As I waited aboard the tour bus, I couldn’t help but think it looked more like a moving recording studio than a bus, wood paneling and sparse fixtures spilling dim light. There was scarcely a place to sit down. Most of the
The post Exclusive: On the Bus to TPUSA with Country Star Lee Brice: He’s ‘No Right Wing Devil Because He’s Red Letter Jesus Raised’ appeared first on Breitbart.
As I waited aboard the tour bus, I couldn’t help but think it looked more like a moving recording studio than a bus, wood paneling and sparse fixtures spilling dim light. There was scarcely a place to sit down. Most of the space was occupied by guitars in hard travel cases, save for one vintage acoustic Gibson that looked like she’d been through it and had given a lot of songs but still had plenty left in her. Where there weren’t guitars, there were keyboards, pedals, amps, speakers, and recording equipment. I had heard stories about Lee Brice bus rides…how he never stops writing. Looking around, it made sense.
I had never met Lee prior to this and when he boarded the bus, I was struck by the interesting juxtaposition of an imposing physicality with a gentle nature which made him instantly accessible. Not surprising, given that he was a former Clemson football player whose music career began with him singing in the church as a child in Sumter, South Carolina. One of those songs he sang in that church was a gospel song, “Oh, How I Love Jesus,” taught to him by his Aunt Henri, whom he often cites as one of his major musical influences.
It was time to roll out. The door to the bus hissed to a close but not before Lee’s dog Charlie, who had gone missing for weeks and had since been found, decided she wanted to come along for the ride, broken leg and all.
We brushed aside some trucker hats and an amp just to make enough room to sit down and have a talk en route to Turning Point USA’s All-American Halftime Show where Lee is set to perform later today alongside Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, and Gabby Barrett.
Country star Lee Brice. (Photo courtesy of Redlight Management)
The journey to this event began in Clearwater, Florida, where Lee performed a song called “When the Kingdom Comes,” and dedicated it to Charlie Kirk in the wake of his assassination. Referencing that song, he told me that “when Charlie was assassinated, it just rang to me that he was grounded in his faith. And all I thought was, you know what, he’d love to look down and hear this song.” “When the Kingdom Comes” is one of about 30 songs on his upcoming record that comes out later this year but can be pre-ordered February 20.
“WHEN THE KINGDOM COMES” – LIVE
Video Courtesy of Chase Lauer/ Redlight Management
He went on to say that faith is a big theme on his new record. In fact, his most recent single from that record, “Killed the Man,” which is out now, is a bit of a rebirth for Brice and explores the notion of letting go of the old version of yourself in order to explore a life of true purpose. “Killed the Man,” is a reflective and powerful song that recognizes that God puts people in your path for a reason. Brice went on to tell me that “he wants to be able say what he wants to say unapologetically,” which leads me to a song he intends to play LIVE for the first time later today at the Turning Point USA event. “Country Nowadays,” also a track that will appear on the new record, is unapologetic for sure, and says so many things that Americans are feeling these days. He previewed the song for me on that old vintage Gibson:
It ain’t easy being country in this country nowadays
The direction the fingers point when everything goes up in flames
Saying I’m some right wing devil ’cause I was red letter Jesus raised
It ain’t easy being country in this country nowadays
He only played me a chorus but if that chorus is any indication, “Country Nowadays” is going to resonate with millions of people later tonight.
At the end of the interview, it was late. I was tired. Really tired. All I could think about was hitting my bunk on the bus, when I heard Lee say, “let’s write a song.” I smiled. Bed can wait. I said “let’s do it.” And we did.
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Lee Brice has become one of Country music’s biggest stars garnering nine #1 radio singles: A Woman Like You, Hard to Love, I Drive Your Truck, I Don’t Dance, Drinking Class, Rumor, I Hope You’re Happy Now, One of Them Girls, and Memory I Don’t Mess With. He’s won numerous ACM and CMA awards, been nominated for a Grammy, an Emmy and has amassed over 12 billion career streams. Aunt Henri was apparently a pretty good teacher.
LATEST SINGLE “KILLED THE MAN” (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
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“DRINKING CLASS” (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
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