Every Night’s the Super Bowl with Jordan Davis

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Every Night’s the Super Bowl with Jordan Davis"

On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer hosted by Country Thunder | Pod People features an in-depth conversation with rising country star Jordan Davis. Released on May 1, 2025, this episode delves into Jordan’s musical journey, songwriting inspirations, touring experiences, and future projects. Below is a detailed summary capturing all key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

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I. Introduction

The episode kicks off with Troy Vollhoffer introducing Jordan Davis, highlighting his rapid career ascent since relocating from Shreveport, Louisiana, to Nashville. Troy emphasizes Jordan's platinum-selling hits such as "You Up," "Take It From Me," and "Slow Dancing in the Parking Lot," along with his collaboration with Luke Bryan on "Dirt." Jordan is currently on a North American tour and preparing to release his third full-length album later in the year.

II. Early Life and Musical Roots

Jordan shares his roots in Shreveport, Louisiana, a place affectionately referred to as "Shreveport, Texas" by locals, though he expresses his preference for the original name. He describes his upbringing in a musically inclined family, stating:

"I think it even goes back further. My uncle was a songwriter... songwriting's been in the family for a long time." (02:17)

Jordan credits his family, particularly his brother, as his closest co-writer, emphasizing that songwriting is a familial legacy they couldn't escape.

III. Education and Move to Nashville

After high school, Jordan attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he pursued a degree in environmental science and resource conservation due to the natural gas boom in the region. Despite his academic path, Jordan found his true calling in music. He recounts:

"I worked a little bit out of college... and then packed it up and moved to Nashville." (03:39)

Jordan moved to Nashville on June 2, 2012, marking the beginning of his professional music career.

IV. Breakthrough in Music

Jordan discusses the challenges and pressures following his first major hit, "You Up," released in late 2017. Reflecting on the transition from his debut to his sophomore projects, he notes:

"You have a lot of time to write... and about a year and a half for the second." (04:19)

He explains how the tight timeframe honed his songwriting skills, enabling him to become more efficient and focused in crafting his music.

V. Songwriting Process and Inspirations

Jordan emphasizes the importance of everyday interactions as a source of inspiration for his songwriting. He shares:

"I feel like people talk in song lyrics... ask the barista how she's doing, and who knows, three minutes later, you might have a song idea out of it." (05:26)

He highlights his ability to capture spontaneous moments and transform them into meaningful lyrics, enhancing both his songwriting and personal growth.

VI. Collaborations and Co-Writers

Jordan highlights his favorite collaborators, mentioning long-term partners who complement his creative process:

"My producer, Paul DiGiovanni... Josh and Matt Jenkins are two guys that... I've been writing with since 2013." (06:25)

He values these relationships for their versatility and ability to foster honest and creative exchanges, whether working on heavy topics or fun ideas.

VII. Touring and Life on the Road

Transitioning from a songwriter to a touring artist was unexpected for Jordan. He reflects on his extensive touring schedule and its impact on his personal life:

"I didn't have dreams of being a touring artist... but man, I wouldn't have it any other way." (07:55)

While acknowledging the challenges of missing family time, especially with three kids and another baby on the way, Jordan expresses immense gratitude for the opportunities touring provides.

VIII. Achieving Headlining Status

Jordan discusses his evolution from a support act to a headlining artist, attributing this growth to consistent touring with prominent artists:

"Going back to 2014, first time I went out with Chase Rice and Kip Moore... I really kind of felt the switch with Dirks." (08:28)

He cites his tours with Dierks Bentley and Luke Combs as pivotal moments that signaled his transition to headlining arenas, reinforcing the idea that every show is a "Super Bowl" opportunity to win fans.

IX. Upcoming Album and Future Plans

In discussing his third album, Jordan reveals his intent to diversify his sound by integrating various musical influences from his Louisiana upbringing:

"I wanted to have... show it in my music. I hope that's what this record does." (10:13)

He emphasizes a shift from explicitly discussing influences to embodying them through songwriting and sound, aiming to create a more authentic and reflective album.

X. Conclusion and Promotions

Troy concludes the episode by congratulating Jordan on his achievements and promoting his upcoming headlining tour starting in September. He also highlights Country Thunder Florida happening that weekend, featuring performances by emerging artists like Ella Langley and Riley Greene. Troy praises Jordan’s passion for songwriting and live performances, urging listeners to check out his tour dates on jordandavisofficial.com.

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Notable Quotes:

• "Every show's important. You know, you're trying to win fans every night and everyone's the Super Bowl and you don't ever want to lose the Super Bowl." — Jordan Davis (00:07)

• "Songwriting's been in the family for a long time." — Jordan Davis (02:17)

• "I would say about two years ago, post Dirks' tour, I feel like we took a pretty good step." — Jordan Davis (09:11)

• "I wanted to show that through the songwriting and through the sound and that's it." — Jordan Davis (10:13)

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Final Thoughts:

Jordan Davis emerges as a dedicated and passionate artist whose roots in a musical family and experiences on the road have significantly shaped his career. His commitment to storytelling through songwriting and his ability to connect with fans are evident throughout the conversation. As he prepares to release his third album and continue his headlining tour, Jordan stands out as one of the most promising talents in the country music scene today.

Listeners are encouraged to follow Jordan’s journey and catch his live performances across North America, promising more engaging music and memorable shows.

Transcript

[Jordan Davis]

That was kind of the first time where I was like, you know, maybe you can kind of take that step up to the next room, which at that time, you know, we were doing big clubs and theaters. And then that fall we went back and tried to do some arenas and it worked out. It's kind of the leap of faith you have to take and trust your music and trust your show, which is why I always tell the band guys too, man, every show's important. You know, you're trying to win fans every night and everyone's the super bowl and you don't ever want to lose the Super Bowl.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Welcome back to on the Bus with Country Thunder. We have a great show planned for you. Today's guest is Jordan Davis, whose career continues to skyrocket. Since he moved from Shreveport, Louisiana to Nashville, he's made a name for himself. Jordan is known for platinum selling number one hits single, you Up, Take It From Me and Slow Dancing in the Parking Lot. You, of course, know and love his collaborative hit with Luke Bryan by Dirt. Jordan is currently on a North American tour and will be releasing his third full length album later this year. Please welcome Jordan Davis to the show. How are you doing, Jordan?

[Jordan Davis]

I'm doing great, Troy. Thanks for having me on, man.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Oh, you're welcome. I know you're busy and it's great that you carved out some time for us here. Let's start with where are you from?

[Jordan Davis]

Yeah, I was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, northwest corner of Louisiana. People in south Louisiana call it Shreveport, Texas, which I'm not a fan of, but. But no, it's. It's still home. My dad's still there, so, yeah, Shreveport.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I read something that you'd come from a musical family, country musical family, that brother some artists and you wrote songs together. And can you explain to us exactly that relationship?

[Jordan Davis]

Yeah, I think it even goes back further. My. My uncle was a songwriter, moved to town, moved to Nashville in the late 80s, has got a couple hits under his belt with Tracy Lawrence, Ken Mellon song. But yeah, I mean, it was something that's been, you know, I feel like songwriting's been in the family for a long time. My dad did it. My brother was the first to move. He moved in 2010. I followed him in 2012. And, you know, he's still my closest co writer that I have today. Kind of a family business. We couldn't outrun it for too long.

[Troy Volhoffer]

That's awesome. That's awesome. So let's go back to your childhood. So what were some of the favorite things that you did in Shreveport? What did you do?

[Jordan Davis]

Yeah, man, it was, you know, I mean, Louisiana sportsman's paradise. So I really grew up hunting and fishing. We had a deer camp in Minden, not far from Shreveport that, you know, we spent our weekends at. My dad would come pick us up on Friday and we would take off to Minden. And then in the summers, my. My grandpa lived on Toledo Bend, so I would go stay with them and, you know, so kind of grew up either fishing in the summers or messing around in the woods in the winter.

[Troy Volhoffer]

After high school, what was you went to university. You got a pretty impressive degree.

[Jordan Davis]

Well, it sounds impressive. It sounds fancy. No, it was a. I went to lsu. Being born in Louisiana, it was, you know, you had to be a tiger. There was no way around it. So when I went to school, we had had a big natural gas boom in north Louisiana, East Texas. So I had a bunch of buddies getting out of school, getting a job, and that was kind of why I settled on environmental science, resource conservation. So luckily I didn't have to use it for too long. I worked a little bit out of college. I had a job with an environmental company for about five months and then packed it up and moved to Nashville.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Well, a straight job, huh? How about that? What year did you move to Nashville?

[Jordan Davis]

I moved in 2012. June 2, 2012.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Wow. And your first hit was what record deal came about? 216, something like that.

[Jordan Davis]

Yeah, I ended up signing in 2016, my first single hit in 2000. Tail end of 2017 singles you up was my. My first one that was a big hit. That's a big one. That's a big one.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I mean, that's amazing because once you get your first hit, it's kind of like the follow up to it. It's like your second record. You got your lifetime to put your first record together, whether you write it or not or co write it or whatever. And then you have like less than a year to put the next record out.

[Jordan Davis]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhoffer]

How was that experience for you?

[Jordan Davis]

It was tough because, I mean, you. That's nail on the head right there. You know, you. You have a lot of time to write. You know, I had almost six years to. To write songs for that first album and about a year and a half for the second. You know, I feel like it made me a better writer. You get busy on the road, so when you come home, you know, you've got to have your rights figured out. You gotta go in with an idea. You gotta have a better idea of what you want to do for the record in general, for, you know, the whole album. And I think what made it easier for me is I knew the kind of tent poles I wanted to hit, and when I got that song, I kind of left it. You know, I didn't try to go back and beat it. I just trusted that that was it. And we kind of checked that box and we were going on to the next track list. I think it made me write more effective, and it kind of really honed in on the writers that I enjoy writing with and, you know, guys that I could come in and spit out an idea to, and we could kind of get to it sooner than taking a week to finish a song like we've done before.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Right, right. Where do you find your inspiration for writing?

[Jordan Davis]

I love to talk to people, man. And I feel like people talk in song lyrics, you know, And I think the kind of the fun in songwriting is being in the moment. And when somebody says something, I'm verbal with it. I'm like, oh, man, that'd be a killer ide. And I literally write it down in my. My phone right then. So that really is a lot of where my song ideas come from. I feel like it also helps me become a better human being. Just like, talking to people and getting to know them. And, you know, we spend a lot of time on the road, and it's, you know, walk into a coffee shop and order a cup of coffee and ask the barista how she's doing, you know, and who knows, three minutes later, you might have a song idea out of it.

[Troy Volhoffer]

That's fantastic. You know, I always stress this to our listeners. Country music's an amazing format for the songwriter, I think, more so than any other format. Who are some of the guys who just click with, who are. Go to writers that you like to write with that you have. That you have that chemistry with.

[Jordan Davis]

My producer, Paul DiGiovanni, is one that I've been writing with, you know, going back to 2013, when we had our first co write together. My brother is another one that I usually have at least to write with a month. Josh and Matt Jenkins are two guys that, you know, I've been writing with going back to 2013. Travis Wood, Steve Moakler, guys that I feel like I can just not, you know, come in and be vulnerable with. Be honest, be real, you know, and it doesn't even have to be that kind of song. I mean, obviously I written some pretty heavy songs with some of those writers, but it's still fun to come in with Just a fun idea and be like, guys, I need this for the album. They're versatile, and they can kind of do it. So those are ones right now that I've been really writing a lot with here recently.

[Troy Volhoffer]

That's awesome. So let's talk about on the road. I know you spend a lot of time on the road. The extensive tour that you're on right now, which takes you to the end of the year. How is it out there? You're carrying your own production, you got a big show.

[Jordan Davis]

You know, there's nothing better than. Than touring and playing shows. Things at home have changed a lot. So, you know, I got three kids. I got another baby coming in June, you know, so you always obviously miss them, but I don't know what else I would be doing. And what's crazy is I moved to Nashville to just be a songwriter. I never really had dreams of being a touring artist or, you know, I.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Had no idea that. I had absolutely no idea.

[Jordan Davis]

I didn't think that was in the cards for me. So, you know, being able to. To say that that's what I do now, I don't understand. I don't know what I would be doing. I don't know how. Touring isn't going to be a part of my life for a really long time. It's not all sunshine and roses like it probably looks. You know, you miss a lot of things, especially when. When it comes to the kiddos, but, man, I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Touring is pretty awesome thing. And congratulations on your headlining status. That's. So when did that actually take place? When was that transformation from being a support act to becoming a headliner?

[Jordan Davis]

Last year was our first time really going out and taking a swing at it. I mean, I was sweating it. You know, you never think that, you know, because we've been able to tour with some amazing artists. Sure. You know, going back to 2014, first time I went out with Chase Rice and Kip Moore and started to build a fan base. And now, you know, artists like Dirks and Luke, Old Dominion, artists that have taken me out and continued to help me build my fans, I really kind of felt the switch with Dirks. My tour with Dirks, where it's just a feeling, a sense that a lot of those people are not just there for Dirks, are there for you as well.

[Troy Volhoffer]

You're actually selling the ticket.

[Jordan Davis]

Yeah, that was kind of the first time where I was like, maybe you can kind of take that step up to. To the next room. Which at that time you know, we were doing big clubs and theaters, and then that fall we went back and tried to do some arenas and it worked out. It's kind of the leap of faith you have to take and trust your music and trust your show and. And which is why I always tell the band guys too, man, every show is important. You know, you're trying to win fans every night, and everyone's a Super bowl, so you don't ever want to lose the super bowl, so. And some shows are better than others, but, you know, that's our mentality going into it every night. But ye. I would say about two years ago, post. Post Dirk's tour, I feel like we took a. We took a pretty good step. And then obviously being out on a stadium tour, Luke Combs, doesn't hurt.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Well, congratulations on that status. And I mean, I saw the show last year. I thought the show looked great. Great production value. You guys kicked ass. It was a great live performance and, you know, congratulations on that. Let's finish up with talking about the new record.

[Jordan Davis]

You know, it's my. My third record. You know, I try to. I. I felt like I needed to do something different than the last two that I've done. I didn't really know when we started. When we first went into cut the. The first time, it was kind of just a blind recording session. Me and Paul didn't really know where we were going to go, how we were going to do anything different. And about two songs in, I feel like we. We both kind of took a break and went out and we're like, man, I think this needs to. Not just. I don't think we need to talk about influences on this record. I think we need to show that through the songwriting and through the sound and that's it. You know, growing up in Louisiana, there was such a blend of, you know, Texas red dirt music at lsu. It was, you know, bands like the Revivalist out of New Orleans that I was a huge fan of. You know, growing up in Shreveport, you know, being that close to the Delta and having that kind of blues soul influence. You know, my dad, being a Southern rock and roll guy, love it. I wanted to show that, you know, I wanted to have. Not just talk about those things that influenced me, but also show it in my music. I hope that's what this record does.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Oh, that's fantastic. I can't wait to hear it. Can you tell our fans and our listeners where we can see Jordan Davis this year?

[Jordan Davis]

Our headlining tour starts up in September. This summer, we're all over the east coast, all over the west coast. But, yeah, all my dates are on jordandavisofficial.com and it's well worth it. So get a ticket and come hang with us.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Well, hey, I'd love to thank you for your time. I know your busy schedule and to carve this out, we really appreciate it. We'll put some offers in on Jordan Davis.

[Jordan Davis]

There we go.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Business together, you know.

[Jordan Davis]

Yes, sir.

[Troy Volhoffer]

It'd be fantastic. So hope.

[Jordan Davis]

Troy, thank you very much, man.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Oh, you're welcome, Jordan. Pleasure to meet you.

[Jordan Davis]

Yes, sir, you too.

[Troy Volhoffer]

I'm very excited for Country Thunder Florida, which is taking place this weekend, May 2nd to 4th at Raymond James Stadium in good old Tampa, Florida. One of the performers at our festival this weekend is Ella Langley. Langley is just 25 years old and up for eight ACM awards next week. Six of those nominations are for her work with Riley Greene on their duet you look like you love me. I can't imagine you're a country fan listening to this podcast and haven't heard their hit single at least 100 times by now. Excuse me. You look like you love me. You look like you want me to.

[Jordan Davis]

Want you to come on.

[Troy Volhoffer]

Just an incredible duet. Riley Greene will be headlining tomorrow night at Country Thunder Florida. And I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Riley and Ella on stage together at some point to perform that amazing song. Big thanks again to Jordan Davis for joining me on the bus today. Check out Jordan's tour dates on jordandavisofficial.com and check out where he's going to hit you. I'm sure he's coming close to you because he's going to play all over North America. It's a great live act. I really believe that he's one of the best upcomers that we have in the business today. And he's already hit headlining status, which is really exciting. You know, I learned some interesting things about Jordan today. He has a great passion for songwriting, which is really, really super cool. And, you know, you have artists who don't Write like Tim McGraw, and then you have artists that do write. It's an interesting dynamic. And no disrespect to Tim McGraw whatsoever. Tim McGraw could pick the best country song ever. I mean, just look at the hits that he's had. Two different styles, but fantastic live. Jordan Davis is amazing. Gotta go check him out. And thank you for listening. I'm Troy Volhoffer. Have a great day. Be sure to follow Country Thunder on all our social platforms. At Country Thunder, we have new episodes dropping bi monthly. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you know when the new episodes hit the.