Grandparents, Grit, and Going Big: Justin Moore’s Rise

Summary

On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer: Episode Summary Episode Title: Grandparents, Grit, and Going Big: Justin Moore’s Rise
Release Date: May 15, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of "On the Bus with Troy Vollhoffer," host Troy Vollhoffer sits down with the acclaimed country artist Justin Moore. As the owner and founder of the Country Thunder Music Festival, Troy delves deep into Justin's personal life, musical journey, and the values that have shaped his successful career in the country music industry.

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Early Life and Roots

Justin Moore opens up about his humble beginnings in a small Arkansas town with a population of approximately 300 people. He reflects on the strong sense of community and the blue-collar, family-oriented environment that influenced his upbringing.

Justin Moore (00:23): "I grew up in a really, really small town of about 300 people in Arkansas. You know, blue collar folks, God fearing... Family was super important to most everyone."

He shares memories of high school life, emphasizing the centrality of sports and the quintessential small-town activities that shaped his early years. Despite contemplating a future in sports, Justin's passion for music, fueled by his uncle's southern rock band and experiences singing in church, eventually led him to pursue a career in music.

Transition to Music Career

At 18, Justin made the bold decision to move to Nashville to chase his musical dreams, leaving behind the prospect of college and sports. This move was supported by his parents, despite his initial apprehensions.

Justin Moore (01:12): "When I graduated high school, I went to college for literally two weeks and came home and told my parents, I don't think I'm going back to school."

Upon arriving in Nashville in 2002, Justin faced the typical struggles of an aspiring artist but was fortunate to secure a publishing deal within his first year. This opportunity allowed him to hone his songwriting skills and collaborate with seasoned professionals, laying a strong foundation for his future success.

Justin Moore (03:34): "I was lucky when I had been there maybe a year to get a publishing deal. I got paid $12,000 a year, though, so it's one of those kind of deals."

Breakthrough with "Small Town USA"

Justin discusses his breakout single, "Small Town USA," which peaked in 2009 and became a defining moment in his career. Initially uncertain about its mass appeal, the song resonated strongly with audiences, propelling it to the top of the charts.

Justin Moore (05:34): "We put it out, I think in '08... it did. And you know, it took like at the time that it went number one, I think Lee Bryce and I broke each other's record there for a few years on the Longest Life of Us."

This success not only established Justin as a prominent figure in country music but also diversified his musical repertoire beyond the "redneck" persona, thanks to subsequent hits like "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away."

Personal Stories and Inspirations

A significant portion of the conversation centers around Justin's relationship with his grandparents and the profound impact of losing his grandfather to cancer. This personal loss inspired the heartfelt song "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away," reflecting Justin's belief that deeply personal experiences resonate universally.

Justin Moore (11:07): "I've learned if it's close to me something that... is probably personal to a lot of other people out there."

He also reminisces about meeting legendary songwriters like Harlan Howard, whose mentorship and kindness left an indelible mark on him.

Justin Moore (14:51): "He just always was. And I'll never forget the first time I'm playing the Opry, ever... He goes, that's because it means something. To you. If you didn't make you nervous, you ought not be here."

Touring and Festivals

Justin shares insights into his extensive touring experiences, currently in his 18th year on the road. He emphasizes the importance of touring with friends and like-minded artists, highlighting his collaborations with notable names like Joe Nichols and Tracy Lawrence.

Justin Moore (16:36): "We have done a bunch of tours with other people over the years that we. I love, I really enjoy."

He expresses a particular fondness for performing at county fairs and festivals, likening these events to family reunions where genuine connections with fans are formed.

Justin Moore (19:35): "It's really kind of like a family reunion... I enjoy that because I was that kid."

Philosophy on Music and Industry Trends

Throughout the discussion, Justin emphasizes his commitment to authenticity in his music. Despite the rise of bro-country, he remains steadfast in his traditional approach, believing that sincerity resonates most with listeners.

Justin Moore (21:27): "I didn't name it bro country. Everybody gets offended by that. Hell, I don't know."

He underscores the unity within the country music fan base, appreciating its inclusivity and the community it fosters among diverse country sub-genres.

Justin Moore (22:36): "If you're genuine and real... they're gonna dig it."

Influences and Mentorship

Justin cites influential artists like Charlie Daniels, Hank Williams Jr., and George Strait as key inspirations. He shares memorable encounters with these legends, illustrating their impact on his personal and professional growth.

Justin Moore (23:07): "Charlie could tell I was nervous. He said, you all right? I'm like, I'm pretty nervous, man... That's something I've never forgot."

These relationships not only shaped his musical style but also reinforced his dedication to staying true to his roots and delivering meaningful music.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with reflections on Justin Moore's enduring passion for country music and his gratitude towards his fans and the community that has supported him throughout his career. His journey from a small-town Arkansas boy to a multi-platinum artist serves as an inspiring testament to perseverance, authenticity, and the power of heartfelt storytelling in music.

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Notable Quotes:

• Justin Moore (00:23): "I grew up in a really, really small town of about 300 people in Arkansas... Family was super important to most everyone."
• Justin Moore (05:34): "We put it out... it did. And you know, it took like at the time that it went number one... broke each other's record."
• Justin Moore (11:07): "I've learned if it's close to me something that... is probably personal to a lot of other people out there."
• Justin Moore (22:36): "If you're genuine and real... they're gonna dig it."

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This episode offers a heartfelt exploration of Justin Moore's life, highlighting the values and experiences that have made him a beloved figure in country music. From his deep-rooted family ties to his unwavering commitment to authentic storytelling, Justin's narrative is both inspiring and relatable to fans and aspiring artists alike.

Transcript

[Justin Moore]

The county fairs, I enjoy too. You know, some of those are so much fun because for me growing up, if you had somebody come in with let's say two hits, they're just popping on the radio or on the scene, maybe three hits, whatever. I mean, you think you're watching Elvis Presley.

[Troy Volhofer]

We're out here at Country Thunder, Arizona and are so thrilled to be joined by multi platinum artist Justin Moore. Some of his biggest chart topping hits have been songs like Small Town usa, if Heaven Wasn't so Far Away and Beta Hook. Ever since he broke out in country scene in 2009, he had one goal, to stay true to himself. After nearly two decades, Justin continues to make deep personal music that stays true to his roots and to his fans. His latest album, this is My Dirt, is out now and you can catch them on tour all summer long. Please join me in welcoming Justin Moore to the bus. Welcome.

[Justin Moore]

Happy to be here, man. We appreciate the opportunity.

[Troy Volhofer]

Well, we're looking forward to a great show tonight.

[Justin Moore]

We are too.

[Troy Volhofer]

Let's, let's go back to like the beginnings, the, the, your childhood, where you came from. So you grew up in Arkansas. Tell me a little bit about how that was.

[Justin Moore]

I grew up in a really, really small town of about 300 people in Arkansas. You know, blue collar folks, God fearing. All the cliche small town stuff you can come up with, you know, it's kind of like the set of Varsity Blues on during whatever sport was in season at the time. Everything shuts down, everybody goes to whatever game it is and. But a great way to grow up, a great place to grow up. Family was super important to most everyone. Everybody you know in high school was going, we can't wait to get the heck out of Dodge. And then we didn't leave or they didn't leave or they're back for the most part. You know, it's one of those kind of towns. But it was great, man. And I was way into sports growing up. I played baseball and basketball. When I graduated high school, I started, you know, thinking about maybe going to school and playing baseball. That was my favorite. Anybody out there watching that knows anything about me, knows I'm a bit vertically challenged. So basketball, you know, I could hold my own in my weight class, but I wasn't going to go to college and do that. And so I thought about attempting to go play baseball. And about that time I started playing music. My uncle had a southern rock band and I would jump up and play with them anytime I could. And you know, I always sang in church because my Parents made me. But, yeah, when I graduated high school, I went to college for literally two weeks and came home and told my parents, I don't think I'm going back to school. And they go, why, are you sick? I go, no, like, ever. And they knew that I wanted to pursue music at some point. And so a few months after high school, moved to Nashville. I was 18, and, you know, just lucky that my parents were supportive. You know, I had my wife and I have four kids, and if they came in and told me that at 18, I'd be like, wait a second. Hell no. Are you crazy? So I. I don't know why my parents were the way that they were, but I'm thankful that that they were.

[Troy Volhofer]

You're a guitar player. Did you write on guitar? Is that. Is that your instrument?

[Justin Moore]

Yeah. So when I moved to town, I moved there in 02, and it was still, you know, you're using a little recorder.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Justin Moore]

And it's all work tapes, and you're booking your sessions. I was lucky when I had been there maybe a year to get a publishing deal. I got paid $12,000 a year, though, so it's one of those kind of deals. But it allowed me to meet a lot of people, and it allowed me to really learn how to write a song because I didn't have a clue what I was doing. And I'm in the room with guys that I really didn't deserve to be in a room with, you know, but fortunately, I could sing. So I think they thought there may be something here down the road. So it was still what I consider old school, you know, Then it was. It was. There was no writing and building a track at the same time. And then you got the track done when you get finished writing the song, and none of that existed. It was.

[Troy Volhofer]

I.

[Justin Moore]

Like today, you know, no, it wasn't like that, and I enjoy doing that, but I still. I still ride on guitar.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's great. Yeah. We at Country Thunder here we have a songwriter's tent.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

That would be to celebrate the songwriter, because I think it's a. In this format, especially such. You know, the songwriter is such an important element to. To the greatest.

[Justin Moore]

I 100% agree.

[Troy Volhofer]

I noticed that you write a lot of your own material, which is pretty cool, because, you know, to our listeners, there's a lot of artists that may or may not participate in the song. Right.

[Justin Moore]

I almost think it's more difficult to. To pick songs that you had nothing to do with, you know, being in the room writing them. There's a knack to that and the fact that, you know, those guys have done it for. For that long and picked so many great songs. I have cut outside songs, but I write the majority of what I do. And I think it's kind of easier to weed through your own. But I've never been an artist that goes. I've got to write everything, you know, best song wins. To me, the fans, in my opinion, deserve to get the best music, regardless whose name is on it.

[Troy Volhofer]

Well, let's talk about your hits because you've had some big ones.

[Justin Moore]

We've been really lucky.

[Troy Volhofer]

The first hit, really lucky. What was your first hit?

[Justin Moore]

My first hit was small town USA was it 2009? That's probably when it peaked. We put it out, I think in 08. Yeah, we. We had put a single out before that called Back that Thing Up. It went straight to 38 and straight down. And I thought, oh boy. And you know, at the time, because I signed my deal in 07 at the time talking about how the. The industry and songwriting is different. The whole entire industry is different. As you well know. If you had a couple, two or three singles that missed, yeah, you got dropped. They didn't. Nowadays the label will stick with you for years and albums and you know, it's just changed in that regard. So when the label wanted to put out Small Town USA after our first single that flopped, I thought I dig this song because I wrote it about kind of being homesick and. And I understand it and I get it. But I don't know if it will appeal to the masses. And fortunately I was. I was wrong and. And it did. And you know, it took like at the time that it went number one, I think Lee Bryce and I broke each other's record there for a few years on the Longest Life of Us. I think it took.

[Troy Volhofer]

I think you have the record.

[Justin Moore]

I might. Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Justin Moore]

I. It's usually over the last 17, 18 years been Lear or myself.

[Troy Volhofer]

He's a great guy.

[Justin Moore]

Great guy. Great, great artist. Yeah, great guy. I mean it. It changed my. My life. I mean, you know, like our first single from our second album. We were done with the album or I thought so. And so did my producer and take it into the label and they're like, I don't think you got a single. And we're going to great. Just what we want to hear. And I had just lost my grandpa who was my hero. I heard if Heaven was so far away it was a big record for us. I think we had three off of Our ended up off the first album that were pretty big records, but that one kind of, you know, it helped us immediately break the sophomore slump. You know, until then, we had done Small town, kind of that kind of deal, and then we did a couple of raucous, kind of hillbilly, redneck kind of things. And it helped me not become pigeonholed as just this little redneck from Arkansas. He likes to drink beer, singing beer songs. Right?

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Justin Moore]

And. And that song, when I got it, was 10 years old.

[Troy Volhofer]

Okay.

[Justin Moore]

And I'll never forget I saw Luke Bryan at CRS Week. You know how crazy that is?

[Troy Volhofer]

Crazy for you guys? Yeah, absolutely.

[Justin Moore]

And for those out there watching that may not know. It's Country Radio Seminar. It's literally every artist, everybody in the industry, and you're bumping into each other at all these different places and everybody.

[Troy Volhofer]

Wants to find the flesh, right?

[Justin Moore]

Yeah. And Luke and I have become friends because one of the first tours I did was just tell you how long ago it was. I was first and I had put out two singles. But Small Town was the only hit at the time. If it was even at the time, it may not have been. Luke Brown was the middle act and I think he maybe had a. His third song out at the time he was just ahead of me. His were working though. But. So I'd gotten to know Luke a little bit before that, kind of before we both had record deals and then we got to know each other even better out on that tour. And I'll never forget because a good friend of Luke's wrote Heaven. He was one of the co writers on Heaven. Dallas Davidson. Great writer, great writer. So back to the song. It was 10 years old at the time. And I'm going, how has this not been cut? Red Aikens had cut it on an album, but it never came out as a single or anything. And so I see Luke at CRS and he goes, I'm pissed at you. And I'm like, what did I do? I mean, you know how goofy Luke is. I love him, but he's a jokester. Yeah, yeah. And I'm like, I know he's not really mad at me, but I'm like, what are you talking about? He goes, dallas and Rhett and Rob Hatch, another great songwriter who's on the song. They've been trying to get me to cut that song for years and years. And I'm like, well, you're a dumbass. Like, how did you not hear that? I said, I heard it one time. And no, it's A hit. He goes, I don't know. And so anyway. But I've had. We've all, as artists, had those moments where I've passed on songs and then so. And so Lee. Talking about Lee. I passed on drinking class, had it on hold for a year. Big, huge song. And my wife's going, you need to cut that song. You need to cut that song. I'm like, at the time, it was my third album, I had a song that was similar. And I thought, let me go with this one. Here's when you know you mess up is because the. The moment it comes off hold for you, somebody gets it like that. And that's what happened.

[Troy Volhofer]

I go, this is snatched up.

[Justin Moore]

Dad gum. Yeah, I made a mistake there. Dadgum. But I'm a firm believer not to be too artsy. Fartsy. The songs kind of land where they're supposed to. We've all had them go both directions.

[Troy Volhofer]

You know, I mean, every artist decided, Right. Yeah.

[Justin Moore]

Everybody's got that story or stories.

[Troy Volhofer]

Let's talk about your relationship with your grandfather.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

As you lost your grandfather.

[Justin Moore]

I did.

[Troy Volhofer]

And that song, obviously was picked because of the inspiration.

[Justin Moore]

Right. I grew up really close to all my grandparents, so the land that I grew up on, my mother was raised there by her mom and dad. My. My grand. The other grandfather. And then I'll get to the one that. About the song. But he was raised on this land by his grandfather, so it's been our family since the late 1800s. So he raised my mom and her siblings there. And when my wife and I made the decision after we had our first child in 2010, we made the decision to move back from Nashville to Arkansas, and we went back to my hometown of 300 people. Now it's like 306, because there's six of us. Yeah. It still hasn't grown. We have gotten a Dollar General now, but there's no stoplights. I people that. And they're like, what about a Walmart? I'm like, no, you don't understand. When I say there's nothing, there is nothing.

[Troy Volhofer]

So that's playing, right?

[Justin Moore]

Yeah. There's a gas station.

[Troy Volhofer]

Where is it close to home?

[Justin Moore]

It's between Little Rock and Hot Springs, kind of. I'm about 45, 50 miles south of Little Rock.

[Troy Volhofer]

Sure.

[Justin Moore]

But, yeah, when we moved back, we were looking for land, and my grandfather goes, why don't you just buy this? He goes, nobody else can take care of this much land. And I know it means something to you. And so I got a pretty good Friends and family discount. But. But yeah, we. We bought that and that's where we're raising our kids now. And I mean, if you look out my front door, about a thousand yards across a pond and a cow pasture is my mom and dad's house that they still live in, that I was raised in. So it's neat, man. You know, we four wheelers and we fish.

[Troy Volhofer]

Were you an only child?

[Justin Moore]

I am an only child.

[Troy Volhofer]

Me too.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah, as a kid. I hated it as a young kid because I wanted somebody to play with when I was like a teenager. It was. It was pretty cool, you know, you didn't have to compete with nobody for anything, attention or vehicles or any of that kind of deal. And then now as an adult, I wish I had a sibling, you know, so we have our kids, but we have our kids. And so. So that was one of my grand grandfathers and he has since passed. A couple of years ago. He was my last living grandparent and really close to him. But my end all be all my hero outside of my parents was my grandpa, my dad's dad. He was healthy as could be mid-60s, and then just all of a sudden got cancer. Nobody out there watching or in this bus has been unaffected by cancer. And he died unexpectedly pretty quickly. And I had a pretty difficult time with that. But it was within a year of that that I had heard the song. And I thought, man, I got to record that because I had learned at that point, in particular with Small Town usa, because I had the thought process that I don't know if other people can relate to it unless they grew up the way that I did. But I've learned if it's close to me something that. Whether it's something I'm going through, the loss of somebody close to me, or whether it's, you know, something we're celebrating or whatever, that is probably personal to a lot of other people out there. And. And so that was. That was another example of that.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's amazing. To get your perspective on. That is a really cool thing because it's a. I met one of the legendary songwriters of all time, Harlan Howard.

[Justin Moore]

Oh, wow. When I was playing hockey, Legend of.

[Troy Volhofer]

Legends got sent to Nashville. Pre Predators, they had a team there. It was San Jose Swarm team called the Nashville Knights. And he dropped the puck at one of our games. I'm like, who's Harlan Howard? So after the game, we went to Skull Trueman's place, which is Skull's Steakhouse. Now, Skull was still alive then right down there. Had a few Drinks with him and finding out the songs that he had written. He's one of the most accomplished songwriters in the history of country music.

[Justin Moore]

And you're sitting there and your mind's blown.

[Troy Volhofer]

Totally blown. Yeah, ye. No, it was a pretty cool deal, you know, and that's. That's awesome. So let's talk about the tour where you hit in the summer.

[Justin Moore]

We're kind of all over. We've been on the west coast two or three times already, which is a kind of a rarity.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah.

[Justin Moore]

You know, and usually when we come out here, we try to stay. You try to get around 10 days or whatever and. But we've been doing a couple of, you know, to show weekends and that kind of stuff. We've been in Arizona, we've been in California. We're fixing to get into a lot of the festival type stuff, you know, I mean, we've done so many tours with other artists over the years, which we. I love, I really enjoy. This is my 18th year on the road, which is hard to believe. Fortunately, I can be a little more selective about what we do and, you know, we're going out and doing. We'll do, you know, the fairs and again. Yeah, we got. That's what I was gonna say. I really try to just go out and do stuff with guys that I'm genuinely really good friends with. And Joe and I become friends over the last, I'd say seven, eight years. You know, Tracy Lawrence and I went out and did a deal together a couple few years ago, which was, for me, a blast because I'm. I grew up a huge fan of Tracy Lawrence. And he's from Arkansas.

[Troy Volhofer]

Tl's a great guy.

[Justin Moore]

He is, man. We always talk about. He's just got a swag about him.

[Troy Volhofer]

I love to, you know, Known him a long time.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah, Great guy. He is from Foreman.

[Troy Volhofer]

Foreman show there.

[Justin Moore]

You used to do that. Oh, that was a huge. See, when I was a kid, that was a huge, huge deal.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, we do that show.

[Justin Moore]

That's fine.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's how I met you.

[Justin Moore]

I never got to go because I was young at the time, but I know it was a big, big deal to, like, all the high school girls and, you know, because he was the sex symbol and the whole thing and. And Joe's from Rogers Ar, Arkansas, so that three Arkansas guys.

[Troy Volhofer]

I remember when Joe used to wear a white shirt, black pants, and a black tie every night.

[Justin Moore]

Really? Oh, yeah, absolutely.

[Troy Volhofer]

It was a great look, though. And it was so, like, you would have thought he was like more of A contemporary artist and he came out and plays a great music. Right. And the voice is amazing.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah, he's a, he's a great artist. He really is, man. He's an incredible.

[Troy Volhofer]

He's underrated. I don't know what it's.

[Justin Moore]

I agree. I mean, his albums, he does a really good job of cutting albums. Pick another guy that picks really good songs. To answer your question, we'll go out and do some stuff like that. We've had an opportunity to go out and tour with so many people over the years that you're just like, how did we wind up here? We don't deserve to be here. Act like you belong.

[Troy Volhofer]

Does the family come out on the road with you?

[Justin Moore]

March? They did when my kids were out of school, but now I have almost 16 year old daughter, have an almost 14 year old daughter and an almost 11 year old daughter and then my son's seven, almost eight. So I mean they're so involved in sports and yeah, they're like, you know, during the summer when they're out of school, my wife never wants to come. I'll be like, hey, you want to go? I'm going to Chicago for like a day or two. You want to go? She's like, are we flying? I go, no, we're going on the bus. She goes, I'll see you when you get back. Now the kids in particular, the younger ones, I'll take a couple at a time out with me and we don't have babysitters or nannies or anything. I mean my tour managers, you see back here or the help, I feel.

[Troy Volhofer]

Very confident with them. Yeah, the safety of your.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah. Most of my band and crew have been with me for so long. I mean, they remember they were at the hospital when my kids were born, you know, and so they got a whole lot of uncles and one aunt out here. They come out when they're out of school and they don't have stuff going on, which I love. But yeah, we'll, we'll do that. The fairs and festivals and then like I said, we've done a bunch of tours with other people. We've done a lot of our own, you know, hard ticket tours over the years and really enjoy that as well. You know, we're. I kind of enjoy a mixture of.

[Troy Volhofer]

All of the above, like every kind of concert.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah, I, I really like the arenas, but I would miss not doing the festival type stuff where it's an all day thing and you get to say hey to your buddies and.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah, it's kind of Like a hang.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah, it really kind of like a family reunion, you know, And I always say, like the. Obviously the state fairs, but the county fairs, I enjoy too. You know, some of. Some of those are so much fun because for me growing up, you know, if you had somebody come in with, let's say, two hits, they're just popping on. On the radio or on the scene, maybe three hits, whatever. I mean, you think you're watching Elvis Presley because they're coming to these little bitty towns and. And I'm like. And then there's, you know, there's 2,000 people in the town and there's 6,000 people at the show. Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And so I love the county fairs.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah. That was the ones I got to go to growing up. You know, I saw Clint Black and Diamond Rio and like all these Charlie Daniels and. And so I enjoy that too, because I know the 12 year old out there that maybe don't get the opportunity to go into the. Whatever, you know, major city in the area. Maybe the parents can't afford that ticket or. Or it sells out. Wait, you know what? I'm. Whatever. And so I enjoy that because I was that kid.

[Troy Volhofer]

I love the fair business.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

I think that the history. History of country music is. Yeah, that's where they played. You know, before country music was touring, they played the fairs.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah.

[Troy Volhofer]

And then when I was a kid growing up, the country music wasn't an arena.

[Justin Moore]

Right.

[Troy Volhofer]

It didn't happen until Alabama. When Alabama hit, it was like, well, I want Kenny Rogers, but he was kind of a crossover.

[Justin Moore]

You're right.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah. But then Alabama hit and Randy Travis.

[Justin Moore]

Hit, George hit, Garth Garden, and everything's a lot. Right.

[Troy Volhofer]

So it's. But it's an exciting place to be. Is. Country music has a really good vibe right now.

[Justin Moore]

It does, man. And you know, selfishly, I'm a more traditional artist. Obviously, we. We doggy paddled for a while during the, you know, to stay afloat during the.

[Troy Volhofer]

The bro country.

[Justin Moore]

I didn't name it bro country. Everybody gets offended by that. Hell, I don't know.

[Troy Volhofer]

I just remember Georgia.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah. It wasn't really my personal thing. If I turn on the radio, that ain't what I want to hear. But clearly there was an audience for it. Yeah, but we didn't really do that. And we. We kind of. I'm proud of the fact that you plowed through it. Right. We just kind of kept doing our thing and for whatever reason, radio stuck with us. And I mean, people like yourself stuck with us. Started. Kept giving us Business on the road, and. And now it's kind of come back to more.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, yes.

[Justin Moore]

What we. We've always done. Which, you know, selfishly, I'm like, yeah, awesome.

[Troy Volhofer]

And it's great. And, I mean, there's room for all of it.

[Justin Moore]

That's what I've always said.

[Troy Volhofer]

That's a beautiful thing, right. If you're a country fan. In most cases, you're a country fan for everything. Yeah. And that's different than a pop fan, where you're isolated on certain things that you dig or you don't dig or whatever. But country music seems to have this united fan base that is so special, and I don't think we've lost that.

[Justin Moore]

I agree.

[Troy Volhofer]

I think that still exists today.

[Justin Moore]

I agree.

[Troy Volhofer]

You can mix up these lineups on.

[Justin Moore]

These festivals, and I think the fans can see through the bs.

[Troy Volhofer]

Absolutely.

[Justin Moore]

If you're genuine and real, I don't care if you're pop, country, rap, country, rock, country, country, country. If you're real with them, they're gonna dig it.

[Troy Volhofer]

100.

[Justin Moore]

I mean, I. I've just always said that, and I've always believed that.

[Troy Volhofer]

I agree. Name me three artists that inspired you to do what you do today.

[Justin Moore]

Charlie Daniels, top of the list.

[Troy Volhofer]

Oh, what a loss, man.

[Justin Moore]

I got an opportunity. A lot of us playing shows together through the years and stuff, just, you know, festivals, fairs, and that kind of stuff. But I got an opportunity, I don't know, maybe the last five, six years of his life, to get to know him and become pretty close. I mean, he was. He reminded me a lot of my grandfather, and he treated me as such. I don't know why he was so kind to me, but he just always was. And I'll never forget the first time I'm playing the Opry, ever. This is like.08, and I'm nervous as I'll get out and somebody comes from my label and goes, you want to meet Charlie Daniels? I'm like, of course. Yes. Are you kidding me? And Charlie could tell this is the first time we ever met. He could tell I was nervous. He said, you all right? I'm like, I'm pretty nervous, man. I said, you know, first of all, I'm nervous to meet him because he's one of my heroes, you know, so I'm already freaking out about that, of course. And then debuting on the Opry, I said, you know, I never get nervous to play music ever. I just. I don't. Except for church and the opera.

[Troy Volhofer]

Sure.

[Justin Moore]

And he goes, that's because it means something. To you. If you. If it didn't make you nervous, you ought not be here. And I've never forgot that. I looked up to him just as a man, obviously an artist who. He was brilliant, but just as a man, as a Christian, like, he really inspires me today still, as far as musically, Hank Jr. I'm a hybrid of traditional sounding country and southern rock. I always love southern rock. Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Easy Top, all those guys. And I thought he did it probably as well. Both of those guys, Charlie and him, did it as well or better than anybody. And then three. Boy, that's tough. Probably got to go. George Strait had the opportunity to play a show in Little Rock, which is right near my house with him. I. I saw they announced he was coming and I called my booking agent who, you know, I'm like, I don't care if they even paid me, but if somebody else opens this show, it's not me, and it's not me. I'm gonna be livid.

[Troy Volhofer]

I love it.

[Justin Moore]

I don't know if we made a dime that night, but it didn't make it down.

[Troy Volhofer]

It doesn't matter.

[Justin Moore]

No, man.

[Troy Volhofer]

I had some experiences with George Strait. They were so amazing. I played him up in Canada in like 2010 and. And it was a perfect night. It was. There was no wind, it was about 75 degrees up. And it just was a magical moment. And such a nice guy. He came and asked me. They played the Calgary Stampede the night before it came into our show. Country Thunder on a Sunday. He tracks me down and asked me, it's all right if he stays overnight on the site on his bus. I'm like, yes, sir. First million dollar track I ever signed to an artist. Wow. Yeah. So I got him to autograph the back of it. It's a copy of it.

[Justin Moore]

It's amazing.

[Troy Volhofer]

It's pretty cool, right?

[Justin Moore]

Yeah, he's. He's just. He's. It's like he's not even real. You know what I mean? Like, I don't get starstruck or.

[Troy Volhofer]

He's different, though, man.

[Justin Moore]

He's different.

[Troy Volhofer]

Yeah. Justin, thank you so much for coming. What a great conversation.

[Justin Moore]

Yeah, man. I really like you all, man.

[Troy Volhofer]

I could too drink some beers and hang out.

[Justin Moore]

We can do that next time.

[Troy Volhofer]

Absolutely. But thank you for being on the show.

[Justin Moore]

Thank you.

[Troy Volhofer]

I want to thank Justin Moore for being on on the Bus with Country Thunder. I'm Troy Volhofer and please come visit one of our festivals. Thank you very much. Thank you, Justin.

[Justin Moore]

Thank you.

[Troy Volhofer]

Such a blessing. To get a chance to talk to these incredible artists backstage. But my favorite moments are always with the fans. So this summer we decided to honor Country Thunder's 1 millionth fan. So this is a reward to have a lifetime pass to Country Thunder. If you are the millionth band, they get platinum tickets for Life, Camping for Life and to their loyalty to Country Thunder and to country music. It's an awesome gift. So we're looking forward to seeing our millionth fan. Stay tuned. Big thanks again to Justin for joining me on the bus today. If you want to catch Justin on tour, head to justinmoore.com for tour dates. And if you're able to check out those dates in June when he's joined by Joe Nichols, it should be an amazing duo. 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 feed.