Fans Already Know Luke Bryan’s Songs

BY TOM NETHERLAND
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD COURIER
How’s this for a happy ending.
Country upstart Luke Bryan blazes into Fun Fest in Kingsport on July 16. Then Fun Fest concludes with a round of rock from Peter Frampton on July 17 and the Marshall Tucker Band on July 18.
At press time, Frampton was on vacation and unavailable for comment. However, Bryan was on the job and reached by phone in Macon, Ga.
“You don’t anticipate the amount of work it takes to do this,” Bryan said of climbing the ladder toward music stardom.
That work includes performing about 150 concerts this year. Subsequent travel will account to about 100,000 miles crammed into a bus smaller than a trailer park trailer.
Toss in significant time to write songs, record, exercise, meet with fans, give interviews, and appear on radio and television shows.
“You have to always stay on top of your game,” Bryan said. “When I moved to Nashville (in 2001) I thought I would just sing and it would all work out.”
Not quite.
Signed to a song writing deal in 2001, Bryan found success when Travis Tritt recorded Bryan’s song “Honky-Tonk History,” in 2004.
“It was my first cut,” Bryan said, “and the fact that a fellow Georgian, Travis Tritt, recorded it, meant a lot to me.”
Recall Billy Currington’s number one single “Good Directions.” Bryan co-wrote that song, but his sights extended well beyond writing songs.
That materialized with his first single with Capitol Records, “All My Friends Say.” It peaked at number five on Billboard’s hot country singles chart in 2007, and set in motion Bryan as a country star.
“That song was a real highlight,” he said. “Every time I kicked into it, people went crazy, and they still do. It was all of that hard work finally paying off.”
But why Bryan, why did he make it as a singer amid a sea of equally talented singers?
“I’ve always tried to be nice to people and be good to people along the way, and then it’s like one of the good people actually made it,” Bryan said. “I’m just trying to enjoy it along the way.”
The former Georgia Southern University student followed the success of “All My Friends Say” with top 40 single “We Rode In Trucks” and a top 10 with “Country Man.” His cover of Chuck Berry’s Christmas classic “Run Run Rudolph” charted in December.
Now it’s time to follow his debut album, “I’ll Stay Me,” with a new one. Though not due for release until October, the album’s first single “Do I,” was issued earlier this year.
“I feel like I’ve grown a lot since the first album,” Bryan said. “It’s an album that holds true to country music. More and more country albums don’t have so much country on them.”
That applies to scores of so-called country acts, from Sugarland to Rascal Flatts. But Bryan sees space for himself with those who also love Alan Jackson, George Strait, Lee Ann Womack - genuine country music for genuine country people.
“I still speak to a rural crowd,” Bryan said. “The American farmer gets overlooked. Small town people and businesses get overlooked. But that doesn’t mean those people aren’t still there.”
And so while Bryan gears up for his next album, he tours. For now that means small towns like Kingsport, which will offer him a rare-for-now headlining slot.
But much like Tim McGraw or Loretta Lynn or Ernest Tubb, Bryan dreams big.
“I’d like to headline one of these days,” Bryan said. “I’d like to be one of the stars someday. I hope to get there someday.”

TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at .

IF YOU GO
What: Fun Fest
Who: Luke Bryan with guests Joey and Rory, and April Taylor
When: July 16, 6:30 p.m.
Where: J. Fred Johnson Stadium, 1800 Legion Dr., Kingsport, Tenn.n Admission: $15n Info: (423) 246-7552n Web: http://www.lukebryan.com
Audio: http://www.lukebryan.com/index.php?page=music
Video: http://www.lukebryan.com/index.php?page=videos

Who: Peter Frampton with guests North Fork Switchgrass and Driving Miss Crazy featuring Trey Hensley
When: July 17, 6:30 p.m.
Where: J. Fred Johnson Stadium, 1800 Legion Dr., Kingsport, Tenn.
Admission: $15
Web, audio and video: http://www.frampton.com

Who: Marshall Tucker Band and guests Air Margaritaville – A Musical Tribute to Jimmy Buffett and Hotel California – A Salute to the Eagles
When: July 18, 6 p.m.
Where: J. Fred Johnson Stadium, 1800 Legion Dr., Kingsport, Tenn.
Admission: $15
Web: http://www.marshalltucker.com
Audio: http://new.music.yahoo.com/marshall-tucker-band/tracks/