Phillips co-penned the lovelorn song “In a Bar Somewhere” alongside Erik Dylan and Randy Montana, who also produced the track with Jonathan Singleton. “We worked hard on it. We are proud of it,” he said. “The song is about a guy who broke up with a girl, and his heat is broke. He left town and he wants to get out of the way. Occasionally, when you drink, you think about that break-up.”
His plans for the future include getting the single out, as well as his EP, and he is touring with country star Tyler Farr. “I love Tyler,” he admitted.
On his daily motivations, Phillips said, “I am trying to be better than I was the day before. Also, providing a life for my daughter and the woman that I love. I have a seven-month-old daughter at the house.”
He praised Big Machine Records for being the “best label in the world,” and he extolled his team for being “great.” He listed Miranda Lambert, Danielle Bradbery and Carly Pearce as his dream female duet choices in country music. “There are so many talented female artists in country music right now. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of those,” he said.
For young and aspiring country singer-songwriters, Phillips encouraged them to work harder than they did the day before. “Never stop. Never quit doing what you do. Keep on going and give it 110 percent,” he said.
He revealed that he has a number of tattoos on him. He got his first tattoo at the age of 15 against his parents’ will. “Whenever something super important in my life come about, I get a tattoo as a memory,” he said.
Digital transformation of country music
On the impact of technology on the contemporary country music scene, he said, “I think technology is a good thing, actually. It opens up a world for us to reach that we wouldn’t normally reach.”
Phillips also shared his excitement for the passage of the Music Modernization Act in Congress. “As a songwriter, I am extremely excited about it. This act was a long time coming, and I feel that things will get even better from here. Spotify and iTunes are taking over the world right now, so they have to change the royalties a little bit,” he said.
He defined the word success as staying genuine and humble, as well as providing a better life for his family. “Success is about being happy, having a family and doing what you love to do,” he said.
For country fans, he concluded, “Thank you so much for following us for this long, and for allowing us to release a single. ‘In A Bar Somewhere’ is one of my favorite songs I have ever been a part of. I hope the fans love it as much as I do. We are going to have a fun year this year.”
To learn more about emerging country artist Josh Phillips, check out his official website and Facebook page.
