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- [00:07]
A
Man, I was listening to everything. Southern rock, Leonard Skinner and Allman Brothers Christian music, you know, Shane and Shane, Chris Tomlin, these guys, all the way to Dr. Dre and Lil Wayne and DMX. Really a pretty dynamic Nelly, you know, a lot of hip hop, a lot of country. You know, I remember I kind of came up in the age of making mixtapes on CDs and burning CDs and stuff. And so we could really kind of pull whatever song was speaking to us and put it on a CD and ride out.
- [00:37]
B
Welcome back to on the Bus with Troy Volhoffer. Today we are joined by someone who helped usher in a brand new era of country music. Tyler Hubbard. Back in 2012, Tyler burst onto the scene as one half of Florida Georgia Line with their debut smash single, Cruise. After pumping out over 20 number one singles, collecting awards, selling out arenas and blurring genres, now Tyler embracing a new chapter of his career, going solo. After starting over on his own and suffering a severe ankle injury, he's taking nothing for granted. Please welcome Tyler Hubbard to the show. Tyler Hubbard, how you been?
- [01:11]
A
Good, man, good. Thanks for having me.
- [01:13]
B
Welcome to Saskatchewan.
- [01:15]
A
Thank you.
- [01:15]
B
Now you've been up in Canada for a bit now.
- [01:17]
A
Yeah, this is the third night of an awesome weekend. I played Winnipeg first night, then last night we were in Prince Edward Island, Cavendish doing that thing. And now we're here and man, it's been epic. I love being in Canada.
- [01:29]
B
That's cool.
- [01:29]
A
A lot of awesome things.
- [01:30]
B
That's some dartboard routing right there, isn't it?
- [01:32]
A
Exactly, yeah.
- [01:33]
B
One coast to the other.
- [01:34]
A
Yeah, exactly.
- [01:35]
B
A lot of long nights, but how's your summer looking? How are you?
- [01:38]
A
It's been awesome, you know, a lot of festivals, I'm loving it. I had a pretty light spring, so we're kind of geared up and feeling good and awesome. Ready to rock. Yeah, it feels good.
- [01:47]
B
Let's talk about your new product because you got a great record out right now. Tommy, who's involved, who produced it, how it came to be.
- [01:53]
A
So I'm actually super excited about my new music. I feel like my last album's been out for a while, but it really hadn't been that long. I put it out last year and. And yeah, it's called Strong. And my. Me and my buddy Jordan, we produced this album. We did my first one in, my second one and just a collection of songs that I was excited to really play live. I think, you know, my second album was a collection of songs that I felt like I was able to put together with the live show in mind and also kind of feeling like I knew my audience at that point. After the first album and after being out on the road and kind of connecting with the fans, I sort of felt like this was an album for the fans and, and for the live show. And so, yeah, you'll see tonight, like a lot of those songs will be in the set and they're just good energy, a lot of fun and, you know, there's some heart songs, some real songs, but also just a lot of good time songs as well. And overall I'm really proud of it. But like I said, I'm actually even more excited about the new music that I'm kind of in the middle of working on.
- [02:41]
B
And that drops in the fall, right?
- [02:42]
A
We don't even have a date yet. I'm kind of taking my time. We'll probably be top of next year at some point, first quarter maybe, but we hadn't even set a date. I'm just really taking my time. I'm sort of taking a new approach, a different process, and trying to use this time to experiment a bit with the sound and just taking some different approaches, which has been a lot of fun.
- [02:58]
B
You've had three number ones in your solo career, right?
- [03:00]
A
Yep. Three number ones. Actually four in Canada, but who's counting?
- [03:03]
B
Well, but yeah, it's the second biggest consumer of country music in the world, so, yeah, big deal.
- [03:10]
A
But yeah, I'm on my fourth single right now. It's in the top five. And so I'm feeling really blessed, man, and really inspired and just kind of creatively in a good place. And country radio has just been so good to me and the fans and so, yeah, man, it just inspires me, keeps me rocking.
- [03:23]
B
You are a pioneer. Probably say there's five acts that change music and you're part of one of those acts. I was sitting in the tent here one year and I just done George Straight and I was jonesing because I didn't have the headliner booked yet. And I called, I believe it was Kevin Neal, your agent at William Morris, and said, I need to book Florida Georgia Line. And he's like, well, it's this much money and, and by the time you hit the next year, you were the biggest band in the world.
- [03:49]
A
Hopefully you got us the year before that. Right?
- [03:51]
B
I got you. I booked you the year before and it was all, yeah, but I, I, I've always enjoyed your work. I mean, that was 20 number one hits.
- [03:57]
A
Quite a ride for sure. Quite a journey.
- [04:00]
B
You know, I, I saw the end of It. And I was totally blown away by that. I think you and I have talked about this, and we had some of those younger artists that were hitting it pretty big time at that time a couple years ago, before you guys departed, but blew my mind. I thought it was so pro. I thought it was one of the best shows I'd ever seen. I'm just telling you straight up. I thought it was awesome. And I think you and I have talked about that before, but let's talk about the music, because, I mean, you start out painting houses. Isn't that how you started?
- [04:23]
A
That was one of my many odd jobs, actually. I. I poured concrete, I cut down trees. But my main thing was I had a car detailing business. So from the age of 15, I got tired of working for my dad, decided I'd work for myself, and started washing cars. And I did that all through high school and all the way through college and even a couple years out of college until my detailed trailer turned into a music trailer. And washing cars always paid the bills and allowed me to write songs until I got a publishing deal, and that was sort of my journey and then music.
- [04:50]
B
What year did you get your publishing deal?
- [04:52]
A
2011 or early 2012? Yeah.
- [04:56]
B
Did you meet Chief first?
- [04:57]
A
Actually met Seth first. Okay. And at that time, they had just sort of connected with Joey and Chief and all them. So pretty quickly, I met Chief and that gang and Craig Wiseman, and as a songwriter, you know, he was one of my heroes and got to work with Rodney Clawson and Chris Tompkins and the guys that were all at Big Loud at the time and really, really blessed to have guys like that that I could sort of mentor under and. And learn how to become a songwriter in Nashville and do the thing. And so, yeah, those were. Those were great. Chief and Seth and the whole team were a huge part of, you know, launching FGL and helping us create the sound and create the vision and build something around the massive success of Cruise and what. Just the rocket ship that. That it put us on. And so, yeah, those were. Those were some fun and wild years. And just. Honestly, we just sort of buckled up and we're along for the ride. And it's incredible to. To have that as part of my journey and part of my story and to kind of set me up for where. Where I'm at now. It's just. It's pretty amazing.
- [05:49]
B
What was it like to work with Joey Molly? It was awesome because he pushes hard.
- [05:52]
A
He pushes hard, and. And to be honest, there were times where it was frustrating and difficult but, man, in hindsight, I'm so grateful for those years with him. You know, he really trained us. He taught us how to sing, he taught us how to push ourselves and how to take criticism, you know, and. And how to really become coachable. And so, yeah, he was great. And I love Joey, and he really was a big, big part of creating the sound that we had and. And pushing us. And so now, even nowadays when I'm in the studio, a lot of times I'll be asking my producer, you sure you got what you need? Yeah, bro. You've sang it way too many times. I'm like, Joey would just be having me get warmed up by now, like, so anyways, it was good for me.
- [06:29]
B
That's great. I had Jake Owen on the show a couple weeks ago, and we were discussing, you know, him working with Joey back in the day when he dropped that record. That was kind of re. Revolutionized music in Nashville. Right. There was no live drummer. It was.
- [06:42]
A
Right.
- [06:42]
B
Which is a pretty cool thing. You know, it's another artist that I think broke through the boundaries of genre bend. What, like, big and rich were one of the found foundations of that. Right. You know, and just different times, like, every 10 years or 15 years, it seems like somebody comes along and just goes, all right, let's do this.
- [06:58]
A
Shift it up a little.
- [06:59]
B
Yeah, for sure. Pretty interesting. I'm intrigued by that. And kind of went back in time and, you know, you look at, you know, when Randy Travis came on the scene, he was another one. Right. All of a sudden it went back to traditional country from, you know, that, you know, poppy.
- [07:12]
A
Totally.
- [07:13]
B
You know, you know, so. Yeah, man. So let's talk about your live show. How many dates are you going to do this year?
- [07:18]
A
I think I'm around 65 days. Somewhere in there, you know, you're out there working. Yeah, we're working, but it's. It's doable, it's manageable. And a lot of it's kind of bashed into the summer and early fall, and so it's just a heavy couple months, but I had a light spring and really enjoy some family time and just recharge and we'll do that again at the end of the year. But right now we're in, you know, pedal down mode and. And it's fun, though. I love it out here. I love pushing and working and playing these shows and connecting with the fans. So I'm excited.
- [07:46]
B
So you're an international artist. Do you find a difference between a US audience, an Australian audience, Canadian audience?
- [07:54]
A
I Do I think overall, it feels like the Canadian fans and the Australian fans, they're not as oversaturated with the shows, you know, and artists and so. And I'm not saying in the States, they're not appreciative, but you can just tell when you go to Australia, they're so thankful that you flew all that way to play a show. And when you get. When you come to Canada, you know, whether it's the weather, they're excited for summer, or whether. I don't know what it is, but there's a cool energy that is pretty unmatched. It's pretty epic, and it just makes you excited to come back. You feel the love. And in the States is great, too. I mean, there's a lot of great markets in the States and amazing fans. But, yeah, I can always know that if we're flying overseas or coming up to Canada, it's going to be a.
- [08:33]
B
Party that's interesting because, I mean, I don't think a lot of our fans and listeners, you know, get to see that aspect of. Of the show, of show business. So let's talk about Tyler Hubbard going forward into 25, the rest of 25, and into 26. And where do you see yourself in 27, 28? What, man? What's the thought on that? Because we all think ahead. I mean, we're all planning for the future.
- [08:52]
A
I mean, I'm just trying to put out the best songs I can and kind of let the music drive, you know what I mean? And so instead of trying to predict the future, I think I'm really just trying to focus on this year in the. In the new music, and then we'll really let that drive what happens in the next couple of years. But ultimately, I'm also in an interesting season. You know, I have three young kids that are four or five and seven, and kind of a pivotal moment in their life, too, where I don't want to be overworking, and I want to find that healthy balance. And so I think the goal would be to kind of do what I'm doing this year, continue to build, put out new music next year, play a handful of selective shows, but not too many shows, you know, make sure I maintain that balance and that healthy dynamic at home as well. And that's really where my goal is, I think for the next couple, two or three years.
- [09:34]
B
The kids come up to your shows at all?
- [09:35]
A
They do. They come out quite a bit, and it's a lot of fun. It's kind of hectic out here when the whole family's out here. We'll bring our golden retriever, three kids, and my wife as well. And so the bus can be pretty hectic, but it's always fun. The kids love it on the road. Pretty soon, I'm gonna start training them how to run the monitor board or sell T shirts or something, get them out of working.
- [09:54]
B
That's what I do with my kids. I put them to work, get out there.
- [09:58]
A
We're homeschooling them, so why not exactly teach them early?
- [10:01]
B
Well, you went to Belmont University.
- [10:02]
A
I did, yeah. When I was 18, I moved to Nashville. Somehow, by the grace of God, got accepted into Belmont and decided, that's where I'm going to go. And graduated from Belmont, quite honestly, was fairly intimidated by music for the first few years I was there because everyone was just so good and talented, and I just sort of put my guitar away for the first few years.
- [10:20]
B
Oh, did you really?
- [10:21]
A
Trying to get to know as many people as I could. That was one of my dad's advice when I went to college, was just get to know as many people as you can in that school. And that's what I did. So had a lot of fun, learned a little bit. And once I got out of school, I decided, all right, I want to pick it back up and really pursue this songwriting thing.
- [10:36]
B
And so for our listeners who don't know what Belmont is, Belmont is a university in Nashville, Tennessee, that is centric to the music business.
- [10:44]
A
Yeah, Big music business school. But everyone from all over the country goes there, and they're just super talented.
- [10:49]
B
I think I have more people in Canada right now who went to Belmont than. Than anywhere else right now, you know, in Canada. Yeah, it's pretty cool. Most of my staff are all Belmont graduates, and my kids went to Belmont, and it's a pretty cool place. Special place, you know, school is never my deal, so, you know, we'll move on to another topic.
- [11:06]
A
It wasn't mine either, but Belmont was okay. Yeah.
- [11:09]
B
Who was your inspiration?
- [11:10]
A
Probably my dad was a big inspiration, you know? Um, but I have a lot of people that inspire me over the years. You know, different artists and different people. Probably people that told me no quite a bit in town. I think that inspired me along the way. He passed away when I was 20, so he never really got to see the music thing take off. And in my mind, I was always motivated by that. And just like, I want to. I want to, you know, make him proud. I want to. I want to see this thing through. And he was a fan pretty early on, I mean, when I was dabbling with music and learning to play guitar, he was a big fan and really encouraged me. And so, yeah, that's. That's definitely part of the inspiration.
- [11:43]
B
What did you listen to as a kid growing up?
- [11:45]
A
Up, man, I was listening to everything. Southern rock, Leonard Skinner and Almond Brothers, Christian music, you know, Shane and Shane, Chris Tomlin, these guys. All the way to Dr. Dre, Lil Wayne and DMX, Nelly, you know, a lot of. A lot of hip hop, a lot of country, a lot of 90s country. Growing up, we listen to the country radio quite a bit. You know, Alan Jackson was a big part of our childhood, and Garth Brooks and George Straight. But my influence is pretty. Pretty all over the place. You know, I remember I kind of came up in the age of making mixtapes on CDs, burning. Burning CDs and stuff. And so we could really kind of pull whatever song was speaking to us and put it on a CD and ride out.
- [12:21]
B
That's awesome. Well, you know, I just want to congratulate you on your success, because it was like starting over, wasn't it?
- [12:26]
A
Yeah, it really was. But at the same time, I'm incredibly grateful for it. You know, I find myself in a season of feeling grateful. You know, you get through the pandemic and you get through all those years of un. Kind of unknown. What's happening, what's going on, how are we not able to play shows? Like, this is all I really know. And sure, now I'm just in a season of gratitude. And even after pivoting into the solo artistry, it's really opened up a lot of cool doors. It's allowed me to be able to be flexible and pivot and again, kind of dictate my own schedule.
- [12:54]
B
You're your own boss.
- [12:55]
A
My own boss. Being in a partnership is incredible when it's incredible, you know, but it can get tough when it's. When the dynamic shifts or it's a marriage, right? You got a lot of moving parts, you know, and a lot of different lives that are affected by all the decisions. And so I'm in a really good place, really enjoying the solo thing. And I've learned I enjoy the journey and the build and the challenge more than the mountaintop, if you will. And so once you're on the mountaintop, it's not a lot of fun to maintain it. It's not as much fun to try to stay on top and. And maintain. So to be able to rebuild this and go back and play the clubs I came up in and fell in love with this whole thing the first time. And the fans and these intimate shows, it's just been really special.
- [13:34]
B
I'm really looking forward to tonight. You're gonna kill it. These Saskatchewan fans are nuts. I mean, the number one music in the province of Saskatchewan's country. So you're gonna have a good time. Tyler, thank you very much. So good to see you, my friend. Thank you.
- [13:46]
A
Thank you.
- [13:47]
B
You know, over the last few decades, I've logged a lot of hours cruising all over North America right here on this bus. My favorite part of any trip is, of course, getting to the next venue and watching the greatest artists in the world live on stage. But I also love seeing what's out there on the road. So today we're launching a new segment called off roading with troy where I share one of my favorite roadside stops. I brought Toby Keith here. It's in Regina, Saskatchewan. It's called Houston pizza. It's the most unique pizza that you'll have in north America. It's absolutely delicious. I've had it six times since I've been here. Already. I've only been here for two days. Every time I saw Toby after that initial meeting at Houston pizza, he always asked me, have you been to that pizza joint in Regina? And I'm like, yes, sir, I have. Every year I get there, the first stop I make says, you know, we get to go a lot of different places, and we're very fortunate to go all over North America with our shows, but restaurants are key to everything. Quite an interview with Tyler Hubbard. You know, some of the things that caught me off guard a little bit was his climb up the mountain back to the top. And he found that most challenging thing in his career right now and enjoys that the most from sitting on top of the world. You know, it was pretty interesting as one of the biggest artists in the world at a certain time in his career, great guy, very humble man. A guy who has that kind of attitude is a real winner, and I think this gentleman is going to reach the stars again, and I wish him the best. You can find where Tyler is performing and links to all his solo music, including his latest album, strong. @tylerhubboardofficial.com I'm Troy Walhoffer, and as always, thanks for watching and listening to us on the bus. Be sure to follow country thunder on all our social platforms. Countrythunder. We have new episodes dropping bi monthly. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you know when the new episodes hit the feed.