country Love Songs

Vintage Country

Country Stars of the '90s

Crossover Country

Country Classic Duets

Poker Night Country Music

Instrumental Country

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The Everly Brothers - Reunion Concert: Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Ben Fong-Torres — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 18:05:20 +0000

The Everly Brothers - Reunion Concert: Live at the Royal Albert Hall Ben Fong-Torres Tue, 08/31/2021

When Phil Everly died early this year, a lot of music-loving writers got their chance to pay tribute to one of the greatest rock and roll acts of all time: the Everly Brothers.

Big as they were in the late ‘50s and through the ‘60s, they weren’t that easy to write about. They famously broke up in 1973 in the midst of a concert in California, and didn’t reunite until a decade later. And although they each made solo albums as well as joint projects over the past three decades, none of them dented the charts, except for EB 84, a 1984 effort that included a song Paul McCartney gave them. They did precious little press, and the media had few reasons to pursue them.

Now, 30 years later, with the passing of one of the Everlys, at age 74, the spotlight shines again on one of the most influential vocal duos in pop history. Sure, Phil and older brother Don learned from those who came before – the Louvin Brothers come to mind – but they intertwined their voices with country-flavored ballads, rockabilly and rock and roll songs so beautifully that they, in turn, influenced many who heard them on radio and TV. They include the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, the Hollies, the Mamas and the Papas, the Righteous Brothers, the Byrds, Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris, and numerous Motown groups – pretty much anybody who sang in close harmony.

The spotlight here is on that September evening in 1983 when the brothers reunited in concert, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. (They’d previously performed there and had an affection for the UK; witness their great album, Two Yanks in England, done with plentiful assistance by members of the Hollies).

Although it was an emotional moment, the brothers played it straight. After arriving onstage from opposite wings and hugging briefly, they got down to business, playing their hits and pausing only once (at least on the resulting film) to greet the audience, with Don doing all the talking. Prompted by Phil, he said, “It’s good to be back.” He referred to their breakup as “our necessary vacation. We enjoyed part of it, and we hated part of it..”

Don, it turns out, also does all the solo vocals on the Everlys’ many hits, with Phil chiming in on the high parts. They rolled through most of them: “Claudette,” “Walk Right Back,” “Crying in the Rain,” “Cathy’s Clown,” “Take a Message to Mary,” “When Will I Be Loved” (which Don noted was written by “our baby boy Phil”), “Bird Dog,” “Bye Bye Love,” “Wake Up, Little Susie,” “All I Have to Do Is Dream” (a gorgeous rendition, eliciting a satisfied smile from Phil at the end), and a bunch more. They are generous, and they also dip back into their Kentucky childhoods, performing a few numbers from their early album, Songs Our Daddy Taught Us (recently covered by Billie Joe Armstrong and Norah Jones).

But it’s not a jukebox. The guys, dressed in tuxes and backed by a full band, provide many lovely moments, especially for fans who know some of their roller-coaster history. And Don plays with the melodies of his solo bits. Check out “Let It Be Me.” But when it comes time to harmonize, they lock eyes and synchronize their voices, and their parts, perfectly.

Like brothers.

Qello Concerts by Stingray

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Best of 2020 | Country Music Videos

Greg — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 17:14:36 +0000

Best of 2020 | Country Music Videos Greg Thu, 12/17/2020

As 2020 comes to an end, we’ve asked our music programmers to pick their favourite pieces of the year. Discover Greg's top country music videos!

2020 will probably go down as the year most of us want to forget and not revisit. But it’s in the books now, and the effects on music and video were both good and mediocre (I hesitate to say “bad!”). It may not have been the best year to launch Stingray Country, Stingray’s full-time Country music video channel, but we made the best of the situation as the music biz found ways to circumvent the roadblocks it faced in creating videos to correspond to the Hot Country hits of the year. We certainly saw timely and poignant videos incorporating the social issues of the past year, covering matters like voter registration, BLM and the effects of the pandemic. Obviously, the industry faced difficulties in filming videos under the handicap of social distancing for both the performers and the film crews. But as the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

Best Country Music Videos of 2020

One or two major acts like Kenny Chesney simply refrained from making videos of their latest hits, but most artists rose to the occasion and accepted the challenge. We saw an increase in more “homemade” style videos on phones, Zoom, and computers. These are some of our top picks:

Tenille Townes, “Come As You Are”

A Zoom-style video with her band playing together from the safety of their homes.

Lady A, “Champagne Night”

Not only did the members of the trio film themselves separately on their phones, but they also enlisted fans to submit their own lip-synchs and edited them all together for a video of this top-ten single!

Nice Horse, “Cowgirl”

This all-woman quartet writes and plays their songs and has had award-winning videos in the past. This time, they went for an all-out comic book animation.

Tennile Arts, “Everybody Knows Everybody”

This Nashville-based Canadian took the concept of the computer-generated lyric video by setting herself front and center lip-synching amidst the words.

I also encountered very creative videos from the past year that went out of their way to avoid standard cliches:

Ashley McBryde, “One Night Standards”

This video has the making of a film noir murder mystery with the artist not just performing within the video but taking on a role in its screenplay. The cliff hanger ending promises a “to be continued” to keep us guessing.

Brothers Osborne, “All Night”

Just a lot of fun playing with creative lighting techniques and visuals.

Washboard Union, “Country Thunder”

Filmed pre-pandemic juxtaposing the band alongside their puppet avatars!

LoCash, “One Big Country Song”

A 2020 number 1 song, catchy in its singalong earworm quality with an innovative video.

Wishing you the best for the coming year!

Watch the best country music videos on Stingray Country!

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Gala Country 2020 | PalmarèsADISQ par Stingray

Charles — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 16:19:44 +0000

Gala Country 2020 | PalmarèsADISQ par Stingray Charles Tue, 09/01/2020

Stingray est fier et honoré de diffuser la 8e édition du Gala Country sur sa chaîne télé PalmarèsADISQ par Stingray.

C’est le 11 septembre à 19h30 que vous pourrez regarder dans le confort de votre foyer, le Gala Country 2020 présenté par le Festival Western de St-Tite et Odyscène.

13 prix Willie seront remis sur les ondes de PalmarèsADISQ par Stingray aux artistes et artisans de la chanson country francophone canadienne et anglophone québécoise s’étant démarqués au cours de la dernière année.

Animé par Martin Deschamps, qui célèbre cette année ses 20 ans de carrière, ce Gala Country sera agrémenté de prestations d’artistes dont les noms résonnent toujours avec qualité soit Patrick Norman, Cindy Bédard et tant de belles découvertes musicales telles que Dan Roy, Léa Jarry, Lendemain de Veille et Veranda.

Dan Roy et Cindy Bédard

Une 8e édition du Gala Country où des artistes tels que Véronique Labbé, Matt Lang, Karo Laurendeau, Laurence Jalbert, Phil G. Smith, Beauséjour, Cindy Bédard et Léa Jarry se démarquent dans les nominations.

Léa Jarry et Veranda

Lendemain de veille et Patrick Norman

Le Gala Country 2020 se terminera avec un numéro spécial Acadien!

Amoureux de la musique country, le 11 septembre à 19h30, syntonisez la chaîne télé PalmarèsADISQ par Stingray disponible chez les câblodistributeurs Bell, Telus, Vidéotron et COGECO.

BELL SATELLITE 181
BELL ALIANT 948
BELL FIBE 1181
BELL MTS 1317
TELUS WEST 2046
TELUS QUÉBEC 882
VIDEOTRON 559
COGECO 587

Si vous n’êtes pas abonnés à la chaîne télé PalmarèsADISQ par Stingray, vous pourrez le visionner sur la plateforme musicale LiveToune. L’achat des billets pour visionner le Gala se fait sur culturecountry.com

En attendant le Gala Country 2020, nous vous invitons à nourrir vos oreilles et votre cœur des chansons en nomination cette année! En effet, la chaîne Franco Country offrira dans sa programmation musicale, du 1er au 13 septembre une place de choix à tous les artistes en nomination au Gala Country 2020!

Parallèlement, la chaine Gala Country disponible sur notre application mobile gratuite Stingray Musique offrira une programmation 100% artistes en nomination à la 8e édition du Gala Country 2020.

Vive la musique country de chez nous!

Restez à l'affût des dernières nouvelles musicales. Suivez-nous sur Facebook, Youtube, Instagram et Twitter.

Country

Gala Country

PalmaresADISQ par Stingray

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A special program for country music fans | Sing a duet with Brett Kissel!

Stingray — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 14:24:45 +0000

A special program for country music fans | Sing a duet with Brett Kissel! Stingray Mon, 07/06/2020

Throughout July, we’re lucky to collaborate with Canadian country superstar Brett Kissel. Not only can you listen to his curated channel on Stingray Music, but you can also sing a duet with him on Yokee Karaoke, perform his hits on Stingray Karaoke, and watch his music videos on Stingray Country. If you like country music, here’s what you need to know!

Listen to Brett Kissel’s music channel on Stingray Music

Ever wonder what your favorite artist is listening to? Find out here! Head to Stingray Music’s web player or mobile app and listen to Brett Kissel’s playlist. Brett has curated a music channel just for you, featuring his latest hits as well as his favorite artists like Brooks and Dunn, Thomas Rhett, Trisha Yearwood, Elton John, and many more.

You can also listen to his hits on Hot Country Canada, Country’s Wild Hearts, Coast to Coast Country, and dozens of other music channels.

Sing a duet with Brett Kissel on Yokee Karaoke

Harmonize your vocal cords with Brett Kissel’s voice! The Canadian country singer has recorded three songs in a duet style so that you can sing with him! The three songs are:

“She Drives Me Crazy,” a popular track from his latest album Now or Never
“Anthem,” one of the major songs of his repertoire
“Shallow,” a cover of the famous duet recorded by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

To sing one of these songs (or all of them!) head to stingray.com/duet, download the Yokee app and start singing!

Watch Brett Kissel’s music videos on Stingray Country

The Stingray Country video channel takes you on a musical journey that has something for everyone, whether you’re a rebellious youth, a rodeo rider, or a rock star. Country music is heartfelt, it’s genuine, and it speaks to anyone who loves a good party. And of course, Brett Kissel’s music videos are all about that!

Interview with Brett Kissel

Brett Kissel had a chat with us and let us into his world. Have a look!

What were the first three songs you added to your channel?

I selected “She Drives Me Crazy,” “Brand New Man” (Brooks and Dunn) and “Write This Down” (George Strait), to show the fun and the diversity of my musical taste.

Have you ever sang a duet with a fan?

You know, I have, actually. I did a special event last winter for my fan club, where I took requests and performed a special show for my fans. There, I sang “I Didn’t Fall in Love with Your Hair,” with one fan in particular, and it was a beautiful moment.

What’s your favourite memory of being on stage?

There are literally millions of memories. I could select performing on the Grand Ole Opry. Or it could be my first time at the Juno’s. Or it could be being on stage with Brad Paisley. But, to be honest, singing “Friends in Low Places” with Garth Brooks in Regina, would probably be the coolest and best memory I’ve ever had on stage.

If you had to pick only one song to perform for the rest of your life, which would you pick and why?

Great question. But absolutely impossible to select. As an artist, it’s the variety in my repertoire that excites me the most.

What is one thing that your fans probably don’t know about you?

Wow, in some ways, I feel like I’m an open book. But in other ways, I feel like there’s a bunch of things my fans don’t know about me. Let me think. I’m a pretty silly guy. And the stuff I do with my kids, I don’t think anyone would understand, but it sure entertains my children. From accents to our quirky little language. It’s a special relationship. But, then again, if anyone just walked in on my kids and I having a conversation, I betcha so many people would giggle after hearing our secret language.

With so much crossover in music today, what makes a country song a country song?

Country music has always been about the story and the intention behind the song. If the song has an incredible story, it’s a country song. And if the producer, artist, and songwriter’s intention was for the melody and vibe to be country, then that makes it a country song.

More surprises to come!

Brett Kissel will soon be a special guest on Stingray Music’s Instagram account. Follow us and stay tuned for more from this incredibly talented country star.

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Carrie Underwood: The Storyteller Tour

Nicole Zeitzer Johnson — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 13:43:50 +0000

Carrie Underwood: The Storyteller Tour Nicole Zeitzer… Fri, 06/12/2020

We’ve watched this country girl soar to fame from American Idol to becoming 2016’s “top touring country female of the year” – oh and a seven time Grammy-Award winner.

Today on Qello Concerts, we’re releasing her widely anticipated concert film Carrie Underwood: The Storyteller Tour - Stories In The Round, Live from Madison Square Garden. This was filmed during her 2016 world tour when she performed 100 shows, across nine countries, to more than one million fans.

At New York’s legendary Madison Square Garden, the real legend is the gorgeous woman commanding the massive 360-degree stage. The production is stunning. Carrie Underwood’s voice is even more stunning. Her wardrobe is a production within itself.

Carrie Underwood is much more than a country star. Watch this show to see what it means to be a bona fide female rock country goddess.

One hour and 45 minutes of Underwood hit after hit including, “Jesus Take the Wheel,” “Church Bells,” “Before He Cheats,” and 14 more of her 26 total #1 singles.

She’s sure come a long way from that country girl we watched melt Simon Cowell’s ice. She continues to melt the hearts of music fans across the world.

Just watch and see.

Qello Concerts by Stingray

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Interview with Thomas Rhett | Stingray PausePlay

Stingray — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 18:32:38 +0000

Interview with Thomas Rhett | Stingray PausePlay Stingray Tue, 06/09/2020

In this episode, PausePlay's host Zac Monson sat down with the musically talented Thomas Rhett. The country singer-songwriter discussed his family life, writing music with his dad, genre-bending, hearing his music on the radio for the first time, and much more!

I'm Zack Monson welcome to a very special edition of Stingray PausePlay here in the Universal Music Canada offices in Montreal with a guy who you know already, Thomas Rhett.

Thomas: What's up?

How are you man?

Thomas: I'm good. How are you?

Great to see you!

Thomas: Likewise!

You’re looking shiny and alive and enjoying kind of spring. Oh, I guess spring to you here is not a really big deal because you’re probably in sunny places all the time, right?

Thomas: Well you would think yeah. Nashville, this is about as good as Nashville gets. That’s where I live, in Nashville Tennessee. And springtime right now means about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. So, it’s a little colder than Nashville.

Yeah.

Thomas: But, it feels great!

From songwriter to singer-songwriter

It’s nice today. You know, as one of the biggest stars in country right now you weren’t always in that spot.

Thomas: No!

Starting as a songwriter, kind of moving towards this artist, what kind of brought on that desire to go from songwriter to front man?

Thomas: Man I was I was in college and a little little little college in Nashville and um I was 19 years old, really trying to figure out what was I going to do with my life because all my friends were going to be doctors, lawyers, they were going sell real estate or insurance and I was like I don't know that I would be good at any of those things and so I started writing songs and and I've kind of been around the music business my whole life because my dad's saying country music in the nineties and still to this day is one of the most renowned songwriters in Nashville.

Absolutely!

Thomas: and so, when I was 19, I started writing songs and um, and I got a developmental publishing deal which meant like we're going to pay you almost $0 but you still need write songs for us.

Yeah, right.

Yes so I'll never forget getting my first ever cut basically what that means as an artist records one of your songs and Jason Aldean recorded a song of mine called ‘I Ain't Ready to Quit’ and he put it on his ‘My Kinda Party’ album.

Which is a great album, yeah!

Thomas: A great album what's and I'll never forget the feeling of just being like man maybe I can write songs for a living if Jason will cut one of my songs he would cut one and so I started to get a few more cuts in town and and when I when I would hear the the records I would good man what would it sound like if it was if it was me singing them and me putting them on the radio and trying to do that thing and so I really worked hard for a couple years and uh by the grace of God signed a record deal with Big Machine Records in 2011 and it's kind of just been a crazy whirlwind since then so.

Hearing his music on the radio

And do you remember the first time you that you were… I mean like where were you, what were you doing when you first heard one of your own songs on the radio? Whether it was one you wrote or one you sang?

Thomas: Man, I was driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and I was in the car with one radio reps I was on this thing we call radio tour.

Love them, yeah!

Thomas: Which is where you basically drive around and and play songs for every radio station in the country and there was a programmer out towards that way that said they were going to play my song at like 2:30 or whatever in the afternoon so we were just like dialed in like waiting and waiting to listen, and one of the most insane experiences of my life and I often get asked like ‘does it ever get old hearing yourself on the radio?’ The answer is absolutely not!

Absolutely not!

Thomas: Every time I hear my song on the radio it really is um, you just remember how grateful and thankful you are to be able to just sing songs and and and doing for a living so.

Absolutely! It doesn't matter how many times our song is put in the radio, your next song might not, I mean look you’re Thomas Rhett, I’m going to say there’s a pretty good chance your songs are going to get played at this point Thomas!

Thomas: No but there's a chance for sure!

But you just never know!

Thomas: Yeah

Bringing his family on the road

And being Thomas Rhett, you must you know you're on the road all the time, you're playing shows constantly, and you've decided to kind of bring your family with you. What's that like and why was that such an important decision for you?

Thomas: Man, you know I got to travel a ton with my dad growing up and those are some of the best memories I have as a kid. Just getting out of school on a Thursday and hopping on a bus and going with dad to play in the middle of no-where county fairs in Nebraska and Kansas and I just had such a love for watching the stage get put up, for watching soundcheck and then watching watching dad go do his thing and so now that I get to do it it's really important to me to bring my family on the road because my dad did for us and I just feel like it keeps us closer. I don't miss quiet as much. You know people say that life goes so fast when you have kids and that is, and I didn't really believe it but now that I have them.

One hundred percent!

Thomas: If don't see him for a week they are saying completely different words and they look different!

Absolutely!

Thomas: And so, I was like so y'all got to be with me. I'm not missing any of this stuff so.

His children love his music

And what do they love to listen to? Are they into country?

Thomas: Well, I was, when we get in the car if I if I play anything but my music my three-year-old freaks out!

So, it has to your music?

Thomas: it has to be my music! So, like I’m just really sick of my album already because it's all I've listened to…

Right!

Thomas: In the car for the last like six months. Every time I get in the car, she's like ‘play daddy song play daddy song!’ Um, but they listen to everything man like they they listen to a bunch of pop and clean hip-hop.

Yeah! Where you can find it yeah!

Thomas: The edited track versions of songs and um, but know they they love music, they love to dance, they love to sing, they play like little baby pianos and guitars

Oh yes!

Thomas: And it's been really cool to to kind of just show them what I loved listening to growing up.

Absolutely, and it's kind of nice that they want to hear your music!

Thomas: Absolutely!

I mean that's some cute stuff man.

Thomas: Because if they didn’t, we’d have a problem.

Yeah you might not put it on the album right. They’re your testers!

Thomas: Yeah!

Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20's question

So, we asked the last artist that we had in to ask you a question. The artist is Rob Thomas of matchbox 20.

Thomas: Oh my gosh! Are you serious?

Absolutely my friend!

Thomas: Dude, matchbox it's my jam!

Dude he is, have you met him?

Thomas: I've never met Rob.

He is one of the nicest, funniest people. Like I want to co-host a show with him. You have no idea, he’s the best!

Thomas: Okay!

So, the question is:

Rob: Hey guys, what's up? I'm Rob Thomas and this is my question for you. You know it's your last day on earth. Are you a) in a ball in the corner crying somewhere or are you b) living it up and going out making every bad decision you were scared to make before?

Thomas: I'm on a beach.

All right.

Thomas: I’m on a beach with my family.

All right.

Thomas: With no sunscreen but not getting burned.

I mean you might get burned.

Thomas: Yeah!

Because I figure it’s the last day on earth it's probably has to do with the Sun. I'm just saying!

Thomas: Yeah okay exactly.

Okay, on the beach.

Thomas: On the beach somewhere man. Just being with people that I love. That’s what I’ll be doing on my last day.

That’s the right answer, I feel like. That's the correct answer yeah.

Center Point Road album

Obviously, we have to talk ‘Center Point Road’. Country is not my wheelhouse but man, this is a well written, well produced, well-crafted album. The whole thing!

Thomas: Thank you! I appreciate that!

Do you have a favorite moment from kind of creating this project?

Thomas: Um, it's always interesting going into the studio because I think being first and foremost a songwriter I even if I took a year off I would still write songs weekly like I, it's it's something like, when an idea pops into my head I have to… have to call some some my songwriting buddies and be like I have to we have to write this today. So, I usually write all my songs on the road because when I get home it's strictly family time for me like when I get back on Sunday I try not to go in and write Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So, I've had a lot of great songwriter friends of mine who have been with me basically for a year or two on the road writing this whole record and so most weekends we come home with like six or seven you know new written songs and so by the time you go into the studio you're working with like a hundred and fifteen songs that you wrote that year.

Yeah right!

Thomas: And your labels going well we need you to whittle this down to about 14. So, it's kind of like literally like leaving kids behind. You know?

Yeah, of course it is!

Thomas: Because you put so much work and time in those those songs when you get in the studio and you're on your last session and you're like all right we got three songs to cut but we have eight songs to pick from. Um, it's really cool how the session players and your producers really get to dive into those last few songs and really to be like man we've, we've got some of that on this record, we've got some of that, but we don't have this let's really dive in and like

really record this. And, and those are my favorite moments in the studio take taking a demo that you thought it would be that way forever and then completely doing something different worth of recording.

Right!

It's like I don't understand how it happens. I really don't understand how songs are written first of all.

You don't need to as long as it happens.

Thomas: You walk in… how do you walk into a room with an idea and you come out with something. Like it's really, it's really minds blowing!

Absolutely!

Thomas: And the same with the studio. I mean I love being in the studio I love getting to create I love getting to take songs and turn them into something that you never thought they would be so.

The songs that don't get chosen

And what are you doing with the songs that you don't use? You putting them in a hole somewhere for you to pick from later? Or you trying to sell them off to somebody else? What do you do with those songs?

Thomas: I mean half and a half. I mean that there's songs that I definitely wish we could have recorded but just didn't fit the slot or whatever. Um, but I'm one of those artists that will that will definitely pick a song that I wrote five years ago and put it on a new record.

Yeah right!

Thomas: The first song on this record is called ‘Up’ and it's a song I wrote three and a half years ago, and I wanted to record on the last one but it didn't work and so now we and we put it on this one. and so, songs that are meant to be heard will find their place at some point so.

Genre bending & country music

In 20, you know, 2019 Thomas Rhett is so far from 2012 Thomas Rhett…

Thomas: Oh yeah!

That musically you know it's, some of the songs in the new album could be Bruno Mars cuts.

Thomas: Yeah!

Could be maroon 5 cuts.

Thomas: Right!

With all this kind of genre bending and crossover what makes a country song a country song?

Thomas: To me it's all that story, man. Uh and I think country music ever since it was invented, has always been about telling a truthful story whether it actually happened to you or you know somebody had happened to. Um but I really choose to write songs that I've personally experienced because I feel like I can really dig back into my like fifteen-year-old self or eighteen year old self and figure out what was I going through then and is there a song idea around it. And so there's a lot of a lot of songs in this record that are stemmed from ideas that happen in high school or in college or being 10 years old on the football field or whatever it is and I love getting to write those songs that make you feel an emotion in three minutes whether you're crying at the end or you're jumping at the end or you're dancing or you're happy or you're sad but to me telling a truthful story is what the root of country music is to me!

Writing his song VHS

I think that the song that kind of stuck out the most for me as unexpected

Thomas: Yeah.

VHS.

Thomas: Yeah!

Right! It's like 80s synth-pop…

Thomas: It is!

This album. So, how do you start writing a song like that? Are you starting at the same way that you would write a straight country song? Do you know that it's going to be an 80s synthy-pop song when you start it? How does that progression happen for you?

Thomas: Man, a lot of this. A lot of times songs just happened by accident. I remember when we wrote this song we were one of the few that I wrote in town in Nashville I was with um Amy Watch I don't know if you know she is but she wrote like ‘Thinking out loud’ for Ed Sheeran ‘Castle on the hill’ like a genius songwriter, Jesse Fraser, who's my producer and Ashley Gurley who I've written a ton of songs with and we tried like five or six different ideas that day and then usually when your brain is that fried that you're just like play something different like and then that's what he started playing was just 80s synth-pop and we just put a country lyric over the top of it and that's kind of what our mantra has been over the last two records just like I'm country to the core I love to write songs that tell a true story but at the same time I like to party man I like to jump around and yeah I like to dance and I mean I've seen Bruno Mars seven times in concert so it would.

Didn't you see him like 4 times in like 12 months?

Yeah that's crazy and I mean when you when you're when you're that they give a fan somebody it's hard not to just be like what would it feel like if we did something like no I mean for two years we covered 24-karat magic in our concert and it's so funny when people show up to a country show I think people know this about about us by now because we've been doing this kind of thing over two years.

Yeah right!

Thomas: But every record I always want to try something a little bit different. Whether it's going more down like a Tom Petty Lane or going down like a 6/8 50s doo-wop lane. Like I just love taking things that I love and trying to make them unique to me, and VHS is that one on the record that when you hear you're going to go what what genre am I listening to but if that song doesn't make you feel good and happy then there’s something wrong with you.

Well yeah, so it's not country.

Thomas: Yeah!

For me it's not country but man I felt good at the end of the song!

Thomas: Exactly!

I was smiling the whole way through it so for me that's a success!

Thomas: Yeah!

Making music with his father

Obviously, you come from a big musical family your dad being who he is. He's your writing partner.

Thomas: Yeah

He's opening your shows now.

Thomas: Yeah!

Do you have a memory of the first time writing a song with your dad? I'm sure that you guys jammed as kids. I know you played drums in his shows but when you first sit down to actually write a song what was that like?

Thomas: There's a video of it actually. A home video, we shot on one of those 1990s camera. Um, me and dad sat down and wrote a song called ‘A piece of wood’ and it was about how a guitar is made.

Oh wow!

Thomas: And it is god-awful but that was the first song me and dad ever wrote.

I’ll be the judge of that! When you say there’s a video, do you mean there's a VHS cassette or I can google that?

Thomas: You might be able to google it actually!

Yeah? Okay. There's my afternoon right there!

Thomas: Exactly um but no but that's that's where my love I feel like for songwriting began. Because when when you're that little you're just writing goofy songs about whatever.

Yeah!

Thomas: But growing up you start to learn how to craft a song and now me and Dad if mean that I've written I think four number ones together as a father and son and it's really really unique to get to work with your dad and it not be a a head-butting…

Well, yeah!

Thomas: … thing we're actually at great teammates and not only is a great great father but a great friend and a great co-writer so.

He must just be so proud of you man.

Thomas: He is!

He just must be glowing!

Thomas: He’s also just nervous. Like when we do award shows he’s just like please just do good like I don't know if I can handle it if something bad happens at this award show.

Yeah!

Thomas: And I’m like if you're nervous, you're going to make me that much more nervous. So…

His favorite song by his father

Yeah, right! Out of all the songs that he's written, can't be one of yours, can't be one of his, what's your favorite song that he's written for somebody else?

Thomas: Um, there's two and both were recorded by Blake Shelton. ‘Honey Bee’. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard that song!

Oh, I love that song!

Thomas: It, it lyrically never going to change the world but it's, it is the epitome of just an amazing up-tempo country song to me and then another one he wrote for Blake Shelton called ‘I lived it’. It was Blake's like last single that he put out but when I first heard that song on the radio I didn't even know that dad wrote it I said I said that sounds like dad's life story in that song and when my dad really digs in and writes about his past it's just it's pretty dang pretty special. Yeah!

Amazing choice!

Thomas: Yeah!

Favorite up-and-coming artists

And with the new generation of country who are the kind of up-and-coming artists that you love right now?

Thomas: I mean there's so many…

There's so many yeah!

Thomas: John Party is a good buddy of mine I've gotten to…

Who’s on the new album, right?

Thomas: Yeah. I've got to become really good buddies with Luke Combs, who’s absolutely killing it. Devon Dawson. I don’t know if you know who Devon Dawson is. Danielle Bradbery, Maren Morris and um...

Man, Maren Morris…

Thomas: Maren is absolutely on a new level!

Unbelievable!

Thomas: A new level! Yeah!

Seriously unbelievable!

Thomas: Yeah, man. There's so many artists that I find…

You've worked with her a few times now. Right?

Thomas: Yeah, we collaborated on my last record and hopefully we had to do it again so.

Yeah! Man, Thomas I mean, again, I told you I'm not huge into country but I'm huge into you.

Thomas: I appreciate that!

I think you’ve got the correct attitude to music you're not sticking yourself in the old-school twang country box.

Thomas: Right!

You're doing whatever you feel like.

Thomas: Yeah.

And every time it's fantastic man!

Thomas: I appreciate you saying that.

I can't wait to hear even the next record however I’m sure you got a couple years in this one!

Thomas: Thank you so much.

Listen to Thomas Rhett on Stingray Music

You can hear Thomas on Stingray Music’s Hot Country, and of course, the Bro-country channel. Jump over to our mobile app and our webplayer, find the magnifying glass search icon, type in Thomas Rhett to find the 20 channels we play his music on.

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