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Country Newcomer Chase Bryant Talks About His Rising Career

January 29, 2015, 8:32 AM by  Karolina Powalka

Country newcomer, Chase Bryant, a 22-year-old Texan, has had a very exciting ride since the release last year of his hit single, “Take It On Back.”

Coming from a family of musicians (Bryant’s grandfather player piano for Roy Orbison and Waylon Jennings), Bryant always knew that he wanted to be make music his career. At the young age of 22, he’s already performed with big country artists like Brantley Gilbert and is set to go on tour with Tim McGraw this summer.

Bryant will join Big and Rich and Randy Houser at 99.5 WYCD’s Ten Man Jam at the Filmore tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are only available to WYCD listeners through give aways and there is no cost! Listeners can win tickets by calling in and listening to 99.5 WYCD. Additional free tickets will also be given away at 99.5 WYCD Ticket Drops, as announced on-air and online.

The 99.5 WYCD Ten Man Jam consists of two “acts” of five artists who perform their favorite songs one at a time acoustically.

I chatted with Bryant about his experience so far in the industry and where he sees things going in 2015 and beyond.

DD: With the release of your debut EP in September and the overall growth of your popularity and career, how have things changes?

CB: Everything has finally taken off for me as an artist. I feel like I spent a lifetime doing this and wanting this to work and it’s finally starting to. The one thing that’s probably changed the most is I’ve become so much busier.

DD: Your grandfather was in Roy Orbison’s band, so growing up you had some level of exposure to the music industry. What’s something that has surprised you since you embarked on your own musical career?

CB: I thought I would run into somebody who is kind of a jerk, but after being on the road with so many different artists the one surprising thing for me is that we’re all like family. It’s really neat. The country genre has a very tight-knit family-oriented kind of vibe that keeps us all together and close. When you watch us on award shows, you’ll see how we all hang out. Being the young guy, it’s surprising to me because it was like walking onto the football team and thinking that people would push me around a bit. But, that hasn’t happened.  

DD: If you could work with anyone in or outside of the country genre, who would it be?

CB: Bryan Adams or Fleetwood Mac. Bryan Adams was a big influence for me when it came to sound, just the grit behind his singing. He is a really great artist both on and off stage. I’d like to work with Fleetwood Mac for the same reasons. Those were the records that I grew up with.

DD: You’ve talked a lot about how you had a very wide range of musical influences as you grew up. How has that contributed to your own personal sound as a country artist?

CB: I realized from an early age that I wanted to learn the root of music. When you listen back to the older stuff, that’s the stuff that generated from a rock background.  I wouldn’t say that I wanted to be Bryan Adams, Fleetwood Mac or Tom Petty but in my guitar playing, they have been a huge influence. At the same time, old school country like Lyle Lovett has also influenced my music. We all have our own twist on country music. The one thing for me is that you don’t have to wear a cowboy hat to be country. You just have to tell the truth. I think that’s what makes country. You do your best rendition of who you are and country music accepts that.

DD: You’ll be performing with some veterans of the country genre at the Ten Man Jam, people like Randy Houser and Big and Rich. Plus, this summer you’re going on tour with Tim McGraw. What’s it like working with artists who have so much success?

CB: Randy is probably my favorite singer in this genre. I grew up listening to a lot of his stuff and idolizing his singing. Just being around that and knowing that we’re doing gigs together is really cool. I was a kid from a small town with a dream, and it’s a really good feeling to know that I’ve been given a chance in a world where that doesn’t always happen. I’m very excited to have been given the opportunities that I’ve been given this year.

DD: Why did you choose to do a show like the Ten Man Jam, which is different from the standard concert with the big band and loud sound?

CB: The thing that I really dig about that shows like the Ten Man Jam is that they show the real you as an artist. It’s just you and the guitar. That’s how guys like Johnny Cash used to do things. I love showing that side of me.

DD: Different people take different approaches to jams. How do you prepare?

CB: I have a general map of where I want to go and what songs I want to play, but it depends on how the night goes and how the audience is reacting. The general rule is don’t prepare yourself. Go out. Have fun and draw the crowd in.  Things that aren’t planned are the things that move you the most.

DD: Who are some artists that you’re currently listening to?

CB: I’m currently into some eclectic music that’s really vibe-y. I’m into Tedeschi Trucks right now, a band called Small Black, a guy name Blake Mills and the band Augustana. That’s just kind of a mix-up of different people I’ve been into recently, but it’s always changing.

Link to iTunes to download debut EP



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