RED BOW RECORDS recording artist Chase Bryant is heating up the country radio charts with his debut single “Take It On Back.” The country newcomer recently released his debut self-titled EP which features 5 solid songs, and is currently working on his debut studio album which is anticipated for release early 2015.
CountryMusicRocks got the opportunity to catch up with Chase Bryant. Chase shared with us details about his hit single “Take It On Back,” his forthcoming debut album, songwriting and much more. We even chatted about wine! Check out our interview below, and be sure to pick up Chase Bryant’s debut EP on iTunes HERE.
CountryMusicRocks (CMR): You recently released your self-titled debut EP. For folks that haven’t picked up the EP yet, how would you best describe those 5 songs on the album?
Chase Bryant: It’s definitely me. It’s definitely who I am as a person, as an artist, as a songwriter, producer, guitar player and performer. I think it best describes the past 22 years of my life. I think it is kind of a little piece of everything from the past from maybe junior high up until now. So if you don’t know who I am, or your wanting to get to know who I am, that’s probably the best representation of me.
CMR: Your debut single “Take It On Back” has made a significant impression on country radio. Give us some background and tell us a little about that song?
Chase Bryant: It kind of happened organically. It was just kind of an idea we were tossing around one day, and it was something that just kind of fell into place. “Take It On Back,” for me, is that time or that place you want to go back to. Maybe it’s staying out too late with a girl, or a girl staying out too late with a guy. In my case, it was the dad that never did like me for whatever reason! A fast truck never did impress anybody! But it’s going back to that time and place, turn the radio up, let the windows down and be free spirited & young. “Take It On Back” is going to back to that time and place with that person you want to go back with.
CMR: “Take It On Back” is already in the Top 15 on the country radio charts. As a new artist, how does it feel to have the country radio industry and country music fans immediately embrace your music?
Chase Bryant: It feels great! I went from playing in a four walled bedroom to arenas and clubs. It’s the first time in my life that I feel like I’m really getting my name out and I’m actually out getting to do what I really want to do every single night. Having them embrace me has been a blessing and an honor. Without them I couldn’t do it. Country Radio and Country Music Fans have really embraced me.
CMR: I know your working on your debut album. What can you tell us about it so far, what can fans expect?
Chase Bryant: If you pick up my 5-song EP, it has a little bit of that. I would say it’s like a roller coaster. It’s got up tempos, down tempos, love songs where you want to go back and get that one person back, fun party anthemic songs. I think it’s going to be 16 songs. Something you can turn on a listen to, and go from 1-16 and never have to skip. It’s something you can live vicariously through, and something you can connect with.
CMR: In addition to co-producing your debut album, you also co-wrote all the songs on your album. When you started this whole process, was that something that was important to you to have your mark on each of the songs, or did it just happen organically with the songs that were selected for the album?
Chase Bryant: I kind of fell into songwriting just by feeling things. It was important for me to be able to go out every single night and have someone listen to a song and know that it was real. Especially with country music. I never felt like you had to wear a cowboy hat to be country, you just have to tell the truth. I definitely did that with my record. It’s who I am. I think for me, it was an integral part for people when they hear it, that it really happened. That it’s real, that it is me as a person. It was a big part for me. I wanted to make sure all the songs were right before we cut the record, and made sure there was a storyline that tied it all together.
CMR: You’ve been out on the road with Brantley Gilbert on the Let It Ride Tour. Tell us a little about that & what has your experience been like so far out on the road with him and expanding your fan base?
Chase Bryant: Brantley’s crowd is a little more rock-n-roll, a little more southern rock. Whereas my rock is more influenced by people like Tom Petty and Bryan Adams, it’s a little more California rock, but it still has its country edge & ties, and roots. Being out with Brantley has shown me a lot. He can walk out on stage and within 30 seconds win a crowd over. Even the ones that haven’t heard of him, or maybe never gave a thought on listening to Brantley, he knows how to go out and win them over. I think for me sitting side stage or front of house every night, I learn different things.
CMR: For folks that haven’t seen you in concert yet. How would best describe your set?
Chase Bryant: It’s a circus!!! It’s the one place I can go and live the record, and people can live inside of it & feel what I feel. It’s like going to church. You go to church to hear the preacher talk and you try to feel what he’s feeling & understand what’s there. I think for me, going out and playing a show live, I want people to come out & go ‘man that sounded just like the record. I lived inside of it and he just duplicated it & played it.’ That’s what I want people to feel. I want them to go out and connect & feel what I feel.
CMR: I just recently read that you are very knowledgeable when it comes to wine, and your only 22!!! How did you become so well versed in wine?
Chase Bryant: Well, I don’t really drink much at all, but wine was kind of a conversation piece when I would go to dinners. And when you like something, you want to know where it’s coming from, how it’s made, and how it’s done. Somehow or another I got into it, but I don’t drink much wine anymore. I haven’t had a bottle of wine in a long time, or even a glass of wine. I do love wine and I do love getting to know about it.
CMR: So if somebody really wanted to make an impression and they asked for your advice, what kind of wine would you suggest?
Chase Bryant: Red Zin. Robert Biale Black Chicken Red Zinfandel is so freaking good! It’s what I love. If somebody asked for my opinion, that would be it. It’s a great bottle of wine. I like to go out and find the cheap bottles that are really good too. Like the $10-$20 bottles.
CMR: Social Media has become such a huge role for artists, and you are really active on there, especially twitter. Do you feel more connected to fans having the social media tool at your fingertips?
Chase Bryant: Yes! People always wonder, he’s replying to all these how does he do it. Because I get on the bus and before anything else I go and reply to people. I want to keep in touch with people. People who grow with you are the people that are there forever. I want to make sure I keep those guys around forever and not become self-indulgent, but do what they’ve already liked, and not change who I am. The people that already connect with me & relate to me, I just feel that keeping up with social media is a way to keep up with your fans.
CMR: If there were one thing that you would like to convey to fans about you & your music, what would it be?
Chase Bryant: That I’m just a normal guy. I hunt, I fish, I like cars and working on stuff. I just want people to understand that behind all the lights and behind all the smoke and behind all the mirrors, he’s just a normal guy. He’s a guy you can connect to. I’m real. I’m just a guy with a dream, and somehow I conquered it. I still feel like I’m at the bottom of a mountain, but with the fans and connecting with them, that’s what helps me do what I do.
CMR: Country Music is consistently evolving and growing. What is it that you love most about this genre?
Chase Bryant: Well, back to the cowboy hat thing. You don’t have to wear a cowboy hat to be country. I know people pick on Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan because there’s a truck in the song. Trucks have been around for a long time, since the 20’s or 30’s. It’s like somebody said the other day, Taylor Swift has evolved into pop. All we do is follow where the music goes. If you really look at the roots of country music, Waylon Jennings was a rock-n-roll act. My grandfather played with him back in the day, and it was accepting to him because it was a family. Country Music is a family, it will always be a family. I think that you don’t necessarily have to like every kind of “bread,” but there’s somebody who likes Florida Georgia Line, there’s somebody who likes Maddie & Tae, there’s somebody who likes George Strait, and Garth Brooks, and Porter Wagnor. Just like I hope there’s somebody who likes Chase Bryant. I think for me, it’s just to know that country music is a family, and it is always going to evolve. It’s never been the same from the 40’s to the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s. It’s evolved, and I think it’s a great thing because that is what keeps it alive. I think at some point rock-n-roll didn’t die, but I think it took a hit because the evolution of things people didn’t understand. With country music, it has evolved and it is a metamorphosis into something that your just following the music. We’re going where the fans take us, and where the music goes. I think people like Florida Georgia [Line] who catch crap, are guys that do what feels right to them and somebody is going to connect. Country Music evolves. And if you really look back at the roots of country music, roots on trees grow just like the roots of music grow. Country Music is the best there is.
Chase Bryan’t debut EP is available now featuring hit single “Take It On Back.” Grab your copy HERE.
Keep up with Chase by visiting his Official Website, Like him on Facebook and Follow him on Twitter.
