Is that pendulum swinging in favor of country music today?
Absolutely. Most people in the business will tell you that, especially over the past few years, there’s been a real up-tick in country music. Between Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban, we’re seeing a younger audience. Sugarland has a great vibe, and so do Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich. Some new acts are becoming legitimate headliners, which we haven’t seen since we broke with Alan Jackson and Tim McGraw back in the early ’90s. That’s great for us. After 15 years, it’s important for Ronnie and me to make sure that what we’re doing is fresh and hip. The pendulum tends to swing musically, and that’s exciting to me. When writing and performing, do you think about what people want to hear, what they might connect with, or do you write and perform from your own gut? There are millions of people out there who decide what is good, and the bar continues to be raised. When there’s a big hit from a progressive act, or what people call pop-sounding, you immediately get dinged on the other side by som
