Justin Moore Photo Credit: Kristin Barlowe
Broken Records Magazine’s Markos Papadatos chatted with Justin Moore on Friday, December 9, 2011, about his career in country music and newest album Outlaws Like Me.
Country singer Justin Moore remarks, “I grew up on old school country, and I loved it because it was real. I felt like Hank Williams Jr. was singing about me and my friends. It’s the blue collar music for America. I grew up in a middle class family, and I’ve gone around and made a lot of fans and friends. Country music is all of the above. I also love the fact that country music is about the lyrics.”
In 2009, Justin Moore was honored by Billboard Magazine as its “New Country Artist of the Year.” “It was great! Just to be mentioned with some of the names at the time and to be recognized for something as ‘New Country Artist of the Year’ is really special. All the credit has to go to my record label, and country radio. I wouldn’t be named that if it weren’t for country radio playing my songs,” he says.
Subsequently, Moore was the sole new vocalist in the genre to have a #1 hit on country radio in 2009 with “Small Town USA”; moreover, he has shared the stage with such acclaimed musical acts as Miranda Lambert, Rascal Flatts, Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Brooks & Dunn, among others.
Moore’s sophomore album, Outlaws Like Me, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Album Charts, for the week ending July 9, 2011. “It was unbelievable to know that all of the hard work that everybody put in on my behalf over the past eight or nine years. It was very rewarding and very humbling to see my name at the top of any list. It’s surreal. I grew up in a town of 300 people. Those kinds of things are supposedly unattainable. For me, to get to experience #1 songs and albums is just really crazy to me. I am very blessed to have fans out there that support me and my music. I am very blessed that country radio has embraced me the way that they have,” he acknowledges.
Regarding the song selection process for his latest album, he states, “I don’t really over-analyze anything I do musically. Whether it is singing songs, writing songs, or putting together a show, if it feels right, I go with it. I wrote some of the songs about seven or eight years ago, and some other tunes about six or eight months ago.”
Two weeks following his chart-topping album debut, Moore’s lead-off single “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Charts, for the week ending July 23, 2011.
When asked what his personal favorite song off the album is, Moore responds, “The title track ‘Outlaws Like Me’ is probably my favorite song that I’ve ever written. When I wrote the album and especially this song, I feel that I became a better person, husband, dad, and Christian. That song has a special place in my heart, and if I’ve ever written a song that could touch somebody’s life, I think this is it.”
His latest single, “Bait a Hook,” is escalating up the Billboard Country Charts. “It’s one of my favorite songs. When it comes on the radio, you immediately know it’s a country song! I am a fan of traditional country music, and I wish there was more of it out there. I am proud of that,” he admits.
Particularly impressive about Moore’s music video for “Bait a Hook” is that it includes a cameo from NASCAR driver Carl Edwards. “Carl has always been my favorite driver and I am a big fan of his, and it was a lot of fun shooting the video with him. He did a great job, and it was really kind of him to take some time off his busy schedule for that. It was really cool,” he shares.
Moore recorded “This is NRA Country,” which is available exclusively on NRA Country’s official website. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work with the NRA for a couple of years now, as part of their NRA Country campaign, which is basically trying to get the word out about all the great things that they do beyond waving the flag for the second Amendment. I am thankful as a person that likes to hunt, and believes that we should have the right to bear arms, but they do a lot of great things beyond that, and we are trying to get the message out there. We wrote a song for them, and shot a video to try and help promote that, so it was a lot of fun.”
In January of 2012, Moore is expected to tour with reigning Country Music Association (CMA) ‘Male Vocalist of the Year’ Blake Shelton, as part of his Well Lit and Amplified Tour.
“I’m nervous about my liver, surviving out there with him,” Moore says with a laugh. “It should be a lot of fun. I’ve gotten to know Blake a little bit, because I’ve been on the road with his wife a lot. Miranda and I are really good friends, and we talk and text every few weeks. I couldn’t be more proud for the two of them. I think they have finally gotten some deserving recognition that was long overdue. We are looking forward to getting out there with Blake.”
In addition to being one of the most prolific singer-songwriters in country, Moore is a husband to Kate and a father of two girls, Ella Kole and Kennedy Faye, the latter of which was born on November 21, 2011. “My wife and I are very blessed to have two healthy little girls now. I’ve had so many cool experiences in the past few years, but nothing comes close to being a dad or being a husband to my wife.”
When asked which females in country music he would love to record a duet with, Moore discloses, Miranda Lambert and Ashton Shepherd. “I respect Miranda a whole lot as an artist and songwriter, and we’ve become such good friends. I think Ashton is one of the few females that are doing real country music, and I am a big fan of her music.”
“Martina McBride is an incredible singer! She is one of those people that once you hear her sing you don’t ever want to sing again, because you know you cannot sing like her. She’s obviously an unbelievable talent and there is no secret as to why she is as successful as she is. She is incredibly talented,” he adds.
“I get to connect with my fans on stage. That is one of the reasons we play so many shows each year. We played 200 last year, and we played about 160 to 170 shows this year. We try to stay on the road as much as we can to let them know how much we appreciate them. That’s the funnest part of the job!” he exclaims.
Moore concludes by thanking his fans. “I am so blessed that every day I get to do what I love for a living. As artists, we are forever indebted to those folks because we get to live our dreams out here and hopefully, in return, we cut some songs that touch them, and get them through bad times, and maybe songs that they have a little fun with.”
For more information on country star Justin Moore, check out his official website.