The stats and numbers achieved by Florida Georgia Line from their NINETEEN number one songs, two of which were certified diamond by the RIAA (the only country act to ever achieve this feat with multiple tracks) are pretty phenomenal. Now the Floridian half is firmly set out on their own journey as Brian Kelley is ready to share his “Tennessee Truth”.
Kelley’s sophomore album will be released on May 10th via Big Machine Records and is available to pre-save/pre-order HERE. Following his first solo UK performance at Wembley arena last year, he is really keen to take the British audience along with him on his journey from the get go as he returned to play the main stage at this year’s C2C: Country to Country festival in Belfast, Glasgow and London where BK spent some time with Jamie in the run up to the festival.
Thanks for taking the time to hang, it’s great to have you back. “Hell, yeah bro, it’s great to be back. We were here in September and I told everyone we would be back so it’s good to be back.”
Yeah, you did drop a little hint but it’s C2C this time and you’re back at C2C because you have played it before but this is the first time with just your name on the poster. Reflecting back on 2015, what are your memories of the festival? “Really the first thing that comes to mind is just the fan support and the fan excitement, I mean that’s what brought us there then and that’s what’s bringing me here now. There is a great country music fan base that is very loyal and very excited here so, I’m just fired up to connect with everybody, to do meet and greets, to see everybody whilst I’m up on stage, try to fist bump, look people in the eyes and live out these songs that I’m going to play together. I’m just excited, it’s a challenge, my wife and I love being over here, it’s such a vibe with great people and great food, you get to sightsee and I get to play my music. You can literally just check off all of the positives about coming over here.” I remember from when you were here last year at Wembley, your set had a lot of energy and I think that is a perfect fit for what we need on a Saturday night in London. The other thing about is was if people didn’t really know any of your music or even if they knew nothing about you, I think it would be impossible for them not to have a good time at one of your shows which I think I can say about seeing you more than a lot of other people playing the festival. “I really appreciate that. Thank you, that means a lot to me. I mentioned this in another interview earlier when somebody asked about if I had any concerns, worries or anxiousness about coming over here and for me personally, that if there was any it was just hey, do I have enough music out that people are going to know? It’s really about just trusting your team and trusting the fans, then my team have told me hey, there’s fans that want you over there and I’m like yeah, let’s go and build this. Let’s take it serious and do it for the long term, let’s do it right, let’s do it proper, have fun and see how long we can keep coming back. I appreciate that and I think when I’m up on stage I try to connect, try to have fun and get a setlist that’s going to offer a little bit of everything. Even last time, there were a couple of songs that weren’t out yet, there’s some stuff about the beach in Florida and some country stuff but it all is authentic to me which hopefully at the end of the day is connecting with these fans.”
Looking at what you have put out, we’ve had around five songs that you have shared which are going to be on the new project, what can you tell us about this record that we are all waiting for? “It’s coming out May 10th and the pre-sale is now live! It’s twelve songs total on there so by this time, there’s about five or six new ones and I’m just really excited about this project. It’s called “Tennessee Truth” and whilst “Sunshine State of Mind” was my first project but I don’t consider it my debut project and I made that, wrote that all in Florida for the most part, where it was a totally different season of life. This new record, I made in Nashville and I’m just really excited about it, it’s a fun record and it’s just another piece authentically of who I am. I didn’t want to make the same record twice, I just wanted to open up and open the door for people to continue to get to know me and add to the picture of who I am.” I guess from what you said about recording the first project in Florida and this new chapter focusing on and being recorded in Tennessee, it really is about who you and what you have to say NOW. People will see the name Brian Kelley and go oh, yeah he’s the guy from Florida Georgia Line, but having the new record, opposed to just a flow of singles helps piece together and be able to showcase the story that has built this next chapter. “Yeah that’s right and I think with every project, you have the opportunity to share more, just be real and write about where you are in that moment. There’s so much that has changed from a couple of years ago and “Sunshine State of Mind” in my world, I wanted to reflect that and I also wanted to share more of what I love. As much as I love the beach, I love the country. As important as it is for me to get some time on the coast, it’s important for me to get some time in the woods. I love hunting, I love fishing, being outdoors and hell I love skiing. I love being in Colorado as much as I love being in Grayton Beach, Florida and there will be time to share all of me but this season is a really cool snap shot of where I’m at.”
When did you learn to ski? “Oh man, I was hitting the bunny slopes as a kid at probably five or six.”
That’s awesome, I think I was about seven or eight. I have family in Calgary so I love to get over there when I can and spend some time in Banff. “It’s so fun, Banff is beautiful. We try to go skiing once or twice a year.”
We did have snow here during the festival last year but should be ok this year. Whilst you’re here, is there anything you’re hoping to do? Anywhere food or drinks wise in the plans? “Not of hand but my favourite way to look up places to go whether it’s a vintage store or a restaurant, I’m a big Yelper and Googler. I like to assess via photos, pictures and comments, I like to gauge what does the outside of the building looks like? What’s it like inside? Is it a vibe? What kind of stuff do they have? What does the food look like? I need to see it and then I can go from there so I like to do a little bit of research, I don’t know, I just like the finding of it. I’ve just always enjoyed doing it that way.”
Do you write your own reviews? Do you leave a bit of shade if you’re not a fan? “No but I’ve considered it. [At this point a large grin appears across the face of his wife Brittney who starts nodding and pointing towards herself] I can’t tell if that’s going to draw more like because what you put out, you get back so I don’t know if I’m going to start getting a bunch of random comments of my music that are basically a mirror of what I’m saying about their restaurant so, I haven’t but ha-ha maybe one day.”
Lastly when we briefly met last time that you were here, you had said that you weren’t huge on pro football but FSU is a different matter and the Seminoles are coming over to Ireland to play this year. “What! Are they really?”
Yeah it’s the first week of the college season on August 24th. “No way, that’s two days before my birthday.”
They’re playing Georgia Tech at the big stadium in Dublin. “Wow, I did not know that.”
It’s really big this year I think because College Gameday are coming over to cover it which is insane. “That’s wild, I sure wouldn’t hate to be opening up somewhere there whilst that is going on.”
There’s an idea I’ve planted into your head now, you know round that sort of time could be a cool time to head back over again if you were starting to make plans. I know about it because I watch Pat McAfee and he was talking about it on his show as he does Gameday too. “Yeah I like Pat but I did not catch that, damn that’s cool to know.”
College sport and the whole scope of football especially is going to be really interesting with all that is happening with the NIL deals and the playoffs finally expanding to twelve teams. I like the idea of it not just being the same Bama, Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia mix year in, year out. “I’m excited to see how it plays out, even with the transfer portal that has changed the game a tonne, then now you get twelve teams in there in the playoffs, it’s kid of fair game. I think it’s definitely going to be a lot more exciting so it will be great to see how it plays out, they just should have done it last year so Florida State would have been in, but it’s ok.” Exactly, you were the ones that were really hard done by last year. Thanks for taking the time man, appreciate you and the hang dude. It’s great to know that the record is coming and we all can’t wait to hear it.
The new album “Tennessee Truth” from Brian Kelley will be released on May 10th via Big Machine Records and is available to pre-save/pre-order HERE. You can find details for all of Brian’s upcoming North American shows by checking out his WEBSITE or you can be the first to be in the know about all that he is up to by following along on INSTAGRAMTWITTER & FACEBOOK.
C2C: Country to Country will return in 2025 for three days of festivities in Berlin over the weekend of March 7th to 9th which you will be able to find further detail on their WEBSITE and on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK where you will also be able to relive highlights from this year’s event. The event will then roll back into London, Glasgow and Belfast the following weekend between March 14th and 16th which you can keep a look out for all forthcoming details at the event WEBSITE or socials (INSTAGRAMTWITTERFACEBOOK) with line-up details expected to be announced later in the year.