On the song selection approach for Cowboys and Tattoos, he said, “I wanted my first album to be fun and positive. I pulled several favorite songs from a musical I’d written and I wrote the rest new. I didn’t give myself a timeline. I just worked until it felt right.”
He listed the title track “Cowboys and Tattoos” as his favorite song on the new album since it sounds “old school.” “It always makes me want to dance around the house,” he admitted.
Regarding his new single “You’re the Best Man,” he said, “I wrote it for my husband for our upcoming 25th anniversary. I am not the easiest person to live with and it’s kind of a ‘thank you’ song to him for sticking with me all these years.”
When asked about his songwriting inspirations, he said, “For me, country music is life music. I take inspiration from things I love, feelings I feel at the time. A lot of my songwriting has come from working through depression. Every time I write a song, it feels like I am slowly correcting a lifetime of internalized pain and fear.”
He acknowledged that it feels “great” to be an artist in the digital age. “I feel like technology finally caught up with my creativity. Other than my voice, every instrument on the album was created and played digitally,” he said.
On his dream duet choices, he said, “I would love to belt out a big number with Carrie Underwood. I would also love to chill out and sing some old school songs with Willie Nelson.”
Regarding his use of technology in his daily routine as a musician, he said, “All my arranging, recording and producing are thanks to today’s technology. I often sing melody ideas into my phone for safekeeping. The only aspect of my music creation that does not rely on technology is my lyrics. They’re strictly done by hand in notebooks”.
For his fans and listeners, he concluded about “You’re the Best Man,” “I think the song will speak to anyone who is in a long-term relationship. Sticking together can be tough. It’s all about gratitude and telling your partner you appreciate them and love them.”
Cowboys and Tattoos is available on Apple Music and on Spotify.
